Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 January 22

"Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?"  (Proverbs 22:17-21)

Today’s Morsel:  For my grandson's sixteenth birthday, my son had some men write letters to him expressing and giving him advice for his life for the future.  If you were asked to do that, what would you write?  If we want to impart wisdom to those coming after us and to our own children and family, we must obtain wisdom from God’s word as that is the only thing that will last.  Scripture says that He has written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,  That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee.  We must realize that the man who has learned the certainty of the words of truth, should learn to observe it in all that is committed to him or else it did him no good to learn them.  The words of the doctrines of truth (whether doctrines of salvation, holiness, or righteous living), are true in themselves when they come from God’s word.  And they are classified as excellent things written to us.  They come from the God of truth and are truly fulfilled to all that believe.  They are certain, they are not of dubious or a difficult interpretation; they point directly to the great end for which God gave them; they are a promise, and they are fulfilled (see Isaiah 55:11).  

Sing: Deeper! Deeper! In the love of Jesus daily let me go.  Higher, higher, in the school of wisdom, more of grace to know.

Oh, deeper yet I pray, and higher every day, and wiser blessed Lord, in Thy precious holy word.

Thought For Today:  Have you read God’s book lately?

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 January 20

“Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him” (Psalms 68:1-4)

 Today’s Morsel:  David gives us the key to ridding ourselves of our enemies.  He said to let God arise and your enemies will scatter.  How do we let God arise?  First, we must realize that we are risen with Him through baptism to walk in newness of life.  We must let others see in our behavior, conversation, and attitude that we are not the same person that we used to be.  We must be what God has called us to be.  Holy, separated, set apart, and called out ones.  We must pray, worship, and give Him the praise that is due His name.  We must study and apply His word to our life.  We must trust Him and not lean unto our own understanding.  And we must give Him the glory due His name with the fruit of our lips giving Him thanks.  If you want to see your enemy gone, then let God arise in your life.  Praise is your get out of Satan’s jail free card.

Sing: Let God arise and His enemies be scattered. Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.  Let God arise and His enemies be scattered.  Let God, Let God arise.

Thought For Today:  Praise is your get out of Satan’s jail free card (Parker). 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 January 19

“Then Job answered and said, Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me” (Job 23:1-6).

Today’s Morsel:  If you had an opportunity to stand before God, what would you ask Him?  I’ve heard people say that when they get to heaven they are going to ask God why certain things happened and why He allowed them to happen.  Not me.  I’m not asking Him anything.  I’m just going to praise Him that I’m there!  Job said that if he knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.  I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me. Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me.  He said that if he could find God, God would be fair and listen to him and that God wouldn’t use His power to crush him, He would use it to strengthen him.  Job said God would be fair and impartial towards him as he would to others.  Often in our pain and sufferings we may want to ask God why.  Yet we must remember that He is sovereign and that He can do with us as He wishes.  One of the things about becoming a good soldier is to endure, not complain.  Rather than pondering what you will ask Him, spend your time praising Him.  

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

Thought For Today:  Your abilities to endure lies in your ability to endure (Parker)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 January 18

“David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold. And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold; depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and came into the forest of Hareth”
(1 Samuel 22:1-5)

 Today’s Morsel:  King David seems to be a leader that knew how to take people from where they were and transform them into mighty men of God.  David seemed to look for transference in people just as Jesus and the apostles did.  Once they shared the gospel, they were looking for people to change who they were and also their outlook on life.  Scripture says that David, 'therefore, departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him.  And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them'.  Notice, everyone that was distress, in debt, and discontent came to him.  This sounds like the world we live in today.  Most everyone in our world today seems to fall into one of these categories.  Like David, I see this as a great leadership challenge.  How do we turn these type people into mighty warriors for God?  First, we must get them to understand that if nothing changes, nothing changes.  Second, they must understand that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all they can ask or think.  And third, once they come to Christ, they must learn that godliness with contentment is great gain; in other words, they must be content with who they are in Him, where they are, and what they have.  And finally, people have to get back to worshipping and praising God, because He has given us a garment of praise for the spirit of Heaviness.

Sing: I’m Yours Lord! Everything I am, everything I'm not, everything I’ve got; I’m Yours Lord! Try me now and see, see if I can be completely Yours.

Thought For Today:  Transference means change. 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 January 17

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore” (Psalms 121:1-8).

Today’s Morsel:  I seem to get more calls at the church from people asking for help at Christmas time than any other time of the year.  I wonder if they think that people are more generous during Christmas than at other times?   Where do you look when you need help?  Do you look to the church, others, or do you look to God?  The psalmist said, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved.”  He knew where his help came from.  The Lord.  And he said that the Lord would not suffer him to be moved.  As Christians, we should realize that God is our helper, we need to know that our help comes from Him.  The Psalmist tells us, “Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me” (Psalms 50:14-15).  Writing to the Hebrews Paul states, “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. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:5-6).  Do you know where your help comes from?  You can depend on God.

Sing: I trust in God, wherever I may be; upon the land or on the raging sea.  For come what may from day to day, my Heavenly Father watches over, over me.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me; upon the land or on the stormy sea.  Though billows roar, He keeps my soul.  My Heavenly Father watches over, over, me.

Thought For Today:  Our help comes from the Lord.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 January 16

“The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:1-7)

Today’s Morsel:  Pride seems to be center stage these days. Parents tells their kids they are proud of them.  Teachers tell their students they are proud of them.  Coaches tell their athletes they are proud of them.  Commanders tell their soldiers they are proud of them.  And if we are not careful, we can allow that pride to enter our hearts and cause us to think more highly of ourselves then we should.  Paul told Timothy that in the last days men would be proud (2 Timothy 3:1-2). To me, pride is one of those downhill snowball affects.  It starts out small but increases with the more accolades that are given and received.  Solomon tells us that everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.  He goes on to tell us, “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, …” (Proverbs 6:16-17). God hates pride.  We must not allow pride to become a part of our lives.  When we are told how good we do things, we must remain humble before our God and others.  A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit (Proverbs 29:23).

Sing: What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Oh! precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Thought For Today: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 January 15

“For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality” (2 Corinthians 8:12-14).

Today’s Morsel:  Today in America and around the world we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Dr. King has been labored as a champion for Civil Rights for all.  In his famous "I have a dream speech," he cried from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, "One day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed...that all men are created equal."  Dr. King was speaking to a crowd of 250,000 black and white Americans that shared his dream of equality.  As a Baptist minister, he knew the scripture stated that God created everyone equally and that man did not have the right to change it.  I believe that he knew that if he could get those who say that they are Christians and those who knew what the constitution of America stated to listen, then there would be a change with equality within the land for all people, regardless of race, creed, or origin.   In writing to the church at Corinth, the Apostle Paul wanted them to understand equality.  He told them that at the present you can provide more because you are blessed while other churches are not.  Yet he wanted them to know that that could change and they could become dependent on others.  The same is true with how we treat people.  James tells us, “If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors” (James 2:8-9).  We never know when the shoe might be on the other foot.  Jesus said that we should always do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  

Sing: You’re my brother you’re my sister, so take me by the hand, together we will work until He comes; There’s no foe that can defeat us, when we are walking side by side, as long as there is love, we can stand.

Thought For Today:  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Jesus Christ).