Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 4.28- Love. What a gift from God. We receive it from our parents if we are blessed. I know many have experienced totally joyous love also from spouses. How many of you who read this have great grandchildren who love you and also have a driver's license? I know one. Many have kids and grandkids that deeply care for them. Do you have friends who would lay down their life for you? You are fortunate. God is love. True healthy love flows from the heart of God into our hearts. Romans 5 5  Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we [ a ]  have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,   2  through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we [ b ]  boast in the hope of the glory of God.   3  Not only so, but we [ c ]  also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;   4  perseverance, character; and character, hope.   5  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out int

 4.27- Family and friends, We began the skin cancer healing journey on 12.28.23 and 16 weeks and 4 days later I have been healed and ready for my first shower. I want to thank God who is my healer in all things. Dr's. Nurses Jeff and Amy and all you my prayer partners. Much love to all of you. Larry Wishard Matthew 20 29  As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him.   30  Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 31  The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” 32  Jesus stopped and called them.  “What do you want me to do for you?”  he asked. 33  “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” 34  Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. All reactions: 8 Amy Wishard Goggins, Tom Wishard and 6 others

 4.26- That Blueboods family dinner table on Friday night. They had deep disagreements there. They have had reunions with family members that not been known about as a long lost son of a boy who had been killed in the line of duty. They sent some kids off to college. They had enemies loved into being friends. That kind of story is made up by the writers but it is rooted in a story that is not fiction but the absolute truth from heaven. There is a scene from a movie, Places in the Heart, where the sheriff killed by a teenager receives the communion cup from him in heaven. The bread plate is passed from a hypocrite repentant deacon husband to his forgiving wife. The family table is a table of grace and mercy. I hope you have one. Matthew 26 22  Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:   2  “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.   3  He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to

 4.25- Humans have a special tension if they are children of God. We have limitations that frustrate us yet we have work to finish here on earth. Spirit lifters have a work that is accelerated by working in the midst of sorrow and pain. Some are blessed to work into their 70's or 80's. They are looked to by younger generations for wisdom and insight. So young and old work together for the benefit of both. Each day I wake up, I sense a new work for that day and support from younger workers. We don't lose heart. We are more direct and focused than ever. We remember we are children of God in a nation that proclaims on coins that we trust in God. We are pressed but not crushed. We believe the life after this life is better life. We don't lose heart. We live with body parts that don't work well. Our physical eyes get cloudy but the eyes of our heart are more clear than ever and focused on our Father in heaven. We are confident that it might be our preference at times to

 4.24- Our tendency is to think of our problems rather pray for our opportunities. James 1. 2  Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, [ a ]  whenever you face trials of many kinds,   3  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.   4  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.   5  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.   6  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.   7  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.   8  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. 9  Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position.   10  But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower.   11  For the sun rises with scorching heat

 4.23- Working with the author of life and with great people does not give burn out. In fact it keeps one young at heart. Ruth Ann Milton Jones has been teaching math at the high school level for 44 years. She has taught a hard subject beyond retirement age for years. She likes teenagers and has high expectations for them. She had a birthday this week. That was a gamechanging day.when she landed here.. For those planted in the work of teaching children there is a promise from the maker that they will be Green and fruitful regardless of their age. They don't burn out or rust out. They workout. Matthew 18. 18  At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2  He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.   3  And he said:  “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.   4  Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the