Banquet With The King

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Epiphany – Do You Seek the Wise Men?

Prayer – Lord, Wise Men…and Women…still seek You.

Wise Men and Women Still Seek Him
Camel at the Judean desert in Israel.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' " ... And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:1-6, 8-11 NKJV

Meditate. Rejoice with great joy.

The Twelfth Day of Christmas
Twelve Drummers Drumming refers to the doctrine of the Apostle's Creed and the twelve points included therein (belief in God the Father almighty, belief in Jesus Christ his only Son - our Lord, that Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, that He suffered under Pontius Pilate, and was crucified, died and was buried, then he descended into hell, that he rose again the third day, that he ascended into heaven, that he is seated at the right hand of the Father, that he is to come to judge the living and the dead, belief in the Holy Ghost, belief in the holy catholic Church and the communion of saints, belief in the remission of sins, and belief in the resurrection of the flesh and life eternal.)

Christmas isn’t over, although I think I’m a day off on counting these twelve days of Christmas. Today is Epiphany—the Three Kings Day. Check your calendar. How do you celebrate Kings Day? The Twelve Days of Christmas song introduces the mystery of the Apostle’s Creed which was written in 341 AD, more than three hundred years after Christ was crucified. This creed covers the points of Christian beliefs about the triune God. This is not just the beliefs of the Catholic church, but the Christian church worldwide. Some churches still recite this creed regularly, quarterly, or at least annually.

Those Wise Men traveled a long way for a long time. Notice in the Matthew 2 scripture that Jesus was a child and lived in a house when the Wise Men arrived in Bethlehem. He was no longer a baby in a manager. Later verses in that chapter of Matthew indicate the Wise Men had first seen the star two years earlier which indicated that Jesus was born two year earlier. It was due to that time period that Herod ordered boys two years of age and younger killed to eliminate any challenge to his throne.

It is likely that there were more than three Wise Men when they traveled in an entourage from some eastern country. The treasures they brought tell us that they were rich as they presented Jesus gifts of gold…for Jesus’ kingship and deity, of frankincense…denoting Jesus’ purity as a priest, and of myrrh…foreshadowed Jesus’ death and signifying Him as an anointed prophet. These treasures were likely used to finance Jesus’ family as they traveled and lived in Egypt. God had a plan and took care of His Son.

Are you celebrating this last day of Christmas? What king are you seeking? Are you looking for the Wise Men or King Jesus now? What gift will you give to Jesus today? Your life? Your heart?

Verse of Salvation ~ For God is my King from of old, Working salvation in the midst of the earth. Psalm 74:12 NKJV

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted.

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Friday, January 5, 2024

Faithful

Prayer – Lord, Your saints are faithful followers.

All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, And Your saints shall bless You. They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Psalm 145:10-13 NKJV

Meditate. Consider the word “faithful.”

The Eleventh Day of Christmas
Eleven Pipers Piping depict the eleven faithful apostles: Peter, James, John, Andrew, Phillip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Jude, and Simon (though there were twelve, Judas is excluded due to his betrayal of Christ)

Being a “faithful follower” was important in Jesus’ time…and it is still important today.

Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? Proverbs 20:6 NKJV

A lot of verses focus on God and how He is faithful—but we need to be faithful to Him! Only those who are pure and faithful will one day stand in the presence of God the Father and serve with Jesus for eternity. Faith is believing in what we can’t see. Faithful—those who believe in Jesus as their Savior, are worthy of the trust He puts in them as He guides their lives, and live in a way that is pleasing to God. An example of this is Lydia—a faithful follower who Paul met and converted on his missionary journey through Philippi.

And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us. Acts 16:13-15 NKJV

God promises that He will reward those, as those of the church at Smyrna, who are faithful to Him.

Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Revelation 2:10 NKJV (Underlined for emphasis.)

There you go. Faithful until death. Those who are faithful will be rewarded. Do we need to exist with that as a carrot leading us so that we stay faithful all of our lives? Why should we want to be “faithful?” The reason I choose to be faithful to God is that He is faithful to all of mankind. He loves us…so I want to love Him. To love and be loved is the most important thing in life. It is what makes living worthwhile.

Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; "and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them. Deuteronomy 7:9-11

The choice is up to each person. Be loved and love. Be faithful to the One who is faithful to you.

