JESUS WANTS TO BE OUR FRIEND. SHALL WE MOVE TO HIM AS WE'RE APPROACHING THE LAST MOMENTS OF THIS YEAR??

Friend, will you spare some time to listen                                  

I’ve been trying so hard to spend sometime with you;   

With broken heart and silent tears,

I’ve longed for you these many years;

I am Jesus and I want to be your friend.


Friend I have known your sighs and heartaches,

and I’ve known the sins that made you go astray;

and though you’ve had no time for me,

I’ve come today to set you free,

For I love you, and I long to be your Friend.


On the cross, I thought of you,

Gave my life and died for you,

And now I live forever, just for you!

Though your heart has turned away,   

Love is calling you today;   

Come to me, for there’s no other way.


Friend, can’t you see the night is falling,

Evil times are here to steal your soul away;

Awake my friend, and come away,

Return to me, do not delay,

I am waiting; won’t you come to me my friend?

I am waiting, I am waiting my friend….!!!!

Dec 28 - YES, GOD CAN CHANGE YOU TOO

All the disciples were often guilty of rebuking the people who came to Jesus. But Peter was the worst in the “ministry of rebuking” – he even rebuked Jesus! “Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him…” (Matt 16:22).

Peter also seems to be the leader in sleeping. In the garden of Gethsemane, in those most agonizing moments of Jesus, none of Jesus’ disciples could watch with Him. But it was Peter whom Jesus addressed saying, “What, could you not watch with Me for one hour?” At the glorious moment on the mount of transfiguration when Elijah and Moses appeared in glory and were conversing with Jesus, what were His disciples doing? Sleeping! Again Peter’s name is particularly mentioned (Lk 9:32).

But on the day of Pentecost, we see Simon Peter as a transformed man. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the grace of God filled this Galilean disciple so much so that on that very day, through his preaching, three thousand souls were saved and baptized. It was not a vain show of hands by the three thousand, for, “they [all] continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42).

Dear reader, if you are feeling condemned and crushed under the weight of your unsatisfied natures, here’s a word for you. What changed Peter can change you too today – THE GRACE OF GOD THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! Peter who was timid and afraid of suffering was so filled with the power of grace that he was able to say, “Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings” (I Pet 4:13). Church history says he was finally crucified – he died as a martyr.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 27 - ALL PRE-PLANNED!

Long before we were born God pre-planned and determined everything concerning our life. He planned where we should be born and where we should die. He planned which country we should be born in, who our parents should be, whether we should be born into a rich family or a poor family, how long we should live on this earth, and also which places we should live in while living on the earth. “He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17:26 NIV).

In Psalm 139:16 we read of a book. There is a book in your name. “In Thy book all my members were written.” What complexion you should have, what height you should grow to, and what colour of eyes you are to have, etc. are all pre-planned. “You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in Your book!” reads the verse in the Living Bible. How important it is then to learn of everything God has planned for us and surrender to it!

Abraham fitted perfectly into the plan of God and what a blessing he became! Even thousands of years after his death he still is a blessing. Dear child of God, don’t run wherever you want to. Don’t ever murmur about God’s plan in your life. It is best to surrender to the perfect will and plan of God. God has a grand plan for you. If we surrender ourselves and our own plans, the Lord will beautifully work out everything in our lives in accordance with His plan. Nothing happens accidently in the lives of those who love God. Everything is planned by God.

           “Things don’t just happen to us who love God;

            They’re planned by His dear hand,

            Then moulded and shaped and timed by His clock;

            Things don’t just happen – they’re planned.”

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 26 - OWN UP !

“And the man of God said, where fell it? And he showed him the place” (II Kgs 6:6).

When the sons of the prophets were felling wood, one man’s axe head slipped off its handle and fell into the water.

The axe head stands for our lost spiritual experiences and blessings. It is important that you find out where you lost the axe head. No one else is responsible for your losing your spiritual experiences. “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent” (Rev 2:4,5). We need to take time to examine ourselves and see where we gave room to the devil; we need to find out what his door of entrance was. If you brush the issue aside, attributing your spiritual decline to circumstances and people, you cannot be helped, you cannot be restored.

