MY MANNA

My Manna
"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6.

Many years ago, a small Jewish boy asked his father, “Why must we
surrender our Jewish faith and start to attend Lutheran services here in
Germany?

The boy's father replied, Son, we must abandon our faith so that people will accept us and support our business adventures!

That young boy held on to his disappointment and bitterness for the rest of his life because his family abandoned their faith.
His faith in both his father and religion were crushed.

When this boy left Germany, he went to England to study where he formed unique philosophies for his own life.

From those theories, he wrote a book that changed the world:
The Communist Manifesto.

That boy was Karl Marx.
For 70 years, billions of people fell under the spell of his Marxist ideology.

The hypocritical influence of that little boy's father produced tragic consequences!

If the young people of our world do not receive godly faith and training from older believers-
- then they will develop distorted perspectives as well.

As
a believer, you and I have the responsibility of spiritually parenting
others to follow Christ, serve Him faithfully, and do great things for
His Kingdom.

Paul referred to Titus AS my true son in our common faith (Titus
1:4) and Timothy as my true son in the faith. 1 Timothy 1:2.
Though they were not flesh and blood, they bonded together as family and Paul raised them up to follow the Lord.

If you know a young person who needs a faith-filled believer in his or her life-
-
then pray with and for them,
- and seek to teach them a love for
Scripture,
- a commitment to Jesus Christ,
- and to fellowship and worship
with the church.
Ask the Lord to bring a young person into your life who you can spiritually mentor and parent.

My Manna

"...Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me."Isaiah 6:8.

A young couple was visiting a renowned jewelry store.

They browsed through cases of magnificent diamonds with their
gleaming yellow light along with many other splendid precious stones.

Among those beautiful stones, one in particular caught his wife's eye.
It was completely lusterless and didn't seem to be in the right place.

"That is one terrible looking stone, do you see that?", she said.

The curious husband asked a clerk if they could see the stone.

The clerk opened the case, took out the stone and held it in his hand for a few minutes.
When he opened it, there was a perfectly flawless stone.

There was not a place on it that didn't gleam with the splendor of the rainbow.

"How did you do that?", they asked in surprise.

"This is an opal", he replied. "It is what we call the sympathetic
jewel. It only needs contact with the human hand to bring out its
wonderful beauty."

Merely a touch brings out this stone's beauty.

We live in a world where beauty is hidden under pain, sin and suffering.

How many lives only need the warm touch of human sympathy, love and compassion-
- to make them gleam with a radiant splendour?

Reach out and touch someone this weekend for His glory!

Share with them the love of God and-
- not only will they receive a glimmer of joy,
- but you will gleam with His radiance too!
When the Lord asked whom shall I send-
Isaiah replied "Here am I".
Touch someone and bring out their inner beauty!

The Old Testament
 Posted by: "My Manna"
Why don't Christians follow all the laws in the Old Testament-
- and not just parts of it like the Ten Commandments? 
 
Christians believe it's all part of God's Word, don't they?
 
The whole Bible is God's Word.
Every part of it has lessons to teach us. 
 
The Bible says, "All Scripture is 
God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and 
training in righteousness. " 2 Timothy 3:16. 

At the same time-
Christians have always believed that many of the laws of the Old Testament no longer apply to us the way they once did.
And the reason is because Jesus Christ has fulfilled them. 
 
They pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah.
And once He came, they were no longer needed. 

Let me give an example.
In Old Testament times-
- the priests carried out animal sacrifices every day to make atonement for the sins of the people. 
 
But through His death on the cross-
Jesus paid the final price for our sins, fully and completely. 
 
No more sacrifices are needed.
Because He is a final sacrifice for sin. 
 
Our sins have been forgiven because all our sins were placed on Christ.
"And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin." Hebrews 10:18. 

Does this mean we should just ignore those parts of the Old Testament? 
 
No, not at all. 
 
They teach us just how seriously God takes sin.
And they remind us too of what it cost God to make our salvation possible. 
 
Most of all, they point us to Jesus Christ, who loved us so much that He was willing to give His life for us. 
Have you responded to His love by giving your life to Him?

My Manna
"Then Jesus said to 
His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny 
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." Matthew 16:24.

John Wesley, once said:
"Give me a
hundred men who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I 
do not care if they be clergymen or laymen. Such men alone will shake 
the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth." 

