Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2024 April 8

The Graves of Lust

 

“And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth. And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp. And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague. And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.” (Numbers 11:31-34)

 

Today’s Morsel: When we read our Bibles, we will notice that God speaks strongly against and hates lust. James tells us, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.” (James 1:13-16) Notice, if you will, we can become tempted by our own lust. Lust is defined as the desire for anything sinful, such as illicit sex, intoxication, ill-gotten gain, revenge, or anything else that God forbids. James says that when it is conceived in your heart (mind), it brings forth sin, and when sin is finished it brings forth death. I just wonder when we drive by graveyards, how many of those deaths are due in part to a person’s lust? Paul said that in the last days folks would, “Have a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers’ lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:5-7) Lead away with different lusts. What are these divers lusts? Greed for success, financial gain, popularity, and again even sexual misconduct. James said, do not err my believe brethren. Don’t be fooled. Jesus said, see that no man deceives you. Paul said, and because of all these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. So, what is the answer to combat lust? Again, Paul said, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

 

Sing: I’ve got Jesus on the inside, working on the outside, oh what a change in my life. I’ve got Jesus on the inside, working on the outside, oh what a change in my life. I’ve got Jesus on the inside, working on the outside, oh what a change in my life, oh what a change, in my life.

 

Thought For Today: Don’t let lust become your graveyard.

Morning Mana by Rufus Parker - 2024 April 6

God’s Measurements

 

“And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him. But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:6-7)

 

Today’s Morsel: I often ask myself; I wonder what it would be like if our thoughts and ways were like God’s. Would that make us equal with God? My wife has always liked to measure the height of our grandkids anytime that they visit our home. She has a ten-foot board mounted in the garage so that she can keep track of their height.  When God measures a man, He doesn’t put a tape around is head or beside him; He places it around his heart. When the children of Israel lost their encouragement because of the evil report of the ten spies, God said of Caleb: “But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.” (Numbers 14:24) As Solomon instructs, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7). When Samuel went to anoint the new king of Israel, he was measuring Jesse’s sons by their birth and stature. But when God rejected the first born, God told him not to look on their stature because He looks on the heart. David, who was chosen, was called a man after God’s own heart. We see that David had a heart for the things of God. He was a praiser and worshipper of God. He had a great love and trust in God and for the things of God. When we become born-again, God gives us a new heart and takes that old stony heart away. If God were to show you your measurements today, how tall would you be?

 

Sing: I keep falling in love with Him, over and over and, over, and over, again (2x);

He gets sweeter and sweeter, as the days go by, oh what a love between my Lord and I.

I keep falling in love with Him, over and over and, over, and over again.

 

Thought For Today: How big is your heart for God?

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2024 April 5

Something That God Doesn’t Know, And Yet He Is Still God

 

“Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.” (Isaiah 44:8)

 

Today’s Morsel: How many times have you heard that God is omniscience? All knowing.  Well ... is that really a true statement? Well, God himself says that He doesn’t know everything. He doesn’t know any other God beside himself. (Humor) God is all knowing, and yet, He doesn’t know any other God. Paul states, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6) The Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, “Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.” (Isaiah 43:10-12) He even asked Abraham, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14) God doesn’t even know any other God nor anything that is too hard for Him. As John said: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20) And Paul echoes this setiment when he says, “Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge:” (1 Corinthians 8:7)

 

Sing: Everybody ought to know, everybody ought to know, everybody ought to know, who Jesus is.  Everybody ought to know, everybody ought to know, everybody ought to know, who Jesus is. 

He’s the lily of the valley, He’s the bright and morning star. He’s the fairest of ten thousand, everybody ought to know. 

Thought For Today: “To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like?” (Isaiah 46:5)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2024 Apr 4

Patience

 

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32)

 

Today’s Morsel: Two of the traits of character that came with the Holy Ghost are that of long-suffering, which is patience, and the 0ther is that of temperance, which is self-control. But what I find is that even though we are told of nine characters that came with the Holy Ghost by Paul, Galatians 5:22-23, we must use them and apply them if they are to grow and help us in life. God gives us everything that we have need of to be successful. But He’s not going to do the job to develop them for us. If you will notice, all the traits began with love. They flow from God who is love. That means that you must have a strong love for God, or else the others will not do you any good. You must have a strong love for truth, live truth, and abide in the truth.  Once God’s love starts to flow through you, you will begin to develop your patience by contentment. You start learning how to be satisfied with who you are and what you already have. You start to hold-on in your trials while you wait to see what the outcome will be. Patience is being like Peter, asleep in the jail, knowing that after Easter you may lose your head. Patience is being like Daniel, in a den of lions, knowing that the only one that can keep the lion’s mouths shut is God. Patience is being able to suffer for what you believe in, knowing that all things do work together for good to those who love God. Patience is no more than stepping back and evaluating the situation or circumstance that may be against you and developing a course of action to fix the issue without losing your head and peace. Let me encourage you, hang in there. Jesus has already told you that He will not leave you nor forsake you.

 

Sing: They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they should run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Teach me Lord, teach me Lord, to wait.

 

Thought For Today: “In your patience possess ye your souls.” (Luke 21:19)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2024 Apr 3

Two Bad Things

 

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” 

(Ephesians 4:29)

 

Today’s Morsel: The Bible consistently calls for us to monitor our speech and words. Solomon tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). It has been said that there are two things that are bad for the heart. Running upstairs and running down people. I might not be able to understand that first, but the latter should never be done by a Christian. We must always remember that if our brother or sister offends us, we are to go to them and tell them their fault to them and not to others. Nor should we speak ill of them, as we must not allow any corrupt communications to proceed out of our mouth. James tells us,“Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” (James 3:9-10) Our words ought to not be for destruction of ourselves and others. They ought to be for edification and exaltation.

 

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’re walking side by side, as long as there is love we can stand. 

 

Thought For Today: “Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.” (James 4:11)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2024 April 2

I Don’t Believe That

 

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” (Psalms 14:1)

 

Today’s Morsel: It seems like everything that has ever been created is given a day of recognition. My wife and I were doing our daily devotion, and the book in which we were using for that day said that it was National Pizza Day. I thought to myself, No wonder April 1 is Fools’ Day. I guess everything else is given a day, so why shouldn’t they have a national day as well.  David said that the fool has said in his heart that there is not God. David informs us: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Psalms 19:1) If what we see around us does not reveal to us that there is a God, then we are blinded to truth.  As Paul told the church at Corinth: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) Millions of people around the world today are suffering and struggling because they have accepted the lie that there is no God. Jesus said, For without me you can do nothing. (John 15:5). When we do not believe that there is a God, it opens us up to every evil and harmful spirit of the enemy of our soul. People today are suffering from mental health, depression, and suicidal thoughts because the world has encouraged them not to believe in God or religion. Jesus said that the truth would make you free. By not believing in God, it is a sure foundation for destruction. Don’t be deceived into thinking that there is not a God, or you will fall right into the foolish trap as some others and be doomed to hell for eternity. As Jesus told the people, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

Sing: He’s the great I Am, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, the Great Eternal Wonder; Holy Counselor, and Zion’s Righteous Governor, He’s the Great, He’s the Great, I Am.

 

Thought For Today: “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2024 April 1

I Don’t Believe That

 

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.” (Psalms 14:1)

 

Today’s Morsel: It seems like everything that has ever been created is given a day of recognition. My wife and I were doing our daily devotion, and the book in which we were using for that day said that it was National Pizza Day. I thought to myself, No wonder April 1 is Fools’ Day. I guess everything else is given a day, so why shouldn’t they have a national day as well.  David said that the fool has said in his heart that there is not God. David informs us: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” (Psalms 19:1) If what we see around us does not reveal to us that there is a God, then we are blinded to truth.  As Paul told the church at Corinth: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) Millions of people around the world today are suffering and struggling because they have accepted the lie that there is no God. Jesus said, For without me you can do nothing. (John 15:5). When we do not believe that there is a God, it opens us up to every evil and harmful spirit of the enemy of our soul. People today are suffering from mental health, depression, and suicidal thoughts because the world has encouraged them not to believe in God or religion. Jesus said that the truth would make you free. By not believing in God, it is a sure foundation for destruction. Don’t be deceived into thinking that there is not a God, or you will fall right into the foolish trap as some others and be doomed to hell for eternity. As Jesus told the people, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8:24)

Sing: He’s the great I Am, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, the Great Eternal Wonder; Holy Counselor, and Zion’s Righteous Governor, He’s the Great, He’s the Great, I Am.

 

Thought For Today: “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6)