Experiencing The Manna For Today.

Going to church in a foreign country is always an experience. In South Africa it was in a dusty one-room tent. In the Czech Republic it was tucked down a maze of corridors in a back corner of a third-floor building in Prague. Another time in the Czech Republic was in the missionary's living room. Here in Thailand it's down a dead-end street in the midst of businesses and homes. Regardless of the structure on the outside, it's always a joy to worship with the believers on the inside.

In all the countries I've been in, there is always an interpreter - sometimes into English and sometimes into the native tongue. Most of the time here in Thailand, Berm (who happens to translate Baptist books in our office) will sit behind us farangs (foreigners) and quietly translate the service - from what song will be sung down to the last prayer. Today was a bit different since an Australian pastor preached. I always appreciate those services when I can understand the preacher for myself - and I filled up several pages with thoughts from the message!

The preacher preached from Exodus 16 - the story of God providing manna for the children of Israel. The message was so good and I wish y'all could hear it, but since you can't I'm just going to write down some of my notes. Go read Exodus 16:1-15 if you have time!

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• God provided food (manna), but they had to get up to get the food.
• Manna means, "what is this?" When the children of Israel saw "a small, round thing" (vs. 14) "they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was." (vs. 15). The manna wasn't what they were expecting.
• God's provisions may very well be different from my perceptions. (Point #1)
• I say: "What is this? This isn't what I wanted." but God says: "This is your bread. This will help you."
• God sends His bread for me in a small, round thing. I say, "manna?" and God says, "your bread."
• God wants me to put myself at His disposal.
• In Numbers 13, the 10 spies saw the giants and the problems, but in Numbers 14 the 2 spies saw what God provided and said, "they [talking about the giants] are bread for us."
• If you walk away from the problem, you walk away from the bread.
• God's proportions that He gives will be according to my needs. (Point #2)
• Regarding the manna, some gathered more and some gathered less... but they had no lack.
• God provided that manna for 40 years and provided for every man's needs!
• God gives me the portion that I need for this day; I don't need to worry about tomorrow.
• God's plans are for this moment. (Point #3)
• The manna fell each day except for the Sabbath, but He still provided the day before and kept the manna for the next day.
• When some tried to "save" bread, it bred worms and stank.
• Don't fight today's battles on yesterday's bread.
• Don't worry about tomorrow - God will provide!!!!
• Live in the present - yesterday's bread has worms in it and stinks!
• God doesn't want a casual relationship based on yesterday's bread. God wants a fresh, daily, relationship today.