I don't 
know if Wesley ever found such men. 

But I know that Jesus did.

Jesus called these men to be His disciples. 
In the Book of Acts, 
they were described as "these who have turned the world upside down." Acts 17:6. 

If there was ever a time in history when a world needed to be 
turned upside down, or should I say, right side up, the time is now. 

But if it is going to happen, then it will need to be through committed 
believers like the ones John Wesley was looking for: 
- people who fear 
nothing but sin and desire nothing but God. 

No fair-weather followers 
need apply. 
God is looking for disciples.

So what does it mean to be a disciple?
It simply means that you 
take your plans, your goals, and your aspirations and place them at the 
feet of Jesus. 

It simply means saying:
"Not my will, but Yours be 
done!"

Let's commit ourselves to being true disciples of Jesus Christ. 
Not mere fair-weather followers, but disciples.

Where are you? Posted by: "My Manna" 
"The Lord God called to Adam, 'Where are you?' " Genesis 3:9.

In addition to walking in harmony with God-
Amos 3:3 provides
another nuance of meaning. 

It also gives the idea of keeping an 
appointment. 

Did you know that you have an appointment with God? 
You 
do. 

It is there, written in eternity. 
In fact, God wants to meet with 
you on a regular basis.

I wonder just how many times each day that God wants to speak to us
and He can't get a word in edgewise? 

The Lord might say:
"I have 
wanted to talk to you for a long time, but you are too busy. 
This 
morning I wanted to talk to you, but you didn't have any time for me. 
You read the newspapers and watched TV and talked on the phone. You 
never opened the Word. You never prayed. 
At lunch I tried to say 
something, but your prayer was so fast. 
Later I tried to talk with you.
You have been so busy. 
You have an appointment with me. 
Why don't 
you keep it?"

Remember how Adam had an appointment with God every day in the 
Garden of Eden? 
He would hear the voice of the Lord in the garden in 
the cool of the evening. 

One day Adam missed that appointment because 
of sin. 
God said to Adam, "Where are you?"

I wonder if the Lord would say that to some of us each day: 
"Where 
are you? Where were you? I have been looking for you. I wanted to 
speak to you. I want you to walk with Me, and I want to walk with you."

Just imagine, the Creator of the Universe wants to spend time with 
you. 
Is there any appointment that is worth keeping more than this one?

My Manna

"I live by faith in the Son of God, 
who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20.

Albert
Einstein, the great physicist, was traveling from Princeton on a train,
when the conductor came down the aisle punching the tickets of each 
passenger. 

Once he came to Einstein, the scientist reached in his own pocket to find his ticket, but nothing was there.

He searched in the seats around him, on the floor, in his
briefcase, and in every one of his pockets, but couldn't find it.

The
conductor responded, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who
you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it."

Einstein
nodded, and as the conductor continued to make his way down the aisle, 
he looked back to find the physicist down on his hands and knees looking
under his seat.

Of course, the conductor ran back and said, "Dr.
Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are. It's no problem. You don't 
need to show your ticket. I'm sure you bought one."

Einstein looked at him knowingly and said, "Sir, I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I'm going."

Do you know for sure where you are headed?
Have you made every effort to know where those you love including 
family, friends, and acquaintances, are going after this life? 

If you think they might not be with you in heaven one day-
- begin
by sharing the Gospel of Christ with them. 

When you 
leave this earth-
- it's not as important that others know who you were as
an individual, but rather who Christ was in you.

Ask God to point you to those in your life who need to know about Him. 

Pray that Christ would help you live your life so that others can remember 
you after you are gone as "the one who lived every day for Jesus."

My Manna
"The Lord disciplines those he
loves … for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No
discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however,
it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have
been trained by it." Hebrews 12:6,10-11.

He gave his
friend flowers and she remarked how beautiful they were. 
She also
said that she couldn't understand why they didn't have any scent.

He informed her that the flowers came from a hothouse and explained
that because flowers raised in this type of environment have
everything done for them, they don't have to attract insects to
pollinate them. 

As a result they lose their scent. 
In the same way
fruit raised in a hothouse, because it doesn't need to attract insects
to scatter its seeds, doesn't taste as good as fruit grown in its
natural environment.

It's similar to the child who wanted to help a butterfly out of its
cocoon by putting a slit in it and, in so doing, caused it to die. 

