Banquet With The King

Friday, March 12, 2021

Harps in Heaven?

Meditate. Consider Jesus’ righteous deeds…and your relationship with Him.

Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God's wrath to completion. I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

"Great and marvelous are your works, O Lord God, the Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed." Revelation 15:1-4

Once again we see that God is holy—as proclaimed here in our scripture focus for today. This is the God Almighty that the people are singing about—our God. I thought it interesting to note that they were holding harps that God had given them. So many times I’ve heard that angels…not people will be playing harps in Heaven. Actually, this translation, and others, too, says that the people held the harps, not that they played the harps. Those people are apparently the ones who became Christians after the Rapture, who were alive during the Tribulation, did not choose to follow Satan and thus were martyred. They are brave and courageous souls!

Is this a glimpse of Heaven?

This song is honoring God in remembrance of His deliverance of Israel from Egypt and honoring Christ, celebrating the deliverance of God’s people from Satan. It honors the righteous deeds of Jesus. Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? Now…as well as in the past and future…is the time to give glory to the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Our God. The Almighty God. We are privileged to know and serve Him. It is actually awesome to know that this is what will one day take place in Heaven. Through John’s writing the book of Revelation, we have a glimpse at Heaven. Does that draw you into a closer relationship with God—with Christ? Know that He cares about you and me enough to have this plan for our Salvation.

Prayer ~ Dear Lord God, I humbly come before You, knowing that You are the ultimate victor in Heaven…and on Earth. One day I too will sing before You. For now, I praise Your Holy Name and declare that You are my God, my Savior and my King.

Verses of Salvation ~ I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Philippians 1:9-11 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

We can’t live just on spiritual food or on bread alone. What is your favorite food? Considering that we are going to have a banquet one day…hopefully soon…in Heaven, what foods do you anticipate being served…or serving others? I imagine that there will be foods from all different ethnic groups and I look forward to sampling lots of different foods! Bring on some Greek gyros and some spicy Indian food. Yum. Actually, some hummus is a good basic food that I’m sure will be served at the King’s Banquet.

Hummus
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (start with 1 cup dried, soak and cook in 4 cups of water for three hours) OR 1 can garbanzo beans (15 oz.) drained, reserve liquid
1/4 cup tahini (sesame butter)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
6 cloves garlic, grated with microplane grater (or more if preferred, never too much garlic)
1 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp horseradish (optional)

1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)

pepper to taste
paprika or fresh parsley to garnish

Chop garbanzos in food processor; blend in the rest of ingredients, including some of the reserved liquid until smooth and it reaches your desired consistency. This gets better with age, so prepare it a day before if you like. Pour into serving bowl & sprinkle with paprika or parsley, or top with a little more olive oil. Serve with triangles of soft pita bread, crisp pita chips, sliced cucumber, carrots, celery, sliced fresh sweet peppers or sliced apples.

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

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Thursday, March 11, 2021

Only One Way

Meditate. Think about what Jesus has done for you...and about a Banquet with Him someday!

After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you. For you have given him authority over everyone. He gives eternal life to each one you have given him. And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth." John 17:1-3

Old Olive Trees
Garden of Gethsemane - Israel

Jesus spoke these words in the Garden of Gethsemane in a prayer to the Father just before He was arrested, tried, and crucified. The hour had come. Jesus was about to complete the work He came to earth to do. Sure…He had healed the sick, made the lame to walk and the blind to see. He had fed over 9,000 people, walked on water, raised three people from the dead, cast out demons and shared His life and teachings with His disciples and followers. Yet, now the last big job assignment—sacrificial death on a cross—was before Him. Do you suppose He felt like saying, “Hey, Dad…how about I don’t do this? It’s going to be ugly and painful. Can you let me off the hook?” No. Jesus yielded His desire not to experience the cross to obediently following His Father’s plan for a once for all sacrifice for mankind—to finally not just placate, but ultimately eliminate the need for a sacrifice for sin. Jesus blood was shed just like millions of lambs and bulls’ blood had been offered in a sacrifice for sin. Although He was sinless, He took all of mankind’s sin upon Himself there on that cross—that everyone would have the opportunity for eternal life. His goal was to bring glory to God.

