Dear Manna Family: As part of the strategy to combat the coronavirus, we have been told to practice social distancing and to shelter in place. About 850 B.C. the prophet Elijah was told to do the same thing. As a result of Israels’ refusal to repent from their wicked ways, God told His prophet Elijah to go to King Ahab and tell him that God was sending a drought on the entire land. For an agricultural economy, drought meant famine which meant starvation and death. We have recently experienced long lines at the grocery stores as people rush to stock up on supplies. Back then, there were no grocery stores; if you didn’t grow it, you didn’t eat. I Kings 17 Vs 1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” Vs 2 Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, Vs 3 “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. Vs 4 It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.” Vs 5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. Vs 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. After Elijah went to the palace and pronounced God’s judgment to King Ahab’s face, God told him to practice social isolation. Go hide yourself, all by yourself, so that Ahab cannot find you. He was to get out of the country and camp outdoors by a brook, with zero human contact. No phone calls, emails, texts, tweets, television, or even the Pony Express. The only communication he had was with God Himself. He was to depend on God alone. God commanded to ravens to bring him food, and the raven was an unclean bird according to the Mosaic Law. Ravens often scavenged seeds from dung, and God commanded these birds to bring him bread and meat twice a day. The meat was probably carrion, which we would call ‘road kill.’ God provides what we need, not always what we want. I think I need to stop complaining about the restaurants being closed! God may want you to self quarantine for spiritual reasons, not just for medical reasons. Maybe God wants time alone with you, because He loves you and wants to reveal Himself and His will to you. When you are home alone, consider turning off all the electronic devices, so you can ‘be still and know that I am God.’ ( Psalm 46:10) Remember, God designed us to “do life together!” 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family, Last time we saw that the kingdom of Judah was about to be invaded by a coalition of neighboring kings. They were terrified and King Jehoshaphat led them to seek God in a national day of prayer. Today we’ll see how God responded to their prayer for help. 2 Chronicles 20: 14 …..the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel….. Vs 15 and he said, “Listen, all Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Vs 17 You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. ‘Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.’” Vs 21……(then) those who sang to the LORD and those who praised Him…..went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the LORD, for HIs lovingkindness is everlasting.” Vs 22 And when they began singing and praising, the LORD set ambushes against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed. God told His people to get into battle positions…………..but not to fight. It was God’s job was to fight, it was their job was to watch and praise, and in this case, praise required great faith. The nation of Judah went out to meet an enemy army, not carrying instruments of war, but instruments of worship, not fighting, but singing. And, the people on the very front lines, who faced the enemy first, were not soldiers, they were musicians dressed in their ‘choir robes’, praising the LORD for HIs loyal love. They faced their enemies with joy, because they believed God’s promise that He would save them. And He did, in miraculous ways. God caused their enemies to become so confused that they destroyed each other. When Israel walked into the battlefield, all they saw were dead enemy soldiers and a great deal of spoil. There was so much booty that it took them three days to carry it all home. And on the fourth day, they held a prayer and praise meeting and gave God thanks for His miraculous deliverance. We all face enemies; sometimes it’s a person, more often it’s a situation or a circumstance. The lesson is clear. Whatever your circumstance, whatever your enemy or fear is, face it with praise. We can praise God in every circumstance, because He has promised to be with us, to fight for us and save us. Praise Him for HIs promises and then live in light of His presence! Remember that 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family, The recent coronavirus has created a large amount of fear in our world. We hear it in the news, in conversations and online. Long lines and overflowing grocery carts reveal our fear that there won’t be ‘enough.’ Fear is a response to something that we think will harm us or cause us pain. Fear can keep us safe while crossing a busy intersection, but it can also paralyze us. So, how do we manage fear? We manage fear by focussing on God. A good example of this was King Jehoshaphat of Judah who faced a great threat. Several neighboring kings made an alliance to invade and destroy Judah, and Jehoshaphat became very afraid. 2 Chronicles 20 : 3 And Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the LORD; and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. Vs 4 So Judah gathered together to seek help from the LORD; they even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the LORD. Vs 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD before the new court, Vs 6 and he said, “O LORD, the God of our fathers, are You not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You. When Jehoshaphat felt fear, he changed his focus. He stopped focussing on what He feared, and turned his attention to seek the LORD through prayer and fasting. He brought what he feared to God and put his problem in God’s hands. This is crucial. The object of our faith is far more important than the amount of our faith. Jesus said that tiny faith, faith the size of a mustard seed, could move mountains. You can have great faith in the tooth fairy, but it won’t do any good, because the tooth fairy is a myth. (sorry to break the news to you!) Only God is worthy of our faith, because only God rules over everything, including the things that cause us fear. Whatever you fear, bring it to the LORD and put it into His hands. ‘You’re in good hands with Jesus!’ 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family: Perspective is one of my favorite words. It means point of view, and it refers to a place where you stand in order to view the world around you. Sometimes when you are driving, you will see a sign that says “scenic outlook” or “scenic overview.” This usually refers to an elevated point from where you can see the ‘big picture.’ In the middle of a global pandemic, we need a big picture point of view. We need God’s point of view. One example of seeing a situation from God’s perspective is the prophet Elisha. God had supernaturally enabled Elisha to warn the king of Israel about upcoming attacks by the king of Syria, who shared a border with Israel. So the king of Syria sent an army into Israel to capture Elisha. 2 Kings 6: 14 And he sent horses and chariots and a great army there and they came by night and surrounded the city. Vs 15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” Vs 16 So he answered, “ Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Vs 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. It certainly looked hopeless. How could two men overcome an entire army with horses and chariots? The servant was filled with fear, but Elisha was filled with faith. They had different responses because they saw different things. The servant saw Syria’s human army, Elisha saw God’s heavenly army. When God opened the servants eyes, he saw that God’s army of angels had surrounded Syrias’ army of soldiers. That’s a heavenly point of view, that’s seeing what God sees. When we see life from God’s point of view, we can live without fear. Our circumstances seem uncertain to us, but nothing is uncertain to our God. God has already provided us with everything we need for every circumstance we encounter, including a global pandemic. Seeing from God’s perspective is understanding that God is using every event to draw people to Himself. God is using a tiny virus to open large doors for the gospel. Let’s make sure we follow Him through those open doors. That’s the eternal perspective. 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family; Have you ever felt trapped in a place where there seemed to be no way out? Centuries ago, King Hezekiah of Judah was trapped as well. The king of Assyria had invaded Judah and was capturing city after city. Now, the Assyrian army, were closing in on Jerusalem and the people were going to be trapped inside the walls. They knew that the Assyrian plan was to lay siege to the city and prevent food and water from reaching the people inside. Sooner or later, they would be forced to surrender and then they would be enslaved, exiled or executed. Hezekiah, king of Judah, gathered all the people together and told them to trust in their heavenly King, and not fear earthly kings or armies. 2 Chronicles 32: 7-8 Vs 7 “Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude which is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him, Vs 8 With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah. When we are faced with ‘impossible’ situations, we need to remember that ‘with God, nothing is impossible.” (Luke 1: 37) When Hezekiah prayed and brought the problem to the LORD, (2 Kings 18-19), God answered his prayer in a miraculous way. God sent an angel from heaven that very night who struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. What was left of the Assyrian army retreated and Jerusalem was saved. We know a little bit about being “trapped” in our own homes, because we have been told to “shelter in place” as a result of the corona virus pandemic. Our ‘enemy’ is not an army, it’s a virus. Even more deadly than a biological virus is the spiritual virus of fear. However, we do not need to fear, because our God is greater than armies, viruses or fear, and He has good plans for His people in every circumstance. These may be ‘unprecedented’ times from a human point of view, but nothing takes our God by surprise. Today is a great time for us to make time to draw near to God in prayer. We need to pray for our problems, pray for others, pray for our nation and especially pray that Jesus Christ will use this current circumstance to draw people to Himself. Above all, let’s praise Him that He is our God and that He will provide whatever He knows we need. 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Dear Manna Family: There is an old proverb that says, “May you live in interesting times.” “Interesting” can mean fun, but often means difficult, unsettling, and uncertain. One common human response to uncertainty is fear. God tells the nation of Israel in Isaiah 41: 10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” This is both a command and a promise, not just to Israel, but to us today. God commands us, “Do not fear,” and then tells us why we must not fear. We must not fear, because our infinitely powerful and completely loving God is “with us.” When I was a young child, I was afraid to go outside in the dark by myself. Since I couldn’t see what was "out there," I was scared. However, if my dad went with me, I had no fear, even if I couldn’t see, because I knew he would take care of me. The God who controls the entire universe, is also our heavenly Father who knows us and loves us. We are not alone in a dark, random universe. Our heavenly Father who created the heavens and the earth, is with us and promises to give us His strength, and HIs help. When we cannot stand on our own, He promises to uphold us with His supernatural power. Our response to His promises should be faith and not fear. Every day, we should open our Bibles, read His promises and choose to trust what He says. That way, we will have peace, and not fear. Remember, we were designed 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Ephesians 4: 17-32 Vs 17-19 Before Christ, our minds were blind, our hearts were hard, our conscience was calloused, and we were dominated by our selfish desires so that we lived eternally empty lives. Vs 20-24 Following Jesus means stopping our old sinful behaviors, filling our mind with God’s word and living holy lives. Vs 25 God’s family must be truth tellers and promise keepers. Vs 26-27 Unresolved anger can give Satan an opportunity to ‘set up shop’ in our heart. Vs 28 We must work hard so that we have a surplus, not for ourselves, but to share with those in need. Vs 29-30 Each word is powerful, so use every word wisely in order to build others up and not to tear them down. Vs 31-32 We must reject self centered anger and practice God centered kindness by forgiving others just as Jesus forgave us. ••• 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved

Ephesians 4: 1-10 Vs 1 When God’s people live together in loving unity, Jesus is made visible to a watching world. Vs 2-3 The ligaments of Christ’s love hold His body together, and we are commanded to preserve that unity with zeal and humility. Vs 4-6 The source of loving unity in the church is our common connection with God through faith in Christ. Vs 7-10 At salvation, Jesus graciously gives each of us a specific ability to serve God, and He expects us to use it. ••• 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 mannabiblepodcast@gmail.com 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 - Brad Hannink - All Rights Reserved