Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

12.31 You are strong. You have been weak, but today you are strong in God's strength. Matthew 5.3 3  “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. The Message Colin O'brady crossing Anartica said he finished by telling himself that he was strong.   The truth is that human beings can be awful. Malachi 3. 5  “Yes, I’m on my way to visit you with Judgment. I’ll present compelling evidence against sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who exploit workers, those who take advantage of widows and orphans, those who are inhospitable to the homeless—anyone and everyone who doesn’t honor me.” A Message from God -of-the-Angel-Armies. Titus 1.  10-16  For there are a lot of rebels out there, full of loose, confusing, and deceiving talk. Those who were brought up religious and ought to know better are the worst. They’ve got to be shut up. They’re disrupting entire families with their teaching, and all for

12.30- About 15 locations for our family table with Jesus.  We gathered around a table and ate some food and normally had some meat and bread.  We would thank God in the name of Jesus Christ for the food.  His presence was experienced as we talked over the good things and the hard things we were going through.  The family love was so normal and regular as breathing.  For many years it was taken for granted.  Then when we experienced loss from that table we came to appreciate the family table more. Mom left in 2003 and dad a year later in 2004. Sheila's mom, Gladys Self, left in 2007 and Ralph in 2011. People we had been at the table with many times, but now at the table with Jesus in heaven we believe. If you are a follower of Jesus and enjoyed a meal with your loved ones yesterday or today, do not take it for granted.  John 21. 21  1-3  After this, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, this time at the Tiberias Sea (the Sea of Galilee). This is how he did it: Simon

12.29- Thank you for this year of blessing to my life.   The year, 2018.   In five days we can say. “It’s done . . . complete.” But we have some more work to do together I hope in 2019 and years beyond. That plan given first to Paul and then to others who imitated him as he imitated Jesus. to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. “It’s done . . . complete.”   Jesus part on the cross was complete. But our part continues We are being sent   off to present God’s offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living We have been given some men and women who are in charge of songs of praise who can make   the rafters ring. We have song leaders for leading us in the   singing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. O ur God turns the curses into a blessings.

12.28- What Impossible Thing Would You Like Jesus To Help You Do Today? Be persistent with this request to God until you are sure you are face to face with Him about it.   Be honest.   A rich relationship requires honesty that is not cheap. Give me a new and better view of my future today. Help me to practice the wisdom of Warren Buffet, “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.”   Because of a related bit of wisdom.   “If you spend what you have for what you don’t need, you will someday have to sell what you need to pay for what you didn’t need.”  Help me to be honest with myself about what I need and what I want.  Mark 10. 46  Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have me

12.27- -Why would very religious Christians be hateful against other people groups? “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Theodore Roosevelt As I was working out on the leg press machine on Monday a friend started speaking to me about what turned him off about so called “born again” family members.   “They spent eight years expressing terrible attitudes toward our President because he was African American and then carried out racial attitudes that were totally horrible.”   I tried to respond that Jesus did not teach that kind of attitude in my opinion. Jesus wanted joy to be strong in the heart of His disciples.   He taught His disciples not to judge each other and compare themselves with each other.   He did not set His twelve apostles up in teams to compete with each other and the ones left standing would be the winners who would be with Him in heaven.   This was not His way.   This is the way of this world. Jesus chose twelve men who were very diverse.   Jesus even reache