Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 27

Let Jesus Lead

“A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.” (Psalms 23:1-6)

Today’s Morsel: Jesus informs us that He is the Good Shepherd, and that the Good Shepherd will lay down His life for His sheep. The shepherd is willing to risk his life against those who may come to steal the sheep, or wild animals, and in some case dangerous serpents. The shepherd leads his flock into greener pastures and beside still waters. His end state with the sheep, is growth, to reproduce, and to produce wool which can be used for other purposes. David highlights that the Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want.  There is no reason for the sheep to wander from the fold. The sheep understand that the shepherd will lead them to the best grazing land, and the refreshing water holes, because they have come to know his voice and understand his care and protection for them. When we put our trust in Jesus, He, too, will lead us into greener pastures and to refreshing waters. So, you don’t need to wander away from the fold, stay where you are, trust Him, and He will ensure that goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.

Sing: He leadeth me, He leadeth me, by His own hand He leadeth me. His faithful follower I will be, for by His hand He leadeth me.

Thought For Today: “Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 26

Don’t Ever Forget God

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalms 150:1-6)

Today’s Morsel: One of the last things that Moses informed the Children of Israel, just prior to them cross overing into the Promise Land, was that they must not forget God. He told them if they forgot Him, that God would turn again and do them hurt. That same caution is given to us today. We must not forget God. No matter how good life gets, or how bad, we must not forget God. Sometime our bad days may be God’s way of developing us. You see, at some point, God wants us to be able to stand on our own two feet and make choices based on the word He has given to us. Jesus could have stopped the storm the disciples were in at any time. But He allowed the disciples to use their own minds to decide what they would do. And when they saw that their way was fruitless, they decided to wake Jesus up. Jesus didn’t chide them for not trying; he chided them for a lack of faith. At least they didn’t forget God. They knew that He could solve the issue. And so, they woke Him. Scripture says: “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.” (Psalms 50:15) You can keep fighting trouble in your life on your own, or you can call on God.  Remember, without Him we can do nothing. So, don’t forget Him, He will be a friend that sticks closer than a brother.

Sing: I’m gonna to praise the Lord anyway that I can. I’m going to praise the Lord anyway that I can. I’m gonna praise Him in the morning, praise Him all day long, I’m gonna praise the Lord anyway that I can.

Thought For Today: “Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” (Deuteronomy 6:12)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 25

A Life Void of Wisdom

“Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.” (Psalms 14:4)

Today’s Morsel: Folks who reject wisdom and truth will never have the peace, rest, and contentment that they seek. Even “If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.” (Proverbs 29:9) When our lives are without wisdom, we become as the horse and the mule which has no understanding and their mouths must be held in with bit and bridle. In other words, they are out of control and will run ramped. When a life is void of godly wisdom, it becomes a place and seat for the wicked one. Satan will immediately take control of that life and destroy it. Jesus said: “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.” (Matthew 12:43-45) Solomon states: “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.” (Proverbs 24:30-34) If you want to avoid the torment and evils from consuming your life, may I suggest that you hide the word of God within you and seek Him for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. 

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

Thought for Today:  “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (Psalms 119:18)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 24

God Is Always In Control

“For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11)

Today’s Morsel: Isaiah informs us that God will work if we let Him (Isaiah 43:13). God is always in control. There is nothing hidden from Him that He is not aware of. Ezra states “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) Paul states, He that searches’ the heart knows what is the mind of the Spirit because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Roman 8:27). God is always at work on our behalf. When Philip brought Nathanel to Jesus, Jesus called him and Israelite in whom there was no guile. “Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.” (John 1:48). When He conversed with the woman at the well: “Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.” (John 4:16-19) And when He told Peter, “Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice…; And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:34, 45). Peter was shocked when what Jesus told him was going to happen, happened just like he said. Jesus is in control. If he tells you that something is going to happen, prepare your heart as it will come to pass. God cannot lie. He’s the one in control.

