Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

6.23- Keeping Your Focus on What Is Important During Times of Pain "I do not want to be healed as much as I want God's plan for my life--whether that involves healing or not.  My desire for His purposes fuels my consistent prayer.  Technically, He has guaranteed my healing, and should He choose to do it sooner than heaven, my shout of praise will be heard from Texas to Egypt.  Until then, I will not be disproportionately consumed with the idea that this trial must be lifted from my life." Nika Maples, Twelve Clean Pages, P. 229 John 16. 33  These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

6.22-The problems with comparison Don't compare yourself to others. They are tall. You are short. It doesn't matter. If you can do so charitably and only if you can, look to ways you can compare yesterday's you with the best you can be today. If you work by God's grace and mercy the transformation/progress, can happen. 2 Corinthians 10. 12  For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with [ h ] some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. 13  But we will not boast beyond our measure, but [ i ] within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. 14  For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; 15  not boasting beyond our measure, that is , in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as

6.20- Wishard’s Humble suggestions For Life In A Peaceful home 1. Be strong with your family who thinks you are weak and easy to manipulate. 2. Put God first in your life. This means rest and relationship with God is before your work with other people. 3. Remember you are not the savior of people. You cannot fix others. That is God’s work. 4. Let go. Let your children and grandchildren and spouses go except through prayer. Turn them over to God. 5. Have healthy, fun friends who are real people to hang out with. 6. Hear Jesus asking the question regularly, “What do you want me to do for you?” 7. Connect with your own passion and emotion but do not be overwhelmed in these. 8. Be blunt to tell your close family how you feel when you are being treated like a doormat or tissue. 9. Tell those who live with you or visit with you what you allow and don’t allow in your house. Be consisted and blunt and follow these rules for yourself as an exam

6.21- In the last 36 hours I have needed at attitude adjustment.   When I stand on my feet for a few minutes I can get this burning and soreness in my feet and legs.   Some of this I believe is from being my age and some is because I carry too much weight and some of this is because some of the food I eat tends to inflame my joints. I was frustrated, irritated, sad, annoyed, discouraged, overwhelmed and uncomfortable all at once. This will sound like complaining and grumbling and venting and I know that that is not something I really want to do to my friends.    I must teach myself to stay focused on the positive and not allow times of trouble to get me off track.   Fortunately, and I have had four people to help me refocus in redirect my mind. Sheila by just listening without correction or comment. At a friends breakfast this morning, Jason a young friend and group leader who reminded me that Jesus loves me. Jeff a young friend and member of a men’s group I

6.20- They asked John Wesley why crowds of people come to hear him preach. He simply responded: “I light myself on fire with the Holy Spirit and people come watch me burn.” Acts 4. 13  Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them [ k ] as having been with Jesus.

6.19- Church is not a building or a set of buildings. It is where two or three or more people have gathered to help each other. A school classroom, a field, a prison, a hospital, a funeral home or a broken home. This church will not be shut down by a nit wit, tin horn dictator or tyrant. Their power isn't long enough or high enough or deep enough or wide enough to stop God's love. Matthew 25. 31  “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32  All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33  and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34  “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35  For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you

6.18.18 Matthew 15. 5  And the disciples came to the other side of the sea , but they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6  And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the [ f ] leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” What is the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? It is the belief that the way to properly improve the world is through religion and politics regardless of the lying that is necessary.   The Pharisees believed in the Resurrection and life after death.   The Sadducees did not.   They both tried to mix their religion and politics to gain a victory with power and money.   Jesus told his disciples to “watch out and beware”.   Why?   Because religious people whether they are from the “Left” or the “Right” will try to use improper “means” to reach supposedly proper “ends”.  The proper thing is that the "means" justify the "ends." It is quite common to allow a variety of people types to come to large celebration.   Some will advise t

6.18- I was warned as a youngster to be careful about being too "worldly".   Then I came to realize that Jesus spent time, quite a bit of time with the known sinners in His town.  I read more and came to know that He came to save all us sinners.   Jesus is the chief forgiver.   Jesus Christ came into the world to save people from the effects of their sins and failures.   The guilt.   The shame.   The ball and chain of shame.   To do that He left heaven and came to earth and hung out with sinners.    He did not yoke up with the Pharisee hypocrites.   He did not align with those who lived low moral lives.   In fact He called them to leave their way of sinful, destructive living. Yoking two oxen together means that they must move in the same direction.   Jesus and His followers are moving toward the light.   They are focused on serving God, not money.   They have this direction.   The thing with Jesus is that love is the driving motivator, not fear and not anger.