Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
I Cor. 10 ... If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 28But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
If you want to go, you are certainly free to go. The word "disposed" means "inclined" to do this, having a desire to do this.
Most of the time anymore, I don't want to go. But I know I am free to go if I want to go. If I don't want to go and if I do go when I don't want to go usually I bring trouble on myself one way or another.
There are some "feasts" that would trouble me more than others.
In USA, the typical feasts are Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day.
There was a time I wanted to go to these because it seemed it would be fun and I would be "included" in a group ... But for the most part I never enjoyed it the way I thought I would enjoy it. Now I don't even want to go.
The first thing that that troubles me now is the prayer at the beginning of the meal. People solemnly bow their heads and close their eyes. And someone prays. These are so often people who don't even believe in God the way we know God. Then the "prayer" is often forced and for show and it is obviously not a prayer that is real. It is a prayer for those people sitting there and somehow it signals, "now we can eat", after it ends. I really hate these "prayers" and I dread them if I think about it happening before I sit down at the table ... and when it is going on, I hate it ... and often I am thinking if I had thought about them "praying" I wouldn't have come to this dinner.
I had a favorite aunt. I believe she did belong to God. I know there were spots and blemishes on her face for God has shown me her in a dream. We often went to her house to eat. When it was a Sunday or "special" holiday, and we sat down to eat, she would turn to her husband and say, "Poppy, will you say grace?" His face always showed a type of anger and hatred because she had asked him to do this but he always "prayed" a very quick prayer which always said the same thing by rote, "Bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies." My aunt seemed happy. My uncle was temporarily disgruntled. I always watched.
At the bridge center there were special meals at Christmas and the same man, John, prayed. He was a Church of Christ member and very pompous. He had a Ph.D and had retired from teaching in education department at a Church of Christ school. His "prayers" were very long. They were really more like sermons but devoid of Holy Spirit. After experiencing this a time or two, and being trapped at a table with others during John's "prayer", I learned to quickly go to bath room before John began praying and I remained in bath room until he finished. And while in bath room, I'm sure I usually complained to God about the "praying".
I don't believe I've ever heard a public prayer that was real prayer ... it was pre-planned and for show ... and this includes the prayers I have heard at church groups. It seems to have been the "traditional" thing to do before eating at at feast or before beginning a sermon at church. And I always disliked it.
Mt. 6 ... But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
The second problem I would have at this time of year has to do with Christmas and all the show without having any idea or thought as to what they are doing or trying to do. Christmas trees, decorations, gifts ... for what reason? There is nothing in Bible telling us to do these things. It is simply a tradition of man. I prefer not joining in such although the lights on the houses are attractive to my flesh.
Do we stop and think of that which we are doing? and why we are doing this?
Yet if you want to go, you are free to go.
There is a woman from bridge center who called me every week or two asking me to go to dinner with her. . I left bridge center about 2 years ago and quit bridge. I usually went with her. Sometimes I even wanted to go eat with her. But most of the time the talk was a problem and it got to point I couldn't even eat the food and just ended up throwing the money way. I finally began praying for God to just turn her another way when I crossed her mind. I haven't heard from her in about 2 months. And now I have decided I don't want to eat with other people anyway. Often they eat a lot faster than I do and I find it better for me to just quietly eat alone. So now if she did call, I would probably decline.
It is important for us to think of what we are doing. We do not have to go eat with unbelievers unless we really want to do this. And with believers, they will understand if we decline. So either way, God has made us free. Our flesh is the thing that will often get us into bondages which do no real good.