Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 14

Do You Know What The Will of God Is For Your Life?

“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-6)

Today’s Morsel: Have you ever heard someone ask what is the will of God is? Well, if we read the Word of God, and we pay close attention to what is read and has been written, we will find our answer. Paul informed the church at Thessalonica, that the will of God, to include our sanctification, was that we should abstain from fornication: That every one of us should know how to possess his vessel (his body) in sanctification (holiness) and honor; Not in the lust of concupiscence (desiring what is forbidden), even as the Gentiles which did know not God; And that no man goes beyond and defraud (take advantage of) his brother in any matter. Do you know how to possess your body? In other words, do you know how to present yourself as a vessel of honor fit for the Master’s use?  Paul again asks the church at Corinth: “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (1 Corinthians 6:15-20) Your body doesn’t belong to you; it belongs to Christ. Therefore, it’s lent out to you to use for His purpose and will. And if you defile it, He will destroy it. Because the temple of God is holy and must remain holy. It is set apart for His use. Therefore, God is working in you, providing both the desire and the power to do what pleases Him for His will.

Sing: Lord, I give You my heart, I give You my soul, I live for You alone. Every birth that I take, every moment I’m awake, Lord, have Your way in me.

Thought For Today: “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 13

Stop Hiding Your Love

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” (John 13:34-35)

Today’s Morsel: When I was a kid and, in the world, I listened to a lot of so-called love songs. One of my favorites was titled, “What the World Needs Now is Love.” From creation, God displayed His love for His creation. Because God is love (1 John 4:7-8), scripture calls for us to love others also. I believe that the whole purpose for the law was to show us how to love others.  We know that love is the opposite of hate, so as Christians we must not hate anyone. We can hate the sin, but not the person. When King Jehosophat asked King Ahab to enquire of the Lord if they should go to war, Ahab told him that there was a prophet, Micaiah, but he hated him because he never spoke anything good about him. Upon hearing these words, King Jehosophat said, “Let not the king say so.” We are called to love, not hate. Paul told the church at Rome: “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” (Romans 12:9). He told the church at Corinth, that the greatest gift one could have was love. And that this was the gift that they should honestly seek after. He told the church at Philippi: “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (Philippians 2:1-2) When we have the same love as Christ, which we all ought to have if we say that we have His Spirit in us, then we should be no respecter of persons, we should be no hater of others, there should be no unethical practice by us, and no disunity of the body, nor pride in our lives, and no gossip in our tongue. None of these things are in Christ and they must not be in us. Remember, John said, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)

Sing: I love you; I love you; I love you; what more can I say, but that I truly love you. And I’ll try to live my life so that it says it, too. I love you; I love you; I really love you.

Thought For Today: “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (John 15:17)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 12

What Does God Want You To Do?

“And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.” (Acts 9:4-6)

Today’s Morsel: Often, I will ask a college person what they are majoring? They sometimes look at me as if to say, What are you talking about. Then I may ask them, Tell me what you want to be when you grow up. Again, some of them give me that deer in the headlight look, and will say, “I don’t know.” I find the same when I ask kids in grades K-12. It is as if there is no discussion with parents, mentors, tutors, nor counselors about life and what road children ought to be on and helping them to become all they can become. Solomon states, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” I’m not being political here, but maybe this is why so many children are easily led astray in their thinking. Paul said: “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:3) Eve was deceived into thinking something different from what God said. Children today, and yes, some adults, are no exception. So, what does God want you to do? For what purpose did God let you live and save you from the sins of this world? If you don’t know your purpose in life, you will sooner or later become confused, depressed, and see life as boring and mundane. But if you know your purpose, and you pursue that purpose, life will be encouraging and uplifting. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Sing: Where He leads me, I will follow. Where He leads me, I will follow. When He leads me, I will follow. I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.

Thought For Today: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 11

The Acceptable Year of The Lord

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Today’s Morsel: After Jesus had been tempted by the devil for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, Scripture says: “And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 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 4:14-19) Isaiah had stated that He would proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. He said that God would proclaim the time of His favor and salvation, and a time when God will judge evil and vindicate His people. He will turn mourning into dancing and sorrows into joy. If your life, or anyone else’s life that you may know, is void of these promised blessings, then Jesus has come to fulfill His promise. His Spirit is available for you today, so that you can be made free of anything that may have you bound.

