Banquet With The King

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

What Kind of Fish are You?

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Do you understand all these things?" "Yes," they said, "we do." Then he added, "Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old." Matthew 13:47-52

Meditate on fishing.

What kind of fish are you?
Aquarium at Charleston, SC

The Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is giving some clues as to what that Kingdom is going to be like. Here He uses the analogy of a fishing net. Lots of different kinds of fish swimming around together are caught in the fishman’s net. When He first called some of His disciples, He told them that He would make them fishers of men. (See Matthew 4:19.) The workers—who are God’s angels in this parable—go through the catch in the net and sort out the good fish from the bad fish. The good fish get set aside and the bad fish get thrown away. Jesus specifies that the good fish are righteous people, whereas the bad fish are corrupt, or wicked people who will be thrown into a fiery furnace. Is that hell? The “gnashing of teeth” is also used in another parable about servants.

Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Matthew 25:30

Outer darkness…. It is associated with the gnashing of teeth, which is not a pleasant activity. Will you be gnashing your teeth when the Kingdom comes? Or will you be part of the righteous group of “fish” that are set aside? The choice is up to each person—but don’t wait too long. Times and situations change so quickly. We never know when we may be caught up in that fishing net. It may be soon…as Jesus taught in the Lord’s Prayer.

May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10

What do we learn about Jesus from the Matthew 13:47-52 focus passage today? Are you learning new gems of truth from Him?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, open my eyes that I may see Your gems of truth. Help me listen and obey.

Verse of Salvation ~ As for us, we can't help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation--a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

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

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

Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Birthday Blessings!

Glory to God—as Jesus stated at His last Passover meal.

As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, "The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can't come where I am going. So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." John 13:31-35

Meditate. Read God’s word again and listen to what He is saying.

Happy Birthday to Me! What do you do to celebrate your birthday? Is it just another day…or do you start a New Year with a celebration—at least in your heart and head, if not a blowout bash with others. I prefer lunch with a friend or two and supper with family, with carrot cake or a berry crisp. Yes! Top off the celebration with a sweet treat!

How did Jesus celebrate His birthday—did He? Nothing is recorded in the Gospels or mentioned in the rest of the New Testament. He did celebrate Jewish Festivals like Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feast of Tabernacles, and He was resurrected on the Feast of Firstfruits. He recognized Pentecost when He directed His disciples to “wait in Jerusalem” in Acts 2:1-4. Like good Jews, He also observed Hanukkah and Purim. He spoke about the Feast of Trumpets as recorded in Matthew 24:30-31. Listen for that trumpet call! Any celebration that Jesus did, even His Sabbath attendance in the Synagogue, brought attention, glory, and honor to God the Father. That was a good example for us. How can we show our respect to God as we celebrate special days in our life? Prayer. Expressions of Joy. Gratefulness. God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is worthy of our worship—daily.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, Thank You for Your example of giving glory to the Father. Do I do that every day? I would hope that You can see that I do it often—and how You have changed my life. I worship You—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—with love from the depth of my heart and soul You are my hope and strength.

Verse of Salvation ~ Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19

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

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

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Monday, June 8, 2026

A Valuable Pearl of Wisdom

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! Matthew 13:45-46

Pearls have such an enduring quality—really good, natural pearls have a luster, a glow that is unlike any other gem. The Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, available on the Blue Letter Bible Website, tells us that besides a precious gemstone, the pearl is a valuable word—a proverb. I’d usually thought of this parable as literally a real pearl—the gem stone, but Jesus is telling us in this parable that the pearl is a valuable truth and the merchant is seeking it with all that he has. That is how we are to value God’s Word—above all else.

In a similar parable spoken at the Sermon on the Mount Jesus tell us to be careful with His words—not to give them to swine—or people that are hostile to the Gospel and will likely profane them.

Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy. Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you. Matthew 7:6

That is a hard one—I thought we were to share the Gospel with everyone. Not so. Of course, there are people that I would never dare to approach—in places I wouldn’t go, like some inner city streets—but I know that God loves them, just like He loves me. Who will reach them for the Lord?

What can we learn about Jesus from this focus scripture?

Prayer ~ Lord, may I spread Your pearls of wisdom before those whom You have prepared to receive Your word? Let them seek and cherish Your teaching as I do.

Verse of Salvation ~ As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Happy Birthday blessings to a real gem of a friend - V.

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© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. Portions inspired by Banquet With The King blog, August 17, 2017 rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Sunday, June 7, 2026

What are Hidden Treasures?

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. Matthew 13:44

Meditate. Consider what a treasure is to you.

There are other examples of hidden treasure —but it is actually Jesus who is the hidden treasure. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Proverbs 2:1-11

Wise choices will watch over you. I pray daily for my children and grandchildren to make good choices. Sometimes it is evident that they have made good choices…other times, it is obvious that they have not made good choices. Choices are so important—and can be life-threatening or rewarding. The choice is ours, the consequences are ours, and either can provide a golden opportunity to love God and prove just what our treasures really are. Are those treasures hidden?

I certainly value and treasure wisdom and understanding—above gold, a fancy house, or designer clothes—above anything except the love of God. How about you—what do you treasure?

May he grant your heart's desires and make all your plans succeed. Psalm 20:4

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus...Please grant wisdom and understanding to me, to my family, friends, and neighbors. With wisdom please also help us all to make good decisions—this is the desire of my heart—and my frequent prayer. Thank You—for always hearing my prayers and valuing our relationship. That is my treasure, too—relationships. I'll admit I'm struggling with a couple of relationships now—help me Lord to wisely mend fences and renew our bonds.

Verse of Salvation ~ I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure. Psalm 119:162

Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Luke 12:34

What do you learn about Jesus in these scripture passages?

Please leave your comments below.

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. Portions of this are recycled from April 12, 2022, Banquet With The King blog. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Saturday, June 6, 2026

How is Yeast working in Your Life?

Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Matthew 13:33

Meditate. Read this verse three times and consider the dough expanding.

The Kingdom of Heaven.

Yeast is generally associated with sin. Unleavened bread, like at the Passover, was a symbol of purity. In this passage Jesus uses yeast in a positive way. When baking bread the general ratio of yeast to flour is one packet of dry yeast (2.25 tsp) to four cups of flour. Of course, there are lots of other factors that affect the rising dough, like humidity, type of flour and other ingredients. Salt, oil, and in some breads, sugar, are other necessary ingredients— but yeast bread can be made with just flour, salt, yeast and water. When the ingredients are mixed well, the yeast permeates the dough and over a hour or two, the dough will have risen nicely. That’s how Jesus is portraying growth within God’s kingdom—even here on earth. Just a few grains of yeast will make the dough rise…and a few good followers of Christ will make the church grow. The church at Corinth was warned to not associate with evil people. Good advice even today.

Your boasting about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

Choices are always up to each person. Choose to have good or evil influencing your life. Choose wisely.

Prayer ~ Lord, please give me wisdom to be prepared that I would not allow the influence of evil into my life—and guard my family and friends against that, too. May the goodness of Your way and life permeate our lives and allow us to be good witnesses to others for you.

Verse of Salvation ~ Honesty guides good people; dishonesty destroys treacherous people. Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. Proverbs 11:3-4

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© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Friday, June 5, 2026

How much faith do you have?

Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them. Mark 4:30-34

Meditate. Read this passage again. Think about tiny mustard seeds.

Mustard seeds are small—but I’ve been told that they were even smaller during Biblical times. Jesus related faith to a mustard seed to faith. How much faith do you have?

“You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” Matthew 17:20

Mount Rainier in Washington State

Can you move a mountain? Can you imagine what the Kingdom of God looks and feels like?

Prayer ~ Lord, Thank you for allowing us to have creative imaginations and for providing us with faith to believe. To believe in You…and in the Kingdom of God.

Verse of Salvation ~ Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last-- salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth-- the one who accuses them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:10

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Date Palms

Dates…or date honey. The seven healing foods of Israel include wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and finally, dates or date honey. When we went to Israel several years ago we bought some date honey. Interesting—not like most bee’s honey, but tasty.

Date honey or syrup from Israel.

It can be used as honey and stirred into yogurt and served with fresh fruit, like blueberries, pomegranate, or simply chopped dates or raisins. Be creative and enjoy.

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Thursday, June 4, 2026

Growing Parable

Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” Mark 4:26-29

Meditate on mysteries of life and growth.

This is a Modern harvest in Israel

When is harvest time? We always consider harvest time to be in the fall—but in this context it is as soon as the grain is ready. In Israel, the grain harvest occurs in the spring for barley and wheat. Jesus was using the grain harvest as an analogy for the gathering of the human spirits at the end of the age. It is actually a spiritual thing. Ultimately the book of Revelation gives us a clue as to what will one day happen.

Then another angel came from the Temple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, “Swing the sickle, for the time of harvest has come; the crop on earth is ripe.” Revelation 14:15

What is “the crop?” Human spirits. For now, and by some future date, all Christians—followers of Christ Jesus—will be snatched up into heaven. When will that be? We don’t know, although there is are some people who have calculated the day and the year from clues that God has given us in scripture passages. Mostly, they are hoping that it will happen as they’ve predicated and they won’t be left embarrassed and madly recalculating.
Spiritual growth is what is vitally important. As a person accepts what Christ Jesus as done for them, they become a new creation—they are “born again”—as Jesus explained to Nicodemus early in His ministry (see John 3). What are you doing to enhance your spiritual growth? Prayer is the best place to start. Then as life goes on, incorporate your growth—like the blade of grass into everything you think, say and do. The harvest won’t be a surprise—we’vs forewarned to be prepared.

What do you discover about Jesus in this scripture passage?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, thank you for caring about us enough to raise us up. We know that our Heavenly Father has a plan that was revealed in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. We wait for the gracious end to be revealed one day.

Verse of Salvation ~ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8

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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Keep Listening

Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Mark 4:21-25

Meditate.

What do you do when the sun goes down and it’s time to turn on a light? Do you put the light under a basket? Of course not. You put it upon a shelf—or a wall hook…whatever. You use the light for just that…light, yet Jesus informs us the importance of that light in exposing secrets. Look and listen. Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given…. Do you listen to Jesus voice and hear His message?

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20

If you hear my voice…Listen closely. Do you hear Jesus’ voice? Will you open the door…perhaps the door of your heart? It is Jesus who is calling us. How will you respond? Listen closely. Remember how Elijah heard God speak…listen closely for God’s guidance in a still small voice—a quiet whisper.

"Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 1 Kings 19:11-12

Listen for a still, small voice.
Keep listening.
This is the day the Lord has made.

That gentle whisper was the Lord. Can you hear Him today? Be still and know that He is God. We need a quiet time every day to listen to God…to hear Him calling to us…directing us to the right path. Rejoice if and rejoice when you hear His voice…and keep listening.

Prayer ~ Lord help me to always hear Your voice — still and small speaking to and directing me to seek You…for You are the light of the world. Shine in and through my heart and life. Thank you that You will never leave me or forsake me.

Verse of Salvation ~ The LORD is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? Psalm 27:1

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Tuesday, June 2, 2026

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” Matthew 13:24-30

Meditate. Think about weeds and thorns.

Who is the enemy of the farmer? The devil, masquerading as a greedy rival farmer or anyone who could benefit from that farmer loosing his crop, such as an unscrupulous banker uwho wants to take that farm and sell it at a huge profit for himself. So, in the dark of the night this enemy sneaks about that lovely farm with his dirty bag of weeds. Peeking around the corner of the barn.Is anyone one looking? The farmer and all his hired hands are sleeping soundly. Do you hear them snoring? Now, the enemy moves stealthily through the freshly seeded field—grinning like a Cheshire Cat—thinking that his evil, sinister plan will be perfect, dreaming of failure for this crop!

This farmer is shrewd. He is not going to fall prey to this evil plan. Do not pull out the weeds and harm the good plants—let them grow together. At the harvest, the weeds will be thrown into the fire. The evil scheme will be cut short. The healthy wheat plants will win and provide a crop worthy of the farmer’s efforts. Praise the Lord.

Just as He had done with earlier parables, Jesus explained this story to His disciples.

Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.” Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! Matthew 13:36-43

Is ’If that farmer is the Lord, what does this mean in the life of the Christian? Is God going to let the sinister evil people live and grow along alongside His good, upright followers? It happens everyday around us. Do you see yourself as the good crop or the wicked weeds? No depravity, fiendishness, perversion, or debauchery of evilness can separate us from the love of God.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

That’s the main take away for me. Nothing can create a separation between my Jesus and me. Nothing—not one thing, even the evil desires of the devil. No power against Jesus is even remotely possible.

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, show us that we are part of Your plan and that You are stronger than any power that would try to attack us. Nothing can separate us from You. No weeds or

Verse of Salvation ~ So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:6

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© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers”’ Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.

Monday, June 1, 2026

How’s the Soil of Your Heart?

One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’ “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word. The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation. The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity. And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest. Luke 8:4-15 (NLT) (Also recorded in Matthew 13:1-23 and Mark 4:1-20.)

Meditate.

