Banquet With The King

Friday, August 28, 2026

Who was the Greatest Storyteller? Feast: Peachy Time of the Year

Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: "I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world." Matthew 13:34-35

Meditate. Consider Jesus’ words.

Jesus often used scripture from what we call the Old Testament…but that was the Bible of the Jews during His time on earth. This passage from Psalms was probably well known to the people of Galilee who were known to be Bible scholars. Jesus was sitting by the Sea of Galilee while He was speaking in parables (Matthew 13:1-2).

O my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them—even the children not yet born—and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Psalm 78:1-7

Jesus promised…I will…to speak in parables, teaching hidden lessons from stories that all Jews knew. The disciples were even bewildered about the parables and asked Him to explain the stories to them. Hidden truths. Do we see those in our culture today? Are we looking for them? Can we still learn from Jesus’ parables? Of course. As we study the parables, we can gain insights not only into life at Jesus time, but truths about our world and life today. Start searching the parables in Matthew, Mark, and Luke for yourself. Jesus promised… I will teach you hidden lessons from our past. Are you willing to learn from these old stories? I am—and I am eager to dig into His Word to find new truths to apply to my life.

Here’s a list of Jesus’ parables. [From Jesuscentral.com]
Alert Servants - Mark 13:33-37
Barren fig tree (Repent or Perish) - Luke 13:6-9
Bread of Life - John 6:31-38
Children - Matthew 11:16-19; Luke 7:31-35
Dishonest Manager - Luke 16:1-13
Divided Kingdom - Matthew 12:24-30; Mark 3:22-27 Luke 11:14-23
Evil Spirit - Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26
Faithful and Unfaithful Servants - Matthew 24:45-51, Luke 12:35-48
Feast Invitations - Luke 14:12-14
Friend at Midnight - Luke 11:5-13
Good Samaritan - Luke 10:25-37, Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-31
Great Banquet - Luke 14:15-24, Matthew 22:1-10
Great Physician - Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 2:15-17; Luke 5:29-32
Growing Seed - Mark 4:26-29
Hidden Treasure - Matthew 13:45-46
How to be a Guest - Luke 14:7-11
Jesus and Fasting - Matthew 9:14-15; Mark 2:18-20; Luke 5:33-35
King's War - Luke 14:31-33
Lamp on a Stand - Matthew 5:14-16; Mark 4:21-23; Luke 8:16-18
Leaven - Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21
Lesson from a Fig Tree - Matthew 24:32-35; Mark 13:28-32; Luke 21:29-33
Lost sheep - Luke 15:4-7, Matthew 18:12-14
Mustard Seed and Yeast - Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18-19
New and Old Treasures - Matthew 13:52
New Cloth - Matthew 9:16; Mark 2:21; Luke 5:36
New Wine - Matthew 9:17; Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37-39
Net of Fish - Matthew 13:47-50
Official who Refused to Forgive - Matthew 18:21-35
One Coin - Luke 15:8-10
Renters of a Vineyard - Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-18
Shepherd and His Flock - John 10:1-18
Workers in Vineyard - Matthew 20:1-16
Wedding Banquet - Matthew 22:1-14, Luke 14:16-24
Persistent Widow - Luke 18:1-8
Pharisee and Tax Collector - Luke 18:9-14
Rich fool - Luke 12:16-21
Rich man and Lazarus - Luke 16:19-31
Salt and Light - Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:50; Luke 14:34-35
Servant's Duty - Luke 17:7-10
Sheep and Goats - Matthew 25:31-46
Sign from God - Matthew 12:38-42; Luke 11:29-32, Mark 8:12
Two Debtors - Luke 7:41-43
The Farmer - Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23; Mark 4:3-20; Luke 8:4-15
The Lost Son - Luke 15:11-32
Ten Servants - Luke 19:11-27, Matthew 25:14-30
Two Sons - Matthew 21:28-32
Ten Talents - Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:12-27
Ten Virgins - Matthew 25:1-13
True Vine - John 15:1-17
Unprepared Builder - Luke 14:28-30
Weeds Among Wheat - Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Wise and Foolish Builders - Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49
Wise Steward - Luke 12:42-48

These are 53 parables that you can look at and study by yourself or with others.

Prayer – Jesus, open our eyes, ears, and heart to understanding Your words. Guide us into clearly understanding and applying Your teachings to our lives.

Verse of Salvation ~ We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 15:11

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

It is a peachy time of the year! Peaches are ripe and ready for harvest—but the fruit is fragile. Handle with care! I just had a wonderful breakfast of a pancake topped with fresh sliced peaches, yogurt, and a fresh blackberry jelly with no sugar added. Yum! What a great way to start the day.

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

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

Thursday, August 27, 2026

What Did He Write in the Dust?

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more." John 8:1-11

Meditate. Consider those who would throw the first stone.

In Israel...there are lots of stones handy.
Who can throw the first stone?
The one who has never sinned.
Who would that be?

What did Jesus write in the dust? One of the biggest questions in all the stories about Jesus!

I think that everyone would agree that it takes two people to commit an act of adultery. Where was her accomplice? Don’t men get accused of adultery, too? The Pharisees dragged her into the Temple where Jesus was teaching a crowd of people. They were innocent bystanders—witnessing the accusations against this lady. Jesus calmly handled the situation. He wasn’t going to get tricked into the Pharisees’ game of who’s right and who’s wrong and should they follow Moses’ teachings? Stone her?!?

Jesus wisely wrote in the sand…or dust…and then said…"All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" Never sinned! Who could claim that? Not even the self-righteous Pharisees could proclaim that. So, no one cast the first stone…or the last one…at the woman. No one condemned her. Jesus mercifully said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” Would you cast a stone or walk away? No one is sinless, except Jesus—so none of us could ever follow the law of Moses and throw a rock at her. It was an awful custom. It is interesting to note that the crowd that Jesus was teaching didn’t get involved. They just observed while the Pharisees, her accusers, were the ones who walked away. It was a lesson in purity for them, as well as for the group of people gathered at the Temple. Do you think that anyone there took toIn heart the words that Jesus spoke? Go and sin no more.

What do we learn about Jesus from this passage?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. David pleaded these words with You, as recorded in Psalm 51. Like that woman, I hear Your voice calling… Go and sin no more. Holy Spirit, please help me moment by moment to live the way You want me to live…sinless.

Verse of Salvation ~ This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. Romans 13:11-14

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, August 26, 2026

Legalities

Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. "Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?" he asked. They replied, "Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!" Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home. John 7:50-53

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

Those Pharisees didn’t even want to listen to Nicodemus. They wanted the Temple guards to arrest Jesus, so they didn’t answer Nicodemus’ question, but changed the subject. "Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!" Nicodemus was left standing there, bewildered and frustrated. He knew that it wasn’t right to convict a man before giving him a hearing. A hearing…is that what the Pharisees gave Jesus as He went before the Roman courts? Watch and see what happens.

The Old Testament scriptures, which are what the Pharisees had available to them, point out that an accused person deserves a hearing.

You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand. You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. Exodus 23:1-2

But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses. Deuteronomy 17:6

Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly. Leviticus 19:15

Pure white hollyhocks overlooking Jerusalem.
Israel

God set some fair rules for the Israelites by which to live. Those should be good for anyone today, too. Are they? Honesty, purity, and integrity are always the best policies. But those Pharisees didn’t listen to Nicodemus; they just went home.

Is there anything new that we can learn about Jesus from this passage?

Prayer – Show me the right path, O LORD; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and unfailing love, which You have shown from long ages past. Psalm 25:4-6

Verse of Salvation ~ For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There's no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

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

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

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Rivers of Living Water

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'" (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.) When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, "Surely this man is the Prophet we've been expecting." Others said, "He is the Messiah." Still others said, "But he can't be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born." So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him. When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, "Why didn't you bring him in?" "We have never heard anyone speak like this!" the guards responded. "Have you been led astray, too?" the Pharisees mocked. "Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God's curse is on them!" John 7:37-49

Meditate. Consider your thirst and living water.

Living water. Jesus had declared the gift of living water earlier to the woman at the well.

Jesus replied, "If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water." "But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket," she said, "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you're greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?" Jesus replied, "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." John 4:10-14

Do you picture Jesus as “the Living Water?”

Fill these jugs with Living Water.
Water jugs from a historic museum in Israel.

