Banquet With The King

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Love Others

Prayer – Lord, open my eyes to see ways that I can love others as You did…and as You would want me to. Valentine’s Day may have passed, but love for others is still important. Do flowers or candy show more love than just listening to others?

And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God's commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us. 1 John 3:23-24

Meditate. Consider God’s love.

Mosaic in Israel
Jesus fed 5,000 men with only two fish and rolls.
That food showed love.
Love one another.

Staying connected…in fellowship…with the Lord is the most important thing in life. That connection with God is what keeps me going. John tells us: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another. Good advice—but let’s not be too legalistic about keeping those commandments. That became a stumbling block for the Pharisees. Keep the commandments—but that needs to be done in honor and respect to the Lord…not making more laws by which to live. God expects only a simple response: love. To love Him and to love those that He created and has put into our lives. Humbly love. Care deeply about the Lord and others. Putting others first. We all need to love others…and to feel loved. That is all through the New Testament. Jesus put others first—feeding them, healing them, caring for their spiritual and physical needs. Can we be like Jesus?

I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. He is the Son of God…and He is God. Loving others is just what He wants us to do, as He modeled for us with His life. Learning more about Jesus and His love is the goal for today…for the rest of my days. What about you?

Verses of Salvation ~ And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:27-28

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

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Wednesday, February 15, 2023

Be Courageous

Prayer – Lord, I want to be constantly in fellowship—companionship—with You as my best of friends. We used to often sing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “I am a Friend of God” although not many churches sing actual hymns now, mostly choruses. I treasure that “friendship” relationship—one where you know the other person well and can just take up the conversation together—although you haven’t seen each other for months or maybe even years. Those friends care about the things you care about…and if you have a difference of opinion, it doesn’t matter. You still are heartfelt friends. That’s the kind of friendship I have with You, Jesus, and in which I want to grow even closer. Give me courage to always stand up for You. Let it be.

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God's children. 1 John 2:28-29

Meditate. Read the book of First John and listen to what God is saying.

Be courageous. Don’t shrink away from Jesus or His message of love and light. Be strong and courageous is just what Moses and then the Lord Himself commanded Joshua several times at the beginning of Joshua’s leadership role.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

The rainbow creates a bridge to Heaven.
Are your courageous enough to cross it?

God expected Joshua to be tough and not be afraid. He was going to be God’s leader taking the people into the Promised Land…and fighting against those who currently lived there. He expects the same of us as was written to Christians by John, who knew that Jesus Christ would return one day for His followers. We are to not be wimpy and ashamed of Jesus, but we are to stand up for our righteous Lord and Savior. When we stand up for God’s Son, He will acknowledge us before our Father God.

I tell you the truth, everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the Son of Man will also acknowledge in the presence of God's angels. But anyone who denies me here on earth will be denied before God's angels. Luke 12:8-9

Stand up for Jesus for we don’t know just when He will be coming back—it may still be in our lifetime. We want to be able to cross that bridge to heaven, because of our relationship with God and with His Son Jesus. So be ready…and be courageous.

Verses of Salvation ~ All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance--an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3-5

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

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Tuesday, February 14, 2023

God is Love

Prayer – Lord, reveal Yourself to me in Your word today. I want to build a stronger bridge and have a deeper relationship with You…day by day.

A Strong Railroad Bridge
...crossing the Columbia River.
Is your relationship bridge to God as strong?

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 1 John 4:16 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate. What is God’s Love worth to you?

God is Love. That is one of the first things new Christians are taught—whether the person is four years old or seventy-four years old! It is a basic principle. Love God. Love others. It is a two-way street. God loves us. We love Him…and others. Pretty simple. Can you recognize that God is Love?

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

Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Birthday Kendall

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

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Monday, February 13, 2023

A Warning

Prayer – Lord, I am grateful that the Holy Spirit is my teacher here and now. I can trust Him that what He teaches is true…just as I read in Philippians 4:8… 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) Help me to fix my mind on Your truth and renew my mind.

I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:26-27

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture.

