The Graves Opened

Song: Christ Arose
Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign;
He arose! … He arose! …
Hallelujah! Christ arose! …
(Lyrics & music: Robert Lowry)

The Grave Opened
Matthew 27:51-53 “Then the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart. The graves opened, and many of God's people who had died were raised from the dead. They came out of the graves after Jesus was raised from the dead and went into holy city, where they appeared to many people” (NCV).

Paul brought the Good News to the Christians at Corinth, an ancient city of Greece. He passed on the Good News about Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures says; that he was buried, and was raised to life on the third day. Christ was seen by Peter, twelve apostles, 500 believers at the same time, James and finally Paul in vision (1 Cor. 15:1-11).

What was the most powerful witness of Jesus' resurrection? I choose Matthew 27:53. Why? Because God's people came out of the graves after Jesus arose and they met many people in Jerusalem, the holy city. I could imagine the great excitement of those who came out of the graves and greet the people who knew them. It might have been a big shock when families and old friends have seen them “alive after being dead in the grave.”

Let us rejoice that our Lord has risen!

Dorothy

PS. (Manna March 28-31, 2013) 

God's Darkroom

Lamentations 3:6, 26 “He hath set me in dark places … it is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord” (KJV).

Do you ever wonder who really invented the idea of having a camera? God gave gift to man to invent the camera. When we have camera, we like to take pictures. Inside the camera, we have film. When we completed the films inside the roll, we take it out and go to the store and give the roll of film to the clerk. The clerk put inside the envelope and tells you how many days it would be done.

Then the films are sent to the person who has the skills in the development of photographs. The films must first be taken INTO A DARKROOM. The person worked with the chemicals to bring out the film into pictures. When it is done in the dark, then it would be safe to expose the negatives to light and produce the final prints. The light, which would have destroyed the film, now brings out its beauty.

Lamentations 3:6 in NCV says, “He made me sit in the dark …” God has taken pictures of us, meaning we have had many wonderful experiences with Him. So now God takes us through “DARKROOM” experiences to develop our spiritual life. As we pass through trial, sorrow, frustration, disappointment, and dark times, the Lord was developing the image of Christ within us. Then we are ready to be displayed in the light. Heaven would be our final print of life in Christ.

“It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save” (NCV). Word of advice: Do not seek to get back into the light too soon. Let us wait for His perfect timing so He could “imprint His love” on the film of our lives. While we wait, take the time to sing uplifting song.

Song: In Times Like These

In times like these you need a Savior;

In times like these you need an anchor;

Be very sure, Be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.

This Rock is Jesus, Yes, He’s the One;

This Rock is Jesus, The only One;

Be very sure; Be very sure,

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock.

(Lyric: Ruth Caye Jones, Sing His Praise)

So let’s put our trust in the hand of God on our lives!

Dorothy

Some Thank the Lord

I Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (KJV).

For several days, I went through what it was like, “listless feelings.” The word, listless means, too tired or too little interested to want to do things; having a lack of desire to act or move from earlier list “desire, liking” (Merriam-Webster). So I questioned myself, “What is this? I was not comfortable with it until I remind myself that being an intercessor; I might felt what someone else was going through.” So I prayed.  “Lord, is someone going through this? What do you, Lord wants us to do?”

I came across the devotion I was reading and then I realized something. Paul, the Epistle Writer, if we know the stories of what Paul went through. Yet Paul encouraged us, “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT). So what does God wants us to do? “Give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you to do in Christ Jesus” (NCV).

In his Epistles, Paul wrote about thanksgiving more often. Paul believed that the followers of Jesus could be thankful for everything because God is in the control, and He is working things out for the believers’ good. Thanksgiving is given through Jesus for everything because Colossians 3:15 and 17 tells us to “be thankful” and “giving thanks to God.”

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father! When we are going through this “listless spirits,” I want to thank You for giving us an authority through Jesus Christ to “command that spirit of listless” to come out of us. Deliver us from evil for Thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

Song: Thank You, Lord

Chorus:

Thank you Lord, for saving my soul;

Thank you Lord, for making me whole;

Thank you Lord, for giving to me

Thy great salvation so rich and free.

1. Some thank the Lord for friends and home,

For mercies sure and sweet;

But I would praise Him for His grace,

In prayer I would repeat. (Then chorus)

2. Some thank Him for the flowers that grow,

Some for the stars that shine;

My heart is filled with joy and praise,

Because I know He’s mine. (Then chorus)

3. I trust in Him from day to day,

I prove His saving grace;

I’ll sing this song of praise to Him

Until I see His face. (Then chorus)

(Mr. and Mrs. Seth Sykes, Singspiration)

Jesus' Blood Cleansed

I John 1:7
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 our sin (KJV).

