Are You Ready for 2015?

So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Acts 1:6-9  

With that…Jesus was gone from earth…gone from His beloved disciples and friends. Only the Heavenly Father knows when Jesus will return and bring restoration and peace—true peace—to Israel and the whole world. It is not for us to know when He will return—or really even to guess. People have made predictions for thousands of years as to the time of Christ’s return. Making fools of themselves. Jesus also told His disciples, and us, to be ready...For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. Matthew 24:44. Be ready—always. What do we need to be ready?

·         Be sure of your salvation – Repentance/Faith - "The time promised by God has come at last!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!" Mark 1:15 NLT

Seeing their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." Luke 5:20

·         Be holy - But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 1 Peter 1:15 NLT

·         Share Jesus with others…"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Matthew 28:19

·         Be a servant - And the Lord replied, "A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. Luke 12:42-43 NLT

·         Then watch for signs…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. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. ... "Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. ... Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near. Matthew 24:4-7, 9-13, 28 NLT

…Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near. Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:28-30 NLT

Are you ready for Christ’s return…and are you ready for 2015?   

RSVP: One last time in 2014 Jesus is asking you to tell others about Him. How will you respond to Him? 

Prayer ~ Thank you, Jesus for today…and for 2014. Please continue to bless me, my family, friends, neighbors and community with Your love and grace in the coming year of 2015 that we would help others to know You as their Lord and Savior.

 

Happy New Year!

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

What Are Your Spiritual Goals for 2015?

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. John 14:26 

It is good to have goals—without them you don’t know when or if you’ve achieved what you set out to do. How can you? Without goals…you fail. Do you have any spiritual goals for the coming year? What has Jesus spoken to you?

Setting Spiritual Goals for the New Year

1.      What would you like to accomplish spiritually this year?

2.      What attitude or habit needs to change?

3.      How would you like God to use you?

4.      What ministry could utilize your unique gifts?

5.      What ministry could benefit from your leadership?

6.      What level of intimacy would you like to have with God?

7.      What friend would you like to lead to Christ or encourage in their spiritual maturity?

Goals are important. Without goals we have no vision and we are more likely to be tossed about—wishy washy. That could be an opportunity for sin to enter. Keep the temptation of sin away by having Godly goals and concentrating on them. Once you have a goal, then there must be something done monthly, weekly, daily to achieve that goal. When you reach your goal—celebrate. Party! Then set a new goal. Don’t let any joy in your life be taken away by sin. 

RSVP: Jesus is asking you today to look at your life—at your spiritual goal for the coming year. He wants you to ask for spiritual guidance and wisdom from the Holy Spirit. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~Holy Spirit, help me to remember the things Jesus taught—that I would live in a way that is pleasing to Him…and to You. I want to have a good attitude towards God and others—a better attitude than I have this past year. Give me wisdom. Use me and the gifts You have given me to guide others around me to know You better, too.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Ending Instructions

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. Mark 16:15-19 

On the cross Jesus’ last words were…"It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. John 19:30.  His work on earth was done. It was finished. 

He came back to talk with and teach His disciples briefly for 50 days after His resurrection. His last words before His ascension were to… Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation….(Mark 16:15). Those were His last instruction—His final message. Go. That is still the message to you and me…Go. Tell others about Him. Go tell it on the mountain—over the hills and everywhere. Jesus Christ was real—His IS real. Jesus spoke to the Pharisees and a man He had healed from blindness about why He came in these verses below:

And Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind." John 9:39.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  John 10:10

He came to give us an abundant life—but one for which we are accountable. Go and tell others that. 

RSVP: Jesus is inviting you to have an abundant life—and to tell others about the difference He makes in your life. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Dear Jesus, we love You as our Lord and Savior. Help us to tell others about You—that they may know You as their Savior, too.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

The Light

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. John 1:1-4

Jesus was there in the beginning—as the Word…and as the Light. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. Genesis 1:3. That light was Jesus. Jesus is the Light of the World. Jesus declared that twice…in the book of John.  Then Jesus again spoke to them (the Pharisees), saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." John 8:12. And…to His disciples just before healing a blind man…"While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." John 9:5. So what does it mean to be a light…of men or of world? Spiritually purity with truth and knowledge. He can provide spiritual sight—because He is The Light. Turn toward that light—not away from it, seeking darkness. Don’t hide from the truth—while you are in this world. Life is short. We don’t know when our time on earth will be done. Make the most of any opportunity that God gives you…seek and serve Him. 

