Banquet With The King

Thursday, July 30, 2026

The Beginning of the Suffering…the Road to the Cross

It was time to head for Jerusalem.
Storm clouds looming - The cross before Him.

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!" Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's." Matthew 16:21-23

Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. "Get away from me, Satan!" he said. "You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's." Mark 8:31-33

Jesus warned his disciples not to tell anyone who he was. "The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things," he said. "He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead." Luke 9:21-22

Meditate on these scripture passages. Think about suffering.

Jesus knew what lay ahead of Him. He told the disciples what was going to happen and reiterated that they were not to tell anyone who He was. There were people around who would be willing to turn Him over to the Pharisees, who wanted to kill Him. The timing had to be in accordance with God’s plan. Over and over, Jesus had admonished people not to tell anyone who He was and the miracles He had done. Yet He had recently at Caesarea Philippi pointedly asked the disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” “Who do you say that I am?” How would you answer those questions? Who do you say that Jesus is today?

Would you ever reprimand Jesus as Peter did? Who did he think he was to try to change Jesus’ mind and to not follow God’s plan? How could he say that Jesus shouldn’t be killed and rise from the dead? No wonder Jesus said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's." Jesus was following God’s plan. Anything that is not of God is of Satan. Peter’s viewpoint was not God’s plan. Jesus had to be rejected by the Jewish leaders and had to go to the cross. That was God’s purpose for Jesus.

We have to be careful that day by day we see things from God’s view—not from a human’s point of view today. How do we do that? It comes back to what Jesus taught. Love God. Love others. If we keep that in mind and in that perspective as we go through our day making even little decisions, then we will be in God’s will. Seems simple, doesn’t it? But in reality, it is our own selfish desires that often get in the way. We do things that Jesus would say to us…Get away from me, Satan! What Jesus taught and thinks—who He is…and what we think, say, and do, still matters. Do you believe that Jesus suffered for you?

What do you learn about Jesus from these scripture passages?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, reveal more of Yourself to us today and help us in even small decisions to be in God’s will—to see things from His point of view.

Verse of Salvation ~ The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

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

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

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Who Do You Say That I Am?

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven." Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Matthew 16:13-20 NLT

Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets." Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah." But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him. Mark 8:27-30 NLT

One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked them, "Who do people say I am?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other ancient prophets risen from the dead." Then he asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter replied, "You are the Messiah sent from God!" Luke 9:18-20 NLT

Meditate.

Jesus took the disciples to a Gentile area about 25 miles from the Sea of Galilee, Caesarea Philippi. He asked them, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They thought John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet. Then Jesus asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. …upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it….whatever you shall bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Jordan River - near the headwaters

Palace ruins

At the headwaters of the Jordan River, Philip, a tetrarch ruler of Judaea from 4 BC to 34 AD who inherited the northeastern part of his father’s kingdom, built a massive city called Caesarea Philippi. He wanted that city to rival Caesarea, which his father, Herod the Great, had built along the Mediterranean coast.

Philip’s palace, which stands in ruins (see the photo above), was an architectural marvel. The temple he built nearby was dedicated to Pan, an evil Greek god related to rustic music, nature, and fertility. Pan is associated with the root word in pandemonium or panic. These ruins of the city still exist, and it is there that we saw a cave that is referred to as “the gates of hell”. The entrance to that cave was actually where the temple was built, so that there was no back wall inside, but just the opening into a deep cavern. This was fitting for worship of Pan in a natural setting.

Gates of Hell at Caesarea Philippi - Israel

Jesus took His disciples away from the Jewish region of Galilee to this Gentile region of Caesarea Philippi, about a day and a half walk from the Sea of Galilee, to teach them without distractions. He wanted to see who could “Hear.” He even spoke to them in Greek (a Gentile tongue)—not in Hebrew or Aramaic. Peter was the only one to “hear” the truth. Jesus is the Son of God! Jesus gave the keys of heaven to Peter, like gifting him “salvation.” The Gates of Hell will not prevail---evil will not stand in his way. Simon in Hebrew is Shimon, meaning One Who Hears. Simon Peter was the first missionary to the Gentiles, and it was here in Caesarea Philippi that Jesus commissioned him.