John is giving us a warning. Watch out. Don’t be deceived. The first deception in the world occurred with Adam and Eve eating that forbidden fruit. Eve blamed it on Satan and told God…

Then the LORD God asked the woman, "What have you done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied. "That's why I ate it." Genesis 3:13

Paul points out to Timothy that it was not Adam who was deceived…but Eve.

And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result. 1 Timothy 2:14

Let Paul’s words be a warning to us all. These words also encourage us not to be misled.

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Hebrews 3:12-14

Even Jesus warned about deception.

Then if anyone tells you, 'Look, here is the Messiah,' or 'There he is,' don't believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God's chosen ones. See, I have warned you about this ahead of time. Matthew 24:23-25

This is a lovely bridge at the Creation Museum.
Botanical Gardens
Petersburg, Kentucky
Can you trust it? It looks like a strong bridge.
Be cautious who and what you trust.

Be careful who you trust. Dig into God’s word for yourself—know it and know God. Then you will not be lead astray or have a weak bridge or relationship with Him. That is not advice from me…but it is God’s word alerting you to be cautious. It is His warning.

Verses of Salvation ~ (Letter from Paul and Timothy to the church at Philippi.) Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. Philippians 1:27-28

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

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Sunday, February 12, 2023

Begin with Faithfulness

Prayer – Lord God, what a wonderful gift You gave us, expecting nothing in return. Your Son—as the sacrifice for our sin—wrapped in love. May our relationship bridge always be as strong as Your love for us—and that is beyond measure or expectation. Thank You.

So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. 1 John 2:24-25

Meditate. Consider God’s guidance in scripture. Read God’s word and listen to what He is saying.

What is in the gift from God?
Eternal life?

Remain faithful. Staying loyal and devoted to Him is just what God expects of us. He loves us…we love Him. Should we “expect” something in return? How about the “eternal life” that He promised us? Yes. We can bask in His love forever, even today, because of His promise. God is faithful to us—to give us the gift of His promise—even His Son, Jesus Christ. How will we respond to His gift? It begins with faithfulness.

Verse of Salvation ~ And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. 1 John 5:20

Happy 8^th Birthday, Sweet Julia!

May God bless you and guide you…and help you make good decisions!

Keep Reading!

Love and Prayers

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

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Saturday, February 11, 2023

Share Our Joy

Prayer – Lord, I long to fellowship with You—here on earth and in Heaven as well.

We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. 1 John 1:1-4

Meditate. Share the fellowship and the joy!

Wow! What a privilege to have actually seen and heard Jesus—and touched Him. One day we will all have that opportunity—but will it be the same as what John experienced? Will it still be “fellowship?” Fellowship can be with one other person or many at once. In the verses of salvation below we see that in Jerusalem there will be a delicious banquet that Jesus Himself provides. Fellowship is an important part of life—especially for the Christian. Remember Jesus’ promise to His disciples…where two or more of His followers are gathered together, He is there with them. What better time and place to gather together—to fellowship—than with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, now here on earth…and one day in Heaven. Sharing fellowship with our very Creator. Consider these challenging words that Paul wrote as words of encouragement to the Christians at Philippi.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2

As John wrote in the focus scripture for today…share our joy!

Verses of Salvation ~ In Jerusalem, the LORD of Heaven's Armies will spread a wonderful feast for all the people of the world. It will be a delicious banquet with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat. There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, "This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!" Isaiah 25:6-9

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

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Friday, February 10, 2023

Did You Hear the Donkey Speak?

Prayer – Lord, I am amazed at Your sense of humor! A donkey spoke…or You spoke through a donkey to rebuke a person. A donkey! Not a big, beautiful horse…or in that day and time, a magnificent camel—but You used a humble, yet likely stubborn, donkey. Today, would You use a car or some other mode of transportation to speak to a false teacher or person who is following an evil path like Balaam? Would they listen? Give me wisdom to recognize any false teacher in my midst—like those about whom Peter warned--even those on YouTube.

These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God's curse. They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice. 2 Peter 2:12-16

Meditate. Listen to the donkey—and to the voice of God, blessing His people.

