Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

6.30- Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." March 4, 1865   Romans 12. 14  Bless those who persecute [ m ] you; bless and do not curse. 15  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16  Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but [ n ] associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. [ o ] Respect what is right in the sight of all men. 18  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but [ p ] leave room for the wrath o

6.29- 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 consistent and blunt and follow these rules for yourself as an example. Smoking. Drinking, Drug

6.28- Where do people who are children of God from all nations go when they die? Do these kind of questions trouble you? John 14. Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. This is the source of my hope in all situations. Not money, power or politics of any nation.

6.27- Keep a short list of focused prayer requests.  Believe that God wants to answer yes and be a grateful, forgiving person. John 16. 23  In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. 24  Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

6.26- I believe in the sun on the darkest of nights. I believe in the reality that God is love when all religions seem hateful. We become like the people we hate. Love never fails. Matthew 5. 43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘ You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45  so that you may [ ap ] be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47  If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others ? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48  Therefore [ aq ] you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

6.25- God allows some things that amaze me.  He allowed Cain to kill his brother Abel. He allowed Herod to kill a lot of babies. He allowed a pregnant woman to have to travel on a donkey to Bethlehem.  What amazing freedom God has given His human creatures.  They have been made in His image and so have the freedom of choice.  To love and worship Him in response to His love or to reject His love and live in hate and violence. I posted this on my Facebook today. It is no surprise that many Christians have a soft heart toward refugees escaping from a country where children are in danger. Matthew 2. 13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” 14 So [f]Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He [g]remained there u

6.25- There is a tendency in my life to use Bible verses to justify myself rather than fall at the foot of the cross saying, "God me merciful to me the sinner."  Some politicians have used it to justify oppressive, unrighteous behavior. Luke 18. 9  And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: 10  “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11  The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12  I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ 13  But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be [ f ] merciful to me, the sinner!’ 14  I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone

6.24- Jesus wanted to fulfill His calling from His Father in heaven and die on a cross at age 33.   That was the Father’s interest and His interest, but was not the interest of men of this world.   They wanted to catch some fish or built a nice boat or build a house or shape a nice “yoke” or grasp some power/money.   This is man’s interest, but not necessarily the Father’s interest.   God has called some of us to be neither rich or poor.   He has called some to be able to help others.   He has called others to have times when they are the “receivers” instead of the “givers”.   There is a blessing in both being a giver or a receiver. Matthew 16. 21  From that time [ r ] Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. 22  Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “ [ s ] God forbid it , Lord! This shall never [ t ] happen