MORNING MANNA            11-14-22

 RESPONDING TO OUR RICHES IN CHRIST

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.”– Psa. 116:12

This wonderful verse should provide us with many thoughts about how blessed we are in Christ. Below are some quotes that deserve our attention.

William ManDonald said, “In the matter of our soul’s salvation, there is nothing we can do to earn or deserve it- We cannot put God in our debt or reimburse Him in any way, because salvation is a gift of grace.The proper response to God’s free offer of eternal life is first to take the cup of salvation, that is, to accept it by faith. Then we should call upon the name of the Lord, that is, thank and praise Him for the unspeakable gift.

Even after we are saved there is nothing we can do to repay the Lord for all His benefits toward us. “Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small.” However, there is a fitting response we can make, and that is the most reasonable thing we can do. “Love so amazing so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

If the Lord Jesus gave His body for us, the least we can do is give our bodies for Him.”

Pilkington of Uganda said, “If He is King, He has a right to all.”

 C. T. Studd said, “When I came to see that Jesus Christ had died for me, it didn’t seem hard to give up all for Him.”

Borden of Yale prayed, “Lord Jesus, I take hands off as far as my life is concerned. I put Thee on the throne in my heart.”

Betty Scott Stam prayed, “I give myself, my life, my all, utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, “In that day, when I surrendered myself to my Savior, I gave Him my body, my soul, my spirit; I gave Him all I had, and all I shall have for time and for eternity. I gave Him all my talents, my power, my faculties, my eyes, my ears, my conscience, my limbs, my emotions, my judgment, my whole manhood, and all that could come of it, whatever fresh capacity or new capability I might be endowed with.”

Finally, Isaac Watts reminded us that “drops of grief can n’er repay the debt of love I owe,” then added “Dear Lord, I give myself away, ’tis all that I can do.”

MacDonald,”The passion of Jesus—His bleeding hands and feet, His wounds, His tears demand one fitting response: The sacrifice of our lives for Him.”

Here’s the bottom line, Rather than being bitter about our burdens we need to think about the blessings of all the benefits we have in Christ.- HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA           11-12-22

HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?
Eph. 3:20 says of our Lord that He “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” 

What would have happened had Moses tried to figure out what was needed to accomplish God’s command? 

One of the biggest mathematical miracles in the world was required in the desert. Moses led the people of Israel to the desert. What was he going to do with them? They had to be fed, and feeding 3 million people required a lot of food. According to the U.S. Army’s Quartermaster General, Moses needed 1,500 tons of food a day, filling two freight trains each a mile long. 

For cooking the food it took 4,000 tons of wood and a few more freight trains each a mile long-just for one day! And they were 40 years in transit! 

For drinking and washing dishes, it took 11,000,000 gallons each day. 

They had to get across the Red Sea in one night. If they went on a narrow path, double file, the line would be 800 miles long and require 35 days and nights to get through. To cross in one night there had to be a space in the Red Sea 3 miles wide so they could walk 5,000 abreast. 

A campground the size of Rhode Island, or a total of 750 square miles was required every day! 

Do you think Moses figured this all out before he left? I think not. You see, Moses believed in God. He had faith that God would take care of everything. Let us take courage, we have the same God! – Anonymous

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA             11-11-22

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:” James 1:19

What a great piece of advice we find in this text. It speaks of things we are all acquainted with and tells us where we can go wrong in the way we respond or react.

He begins by telling “every man” to be “swift to hear.” We need to be deliberate and purposeful listeners. One thing that causes us grief is when we react without really hearing the whole story. Have you tried explaining something to someone, and before you really got started, he had already formed an opinion about the situation, with only a minimum of facts? This is being quick to respond, but not “swift to hear.” Proverbs 18:13 says, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Being a good listener is something that we have to develop and work on. Some people cannot hear what they are being told because their mind is actively planning what they are going to say in response. There will be plenty of time for talking, but first train yourself to listen.

James then admonishes us to be “slow to speak.” Speaking too quickly can create real problems. Words cannot be withdrawn. Therefore, it is wise to think about it before speaking. Make sure it is something you want to say or that needs to be said. One cannot make those kinds of decisions when he is quick to answer rather than being “slow to speak.” Everyone has an opinion, but everyone does not have to express it. Saying nothing is much better than saying the wrong thing. The Bible has much to say about the problems caused by too many words. For instance, Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” Let’s learn to be “slow to speak.”

Then we are told to be “slow to wrath.” A person who is easily angered is destined for trouble. Proverbs 14:17 tells us, “He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly.” When one is out of control, he often says things that shouldn’t be said, as well as things that he really doesn’t even mean.

If we would be honest, we would have to admit that we sometimes do the very opposite of what James tells us. We are slow to listen, quick to speak, and quick to get angry. We need more self-control. As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, He helps us respond to situations in a way that honors the Lord.- Thomas Smith

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA         11-10-22

END OF YOUR ROPE

“For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.“- Psa. 107:25-28

I recently heard a story about a man who descended into a well by sliding down a rope. He supposed the rope to be ample in length, but as he reached the end of the rope his feet had not yet touched the bottom of the well. He had exhausted his strength and therefore could not climb back up; and he feared to let go lest he be dashed into pieces. He held on as long as he could until sheer exhaustion set it. When he let the rope slip from his grasp he fell to the bottom of the well – just three inches.

    Sometimes it can feel like we are at the end of our rope. Inch by inch we descend into the darkness until our grip becomes loose and weak. Fear, fatigue, and exhaustion sets in, and then we let go. It is then we realize something: the ground was closer than we thought; soon we are back on our feet.

    When you reach the end of your rope, you may very well be at the beginning of your hope. It’s true, there are times we need to strengthen our grip and pull ourselves back up. But then there are those moments when we have to let go, and simply trust God. Hold on as long as you can, and then trust God to be your solid ground.

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

MORNING MANNA        11-9-22

THE GREATEST ABSURDITY

“Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.” – 1 Peter 3:8-9

Strange how we “love”someone until they do something wrong or how we profess to have “compassion” on the lost until they act out their sinful nature by sinning, and then have no concern for their welfare. 

Strange how we rejoice when we read, “ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” ( Rom. 5:8), yet refuse to do as we’re told in Matt.5:44 “ But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you:”

Jonathan Edwards said,”Envy, malice, ill-will and bitterness of spirit are the very reverse of the real essence of Christianity. Love is the sum and temper and spirit of Christianity. An envious Christian, a malicious Christian, a cold and hard-hearted Christian, is the greatest absurdity and contradiction!”