MORNING MANNA 11-28-24

November 28, 2024 By Pastor David Stone

11-28-24

A TREASURY OF THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS

Thomas Brooks:

“God’s greatest mercies call for our greatest thanks.
His saving sinners calls for eternal praise.”

“The greatest blessing we can receive from God is salvation from sin and Hell. And therefore, the greatest reason we should give thanks to God is for His great salvation.”

John Bunyan:

“He who is truly saved will spend his days singing praises to the God who redeemed his soul from damnation.”

Stephen Charnock:

“What can a saved sinner do, but lift his voice in perpetual thanks for God’s unmerited mercy?”

John Flavel:

“Eternal praise and thanksgiving befits those who have been saved from eternal damnation.”

Jonathan Edwards:

“True thankfulness flows out of a redeemed heart, recognizing that it owes all to the free grace of God.”

“The soul’s deepest gratitude is reserved for the One who delivered us from sin and brought us into His redeemed family.”

“Thanksgiving to God for our salvation is not only a duty, but the most natural expression of a heart transformed by grace.”

William Gouge:

“Thanksgiving is the language of the redeemed. It is the voice of the soul, expressing gratitude to God for His redemption.”

John Owen:

“Gratitude for deliverance from wrath, stirs up great love for the Deliverer.”

“Our greatest joy is to rejoice in our salvation; and our most fervent thanksgiving is to God for His grace in saving sinners.”

Richard Sibbes:

“Thanksgiving is the sweetest music that can be sung to God.
It is the most pleasing sacrifice that can be offered to Him.

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, TX

MORNING MANNA 11-27-24

November 27, 2024 By Pastor David Stone

MORNING MANNA 11-27-24

HOW HUMILITY HELPS
Paul was a man who practiced what he preached. He not only said, “Rejoice alway”, he did–even in the worst of times. But how is it that he could rejoice in his tribulations and give thanks always and we can’t? The answer, perhaps, is found in 1 Tim. 1:13-15 where Paul speaks of himself as “chief” of sinners. He was thankful because he realized how sinful and unworthy he was. He could rejoice because he knew things were never as bad as what he actually deserved.

Thomas Watson wrote, “If you wish to be thankful, get a heart deeply humbled with a sense of your own vileness. A broken heart is the best pipe to sound forth God’s praise—a proud man will never be thankful. He looks on all his mercies as either of his own procuring or deserving, if he has an estate, this he got by his own wits and industry; not considering the scripture, “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God:for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.(Deut.8:18). Pride stops the current of gratitude.O Christian, think of you unworthiness; see yourself as the least of saints, and the chief of sinners–then you will be thankful.”

I would add— and happy and joyful. That should get our attention. Believe it or not, this affects just about every area of our life. We pout, murmur, and complain because we think we deserve more, bigger, and better. If we really believed that we deserve nothing we would be satisfied with anything and thankful for everything. We ought to believe it because it is so. And, when we acknowledge this we will finally be able to live contentedly as the Bible tells us to do.

To reach that place we have to break away from the pack, leave the mainstream,and abandon the philosophy that tells us to value and esteem ourselves because we are worthy. Keep believing that if you please, but you’ll get what you’ve got. As long as we entertain the belief of self-worth we will continue riding an emotional roller coaster—-up one minute and down the next. Getting to the place where Paul was takes more than someone telling us we are worthless. To see ourselves as we really are we have to look to God’s Word. It alone describes man as he really is, declares what the result will be, and reveals the difference that God’s grace can make in a person’s life. Seeing that all we have is by grace we find nothing else to boast in and nothing to complain about.-HDS, 1-21-14

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

MORNING MANNA 11-26-24

November 26, 2024 By Pastor David Stone

MORNING MANNA 11-26-24

AN UNKNOWN FUTURE

“Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” – James 4:14

I and others have often mentioned the blessing of not knowing the future. But perhaps you never thought about it as something for which we ought to give thanks on Thanksgiving Day. So here is something by John MacDuff, in 1885, explaines why that is a good thing.

He said: There is no more gracious provision for our happiness, than what is contained in that brief saying of Scripture, “ye know not what shall be on the morrow”. James 4:14

If we knew in full, in this grief-stricken world, all that would befall us in the future — how sad would existence be! It would leave even prosperity without a note of gladness; for the certainty of losing our blessings, would rob us of all their enjoyment while we retained them. And thus moments of unbounded pleasure, would be clouded with the dark characters of anticipated sorrow.

How would the mother’s joy be marred, as the object of her tender solicitude and affection was sporting by her side, or as she hung over the infant cradle — if she could pry with certainty into the future, and read the mournful sequel of that little history — the lingering sickness, the early grave, the blighted hopes, the desolated household, the broken heart. To know the future, would convert the few brief years of possession of her blessing, into consecutive hours of agony — the consciousness and foreknowledge that every moment was drawing nearer the fatal one — sitting by Time’s sand-glass and marking grain by grain, as they dropped and fell, until the last grain of the diminishing heap announced, “The long-dreaded hour has arrived!”

But, thank God that the future is veiled! The storm and coming wreck are concealed, in order that the calm of the present waveless sea may be enjoyed. Yes, we again say, thank God for hiding the future, and allowing us only to be conversant with the joys and sorrows of today.

“ye know not what shall be on the morrow” James 4:14. Thank God.- HDS

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

MORNING MANNA 11-25-24

November 25, 2024 By Pastor David Stone

MORNING MANNA 11-25-24
ESCAPE FROM EMPTINESS

“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬ ‭

Man, apart from God, is a miserable creature. Search as he may, and he does, he cannot find the fulfillment he longs for. Like the troubled sea, he cannot rest. I know–it seems that some have found the pot of gold at rainbow’s end, but things are not what they seem to be. Don’t be fooled by all the glitz and glamor of those who live the life style of the rich and famous. They are no closer to finding peace and contentment than the bum on the street. Regardless of their outward appearance there is something missing and, whether they admit it or not, they know it. They are always discontent. The more they get the more they want, and the more apparent it becomes that “all is vanity”. They know that something, something more important than anything else, is missing.

Christians know that that “something” is actually “Someone”–Christ! They have drank from the Fountain of Living Water and they thirst no more. They have eaten the Bread of Life and they hunger no more. They have discovered that contentment is found only in Christ. Their Savior satisfies! Although they have their “ups and downs” like everyone else, they know their Foundation is sure and they are at peace–even when the storms are raging.

What about you? When you’ve run your mad race throughout the day, searching for satisfaction, and finally put your head on the pillow at night, just how satisfied are you? How do you feel? Do you have a calm sense of peace that makes life an enjoyable experience? Or do you feel restless, as though there is no rhyme or reason in life? Are you sick and tired of not having a sense of purpose? Are you bored with going through the same old same old everyday, as though there is nothing better?

Well there is good news. When life is not as it should be, the first step toward a better life is getting dissatisfied with life as it is. Until we acknowledge the problem we can’t solve the problem. If you are fed up with your life as it is, run to Him who is seeking you. Open the door of your heart and give Him entrance while He is knocking. Receive Him and you will be received into God’s family as a joint-heir of Christ! Live for Him who died for you, lest you waste your opportunity. Give your life away and you will find it. Instead of feeling empty you will have life more abundant, full and free.- HDS, 2-1-12

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

MORNING MANNA 11-24-2$

November 24, 2024 By Pastor David Stone

MORNING MANNA 11-24-24 THE TREASURE IN TRIALS “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficent for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities…

MORNING MANNA 11-28-24

MORNING MANNA 11-27-24

MORNING MANNA 11-26-24

MORNING MANNA 11-25-24

MORNING MANNA 11-24-2$

Welcome to Lakeway Baptist Church

Latest Posts

Upcoming Events

Breakfast Fellowship

Sunday School

Morning Worship Service

Choir Practice

Evening Worship Service

Vacation Bible School

Master Clubs

Recent Announcements

Latest Sermons

Service Times

Sunday

Wednesday

Thursday