MORNING MANNA             10-3-23

HURTING OTHERS

“—first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”–Matthew 5:24 

Have you ever refused to seek reconciliation with someone who offended you? Or have you ever hurt someone? I’m talking about more than physical abuse. I’m talking about breaking their heart, crushing their spirit, leaving them in a pool of tears, grieving them beyond what they are able to bear?

 So what did you do about it? Sadly, most people don’t do anything. They just go on their merry way, leaving their victim writhing in anquish and pain. They’re like a hit-and -run driver. They do the damage and take-off down the road, leaving others to deal with the harm they’ve done–no apology, no aid, no remorse (unless they get caught, and start feeling sorry for themselves). We see it all the time. But it’s where we see it that is most troubling. 

You expect such cruelty from the world, but you don’t expect it from professing Christians. They’re suppose to be different. We don’t expect to get “blind-sided” by someone who says they “love Jesus”. Well, you better get ready for it–sooner or later it will happen. Nor everyone who sings,”O How I Love Jesus” cares about you. But, believe it or not, it’s better to be the victim than the perpetrator! 

Don’t think for a minute that your sin will go unnoticed or unpunished. When you hurt God’s children you hurt God (Matthew 25:40) and you’re going to get hurt! You can’t hurt others without hurting yourself. If you are guilty of this terrible sin you need to repent. Confess your sin to God and to all those you’ve affected, then do everything in your power to make restitution. Doing so will be painful, but not nearly so painful as not doing it. Remember–no one ever sinned successfully! – HDS 

DAVID STONE
LAKEWAY BAPTIST CHURCH
5801 FM 1960 E.
HUMBLE, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA             10-2-23

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 

DAVID STONE
LAKEWAY BAPTIST CHURCH
5801 FM 1960 E.
HUMBLE, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA            10-1-23

Behold The Beauty

Since I was a child I have admired God’s creation. But it was only after I trusted Christ as my Savior that I attributed it to His mighty power and great wisdom. Now I can’t look at nature without thinking about the greatness of God. I feel as Elizabeth Charles did when she wrote the following:
 
What inexpressible joy for me, to look up through the apple-blossoms and the fluttering leaves, and to see God’s love there; to listen to the thrush that has built his nest among them, and to feel God’s love, who cares for the birds, in every note that swells his little throat; to look beyond to the bright blue depths of the sky, and feel they are a canopy of blessing,–the roof of the house of my Father; that if clouds pass over it, it is the unchangeable light they veil; that, even when the day itself passes, I shall see that the night itself only unveils new worlds of light; and to know that if I could unwrap fold after fold of God’s universe, I should only unfold more and more blessing, and see deeper and deeper into the love which is at the heart of all. 

MORNING MANNA            9-30-23

David Stone.  

Lakeway Baptist Church.  

Humble, Tx

MORNING MANNA            9-29-23

THE LORD’S LESSON ON PRAYER

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.”- Luke 11:1–4

This is the only place in Scripture where it is recorded that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them something. Though He was constantly teaching them as they went from place to place in His ministry, the example the disciples saw in Jesus’ prayer life moved them to ask Him for specific instruction on this vital topic. It is important for us to remember the central and vital importance of prayer to the successful Christian life.

In the Lord’s Prayer, or more accurately the model prayer, we see what Jesus thought was important for us in our own prayers. We are to pray to honor and glorify the name of God. We should pray for His will to be done, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. We should pray daily for provision of our needs. We should ask forgiveness for our sins, and we should pray for deliverance from temptation. In short, every part and facet of life is a fit subject for our prayers. If we do not pray, we miss the provision and protection and victory God means for us to have.

William Cowper put it this way:

Restraining prayer, we cease to fight;
Prayer makes the Christian’s armor bright;
And Satan trembles when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees.

 I 

If we have little prayer, we will have little power. If we have much prayer, we will have much power. – Daily in the Word

David Stone     

Lakeway Baptist Church    

Humble, Tx