Banquet With The King

Friday, January 30, 2026

Bless this Food

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture.

How about a falafel on Shabbat??
Somewhere in Israel

We always have the most wonderful meals for Shabbat or Sabbath—our day of rest. God commanded the Israelites to rest on the seventh day, just like He did when He created the world and everything in it. Shabbat is our day of rest, ordained by God. Mother fixes our evening meal just before Shabbat and then prepares food for the next day so that we all rest on Shabbat.

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:9-11

We ask a blessing on the meal before we eat. Then it is a Jewish custom to give thanks, offering a blessing after the meal, particularly one that includes bread. The prayer is known as the Birkat Hamazon. Grace after Meals. It isn’t so much as to express thankfulness as it is to be humble—recognizing God’s dominion. This is a short example:

Blessed is The Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, who sustains the entire world with goodness, kindness, and mercy. God gives good to all creatures, for God’s mercy is everlasting. Through God’s abundant goodness we have not lacked sustenance, and may we not lack sustenance forever, for the sake of God’s great name. God sustains all, does good to all, and provides food for all the creatures whom God has created. Blessed is The Lord our God, who provides food for all.

All the Jews in Nazareth, in fact all of Israel, focus on a Shabbat meal before sunset on the sixth day of the week. Then on the seventh day, we rest. It is a custom that our ancestors have practiced since the time of Moses. That resting time each week is good for us all. God provides the food that nourishes our bodies and His word that nurtures our spirits. God created man and woman to be like Him—spiritual. My hope is to one day feed God’s people around me both bread and spiritual food. Thanks be to the Lord God—who created heaven and earth and all that is within them. He provides and blesses the food we eat.

Prayer – Lord God, Thank You for the variety and bounty of food that You provide for us—and the creativity to prepare it in appetizing ways. We are blessed. Please show us ways we can be a blessing to others. Serving You by serving others.

Verse of Salvation ~ But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

It is that cold and flu time of the year. Be sure to eat good foods that God has provided for us all—fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and foods with no sugar or processing, if possible. Here’s a list of herbs that can be beneficial in keeping you healthy or fighting viruses.

Herbs that Fight Viral Infections

1. Oregano

2. Sage

3. Basil

4. Fennel

5. Garlic

6. Lemon Balm

7. Peppermint

8. Rosemary

9. Echinacea

10. Elderberries

11. Licorice

12. Astragalus

13. Ginger

14. Ginseng

15. Dandelion

Add these herbs to your favorite recipes or make them into a tea.

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

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

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Thursday, January 29, 2026

Be Still

"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

Meditate. Quietly think about the Almighty God.

Be still. Sit quietly. That is hard for even a twelve-year old kid, like me, but when I went to the Temple at Jerusalem, I did just that. I sat quietly, still, learning about God—my God. I wanted to know more about Him and to honor Him. I knew this verse from the Psalms that said… Be still, and know that I am God! To me, that meant that focusing on God—meditating on His words. Be still. Don’t talk—but listen. Listening is essential to learning. Yes, one needs to look and observe to learn, too. I’ve discerned that there are different styles of learning. Some people learn best looking and observing. Visual learners. For those who obtain knowledge by listening are auditory learners. Then I’ve found that some people learn by doing—hands on, or by a combination of all those methods.

Be still. Look, hear, do. Be still to learn. It means to put ourselves aside and focus on what it is that we are to study—on what we want to learn. God wants to be honored. How can we do that if we are selfishly focusing on ourselves? God wants us to focus on Him—to honor Him.

Prayer – Lord God, You know that Jesus was aware of this verse—and that it was my Auntie Merc’s favorite verse. She almost made it to 100 years old. Thank you for allowing her to be part of our lives. She was a good Christian example to us all. I’m not one to “be still” but I know that I can do all things (even be still) through You, Christ, who gives me strength. Thanks.

Thank You also, Lord, for the successful surgery that Amelia had yesterday. In Your grace and mercy, You’ve allowed her to have the best doctorand staff and now we ask that You give her a speedy and complete recovery.

Verse of Salvation ~ The LORD has sent this message to every land: "Tell the people of Israel, 'Look, your Savior is coming. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.'" Isaiah 62:11

Happy Heavenly 100^th Birthday, Auntie Merc

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

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Bar Mitzvah

Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD. Psalm 34:11

Meditate. Consider listening to the Lord.

At twelve years old, some people see me as a child, but next year I will transition to manhood during my Bar Mitzvah. It is the Jewish ritual of attaining adulthood. To verify the service, there must be 10 Jewish men present in the congregation—and we do have that many men who regularly attend here in Nazareth.

The Torah at the Safad synagogue.

To be ready for this special day, I’ve actually been studying all my life by memorizing the Torah, other scripture, and discussing sacred writing passages with the Rabbi and with my parents, too. On the day of my Bar Mitzvah, I will read from the Torah at our synagogue and comment on that portion of the Torah.

