Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

6.10 Basic Christian Belief disqualifies someone to serve in his government? Matthew 5. 13  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Jesus anticipated that his followers would be influencing and preserving any people group of which they were a part.   He called them the “salt of the earth.”   Salt seasons and preserves.   Christians following good ethics improve the love and kindness and fairness and justice of a community or even a nation.   A few of the Christians will be called to serve in high levels of government work. In America this works well because the founders determined that there would be no religious test prohibiting the Christians from serving in their government. Some of these Christians created colleges and universities to make sure their teachers were well educated.   Harvard was formed for such a purpose a

6.10- 1 Corinthians 13. 4  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

6.9- Jesus never quit looking to help lost sinners find a way to paradise.  He was sent to the earth to seek and save the lost.  On the cross there were two thieves.  One wanted to keep playing his power games.  One wanted to confess the truth and submit to Jesus.  Jesus had a love for him and made a promise. Luke 23. 32  Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33  When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” [ c ] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35  The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36  The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37  and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38  The

6.8 What can we do? Pray for our country. Our President was elected by a slim majority in the electoral college but lost the popular vote. He fired the FBI director who had a ten year appointment so that the office would not be political. He has been under attack for his demands for loyalty. Jesus honored John the Baptist who stood up to Herod for his marriage. Herod had his head cut off. Jesus said pay your taxes. He called Paul who wrote that we should give taxes and honor and respect to the government. What should we as Christians do? Pray. Pray. Pray. For truth to be found and justice to be done so that our country can remain free. There are forces around the world that are pushing for the expansion of religions that do not allow freedom. Those forces seem to be gaining ground with killing and violence. Pray. Pray. Pray. For those of us who lived through Watergate, whether Democrat or Republican or Indepe

6.8- Thank God for people who are poor, but give generously to others.   These know that things come and go, but God and his children and experiences with them remain.   This world wants to lead us to believe that if we get a Rolex watch or Lincoln car we will be fulfilled.   No.   Jobs pass and we move on.   The houses we live are not permanent.   In a normal life even nations come and go.   Do not place too much emphasis on world as it is now.   It has been said that he who marries the spirit of the current culture in this generation will be a widow in the next generation. What makes like great is a low stress life because we are at rest in God.   We know that God sees the sparrows fall and He knows our ups and downs.   The experience of laughter with friends can be exercise just as walking and stretching are good exercises.     Going to the gym daily is good, but so is getting together with fun friends.   Going to work is necessary, but even better than that is doing