MORNING MANNA               6-2-25

”For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” Luke 19:10

Very often, human beings will exert a great deal of effort to find something that they value or something that they love when it has been lost. If we think we have lost our wedding ring down the kitchen drain, for example, we will crawl under the sink and disassemble the pipes in order to rescue our beloved possession. Dog owners will spend a great deal of time searchingt if their pet goes missing. They will walk or drive through their neighborhood for hours looking for the lost animal. They might even put up pictures of the missing dog on telephone poles, bulletin boards, and online message boards, promising a reward for the safe return of their pooch.

Tragically, we frequently do not go to the same effort to find lost souls. Fear of rejection, the responsibilities of life, the seemingly overwhelming task of world missions, and other factors make it easy for us to become complacent, to leave to others the task Jesus gave us of discipling the nations ( Matt.28:18-20). Generally, our failures to engage in evangelism and missions are not motivated by malice, but the deep self-centeredness that we possess as long as sin abides and leads us to overlook the need of others to know Jesus. We put up a church building and attend regularly, thinking somehow that people will just see Christian activity going on and visit of their own initiative. To some degree, that does happen, but if we are not actively seeking out lost people in order to give them the message of salvation, we cannot be surprised when they do not show up at our doors.

If we are to imitate God in the task of missions and evangelism, we must show at least the same effort—indeed, greater effort—in finding the lost as we do in looking for lost pets or valuables. After all, aside from His glory, human beings are more important to our Creator than anything else. He has a passion to seek and to save the lost, for that is why Christ became incarnate ( Luke 19:1-10). Moreover, Luke 15 shows us that there is great joy in heaven when one sinner repents. The Lord throws a “party,” as it were, whenever lost people are found—whenever they believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

We, too, were once lost in sin before the Lord found us ( Eph.2:11-12). And Christ found and saved us through the ministry of others, whether through our parents, a friend, attending church, or many other means. Let us seek to be used of Him to seek and save the lost.

God cares about the souls of His image bearers and so must we. Our friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, and acquaintances who do not know Christ will endure God’s wrath forever if they do not trust Jesus before they die. Let us pray that God would send lost people our way and that we would be ready to preach the gospel to them. Let us also look for the lost among those whom we know so that we can share the gospel with them.- Author unknown

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

MORNING MANNA             6-1-25

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:16–18

In 1841, Michael Culbertson left a promising military career for a new line of work. Culbertson, who had graduated sixth in his class from West Point in 1839 and later taught at that school, determined God was calling him to China as a missionary. He left behind the US Army for God’s army. Culbertson was in China when the American Civil War began, and many of those he had trained at West Point were now leaders of the army. 

A friend told Culbertson that if he had remained in America and was still part of the army, he would surely have been a general in the war. Culbertson responded, “No doubt I might. Men I drilled are in that position. Among these are Sherman, Thomas, Rosecrans. But there is not one with whom I would be willing to exchange. There is no post of influence on earth equal to that of a man who is permitted to give the Word of God to four hundred million of his fellow men.”

There are many things in this life which are valuable and important and worthy of our effort, but there is one task that above all others focuses on the next life, and that is reaching out to others with the gospel. If we accomplish great temporal things but do nothing which impacts eternity, the world may praise us, but eternity will not. There is no more important task for any of us than sharing the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. – Copied

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

LIKE GOLD

Job 23:10 “But He knoweth the way that I take: When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

It’s a well-known fact that many people have become successful by compensating for personality or physical flaws. Winston Churchill, for example, stuttered as a youth yet became a great orator. Glenn Cunningham was so badly burned as a boy it was thought he would never walk again. He became, however, one of the world’s great milers. George Bernard Shaw was so painfully shy that he found it difficult to talk with anyone. But Shaw forced himself to join organizations where he would have to speak before audiences. In each of these situations, it was the fiery trials that brought out the best in the person.

As Job looked at the tests that God allowed in his life, he did not despair. Instead, he saw them as the instruments that would be used to bring about good. He knew that as the heat of a fiery furnace was needed to remove the dross from precious metal, so it took the cleansing flames of affliction to remove thoroughly the impurities from his life. He was confident that he would come forth not as a burned-up cinder but as a nugget of purest gold.

God is not in the demolition business, but He does run a refinery. His purpose is not to destroy but to purify. The burning difficulties that test us are designed to remove the dregs that hinder us from serving Him with clean hands and a pure heart. He seeks not to ruin us but to increase our value. His desire is to separate from us anything that would detract from our worth and make us ever more useful in service to Him.

If you are in the fiery furnace of affliction, take heart. God’s hand is on the thermostat. He will allow the heat to do no more than remove the impurities. As you go in mixed with the dregs of this world, you will come forth pure and refined.——By Woodrow Kroll

David Stone   

Lakeway Baptist Church  

Humble,Tx

MORNING MANNA                5-30-25

CONCERN FOR OTHERS

“Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad”. Genesis 40:6

As a general rule, we fail to notice the needs of those around us— especially when we are going through tough times ourselves. That, however, is not a trait of those who are greatly used of God. They’re always thinking of others more than themselves. In the New Testament Paul stands out as an example of this. In the Old Testament Joseph is perhaps the best example.

The daily devotional “A Good Thing” says, “Have you ever noticed how unlikely it was that Joseph would notice the sadness of his cellmates? He had plenty of problems himself, without taking on anyone else’s. His brothers had sold him into slavery and then his boss had fired and imprisoned him on false charges. Yet, Joseph noticed and cared about others.

The surest way out of a personal pit of discouragement is to think of and serve others. The surest way to deepen your dark times is to draw into, and think more about yourself. Joseph is perhaps the best example in the Old Testament of a selfless, servant-spirited saint and it is no coincidence that, in every situation in which he found himself, he continually rose above his trial and glorified God.

Are you going through difficult times? Have others wronged you? What has been your response? Do you think of others and how to help them, or only about yourself and your own problems? Look around you: there is a world of opportunities to help, and they are all open doors that lead out of your darkness.”

Remember this, when you are good to others you are always best to yourself!

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

MORNING MANNA                    5-29-25 HE KNOWETH OUR FRAME “Like a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.*–Psalm 103:13-14…