"You Prepare a Table Before Me"

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies...."(Ps 23:5a)

I awoke at 03:00 and this came to me, so I thought I would share it.  

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," it is there our Good Shepherd, Jesus, spreads a feast for you and me, and He invites us to dine with Him, right there, "in the presence of mine enemies."  It is said of Field Marshal Montgomery that no matter how intense the battle, he would always partake of the British "afternoon tea."  I wonder if that was unnerving to the enemy, that even though the threat was great he could not take away "the table."  In today's early morning hours, the thought came to me that I could say to His Satanic Majesty, "So you are threatening me?  Well, watch while I eat a great meal with my Good Shepherd."

"....The Lord Jesus On the same night in which He was betrayed took bread," On that night our Lord Jesus did not just "institute" Communion.  He prepared, "a table before," them.  It was a lavish Passover Meal, much food and drink.  The darkest hour of the three and a half year sojourn with the disciples was upon them and our Lord.  He was facing betrayal, mockery, beatings, torture, and the unimaginable, "even the death of the cross."  Yet here He was, "a table before [Him] in the presence of my enemies."  Jesus wrote the book on "No Fear."  

A footnote here:  John 20: 7 says, "And the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself."  I have heard explanations for this, but I read a piece about table manners which said that the purpose of the folded napkin is "to signal to servers that the person who is eating is not finished yet and will be returning.  Once the person is finished, they will crumble the napkin."  How about a good old Marine "OORAH!" here.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for the promise that I need not worry or fret in any situation.  I can sit down with and in You at Your Table.  Amen.

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Read, "Obama's Rules for Revolution": www.apf327.blogspot.com

Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

Extravagant Love

"....A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table." (Matthew 26:7)

We then read that the "communists" around that table said, "Why this waste?" I wonder if they would have said what they did if they only realized in Whose Presence they were, as if Jesus were insensitive to, "the poor."  This was love, appreciation, thanksgiving and worship, "poured on His Head."

Only the people who know Jesus can understand, "Why this waste?"!!  To you and me this is no waste, no waste in anything we do to and for Jesus Christ, no waste in worship, prayer, serving and caring for people, loving neighbor as ourselves-------no waste.  Nothing of love, affection, thanksgiving, worship is too extravagant for Jesus, of Whom Titus 2:14 tells us, "....gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works."  You and I are a part of, "His own special people"; think of it, "His own special people."  This is not humanistic "special people"  This is Divine, "Own special people."   

The physical body of our Lord is not "here" today, and we have no oil to pour on His Head.  But Jesus said, "It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you."  Yet each day you and I have ample opportunities to pour oil on the Head of our Lord Jesus Christ.  We pour, "fragrant oil on His Head," by prayerful worship, feeding in and obeying His Words, "go and do thou likewise," to humanity, and, "inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me today to see the many opportunities to open my, "alabaster flask."  Amen.     

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Read: Iraq is "Breaking Apart": www.apf327.blogspot.com

Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

What About Your Capitol City?

"For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them.  I appeal to Caesar." (Acts 24:11)

It is a sad day indeed when a Covenant person has to, "appeal to Caesar," against other Covenant people.  Yet Paul new that if he went back to Jerusalem, he would most likely be killed; hence, "I appeal to Caesar."

I also suggest another reason, however, for Paul's, "appeal to Caesar."  It is found in his letter to the Philippians, "All the Christians here would like to send their best wishes, particularly those who belong to the emperor's household" (Phillip's N. T.). The Book of Acts takes us from Jerusalem to Rome, eventually right into, "the emperor's household."  Paul took "the battle for the hearts and minds of men" right into the living quarters of the Empire's "chief executive."   

Paul's previous journeys had taken him to major cities of the Roman Empire.  You will remember Athens, Capitol of the Ancient Greek Empire, center of intellectual rebellion against the Living Triune God, but where Paul led the "seekers" of Mars Hill to Jesus, and Corinth, capitol of the Achaia Province, "which included southern Greece."  And, it is written of our Lord Jesus, "And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem."  Now we know that He was, "journeying toward Jerusalem," because, as He said, "....it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem."  But why?  In a sense, Jerusalem had become a stronghold against the reign of God in Israel, and it was there Jesus, "destroyed the works of the Devil."  Another reason? Jerusalem is the Capitol of, "city of the great King," to which He will return.  All this reveals that God is God of "strategic" cities.  I believe this is the reason that He charged me with Jerusalem, Berlin, Washington, DC.  

