"HIGH PRAISES"

"Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand" (Psa 149:6).

If there are 'high' praises, there must be 'low' praises too. It's natural for one to praise God for the blessings he has received, for deliverance from problems and bondages, for the graces given to him to do various things, for the friends and loved ones he has, for the prayers that were answered, etc. This is a 'low' level of praising God.

What is the 'high' level of praising God? Can you praise God when He takes away blessings - like Job (see Job 1:21)?

Can you praise God for the graces God has given to others to do things well - like St Paul (see I Cor 1:14)?

Can you praise God for your enemies, for those who reject you, presecute you, humiliate you or misunderstand you - for God to bless them - like Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:44?

Can you praise God when He doesn't seem to answer prayer or fulfil His promises - like Abraham (see Rom 4:20)?

Can you praise God when you find yourself in prison - like situations - like Paul and Silas (see Acts 16:25)? Now, these are 'high praises'.

- These are the praises that put a twoedged sword in our hand to execute judgment on the enemy (Psa 149:7-9); these are the bombs that 'still the enemy and the avenger' (Matt 21:16, Psa 8:2); these are the praises that shake the foundation of prisons and open prison doors (Acts 16:26).

Child of God, would you see the powers of the devil defeated? Would you see the hand of God in your life? Rise then from your low level of praising and offer the high praises of God.

- TPM Morning Manna

LIVE IN TENTS...:

"By faith he (Abraham) sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise" (Heb 11:9).

By faith Abraham lived in tents. In the Old Testament, living in tents was a sign of living by faith. Abraham's children, and his grandchildren too, were taught to live in tents i.e. they were taught a faith life. Hence, after Abraham's death, his children and grandchildren followed his good example and lived in tents. We must live by faith and also teach our children and grandchildren to trust God for their needs whether physical, spiritual or otherwise. Sad to say, some modern Abraham's children and Abraham's grandchildren have become Lots and lost their tent life or faith life.

"How wonderful to know the Lord,

And trust in His unfailing Word.

For life and love, for rest and food,

For daily help and mighty care,

Sing to the Lord, for He is good,

And lift your voice to Him in prayer."

"Sojourned in the land of promise" - Promises of God are like Canaan, flowing with milk and honey. Let us daily live by and lean on God's promises. Faith helps us to see this world as a strange land and heaven as our homeland.

- TPM Morning Manna

STRANGE PLEASURE...:

"I take pleasure in infirmities" ( II Cor 12:10).

One meaning of this is, having a realization of our utter unworthiness for the least blessings of God. The more we have this 'pleasure' the more the Lord makes us worthy of His great blessings.

"Why have I found favour in thine eyes seeing I am a stranger?" Ruth asked Boaz. She confessed she was not even comparable to one of his handmaidens, and later became his bride. Abigail too realizes her unworthiness to be David's wife: "Let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord" (I Sam 25:41).

See what John the Baptist said when people from all over Judaea and Jerusalem flocked to him to be baptized of him: "There cometh One mightier than I after me, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down to unloose" (Mk 1:7). No surprise, John the Baptist is known as the greatest saint of the Old Testament time.

Some lose this "pleasure" after some time and become proud and fall into disgrace.

When Billy Graham was once asked what he would first do when he got to heaven, he replied, "The first thing I am going to do is ask, Why me, Lord? Why did you choose a farm boy to preach to so many people...?"

May the Lord grant us the grace to always have the realization of our unworthiness for the least blessings of God. If we are anything or have anything, it is because God is everything to us.

"To feel extraordinarily small and unimportant is always a wholesome feeling," says Robert Benson.

- TPM Morning Manna

IDLE WORDS...:

"I say unto you, that EVERY IDLE WORD (i.e. unprofitable word) that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matt 12:36).

It was a little foolish chat that Eve had with the serpent that brought about ruin and untold misery to the whole human race. She might have thought, "What is wrong in conversing with the serpent? After all, we are only speaking about spiritual matters." Let us be careful about how we talk, what we talk about, and to whom we talk. The kingdom of Israel got divided into two and many fierce battles ensued just because King Rehoboam spoke a few foolish words to his subjects!

"The tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a LITTLE FIRE kindleth!" (Jms 3:5). How often we do not realize the awful result of the undefying words we speak for the sake of fun or pastime!

George Fox, a man of God of the 17th century who was noted for 'words like a flash of lightning', for 'fewness and fullness of words', said in his testimony, "The Lord showed me that my words must be few and savoury."

"Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt," taught St.Paul (Col 4:6). Our words, every word of ours ought to be 'good to the use of edifying' and should 'minister grace unto the hearers' (Eph 4:29).

- TPM Morning Manna

WATCH WHAT YOU SEE...!

"The woman SAW... the tree" (Gen 3:6).

If God did not want her to eat of the fruit of the tree, what is the use of looking at it? Most of our sins come through the doors of our eyes. If the devil can get us to look at something he can easily deceive us into being attracted by it. That's why the Book of Proverbs warns" "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red" (Prov 23:31).

Often we look at things thinking, "What harm is there in seeing it?" The woman also might have thought, "What is the harm in looking at the tree? After all, God has only told us not to eat its fruit." However, the right approach would be to think, "What is the GAIN in looking at something that has nothing to do with us?" "Ask not, Is it wrong? Ask, Is it BEST?" says one man of God. St Paul says, "All things are legitimate but not all things are helpful (profitable, wholesome, constructive)" (I Cor 10:23 - Amp).

In this modern age, the devil traps people by attracting their eyes and making them look at many unwanted things that are spiced with worldly glamour and glory - as in pictures portrayed in magazines and on television. They may all seem to be harmless doves, but they soon turn into stinging serpents. So child of God, watch what you see. Make a covenant with your eyes right now.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

PRAY AND TURN AWAY GOD'S WRATH..:

The prayer of Moses of old is a true type of the intercessory prayer of Jesus. When the children of Israel sinned against God in making a golden calf and claiming it to be the god which brought them out of Egypt, the anger of the Lord was kindled against them and God wanted to destroy them. But when Moses came down from the mount and saw the great sin which had grieved God, he took the whole blame upon himself and said, "...forgive their sin - and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written" (Exo 32:32). This is true of intercession. It is truly divine to take the whole blame upon oneself and justify others. Concerning this character of Moses we read in Psalm 106:23 that Moses stood before God in the breach to turn away His wrath, that He might not destroy them.

Of all the intercessory prayers, the greatest was the one offered by Jesus on the cross when He prayed for those who tormented and persecuted Him: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Lk 23:34). Thank God, we have a forgiving God in this unforgiving world.

Dear Reader, God needs mighty intercessors filled with the holy zeal of God, who will travail in prayer for a true revival.

"On thy towers, O Zion!, They wrestled through in prayer;

In selfless service poured their lives, Thy glory e'er to share."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE...:

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb 11:1).

"Now faith" - Faith is always connected with the present and is neither of the past nor of the future. Faith is not hope, expecting, something to happen later; Faith is 'now', in the present - not expecting but accepting, what God promised in His Word.

Hebrews chapter 11 begins with faith (1st verse) and ends with the word "perfect" (last verse) - it signifies that without faith there is no perfection. So, faith is what the devil steals from us first. The very first words of Satan (the serpent) were aimed at destroying faith in God's holy word (Gen 3:1). That's why Jesus wondered whether He would find faith on the earth when He returned.

Faith is the sixth sense, the invisible eye with which invisible things are seen, experienced and enjoyed (and invisible things are eternal - II Cor 4:18). Faith enables to see what others otherwise cannot.

"Faith is the substance." The substance of one's life is faith, and the substance of every blessing from God is faith - without which our life will be like chaff. If we are like chaff, when the devil sifts us, as he sifted Peter, we will get blown away. It's only through faith that we can overcome - the world, sin, sickness, the devil, and ultimately, death. If faith leaves us, a fear will captivate us. Chaff has all the appearance of wheat in terms of colour, size, etc. but it is weightless and useless - so is a faith-less man. "Mene mene tekel upharsin." 'Tekel' means, 'I have weighed you in the balances and you are found wanting (weightless).'

Dear child of God, pray that your faith in the Word of God may increase so that you may be a man of substance.

- TPM, Morning Manna

WORRY-FREE LIFE...:

"One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away" (Lk 10:42).

One thing is needed for all of us. When we fail to do the needful thing, we will try to do needless things - and create worry and care.

Mary had chosen the good part and it was not to be taken away from her. Your health, wealth, family, friends, name and fame, your talent to sing or preach, will be taken away one day. But one thing will not be taken away. If we learn to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His voice, even in Heaven we would be sitting at His feet and hearing His words. No man, no devil can take that part away from us. Oh what a blessed life this is!

This world is full of Marthas. God needs Marys to sit at the feet of Jesus and hear His word. It was not by luck that Mary got the good part. She chose it. It was not by chance but by choice.

"They come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed and in his right mind" (Mk 5:15). This man could not do one thing. He climbed the mountains, climed down, ran about, etc. But one thing he couldn't do, and that was to sit. Some of us are like the mad man of Gadarenes. We have time for everything but prayer. After Jesus met the man, he was found sitting at the feet of Jesus. People came to know that he was in his right mind on seeing him sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Child of God, with all your anxiety and worrying, you are only wasting your life. Do not be like that mad man of Gadarenes. Like Mary, learn to sit at the feet of Jesus.

- TPM, Morning Manna

USEFUL BUT NOT FAITHFUL...!

IISamuel chapter 23 is the Old Testament counterpart of Hebrews chapter 11 which lists the heros of faith. Verses 8-39 speak about the mighty men of David. In this list we see 37 heros. However, the name of the commander-in-chief of his army, Joab, is missing. What happened to him?

Joab was perhaps the most useful man to the king. He fought valiantly for the king and won many victories! But desperately lacked one thing - faithfulness. He killed two captains of the hosts of Israel, Abner and Amasa, without instructions from David.(I Kings 2:5,6). Moreover, David had charged Joab and other captains in the hearing of others, to deal gently with young Absalom, for his sake. Although Joab was reminded of the king's charge, he killed Absalom in utter disregard of the king's instructions.

We may be mightily used of God. We might have also won many spectacular battles against the forces of darkness. All this is commendable indeed. But if we are not faithful to Jesus, our David, our name may not be found in His book. "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you depart from Me, ye that work iniquity"(Matt 7:22,23)!

Dear reader, the Lord is more concern about your faithfulness than your usefulness. "We are called on not to be successful, but to be faithful", said Mother Teresa.

-TPM Morning Manna

MAKING SELECTIONS

"Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof" (Gen 2:19).

Having given man wonderful wisdom and understanding, God now gives him a chance to exercise it. It was an honour and privilege conferred on man to name all the animals and fowls. Besides, it was a test to see whether he would select one of them to be his help-mate (there were the nightingales who were talented in singing, the peacocks with amazing beauty and animals that were gracious and gentle in appearance).

If man had made a selection, he could have selected only an animal as his help-mate. Some children of God select a partner for themselves without the guidance of God, and lo, and behold, it is nothing less than an animal nature and behaviour! Of course, man could have given excuses for making a choice by saying, "After all it is God who brought him/her to me. I did not go in search of him/her." Yes, God 'brought them unto Adam' but not so that he may marry one of them, but so that, he may 'see what he would call them' that is, he was to distinguish one animal from another and one fowl from another, and not take one of them as his help-mate.

Child of God, do not make a selection on your own. We find Adam taking the victory in this test. He gave them names befitting each one, and did not find among them 'a help meet for him'.

- TPM Morning Manna

END WELL...!

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom" (Gen 19:1).

What a contrast to Genesis 18:1! The Lord Himself came to meet Abraham. Here, to meet Lot, only two angels arrive. When a perfected saint dies, not merely angels, but the Lord Himself comes to welcome him to his eternal home.

Unlike in the case of Abraham, here, instead of "the heat of the day", it is "even". All the zeal for the Lord has cooled down; the Sun of righteousness is setting, bringing in dark shadows. Many 'cooled' believers do not realize that they are in a sad state of affairs - they find great joy talking of the zeal they once had, of the souls they won for the Lord, of how much they once suffered, of how they laboured in prayer.

"Lot sat in the gate of Sodom." At one time, when he was in fellowship with the true saint, Abraham, he too was a tent dweller - living by faith; but now he has lost that vision and revelation. Sitting at the gate meant holding the position of a judge. Maybe for sometime it appeared as if Lot was better off than his uncle - sitting at the gate of Sodom rather than dwelling in tents! How sad it is that, when many finally realize their folly in following the ways of the world, it is too late!

Dear reader, the voice of the Lord crying "Where art thou?" is still heard. Are you sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day like Abraham, or at the gate of Sodom at even?

- TPM Morning Manna

CHOOSE HIS PERFECT WILL...:

Getting guidance from God depends on the degree of our dedication. If we want to do the perfect will of God and dedicate ourselves for that, then the Lord will reveal His perfect will to us.

In Ezekiel 20:24,25 we read that God gave the Israelites 'statutes that were not good and judgments whereby they should not live,' because they had despised His statutes! So if you despise the guidance and counsel of the elders you will get counsel that will work your ruin. Here God gave them evil statutes that they may perish. So if God is to give us His guidance we must have a commitment and a desire to do the perfect will of God.

Why did God tell Balaam, 'Go with the men' when He didn't want him to? [When he went an angel of God was standing on the way with a sword to kill him.] God knew Balaam's heart. Deep in his heart he had already decided to do his own will. We can be like Balaam - not really wanting to do God's will, and yet praying to know His will. When the Lord told Balaam "Go," He meant "Go ahead and do what you want."

If you have rejected the counsel of God in some area of your life, God is not going to give you counsel in other areas of your life. Yesterday God may have given you a word of counsel and guidance and you may not have obeyed. If you ask for His guidance for today, you will not get it. You cannot say, "Yesterday I did not want to do that but today I am willing to obey." Unless you are prepared to do the whole will of God, God will not reveal His counsel to you.

- TPM "Morning Manna

DON'T WASTE YOUR TEARS..!

"Put Thou my tears into Thy bottle" (Psa 56:8).

God has a bottle in which tears are collected and kept in the presence of God. O child of God, your tears are never in vain.

A certain lady had a prodigal son. She kept weeping in the presence of God for the salvation of the boy. One day the Lord told her, "Daughter, your prayers are in My presence. You need not weep any more." Then one day, when that boy was going up in a lift, a stranger with two buckets of water entered the lift. The boy asked the stranger, "Why are you going up with these buckets of water?" Then the stranger answered, "I'm an angel of God. This is not water. I'm taking your mother's tears to the presence of God," and disappeared. The boy had a shock. How much tears my mom has shed for me!" He straightaway went to his mother, apologized to her, and accepted the Lord into his life.

What type of tears is God collecting in His tear bottle? All your tears may not go into that bottle. The people of the world weep when they lose their money, job, position, honour, title, etc. The Holy Spirit is sad about these people who weep, not for the glory of God, but out of self-pity. "Nobody cares. Everybody is rejecting me and despising me. There's nobody who understands." These tears of self-pity do not go to the presence of God.

"Lord, I don't have enough money, I need a better job, etc." is the cry of many. Now, it's not wrong to pray like that. But doctors say we have only a limited quantity of tears in our system. If you waste your tears on material things you will not have any tears for spiritual things. You shed tears for material blessings and you get them, but when you die you may go empty. If you find your tear bottle empty on going to heaven, it means you are almost bereft of the blessings of God in heaven.

The more we weep in the presence of God for our sins, for perishing souls, etc. the more we will be built up in God. All those tears will be collected in the bottle of God. Those tears will be plentifully rewarded by God.

- TPM Morning Manna

HEAVEN IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLES...:

And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters... And God called the firmament Heaven" (Gen 1:6,8).

It is quite interesting to observe that God created heaven not only 'in the beginning', but also on the second day (only, with contrasting elements as compared to the first time)!

On the second day of His six-day creation, God is mainly dealing with the waters. One may wonder why God is devoted to the subject of waters on the second day, for we find the word 'waters' five times in the two verses, Genesis 1:6&7. From Psalm 69:1,2,14,15 we gather that waters signify afflictions, trials and tribulations. In the midst of the waters, God set the firmament called heaven. How encouraging and edifying it is for children of God to realize that in the midst of the waters or troubles, God has not kept a hell, but a HEAVEN (firmament) for us!

This 'heaven' in not in a corner, or by the sides of the waters, or at the bottom or top of the waters, but IN THE MIDST OF THE WATERS, praise the Lord! As such, our loving God often permits waters or troubles all around us, so that we might enjoy heaven in the midst of them. Instead of crying, "I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me" (Psa 69:2), we can shout, "I am come into heaven where joy overflows me!"

