BLESSINGS ASSOCIATED WITH BANQUETING: OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL, 4TH NOVEMBER 2018

MEMORISE:
A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.  Proverbs 15:13

READ: Esther 7:1-7

1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.

2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.

3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.

5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?

6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.   Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen;  for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.

MESSAGE

The topic of today's devotional may be surprising to you. Indeed, some Christian zealots discredit banqueting, and they tend to glory in not associating themselves with parties. Trying to justify themselves, you will hear some say, "I am not a party person." 

Yes, there is no crime in not being a party person; I am not a party person either. However, there are benefits associated with banqueting found in God's word, and because of these blessings, I attend parties once in a while and get blessed by doing so, because it is in the word of God. 

I thank God for my wife; even when she is fasting, you will always see her cooking. The word of God has inspired her to continually host banquets, culminating in the birth of an annual outreach programme christened 'Feast of Esther'! The Lord be praised!

According to today's memory verse, one of the blessings of banqueting is a cheerful spirit. The children of this world know this secret and they take advantage of the blessing of joy brought on by getting together. 

Although they mostly misuse the opportunity of merriment, they still get the associated blessing of a cheerful spirit because it is the word of God. In today's Bible reading, Queen Esther took advantage of the blessings associated with banqueting to fight a war that could otherwise have been lost if fought on the battlefield. 

Using her privilege as queen, she perfectly hosted the king to a sumptuous dinner party and got his attention for the salvation of her people from annihilation.

The effect of good meals is obvious in the Bible. Good meals have either made or marred people's destinies. Delicious pottage destroyed the destiny of Esau, while a good meal placed irreversible blessings on Jacob (Genesis 25:29-34, Genesis 27). Also, a good meal prescribed by God Himself delivered the Jews from bondage in Egypt (Exodus 12:5-10). 

Beloved, when occasion warrants you to hold a banquet, go ahead and do it. You can use Nehemiah 8:10 as a template of what festivities for children of God should look like. This scripture verse says:

“…Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Are you planning to host a banquet and the devil is putting doubts in your heart? Go ahead with that joyful gathering, and there shall be no problem, rather you will come back with unimaginable testimonies of victories over those who don't want you to celebrate in Jesus' Name.

PRAYER POINT:
Father, please give me a reason to host a celebration this season in Jesus' Name.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Jeremiah 40-42, Luke 16:1-18

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 6: A NEW THING
(Tune: There shall be showers of Blessing)

1. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because GOD will do new things
Sinners will soon be forgiven
Prodigals will come home soon.

Chorus:
Shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Rivers in desert now flowing
Halleluyah to our king.

2. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Sickness and sorrow will be gone
Bondage will be forgotten.

3. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
The barren will be fruitful soon
Failure will be forgotten

4. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Poverty will be forgotten
Stagnancy will soon be gone.

5. We will soon shout Hallelujah
Because God will do new things
To all miracles are given
There shall be celebrations

6. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Many will have testimonies
Of prayers answered fully

7. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
One of us will chase a thousand
Two will conquer ten thousand.

8. We will soon shout Halleluyah
Because God will do new things
Songs of praises we will sing
Halleluyah to our King.