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This is part 2 which follows, "A Table in the Presence of My Enemies". We take a good look at what is on His banquet table for us to "Partake" of. Things of His Divine nature which we can add to ourselves. 2 Peter chapter 1.
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Details
This is part 2 which follows, "A Table in the Presence of My Enemies". We take a good look at what is on His banquet table for us to "Partake" of. Things of His Divine nature which we can add to ourselves. 2 Peter chapter 1.
Comment
This is part 2 which follows, "A Table in the Presence of My Enemies". We take a good look at what is on His banquet table for us to "Partake" of. Things of His Divine nature which we can add to ourselves. 2 Peter chapter 1.
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Last week, they had a wonderful time together, with testimonies of people being encouraged and finding joy in the Lord. They discussed Psalm 23 and the banquet table that God has prepared for us. They talked about partaking of God's nature and how it transforms us. They also mentioned other scriptures that talk about partaking of joy and the bread of life, emphasizing that when we partake of God's blessings, we become more like Him. They also discussed the importance of not partaking in things sacrificed to idols or having fellowship with evil. Amen. So last week we just enjoyed a wonderful, wonderful time. I so much enjoyed last weekend, the participation of everyone. Sister Bertha got anointed, Brother Cassander was jumping up and down and praising the Lord that each one, Brother David was here. And I have testimony, although he's not here, he won't mind. His mother was sharing with me that he was giving testimony for a very long time to his mother after last week's meeting. And you recall that he had shared his need to be encouraged. And so he gathered, the Lord inspired him to take his eyes off the circumstances and begin to look up and begin to exalt the Lord God Almighty. And as he did that, his burden rolled away. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. And we all had a participation part in what the Holy Spirit was doing in his life. And I'm sure he's not the only one. Anyone else wants to give testimony in a brief fashion so we can move on? We're short of time already tonight. Any testimony that must come forth tonight, let's hear it. Hallelujah. We were hearing Brother Faber's testimony earlier, how God is putting together. You know when God puts something together, what does it say? Let no man tear asunder. Nobody can touch it when God's moving like that. It's really beautiful. And it's of God. Hallelujah. Amen. Let's launch tonight. We were talking last week about he's prepared a table, a banquet table in the presence of my enemies. My cup runs over as surely goodness and mercy follow me all the days of my life. I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Just a richness in Psalm 23. And we focused on that banquet in the midst of my enemies, in front of my enemies. I don't know, in front of means like right in their face. Hallelujah. Just to set our eyes on Jesus. But somebody asked the question, which is a good question. So what is on that table? I think it was Brother Manuel, Brother David, one of you. So what is on that table? It's one of the challenges that began resonating with me. And I began to say, Lord, what is that banquet full of? Lord, what are those treasures? They're all invisible, eternal, spiritual blessings. But what are they? And so let's look at some of that tonight. Brother Faber, you know, one of my favorite scriptures is 2 Peter chapter one, verse four, and on. And it says, let's just read it. Hallelujah. First, Peter one, verse four, and whoever finds it, please just read it. Faber, you can assign a reader if you like. Brother Cash, if you are in a good position to read, we would love to hear you read, sir. Okay. Second, Peter chapter one, verse four says, whereby I give unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might be protectors of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Okay. If you've been part of this study for some time, you've probably heard me share my joy of this scripture. Because when you sit at the banqueting table, what do you do? I will answer, you partake. You partake in fall until you are full and running over. And so this word, partake, is a special word. And I think we'll just read what the word of God says about partaking. Because each time it talks about partaking, I'm struck by the understanding that all of these things mentioned are on his table in the presence of my enemies, what he's provided. So let's just be blessed tonight by what God has provided for us and what we can receive as we sit with him at that table. So what is it that we are able to partake of in this scripture? Peter one, four, what are we partaking of here? You know it, brother David. Yes, sir. Just like you would always say, first we are partaking of his nature, divine. Hallelujah. Amen. And I love. What better, what better thing to eat than his divine nature? DNA. His divine DNA. So the rest of this chapter is unlocked by this understanding that when I am hungry, the Lord provides for me to partake of the divine nature I need. Oh, this is so beautiful. Because now he goes on, he says, to add to your faith, virtue, your virtue, knowledge, your knowledge, temperance. You know, it's when I lack patience in myself that I need to partake of his patience. I sit at his banqueting table and as I partake of his nature, I'm changed. And that patience becomes mine as I partake of it. It becomes DNA of my own body. I consume it and I assimilate it. That's the word they say about food. You assimilate your food. In other words, you break it down and your body uses it where you need it the most. Where do you the most need patience right now, brothers and sisters? Hallelujah. Hey, Brother Andrew, good to see you. Oh, that's, I know who that is. That's Brother Faber-Lago. Yeah. Bless you, my brothers. Good to see you again. So I think that we're understanding that we need to partake of divine nature whenever we're in need and whenever we're hungry. But once I eat of something, it becomes a part of me. So I've been a partaker. The more I partake of divine nature, the more I become like Christ, like the nature