I’m to have a Mitzvah Project which will help my community. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I knew I wanted to help children and teach them to respect and fear the Lord. Children learn from watching others—so by being a good example and encouraging others to show respect and love for the Lord, the children will learn. Teaching the children to listen. That will be the greatest part of my Bar Mitzvah project.

Prayer – Lord God, You are worthy of respect, love, and honor. Most of all, I am listening to You.

Verse of Salvation ~ So put aside every trace of malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander and hateful speech; like newborn babies [you should] long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may be nurtured and grow in respect to salvation [its ultimate fulfillment], if in fact you have [already] tasted the goodness and gracious kindness of the Lord. 1 Peter 2:1-3 AMP

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

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP),

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

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Preserved by Wisdom

The Lord God made the earth by his power.

But the LORD is the only true God. He is the living God and the everlasting King! The whole earth trembles at his anger. The nations cannot stand up to his wrath. Say this to those who worship other gods: "Your so-called gods, who did not make the heavens and earth, will vanish from the earth and from under the heavens." But God made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens. When he speaks in the thunder, the heavens roar with rain. He causes the clouds to rise over the earth. He sends the lightning with the rain and releases the wind from his storehouses. Jeremiah 10:10-13

Meditate. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying—seek to know Him.

Studying at the Nazareth synagogue school, I learned about Jeremiah, who prophesied to the people of Israel. He reminded them of God’s power. All this knowledge points to knowing more about God. That’s what everyone desires—to know more about God. That is what I want, too. That is why I study the scriptures. The wisdom of God. Jeremiah wrote that God made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. God is all-powerful, creating the heavens, the earth, and all that is in them. The earth is sustained by His wisdom.

Even Eve and Adam sought wisdom. They were deceived by the serpent in the Garden of Eden when he told them they could be like God if they ate the fruit that God forbade them to eat. They wanted wisdom. No one can be like God. He is the source of wisdom. I am growing in wisdom and knowledge—like all kids do. God grants wisdom to those who ask for it. Look at what He did for Solomon.

Prayer – Lord God, You have such power and wisdom. Thank you for giving us wisdom and understanding—especially so that we can know and serve You.

Verse of Salvation ~ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:24

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, January 26, 2026

Wisdom

Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. Daniel 2:20

Meditate. Consider God’s wisdom in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

Wisdom. Solomon is said to be the wisest man who ever lived, but where did he get his wisdom? In my studies at the synagogue school in Nazareth, I studied, memorized the Torah, and learned about all the Jewish history, but it was hearing the discussions and debates among the Rabbis at the Temple in Jerusalem that I really absorbed knowledge about David and Solomon, who was wise to ask God for wisdom.

Moses' Tabernacle
in the middle of the desert.

Solomon son of David took firm control of his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him very powerful. ... David had already moved the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim to the tent he had prepared for it in Jerusalem. But the bronze altar made by Bezalel son of Uri and grandson of Hur was there at Gibeon in front of the Tabernacle of the LORD. So Solomon and the people gathered in front of it to consult the LORD. There in front of the Tabernacle, Solomon went up to the bronze altar in the LORD's presence and sacrificed 1,000 burnt offerings on it. That night God appeared to Solomon and said, "What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!" Solomon replied to God, "You showed faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place. O LORD God, please continue to keep your promise to David my father, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth! Give me the wisdom and knowledge to lead them properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?" God said to Solomon, "Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people -- I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!" 2 Chronicles 1:1, 4-12

I find this interesting because Solomon didn’t go to the tent where his father, David, had taken the Ark of the Covenant, but he prayed at the Tabernacle that Moses had constructed in the wilderness and was now at Gibeon. The original Tabernacle. That must have been an awesome home for the Lord at that time. Think about how the Israelites had packed it up and moved it for nearly forty years—but like their shoes, it didn’t wear out. Solomon was wise to ask God for wisdom. He could have asked for his territory to be expanded, to keep him from all trouble and pain, like Jabaz (see 1 Chronicles 4:9-10), but he didn’t. He could have asked for great riches, but he didn’t. He simply wanted to have wisdom and knowledge to govern God’s people. God granted that and gave him the bonus of riches. Unfortunately, Solomon didn’t follow God’s directives to marry only within the Israelite nation and to take only one wife. By marrying many foreign women and having countless concubines, he allowed the worship of false gods. Basically, Solomon broke God’s most important of the Ten Commandments. Honor Him. He is the only God. Why didn’t Solomon have the wisdom to follow God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength? Where was that great wisdom when he needed it most?

Prayer – Lord God, please give each person reading this and praying to You wisdom and understanding—and most of all, help us to apply it to our lives that we would please You by wisely following Your directives and Commandments.

