Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 21 November 2019

The Joy of The Lord is My Strength

“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

Today’s Morsel: Sometimes I feel that many in the church do not understand where their strength comes from.  Why do I make this assessment?  Because I hear them during testimony time say, “Pray my strength in the Lord.” Or they say, “Pray that I will have the strength to deal with what I’m going through.” Nehemiah wrote that the joy of the Lord is our strength. And Isiah wrote, “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.” (Isaiah 12:2)  If we are told that at the mouth of two or three witnesses to let every word be established, why aren’t we all overflowing with strength?  Oh, I know, we have done like Israel and hung our harps on the willow.  We don’t want to sing the old songs of Zion (Psalms 137:1-3).  Your strength is in the Lord and it’s drawn from Him by our praise and worship.

Sing:  He gives strength to me, as I worship Him; As my heart is filled with praise.  Jesus breaks the bands, as I raise my hands, He gives glorious victory.

Thought For Today: Don’t you hang your harp on the willow. 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 20 November 2019

Don’t Look to Man When You’ve Asked God

“Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us.” (Ezra 8:21-23)

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things about faith is we must learn to trust God and believe in His word, or we will never see His power manifested in and through us. We say that we are born-again and that our God can do anything, but as soon as many people have an issue they run to man for their help and answer.  I believe that God wants us to learn how to wait on Him and trust Him so that we will have a testimony of His miraculous power.  Ezra wrote that they had told the king that the hand of their God was upon all them for good that seek him, but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.  So, they were not about to go back and ask him for a band of soldiers and horsemen to help them against the enemy in the way.  They proclaimed a fast to seek God and God answered them. Do you get the message?  Don’t tell people in the world that God can do anything and then turn to man for your answer.  If God can do anything, then we need to learn to trust Him and wait upon Him to answer.  “As without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Sing:  I believe God, I believe God, that He will do just as He said.  Trust and obey, believe Him and say, I believe, I believe, God.

Thought For Today: Push back from the table every so often and seek God for your answer (Parker) 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 19 November 2019

The Word

“Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which could not be told nor numbered for multitude. And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims: For the cherubims spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above. And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not seen without. And there it is unto this day. There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.” (2 Chronicles 5:6-10)

Today’s Morsel:  I have heard of many robberies and home break-ins and those thieves seem to make off with many things that they think are valuable and leave behind the things that are truly valuable, the Word of God.  Solomon wrote, “ For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.”(Proverbs 8:11)  When Solomon dedicated the temple, and had the priest bring in the Ark of The Covenant, there was nothing inside but the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel when they came out of Egypt.   Somewhere, someone removed the pot of manna and Aaron's Rod that budded.  Since anyone who touch the ark died, we can assume that God Himself removed those items.  Some may ask why He would remove them when they were to be a memorial for the people.  The reason is God Himself is the Word (John 1:1); He is the bread of life (John 6:35); and He is the Resurrection and the life (John 11:25).  So when you have the Word, Jesus Christ, God manifested in flesh, you have all that you will ever need.

Sing:  He’s all I need, He’s all I need, Jesus is all I need.  He’s all I need, He’s all I need, Jesus is all I need.

He satisfies my needs my needs supply; Jesus is all I need.  He satisfies, my needs supply; Jesus is all I need.

Thought For Today: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 18 November 2019

The End of The Wicked

“So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things that I think many people are unwise and unlearned in is their understanding of the role of judges.  Judges interrupts laws and in some cases they mete out punishment to those who violate them.  King Saul was a continual violator of God’s word.  For some unknown reason he just fails to do what God said. And in so doing, scripture says, “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.” God has no problem with removal of those who violate His word.  Scripture says, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Proverbs 29:1)  You don’t have to keep listening to the news, worrying, and thinking the wicked are getting away with anything.  There will come a day when they will have to stand before the Judge of all the earth, Jesus.  So we should pray that God will open their eyes that they too may behold the wonders out of His law so that they do not perish forever like Saul.

Sing: Send the light, the blessed gospel light; let it shine from shore to shore. Send the light, the blessed gospel light, let it shine forever more.

Thought For Today:  The wicked shall not live out half their days.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 16 November 2019

The Troubler

“The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew him. And Tamar his daughter in law bare him Pharez and Zerah. All the sons of Judah were five. The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul. And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol, and Dara: five of them in all. And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing accursed.” (1 Chronicles 2:3-7)

Today’s Morsel: We often read in scripture of certain men that troubled Israel.  In other words, they did things that caused hardship or the loss of others lives.  From this viewpoint, we can look through this same lens and see how many today have troubled their homes and churches.  When we fail to obey and do what God's word says, we are not only causing ourselves trouble, we may be causing others trouble as well.  As wrong always has evil consequences.  God had commanded Joshua that everything in the city of Jericho was accursed other than what He wanted him to bring out.  But Achan took of the accursed things and it not only cost others their lives during the battle of AI, but also him and his family as well (see Joshua Chapter 7).  As born-again believers, we should never be the cause of trouble to our families or the church.

Sing: I want to live the way that He wants me to live, I want to give until there’s just no more to give.  I want to love, love till there’s just no more love.  I could never, never out love the Lord.

Thought For Today: Don’t ever cause problems for others.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 15 November 2019

The Root of All Evil

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well? And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither. And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.” (2 Kings 5:20-27)

Today’s Morsel:  Money, money, money; money!  Okay, almost went worldly on you.  That was a song sung in the 60’s by a group called the O’Jay’s to stress the danger of money.  But of course, the apostle Paul had already told us, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)  When money becomes our love and the love of the church, evil is bound to happen.  Yes, we need money to live and to do things in our lives, but we must not fall in love with it.  Many today are suffering with ill health, sorrow, and pain because they allowed themselves to fall in love with money.  Somewhere along the line Gehazi, Elisha's servant, like Judas, fell in love with money and they both suffered because of their choice to go after it.  We must never allow money to take preeminence over Jesus in our life.

Sing: Jesus be the Lord of all. Jesus be the Lord of all. Jesus be the Lord of all, the kingdoms of my heart.

Thought For Today: Don’t allow money to control your heart. You control it.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 14 November 2019

Show Thyself A Man

“Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.” (1 Kings 2:1-4)

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things about leaving a legacy is what did others see in you.  When King David knew that it was his time to go the way of his fathers (death), he told his son Solomon, “Be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man.”  Manhood isn’t based on what the world classifies as a man.  Lifting 300-400 pound doesn’t make you a man.  Nor does birthing children.  It’s based on what God and His word says that He is.  Manhood is seen in the male species when he matures to Godly character, virtue, and morals.  David could use this phrase ‘show thyself a man’ to his son Solomon, because it was said by God of Him.  “And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus.” (Acts 13:22-23)  God saw David as a man, and Jesus was of this man’s seed.  A man after God’s own heart means simply a man who would not be rebellious and disobedient as Saul was, but would do the will of God and keep His commandments.  Always remember, rebellion and disobedience destroys manhood.

Sing: To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, on earth I long to be like Him.  All through life’s journey, from earth to glory, I only ask to be like Him.

Thought For Today: “Manhood is seen in the male species when he matures to Godly character, virtue, and morals.” (Parker)