How Do You See God?

Meditate on this:

Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave [the guilty] unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." Exodus 34:6-7 NASB

Know God. Let His light shine in your life.

This scripture is said to have the thirteen merciful attributes of God. It is used as a central prayer, repeated several times during a service at the synagogue in the week before Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. So that is a scripture that would have been recited last week in most synagogues.

Getting to know God and His qualities is an ongoing process that is not bound by time or place. Meditate on those verses. Can you pick out thirteen attributes?

1.      Compassionate

2.      Gracious

3.      Slow to anger

4.      Overflowing with lovingkindness

5.      Abundance of truth

6.      Lovingkindness to thousands

7.      Forgiving iniquity (fault)

8.      Forgiving transgressions (rebellion or trespass)

9.      Forgiving sins

10.  Punishing guilty

11.  Putting the guilt or punishment of the father on his children

12.  Putting the guilt or punishment of the father on his grandchildren

13.  Putting the guilt or punishment of the father on his great-grandchildren

Pretty stiff sentence for those last three groups. The sins of the father heaped on three generations. Have you seen that in life? I think that God in His mercy allows forgiveness and thus the cycle of sin can stop with the later generations if they are seeking and following Him. Some actions may have natural consequences that keep poverty or other cycles going. Some things in life are hard to escape. Sin, disease, poverty and eventually death. Although death, if one believes in Christ as their Savior can be a wonderful thing. I know of several people that are hoping that the end of their time and suffering is near, but they continue to endure.

At this point the Hebrew people had been wandering in the desert for a while, but even as they left Egypt they may not have known God the way Moses did. They still needed to learn about Him so this list provided the Israelites with a broader picture of who God is. The good and the scary sides of God: all-loving, all-forgiving, all-powerful and a strong disciplinarian. How do you see God today?  

Prayer ~ O God, Create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will be converted to You. Psalm 51:10-13 NASB.

Daily Bible Reading: Malachi

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved..

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation

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A New Year is Coming

Meditate on this:

The LORD said to Moses, "Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. On the first day of the appointed month in early autumn, you are to observe a day of complete rest. It will be an official day for holy assembly, a day commemorated with loud blasts of a trumpet. You must do no ordinary work on that day. Instead, you are to present special gifts to the LORD."

Leviticus 23:23-25

This day is known as the Feast of the Trumpets. It is the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, literally meaning the head of the New Year. There are four “New Year” celebrations in the Jewish calendar. This one marks the actual beginning of the year. It may have commemorated the creation of the world and focuses on God and worship in the Synagogue. God created man and is the ultimate judge of man, so as this festival begins the Jews use this time to look inward and consider all the actions that occurred in the last year for which they need to repent.

This year Rosh Hashanah occurs on September 29 to October 1. The holy day actually begins at sunset on Sunday, September 29^th. It is celebrated on two days because in ancient times people in remote villages couldn’t determine the actual day of the new moon, which began the New Year of years, so they celebrated two days. The custom just continued and goes on with a two day celebration today everywhere. It is one of the holiest days of the Jewish year.

The sounding of the trumpet was associated with war throughout the Old Testament history. In the prophetic book of Ezekiel God gives a message to the people of Israel.

Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, 'If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head.’ Ezekiel 33:2-4 NASB   

Paul uses an interesting phrase about the last trumpet in his first letter to the church at Corinth.

What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53

Search your Bible for the truth
of the trumpet sound.
Jesus is the  Way, the Truth, and the Life.

In synagogues during the Feast of Trumpets the trumpet, or shofar, is sounded 100 times, using three different patterns of sounds. Is that last trumpet sound of any significance to us today? Search your Bible yourself for the times and reasons for the sounding of the trumpet.

  

How will you celebrate this Jewish New Year? Will you repent from your sins of the previous year? Study God’s Word? Will you call upon Jesus Christ as your Savior and listen hopefully for His shout from Heaven?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, we are listening for the piercing sound of the shofar horn, bellowing from synagogues and from Heaven announcing the coming of the New Year—the new life. We don’t know the hour or the day, but we wait expectantly for Your return, as all Christians have since Your resurrection and ascension. 

Daily Bible Reading: Nehemiah 11-13; Psalm 126

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Celebrate the Festival of Trumpets – September 29 -October 1, 2019

Meditate on this:

Celebrate the Festival of Trumpets each year on the first day of the appointed month in early autumn. You must call an official day for holy assembly, and you may do no ordinary work. Numbers 29:1

A lot of people would love to celebrate with doing no ordinary work. Imagine if everyone followed this ordinance…life would just shut down for two days. Remember the Feast of the Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah the beginning of the New Year, is a two day holiday because it won’t start until there is a new moon at sunset, Jerusalem time…and that couldn’t always be predicted. Now we have more accurate prediction of new moons—but the tradition of two days continues. The important thing about this holiday is that it is a call to repentance.

