Morning Manna (Nov. 24); BP: Acts 4:32-37; RBTTY: I Peter 1; Ez. 22-23
November 24 “Great Grace”
“And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own—but they had all things in common. And with great power gave the Apostles witness of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus—and great grace was upon them all.”
&n bsp; Acts 4:32-33
If His blessings to us are “exceedingly abundant” (Eph. 3:20), our praise to Him should also be lavish and unending.
Aren’t there times when you read God’s Word—particularly in the context of today’s Manna—when you wish you could have been there and experienced firsthand their “joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17b)?
Think about it:
The early Church was just emerging. They were still basking in the afterglow of Jesus’ Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost. On a single day “3,000 souls were added to their membership” (Acts 2:41) and everyone was excited to be together, study God’s Word, give to the needy, etc. (vv.42-46).
Is it any wonder “the Lord added daily to the Church such as should be saved” (v.47)?
No, it’s no wonder.
But, the question we should then ask is:
“Why can’t it happen again today?”
And the answer is?
“There’s no reason—no reason whatsoever!”
We still serve the same God, don’t we? And, He’s still omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, isn’t He?
So, why aren’t we experiencing such unity and an outpouring of our Lord’s blessing?
Simply because we don’t “hunger and thirst” for it like a starving, dying-for-a-drink, broken-before-the-Lord man. And, that won’t happen until we “humble ourselves, pray, seek His Face and turn from our wicked ways” (II Chron. 7:14a).
Yes, repentance is the key to receipt of God’s richest blessings. He cannot (and will not) pour His blessings into a dirty container or one that is full. Only a “broken spirit and contrite heart” (Ps. 51:17) can prepare the way for a new outpouring of His Spirit.
But, it can happen, Pilgrim. It can happen.
And, when it does, we’ll once again see “Holy Ghost boldness” like Peter and John demonstrated that day before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:1-22). Likewise, we’ll see “the place shaken when we pray and everyone filled with the Holy Ghost” (v.31) when we’re desperate for Him.
The key is “abiding in Christ” (Jn. 15:1-7) and “hiding His Word in our heart” (Ps. 119:11). And, when this happens, “great grace will be upon us” and there will be an unleashing of Pentecostal power in our midst. So, how badly do we want it, dear Pilgrim?
Morning Manna (Nov. 25); BP: II Sam. 5:17-25; RBTTY: I Pet. 2; Ez. 24-26
November 25 &n bsp; “Do You Hear It?”
“And let it be, when you hear the sounds of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then you shall bestir yourself—for then shall the Lord go out before you, to smite the host of the Philistines.”
II Samuel 5:24
If we’ll stop and listen, we might hear a rumbling on the horizon and a rustling in the treetops.
Bad news.
The headlines are full of it today. And, even if we don’t read the newspaper, watch the evening news or listen to the radio, we still hear it in the local coffee shop as folks sit around talking about the current state-of-affairs of things.
But, today’s Manna is a wake-up call to every Pilgrim to sit up and take notice. God is up to something in our world right now. In the midst of economic crises and political unrest there’s a quiet movement of God going on.
Picture if you will the days of old when kingdoms consisted of kings, castles, thrones, knights, etc. Through medieval paintings and Hollywood wizardry, we’re able to catch a glimpse of those days of yore when armies clashed with each other—their armor glistening in the noonday sun.
There were no smart bombs, laser-guided missiles or fireballs from the sky.
It was hand-to-hand combat, with the victory belonging to the strong of heart and limb. Assuredly, the advent of superior weapons contributed to one’s advantage; however, ultimately, the battle belonged to the ones who “wanted it the worst.”
In these dark days of “gloom, despair and agony on me,” it’s easy to become faithless and fearful. We keep wondering why God doesn’t suddenly show up and put an end to the sin around us. And, if we’re not careful, we’ll soon find ourselves becoming just like the unbelievers around us, who are more in tune with opinion polls and consensus than they are “Thus saith the Lord” and obedience.
Dear Pilgrim, we are much closer to Jesus’ return than we realize. For some time now we’ve been living in “the beginning of sorrows” (Mt. 24:8). His prophecy of “false christs, wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, famines, pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places, etc.” (Mt. 24:4-7) composes the daily headlines.
That’s why it’s important for us to “be still and know that He is God” (Ps. 46:10). Just as David and his men had to wait for “the sound of the going (Heb. ‘tes ‘adah’—‘marching, a going forth to battle, a regular pace, etc.’) in the tops of the mulberry/balsam trees,” so must we be patient for the coming of our Lord. Remember: No one has ever “ascended to the throne” without God’s permission or direction. He is sovereign and ultimately everything will turn out the way He prescribes. Therefore, rest in Him and listen, weary one. It’s not long until morning (Ps. 30:5b)—and how wonderful that Dawning shall be when King Jesus appears with His mighty, Heavenly Host. Glory! Are you ready??
