Banquet With The King

Daily Devotional focusing on spiritual "food" at the King's Banquet Table. In 2024 this blog will explore verses to meditate on as we examine our "choices" daily, pursuing a deeper relationship with God as we grow in Christian maturity. This web page has had over 230,000 page views by people in over 135 different countries who are seeking God through His Word. God has promised if you seek Him, you will find Him. May you be blessed reading Banquet With The King.

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Tales and Parables Revealed

Prayer – Lord Jesus, open my eyes and ears to see and understand Your messages. Although You told them two thousand years ago—they are still applicable today. Thank You for directing our hearts and minds into understanding the treasures You have for us…here and in Heaven.

The parable of the sower.
Some seeds fell...
...on the road and the birds ate them up.
...among the rocks.
...among the thorns.
...in good soil.
He who has an ear, let him hear.
Luke 8:5-8

His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: 'When they look, they won't really see. When they hear, they won't understand.' Luke 8:9-10

Meditate. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

Are you listening to God?

This passage is Jesus’ response to His disciples’ question about the stories He was telling them. He said those stories were parables with hidden messages told in a way that those who were supposed to would understand His message. Generally, those who saw and heard would neither see nor understand His message, His teaching about the Kingdom of God. When you read or hear the parables that Jesus taught, do they make sense…do you understand them?

I’ve been dealing with some hearing issues lately and probably am a candidate for hearing aids. For the moment my vanity and desire for a second opinion are holding me back…but soon I’ll have a little gadget in my ear and be able to hear everyone loud and clear. What a wonderful day that will be! Will I hear Jesus’ teaching any more clearly? We have such an advantage on this side of the cross—we can understand the big picture of the Gospel and God’s Kingdom so infinitely and unmistakably well. If you don’t understand, ask God to give you wisdom and understanding. God has prepared a place for us, eternally, to live alongside of Him—we just have to believe in Jesus, God’s son, as our Savior. He died on a cross—just to remove the penalty of sin from us. We must be pure and holy to stand before His Father—our Heavenly Father—someday. Jesus paid it all. Do you hear His message loud and clear—or do you need spiritual hearing aids? You have the ability and privilege to choose Jesus as your own Savior. No one else can choose for you. Choose wisely.

Verses of Salvation ~ At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. "My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Luke 10:21-22

Be Thankful with Peace in Your Heart

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Saturday, November 23, 2024

God Blesses Those Who Are Hungry

Prayer ~ Jesus, fill my heart and life with Your joy—that it may overflow. As You told Your disciples…I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:9-13

Are you hungry physically or spiritually?

Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh. What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. What sorrow awaits you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now. What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow. What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets. Luke 6:20-26 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate. How are you “hungry”…physically or spiritually?

This may have been Luke’s version of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that as recorded in chapters five through seven of the book of Matthew. Jesus words recorded on hunger there are…

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice (or righteousness), for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6

Hunger is such a driving force. When you are hungry…whether for food, for fellowship with family or friends, for a reading a good book, for time with God, or for joy in your life…you are focused on that one thing that will satisfy your desire. In Jesus words we are promised when we hunger for righteousness—that right living, whatever is right or just and conforms to the will of God—we will be satisfied. We won’t have to search any longer. That is good. Ask and you will receive. In this passage there are “promises” that are not very encouraging: Sorrow awaits…the rich…the fat and prosperous…those who laugh…those who are popular and those who praised false prophets.

Sorrow. Don’t we have enough of it without being promised more? Joy and sorrow. Those contrasts are repeated in the Old and New Testaments. Below are three examples. First is from the book of Esther when the days of Purium were established for the Jews when they celebrated a wicked scheme turned into good. In the book of Isaiah the millennial kingdom is prophesied with the joy and prosperity that will occur in the land of Israel at that time. Lastly, below, are the words of Jesus to His disciples when they asked about His return. Read all of these scriptures in context to fully grasp their meaning and significance.

