MORNING MANNA         8-18-22
A GREAT INVITATION
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

Have you ever noticed that we tend to be impressed by the wrong things? For example–we usually give more thought to how bad the world is than we do to how good God is. No wonder we get depressed!Why don’t we focus on God? Can you think of anything more impressive than God? He is amazing in every way. However,the most amazing thing is not that we have an interest in God, but that He has an interest in us. Think about it–the great God who is in need of nothing invites us to invite Him into our life. Wow–now, that’s amazing! That’s grace!  

Yet there are those who decline God’s invitation due to their pursuit of self interest and ignorance.Here’s the point–instead of trying to understand God we need to trust Him. And, we learn to do that by keeping our focus on Him rather than the world or self. As our knowledge of God increases so does our faith. We should not be surprised that there is so much sin and suffering in the world. We should be shocked that it’s not worse than it is. We should be amazed that God, who is holy, wants anything to do with us–because we are sinful. We have rebelled against God and violated His righteous standard. Remember, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”(Lam.3:22).Keep your focus on the fact that we don’t deserve anything and you will be thankful for everything. Regardless of how bad it is, thank God that we don’t get what we deserve–it would be a lot worse!

Do you sense God knocking at the door of your heart, beckoning you to give Him entrance, that He might fellowship with you? Do not delay–accept His invitation, open the door of your heart, let Him in, yield to His desires and you will experience the greatest blessing in life–the pleasure of His presence. Do it now!- HDS

MORNING MANNA           8-17-22

THE SOUL’S VENTURE

“And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged;” Gen.8:1

It is very helpful to ponder these words, for it gives the assurance that not only will God take care of cattle, and birds, and every living thing, as we learn from Deut 25:4; Psa 104:11-22; John 4:11; Mat 6:26; but that He will much more think of and care for us, His children! Like Noah and his family, you may be shut away from all human help. It may be as impossible for you, as it was for him, to extricate yourself. You may have the responsibility of providing for those in need. Your supplies may be continually decreasing before your eyes, but God remembers you amid the waste of waters, and beneath those dark cloud-covered skies. As a mother cannot forget her sucking child, so God cannot forget you.

The ark grounded on the lower slopes of Ararat on the seventeenth day of the seventh month, and the waters decreased so rapidly, that, as Noah had reaped the harvest before the Flood came, he left the ark in time to sow for the succeeding year. Dare to trust the times and seasons of your life to your Heavenly Father’s care. He only waits to be trusted, and then life becomes woven into a beautiful mosaic of His loving forethought and care.

Be sure to guard against raven-like thoughts, which are restless and evil-feeding; seek to cultivate meek, gentle, pure, and dove-like thoughts that cull the olive-leaves of promise from the Word of God. Presently He who said “Come in,” will say “Go forth!” Then build your altar of self-sacrifice and self-giving.

Heavenly Father, strengthen me that I may look, not on the dark cloud, but for Thy rainbow; not on what Thou hast taken or withheld, but on what Thou hast left; not on the stormy waters, but on the face of Jesus. AMEN. – F B Meyer

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

MORNING MANNA           8-16-22

GIVE YOURSELF

“Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”- Luke 1:38 

This is one of those scriptures that I just can’t forget. Mary was willing to risk her reputation, give up her comfort and subject herself to great difficulties for the sake of pleasing the Lord. God wanted her to make her humanity available to Him, so He could manifest His deity to others, and she was willing for it to be so. She was willing to endure hardships for the sake of doing God’s will.

Perhaps you’ve never thought about it, but in a sense that is exactly what God wants from all of us. He wants us to “present” our “bodies a living sacrifice”(Romans 12:1) so He can make Himself known to others. As someone said, “You are the only Bible some people will ever read.” Scary thought, but it is true! Some people will make judgments concerning Christ based on what they see in you as a professing Christian. God forbid that we give the wrong impression! 

Many folks have great talent, treasures,and time that could be used for God, but they refuse to use them. They waste their lives in the pursuit of selfish pleasures and expend their energy on things of no eternal value. How foolish. How sinful! God is still looking for people like Mary who will make themselves available for His purpose. Don’t worry about your lack of ability. Make yourself available without hesitation, question, or reservation and you will never regret it. Serving God isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it.Will you say this day,”be it unto me according to thy word”? I pray that you will respond as Isaiah did when he said, “Here am I; send me.“(Isaiah 6:8). – HDS

Will you give yourself to the One who gave all for you?

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

MORNING MANNA            8-15-22
GOOD, BETTER, BEST

MORNING MANNA            8-14-22

BEING USEFUL

“They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage.”- Isa. 41:6

It was Charles Kingsley who said, “We become like God—only as we become of use.” The saying is truer than at first we may think. Every glimpse we have of heaven’s life—is a glimpse of usefulness, helpfulness. In olden days, angels sometimes came down to earth, and they always came on some errand of service to men. Then, we are told in our New Testament, that the mission of the angels to earth is “to minister to those who shall be the heirs of salvation.” Thus these pure creatures of heaven live only to serve. God himself is revealed on every Scripture page, and always in the same character of helpfulness. Christ came as God incarnate; and his whole life is summed up in the words, “He went about doing good.” Thus the divine life finds its expression in serving, doing good. “God is love;” and love cannot but minister and bless, even to the point of utter self-sacrifice.”- J R Miller

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