The Meals

Entrée

Do You Really Know Who You Serve?

The Manna Chef

God has been speaking to me about how little His people truly understand how great He is.  Our limited understanding cannot begin to comprehend His majesty, His sovereignty, or His character. 

Isaiah 40:12-31 gives us a glimpse of:

  • God’s power to create
  • God’s provision to sustain
  • God’s continued Presence to help

God spoke the world into existence.  Your words matter, so speak to life to everything around you.  We carry that creative power on the inside of us.  That’s why we have the power to influence the atmosphere.  Use your authority carefully.

God sustains us like no one else can.  He provides the vision and the provision.  He provides the manna to us each day, a right now word for our lives.  And His help is ever-present.  He’s always there; we just need to get into position.

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Entrée

Peace, the Road to Rest

The Manna Chef

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

Our theme for today is PEACE.

Peace: a state of tranquility or quiet; freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions

The work of righteousness will be peace,

And the effect of righteousness,  quietness and assurance forever.

My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,

In secure dwellings, and in resting places (Isaiah 32:17-18, NKJV)

And the effect of righteousness will be peace [internal and external], and the result of righteousness will be quietness and confident trust forever.

My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, in safe dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.  (Isaiah 32:17-18, Amp)

Righteousness leads us to peace and peace leads us to rest.  The place of rest is both spiritual and physical.  You can find yourself in chaotic environments and not be affected because you’ve found your way to the secret place of peace in God.  Psalm 91 reminds us: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”  God is our refuge and fortress, our ever-present help in times of trouble.  He is always there.  That is why we can have peace in the midst of our storms, because we know Who is in control at all times.

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Entrée

It’s Bigger Than You

The Manna Chef

Sometimes life can seem so complicated that you feel like you’re in this thing all by yourself.  Everywhere you turn, there is a hurdle to jump.  You ever find it hard to catch your breath because so much is going on? 

There was a time when life seemed so overwhelming that I just wanted to give up; not on living, but in ministry.  I felt like I was becoming stagnant.  I was pouring out so much, but very little was being poured back in.  I didn’t have balance in my life.  I was doing the best I could; but I was on “empty.”  You know what?  People will use you up if you allow them to do it.  I was pretty much exhausted and I was becoming bitter.  And I’m talking about in ministry and in life.  I wanted to throw in the towel; it had become too much. 

But the Holy Spirit was right there in the midst of all of my challenges.  He listened to me vent and then He checked me.  I don’t know about you, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t coddle me.  I don’t have many of those tender, sweet moments when it comes to me basically complaining to God.  He listens and then gets on my case.  I describe it to my friends like He has me in the boxing ring, tearing me up!

The Spirit of God reminded me that although I do have a choice, there is really only one choice to make if I want to receive the promises of God and be who He designed me to be.  I have to be obedient to Him and stay centered in His will.  We have to learn how to position ourselves to receive from God. My life belongs to Him, so I’m here to do His will.  That’s the bottom line for me.

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Entrée

Immediately vs. Eventually

The Manna Chef

It is important for the children of God to learn to move when God instructs us to do so.   Our blessings are awaiting our arrival!

(2 Kings 5:1-13)

There was a commander of the army of the king of Aram, and his name was Naaman.  He was a great man, highly regarded because he had been victorious in battle.  He was a brave soldier, but he had leprosy. 

  • Even when others perceive us to be great, we are flawed individuals who are dependent on the One true and living God.

There was a young girl who’d been taken captive from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.  One day she said to Naaman’s wife, “If only he would go to see the prophet in Samaria, he would be cured.”

  • God places people strategically in our paths to lead us to where we need to be.  It’s important to be obedient to the Spirit of God and to treat others with respect.  You may be carrying the key to someone’s deliverance in your mouth (and they may be carrying yours).

Naaman told the king what the young girl had said and the king told him to go.  He said, “I will send a letter with you to the king of Israel.”

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Entrée

Do You Recognize the Manna?

The Manna Chef

In Exodus 16, God provided manna for the children of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness. We’ve heard the story before: they began to complain against Moses and Aaron because they were hungry. They asked, “Why would you bring us out here to die? At least we had meat and bread in Egypt. We’re worse off now than where we were before.” Be careful longing for the past when God has delivered you and instructed you to move forward to your destiny. Don’t let the trap of comfort keep you from your promise of destiny.

You ever notice how your temperament changes when you are hungry? There’s even a goofy word for it now: hangry. We get cranky and mean sometimes, just because we need something to eat. When we are hungry, we become motivated to act. Think about that for a moment. Hunger drives us to act. Be aware of what drives your hunger, and I’m not just talking about in the physical sense, because it influences how you will act.

And what are you truly hungry for? (Because thatleads you to do something about it.) Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” I’ll ask again, what are you hungry for? For some, it may be material gain. For others, it may be a closer relationship with family. Still others, it may be promotion on the job. Some hunger for power. And some simply want to be closer to God. You may even seek a combination of these. But remember, Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

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