Banquet With The King

Monday, July 13, 2026

Who is Walking on Water?

He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage! I am here!" Mark 6:48-50

They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, but he called out to them, "Don't be afraid. I am here!" John 6:19-20

About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!" But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage. I am here!" Matthew 14:25-27

Meditate on water, walking, wisdom, fear, and courage.

Ancient boat in a museum at the Sea of Galilee.
Thought to be from the time of Jesus.
Found in 1986 in Israel.

It is pretty dark still at three o’clock in the morning. It’s no wonder that the disciples were terrified. They thought that Jesus was a ghost! Jesus is the light of the world—did it seem like He was glowing? Fear! Plain old fear! That is what they felt…and they had nowhere to escape. They were in a boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. It is about eight miles wide. It was dark, but here came this figure on top of the water—walking towards them. Not sinking. I’d be afraid, too. How about you? What was the intent of this image?

Then Jesus spoke. "Don't be afraid." "Take courage! I am here!" Courage. Ahhh. They could breathe a sigh of relief. No ghost. They recognized that voice. It was their Teacher, their Rabbi, their friend. Jesus. No fear. Peace and calm. Is that what you would feel if Jesus suddenly appeared out of nowhere to you? Peace. No fear. I think that His commanding voice, peaceful and reassuring, gave them just that…peace. I would trust Jesus at His word. Don’t be afraid. Take courage.

What do we learn about the character of Jesus in this passage?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, thank you for Your reassuring words to not be afraid. I recognize that You are the Son of God…You are God. As written in First John, “All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”1 John 4:15-18. I trust You—and in that I will take courage…and not be afraid.

Verse of Salvation ~ Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. James 5:7-8

Share your thoughts about fear, courage, and trust in the comments below.

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 12, 2026

Are You in Trouble?

Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. Mark 6:47-48a

But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn't come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. John 6:17-18

After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. Matthew 14:23-24

Meditate. Read these verses again. Imagine what the wind felt like and how they were tossed about in their boat.

Only a little light...
shining in the darkness.

It was late when the disciples got into the boat. They had just fed 5,000 men and their families and sent them on their way. It was beginning to get dark. Consider how dark it must have been out there on that water—the Sea of Galilee. It’s not a huge body of water—but they weren’t in a huge boat out in the middle of that lake, also known as the Lake of Tiberias. The wind—a strong wind—came up and they were in trouble. Have you ever felt that way? Big waves and you weren’t to your destination yet? Have you had storms in your life like the disciples were experiencing? Wind and waves.

Where I live, if it is windy, it is best to stay off the Columbia River. The waves can get good-sized white caps when it is windy. One-time, when I was kayaking with friends, the wind came up and…whoa. The waves were crashing over the bow of each of the kayaks. A bit scary! One of the ladies called her husband, and he came to our rescue as we quickly exited the raging river, right into someone's orchard. The storm roared on, but we were safe on land again. I can imagine how scared the disciples were—they knew they were in trouble on that rough sea. Where was Jesus? He saw that they were in trouble. Isn’t that how it is? Jesus sees and knows everything.

Prayer – Lord Jesus—Thank You for always being with us…for not abandoning us even when we are in trouble. You see us…and we know that You will come to the rescue. We can count on You. Did the disciples know that they could rely on You to help them through this trouble?

Verses of Salvation ~ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies. ... "LORD, help!" they cried in their trouble, and he rescued them from their distress. He led them straight to safety, to a city where they could live. Let them praise the LORD for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Psalm 107:1-2, 6-8

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 11, 2026

Praying by Himself

Hillside above the Sea of Galilee
Israel

After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Mark 6:46

After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone. Matthew 14:23

Meditate on prayer.

Jesus liked to pray by Himself. Just Him and God together. He often rose early or stayed up late to chat with His Father. No distractions. No one hovering around asking questions…or even listening in. Wouldn’t you like to hear just what the Son was saying to the Father…and the Father to the Son?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God—may Your name always be holy, not just in my eyes, by by everyone. I’m so looking forward to seeing You, face to face—what a great promise when Your Kingdom comes. Please forgive me for my sins—of omission and commission. I’m only human—but I’m still responsible for what I think, say, and do. Thanks for providing everything I need—as well as for my family, friends, and actually everyone, too. I’m delighted that the disciples asked You to teach them to how to pray and that the Lord’s Prayer is recorded for us to follow as an example. “Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13.”

Verses of Salvation ~ Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. Ephesians 6:18-19

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, July 10, 2026

Time for the Boat to Leave

Peter's Boat on the Sea of Galilee
Israel excursion.

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. Mark 6:45

That evening Jesus' disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn't come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. John 6:16-17

Meditate. Consider disciples’ obedience.

