Good morning, afternoon or evening to you! Depending on when you are finding the time to tune in I welcome you today and thank you for joining me! It is my aim to encourage you today in the grace Jesus gives and remind you of His marvelous love and faithfulness in some way.

Recently our family went out together to eat. My mother in law Sue arrived first and got the table and then was joined by my Grandson Timothy and myself. We saved seats for the rest of the family for when they could arrive. While we sat there we enjoyed each others company and the chips and salsa they brought out to the table for us. We even had them bring out their special cheese dip and drinks. I ordered my wife Sheila a Dr Pepper to make sure it would be already there when she came in and sat down. We call this saving someone a seat at the table. We might get there ahead of them but we are excited and thrilled to save them a seat in anticipation of sharing with them this wonderful thing that is about to unfold.

Just a few things to note about saving a seat for someone before we get into the meat of this message today.

1. Saving a seat does not require me to be miserable while waiting for the other person to arrive.
2. Saving a seat does not mean I am better than them, superior to them or that they owe me anything.
3. Saving a seat does not make me a victim, it enables me to be a friend.
4. Saving a seat with the right attitude and motivation requires maturity.
5. Saving a seat usually demonstrates a value to the other person as you wish them to be seated next to you and not have to worry if they will have a seat when they arrive.

I give this analogy to build into us today a realization for how to carry ourselves in the revelation the Holy Spirit gives to us on healing. I also hope to encourage you in very real situations of life you may be currently going through. I also hope to cast a vision in you for the good things available at His table!

You see, Jesus is not only saving you a seat, He has gone before to set it all in place and make sure it is fool proof. I am someone who really needs it to be fool proof.

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Because Jesus went ahead of us into heaven itself and serves as our High Priest we can have confidence.

It is such a comfort to know someone has gone ahead of you and saved you a seat. Last Sunday, Sheila was able to go home, get comfortable and then come to the restaurant to join the rest of us. She knew without a doubt she would have a seat. It freed her up to tend to some things before arriving. Her goal was to make sure she would be able to engage fully and enjoy her place at the table with all the ones she loves. When you know that the person saving your place loves you and and simply wishes to have you there with them, for that very reason you can rest and enjoy.

Now, when it comes to revelation from the Holy Spirit, this is how we can carry ourselves towards others who have yet to lay hold of what it is we see. We are called to save them a place at the table, not lord over them that we see something they don’t, or make them feel inferior when they do arrive to join us at the same table. At the same time, those who have been at the table are not expected to refuse to enjoy what is available to them until everyone arrives. In order for others to know the value of having a place saved for them, they must be able to see how others are already benefitting from being at the table and enjoying what it offers.

This is especially true when it comes to the availability of grace, the New Covenant, healing, the trustworthiness of God and the reliability of all His promises. I want to look at something that took place that involves Jesus and a Greek woman who came to Him for help with her daughter who was demon possessed.

The disciples had a seat at the table with Jesus because in the context of the moment regarding the prophetic clock, Jesus was sent to the Jews first and was currently involved in His mission to them. But something amazing happens. A Greek woman hears about Jesus and how people have received from Him.

Mark 7:25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

A table symbolizes a place of receiving provision for life and health. It symbolizes abundance, connection, fellowship and joy. For this woman, even the crumbs from His table would be a blessing. To her, to be a dog getting the crumbs would be a blessing. Thus when we as His children have a place at the table we are very thankful. The table He sets is never empty. He sets us a table in the presence of our enemies! He wants the enemy to see how abundantly He has provided for us and how faithfully He cares for us. It is like rubbing salt in the enemy’s eyes. That is why we openly give praise to God for what we expect to receive from His table. We need at this point to give heed to something Scripture testifies to in,

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Everything to do with the kingdom begins at the point of faith for us. Everything flows to us through the pipeline of faith. No pipeline, no flow. I’m not your pipeline. My voice is not the pipeline but if you come expecting to hear the Holy Spirit speak to you through my voice and His voice lands on your heart, you have a pipeline. Then your seat at the table is very real to you. No one goes to the table unless they believe there’s something for them and they will be welcomed to it. The Greek woman whose daughter was delivered bears witness to the willingness of Jesus, and Jesus is a witness to the willingness of the Father. She heard and went. She must have came back to give thanks and report on what transpired because it says she went home to find her daughter on her bed free of the demon just as Jesus had said. How could that be known unless it was reported?

Personal testimony is powerful, it makes others aware of the faithful acts of God towards His children. Faith declarations are also important. God is glorified by declarations of faith concerning His willingness even though it cannot be seen it in the natural just yet. It testifies of our faith in Him as our Father.

I wonder how weird it was for someone to hear Abraham speak of an heir to come that he would leave everything to when he and Sarah were well past the age for childbirth? I wonder how strange Noah and so many others must have seemed to others for rejoicing in the promise they had received?

If you are afraid of others thinking you are strange for believing in things unseen you will not come to His table. You will struggle to give thanks and praise. Thanksgiving and praise abound where there is true faith! Joy comes by faith because faith is not about what you can see, it’s rooted in what you believe about God! A natural thinking person doesn’t understand but those with faith get it. There’s a seat at the table for you!

You are loved today and always by your faithful gracious Heavenly Father. By coming to His Son Jesus in faith to be forgiven and made alive you became His child supernaturally and He is for you not against you. He can heal you just as easily as He forgave you and made you righteous. It is by the same means, it is a gift and it works on the basis of faith.

So I speak healing to you today in His marvelous name. I declare that He is not only able to heal you, He is willing. Go and have a blessed day today in His name and always. His grace and peace be with you.