Banquet With The King

Saturday, June 12, 2021

Trust God to Bless You

Meditate. What is your level of obedience to the Lord?

ח‎ [Heth] LORD, you are mine! I promise to obey your words! With all my heart I want your blessings. Be merciful as you promised. I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands. Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to your instructions. I rise at midnight to thank you for your just regulations. I am a friend to anyone who fears you--anyone who obeys your commandments. O LORD, your unfailing love fills the earth; teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:57-64

Heth or kheh-t is a guttural sound that we don’t have in the English language. It is a sound that someone might make when they are clearing their throat. Can you imagine that sound in words that describe obedience to God?

In this Psalm Ezra is again appealing to God for blessing and mercy as he professes to obey God’s words and commands. Blessing—make me happy, Lord. He seems to be saying, “I’m following Your ways, Lord, so be compassionate and merciful to me.” Is that what it takes to get God’s attention and be blessed by Him? If that was all it takes, then I think there’s be a lot more obedience and people would be spending a lot more time on their knees. I’m good…so give me this…and give me that. But that is not how it works. But you may say…Jesus told us to ask for whatever we need in His name and we’ll get it.

At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy. John 16:23-24

Don't be crabby.
Be content.
Be happy.
Be blessed.

Ask. Build your relationship with the Lord.

Consider what your plans are for the future. What will you be doing in five years? Like Ezra, I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. I’m in those latter years of my life—but I still feel that it is important to have goals. Without goals you get where you want to be…NO WHERE! So have some goals for your life. Spiritual goals—

1. What would you like to accomplish spiritually this year?

2. What attitude or habit needs to change?

3. How would you like God to use you?

4. What ministry could utilize your unique gifts?

5. What ministry could benefit from your leadership?

6. What level of intimacy would you like to have with God?

7. What friend would you like to lead to Christ?

8. Who do you want to be your mentor…and who do you want to mentor?

Trust God to bless you as you seek and serve Him.

Prayer ~ Open my eyes Lord to see just how You want me to live…and please do bless me, not for my obedience, but for my love for You.

Verse of Salvation ~ For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There's no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

Bible Trivia Answer to the Question ~ What does it mean to be “blessed”?

To be blessed is to be happy. Some translations translate the blesses as “blessed” or happy.

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way. Matthew 5:3-12

God wants us to be content…to be happy with our life. Paul wrote about being content with his life. He is a good example for us…be happy…be content with where we are in life and with what God has provided us.

How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:10-13

Bible Trivia Question for next week ~ Who will see Jesus when He comes again? Who will bow down to Him?

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

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Friday, June 11, 2021

Hope and Comfort

Meditate.

ז[Zayin] Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. The proud hold me in utter contempt, but I do not turn away from your instructions. I meditate on your age-old regulations; O LORD, they comfort me. I become furious with the wicked, because they reject your instructions. Your decrees have been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived. I reflect at night on who you are, O LORD; therefore, I obey your instructions. This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments. Psalm 119:49-56

Zayin, or ZA/yee-n, is the seventh Hebrew letter listed in Psalm 119. It has all the Z sounds that our letter Z has in words like zoo, zone, zinc, citizen and plaza. What words that you can associated with God begin with Z? Zealous. Zany? (He is imaginative!) Zion. (He chose Jerusalem as His city.) Zoology, zebra, and zirconium. He is the creator of all animals, rocks and minerals. He is the beginning and the end—which we usually hear associated with the Greek alphabet letters of Alpha and Omega. Yes, He is in English terms the A and the Z…the beginning and the end.

Ezra is appealing to God for Him to remember His promise—to give hope, which can only come from God. Ezra is confident that that hope refreshes and comforts him because he focuses on God’s instructions, guidance and commands. Hope. It is what give Ezra the desire to be obedient to God. Once again obedience is the driving force that keeps him going. Think about it. Is it hope in God—in an eternal future with Him—that encourages you to be obedient? What is the motivation that keeps you in a relationship with the Lord? What is it that comforts you and makes you furious when others reject God?

Prayer ~ God…Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. You bound yourself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that You would never change Your mind. So You have given both Your promise and Your oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for You to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to You for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. From Hebrews 6:16-18. You are our hope.

