Faithfulness Archives - My Manna

And We Know!

My Manna — Sun, 09 Jan 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Some time ago, two Chinese women shared their father’s story with me.

He was arrested in a roundup of house church members and given a choice—to deny Christ or go to jail.
The man spent 20 years imprisoned for his faith.

I was moved to tears by this brother’s godly testimony.

He understood that God was in control of his life, and that realization gave him the courage to please his Father regardless of the repercussions.

Romans 8:28 teaches that-“God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him.”
But relying on that guarantee gets tough when we’re in the midst of trials.

The first few words of the verse—“And we know” —provide a hint about how Christians are to trust that the Lord will keep His promise.

We can face adversity courageously when we make a habit of finding God’s fingerprints on prior situations in our life.

While God causes good to come from our experiences-
He doesn’t necessarily initiate trials.

Psalm 103:19 says, “His sovereignty rules over all”.

Other forces are at work in the world, but the Father’s power reigns supreme.

Satan may touch our life with pain, but only because the Lord allows him to do so.

And God gives permission-
-only when a situation fits His ultimate purpose.

Regardless of the tragedies we face-
God’s commitment remains the same;He makes good out of bad, just as He has always done.
Paul knew the promise was true, and so do I.

Examine your life for evidence of the Lord at work.
And you will be assured as well.

(PR)

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Rough wrappings!

My Manna — Sat, 13 Nov 2021 17:00:00 +0000

“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him”. Ps. 25:14.

There are secrets of Providence which God’s dear children may learn.
His dealings with them often seem, to the outward eye, dark and terrible.

Faith looks deeper and says:
“This is God’s secret. You look only on the outside; I can look deeper and see the hidden meaning.”

Sometimes diamonds are done up in rough packages, so that their value cannot be seen.

When the Tabernacle was built in the wilderness there was nothing rich in its outside appearance.
The costly things were all within, and its outward covering of rough badger skin gave no hint of the valuable things which it contained.

God may send you some costly packages.
Do not worry if they are done up in rough wrappings!
You may be sure there are treasures of love, and kindness, and wisdom hidden within.

If we take what He sends, and trust Him for the goodness in it, even in the dark, we shall learn the meaning of the secrets of Providence.

He that is mastered by Christ is the master of every circumstance.

Does the circumstance press hard against you?
Do not push it away.
It is the Potter’s hand.

Your mastery will come-
– not by arresting its progress,
– but by enduring its discipline,
– for it is not only shaping you into a vessel of beauty and honour,
– but it is making your resources available.

(PR)

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Found faithful?

MyManna — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 22:00:16 +0000

In the country where Jesus lived, the Palm tree was everywhere.
The branches of the Palm were a symbol of victory and joy.
During the time of Jesus, people used to wave Palm branches as they cheered in celebration when an important person such as a king rode through the streets of town.
On the Sunday before he was crucified-
Jesus rode through the streets of Jerusalem on the back of a small donkey.
As he rode along, people waved Palm branches and shouted and cheered.
They shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
The people cheered Jesus as their King (Matthew 21:9).
Just a few days later-
Jesus was arrested, tried, and led to a hill called Calvary to be crucified.
The cheers that he had heard on Sunday now turned to jeers (Matthew 27:21-23).
Many of the people who just a few days before shouted:
“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” had now turned against him.
They were now shouting “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! He is not our king. We have no king but Caesar.”
They were even offered the choice of whether to free a criminal named Barabbas or to free Jesus.
They chose to free Barabbas and crucify Jesus.
Many of His once-faithful followers had forsaken him.
You and I have to make a choice.
We can choose to follow Jesus and make him the King and Lord of our life,
– or we can choose to forsake him like the people who cried, “Crucify Him! He is not our king!”
Will we be found faithful?
(PA)

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Public Opinion

MyManna — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 23:00:42 +0000

“On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, ‘No! He is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘There is no one among your relatives who has that name.'” Luke 1:59-61.

Have you ever had to go against public opinion or advice from family members or peers?
Elizabeth gave birth to John the Baptist.
It was time to name the child.
Tradition said the name would be in honour of a family member.
The family members were insistent.
When Elizabeth didn’t agree with them-
– they appealed to Zechariah who supported Elizabeth.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were told by the angel Gabriel the name was to be “John.”
They were being obedient to the Lord’s command which went against tradition and public opinion!
We live in a day when leaders are often driven more by public opinion than what is right.
We are each called to live a life based on-
– the Bible based decisions,
– not public opinion.
Living a life of obedience will often go against the tide of public opinion.
Jesus lived a life based on a purity of purpose and mission.
The Pharisees wanted Him to conform to the rules of religious tradition.
The result was He died because He lived to obey an audience of the One, not public opinion!
Are you challenged to live a life of-
– conviction versus
– compromise?
Be true to what God has called you to do no matter the cost.

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Someone who sees!

MyManna — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 23:00:27 +0000

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
What kind of people does God want to use?
We find the same pattern throughout Scripture:
The people God used were faithful in what He had placed before them.
The people that God used for big things were people who were faithful in the little things.
Perhaps you have considered dedicating your life to Christian service one day, maybe even in another country.
That is a good and noble aspiration.
But how about just serving the Lord where you are right now?
How about seizing the opportunities around you today?
When God used David to defeat Goliath, he was on an errand for his father, taking food to his brothers on the front lines.
But as he was faithful in a little way, God gave him more.
We know that when God called Gideon to lead Israel, he was threshing wheat.
When Elijah called Elisha into the Lord’s service, he was plowing a field.
When Jesus called Peter and John to become fishers of men, they were mending their nets.
Not one of them was sitting around thinking:
“I wonder if God will ever do anything in my life?”
They were busy with the work at hand.
While we’re looking for distant opportunities-
– we might miss the ones that are right in front of us.
Are you serving the Lord right now with what He has called you to do?
Be faithful in that.
Do it well.
Do it as unto the Lord.
It may seem like your efforts go unnoticed.
But there is someone who sees!
And He will one day reward you openly.

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Faithful to follow through!

MyManna — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 16:00:03 +0000

A young man who had been raised as an atheist was training to be an Olympic diver.
The only religious influence in his life came from his outspoken Christian friend.
The young diver never really paid much attention to his friend’s sermons, but he heard them often.
One night the diver went to the indoor pool at the college he attended.
The lights were all off, but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was plenty of light to practice by.
The young man climbed up to the highest diving board.
As he turned his back to the pool, on the edge of the board and extended his arms out, he saw his shadow on the wall.
The shadow of his body was in the shape of a cross.
Suddenly, he felt a strange feeling, like someone was speaking to him.
Instead of diving, he knelt down and finally asked God to come into his life.
As the young man stood in deep reverence before the Lord, a maintenance man walked in and turned on the lights.
The pool had been drained for repairs.
Sometimes we get frustrated.
It seems like our words are falling on deaf ears and that our loved ones will never see the truth.
But we never know how God is working in those for whom we’ve been praying.
He often has a plan we know nothing about!
Let’s not be discouraged when we don’t see the fruit right away.
God knows the day and the hour and He will be faithful to follow through!
Keep praying.
Keep sharing.
Keep sowing the seed!
(PR)

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Found faithful?

MyManna — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 16:00:05 +0000

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