Sun, Feb 27th - 8:29PM

DINNER WITH JESUS CHRIST

Brothers and sisters, praise our God for He is good, and His mercy endures forever. Most of us know this but let us keep it continually in our remembrance that Jesus Christ did not take our place on the cross as a substitution for us. Jesus Christ has no substitute, because Jesus our sinless Messiah was the only one acceptable to God as the sole and only perfect sinless sacrifice to make the final, eternal, permanent payment for all the sins of whomsoever will believe in Him. Salvation is UNMERITED, unearnable, unbuyable and unrepayable. Salvation had to be given as a gift of mercy and grace for this very reason.

Now, holy people, we know some in error sincerely believe that they have or had a work to do in gaining their salvation. However, the Bible stands absolute: all human works of righteousness is as filthy rags, ( Isa 64:6). The New Covenant also declares:  Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

 Rom 4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works…

Some stubbornly insist that the sinner has to repent, although this is true it is because: AMP Ro 2: 4Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking--seek His purpose for your life]?

Anyone who does not eat the absolute truth that salvation is a free gift of God, without human works, must repent, and come believing God for it is impossible for God to lie.

Holy people, we continue with our dinner with Lord Jesus. Jesus Christ is the most utterly holy and powerful human being who ever walked on the face of the earth among men, and He never ceased from being God the Son.  Then here comes in Mary to anoint Jesus with her costly box of ointment. She catches criticism, except from Jesus Christ. This is a beautiful narrative; however, the Bible holds nothing back about Mary, and paints her frankly as a woman of ill reputation, it is likely from sexual immorality.  

Apparently, she was paid well for her services, as evidenced in her acquisitions of the costly ointment. Whoever paid her had substantial wealth and power as she had not been put to death as required under the Levitical law, (Deu 22:21).

It was no secret of who and what she was- a sinner as evidenced in Luk 7:37; Luk 7:39. There can be no doubt that Jesus Christ knew who and what she was. However, he did not reject her. One ponders, brethren, if even today there are those reading this story who believe that this woman was too dirty, too great a sinner to even be in the same room as Jesus Christ. However, brethren, we know that the gospel is not to be withheld from anyone, nor is it limited to law abiding citizens, the rich, the economically well off, or only poor people, for all have sinned and fallen short of the grace of God. God declares His message which is still unchanged:

 Luk 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Then, dearly beloveds, we must recall our Lord’s rebuke of those who considered themselves fine up standing religious leaders of His day:  Mat 21:32

Mon, Feb 21st - 8:06PM

DINNER WITH JESUS CHRIST

Brothers and sisters, those who sat with Jesus at dinner, could not have imagined the deadly earthly and supernatural warfare being waged by the kingdom of men and the kingdom of the devil against the Messiah. Each of these wicked kingdoms had in desperation made threats, plotted, schemed, set traps, even made up lies about Jesus, and paid conspirators to slander Jesus, in vain attempts to ruin Him and His ministry.

The devil earlier, in the wilderness, had tried to con Jesus out of the kingdom by deception and perverting scripture, which failed. The devil had even planted an inside man, Judas Iscariot among the disciples; no doubt in hopes of corrupting the ministry of Jesus Christ from within, that did not work either, Judas Iscariot was the only betrayer and thief amongst the disciples.

Lord Jesus had totally unnerved and rattled the cages of both men and devil, and so shaken their respective kingdoms to the core that they each concluded separately that the only way to save their kingdoms from being destroyed by Jesus was to kill Him. However, we see the nature of evil people, that their desires to kill, steal and destroy what is good ultimately aligns with their father the devil.

Brothers and sisters, we know that Jesus did not run away from His enemies scared, nor did He offer a compromise if only they would leave Him alone. Jesus would not be distracted He kept on doing good, healing, and preaching the gospel message, knowing it would cost Him His life.

