Posted on

Do Not Fear the Reproach of Men

Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults (Isaiah 51:7 NIV).

To move forward in God’s will requires a knowledge of His law. It was written on tablets of stone long ago. But God has desired to write it in our hearts today.

So to move forward in God’s will demands that God’s law find a permanent lodging place in our hearts. And when we have God’s law embedded in our hearts, we are given the knowledge of what is right.

This knowledge of what is right in God’s eyes will definitely lead us to act in that manner. And it is then that we face opposition. One of the surest ways we are bound to face opposition is in the form of reproach and insults. And they are not pleasant experiences at all.

On the other hand they are bitter; leaving a sour taste in our entire being. They discourage, hurt to extremes, and at times can cause us to stop attempting to do the right thing. Sometimes we talk back; and sometimes we choose to suffer silently. And God knows how it feels:

And in this passage God is encouraging His children who know what is right by virtue of having His law within their hearts. God is definitely asking us not to fear the reproach of men. He is asking us not to be terrified.

This is because of two reasons. One, those who oppose God will face a sure ruin. Two, what is born of God within your heart will remain for ever.

So let us stop being afraid. For the triumph of the law of God that is within your heart is sure; as it causes you to know what is right and helps you to act in a way consistent with what His law speaks from within your heart.
—
More Manna:

Man’s Evil Heart; and God’s Grieving Heart

And David Knew that the Lord Had Established

Set No Vile Thing Before Your Eyes

Posted on

Drench, Level, Soften, Bless

You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops (Psalm 65:10 NIV).

God’s care for the land is shown here. More than that we can understand God’s total working on our behalf in this verse:

The furrows in the land are drenched.
It is God’s work.

The ridges are leveled.
It is also God’s work.

They are then softened with showers.
Again it is God’s work.

Finally, the crops are blessed.
God’s work alone, again.

What a comfort to know the all-round total concern for us! We sometimes see the parts of the process of God’s care for us. But this verse calls us to see the totality of His care.

No part of the process goes unattended. Every moment is overseen by God. Every grace needed for each moment provided.

It unfolds step by step. The drenching, the leveling, the softening and the blessing are a train that moves in an ordered manner. It moves to its destined end–blessing.

We often see God only in the last part. But let us try to see God moving in every moment of the process.

It also tells that God knows exactly what is to be done and when. Everything is perfectly ordered in His timetable for you. Don’t be impatient. There is work that needs to be done before you are ready for the blessing.

Of course, the blessing would come. But the delay is actually God working out the steps that would bring you the blessing. You feel the delay only because you see God only in the blessing.

Learn to see God in the drenching, the leveling and the softening too. Then you shall know the totality of God’s work in your life. He cares. His work is total. It concerns every step.
—
More Manna:

A Throne Will Be Established

The Word of the Lord Came; Preach Against Nineveh

Where Is the Whitewash When the Wall Collapses?

Posted on

I Have Loved You with an Everlasting Love

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: `I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’ (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV).

There is great comfort in having assurance of something. For example, you are in great financial need. A friend of yours promises to give you the money. You are relieved. You do not go about worrying whether your friend will give the money or not. Why?

Because your friend’s word is enough assurance for you. There is no need to doubt your friend’s word at all.

Similarly, at some point in life, you will be weighed down by the anxieties of life. There would seem to be no visible sign of God’s love to draw encouragement from.

You may not be someone who doubts the love of God. Yet you long for some visible sign of God’s love. But could you not find a better solution to this need? Can you not rely on the Word of God which tells you that God has already loved you with an everlasting love?

See, visible signs of God’s love might encourage you and lift up your depressed spirit. But when you rely and find comfort and assurance in God’s word, you will find in it a constant and unending supply of strength. The everlasting love of God is more a reality than the need you feel in your heart.

One of the things that you need to do is to refresh your mind time and again on this promise of God. He has loved you with an everlasting love. He has drawn you to Him with loving-kindness. No matter what circumstance you find yourself in, whether difficult or favorable, remind yourself of God’s unfailing love towards you.

This is the best medicine for your grieving soul. And move forward in the confidence of His love!
—

More Manna:

Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart

Joyful in God When Fig Tree Does Not Bud

Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly

Posted on

He Opened the Rock

He opened the rock, and water gushed out; like a river it flowed in the desert (Psalm 105:41 NIV).

The incident referred to here occurred in the desert wanderings of the Israelites. The might of God and the tenderness within Him is revealed here. The rock is the might of God.

We may not expect tenderness when we are faced with the might of God. Nor do we expect rock to hold water within it in our natural world. Yet God is much beyond our understanding.

He holds a great tenderness within His might. He defies our expectations and understanding as He opens the rock of His might to allow the water of His tenderness to gush out.

This water gushed forth and flowed like a river in the desert. When God opens forth His tenderness it becomes like a river. He does not measure it and give in drops but in river-like flow. It is not just a pool of water but a flowing river.