Visiting Caesarea Philippi was an awesome epiphany moment for me when we went to Israel. I knew that Jesus was the Son of God—but to hear it again in the place it was declared touched my spirit deeply. This was where Jesus told his disciples to reach out to Gentiles. Being a “gentile,” that meant me. If it weren’t for this event, maybe I wouldn’t know Jesus like I do.

Who do you say that Jesus is?
Που λέτε είναι ο Ιησούς;
Kdo říkal že je Ježíš?
Wer sagt man, dass Jesus ist?
누가 예수님은 말합니까?
人はイエスだ？
Кто вам сказал, является Иисус?
Vous dites, qui qu'est Jésus ?
Hvem sier du er Jesus?
Vem säger ni Jesus är?
你說耶穌是誰？
Care vă spun este Isus?
Siapa yang Anda katakan Yesus?
¿Que dices que Jesús es?
Kim İsa diyorlar?
Ai làm bạn nói Chúa Giêsu?
Który trzeba powiedzieć, że Jezus jest
Que dius que Jesús és?
מי אתה אומר שישוע הוא?

The Gates of Hell will not prevail against us. We can claim that promise today. Evil will not stand in our way. The Kingdom of God is within you—within us. We should go to Godless places to change their hearts. Evil will not prevent us from doing that. Don’t panic or run—don’t fall victim to terror. God wants you to get revelation in dark places. Be like Shimon—hear the Word of God and respond. Are you listening?

What do we learn about Jesus from these Scripture passages today?

Prayer ~Lord, I’m listening—help me to hear and understand You. Guide us, Lord, that we would understand how You have built Your church on the truth that You are the Messiah. You are the cornerstone that is essential for holding the church together. We must acknowledge You as our Lord and Savior…so that You will acknowledge us before Your Heavenly Father one day.

Verses of Salvation ~ For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, In a dark place of the earth; I did not say to the seed of Jacob, 'Seek Me in vain'; I, the LORD, speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save. Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. Isaiah 45:18-22 NKJV (Underlined for emphasis.)

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

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Tuesday, July 28, 2026

The Blind Can See

When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man's eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, "Can you see anything now?" The man looked around. "Yes," he said, "I see people, but I can't see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around." Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. Jesus sent him away, saying, "Don't go back into the village on your way home." Mark 8:22-26 NLT

Meditate. Read these verses again and think about restored sight.

The blind will see--even without glasses.

Normally, no one wants to be spit on—in the face or at all. Here Jesus spit on the blind man’s eyes. Yuck! But what a wonderful thing! It was a slow process. Spit. Laying on of hands. Test eyesight. Laying on of hands again. Success! It must have been difficult healing for it to take two times of Jesus laying His hands on this gentleman to restore his eyesight. But Jesus’ power is just that—powerful. The man could see—not just like trees walking around—but truly see. Would his people have brought this man if they had known that Jesus would spit on him?

If someone spits around us, we see it. Yuck! The blind man was after all, blind. He didn’t see Jesus spit on his eyes. But this was good spit. It came from Jesus—the Messiah—the Son of God—God Himself—the healer, teacher, and the most powerful man on earth. Maybe everyone at that time didn’t see Jesus in that way, but after this blind man was healed, he did. Jesus told him not to go back into the village—just go home. Actually, He was telling that guy to tell no one. Don’t show yourself to those who knew you were blind, just go home.

What do we learn about Jesus’ character from this passage?

Prayer ~ Dear Jesus, that was part of Your mission—to make the blind see. Those who were physically blind and those who were spiritually blind. Today there are still people in both categories. Those who can not see—maybe legally blind—and those with blinders on so that they are spiritually blind. We can get so caught up in our own selfish desires that we miss the spiritual aspect of our lives. There are still people who just don’t get it. Take the scales or blinders off their eyes so that they might see and understand You as their Savior, Jesus. We are all going to live forever—whether joyfully with You or miserably without You. Help me to see and serve You more each day, here and now.

Verses of Salvation ~ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT

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

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

Monday, July 27, 2026

Don’t You Get It?

