God’s Expectations - You Will

Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you. From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant. Any male who fails to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.” Genesis 17:9-14 

Israeli Orphan - sent to the corner.

Forgive me...I tried to obey.

Obedience. That is what God expects. It’s like that for most parents—they expect the kids to OBEY. If children are told or shown what to do…what is expected of them…it makes it easier than punishing them for bad behavior after it happens. How did they know what was expected of them? That is a basic parenting skill. Train up the child in what they should do. Some kids learn by just listening—others are more visual than auditory and others are kinesthetic learners. Find the right way to “train” a child and life becomes much easier. God just told Abraham what to do. Circumcisim was a ritual that was already practiced by other people, so Abraham was not ignorant of the process.  

This outward sign of obedience that God expected of the males in Abraham’s household, circumcism, seems like kind of a brutal thing to do to an eight day old baby boy…or a ninety-nine year old man. If God didn’t want that piece of foreskin there, why did He create it? Well—so it could be cut off in obedience to Him—a sacrifice. A proof of faith…and of compliance to God’s covenant—His command.  

Circumcism can be of the heart, also. The prophet Jeremiah wrote about that when predicting judgment to Israel and Judah. He was telling them that they needed to purify themselves.

"O Israel," says the LORD, "if you wanted to return to me, you could. You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. Then when you swear by my name, saying, 'As surely as the LORD lives,' you could do so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name." This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: "Plow up the hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. O people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the LORD (Hebrew: Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart), or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins." Jeremiah 4:1-4.

Have you ever considered that you may need to “circumcise your heart”…to purify it before the Lord?  

Prayer ~ Lord…How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Psalm 19:12.May You find my thoughts, words and actions pleasing and acceptable in Your sight.

Bible Reading: January 31 – Exodus 4-6

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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Follow Him - Follow the Promise

I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God. Genesis 17:7-8

I will. That is God’s promise—confirming His covenant—to Abraham and to his descendants. He promised to be the God of Abraham and his descendants and to give them the entire land of Canaan. Then He says again, “I will be their God.” The God of Abraham’s family is the God of his descendants and of his spiritual family. God made Abraham a great father. Abraham believed and trusted in a God that he couldn’t see—yet he followed him to a new Promised Land. Abraham believed. Are you part of Abraham’s spiritual family? Do you believe with your heart what you cannot see with your eyes? Are you willing to follow Him?

Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24. Are you…or do you want to be…a follower of Jesus? Read the book of John in the Bible…and believe. For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16.

Prayer ~ God…Thank You for loving us…the world…so much that You gave up Your one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. I believe. You are my God…like You are the God of Abraham…and his descendants.

Bible Reading: January 30 – Exodus 1-3

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted

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God’s Covenant

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am El-Shaddai--'God Almighty.' Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants." At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, "This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! Genesis 17:1-6

A covenant is a promise—a pledge—a contract between two or more people. Here God is promising to guarantee Abraham a great family, if he will live a righteous life and serve Him. That doesn’t seem like much of a sacrifice does it? It’s like asking a four year old to be good and you’ll give them several dolls, a box of Legos, or some candy. They can be good for a while…but it doesn’t last forever. What was God thinking? And yet He is omniscient—He knew just what would happen. He knew that Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid, would have a baby with Sarah’s husband Abraham and thus create a barrier between Sarah and Hagar. Then Sarah had the promised son and two separate great nations were created—as a blessing from God. This was the covenant blessing from God Himself. God made the covenant with Abraham—but He guaranteed it Himself. He promised…I will. And He did. He promised Abraham and Sarah a child, many descendants, and land. A place to call home—what more could they want?

Home for the Masses.

What does God promise us today? His love, grace, peace, and joy are at the heart of His promises, guarantying spiritual blessing—and also for caring for our physical needs.

Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:31-33 NASB

All these things, food and clothes, whatever…God knows what we need and He provides. What a great promise fulfilled for us. What about all the hungry people around the world? Pray for them.

He also provides us with safety.

He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me. Psalm 18:19

Prayer ~ Lord God, Thank You for Your promises and for providing all we need.
Bible Reading: January 29 – Genesis 48-50

Happy 91st Birthday, Auntie Mercedes!

May our Lord continue to bless you! Be Still and Know that He IS God!

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted

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God Blessed Jacob – Jacob Blessed Joseph’s Sons

Jacob said to Joseph, "God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. He said to me, 'I will make you fruitful, and I will multiply your descendants. I will make you a multitude of nations. And I will give this land of Canaan to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.' Now I am claiming as my own sons these two boys of yours, Ephraim and Manasseh, who were born here in the land of Egypt before I arrived. They will be my sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are." Genesis 48:3-5. 

Blessings are passed on. When you feel blessed, don’t you want to bless others, too? There is something about being loved and cared for that just makes me want to reach out to others. Likewise when I feel rejected or unappreciated, I just want to withdraw and keep to myself—I don’t want to be around anyone. I tend to be a bit of an introvert anyway, so it’s easy for me to retreat into a solitude of my own.

Jacob wasn’t concerned with solitude—he wanted to meet his grandsons and bless them—to make them recognized as his own sons. I think this was to make up for all that he had lost when he thought Joseph had been killed when he was 17 years old. Joseph was actually sold into slavery by his brothers—see Genesis 37. It was all part of God’s plan to allow the Israelites to go to Egypt during the famine and then become a great nation there, enslaved. The plan was for the great exodus to occur with Moses leading them back to the Promised Land. That was the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob…and now to all of Jacob’s sons, including his two grandsons. What a promise! Land. A place to belong…forever. Jacob was passing on the blessing that God had given to him. The Promised Land.

What has God promised to you? Are you passing that on to those around you? 

Prayer – Lord God, may we distinctly see the blessings that You are giving us. Help us not to just have hindsight…looking back and saying “Oh, yes. Now I see that God blessed me last year…or ten years ago.” Let us see You in action in our lives every day, moment by moment. Our hope is not just in going to Heaven to be with You someday…but in the reality that You are with us ALWAYS—even now today.

Bible Reading: January 28 – Genesis 46-47

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise notedBiblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. www.blueletterbible.org/dailyreading

I Will Go With You and Bring You Back

So Jacob set out for Egypt with all his possessions. And when he came to Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father, Isaac. During the night God spoke to him in a vision. "Jacob! Jacob!" he called. "Here I am," Jacob replied. "I am God, the God of your father," the voice said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make your family into a great nation. I will go with you down to Egypt, and I will bring you back again. You will die in Egypt, but Joseph will be with you to close your eyes." Genesis 46:1-4

 They are having a famine…but there is something that Jacob could sacrifice? That is devotion to God to sacrifice rather than feed his family. I thought it was interesting that here God states… I am God. I AM. That is the name He tells Moses to use. I AM.

But Moses protested, "If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' they will ask me, 'What is His name?' Then what should I tell them?" God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you." God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations. Exodus 3:13-15

Yahweh. God doesn’t leave us wondering who He is—but He is totally beyond our comprehension. He is above all—but we can still count on Him to keep His promises. I will….I will…I will.

What promises do you hear God giving to you as you read His word? Are you claiming those and applying them to your life?

Prayer ~ Dear Lord, I hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit prodding me to call…to reach out…to minister to others…to treat others as Jesus would…to do unto others as I would want them to do for me. Help me to be obedient to Your will and Your way, Lord.

Bible Reading: January 27 – Genesis 43-45

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Curries. Yum. I have developed a love of curry over the past few years. I always thought they were too hot…but it depends on the spices. Take a quick look at your bottle of curry powder ingredients. It likely says spices, turmeric (for color), red pepper.  You can make curry using that bottled Curry Powder that you purchase in the grocery store like I have for years—or you can experiment and use individual spices to make your own curry blend. That is just what I have been longing to do.

Here’s a list of spices that were in a couple of Indian or Curry cookbooks that I was delighted to find already on my bookshelf when I spent a cold dreary afternoon pondering the idea of making my own curry powder. I didn’t find any list of ratios for the different spices, but noted that British families who lived in India and Indian restaurants ground their curry powder fresh, from whole spices, everyday.

