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)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 19

Are You Trusting In The Right Thing?

“Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.” (Psalms 20:6-9)

Today’s Morsel: Some folks will trust in others and things but not trust in God. I have yet had any of them explain to me why they do not trust in God, who only has their best interest at heart. If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that we could live and have eternal life, shouldn’t we trust in Him. When God told Abraham to leave home and He would bless him, Abraham obeyed. When God told him to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice, Abraham obeyed. Some today refuse to trust God when it comes to tithe and offerings and giving to the church or witnessing to others about Christ. For some reason they lose their trust in God to care for them or give them the words to say. Faith requires you to take God at His word. He is not a man that He should lie. So, are you trusting in things and others over God? Jesus said, For without me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Solomon tells us: “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 3:5-6) Notice the words and lean not unto your own understanding. Because God’s ways and thoughts are not as our, we must trust Him based on His word, and not on what we can see. As Paul said: “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?... And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:24,28). If you are going to trust in something, make sure it’s the right thing. Like Jesus!

Sing: I trust in God, wherever I may be, upon the land, or on the roaring sea; For come what may, from day to day, my Heavenly Father watches over, over me. 

And I trust in God, I know He cares for me, on the mountain bleak, or out on the stormy seas. Though come what may, from day to day, my Heavenly Father watches over, over, me. 

Thought For Today: “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Psalms 37:5)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 18

What Do You Think of God’s Glory?

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.” (Psalms 19:1-5)

Today’s Morsel: One of my highlights of the day is when I go outside during my early for my morning walks and observe the things that God has created. While the wind oftentimes blows gently across my face, I hear the chirping of birds, squirrels chasing each other, deer trying to get a snack to eat, crescent moon setting and the sun rising, stars still in the sky, majestic mountains, different trees, flowers, dogs, and even humans. And as Louie Armstrong said, I also say to myself, What wonderful world. What beauty to behold. I have seen many places in this world; and believe me, God has created a masterpiece. From His wisdom bank, what He has created, I believe that even heaven would desire to investigate. When you stand on the rim of the Grand Canyon, or along the river of Niagara Falls, or see the Purple Mountains as the sun is going down upon them in the evening or see the many species of animals on a Safari of Africa, or the huge and colorful fish in each ocean, you too will stand in awe of His beauty and splendor. David asked the Lord, What is man that you are mindful of him? Or the son of man that He would visit Him? And that you would put such glory and beauty in his hands to oversee (My wording)? If you want to change your perspective of God, get out into His creation and it will blow your mind. If you get out and observe what God has done, you won’t be like the fool and say that there is no God.

Sing: Lord, we don’t need another mountain, there are mountains and hillsides enough to climb; there are oceans and rivers enough to cross, and enough to last until the end of time. (Chorus)

Chorus: What the world needs now is love, sweet love it’s the only thing that there’s just too little of. What the world needs now is love, sweet love, no, not just for some but for everyone. 

Lord, we don’t need another meadow, there are cornfields, and wheat fields enough to grow, there are sunbeams and moonbeams enough to shine, oh, Lord listen if you want to know (Chorus)

Thought For Today: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 17

Prosperity Will Not Satisfy Your Soul

“I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 2:7-11)

Today’s Morsel: One of the misunderstandings of some folks is that they think that the more that they have, the more satisfied they will be. But that is not the case. The more you have, the more you must care for. Solomon states that the eye is not satisfied with seeing, and neither is the ear satisfied with hearing. They each want more. Again, Solomon shows us that he got much stuff for himself, and in the end, he saw that it was all vanity and vexation of spirit. He concluded that it’s like a vapor, poof, gone. He saw that earthly things are temporary, lacks substance, and do not last. He said it was meaningless. Like chasing after the wind. Just as we cannot hold the wind in our hands, we cannot hold on to nor control the temporary joys in life. Yes, you may get stuff, and it satisfies you for a while, but it will soon lose its pleasure to your soul. You need Jesus. For He is the only One who can satisfy your soul and give you lasting joy. And the good part is, the things which He gives, they will last you forever and will always satisfy us.

Sing: For only Jesus can satisfy your soul, for only He can change your heart and make you 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: You will never find true satisfaction until you find the Lord.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 August 15

Can You Hold On Until The End?

“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matthew 24:3-14)

Today’s Morsel: The apostle Paul informed us that prior to the coming of the Lord, there is going to be a great falling away from the church. Jesus said that men’s hearts were going to fail them from looking at the things which are coming upon the earth. Paul said that men would creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:6-7). The last days are going to throw you a whole lot of curveballs that you aren’t going to be able to hit. Again, Jesus informs us: “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10) Things we are going to suffer! He’s informing us that imprisonment, trials, and even tribulations are going to come our way. But Jesus encourages us to hang in there until the end and He will give us a crown of life. So, my question to you is, can you endure hardness as a good soldier, can you stay in the fight until the end? Even though many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many; and even though iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold; For us to be saved, we must endure unto the end. So, hang in there. He that will come, will come and not tarry. The just must live by faith.

Sing: Living below in this old sinful world, hardly a comfort can afford; Striving alone to face temptations sore, where could I go but to the Lord. Where could I go, O’ where could I go; seeking a refuge for my soul? Needing a friend to help me in the end, where could I go but to the Lord?

Thought For Today:  “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1)