Luke 14: 15 “Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, ‘Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”

Luke 14:15-35 tells us that those who come to the banquet table of Jesus will be blessed. Jesus is the host of this party. The food that Jesus supplies satisfies the hunger in your heart and life. That in turn, can satisfy your physical hunger. The words from the Bible fills our spiritual vacuum. It satisfies your hunger for meaning and purpose in life. The drink at the banquet table, the love of Jesus, satisfies the spiritual thirst in every human heart. We are shown how to love like Jesus through sacrificing our selfish ways.

The sad thing is so many of us, like the guests Jesus invited in verses sixteen and seventeen, make excuses why we cannot read and study God’s word or daily invite Jesus into our hearts to guide us. In verses eighteen and following, are the worldly excuses made. They involve what most people would consider good excuses. We find out for God, they are pathetic. Jesus begins in verse twenty-eight to let us know we must count the cost to follow him. It sounds extremely harsh for us to hate our mother and father until you have been told that the word “hate” is a Semitic idiom that means to “loveless.” We are to honor and love Jesus above our spouse and above all worldly things. Jesus is to be our priority and when we do that, all else follows.

Jesus is food for our soul. The more time I spend in God’s Word and prayer, the less time I spend snacking on worldly food. Yes, I use this metaphor to show that their is a correlation to satisfying my spiritual hunger to that of satisfying my physical hunger. There is not as much of a temptation to indulge in all the physical pleasures that are in the world. For me, overeating has been a constant struggle. However, I’m losing weight! Not because I’m on a diet, but because I’m satisfying my spiritual hunger daily. Yes, food for my spiritual hunger equals weight loss. Praise the Lord!! Maybe you can overcome some temptation that has you powerless to overcome. It could be drugs or any number of things for you. Read these scriptures and see how you can come to the banquet table of Jesus and release your physical cravings that separate you from the love of God. Food for the soul = ____________(you fill in) loss!

Have you looked at your very own reflection recently?  Maybe in your cell phone with a friend, or in a mirror as you got ready, or in a pool of water, you took a look at yourself.  Did you like what you saw?  Did you look past the outward image to your inside image?  Most of us are too busy with life to stop and reflect about our image we are showing forth daily.  It is so evident in our world that people have not been trying to make improvements in their lives for the better.  All you have to do is listen to the news and realize there are many sick people out there.  And, I am not referring to their physical image.  I am referring to their spiritual image.

What kind of person makes fun of a special needs person to the point of cutting them ! What kind of person tortures another for hours without regard to their well-being?  What kind of person drives a truck into a marketplace with the intention of killing as many as they can?  A sick person! I believe they are someone who is spiritually sick.  These people do not reflect how their actions can hurt others.  They only pursue selfish desires and ambitions.

You might ask how they could do such depraved actions?  While psychologists would point to environmental factors and family factors, the Bible is very plain on this matter.  It is called sin.  All through the Bible we are challenged to look at ourselves and to live a Christ-like life.  We are to reflect and then turn one-hundred eighty degrees and go a separate direction from our wrong doings.  That is called repentance.  God tells us in Romans that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  We must realize our sins and then turn away from them with God’s help through Jesus.  God made a way for us to be saved.  Read John 3:16.  God sent Jesus to take our place for all our sins if we would believe in Him and profess our belief.  Have you ask Jesus into your heart to save you from your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness?  If not, do not delay.  Their is nothing you have done that God will not forgive if you truly repent and accept His salvation!  Start the New Year right.  Take your “selfie.”  Reflect what kind of life you are living.  Do you treat others like you want to be treated?  Are you loving to your family members?  Are you addicted to any substance? Are you filled with hatred?  Jesus can take away all your pain and suffering as promised in the Bible.  Pray and allow Jesus to cleanse you and set you free!  May you find His peace and have a happy and prosperous New Year.