Have you ever planted a field…or a garden? I grew up on a small farm and it seems to me that this farmer wasn’t very dedicated or well-prepared. Who would waste seeds on a footpath, or road? Who wouldn’t clear the rocks from the field so that the seeds could grow in good soil? Weeds and thorns? They don’t make good companion plants. At least some of the seeds landed in good soil—and resulted in a hundred percent success. That is good odds. To plant seeds, one needs to prepare the soil. In the field, farmers disc the soil—and in our gardens we can simply use a shovel or a rototiller. Depends on the size of the garden. So, what was Jesus saying to that crowd of people? He goes on to explain it to His disciples in terms of spiritual growth. Think about how you heard about Jesus—the seeds of Good News. Is your heart, good soil, ready to receive the truth?

We don’t have to guess what Jesus meant. He told His disciples plainly and decisively. Be the good soil—good-hearted people who hear God's word, cling to it, and patiently produce a q huge harvest. That huge harvest is all the new Christians who listen, hear, and understand. Do you understand? Are you scattering “seeds”—concepts of Jesus?

What do we learn about Jesus from this passage?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I’m listening to Your words and I’m trying to plant seeds of Your words…and lifestyle…among those who don’t know You. Help me to live every moment following You. Please give us all wisdom and understanding.

Verse of Salvation ~ The seeds that fell on the footpath represent those who hear the message, only to have the devil come and take it away from their hearts and prevent them from believing and being saved. Luke 8:12

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Sunday, May 31, 2026

Parables for You…for Me

Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables…. Mark 4:1-2

Parables. Parables are just stories that compares or illustrates a real life story to a truth. Were those used in the Old Testament? Here are a couple of examples, with parables underlines for emphasis.

- A psalm of Asaph. 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. Psalm 78:1-4

- Their purpose (The book of Proverbs) is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair. These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles. Proverbs 1:2-6

- I sent my prophets to warn you with many visions and parables." Hosea 12:10

Parables in the Old Testament were more like stories passed down in the generations telling of the account of ancestors describing their relationship to God and His wisdom. Jesus was building on the stories of the old days…ancient times. People then and now relate to stories. Maybe that is why so many pastors tell stories as part of their sermons. Stories draw us into the message…help us relate to what we are hearing. What is your story? How do you tell others about your relationship to God?

Meditate on these verses.

My favorite story of learning about God begins with a Sunday School class around a kitchen table at church where my Sunday School teacher described the “Give us this day our daily bread” from the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as a spiritual bread…not physical bread…toast or sandwich bread. How do we get that spiritual bread? Read God’s Word. It is the bread of life. This was a spiritual awaking for me.

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Moses didn't give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day." 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. But you haven't believed in me even though you have seen me. However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 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 6:32-40

Jesus goes on through His life and during His last meal with His disciples, He consecrates the bread and wine of that Passover Meal, to remind them to remember Him. He charges them to repeat often to remind them of what He did for them.

Do you believe in Jesus? Consider His words and His life. He is the bread of life. Feast on His words.

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus…give us this day our daily bread.

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

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Saturday, May 30, 2026

Woes….

Tradition hand washing station at a Jerusalem hotel.

As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Then the Lord said to him, “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn’t God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over. What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.” “Teacher,” said an expert in religious law, “you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.” “Yes,” said Jesus, “what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago. But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! This is what God in his wisdom said about you: ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’ As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world—from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation. What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.” As Jesus was leaving, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions. They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him. Luke 11:37-54

Meditate.

Woes. Sorrows. The Pharisees wanted everyone to be as strict about the Law as they were—even down to tithing from the sale of garden herbs like mint. That is pretty picky. Yet they didn’t want to help those in need. No compassion. Jesus was very compassionate—healing and helping people, no matter what day of the week it was or who they were—Jew or Gentile. He was warning the Pharisees—sorrow awaits you. I think they should expect to be sad and repentant because they were critical and not willing to help others.. They weren’t. There was one expert who boldly told Jesus that he was insulted—but Jesus put him in his place. The “experts” or lawyers were demanding more from the Jews than they could give and what’s more, the experts were not helping others with their problems. Where is the “love your neighbor as yourself” in those religious leaders? Where is the “love your neighbor as yourself” in your life?

What do learn about Jesus from this scripture?

Prayer ~ help us to be compassionate—like You—not nit picky like the Pharisees.

Verse of Salvation ~ So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 1 Peter 1:13

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