Time to read the Torah
at a synagogue in Israel.

Time—lots of time—is spent in the Jewish synagogue reading the Torah and praying. The focus on this Festival is meeting with God in the synagogue, not family time at home. The Saturday before Rosh Hashanah Jews meet in small groups to study, pray and reflect on their relationships with each other and with God. Introspection is important to reveal flaws in one’s personality and to commit to change. In the synagogue services include prayers asking for forgiveness and scripture is repeatedly read about God’s merciful qualities as the Lord Himself proclaimed to Moses when He gave him the second set of stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments.

Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." Exodus 34:6-7 NASB

It blesses us to remember these attributes of God.

One enduring custom that the Jews perform is to throw bread crumbs into a nearby body of flowing water to symbolically cast off their sins on afternoon of the first day of Rosh Hashanah. They even empty their pockets of lint—as though those were the sins that they carried with them.  

Repentance is the key. Jesus called people to repent—and we are still responsible for that in each of our own lives today.

Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:14-15 NASB

Some of the Jews followed Jesus…and some did not. Everyone has a choice…then and now. How will you choose to respond? What will you do with the sin in your life?

… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God….Romans 3:23 NASB.

The key is repent. Jesus also taught that whatever we ask for in His name we will receive. It makes sense to ask for forgiveness. Here’s my sin…I’m sorry…forgive me. Can you do that—with God and with others?

Prayer ~ Lord God, Let me be more and more like Jesus every day. Mold me and make me…obedient, pure, honest, caring, compassionate, trusting and above all—loving—like Jesus.

Daily Bible Reading: Nehemiah 8-10

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Listen for the Shofar

Meditate on this:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NASB 

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation" www.lockman.org.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God…. Are you listening for a shout from heaven and the sound of the trumpet or shofar horn? Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sunset on Sunday, September 29^th this year. Sunset occurs around 6:30 PM Israeli time, which is about 8:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time. This two day Jewish celebration is also known as the Festival of Trumpets. The Lord gave Moses the directions for this particular observance. Note that it is such a special day that the Lord required the people not to work.

Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. On the first day of the appointed month in early autumn, you are to observe a day of complete rest. It will be an official day for holy assembly, a day commemorated with loud blasts of a trumpet. You must do no ordinary work on that day. Instead, you are to present special gifts to the LORD.  Leviticus 23:24-25 NLT

It will certainly be a special if it truly is the day that Jesus Himself descents from Heaven with a shout and the blowing of the shofar—a trumpet of the earlier Biblical times. Are you ready for this day?

We all know that only God the Father knows hour and the day of Christ’s return. Jesus’ advice was to be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. What must we do to “be ready?” This is a spiritual battle in a spiritual realm. It won’t make any difference if we board up our houses, wash our clothes or prepare a big feast. What will matter is what matters to God.

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. Romans 14:17-18

Keep watch…and be prepared. Don’t let your spiritual guard down. Be alert.  

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

Are you ready for Christ’s return?

Prayer ~ Heavenly Father, is that home that Jesus is building for His church, His bride, nearly ready? Lord Jesus Christ, You are my Savior, my Lord and my King. I eagerly am listening for You to shout from Heaven, although I anticipate that it could be a very loud shout to get everyone’s attention!  The joy of the occasion will be beyond measure. Come, Lord Jesus! Your creation waits…in Your time. Show me if there is anything I still need to do to “get ready.”

Daily Bible Reading: Nehemiah 6-7

Friday’s Feasting at the King’s Table

What do people traditionally eat for the Jewish New Year? 

The Israeli flag flying over the Sea of Galilee.
Pray for Israel in this coming New Year.

For a sweet new year, apples dipped in honey, dates; pomegranates; black-eyed peas; pumpkin-filled pastries called rodanchas; leek fritters called keftedes de prasa; beets; and a whole fish with the head intact. It is also common to eat stuffed vegetables called legumbres yaprakes. Information from www.Wikapedia.org.

It is an interesting menu. I’ll be serving apples dipped in honey for breakfast around 8:00 AM on Sunday morning…as the sun is setting in Israel. Come and join us to see in this New Year!

