Banquet With The King

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

No Fighting

What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don't they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:1-3

Meditate. Do you quarrel with others or with God?

Did you have brothers and sisters with whom you quarreled and fought when you were a child? Do your kids or grandkids fight now? Sibling rivalry is nothing new. Look at Cain and Abel in Genesis 4. Abel was a righteous man, as portrayed in Hebrews 11. The jealous sibling rivalry that Cain experienced was purely that. Selfish and jealous. Cain didn’t give an offering that pleased God—so he got mad at his brother, Abel, who did please God. Cain struck Abel and killed him. Was that a wise choice? Obviously not. As a result, Cain was cast away from society. He still didn’t please God, who must have given the young men some training as to what He wanted and how they were to honor Him with their first fruits. Abel obeyed. Cain didn’t.

James suggests that you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. We need to converse—pray continually so that God knows what we want and more importantly, so that we know what God wants and expects of us. Communication and a close relationship are the keys to pleasing God. Note that James points out that our motives have to be right—in God’s will—for us to get what we want. Life is just not all about us and our desires. We are to live to please God—to do what Jesus would do. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His followers about the value of what and where we store our treasures. What treasures are you storing in heaven?

Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:19-21

God is so generous. I hope you will get to know Him more each day. He promises to take away our heart of stone—uncaring and selfish—and replace it with one filled with the Holy Spirit that is gentle, tender, and obedient. That sounds like a wonderful thing. God has a great and mighty plan that through His grace enables us to be obedient and worthy of His attention and love.

And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. Ezekiel 36:26-27

Prayer – Lord, I am in awe of You. You are almighty and yet there are people out there who are so focused on themselves that they don’t see You in Your magnificent glory. Please take away any stony and stubborn qualities in my heart. No jealous, fighting motives. I’m asking and trusting You to put a new heart within me so I will be obedient to You. This is the desire of my heart—to be pleasing to You and to serve You with my whole heart.

Verse of Salvation ~ Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. O Israel, rejoice in your Maker. O people of Jerusalem, exult in your King. Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp. For the LORD delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory (salvation). Psalm 149:1-4

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 23, 2025

Wisdom from Above

Light and Wisdom from Above
Folly Beach near Charleston, SC

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18

Meditate ~ Do you consider yourself to be wise? Are you a peacemaker? Why/why not?

What is your view of wisdom? Where does it come from? How do you get it?

In this passage James tells us that wisdom of God is from above. The Wisdom of God. To me that is all knowing, all caring.

What is wisdom? From Collin’s dictionary online, wisdom is…the quality of being wise; power of judging rightly, and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, good judgment; learning; knowledge; erudition. The Bible is filled with wise words…Wisdom.

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! Psalm 111:10 (NLT)

Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. Proverbs 3:13 (NLT)

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. Proverbs 4:7 (NLT)

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways! Romans 11:33 (NLT)

No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 1 Corinthians 2:7 (NLT)

Wisdom is a mystery—yet something so desirable and pure, merciful, peaceful, and gentle. That sounds like Christ Himself. Yes. So, what are some hints as to where we find wisdom? Job speaks of this in his discussions with his friends and God.

"But do people know where to find wisdom? Where can they find understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity. Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it. Destruction and Death say, 'We've heard only rumors of where wisdom can be found.' "God alone understands the way to wisdom; he knows where it can be found, ... Then he saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all humanity: 'The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.'" Job 28:20-23, 27-28

As Solomon wrote in Proverbs, to respect God…to fear Him…is the beginning of wisdom. I guess that is where we all need to start…reverently seeking God and as a result, we’ll find wisdom! It is not something instantaneous—it takes time, effort, humility…and love. Once again, it all comes back to love. Loving God and loving others. We each have that choice to make…day by day, moment by moment. What choice have you made today to follow Jesus…and to seek Wisdom?

Prayer~ Lord Jesus—above all I seek You. Please give me wisdom as I search for You and fill me with understanding as I apply Your teachings to my life. Thank you!

Verse of Salvation ~ Though the LORD is very great and lives in heaven, he will make Jerusalem his home of justice and righteousness. In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the LORD will be your treasure. Isaiah 33:5-6

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

Monday, September 22, 2025

Prove What You Believe by How You Live

If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. James 3:13-16

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

Zander & Kim with Zander's Eagle Scout project.
Fire ring
Prove your honorable life. Live it.

Prove it! If you wisely understand how God wants you to live…prove it! Live an honorable life, doing good works. People see how everyone lives and like it or not, we are judged and we judge others. People notice if you are doing good works or if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart. James points out that wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. We certainly don’t want evil and disorder in our lives.