Verse of Salvation ~ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: "For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul. Hebrews 10:35-39 NKJV

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

What is the sweetest thing on earth? Is it God’s love? Well, that may be for spiritual things, but for our taste buds, the sweetest thing is the protein thaumatin found in katemfe fruits of West African. It is 2000 times sweeter than sucrose. For more familiar fruits you might pick the caribou mango found in the Philippines. Right in your own home you may choose honey.

Honey is not only tasty in tea and on toast, but as an all-around antioxidant, it can assist in many ways. It has been found to relieve allergies, suppress coughs, promote sleep, and provide energy. Since it is a natural antibiotic, it can be used to treat burns and wounds, help acid reflux, and strength the gut. Feel good, tastes great. God has provided a wonderful liquid energy source through the bees.

Keep the bees healthy, to keep us healthy. That is an issue now. Bees and pollination. They are hibernating now--but when its warmer will there be enough bees living to pollinate the crops?

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted.

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Ten Lords a Leaping – Where’s the Mystery?

Ten Lords a Leaping – Where’s the Mystery?

Prayer – Lord, this song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” must have seemed silly to some people when they heard it—but who would have thought that these Ten Lords a Leaping would refer to Your Ten Commandments? Mysteries hiding within a song. Show us the meaning of the mysteries that are hidden in the Bible.

And God spoke all these words, saying: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

You shall not murder.

You shall not commit adultery.

You shall not steal.

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's." Exodus 20:1-17 NKJV

Meditate. Consider God’s Commandments.

The Tenth Day of Christmas
Ten Lords A-Leaping implies the Ten Commandments, brought down by Moses and passed down as Catholic law.

Jews and Christians around the world…since the time of Moses…have tried to follow God’s Commandments. Even non-Christians follow these directives as many of them are incorporated into laws. Everyone is born with a conscience that guides them in most of these mandates, like You shall not steal, but for some reason some people just negate those and choose to follow their own path—or to rebel against God, like Satan did. They are not leaping like the lords of the song. Are they running away from God?

The mysteries that were hidden in the Twelve Days of Christmas song are revealed to us and easily understood. There are mysteries hidden in the Bible that we have to dig and ask for insight to understand. Jesus explained the mystery of the parables to His disciples.

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, "so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.' (Isaiah 6:9-10)" Mark 4:10-12 NKJV

Paul wrote about mysteries in several of his letters to different churches. (Underlined in the verses below for emphasis.)

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith-- to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Romans 16:25-27 NKJV

In Him (Jesus Christ) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. Ephesians 1:7-10 NKJV

I (Paul) now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:24-27 NKJV

Life isn’t a mystery when you know God and search His word daily.

Verse of Salvation ~ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree", that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:10-14 NKJV

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted.

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Wednesday, January 3, 2024

Who Are Nine Ladies Dancing?

Prayer – Jesus, have I brought You glory today in all that I have thought, said and done? May the Holy Spirit produce this kind of fruit in my life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control at the start this new year. Help me to seek You first in all that I do and not only partake in the fruit of the Spirit, but share it with others.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV

Meditate. Are you choosing to partake in the fruit of the Spirit?

The Ninth Day of Christmas
Nine Ladies Dancing symbolize the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Fruit at the Shuk Market
Jerusalem, Israel

Is there evidence of this fruit in your life? Sometimes at the end of the day, as I reflect on how my day has gone and I have to look pretty hard for some of these elements. Did I share or experienced joy, peace or patience…have I been kind to others and myself…was I good and gentle in my reactions or responses to others …and was I self-controlled? Above all, was I loving? I have found that it is best to plan ahead, rather than look back. Remember Jesus told us not to look back…and Paul said to reach for the mark. So, in setting a goal or at least looking for ways of sharing and experiencing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in daily activities it is far better than just reflecting on the day and thinking…I could have, should have, would have done things differently. Plan ahead…make things happen by choice. We have the choice. God has given us choices to make…choose His way. This is one way to apply God’s word to your life. Choose to find a way…His way to share and show the kind of fruit that the Holy Spirit produces...in your life.

Verse of Salvation ~ For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7 NKJV

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted.

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

What Were You Doing Twelve Years Ago?

Prayer – Lord, does time really matter? Does anyone really know what time it is…does anyone really care? We can only wait for time and use our time wisely—seeking You Lord.

Site of the Beatitudes
Above the Sea of Galilee
Israel

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:1-12 NKJV

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture.

