Banquet With The King: Clueless?

Are you clueless…or just do you not understand how great our God is?

God’s understanding is beyond what we can even imagine—as Isaiah tells us in the Old Testament. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. Don’t worry about not understanding everything. God doesn’t expect us to have wisdom and understanding beyond what He has given us. Some people just have more…or apply it with good common sense. God does expect us to make good decisions with the teachings that He has given us. David discusses this very thing pleading with the Lord in Psalm 119 for understanding.

Help me understand the meaning of your commandments, and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds. I weep with sorrow; encourage me by your word. Keep me from lying to myself; give me the privilege of knowing your instructions. I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations. I cling to your laws. LORD, don't let me be put to shame! I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding. Teach me your decrees, O LORD; I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart. Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you. Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good. I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness. Psalm 119:27-40

Like David, I have chosen to be faithful. I want to understand God's word. How about you?

The prophets who spoke God’s words to the people of Israel, and wrote it down for us, didn’t use their own understanding. God gave them the words to say for Him through the Holy Spirit. Each of us who have accepted Jesus as our Savior have the Holy Spirit within us. Listen for His guidance…and gain understanding of what God wants you to do.

So the LORD must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion. For the LORD is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help. O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will be gracious if you ask for help. He will surely respond to the sound of your cries. Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, "This is the way you should go," whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:18-21

Listen to the Lord by reading His word and by seeking wise Christian advice from friends who are devout. The best way to learn about God is digging into Scripture and really studying it for yourself. Wisely apply what you learn. Don’t be clueless.

Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. Isaiah 40:28

Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts. Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God. 2 Peter 1:19-21

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

Prayer – Lord Jesus, open my eyes, ears, and heart to understanding Your word and to developing a closer relationship with You.

Verse of Salvation ~ Let no one deceive you with empty arguments [that encourage you to sin], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience [those who habitually sin]. So do not participate or even associate with them [in the rebelliousness of sin]. For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light] (for the fruit [the effect, the result] of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn [by experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [and letting your lifestyles be examples of what is most acceptable to Him--your behavior expressing gratitude to God for your salvation]. - Ephesians 5:6-10 AMP

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Some ingredients seem to just hide and you can’t discern them. They are hiding their true identity. Hmmm. What was that flavor? Or what seasoning can we add to bring out the best taste?

Once when we were doing a family time in the kitchen and fixing a traditional Czech meal including our favorite, Boiled Beef with Dill Gravy, we just kept tasting the gravy and it wasn’t quite what we wanted. Finally, my son Mike suggested we add a little lemon juice. Ahhh. The secret ingredient. Perfect flavor! We were no longer clueless and we added it to the recipe.

Boiled Beef and Dill Gravy

3-4 lb beef roast

4 cups water

2 stalks celery

2 whole carrots

1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped

16 ounces sour cream

3 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons vinegar

Lemon juice to taste (~2 tsp or less)

To a large pot add water-beef roast-celery-carrots. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer for about 1½ hours. Take the beef out of the pot. Put in the dill and bring the pot to a boil. Then add the sour cream-sugar-white vinegar and mix very well. Mix the flour with a little water and add it, stirring well so there are no lumps.

Then put the beef back in the pot and cook for about ½ hour. If the gravy is a little thin add a little flour until it is as thick as you like it. After it is done taste the gravy, and add a little salt, sugar or lemon juice if you like. You can serve this beef and gravy with bread dumplings, mashed potatoes, wide noodles, or just boiled potatoes, and of course, sweet and sour cabbage or sauerkraut.

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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Banquet With The King

Friday, May 16, 2025

Clueless?

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