BLESSED CONFESSION..:

"Thou hast proved mine heart; Thou hast visited me in the night; Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress" (Psa 17:3).

This should be the testimony of every true child of God who is awaiting the Coming of the Lord. The Psalmist says that God proved his heart and visited him in the night seasons and tried him (obviously in different ways), and did not find any evil intention or purpose in his heart.

The 'night' here shows the dark seasons of our spiritual life. Our heart may be right with God in times of prosperity; we may not let any wrong purpose or intention set in. But we should know that God will also visit us in the 'nights' of our life, when everything is bleak and gloomy. At such times, if our heart is not filled with the grace of God, we can go away from the Lord by allowing evil thoughts and questions to flood our mind. The testimony of the Psalmist is indeed encouraging: "You shall find nothing - no evil purpose - in me" (Amp).

The Psalm ends with the blessed assurance of hope: "As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake, with Thy likeness" (vs 15). "When I awake" means, "when I am resurrected."But now, every awakening in our spiritual life should bestow more of Christ's likeness to us. The more we have Christ in us, the more satisfied we will be. In fact, nothing in earth or heaven can satisfy a saint as much as seeing the face of the Lord. The things of this world, on the other hand, only make us more and more dissatisfied and discontended - which in turn makes us more and more fretful and anxious and worried. Let us therefore daily hunger and thirst for more and more of Him, for more of His divine character - His purity, humility, meekness, grace, etc. - so that we can be satisfied more and more.

David had the confidence that he would surely see the Lord's face. It was his pure heart that was the greatest incentive for this hope. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." There is nothing greater that a child of God can covet than the likeness of Jesus.

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

CURIOUSLY WROUGHT...:

"I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth" (Psa 139:15)

God still wants to make true saints in secret. One day it is going to be a real surprise and shock to everyone, to find some people whom the world thought to be great saints, in the pit of hell, and some others who were despised and rejected by the world, as the finest saints in eternity.

God wants His saints to live hidden in Christ - "your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col 3:3). All the glorious blessings of Psalm 91 are only for those who "dwell in the secret place of the most High". Saints who live in the secret place of the most High will renounce secret sins. O, what a blessed thing it is to live a hidden life in Christ leaving the glamour and glories of this sinful world!

The Amplified Bible says, "intricately and curiously wrought" (as if embroidered with various colours) in the depths of the earth [region of darkness and mystery]." If God has planned to make you a great saint with various beautiful colours or perfections, He may take you through 'the lowest parts of the earth' or utter humiliating situations, like the ones Jesus Himself had to go through. The Lord may also take you through such dark regions or periods that at least for some time things may appear a mystery to you. All these are foundations of the mansions of glory. "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires" (Isa 54:11).

By the grace of God, after we have gone through all the dark and humiliating paths, being hidden in Him, finally we will be able to exclaim, "I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well!" (Psa 139:14).

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

JUSTIFICATION THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS

"Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath" (Rom 5:9).

We can be justified by the blood of Christ. This is perhaps one of the most wonderful experiences we receive through His blood. "Justified" means "made righteous", made as if we have never sinned. If sin is repented of and confessed with a broken and contrite heart, the blood of the Lamb has the power to erase that sin and justify the one who sinned.

Once a child of God working in an office was given certain mathematical calculations to be complete. He finished the work and handed it over to his boss and went home. On the way home, to his shock, it dawned on him that he had made a major mistake in the calculations. As the document was a very important one - one used in the manufacture of diesel engines, the mistake would have disastrous consequences. But what could be done now? When he reached home, he knelt in the presence of God and repented for his pride, foolishness, self-confidence, etc. He got the assurance that the Lord had forgiven him, and was relieved. However, he was worried about the mistake. Can God go to the desk of the boss and correct his mistake? (Yes, God can do much more than that!) The next day, when he was on the way to the boss' room, one of his colleagues met him and told him that the boss had called all the staff members and praised him for his efficiency, saying, "The young man who has been newly appointed to our office must be very intelligent. I made a mistake in the calculations. He found out my mistake and corrected it!"

Dear reader, although this is only a crude example, the truth is the same - "justified by His blood." If you will truly repent for your sins and foolish mistakes, remember, the blood of Jesus has the power to forgive you and justify you.

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

GOD'S FIRST CONCERN...:

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light" (Gen 1:3).

The first command that proceeded from the lips of God was simple and short, and yet embracing a vast and rich subject, spanning the yawning gulf between the fallen angels and the holy God. "Let there be LIGHT." The moment God spoke those words, power went out Him and 'there was LIGHT.' This was a command of faith; for when God spoke about light there was no light visible anywhere, but only pitch darkness. Hence, "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb 11:1). Where did the light come from when God gave the word? It came from God Himself Who is 'The True Light'. His message was inseparably followed by and linked with His action, and there was light, for He spoke what was in Him. Thus God Himself is our first example to practise what we preach!

