Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

7.7- God, give me grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, Courage to change the things which should be changed, and the Wisdom to distinguish the one from the other. Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time, Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking, as Jesus did, This sinful world as it is, Not as I would have it, Trusting that You will make all things right, If I surrender to Your will, So that I may be reasonably happy in this life, And supremely happy with You forever in the next. Amen. Reihold Niebuhr   Philippians 4. 11  Not that I speak [ g ] from want, for I have learned to be [ h ] content in whatever circumstances I am. 12  I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

7.6- The time between when a person is a teen and has a teen can be filled with harsh judgments about how it should be done and how my raising was not done right.  Once we walk a while in a teen parents shoes and especially if it is a difficult child the judgments change. Luke 6. 37  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned;

7.5- 8 Results of meditation on Scripture for the Christian 1.Instruction 2. Endurance 3. Connection with God. 4. Encouragement. 5. Harmony with fellow believers. 6. Alignment with Jesus. 7. Production of togetherness. 8. Welcoming attitude. Romans 15. 15  Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2  Each of us is to please his neighbor [ a ] for his good, to his edification. 3  For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “ The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me .” 4  For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5  Now may the God [ b ] who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, 6  so that with one accord you may with one [ c ] voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jes

7.4- Order. With my own eyes I have seen the design. I see the Andromeda Galaxy with my own eyes. 2.25 million light years away. Our nation's problems are big. God, the designer of the universe is bigger. Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name. One nation under God. Help us God to honor You. God bless America on July 4th and every day. John 1. 1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  [ a ] He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.   Genesis 1. 1  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2  The earth was [ a ] formless and void, and darkness was over the [ b ] surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was [ c ] moving over the [ d ] surface of the waters. 3  Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4  God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness

7.4- Be a star in your family. Listen more than you speak. Refuse to grumble and complain. Especially if your children and grandchildren love Jesus. Don't complain and criticize the way they worship in matters of cultural, generational difference. Be a star. Be humble.  Don't grumble. Philippians 2. 14  Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15  so that you will [ i ] prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you [ j ] appear as [ k ] lights in the world, 16  holding [ l ] fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. 17  But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18  You too, I urge you , rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

7.3- Work principles from a buddy who was a manager at a fast food resturant. He would see workers grumbling and complaining instead of working. "You got time to lean you got time to clean. Go clean the bathroom floor with the brush and sponge and soap and water." Behaviors in work world have consequences. Choose to not work then there are no rewards of feeling productive which humans were made to be productive. Followers of Jesus are taught to be fruitful and successful. Rewards come to the people who work hard and work smart and are a benefit to the company.  They produce what is supposed to be produced but in addition they help their leaders to not be needlessly burdened.  They are a delight to co workers and bosses.  Luke 12. 35  “ [ o ] Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. 36  Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. 37

7.2- Is life a sprint or a marathon? Life is a sprint. Life is a marathon. The marathon is getting up every morning and putting one leg in front of another.   Then there are special days.   When there is a major event of high intensity and needed focus.   It is these 100 meter dashes that allow one to find positive movement and growth in the midst of a bad situation. In these moments what is considered bad by average people is considered fuel for growth by the strong hearted people.    They see mourning times as moments of giving and receiving comfort.   When hunger comes it is a driving force for new work or new methods.   Moments of being rejected or insulted become times of joy at being able to be a shock absorber for other members of the team not having to be hurt or burdened. Stars shine brighter on dark nights.   The rock stars in my world stay humble and don’t grumble.   I learn most from those who run the race of life with a focus on the things that matter.

7.1-  In difficult times go back to those who taught you the love of God. Go back to the Bible. 2 Timothy 3. 3  But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3  unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [ a ] haters of good, 4  treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5  holding to a form of [ b ] godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 10  Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, [ g ] perseverance, 11  persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! 12  Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13  But evil men and impostors will proceed fro