Dearly beloveds, we must diligently note, and never allow it to slip that Jesus would go on and pay for our sins on the cross, but never as a substitute. We must keep this upfront continually, because there was no substitute acceptable to God for our sins except Lord Jesus Christ. Had Jesus Christ not voluntarily gone to the cross out of love even for His enemies, we would all have been destroyed by God in His wrath against sinners, there being no other suitable sacrifice to pay for our sins, even as the Bible declares:  Rom 9:29

And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

The fullness of time had come the world stood on the brink of the wrath of God. However, in mercy God sent His Son Jesus Christ. As the ark of Noah delivered him and those with him from the flood, as the blood of the lamb saved the first born in Egypt, (Exo 12:13), as Moses raised the bronze serpent that saved alive all who looked upon it, so, brethren, Jesus Christ would be raised on the cross, and His  body and His blood would save all who would look upon, rely upon, believe and entrust their spiritual well being to Him.

Wicked People do not pay for their sins in hell, because having rejected the only source of payment acceptable by God, which is the atonement made by Lord Jesus, they of themselves have nothing that God accepts as payment.  Therefore, in hell the wicked receive eternal punishment/condemnation/torment and are condemned to the lake of fire with the devil and his angels at the day of judgement.

Fri, Feb 18th - 7:34AM

DINNER WITH JESUS CHRIST

Brothers and sisters, let us look at this man, Jesus Christ, who never ceased to be God the Son, who sat at dinner made in His honor. We must resist/ wholly discard any false image of Lord Jesus Christ as touchy feely, warm, and fuzzy, weak, and wishy-washy, soft, fluffy, spouting off only sweetness and peace, looking like he is about to faint, for this has absolutely nothing to do with the real Jesus Christ.

Jesus declared Himself to be the strongest of the strong, and stronger than the devil: Jesus declares in an unequivocal way: Luke 11:21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

Jesus never came to make peace with this world system or the kingdom of men, nor the kingdom of the devil: Luk 12:51-53.

Jesus declares the absolute and only grounds of peace with Him, offers absolutely no compromise, no middle or neutral ground, no room for fence sitters:

Luk 11:23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

The devil, like never before seen on earth at the time of Lord Jesus’ ministry, was showing off how bad he was, raging, sending his demonic hoard to distress, harm and possess various men, women and even children. We note that demonic possession and or affliction was NEVER benign, but always harmful and deadly at times.

However, brethren, Jesus showed up, showed off His greater power, dominion, and authority directly against the devil and promptly cast the devil and his demons out of many.  

Brothers and sisters, the worst case of demonic possession seen at that time was a man possessed with the devil and a legion of his demons. It was as though the devil thought to challenge, taunt and intimidate Lord Jesus. Most certainly the devil had to have thought, wrongly, that the great number of devils he had with himself inside the body of the man would be too strong and too many for Lord Jesus to overcome and cast out:  Mar 5:15; Mar 5:18. Lord Jesus proved the devil wrong as always, for Jesus cast them all out and delivered the man and made him whole and sane again.

The devil at that time, dearly beloveds, before Jesus went to the cross and rose to life again, had the power of death: Heb 2:14. However, Jesus proved His power is greater than that of the devil. Jesus showed that He is the giver of life, able to overcome the devil, and even the grave.

Jesus fearlessly, boldly showed up, abundantly demonstrating that He had the power to give life to the dead when He raised a young girl to life, taking her by the hand saying, (Mark 5: 41) “Talitha cumi”. He did it again in the town of Nain for a poor widow’s son, touching the bier where the man lay saying, (Luk 7:14), “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise”.

He did it yet again in Bethany where he called a man named Lazarus who was rotting and dead in the grave 4 days saying: (Jhn 11:43), with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth”.

We know the aforementioned are not the only ones Jesus raised to life.

Saints (G40 hagios), this same Jesus Christ now risen to life forever more, we know that by His power, He delivered us and will deliver all who believe in Him from the power of darkness, into His kingdom of light forever, Col 1:13). Again, this same Jesus according to the word of God, brothers, and sisters, shall return bodily to bring all who believe to Himself forever:  1Th 4:16-18.

Holy people, when we dine with Jesus let us freely devour all that He puts before us spiritually of Himself, leaving our plates clean to His pleasure, for His body remains meat indeed for the hungry, and His blood remains drink indeed for the thirsty soul.

