Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 June 26

It Is Jesus

“And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.” (Luke 18:35-43)

Today’s Morsel: My wife was sharing with me a video clip of a man asking some high school seniors some geography questions. It was amazing some of the answers they were giving. Question such as, How many continents are there? One young lady said fifty-one. One was asked to name some of the continents. And she said, France, Paris, Alaska. It was more sad than funny. Sad to say, this same spirit of not knowing has crept into the church. There are many sitting on church pews every week who have no knowledge of Christ. As Paul told the church at Corinth: “Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.” (1 Corinthians 15:34) The apostle Peter, informs us, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) It becomes every born-again believers’ duty to know Christ and to make Him known. When Jesus was on His way to Calvary, the noise was loud as He was exiting the city. The blind man asks what all the noise meant. They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. When he heard that, And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Even when they tried to get him to be quiet, he cried out louder and Jesus stopped and healed him. Do you know Him?  

Sing: Who is this who for our sorrow offers comfort and relief, bringing sunshine to the dark and shadowed life? Saying softly, “Cease repining, lift thy soul above its grief, let the peace past understanding still the strife.”

It is Jesus! Jesus! Sad one, weep no more! He will heal the brokenhearted, open wide the prison door, He is able to deliver evermore. 

Thought For Today: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 June 25

Fill My Way Everyday With 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: Throughout scripture, we find that love, along with faith and eternal life, seems to be the driving force for the Christian to be, know, and do. I think when it comes to love, we fail to understand which one we should use and when. Agape Love refers to unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial love, which God demonstrated towards humanity. When we become Christians, God calls for us to emulate and express this love in our relationship with Him and others. Phileo Love refers to friendship or brotherly love, characterized by mutual affection, trust, camaraderie. This love exists between friends and companions sharing common interests, experiences, and values. Eros Love refers to romantic or passionate love characterized by desire, attraction, and intimacy such as between husband and wife. I have also read that the Greeks used Storge Love to describe natural affection and loyalty in family relationship when expressing love among close family. This love exists between parents and children, siblings, and other family members, rooted in kinship bonds and shared experience. But no matter which one we use, and when we use it, it must be according to God’s will. As God is love, John said. John also informs us: “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1 John 3:10) So, every day we ought to pray that God will fill our way with His love, so that we may walk as He walked and reveal who we are in Him. “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)

Sing: Let me walk blessed Lord in the way Thou hast gone, leading straight to the land above; Giving cheer everywhere to the sad and the lone, fill my way every day with love.

Fill my way every day with love, as I walk with the heavenly Dove; Let me go all the while with a song and a smile; Fill my way every day with love.

Thought For Today: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 June 24

Rock of Ages

“A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.” (Psalms 27:1-6)

Today’s Morsel: One of the imageries we read in scripture about Jesus Christ is that of a Rock. Moses says: “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4; “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.” (Deuteronomy 32:18); “For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.” (Deuteronomy 32:31) Hanna says: “There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” (1 Samuel 2:2) David says: “For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?” (Psalms 18:31); “The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.” (Psalms 18:46) “And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;” (2 Samuel 22:2) Peter says:“And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” (1 Peter 2:8) and Paul says:“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4) So why did all these writers tell us that our Lord and God is a Rock? As Paul again says: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11) For Jehovah, the Lord God Almighty is the Rock of our Salvation, and the true foundation. He is the stone which the builders refused. He is the Rock that the children of Israel drank from in the wilderness. And He is the one in whom the New Testament Church and our lives must be built upon. And that is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Rock that has been with us through all ages. 

Sing: Rock of Ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee. Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed, be of sin the double cure, save from wrath and make me pure. 

