Daily Manna from Heaven

by Dr. Harold Sala

“But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day.” -1 Thessalonians 5:4,5

A lot of intelligent, well meaning folks have been asking themselves just what part God plays in the affairs of life today. When they pick up a newspaper and read of what is happening in the Middle East, Moscow, Beijing or Washington, they wonder who is really running the world. At first glance, they are prone to think that God may have created the world and then left it to mortals to run.

George Bernard Shaw had something like that in mind when he said that he wasn’t sure whether or not there is life on other planets, but if there is, they must be using earth as their insane asylum. Yet, if you will take time to investigate the situation more carefully, comparing the historical record with the prophetic statements of Scripture, I think you will come to the conclusion that behind the affairs of earth is the divine power that guides the destinies of nations and the events of nature as well.

The Old Testament, particularly, shows the direct intervention of God in the affairs of the nations, which helps us to accept the fact that God hasn’t abdicated his responsibility today. Ancient history confirms the prophecies of old, such as the rise of Alexander and the subsequent division of his empire, the defeat of Babylon by the Medes and Persians, the rise of the Roman Empire, the eventual coming of Jesus Christ, and accurate details of His life, death and resurrection.

If you are one of those who just can’t see where God fits into the picture today, it may well be because you have missed several tell tale signs:

(1) You have missed the fact that God chooses to work through human beings to do His will.

The story of God’s dealing with the world is written in the biographies of people Moses, David, Elijah, Ruth, Mary, Paul and the twelve disciples. All of these are people who helped to shape the destiny of the world. Just as surely, God uses individuals today whether good or bad to fulfill His direction in the world.

(2) You have also missed the fact that God normally works through orderly process.

There have been times when God miraculously intervened in history. Such an event took place in 1588 when winds blew the Spanish Armada on the rocks, allowing the survival of a struggling little nation called England. Again, in 1941 when the fog descended at Dunkirk allowing the evacuation of the Allied Forces, God intervened, many believe.

When God intervenes in the affairs of men we say that it is an act of God; yet in most cases God works in nature through orderly process, which in itself is a great miracle. Consider the fact that the law of gravity keeps the planets in their elliptical orbits day after day.

Finally, if you are one of those who just can’t see how God is guiding the helm of planet earth, take a look at what has taken place in our generation: the establishment of the modern state of Israel, the thrust of the scientific world allowing the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies concerning knowledge and travel, and finally the prophecies of Peter and Paul regarding the moral and spiritual corruption which will precede the end of the age.

Pick up a modern translation of Scripture and begin to search out passages such as Matthew 24 and 25, 1 Thessalonians 4, and 1Timothy 4, which tell us what to expect as we draw to the close of our present age. You will be amazed as the prophets of old picture the events that are taking place in our generation.

*Permission to reprint the above article is hereby granted by Guidelines, Inc.*

Make Money Online 100% Guaranteed [click here]

by Joel Osteen

A while back, I read about a man who was the Pastor of a large church in America many years ago. It was a very successful church, but the man made some poor choices along the way and got off track. He ended up losing his ministry and losing his family. It’s was a very sad situation.

Years went by and the man was still trying to put his life back together. One day he decided to visit some friends in South America, and the pastor of a local church there invited him to speak. That night before he spoke, the man was invited to sit on the platform with other church leaders. He sat down next to a Brazilian pastor who didn’t even speak English.

This Brazilian man looked at him almost in utter amazement. He began to weep and weep as he took the American pastor’s hand. The American man didn’t really know what was going on. He was kind of confused about it. But suddenly, he felt God’s presence come over him like a warm glow. He said he felt like he was being purged of all that bottled up hurt and pain as the Brazilian pastor prayed.

A couple of minutes later after the Brazilian pastor finished, the American pastor asked through an interpreter, “What was this man doing? Why did he pray for me like that? What just happened to me?” The Brazilian man said something very unusual back to him, “Twenty years ago when I was praying, your face came up before me. And God spoke to my heart and said, ‘One day you will meet this man, and you are to help bring healing and restoration to him.’”

