MORNING MANNA              11-8-22

INTENTIONAL IGNORANCE 

“For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” – 2 Peter 3:5–7

All around us are evidences that God created the world, yet many people refuse to accept that evidence and instead choose to believe a lie because they do not want to confront the truth. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). The belief in evolution has become something of a religion in its own right, demanding faith in things that cannot be found or proven.

Yet no matter how ridiculous some of the theories put forward to explain how our world came to be, while leaving God out of the picture, are people still choose to be “willingly ignorant.” They are not uneducated or unintelligent, they simply do not want to face the logical consequences. If there is a Creator, then He has the right to tell us how to live. And if we do not follow His commands, then there will be a judgment.

The problem is not a lack of proof or evidence of God, but an unwillingness to believe what He has said. “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25). God has no obligation to reveal further truth to those who reject the truth they have already been given. Until faith enters the picture, no amount of evidence will convince someone God is real. Only through faith can we see and accept the evidence that God is real and His Word is true.( Paul Chappell)

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

MORNING MANNA         11-7-22

CONVENIENT CHRISTIANITY

“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?“- Luke 14:27-28

Here is a story that should get our attention. David Livingstone, the missionary hero to Africa, was asked by a missionary society if he knew of any easily-accessible roads to which some of their interns could travel. They wanted to get a taste for mission life and desired to spend some time with Livingstone. David Livingstone replied, “If you have men who will only come if there are good roads, I don’t want them. I want men who will come even if there are no roads.”

    One may contend that Livingstone replied harshly to the missionary society, but I contend that Livingstone knew what it meant to count the cost.

    We are living in a convenience-minded society. Oftentimes when something is too difficult or inconvenient we hesitate to move into action. Too often we allow obstacles to hinder us from an opportunity. The Lord teaches us to sit down and count the cost before we attempt anything for him. Being his disciple involves problems, persecutions, and paths that are not cut down.

    We must be willing to go for God regardless of the convenience factor. Christ did not die a convenient death; we cannot assume a convenient life.

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

MORNING MANNA         11-5-22

PRAYER
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:12).

If someone took a survey asking people, “Are you doing the will of God?” I suspect you would get a variety of answers, such as “Yes”, “No”, “Sometimes “, “I’m trying”, or “In regards to what?”. But what would you say? While there are a number of factors we could consider, there is one that is greatly needed yet seldom mentioned. Our text tells us we are to pray “for all that in authority”.

So, clearly, we. aren’t doing the will of God if we fail to pray for them. And I would think that if you are praying for them you will also vote in elections. If we don’t pray and vote for our government we have no right to complain about what we get and the current conditions. But far worse than that, we cannot honestly say we are doing God’s will, and that has serious consequences.

If we really believe that prayer can change things why don’t we pray?

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

MORNING MANNA              11-4-22

ABOUNDING IN HOPE

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Romans 15:13

We, of all people, should be filled with hope. Describing our position before our salvation, the Bible uses the phrase “having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). Without God, there isn’t any hope. This is the sad state of most in our world. But, our text tells us that He is “the God of hope” and that we “may abound in hope.” It would not be possible to list all the benefits that are ours because of our relationship to Jesus Christ and His love toward us, but one such blessing is “hope.” This is a word that has lost some of its meaning in recent generations.

For many, the word “hope” simply means “a desire or expectation.” In the Bible, however, the word “hope” means much more than that. It means “a steadfast confidence or assurance.” It is one thing to hope something happens, as the word is often used today, yet it means something more as it is used in the Scripture. For instance, when Paul wrote of the blessed “hope” of Christ’s return, he was not speaking of a desire that He might come, but an assurance or confidence that He will return. God is “the God of hope.” He, through His promises, gives us the foundation and basis of great and growing confidence, and He wants us to “abound in hope.” We are the most hopeful of people. Because of this great “hope” that is ours, we can be filled “with all joy and peace in believing.” We could never be full of “joy and peace” without the confidence we have in Christ. People without hope are also without “joy and peace.”

We have an unchanging and eternal relationship with our trustworthy Creator, and we have His perfect Bible as our source of information. Our text gives us not only the benefits that are provided in Christ, but also the source of those benefits.

The “power of the Holy Ghost” makes these benefits a reality in our lives. It is through His indwelling presence and His activity in our hearts that we are able to enjoy the inheritance that we have as God’s children.

We also see in our text the activity that makes spiritual reality a part of our experience. These benefits are ours “in believing.” It is as we believe God’s Word and receive by faith His promises that we appropriate the many blessings He has promised us in His Word.- Thomas Smith

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx  

MORNING MANNA           11-2-22

What is Christianity?
    “…..Christ is all, and in all.“–Col. 3:11

    Christianity centers in the glorious Person of Christ!
   
    The aim and purpose of every Scripture truth, is to fix the eye on    Christ Himself!
    He is the Alpha and Omega of Christianity.
    From Him proceeds every ray of light.
    To Him all believing hearts are drawn.
    The Christian finds consolation and strength only in Him.
    Every motive for Christian living is from Him.
    The glorious privileges which Christians possess, can only be    enjoyed from union and fellowship with Him.
    Their highest standard of duty is to follow His footsteps,    and to walk even as He walked.
   
    Christianity, in fact, is Christ! It is . . .
       Christ in the Scriptures;
       Christ in the Manger;
       Christ on the Cross;
       Christ, the Risen One;
       Christ, the Ascended One;
       Christ, the Prophet, the Priest, the King;
       Christ in His Glorious appearing, to be revealed from    Heaven with His mighty angels!
   
    All our trust, all our love, all our obedience, is due to Him!
   
    The more the eye and the heart is turned fully towards Him–the more    true and genuine is our Christianity.–George Everard, 1874
    

          

Do not I love You, Oh my Lord?
      Behold my heart and see,
      And turn each cursed idol out,
      That dares to rival Thee!
     
      You know I love You, dearest Lord,
      But oh, I long to soar,
      Far from the sphere of mortal joys,
      And learn to love You more!
         – Philip Doddridge

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