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.

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Welcome to September—Hold Onto Your Helmet

Prayer – Lord, there is an expression…Hold onto your hat—meaning that there is a rough ride ahead. Spiritually we need to “hold onto our helmets” because we’ve a lot of changes coming our way. Lord, help us to be prepared and to keep our calm as those changes begin to occur. You told us to be ready—to be prepared. We want to do just that.

world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17 (Underlined for emphasis.)

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

When was the last time you saw someone wearing a helmet? Oh, yes! The last time you watched a baseball or football game. The batters wear helmets, as do all the football players! In old movies or war videos you see military personnel wearing helmets. They have changed over the years, but helmets guard a person’s skull and brain. Helmets protect our head from whatever battle is going on around us, whether it is a sporting event or warfare.

Helmet of Salvation

The helmet of salvation is a little different. It protects us spiritually. In Isaiah 59 we read about the Lord’s displeasure with Israel and His intervention. God deeply cares about His chosen people, yet over and over they rebel and don’t do what God wants them to do.

So there is no justice among us, and we know nothing about right living. We look for light but find only darkness. We look for bright skies but walk in gloom. We grope like the blind along a wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. Even at brightest noontime, we stumble as though it were dark. Among the living, we are like the dead. We growl like hungry bears; we moan like mournful doves. We look for justice, but it never comes. We look for rescue, but it is far away from us. ... We know we have rebelled and have denied the LORD. We have turned our backs on our God. We know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies. Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The LORD looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth. Isaiah 59:9-11, 13-18

As Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus:

But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. 1 Thessalonians 5:8

We are told to put on the helmet—it represents salvation. Without salvation our lives are hopeless. Do you choose to have hope in tomorrow—in the salvation of Jesus Christ—our Lord and savior?

Verse of Salvation ~ He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. Isaiah 59:17

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

Do You Have a Shield?

Prayer – Lord, what is a modern-day shield? What is a spiritual shield that protects us from the fiery darts of the Devil? Give us wisdom and understanding—and insight into this shield idea—and the armor of God and how it applies to our lives today.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 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. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate.

In what do you have faith? Faith is believing in what we cannot see. It is a conviction of the truth of something or belief in the relationship to the divine God, usually including trust and respect for the holiness of God.

The Cross is my shield.
Protecting me spiritually.
Do you have faith?

During Biblical time, a shield was necessary during battle against arrows. Think of David and Goliath and then Roman soldiers with round or oblong door-like shield. Now, except for some video games and movies, you rarely see use of a shield in any form. How would a “spiritual” shield look? Imagine fiery darts being flung at people, with angels defending the humans. Maybe the shield is actually angels? We don’t see them. Consider when an angel visited Daniel (see Daniel 10) and how the archangel Michael fought a battle against the prince of the kingdom of Persia (evil angels). We are told in the book of Revelation that someday there will be a great spiritual battle in heaven.

Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world--was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Revelation 12:7-9

War. Spiritual warfare. All this is happening in a different dimension—one we don’t see. Are we so caught up in our lives and what we can see happening that we are ignorant of the spiritual battles around us? Yes. I think that is just the way life happens for me. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about this very thing. He is advising that we should take our evil thoughts captive.

For though we walk in the flesh [as mortal men], we are not carrying on our [spiritual] warfare according to the flesh and using the weapons of man. The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete. You are looking [only] at the outward appearance of things. If anyone is confident that he is Christ's, he should reflect and consider this, that just as he is Christ's, so too are we. 2 Corinthians 10:3-7 AMP

Do you choose to ignore any spiritual dimension in your life? Life is certainly simpler that way, but consider that Daniel prayed for understanding and his prayers were answered.

And the man said to me, "Daniel, you are very precious to God, so listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you." When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling. Then he said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia. Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns a time yet to come." Daniel 10:11-14 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Considering how Daniel successfully used prayer, our shield may be prayer. Prayer is essential. David also declared that God Himself is his salvation and shield. As part of our armor of God we can rely on the Lord.

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and the One who rescues me; My God, my rock and strength in whom I trust and take refuge; My shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower—my stronghold. ... You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds and sustains me; Your gentleness [Your gracious response when I pray] makes me great. Psalm 18:2, 35 AMP

Whatever you choose as your shield, know that if you love the Lord your God, He will ultimately protect you as He has promised.

Verse of Salvation ~ Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has come at last—salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth—the one who accuses them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:10

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

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP),

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, August 30, 2024

Do Your Shoes Bring Peace?

Prayer – Lord, You bring peace to me, to my family, friends, and neighbors. No worries here…just peace. I trust You and Your plan for the future…as we see the day approaching. I expect that there is going to more spiritual warfare—but I trust You. Relationships will be endangered, but You are here to help us resist the enemy in this evil time. Thank you, Jesus.

Meditate. Be prepared.

Grandpa Gerald's old shoes.
Put in a lot of good service time!
Peace to you.

Have you got your shoes on? Paul tells us that to be fully prepared we need to put on peace, like we put on our shoes. In my home we take off our shoes at the door…it keeps the house cleaner and more sanitary. Just think where your shoes have been…walking through where dogs do their business and even in bathrooms people use, the floor is not bacteria free—so you are trapsing that along to all your floors and even the air within your home.

How does that relate to spiritual having your feet protected? It is risky to run around without shoes. You can step on broken glass or sharp rocks and cut your feet. Additionally, depending on the weather you can freeze your toes in the cold or burn them on a hot sidewalk. Put on your shoes. Be prepared for whatever danger is out there. Have peace.

