MORNING MANNA            3-16-21

SAFE IN THE STORM

“I am the man who has seen affliction!” Lamentations 3:1

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

MORNING MANNA            3-15-21

GOD’S PURPOSE

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:9-11

The purpose of the creation of the world and all of mankind was because it fulfilled the desire and delight of God. He did not need anything outside of Himself to be complete or content. He was already everything before the world was made. Yet it brought God joy to make people—men and women with the capacity to choose to honor and glorify Him. And He still finds pleasure when His children look to Him. “He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy” (Psalm 147:10-11).

We live in a self-focused, man-centered culture. For many people, everything in their lives revolves around what will advance their desires and interests. They care little for anyone else, and nothing at all for God. Yet His design and purpose has not changed. He is still looking for those who will seek His face with their whole hearts. He is looking for those who will humbly put His kingdom ahead of their own, and place their lives at His disposal.

One day everyone will bow before Jesus. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth” (Philippians 2:10). How much more should we who have already trusted Him as our Savior daily worship Him and acknowledge His authority in our lives? It is our privilege and opportunity to live a life that glorifies the Lord. We have no greater calling than to fulfill God’s plan of bringing honor and glory to His name.(Daily in the Word)

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.

The very beginning of Satan’s rebellion against God was driven by pride. He wanted the praise and glory and position that only belong to God. Yet rather than getting him the promotion he coveted, pride drove Satan’s fall from the heights of Heaven to the depths of Hell. Pride has been a sin from the beginning, and it is still one of the most prominent and prevalent sins in our world today. And if we allow it in our lives, it will produce the same destruction that it did with the devil at the beginning.

God freely invites us to come to Him. But we must come in humility. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). The temptation of pride is so appealing, and too often we may fail to recognize it for the threat that it is. We listen to the voices of praise and flattery, and begin to believe them. We look at the accomplishments God has allowed us to achieve and think they are our victories rather than His. Humility is not attractive to us in the way that pride is. It requires us to put others ahead of ourselves. It requires us to give God credit rather than claiming it for our own. But humility is essential, and it is attractive to God. We cannot be filled with God’s Spirit if we are full of ourselves. To fulfill God’s purposes for our lives, we must humble ourselves. – Copied

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.

WAS MOSES WISE OR FOOLISH?
“ Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;”- Heb. 11:25

MORNING MANNA            3-12-21

BE OF GOOD CHEER

And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. – Acts 27:22-24

When Paul was being taken to Rome to stand trial before Caesar, his ship was caught in a terrible storm. At the point when the crew of the ship had given up all hope, Paul came on deck with a message he had received from God—that their lives would all be spared. Looking at the circumstances around them, there was no reason for them to believe Paul. God did not still the storm, and, in fact, it continued to rage right up until they were shipwrecked on an island. But just as God had promised to Paul, none of their lives were lost.

Many times when we are struggling with difficult circumstances, we find it hard to remember to trust the promises of God. When our eyes are telling us there is no hope, when those around us are giving in to despair, we can still be confident and even happy. I read about an elderly lady who always seemed to be in a cheerful mood. Finally someone asked her, “You always seem to be happy. Do you never have clouds in your life?” “Of course I have clouds,” she replied. “You can’t have showers of blessing without clouds!”

Nothing happens to us that takes God by surprise, and nothing happens to us that derails God’s plan for our lives. Our plans may lie in pieces in the middle of a great storm, but God is still at work. If we are willing to trust Him even when we cannot see the way ahead, we will not be disheartened by the storms. The stormy seasons of life are just as much a part of God’s plan for us as the calm seasons are, and He is always faithful.- copied

David Stone

Lakeway Baptist Church

Humble, Tx.