Mon, Feb 14th - 1:52PM

DINNER WITH JESUS CHRIST

Dearly beloveds, let us keep in mind with grateful hearts, that Jesus is not a Saviour who is far off but who lives in us, is our Advocate continually making intercession for us before the throne of His Father God and by Him God is made our Father too. Let us always be encouraged to pray without ceasing all kinds of prayers any length and anywhere of our choosing, knowing God is faithful:   1Jo 5:14

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

We do not have to figure out God's will for ourselves, brethren, as it is plainly written explicitly throughout scripture. It was necessary to correct a dear young woman praying to God to give her a big house and a new car. This was an unfortunate teaching that she had heard from someone. I had to lovingly tell her and show her in scripture the truth, that she needed to get a job so that she could pay for these things. She graciously received the truth for which I am glad. Brothers and sisters, let us continually trust in the word of God correctly interpreted and encourage everyone to do the same.

Brothers and sisters, the Bible tells us somethings about the people at the dinner table with Lord Jesus. Judas Iscariot was there, and some claim in error that he was a true Christian that lost his salvation. However, the truth is that he was never a genuine true believer, although Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve chosen by Lord Jesus.

Judas Iscariot was with Jesus throughout His ministry, saw the miracles, signs and wonders, heard the sermons and teachings of Lord Jesus but never believed in Him. The Bible gives us an intricate and deep example of what a truly evil person is like-that they would not believe the gospel message even if it came directly from the Son of God Himself.

Holy people, we know that evil people don’t come with a sign on their backs saying that they are evil. Judas Iscariot looked like a regular person, he lived, ate, with the other disciples who did not suspect what he was, until revealed by Lord Jesus, meaning he fooled them, but never Lord Jesus who said of Him:    Jhn 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? 71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

While Mary was anointing Lord Jesus with her costly ointment, we recall what Judas Iscariot said:  Jhn 12:5

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6

This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

Holy people, we can see the evidence of his greed and anger in that he had already calculated the sum of money he had lost the opportunity to steal, and never had any intentions of sharing or giving any of it to the poor. Even today among true believers there are those false believers, who even though they may attend church services, and fellowship with other Christians for a long time, do so for worldly gain, remaining unbelievers to the end, to their damnation. 

There is a warning here too, dearly beloveds, that continual unbelief is an indication that one does not really belong to Christ. God will not force anyone to believe in Jesus Christ, but there are eternal consequences for those who reject salvation. Let us also be cautioned against being hardened against helping the poor in need, as we are able.

Brothers and sisters, we know that it is possible to fool men but: 2Ti 2:19

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Sat, Feb 12th - 6:47PM

DINNER WITH JESUS CHRIST

Brothers and sisters, the Bible teaches us explicitly why as well as what God commands His people to eat spiritually. The Bible is also just as explicit in teaching us what God forever forbids us to NOT/EVER eat spiritually.

Therefore, holy people, God makes us fully conscious and aware that there are different kinds of spiritual food. God trains/instructs/guides/teaches all believers in His word to recognize/seek/partake of His spiritual food often, liberally, in explicit, exclusive, general, detail down to the minutiae, and shown to be found exclusively only on the Lord’s table. Brethren, it is our steady consumption of only that found on the Lord’s table which always leads us to spiritual wellbeing, acceptable to the Lord, and guarantees that we will produce good fruit.

How then shall one actually partake of this spiritual holy food found only on the Lord’s table, which is Christ Himself with the testimony of God in all He has done and commanded regarding His Son:

 AMP Jhn 6:47 47I assure you and most solemnly say to you, he who believes [in Me as Savior--whoever adheres to, trusts in, relies on, and has faith in Me--already] has eternal life [that is, now possesses it]. 48I am the Bread of Life [the Living Bread which gives and sustains life].

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Heb 11:6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

So holy brethren, the Lord’s table is explicitly, exclusively for His people, who are spiritually minded, who come to Him trusting in His word, knowing that it is impossible for God to lie therefore willingly, gratefully submitting to His will in obedience out of love in all matters pertaining to living godly lives publicly privately.

AMP Ro 8: 12So then, [a]brothers and sisters, we have an obligation, but not to our flesh [our human nature, our worldliness, our sinful capacity], to live according to the [impulses of the] flesh [our nature without the Holy Spirit]-- 13for if you are living according to the [impulses of the] flesh, you are going to die. But if [you are living] by the [power of the Holy] Spirit you are habitually putting to death the sinful deeds of the body, you will [really] live forever. 14For all who are allowing themselves to be led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Brothers and sisters, let us with open hearts and teachable minds go with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to dinner in Bethany that we would partake of Him, and be fed in our spirits in what ever we need by the power of the Holy Spirit in the presence of and the determinate will of God our Father, that we may grow thereby.

