[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
05.05.11

A Guilty Conscience

TEXT: GENESIS 42:21-38

"And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us" (Genesis 42:21).

Thought for the day:  "Is your conscience a guide to your action(s)?"

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Therefore, brothers, since they have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a brand spanking new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since they have a great priest over the house of God.

[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
06.05.11

God is on Your Side

TEXT: 2 KINGS 6:9-23

"And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kings 6:16).

Thought for the day:  "Our lives are hid with Christ in God"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
07.05.11

Got the Right Attitude?

TEXT: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-8

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians4:.

Thought for the day:  "Have the right attitude of gratitude and experience"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
10.05.11

Perseverance in Ministry

TEXT: ACTS 14:19-28

"And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:21,22).

Thought for the day:  "Perseverance is a great virtue in winners"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
12.05.11

Seeking to Find

TEXT: JOHN 20:10-18

"And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus" (John 20:14).

Thought for the day:  "An eye of faith never fails to see Jesus"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
13.05.11

Rich but Poor

TEXT: 1 SAMUEL 25:1-11

"Shall l then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that l have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom l know not whence they be?" (1 Samuel 25:11).

Thought for the day:  "True riches make others happy"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
14.05.11

No Personal Credit

TEXT: DANIEL 2:14-23

"Daniel answered and said, blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his" (Daniel 2:20).

Thought for the day:  "God will not share His glory with anybody"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
16.05.11

Doing Right

TEXT: 2 CHRONICLES 29:1-11

"Now it is in mine heart to make covenant with the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us" (2 Chronicles 29:10).

Thought for the day:  "Live and help others to live for Christ"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
18.05.11

Who is Your Friend?

TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 13:1-19

"But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man" (2 Samuel 13:3).

Thought for the day:  "The sheep that courts the friendship of a dog will feast on faeces"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
19.05.11

Our Glorious Hope

TEXT: 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1Thessalonians 4:16).

Thought for the day:  "For believers, death is a transition to a blissful eternity"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
20.05.11

Inordinate Ambition

TEXT: JUDGES 9:1-6

"Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh" (Judges 9:2).

Thought for the day:  "He that seeks to be great by all means seeks the path of self-destruction"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
03.09.11

You Must Pray

TEXT: EZRA 10:1-17

"Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore" (Ezra 10:1).

Thought for the day:  "Prayer is the force that moves the hand that moves the universe"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
07.09.11

Soulful Invitation

TEXT: NUMBERS 10:1-29


"And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses father-in law, we are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel" (Numbers 10:29).

Thought for the day:  "Compel them to come"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
08.09.11

Time to Repent

TEXT: ACTS 17:17-34

"And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:30,31).

Thought for the day:  "Repent, the Kingdom of God is at hand"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
09.09.11

Faithfulness

TEXT: REVELATION 3:7-13

"I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name" (Revelation 3: .

Thought for the day:  "Your faithfulness makes you trustworthy to God"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
11.09.11

Search Yourself

TEXT: PSALM 51:1-19

"Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions" (Psalm 51:1).

Thought for the day:  "Lord, help me to take a honest look at my life"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
19.09.11

Only One Desire

TEXT: PSALM 27:1-14

"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" (Psalm 27:4).

Thought for the day:  "God is never too late for those who wait for Him"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
20.09.11

Gain Through Pain

TEXT: PSALM 34:1-22

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all" (Psalm 34:19).

Thought for the day:  "The darker the night, the brighter the day"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
21.09.11

Persistence!

TEXT: MATTHEW 7:1-7

"Ask, and it shall be given you: seek and ye shall find: knock and it be shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7).

Thought for the day:  "He who ceases to pray ceases to prosper"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
22.09.11

The Best Gift

TEXT: MATTHEW 1:18-25

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

Thought for the day:  "A portion of heaven came to the world through the gift of Christ"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
23.09.11

The Word As a Lamp

TEXT: PROVERBS 6:20-24

"For the commandment is a lamp and the law is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life" (Proverbs 6:23).

Thought for the day:  "A single line in the Bible consoles more than all other books put together"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
24.09.11

Righteousness Pays

TEXT: PROVERBS 12:1-8

"The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand" (Proverbs 12:7).

Thought for the day:  "Good behaviour is a matter of choice"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
25.09.11

Keep to the Message

TEXT: MARK  1:1-8

"I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost" (Mark 1:.

The uniqueness of the personality and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ predates his physical manifestation. Long before He was born into this world, several prophecies had been given.

The passage today happens to be one of the most striking and most explicit of these prophecies. Not only because it came very close to the time He was to be manifested, but also because it is coming from a special messenger with a special message. It is very instructive to note that John the Baptist himself happens to be a man with a special mission. The circumstances of his birth, the character of his lifestyle, the content of his message all point to the uniqueness of his mandate. The manner in which he went about to deliver the message is a source of inspiration and challenge to many believers today. His lifestyle and body language as well as his proclamation of the good news heralding the coming of the Saviour presents us with a picture of a faithful and committed messenger. He shifts the focus of the people away from himself and prepared their heart for the coming Messiah. He de-emphasises personal agenda and directs the attention of his listeners to the Saviour.

The high point of his message climaxes when he declares that, "I indeed have baptised you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." This is a challenge to believers today to centre their message around the saving power in the blood of Jesus Christ.

Christ must always be the centre of our message. It is sad today that many people preach self, church or their pastor that tend to shift people’s attention from Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the whole world.

God is still looking for men and women who will single themselves out and respond to the call to carry the message of life to the dying world. May God find you dependable and available.

Thought for the day:  "A special mission requires a special man with a special message"

For Details . . .

[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
26.09.11

Divinely Approved?

TEXT: MARK 1:9-15

"And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mark 1:11).

Thought for the day:  "With God at work, we can achieve the extraordinary"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
27.09.11

Ready for Service?

TEXT: ISAIAH 6:1-13

"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me" (Isaiah 6:.

Thought for the day:  "Availability drives responsibility"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
28.09.11

God: Never Too Late

TEXT: LUKE 1:1-20

"But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John" (Luke 1:13).

Thought for the day:  "It pays to serve the Lord!"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
29.09.11

It's Still Possible

TEXT: LUKE 1:21-25

"Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men" (Luke 1:25).

Someone says, life is generally full of challenges and battles. The world in which we live has not always been particularly friendly to those that put their confidence in God. Satan attempts to hinder believers from getting their heart desires in order to discourage them from serving God.

However, the characters in our text have shown that they are a different species of people of God. Zechariah and Elizabeth had dedicated their entire lives to serve God in the temple though they had no children. Barrenness did not in any way reduce their commitment and consecration to God. In fact, it appears that the more the physical and emotional need, the more they re-dedicated their lives to God. They had become so engrossed in the work of God that they had practically forgotten the pressing needs in their families. Little wonder that when the angel appeared to Hezekiah to assure him that God was ready to give them a son, he never believed that it would still be possible. Elizabeth herself had grown so old that the hope of having a child had long been forgotten.

But the highpoint of the lessons in our passage is set forth in the response of Elizabeth when she confirmed that indeed God has visited her. The flood of joy that surged through her heart gushed out through her lips in an ecstatic expression of thanksgiving and gratitude to God. She showed that, at last, her reproach of childlessness has been removed, her many days of mourning now turned into joy.

The story of this Christian home is a challenge to every family where there is a trial of faith by way of childlessness, prolonged illness, poverty and other forms of needs that may have brought shame to the entire household. The message is that God never sleeps; He is still alive and He will make all things beautiful in his time.

There is need for us to have absolute confidence in God, in His unfailing promises. What God says He will do, He will do, regardless of the surrounding circumstances. Once we remain steadfast and committed to Him, though weeping may endure for a night, joy will definitely come in the morning

Thought for the day: "There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
30.09.11

Not Your Ancestral Line

TEXT: LUKE 3:23-38

"And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,  Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God" (Luke 3:23,38).

It is the practice in many quarters today to blame negative developments in peoples lives on ancestral lineages. Through this understanding, many refuse to take responsibility for their lives and developments.

It is important you recognise that as you go through life, your decisions and not your ancestral line will determine your destiny.

In our text, we discover that the lineage of the only begotten Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ was made up of the good, bad, beautiful and ugly. Consider Jacob, the supplanter, then Judah who ended up sleeping with his daughter-in-law. What do you say of David who murdered Uriah and took his wife? Don’t also forget father Abraham whose indiscretion in taking Sarah’s suggestion led him to sleep with his maid. This eventually led to the birth of Ishmael. Boaz came from Rahab, the harlot from Jericho. It is not likely that you will find any without a blot.

Yet, of this pack came Christ, the Son of God. He came and lived a sinless life and left the world without sin. He had troubles, was persecuted, suffered rejection and was killed by His own. The lives of His ancestors didn’t affect Him. He lived to fulfill His destiny. He knew why He came to the world and with determination He achieved it.

You should therefore take a cue from the life of Christ. Don’t blame anyone for your challenges or failures in life. Face them squarely; take decisions that will shape your life in the right way. Come off the blamegame, accept the Son of God and enjoy your life.

Thought for the day:  "Decision determines destiny"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
05.10.11

The Folly of Polygamy

TEXT: LUKE 3:23-38

"If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn" (Deuteronomy 21:15,16).

A pastor recently told the story about a man who came often to church; but his family never came with him.  One of the church members decided to go into the jungle area where the man lived to meet with the family.  He was shocked to discover that this church-attending man had two wives.  The visiting church member proceeded to tell the man that according to the Bible, having more than one wife was a sin, and that he must divorce the second wife to qualify for heaven.
   
The law in our text restrains men from disinheriting their eldest sons out of mere caprice, without just provocation.  In the case under consideration, the eldest son, though the son of the less-beloved wife must have his birthright privilege, which was a double portion of the father’s estate.  This is because he was the beginning of his strength.  The question here is: was polygamy God’s perfect will for them?  The obvious answer is no, because it brought about the problem of having one wife beloved and the other hated.  The truth is, just as it is not possible to serve two masters, no one can love two women equally.
   
In handling sensitive issues like polygamy among some church goers, we need to rely on the scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us.  We need to use Christ’s model of getting people converted before teaching them restitution, as shown in His interaction with Zacchaeus.  None of us have the personal power to forsake sin and make sense of our broken lives without the life and power of the indwelling Christ.

Thought for the day:  "Christ is the hope of every man"

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[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
11.11.11

Respite for the Favoured

TEXT: ISAIAH 27:1-13

"He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit" (Isaiah 27:6).

Thought for the day:  "Weeping may endure for the night, joy comes in the morning"

For Details . . .

[shadow=red,left]Daily Manna[/shadow]
12.11.11

Blessedness of Going Forth

TEXT: ACTS 13:1-12

"So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus" (Acts 13:4).

Whenever God sends a man on an errand, he gives him a message. The apostles of God in Antioch knew this very well, hence, their decision to seek the face of God in the selection of ministers to be sent out on missionary work. As the apostles fasted, the Holy Ghost asked them to separate Barnabas and Saul for the urgent task. And because they got the approval of the owner of the work before embarking on the assignment, the work prospered, so much that kings and princes believed the gospel.

The orderly manner by which the two missionaries were selected should be a challenge to us today. They were neither chosen on the ground of favouritism nor for any pecuniary reason. In the case of Moses, God raised him from infancy to deliver Israel from their captivity; Isaiah, was ordained of God; Jeremiah was commissioned by God, even when he argued, he was reminded that he was created for that purpose; God chose David, the youngest of the sons of Jesse, as a replacement for king Saul; He also sent Elijah, and many others. All those that were sent by God excelled and were used of Him to lead many to His Kingdom.

Today, owing to high level of unemployment in many countries and biting poverty, some so-called believers run to the field even when they are not sent. Their motivation is personal gain, fame and other mundane considerations without divine backing. Little wonder they make a shipwreck of their calling. Those who are sent of God must possess some basic qualifications of knowing the God of the work through repentance from sin. Every believer is eligible to bear the gospel to the world.

As a believer, you must not run ahead of God; wait on Him, seek His instruction and direction before you run. God never lays hands on any man suddenly, for He who created man knows what is in him. You can make yourself available today for God’s use. He is counting on you to take the gospel message to the dying world.

Thought for the day:  "Failure is improbable when there is divine approval"

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