This Festival, the Feast of Tabernacles, is eight days long. At the end of the Festival, Jesus announced to the crowd that He would provide living water to anyone thirsty. It was the custom to carry water daily from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple altar for the first seven days of the festival. On the eighth day, no water was carried—only empty jars were carried, assuming that the Messiah would miraculously one day fill those vessels with water. It was startling for the Jews there to hear Jesus make this pronouncement.

Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.' He would provide water?

How could that be? That must have raised a lot of questions in their hearts and minds. Who was this Jesus?

For you (God) are the fountain of life, the light by which we see. Psalm 36:9

Are you thirsty yet? Similar Scripture considering the water of life is found in Revelation:

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let anyone who hears this say, "Come." Let anyone thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. Revelation 22:17

Who is Jesus to you? Do you believe that He can provide you with living water?

What do you learn about Jesus that draws you closer to Him through this Scripture passage today?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, as You shepherd us, guide us to not only receive Your living water, but help us to share this message of eternal life with those, like the woman at the well, whose paths cross ours. There is indeed an invisible thread throughout our lives that binds us all together—that our paths will cross with those You want us to help. We thank You for the love, security, and guidance that You provide for us. We praise You.

Verses of Salvation ~ See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day, you will sing: Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is! Isaiah 12:2-4

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, August 24, 2026

His Time Had Not Yet Come

While Jesus was teaching in the Temple, he called out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I'm not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don't know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you." Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come. Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. "After all," they said, "would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?" When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. But Jesus told them, "I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going." The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. "Where is he planning to go?" they asked. "Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! What does he mean when he says, 'You will search for me but not find me,' and 'You cannot go where I am going'?" John 7:28-36

Meditate. Consider God’s timing.

Does anyone really know what time it is?

What does it mean that His time had not yet come? Time for what? That is probably what everyone hearing Him speak at the Temple must have thought. Time? Remember what He said to Mary when He did the water-to-wine miracle?

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus' mother told him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, that's not our problem," Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." But his mother told the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, "Fill the jars with water." When the jars had been filled, he said, "Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies." So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. ... This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:1-9, 11 (underlined for emphasis.)

Water to wine. The first miracle, but not His time. The clock started when He born, and continued to tick away as He was baptized, tempted, began His healing ministry, walked on water, fed 5,000, and obediently did God’s calling. Now, He was going closer to the cross, the grave, and the empty tomb. Not His time?

Is it ever your time to be obedient to God’s calling?

What do we learn about Jesus’ character from this Scripture passage today? Is it deepening your relationship with Him?

Prayer – Lord God, I want to be closer to You every day. Open my eyes to opportunities to respond to Your calling that I may serve You. I know where You were from and where You are now, Jesus. Thank You for obediently serving us by obeying God the Father.

Verses 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 (Emphasis added.)

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, August 23, 2026

Where Did Jesus Come From?

Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill? But here he is, speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Could our leaders possibly believe that he is the Messiah? But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from." John 7:25-27

Meditate. Consider knowing Scripture predictions.

Where did Jesus come from? Even the Wise Men were expecting the new King of Israel to be born in Bethlehem as they learned from their visit to Herod’s palace. Jesus was born in Bethlehem—but that wasn’t common knowledge, and it wasn’t His hometown. Who’d expect the Messiah to come from Nazareth or even Capernaum?

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf. Micah 5:2

Life of Christ on the cross...
from Medjugorje.

It doesn’t matter to us where Jesus came from…we know the rest of the story. We know the truth. Jesus came from our Heavenly Father to earth…to Bethlehem…to Nazareth…to Galilee…to Jerusalem and the cross…and then back to Heaven. There will come a day when He returns to earth.

People at the Feast of Tabernacles were asking about Him. Are people today questioning who Jesus is…and where He comes from? Are you questioning who Jesus is and where He comes from?

Do you learn anything about Jesus from this Scripture passage today?

Prayer – Lord Jesus—You aren’t mysterious. I trust that You are who You are—and where You came from. Please give those reading this new insight into Your life and purpose. I am so looking forward to Your return…someday!

Verse of Salvation ~ "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?" Jesus told them, "Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen-- the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor." And he added, "God blesses those who do not fall away because of me." Matthew 11:3-6

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

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

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Do You Obey?

Then, midway through the festival, Jesus went up to the Temple and began to teach. The people were surprised when they heard him. "How does he know so much when he hasn't been trained?" they asked. So Jesus told them, "My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me." The crowd replied, "You're demon possessed! Who's trying to kill you?" Jesus replied, "I did one miracle on the Sabbath, and you were amazed. But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses' law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision began with the patriarchs, long before the law of Moses.) For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should you be angry with me for healing a man on the Sabbath? Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly." John 7:14-24

Meditate. Consider obedience.

Model of the Temple in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Israel

The Feast of Tabernacles during Jesus time was a Feast in which Jewish men were required to go to the Temple in Jerusalem. During His third year of ministry, Jesus refused to go to that feast with His brothers, but then after it started, He obediently went to Jerusalem. There Jesus spoke for His Father…our Father. He was teaching in the Temple. What do you suppose He was teaching? It must have been inspiring since the people were surprised and acknowledged that He knew so much. Jesus goes on to say that those who do God’s will discern whether His teaching is from God or His own. Do God’s will….

For it is my Father's will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day." John 6:40

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

So are you striving to do God’s will? Are you seeking to honor God—speaking the truth? Or do you speak for yourself?

I think this is interesting that Jesus didn’t want to go to Jerusalem because He knew they were trying to kill Him, but He obediently went anyway. It reminds me of a parable He told about two sons who were asked to work in their father’s vineyard.

But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' The son answered, 'No, I won't go,' but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, 'You go,' and he said, 'Yes, sir, I will.' But he didn't go. "Which of the two obeyed his father?" They replied, "The first." Then Jesus explained his meaning: "I tell you the truth, corrupt tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the Kingdom of God before you do. For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn't believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins. Matthew 21:28-32

Which son are you like? I think Jesus was like the first one—ultimately obedient. That’s how I want to be. There is always a choice involved. Obedience is the one—the key.

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

Prayer – Thank You, Jesus, for obediently coming to be our Messiah—for being willing to give up Your life for each of us…for all mankind. I’m sorry that people rejected You—but I am eternally grateful that You revealed Yourself to me…that You chose me.

Verse of Salvation ~ There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:13-17

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

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

Friday, August 21, 2026

Courage To Speak Up for Jesus

But after his brothers left for the festival, Jesus also went, though secretly, staying out of public view. The Jewish leaders tried to find him at the festival and kept asking if anyone had seen him. There was a lot of grumbling about him among the crowds. Some argued, "He's a good man," but others said, "He's nothing but a fraud who deceives the people." But no one had the courage to speak favorably about him in public, for they were afraid of getting in trouble with the Jewish leaders. John 7:10-13

Meditate. Consider this joyous festival…and fear.

No courage to speak up for Jesus. They were afraid of getting in trouble with the powerful Jewish leaders. Remember what Joshua was told over and over when he was about to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. Deuteronomy 31:6

Do you ever feel like you need to hear those words? What about Jesus’ words to His disciples?

Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33

That is pretty serious. Deny Jesus and He will deny you before our Heavenly Father. Nope, I wouldn’t want that. To be denied before the Father would very likely mean no eternal home in Heaven. That is certainly something we don’t want to miss—an eternity without God. Nope. That is not for me. Do you have the courage to speak up for Jesus in public? This blog is “public” and I am publicly declaring that Jesus is the Son of God. He is God. He is my Savior. Do you feel the same? Similarly, you can publicly acknowledge Jesus by commenting below.

What knowledge do we gain about Jesus from this Scripture passage today?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God—our Savior, protector, counselor, and friend. Please hear our prayers and recognize the depth of our love for You.

Verse of Salvation ~ All who believe in the Son of God know in their hearts that this testimony is true. Those who don't believe this are actually calling God a liar because they don't believe what God has testified about his Son. And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God's Son does not have life. 1 John 5:10-12

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Zucchini Time! Gardens are overflowing with zucchini at this time in late summer. Enjoy some of this bread soon.

Zucchini Bread

Mix:

3eggs

1 c. oil – use avocado or olive oil

1½ c. sugar – cane or substitute of choice

2 c. grated zucchini

2 tsp vanilla

Mix and add:

3 c. flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

3 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp baking powder

1 c. nuts and or craisins (optional)

Bake in 2 (9x5) loaf pans at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pans while still warm and cool on a wire rack—if you can wait before you have a warm slice! Enjoy with coffee or a tall glass of cool milk.

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

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