Author: The Manna Chef

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A Beautiful Scar

The Manna Chef

I recently watched (virtually) a dear Manna Sister share a word from the Lord.  It was a deliciously refreshing word, the kind that picks up your spirit and empowers you.  Within her message, she shared a verse that resonated on the inside of me:

Look at [the marks in] My hands and My feet, [and see] that it is I Myself. Touch Me and see; a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.”  After saying this, He showed them His hands and His feet.  (Luke 24:39-40 AMP)

Jesus was speaking to His disciples after His Resurrection.  Isn’t it interesting that Jesus didn’t present Himself to them without the scars?  I, mean, He’s God, so He certainly could have.  Instead, He used those scars to show them that He was real. 

I sat there reading the Scripture over and over.  It made me take a moment to reflect on my own life.  I recently shared with many of you via Zoom about the miraculous healing I experienced, as God saved my life.  What I didn’t spend a whole lot of time on was the huge scar that the surgery left.  

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God Cares

The Manna Chef

Sisters, I want you to know that God really does care about you.  Wherever you are in your walk with God, He sees you and cares so deeply about you.  Sometimes the enemy wreaks havoc in our minds, berating us about wrong decisions we’ve made and the circumstances in our lives that seem dire.  He wants us to focus on everything that seems wrong in our lives instead of focusing on all of those things that are right and blessed.  He doesn’t want us to think on any good thing, but God actually instructs us to focus on what is good.  Don’t believe me?  Check out Philippians 4:8 (NKJV):

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

It’s important for us to focus on what is good because if we’re not careful, we may lend an ear to the enemy and begin to believe what he’s saying when he whispers that God doesn’t really care; if He did, He wouldn’t allow things to happen to us that cause us great pain.   Has the enemy ever whispered that to you?  Just remember:  the enemy is the father of all lies.  Don’t believe him for even a second.  He wants your mind distracted from what God is doing in your life so that you won’t recognize how God really is moving in your life.

I need you to hear me today:  Sisters, God loves you!  He has left nothing to chance concerning you.  Yes, sometimes tests and trials are waiting at your doorstep.  And yes, there will be days when your heart is full of tears.  But God is actually counting and collecting your tears.  Psalm 56:8 (NLT) says, “You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book.”  He sees you at this very moment and knows everything that is going on in your life right now.  He hasn’t forgotten you, and He really does have everything, and I do mean everything, under control. 

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Listening for His Voice

The Manna Chef

I began my morning by asking God for a word for His daughters.  (I often do as I am walking my pup.)  By the time I arrived at my office, I was still waiting, so I sat at my desk and wrote on a piece of paper:

Father, today I am listening for Your voice (and Your voice only).

You see, there are many voices that gain our attention.   You may have actual people calling your name or seeking your attention at any given moment throughout the day.  Our cell phones keep us busy, whether we are actually communicating socially or conducting business or are enthralled by the happenings on social media.  The doom and gloom in the news can be a loud distraction.  Doubt and fear make a lot of noise.  The enemy is always standing by, telling you lies and trying to distort your perspective.  Even your own emotions can be cacophonous, so it’s important to allow yourself the moment to be still so that you can hear what the Holy Spirit is whispering to you. 

Will you commit to doing that today, Sister?

Life is full of distractions that take our focus off the voice of our Heavenly Father, so we have to be diligent in our pursuit of seeking His face daily.  We have to actively listen for His voice.  That means we are concentrating fully, taking time to understand what God is saying to us, and then responding in obedience to whatever God has spoken. 

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“Be” Where You Are

The Manna Chef

I need your attention for just a moment.  I know we are all trying to keep things moving forward in our lives, whether it’s a job promotion or a new house or car (or maybe even a new boo).  We find ourselves in a constant state of striving for something, always focusing on what’s next in pursuit of our goals and aspirations.  And that’s not a bad thing, necessarily.  I mean, you can find examples in the Word to support the act of pursuing, and it’s important to be ready to pursue.  For example, we know Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV) says:

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

We sure do know how to press, don’t we?  Many of us have had to press our entire lives.  It was necessary for our survival, but we cannot continue to operate in “survival mode” all the time.  It’s exhausting, isn’t it?  At some point, we must realize that we aren’t just survivors; we are more than conquerors!  So, I have something that may be revolutionary for some of you:  I want to encourage you to actually be still for a moment and press for His Presence not just His presents (blessings).  Just be still and enjoy the Lord, your God.

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The Second Time Around

The Manna Chef

Jonah 1:1-3

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

We know this story well, don’t we?  How many of us have actually been Jonah.  He fled and made his way to a ship headed in the opposite direction.  And we also know how that turned out:  the Lord sent a storm to the sea to get that brother’s attention.  In order to save the other men on the ship, Jonah suggested they toss him from the ship.  At first, they refused and the storm got much worse.  But once they did, the storm ceased. 

It’s interesting to me that in the midst of Jonah’s disobedience, God still used him to get the attention of those around him.  Verse 16 says, “Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows.”  God’s purpose will always be achieved whether you are obedient or not, just be aware that your actions do have consequences.  Jonah still wasn’t ready to do what God had instructed, so God prepared for an encounter with Jonah inside the belly of a fish for three days and three nights. (Think about the many ways God has to get our attention sometimes.) 

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