RSVP: Jesus is reminding us that He is the Light…of men and of the world. Will you seek that Light in your life? How will you respond to His call today? 

Prayer ~ Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Your only Son, Jesus, to light the way for us…to be the light, the truth and the way for us, that we would live lives pleasing to you as we seek and serve You.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Growing in Wisdom

The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. Luke 2:40

This is the only scripture about Jesus from the time presented for purification in the Temple forty days after His birth, along with His mother as required by Jewish law, until He was twelve years old and went to the Temple in Jerusalem, assumedly for His bar mitzvah, as well as for the annual Feast of the Passover. The grace of God…unmerited favor…was on Jesus. He was perfect. He didn’t need grace—but He got it anyway. Can you imagine a perfect child? One who didn’t argue with his siblings…or sass his parents. He probably assisted Joseph in the carpenter shop and then helped his mom with dinner—without being asked! What a dream! And when asked to carry water…he likely carried two jars, instead of just one. Can you imagine how jealous his classmates would have been—he knew all the answers…and treated everyone kindly. That alone would have made him a target for bullies. But he had wisdom and grace. He increased in wisdom. Are you increasing in wisdom? How do you do that? Ask Jesus. "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:22.  

RSVP: Jesus is sharing with us that as a child, God’s grace was on Him…and He increased in wisdom. How will you respond to His invitation today to ask for wisdom?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, please increase Your wisdom in us, our children, grandchildren and friends so that we would live in a way that pleases You. Surround us with Your grace that even though we don’t deserve it we would be seen like You in our Heavenly Father’s eye.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

What Has Jesus Taught You?

And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. Luke 2:47

This happened when Jesus was only about twelve years old and He went to Jerusalem with His parents for the Feast of the Passover. They accidently left Him behind and found Him three days later with Jewish teachers in the Temple. Those teachers were the ones who were amazed at His understanding of the scriptures. He was teaching them…not them teaching Him. What has He taught you? 

RSVP: Jesus is sharing His teaching with you. Are you listening and learning? How will you respond to Him today.

Prayer ~ Jesus, we had such a good time celebrating Your birthday. Now enlighten us once more with Your teachings. Give us wisdom and understanding that we would hear what You are teaching and be able to apply it to our lives. 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

My husband Jerry’s favorite place to visit for special meals is his hometown, Omaha, Nebraska. Home of good steaks, La Casa’s pizza, Joe Tess’ fried carp or catfish, and most beloved—The Bohemian Café—where they serve up large portions Czech food including boiled beef with dill gravy, bread dumplings, sauerkraut, and sweet and sour cabbage. We were recently there…and now it is almost time to cook this up for our family’s Last Sunday Dinner of the year. 

Boiled Beef and Dill Gravy

3-4 lbs beef roast

4 cups water

2 stalks celery

2 whole carrots

1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

16 ounces sour cream

3 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

To a large pot add water-beef roast-celery-carrots. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Take the beef out of the pot. Put in the dill and bring the pot to a boil. Then add the sour cream-sugar-white vinegar and mix very well. Mix the flour with a little water and add it, stirring well so there are no lumps.

Then put the beef back in the pot and cook for about 1/2 hour. If the gravy is a little thin add a little flour until it is as thick as you like it. After it is done taste the gravy, and add a little salt, sugar or lemon juice if you like. You can serve this beef and gravy with bread dumplings, mashed potatoes or wide noodles-potatoes and of course, sweet and sour cabbage or sauerkraut.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Born King of the Jews

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." Matthew 2:1-2 

When they saw the star they rejoiced with great joy—they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. Now where is He—the baby King? Are you looking for Him? Today is His birthday. Seek Him and you will find Him.

But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29

As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9 

Come, worship and adore Him. 

RSVP: Jesus is revealing Himself to you. Wish Him a Happy Birthday as you celebrate His day! 

Prayer ~ Happy Birthday to You, dear Jesus. We worship and adore You—for You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. For You are the child born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government rests on Your shoulders; and Your name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 .

Merry Christmas Everyone.

May God bless you as you seek and serve Him.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Joy to the World

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:8-11 

Joy to the World—joy to every boy and girl. Joy—heartfelt joy—overflowing with rejoicing. Joy in sadness and happiness.

