Invited

Invited

Revelation 19: 9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

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Receiving my first invitation to a wedding felt special and strange. I had never been invited to a wedding by myself. I went and saw the couple exchange their vows. At the reception, they sat me with family members who made me feel like I was part of their family.

• I felt honored to be invited.
• I felt special, even though it was not my special day.
• I felt part of the family for a moment.

John, the disciple JESUS loved, was told to write something special. He was told how blessed people are who are invited to the marriage feast of the LAMB. John, possibly hearing the words with astonishment, may have needed the angel to add some assurance. The angel said , “These are the true sayings of God.”

My Observations:

• GOD gave me free will to choose HIM.
• My service to HIM includes serving people and telling people about the great news about CHRIST.
• I will be invited based on true belief in JESUS as my Savior and my clothes in heaven will be representative of any service I did that was acceptable to GOD.

Being invited someplace is an honor. I mean, Being wanted, desired and needed really feels great! When GOD invited me, HE wants, desires and needs me. But what do I have to offer? Nothing. HE has it all and still want, desires and needs me.

GOD invites you and me to participate in life HIS way, every day. HE places people in front of us and wants us to show HIS love and listen for opportunities to share the love of JESUS with our mouth to the right person. I am grateful for GOD’s invitation.

Challenge

• Why do you think the writer had to be told “These are the true sayings of God.?”
• Have you ever been invited to something?
• Will you accept GOD’s invitation to live inside you when HE knocks on your heart today?

Clean Shining Linen

Clean Shining Linen

Revelation 19: ⁵ Then there came from the throne the sound of a voice, saying, “Praise our God, all his servants and all people, both great and small, who have reverence for him!” ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a crowd, like the sound of a roaring waterfall, like loud peals of thunder. I heard them say, “Praise God! For the Lord, our Almighty God, is King! ⁷ Let us rejoice and be glad; let us praise his greatness! For the time has come for the wedding of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself for it. ⁸ She has been given clean shining linen to wear.” (The linen is the good deeds of God's people.)

 

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Feeling pretty hungry, I decided to leave work and go to lunch. I looked in my wallet and had just enough money to buy my lunch. Yes, I said money and not a debit card. I knew of a place that I could get a full meal for the amount I had. I ran into a person who asked me for some money.

 

• I had to decide if I was going to eat or help this person eat.
• I had only enough money for one person to eat.
• I missed lunch that day.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw an amazing sight. He witnessed every person who believed in and served the living GOD, wearing “clean shining linen.” He then was given where the clothes came from. “The linen is the good deeds of GOD’s people.”

 

My Observations:

• GOD wants me to be one of “HIS people” so I can enjoy an eternal relationship with HIM.
• GOD sees every deed I did and will do, and HE turns the good ones into “clean shining linen.”
• I sometimes question why do good, when I have problems that need a good deed.

 

“What about me?” is the question I sometimes ask GOD. I mean, it seems like when I have the least amount of money, someone comes up to me and asks for my last dollar. “Come on GOD, can’t YOU plan a little better?” I question HIM in frustration. BUT GOD is gentle with HIS response with me.

 

HE gently says to me “Do it this time and trust that I have much more for you.” I sigh and obey HIS leading. Every time I have done this, HE blesses me here on earth and in heaven. I then feel foolish that I did not want to serve in the first place. I am glad GOD gives me many opportunities to do HIS good deeds.

 

Challenge

• Does it seem like the writer was having a hard time describing what he saw and heard?
• Have you ever been faced with the dilemma of doing something good for someone versus taking care of your own dire need?
• Will you continue to seek doing GOD’s good deeds, knowing HE sees you and loves every good deed you do in JESUS name today?

Excuses

Luke 14: ¹⁵ Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

¹⁶ Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, ¹⁷ and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ ¹⁸ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ ¹⁹ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ ²⁰ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ ²¹ So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ ²² And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ ²³ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. ²⁴ For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

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“Will you tell people about GOD in a 30 second message?” someone asked me. Afraid of offending my following and for fear of my job, I said “Not this time, I believe someone else should do this.”