But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, "Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod." At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don't you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? 'You have eyes—can't you see? You have ears—can't you hear?' Don't you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?" "Twelve," they said. "And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?" "Seven," they said. "Don't you understand yet?" he asked them. Mark 8:14-21 NLT

Are you hungry for bread or truth?

Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. "Watch out!" Jesus warned them. "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn't brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, "You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? Don't you understand even yet? Don't you remember the 5,000 I fed with five loaves, and the baskets of leftovers you picked up? Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up? Why can't you understand that I'm not talking about bread? So again I say, 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'" Then at last they understood that he wasn't speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 16:5-12 NLT

Meditate on understanding.

Don’t you get it? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples were hungry again and arguing about bread, but Jesus wasn’t warning them about the bread. Jesus had created bread out of almost nothing to feed 5,000 and then 4,000 men and their families, so He could have easily fed those few disciples. But He bluntly told them that He wasn’t talking about the bread, but about the deception of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They were false teachers. The bread of truth was what those disciples…and everyone…needed. Who declared Himself to be the Bread of Life…the Way, the Truth, and the Life? That was Jesus Himself.

Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 NLT

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NLT

Jesus repeated His warning. 'Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.' The fraudulent words of the Jewish leaders were like yeast. They didn’t trust Jesus, so they wanted to discredit Him…and to ultimately kill Him. Yeast puffs up bread…and that is just what the Jewish leaders were. Puffed up with hot air…and false teaching centering on their traditions. He asked the disciples if they had eyes to see and ears to hear. Do you?

What do we learn about Jesus from these scripture passages?

Prayer ~ Open my eyes, my ears, and my heart, Lord Jesus, to Your truths. Help me to apply them to my life and to share them with others.

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 NLT

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

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

Sunday, July 26, 2026

Watch the Sky and Take Warning

One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. He replied, "You know the saying, 'Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.' You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don't know how to interpret the signs of the times! Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah." Then Jesus left them and went away. Matthew 16:1-4

Red sky in the morning…sailors take warning. Red sky at night…sailor's delight.

Anyone can watch the sky…and predict the weather. Sunrise yesterday was beautiful…one friend called it stupendous! To me it is like God is warning up with dramatic clouds to practice for the Rapture. That will be an awesome day. The clouds were dramatic at sunrise, but when they hung around all day it got a bit dreary and then rainy. We need the rain—so I won’t complain. It was raining at sunset so there wasn’t enough light for the clouds to interact and get colorful. No red sky tonight.

The Pharisees were trying to test Jesus. Demanding a sign from Jesus—what did they want? Some lightening…stars falling…or how about some fire and brimstone? What kind of sign did Jonah provide? He refused to obey God and sailed away—only to be cast overboard and swallowed by a great fish. Being in that fish for three days has been suggested to represent the three days that Jesus was in the grave before His resurrection. Would the Pharisees ever give up and just believe in Him? We know the “rest of the story” and they were relentless to the end…to the cross.

Do you need a “sign” from Jesus to believe in Him?

Prayer ~ Jesus, like Jonah You were in the depths for three days. I don’t need another sign…I just pray that You will come quickly…and that more Jews would have their eyes and hearts opened to believe in You as their Messiah.

Verse of Salvation ~ Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. - Philippians 1:27-28 NLT

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

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

Saturday, July 25, 2026

Another Hungry Multitude

Loave and Fish Mosiac
Near the Sea of Galilee
Israel

Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” And the disciples said to him, “Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?” And Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.” And directing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

Those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. And after sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. Matthew 15:32-39 ESV

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. Mark 8:1-10 (ESV)

Meditate on the compassion and generosity of Jesus.

Teaching. Healing. Compassion. Feeding Thousands. That was a big part of Jesus ministry. It looks like a pattern. It was what He came to do.

He was teaching people in their towns and villages. Telling them about how God loves them and wanted them to learn to please Him— to trust and obey for He is the one true God. In His mercy, compassion, and power, Jesus healed them—in their towns and when ever they came to Him—wherever He was. And they came and came and came. Multitudes.

What was He to do but to Teach, heal, and feed them. These 4,000 men and their families were thought to be Gentiles. Jesus came to the Jews first… and then the Gentiles. The Jews were Gods chosen people—descendants of Abraham. So glad that He came to us Gentiles, too. We are offered the same grace and mercy of eternal life with Jesus—as well as the benefit of His teaching, healing, and compassion. Faith. That is all we need. Believe. Those people that Jesus healed believed that He could do that—and He did.

Jesus gave thanks for those seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. In blessing it Jesus multiplied it to feed all 4,000 men and their families, who had not eaten for three days. Seven loaves of bread yielded seven baskets of leftovers. When was the last time that you fasted for three days or when you received a blessing like that? Do you regularly give thanks for your food before a meal?

What do we learn about Jesus character from these passages?

He declares Himself to be compassionate.

Prayer - Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your compassion, for Your generosity, and for Your obedience. You are amazing. I wasn’t there when You fed this multitude of 4,000 men and their families, but I believe in Your power and majesty. I believe in You—as the Son of God, as God, and as Savior of the world. Come quickly. We are waiting for Your return.

Verse of Salvation -

For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 13:47 (ESV)

All scripture quoted from the ESV unless otherwise noted.

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Friday, July 24, 2026

Put Your Fingers in His Ears

Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn't speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn't been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel. Matthew 15:29-31

Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man's ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man's tongue. Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, "Ephphatha," which means, "Be opened!" Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly! Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. They were completely amazed and said again and again, "Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak." Mark 7:31-37

Meditate on Jesus’ healing methods.

Matthew and Mark don’t quite agree on the place in this story. Whether it was in Sidon, north of Tyre, or by the Sea of Galilee, it doesn’t matter. This was another example of great miracles of healing by Jesus.

Do you know any deaf people? Lots of people are now wearing hearing aids as our hearing gives out as we get older, but this young man was truly deaf. I have known a couple of people who were deaf at birth, but I never learned sign language to communicate with them. They were great lip readers. Usually, it’s not just their hearing that is impaired, but also their speech, since we learn to speak by hearing others and ourselves make particular sounds. This deaf man had the same problem.

Jesus is so amazing. He put His fingers into the man’s ears. Can you imagine the power going through that guy’s head? Then, Jesus spit on His own fingers and touched the man’s tongue. He sighed. Sighed. Was He sad? Exasperated? He knew that once that guy could speak, he would tell everyone what had happened to him! Jesus gave the command, “Be opened!” Sure enough. That young man could hear and speak normally!

Don’t tell. But everyone in the crowd was amazed and you just know that the news spread quickly. Don’t tell. Jesus kept pleading with people not to tell—but no one could keep secret this good news of the miraculous healing. There were no secrets with the celebration of healing…and opportunity for more of the same! Those who hadn't been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel. Are you praising God for these miraculous healings, too?

What do we learn about Jesus from these scripture passages?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You are amazing. I recognize, appreciate, and praise You for Your continued compassion. These people were so eager to receive Your healing. Their faith was enormous. Are we lacking faith today?

Verses of Salvation ~ For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. Titus 2:11-14

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

When was the last time you made bread or rolls? In our study of Jesus, He will soon be “making bread” to feed 4,000 men and their families. It is pretty well known that sour dough bread is one of the best and most digestible bread these days. During Jesus’ time, bread was probably like the Naan or pita bread that we might eat today.

Give us today the food we need…give us this day our daily bread.

One of my family’s favorites, usually over the holidays, has been 60-minute rolls.

60 Minute Wheat Rolls

2 pkgs. Active quick-rise dry yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar or honey
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. powdered milk (optional)
1 1/2 c. hot tap water

2 Tbsp softened butter or olive oil, at room temperature
4 to 4 1/2 c. unsifted flour (half wheat and half white)

Thoroughly mix 1 cup flour and dry ingredients. Gradually add water and butter to dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Add remaining flour and beat to make soft dough. Place in greased bowl, cover, and rise 15 minutes. Turn out onto floured board. Knead about 5 minutes, until not sticky. Shape dough into rolls and place on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise again for about 15 minutes. Bake at 400 degree Fahrenheit oven about 12 minutes (depends on the size of the rolls). Makes 16-20 rolls.

[Quantities adjusted from an original recipe baked by the chef at a Larry Burkett Financial Planning Workshop, in Georgia, 1988.]

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

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