Verse of Salvation ~ In that very hour He was overjoyed and rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and He said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things [relating to salvation] from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants [the childlike and untaught]. Yes, Father, for this way was [Your gracious will and choice, and was] well-pleasing in Your sight." Luke 10:21 AMP

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

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP),

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, January 25, 2026

Immutable

I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Malachi 3:6

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture. Dig into God’s word and really study what He is saying.

Torah at the synagogue in Safed, Israel.
You don't have to Israel to learn
about God.
Study the Bible today...at home.

I am a descendant of Jacob. Of Abraham and Isaac, too. It is a pretty awesome thought to know who your ancestors are…and then to be part of David and Solomon’s family. They are famous guys—so well known by all the Jews, of which I am one. I am blessed to be part of the family of God—well, the family that God chose to be His. My Mother, Mary, explained to me that I am precious in God’s eyes—as well as her’s. I know that I am growing in statue and favor with God and men. In my studies at the synagogue here in Nazareth and when I was in the Temple at Jerusalem, I learned more about God.

Malachi, a minor prophet, was given a message for the Israelites from the Lord God. The Israelites had turned their backs on God, as they did from time to time. But God still loved them and He was calling them back to Himself. He doesn’t change—the people do, but He didn’t want to destroy His chosen people, the descendants of Jacob. He just wants to take care of them. Actually, He wants to show His love…and be loved by them. Love and respect. He just wants His people to follow His commands and the guidance of His decrees. Malachi goes on with God’s message of repentance and blessing.

"Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "But you ask, 'How can we return when we have never gone away?' "Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! But you ask, 'What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?' "You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!" Malachi 3:7-10

God wanted to richly bless His people. Now, He wants the same—repentance. That will be my message one day. Repent. Love God and others. God hasn’t changed. He is immutable.

Prayer – Lord God, it is a wonderous thought that You haven’t changed in the thousands of years that You have existed for mankind. Thank you for being so reliable, so constant, and so merciful. We can trust You to keep Your promises and to provide for us. Help us to keep focused on You. I do love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength…and am certainly trying to love others, as myself. I feel that since You created other people, to love them is to love and serve You. You are worthy of love, respect, and honor. Why couldn’t the Israelites see that?

Verse of Salvation ~ (To be spared is to be saved!) Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. "They will be my people," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not." Malachi 3:16-18

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

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Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Our Glorious God has Perfect Justice

But the LORD reigns forever, executing judgment from his throne. He will judge the world with justice and rule the nations with fairness. Psalm 9:7-8

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

Perfect justice. There is only one who is perfect—and that is God. He is the one who rules, reigns, makes the laws, and sees that people keep them. Moses declared that what God does is perfect, fair, and just. Since Moses was a friend of God, he knew Him well. Probably better than anyone else. Moses spent a lot of time with God—on Mt. Sinai, from the time of the burning bush until the Hebrew people were about to cross into the Promised Land. Moses seemed to pray consistently and constantly. The Lord God spoke to Moses and trusted him to follow His directions. “Bring My people—the Sons of Israel—out of Egypt.” What a job—a huge responsibility. There were probably about two million people in that exodus. That is a lot of people. We only have about two hundred people living here in Nazareth. With my other classmates in the synagogue school, we learned that Moses did what God asked him to do, although at first he felt like he was inadequate for the task. Yet Moses had a lot of respect for the one he called our glorious God, and he did what was expected of him. Moses mentioned a few of God’s qualities as he wrote the Torah.

I will proclaim the name of the LORD; how glorious is our God! He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is! Deuteronomy 32:3-4

Interestingly, as David wrote this Psalm 9 about God, he encouraged God to stand up…arise…and not let mere mortals defy Him (Psalm 9:19). When I was in Jerusalem for Passover, the Rabbis at the Temple debated and discussed this particular Psalm about God being a fair judge. Some of the Rabbis thought that God should treat the Israelites as special, because we are His chosen people, and not judge them as critically as the Gentiles. A couple of other Rabbis said that God should and will judge everyone—Jews and Gentiles alike. The most important thing is for people to believe in God and have a relationship with Him.

The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. ... Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD's blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. Psalm 24:1, 3-6

He is our creator, our provider, and our judge. He is our glorious God.

Prayer – Lord God, Moses declared You as glorious, and we proclaim the same wonderful thing about You now. I trust that You are who You say You are and one day You will judge the living and the dead according to Your principles. It is only by Your grace that I am able to say that I am a child of God. Thank you for being my Heavenly Father, and I humbly bow in reverence to You, knowing that one day I will be judged by You for my thoughts, words, and actions.

Verse of Salvation ~ (God’s Salvation lasts forever.) "Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations. My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm. Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth below. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end! Isaiah 51:4-6

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