MORNING MANNA          7-3-21

THE DIVIDED HEART

“Their heart is divided….” Hosea 10:2

This is a very serious charge, for God demands the whole heart, and his people profess to surrender it. But have we not reason to fear that many are guilty on this point? They appear so undecided, that we must think that the heart is divided between God and the world; between sin and holiness; between truth and error; or between Christ and self. What are the symptoms of a divided heart? Habitual cleaving to earth. Being satisfied with a form of godliness. Backwardness to examine ourselves. A dislike to plain, close, soul-searching, rousing preaching. Putting away eternal things to a distance. Beloved, how is it with you? God rejects half the heart; He will have all or none. Do you fear on this point? There is a remedy. Thoroughly examine your heart. Condemn whatever you detect amiss in it. Take it to Jesus, and beseech Him to heal it. Expose it to the keen edge of God’s word. Endeavour to keep up a constant sense of the presence of God. Converse much with eternal realities. As the heart is, so will the life be; so will the comfort and peace be. O Lord, unite my heart to fear thy name!- James Smith, 1840

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

MORNING MANNA           7-2-21

THE JOY OF SERVICE

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”-John 15:11

“Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart….”— Isa 65:14.

On the eve of Gethsemane and the night before His crucifixion “these things” were said by our Lord: how could He have even a thought of Joy? Note how confidently He speaks of it–abiding, remaining, persistent joy! Like a hot geyser-spring, rising from unknown depths on an ice-bound world. How could He think of joy at such a moment? One answer alone seems possible. He knew that by His supreme sacrifice He was creating a well-spring of joy for all future generations. The spring of His joy was perennial because of the joy He was about to create for myriads.

This joy was characteristic of His whole ministry. It seems to have been an unfailing fountain. How could it be otherwise when He was always ministering to others, when He was for ever fulfilling His Father’s loving Will for men? It is in harmony with His oft-repeated “Be of good courage,” whether He was about to heal pain and disease, or proclaim the forgiveness of sin. The New Testament rings with this call to rejoice, and to rejoice greatly!

Life of Self-giving. Our joy, like Christ’s, consists in self-giving. We pass on to others the joy and love with which He fills our hearts, and in doing so, we are made infinitely happy. Let us today fix these thoughts in our mind. God is Love, and that Love cannot be self-contained.

Day by day let us abide in Him, with our heart-gate open to the incoming of His love, that He may be able to speak a word to those that are weary, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. We are not to create, but to pass on! Not to inaugurate, but to transmit! The love and grace of Christ were always expressed in acts of ministry. He was not content with speaking the word of cheer, but ministered in such a way that joy and gladness were the immediate result. We must not be well-wishers only, but well-doers, If it be only to help to lift a burden, or to guide the perplexed, or to give a caress to some lonely despairing soul. In all such acts of ministry we are giving our Saviour the opportunity of expressing Himself through us, and of fulfilling our joy.

O Blessed Lord, give me to know the joy that is unspeakable, the love that passeth knowledge, and the peace that passeth understanding. AMEN (F B Meyer)

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

MORNING MANNA           7-1-21

THE CALL TO SERVICE

“And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.”- Mark 1:17-18

Just last week I was discussing with someone how seldom we see men surrender to the ministry. I remember a time when nearly every Baptist church had at least a few young men in the congregation that God had called to preach. We seldom see that today. I’m convinced that God hasn’t stopped calling folks. The real problem is that fewer and fewer are willing to go. I was blessed when I read the following of this subject by F. B. Meyer.

“As of old, Christ is still passing through the centres of busy, thronging life, calling men from their nets and boats, from the countinghouse and the market-place, or from the seclusion of the study, and saying, with His own inimitable and irresistible charm: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” It may be that He has already come to you, casting over you the mantle of service, as Elijah over the young ploughman whilst following his team.

You may be startled at the suggestion, but probably all the mighty band of men and women who have responded to His Call, were similarly startled when first the summons awoke them to action. Samuel was startled when the Divine voice rang out in the night; Gideon was startled, and replied: “Behold my family is poor, and I am the least in my father’s house”; Jeremiah said, when the call came to him: “Ah, Lord God! Behold I cannot speak, for I am a child.” Moses drew back, and said that he was unequal for the task to which God summoned him.

Christ’s Call comes specially to the young—-Young people have a marvellous power of acquiring languages, and mastering any difficulties of country, race, or condition, and what other men and women are doing for fame, position, and wealth, surely we can do for Jesus. We are His blood-bought slaves, and surely He has the right to say to each of us, Come, Go, Do this, Follow Me!

