Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 8 April 2021

 

Sorrow of Heart

 

“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” (Proverbs 15:13)

 

Today’s Morsel:  Today’s world is turned upside down. Hearts are being broken every hour.  Divorce, suicide, job loss, runaways, separations, drug overdose, fear, pain, alcohol abuse, sickness, death, indebtedness, distress, discontentment, and discouragement are flooding the streets, homes, and communities everywhere we look.  Because of so much sorrow, the hearts of many are broken.  If there was anything that Jesus modeled for us and left us, it was an example of compassion.  One of the signs of a ‘True Cross Bearer’, is a heart of compassion.  We must have empathy towards those who are hurting. Grief weakens one’s strength, and destroys the spirit, more than labor does.  If we are Christians, then we must be moved daily in the church and this world with compassion.  Somewhere the church must shine so that people can see where their hope lies.  We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities.  We can touch Him, and others can too when we are moved with compassion in their sorrow.

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: “Grief weakens one’s strength, and destroys the spirits, more than labor does.”

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 7 April 2021

 

Spiritual Behavior

 

“I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.” (Psalms 101:1-3)

 

Today’s Morsel:  One of the greatest effects the gospel has on a person’s life is the change in one’s behavior.  Anyone who says that they are born-again, and yet their behavior is not changed to cause them to be like Christ really is not born-again.  The application of the gospel to a person's life brings about newness of life.  Old things are passed away and all things become new.  If we say that we have Christ in us, then John states that we ought to walk the way that He (Jesus) walked (1 John 2:6).  Micah tells us what the Lord requires of us. “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)  We must learn to exercise good sound judgment and justice, we must show mercy, and we must walk humbly.  To change our behavior requires us to change our thinking, as spiritual behavior requires us to behave in a wise and perfect way.

Sing:  I want to live the way He wants me to live.  I want to give until there's just no more to give.  I want to love, love till there’s just no more love.  I could never, never out love the Lord.

 

Thought For Today:  Christian character always counts.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 6 April 2021

 

The Word

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

 

Today’s Morsel:  As I observe the world in which we now live, many lives seem to be turned upside down.  Many are confused and do not know where to turn.  Those who have mutilated their bodies with body piercing and tattoos are now starting to question themselves as to why?  Voices and sounds are plaguing the hearts of many.  God's word has the answer for every feeble and fearful heart.  The Bible has the answer to every life’s problem, situation, and circumstance, as there is nothing new under the Sun.  God had already looked down through time and He gave His holy men words to write so that we through the same word would be able to find hope.  Let me encourage you, whatever you are facing or going through today, there is a scripture for you.  If you can't find it on your own, I’m here happy to help you find it.

 

Sing:  Who is this who for our sorrow offers comfort and relief, bringing sunshine to the dark and shadowed life?  Saying softly cease repining lift thy soul above its grief, let the peace pass understanding still the strife.  It is Jesus, Jesus, sad ones weep no more.  He will heal the brokenhearted, open wide the prison door, He is able to deliver evermore.

 

Thought For Today: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 5 April 2021

 

The Day The Brook Dried-Up

 

“And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there. So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.” (1 Kings 17:1-9)

 

Today’s Morsel: Because there had been no rain in the land for some time, God had sent this drought as a testimony against the idolatry of the people, and finally the brook that Elijah himself had enjoyed drinking from dried-up.  Elijah had prayed and had told them that it would not rain until he said that it would rain again.  Water was a precious commodity at that time.  And now the brook dried up.  But God sends Elijah to Zarephath and tells him that he has a woman there to sustain him.  And he was cared for.  In Luke 4, Luke records that after Jesus was tempted by the devil, he came into the synagogue and they asked him to read the scripture for that day.  Jesus completed it by saying that the scripture He had just read was fulfilled in their hearing.  When they desired to put Jesus out of the synagogue, He told them, “Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.  But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.” (Luke 4:24-26)  I believe that Jesus was trying to get them to see that the same way that He took care of Elijah and the widow, He was now there to care for them.  But they rejected Him, and now their brook was dried up.   Jesus does not want you to be without.  He wants to be your brook so that you can continue drinking and never thirst again.

 

Sing:  Drinking at the springs of living water, happy now am I, my soul they satisfy.  Drinking at the springs of living water, a wonderful and bountiful supply.

 

Thought For Today:  Jesus is the spring of living water.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 3 April 2021

 

Spiritual Warfare

 

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

 

Today’s Morsel:  One of the hardest things for any military force to do is fight inside of the cities.  This is because innocent lives are at stake and no one wants to kill innocent people.  One of the things about spiritual warfare is oftentimes you cannot see the enemy that you are fighting against.  You know that he is there, but you cannot see him.  And this is what makes it hard for some folks to deal with their situation, and why many walk away.  Notice, it is not called natural conflict.  It is called spiritual warfare.  The battle is being fought in the spiritual realm.  The battle of the mind.  Paul informs us that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  We are fighting against the spiritual things of wickedness.  Lust, pride, strife, fornication, adultery, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, drunkenness, sexual perversion, envy, jealousy, disobedience, ingratitude, rudeness, idolatry, and uncleanness.  Many have already been invaded in their hearts and minds by these wicked spirits.  For you to defeat these wicked spirits when they come against you, you must walk by faith and not by sight, and you must keep yourself in the love of Christ.

Sing: Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, lift up your voice to God.  Pray in the spirit and with understanding, oh magnify the Lord.

 

Thought For Today:  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. (James 4:8)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2 April 2021

 

Baptism

 

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3)

 

Today’s Morsel:  One of the significances of being baptized is being buried with Christ.  It is burying the old you in the likeness of Christ’s death.  Jesus died and was buried, but He rose on the third day.  But some folks do not understand its importance.  Some churches do not even offer people an opportunity to be baptized.  Peter said that baptism doth now save us (1 Peter 3:20-22).  You cannot be saved without baptism (Mark 16:15-18).  Obedience to the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection.  Paul states, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:4-5).  On the Day of Pentecost, they asked Peter and the other apostles what they should do for their wrong, to which Peter replied, “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.” (Acts 2:38-39)  If you have never been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you most definitely want to get it done.  You do not want to hear Jesus say, “Depart from me I do not know you."

 

Sing:  Are you washed in the blood, in the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?  Are your garments spotless? Are the white as snow, are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

 

Thought For Today: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:27) 

 

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 1 April 2021

 

Spiritual Abundance

“How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” (Psalms 36:7-9)

 

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things that the Psalmist informs us about God is, that in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.  When we put our trust in God and become born again of the water and the spirit, we enter that realm of abundance that only God has.  There is an abundance of joy, an abundance of power, an abundance of grace, an abundance of mercy, and an abundance of life, just to name a few.  We should be overflowing with spiritual abundance in our lives.  The apostle Paul informs us, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)  God has everything that we need.  Even the apostle Peter informs us that there is an abundant entrance that can be obtained into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ if we will just add to our faith (2 Peter 1:11).  If you feel as though you are lacking in life, then ask yourself why?  Because whatever you need God has got it, and He is waiting to give it to you for the asking and obedience.

Sing:  So, whatever you need, God's got it.  So, whatever you need, God's got it.  So, whatever you need, God's got it, He’s got it and He’s waiting to give it to you.

Thought For Today: “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” Psalms 36:9