Verses 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

Friday’s Feasting at the King’s Table

Endlessly delicious.

We can’t live on bread alone and we don’t want our children or grandchildren to live on just chicken nuggets. As Ruth Reichl wrote in regards to children… “Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious.” From Chapter 24 of her book “Save Me the Plums.” That is it. Have your kiddos take a taste. Just one bite. Hopefully they will discover how endlessly delicious food can be. If they like it, OK. If not, it is OK to spit it out, gracefully, into a paper napkin. Everyone has their own tastes and it may be a texture quality that is hard to swallow. At every meal offer something…even if it is a second, third or fourth trial. Sooner or later they may decide they like it—especially if they see you or others, like their peers, enjoying it. that's what I did with my kids...and they are gourmet cooks and love different foods!

A friend of mine whose grandson is in kindergarten just shared a continuing saga about her little guy. Life is complicated and he is the pickiest eater ever who was still wanting to just suck applesauce out of the tube. Recently he has finally eaten a real meal because his school, now full-time, serves lunch to all the kids and he didn’t want to not eat in front of his friends. Peas, beans, corn, fruit, mac and cheese. Hurrah! Here’s to school lunches! Now school will be ending soon. Will he continue to eat well? Oh yes. He’ll remember how good that food at school tasted with his friends. He had to chew it up himself, releasing good flavors to his tongue. That tongue, that God created, will continue to rejoice!

Choose some fresh fruit and vegetables today. The season is here for fresh local ripe cherries. They are the best…raw and fresh. Enjoy!

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

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Thursday, June 10, 2021

Are You Feeling Loved?

Meditate on God’s love, laws and commands.

ו ‎ [Waw] LORD, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me. Then I can answer those who taunt me, for I trust in your word. Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever. I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed. How I delight in your commands! How I love them! I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees. Psalm 119:41-48

Waw, vahv or va-v is the sixth letter in the Hebrew alphabet. Imagine a poem written in English with every stanza written beginning with the sixth letter of our alphabet…F. What words, or phrases, can you think of that begin with F that can be associated with love and God? Faithful, forgiving, fair, feeling, forget, future with hope, fantastic, forbearing, fond, fond, firm, fearless, and friend.

Are you feeling loved? God offers us unfailing and unconditional love. Ezra, who wrote this Psalm, was pleading with the Lord to be loved with an unfailing love. Give me Your Love. Do you want His love? Are you feeling His love? With His love are you delighting in and obeying His commands, decrees and instructions? To know God, you need to know what He stands for and what He expects of those who know and love Him. What He expects is obedience.

Love and obedience are the keys to knowing and loving our God. Love is the key to having a good relationship with God…with anyone. Look at what the Apostle John wrote in reminding us to love one another.

I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:5-9

One of the most popular children’s song is “Jesus Loves Me” and it is well known that it is all about love. Jesus’ love is written about all through the Bible. Paul wrote about loving one another in his letter to the church at Thessalonica, encouraging us as we wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

Amen. Let it be so. Love one another. Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Are you feeling the love? Do you love yourself?

Prayer ~ Lord God, Your commandments say, "You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet." These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself." From Romans 13:9. Show me how to intentionally love my neighbor and myself. By serving others, I am serving You…loving You and loving others as I love myself.

Verse of Salvation ~ LORD, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me. Psalm 119:41

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

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Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Walking a Happy Path

Meditate. Be reassured of God’s promises.

ה‎ [He] 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 119:33-40

Reassure me of your promise…Renew my life with your goodness. Great things for Ezra to ask of the Lord in this passage of scripture where Ezra continues to plead with the Lord for understanding.

The Hebrew letter He, hay, or heh-y is the sixth letter of their alphabet. Ezra wrote each stanza in this section to start with that He letter. It is essential to note that Hebrew is read from right to left so that each word begins on the right with the sound of the word beginning with the letter to the furthest right.

For example: שמע which sounds like sheh/MA is “hear” as in “Hear O Israel”

               ש is the shee-n or see-n with the sound of sheh
               מ is mehm with the sound of MA
               ע is AH/yee-n and is silent.

When I tried using an on-line translator to translate some of the key words in this passage from Psalm 119 they did not appear to begin with any association to the He letter, ה. Bible translation is not an easy task! I really admire those who can do that--trained and inspired.