Prayer song to the Lord:
1. Lord, keep my soul from day to day,
Under the Blood, under the Blood,
Take doubt and fear and sin away,
Under the precious Blood.
Chorus:
Under the Blood, the precious Blood,
Under the cleansing, healing flood;
Keep me, Savior, from day to day,
Under the precious Blood.

2. Lord, with thyself my spirit fill,
Under the blood, under the Blood;
And work in me to do Thy will,
Under the precious Blood.
(Lyrics: Eliza Edmunds Hewitt, Sing His Praise)

Dorothy:
The song, Under the Blood, the precious Blood,
is very important to use it against the force
of demons all around us. John encouraged us
that the continual cleansing of Jesus' Blood
allows us to have intimate (close) fellowship
with God.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Son,
Jesus Christ, which the Calvary and the Blood of
Jesus keeps us on guard against the force of
demons. Thank You for the Blood of Jesus so
we could be close to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Never Lose Its Power

Song: The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power

1. The blood that Jesus shed for me,
‘Way back on Calvary;
The Blood that gives me strength from day to day,
It will never lose its power.
It reaches to the highest mountain;
It flows to the lowest valley.
The Blood that gives me strength from day to day,
It will never lose its power.

2. It soothes my doubts and calms my fears,
And it dries all my tears;
The Blood that gives me strength from day to day,
It will never lose its power.
It reaches to the highest mountain;
It flows to the lowest valley.
The Blood that gives me strength from day to day,
It will never lose…
It will never lose…
It will never lose… its… power….
(Lyrics and Music: Andrae Crouch)

Revelation 5:9,10
KJV: And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy
to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and
nations; And hast made us unto our God kings, and priests:
and we shall reign on the earth.
NCV: And they all sang a new song to the Lamb: "You are
worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because
you were killed, and WITH THE BLOOD OF YOUR DEATH
you bought people for God, and they will rule on the earth."

Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, the Creator of heaven and earth, the
one the made the sky and the sea, hear our prayer. You are
one God, one Lord, blessed be Your name forever and ever.
I plead the Blood of Jesus over my friends, my families and
those who read this Fresh Manna, I plead the Blood of Jesus
to cover them and be healed in the name of Jesus Christ, our
precious Savior. May we all be blessed by You heavenly Father,
and by the power of the Holy Spirit. May the blood of Jesus
flows through our bodies and be healed in Jesus' name. Amen.

Dorothy

The Lord's Death

I Corinthians 11:26 “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.”

We proclaim His death simply by partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Every time we take the bread and wine, we declare that the Lord’s death has conquered the principalities and powers of darkness. Jesus has conquered death and has already won the victory over the devil and his powers. So the victory is already ours. We just claimed this.

What impressed me about communion is to proclaim the Lord’s death through taking bread and wine. We are to quote that the devil and demons were defeated at the cross of Calvary. Keep that in mind that we have the victory in Jesus’ name. Amen! Yes! It is simple as that. What makes it difficult for us to practice in doing this? We struggled and say, “Was this for real?” Holy Spirit, “Help us to understand how important this is.”

In March 21^st devotion, the song along with the communion would be very good together. It would give the Communion more meanings. The broken bread is for broken body for our healing. The wine for the blood is for forgiveness of our sins. May the Lord open our eyes to grasp the Word of God.

Dorothy

My Yoke Is Easy

Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light” (NLT). 

A yoke is a heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox or oxen. It is attached to a piece of equipment the oxen are to pull.

A person may be carrying heavy burdens of:

1) sin,

2) excessive demands of religious leaders,

3) oppression and persecution, or

4) weariness in the search of God.

[Ref: Matt.23:4; Acts15:10].

Jesus frees people from all these burdens. The rest that Jesus promises is love, healing, and peace with God, not the end of all labor. A relationship with God changes meaningless, wearisome toil into spiritual productivity and purpose. [QVLAB notes]

What does this means to me? I visualized Jesus and me; yoke together like two oxen were yoked together. Usually, there is a special fit of yoke for each ox. So Jesus knows what fits me best and He made my burden light. He does not want me to feel like a “whipped slavery” and forced us to do something for Him. He wants me to know that He will carry the heavy burdens so my burden would be lighter.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord for being so thoughtful and caring. Thank You for giving me a better view of who You really are. You are a gentle Savior, and a gentle burden-bearer. Thank You for teaching me to work with You. O how I love You for this. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!

Song: Come Unto Me

Come unto Me; I will give you rest;

Take My yoke upon you, Hear Me and be blest;

I am meek and lowly, come and trust My might;

Come, My yoke is easy, And My burden’s light.

(Charles P. Jones, Sing His Praise)

May the Lord bless you!

Dorothy