Dear Manna Family,

The Bible is a record of the extreme measures that God took throughout history in order to reconcile the human race to Himself. This world-wide Covid-19 pandemic is certainly an extreme event that God is using to draw people to Himself. Today we want to look at the book of Jonah which may be one of the greatest illustrations of John 3:16 that is recorded in the Old Testament. This book demonstrates that the God of the Bible loves the whole world, even the enemies of God’s own people. God called Jonah to pronounce judgement on Israel’s enemies, the Assyrian Empire. Miraculously, the entire capital city of Nineveh, about 500,000 people, repented, and God graciously held back His judgment for another 150 years. Instead of being thrilled, Jonah became bitter because God showed mercy toward the people that he hated.

Jonah 3:10 When God saw their deeds that they turned away from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

4:1 But it greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry.

Vs 2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, “Please LORD, was not this what I said while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents concerning calamity.

Vs 3 “Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for death is better to me than life.”

When God called Jonah to go to Nineveh Jonah tried to run away from God. Jonah is an illustration of the proverb, “you can run, but you can’t hide.” God sent a storm and a great fish after Jonah in order to get His disobedient prophet to Nineveh. Jonah was not afraid that Nineveh would reject God, he was afraid that God would accept Nineveh, which is exactly what happened. When Jonah preached, Nineveh repented, God forgave them, and Jonah became angry because God showed mercy to Israel’s enemies. Jonah really thought that God should love who he loved and hate who he hated. He forgot that God’s purpose in blessing Israel was so that they would be a blessing to others by telling them about their gracious God.

We often forget how much God loves people, even the ones we don’t love. God loves people enough to do extreme things to bring them to Himself; things like allowing a global pandemic. People are now reconsidering their lives, and some are more open to discuss spiritual realities. Some people may only come to Christ and go to heaven……….because of this virus. Let’s ask God to help us see people like He sees them, and love them like He loves them. We have been saved so that we can tell others how to be saved as well. After all, God loves them just like He loves us.

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family,

Many people are asking why we are experiencing a global pandemic. The reality is, we don’t know why. What we do know is that God is never the author of evil, but God does work all things for His glory and His children’s good, even bad things.

2 Chronicles 5-7 records the time when King Solomon and the nation of Israel dedicated the temple and themselves to the LORD. God came to Solomon and told him in

2 Chronicles 7

Vs 13 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,

Vs 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The presumption here is that God’s own children have disobeyed Him. God is a Father who loves His children enough to discipline them. The goal of God’s discipline is to train His children so they will know and do what is right, and stop doing what is wrong.

God gives Solomon three examples of His discipline that are designed to turn His people away from their sin and back to God.

First, God can stop the rain, which means crop failure and hunger.

Second, God can send locust hordes to devour existing crops which also means hunger.

Third, God can send pestilence or infectious diseases upon people.

All three are acts of loving correction, designed to teach God’s people to turn away from sin.

God says, when My people sin and I discipline them, restoring our relationship depends on My people doing four things.

First, God’s people must humble themselves. God is the king, and I am His servant: the only way to come to God is on your knees.

Second, God’s people must pray. Prayer says “God, I need you, I trust You, You are in control, and I will obey You.”

Third, God says, seek My face. This refers to an intimate love relationship with someone, like a spouse or a child. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength is the central purpose of life.

Fourth, God commands His own people to turn from their wicked ways. This is repentance; turn back from sin and turn towards God.

This passage is not describing the sins of people who don’t know God. God says that His own people must reject their wicked ways and turn back to Him.

If God’s people do these four things, then God promises to do three things.

First, God will hear from heaven, and respond to our prayer for forgiveness.

Second, God will forgive their sin. When we turn away from our sin and cry out to God, He is faithful to forgive us.

Third, God will heal their land. God says, “when My people repent and get right with Me, then I will heal their land.”

One of the clearest teachings of the Bible is that obedience to God brings blessings, and disobedience brings discipline.