We can only trust that the true Bible translators associated with our many translations were proficient in their interpretation, transformation and paraphrasing of God’s words. Like Ezra we can ask God to…turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. Give me life! When I think about God giving us life…I think about eternal life, but here it could be just a renewed life that sees things through God’s eyes…the good….

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. Philippians 4:8

Take the path that leads to God.
Take someone along with you.
Kim & Amelia - hiking Badger Mt.

God sees everything—but He turns away from the cursed and evil things of this world and likewise wants us to focus on the good, pure and admirable things, too. He wants us to be holy just like He is. He wants us to walk along the path of His commands. The narrow path of holiness and righteousness. Can you enter into your relationship today with holiness in your thoughts and heart? Walking a happy path is a good thing to do!

Prayer ~ Lord God, 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 119:38-40. I praise You…and long for Your return, Jesus. Revive me, Lord, especially today. Fill me with Your joy as I celebrate life and love.

Verses of Salvation ~ Now restore us again, O God of our salvation. Put aside your anger against us once more. Will you be angry with us always? Will you prolong your wrath to all generations? Won't you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Psalm 85:4-6

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

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Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Do You Need to Be Revived?

Meditate. Meditate on God’s wonderful deeds.

ד‎ [Daleth] I lie in the dust; revive me by your word. I told you my plans, and you answered. Now teach me your decrees. 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. Psalm 119:25-32

This section of Psalm 119 begins with the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Daleth, so that each stanza begins, repetitiously, with the symbol ד known as daleth.

Ezra, the author, seems to be pretty miserable here. He came back from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple which had been destroyed when the Babylonians invaded Jerusalem, taking most of the inhabitants captive. The Temple, as well as the other buildings and homes, and the walls that surrounded the city were in rubble. It is not unusual that Ezra would say he was lying in the dust. The city of Jerusalem was a pile of ruins, weeds, brabbles and…dust. Ezra had been a scribe (see Ezra 7:1-13) and a priest in Babylon, so he was not used to manual labor. He just really wanted to see the Temple reconstructed and to teach the Jewish people about their God.

This Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given to the people of Israel. He came up to Jerusalem from Babylon, and the king gave him everything he asked for, because the gracious hand of the LORD his God was on him. ... This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel. Ezra 7:6, 10

He wanted to know God’s laws, but more than that he wanted to understand the meaning of those commandments, to obediently live by them and to teach them to the Israelites. Many of the Israelites who had been born during captivity in Babylon had not been taught or followed all of the Jewish laws. The rebuilding of the Temple was critical to the continued growth of the Jewish nation. Now here was one of their key teachers…in the dust, wanting to be revived by God. Do you sometimes feel that same way…wanting to be revived or to have your relationship with the Lord revived? God’s word revives those who seek Him. Restores, renews, and even resuscitates. Without Him…without His word in my life I am a sad, even to the point of depressed, waif. Seeking God, I find Him and He brings joy to my life. If only I can remember to do that on a regular basis…seek Him and find Him in His word. Instant revival.

God's word is a key to renewal in my live.

Prayer ~ Lord God, Won't you revive us again, so your people can rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways. Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, so our land will be filled with his glory. Psalm 85:6-9

Verse of Salvation ~ Turn us again to yourself, O LORD God of Heaven's Armies. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved. Psalm 80:19

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

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Monday, June 7, 2021

Open My Eyes to See the Wonderful Truths

Meditate. Consider if you open your eyes, ears and heart to God’s word.

ג‎ [Gimel or GHEE] Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey your word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. I am only a foreigner in the land. Don't hide your commands from me! I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations. You rebuke the arrogant; those who wander from your commands are cursed. Don't let them scorn and insult me, for I have obeyed your laws. Even princes sit and speak against me, but I will meditate on your decrees. Your laws please me; they give me wise advice. Psalm 119:17-24

The third letter in the Hebrew alphabet is ghee. In this portion of Psalm 119 all the stanzas, each verse, begins with the letter ghee. We lose that repetitious effect with translation into English, but we are still able to understand this scripture…and to realize that things have not changed in over two thousand years. We still meditate on God’s word, seek to understand and obey it, and value the wise advice that is provided in those words.