He
didn't realize that the struggle to get out of the cocoon is needed to
strengthen the butterfly' s wings so that it is able to fly.

When people do too much for us or overprotect us, especially in our
early developmental years, they can do serious harm to us. 

And even in
adulthood it's the problems and difficulties we have that strengthen
us, build character, give wisdom, understanding, and
compassion—if we let them. 

Note, too, that if we ask God to give
us wisdom and guidance, He will-
- but He won't overprotect us from the
things we need to help and make us grow and to teach us wisdom! 

"Dear God, help me not to run from my fears, trials, and problems but accept them as opportunities for personal and spiritual growth. Gratefully in Jesus Name, Amen."

My Manna
 "What is this confidence that you have? We trust in the Lord our God..." 2 Kings 18:19,22.
 
During the filming of the old classic movie, Ben Hur-
Charleton Heston had a terrible time learning to drive the chariot. 
 
When it came time to film the key sequence of the chariot race, Heston told the director:
"I think I can drive the chariot, but I don't think I can win the race." 
 
The director replied;
"You just drive, and I'll see to it that you win." 
 
Wouldn't it be great if we could be assured of victory in life?

Wouldn't you like to know that-
- even though the circumstances don't always seem to be in our favour, 
- the ultimate outcome would be positive?
 
I've got good news for you. 
This principle does hold true. 
 
Those who place their trust in Jesus Christ-
- who seek to follow His guidance and direction for living, 
- can be sure of ultimate victory through eternal life. 
 
Live life God's way!He assures the victory!!

My Manna

I read a about a communication that took place some time ago 
between a U.S. naval ship and Canadian authorities off the coast of 
Newfoundland. 

The Canadians warned the Americans, "Please divert your 
course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision." 

The Americans responded, "Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision." 

The Canadians said, "Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision."

The Americans: "This is the captain of a U.S. Navy Ship. I say again, divert your course."

"No. I say again, you divert your course."

"This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship 
in the United States Atlantic fleet. We are accompanied by three 
destroyers, three cruisers, numerous support vessels. I demand that you
change your course 15 degrees north. I say again, that is 15 degrees 
north or counter measures will be undertaken to assure the safety of our
ship."

After brief moment of silence, the Canadians responded: "This is a lighthouse. It is your call." 

Sometimes we don't like what God wants us to do.
And we want Him to
change course when, in reality, it is us that ought to change course!

We need to understand that God's plans are better than ours. 

It does not mean that they are always the easiest 
plans or even the most appealing at the moment. 
There are times when we
are going through life that we might not like the plan of God. 

But 
God's plans are the best for us in the long run.

My Manna
"I know the thoughts that I think toward you," says the Lord, "thoughts of peace and not of evil, 
to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11.

God has a wonderful future in store for us. 

That word future used in Jeremiah 29:11 can be translated as an "expected end." 
Another translation could say "things hoped for" or "outcome. "

Now at this moment-
I may not know what God has in mind for me. 

But
He knows!
The way God understands the future and how we understand the 
future is much like-
- an artist's understanding of a blank canvas and our 
understanding of a blank canvas. 

The artist looks at the white canvas 
and paces back and forth. 
He takes out a pencil and draws a couple of 
broad strokes and then looks at it again.

Then we walk up and say, "What is that?" 
He tells us and we respond, "Well, it doesn't look like that to us."

But the artist confidently remarks, "It' s coming. It's a work in 
progress. I have a vision, a plan." 
The artist is thinking about the end
result even though he has only drawn a couple of seemingly meaningless 
strokes.

We often times look at our unfinished lives in the same way we 
might look at a blank canvas. 

Things may not be going as expected. 
Life 
is not progressing according to our schedules. 

So we say, "The Lord must
have forgotten about me. The Lord has abandoned me. It's over with." 

No!
The Lord has a vision for your life. 

He has a plan. 
You are a work 
in progress. 
You are under construction. 
God is not finished with you 
yet.

We merely see the beginning. 
God sees the end from the beginning. 

Take heart. 

We see a blank canvas. 
God sees a masterpiece in progress.

My Manna
"Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves." 2 Timothy 3:1-2.

In this world there lives an obsession with self.
Each 
individual lives for himself. 

When we say "the world," we are talking 
about a mentality that centers on self. 
People always think of 
themselves first and what they can get. 

The Bible said the world would 
be this way, especially in the last days. 