·         But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that those who love Your name may exult in You. Psalm 5:11

·         You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. Psalm 16:11

·         Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; for You will judge the peoples with uprightness and guide the nations on the earth. Psalm 67:4

 Let the joy fill your heart and life. Are you content with your life as it is now? Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. Philippians 4:11.

Are you like His disciples…And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52. 

I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4  

RSVP: Jesus is inviting you to be filled with joy as you celebrate His birthday. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~Dear Jesus… I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4. Thank You, Jesus, for revealing Yourself to my children and grandchildren—it is joy to my heart to know that they know and love You. Please continue to bless them…and give them wisdom and understanding that they would know You more fully and be filled with joy!

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy….Jude 1:24.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Save People From Their Sins

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:18-21 

Save people from their sin. That was God’s plan from the moment He made man…and Eve took a bite of  the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. God wants us to be pure so that are able to come before Him—to have fellowship and a relationship with Him. Pretty simple. Believe in God’s Son—that He came to take away our sin—to be our ultimate sacrifice. Too simple for some people to grasp. They might not feel that they are worthy of God’s attention or worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice. But God said…For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - John 3:16 KJV. God the Father sent His Son to ALL people—everyone everywhere in the world—not just in the USA, or Germany, or Portugal, or China—everyone everywhere. We are all HIS people. We all have the opportunity to be saved. We just have accept Jesus—as our gift from the Father. 

RSVP: Jesus is giving us Himself as a gift this Christmas…and every day. How will you respond to Him? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, thank you for Your obedience—and we are grateful to Your mother, Mary, and to Joseph for their righteous obedience in following God’s plan. Where would we be without them? May others around the world hear this truth and seek You as their Savior, too.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

The Cross or the Crib?

And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. Matthew 10:38  

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:24-26  

We are so close to Christmas. It is awkward to consider Jesus’ cross when we are caught up in remembering Him in a manger—a crib. Take up your cross. What does that mean to you? To be a devoted disciple of Jesus, we need to deny ourselves—there is room for only one master in our lives. As we take up our cross to follow Jesus we give our whole life…not just our Sunday morning. Losing our life for Jesus is total dedication—putting Him first in our life…not family, friends, sporting events or our job. Read Luke 14:25-35.

Life following Jesus is summed up in a book that was written even before He was born as a man. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT. Best advice we can hear—be obedient to God and His word. There is nothing that is of greater value than giving our life to Jesus.  

RSVP: Jesus is calling us today to take up our cross and follow Him. How will you respond to Him? 

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus—You are such an example of self sacrifice in Your obedience to Our Heavenly Father—from the crib to the cross. Help us to be obedient, too. Not that we have to “go to the cross” like You did, but that we need to be willing to carry our cross, to be obedient and not seek to do our own will—but to do the Father’s will.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

No Fear

Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. Matthew 10:28-31 

No fear. Jesus warns us not to fear other people—but to fear Satan who can destroy a person’s body and soul in hell. He reminds us of how important we are to our Heavenly Father—we are worth more than lots of sparrows. Sparrows weren’t worth much during Jesus’ time…and they are not worth much now. Why would they be of much value? They are just plain little brown birds, but they do eat weed seeds and bugs—so they have more value that most people would give them. What value do we have? We don’t eat weed seeds or bugs—yet God values us. Give Him the glory and honor.   

RSVP: Jesus is telling us not to be afraid. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Dear God, we praise You and give You glory. We are honored that You find value in us—we are worth more to You than many sparrows.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Not Above The Teacher

A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Matthew 10:24-27 

Beelzebul is Satan, the ruler of demons.  It is important not to take scripture out of context. Here Jesus is speaking to His disciples, giving them directions as He sends them out into the land of Israel to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven to the Jews—not the Gentiles. The Jews were to be given a chance first to hear Jesus’ teachings from His disciples. They were being given a chance to accept Him as the Son of God…or to reject Him. Jesus sent them to the Jews first, before allowing them to go to the Gentiles. Just as Jesus’ disciples were not above their teacher…disciples today should not consider themselves above their teacher—not above their earthly teacher…and certainly not above or even equal to Jesus. Just as Jesus’ disciples were to speak and proclaim Jesus’ teaching—we should do the same. Don’t fear Satan’s followers—for they will be shown for who they are. Just tell what you know about Jesus—speak and proclaim.  