I partake of. Hallelujah. The more, oh come on, the more you take and put a vegetable in, I don't know if you have in there, a pickle brine in salty, salty and vinegar. What will happen to that vegetable? Well, it will soon assimilate that which it's surrounded with. And very soon it will taste like vinegar and salt, which I don't know if you have many in Nigeria, but in Canada and America, we love pickles. And it's just something that preserves and adds a flavor. Brothers and sisters, you know, God wants to just add a flavor to our lives that we would assimilate. We would partake and assimilate of his faith, of his, oh Lord Jesus, of his brotherly kindness, of his love until we smell like and look like and taste like the Lord Jesus. Amen. So there's no lack at the banqueting table, but often it's not until I get hungry that I'm going to look for food. When I'm satisfied, I'm content, I'm just working, I'm just reading, thinking, I'm not even thinking about going to the banquet table. Oh, when that hunger begins to stir and become demanding inside of me, that is when, hallelujah, I'm drawn to look for the table of the Lord. I say, God, I am out of mercy. I am out of kindness. Lord, I'm on my last kindness. And if somebody else comes by, they might get something other than kindness, being squeezed out of me. Lord, saturate me with your nature. So this is my favorite one, his favorite one. And this is those who, hallelujah. Amen. And verse eight, Brother Cassandra, again, verse eight, please. Verse eight, for if this things be in you and abound, then make you that ye shall neither be buried nor fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We can read it, rather than from the negative, we can read it from the possible positive. If these qualities, is the word that's used in my version, the quality of what? Faith. This virtuous power to be a morally excellent, that's the definition of virtue. If these things be in me and abound, I will be fruitful and I'll be useful. You want to be fruitful and useful? And get saturated with the nature of Jesus, that these qualities of God be in me. I partake, and what I partake of becomes assimilated into my being, and I become like Christ. Hallelujah. I become what I take in. Oh, let's read some more. Psalm 36, verse eight. And favor, Proverbs 15, 15. So first one, Psalms 36, 8. Brother Cass, are you already there? Sister Bertha, are you there? Psalm 36, 8. Let's open it. Yes. Psalm 36, verse 8 says, they are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your pleasures. Praise the Lord. Amen. The feast of the abundance of God's house. Ah, the river of his pleasures. Hallelujah. Rivers of life. Okay. Proverbs 15, 15. Proverbs 15, 15. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Joy is served. The joy is served upon the table. Yes, sir. And when you partake of the joy, you have a continual. Everything turns to be tasty when you're full of joy. Everything turns distasteful when we're grumpy and when we're undissatisfied. Oh, Lord, help us. The joy of the Lord sweetens everything. His presence is in us. Hallelujah. Amen. How about the book of Luke, chapter 14, verse 15. I'll say that, Sister Bertha, Luke 14, 15. How about Cassandra, 1 Corinthians 10, 17 and 18. There's actually two partaking. The first one, Luke 14, 15. Now, when one of those, Luke 14, 15. Now, when one of those who sat at the table with him heard this thing, he said to him, blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Amen. And Jesus said, I am the bread of life. The bread of life. So he's saying, whoever eats of me is full with me, assimilate me into their life. Hallelujah. He's glad. Praise the Lord. Brother Cassandra, you can read 1 Corinthians 10, verse 17, all the way to 21, really. And this partaking is mentioned there. 1 Corinthians 10, 17 through 21 says, For we, being many, are one bread and one body. For we are partakers of that one bread. Behold, Israel, after the flesh, are not there which eat of the sacrifice, partakers of the altar. What say I then, that the idol is anything, or that which is offered and sacrificed to idols is anything? But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's devil and of the devil of devils. Wow. Wow. Sister Bertha, would you take a look at that and just break it down simply for us? What is Paul saying to the Corinthians? One of the most immoral places, a city, in the then known world, amongst the most immoral, what is Paul saying to them? And what is he speaking to us? Sister Bertha, take the challenge, if you will. 1 Corinthians 10, 17 to 21. Praise the Lord. Okay. Okay. Verse 17 says, For we, though many, are one bread and one body, for we all partake of that one bread. From this, we see that, just like you actually said that Jesus Christ said he is the bread of life, that anyone that eats of him would not taste anymore, would not be hungry anymore, but will have the life of life. And the Bible says right here that we are one bread and we partake of that one bread and of that one body. For we all partake of that one bread, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. I remember in John 16, where Christ said that he is a vine and we are the branches that cut off from him, we can do nothing. Meaning that the Lord is still the same bread we are talking about here and we all partake of him. Because just like the Bible says that we are the church of Christ, the church is not the building we feel like when we say, oh, I went to church on Sunday. Sometimes I try to tell us that when we go to church, that thing we are looking at is just the building. It is not us, that we are actually the church, because that is what the Bible says, that each of us is the church and all of us are partakers of one thing. When we go there, we partake of that one, we drink of that one cup and we partake of that one bread, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. And so Saint Paul says that of that Israel, after the flesh are not those who eat of the sacrifice, partakers of the altar. Now the altar is a place of sacrifice. It's a place where it can be good, it can be bad. Because when those that go to meet a metingmen or babalawas, we call them in our native language, you know, they are metingmen or habalis as we call them. Now it's an altar. It's an altar and then they are told to bring something. And once, whatever it is that they have brought to the altar in sacrifice, it accomplishes the purpose for them, for which they have gone there. But this is not what the Bible is talking about, because the Bible said that there remaineth no other sacrifice then, apart from the Lord Jesus who has been sacrificed for us once and for all. And we are all partakers of that same one and only sacrifice. And the Father says that, what am I saying to them? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything, rather than the things which the dentists sacrifice. They sacrifice to demons and not to God. And I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons. Here it is, it is just saying the same thing. But we partake of the table where we all come together. That is the body of Christ. And here, just like I said earlier, we are not talking about, just like, the one I talked about before, even reading down, is the one sacrificed to demons. It's serving them, no doubt, whatever they have gone there for, it is serving them. But here St Paul says that this is not what we should be doing. Inasmuch as those things are sacrificed to them, to us it is nothing. But for us, this is what it is to us. Like I said earlier, it is a positive one and not a negative one. And it is all of us, all of us, regardless of tribe, race, color, no matter the denomination, we are all drinking from the same cup on this altar and we are all eating the same bread that has been sacrificed, which is our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord. So this is the banquet we are all partaking in. So I think it's the very next chapter which talks about the table of the Lord, referring to communion, the body and the blood of the Lord Jesus. So let us continue to be clear. You are very clear, Sister Bertha. Let's continue to be clear that this table of the Lord also is referred to as the communion, the table of thanksgiving, the table of blessing. Amen. And so even in the tabernacle, there was a table. And what was on the table? It was the table of showbread. And upon that table were 12 loaves of bread. And each one represented the provision of God for the people. You see, this thing is all through the Bible. Once you start to open it, it's just everywhere. And so I was so surprised. How could we eat from the table of devils? Now, if this spiritual blessing of God is considered eating at his table, I wonder what it means to eat at the table of devils. Can I give that one to you, Brother Faber, to chew on and give an answer? Thank you. I was going to comment on that. Please do. Yeah. Okay. So, you know, Sister Bertha, as Brother Keshe read the scripture, Sister Bertha made her contributions wonderful. I wanted to contribute on verse 20 and 21. So it says, But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God. And I would not that you should have fellowship with devils. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils. So first we see that consecration is sacred unto the Lord. And I like to put it this way. Consecration is serious business with the Lord. So the question is, so how do we cross carpet? How do we become partakers of the Lord's table and at the same time make ourselves available to partake of the table of devils? I have two examples that came to me. And I just, for instance, first, a lot of people in this part of the world, in Nigeria, there is something that people do. They don't understand how that it is not so right. It's unclean, I like to say. When the Muslims celebrate their festivals and they kill their meat, they kill the ram, the animals, and they would have plenty of meat. Some Christians eat of that. That's not supposed to be. That is not supposed to be because that meat was not sacrificed to God, was not offered unto God. And so they just go there and then they eat of it and that's not supposed to be. And then also I would think about how that, you know, the Apostle Paul, the lady, the girl who was possessed with the spirit of divination, I think about how that she was walking behind Paul in silence and screaming, these are the men of God sent from God to minister, listen to them, listen to them. And all that she was saying, if we look closely, she was saying the fact, she was just presenting the fact. Yeah, that was the truth and it was good. But the Bible says Paul had to rebuke her at some point. And Paul rebuked her, why? Because the spirit that was saying that was not the spirit of God. And so Paul didn't need that spirit to validate his ministry or to approve of him. He didn't need that. And this is where we have to ask the Lord to help us and give us insight into how the demands of consecration, what is demanded of us when it comes to consecration. And there are many more examples, but I'd just like to stop with this too and I'll listen to other people. So we understand that the Lord is very clear on this. We cannot be partakers of the lost table and the table of devil. So if anybody else has other examples of how we can, you know, cross-cut it, so to say, you know, one minute we're here, the other minute we're there, please let's share it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Anyone else? Unmute? Anyone else? Go ahead for the kiss. Okay. I thought of Judas Iscariot. Yeah, Judas. Judas belonged to the table of the Lord. In short, Jesus purposely gave him sop, as King James would put it. You see? Peck. But interestingly, even though it does not appear that the Pharisees sacrificed to idols, Judas, by his intentions and motives in having some fellowship with them, was partaking of the devil's table. Yeah. He partook of the devil and there are grave consequences for that. Now, as man of God's ever talked about consecration, I began to think of Judas very strongly because many of us do not understand the seriousness of the lost table and why Apostle Paul writing, as Reverend referred to chapter 11, you see how seriously Apostle Paul had to write and said, when you fail to do the right thing concerning the lost table, you are failing to discern the lost body. I said, for this reason, some are sick and some have fallen asleep. So, the lost table is a great place to be. I was just listening, as Reverend referred to this scripture, I had to look at it again and I saw, number one, partake of divine nature. There are many things that naturally I could not do. But by virtue of what the Lord has done in my