October 12 – Are You Seeking Approval?

I’m not interested in crowd approval. And do you know why? Because I know you and your crowds. I know that love, especially God’s love, is not on your working agenda. I came with the authority of my Father, and you either dismiss me or avoid me. If another came, acting self-important, you would welcome him with open arms. How do you expect to get anywhere with God when you spend all your time jockeying for position with each other, ranking your rivals and ignoring God? But don’t think I’m going to accuse you before my Father. Moses, in whom you put so much stock, is your accuser. If you believed, really believed, what Moses said, you would believe me. He wrote of me. If you won’t take seriously what he wrote, how can I expect you to take seriously what I speak? John 5:41-47 (The Message)

Jesus came to the Jews—to the whole world, but to the Jews first. They for the most part rejected Him—so He turned His attention to the Gentiles. Do you sometimes feel rejected, too? You may try to live a good life, treating others kindly and honestly, and then they reject you. Are you seeking other’s approval? Jesus said He wasn’t interested in crowd approval—but He does seek the approval of one person—one person at a time. That person is you…and me. Each individually. He wants a relationship with each of us—not with a whole crowd at once. Don’t be part of that group that dismisses or avoids Jesus.

How do you establish a “relationship” with Jesus, you may ask? Well, for starters, you need to ask Him to be part of your life. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins. He actually has already died on the cross for those sins, so it’s only polite to ask Him to take those sins away and forgive you. Then learn all you can about Him. Reading the red letter words—His words—in the Bible is a good next step. By reading His word, you’ll begin to renew your mind like Paul taught in Romans. So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 112:1-2 (The Message) Be changed from the inside out! Other translations may say “renewing your mind.”

It is also important to pray—read and pray. Those go hand in hand. Jesus likes to hear His words prayed back to Him. Let Him know what’s bothering you… Be sure to praise Him and thank Him for the answered prayers, victories, and blessings that He gives you day by day, moment by moment. You can never pray too much—He always has an open ear. Seeking His approval is a good thing, rather than seeking the approval of those around you. Don’t avoid Him—let Him be your friend. He’s the best friend that anyone could ever have.

Dear Jesus—Thank you for being our friend, for taking away our sins, and even now for renewing our minds that we would please you. If we ever seem like we are avoiding you—please get our attention and help us to see ourselves as you see us.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 11 – Do You Believe?

You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life. John 5:38-40 NASB

There is nothing left in your memory of his Message because you do not take his Messenger seriously. You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want. John 5:38-40 The Message

Do you know God’s word—is it living in you? Do you believe in God? Or are you unwilling to go to Jesus—to get to know Him—to establish a personal relationship with Him? Are you seeking eternal life—where? In the scriptures or in Jesus Himself? These red letter words challenge us. Reread the two versions above again. The Message may speak to your heart more clearly—don’t miss the forest for the trees. Don’t miss Jesus because you are reading the Bible expecting to find something else.

Jesus was talking to the Jews during His time—but He just as easily could be talking to people today. Are we among the doubters and accusers? Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath so the Jews were persecuting Him—but even more they were upset because Jesus called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. That was blasphemy. Do you not believe that Jesus was the Son of God? I do. And I believe that He can still heal people—even on the Sabbath. It is certain that more prayers are said on a Sabbath day than other days—so maybe more healings take place then, too. So, believe and you will be saved. What is stopping you?

Dear Jesus—I believe You are the Son of God--You are God. Please help my family, my friends and anyone reading this to also believe in You—to receive the life that they want and You are so willing to give to them…abundantly. Thank You.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 10 - Doing the Will of My Father

I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.  John 5:30-37 NASB

Jewish tradition, based on scripture (Deut. 19:15), requires that two witnesses testify before the conviction of an accused person. Here Jesus was saying that He alone couldn’t testify about Himself—two others had to testify about Him. He goes on to tell about two who are His witnesses, John the Baptist and His Heavenly Father. In addition, His own works were His testimony.

Jesus was a man of integrity. He didn’t boast about what He could do or about what He had already done (healing sick and blind people and feeding 5,000 men), but insisted that He couldn’t do anything on His own. He was seeking God’s will.

