MORNING MANNA            4-22-22
HELPLESS LOVE

 “  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”- 1 Cor. 13:13

Once upon a time all feelings and emotions went to a coastal island for a vacation. According to their nature, each was having a good time. Suddenly, a warning of an impending storm was announced and everyone was advised to evacuate the island. The announcement caused sudden panic. All rushed to their boats. Even damaged boats were quickly repaired and commissioned for duty. Yet, Love did not wish to flee quickly. There was so much to do. But as the clouds darkened, Love realised it was time to leave. Alas, there were no boats to spare. Love looked around with hope. Just then Prosperity passed by in a luxurious boat. Love shouted, “Prosperity, could you please take me in your boat?” “No,” replied Prosperity, “my boat is full of precious possessions, gold and silver. There is no place for you.” A little later Vanity came by in a beautiful boat. Again Love shouted, “Could you help me, Vanity? I am stranded and need a lift. Please take me with you.” Vanity responded haughtily, “No, I cannot take you with me. My boat will get soiled with your muddy feet.” Sorrow passed by after some time. Again, Love asked for help. But it was to no avail. “No, I cannot take you with me. I am so sad. I want to be by myself.” When Happiness passed by a few minutes later, Love again called for help. But Happiness was so happy that it did not look around, hardly concerned about anyone. Love was growing restless and dejected. Just then somebody called out, “Come Love, I will take you with me.” Love did not know who was being so magnanimous, but jumped on to the boat, greatly relieved that she would reach a safe place. On getting off the boat, Love met Knowledge. Puzzled, Love inquired, “Knowledge, do you know who so generously gave me a lift just when no one else wished to help?” Knowledge smiled, “Oh, that was Time.” “And why would Time stop to pick me and take me to safety?” Love wondered. Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and replied, “Because only Time knows your true greatness and what you are capable of. Only Love can bring peace and great happiness in this world.” “The important message is that when we are prosperous, we overlook love. When we feel important, we forget love. Even in happiness and sorrow we forget love. Only with time do we realize the importance of love. Why wait that long? Why not make love a part of your life today?” Remember GOD is LOVE. -Author unknown

MORNING MANNA            4-21-22

CARRYING THE CURE

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”- 1 Pet. 3:15

Moody Monthly published a heartbreaking story about an event that occurred in the life of one of Chicago’s most well-known surgeons. Dr. Leo Winters was awakened one morning around one o’clock. There had been an accident and a young boy was in the hospital. Nurses there felt that he alone had the skill to save the boy’s life.

Without any hesitation, Dr. Winters rushed out of bed, threw on his clothes, grabbed his keys, and ran to his car. As he made his way in downtown Chicago, he took a shortcut through a dangerous area known for its rough gangs. The risk was worth it to him, for he knew that only precious minutes stood between the injured boy and death.

But something happened. As he sat at a  stoplight waiting for it to change, a man wearing an old flannel shirt and a gray hat suddenly rushed from the shadows. He opened the car door, grabbed the doctor and threw him out, screaming, “I’ve got to have your car.”

Dr. Winters tried to plead his situation but the man was gone before he could utter two words. This was before the days of cell phones, and it took at least forty-five minutes to find a pay phone and call a taxi. By the time he arrived at the hospital, more than an hour had passed.

The nurses on the floor shook their heads and said, “You’re too late, Dr. Winters; the boy died thirty minutes ago. You’ll find the father down the hall in the chapel. He’s awfully confused—he can’t understand why you didn’t come.”

Without taking time to explain to the staff, Dr. Winters hurried down the hallway and opened the chapel door. There, sitting in the front row, was the crumpled form of the weeping father, wearing an old flannel shirt and clutching a gray hat. In his desperation to get to the hospital, he had pushed from the car the man who could have saved his son’s life.

Do you want a picture of humanity? Here it is: rushing after life; racing after satisfaction and fulfillment; hungering for meaningful relationships and lasting commitments; hoping for peace and relief from guilt and sin—yet, at the same time, pushing away the only One capable of saving their lives.

But we must never give up on them. We must continue to rush through the cold, dark streets no matter what danger awaits us and try to reach them in time.

Will some people throw you out? Yes. Will some people refuse to listen to you? Yes. Will some people curse at you? Yes. But God’s mercy is worth your greatest effort. We have  been given the cure for the disease of sin, and we know the Divine Healer who offers that cure to all.

So make haste to reach everyone . . . while you can. Pray that God will give you a heart for people, and a desire to see lost and dying unbelievers come to faith in Christ Jesus. Then, pray for the strength to remain a gentle and loving witness, even to those who refuse you.

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

MORNING MANNA           4-20-22

GRACE

“ And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.”– Rom. 11:6

When a person gets grounded early in the doctrine of grace, he saves himself from a host of problems in later life. It is so basic to understand that salvation is a free gift of God’s grace and that it is given to those who not only do not deserve it but who in fact deserve the very opposite. There is nothing meritorious a person can do or become to earn eternal life. It is given to those who abandon any thoughts of personal worthiness but who rest their case on the worthiness of the Savior alone.

If we see that salvation is all of grace, then we can have full assurance. We can know that we are saved. If salvation depended in the slightest degree on ourselves and our miserable attainments, then we could never know for sure. We wouldn’t know whether we had done enough good works or the right kind. But when it depends on the work of Christ, then there doesn’t have to be any nagging doubt.

The same is true of our eternal security. If our continued safety somehow depended on our own ability to hold out, then we might be saved today and lost tomorrow. But as long as our safety depends on the Savior’s ability to keep us, we can know we are eternally secure.

Those who live under grace are not helpless pawns of sin. Sin does have dominion over those under law because the law tells them what to do but doesn’t give them the power to do it. Grace gives a person a perfect standing before God, teaches him to walk worthy of his calling, enables him to do it by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and rewards him for doing it.

Under grace, service becomes a joyful privilege, not a legal bondage. The believer is motivated by love, not by fear. The memory of what the Savior suffered to provide salvation inspires the saved sinner to pour out his life in devoted service.

Grace also enriches life by inspiring thanksgiving, worship, praise and adoration. The knowledge of who the Savior is, of what sinners we are by nature and by practice, and of all He has done for us causes our hearts to overflow in loving adoration to Him.

There’s nothing like the grace of God. It’s the crown jewel of all His attributes. Get grounded in the truth of the sovereign grace of God and it will transfigure all of life.- William MacDonald

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

MORNING MANNA            4-19-22

SAVED AND SURE

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” – 1 Peter 1:3-5

We do not save ourselves. We cannot save ourselves. It is only the mercy and grace of God that makes salvation available to those who trust Jesus for it. And we do not keep ourselves saved. The same divine power that makes salvation possible secures the destiny of all who receive it. And once we are saved, we need never fear that God will decide we have sinned too greatly and disown us. We need never fear that He will forget one of His children. We are both saved and kept.

Dr. A. T. Pierson told the story of an elderly lady with strong faith. She was poor and uneducated and someone the world may not see as important. When she expressed her confidence of going to Heaven, someone said, “Nobody knows anything about you, and if you go to the Hell, the universe will be ignorant of it.” She responded, “It won’t make no difference to the universe but it would make a great difference to the Lord. His honor would be gone.”

Many people struggle with doubts and fears regarding the future. That is a sign that our focus is in the wrong place. It is true that many times we are disappointed or let down by people who fail to do what they have promised. God never fails. He does not just want us to be secure in Him, but to be fully confident regarding the future. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13).

 Our future is secure because it does not depend on us but on our unfailing God.- Daily in the Word

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

MORNING MANNA         4-18-22

OUR SUFFICIENCY

“Our sufficiency is of God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5

Let us think of this, whenever we are cast down on account of our weakness, or the difficulties we meet with in our way. We are weak, but Jesus is strong; and His strength is made perfect in our weakness. He has given us His word, that He will work in us to will and to do of His own good pleasure. He speaks, and it is done. The word of the Lord knows no obstacles or difficulties; all things must obey Him. When He sent Moses to Pharaoh, He said, “Certainly I will be with thee:” and the Lord’s presence was his strength. He acts just so with us; His fullness is our sufficiency; it is opened to us in Jesus, and we receive from it according to our wants, weakness, and faith. “Through God, ” said David, “I shall do valiantly.” “I can do all things,” said Paul, “through Christ strengthening me.” Look not then at your own emptiness, or weakness; but look at what God is to His people, and what He has promised to give them, and sing, “OUR SUFFICIENCY IS OF GOD.” “God is our refuge and strength; and as our days so shall our strength be.” “His grace is sufficient for us; His strength is made perfect in weakness.”

When we cannot see our way,

We should trust, and still obey;

He who bids us forward go

Will instruct the way to know.

James Smith, 1840

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