Once the axe head is lost, the work of cutting the wood, and consequently the building of the house comes to a standstill. Once you lose your first love, the work of building up your spiritual house, or life, will grind to a halt. So child of God, lose no time in confessing your state to the Lord, in showing to the Lord where you have fallen.

The Lord is walking in the garden of His Church and calling, “Adam, where art thou?” Don’t try to hide from Him like Adam did. Our God is a merciful and gracious God. He wants to help you and restore to you all your lost spiritual experiences. He wants to bring you into a close relationship with Him. So let Him deal with that particular ‘thing’ in your life that made you ‘fall’.

 – Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 25 - THE SECRET OF BEING A WISE MAN

The first people to come and see Jesus when He was born were the shepherds. An angel of God appeared to them and gave them the tidings of great joy. The glory of God surrounded them and they saw a heavenly host praising God. These shepherds came with haste to see Jesus, but it is sad to observe that, unlike the wise men, they gave absolutely nothing to Jesus. The Bible does not also say that they bowed before Him or worshiped Him.

The wise men came to see Jesus from a faraway land—that itself was a sacrifice. And when they saw the child Jesus, they “fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matt 2:11).

The shepherds did not offer anything to Jesus and they are not called wise men. However, the ones who came and worshiped Jesus and offered their treasures to Him are called wise men. Today too, many come to Jesus like the shepherds—to receive a blessing; they cannot be called wise men. But those who give their treasures to Jesus and worship Him are indeed wise men. Note that while those who gave gifts to Jesus are called wise men, the rich man who kept everything to himself is called a fool! (Lk 12:20).

Presenting gold, frankincense and myrrh show offering the spirit, soul and body to Jesus. Gold, frankincense and myrrh also signify acknowledging Christ as king (gold), priest (frankincense) and prophet (myrrh). After the wise men worshiped Jesus, offering Him their spirit, soul and body and acknowledging Him as their king, priest and prophet, they did not have to meet Herod or obey him any more—although he had demanded it (Matt 2:8,12). Once we accept Christ as our All-in-all, Herod or Satan has no authority over us and we are free from his power.

Those who worship Jesus giving Him their all are still wise men. Dear reader, are you a wise man or a foolish man?

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 24 - HIGHLY FAVOURED

“And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women”(Lk 1:28).
 

Jesus was growing in Mary and when she manifested Jesus, what a blessing she became! “From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed” (Lk 1:48). From the day you manifest Christ to the world, generations are going to bless you.

When Jesus was manifested, while Herod and the people were being greatly troubled, the heavenly host was rejoicing with great joy. When Christ is manifested through us there will be great rejoicing among the saints, but the devil and his emissaries will tremble.

Shepherds came to see the baby Jesus. When we manifest Jesus through our life many ‘shepherds’ will come. Many servants of God will arise; many will be inspired to step out to serve God—to save souls and nurture them into Christlikeness.

When Christ was manifested many wise men came from far. Precious souls will come to us from faraway places. They will not come with empty hands. They will open their treasures. If the wise men came all that way and found only Joseph and Mary, they would not have opened their treasures. How richly we will be blessed when we show Jesus to the world!

People are not interested in seeing us, or in knowing about our greatness. People want to see Jesus. “Sir, we would see Jesus” (Jn 12:21). This is the cry of the people everywhere. But are we able to help them? How often we show our selfish nature, our quarrelling, complaining, etc! Sometimes, instead of showing Jesus, we show others how clever we are, how great or how well–educated we are!

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 23 - THERE IS COMING A DAY

“And it came to pass in the six hundredth and the first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry” (Gen 8:13).

There was a period when the waters increased and prevailed continually, and also a time when it decreased gradually. In our Christian life also there are times when trials abound and times when they seem to cease. Let us take heart; our sufferings will never continue indefinitely or unreasonably.

It was indeed a pleasant surprise for Noah to observe one fine morning that all the waters had vanished and a “new earth” had appeared. It was on the first day of the first month, on that unforgettable New Year’s day (Gen 7:8,13). Yes, soon there is going to be a New Era when all our waters or tears will be wiped away and New Earth, New Heaven and New Jerusalem will appear.

