Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

12.1- Jeremiah 29. 11  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Psalm 127 A song of ascents. Of Solomon. 1  Unless the Lord builds the house,      the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city,      the guards stand watch in vain. 2  In vain you rise early      and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—      for he grants sleep to [ a ] those he loves. 3  Children are a heritage from the Lord ,      offspring a reward from him. 4  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior      are children born in one’s youth. 5  Blessed is the man      whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame      when they contend with their opponents in court. Jeff, Donna, Larry, Amy, Jared, Sheila, Jordan

11.29- If you have men who will only come if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all. David Livingston Matthew 16. 24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25  For whoever wants to save their life [ f ] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27  For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

11.28- C. S. Lewis said "Aim at heaven and you get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither." Matthew 6. 28  “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

11.27- A hit dog always barks. Proverbs 26.2 2  Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,      an undeserved curse does not come to rest. Do not get into a puking contest with a buzzard because a buzzard will outpuke you every time. Proverbs 26. 4  Do not answer a fool according to his folly,      or you yourself will be just like him. If you can't say something good about someone then say nothing. Proverbs 26. 20  Without wood a fire goes out;      without a gossip a quarrel dies down. 21  As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,      so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. 22  The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;      they go down to the inmost parts.    

11.26- People get off track by putting others up and themselves down. People get off track by putting themselves up and others down. People who are fruitful look out not only for their own interests but also the interests of others. People who can take a genuine interest in the welfare of others are often taught how to do that by having the interest of Jesus Christ in their hearts. People are cautioned by God to not think of ourselves more highly than we ought but to think of ourselves with sober judgment. Matthew 22. 34  Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35  One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36  “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37  Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [ c ] 38  This is the first and greatest commandment. 39  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [ d ] 4

11.25-What to do in times of testing. Luke 8. 13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. Life on this earth has times of testing. On Saturday I had breakfast with a man who said his work was terrible right now because he has people who seem to be trying to get him fired. They would report him as being lazy and incompetent and when he bosses checked on this work that found it to be excellent. He works with them though they make fun of him and others who work with him on the third shift as being second class people. He is in a time of testing. What can you do to remain fruitful and successful during a time of testing? I was thinking this morning of how my mother and father dealt with times of testing. Keep going knowing that life has times of testing and times of rest. Broaden your work interests so that your wor