Brothers and sisters, Jesus dined with Many, but one of the remarkable persons was Mary, sister of Martha, their brother was Lazarus of the town of Bethany. She appears in several instances in scripture performing the same act of worship on Jesus each time. Some question whether it was the same woman each time, however, the Bible makes it clear that each instance refers to just this one woman:

The Bible specifically declares of none but this woman:  Jhn 11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

Jhn 11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

We go with Jesus to look back at His earthly ministry when He dined in Bethany:

John 12:1Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Dearly beloveds, again, the woman with the ointment in the alabaster box appears in several places in the gospel. It is a powerful, awe inspiring, encouraging, and comforting, story, but at the same time terrifying in its explicit rendering of one who valued Jesus above all and one who valued Him not at all. One who knew that the valuable treasure of the box of ointment and indeed all the earthly treasures of this earth were mere worthless trinkets in comparison to the holy treasure of heaven for all ages, the Christ Himself. One who saw the only thing of value in the room and on earth was money and what earthly pleasures it could buy. One valuing and seeking the eternal above all else, and one throwing the eternal away as valueless for the temporal.

We find no one in these renderings of scripture regarding the woman with the alabaster box is ever neutral. As we set our eyes on Lord Jesus Christ seated at the table, holy brethren, we know that He knows the hearts of all men: Heb 4:13

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Sun, Feb 6th - 6:15AM

DINNER WITH JESUS CHRIST

Brothers and sisters, thank God for sending His only begotten Son Jesus Christ into the world. Through Lord Jesus Christ we, and all who believe and receive the free gift, (Rom 5:16), of salvation have received the remission of all sins, spiritual wholeness, completeness, spiritual well -being, and peace with God the Father in perpetuity.  Moreover, dearly beloveds, we know that we have received one another through Jesus, to love, care and minister to one-another. Let us, holy brethren in one accord continually venerate and love our God with all of our hearts, with all of our minds, all of our strength and every fiber of our spirits for God is worthy.

Brothers and sisters, the scriptures make many explicit references to eating in a natural sense, but also in a spiritual sense as well. In fact, they are often compared and contrasted to one another. No doubt without physical food the natural body will die, or without sufficient nutritional quality the natural body will weaken and not be able to function properly, and overtime this could shorten life. We know God wants us to eat as good a quality of food as we are able. Limited fasting or abstinence from physical food in the New Covenant is voluntary whether private or done within any body of believers.

To be clear, brethren, the Bible never says that physical food is unimportant, but that it is unable to feed the spirit, that part of believers that through Jesus Christ has been made eternal and continuing forever after the death of our natural bodies. We all need spiritual food, which is Lord Jesus Christ Himself the Word of God, the Word of Life:    

Before we get into this study, dearly beloveds, some might say everything that Jesus said is not in the Bible. It is true that everything that Jesus DID in terms of his many signs is not mentioned in scripture the biblical reason is given: Jhn 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

Jhn 21:25

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

The whole of scripture is completed in the New Covenant, which is entirely complete/finished, explicit, exhaustive, absolute, inerrant for all eternity. Jesus told His apostles all things He heard from God:  Jhn 15:15

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

We of Christ have through Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit in us too: Jhn 14:26

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Through the word of God, the church as a whole is commanded by God to test the spirits:  1Jo 4:1.

Therefore, brethren, the whole of scripture was written by holy men of God as they were moved, guided by and under the power of the Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of Truth, without error in its origins and evidenced in those who would later copy it faithfully within its context without perverting, adding, or taking away from its origins to disseminate its message faithfully in the world.

Jhn 6:53

Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.

Jesus Christ is the Word of God, the Word of Life, and He has given us His word so that we can know Him, grow in Him, and live in through and by Him to the Father in perpetual fellowship with Him and one another. Feel free, brethren to study this further on your own.

Next time, holy people, we go to dine with Jesus Christ in Bethany. Until then brethren, I love you all, and am praying for you, pray for me and all kinds of prayers for the brethren and all men everywhere.

love, serola