Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 2.19- There is an appointment all of us have. 100% of us are terminal. Ukraine. Turkey. 9.11. For 2023 years and more there have been heartbreaking, life changing, family destroying events that happen. Earthquakes. Wars. These remind us pray for those helping to seek for the survivors and be alert to how to pray and serve and unless we can help then stay out of the way. Pray for and encourage those who are first responders, doctors, nurses, therapists, counselors, chaplains. Be ready to support financially efforts to reduce damage to people in any way we can. Spiritual storms come out of family loss and trauma. These are chance for each of us to go deeper in our trust in God through silence, stillness and meditation without pronouncements regarding the timing of when there will be no more death. Praying for more prodigals and elder brothers to be reconciled to our kind heavenly Father.Pray. Pray. Pray. Mark 13 13  As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples *said to Him,

 2.18- Some of the most poor and powerless people are the most generous people. I saw a news article just now on NBC evening news that reminded me of my travel on mission trips to Ukraine. In Kramatorsk they showed a poor family living in a basement where the matron of the family was a nurse. She was caring for her dying father who was blind and deaf. She would not allow Richard Engel to leave until until she shared borsht, a favorite Ukraian dish. Tears filled my eyes as I remembered being treated the same way. She said she would never abandon her dad or her family. A little baby was born premature during the beginning of the bombing. These poor people who are poor and powerless are an example of human generousity. Mark 12. 41  And  Jesus  sat down opposite the treasury, and  began  watching how the  [ w ] people were putting  [ x ] money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large amounts.   42  And a poor widow came and put in two  [ y ] lepta coins, which amount

 2.17- God has alway provided everything needed for His children to do the work He has given them to do. He gives guidance for walking with Him. He gives courage and wisdom when we get into difficult and dangerous situations. For 2023 years the more the world has tried to stop the spread of God's love through persecution the more the that love has spread more. China has tired to stop the spread of true Christianity. I was reminded today by a friend that man was in prison and gave his life to Jesus and he spent the next twenty years of his life building up the work of Jesus by being a teacher of English in large university in China. When you throw water on a grease fire it just spreads. Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me. Acts 8. 8  Now Saul approved of putting  [ a ] Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution  [ b ] began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for

 2.16- Are you a common, everyday, ordinary person? Or are you a rich, famous powerful person? A friend reminded me that the town Jesus was raised in, Nazareth, is a very common place and even "trashy". Can anything good come out Nazareth or your town of___________? If the place you came from is not famous for putting out good people remember that God placed His Son to be raised in Nazareth. God sent Immanuel here to connect with everyone from fishermen to high level government workers. Get in teamwork with Him and you will know life as a child of the King. John 1. 35  Again the next day John was standing  [ ah ] with two of his disciples,   36  and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”   37  And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.   38  And Jesus turned and saw them following, and *said to them,  “What are you seeking?”  They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”   39  He *said

 2.15- Today as I drove home from a shopping trip I saw a large, round sheep. I have been told that a sheep that lays down on a hill and accidently rolls on its back can die within a short time. It can't get itself up and the gases build up its stomach and death comes. Those who think of themselves and not needing any help in life have not admitted the truth or gotten far enough along in life to know how important help can be. I was in a class a couple of weeks ago when some ladies in their plus seventies had a blowout on the road. They said a wonderful, Godly man demanded that they let him change the flat. They went to a tire store and had a replacement and were back on the road in an hour. They considered this a special deliverance from God their shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd is a favorite song of many Jews and Christians. It reminds us of the joy of having Jesus as the good shepherd over us. He leads us to still waters and green pastures and guards us so that we not