Growth Archives - My Manna

Aging is Not Growing

My Manna — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 17:00:00 +0000

The problem with too many of us is that
– We have grown old without growing up! Aging is not growing! We still need to be weaned. The weaning process is important. God’s goal for your life is maturity! And His method for maturity is weaning!! He has to wean us away from things we think are important.

How do you convince a child that he doesn’t want to be attached to his mother for the rest of his life?

Love him? Yes! But he must grow up, step out and be a man.
And so it is with us. God has to wean us away from the things of the world, from the cheap toys that we hold on to. He wants to give us the best, and His desire in weaning is our submission.

The weaned child of Psalm 131 was not losing; but gaining. Read that Psalm. He was moving out into a larger life. Likewise, God has to take things away from our lives, not because they are bad, but because they are keeping us from the best.

The next time you whimper and cry because God takes something away from you, remember: He might be weaning you! He might be saying: “Get closer to me. Step out into a life of maturity and let’s go together.”

God wants His children to grow into mature believers and eventually to become like His Son. When He decides to wean you from something in your life, be an obedient child.

Let Him prepare you and develop you for what He has in store for you!

(PR)

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Grow and Glow for His Glory

My Manna — Sun, 01 Aug 2021 17:00:00 +0000

Spiritual growth is a lot like physical growth!

To stay healthy and grow physically-
We must eat the right foods, exercise, and enjoy plenty of rest.

According to Scripture, growing spiritually involves the same formula.Ephesians.4:14-15.

Eat!
Christians must eat the right ‘spiritual food’:
God’s Word.

Yet many Christians try to survive on spiritual ‘fast food.’

What is that fast food?
A pastor’s, preacher’s or a teacher’s message; not the Bible message!

Some watch Christian shows on TV, read Christian magazines, and listen to Christian music, read messages like this on the internet while cutting the Bible out of their diet.

Some believers do not read the Bible at all.
They are afraid of Biblical principles that should govern their lives.
They are simply looking for sooth sayings from the pulpit.

But nothing builds the body—the Body of Christ—like the Bible!
Everything else is supplementary!

Sometimes it is contradictory to the Word of God!

Exercise!!
– is another body builder!

Christians exercise through resisting temptation, enduring trials, serving others, and telling others about their faith.

Temptation and problems test our character.
Serving others stretches our faith.
Telling people about Christ strengthens our love for Him.

Enjoy!!!
Christians enjoy rest through worship!
Our world has a tendency to pull us in different directions like a rubber band stretched to the limit.

We need sleep, rest, and times of vacation to get our physical batteries recharged.
In the same way-

We need proper time of prayer and worship to keep us spiritually renewed.

Spiritual growth takes time!
-A lifetime!

This means growing in a glowing relationship with God!

Growing a strong Christian life means-
– learning how to love Jesus more each day,
– staying close to Him, and getting to know Him better.

Grow and glow for His glory!

(PR)

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Glued to the clock!

MyManna — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 22:00:00 +0000

“…as you hold out the word of life, in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing” (Philippians 2:16).
George Whitefield, a great evangelist, was talking to some friends one day and relating the difficulties of ministry.
He explained that he was weary and was glad his work and ministry would soon be over.
He stated that he was excited to depart this old earth to be with Christ.
His friends agreed with him-
– all except for one, Mr. Tennant.
Noting his disagreement, Whitefield said, “Well, Brother Tennant, you are the oldest among us; do you not rejoice to think that your time to go home is near?”
Tennant answered bluntly, “I have nothing to do with death.
My business is to live as long as I can, and as well as I can, and serve my Saviour as faithfully as I can, until He thinks it’s time to call me home.”
So many people rush through life, speed through personal devotions, and pray with one eye open and glued to the clock!
But there is no excuse for you to feel life should speed by like a flash of light!
It is important to tend to your spiritual life before anything else.
Now is the perfect time for you to spend time studying God’s Word.
You can keep a journal of daily thoughts, memorize Scripture, counsel people, share Christ or use various Bible study books to provide a more in-depth study of a particular topic, book, or theme.
It’s never too late to learn new things, grow spiritually, or deepen your walk with the Lord.
When you begin to consistently walk with the Lord and spend time with Him-
– you’ll begin to see other areas of your life grow.
Ask God to help you deepen your walk with Him until He calls you home.
Pray that He would continue to put a desire in your heart to serve Him until that day.
(PR)

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What a way to live!

