Banquet With The King

Friday, March 20, 2026

When and Where Do You Pray?

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you." But Jesus replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came." Mark 1:35-38

Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them. But he replied, "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent." Luke 4:42-43

Meditate on Jesus’ dedication to prayer—communication with His Heavenly Father.

Did you ever wonder why Jesus came to earth? He tells us in the scripture passage today, one of the reasons was that He must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Preach. Often, preaching involves teaching, admonishing or correcting, encouraging, and providing hope. Hope that is definitely what Jesus brought to earth. Remember that when He came here, the Israelites were under harsh Roman rule actually, oppression. They lived in fear. On top of that, the Jewish religious leaders imposed strict adherence to the Jewish laws. Life did not provide freedom, fun, or fortune.

Seek the Lord, and you will find Him, just as David advised his son, Solomon. How do we “seek” the Lord? You won’t find Him under a rock, behind a cloud, or probably not hanging out at your favorite gym—although Christ is within all believers, so you could possibly find Him anywhere. The most likely place to “find” Him in in scripture—using the Bible translation of your choice.

And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9

How are you seeking Him today? What passage of scripture have you read and meditated on? Consider your own prayer time. When, where, how? Like Jesus, did you go somewhere alone and pray early in the day? Did you pray…to the Father…to Jesus, the Son…or to the Holy Spirit? To whom of these three are you most comfortable praying? Of course, Jesus prayed specifically to the Father, but we have the option of praying to any or all of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is always with us, and actually intercedes for us to the Father. Just seek first the Kingdom of God—just as Jesus preached. The Kingdom of God is within us—it is Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He is the Good News.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

Pray for God to reveal the Kingdom of God to you—and then share it with everyone around you.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, thank you for revealing this simple truth to us. You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I praise Your name forever.

Verse of Salvation ~ But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The LORD is great!" Psalm 40:16

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Grapes hanging in my yard!
Pure goodness on the vine!

So obey the commands of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Deuteronomy 8:6-10

The seven foods that are special in Israel are wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates (or date honey). Studies have been done on these seven fruits, and they have been found to have compounds that give them healing qualities. The power is in the seeds—so don’t choose seedless grapes!

Grapes go all the way back to Noah, when he planted a vineyard after he got off the ark. Purple and red grapes are rich in an antioxidant known as anthocyanina, which will cross the blood-brain barrier, so they are known to protect the brain and spinal nerves from free radical damage. To prevent any damage at the molecular level in our bodies is a good thing, especially as we age. Grapes benefits start early. They fight tooth decay, stop viruses, and have strong cancer-fighting elements. Additionally, another phytonutrient in grapes has been found that helps protect the heart and blood vessels, decreasing the stickiness of platelets, boosting the good cholesterol, blocking the bad cholesterol, and decreasing inflammation. Sounds great to me! Please, pass the grapes!

In an ancient recipe, grape honey is made using four cups of washed grapes, stems removed, cook with one-half cup water for twenty minutes or until thickened. No sugar added. Strain off the grape seeds. Place in sterilized jars. Refrigerate. Serve on whole-grain bread, crackers, or with unsweetened Greek yogurt. Enjoy the fruit—whether it is from Israel or grown here in the United States. As Moses wrote…be sure to praise the Lord for the bounty He has provided.

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

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Thursday, March 19, 2026

Wait Until the Sun Sets

That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, "He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases." Matthew 8:16-17

After sunset...the day is over.
A new day starts.
Let's bring our requests to Jesus.

That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. The whole town gathered at the door to watch. So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak. Mark 1:32-34

As the sun went down that evening, people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed everyone. Many were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But because they knew he was the Messiah, he rebuked them and refused to let them speak. Luke 4:40-41

Meditate. Consider Jesus’ power and healing touch.

Three of the four gospels record for us these examples of the healing that took place on that Sabbath day after Jesus had healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Yes. That happened on the Sabbath day. Jesus had been teaching at the Capernaum synagogue, and He amazed the people when He healed a man possessed by an evil spirit. Then Jesus went to Peter’s home, where He was asked to heal Peter’s mother-in-law, who had a high fever. He rebuked the fever, and it left. It had been a busy day—and it was a Sabbath day that should be considered a day of rest. No rest for Jesus!

Now the sun had gone down, the Sabbath was over. I wondered why the people waited until the sun set before they brought their sick and possessed loved ones to Jesus to be healed. Of course, they waited until the Sabbath was over. No work on the Sabbath—that was their tradition. They were following God’s command as He had given to Moses.