Sing: Saved and I’m happy today, thanks be to God for this I can say, that I’m saved and I’m happy today, I’m walking up the Kings highway.

Thought For Today: “Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 22

What Did You Gain From All Your Labor Last Week?

“The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” (Ecclesiastes 1:1-3)

Today’s Morsel: When you go to work, what are you hoping to gain? If you go on a mission’s trip to a foreign country, what are you hoping to gain? If you study in school for a PhD, what are you hoping to gain? If you were selected by a major NFL team, what are you hoping to gain? Jesus asked the question, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26) He also tells us: “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:” (Matthew 6:19-20) Jesus says, look, the earth is not your end state, heaven is. You can gain many things down here, but none of them can pay for your eternal soul. You need a solid relationship with Christ.  Again, Solomon states: “Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.” (Proverbs 23:5) It’s here and then it is gone. So, the prophet Haggi stated: “Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD. Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit. And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.” (Haggai 1:5-11) If we refuse to take care of the things of God first, what we have will just keep slipping away.  So, what did you gain last week?

Sing: When you see my praying, I’m working on the building, I’m going up to heaven to get my reward; while I never get tired, working on the building, I’m going up to heaven, to get my reward.

Thought For Today: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 21

The Counsel of The Lord 

“There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.” (Proverbs 19:21)

Today’s Morsel: I have been asked by some what they should look for in a mentor. When I give them an answer, they sometimes give me that look as to say, that is too hard. Some folks say they want a mentor, but really, they don’t. They just want someone to tickle their ears and tell them what they want to hear. A real mentor and counselor are rooted and grounded in the word and ways of God. And when they tell you something, it’s going to stand and prove to be true in your life. You can choose people whom you may think is good for you, but as Solmon says, only the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. We may have many plans, goals, and dreams in our lives, but it’s only the Lord’s purpose that is going to prevail. If my ambition does not align with God’s word and purpose, they aren’t going to stand. Remember, God sees the bigger picture and end state.  I can’t see everything that is before me, but He does. And if I trust Him to give me counsel for what I desire, and it aligns with His will and purpose, there is nothing that can stop me or it from coming to fruition.

Sing: I lean on You Lord, I lean on You Lord, for the things I need, I lean on You. When I don’t know just what to do, I’ve got the faith You’re going to see me through, to supply my every need and I lean on You.

Thought For Today: “Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.” (Psalms 20:4)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 20

The Why’s In Life

“Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.” (Proverbs 30:2)

Today’s Morsel: Let any toddler asks you a question and you give them an answer that their little minds were not expecting, and you will often get another question which says, Why? I have not only had toddler’s ask me Why, but many adults. Especially when it comes to death, rejection by others, loss of employment, or ill-health. Those Why questions keep coming. And something I have to say, I just don’t know. I don’t have all the answers to the Why questions that come our way. God just tells me that His ways and thought aren’t as mine. Gideon had a why question for God. He said, “Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” (Judges 6:13) I’m sure some of you may have a Why question, like Gideon, when things are against you and they don’t make sense. There are going to be many Why questions you are going to have to consider and face in your life. But keep in mind, God has the answer to every Why question. We may not understand them, because we are asking man and not God. And at times, we simply must trust God with His perfect way.

Sing: I’ve had some good days, and I’ve had some hills to climb, I’ve had some weary days, and some sleepless nights, but when I look around and I think things over, all my good days, outweigh all my bad days, and I won’t complain. 

Sometimes the clouds are low, I can hardly see the road, I ask the question, Lord, Lord why so much pain? But He knows what’s best for me, although my weary eyes they can’t see, so, I’ll just say thank you Lord, I won’t complain.

The Lord’s been so good to me, He’s been so good to me, more than this old world or you could ever be, He’s been so good to me. He dries all my tears away, turned my midnights into day, So I’ll just say thank you Lord, and I won’t complain.

Thought For Today: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)