For the first half of our life, we try to accumulate possessions, then the second half of our life, we try to get rid of that stuff. No hoarding. There are so many people who are trying to purge the clutter in their homes…and in their lives. They are cleaning house in a big way—reorganizing it. I'm beginning to do just that. The same can be applied to our spiritual home. Time to clean house?

Everyone has a choice day by day on how they’ll live. David asked God to cleanse his heart. Here’s his prayer. We can make it our own.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:7-12

Prayer – Lord, give me a clean heart that is willing to live Your way without any chaos. Restore the joy of salvation to me. Refill me with Your Holy Spirit. A fresh start. Thank you.

Verse of Salvation ~ But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, "The LORD is great!" Psalm 40:16

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

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

Sunday, September 21, 2025

Can You Train Your Tongue?

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring. James 3:7-12

Meditate. Consider your tongue…blessing or cursing?

Clover Dog
Well trained - protector & defender.
Cuddle up with this therapy sweety.

Have you ever trained a dog, cat, or bird? Trainers at water parks do marvelous things with dolphins and small whales who jump and fetch on command. We all admire dogs who can shake hands, beg, or rollover—and depending on the intelligence of the dog and persistence of the owner, it can take a long time to teach a dog those tricks, plus basic commands to heel, stop, and sit. Can we “teach” our own tongue to speak well, to bless and not bad mouth others? I think that “teaching” begins with the brain and heart, not just the tongue.

Jesus taught His disciples that very thing. Good advice for us, too.

Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain to us the parable that says people aren't defiled by what they eat." "Don't you understand yet?" Jesus asked. "Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you." Matthew 15:15-20

Words can disgrace a person. Where do those “words” come from? From the heart and mind of the person, of course. Sometimes our hearts need cleansing—to get rid of inappropriate thoughts and habits. Start over. David asked God for just that. I’ve done that many times too, when I’ve found my language a little trashy—sounding like a friend who spoke like a truck driver!

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24

Don't keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don't take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:9-12

Yes. Those are the prayers we should have. Cleanse me. Renew my spirit. Restore my joy.

Prayer – Lord, Cleanse me. Renew my spirit. Restore my joy. You are my hope and my salvation. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Verse of Salvation ~ This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. Romans 13:11-14

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

Saturday, September 20, 2025

Perfect…if We Could Control Our Tongues

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. James 3:1-6

Nearly Perfect Rose.

Perfect. Perfect? I keep reminding myself that only Jesus was perfect. I’m not—and it is my tongue, and thought life, that get me into trouble.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, thank you for being perfect. Will I ever truly be like You?

Meditate. Consider God’s perfection and His advice as written through James.

Verse of Salvation ~ What we do see is Jesus, who was given a position "a little lower than the angels"; and because he suffered death for us, he is now "crowned with glory and honor." Yes, by God's grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation. Hebrews 2:9-10 (read in context)

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

Friday, September 19, 2025

Examples of Faith in Action

Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God. So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. James 2:21-26

Abraham and Rahab. Both in the line of Jesus’ ancestry. Both faithful to God and to His plan. They didn’t say “No” but they did just what God wanted them to do. To go and to serve. Actions speak louder than words. They were faithful by their actions. That is faith in action.

Are we faithful by our actions? Do we do things for the Lord…like serving Him with something at church—leading a Bible Study or taking a meal to a hurting family. I sometimes have good intentions, but I talk myself out of it by saying that food isn’t good enough…too spicy…or not enough. Well, I need to take it anyway! “Get thee behind me, Satan.” I think that it is he deterring my good works at some point. What keeps you from applying your faith into action? Maybe we need to keep our focus on the Lord and ask ourselves…What would Jesus do? He didn’t have a home with a kitchen to cook food—but He fed 5,000 men and their families. Compassion. Generosity. Can we do any less?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, help me to see needs in my neighborhood, my church, and my community. Than give me the wisdom, knowledge and courage to assist in meeting those needs. You are faithful—may I be found faithful, too. You’ve given me resources to support others—Thank you.

Meditate. Consider God’s words involving faith and actions.

Verse of Salvation ~ Riches won't help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death. Proverbs 11:4

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Celebrate the day! Go out for a meal at your favorite restaurant. My hubby has found a new favorite sushi place in West Richland, Washington. Aki Sushi. Great fresh fish—so it is tasty to him. I don’t do raw fish—but they’ve plenty of options on their menu.

This is Chef's Choice! Will we have fish in heaven?

Happy Birthday, Naomi!

May God continue to bless you and help you make good decisions.

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