That was the day when “Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked.” How joyous will be that day when we see our Lord face to face and the covering of the ark or the veil on the face of Christ is removed! “We shall see Him as He is” (I Jn 3:2).

Child of God, rejoice! Rejoice in hope. Hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”(1 Pet 1:7,8).

           “O what a day that will be

            When my Jesus I shall see

            When I look upon His face

            The One Who saved me by His grace;

            And when He takes me by the hand

            Leads me to the Promised Land

            What a day, glorious day that will be!”

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 21 - OVERCOMING LIFE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS

 “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (Rev 12:11)

One blessing we get through the blood of Christ is overcoming life. Through the blood of Jesus Christ we receive a life of overcoming sin, Satan, sickness (hereditary sickness, curse spells, witchcraft, childhood diseases, etc.), fear of death, fear of the future, fear of disease, etc. In brief, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has a unique power that can enable us to overcome anything that is of the devil, world and sin.

It is called the ‘blood of the Lamb’ and not, ‘blood of the lion’. In other words, as we are continuously washed in the blood of Christ, we are gradually being made lambs, being made meek and lowly. “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with Him an hundred forty and four thousand…” (Rev 14:1). Those who stand with the Lamb of God must be lambs (in character).

May the Lord help us not to hide any secret sin but bring everything to the light, repent of them, confess them and have them washed in the blood of Jesus, so that we may be able to overcome all things and  enjoy all His blessings now and throughout Eternity. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things.”
 

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 20 - WHERE ARE THE INTERCESSORS?

“By His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities… He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors“ (Isa. 53:11,12).

“By His knowledge shall My righteous servant justify many.” This knowledge is indeed unique. The knowledge of this world makes a man justify himself and put all the blame on others. Jesus told the Pharisees, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men” (Lk.16:15). Divine knowledge works the other way round; it makes one take the blame upon oneself and justify others! Do we have this divine knowledge?

 Why is this unique knowledge essential for travailing or interceding in prayer? Because true intercessors have to bear the iniquities of others – “He shall bear their iniquities.” If someone has sinned against God, the man who intercedes for him, pleads with God as if he himself has committed that sin. Hence we read, “He bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.”

 We also read, “He was numbered with the transgressors” i.e, He identified Himself with the transgressors. If we are praying for a sick man in a wheelchair, we should pray as if we ourselves are in the wheelchair and suffering the pain. If we are praying for a dying man, we should identify ourselves with him. “He poured out His soul unto death.” Jesus interceded for us with great agony – as our souls were going to hell to face the second death.

 WHERE ARE THE INTERCESSORS who can travail for others as Jesus did?

 – Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 19 - SEEK GRACE

“Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord”(Gen 6:8).

This is the first mention of ‘grace’ in the Word of God. The context was when the world was corrupt to the core and people were grieving the heart of God. God pours His grace upon His people when there is darkness and sin everywhere, – so that they may be preserved.

 Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the secret to find grace – look only unto the eyes of the Lord. Had Noah looked anywhere else, he would have found only disgrace instead of grace. We often lose or miss the grace of God because we look to man instead of to the Lord.

 Noah ‘found’ grace, as he sought for it. Had he not sought for it, he could have never found it. What made him seek it? The corruptions around him. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom 5:20). So child of God, when surrounded by evil and when in tempting situations, do not fail to look to the eyes of the Lord for grace.

 The grace of God that was in Noah made him perfect and just (vs 9) in the Old Testament. How much more certainly the grace of God can make us perfect and just in this Grace Period! “They which receive abundance of grace … shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:17).

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 18 - BORN TO FLY

An eagle knows that it is going to fly one day like its mother – not creep on the earth or walk on the ground. We are begotten of God. The name of our Jesus is Wonderful. His children are also wonderful like Him. That’s why the Word of God says, “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel” (Isa 8:18). Our wonderful Jesus makes our life wonderful.

Let this wonderful Jesus come into your life. He wants to make your life wonderful. He desires to do wonders in your life. He will turn the bitter into sweet. He will turn water into wine. He will turn darkness into light. He will create everything out of nothing. Your thoughts, your words, your character, your peace, your joy, will all become wonderful. Everything connected with Jesus is wonderful; He will make everything connected with you also wonderful. This life with Jesus is most wonderful and exciting.

Our Jesus is going to do something most wonderful very, very soon. A thing that has not been done since the creation of man, the most wonderful thing that can ever be done, will be done perhaps even today. On a wonderful day, Jesus will come in a wonderful way with His wonderful angels and His wonderful saints. And this body of ours will be changed in a wonderful way. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye… we shall be changed” (I Cor 15:52). “Then we… shall be caught up together… to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thess 4:17). The Rapture is going to be the most wonderful of wonders.

Child of God, we are not born to die; we are born to fly. When our Jesus comes, our feet will not be on the ground. In a wonderful way, we will fly to meet the Lord. Are you ready for that?
 

- Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 17 - ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS

“They cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as He went, they spread their clothes in the way” (Lk 19:35, 36).

What an honour the donkey got when Jesus sat on it! Wherever the donkey went it got a red carpet welcome – people spread their clothes and branches of trees on its way; it did not walk on ordinary ground.

If the donkey had suddenly for one moment thought, “All these people are honouring me because of my greatness,” and thrown Jesus off its back, guess what would have happened! The very people who put their clothes and branches before it would have stoned it!

Precious child of God, now you are blessed with all kinds of material and spiritual blessings all because Jesus is sitting on you. If you forget Jesus everything will change. Oh dear donkey, don’t ever forget that one day you were bound, that one day you were useless, that one day you were wild, that one day you were hopeless and love-less. All the blessings you see now, all the blessings you had in the past, and all the blessings you are going to enjoy, are all because of Jesus. Let Jesus take all the glory for your life.

Finally, Jesus took the donkey to Jerusalem, the holy city of God. The poor donkey would have never expected to go to Jerusalem. Beloved one, after Jesus comes into our lives He does not leave us halfway and go away. He wants to take us to New Jerusalem and Zion. “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

The donkey could have asked, “Jesus, what goodness did you find in me to choose to sit upon me and take me to the holy city of God?” Child of God, you do not deserve to go to New Jerusalem. Jesus Who loved the donkey loves you very much. The same Jesus Who took the donkey to the city of God wil certainly, by the mercy of God, take you to New Jerusalem and Zion.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 16 - DO YOU LOVE LIFE?

“He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile” (I Pet 3:10).

Here you see the frightening fact that if your tongue is evil your future is bound to be evil. “He that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil.” In other words, if your tongue is evil, you virtually hate your own life; you don’t want to see good days ahead of you.

Your life is closely linked to your tongue. When your tongue is evil, your life also is evil. Similarly, if your tongue is sweet, gracious, compassionate and kind, your life also will be just the same. “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life” (Prov 15:4).

Do you often desire to die? You may have your own excuses; you may say it is because of this problem or that. But the real problem is your tongue. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Prov 18:21). When your tongue is evil you do not love life but rather hate life. When the tongue is a fountain of life bringing forth sweet and gracious words, you will find your life to be full of grace and goodness; you will not want to die.

“… his lips that they speak no guile” – If you are dishonest or deceptive in your words, if you speak with a double heart, you certainly shall not see good days.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 15 - ENJOY A CURSE–FREE LIFE

 “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee… in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” (Gen 3:18,19).

God made a beautiful garden out of the ground, but man’s sin brought weeds and thorns into it. Sin produces thorns in your heart – natures that prick and hurt you as well as others. Jesus wore a crown of thorns, taking this curse upon Himself, so that you might not be a thorn.

‘In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread’ – This is the first mention of sweat and bread. Before falling into sin man did not have to labour for food. He was happy with fruits for which no labour was necessary. But now he has to toil. Just as his heart had hardened after sinning, the ground too had become hard and now needed to be tilled.

The Lord wants us to be free from worry for material things. He wants us to cast all our cares on Him. “Casting all your care upon Him for He careth for you” (I Pet 5:7). The Lord has promised to worry for us. So child of God, “Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink ? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed ?” (Matt 6:31). It’s the Gentiles (who know not the Lord) who worry for such things.

Jesus has paid a high price to earn for us a curse–free life. Are we enjoying this new life or are we still under the curse?

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 14 - MY GOD!

 “He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust” (Psa 91:2).