The flow talks of the gushing forth of God’s tenderness towards His children. This tenderness of God is not limited by the unlikeliness or the impossibility of the circumstances that His children find themselves in.

Here, the desert was an unlikely place where a river would flow. But the burning sands was the place where God chose to allow the water from the rock to flow like a river.

It is now up to you to drink of this river. He is showing His tenderness to you without limit. The flow is refreshing. There is plenty here. Do you find yourself today in a desert experience?

Go and stand in front of the rock; the might of God. He will open the rock to refresh you with the gushing water that shall flow like a river, satisfying you and engulfing you in His tenderness!
—
More Manna:

The Making of the Golden Calf Idol

Time for Paneled Houses?

Wonders and Miracles

Posted on

Bronze, as Precious as Gold

I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold (Ezra 8:26, 27 NIV).

Ezra is getting ready to lead a group of Israelites including priests and levites to go back to Jerusalem. They were given favorable orders by the king of Persia to do so. The king had even contributed a lot of silver and gold. This was given with the express command that it be used for the temple of God in Jerusalem.

We find here Ezra weighing out to the priests and others concerned all the silver and gold donated to them for the house of God. This was weighed out to them to be taken care of until they could be placed in the temple of God.

What is interesting in this list is the mention of “two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold.” This is interesting because we live in a world where the gold medallists in the Olympics get all the glory and the silver medallists get a little less and the bronze medallists get the least of all the glory.

In the Christian world too we find this trend. Big offerings and those who offer them are treated with much respect. But many do not think much about those who have only little to offer.

But from this passage we find that the two fine articles of polished bronze were as precious as gold! God values that little offering that you give. It is precious in His eyes. God values the effort that you put in into His work.

It may not be as big as what the leaders are doing; but it still is the best you can do. Ezra’s care of the bronze articles is a reflection of God’s appreciation of your contribution. Your work is precious as gold in His eyes.
—
More Manna:

Words of My Mouth; Meditation of My Heart

Let There Be Light

Sacrifice that Costs Nothing!

Posted on

Blessed Are Those Who Have Learned

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness (Psalm 89:15,16 NIV).

The psalmist here talks about the happy condition of those people who have learned to acclaim God. Acclaiming means that you publicly welcome or praise somebody.

It is clear from this verse that acknowledging God publicly doesn’t come easy. It is something that is learned. It takes time.

Many Christians are happy to be silent before others all their lives. They never mention God in their conversations nor give thanks to the favors that God had shown to them.

The psalmist makes it clear that blessed is the one who has learned to acclaim God. If you are not used to do this, will you decide to start today to acclaim God? It may sound a bit difficult at first; but there is a blessedness associated with acclaiming God. Start acclaiming God today and be blessed.

The psalmist adds that the blessedness is due to those who acclaim God because they walk in the light of God’s presence. By acknowledging God publicly they are always bringing God’s presence to surround their lives. And God’s presence is full of light.

It is blessed to walk in such a path. Moreover those who acclaim God rejoice in God’s name all day long. This makes them blessed because they are acclaiming God’s blessed name.

This joy turns into exultation because they know that they need not strive to be perfect before God. They are blessed because they know that they have God’s own righteousness given to them to cover their imperfections!
—
More Manna:

In the Beginning God Created

The Spirit of God Was Hovering

Dedication, House of God, Celebration, Joy

Posted on

Give Me an Undivided Heart

Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name (Psalm 86:11 NIV).

Let us take a look at a family of four: The husband wants to spent his evening reading a book. The wife wants to go out for dinner. The boy wants to go out for a movie. And the girl wants to go to beach.

It is more than obvious that their interests are divided. In spite of their love, it would be impossible for them to spent an evening together for their interests lie in four different directions.

Likewise, when there are different interests within our heart, it would be impossible to move forward in any one direction without generating much unrest in our mind. Here lies the significance of the prayer to the Lord to teach us His way.

Quite often it is the lack of knowledge of the path that God wants us to take that creates the tension in our mind. But are we ready to follow His direction once He reveals it to us? This question is important and the psalmist promises God that he will walk in God’s truth.

That means he will trust God’s guidance as He reveals that to him and walk in it.

But for this to come true for us we need to have an undivided heart. In this world varied interests pull us and tug at our hearts from different directions all at once. If we possess a divided heart which heeds to all these interests it would be impossible for us to walk in God’s truth.

For that we need to pray for a single-minded heart. It is a heart with the sole and supreme aim of fearing God and serving Him that can bring God praise and bring us peace. In such a heart all other interests are put in subjection to this one supreme desire to serve God!
—
More Manna:

Train a Child in the Way

God Knows the Way; Tested as Gold

The Lord Is My Shepherd

Posted on

Despite Their Fear

Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices (Ezra 3:3 NIV).

It is not surprising that a people who returned from exile and captivity to their own land now lying in ruins are afraid of the peoples around them.

But they had come back to their land with a great desire to rebuild the temple of God upon its ruins. And they had a long way to go. But in the meantime they built an altar and started to offer sacrifices.