• I remember times when I was too important to speak about GOD.
• I can recall moments when I could have spoken about GOD, but did not.
• I reflect on times when GOD wanted me to speak on HIS behalf, but something “I” wanted got in the way.

JESUS seems to be telling a statement rather than a story as HE speaks to the crowd. HE spoke of three people who made excuses for not coming to the “Great Supper.” Possessions, business or jobs and family were the excuses made for not answering the Master’s call. What should I do when GOD calls me?

• GOD wants me to respond when HE calls me to do something for HIM.
• GOD calls me to serve HIM daily, all I have to do is listen.
• GOD wants me to be excited about speaking about HIS SON, especially to those who will hear it.

Age, race, gender, time, health, finances or worry are all great reasons for me not to speak about GOD. I mean I’m only one person right? Kinda. GOD wants me to see I will always have an excuse not to speak about HIM. There will never be a good time for me to talk about HIM. BUT GOD is still worthy to be praised.

HE wants me to see opportunity to speak about HIM on a daily basis. No longer am I ashamed of JESUS and HE is no longer ashamed of me.

• Are you making excuses for not speaking about GOD?
• Do you speak about GOD only during times of plenty?
• Can you stop being ashamed of GOD and speak of HIS grace today?

Crashing the Banquet

Matthew 22: ⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

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Delicious food was just sitting there in the hallway. I was starving and headed towards the wonderful aroma. “Do you have your badge?” said the hotel attendant with a stern voice. “Um, no” was my pitiful reply. It seemed like everyone around could hear the conversation so they all looked at me.

• There were places I wanted to see but did not have a ticket.
• There were events I wanted to be involved in but I did not have a pass.
• There were concerts I wanted to hear but I did not get my ticket in time.

Embarrassed, disappointed and upset were my feelings when I had the chance to get a ticket or a pass but I waited and they were all gone, therefore I missed out. JESUS’s parable was about missing out. HE gave people a chance to come to HIS wedding but they rejected HIM as the Messiah.

One person who tried to crash the banquet was immediately noticed because they had no wedding clothes on. JESUS was illustrating how those who accept HIM will be given “new clothes.”

• JESUS wants me to answer HIM when HE calls me the first time.
• JESUS gives me many changes to follow HIM but some day those chances will run out.
• JESUS allows me to reject HIM over and over, but if my rejection persists, then HE will ultimately reject me.

GOD’s grace is limitless to those who “believe” in the SON. Unfortunately HE has no tolerance for those who do not. HE will toss them out of HIS presence forever, saying “I invited you over and over.”  I choose to live for JESUS daily so I can enjoy the official Wedding Feast.

• Are you rejecting JESUS?
• Do you feel there are many roads to heaven?
• Can you accept JESUS as the only name who can save you eternally?

Time to Celebrate

Matthew 22: Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

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Christmas morning had arrived and the gifts were sitting under the tree. “Go on without me” were my whispered words because I had no idea how long the conference call would be. An “emergency” happened at work and all the leaders had to be on a call, even though my area was not affected.

• There have been times when I have been too busy to celebrate GOD.
• There have been times when I have been too exhausted to worship GOD.
• There have been times when I had so much to do that I could not even conceive how to have a moment with GOD.

“This is important” as if to say “GOD will understand my absence from worshipping HIM.” Work did interfere with daily worship as well as gathering together with others to worship. Taking vacation to serve others was unheard of because I “needed” time to unwind and relax, or at least I thought. BUT GOD wanted something else.

• GOD wants me to come to the celebration of HIS SON.
• GOD wants me to take a moment to sit at the banquet with HIS SON.
• GOD wants me to pay attention to HIS servants who talk about HIS SON.

As a created being, I should have as much time as the Creator desires. Unfortunately the things of the world distract me from paying attention to HIM. GOD wants me to celebrate HIS SON as much and often as possible.

• Are you too busy for GOD?
• Does worshipping GOD take too much effort?
• Can you make time today to worship JESUS?