MORNING MANNA            9-14-22

SCHOOL OF SUFFERING

“The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11).

In this day when “eat, drink, and be merry” is on the mind of most people, the subject of suffering isn’t very popular. Face it –the average person wants life to be as fun and easy as possible. They are confused by and resentful of suffering. That is very much unlike our dear Savior,“who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross–“(Hebrews 12:2).

Some, thankfully, have the right attitude regarding afflictions. Such was the case of Dr. Charles Parkhurst who, more than a century ago, wrote this in regards to our text:

“This was a greater thing to say and do than to calm the seas or raise the dead. Prophets and apostles could work wondrous miracles, but they could not always do and suffer the will of God. To do and suffer God’s will is still the highest form of faith, the most sublime Christian achievement. To have the bright aspirations of a young life forever blasted; to bear a daily burden never congenial and to see no relief; to be pinched by poverty when you only desire a competency for the good and comfort of loved ones; to be fettered by some incurable physical disability; to be stripped bare of loved ones until you stand alone to meet the shocks of life–to be able to say in such a school of discipline, “The cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink it?’–this is faith at its highest and spiritual success at the crowning point. Great faith is exhibited not so much in ability to do as to suffer.”

It is no wonder that we are told to keep, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”- Heb. 12:2. The example of our dear Lord should motivate us to joyfully do our best when things are at their worst. He alone can enable us to do what would otherwise be impossible. – HDS

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

MORNING MANNA            9-13-22
Without Me – Nothing”
Without me ye can do nothing.”- John 15:5

The starting point to “all things” is to learn that we are nothing. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing” (Rom. 7:18). “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Gal. 6:3).

What a self-deceived generation, then, is ours!“It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” We do not have what it takes. Start with your nothingness – “Just as I am, without one plea” – and you are on your way to His “all things.”

“Let our debts be what they may, however great or small;
As soon as we have naught to pay, our Lord forgives us all.
‘Tis perfect poverty alone that sets the soul at large;
While we can call one mite our own, we have no full discharge.”

We can never be blessed until we learn that we can bring nothing to Christ but our need. “All the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him.” (Vance Havner)

MORNING MANNA            9-12-22

NEVER SURRENDER 

Why arat thou cast down, O my soul? And why arat thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.- Psa. 42:11 

Christian theologian Richard John Neuhaus was being driven from an airport to a speaking engagement. During the drive, one of his hosts went on and on about the disintegration of the American social fabric and the disappearance of Christian values and virtues from the culture. After what was a tedious drive listening to the man talk, Neuhaus finally was able to offer a response: “The times may be bad, but they are the only times we are given. Remember, hope is still a Christian virtue, and despair is a mortal sin.”

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.

Sent by David Stone on Friday, September 9 at 10:43AM

MORNING MANNA        9-9-22
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
 “I’m thinking it. I might as well say it!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that statement. Next time you are tempted to speak your mind, you need to remember Proverbs 29:11 “A fool uttereth all his mind–“. I must confess, I’ve sometimes played the part of a fool and spoken when I should have remained silent. How about you?

I recently read an article by a woman who said she once had a constant need to tell everyone what to do and how to do it. She said,”I thought my husband needed my advice in every area of his life, including and especially in his driving.” Then one day she heard Elizabeth Elliot say,”Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut.” That changed her life and, as she put it into practice, even had a transforming affect on her husband. 

We all have difficulties to deal with and opportunities to put this into practice. It’s not easy to remain silent when every fiber of our being wants to cry out in protest. People will ignore you, abuse you, neglect you, and use you. Some don’t like you and they want you to know it. Others pretend to love you, but they don’t. It hurts and it hurts deeply, but you can’t do anything about it. It is what it is and you’re not going to change it. The only person you can control is yourself and you can’t even do that without divine assistance.

There is so much phony baloney that we feel justified in speaking our mind, but in most cases it would be futile. When a person is out of fellowship with God they will hurt others, and you’re wasting your time trying to change them by appealing to their sense of right and wrong. They don’t care, and your words of wisdom will fall on deaf ears. The only thing you can control is your response to their injustice. For your own sake you need to just let it be. As Solomon said,”Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles”(Proverbs 21:23). As Elizabeth Elliot said,”Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut.”-HDS