Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

2.3- Matthew 3. 3  Now in those days John the Baptist * [ aj ] came, [ ak ] preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven [ al ] is at hand.” 3  For this is the one referred to [ am ] by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “ The voice of one [ an ] crying in the wilderness , ‘ Make ready the way of the Lord , Make His paths straight !’” Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson

2.2- What to do when you feel lonely? Call someone who needs encouragement and support and reach out to them. Write a thank you note to someone who has done something helpful for you. Write a surprise text to a friend letting them know what fun you had with them the last time you were together. Sit in a chair and meditate on the blessings you have in your life.  Your health.  Your mental awareness.  Your ability to get up and move about. Remember you are not alone and God understands. Psalm 22. 22  My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? [ b ] Far from my deliverance are the words of my [ c ] groaning. 2  O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but [ d ] I have no rest. 3  Yet You are holy, O You who [ e ] are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. 4  In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You delivered them. 5  To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not [ f ] disappointed. 6  But I am a worm and not a m

2.1-  What is a human being? Who is right? This character in Job 25. 25  Then Bildad the Shuhite [ a ] answered, 2  “Dominion and awe [ b ] belong to Him Who establishes peace in His heights. 3  “Is there any number to His troops? And upon whom does His light not rise? 4  “How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? 5  “If even the moon has no brightness And the stars are not pure in His sight, 6  How much less man, that maggot, And the son of man, that worm!” Psalm 8. 8  O Lord , our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have [ a ] displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2  From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established [ b ] strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. 3  When I [ c ] consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have [ d ] ordained; 4  What is man that You [ e ] take thought

1.31- Who should I use as a role model? Be careful here. You can think you have someone who is a role model and then you find out that they are in big trouble. You can have someone your respect, but later find out they are not around any more. God our Father is great, but He didn't walk on the earth. Jesus is 100% God Jesus is 100% human. Hebrews 2. 14  Therefore, since the children share in [ m ] flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15  and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. 16  For assuredly He does not [ n ] give help to angels, but He gives help to the [ o ] descendant of Abraham. 17  Therefore, He [ p ] had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 

1.30- Who gets to enter into the eternal life? Those who know God. Those who open their hearts and choose to be open and honest and real and decided to believe in Jesus and confess Him as their Savior and teacher.  Free will choice. The other choice is to follow someone else or follow your own deceitful heart. Matthew 7. 15  “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16  You will [ k ] know them by their fruits. [ l ] Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17  So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20  So then, you will [ m ] know them by their fruits. 21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in

1.29- Do you know God as, Father or cause and effect machine ? Generous or Hard and harsh and stingy? You have the choice daily to get to know God or not. How? Open your eyes and see the creation the creator created.   This is a choice.   If you choose to meditate on the creation you will come to believe in the beauty and glory of the creator. Choose to be thankful every day and you will see God as able to help you bear fruit, abundant fruit. The choice is up to you. Matthew 25. 14  “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15  To one he gave five [ a ] talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16  Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17  In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18  But he who rece