The great Temple
Destroyed by the Babylons in about 586 BC.
Ezra came to Jerusalem to reuild the Temple.
This is a model of old Jerusalem...in Jerusalem now.

Destroyed again in 70 AD.
Will it ever be rebuilt again?

Interestingly, almost all of Psalm 119 is addressed to the Lord. You can see in this section that the author, presumably Ezra, is pleading and requesting of God to open his eyes to understanding His truth and instructions. He speaks of being a foreigner, so this cannot have been written by David, as he was not a foreigner. Ezra could have been considered a foreigner, since he came out of captivity in Babylon to Jerusalem.

Do we sometimes feel like a foreigner in this land…this planet Earth? Our home will ultimately be Heaven—so we are strangers in this strange land. Just waiting for our Savior to come and take us home! God’s word has given this Psalm's author and us wise advice. Meditate and be prepared. We should know God’s word and be prepared for what He has in store for us in the coming days. The only way we can really know that is to read God’s word for ourselves. Listening to someone talk about God’s end days on YouTube is definitely interesting and captivating, but we need to study it for ourselves. I’m “preaching to the choir” here…talking to myself. I know that I need to dig deeper into God’s word and meditate on it after asking God to open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in His instructions. Does this section of scripture stir your heart and leave you convicted with a desire for God to open your eyes to the truths in His word?

Prayer ~ God, I know that Your ears and eyes are open to hearing and seeing all that I do and say. Open my eyes to not only see Your words and instructions, but to see how I can intentionally apply them to my life…serving those around me, loving them for You.

Verses of Salvation ~ I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: "Please, LORD, save me!" How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The LORD protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the LORD has been good to me. He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. Psalm 116:1-8

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

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Sunday, June 6, 2021

Where Are You Putting Your Treasure?

Meditate on what you treasure and where you put that treasure.

ב‎ [Beth] How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you—don't let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. I praise you, O LORD; teach me your decrees. I have recited aloud all the regulations you have given us. I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. Psalm 119:9-16

Hidden God’s Word in my heart. How many times have you heard this…or memorized it yourself? What a treasure it is to “hide” something in your heart! To me that means to hold it dear—it is highly valued, loved, prized and cherished. That’s how God’s Word is…more precious than diamonds or rubies. Without God and His word to guide us, we’d be lost in a decrepit world. Lost to eternity…or have to spend it in hell.

This passage begins by asking how a young person can stay pure—and that is just what God wants of us…for us to be holy, because He is holy. How do we do that…whether we are young or old? Simply by obeying God’s word…by treasuring it enough that we do not only keep it preciously tucked away in the very center of our being…but by living it out, focusing on it everyday. When this was written, there was only the Law. Now we have God’s grace giving us the assurance of eternal life with Him. His grace in our lives make us want to keep His commandments…to securely keep those within our hearts and minds…to live by them…and to share them with others. That is love. Not keeping God and His word to ourselves…but sharing it with others. Love God…love others, as ourselves. Love God. That is the center of our relationship with Him. Where do you stand with God today?

Prayer ~ Lord God, I love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength…and I love my neighbor as myself. I study Your word, hiding it in my heart, rejoicing in Your commandments and directives. Please continue to help me understand and apply Your words.

Verse of Salvation ~ The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

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

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Saturday, June 5, 2021

Don’t Give Up On Me!

Meditate. Consider what the Lord has taught you…and how you have responded to Him.

[Aleph] Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don't give up on me! Psalm 119:1-8

Psalm 119 may have been written by Ezra after the Jews returned from Babylon and rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem. Psalms is the book with the most verses. Psalm 119 has 176 verses, in twenty-two sections written repeating the one letter of their alphabet in each verse of the corresponding section. So, in the first section all the verses begin with Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In the next section, all the verses begin with Beth, the second letter in their alphabet. In the English translation this is not apparent, but that was a common thing to do in the Hebrew culture, repeating the first letter in each word to assist in memorization since at that time not everyone had Bibles.