- TPM Morning Manna

YIELD NOT!

When we begin our Christian life, we may find life peaceful and without any problems. But as we grow we find ourselves facing trials and temptations and we tend to resist them. If one loses a few battles, one may even think of giving up. Carnal, sinful thoughts take over one's mind and the devil takes the upper hand. Such people lead a miserable life and make others also miserable.

The devil is a thief; his plan is to steal, to kill and to destroy (Jn 10:10). He wants to steal man's peace and joy; he wants to kill his body and destroy his life, even his spiritual life. He wants to deprive man of all that God has planned for him.

The devil had a plan for St.Paul; it was to destroy him. According to that plan he was going to Damascus to destroy Christians. But thank God, God "arrested" him on the way and revealed to him His plans for him. Paul then began to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Cor 10:5). It is no surprise therefore that God's glorious plan for Paul prevailed!

Dear reader, when we consider great men like Samson, King Saul and some others who were chosen by God, we can see how the devil managed to destroy their life and ministry. So let us be careful not to yield to the plan of the devil.

"Fight, fight with courage firm,

Fight, fight you will not fail,

Sure the foe in fear will flee,

By His might you'll ever prevail."

- TPM Morning Manna

YOU ARE A WATCHMAN..!

"The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it" (Gen 2:15).

The first job man ever got was the best one; it was in the best possible place and it was received from the best employer! The work gave him only joy and never any strain. There was no need to draw water from a well to water the garden; a river with four heads ran through it and God Himself frequently watered it with the mist (2:6). There were no thorns or briers to prick or hurt man. Everywhere were present trees with good fruits for his nourishment. The first job that man undertook was not for any reward; he did it because he loved his creator God and Father.

Man had to 'keep' the garden or watch over it - as the original word implies. What a privilege it is to be entrusted with the work of gaurding the property owned by God. At that time God had not appointed any cherub to watch over the garden. Indeed, it was a crowning joy to man; but alas, man was not careful to do his duty, and his crown went to someone else. Being the watchman, he should not have let the serpent intrude into the garden.

God Has appointed us as watchmen to watch over our lives. If we are not diligent, the serpent will come and beguile us. We do not know whether Adam lost interest in his spiritual duties as soon as he got a wife; but he should have been, on the contrary more diligent than before to do his duty - as now his wife was a help-mate in this respect also.

"Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown" (Rev 3:11).

"Each sin has its door of entrance

Keep - that - door - closed!

Bolt it tight!

Just outside, the wild beast crouches

In the night:

Pin the bolt with a prayer,

God will fix it there."

TPM Morning Manna

ENLARGE YOUR VISION...!

"And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us" (II Kings 6:1).

Here, Elisha is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. Just as the sons of the prophets lived with Elisha, you may be living in fellowship with Jesus and yet may not realize that the place where we dwell is too strait or small, for us. Unless we realize how narrow-minded we are, how limited our spiritual vision and ambition is, we may never desire an enlarged spiritual life. To be useful to the Lord, we should have an enlarged vision and a large heart.

The saints who lived in the past were not born as saints, but they all had a vision of the great plan God had about them. Jabez prayed that the Lord may enlarge his territory. The Lord granted his request and it became more honourable than his brothers (I Chr 4:9,10). God must raise sons and daughters of Jabez in these days - people who are honourable and blessed in the sight of God and men.

The sin of the people of Israel was that they "limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psa 78:41). Our limited ideas and understanding may arrest the hands of God and prevent Him from doing great things in us and for us and through us. "Attempt great things for God; expect great things from God," said a certain man of God.

Where there is no vision, the people perish. Our vision should be God's vision. Our ambition should be God's ambition. Then our thoughts will be God's thoughts and, we will have a Christ-life as the ultimate result.

- TPM Morning Manna

Manifestation of Christ

"He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin" (1Jn 3:5)

Every manifestation of Christ, or revelation of the knowledge of Christ in our lives takes sin out of us. The more Christ is revealed in us, the more we are sanctified. In other words, the revelation of the knowledge of Christ purifies us deeply. Every MANIFESTATION of Christ in and through us helps us to be separated from sins and be drawn closer to Christ, just as, the more light shines, the more darkness is disspelled.

"In Him is no sin." Therefore, as we hide ourselves in the sinless Son of God, we can grow to a sinless perfection. On the other hand, instead of hiding ourselves in Him, if we "show ourselves," we are exposed to sin and we may forfeit our sanctification and salvation. The more we hide in Him, the more we are cleansed and sheltered.

"Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him" (v 6). Abiding in Christ virtually means, hiding in Christ. How is it that by hiding in Him we can avoid sinning? WHEN WE HIDE IN JESUS THE ENEMY CANNOT SEE US, just as a man hiding inside a building cannot be seen. "Whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him." This proves that the more we are sanctified, the more we see Him or His glory. Also, the more we are sanctified, the more we know Him. In short, if we wholeheartedly love a spotlessly pure life, we can see and know Christ as never before.

"For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (v 8). Every manifestation or revelation of the knowledge of Christ destroys the works of the devil. We are living in a world where the works of the devil (sin, sickness etc) are being manifested more and more. It is therefore essential that our life manifest Christ as never before.

- TPM Morning Manna

TRUE CONVERSION...:

When Jesus entered the house of Zacchaeus, His disciples, instead of rejoicing, started murmuring. However, Zacchaeus was not deterred by their unexplary behaviour, and he stood up to give his first testimony. His first testimony was a confession of his faults, and a dedication of himself to the Word of God. Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold" (Lk 19:8). The Word of God demands fourfold restoration (see Exodus 22:1). Acting strictly according to the Word of God, he is now willing to restore fourfold all that he has stolen from God or man.

When a person is really converted and Jesus comes into his life, just as it happened in Zacchaeus' life, his life will be radically changed and he will be willing to conform to every detail of the Word of God, whatever the cost may be. When Jesus comes into one's life, one of the first things one does to become faithful in money matters.

Along with St.Paul, Zacchaeus could boldly say: "What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ" (Phil 3:7,8).

Immediately after Zacchaeus' short and sweet testimony, Jesus gives a testimony about him: "This day is salvation come to this house, for so much as he also is a son of Abraham" (Lk 19:9). Many children of God testify about themselves but Jesus may not have any testimony about them.

- TPM Morning Manna

TOO LATE...!

King David asked Amasa to assemble the people in three days' time. But, "he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him... and Amasa wallowed in blood" (II Sam 20:4,5,12). The Bible is full of warnings about the 'spirit of delay'. A right thing should be done in the right way, and that, AT THE RIGHT TIME.

Once a man of God was exhorting everyone to commit their life to Christ. A man in the audience, although convicted, thought he would give his life to Christ the next day - as the preacher had a few more days of meeting there. That 'next day' never arrived; on the way back home that very night he died of a snake-bite.

Many have good intentions - to surrender their life to Christ, to take water-baptism, to serve God, etc. However, 'the spirit of delay' ruins all these good intentions. They say, "We will do it later when a convenient time arrives." Although Felix the governor trembled at the preaching of Paul and was convicted of his sins, he told Paul, "When I have a convenient season, I will call for thee" (Acts 24:25). That 'convenient season' never came. Felix must be repenting in hell for the spirit of delay which doomed his eternity.

In hell it's all regret - too late to repent, too late to come to Christ... too late, too late! Some are going to spend all eternity weeping because of their delaying. Dear reader, let not your lazy spirit ruin your eternity. If the Lord wants you to do something today, don't postpone it to the morrow. If the Lord calls you to serve Him, obey His call NOW.

- TPM Morning Manna

YOU CAN'T ESCAPE

"There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov 16:25).

Sometimes our own plans may appear better, more sensible or more convenient than the plans of God. However, "the end thereof are the ways of death." We observe that it begins in 'a way' but ends in 'ways'. Our own 'way' will finally become 'ways'. "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways" (Prov 14:14). Our self-will leads us in many directions, finally leading to death. We get alienated from the presence of God.

God told Jonah to go to Nineveh. But he planned to go to Tarshish instead. He found a ship going to that place already. There was a seat available, and he had the money for the ticket too. For some time, his own plans seemed favourable to him. However, fairly soon a storm struck the ship. He encountered such problems that he almost died.

Dear child of God, are you a Jonah - running away from the plan of God, having your own plans? Remember, sooner or later a storm will overtake you. You had better give up your own plans even if they may appear encouraging to your carnal mind. Steer clear off the devil's ways and your own ways if you don't want to ruin your life and your future.

- TPM Morning Manna

THE GREATEST FEAT...!

"What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom 8:3).

The grand purpose of God in sending Jesus to this world to die on the cross was to condemn sin in the flesh. What the saints of the law period could not do was to live a perfectly holy life - although they could do many other things like raising the dead, dividing the Red Sea, etc. This proves that living an overcoming life is better and greater than performing miracles, raising the dead, etc.

The greatest feat is overcoming the flesh; the greatest defeat is giving in to the flesh.

Jesus 'condemned sin' by His death on the cross. So we, in the New Testament Period, are free to live a holy life. "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom 8:2). Do we have any excuse then, if we DO NOT LIVE A HOLY LIFE?

God sent the judgment of flood to destroy 'all flesh' (Gen 6:13; 7:21). The same will be the purpose of the coming judgment - "Except those days should be shortened, there should no FLESH be saved" (Matt 24:22).

Let us therefore "make no provision for the flesh," but overcome the flesh by the Spirit of God. "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Rom 8:13).

"'Holiness unto the Lord'

is our watchword and song,

'Holiness unto the Lord'

as we're marching along,

Sing it, shout it, loud and long,

'Holiness unto the Lord' now and for ever."

- TPM Morning Manna

HEALING POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS

Through the blood of the Lamb we have healing. The balm of Gilead of the Old Testament is a type of the blood of Christ. "Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of My people recovered?" (Jer 8:22).

Forgiveness of sin and healing of sickness go together. "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases" (Psa 103:3). If the blood of Jesus can wash away sins, it can also heal. In fact, it can do much more than that - a blood-washed saint's life can be sheltered from plagued. In the Old Testament the blood-sprinkled house was protected from the plague - "When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you" (Exo 12:13). In the New Testament Jesus is the Pascal Lamb slain for us. "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we aer healed" (Isa 53:5).

Dear reader, sin is one main cause for sickness. In many places we read of Jesus forgiving sins before healing the sickness. Sin enables the devil to enter a person's life, and then captivate him through sickess. If a person is washed from his sins by the blood of Jesus the devil cannot work; he cannot bring sickness into his life.

- TPM Morning Manna

HIGHER AND HIGHER...!

"The flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth" (Gen 7:17).

When Noah obeyed God's Word and entered into the ark, it gradually lifted him up from the earth. This is amazingly true in our spiritual life also. Our ark is Christ. As we respond to the gospel-call and enter into Christ or as Christ enters into our life, He lifts us up from the earthly sphere to heavenly heights. The higher we rise the smaller the things of the world seem. The things of the earth no longer seem glamorous and attractive. Things which once held us in allure now hold little appeal for us. "The more of heaven we cherish, the less of earth we covet."

The more the ark was lifted up, the higher Noah went. Similarly, the more we lift up Christ, the more we are lifted up for the glory of God. We become the light of the world, a 'city set on a hill'; seeing our light, men glorify the father in heaven (Matt 5:14,16).

"The mountains were covered." As we go higher in our spiritual life, the mountain-like problems that once loomed large before us, disappear from our view. Our life is now a joyful song - a song of worship, praise and adoration.

- TPM Morning Manna

JOIN THE MIGHTY ARMY...!

God needs mighty intercessors who can shake the gates of hell and bring down the kingdom of heaven; He wants men and women filled with the holy zeal of God, who travail in prayer for a true revival, the revival of the holiness of God.

"He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor" (Isa 59:16). If God wondered, it is indeed worth noting. God did not wonder that there was no preacher, teacher, faith-healer or singer; HE WONDERED THAT THERE WAS NO INTERCESSOR. In one sense, the ministry of interceding is greater than preaching, teaching, working miracles, etc. People may preach, teach or sing even when their life is not right with God. But no one can travail and intercede in prayer unless he is right with God, unless he is walking in the light.

Today, God still wonders that there is no intercessor. Those who preach, teach, sing, testify etc are seen by others, but the mighty intercessors in the closets are hardly seen or appreciated by others. However, "the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (II Cor 4:18). In this sense, intercessors are more important than preachers, singers, etc.

Dear reader, join the mighty army of the living God by becoming a mighty intercessor willing to travail in prayer.

- TPM Morning Manna

IT'S YOUR PRIDE!

“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5;8).

Often we don’t realize what terrible sinners we were and what great love and mercy the Lord showed in rescuing us from the pit of hell.

Once a servant of God had a vision. Jesus was being crucified. A man was driving nails into the tender hands of the Lord with a big hammer, giving the Lord excruciating pain. On that hammer was the word “PRIDE”. As the wicked man was hitting hard with his hammer Jesus gently told him, “My child, I still love you.” But the man continued to hit with his hammer, as if he were deaf. Each time he brought the hammer down, the cross would vibrate, adding more pain to the agony of the Lord. But Jesus gently continued to say, “My son, I still love you.” What a terrible wicked sinner that man must be!” the servant of God thought. Then he looked a little closely, and to his great shock he saw that the wicked man was himself and that the hammer of Pride that was crucifying Jesus was his very spirit. The vision clearly convicted him of his sinfulness and pride and led him to a great repentance and change of life.

Dear child of God, perhaps you too are nailing Jesus with the hammer of Pride and yet thinking you are a precious child of God who loves and worships God. May the Lord open your spiritual eyes to see the deep pride in your heart.

- TPM Morning Manna

WOULD YOU BE A VICTOR?

"With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again" (Matt 7:2).

This is a very enlightening verse for those who take revenge, or oppress or trouble others. The more you oppress others, the more pain you will feel in your inner man. A honey bee may sting you and give you pain, but look at the impact of the sting on the bee. Immediately after stinging you, it falls down and dies. It suffers more pain than its victim. Those who trouble others don't realize how much they themselves will be troubled.

Sometimes we say, "I will never forgive you," but do we realize the price we have to pay for such a foolish reaction? When we refuse to forgive your offender, you get tensed, your blood pressure may go up, and you may even come to a state in which you cannot concentrate on anything or even sleep. All your conversation is centered around the person with whom you are offended. Finally, instead of becoming a victor over circumstances, you become a victim of circumstances.

When you forgive, you are forgiven. When you comfort others, you are comforted. When you love others, you are loved. When you care for others, you are cared for. When you show mercy to others, you receive mercy. Whatever you want others to do for you, do for them. (Matt 7:12)

This is the golden rule of life - to make your life a triumphant and happy one.

- TPM Morning Manna

ARE YOU FACING REJECTION?

Of all human feelings, perhaps the feeling of rejection is the most unbearable and heart-rending. All through the Bible we find that men of God were first rejected and then exalted.

Joseph, the son of Jacob was not spared. In the beginning it looked as if he was enjoying the love of his father, but soon the time of his rejection came - when his brethren first rejected him. Then the dream that God gave him caused his father to rebuke him. Soon he was cut off from his family. Again, in the house of Potiphar, it looked as if he was being exalted. But rejection followed. But finally, the time came when God exalted him to be on the throne next to the Pharaoh.

David is another fitting example for this truth. It is really a wonder how David went through all the rejection he faced. When David had a harp for Saul, Saul had a spear for David. But this is how God leads His chosen ones. Finally, David was exalted to be king over Israel.

You may be rejected by your friends and even by your own wife or husband, brothers and sisters. At times it may even appear as if God Himself has rejected you. Consider Hannah! We read that God Himself had shut her womb (I Sam 1:5). Dear child of God, we may be continously rejected until we come to wholly belong to God. When God wants to exalt us to higher spiritual planes, He first allows us to tread the path of rejection. If, by the grace of God, we receive strength in the inner man to rejoice in our hour of rejection, we will be blessed both spiritually and materially.

- TPM Morning Manna

THE TRUE SERVICE...:

There were saints in olden days who lived more on their knees than on their feet. In John 12:3 we see Mary at the feet of Jesus doing some very humble service. She took the highest part of her body (hair) and used it for the service of the lowest part of the body of Jesus (feet). Many want to serve God, but they don't know how to serve. To serve God, one needs humility. Jesus is very humble, only the humble can serve the humble Jesus.

Mary brought an alabaster box of very precious ointment, broke the bottle, and poured the ointment at the feet of Jesus. This is true service to God that any of us can do. Our body, our heart and our life can be compared to the alabaster box. We must lay them low at the feet of Jesus. Your alabaster box must be full of precious ointment. Our heart should be filled with divine love. Our love should be full of perfume. Mary did not give that ointment to any man; she did not want to sell it either. She wanted to pour it all out for Jesus.

Will you be a Mary today? Bring your alabaster box in all humility to the feet of Jesus. Offer to Him your life, your love, your all.

"Take my love: my Lord, I pour

At Thy feet its treasure store:

Take myself; and I will be

Ever, only, ALL for Thee."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

ENJOY HEAVEN ON EARTH...:

"It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).

This text changed the whole life of John Rockefeller, the one who once owned the world's largest oil company. He became a multimillionaire when he was 35. But at the age of 50, he was dying of cancer. The doctors gave him only six weeks to live. While accumulating wealth he had also accumulated enemies, and had to have bodyguards to protect him, although he was nearing death.

Miserable, hopeless, depressed and dying, Rockefeeler came across the above verse. It was really an eye-opener to him. All his life all he had been doing was receiving and receiving, and the more he received the more greedy and unhappy he became. Now finally, he realized that, being one of the richest men in the world, he was one of the most miserable men as well.

Straightaway he started distributing money among the poor. He actually distributed dollar notes on the streets of New York. He gave away money in abundance to charities, hospitals, etc. To his great surprise and delight, he found the verse, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" to be true. The more he gave, the happier he became.

Finally, the man who was given only six weeks to live, (and that, when he was 50), lived upto the age of 90 or 92, enjoying happiness and good health. When he died at last, he was a happy man with no enemies but friends all over the world.

Heaven is a place of giving. "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and RICHES, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Rev 5:12). In fact, giving to God is heaven and, selfishly keeping to oneself is virtually hell. How can those who have not learned to give their riches to the Lamb of God (Jesus) on earth, give in heaven!

May the Lord help us to give until we have no more to give - our body, our time, our talents, our money, and everything at our disposal, until we meet the Lord at the pearly gates to be greeted, "Well done, faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

A VERY PRESENT HELP...:

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed" (Psa 46:1,2).

We have three great blessings when we live in the presence of God:

1. The Lord becomes our refuge. The Name of the Lord is a high tower; the righteous run into it and are safe. (Prov 18:10). In the Old Testament time there were cities of refuge. These cities of refuge represent Christ, as we can always run to Him when we are in trouble.

2. The Lord is our strength. In times of trials and troubles, we may become extremely weak both spiritually and physically, but if we are living in the presence of God the Lord will give us strength to emerge victorious.

3. In our trouble, the Lord will be a very present help. We may not immediately come out of the trouble but in the very trouble we will feel the holy presence of God - like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Although they were thrown into the fiery furnace, a fourth person was with them (which was a very present help in the time of trouble), and because of the fourth person (the Son of God), they suffered absolutely no harm. Not even a single hair was singed although the fire was sevenfold hot.

So when we live in the presence of God, we have absolutely nothing to fear even if the earth be removed. The earth being removed refers to earthly blessings being removed. We can lose our wealth, health, name, fame and maybe even our family members. (Did not Job lose all his ten children and almost all his possessions in one day?] But nothing can disturb us.

"I am walking with Jesus,
There's nothing now to fear,
There's none to me so dear.
I am walking with Jesus,
He wipeth every tear,
I am walking in the steps of Jesus."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

HOW DO YOU SEE THINGS?

"The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise" (Gen 3:6).

The woman saw that the tree was 'good for food' - as if all the other trees which God had provided for her were not good for food and the one which God had told them not to eat was the only one that was good for food! As a matter of fact, all the trees were good for food (Gen 2:9), but when a man loses his spiritual vision and love for God, things that are evil seem good in his sight. The Israelites found manna distasteful and abhorred it, when it was actually sweeter than honey, and they found the Egyptian cucumbers and onions most delicious!

The tree was also 'pleasant to the eyes'. All the treees which God created were pleasant to the sight, but the woman imagines that this tree is the only one that is pleasant to look at. It is still the tendency of human beings to find no satisfaction in the things God has provided for them; and their dissatisfaction leads to lust and sin.

The woman also saw the tree as 'a tree to be desired to make one wise' - as if God had created her as a fool and as if she could become wise with her own cleverness. In fact, the truth was the other way round; while all the other trees could have made her wise, this forbidden tree could only make her a fool. She was not satisfied with the wisdom that God had given her and by trying to get the wisdom in her own way, she became the first fool and the No.1 fool on earth!

Child of God, 'godliness with contentement is great gain" (I Tim 6:6). When we have a good spiritual vision about God's grand plan concerning our life and learn the secret to be content in all situations like St.Paul, we will not find anything other than spiritual things, good, pleasant or desirable.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

KEEP COOL!!!

"Therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him" (Esth 1:12).

"Anger burned in him." Anger burns with the fire of hell. The king's anger here ended in deep distress and divorce, If you are an angry man you are digging your own pit of hell with your spirit of anger.

Jesus is called a Lamb. A lamb, as you know, is meek and gentle. The Holy Spirit is called a Dove. The dove is also meek and gentle. If that is so, the Father too must be meek and gentle.

Once a child of God was pacing up and down a street. He was thinking of a person who had offended him. As he kept thinking, he was getting angrier and angrier. The very thought of the matter made his blood boil. Suddenly he noticed a vehicle passing by on the street. It was a white van, and on it, in big letters, were the words "KEEP COOL". And here he was, boiling inside and getting hotter and hotter! The passing van was like a messenger from heaven telling him to cool down. The vehicle happened to be only an ice cream van, but the message was clear to him. It greatly helped him to repent of his anger, and by the grace of God he was able to get completely delivered from that destructive spirit of anger.

"Thy gentleness hath made me great." If you are a hot-tempered man, repent and come to the Lord - so that He can make you a saint of a meek and gentle spirit.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

YOU HAVE A GLORIOUS FUTURE...:

"By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come" (Heb 11:20).

Faith helps us to not only receive blessings but also to be a blessing to others. "By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau." Here Jacob stands for saints and Esau, for sinners. Faith helps us to become a blessing to both saints and sinners. Paul says we are a sweet savour unto God (a blessing), to them that are saved and to them that perish. Faith helps us, not only to receive blessings, but also to give blessings to others.

"Concerning things to come" - Faith has a clear sight, a foresight of the future. Those who look at the future through faith, look to the future blessings also; they have the blessings of the future, not a fear of the future. Unless we see future blessings for ourselves, we will not see future blessings for others.

Some people are always worried about future problems; they have a fear of the future. Such cannot receive any blessing or become a blessing. About the bride of Christ it is written, "She rejoices over the future" (Prov 31:25 Amp). A child of God who has faith has no fear of the future; only joy concerning the future.

Leave your worries at the Lord's feet and rejoice over your glorious future.

"I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end" (Jer 29:11).

- TPM Morning Manna

GOD IS WITH YOU...!

The angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour... And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel... And he said unto Him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house" (Judg 6:12-15).

Here we see God choosing Gideon for His great work and separating him for it. The fifteenth verse, as quoted above, shows how disqualified and weak Gideon appeared to be. How true it is that God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, the base things of the world, things which are despised, and the things which are not (I Cor 1:27-29).

The angel of the Lord says, "The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour." Strangely, we hardly see in this man anything to make one call him mighty or great. Further, his questions prove that he was depressed. "Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all His miracles which our fathers told us of?" (Judg 6:13).

Nevertheless, Gideon's depressed state was not a hindrance for God to work in and through him. The sovereign grace of God not only chose Gideon to be a servant of God, but also chose him as the leader of the people of Israel. And, through this very timid, doubting and depressed man, the Lord performed the greatest miracle of the time. With 300 people Gideon crushed the Midianites whose army was like the sand of the sea.

Dear reader, perhaps you are a Gideon; you may be full of doubt and anxiety. But the Lord Who chose Gideon is with you. "Beware of despairing about yourself: you are commanded to put your trust in God, and not in yourself," said St.Augustine. The Lord has planned great things for you and He is going to do great things through you. Indeed, you are a mighty man of valour, because God is with you. "Go in this thy might." What is this "might"? It is, God being with you, the God of glory being with you, the God of victory being with you.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

YOU NEED FELLOWSHIP...!

"The Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him" (Gen 2:18).

The first thing that God pronounced as being 'NOT GOOD' was, man being alone. This is the message of God even today - it's NOT GOOD to live without fellowship. Yes, many born-again children of God are ignorant of this great truth, and avoid worship and fellowship. "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is" (Heb 10:25). In the first century, thank God, it was 'the manner of some', but in this last century it is the manner of many.

"I will make him an help meet for him." If God has created you, given you the born-again experience, God will make you a help meet for you i.e. God will arrange for you a fellowship that is suitable for you. You shouldn't choose as you please. "My help cometh from the Lord" (Psa 121:2).

Adam is a type of Christ and the help-mate, of the Bride of Christ. What an encouragement it is to know that our God Himself will make a Bride that is perfectly suited to Him! This work is done in the garden of God (Church).

Let us always live in the fellowship of the saints, as it is there that we can become the Bride of Christ.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

THE NATURAL LAW CHANGED...!

"By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned" (Heb 11:29).

The path opened for those who have faith cannot be used by those who have unbelief. By faith the Israelites passed through the Red Sea as by dry land; however, the same path brought only destruction to the Egyptians who tried to use it. This shows that the Israelites had faith and hence they passed through the Red Sea. As they walked in the sea, the farther they walked, the deeper the ground might have appeared. Also, the water which stood up as a huge wall without any literal barrier must have appeared to threaten to come back any moment. And perhaps, while walking, they also saw various creatures, like whales and crocodiles, threatening to jump out of the water and attack them. Those who did not have faith would have felt like retreating.

When Pharaoh tried to follow the Israelites into the Red Sea, his army saw the water receding and making the ground very wet and making the chariots get stuck in the mire. However, the Israelites had faith in the promise of God - "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee" (ISa 43:2).

The dry ground is only for those who walk by faith. The natural law became a supernatural one only to those who believed the One Who is supernatural. The ravens changed their nature only for the sake of Elijah. Before the unbelievers the waters easily came back, following their natural law.

Dear reader, the Lord is wanting to change the natural law for you if you walk by faith, just as He changed the natural law of the sun and moon and made it stand still for a while, honouring Joshuah's faith.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

YOUR TONGUE - A DESTRUCTIVE WEAPON...!

"Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin... wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" (Eccl 5:6).

If we sin with our mouth, our work or ministry, no matter how great the things we have done for the Lord, will be destroyed. How true this was in Moses' life! He who was to lead the people into the land of Canaan could not enter it himself, as he opened his mouth and spoke "unadvisedly." "Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth." (Prov 6:2). "As ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you," said the Lord and saying that they would not be able to possess the promised land (Num 14:28).

The soul of a man and his tongue are connected - "Deliver my SOUL, O Lord, from lying LIPS, and from a deceitful TONGUE" (Psa 120:2). If you are a man with a defiled tongue, your whole soul is defiled.

We find that particular mention is made about the tongue or the mouth of the saints in Zion: "In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God" (Rev 14:5). The plain fact is that when there is no fault in the mouth, there is no fault in the life.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

"JESUS, I LOVE YOU!"

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Rom 8:35).

Once a pastor had a vision. Three sisters were kneeling and praying, when Jesus came by. Jesus did not even go near the first one. He smiled at the second one, and when He came to the third one He laid His hand on her head. Seeing this vision the pastor thought that perhaps the first sister did not love the Lord . "The second one at whom Jesus smiled may love Jesus a little," he thought, "but the third one must love the Lord very much indeed!" As the pastor was thinking like this, the Lord spoke to him: "My son, the truth is the other way round. I did not go near the first sister because I know the she loves Me very much and that she trusts My love so much that even if I don't immediately answer her prayer or speak to her, she will not be shaken or leave Me. The second one is a bit unsteady. At least once in a way I must show her My love and care for her, or she may get upset. The third one is spiritually very weak; she has only a shallow love for Me. If I don't immediately give what she asks for, she will murmur and complain and become cold in her love for Me, and may even leave Me."

Dear child of God, are you like the third sister? Is your love for the Lord shaken when the Lord does not answer your prayer or if your plans and desires are not fulfilled. May the Lord help us to say as St.Paul said, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." May the Lord fill our hearts with such a strong love that nothing can separate us from His love.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

TOO SMALL A PUNISHMENT...!

"Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear" (Gen 4:13).

In fact, despite the atrocious sins Cain committed - murdering his innocent brother, getting angry with God, lying to God, questioning God, etc. - the Lord did not punish him as He ought to have: the punishments the Lord pronounced were only a blessing in disguise.

But Cain, instead of saying, "My sin is greater than I can bear," says, "My punishment is too great to bear." This was afront to the matchlesss love God had showed to him. It was not God Who drove him away, but his own sins. But he accuses God of driving him out "from the face of the earth" (vs 14). Now also many sinners speak the language of Cain.

But look at how King David took reproof. When the prophet pronounced God's judgment on him for his sin, he humbled himself greatly before God and accepted his punishment. We can read of this in many of his psalms. "My sin is ever before me. Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight," he cries (Psa 51:3,4). Another time he tells the Lord, "I have sinned... I have done wickedly. Let Thine hand be against me and against my father's house" (II Sam 24:17).

Child of God, it is a heart like David's that the Lord wants us to have. When we err, let us humble ourselves and say like Ezra, "Our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve" (Ezra 9:13).

"He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities (Psa 103:10).

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

GRAVITATIONAL PULL...:

"He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing" (Job 26:7).

"He hangeth the earth upon nothing." No one could understand the meaning of this mysterious text, till scientists discovered that the earth, by the force of gravitation, actually stands upon nothing. Still, no one knows what gravity really is, how it originated and why it is there. Thank God, the Bible has the answer. "Upholding all things by the Word of His power" (Heb 1:3). It is God Who is holding up the earth.

What lesson can we learn from this? If the earth hangs upon nothing, God's people on the earth should also hang upon nothing - on nothing but their God. Our faith should hang on nothing but our God, on the Word of God, on the power of God.

There is a spiritual gravitational pull by which we are upheld - "grace wherein we stand" (Rom 5:2). Yes, that gravitational pull is the grace of God which is upholding us and keeping us. Let us put all our trust in the Lord and allow ourselves to be upheld by the powerful grace of God.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

DEADLY TEARS...:

"Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death" (II Cor 7:10).

The sorrow of the world worketh death. What does that mean? Death here has two meanings. One is physical death. If you sorrow for the things of the world or shed tears for the things of the world, you may die before God's time. While those who weep before God for spiritual things go from strength to strength, those who weep out of self-pity go from weakness to weakness. Another meaning for death is separation from God. If you are always weeping before God for money, a job, a car, or a house, the more you weep the more you will get separated from God. Your tears will only make you backslide. Physically and spiritually you will go down and down and down. But godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation.

Weeping when others reject you, despise you, speak evil of you or humiliate you, is also called 'sorrow of hell'. Why are the people in hell weeping? It is not out of repentance; it is self-pity. If you have been crying in self-pity while on earth, while dying also you may die of self-pity. So when people hate you, falsely accuse you, etc. you must rejoice and leap for joy, realizing your reward in heaven is great.

Dear child of God, don't allow the sorrows of hell to compass you. When loved ones die your sorrow should be limited - don't get swallowed up in sorrow like those who have no hope. Don't shed tears for earthly vanities. Don't weep for losing earthly positions, possessions, honour and glory. That is when we must rejoice in the Lord. It is a test of your love towards God. God is going to give you a greater blessing after the test.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

NOT ABLE TO TRUST...!

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose minds is stayed on Thee: because he truseth in Thee" (Isa 26:3).

The devil is always trying to distract our mind from staying on the Lord! "I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, that your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (II Cor 11:3 NIV). TRUSTING IN THE LORD IS, OUR MIND STAYING ON THE LORD IN ALL SINCERITY AND PURITY. When Eve's minds was corrupted she could no longer trust in the Lord; she trusted in the words of the serpent instead. How important it is to keep our minds pure! Once our minds are corrupted, we cannot trust in God. Let us therefore take heed to keep our minds pure. This is a basic requirement if our mind is to stay upon God.