You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the LORD your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the LORD made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Exodus 20:9-11

I think that waiting until the Sabbath was over shows respect for Rabbi Jesus. Wait until the Sabbath is over—the new day starts at sunset. The whole town of Capernaum came to Peter’s house—to his door—to request that Jesus heal their family and friends of various diseases. Jesus cast out many demons with just a word, but He didn’t let them speak since they were declaring just who He was—The Son of God. The demons recognized who He was, but did the people? They brought their sick to Him, knowing that He could heal them, but did they realize that He was the Messiah? Do you see Jesus as your Messiah, as your Savior? Do you bring your requests to Him for healing? Do you do that only on the Sabbath—on Sunday? Do you wait to pray until a new day has begun—or do you seek the Lord throughout the day?

What do we learn about Jesus from this scripture passage? Jesus was compassionate. He healed the sick and demon-possessed. He must have been tired after a long Sabbath day—teaching and healing, but He still took time to listen to the requests and to heal the sick and demon-possessed. Once again, we see His power over evil spirits. They knew who He was—but He got rid of them—rebuked them. He would have…and did heal on the Sabbath, but the people waited to come to Him until after dark. They came when the new day started.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, we come to You now—not waiting for a special time to pray. We will never stop praying, just as You taught Paul when he wrote to the church at Thessalonica, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19. Thank You for teaching us about Yourself, Your power, Your love and compassion, and for being faithfully obedient to our Heavenly Father.

Verse of Salvation ~ After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, "Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God." Revelation 19:1

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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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Who’s Fixing Supper?

When Jesus arrived at Peter's house, Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. But when Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her. Then she got up and prepared a meal for him. Matthew 8:14-15

Meditate. Consider immediate healing.

The Synagogue in Capernaum
This building was near Peter's home.
The foundation still stands as it did in Jesus' time.
Israel

There are three accounts of this healing event in the Gospels. All of them note that it was a high fever. She was really sick. Then Jesus touched her hand, and she was well. The story in Luke says that Jesus rebuked the fever, and it left her. Rebuked. Reprimanded. Scolded. He treated that fever as an evil spirit. It left. Maybe we should treat all illnesses the same way? When was the last time you “rebuked” a fever, cold, cancer, headache, or other illness? Never?!

After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them. Mark 1:29-31

After leaving the synagogue that day, Jesus went to Simon's home, where he found Simon's mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. "Please heal her," everyone begged. Standing at her bedside, he rebuked the fever, and it left her. And she got up at once and prepared a meal for them. Luke 4:38-39

It was amazing that Peter’s mother-in-law not only was instantly well, but she got up and fixed a meal for everyone! That takes energy. Think about the last time you had a fever or just a cold and were drained of energy. Someone else likely was preparing the meals at your house—or you were just dragging around the kitchen opening a can of soup or something—not concocting a meal for a group of at least eight people. There she was, like the little Energizer Bunny, stirring up some food for the family, Jesus, James, and John.

What do we learn about Jesus from this scripture passage? Compassionate. Powerful. Loving. Listening. Jesus cared about His disciples and their families. He listened to them when they asked, “Please heal her.” He had power over sickness—whether it was caused by an evil spirit or some germ, He got rid of it. Jesus was loving, considerate, and we can imagine that He graciously accepted the meal in Simon and Andrew’s home. Remember who was fixing supper.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You rebuked that fever. Is that what we should do when someone is sick? Rebuke the illness? Give us the power to do just that. Heal our family and friends from the diseases that are rampant and touch the lives of so many. Thank You for telling us that whatever we ask in Your name, believing that You will answer, will happen. We believe. Help our unbelief. We praise You…we praise your name.

Verse of Salvation ~ Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. Isaiah 58:8

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Even Evil Spirits Obey His Orders

Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting, "Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" Jesus cut him short. "Be quiet! Come out of the man," he ordered. At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him. Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. "What sort of new teaching is this?" they asked excitedly. "It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!" The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee. Mark 1:23-28

Meditate. Consider Jesus’ power in scripture.

Don't be deceived.
Evil spirits can appear as prickly cactus...
...or flowering cactus.
Which do you appreciate?

Jesus healed people from demons many times. These verses below are just a few. Note that He just spoke using a simple command, and the evil spirits were disempowered. They knew who Jesus was—who He is. The Son of God. I love how commanding Jesus is in today’s focus scripture, Mark 1:23-28. He says, Be quiet! Come out of the man. The demons obediently responded to His demands.

- That evening, many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. Matthew 8:16

- And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, "You are the Son of God!" Mark 3:11

- They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. Luke 6:18

- At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Luke 7:21

Jesus is all-powerful. Even demons know who He is and cower.

Things haven’t changed. The mere name of Jesus is still powerful—because He is living, because He is above all and in control. Generally, I think that Christians today are scared of casting out demons in Jesus’ name. They ignore situations like that, but God hasn’t changed. He is still all-powerful.