Immediately. Jesus had a plan of action. Send the people home. They’d been fed, physically and spiritually, and it was time for them to go home while they could still travel in the light. Meanwhile, He wanted the disciples to go across the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida, near Capernaum. What was He going to do? He didn’t tell the disciples. Did you read ahead to see just what happened next?

Jesus always has a plan. He spends time with His Heavenly Father and gets His orders from Him. Pray. Listen. Do. That was just how Jesus’ life went. He followed the orders given to Him. Do you do that? Do I do that? For me, it is just a good habit every morning to ask God what He wants me to do for Him today. Just to be open to obedience and to want to please the Lord is important to me. Is it to you? We all have a choice to make—daily and moment by moment.

Prayer – Lord God, what would You like for me to do for You today? Is it simply to smile at everyone I see, provide food to the homeless, or obediently serve my family? I am Your willing servant.

Verse of Salvation ~ If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced." Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved." Romans 10:9-13 NLT

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Give thanks for the food you are about to receive. Jesus just fed 5,000 men and their families. He gave thanks to God (John 6:11) and blessed the food. (Mark 6:41). Do you say a blessing for what God provides for your meal each time you eat? There are many rote prayers that people standardly say as a blessing. Here are some that I heard at some time in my life, and still hear people using today.

God is good. God is great. Let us thank Him for this food. By His hands we all are fed; give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen.

Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts we are about to receive from thy bounty and grace, through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

Heavenly Father, thank You for this food and for the hands that prepared it. May it strengthen our bodies and spirits. Amen.

Bless this food, O Lord, and bless our time together.

We thank You, Father, for the food before us, the family and friends beside us, and the love between us. Amen.

Lord, bless this food for our use and us for Your service, and keep us ever mindful of the needs of others. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen

No matter what you say—God hears your prayers and the gratefulness of your heart. Continue to express your thanks to Him for all that He provides, whether it is barley loaves and fish or macaroni and cheese.

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, July 9, 2026

Who Wants to be King?

When the people saw him do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!" When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself. John 6:14-15

Meditate on this verse about a king.

Who wants to be a King? Some people are born into it—like King Charles and Solomon. But Jesus didn’t want to be King. Not on earth. But He will be King of all kings in Heaven. It is actually expressed several times in different verses in the Bible. King of all kings. That is Jesus, but at this time in His life, biblically, He knew that He didn’t want to be…or would never be the political king for whom the people were looking. (Underlined below for emphasis.)

For, at just the right time Christ will be revealed from heaven by the blessed and only almighty God, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords. 1 Timothy 6:15

Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him. Revelation 17:14

On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Revelation 19:16

Jesus slipped away. It wasn’t the first time. Another time He slipped away from the crowd when they wanted to toss Him over the cliff in Nazareth (Luke 4:28-30). Jesus was persecuted for disappointing the crowd, and for their hope as a political savior. He wasn’t either. What or who is He to you? King of all kings?

What do you personally learn about Jesus from this passage?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You are my Lord and Savior—and I recognize You as the King of all kings, all powerful, Son of God. You are awesome and I am humbled that You are my God. I praise You and I thank You for all You have done and will do.

Verse of Salvation ~ You, O God, are my king from ages past, bringing salvation to the earth. Psalm 74:12

sAll 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 8, 2026

You Feed Them

Serve your guests on a Fish & Loaves plate.
Jesus gave thanks...do you?

Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat." But Jesus said, "You feed them." "With what?" they asked. "We'd have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!" "How much bread do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out." They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish." Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish. A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed. Mark 6:35-44

Meditate on food for 5,000.

This story is worthy of another day of study and meditation. You feed them. What?! We don’t have enough money to buy food for 5,000 men and their families. How much bread do you have? Bread was a mainstay in the diet of people—so Jesus multiplied the loaves of bread and a couple of fish to feed the crowd, sitting in groups of fifty or a hundred. When was the last time you hosted 50 or 100 people…if ever? When we have fourteen of our family together, we have a full house, even if we are eating outside! The space needed for 5,000 men, plus their wives and children, which could have been about 20,000 people, would be enormous. Those disciples—as well as all of Jesus’ followers at this meal—learned a great lesson in trusting God to provide.

The crowd was probably pretty hungry at this point since it was late in the afternoon. Jesus was concerned about sending them away weak, but He met their need. God supplied it, and they ate as much as they wanted. These were mainly Jewish people who lived in the region of Bethesda at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus came to minister first to the Jews…and later Gentiles were added to His outreach ministry, although we know God never had a plan B, so the Gentiles were always to be included. How reassuring for those of us who do not have Jewish heritage. Believing in Jesus as our Savior is what gives us access to being part of God’s family. Would He still feed us today, as He fed those 5,000 men and their families? Actually, He is still feeding us day by day. The Lord provides. As Psalm 146 tell us—He provides everything—food, justice, freedom, and love.

