Christlikeness Archives - My Manna

Patience

MyManna — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 22:00:17 +0000

“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” Psalm 37:7.
Have you prayed and prayed and waited and waited?
And still there is no manifestation?
Are you tired of seeing nothing move?
Are you just at the point of giving it all up?
Perhaps you have not waited in the right way!
“With patience wait!” Romans 8:25.

Patience takes away worry!
His promise is equal to His presence!
He knows your need better than you do!!
His purpose in waiting is to bring more glory out of it all.
Patience takes away your weeping!
Patience takes away self-works.
The work He desires is that you “believe”. John 6:29.
And when you believe, you may then know that all is well.
“weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5.
Patience takes away all want!
Your desire for the thing you wish is perhaps stronger than-
– your desire for the will of God to be fulfilled in its arrival.
Patience takes away all weakening!
Instead of having the delaying time, a time of letting go,
– know that God is getting a larger supply ready and must get you ready too.
Patience takes away all wobbling!
“Make me stand upon my standing” Daniel 8:18.
God’s foundations are steady.
When His patience is within-
– we are steady while we wait.

Patience gives worship!
A praiseful patience paves the way for a joyful worship.
“Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” Col.1:11,12.
“Let patience have its perfect work-
– that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:4.
(PA)

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Extra Mile

MyManna — Sun, 12 Nov 2017 22:00:14 +0000

“Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two.” Matthew 5:41.

When Jesus spoke about going the extra mile-
He wasn’t referring to customer service,
– but to a Roman law imposed on the people.
The law stated that Roman soldiers could order any citizen-
– to carry their weapons or equipment for a distance of up to one mile.
No matter what you were doing, the law required that you drop everything and obey.
You can guess how the people felt about that!
So when Jesus said, “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two,” the people weren’t exactly thrilled.

In today’s context-
– it would be comparable to having a very demanding boss who expects so much from you that at times it seems unreasonable.
Yet still you do even more than he or she expects even if it goes unacknowledged.
What Jesus was saying to Christians is this:
“Even if your boss is incredibly difficult, don’t just do the bare minimum.
Go above and beyond, even exceeding their expectations.
But be careful to watch your motives.
Don’t act in this way expecting a raise or hoping to be promoted; do it because you want to be a positive witness for Christ.”
Do it for the glory of God!
If you want to communicate a character and a lifestyle that is beyond the norm-
– if you want to be a positive witness for Christ,
– are you willing to go the extra mile?
The world is always surprised when people live that way!
(PA)

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Gossip

MyManna — Sun, 05 Nov 2017 22:00:49 +0000

“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.”James 3:6.

Gossip isn’t a popular subject-
– but it certainly is a popular activity.
Many people spend a great deal of time participating in idle talk about someone else-
– usually with the intention of injuring the individual in some way.
Unfortunately, believers are oftentimes just as guilty of gossiping as unbelievers.
But our Father wants us to see the practice for what it truly is.
The Bible includes gossip in a couple of odious categories.
Paul lists it amidst interrelated sins like deceit, malice, slander, and arrogance. Rom. 1:29-30.
Gossip is deceptive and defamatory-
– and it is accompanied by both cruelty and pride.
These are all characteristics of “haters of God,” according to the apostle.
In another passage describing ungodly practices-
Paul places gossip in the middle.
And of course, everyone recognizes the Ten Commandments, whose last decree is-
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.” Ex. 20:16.
Gossip does not fit who we are as God’s children.
Just as you can’t have poison and pure water pouring from the same stream-
– you cannot have both God-honoring talk and gossip coming from a believer.
When evil words pass our lips, they are indicative of what we harbour in our heart.
However-
God is in the heart-cleaning business.
If we falter-
– allowing gossip and its cohorts, malice and deceit, into our lives
– we should pray as David did:
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.” Ps. 19:14.
(PA)

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Perfect Parent

MyManna — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 22:00:17 +0000

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16).
Your personality is partly the result of the way you were parented.
Other factors are also involved, of course.
But parents have a bigger influence on their children than some like to admit.
Children from abusive homes, for example, usually suffer from severe insecurity.
They may struggle with anger in much the same way their parents do, repeating the cycle when they have children of their own.
On the other hand-
– parents who are kind and loving tend to pass on these traits to their children.
When you become a Christian-
– you are adopted by a Perfect Parent,
– a heavenly Father who loves you unconditionally.
You have nothing to fear from Him-
– because He watches over you with constant love and protection.
He is more powerful than any problem you will ever face.
You will not live in want, because your Father’s resources are unlimited.
As God’s child, then, your life ought to reflect His character.
The more time you spend with your Father-
– the more you’ll become like Him:
– loving, patient, giving, and fair.
As you grow in your faith-
His influence will come to have even more of an impact on you than your earthly parents do.
So don’t use imperfect parents as an excuse for not living up to God’s standards.
You do have a Perfect Parent-
– who will teach you how to be loving, forgiving, patient, and everything else…just like He is.
How much time have you been spending with your Father lately?
(PA)

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Reflect His Glory

MyManna — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 22:00:17 +0000

“John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light” John 5:35.

The moon is lovely on a clear night only because it reflects the light of the sun.

It has no qualities by itself to reflect its beauty.

Without the sun shining onto its surface, you and I would never see the moon.

It would simply be a dark object in the sky.

A diamond is designed to reflect the light to reveal its true value.

The cut of a diamond determines its brilliance.

There is no single measurement of a diamond that defines its cut-

– but rather a collection of measurements and observations that determine the relationship between a diamond’s light performance, dimensions and finish.

Jesus came to bring the light of His love and grace to each of us. However, we are born into a world dulled by the sin created by Adam and Eve that makes our lives dark until we meet Jesus.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” Rom 3:23-24.

Jesus contrasted in many parables that those who allow His life to live in them will live in the light amidst darkness.

When you invite Jesus Christ to live in your heart it is as though a light is shining upon your life in order to reflect the glory of God’s Son through you.

Jesus calls you to be a vessel to reflect-

– the brilliant light of His love to others.

The workplace is a great place to reflect His glory!

How are your reflective qualities?

Ask Him to make your life a continual reflection of His light to others.

(PA)

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Does That Describe You?

MyManna — Mon, 22 May 2017 22:00:38 +0000

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

This verse says you’re a brand new creature if you are in Christ Jesus!

The word ‘new’ is from the Greek word kainos!

It describes something that is brand new or recently made.

It also carries the idea of something that is superior.

This means when Jesus Christ came into your life-

– you were made brand, spanking new!

The new you is superior to the old you!

In fact-

You are so new that this verse calls you a new creature!

The moment we receive Christ as Saviour-

We should start displaying new attitudes in life,

– along with new behaviours and habits.

It may take time for these to become established in daily practice.

But there should be no doubt that the process is working.

New goals.

New priorities.

New relationships.

New emotions.

New perspectives.

New words.

New responses.
New and improved!

Does that describe you?
What a wonderful change-

– in my life has been wrought

– since Jesus came into my heart!

(PA)

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Determine to Have One Driving Passion

MyManna — Mon, 01 May 2017 22:00:10 +0000

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.” Philippians 3:14, 17.
The 16th-century Venetian artist Titian portrayed Prudence as a man with three heads in his painting-
An Allegory of Prudence!
One head featured a youth facing the future-
– another represented a mature man eyeing the present,
– and the last head portrayed a wise old man gazing back at the past.
Over their heads, Titian wrote a Latin phrase that translates:
“From the example of the past, the man of the present acts prudently so as not to imperil the future.”

Oftentimes, our past failures and fear of repeating them again torment us.
But we need to remember the kind of wisdom Titian displayed in his painting-
– so we can avoid the kind of anxiety that keeps us from enjoying life to the fullest right now.
The apostle Paul was able to forget his past and look forward to his future.
He said, “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14.
While his memory wasn’t completely erased of past faults-
– he knew that God had forgiven him and he was free from any guilt or pride that had been bottled up inside.
As you live in daily fellowship with the Lord, trials only make you more like the Saviour.
Don’t let your past cloud your present and future.
Determine this year to have one driving passion-
– to know Christ more intimately than ever before.
Pray and rededicate your life to Christ following Paul’s example.
Ask Jesus to enable you to live fully in the present-
– gain wisdom from the past,
– and face the future with courage.
(PA)

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Be Moldable

MyManna — Thu, 27 Apr 2017 22:00:47 +0000

“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64:8.

Early in the last century-

– sculptor Gutzon Borglum gazed at the cliffs of South Dakota’s Black Hills.

As any great artist would-

He saw what no one else could the sculpted faces of US presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.

After 14 years, he finally completed his project-

Mount Rushmore.

How in the world did Borglum foresee such a work of art by looking at a cliff?

He envisioned-

– what those Black Hills could become.

God is envisioning what we are to become in Him!

But in order for the Him to make a beautiful monument of us-

– we must allow ourselves to be moldable!

He wants to mold us into the image He desires-

His own!

He wants to chip away at our rough edges-

– and make us into a fine work of art,

– that all who see us will be awed and enriched.

In the hands of a great artist-

– we can be created into incredible works of art that survive the ages,

– even after we have passed through this life into the next!

Let’s become moldable in the Father’s hands-

– and make Him proud to show off what He’s created!
(PA)

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Concentrating on Christ

MyManna — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 22:00:58 +0000

“He must become greater; I must become less.” John 3:30.
There are times when I am doing my devotions that I journal, that is, I keep a diary of what is going on in my life.
I sometimes look back on that and gain new insight on what I was going through back then.
I have become more adept at interpreting God’s leading and plan for me as I further experience life and receive what He has done.
By looking back on what we have been through and seeing the hand of God there, we can have greater comfort and encouragement for what we are going through now or even what lies ahead.
As I gain new insight into my personality and the Lord’s working into my issues and problems-
I realize how small they really are compared to my Lord’s holiness and greatness.
Concentrating on Christ and what He has done will lift us up better and more completely than anything else we could ever do.
It has taught me to look beyond myself and concentrate on Christ.
We look at God’s Word as a mirror to ourselves, into our souls, not to see us, but to see God working in us.
When we only see ourselves, we see sin, brokenness, failure, self-seeking inclinations, and wrong attitudes.
We must see God’s interests and not our own; then our devotions and journals become tools for us to mature in the faith.
Christ will become more real in us, as our problems become less.
(PA)

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The Shortest Route

MyManna — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 22:00:58 +0000

It would take only 11 days for the Israelites to travel from Sinai to the border of the Promised Land (Deut 1:2).
But the Lord lead them through a longer way.
“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near. For God said, “Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.” But God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the people of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt equipped for battle” (Exod 13:17-18).
The Israelites took forty years to make an eleven-day journey! It wasn’t really a journey. They were actually wandering in circles in the wilderness.
Why did God allow that to happen?
“And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you” (Deut 8:2-5).
The Lord wanted them to learn:
To humble themselves before God.
To live the spiritual life, a life of relationship with God, and not just live for food and raiment.
To depend upon the Lord to provide for their needs.
The shortest route is not always the best one.
God led them through the wilderness so that they will know that the Lord is God.
God might lead you through a longer way. There might be pain, heartaches, and headaches. You might go through storms. When you cooperate obediently with God, you will end up stronger and better.

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