Can you humbly confess your sin and repent? By confessing our sins, we acknowledge that we have sinned…for everyone sins…and that Jesus died for our sins. By repenting—turning away from willfully committing sin—we can then accept what Jesus did for us sacrificially on that cross. He paid our sin debt…and that allows us to be holy. Holy…just as Adam was created before the taking of the forbidden fruit. Holy…just as Jesus is. It is only in this holiness that we can one day stand before the Throne of the Almighty God—for He is holy and pure. Glory be to God the Father. One day we will walk in the garden of Paradise with Jesus…just like Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden of Eden. Although I couldn’t find a scripture passage that promises that we’ll do just that…we know that we will have a Banquet with the King of Kings in Heaven. I’m so looking forward to that! How about you?

Prayer ~ Dear Lord Jesus, Thank You for obediently going to the cross for me…and for all of mankind. Once again I humbly seek your forgiveness and rejoice that You hear my prayers and take them to the Father. You are an awesome God. I am looking forward to a great banquet with You in Heaven.

Verse of Salvation ~ There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Jesus is the One Way.

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

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Wednesday, March 10, 2021

Forever is a Long Time

Meditate. Consider eternity and your relationship with the Eternal One.

All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

He never dies. God is eternal. He always has been…and always will be. We are remined of this briefly in Revelation.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end," says the Lord God. "I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One." Revelation 1:8

That concept of no beginning and no end are really hard for us humans to get our mind around. Alpha—the first letter in the Greek alphabet and Omega—the last letter in that alphabet—would have been an understandable concept to the people first reading the scripture in its original Greek. For us, maybe some would grasp the idea of “I am A to Z” but that just doesn’t have the same feeling or oomph to it.

The Bird of Paradise
Paradise is Heaven.
Will I see you there?

At any rate—God the Father is unseen for now. One day we, who are obedient to Him and have our sins washed away by the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, will see Him seated on His Throne in Heaven and we will worship Him there—with a billion other people and angels! What a day that will be! There were probably hundreds of thousands of people who saw Jesus, our Lord and Savior, when He was alive on earth. He did die…and He lives. That resurrection from the dead is what make Christianity unique among all religions. Our Savior lives—even though He was put to death over 2,000 years ago. He, along with the Heavenly Father, is eternal—The Almighty One. He will never die again. That gives us hope. Hope for a future in Heaven with Him. An eternal life for each of us…in a home that He is creating just for us. Jesus told His disciples…and us…

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going." "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." John 14:1-6

Although some, like Thomas, might not believe, Jesus was explaining that the way to the Father…and Heaven…if to believe in Jesus as Savior. The Messiah. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Through His sacrifice on the cross, He provided a means for us to become pure and holy so that we can one day stand before the Throne of the Holy God—The Almighty One.

I have hope. Jesus is my Savior. On that day when your home is ready and Christ calls you, will you be able to stand before the Throne of the Almighty One?

Prayer ~ Jesus, Thank You for Your promise…"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really loved me, you would be happy that I am going to the Father, who is greater than I am." John 14:27-28. Thank you for the peace of mind that You give. I am not afraid. I look forward to Your return.

Verse of Salvation ~ So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. 2 Timothy 2:10

Can you say this…I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation? All honor and glory to God.

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

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Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Look in Your Heart for a Treasure

Meditate. Consider your own relationship and covenant with the Lord.

Then Moses climbed the mountain to appear before God. The LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "Give these instructions to the family of Jacob; announce it to the descendants of Israel: 'You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.' This is the message you must give to the people of Israel." Exodus 19:3-6

I love that I am a special treasure to God from among all the peoples on earth! All the people—really?! That is a lot of people throughout all of time and all around the world. Well—everyone who believes in Jesus, obeys God and keeps His covenant—His Commandments—are His precious treasures, too. I am not alone—there are millions of us from every nation and every tribe. Heaven is going to be an amazing place with all the variety of people, voices, languages and personalities. It is going to be exciting…for forever. And we are going to be God’s kingdom of priest…a holy nation. What an exciting promise. Study this passage for yourself. See yourself as a precious treasure as you keep His covenant.

What is God’s covenant? There were several covenants that God made with His people in the Old Testament. The covenants with Adam and Eve in Eden; with Noah; with Abraham and his family; with David and Solomon, to name a few. God promised to be their God and to provide a Promised Land in which they could live with all their families, an abundance of food, safety and a Savior. Jesus promised a new covenant, Himself, that we have recorded in the New Testament.

After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. " Luke 22:20

You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. Hebrews 12:24

I will never leave you or forsake you.

What would a covenant between you and God look like? God promised in Deuteronomy 31:6-8 and Hebrews 13:5 that He would never leave us or forsake us. I like that promise and had it inscribed on a ring when I was visiting Israel. To make it complete, I promised the same to God…and incidentally, to my husband…“I will never leave You or forsake You.” That is my covenant with God. Is there a special promise from God that you claim…or one that you have promised to Him? Can you consider that your “covenant” with Him?

Prayer ~ Lord, I seek to honor and love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Show me anything in my life that is displeasing to You and cleanse my heart that my life may be purified and made holy before You. You are an awesome God—the true and living God. I praise You name.

Verses of Salvation ~ While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:7-10

Just a life note…

The scripture today mentions eagles. I was excited to see eagle perched in a tree a couple of miles from my home last week. Majestic and beautiful!

My son and his family live in the migratory flight path of the Sandhill Cranes and they’ve been hearing and seeing the cranes fly overhead for about a week. They make a lovely trumpeting, cooing sound—not a honk like geese. On Saturday we saw more of the cranes headed north.

Sandhill Cranes feeding near West Richland, WA

Spring is here! The Sandhill Cranes are on the move!

© 2021 Text, photos and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Look in your heart for the treasure God sees there.

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Monday, March 8, 2021

Power Over Darkness

Meditate. Do you believe that Jesus is God? Do you believe in His power to heal? In His power over darkness?

After Jesus left the girl's home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, "Do you believe I can make you see?" "Yes, Lord," they told him, "we do." Then he touched their eyes and said, "Because of your faith, it will happen." Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, "Don't tell anyone about this." But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region. Matthew 9:27-31

“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” Jesus had just raised a little girl from the dead. What amazing power! Now he was asked to be merciful to these two blind guys. He asked them first if they believed. Then Jesus touched the eyes of these two blind men and because they believed—they had faith in Jesus’ power—they were healed. But Jesus told them not to tell anyone about their healing. They were too overjoyed with the miracle of their healing to keep that news to themselves. They spread the news about Him in all the land. Believing is seeing.

Could you have been obedient and let no one know about it? It would have been obvious to everyone around them—they no longer needed help doing simple everyday tasks like cooking or baking—and what kind of work could a blind person do? Certainly not that of a blacksmith or a carpenter. Now they were able bodied. Of course they wanted to rejoice! They could see the creation of God again! It takes light...and the power over darkness...to see. No more stumbling around in the dark...misguided and lost. They could see and now knew the true light...Jesus.

Prayer ~ Lord, help us to listen to you and share only where and when you want us to.

Sunset on the Columbia River.

I once was blind...but now I see.

Verses of Salvation ~ "Listen to me, my people. Hear me, Israel, for my law will be proclaimed, and my justice will become a light to the nations. My mercy and justice are coming soon. My salvation is on the way. My strong arm will bring justice to the nations. All distant lands will look to me and wait in hope for my powerful arm. Isaiah 51:4-5

God has salvation of His chosen people in His plan for the future. Pray for Israel…and be ready yourself for we don’t know when Jesus will call His chosen people—those who believe in Him. The power of the Lord is evident to those who have faith like the blind men. Be prepared, spiritually.

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

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What brings light and understanding to your life and to those in your family?

