Banquet With The King: April 2025

Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Is Jesus Finished With You?

This month of April is finished...over...completed. When was the last time you “finished” some long-time task or project? We have a great example right at the beginning of the Bible about a completed task. God finished what He started.

So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:1-2

God not only started a good work of creating the earth and finished it, He has started a good work in each of us…and will finish it.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6

It is finished.
Jesus on the cross.
Holy Family Shrine - Gretna, Nebraska

Here are a few verses that indicate what Jesus came to earth to do.

· Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. Matthew 5:17

· Don't imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34

· But Jesus replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came." Mark 1:38

· I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.... I have revealed you to the ones you gave me from this world. They were always yours. You gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything I have is a gift from you, for I have passed on to them the message you gave me. They accepted it and know that I came from you, and they believe you sent me. John 17:4, 6-8

· Then he told John's disciples, "Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. Luke 7:22

His job on Earth was being the sacrifice for mankind’s sin so that we could be reconciled to God…as well as teaching people how to live to please God, healing the sick, lame and blind, and preaching the Good News…the Gospel that there is eternal life available to those who believe. I’ve heard that the “It is finished” depicts reaching the lost even today.

Jesus gave us words by which to live. Are you reading His words today…and living by them? How will you respond to Him today? The greatest question in life then is: Do you believe?

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, "I am thirsty." A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit. John 19:28-30

Prayer – Lord Jesus, it was finished for You. Your work on earth was completed. My continues. I live to serve You…to share You with others that they too will live someday in eternity with You. Guide my thoughts, words and actions that this goal of serving You would bring You glory and honor.

Meditate. Focus on completion.

Verse of Salvation ~ "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Revised and reused from several earlier Banquet With The King blogs.

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

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Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Live Forever!

Live forever! Why is it that we all want to “live forever”? Do we as humans just not want to face death or is it a fear of pain that we may have to go through as we die? There is an unknown in dying and we know that we will have to leave family and friends behind. It is hard for everyone—those who face death and those who are left behind. As children of God we have been promised that we will live forever with God in Heaven—and actually our spiritual eternal life begins when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. So here these wise men of Babylon are greeting the King with “live forever” to sweet-talk him. He won’t “live forever” and they know it. They are certainly liars and flatters. They said that they had convened all the leading officials and that they agreed to the decree, but it is obvious that Daniel, the head vice-regent, had not been consulted. King Darius is easily swayed and signs the decree. He was so flattered—what was he thinking?

Was this type of punishment, being thrown into the lions’ den a common form of punishment? It is not evident by the scripture or internet searches, but the lions’ den with a hole at the top of the cave for dropping people into the presence of the beasts was already in existence before the decree was issued. Was Daniel the only one who prayed to the true God? What became of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? We don’t hear anything more about them after Chapter three in Daniel. Now it is Daniel’s turn to be treated much like his three friends. He had to trust in the Lord as he faced death with those beasts.

Where do you stand with the Lord? Are you ready to face death, like Daniel and his friends? Have you considered where you’ll be going when you die? Everyone will go to heaven—some for judgment and some to stay in God’s home forever. I know that I’m headed for that heavenly home some day—a mansion that will come down from heaven to the new earth. In Revelation 21:1-2 it says:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:1-2 NASB.

Jesus is that “husband” or bridegroom—and all the Christians are His bride to live in His home on the new earth. I feel so privileged to be part of that group. How about you?

The vice-regents and governors got together to find some old scandal or skeleton in Daniel's life that they could use against him, but they couldn't dig up anything. He was totally exemplary and trustworthy. They could find no evidence of negligence or misconduct. So they finally gave up and said, "We're never going to find anything against this Daniel unless we can cook up something religious." The vice-regents and governors conspired together and then went to the king and said, "King Darius, live forever! We've convened your vice-regents, governors, and all your leading officials, and have agreed that the king should issue the following decree:

"For the next thirty days no one is to pray to any god or mortal except you, O king. Anyone who disobeys will be thrown into the lions' den."

Issue this decree, O king, and make it unconditional, as if written in stone like all the laws of the Medes and the Persians." King Darius signed the decree. Daniel 6:4–9 MSG

Prayer – Lord Jesus, live forever! I praise You for You are God. I look forward to “living forever” with You in Your heavenly home where we won’t have to fear any lions’ den.

Meditate. Consider eternal life.

Verses of Salvation ~ "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 51:7-8 NLT

Recycled from July 20, 2012 Banquet With The King blog.

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

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Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Monday, April 28, 2025

Time to Listen

Do butterflies listen?

Time marches on…and no one is really left behind. In this past year I’ve continued to write daily on my blog. Daily. Plodding along, I do get sidetracked from time to time…but I do have a mission…a goal in mind. As Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”

Over the years and especially this past year, I’ve found that the most important thing in writing is to LISTEN. A favorite mentor of mine always had an acrostic for everything. Although she isn’t living nearby and mentoring me anymore, I’ve taken up her habit of finding words associated with important or focus words. This is my attempt at a mind-bending utilization of listen skills.

L – is for Lovingly

I – is for Intentionally

S – is for Sincerely

T – is for Tenaciously

E – is for Enthusiastically

N – is for Never giving up

Listening is a skill that we all need to develop and share with others. Have you ever noticed that when you listen intently and intentionally to other that they in turn listen to you? Try it. I think it really works. The active listening skill of repeating back to someone what they’ve just said is very useful in communicating with others in a loving way. It shows them that you are sincerely listening to them. Expressing that listening skill in an enthusiastic manner not only lets the other person know that you are indeed listening to them and hearing specifically what they’ve said, but that you are interested in what they have to say. Sure, you may be tucking away some tidbit of information, or even trying to formulate a question to ask them, but you are persistent in your endeavors to not just hear what they say, but to understand—really comprehend it. Remember how it feels when someone really listens to you? Feels good doesn’t it! That is just how you want to make that other person feel when you are totally listening to them. Loved. Cared about. Respected. It shows that you value what they are talking about.

Maybe they’ve been speaking about the very topic about which you’ve been planning to or actually writing. When you are watching a YouTube video, are you listening intently and taking notes? That’s another thing for which good listening skills are important—taking notes. Intentionally listen for the main points and jot them down quickly before you forget or before the speaker begins details on another aspect.

Good listening is so much like good painting. You see or hear the highlights and those are the important elements on which to focus. Never give up—keep listening. I am and I’m hearing more and more each day—every moment of the day.

Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

Prayer – Lord God, please help us to focus on You as we listen to Your words. Then give us wisdom and understanding that we can apply Your teaching to our lives—each to our individual situation. We are not the same—yet You love us all and provide just what we need.

Meditate on listening.

Verse of Salvation ~ We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:14-18

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

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

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Sunday, April 27, 2025

Keep On Keeping On

Stay on the straight and narrow path.
Where is God taking you?
Keep on keeping on.

Keep your eyes on the road—hands on the steering wheel. Don’t use your phone—just focus on where you are going, what is ahead of you, and keep on keeping on. Don’t get off on the wrong street—it may not be a “safe” area. You’ve heard all this advice before. In most states it is illegal to use your cell phone while driving. Authorities are trying to keep people safe on the road. Stay safe.

Spiritually speaking—keep your eyes on the Lord. He is the Way. He provides that straight path that we are to follow. He is what lies ahead for us. Pay attention to what Jesus was saying through Solomon. Listen carefully to His words. God is giving us a heads up. Don’t lose sight of them.

God is wonderful that way. He tells people ahead of time what is going to happen through His prophecies. Consider that He told people throughout time what to expect…and what to do. This is the same way we need to address those for whom we are responsible—like children and grandchildren. Tell them what to expect…and what you expect of them…ahead of time.

What do you expect of God…of yourself…of others? Can you follow God’s expectations and keep on keeping on the right path with Him?

My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:20-27 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Prayer – Lord, You are my shepherd and I am trying to follow in Your footsteps as You lead the way…for You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I’m listening—but am I hearing You correctly? Open my ears to hear You, my eyes to see You, and my heart to follow You. I don’t want to get sidetracked—just stay on the safe, straight path with You. Guide me along the way.

Meditate. Consider the path you are on.

Verse of Salvation ~ The LORD, the Mighty One, is God, and he has spoken; he has summoned all humanity from where the sun rises to where it sets. O my people, listen as I speak. Here are my charges against you, O Israel: I am God, your God! Repent, all of you who forget me, or I will tear you apart, and no one will help you. 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 50:1, 7,22-23

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

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Keep Listening Carefully

Solomon was inspired to write such great wisdom. Pay attention…listen carefully, don’t lose sight…guard your heart, avoid perverse talk and stay away from corrupt speech. This was as good advice in about 950 BC as it is today. Things have changed so much technologically, yet wisdom and common sense haven’t changed in all these years. Pay attention to what Solomon said. He goes on to write Ecclesiastes which concludes that although life is vanity, it is to be enjoyed. In Proverbs, Solomon advises his son how to live this life in a way that is profitable and pleasing to the Lord. Listen carefully.

Listen Carefully.
Don't touch the prickly pear cactus.
Let God's words fill your life...and touch your heart.

When was the last time that you told someone to listen carefully? If you have small children or grandchildren you might have said this recently to them. I listed a few scriptures passages yesterday that mentioned listening carefully. It is a recurrent theme with God. He is always listening to us…and He wants us to listen carefully to what He says…to what He has said throughout history to guide and direct mankind. He speaks mainly to the Israelites, His chosen people, but He also speaks directly to individuals like Daniel. Listen carefully. He is still speaking to you and me. I think He not only wants us to hear, but He wants us to apply His words to our lives and pass on His Good News. We have to hear it first…act on it, by repenting and turning to Him, and then to follow Jesus last words.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

To teach, someone has got to be listening carefully. Then they can hear the words of Jesus…obey all the commands I have given you. Listen and obey. It began with Abraham who listened and obeyed when God told him to leave his homeland.

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

God changed Abram’s name to Abraham. He wasn’t perfect…and made mistakes along the way that mankind is still living with, but basically Abraham became a friend of God and was blessed to be the father of great nations, including Israel. He listened and obeyed. Can we do the same? Our obedience can include following the advice of Solomon: guard your heart…by avoiding all perverse talk and corrupt speech. By paying attention to what God says, we please Him. That is the best thing we could ever do. God wants to have a relationship with each of us. How can we do that if we allow corruption in our hearts, minds, or speech? I try to watch what I say and with whom I speak so that I’m surrounding myself with positive, like-minded people and not influenced by someone who is unethical or immoral. Teach your children and grandchildren the importance of choosing their friends wisely and hope that they listen carefully to your wise words.

My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before? you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Proverbs 4:20-27 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Prayer – Hello today, God. It is always such a pleasure to speak with You. I respect You…and Solomon for the wise words I’ve been reading in that book. The Bible is filled with timely good advice. Thank you for giving the world this importance guidance. Help me not only to apply it to my life—to live it—but to also to share it with others. You, Jesus, are the way, the truth, and the life—and give us wisdom by which to live.

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

Verse of Salvation ~ Who is among you who fears the LORD, Who obeys the voice of His Servant, Yet who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust and be confident in the name of the LORD and let him rely on his God. Listen carefully, all you who kindle your own fire [devising your own man-made plan of salvation], Who surround yourselves with torches, Walk by the light of your [self-made] fire And among the torches that you have set ablaze. But this you will have from My hand: You will lie down in [a place of] torment. Isaiah 50:10-11 AMP

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

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Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Friday, April 25, 2025

Don’t Get Sidetracked

This morning, I was praying about what I should write about today…just not feeling any specific direction…and then I thought…“Don’t Get Distracted.” Was there any use of the word “distracted” in the Bible? Sure enough. Solomon had written some wise word about that very thing. It is easy for me to get distracted. A couple hours after I started this writing adventure for the day…being sidetracked by yard work, laundry, reading a couple of devotions, browsing through a few Facebook entries, and having lunch…I’m sitting in the sun trying to type this…but it is just too bright on the screen. I had such good intentions of spending the morning writing and then cleaning my study—at least clearing off my desk!

Solomon often addressed his child as he wrote Proverbs. Throughout the Bible we frequently are advised to “listen” and one of the recurrent ones is to “listen and obey.” Here are a few listening verses.

And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Deuteronomy 4:1

Commit yourself to instruction; listen carefully to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

Let those who are wise understand these things. Let those with discernment listen carefully. The paths of the LORD are true and right, and righteous people live by walking in them. But in those paths sinners stumble and fall. Hosea 14:9

So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. - Hebrews 2:1

God blesses the one who reads the words of this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to its message and obey what it says, for the time is near. Revelation 1:3

Yes, the time is near…and yet unknown. Every day we should be prepared—listening for God’s call. He has given us lots of predictions in Bible prophecy, so we’ll have no excuse if we are not ready. First and foremost is the command to repent—admit that we are sinners and turn to God for forgiveness and acceptance. He loves us with a love that is greater than our sins and Jesus proved this by giving up His life for us.

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. You are my friends if you do what I command. - John 15:12-14

So, back to return to Solomon’s advice, Don’t get sidetracked, I need to get focused…and stay focused. Hard to do on a beautiful spring day when the yardwork and garden are calling me. Then there is the admission, at least to myself, that I am a hoarder and I must GET RID of excess stuff! It is sidetracking me. How about you? Have you committed your life to the Lord…and are you staying on track? Or are you sidetracked by things that divert your attention away from God and what He wants you to do today? Guard your heart…look strait ahead…mark out a straight path…stay on the safe path. God has a plan for you. Seek it out and keep your feet from following evil. Don’t get sidetracked.

Choose your direction - stay on that path.
Signpost in Northern Israel.
Don't get sidetracked.

Prayer – Lord God, help me not to get sidetracked by the tyranny of the urgent that call out to me…do this now…even when I know that I need to follow Your path and keep my eyes, heart, mind and feet focused on what You want me to do. I praise Your name—for I respect You. Thank you for revealing this truth to me so that I am not distracted by worldly and evil things.

Meditate. Consider God’s plan for holiness in your life.

Verse of Salvation ~ Cry out, "Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you." 1 Chronicles 16:35

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

It’s a great day for an outdoor lunch. Consider a picnic in the park…even for supper. Sunshine. Fresh Air. What could be better? How about making some wraps and serve them with fresh apple slices and some cheddar cheese.

Quick Wraps

1 per person - low-carb or keto no-carb tortillas 8 or 10-inch size.

Cream cheese – flavored with herbs or mix in your own oregano, basil, thyme, or chives.

Protein – choose thin sliced turkey, roast beef, ham, fish, hard boiled eggs, mashed beans or hummus.

Lettuce or other mixed greens – about 1 cup per person.

Vegetables – Cooked or raw about1 cup per person: asparagus, thinly sliced lengthwise cucumber, grated carrots, onions, snow peas, sliced peppers, green beans, beets thinly sliced celery, alfalfa or other sprouts, thinly sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced dill pickles, or other vegetables of your choice.

Fruit – if fruits are part of your diet, add small chopped amounts to your wrap.

Cheese – thinly sliced or grated cheese of your choice. For low-fat, choose parmesan, mozzarella, or goat cheese.

Spread creamed cheese onto tortilla. Add lettuce, protein, vegetables and cheese. Roll wrap up and cut into 1-2 inch cross-sections. Store in a covered container until ready to eat. Enjoy!

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

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories