Made Complete

My Manna

"In Him you have been made complete." Colossians 2:10.

Colossians 2:6-10 reveals three levels in our relationship with Christ.

If we are going to present every believer complete in Christ-
- our discipleship must acknowledge the following order. Colossians 1:28.

Level One ensures that our identity is in Christ!

This entails:
Leading individuals to Christ and directing them to their scriptural assurance of salvation;
Guiding them to a true knowledge of God and who they are in Christ;
Helping them see the ways they are still playing God or rebelling against God's authority;
Breaking down their defenses against rejection by accepting and affirming them.

Level Two deals with the issue of maturity in Christ-
- which Paul alluded to as "being built up in Him." verse 7.

The second level of discipleship is to accept God's goal of sanctification and grow in Christlikeness.

This entails:
Helping people learn to walk by the Spirit and by faith;
Helping them get off the emotional roller coaster by focusing their thoughts on God instead of their circumstances;
Encouraging them to develop self-control;
Challenging them to resolve personal problems by forgiving others and seeking forgiveness.

Level Three reflects the issue of our responsibility in Christ-
- which is possible when our identity and maturity are in Christ.

The third level of discipleship is to help believers live responsibly in Christ in their homes, on their jobs, and in society.

The effective Christian walk involves the proper exercise of spiritual gifts, talents, and intellect-
- in serving others and being a positive witness in the world.

Crying Out to the Lord

"But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer. . ." (Judge 3:8-9).

I often receive requests to help someone whose life is in a difficult place. After a few questions I am able to discern if the Lord has called me to get involved. More often than not, I am not to be involved. Many times I find this person has not experienced enough pain to want to do anything about their situation. Until they are really ready to cry out to the Lord for a solution to their situation, they will simply talk about desiring change but never take the necessary steps needed for change."

If you invest time into someone who has not yet come to the place of wanting a spiritual solution to their problem, you will become emotionally exhausted. The apostle Paul understood this principle when he actually turned such people over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh (I Cor. 5:5).

The people of Israel were finally in enough pain to cry out to God for relief from their oppression. Like so many times throughout the scriptures, God answered by raising up a deliverer. "But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, who saved them. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, so that he became Israel's judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died (Judg 3:8-11)."

Are you in a difficult place in your life? Are you only talking about changing or are you really ready to cry out to the Lord for a solution? Start now the process of changing your situation for the better and asking for help if needed.

Beast of the Burden

My Manna



"Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey ttied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them...."Matthew 21:2-3.

A donkey was an animal of commerce in Jesus' day.

It was used to carry great burdens of goods from place to place and he was known as the "beast of the burden."

Jesus told His disciples to fetch the donkey for "He had need of it."

This donkey played an important part in Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

It was a day that was the culmination of three years of ministry.

Jesus chose to use a vehicle of commerce to bring Him into His most important public display.

We are entering a time in our own history in which God is saying to businesspeople, "Loose your donkey for My purposes. I have need of it."

God is preparing His Church to be a vessel for ushering in a great harvest of souls.

He is preparing His remnant of businesspeople, who are like a tribe within the Church, to be a major force in this great harvest.

"He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk." Gen. 49:11-12.

Is your donkey tied to the living Vine, the choicest branch of Jesus Himself?

When we are tied to the living Vine, designed for His use, we will be useful in God's Kingdom.

Jesus wants to free us from the bondage of business slavery.

He wants us to walk in freedom so that others may see God's grace flowing through us and our place in the business world.

Is your donkey available for His use?
Ask Jesus to allow the Vine to flow through you in every area of your life.

Beware of Greed

My Manna

"Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions." Luke 12:15.

The desire to acquire stuff is called greed.
This is a huge issue in our society, just as it was when Christ walked the earth.
Jesus tells the parable of a rich man who had had such a good year that he had run out of places to store his crops and other treasures.
He decides to solve this "problem" by building bigger and bigger barns so he could have a place for all his new stuff.
With all these new riches, he reassures himself that he can now take it easy and spend the next few years eating, drinking, and merry-making.
Doesn't this sound great?
He's got everything he needs and much, much more!
Only he didn't realize that God would say:
"You fool - didn't you realize that this very night your soul would will be required of you?"
This man never gave a thought to the fact that it was God who had blessed him and entrusted him with all this stuff.
No, he thought it was his doing.
He earned it all by himself, truly a self-made man!
Trouble is, this ownership mentality leads to greed and hoarding, and ignoring God.
This man was rich in the world's eyes and poor in God's eyes.
It led to a pitiful entry into eternal poverty.

The need to need more than you need equals greed.

Being rich in your relationship with God is a richer way to live - forever.

Perfectly Broken

My Manna


"By reason of breakings they purify themselves." Job 41:25.

God uses most for His glory those people and things which are most perfectly broken!
The sacrifices He accepts are broken and contrite hearts.

It was the breaking down of Jacob's natural strength at Peniel that got him where God could clothe him with spiritual power.
It was breaking the surface of the rock at Horeb, by the stroke of Moses' rod that let out the cool waters to thirsty people.

It was when the 300 elect soldiers under Gideon broke their pitchers, a type of breaking themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to the consternation of their adversaries.
It was when the poor widow broke the seal of the little pot of oil, and poured it forth, that God multiplied it to pay her debts and supply means of support.

It was when Esther risked her life and broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen court, that she obtained favor to rescue her people from death.
It was when Jesus took the five loaves and broke them, that the bread was multiplied in the very act of breaking, sufficient to feed five thousand.
It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pent-up perfume filled the house.
It was when Jesus allowed His precious body to be broken to pieces by thorns and nails and spear, that His inner life was poured out, for thirsty sinners to drink and live.

It is when a beautiful grain of corn is broken up in the earth by death, that its inner heart sprouts forth and bears hundreds of other grains.

And thus, on and on, through all history, and all biography, and all vegetation, and all spiritual life, God must have broken things.

Those who are-
- broken in wealth,
- broken in self-will,
- broken in their ambitions,
- broken in their beautiful ideals,
- broken in orldly reputation,
- broken in their affections, and
- broken ofttimes in health; those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn and helpless,
- the Holy Ghost is seizing upon, and using for God's glory.

Wealth

My Manna

"But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous." Prov 13:22.

In the last days there will be a transfer of wealth into the hands of the righteous for the purpose of-

- funding a great harvest of souls and

- for believers to have greater influence on society in the name of Christ.

This will happen in at least four ways:

1. Supernatural Transfer

Like the Israelites leaving Egypt, Christians and non-profit organizations will receive major gifts from individuals or foundations to carryout their Christian mission.

2. Strength to Make Wealth

God is going to give witty inventions to believers throughout the world that will generate wealth.

This has already begun.

"But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today." Deut 8:18.

3. Social Entrepreneurship

Just as Joseph was entrusted with the resources of Egypt to solve a societal problem resulting from a famine in the land, God is going to transfer money to believers who are solving societal problems.

Governments will fund private enterprises because government is not been able to do it.

4. Sincere Conversions

Finally, many non-believers who are wealthy will become Christians in these last days and will begin to use their wealth for Kingdom purposes.

The transfer of wealth is designed to accelerate God's activity on the earth, not to simply make believers wealthy. 

Pray that God uses your work life call to accelerate His Kingdom on earth.

And pray that God raises up good stewards of wealth.

We are like eagles;we have the spirit of the eagles

My Manna

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31.

While walking through the forest one day, a farmer found a young eagle who had apparently fallen out of his nest.

He took it home and put it in his barnyard with his chickens and there it stayed for years.

It wasn't long before the little eagle learned to eat and behave like the chickens.

One day a naturalist passed by the farm and saw the eagle confined in the barnyard with the chickens.

When he inquired about this strange sight, the farmer told the man his story.

"Unfortunately," said the farmer, "the poor little guy just never learned to fly." 

"Still," the naturalist sighed, "he has the heart of an eagle and can surely be taught. Will you allow me to work with him?"

The farmer agreed, but with much disbelief.

The naturalist picked up the eagle and lifted him toward the sky and said, "You belong to the sky and not to the earth. Stretch forth your wings and fly." 

The eagle, however, was confused.

He did not know who he was, and seeing the chickens eating their food, he jumped down to be with them again.

The naturalist took the bird to the roof of the house and urged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. Stretch forth your wings and fly."

But the eagle was afraid and jumped down once again to be with his chicken friends.

Finally the naturalist took the eagle out of the barnyard to a high mountain.

There he held the king of the birds high above him and encouraged him again, saying, "You are an eagle. You belong to the sky. Stretch forth your wings and fly!" 

The eagle looked around, back towards the barnyard and then up to the sky.

Slowly, he stretched his wings, and with a triumphant cry, he soared away into the heavens.

Somewhere along the line, we like this poor young eagle, were put in a lowly barn with the chickens of the world around us.

We learned to live and eat from the ground and grew up believing that there was not much more to do than sit and cluck all day.

But the reality is that we are eagles!

We were created to fly and even soar!

God has great purpose for our lives!

If we would only realize who we are in Him!

Let's remember who we are today and stop acting like chickens! 

We are the head and not the tail!

We are Kings and Priests!

We have great things to do for the Kingdom!