Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 July 11

Stop Giving The Devil Credit

“There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.” (Psalms 91:10-16)

Today’s Morsel: From the time that Satan deceived Eve in the garden, every wrong that some folks do, like Eve, they blame the devil. It’s amazing to me how so many born-again believers are always having a fight with the devil. I once knew this lady in the church that if you mention the word devil or demons, she’d jump-up out of her seat and yell as if she was doing a judo chop, (Hy Ya). I thought to myself, why are so many folks wasting their time fighting a defeated foe. Jesus defeated Satan for us at Calvary. We don’t have to worry about him overcoming us when we walk in the Spirit and stay close to Jesus. James said, “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” (James 2:19) Notice what he says, if we believe that Jesus Christ is God, then we have nothing to worry about. But if not, then the devils are going to torment you. “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” (Acts 19:13-17) Jesus told us, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19) So, use your power that Jesus has given you,  and stop being as comedian Flip Wilson, who would always say, “the devil made me do it.”

Sing: I command you Satan in the name of the Lord to take up your weapons and flee; For God has given me the authority to walk all over thee.

Thought For Today: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26-27)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 July 10

The Power of Obedience

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

Today’s Morsel: If you have ever observed a person enlisting in the military, you will notice that they all recite the same oath of enlistment when they join. Part of that oath states: “I will obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appoint over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, so help me God.” No matter what service they elect to serve in, everyone falls under the Department of War and are governed by the same rules. If you will notice, the creed speaks to obedience. In other words, if you fail to obey a lawful and legal order from the president or the officers over you, you are subject to punishment under the military judicial system. What many do not understand is the power that one has when they obey. Obedience show that you are well disciplined, submitted to authority, and that you can be trusted. Obedience will sooner or later kill and remove any disobedience that may be in your life, and a lack of obedience will kill you. Once, during my military service as a soldier, I showed up late for formation. My military supervisor asked me where I had been and why was I late? When I told him that I was late because my alarm clock did not go off, he looked me in the eyes as serious as he could be and asked me, “What is that on your collar?”   I said, “My rank, Sergeant.” He replied, “That’s your alarm clock, and if you want to keep it, I suggest that you ensure that it wakes you up on time so that you are never late again!” I got his message loud and clear and knew that I had better obey if I did not want to be punished and lose my rank, money, and time; as these three were linked together under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Paul states that we should be ready to revenge all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled. When we are fully submitted to Christ, then we can make the proper corrections on other. But if we ourselves are not in obedience and we try to change others, we will be seen as hypocrites.  

Sing: I’ll say yes, Lord, yes, to Your will and to Your way. I’ll say yes, Lord, yes, I will trust You and obey. When Your Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart I’ll agree, and my answer will be yes, Lord, yes.   

Thought For Today: “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 July 9

 Humility Draws Christ

“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.” (1 Peter 5:5) 

Today’s Morsel: Humility is a powerful trait of character. Like the other traits of character, this trait, too, is birthed out of a continual day to day spiritual lifestyle. Humility comes about remaining abase, not thinking more highly of yourself then you ought. It’s developed by taking the lower seat and not elevating yourself to any position of authority or role. It’s allowing God to do and place you in whatever positions he may have for you. Humility will draw God to you. David said that God is nigh them that are of a broken heart. He’s not talking about those who get caught with their hand in the cookie jar and start crying because they got caught and must now face the consequences. He’s talking about those who display a heart of compassion, those who consider the well-being of others and go about to alleviate their suffering. If you remain humble, God will exalt you in due time.

Sing: I thought that number one, would surely be me, I thought I could be, whatever I wanted to be. I thought I could build on life’s sinking sand, but I can’t even walk without You holding my hand. 

Lord, I can’t even walk without You holding my hand, the mountains to high and the valleys to wide. Down on my knees that’s where I learn to stand, and I can’t even walk without You holding my hand.

Thought For Today: “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Psalms 34:18)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 July 8

Sit Down and Listen

“Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Today’s Morsel: In my early years of school, the teachers would either sit and talk and teach you, or they would stand and talk and teach you. They might call on us to answer a question or ask if we understood, but they didn’t care too much about my opinion. They wanted me to know truth and the correct way. Today though, schools and churches are getting away from teaching and training truth. They don’t want to offend anyone, so they teach and facilitate based on folks’ opinion. The problem with this type of teaching and training is folks are often left with someone else’s opinion instead of solid truth. The devil isn’t a fool. Jesus said that the thief cometh not but for to steal, kill, and destroy. You need to know truth if you are going to be saved. Yes, you can listen to others’ opinions, but make sure it aligns with truth. Scripture says of Martha and Mary, “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”  I believe that Jesus was showing us from this little lesson that sometimes you just need to sit down and listen to truth, and stop worrying about what we may think others need or may want; because it is only by truth that people are saved and made free. 

