WORK OF ABUNDANT GRACE...:

"God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven" (Gen 1:20).

Waters show grace. The grace of God which is in us is able to bring forth ABUNDANTLY 'moving creatures' i.e. redeemed souls who can move the world for the glory of God. 'That hath life' - By receiving abundant grace we can bring forth an abundance of souls who can move others also in a chain-reaction.

"And fowl that may fly above the earth" - Souls who live a higher heavenly life are also formed by abundant grace. Such people CAN JUST FLY AWAY WHEN JESUS COMES. 'Fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven' - We cannot live or fly above the world unless we have the vision of an open heaven.

Child of God, God's abundant grace in us can do great things in us and through us. Let us not frustrate the grace that is bestowed on us. Let us keep dying to our self and allow the grace of God to work in our lives, so that we may be able to say like St Paul, "His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain."

- TPM Morning Manna

LET 'TERAH' DIE...!

"Terah took Abram... and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran and dwelt there... and Terah died in Haran" (Gen 11:31,32).

Although God spoke to Abraham and told him to leave everything and go to Canaan, Abraham could not go to Canaan till Terah died. 'Terah' means 'delay'. Terah made Abraham stay in Haran, that is, halfway through to Canaan. If 'Terah' lives in your life you will have only a half-hearted devotion to Christ. This is very true in many of God's people today. 'Terah', the spirit of procrastination or the spirit of delay, ruins many lives. They end up in Haran and not in Canaan. Canaan denotes the fulness of the blessings of the gospel. If 'Terah' is alive in your life, you may even stop short of a heavenly Canaan.

Many a saint has been destroyed by the spirit of delay. The angels of God had warned Lot in the evening that he should leave Sodom quickly with all his family, as fire was going to destroy that city; but 'he lingered' we read, till the next morning. We all know about the consequent disaster that struck his family. Indeed, our King's business requires haste.

Today, let your 'Terah' die - so you can march on to the land of Canaan.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

LOOK TO JESUS...!

When he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me” (Matt 14:30).

Peter took several steps on the water looking at Jesus, but the moment he saw the boisterous wind, he was afraid and began to sink. While faith stablishes, fear makes us sink. When walking on the water, Peter understood the strength of Christ that was able to keep him from sinking; when he took his eyes off the Lord he understood that his own weakness prevented him from keeping himself above the waters, that is, above the world. In the course of our trials, which may prolong for some period of time, we often come to an understanding of the power of Christ and the weakness of our faith.

"Beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me." Peter did the right thing here. Though he was sinking due to lack of faith, he knew Jesus was the only One Who could save him. There were eleven other disciples very near him in the ship, but he did not resort to them or request their help. "Vain is the help of man." Many resort to human remedies in their sicknesses and trials and become disillusioned, and fall into despair.

Perhaps you are about to sink in the sea of trials and troubles. Do not look at your weaknesses and at your trials, for that will make your fearful and make you sink. Look to the Lord alone and don't seek any human help. Look at the power of Christ.

"Look away to Jesus! Look away from all;
Then ye need not falter, then ye shall not fall
From each snare that lureth, foe or phantom grim
Safety thus insureth; look away to Him!"

- TPM "Morning Manna"

THE RIGHT PLACE TO GIVE...:

The first man to give tithe was Abraham. No one taught him this truth. Obviously, he learned the grace and glory in giving when the God of glory appeared to him (Gen 14:18-20).

Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, the priest of the most high God. We too should give tithes to Melchizedek - "without father, without mother, without descent..." (Heb 7:3). Jesus taught this consecration to His disciples - "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" (Lk 14:26). THOSE WHO HAVE NOT THUS CONSECRATED THEMSELVES ARE NOT SCRIPTURALLY FIT TO RECEIVE TITHES.

Before Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek, Melchizedek gave Abraham bread and wine (which is a type of giving Holy Communion). This shows that tithes should be given at the place where a believer worships and receives Holy Communion. Some think that tithes can be given where the need is most. But the Word of God says, "Unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose... thither ye shall bring... your tithes" (Deut 12:5,6).

Before Abraham gave tithes, he was blessed - Blessed be the most high God, Which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave Him tithes of all." Our giving tithes is a sign of gratitude and an acknowledgement that God has blessed us and given us victory over our enemy, the devil.

One older man testified that the Lord blessed him so much after he started giving tithes that he gradually kept increasing his giving to the Lord from one-tenth to nine-tenths! "Bring ye all the tithes... and prove Me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).

- TPM "Morning Manna"

THE SECRET OF GREAT SPIRITUAL STRENGTH...:

"There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb; if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man" (Judg 16:17).

Samson had a great, high calling. Before he was born an angel appeared to his mother and told her about his birth. Even his manner of life and his calling to be a judge were foretold. Despite all this, Samson's life and ministry turned out to be an utter failure. He lost all his strength and his anointing. He could not deliver the people of Israel from the bondage of the Philistines. He eventually committed suicide. Why? Had God failed to fulfil His plan concerning him? No, rather, Samson failed God by allowing a razor (sin) to come upon his head (thoughts).

We may have a great high calling on our life and God may have planned great things for us. However, there is a part that we have to play for God to fulfil His plan. We must keep our lives in purity.

Samson failed to keep his Nazarite vow and miserably failed God, but thank God, there was someone else in the Old Testament who kept his Nazarite vow. It was Samuel. His mother Hannah made a vow, saying, "If Thou wilt... give unto Thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and THERE SHALL NO RAZOR COME UPON HIS HEAD" (I Sam 1:11). Samuel kept this vow till the end of his life. As a result, he was given a multiple ministry that no one in the Old Testament had. Samuel was priest, prophet, and judge - three blessed ministries were bestowed on him, and in all these three offices he was outstanding. If we, like Samuel, will not let a razor come upon our head, if we do not let sin enter our thoughts, the Lord will richly bless us and make us a blessing to everyone.

Dear friend, perhaps today you feel like a Samson. You might have repeatedly given room to sinful thoughts and defiled your mind and failed God. Repent and come to the Lord. In this Grace Period, God can change a Samson into a Samuel.

- TPM Morning Manna

AN ENDLESS MORNING...:

God's work of creation ended in an endless morning: "And God saw every thing that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the MORNING were the sixth day" (Gen 1:31). Thank God, we do not find an evening in the seventh day: "And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all the work which He had made" (Gen 2:2).

Man's work usually finishes in the evening, but God's, in the BRIGHT MORNING which will be most glorious (when He appears for His glorious Church). It is therefore no wonder that, the meaning and mission of God's first message, "Let there be light" (Gen 1:3), is to be accomplished only in HIS LAST MESSAGE, "Surely I come quickly" (Rev 22:20).

Jesus, 'the True Light which lighteth every man' has already come once to this darkened world to dispel the darkness of sin, but the second time the same Sun of righteousness shall arise for those who have been delivered from the power of darkness and become the children of light.

"Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee LIGHT" (Eph 5:14).

May the glorious light of the gospel keep shining in our hearts, changing us from glory to glory till we are completely lost in that great glorious Light - JESUS CHRIST! Amen.

- TPM Morning Manna

SUBTLE PRIDE...:

Judas Iscariot was one who was puffed up with pride. He was so proud that he indirectly rebuked Jesus. He said that the ointment that was poured at the feet of Jesus should have been sold and the money used for the poor - as if he knew better than Jesus Himself! Perhaps Judas had the worst form of spiritual pride any man can have. Aren't we also guilty of thinking we are better than others?

Look at the way Judas died. Like Saul, he tried to commit suicide; but from the Scripture, it is obvious that he failed in his attempt. "Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out" (Acts 1:18). From this we can gather that while Judas was hanging (on a rope), the rope snapped and as he fell, a sharp stone or something on the ground cut such a deep gash in his abdomen that all his bowels gushed out. Just think of his state, lying there on the ground where he fell. It must have been a most horrible sight too. Beware of subtle forms of pride!

When a proud person prays, it is not Jesus but Satan who stands at his right hand. His prayer not only displeases God, but also becomes sin! We read this regarding Judas Iscariot - "Let Satan stand at his right hand... let his prayer become sin" (Psa 109:6,7).

May the Holy Spirit enlighten us to see the pride lurking in our lives. May the Lord help us to cast this demon of pride out of our lives - so that the mind of Christ may dominate our lives, bringing grace to us and to others.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

SHOUT OF VICTORY...:

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days" (Heb 11:30).

When we read the Book of Joshua we may not clearly understand how the walls of Jericho fell down. It was not because of the men who walked in front holding their weapons, nor because of the priests who blew the trumpets and carried the ark, nor was it because they walked seven days around the walls, and not even because they finally shouted. The reason is mentioned here - "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down." If they did not have faith they wouldn't have gone round the walls or shouted. They did all these things by faith and God gave them the victory. The weapon that the Lord gave them to conquer the walls of Jericho, was the weapon of faith; against it there is no weapon in the world or in the underworld. "The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds" (II Cor 10:4). In these days also we need that mighty faith to pull down the strongholds of the enemy.

When the Lord wants to do mighty things in the land, the devil may raise up 'Jericho walls' to frighten and threaten God's people. We should not be shaken by the devices of the enemy; we should by faith sound the note of victory. Canaan is for such people. Remember, they walked around the walls of Jericho for six days without seeing even a scratch appear on those huge walls. And on the seventh day, they walked seven times, about thirty-five miles in all. By that time they might have been extremely exhausted. Perhaps they did not have any strength to shout. If they didn't have faith, doubt would have mounted in them and they would have thought, "All these seven days of walking so many times did not make even a scratch on the walls. Now, when we are physically very weak, how can our shouting have any impact on them?" Their faith overcame all barriers.

Dear child of God, the Lord has given us the land; let us see it by faith and shout the victory. The Lord will do great things in those who believe; He will do great things through them.

- TPM Morning Manna

WAIT...!

"The ark rested... upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually... on the first day of the month were the tops of the mountains seen" (Gen 8:4,5).

Before the ark came to rest it was tossed to and fro on the waters, seemingly without any end or destination. The Lord had told Noah only about the imminent flood and nothing about its end. This must have been a test of his faith. He could have been alarmed at the possibility of running short of food, but we are very sure he wasn't. Noah, the man who walked with God and was perfect in his generations must have shouted on a note of triumph - "I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day!" (II Tim 1:12).

Just as Noah faithfully remained in the ark in his trial of faith, let us abide in Christ. Listen to Job's words of faith and hope as he waited for healing and deliverance: "I know that my Redeemer liveth... Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another!" (Job 19:25,27). When beset by trials sore, when problems seem to drag on endlessly, when all hope of ever seeing better days seems lost or remote, rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Fret not thyself in any wise.

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage... wait, I say, on the Lord!"

- TPM Morning Manna

DON'T WASTE YOUR BEST...:

Queen Victoria of Britain, being a godly woman, was concerned about the welfare of her subjects. She would often dress like a commoner and walk along the streets. She knocked at the door of the house of a well-to-do family living nearby, and asked whether she could borrow an umbrella. The lady who answered the door told her that she had two umbrellas an that she could lend her the old one. Queen Victoria agreed and took the old, tattered umbrella. On reaching the palace she sent a maid to return the umbrella to the lady and say that Queen Victoria thanks her for lending her the umbrella. The lady had a shock when she heard that the Queen had come to her house and she had not given her the good umbrella. She deeply regretted losing the golden chance to do the best for her Queen.

When Mary of Bethany gave the best ointment to Jesus by pouring it on Him, everyone thought it was a waste. Judas Iscariot was particularly annoyed and remarked that the money should have been used on the poor. But Jesus thought otherwise.

Anything you do for Jesus with love is never a waste but an eternal investment. The Father gave us the very best - Jesus; Jesus gave us the very best - His life. Should we not also give our best to the Lord?

Judas Iscariot regarded what Mary did for Jesus as a waste. But look at his life - he wasted his own life; he is even now wasting his life in hell and will be wasting it for all eternity.

Dear friend, give your best - your time, talents, treasure, everything to Jesus.

"Only one life, soon it will pass,
Only what's done for Christ will last,
Only one chance to do His will,
So give to Jesus all your days,
It's the only life that pays,
For you have but one life

- TPM Morning Manna

WHY LORD...?

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God" (Deut 29:29).

Many a time we ask why God allows sufferings. "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter," Jesus told Peter (Jn 13:7).

One reason why God allows sufferings is, to make us humble, to make us small and not great. God led the Israelites for forty years in the wilderness to humble them (Deut 8:2). When someone speaks evil of you, if you get angry, if you are hurt and not able to love that person, it is because of your pride! A hen can keep only one chick, and not another hen, under its wings. Unless we become small, God cannot keep us under His wings. We should not have any horns because we are going to fly. No flying bird has horns. Walk humbly with God.

Sufferings also help to change our character. (See Romans 5:3,4). 'Patience', in another translation, is character. Our sufferings are doing a beautiful work in us, forming a beautiful character in us. Our sufferings give us inner strength. So we have sufferings, not because our God hates us, but because He loves us! You may be going through a dark narrow tunnel, but at the end of the tunnel you see a light.

Don't stop your Christian life because of your sufferings - keep pressing on! Those who endured sufferings joyfully and pressed on were really blessed in the end. (Eg. Abraham, David, etc.) Those who do not like to suffer do not have a good end. (Eg. Lot, Saul, etc.) Saul did not want to suffer. He did not praise God even once. King David suffered and had a good end.

The end of our life should be glorious. If we grumble, murmur and get angry when we suffer, it will bring us no glory. GOD ALLOWS SUFFERINGS AND KEEPS WATCHING OUR ATTITUDE.

- TPM Morning Manna

DESPISE NOT YOUR HIGH CALLING...!

Come now therefore, and let us slay him (Joseph), and cast him into some pit, and we will say, some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams" (Gen 37:20).

We all know that Joseph had dreams that reflected his great high calling. God clearly showed him that he would have dominion over his brothers, and that his whole family would bow before him (Gen 37:7). When we look at the trials Joseph went through, we see that they were mostly attacks on his high calling. We read, "they hated him yet the more for his dreams" (Gen 37:8).

Do we realize that the devil hates us because of our high calling, and that he is all out to attack, not our material or physical life, but our heavenly vision (high calling)? Joseph was thrown into the pit to die a miserable death so that his dreams might not be fulfilled in his life. The devil, in his attempt to thwart God's high calling in our life, may throw us into a pit, into prison-like situations.

God called the people of Israel our of Egypt and promised to take them to a land flowing with milk and honey; but when they faced a trial in the wilderness they doubted their calling (Exo 14:11). They were called to Canaan, which is a type of heaven. Since they lost the vision of their calling, they died in the wilderness. Even in this age there are some in this world (which is like a wilderness), who are losing their heavenly vision and perishing miserably.

Let us not forget our high calling in the time of trials. Let us remember that in every trial the devil is watching to see what will become of our calling.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

EFFECTS OF BACKSLIDING...:

When you backslide, your family also may backslide and suffer. When Abraham went aside to Egypt Sarah got into trouble. She was taken to Pharaoh's palace. And Pharaoh "entreated Abram well for her sake" (Gen 12:15, 16). Now Abraham is being honoured by the world. It is crystal clear from this that the way to get the admiration and honour of this world is to deny Christ or compromise with the world. Some churches sometimes compromise with the world so that the church organisation can get the help of the world government.

"And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife" (vs 17). Some imagine that it is good to compromise with worldlings. "It will do them good; we can win them for Christ," they say. You do not do any good by compromise; in fact, you bring a great plague upon Egypt.

When God's people are not faithful, God has to plague the world or send trouble to the world to get them out. It was because of His mercy that God permitted some trouble in Egypt - to drive God's people out, just as Jonah was thrown out of the ship because of the storm - for the plan of God concerning him to be fulfilled.

We learn a lot from Abraham's backsliding. If we go to Egypt (or backslide) in our trials, both we and our dear ones will have more trials, and others will also suffer unnecessarily.

Abraham finally escaped from Egypt. By the immense mercy of God, we may come out of our backsliding; however, the effects of our backsliding can be eternal. It is said that Abraham got his Eygptian wife Hagar from Egypt. Through her was born Ishmael who became a perpetual enemy of Israel. Also, though Abraham escaped, his nephew, Lot was not completely delivered from Egypt. Having tasted Egypt, he retained "Egypt" in his heart (Gen 13:10). While we may be able to come back from our backslidden state, those who are affected or influenced by us may not come back at all.

- TPM Morning Manna

A LIFE THAT COUNTS...!