RSVP: Jesus is asking you—inviting you—to speak and proclaim His teachings. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, lead us into opportunities where we can speak about You—proclaiming You to be our Lord and Savior—and telling others just what You have done in our lives. Please give us wisdom to speak the right words to the right people…at the right time.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Confess or Deny?

Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33  

Confess—tell. Deny—refuse to tell. Confess—Deny.  Pretty straightforward. It is either one or the other when explaining about something…or someone. If we stand up for Jesus and tell others about Him—He will do the same for us. Conversely, if we deny Jesus—He won’t stand up for us in the ultimate judgment. This is the perfect time of the year to be prepared to witness for Jesus. There will be opportunities at every store checkout—at every restaurant—at every Christmas party—for you to tell someone who Jesus is or what He has done in your life. Ask Him to show you those opportunities—and be ready to confess—not deny.  

RSVP: Jesus is inviting you to tell others who He is and what He has done for you. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Thank You Jesus for being willing to come to earth—to be our Savior. O come let us adore You. 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

What does your family have for Christmas Eve Supper? Over the years we’ve tried Chinese, Czech, a full turkey dinner, tacos, soup and sandwiches, fried chicken, breakfast for supper…whatever. The best supper is one that is done ahead of time…like this Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas. Think about preparing this dish ahead of time for your family on Christmas Eve. Mine enjoys it…and it is easy to do so that we can spend time together…not slaving away in the kitchen.  Enjoy and then head for your favorite church for a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service.  

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

            One onion, chopped

            2 Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded

            8 large tortillas

            1 pound mixed shredded cheese

            1 can green chilies

     White sauce gravy:

            ¾ stick butter

            4-5 Tbsp flour

            3½ cups milk

            3 Tbsp chicken broth

            1 can green chilies

            Melt butter and stir in flour. Gradually add milk, chicken broth, and green chilies.

Line bottom of baking pan with thin layer of gravy. Warm up tortillas, by frying in a small amount of oil. Roll chicken into tortillas with some chopped onion and cheese. Place tortillas into baking pan. Pour remaining gravy over top of tortillas. Bake for 15 minutes at 350º. (Cook for 30 minutes if prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.) Serve with a tossed salad, chips and salsa.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

imply Ask

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 

Once again listen to Jesus’ words. Ask, knock, seek. He wants us to ask Him for what we need—especially spiritually. What do you need—spiritually? Forgiveness? Grace to forgive others? Endurance? Hope? Maybe just Love? Consider the spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Are you lacking in those? Ask and receive. Or do you need wisdom to identify and use your spiritual gifts? Are you seeking ways to serve and please God? Find your gifts and as you serve Him, it will be to His glory and honor, not yours…and you will find peace and satisfaction in your efforts.

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. ... For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. ... And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. ... But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way. 1 Corinthians 12:1, 8-11, 28, 31

Read more about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, as well as Romans 12, Ephesians 4:7-13, and 1 Peter 4:10. To serve God is the highest honor that anyone could experience. 

RSVP: Jesus has invited us over and over to ASK Him for whatever we need. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, Thank you for teaching us to ASK—as well as to knock and seek. It is an honor to ask You for the very things we need—knowing that You already know our needs…and our wants. Please continue to guide, direct and give us wisdom that we would come before You boldly asking for needs for others, not just ourselves. We praise and worship You.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Don’t Believe Everything You See or Hear

Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20 

Jesus taught us that we need to be alert—beware. Listen closely to what we are taught by Bible leaders. Are they following God’s Word? Are they teaching the truth? We have to study God’s Word ourselves so that we know whether or not what we are hearing IS the Way, the Truth, and the Life. A smooth talker can convince anyone—anyone who doesn’t know the truth for themselves. As is prophesied in Daniel about a Persian king…By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. Daniel 11:32. Read more about that king in Daniel 11. Beware of leaders, kings…false prophets. We think of sheep as gentle creatures—but here we are warned that wolves—vicious leaders—can appear to be soft hearted and gentle, but they are really terrible ravenous beings. Like a bad tree—producing bad fruit. We have to judge for ourselves—so know what is right and true. Teach your children to know what is right and true. Watch out what you hear—and don’t believe everything you see. 