Sing: I have found the pleasure I once craved; it is joy and peace within; what a wondrous blessing I am saved from the awful gulf of sin.

It is joy unspeakable and full of glory, full or glory, full of glory; it is joy unspeakable and full of glory, oh, the half has never been told.

Thought For Today: “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 July 7

Rebuilding The Altar

“And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.” (Genesis 35:1)

Today’s Morsel: Throughout scripture, we see the importance of the altar. The altar was a means of atonement for sin and to show complete dedication and reconciliation, or reunion, with God. When Jacob returns into the land of promise after 20 plus years of trials and test with his uncle Laban, God tells him to go up to Bethel, the house of God, and make there an altar unto God. You see, when Jacob passed through this place going to reside with his uncle, God tells him in a dream that he will give him the land that he was now sleeping upon. After Jacob awakes, he took the stones which he used for a pillow, set them up as a pillar, anointed them with oil, and called it Bethel, the house of God. Now God tells him to return to the same place and rebuild the altar. Sometimes when we have been away from God, even though we may be at church, we may need to rededicate and resubmit ourselves to God afresh and anew. If you find that you may have lost focus or direction, you should return to the last known point that you had peace and contentment with God, which you will often find was the altar.  Rebuild it, recommit yourself, and start walking in your promise afresh and anew.

Sing: Just a closer walk with Thee, grant it Jesus is my plea; daily walking close with Thee, let it be dear Lord, let it be.

Thought For Today: Don’t ever forget what the altar can do for you.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 July 6

Put On The Whole Armor of God

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,” (Ephesians 6:10-19)

Today’s Morsel: I think that some Christians are not aware of what they have chosen to be a part of. Being a Christian isn’t just about going to heaven and making sure that I have punched the right ticket for life and doing good. Being a Christian is about warfare. It’s about defending and protecting the lives of others and yourself, so you can get to heaven. You have enlisted into the Lord’s army. Jesus is your Commander, and other Christians are your fellow soldiers. Satan is the commander of the evil forces, and his demons are his soldiers and the enemy we are fighting against. We are told to put on the whole armor of God, so that we may be able to survive in the battle. If you do not understand your armor’s importance and how it supports your life and the life of others, you are setting yourself up for failure. Warfare is going to put you in some very tough situations. You are going to find yourself with your back to the wall, weeping because of loss of loved ones, pain, hurt, rejection, and sickness. You may then find yourself unable to sleep, popping pills trying to relieve pain, and confusion. Stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts are going to try to pound your mind often. That’s war my friend. But God’s armor, if worn and maintained, can give you a safeguard and help to keep your focused so that you will be an overcomer. You can only win with the tools that Jesus has given you to use to win.  Know who you are in Christ and know the armor He has given you to win the battle. 

Sing: Only the strong are going to make it, only the brave are gonna win, so fight, until you can’t fight any longer, then stand up and fight again. Jesus knew that you had what it takes to make it. That’s the reason why He called your name. He knew you’d love hHim in the sunshine, and He’s hoping you’ll love Him in the rain, then you and He together can win over, and over again.

You’re gonna make it, you’re gonna make it, you’ve got what it takes to win, and I know that you’re gonna make it, yes, you’re gonna make it, just as long, as you and Jesus stay friends. 

Thought For Today: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8-9)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 July 4

Are You Free

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:31-36)

Today’s Morsel: For 250 years, America has celebrated her independence from Great Britian. Men and women who wanted religious freedom, and a new way of life, chose to fight and sacrifice for their independence. And they secured that freedom with the help and hand of Almighty God. And since that freedom was obtained, she has gone about to bring liberty to so many others around the world. Many nations and people have been made free because America has sought diligently to carry the whole gospel, to the who world, by the whole church, and to set the oppressed free. Jesus said, “and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the word made flesh. And His word is truth. And if the truth, Jesus said, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Do you need freedom? Then seek for Jesus, and His word. For, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

 Sing: Once like a bird in prison I dwelt, no freedom from my sorrow I felt, but Jesus came and listened to me, and glory to God, He set me free.

He set me free yes, He set me free, He broke the bars of prison for me. I’m glory bound my Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. 

Thought For Today: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19)