Though Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel, we don’t read of him ever referring to the Lord as “my God”; but we see David saying “my God” many times. Paul says, “My God shall supply all your needs.”

How does God become “my God” or a personal God? By receiving the Holy Spirit, by taking water baptism or by doing the will of God you cannot make God your God. For God to become “my God” I must delight to do the God’s will. “I delight to do Thy will, O my God” (Psa 40:8). You may do the will of God, but you may not be doing it joyfully.  When you delight to do the will of God with joy, the omnipotent, omnipresent God becomes your own personal God.

Knowing God and knowing about God are two different things. By reading the word of God, by listening to messages, etc. we come to know God. But we know God personally only when we live with God. For that we must delight to do the will of God. “Thy law is within my heart” (Psa 40:8). Unless we delight to do the will of God, we will not know our God with our heart, but only with our head.

When we take delight in doing the will of God, God will start delighting in us. All our songs, prayers and praises will be a delight to Him. When we don’t delight in the will of God, even if our songs are melodious they will only be the ‘noise of thy songs’ to the Lord (Amos 5:23).

“My Refuge and my Fortress: my God.” Daniel delighted to do God’s will, and God became his strong refuge. He was not afraid of the lions. He says, “my God hath sent His angel.” If we don’t delight in doing the will of God we will have only a false refuge. “The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies” (Isa 28:17). If we do not do the will of God with joy and delight, one day we will realize that God is not our refuge, that all our refuges were only refuges of lies.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 13 - CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

“By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones”(Heb 11:22).

Faith gives us hope even in death. Joseph knew that one day God would visit His people and that his bones would not remain in Egypt (this world), but would be carried to Canaan (heaven). This is a type of the hope of the Rapture.

 Joseph (by faith) ‘gave commandment’, not ‘requested’. Even while dying, faith gives one a divine commanding authority and power.

 “By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel.” This shows that, while dying, Joseph had a blessed hope before him of the departing of the children of Israel. Joseph’s bones stand for the doctrines of Christ. As bones are the solid part of the human body, true doctrines are the solid part of the Body of Christ, the Church. Jude says we should contend for the faith (doctrines) revealed ‘once and for all’ to the saints of God (Jude vs3 – Orig). Joseph giving commandment concerning his bones shows that even while dying, true saints should be strong and contend for the faith or doctrinal truths revealed to them.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 12 - DESTROY NOT YOUR FOUNDATION!

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psa 11:3).

Our covenants form the foundation of our spiritual building. Our spiritual life can be built up as New Jerusalem only if we stand on our covenants. When you break your covenant with God, you are breaking the very foundation of your spiritual building.

Not only our foundations with God, but also the apostolic servants of God, form the foundation of our building. “Ye are… built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in Whom all the building fitly framed together growth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Eph 2:19-21). Many want to be independent and do not want to be built upon the foundation of the apostolic doctrines. Some, though they stand with the servants of God, are often offended with them in most trivial matters. If you are thus offended, remember, you are offended with the foundation stone. And if you are offended, or removed from the foundation stone, your life can never be built up. How can the building be built without the foundation stone? This is the reason why many believers who often get offended with servants of God do not prosper in their spiritual life.

Therefore child of God, decide to stand with the servants of God forgiving and forgetting all the grieving factors. “Esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake” (I Thess 5:13). If you do so, the Lord will start a new life in you, and in the long run, you will be found as New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ.

- Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 11 - OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen 2:24).

We find here, not only the responsibility of the man but that of the woman too. If the man is to leave his father and mother and cleave to the woman, he should find in the woman both a father and a mother or, a fatherly and a motherly nature. The Church that is to be presented before Christ should have a father’s love and a mother’s caring nature. What kind of nature does the Lord find in us? Would we qualify to be His Bride?
 
Just as a man loves his wife and leaves his father and mother and cleaves unto her, Jesus left His Father’s bosom and Heaven and came to the earth in the likeness of man because He loved the Church. He then “gave Himself for it; that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph 5:25, 27). How much the Lord loves us! How much do we love Him?
 
