April 15 – Whose Picture is On Your Coin?

… He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's." Matthew 22:21  

Tax Day in the USA. Give to Uncle Sam the things that are his and to God the things that are God’s. Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees, as written in Matthew 22:15-22, who were trying to trick Him into saying that the Jews didn’t need to pay the Roman poll-tax, and thus they could hand Him over to the Romans for punishment, or that they should only pay the poll-tax and thus be disloyal to Judaism.

Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. They sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with him. "Teacher," they said, "we know how honest you are. You teach the way of God truthfully. You are impartial and don't play favorites. Now tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" But Jesus knew their evil motives. "You hypocrites!" he said. "Why are you trying to trap me? Here, show me the coin used for the tax." When they handed him a Roman coin, he asked, "Whose picture and title are stamped on it?" "Caesar's," they replied. "Well, then," he said, "give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." His reply amazed them, and they went away. Matthew 22:15-22 NLT

Jesus was so wise. Likewise, we should be smart about how we handle our money. Pay our tithe, taxes, take care of ourselves and our families, give to others, and save for the future, but always trust in the Lord—who provides everything for us. 

Training Tip – Get out some coins and dollar bills. Show your children that the money says US currency (or your country’s name) and let them read, or read to them, what is written on the coins and bills. If they don’t know yet about taxes, show them on receipts from stores, gas stations and restaurants that taxes are paid each time we buy something other than food. Then explain that we also pay a percentage of our income as income tax. Due today. If you have 100 pennies available to you then have the kids count them out and then divide them into piles for tithe, taxes and spending pennies. You may even want to divide the penny piles into housing, food, clothes, and fun categories. Of course, those spending pennies will then be subdivided into money spent on products and taxes.  

Show your children the money again and point out the “In God We Trust.” Ask them what does “In God We Trust” mean? Remind them that we trust God to provide that money for us. Pray and thank God for all that He provides for us. 

Lord Jesus, just like You taught the Pharisees and Your disciples, we give to our rulers what is due them and to You what is Yours—everything. We praise You for who You are and ask for forgiveness of our sins_______; thank you for everything You provide for us and for the way you are always there for us when we call upon You.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 14 – Faithfulness to the House of Israel and Beyond

He has remembered His lovingkindness and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Psalm 98:3 

This passage is talking about God’s faithfulness to Israel—He has not given up on them. He promised Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3…and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. This is such a promise for the nation of Israel—and for the entire world. It is also a warning. God will bless those who bless Israel and those who mistreat Israel can look forward to the same mistreatment (or curse) that they gave. I see this as kind of a forerunner of the Golden Rule. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. Luke 6:31

All the ends of the earth haven’t yet seen the salvation of our God. As He (Jesus) was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. ...This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matthew 24:3-4, 14. The gospel will be preached in the whole world. There is a 10-40 window that missionaries are targeting to reach the unreached people groups. That window is between the 10 degrees and 40 degrees north latitudes where the world’s poorest people live. My guess is that they are both financially and spiritually poor. We are so blessed here in the United States to have an abundance of food, fresh water, and good education, as well as the freedom to worship our God. But look around you. We have spiritually poor living next door…and financially poor living across town. Does our faithfulness to God include reaching out to those in our neighborhood and community who don’t know the Lord? Be the hands and feet of Jesus today…and treat others around you the way you would want to be treated…with the love of the Lord. 

Training Tip – Look at a globe or a world map with your family. Identify the 10-40 window and name some of the countries in that region. Do you know any people who are from that area? Are they Christian? If so, ask them to share with your family how they came to know the Lord. If they are not Christian, then take them a plate of cookies and invite them to an activity at your church or just have them over to your home. Children of different nationalities may have some cultural differences, but they all love to play. Another possibility is inviting them to go to a nearby park or playfield for a picnic. Let your lives be an example of Christianity to them, rather than just giving them a tract to read.

If you don’t know any people of different nationalities, then get to know the people in your neighborhood who don’t obviously already attend church. You may be the only “Jesus” that they know—so be a good example for your children and your neighbors.

