Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

10.14- 10.14.1993 24 years ago today I arrived in Moscow Russia. A note in my wife’s journal was to represent a total change in my life for the next 14 years and really forever.   If you had told me before the church meeting on Wednesday, August 25, 1993 that my wife and daughter, Amy, 15, would want me to travel to Russia on a short term mission before the year was over I would have said, “That is impossible.”   I could not have imagined it. This from my wife's journal, 8.25.93 “At church, Ron Gholston, spoke about teaching the word in Barnaul Siberia for three weeks the past January 1993.   He told of going there and the people.  They have an amazing hunger in their hearts. People who had been pushed into atheism for 70 years. John and Clara Nell Petree are going in October ’93.   Lois Adams was sitting in front of us and asked Larry if he would like to go.   She said she would help pay his way.   On the way home Larry asked Amy and I how we felt about it, an

10.14- God wants justice for the poor so they will not be oppressed. Matthew 12. 15  Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16  He warned them not to tell others about him. 17  This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 18  “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,      the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him,      and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 19  He will not quarrel or cry out;      no one will hear his voice in the streets. 20  A bruised reed he will not break,      and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 21       In his name the nations will put their hope.” [ b ]

10.13- It is hard to overestimate the damage false religion has done to this world. Matthew 12. 12  At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2  When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” 3  He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4  He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5  Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6  I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7  If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ [ a ] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8  For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” 9  Going on from that place, h

10.12- The last 48 hours have been a whirlwind of education. I was frustrated because my garage door opener broke and I found that the whole door had to be replaced. I admitted this was a first world problem to the repairman who was hearing me complain and looking at me strangely. He told me three bad things happened to him over the weekend. I was reminded that a family member of a long time friend was struggling with brain cancer. A young woman in her 40's. I went to a couple of stores where I regularly get my groceries, Sprouts and Walmart. My baker helper lost his beloved grandad, but can't go to the funeral because his car blew up. My checker pointed out a woman putting up price signs was working the last day before her open heart surgery. My checker at the second store, in her 70's, took a two week vacation to travel with her sister. The sister had a stroke. Still in the hospital. I won't take the time to tell you any m

10.11 God loves to heal His children.  He created them in His image and wants to bless them. Healing requires many different personality types.  Some doctors are talkative and some are very quiet, but each can have a good impact on some patients. Good doctors and nurses are highly focused.  They are out to help people to be healed.  Their focus is not distracted by things that are not important. Good doctors and nurses are peaceful inside their hearts.  In a storm outside they can be calm inside. They make and impact for the good and so have to overcome the bad.  They don't want the convenient and status quo.  They want change for the better.  This is necessary yet makes some people uncomfortable. They have been trained to handle stress by their trainers who knew how to handle stress. They embrace the reality of life which includes death for all of us.  They work to preserve life as long as quality life can be preserved, but they must work in the shadow of death itsel

10.10- FFF. Faith. Family. Friends. Barbara Bush said that this was the most important three words describing her life in an interview she gave a few years ago. That is the case for me as well.   My faith has taught me to pray by asking and keep on asking.   To seek and keep on seeking.   To knock and keep on knocking.  Today I am doing this among my family and friends. I am aware that many of you who read this are family and friends.   In fact, most of the people who read my words are such.   I am not a writer.   I am an encourager, teacher who is a “wanna be” writer.   My drive to think with my family and friends pushes me to keep on thinking and writing with them, but I don’t think my gift is writing. My son Jeff is an excellent writer and today his second book launches.   His first novel, Redemption Avenue, was about a hypocritical, minister who became a partner with drug dealers to launder their money through his mega church contributions.   This