Christ and the Church are united through the anointing of the Holy Spirit,and the Church grows in that relationship by bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Let us be united to our Lord and bear fruit for Him. Let us be found as His spotless Bride when He comes to take us.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 10 - TAKE THE RIGHT ROAD

“And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see Him: for He was to pass that way“ (Lk 19:4).

Many people run their spiritual race without any aim or target, but Zacchaeus ran along the very route Jesus was to take. Dear child of God, you may be running this spiritual race, but are you running along the road Jesus is taking? That alone can help you to meet Him and see Him face to face.

The Lord is eager to show you the way He is taking. If you will stop in your tracks and ”see and ask” for the right way, ”thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it” (Isa 30:21). So, set your heart towards the highway (Jer 31:21); turn your face towards it (Jer 50:5). Like the Psalmist, show the Lord your eagerness to walk in His way - ”I will run the way of Thy commandments!” (Psa 119:32). ”Seek and ye shall find!”
 
The word ‘Zacchaeus’ means ‘white’ or ‘purity.’ Jesus takes the road to Zion and New Jerusalem, the road to the Holiest of Holiest. So dear reader, if you do not love holiness, you cannot go His way. ”Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt 5:8).
 

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 09 - YOUR “ISAAC”

 “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Heb 11:17,18).

‘Isaac’ stands for anything that we love dearly. To offer up our Isaac, we need faith.

The purpose of God in sending us trials is to get us to offer up our Isaac. Every trial speaks to us, telling us that there is something more to go out of our heart – be it our name, fame or any other Isaac! Every trial is meant to increase our faith. Our faith will not get perfected without our giving up our Isaacs.

“He that had received the promises offered up…” Our offering up Isaac shows that we have already received something better – Christ and His eternal blessings. We give to God our best as He gives us His best for us. Our giving to God can never exceed His giving to us. By faith Abraham received Isaac and by faith he gave up Isaac – what we receive by faith we must be willing also to offer by faith.

Dear child of God, when the Lord blesses you, set not your heart on His blessings. Don’t let yourself be distracted from loving the Lord supremely and exclusively.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 07 - STAY IN THE ‘GARDEN’

 “The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed” (Gen 2:8).

God kept man in a special place of comfort and delight. ‘Eden’ itself means ‘delight’ and the garden in it added to the delight. This is a type of the church. When we are born again and born of water and of the Spirit, the Lord puts us in His Church. This delights us and God also delights in us.

“The man whom He had formed” – The Lord puts in the church people in whom He has done some work of formation (transformation of the old nature and formation of divine nature). “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Eph 2:10).

God planted the garden in Eden for man – to provide him with food, shelter and protection and to meet all his needs. Similarly, God has placed man in the Church to give him spiritual food, refuge in the secret place of the Most High, and protection from the powers of darkness, and to meet all his other spiritual needs. Man committed sin and was sent out of the garden, and that ended his delight-filled life.

Let us remain in the ‘garden’ God has put us in. Let us surrender ourselves into His hands to be formed according to His desire, like clay in the hands of a potter. Our loving God has made provision for all our needs to be met. Let us stay where God has placed us and keep our life free from sin and worldliness.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 06 - THE MEEK HE GUIDES

 “The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way” (Psa 25:9)

God will guide only meek people. He will not give His guidance to bad-tempered or hot-tempered people. That is why God took away His guidance from Moses after he lost his temper. All along when he remained meek, the Lord never failed to give him His counsel; but when he lost his meek spirit, God said, “You are not going to Canaan and you are not going to lead the people of Canaan either.” “Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory,” the Psalmist says with assurance (Psa 73:24). If we walk in meekness, meekly enduring all the reproaches, rejections and persecutions we face, the Lord will keep giving us His counsel till we reach His presence. We’ll never stumble or lose our way.

Some children of God get angry and say, “It’s only righteous anger, godly anger.” Well, God cannot teach you anything. “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart,” He says. The Lord can teach only the meek.

David always got the counsel of God because he always maintained a humble and meek disposition. “My sheep hear My voice … and they follow Me,” said Jesus (Jn 10:27). If we’re not following the Lord just like sheep meekly follow their shepherd, we cannot expect the Lord to guide us with His counsel.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 04 - LIVE IN THE SPIRIT

“It is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh” (Dan 2:11).

