Banquet With The King

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Transformed?

Prayer – Lord, reveal to us this mystery of transformation. It is so exciting that we have this promise for our mortal bodies to be transformed into immortal bodies—just like Yours was, Jesus. Immortal! We will live forever—forever serving You. What can I do to get ready? Come quickly, Jesus. Glory be to the Father...and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: "Death is swallowed up in victory….(Isaiah 25:8)" 1 Corinthians 15:45-54 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate. Transformation.

Transformed...from a caterpillar to a butterfly.
Will you be transformed,,,
in the blink of an eye?
Believe in Jesus as your Savior.
Prepare to be changed.

Have you ever considered your own transformation?

Transformed! Changed from mortal to immortal. No more dying. How can that be? With God, all things are possible. How and when this transformation will take place is still a wonderful secret. God has revealed to us that we will be changed…in the blink or twinkling of an eye. So fast that we won’t even know it is happening, but we will know that we are changed. Even the dead in Christ will be transformed to immortal—raising first. Will we see them? Probably, since we will perhaps be living still. God has told us—promised it. The twinkling of an eye is just a moment of time. From mortal bodies that will die or are dead—to immortal bodies that will last forever.

Will transformation happen without any planning or preparation for all the believers? Jesus told His disciples and us to…be prepared for we don’t know just when exactly all this will happen. Read Mark 13 to obtain more clues as to the end times that Jesus described.

And since you don't know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert! Mark 13:33

When we are changed, will we be just like Jesus was after His resurrection? I think so. God requires purity—to come before Him. Even the priests in the earlier Temple days could not touch or go near a dead body. As immortals we will be pure, like those priests and like resurrected Jesus. We will also have the righteous character and eternal qualities of Jesus Christ—with the pure and blameless lives that we strive for now.

Our transformation to an immortal spiritual body will be an enormous step for us in God’s eternal plan for mankind. He has revealed this mystery to us—the secret is out. Are you listening? We will live through our transformation to immortality. Is there a family member or friend that you still need to tell about Jesus? Will you be ready if our transformation happens tomorrow, the next day, or next year? The choice is yours.

Verse of Salvation ~ And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Monday, October 14, 2024

Don’t Be Deceived

Prayer – Lord God, thank you for Your faithfulness to mankind…not giving up on us over the years. Help us to be faithful to You…as our days are numbered.

Don't be deceived.
Prickly cactus bloom beautifully...
but they are still dangerous.
Warn others.

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled." Hebrews 3:12-15

Meditate. Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled. Psalm 95:7-8

Are you hearing God’s voice? Are you listening to Him? Do you hear Him in His word or the messages from other believers?

Again, we are challenged to not be deceived. The author of Hebrew encourages us to interact with other Christians…and to…warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. We don’t want to ignore God and have our hearts hardened. Once again…LISTEN. Use the ears that God has given you.

Ears to hear and eyes to see—both are gifts from the LORD. Proverbs 20:12

But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. Matthew 13:16

Will you be faithful to the end? We don’t know when the end will come…but for any one of us it could be any day. God has numbered our days.

LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered--how fleeting my life is. Psalm 39:4

Trust God. He has a plan…and if you believe in Him and are faithful to the end then as God promised we will share in Christ’s reward…an eternity in Heaven. God adopts His believers as His own children (Romans 8:15). Listen to His message.

For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. John 3:16-18

Believe and tell others about this good news of Jesus and eternal life. Warn others not to be deceived. The choice is yours.

Verses of Salvation ~ He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. 2 Thessalonians 2:14-15

Revised from September 13, 2021 Banquet With The King blog.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Sunday, October 13, 2024

Were You Obedient to Your Parents?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I seek first a kingdom relationship with You and with our Heavenly Father, to live in an obedient and righteous way that is pleasing to You (Matthew 6:33).

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. Hebrews 5:7-9

Meditate on obedience.

Were you obedient to your parents?

Were you obedient to your parents?
A Canadian goose teaching obedience.