Lord – Help me to be faithful to You, to my family and neighbors in the way that I live for You.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 13 – Covered With Wings of Faithfulness

He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. Psalm 91:4  

This image of God with feathers is an intriguing thought. We don’t know just what God looks like—although we imagine Him to look somewhat human. This passage refers to the pinions, parts of feathers. So do you think God has feathers? In Psalms 36:7 we find another reference to wings: How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. In another passage we get the comforting image and thought of a mother hen and her chicks when Jesus is speaking of the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Matthew 23:37. Jesus is not saying that God is a bird—just that He wants to protect the Jews like a mother hen protects her brood. I have always liked this passage, having seen a mother hen gather her little chicks around her, trying to cover them with her wings to protect and shield them. The little chicks know to run to their mother and hide under her wings. What a great image of faithfulness we can see in the mother hen who puts her life in danger to protect her chicks. Would you say that your faithfulness is like that for your family? Are you setting an example of faithfulness for your children? Are your kids learning to be faithful to the Lord?  

Training Tip – Keep your eyes open for a bird feather—collect and take it home and wash it well to be sure there are no lice or germs that can be transmitted to your family. If you have a microscope available to you then use that or a magnifying glass and have your children look at the feather closely. Show them how the feather is light weight with the hollow shaft, yet strong so that the bird can fly. You may want to look on the internet for some diagrams that illustrate the parts of the feather. Point out that the feather has little hooks in it that fit together to increase the strength. God is faithful to create such strength for the bird—and He will be faithful to us to protect us—like the scripture in Psalm 91 says—to shield and protect us. Likewise, we need to be faithful to God and to each other. 

Lord – Like the mother hen, cover us with Your protection—unlike Jerusalem, we are willing to have Your protection. Thank you for your faithfulness, for when we seek refuge with You, You are there for us.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 12 – Grow Some Faithfulness

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Psalm 37:3 

It is time to consider cultivating a garden…and cultivating faithfulness. How do you plant faithfulness? Reading scripture is a good start. Consider the parable of the farmer and seeds he planted as told in Matthew 13. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted! (Matthew 13:22-23 NLT) We need to be receptive to God’s word by having a clean heart and an open mind—one ready to hear God speak to us. Prayer and honesty before the Lord is essential. Ask God to give you insight and understanding of His word before you read it. 

Training Tip – Plant some vegetable or flower seeds in your yard or in a planter. Have your children water and care for them. As you watch them grow talk about how God wants us to “grow” good qualities in our lives—in our very souls. Read the scripture above and also the scripture in Galatians 5:22-23…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Talk about how different seeds grow at different rates—like lettuce grows faster than apple seeds.

 

Lord – You are faithful to all generations—children, parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents. May we learn from you and become more faithful to you and to our families, friends, and even to ourselves. 

Friday’s Feast at the Lord’s Table

What image of food does “faithfulness” conjure up within your imagination? How about some fresh roasted vegetables? It is a little early for any from our garden, but asparagus will be in season very soon and it is a perfectly wonderful roasted vegetable. I actually posted this recipe last year on May 14^th.  So enjoy, again! Or try a variation grilling peppers and zucchini. 

Roasted asparagus

2 pounds asparagus

Olive oil

Course ground salt

Fresh ground pepper

Thoroughly wash asparagus and break off the tough end (discard), usually about one inch. Heat the barbeque or oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Place the asparagus on aluminum foil or a perforated barbeque roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast on the BBQ or in the oven for about twelve minutes. Time may vary depending on the size of the asparagus. Turn after about 5-6 minutes. Remove when they are still tender. They will be tasty if they are slightly charred, but watch the BBQ closely and remove them before they are burnt.  Serves 6-8 people. 

Roasted Peppers and Zucchini

            2 Red bell peppers

            2 Green bell peppers

            4 Medium zucchini

       Olive oil

Course ground salt

Fresh ground pepper

Thoroughly wash vegetables and cut lengthwise into 2-3 inch sections. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill on the BBQ or in the oven at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees C) for about 5-6 minutes on each side, or until slightly charred, but not burnt. Serves 6-8 people.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 11 – Beyond What We Can See

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 36:5 

 

As far as the eye can see—and beyond. That is how far God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness reaches. Beyond our expectation and imagination. We are just a small part of God’s plan, His creation, but He cares for us, beyond our expectation and imagination. He is faithful and filled with kindness. He is love. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8 Do you know God and His love for you? You may want to begin by becoming acquainted with His creation. 

Training Tip – If you have a telescope or a pair of binoculars then let your children stay up late enough on a weekend so that they can view the moon and see some stars or planets. Is there a local astronomy club? Often they have monthly public star gazing and in the late spring or summer they may have a star party. For those near Richland, Washington see the Tri-City Astronomy Club monthly publication at http://www.tricityastronomyclub.org/PrimeFocus.pdf. There is a Star Party April 20^th at the LIGO facility.  

