Manna from heaven: A present-day miracle

This is my beloved friend's testimony in her book, "Present Day Miracles." Lydia McMahan Cason was there!

From the time Pastor Morrell took Higher Praise Tabernacle, in March of 1982 at the age of 24 until January of 1989, the church struggled through many hardships. The one thing that kept this church in Covington, Georgia, strong was the continual teaching from Bro. Morrell that prayer and fasting were the keys to victory.

Although Higher Praise Tabernacle was not, by many standards, financially secure, Bro. Morrell would have revivals as often as possible. He knew the necessity of revival. In January of 1989 Bro. Morrell scheduled a revival with an evangelist from Melbourne, Florida. During that revival the evangelist felt impressed by God to tell church members that if they would go on a 21-day fast with prayer as a church body that God would do something great for the church. Fasting was a normal part of their lives, as was praying, so it was nothing new for Higher Praise Tabernacle. However, they had never fasted 21 days consecutively, even as a group, so this was new. Nevertheless, the church, as a group, begin the 21-day fast with prayer. Everyone prayed and fasted their own individual way, but it was a group effort. Most of the church fasted one meal per day. Some fasted two meals per day. Most of the church prayed and fasted more than they ever had before and gathered at the church in the evenings to pray together.

The 20th day of the fast and prayer was Thursday, Feb. 16, 1989. That was the midweek service night for Higher Praise Tabernacle. The ladies of the church had decided to do a "shut-in" for the remainder of the fast and prayer. When the church service started at 7:30 p.m., they didn't leave the church again until Saturday morning about 11 a.m. They had a water fountain for thirst but no food. Prior to this service, during its planning, Sis. Morrell, the pastor's wife, had instructed the ladies to keep all carnality outside as they walked in the door that Thursday night. The ladies were not to discuss anything that was not "God-related."

So, as the service ended that night, the congregation all left except for the ones staying for the shut-in. They prayed, worshiped and read God's word. Then they testified, prayed, worshiped and read God's word some more. They continued in this manner, and it was a purely inspirational gathering. God was in that place!

On Friday night, Feb. 17, about 10 p.m., all 12 of the ladies were getting up from praying and noticed something white on the floor. They all were asking one another, "What is it?" It was everywhere! They picked up some of the pieces and gathered close together. April Morrell, who was just a young teenager at the time, smelled it and said, "This is bread." Sis. Phylis Smith then tasted it and said, "It's unleavened bread." After much commotion and rejoicing, they decided to call Pastor Morrell to come to the church to see what he thought about this happening that was almost impossible to comprehend. When he got there, he took the manna in his hand and examined it closely for several moments. He walked around the church and picked up a few more pieces and examined it before he finally commented, "Well, ladies, all I can say is you've prayed heaven down."

Their joy and excitement could not be contained, and by the next morning Jana Crowe had contacted news reporters and radio stations. It made headlines, locally and throughout Atlanta.

There was one unbelieving husband who took some of the manna and sent it off, unbeknownst to the ladies, to have an analysis performed. When he received it back, he was astonished to read on the outside of the envelope, "Unknown substance." The study confirmed that the substance was definitely some type of bread because it contained ingredients that bread has. However, the analysis stated that because all bread is water-soluble, and this substance was not, it could not, therefore, be labeled as such. What a much greater testimony! This unbelieving husband had proven the miracle of God to be exactly what it was -- a genuine miracle! Only one time in the entire word of God had God sent manna from heaven, and that was to his people, the Israelites, in the wilderness! The fact that he did it miraculously one more time and to people of the Apostolic Pentecostal faith is because they are indeed his covenant people of the book of Acts, chapter 2.

The remainder of the prayer shut-in was spent studying the word of God concerning manna. The word manna means "What is it?" How ironic that this was the exact words the ladies were all asking one another at its first appearance.

Needless to say, Higher Praise Tabernacle was strengthened tremendously after the manna came. Faith soared throughout the church. Higher Praise Tabernacle began to grow and prosper, not to say there were never any more hardships or trials, but nothing that they were not able to overcome by the grace of God.

Each year thereafter, the church has had a "Manna Memories" memorial shut-in in honor of God sending Higher Praise Tabernacle manna at a much-needed time.

Higher Praise Tabernacle grew and grew as a result of prayer and fasting until there was no room for any chairs even in the aisles at their camp meeting. They serve a mighty God, a God who will do whatever it takes to move for his people, even if it's sending manna from heaven. Twelve people had witnessed this astounding miracle of manna falling from heaven.

If you visit Higher Praise Tabernacle today, you will notice a beautiful glass case that has "manna memorabilia" in it. This case includes pictures of the manna on the floor of Higher Praise Tabernacle. It also has a much-treasured little glass vial that contains some of the manna. Like the children of Israel were told to take up a stone as they passed through the midst of Jordan, those of Higher Praise Tabernacle have also set this glass case up as a memorial for their children, their grandchildren and future generations.

The book, "Present Day Miracles: New Updated Edition," is available on Amazon. The author, Lydia McMahan Cason is my beloved friend and prayer partner, a woman of faith and prayer. And she is on Facebook as well.

If you are not in this precious Apostolic covenant with God, you can be. Just read the book of Acts and obey the covenant requirements in Acts 2:38, where the final covenant was given and the church was born. Repent of any sin, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of those sins, and receive the Holy Ghost, the seal of his covenant.

LINDA SCHRECKENBERG is a former Bollinger County resident now living in O'Fallon. She can be reached at Linda.schreck63@gmail.com.