Banquet With The King

Monday, September 23, 2024

Standing Before God

God set the rainbow in the sky.
This is the day that the Lord has made.

Prayer – Lord, I understand that I am accountable for my own actions. Help me to not live for myself, but to put You first in everything that I do—honoring and worshipping You moment by moment throughout my day—because it is Your day. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!

Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don't live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it's to honor the Lord. And if we die, it's to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose--to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, "'As surely as I live,' says the LORD, 'every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.'" Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let's stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. Romans 14:6-13

Meditate. Consider that you don’t live for yourself.

How do you honor the Lord?

There is so much in this passage. I chose it because it reminds me that we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. Stand. Kneel. We will worship the Lord God—in Spirit and in Truth. That passage goes on to say that each of us will give a personal account to God. We are responsible for every thought, word, and action throughout our lives. Paul advises us to not condemn others, but decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. I have to look at my own life and tell myself to not think, speak, or act in such a way that causes me to fall…to not honor the Lord. Just a few sentences earlier in that paragraph Paul wrote that we don’t live for ourselves. Everything we do should honor the Lord. As Christians—Jesus is the one we live for. If we aren’t allowing Him to live in and through us…are we living as Christians? Good question.

Just as Joshua challenged the Israelites as they were about to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land, we are faced with the same question.

"So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:14-15 (Underlined for emphasis.)

God hears us…always. He knows what we think, say, and do even before we do—but He’s given us free will to do as we please. What is your choice? Will you decide to live in such a way that pleases Him?

Verses of Salvation ~ The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time. For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken! Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. Psalm 34:17-22

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

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Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins in the Bible: New Testament Stories

Sunday, September 22, 2024

Be Like a Tree

Prayer – Lord, I worship You. You have given me guidance, wisdom, and understanding through Your word. Thank You. Help me continue to delight in Your word and Your ways…meditating on it day and night.

Tree planted by the water at an Israeli kibbutz.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and in His Law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore, the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:1-6 NKJV

Meditate on the verse: And in His law he meditates day and night.

Do you have a list of scriptures that you find comforting? While you are not overwhelmed by fear or stress, make a list of your favorite calming, reassuring, and uplifting verses. Maybe start with the classic ones and add your favorites:

Psalm 23

Psalm 1

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Psalm 118:6

1 John 4:18

Matthew 6

John 14:1-3, 27

1 Peter 5:7

Philippians 4:6-8, 19

When you are struggling, pray those scriptures to the Lord—out loud whenever possible. Worship the Lord with His words. Memorize and meditate on the scripture passages that you love. There is power in the word of the Lord. Then give thanks to the Lord. Use these and other verses to encourage others. They need the Lord as much as you do.

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

What is your choice today? To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength…and to love your neighbor as yourself? Are you like a tree planted by the water—yielding fruit? Will you choose to allow your faith to grow like that tree?

Verses of Salvation ~ 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 NLT

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

Saturday, September 21, 2024

Ready of Not…Here He Comes

Prayer – Lord, I’m ready. Are You? Of course You are! We’re all just waiting on God the Father to say “Come.”

Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior. Psalm 38:22

Meditate. Pray.

Are you waiting on the Lord?

David was pleading for help from the Lord. He was feeling overwhelmed by his enemies and pleading for God’s mercy.

For I am waiting for you, O LORD. You must answer for me, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15

God has given us a message for our future. Actually, He gave predictions throughout history…and those foretelling came true. Consider the 365 predictions of Jesus that were fulfilled. Google it for yourself. Now we can look forward to promises that were made regarding the End Times and the coming Kingdom. There will be some scary time as written in the book of Revelation—but for those who love and obey God, choosing to have Jesus as their Savior, it is a time of reassurance and at some point, rejoicing. The symbolism in Revelation may appear to be alarming—even frightening. For that reason, some people just don’t want to study that book of the Bible. But trust in the Lord—He has a plan—and will surely bless those who trust Him and are obedient.

Trust in the Lord
Soar like an eagle.
Be ready for Jesus' return.

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

As we wait—let us not give up and get tired. Keep going—walking with the Lord—and waiting on Him.

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

Even amidst the turmoil we see around the world today, we wait patiently, anticipating Jesus’ return. Are you choosing to faithfully and patiently wait for the revelation of Jesus Christ?

Verses of Salvation ~ So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God's obedient children. Don't slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn't know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, "You must be holy because I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16

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

Friday, September 20, 2024

Be Ready

Prayer – Lord Jesus, You told us to be ready. Give us wisdom, understanding, and courage as we look to the future of possible events that could impact our daily lives. We don’t know when things will occur…just that we should be ready. Thank you that You have promised to always be with us. No fear when You are near.

What day is this...what time is it?
No one knows the hour or the day.
Be ready!

However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. People didn't realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left. So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Matthew 24:36-44 (Underlined for emphasis.)

Meditate. Are you ready for anything?

What is your greatest fear? Ready or not…here it comes!

Are you afraid that Mt. Rainier will blow up or the Cascadia Fault will shift causing a gigantic earthquake? How about a hurricane with an enormous force in the South wiping out electricity and flooding the countryside? Sometimes we just need to be ready for little things like power outages from high winds or summer lightning storms.

Another fear that seems to becoming more realistic is a war that could involve people around the world. Jesus told us that there will be wars and rumors of wars in the last days. Are we seeing that beginning with the conflicts in the Middle East, particularly involving Israel right now? So many countries currently have atomic, neutron and hydrogen bombs with long-range destructive capabilities and they may be tempted to use them to gain more power. War is inevitable. Will it be in our lifetime? Are you ready?