Sing: If you will come to Jesus Christ today, He’ll take your sins away, He’ll take you sins away; And keep you happy in His love each day; He’ll take your sins away.

He took my sins away, He took my sins away, and He keeps me singing every day. I’m so glad He took my sins away, He took my sins away.

Thought For Today: “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 10

How’s Your Zeal For The Things of God?

“Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:1-4)

Today’s Morsel: How passionate are you about the things of God? We see in scripture, that after the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, by the apostles and disciples of Jesus, they became very zealous about the gospel and what it meant. They had a clear understanding and knew what it meant and how to live it out in their lives. Even the apostle Paul himself was zealous for the things of God, but not according to knowledge. Paul was so zealous that he thought that by persecuting, murdering, and trying to stop this new sect, that by his zeal, he was doing the right thing. But he realized his error after meeting Jesus. Paul told the church that what he did, he did it in ignorance. Paul had a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. And he informed the church at Rome that his brothers the Jew, too, have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For, like himself, he said, they are ignorant of God's righteousness, and are going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Like were some today, trying to make themselves holy and righteous, when Christ has already done that for them. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth, Paul said. All folks need to do is stop leaning unto their own understanding and do what the Word of God has already instructed them to do; and they would already become righteous, because Jesus is the God of righteous. Do you have a zeal for the things of God? Is it according to His righteousness?

Sing: I’ve anchored in Jesus, the storms of life, I’ll brave. I’ve anchored in Jesus; I fear no wind or wave. I’ve anchored in Jesus, for He hath power to save; I’ve anchored to the Rock of Ages.

Thought For Today: “And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.” (John 2:16-17)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 8

Look Not Behind Thee

“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Today’s Morsel: One of the things about a spiritual journey is that you must be committed. One of the last warnings the angels gave to Lot, and his wife, was to not look back. But we know that according to scripture, Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Jesus cautioned us to remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32). I often ponder on why she looked back. We also see that the children of Israel could not enter the promised land because they kept looking back. And they, too, died in the wilderness. You can’t keep looking back and expect to make it to heaven. You must keep heaven in front of you. It must be in your windshield not your rearview mirror. If every time you look up and all you can see is your past, you will want to go back. Satan has a way of glamorizing your past to get you to look back. He also has a way of showing you your past to drag you down.  You should already know what is behind you. You don’t need to worry about what’s behind, worry about what is before you, so that you do not stumble and fall. 

Sing: I’m going home with Jesus, in the twinkling of an eye; I’ve made my reservations for my mansion in the sky. I may not know the moment, and I may not know the day, but I know that I’ll be leaving when He calls this church away. 

Thought For Today: “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 23:6)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 7

Hard Prayers

“To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.” (Psalms 51:1-19)

Today’s Morsel: Have you ever had to present a hard prayer to God to judge you, or to ask Him to forgive you for a wrong? I have prayed that folks will not find rest and contentment until they repent of their sins and turn their heart from their wicked ways and return to God again. That’s what I call a hard prayer, because I know that it may cause hardship and even suffering and pain upon them. But at least I’m trying to help them save their souls from hell and continual destruction. Today’s passage, I’m sure, was probably a hard prayer for David. David had a strong relationship and love for God and the things of God. He was even called a man after God’s own heart. But David allowed his emotions and lust of his flesh to overpower him. And now, his wrong has been exposed to him by God Himself, and David realizes his wrong. This prayer is David pleading to God for forgiveness. Hard prayers are often for oneself when they’ve gotten their hand caught in the cookie jar. Yes, David could have ignored the prophet, but only to his own detriment. David knew the penalty for this sin. And so, he places himself in the hand of a loving and caring God. It was a hard prayer. But in order for him to find forgiveness, he knew that he had to come to the throne of grace, that he might obtain mercy and find grace to help him in time of need. David received forgiveness and scripture says: “Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” (1 Kings 15:5) Hard prayers are sometimes hard. But if you want to see change, then they must be done.

Sing: Create in me a clean heart, O’ God, and renew a right spirit within me. Create in me a clean heart, O’ God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence O’ God, take not Thy Holy Spirit from me; restore unto me, the joy of Thy salvation, and renew a right spirit within me.

Thought For Today: “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” (Psalms 86:5)