Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

The greater the wickedness in a culture the greater temptation to allow our love to grow cold.  We need to especially be alert to stay passionate in our love for all people.  Each day we encounter people who need our support.  We can see so many bad things on television that our warm love cools off and we can drift into becoming indifferent.

Every day we can choose be patient with our fellow humans and live in joy and spread good attitudes at work.  There are warnings from Jesus to not get drunk and mistreat our Co workers.  God is love and has built bad outcomes into the universe for hurt others.  We need to be self controlled in our responses. There will be times we will need to step in to stop others who are misusing their power to oppress others.  3,000 years ago a wise man wrote. "If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength!  Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.  If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?"

4.22- Paying taxes this year was postponed because of the pandemic. 4.15 is a red letter date normally.  Christians are taught to render to Caesar what is his. Taxes. Our taxes support the authorities. We also stand for proper laws that protect children and others who are powerless. We are to stand for justice. Good policemen stood against the murder of George Floyd and yesterday his murderer was convicted. This is where the laws of a righteous citizen would lead. All men are created equal. Justice for all regardless of race or ethnicity. God bless America.

 4.21- My favorite things.  Talking to my grandkids.  Having lunch with my kids.  Watching a good movie with my wife.  Thirty minutes on my exercise bike.  Working out with stretching and sit ups and with my weights.  Walking in the water channel at the health club.  Sitting and feeding birds.  Driving through Bear Creek park and watching children fish with their parents.  Driving through Braums and getting a double dip butter pecan ice cream cone. Calls from family and friends that live in distant cities.  Zoom meetings with friends who cannot be together with us personally.  These are some of my favorite things.  Do you know what God's favorite thing is?  It is for sheep who have wandered away from the flock to be brought home safely.  This is heaven's favorite thing. Luke 15. 15  Now all the tax collectors and the  [ a ] sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.   2  Both the Pharisees and the scribes  began  to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with

 4.20- Somethings that seem to be dead are not. We had a harsh winter storm this year. We had the belief that some of our trees were dead. Some of our rose bushes seemed to have been killed by the cold. Once Jesus said that if you want your life to be multiplied it must die. We must die to ourselves in order to live for others. Planted down in the soil a seed comes back to multiply. So when I saw these roses this week I was excited about the life that comes after a dead time of winter. If we can deny ourselves and serve others it will bless them and long term it will also be blessing to us. John 12. 20  Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;   21  these then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and  began to  ask him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”   22  Philip *came and *told Andrew; Andrew and Philip *came and *told Jesus.   23  And Jesus *answered them, saying,  “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorifi

 4.19- How many times have you prayed for healing and been healed? God is the healer.  He is the one who provides all the things we need. Acts 14. 16  [ m ] In the generations gone by He permitted all the  [ n ] nations to go their own ways;   17  and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,  [ o ] satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”   Matthew 14. 34  When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.   35  And when the men of that place  [ r ] recognized Him, they sent  word  into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick;   36  and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched  it  were cured.

4.19 Life includes major decisions and minor ones. Would you trade your soul for money? Bernie Madoff made off with billions of people's retirement money. He died this week. Do you believe that after death there is more justice from God for unrepentant people. God is the judge and knows hearts. Let us recommit to be people of integrity.