DON'T JUDGE TOO SOON...:

"Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and women servants. and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife" (Gen 20:14)

We don't read of God appearing to Abimelech as He did to Abraham, or of Abimelech performing mighty mircales as Elijah and Elisha did. Nevertheless, in many respects Abimelech was much greater than Abraham, Elijah and Elisha.

In the face of the mendacity of Abraham and Sarah, which could well have led him and his righteous nation into sin, Abimelech shows no sign of malice; only of benevolence. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour" (Rom 13:10). Abimelech could have ordered Abraham and Sarah to leave his country declaring, "We don't want any hypocrites troubling us in our land." Had he done so, it would have been justifiable. But instead, Abimelech just gave them gifts! Jesus taught that one ought to love one's enemies, but we find no one in the entire Bible practising it in such an outstanding way.

Abimelech is not known as a saint. His name doesn't appear in the table of heroes in the 11th chapter of Hebrews. Nevertheless, his character shines through all ages.

The people we think insignificant in saintliness often have more divine natures than the greatest of saints. Heaven is a place of surprises, it is said. How many unexpected people we are going to meet in heaven, we don't know. So dear child of God, do not despise anyone but rather love everyone and live peacefully with all.

- Late Pas T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

SEE GOD BY FAITH

"By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible" (Heb 11:27).

If we see God by faith we can suffer with Him, as in Him we find all grace.

The man who has seen the invisible God need not be afraid of any visible king. Moses knew that the King of kings , the Lord of lords, the God of gods had called him and sent him with a message, and that he therefore could not be touched by any visible king or his emissaries. Without any fear, Moses walked right into the palace of the king though there might have been soldiers with drawn spears at the gates and guards with drawn swords on either side of the king.

Elijah displayed a similar boldness when he confronted the king with the words, "As the Lord God liveth before Whom I stand..."

Child of God, if you do not have a clear vision of your invisible God, the problems and trials you encounter will easily move you; you will be easily troubled and maybe even driven to despair.

To see the invisible God every day, we should deal with every invisible sin as with a great sin. And, unless we forsake visible pleasures we cannot enjoy invisible and lasting pleasures.

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

COVENANT BY SACRIFICE...:

"Gather My saints together unto Me: those that have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice" (Psa 50:5)

We have to make a covenant with our God by SACRIFICE. Every covenant we make involves making some sacrifice - a sacrifice of some comfort, pleasure or treasure. Those who do not make covenants with God, those who take life easy, cannot lay hold on greater things. They cannot go on with God.

"My saints... those who have made a covenant." Christian life begins with a covenant. At water baptism we first enter into a covenant with our God - by which the Lord becomes our God and we, His people. After that, at every stage of our spiritual life, we draw closer and closer to God by making various covenants. These we must faithfully keep till the Lord appears in His glory. Whether a man is a saint or not is proved by whether he is standing in his covenants with his God or not.

It is time for the Lord to appear. Soon we are going to hear Him announce, "Gather My saints unto Me!" Then those who have made a covenant with the Lord with sacrifice, those who have been true to it till the end, will be gathered unto His eternal Home. O child of God, will you be in that group?

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

YOU NEED A MIGHTY ANOINTING

"Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and behold, a young lion roared against him" (Judg 14:5)

This was the beginning of the mighty deeds or ministry of miracles that God wrought through Samson. His confrontation with the young lion was totally unexpected. No one would have ever imagined that a lion would be hiding in the vineyards. Similarly, in our spiritual life too, trials may confront us suddenly from unexpected corners, and in the least expected way. However, "the spirit of God came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid" (vs 6)

One reason for the Spirit of God to come MIGHTILY upon Samson was that he had nothing in his hand (vs 6). Often, the Spirit of grace does not come upon us at the crucial moment in our trial, all because there is something that is not consecrated in our hand. How blessed it is to empty ourselves in the presence of God and experience God as "a very present help in trouble"!

What we need when we face a great trial is, nothing more and nothing less than a MIGHTY ANOINTING. When the first century church faced GREAT persecution, "GREAT grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:33).

Though God chose Samson from his mother's womb, his ministry did not start until he received this mighty anointing from the Lord (as in the case of our Lord Himself) - which enabled him to face the young lion triumphantly. In the same way, though God may have called us with a great high calling, we need a mighty anointing to take the victory in our trials and be vessels unto honour, meet for the Master's use.

"Let us not be just filled with the Holy Spirit,

but filled to overflowing;

Anointed not just with the Holy Spirit,

but with a double portion of the Spirit;

For we are called not to be ordinary people,

but a chosen generation,

a royal priesthood,

a holy nation,

a peculiar people."

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

WHEN YOU DIE...

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (Jn 10:10).

