THE LESSON OF YOUR LIFE

MORNING MANNA         1-15-22

THE LESSON OF YOUR LIFE
“So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.”- 1 Thess. 1:7

Everyday people are sitting in judgment of Christ based on what they see in professing Christians. Sadly we often give the wrong impression. The following poem makes the point:

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John 

Are read by more than a few, 

But the one that is most read and commented on 

Is the gospel according to you. 

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day 

By the things that you do and the words that you say, 

Men read what you write, whether faithless or true, 

Say, what is the gospel according to you? 

Do men read His truth and His love in your life? 

Or has yours been too full of malice and strife? 

Does your life speak of evil, or does it ring true? 

Say, what is the gospel according to you?

We need to realize that our life is being observed by others everyday. What we do, what we say and our general attitude is being watched, and folks judge Christ and Christianity by what they see in us. As someone said, “You are the only Bible some people will ever read.” God forbid that we give out the wrong message. Let us so live that we can say with Paul,“For to me to live is Christ–“.(Phil. 1:21). — HDS

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

MORNING MANNA            1-14-22

DESPERATE PRAYER

“Beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”- Matthew 14:30

Sinking times are praying times with the Lord’s servants. Peter neglected prayer at starting upon his venturous journey, but when he began to sink his danger made him a suppliant, and his cry though late was not too late. In our hours of bodily pain and mental anguish, we find ourselves as naturally driven to prayer as the wreck is driven upon the shore by the waves. The fox hies (hastens) to its hole for protection; the bird flies to the wood for shelter; and even so the tried believer hastens to the mercy seat for safety. Heaven’s great harbour of refuge is All-prayer; thousands of weather-beaten vessels have found a haven there, and the moment a storm comes on, it is wise for us to make for it with all sail.

Short prayers are long enough. There were but three words in the petition which Peter gasped out, but they were sufficient for his purpose. Not length but strength is desirable. A sense of need is a mighty teacher of brevity. If our prayers had less of the tail feathers of pride and more wing they would be all the better. Verbiage is to devotion as chaff to the wheat. Precious things lie in small compass, and all that is real prayer in many a long address might have been uttered in a petition as short as that of Peter.

Our extremities are the Lord’s opportunities. Immediately a keen sense of danger forces an anxious cry from us the ear of Jesus hears, and with him ear and heart go together, and the hand does not long linger. At the last moment we appeal to our Master, but his swift hand makes up for our delays by instant and effectual action. Are we nearly engulfed by the boisterous waters of affliction? Let us then lift up our souls unto our Saviour, and we may rest assured that he will not suffer us to perish. When we can do nothing Jesus can do all things; let us enlist his powerful aid upon our side, and all will be well. – Charles Spurgeon

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

MORNING MANNA          1-13-21
WHAT TO DO IN 2022
“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ” 2 Cor. 5:20 ( read vs.14-21)

Having entered a new year, causes many to wonder, “What do we do in 2022?” Here’s the answer, We should do what we should have done in 2021. Which is what we should do until our life is through. And as Christians there should be no doubt as to how we should live. We are to discover the will of God and do it. That’s success!

None of us have the right to live as we please. Bought by the blood of Christ, we belong to God and it is our duty to do as He demands (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Sadly most people read those words and then proceed to do as they please rather than giving God what He deserves, desires , and demands. And in our folly we deprive ourselves of great blessings, sure rewards, a clear conscience, and a good testimony.

Such people don’t realize that we are never pleased by living as we please.Fact is, we don’t have the ability to know what is best for us apart from God. Jer. 10:23 says, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”. It is only as we are directed by the Lord that we can walk safely and find satisfaction.

So let me leave you with a reminder of what we ought to do in 2022. It’s found in 2 Cor. 5:14-21 which reminds us that we are “ambassadors for Christ” ( 2 Cor. 5:20). That is a work that should never be denied, delayed, or deserted. It is of such great importance that it deserves our very best effort at all times. Doing that is a life well lived. -HDS

MORNING MANNA          1-13-21 

WHAT TO DO IN 2022

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ” 2 Cor. 5:20 ( read vs.14-21)

So let me leave you with a reminder of what we ought to do in 2022. It’s found in 2 Cor. 5:14-21 which reminds us that we are “ambassadors for Christ” ( 2 Cor. 5:20). That is a work that should never be denied, delayed, or deserted. It is of such great importance that it deserves our very best effort at all times. Doing that is a life well lived. -HDS

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

MORNING MANNA            1-12-22

WALKING IN THE WORD

“ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105

“ The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalms 37:23

When I received Christ as my Lord and Savior I was working for a civil engineering firm that owned a plane equipped with the ability to fly by instruments rather than by sight. That enabled us to do what we couldn’t do otherwise. I remembered some of those trips as I read the following by Bro. Wayne Barber. 

Years       ago, I was up in Alaska with my family and I had the opportunity to fly in       the cockpit of a 727. I loved it when we took off. There is nothing like       being up in the front of the plane and seeing what is going on. They were       flying us up to Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean. I had never been there       before.
     
      The weather was perfectly clear as we flew, But as we got up there, I       noticed when we made our bank around and were going to land on that air       strip, the pilot put everything on instrument rating. I thought, “Now that       is interesting.” As a matter of fact, I leaned forward and asked, “Why are       you going in on instruments? It is clear as a bell.” He said, “Wayne,       excuse me. I am flying the plane. We will talk about this later.” Then I       realized that wasn’t the time to discuss it.
     
      We came around on instrument rating, and they landed the plane. It was       clear as a bell! After we landed I said, “Now, you have got to help me on       this. I thought instrument landings were for fogged in conditions.” He       said, “I can really tell you have never been up here. We have learned       never to trust what we see or think we see. When we land up here, the fog       can move in so quickly we only trust what we know will land this plane.”      
     
      I can’t say it strongly enough……You have got to understand:       don’t you trust what your mind tells you. Trust what the Word of God and       only the Word of God has to say. 

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