In many a Christian’s life, the desire to start afresh for God is found. It may have come after a season of straying away from God and His love. Such persons come back to God with a desire to rebuild the ruins of what once was a glorious life for God.

Yet many stumble at this point. The fear of peoples around them make them inactive. These peoples could be their immediate relatives, friends or even enemies.

What if this fear dominates? The result will be inaction. That means these persons will not go far back in their fellowship with God.

Have you reached such a point in your life? Are you faced with fears of what your dear and near might think of your renewed commitment to follow God wholeheartedly?

If you are thinking right now that you would have been able to follow close after God only if there was fair weather; you are wrong.

No Christian can afford to wait till the sun shines brightly and the sky is cloudless. The path of duty always takes us through the cloudy blanket of fear. There may not come a time when there is no fear. So forge ahead despite your fear!
—
More Manna:

Trust in God When Afraid

A Watchman

The Plans God Has for You

Posted on

Do Not Let This Book

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8 NIV).

Joshua was given the leadership of the Israelites. He succeeded Moses. It was a huge responsibility as he was to lead them into the promised land. At the very onset God encouraged him. And Joshua was given a true road map to success.

We will greatly benefit from understanding this success principle because in today’s world many strive for success without finding it. Let us find out what is God’s recipe for success.

First of all, God asks Joshua not to let the Word of God depart from his mouth. This means that all his conversation was to be guided by the Word of God. He, being the leader of the Israelites, had to encourage the people quite often.

And words of grace inspired by a vision of hope for the conquests that lay ahead had to come out of his mouth. It meant that he had to shape his words according to the firm conviction that the Word of God gave him. God promised him success through this.

Secondly, Joshua was to meditate on the Word of God day and night. In spite of all his responsibilities, and even in the midst of them, his supreme duty was to eat and chew and digest the Word of God. His entire mind and being should therefore respond to the Word of God with delight. God promised him success through this.

The first two principles should find their natural destiny in the obedience of the Word of God. Fullest obedience was expected. God promised him success through this.
—
More Manna:

Another Generation Not Knowing the Lord

Sow in Tears; Reap with Songs of Joy

God Will Not Despise

Posted on

The Lord’s Unfailing Love Surrounds

Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him (Psalm 32:10 NIV).

Surrounded! The best experience you might have of this is when you use the “surround” option in your music system or television. You relax and enjoy the music that seems to flow and vibrate and resound everywhere and seem to reach you from all directions all at once. You are surrounded by the music.

This effected is created when you switch on that option of surround sound. Likewise in our walk of faith, we have the choice to switch on an option: an option to trust in the Lord. As we do so we are surrounded by the love of God.

Actually it is not simply love; but unfailing love! Why should it be mentioned that God’s unfailing love surrounds us when we trust in Him?

It is simply because quite often we think that God has forgotten us. We are sometimes perplexed by our circumstances and do not understand the way forward. We may also find a lot of things going against our expectations.

Sometimes we think that the wicked have no woes. In the midst of all this confusion let us call to our mind that it is God’s unfailing love that surrounds us.

Blessed is the man who is conscious of the unfailing love of God surrounding him. He can think on it when things seem to go wrong. And derive strength out of the thought that no matter how things are taking shape outside, God’s unfailing love is surrounding him.

He can lean, sit, stand up, lie down or move about and still consciously feel the cushion of God’s unfailing love. Yes, it surrounds!
—
More Manna:

A Man Skilled in His Work

Watch Not the Wind or the Clouds

The Lord’s Good Promises Fulfilled

Posted on

In His Temple All Cry, “Glory!”

The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” (Psalm 29:9 NIV).

The voice of the Lord resounds with absolute power. This psalm describes this power and its effects on earth. His voice is terrifying.

It is majestic.
It sounds like thunder.
It inspires awe.
On hearing it; no other response is adequate from us other than the cry of “Glory!”

This is because the voice of the Lord inspires us to worship. It brings us face to face with the awesome majesty of the Lord. It demonstrates to us the splendor of God’s holiness. We may have occasion at other times to think on God’s love, mercy and compassion.

But when His voice thunders we are reminded, more than anytime else, of God’s awesome power and majesty. He is the King of all the earth and the heavens. And the highest response we are capable of is to cry “Glory!” to this awesome display of His power.

And we draw near to worship in His temple. The right kind of worship should make us conscious of the glory of God. It should allow us to reflect on the greatness of God’s holiness. We should be reminded of the greatness of His power.

We must think of His absolute authority. We should draw near to God with the thought that He is a great King. And to Him belongs all glory. We should draw near to God in worship crying “Glory!”

As we worship God who sits enthroned as King forever; let us cry “Glory.” Then the Lord will give us strength and will bless us with peace. So let every element of our being cry out in worship in His temple: “Glory!”
—
More Manna:

Caleb, Who Followed God Wholeheartedly

That Night the King Could Not Sleep

Travels and the Cloud of the Lord

Posted on

Kohathites, Responsible

But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible (Numbers 7:9 NIV).

