Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 October 4

Have You Received The Holy Ghost Since You Have Believed?

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve.” (Acts 19:1-7)

Today’s Morsel: The receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost is the most important thing about being a Christian that you can receive. There are many who love the Lord, serve the Lord, and do their very best to live as His word says, but they are doing it all in their own strength and power, because they have never received the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a free gift from God. And yes, it is for everyone. But because some folks have been taught and told that it’s not for everyone, many have believed this lie from hell, and they have never received it nor sought for it. God said through the prophet Joel, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29) After the 120 in the upper room in Acts chapters 1-2, received the Holy Ghost, the Bible said that they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them the utterance. Speaking in tongues is your initial evidence that you have received the Holy Ghost. Jesus said, “See that no man deceives you.” God has not put anything in His word that is not for our learning and application for our life. So, if you have never received the Holy Ghost in your life, I encourage you to read Acts chapter 2, 8, 10, 19, 22, and see how they received it, and what others were told to do to receive it. You will not be disappointed. I promise you.

Sing: I’ve got the Holy Ghost down in my soul, just like the Bible said. I’ve got the Holy Ghost down in my soul, just like the Bible said. Well, I’ve been to the water, and I’ve been baptized in Jesus’ name, my soul got happy and I’m so satisfied. I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now; just like the Bible, just like the Bible said. 

Thought For Today: “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” (Acts 10:47)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 October 3

Hoping For That We See Not

“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? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” (Romans 8:24-25)

Today’s Morsel: One of the things that every born-again believer must learn is how to walk by faith and not by sight. When we pray and ask God to do something for us, then we must have the faith to wait until He comes through for us. We don’t need to keep pestering Him to come through for us. Scripture tells us that He already knows the things we have need of before we ask Him. Paul tells us that hope that is seen is not hope. If I can see what I am hoping for, then why am I hoping. True hope focuses on the future not the present. The writer of Hebrews tells us: “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” (Hebrews 6:18-20) We are not waiting for the here and now, we are waiting for Christ’s soon appearing. This is why we hope and look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen. That’s why I live with HIV. Heaven In View. 

Sing: We’re going to a city there will be no more night. We’re going to a city where Jesus is the light. The trumpet’s gonna sound, and we’ll be called away; We’re going to a city someday. 

Thought For Today: Stay focused, Jesus is coming.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 October 2

The Things You Learn In Afflictions

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

Today’s Morsel: Most folks do not like afflictions. But we see in Scripture some good things that come from other’s afflictions that can help us in our walk. Moses wrote: “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.” (Exodus 1:12) Here we see that the children of Isreal multiplied and grew in their afflictions. David wrote: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” (Psalms 34:19) Here we see that even though the righteous suffer, God is still with us. And finally, the writer of Hebrews tells us: “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.” (Hebrews 11:24-26) Moses saw that there was a great reward at the end. No matter what afflictions may come into our lives, as Christian, we have a promise from God that He will not leave us nor forsake us. Paul tells as that our afflictions are only for a moment, and that they are working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Paul isn’t minimizing our suffering. He’s just showing us that our suffering has a divine purpose, and that God is producing something great and valuable in us. 

Sing: He was wounded for our transgressions; He was bruised for our iniquities. Surely, He bought all our sorrows; and by His stripes we are healed.

Thought For Today: “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.” (James 5:10)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 October 1

Led By The Spirit

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Romans 8:14)

Today’s Morsel: Paul states that those who are led and guided by the Holy Ghost are the sons of God (this term is gender nature). It emphasizes that if we say we are born-again of the water and the Spirit, then we ought not to be controlled by our desires and wants for things of the world. Our desires and wants ought to be more for the things of God. Our relationship with Christ ought to be being influence by the Spirit in us. Paul admonishes us: “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 6:19-20) We have been adopted into the family of God. Who is leading you? 

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

Thought For Today: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)