Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 November 16

“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).

Today’s Morsel:  According to church history, over 2,000 years ago on the Day of Pentecost Peter preached his first message to the people in Jerusalem, and over 3000 people were baptized that day when they heard what he preached.  His message, as far as we can tell, was no more then the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.  Some folks received it, and others rejected it.  And if we follow history, it would be this same message, about Christ, that would cost these apostles their lives.  What do you think was so bad about Jesus that it caused some to be so upset, that they were willing to kill people for sharing with others about a man who was willing to die, so that others could live and have eternal life?  It really wasn’t the message, it was the name associated with the message.  As Jesus said, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake” (Luke 21:17).

Sing:  There’s just one, one, one; one way to God. There’s just one, one, one; one way to God. There’s just one, one, one; one way to God, baptized in Jesus name.

Thought For Today: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 November 15

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day” (Genesis 1:1-5).

Today’s Morsel:  Do you remember the day that God called you out of darkness to His marvelous light?  Really if you focus on the first five verses of Genesis chapter 1, you can see God’s plan for implementing the new birth experience.  Notice, “And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” Notice it was without form and void.  That is like so many lives today.  They are empty and confused, and they see themselves as worthless.  There is darkness everywhere we turn.  There is ignorance, sorrow, wickedness, and obscurity in so many lives.  But notice, God moved upon the face of the deep and said let there be light and there was light.  Every life is empty and void without God’s Spirit being upon and in it.  Yet once you are filled with His Spirit, “Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5).  Jesus is the light that will get you out of darkness.

Sing:  Send the light, the blessed gospel light.  Let it shine from shore to shore.  Send the light, the blessed gospel light.  Let it shine forever more.

Thought for today: Jesus is the light that will get you out of darkness (Parker).

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 November 14

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

Today’s Morsel:  If someone were to ask you what does it mean to serve the Lord, what would you tell them? Joshua was saying to the people, If this is going to be troublesome, a burden, a weariness, and not a pleasure and delight to you to serve the Lord, then, choose you this day whom you will serve.  He said to them:  If you have found a better Lord and Master, a better Savior and Friend, a better Father and God whom serving him will be more pleasant and profitable to you, then move out and draw fire. But, he said, As for me and my house I haven’t found nor located such a one, and so I’m sticking with what I know is good and profitable for me and my family (My wordings).  What about you?  Is Jesus the best thing that has ever happened to you?  If so, then serve Him with a pure heart and serve Him fervently.

Sing:  I never had it so good before.  I never had it so good before.  Looking back on how things used to be, God has really been good to me.

Thought For Today: The ball is in your court.  It is your turn to serve!

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 November 13

“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 13:31-33).

Today’s Morsel:  One of the greatest enemies to peace is fear.  And fear is usually preceded by a heart that complains a lot.  People who complain a lot are really those who help the enemy with his goals.  The children of Israel had complained so much in the wilderness that they couldn’t see themselves being victorious in anything that they tried to do.  When they went to spy out the promised land, they returned with an evil report.  It wasn’t a negative report, it was an evil report.  The reason it was evil was that it went against what God had said.  As anything that goes against the Word of God is evil because its origin is Satan.  That’s why fear is evil, it is from Satan and it torments you (1 John 4:18).  The ten spies' report was all evil.  Nothing good was said.  They just focused on the evil and it destroyed the faith of the people.  They made no mention of the how the land was flowing with milk and honey as God had said.  So be careful what you report because God isn't pleased when His people give their enemy more glory then Him.

Sing:  I command you Satan in the name of the Lord to pick-up your weapons and flee, for God has given me authority to walk all over thee.

Thought For Today:  Control your complaining because it has the tendency to discourage others.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 November 12

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me” 

(John 14:1).

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things that I am noticing more and more each day is just how troubled folks really are.  There are so many whose minds seem to be troubled about many things.  I believe that most peoples' physical problems are caused by their mental state.  I believe that if we can get people’s minds clear and stayed on Jesus, they can deal with their physical infirmities.  Daniel said that the enemy’s goal is to wear out the saint of the most-high (Daniel 7:25).  If Satan can get you to focus on the world and what is taking place in it, he knows that your mind will be troubled and you’ll lose your focus. Therefore, to keep him from defeating you, why don’t you get into the habit of daily prayer, praise, and worship to God.  And don’t you worry about the things of the world, let God handle that! 

Sing: When I look into Your holiness.  When I gaze into to Your loveliness.  When all things that surround become shadows in the light of You.  When I find the joy of reaching Your heart. When my will becomes enthroned in Your love.  And all things that surround become shadows in the light of You.

I worship You.  I worship You.  The reason I live, is to worship You.

Thought For Today: He’ll keep you in perfect peace if you keep your mind on Him.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 November 10

“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

 (Psalms 11:3)

Today’s Morsel:  I have become so concerned for my nation that I’m about to run out of prayers for her.  The foundation that she was built upon seems to be coming a part at the seams.  Betsy Ross, who is credited with sewing the flag, would probably be saddened if she saw what is happening to it.  But this is nothing new.  Daniel had already prophesied, “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end” (Daniel 7:25-26).  The attacks against righteousness will not cease.  So what do the righteous do if the foundation is destroyed?  We stay the course.  We keep preaching the infallible word of God. We keep reaching for the lost and having compassion on others.  We just keep building the wall, because the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.

Sing:  Standing on the promises of Christ my King.  Through eternal ages let His praises ring.  Glory in the highest I will shout and sing.  Standing on the promises of God.

 Standing, standing, standing on the promises of Christ my savior.  Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God.

Thought For Today: Stay the course.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2018 November 9

“The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him” (Nahum 1:7).

Today’s Morsel:   Someone said that Jesus is better than Campbell Soup, He’s MM-MMMM-Good!  Of the adjectives that the writers of the Bible seem to use to describe God, they always seem to use the word good. David would say that He is more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold.  Asaph would say “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart” (Psalms 73:1).  Because God is no respecter of persons, He is good to all whose heart is pure towards him.  God is good even if others aren’t.  You can’t take away from God who He is, it is just part of his nature.  Where do you go in time of trouble?  The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous can run in to it and be safe.  All because He is good.

Sing: The name of the Lord is a strong tower.  The righteous run into it and they are safe.  The name of the Lord is a strong tower.  The righteous run into it and they are safe.  Blessed be the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be the name of the Lord most high.  Blessed be the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be the name of the Lord most high.

Thought For Today: God is good.