Many years ago, in East Surrey Hospital, London, a lady, Mrs.Burgess, lay dying. The bed next to her was occupied by another lady named Joan Plumridge who was also very sick. One night Joan saw a demon with two horns enter by the main gate of the hospital and come straight to Mrs.Burgess and, even as she looked on, she saw the demon carry her away. Mrs.Burgess screamed loudly and the next moment she was dead. That very moment, Joan Plumridge who was a drunkard, was convicted of her sins and she committed her life to Christ. Later on she became a wonderful servant of God and led hundreds of souls to Christ.

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." Yes, first the devil, the thief, steals peace, joy and grace out of our lives. Finally he steals our very soul. However, Jesus came to give us life and abundant life.

If you die today, where will you spend your eternity? Will Jesus and the angels come and carry you to heaven or will the devil carry you to hell-fire? Choose to follow Christ. He is our life and peace. Your decision will determine your destiny.

Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

THE BIG DIFFERENCE

"Every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground... and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark" (Gen 7:23)

The very waters which lifted up Noah who was in the ark, drowned the people who were outside the ark. Here we observe the vast difference between sinners and saints, between those who trust in the Lord and those who trust in man or in themselves, and between those who love the Lord and those who don't. While those who without Christ drown in the trials they face, those who cling to Christ and hide themselves in Him, are lifted up and drawn closer to God and heaven. "All things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom 8:28). It has been rightly said, "Sanctified afflictions are spiritual promotions."

So don't panic when faced with problems. Like David, say, "My soul trusteth in Thee: yea, in the shadow of Thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast" (Psa 57:1). If you are in the 'Ark', no flood, no problem, no matter how big, can drown you.

"Seas of sorrow, seas of trial

Bitterest anguish, fiercest pain

Rolling rages of temptation

Sweeping over heart and brain -

They shall never overflow us!"

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

WHEN NOT TO SPEAK...!

We are living in an age in which people are often weary of their life, their family, children, wife or husband, and everything around them. This is the age in which we should learn, as never before, how to speak to the weary - to bring them to Christ. Sometimes, even the sweetest words and the words we think would best befit the occasion may boomerang and worsen the situation. People everywhere tend to be tension-ridden, and indifferent and provocative, rather than receptive to any word.

How upset Peter must have been after denying the Lord thrice! Any word of rebuke or correction could have hardened or embittered him. But one look from Jesus did greater things than the greatest sermon ever preached by the most gifted preacher on the earth. "And the Lord turned, and LOOKED UPON PETER, And Peter remembered the word of the Lord... and Peter went out and wept bitterly." (Lk 22:61, 62).

One LOOK from the Lord, a look of compassion and love, a look of sympathy with the sweetness of sincerity - that did the work; it brought to remembrance the word of the Lord, it made him to go out of the bad company, and the best of all, it made him weep bitterly for his bitter sin against the sweet Saviour. We should discipline ourselves, not only to know how to speak, but also to be silent as the occasion calls for and as the Lord guides. There are times when silence proves golden, while sermon proves irksome and out of season.

"A caring heart, a listening ear,
A compassionate look, a gentle tear
Will help to lift the heavy load
Of weary souls along life's road."

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

SPIRIT OF HOLINESS...:

"And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead" (Rom 1:4)

Holiness is the greatest power one can have - to conquer the greatest enemy, the power of death. From the above text we see that Jesus was raised from the dead according to the spirit of holiness. Our spirit should get sanctified and become the spirit of holiness. In other words, our spirit should be free from defiling elements such as lust, pride, envy, jealousy, anger, etc.

When we die, we are going to entrust our spirit and not our body, into the hands of God. Jesus died saying, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit" (Lk 23:46). Stephen, the martyr who readily forgave his murderers, died with the prayer, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59). We can give only a holy spirit into the hands of a holy God.

So let us pray with the Psalmist - "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me" (Psa 51:10). When we have a right spirit we will have a right spirit towards everyone, including the one who spits on our face!

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

VANITY OF VANITIES...!

"Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun" (Eccl 2:11)

Solomon had vineyards, gardens and orchards. He had pools of water; he built many mansions; he had silver and gold, men singers and women singers. Although these may not be sinful pleasures they are indeed pleasures of the world.

Being the richest king of his time, Solomon could enjoy all the pleasures of the world, and this he did try. But the statement he makes at the end of his life is that all those pleasures, in the end, only brought trouble to his spirit (vexation of spirit), and that his inner man was restless. He confessed the emptiness (vanity) of his heart. He repeatedly says, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." The more he tried to enjoy the world, the more miserable and unhappy he became. Apart from the life that comes from God, everything is emptiness or vanity.

The Psalmist says, "In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures for evermore" (Psa 16:11).

St.Paul emptied himself of everything in the world and towards the end of his life, although in prison and waiting to be executed, he was jubilant. Look at the triumphant words of this saint: "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous...Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice!" (Phil 3:1). "I have all and abound: I am full" (Phil 4:18)

Look at the contrast between St.Paul who counted all things as loss for Christ and Solomon who had all the pleasures of the world. The end of the man who counted all things as loss for Christ had a joy and triumph, particularly at the end of our life.

Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

REBEL NOT! O SINNER...!

"Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden" (Gen 4:16).

All of God's love and protection could not keep Cain in God's presence, as he had no repentance for his sin. Therefore we see him going out from the presence of God.

"Dwelt in the land of Nod" - 'Nod' means trembling and shaking. True, once a person commits sin and loses the presence of God, his sin makes him restless even on a bed of roses. "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest...There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Isa 57:20, 21).

Though the Lord had said he would be a vagabond and a fugitive, he obviously wanted to resist the punishment, for he built a city and dwelt there (vs 17). Every work that is not of God cannot stand; apparently, the city was completely destroyed by the flood.

You get nothing by going away from God. You only lose all your blessings and bring destruction upon yourself. So dear reader, if you have strayed from His presence, come back. If you will yield to His love and return with genuine repentance, you can once again enjoy the peace and joy and rest that you can get nowhere but in His presence.

"Come unto Me... and I will give you rest."

- Late Pas.T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

TRUTH-SEEKING...:

"Behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he...sought to see Jesus Who He was" (Lk 19:2,3)

Zacchaeus' profession was looked down upon by society. 'Publicans and sinners' was a term used by people to denote their hatred for them. The work of a publican was to collect taxes for the Roman government. As there were no strict rules concerning tax collections, publicans used to take bribes.

Zacchaeus had heard of Jesus and wanted to know Who He was. As he was short, he climbed up a sycomore tree. The sight of the little rich man climbing a sycomore tree must have been amusing to the crowd; but shame or ridicule did nothing to diminish Zacchaeus' desire to see Jesus and know Him for himself. Does reproach and ridicule discourage you from seeking the truth?

It is amazing to note that Zacchaeus chose a sycomore tree to climb. There must have been many other tall trees in Jericho. What made Zacchaeus climb up this rather insignificant tree? The reason was that though this tree was not great in many respects, it was standing by the side of the very road along which Jesus was to pass, and was therefore the only tree which could enable him to see Jesus. The sycomore tree is a type of a true servant of God who lives 'in the way' of the Lord. "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen" (I Cor 1:27, 28)

Dear reader, are you looked down upon by the society? Are you an object of ridicule and shame? Jesus Who came in search of Zacchaeus needs you. Seek the help of the true servants of God. They may be insignificant, just as the sycomore tree was, but they are great before God; they are helpful to seekers of truth.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

BOLDNESS THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh" (Heb 10:19,20).

In the Old Testament, the way to the holiest (most holy place) was blocked by the veil. Even the high priest entered it only once a year with the blood of the animal sacrificed, with great fear and trembling, as it could prove to be the way of death. But thank God, the blood of Jesus turned the way of death into the way of life, the living way.

We can boldly enter the holiest, we can live a most holy life, through His blood. Even in deep troubles, a blood-washed saint will have divine boldness. "The righteous are bold as a lion... which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any" (Prov 28:1 & 30:30). If you keep any sin hidden in your life, you will not have any boldness in the time of trouble; your heart will melt like wax - "if thou faint in the time of adversity, thy strength is small."

May the Lord help all of us to keep our hearts washed in the blood of Christ so that we can have boldness to enter into the holiest (New Jerusalem and Zion). The text doesn't say, "enter into the holiest place," but "enter into the holiest life by the blood of Jesus. What a great privilege!

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

GREATER WORKS...:

Peter denied Lord Jesus and he was the first to go back to his fishing after Jesus' death. But after he received the Holy Spirit he was a changed man.

Perhaps the most surprising (and all-surpassing) grace that we see in the ministry of Peter is seen in Acts 5:14-16: "MULTITUDES...brought forth the sick unto the STREETS, and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the SHADOW OF PETER PASSING BY might overshadow some of them... AND THEY WERE HEALED EVERY ONE. "In fact, such a miracle has not taken place at any other time in the history of Christianity (and even in the Old Testament). Peter's shadow falling on bed-ridden sick people was enough to heal them. There were such crowds that no house or hall was large enough to hold them; the sick had to be laid on the streets - "AND THEY WERE HEALED EVERYONE." The Lord Jesus gave Peter a tremendous ministry which He Himself did not do. The hem of the Lord's garment healed many, but not His shadow. See what wonders the grace of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can do in a person!

"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know... WHAT IS THE EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER TO US-WARD WHO BELEIVE, ACCORDING TO THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY POWER" (Eph 1: 18, 19).

YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM GOD..:

"They heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" (Gen 3:18).

The very voice of the Lord which once brought joy to them, now brought fear and terror. It was not a change in God's way of walking or a change in His voice that brought terror, but the change in man's character. Now also, fear and worry are not brought about by our environment, but by the state of our inner life.

Adam could have rightly confessed, "I was afraid because I had sinned" rather than saying, "I was afraid because I was naked." Adam was not only hiding from God, but was also hiding the fact from God. "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper" (Prov 28:13). Though man tried to cover himself with fig leaves, it wouldn't help. All our own righteousness is only filthy rags in God's sight (Isa 64:6).

Sin stripped man of his good conscience and he became naked in his own sight and in the sight of God. Now he runs for cover to refuges which are no refuges at all. God is our hiding place; where can a man hide from God? "All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do" (Heb 4:13).

A time will come when all false refuges will disappear. "The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies and the waters shall overflow the hiding place" (Isa 28:17). Let us therefore give up all our false refuges. Instead of trying to cover up our faults, instead of trying to hide from God, let us, like David, cry, "Whither shall I flee from Thy presence? ... Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee... the darkness and the light are both alike to Thee'' (Psa 139: 7, 12).

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

ARE YOU THAT DONKEY?

"Ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither...because the Lord hath need of him" (Lk 19:30,31).

There may have been horses or other gracious animals available, but Jesus wanted this wild, bound and untameable donkey. If you are thinking you are a great man in this world, Jesus doesn't want you.

The donkey was not thinking about Jesus. Jesus was thinking about the donkey. The donkey did not show any love to Jesus. It was Jesus Who loved the donkey.

The donkey was tied in a place where two ways met. Before every child of God, there are two ways kept - "My will" and "God's will". When Jesus saw that donkey, He sat on it. The Word of God says that nobody could sit on it before that. It was so wild. Nobody could control it. But Jesus sat on it, and from that moment, its direction, its ways, completely changed.

When Jesus sent His disciples to bring the colt, He did not tell them, "Train it and tame it." He said, "Bring it as it is." When Jesus sat on the colt, everything about it changed. "Behold I make all things new." If God has not changed you, the reason is that you have not realized that you are a wild donkey. If God is not able to bless you spiritually, one reason could be that you are not able to realize that without Him you are but a wild donkey. God wants people with the degree FWBDN (i.e. 'Foolish, Weak, Base, Despised, Not' - see I Cor 1:27, 28). Your pride is the greatest hindrance for God to work for you.

- Late Pastor T.U.Tomas, in "Morning Manna"

SHED 'GODLY' TEARS...:

"Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God" (Psa 84:6,7).

'Valley of Baca' means valley of tears. 'Valley' shows humility. Only humble people can weep for godly things. Proud people cannot weep in the presence of God. Our tears show we have a broken and a contrite heart.

The first thing Jesus had to do after His resurrection (as the High Priest) was to go to the presence of the Father with His atonement blood. On the morning of the resurrection, Jesus was about to go to the Father. But before He could do that, another important thing came up. Somebody was weeping for Him. Mary Magdalene had come to the sepulchre early in the morning and all alone. She was weeping just in front of the sepulchre.

While Jesus was alive on earth, many might have wept and pleaded with Him for healing, deliverance, etc., but here Mary had not come to Jesus for a blessing. "I want to take Jesus with me," she says. All she needs is Jesus. Child of God, how much time have you spent in the past weeping before Jesus saying, "Lord, I want You." You might have prayed to get blessings; that is good. But in a deep sense, if you have Jesus you don't need to ask for any of the blessings of Jesus. "I want only Jesus!" - When we come to this state we will forget to pray for material things.

In the 16th century there was a saintly lady named Madam Guyon living in France. She told the Lord, "Lord, all that you want to give me on earth, give to my enemies, and all the blessings You want to give me in heaven, give to the saints, but give me Yourself."

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psa 30:5). This is a night-time for us, a weeping time; but after these days are over, when our tear bottles are full with godly tears, then joy will come in the morning. Your tears will become a pool of blessing. Whether it is your death or the Rapture, it will be a glorious bright morning.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

CHANGE OF ADDRESS - Universal Pentecostal Church - UK

Universal Pentecostal Church - United Kingdom
OLD:
8B, Derby Grove, NEWPORT
Gwent NP19 4QL, U.K
Ph: 7800 - 609614
NEW:
85 Glasllwch Crescent, NEWPORT
Gwent NP10 9SG, U.K
Tel/Fax: (+44) 1633 894441