Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 11.14- God uses all kinds of people to work for the good of others.  Some have in the past been mentally ill but with God's help became healthy.  One of the ways that God heals the sick is to help them understand that He has given His Son to provide forgiveness of sins for them.  Every kind of sin can be forgiven if we bring it to God honestly and sincerely and ask His forgiveness with a repentant heart. Mark 16. 9  [[ [ c ] Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.   10  She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.   11  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe  it . Acts 13. 38  Therefore let it be known to you,  [ r ] brothers, that through  [ s ] Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,   39  and  [ t ] through Him everyone who believes is  [ u ] freed  [ v ] from all things, from which

 11.13- The God presented by Jesus is a God who shows that death is not the end but a transition to a new level of existence.  He is Holy, Just, full of mercy and compassion.  He raised Jesus from the dead and will raise all of us from the dead. Mark 16. 16  When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the  mother  of  [ a ] James, and Salome bought spices so that they might come and anoint Him.   2  And very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen.   3  They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb for us?”   4  And looking up, they *noticed that the stone had been rolled away;  [ b ] for it was extremely large.   5  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.   6  But he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; see,  here is  the place where t

 11.12- "Only someone who finds the courage to be different from others can ultimately exist for 'others'." Juergen Miltmann Matthew 7. 13  “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.   14  For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

11.11- The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation. -- C.S. Lewis Daniel 9.   9  To the Lord our God  belong  compassion and forgiveness,  [ e ] because we have rebelled against Him;   10  and we have not obeyed the voice of the  Lord  our God, to walk in His  [ f ] teachings which He set before us through His servants the prophets.    

 11.10- "Don’t be mean; it makes mean people look normal." Bob Goff Ephesians 4. 29  Let no  [ u ] unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if  there is  any good  word  for edification  [ v ] according to the need  of the moment, say that , so that it will give grace to those who hear.   30  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,  [ w ] by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.   31  All bitterness, wrath, anger,  [ x ] clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.   32  Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven  [ y ] you.

 11.9- "In seeking to pass on Christian faith to my grandchildren I am more interested in presenting to them a beautiful mystery than a collection of ironclad certitudes. If Jesus is presented as beautiful and mysterious as we find him in the Gospels, I’m willing to trust in that beauty" Brian Zahnd 1 Corinthians 13. 8  Love never fails; but if  there are gifts of   [ c ] prophecy, they will be done away with; if  there are  tongues, they will cease; if  there is  knowledge, it will be done away with.   9  For we know in part and prophesy in part;   10  but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with.   11  When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I  [ d ] became a man, I did away with childish things.   12  For now we see in a mirror  [ e ] dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known.   13  But now faith, hope,  and  love remain, these

 11.8- It is not unusual for religious people to get stuck into their self made ruts and they can end up following their religious traditions instead of Jesus. We must hit the refresh button often. Jesus and His guys were busy each day helping sick and broken people. The religious big shots said they didn't wash their hands enough. Jesus said they didn't wash their hearts enough. They worshipped uselessly because the taught human rules instead of God's. You are dirty inside Jesus told these religious bullies and bigots. Lust. Theft. Murder. Adultery. Greed. Malice. Deceit. Lewdness. Envy. Slander. Arrogance. Foolishness. Religion isn't being killed by social media. It is committing moral suicide according to what Jesus said. A minister in once wrote about his own need to change his life I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world's delight; things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have allured my sight. Refrain: I will hasten to Him, haste