Banquet With The King

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Don’t Test God

Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.' Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.' Matthew 4:5-7

Meditate. Consider Jesus’ word and listen to what He is saying.

Jesus was being confronted by the devil at the tallest point in Jerusalem, at the top of the Temple. Remember that they were in the Judean desert and now immediately in Jerusalem. Did the devil just whisk Jesus away from the desert to the Holy city...or did Jesus walk? We don't know. It might be interesting to see how someone would depict that scene if they were to make a movie of the temptations. Note that the devil is misquoting scripture. Matthew Henry, a minister and author in the 1600's, has given a thorough and comprehensive review of this chapter, just like his evaluation of all the other books of the entire Bible in his commentary. See that on the Blue Letter Bible website. Matthew Henry points out that the evil, cunning devil wanted Jesus to throw Himself down from the Temple so that He would die, but then used the promises that God gave in the Psalms.

For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone. Psalm 91:11-12

Even Satan knows God's word, and he intentionally misuses it. He didn't use the entire verse, leaving out wherever you go. By leaving out those words, he inferred that God's angels will not protect Jesus or us everywhere. Not true. As long as we are following God's will—His direction--then we are assured of His promise to be under His protection. Additionally, we must be very careful that we handle God's word correctly, not misusing it. The devil was tempting Jesus, thus tempting God. Jesus retort was that we are not to tempt God. Jesus quote from the Old Testament.

You must not test the LORD your God as you did when you complained at Massah. Deuteronomy 6:16

Since Jesus didn't get caught up in the issue of angels’ protection, but addressed the testing God issue, I perceive the greatest lesson we learn from Jesus' second temptation is that we are not to test God. How often do we do that? Do we say, Lord, if You will do this or that for me, I'll follow Your way. Actually, that is backwards. It should be...Lord, I am following Your way, please send Your angels to protect me...or whatever. By this being included in the book of Matthew, Jesus was teaching that we need to honor God by not testing Him.

Prayer – Lord, You are awesome and wise above all. Thank You for this lesson on temptation that we can learn more about You and Your plan for each of us, for mankind that we would be able to live to please You...day by day...moment by moment.

Verse of Salvation ~ Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. Isaiah 58:8

Revised and reused from January 11, 2018, blog Banquet With The King.

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

Monday, February 16, 2026

Angels

Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus. Matthew 4:11

Meditate.

Angels. Numerous books are written about angels—so what can I say in a short blog about such a heavenly topic?

"Rejoice with him, you heavens, and let all of God's angels worship him. Rejoice with his people, you nations, and let all the angels be strengthened in him. For he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take revenge against his enemies. He will repay those who hate him and cleanse the land for his people." Deuteronomy 32:43

Weeds will be burned in a fire.

Jesus taught about the role of angels in the end times in His explanation of parables about the farmer and the seeds He planted.

Jesus replied, "The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels. Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!" Matthew 13:37-43

The angels are heavenly—but Jesus is more. He is our savior. The angels could never be that.

And furthermore, it is not angels who will control the future world we are talking about. For in one place the Scriptures say, "What are mere mortals that you should think about them, or a son of man that you should care for him? Yet you made them only a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them authority over all things. Now when it says "all things," it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. 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. Hebrews 2:5-9

The angels ministered to Jesus after He endured the temptations of the Devil. They will likewise minister to all of Jesus’ family. That’s us. The believers. Are we listening to Jesus’ teaching on angels?

Prayer – Lord Jesus, angels ministered to You. Are they really taking care of us, too? So many people pray that angels will protect us as we travel—angels at all corners of our cars. Angels comfort the sick and dying. Angels are God’s creation—Your creation. Your word tells us that angels fight the spiritual battles that happen without us even being aware. Thank You for creating such wonderful beings.

Verse of Salvation ~ 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 2:10

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

Sunday, February 15, 2026

Don’t Get Dragged Away

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. James 1:14-15

Garden of Gethsemane
Jerusalem, Israel

Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, "Sit here while I go over there to pray." He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine." Then he returned to the disciples and found them asleep. He said to Peter, "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!" Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, "My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done." Matthew 26:36-42

Meditate. Consider desires and temptation.

Did Jesus desire not to go to the cross be considered a temptation? He prayed three times, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. He was certainly submissive to God’s will. We know how He obediently went to the cross—He followed God’s will, His plan. He was without sin.

What desires do you have that can lead you to sin? Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. That temptation can result in sin. Can we be sinless like Jesus? Choices make the difference. Don’t get dragged away.

Prayer – Lord Jesus, God didn’t take the cup of death on the cross from You, so

thank You for Your obedience and for Your sacrifice. Help each of us to be more like You, day by day.

Verse of Salvation ~ Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Psalm 51:12

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

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, February 14, 2026

Love From the Heart

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: "Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments." Matthew 22:34-40

Meditate. Read Jesus’ words and listen to what He is saying.

One of the reasons that Jesus came to earth was to teach people what God had already told them. His message really centers around love. Love from the heart. Love God. Love others. Love yourself.

A simple message that is appropriate today and every day. Where do you find the commandments to which Jesus refers in the Old Testament? These are important commandments…but are they listed in the great Ten Commandments? Actually, they nicely summarize the Ten Commandments. The first few of the Ten Commandments focus on God and our requirements to love, honor, and respect Him. The last several Commandments deal with people’s relationships with others and how we should treat them.

Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Jesus noted that one of the greatest commandments was about loving ourselves…

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Israelite, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:18.

This tells me that I must love myself …to love others around me. God created us all. To love myself and others is to love God. Consider the foundation of love. God is the source of all love…He is love.

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.)

Love is from the heart.

Prayer – Holy Spirit, may You fill each heart with Your love and grace and guide each of us in living the way that You would have us to live…with LOVE.

Verse of Salvation ~ Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation. Psalm 85:7

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

Happy Valentine’s Day

Happy Birthday, Kendall

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, February 13, 2026

Don’t Give in to Temptation

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13

Meditate. Don’t give in to temptation.

Jesus taught His disciples…and us…to pray like this, including an important phrase: don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Paul taught Jesus Christ’s principles, including that everyone faces the same temptations, just as Jesus did.

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. No difference. Everyone is tempted. It doesn’t matter if you are red, yellow, brown, black, or white, rich or poor, single, married, or in a committed relationship, educated or illiterate, employed or unemployed, a Christian, Jew, agnostic, or Muslim…you face temptations in your life.

Paul was speaking to the Christians in Corinth, but his message is good for all humanity. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. What tempts you?

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. James 1:12-15

The Holy Spirit is often depicted as a dove.
Let the Holy Spirit guide your life.

James tells us that God does not tempt us. Temptation comes from our own desires—from our sinful nature. Are you following your sinful nature? Our choices make the difference.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:16-21

What can you do about the temptation?

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Colossians 3:5

Choices…it all comes down to the choices we make, day by day…moment by moment. Choose to have nothing to do with things that tempt you. Yesterday, I mentioned that I have found that reciting scripture to myself is very useful in directing my thoughts away from temptations. This scripture passage should give each of us encouragement. Try using one of the scriptures above. Temptations are no different for you…or your neighbor, spouse, friends, family, or work associates.

Prayer – Lord God, the temptations in my life are no different from what others experience. You are faithful and will not allow the temptation to be more than I can stand. When I am tempted, You will show me a way out so that I can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13. Thank You for Your promise, Your love, and Your commitment to show me a way out of the grip of temptation.

Verse of Salvation ~ But I keep praying to you, LORD, hoping this time you will show me favor. In your unfailing love, O God, answer my prayer with your sure salvation. Psalm 69:13

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Party Time! Whether it is a Birthday or a Valentine’s Celebration, it is fun to have a special meal. What will your menu be? How about shrimp linguine, a tossed green salad with artichoke hearts, and Italian bread with dipping oil? Include fresh fruit and some sponge cake for dessert. Or splurge with a well- known Southern hummingbird cake. Watch for the recipe next week.

If you make your own linguine noodles—ahhh—go for it. I’m sure you have a favorite recipe for that; cook up a box of linguine noodles along with all the other ingredients below.

Shrimp Linguine for 8

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds cooked fresh shrimp

6 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup heavy whipping cream

½ cup chopped parsley

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

1 (16-ounce) package linguini pasta

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté briefly to release flavor. If using raw shrimp, at this point, cook in the melted butter for 3-5 minutes or until red. Add cream; heat just to boiling, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low. If using pre-cooked shrimp, stir in shrimp, parsley, basil, and thyme. Continue cooking until shrimp are just heated through; remove sauce from heat.
Drain pasta and toss lightly with cream sauce. Add Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper to taste; toss again, serve, and enjoy.

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, February 12, 2026

Tempted Three Times

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread." But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, 'He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'" Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the LORD your God.'" Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. "I will give it all to you," he said, "if you will kneel down and worship me." "Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures say, 'You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.'" Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus. Matthew 4:1-11 NLT

Meditate. Consider Jesus experiencing temptation…just like you.

Camel Crossing
The Judean Desert where Jesus was tempted.
Israel

After His baptism Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights. Then the tempter came and tried to get Jesus to turn rocks into bread, to jump off the pinnacle of the temple, and to worship him in exchange for all the kingdoms and glory of the world.

Jesus retaliated with scripture first from Deuteronomy 8:3,” Man shall not live by bread alone but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Next from Deuteronomy 6:16, He quoted, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” And finally using Deuteronomy 6:13, He said, “Be gone Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” Then the devil left and angels came and ministered to Him.

There are basically three types of temptation that if not curbed lead us into sin. Lust of the eyes (want), lust of the flesh (pleasure/selfishness), and pride of life (arrogance/user). All sins fall into one of those three categories. Of course, it is better not to sin, but sometimes our weak human nature just lets us down and we trip up…or fall into sin. Looking at our actions and reactions can keep us from falling deep or deeper into sin.

Jesus gave us such a clear example in this passage of fighting evil using scripture. We must be careful not to misquote scripture—as Satan did. We are not to misuse scripture for our own purpose. Look at the scripture in context. It takes more than bread to live—seek spiritual food. Every word, not just some words, which come from God. Did you get that? EVERYWORD. A mouthful—or an earful—either way.

Personally I’ve found that if I have a verse memorized, when I am tempted (yes even Moms and Grandmas get tempted), then I can focus on that verse and it keeps me from getting trapped by that wrong thought. The verse I’ve probably used the most is: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself” from Luke 10:27, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. This verse has brought my thought off some wrong lustful idea back to what is good—if I’m thinking something wrong, then it is just as if I have done the act itself, just as Jesus explained in Matthew 5:28. Additionally, my favorite verse, Philippians 4:8, is good for refocusing: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is an excellence and there is anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” What could be better advice?

So, the angels ministered to Jesus. After 40 days and nights with no food, He was probably famished. What do you think they brought Him to eat? Steak and potatoes? A nice juicy lamb chop? Some fresh fruit? Manna from heaven? Whatever it was, you can be sure that Jesus enjoyed it—savoring every bite.

Consider fasting for a meal—or a day and spending that mealtime in prayer. I pray continually for you that you would make good decisions. Do you focus on the true, honorable, right, pure, and good things? Make those things your goals.

Prayer – Lord, help me to make good decisions today and guide my family and friends in the choices that they make, too.

Verse of Salvation ~ Guide me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You [and only You] I wait [expectantly] all the day long. Psalm 25:5 AMP

What can we learn from this about Jesus, about life, and about God?

💖Happy Birthday, Julia! 💖

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

Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP),

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