MyManna — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 22:00:00 +0000

“Hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ” (James 2:1).
Can you think of anything that could occupy our attention more profitably than considering how to become more like Jesus?
The central condition of this is the “unveiled face.”
As the Scripture says, “We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Notice, however, that we must lift the veils if we are to be transformed.
When Jesus was crucified-
– the veil of the temple was rent in two,
– symbolizing the fact that the heart of the universe was laid bare as redemptive love.
Since God has unveiled Himself in Jesus-
– so we in response ought to unveil our faces, drop our masks, gaze in wonder and in the gazing, be made like Him.
It may be that there will be many veils that you will have to lift-
– veils of dishonesty,
– hypocrisy,
– legalism,
– pride etc.
But I assure you that-
– when they go,
– He comes!
Just think:
We who are born of the dust of the earth are being gradually transformed into the most beautiful image this planet has ever seen: the image of Christ.
What a destiny!
The wonder of that transformation can only be explained by one word – “glory.”
The drabness, staleness, and dullness of life is replaced by living that has freshness in it.
Can we live continuously like that?
Yes-
– in His strength!
“Grace” and “glory” are often connected in the New Testament.
Take the grace.
And you get the glory.
What a way to live!
“Father, help me lift every veil in my life so that the light of Your countenance may shine through.
You are the Light and You want to make me a light.
Let Your radiance steal into every darkened corner of my being now and forever. Amen.”
(PR)

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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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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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Moral Fibre

MyManna — Tue, 31 Oct 2017 22:00:11 +0000

“All things are possible to him that believes.” Mark 9:23.

The “all things” do not always come simply for the asking-

– for the reason that God is ever seeking to teach us the way of faith,

– and in our training in the faith life there must be room for the trial of faith, the discipline of faith, the patience of faith, the courage of faith, and often many stages are passed before we really realize what is the end of faith, namely, the victory of faith.

Real moral fibre is developed through discipline of faith.

You have made your request of God. But the answer did not come yet. What are you to do? Keep on believing God’s Word. Never be moved away from it by what you see or feel, and thus as you stand steady, enlarged power and experience is being developed.

The fact of looking at the apparent contradiction as to God’s Word and being unmoved from your position of faith make you stronger on every other line.

Often God delays purposely. And the delay is just as much an answer to your prayer as is the fulfillment when it comes. In the lives of all the great Bible characters-

God worked thus. Abraham, Moses and Elijah were not great in the beginning-

– but were made great through the discipline of their faith, – and only thus were they fitted for the positions to which God had called them.

For example, in the case of Joseph whom the Lord was training for the throne of Egypt, we read in the Psalms: “The word of the Lord tried him.” Psalm 105:19.

It was not the prison life with its hard beds or poor food that tried him. But it was the Word God had spoken into his heart in the early years concerning elevation and honour which were greater than his brethren were to receive.

It was this which was ever before him, when every step in his career made it seem more and more impossible of fulfillment, until he was there imprisoned, and all in innocence, while others who were perhaps justly incarcerated, were released, and he was left to languish alone.

These were hours that tried his soul. But hours of spiritual growth and development, that, “when his word came” (the word of release), found him fitted for the delicate task of dealing with his wayward brethren, with a love and patience only surpassed by God Himself.

No amount of persecution tries like such experiences as these. When God has spoken of His purpose to do-

– and yet the days go on and He does not do it,

– that is truly hard;

– but it is a discipline of faith that will bring us into a knowledge of God which would otherwise be impossible.

(PA)

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Bad news for you!

MyManna — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 22:00:47 +0000

“Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth” (Job 40:4).
This is a special message!
And it’s one that I didn’t particularly enjoy writing.
However-
– it needs to be said again and again.
This message is to all church-going pretenders out there-
– the ones who look heavenly on Sunday,
– but live like hell Monday through Saturday.
You look good on the outside but when God looks at your inside your heart- it’s a dirty mess!
I’ve got bad news for you!
Jesus hates religious pretense.
But I’ve also got good news also.
He loves the pretenders!
He gave His life for hypocrites like you and me.
The end of being a religious pretenders is-
– to admit our sin that separates us from God;
– then ask Christ’s forgiveness;
– and then believe to be right with God
– is your only hope for change.
And here’s the irony:
When we begin to be more real with God and with others-
– we begin to be more like Jesus!
He’s the only person who has ever lived without any trace of pretense.
(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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The Gospel of Greed

MyManna — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 22:00:25 +0000

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Jesus tells us that one of the “signs” His coming is-
– an increase in false prophets.
That is surely true in our day.
We hear about the Health and Wealth Gospel or Prosperity Theology-
– and the thousands of preachers saying you give to God in order to get.
Or, if you really pray hard enough-
God will heal your disease.
Give money to this or that ministry and you’ll get rich.
It’s this false idea that God won’t let you suffer and wants you to be rich.
It really should be called The Gospel of Greed.
It is false teaching that has permeated the church.
It’s taking a certain passage of scripture and building your whole life around it-
– while ignoring all other kinds of passages that give us the full picture of God’s truth.
So, how can you keep from being deceived by a false prophet or leader?
The key is in knowing Jesus and His Word.
Then ask the question:
Is what this person saying consistent with Jesus and His Word?
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26).
If you are a Christian-
– you have an added bonus:
The Holy Spirit that dwells in you teaches you how to understand the Word-
– and gives you a check in your spirit when something doesn’t ring true.
Christians!
It’s time to be careful!
(PA)

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