When problems arise we often take our eyes off the Lord and keep them on our problems; this results in "worrying" which is just the opposite of trusting the Lord. "Take no thought for the morrow" (Matt 6:34). The devil always tries to bring to us worrying thoughts of the morrow. We read, "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully" (Lk 12:16). Yet he worried so much about the morrow that he couldn't even sleep. "What shall I do? I have no room to bestow my fruits?" The devil will try to put in us the worry of either how to get money or the worry of how to keep it.

Child of God, don't fall prey to the devil's tactics. Commit yourself to the Lord and trust in Him. The Amplified Version of Isaiah 26:3 is enlightening: "You will guard him and keep him in perfect peac whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You."

"I'll trust Thee with my whole heart,
I'll never from Thee depart,
I know Thou art keeping me safe in Thine arms,
And I know I'm free from alarms."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

RIGHT TIME FOR THE MOVE

The first mention of the Spirit of God is closely connected with the waters - "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen 1:2).

'Waters' show afflictions (Psa 69:1,2). Often revival breaks out, not when we are comfortable, but when we are in afflictions, when our faith is tried.

"Without form and void" in the original also means 'confusion and emptiness' (see Isaiah 34:11). Yes, when we find everything in confusion and empty, that is where and when "the move is on."

The present age is a perfect picture of Genesis 1:2 - confusion, emptiness and darkness everywhere. Hence this is the right time for the move of the Holy Spirit; it is high time the Spirit of God moved mightily - for which let us believe and pray.

The greatest blessing God could ever bestow on sinful man was the sacrificial death of Christ. However, that was preceded by three hours of pitch darkness when the sun went into hiding. Similarly, dear reader, we may very often find the Sun of righteousness (Jesus) hiding from us either by not answering us or by delaying to answer our prayers, BEFORE WE RECEIVE THE GREATER BLESSINGS OF GOD. Let us be encouraged as this is the right time for the move of the Holy Spirit Who moved upon the face of waters when everything was dark and in a chaotic condition.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

SEEING THE INVISIBLE GOD...:

By faith he (Moses) forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible" (Heb 11:27).

Egypt stands for sin and the sinful pleasures of this world. Why are many so-called children of God not able to forsake "Egypt"? Because they have no eyes of faith - to see the invisible God. If Moses had not forsaken Egypt, God could not have chosen him as the leader of Israel and fulfilled His grand plan through him.

When the Son of Man cometh, will faith [to forsake Egypt] be found on earth? Many who once forsook Egypt are now embracing Egypt. Why? They have lost their eyes of faith.

"He endured, as seeing Him Who is invisible." This implies that while Moses was enduring suffering in the will of God, he was seeing the invisible God. When Stephen, the first church martyr was about to be stoned, he "saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55). While Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were enduring the fiery furnace, they saw the invisible God in the fire. When you endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ, even others will see the invisible God in you - as King Nebuchadnezzar did when Shadrach and the others were in the fiery furnace.

Let us therefore joyfully endure sufferings in the will of God - they are rare opportunities on earth to see the invisible God.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

THE HUMBLEST ARE THE PUREST...:

"And he (Joseph) commanded the steward of his house, saying... put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken" (Gen 44:1,2).

This silver cup typifies an extremely pure heart. Joseph was very careful that not any silver cup, but his own silver cup, be put in Benjamin's sack. Joseph is a type of Christ. Benjamin, the youngest, speaks of the least, the humblest. Jesus, our Joseph, is pleased to put His silver cup, (His own purity), into the sack (life) of the least. St.Paul says, "I am less than the least of all the saints." The Lord put the "silver cup" in his sack also, it appears, for he confesses that he has "a pure heart" (I Tim 1:5). Benjamin could in no way take the credit for it, for it was placed by the steward (Holy Spirit) at the express command of Joseph (Jesus).

Purity and humility go together. The humblest are the purest, and the silver cup (the most pure heart, like the heart of Jesus) is found in the most humble (youngest).

"And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack" (vs 12). Dear friend, if the Holy Spirit searches your sack (life) today, will He find the silver cup? IS YOUR HEART AS PURE AS THE HEART OF GOD?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

GOD HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU...:

"Go your way, tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him" (Mk 16:7).

These are the words the angel of the Lord spoke to the women gathered at the garden tomb on the resurrection morning. Our Lord was going to Galilee to meet His disciples. Would it not do to say, "Tell His disciples that He goeth before them into Galilee"? "His disciples" surely included Peter, he being one of the twelve. Why was Peter's name particularly mentioned then? There is a possibility that, in view of the terrible mistakes he had made and the way he had denied the Lord on the day of crucifixion, he thought Jesus had forsaken him and therefore him and therefore "His disciples" did not include him any more. Knowing Peter's predicament, Jesus made special mention of him.

Are you too, like Peter, thinking that you may have grieved the Lord too deeply and that He may have forsaken you? No, dear child of God, there is hope for you. A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench" (Isa 42:3). Here the reed is like a broken key on a piano; it cannot produce good music. Today your life may be out of tune, like a bruised reed. Yet God has a plan for this bruised reed. A smoking flax, instead of producing light, gives out smoke - darkening and polluting the atmosphere; but the Lord will not put out a smoking flax. God has not given up on you.

This scripture is for you: "Go you way, tell His disciples and Peter [put your name here, instead of Peter] that He goeth before you." The Lord has something to say to you. He wants to draw you to Himself again. He wants to fill you with His glorious power and change you. He has a glorious ministry for you.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

'NO GOOD THING WILL HE WITHHOLD'

"But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." (Gen 3:3).

The woman described the treee as 'the tree which is in the midst of the garden' instead of 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' as stated by God. Obviously, she speaks of the tree as being in the midst of the garden, because it was in the midst of her heart's lust. She might have also intended to convey that the best of God was in the midst of the garden and that she was debarred from enjoying it. By that she was questioning the love and kindness of God.

We know from the Word of God that all that was created on the earth was for the use of man (including the tree of knowledge of good and evil). But man was supposed to eat of the fruits of all the other trees first, and, after he was mature enough, to eat this fruit also. 'Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil" (Heb 5:14). So it is very clear that the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil belonged to those who had 'full age', which our first forefathers did not have when they tasted it.

Let us not misunderstand the ways of God or doubt the plan of God for our life. Let us be filled with the love of God and place our trust in God. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

FLEETING HONOUR..!

The frightening fact about pride is that, not only will their life be miserable but their death and eternity too will be most miserable.

Look at Saul, the first king of Israel. Normally, people who sin ask pardon from God when they realize their sin. But look at what Saul said when his sin was pointed out - "I have sinned: yet honour me now" (I Sam 15:30). How sad that, instead of seeking forgiveness, Saul was seeking honour, knowing he had sinned against God. When a man seeks honour, it is a sure sign of the presence of hidden (unwashed) sins in his life.

When Saul was "sore wounded of the archers" he knew he was dying, and yet, instead of using the last few seconds or minutes to repent and prepare for his eternity, he was still seeking dignity and honour! (I Sam 31:4). Obviously he did not want anybody to say after his death that he had been killed by an uncircumcised person. Whoever it was who killed him, he was going to go to hell; but that appeared to be his least concern!

The armourbearer refused to kill him. Saul therefore took a sword and fell on it. But his suicidal attempt failed. He realized that even death was hating to kill him. The Amalekite stood upon him and cut off his head. In what pathetic backslidden state he ended his life!

Saul's end is a warning to every one of us. It proves how pride can make our life and death and eternity most miserable. Saul did not want an uncircumcised Philistine to kill him, but what a disgrace it was to have to ask an Amalekite - the Amalekites were worse and more abominable than the Philistined - to kill him. The honour of this world is like a shadow - the more we follow it, the more it flees from us.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

DIE IN FAITH...:

"These all died in faith" (Heb 11:13).

All the heroes of faith died in faith. We need faith, not only to live a life that's pleasing to God, but also to die pleasing to God. The Old Testament saints died in faith although they did not receive the promises.

What is meant by dying in faith? Dying trusting in divine healing is, in a way, dying in faith. But all those who die without taking medicine may not die in faith. Many die filled with fear - tormented with the fear of death, fear of hell, or the fear of the devil. Dying in faith means dying fully trusting in God, without any fear at all. Some may have wonderful gift of faith - faith to heal the sick, raise the dead, etc. But that faith will not help them at the time of death. We need faith as a character, faith, the fruit of the Spirit.

When the founder of our mission, Pastor Paul, was about to die, the old priest of his former nominal church came to see him. Pointing to the boils on his body he said, "Look at all the pain you are suffering now." Then Pastor Paul smiled and said, "You are only looking there; you didn't look here (pointing to his heart). There is a lion roaring inside!" Even if the whole of hell rises against us, we should not be afraid. The righteous are bold as a lion. Even in the deepest trouble, even at the time of our death, we should be like a lion.

When Pastor Lazarus was dying he was extremely weak but his spirit was roaring like a lion. Raising his hand he was saying, "The gates of hell cannot prevail against the militant Church of God."

Some people may appear bold and may seem to have greater faith but when the time comes for them to die they are shaken. The heroes of faith stood for the faith, lived for the faith, fought for the faith, and also died for the faith.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

"THEY SHALL BEAR THEE UP"

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them" (Psa 34:7).

Once, when a mother was attending a prayer meeting, her little daughter sneaked out into the church compound and went out into the street. Suddenly, during the meeting, was heard a terrible screeching of tyres, and a car stopped right in front of the church. To her horror, the mother noticed that her daughter was not near her. She rushed into the street and found her daughter calmly sitting on the pavement, and the driver of the car in a shocked state. "Elizabeth, what happened?" shrieked the excited mother. "I did not see the car coming, and I ran into the middle of the street. The car hit me but an angel of God took me up in his arms and made me site here, "replied Elizabeth calmly. The mother looked her daughter over. There was not even a scratch on her. And, though the driver looked dazed, Elizabeth was very calm and looked like a sweet angel.

How often the angel of the Lord delivers us from harm and danger! We may not be thanking God for them; we may not have even realized how we are being protected and cared for. How blessed a people we are!

"There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone" (Psa 91:10-12).

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

THE MOST BLESSED PRIVILEGE...!

"As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name" (Jn 1:12).

The word 'power' also means privilege or authority. Indeed, this is perhaps the most wonderful privilege anyone can have on earth.

Dear friend, if you have not received Jesus into your heart, receive Him RIGHT NOW. His compassions and care and tender love are all available to you. He is waiting just outsite your heart to come in and embrace you and live with you. If you confess your sins to Him, His blood can wash away all your sins and make you a child of heaven.

Countless privileges follow the person who receives Christ into his heart. He has the privilege of being the son of God. Jesus becomes his brother then. That's why He is known as the 'firstborn among many brethren' (Rom 8:29). Sometimes our own blood brother may let us down. But Jesus will be to us "a friend that sticketh closer than a brother" (Prov 18:24).

Moreover, when we become sons of God, we experience our God as EL-SHADDAI, mother-like God! Sometimes, our own mother may not be able to understand the burden and sorrow we have in our heart. Our God is more than a mother to us. Our earthly mothers cannot carry our sicknesses and pains, but our El-Shaddai can. Our mothers could carry us only when we were babies, but our God has promised to carry us even in our old age! See Isaiah 46:4. "Even to your old age I am He; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you."

"There is an arm that never tires

When human strength gives way;

There is a love which never fails

When earthly loves decay.

How sad it is that millions of people have either not discovered this blessed privilege or have rejected it to their own doom!

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

NO FAMINE IN GOD'S HOUSE!

We have often heard of the greatness of Abraham as the Father of faith, as a man of obedience and sacrifice etc. But there was an ugly scene of backsliding in his life. Just as we learn many things from his faith, obedience, etc. we learn many lessons from his backsliding.

"Abraham journeyed going on still toward the south. And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there" Gen 12:9,10). Leaving Bethel, Abram moved down to the south and faced a famine. 'Bethel' means, 'house of God'. Abraham should not have left Bethel; there's no famine in Bethel. The prodigal son could not get even swine's husk to satisfy his hunger, while those in his father's house had bread to spare.

Child of God, don't ever go away from God's house; don't be slack in attending all the meetings arranged for you. The Lord has provided for all your needs there. "The children of men... shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house; and Thou shalt make them drink of the river of Thy pleasures" (Psa 36:7,8).

If you find you are running short of spiritual food, if you have no desire for the Word of God, you must be moving in the wrong direction. And if you don't get enough spiritual food, take note, you will start craving for Egyptian food. It will do you good to remember that it can never satisfy your soul - it is only 'husk' that is meant for swine!

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

A BRAND NEW BODY!

"Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh... received up into glory" (I Tim 3:16).

This is amazing. "God was manifest in the flesh." God's divine nature was manifest while dwelling in this human body. This is the first sign of the mystery of godliness and this was very true about Jesus. He "was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (Jn 1:14). While we are in the flesh (in this physical body) we should manifest God's glory. What is glory? 'Full(ness) of grace and truth.'

Some give the excuse, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." When sin entered man the body indeed became weak, although the spirit is willing. In water baptism, this weak (disobedient) body is removed (buried). Now we are the body of Christ, the Church. WE CAN DO GOD'S WILL IN THIS BODY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, BECAUSE HE HAS REMOVED OUR OLD (WEAK AND DISOBEDIENT) BODY AND HAS GIVEN US A NEW BODY. HALLELUJAH!

The final aspect of the mystery of godliness is, "received up into glory." First, 'manifest in the flesh' and finally, 'received up into glory.' Indeed, if God is manifested in our body now, in the end, our body shall be changed and we shall be received up into glory.

Dear reader, stop giving the excuse: "The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." That is a trick of the devil. Why not thank God for that BRAND NEW BODY of yours and "glorify God in your body"?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

CONSTANT CARE...:

“What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visitest him?” (Heb 2:6).

What a loving and caring God we have! “What is man, that Thou shouldest magnify him? and that Thou shouldest set Thine heart upon him? And that Thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? (Job 7:17,18).

God setting His heart upon us and visiting us every morning with His blessings show how mindful our God is of us. “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits” (Psa 68:19). His mercies and compassions are new every morning (Lam 3:22, 23).

“Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see:
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.”

When our God visits us in the morning, if we are lazy or too busy to spend time with Him (in morning devotions), how sad He would be! We sent Him away on many mornings when He came to load us with His blessings – as we were too busy to receive Him.

Every moment the Lord tries us or checks our life; every moment He checks our thoughts, desires, imaginations, words, deeds and feelings - to see that they are unblameable before Him.

He watches over us every moment and "waters us every moment" or pours grace every moment. "I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day" (Isa 27:3).

Why does our God do all these things for us every day and every moment? Only with this blessed hope - "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump... we shall be changed" (I Cor 15:52).

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

EFFECTS OF BEING HURT...:

We are living in an age in which people often get hurt, offended or wounded, and that, very easily. One saint rightly said, “If we are hurt, it is indeed our pride which is hurt.” Haman was in a high position in Persia; but look at how much his pride was hurt when just one person did not bow before him – see Esther 5:11-13.

I Kings Ch 22 relates the story of a defeated king who pleaded, “Carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.” Yes, a wounded man can no longer fight the battles of the Lord. He has to be taken off the battlefield in disgrace.

Jesus disclosed the truth that those who get offended lack spiritual depth. (Mk 4:5,6,17). Does that speak to us? Do we have spiritual depth or do we harbour hurt feelings and find fault with those who appear to be wounding, hurting or offending us? We are called to be good soldiers of Christ (II Tim 2:3). We have a ‘good fight’ to fight – against sin, against principalities, powers and rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places – in order to lay hold on eternal life. So let us be careful not to get ‘hurt’ in the battlefield.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

LIKE STARS AND SAND..:

“Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore” (Heb 11:12).

Abraham’s children were like stars and like the sand of the seashore. We need both these experiences.

Stars shine in the dark night and guide travelers on their way. Those who turn people to righteousness are like stars (Dan 12:3). Are we, by our life and by our words, helping people find the way to peace, joy and rest, to holiness and victory? Does our holiness in all our conduct show people living in the dark the difference between right and wrong, the difference between holiness and most holiness?

It isn’t enough if we are high in the sky, bright and shining. How do we respond to the hard-to-take situations and people we face in our day-to-day life? The sand of the seashore is continually, day in and day out, battered by the rolling waves, and made smaller, rounder and whiter as days pass. The hardships and problems in life should not knock us flat, but help us to become humbler, softer and purer. It is our attitude towards them that makes all the difference.

How are you going to face today? Will you be a star? Will you be a grain of sand on the seashore?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

WAY OF HOLINESS...:

"An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it... the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon... and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads" (Isa 35:8-10).

The blessedness of the way of holiness is beautifully portrayed here.

(i) It is a highway. - This way is in our hearts. If your heart is narrow, the way to heaven will also be narrow to you; holy living will be narrow and difficult.

(ii) It is the cleanest way because, "the unclean shall not pass over it."

(iii) It is the easiest way because, "the wayfaring men, though fools shall not err therein." If fools will not make mistakes in this way, it must be a very easy way indeed! However, those who are worldly-wise may go astray in this way. Unless you are a fool for Christ, you will never know or value the way of holiness.

(iv) It is the safest way as, "no lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon." No wild beast or anything that can cause fear can be found there. In spite of this, some people of God do not choose the safest way, the way of holiness.

(v) It is the most sacred way as only redeemed people have the right to walk in this way.

(vi) It is the most joyful way as the people walk in it "with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads." All along the way we will be singing, and keep hearing others sing. And it's not ordinary joy but everlasting joy that will be upon us. True happiness comes through true holiness.

(vii) It is the most blessed way as it leads to the most blessed place in heaven, Zion.

Do you love the holiness of God? If you do, you will find the way of holiness to be a highway, the cleanest way, the easiest way, the safest way, the most sacred way, the most joyful way and the most blessed way to Zion. So, "keep thyself pure" (I Tim 5:22).

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

DARE TO GO TO JESUS...!!!

"Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water" (Matt 14:28).

Though there were twelve disciples in the ship, only Peter had the longing to go to Jesus, braving the wild winds and waters. In the same way, though many have been met by Jesus and know His loving grace and wonderful power, there are only very few who, like Peter, venture to go to Him. Others may give the excuse of the sea being rough or the waves being wild, for refraining from going to Jesus.

The real Christian life is a life of 'walking on the water' - not one of sailing comfortably in a boat or one of basking on the seashore. Yes, the wind and the waves are rough, but Jesus wants to brave it all and go to Him. How happy Jesus must have been when Peter said, "Bid me come unto Thee on the water!" The reply of Jesus was sweet and short - "Come." Peter lost no time getting out of the ship and, 'he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.'

Some children of God want to go to Jesus without walking on the water. 'Waters' refer to trials, difficulties and sinful temptations. Without overcoming these, we can never go to Jesus.

Peter did not walk in the water, but on the water. Dear child of God, if you walk in sin you can never go to Jesus. Jesus walked on the water and showed an example that we too may walk over all sins, trials and temptations, without getting drowned by them. Living above sin while in this mortal body is indeed a possibility by the grace of God. Jesus walking on the water was a shadow of this truth. Like Peter, let us also dare to go to Jesus.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

ARE YOU HOMESICK?

Truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned" (Heb 11:15).

When Abraham left his country, he left it even in his mind. However, when Lot's wife left Sodom, she did not leave it in her heart. Hence she looked back and became a pillar of salt.

Note that the word 'country' is in italics in the Bible. So we must read the text as - "Truly if they had been mindful of that from whence they came out..." This means that we must leave not only our country but also anything that our Lord asks us to leave. We may leave it literally but it may be in our heart. Some people go back to their drinking and smoking or other vices after some time. They may have been cherishing them in their heart; so when they faced a temptation they succumbed to it. So, whatever it may be that the Lord asks us to leave, we must leave it in our heart and mind, just as the heroes of faith did.

"Now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly" (vs 16). Since they desired a better country they did not have a desire to go back to their own country. The Living Bible renders - "they were living for heaven." If we live for heaven, our heart will be heaven and all the way to heaven will be heaven for us.

If heaven is a 'better country' to you, you should be 'homesick' while on earth. Child of God, are you 'homesick' for your heavenly home? The Lord has prepared for us "an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away" (I Pet 1:4). So set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

THE CURSE OF SIN...:

"Now art thou cursed from the earth ... when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth" (Gen 4:11,12).

God did not curse the person of Cain but pronounced him 'cursed from the earth' so that the earth may not yield its crops when he tills the ground. Material prosperity in the hands of a sinner is very dangerous. So God restricts it in His mercy. Riches in the hands of a drunkard could ruin his own health and the welfare of others.

The earth has a 'strength'; it gives man the strength of prosperity, health, etc. 'Strength' also meant 'power' in the original. While sin deprives you of the power of health and riches (though sinners sometimes have riches, they cannot really enjoy them due to fear, ill health etc.), saints can claim all these blessings for the kingdom of God and for the glory of God. Hallelujah!

"A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth." Now that Cain had become a murderer, a liar and a rebel against God, he needed scope for repentance. If he was settled peacefully in one place, he would live without giving a thought to heaven. But now, since his life is uncertain, he has to look to the place where he can be finally settled and peaceful, that is, heaven. 'Fugitive and vagabond' in the original is, 'wanderer and bemoaner'. The more we sin and harden our hearts, the more suffering and punishment we will have, and the more difficult it will be to turn to God.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

DON'T DECEIVE YOURSELF..:

"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red" (Prov 23:31).

Some people who drink (alcohol) take the words of St.Paul in I Timothy 5:23 and say that a little wine is good for the stomach. But look at the previous verse (v 22). "Keep thyself pure". The original word for 'wine' used here (please check Young's Concordance) means 'pure grape juice'. When the Word of God very clearly says that looking upon wine (with a desire) is a sin, how much more sinful it would be to drink even a drop!

There was once a child of God who sincerely desired to please God in everything. One day it was his birthday and his daughter bought a cake and presented it to him. He tasted a little and realized that there was some alcoholic percentage in it. Still, not wanting to offend his daughter, he ate a little, and left the rest of it in the fridge. That night he had a dream. He was going to heaven, and on the border he had to pass the customs. The customs officer opened his box and, finding a big bottle of liquor in it, pointed to the prison and said, "That is the place for you." With that, the child of God woke up. The Lord then told him that he was guilty of eating the cake knowing it had an alcoholic ingredient. Immediately he repented and threw away the cake. In later years, he became a great man of God.

Dear child of God, don't deceive yourself. Perhaps, in your home, there is not a cake with alcoholic ingredient, but a liquor bottle, a television set, some novels or some worldly magazines. Right now, sincerely repent and remove any such unholy thing from your house - so that it may not prevent you from reaching heaven.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

Drawing Power of the Blood of Jesus..:

Now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:13)

In one sense, the blood of Christ has the greatest magnetic power in the world. Just as a magnet draws an iron piece to itself, the blood of Jesus draws a sinner to Jesus. [A magnet may draw an iron piece to itself, but the magnet cannot transform the iron piece into a magnet. But the blood of Christ can not only draw a sinner to Christ, but also transform the sinner into a saint!

When you really repent of all your sins and are washed in the blood of Christ, the blood has power to bring you very close to the Lord – “made nigh by the blood of Christ.”

Living presence of God is feeling God all over you. If you want to speak something wrong, you find God virtually closing your mouth. You feel as if you can reach out and touch God. He becomes so real and so near. Psalm 139 speaks beautifully about the manifest presence of God or the immediate presence of God. David says, “There is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it” (Psa 139:4-6). The manifest presence of God is such a unique experience; even the thoughts are checked when they are far away. And, in this presence there is fullness of joy and eternal pleasures.

The blood of Jesus Christ is able to bring us so close to God as to enable us to have these beautiful experiences. In other words, the blood of Jesus will enable every fibre of our being, including our words, deeds, thoughts, imaginations, etc. to be directed and dominated by God’s presence every moment. Oh, what a wonderful power there is in the blood of Jesus! Even the holy angels cannot comprehend this.

Let us claim this glorious experience available through the precious blood of Jesus. Its power will never fail; its power will never be in vain. Even all through Eternity we will be praising the power in the blood of Christ!

“Saviour, more than life to me,
I am clinging, clinging close to Thee;
Let Thy precious Blood applied,
Keep me ever, ever near Thy side.”

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

ANGER - THE SPIRIT OF MURDER..:

“Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell… Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him” (Gen 4:5,8)

When your face (countenance) changes, beware – a murderous spirit might be entering into you, and it could lead you into killing your own brother or sister!

Dear child of God, do you realize that when you are angry and upset and your face changes, “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you”? Many of God’s children have not realized that wrath is the spirit of murder. When this foul spirit entered into Saul, he wanted to kill innocent David (I Sam 18:8,11). Herod, in his fury, slew thousands of babes under two years (Matt 2:16). And Pharoah, furious with Israel, slew all their male children (Exo 1:22).

When Simeon and Levi, the sons of Jacob were furious with the Shechemites, they hid their anger in their hearts and outwardly showed themselved to be friendly, even to the extent of suggesting marriage ties with them. However, after a few days, when they found an opportune moment, they massacred all the males in the country. [Perhaps the worst form of anger is keeping resentment and bitterness in the heart and pretending to be godly and friendly on the outside.] Their wrath was so detestable that even their own father, when in his deathbed, instead of blessing them, said, “Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations… for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel” (Gen 49:5-7).

Dear reader, do not wait for the demonic spirit of anger to destroy both you and others. Flee to God with a broken and contrite heart. God, in His mercy, can renew a right spirit within you (Psa 51:10). Instead of your face becoming black with anger, let it be changed into a glory with grace.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

RULE YOUR MIND..:

How are we to keep our thoughts, our mind pure and clean? First of all, we should realise that, in one sense, our evil thoughts are more sinful and serious than our actions.

St.Peter says to Simon the sorcerer, “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee”. (Acts 8:22). Simon desired the anointing of the Holy Spirit but his intention was to make a living out of it. It is this wrong thought which is considered as, ‘wickedness’ by Peter.

Why does God want us to take our wrong thoughts seriously? The reason is that every thought will be judged by God (Eccl 3:17); We are accountable to God for every thought of us. Our God lives in a ‘secret place’, and he wants us to live with Him in that secret place (Psalm 91:1) – for which we must not have any secret sins.

When unsanctified thoughts try to come in, thrust them out of your mind by the grace of God. Sooner or later, you may face the same problem or a similar trial. Again, by the grace of God, fight against it. Such a life of fighting the good fight is called an overcoming life. It is for an overcoming life that we are called; let us not give in to sinful thoughts.

We cannot grow above our thoughts. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Prov 23:7). If you think like the devil, you are like the devil indeed. If you think like Christ, you are like Christ.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in ‘Morning Manna’

THE CENTRE OF GOD'S WILL..:

“As one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, where it fell? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in hither; and the iron did swim” (II Kgs 6:5,6).

Once the axe head comes off the handle, it is of no use to the owner. Child of God, you are that axe head. It is only as long as you are attached to the handle, only as long as you stay in the centre of God’s will, that you will be an instrument meet for the Master’s use.

When selecting a person for any ministry, the Lord always looked for someone who would do His will. “I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in Mine heart and in My mind,” He once said (I Sam 2:35). On finding David He says, “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, which shall fulfil all My will” (Acts 13:22).

The axe head that is broken off from the handle is not only useless but also dangerous; it could easily cut or kill someone. Dear reader, does this in anyway speak to you? Rebelling and going against the will of God is dangerous.

Here, the axe head fell into the water. Child of God, have you fallen into troubled waters? You might have lost the joy of salvation, your peace of mind, or your first love for the Lord. Obviously, the one who lost the axe head thought he would never get it back. You too may be in a similar position. You may be thinking you will never be able to get back the spiritual experiences you lost. Do not be discouraged. There is nothing impossible with your God. Arise and come back to the centre of God’s will.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in ‘Morning Manna’

TODAY IS THE DAY...!

“Today thou shalt be with me in paradise” (Lk 23:43).

Christ spoke the word of salvation – ‘Today’. Yes, salvation is always ‘today.’ “I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (II Cor 6:2). “As the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil art of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But, exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:7-13).

Child of God, when the Lord speaks to you, respond immediately. Jesus told Zacchaeus, “today I must abide at thy house” and he made haste and came down and received him joyfully! (Lk 19:5,6). Jesus wants to come into your life TODAY. Make haste and receive Him and His blessings today.

The penitent thief hanging on the cross had no further opportunities, but you and I do, while it is still called, “Today”. Be baptised (by immersion in water) by an anointed minister, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (with the sign of speaking in new tongues).

Join a spirit-filled assembly led by consecrated servants of God and learn how to live the life of the kingdom of God. Then you can join the great throng of the redeemed and sing the high praises of our glorious Redeemer:

“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,

O what a foretaste of glory divine,

Heir of salvation, purchase of God;

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!”

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in ‘Morning Manna’

REJECTED TO BE RESURRECTED..:

The path of rejection began in the life of our Lord right at His birth and continued till his death. "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (Jn 1:11). "He was despised and rejected of men" (Isa 53:3). Dear child of God, you too will have the "privilege" of following the footprints of your Master. You can take rejection in the right spirit (in the spirit of Christ, singing and rejoicing), or you can curse God, murmur, and complain of those who have rejected you.

Often, when children of God feel rejected, they mourn and complain and indulge in self-pity, blaming others for their misery. Such will end up in final rejection at the Coming of the Lord. But if we learn to rejoice when rejected, it will lead us to the glory of resurrection. You will be resurrected or caught up when Jesus Christ comes. Rejection leads to resurrection. The rejected stone became the corner stone. The stone that joined this Corner Stone should also have the character trait it has.

Dear child of God, you must be going through a path of rejection right now. It may be very agonizing, and the situation may appear to be prolonging. But do you realize that your rejection leads you to resurrection? The more you are rejected, for the sake of Christ, the more you will be "accepted in the beloved" (Eph 1:6). and the day is certainly not far off when you will be raised to glory.

"Foes may hate, despise, revile you,
And thy friends unfaithful prove;
Still unwearied in forgiveness,
Let thy heart know only love".

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

TEST OF LOVING OBEDIENCE..:

"Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen 2:17)

God placed the tree of knowledge in the garden and commanded man not to eat of it, in order to test his loving obedience. Man, unlike all other creations, was created as a responsible being. God gave him a freewill or the wisdom to choose for himself, and wanted him to serve Him willingly and with his whole heart. God could have made man like a computer; obedience could have been programmed in him. But God did not want to be a robot; He wanted him to be a free being in all respects. Hence he is the crown of creation.

"In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." This death is applicable in the physical sense as well as in the spiritual sense. The very day man ate of the fruit his soul died i.e. he lost eternal life God had given him. According to the Word of God, the very day he committed sin he died physically as well, for in the sight of God a 1000 years are as one day (II Pet 3:8) and vice versa. Adam did not live altogether even ONE DAY (i.e. a thousand years).

Dear reader, let us serve our God willingly and become victors in the test of loving obedience. If we fail, it is 'death' we have to face for certain.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

PRAYERS OUT OF A PURE HEART..:

Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne" (Rev 8:3).

Although the altar, incense, etc. belong to the earthly tabernacle, this is a heavenly scene. The altar before which the angel stood may be the incense altar in the holy place. It is worth observing that everything connected with the incense altar is of pure gold. The altar was made of gold, and incense was carried in a golden censer.

The incense altar made of pure gold represents the prayers and praises coming out of a pure (golden) heart. Every saint of God who prays from a truly pure heart is a golden censer in the sight of God. (Every child of God who is washed in the blood of Christ is called a saint - see I Cor 1:2).

"The smoke of the incense, which came up with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God" (vs 4). God has a very special regard for prayers which come out of a pure heart. INDEED, THEY ARE MOST POWERFUL - MORE POWERFUL THAN THE MOST POWERFUL EARTHLY WEAPON. Prayer life without a pure life is like the fruitless fig tree which Jesus cursed - so many leaves (prayers), but absolutely no fruit (result); it is indeed a hypocrisy.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

THREATS TO YOUR COVENANTS..:

When you are standing on the covenants you made with your God, you are like Samson who did mighty deeds for his God and for the people of God. As per God's covenant with Samson, a razor was not to touch his head. As long as Samson was steadfast in that covenant, he was a mighty man of God. But alas, because of Delilah's influence he had to break that covenant and hence had to die a very miserable death.

The meaning of 'Samson' is 'like the sun'. The sun is the sun of righteousness - our Jesus. We are called to be like the sun or like our Jesus, as was Samson. Delilah stands for the world or worldly pleasures. The meaning of the word 'Delilah' is 'delicate'. Delicate worldly pleasures undermine the very foundation of our covenant with God. Like Samson's, end the end of such people would be most pitiable. Let us take every care that not even a small wordly pleasure enters our life.

Sometimes, by the way we dress, behave, or move with others, we may give room for some cunning Delilah to creep in and make a havoc of our spiritual life. Today, find out from your personal life who or what that Delilah is, that is trying to break your covenants with your God. Destroy that Delilah right away and do away with it for ever.

"Earthly pleasures vainly called me,

I would be like Jesus;

Nothing worldly shall enthrall me

I would be like Jesus."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

"OPEN THY MOUTH WIDE"

"I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it" (Psa 81:10).

Here, the Psalmist very clearly reviews the blessedness of opening our mouth to pray and to worship the Lord - seeing He has brought us out of Egypt. In other words, if our mouth is bound, it may imply that we are still bound in the land of Egypt. Those who open their heart and mouth to pray and to praise and adore God, will be free from the bondage of Egypt (sin).

"My people would not hearken to My voice; and Israel would none of Me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels" (vs 11,12). Just as it happened thousands of years ago, even now some are not hearkening to the voice of God in this respect, that is, in opening their heart and mouth to pray and worship the Lord. What happened to the people who did not open their mouth? God gave them up to their hearts' lust that they may walk in their own counsels. If we are not willing to open up to God we will not be able to do the will of God.

"Oh that My people had hearkened unto Me, and Israel had walked in My ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned My hand against their adversaries" (vs 13, 14). Another blessing in obeying the command to open the mouth and pray and praise God is that we will find that our enemies are subdued by God. Furthermore, when a man's ways please God, his enemies become his friends (Prov 16:7).

"He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee" (vs 16). What a blessing in opening the mouth and heart and praising and glorifying God! We receive the finest of wheat - the best spiritual food - and honey out of the rock. While the rock is one of the hardest substances on earth, honey is one of the sweetest things on earth. As we go through the hardest or most difficult paths (rock), the Lord will make them sweetest experiences (honey).

Should we not then open our heart and mouth to worship, to pray and to praise God - that He may fill us with His best?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

THE SECRET of SUBDUING..:

"God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion..." (Gen 1:28)

Just as parents get everything ready for their child even before the child is born, God created everything for man's need before he was created. Everything was created for God's glory and for man's use. But when God's glory departed from man, the things which God created started getting misused and abused. (For example, grape juice is fermented into liquor.) Therefore thorns and thistles started coming up. As bad and bitter things appeared in man, bad and bitter things appeared in other creatures also. When we change, whether for better or for worse, we will see everyone around us changing accordingly.

To 'replenish' means to 'refill'. This indicates that there was a time when the earth was inhabited. [The angels were first on the earth - they were in the garden of Eden. (Eze 28:13).] Some of the angels fell due to pride and because of that the whole earth became formless and void. But God wanted to replenish the earth again. 'Subdue' indicates that evil powers (obviously the powers of the fallen angels) were already on the earth and that they were to be restrained. "Replenish the earth and subdue it". The secret of subduing is by replenishing.

Our hearts always should be filled and refilled with God's love and grace or, it will be filled with hatred and bitterness. When our hearts are thrilled and filled with heavenly character, we can subdue sin, satan and the world and have dominion over everything.

- Late Pastor T.U. Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

"BY FAITH... PERISHED NOT"

"By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace" (Heb 11:31)

What a faith! Let us put ourselves in the place of Rahab. The enemies of the country (two spies from a foreign country) are coming to spy out the city. How can we receive such spies with peace? Moreover, Rahab's house was on the wall. It would have been the first to fall if the wall of Jericho was to collapse. She was in such a vulnerable situation. What a terrible trial!

Some of our trials are like these spies - most dangerous in the natural way; but faith welcomes them in peace. What was the final result? Jesus was born in the lineage of Rahab. The Lord will make our greatest trials greatest blessings if we welcome them by faith.

"By faith... perished not." People perish as they have no faith. Here, faith made the potential destroyers real protectors.

It is interesting to note that when Rahab's wonderful faith is recorded, she is referred to as 'harlot Rahab.' From the title we can see that she was one of the foremost unbelievers in the city and one of the worst sinners as well. So she should have been one of the first to be destroyed along with the unbelievers. However, her faith that her sins could be forgiven, her faith that God could have mercy on her helped her to be saved from destruction. She says, "I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you." (Josh 2:9,10). These words of Rahab's confession show the faith she had.

Dear reader, even if you are the worst sinner or backslider, there is hope for you if you will trust the Lord and confess your sins and turn to Him for His mercy.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

RAISE THE BANNER OF VICTORY...:

“When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.” (Is 59:19)

One marvelous ministry of the glorious Holy Spirit is stated here. When the enemy comes to attack, and that like a flood, in multitudes, it is normal for one to reinforce one’s own army to confront the enemy forces. It would be ridiculous to raise the standard (flag) then. Normally, the flag is hoisted only after the victory over the enemy. But spiritually, if the Holy Spirit is ruling, and raining in our lives, we do not have to fight the battle when the devil's forces come against us, for, the battle belongs to the Lord Who is enthroned in our hearts. Let us join the Lord in raising up the flag against the enemy by standing firm in faith. If God be for us, who can be against us? Just as the people of ISrael shouted praises of victory before the wall of Jericho fell down, we can, through faith, shout praises even before we see the victory. "Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand" (Psalm 149:6).

The devil is not almighty, but God is. He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world. (I Jn 4:4). Let us live in the power of the Holy Spirit so that the banner of victory may be raised when the enemy comes like a flood.

"Each one a one-man army, can storm through any host;
We're an army of overcomers.
An army then of armies, filled with the Holy Ghost;
We are an army of overcomers."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

RENEW YOUR VISION...:

Chapter Two of the Book of Daniel relates the strange dream of Nebuchadnezzar. He forgot the dream, and that troubled him greatly. His sleep was disturbed. He commanded his wise men and magicians to tell him the dream and its interpretation, and threatened to cut them in pieces and turn their houses into dunghills if they failed to do so. How strange of him to threaten to cut them! Had they to be blamed for his forgetfulness?

Even today there are many Nebuchadnezzars - who forget the dream or heavenly vision given by the Lord. The God of heaven gave the king a kingdom, power, strength and glory (Dan 2:37,38): our God has promised us a greater kingdom, power, strength, glory and majesty. Our heavenly calling is of greater importance than the dream of the Babylonian king.

If we forget our heavenly vision we may, like the king, try to 'cut in pieces' those who are innocent. Nebuchadnezzar really forgot his dream. But modern Nebuchadnezzars conveniently try to forget their vision or calling in order to fulfil their own plans and desires. Let us renew our vision and respond to the heavenly call before its too late.

Thank God for Daniel! He earnestly sought the Lord till the dream and its interpretation was revealed. He reminded the king of his dream and told him its interpretation, thus rescuing many from being massacred. We need Daniels whose dwelling is not with flesh - those who have mortified the flesh. Such saints alone can help restore the lost vision of God's people. They alone can avert a spiritual disaster which already threatens the spiritual world.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

FIRST MOVE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...:

"The earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen 1:2).

In Genesis 1:1, we find 'In the beginning God' and hence 'heaven' is also found in that verse. But Genesis 1:2 begins with 'earth' instead of 'God'; hence we do not find heaven there, but instead, confusion, emptiness, 'deep' and darkness. It's no surprise therefore that those who give first preference to earthly things end up in darkness, confusion and emptiness - which all portray hell. Dear child of God, let God be first; let Him be the beginning of every detail of your life. Then you can enjoy heaven on earth.

Thank God, the move of the Spirit of God - the Holy Ghost is the first and prime Mover. The Spirit of God moved, not when all things were alright, as we would expect, but when everything was in a chaotic state; not when there was light, but when there was darkness; not when all were on fire, but when everywhere there was only cold water! What an encouraging thought for those who are waiting for a mighty revival and interceding for it!

The Psalmist shares with us a similar revelation: "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psa 27:13). He did not see the goodness of the Lord, and yet he believed to see it, or he would have fainted and become discouraged. Dear reader, are you fainting and getting discouraged because you do not see a revival? Take heart, believe, and you will surely see it.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

BLESSEDNESS OF TRUSTING IN GOD...:

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee" (Isa 26:3).

A simple definition for 'trusting in God' is stated in this verse. Trusting in God is, our mind staying on God.

Noah found mercy or grace as he looked to the eyes of the Lord, and was able to live a perfect life in his generation. Some find it difficult to live a just and perfect life. As they do not look to the eyes of the Lord or trust in Him, they lack grace. When our mind stays on the Lord we receive the grace to realize our own emptiness, and God's fulness. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (Jms 4:6).

Trusting in God, looking to the eyes of God for mercy, our mind staying on God, humbling ourselves - all these mean more or less the same thing.

Perfect peace is another blessing we get from trusting in God. In the original, "perfect peace" is shalom shalom. Shalom means peace, wholeness, completeness, good health, etc. It virtually means that if we trust in the Lord, we have a double (perfect) portion of His peace, good health, etc.

Perhaps the most blessed text on the blessings we receive by trusting in the Lord, is Psalm 21:6,7: "Thous hast made him MOST BLESSED FOR EVER: Thou hast made him EXCEEDING GLAD WITH THY COUNTENANCE for the king trusteth in the LORD." Consider the words 'most' and 'for ever'. Those who trust the Lord are most blessed - now and in Eternity. No one can expect a greater blessedness or a blessedness for a longer period, than this. Those who trust the Lord are made blessed, yea, most blessed! And they are made glad, yea, exceeding glad with His countenance. So THOSE WHO TRUST IN THE LORD ARE MOST BLESSED AND EXCEEDING GLAD PEOPLE, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE PROBLEMS THEY FACE AND THE BURDENS THEY CARRY. If so, those who do not trust in the Lord (but trust in the arm of flesh) are most miserable and exceeding sad people. "... for the king trusteth in the Lord." Indeed, those who trust in the Lord are not ordinary people, but kings.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

ANGER KILLS...:

"Wrath killeth the foolish man" (Job 5:2).

How true! "Haman (was) full of wrath." Ultimately, "they hanged Haman on the gallows..." (esth 3:5; 7:10). Do not be a foolish Haman. Before the noose of your anger tightens around your neck, cut it off for ever.

"Wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword" (Job 19:29). For your wrath, you may face punishment now and the judgment of God at the end. See also Proverbs 19:19.

The Scriptures show that there is no excuse for anger, for, "the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God" (Jms 1:20). Some have an excuse - 'I was provoked' or 'I was under tremendous pressure!' Consider Moses, the meekest man on earth. "Because they provoked his spirit,... he spake unadvisedly with his lips" (Psa 106:33). God was very firm with him. The man of God who led the people of Israel for forty years, could not even visit the good land!

Once, when Moses was angry, the Lord told him something like a remedy - "Speak to the rock." When you lose your temper, the remedy is the same: speak to the Rock, which is Christ (I Cor 10:4), for deliverance. Alas! Moses, instead of speaking to the Rock, spoke to the people unadvisedly. You cannot expect to speak soberly when a wrong spirit is dominating you.

Wrath is connected with sickness and sorrow (Eccl 5:17). Recently, a man who got angry with someone and was on his way to get hold of him, died of a heart attack!

"I want the love that always sweetly bears
Whate'er my Father's hand may choose to send;
I want the love that patiently endures
The wrongs that come from enemy or friend."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

BELITTLE NOT LITTLE SINS...:

"Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones" (Psa 137:8,9).

Even a heartless person will find it difficult to dash little ones against a rock. But God Who is most gracious and compassionate, exhorts the saints to do it. It is even surprising to read that the one who does this act shall be happy.

These words were spoken against the daughter of Babylon. Babylon the Great is called 'the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth' (Rev 17:5). If Babylon stands for all immoralities and abominable sins, the daughter of Babylon could stand for the little sins of impurities and defilements.

Happy, and of course, blessed shall he be, who searches out the seemingly insignificant sins in his life and dashes them against the Rock which is Christ i.e. destroys these sins (darkness) by bringing them to Christ (the Light).

"Take us the foxes, the little foxes (little sins), that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes" (S.S. 2:15). These foxes enter through the small holes in the fence and spoil the vines eating up the tender sweet grapes. In other words, these little foxes or sins will spoil our vine, even our good testimony, our joy, peace and grace. When tender grapes are eaten up, fruitfulness is cut off. Once these little foxes come inside the garden they no more remain little but in no time turn into fatted foxes, and hence will not be able to go out through the "little holes" they came through. "No sin is small. No grain of sand is small in the mechanism of a watch," said Jeremy Tailor.

Be "very cruel" to the very little sins in your life and "dash them against the Rock!"

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

DIE IN SHALOM....:

"Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in his season" (Job5:26).

This is a great promise for the children of God who walk with God. A shock of corn is brought to the storehouse when it is most healthy and useful. We should not die at a time when we are useless and a burden to others, but when we are most useful and a great blessing to all (including our enemies).

Read about the promise of God to Abraham: "Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace (shalom); thou shalt be buried in a good old age." The word shalom means good health, prosperity, safety, rest, peace, completeness, etc. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace" (Psa 37:37). Here also the same word shalom is used. So it is the good pleasure of God that His saitns end their lives in peace - in good health, in rest, in prosperity. Prosperity means spiritual life prospering and your life prospering for the glory of God.

We read that, according to God's promise, "Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years" (Gen 25:8). It doesn't say 'in a bad age' but, 'in a good old age.' This experience of 'a good old age' is promised to a number of saints in connection with their old age. The words 'of years' are in italics in the Bible. So the verse could be: "Abraham died in a good old age, an old man and full." He died full of blessings, full of grace, full of the goodness of God, full of health, and full of spiritual wealth.

Dear child of God, are you afraid of your future - thinking you will become sick and weak and be a burden to others? According to your faith, be it unto you. Abraham believed and God counted it as righteousness and performed what He promised to Him. Let us believe as Mary did. "Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord" (Lk 1:45). May the Lord fulful our longing to end in peace, in shalom.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

A NEW LIFESTYLE....:

"These all died in faith not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth." (Hebrews 11:13)

The promises referred to here were the promises of Christ and the blessings or merits of Calvary. The Old Testament saints could only see them far away by faith; but what an influence those promises had on them! They all lived confessing that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth and died in faith. If so, how much more diligent we who have received the promises should be, to live as strangers and pilgrims on the earth!

Although Abraham was a very rich man, he lived in tents and taught the tent life (faith life) to his children and grandchildren. Why? He had a revelation of a city which had foundations and whose builder and maker is God (Heb 11:10). Obviously, that city is New Jerusalem, the city of jasper. Abraham was not called to live in the city of New Jerusalem, but when he received a revelation of the city he was able to leave the country and his kith and kin in his old age, and live in tents.

If we have faith we will die daily; dying is gain, St.Paul says!

If by faith, we can see the glorious promises of the resurrected body and of New Jerusalem and Zion, what a difference it will make to our lifestyle! How easily we'll give up the many unnecessary things that clutter our lives! How many things we'll see as 'loss' rather than 'gain'! How many things we'll throw away calling them 'dung'! How differently we would value the things we now look upon as 'dear' and 'precious'!

May the Lord help us to live in faith and die in faith - in case the Lord tarries.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

GOD WANTS A LAD

"There is a lad here..." (Jn 6:9)

Although there was a great company of people gathered around Jesus, when there arose the need to feed the multitude, no one had anything to offer. It appeared, even the disciples were not prepared to face the situation. But a little boy was ready to sacrifice all that he had. He had brought five loaves and two fishes and he gave them to Jesus. It was a lad who made himself available to the Lord for this unique sacrifice. There are millions in the world who are suffering from spiritual hunger. The Lord is looking for 'lads' who will offer all that they have to the Lord as a sacrifice. A life that is passed on from the creature's hand to the Creator's, will turn to be a blessing to thousands.

Five loaves could speak of the body with five senses; two fishes could imply the spirit and soul. Dear reader, are you willing to surrender your spirit, soul and body unconditionally into His hands?

If this boy had been selfish and had eaten all that he had, it may not have satisfied even his own hunger; but when he gave it all to Jesus, he had satisfaction in many ways. His sacrificial service was rewarded with the greatest satisfaction of having the name of the Lord be glorified by his exemplary giving.

When Jesus received the five loaves and the two fishes He blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples without taking anything for Himself. The disciples then distributed them to the multitudes, again, not keeping even a bit for themselves. We find that after all were fed and satisfied, twelve baskets remained with the leftovers.

Dear reader, we need the spirit of Jesus and His disciples. This sacrificial spirit eventually helped everyone to be fed - the crowd, the lad, the disciples, and even Jesus.

"Great accomplishments in life are the result of great sacrifice."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

WHAT IS IN YOUR HEART?

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise" (Psa 51:17).