This section of Psalm encourages those who are seeking to obey and please the Lord in the way they live. It ends with…Please don't give up on me! We should live with the same—living to please the Lord…and praying that the Lord not give up on me. We are only human. We are going to mess up…but as long as we are repentant…God will forgive us.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:8-10

God is faithful and just. He wants to have a relationship with us.

Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:6-9 (Underlined for emphasis.)

That relationship is up to us…to seek Him and to serve Him by serving and loving others.

Prayer ~ Lord God, please don't give up on me! You have challenged us to carefully keep your commandments—though it is by grace we are saved…not by works and keeping laws. I pray that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees, I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands and You will be glorified by my very thoughts, words and actions. I’ve been searching for You with all my heart and I find joy in knowing You…in having a relationship with You.

Morning Glory in Israel
Glory be to God...for the gift He gave us.

Don't give up on me.

Verse of Salvation ~ God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10

Bible Trivia Answer for the Question ~ From what diseases did Jesus heal people?

Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. News about him spread as far as Syria, and people soon began bringing to him all who were sick. And whatever their sickness or disease, or if they were demon possessed or epileptic or paralyzed—he healed them all. Matthew 4:23-24 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Examples of His healings:

Leprosy - Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him. "Lord," the man said, "if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean." Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," He said. "Be healed!" And instantly the leprosy disappeared. Matthew 8:2-3.

Demon possession - That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and He healed all the sick. - Matthew 8:16.

Paralysis - Some people brought to Him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven." ... So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!" Matthew 9:2, 6.

Woman’s blood issue - Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well." And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:22.

Blindness - 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." - Matthew 9:27-29.

Bible Trivia Question for next week ~ What does it mean to be “blessed”?

Happy Birthday, Harriet.

Blessings on you…today and always!

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

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Available as an e-book or paperback at Amazon.com

Friday, June 4, 2021

Who Is Holy?

Meditate.

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

Be holy. Be pure and undefiled. Don’t intentionally sin…or in the case of this scripture from Leviticus…don’t even eat animals that are not meant to be eaten—that God provided for the lower food chain, not for human consumption. He reminds us in the Old Testament and in the New Testament that we are to be holy, because God Himself is holy—pure and undefiled.

So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 20:7

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." 1 Peter 1:13-16

Who is holy?

Prayer ~ Lord God, help me to be holy…because You are holy and have told all believers to “be holy, because You are holy.” I praise You for Your purity…as well as for Your kindness, goodness and faithfulness. You alone are worthy of praise and adoration. I can only achieve holiness through You. I claim the promise, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13.

Verses of Salvation ~ Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But--"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." Titus 3:3-7

Friday’s Feasting at the King’s Table

We can’t live on bread alone. Summertime is time for salads. How about a cucumber salad? To me,

that sounds so refreshing. Almost holy—pure undefiled fresh food! Cucumbers are a healthy food that are known to detox one’s liver. Cucumbers contain antioxidants that prevent cancer and other compounds that reduce the effects of cancer in its early stages. Those antioxidants also reduce cardiovascular disease. Cataracts, as well as wrinkles and bad breath, can be prevented by eating cucumbers. Those are all good reasons to eat cucumbers.

Versatile Cucumber Salad

2 large English cucumbers, or use medium regular cucumber or several small cucumbers, partially peeled and thinly sliced

½ onion, red, yellow or white, thinly sliced

3 Roma tomatoes or about 2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped into inch square chunks

¼ c red or white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp dried herbs or 1 Tbsp fresh herbs: dill, oregano, parsley, basil or mint

½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese

Wisk together a dressing of the vinegar, oil and herbs. Pour over the cut-up vegetables, stir. This can be served immediately, or allowed to chill for about an hour so the flavors mingle. Add the cheese when it is served. To make it a meal, add some cooked, chopped cold chicken, salmon or other meat.

© 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.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

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Thursday, June 3, 2021

What Are You Thinking?

Meditate. Focus your mind on things that are worthy of praise.

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 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 4:4-9

What are you thinking about? Where do your thoughts take you?

Paul gave good advice to the church at Philippi.

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.

