Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 4

Don’t Move That Fence

“Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” (Proverbs 22:28)

Today’s Morsel: Often, people like to remove things before they know why they were put there. G. K. Chesterton states: "Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason why it was put up."  Chesterton was saying that you need to know why the fence was put there before you start removing it. There may be danger ahead of you. It may have been placed there for direction and guidance. It may have been for livestock’s protection from wild animals. Or to keep a child from wandering off while playing in the yard. For whatever reason, we must know the reason before we move it. This scripture may seem as though it is speaking to the natural, and it may be, but the book of proverbs is often a warning against disregard for foundational truths, doctrines, and customs established by past generations. It is a call for integrity, a respect for inherited wisdom, and caution against subtle dishonesty that erodes established principles and boundaries. That fence may be to show land marking and property ownership. If you move it for your own gain, it will surely reveal your dishonesty to others.

Sing: There shall be light in the evening time; the path to glory you will sure find, through the water way; it is the light today, baptized in Jesus’ name. Young and old repent of all your sins, then the Holy Ghost will enter in, the evening time has come; tis a fact that God and Christ are one.

Thought For Today: “Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.” (Deuteronomy 19:14)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 3

Are You Going To Stay Down Or Get Up?

“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” (Proverbs 24:16)

Today’s Morsel: Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to quit then to continue? Failure doesn’t mean that you are done. Failure just means that you may have missed a step, or that there is something that you need to learn in this point of your failure. I believe that failure, like fear, is from the enemy of our soul. Failure desires to keep us down, because of the evil impact that it will have on our lives. Many people may see the apostle Peter as a failure because he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink when he was doing good walking on the water. Peter didn’t fail. He just allowed his situation to cause him to take his focus off Jesus, and to put them on himself and his surroundings. Even though he’s seen as a failure, he did not allow that to stop him. He remained a disciple of Christ and went on to do what Jesus said that he would do and become. He could have quit and stayed down from this one falling (failure), but he didn’t, he kept getting back up and continuing on. You can’t allow your failures to stop you, or you will never know what you can be, see, and become. Life is filled with men and women who fail. But we don’t often read of their failures, we only read of their accomplishments and greatness. All because they did not allow their failures to keep them down. So, get up.

Sing: Get up! Get up! Get up in Jesus’ name. The Lord is calling daily to those that would be saved.  Don’t go down defeated when victory is here to claim. So, get up, get up, get up, in Jesus Name.

Thought For Today: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)   

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 1

 Turn Around

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.” (Proverbs 27:12)

Today’s Morsel: Most people who have a hard time reading their Bible through in a year are oftentimes not reading for application for themselves, but for showing and committing it to others. They are oftentimes not looking for how it applies to themselves and their life, but rather to the life of others.  The application of scripture is designed to allow us to see who we are, where we are, and then to make the appropriate life adjustments. The psalmist states: “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” (Psalms 36:9) When we read God’s word, it ought to open our understanding so that we can apply what it says to our life. Notice what the writer says: A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. When scripture reveals evil to us, we ought to be smart and wise enough to not go that way. God is saying, I’m showing you what is bad for you, so turn around or suffer the consequences (my wording). Only a fool takes a dog by the ears. 

Sing: Jesus! Jesus! You know what’s best for me. So, lead on, Jesus, I’ll go wherever You lead.

Thought For Today: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13)