Thought For Today: “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” (Psalms 95:1)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 June 23

Learning To Lean

“My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:1-6)

Today’s Morsel: The more that I walk with God, the more I find that I need to lean on Him. I have come to realize that He is a strong tower and a mighty fortress. The Bible tells us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and to not lean unto our own understanding. You see, I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and neither are you. We can’t just trust in God when hardships and unwanted circumstance come into our lives. Israel shows us what happens when we live that way. When you trust God only when your back is against the wall, and you haven’t been trusting Him before, you will find that you have too many negative voices speaking to you, and against you, that nothing in your situation, hardship, and circumstance is going to change. Thus, you find yourself struggling to believe. Or should I say, you find yourself with weak faith. The same way that we are encouraged to pray without ceasing, we must trust God without ceasing. To trust God with all our heart, is to believe His word for what it says and obey it. Sometimes, when you read God’s word, it may not make sense to you. And that is because it’s not a natural book. It is a spiritual book. And you need His Spirit to guide you so that you can understand what it is saying and its meaning. Let me encourage you, don’t lean unto your own understanding. Learn to lean on Jesus and you’ll find that He will see you through every time.

 Sing: I’m learning to lean, learning to lean, learning to lean on Jesus; finding more power than I’d ever dreamed; I’m learning to lean on Jesus.

Thought For Today: “The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” (Psalms 34:22)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 June 22

Listen To The Word of God

“Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.” (Ezekiel 37:4)

Today’s Morsel: If you are lacking in faith, Paul tells us that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). Ezekiel found himself being placed by God in the midst of a valley of dead dry bones. And the Lord tells him to prophesy to those bones, and to tell them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Many today are suffering from dry bone syndrome because they are not listening to the word of the Lord. The dry bone syndrome is those who can’t seem to find any satisfaction. They are the ones who are running to and fro, trying to find peace and joy but afterwards only finding themselves returning right back to the same location they left just as discontented as they were before they left. If you are one of those that fall into this category, then you must hear and heed the word of the Lord. His word gives life. His word brings peace. His word will satisfy your need for every situation and circumstance. Jesus Christ is the word (John 1:1;14), and He is the only one that can give you true contentment, peace, joy, and satisfy your soul.

Sing: For only Jesus can satisfy, your soul, and only He can change your heart and make it whole: He’ll give you peace you never knew, sweet love and joy and heaven, too; For only Jesus can satisfy your soul!

Thought For Today: Don’t allow the gloom, despair, and agony on me bug get into your heart.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 June 20

Elijah Must Come

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6)

Today’s Morsel: Tomorrow we will celebrate Father’s Day. My friend, David Hutson, just published a book entitled, “Elijah Must Come.” It’s available on Amazon or directly from him should you desire a copy. It has been reported that 30% of American homes are without fathers. James said, my brethren, that ought not so to be. We need fathers at the forefront leading their homes and bringing their children up in the fear of God. Scripture also tells us,“Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.” (Proverbs 17:6) This verse highlights that children are honored by having wise, godly parents, which set a standard for the family and their life. A father’s duty runs deep, as he must be a reflection and godly example of his Heavenly Father. The Lord said that He would send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers. When we hear and study the word of God, it ought to cause all of us, fathers and children, to draw closer to each other, so that God’s will can be done in each life. As the psalmist said, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Psalms 127:3-5) Children need their fathers.  They are a strength and guiding force in their children’s life.  Men, I encourage you to draw close to the Lord and allow Him to mold you to be the men He desires you to be.  

Sing: Heavenly Father, I appreciate You, Heavenly Father, I appreciate You, I love You, adore You, I bow down before You, Heavenly Father, I appreciate You.

Thought For Today: Happy Father’s Day!

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 June 19

What’s Troubling You?

“Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?” (1 Samuel 1:8)

Today’s Morsel: There seem to be many folks suffering with many things these days. Thoughts of rejection, thoughts of failure, thoughts of loneliness, thoughts of childlessness, thoughts of retirement, and thoughts of the future. Some of them have carried these thoughts for so long, that not even the word of God seems to bring them relief and comfort, even though we know that it can. Hannah was hurting because she wanted a child. Her adversary provoked her every time they went to sacrifice. Even though her husband tried to comfort her, it was to no avail. As Solomon said, the barren womb is never satisfied. And when people aren’t satisfied, the heart is going to run wild. What’s ailing you today? Let me encourage you. There is nothing that God cannot fix, do, and comfort. Maybe you should just get into your secret closet and have a little talk with Jesus and let Him direct your steps so that you can be an overcomer and move on with life. 

Sing: Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone; because I know, He holds the future, my life is worth the living just because He lives.

Thought For Today: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)