Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 8 June 2021

 

Courage

 

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)

 

Today’s Morsel:  I often wonder what it must have been like for the disciples of Jesus when He told them that He was sending them forth as sheep in the middle of wolves.  Well, it has not changed.  Courage is to never let your actions be influenced by your fears.  As Jesus’ disciples, we too are sent forth as sheep in the middle of wolves.  If you have not felt or heard the yelling, roaring, hollering, and grinding of teeth, you have not been busy sharing the gospel.  Jesus wanted His disciples to know that sometimes sharing the gospel may cost your life.  Therefore, He wanted them to build up their courage and to know that in advance.  To be a good disciple of Jesus, you must have courage in the face of danger, rejection, and in all uncertainties.  Satan and his demonic force will do their absolute best to inflict fear in you.  But you must never forget that Jesus is with you and that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

 

Sing:  Greater is He that is in me.  Greater is He that is in me. Greater is He that is in me, than He that is in the world.

 

Thought for Today:  Courage is to never let your actions be influenced by your fears.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 7 June 2021

 

Choose The Right Target

 

“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” 

(Galatians 4:16)

 

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things about the truth is it can make people hate you, love you, and in some cases, it may cause others to desire to hurt you.  When people are wrong and they know that they are wrong, and you confront them about their wrong, prepare to be rebuked.  Solomon states, “He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.” (Proverbs 9:7) Once you correct a scorner you become a target.  Paul asks the church if he became their enemy because he had told them the truth.  Jesus said that the truth would make you free.  If you want to be made free, then you must allow others to tell you the truth and you must love the truth they tell you.  The truth does not destroy you; the truth saves you.  Anytime you get angry with someone who tells you the truth, you are aiming at the wrong target.

 

Sing: Are you ready should the Savior call today?  Would Jesus say “well done” or “go away”?  My home is for the pure, the vile can never stay, we shall see the King when He comes.

We shall see the King, we shall see the King, we shall see the King when He comes.  He's coming in power, we’ll hail the blessed hour; we shall see the King when He comes.

 

Thought For Today: There are enough targets to aim at without firing at each other.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 5 June 2021

 

There Is Nothing Final About A Mistake.

 

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” (Psalms 37:23-24)

 

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things about moving on to perfection is you are going to make some mistakes.  There is nothing final about a mistake except it's being taken as final. When they asked Albert Einstein if we felt like a failure because he had tried over 10,000 times and the light bulb had not yet worked. He replied No. I have just learned over 10,000 ways that it does not work.  We all make mistakes.  We say and do things that we know that we should not, and then we beat ourselves up because of it.  That is not the thing to do.  The thing we do is, ask for forgiveness, repent, and start anew and go on. The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord, and though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down.  God will pick him up. There is nothing final about a mistake.  The Bible is filled with folks who made mistakes, and God still used them for His glory. And you are no exception.  Allow God to use your mistakes to bring you closer to perfection!

 

Sing:  He’s changing me, my blessed Savior, I’m not the same person that I used to be.  Well, it’s been slow going, but there’s a knowing, that someday perfect I will be.

 

Thought For Today:  There is nothing final about a mistake, except it's being taken as final.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 4 June 2021

 

Defeated

 

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
(Romans 8:28-31)

 

Today’s Morsel:  Over 20 years ago, I wrote a book entitled, “If God Be For Us, Who Can Be Against Us?”  I wanted to encourage folks to realize whose side they were on.  There are so many who are defeated so quickly.  Even today we hear of many who are committing suicide or are on excessive medications for depression and sleepless nights.  While others live in fear and anxiety.  And I ask myself how can these things be since believers are filled with all power.  Why are so many so quickly defeated?  We are never defeated unless we give up on allowing God to work.  The psalmist states, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” (Psalms 118:6-8)  Listen, Jesus did not bring you out of the world to leave you.  The same way that he delivered Israel out of Egypt and bondage, He has delivered you. So why should we be defeated when victory is already ours?

