God has counted you in!
Over the weekend, I had my celebration and book signing event. It was on Saturday at the exquisite George Urban Mansion in Buffalo, NY. It was a special intimate evening shared with loved ones. We laughed together; we cried; we took photos; I signed copies of my new book, God Did It; we dined and had a wonderful time.
The evening was everything I hoped it would be and more. I wanted it to be a celebration fit for a king. Not just any king. I’m talking about Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We celebrated the miracle He worked in my body just a little more than a year ago. He was the guest of honor.
Daily Cup family, I cried quite a bit Saturday. I was emotional as I listened to others recount their memories about the journey and the night God healed me from two autoimmune diseases on March 26, 2017. I will never ever cease to be amazed.
My heart was filled with joy to see the faces of those who came to the banquet on a very busy weekend filled with lots of Mother’s Day festivities. They showed their love and support through their actions. I feel blessed and honored by that. They helped make the banquet a success.
This morning, during my devotional time, God drew my attention to a parable about another banquet found in Luke 14:15-24. The outcome initially wasn’t very good. Jesus told the story about how guests were invited to a great feast prepared by a prominent man. Once dinner was ready, the host sent servants out to tell those who were invited to come and enjoy the meal prepared for them. But the Bible says, one by one, they began making excuses and bailed.
One said, “I've bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it. Please consider me excused.” Another one said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and I'm going to try them out. Please consider me excused.” Another one said, “I have married a wife and for that reason I cannot come.”
When the report of all the declined invites came back, the preparer of the feast was so angry. He told his servant, “Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.”
After the lowly people of society accepted the invitation, there was still room. So the master of the house commanded his servants to “Go out into the highways and along the hedges and compel them to come in so that my house may be filled. For I tell you none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.”
The new invitees were considered the lowest of the low and would never be invited to a high-class feast. But Jesus was striking at the core of this spirit of entitlement the Jews had. They believed that their lineage automatically entitled them to inclusion in the feast. The banquet, which was symbolic of the Kingdom of God was first opened to Jews. But they rejected the message of Jesus. Therefore, as the parable denotes, those who did not receive the Messiah would not be not blessed or included in the Kingdom. Their invitation was revoked. They would not be in the number when time came for the resurrection of the righteous.
The Jews, that special class of pre-invited guests, had been given priority. All throughout the Old Testament, God set them apart, gave them prophecies about the coming Messiah and how He would bring salvation to their people. But once Jesus showed up on the scene, the religious Jews shunned Him and His teaching, as well as His miracle-working power—particularly when it didn’t fall in line with their rules and regulations.
This opened the door to Gentiles, the common folks not of Jewish lineage. They were converted to the faith and believed in Jesus Christ, thus entitling them to all the benefits the Jews had rejected and forfeited.
Aren’t you glad you accepted the invitation to feast at the King’s table?
“There are great blessings He has for you. There are rewards, perks and benefits that come along with your yes to God.”
No matter how many other folks see you as lowly, unworthy and have counted you out, God has counted you in. He has given you a seat at the table.
You are royalty. You have been adopted into the family of God. Not only are you entitled to eternal life in the hereafter, but you are entitled to all sorts of good things in the here and now. God will provide for every need. He will take care of you and your loved ones. He will make ways out of no way. He will favor you in adversity. He will protect you from your enemies. He will cause everything to work out for your good. He will heal your body from all manner of diseases—mind, body, soul and spirit. There is no weapon formed against you that will prosper because you are His, because you said yes to His invitation to be Lord of your life.
There is an abundant feast and a great harvest He has prepared for you. So hold your head up high because you have been counted in by the Father. He knows you have been overlooked and disregarded. But He has not disregarded you. He is moving on your behalf right now and changing the course of your destiny. You have been justified by faith through grace, making you a recipient of showers of blessings and Kingdom benefits. The glory of the Lord is upon your life.
To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring Romans 8:30 ESV into your cup of inspiration, which says, “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, know that you have been chosen by God. You have a seed of righteousness within you that will bring forth much fruit. God’s glory will show forth through your life and all people will know that His hand is upon you.
Now let’s pray.
God, I thank You for choosing me and giving me a seat at Your table. You chose me before the foundations of the world to save, bless and favor. Help me to walk in the fullness of who I am and expect a great harvest, and many wonderful benefits, all because I have said yes to Your will. Thank You for all You have done in me, will continue to do through me and for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.
As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!
