Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Help Lord! I need your help? At this moment, the world is filled with people crying that out to God, and others just crying it out loud but aimlessly. Have you been saying or praying that lately? Do you ever hear yourself say that out loud or in your heart? Are you ever tempted to think God won’t help you?

David knew the Lord intimately enough to know that wasn’t the truth.  But, he was surrounded by people used of the devil to speak discouragement over him. They’d try to make him feel foolish for trusting and leaning on God.  At one of those times of great turmoil in his life he wrote, Psalm 3:1-3 (NIV) “O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” Selah But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.”   

In 1 Samuel chapter 30, we read about David and all his men coming back victorious from a series of many battles. As they were riding back to their town, they were happy and feeling on the top of the world. Victory had been theirs again and again. Now suddenly, as they drew closer to home, they saw smoke. It was coming from the city of Ziklag where they lived. They were about to discover that their enemies had burnt their town to the ground and taken their wives and children captive. Though they were victorious warriors coming off many victories, suddenly they were overtaken by fear—the fear of the loss of their families and possessions. 1 Samuel 30:3-4 (NLT) “When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, they wept until they could weep no more.” 

David’s men were so discouraged that they wanted to lash out and blame someone. Though it made no sense, their discouragement momentarily blinded them and so they blamed David as their leader. David’s family had also been taken. He was just as discouraged as they were. Even so, instead of letting the discouragement overcome him so that he also was useless, we are told in 1 Samuel 30:6 “…but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” He briefly stepped aside from them, lifted his heart toward Heaven, and allowed God to flood his heart and mind with the assurance of past memories of blessing, victories, miracles, and promises. His own discouragement was instantly gone! His heart was immediately refreshed in the truth that His God was still on the throne and still there for them. David quickly regained his composure and stepped right back into His leadership role. This could only happen because of the maturity of David’s personal character. He had learned to praise and worship and sing to the Lord in all the trials of life. He wrote songs speaking of God’s promises of deliverance. He refused to give place to any contrary thoughts! He knew God had not abandoned Him!

The devil would like you to think that God has abandoned you. Do you ever feel like that? I hope not but if you do, know that He hasn’t and never will! It’s really only about whether you will allow discouragement to bring you so low that you abandon your faith and trust in God. David looked Goliath in the face. Moses looked at the Red Sea with Pharaoh’s army coming at him. Daniel looked at the hungry lions. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego, looked at a fiery furnace. Peter looked at a raging sea. Those all looked like impossible situations but each of these men had developed immovable trust in God. They could see His promises and deliverance in their heart. Through the eyes of faith they all believed He was working behind the scenes in their behalf.

How about you? Can you look circumstances in the eyes with confidence knowing God is with you and for you? He alone is worthy of your full and complete faith and trust! Let the Word of God speak promise to you every day. Read His word and let the promises penetrate your heart! Embrace them! Get on your knees and seek Him asking Him

for guidance every step of the way. Praise God together and believe He will turn things around. Put your name in His promises and write them out. Then declare them, sing them, and get your family to pray them in faith together. This is what I do. I say, “The Lord is Tim Burt’s strength and shield from every danger. I trust in Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. Psalm 28:7 (NLT)

I can honestly say to all of you, I’ve been in many hard and seemingly impossible circumstances over the course of my life. But, by the grace of God, in most cases, I’ve kept my family upbeat because I’ve stayed upbeat. We always expected God to be around the corner with our answers. As time passed, hindsight always revealed His help. It always came! Always!

Your faith in God’s promises are your source of strength in trouble. Be like David and stir up your own faith and the faith of those around you and believe God together. You will see God arise!

Psalms 46:1 KJV “God is our refuge and strength, our very present help in trouble.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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