The Eighth Day of Christmas
Eight Maids A-Milking represent the eight Beatitudes, which can be found in Matthew 5:3-12 as part of the Sermon on the Mount. In short these are: God blesses the poor in spirit, blesses the meek, blesses they who mourn, blesses those who hunger and thirst after justice, blesses the merciful, blesses the clean of heart, blesses the peacemakers, and blesses those that suffer persecution for justice's sake.

Are you seeking God’s blessings?

What were you doing twelve years ago? I had just started writing this blog—and now I’m looking at the twelve days of Christmas. Twelve is an important number in the Bible. Note that it is in 163 verses in the New Kings James Version. It is noteworthy that Ismael, firstborn son of Abraham and Sarah’s maid Hagar, had twelve sons—who became the nations surrounding the current nation of Israel. Abraham’s grandson, Jacob’s twelve sons became known as the twelve tribes of Israel. History playing out before our eyes. Wars and rumors of wars resulting from centuries of sibling and family rivalries. What other twelves do we see in scripture? There was frequent mention of twelve gold or silver utensils in the temple and twelve oxen, rams, goats or other animals offered before the Lord as sin offerings. There were also twelve thousand soldiers and twelve hundred chariots. Twelve months, twelve years, twelve cities, twelve disciples, twelve baskets. Even in heaven there will be twelve gates. Search for yourself how many times twelve is significant throughout the Old and New Testaments.

Is twelve significant in your life? Twelve years of school. Who were the twelve most influential people in your life? How about five or even two most important individuals? Yes, twelve is an important number. There are twelve months ahead of us in this year of 2024. What impact will you make in other’s lives during this year? How will you serve the Lord by serving others? It isn’t too late to set goals and make choices about what you do—rather than just drifting through life and letting others tell you what to do and when to do it. Choose for yourself.

Choice. That is my word of the year. We all have a choice each day in hundreds of little things—that often result in a lifetime direction. Consider and choose wisely whom you will serve and what will you do with the time you have left here on this earth. Joshua encouraged the Israelites to choose before they crossed into the Promised Land.

"Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD! "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:14-15 NKJV (Underlined for emphasis.)

What is your “Word of the Year?” Have you chosen a word to guide you and give you encouragement each day? Can you choose a word that will impact on your life this year…and twelve years from now.

Verse of Salvation ~ Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJV

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted.

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Monday, January 1, 2024

Happy New Year

Choose your path carefully.
Let the Lord lead you...
and your family...
on His path.

Badger Mountain Trail
Richland, WA

Prayer – Lord God, You’ve given us a New Year…beginning with a new day. Is this the “last days?” It doesn’t matter as long as we listen to Your advice…be ready. We should live each day as if it is our last whether it really is today or a thousand years from now. Wherever You are, Lord, is the most important place—and right now that is in Heaven. Teach us Your ways…and we’ll gratefully walk the path that You show us.

Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken. For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the LORD our God Forever and ever. Micah 4:1-5 NKJV

Meditate. Consider what is important to you in this new year.

Christians will one day do just what our Lord God want them to do…to walk forever in His will and His way. What a glorious day that will be. No need for weapons—there will be peace, so the old weapons will be made into plows and farming implements. For now…we must wait for that time to come…and yet we still hear of wars and rumors of wars around the world. It isn’t even safe right now for people to travel to Jerusalem. Can you imagine being that close to the war in Gaza? We are protected and privileged here in the United States not to have had true “war” within our nation since the Civil War. There is division within our country on so many issues today—but we are still united. Personally, I think one of our biggest issues is immigration. What is going on beyond our borders that our borders are being invaded by unknown people groups—not families, but groups of single young men that look like warriors. Beware. Be ready…just as Jesus warned. Watch out for future events.

For now…we watch for the coming events that mark the end of the Christmas season.

The Seventh Day of Christmas
Seven Swans A-Swimming concerns the seven sacraments of the Catholic faith: baptism, communion, reconciliation (the idea that sins are forgiven once you confess and repent), confirmation, marriage, ordination, and the ritual of last rights. As we near the end of the twelve days of Christmas we see what other things the people several hundred years ago secretly told their peers about Christianity. Rituals were important—and there were seven of them that the Catholic church touted. Most of those, particularly baptism, communion, and marriage, are sacraments that are professed by all Christian churches.

Unity and love for others is the key to living in the way that God would have all people live—whether the end is soon or a thousand years away.

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:7-8 NKJV

Verse of Salvation ~ Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV

All scripture quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted.

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

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories