Manna for Today

Jesus taught his disciples to pray: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Bread? On many Sunday afternoons our bread is served with butter and jelly and there is much more than a meager serving. Our bread also comes with a table full of food: beef roast with vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy, and more. We all leave the table satisfied, often with leftovers. What a feast! What a blessing!

Daily Bread? I am certain that Jesus’ audience remembered the daily bread that Israel ate while in the wilderness. Only two and a half months after their deliverance from Egypt the people grumbled about their provisions. They accused God of bringing them into the wilderness to die. They remembered how they had had enough food to make them full...when they were in Egypt. So, God responded through Moses:

“I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”

—Exodus 16:12

That very evening God caused quail to cover the ground so the people could literally walk out and gather their meat. The next morning they found a “fine flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground” for bread. The people didn’t know what it was; they called it manna, which was literally a question in the Hebrew language meaning: “What is it?” (The next mealtime your teen asks, “What is this stuff?” you can answer, “Manna.”)

God did not provide just enough, but rather, an abundance. However, God instructed the people to gather only what they needed for that day. On the sixth day they were to gather a double portion since there would be no manna on the Sabbath. God was testing them to see if they would follow His instruction. He wanted the people to recognize their dependence on Him and revere Him for the provision of their daily bread. He wanted them to know “I Am Who I Am, your God.” As they received their daily bread they were reminded of God and His care for His people; and they were taught a lesson in contentment.

As Americans we have a proud heritage defined by hard work, perseverance and independence. It is easy to forget that, even with our effort and ingenuity, it is still God who provides the sunshine and rain that make plants grow. It is God who provides the natural resources to produce all of our modern “stuff.” It is God who gives us the ability to make a living. So ultimately it is God who gives us our Sunday dinner, whether at home, at a friend’s house, or in a restaurant.

We can be thankful to God whether we enjoy a Sunday dinner feast or meager leftovers; whether our clothing follows the latest fashion trend or is drab and outdated; whether we live in a three-story mansion on ten acres with a lake and a pool and an entertainment room and a guest house, heated garage and, and, and; or a small broken-down rental in a crowded part of town. You see, daily bread is not just about being content with the food we receive each day, it extends to all that God provides. He provides for us each day so that we will know that He is our Lord and our God.

If we are to pray, “Give us today our daily bread,” then at the end of the day would it not be worthwhile to pause for a brief moment and with contentment thank God for the daily bread and other provisions He has so freely given?

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

—Ephesians 5:16-18

Mark Stinnett

February 25, 2024

Pursuing Christ

Folks say that when pursued, there is a natural fight or flight response in animals and humans.

One of my children had hurt one of her sisters. As soon as I was told, I was angry and I immediately sprang to action. I can still hear my thoughts, “Where is she; we are going to deal with this right now!” In this case, I was in hot pursuit.

In a jealous rage King Saul threw a spear at David in hopes of killing him. King Saul’s jealousy stemmed from David’s popularity as Israel’s beloved warrior. David had to run for his life. However, King Saul discovered David’s hideout and took his army to destroy him. He was in hot pursuit of David; the hunter in pursuit of the hunted. (Read about this in 1 Samuel 18-24.)

A word was used in New Testament to describe one who is in pursuit of another: persecutor. Examples from Ancient Greek literature include a hunter chasing after his prey, or someone avenging the murder of another. In a legal context the same word was used for a prosecutor.

When “I” am the one being pursued, the terms persecutor and prosecutor seem quite fitting.

Jesus taught his followers:

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

—Matthew 5:44-45

Enemies are those who are hostile toward you. They may not carry pitchforks and torches, wave swords, or fire guns, but they have turned against you. They may not physically chase after you, but they persecute you. They are in pursuit!

Jesus asked his disciples to do something that was unnatural and difficult. It is easy to make rationalizations and skip over His teaching:
“Love my enemies!?”
“Pray for those who are in hot pursuit of me!?”
“Absurd! They don’t deserve it! I’m the victim.”
“How can anyone be expected to follow through on such a teaching?”

Most of us can think of a time when we could have been described as a persecutor; perhaps like the parent-child illustration. It is my guess that whenever we are the one in hot pursuit, we believe that we are justified in our action.

Now, consider a question:
Is it possible that when we have been persecuted, the persecutor believes they are justified? Even in a fit of jealous rage, it is possible that they just don’t realize what they are doing?

These questions are raised, not to imply that an evil person is not responsible for their sin, but to lead us to the solution that Jesus chose, a solution motived by love:

And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” 

—Luke 23:33-34

Jesus, the Son of God, put into practice the very words he taught. As Christians, we are children of God. For that reason, we ought to have the same attitude as our older Brother, Jesus. 

But how?

When we set our gaze on the cross of Christ, we will be able to see souls instead of the pain we feel from others. We will recognize that the difficulties that our enemies cause pale in comparison to what the enemies of Jesus did. When we die to ourselves and surrender to King Jesus, we will draw strength and courage from Jesus to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. It is ultimately dependent on what we chase in life.

May we choose to pursue the character of Christ.


Mark Stinnett

February 11, 2024

Would You Like to Talk about Hell?

“No!”
That’s my answer to the title question: “Would you like to talk about Hell?”

I don’t want to talk about the reality of Hell. 

I don’t want to talk about the doctrine of Hell. 

I really don’t want to talk about Hell. 

And yet, when you read and study the Bible, the subject is inescapable. Hell is the place of eternal destruction and its existence brings to the foreground the reality of divine judgment.

When the Apostle Paul went to Athens, he preached the gospel and concluded with a statement calling for repentance. Then, he added a statement of explanation:

Because He [God] has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness, through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. 

—Acts 17:31

The idea of judgment indicates that people will be evaluated and then placed into categories. Paul revealed the basis for judgment: righteousness. The one to do the judging is the man that God raised from the dead, that is, Jesus the righteous one.

There are several terms used in the Bible to describe the groups of separation in judgment:

• Righteous/Unrighteous
• Godly/Ungodly
• Holy/Unholy
• Good/Evil
• Forgiven/sinner

All of these can be reduced to the comparison: those who are like God and those who are not. Those who are righteous (godly, holy, good, forgiven) have been born again and are alive in Christ. Yet, those who are unrighteous (ungodly, unholy, evil, sinful) are dead. Life and death are not to be understood in a physical sense, but in light of one’s relationship with God. Those who are living are alive spiritually. Those who are not, are dead spiritually.

God’s judgement is the separation of the living and the dead, again, those who are like God and those who are not.

The fact that there will be a day of judgment is very clear in Scripture. 

   Jesus Himself spoke about the day of judgment (Matthew 11:22; 12:36). 

   Peter and John also warned their readers of the day of judgment (2 Peter 2:9; 1 John 4:17). 

   It was prophesied in the Psalms (9:8; 96:13; 98:9). 

Numerous other passages mirror the same.

To the surprise of some, Jesus will be the judge. That was not His role when He came to earth the first time.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

—John 3:17

However, His return will be different…

...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord…. 

 —2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

I don’t want to dwell on the day of judgment and hell. Yet, this negativity is true. It is placed in the Bible as a warning because God loves you and wants you to know Him. He wants you to obey the gospel, live righteously...and LIVE!

Mark Stinnett

February 4, 2024