Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 8

Joy

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:9-11)

Today’s Morsel: Stress oftentimes lives and works where joy is absent. Nehemiah states that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10). When the joy of the Lord is missing from our hearts, it makes it easy for Satan to plant doubt and evil thoughts in our minds. Joy is not happiness. Joy is a trait or character which comes with the Holy Spirit, and it should always be in you because of Christ’s Spirit that is in you. If you say that you have His Spirit in you, then you should be able to control the evils such as depression, fear, loneliness, stress, despondency, and all the gloom and doom that trying to discourage you and bring you down. Jesus said that He had told us His Word so that we would know that His joy is in us and that our joy would be full. Is your joy full? David said, “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalms 16:8-11) If your joy is missing, then spend time back in the presence of the Lord so that you will become full.

Sing: In His presence, is fullness of joy, at His right hand, there’s pleasures forever more. O what fellowship divine, I am His and He is mine. In the presence of the Lord, there’s fullness of joy.

Thought For Today: “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 7

Witnesses

“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.” (Isaiah 43:10-12)

Today’s Morsel: When is the last time you’ve told someone about Jesus? When we are born again, we are chosen to become witnesses for Christ of His death, burial, and resurrection. If those in your own household do not know what it means to be saved, what are you a witness of. No child, spouse, co-worker, nor neighbor should be able to say, I never heard the gospel, if you say that you are born-again. Your life ought to be a witness of what Jesus has done in your life, and it should prompt them to question you about your salvation and what they should do to be saved the same as the man in Acts 16, ask Paul and Silas. Peter states: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10) Go and tell people about Jesus. You have nothing to lose and they have everything to gain. 

Sing: Are you past the point of weary? Is your burden weighin' heavy? Is it all too much to carry? Let me tell you 'bout my Jesus. 

Do you feel that empty feeling? 'Cause shame's done all its stealin' and you're desperate for some healin,' Let me tell you 'bout my Jesus.

… He makes a way where there ain't no way, rises-up from an empty grave, ain't no sinner that He can't save, Let me tell you 'bout my Jesus. 

His love is strong, and His grace is free; And the good news is I know that He, can do for you what He's done for me, let me tell you 'bout my Jesus,
and let my Jesus change your life … Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen. Amen. 

 

Thought For Today: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isaiah 52:7)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 6

Sin Is Too Hard For You To Carry

“Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.” (Proverbs 13:15)

Today’s Morsel: There are many people trying to carry their sin by themselves and all alone. But you cannot carry your sins by yourself. They are too burdensome and heavy. If you hold sand in your hand, it feels light. But put that same sand in a five-gallon pail, and you may need someone to help you carry it. This is how sin is. When you are playing in it and participating it in, it doesn’t seem heavy or burdensome, but once it becomes a part of your life, you soon realize just how heavy it is for you to try carrying it. You need someone to help you. And this is where Jesus comes in. Scripture says: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) Peter told the people on the Day of Pentecost, when they asked him what they should do; he stated: “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.” (Acts 2:38-39) You must understand that you cannot carry sin by yourself. You need a helper. Even Cain told the Lord, “And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.” (Genesis 4:13) When we understand that the wage of sins is death, we ought to be ready to unload them as quickly as we can and never take them up again. As Paul said, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Romans 6:14) You must get dominion over your sin, or they will destroy you.  And Jesus is the only answer.  

Sing: I came to Jesus weary worn and sad; He took my sins away; He took my sins away. And now His love has made my heart so glad, He took my sins away.

He took my sins away. He took my sins away, and He keeps me singing every day. I’m so glad he took my sins away, He took my sins away.

Thought For Today: “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 5

Hear Counsel

“Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.” (Proverbs 19:20)

Today’s Morsel: A good end state starts with listening early. The earlier a child is taught to listen and obey, the more likely they are to grow-up listening and obeying. To be counted among the wise in the end requires you to listen to advice and be willing to accept discipline when it is given today. Counsel and instructions are for our good. Solomon says that we ought to hear counsel, and receive instruction, that we may be wise in the end. He continues with these words: “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:8-10) Paul tells us that: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Most people only pass the test when they listen, read, know, and follow the instructions.

Sing: I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; but I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to Thee. 

Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died; Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, to Thy precious bleeding side.

Thought For Today: “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” (Proverbs 17:27-28)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 4

Don’t Move That Fence

“Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” (Proverbs 22:28)

Today’s Morsel: Often, people like to remove things before they know why they were put there. G. K. Chesterton states: "Don't ever take a fence down until you know the reason why it was put up."  Chesterton was saying that you need to know why the fence was put there before you start removing it. There may be danger ahead of you. It may have been placed there for direction and guidance. It may have been for livestock’s protection from wild animals. Or to keep a child from wandering off while playing in the yard. For whatever reason, we must know the reason before we move it. This scripture may seem as though it is speaking to the natural, and it may be, but the book of proverbs is often a warning against disregard for foundational truths, doctrines, and customs established by past generations. It is a call for integrity, a respect for inherited wisdom, and caution against subtle dishonesty that erodes established principles and boundaries. That fence may be to show land marking and property ownership. If you move it for your own gain, it will surely reveal your dishonesty to others.

Sing: There shall be light in the evening time; the path to glory you will sure find, through the water way; it is the light today, baptized in Jesus’ name. Young and old repent of all your sins, then the Holy Ghost will enter in, the evening time has come; tis a fact that God and Christ are one.

Thought For Today: “Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.” (Deuteronomy 19:14)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 3

Are You Going To Stay Down Or Get Up?

“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” (Proverbs 24:16)

Today’s Morsel: Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to quit then to continue? Failure doesn’t mean that you are done. Failure just means that you may have missed a step, or that there is something that you need to learn in this point of your failure. I believe that failure, like fear, is from the enemy of our soul. Failure desires to keep us down, because of the evil impact that it will have on our lives. Many people may see the apostle Peter as a failure because he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink when he was doing good walking on the water. Peter didn’t fail. He just allowed his situation to cause him to take his focus off Jesus, and to put them on himself and his surroundings. Even though he’s seen as a failure, he did not allow that to stop him. He remained a disciple of Christ and went on to do what Jesus said that he would do and become. He could have quit and stayed down from this one falling (failure), but he didn’t, he kept getting back up and continuing on. You can’t allow your failures to stop you, or you will never know what you can be, see, and become. Life is filled with men and women who fail. But we don’t often read of their failures, we only read of their accomplishments and greatness. All because they did not allow their failures to keep them down. So, get up.

Sing: Get up! Get up! Get up in Jesus’ name. The Lord is calling daily to those that would be saved.  Don’t go down defeated when victory is here to claim. So, get up, get up, get up, in Jesus Name.

Thought For Today: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9)   

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2025 November 1

 Turn Around

“A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.” (Proverbs 27:12)

Today’s Morsel: Most people who have a hard time reading their Bible through in a year are oftentimes not reading for application for themselves, but for showing and committing it to others. They are oftentimes not looking for how it applies to themselves and their life, but rather to the life of others.  The application of scripture is designed to allow us to see who we are, where we are, and then to make the appropriate life adjustments. The psalmist states: “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” (Psalms 36:9) When we read God’s word, it ought to open our understanding so that we can apply what it says to our life. Notice what the writer says: A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished. When scripture reveals evil to us, we ought to be smart and wise enough to not go that way. God is saying, I’m showing you what is bad for you, so turn around or suffer the consequences (my wording). Only a fool takes a dog by the ears. 

Sing: Jesus! Jesus! You know what’s best for me. So, lead on, Jesus, I’ll go wherever You lead.

Thought For Today: “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13)