When you’re invited to a feast,
what do you think will be on the serving plate? If you had to guess, do you think it would be milk, candy or meat? Can you imagine sitting down to eat only to be offered a glass of milk, or even worse, a heaping plate of candy-coated mystery meat? I know this must sound ridiculous, but its part of the Parable found in the 14th Chapter of the Book of Luke. Here we see Jesus serving up even more spiritual truths! I’m going to divide this Sermon in half. Part One will speak to the wedding feast, where the WORD is spread out on the Table of God. Perfectly prepared for his BRIDE, repentant hearts who've been purified by Him. Part Two will come tomorrow and it will describe the two different kinds of guests that have been invited by Him. While the message I’m about to share is meant for the world, the Spirit is pressing on me to focus on the American church. Candy-coated mystery meat has been the diet we have been fed from Mega churches who present themselves as a House of God. Americans have consumed thousands of empty calories from extra helpings of Big Mac messages and false gospel fries. You would think that the servants of the King would prepare the choicest of meats to lay out on the Table of God. You would think the Written Word would be the main dish, and the Spoken Word would be freshly-picked, perfectly placed and offered to the guests. But instead, they serve sugar-coated verses that have been sprinkled with cultural bias; and if that's not modification enough, cultural relativism is injected into God’s Word, line by line. Instead of consuming the whole sacrificial lamb, limbs are extracted and candy-coated. This is the recipe for every false gospel, and it’s why us humans are spiritually starving. Pastors hand-pick their kitchen mates, and false prophets become their self-anointed chefs. Apostles who are supposed to carry out the Word, trip over each other as they run to the front row. Shepherds herd humans like animals by binding them through dominion and control. Teachers speak their own words, and people circle around hoping to be acknowledged. Instead of wisdom shouting out in the streets, fools propagate there own beliefs. Water baptism has become the new herding mentality, where humans are marched in and randomly dunked. Quantity is valued more than quality; Human hearts haven’t been taught anything about spiritual accountability! People enter the water believing that Jesus will be the answer to all of their problems. But then they give up hope when they see He has left them. For some, they stop believing because their circumstances are not changing, all because no one told them told them the truth. Rarely do we take the time to disciple men, and rarely do we tell them they will need to endure suffering. We don't equip them to understand Mark 12:45, where "an impure spirit comes out of a person, then goes back and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked." People must be told the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help us God. Because without God's truth, we are just living a lie. The American Church has become a breeding ground for Satan; and we know this fallen angel rules over all the worldly kingdoms. So, what does that say to us? Many pulpits are occupied by baby Christians who just need more time to grow spiritually mature. But truth be told, they do speak the truth in love, just not enough. Milk is not bad, in fact it is really good! Spiritual Milk grows spiritual bones which becomes our frame. However, if you are fully grown, then milk alone will not do. Spiritual Meat is needed for spiritually hungry, and it should not be served deceitfully, as candy-coated mystery meat. Unfortunately this is how the lie begins. Since milk is served next to mystery meat, people think they are being fed, when in fact they are being spiritually misled. Mixing the truth with a lie is typically how humanity works, just read Romans 1, verse 25. This has to be Satan’s most precious form of bait, it leaves fools believing there is only THEIR truth and God’s Grace. The American church has become the leading factory of Carnal Christianity - the making of “Christians” who believe that human love is more important than the truth. They use their mind to break up God’s foundation while trying to use their heart to keep up His walls; essentially, they bring their heart to the alter, but not their thoughts. They are the what the Bible calls the Church of the Laodiceans, the spiritually indifferent and lukewarm. We can read all about them in the Book of Revelation, where the apostle John is shown the end times by an angel of God. Carnal Christians will stake their claim to grace, while simultaneously spiritually spitting in Jesus’s face. But this is how deceit works! People don’t even realize they are doing it! If they did, my prayer is that they would stop. They bind up people’s wounds and put ointment on them, but they do this without ever sharing God's truth. They coat the skin with grace before ever injecting His mercy. They close up the wound while leaving the infection in. Yes, some will heal in time, but many will be left to their own devise. If you do not show them the truth in love, then they will continue to be subject to satanic lies. The truth is we are all sinners living under God's curse, but He sent his Son Jesus to ransom us, to pay the price for our life with his own blood. All we have to do is repent and give our lives back to Him, knowing full well that our portion is not of this world, but in the world to come. Deuteronomy 30:19 says, "I lay before you life and death. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live." Listen, If you’ve never had filet mignon, which is symbolically, the whole Word of God, and you’ve only had candy-coated mystery meat, then how would you even know that the fake food is NOT good for you? You would keep on consuming all that you’ve been told, even though it’s a falsehood, because it looks good, smells good, and tastes good! And before you've even had a chance to learn the truth, you could be completely addicted to the false teachings you have ignorantly consumed. For a Carnal Christian who has been addicted to their own beliefs and human love, spiritual detoxification from this witchcraft can be very humbling, and very hard. It entails regurgitating spiritual falsehoods, and dying to self on the alter of God. It requires repentance of sin, and requires a willingness to endure even more suffering that comes from the consequences of humanity living in adultery, separated from Him. But if you extend your hand, He will lift you from the pit. He is always ready to bring a repentant heart back to Him. 2 Timothy 15-19 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God and receive his approval.” “Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed AND who correctly explains the word of truth.” “Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.” “This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.” “But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: The Lord knows those who are his, and All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.” You may think we should not say anything to anybody about God’s truth, at least not until Holy Spirit timing is right. But let me ask you this, “Are you God?” Are you the one in charge? Do you not know what Jesus spoke after his resurrection? Jesus spent 40 days teaching about the Kingdom of God. In fact, His final instruction to his disciples was this, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” Mark 28:19-20 I’m not trying to be mean, but do you know when a man will take his last breath? God does! God does not say to wait to tell a man His truth. In fact, He commands just the opposite! He commands us to speak the truth in love, all of the time. Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 Paul encourages us with these words on how to be spiritually mature, “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:14-15 “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God - truly righteous and holy.” Ephesians 4:21-24 Since God is love, and His Spirit is truth, how can you possibly operate in one, but not in two? God help us when Christians don’t stand on your truth! It’s like building a house on sand, that moves with every thought that enters our heads. I humbly present myself to you, to let you know, that I too, walked spiritually deceived. I walked as a Carnal Christian for over twenty years. I was so deceived that I could not see the impurity that lived inside of me. And while I often opened God’s Word, I did it from a heart of humanity, my intent was to find God's love, while standing on my own human-centered beliefs. I refused to believe that God had a wrath that would be poured out on men; and I could not come to terms that God would shut the doors of Heaven on any human. The narrow door was just not a belief that I could hold onto; If God was so good, then why would He condemn anyone? I did not like boundaries, and I certainly hated walls! I took God’s place of honor, and spoke my words over His. God allowed me to eat the false beliefs that I consumed. And this is when I fell into depression, and endured the consequences of my sin. But in the end, I learned more about God’s love than I ever could have on my own. Thank God there were Christians who spoke the truth in love, who came by my side and did not leave me alone. And that is why today, I lay down my beliefs, and my ways, as a living sacrifice to Him. The Lord has three requests when coming to the Table of God, Come when you are invited Come with a repentant heart of humility Come prepared to eat the whole WORD of God Be careful not to believe exchange the truth for a lie. Do not believe sugar-coated messages over His truth. Do not denounce the Bible as a book written by fools, instead believe it to be the inspired Word of God. Be cautious of the opposite, Don't confuse love as hate, and hate as love. For the Lord hates anything that goes against Him, and the Lord loves anything that brings you back to Him. Do not think that plumb line faith is not of God; and do not stand on the human interpretation of universal love. Be careful if you are straining, Your spiritual vision may be blurred; Be careful not to doubt the inspired Word of God Jesus said, “Don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, “There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!” Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” This IS the Word of God! I pray that all who hear it, won't excuse it! Don’t even try to rationalize it! Come like children, ready to hear the words that are spoken from your good father, whose message is intended for the pure in heart. Being a disciple is more than showing love. It’s a full commitment to put down your thoughts, pick up his cross and submit yourself to Him. It is following Him, no matter what the cost- it’s speaking the truth in love to the wandering, and the lost. I have to remind myself everyday that Jesus warned us that the world would hate us, if we followed Him. Since my ministry is the reconciliation of men, if only one comes to Christ, then I know I have done the work of God. When your life and your ministry is no longer be about you; it will be a sign that you’ve laid down your life and given it back to him. He will tear down your walls of pride and vanity, and He will gently remove the mask of deceit to expose truth. So if you find yourself spiritually hungry and the milk will no longer do, then it means you are maturing, and you will need something more to eat. The Lord invites you to His wedding feast. Where the WORD is laid out on the Table of God. Come with a repentant heart, and Open the Bible for yourself and get ready to be amazed! INSPIRED and WRITTEN WRITTEN and INSPIRED LOGOS AND RHEMA EAT ALL OF HIM Toss away the candy-coated mystery meat it will only make you more spiritually sick. Tomorrow I will release Part Two of this Word; Where Jesus compares two different kinds of guests that are invited to the Table of the Lord. Here's a hint, One is characterized by the Pharisees, full of hypocrisy, vanity and lust; and one is characterized as the desperate and needy, who are known for humility, child-like faith, and thankfulness.
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