Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 August 22

"And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus." (Mark 9:2-4)

Today’s Morsel:  Probably, some of the first laundry mats or dry cleaners were done in olden times.  The fuller was a person who cleaned clothes.  When I was in Vietnam, we had a hutch maid, or lady, who did our laundry for us for a small wage.  It wasn’t uncommon to see them using a bar of soap to rub the clothes, place them in a tub of water, and stomp around on them with their feet to help make them clean.  They were like the agitator in the washing machine.  They always did such a great job of cleaning our clothes.  The fullers field and the fullers soap was the location and cleaning solution used to clean clothes.  It was usually located outside of the city walls due to the smell.  Apparently, they did a good job, as we see by Mark’s statement about Jesus' garments on the mount of transfiguration. “And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.”  I believe that Jesus is the greatest fuller ever.  Not only does He clean our garments, but He cleanses our hearts as well. 

Sing: He is fairer than the lily of the valley, He is brighter than the morning star, He is pure than the snow, fresher than the breeze, lovelier than all of these.

Thought For Today:  Jesus is the great fuller.  So, let Him cleanse you. 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 August 21

"And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he." (Genesis 6:13-22)

Today’s Morsel:  Last September, I visited the replicate of the Ark that they say is the exact dimension spoken by God to Noah in the book of Genesis.  I was taken aback at the size and the design.  How would you have liked to have been the one chosen by God to build the Ark as Noah was? What a task.  One hundred years of labor on the same project.  But Noah shows us consistency and commitment to obeying God’s command.  The writer of Hebrews states that, “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Hebrews 11:7).  This Ark was built not only to preserve the creature’s life, but human life.  Noah found grace in God’s eyes and he was chosen by God for this great task. Therefore, I conclude, those who leave a good legacy often times are those who find grace in God’s eyes for His purpose.

Sing: Grace! Grace! God’s grace; grace that will pardon and cleanse within  Grace! Grace! God’s grace; grace that is greater than all our sins.

Thought For Today: By grace are you saved.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 August 19

“So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD. As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.” (Isaiah 59:19-21)

Today’s Morsel:  When God gave Moses the instructions for how each tribe was to be set and displayed around the tabernacle in the wilderness, each tribe had its own standard, or flag.  That way, they knew where they were to assemble and where to report.  The Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.” God will put our enemy to flight when he sees God’s flag coming because he knows that God is on our side.  If the Philistines knew that the Ark of the Covenant was in the camp of Israel, they were afraid of Israel and would not attack.  It was only when the Ark was not present that they were not afraid to attack.  God further stated, “this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.”  Stay under God’s standard and you will be just fine.

Sing: I may never march in the Infantry, ride in the Calvary, shoot the Artillery; I may never soar over the enemy, but I’m in the Lord’s Army.  Yes Sir!

Thought For Today: Stay under God’s standard (Parker)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 August 18

"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."(Isaiah 54:17)

Today’s Morsel:  When I first joined the army, the Vietnam war was on going.  I can remember once in our training session on recognizing our enemy, someone asked the question, "How would we be able to know our enemy?"  At this point, one of the instructors stepped from behind the bleachers and begin to fire an AK47 assault rifle.  The instructor said to us, "Don’t ever forget this sound." 

The Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.” Notice, the weapon is already formed, but it shall not overcome us if we keep His armor on.  What are you doing to prove your armor to ensure nothing can get through it? Don’t ever forget the sound of His voice.

Sing:  There is power in the name of Jesus, there is power in the name of Jesus, to break every chain, to break every chain, break every chain.

Thought For Today:  Keep your armor on.   

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 August 17

"For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell."  (Psalms 86:10-13)

Today’s Morsel:  How do we describe God’s greatness? What yardstick could we use?  In Genesis 1, God unfolds part of His greatness when He created the heavens and the earth.  Psalm 136 lists some of His greatness because of His mercy toward us.  How do we describe His greatness?  He even asked Job, what some say, was 77 questions about His greatness (Job 38-42)?  When I’m asked this question, I simply say, I was a sinner lost and on my way to hell and He delivered me from that horrible pit.  And now I can truly say, He’s not only great, but He’s compassionate and loving for all those who seek Him.  His greatness is unsearchable and passed finding out.

Sing:  For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone, teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in Thy truth: unite my heart to fear Thy name. I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify Thy name for evermore.

Thought For Today:  His greatness is unsearchable. 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 August 16

"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee."  (Psalms 84:10-12).

Today’s Morsel:  I love to travel and visit other places; but after a while, I long for home.  I want to sleep in my bed.  I want to eat at my own table.  I want to be in my own church. I want to see the saints that I know.  The Psalmist said, “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.”  He wanted to be in God's house.  He wanted to be in God’s presence.  Sure, he could find God anywhere, because He’s omnipresent; but he wanted to be "home".  I don’t know about you.  Yes, I can find happiness, blessings, and satisfaction any place that I am; but when I’m at the church that I call my home church, and can hear my pastor (OH that’s me), it is better than thousands of days elsewhere. 

Sing: Better is one day in your courts, better is one day in your house, better is one day in your courts, than thousands elsewhere.  Better is one day in your courts, better is one day in your house, better is one day in your courts, than thousands elsewhere, than thousands elsewhere.

Thought For Today:  Neglect not the assembling of yourselves together. 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 August 15

“Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.” (Proverbs 4:1-10)

Today’s Morsel:  One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book of Proverbs.  Solomon unloads so much wisdom for the man and woman of God, that if we would obey it, there is no chance of one falling, no cause of marriage failure, no cause for bad feelings, no cause for indebtedness, no cause for hate, no cause for backstabbing,  gossip, or pride, and no reason to not understand God’s requirements in life.  Solomon says that wisdom is one of the most important thing in your life.  It is the principle thing.  It’s the foundation of life and the base to stand on.  It promotes good character, values and principles in one’s life.  Therefore, he said, get wisdom, and with all our getting, we are to get an understanding.  He said that if you exalt wisdom, wisdom shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.  She shall give to your head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.  Why not make it a habit, as I have, to read a chapter of the book of Proverbs daily as part of your life study.

Sing:  Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning. Give me oil in my lamp I pray.  Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning, burning, burning; keep me burning till the break of day.  

Thought For Today:  A long and prosperous life begins with wisdom.