Most days, I wake up with praise to God on my lips, but as the evening comes, I often am tempted to grow weary and discouraged.
When I say, “praise on my lips,” this means a “thank You” song or a psalm, hymn, or God’s Word on my mind, instead of situations, lack, or loss.
But when my body grows fatigued, my mind begins to dwell on the happenings of this world and life circumstances, faith flies away like a bird disrupted by a loud noise.
How we need reminders of good things and words of direction and help. God’s Word is our safe place to run. I often have kid’s voices in the back of my mind, singing the Bible songs God gave me, to help me throughout my day:
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him Hebrews 11:6, NIV.
In the Book of 2 Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah became informed of a huge army coming against them. Circumstances hit us like this.
Jehoshaphat . . . prayed to the Lord. He sought the Lord for His instruction, just as in Isaiah 55:6: 8&9:
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near Isaiah 55:6.
Jehoshaphat gathered the people. Then, he proclaimed a fast for all of Judah (2 Chronicles 20:3).
Then Jehoshaphat stood up . . . at the temple of the Lord . . . and he prayed with all the people:
“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations.
Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you . . .
If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us” (2 Chronicles 20: 6-9).
We must, I must do the same. I must remind myself of who God is and cry out to Him in faith. The time is now.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Jahaziel . . . as he stood in the assembly.
He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you:
‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
God’s Word reminds us of truth, when we often believe we must work it out with our own thoughts, as the kids sing the verses:
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 55:6,8-9.
Tomorrow march down against them . . .
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem.
Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20: 17-19).
Early in the morning . . . Jehoshaphat stood and said,
“Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem!
Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.”
After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.”
As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated” (2 Chronicles 20:20-22).
The battle you and I face today is not our battle. It’s the Lord’s battle.
Let’s continue to infuse our minds and spirit with God’s truth. May kids from Toni & Kids Sing Bible restore faith, bring joy, and help us keep a song of truth in our hearts and minds today:
Thank you Irelyn and Noel for singing!
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him Hebrews 11:6, NIV.
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 55:6,8-9.
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord” 2Peter1:2.
Today, how do we have peace? Multiplied measures of peace? Yes, this is what the human soul seeks—peace of mind.
It’s a focus of the heart issue.
God gives every human room to choose Him or not. First, in faith to believe what He says in His Word, to receive His saving grace of salvation, and then . . .
to follow Him, step by step, day by day, growing in knowledge and grace of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Faith comes first, then comes refreshing revelations, transformations, and peace.
This is not a works thing. God’s Word is plain:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast” Ephesians 2:8,9.
Peace is a result of believing God above all else, in any and all circumstances—with focus on Him:
“Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call upon him while he is near;
let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:6-9.
Where is our heart’s focus today?
“When you set your eyes on wealth, it is [suddenly] gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings Like an eagle that flies to the heavens” Proverbs 23:5.
Our faith can fly and disappear as well when we forget to focus on the Lord and walk with Him, in (faith) of Him, thankful for Him!
“Increase our faith, Lord!” This is our cry today.
God desires we turn to Him, daily, moment by moment. To receive His love, know Him, more and more.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” Matthew 5:6.
Who doesn’t want to be filled? Who chooses to be empty? God is here:
“Be still, and know that I am God,” Psalm 46:10 reassures, “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth“
“Heaven is My throne, And earth is my footstool . . . But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word” Isaiah 66:1,2.
“Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live . . . Isaiah 55:3.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” 2Timothy 1:7.
We must ask ourselves, “Do I have this spirit God gives? Not of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind?”
We need God’s Holy Spirit!
“So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God” Romans 10:17.
Jesus told a man who called Him, “Good Teacher,”
“Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God” Mark 10:18.
Today, can we hear Jesus’ words? Only God is good!
“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” Ephesians 2:14.
No matter the circumstance on this terrestrial earth, a heart turned to the true and living God can take joy in all He is always,
because He alone is
“able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” Ephesians 3:20,21.
“Dear Jesus, I believe in You. Help me grow in grace and knowledge of You. Fill me overflowing with Your Spirit that I might have peace. Help my unbelief!” In Jesus’ name, amen.
Let’s take a minute to let a few kids remind us about faith today to help keep us focused on His Word with a melody. This is a remedy for peace for today:
Irelyn & Noel sing the Fatih Song on Bible Songs Alive 1
“Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call on Him while He is near . . . “Isaiah 55:6,7.
What’s the greatest miracle of them all? Jesus healed the blind, He opened deaf ears. Jesus turned water to wine. Crippled people could walk and jump. The dead became alive again.
Jesus is the resurrected Lord, but none of them match this:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1.
There’s so many miracles in this very first verse of the entire Bible.
God is Creator of science. Here we have time, space, and matter. Let’s say it together: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” Genesis 1:1.
Do I believe this verse? To believe God is called “faith.”
Creator God, He’s all-knowing, all-powerful. God is love 1 John 4:8.
He gave us choice as one of His love-gifts. We can reject His Word or choose to believe and receive Him.
To love God is full of reward and promise to all who believe, (or have faith in Him).
We love rewards, don’t we? Guess what- when we draw near to God, and seek Him, He gives us eyes to see!
How do I know? The Bible tells us:
Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40.
Faith to believe God is a glorious miracle.
When we believe, we are as a blind man who can see. We become as one deaf who can now hear.
All of us have been hurt in this life and may have sad hearts that limp, yet the Lord’s love and miracle of faith help us to heal. He gives us power to stand again and walk forward today in good thoughts of His love and help.
The Bible tells us: Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see Hebrews 11:1.
And when we believe, we get understanding,
By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen Hebrews 11:3, NLT.
The Spirit of God was hovering over the darkness of the empty earth, in the beginning, and God said,
Let there be light” and there was light Genesis 1:3. We’re not talking about the sun here. This is light energy. This is the spectrum of color light energy.
Yes, God said let there be a spectrum of color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and all the shades in between!
At night when we look out, everything is a tint of gray. But in the day, color!
Blue skies, green grass, lots of colors found in flowers, brown tree trunks.
O LORD, how manifold are you works! In wisdom you have made them all: the earth is full of your riches Psalm 104:24.
The Gospel Huddle:
God said, “Let there be light.” How about you? Do you believe God and His Word?
This is a first step. God doesn’t want us to be in the dark. He doesn’t want our world to feel gray and full of dark shadows.
We feel that way at times. We feel separated and far from God.
Put your arms out far apart.
Yes, this is how we are to God, separated. But do you see your arms stretched far? That’s what Jesus did for you because He loves you so much.
Jesus willingly allowed men to stretch His arms out wide on the cross, even though He didn’t deserve any punishment. (Jesus had no sin). He took our punishment of sin on Himself as He was nailed to a cross and died for you and me.
We all deserve punishment because we all have sin. Every single one human being on this planet.
Sin is anything we think, say, or do that goes against His Word to us.
The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord, Romans 6:23.
God wants us to see His great love gift-Jesus.
When we believe Him and receive His love, our eyes are opened. We see a whole spectrum of color for all things new. A life with Him, forever. In forgiveness and hope.
Perhaps the greatest miracle is God’s gift of faith to believe.
Talk to the Lord as you listen to God’s Word in song about faith in Him:
It’s Time to Seek the LORD Song: Hebrews 11:6, Isaiah 55: 6,8,9.
This Scripture Song invites your heart to seek the Lord.
In the Bible, the children of Israel found themselves in the wilderness because of unbelief, and the Lord rained down Manna every morning to provide food. “What is it?” they asked.
That’s the definition of Manna, food from heaven, God’s holy Bread.
The Bible? “What is it?” Many don’t know it’s a Book unlike all books. It’s Holy. It’s Supernatural.
Manna Notebook Pages for Families is a tool to help families build a foundation of God’s Way and Truth written by chosen men of God through a period of 1600 years, inspired by His Holy Spirit, to bring God’s message to man-kind.
Where’s the Manna? It’s in God’s Word! Enjoy the feast each day.
Mrs. Toni
tonirypkema.com
“What’s so great about the Bible?” Some may ask.
There are many skeptics these days, but some have never heard the Bible or opened it’s pages for themselves.
Like the manna pictured above, the Bible can look very boring. But God’s Holy Word is unlike any other book in the entire world.
The pages of the Bible are living, powerful, and are from the Lord to us!
So, first we will pray: “Dear Lord, we ask that You will help us have ears to hear You speak to us today form Your Word, and a heart soft to receive what You have for us, and courage to share what we learn with others, In Jesus name, Amen.”
The Bible is the greatest Book in all the world. It’s sixty-six Books with one theme: The Revelation of Jesus Christ from the beginning to the end.
“Does it always have to be about Jesus?” some might ask.
Good question, let’s look at what Jesus said of Himself at the end of the Book:
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End Revelation 22:13.
The Bible tells us,
The Son (Jesus) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation Colossians 1:15. Stop and read that again, it’s so powerful.
Colossians continues, “For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
This is a lot to take in. Without faith, we can’t believe.
“What’s faith?” you might ask.
Faith is believing all God says about Himself and about man-kind.
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him Hebrews 11:6.
Do we believe God exists? Do we believe his Word is His Truth to us?
The writer of the Book of Job from the Bible said, I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread Job 23;12.
Job stayed close to the Word of God. Job suffered great loss, of family and health. And more than necessary food, was the Word to him.
Many of us love our food and snacks. We taste a snack and we want more and more. Well, the Word of God, once its tasted, and the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to its wonder, and we receive His power in our hearts to understand, God’s Word becomes more wonderful each day!
Do you want to have faith as Job? If yes, God doesn’t guarantee that hard days won’t come, but He guarantees, to be with us through everything.
For He hath said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee Hebrews 13:5.
The Holy Bible is God’s promises & instruction for us and complete reward: Jesus Christ.
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit 1 Corinthians 2:9,10.
Do you believe God? Pray, (talk to God) in your own words and tell Him your thoughts.
Here’s a Scriptures Song to help understand faith and God’s ways: Hebrews 11:6 & Isaiah 55: 6, 8,9.
There are so many books. And, oh, how we love stories.
Some books are imagined from the mind or fiction, like Amelia Bedelia or Star Trek. And some stories are true experiences written down. Books about sports players, or plants, people, etc.
We give books and stories time and attention each day.
But Manna Notebook Time is Treasure Time. We discussed on our first page, it takes faith to believe the Holy Book,
But the Bible is also called the Good News, and it tells us that
. . . faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God Romans 10:18.
So today we will hear from the Book of Beginnings, Genesis, God’s account of how everything began. What an amazing story it is, from the Amplified Bible:
In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth.
The earth was formless and void or a waste and emptiness, and darkness was upon the face of the deep [primeval ocean that covered the unformed earth].
The Spirit of God was moving (hovering, brooding) over the face of the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and
He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.
And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.
And there was evening and there was morning, one day Genesis 1:1-5.
The Spirit of God hovered over the dark and empty void of earth. God the Father breathed the Word, “Light.” And at 186,000 miles per second light moved in glory.
God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, three in one. The Trinity in the first 5 verses of the Bible. This is powerful.
“In the beginning”, is the element of time. “God created the heavens . . . ” the element of space. “And the earth,” the element of matter. Time, space, matter, three properties of the Universe all created by Elohim, Creator God.
Yes, this takes faith to believe, but with a humble heart and open mind, ask God, “Is this true?”
What does the Bible say?
The sum of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting Psalm 119:160.
We have choice to believe. God gave us this! We have the ability to discover the mysteries and ask God Himself the questions. What did Jesus say about light?
Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” John 8:12.
The Book of John, chapter 1 says of Jesus,
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it John 1:4,5.
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him John 1:9-11.
What happens to those who believe? And those that don’t?
For those who believe, we have fellowship. Closeness to God for all eternity. Through faith in Jesus, God’s Son, we have access to the Prince of Peace, each moment of the present day.
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—John 1:12.
Not believe? What are the consequences?
Separation from God for all eternity: They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 2 Thessalonians 1:9.
Take time to be with the Lord and talk to Him about your choice. If you believe, thank Him for making you new, ask Him to come live in your heart, and show You His ways of light and life! He hears your heart.
Here’s a Scripture song to help you think on God’s Good News, John 1:12 & 2 Corinthians 5:17.
John 1:12/2Corinthians 5:17 featuring Kanagy GirlsIf we walk in the light as He is in the light we’ll have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from every sin. 1John 1:7.
The holy Scriptures . . . they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 3:15.
Talk to someone about your choice to accept Jesus and believe in His love and light for your life.
Amen! Sing a new God song: John 1:12, 2 Corinthians 5:17.
What’s the Manna #3
God’s Word, God’s account on how the beginnings occurred, (as well as many other events in the past which help us humans understand the events of today), has been considered “Religion.” Because it requires faith to believe.
Now, we must understand that man’s account of beginnings requires “belief” as well, because mankind was not present for observable science. This is called Historical Science. This requires belief.
toniryp.com
Many people don’t know what God’s account is.
What’s the Manna? “What is it?”
The Bible is God’s holy Word.
“In the beginning . . . ” I share my Creation Song as well as the first chapter of Genesis for those hungry for a manna meal:
Art by Andrea Colt
The History of Creation
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 Then God said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.” 7 Thus God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 Then God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear”; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind”; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1.