Sing: Victory is mine!  Victory is mine!  Victory today is mine.  I told Satan to get thee behind; victory today is mine.

 

Thought for Today: We are never defeated unless we give up on allowing God to work.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 3 June 2021

 Faith Still Works

 

“Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.” 

(Joshua 10:12-14)

 

Today’s Morsel:  When is the last time you put your faith into action?  Scripture tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  Therefore, if we want to please God, then we need to start exercising our faith.  When was the last time you told the waiter or waitress that came to wait on you about your faith?  When was the last time you told your boss about your faith?  What about your coworker?  Closer to home, what about your neighbors?  One of the things that God spoke to me about ten years ago, was that when people asked me to pray for them about a situation or circumstance was not to say that I would pray about it for them about it, but rather pray right there with them about the need.  If I was on the phone with others who asked for prayer, then to pray right then and there.  Others come to you for prayer because they know that you are a Christian.  As Christians, we need to exercise our faith in every situation and circumstance.  God will work if we give Him something to do.   As Jesus said, “Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:19-20) Faith furnishes prayer with wings, without which it cannot soar to heaven.  Joshua made both the sun and moon stand still because of his faith.  God listened to him.  Let's put our faith into action and watch God work.  

 

Sing: Faith can move mountains, mountains of fear and of doubt.  Faith can move mountains, so why don’t you try your faith out.

 

Thought For  Today: “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2 June 2021

 

The Failure of The Church

 

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
(Mark 16:15-18)

 

Today’s Morsel:  I am afraid that we, as a church, are failing. We have allowed the ways of the world to impact who we are as a people of God.  Over 2000 years ago, Jesus taught His disciples what they were to be, know, and do.  But somewhere the church is failing to continue on in this way.  Paul told the church at Philippi the things you have seen in me do, and the God of love and peace shall be with you.  If the church will just preach the gospel and stop trying to preach about what people are going through and where they are in their lives, the gospel will bring them out of darkness into light.   If we only meet folks where they are, they will always want us to meet them where they are when we preach. And if we keep trying to meet them where they are, and we are going to wear ourselves out and lose focus of what we have been commissioned to do.   The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  People need to die to self, get baptized in Jesus’ name, and walk in newness of life.  If we do not get back to preaching and teaching the gospel, we are going to keep failing as a church.  Racism, prejudice, and divisions are just a few examples that the church is failing.  If we preach the gospel, it will bring folks out of darkness and unto His marvelous light.  Let's get back to the simplicity of the Truth of God's word.  

 

Sing: Let me walk in the light, in the great gospel light, let me walk in the gospel light.  Till my journey is over and I travel no more, let me walk in the gospel light.

 

Thought For Today:  The gospel still works.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 1 June 2021

 

Mourning Into Joy

 

“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness”

(Psalms 30:5-11)

 

Today’s Morsel:  One of the things about warfare is that it is nasty business.  People get hurt, wounded, sick, and even killed. They fear, they cry, they laugh, they weep, and they sometimes go AWOL (absent without leave).  As soldiers of the Lord, you must be able to pick yourself up.  You must not hang your harps on the willow, mourn, and quit.  You can, but it will not stop the enemy from attacking you.  As a matter of fact, if the enemy knows that you are despondent and without hope, that you are with low self-esteem, he is going to attack you even more.  That is why you must pick yourself up.  David said that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning, And he has turned my mourning into dancing.  When the SUN comes up in the morning, that is a sign for you to get up.  A good mad minute of prayer and praise can change the way you feel about things and turn your mourning into dancing and your sorrows into joy.  Give it a try this morning!

 

Sing: You have turned my mourning into dancing.  You have turned my sorrow into joy.  This is how we overcome.  This is how we overcome.  You have turned my mourning into dancing. You have turned my sorrow into joy.

 

Thought For Today: When is the last time you’ve danced before the Lord?