The Apostle Paul warned us:
"Know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. For men will
be lovers of themselves." 2 Timothy 3:1–2. 

Many of our schools 
reinforce over and over again the message of the self. 
Kids are told 
today, "Get off drugs and believe in yourself instead. Look within." 

The
problem is that a lot of those kids look within and don't like what 
they see. 

That's why they turned to drugs in the first place! 
They 
probably saw the same thing inside that you and I see when we look 
inside ourselves. 

We all see sin and hopelessness.

When we are asked to give to some worthy cause, people are now told
to do it-
- not because people need it, 
- not because it is the right thing 
to do, 
- not because it's good to sacrifice, 
- but because "we' ll feel good about
ourselves."

Sometimes, even in our churches, pastors teach self. 
Some 
pastors say, "Your problem is the way you see yourself. All you need is 
self-esteem. " 

No!
Our problem is too much self-esteem. 

We don't need 
more of it.
We need to die to self. 

Jesus said:
"If anyone desires to 
come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24.

My Manna

"His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:2.

How do you feel about Bible study? 

Is it a delight? 
Or a drudgery?

Unfortunately, many of us look at out time in God's Word as mere 
drudgery. 
Perhaps it's the way we read the Bible. 

Many of us read 
God's Word in a hunt-and-peck method. 
We read a little here and a 
little there with no genuine concern for context or what a book of the 
Bible is teaching. 

We read the Bible sporadically-
- then we can't 
understand why we are not able to benefit from what the Scriptures 
teach.

Psalm 1 tells us that the wise person of God meditates in the 
Scriptures day and night. 

What does it mean to meditate? 

By meditation
the Bible is not speaking of a so-called transcendental meditation-
- 
where a person disengages their mind to the point of receiving 
impressions from elsewhere. 

The meditation that the Bible advocates 
deliberately engages the conscious mind with the truths of God's Word.

Meditation involves studying the Bible with our minds and truly thinking
about what we are reading.

You should ask yourself a series of questions when you study the 
Bible. 
Next time you attempt to meditate on God's Word, ask yourself 
these four questions: 
1. Is there any sin here for me to avoid?
2. Is there any promise for me to claim?
3. Is there any victory to gain?
4. Is there any blessing to enjoy?When we read with these questions in mind-
- we demand a real sense 
of anticipation. 

We're no longer just reading the Bible like it is an 
assignment in a classroom. 

Instead, we recognize that this is the Word 
of God.
And we are to value God's words more than gold. 

There are great
rewards for the person who meditates on the Scriptures day and night.======

My Manna
May Samuel's words to the people of his day guide us well: 
"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to 
pray for you." 1 Samuel 12:23. 

It's easy to get disillusioned over the complex problems our 
nation faces-- not just in politics but in almost every part of our 
society. 

More than ever, we seem to have lost our way.
And millions of young people are growing up without ever learning
 the difference between
right and wrong. 

We're in danger of becoming like the ancient 
Israelites during the days of the judges-
- when chaos ruled because 
"every man did that which was right in his own eyes." Judges 21:25.

Where will we turn for answers? 
We need to turn to God!

Only He 
can change our hearts-
- and turn us away from that which is evil toward 
that which is good. 
It has happened before.
And it can happen again. 

Don't despair!
But pray and trust God to work in our midst. 

The Bible 
tells us to pray for "all those in authority, that we may live peaceful 
and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." 1 Timothy 2:2. 

Pray daily for our nation, that God will turn us back to 
Himself. 
But may it begin in your life-
- as you turn to Christ in 
repentance and faith, 
- and commit your life to Him.

My Manna
"Jesus replied, 'You must 
love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your 
mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally
important: 'Love your neighbour as yourself." Matthew 22:37-38.

Some years ago, three hundred whales were found marooned on a beach. 

Scientists speculated that the whales had been chasing sardines
and became trapped in shallow water when the tide went out. 

By chasing little sardines-
- these gigantic creatures
were ultimately led to their doom.

Many people waste their lives chasing sardines, so to speak. 
They 
major on the minors and have no clear focus or objective in mind. 

But 
God tells us what should be the primary goal of every Christian. 
If we 
can get our priorities straight in this area, everything else will come 
together. 

In fact, if we can get these two principles operative in our 
lives, then all the commandments of God will become a natural outflow of
our commitment to Him. 

