Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 May 22

Walk Humbly

“Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:6-8)

Today’s Morsel: Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m being as humble as I can be.” Well, then they aren’t humble. Humility is a trait of character that is birthed out of day to day living. As we used to say in the military, “It’s a part of your benefits, it’s a part of your life.” Humility is a benefit from God that came with the Holy Ghost. It’s called meekness. In His sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth(Matthew 5:5). In the 50’s-90’s, if you were a leader or a person that displayed humility, you were often seen as one weak. But what folks found out later was that this trait of character in those folks actually showed great strength, patience, submission, and understanding of life. Scripture tells us that before honor is humility. So, let this trait be developed in you or you cannot come before God.

Sing: Let me walk with You Jesus. Don’t ever leave me alone. For without You I can never, no never, make heaven my home.

Thought For Today: “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.” (Proverbs 22:4)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 May 21

Watch Those Words

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” (Proverbs 18:21)

Today’s Morsel: Many today are struggling with depression and low self-esteem because they keep killing themselves with their own words. You can’t talk evil and expect good. Solomon tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. How we talk to ourselves and to others has a major impact on our life. If you are one of those who follows politics and media, you will notice that few things good are ever spoken. It’s always evil and degrading words. You can’t live your life like that and expect to have any joy. If you notice, those who speak ill of others, and degrade others, and talk about others in an evil way, do not have a smile or any joy on their face. Thus, they are killing themselves. But you beloved, must keep yourself in the love of God. Using words that edify, strengthen and build up. Your words must reflect that Christ is present in you, and that you belong to Him. Your words must heal, exalt, and display the love of Christ for all. If David wanted the words of his mouth and the mediation of his heart to be accepted by God, shouldn’t we.

Sing: Jesus is the sweetest name I know, and He’s just the same, as His lovely name. That’s the reason why I love Him so, for Jesus is the sweetest name I know.

Thought For Today: Remember, words become actions.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 May 20

How Art The Mighty Fallen

“And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!” (2 Samuel 1:17-19)

Today’s Morsel: In warfare, you sometimes lose great leaders and great men. But when it happens to those at senior levels, it can often be shocking, as they lead from a position of safety. However, during Saul and Jonathan’s rein, leaders were expected to be in the front, leading their men into battle. But this day, this war against the Philistines, both Saul and Jonathan were slain in battle. I believe that David felt that if Saul had just let him fight with him and not tried to kill him, this tragedy would not have happened, as the Philistines feared David because he had killed Goliath.  I often ask myself, weren’t the Philistines supposed to be servants to the armies of God, since that was the saying of Goliath when he wanted a man to fight him, that whoever won the other would serve them? Didn’t Goliath lose the fight? But now the mighty have fallen to those same Philistines because Saul did not obey and do what God commanded him to do. Don’t ever allow your downfall to be because of disobedience.

Sing: Let God arise and His enemies be scattered; Let God arise and His enemies be scattered, Let God arise and His enemies be scattered; Let God, let God arise.

Thought For Today: Never leave the enemy in command of the battlefield or he will destroy you.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 May 19

Life Is A Ballgame

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)

Today’s Morsel: One of the greatest weapons that Satan has is that of temptation. Temptation is not a sin until you give into it. And Satan knows that. And so he goes about to position it in your way so that it will lure and entice you to take the bait. As a kid, I always listened to this song that said, “Life is like a ballgame, being played each day, life is like a ballgame and each and every one must play; You know Jesus is standing at the Homeplate and He’s waiting for you there; You know life is a ballgame and you must play it fair.  First base is temptation, second base is sin, third base is tribulation, and if you pass you can make it on in. Because life is a ballgame and you must play it first.”  So, true. As Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) In this world you will have trouble. Jesus acknowledges that life will be hard, filled with persecutions, sorrows, and suffering. In some way He’s telling us to prepare for the struggles and pain that are going to come. Jesus said that when these tribulations, adversities, hardships, and distresses come, take heart and follow His example because He has already shown you how to be an overcomer. So, rejoice!

Sing: Life is like a ballgame, being played each day; you know life is like a ballgame, and each and every one must play; You know Jesus is standing at the Homeplate, and He’s waiting for you there; You know life is a ballgame and you must play it fair.  

Thought For Today: “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)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 May 18

 The Prayers That Shut The Lions’ Mouths

“Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.” (Daniel 6:16-23)

Today’s Morsel: By all accounts, Darius knew that the decree that he had decreed was wrong. I believe that it was his fasting and prayers throughout the night that caused God to send the angel to shut the lions’ mouths, that they didn’t hurt Daniel. We never know what our prayers will do when we intercede on the behalf of others. I believe that it is the prayers of the church, and those who have a relationship with God, where we see those who were wrongfully incarcerated, or falsely accused of crimes that they did not commit, that are released from jail and prison; like Jospeh, who was falsely accused of a crime that he did not commit. But after the word of God had tried him, he too was made free without hurt or harm and elevated to a position of honor, the same way that Daniel was. Don’t stop praying for those you know. God has a way of turning things around for good.

Sing: Whisper a prayer in the morning, whisper a prayer at noon, whisper a prayer in the evening, so keep your heart in tune.

Thought For Today: Pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks.  

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 May 16

Believing Can Change Your Life

“And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.” (Matthew 9:27-31)

Today’s Morsel: Throughout scripture, when folks would ask Jesus to heal or the help them, He would ask them if they believed that He was able to do it. You see, your faith must be a part of what you desire. Jesus said that all things are possible to him that can believe. As without faith it is impossible to please God, as he that cometh to God must believe that He is a rewarder of them that seek Him. Faith in God, His word, and His ability, can change your life forever. The blind men said to Jesus that they believed that He could open their eyes. And Jesus touched their eyes and told them that according to their faith be it unto you. And immediately their eyes were opened. Your belief and faith in Christ must be united for you to see the results.  

Sing: Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith. Faith, faith, faith, just a little bit of faith. You don’t need a whole lot, just use what you’ve got. Faith, faith, just a little bit of faith.

Thought For Today:  Change of life starts with belief.  

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2026 May 15

The Report That Destroyed Faith

“And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” (Numbers 13:25-33)

Today’s Morsel: I have come to realize over the course of my ministry that the enemy of our souls knows how to use people who are fearful, uncommitted, and those lacking understanding, to discourage and destroy the faith of others. The ten spies who came back with an evil report to Moses of what they saw in the promised land, caused the faith of Israel to shake in their sandals. I often wonder at what point in their mission to espy the land, did they agree to give this report. And why did they not discuss their finding and report with Joshua and Caleb as these two seem to not allow what was reported to deter their belief in God’s ability to fight for them. I find that these leaders should have never presented this report to Moses in the front of others. They should have gotten alone with him and explained what they had seen and let Moses decide based on what God desired of him. But no, once the people’s faith was destroyed there was nothing that could be done to reverse their fear. If you have been chosen by God to lead, don’t allow any evil report to deter you from what God is sending you to do and accomplish.

Sing: You’re going to make it, He’s already said that we would, He goes before me, and heaven is in my view, oh, we’re going to make it through.  

Thought For Today: Faith is being able to see God at work in the dark.