THE NEXT STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION: I was reading recently about Cal Ripken’s record. You know which one I’m talking about: He played 2632 consecutive baseball games. This is a record that may stay in the books forever; he will certainly be remembered forever as a legend in the game. Most sports records are set when a player gets on a hot Streak, he has a good game or a good month or even a good season. Ripken’s record is the result of a ’hot streak’ that lasted more than 16 years. Day after day he simply took the next step in the right direction, one game at a time. Something many people don’t know about Ripken is that during his first year as a pro, while playing minor league ball in West Virginia, he made his mark in a different way: he committed a league-leading 33 errors at short-stop. It wasn’t a good start, and since his dad was already well-known in the world of baseball, critics said he was just an over-rated kid, not good enough for life in the big leagues. But Cal kept taking one more step in the right direction, one game at a time. Later in his career he went 95 consecutive games without making an error, and committed only three in an entire season, another record he holds. Ripken’s habit of taking one more step took him on a journey from worst to first. It’s a journey you can take, too. God wants to pour out his grace in your life. He wants to change you through and through. He wants to give you victory over sin, and the power to live the life of your dreams. Today, if you feel like you’re the worst, he wants to help you move in the direction of becoming first. Paul said, "For I am the least of the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me -- and not without results." (1 Corinthians 15:9-10)
Psalm 23: “God gives us perfect coverage.
The Lord is my Shepherd: Perfect Savior.
I shall not want; Perfect Salvation.
He makes me to lie down: perfect Rest.
He leads me besides the still waters: perfect Refreshment.
He restores my soul: Perfect restoration.
He leads me: Perfect guidance.
I will fear no evil: Perfect protection.
You are with me: Perfect Company.
Your rod and staff: Perfect Comfort.
You prepare a table: perfect Provision.
You anoint my head: Perfect Perseverance.
My cup over runs: Perfect Joy.
Goodness and Mercy follow mw: Perfect Care. I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever: Perfect Future.
Ann Foster wrote “We live one day at a time. Being joyful for just being alive. I believe being joyful improve longevity. Live one day at a time just being joyful for being alive. When you arise in the morning say, ‘This is a special day and I am going to be happy in it.”
Today we are talking about a banquet He prepares for us. A thought on a banquet might be because it is beautiful and sweet or large and elaborate but the reason for this banquet is the goodness of the love behind it. We have already heard the blessings of this Psalm and now we want to look at the tables that God gives to us.
1. There is the table of God’s Daily Provisions.
The Shepherd that takes care of his sheep makes sure that all are fed. As he looks over his flock he may see sheep that is inferior to the rest and so does not get the good grass. At a resting time he will go to that sheep and give special attention to so that he will know he is loved. Our Good Shepherd is always looking out for us and when we feel down He is there with His love. He never forsakes His own. There is story of Bishop Li in China who as one of God’s children was very poor. His friends would often bring him food and various needs. He would often lift his head and give thanks to God even before he would thank his donors. Some became offended with this and stated, “We, not God, are bringing you these good things.” He told them that it was God who prompted them to bring them to him. They became mean and said we will stop bringing you things and see if God will really take care of you. One day one these so called friends stopped by to see how he was doing. When he arrived he smelled the aroma of meat cooking. He asked if someone had provided him this meal. His reply, “Oh, no! No one brought me any thing to eat since you folks decided no to. God sent me that. Praise the Lord! This morning while I was outside my hut, I heard a noise overhead and as I looked up I saw a large bird that had some thing in its claws. A number of birds were trying to take it away. Just as it came above me the birds got so close that the big bird let loose of it and it dropped right her in front of me. It was a piece of freshly butchered meat.” From that day forward his friends started bringing him food again. A prayer we know says “Give us this day our daily bread.”
2. There is the table of Daily refreshment. IS 40:28-31 “Have you never heard or understood? Don’t you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”
We look forward to the banquet in heaven. We will be able to eat food from the Tree of Life that was offered to Adam and Eve. There will be trees that bear fruit at all times that we can eat from. There will living water from which we can drink. There will be music that will be the best we can hear. Have you heard the difference between heaven and hell? Each will have long forks. In hell they cannot reach their mouths. In heaven each will be helping others to eat. Story of lady who asks her minister to leave a fork in her hand when the funeral day comes showing there is more to come.
3. This table is prepared before us. There was custom that some observed when a big meal was given for a family in which the older people ate first. All the adults were able to eat first and the children had to wait until they were all done. The children had to hold their hunger pangs until all the old people were done. It will not be so in heaven because there will be no waiting, no favoritism, no shortage. Remember it is very personal, “A table before me.
4. The Lord Himself is the host. Jesus does not turn this task over to others. He is God and knows every need, every desire and every deep longing that we have. We know that His resources are inexhaustible. He has reserves that are bondless.
5. Our host is congenial. He has WELCOME written above the table. He wants us to have “AT HOME FEELING.” A minister was staying at a home of family in which the wife asked the husband to get something to eat fro supper. He went out and shot a little rabbit. She said that it would be too small. He went out and shot another one which still was not enough. He said, “Well I suppose I will have to go and kill one of our plump chickens to feed this preacher. The preacher heard all of this and went out and told the man he need not kill a chicken because he had been invited out to eat some where else. With God we are welcome to all He has.
We need to be careful because there are enemies that would try to keep us away from this table.
1. One would be the memory of past sins. When God forgives us, He forgives them all and the yare cast into the depths of the sea to where they can never be remembered any more. The Bible says as far as the East is from the West so far has He removed our sins from us.
2. Two would be the presence of temptation in my life. Temptation is not a sin. Jesus was tempted in all points like we are yet with out sin. We as children of God have Jesus living inside of us so we have the same power that He did to resist temptation.
3. Three would be the worry of our ruin tomorrow. How do I know I can live a holy life tomorrow? I am OK today but tomorrow will be different. Why should we be that way when we serve the one who is the alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end? He has been and will always be. I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.
4. Fourth would be those captured foes that seem lurking some where. In the Old Testament days when a prisoner was captured they were brought before the banqueting tables and they could be seen but they were chained and could not touch you any more. I want to mention some prisoners that have been chained in our lives. Those prisoners are Mr. can’t tell the truth, Mrs. Long-tongued Gossip, Ms. Carnal Pride, Ms. Worldly pleasure, Mrs. Self-Conceit, Mr. Gross Immorality, Mrs. Sunday desecration, Ms. Self-Righteousness, Mr. He is to blame, Ms. It is hard to be spiritual and Mrs. Look at my past life.
Let us rid ourselves of all these enemies and feast at the table the Lord gives to us.
Your reservation has been made and the tickets have been paid for. You need to make RSPV which means you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you ready for the banquet?
