DON'T LOSE YOUR FELLOWSHIP...!

We do not find the man with the woman when she was conversing with the serpent or when she was plucking the fruit from the tree or even when she was eating it. The very purpose of God in creating woman was so that she could be a help-mate for the man. God brought her to the man so that she might be with him always. When the woman lost her fellowship with the man she turned out to be a betrayer of God's love and truth.

Just as the woman was expected to be with the man always, the Church is expected to be in close fellowship with Christ, her Bridegroom - lest she be deceived by the devil and sin against Him.

Instead of making use of her precious time to commune with Adam, the woman was communing with the devil, the serpent. Very often, children of God who profess to have no time to pray or commune with God, have plenty of time to commune with the devil. We also need the fellowship of the saints who have have a close fellowship with the Lord.

Let us maintain our fellowship with the Lord and His saints. If we try to find fellowship with someone else we may fall into the snare of the devil. "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?" (Jms 4:4).

"Have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ." I Jn 1:3

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

TREASURES OF THE SNOW...:

"Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?" (Job 38:22).

It appears from this text, that there aer treasures in the snow. In the Word of God, snow is compared to purity. "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa 1:18). The Psalmist says, "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow" (Psa 51:7). From this we understand that purity of life is like valuable treasures.

Snow is always cool. Those who live a holy life will always be gentle and comforting to others even in most distressing situations. Snow is transparent and crystal clear. If we really love purity of life, we will not show one thing on the outside and be different inside. Having a transparent character is having no hidden sins, no hidden unclean motives. Snow melts in the sunshine; the hearts of those who love holiness always melts in the presence of God.

Many people of God have not experienced the treasures found in a holy life. Please observe, what God questioned Job was not, "Has treasure entered into you?" but, "Hast thou entered into the treasure?" The ocean entering into you and you jumping into the ocean are two different things. Similarly, there is difference between holiness entering into you and you entering into holiness. When you enter into holiness of God you are inside the ocean of God's holiness and that ocean is encompassing, covering and crowing you. It is like God possessing you, rather than you possessing God. You are enjoying the grace of God, but you enjoying the God of all grace is something better.

Dear child of God, why don't you enter into the treasures of the snow? Why don't you dedicate yourself right now to enter into these treasures of purity?

Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

THE WONDERFUL BOOK...!

"Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for My mouth it hath commanded, and His Spirit it hath gathered them" (Isa 34:16).

What an inspiring and encouraging verse this is! The Scriptures, the Word of God or the Bible, as we call it, was gathered together or compiled by the Spirit of God - 'His Spirit' (Holy Spirit). In fact, the blessed Trinity is involved in the collection of the contents of the Scriptures. 'The Lord' is Jehovah or the Father. 'My mouth' - here 'My refers to the Lord Jesus Christ; 'His Spirit' refers to the Holy Spirit.

What an encouragement it is for all of us to know that the Bible we hold in our hands has come from the triune God and is complete in itself! How sad it is that some people wanted to add the Apocrypha to it! Look at the warning in the last book and in the last chapter of the Word of God. "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book" (Rev 22:18,19).

May the Lord grant us the grace every day, to find the wondrous things in this wonderful book given to us by the wonderful triune God.

"Thy Word is like a deep, deep, mine,

And jewels rich and rare

And hidden in its mighty depths

For every searcher there."

"Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law" (Psa 119:18).

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

DISCOVERY OF DIVINE NEUROLOGIST...!

Recently a leading neuro-surgeon discovered that the speech centre in the brain has total control over all other nerves. This fact was written in the Bible thousands of years ago.

James, the "divine neurologist" says, 'The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body" (Jms 3:5,6). This amazing discovery made by James was but a supernatural revelation from God.

It is estimated that every human being has about a hundred million neurons or nerve cells in his body and that each neuron can contain about 5 billion (five thousand million) bits of information! Is it not wonderful (perhaps shocking to some of us) to discover that our tongue virtually has total control over these hundred million neurons in our body!

If you say, "I am very weak," immediately instruction from the Speech Centre goes to all the nerves: "Be prepared to be weak." Instantly your whole body feels a tendency to relax, to go to bed, etc. You don't seem to have energy to do any work.

Similarly when you say, "Mr.A is a very bad fellow," straightaway all your nerve cells accept it as a fact and adjust themselves to that. Afterwards, if someone tells you that Mr.A is a very good man, all your nerves immediately get irritated and upset. On the other hand, in case you hear somebody say, "Mr.A is a very bad man," you feel very happy and may say, "You are right. I quite agree with you." Perhaps you do not realize that all your nerve cells are so obedient to your tongue, that, even if others see a thousand good things in that person, you cannot find any good in him. The simple reason is that you have already instructed your 100 million nerves accordingly!It has been rightly said, "The greatest point of danger in the world is the tip of the tongue." So dear Child of God, be careful how you use your tongue.

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

ATTRACTIVE NATURES...!

"Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil" (Gen 2:9).

The tree of knowledge had nothing evil in itself, as much as there is no evil in God. It's the disobedience of man that brought the evil effects. True knowledge is to fear God and obey Him, and the knowledge to disobey Him is evil.

God made every tree in the garden pleasant to the sight and good for food. God wants everyone in the Church to be pleasing in the sight of God and man, and to be a source of good spiritual food to others. Also, everyone in the Church of God should be a tree of life which is a source of eternal life to others.

It was the fruit of the trees that was pleasant to the sight and good for food. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal 5:22, 23). These divine natures are pleasing to God and man and are a good food that satisfies the spiritual hunger of others.

The condition set for obtaining eternal life and growth in divine character, is obedience. If we disobey we will lose eternal life and we will have no place in the Church of God.

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

CHRISTIAN WITH A BACKBONE...!

"Keep thyself pure" (I Tim 5:22).

A deeply committed Christian girl who was very bright in her studies faced a problem. Of the many books she had to study in her degree course, there was a particular book which, she knew, contained defiling matter. As she had kept her life pure all along, this was a challenge to her. See had to choose between not reading the book and failing in the examination, and reading it and securing a pass. She prayed about the matter and decided it would be better to fail in the examination than get her mind defiled.

In the examination paper substantial marks were reserved for the question from that book. In the question it was required that comments about the book be written in one page. She prayed and wrote a whole page on how the contents of the book could defile a young person, and about the repercussions of defilement; she very strongly condemned the book. When the results were out, she found, to her surprise and joy, that she had secured that maximum mark in that examination.

Dear child of God, are you willing to pay the price to keep your life pure? You must be a Christian with a backbone. "The man who cannot stand for something may fall for anything." Stand up for holiness!

The greatest failure in life is moral failure.

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

SHALOM SHALOM...!

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee” (Isa 26:3)

The words ‘perfect peace’ are translated as 'shalom shalom' in the original Hebrew, meaning ‘double peace’ or ‘double health.’ If your mind is stayed on the Lord or, when you trust in the Lord, the Lord will keep you in shalom shalom i.e. in perfect peace, and in perfect health also. If your mind is always on your problems and not on the Lord, then you will be worrying all the time. However, when your spiritual eyes are upon the Lord, you will always enjoy tranquility or perfect peace.

Perhaps today you are sick; if your mind is on the sickness then the symptoms and manifestations of your sickness, and people’s opinions about that sickness will frighten you. However, if you are trusting in the Lord i.e. if your mind is stayed on the Lord, the Lord is able, not only to heal you but also to restore health and peace to you.

Dear child of God, you may say that you are trusting in the Lord, but your mind may be wandering and worrying, and dwelling on your problems. What does the Word of God say? “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:6,7). It does not say that all your prayers will be answered the way you want them answered. But if you are confident that your worries are known to God, you get peace of mind.

Your God is greater than your problems and He is so great and wise that He has a perfect solution for all your problems.

“Oh to trust Him then more fully!
Just to simply move
In the conscious calm enjoyment
Of the Father’s love!”

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

POTENTIAL OF GREAT GRACE...:

"God created great whales... which the waters brought forth abundantly" (Gen 1:21).

Great whales can be brought forth only in waters deep and wide. Similarly, great saints can be made only by great grace.

We find a great whale protecting the erring saint Jonah from the dangers of the sea and bringing him to the shore as a changed man. So also, we need great saints who protect erring saints, who bear the mistakes of the people of God and protect them from this world of sin through their prayers, and help them to reach the heavenly shore safely. The Church is in great need of saints with such large hearts. St.Paul, while speaking to the backslidden Corinthians, says, "Our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged" (II Cor 6:11).

Great whales should always be in abundant waters, for otherwise they will die. We are called with a great, high calling and therefore we should have 'great grace' - without which we cannot survive.

Dear reader, the great grace in us is able to make great saints of us. St.Paul says, "I am what I am by the grace of God!" The only limit to God's grace is the limit we put on it.

Whales are usually caught in estuaries where the river falls into the sea. When they drift into the shallow waters of the river they are trapped there. So let us be careful not to drift into spiritual dryness.

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

GOD WHO WORKS IN THE NIGHT...:

It is interesting to see how God works for His people. When the Israelites were confronted by the Red Sea in front of them and pursued by the Egyptians from behind, the Lord worked on their behalf. "The Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind ALL THAT NIGHT" (Exo 14:21). Let us not forget, that God was working that night, yes, ALL THAT NIGHT! Very often, when we face dark nights in our spiritual lives, we tend to forget the fact that God is working ALL NIGHT. True enough, at times we are in the dark and do not know where to go or what to do or how to face the morrow. We feel we have been left high and dry, but thank God, we have a wonderful Saviour Who works on our behalf ALL THAT NIGHT.

The world's most precious and brilliant stones are formed in the crust of the earth, while lying in total darkness for vast periods of time. We are the living stones that God has chosen for the foundation of New Jerusalem. The more we go through darkness, the brighter we shine for His glory! For those who triumphantly survive the dark night, the Lord comes in the morning as the Bright and Morning Star.

Dear reader, you may be faced with an impossible situation. The night may be very dark. Do not forget that God is working through the pitch darkness of that night and turning all things for your good. Strengthened by this thought, take courage and obey His command - 'Go forward.

"Step out in the storm that would crush you!
Step out in the night that would hush you!
And you will find,
There was one watching there,
The whole night through working, watching, waiting."

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

DO YOU WANT GOD'S GUIDANCE...?

A certain man of God has said, "If you are living in the Spirit you can do more things in one hour than all you can do in your whole lifetime if you were living a natural life." Pastor S.B.Earnest used to say that we can live our life in two ways. Birds can walk and birds can fly. By walking a bird can cover a distance. But by flying it can cross mountains and rivers and other hindrances. A life that is guided by the Spirit is like a bird flying.

The journey from Egypt to Canaan was only a eleven-day journey but the people of Israel took forty years for that (see Deut 1:2). It was the Lord Who guided them and not man. Why then did God take them around for forty years? God guides us according to the state of our heart.

God had not wanted to take them through the wilderness but because of the state of their heart He had to do it. For some of us it is a desert journey all the time. The desert is a place where there are no flowers, no grass, no leaves, no shade, no fruits; it is a dry and desolate place. If God is to give us guidance, if He is to lead us in the way He wants to, our heart should be right with God. If our heart is stubborn and hard, the paths God leads us in will be hard.

"Such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity" (Psa 125:5). If we hold on to our crooked ways, the Lord will not show us His perfect ways. So let us fear the Lord and depart from every appearance of evil. "What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose" (Psa 25:12).

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

STARTING AND ENDING WITH GOD

"In the beginning God..." (Gen 1:1)

God is at the beginning of the Scriptures, and also at the end. 'Amen' is the last word of the Bible (Rev 22:21), and one name for God is 'Amen' (Rev 3:14).

'Amen' also means 'so it is' or 'so be it.' We must begin our life with God and also end it with God. Then God will say 'Amen' as a word of recognition and appreciation as we finish our earthly life.

The last word in the Old Testament is 'curse' (Malachi 4:5). The Old Testament which is otherwise known as the Law, ended in a 'curse' and not in a blessing. If we are to end our life with God, we must not be bound by the law but by love.

It is also interesting to observe that while the Bible begins with 'God' and heaven and also ends with 'God' and 'heaven,' the book of Genesis begins with 'God' and 'heaven' but ends with 'death' and a 'coffin in Egypt'. "Joseph died, ... he was put in a coffin in Egypt" (Gen 50:26). While God offfers heaven to us at the end, Egypt or this world can offer only death and a coffin.

Child of God, it's important to begin your life with God, it's important to begin every year, every month, every day, every project, every thing you embark on, with God. It's even more important to finish it gloriously, to finish it with God.

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

GREATNESS

"Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side" (Psa 71:21)

When God increases your greatness, one thing is very sure - you will find comfort everywhere and the Lord Himself will be comforting you in times of trials and troubles. However, in Daniel 8:4-7, we read of a ram (male sheep) becoming great by pushing westward and northward and southward. "I saw the ram pushing westward and northward and southward... he did according to his will and became great." Yes, you can become great in two ways. First, according to Psalm 71:21, when God increases your greatness, you will be great indeed. Secondly, as mentioned in Daniel 8:4, you can become great by pushing yourself around - doing your own will and influencing people with money, materials or alluring words.

What happened to the ram that pushed and became great? In verse 5 we read that a he-goat came in a rage and stamped the ram to the ground and destroyed it. This is a warning for all those who usurp authority to be leaders - politically, spiritually or otherwise. With your pushing and pulling, your manoeuvring, manipulating or crookedly influencing people with sweet words or attractive incentives, you may become great. But remember, the end will be disastrous; you will never find comfort in your elevated position. However, when God raises you, no one can stand against you, and in every situation the Lord will comfort you; you will find comfort and will be a comfort to others.

"Ability may take you to the top but only character can keep you there."

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

HE CARES FOR YOU

"Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands; thy walls are continually before Me" (Isa 49:14-16).

How often, in our distresses and difficulties, we think the Lord has forsaken us or forgotten us! In the above text the Lord wants to show us how much he cares for us and watches over us.

"Can a woman forget her sucking child?" Some mothers forget their grown-up children at times, but a mother can hardly forget her sucking child, as the child is helpless without her. But the interesting truth the Lord reveals here is that, even if the mother forgets her sucking child, and does not have compassion on it, he will never forget us. In another place he promises, "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee" (Isa 54:10).

How mindful the Lord is of those who cling to Him, of those who trust Him like a baby does!

"I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands." We can always see what is written on our palms unlike something written anywhere else. The Lord wants to assure us that just as a name that is engraved on the hand of a person is always before his eyes and therefore cannot be forgotten, He cannot forget us. Our names are not simply 'written' but 'graven' upon the palms of His hands. It is very painful to engrave something on our hands and whatever is engraved cannot be easily erased either. So one loves very dearly the person whose name is engraved on one's hand. How much the Lord must love us then!

"Thy walls are continually before me." The Lord has promised that He will be a wall of fire around us. The Lord not only sets a wall of fire around us, but he is also watching over the wall so that no enemy may penetrate the wall. If there is a wall of fire around you, the enemy cannot penetrate it; he will be consumed in the fire if he tries to!

O dear child of God, you are well protected and well cared for by the Lord. So cast all your care upon Him. "If the Lord careth for thee, be thyself at rest," said Archbishop Lieghton.

"He careth, He beareth,

I'm graven in the palms of His hands;

He watcheth and guideth,

He makes the bitter sweet to me."

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

A YEAR WITH GOD BEFORE US

"I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: and I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places" (Isa 45:2,3).

This will be true for us in this New Year. Surely the Lord will go before us. We may face crooked situations (and people), but the Lord will straighten them up as we follow Him. We may also confront many obstacles, like the gates of brass and bars of iron that threaten to halt our spiritual progress; but the Lord Himself will break in pieces such gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron.

"Treasures of darkness" - There may be dark patches in our path, but the Lord has promised to give us many precious souls in darkness, as special treasures this year.

"Hidden riches of secret places" - Here the "secret places" speak of the secret chamber of prayer life - dwelling in "the secret place of the Most High" (Psa 91:1). There are hidden riches for those who have a deep prayer life.

Like the people of Israel, we are in a wilderness journey, but the Lord Himself promises to go before us. "My presence shall go with (before) thee and I will give thee rest" (Exo 33:14). His presence is going to give us rest. And His presence shall go with us till we reach our eternal rest.

The Lord did not say, "My presence shall abide with you" but, "My presence shall go unto you." God's presence has a 'go' in it. It will make you go forward; it will make you an ongoing vibrant Christian. The gospel has a 'go' in it. "Go ye therefore... and teach all nations... Lo, I am with you alway" (Matt 28:19,20); "The Lord shall fight for you... go forward" (Exo 14:14,15).

In this New Year, the Lord wants to fight all our battles but on the condition we keep going forward.

We know that our future is going to be blessed because our Lord holds our future. He certainly has great plans for us. We may not know the path we may have to traverse this year, but we know Who goes before us, and that makes all the difference.

"The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not" (Isa 58:11).

"I have a Guide Who never falters,

And when He leads I cannot stray,

For step by step He goes before me,

And marks my path; He knows the way."

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

BORN TO FLY...!

An eaglet knows that it is going to fly one day like its mother – not creep on the earth or walk on the ground. We are begotten of God. The name of our Jesus is Wonderful. His children are also wonderful like Him. That’s why the Word of God says, “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel” (Isa 8:18). Our wonderful Jesus makes our life wonderful.

Let this wonderful Jesus come into your life. He wants to make your life wonderful. He desires to do wonders in your life. He will turn the bitter into sweet. He will turn water into wine. He will turn darkness into light. He will create everything out of nothing. Your thoughts, your words, your character, your peace, your joy, will all become wonderful. Everything connected with Jesus is wonderful; He will make everything connected with you also wonderful. This life with Jesus is most wonderful and exciting.

Our Jesus is going to do something most wonderful very, very soon. A thing that has not been done since the creation of man, the most wonderful thing that can ever be done, will be done perhaps even today. On a wonderful day, Jesus will come in a wonderful way with His wonderful angels and His wonderful saints. And this body of ours will be changed in a wonderful way. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye… we shall be changed” (I Cor 15:52). “Then we… shall be caught up together… to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thess 4:17). The Rapture is going to be the most wonderful of wonders.

Child of God, we are not born to die; we are born to fly. When our Jesus comes, our feet will not be on the ground. In a wonderful way, we will fly to meet the Lord. Are you ready for that?

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

"ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS"

"They cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as He went, they spread their clothes in the way" (Lk 19:35, 36).

What an honour the donkey got when Jesus sat on it! Wherever the donkey went it got a red carpet welcome - people spread their clothes and branches of trees on its way; it did not walk on ordinary ground.

If the donkey had suddenly for one moment thought, "All these people are honouring me because of my greatness," and thrown Jesus off its back, guess what would have happened! The very people who put their clothes and branches before it would have stoned it!

Precious child of God, now you are blessed with all kinds of material and spiritual blessings all because Jesus is sitting on you. If you forget Jesus everything will change. Oh dear donkey, don't ever forget that one day you were bound, that one day you were useless, that one day you were wild, that one day you were hopeless and love-less. All the blessings you see now, all the blessings you had in the past, and all the blessings you are going to enjoy, are all because of Jesus. Let Jesus take all the glory for your life.

Finally, Jesus took the donkey to Jerusalem, the holy city of God. The poor donkey would have never expected to go to Jerusalem. Beloved one, after Jesus comes into our lives He does not leave us halfway and go away. He wants to take us to New Jerusalem and Zion. "I will never leave you or forsake you."

The donkey could have asked, "Jesus, what goodness did you find in me to choose to sit upon me and take me to the holy city of God?" Child of God, you do not deserve to go to New Jerusalem. Jesus Who loved the donkey loves you very much. The same Jesus Who took the donkey to the city of God wil certainly, by the mercy of God, take you to New Jerusalem and Zion.

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

DO YOU LOVE LIFE?

"He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile" (I Pet 3:10).

Here you see the frightening fact that if your tongue is evil, your future is bound to be evil. "He that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil." In other words, if your tongue is evil, you virtually hate your own life; you don't want to see good days ahead of you.

Your life is closely linked to your tongue. When your tongue is evil, your life also is evil. Similarly, if your tongue is sweet, gracious, compassionate and kind, your life also will be just the same. "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life" (Prov 15:4).

Do you often desire to die? You may have your excuses; you may say it is because of this problem or that. But the real problem is your tongue. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov 18:21). When your tongue is evil you do not love life, but rather hate life. When the tongue is a fountain of life giving forth sweet and gracious words, you will find your life to e full of grace and goodness; you will not want to die.

"...his lips that they speak no guile" - If you are dishonest or deceptive in your words, if you speak with a double heart, you certainly shall not see good days.

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

ENJOY A CURSE-FREE LIFE

"Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee... in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Gen 3:18,19).

God made a beautiful garden out of the ground, but man's sin brought weeds and thorns into it. Sin produces thorns in your heart - natures that prick and hurt you, as well as others. Jesus wore a crown of thorns, taking this curse upon Himself, so that you might not be a thorn.

"In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." This is the first mention of sweat and bread. Before falling into sin man did not have to labour for food. He was happy with fruits - for which no labour was necessary. But now he has to toil. Just as his heart had hardened after sinning, the ground too had become hard and now needed to be tilled.

The Lord wants us to be free from worry over our material things. He wants us to cast all our cares on hIM. "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you" (I Pet 5:7). The Lord has promised to worry for us. So child of God, "Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" (Matt 6:31). It's the Gentiles (who know not the Lord) who worry about such things.

Jesus has paid a high price to earn for us a curse-free life. Are we enjoying this new life or are we still under the curse?

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

Snippets from the International Youth Camp 2008

In the International Youth Camp Sunday Morning Praising, Pastor shared a small story.

A boy prayed to God that if he passed his examinations, he would offer 1,000 praises to God. On the other hand, If he happened to fail, he vowed to offer 2,000 praises to God. Satan, on hearing his prayer, trembled and thought if this boy fails he will offer 2000 praises to God. So satan didn't try to fail him in the exam and helped him to pass the exam it seems. Satan will not be happy to see us praising our God.

What we get from this story is that we should Praise God more for the negative things happening in our life, to make abound God's blessings more and more in our daily lives.

[Contributed by a participant of the Youth Camp]

MY GOD!

"He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust" (Psa 91:2).

Though Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel, we don't read of him ever referring to the Lord as "my God"; but we see David saying "my God" many times. Paul says, "My God shall supply all your needs."

How does God become "my God" or a personal God? By receiving the Holy Spirit, by taking water baptism or by doing the will of God you cannot make God your God. For God to become "my God" I must delight to do God's will. "I delight to do Thy will, O my God" (Psa 40:8). You may do the will of God, but you may not be doing it joyfully. When you delight to do the will of God with joy, the omnipotent, omnipresent God becomes your own personal God.

Knowing God and knowing about God are two different things. By reading the Word of God, by listening to messages, etc. we come to know God. But we know God personally only when we live with God. For that we must delight to do the will of God. "Thy law is within my heart" (Psa 40:8). Unless we delight to do the will of God, we will not know our God with our heart, but only with our head.

When we take delight in doing the will of God, God will start delighting in us. All our songs, prayers and praises will be a delight to Him. When we don't delight in the will of God, even if our songs are melodious they will only be the 'noise of thy songs' to the Lord (Amos 5:23).

"My refuge and my Fortress: my God." Daniel delighted to do God's will, and God became his strong refuge. He was not afraid of the lions. He says, "My God hath sent His angel." If we don't delight in doing the will of God we will have only a false refuge. "The hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies" (Isa 28:17). If we do not do the will of God with joy and delight, one day we will realize that God is not our refuge, that all our refuges were only refuges of lies.

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

CONTEND FOR THE FAITH...!

"By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones" (Heb 11:22).

Faith gives us hope even in death. Joseph knew that one day God would visit His people and that his bones would not remain in Egypt (this world), but would be carried to Canaan (heaven). This is a type of the hope of the Rapture.

Joseph (by faith) 'gave commandment', not 'requested'. Even while dying, faith gives one a divine commanding authority and power.

"By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel;" This shows that, while dying, Joseph had a blessed hope before him of the departing of the children of Israel. Joseph's bones stand for the doctrines of Christ. Just as bones are the solid part of the human body, true doctrines are the solid part of the body of Christ, the Church. Jude says we should contend for the faith (doctrines) revealed 'once and for all' to the saints of God (Jude vs 3 - Orig). Joseph giving commandment concerning his bones when he died shows that even while dying, true saints should be strong and contend for the faith or doctrinal truths revealed to them.

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

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST...:

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen 2:24).

We find here, not only the responsibility of the man but that of the woman too. If the man is to leave his father and mother and cleave to the woman, he should find in the woman both a father and a mother or, a fatherly and a motherly nature. The Church that is to be presented before Christ should have a father's love and a mother's caring nature. What kind of nature does the Lord find in us? Would we qualify to be His Bride?

Just as a man loves his wife and leaves his father and mother and cleaves unto her, Jesus left His Father's bosom and Heaven and came to the earth in the likeness of man because He loved the Church. He then "gave Himself for it; that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:25, 27). How much the Lord loves us! How much do we love Him?

Christ and the Church are united through the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and the Church grows in that relationship by bearing the fruit of the Spirit. Let us be united to our Lord and bear fruit for Him. Let us be found as His spotless Bride when He comes to take us.

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

TAKE THE RIGHT ROAD

"And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see Him: for He was to pass that way" (Lk 19:4).

Many people run their spiritual race without any aim or target, but Zacchaeus ran along the very route Jesus was to take. Dear child of God, you may be running this spiritual race, but are you running along the road Jesus is taking? That alone can help you to meet Him and see Him face to face.

The Lord is eager to show you the way He is taking. If you will stop in your tracks and "see and ask" for the right way, "thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isa 30:21). So, set your heart towards the highway (Jer 31:21); turn your face towards it (Jer 50:5). Like the Psalmist, show the Lord your eagerness to walk in His way - "I will run the way of Thy commandments!" (Psa 119:32). "Seek and ye shall find!"

The word 'Zacchaeus' means 'white' or 'purity.' Jesus takes the road to Zion and New Jerusalem, the road to the Holiest of Holiest. So dear reader, if you do not love holiness, you cannot go His way. "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God" (Matt 5:8).

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

YOUR "ISAAC"

"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Heb 11:17,18).

'Isaac' stands for anything that we love dearly. To offer up our Isaac, we need faith.

The purpose of God in sending us trials is to get us to offer up our Isaac. Every trial speaks to us, telling us that there is something more to go out of our heart - be it our name, fame or any other Isaac! Every trial is meant to increase our faith. Our faith will not get perfected without our giving up our Isaacs.

"He that had received the promises offered up..." Our offering up Isaac shows that we have already received something better - Christ and His eternal blessings. We give to God our best as He gives us His best. Our giving to God can never exceed His giving to us. By faith Abraham received Isaac and by faith he gave up Isaac - what we receive by faith we must be willing to also offer up by faith.

Dear child of God, when the Lord blesses you, set not your heart on His blessings. Don't let yourself be distracted from loving the Lord supremely and exclusively.

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

LESSONS FROM A 'THIEF'

"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.

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

STAY IN THE 'GARDEN'

"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.

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

THE MEEK HE GUIDES...!

"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.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 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!"

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 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).

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

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 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.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 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!"

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