Black Pepper

Cardamom

Cayenne

Cinnamon

Cloves

Coriander

Cumin

Fennel

Foenugreek

Ginger

Mustard

Turmeric

 Other to include:

Garlic

Caraway

Celery seed

Dill

Mace

Nutmeg

Paprika

Poppy seeds

Saffron

Sage

Bay leaf

Mint

Cubeb

Chilis

Sumach seeds

Juniper berries

Zedoary root                                

You may want to begin mixing your curry powders using the powdered, pre-ground spices you have sitting on your kitchen spice shelf and then consider acquiring whole spices. That is just what I am doing. Turmeric is such a popular anti-inflammatory spice now and it is very mild, so you will want to be sure to include that in your mixture.

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Second Great Nation Promised

As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. Genesis 17:20. 

A second great nation was promised to Abraham…and to his son, Ishmael. Twelve sons…just like Jacob’s family. Twelve tribes—just like the tribes of Israel. These

This is the account of the family of Ishmael, the son of Abraham through Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian servant. Here is a list, by their names and clans, of Ishmael's descendants: The oldest was Nebaioth, followed by Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These twelve sons of Ishmael became the founders of twelve tribes named after them, listed according to the places they settled and camped. Ishmael lived for 137 years. Then he breathed his last and joined his ancestors in death. Ishmael's descendants occupied the region from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt in the direction of Asshur. There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives. Genesis 25:12-18.  

From a seed will come a Great Nation.

That area where the Ishmaelites settled was in the region that is now Saudi Arabia. Twelve tribes…a great nation. Actually it was a first…since this nation was born before the nation of Israel, but the nation of Israel was established when God promised to make a great nation of Sarah’s offspring.

Then God said to Abraham, "Regarding Sarai, your wife--her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants." ... But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year." Genesis 17:15-16, 21.

Ishmael’s family tribes were fighting with each other…and likely with others. A hostile group. Did these tribes learn about hostility from Ishmael? Did Ishmael learn bitterness from watching his mother Hagar and Sarah? There was a deep resentment between those two women…and rightfully so. That hostility still exists—and likely will continue until the end of the age.  

Do you have a pocket of bitterness in your heart? Did you learn that from someone you know…like Ishmael learned it from Hagar?   

Prayer ~ Lord God…Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy.  Proverbs 14:10. Can a great nation have bitterness hidden in its heart? Lord help our nation—to show love not bitterness and hostility.

Bible Reading: January 26 – Genesis 41-42

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Land Given to the Descendants

Now that Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again at Bethel. God blessed him, saying, "Your name is Jacob, but you will not be called Jacob any longer. From now on your name will be Israel." So God renamed him Israel. Then God said, "I am El-Shaddai—'God Almighty.' Be fruitful and multiply. You will become a great nation, even many nations. Kings will be among your descendants! And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you." Then God went up from the place where He had spoken to Jacob. Genesis 35:9-13

City of Jerusalem

Jacob was blessed to actually have God Himself speak with him on more than one occasion. Of course his grandfather, Abraham, had personally heard from God several times—so this was an exceptionally blessed family in a blessed, Promised Land. God is repeating His promise to Jacob that He had given to Abraham. This is the land—The Promised Land—I am giving to you and your descendants. That land is still the Promised Land and much of it belongs to the nation of Israel. That nation is predominately Jewish—from the tribe of Judah, although genealogy records can’t establish all the lost tribes of the Jews. Jews from all over the world have immigrated to Israel to return to the land of their ancestors. What an tremendous opportunity for those people—not just to visit that homeland—but to live there—in God’s Promised Land. The land promised to Abraham, Isaac and

Pray for Jerusalem and all Israel

Jacob. God has fulfilled His promise. Jealousy—that root cause of so many human conflicts—has instigated wars and rumors of wars over territory in and around the Promised Land. Will it ever cease? 

Prayer ~ Dear Lord, in Your mercy and grace, please give the people in the land of Israel Your peace—not just for their land, but for their hearts that they would seek and serve Jesus Christ as their Messiah—for You are El-Shaddai—God Almighty. Rule them with power, peace, joy, hope, and Your abiding love.