What are these principles? 
One, 
" 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your 
soul, and all your mind'." Matthew 22:37.
And two, " 'Love your 
neighbor as yourself' ." V.38.

When Jesus spoke these words-
He was identifying what should be the
focus of every person. 

Essentially, He was saying that love is the 
basis for all obedience. 
If you really love God, then you will 
naturally want to do the things that please Him.

It has been said, "If you aim at nothing, you are bound to hit it." 

What is your highest priority in life? 
What are your goals? 

We all 
channel our energies, passions and thoughts toward something in life. 
What is it for you?

My Manna
"Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them." Romans 16:17.

It seems as though we are living in a day of tabloid mentality.
The society is so obsessed with gossip, innuendos, and rumors. 

Just turn on the TV and you'll find all kinds of programs that probe into the personal lives of others.

This tabloid mentality has even entered the news media, where reporters hunt for that juicy piece of gossip. 

The tragedy is that if someone is charged with a crime today, we try him or her in the media before they ever have had the opportunity to enter a court of law where evidence is presented and where they face their accusers.

Sadly, this kind of thinking can even enter the church. 
When we hear something about someone else, immediately our ears perk up. 

But what does the Bible tell us? 
It says that love believes the best of every person. 

It doesn't say that love believes the worst. 

This means when someone says something about a Christian brother or sister-
- you should immediately have some disbelief in your heart. 

The reason is that you are to believe the best of that individual. 
We must be very careful, because many times we accept rumor as truth. 

Then to make matters worse-
- we start repeating what we've heard without checking the facts.

One of the things the Bible says that-
God hates is the one who sows discord among others. Proverbs 6:16–19. 

This is the person who spreads rumors, who spreads innuendos, and who slanders others. 
God hates this.

Don't be someone who spreads rumors. 
Don't be someone who gossips. 

It's wrong. 
It's sinful. 
It displeases God!

Wrestling with God
 by: "My Manna" 
"And He gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul." Psalm 106:15.

I sometimes hear people say, "I have been wrestling with God 
in prayer!" 
My first thought always is, "I hope you lost." 

If you have
been trying to bend God your way-
- then that is a problem. 

Prayer is 
not trying to move God your way.
It is moving yourself His way.

In fact, I'm glad that God hasn't said yes to every prayer I have 
ever prayed. 

When I look back on some things I've prayed for-
I realize
that if the Lord would have allowed them, they could have destroyed me. 

They were not the right things or the right situations. 
So, God 
graciously and lovingly said no.

In John 15:7, Jesus gave an incredible promise regarding answered 
prayer. 
He said, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you 
will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." 

From the 
original language, this verse could be translated-
"If you maintain a 
living communion with Me, and My word is at home with you, I command you
to ask at once for yourself whatever your heart desires, and it will be
yours."

When I read a promise like that-
I gravitate immediately toward the
part that says I can ask whatever my heart desires and it will be mine. 

But before that, Jesus said:
"If you maintain a living communion with
Me, and My word is at home with you..." 

If this is happening in 
your life-
- then you are going to want what God wants. 

If you are 
maintaining a living communion with God and His words are at home in 
your heart-
- then your outlook, desires—and in time, your prayers will

My Manna

"Like a gold ring and a fine gold ornament, so is constructive criticism to the ear of one who listens." Proverbs 25:12.

Dwight L Moody, the famous evangelist, was once told by an irate church lady, "Mr. Moody, I don't like the way you do your evangelism."

In reply Moody said, "I don't
necessarily like all of it either, but it's the best way I know. Tell
me, how do you do it?"

"Oh, I don't," was the
reply.

"Well," said Moody, "I like the way I'm doing it
better than the way you're not doing it."

It's always
easy to know what to do when we don't have to do the job, and very
easy to criticize others when we're not doing the work
ourselves.

Some time ago when I was a pastor and things weren't going too well-
I was asked what I thought about the situation and what could be done to improve things. 

I said that I didn't feel I had the right to criticize unless I was prepared to do something about it. 

I was, however, prepared to help, and several of us working together saw things greatly improve.

In this instance, as it is in many other
instances-
- criticism without offering help would have only served to make matters worse and cause further dissension among the groups. 

So, if we're not willing to put our shoulder to the wheel and do our bit-
- let's not stir up dissension through negative criticism. 