I don’t know why the corona virus came when it did. I do know that God is calling His own people to humble themselves, pray, love Him more than anything else, and turn away from their sin and turn back to God. Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family,

How do you feel when someone interrupts you, especially when you are deeply involved in an important activity? Jesus found Himself in that situation regularly. People in crisis never asked Jesus if it was a convenient time for Him to help them. They routinely interrupted Him with their emergencies. One example of this occurs in Mark 5. Jesus has just healed a demoniac on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. When He sails back to Galilee on the west side, He is mobbed by people who desperately need His help. Now He is interrupted.

Vs 22 And one of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and upon seeing Him, fell at His feet,

Vs 23 and entreated Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, that she may get well and live.”

Vs 24 And He went off with him, and a great multitude was following Him and pressing in on Him.

Jesus prioritized this little girl’s need over the needs of the multitude, and He goes with Jairus to heal his daughter, when He is interrupted………again!

Vs 25 And a woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years,

Vs 26 and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse,

Vs 27 after hearing about Jesus, came up in the crowd behind Him, and touched His cloak—

Vs 28 For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I shall get well.”

This woman doesn’t talk to Jesus, she just touches His robe. She believes that He has the power to heal her, and she is healed……..immediately. After she tells Him why she touched Him, He blesses her. But this incident took time. Jairus’s friends now tell him that his daughter has just died, so he doesn’t need to bother Jesus any longer.

Vs 36 But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”

After being interrupted for the second time, Jesus goes to Jairus’s house and raises his daughter from the dead.

Many times, Jesus ministered to needy people who interrupted Him. Actually, people in need were the reason Jesus came to earth. What we see as interruptions, Jesus sees as divine appointments. When our plans get interrupted, we should view that interruption as God putting HIs appointments into our calendar. God modifies our schedules every day, because He has eternal plans for us that go beyond our earthly plans. At the time, I’m sure Jairus must have thought, “If only Jesus would not have been interrupted, He could have saved my daughter from dying.” He didn’t see that Jesus’ plan was to raise her from the dead, a far greater miracle.

This coronavirus pandemic may have interrupted your plans, but it never interrupts God’s plan for you. God has divine appointments already on your calendar. So, when you plan your day, leave some white space for God’s surprises.

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and Prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family,

My bride Maren suggested this verse as a suitable theme for a blog, and I agree, even though I am convicted when I read it.

I Thessalonians 5:18 “……. in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

One short sentence, really only a four-word command with a ten-word explanation. The scope is what is staggering; “give thanks……in everything.” How can you possibly give thanks for everything, when there is so much suffering and evil in our world? Our culture says, give thanks for comfortable, convenient circumstances, and complain about them when they’re not.

Notice that the scripture says, “give thanks in everything,” it does not say “give thanks for everything.” Clearly God does not command us to give thanks for evil. If you get diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, you don’t give thanks for the disease that will probably kill you. You can, however, give thanks in every circumstance, even death, not because of the circumstance, but because of our God who rules over every circumstance, including death. This command to “give thanks in everything” depends completely on the sovereignty of God. If God is not in control of His world, then despair is the appropriate response, not thanksgiving.

So, why does God command His people to give thanks in everything? In short, thanksgiving exalts God to the place of honor that He deserves. Thanksgiving acknowledges that God is the center and the source of everything. We give thanks to God because of who He is and what He has done. We give Him thanks because nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 38-39). We thank Him because He adopted us into His family. (Romans 8: 15-17). We thank God that He uses everything to shape us like Jesus, even bad things. (Romans 8: 29). We give God thanks because He is a good and generous God who gave us eternal life through the death of His own Son.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things.

God is the creator of all things and He shares abundantly with His creation. The biggest impediment to thanksgiving is self-centeredness. Pride says, “God owes me good things because I deserve them, so why should I give thanks?” Humility says, “I deserve nothing, but our good God supplies whatever He knows I need, and He deserves my thanksgiving.” There is an old song,

“Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the LORD has done.”

This is a great season to a make a list of God’s blessings, and then thank Him every day; especially for what He is doing in a global pandemic!