Sad to say, holiness or sanctification is a subject that is rarely heard from many a pulpit. The life and message of a true servant of God will reflect and represent God's first message. He will have a MESSAGE OF LIGHT and not a light message.

Dear reader, it is indeed encouraging to know that God's first message was on light or holiness, because His first concern is our holiness. When we dedicate ourselves to live a life of holiness, the first person to see it and rejoice over it is our God, though many may not understand us or appreciate us.

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

"WE TWO!"

"And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased" (Matt 14:32).

Yes, it is amazingly true. When Jesus comes into the ship of our lives, the wind ceases, and there is a calm.

The most amazing part of this incident is recorded by St John. "Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went." Till Jesus boarded the ship, the ship was in a miserable state, tossed to and fro, and still in the midst of the sea, though they had rowed and toiled all night. You cannot make such progress - in your life or in your ministry - without Jesus. "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain" (Psa 127:1).

While Jesus and Peter walking on the water is a great miracle, a greater miracle is that of the ship (that was in the middle of the sea) reaching the shore as soon as Jesus stepped into it! Perhaps your life is at a standstill - it's because you have not invited Jesus into your life to be the Captain of your ship. Enter into a partnership with Jesus now and see the change.

Dear child of God, let Jesus be always found in the ship of your life, in the centre of all your plans. Let Him be your captain, guide, refuge and remedy. If so, you will reach the heavenly shore without difficulty.

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

"GIVE ME YOUR HEART!"

"I delight to do Thy will, Oh my God:yea, Thy law is within my heart (not, 'in my head')" (Psa 40:8).

Some children of God realize only in their deathbed that they had not delighted to do the will of God. They are attacked by evil spirits, they see dreams of the devil coming to attack them - all because they had been murmuring and complaining in their lifetime, and were not happy to do the will of God. The things of God were in their head but not in their heart. They did their own will and walked in their own ways.

The heart and the mind are connected. "Serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind" (I Chron 28:9). So if your heart is not right with God, your mind will one day be definitely attacked by the devil. You will have a desire to pray but your mind will be confused. The devil will say, "Prayer is not important. Run around and do your work." Your heart will desire purity but the devil will be attacking your mind. Your mind may even be attacked with nightmares. There is always a conflict between the head and the heart. The heart must win.

"My son, give Me thine heart" (Prov 23:26). You gave your heart to Jesus when you got saved. Give your heart to Jesus once again. Then the devil cannot attack your mind. The devil is waiting to attack us in the weakest moment of our life. If we give our heart to God, if we delight to do the will of God, whether in life or in death, the devil cannot attack us. The weakest moment of our life will become the strongest moment. "Out of weakness were made strong" (Heb 11:34).

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

GOD OF GLORY

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee" (Gen 12:1)

"Now the Lord had said..." (Gen 12:1) - it was the second time God was speaking to Abraham. The Lord first appeared to him in Mesopotamia as the God of glory (Acts 7:2). When a man sees God's glory, he will want nothing but God. That was the reason why Moses wanted to see God's glory.

Since Abraham saw God's glory, he was willing to give up his country, his kindred, his family, etc. he was the first one to give tithes. If people are to give to God, they need a revelation of the glory of God. Paul saw the glory of the Lord on the road to Damascus. This led him to count everything as dung (Phil 3:7,8).

When Stephen began his sermon speaking about the glory of God, even his enemies saw his face as an angel of God (Acts 6:15). When your face or heart is changed, you can speak only of God's glory. Finally, all that Stephen saw was the glory of God (Acts 7:55). How amazing it is that he didn't see his murderers who were about to stone him! This clearly proves that when you are God-conscious (thinking only of God and lost in the Glory of God) you are no more self-conscious (thinking about yourself) or world-conscious (thinking about what is around you). As Stephen finished his message on glory, seeing glory, he entered into glory! That indeed is glory!!

When the God of glory appeared unto Abraham in Mesopotamia and asked him to leave that country and go to Canaan, Abraham obeyed.

At first, Abraham's obedience was only partial, because of Terah. See Genesis 11:31. So, for 15 years there were no further promises or visions of God. Then God gave him a second chance - as we find in Genesis 12:1. Maybe on the day you received the Holy Spirit, or on a day of special visitation from God, the God of glory appeared to you and called you to Canaan (the best of God). You may have delayed for 15 years, or more, or less. Like Abraham in Haran, without any further promises or visitations from God, you may be in 'Haran'. Maybe now, even as you are reading this, the Lord is giving you a second chance. Let your vision of the God of glory be renewed today!

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

BE AN OYSTER!

"Let this mind (or, attitude) be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2:5)

Ninety-nine percent of our problems are due to our wrong attitude. Our problems are not the reason for our inside trouble; our wrong attitude towards the problem could be the reason.

For example, if a grain of sand gets into your eye, immediately the eye becomes red, and there is irritation, pain, etc. But if the same grain of sand gets into the shell of an oyster, the oyster covers the whole grain of sand with secretions to prevent irritation, and eventually turns the grain of sand into a beautiful pearl!

All our problems are like a grain of sand. If you react like the eye (with a wrong attitude), it leads to lots of problems. But if you react like the oyster (with the right attitude), there is great blessing.

Dear friend, today you may be facing various problems. Do you have the right attitude? Do you praise God for all your problems, realizing that the heavenly Father permitted them to polish your character? If so, you will come out with flying colours in your trials.

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

LABOUR FOR WORTHWHILE THINGS.

"The waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth... and every living substance was destroyed" (Gen 7:17,23)

Just as Enoch walked with God and was lifted up to heaven, Noah walked with God and his God (ark) lifted him up.

Noah obviously spent his health, time, and all that was at his disposal, for the sake of the ark, while others might have spent all their lifetime on earthly things. It would be no surprise if Noah had been mocked at by others for spending himself and all his resources on the ark, because in their sight he was wasting his life on something foolish. However, at last, on the day of judgment it was amply proved that what Noah did remained, while their works were destroyed.

"What does a man get for all his toil and anxious striving?" asks King Solomon. He was disgusted with all labour because he discovered that, in the end, man has to leave the fruit of it all to someone else.

The day of judgment is coming soon. The day is coming when we shall know whether we have been labouring for worthwhile things or not - whether we have laboured for self or for Christ, whether we have laboured for time or for eternity. On that day we shall know how many of our works remain. "Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it" (I Cor 3:13)

Therefore let us gladly spend and be spent for the cause of the Kingdom of God and daily walk with Jesus, for soon we are going to be lifted up to be with Him for ever!

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

RESIST DISCOURAGEMENT

To overcome discouragement we need to first know nhow it comes. Discouragement comes when we, instead of looking at God and His Word, look at the surroundings and the situation we are in. Your eyes are on the problems and not on the One Who solves the problems. So, to overcome discouragement, we should take our eyes off our problems, and fix them on the Lord. That's why we read in Hebrews 12: 1, 2 "Let us run the race with patience looking at Jesus..." The next verse says, "Consider Him that endured such contradiction." Looking at Jesus is, looking at the promises He has given us. II Corinthians 1:3 says our God is the God of all comfort. In the original tongue, it is 'God of all encouragement.'

When everything went wrong in Ziklag, when all the houses were burnt, the women and children taken captive, and all the people were greatly distressed, David encouraged himself in the Lord. When going through the dark path, instead of confessing his misery, he says, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?"

Dear child of God, you may be going through sickness. Instead of speaking of the symptoms, the weakness and the pain, confess, "By His stripes I am healed." In your poverty confess, "My God shall supply all my needs!" At times when no one is near to help you, shout, "The Lord is my refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble!" When sad things happen, say, "God is my exceeding joy." When you are weak, say, "The Lord is my strength." When you are hungry say, "Jesus is the Bread of Life"; when thirsty say, "He is the Fountain of Living Water"; when everything is dark and gloomy say, "He is my Light"; amidst confusion, say, "He is my Peace"; when it looks as if you've lost all say, "He is my All-in-all!" Then you'll not only be encouraged but will be able to encourage others too.

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

DEAD MAN SPEAKS...:

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh" (Heb 11:4).

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice." Here, faith is connected with sacrifice. If you say that you have faith but cannot make any sacrifice, your faith is dead. The more faith you have, the more sacrificial you are. Faith is indeed connected with excellent sacrifice.

Abel's offering was excellent as he offered it by faith - faith made him offer the best and also live the best life (Gen 4:2-4). How do we know that Abel's life was right with God? "The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering" (Gen 4:4). It doesn't say, "God had respect unto Abel's offering and to Abel." In other words, God had respect for Abel's life and therefore He had respect for his offering. Speaking on the same lines, God did not respect Cain's life and therefore had no respect for his offering.

"By it (faith) he being dead yet speaketh." This seems to be one of the greatest miracles recorded in the Bible. There were people who had died and were raised to life, who afterwards spoke, but here is one who keeps speaking being dead! He is still speaking - by faith. Though Abel is dead, his faith is not dead. Faith has a language, a supernatural language, a dynamic language - to speak to any generation of any country. A man who speaks by faith never ceases to speak. He always has a message and an audience. Doubt makes a servant of God dumb for a season - like Zacharias; faith speaks in all seasons.

