MORNING MANNA            5-19-21

TELL JESUS

“ And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. ”- Matt. 14:12

When Herod beheaded John, his disciples took up his body and buried it, and went and told Jesus. Let us imitate their example, and carry all to Jesus. He loves to listen to the tale of human woe. He can and will sympathise with us in all our trials and troubles. He is our Father, and to whom should the child tell his troubles, but to his kind and tender parent? He will direct our steps, avenge our wrongs, and turn all things to our advantage. Does business go wrong? Are enemies active? Is corruption strong? Does faith flag? Are you tried in your family? Go and tell Jesus. It will ease your mind; prevent sin; ensure supplies; manifest relation; and frustrate the designs of Satan. Do not sit poring over your miseries; go not to creatures; neither murmur, complain, nor fret; but go to Jesus; go with speed; go in hope; go and tell Him all, without reserve. Go this morning, with all thy complaints, desires, and fears; lay them all before Him, and beseech Him to undertake for you. He loves to hear you, has promised to help you, and will certainly bless you. It is your duty, and your privilege, to pour out your heart before Him, and find Him a refuge for you.- James Smith, 1840

Our sorrows and our tears we pour
Into the bosom of our God;
He hears us in the mournful hour,
And helps to bear the heavy load.

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.

MORNING MANNA            5-18-21

THE WISE MAN’S PRAYER

“That which I see not teach Thou me.” Job 34:32

We were once blind, but now our eyes are open; but still we are absolutely dependent on divine teaching, or we shall never become truly wise. If God teach us, self will become vile; the world vanity; sin bitter; the blood of Christ most precious; His righteousness glorious; His name our only hope; His love our joy; His Spirit our strength; His glory our aim; and “Teach Thou me,” our daily prayer. We see but little of what Christ is in Himself; of what He hath done for His people; of what He possesses, and will give to all who call upon Him in truth; of what He has promised to work in us, and bestow upon us. Beloved, let us daily plead with God to teach us, that we may know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, and be made conformable to His death. Let us beg the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ, that we may know what is the hope of His calling, and what is the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. Jehovah alone can teach us to profit. – James Smith, 1840

O Jesus, teach my soul to know
Thyself, the Truth, the Life, the Way;
May I in grace and knowledge grow,
Till I arrive in perfect day:
From Satan, self, and sin set free,
And what I know not teach Thou me.

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist church

Humble, Tx.

MORNING MANNA

Die Climbing

“He died climbing” is inscribed on a monument erected to an Alpine guide, who perished when attempting to reach the top of a mountain. In that tribute we see a reminder of what our attitude should be. We should be looking upward, pressing onward, and climbing higher. We should always press on in the pathway of duty.

“He died climbing” could be said of numerous Christians who refused to quit, who pressed on in the face of great difficulties and danger. Rather than give up many became martyrs for Christ sake. We read their stories and marvel, but we ought to do more than that—we need to follow their example.

Let us not be one of those who became content and stopped pressing on, as though we had gone as far as we needed to go. Neither let us be in the camp of those who became fearful and ceased to go on because of the danger. Our life is in God’s hands whether we be sitting on the plain or inching our way up the steep mountain side, hanging on by our finger tips. If our cause is nobel and our motive pure we have nothing to fear. All is well.

Fear belongs to those who quit climbing. Indeed, the way may be rough and tough, even painful, but we are never at liberty to stop. Press on dear pilgrim! The prize will be worth the pain. One day you will stand on the summit and look back on your journey and realize that had you stopped you would have missed the best. Keep climbing until that day when it can be said of you,”He died climbing.” It will be worth it all.- HDS

“I’m pressing on the upward way”

DAVID STONE

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.

MORNING MANNA          5-16-21

COMPLAINING

“Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer,”- 1 Cor. 10:10

The Israelites were chronic complainers as they trekked through the desert. They complained about the water supply. They complained about the food supply. They complained about their leaders. When God gave them manna from heaven, they soon grew tired of it and longed for the leeks, onions and garlic of Egypt. Although there were no food markets or shoe stores in the wilderness, God provided an unfailing supply of groceries for forty years, and shoes that never wore out. Yet instead of being grateful for this miraculous provision, the Israelites complained without letup.

Times haven’t changed. Men today complain about the weather: it’s either too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry. They complain about the food, like lumpy gravy or burnt toast. They complain about their work and wages, then about unemployment when they have neither. They find fault with the government and its taxes, at the same time demanding ever-increasing benefits and services. They are unhappy with other people, with their car, with service in the restaurant. They complain about minor pains and aches, and wish they were taller, thinner, better looking. No matter how good God has been to them, they say, “What’s He done for me lately?”

It must be a trial to God to have people like us on His hands. He has been so good to us, providing not only the necessities of life, but luxuries which His own Son did not enjoy when He was here upon earth. We have good food, pure water, comfortable homes, clothes in abundance. We have sight, hearing, appetite, memory and so many other mercies that we take for granted. He has protected us, guided us and sustained us. Best of all, He has given us eternal life through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And what thanks does He receive? Too often He hears nothing but a tirade of complaints.

I had a friend in Chicago years ago who had a good answer when asked, “How are you?” He would always reply, “It would be a sin to complain.” I often think of that when tempted to murmur. It’s a sin to complain. The antidote to complaining is thanksgiving. When we remember all that the Lord has done for us, we realize that we have no reason to complain.(William MacDonald)

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.

MORNING MANNA            5-15-21
CONTENT
“ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.“- Phil. 4:11-12