Why does God want us to have a broken heart? It is possible for one to be unaware of what is in one's heart. For example, an apple may be shiny and golden in colour and very attractive to the eyes; but if we cut it into pieces we may find to our shock that it is rotten and maybe even breeding worms. Similarly, unless our heart is broken we may never know what is in our heart - although God knows everything in .

God led the people of Israel through the wilderness for a long period of forty years, to make them know what was in their hearts (Deut 8:2). The sad story is that they failed to know what was in their heart, and fell into temptation. Most of them, therefore, perished in the wilderness. If we are to follow God all the way, we must know what is in our heart; for this, a broken and a contrite heart is most essential.

Peter did not know what was in his heart - till he denied the Lord. Being full of self-confidence he said, "Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death" (Lk 22:33), but soon afterwards he denied the Lord! If we do not seek to know what is in our hearts, like Peter, we too may fall into temptation.

When Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifed up, he said, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips" (Isa 6:1,5). When we see God lifted up, we will realize how lowly or small we are in the presence of God.

Job was indeed a man of God. In fact, God Himself gave testimony about him to Satan (Job 1:8). Such a man as Job still needed breaking - see Job 16:14. God broke him, to make him finally say, "God maketh my heart soft" (23:16)

May the Lord help us to have a broken and a contrite heart so that we may know what is in our heart.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

WITHOUT JESUS IN YOUR LIFE...:

One evening, after the miracle of the five thousand fed, Jesus went to a mountain to pray alone, and the disciples got into a ship to go to the other side of the sea of Galilee. Though they toiled and rowed hard right from the evening, the ship was still in the midst of the sea in the fourth watch of the night, tossed about the waves.

The absence of Christ is often the cause of our troubles. The disciples wanted to go to the other shore, but as Jesus was not in the ship, their labours were all in vain. Similarly, if we want to go to the heavenly shore, Christ should be in the ship of our lives as the Captain. If Jesus is not in the centre of our lives, all our labours, however good they may be, are fruitless.

As they were sailing they faced a boisterous sea and a contrary wind. Without Jesus in our lives we only face things contrary to our expectations and plans. In that hour of great trial and despair Jesus went to them walking on the boisterous sea, demonstrating that "God is mightier... than the mighty waves of the sea" (Psa 93:4).

Dear reader, if you will hand over your life to Jesus, He is willing to come near and demonstrate His mighty power in your life. Without Jesus in your life you will never reach the heavenly shore. Make sure He is in the centre of your life; make sure He is the centre of your life.

"Without Him I could do nothing,
Without Him I'd surely fail:
Without Him I would be drifting
Like a ship without a sail."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

ROOM FOR EVERYONE....:

"Of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee... two of every sort shall come unto thee" (Gen6:19,20).

There was room for everyone in the ark. Strangely enough, there was no room for Jesus in the inn when He came down to the world; but in Him we find room for everyone - for those who are like serpents and for those who are ferocious like lions.

Whoever you may be, whatever your state may be (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, socially), you may come to Christ. "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out" (Jn 6:37). "If any man thirst, let him come unto Me," He invites (Jn 7:37). His heart is wide open to everyone. What about you, dear reader? How large is your heart? Is there someone to whom you have not opened wide your heart?

In the ark there was not only room, but also rooms for everyone - "Rooms shalt thou make in the ark" (Gen 6:14). O child of God, have you found your unique place in Christ? Do you know what your position is in Him? Are you aware of your rights and privileges in Christ? Are you enjoying all the spiritual blessings you have been blessed with in Christ Jesus?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

COLD OLD BELIEVER...!

"Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends" (Lk 15:29).

This elder son could be a type of the modern 'cold old believer'. He has a seniority of many years to boast about - "Lo, these many years do I serve thee." He is full of himself - wrapped up in himself. Although his loving father 'entreated him' to come in and join the joyful fellowship, he argues with him. "...neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment," he says. How can anyone believe this arrogant statement of the elder son, seeing he refused to obey even the entreaties of his caring father! Often, those who speak highly of themselves are as empty as this 'Pharisee'. Look at the complaint he makes (cold believers are complainers too!) to his father - "Thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends."

Dear reader, if you cannot enjoy the fellowship of the saints, it means you have friendship and merriment elsewhere. If you long for 'a kid' (worldly pleasures), you will never enjoy the fatted calf, music and dancing (great spiritual blessings) in the Father's house, the Church.

Maybe the elder son finally went inside - as the music and the dancing were about to end and when the feast of the fatted calf was almost over and had only leftovers. Could this be the picture of the 'Sunday Christian', who finally (towards the end of the singing session) reaches the back seat?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

KEEPING POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS

"If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I Jn 1:7).

The blood of Jesus Christ has such a tremendous power that it can keep us always cleansed and spotless and pure as we walk in the light of the truth of the Word of God.

The story is told of a white flower growing in a coal-mining area. All the miners working there and all the plants growing there, were virtually covered with the black coal powder; but there was a little plant which had pure, spotless, white flowers. One visitor to the mine was amazed to see this. He took a pinch of coal powder and threw it on the flower. Lo, and behold, the coal powder just rolled off the flower and the flower remained spotlessly pure! Then, the visitor, curious about the purity of the flower, touched the petals of the flower and found the secret! It had a certain natural enamel on the petals that made the petals slippery and made all the dust or powder slip off them.

Dear reader, if God can create such pure white flowers and keep them intact in the dirtiest place, can't He do the same with us, the crown of His creation? The precious blood of Jesus Christ, like the enamel on the petals of the flower, can so cover us that we can be kept spotless and pure to meet the Lord when He comes. Though many children of God sing about the power in the blood, unfortunately, very few realize the glorious and tremendous power it has.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

HOW CAN WE RECEIVE JESUS JOYFULLY?...:

While Zacchaeus was clinging to the sycamore tree, Jesus came down the road, surrounded by a great multitude. The Lord came close to the place where Zacchaeus was. Then He looked up and saw Zacchaeus and said to him: "Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house" (Lk 19:5). What a loving gesture!

The beautiful thing we find here is that it was not Zacchaeus who drew near to Jesus, but Jesus Who came near to him. It was not Zacchaeus who saw Jesus first, but it was Jesus Himself Who saw Zacchaeus first. It was not Zacchaeus who spoke to Jesus first, but it was Jesus Who first spoke to Zacchaeus. Dear child of God, is this not true of our spiritual life also? Before we went to Jesus, He came near us. Before we saw Him, He saw us and called us by our name, as Isaiah says: "I have even called thee by thy name."

Zacchaeus' joy knew no bounds! He had only wanted to see Jesus, but Jesus saw him, called him by his name and conferred upon him the privilege of having Him as a guest in his house. Truly, our God is able to do "exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Eph 3:20).

The first thing Jesus told Zacchaeus was, "Make haste and come down!" Zacchaeus was a rich and important man, and also a chief among the publicans, which means he held a very high office. Jesus wanted him to come down from the pride of his position and possessions. This is the first thing a sinner has to do when the Lord meets him.

"Zacchaeus made haste and came down and received Him joyfully" (Lk 19:6). Dear child of God, if you have not yet received Jesus joyfully, it is because you have not yet come down from your pride. Will you make haste and come down today, and receive Him joyfully?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

SHOW YOUR COVENANT-KEEPING GOD

"And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud" (Gen 9:14).

The sight of the dark formidable clouds rising in the sky is compensated by the lovely entrancing beauty of the 7-coloured rainbow. There is a great spiritual truth in this. Only when we face clouds of trials and difficulties, can our lives manifest beauty to the world. It is in your trials that both you and others can see how true you are to the covenants you have made with God. It is in your trials that it can be proved what metal you are, and Who your God is. It is then that you show to the world the covenant-keeping nature of your God.

Look at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego whom King Nebuchadnezzar put into the furnace. Till then Nebuchadnezzar could not understand or see their God. But when they were put into the fire, he could see the Son of God walking with them. Yes, only in their fiery trial could they manifest to the pagan king and kingdom that there was a living God walking with them. Everyone could see their covenant with their God. If they had relented they would have miserably failed their God.

Dear child of God, are you showing your God to the world in your fiery trials? Are you showing others the covenant between you and your God? Are they able to see in your life God's faithfulness in keeping His covenant?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

WHAT IS YOUR BLOOD CRYING?

"He said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground" (Gen 4:10).

Blood has a powerful voice. Here it is pleading for vengeance. "O God, look at what my brother has done! I didn't do a thing to him but he has killed me. Do something, Lord! Don't spare him!" While the blood of Abel pleads for vengeance, the blood of Jesus pleads for pardon. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!" It has wonderful power. While Abel's blood cries from the ground, Jesus' cries from heaven.

The saints of the Old Testament could not forgive their enemies. The cry of those who were martyred for the truth in the Old Testament is, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood?" (Rev 6:10). But in the New Testament, through Jesus, we get the grace to forgive like Jesus did. Stephen, the first martyr of the New Testament, died crying, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge!" (Acts 7:60).

"Ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinking, that speaketh better things than that of Abel" (Heb 12:22, 24). If, in this Grace Period, anyone wants to take vengeance, he doesn't have the blood of Jesus but that of Abel.

Child of God, check and see what your blood is crying. Are you, like the Old Testament saints, hoping the Lord will avenge the evil done to you? Or are you, like Jesus, breathing out forgiveness and love on those who have hurt you?

"Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted... forbearing one another... forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye" (Eph 4:32; Col 3: 13).

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

'BY ANY MEANS SAVE SOME'

"If by any means I... might save some of them" (Rom 11:14).

St Paul's motivation to save souls by any means, made him sacrifice much, and as a result innumerable people got saved. Even after 2000 years his epistles continued to be awesome, and all over the world souls are not only getting saved but are also being transformed. Any sacrifice we make to rescue even one soul from hell-fire is worth the while.

When a child of God was going around distributing tracts, he knocked at the door of a house. After a while, a man opened the door. The Christian offered him a tract. The man of the house angrily snatched the tract and banged the door shut on his face. Anxious to know why the man had been so upset and angry, the Christian went back to the house after a few days. This time, the man had a smile on his face when he opened the door. He invited the Christian in and showed him the fan from which he had hung a rope to commit suicide. He had been in the act of putting his head into the noose that day, when the doorbell had rung. "Anyway, I'm going to hell. Why should I spend all my time in hell wondering who might have rung the bell? Let me see who is standing outside and then proceed with my suicide plan," he had thought, and answered the door. The sight of the man with the tract annoyed him, and he was going to chuck the tract into the wastepaper basket when the words 'YOU ARE SOMEONE SPECIAL' caught his eye. He paused to glance at the contents of the tract. As he read, a light dawned in his heart. He gave his life to the Lord and gave up all his foolish plans.

Dear child of God, do all of you can, by all means and at any cost, to save souls from eternal destruction. Don't go to heaven empty-handed. What a joy it will be to be welcomed at the pearly gates by the souls you led to Christ! What a thrill that give to your spirit all eternity!

"Help us, Lord, to be a lifeline
To a dying world today
Bringing hope to hopeless people
And sharing salvation's way."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

CHECK YOUR SPIRIT

"...that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God" (II Thess 2:3,4).

Although the Antichrist is to be revealed in bodily form only after the Rapture, the spirit of Antichrist already exists and is at work ( I Jn 4:3).

This "son of perdition" or the Antichrist sits in the temple and demands worship. We are the temple of God (I Cor 3:16). In these last days, we should be very diligent to see that the spirit of the Antichrist does not enter us. How do we know when the Antichrist has entered the temple? Once he comes into the temple he will begin demanding worship and honour. If you are demanding or expecting respect, honour and glory from others, beware, the ANTICHRIST IS ALREADY IN THE TEMPLE! If we do not immediately repent and return to God, this proud spirit may devastate our Christian life.

The Bible does not say God resists sinners or backsliders. But He resists the proud. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (Jms 4:6). If God resists a man what will his final destiny be! After saying God resists the proud, it says, "resist the devil" - as if proud peple are like demons! Indeed, the proud are, in one sense, the embodiment of the devil.

We can see this spirit of the Antichrist in operation in many modern preachers, singers, faith healers etc. How often we see children of God getting embittered and leaving the church because they were not given enough respect and honour! By that they further yield to the spirit of the Antichrist that is within them. Eventually, they destroy not only themselves but also many others, by injecting the same foul spirit into them. "Who opposeth and exalteth himself..." No surprise, such "antichrist-possessed" people are often in the centre of oppositions and contentions - with a view to exalting themselves.

The spirit of Antichrist is a self-exalting spirit but the spirit of Christ is a self-basing spirit - "I must decrease; He (others) should increase (shine or be more useful than me)." O reader, which spirit is ruling in your life?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

ENJOYING GOD'S GOODNESS..:

"Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness" (Psa 97:12).

Please observe, it doesn't say, 'Give thanks at the remembrance of His goodness' or 'Give thanks at the remembrance of His blessings' but, 'Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.' So, if you cannot thank God with a grateful heart, it is not because God has not done any good thing for you, but because you don't have holiness. Holiness is God's goodness. If you can enjoy God's holiness now you can enjoy God's goodness now and for all Eternity.

The Psalmist says, "I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (Psa 27:13). The Psalmist would have been discouraged had he not believed to see the goodness of the Lord. One goodness of the Lord is the holiness of God. Of course, the Psalmist did not fully experience the holiness of the Lord, but he certainly believed that a holy life is possible. That was the reason why he turned to the Lord with a broken heart and confessed his sins - as we find in Psalm 51.

The simple truth is that, if you don't believe to see the goodness of the Lord or the holiness of the Lord in your life, one day you are going to faint or be discouraged. Those who love holiness will never be discouraged as they will be enjoying the fulness of the goodness of God in the land of the living. As one saint says, holy life is "Canaan flowing with milk and honey."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas in 'Morning Manna'

ALTERING THE WORD OF GOD

"Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen 2:17).

While speaking to the serpent, the woman omitted some very important words from what the Lord had said. She said, "God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die" (Gen 3:3). We find that the words 'in the day' and 'surely' are omitted. Though God had emphatically warned 'thou shalt surely die' she removed the emphasis by omitting 'surely'. Moreover she added the words 'neither shall ye touch it'.

The Word of God is a fire; it is a hammer; it is a sharp twoedged sword. Be careful while handling it. Seek wisdom from God to understand it. "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim 2:15). When we study God's Word, our approach should be: "Lord, I don't know anything; help me to understand." It is not how much of God's Word we read that matters, but how we read it - be it only a few verses. There are many truths in each verse; so make sure you understand what you read.

Neglect of the Word of God or lack of knowledge of the Word of God will bring ruin to our life. "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it" (Deut 4:2). "But to this man will I look, even to him... that trembleth at My word" (Isa 66:2).

ARE YOU CORNERED..?

"And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid; and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord" (Exo 14:10).

They were literally "between the devil and the deep sea." Before them were the boisterous waters of the Red Sea obstructing their forward march, and lo, behind them Pharaoh and his mighty army with their iron chariots and well-trained horses in hot pursuit. On either side, apparently, were lofty mountains.

In their dilemma, their only source of comfort had been the knowledge that the angel of God and the pillar of cloud were before them. Alas, no that refuge too was gone! The angel of God went behind them, and so did the pillar of cloud which signified the presence of God. It seemed as if God had forsaken them in their anguish. We do not know, but it would not be surprising if Moses, in his despair, had cried out, 'My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?'

There are times when we are faced with a similar situation in our journey to heavenly Canaan. We find that all doors are closed to us, and that our God does not answer our prayers or seem to have pity on us. We feel we are forsaken and forgotten by everyone.

However, dear reader, for people of God, the greatest trial often turns out to be an occasion of the greatest deliverance and victory. Though all things seem to be against you, as Jacob once thought, they are in fact in your favour, praise the Lord! Everything is planned by God in His immense love and mercy. In every minute detail, God's intention is to reveal His mighty hand and invincible power.

"Are you standing at 'wits' end corner',
Christian, with troubled brow?
Are you thinking of what is before you
And all you are bearing now?

Does all the world seem against you
And you in the battle alone?
Remember - at 'wits' end corner',
Is just where God's power is shown."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

POOR IN SPIRIT

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matt 5:3).

This is the first beatitude spoken by our Lord. What a strange contradiction it is, to call the poor in spirit blessed! In the world, it's the rich who are called blessed or 'lucky'.

Jesus is the best example for being poor in spirit (II Cor 8:9). He emptied Himself of all His glory in heaven and came down to the earth. The blessed secret of becoming poor in spirit is to empty oneself for the sake of Christ. When St.Paul discovered this truth, he emptied himself for Christ and counted all things but dung (Phil 3:7,8).

Once we have emptied ourselves or consecrated ourselves, even if anything that is dear to us is taken away suddenly, our close walk with God will not be disturbed and we will not lose our peace or get troubled. This is proof enough that we have emptied ourselves or consecrated all that we have.

If you have not emptied yourself of everything, one day, when the time comes for you to leave this world, it will be very hard for you to empty yourself and leave!

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in 'Morning Manna'

WHY ARE PEOPLE HURT?

"My God hath sent His angel and hath shut the lions' mouth, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt" (Dan 6:22).

Daniel who was cast into the lions' den was not hurt in any manner, states the Scriptures. Although the word 'hurt' in this text is used in the physical sense, we can take it in the spiritual sense too. Why do people get hurt?

First of all, Daniel says, "innocency was found in me." Since Daniel was innocent before God and man, he could not be hurt. If we are getting hurt, it proves we are guilty and not innocent. Spiritually speaking, a child of God who is innocent or transparent in character just cannot get hurt.

Secondly, Daniel says, "also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt." Since Daniel did not hurt or grieve the king, he himself was not hurt. The Lord Jesus has taught us not to hurt even our enemies, but to love them, bless them and pray for them (Matt 5:44). He went further to caution us not to offend even "little ones" who believe in Him (Matt 18:6), for, in so doing, we would be guilty of grieving God and His angels.

"No manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God" (Dan 6:23). If we believe that "all things work together for good to them that love God," it does not matter what people say or do against us; we can praise God and rejoice instead of getting hurt.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

GROW UP...!

"The Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and eveil, thou shalt not eat of it" (Gen 2:16,17).

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was also meant for human use, as God did not create anything that was not good for man. But it appears to have been a 'strong meat' which man should have eaten after attaining a certain (spiritual) growth. "STRONG MEAT belongeth to them that are FULL AGE (which Adam had not attained at that stage), even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised TO DISCERN BOTH GOOD AND EVIL" (Heb 5:14). Children below a certain age are given only milk or some other liquid food. If they are given stron meat they will not be able to digest it; it may even cause death. In the same way, Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil before he reached the level of growth set by God and experienced death in his soul. It was God's plan that man should first eat of the fruit of the treee of life and grow in life, and later eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

Therefore dear child of God, "desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby" (I Pet 2:2).

Build up your spiritual life by meditating on the Word of God. When we reach the level of growth desired by the Lord, He will reveal deeper truths to us and take us to a more perfect knowledge of the Lord.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

AMAZING REPENTANCE

"Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds" (Lk 23:40, 41).

In Matthew's and Mark's account of the gospel it is said that both the thieves who were crucified with Jesus at first reviled Jesus. We do not know exactly what it was that made so remarkable a change in the heart of the penitent thief. Perhaps it was the look of pity, pardon and mercy on the face of the Saviour as they and the people were railing on Him. Perhaps it was when the Saviour cried out from the depth of His soul, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Whatever it was, the remarkable thing is that, the thief had a complete change of heart.

The thief sincerely repented and confessed his sinfulness, even to the point of rebuking the other thief for not fearing God. He also admitted that his own execution was a just punishment. Then, amazingly, he acknowledged the sinlessness of Christ and his own belief in eternal life and the coming kingdom of God. In just a few moments the thief ahd so humbled his heart that God could do such a wonderful work in him. Many do not come to such a heart condition even in their whole lifetime of knowing Jesus!

Salvation is the result of a sincere confession of our sins and a recognition of Jesus as the One Who has power to save. Those who, in the fear of God, sincerely and deeply confess their sins in true repentance, will experience "paradise" in their souls that very day.

Dear reader, repent for all your sins - till "paradise" prevails in your heart.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

ARE YOU DISCOURAGED?

Discouragement is faint-heartedness, a state in which we lose all hope. We lose confidence in God - God has'nt answered my prayer. I've been praying for so long. It's no use! Maybe He doesn't love me. "We lose confidence in ourselves too - I'm a failure. Everything I try to do is a failure. I have no success in my job. In my future also everything is going to go wrong." You also lose confidence in others - I dont think anybody can help me. Nobody understands me."

Discouragement makes you hit rock bottom. Spiritually, and sometimes physically also, you become weak.You become a burden to others and the devil makes you feel even more discouraged.

Child of God, today the Word of God is coming to you.

The Lord has not planned failure for you but a grand success.

"I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" JER 29:11

Discouragement is one of the worst weapons of the devil. Way back in the Garden of Eden, it was the same tactic he used. "God isn't good. If He really loves you and cares for you, why won't He allow you to eat that fruit? he was trying to say to the woman. This is the door to discouragement.

In the Bible we read of a man named Ahithophel who got discouraged and hanged himself and died. Even Elijah, the man who was on fire for God, ran away from the presence of God when he got discouraged and said, "Enough Lord, take me!" It was the same with Jonah. Maybe you too have prayed that prayer.

Beloved one, that is a most dangerous prayer to pray. The Word of God says in Proverbs 8:36, "All they that hate Me, love death." When you love death you are hating the Lord Jesus. You may say, "I love Jesus." But when you love death, when you pray, "Lord, take me," unconsciously and maybe ignorantly, you are hating Jesus.

Child of God, trials are sent, not to destroy you, but to bring you spiritual promotion. So take them in the right spirit. Saints are formed only in trials. So don't let your troubles trouble you. Don't give room to discouragement. If you do you'll become a liability to God and to others.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in MORNING MANNA

YOU ARE HEALED..!

If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God... I am the Lord that healeth thee" (Exo 15:26).

Here the first condition laid down by the Lord for healing is, "Diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God." Perhaps the Lord is speaking to you during your illness and you are not listening to what He is saying to you.

"He sent His Word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions" (Psa 107:20). There is healing in His Word. The centurion said, "Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed" (Matt 8:8). If the servant of a centurion can be healed by a word spoken by the Lord Jesus, how much more can we the children of God or the servants of the Lord be healed by His Words!

"He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick" (Matt 8:16). "My sheep hear My voice" (Jn 10:27). So, if you are a child of God and you are sick, the Lord certainly wants to speak to you and heal you. When the Lord speaks, His words also bring peace to our troubled hearts. "He will speak peace unto His people" (Psa 85:8). Here the word 'peace' (shalom) means peace, prosperity, health and healing. So when we hear the Lord speaking to us, it brings peace to our troubled spirit, healing to our body and prosperity to our soul.

Dear child of God, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice" (Jn 5:28,29). If the voice of God is able to raise those who are in the graves and bring them out, how much more you, being a precious child of God, can hear His voice and come out of your sickness! By faith rise up from your bed because the Word of God is come to you: "With His stripes you are healed!"

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

DON'T COMMAND, BUT CONSULT...!

"God said, Let us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen 1:26).

God created man only after consultation. We also should cultivate the good habit of consulting one another instead of commanding or dictating. Though God had the power and authority to command, He did not do so in the matter of creating human beings. Therefore, let us also not be commanding in our attitude towards our fellow brethren.

Regarding all other creations, it is written, "God said... and God made..." (See Gen 1:6&7, 24 & 25 etc.), but about man's creation, it says, "God said... SO God created" i.e. the creation of human beings is of greater precision and perfection when compared to that of all the other creatures. We find male and female in most other creations but special mention is made of this in man's creation - "male and female created He them" (Gen 1:27).

The first purpose of God in creating man was so that he may have 'dominion'. We should first have dominion over ourselves. As long as man had dominion over himself, he had dominion over the sea, the sky and the earth.

Let us never embark on any matter of importance without consulting others. We reign in life and grow in divine nature by respecting and honouring others.

Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

"POUR OUT!"

"Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? Tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she sair, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil" (II Kgs 4:2).

The widow was in deep distress and debt. She did not know that what she had in her house was enough to solve all her problems. To her, "a pot of oil" was not of much worth. This is the state of many people of God today. We all have a "pot of oil" - the anointing of the Holy Spirit, but we do not realize its value.

We are indeed earthen vessels, but the Lord has kept in us a 'treasure' - an all-surpassing power' (II Cor 4:7 NIV). His divine power (pot of oil) hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" (II Pet 1:3).

The solution the man of God gave the widow is the same for our life's problems today - "Pour out." You are the pot filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit. As you 'pour out' yourself in all kinds of good works and service by the power of the Holy Spirit, you will see all the empty vessels (lives) around you filled and satisfied; all your needs will be met too.

Child of God, draw out of the well of water that is in you and serve to the needy ones around you - 'spend and be spent' - and you'll find your own life enriched and blessed beyond your expectation.

"Shall I use these ransomed powers of mine
For things that only minister to me?
Lord, take my tongue, my hands, my feet, my heart,
And let me live, and love, and give for Thee."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

FRUITS OF TRAVAILING

"He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied" (Isa 53:11).

We see here the examples of our Lord Jesus as an intercessor. It enligtens us on how we should intercede or travail in prayer.

The Amplified Bible says, "He shall see the fruit of travail of His soul and be satisfied." Like a mother who sees the fruit of her travail (her baby) and rejoices, if we travail in prayer we shall see the fruit of our prayer (though at times it may take time), and we 'shall be satisfied'.

We pray, but do we see its fruit? Do we find satisfaction in our prayer life? If not, it is high time we change our prayer pattern. Look at how Jesus prayed: "Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears..." (Heb 5:7). Yes, a travailing mother may have strong crying and tears before she can see the fruit and be satisfied.

Travailing in prayer was the experience of the early apostles too. Epaphras was 'labouring fervently in prayer' for the church (Col 4:12). And we see St.Paul asking the Romans to 'strive together in prayer' for him (Rom 15:30).

Let us travail in prayer till we see the fruit of our prayer and be satisfied.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

A 'BETTER' END

"Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit" (Eccl 7:8).

Those who are patient in spirit will have a better end than others. We read of how patient Job was and about his end. "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy" (Jms 5:11). Here we read that, because of his patience, Job's end was like the end of the Lord. Can anyone expect a better end than this? Although we do not read of how Job died, his end was like the end of the world. The Lord was very pitiful and of tender mercy particularly at the end of his life.

The patience spoken of here is a special patience. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the Coming of the Lord" (Jms 5:7). This patience therefore refers to patiently waiting for the Coming of the Lord. The end of such saint, whether it is their departure or the Rapture, will be better than their beginning and rather like the end of the Lord.

May the Lord grant us the grace to watch and wait patiently for His Coming.

"Oh may we never weary, watching,

Never lay our armour down,

Until He come, and with rejoicing

Give to each the promised crown."

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

OUT OF NOTHING

"God Who... calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Rom 4:17).

God created everything out of nothing. It is most dangerous to think we know something. To boast about our little knowledge is indeed very dangerous. "God creates out of nothing. Therefore until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him," said Martin Luther.

What God created out of nothing is mighty. Often revival starts when 'there is nothing' - nothing of our cleverness, preaching or singing talent or any other human ability - but the pure grace of God. It is also true that very often revival is hindered when we, children of God, are not able to empty ourselves and come to a state of nothingness. Something that we have not dedicated or love more than our God, comes in the way of revival.

Elijah's servant was right in one sense when he looked at the sea and said, "There is nothing." To the human eye, there was nothing that looked favourable for a revival. Everything was dark, dry and discouraging, but lo, and behold, "there was a great rain" (I Kgs 18:43, 45).

We read that God created heaven out of nothing. When we realize how unworthy and empty we are, then and only then, can God create heaven in our spiritual lives. In fact, if 'something' we hold on to or which we have not dedicated to God stands in the way of our love or devotion to God, that could create, not heaven, but hell in our lives.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

WALL AROUND OUR MIND...:

"Do good in Thy good pleasure unto Zion: build Thou the walls of Jerusalem" (Psa 51:18)

We read that the walls of New Jerusalem are made of jasper stone, and the thickness of the wall appears to be 144 cubits (almost 216 feet) (Rev 21:17,18). Spiritually speaking, we are the city of God, New Jerusalem and Zion.

There are many meanings for the walls of Jerusalem. One meaning is, a strong wall all around our mind. We read that nothing that defileth or worketh abomination can enter into the city of God. The Lord wants us to keep our minds pure by building an invincible jasper wall all around it.

When Nehemiah heard that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down he "sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven" (Neh 1:3,4). And, with the help of the Lord, he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and repaired its breaches.

It is interesting to note the reaction of the enemies to this: "When Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, and conspired all of them together, to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it" (Neh 4:7,8). The devil will be very angry if we close up the breaches and repair the walls around our mind.

What is this wall that we build? In a sense, it is an unbreakable consecration that we make before God not to defile our mind, our thoughts, imaginations, etc. by any means. The devil knows that if we keep our mind perfectly pure like the mind of Christ, we will be able to completely overthrow all his plans against us.

Dear child of God, how is the wall around your mind? is it so frail that enemies and wild animals can pull it down and enter into your mind, and thereby defile the thought realm?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

GOD CAN BE TRUSTED...!

"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my should shall have no pleasure in him" (Heb 10:38).

In Bristol, England, George Muller had an orphanage feeding one thousand and five hundred children. It was Mr.Muller's strict orders that the orphanage be run by faith - his staff members were not to ask anyone for money or even indirectly reveal to anyone the need for money.

One morning, George Muller was informed that there was absolutely no food in the orphanage and that even if they were to receive some money then, by the time they went to the market and made the purchases and cooked the food, the children would faint. George Muller prayed and told his staff to make the children sit in rows as usual, and serve the plates. Then the children were asked to praise God for the food God had given them. The children, not knowing the crisis, praised God enthusiastically. That very moment someone knocked at the gate of the orphanage and asked whether it was George Muller's orphanage. A horse cart loaded with food was at the gate and the man wanted to know where he had to unload the food. George Muller told his staff to serve the food right away. That day they had a delicious feast. What had happened was that, a marriage reception had been arranged in a neighbouring village but they were not able to hold the reception as someone in the family of the bridegroom had died. When they were wondering what to do with all the food someone suggested that they send the food there.

Once George Muller remarked that he was taking all the trouble to feed the children by faith because he wanted to prove the world that God can be trusted.

Dear friends, have you learned to trust in the Lord for all your needs? The central verse in the Bible is, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Psa 118:8). If you want to be in the centre of God's will, go to the centre of God's word.

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in "Morning Manna"

ARE YOU WOUNDED...?

There is a terrible warning for all those who live an unsanctified life and call upon the name of the Lord and serve Him being in that state.

Some vagabond Jews, sons of 'a chief of the priests', were highly impressed by the ministry of St. Paul - seeing how evil spirits were driven out in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. They thought they too could do it. However, when they pronounced the name of Jesus, the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, Paul I know; but who are ye?" And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed over them, so that they fled naked and wounded (Acts 19:15,16).

Dear reader, are you a Jew (circumcised in the heart and Spirit-baptized - Rom 2:28,29; Phil 3:3), and yet one who gets wounded or offended often? Do not blame any human being for your wounds. You have given room for evil spirits to prevail over you, maybe due to your unsanctified nature. If you are wounded, you may become spiritually naked also. If you blame man (the person through whom you were offended, obviously), the devil will be happy - as by that you are practically proving the devil innocent! If you fail to recognize the devil who has been prevailing over you and making you wounded and naked, you may never resist him. Consequently, the same evil spirit may continue to wound and torment you until you flee in shame.

Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna

INSIDE AND OUTSIDE...:

"Make thee an ark of gopher wood... pitch it within and without with pitch" (Gen 6:14).

'Pitch,' in Hebrew, kaphar has various meanings and all of them signify amazing facts about Christ.

Kaphar is translated elsewhere in the Bible as 'pardon' or 'forgive.' Yes, when the Lord pardoned people saying, "Thy sins are forgiven," He forgave them in His heart also. Some children of God say, "I have forgiven you," but their hearts would be testifying against it. Let us "pitch within and without with pitch." Jesus said that our heavenly Father would be very angry and will deliver us to the 'tormentors' if we do not 'from our hearts forgive' the trespasses of our brother (Matt 18:35). "Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye," admonishes St.Paul (Col 3:13). Child of God, are you able to freely love those who have wronged you? Or do you sometimes remember the wrongs you have suffered?

Kaphar also means 'merciful' or 'cleansed.' Jesus was pure and merciful both outside and inside. It is not enough if all our deeds are pure and full of mercy; we must make sure our heart is pure to the core and full of compassion, kindness and tenderness. "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness..." (Col 3:12).

The Bride of Christ is 'all glorious within' (Psa 45:13). Shall we lay bare our secret life and allow the Holy Spirit to imprint the character of Jesus on it?

- Late Pastor T.U.Thomas, in Morning Manna