What is Abel speaking? "I lived a righteous life by faith and died for my faith though I had no Bible, no church and no pastors to encourage me. There was no one to set me an example. My parents sinned and caused the whole world to sin. Yet, looking to God alone, I lived and died by faith." What excuses have we, if we don't live by faith and make a sacrifice by faith?

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

ARM OF FLESH...:

Samson did not seek the help of his parents who were with him, when a young lion roared against him in the vineyards of Timnath. Had he done so, he would have, no doubt, suffered total defeat, and both he and his parents would have been killed. We often seek human help or 'trust in the arm of flesh' in our troubles, and end up in failure.

Before confronting Goliath or any other enemy, David had to confront the lion that threatened his very (spiritual) life. As God was with him, he got the wisdom and grace to face it.

David 'caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him' (I Sam 17:35). The beard is the only part of the lion that has no FLESH. Hence David could take hold of it and easily kill it. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (II Cor 10:4)

Dear reader, we should never use FLESH or fleshly wisdom to tackle our problems. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Eph 6:12). If we are right with God, He will give us the wisdom at the right time to deal with every situation that arises, and to tackle all our problems in the right way.

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

WALKING WITH GOD...:

"Enoch walked with God" (Gen 5:24).

Enoch walked with God when there was no one in the world to set him an example or teach him on that subject. God wants people who walk with Him even when they don't find anyone as an example.

Two cannot walk together unless they are united (Amos 3:3). Enoch therefore, lived in perfect harmony with God without murmuring or questioning the Lord in the ways in which He took him.

Enoch walked with God after he became a family man. Many people think their family poses a hindrance to their walking with God. The Bible doesn't say that Enoch's wife or children walked with God. They may not have been pleased. Perhaps they were a thorn to Enoch. Still, he walked with God. Child of God, you can have the experience of walking with God even when those around aren't walking with God.

"Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." 'God took him' or, God took his 'self.' When we walk with God, we will not be seen: only Christ will be seen.

"Not merely in the words you say,

Not only in your deeds confessed,

But in the most unconscious way

Is Christ expressed."

"How gentle is the manner of the man who walks with God!"

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

DO NOT BE DECEIVED

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly" (Rev 22:20).

"Surely I come quickly." This, the most blessed promise in the Bible, is perhaps one of the most ridiculed and despised truths. However, St Peter prophesied of this two thousand years ago: "There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" (II Pet 3:3,4). Now also scorners (even among Christians) say, "Where is the promise of His Coming? We have been hearing about the Coming of the Lord from our childhood. If He is coming soon, why has He not come all these years?" Such people deceive themselves and also others into not getting ready for the Rapture.

Such scorners are ignorant of the Word of God: "A thousand years in Thy sight are... as a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). One watch is three hours. There are four watches in the night: the first watch, from six in the evening to nine; the second watch, from nine to midnight; the third watch, from midnight to three in the morning; the fourth watch, from three to six in the morning. About two thousand years ago Jesus said, "I come quickly." In one sense, this promise was made only "two watches" ago, i.e. about six hours ago, for, in the sight of God a thousand years are like a watch in the night!

Dear reader, our response to "Surely I come quickly," should be, "Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus." In the last chapter of the Bible, this promise is repeated three times; twice, "Behold, I come quickly" (verses 7 & 12) and finally, "Surely I come quickly."

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

FAITH TO CHOOSE

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Heb 11:24, 25).

Every 'choosing' should be preceded by a 'refusing' as much as, a 'leaving' should precede every 'cleaving'. "Therefore shall a man leave... and shall cleave" (Gen 2:24). This refusal and choosing show maturity. Normally, people choose as per the dictates of their five senses. And human senses choose riches, honour, glory, appreciation, position, authority, power, etc. and refuse reproaches, poverty, sufferings, afflictions, etc. A man of faith, however, has a sixth sense which is far better than the five senses - the sense of faith. Only those whose spiritual eyes are enlightened will be able to choose by faith what Moses chose. What we choose for the sake of the truth and Christ may appear as foolishness to the world, but God's foolishness is far better than the wisdom of man.

Moses refused the highest position in the world empire and chose to suffer with slaves. Some may suffer if they are forced to, but it takes great faith to choose to suffer in such a way.

In living with God's people there is suffering. Faith gave Moses the right knowledge. He understood that those suffering slaves were the people of God. Faith enables one to recognize who the true saints are. A natural man could have thought, "These are miserable slaves - unfortunate and forsaken of God. Why hould I suffer with them?"

"The pleasure of sin is for a seaon but the punishment for the unpardoned sin is for ever." By faith Moses knew that the pleasures of the palace were pleasures of sin, that they were only for a season, and that divine pleasures are for evermore. "In Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

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

IT'S IMPORTANT HOW WE DRESS

"Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Gen 3:21)

God Himself took the trouble to clothe man. The coat of skin God made for them was an exemplary garment. It covered their whole body - the Amplified Bible renders 'coats' as 'long coats or tunics'. It was also not a 'see-through' garment - like those we often see people wearing.

The Lord wants us to be properly clothed - in "modest apparel", as St Paul calls it (I Tim 2:9). The New Living Translation says, it is not to be expensive garments or clothes that attract others.

Even in the Old Testament the Lord was very particular about how His peoppe dressed. "I will punish all such as are clothed with strange apparel," He says in Zephaniah 1:8. He also says, "A woman must not wear men's clothing, nor a man wear women's clothing"; He says He "detests" anyone who does this! (Deut 22:5 NIV).

Child of God, what is your dress like in the light of the above? Are your clothes what please the Lord? We should dress "as becometh women professing godliness" (I Tim 2:10). Does our dress reveal we are Christians? Are our clothes what the Lord would have made for us, if He would?

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

NO EXCUSE GOOD ENOUGH!...!

"The man said, The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (Gen 3:12)

Sin makes a person blame others for one's own mistakes. Adam here blames the woman for his sin. Every soul is responsible for his own sin. Adam might have eaten of the tree from the hands of the woman, in order to please her and show her his love for her. But now, instead of showing love, he shows only hatred by blaming her for his sin.

Adam also blames God. "THE WOMAN WHOM THOU GAVEST." In effect, he was saying, "O God, it was your misake. If You hadn't given me this woman I wouldn't have sinned."

And when God gives the woman a chance to repent, she blames the serpent (Gen 3:13). True, the serpent deceived her into eating the fruit, but why did she give it to her husband? The serpent didn't tell her to give it to him, did it?

Sin always finds some excuse. But remember, child of God, whatever your excuse, it will not hold good in the presence of God. You cannot put the blame for your wrongdoings on someone else and get away with it. Be sure your sin will find you out. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die."

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

SHARE GOD'S BURDEN...:

When God was ruling over Israel through Samuel, the prophet and judge, the people wanted a king to rule over them. When Samuel told the Lord that the people had rejected him, God said, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them" (I Sam 8:7)

Earlier, when the people had made Gods for themselves, Moses had interceded for them and saved them from the wrath of God. Now when they asked for a king, Samuel realized how much God would be grieved. He bore the grief of God as his own. He pleaded with God asking Him to have mercy on them. Not all can pray like this; only those who understand the mind of God can.

In Isaiah 59:16 we read that God wondered that there was no intercessor. God still wonders that there is no intercessor. Some ministries are visible, while the ministry of intercession is a ministry done in the closet, seen only by the heavenly Father above.

The Holy Spirit is an intercessor. "The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom 8:26). And Jesus ever lives to make intercession for us (Heb 7:25). Should we not then share the burden of the Lord in unceasing intercession before His throne of grace? Is not God on the lookout for such intercessors?

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

CHANGE OF ADDRESS - NEPAL

OLD:
Beni, C/o D.D. Medical Hall,
Pipal Chowak, Kalipul,
Beni Bazar, Myagdi,
Dhaulagiri Anchal, West Nepal

NEW:
V.O.C. Mallaj Beni,
Bagarphant - Ward 8, Parbat,
Dhaulagiri, West Nepal
Phone: 69520927

TWO CROWNS

"Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour" (Ps 8:5).

God wants to give us two crowns - crown of glory and crown of honour.

It is amazing to note that when God created us, He crowned us with these two crowns of glory and honour. But when sin came in, the crowns fell from our heads - man lost his glory and honour. "We are confounded: shame hath covered our faces... For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Jer 51:51; Rom 3:23).

However, in this Grace Period, God is creating a new man to crown him once again with glory and honour. How do we get these crowns? What is glory? In Exodus 15:11 we read, "Who is like Thee, glorious in Holiness...?" Our God is glorious in Holiness, and therefore the real glory is the holiness of God. What is honour? "Before honour is humility" (Prov 15:33). So the crowns of glory and honour speak of God's holiness and God's humility.

A crown is normally set on the head. The head shows our thoughts. Sometimes we can have holiness and humility in our words and appearance, but they may not be in our thoughts. God wants our mind or thoughts to be filled with His humility and His purity - that will be crowns of glory and honour to us.

If holiness and humility do not adorn our thoughts, we are living in disgrace - 'the crown is fallen from our heads!'

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

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

"Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord" (II Chron 26:19).

In verse 18 we read that King Uzziah's heart was lifted up (with pride) and he went into the temple to burn incense - which was the priest's duty and not the king's. Azariah the priest, and the other priests withstood him and said, "It appeartaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord." This was the cause for Uzziah's wrath with the priest - which made him a leper.

Once a person named Zachariah came to meet a servant of God to discuss some domestic problems, and during the conversation, he got very angry with the servant of God. Immediately he had an attack of paralysis. He never recovered from the paralysis; he died a most pathetic death.

Dear reader, have you given room for pride and interfered in the duty or responsibility of any servant of God? Are you guilty of having reacted angrily at any time to the counsel or reproof of the leaders? If God has not stricken you with spiritual (and maybe even physical) leprosy, realize that it is purely the mercies of God and that you have been given an extended period of time to repent.

You may be a person of great importance but that doesn't give you the licence to go out of bounds. O King Uzziah, repent of your wrath!

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

GOD'S CONCERN FOR YOU...:

"The Lord God... made He a woman, and brought her unto the man" (Gen 2:22).

"Brought her unto the man" - This implies that the creation of the woman was not done near Adam.

It was God's burden and His concern, to prepare a bride for Adam, and the bride was God's own selection and perfection. The man was not supposed to be worried about finding a bride for himself. God will do the work of finding a help-mate for us, provided we are in the garden (many go out of the church to find a wife). It is true Adam could not find a wife for himself anywhere in the garden, but God took charge of the matter. We hear many parents and youngsters saying, "I couldn't find a suitable person in the church." The problem is that they want a match of their liking.

God has brought us into the Church, the true Garden of God, and He will provide us a help-mate in the Church itself, and not outside it. Let not our own choice hinder God's plan in our life.

The woman had only one person to love and set her affection on, and that was the man; the man too had only the woman to love. We have only one to love and that is Christ, and Christ too has only one to love, and that is His Church. Therefore those who are not in the true Church of God can never be formed as His Bride.

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

SNARE OF THE FOWLER...:

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (Ps 91:1).

"Shadow", in Hebrew, means DEFENCE. One cannot hide from a lion in the shadow of a tree. Nobody can defend us or protect us in times of troubles as our God can. Only when we dwell in the secret place, can we be in the defence of the El-shaddai. No enemy can enter into that secret place. The enemy cannot even see us. Our mother-like God will preserve us so.

"He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler" (vs 3). Till the bird is trapped, the fowler will remain in hiding. Once the bird falls in the trap, all hope of survival is gone.

Sin is a snare. "Sin first deceives, then deadens, then destroys.' "He goeth... till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life" (Prov 7:22,23). Too often people are sunk too deep in sin to get out, before they realize that they are in a deadly trap.

Death can be a snare. "The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me" (II Sam 22:6). The devil will set up a snare for us to fall in it and die before God's time. We may not be able to discern it as the snare of death. Sickness is not the certificate given to us to gain entry into heaven. God will inform us when our life-work is over. If an employee is faithful to his master, would not the master inform him in advance if he is going to retire?

If we live in the secret place of the Most High surely our God will deliver us from the snare of the fowler; the devil cannot trap us because he cannot see us.

"He will hide... me, safely hide ... me,

Where no sorrow or temptation can betide me;

He will hide ... me, safely hide ... me;

In the secret of His presence He will hide me."

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

MUCH IN A FEW WORDS...:

"The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary" (Isa 50:4).

Often, for speaking much we need little or no learning, while to speak "a word" we need greater learning.

A great topic presented in an abnormally large volume very often yields little results; so also our words in our day-to-day life.

Mary Magdalene went through a period of extreme sorrow after Christ's crucifixion and death. At last she was so wearied that she could no longer stay indoors; early in the morning on the first day of the week she ran to the sepulchre to take away the dead body of the One she loved much. However, one word from the Lord did a marvellous thing in Mary. That one word had a magnetic influence on that situation.

"Jesus saith unto her, Mary, She turned herself and saith unto Him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master" (Jn 20:16). That one word "Mary" from the Lord, did a tremendous work in her spiritual life and thereafter she never was the old Mary. That one word from her Saviour made her realize Who it was that was speaking to her, Whom she had first mistaken for the gardener. Before that, though the Lord had been standing close to her, she did not know that it was Jesus. Only ONE WORD, and not a sermon, made her recognize Him; it dispelled all her fears, discouragements and weariness, filling and thrilling her heart with heavenly joy, peace and grace.

Let us learn "how to speak a word in season."

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

WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God Whom he hath not seen?" (I Jn 4:20).

There was once a very good believer sister named Grace. She had been a Hindu but she accepted the Lord, took water baptism and received the Holy Spirit. She faithfully gave tithes and offerings. She was also zealous about missionary work and she led a number of souls to Christ. She even dedicated her son for the ministry.

One day she was very sick and dying. Then in a vision she saw the city of Jerusalem, glorious and shining. She was very happy and she told the Lord, "Lord, I want to come there right now. I leave all my children in Your care." The Lord replied, "You are not coming to heaven; you are going to hell. The city of New Jerusalem I showed you is the place I prepared for you, but you became unfit and now you are going to hell." Grace was shocked. "But Lord, I'm Your child. How can I go to hell. You hate your elder sister and for a long time you have not spoken to her. Yes, you are on the way to hell." Grace was convicted of her hatred for her sister who was still a Hindu. She pleaded with the Lord, "Lord, please don't take me now. I realize my sin. I will forgive my sister and will get reconciled. Please give me a chance."

Thank God. Grace did not die then. She sent for her sister and embraced her, and cried and asked for forgiveness. The Lord completely healed Grace. her love and forgiveness touched her elder sister and she accepted the Lord as her Saviour.

Like Grace, you may have a hatred for your wife, husband, children, father, mother, or in-laws, and still think that, being a born-again Christian or a Pentecostal believer, you are going to heaven. Don't deceive yourself. If you cannot love your brother, sister, husband, or wife whom you see, how can you love God Whom you cannot see? Make sure your heart is transparent and you do not hate anyone - even someone who is dead and gone.

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

A BROKEN HEART NEEDED

"The Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground." (Gen 2:5,6).

God was pleased to water the face of the ground with a mist that went up from the earth. The mist that went up from the earth can be compared to saints who live a lofty life and keep themselves above all earthly attachments. God is pleased to use such saints to remove the dry experiences in others, and be a source of blessing to them.

Tilling the ground was not necessary till the day man committed sin. In other words, since the heart of man was soft, perfect and sinless there was no need for it to be broken. But when man committed sin, God cursed the ground and it brought forth thorns and thistles. Thorns and thistles can be compared to the evil natures which grew in man after his fall. We have to labour for a broken heart to remove these evil natures.

Tilling the ground was necessary, to grow fruits and flowers and other useful trees. So also, breaking our hardened heart is essential if we are to get a sweet-smelling life (flowers) and divine characters (fruits).

Let us labour for a broken heart and take out all the evil natures in us and develop a fragrant and divine character, so that we may become a source of blessing to everyone.

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

SPECTACULAR MEANS OF DELIVERANCE

"And the Lord said unto Moses... go forward... And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went before their face, and stood behind them" (Exo 14:15,19).

Is it not an astonishing paradox that after the Lord commanded Moses and His people to go forward, the angel of His presence and the pillar of cloud went behind! Thank God, our God is a God of harmony and there is no contradiction in Him or in His Word.

When we meditate on this wonderful text we marvel at the matchless providence and protection of God for His people. Of all the troubles and problems that the Israelites had to face, this was the most crucial. And of all the means employed by God to deliver His people, this was the most spectacular.

Pharaoh and his hosts were following hard after the children of Israel but God had ordained that they should no more be a terror to His people. Their end was to be a watery grave, while those same waters were a wall of protection to His people on either side. The angel of God and the pillar of cloud that had previously gone before them, now went behind them, not because God had forsaken them (as they may well have feared), but because God loved them, and wanted to prevent the Egyptians from overtaking them. The same pillar of cloud which brought darkness upon the enemy, brought light to God's people throughout the night.

Similarly, dear reader, the very things which appear to be troublesome are indeed a blessing to God's people! All things may not appear good to us, but 'all things work together for good to them that love God.'

"His eyes foresee our greatest good

While we at best are weak
And thus in wisdom He withholds
The boon that we often seek.
And yet His all-sufficient grace
He bids me freely share;
And in a way we little know
The Lord will answer prayer."

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

OUT OF WEAKNESS...MADE STRONG

"Who through faith... out of weakness were made strong" (Heb 11:33,34).

Hebrews chapter 11 speaks of the heroes of faith; almost all the heroes of faith in the Bible are listed in this chapter. One may think these men and women were born with extraordinary strength, talents or abilities. However, the above text enlightens us to the fact that they were all by nature weak persons - and that their strength or ability to do extraordinary things for God's glory came from the Lord.

Gideon was so timid that he was threshing wheat by the winepress for fear of the Midianites. David appeared to be such an insignificant boy that even his father didn't feel the need to call him when Samuel came home, although all the other children were called. The very name 'Jacob' means 'deceiver' - he deceived his brother, his father and his father-in-law and, in one sense he deceived himself. However, God was pleased to call Himself the God of Jacob. Our God is still the God of Jacob.

