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)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 September 30

Who Are You Looking To For Salvation

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 45:22)

Today’s Morsel: According to the apostle Peter, there is none other name given to men under heaven whereby we must be saved. The name Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). Who are you looking to for your salvation? What is your understanding of salvation. What are you being saved from? Why do we need to be saved? And just how do we become saved? Well, if there is salvation only in Jesus Christ, then we ought to be looking to Him. If salvation is deliverance from harm, ruin, and loss, then I need to be looking to Jesus. If I am being saved from those things, then that is where I need to be looking. And how are we saved?  “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:38-42) Who are you looking to so you can be saved?  

Sing: Saved and I’m happy today, thanks be to God for this I can say; that I’m saved and I’m happy today, I’m walking up the King’s highway. 

Thought For Today: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Ephesians 2:8)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 September 29

Evil Ways

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Today’s Morsel: What path are you on? Where is the road you are now traveling leading you? Paul tells us: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.” (1 Timothy 4:1-3); “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which 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 3:1-7) Have you stopped to consider where you might be heading and if you are on the right road? They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. If your life is always in a confused, depressed, stressed, and despondent state, you may want to check the road that you are on. The children of Israel murmured and complained for forty years in the wilderness until they died, because they would not get off the evil pathway. They had every opportunity to reverse course for their lives, and yet they chose daily to stay in the evil way. They saw everything that God was doing for them, and yet they chose to remain in the evil way. The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah: “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” (Jeremiah 6:16). Notice, God tried to help them get off their evil way, but they chose to remain. What about you? Is God trying to get you to reverse course? The way you are on may seem right, but is it right? Check your GPS (Bible) and make sure you are on course.  

Sing: Oh there’s a highway to heaven, none can walk up there but the pure in heart; oh, there’s a highway to heaven, walking up the King’s highway.

Thought For Today: “It maybe they will present their supplication before the LORD and will return everyone from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.” (Jeremiah 36:7)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 September 27

A Good Understanding

“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded. The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.” (Proverbs 13:13-15)

Today’s Morsel: As the world turns, one can easily see that many do not have a good and clear understanding of God and His ways. Hell has enlarged itself and people are daily running headlong to get into it. People are only fazed by tragedy and death for a moment. And then they move on. Funerals processions use to have people pulling off to the side of the road or curb, paying their respect to the family of the deceased, and pondering on their own life and that of their loved ones and others. But no more. Today, people see funerals as an interruption to their life and livelihood. Solomon said, “It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2-4) He calls for us to consider death, as this is the route that we all shall someday take. Good understanding giveth favor he said. When we possess good understanding and discernment, along with wise decision making, we will find favor and blessings in life. While those who do not possess good understanding, who reject God’s word, show disregard for His wisdom, and live in a rebellious state against His principles and laws will find themselves encountering hardship and difficulties in life. The way of a transgressor is hard. But good understanding giveth favor. 

Sing: Every day with Jesus, is sweeter than the day before, every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more. Jesus saves, and He keeps me, He’s the one I’m living for. Every day with Jesus, is sweeter than the day before.

Thought For Today: “Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.” (1 Samuel 25:3)