Come to the Lord's Table

 

    When you come to the Lord's Table it should be with a humble servant's heart and attitude.  You are not entitled to be there.  You did not earn it.  It is a gift from God to have the invitation to be a part of His family.  That means when you partake in communion there is no room for concern about appearances.  It is a celebration of gratitude to honor Jesus.

    At Jesus' last supper before being sacrificed he invested into His apostles one last time.  He taught them in a way that would make an impact and would stick with them for the rest of their lives.  It was so impactful that it was placed in the Gospels in a way to impact you today.  Jesus wanted them to be prepared for eternity.  He showed them a small example on how to live to be ready to face God by washing their feet.

    Jesus took the role of the servant to teach them that if they want to be great, then they have to lower themselves to service.  Being a Christian that follows Jesus is an honor, but it does not mean life will be easy.  It is a life of service not being served.  It is renouncing all entitlement to do good for other people and serve God faithfully.  There is no one greater that ever lived than Jesus and he came here in obedience to God to serve and show you how to have a proper and intimate relationship with God.

    It can take some time to understand how to be a servant of God.  It take a lot of humbling yourself or being humbled.  There is no room for arrogance.  The arrogant prove that they do not understand.  Submitting to God's authority is an honor.  It makes life simpler and easier to understand.  He is not a dictator.  He is a good father that corrects out of love.  

    To become great you must do all things to honor God, not yourself.  It is the complete opposite of what the world is teaching you.  You have one body to live in and you should love and care for it, but your life is not only about you.  To receive love you must give love.  To have respect you must give respect.  If you fight or push to be better than other people, then you are not honoring God and will not be honored when you face Him.

    Pride leads to sin.  To understand that you need to understand what pride and sin are.  Sin is anything that goes against God's authority.  Pride is the root to all evil.  It directs you to being argumentative, arrogant, complain, judgmental, demanding, disobedient, gossip, impatient, independent, ungrateful, prejudice, rude, stubborn, unforgiving, selfish, rebellious, unrepentant, corrupt, sexually immoral, and more.  Before coming to the Lord's Table ask yourself if you live in opposition to God.  Remember it is spiritual warfare.  It is not always clear and Satan wants you blind to the truth.

    To serve and live for God requires humility, honesty, and faith.  Lower yourself so you can see yourself more clearly.  Pray to see yourself the way God sees you, so you can love and live more like Jesus.  When you see your value through God's eyes it is clarifying about changes you need to make.  You may need to be bolder, quieter, be still, or something else.  Embrace the season you are in and serve as the Holy Spirit directs.  Change is not easy or comfortable.  Embrace the discomfort, so you can have true peace.  

Psalm 31:23-24, 116:1-14, 138:4-6, Proverbs 8:12-16, 16:5-18, Isaiah 13:11-13, 57:14-21, Matthew 20:20-28, Luke 22:24-27, John 13:1-17, 1 Corinthians 11:27-30, Philippians 2:3-8, & 1 Peter 5:5-7

Family of God

 

    Coming to the Lord's table is a symbol of unity, grace, and fellowship among the family of God.  It is the family coming together to remember what Jesus did for them.  It should remind you how you were adopted into God's family.  Jesus created the way for your invitation to be at God's table as a family member.  He created the opportunity for you to have an intimate relationship with God and communion with other followers.  He feeds you physically and spiritually.

    Jesus was taken with no evidence and put on three trials in a matter of hours.  He was sentenced to death and died the most vial criminals death.  The Jewish nation thought it was over, but it was only the beginning.  He died on Friday, had a rushed preparation and was put in a borrowed tomb because Saturday was the Sabbath.  On Sunday death's power was destroyed as Jesus rose from the dead.  Anyone who believes and follows him becomes a member of the family of God.  

    Jesus is the first born son and will have all the rights of being who he is, but you get to be a part of God's family.  It would never have happened without Jesus being obedient to God.  He is the big brother that leads you to eternal safety and protection.  He is what provides security in your life.  When you choose to follow him faithfully you become more like him.  