Jesus was the ultimate example of obedience to His Father. The author of Hebrews states that Jesus learned obedience from the things he suffered. I think that Jesus’ obedience was initially demonstrated when He first came as a baby human to Bethlehem. His submission continued as He grew and was found in the Temple as a twelve-year old, then as He was baptized, as He was tempted by Satan, as He often spent time in prayer, and in His ministry with His twelve disciples and other followers. Jesus was continually obedient showing respect to His Father—all the way to the cross and then in the resurrection. Without His obedience we would have no salvation. Our response to His sacrifice should be our obedience. There is no greater way for us to show our respect for God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—than for us to obey Him. Our obedience to Jesus is noted to be the source of our eternal salvation.

Are you choosing to obey God?

Verse of Salvation ~ Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:10-12

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Saturday, October 12, 2024

Are You Listening?

Prayer – Lord, speak to me. I am listening. I understand that You, God, bless the one who reads the words of the prophecy to the church, and You bless all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. From Revelation 1:3

…you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! Hebrews 12:22-25 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate and consider how can you apply this passage to your life.

Are you listening to God?

The author of Hebrews was writing here to the Hebrew people who believed in Jesus as their Savior. They are the firstborn of God’s chosen, His children. He is reminding the people that God is the judge and will be judging them. He is warning these people warning to listen. They should listen to God. for when God speaks, He expects people to listen to Him—just as He expected them to listen to Moses, His spokesperson.

Do you realize how privileged we are to be part of God’s family? If you are listening to God and obeying Him…you are especially blessed. Just like the Hebrews people, God expects us to listen. Listen and obey. That is a reoccurring theme throughout the Bible, beginning with Moses telling the Hebrew people about listening to God’s commandments and how they must obey.

And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Deuteronomy 4:1 (Underlined for emphasis.)

God blessing us from His Heaven.
Aurora borealis on October 10, 2024.

God is in Heaven…and offers us a home with Him if we believe in His Son as our Savior…saving us from sin—sin results in death and that endangers all of us…for all have sinned and not met God’s standards. (See Romans 3:23.) But there is hope since Jesus died on the cross for those very sins that plague our lives. (See Romans 5:8.) The hope is secured because God keeps His promises and because Christ rose from the dead. The power of death and the grave couldn’t keep Him there. Hope continues with the promise that because God so loved the world and gave His only Son as a sacrifice for our sin, those who believe in His Son will have eternal life. (John 3:16) Eternal life. Life forever with God the Father, worshipping Him in His heavenly home. He speaks to us from that home…from Heaven everyday as we pray and read His word.

Are you listening to Him? Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. The choice is yours.

Verse of Salvation ~ While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. Hebrews 5:7-9 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Revised and reused from November 4, 2021 Banquet With The King blog.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Friday, October 11, 2024

Don’t Slip Back Into Your Old Ways

Prayer – Lord God, You have a plan…For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:9. Thank You for including me in Your Plan.

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16

Meditate on these verses.

Do you consider yourself holy? Do you think God considers you to be holy?

God is pure and holy.
Water Lily in the Yakima River.

Living your life like Jesus? That is a tall order. Jesus was sinless—and although we can never be truly sinless, we can make choices that result in holiness. God had rules for living a pure life—that included what the Israelites were to eat and how they were to treat each other. We would do well to observe that advice, too. Peter wrote about holiness in this focus passage today, which applies to us, too.

Holy. That is just what God is…and what He expects of us. He doesn’t say that we have to make ourselves be holy…because I don’t think we can do that. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to create in us a clean heart, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But it takes an effort on our part to humble and submit ourselves to the Lord—to live according to His standards. Live in fear—respect—of the Lord.

Peter warns us that we need to not allow ourselves slip back into our old ways living to please ourselves. We ought to be living to please God—to be righteous—to live sanctified lives. That means to be set apart and live exceptional lives now here on earth. We don’t have to wait until we get to Heaven to be pleasing to God. It is our choice to live for Him now. Today and tomorrow. Prepare for the future.