Furthermore, might I add that-
-journalists, politicians, authors, and even preachers don't have the right to name others and confess their sins in public, 
-without having first confessed their own sins in
public.

My Manna

"Christ didn't send me to 
baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speeches and 
high-sounding ideas, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its 
power." 1 Corinthians 1:17.

There is explosive power in the message of the gospel-
- 
because Paul says, "It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who 
believes..." 
Romans 1:16. 

The word "power" that Paul used in this 
verse originates from the Greek word, dunamis. 

It is the same word 
Jesus used in Acts 1:8: 
" 'But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive 
power (dunamis) and will tell people about me everywhere&# 39;..." 

The 
English words "dynamic, " "dynamo, " and "dynamite" ; also have been 
translated from this word, dunamis. 

Paul was saying that the very 
message of the gospel is the dynamite of God.
It is the dynamic of God.

It is explosive evangel!

We often underestimate-
- the raw power of the gospel in reaching even
the most hardened heart. 

We think we need to add to it, gloss it over,
or even complicate it. 

But there is distinct power in the simple 
message of the life, words, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Don't underestimate its appeal. 
Don't be ashamed of its simplicity. 
Don't add to it or take away from it. 

Just proclaim it.
And then stand 
back and watch what God will do. 

As Paul said, "I know very well how 
foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to 
destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the 
very power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

The gospel is a simple message, one that we in the church have 
heard time and time again. 
But we should never underestimate its power.

My Manna

"The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God's children." Romans 8:16.

Your personality is partly the result of the way you were parented. 

Other 
factors are also involved, of course.
But parents have a bigger 
influence on their children than some like to admit. 

Children from abusive homes, for example, usually suffer from severe insecurity. 

They may struggle with anger in much the same way their parents do, 
repeating the cycle when they have children of their own. 

On the other hand-
- parents who are kind and loving tend to pass on these traits to 
their children.

When you become a Christian-
- you are adopted by a Perfect Parent,
- a 
heavenly Father who loves you unconditionally. 

You have nothing to fear 
from Him-
- because He watches over you with constant love and protection. 

He is more powerful than any problem you will ever face. 

You will not 
live in want, because your Father's resources are unlimited.

As God's child, then, your life ought to reflect His character. 

The more 
time you spend with your Father-
- the more you'll become like Him: 

- loving, patient, giving, and fair. 

As you grow in your faith-
His 
influence will come to have even more of an impact on you than your 
earthly parents do.

So don't use imperfect parents as an excuse for not living up to God's 
standards. 

You do have a Perfect Parent-
- who will teach you how to be 
loving, forgiving, patient, and everything else...just like He is.

How much time have you been spending with your Father lately?

My Manna
Nicodemus would probably be welcome at any church today.

He seems an ideal member-
- principled, knowledgeable, morally upstanding, courteous, and humble.

However, Nicodemus had two big problems despite all of that outward religious appeal.

He was-
- blind to the truth and
- spiritually dead.

The man was lost!
That is, he did not have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

As a Pharisee-
Nicodemus adhered to strict Jewish codes and laws, so he was certainly religious.

But the problem of the lost person is not attitudes, conduct, or even character.

We can change and control those through sheer determination, and many folks do.
What people really need is a change of condition!

We come into this world-
- with a sinful nature that is bent away from God.

Jesus explained to the observant rabbi that-
- all his outward goodness couldn't erase, replace, or change his nature.

Instead, every person who desires to serve God-
- must be born again!

The Lord promised that if Nicodemus received Him as Saviour-
- then he would enter into a brand-new life!

His old sinful nature would be transformed-
- so that he could have a real relationship with God.

Instead of appearing to be a religious man-
Nicodemus would be a true believer.

No one gets into heaven on the strength of good works and kind behaviour.
When we stand before God, only our condition will matter.

In place of our old, dead "flesh" nature-
- we should show Him the living spirit we have received when Jesus Christ came into our life.

My Manna
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them..." 1 Corinthians 12:6.

What are the best spiritual gifts for a believer to have?
It all depends.
If I am having a difficult time sharing my faith with
someone, and you come along and have been gifted as an evangelist, then
that is the best gift at that particular moment.

But then let's say I am trying to understand the meaning of a particular passage of
Scripture, and God has given you the gift of teaching.
For you to come along could be a great benefit to me.

