Then he also said to him who invited him, “When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14)
Jesus, please give us a heart to reach out to the lost and the least, the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Give us a heart to reach out to those who can never help us. Give us your selfless, self-giving love. Thank you.
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!” Then he said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’” (Luke 14:15-24)
Holy Spirit, help us respond to Jesus’ invitation to come into his kingdom feast. Help us recognize and repent of those distractions of the world and the flesh and the devil that keep us holding back — help us recognize them for what they are and repent of them.
The Welcome Home Initiative:
Jesus, we pray for Nigel and the whole team that are ministering at the Welcome Home Initiative. Bless them, bless their families. Give Nigel stamina and wisdom. Help him to know when to speak and when to be silent. When it is time for him or the other team members to speak, give them your words — words that will go to the heart and mind and spirit. Jesus, renew in our days and for al these veterans and their families the wonders of your Pentecost. Thank you.
Father, we pray that every impediment to the healing you want for the veterans at the Welcome Home Initiative will be removed by your Holy Spirit and that each of them will experience the healing power of Jesus.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19a)
A word received: I want you to live in hope — not just hope in an idea, but hope in me. I AM and I AM able to transform every circumstance in your life. Look to me with hope and expectation.
Monday: 80; * 77, [79]; Joel 1:1-13; Revelation 18:15-24; Luke 14:12-24
Tuesday: 78:1-39; * 78:40-72; Joel 1:15-2:2(3-11); Revelation 19:1-10; Luke 14:25-35
Albany Intercessor