Listen to the appeal of Christ on behalf of the millions of souls for whom He died, and to some of whom He wants to send you. Yield yourself to Him, and let Him infuse into you His mighty passion for their salvation. Do not look at your circumstances, or count your five loaves and two small fishes, wondering if they will suffice; or at the waves, questioning if they will bear you up. Keep your eyes fixed on Him, and your ears open to His voice, and when once you are sure of His leading, go forward in His Name. Jordan will divide before you, and the walls of Jericho will fall flat.

Lord, here am I, send me wheresoever thou wilt. Only make me to know Thy will beyond possibility of mistake, and work through me to accomplish all Thy good pleasure. AMEN.

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

MORNING MANNA          6-30-21

GOD’S WILL

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.“- Matt.6:10

Many people shrink from God’s will. They think that it always means pain, or sorrow, or bereavement. They always feel melancholy when you speak of doing the Will of God. Alas! how the devil has libeled God. The will of God is the will of a Father. It is the Fatherhood of God going out in action. “It is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should perish.” “This is the will of God, even your sanctification.”

If only the will of God were done on earth, as it is done in heaven, there would be peace between the nations, and love and happiness in all our homes. Love would cement the union of all men in a city of blessedness. The fact of the world’s present condition is no argument against the beneficence and blessedness of the will of God. It is because men will not do the will of God that things are as they are!

In our own life we shall never be really right or happy until we have got to the point of saying: “I delight to do Thy will, O my God.” We may not begin there. The first step is to choose it, then we shall come to accept it lovingly and thankfully; but, finally, we shall rejoice and delight in it. If you cannot say “Thy Will be done,” say: “I am willing to be made willing that Thy Will should be done.” If your will is like a bit of rough and rugged iron, tell God that you are willing for it to be plunged into the furnace of His love, so that all which is unyielding and obdurate may pass away before the ardent heat of the Divine Fire. Depend on it that He will not fail, nor be discouraged with the long process that may be required; and that He will not be rough or violent. He will stay His east wind. He will keep His hand on the pulse, that He may be aware of the least symptom that the ordeal is too strong.

At first there may be a twinge of pain, as when a dislocated limb is pressed back into its proper position, but afterwards there is the blessed restoration of healthy vigour. You will only lose what you would gladly give up if you know as much as God does of what promotes soul-health. “Whosoever,” said our Lord, “will do the Will of my Father, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” “In His Will is our peace.”- F B Meyer

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

MORNING MANNA          6-29-21

HELPED BY A HANDICAP

“……. all these things are against me.”- Gen. 42:36

She was just six weeks old when she contracted a cold – something to be expected when raising children, and not usually a serious problem. But that wasn’t the case with this little girl. After a treatment for the discharge in her eyes this little girl went blind. Try to imagine how her broken hearted parents must have felt. Their little girl would never be able to do the things other little children could do and enjoy. How could a girl in this condition ever be of any use or a contributing member of society? But this was no ordinary little girl. Her name was Fanny Crosby.

Although unable to see, Fanny wrote poems and became known as the “Queen of Gospel song writers”. Now, more than a century later we are still singing her songs and being blessed by the works of that great woman. Rather than spending her life in bitter despair and complaining about the unfairness of life, Fanny did what she could. She determined to make the best out of a bad situation. At the young age of eight she wrote this poem:

“Oh, what a happy soul I am,

 ALthough I cannot see.

I am resolved that in this world

Contented I will be.

How many blessings I enjoy

That other people don’t

To weep and sigh because I’m blind

I cannot and I won’t.”

A study of her life and others like her leads me to believe that sometimes not having a handicap is our biggest handicap. We need to learn what Paul had learned when he wrote, “for when I am weak, then am I strong” ( 2 Cor. 12:10). He knew that handicaps can be helpful when they cause us to look to God for help. Doing that can turn burdens into blessings, afflictions to aid, and grief into gladness. 

Throughout life things will happen that we do not understand. Bad things happen to those who are considered good – even to innocent little children. We can’t escape such things, but by the grace of God we can endure them. Our burdens can make us better rather than bitter if we trust God’s promises such as Rom. 8:28. Through faith in God, those who appear useless can become useful.

None of us are wise enough to know what we need most, so God intervenes. From His eternal perspective and out of the depths of His great wisdom He appoints or allows what we need rather than what we want. So until the day when God makes all things clear we need to patiently endure our trials by trusting Him who cannot fail – knowing that He doeth all things well. Your Savior is the solution to your situation, the answer for your afflictions, and the source of your song. Although everything seems to be against you, God is for you. Your grievous handicap can become a glorious help. – HDS

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