Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 March 26

Daily Duty

“Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.” (Psalms 86:3)

Today’s Morsel: For every Christian, there are some things which ought to be a part of your daily duty. And three of those things are prayer, reading the word, and giving thanks. The psalmist said that he cries unto the Lord daily. Prayer is your communication with God. We need to talk to God daily. Prayer must become a habit that you instill in your life. As the old saying goes, seven days with prayer makes one weak. We must read the word of God daily. Scripture tells us in the book of Nehemiah: “And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.” (Nehemiah 8:17-18) Also the word tells us in Acts 17: “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11) You need to search the scriptures daily to see if the things that are being told and preached to you are true. False doctrine and false teachings are on the rise.  And we are told to give thanks in everything for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. You must have a heart of gratitude. Life is too short not to be thankful. Scripture tells us that God gave the people over to a reprobate mind: Why? “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” (Romans 1:21-23) They were not thankful. Part of your daily duty is to know Him, and to make Him known. Build these habits in your daily life, and you will be stronger in your walk with the Lord.  

Sing: Every day with Jesus, is sweeter than the day before, every day with Jesus, I love Him, more and more. Jesus saves and He keeps me, He’s the One I’m living for. Every day with Jesus, is sweeter than the day before.

Thought For Today: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” (Hebrews 3:13)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 March 25

How Much Scripture Do You Have Stored Up?

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12)

Today’s Morsel: One of the things that I have learned over the years about scripture is if you do not hide it in your heart, you will soon forget what it says and after a while you will start to lose interest in it. But when you memorize it, study it, and apply it to your heart, you are less likely to be depressed, stressed, and worried about things. God wants us to know His Word. Jesus often chided the religious leaders for not knowing what the scriptures said. They were trying to find fault with Jesus, for His teachings and the miracles that He did, and Jesus was chastising them for not know the scriptures. “Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” (John 8:19) If they would have known the scriptures, they would have known who He was. Scripture says that there is coming a day that God will send a famine in the land, not a famine for bread or water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. I don’t know about you, but as a Christian, I need to hear the Word of God daily. This Word has become a shield and protection for me. It has helped me through the tough times in my life. It has given my peace and stability when everything else around me is in chaos. Your Spiritual bank account, in your mind, ought to be filled with the Word of God. So that when you need it, it is there. Start to learn it now, so that when the famine comes, you will not be without.

Sing: Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word. Tell me the story most precious, more precious than ever was heard. Tell how the angels in chorus, sang as they welcomed His birth. Glory to God in the highest, peace and goodwill to men on earth.

Thought For Today: “Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.” (Psalms 119:38)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 March 24

The Power of Humility

“By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” (Proverbs 22:4)

Today’s Morsel: One of the worst things that can happen to a Christian is that they lose their love for humility. Paul told the church at Philippi: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5-11) He said that Jesus humbled himself. Even though He was God manifested in flesh, He still maintained a heart of humility. Peter tells us: “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:” (1 Peter 5:5-6) So how do we clothe ourselves with humility? We must adopt an attitude of selflessness, servanthood, and meekness. We must remain abase and we must elevate others. We must recognize our dependance upon God rather than ourselves. We must shed ourselves of all pride, self-importance and let Christ rein and rule in our lives. Scripture tells us that God hates pride, but He gives grace to the humble. You don’t need to elevate yourself, let God be the One who does the elevating. 

Sing: Take this offering that I bring, Humbly I fall on my knees; to proclaim You’re everything. My life’s nothing without You, take my hand and lead me through, You are my sustaining love. I live to worship You. I live to worship You.

Here I am worshipping You, with all I am, worshipping You, bowing down in spirit and truth, with lifted hands, here I am worshipping. 

Thought For Today: “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” (Proverbs 16:19)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 March 23

Don’t Stop Praying

“In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.” (Isaiah 38:1-8)

Today’s Morsel: When the Prophet Isaiah told King Hezekiah, who was sick unto death, that the Lord said that he must set his house in order or die. He turned his face to the wall and prayed to God. Sometimes, it is easy to want to stop praying when you are sick and you just keep getting bad news. But that is not the time to stop praying. That is the time that you need to pray more. Even when the prophet Nathan told David that his son was going to die and not live, scripture says: “David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead. Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat. Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread. And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:16-23) We never know how God will turn the table or work things out for us. Therefore, we must not stop praying because the situation looks dire or as if there is no hope. God’s ways are not our ways, and neither are His thoughts like our thoughts.  Just keep praying. 

Sing: What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grieves to bear! What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O’ what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer!

Thought For Today: Pray without ceasing!

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 March 21

The Anchor Holds

“But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Hebrews 6:9-20)

Today’s Morsel: I was reading our devotion a few days ago, and it spoke of a man that went out to sea in his boat, only to find out that his motor would not start up, and he lost radio communications, and then he realized that he did not have an anchor for the boat either. Thus, his boat drifted further out to sea. His friend died of thirst and hunger, and he himself almost lost his life. Anchors are designed to help hold the boat or ship in place. To slow it down and keep the vessel from moving further away when the waves start driving you. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is our anchor of hope for our soul, and that He is both sure and steadfast.  Jesus will provide us with stability and security during life’s trails. He will hold us and keep us from drifting during the storms of life. Make sure you have Him securely in your life, you do not want to find out you do not have Him when the storm hits.  

Sing: The anchor holds, though the ship is battered, the Anchor holds, though the sails are torn. I have fallen, fallen down on my knees, as I faced the raging seas; The anchor holds, in spite of the storm.

Thought For Today: Jesus will keep you from drifting.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 March 20

On The Wrong Road

“And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.” (2 Kings 6:19)

Today’s Morsel: Have you ever had one of those moments where you are driving along and you start to feel as though you are on the wrong road? I have felt this many of times, and I immediately find a place to turn around. But some folks keep going and get further from their destination. The sign that you may be on the wrong road is that you keep feeling as though you are on the wrong road. The same is true with salvation. If you keep feeling as though you are in a rut and there is no excitement in your spirit, at church, and throughout your course of the day, you may be on the wrong road. Israel got on the wrong road by listening to complaining and murmuring by their brothers and sisters in the wilderness. All they had to do was follow Moses’ leading and they would have been okay. But when the complaining and murmuring started, others joined in and got on the wrong road which led to their destruction. Jesus said that we must follow Him so that we do not walk in darkness. Paul tells us to walk circumspect not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. The Lord said to the prophet Jeremiah: “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. But they said, We will not walk therein.” (Jeremiah 6:16) If you are not going to walk in the way called straight, then you will surely walk in the way called wrong.

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: “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” (Proverbs 12:28)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 March 19

Holy Living

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (Hebrews 12:14)

Today’s Morsel: Do you go out of your way to be at peace with others? What about yourself? Some folks struggle with being at peace with themselves. Their lives are like a ball of confusion. I hear folks asking for prayer for peace. Didn’t Jesus say: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) If He left peace here with us, then peace should always be there for us. Isaiah stated: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) Shouldn’t every born-again believer be filled with peace? Since Jesus is the Prince of peace and peace is a by-product of the Holy Ghost, shouldn’t we have peace? The writer of Hebrews tells us to follow peace and holiness. If Jesus is our peace, then we ought to be following Him. Jesus said: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12) If we follow Jesus and His ways, we will have all the peace we need, and we will be at peace. We will have peace not only with others but ourselves also.

Sing: Peace, peace, wonderful peace, coming down from the Father above. Sweep over my spirit forever I pray, in fathomless billows of love.

Thought For Today: “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” (Hebrews 11:31)