So what is God’s will? Jesus says in John 4:34, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. (NASB) Additionally, in the Lord’s Prayer Jesus prayed…Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. I know several people who have really struggled with “knowing God’s will for their lives.” I remember spending a considerable amount of time searching the scriptures myself wanting to know what it was that God wanted me to do. What was God’s will for my life? I think God’s direction in Paul’s letter to the Romans provides us with a good answer. Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (NASB) That is stated pretty plainly—that which is good, acceptable and perfect. That takes me back to one of my favorite verses: Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8 (NASB) Think about good things—and you’ll do what is right and is God’s will. This scripture may not give specifics…like what to do for a specific career or spouse, but general guidance on the way to live to please God. Feast on those words today.

 Dear Jesus—I believe you are who you said you are…the Son of God—and you are God. Your testimony is true. Help me to continue to seek God’s will and to focus on the good, acceptable and perfect—the God  things.

Happy Birthday, Mary Ellen! Blessings~

 © 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved

October 9 – Resurrection – to Life or to Judgment

Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. John 5:25-29 NASB

The choice is yours—resurrection to life or resurrection to judgment.

So what is JUDGMENT? Condemnation? The word “judgment” occurs 294 times in the King James Version of the Bible. There are fourteen separate meanings in Hebrew and Greek for judgment. Most are related to punishment, damnation, vengeance, or accusation. It is also associated with lawful, order, worthy, discretion, law, prayer, and supplication in the Old Testament and with righteousness and justification in the New Testament. Jesus was given the authority for judgment by the Heavenly Father. Everyone will stand before Him one day. Those who believe in Him will not face the judgment of eternal damnation—better known as hell. Some people don’t believe that hell really exists—but it does. Search the scriptures for yourself and we’ll discuss this in a couple of months.

There is an encouraging passage in 1 Thessalonians about dead in Christ rising. It describes the rapture. But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NASB

We’ll always be with the Lord! What a wonderful thought. Feast on those words—savor them. Those are tasty words. Always. What a promise! Those who are married have promised “til death do us part….” Always is even longer than that. Forever—eternally. But pay close attention to the John 5:25-29 passage. It says that all who are in the tombs will hear His voice and be resurrected either to life or to judgment. Everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected. There has to be a relationship to Jesus to be resurrected to life and “escape” judgment. No one else escapes. Not someone who has lived a good life, but doesn’t know Jesus as their savior. Not someone who has given lots of money to the church or to charity. Not someone who is kind and good to everyone and to animals. Jesus also tells us pointedly that those who have done evil things will be judged. Where do you fit in this?

Lord Jesus—You have the most difficult job ever—judging others. I ask that you will forgive my sins today and lead me in your righteous way that I might not sin against you. In that day of resurrection let me be found pleasing to you and then able to live with you forever in your glorious Heaven.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 8 - Hope

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 NASB

Eternal life. What does that mean to you? Living forever. An unending celebration. Ten thousand years—or more—with the Lord begin now and will continue on in Heaven. Life, full and abundant.

Believe? Believe occurs 152 times and believes occurs an additional 31 time in the New American Standard Bible. That is a lot of times to think and trust that something is true, to place your confidence in that. In the Old Testament, believe seems to mean more to trust, to confide in or hope, or to stand firm. I believe that Jesus is God—He is the Son of God. When Jesus went back to Heaven, the Father sent the Holy Spirit. It’s complicated, yet so simple. God, Father-Son-Holy Spirit. He is my hope—not only for the future, but for today, this minute, this hour. I know that He is always with me…I have confidence in Him that He will never leave me or forsake me. See Hebrews 13:5 or Deuteronomy 31:6. What a promise…and it is not even in red letters!

Dear God—Thank you for life that is full of Your love and promises. I’m glad you are always with me giving me an abundant life that doesn’t ever have to be boring or dull. Wrap your loving arms around those who are lonely or hurting and help them to feel your presence.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 7 – Truly, Truly Honor Him

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them…
Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father.  He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. John 5:19-23 NASB

The Son imitates the Father. The Father teaches the Son. Honor the Father. Honor the Son. Just like most modern families—well families that have fathers and sons—children imitate their parents. Kids live what they learn from both their parents, although in the father-son relationship there is a bond that is stronger than that of the mother-son. Boys want to grow up to be firemen…or policeman…or maybe a football player…and eventually like their dad, maybe. There is a hero worship there—even if it isn’t a career choice that is the same as Dad’s, then some of the qualities are still desired, or not. Jesus wanted to be like His Heavenly Father. He spent a lot of time talking to Him, praying. “Hey Dad—did you see what I did today? I fed 5,000 guys who came to hear me teach them some of the stuff you taught me. There was a little boy there with a few little fish and some puny barley loaves—so I blessed them, like you taught me—and fed all those men and their families. It was a good picnic. These people down here are pretty special. Thanks for letting me help them, heal them, and teach them about you.” Jesus was imitating His Father. Fathers, be careful what you teach your sons by your words and your actions. They are watching.

The Son gives Life to whom He wishes. God the Father is sitting back and letting the Son judge the humans down here on earth. Those who treat the Son with respect are also treating the Father with respect—giving Him the esteem and honor of which He is worthy. In judgment those who honor the Father and Son will be looked upon more highly.

How do we “respect” the Father…the Son? What have I done today to show honor to the Father or to the Son? For starters I have not worshiped any idols…nor taken God’s name in vain …nor killed, stolen anything, lied, committed adultery, or coveted anything my neighbor owns. That is beginning to look like the Ten Commandments. Yes, so far today I have not broken any of the Ten Commandments. That is a good start at honoring the one who wrote them. How’s your day going? Do you find it challenging to keep all the commandments? Jesus taught … You have heard that the ancients were told, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ' You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:21-22 NASB and…You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28 NASB  More red letter words worth considering. Murder, deceit, adultery can all occur in the mind or heart, as well as in a physical sense. Jesus knows our hearts—we need to honor Him with our very heart, soul and mind.

Dear Jesus—we want to honor You and Your Father, who is our Father. You are watching. Our children are watching. Give us courage and strength to always think and do the right things.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 6 – Do You Want to Get Well? Do Not Sin Anymore

After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters; for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. A man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He said to him, "Do you wish to get well?" The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, pick up your pallet and walk." Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day. So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "He who made me well was the one who said to me, 'Pick up your pallet and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Pick up your pallet and walk'?" But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you." John 5:1-14 NASB

Do not sin anymore…so that nothing worse happens to you. So that nothing worse happens. What could be worse? He had been sick, not able to walk for 38 years—that’s a long time. He had to depend on friends or family to take care of him—but there was no one to carry him to the pool when the waters were stirred. He didn’t need to be that first person to the water—Jesus was there to heal him. That was a miracle. That Jesus performed this miracle at the time of Passover, and on a Sabbath day complicated things for Him. The Jews, actually the Pharisees, were persecuting Jesus and this was just one more thing that they could use against Him—breaking their Sabbath rules by working. All the same it was a miracle.

Our friend Mark who has leukemia just received a bone marrow transplant—please continue to pray for him. Like other BMT patients he has had to deal with possible tissue rejection, fever and blisters—as if the whole BMT process isn’t traumatic enough. Now his white blood cell and platelet counts are rising and things are looking better. Another miracle. God is going before and with Mark and his wife, Karen, through all this. God is good…and merciful. Do you want to get well? Jesus asked the lame man in this passage. I can hear Mark and Karen’s resounding YES—YES—YES! Being sick is no fun—but God is going to use this leukemia and Mark’s healing for His glory. Good will come from it. Praise the Lord for each victory that Mark and Karen have had.

Dear God, just as you healed the lame man by the sheep gate—continue to heal Mark, that he may one day take up his mat—pack his bags and leave—jumping and running—from that hospital. Thank you for Your merciful touch on Mark’s body…and on each of us in some small way. May you continue to provide a healing touch to the bodies, lives and souls of those we know and love…and those we have yet to meet.

© 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 5 – I Believe...

So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe." John 4:48 NASB

Can you believe in Jesus, His power, His miracles, and His future control of the universe? Are you among the group of people Jesus was talking to, “you people” who won’t believe in Him unless you see signs and wonders? Well, you are in good company. Remember that one of His disciples, Thomas, after Jesus’ was resurrected said he wouldn’t believe until he could “see the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side…” John 20:25. He just had a seeing is believing attitude. When he did see Jesus, he believed. Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing." John 20:27 NASB Is that your attitude, too? Do you have to see Jesus or a miracle to believe? Just after Jesus fed 5,000 men near the Sea of Galilee many of them were seeking Jesus because they expected Him to feed them again. But Jesus admonished them to believe in Him since God had sent Him. They still wanted a sign to believe—they wanted Him to perform some work of God. See John 6:22-30. Doubters.

I believe for every drop of rain that falls, a flower grows.

I believe that somewhere in the darkest night, a candle glows.

I believe for everyone who goes astray, someone will come to show the way.

I believe, I believe.

I believe above the storm the smallest pray'r will still be heard.

I believe that someone in the great somewhere hears every word.

Every time I hear a newborn baby cry, or touch a leaf or see the sky,

Then I know why I believe! (Lyrics by Tom Jones)

I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. He is God. Even if we can’t see or touch Him today—He is real. He is still in the miracle business, but He doesn’t have to do a miracle for me to believe—I just do, with all my heart, mind and soul. I guess that is faith in action—believing without seeing.  Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed."  John 20:29 NASB. Great red letter words. In our day and age, we can’t see Jesus—not until we get to Heaven, but ironically, only those who believe will actually get to Heaven. So believe…and one day you will see Jesus!

Jesus—I believe. Even without signs and wonders—I believe. With every drop of rain that falls..I believe.   

2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 4 – Harvest Time

Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."  John 4:34-38 (NASB)

When Jesus spoke these red letter words it was not harvest time yet. Now we are in the midst of harvest—well almost at the end of it. We see lots of apple and potato trucks every day on their way to storage sheds and factories. Crisp juicy apples! Is that the fruit for eternal life? Apples may have been the fruit for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), but the fruit of eternal life could only be the fruit of the Spirit…as found in Galatians 5:22-23. Interestingly enough the same “fruit” is listed in Strong’s concordance meaning for John 4:36 as for Galatians 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) Paul also used this same “fruit” in Romans 1:13 to refer to people. I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. Romans 1:13 (NASB). So think of “fruit” as souls that have made a decision to follow Jesus. Sometimes people when witness to others, the one listening does not make an immediate decision to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Then when they do decide that Jesus is their Savior, others are there to share their joy. That could be considered “reaping” the benefits of believing when there is a time of praising Jesus. So look around you. Who is ready to believe in Jesus? Ask them if they know Jesus as their Savior—or who Jesus is to them? If He is not their Savior, then is there a heart ready for sowing seeds of information about Jesus and His love for them?

Telling others about Jesus should be a labor of love for all Christians, but since we don’t all have the gift of evangelism some people just aren’t comfortable with that responsibility. Frankly, I am one of those who have to push myself outside my box to go out and “harvest” for the Lord.

Jesus, give me some of the boldness of Peter to stand up and witness for You. Help me to plant seeds as well as harvest. You are worthy of our efforts—and so are those lost souls out there who You love just as much as me.

Happy Birthday Blessings, Lisa!

 2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 3 – Life Flowing Water

He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. And He had to pass through Samaria. So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?" Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw." He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here." The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly." The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."  John 4:3-26 NASB

♫ I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me!

Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see!
Opens prison doors, sets the captives free.

I’ve got a river of life flowing out of me!

Spring up o well, within my soul,
Spring up o well, and make me whole
Spring up o well, and give to me                                      
That life abundantly. ♫                                    Words and Music by L. Casebolt



Jesus could have sung that song—about Eternal Life! That living water does spring up within our hearts giving us—giving me—peace, joy, and love from deep within my soul. I can only speak for myself. I know that I have a peace deep in my very being that comes with being right with God and with those around me. When I’m out of sorts with God or someone—feeling guilty over something I’ve done, that peace is just not there. But once I get right with God and everyone else…then that life flowing river of peace is back again.

Do you have this living water for your soul? If not—ask Jesus for it and believe. It is worth anything that you have to give up…smoking, drugs, unforgiving attitudes or addictions. But the funny thing is—even if you don’t give them up, Jesus loves and accepts you anyway. And maybe after you accept Him—those things won’t matter and they’ll go away—or not. Mostly that’s not what matters. Your place in eternity is what does matter…and YOU are the only one who can decide where you want to be. Worship God in your spirit—as well as with your mouth and your whole body. Seek the truth—seek Jesus. Your attitude might even change. Mine did!

Thank You, Jesus for speaking to that woman at the well—and changing her heart and mine, too. I believe You are Messiah!   

 

Happy Okinawa B-day—Lisachan!

2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 2- Do You Believe?

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." John 3:5-21 NASB

Classic red letter words—You must be born again… For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Nicodemus asked “how” and Jesus told him—believe. We have to seek and practice the truth. Pilate and Jesus spoke together in John 18:37. “Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." (NASB) Jesus came to testify or bear witness to the truth. Truth occurs 201 times in the NASB. That is a lot of truth. Jesus says “Truly, truly,” a couple of times just in this passage. Truth is free from pretense, falsehood or deceit. Don’t be amazed—just believe what Jesus has said. It may seem too simple—but it has to be heartfelt—not just head knowledge. I think that believing is a heart action, knowing is a head or brain action. Listen with your heart and hear the truth. That truth will set you free. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:2 (NASB) I like the “not being judged” part, too. Very reassuring that those who believe in Christ and practice truth won’t be condemned to an eternal death.

I grew up going to Sunday School every Sunday. We were taught that Jesus loves us, but never “you must be born again.” When I first heard this and that Jesus was coming back—I thought He would come again as a baby and I wanted to be His mother this time. Later on in a college Bible Study I heard that He is coming on a white horse, not as a baby, to rescue us all. Actually those who have a believing relationship with Him will be caught up to meet Him in the air. Later He’ll come on His white horse to judge those who do not believe and to wage war. See Revelation 19:11, where He is known as Faithful and True. He is Truth, just like it says in John 14:6. Jesus said to him (Thomas), "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (NASB) I believe. How about you?

Dear Jesus—You are Truth. Thank you for revealing Yourself to me that I may believe and truly feast on Your words today.

2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

October 1- Celebrate – Party for the Festival of Booths

Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, 'On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. 'On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. ... 'Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 'You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 'You shall live in booths for seven days; all the native-born in Israel shall live in booths, so that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.'" - Leviticus 23:34-35, 40-43 NASB
On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  (NIV)

Everyone loves a party. This fall festival is really a celebrating time.  It is to be observed with rejoicing. Deuteronomy 16:14-15

Imagine the Israelites wandering in the desert for forty years, parched in the sun. God gave them the festival of Sukkot, or Festival of Booths, to celebrate this third pilgrimage. The first festival was the Passover, commemorating their leaving Egypt. The second festival, Shavuot, was to celebrate the giving of the Ten Commandments and the Torah at Mt. Sinai. In Leviticus 23:42-43, God directed the Israelites through Moses to live in huts for seven during celebration of Sukkot. This third festival also marks the time of harvest before winter. The workers would typically live in huts or tents near the fields, so the “tabernacle booths” associated with this celebration represent the tents of the wandering Israelites and the harvest workers. In addition, this feast is in remembrance of the deliverance of Noah. It is a celebration of joy reminding us of the miracles of God in the past, present and future.

Eat, drink. It’s all part of the “banquet.” Jesus spoke the words in the scripture passage, John 7:37-38, on the last day of the great Feast of Tabernacles. During that festival water was an important part of the daily ceremony, except on the last day. It was on that day that Jesus offered Himself and the Holy Spirit. “Come to me and you will never thirst again.” Each of the first seven days during the festival it was the tradition during the second Temple Period for the priests to carry water from the Pool of Siloam to the silver basin by the altar of burnt offerings in the Temple. People would line the street to the gate of the Temple and sing the Hallel, Psalms 113-118 and wave palm or willow tree branches. At night huge menorahs were lit that could be seen from all over Jerusalem. At daybreak the priests would face the sun, and then turn and face the Temple, proclaiming the Lord as Light and declaring Him as the one true God. The Lord was the light and living water. Jesus, the Light of the World (John 9:5), was right there, but they were not illuminated by Him. Are we now?

This festival occurs at harvest time. In 2012 it will be from sunset September 30^th through October 8^th, so now is the time to observe this festival. Currently to celebrate the Sukkot, Jews create “tabernacle booths” in their backyards, eat their meals there, and maybe even sleep there, unless it is raining. Before the meal they recite or sing Psalm 113 and 114 and after the meal they’ll sing the four other Psalms of the Hallel (115-118). Picture families gathered into booths their backyards—joyfully celebrating and remembering the Hebrew people leaving Egypt with Moses and wandering in the desert.

Forty years of nomadic living, following a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, a couple of million people moved about the desert with blowing sand. It took a lot of water to satisfy all those people. Imagine again how thirsty they must have been at times. Have you ever been truly thirsty? Did plain tap water quench your thirst? Have you ever been spiritually thirsty? Seek Jesus’ words, believe in Him, and you’ll never be thirsty again.

Lord, blessed be your name—from the rising of the sun to its setting, your name is to be praised! Jesus, you are my Lord and Savior—the light of the world and the source of living water.

2012 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.