Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

I remember back to the days when I would watch Christian childrens videos with my kids. Our favorite at that time were of Gospel Bill, produced by Willie George—truly one of the best ministries reaching children that there was at that time.  Gospel Bill was a sheriff and El Diablo was a villain (the devil) that never actually spoke. In one episode, there was a knock on the door of the sheriff’s office. Gospel Bill, the sheriff, opened the door and there stood El Diablo holding a number of packages. He kept trying to give them to Gospel Bill. Each package had a word written on every side of them. One package had the word Cares all over it. Another one had the word Worries on each side of it. Another was marked Sickness and another was marked Disease. Another package was marked Lack and another Poverty, and so on.

El Diablo would try to hand Gospel Bill these packages. In 2 Corinthians 2:11 (NLT) God says we should know the schemes of the devil “…so that Satan will not outsmart us…we are familiar with his evil schemes.” Gospel Bill surely did and so he would not accept these packages from El Diablo. He told El Diablo, You aren’t fooling me El Diablo. These packages aren’t meant for any of God’s children. You take them back and get out of my life!

That video helped my kids get it! They were learning to reject every care, worry and fear that the enemy would try to get us to accept. Renee and I and the kids had fun talking about this and what we should do. We made the decision that we would reject every package we could see the devil was trying to get us to open and keep as our own. It was hilarious and eye-opening how easily the kids could identify some of those packages and call them out before us. Mom, you look worried! Did you reject the devil’s worry package? Then one of them would yell out, Go lay it at the feet of Jesus. He died to carry and take them for us! It’s amazing how much easier children can sometimes grasp spiritual truths over adults!

Galatians 3:13 (NIV) tells us, “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When Jesus hung on the cross, He took upon Himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Those packages represented the curse of what is in this earth and we are told here that Jesus took that curse upon Himself to redeem us from it! WE AREN’T CURSED! WE ARE BLESSED! The scriptures go on from there to say that Jesus became that curse so that we could receive His blessings and promises.Galatians 3:29 (NLT) “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and now all the promises (Blessings) God gave to him belong to you.”

When our family was young, it was normal for me to have the thought and wonder, God how is this all going to work out? How am I going to afford to put them through school, and braces, and clothes, and college and on and on? I’d think, I’m not smart enough or skilled enough to provide for my family. The Lord would remind me to lay those things at His feet and remember that Jesus gave His life so we could expect His blessing and help. And again as Ephesian 3:20 (NKJV) says, “Now to Him (Jesus) who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…”

“The power that works in us…” is our faith in the fact that Jesus intimately loves and cares for us and desires to help in every step of our life. I don’t know about you, but I never stopped being dependent upon Him. I need His help every day. And every day I lean on His precious promise that says He will do “exceedingly abundantly above all that I can ask or think.”

Renee and have been reflecting on how God has helped us and blessed us through all the years. He has truly gone far beyond what we could have ever imagined or asked. We are so thankful to Lord. Not just for helping and taking care of us, but for allowing us to know Him and have this place of faith where we can cast our cares and trust Him.

And so, it’s usually fun when a delivery truck shows up at the door with a package for us. But, when it’s El Diablo and those packages are marked with things that steal your hope and faith, be like Gospel Bill and return them to the sender! They aren’t for you! You have God’s Word which is rich with His promise and love to you. He is such a personal, intimate, and loving God because of Jesus Christ our Lord!

Psalms 55:22 (NLT) “Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” 

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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Published by Pastor Tim Burt
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