Have you ever heard a donkey speak? Read Numbers 22-24 for the story of Balaam and his experience with a donkey who saw the angel of the Lord and didn’t appreciate being beaten. That animal had been faithful to Balaam, but when he appeared to be stubborn, Balaam hit him. That’s the way lots of people treat animals, but God got Balaam’s attention through his interaction with his donkey. Balaam was on his way to curse the children of Israel, but they were God’s chosen people on their way to the Promised Land from Egypt and God wasn’t about to have them cursed. That’s the way it is with God. No one can curse His chosen people—those He loves dearly. Peter reminds us of the story of Balaam to show us God’s love for His people, and that those who are false teachers, like those who wanted to curse the Israelites, will be destroyed. When God called Abram (Abraham) He provided a promise that the Jews have clung to throughout history, and rightly so since they are God’s chosen people.

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you." Genesis 12:3

That relationship between God and Abraham was uniquely special because of Abraham’s faithfulness to God. Our relationship to God can be just as blessed, if we are dedicated to God and love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. We don’t have to hear a donkey speak to recognize God in our lives and to be obedient to Him.

Verses of Salvation and Hope ~ Violence will disappear from your land; the desolation and destruction of war will end. Salvation will surround you like city walls, and praise will be on the lips of all who enter there. No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the LORD your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the LORD will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end. All your people will be righteous. They will possess their land forever, for I will plant them there with my own hands in order to bring myself glory. Isaiah 60:18-21

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Valentine’s Day is coming soon. What will you serve to your sweetheart? If you are trying to cut sugar out of your diet, finding or creating a sugarless dessert maybe a challenge. Oh sure, you can substitute sugar with Stevia or some other alternate sugar form, but to really take the sugar out of your diet may require a little more of a daring trial to the normal expectations. Instead of pie, cheesecake, cake or cookies, consider fresh fruit, served with nuts or cheese. If you were going to spend ten or fifteen dollars on a cake or pie, just think how much fresh fruit that could buy. Fresh pineapple, mangos, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries are always scrumptious. What are your families’ favorite fresh fruits? And then serve some mixed nuts and/or an assortment of cheeses alongside the fruit. Have you ever had a slice of fresh apple, like honeycrisp, with a chunk of cheddar cheese? Yum! It is a combination I discovered with hot apple pie, which is not a part of my diet these days. Granulated sugar, that is used in making most desserts, is poison! Poison to our bodies and fuel for cancer proliferation. Research it for yourself and consider that as you plan your Valentine’s menu. On the other hand…sweets to the sweets. Life is too short not to enjoy some chocolate with that fruit!

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

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Thursday, February 9, 2023

How to Treat Your Friends

Prayer – Lord, I want to treat my friends well—just like You would. How do I do that?

What is happening in the world today? There is so much disaster, like the beginning of birth pangs. Please be merciful to this world of Yours.

Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. Colossians 4:12

Meditate. Pray for others.

Don’t you love this?! This fellow, Epaphras, was with Paul and was thinking about his fellow Christians back home, I’m assuming in Colossae. Epaphras was part of a "fellowship” so I suppose that those in his group would be considered “friends” and that he would desire to support them in prayer. Praying for them, he was petitioning God for strength and perfection. What a wonderful friend!

Pray for others--
even if you don't have a relationship...
with them.
Intercede.
Lord have Mercy.

Do you pray for your friends like Epaphras prayed for his friends? Do they pray for you in that same way? Jesus said to treat others the way we want to be treated. That scripture, found in Matthew 7:2, is so well known it is called “The Golden Rule.” It was good guidance in Jesus’ day…and it is good now. I want to have others…family and friends alike… appeal to God on my behalf, as I make requests for them, too.

There is so much to pray about…like health and safety issues, but more importantly those who are affected by the recent earthquakes. Imagine how they feel…their homes are in shambles and it is freezing cold. Family and friends are missing, dead, or severely injured. No safe water to drink, no food, and building still falling with more aftershocks, creating even more fear. They might not have any friends left to pray for them. Choose them as your friends…while there is still time. Life may seem unbearable and in fact, it seems like the end of the world to them. Lord, have mercy.

Verse of Salvation ~ 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. Look up to the skies above, and gaze down on the earth below. For the skies will disappear like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a piece of clothing. The people of the earth will die like flies, but my salvation lasts forever. My righteous rule will never end! Isaiah 51:5-6

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) 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