Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

8.12-Against Racism I went to my Saturday men’s group this morning hoping as usual to find fellowship, encouragement and a challenge to grow spiritually.   It did happen but not in the way I had planned. I left for the meeting concerned about the planned demonstrations in Virginia.   I had heard that the White Nationalists and KKK and the Alt. right were planning some torch light demonstrations.   This concerned me because I have a daughter and two grandsons who are part African American. This news story was mentioned by me and some of the guys before we got into our time of learning together. I had a Christian brother explain today that Ham saw the nakedness of his father Noah and told his brothers and Noah cursed him for this.   Ham was the father of Cush, and Cush was the dark skinned people of Africa so God cursed these dark skinned people. (see Genesis 9.20-28) I immediately challenged his interpretation and said that this interpretation was given by some to say w

8.12- Psalm 36. Your lovingkindness, O Lord , [ d ] extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. 6  Your righteousness is like the [ e ] mountains of God; Your judgments are like a great deep. O Lord , You preserve man and beast. 7  How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. 8  They drink their fill of the [ f ] abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights. 9  For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.

8.11- Pain is never wasted in Jesus' life. Maybe you heard today that you didn't get the job. Could it be that the person you thought was reliable was found out to be unreliable. You are devastated. God understands as no one else does. Psalm 34.18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are [d]crushed in spirit. Matthew 5. 10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 2 Corinthians 1. 6 But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is firm

8.10- Hope holds us up.  Suspenders About a month ago I decided to try using some suspenders to help hold up my pants.  It worked fairly well.  There is a blessing in things that hold things up.  How many times I have had people to whole me up when I was going through hard times. One thing is they listened to me. Notice people complimented by Jesus because they blessed him. Scripture knowledge makes us aware of the power of God.   Mark 12. 24  Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not [ n ] understand the Scriptures or the power of God? If you have not tried to teach Scripture to other people, then you have missed  great learning opportunity.  In my life I had many opportunities to learn Scripture.  I was blessed to be taken to church and Bible class from the time I was one month old.   From then until my first baptism at age 10 I learned quite a few Bible stories, but I still didn't know Scripture.   The opportunity of going

8.9- There is a God who created the universe. Our founders set it up on our documents to honor humans as being created in His image. When we honor God with our laws being laws of justice there is a blessing. When we set up laws that are full of oppression there is a curse upon them. It doesn’t matter which group or which time on earth. Honor God and your fellowman and things go well. Dishonor Him and there is chaos and every evil thing. I feel blessed to be born into this world as an American. I learned very young of the story of the Pilgrims and their search for religious freedom and their long journey on the ships to help establish the USA. I learned the nature of our constitution and have seen honor to God given in the words engraved in our buildings in Washington. Our money reminds us to not trust money, but trust God. About thirty years ago I got into a fairly large conflict because the atheists in Denver wanted t

8.8-The education of the uncomfortable. You must embrace the uncomfortable to enter the rarified air of excellence. Morten Andersen, (at the end of 23 years was cut as a kicker, kept practicing for twenty months without a team. Atlanta called him back when he had practiced for 20 months without a team) Ease is a greater threat to growth than hardship. Jason Taylor James 1. 12  Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has [ m ] been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted [ n ] by God”; for God cannot be tempted [ o ] by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14  But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin [ p ] is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16  Do not be [ q ] deceived, my beloved brethren. 17  Every good thing given and ever

8.7-The blessings of giving. What you give will grow. What you keep will perish. Morten Andersen, NFL kicker, leading scorer in the NFL for all time. Luke 6. 38  Give, and it will be given to you. They will [ w ] pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” 2 Corinthians 9. 6  Now this I say , he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows [ e ] bountifully will also reap [ f ] bountifully. 7  Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; 9  as it is written, “ He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor , His righteousness [ g ] endures forever .” 10  Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will sup

8.6-What is the answer to our problems in this society? There is a problem with religious people who are very active in politics but do not have a heart to help people in their personal lives.  They vote to help the poor in one way or the other, but actually are selfish and wasteful and do nothing to help the poor in their daily lives. These people let go of God's basic commands to love and care for the poor, the fatherless and the needy widows and aged.  They don't really care about the medical needs of the people choosing between food and medicine.  At the same time they go on television an push with politics for an answer from government organizations that they don't practice in their lives. There is a tendency to want to find solutions to the problems of a rise in suicides of teens that we think schools and government should have some answer while at the same time our own teens won't even talk to us because of our unloving attitudes in the home. People get