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Caught Up In The Clouds

Meditate on this:

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NASB

Comfort? Those words cause an unsettling in some people. Those who are grieving the loss of a loved one may find comfort in that those who have died believing in Jesus are “fallen asleep in Jesus” and they will be resurrected—they will rise. Listen. Will you hear the trumpet sound?  Did you see the words of verse 14…if we believe that Jesus died and rose again...? That word IF is a loaded word. If we believe that Jesus died and was resurrected…then…those who have died—fallen asleep in Jesus will we will be “caught up.”  Those who are still alive will be “caught up” with those sleepyheads.

Thirty some years ago I went to a revival in which a chalk artist each evening did a large picture depicting a Biblical event. Once the chalk painting was done he would turn on a black light and illuminate the painting. One of the hidden pictures involved believers in white robes going up into the air. Being “caught up” and going to heaven. It was exciting to consider that we could be together with those who were resurrected from their gravesites or that we could be caught up with them. 

Caught up in the clouds?
Haystack Rock, Oregon Coast

I recently remarked to my brother that I would like to be at the cemetery where our family is buried when the dead in Christ rise first. He didn’t seem to think it will make any difference. We will be going up next, so soon, as in the twinkling of an eye that it will all seem to happen at once. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…. No matter how fast it happens, it is going to be incredible to be a part of that. I am trusting that I will be part of the “caught up” group. Will I see you in the air?

We are admonished by Jesus to “be ready”—to be prepared. What are you doing to honor Jesus with your life?

Prayer ~ Lord God—help us to be prepared as we go about our daily lives. We don’t want to miss your message like the people of Noah’s age.

Daily Bible Reading: Nehemiah 1-5

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation www.lockman.org.

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When Will the Son of Man Be Expected?

Meditate on this again:

So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.  Matthew 24:42-44

… the Son of Man will come when least expected. Jesus descriptively explained this to His disciples.

Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear. However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. Two men will be working together in

Where are the women grinding flour?
Heritage museum - Israel

the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:32-42

This generation will not pass away…but it has been two thousand years. This generation began when Jesus lived and will continue, as I understand it, until He returns. Matthew tells us that… his return is very near, right at the door. Will it be at the time of the Feast of Trumpets, celebrating the Jewish New Year, which fall this year on September 30^th – October 1^st? We can only trust God—and we know that we can trust Him to keep His promises. Our responsibility is just to be ready all the time…. It is going to be like in Noah’s day—everyone just living day to day, celebrating life with parties and weddings. What matters today is how we spend our time—or more important the decisions we have made regarding our relationship with Jesus. Who is Jesus to you? Are you expecting His return?

Prayer ~ Jesus, I believe in You as my Lord and Savior. If there is anything in me that I need to change…tell me now, as I am waiting for the day of Your return for Your church. You taught Your disciples… "From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He." John 13:19 NASB.

Daily Bible Reading: Ezra 7-10

Happy Birthday Blessings ~ Liberty!

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Be Ready All the Time

Meditate on this again:

So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.  Matthew 24:42-44

Be ready all the time….  Jesus has commanded, not just suggested, that we should be ready all the time for His return. People all through time have expected Jesus to return. Is now the time? If you listen to prophesy people they are seeing all the signs align. But we know that only God the Father knows the time…He determines the time.

However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. Matthew 24:36

When everything is ready, the Father will send the Son to get His bride, the church.

When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. John 14:3

God holds the Keys to the Kingdom...and knows the Time.

What a wonderful promise. Are you ready to go…are you prepared? Are you spiritually ready?

Time may be running short. What promises from God would you still like to see Him fulfill in your life—with your family, friends, neighbors? What is your heart’s desire?

Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 NASB

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12 NASB

Is your desire for a home in Heaven?

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:16 NASB

God is preparing a place for you—if you believe Jesus—the Son of God. Jesus promised His disciples…and us…that like the Jewish bridegroom, He is building a place for us in His Father’s heavenly home.

In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. John 14:2-3 NASB

Do you trust Jesus to live up to His promises or do you have some doubts?

Prayer ~ In You God I boast all day long, and I give thanks to Your name forever. Psalm 44:8 NASB. I believe in You, Lord Jesus, and in the power that You have over all creation—in Heaven and on earth. I am ready for Your return.

Daily Bible Reading: Esther 6-10

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Keep Watch

Meditate on this:

So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.  Matthew 24:42-44

Keep watch. There is a wonderful use of this phrase in the Old Testament. It has little if anything to do with being ready for the Lord’s return…but I loved the image of the Lord watching over my lips and my heart—so that I wouldn’t say or do anything evil.

Blue door to ward off evil in Israel.
Is the door of my lips blue to keep evil away?

Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice deeds of wickedness with men who do iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies. Psalm 141:3-4 NASB

David wrote this Psalm as a prayer to the Lord for His help in keeping him from even fellowshipping with ungodly people. That is a good step in being prepared…yet those are the very people that we may need to reach for the Lord. Don’t let evil into your life…but do share the Good News of Jesus as King and Judge with others. There is a delicate balance there that we all must consider.

Keep watch over the door of my lips.  Guarding our hearts and tongues provides the integrity that demonstrates we live the way God wants us to live.

Keep watch. There are people saying that the Rapture will happen soon…and others who say that it won’t happen this year. We all know that only God the Father knows the hour or the day. Jesus’ advice was to be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. What must we do to “be ready”? This is a spiritual battle—a spiritual realm. It won’t make any difference if we board up our houses, wash our clothes or prepare a big feast. What will matter is what matters to God.

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. Romans 14:17-18

Keep watch…and be prepared. Don’t let your spiritual guard down. Be alert.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

Are you ready for Christ’s return?

Prayer ~ Lord, watch over us, help us to see any errors or weak areas of our lives and give us strength to change—to be more like You. May our lives be filled with the goodness, peace, and joy of the Holy Spirit—and may all that we think, say and do please You.

Daily Bible Reading: Esther 1-5

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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No Fear—Safe When I Sleep

Meditate on this:

If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands ...I will give you peace in the land, and you will be able to sleep with no cause for fear. I will rid the land of wild animals and keep your enemies out of your land.  Leviticus 26:3, 6

Peace, peace wonderful peace. A peace that allows me to rest, just as David expressed in a Psalm that he wrote about trusting God.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8

I’m not sure how many people really like to “sleep in the woods” but that is a favorite of mine. There is nothing like sleeping and waking under tall pine or fir trees, hearing the wind through their branches, and smelling the fresh mountain air. Add in a babbling brook and you have a recipe for a peaceful night’s sleep.

The wolf was watching me.
I was watching the wolf.
Show no fear.

My hubby and I took a road trip up to the mountains early this summer—all the way to Mt. Rainier National Park. Along the way we stopped at a favorite camping spot at Goose Prairie. We’ve seen plenty of elk, deer, chipmunks, raccoons and a variety of birds, but on this trip I spotted a wolf—or maybe it was just a coyote—a few hundred feet from where I was walking. I didn’t want that wolf to attack me. I showed no fear, just stood my ground and prayed. No fear. He walked away…and then disappeared in the woods, hopefully to chase a mouse. There is an ecological balance when we have natural predators. Balance gives peace—no fear—but does it give you restful sleep? Trusting in the Lord gives peace and fearless sleep. Trusting God is really what it is all about. He has promised to keep the enemies and scary wild animals away.

Ezekiel commented about living and sleeping securely when he wrote about a new covenant, the millennial kingdom and the Messiah.

I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beasts from the land so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods. Ezekiel 34:25 NASB

In the sunshine and beauty of the rugged mountains we felt the presence of Jesus on that road trip. Being out in the wilderness reminds me of the complexity of God’s creation, but you can see God’s creation in the produce at the market, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, in newborn babies and in the stars in the night sky. The quietness of a vast wilderness experience whether it is in the mountains, desert, or seashore provides another dimension of God’s creativity. Can you find His peace there? Can you find His peace in your heart no matter where you are? Do you have His peace to give you a restful night’s sleep?

Prayer ~ Lord God, provide me with a new revelation of your peace in my life so that I will lie down and sleep well, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe.  

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 10-14

© 2019 Text and photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

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

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Do You Hear the Trumpet Call to Love?

Meditate on this:

So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Exodus 19:16-19 NASB 

This is the first passage of scripture that mentions “a trumpet” and it seems that God is using the trumpet to call His chosen people together. He has something important to tell them through Moses. At least the trumpet is calling Moses to speak with God. No one else gets to go up the mountain and have an audience with God Himself. They are left standing at the bottom of the mountain quaking in their sandals. It is cloudy, smoky and there is an earthquake. It’s no wonder that the Israelites were scared. It wasn’t a common occurrence to hear a loud trumpet—and where did that sound come from?

Forest recovering after a fire.
Along the Wenatachee River near Leavenworth, WA.

The fire and earthquake scenario sounds a lot like conditions in the Pacific Northwest the last couple of summers. Not so bad this summer, but last year we had a couple of months of smoke from nearby forest fires with the smoke so thick that visibility was reduced to a couple of miles and you could taste the smoke in the air. People were told to stay indoors whenever possible. During our smoky times last year football and soccer games were rescheduled or canceled completely. That is rare to cancel a soccer match. Rain, snow, wind and the games aren’t canceled. Smoky air conditions cancel a lot of things. It is just not healthy to be out in that low quality air. 