    You will experience trails and tribulations that will burn away your impurities and refine you to look more like Jesus.  You will not reach perfection until Heaven.  It is the journey that matters.  You have the Holy Spirit to help you live victoriously over death and sin.  Jesus set you free from it's chains.  Sin should grieve you like it does Jesus.  It is your time to live up to your birthright as a child of God.  It is time to be repentant and a righteous ambassador as you come to your Father's table.  

Psalm 23, Luke 14:15, Romans 2:1-4, 6, 8:26-30, 2 Corinthians 2:14-16, 3:16-18, 7:8-10, Colossians 1:15-20, 3:5-11, 1 John 3:1-3, 4:16-17, & Revelations 3:20-21, 19:9

Relationships Restored

    When you come to the Lord's Table you should examine your own heart, repent of any sin, and seek forgiveness.  The point of forgiveness is to let go of anger, hate, bitterness or anything else that could drive a wedge between you and God.  At the same time it can be used to restore relationships.  God is happy to forgive and forget, but it is not that easy with people.

    When relationships are restored they are unified, forgiveness is excepted, and the bond can be strengthened.  Not all relationships will be restored, but it is the goal. Being a child of God means that relationship with people of the world are not always restored.  The relationships you need to be restored are with God, spouse, church, and fellow Christians.  Other relationships you pray over and allow God to work in the hearts of you and them.

    At the Lord's Table when relationships are restored it breaks down barriers and provides deeper relationships.  To be forgiven by God is freedom, peace, and security.  To be able to forgive is a gift and something you have to work toward.  To be forgiven by someone should bring gratitude and desire to change to make the relationship work.  

    Broken relationships hurt, so reconciliation can bring healing.  They strengthen you and encourage you because you soul need healthy relationships to grow and thrive.  Living in harmony is powerful in providing peace in your heart and soul.    

Psalm 133, Matthew 5:23-24, 18:21-22, Mark 6:14-15, 11:22-25, Luke 17:1-4, 23:34, 1 Corinthians 10:14-18, 11:27-34, & Colossians 3:12-15

Forgiveness Before Lord's Table

 

    The Lord's table is a place of forgiveness.  Jesus went through all he did because he loves you and wanted you to have the opportunity to be forgiven.  When you are forgiven by God and have a relationship with Him you are expected to learn how to forgive in return.  God forgave you when you did not deserve it.  To follow Jesus you have to forgive those who do not deserve your forgiveness.

    Forgiving someone does not make you a door mat.  It doesn't mean that you do not need to establish boundaries and enforce them.  It means that you actively remove the anger and the hurt.  You give all the negative emotions to God, so He can bring healing into your heart and soul.  It can take time for the anger to disappear all together, but it doesn't have to hold power over you.

    Before you come to the Lord's table you need examine your heart for any resentment, grudges, or unforgiveness in your heart.  If the person is present, then go to them to pray over it and try to resolve it before you partake in the remembrance ritual.  If you don't forgive, then you are insulting Jesus' sacrifice and desecrating the act of worship.  Unforgiveness make you unworthy.

    Unforgiveness in the church causes division.  Neglecting the needs of people is an insult to the church.  It reveal contempt in your heart.  Quarreling in the church is disrespecting God's establishment and mission.  You can disagree, but you need to find a common ground or agree to disagree without it becoming a divisive issue.  This is a serious sin that God will not take lightly because it will drive people away from Him instead of seeking Him out.  You are His ambassador.  You are expected to be His representation in the world.

    God designed you to need relationships.  You need Him whether you will admit it or not.  You need the church because that is way God designed the church.  We are to work together to be strong, healthy, and reveal Him to the world.  Unity is a form of worship.  Forgiveness and unity is a part of your testimony.  

