Daily & Weekend Manna

Mobile-friendly daily/weekly devotional readings based on the NIV Bible New International Version (1984) or the NIrV Bible New International Readers Version (1998), Published by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd., London.

DAILY MANNA (EDITOR'S CHOICE)

Old and New Testament Bible teachings for today bassed on the NIV Bible

It was Manna author Fred's last wish to his editorial team before he died that Old Testament teachings should be viewed in the light of their New Testament fulfilment and that NT teachings for today should be viewed in the context of God's purposes and promises expressed in the OT.

7th August 2020.
1 Samuel 13:11-14 records the disobedience of King Saul in worshipping God without waiting for Samuel to arrive and the prophet Samuel's prediction that God will replace him by "a man after His own heart."
James 2:17 gives a strong warning from James that "faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead."
Father God, help us to heed these verses from the Old and New Testaments to worship You and to express our faith in you with love, obedience and divine wisdom that we might not fail You in the devotion and service we offer. For Your Kingdom's sake and to the glory of Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Read our Current archive for 2020 or Archive for April-June 2020 or Archive for Jan-March 2020

WEEKEND MANNA (FRED SAID)

Extracts from Manna Publications Bible teaching books by the late Fred Morris based on the NIrV Bible

8th/9th August 2020.
Ephesians Chapter 5: Take every opportunity to do good
Paul said again and again, "Be very careful how you live your life" (4:1,17; 5:2,8,15). He also explained, "Make the most of every opportunity. The days are evil. Do not be foolish... Understand what the Lord wants [you to do]" (5:16-17).
Paul warned, "Do not fill yourself up with wine... Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit" (5:18). Speak from the Spirit of Christ within you and "sing from your heart to the Lord" (5:19).
Be wise and be true to Jesus. Paul said in another letter, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). So, to please God we must:

keep away from evil;
expose it when we find it;
do good;
stop doing foolish things that anger God;
understand what the Lord's will is for us;
be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit does not come to fill an empty space, but to fulfil a life which has received Jesus as Saviour. We must be under His control every day. God said we are to ask for this control of Holy Spirit power in our lives (Luke 11:13). We should keep on asking. We come often, we come boldly, we come asking: that pleases our Father (Hebrews 10:19-22).
So, let us speak and sing from the heart, "always giving thanks to God the Father for everything... in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (5:20).
Believers who are guided by the Holy Spirit:

sing praises to God and to each other (5:19);
give thanks always (5:20);
submit to other Christians (5:21).

Extracted from "PAUL'S LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS" Bible teaching commentary by Fred Morris © 2018. [view here]

Read our archived PDF files of "Fred Said" devotionals: Current archive 2020 or Archive for 2019 or Sept/Dec 2018 and March/Aug 2018

Manna Publications provide easy-to-read Bible Teaching Commentaries free to download with Western culture/jargon removed and religious terms explained, which are also easy to translate into local languages.

Books printed in Ethiopia

Photos

Manna author, ex-missionary Fred Morris (USA)
Manna author, Australian missionary Fred Morris, retired to the USA and established Manna Publications (USA) in the year 1990, Manna Publications (UK) in the year 2000 and Publications Manne (France) in the year 2006. The first overseas printings of his Genesis Bible teaching commentary Part 1 were with his former missionary contacts in Mongolia and Kenya. Over 600,000 low-cost A5 booklets have been printed and reprinted (typical print runs are 500 copies per title) in 40+ countries and as many languages at various points of need since 2001, plus undocumented quantities before that.

Fred died September 13th 2018 at the age of almost 94. He leaves a worldwide volunteer organisation of administrators, donors, prayer supporters, editors, proof-readers, publishers, printers, translators and distributors, who endorse his Bible teaching in easy-to-read commentaries and welcome the opportunity to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ 'to the ends of the earth'.

Read the life story of Manna author Fred Morris "From Navy Boy to Missionary".

God enabled Fred Morris to benefit from Frank Laubach's ministry (as did Billy Graham) to help people whose literacy was poor. Frank applied the principle of "each one teach one" through the preparation and distribution of simple Bible reading material in the USA and then send them to the developing nations. God's vision to Fred was to write his own simple Bible teaching commentaries, then print them overseas at points of greatest need where believers have few Bibles and even fewer Bible teachers. This has been happening in over 40 countries and languages.

Fred's ministry not only fulfils the vision given to him 30 years ago but also fulfils in part the promise of Jesus Christ to enable His followers to do even more than He did when He lived on Earth 2000 years ago! God's Enabler or Helper is the power of the Holy Spirit given to the Apostles after the Ascension of Christ, which is received in faith by all who repent and are then baptised (Luke 24:47; Acts 10:47-48).