He told them to celebrate these days with feasting and gladness and by giving gifts of food to each other and presents to the poor. This would commemorate a time when the Jews gained relief from their enemies, when their sorrow was turned into gladness and their mourning into joy. Esther 9:22

Those who have been ransomed by the LORD will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness. Isaiah 35:10

So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. John 16:22

No one can rob you of that joy. What a great promise. It is good to remember that joy can be experienced even in times of mourning as in the Isaiah 35:10 scripture. Consider when you’ve experienced joy in your life. Would it have meant as much if not contrasted with a hardship or sadness?

Is your relationship with the Lord characterized by joy? Does time spent with Him make your day a better one? For me, my attitude is always better when I’ve spent time with Jesus. I think I need more of Him…even now. How about you? Are you hungry…and choosing to spend time with Jesus?

Verses of Salvation ~ "Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance—all who seek the LORD! Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined. ... "Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people's scorn, nor fear their insults. For the moth will devour them as it devours clothing. The worm will eat at them as it eats wool. But my righteousness will last forever. My salvation will continue from generation to generation." Isaiah 51:1, 7-8

Be Thankful with Faithfulness in Your Heart

Revised and Reused from July 23, 2021 Banquest With The King blog.

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Friday, November 22, 2024

Do You Belong to Christ?

Prayer – Lord, show us how we can live to please You. You sacrificed Your life for us—and set us free from our sinful nature. What joy fills our hearts and lives. Thank you.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:1-11 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate. Consider God’s truth in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

Jesus' sacrifice on the cross...
freed us from sin.
Do you belong to Christ?

What has freed you from sin?

Paul explained to the people at the church in Rome…and to us…that the Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments, and the sacrificial system that God provided to the Israelites through Moses were not able to save us from our sins. God sacrificed His own Son to put an end to sin—to fulfill the requirements of the Law. The Holy Spirit has control over the Lord’s followers, encouraging them to think about things that please God and this results in life—eternal life. Sinners don’t live to please God, but think about sinful things that result in death. Everyone’s bodies will die one day, but those who have the Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit—living in them will be given a new life—immortal life.

The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever! 2 Corinthians 3:7-11

Read the passage of scripture from Romans again for yourself. Do you belong to Christ? Has He freed you from sin? The choice is yours.

Verse of Salvation ~ We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

What is the recipe for perfect pumpkin pie? Instead of birthday cake Barry prefers pumpkin pie. Light a candle and have a creamy piece of pie!

My favorite recipe for pumpkin pie is a trip to Costco. Their tasty pumpkin pies are so inexpensive you can hardly buy the ingredients and bake you own for that price. I’ll be headed there a couple of days before Thanksgiving Day. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite pie recipe is. Enjoy these days of planning and preparation before the big feast day!

Happy Birthday Brother Barry!

Blessings

For Everyone…Be Thankful with Gentleness in Your Heart

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Can You Compare Your Life with God’s Commands?

Prayer – Lord, I want to please You…to live my life according to Your commands—but in such a way that I am not being legalistic or hypocritical. As David wrote…As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don't give up on me! Show me how to live with integrity that I would be filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit.

Search for the Lord with all your heart!

Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don't give up on me! Psalm 119:1-8

Meditate. Consider God’s commands in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

We are entering that “Joyful” time of the year. Are you ready to be filled with JOY?

David, the presumed author of Psalm 119, pleaded with God…Please don’t give up on me! There is so much in these few verses. Yesterday we looked at a couple of joyful scripture passages associated with Jesus, and I challenged us to not compromise our values. Jesus didn’t—why should we? We need to keep His commandments—carefully, as David points out in this passage. Carefully. Of course, we have to learn your (God’s) righteous regulation and live by them as I should. So much information and instruction here!

We are charged to keep your (God’s) commandments carefully. Personally, I want to live according to God’s instruction—which basically are the Ten Commandments. Jesus boiled those commands down to two: Love God and Love Your Neighbor. That is pretty much it—but takes a conscientious effort to live moment by moment even by those two. Evaluate the motives of your heart and thoughts. Additionally, I don’t want to be legalistic about living by these righteous regulations. Jesus called the Pharisee whitewashed tombs as they were legalistic hypocrites.