Is there a planetarium near you? If not, then on your next vacation try to locate one and take your children to visit it to see some of the planets and our moon. Usually the planetarium will have shows during the daytime so that the children won’t have to stay up past their bedtime. It is awesome to view universe that God has faithfully and lovingly created. 

LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness. Isaiah 25:1

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 10 – Faithfulness

For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness. Psalm 33:4  

Faithfulness is the fruit of the Spirit that preserves our faith and the other characteristics as well as identifies God’s will so we can be dependable and trusting to God and others. Faithfulness is simply being worthy of trust or belief; reliable. 

God is faithful to His creation—things keep on working and being. We can count on having night and day, gravity, and seasons. He doesn’t give up on us, although there are times when humans were so disgusting to God that He wanted to wipe us off the face of the earth—like when He covered the earth with a flood and destroyed everyone except Noah and his family. Even in that God was faithful to keep His promise to …never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done….from Genesis 8:21. We can trust Him.

Training Tip – Do a trust building activity, such as a Trust Lean. In the Trust Lean the person trusting will fall backwards into the arms of the catcher (should be the parent with small children).

The Leaner stands straight up, feet together, arms crossed and says, “I am ready to fall. Are you ready to catch?”

The Catcher stands with one foot ahead of the other, bracing their stance, with their arms extended, and says, “I am ready to catch, fall away.”

Faller – “Falling”

Catcher – “OK”

Then talk about trusting and the faithfulness of the catcher. What made you feel trusting? What made you feel less trusting? (Joking/laughing or lack of communication may result in less trust.) With older children they can take turns being the faller or catcher. Be careful to do this on a soft grassy surface so that no one can be hurt. The faithfulness of the catcher is clearly demonstrated by their ability to “catch” the other family member. God’s faithfulness is demonstrated in that He is always there for us.

Lord – You are faithful to take care of us—everyday and everywhere. Thank you for being so reliable—we can trust that You are always there to catch us if we start to fall.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 9 – Pray – Desire Goodness

To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power…. 2 Thessalonians 1:11

We pray for you always—everyday. Not a day goes by that I don’t pray for my children and grandchildren. If you don’t have children or grandchildren, for whom do you pray? Prayer has so much potential—it taps into God’s awesome power. God wants to communicate with us—He wants to hear our desires and He has answers for us. That is prayer. One of my favorite verses has become Psalm 37:4… Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart. So the desire of my heart is that God will consider you—as you read this blog—worthy and give you the goodness and faith that you want in your life (my paraphrase of 2 Thessalonians 1:11). God loves to have us pray scripture back to Him. Choose a passage and give it a try. 

Training Tip – After you have tried praying back scripture to the Lord, share that idea with your family. Choose a verse to make a prayer, maybe one verse for each person. Read the verse and then pray it to the Lord. For older children you could do a whole passage.

Here’s an example from Psalm 121 (scripture in italics – prayer in bold.

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;

  I look at the mountains and the hills,

From where shall my help come?

  Where can I find some help?

My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

  My help comes from You—O Lord, the creator of heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to slip;

  You keep my foot steady—no slip sliding around.

He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

  You don’t sleep—You are always alert and on duty at Your job keeping watch over everyone.

The LORD is your keeper;

  You are my keeper—my guide—my greatest helper ever.

The LORD is your shade on your right hand. The sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will protect you from all evil;

   You provide shade from the heat of the day—from heat of trials, too…and protect me from evil—the bad stuff of the world.

He will keep your soul.

  You keep my very soul safe.

The LORD will guard your going out and your coming in From this time forth and forever.

   Lord—keep me safe as I come and go, guard my heart, soul and thoughts from now until forever.  

Lord, this is my prayer today…that You will give my family and me the goodness, faith and safety that we all desire. We praise You—forever.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 8 – You are Full of Goodness and All Knowledge

And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. Romans 15:14 

Jesus is the light of the world as He told us in John 8:12…then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." He was essentially “goodness” for us to follow after—we should be producing the fruit of goodness…becoming good. Paul teaches that we are to walk as children of the Light: for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. Ephesians 5:8-13. Are you letting your light, your goodness shine for others?  

