daily manna

lone-traveler · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:26 am Post subject: daily manna

Daily Manna

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The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Will evildoers never learn—those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD? There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.

lone-traveler · Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:10 pm Post subject:

Grace

The boy stood with back arched, head cocked back and hands clenched defiantly. "Go ahead, give it to me."

The principal looked down at the young rebel. "How many times have you been here?"

The child sneered rebelliously, "Apparently not enough."

The principal gave the boy a strange look. "And you have been punished each time have you not?"

"Yeah, I been punished, if that's what you want to call it." He threw out his small chest, "Go ahead I can take whatever you dish out. I always have."

"And no thought of your punishment enters your head the next time you decide to break the rules does it?"

"Nope, I do whatever I want to do. Ain't nothin you people gonna do to stop me either."

The principal looked over at the teacher who stood nearby. "What did he do this time?"

"Fighting. He took little Tommy and shoved his face into the sandbox."

The principal turned to look at the boy, "Why? What did little Tommy do to you?"

"Nothin, I didn't like the way he was lookin at me, just like I don't like the way your lookin at me! And if I thought I could do it, I'd shove your face into something."

The teacher stiffened and started to rise but a quick look from the principal stopped him. He contemplated the child for a moment and then quietly said, "Today my young student, is the day you learn about grace."

"Grace? Isn't that what you old people do before you sit down to eat? I don't need none of your stinkin grace."

"Oh but you do." The principal studied the young mans face and whispered. "Oh yes, you truly do . . ." The boy continued to glare as the principal continued, "Grace, in its short definition is unmerited favor. You can not earn it, it is a gift and is always freely given. It means that you will not be getting what you so richly deserve."

The boy looked puzzled. "Your not gonna whup me? You just gonna let me walk?"

The principal looked down at the unyielding child. "Yes, I am going to let you walk."

The boy studied the face of the principal, "No punishment at all? Even though I socked Tommy and shoved his face into the sandbox?"

"Oh, there has to be punishment. What you did was wrong and there are always consequences to our actions. There will be punishment. Grace is not an excuse for doing wrong."

"I knew it," Sneered the boy as he held out his hands. "Lets get on with it."

The principal nodded toward the teacher. "Bring me the belt." The teacher presented the belt to the principal. He carefully folded it in two and then handed it back to the teacher. He looked at the child and said. "I want you to count the blows."

He slid out from behind his desk and walked over to stand directly in front of the young man. He gently reached out and folded the child's outstretched, expectant hands together and then turned to face the teacher with his own hands outstretched.

One quiet word came forth from his mouth. "Begin." The belt whipped down on the outstretched hands of the principal.

Crack! The young man jumped in the air. Shock registered across his face, "One" he whispered. Crack! "Two." His voice raised an octave. Crack! "Three . . ." He couldn't believe this. Crack! "Four." Big tears welled up in the eyes of the rebel. "OK stop! That's enough. Stop!" Crack! Came the belt down on the callused hands of the principal.

Crack! The child flinched with each blow, tears beginning to stream down his face. Crack! Crack! "No please", the former rebel begged, "Stop, I did it, I'm the one who deserves it. Stop! Please. Stop . . ." Still the blows came, Crack! Crack! One after another.

Finally it was over.

The principal stood with sweat glistening across his forehead and beads trickling down his face. Slowly he knelt down. He studied the young man for a second and then his swollen hands reached out to cradle the face of the weeping child.

"Grace . . ."

lone-traveler · Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2005 7:33 am Post subject:

Trials.... The Ultimate Compliment

Have you ever considered going through trial after trial to be a compliment? I had never thought of it this way until I taught a college class on the story of Job. The following Bible passage in particular stuck out to me.

"One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." - Job 1:6-8

Tempting Job and giving him problems was probably the furthest thing from Satan's mind. Until God chimed in. He nominated Job for the job of temptee. Why?

Why would God nominate Job for the job of losing all his oxen, donkeys, sheep, and camels? Why would God nominate Job for a job in which he would receive painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head? Why would God nominate Job for a job whose description included burying all of his sons and daughters? Why? Because Job could take it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 say, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

God allowed Satan to take Job's possessions, servants, sons, and daughters because he knew Job could bear it. It was the ultimate compliment. God knew the kind of faith warrior Job was. He told Satan to hit him with his best shot. Satan still lost.

Job's story has comforted, inspired, and encouraged countless hundreds of thousands of Christians going through trials.

Maybe God is using you and the way you're handling trials you're going through to comfort, inspire, and encourage others.

In a strange way, it's the ultimate compliment.

lone-traveler · Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2006 2:59 am Post subject:

The Teacup

A couple vacationing in Europe went strolling down a little street and saw a quaint little gift shop with a beautiful teacup in the window. The lady collected teacups and she wanted this one for her collection, so she went inside to buy the teacup, and as the story goes the teacup spoke and said:

"I want you to know that I have not always looked like this. It took the process of pain to bring me to this point. You see, there was a time when I was just clay and the Master came and he pounded me and he squeezed me and he kneaded me and I screamed: "STOP THAT!". But he just smiled and said, "Not yet".

Then he took me and put me on the shelf and I went round and round and round and round... and while I was spinning and getting dizzier and dizzier I screamed again and I said, "Please get me off this thing... please get me off!!!" And the Master was looking at me and he was smiling, as he said, "Not yet".

Then he took me and walked toward the oven and shut the door and turned up the heat and I could see him through the window of the oven and it was getting hotter and hotter and I thought, "He's going to burn me to death!".

And I started pounding on the inside of the oven and I said, "Master, let me out, let me out, let me out!", and I could see that he was smiling as he said "Not yet". Then he opened the door and I was fresh and free and he took me out of the oven and he put me on the table and then he got some paint and a paintbrush.

He started dabbing me and making swirls all over me and I started to gag and I said: "Master, stop it... stop it... stop it please... you're making me gag". He just smiled as he said "not yet".

Then very gently he picked me up again and he started walking toward the oven and I said, "Master, NO!! Not again, pleeeease!!". He opened the oven door and he slipped me inside and he shut the door and this time he turned the heat up twice as hot as before and I thought, "He's going to kill me!!", and I looked through the window of the oven and I started to pound on it, saying, "Master... Master, please let me out... please let me out... let me out!".

I could see that he was smiling but I also noticed a tear trickle down his cheek as I watched him mouth the words, "Not yet!"

Just as I thought I was about to die, the door opened and he reached in ever so gently and took me out, fresh and free and he went and placed me on a high shelf and he said: "There, I have created what I intended. Would you like to see your yourself?" I said, "Yes". He handed me a mirror and I looked and I looked again and I said, "That's not me, I'm just a lump of clay".

He said, "Yes, that IS you, but it took the process of pain to bring you to this place. You see, had I not worked you when you were clay, then you would have dried up.

If I had not subjected you to the stress of the wheel you would have crumbled. If I had not put you into the heat of the oven you would have cracked. If I had not painted you there would be no color in your life. But, it was the second oven that gave you the strength to endure. Now you are everything I intended you to be - from the beginning." And I, the teacup, heard myself saying something I never thought I would hear myself saying, "Master, forgive me, I did not trust you. I thought you were going to harm me, I did not know you had a glorious future and a hope for me. I was too shortsighted, but I want to thank you.

I want to thank you for the suffering. I want to thank you for the process of pain. Here I am! I give you myself - fill me; pour from me, use me as you see fit. I really want to be a vessel that brings you glory within my life."

Comment -- And all God's people said AMEN.

[ Author Unknown -- from Gerard J. Mahar ]

God Bless
lone

truthreigns · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 11:42 am Post subject: about Job

I was never righteous like Job but I have gone through so many trials. Some through ignorance when I didn't know God or when I saw Him only as an unloving punishing God. Some trials were caused by pure rebellion after my husband divorced me to marry another woman.

Some because I wasn't grounded in Bible basics when I got "born again". In these times I was truly searching for truth but had no idea what it was. I got in and out of cults and false teachings. I know that God allowed that to happen for He would not let me stay in any of them very long. Just enough to understand a little about each.

He knew where I would be today even though I thought my life was worthless. He called me to write on several sites warning others how easy it is to get involved in the wrong "religions" and beliefs.

I write about my childhood when I was mentally abused then and most of my life. I get many comments from younger women who faced the same
plus physical abuse. They tell me that my testimonies encourage them to start seeing themselves as God sees them instead of feeling so inferior as I did.

That in turn helps me to take a better look at myself and see that my life wasn't so bad after all. I just developed a bad attitude and refused to be happy until 6 years ago. It's a long story how God changed me completely around from a negative, miserable Crying or Very sad

person to a positive smiling Very Happy

happy person. It is never too late to let do the changing. God bless you.

golfjack · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 4:51 pm Post subject: reply

Hi Truthreign, welcome to the board. Yes, many of us have gone through much in this life. In 1999 my wife left me after running around for about 7 years, and eventually we divorced. Also, I havve made many mistakes in life, which I regret, but that is the past. Jesus, at the cross took all my quilt and shame. We serve an awesome and good God.

Let me tell you a little story: About 15 years ago, my grandmother who was 91 years old, and finally had to be put in a nursing home, was on her death bed. I was with her till the end, and just before she died, I asked if she wanted to accept Jesus as personal Lord and Savior, and she said yes. Then she closed her eyes, and went home to be with the Lord. And at this time, I was just a baby Christian, with much ignorance. Something told me that I was called to be an evangelist, but I still wanted to do it my way. Eventually, I took correspondence courses from Rhema Bible Institute, and now I do my best to preach the true Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I just say this to encourage you in your walk with the Lord.

I will pray for your grandaughter, and hope that you find a good Bible Based Church.

Have a great day in the Lord, golfjack

truthreigns · Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:13 pm Post subject: Quite content now

I am quite contenet now because I know I am in God's perfect will. And that is to write on about 25 different sites---articles, Bible studies and testimonies. This for 5 years now.

For 3 minths now I have been writing on a new Christian newspaper "My Walk With Jesus". I may have one item on every month. That is if I get them sent in on time and they fit in with what he wants.

Next year one of my testimonies will be published in a woman's book. I won't say more until I get the contract in a couple months and look it over before I sign it. Yes, I will get paid for it.

I think I was born with a pen in my hand and ink in my veins. Since I was 10 I always wanted to be a writer. Through the years I have had experience writing somehing or other.

I don't even care if I get another cent. I am doing it for the glory of God.

Yep! I'm happy. Very Happy

My past does not torment me any more. I give my testimonies to hopefully help others. God uses all my bad experiences and turns them around. He is a great God

Man-what-a-ride · Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:22 am Post subject: Re: Quite content now

lone-traveler · Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:28 am Post subject:

4 part message about wrong-right way to comfort

1. MISERABLE COMFORTERS

I have heard many such things. Miserable comforters are ye all! (Job 16:1-2, KJV)

"Miserable comforters" -- this is what Job called his three friends, who had come to comfort him during his illness. But what were they doing wrong? Job's friends had made great sacrifices on his behalf. They had dropped all of their own affairs and came rushing to be by Job's side. They stayed with him for seven whole days without saying a word, because they saw how great his pain was. Job's friends had also said many things to encourage him. Read Job 1-15 over again for yourself and see. For example,

Here is Eliphaz:

"But if it were I, I would appeal to God; I would lay my cause before Him. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. He bestows rain on the earth; he sends water upon the countryside. The lowly He sets on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are swept away. Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night. He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; He saves them from the clutches of the powerful. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth. Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For He wounds, but He also binds up; He injures, but His hands also heal. From six calamities He will rescue you; in seven no harm will befall you." (Job 5:8-19 NIV)

Here is Bildad:

"Surely God does not reject a blameless man or strengthen the hands of evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Your enemies will be clothed in shame, and the tents of the wicked will be no more." (Job 8:20-22, NIV)

Here is Zophar:

"Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by. Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. You will lie down, with no one to make you afraid, and many will court your favor. (Job 11:13-19, NIV)

Essentially they are saying to Job, "Seek God, and trust in Him. Cleanse your heart from sin, pray, and God will restore you." Don't we say the same things when we comfort others? Are we better comforters than Job's friends? Or can we even begin to measure up to their level? For we rarely spend more than a few minutes with those who are afflicted, while Job's three friends dropped all their business and stayed with Job constantly for seven days!

In the next article ( 'The Ways of the Comforter' ), we discuss practical ways in which we can become genuine comforters of those who are afflicted.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we acknowledge that we too are "miserable comforters". We do not even attain the level of Job's three friends. Teach us to comfort others, as You have comforted us. Empower us by Your Holy Spirit, Your Comforter, whom You made available to us through Your death on the Cross.

2. THE WAYS OF THE COMFORTER

A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. (Job 6:14, NIV)

Job in his affliction called his three friends, "miserable comforters" (Job 16:2). But when we look at what they did on Job's behalf (see previous article, 'Miserable Comforters'), we see that they went far beyond our feeble efforts to comfort the afflicted. How then can we possibly avoid being "miserable comforters"?

First of all, we should recognize that comfort is more in the heart than in the words. Although Job's friends stayed with Job, spiritually their hearts were not "with" him. Rather, they kept themselves above Job. They said, "Pray and God will lift you up to be as we are". Instead, true comfort says: "I am willing to go down where you are - to share your feelings of grief, anger, loneliness, and despair". For comfort to be transferred, the comforter must place himself at the same level as the afflicted. It's just like plugging a plug into an outlet - in order for a connection to be made, the plug must line up at the same level with the outlet. However, Job's friends gave no indication that they had ever been in a similar predicament. They gave no hint that they understood and sympathized with his feelings.

Secondly, we should never react defensively when the sufferer attacks us. Like a wounded animal, the sufferer will lash out at anyone, even those who are sincerely trying to help. We should expect this, and not answer back when they wound us. Job's friends did not do this. When Job lashed out at his friends, first they tried to justify themselves, and then they returned the attack. They became more and more defensive, more and more strident in their accusations against Job, and less and less concerned with Job's suffering.

Many times during his speeches, Job even lashes out at God. But God understood that Job was reacting from his deep pain, and does not count his words against him as sin. Just as God overlooked Job's tirades against Him, so we also should overlook when the afflicted attack us with their words.

In the next article ( 'The Comforter's Key' ), we will share the spiritual key to genuine comfort.

Prayer: Father, I acknowledge my grievous shortcomings as a comforter. I may say nice words, but out of fear I still keep myself separate from others' sufferings, and refuse to immerse myself in their experience. And I am prone to answer back when others attack me. Lord Jesus, please teach me Your way -- how You who wept wordlessly in compassion for the afflicted, how You remained silent when others taunted You. Empower me, Lord, by Your gracious Holy Spirit which dwells in me.

3. THE COMFORTER'S KEY

... Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them. (Heb 7:25, KJV)

In the previous article ( 'The Ways of the Comforter' ), we have mentioned two essential attitudes we must hold in our hearts if we are to offer genuine comfort to the afflicted. First, we must not just offer fine words, but bring our own hearts down to the level of the sufferer. Second, we must expect the sufferer to attack us, and never react defensively when he/she does.

These are important practical guidelines, but in themselves they are not enough. There is one essential spiritual ingredient, without which our attempts to comfort others will always fall flat.

The essential ingredient is intercession. This may also be seen in the account of Job: for God finally broke through to Job after Elihu shared this truth:

"A man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones, so that his very being finds food repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal. His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his bones, once hidden, now stick out. His soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the messengers of death. "Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,to be gracious to him and say, `Spare him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him'--then his flesh is renewed like a child's; it is restored as in the days of his youth. He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state." (Job 33:19-26)

Spiritually, we understand that the ‘mediator' Elihu speaks of is Jesus Christ, who intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25). However, believers in Christ are empowered by the Holy Spirit to share in this ministry of intercession.

When we visit the afflicted, we don't need to explain to them why they are suffering. We do not need to tell them what to do, unless they specifically ask our advice. Instead, we should let them know: "I will walk with you through this. I will be a shoulder you can cry on. I will bring you before the Lord in prayer so that He may touch you." When we intercede in this fashion, it is not we who are interceding but the Spirit of Jesus Himself who is interceding through us.

Don't EVER place religious condemnation on the sufferer. Don't say to him, "Strengthen your faith, pray, and God will restore you." This is not comfort, it's a Satanic accusation. If your faith is so strong, then YOU should pray. The book of James specifically states that those who are sick should be healed through the prayers of OTHERS (James 5:14-16). Should a doctor say to a patient: "Make yourself well"? But when another person is afflicted, spiritually we are the doctors, and the afflicted is the patient. We are the ones who should exercise faith. Of course, the sufferer should confess any sins in his/her heart (James 5:16) But the Holy Spirit is the one who should convict of sin, it's not up to us to point out secret sins which we imagine they must be hiding.

In the next article ( 'The Comforter's College' ), we will show how God trains us to be effective comforters and intercessors.

Prayer: Father, forgive us, for we talk to much to each other and too little to You. Jesus said, "I can do only what I see the Father doing" (John 5:19). We should do the same, but we don't. Instead, we do what seems right to us, because we do not take the time and effort to see what the Father is doing.. So our words and actions are empty and powerless. Father, break through the protective shells we have erected around ourselves. Invade our lives with Your grace. Compel us to seek You and call out to You, not just on our own behalf, but on behalf of others. I pray in Jesus' name.

4. THE COMFORTER'S COLLEGE

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Heb 2:18, NIV)

In a previous article, ( 'The Comforter's Key' ) we have dealt with the essential spiritual requirement for an effective comforter. To offer true comfort to others, we must also intercede for them. But how may we learn to intercede for others?

God has a college where he teaches intercession. This college offers only one course, which is called, SUFFERING.

We should embrace suffering as the means by which we become effective intercessors. Kathryn Kuhlman, who ministered healing to thousands, herself took medicine every day. Her experience of poor health made her able to intercede effectively for others who were sick.

Remember that Jesus Himself helps us in our sufferings because He shared in them (Hebrews 2:18). He suffered as a sinner, though He were none (2 Cor. 5:21). He does not point His finger down at us from a high pedestal. It is true that Jesus rebukes us, just as He rebuked His disciples for lack of faith in the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:24-25). But remember, He was in the same boat with them as He rebuked them. The same principle holds for the prophets. Jeremiah warned and castigated Israel for her sin – but when God's punishment came, Jeremiah did not separate himself, but suffered through the same consequences. When righteous Daniel interceded for his people, he did not refer to "their sin" but "our sin" (Daniel 9:4-19). Hence, if we though blameless suffer the same troubles that sinners suffer, we should thank God: for He "…comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, by the comfort which God has ministered to us" (2 Cor. 1:4).

Prayer: Father, in Jesus' name please teach me to be an effective comforter. I recognize that You are training me, but the process is very painful, and I balk. Father, my spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. Empower me with your Comforter, the Holy Spirit, that I may say "no" to the voice of my flesh, and to be a channel through which Jesus Christ may pour out His comfort.

[ by Chris Thorn -- from 'Themestream' ]