Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 8 Apriil 2020

Temper Tantrum

“He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” (Proverbs 25:28)

Today’s Morsel:  I’m sure most of you, like me, have been out shopping when all of a sudden you hear this loud screaming and scrawling coming from somewhere in the store, and you notice this young tot having a temper-tantrum because he isn’t getting his way.  And I know, you like me thinks that kid needs a good spanking.  Or as I heard one mother tell her kids, you show out on me, I’ll show out on you!  Temper tantrums are a natural part of growing up, but when they happen, there needs to be a time for education.  And the education should happen early on, with the first display of the tantrums.  Usually by the the time a child is four years old, they should have learned the lesson, if they are having temper tantrums after that, Houston we’ve got a problem.  You see, our temper is like a fire.  It gets very destructive when it gets out of control.  Solomon states that he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.  If we do not put some restraint to restrain our wrath and anger to keep us within due bounds; we become exposed to the enemy of souls, Satan, and we are liable to every sin, snare, and temptation that he sends our way.  The earlier a person learns to control anger, the earlier they learn how to have peace.

Sing: Take the name of Jesus with you, child of sorrow and of woe; It will joy and comfort give you, take it then wherever you go.

Precious name, O how sweet!  Hope of earth and joy of heaven.  Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven.

Thought For Today: The earlier one learns to control anger, the earlier one learns how to have peace (Parker)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 7 April 2020

Foolishness

“Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.” (Ecclesiastes 10:1-3)

Today’s Morsel:  I’m sure you’ve probably heard the old saying, “It is better to be silent and be considered a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.”  Some folks think that they are wise and smart because they have a secular education or have a good job and income.  But according to scripture, without Christ they are nothing.  Solomon states, “Riches profit not in the day of wrath.” (Proverbs 11:4)  In other words,  among men they may be able to do all things; but they cannot purchase the remission of sins, nor turn aside the wrath of God when it is poured out on them for transgressions.  Solomon continues by saying that dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor.  And so does a little stupidity, foolishness, and recklessness by the one that is in standing for wisdom and honor.  He says that when dead flies get into perfume it can spoil its smell; and so a foolish act can ruin the character of a person who has the reputation of being wise and good. In an unguarded moment, many folks have tarnished their reputation which took them many years to acquire.  Therefore, no one can be said to be safe until we are taken to be with Jesus.  Once saved always saved is a myth.  Guard your heart and your actions, and stay close to Jesus.  

Sing: Hold to God’s unchanging hand.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand.  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Thought For Today: It’s better to be silent and be considered a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 6 April 2020

Time

“Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” 

(Ephesians 5:14-16)

Today’s Morsel: Someone said that we all are given the same amount of time each day.  No matter a person's age, race, country, status, or national origin, God gives to us all twenty-four hours or 1440 minutes each day.  And yet some folks say that they don’t have time for church, fellowship, vacation, or time to spend with their family.  How is it that one can and another can’t?  If we work 8 hours a day, sleep 8 hours a day, what are we doing with the other 8 hours in the day?  Do we have a problem with time management?  Or have we allowed the devil to put us in a place that we are slaving for him instead of God.  Time is more valuable than money because time is irreplaceable.  And the quicker we figure it out the better off we will be.  Paul said that we need to redeem the time because the days are evil. Knowing this, how much of your time are you using to prepare yourself against the evils that will come?  How much of your time are you using to prepare yourself for eternity?  Eternity is coming you know!

Sing:  Time is filled with swift transition, naught of earth unmoved can stand.  Build your hopes on things eternal, hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Hold to God’s unchanging hand!  Hold to God’s unchanging hand!  Build your hopes on things eternal.  Hold to God’s unchanging hand.

Thought For Today: Time is more valuable then money, because time is irreplaceable.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 4 April 2020

Patience

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)

Today’s Morsel:  Probably of all the Fruits of the Spirit, patience is the least spoken of.  But it is a virtue that must be developed within us.  Peter tells us that we should add it to our faith so that we do not fall (2 Peter 1:5-11).  Jesus tells us to maintain it so we don’t lose our souls (Luke 21:19).  And Paul relates it as a manifestation of one’s true love when dealing with others.  Patience is having the ability to keep yourself under control when you feel like being Ma-Bell and you want to reach out and touch someone.  Isaiah admonishes us, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:28-31)  You must learn how to take control of you, or you will self-destruct.  If you faint in the day of adversity your strength is small.  So let nothing disturb or distress you; possess that peace and joy in your souls.  Possess that peace that the world cannot take away.  Remember, patience came with the Holy Ghost.

Sing:  They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.  Teach me, Lord, teach me Lord to wait.

Thought For Today: “Let nothing disturb or distress you; possess that peace and joy in your souls, which the world cannot take away.”

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 3 April 2020

Discontentment

“Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:1-5)

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things that the enemy of our soul likes to do is to cause us to become discontent with who we are and what we have.  Television ads, magazines, billboards, and many other periodicals are pushed on us to get more or to change what we have. Cosmetic companies tell women and men that they are getting old and ugly and that their products will make them look younger again and prettier or more handsome (my wording).  Companies play on one’s conscience of discontentment.  There is a strong push and pull on the conscience for you to keep up with the Joneses and stay young, to get more, to get the latest and greatest.  Satan and his demonic forces are doing everything in their power to keep us discontented.  But Paul admonishes us, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  Jesus says that He already knows the things that we have need of.  Therefore, He tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God and what we have need of will be added to us.  The grass may look greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed.

Sing:  I lean on You Lord, I lean on You Lord, for the things that I need I lean on You.  When I don’t know just what to do, I’ve got the faith You’re going to see me through.  You supply my every need and I lean on You.

Thought For Today: “The grass may look greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed. “

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2 April 2020

Marriage Maintenance

“Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Ephesians 5:21-33)

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things I learned in the Army was how to perform “Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS)”.  No matter if it was a vehicle, a weapon, a protective mask, or the barracks room, we had to know how to do it by the book.  This procedure helped us to see and identify shortcomings and problems with our equipment before they happened.  When it comes to marriages, most couples do not realize that it takes maintenance to ensure their relationship continues to work.  In many cases, because they do not keep a check on it, they end up with problems and then, in some cases, must spend a lot of money trying to fix it.  Paul cautions husbands and wives to submit to each other in respect for the Lord.  A marriage between a man and a woman, done God's way reflects God intended purpose at creation and keeps the home in perfect peace.  Paul relates marriage to Christ and His church.  He says that Christ gave Himself for the church and that a husband and wife should give themselves to each other (my wording).  When is the last time you pulled some PMCS on your marriage?  A marriage may be made in heaven, but the maintenance must be done on earth.  

Sing:  I love you; I love you; I love you.  What more can I say, but then I truly love you.  And I'll try to live my life so that it says it too.  I love you; I love you; I truly love you.

Thought For Today:  “A marriage may be made in heaven, but the maintenance must be done on earth.”  

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 1 April 2020

Unemployed

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things that I have heard nearly all my life is, “Working for the Lord doesn’t pay much but the retirement benefits are out of this world.”  Paul tells the church at Colossi that whatever they do, do it heartily unto the Lord and not unto men.  In other words, do things without murmuring and complaining, because they love God.  Throughout scripture, in the book of Proverbs, Solomon consistently cautions against slothfulness and laziness.  And yet many do not see the reason to work.  Paul told the church at Thessalonica,  “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7-11)  Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John 9:4)  There is a name for people who are not excited about work … Unemployed.

Sing:  When He calls me, I will answer.  When He calls me, I will hear.  When He calls me, I will answer, I’ll be somewhere working for my Lord.

 I’ll be somewhere working, I’ll be somewhere working, I’ll be somewhere working for my Lord; I’ll be somewhere working, I’ll be somewhere working, I’ll be somewhere working for my Lord.

Thought For Today:  There is a name for people who are not excited about work … Unemployed.