Rejoicing with Red Ruby (Part 2)

JESUS invites each of us: “Come and dine with Me.”  (John 21:12)

 

We enjoyed two meals at this Restaurant! First a lavish, Spiritual Feast – food for the soul, followed by Food for our bodies!

The SPIRITUAL FEAST is an ever, on-going FEAST. Jesus says to you today, “Come and dine with Me.”

1.   BANQUETING HALL

“He brought me to the banqueting house, and His banner over me was love.” (Song of Solomon 2:4)

2.   TABLE PREPARED

“Thou preparest a table before . . . .”  (Psalm 23:5)

3.   THE MENU

First up – the MENU. It is the most perfect Menu. The “food” is always fresh. It is the same Menu that has been served for centuries. It will never change. It is the only Spiritual Food in the entire world! – THE BIBLE!

4.   FEAST ON THE TABLE

4.1.   Bread

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”  (Matthew 4:4)

Jesus said, “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”  (John 6:51)

   -   We not only need bread for our physical bodies

   -   Our spirits are alive and we need the “bread of life”  to keep us spiritually satisfied, energetic and healthy.

   -   Scripture tells us that the “Bread” from heaven – EVERY WORD –  proceeded from the mouth of God. So every Word that He spoke is “Bread” for us – for our souls.

4.2.   Manna  -  Angels’ Food

“Man did eat angels’ food . . . .”  (Psalm 78:25)

This bread from heaven  . . . . .   was not grown here on earth;   there was no toil of man involved;   it was not tainted in any way;   it came directly from heaven;   it was free;   a measure was allocated to each person, as much as he/she could tolerate and benefit from it;   the people had to gather it themselves;   it was perfect for both the very young,and right through to the aged;  it sustained the Israelis for forty years.

Application:   God is the Author of the Word of God – our Spiritual Bread;  every word proceeded out of the mouth of God, not men’s mouths;  it came directly from heaven to us;  God does not charge us to eat from His “Bread of Life” the Word and His Son, Jesus, who declared that He is the Bread of life;   Jesus sacrificed His life for us for our sins; Jesus says that “WHOSOEVER MAY COME” to Him. It is up to you and I to come to Jesus. We have to go and gather the Bread (His Word) that He has made so freely available to us.

5.   Honey

“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”  (Psalm 119:103)

Honey is:   not man-made;   is made by bees, from the nectar from perfumed flowers;   filled with a unique flavor;   a wonderful source of energy;   has medicinal properties;   a food for the privileged;   BUT GOD’S WORD surpasses that of honey – it has a Spiritual Sweetness, which is “sweeter than honey to my mouth.”

6. Honeycomb

“The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes . . . .  sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:10)

Honeycomb – honey drips from the honeycomb;  it is the sweetest honey;   it is pure; it has not been processed;  it is the very place where it is manufactured by the bees; worker bees are involved in the process;  the young are fed with this honey;   it is distributed far and wide;   it is an absolute delicacy. THE WORD OF GOD is far sweeter than honey that drips from the honeycomb!

7.   Honey and Oil

“. . . he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of flinty rock.”  (Deuteronomy 32:13)

On the mountains in Canaan, there were many rocks, and the wild bees would make their hives in the fissures of the rocks. God provided honey for His people, a delicacy in unsuspecting places;  God caused olive trees to grow in rocky places and which bore fruit, where all other fruit trees could not survive.

It is when we hit rock bottom, that Jesus comes to us as the “sweeter than honey”. It is in those fissures that rip our very hearts open, that He provides His nourishing nectar that our souls crave. In that rocky place, God provides OLIVE TREES from which Olive Oil is made – a symbol of the Holy Spirit – our lifelong Companion, Consoler and Compassionate One. When in “rocky places”, reach for the Lord and His Word which is sweeter than honey from the honeycomb, and that is charged with His all-powerful Holy Spirit!

GOD GIVES THE MOST VALUABLE PRODUCTS THAT COME OUT OF THE MOST UNPRODUCTIVE PLACES.

8.  Best Wine

“You have kept the best wine till last.”  (John 2:10)

When the worst wine failed at a celebration, Jesus produced the best wine. All that the servants had to do was to take the water pots and fill them with fresh water . . .  The “best wine” that we can give to each other is the “worst wine”. The wine we offer others in need is SOOTHING, but not the SOLUTION. Only Jesus – our Best Wine, can offer anyone the SOLUTION to every heartache and problem in life.   

Fill the water pot of your life with clean, fresh water . . . . . and “WHATSOEVER HE SAYETH UNTO YOU – DO IT!!”   He will take the WORST WINE of your life, and He will pour into your life HIS BEST WINE which He has preserved for you till LAST!

9.   FEED!

9.1.   Feed Yourself

In order to “FEED”, we first have to “FEAST” . . . . .   on the WORD OF GOD!

Our FATHER challenges us: “OPEN THY MOUTH WIDE, AND I WILL FILL IT.”  (Psalm 81:10). Then He tells us:  “TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD.” (Psalm 34:8)

9.2.   “Feed Others”

9.2.1.   “Feed My Sheep . . . . . . . .   feed My lambs.” (John 21:15-17)

Feed the “sheep”, adults and mature people – “sheep” who are perhaps “adults and mature” in the faith. Feed each other.

Feed the “lambs” – the young, the children. Feed Jesus’ “lambs” – those young in the faith.

9.2.2.  “Feed the flock of God which is among you . . . . “ (1 Peter 5:2)

Where do you worship?         Feed those who are among you!

Who do you minister to?       Feed those who are among you!

“Feed the flock of God which is among you . . . . .” whoever and wherever they are!

Bear in mind – They are THE FLOCK OF GOD.

9.2.3.  “The aged women likewise . . . . .  teachers of good things . . . . . teach the young women . . . “  (Titus 2:3-4)

GEMS !!!!    “Feed My sheep . . . .   Feed My lambs  . . . . .  Feed the flock of God which is among you . . . . .  teach the younger women . . . .”

RUBY . . . . .  “feast and feed” – sheep, lambs, the flock of God, younger women.

SAPPHIRE . . . “feast and feed” – sheep, lambs, the flock of God, younger women.

AMETHYST . . .  “feast and feed” – sheep, lambs, the flock of God, younger women.

OPAL . . .  “feast and feed” – sheep, lambs, the flock of God, younger women.

EMERALD . . . “feast and feed” – sheep, lambs, the flock of God, younger women.

DAWN . . . “feast and feed” – sheep, lambs, the flock of God, younger women.

As you feast daily on the WORD OF GOD, “taste and see that” He will feed you with: “Bread from Heaven”;  “Angels’ Food”;   “Honey”’   “Honeycomb”;   “Honey and Oil” and the “Best Wine”, fit for you and me, and for the flock of God!

On your next birthday, Ruby, you will be 70 plus . . . . . years old! God bless you, dear Ruby! (19 April, 2011)        GOD’s GEMS!