Sometimes when I am reading scripture I just get caught up in verse after verse. I think that is a God thing. He wants us to treasure His word. May a share a few more verses with you? We can never have too many reminders about God’s love for us…and Christ’s sacrifice for our sin.

And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as "foreigners in the land." For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. 1 Peter 1:17-23

Are we in the last days? We should live like every day is our last day—honoring Christ always. Peter’s words remind us that eternal life is just that. Eternal. It will last forever—and my question for you today is…where will you spend eternity? I have the assurance that as a believer, I will be with Jesus forever. If you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior—you’ll be spending eternity with Him. Holiness unto the Lord. Live your life today as Jesus did. The choice is yours.

Verse of Salvation ~ Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:16

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Have you had the Chick Fil A Pimento Cheese Sandwich? Here’s a recipe for the Pimento Cheese, also called Palmetto Cheese, that is used in that sandwich. This blended cheese is one of my favorite foods to eat when we visit South Carolina. You can find it in some grocery stores up north…but not always.

Palmetto Cheese

Ingredients

1½ cups mayonnaise, such as Hellmann's or Duke's

1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon finely grated onion

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 (16 oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese (can use ½ portion extra sharp Cheddar cheese)

Celery sticks and assorted crackers

Directions

Make the mayo mixture. In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, diced pimiento, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, and ground red pepper until blended.
Shred the cheese. Using the small side of a box grater, finely shred half of the cheese. Then use the large side of the grater to coarsely shred the remainder of cheese. Fresh cheese makes a difference.
Stir and enjoy. Add shredded cheeses to mayo mixture, stirring until blended. You can store it in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Serve with celery sticks and assorted crackers, or make a grilled pimento cheese sandwich in a skillet or panini press. It is a tasty addition to a burger or grilled chicken sandwich.

Adapted from December 29, 2021 and September 27, 2023 Banquet With The King blogs.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Be Still and Know

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I love to just sit and be still while focusing on Your word. That is the best part of my day. I know that You have promised to never leave us or forsake us…and that alone gives me peace, strength, and an enduring calmness.

Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:3-7

Meditate on these verses. Consider how God is allowing this to apply to your life.

Do you feel like you are living safely wherever you are?

I think of this as the Trust Sandwich passage. Trust/ Live – Delight – Commit /Trust. It is so encouraging. God is providing such wonderful promises here. You will not only “live” but “prosper” as you trust, do good, and find joy in knowing the Lord. He will help you and give you your heart’s desire. Cool thing is that He knows what that craving or yearning is even before we do!

Be still in the presence of the Lord. Like another verse from Psalms that encourages us cease from striving. It was my Aunt Mercedes’ favorite verse…and it gave her peace and calm, especially during anxious times. She is at rest now…at peace—and forever calm as she eternally honors our Lord.

"Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." Psalm 46:10

The calm Sea of Galilee
Israel

Do you remember that during a storm, Jesus spoke and the raging Sea of Galilee became calm. His voice, if we are listening, can do the same for us. Be still in His presence. Stop striving. Take a breath and just be calmly focus on Jesus. That’s what I tell myself if I begin to get anxious! He is all powerful, in control, and deserves to be honored.

He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. Psalm 107:29

When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Mark 4:39

Don’t worry. Another command—not just a suggestion. He is not just placating us—He really doesn’t want us to worry. Worry has a tension associated with it that is unhealthy for our bodies. Paul wrote about this to the church at Philippi.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

Thanking God for everything is probably the key. It is good for your relationship with Him…and gets the endorphins going in your body to make you feel good. God is good. He wants us to be content—to find joy in Him as we trust Him, committing our lives to Him, waiting patiently as we live in the safety He provides. Can you choose to be still and know that He is God?

Verse of Salvation ~ So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16

Happy Birthday Blessings, Mary Ellen

May God continue to bless you…and give you your heart’s desires.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories