Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 16 March 2019

What Can I Give God?

“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people” (Psalms 116:12-14).

Today’s Morsel:  If you could give God something that would be pleasing unto Him, what would it be?  We see that the Philistines, who captured the Ark of God from Israel and whom God plagued with hemorrhoids, tried to appease God with a golden hemorrhoid and a golden mouse for each city (see 1 Samuel 6:15-18).  Who in their right mind would do such a foolish thing?  Do you consider what you render to God for His goodness toward you and your family?  Is He well pleased with what you offer?  The psalmist said, “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.” Is this what God requires of us? Or is it what the prophet Micah states, “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 6:8)?  I think both and more. The apostle Paul wrote, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Hebrews 13:15-16). If we desire to give back to God and to please Him for His goodness, then we must follow His word.  He desires you to give yourself to Him, holy and acceptable.  

Sing: Lord I give you my heart, I give you my soul. I live for You alone. Every breathe that I take, every moment I’m awake, Lord have Your way in me.

Thought For Today: “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chronicles 16:29).

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 15 March 2019

Spiritual Fruit

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”

 (Galatians 5:22-23).

  

Today’s Morsel:  I wish this world would make up its mind.  One time you read an article and it says fruit is good for you.  Then you read another article, and it says you shouldn’t eat certain kinds of fruit.  What are we to believe?  I think someone is telling us some lies, and I guess that’s why Satan is called the deceiver of the brethren.  Scripture says, “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:11-12). If God says that it’s good, then how can it be bad?  If natural fruit is good for us, think about how much better spiritual fruit is for us.  The fruit of the Spirit, which the Holy Spirit produces does not flow from a natural tree. It flows from a spiritual tree. The tree of life.  Jesus Christ.  There should be no shortage if this fruit in your lives.

Sing: To be like Jesus. To be like Jesus. On earth I long to be like Him. All through life’s journey, from earth to glory. I only ask to be like Him.

Thought For Today: “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:9-10)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 14 March 2019

The Power of The Gospel

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).

Today’s Morsel:  People who have not developed spiritual maturity will often be ashamed of who they are in Christ.  They will live a double lifestyle.  They will be one thing at church yet another on the job or at school.  When we are ashamed of God calling us out of the world, we will often compromise who we say we are. Paul said that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation. Always remember, if you are ashamed to be called a Christian on your job or at your school, you jeopardize someone else’s salvation, including your own.

Sing: We are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For it is the power unto salvation.  And it’s to everyone, everyone that believes it.  And it’s to everyone, everyone that receives it. We can have, everlasting life.

Thought For Today: Everyone deserves a right to hear the gospel at least once. 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 13 March 2019

No Greater Power

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18).

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things about power is if used wrong, it can destroy you as well as others. When James and John wanted to called down fire from heaven upon the people, Jesus turned and rebuked them, and said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:55-56).  They wanted to use it for the wrong reason.  You see, when we are anointed with the Holy Ghost, we are given authority by Almighty God.  And if we misuse this power, we can destroy peoples' lives instead of saving them.  The Spirit is given to us for ministry.  It is our responsibility to use it for God's intended purpose.  

Sing: It’s that Holy Ghost and power that's keeping me alive, keeping me alive, keeping me alive.  Well, it’s that Holy Ghost and power that keeping me alive.   Jesus is keeping me alive.

Thought For Today: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 12 March 2019

Don’t Forget God

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”   (Deuteronomy 6:4-12)

Today’s Morsel:  One of the greatest fallacies in the Christian's life is when we get to a point that we think we don’t need God, or that God isn’t watching.  Moses told the children of Israel that when they came into the promise land and everything was going good for them, they should not forget God.  But we see through the study of the scripture, they forgot Him.  Sad to say, many today have received the promise, the Holy Ghost, but they have already forgotten God.  They have no knowledge of His word.  They spend no time with Him in prayer or communion.  They have no time to sit down at the table as a family and invite Him to join with them.  They jump into their vehicles head out and never ask Him if He would like to come along.  They send their kids off to school never asking Jesus if He would like to go with them and protect them during the day. They have turned to their own way and feel as though they can do without Him.  What about you? Have you forgotten Him now that you have entered the land of plenty?  Don't leave Him out of your everyday life.  

Sing: Jesus be the Lord of all!  Jesus be the Lord of all! Jesus be the Lord of all, the kingdoms of my heart.

Thought For Today: Don’t forget God!

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 11 March 2019

The Wrong Way

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25).

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things about living in Japan is that they drive on the opposite side of the road than in America. Many times when I would travel to America and then return to Japan, I would find myself driving the wrong way.  Sad to say, there are many people going the wrong way and don’t even know it. They think that they are heading the right way and fail to realize their err.  When the King of Syria sent his troop to capture Elisha, Elisha had God smite them with blindness. “And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria” (2 Kings 6:19).  We must know the right way or else our life may end in death.

Sing: Shew me Thy way, Lord, teach me Thy paths. Shew me Thy way, Lord, teach me Thy paths.  O’ my God, I trust in Thee, let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me.

Thought For Today: There is only one way to God. Make sure you are in that way.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2019 March 9

Inside The Book

“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7).

Today’s Morsel:  story is told of a son who desired a special car for his graduation.  But to his surprise, at his graduation, his father called him into his office and gave him a Bible.  The son was livid and stormed out screaming at his father for giving him a Bible for a graduation gift.  The son slammed the Bible on the table and walked out.  Years later, the son was notified that his father had passed away and that he was now the owner of his fathers business and estate.  The son returned home and walked into his father’s office.  To his surprise, the Bible was still lying there on the table. The son picked it up and opened it.  To his further surprise there was a note that his father had written for his graduation telling him how proud he was of him and that he knew his dream was for a special car and that he wanted him to have it.  But that he should realize that there was nothing more special or greater than the Word of God. And as the son flipped through a few more pages the key for the car that he had wanted fell from the Bible's pages.  The moral of the story is that we may think that we know what we want in life, but our Heavenly Father knows what we need.  Have you found yourself in the Book of Life, the Bible?  If you will look in it, you will find yourself right there in its pages. Remember, truth must be sought out in the Word.

Sing:  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  When I feel afraid, and think I've lost my way, still, you're there right beside me.  Nothing will I fear, as long as you are near.  Please be near me to the end.  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Thought For Today:  Godly treasures are often hidden in His word (Parker).