    If you have offended or been offended, then pray over how to reconcile.  Not everyone who is forgiven gets to stay in your life, but the goal is always to try to reconcile.  Pray on how to forgive and move forward.  Pray over how to communicate with the person, then go to make things right.  Start with the most difficult offense and move down your list to the least offensive person.  Do not dwell on the negative thoughts toward the offense or the person or it could make you defensive and bitter.  

    If you have done the offending, then pray to repent your sin and how to reconcile with the person you hurt.  Go in person, write a letter, call the person, or text to see how they would like to proceed.  Only address your part in the offense.  Allow them to address their part if there is any.  Make restitution if it is necessary.  Once you ask for forgiveness, continue to pray, but do not try to force them to forgive you.  It has to be their choice.

Matthew 5:23-24, 18:21-22, Mark 11:22-26, John 17:22-24, 1 Corinthians 1:10-12, 3:1-4, 11:17-30, Ephesians 4:31-32, & 1 John 1:8-10

Home Purification

 

    Home purification is part of your self-examination and purification process.  It is creating a physical space to match the space you make for God in your heart.  It is a choice to honor God in and with your home.  Within your home you need a place designated to prayer and time with God.  It is like your body is the home of the Holy Spirit, but He resides in your heart and soul.  Your prayer room (space) the heart and soul of your home.

    To purify your home you start with yourself, then you dedicate your home, then you find your space to be alone with God.  Just like you clean your home to maintain it, you use your time with God to maintain your Christian walk with Jesus.  Declutter and clean your home as you do your mind and heart.  Read and pray over scripture to keep your priorities in line with God.  This is how you can approach God's Table with confidence.  

    Purifying your home helps you approach God, but it also prepares your family.  It can be a way to introduce God to family and friends.  Make your home welcoming for anyone who wants to know God better.  Prayerfully make it a safe place for yourself, family, and anyone who enters.  

    You are free to approach God at anytime.  You have a close relationship with Him, but do not forget who God is.  Do not become so comfortable that you become too casual with Him.  Being casual puts you at risk to become complacent and make God an accessory.  He is not an accessory.  He is meant to be your primary relationship.  You need to make yourself acceptable for God.  He is not going to change for you.

    You purify your home through consecrating it to God.  Then you remove all things that He declares evil from your home.  Confess any practices or habits that God does not approve of and repent so you can change.  When you start to realize who God really is, you want to get rid of anything that is unholy to make more room for Him.  

    God sees everything.  He knows everything about you.  You may have things hidden or forgotten about from yourself, but God never forgets and remembers exactly where you put it.  This applies to you and your home.  This is why you prayerfully ask if you have anything that would bring you shame.  When the Holy Spirit brings it to your recollection, repent or remove.  In the home it could be paganism, idols, books, movies, games, substances, clothing, or any other material things.  

    When you identify what you need to remove from your home to purify it, then confess and repent the evil you tolerated and ignored.  Ask God to release you from the desire for the evil thing(s).  Ask Him to reveal how you can be more obedient in replacing what was evil with what is pure.  Make a pledge to Him to be faithful in your love to Him.  Then thank God for loving you and giving you the Holy Spirit to live within you.  If you want, then you can anoint your home to God with oil, prayer, and scripture as you declare that your home to belongs to God.

Exodus 19:10-20, 40:9-11, Joshua 24:14-15, 2 Chronicles 29:3-19, Psalm 51:7-11, Proverbs 3:33, Acts 19:17-20, 1 Corinthians 11:27-30, & 1 John 1:8-10

Removing Idols

 

    To partake in the Lord's Supper you should examine your heart, confess sins, and remove all known idols.  It is a time to remember Jesus' sacrifice, focus on your relationship, and prepare for what is to come.  You can't move forward if idols are holding you back.  God can't have your whole heart if you give any of it to anything else.  You can love people, but do not put them before God.

    Idols are stumbling blocks because they are your first love.  It could a thing, attitude, something that takes your time, or a relationship.  If you are not intentional about keeping Jesus first, then your idols will come between you and God.  The first commandment is to keep God first.  It was placed first for a reason.  If you don't, then you can't keep any of the other commandments.

