MORNING MANNA           12-12-23
THE POSSIBILITY OF PEACE
“ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”- John 14:1

The first three verses of this chapter instructs and inspires – helping us to deal with our difficulties. They are more than a song or poem that momentarily soothes our soul. Here we find a rich treasure of truth that enables us to triumph over our troubles. Take note of three things.

I. WHO SPOKE THESE WORDS ?Considering the great trials we face, sometimes this exhortation seems impossible until you consider who spoke these words. These wonderful words came from the Lord Jesus Christ who is Faithful and True. Therefore we can depend upon what He says – knowing that He cannot lie!

Sometimes we try to justify our morbid attitude by speaking about the severity of our suffering or situation. But regardless of how you feel or what you think, what is impossible for man is possible with God. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled”. So then, we are responsible for our response to troubles and trials, our attitude regarding our afflictions. The words “Let not” tells us that peace is possible, and that ought to encourage us.

II. WHEN THESE WORDS WERE SPOKEN

Jesus had already announced that he would die and leave them. Knowing they would be hated and persecuted they naturally wondered what they would do without him. Knowing their thoughts Jesus ministered to them, even before they expressed their concerns. Think about that. Jesus was facing the shame and suffering of the cross yet He was thinking about others. Thankfully you can rest assured that He is deeply concerned about you also.

 
III. WHAT THE SUBJECT IS

Clearly Jesus is speaking about peace – peace that could comfort them in their crisis. His concern was console them. Thankfully He is just as concerned about His people today as He was then.

People seek peace in numerous ways, but apart from Christ they search in vain. Peace is possible only because Christ provides what He promises. He who created and controls all things can comfort your heart in the most troubling times of your life. He who stills the storm and calms the sea can provide perfect peace that passeth all understanding. Those who trust His will never be disappointed by Him. Regardless of what you are going through He can bring you through it, and even make some good come of it. -HDS

David Stone  

Lakeway Baptist Church  

Humble, Tx.

MORNING MANNA            12-11-23

LIMITING GOD

“How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:”- Psalm 78:40-43

We speak of God’s power as being unlimited, and that is true. We see a great demonstration of God’s ability in the creation where a few simple words of Divine authority were all that was needed to bring into existence everything that we see around us. The same God who created all things has the power to address whatever needs or problems we may face. And yet for all the power that He possesses and is willing to use, there are actually ways in which we human beings can limit God’s work.

The Psalmist tells us that this is what the Children of Israel did through their unbelief and unfaithfulness in the wilderness—they limited what God could do for them. The same phenomenon occurred in the New Testament during the life of Christ. After He had preached with power and worked great miracles across Israel, Jesus was rejected by his own hometown of Nazareth. “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). Jesus was still God and still able, but the lack of belief limited the work that He did there.

It is a great tragedy when we do not live in such a way as to ensure God is able to freely operate in and through our lives. Andrew Murray said, “Beware in your prayer, above everything, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do.” There are no limits to what He can accomplish unless we live in a way that holds back His power from our lives. Keep your faith and commitment strong so that the work of God in your life is not limited. (Daily in the Word)

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church   

Humble, Tx

MORNING MANNA             12-7-23

A Day of Infamy

“To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.”Jer.6:10

The day of infamy should be our reminder to always heed warning.

Three hundred and fifty-three Japanese planes took off from the flight deck of six Japanese carriers on the morning of December 7,1941; one hundred and eighty-three at 6:00 a.m. and a second wave of one hundred and seventy followed at 7:15 a.m. Pearl Harbor was the objective of their attack.

The USS Condor was on routine minesweeping patrol duty offshore near the island of Oahu early that morning. About 3:45 a.m., men of her crew spotted a submarine in the restricted waters near the entrance to Pearl Harbor. Condor’s skipper signaled to the destroyer Ward,which was also on patrol close by, giving the Condor’s position and what they had seen. 

As the Condor was only equipped for minesweeping, and the Ward was armed with guns and depth charges, they proceeded into Pearl Harbor as their patrol duty time was over. The anti- submarine nets in the channel had been opened for the Condor as she was scheduled to come in at that hour.

The USS Ward responded to the message from the Condor by speeding to the area named but could not locate the submarine. Both the Condor and the Ward considered the idea that one of their own submarines might be in the restricted area by error. The Ward went to battle stations anyways but found nothing. 

In the daylight at 7 o’clock, the Ward sighted a submarine and again went to battle stations. They sank the midget Japanese submarine near the Pearl Harbor channel entrance and the commanding officer of the Ward sent the following tense message to the commandant of the 14th Naval District in Pearl Harbor.

We have attacked, fired upon, and dropped depth charges upon a submarine operating in defensive sea area.

Neither the text nor the implications of this message were distributed to the fleet in time to warn them of the impending enemy attack. 

So many stories are told of warnings of the Japanese attack on December 7. Yet none of the recipients of those warnings took heed to the messages and acted on them. Close to three thousand lives were lost that day because no one acted on the warnings given. 

In our lives, how often do we ignore the warnings of God’s Word? Our verse today shows us Jeremiah’s lamenting that the people of Israel were not listening to God’s message. Because of their refusal to listen, Israel spent many years in bondage.

As you read God’s Word, do not lightly read over commands. Take them to heart. Recognize God’s message directly to you. Apply them to your life and always heed God’s warnings. Let the day which will live in infamy be a day you remember to heed God’s warnings.(Daily in the Word)

David Stone   

Lakeway Baptist Church   

Humble, Tx

MORNING MANNA           12-6-23

HIS HANDS

It’s strange how the words of a song stick in your mind–even for many long years. As I was thinking about the “terrible times” in which we live, I was reminded of that old song that says,”He’s got the whole world in His hands”. We need to think about that!

 The fact of the matter is that sometimes it seems that everything is whirling madly out of control. Admit it–sometimes you feel that God has forgotten all about you. It seems that He either doesn’t know, doesn’t care, or can’t help. We know we shouldn’t feel that way, but we do. Right? That’s when we need to get back to the facts, rather than following our feelings. To do that we must get into the Word and get the Word in us. Here’s a fact that ought to help you–“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.”(Isa. 49:16). Isn’t that great!

 God not only has the “wind and the rain” and “the little bitty baby” in His powerful hands, He is constantly mindful of us. Think about it dear friend–we are on His mind and in His hands! The failures of the past, the frustrations of the present, and the fearful prospects of tomorrow are all in His hands. By the way–things are never out of control when they are in His hands! 

If you still feel a bit apprehensive go get your Bible and read Psalms 139:1-10. It ends with these words–“Even there (wherever that might be) shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” No wonder we sing “Safe am I”. God knows–He cares and He can help. —  HDS