What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:27-28

Of course, some of the Old Testament regulations (See Leviticus) had to do with sacrifices that are no longer applicable to our lives—there is no temple and above all, Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins—so no lambs, goats, bulls or birds have to be sacrificed now. Thankfully.

Can you compare your life with God’s commands? Love God, love others. Tomorrow we’ll look at the book of Romans and see how Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled the law and changed our future. Each of us has a choice on how we live. It is just that…a choice.

Verse of Salvation ~ But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God. Psalm 50:23

Be Thankful with GOODNESS in Your Heart

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Don’t Compromise

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You never compromised Your values. You always obediently did just what the Father asked You to do. Getting up early to go chat and pray with Him. Was that hard for You some days? Were You just bone tired and wanted to sleep longer? You are a person of true integrity living the truth, the way, and the life that God had shown You. Show us how to live consistently at that same level of integrity—not compromising our values…Your values that have been instilled in us with Your instruction to keep Your commandments. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I would obediently live as I should. Don’t give up on me!

Rise early in the morning...
chat and pray as Jesus did.
Please don't give up on me, Lord!

Meditate. Consider Joy.

Are you a joyful person?

Do you imagine Jesus as a joyful person? We get a picture of Him healing people—touching the untouchables, raising the dead, feeding thousands, and putting up with the Pharisees testing and challenges. Where or when do we see Jesus filled with joy? When the seventy-two disciples He had sent out to minister to cities around Israel returned we read about His reaction in Luke’s account.

At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way." Luke 10:21

In the book of Hebrews we also see joy associated with Jesus. He faced and endured the agony of the cross for us knowing that He would have the joy of Heaven. We are encouraged to keep Him in mind—focus on Him—as we proceed in this race of life that is before us.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Hebrews 12:1-2

Do you have the joy that Jesus had? Can you endure…and not compromise your values as you go through life? The choice is yours.

Verse of Salvation ~ With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! Isaiah 12:3

Be Thankful with KINDNESS in Your Heart

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

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Deceived? Don’t Be

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You told Your disciples, and thus us, to not be deceived. John and Paul repeated Your instruction. How can people not see what they are doing…or what is happening around them? May Your words and guidance convince people to live righteously and to honor our Heavenly Father. Thank you for Your guidance and for being our example in all things.

Do you belong to God...or to the devil?
The choice is yours.

Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God's family do not make a practice of sinning, because God's life is in them. So they can't keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. 1 John 3:7-10

Meditate. Consider what it means to belong to God.

Do you belong to God?

A Christian friend recently said that she knows her sins are forgiven—washed away by the blood of Jesus, but she doesn’t stop sinning. We all have that problem. Our sins were “justified” –just as if we never sinned when we were saved. Now we’re in the process of being “sanctified” or “made holy”–set apart as God’s own children and filled with the Holy Spirit. (Underlined below for emphasis.)

For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. ... For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. Hebrews 10:10, 14 NLT

By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. ... For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. - Hebrews 10:10, 14 NASB20

We may not have totally stopped sinning—only Jesus is sinless—but we have found that we don’t sin as often—and not deliberately. We’re not evil. Sometimes our actions may seem mean…or downright evil—but not intentionally. The whole sanctification process is just that—a process. During Old Testament times priests offered guilt offerings to the Lord to purify a person from their sins (see Leviticus 5), but now we can directly be cleansed by praying to our awesome, holy, and forgiving God. Paul tells us that we are the temple of God. We want to be holy—for He that is within us is holy.

And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people." 2 Corinthians 6:16

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

Can we ever attain complete holiness? Probably not in this earthly life—but we definitely will in Heaven. It will be a pure and holy place. No room for sin there. Paul wrote that we should work toward complete holiness because we fear God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! Psalm 111:10

Don’t be deceived. To fear the Lord is to respect Him, giving Him reverence and honor. Review what John wrote. Are you trying to do what is right in God’s eyes? Are you intentionally or deliberately sinning? When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. To whom do you belong? Each person has the opportunity to make a willful choice—sin or not. Don’t be deceived. The choice is yours.

Verse of Salvation ~ Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! Habakkuk 3:17-18

Be Thankful with Patience in Your Heart

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

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®,

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories