"Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching" (Heb 10:25).

Here the 'day approaching' signifies the Coming of the Lord. What the writer of the epistle wanted to emphasize was that, as the Coming of the Lord is approaching, we should meet together and have fellowship with one another more than before. If this was so two thousand years ago how much more careful we should be now, not to neglect our meeting together in fellowship and worship, seeing we are in the last moments before the Coming of the Lord!

Once a young man named Jacob was going from one village to another village on a Sunday morning. He had to cross a forest. As he walked along a thief caught him and demanded all his money. Jacob pleaded with the thief asking him to release him as he had no money. The thief threatened to kill him if he did not hand over the money. Then Jacob again pleaded with him saying that he was a Pentecostal believer and did not tell lies. Immediately the thief took him by the throat and angrily said, "Then you ought to be in church now, this being a Sunday morning!" Jacob was cornered and had nothing to say. "Hereafter, will you regularly go to church?" demanded the thief. To this Jacob readily agreed. Then the thief asked, "Do you pay tithes?" Jacob was shocked. He hadn't expected a question like this from a thief. He had already said that, being a Pentecostal man he didn't tell lies. So he meekly said. "No, I don't pay tithes." The thief got very angry. Shaking him like a rabbit he shouted, "Hereafter, will you faithfully pay your tithes." He hurriedly agreed and the thief let him go. The next Sunday Jacob came to church and gave a testimony about this incident during the service. His life was changed and he later became a very good servant of God.

Do not wait to be caught by "the thief" before starting to go to church and paying your tithes.

- TPM Morning Manna

"The Lord planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed" (Gen 2:8).

God kept man in a special place of comfort and delight. 'Eden' itself means 'delight' and the garden in it added to the delight. This is a type of the Church. When we are born again and born of water and of the Spirit, the Lord puts us in His Church. This delights us, and God also delights in us.

"The man whom He had formed" - The Lord puts in the Church people in whom He has done some work of formation (transformation of the old nature and formation of divine nature). "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works" (Eph 2:10).

God planted the garden in Eden for man - to provide him with food, shelter and protection and to meet all his needs. Similarly, God has placed man in the Church to give him spiritual food, refuge in the secret place of the Most High, and protection from the powder of darknes, and to meet all his other spiritual needs. Man committed sin and was sent out of the garden, and that ended his delight-filled life.

Let us remain in the 'garden' God has put us in. Let us surrender ourselves into His hands to be moulded according to His desire, like clay in the hands of a potter. Our loving God has made provision for all our needs to be met. Let us stay where God has placed us and keep our life free from sin and worldliness.

- TPM Morning Manna

The meek will He guide in judgment; and the meek will He teach His way" (Psa 25:9).

God will guide only meek people. He will not give His guidance to bad-tempered or hot-tempered people. That is why God took away His guidance from Moses after he lost his temper. All along, when he remained meek, the Lord never failed to give him His counsel; but when he lost his meek spirit, God said, "You are not going to Canaan and you are not going to lead the people to Canaan either." "Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel and afterward receive me to glory," the Psalmist says with assurance (Psa 73:24). If we walk in meekness, meekly enduring all the reproaches, rejections and persecutions that we face, the Lord will keep giving us His counsel till we reach His presence. We'll never stumble or lose our way.

Some children of God get angry and say, "It's only righteous anger, godly anger." Well, God cannot teach you anything. "Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart," He says. The Lord can teach only the meek.

David always got the counsel of God because he always maintained a humble and meek disposition. "My sheep hear My voice... and they follow Me," said Jesus (Jn 10:27). If we're not following the Lord just like sheep meekly follow their shepherd, we cannot expect the Lord to guide us with His counsel.

- TPM Morning Manna

WHY THESE TRIALS..?

The lion that David faced when he was alone, typifies trials that come against our personal life. Goliath, being the common enemy of Israel, signifies the trials that come against the people of God or the Church collectively. Had David been defeated by the lion, or had he been too timid to face it, he would not have had the courage to face Goliath and the Philistines. Unless we take the victory in the trials and temptations that come against our personal spiritual life, we cannot conquer the Goliaths that confront the people of God, and protect the Church.

David's victory over the lion that roared against him when he was young, was the first step on the way to the throne. Child of God, remember, the throne of God awaits the overcomers.

The young lion that Samson faced, yielded him sweet honey in the end - which he 'went on eating', and which he gave to his parents also (Judg 14:8,9). Just as Samson 'went on eating' sweet honey, let us go on tasting and eating God's love in the midst of our trials. "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Let us share this 'honey experience' with others also.

The purpose of God in permitting trials in our lives is, not to make our lives bitter, but truly better and sweeter, and to strengthen the dear ones with us.

"There's nothing God permits in grace
That ever comes in vain;
He has a shining 'afterward'
For every cloud of rain!"

- TPM Morning Manna

LIVE IN THE SPIRIT...:

"It is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh" (Dan 2:11).

Although these Chaldeans were not aware of the true God, they knew that there were 'gods' or, saints who do not dwell in the flesh. They also knew that rare things or hidden truths can be revealed only to such saints. Later on, it was proved that Daniel was such a man.

The Lord wants saints "whose dwelling is not with flesh" - to reveal to them the deep truths and hidden mysteries in His Word. St.Paul says, "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you" (Rom 8:9). Daniel had an excellent spirit (Dan 6:3). The Lord has filled us with His Holy Spirit so that we may live in the Spirit and not in the flesh.

Dear child of God, if you live in the Spirit, the Lord will reveal to you deep things that are hidden to the wise people of this world.

The king's word was, "If ye will not make known unto me the dream with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces." If we do not live in the Spirit and have deep spiritual insight and revelation, we are sure to fall prey to the devil and his vices. "To be carnally minded is death: but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom 8:6).

- TPM Morning Manna

WORK OF ABUNDANT GRACE...:

"God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven" (Gen 1:20).

Waters show grace. The grace of God which is in us is able to bring forth ABUNDANTLY 'moving creatures' i.e. redeemed souls who can move the world for the glory of God. 'That hath life' - By receiving abundant grace we can bring forth an abundance of souls who can move others also in a chain-reaction.

"And fowl that may fly above the earth" - Souls who live a higher heavenly life are also formed by abundant grace. Such people CAN JUST FLY AWAY WHEN JESUS COMES. 'Fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven' - We cannot live or fly above the world unless we have the vision of an open heaven.

Child of God, God's abundant grace in us can do great things in us and through us. Let us not frustrate the grace that is bestowed on us. Let us keep dying to our self and allow the grace of God to work in our lives, so that we may be able to say like St Paul, "His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain."

- TPM Morning Manna

LET 'TERAH' DIE...!

"Terah took Abram... and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran and dwelt there... and Terah died in Haran" (Gen 11:31,32).

Although God spoke to Abraham and told him to leave everything and go to Canaan, Abraham could not go to Canaan till Terah died. 'Terah' means 'delay'. Terah made Abraham stay in Haran, that is, halfway through to Canaan. If 'Terah' lives in your life you will have only a half-hearted devotion to Christ. This is very true in many of God's people today. 'Terah', the spirit of procrastination or the spirit of delay, ruins many lives. They end up in Haran and not in Canaan. Canaan denotes the fulness of the blessings of the gospel. If 'Terah' is alive in your life, you may even stop short of a heavenly Canaan.

Many a saint has been destroyed by the spirit of delay. The angels of God had warned Lot in the evening that he should leave Sodom quickly with all his family, as fire was going to destroy that city; but 'he lingered' we read, till the next morning. We all know about the consequent disaster that struck his family. Indeed, our King's business requires haste.

Today, let your 'Terah' die - so you can march on to the land of Canaan.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

LOOK TO JESUS...!

When he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me” (Matt 14:30).

Peter took several steps on the water looking at Jesus, but the moment he saw the boisterous wind, he was afraid and began to sink. While faith stablishes, fear makes us sink. When walking on the water, Peter understood the strength of Christ that was able to keep him from sinking; when he took his eyes off the Lord he understood that his own weakness prevented him from keeping himself above the waters, that is, above the world. In the course of our trials, which may prolong for some period of time, we often come to an understanding of the power of Christ and the weakness of our faith.

"Beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." Peter did the right thing here. Though he was sinking due to lack of faith, he knew Jesus was the only One Who could save him. There were eleven other disciples very near him in the ship, but he did not resort to them or request their help. "Vain is the help of man." Many resort to human remedies in their sicknesses and trials and become disillusioned, and fall into despair.

Perhaps you are about to sink in the sea of trials and troubles. Do not look at your weaknesses and at your trials, for that will make your fearful and make you sink. Look to the Lord alone and don't seek any human help. Look at the power of Christ.

"Look away to Jesus! Look away from all;
Then ye need not falter, then ye shall not fall
From each snare that lureth, foe or phantom grim
Safety thus insureth; look away to Him!"

- TPM "Morning Manna"

THE RIGHT PLACE TO GIVE...:

The first man to give tithe was Abraham. No one taught him this truth. Obviously, he learned the grace and glory in giving when the God of glory appeared to him (Gen 14:18-20).

Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, the priest of the most high God. We too should give tithes to Melchizedek - "without father, without mother, without descent..." (Heb 7:3). Jesus taught this consecration to His disciples - "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Lk 14:26). THOSE WHO HAVE NOT THUS CONSECRATED THEMSELVES ARE NOT SCRIPTURALLY FIT TO RECEIVE TITHES.

Before Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, Melchizedek gave Abraham bread and wine (which is a type of giving Holy Communion). This shows that tithes should be given at the place where a believer worships and receives Holy Communion. Some think that tithes can be given where the need is most. But the Word of God says, "Unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose... thither ye shall bring... your tithes" (Deut 12:5,6).

Before Abraham gave tithes, he was blessed - Blessed be the most high God, Which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave Him tithes of all." Our giving tithes is a sign of gratitude and an acknowledgement that God has blessed us and given us victory over our enemy, the devil.

One older man testified that the Lord blessed him so much after he started giving tithes that he gradually kept increasing his giving to the Lord from one-tenth to nine-tenths! "Bring ye all the tithes... and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).

- TPM "Morning Manna"

THE SECRET OF GREAT SPIRITUAL STRENGTH...:

"There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb; if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man" (Judg 16:17).

Samson had a great, high calling. Before he was born an angel appeared to his mother and told her about his birth. Even his manner of life and his calling to be a judge were foretold. Despite all this, Samson's life and ministry turned out to be an utter failure. He lost all his strength and his anointing. He could not deliver the people of Israel from the bondage of the Philistines. He eventually committed suicide. Why? Had God failed to fulfil His plan concerning him? No, rather, Samson failed God by allowing a razor (sin) to come upon his head (thoughts).

We may have a great high calling on our life and God may have planned great things for us. However, there is a part that we have to play for God to fulfil His plan. We must keep our lives in purity.

Samson failed to keep his Nazarite vow and miserably failed God, but thank God, there was someone else in the Old Testament who kept his Nazarite vow. It was Samuel. His mother Hannah made a vow, saying, "If Thou wilt... give unto Thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and THERE SHALL NO RAZOR COME UPON HIS HEAD" (I Sam 1:11). Samuel kept this vow till the end of his life. As a result, he was given a multiple ministry that no one in the Old Testament had. Samuel was priest, prophet, and judge - three blessed ministries were bestowed on him, and in all these three offices he was outstanding. If we, like Samuel, will not let a razor come upon our head, if we do not let sin enter our thoughts, the Lord will richly bless us and make us a blessing to everyone.

Dear friend, perhaps today you feel like a Samson. You might have repeatedly given room to sinful thoughts and defiled your mind and failed God. Repent and come to the Lord. In this Grace Period, God can change a Samson into a Samuel.

- TPM Morning Manna

AN ENDLESS MORNING...:

God's work of creation ended in an endless morning: "And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the MORNING were the sixth day" (Gen 1:31). Thank God, we do not find an evening in the seventh day: "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all the work which He had made" (Gen 2:2).

Man's work usually finishes in the evening, but God's, in the BRIGHT MORNING which will be most glorious (when He appears for His glorious Church). It is therefore no wonder that, the meaning and mission of God's first message, "Let there be light" (Gen 1:3), is to be accomplished only in HIS LAST MESSAGE, "Surely I come quickly" (Rev 22:20).

Jesus, 'the True Light which lighteth every man' has already come once to this darkened world to dispel the darkness of sin, but the second time the same Sun of righteousness shall arise for those who have been delivered from the power of darkness and become the children of light.

"Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee LIGHT" (Eph 5:14).

May the glorious light of the gospel keep shining in our hearts, changing us from glory to glory till we are completely lost in that great glorious Light - JESUS CHRIST! Amen.

- TPM Morning Manna

SUBTLE PRIDE...:

Judas Iscariot was one who was puffed up with pride. He was so proud that he indirectly rebuked Jesus. He said that the ointment that was poured at the feet of Jesus should have been sold and the money used for the poor - as if he knew better than Jesus Himself! Perhaps Judas had the worst form of spiritual pride any man can have. Aren't we also guilty of thinking we are better than others?

Look at the way Judas died. Like Saul, he tried to commit suicide; but from the Scripture, it is obvious that he failed in his attempt. "Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out" (Acts 1:18). From this we can gather that while Judas was hanging (on a rope), the rope snapped and as he fell, a sharp stone or something on the ground cut such a deep gash in his abdomen that all his bowels gushed out. Just think of his state, lying there on the ground where he fell. It must have been a most horrible sight too. Beware of subtle forms of pride!