life, people see me and say, some of the ones said of me, the pastor, he said, that guy talks like he comes from heaven. But it's not from me. But it's not from me. I'm never a good person. I have a bad temper without the Lord's nature working on me. Yes. So, but the woman thinks that guy, the way he talks, he comes from heaven. That's what they told the pastor. I was like, ah, how do I talk like someone? That's the divine nature. But Judas always left that fellowship to commune with those whose motive were not right concerning the Lord. That's a good example of partaking of the devil of devils. And the intentions were clearly financial gain. So, we have to watch it. It looks subtle. It was not going to idols or demons. But the people he was doing deals with, business with, he was doing it with devils. That's the truth. And soon, of course, the Bible finally tells us that the money he got was actually blood money. Even the people by their own standards of righteousness say, well, we are not taking back this money. And when he threw it at them, they went to buy a land where I think vagabonds or so are buried. I don't know what they use that land for. I don't remember that. So we have to be careful. The Lord's pebble is beneficial, but it's also serious business. Amen. The consequences are grave if we swear from one side to the other. That's why it was a disaster for Judas. Taking stuff from the Lord and going to another pebble to do deals. He never came back. Never did. He didn't have a chance. He was snatched by a spirit of suicide and despair, and he took his own life. Amen. Amen. Yes. Hallelujah. I'm thinking about Moses. I see you, Sister, for just a moment. I'm thinking about Moses and how in Hebrews 11, it says, who chose rather to suffer with the people of God rather than enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season. And he was thinking that the reproach of Christ was greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. Or he had respect. Oh, come on now. He had respect unto the recompense of reward. He knew what food he should eat. You know, this pleasures of sin, I believe, is one way we can interpret drinking and eating from the table of what demons have to offer. They offer pleasures. They offer fame in return for your soul. They offer power. They offer well, many things. And they require your soul. Amen. Hallelujah. Roberta, did you want to continue on that? You're welcome. Or we'll move on. It's up to you. Yes. I just, I don't know. Mine is like a question form while I contribute briefly to to what you asked because I just saw the answer somewhere in verse 22 when you said, how can we be eating from the Lord's table and also the partaking of the tables of demons? Yes. But 23 says that, or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? He told us that he, our Lord and our God, is a jealous God. As Jesus Christ has already told us that we cannot serve two masters and that nobody can do it effectively. When you're serving two masters, you either serve one, but you love one or despise the other. There's no way you can serve them equally. It's not possible. In this part of the world, our country, Nigeria, I'm sorry because this is where I'm from and I know what we do as Christians. The truth is that many a time, and this is not hearsay, many a time, some of us go to church, apart from the fact that we sing and all of that, yes, some of us go to church and we provoke the Lord to jealousy or anger. When we still go to, just because we're passing through trials or tribulations or temptations or some sort of trouble, we also go to the other side to ask what is the problem. I have heard a woman who, they were, they gathered together and they were talking about a woman who just lost her son and the woman said, if it is me, what has happened to me before taught me a great lesson. She said, if it is me, I don't care. I will go to any way and any length to see to it that my son is well. In other words, it's not just about praying. I will still go to the other side to find out because most times here, when people die, they go to find out the cause of the person's death. Meanwhile, these people are Christians. You hear them preach, they send you wonderful things, morning devotionals and all of that. Where I worked before, one of my colleagues then, he lost his son just one good morning. Nothing was wrong with him. Before six in the morning, he went to turn off the gen, he came back and that was it. And then he said, if it's going to somewhere, if it's going places, I have gone. But they told me that my son died of natural circumstances, that nobody was because of his death. Now, these are people who partake of the Lord's table and at the same time, they also go to the other side, partaking of the demon's tables. And all these things provoke the Lord to jealousy because we are actually serving two masters and we claim to serve one. And please, Reverend, I need clarification because what Pastor Faber talked about, I must be very sincere. I have friends who are Muslims and I've eaten meat from them, even as customers. When they do the... Yes, because to me, I felt, what is my business? Sempo said, everything, as long as it is sanctified by the blood that we can receive. I might be wrong, I don't know. I remember, yes, I remember, Sempo said in Romans 14, he said, receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to dispute over those two things. For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is rich eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat. And let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has received him. I don't want to go further. Like, Pastor says, who are you to judge another servant to his own master? He stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. For one person esteems one day above another, another esteems every day alike. Let one, let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day observes it to the Lord, and he who does not observe the day to the Lord, he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord. For he who gives, for he gives God thanks. And he who does not eat to the Lord, he does not eat and gives God thanks. For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. So, really, this is the reason why, I might be wrong, but I don't know, because I, like I said, I confess, I have eaten before, and this is the reason why I ate. To me, what is that sacrifice? What is food offered to idols? That there is also a place, he said, everything is good, once it is satisfied with the Lord. So, please, I tell others, is it wrong for us, maybe, to continue to eat that, as he says? Is this still partaking of the demos table? Yeah, I think we understand your question clearly, and thank you for asking it. There might be other people who are wondering about that. So, let me first give favor to who wrote, who raised this question. Let me first give favor, a chance to answer. Okay. Reverend, I think the scripture, that scripture, Paul was also clear on that. Sister B, you know, yes, you talked about, you know, meat, these things are, when the Lord would speak to Peter, he said to him, don't say, you know, what I have sanctified, don't call it unclean, what I have called clean, right? So, yeah, you could eat meat and all of that, and any meat of your choice, whatever. But, Paul was clear on this, to talk about what has been offered, sacrificed, offered. So, for me, I consider all of those, mostly meat and all of that, as much as I like meat. It was for, it was, the purpose is clear, right? There's no confusion. It is a purpose clear, they're doing their right, and all of that is being offered unto their Allah. It's clear, there's no confusion. So, if I go there, and I mingle, and I say, okay, I'm going to sanctify, I'm going to eat, no, no, no, no, that's not, that's not true, it doesn't work like that. It doesn't work like that. And while you were talking, turning on for that, while you were talking, and even one reverend was sharing, as reverend made reference to Moses, Moses is an excellent example of someone who refused to partake of the devil's table. The Lord brought two more examples to me. First off, the example of Balaam and Balaam, you see. Now, for each time that, for each time that Balaam tried to, Balaam tried to curse the children of Israel, and then blessing will come out, and then Balaam will say, oh no, no, no, no, try and try, try again, try again, you've blessed them, I didn't call you to bless them, I called you to curse them. Balaam will say, okay, fine, we need to start a new altar. Which means, I can't, on this same altar, that I have already, you know, blessed, start to speak curse. We need to start another one. And then, you know the story, you know, they did it all of Israel, and he wouldn't curse, he wouldn't curse the children of Israel. And also, we see that God was very, God was very, God showed Balaam huge faithful mercy, because by reason of the offering of Balaam, by reason of what Balaam had promised Balaam, Balaam almost went to the other side. If he had taken, and that was why the Lord caused the donkey to see the angel, because if Balaam had taken of that gift, if he had received of that gift, just like, thank you, Holy Spirit, it's just coming. Just like what happened to Gehazi, right? He went and said, oh no, no, no, give it to me, Naaman, give it to me, Naaman. What happened? The prophet Elijah said, you are receiving the curse of Naaman. You don't, you don't, you don't cross carpet. Just like Gehazi said, you don't swerve. You get the consequence of it. You, you, you, you get punished. You don't just go and say, okay, okay, let me take a little bit from here, and I'll get back here. No, no, no, no, no. It's been offered, it's been offered unto, and that's the same thing with Balaam. All of those possessions, all of those, all of those possessions, there's a God called Mammon. Yes, those were the prophets from, of Mammon. And, and, and Balaam was not supposed to mingle with it. You see, that would be servant. And so I think, I think in that case, I have other example, but let me stay here for others to talk. I think in that, in that portion of scripture, Paul was very clear to say that this meat has been offered. So in the case of the Muslim stuff, they have, it was, their purpose is clear. It's not like, you know, somebody say, I want to give you meat. That is different. This is a meat. Yeah, I think the scripture also says favor. If they invite you and you sit down to eat at some person's house, don't ask them about the meat. Was his sacrifice? Was this not? He was blessed in meat. So put some qualifications there. Brother Cassandra, your mic is open. Did you want to have a word? We do want to move on from this, although I also want to clear this up as well. All right, Reverend, thank you so much. You have added to exactly where I was going, but in the same chapter, the Bible also gave us a rule. When you come to the Christian walk and the Christian faith, our righteousness is higher than the Pharisees for a reason. We do not just do choose to do between right and wrong. We operate by the rule of love. So Paul writing in the same chapter says, if any man see thee which has knowledge, sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not a conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols? So you are not guided by knowledge alone. You are guided by both knowledge and love. I have knowledge. Idols don't mean a thing to me. But there are others who are weak, who do not understand why is this guy partaking of this meat? They are not grown up to their level of knowledge. For their sake, you don't eat it. Now, this is the rule, like Reverend said. I was trying to look for the scripture. I didn't find it. The rule is this. Ask wisely. You are not the one to ask questions. I didn't find the scripture. But it says do not ask questions. Corinthians 10. 23 to 25 and on. Okay. It says, whatever is sold in the shambles, that is asking no question. For conscience sake, for the earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof. That's 1 Corinthians 10, 25. I don't want to take much time. So the point is, you do not need to ask a question. If you do not know, do not ask. If you read further than it tells you, if you were told that look, we sacrifice this meat, then you have to reject it. If you know, it's for conscience sake. That's the rule. Conscience sake, man. Yes. You say no, I'm not eating it. Yes. That's the way. That's the way it works. Because if we go by, let's ask questions concerning everything, eventually you have to leave this world. Because even the closest you are, you don't know where you are. But once you know, you are expected to reject it. That's the rule. Right. And Brother Faber was, I believe when he started, he was talking about people who purposely will go to the feast of these other religions who certain times of year will eat large amounts of meat. And the Christians will gorge themselves for self-pleasure and enjoyment. Because we know that meat is costly and it's seldom available unless you can really put money out. So why would we join a feast like that? So I think that's where you started, Brother Faber. Can we move on? Can we move on from this? It's a good discussion. I appreciate your question. Very well put, Bertha. And you were very clear about your question. And I hope that what's been shared will contribute to your understanding. And then the sum of it is, you know, not only your own conscience, but those who are watching, that in love we need to be aware that we don't cause someone else to stumble. Amen. May God bless our understanding and our love for one another. Here's the next one I just want to, you know, there's so many verses on this subject, but there's something I'd like to bring out about this partaking of. And it's in Hebrews, the 12th chapter. Brother Kasandu, please read Hebrews 12 from 8 to about 10. You can choose the context there. I'm reading from verse 8, right? Yes. Yes. Okay. Hebrews chapter 12 talks about, and ye, I'm reading from verse 5, rather, where he begins to talk about, so he says, and ye have forgotten the exaltation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor fend when thou rebukes of him, for whom the Lord loveth his chasteners, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God delighteth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof are ye partakers? Then are ye pastors and not sons? Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall not we much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits, and leave for their very, for a few days, chastening us after their own pleasure? But he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. I think that's the word there. Yes. So there's two partaking in this chapter. The first partaking is a type of food that we don't so much enjoy. It's like bitter herbs. Even in the feast that the Jews have, they always include bitter herbs. And they say it's so that we can remember the bitterness of slavery, the bitterness of being suppressed by others. But here, the bitterness is the bitterness of correction, discipline, and instruction of the Lord in times it doesn't taste good. But if we're not partakers of God's discipline, you know, we all want to be anointed with the Holy Spirit. But we have to remember that Jesus was coming, and it said of him that he'd send the Holy Spirit and fire. And that fire is to purify. Purify, as Malachi says, the sons of Levi that they may offer a sacrifice, an offering in purity and in holiness, pleasing unto the Lord. For no unholy offering is pleasing unto the Lord. So at this Lord's table, although there's pleasures, on the way to pleasures is discipline and correction, and God's dealing in our life, where he will take and break that vessel and reform it as the potter's wheel. In the book of Ezekiel, and I went to the potter's house, and what did I see? I saw a work upon a wheel. And that work was spoiled. It was ruined. And I saw him again smash it, not smash it, but it was still soft. He reformed it and began again a work with his own hands. So this is the work in our lives sometimes have to be crushed before we can bring forth the scent of the Lord. And so the being partaker of the Lord's table includes the discipline and the work of the Holy Spirit. You know, the blood of Jesus cleanses us, but the Holy Spirit is the one who works the work of sanctifying. And that work of sanctifying is often referred to as a refiner's fire or a fuller's soap. So if we reject, if we reject, then we are bastards and not sons at all. So embrace, rather, and rebel not against the dealing of God. And so when we come against obstacles and situations and circumstances, let us not rebel against the dealings of God. Even as the example comes to me as Paul, and the Lord from heaven says, isn't it kind of hard for you to kick against the goads? I've been trying to get you to go a different direction and you've been kicking. You didn't realize you were kicking against me. And so, oh Lord Jesus, help me right here. Sometimes the circumstances we find ourselves in are like a net and we can't escape and we kick and we fight and we struggle. When God wants to remove something from your life that ought not to be there, sometimes he has to put you on the operating table and he has to cause you to be still. Why do we fight him? Something must be, is being exposed as a weakness and as a problem. We first, we try to hide it and then we try to deal with it and we try to change it. The only way is to bring it to the fire of the Holy Spirit and say, God, chastise me and cleanse me and change me. I want to partake of this. You know, Jesus said, are you able to partake of this cup that I am drinking, the cup of suffering? So, that's the next one. I just want to bring up these two and that for us to realize the chastisement, which all are partakers of, leads to partaking of holiness. The suffering of Christ, which we all have fellowship with and share in the sufferings of, you know these persons, but they lead us through the fire into the victory. And the, oh Lord Jesus, the only thing burned is the ropes which hold us, the bondage which keeps us. Go through the fire with rejoicing, with praise, with worship, with faith and honoring God that he's brought us too far to let us go back again. Almighty God, you brought us to this fire, you bring us through it. The only thing will burn is my flesh and my bondages. Oh Lord Jesus, somebody hear this. I feel it to the depths of my spirit. We need to embrace the situations and the correction, instructions of the Lord. Let's read another verse and then we'll have comment. Hallelujah. First Peter 4.13. First Peter 4.13. And then, I don't know if Brother Emanuel, if you have your audio available, can you read 2 Corinthians 1.7. I know that you don't always have the network to join in that way, but if you can, 1 Corinthians 1.7. First Peter 4.13. First Peter 4.13. But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed with exceeding joy. There's something about sufferings that reveal Christ's glory that we've been partaking of. Hallelujah. We've been consuming and becoming, letting his nature become a part of us, but it's when we are crushed, it's when we are squeezed, that that glory can shine through. This is what Paul was saying is, you know, I've been cast down, but I've not been forsaken. We've been not destroyed, oh Lord, that the glory might shine through us. There's no testimony stronger in Paul's life that he could find to give his credential as an apostle is that the devil tried to kill us for all these years. We've been struck down, we've been shipwrecked, we've been all these things, but he couldn't touch us and we were not destroyed, we were not discouraged beyond measure. Oh Lord Jesus, help us, because this is when the sufferings come, which bring out, brings out the beauty of the perfume of the Spirit of Christ within our lives. Hallelujah. Amen. Amen. And then Brother Manuel, if you're able, 1 Peter 4 13. Go ahead and unmute, if not, we'll pass it to someone else, knowing that you cannot. 1 Peter 4 13. Okay. Verse 13. But rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Okay, you want me to come to comment on that Reverend? Yes, you take it my brother, I'm sure you have something. Okay, well, I mean, the example you gave, you know, with the life of the Prophet Moses was just an excellent example. And I will also think about, you know, as I look at this speech, I'll think about how that, just like Bertha pointed out, we can get weary of the other side, we can get weary of partaking in Christ's offering, that's the truth. We can be, we can be discouraged about that. And, but that, that is all part of the whole, that, but that is all part of the package. That is, that is, like you said, that is what it takes in order for that divine nature to be revealed in us. I will think about Saul. And this is, this is, I don't know, this is really interesting. But at the same time, it gives us an insight into what we can go through as children of God, and it will help us to stand against it, when such seasons come into our lives or come to play in our lives. Now, Saul chased, or would send out from Israel, all of the seers and diviners and all of them, and he sent them all out. Then suddenly he became, he had, you know, issues for which he, that is, let me be, okay, 1 Samuel 28. Then he also had issues for which he, you know, prayed and tried to inquire of the Lord, but the Lord wouldn't ask for him, you know, neither by the Urim nor the Prophets. Now, he said something really pathetic in 1 Samuel 28 verse 7. He said, Then Saul said unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her and inquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. This was the same woman he sent and he drove away. But when the situation got tough for him, he had to swerve. He had to say, Okay, maybe I should just partake a little bit of the devil's table. And it didn't go all that well. So I say this because we need to, I believe this is such a blessing, the teaching tonight is such a blessing, almost as though I knew it, almost as though the Holy Spirit just spoke to me earlier and said this is going to be a blessing. We need to encourage ourselves that part of the divine nature is to also be a partaker of Christ's suffering. And his suffering is not to destroy us. And that is what he says in Hebrews. He says that it is the chastening of the Lord. It makes us pure, it makes us very, it brings out the best of us. And just like he rephrased Matthew 3.11, it says, He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. It is that fire that brings out the glory of the best of us and brings it to the limelight and brings it to the fulfillment of God's ordained purpose for our lives. So I pray that the Lord will just use this teaching tonight to encourage our hearts that we realize that part of what is involved in having and manifesting the divine nature of God is that we are also, we become partakers of his suffering. It says, so that when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. So we will see the glory of the Lord also revealed in us, you know, by reason of that experience. So this is just what I wanted to, I just wanted to touch on that as an encouragement. And so we do not ask to get discouraged when seasons come. Amen. I just don't want to speak for too long. Thank you. I will, not every time it says partaker, does it mean to eat, but it all has a similar understanding that it means to take within and to assimilate or to become a part of or a fellowship with. And so it has different inclinations of meaning. But today we've just taken this, what is on the Lord's table? What are you eating? What are you consuming? And what is consuming you? So may the Lord help us tonight as we have come to his table, the word of God, to eat a feast from what he's given us in his word and what he's giving us by his spirit. I can think of so many examples. Elijah, the angel said, here, take and eat. And he prepared him a cake that was good for 40 days. I want some of that. Eat once every 40 days. Right, Sister Bertha? We'd be good, right? We could run for 40 more days. Hallelujah. Yes. Amen. I think about Daniel and how he chose not to partake of what was offered him of the king's meal. Hallelujah. And he chose purity. Hallelujah. I think of Psalms chapter 66, how the psalmist says, the psalmist says, he's brought me into a net and he's laid affliction upon my loins. He's caused me to walk through the fire, through the flood. He's let men ride over my head and affliction on my loins. And at the end it says, yet he brought me out into a wealthy place. So this dealing of the Lord is everywhere. The choosing that is required during the dealing. This is what turns the dealing of God into a blessing. It's your choice. When we finally yield, that area which has ruled us and Christ becomes king of that area of our life. There's so much more of Christ. There's room for more. And so this is the process and the working of the Holy Spirit to let shine out through difficulty, our impatience, our anger, our lack of trust shows up, our grumbling shows up. And it's at that moment, if you will choose and ask for divine nature, oh, you will grow quickly. You will see breakthroughs. You will come through those giants which have bound you and you will be ruled by the spirit of the living God. You become a greater blessing to all those around you as you're filled with Christ. So may this word help us today. Convict you as it's convicted me. Amen. Amen. Lead us to the Lord, my brother. Amen. Father, thank you. Thank you, Lord, for this banquet and the feast. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Lord. Thank you for teaching us to know that part of the menu is bitter herbs of discipline. Amen. Thank you because you have a purpose that we may partake of your holiness. Therefore, Lord, we pray tonight, we pray today that we accept that which is from you. We may not understand it, but we accept it. Amen. We accept it for our good. Amen. We accept it for our good, for it's working out something greater for us. Amen. As we come out from this, Lord, our bondages will be lost. Amen. Everything that is like the dross on silver will be taken away from our lives. Amen. Teach us, Lord, to accept that which is from you. Amen. Even as your servants watch my knee pray, say, teach us, Lord, to descend that which is from your hand and to love it and to kiss that hand of God that deals with us. Amen. Teach us, Lord, to accept that which is from you. Many of us do not understand what we are going through, but teach us, Lord, by a word tonight, by an instruction, by the revelation of the world, teach us to understand that you love us and that you have called us as sons. We are not bastards. You have called us to your table. We are not of there who go into perdition like Judas who partook of the table and went out and never came back. Lord, we are asking if in any way our heart desires are beginning to take us out, little by little. Yes. If in any way the cares of this life is beginning to take us out, little by little, please call us to all that mighty one. Amen. Do not allow us to stray. Just like you did not allow Peter, God said to him, Satan has asked to have you, but I prayed for you. And Peter, he didn't go away forever. He came back. He came back and you told him, follow me. Forget about John the Beloved. Follow me, you, Peter. Lord, we pray. Do not allow us stray. Amen. Do not allow us to be offended by a discipline, by a hand which deals with us, but let us love it. Let us love you. Amen. Let us submit to the Father. Yes. Amen. Lord, we submit to the Father of spirit. We refuse to desire and go for the pleasures of this world. Amen. Just like Moses did in his days, Lord, we turn our backs on the pleasures of sin. We want to be partakers of the promised land of Canaan. We want to be partakers of the rest which you give, Lord. Yes, Lord. Lord, I pray that grace be released tonight for every one of us that will turn our backs on the pleasures of sin. Amen. That will look for that city not built with hands. Who's built that is God. God, cause her eyes to look up to the higher things of you. Higher things, higher things. Jesus said, Mary has it and it cannot be taken away from her. Hallelujah. Lord, this will not be taken away from us. Oh, God, strength, grace. Thank you, Lord. To desire the higher things of God. Grace, strength, courage. Oh, God, the fortitude, the fortitude, the stamina. Just like Daniel had in his days. He proposed in his heart yes not to defy himself with the king's speech. Oh, Lord, we are the devil. We do not want to live here. Yes, Lord. And we do not want to despise it here, Lord. Yes, Lord. We do not want to live here. We do not want to despise it. Amen. Until we become like you. Until we see your face. We want to remain here. Keep us by your grace. Amen. To him who is able to keep you from falling. Yes, Lord. To him, to him. Our hope is on you. Not on our strength, but on what we have done. We trust you, Lord. We believe you, Lord. Lord, not just for everyone but everyone that belongs to this great move. Keep us, mighty one. Keep us from the evil. Keep us from the deceiver. Keep us from seducers who are bound in this last day. Let us love you. Let us love you. The kind of love that Peter thought. I said, do you love me more than this? Hmm. A love higher than the love for brothers and the love for friends. Yes. A love that will make us go the way we may not want to go, but that will bring glory to you. The Bible says, by these deaths, you will bring glory to God. Yes. Oh, Father, that we may like Jesus said, there is one that seeketh and judges. Yes. Let us be concerned about your own judgment, not what people say. Yes, Father. But seeking to please you in everything. Oh, righteous one. Oh, Lord, grace is released. Grace is available for these. The grace to say no. The grace to be partakers of the divine nature, to act to our faith, virtue, and brotherly kindness and love. That all these things will be in us and abound. Thank you, Holy One. Oh, righteous one. Thank you, Holy One. Lord, and in these days where darkness seems to run free course in our nations, in Nigeria, in the U.S., preserve your children, Lord, from the wicked, from the evil ones, from blood-thirsty men, from unreasonable men, from men who do not know God. And as Nigeria goes to the pools, we speak by the prophetic word, mind you what? Overturned until it comes to the man whom you have chosen for a time like this. Overturned and overturned, righteous one, who do not stand by the opinions of men, and the fears of men, and the postulations of men, but who speak by the prophetic word. For the one you have chosen. Oh, the Bible says, I will put you as a pin, put you as a nail on the wall, let it come to that one you have chosen for a time like this. Amen. Amen. For the sake of your church, for the sake of your servants, for the sake of your work. Yes, Father. Through this nation, Lord. And for the nation of U.S., Lord. Yes, Lord. Mind you what? Let your hand be upon that nation. Yes, Lord. In the villages of the divisions, across political. Yes. Yes, Lord. Opinions and ideologies. Yes, Lord. Concerning the gun laws and all that, that's divided into so much. And all kinds of agendas being pushed. Mind you what? Once again, stand over America. Let America hear your voice once again. Yes, Father. Let them respond to their King, to the one their Father is. Yes, Father. In Jesus' mighty name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Lord. Amen. Thank you. Thank you. Amen. Thank you. Thank you, Lord. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
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