Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 February 17

Victory Ahead

“And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

Today’s Morsel: Because Jesus Christ doesn’t work on our timeline, we should not think that He does not fight our battles for us. Daniel waited twenty-one days before he got his answer. King Jehoshaphat was alarmed that such a great force was coming against him, and he knew that he did not have the men nor the might to defeat them. But he remembered what God had told Solomon when he dedicated the temple. “And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:12-14) And so, King Jehoshaphat called God to His word and God answered him and gave him the victory over his enemies. When the odds are against you, don’t fear or fret. Take it to Jesus and remind Him of what He has said in His word, and you too will see that there is victory for your situation and circumstance.

Sing: Victory ahead! Victory ahead! Through the blood of Jesus, victory ahead. Trusting in the Lord, I hear the conqueror’s tread, by faith I see the victory ahead.

Thought For Today: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 February 16

Every Generation

“A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” (Psalms 100:1-5)

Today’s Morsel: Since the creation of the world, God’s love, grace, mercy, and truth, have been available to every generation. Everyone has been given the same opportunity to serve God, love God, worship God, live for God, and know God. Jeremiah tells us that it is because of God’s mercies that we are not consumed (Lam 3:22). God is willing to forgive all those who come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. He won’t despise them. The psalmist tells us that mercy belongs to God (Psalms 62:12). And since God is from everlasting to everlasting, His mercy and truth is everlasting. With God, every generation can enjoy His love, peace, joy, and salvation. As God is no respecter of persons, are you sharing with others what He’s done for you?

Sing: I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter His courts with praise; I will say that this is the day that the Lord hath made, I will rejoice for He hath made me glad. 

He hath made me glad, He hath made me glad, I will rejoice for He hath made me glad; He hath made me glad, He hath made me glad, I will rejoice for He hath made me glad.

Thought For Today: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 February 14

The Bond of Perfectness

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” (Colossians 3:12-14)

Today’s Morsel: When we become Christians, or born again, we are commanded to take off the old man and to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24). Paul tells us to put on holiness, compassion, kindness, humility, patience, endurance, and forgiveness. But then he says that the thing that will hold these things firm and solid in our life is love. He said that love is like a strong glue that holds these things in place in our life (my wording). To be complete in Christ and in our walk with Him requires us to be rooted and grounded in God’s love. Today, much will be spent on flowers, cards, and chocolates to reveal one’s love. But the greatest gift, and the sweetest gift, is manifested from the heart towards others. And that is God’s love.

Sing: I am so glad that our Father in heaven, tells of His love in the Book He has given. Wonderful things in the Bible I see; this is the dearest, that Jesus loves me.

I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me, Jesus loves me. I am so glad that Jesus loves me, Jesus loves even me.

Thought For Today: Happy Valentines Day!

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 February 13

The Way of Love

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-8)

Today’s Morsel: Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, address an important topic for today’s church. And that is the topic of love. Paul, like the other apostles, understood that God is love. And they knew that Jesus’ teachings and example for them to follow, was that of His love. They knew that Jesus had told them that the greatest commandments were to love God, and their neighbor as themselves. The church at Corinth was zealous for spiritual gifts. Like some churches today, who are seeking for miracles, wonders, and signs. When we get zealous for the supernatural, and lose focus of what is important, we can start to drift away from truth. As the apostle James wrote: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17) Paul wanted the church to know that the greatest gift was love. Not tongues. Not prophesy. Not healings. Not miracles. Not words of wisdom. It was God’s love.  And if Christ’s love was in them, then there ought to be some outward manifestation of that love being in them. And so, he addresses some of the ways that true love operates. He said that Charity (love)is long suffering, and is kind; it does not envy; it isn’t boastful about itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave rudely, doesn’t seek not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; doesn’t rejoice in iniquity, but rejoice in the truth; bears all things, believeth all things, hope all things, endure all things. Love never fails. Love will not disappoint you nor let you down.  If we say that Christ is in us, then these traits ought to be being manifested in us.

Sing: Amazing grace shall always be my sing of praise, for it was grace that brought my liberty; I do not know just why He came to love me so, He looked beyond my faults and saw my need. I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary, to view the cross where Jesus died for me; how marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul, He looked beyond my fault and saw my need.

Thought For Today:  “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” (Colossians 3:14)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 February 12

God’s Love Is Inseparable

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)

Today’s Morsel: When we study scripture, we see that God’s love is everlasting. His love is unchanging and divine. Jesus said, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.” (John 15:9) To continue in something is to keep doing it and living it out before others, even when they may not understand why you are doing it. Paul asked, Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Is there something or someone that is pulling you away from God’s love? Paul says that there ought not to be anything that is able to separate you from God’s love. No pain, no death, no success, no failures, no angels, nor any powers, should be able to pull you away from God’s love. Remember, without Jesus you can do nothing (John 15:5). You can’t even know how to love without Him. If you allow anything or someone to come between you and God’s love, it is closer to God then you are. 

Sing: Since Jesus came into my heart, since Jesus came into my heart; Floods of joy over my soul like a sea-billows roll, since Jesus came into my heart.

Thought For Today: Keep your hand in the Masters hand.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 February 11

Fervent Love

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:22-23)

Today’s Morsel: The word Philadelphia means brotherly love. Paul wrote to the church at Rome: “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” (Romans 12:9-13) He said to let your love be real. Let it be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another. The idea of fervently, means to “stretch out the hand.” They were to be willing to help each other and be willing to lay down their lives if it was required. Peter tells them that since that were now born again, by the word of God, that they should love each other the way that the word of God required them. They must now obey the truth and display genuine love for the brethren. Fervent love must stretch across racial bearers and skin color. It must be from the heart of the Spirit. As Paul 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. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” (Philippians 2:1-5) Do you have the mind of Christ? If you do, you will love fervently.  

Sing: To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus, on earth I long to be like Him.  All through life’s journey, from earth to glory, I only ask to be like Him.

Thought For Today: Everyone hates false love.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 February 10

The Standard

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (John 15:9-17)

Today’s Morsel: Everything that Jesus wanted us to be and to become, He modeled it before us and left us an example of how to do it. Because God is love (1 John 4:7), and we are called to be like Him in all things, He set the standard for us. We know through scripture that we are to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus said, this is my commandment that you love one another, as I have loved you. John tells us, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) The same way that Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac to prove that he trusted God, God was willing to sacrifice His Son to prove His love and salvation for us. And again, John tells us:“Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:11-12) The Holy Ghost ought to motivate you to love, as the standard was set at Calvary for you to follow.

Sing:  Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong, they are weak, but He is strong. 

Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so.

Thought For Today: The word of God ought to remind you of the standard that was left for you, you must follow.