When you think about Jesus…about God…about the Holy Spirit…your thoughts will be on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. God’s ways are excellent and worthy of praise. Having trouble with that? Is your thought life focusing on stress, violence, or on some inappropriate behavior? Pray about what is going on in your life and then spend some extra time with God. Find some scripture…beginning perhaps with these verses above…that help you focus on the good, true and admirable things in life. A good concordance…or one that you can find on-line like in the Blue Letter Bible or Bible Gateway…can help provide you with a resource of helpful scripture passage. Choose a topic and enter the word in the search box. Scriptures will pop up and guide you to passages that will surely encourage and uplift you. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Prayer ~ Dear God, I want Your peace in my life…and in the lives of my family, friends and neighbors. Guide our hearts and minds that wherever we are we would fix our thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable—worthy of praise to You…and from You.

Verses of Salvation ~ A psalm of David, the servant of the LORD. He sang this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul.

The Rock of my Salvation
Showing me the way to go.

Focus on the admirable things.

He sang: I love you, LORD; you are my strength. The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. Psalm 18:1-3

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

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

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Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Don’t Worry - Pray

Meditate on Peace and Joy in your life.

Remember that old song…Don’t Worry, Be Happy. That is just what Jesus told His followers in His Sermon on the Mount. No worries, my friend.

Geese Family
No Worries.

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:25-34

No worries. Instead pray. …instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Prayer is a wonderful connection with God. You let Him know just how you feel about everything…the good, the bad, and the beautiful. And as Jesus reminds us…give thanks. Prayer and Praise gives you Peace. What a nice equation. P+P=P

Give it a try. You’ll like it. Prayer + Praise with Thanksgiving = Peace. And who couldn’t use a little extra peace these days?

Prayer ~ Lord God, I enter Your gates with thanksgiving; and go into Your courts with praise. I give thanks to You and praise Your name. From Psalm 100:4. You are worthy of all my praise. I am thankful for all that You have done for me…providing spiritual guidance, this wonderful world, food, clothing, and a gracious home for me, my family, friends and neighbors. You are awesome. Thank you for the peace beyond comprehension that You alone bestow within our hearts.

Verses of Hope and Salvation ~ How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they see the LORD returning to Jerusalem. Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the LORD has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God. Isaiah 52:7-10

With thanksgiving pray for peace for Jerusalem…and all of Israel.

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Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Is the Lord Coming Soon?

Meditate. Rejoice in God’s peace.

The Lord is coming soon.
He'll return in the clouds.
Are you ready?

This passage tells us that the Lord is coming soon. It was written by Paul to the church at Philippi in about 61 AD. Although with our sense of time that seems like a long time ago, God’s time is eternal and a thousand years is as one day.

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. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 2 Peter 3:8-10

God has not forgotten His promise and Christ will return. He will return soon. We are told to be ready.

You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Luke 12:40

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 (Spoken by Jesus to His disciples.)

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 1 Peter 4:7 (Written by Peter in about 63 AD to Christians scattered throughout the known world.)

I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown. Revelation 3:11 (Jesus’ message to the church at Philadelphia, in what is now Turkey.)

"Look, I am coming soon! Blessed are those who obey the words of prophecy written in this book." Revelation 22:7 (Jesus’ message written through John in the 90’s AD.)

Look, I am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds. Revelation 22:12

He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20

We’ve been warned. Be ready. What does it take to be spiritually ready? First and foremost, one must believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior, establishing a relationship with Jesus. He didn’t come to just save the world…He came to save you. Repent and accept His gift of salvation. See the scripture above from 2 Peter 3. Then since everyone sins…keep on seeking His forgiveness on a daily basis. Forgive us our debts. That is part of the Lord’s prayer. Jesus taught His disciples to pray including asking for forgiveness. Lead others to the Lord. We are called to make disciples…to tell others the Good News that Jesus Christ died for their sins, He was resurrected from the dead and is in Heaven now making a new home for us. That is God’s promise. An eternal home for all believers in Heaven. The alternate, for non-believers, is an eternity in hell with gnashing teeth and a lake of fire. That is not where I want to spend eternity. I don’t see that as a place that brings God’s peace. How about you?

Prayer ~ Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13

Verse of Salvation ~ As Jesus said to the woman whom He’d forgiven of her sin after she anointed Him with perfume from an alabaster jar….

And Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Luke 7:50

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

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

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Today is a good day to start a new habit of reading a daily devotional to help your children be the best they can be...like Jesus.