The context here is the offering of six covered carts and twelve oxen by the leaders of the people at the time of the dedication of the tabernacle. Moses gives two carts to the Gershonites and four carts to the Merarites. But he did not give any to the Kohathites.

Sometimes we wonder why we are not given certain things. We wonder why God should give some of it to somebody else and gives none to us?

Let us look closely at these three branches of the Levites and see what they were assigned to do to find an answer to such questions that bother us at times:

The Gershonites were mainly asked to carry the curtains that covered the tabernacle. The Merarites were mainly asked to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases.

But the Kohathites were to carry the most holy and the most sacred objects inside the tabernacle. Even that they were supposed to do only after Aaron and his sons would have covered them with cloths assigned for the purpose.

The Kohathites were also warned not to touch the holy things (they had to use the poles to carry them) or go in to look at them. If they did so, they were doomed to die.

Such was the sacred responsibility that the Kohathites had. So they were not given any carts. For they were supposed to carry the most holy things on their shoulders. This was a great responsibility.

So likewise, when God gives us greater responsibilities than others, He may not provide us with carts. This is so that we will discharge our duties with greater care and divine grace.
—
More Manna:

Does Not Thresh Forever

One Who Breaks Open the Way

Those Who Hope in the Lord

Posted on

Object of Cursing to a Blessing

… Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built… As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong (Zechariah 8:9b,13 NIV).

Have you been through that phase of life when you were an object of cursing among your foes, friends and relatives? Have you had to taste the bitterness of failure in all that you tried to do?

Have you had to know the barrenness that seemed to characterize all your efforts; when you saw no fruit in spite of your best efforts? “Yes, yes, yes!” You might say, “Yes I’ve been through all that.”

That is what the Israelites too had to say. But God was there to encourage them because they had started to rebuild the temple of God upon its ruins.

God was telling them that they became an object of cursing because they had forsaken Him. Now that they had come back to Him with a willingness to rebuild the temple of God; He was going to change their life’s destiny.

So far they were an object of cursing. But now God was going to change that for them to be a blessing.

That is what God is going to do to you today. With great change of heart, put your hand to God’s work. Let His work be rebuilt upon its ruins. For when His work lies in ruins, you cannot be but an object of cursing. But when you rebuild it, you will be made into a blessing.

God Himself is encouraging you today. He is asking you not to be afraid. He is asking you to keep your hands strong. The shame of being an object of cursing will be wiped away and you will be a blessing. Only be strong and rebuild God’s work upon its ruins!
—
More Manna:

Does Not Thresh Forever

One Who Breaks Open the Way

Those Who Hope in the Lord

Posted on

Do Not Think Evil of Each Other

This is what the Lord Almighty says: `Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other’ (Zechariah 7:9,10 NIV).

Thoughts are powerful. For actions are powered by thought. Good thoughts therefore lead to good actions and bad thoughts to bad actions.

We can be certain of these guiding principles because there can be no action without thought. So generally, we can judge a man’s thoughts by his actions.

Even though this is true we cannot absolutely trust these principles. For there are many who do good actions with wrong thoughts.

Sometimes it is difficult for us to find out whether a man is doing good to cover up some of his bad thoughts. And it is more difficult to know the thoughts within the heart of a man who does not do anything in particular.

He may not oppress the widow or the fatherless. He may not mistreat the alien or the poor. But avoiding these kind of wrong things does not necessarily mean that his thoughts are good.

God places a great importance on what we think. Therefore He says to us not to think evil of each other. God is asking us not only to abstain from evil deeds but also to abstain from evil thoughts.

This is an area where we fail much. We think evil of those who help us. We think evil of those whose actions we don’t understand.

But God wants us to operate on the principles of mercy and compassion. He wants us to show true justice. It includes, not thinking evil of others.
—
More Manna:

God Acts for Those Who Wait

Helped Him Find Strength in God

Did Not Trust in Me Enough

Posted on

Blessed Is the Man

Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers (Psalm 1:1 NIV).

The counsel of the wicked:
The world is full with such counsel. You will get it without asking for it. The wicked go to great lengths to plan evil. Then they go about planting their thoughts in people’s minds.

Then they persuade others to take their course of action. They try to make their plans seem righteous and good in the eyes of those to whom they give counsel. But blessed is the man who does not walk in their counsel.

The way of sinners:
This way is filled with pleasure. But it never satisfies. It always burns with a taste for more. This way delights with a variety of pleasing fruits by the wayside.

But the man who plucks them is wounded by the hidden thorns. Though hurt often the way of sinners keep enticing with its subtle charms. But it always harms.

This way leads you through momentary pleasures to lasting pain. Those who stand in this way are inviting great trouble. But blessed is the man who avoids standing in their way.

The seat of mockers:
It is amazing to note how much mockery there exists in this world. People are mocked for different reasons. Sometimes they are mocked for their physical appearance, or for their being poor, or having not succeeded in their efforts at something.

Mocking others is a leisurely activity for many as this is how they spend their time. And many approve and enjoy this sinful act. But blessed is the man who avoids the mocker’s seat.
—
More Manna:

A Banner Unfurled Against the Bow

Those Who Honor Me Will I Honor

The Lord Bless You

Posted on

Return to Me

Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: `Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, `and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty (Zechariah 1:3 NIV).

God always keeps an open door for you. Even when you have sinned and moved away from God; He still keeps waiting for you to come back. You may not understand the willingness of God to forgive you.

But that is not necessary. What you need is a willingness to return. God has made it that simple for you.

It does not matter how far away you are. The return to God is just one step away. You are not asked to do a lot of things in order to make your comeback easy. But you are asked to return to God.

That means God is not interested in some religious observances. He is more interested in your relationship with Him. He is asking you to return to Him.

Your returning to God is just the beginning of the restoration process. God wants to heal the torn relationship. So when you take the first returning step, God will return to you.

This kind of favor from God is unthinkable; and even improbable as we think from our limited human understanding. But it can be believed and experienced as it is God’s promise.

As long as you look at the promise and take no action; the promise remains dead. It comes alive as soon as you take the first step back to God. He will certainly return to you.

The promise is sure. So do not delay. Do not doubt. For God is waiting. Just return! And you will find God returning to you in love, with mercy and compassion!
—
More Manna:

Burden Will Be Lifted

God Our Guide

Repentance, Rest, Quietness, Strength

Posted on

First Seek the Counsel of the Lord

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 18:4 NIV).

It is a sad thing to note that seeking the counsel of the Lord is the last thing that many Christians do. They do not think of seeking God’s wisdom and guidance in the decisions that they make.

But when things go wrong they rush to God to make some last minute saving measures.

Is there any need to run into unnecessary difficulties? To avoid these avoidable troubles there is only one way. It is to first seek the counsel of the Lord.

Seeking God’s counsel implies that we are depending on God. But there are two difficulties that present itself before us when we try to seek God’s counsel:

The first difficulty as evident from the Scripture portion in which the above verse is found is the problem of the majority voice that could be false. Well-meaning Christians can counsel you with great worldly wisdom and tell you that one kind of path will be right for you.

They do this solely from a worldly perspective. They lack the knowledge of God’s perspective. Here, King Jehoshaphat was able to discern that about four hundred self-styled prophets were not giving the counsel of God!

The second difficulty is the inability or the lack of humility to accept the right counsel given by a godly man. King Ahab knew that Micaiah was attested as a prophet of the Lord. Yet he was unhappy with Micaiah because he thought that Micaiah always prophesied bad things about him.

So ignoring the counsel given by Micaiah, Ahab went to war and perished. Jehoshaphat made a bare escape. He learned a lesson that day!
—
More Manna:

While David Was Restricted by Saul

So David Inquired of the LORD

Return to Your Fortress

Posted on

Go At Once to Zarephath

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: `Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food’ (1 Kings 17:7,8,9 NIV).

What should you do when the brook dries up? Should you panic? Should you think that the God who has undertaken to provide for you now prove Himself untrue to His unchanging word? There is only one thing to do: Hear the voice of God commanding you to go AT ONCE.

There is no room for doubt. There is no room for waiting. You have to leave to the new destination that God is showing to you. In obedience lies your sustenance; in immediacy of obedience rests your chance to see God’s never-failing providence for your needs.

But what is preventing you today from moving out? Is it the strangeness of the place? Is it that you are wondering how a widow can possibly provide you with food? Cannot the God who ordered the ravens to feed you by the brook cause a widow to supply you with food?

Sometimes brooks do run dry in our lives. We might find the source of our sustenance dwindling and disappearing right before our eyes. Yet remember that it was God Himself who commanded you to be by the brook; and to drink from it.

Now when it dries up, should your look for a solution all on your own? Listen again. The brook might have run dry. But listen!

There is a fresh command. Go at once to the place God is pointing you to. And stay there. God’s provisions will never fail. His instruments which become channels of His supply to us might change. So go, at once, and stay there!
—
More Manna:

The Ninevites Believed God

The Trumpets for Signalling

I Am with You

Posted on

Joy in Your Presence

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand (Psalm 16:11 NIV).

If there is one thing that God makes known to one who becomes His child, it is this: He makes known the path of life. For the way of life in this world only leads to its natural and destined end–death!

But when you become God’s child, there is a changeover from the way of death to the way of life. And death no longer has mastery over God’s child; for the life given by God is one that overcomes death and lives on.

One of the definite manifestations that accompany this great change from death to life is joy! In spite of all that changes not even when we change from death to life, we experience joy. Our circumstances may not change. People’s attitude to us may not change. Yet in the midst of these, there is joy.

This is the experience of every Christian because God’s presence resounds and resonates with JOY. God fills His child with the same joy that is in His presence.

One thing that is common with the life that God gives and the joy that God gives is that both are eternal. In contrast to this, our life in this world is something that comes to an end. Our happiness in this world also comes to an end as we die. Yet when the life of God is in us we live on.

Thus the life that God imparts to us when we become His child causes us to live forever. Similarly, beyond death, there is a swelling increase of pleasures for the believer.

For he is led to the very presence of God; from whose right hand springs forth eternal pleasures. Oh, we have a God filling us with life and joy!
—
More Manna:

A Lying Spirit

The Israelites Are to Camp Round

God Will Not Turn His Face Away from You

Posted on

Be Holy, Because I Am Holy

I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy… I am the Lord who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy (Leviticus 11:44a, 45 NIV).

We often try to define sin. Actually it is an attempt to find out if there is any possible way to make our sins appear as if they are not sins at all. Sometimes we try to avoid sin.

Here the motives may be to be seen as good by someone else, or the fear of being caught or some pain that might occur in the act of sin itself. But in the long run these motives will not help us live a life of purity!

It these motives don’t help, then what should be our real motive in aiming for a pure life? The first thing is our relationship with God Himself. God says, “I am the Lord your God.” That means we are His; totally and absolutely belonging to Him.

We should consciously accept this sense of belonging to God and act in accordance to this belief. Often we find it easy to sin because we forget that God has staked a claim on our life by saying “I am the Lord your God.”

The second thing that stems out of the sense of belonging is the fact that God is calling us to consecrate ourselves to Him. Again this calls for a conscious setting apart of ourselves to God.

It is actually making a standard to be set before us at all times that reminds us that we are separated from the world to belong to God. The Israelites were thus redeemed out of slavery in Egypt to serve the living God.

In the light of both God’s claim and our consecration, we aim to be holy because God is holy. Remind yourself that this is the only proper motive which can keep you holy!
—
More Manna:

Be Holy, Because

Then the Temple of the LORD

When I Found Israel, it Was Like

Posted on

The Lord Became Angry, Solomon, Appeared Twice

The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice (1 Kings 1:9 NIV).

What a solemn warning lies there in this verse! Don’t we often think that we could be great in God’s sight if we only had a great spiritual experience? But in thinking these kind of thoughts we forget that such great spiritual experiences bring with them immense responsibilities too.

We are here told that the Lord had appeared to Solomon twice. Just think about that. What a privilege; for a man to have God appear to him not once, but twice!

And definitely God would have expected Solomon to walk in His ways. And certainly Solomon did walk in God’s ways for a time. The people would have expected him to show this devotion to God in practical ways. And certainly Solomon showed it by building a great temple for God’s dwelling and ruling the land with wisdom.

But there came a time when even Solomon turned from God’s ways to walk in ways not pleasing to God.

It is amazing to note certain contradictions to common wisdom in this turnabout in Solomon’s life. He was the wisest man on earth; and it is said that wisdom grows along with the passing of years. Yet Solomon turned away from the Lord as he grew old. It was caused by his disobedience to God’s command not to marry from other nations.

But more importantly we have to note the warning here: Neither Solomon’s visions of God nor his great wisdom prevented him from going astray from God. It does not matter how great spiritual experiences we enjoy. What matters is whether they help us to cling to God and to Him alone; all the way, till the very end!
—
More Manna:

After Moses Had Grown Up?

My Soul’s Thirst for God

David’s Mighty Men

Posted on

From the Mirrors of the Women

They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 38:8 NIV).

The work of God’s tabernacle was going on. And in the articles needed for its service there was the need for a bronze basin for washing. It is specially noted in the Scriptures that it was made out of the mirrors of the women serving there.

Often we hear people say that they have got nothing to contribute to God. This often happens because they are looking to great missionaries of God and wonder how ever they could become one like them. Then seeing that it is not possible they get discouraged. They count themselves useless to God’s kingdom.

The above verse should make such people think again. There are needs where gold and other costly things are not needed. Here the need was for a bronze basin.

God needs the lesser things too for certain purposes. Those people who get discouraged and count themselves useless should look at the “bronze-needs” right at their doorstep, instead of dreaming of faraway lands where there service is not expected.

Along with this ability to see the immediate “bronze-needs” around them, it is also important to note what gave the women mentioned in this verse this ability to see the need. It is said that they served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

What exactly was the nature of service we do not know for sure. Yet we can learn from their attitude. They were those who served. It was this attitude of service that gave them eyes to see the “bronze-needs” and respond to it. You also can be so!
—
More Manna:

Rehoboth, The Lord Has Given Us Room

The Lord Has Kept the Promise He Made

For I Am Your Servant

Posted on

So I May Know You

If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people (Exodus 33:13 NIV).

Moses is having a dialogue with God. This happens just when God is asking Moses to lead the people of Israel into the promised land. Moses is aware of the enormity of the responsibility. So he is making sure that God is with him in this great task.

There lies a simple majesty about this request that we so often miss. Moses is here standing on God’s assurance that he has found favor in God’s eyes. So he asks God to do for him something if actually God is pleased with him.

Moses asks God to teach him His ways. He is showing a learning attitude. This comes from humility of heart. This willingness to learn is shown by Moses to achieve a higher purpose.

Moses says to God to teach him His ways so that he may know God. We might remember that Moses had already been an instrument of God’s mighty ways in the land of Egypt. Yet he is not satisfied.

He knows that there is more that he needs to know of God’s ways; especially that now he is given a renewed command to lead God’s people.

To lead this people Moses knew that he needed to find continual favor with God. He was not satisfied with a one-time favor with God. He wanted God’s continual favor. What a man of God! He wants to know more of God to be in God’s favor all the time.

How much we can learn from this man! Are we not often satisfied with one great experience of God’s favor? That is not enough! We need to learn; to know God, and to continue in His favor!
—
More Manna:

In Those Days the Lord Began to Reduce the Size

For I delight in Your Deliverance

The Place Where He Had Stood Before the Lord

Posted on

Mighty Are Those Who Obey His Command

The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command (Joel 2:11a NIV).

Our God is powerful. He can command with a force like that of thunder. His forces are numberless. So we have here a picture of tremendous power: God full of majesty and power; commanding with absolute authority, and obeyed by forces that cannot be counted!

In addition to these, we have, here described for us the quality of those who obey God’s command: they are mighty. It is very important to note that God is not basically calling mighty people and asking them to do some task for Him.

He calls people and then asks them to do something. God doesn’t ask whether the chosen person is mighty or not! What God desires is obedience.

And when a person obeys His command He becomes mighty. This is not a popular concept in this world. In the world, we find mighty men in armies. They are there because they are strong.

But God tells us that it does not matter whether you are naturally strong or not. What matters is obedience. It is in the doing of the task which God has given you that you become mighty.

So it is God who gives strength to do the task. It is imparted to those who obey His command. Thus they become mighty. Quite often we wait to be made strong. We think that after becoming mighty we will do some valiant thing for God. This is a fatal mistake.

You never become mighty except by obedience to God’s command. Might is not something that we gain to qualify us for God’s service; but we become mighty by obeying!
—
More Manna:

Though Yours Sins Are like Scarlet

They Rejoiced at the Sight

Now Your Impurity Is Lewdness

Posted on

Fear of Man; a Snare

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe (Proverbs 29:25 NIV).

Snare is a device that is used to catch small animals and birds. It is one that holds the legs of its captive so that the creature that is caught will find it difficult to escape.

In the above verse, it is said that fear of man will prove to be a snare. That means this fear will so hold on to us that we find it hard to move forward. Moreover it means that our life is in danger too.

One of the things that need to be noted is that no animal walks into a snare knowingly. It is quite often trapped unexpectedly. This is how it often happens with us too. We trust someone.

But there comes a time when we realize that we have fallen into a trap by that friendship. If we would take a moment to examine how we fell into it in the first place, we would note that it happened because we trusted the person too much.

By this we have to understand that we put the trust that needed to be placed on God on this person; if not in a full measure, at least to a great extent. Now that we are caught we find no way of escape. We may put a stop to all relations with this person and yet feel the pressure of fear pursuing us constantly.

Now is the time not to yield to fear. But now is the time to place our trust fully in the Lord. We need to remind ourselves that we were caught in the snare primarily because we put our trust in man.

So now we need to set things right because this fear of man is a snare. We are in danger if we continue in this fear. Let us boldly put trust God for we are promised that He will keep us safe!
—
More Manna:

Prince of Peace

Of the Increase of His Government and Peace

Give Me a Man!

Posted on

Offering, Tabernacle, Pattern

Tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give… Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you (Exodus 25: 2,8,9 NIV).

There is a need to tell the people of God to bring God an offering because often the people are ignorant of what God desires to do in their midst. And God is interested in the offering that comes from those whose hearts prompt them to give.

But it is to be noted that it is God who should command the leader to tell to the people to bring an offering. This telling the people of God cannot be of man’s initiative.

Because it is explicitly said that the man who is to do the telling and receiving is responsible. He is standing as God’s representative to receive the offering on God’s behalf: “You are to receive the offering FOR ME.”

But it is interesting to note that giving the offering does not finish the responsibility of those who give! God is asking them to make a dwelling place for Him. This tells us that God desires to be with His people and we should not only give our offerings but also give ourselves to God.

In response to this kind of willing obedience, God responds by showing a pattern in which His work has to be done.

He expects us not only to give for the work, but also to be faithful in doing the work in the way He wants it to be done. So giving without a prompting heart is unacceptable.

Giving without giving oneself to God is a mockery. And not making the dwelling place according to God’s pattern defeats the purpose of the offering.
—
More Manna:

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Posted on

I Am Sending an Angel Ahead of You

See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared (Exodus 23:20 NIV).

Our life is a big journey. In this big journey of life there are smaller journeys too. For a Christian these journeys can become special experiences of God’s protection, guidance and care. This is because God sends His angel ahead of us.

The angel acts as a protective shield to the Christian. It is like the President of a country moving in his car with pilot vehicles and personnel and security guards moving in front.

This moving ahead ensures guidance too. One of the main purpose of God sending His angel ahead of you is to guide you in the right direction. It is to bring you or take you to your destination.

There are possibilities of losing the way as there are possibilities of threats from outside forces and enemies.

Sometimes you can easily be distracted by attractions alongside the way and stay to enjoy them. Or at times you could get discouraged by the hardship of the journey itself and you chose to abandon the moving ahead altogether.

It is at these times that the guiding angel’s leading brings a renewed vigor to our moves to reach our destination.

And it should not surprise the believer to note that God is leading you to the place He has already prepared for you. This is a blessed thought. Quite often we journey ahead worrying of how we will manage once we reach our destination.

It is of great comfort to note that the place to where God is leading you is one already prepared for you. It is made ready. All you need to do is to listen to Him and obey and walk in trust and hope!
—
More Manna:

My Advocate Is on High

Immanuel

And He Will Be Called

Posted on

New Every Morning

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22,23 NIV).

Are you discouraged today because of a failure yesterday? Are you afraid to face the challenges of today because you had struggled very hard yesterday; yet failed? Does the thought of the repeated failures hammer away in your mind,

“Bang! Bang?” Have you carried over from yesterday the shame of failure? Take a moment to answer these questions. Even if the answer to all these questions is a big YES, take heart there is hope.

You can have hope for today and the future because of the great love of the Lord. His love is so great that it protects us from total destruction even in the moments of our failures. He looks on us with great compassion.

His compassion is greater than the compassion a mother will have towards her newborn babe crying in her hands. More than that God’s compassions never fail.

It means that it cannot be exhausted. Its supply is endless. “They are new every morning!”

It is heartening to know that God gives you a new day to begin all over again! The past record of shame, guilt and defeat is wiped clean in the outflow and overflow of His never-failing compassion. God longs to give you a fresh start.

He wants you to begin this new day with confidence. He wants you to trust in His faithfulness. That means that He will support you and uphold you in all the difficult moments you face.

He wants you to cherish the newness that renews and refreshes you. Take heart my friend, God is giving you a new day right now!
—
More Manna:

See What God Has Done!

He Will Be like a Refiner’s Fire or a Launderer’s Soap

Those You Allow to Remain Will Become

Posted on

Holiness Adorns Your House

Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O Lord (Psalm 93:5 NIV).

We live in days of tremendous and sweeping changes. These changes take place so quickly that what is popular today is outdated tomorrow. Nothing is here to stay. And there is no field or walk of life where change is not felt.

The winds of change are powerful and they blow with merciless fury. And our little boat of life is tossed upon the waves that they lift up. We look around for a safe harbor to anchor our little boat. But can we find it?

Certainly yes! But it may not be the harbor that you thought about. In these days when every moral standard is being questioned and every sin made to look simple and quite natural, it is not at all possible to find a steadfast, immovable rock on earth to which you can moor your little boat.

Yet we can look to the laws of God. They stand firm. They do not change. Whatever changes man might make to justify his foul deeds, the laws of God stand firm as the one and only standard that changes not.

These laws of God proclaim the holiness of God. This speaks of God’s awesome nature and character. To those who make God’s laws the standard on which they base their lives, God imparts His holiness.

Together with all who live so, the house of God is being built. And holiness will be its everlasting characteristic.

The world will continue to redefine and change moral values every passing day to suit their evil desires. But let us hold on to God’s unchanging laws and continually partake of the holiness that adorns His house!
—
More Manna:

But When It Lifted, They Would Set Out

I Will Punish Those Who Are Complacent

A Sudden End

Posted on

God Is the Strength of My Heart

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26 NIV).

The psalmist is thinking about a real possibility here. Though he is now fine, he thinks of a day when his strength would be gone. But, to our surprise, we find that he is not alarmed about this possibility.

This is because he already has made sure that he has Someone to fall back on even if his strength gives out.

This Someone is God Himself. The psalmist says that God is the strength of his heart. The body may lose its strength due to aging. The mind might lose its ability to think clearly when confronted with a lot of problems.

Yet these losses will not defeat the man who has made God his strength.

What does that mean? It means that the man who has made God his strength is relying not on his mental ability or physical strength.

It means that such a man is aware that there is a lurking possibility of failure some day of all the natural powers that he enjoys now.

Yet when that happens he will not be found unprepared. He would find strength in God. It would be like the Sun rising in the night!

The psalmist also adds that there is one more thing that gives him confidence. That is his ability to see beyond the values of possessions on earth.

He knows very well that whatever inheritance he has gained and whatever valuables he has earned will do him no good when the continuing march of time will close the curtain of his life.

So he has made God his portion. He knows that when all else is gone, this portion will remain!
—
More Manna:

A Famine of Hearing the Words of the Lord

From Inside the Fish Jonah Prayed to the Lord

They Are to Light the Area in Front of the Lampstand