Peace is one of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is known as a state of tranquility, safety, and security. In Christianity it is a content and tranquil state of a person assured of the salvation through Christ and fearing nothing from God.

This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. Acts 10:36

The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace. Psalm 29:11

A common greeting at Christmas time and weekly in some churches is “peace be to you” as a part of the worship service. That is my greeting to you, today.

Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God's grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 6:23-24

Verse of Salvation ~ God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.1 Peter 1:2

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Fall harvest time…and fig time! Figs are one of my favorite fruits. They are rich in calcium, potassium, iron and fiber. A terrific food for lots of health benefits. Check out this blog about fig benefits. 12 Surprising Health Benefits Of Figs (savoryful.com) Figs are low calorie, low in sodium, and low in oxalates. Good choice for any snack. I’ll be eating a lot of these in the coming days as they are in season now. Have you ever tried fresh figs and do you like them?

What is your comfort food? Make a list of your top four comfort foods. Are they foods that you can eat any day…or are they high calorie foods that you have to save up calories so that you can indulge that favorite cuisine? Sometimes doing without one thing so you can really enjoy something else is totally worth it. Enjoy your food. I think that is what God wants us to do… adore the bounty of the foods He has created for us!

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, August 29, 2024

Put on Your Body Armor

Prayer – Lord Jesus, help me to be strong…and to stand my ground for You. I want to be strong in You and filled with God’s righteousness. I need Your wisdom and understanding as I endeavor to put on all of God’s armor.

Meditate. Consider scripture predictions as in Isaiah.

Righteousness. Right living in the Lord. It is generally being acceptable to God; having integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correct thinking feeling, and acting. God is the ultimate in righteousness. He is holy.

Listen! The LORD's arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. ... He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion. He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on his foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth. In the west, people will respect the name of the LORD; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the LORD. "The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins," says the LORD. And this is my covenant with them," says the LORD. "My Spirit will not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children's children forever. I, the LORD, have spoken!" Isaiah 59:1-2, 17-21 (Underlines for emphasis.)

Do you have armor like this turtle?

This righteousness is like armor—protecting us from evil.

And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8

The prize—the crown of righteousness—is not just for Paul, or just for me…but for everyone who is looking forward to Christ’s return. Are you among that group? Are you making a choice to live righteously, to trust and believe in Jesus Christ as you anticipating His reappearance?

Verse of Salvation ~ Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is attacked. The LORD looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. Isaiah 59:14-16

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, August 28, 2024

Truth – Honesty – Are They Tied Around You?

Prayer – Lord, as I look at the parts of the “armor of God” and I realize that You are truth—so I will stand my ground and wrap Your truth around myself…incorporating them into my very spirit.

Meditate. Consider God’s armor and truth.

Have you ever told a lie…an untruth? I’m sure we’ve all told white lies—little fibs when we were children…and stretched the truth to protect someone or ourselves to maintain innocence, prevent an injustice, or ward off punishment.

Just what is “truth?” Jesus told Thomas—as well as the other disciples and everyone who reads the book of John—that He was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6). Truth is personal excellence, free from deception, pretense, deceit, or falsehood. That pretty much sums up that quality of Jesus. In Isaiah we read a predictive description of Jesus as the Lamb of God and one who is part of David’s family that is the savior of the world—particularly of the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people.

Everyone will be safe with...
The Lion

Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot—yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all. The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the LORD. Isaiah 11:1-9 (Underlined for emphases.)

Can you imagine wrapping a belt of truth around yourself? Will it protect you in some way as part of the armor of God? Having Jesus with us—with His very being of truth—is a very comforting and protective thought for me. I’ll put on a belt of truth any day. How about you? Do you choose to include a belt of truth as part of your daily wardrobe?

Verse of Salvation ~ In that day the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place. Isaiah 11:10

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, August 27, 2024

Do You Have Any Armor?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You were so aware of the demonic powers that affect people’s lives. Open our eyes to see what is really going on around us and give us wisdom to deal with it—to stand firm against all strategies of the devil and to get our strength from You.

Armor of God
Calvery Chapel
Kennewick, WA

Meditate. Consider the spiritual world.

Have you read This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti, The Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, or other spiritual warfare books? So many books…so little time. Beyond the Bible, there are lots of spiritual warfare books available to challenge, inform, and entertain.

There is a spiritual element around us…and within us…that is part of human life. God created us in His image—which is spiritual, so whether we believe in God, or not, we have a spiritual dimension to our lives. In the focus scripture for today Paul is advising the church at Ephesus to be careful and be protected from the evil that was around them. The same continues for us today.

So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Ephesians 5:15-17

Jesus had warned about demons and Satan after He had cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t talk, and some people accused Him of getting His power from Satan.

One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn't speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, but some of them said, "No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons." Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. He knew their thoughts, so he said, "Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For when a strong man like Satan is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings. Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who isn't working with me is actually working against me." Luke 11:14-23

Jesus was aware of the demonic power in people’s lives. We should be, too. Paul encouraged those reading his letter to the Ephesians to put on the armor of God, to be fully armed, and to be protected. The full armor of a Roman soldier that people of Paul’s era would have understood included a shield, sword, lance, helmet, greaves (protection for the shins or lower leg), and breastplate, as described in the Strongs concordance. Paul goes beyond that include shoes and belt.

Do you have or use these elements of God’s armor? It is a choice for each of us to daily put on the armor of God as Paul challenged in Ephesians 6:11. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

Verses of Salvation ~ This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes and put on the shining armor of right living. Romans 13:11-12

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