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Their Choices Made the Land Desolate

Meditate. Are you paying attention and listening to the Lord?

Prickly cactus in desolation.
Is your heart like a cactus?

Then the word of the LORD came to Zechariah saying, "Thus has the LORD of hosts said, 'Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.' But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears from hearing. They made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts; "but I scattered them with a storm wind among all the nations whom they have not known. Thus the land is desolated behind them so that no one went back and forth, for they made the pleasant land desolate." Zechariah 7:8-14

Stubborn hearts—rejecting the wise and kind words of guidance that the Holy Spirit was giving the Israelites. Just like any loving father teaching his children: be kind—play nice. But the stubborn little brats say, “No! I want to do it my way.” Hadn’t they heard of the Golden Rule? "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” Matthew 7:12. Hardening their hearts towards the Lord was not a wise thing. How often do we do that? Sometimes just a little stiffness. I want to do my own thing…my own way. Just like a three year old--or a prickly cactus.

Step back. Deep breath. Focus on the Lord. Listen. Listening is a very important skill. Really listen. What do you hear Him saying to you? Justice , kindness, compassion? How will you respond? Like the Israelites—who refused to listen—or are your choices turning your heart towards God? If we don’t choose God’s ways will our land become desolate?

Prayer ~ Holy Spirit, please bless and guide us that we would make wise and righteous decisions that would result in justice, kindness and compassion for those around us.

Verses of Salvation ~ "If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too." Ezekiel 3:20-21

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

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Saturday, March 6, 2021

Can You Be God’s Hands and Feet?

Meditate. Ask God to bless you with understanding as you study and apply His word. How can you enhance your relationship with Him?

Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News? And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?" So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. 1 Peter 4:12-19

…if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. What a great promise! God will never fail you…if you are doing what is right. Jesus gave us a simple statement about what is right…Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Do the right thing by everyone. Paul goes even deeper with his teaching of the Philippians. Think and then do.

Think pure thoughts.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me--everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

James confirmed that we need to be “doers” too. We need to put into action what we have learned from God. Do you find yourself just sitting in church or in front of your TV watching the service or other teaching on YouTube…but you don’t “do” anything much for God? Listen up and start “doing” something.

But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. James 1:22-27

James gives us some specifics here: caring for orphans and widows in their distress.

When His disciples asked about the End Times, Jesus described it in many ways, including this description of caring for others.

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' Matthew 25:31-40

So, listening isn’t enough. Go and do likewise. What will you do today to help others? Feed someone, give them some water or clothes? How can you be God’s hands and feet today?

Prayer ~ Lord God, show me specific opportunities today that I may serve You by helping others.

Verses of Salvation ~ So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Romans 8:1-3

Bible Trivia ~ February 20 - Why didn’t King David build the Temple for God in Jerusalem?

Answer – As a warrior David had seen too much bloodshed, so God chose to have his son, Solomon, build the Temple. (See 1 Chronicles 22:8)

This week’s Trivia: Can you place these words in the proper order for a familiar verse?

are for see heart they in blessed shall the pure God

[My computer hard drive failed…so I’m behind in my Bible Trivia…sorry.]

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

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Friday, March 5, 2021

Give Away Your Worries

Meditate. Pray for wisdom and understanding as you study God’s Word.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:6-7

God—the great Sovereign Diety—from the Greek word theos. This mighty God—all powerful—cares about us and wants to honor us. That is awesome, but humbly, it is we should be honoring Him. Peter wrote…Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. That is just what Jesus told the multitudes as recorded in the book of John.

Old Yoke at the Charleston museum.
One person would use this to carry a heavy burden.

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

"Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV

What a wonderful promise. If we give Jesus our cares and worries—especially evident during this time of COVID stress—He will carry our troubles with us. Interesting to note that in the variety of translations as in the NLT above, Jesus is giving a burden. Other translations don’t include this “give” aspect of the burden. Listen to what the Lord has for you today. Let Him teach you something new that you can apply to your life and your relationship with Him. And rest--yes, rest in His love.

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Matthew 6:33

Prayer ~ Lord, I come to You and cast all my cares on You…I lay all of my burdens down at your feet. I give them to You to carry with Your yoke. You are an awesome God and I humbly admit that I am not all that I could be. Cleanse my heart and soul that all that I think, say and do would be acceptable to You.

Verse of Salvation ~ Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:5-8

Friday’s Feasting at the King’s Table

We can’t live on bread alone—we need fats and fasting, too. Fasting is a great and healthy way to lose weight. Lower those carbs and proteins, too, and your body will burn fat. One of my brothers has lost 50 pounds! Wow! What an inspiration. He’s healthier for loosing those extra pounds…and I am heading for loosing a few myself!

How you fast depends on your body, your determination and your attitude. I’ve discovered that an eighteen hour fast is good for me—going eighteen hours with only water and herbal tea—no sweeteners. Check out some of the YouTube videos or Google for fasting methods. Fasting has different purposes. You maybe already fasting to draw closer to and focus your attention on God and God alone during this Lenten season…or just in general. There are many instances of fasting in the Bible. Esther called for a fast for the Jews in Babylon and Jesus Himself directed people to wash up and not be sad when not if they were fasting. So, fast with liquids only, a meal a day or for an extended time knowing that it will purify your soul and mind as well as your body. Blessings as you fast.

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

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Thursday, March 4, 2021

Think Clearly

Meditate. Who is God to you? Are you looking to Him for your salvation?

So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy." And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as "foreigners in the land." For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. 1 Peter 1:13-21

God is your Father…if you believe in Him and in Jesus as your Savior. Peter was instructing Jesus’ followers to live as God's obedient children. The message is the same for us as followers of Jesus Christ today. Again, this God is the theos, Greek word translated as Supreme Deity. He is our Father, the ruler of all, and so powerful that He can raise people from the dead. Give Him glory. To add to God’s attributes here, He is love above all love. The Heavenly Father gave up His one and Son so that our sins could be atoned for with the shedding of blood. Just as Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden was atoned for by the sacrifice of animals, Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God shed His blood on the cross for the sins of mankind…you and me. That merciful action towards us allows us the privilege of one day standing before the Throne of the Supreme Deity—our Heavenly Father—pure and spotless, sin free. That is the only way that we can ever be in the presence of God. Sinless, pure and holy.

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:14-16

Come boldly before the throne. The Throne of God—the Holy One—who wants us to be holy, too.

Peter gave us such wisdom in our focus scripture passage. Think clearly. That is so important during these stressful days of the COVID pandemic. Think clearly. Don’t let others demands and restrictions control you to the point that you don’t think for yourself. Make your own decisions and above all put Jesus Christ first in your life. Think clearly. Exercise self-control. Don’t put yourself in harms way…protect your family—mask up when necessary (hopefully not in your own home) and social distance as appropriate—but don’t forsake the assembling together with other Christians, serving others or helping your neighbors. Those things are important, too. God wants us to love Him and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Those summarize the Ten Commandments and were Jesus’ statement as to the greatest commandments. Good objectives by which to live. By living with those goals in mind we will be pleasing God…and attaining the holiness He desires. Yet we can truly only do that by God’s grace—His unmerited favor in our lives.

For I am the LORD your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. So do not defile yourselves with any of these small animals that scurry along the ground. For I, the LORD, am the one who brought you up from the land of Egypt, that I might be your God. Therefore, you must be holy because I am holy. Leviticus 11:44-45 (Underlined for emphasis.)

We can only hope to attain holiness before the Lord. It is my goal…is it yours?

Prayer ~ Lord God, purify me, as David wrote… Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51:10-11. I look forward to standing before You someday…pure and holy.

Verse of Salvation ~ Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:12

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

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Wednesday, March 3, 2021

God is Patient

Meditate.

Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, "What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created." They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:3-9

Love God...Love Your Neighbor

Last days are coming…we don’t have to hear some predictions to know that. The end of life as we know it is inevitable. In these last days—anytime after the birth of Jesus—there will be scoffers who doubt the truth of Jesus…and will mock Him. They do what they want to do…not following the Ten Commandments…or even the two basic commands: Love God and Love Your Neighbor. Those were summarized by Jesus when He was asked which were the most important commandments.

This God that made the heavens is the one that has been translated from the Greek word in the original text, theos, meaning the supreme Deity. It also is used for the Trinity…The Father, Son and Holy Spirit of the Godhead we worship. Jesus is God and it is He who created the Heaven and the Earth. Read Genesis 1:1-8 and John 1:1-10. This is the God that is all powerful…and yet loves each one of us. One day there will be a judgment and those who are wicked and ungodly. Those who have ears need to hear that promise. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. Our God is a loving God…but He is also fair and just. For now, He is patient It may be a day or a thousand years before Jesus returns for His church…but we are to be ready. Are you?

Prayer ~ Lord God, please continue to be patient with us…like You we want more people to be saved—to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Yet, even now we want You to come quickly, Jesus!

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

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Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Don’t Be Deceived – Have Hope

Meditate. Does hope strengthen your relationship with God?

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. But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed. 2 Peter 1:20-21 - 2 Peter 2:1-3

This God that Peter wrote about is the true God—the only God…translated from the Greek word theos. He is also referred to as Master. God inspired the prophets…instructed them in just what to say…just what to write. But we are to be aware that there are also false prophets that not only deny God, as Master, but they teach immorality. Wouldn’t you say that is what is happening in our world today? Have you ever experienced such subtle and subversive teaching tactics? Movies and television have prepared us for this COVID pandemic with all the “entertainment media” that has portrayed virus epidemics, vaccinations, and political upheaval which will result in worldwide economic reset. Clever lies to get hold of your money. Our brains were already attuned to the disruption of our routines and the chaos that evolved. What is next? If the entertainment media is following some unknown script, we are in for alien invasions, power failures and natural disasters. Well, the Bible does predict the natural disasters—earthquakes and such—along with wars and rumors of wars. Jesus told us to be prepared. We have hope of Heaven.

But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him—speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction. I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen. 2 Peter 3:13-18

Don't be deceived.
Even small lies like small snakes can be dangerous

Be aware…be on guard so that you won’t be deceived. And be prepared to tell others when they ask about your hope.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 1 Peter 3:15

Do you have hope in the future…a hope in Christ?

Prayer ~ Lord God, open our eyes to see Your truths and help us to be prepared to give an account of the hope we have in You…our Lord and Savior…and resurrection. Your resurrection and ours, someday!

Verse of Salvation ~ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5 (Underlined for emphasis.)

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

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Monday, March 1, 2021

An Eternity Awaits

Meditate. Consider how knowing God more will deepen your relationship with Him.

Will you wear a white robe?

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?" Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them. Revelation 6:9-11

This title, Sovereign Lord, is translated from the Greek word despotes, meaning Master or Supreme Authority. In this case we can understand that God the Father is being addressed as the Sovereign Lord, as He is the only one who knows when everything is going to happen. We are told that even Jesus doesn’t know God’s plan completely. Now some may argue that this verse below only refers to Jesus Second Coming…but you read it for yourself in the context of what Jesus said, and decide for yourself.

However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. Matthew 24:36

Only the Father knows. At any rate, we can count on God the Father, our Sovereign Lord, who has a specific plan for eternity. As long as we believe in Him…and in Jesus as our Savior…then we will be assured of eternity with Him. The decision is up to each of us where we will spend eternity. With God…or away from Him. Personally, I choose God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. I want to know Him more fully…day by day. What is your decision today? We can only hope that we won't have to be martyred, but for Jesus...we can do all things.

Prayer ~ O LORD, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. Psalm 88:13 You are my Master and my Sovereign Lord…and I trust in You for my future.

Verse of Salvation ~ But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The LORD is great!" Psalm 40:16

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Will you begin a new month with a commitment to a daily devotional study?