Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 5.22- Gratitude for the Greatest Gift                       Max Lucado     Gratitude.  It’s being more aware of what you have than what you don’t.  It’s recognizing the treasure in the simple—a child’s hug, a golden sunset.  Most of all, it’s a sense of the greatest gift: The Son of God, Jesus Christ, who took your place.     In the World War II death camp at Auschwitz, Franciszek [FRAN-sih-zeck] Gajowniczek [Guh-JOE-na-zeck] was one of ten prisoners chosen to die.  An angel in the form of Franciscan priest Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to take his place.  You know, you and I have something in common with Franciszek.  We both had a substitute die in our place.  And we both have discovered what it means to be grateful.  For what we have is far greater than anything we might want.  

 5.21- The Alamo                                2 Kings 25:1-7                                           Adrian Rosales     For thirteen days a small mission in the city of Bexar known later as San Antonio, Texas, was attacked. On March 6, 1836, the Alamo was sieged by the army of Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Many brave men died in the battle, but their legacy will forever live.     The fall of Jerusalem came about the same way when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, marched against Jerusalem with his army. He encamped outside the city and in time sieged it, as Jeremiah foretold (Jeremiah 6:1-30).     Why is   it that we sometimes wait until we are sieged before we will listen to our Father’s warnings? His Spirit always warns us against our sinful desires, but it’s up to us to listen and obey.     If we wait until we are sieged, it could be eternally fatal. So, put on your armor and stand watch.

 5.20- God Forgives                                       Psalm 51                                           Harold Simons     Gentle people have a conscience. But Satan, seeking to separate us from a loving relationship with God, uses our conscience to make us feel guilty and worthless when we sin. He tries to keep us from realizing that God forgives – even the vilest sin.     Consider the wickedness of David. His lusting eyes allowed unclean thoughts to enter his heart, later blossoming into adultery and murder (2 Samuel 11). Yet, God forgave David when he repented. We know him as the man “after God’s own heart.”     Will God not forgive the sins of baptized believers today? “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). God knows we sin, but He is faithful to forgive believers who acknowledge their sins and seek forgiveness.     Hear the words of Isaiah : “ Gone your guilt, your sins wiped ou

 5.19- Real Heroes                                        Daniel 3:13-28                                  Andy Wall     Did you know that basketball legend John Wooden died at the age of 99? As the head coach of the UCLA Bruins basketball team, Wooden’s teams won 620 games in 27 seasons. His ten national championships during his final 12 years of coaching is a record that will never be equaled by any other college coach. Coach Wooden never made more than $35,000 a year salary and never asked for a raise. He was widely known for his undying love for his wife Nell, his unfaltering integrity, and his faith.     It encourages me to remember some of his famous quotes:     Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.     Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.     Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is se

 5.18- The promise is that if we remember that God is generous with us then we can relax and be generous with others. God sees this and provides more so that we can enjoy and provide for others. This principle of the nature of our Father in heaven is repeated many places in Scripture. Love is not a zero sum game. The more we give the more we have. 2 Corinthians 9. 6  Now  I say  this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows  [ d ] generously will also reap  [ e ] generously.   7  Each one  must do  just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.   8  And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;   9  as it is written: “ He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor , His righteousness   [ f ] endures forever .” 10  Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply

 5.17- Common sense is the ability to think God’s thoughts in every situation. It is the refusal to act foolishly and the willingness to make decisions based on God’s wisdom, not my own.   Matthew 4. 4  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.   2  And after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights, He  [ a ] then became hungry.   3  And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”   4  But He answered and said,  “It is written: ‘ Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God .’” 5  Then the devil *took Him along into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,   6  and he *said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written: ‘ He will give His angels orders concerning You ’; and ‘ On  their  hands they will lift You up , So that You do not strike Your foot against a stone .’” 7  Jesus sa

 5.16- Live Like Jesus is Coming                      Matthew 25:1-13                            Mike Wittmer     I’m inspired by country singer Tim McGraw’s song “Live Like You Were Dying.” In it he describes some of the exciting “bucket list” things a man did after receiving some bad news about his health. He also chose to love and forgive people more freely – speaking to them more tenderly. The song recommends that we live well, as if knowing our lives will end soon.     This song reminds us that our time is limited. It’s important for us to not put off for tomorrow what we can do today, because one day we’ll run out of tomorrows. This is particularly urgent for believers in Jesus, who believe that Jesus may return at any moment (perhaps in the very second you’re reading this sentence!). Jesus urges us to be ready, not living like the five “foolish” virgins who were caught unprepared when the bridegroom returned (Matthew 25:6-10).     But McGraw’s song doesn’t tell the whole s