Then again, let's say that I am undertaking a complex project, and I need help.
What I really need is someone with the gift of helps or administrations.
Or, let's say that
I'm lying in a hospital bed, and I'm discouraged.
I need healing or someone to come and help me see that God is still in control of my
life.

Each one of these gifts is important-
- as God has distributed them.

We make a big mistake when we think some gifts are of greater
importance than others.

They all have their place.And God has given them as He has chosen.

Therefore, we need to pray, "Lord, what are my
gifts? Help me to discover them. Help me to develop them. Help me use them."

One day when you stand before God-
- you will be held accountable for what He called you to do.

And one day-
He will reward you for how faithful you were with what He gave you.

My Manna
Bad news for you
"Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee? I lay my hand on my mouth." Job 40:4.
This is a special message!
And it's one that I didn't particularly enjoy writing. 
However-
- it needs to be said again and again.

This message is to all church-going pretenders out there-
- the ones 
who look heavenly on Sunday, 
- but live like hell Monday through Saturday. 

You look good on the outside but when God looks at your inside your heart- it's a dirty mess!

I've got bad news for you!
Jesus hates religious pretense. 
But I've also
got good news also. 
He loves the pretenders! 

He gave His life for hypocrites
like you and me. 

The end of being a religious pretenders is-
- to admit 
our sin that separates us from God; 
- then ask Christ's forgiveness; 
- and then 
believe to be right with God 
- is your only hope for change. 

And here's the irony: 
When we begin to be more real with God and with 
others-
- we begin to be more like Jesus!

He's the only person who has 
ever lived without any trace of pretense.

My Manna
" So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said." Acts 27:25.

Sometimes we may think that-
- when we're in the will of God, it
will be smooth sailing!

But many times it is just the opposite.

Doors
slam in our faces.
Obstacles appear in our paths.
And storms arise that
threaten to drive us off course.

That is why we need to remember there
is a devil who wants to stop us from doing what God wants us to do.

As the apostle Paul was on his way to do the will of God, he hit
some tough times.

An incredible storm arose that caused the people in
his ship to despair of their lives.

But there was no obstacle big
enough to stop Paul.
He always seemed to rise above his circumstances.

As he went through the storm-
- he knew God had shown him what to do,
- and
he would let nothing deter him from that course.

Often when a hard time hits, when a crisis hits, when a tragedy
hits, we want out.

We ask God for an airlift out of our problems.
But
many times God's wants us to learn in the midst of them.

Romans 8:35–37
says:
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble
or
hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or
sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
who
loved us."

Notice the phrase, "in all these things."
It isn't saying
we won't face some of these things.

But it says that in them we are
more than conquerors.

If you are seeking to obey the Lord-
- expect opposition.

Expect
obstacles.
Expect difficulties.

But also expect God to see you through.

My Manna

"All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader."
 1 Samuel 22:2.

God uses broken things to accomplish His greatest work. 

When David was anointed to be the next king-
- he was just a boy, 
- the youngest among all his brothers. 

Little
did he know that the next several years would be years of fleeing from 
Saul whose successes turned into obsessions as a leader who had fallen 
from God's anointing. 

Perhaps David thought-
"Why am I living a life as a fugitive? I am the next king of Israel."

Yet, his life was filled with adversity after adversity before he ever fulfilled the ultimate calling God had for him. 

Others began to hear of David's successes and identify with his plight. 

But, it wasn't the successful and polished who came to join him. 
It was "those who were in distress or in debt or discontented" who would be part of his army-and an army it was! 

His
army would become known throughout the world as the greatest ever 
assembled, not because of their skill, but because of the God behind the
army. 

God turned David's men into "mighty men of valour." 
1 Chronicles. 11:10.

God often uses failure to make us useful. 

When Jesus called the disciples-
He
did not go out and find the most qualified and successful people. He 
found the most willing, and He found them in the marketplace. He found a
fisherman, a tax collector, a farmer, and a doctor.

The Hebrews knew that failure was a part of maturing in God. 

The Greeks used failure as a reason for disqualification. 
Sadly, in the Church, we often treat one another in this way. 

This is not God's way. 
We need to understand that-
- failing does not make us failures. 

It makes us experienced. 
It makes us more prepared to be useful in God's Kingdom-
- if we have learned from it. 

And that is the most important ingredient-
- for what God wants in His children.