Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 January 31

“A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations” (Psalms 100:1-5).

Today’s Morsel: I often wonder why many Christians are serving the Lord out of fear instead of joy.  Some folks seem to see God in the light of a terrible judge instead of a loving and kind father.  If we would get into the habit of seeing God as a loving and caring father instead of a cruel and mean dictator, we would see how easy it is to serve Him with joy.  If God didn’t love us, He wouldn’t have saved us and called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.  We are now the sheep of His pasture.  He is now our Great Shepherd and the protector of our soul.  So why fear Him?  Every day we have an opportunity to come before His presence and find help in the time of need because we are His.  What is so great about all this?  Everyone that will come unto Him can receive the same thing.  As David said, “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Don’t serve God because of fear, but rather serve Him joyfully for His love.

Sing:  Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank You, Lord, for making me whole.  Thank You, Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation, so full and free.

Thought For Today:  The joy of the Lord is my strength.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 January 30

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

Today’s Morsel:  “A true, hearty, faithful friend loves in times of adversity as well as in times of prosperity.  There are many that are friends to others while they are in affluent circumstances; but when there is a change in their condition, and they are stripped of all riches and substance; then these same so-called friends forsake them, and stand at a distance from them; as was the case of Job (Job 19:14).  It is a very rare thing to find a friend that is a constant friend, such as one that is described in our opening scripture.  And our scripture says that a brother is born for adversity; for a time of adversity.  "He is born into the world for this purpose; to sympathize with his brother in distress, to relieve him, comfort and support him; and if he does not do this, when it is in his power to do it, he does not answer the end of his being born into the world,” says the Gills commentary.  Jesus said in John 15:13-14, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”  Are you a true friend and brother? 

Sing:  Friend, there will never be a friend, as dear to me as You, there will never be another, closer than a brother, Friend always worth the wait, faithful as the day, You say we are friends.

Thought For Today:  A friend loves at all time; and a brother is born for adversity.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 January 28

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. (Job 29:14)

Today’s Morsel:  If you ever observe some of the commercials for UNICEF or Compassion Services Organizations, many of them show pictures of people hungry and without clothing.  We see that when God created Adam and Eve, they were not clothed.  They were in a state of innocence until they sinned and then they knew that they were naked.  Isn’t it amazing that most people don’t know they are naked or who they are until they come into a relationship with Jesus?  Most people that wore sagging clothes or the bedroom look out into public, immediately see that they need to change when they have a true repentant heart with Christ.  Job said that he put on righteousness and it clothed him.  Do you now see why when people come in contact with Jesus with a broken spirit and a contrite heart, they change?  When they put on righteousness, which is Christ, which is the gospel, they see that their attire needs to be changed also.  They want to be clothed.  You don’t have to tell people what to wear, just give them the gospel in love and watch what Jesus will do in their heart.  If there is a true repentant heart, they will see for themselves and change.

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:  The best wardrobe is righteousness (Parker).

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 January 27

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof”
(Matthew 6:25-34).

Today’s Morsel:  So many people in the church today are afraid to step out on faith and sacrifice for fear of not having enough.  Their worry is for material things in this present life.  Jesus said that God knows what things we have need of.  And so He cautions us to not be concerned with these things, but to seek first the Kingdom of God and then those things we have need of materially will be added.  What is Jesus saying?  I believe what He is saying is this:  The Holy Ghost is the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:17).  It’s the most important thing that a person needs in their life.  And when we receive the Holy Ghost, and allow it to lead and guide us, we will be able to see the things that are truly important, and our focus will be on them, and they will become our needs and not our wants.  God is never said to provide our wants only our need.  If you live with a want mentality; you will never walk by faith, but rather only by sight.  Faith requires you not to lean on your own understanding, but it requires you to trust God always and listen to His voice.

Sing: I trust in God, wherever I may be, upon the land or on the roaring sea; for come what may, from day to day, my heavenly Father watches over, over, me.

I trust in God, I know He cares for me, upon the land, or on the raging sea; though billows roar, He keeps my soul, my Heavenly Father, watches, over, over me.

Thought For Today:  The Holy Ghost will keep your mind off wants (Parker).

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 January 26

Elihu spake moreover, and said, Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's? For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. (Job 35:1-5).

Today’s Morsel:  I think in today’s world, many do not take into consideration the consequence of sin.  I think people believe that they are going to live forever or that there isn’t any consequence for wrong.  Paul said that so many have been blinded by Satan to the truth of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4:2-4).  There is punishment for sin.  Ask those who are serving prison terms for their wrong actions.  Ask those who are fired from their job for not showing up on time.  Ask those in the military who went AWOL or disobeyed their leader’s orders.  Ask the children of Israel when they disobeyed God.  All sin has consequences.  Elihu told Job, You ask what advantage will it be unto thee? And, what profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? He said, I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.  He said, Sin is expressly against God; it is contrary to his nature, as any opposites can be to each other.  It is against his law, a breach and violation of it; and so against his supreme legislative power and authority, and a contempt of it; it is what He is angry with and is provoked by, being what he hates and abhors, and is abominable in his sight. So, what advantage is there for us to be free from sin?  There is an advantage in every area of our life and in every way. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Sing:  Sin can never enter there, sin can never enter there; So, if at the judgment bar, sinful spots your soul shall mar, you can never enter there.

Thought For Today:  Take every opportunity to stay clean by the Word.

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 January 25

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit”
(Hebrews 6:1-3).

Today’s Morsel:  It seems that many are graduating from college in hopes of bettering themselves, and having opportunities for a better job, jobs that offer them better pay.  But I am afraid that perhaps most of them that are graduating, are graduating without having been taught anything about ethics or godly principles and values to guide them during their day to day life.  Jesus admonishes us, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 16:26)?  If we have a degree without principles, it is just a piece of paper.  But if we have godly values and principles guiding us with that degree, then we will see how valuable it can be.  Let us go on to perfection.  In a comparative sense, to a more perfect knowledge of things, which the clear revelation and ministry of the Gospel leads to.  You don’t need to be taught everything in life by the school of hard knocks.

Sing:  Learning to lean, I’m learning to lean, I’m learning to lean on Jesus.  Finding more power than I’ve ever dreamed, I’m learning to lean on Jesus!

Thought For Today:  You don’t need to be taught everything in life by the school of hard knocks. (Parker)

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 2017 January 24

"Unto the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent” (Revelation 2:1-5).

Today’s Morsel:  They say that the divorce rate in the church is as high as those of the people in the world.  One would have to wonder what is going on that this is happening in the church.  Isn’t God love (1 John 4:8)? Doesn’t He tell us to love others the way that He has loved us (1 John 4:11)?  Didn't He say that greater love has no man than this that a man would lay down his life for a friend (John 15:13)?  Aren’t husbands and wives supposed to be the best of friends?  Aren’t we told that love is the mark of a true disciple of Christ (John 13:35)?  So why is there even any divorce in the church?  I believe the answer lies in the fact that many leave their first love, which is Christ.  When you put God after anything else, that thing isn’t going to last.  And that includes a marriage.  If you want your marriage to last, then you must keep love in its first place; as it (love) is the bond of perfectness (Colossians 3:14).

Sing: I love Him! I love Him! Because He first loved me. He purchased my salvation, on Calvary!

Thought For Today:  Love is the bond of perfectness.   (Paul)