Training Tip – Children love to play with flashlights. Wait until dark, talk about the goodness of Jesus and how He is the Light of the world. Give each child a flashlight—but don’t put the batteries in them. Hear the moaning—they don’t work! Put the batteries in the flashlights—like the power and goodness from Jesus. Go on a walk shining your lights for Jesus. Praise Jesus for His goodness.  

Lord Jesus-fill my children and grandchildren with Your Holy Spirit, that each of them might bear the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy peace, patience kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 7 – Goodness Will Follow Me

Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6 

Have you ever had a dog or a small child follow you around all day, right at your heels? That’s the way I see the goodness following me…day in and day out all the days of my life. The 23^rd Psalm is a favorite of many people and is used so often at funerals…I will dwell in the house of the Lord, forever. That goodness and kindness will follow us right up to Heaven…but we don’t have to wait until then for that character trait of goodness to take its place in our lives—that can start today. All we have to do is repent of our sins and accept the Heavenly Father’s gift of salvation. That’s when we begin to dwell in the house of the Lord—forever.    

Training Tip – Save a piece of fruit until it is almost rotten. During your sharing/devotion time with your family show the rotten fruit and a piece of fresh fruit. Ask them which they would like to eat and if they were one of those pieces of fruit, which they would want to be. Hopefully they’ll answer the good fruit. Talk about the qualities of good fruit and how we want to have goodness in our lives.  

Lord God, You are goodness! Help us to be more like Jesus by being kind to others and filled with goodness.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 6 – Goodness Stored Up For You

How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You, which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, before the sons of men! Psalm 31:19  

Can’t you just imagine a basket sitting on a shelf—it has your name on it because you have respect for the Lord. You peek inside the basket and there is Jesus’ goodness heaped up there just for you. He wants to share that goodness. So what is “goodness?” According to Dictionary.com, goodness is the state or quality of being good; moral excellence; virtue. kindly feeling; kindness; generosity; or excellence of quality. Additionally, goodness is displayed with integrity, honesty, and compassion towards others and allows us to do the right thing. No doubt about it—Jesus was a great example of goodness. Psalm 65:4 says, How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near to You to dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. So as we strive to be like Jesus and encourage this character trait in our children and \grandchildren let us remember that it is Jesus who chose us and as we peek into that basket with our name on it, may we be overwhelmed with the goodness that Jesus has for us. Reach out and take it. Choose to make goodness part of your life. 

Training Tip – Write out the word “goodness” surrounded in smaller words by the meaning of the word “goodness” as listed above or from your own word study. Do one for each family member, or just one for the whole family. Cut that paper into a puzzle shape. In your devotion time with your family read the scripture above, Psalm 31:19, and talk about fearing—showing respect for—the Lord, and about goodness. Pass out the puzzle and have them put it together. You may want to repeat the exercise for each of the kids if you did just one puzzle for the family. 

Lord Jesus, thank you for choosing us to be part of Your family. Help us to share your goodness with others around us.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

 

April 5 - Goodness

And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." Matthew 19:16-17

Here we can read between the lines that Jesus is admitting that He is the One who is good. It is worthwhile to mention scripture that says…Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8. Jesus NEVER changes…God NEVER changes. He IS good—the ultimate goodness. He is what we are striving to be like. We change—hopefully for the better—to be more like Jesus. It may take a conscience effort, an inward determination to change—and the best place to start a desired change is with prayer. Ask God to help you—if it is change towards more goodness in your character that you desire. Jesus direction to keep the commandments may also take prayer and a commitment on your part. Just remember…I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13  

Training Tip – Make a chart and have your family rate themselves and each other on different character traits. Between one and five, with one being the lowest and five being the highest, how does each person rate on goodness, gratitude, servant hood, humility, forgiveness, honesty, perseverance, contentment, kindness, compassion, joy, obedience and love? You may only want to choose five traits to make this an easier task. What traits do you model best for your children? Consider which traits you want to encourage more in each family member. 

Lord Jesus, we want to be more like You—overflowing with goodness. Help us to keep Your commandments and share Your goodness and love in everything we do.   

Friday’s Feast at the Lord’s Table

The goodness of food—oh it is hard to choose one to represent “goodness.” This surprisingly fun little cookie has a lot of goodness. I served these to friends with fresh strawberries after a chicken curry salad recently. Tasty. I hope you’ll try it and enjoy it. It will be a good recipe to take out again when the summer squash is bountiful. 