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and Prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family,

As a result of the pandemic, many people around the world have been operating in “stay at home” mode now for several weeks. This is a great time to mediate on God’s word. In the 23rd Psalm, David, the shepherd king said,

Psalm 23: 1 The LORD is my shepherd,

I shall not want.

Vs 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;

The Bible often likens people to sheep and God as their shepherd. The well-being of every sheep is completely dependent upon the care of the shepherd. The LORD means Master or Ruler, the One who controls all things. David said, the LORD is My shepherd, my personal shepherd. I belong to My shepherd; He owns me, and He knows My name. I have a relationship with my shepherd and as a result...I shall not want: My shepherd cares for me, He provides exactly what I need when I need it. Sometimes what I need is to stop and lie down.

Sheep usually forage and graze early in the morning and late afternoon. In the middle of the day, they like to find a shady spot to lie down and rest. Sheep are ruminants which means they chew their cud. They regurgitate the food that they swallowed that morning and chew it a second time. This helps them extract the maximum nutrition from it. Ruminating sheep are a word picture of Christians who meditate on God’s word. Sheep chew their cud several hours every day, and in the same way, chewing on God’s word requires time.

God’s word is our spiritual food and our lives depend on it. We are commanded to hear God’s word, (Jeremiah 3: 15), read God’s word, (Deuteronomy 17: 19), study God’s word, (Proverbs 2:1-5), memorize God’s word, (Psalm 119:11) and meditate on God’s word. (Joshua 1:8). When you mediate, it’s helpful to focus your thoughts on a specific passage of scripture. Mediate means to ponder, muse, and reflect on what God’s word says, what it means, and how we can apply it to your life.

Always begin by asking God to open your mind to what He wants you to know and do. It’s helpful to read the passage several times out loud. Consider writing it out, underlining key words and ideas, and taking notes on what it says. The whole point of meditation is obedient action. God commanded Joshua, “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night………….so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it…”Joshua 1:8

Sometimes we don’t want to be quiet and take time to meditate on God’s word. We would rather be going and doing. Among many other things, God is using a tiny virus to encourage His people to slow down and savor the flavor of His wonderful word. Don’t miss this opportunity to chew on God’s word.

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family,

If you have ever felt that your life was being turned upside down, then this story is for you. This story took place in Persia, between 483-473 B.C. After 70 years in captivity, a small number of Jews went back to Israel to rebuild the temple and reclaim the Promised Land. However, most Jews chose to remain in Persia.

A Jewish maiden named Esther has been crowned queen after a national beauty pageant. The wicked Prime Minister of Persia named Haman has plotted to slaughter all the Jews in Persia and steal their wealth. Esther’s uncle Mordecai has gotten wind of his plot and appeals to Esther to go into the king and plead for mercy for the Jewish people. Esther tells him that Persian law dictates that whoever enters the king’s presence without being summoned is subject to immediate death, unless the king extends the royal scepter to them.

Mordecai tells her in

Esther 4: 14 “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

Vs 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way.

Vs 16 And thus I will go into the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

God’s name is never mentioned in the book of Esther, but His fingerprints are everywhere. The book of Esther is filled with “coincidences” that the Bible calls “providence.” Providence is God’s sovereign rule over His universe as He controls everything in order accomplish His eternal purposes.

In this passage, Esther realizes that she did not become queen by accident. God had arranged for her to become queen at precisely the right time, so that God could work through her to save the Jewish people from genocide. For three days, Esther fasted and prayed for God to move the king’s heart and give her favor in his eyes. At the end of three days, she went into the king, even though it might cost her life.

In our own lives, God has placed us exactly where He wants us to be in this dangerous global pandemic. Just like Esther, God has plans for each of us to accomplish even while we are largely at home. As we read God’s word and pray, He will guide us one day at a time. Our job is to follow His directions. God’s plan is not just for us to “shelter in place” in order to “survive” a pandemic. He wants us to be a spiritual blessing to others.

Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family;

As a result of the current pandemic, we have been told to “shelter in place.” This a nice way of saying, “stay off the streets and stay home.” One of the outcomes of “staying home” is a simpler lifestyle. We now have fewer options available to us. Not being able to gather in groups eliminates a lot of activities. This gives us an opportunity to practice contentment.

Paradoxically, the more options we have, the easier it is to become discontented, because we are more aware of what we do not have. A lot of advertising is specifically designed to make us feel discontented with what we currently have, so we will be tempted to buy whatever “they” are selling. Satan, the master of deception, persuaded Eve that the perfect Garden of Eden was not good enough, because God had told her not to eat from only one tree! Imagine being discontented in the Garden of Eden.

In 1976, a typical supermarket in the United States carried 9,000 items. Today, your average supermarket carries 39,500 items. I wonder how we managed to get by with only 9,000 items? Some people today get by with no grocery store at all. Just sayin’! The good news is contentment can be learned. The apostle Paul said in

Philippians 4: 11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Vs 12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

Vs 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Contentment is not natural; discontentment is the norm. Parents know that children usually want the one toy that some other child has; kind of like some adults. The discontented person is usually asking God for something else instead of thanking God for what they already have.

The contented person is not defined by what they have, but by who they are, and whose they are. Here’s a definition of contentment:

Contentment is the state of being satisfied with God Himself, and whatever He chooses to provide.

We can always be satisfied with God, because God is always good, and whatever He provides is exactly what we need. When Paul and Silas were beaten and bloody for preaching the gospel in Philippi, they were thrown in prison and chained to wooden stocks that immobilized them. They responded by singing praises to God. They didn’t sing because of the pain, they sang because Jesus was with them in their pain. Paul said, “Through the power of Christ in me, I can do all things, even be content when suffering for Jesus’ sake.” The corona virus quarantine is a great opportunity for us to practice contentment.

Now that you know, do! Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and Prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family,

Years ago, Lynn Anderson sang a song that began,

“I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden,

Along with the sunshine, there’s gotta be a little rain some time.”

That’s true; life is good, but it’s not easy. Here on earth, the only place you can live “happily ever after” is in fairy tales.

For the Christian there is a land of “happily ever after,” and it’s called heaven. The road to “happily ever after” is not a smooth freeway. God wants His children to grow up spiritually. The path to spiritual maturity is often a rocky road, a narrow steep path with unexpected twists and turns. God knows that many times, earthly adversity can produce eternal advantages. From God’s perspective, adversity can be “miracle grow” for our soul.

James 1: 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

Vs 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

Vs 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Earthly troubles and trials are God’s exercise program that He uses to grow us to maturity. Our physical muscles and our faith muscles both require resistance in order to grow stronger. God uses trials is to shape us like Jesus. Growing Christlike character is the goal, problems are one of the processes God uses to achieve that goal.

The book of James says that trials are inevitable; no one escapes them. It says when you encounter trials, not if you encounter trials. Various trials means that trials are not only inevitable, they are multiple and unpredictable. God does not have a predictable workout routine for our faith muscles. Various trials means different kinds of trials at different times in our lives. Problems take us into God’s gymnasium where our “trust and obey” muscles get a workout. James says, when you have a head on collision with a problem, add up all the reasons to be joyful. We can be joyful, not because of the problem itself, but because of the character development God produces in us as a result of going through the problem.

God does have a workout sequence for us to follow in His spiritual gymnasium. Trials stress test our faith and if we don’t quit, they produce endurance. Life is a marathon, not a sprint, and the only way to finish anything is to never quit. Everything God does in our lives is designed to shape us more and more like Jesus. The name Christian literarily means, “follower of Christ.” So, when troubles and trials come knocking at your door, keep following Jesus.

And then put your “gym clothes” on; you’re going to have a workout!

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and Prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family:

Have you ever gone camping? The nation of Israel once went on a camping trip……with God! It was only supposed to be a short trip from Egypt to Canaan, but their disobedience turned it into a camping trip that lasted 40 years! And the people didn’t even get to choose their campsites; God did. God led His people by means of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Numbers 9: 17 And whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp.

Vs 22 Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out.

Vs 23 At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out;

Every morning, they would look to see whether the cloud had lifted up from over the tent. If it had, they packed up, because today was a travel day. On travel days, their job was simple, follow the cloud. When it moved, they moved, when it stopped, they stopped and set up camp. If the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they didn’t have to pack up and travel that day…….but they might have to tomorrow……or not. God didn’t issue a calendar with travel days and rest days already marked out. He didn’t publish a map of the travel route with campsites already reserved. They just had to follow the cloud, one day at a time.

I wonder what people did on the days they didn’t travel? Most days were probably routine like gathering water, firewood, and preparing manna for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Manna was pretty bland so there were probably a lot of manna recipes being shared! They probably did the laundry, home schooled the kids, cleaned up the tent, and talked with their neighbors. Sounds like us today.

Most of us are “camping out” at home now due to the coronavirus. We’re not exactly sure when the “stay at home” orders will be lifted. I know that many of us are ready to “break camp” and get moving. We know that God has plans for us every day, whether it’s a camp day or a travel day. Just like Israel followed the cloud, God commands us to keep “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith...” Hebrews 12: 2. Today, we are not guided by a cloud on the outside, but by the Spirit of Jesus on the inside. “Camping out” at home is a great time to get to know Jesus better. We can study God’s word, pray, and share the love of Jesus with others.

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and Prayers,

Brad

•••

Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

For more information, visit mannapodcast.com.

©2018, 2019, & 2020 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family,

Every winter we have the trees in our yard pruned. Pruning is essential for the health and production of fruit bearing plants. Pruning is also necessary for the health of God’s people. Jesus talked about pruning and fruit bearing in John 15.

John 15:1 I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Vs 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it that it may bear more fruit.

Vs 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

Vs 4 Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

The whole point of a vineyard is to produce a good crop of high-quality grapes. Proper pruning is required for the vines to produce quality grapes. Pruning removes about 90% of the previous year’s woody growth. If the branches are not pruned back, they will produce more grape clusters than can be ripened into maturity. Pruning gets rid of non-essentials, like excess wood and leaves, so that energy can be put into what is essential, like grapes.

God the Father does the pruning in the lives of His people, because He wants them to bear more fruit. Our culture wastes a great deal of time and treasure on the trivial, on the non-eternal. Pruning is God cutting away the non-essentials from of our lives, so we can focus our energy on producing spiritual fruit that will last forever in heaven. God uses His Word, His Spirit, and circumstances to do spiritual surgery in our lives. (Hebrews 4:12). Pruning is painful, but it is an act of love.

Hebrews 4:6 For whom the LORD loves He disciplines,

And He scourges every son whom He receives.

Hebrews 12: 10 He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness.

Just like our heavenly Father, we discipline our own children and train them to do what is right, because we love them. We want them to grow up and mature into Godly adults. Spiritual fruit is growing more like Christ, experiencing more fruit of the Spirit in our lives, and making disciples for Jesus. (Romans 8: 29, Galatians 5: 22-23, Matthew 28: 19). Spiritual maturity and making disciples does not come from our own self effort. It comes from abiding in the vine.

Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches. The branches must remain connected to the vine for life to flow from the vine through the branches in order to produce fruit. A disconnected branch is a dead branch which produces nothing. Abiding means remaining intimately connected with Jesus through obedience to what He says.

John 15: 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love… (cf also I John 3:24)

So, our job is to remain connected to Christ through obedience. It’s God’s prerogative to prune from our lives whatever hinders our relationship with His Son. The result is that we grow in spiritual maturity and make disciples for Jesus.

Remember, God designed us to “do life together!”

Love and Prayers,

Brad

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Subscribe to listen each week as the Manna class learns and grows together through their in-depth study of God's Word. This comprehensive, expository series is taught by Brad Hannink, a gifted communicator of the Bread of Life.

Manna is a Bible study life group that meets at Valley Baptist Church, located at 4800 Fruitvale Ave. in Bakersfield, California.

Manna believes in doing life together. If you’re in need of prayer, email us your request at [email protected] and our class will be happy to add it to our prayer list. Members of Manna get together each week to pray for those on the prayer list.

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