Friday, March 31, 2023

"I was only joking.”

Prayer – Lord, I’m not joking—You are the best for giving us wisdom—as well as eternal life!

Lazy people consider themselves smarter than seven wise counselors. Interfering in someone else's argument is as foolish as yanking a dog's ears. Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, "I was only joking." Proverbs 26:16-19

 

Meditate. Are you joking?

 

What is the difference between a “joke” and a good sense of humor? Are you laughing at someone…or with them? Have you ever had someone laugh at you or tell you a lie…only to have them say “I was only joking”?  Tomorrow is April Fool’s Day. Are you planning to play a trick on someone? Do you need to be on guard for someone trying to make a fool of you? Liars never win.

"The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." Like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid, so are those who get their wealth by unjust means. At midlife they will lose their riches; in the end, they will become poor old fools. Jeremiah 17:9-11

 

There are several verses in Proverbs, written by the wisest man in history except for Jesus, about the actions of wise and foolish people. Here are a couple.

Doing wrong is fun for a fool, but living wisely brings pleasure to the sensible. Proverbs 10:23

A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. Proverbs 12:16

Were you aware that Lot’s daughters’ fiancés were told to get out of the city of Sodom because it was going to be destroyed by the Lord? They thought Lot was joking. They didn’t leave and were annihilated. When you’ve been told to prepare for something do you think those who are warning you are just joking? Were you cautioned on April Fool’s Day? Think again. Maybe it is time to take those warning seriously.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ (Part of Moses blessing the people of Israel before he died.) How blessed you are, O Israel! Who else is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword! Your enemies will cringe before you, and you will stomp on their backs!" Deuteronomy 33:29

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Eating out is a favorite pastime for so many people—any day of the week. Now that most restaurants have opened back up, post COVID, we can actually eat inside—not just take-away food. Lots of us are shaking our heads at the rise in prices, but eating out anyway! Time to rejoice! No joke! 


What is your favorite food and choice of restaurants? Let me know in the comments section below. My family often opts for sushi when we go out. That is something that I don’t make at home—and almost everyone loves it. My favorite dish is actually not raw, but just a simple Japanese salad with lettuce and a ginger dressing, topped with thinly sliced avocados and several hibachi shrimp.


My family’s favorite sushi rolls include a Crazy Monkey Roll—with a fried banana, a Spicy Shrimp Crunch Roll, Las Vegas Roll, Eel Roll, Sashimi Roll, and Philadelphia Roll. How about a Yellow Taxi Roll with mango, Dragon Roll, Norwegian Roll, or Mediterranean Roll?

Top that off with some miso soup, seaweed salad and a few slices of pickled ginger. Yum!

 

End of March

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

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

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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