    Idols are a reason why churches have so many issues.  The love of money, worldly mentality, and glamour get in the church and the church starts looking like the world.  It can be difficult not to become materialistic because of ideals, advertising, and social media makes it look like everyone has more than you or a better life.  The world equates materialism to success and a good life.  God never did.  Your have to be walking close to Jesus not to get distracted.

    When you discover idols in your heart, then you need to confess it as a sin.  Ask God to reveal your idols, then ask for His help to remove them.  For an example is food is an idol, you can't just stop eating.  You have to find a way to put the value of food in it's proper place.  If it is a relationship, then you don't need to destroy the relationship.  You need to put God in the center.

    Idols make you impure just like all sins.  If your idol is a thing, then remove it all together.  For an example internet.  You can turn off your internet for a season or remove the computer from your home.  If it is an object you can destroy it.  If statues, art, religious artifacts are an idol, then you can destroy them so they never hurt anyone else.  If a hobby becomes an idol, then you can stop until you are made right with God again.  It is important to periodically do an evaluation and cleans your home and life.  

    It is okay to have nice and fancy things in life.  The point is to make sure they do not come before God.  If you live a certain lifestyle to impress other people, then you may want to consider a few changes.  It is better to live a simpler life and be close to God, than have everything you want without Him.  If you are struggling to give up something, then that particular idol has a strong hold.  

    You will need the help of the Holy Spirit to remove it.  Ask God to reveal the truth and if it is an idol, then ask Him to remove the desire for it from your heart.  When it comes to idols you need to ask for discernment.  You need to know what is important in your life and why.  Some things that hold value are not necessarily an idol.  You need the Holy Spirit to help you see the truth.  The most important thing is that you are willing to sacrifice anything for your relationship with God.

Genesis 22:1-18, 35:2-5, Exodus 34:12-14, Deuteronomy 12:2-3, 30:17-18, Ezekiel 14:1-5, Matthew 6:24, 22:37-40, 1 Corinthians 10:14-22, 11:27-32, 1 John 2:15-17, 5:21, & Revelations 2:4-16

Self-Aware

 

    It is important to be self-aware so you understand your role in the world, your life, and who you are in Jesus.  You have weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and struggles with temptation.  It would be foolish to pretend otherwise.  When you are self-aware with the input of the Holy Spirit you are no longer a slave to sin.  You become obedient to God out of love and devotion.  Nothing you do will make you righteous.  That comes from your faith in Jesus and choosing to follow him for the rest of your life.

    Be self=aware so you can earnestly seek to be worthy of the position you hold in the family of God.  You are not strong enough to do it on your own.  You need the Holy Spirit living in you and a Christian community to support, teach, and redirect you as needed.  They need you too.  You need to pray for each other to help in grieving, pain, suffering, and share in many types of joy.  

    After the last supper Jesus delivered a warning.  The warning applies to you too.  Do not become arrogant in your relationship with Jesus.  You will face trials and tribulations that will sift you.  They will refine your faith or reveal what is lacking.  When you fall short, repent so you can be forgiven and move on.  Do not allow sin to trap you.  Keep moving forward with Jesus, but learn from your past sins.

    Be self-aware so you can pray specifically over what you need and want in life.  Pray protection even if it is from yourself.  You are your own worst enemy when it comes to being blind to your faults and sinful nature.  Ask God to reveal what you have hidden.  

    Allow your prayer life to keep you humble, honest, and faithful so you do not fall into temptation.  When you do it will reveal your weaknesses and that means you can become stronger.  Do not allow sin to cripple you.  You are not a victim.  Accept responsibility, surrender it to God, and pray on how to move forward to walk closer with Jesus.  Listen to the Holy Spirit as He guides, teaches, and corrects you.

Psalm 139:19-24, Matthew 26:36-41, Luke 18:13-14, 22:31-34, Romans 6:15-18, 12:3-5, 2 Corinthians 13:5-6, Ephesians 4:1-4, & James 1:22-25