Jesus Himself told His disciples in this passage from the book of Matthew that the Son of Man would come when least expected. Jesus is the Son of Man. He was talking about own His return. If you are expecting Him to return, when would that be? Christmas, Easter, the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Trumpets, Passover, the Fourth of July? When? You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. Will it be in our lifetime? Be ready.

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

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Are you prepared for a disaster? Be Prepared. Are you like a Boy Scout, always prepared and ready for anything?

Have you seen anyone building some kind of ark like Noah…or preparing for End Times? There are lots of “preppers” out there stocking up food, weapons, and a place in which to bug out. With the threat of earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest, hurricanes in the Southeast, as well as doomsday predictions of atomic wars, it is a good idea to have a couple of weeks’ worth of food and water on hand.

You can check out lists online that are prepared by the American Red Cross, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), or just helpful preppers. For convenience, there are also options of prepackaged containers that provide meals for two weeks for two people that have a shelf life of twenty-five years. That’s a long time to keep food around. My thought is to store what you eat and eat what you store. Rotate it so that it doesn’t get outdated. Water is most important thing to have on hand since we can go without food, but we cannot live without water—and it needs to be good drinking water to keep everyone healthy.

Check out FEMA’s list of things to have on hand in an emergency. It is a helpful place to start. Ready Emergency Supply List

Next Friday I’ll post a list of suggest food items. Just keep in mind that whatever you set aside, it needs to be food that you and your family will eat. Until then…keep watch. Be ready.

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

Thursday, September 19, 2024

Eternal Glory

Prayer – Lord – please give us grace to follow You obediently and wait patiently as we anticipate our eventual transformation into an eternal body—glorified like Yours, Jesus.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. 1 Peter 5:10-11

Meditate. Read God’s word and be encouraged by what He is saying.

What do you think a “glorified” body will look like?

Did you note that God is promising for His followers to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. Awesome! We will be glorified one day—just as Jesus was after His resurrection. We will be changed. Transformed. Instantly. In the blink of an eye.

Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 1 Corinthians 15:48-53 (Underlined for emphasis.)

It is evident that God in His grace shows kindness, goodness, and mercy to those He has chosen—and those who have chosen to follow Him. There’s that choice that He gives us…we are given free will—we are not puppets, but we must be obedient. What does that mean? Obey. Just like we have been told since we were babies…physically and spiritually. Do what we are told to do…first by our parents and always by God. If you are struggling with obedience, it is time to take a serious look at your relationship with God. What is your spiritual choice today?

Happy Birthday Naomi!

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

Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Hope—Without Worry

Prayer – Lord, no worries. I love that You encourage us not to worry—but to trust You. You made everything and it was good. We’ve kind of gone downhill—not everything is good now. Some water is polluted and food poisoned by chemicals—but as we pray before we eat, You purify it. Thank you that we can trust and rely on You to provide for us and to protect us.

Balsam Wildflowers
So beautiful in the spring.
No Worries.

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? "And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? "So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:27-34

Meditate. Why worry?

Is worry a habit for you?

Look up the word “worry” in the Blue Letter Bible search online. In the New Living Translation there are 36 entries. That’s not much worrying considering it is in the Old and New Testaments, but people throughout time have “worried” about something and like them, we worry. Food, water, clothes, our house, car, employment, school, neighborhood, friends, money. The list goes on and on—and is mostly dependent on that last thing…money. Without it we can hardly exist. Times are tight right now. Have you seen the recent polls? Groceries alone have gone up almost 50% in the last couple years. How can people living paycheck to paycheck make ends meet and put food on the table for their children? Maybe they don’t even have a job and the boxes of free food aren’t as full as they were this time last year. What can we do? Pray. And then dig deeper into our own pockets to provide for those with more needs than us. There is always a place to give and be an encouragement to others. Remember how you feel when someone even just smiles at you—and gives you hope. Do the same for others. Don’t worry.

Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Proverbs 12:25

Additionally, Jesus indicated that He wants to carry our burdens—that would be our troubles, worries, concerns—with us. What reassuring and promising words. Rest! Hope!

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

What is your choice today? Trusting the Lord to provide for you, your family and friends? Giving to others? No worries?

Verses of Salvation ~ Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 1:3-4

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

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Dry Bones…All Hope Is Gone

Sign posted on a path in Jerusalem.

Prayer – Lord, is Israel’s hope secure? Dry bones raising up. The bones on non-believers are dry and lifeless, whereas the bones of those who believe in You, Jesus, have strength and hope. Can the dry bones ever be filled with life? You haven’t forgotten that the Jews are Your chosen people—so there is hope for them. Please continue to fill their hearts with hope—even as they face battles with their enemies surrounding them today.

The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. Then he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?" "O Sovereign LORD," I replied, "you alone know the answer to that." Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'" So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.'" So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, 'We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.' Therefore, prophesy to them and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!'" Ezekiel 37:1-14

Meditate. Consider God’s promises.

Do you have hope in God? Are you Jewish?

The predictions of the Jewish Homeland are falling into place—and started over 70 years ago when Israel became a nation, and the Jews started gathering there from all over the world. Whether they are only of Jewish heritage or are practicing their Jewish faith, it doesn’t matter. They are home—in the land of milk and honey—in the land that God had promised to their Father Abraham. Home.

Everyone needs a place they call home. The Jews have Israel…and they have fought since May 14, 1948, for that land to be theirs. It still isn’t the total area that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That nation is not finished—they won’t give up easily. Yet, will it ever be without turmoil? Will dry bones raise up to defend their country?

There are exciting days ahead for the whole world. God has promises and predictions that He has given that haven’t been fulfilled. Keep your eyes and ears open. Choose today whom you will serve—just like Joshua challenged the Israelites before they crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land.

Verse of Salvation ~ Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! Habakkuk 3:17-18

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

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