What’s interesting is that twenty years earlier, the American pastor wasn’t even married. He wasn’t even in the ministry. But that moment was a turning point in his life. For the first time, he was able to forgive himself and felt totally free and restored.

Friend, God knows the end from the beginning. He has solutions to problems you haven’t even encountered yet. He’s prearranged for your restoration and healing. You never know, He may have already spoken to someone–even twenty years ago–about the situation you’re dealing with right now. He knows how to get you back on the right track. Get your hopes up today. Keep believing that no matter what’s happened in the past, your best days are still out in front of you!

This week, Victoria and I and our team are so honored to be with our friends at Hillsong Church in Australia as we minister at their annual Hillsong Conference. This conference is known as the largest in Australia, bringing in people from over 70 countries and averaging about 30,000 attendees every single year! We ask for your continued prayers and support as we take God’s message of hope and healing all over the world!

**How To Know If Your Dreams Are God’s Dreams [click here]**

by Dr. Harold Sala

“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” -Proverbs 22:6

When a grandmother, then sixty years of age, authored a book on parenting, it was widely acclaimed by some and just as vehemently denounced by others. Controversial? Yes, very! The premise of The Nurture Assumption by Judith Harris is that your child’s peers are influencing him more than you are. Upsetting?

That’s to be expected, but to your shame and chagrin, she’s probably right—at least in far too many cases. Question: Are we parents assuming that we are conveying a value system to our kids by giving them our good genes and providing a good environment for them? But is the assumption really valid?

Of one thing you can be certain: Every parent—regardless of what he does or doesn’t do, either negatively or positively—is conveying a value system to his offspring. For example, take the sad case of Robert Knowles. He thought he had the formula for raising kids: give a youngster parental love, involve him in wholesome activities, and give him a good education—what else? But it didn’t work. Knowles told the press, “Suddenly after 17 years of dedicated effort, something happened to my fool-proof plan. I found I was the father of a murderer.”

Knowles’ son had made advances to his girl friend, and then when she resisted, he strangled her. The dad said, “The shock, agony and soul-searching are unbelievable. Everything you believe in is gone in one bolt of lightening that rips your heart out at the same time.” He then asked the obvious: “What went wrong? Nothing fits your notions of criminal behavior and what to do about it.”

In over 45 years of broadcasting, I have received letters from thousands of parents, and God only knows how many have ended their letter asking a sobering question: “Why? Where did I go wrong?” In all honesty, in many cases it wasn’t the parent who went wrong but the youngster who turned his back on God and the training he had grown up with, and went the wrong direction.

To what extent are your youngster’s friends responsible for what he does? To what degree does your teenager set aside what you think and what you have taught and yield to the pressure to be accepted by his peers?

If you are a parent, your goal is to grow a kid so strong that when you aren’t there, he won’t need you. Sounds good! How do you do it? That answer begins, and perhaps ends, as well, with YOU! In reality, you as a parent are his value system. If, of course, you find yourself on slippery ground when it comes to morals and values, then blame your child’s friends! That makes you feel less guilty for your own failure.

When it comes to values, they are caught—not taught. But you become the message—either negatively or positively– that your children model. In the absence of parents, peers, of course, become the powerful influence, which determines what becomes the standard.

Long ago the wise man said, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). The teaching and training of your offspring is perhaps the greatest and most lasting work of your life. It isn’t climbing the corporate ladder or breaking the glass barrier that puts you into the top echelon of your corporation.

Unfortunately, you only get one shot at this business of parenting, yet that’s enough when you do it right the first time. My heart goes out to every parent whose heart is broken by a wayward son or daughter. For you there is still hope.

Remember the words, “When he is old, he will not depart from it.” If you’ve really done your job, then you can trust God to do His, in His time, His way. It’s that confidence that lets you sleep nights.

*Permission to reprint the above article is hereby granted by Guidelines, Inc.*

Free Income for Life [click here]