MORNING MANNA           8-2-21

“WONDERFUL PEACE”

“…. the God of peace…” – Heb. 13:20
After preaching about “The God of Peace” yesterday I felt that I didn’t say half of what needed to be said or what I wanted to say. So today I want to share with you the story of a hymn that has been a blessing to me for many years. It’s called “Wonderful Peace”. 
Unlike most hymns, which were written out of sorrowful experiences, this one was written out of great joy. It was written by Warren Cornell ( 1858-1936) while attending a camp meeting conducted by William Cooper in Wisconsin in 1889. Cornell was there as a guest preacher, but it was also a time of great personal refreshment for him. One writer said, “Cornell was so filled with joy after five days of camp meeting spent fellowshipping and eating with believers, testimonies, singing, and preaching, that the words flowed out of the overabundance of his soul. According to a couple sources, as he walked, Rev. Cornell grabbed the back of an advertising flyer and penned these words”.

1. Far away in the depths of my spirit tonight
   Rolls a melody sweeter than psalm;
   In celestial-like strains it unceasingly falls
   O’er my soul like an infinite calm.
   • Refrain:
     Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
     Coming down from the Father above!
     Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
     In fathomless billows of love!
2. What a treasure I have in this wonderful peace,
   Buried deep in the heart of my soul,
   So secure that no power can mine it away,
   While the years of eternity roll!
3. I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace,
   Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
   For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day,
   And His glory is flooding my soul!
4. And I think when I rise to that city of peace,
   Where the Author of peace I shall see,
   That one strain of the song which the ransomed will sing
   In that heavenly kingdom will be:
5. Ah soul, are you here without comfort and rest,
   Marching down the rough pathway of time?
   Make Jesus your friend ere the shadows grow dark;
   Oh, accept this sweet peace so sublime!

I hope as you read these words you will rejoice in ‘The God of Peace”. – HDS

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

MORNING MANNA         8-1-21

TROUBLES, TRIALS, AND TREASURE

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”- James 1:2-4

No one likes tough times. Troubles, trials, and tribulation are not enjoyable. However, since we can’t escape them we must learn to endure them. One of the first lessons we need to learn is that although they aren’t pleasing they can be profitable. If we are to make any sense out of our suffering we must view them from that perspective. Failing to see any benefit will cause us to miss the blessing and become bitter rather than better. We need to resign ourselves to the fact that in the school of Christ there are lessons that can only be learned through suffering, and God doesn’t hesitate to put us to the test. Caring more for us than we do for ourselves, God appoints or allows things to happen that we would never choose ourselves.And although we may mourn we must not murmur. But there is more to it than that. Our text tells us that we are to “count it all joy”.

The first question that comes to our mind is, “How?” How is it possible to be joyful during times like these? Anticipating that question, God gives us the answer. He directs James to add these words – “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” That is a mere summation of the ways in which we profit from our pain. The Bible speaks of several different reasons why tough times are allowed into our lives.

It isn’t my present purpose  to give you a list of the reasons, I simply want you to remind you that there is a reason – a good reason. And knowing it is by divine design that ought to be reason enough for us to rejoice while we are going through tough times. God doesn’t make any mistakes and He is never unjust. We are wise to accept whatever He allows and if we will “Count it all joy” as He commands we will find the strength to endure anything – regardless of how tough the times are. And believe it or not, as a result we often find treasure in our trials.- HDS

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

MORNING MANNA          7-31-21

GOD IS WITH ME

“Fear not: for I am with thee:” – Isa. 43:5

Man’s efforts to explain God’s omnipresence are futile. Some have likened it to the air, but that analogy falls short because God “filleth all in all” ( Eph. 1:23). He fills heaven and the earth. There is no place where He is not there. There is no escape from His presence. However, God is not just with us by way of association or location, He is with us by way of assistance. That ought to make us forever thankful. We sometimes find ourselves in stressful situations. The days may be difficult, the nights long, the suffering severe, the enemies numerous, the friends few, and the fear great. But knowing the Lord is with us produces peace, secures strength, creates courage, causes comfort, prompts praise, and glorifies God.

After giving them their commission and before ascending into heaven Jesus gave His disciples this wonderful promise to keep them encouraged, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen”. That word of assurance will do the same for us, so let us live each moment in light of that precious promise. – HDS

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

MORNING MANNA         7-30-21

GOD IS FOR ME

“…. God is for me.”– Psa. 56:9

As you read these words try to picture yourself in David’s situation. He is being hunted like a wild animal by men trying to kill him, yet he faces his fear with this wonderful fact – “God is for me”. These four words are more helpful to me than all the books ever written by man. In this storm tossed world in which we live this truth sets the ship of life right when it seems that destruction is sure.

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

MORNING MANNA           7-29-21

LIKE HIM
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.“- 1 John 3:2
Having recently preached from this verse about “The Most Wonderful Quartet”, I can’t stop thinking about one particular point – “we shall be like him“. That fills my mind with wonder and my heart with joy. I can’t conceive of anything more glorious than that. Indeed the best is yet to come!

As we think about that, we need to remember that this is the end toward which God has been working since the day we were saved. Rom. 8:29 says, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Knowing that, we should presently be growing toward that goal, and the Holy Spirit is working in us to do just that. 2 Cor. 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

In light of this I can’t help but think about how far short we now come to being what we shall become. We can’t even touch the hem of his garment. Even the best among us can’t come close to the perfection of Christ. Try as we may, at our best there is but a faint likeness to Him who is Altogether Lovely. Although we might move in that direction each day we never get there until we get there with Him. Although we are now the sons of God, not until then will we be like the Son of God.

1 Cor. 15:49-53 speaks of this tremendous transformation. It describes the fulfillment of God’s purpose for us- to be with Him and like Him. This perhaps is the greatest glory of heaven. Of all the things that seem too good to be true this is the most amazing. Surely you wonder, “How can it be?” The gap is so wide, the difference is so great, that it seems impossible. Yet “we know” it is certain. God has spoken and He cannot lie. As we now look unto Jesus we can say, “Someday I will be like that!” Every child of God shall be like “the Son of God“. Until then let us keep “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..” (Heb. 12:2), that we might “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Phil. 1:6), – HDS

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