Banquet With The King

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Tempted Three Times

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread." But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'" Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.'" Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. "I will give it all to you," he said, "if you will kneel down and worship me." "Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.'" Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus. Matthew 4:1-11 NLT

Meditate. Consider Jesus experiencing temptation…just like you.

Camel Crossing
The Judean Desert where Jesus was tempted.
Israel

After His baptism Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights. Then the tempter came and tried to get Jesus to turn rocks into bread, to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, and to worship him in exchange for all the kingdoms and glory of the world.

Jesus retaliated with scripture first from Deuteronomy 8:3,” Man shall not live by bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Next from Deuteronomy 6:16, He quoted, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” And finally using Deuteronomy 6:13, He said, “Be gone Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” Then the devil left and angels came and ministered to Him.

There are basically three types of temptation that if not curbed lead us into sin. Lust of the eyes (want), lust of the flesh (pleasure/selfishness), and pride of life (arrogance/user). All sins fall into one of those three categories. Of course, it is better not to sin, but sometimes our weak human nature just lets us down and we trip up…or fall into sin. Looking at our actions and reactions can keep us from falling deep or deeper into sin.

Jesus gave us such a clear example in this passage of fighting evil using scripture. We must be careful not to misquote scripture—as Satan did. We are not to misuse scripture for our own purpose. Look at the scripture in context. It takes more than bread to live—seek spiritual food. Every word, not just some words, which come from God. Did you get that? EVERYWORD. A mouthful—or an earful—either way.

Personally I’ve found that if I have a verse memorized, when I am tempted (yes even Moms and Grandmas get tempted), then I can focus on that verse and it keeps me from getting trapped by that wrong thought. The verse I’ve probably used the most is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” from Luke 10:27, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. This verse has brought my thought off some wrong lustful idea back to what is good—if I’m thinking something wrong, then it is just as if I have done the act itself, just as Jesus explained in Matthew 5:28. Additionally, my favorite verse, Philippians 4:8, is good for refocusing: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is an excellence and there is anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” What could be better advice?

So, the angels ministered to Jesus. After 40 days and nights with no food, He was probably famished. What do you think they brought Him to eat? Steak and potatoes? A nice juicy lamb chop? Some fresh fruit? Manna from heaven? Whatever it was, you can be sure that Jesus enjoyed it—savoring every bite.

Consider fasting for a meal—or a day and spending that mealtime in prayer. I pray continually for you that you would make good decisions. Do you focus on the true, honorable, right, pure, and good things? Make those things your goals.

Prayer – Lord, help me to make good decisions today and guide my family and friends in the choices that they make, too.

Verse of Salvation ~ Guide me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You [and only You] I wait [expectantly] all the day long. Psalm 25:5 AMP

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

💖Happy Birthday, Julia! 💖

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

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Temptation

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. Luke 4:1-2

Meditate. Consider temptations.

Tempted in all things…and Jesus was hungry. What tempts you when you are hungry? Ice cream, candy, asparagus, chocolate and peanut butter, or cookies? The Holy Spirit indwelled in Jesus and took Him to the wilderness. There in the desert the devil tried to tempt Jesus by challenging Him to change stones into bread.

And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.'" Luke 4:3-4.

Bread may be tempting to some people when they are hungry, but it was not to Jesus. What an example He was to us. Tempted, but He didn’t give in to the temptation. He knew that man, including Himself, since He was fully human, needed more than bread to live on. Humans need spiritual food as well as physical food.

Have you had your spiritual food today? Are you hungry for it? Are you reading through a particular book of the Bible—digging deep into God’s Word? Do you have someone to whom you are accountable and for whom you hold them accountable for their spiritual growth? Accountability is the key in spiritual growth…and what is more important than that?

Prayer – Lord, keep me accountable to my friends as they hold me accountable for studying scripture, memorizing, and applying Your Word to my life. If there are some reading this who are not learning and growing spiritually, may You provide encouragement where they are and may they seek to know God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—more deeply each day.

Verse of Salvation ~ For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation. We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 2 Corinthians 6:2-4

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

Partially recycled from May 8, 2015, Banquet With The King blog.

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

God is Faithful

Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9

Meditate on Faithfulness.

God was faithful—in keeping His promise and showing His love for mankind. He was faithful to Jesus, His Son. Jesus, the Son of God and God Himself, was faithful to the Heavenly Father. …God is faithful. We can see example after example of God’s faithfulness—especially to the children of Israel—in scripture passages of the Old and New Testaments. God is faithful to those who love Him and keep His commandments.

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 32:4

God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9

May the Morning Glory faithfully give
glory to God...Father, Son, and Spirit.
Flowers in Israel.

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Think about the amount of time that Jesus spent in prayer to His Heavenly Father. He was constantly going off to pray by Himself. Should we do the same? As you seek to know more about God, you will find Him and be blessed in His presence and by your commitment to Him.

How do you see God’s faithfulness working in your life today? Do you feel His presence in your daily life? Are your prayers answered…or even if they are not answered, do feel that God has heard your prayers and has responded in another way? His ways are not always our ways, although He has promised to give us the desires of our hearts.

Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:3-5

Prayer –Lord God, may Your peace make me holy in every way, and may my whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless until my Savior Jesus Christ, the Messiah, comes again. God, I trust that You will make this happen, for You are faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Verses of Salvation ~ For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. John 3:16-21

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

Portion recycled from July 7, 2019, Banquet With The King blog.

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Monday, February 9, 2026

Almighty God

It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven's Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!" Isaiah 6:1-3

Meditate. Visualize God on His throne.

Model of Jerusalem Temple.
Jerusalem, Israel
How did Jesus view His Father at the Temple?

What do you think Jesus' view of Almighty God was as a young boy, until He went to the Temple in Jerusalem when He was twelve? He must have studied all the Biblical scripture in the Tanakh, the Jewish Bible, containing the historical, poetry, prophetic, and teaching books. As Jesus read through those books, He was establishing His view of the Heavenly Father, God Almighty, beginning with God at the beginning of Creation, and then with God’s encounters with Adam and Eve, and then Abraham and all of his family. All of Abraham’s family, even through the exodus, as they left Israel and established their new homes in the Promised Land. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and omnipresent. He is with all these people everywhere they go—and still in Heaven, filling His throne room with a magnificent robe.

When Jesus was at the Temple in Jerusalem over Passover, He said to Mary and Joseph when they found Him. Some Biblical translations say “Father’s house,” while others use “Father’s business”; both indicate that He recognized that God was His Father.

And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" Luke 2:49 NKJV

Did Jesus picture His Heavenly Father as the Lord sitting on His throne in heaven with His robe filling the heavenly Temple? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies, Almighty God.

Prayer – Lord God, You are an awesome God—our Father, LORD of lords, King of Kings, Lord of Heaven’s Army—and Father of the most amazing Savior that could have come to earth to save mankind. Thank you.

Verse of Salvation ~ And he will call out to me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.' Psalm 89:26

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Sunday, February 8, 2026

The Holy Spirit in the Trinity

Holy Spirit - You are welcome in my heart.
...and in my life.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:14-19

Meditate. Consider the Holy Spirit in the Trinity.

When studying the Bible, it is helpful to go back a few verses to understand the passage. What was Paul thinking of—what caused him to fall to his knees?.

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22

We are not only part of God’s family…but we are the holy temple—the very home for the Lord.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19.

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16.

The Holy Spirit is an essential part of God. It is the Holy Spirit in me—in my heart—in my soul. This is just what I have been overwhelmed by for years. We invite Christ into our hearts—and it is the Holy Spirit that dwells—LIVES—in us. The Trinity is at work in our lives. We tell our children, grandchildren, friends, family, and even perfect strangers to “invite Jesus” into their hearts—and it is the Holy Spirit that humbly comes there to guide and direct our thoughts, words, and actions. That is God’s love flowing through us. God’s love is so deep—so wide—so long—so high that we may not ever be able to fathom it without praying for that understanding. How big is God’s Love for you? Have you fallen to your knees lately? It is your choice…no one else can make that decision for you.

Prayer – Holy Spirit, You are welcome in my heart—and my life. You are precious to me and may my thoughts, words and actions bring glory to the Father, Son, and You. I pray that those reading this blog today may experience the love of Christ—although it is too great to totally understand. Please, Holy Spirit, give inner strength—and the power to understand God’s love to us all.

Verse of Salvation ~ "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." Titus 3:4-7

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

From June 16, 2024, Banquet With The King blog.

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Saturday, February 7, 2026

The Trinity at Creation

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-4

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:1-5

Meditate. Consider the Trinity.

God is a spirit.
At creation...He created light.
God is three persons...the Trinity.

Trinity at Creation. They were all there. Father God. Jesus the Son. The Holy Spirit. The Father was with Jesus, the Word. John declares that Jesus, the Word, was God. God the Father is God. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. All three persons of the Trinity were there at Creation. Jesus was the Creator—with guidance of the Father, and with the Holy Spirit overseeing the process, hovering right where the action was.

Some people may think that Jesus didn’t exist until He was “born” in Bethlehem. John tells us that in the beginning the Word already existed. There was a lot of time from the Creation until Jesus came to earth as a man, but He existed already. He was. That is just like He is right now…and always will be. Before He came to earth as a baby, He existed in Heaven.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see--such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. Colossians 1:15-20

He knew you before you were born. He knew and knows ahead of time just what is going to happen—except when He will return—only the Heavenly Father knows.

Jesus told them, "Don't let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah.' They will deceive many. ... "However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. "When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. ... "So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Matthew 24:4-5, 36-39, 42-44

Jesus was at Creation with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit indwells all Christians—so He is with us always. Jesus said to be ready all the time, for the Son of Man (Jesus) will come when least expected. Jesus said to be ready. Are you ready? Is Jesus your Lord and Savior?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, forgive me for not being ready all the time—for allowing my time to be taken up with worldly activities. Help me to focus on You…all the time.

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. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. 1 Peter 1:3-6

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

Comments?

Joy ahead for all believers. Joy for Lori now in Heaven with our Lord. Praises!

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