Lemon-Zucchini Cornmeal Cookies

Adapted from Everyday Foods, September 2009

Ingredients

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp coconut oil, softened

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

zest from 1 lemon ~about 1 teaspoon packed, finely grated using a microplane

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1 medium zucchini, grated using a microplane (about ¾-1 cup)

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix oil and sugar with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Add flour and cornmeal and mix until mixture is crumbly. Put on a disposable glove and mix in zucchini until a thick dough forms.

2.        Drop dough by rounded balls—about the size of small walnuts, 2 inches apart, onto a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies are light golden brown at edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely on wire racks. Makes 24 cookies.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 4 - Grateful or Thankful

…in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
…having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:7

So is there a difference between being grateful and being thankful?

Grateful - feeling or expressing thanks: having or showing the desire or reason to thank somebody.

Thankful - feeling gratitude: feeling or expressing gratitude.

So these words are synonyms. 

In her book, One Thousand Gifts—A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, Ann Voskamp expresses gratitude for simple everyday things—like light streaming in through a window and giggling children. On the dare of friend she started a gratitude journal writing down everything for which she was grateful—and she suggests doing the same. I started a list…and it was amazing how the things I was grateful for just came tumbling out of me and onto the paper…beginning with “Freedom to worship God”. I am so totally grateful for that ability—not everyone in the world has that.   

Training Tip – Start a Gratitude Journal with your family today. You can do it as a group or have a separate page for each person. See how many blessings God shows you for which you are grateful—and dare to live fully right where you are. Don’t wait for tomorrow or Sunday to express your gratefulness to the Lord. You may want to express your gratitude to those in your life who have influenced you to live in a way that pleases God. 

Lord Jesus, I am so eternally grateful to You for dying on the cross for my sin and for promising to never leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). Thank you also for showing me how important it is to be grateful for even the small things in my life. I am overflowing with gratitude.  

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 3 - Sing Praise - Gratefully

Sing to the LORD with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp. Psalm 147:7 NIV 

Having just experienced Resurrection Sunday—known to most as “Easter Sunday”—the music of the day is still going around in my head. Grateful praise. Praising the Heavenly Father for raising His Son Jesus from the dead—“Up from the Grave He Arose” is a mighty victorious song. “Worthy Is The Lamb”…Holy, Holy is He. “Jesus Paid It All”…all to Him I owe—sin had left a crimson stain—He washed it white as snow. “How Deep The Father’s Love For Us” expresses just how much God the Father loves not only Jesus—but us. Let us show our gratitude in praise to Him. 

Training Tip – Sing again some of the songs you sang on Easter Sunday. If you didn’t attend a service on that day—choose a favorite song and sing it to the Lord God. He is worthy of your grateful praise. Don’t just sing about God, or about Jesus—sing to Him. If your children do not know the song—teach it to them. Children are just sponges and soak up what they see and hear. Make a joyful noise to the Lord—together. 

Lord God—You are worthy of our praise. Accept this joyful singing as an act of worship and grateful praise. We love You, Lord.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 2 – Grateful for All the Wonderful Things God Created

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude….1 Timothy 4:4  

In the beginning God—Jesus—created the heavens, the earth, the light, the seas, the vegetation, the separation of light and darkness, all creatures and beasts… God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31. It is amazing all the things God created. This passage in 1 Timothy and similar ones including 1 Corinthians 10:23-33, is concerning eating or rejecting particular foods. We should be willing to eat anything that is put before us…but I’m not sure I could eat bird’s nest soup. It is suppose to be good for the immune system…and very expensive at up to $100 per bowl. Well, since it is cooked, I could give it a try, although I think that my money could be better spent in other ways. Reject nothing—and receive everything with gratitude.  

Training Tip – with your family make a list of all the good things God created. When you get to 100—stop and be amazed with everyone how long the list is and how great God is. Pray together and thank Him for all the good things He created. 

Lord Jesus, Thank you for all the wonderful things You created. Help me to remember that everything You created has a use and all foods are good to eat.  

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

April 1 – Fishy Gratitude

But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, 'Salvation comes from the LORD.'  Jonah 2:9 NIV 

There in the belly of the great fish Jonah expressed his gratitude to God. God rescued him from drowning. There Jonah was running away from God, from the responsibility God had given him to go to Ninevah—and God got his attention with a great storm. He was feeling pretty guilty. Have you ever felt that way? Guilty over not doing something that you clearly thought God wanted or expected you to do. God gets our attention in different ways. Sometimes through other people holding us accountable—sometimes with a storm—but not often getting swallowed by a big fish. Try to see ways that God is working in your life today. Be obedient to His call and grateful for the ways He uses you to serve Him. 

