Morning Manna

In today's Morning Manna, Doc Burkhart examines Proverbs 25:21–22, one of the most influential passages in the Book of Proverbs and the foundation for Jesus' command to love your enemies and Paul's teaching in Romans 12. Rather than responding to hostility with retaliation, believers are called to meet their enemies' needs with acts of kindness, trusting God with the outcome. This lesson explores...

In today's Morning Manna, Doc Burkhart examines Proverbs 25:21–22, one of the most influential passages in the Book of Proverbs and the foundation for Jesus' command to love your enemies and Paul's teaching in Romans 12. Rather than responding to hostility with retaliation, believers are called to meet their enemies' needs with acts of kindness, trusting God with the outcome. This lesson explores...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 25:19–20, where Solomon teaches two essential qualities of biblical love: being trustworthy in times of crisis and offering comfort with wisdom. An unreliable friend wounds like a broken tooth or a slipping foot, while careless attempts to cheer a grieving heart only deepen its pain. This lesson explores what it means to be som...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 25:17–18, where Solomon teaches two essential principles for preserving healthy relationships. Wisdom knows when to step back so that friendship remains a blessing rather than a burden, and it refuses to use words as weapons against a neighbor. From practicing measured presence to rejecting gossip, slander, and false testimony,...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart explore Proverbs 25:15–16, where Solomon reveals two powerful lessons in self-control. A patient spirit and a gentle tongue can accomplish what force and anger never will, while even the sweetest blessings become harmful when pursued without restraint. From patient persuasion to disciplined appetites, this study shows that true wisdom is measur...

In this Faith Friday edition of Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart continue their three-part series on biblical faith by exploring Wait Faith through Hebrews 11:13. Abraham, Sarah, and Simeon each demonstrate that genuine faith is not measured by how quickly God's promises are fulfilled, but by steadfast confidence in the God who made them. This lesson reveals why waiting is not a sign of...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 25:13–14, where Solomon contrasts the refreshing faithfulness of a trustworthy messenger with the disappointment of empty promises. A faithful servant brings life, encouragement, and confidence to those who depend on him, while those who boast of gifts they never deliver are compared to clouds that promise rain but leave the gr...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart explore Proverbs 25:11–12, two of the most beautiful verses in the Book of Proverbs, where Solomon reveals both the power of a well-timed word and the value of a teachable heart. A "word fitly spoken" is compared to apples of gold set in silver—a picture of truth delivered with wisdom, grace, and perfect timing. The passage then turns to the on...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 25:8–10, where Solomon provides one of Scripture's clearest and most practical teachings on conflict resolution. Rather than rushing into public disputes, wisdom calls believers to slow down, think through the consequences, address grievances privately, and guard the confidences entrusted to them. Through the wisdom of Proverbs...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 25:6–7, where Solomon reveals a timeless principle that reaches far beyond royal courts into the very heart of God's Kingdom. Rather than seeking prominence or promoting ourselves before those in authority, Scripture teaches that genuine honor is never seized—it is bestowed. Through the wisdom of Solomon, the teaching of Jesus...

In this Faith Friday edition of Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart begin a three-part series on faith by examining what they call Threshold Faith—the faith that steps forward before the miracle appears. Drawing from Joshua 3:14–17, they explore Israel's crossing of the Jordan River at flood stage, where God did not part the waters before the priests moved, but only after their feet touched...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 25:4–5, where Solomon uses the imagery of silver refining to reveal a timeless principle of personal, spiritual, and governmental integrity. Just as a silversmith must remove the dross before a vessel can be fashioned for honorable use, so corruption must be removed from positions of influence before righteousness can flourish....

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart begin their study of Proverbs 25 with a remarkable passage that explores the transmission of wisdom, the mystery of divine knowledge, and the responsibility of those entrusted with authority. Proverbs 25:1–3 reveals how the men of Hezekiah faithfully preserved Solomon's wisdom centuries after it was first spoken, demonstrating that truth must b...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 24:32–34, where Solomon moves from observation to reflection and finally to instruction. After carefully considering the neglected field of the slothful, Solomon receives a sobering lesson: great ruin rarely comes through dramatic rebellion but through countless small delays. "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding...

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart continue their examination of Proverbs 24:30–31, where Solomon's observation of a neglected field becomes a profound lesson on the cumulative effects of spiritual, moral, and practical neglect. The overgrown thorns, encroaching nettles, and broken stone wall reveal that decay rarely arrives suddenly—it advances one small act of avoidance at a t...

In this Faith Friday edition of Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Luke 21:16–18, where Jesus delivers one of the most remarkable promises in Scripture. He warns that His followers will face betrayal, hatred, persecution, imprisonment, and even death for His name's sake. Yet in the midst of these sobering realities, Christ declares, “But there shall not an hair of your head perish....

Proverbs 24:30–31 presents one of Solomon’s most powerful object lessons. Passing by the field of the slothful and the vineyard of the man lacking understanding, he observes a sobering scene: thorns had overrun the ground, weeds covered its surface, and the protective stone wall had collapsed. The condition of the field did not result from a single catastrophic event but from continual neglect. In...

Proverbs 24:31 continues Solomon’s examination of the sluggard’s field, revealing a scene of gradual ruin: thorns had overgrown it, weeds covered its surface, and its stone wall had broken down. None of this happened overnight. The decay was the result of repeated neglect and unattended responsibilities. In today's Morning Manna, Doc Burkhart explores how spiritual, moral, and practical deteriorat...

Proverbs 24:30 begins one of Solomon’s most vivid object lessons. Passing by the field of the slothful and the vineyard of the man void of understanding, he observes the visible evidence of a life marked by neglect. What should have been fruitful was left unattended; what should have been productive was allowed to deteriorate. In today's Morning Manna, Doc Burkhart explores how spiritual and pract...

Proverbs 24:29 confronts the natural desire for retaliation and exposes the danger of personal vengeance. When wronged, the human heart often seeks to repay injury with injury, but wisdom calls for a higher response. Rather than saying, “I will do to him as he hath done to me,” God’s people are instructed to leave judgment in the Lord’s hands and refuse the cycle of revenge. In this lesson of Morn...

In this Faith Friday edition of Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Mark 11:25, where Jesus connects effective prayer to a forgiving heart. Immediately after teaching on mountain-moving faith, Christ turns to the condition of the believer's heart, revealing that unforgiveness can become a barrier to fellowship with God. Faith and forgiveness are not competing principles—they are ins...

Proverbs 24:28 warns against becoming a witness against a neighbor without just cause and using words to deceive or harm. Truth is not a weapon to be manipulated, and accusations are not to be made lightly. God calls His people to integrity in both testimony and speech, refusing the temptation to distort facts, spread rumors, or seek personal advantage through falsehood. In today's Morning Manna,...

Proverbs 24:27 gives a simple command with profound wisdom: “Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.” Solomon teaches that successful living requires proper order. Before constructing the house, the field must be prepared; before enjoying the harvest, the ground must be cultivated. Wisdom rejects impulsiveness and embraces preparation,...

Proverbs 24:26 declares, “Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.” In the ancient world, a kiss symbolized affection, honor, agreement, and covenant loyalty. Solomon teaches that truthful, upright speech carries a power that wins respect and strengthens relationships. Honest answers may not always be the easiest to give, but they are ultimately the most valuable. In today's Morni...

Proverbs 24:25 presents the other side of the warning found in verse 24. While those who justify the wicked invite reproach and judgment, those who faithfully rebuke evil receive approval, blessing, and favor. True love does not ignore sin, and true justice does not remain silent when wrong is being done. In today's Morning Manna, Doc Burkhart explores the courage required to confront wickedness,...