What do we learn about Jesus from this scripture passage? He is all-powerful—healing people and removing evil spirits. He is the Son of God! I think that this also shows us a merciful side of Jesus in that He healed the man with the evil spirit, as well as all the people in the other verses. He was certainly compassionate.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, thank you for having merciful compassion on that man in the Capernaum synagogue. People there saw that—and Mark gave us a testimony that illustrates Your power and compassion. When we encounter evil in the world today, we mostly just ignore it. Practically no one wants to get involved. Evil is scary. Help us to call upon Your name if we encounter such circumstances,

Verses of Salvation ~ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Cry out, "Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you." 1 Chronicles 16:34-35

Happy Birthday to Mary JR on St. Patrick’s Day!

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, March 16, 2026

Are You a Fisherman?

Fisherman on the Sea of Galilee
About to cast his net.
Is he fishing for fish or men?

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water's edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish." "Master," Simon replied, "we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing. But if you say so, I'll let the nets down again." And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me—I'm too much of a sinner to be around you." For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, "Don't be afraid! From now on you'll be fishing for people!" And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. Luke 5:1-11

Meditate. Consider how you fish.

There are a couple of versions of Jesus calling these fishermen. See John 1:35-42 (Banquet With The King blog February 23, 2026).

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind. Matthew 4:18-22

In Luke's account, Jesus preaches from one of the fishing boats, with His word floating over the water to the people sitting on the hillside. Imagine the gentle breeze from the water, with a light odor of fish and the warm sunshine. When Jesus tells the fisherguys to keep on fishing, they do, but Simon is overwhelmed with the fishing catch and feels unworthy of this attention and blessing from the Lord. When he declares that he is too much of a sinner, Jesus assures him that He has a job for him, fishing for people. Andrew, Simon, James, and John. These four fishermen became the inner circle for Jesus. You can see them traveling, praying, learning from His teaching, and just generally serving and living with Jesus throughout the Gospels. They become fishermen for Jesus.

What do we learn about Jesus from this scripture passage? Jesus is still working miracles. Look at all those fish. He is very generous. We actually see this repeated after His resurrection when there were 153 large fish in their nets as recorded in John 21. Jesus meets the needs of His disciples, physically and spiritually. Even when Simon felt unworthy, Jesus still called him anyway. Has Jesus called you to fish for Him? Are you a fisherman?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, as a child, I sang the song about You choosing these fishermen as Your disciples. “I will make you fishers of men, if you follow Me.” Sometimes I feel unworthy, like Simon Peter. Help me focus my thoughts on You and Your teachings moment by moment, day by day. Where do I need to “fish” for You today?

Verse of Salvation ~ Finally, believers, we ask and admonish you in the Lord Jesus, that you follow the instruction that you received from us about how you ought to walk and please God (just as you are actually doing) and that you excel even more and more [pursuing a life of purpose and living in a way that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]. For you know what commandments and precepts we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 AMP

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

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP),

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Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Where Does He Get This Wisdom?

He returned (from the Sea of Galilee) to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, "Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?" Then they scoffed, "He's just the carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers--James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?" And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family." And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Matthew 13:54-58

Meditate on wisdom.

This scripture passage tells us that the people of Nazareth…were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. They were offended—deeply offended. Scoffing at the wisdom of Jesus, who obviously was a good speaker and teacher, they couldn’t believe that anyone who grew up there could be so knowledgeable and wise. Those people in Nazareth had a lot of nerve—self-righteous snobs. Who did they think they were, judging Jesus? He was full of wisdom and unusual power. Were they jealous that they themselves…or their son, grandson, or even nephews didn’t get that wisdom and power? Why should this son of a carpenter have it? Just unbelieving that anyone from Nazareth—that dusty little village—could actually be a great teacher. Doubting drains energy. If no one believed, then no miracles could happen. There were a few miracles exercised on that trip to Nazareth.

What does that tell us about faith? I think we have to believe in Jesus as the Son of God…and that He was a man, incarnate God and man. In that belief, the power of Jesus is released…and we can ask for healing, for strength, or for wisdom. Ask, and we will receive…

At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and will tell you plainly all about the Father. Then you will ask in my name. I'm not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. John 16:23-27

Ask—it seems pretty simple, but there are a lot of factors involved. Attitude. Action. Faith. God’s will. Just believe. God will take care of you—in His way…at His time. Trust. Trust and Obey.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, just as You read…“The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for You are anointed to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent You to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD's favor has come." Luke 4:18-19. Lord, Your prophesies were fulfilled in the past…and we’re counting on them to be fulfilled in the future. We look forward to the rapture…and Your return. Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

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. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:24-25

Happy Birthday, Kim!

May God continue to bless you…today and always!

Reused from June 6, 2016, 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