Praise the LORD! Let all that I am praise the LORD. I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath. Don't put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the godly. The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. The LORD will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations. Praise the LORD! Psalm 146:1-10

Praise the Lord!

What understanding of Jesus do you gain from this scripture today?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I praise You—as long as I live here on earth—and forever in Heaven. Just knowing You fills me with overwhelming joy and continuous hope. You are so powerful—and yet so loving and compassionate. Yes, I praise You and thank you, forever.

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.

Tuesday, July 7, 2026

Food for 5,000 Hungry Souls – Or Waste Not, Want Not

The Fish and the Loaves
Mosaic at the presumed site of the
Feeding of the 5,000
Near the Sea of Galilee, Israel

Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?" He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do. Philip replied, "Even if we worked for months, we wouldn't have enough money to feed them!" Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up. "There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?" "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, "Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted." So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves. John 6:5-13

Meditate. Consider your hunger—for spiritual and physical food.

Consider again Psalm 23 and how that shepherd cares for his sheep.

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:1-6 NLT (Underlined for emphasis.)

The shepherd makes his sheep to rest in green meadows, just like Jesus as He requested that everyone sit down. They sat down on grassy slopes. Then Jesus took the fish and bread that some kid had left over from his lunch the previous day. Jesus gave thanks to our Heavenly Father, and everyone ate their fill. Can you imagine feeding 5,000 men along with their wives and children with just five barley loaves and a couple of fish? Well, that is just what happened. They were hungry and He definitely renewed the strength of those thousands of people as they had their fill of food. Now they were ready to go back home.

Meanwhile, Jesus directed the disciples to gather up the leftovers. Nothing was to be wasted. There were twelve baskets of bread scraps uneaten. Twelve disciple. Twelve baskets. Their blessings were overflowing. Have you ever had blessing such as this? Maybe you’ve had a bottle of oil seem to keep on giving when you thought it was almost empty, like the widow at Zerephath who served Elijah during a drought.

For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the LORD sends rain and the crops grow again!" So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah. 1 Kings 17:14-16

Trust in the Lord. He will provide. Can you do that? The Lord provided for the 5,000 men and their families. Thank the Lord for each morsal of food that He provides for you, for everything comes from Him.

What do you see about the character of Jesus in this account of this feeding of the crowd?

Leave your comments in the comment section below.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You provided healing, both physical and spiritual, for this crowd of people that came to You. And then You gave them a free meal. Will they be back? People always want something for free. Do they realize that they can have eternal life for free, too? You chose Your disciples for their obedience—but what about this crowd? Do You see them as obedient? Help me—as well as my family and friends—to trust You…and be obedient to Your word and Your ways.

Verse of Salvation ~ For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." Acts 4:11-12

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

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

Monday, July 6, 2026

What Was Jesus Teaching?

Where is the shepherd?
Are these sheep without a shepherd?
Are you?

Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Mark 6:34

Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) John 6:3-4

He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick. Luke 9:11b

Meditate. Read this scripture again and listen to what God is saying.

Jesus compared these people to sheep without a shepherd. Did He see Himself as their shepherd? Do shepherds teach their sheep anything? Sheep are considered to be pretty stupid animals. They’ll blindly follow another sheep and eat continually. Consider Psalm 23 and how that shepherd cares for his sheep.

When this shepherd guides the sheep along the right path, could he be teaching them? I think maybe so, since teaching is imparting knowledge and instruction, which could ultimately bring honor to the teacher. That is what the teacher and shepherd are doing—guiding the student or sheep along the right path. Have you ever experienced a teaching method that guides a student along the right path? Old grade school reading instruction or programs did just that, as they encouraged students to survey the reading assignment, read, review, and then recite. Yes. That encouragement directed students down the right path.

These passages tell us that Jesus taught them many things—possibly a review or recitation of His Sermon on the Mount. We do have the specific information that Jesus taught them about the Kingdom of God. What is that Kingdom? He is. Heaven on earth…and ultimately in the heavenly place of Heaven.

What do we learn about Jesus’ character from these scripture passages?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, would I have crowded You if I had been living at the time You were on earth? Would I have followed You from place to place waiting to see You perform more miracles and heal more people? Good questions. Do I do that now? Like lots of others, I wait for You to heal family and friends—but that doesn’t always happen. Still, You are my Shepherd—and I put my trust in You.

Verses of Salvation ~ Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children's children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments! The LORD has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything. Psalm 103:15-19

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

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