Training Tip – Be an example for your children today. Thank them for the ways they help you and share with them the ways that God helps you and your family. Pray and praise God together for His faithfulness—and salvation. 

Lord God, I praise You for giving me a grateful heart—that I can serve You even in little ways. Thank you once again for sacrificing Your Son Jesus on the cross—and raising Him from the grave—that all of here who choose to follow You have salvation that starts now—not just when we get to heaven. 

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

March 31 – GRATITUDE

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe….Hebrews 12:28  

Gratitude is an attitude of being thankful, even when we don’t see what we have. It is a part of worship to God expressing how we are grateful for things provided and done for us. This is so appropriate for Resurrection Sunday--to express our gratitude.

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder…written by English author Gilbert Chesterton. Gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. Gratitude is that feeling that is almost inexpressible that is deep within our hearts—overwhelmingly glad for all that Christ Jesus did for us by dying on the cross. 

Training Tip –  Make a list of all the praise songs you know that are associated with gratitude. Choose one, or more, and sing a song of gratitude to Jesus with your family. 

Lord, help my children and grandchildren to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and risen Savior (Ephesians 5:20 and Colossians 2:7). 

Joyous Resurrection Sunday to You!

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

March 30 – Righteous Enough to Approach God

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 

In order to approach the throne of God, we must be pure and righteous. That is what the sacrifices are all about—becoming righteous so that we are pure, holy and can stand or bow in the presence of God the Father. He is holy—so anyone who comes before Him must be holy, too. Jesus was pure…and then He took on the sin of the world. He died and was buried. Sin was destroyed. After Christ was crucified and put in the grave, His disciples scattered. Jesus was dead. Everyone lost hope. No one but the Roman soldiers stood at His grave. We remember this solemn day—but we know the rest of the story and the hope of His resurrection. Jesus suffered and died, knowing that God the Father would call Him forth from the grave—righteous and pure once again. And because of Jesus’ obedience to death, we are recognized as righteous in God’s eyes. Praise Him for that. 

Training Tip – Create a diorama with your children to help them understand the story of the burial and then resurrection of Jesus. Be sure to have Roman guards posted by the stone covering the entrance to the grave—a cave in a hillside. Then on Resurrection Sunday they will be able to roll the stone away to see that Jesus is not there! He is risen. 

Lord Jesus, once again I express my gratitude to You for the suffering You endured. I imagine that the darkness on the cross—and then the darkness of the grave were equally devastating. More rejection.  

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

March 29 – The Lamb Sacrificed

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.1 Peter 2:19-23

 

Just before the Jewish people made their Exodus from Egypt, the Passover was established. A sacrificial lamb was selected—pure and unblemished. The lamb was killed and the blood spread on the doorposts of their home—to prevent the angel of death, the last plague, from visiting that home. Later the Jews had a system of sacrifices that God introduced to them in which a pure animal like a lamb or bird, one with no defects, was killed and the blood poured onto the alter of the temple in order for them to be released from the sins that they committed.

Jesus was tempted for 40 days by the devil at the beginning of His ministry—but He did not give into temptation—He didn’t sin. He committed no sin. Yet we sin…so our sin was piled on Him—and He became the sacrificial lamb. Our sacrificial lamb. He died on the cross at the same hour that the sacrificial lamb was slain in the Temple. He suffered, bled and died on the cross for us. 

Training Tip – Read again for your family the story of the ten plagues in Egypt and how Moses pleaded with Pharaoh to let his people go. The Passover lamb is the one that was sacrificed to save first born sons of the Jews. Explain how Jesus is like that sacrificial lamb. 

Teach your children about fasting. Ask them if they would be willing to give up something today. It won’t hurt them to go without one meal in their lives…or to substitute bread and water for an otherwise nourishing meal. Can you fast for one meal to honor Christ and what He has done for you? 

Lord Jesus—on this day, remembering the day that You gave up Your life, I humbly bow my head and my heart in recognition of Your sacrifice. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. 

Friday’s Feast at the Lord’s Table

This scripture passage makes me want to fast, not feast. Jesus suffered so much for us. This Good Friday commemorates the day of His death. Take time out from feasting today and consider fasting. As you forsake a meal, consider what Jesus did for you—feast once again on His Word—His life giving words of hope and reconciliation with God the Father.  

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.