Was the air quality in question at the foot of Mt. Sinai? The trumpet sound didn’t alert the people to earthquakes or poor air quality, but called to them to meet God. Well—only Moses got to go up the mountain and really meet God. That was when he was given the Ten Commandments. God was calling His people to obedience. Letting them know what He really expects of them and of us. He specified how He wants mankind to live. It’s all about love. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

Do you hear God calling you to love? To love Him and to love others?

Prayer ~ Lord God, I submit myself to You. I want to live to please You…to show my love for You and for others. Give me the wisdom to see my own motives in my actions and to respond to Your love.

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 5-9

© 2019 Text and photos 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 - https://www.blueletterbible.org/.

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Told Before It Happens

Meditate on This:

You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.  John 14:28-29

Jesus said it before 'I go away, and I will come to you.'  He seemed to have to repeat Himself to the disciples. Go away…come back. He did go away…and we can claim the promise that Jesus is coming back. He told His disciples that He was coming back and this is described by Paul in 1 Thessalonians. 

When is the time of His return?
Be ready...we don't know the hour or the day.

But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10. 

We will live together forever. Jesus told us before t happens so that we would know and be prepared. In the Old Testament there are warnings to be prepared, too. Near is the great day of the LORD, near and coming very quickly; Listen, the day of the LORD! In it the warrior cries out bitterly. Zephaniah 1:14. In your concordance or Bible search engine, look for “listen,” “ears let him hear,” and “be ready.” Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Matthew 13:43. You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect. Luke 12:40. Meditate on that truth, on that promise. Be ready. How will you respond to Jesus’ teaching today?

Prayer~ Jesus, help us to be ready…to help others to know You more deeply and desire to be ready, too. We need to be able to discern the signs of the times (Matthew 16:3), so open our eyes that we would see what is going on around us, and give us wisdom and understanding that we can apply Your Word to our lives.

Daily Bible Reading: Zechariah 1-4

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Dieting. Ugh. Some people consider it a dirty word…but let’s face it…diet is part of everyone’s life. It is the way we eat…not necessarily just restricting our food. We eat to live and live to eat. Recently I was behind a man in his seventies at the grocery checkout. He had a couple of tomatoes and bananas, hamburger buns, three packages of cookies and a lot of chocolate bars. It didn’t look like a very healthy diet…but who was I to judge. Sugar is just poison for me—so I am trying desperately to avoid it as much as possible. I will admit I had a jar of Mrs. Richardson’s Hot Fudge Sauce in my cart. I’ve found that it is wonderful to have on a spoonful of fresh ground peanut butter when I can’t resist those carb cravings! What is your weakness when the cravings attack? Do you turn to the Lord, or do you give in to those cravings?

© 2019 Text and photos 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 - https://www.blueletterbible.org/.

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The Lord is Patient

Meditate on This:

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:8-9 NASB

God doesn’t want anyone to perish—to spend eternity in hell. But everyone makes their own choices—including where they will spend eternity. If we don’t choose to follow God—His ways, His commands—and accept His gift of eternal life with Him, then we get the alternative—eternity WITHOUT God. He is faithful to hear our prayers and as this scripture today tells us: He is patient. When the time comes for Him to call His chosen people home to Heaven, the time of patience will end. The door will close, just like in the parable of the bridegroom.

The Bridegroom is coming.
Are you ready?
Will the gate be closed?
A Gate at the Garden of Gethsemane.

Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the prudent answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, lord, open up for us.' But he answered, 'Truly I say to you, I do not know you.' Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:1-13 NASB

We don’t know the hour or the day…so always be ready for Christ’s return. Some people predicted that it would be when the shofar horn was blown at the end of the last Yom Kippur service, signifying the end of the fast for Yom Kippur, the end of Shabbat, in 2017 (Hebrew calendar 5777) since it was year of the Jubilee. But Christ’s return hasn’t happened. Once again we are starting over…just like with repentance, we start fresh with God. Forgiven, cleansed of all unrighteousness.

Prayer ~ Dear Jesus, Set our hearts right with You. Give peace, strength and hope to those who so desperately need it. Life and death are just part of our existence…and as we listen constantly and patiently wait for that shofar horn blast, may Your love surround us and flow through us to others.

Daily Bible Reading: Haggai

© 2019 Text and photos 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 - https://www.blueletterbible.org/.

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