Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2016 January 25

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. (Exodus 20:8)

Today's Morsel:  I have had people ask me why do we go to church on Sunday versus going on Saturday.  I've told them that when we turn to the New Testament, we are told to not exalt one day above another as the things of the Old Testament were a foreshadow of things to come.  "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Colossians 2:16-17).  Therefore, we can now go to church every day if we desire.  When certain of the Pharisees asked Jesus, "Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days" (Luke 6:2)?   "Jesus answering them said,  Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;  How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath" (Luke 6:3-5).  He told them, "The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath"(Mark 2:27).  In other words, the rest was made for man and not man for the rest.  Isaiah said that the Holy Ghost is the rest.  "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear" (Isaiah 28:11-12). Jesus died and rose again and sent back the Comforter (The Holy Ghost) so that we could have the rest (The Holy Ghost) in us at all time.  And as long as we don't blaspheme It, and as long as we live according to His Word, we will keep It holy every day.  It is written, "Be Ye Holy for I am Holy (1 Peter 1:16).

Sing: This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made. I will rejoice, I will rejoice, and be glad in it, and be glad in it.  This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made.

Thought For Today:  Are you missing the rest?

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2016 January 23

The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
(Proverbs 19:23)

Today's Morsel:  One of the trees that we find in the Garden of Eden is the tree of life.  It was one of the trees that Adam and Eve could have eaten from without restraint.  But we know that they chose to eat from the one that God told them not to because of Satan's deception.  If Adam and Eve had listened and retained their respect for what God had said, they could have had life without toil and torment.  To me, that's what life is, living without a whole bunch of confusion and torment in your life.  Jesus said that He came to give us life.  Be assured, your salvation did not come with torment and a whole lot of confusion.  Usually, confusion and torment comes from not being satisfied with who I am and what I have.  Solomon said that respect and reverencing God gives us life; and that then we would be satisfied and not visited with evil.  There may be things that come against us, but always remember what Paul said, "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).  If we live in the spirit, let us walk also in the spirit.  And that begins with this new life, and listening to the voice of God.

Sing:  I've got a river of life flowing out of me, it makes the lame to walk and the blind to see.  It opens prison doors, sets the captives free.  I've got a river of life flowing out of me.

Thought For Today:  Jesus still gives life, and that more abundantly.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2016 January 22

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
(Psalms 17:15)

Today's Morsel:  Have you ever stood and looked into the waters of a river when they are peaceful and calm?  What did you see?  David said that he would behold his face in righteousness.   He was saying that when we look into the word of God, we will see Christ.  The Bible says, "As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man" (Proverbs 27:19).  I want to be like God.  I want to be in his likeness because God is a God of righteousness.  If we are not righteous, others cannot see Christ in our lives.  The same way that water reflects your image and reveals you, so does your heart.  Therefore, we must insure that it stays pure because it will reveal the true you.

Sing:  I see Jesus in your eyes and it makes me love you.  I see Jesus in your smile and I know you care.  I see Jesus in voice and it makes me listen.  I see Him in you.

Thought For Today:  Righteousness begins with right.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2016 January 21

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
(Proverbs 14:12)

Today's Morsel:  The Global Positioning System (GPS) has made traveling much easier.  Just put in your destination, drive and listen to the directions, and it will take you to your location.  And if you get off the right way, it will let you know and give you new directions to get back on course.  One of the things I find about the Bible is that it will reveal to you if you are on the right path or not.  We may think that we are on the right path in life, but if our way isn't according to the word of God we are off course.  Solomon said that "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."  Technology can sometimes fail, so you better carry your map in your vehicle!  The Bible will never fail or lead you wrong. "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls..."(Jeremiah 6:16).

Sing: There's just one, one, one, one way to God. There's just one, one, one, one way to God. There's just one, one, one, one way to God, baptized in Jesus name.

Thought For Today: The road to heaven goes through Jesus.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2015 January 20

A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
(James 1:8)

Today's Morsel:  Being a Christian is not a Sunday only thing.  It's a 24/7 commitment.  Some people think that they can be a saint at church, and a sinner at home and at work.  If you lift your hands in praise to God in the church, and then go home and yell, scream, and holler at  your family, or you do not consider your spouse and children's feelings, you are not being a true Christian.  Jesus said that the golden rule was to do unto others as we would have them do unto us (my words) Matthew 7:12.  James said that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.  The double minded man is not sound or fixed in his ways. David said that his heart was fixed (Psalms 57:7).  Paul told Timothy that God had given him a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).  If we are double minded, we are living two different lifestyles.  If that is the case, pretty soon the true us will be revealed.  And it's never godliness, but the evil that is revealed and destroys us.

Sing:  I have decided to follow Jesus! I have decided to follow Jesus! I have decided to follow Jesus! No turning back, no turning back.

Thought For Today: Double means two. 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2015 January 19

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him... And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men"
(Colossians 3:17, 23)

Today's Morsel:  Last month, our midweek Bible lesson was on,  "Being a Christian Influence."  And as we were discussing the final lesson, I discussed three ways to model influence.  They were  (1) Never lose your identity in the crowd, (2) Always display a servant's attitude, and (3) Do everything to the glory of the Lord.  I told the church that someone had accused my wife of being an overachiever.  Yet how can that be.  I asked them, shouldn't every Christian be an "overachiever" in what they do since we are to be witnesses for Christ?  Shouldn't we all be giving our very best, since we are supposed to be witnesses for Him?  Aren't we supposed to be doing everything as unto the Lord and for His glory?  I told them, I wonder what would happen if every spouse gave their very best to their marriage.  Or every employee gave their very best to their employers.  If we as Christians would do everything to the glory of the Lord and not as unto man, giving it our very best, we might see this thing called Christianity in a different light.  "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" Jesus said (Matthew 5:16).  Become an overachiever for Jesus and influence others around you.

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:  Are you an overachiever for Christ? (Parker)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2015 January 18

 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
(Isaiah 40:1-5)

Today's Morsel:  Today, we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his work for civil rights in America.  Dr. King, a Baptist Minister, is not only known for his work towards civil rights, but also for his famous, "I Have A Dream" speech which was delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C..  I think that every family should sit and read through this speech and see if they are living up to it.  Many people think that it was a speech given by a black man to black people.  But the speech was not a speech to one race of people.  It was a call to a nation who was founded and built on the principles of God's word to live up to who she was to be.  It was a call to remind her that justice is not just for a few, but for all.  It was to remind her that all of God's people are created equal.  And whether those people were black or white, Jew or Gentile, Protestant or Catholic, in God's eyes they must be treated equal.  It was a statement and reminder that until this nation realized and did that, it would be divided and be a nation with much unrest.  You see, one of the things about injustice is we can practice it and may not even know it. This is especially in the church.  When Dr. King quoted from the Book of Isaiah "Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it",  I believe that what he was saying was that when the playing field is level for all people, then we see God's glory revealed in that nation.  But if we treat people unfairly, then "judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter" (Isaiah 59:14).  Are you practicing justice?  Do a heart search today and allow God to show you any areas you may have a need to change in your own life to show liberty and justice to all.

Sing: Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last. Free at last, we're free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last.

Thought For Today:  God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).