When a proud person prays, it is not Jesus but Satan who stands at his right hand. His prayer not only displeases God, but also becomes sin! We read this regarding Judas Iscariot - "Let Satan stand at his right hand... let his prayer become sin" (Psa 109:6,7).

May the Holy Spirit enlighten us to see the pride lurking in our lives. May the Lord help us to cast this demon of pride out of our lives - so that the mind of Christ may dominate our lives, bringing grace to us and to others.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

SHOUT OF VICTORY...:

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days" (Heb 11:30).

When we read the Book of Joshua we may not clearly understand how the walls of Jericho fell down. It was not because of the men who walked in front holding their weapons, nor because of the priests who blew the trumpets and carried the ark, nor was it because they walked seven days around the walls, and not even because they finally shouted. The reason is mentioned here - "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down." If they did not have faith they wouldn't have gone round the walls or shouted. They did all these things by faith and God gave them the victory. The weapon that the Lord gave them to conquer the walls of Jericho, was the weapon of faith; against it there is no weapon in the world or in the underworld. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (II Cor 10:4). In these days also we need that mighty faith to pull down the strongholds of the enemy.

When the Lord wants to do mighty things in the land, the devil may raise up 'Jericho walls' to frighten and threaten God's people. We should not be shaken by the devices of the enemy; we should by faith sound the note of victory. Canaan is for such people. Remember, they walked around the walls of Jericho for six days without seeing even a scratch appear on those huge walls. And on the seventh day, they walked seven times, about thirty-five miles in all. By that time they might have been extremely exhausted. Perhaps they did not have any strength to shout. If they didn't have faith, doubt would have mounted in them and they would have thought, "All these seven days of walking so many times did not make even a scratch on the walls. Now, when we are physically very weak, how can our shouting have any impact on them?" Their faith overcame all barriers.

Dear child of God, the Lord has given us the land; let us see it by faith and shout the victory. The Lord will do great things in those who believe; He will do great things through them.

- TPM Morning Manna

WAIT...!

"The ark rested... upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually... on the first day of the month were the tops of the mountains seen" (Gen 8:4,5).

Before the ark came to rest it was tossed to and fro on the waters, seemingly without any end or destination. The Lord had told Noah only about the imminent flood and nothing about its end. This must have been a test of his faith. He could have been alarmed at the possibility of running short of food, but we are very sure he wasn't. Noah, the man who walked with God and was perfect in his generations must have shouted on a note of triumph - "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day!" (II Tim 1:12).

Just as Noah faithfully remained in the ark in his trial of faith, let us abide in Christ. Listen to Job's words of faith and hope as he waited for healing and deliverance: "I know that my Redeemer liveth... Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another!" (Job 19:25,27). When beset by trials sore, when problems seem to drag on endlessly, when all hope of ever seeing better days seems lost or remote, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Fret not thyself in any wise.

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage... wait, I say, on the Lord!"

- TPM Morning Manna

DON'T WASTE YOUR BEST...:

Queen Victoria of Britain, being a godly woman, was concerned about the welfare of her subjects. She would often dress like a commoner and walk along the streets. She knocked at the door of the house of a well-to-do family living nearby, and asked whether she could borrow an umbrella. The lady who answered the door told her that she had two umbrellas an that she could lend her the old one. Queen Victoria agreed and took the old, tattered umbrella. On reaching the palace she sent a maid to return the umbrella to the lady and say that Queen Victoria thanks her for lending her the umbrella. The lady had a shock when she heard that the Queen had come to her house and she had not given her the good umbrella. She deeply regretted losing the golden chance to do the best for her Queen.

When Mary of Bethany gave the best ointment to Jesus by pouring it on Him, everyone thought it was a waste. Judas Iscariot was particularly annoyed and remarked that the money should have been used on the poor. But Jesus thought otherwise.

Anything you do for Jesus with love is never a waste but an eternal investment. The Father gave us the very best - Jesus; Jesus gave us the very best - His life. Should we not also give our best to the Lord?

Judas Iscariot regarded what Mary did for Jesus as a waste. But look at his life - he wasted his own life; he is even now wasting his life in hell and will be wasting it for all eternity.

Dear friend, give your best - your time, talents, treasure, everything to Jesus.

"Only one life, soon it will pass,
Only what's done for Christ will last,
Only one chance to do His will,
So give to Jesus all your days,
It's the only life that pays,
For you have but one life

- TPM Morning Manna

WHY LORD...?

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God" (Deut 29:29).

Many a time we ask why God allows sufferings. "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter," Jesus told Peter (Jn 13:7).

One reason why God allows sufferings is, to make us humble, to make us small and not great. God led the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness to humble them (Deut 8:2). When someone speaks evil of you, if you get angry, if you are hurt and not able to love that person, it is because of your pride! A hen can keep only one chick, and not another hen, under its wings. Unless we become small, God cannot keep us under His wings. We should not have any horns because we are going to fly. No flying bird has horns. Walk humbly with God.

Sufferings also help to change our character. (See Romans 5:3,4). 'Patience', in another translation, is character. Our sufferings are doing a beautiful work in us, forming a beautiful character in us. Our sufferings give us inner strength. So we have sufferings, not because our God hates us, but because He loves us! You may be going through a dark narrow tunnel, but at the end of the tunnel you see a light.

Don't stop your Christian life because of your sufferings - keep pressing on! Those who endured sufferings joyfully and pressed on were really blessed in the end. (Eg. Abraham, David, etc.) Those who do not like to suffer do not have a good end. (Eg. Lot, Saul, etc.) Saul did not want to suffer. He did not praise God even once. King David suffered and had a good end.

The end of our life should be glorious. If we grumble, murmur and get angry when we suffer, it will bring us no glory. GOD ALLOWS SUFFERINGS AND KEEPS WATCHING OUR ATTITUDE.

- TPM Morning Manna

DESPISE NOT YOUR HIGH CALLING...!

Come now therefore, and let us slay him (Joseph), and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams" (Gen 37:20).

We all know that Joseph had dreams that reflected his great high calling. God clearly showed him that he would have dominion over his brothers, and that his whole family would bow before him (Gen 37:7). When we look at the trials Joseph went through, we see that they were mostly attacks on his high calling. We read, "they hated him yet the more for his dreams" (Gen 37:8).

Do we realize that the devil hates us because of our high calling, and that he is all out to attack, not our material or physical life, but our heavenly vision (high calling)? Joseph was thrown into the pit to die a miserable death so that his dreams might not be fulfilled in his life. The devil, in his attempt to thwart God's high calling in our life, may throw us into a pit, into prison-like situations.

God called the people of Israel our of Egypt and promised to take them to a land flowing with milk and honey; but when they faced a trial in the wilderness they doubted their calling (Exo 14:11). They were called to Canaan, which is a type of heaven. Since they lost the vision of their calling, they died in the wilderness. Even in this age there are some in this world (which is like a wilderness), who are losing their heavenly vision and perishing miserably.

Let us not forget our high calling in the time of trials. Let us remember that in every trial the devil is watching to see what will become of our calling.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

EFFECTS OF BACKSLIDING...:

When you backslide, your family also may backslide and suffer. When Abraham went aside to Egypt Sarah got into trouble. She was taken to Pharaoh's palace. And Pharaoh "entreated Abram well for her sake" (Gen 12:15, 16). Now Abraham is being honoured by the world. It is crystal clear from this that the way to get the admiration and honour of this world is to deny Christ or compromise with the world. Some churches sometimes compromise with the world so that the church organisation can get the help of the world government.

"And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife" (vs 17). Some imagine that it is good to compromise with worldlings. "It will do them good; we can win them for Christ," they say. You do not do any good by compromise; in fact, you bring a great plague upon Egypt.

When God's people are not faithful, God has to plague the world or send trouble to the world to get them out. It was because of His mercy that God permitted some trouble in Egypt - to drive God's people out, just as Jonah was thrown out of the ship because of the storm - for the plan of God concerning him to be fulfilled.

We learn a lot from Abraham's backsliding. If we go to Egypt (or backslide) in our trials, both we and our dear ones will have more trials, and others will also suffer unnecessarily.

Abraham finally escaped from Egypt. By the immense mercy of God, we may come out of our backsliding; however, the effects of our backsliding can be eternal. It is said that Abraham got his Eygptian wife Hagar from Egypt. Through her was born Ishmael who became a perpetual enemy of Israel. Also, though Abraham escaped, his nephew, Lot was not completely delivered from Egypt. Having tasted Egypt, he retained "Egypt" in his heart (Gen 13:10). While we may be able to come back from our backslidden state, those who are affected or influenced by us may not come back at all.

- TPM Morning Manna

A LIFE THAT COUNTS...!

"All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died" (Gen 5:27)

'Methuselah' means, 'he dies'. It is interesting to observe that the man who lived the longest always carried death with him. It is a pity that though he lived for such a very long time on the earth, it has not been recorded that he did anything - except that he begat sons and daughters! He did not do anything for the glory of God though God had given him health and other good things.

It isn't how long you live that matters, but how you live. 'Don't count your days, but make your days count.' Let each day be your masterpiece. Invest every minute you have in things of eternal value.

Once a 17-year-old girl went to be with the Lord. Her life had been a fragrant and fruitful one and everyone was sad that she was taken away in the prime of her life. One believer asked the Lord why He took her away so young. Then he had a vision. The girl was in heaven and she was being introduced by one angel to another angel. "She is 85 years old!" the angel was saying. Then the believer woke up and the Lord told him, "Though physically she was only seventeen, spiritually she reached 'full age'. I have completed My work in her; she has completed her life's work."

"The life that counts must toil and fight;
Must hate the wrong and love the right;
Must stand for truth, by day, by night -
This is the life that counts.

The life that counts must aim to rise
Above the earth to sunlit skies;
Must fix its gaze on Paradise -
This is the life that counts."

- TPM "Morning Manna"

WE CAN BE READY...!

"In a moment, in the twinking of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Cor 15:52).

The Lord's coming from heaven to mid-sky, the opening of the tombs, the dead saints rising from the tombs to join the Lord, and the living saints having their vile bodies changed into glorious bodies and meeting the Lord in mid-air - all these events will take place in a moment or in a split second.

How can we always be ready for that imminent and most glorious event? Can we always live in a state of readiness? Yes. Look at the encouraging text in Isaiah 27:3 "I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." This is a promise given to the saints of God or the Church of God (vs 2). The Lord has promised to keep us day and night and water us every moment. Watering us every moment shows pouring His blessings, His anointing and His grace on us every moment (including the very moment He comes).

Dear child of God, never think that it is because of your cleverness or holiness that you will go at the Coming of the Lord. By the mercies of God, we will meet Jesus when He comes.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

ARE YOU A JONAH?

"Then Jonah prayed... out of the belly of hell cried I, and Thou heardest my voice" (Jonah 2:1,2).

Here we find Jonah praying for the first time. Before deciding to sail to Tarshish he didn't pray - though sailing, in those days, was a matter of life and death. When the ship was struck by a "mighty tempest" and all the heathen mariners were crying to their gods, their worshipper of Jehovah did not pray; nay, it did not even wake him out of his deep sleep!

Then the mariners began casting lots to catch the culprit. Jonah knew he would be caught and would face terrible consequences. But even this did not move his hardened heart to pray. As expected, "the lot fell upon Jonah" and he was caught. Jonah's heart was harder than rock - he still did not seek God's face for deliverance.

It seems, despite all this, the Lord, in His mercy, was determined to bring him back to his prayer life that was long lost in his self-will. Jonah was then bound, and was about to be thrown into the raging sea to face a horrible death. But alas, Jonah seemed determined not to pray! This stubborn saint was finally thrown into the sea. Now that all he could expect was a watery grave, did he pray? No, he still did not pray! How stubborn! Even the worst person would have prayed in such a hopeless state!

However, our God did not give up on Jonah - in His effort to make him pray. The Lord prepared a large fish to swallow Jonah. In the belly of the fish, it appears, poor Jonah thought he was already in hell. "Out of the belly of hell cried I." Now he cries and prays!

"Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear -
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!"

Dear reader, how is your prayer life? If you don't come back to your first prayer life, God may have to bring you to a hell-like situation, to teach you to cry and pray! Selah.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYER..?

Many children of God do not understand why God does not answer all our prayers. In one sense, God does answer all our prayers - for some prayers His answer is "Yes", for some it is "No" and for some others it is "Wait".

When answering prayer, the principle God follows is that, the answer to our prayer should make our end joyful and not sorrowful. "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL" (Jn 16:24). Yes, God wants our joy, and not our sorrow, to be full. God knows that if some of the things we ask for are granted, we will be sad at the end of our life.

One godly couple had three daughters. However, the father badly wanted a son. He fasted and prayed and cried to the Lord. The Lord very clearly revealed to him that it was not His will to give him a son, and that his daughters would be better than sons and would take care of him till the very end. But he still kept fasting and pleading with God for a son. Finally the Lord gave him a son and he became a prodigal - smoking, drinking, womanizing, etc. The father was heartbroken. He felt sorry for having insisted on having a son. As promised by the Lord, his daughters took care of him to the very end. But till death, the father was a sorrowful man because of his prodigal son. The son did not turn up even at the father's funeral.

Dear child of God, it is true that some of your sincere prayers have not been answered, but at the end you will know why God did not answer them. God wants you to have great eternal joy. So praise God for all your unanswered prayers.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

"VIRGIN MIND" NEEDED...!

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son" (Matt 1:23).

The purpose of our life is to have Christ manifested through us. And the purpose of our ministry is to help others manifest Christ. These are the important purposes of our calling. We are like the sower who went out to sow seed. That seed, in one sense, is Christ. We are sowing Christ in the hearts of others. If you help one person to become like Christ, that person will help another, and that person another. Like that we must multiply Christ.

Are you showing Christ through your character? "A virgin shall be with child." Only in a virgin mind can Christ be born. If the character of Christ is to be formed in us, we need a pure mind. We need a great longing and thirst for absolute purity.

Sarah was very old. She thought it was impossible for her to have a child. Sometimes we may be like Sarah. There may be many hindrances for Christ to be manifested through us. We may be saying, "I have made so many mistakes in my life. I am still making mistakes. I don't think my character can be changed into the character of Christ." No, we should not give up our hope and faith. It is never impossible to have the character of Christ formed in you. If you long for deep purity - even in your thoughts - the Holy Spirit will come upon you and do the work of forming Christ in you.

- TPM Morning Manna

AT THE FEET OF JESUS..:

Mary... sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word" (LK 10:39).

Sitting at the feet of Jesus is different from hearing the words of Jesus. Sitting at the feet of Jesus is different from sitting in the presence of God. We may be praying in the presence of God, but we may not be sitting at the feet of Jesus.

What is sitting at the feet of Jesus? It is taking the lowest, humblest place in our spirit and giving God the highest place, seeking only the will of God in all things. It is spending time in the presence of God yielding and submitting ourselves to the will of God.

If God has not spoken to us, it means we have not sat at the feet of Jesus. When we sit at the feet of Jesus, He will speak to us. "Be still and know that I am God." This is a most sweet experience in our spiritual life. In the beginning of our spiritual life we keep speaking much to Jesus, but as we grow we learn to sit at the feet of Jesus. Jesus will speak more to us, and we will speak less or not speak at all.

"Mary has chosen that good part." Those who learn to sit at the feet of Jesus can choose the best in life as Mary did. And only they can give their best to Jesus. What is the best way to spend the best of your life? Sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing His words. One word from the mouth of Jesus is richly satisfying and enlivening.

Jesus is waiting to speak to us but are we willing to sit at His feet and listen to Him?

- TPM "Morning Manna"

GREAT FAITH...:

"Take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them" (Gen 6:21).

God put in Noah a burden for the whole world - to save every living thing. We need to have a burden for souls to be saved and be made ready for New Jerusalem and Zion. Noah had to provide food for all the living creatures. The Lord gives spiritual food or revelations to those who have a burden for the salvation of the perishing.

"It shall be for thee, and for them." When you eat, don't forget you should feed others as well. And when you gather food for others, don't forget that you need it too.

"Thus did Noah." How much money, material and resources Noah must have needed! We do not read that he was very rich like Abraham or Job, and yet, when God gave him the burden to do the work, God provided his needs as well. The Lord not only provided for the construction of the ark, but also for the food needed for everyone. Noah was the first man to live by faith in this respect.

The Lord wants us to have faith for our spiritual needs as well as for all our material and physical needs; and also for those of others. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him" (Heb 11:6).

- TPM "Morning Manna"

THE LEADING OF THE SPIRIT...:

When we do the will of God, sometimes we appear to be mad to the people of the world. Our ways may not make sense to them. When God was training up Moses, God told him to throw his rod down on the ground and when he did, it became a snake. Then the Lord told him to hold it by the tail. No sensible person will hold a snake by the tail because then it will turn and bite you. But when Moses obeyed God, the snake became a rod again.

We may not quite understand why the Lord guides us in some particular way, but if we go by His guidance we have perfect peace of mind. "The peace that Christ gives is to guide you in the decision that you have to make" (Col 3:15 - GNB). If you feel troubled when you pray about a particular matter, it means that God is saying 'No'. If, on the other hand, you really have a peace of mind, it means God is guiding you in that way. If you are right with God, when you pray, you can sense God saying 'NO', 'WAIT' or 'YES'.

The word 'peace' in Greek is the word for 'UMPIRE'. The Holy Spirit acts as a referee. When talking to someone, you may sense the Holy Spirit suddenly saying "Don't do that." When you tend to think ill of someone the Holy Spirit may say, "You are prejudiced. Stop it." Sometimes you may want to visit a person and the Holy Spirit may say 'NO'.

The conscience of some people is hardened and they cannot hear the referee whistling any more. Child of God, is your conscience dead or alive? Are you sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit?

- TPM "Morning Manna"

GLORY OF THE DUST...:

"The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed life into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Gen 2:7).

Dust has no beauty or strength; it is trampled under foot. It is out of this dust that God made man. God is outstanding and His strength and beauty are outstanding, but man is mere dust and returns to dust. Recently, scientists discovered that the chemicals found in man and the chemicals found in dust are the same - which proves man's creation from dust.

Man has nothing to glory in, as he was created only last, and with just ordinary dust (not even with paradise dust). Nevertheless man was a special creation of God. The very breath of God was breathed into man. This privilege of having God's breath or God's eternal life is given only to man. Just as God created man, the crown of His creation, out of dust, God now makes man a glorious being when he humbles himself as dust.

"The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (I Cor 15:45). The first Adam sinned and brought curse upon us all, but through the last Adam Who is our Jesus we can get back all the lost blessings. Let us humble ourselves as dust and allow God to form a glorious man in us.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

"IT IS I: BE NOT AFRAID"

"Straightaway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid" (Matt 14:27).

Jesus, all alone in the rough waters and without any human help or even a straw to clutch at, was calm and cheerful. On the other hand, the twelve disciples, many of them well-experienced in rowing in the roughest seas, and all of them sitting together in a ship, were screaming and crying!

Is it not amazing to see the lone man exposed to the boisterous sea, ministering hope and encouragement to the crowd that was safe aboard the ship? Do we not see here a most wonderful and astonishing contrast between divine serenity and human frailty?

While narrating this wonderful incident Mark states: "He cometh unto them walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them" (Mk 6:48). True, there are times in difficult situations when Jesus may appear to be passing us by, but He will never do so.

Dear reader, our Lord does not want us to be afraid even for a moment. Let us take our stand with Jesus, and refuse to be shaken by our trials, so that we may be able to help the shaken ones.

"O give me a faith that is active and patient,
That trusts in Thy power to keep me from harm,
In fiery trials that I may be radiant,
And rest in Thy love and be calm."

- TPM "Morning Manna"

LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE...!

Let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth" (Gen 1:15).

God set lights in the firmament of the heaven. "And hath raised us up together, and made us to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6). God has set us in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. When we receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit we enter into this heavenly kingdom. The place where God has kept us, wherever it may be, is heaven for us; it should be taken as heaven by us. Then we shall be able to shine and give light to others. But if we choose a place for ourselves according to our own will the place may appear like heaven, as Sodom did to Lot when he chose it, but it will soon turn into hell for us, like Sodom did when fire and brimstone was rained. Instead of emitting rays of light we shall be engulfing others in darkness.

God has set us in heavenly places and He expects us to give light to the earth. God's method of ruling is by giving light and this is the excellent way to rule. Rulers should be exemplary. The ruling should not be based on power but should be character-based. We need revelation and enlightenment to live a selfless life and rule according to the pattern set by God. Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt 5:16). God wants us to give light to the earth through our good works.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple" (Psa 27:4).

David desired one thing, and he desired it with all his heart; his one desire was to behold the Lord. God's desire is that we too be single-minded in our seeking after Him. If we allow ourselves to be distracted by anything, we shall never succeed in this, our most important spiritual quest.

Paul was similarly single-minded: "This ONE THING I do," he said, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:13, 14).

The Lord is asking you one thing today: Are you a person of one mind, or is your mind set on a number of different things? What are you seeking? Maybe the devil is tempting you to focus your mind on the things of this world. Jesus rebuked Martha with the words: "Martha, Martha, thour art careful and troubled about many things: but ONE THING is needful: and Mary hath chosen THAT GOOD PART which shall not be taken away from her" (Lk 10:41, 42). If you neglect that one thing, you will worry about a multiplicity of other things, about things that can be taken away from you.

Some never acquire any goals other than material ones; all they desire is to realize their material goals, and go to the grave. Our goal must be beyond the grave.

David had confidence that he would achieve his aim, for in Psalm 23 he says: "SURELY... I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." Let us have one AIM, and let us set our mind on it.

- TPM Morning Manna

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.

- TPM "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.

- TPM 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.

- TPM 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.

- TPM 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).

- TPM 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!

- TPM Morning Manna

"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.

- TPM 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!

- TPM Morning Manna

RESIST DISCOURAGEMENT...!

To overcome discouragement we need to first know how 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.

- TPM 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?

- TPM Morning Manna