I believe also there is something to be said of state capitols and county seats.  Have you ever considered prayer journeys to yours?  Why have capitol cities been the ultimate objective in war?  They are the seats of authority, power, the laws, and the place where all decisions are made which affect a people group.  Impact the capitols and you impact the culture.  Precedent?  In just 3 centuries the Followers of Jesus took over the Roman Empire.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray for provision to continue to storm the capitols.  Amen.

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Excellent Article on America and "The Arab Spring": www.apf327.blogspot.com

Unreached People Group: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

Bouncing Off the Walls

"They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in....Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.  And He led them forth by the right way...." (Psalm 107:4, 6, 7)

When I was a little boy, we used to go to Kennywood Park, just across the river from our home in McKeesport, which is in the Pittsburgh, Pa Metro Area.  I don't remember the name of it, but one of my favorite rides was a car you got in and it went around a curvy track.  The great thing about it was that you could actually steer the car and keep it from hitting and bouncing off the sides of the track.  On the other hand, if you let go of the wheel the car would just bounce back and forth between the railings of the track.  

Life is like that.  Be intentional and allow Jesus to steer then we travel a straight course.  Take the "I'll-take-my-chances," hands off approach, and we are just like that little car, literally "banging off the walls." 

"The wilderness," was not God's intention for the Jews.  "They wandered in the wilderness," because, as the previous Psalm tells us, "they... rebelled by the sea."  The Hebrews could have taken a straight course to the Land of Promise.  Instead, they let go of the "wheel," and, "wandered," back and forth, "in the wilderness."   

Every time I go through the Bible I see this principle at work: God has given humanity a lot of leeway in our sojourn.  Just look at life around you and you see an abundance of ungodly, "banging-off-the-walls" activity.  When we rebel, we are like that little car bouncing back and forth against life, or, as the Jews in our text, just going down one wrong path after another.  Yet the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ is like that railed track.  Every redeemed soul should be thankful that even though we bounce back and forth in our self-will, as we look back on our lives we see the "Railing" of God.  He has not allowed us or the nations to go completely off "track."  And to those who, as the prodigal, "came to himself," the amazing grace of Father is revealed, "Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.  And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place."

Father, in Jesus' Name, my self-will has too often taken me to the "edge."  Thank You for keeping me.  Amen.

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Unreached Peoples: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

"Nuclear Iran...Past...Point of No Return: www.apf327.blogspot.com

 

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2

Who Are, "My Anointed Ones"?

"Do not touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets no harm." (Psalm 105:15)

God will deal with all those who disobey this command.  We can, however, take another lesson from our text.  "'Touch My anointed ones, and do My prophets' [good]."  

"The Word of God," our Lord Jesus Christ, loves and cares for His People.  If He reigns in me, I will do the same.  Any time we invest in, pray for, "touch...and do...prophets," good, Father smiles upon us.  It is incumbent upon us, though, to keep in mind in this age of bishops, apostles, and "super apostles," that, "My anointed ones," are not just people who "get paid" to be such, i.e., "full-time" people.  Any person in whom Jesus Christ lives is a part of, "My anointed ones."  

Too many times religious people associate "anointing" with powerful preaching, smooth-mouthed teachers, "deeply spiritual" leaders, or, "Wow, what great revelation and power," and show little respect, if any, for "common" fellow Believers.  The Bible tells us there is an anointing upon all who Follow Jesus Christ, and we would all be the wiser if we would listen also to those who do not carry the tags.

John was writing to all Followers of Jesus when he penned, "As for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you.  But as His anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit--just as it has taught you, remain in him."  The, "anointing teaches You," and me to, "remain in him."  If you want to discern, "the anointing," which is, "His anointing," look for those who, "remain in Him."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I realize that Your, "anointed ones," are not just "full time" ministers.  Show me more and more opportunities to "touch" your anointed ones wherever and whenever I can.  Amen.

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Lady Gaga, gaga Replaces Serious History Studies
at American Universities: www.apf327.blogspot.com
Unreached Peoples:          www.unreachedpeoples.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"

Hebrews 12:2