Although these Chaldeans were not aware of the true God, they knew that there were ‘gods’ or, saints who do not dwell in the flesh. They also knew that rare things or hidden truths can be revealed only to such saints. Later on, it was proved that Daniel was such a man.

The Lord wants saints “whose dwelling is not with flesh” – to reveal to them the deep truths and hidden mysteries in His Word. St.Paul says, “Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you” (Rom 8:9). Daniel had an excellent spirit (Dan 6:3). The Lord has filled us with His Holy Spirit so that we may live in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

Dear child of God, if you live in the Spirit, the Lord will reveal to you deep things that are hidden to the wise people of this world.

The king’s word was, “If ye will not make known unto me the dream with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces.” If we do not live in the Spirit and have deep spiritual insight and revelation, we are sure to fall prey to the devil and his vices. “To be carnally minded is death: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Rom 8:6).

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 03 - WORK OF ABUNDANT GRACE

“God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven” (Gen 1:20).

Waters show grace. The grace of God which is in us is able to bring forth ABUNDANTLY ‘moving creatures’ i.e. redeemed souls who can move the world for the glory of God. ‘That hath life’ – By receiving abundant grace we can bring forth an abundance of souls who can move others also in a chain-reaction.

“And fowl that may fly above the earth” - Souls who live a higher heavenly life are also formed by abundant grace. Such people CAN JUST FLY AWAY WHEN JESUS COMES. ‘Fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven’ - We cannot live or fly above the world unless we have the vision of an open heaven.

Child of God, God’s abundant grace in us can do great things in us and through us. Let us not frustrate the grace that is bestowed on us. Let us keep dying to our self and allow the grace of God to work in our lives, so that finally we may be able to say like St Paul, “His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.”

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 02 - LET ‘TERAH’ DIE

“Terah took Abram … and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go unto the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran and dwelt there … and Terah died in Haran“ (Gen. 11:31,32).

Although God spoke to Abraham and told him to leave everything and go to Canaan, Abraham could not go to Canaan till Terah died. ‘Terah’ means ‘delay’. Terah made Abraham stay in Haran, that is, halfway through to Canaan. If ‘Terah’ lives in your life, you will have only a half-hearted devotion to Christ. This is very true in many of God’s people even today. ‘Terah’, the spirit of procrastination or the spirit of delay, ruins many lives. They end up in Haran and not in Canaan. Canaan denotes the fullness of blessings of the gospel. If ‘Terah’ is alive in your life, you may stop short of heavenly Canaan.

Many a saint has been destroyed by the spirit of delay. Angels of God had warned Lot in the evening that he should leave Sodom quickly with all his family, as fire was going to destroy that city; but ‘he lingered’ we read, till the next morning. We all know about the consequent disaster that struck his family. Indeed, our King’s business requireth haste.

Today, let your ‘Terah’ die – so you can march on to the land of Canaan.

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion

Dec 01 - LOOK TO JESUS

 “When he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me” (Matt 14:20).

Peter took several steps looking at Jesus, but the moment he saw the boisterous wind, he was afraid and began to sink. While faith stablishes, fear makes us sink. When walking on the water, Peter understood the strength of Christ that was able to keep him from sinking, and when he took his eyes off the Lord he understood that his own weakness prevented him from keeping himself above the waters, that is, above the world. In the course of our trials, which may prolong for some period of time, we often come to an understanding of the power of Christ and the weakness of our faith.

"…beginning to sink, he cried saying, Lord, save me”. Peter did the right thing here. Though he was sinking due to lack of faith, he knew Jesus was the only One Who could save him. There were eleven other disciples very near him in the ship, but he did not resort to them or request their help. “Vain is the help of man”. Many children of God resort to human remedies in their sickness and trials, and become disillusioned, and fall into despair.

Perhaps, you may be about to sink in the sea of trials and troubles. Do not look at your weakness and at your trials, for that will make you fearful and make you sink. Look to the Lord alone and don’t seek any human help. Look at the power of Christ.

           “Look away to Jesus! Look away from all;

            Then ye need not falter, then ye shall not fall

            From each snare that lureth, foe or phantom grim

            Safety thus insureth; look away to Him!”

– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion