Category: Entrée

Entrée

Work it Out

The Manna Chef

I recently listened to Tye Tribbett’s “Work It Out.”  First of all, it’s one of my jammy-jams!  But beyond that, it’s an incredible reminder:  nothing is too hard for God to handle.  He tells us so in Jeremiah 32:27 (NKJV).

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.  Is there anything too hard for Me?

I was having one those moments when I desperately needed to be reminded, and then I heard “Work It Out.”  You ever feel like you’re alone in a valley looking up at a mountain that seems impossible to climb?  Well, I was there.  I was overwhelmed and exhausted, feeling like the test was just too intense.  I couldn’t even catch my breath.  And then I heard “Work It Out” in my office, and something on the inside refused to give in and throw in the towel.

You may not be able to see your way out, but know that God is always moving on your behalf.  You don’t have to know any answers right now; just trust that God knows everything, and He has already made the way for you even if you can’t see it yet.  God really is taking care of you, so just rest in Him today, Sisters.

I’ve had challenges even trying to rest sometimes; let me go ahead and be honest with you.  It’s difficult to rest when your mind and heart are racing.  You ever feel tightness in your chest when stress tried to weigh you down?  (If that tightness persists, please seek medical attention.) 

I had to just whisper, “Jesus, please help me.”  That was all I had left.  But He’s all I need, right?

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Entrée

Lord, Help Me Find Balance

The Manna Chef

In ministry, and life in general, one of the most important but often neglected matters is maintaining balance.  We are not spiritual super heroes walking around rescuing people.  We have been chosen by God to fulfill a function in the body of Christ, but don’t get it twisted, we are still human.  You are a spirit, possessing a soul, living in a fleshly body—and that body has real limitations. Mark 14:38 reminds us that although our spirit may be willing, our flesh is weak.  We need balance to help us to be effective in the work God has called us to do. 

It’s possible to lose your balance simply because you are overextended.  You can be so busy doing the Lord’s work that you wear yourself out.  God doesn’t get the glory out of you wearing yourself down.  He wants relationship with you more than seeing your name on the roster of 20 different church ministries.  Learn to say no.  If God hasn’t instructed you to do something, you’d be wise not to pursue it.

Think about things that throw us off balance:

Traffic, running late, putting out fires at work, the kids acting up, the spouse acting up, illness interrupts life, the car breaks down, the bills are piling up, and things just are not going as planned.

We get off balance when things move out of our control.  I have learned that there are some things I can control, and it is my responsibility to do so.  But there are other things, many other things, that are beyond my control.  Why wear myself out over something I can’t control?  Those things simply need to be turned over to God.  I can’t do anything about it anyway.

Maybe getting caught in traffic made you take time to breathe and talk to God?  He could be slowing you down to prevent you from a tragedy.  Have you ever made it through traffic to find that there was a horrific accident?  (God protects us every day from dangers seen and unseen.)  Maybe that issue with the kids or the spouse is your wake-up call that there are a few things that need to be addressed in your home.  Your home life should take priority in your life.  Children shouldn’t have to compete with the church for their parents’ attention. Maybe the craziness at work is stretching you to grow, preparing you for your next job.  Are you allowing your light to shine in the midst of the chaos?   

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Pray First

The Manna Chef

How many times has someone asked you to pray, and your initial response was to comfort her first and then pray?  Or maybe she asked for a listening ear and instead you offered unsolicited advice.  I’ll give you a second to think about your answer because it can happen so easily you may not even realize it.

Let me give you an example.  Recently, a dear sister sent me a text message and asked me to pray for her because she was receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and was feeling a little nervous about it.  Immediately, I slipped into “Mama mode,” asking which one and assuring her that she would be okay.  I shared what she could expect and offered genuine words of encouragement.  But that wasn’t what she asked me to do; she asked me to pray.  The Holy Spirit stopped me immediately and said, “Read her message again.” 

And there it was:

“Please pray for me.  I don’t like needles.” 

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Jehovah Jireh

The Manna Chef

Sisters, today I want to remind you that our God really is Jehovah Jireh—He will provide.  I want you to really meditate on that today, because God always takes care of His children.  And He gives us His best. 

Think about how God showed up for Abraham.  Remember that God provided a ram in the bush to take the sacrificial place of Isaac, right?  (Read Genesis 22:1-14 when you have some time.)  Well, today I decided to take a closer look at the timing of God as He allowed that ram to show up.  Abraham had already built the altar and had laid the wood in order.  Then he bound Isaac on the altar on top of the wood, reached out his hand, and took the knife, fully prepared to slaughter his son as a sacrifice to God, yet having faith that he and Isaac would both return from the mountain (see verse 5).

Did you notice that Abraham did all of the work to prepare Isaac to be sacrificed before God showed up with the ram?  I mean, have you ever wondered why Abraham didn’t see the ram before he even laid Isaac on the wood?   And did you happen to notice that Abraham obeyed God rather than ask Him why he’d been told to sacrifice his son in the first place?  Abraham followed the instructions, even to the point of grabbing the knife, and still believed that God would show up.  And of course, God did just that! 

So, Abraham named that place “The Lord Will Provide.”  And it is said to this day, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be seen and provided.” (Genesis 22:14 AMP)

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God’s Got the Details

The Manna Chef

Have you ever had a need that seemed so great that you honestly didn’t know how it was going to be met?  I’m talking about an obligation that goes far beyond what you have—tangibly.  Well, I found myself right in the middle of one of those days—trying to wrap my head around a million details to figure everything out.  I had made so many lists, determined be responsible in managing everything while trying to be a good steward.  The task was becoming quite a challenge too, even for someone who loves to deal with the details.  I became restless and agitated, and then the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “Remember, I have already taken care of every detail for you.  There is no need for you to spend your energy on figuring anything out, and there is no need to panic.  Just trust Me.” 

I am detail-oriented, so it is quite natural for me to focus on the small things.  But I will admit, this time I was drowning in those details.  I was feeling overwhelmed instead of excited by the move of God.  But after the Holy Spirit spoke, a calm came over me instantly.  I allowed myself to be very still and meditate on His actual words.  Did you get that?  I allowed myself a moment to be still.  My will was involved.  I could choose to believe the word of the Lord, or I could try to make things happen on my own.  I chose the former.  I didn’t fire back at the Holy Spirit with a million questions.  I didn’t ignore what He said, determined to do it in my own power.  I didn’t continue to try to figure it all out.  I didn’t doubt Him.  Instead, I believed that He would move on my behalf simply because He said that He would.  And He promised that He had taken care of every detail.

I thanked God for moving just for me, and I let go of what was becoming cumbersome.  Just like that, I decided to let go.  It wasn’t even difficult.  I was glad to cast that weight aside.  I turned on some praise music and went on with my day. 

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