Bible Reading: January 25 – Genesis 38-40

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Go Home

But Jacob soon learned that Laban's sons were grumbling about him. "Jacob has robbed our father of everything!" they said. "He has gained all his wealth at our father's expense." And Jacob began to notice a change in Laban's attitude toward him. Then the LORD said to Jacob, "Return to the land of your father and grandfather and to your relatives there, and I will be with you." Genesis 31:1-3. 

Again God says…I will. He is promising Jacob, like his father and grandfather, that He will be with him and his family. I will go with you--trust Me. I love it…God promised even then that those who trusted Him wouldn’t be alone…He would be with them. The greatest power in the universe…the greatest power in eternity walking alongside of Jacob, his family and servants, guiding and protecting them. Jesus promised to be with us always…

Jesus and His Disciples

Jesus came and told His disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.

What a comforting thought—that Jesus is with us always. My favorite promise from God is that He is always with me. I know life is not about me. It is about God…about Jesus Christ our Savior. Knowing that God goes before me, beside me and behind me…I am never alone gives me such encouragement and strength. How about you? 

Prayer ~ Lord God, Thank you that you are always with me…just as You were with Jacob and his household as they traveled back home to the Promised Land. May my family, friends and neighbors sense Your presence in their lives also and seek to know You more deeply.

Bible Reading: January 24 – Genesis 35-37

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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A Great Nation Begins With a Family

When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He enabled her to have children, but Rachel could not conceive. So Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "The LORD has noticed my misery, and now my husband will love me." Genesis 29:31-32

God promised Abraham that He would make of him a great nation and a great family.

I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. Genesis 12:2.

And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Genesis 13:16.

This great nation began with Abraham’s promised son, Isaac. Then Isaac had a promised son, Jacob. Jacob’s family began with his wife Leah. Later he had more children with his wife Rachel and concubines. Altogether Jacob had 12 sons. He was blessed.

She (Leah) soon became pregnant again and gave birth to another son. She named him Simeon, for she said, "The LORD heard that I was unloved and has given me another son."

Then she became pregnant a third time and gave birth to another son. She named him Levi, for she said, "Surely this time my husband will feel affection for me, since I have given him three sons!"

Once again Leah became pregnant and gave birth to another son. She named him Judah, for she said, "Now I will praise the LORD!" And then she stopped having children. Genesis 29:33-35

From the family of Judah, the fourth son, we see the ultimate promise, Jesus, as listed in the genealogy in Matthew 1. In their lifetime neither Jacob nor Leah probably realized to the full context that they were part of the great fulfillment of God’s promise to make of Abraham a great nation. Consider how Leah suffered—although her father arranged for her to be Jacob’s first wife, she suffered miserably, feeling unloved. To be loved is the most basic of all human feelings and needs. Just because she was not as beautiful as her sister, Rachel, Leah was not the favored one. Rejected. God did notice her misery—but even though He blessed her with six sons and a daughter, she was not fulfilled in her marriage.

Do you ever feel unloved? Rejected? God assures us that He loves us. He has given us His ultimate promise. For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. Do you claim that promise?

Prayer ~ Dear God, Thank you for loving us so much that You allowed Your Son to be the ultimate promise…the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. May we never feel unloved like Leah—but be fulfilled in Your love and promises.

Bible Reading: January 23 – Genesis 32-34

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Blessings Passed On

May many nations become your servants, and may they bow down to you. May you be the master over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. All who curse you will be cursed, and all who bless you will be blessed. Genesis 27:29 

Do you pray and bless Israel and Jerusalem?

Isaac blessing Jacob with the blessing that God gave to his father Abraham when he left Haran for the Promised Land.

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you. Genesis 12:3.

It doesn’t appear that God ever directly gave Isaac that part of the blessing. He promised to bless him…

I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions. Genesis 26:4-5.

God continues His blessing of Jacob when Jacob is on the way to Haran, sleeping and dreaming of the stairway to Heaven.

At the top of the stairway stood the LORD, and he said, "I am the LORD, the God of your grandfather Abraham, and the God of your father, Isaac. The ground you are lying on belongs to you. I am giving it to you and your descendants. Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants. What's more, I am with you, and I will protect you wherever you go. One day I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have finished giving you everything I have promised you." Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I wasn't even aware of it!" Genesis 28:13-16.

Interestingly Jacob responds with a vow that IF God does bless him and keep him safe, then God will be his God. Are we ever in a place that we can consider “The Lord’s place” and not realize it? Do we put conditions on our relationship with God? If you take care of me and my family, you will be my God? 

Prayer ~ Lord God, open our eyes to see all creation and everything You have provided for us as... “The Lord’s Place” so that we may honor You in all that we think, see, say and do. You are our God—no matter what happens to us or where we are.

Bible Reading: January 22 – Genesis 30-31

 © 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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God is My Shield

God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection. 2 Samuel 22:31

God's way is perfect. All the LORD's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection. Psalm 18:30

When I read the same thing in two or more places in the Bible, God gets my attention. It tells me that this is important to God—and it should be important to me. In these passages He wants us to know that His promises are true. There are a couple of other passages that echo another portion of this passage.

He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity. Proverbs 2:7     Every word of God proves true. He is a shield to all who come to him for protection. Proverbs 30:5      God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. Psalm 7:10.

Our shield—our protector. This same word, shield, is in the NASB translation of yesterday’s verse. After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." Genesis 15:1 NASB. God is promising to protect Abraham…and us, as we walk with Him…as we look to Him for protection.

Choose your path. Let God protect you.

Roadside Chapel near Ashland, Nebraska

Is your heart right and true? Ask God to be your protector, your shield.

Prayer ~ Lord God, I set my heart with you…that I may live in a way that pleases You…putting You first in my life. You are my shield.

Bible Reading: January 21 – Genesis 27-29

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Protection for Abraham and His Family

Sometime later, the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, "Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great."…But I will punish the nation that enslaves them, and in the end they will come away with great wealth. Genesis 15:1,14

Later…that is after fighting the enemies of the king of Sodom and winning, to rescue Lot who lived in Sodom and was part of their army. God was reassuring Abraham that He would protect…and continue to protect and reward him. God went on to predict the enslavement of Abraham’s descendants, as we know happened in Egypt. God promised to punish the nation, that is Egypt, and Abraham’s family would leave there wealthy. We know the story of their great exodus…and it was as God promised. God is blessing Abraham—beyond what he will ever see.

Ride on Abraham - God will protect you.

God’s promise was for Abraham…but it wasn’t just about Abraham. It was about God. His power, strength, compassion, truth and devotion to His people. We may be looking for a promise from God—something wonderful, like a reward. Abraham became a rich man. But once again, life is not about us. It is about God. He wants to have a relationship with us…and provide for us…but in return, or actually in the first place we are to put God first in our lives. He want our intentional and complete devotion. Where do you stand with that? First of all, is Jesus Christ—God the Son—your Savior? If not, seek to know more about Jesus and growing a relationship with Him—putting Him above everything else in your life.

Prayer ~ Lord God, I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness….Matthew 6:33 NASB. Like Abraham, I want to live to please You and I claim Your promise to him… Do not be afraid, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great. Thank You, Lord.

Bible Reading: January 20 – Genesis 25-26

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

This is still soup time of the year—especially since we probably have about ten inches of snow and ice on the ground, although it is beginning to melt. Here’s a Vegetable Beef Stew recipe that I adapted from a couple of other recipes and tossed in a few of my own favorites, like red and yellow peppers. Enjoy!

Crockpot Vegetable Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 2-inch cubes
½ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons olive or grapeseed oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely grated
2 cups Yukon potatoes, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
½ cup red and yellow peppers, chopped
1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce, no sugar added
3 cups water or beef broth
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste, about 1 teaspoon each

Dredge the beef in cornstarch. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the beef and brown the meat. Stir in the onion and garlic and sauté lightly. Then add the tomato sauce. Arrange the chopped vegetables in the crockpot, add the hot meat mixture and herbs. Rinse the pan with water or broth and add to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.  Serves 4-6.

Serve with a tossed green salad, crusty rye crackers or bread and fresh fruit for dessert. Nice cold winter night meal.

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Trial before Promise

Sometime later, God tested Abraham's faith. "Abraham!" God called.

"Yes," he replied. "Here I am."

"Take your son, your only son—yes Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you." …

Come count the grains of sand on the beach.

"God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son," Abraham answered. And they both walked on together. When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. ... Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means "the LORD will provide"). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."...

I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me." Genesis 22:1-2, 8-9, 13-14, 17-18

God had already promised that He would give Abraham a son and many descendants. Now Abraham has his son and God is testing him by asking Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Human sacrifice was practiced in some cultures during Abraham’s time, although God did not approve of murder—as we read in the example of Cain killing his brother Abel. God had taught His followers not to take the life of individuals. Later cleansing of the territory and thus, war, was not only acceptable to God, but was required by God to purify the Promised Land. The test now for Abraham was to sacrifice his promised son. Does this remind you of another son given as a sacrifice...for our sin...on a cross? 

Sacrifice. We see trust and deep obedience both in Abraham, giving up his only son, and in Isaac, being bound as the sacrifice. God recognizes the obedience in these men and rewards them by providing a ram, caught in the brush. Abraham knew that God was going to bless him and the world through this son, Isaac. …Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. Genesis 17:19. Did Abraham have such a deep faith and trust God that he thought that God would raise Isaac from the sacrificial altar back to life? We see things differently and understand resurrection in the way that we know Jesus was resurrected. Abraham passed his test—and Isaac’s life was spared. And God promised...I will...bless you and give you more descendants that stars and sand, because of your obedience.

Does God test us when He has given us a promise?

Prayer ~ Lord God, show us Your will for our lives as clearly as You showed Abraham that ram in the bushes. Provide a way out…The temptations in our lives are no different from what others experience. And You are faithful, God. You will not allow the temptation to be more than we can stand. When we are tempted, You will show us a way out so that we can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13.

Bible Reading: January 19 – Genesis 22-24

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Promise of Descendants

After Lot had gone, the LORD said to Abram, "Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you." So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the LORD. Genesis 13:14-18.

Israel - Hebron area

God promised…again. He had promised to make Abram a great nation…Genesis 12:2. Abram and Sarai didn’t have a son, yet, but Abraham is still trusting and praising the Lord. He built another altar to the Lord at Hebron. It must have been hard to have accepted God’s promise. Abram and Sarai were old. Did they think that they would have a child? Hard to trust on that one. I am blessed to have a terrific daughter and a wonderful son—whose birthday is today! Both my children are living promises from the Lord. 

What is the Lord promising you? Listen closely. Keep reading your Bible. Are you willing to obediently wait for the answer?

Prayer ~ Lord, I will walk…through Your Word. Show me Your promise for me. I’m building an altar in my heart to You—just as Abram built altars to You at Hebron and Shechem.

Bible Reading: January 18 – Genesis 19-21

Happy Birthday, Mike!

May God continue to bless and guide you……
as our son, as a husband, a father, and as His son and worker for Him.
Love & Prayers…today and always.

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted

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God’s Promise to Abram’s Descendants

So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. He took his wife, Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all his wealth—his livestock and all the people he had taken into his household at Haran—and headed for the land of Canaan. When they arrived in Canaan, Abram traveled through the land as far as Shechem. There he set up camp beside the oak of Moreh. At that time, the area was inhabited by Canaanites. Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the LORD, who had appeared to him. Genesis 12:4-7

Israel - Promised Land

God’s promise…I will. I will give this land to your descendants. Abram never really owned any land there in the Promised Land except the land he bought for Sarah’s burial (Genesis 23). The Promised Land was given to Abram’s family…but they actually had to fight for it. God didn’t just hand them the deed to the land on a silver platter so that they could just sit back in their recliners and relax. He wanted them to overcome the current inhabitants, commit to the land, and seek Him as their God. That is pretty much how I see the historical part of the Old Testament. God’s chosen people just don’t see how really blessed they are. Some, like David, really did seek and find God…and eventually live to please Him. Here in Canaan, after traveling 600 miles from Haran, Abram built an altar and dedicated it to the Lord. You can imagine that he was thankful to the Lord. The promise of land—of a place to call home for Abram’s group had become a nomadic tribe.  

That ‘Promised Land” for us is a home in Heaven. Do we treat it as Abraham’s family did and not see it or God for the great value that is there? Think about it. Salvation for us is similar to the security that God offered Abram for his descendants. Do we take it for granted? Are we thankful for it? Do we share the concept and identity of salvation with others? For God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. It’s a free gift—yours, if you want it.

Prayer ~ Lord God, Thank You for allowing Your Son, Jesus, to be our sacrifice. We accept this gift of eternal life and claim the promise that You have a home for us…just for us—not a nomadic life—in Heaven.

Bible Reading: January 17 – Genesis 16-18

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Praise God for the Snow

Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens!

Praise Him from the skies!

Praise Him, all His angels! Praise Him, all the armies of heaven!

Praise Him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars!

Praise Him, skies above! Praise Him, vapors high above the clouds!

Let every created thing give praise to the LORD, for He issued His command, and they came into being. He set them in place forever and ever. His decree will never be revoked.

Praise the LORD from the earth, you creatures of the ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and clouds, wind and weather that obey Him, mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all livestock, small scurrying animals and birds, kings of the earth and all people, rulers and judges of the earth, young men and young women, old men and children.

Let them all praise the name of the LORD.

For His name is very great; His glory towers over the earth and heaven! He has made His people strong, honoring His faithful ones—the people of Israel who are close to Him.

Praise the LORD! Psalm 148:1-14

Snowflakes

Have you ever noticed how quietly snow falls? Silence. Pure silence. Sure there will be neighborhood sounds—kids, cars, trucks…then later snow plows. But generally listen early in the morning or late in the evening. Silence. That is why years ago I decided that I liked cross-country skiing better than down-hill skiing. The silence. No chatter of other skiers or the sound of the lift motors. Just silence.

Rain has its pitter, patter. Wind, its howl. But snow—silence. God created everything—even silence. There is no sound from the stars, the sun or the moon. Just silence. Let us praise the Lord for His creation…and for silence. Enjoy the winter…and the silence that the Lord has created for us.

Prayer ~ Lord God, Your name is very great; Your glory towers over the earth and heaven! You created miraculous weather. You have made Your people strong and faithful. We praise Your holy name and claim Your wonderful promises. Thank You for Silence.

Bible Reading: January 16 – Genesis 12-15

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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The Promise of the Promised Land

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:1-3

Trek to the land of Canaan

Abram—before God renamed him Abraham—was so trusting. If somebody told you to pack up your family and move, would you do it? Of course if the voice of God spoke, there’s a lot of power in that so you would probably listen. Look closely at Genesis 11:27 through Genesis 112:9. Terah, Abram’s father, first packed up his family and to enter the land of Canaan (Genesis 11:31) but they only went as far as Haran, where Terah died. Abram received God’s call while still in Ur, according to Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7. Then God called Abram again in Haran, as noted here in Genesis 12. Go to the land that I will show you. It happened to be Canaan. Now Canaan was the land that belonged to the Canaanites, the descendent of the Noah’s son Ham. They obviously had not kept up with their distant cousins. Oh yes. In between Noah and Abram there was the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) where God saw that the people with one language together were making a tower to reach to heaven. So He confused their language and scattered them over the whole earth.

Now God was calling Abram to go to Canaan and He would make Abram’s family a great nation and bless him. What a promise to a guy who was seventy-five years old and had no children. It was a terrific promise for Abram and his wife Saraii who so longed for children. Abram was trusting in a God that he didn’t even know. Life in Ur was probably filled with many gods. Now Abram was being confronted by a nameless God telling him to give up his home and leave behind his father (who died in Haran) and go to a land that was probably about 800 miles from Ur—and that is a long walk. God was sending Abram to a country already inhabited by some tough guys and Abram has no children to be this “great nation” that God is promising. Abram is trusting God in a big way to fulfill His promise. He would be a blessing to others—and those who cursed him would be cursed. It turns out that Abram became the “Father” of Jews, Christians and Muslims. I’ve read an interpretation that God’s promise included eternal life for humanity…this great nation of which He was making Abram the father. Do you trust God to fulfill His promise in you?

Prayer ~ Heavenly Father, I rejoice in Your wisdom of choosing Abram to be the father of a great nation. He was obedient to go where You sent him. May we have that same obedience day by day, moment by moment to hear Your voice, then to trust and follow You.

Bible Reading: January 15 – Job 40-42

Happy  Birthday to my Mom--in her Heavenly Home!

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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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