You may be a very weak person by nature. Even after receiving many spiritual experiences, you may be feeling the same - weak, timid, sensitive, touchy, moody, etc. Notwithstanding, "through faith... out of weakness" you can be strong.

Doctors say that if a bone in the human body is broken and healed, the joined part becomes the strongest part of the bone so much that, that part is the last place to get broken again. The God Who created the human body is the One Who builds our spiritual life. GOD WANTS TO MAKE OUR WEAKEST POINT THE STRONGEST POINT IN OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE. Praise be to God!

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

FAITHFUL LIGHT-GIVERS

"Let there be lights in the firmament to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years" (Gen 1:14).

On the first day God brought light into the world. This is the light of the gospel of His grace. On the fourth day, the lights were positioned in proper places and their movement fixed. To become useful to the earth, we must remain in the high skies. Let us live a heavenly life.

The 'lights' (light-givers' - Heb.) had to keep to their orbits. In case the sun, the moon and the stars moved freely without any regulations, the objects in space could collide, resulting in a universal disaster. God has similarly kept us as 'light-givers' in our respective places - to serve faithfully where He has kept us.

Some of us could be like the sun, some like the moon and others like stars. Even the brightest sun has times when it is completely hidden to one part of the earth. Similarly, though you may be a great saint and most bright and brilliant, there are times and seasons when you have to remain hidden; your light or usefulness may not appear to all the people all the time. However, let us be in the place ordained for us. Just as the lights that God has ordained serve our God faithfully, May our usefulness be hidden in the seasons fixed by God.

If we are where the Lord has kept us, we shall serve His purpose - to differentiate between the holy and the unholy, just as one differentiates the day from the night (lk 21:25)

"I'll stay where you've put me; I will dear Lord;

I'll bear the day's burden and heat,

I'll till the dry soil while i wait for the rain,

I'll work, and I'll rest at Thy feet."

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

A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

"When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled" (Matt 14:26).

It was gracious of the Lord to go to the troubled disciples to help them in their despair, though they did not expect it. In our spiritual life also the Lord comes to our help when we least expect it.

The disciples should have been delighted to see Jesus approaching them. However, they thought trouble was approaching and cried out in fear. Even today many children of God are in this state. When help approaches them in their fiery trials, they cry out in terror from lack of discernment.

Dear child of God, if your eyes were enlightened you would be able to appreciate, to your great comfort, that the many things you think are responsible for your problems and troubles, are in fact blessings in disguise; instead of crying out in fear, you would be able to shout in cheer. May the Lord open our spiritual eyes to see everything through the faith of the Son of God.

"Faith looks beyond the shadow

Of dread and doubt and fear

And finds the Saviour waiting

And always standing near."

- Late Pas T.U Thomas, in Morning Manna

EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE

It was very appropriate and appreciable for David to pray this beautiful prayer: "Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem" (Psa 51:18). God is well pleased when the walls of Jerusalem are built - "Then shalt Thou be pleased" (vs 19).

A crystal clear Christian life is only possible when an extremely thick wall of jasper is built all around our mind; then we will be able to say along with St Paul - "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (II Cor 10:4,5).

St Paul, who once said that he was the chiefest of sinners, could bring into captivity every thought (not just some thoughts) to the obedience of Christ by the grace of God. "We have the mind of Christ," he declares (I Cor 2:16). It gives us an encouragement to know that by the sovereign mercy of God we can bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, so that we may have the mind of Christ.

Let us ask the Lord to build the wall of Jerusalem around our mind. Nehemiah was not deterred by the efforts of the enemies to hinder the work of building the walls. "We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night," he says (Neh 4:9). Let us show such a strong determination to keep our minds crystal clear.

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

WONDERFUL WORK OF GRACE

All the disciples forsook Jesus when He was captured. But Peter did much more than that. He denied the Lord - as if he had never heard of Him. Finally he began to curse and to swear, saying, "I know not the man." Then Peter went out and wept bitterly (Matt 26:70-75). But what was the use? Within a few days he was planning to go back to his old profession (Jn 21:3). Perhaps you are like Peter. After repenting for a particular sin, you may repeat it. Do not be discouraged; there is still hope for you in Jesus.

Such a cursing, swearing backslider as Peter, was restored and finally he lay down his life for the Master. According to his desire, he was crucified upside down, as he felt that he was not worthy to be crucified as was his Master. He wanted his posture (in crucifixion) to be such as his lips could kiss the feet of his Lord. What a wonderful work of grace!

Dear reader, perhaps you are perplexed and plagued with backsliding - like Peter. You may be repenting and afterwards repeating the mistake or doing something worse. Do you realize that God's grace through the power of the Holy Spirit is greater than all your failures and mistakes? Trust His grace. "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom 5:20).

If the grace of God can change Peter, it can change you too.

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