"All the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died" (Gen 5:27)

'Methuselah' means, 'he dies'. It is interesting to observe that the man who lived the longest always carried death with him. It is a pity that though he lived for such a very long time on the earth, it has not been recorded that he did anything - except that he begat sons and daughters! He did not do anything for the glory of God though God had given him health and other good things.

It isn't how long you live that matters, but how you live. 'Don't count your days, but make your days count.' Let each day be your masterpiece. Invest every minute you have in things of eternal value.

Once a 17-year-old girl went to be with the Lord. Her life had been a fragrant and fruitful one and everyone was sad that she was taken away in the prime of her life. One believer asked the Lord why He took her away so young. Then he had a vision. The girl was in heaven and she was being introduced by one angel to another angel. "She is 85 years old!" the angel was saying. Then the believer woke up and the Lord told him, "Though physically she was only seventeen, spiritually she reached 'full age'. I have completed My work in her; she has completed her life's work."

"The life that counts must toil and fight;
Must hate the wrong and love the right;
Must stand for truth, by day, by night -
This is the life that counts.

The life that counts must aim to rise
Above the earth to sunlit skies;
Must fix its gaze on Paradise -
This is the life that counts."

- TPM "Morning Manna"

WE CAN BE READY...!

"In a moment, in the twinking of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (I Cor 15:52).

The Lord's coming from heaven to mid-sky, the opening of the tombs, the dead saints rising from the tombs to join the Lord, and the living saints having their vile bodies changed into glorious bodies and meeting the Lord in mid-air - all these events will take place in a moment or in a split second.

How can we always be ready for that imminent and most glorious event? Can we always live in a state of readiness? Yes. Look at the encouraging text in Isaiah 27:3 "I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." This is a promise given to the saints of God or the Church of God (vs 2). The Lord has promised to keep us day and night and water us every moment. Watering us every moment shows pouring His blessings, His anointing and His grace on us every moment (including the very moment He comes).

Dear child of God, never think that it is because of your cleverness or holiness that you will go at the Coming of the Lord. By the mercies of God, we will meet Jesus when He comes.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

ARE YOU A JONAH?

"Then Jonah prayed... out of the belly of hell cried I, and Thou heardest my voice" (Jonah 2:1,2).

Here we find Jonah praying for the first time. Before deciding to sail to Tarshish he didn't pray - though sailing, in those days, was a matter of life and death. When the ship was struck by a "mighty tempest" and all the heathen mariners were crying to their gods, their worshipper of Jehovah did not pray; nay, it did not even wake him out of his deep sleep!

Then the mariners began casting lots to catch the culprit. Jonah knew he would be caught and would face terrible consequences. But even this did not move his hardened heart to pray. As expected, "the lot fell upon Jonah" and he was caught. Jonah's heart was harder than rock - he still did not seek God's face for deliverance.

It seems, despite all this, the Lord, in His mercy, was determined to bring him back to his prayer life that was long lost in his self-will. Jonah was then bound, and was about to be thrown into the raging sea to face a horrible death. But alas, Jonah seemed determined not to pray! This stubborn saint was finally thrown into the sea. Now that all he could expect was a watery grave, did he pray? No, he still did not pray! How stubborn! Even the worst person would have prayed in such a hopeless state!

However, our God did not give up on Jonah - in His effort to make him pray. The Lord prepared a large fish to swallow Jonah. In the belly of the fish, it appears, poor Jonah thought he was already in hell. "Out of the belly of hell cried I." Now he cries and prays!

"Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear -
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!"

Dear reader, how is your prayer life? If you don't come back to your first prayer life, God may have to bring you to a hell-like situation, to teach you to cry and pray! Selah.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

THE GRACIOUS TONGUE..:

"Thou art fairer than the children of men: [for] grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever" (Psa 45:2).

Many do not realize the blessed truth that the more grace a man has in his mouth while on earth, the more beauty his resurrected body will have. If you have a bad mouth you wil have an ugly body after resurrection. Remember, that body is going to be eternal! 'God blessing a man for ever' depends also on the grace poured into his lips.

The next verse is more insightful and revealing: "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O MOST MIGHTY, with thy glory and thy majesty" (Psa 45:3). A saint who has grace poured into his lips will find his tongue to be like a two-edged sword (the Word of God), and HE WILL BE MOST MIGHTY, CROWNED WITH GLORY AND MAJESTY! Does not this also prove that if you have a foul mouth, you are bound to be most weak, and filled with shame and misery?

About Jesus, it is stated that gracious words proceeded out of His mouth (Lk 4:22). "His mouth is most sweet: yea, [therefore] He is altogether lovely" (S.S. 5:16). The reason the officers gave to the Pharisees for not arresting Jesus, is most inspiring: "NEVER MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN" (Jn 7:45, 46). Even the enemies of Christ had a testimony about the gracious words that proceeded out of Him.

Dear reader, in Eternity, your eternal beauty and eternal blessings will depend on the grace you had in your lips.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

GOD'S LOVE AND PITY..:

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life" (Gen 3:17).

Here we see how God in His mercy doesn't curse the man but the ground - so that he may not put his trust in this earth but in God, so that he may not set his affection on the ground or on the earth. God didn't send man to a place of torment either, but to a place of toil; not to the grave, but to the ground - to humble him.

In verse 21 we see the motherly nature of God again. Though man had fallen into sin and had started to rebel against God in his words and deeds, and was trying to hide from Him, God makes coats for him. It was not man who asked for clothes, but God who felt the need for it. So also, it is not we sinners who feel the need for salvation, but God Who felt it and hence came down from heaven to clothe us with salvation. God did not just give them the garments, but 'clothed them' like a mother would. The Almighty God Himself made the coats, and not any angel. What a great love God had for the fallen man! How much He pitied him and his miserable state!

Finally, again in mercy, the Lord sent man out of the garden - see verse 22 - so that he may not eat of the tree of life and live for ever in his fallen condition. God's knowledge of evil doesn't tempt Him to commit evil, as He is perfect in character. But man's knowledge of evil without character is dangerous. Therefore, if his life-span had not been curtailed, his wickedness would have been very great on the earth. Also, now that his life-span is curtailed, his sorrows and miseries brought by his own sin would have an end.

- TPM "Morning Manna"

HOW TO KNOW THE MIND OF GOD?

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him" (I Cor 2:9).

What a glorious and gracious plan God has kept for us! Now the most important question is, can we know what God has planned for us? Yes, we can, for, the next verse says, "But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit" (I Cor 2:10). Many children of God, have failed to know the plan of God, and have surrendered themselves to the plan of the devil or to their own plans, and have destroyed themselves.

What should we do to know the will of God and walk in the plan of God? When we were born, our thoughts were pure. However, we allowed evil thoughts to corrupt and defile our minds. Every evil thought is like a black spot that stains our pure mind. As we continue to defile our mind like that, the 'black spots' increase and make our mind altogether corrupt. Although God's plans are glorious, we may get to know them only if our mind is pure and spotless.

Dear child of God, it is true you want God's plan to be fulfilled in your life, but there is only one way for you to know the plan of God. Conquer every evil thought by the blood of the Lamb and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let your mind be clean and pure so that God can write on it what He has planned for you, and so that you may find the grace for fulfilling His plans. Then your Christian life will be 'joy unspeakable and full of glory.'

- TPM "Morning Manna"

BLESSING WHILE DYING..!

"By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff" (Heb 11:21).

True saints should be a blessing, and not a burden, even while dying. Jacob was a blessing while dying. He blessed both the sons of Joseph while dying. Faith helps us to be a blessing.

"By faith...Jacob worshipped." Faith helps us to worship the Lord in the Spirit and in truth till our last breath. How did Jacob worship? Leaning on the top of his staff. 'Leaning on the top of the staff' shows trusting in the highest promises of God. This is another fruit of faith. Jacob had the privilege and freedom to worship his God till the last moment, as Jesus did. [Jesus committed His Spirit to God while dying.] At the time of his death, Jacob was in a heathen land with pagan gods all around, and yet he preserved his faith. True worshippers are truly a blessing to others till their last moment.

"Jacob blessed both the children of Joseph." He blessed with both his hands. Jesus did the same. See Luke 24:50. This is a shadow of blessing others with spiritual blessings and material blessings.

May the Lord grant us the grace to worship the Lord till our last moment - if the Lord tarries and it pleases the Lord to take us to our heavenly home by death.

- TPM Morning Manna