RSVP: Jesus is inviting us today to watch out for false prophets and teachers. Know His words and don’t be deceived. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, give me, my children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors wisdom and understanding that we would be able to identify false prophets and not follow them.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Focus - No Whining

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:33-34  

All these things…what we’ll eat, drink, or wear…will be provided for us. Sometimes we may seem like whining little kids to God…what can I eat now…or I have nothing to wear…I’m thirsty—for something besides water. I wanna—wanna—wanna…. It’s not what we want—but what we need that God provides  The basic needs—food, water, shelter…and yet He provides beyond our needs so many times. You’ll see it—like when I needed a coat for warmth—He provided a nice black quilted jacket—just what I wanted—and it was given to me—no cost. He provided so generously. He tells us in this passage—don’t worry. It is repeated in Luke 12:22-23…And He said to His disciples, For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Life IS more than food, clothes, the nicest car, movies, or sporting events. Life is Jesus—it is giving, sharing, caring, compassion and love. Life does have troubles—we are not promised that if we believe in Jesus, we won’t have problems. No, we are promised that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us—we won’t go through the problems alone. We just need to not create problems for ourselves. We need to make good choices, wise decisions. Don’t whine about what we don’t have—be thankful for what God has provided us…and trust Him. That will help us focus on the “reason for the season” and to seek first His kingdom and righteousness. 

RSVP: Jesus is inviting us today to live in a right way—righteous—and put Him first in our lives. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, help me to focus on You and live a way that is pleasing to You and our Heavenly Father. No whining! Grant me the grace to not worry about anything—but to trust in You and Your protection and provision for our lives. Especially protect my friend who is going through a difficult time.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Can You Attain Perfection?

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48

Can you be perfect? We hear all the time….nobody is perfect. Well—Jesus is perfect. He was sinless. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One (Jesus) who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15. We can strive to be like Jesus. He was given as a perfect sacrifice. When a man offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD to fulfill a special vow or for a freewill offering, of the herd or of the flock, it must be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no defect in it. Leviticus 22:21. 

It is hard to become “perfect” in this imperfect world—with all the stress that we encounter. Here’s a couple verses that give us some encouragement. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4. So our faith will be tested and how we respond shows the kind of stuff of which we’re made—it shows what is inside of us. Do you preserve or do you give up when you face trials? Does your “perfection” shine through? 

RSVP: Jesus is inviting us to have the right stuff—His stuff. To seek perfection. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, can we ever be perfect? Sometimes perfection just seems too hard of a goal. Help us—give us strength and endurance. Fill us with Your grace to endure and compassion to see beyond ourselves to help others to endure as well.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

How Do You Want to be Treated?

Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. Luke 6:31  

The Golden Rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Good advice to five year olds—or 70 year olds. Life is rough…but it helps when others treat you with kindness and respect. No bullying—no sarcastic remarks about your hair, height, teeth or age. My grandmother tried to teach her grandkids to follow the “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” rule. It is a good rule to follow—fits right in with the Golden Rule. No one wants to be treated unkindly or to have uncouth things said about them. It must have been wonderful to have lived around Jesus—at least for His followers. He didn’t say or do unkind things to others—even when the Pharisees tried desperately to trick Him. If we live like Jesus, then we will be compassionate, kind, generous, and forgiving towards others. How do you want others to treat you? 

RSVP: Jesus is appealing to you to treat others the way you want to be treated. How will you respond to Him today? 

Prayer ~ Jesus, You were such a good example to us. Help us to live like You lived—showing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. This will be a good way to end this year…and to start the New Year.  

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

Love Your Neighbor—Don’t Cough on Them

·         Honor your father and mother; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Matthew 19:19

·         The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these." - Matthew 22:39 and Mark 12:31

·         And he answered, "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." Luke 10:27

·         For this, "You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Romans 13:9

·         For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Galatians 5:14

·         If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF," you are doing well. James 2:8  

Love your neighbor—that person next to you on the airplane, bus, classroom, office, or in line at the store check-out—and don’t cough on them. Sharing love is NOT sharing germs. This is the time of year that people seem to catch more colds. Is it due to the weather, the fact that we spend more time indoors, or that people just are out and about around in large groups? Follow the CDC guidelines. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/URI/colds.html

o   Practice good hand hygiene (wash them before and after meals, after coughing, sneezing, or using the bathroom, helping others who are sick or infants, handling pets, touching garbage).

o   Avoid close contact with people who have colds or other respiratory infections.  

Love your neighbor as yourself—treat them the way you want to be treated.  

RSVP: Jesus is inviting you to take care of yourself. How will you respond to Him today?  

Prayer ~ Jesus, Thank You for teaching us to love our neighbor.

© 2014 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.