MORNING MANNA          10-15-21

DON’T QUIT

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”– Gal.6:9

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”- 1 Cor. 15:58

MORNING MANNA            10-14-21

GOD’S WORD

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried- Psalm 18:30

Here is one of the great understatements of the Bible: the word of the LORD is tried.

God’s people, for thousands of years, have cast their lives into the mold of God’s Word. They have married, invested, raised children, decided careers, and set their ambitions according to the Word of God. They have found in the Bible their comfort in times of loss, their direction in times of change, and their joy in times of prosperity.

God’s Word has been tried, tested, scrutinized, and relied upon by Christians throughout the ages. And, just as David testified, they have found it more than sufficient for their every need. They have discovered, in every generation and in every imaginable circumstance, that God’s Word truly is perfect.

His counsel is always wise, His history is always accurate, His lessons are always true, and His commands are always relevant. God’s way is perfect.

But David was not merely making an observation or teaching an academic lesson; David’s point is that because God’s Word has been tried and tested by millions of saints through the centuries, and has been found perfect, each of us should therefore build our lives on this tried and sure foundation.

Who do you look to for direction and for advice? Do you trust popular opinion, or well-meaning friends, to help you make decisions and find meaning in life? Or do you go to God’s perfect Word over and over again, for counsel in every area of life?

The Word of the Lord is tried, it is proven, it is sure — but have you tried it? –  Baptist Bible Hour

David Stone, Lakeway Baptist Church, Humble, Tx.

Sent from my iPad

MORNING MANNA               10-13-21

LONGING FOR WHAT’S SECOND BEST

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”- Matt. 6:33

Blogger Tim Callies addresses a common problem in this article. It is worth reading and deserves serious thought:

We often overestimate our wisdom. We often overestimate our capacity to rightly assess any given situation. We often overestimate our ability to know what would be best for ourselves and those we love. We are nothing if not self-focused, nothing if not self-reliant, nothing if not self-assured.

Of course we know that, in theory, we are limited little creatures whose knowledge is small and whose understanding is minimal. But this rarely stops us from acting as if we know far more than we actually do, as if we are far wiser than we actually are. This rarely stops us from praying as if the best thing God could ever do is to grant us our desires, to cede to our will, to do things in the way we demand. “Nevertheless, not as you will, but as I will” is so often our functional petition before the Lord.

But those who live by faith must have faith not only in God’s salvation but also in his providence. They must have faith that God knows best not only when it comes to the state of their souls but also the events of their lives, to entrust to him not just their distant happy future in heaven, but also their difficult present here on earth. They must have faith in God’s desire to hear their prayers, in his ability to answer their prayers, but also in his far greater capacity to know what is best for them and what best serves his great plan and purpose.

It is for this reason that we must pray earnestly and fervently, pouring out our petitions before the Lord, yet all the while encapsulating every prayer in the words, “nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.” While we can and should pray for those things we long for, we should always pray that what we long for would be according to God’s will. This is no more than an acknowledgement of the greatness of God’s knowledge and the limitations of our own. It is to admit that it is always better for God to carry out his will than for us to get ours. It is to profess that God’s ways are always better than our ways, even when they contradict our most fervent desires, and that his ways are higher than our ways, even when they lead through the deepest of valleys.

By faith we believe that God will someday right every wrong and bring contentment far greater than every pain. By faith we believe that we will worship God for every one of his actions and praise him for every part of his providence. By faith we believe we will see that when our will and his were in contradiction, we were actually longing for what was merely second best.

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

MORNING MANNA            10-12-21

WE NEED HELP
“O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.”Jer. 10:23

Did you know that if you Google the question, “What should I do?” you will get more than 64 million results? You will receive more than 64 million different opinions, ideas, suggestions, and points of view. That is a lot of information to sort through! It may seem funny to you to imagine using Google for guidance; but there are many people who are so desperate for purpose and direction they are willing to try almost anything.

There is evidence of this everywhere. Look around. Advice experts have exploded across the country…and even the world. There is self-help everywhere from smartphone apps, to videos, to books, to live chats, to blogs, to podcasts, and to support groups. People come in droves – paying good money – with their questions about career, family, health, emotional issues, and finances. We are a people desperate for help and hungry for answers.

It makes sense that we would seek guidance outside of ourselves. Think about it – not one of us knows the future. We don’t know what will happen in the next 15 minutes, much less the next 15 years. As hard as we try, we cannot control everything. Even the wisest person cannot plan for every unknown. So how can anyone, with no help, make the best decisions all of the time? The problem is not in seeking help or guidance…it is from whom we seek help and guidance.

At the end of the day, the best counselors and authors are just like us – humans. The wisest people can still be wrong. There is only One who is always right. He knows the future and controls each and every variable of the unknown. He is our Creator, who knows us better than we know ourselves.

Need help? Want advice? Ask away! Just make sure you first are seeking answers from the only One who can truly provide them. There are no quick fixes or loopholes to fulfilling your destiny. God is the Author of your life, and He has a plan even in your uncertainty and pain. He can be trusted with every fear, question, or worry; and He will never lead you astray.

God, please forgive me for the times I look to other people or things for help instead of coming to You. Today I bring You all my doubts and questions. Please direct my steps. In Jesus’s name, amen.- James Merritt

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

MORNING MANNA             10-11-21

RECEIVING THE WORD

“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” – Hebrews 4:1–3

When it comes to preaching people tend to make one of two mistakes. First, if the message brings good results they often attribute it to the preacher’s ability and give him praise he does not deserve. Second, if the message doesn’t produce results they assume it is his fault and put blame on him that he doesn’t deserve. But there is more to it than that! Read this account of America’s most famous sermon:

“The most famous sermon in American history is no doubt Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” With its vivid description of the peril and the horrors of the judgment awaiting those who were lost, the sermon is a masterful use of Scripture to call men and women to salvation. Certainly very few other sermons from 1741 are still widely available to be read and studied today. Although Edwards first preached it in his own pulpit in Northampton, Massachusetts, it is not that event that people remember.

Edwards was invited to speak at a church in Enfield, Connecticut, which had not been touched by the revival known as the Great Awakening. When Edwards preached there, people began to cry out even before the sermon was finished, asking, “What shall I do to be saved?” The sermon was basically the same message. Edwards had not become a more skilled orator. In fact, he read the entire sermon in what was described as a monotone voice. The difference was in the hearers.

While there are some churches where the Bible is not faithfully preached and taught, there are also cases where the problem is not with the speaker but with the hearer. Each time we approach the Word of God, whether in public or private, we need to be sure our hearts are willing to hear what it says.The greatest message will have no impact on your heart unless it is open to receive the truth.”

If we are to experience the fullness of God’s blessings we must accept the blame when we are at fault and give him the praise when our efforts are blessed. That’s true whether you are standing behind the pulpit or seated in a pew. Imagine what great things God would do if we all got honest about our attitude toward God’s word. -HDS

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