Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 5.19- Are you centering your life on supporting your children and grandchildren in whatever they want to be great at. Yes if their goal is to be excellent at treating others with kindness and respect. Lifting up the fallen and protecting the oppressed. No. If they want to be great at destroying others in order to get ahead. A baby in a manger has changed the course of history in many nations for the last 2024 years. Luke 2 2  Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all  [ a ] the inhabited earth.   2  [ b ] This was the first census taken while  [ c ] Quirinius was governor of Syria.   3  And all  the people  were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city.   4  Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,   5  in order to register along with Mary, who was  [ d ] betrothed to him, and was pregnant.

 5.18- People who read history to assist their walk in courage and endurance will find great examples that inspire. I was at my Walmart store today where Chris, Lucinda, Viven, Dan, Rufus, David, Piroette, Teonce and Mary work to help people. They smile and assist me with whatever I need. My limited mobility does not cause them to move away from my mobility cart but seem to draw them to me. Saying, "Can I help you reach that?" Usually I need to stretch and do all I can for myself but I smile and thank them. Today as I was in line I was behind a lady, (about 60) who turned and saw my overflowing Walmart mobility scooter. She already had unloaded her small order. She smiled and said, "Can I unload this for you?" "Yes. Thank you." The person in front of her finished. The checker finished her order. She still kept unloading my cart. I said to her, "The favorite book I read teaches me that the greatest people on earth are servants." She smiled as I

 5.17- Happy belated mother's day to Sheila in heaven. I was reading about this time of year in 1973 that she had stayed up all night with Jeff sick with fever and just stayed up all night typing one of my papers. What a great wife and mom. Thanks Amy for sharing this and you being a wonderful mom. Amy Wishard Goggins    ·  Happy Mother’s Day to my favorite mama on the whole planet!! you and hope you have a great day! #shestilltakescareofus

 5.16  The the aurora borealis has shown up around here and is reminder the maker is beautiful. I saw a butterfly today. He had been transformed from a worm which could not fly into a cocoon and with time and some pushing out of its wings it became so quick and lovely and attractive. I suppose each stage of our life has a purpose for some from of transformation. Patience is in order because some stages are not as much fun as others, but each can have its own purpose. In the background of my sight of the butterfly were two squirrels chasing each other and a sparrow and a blue bird showing off and a house cat cleaning himself with salvia and its own paws. All nature rings and round me sings the glory of its maker. However, the gospel changes my view of God’s commandments, in that it helps me to see the heart of the Person from whom those commandments come. Milton Vincent,   A Gospel Primer for Christians Romans 12. 12  Therefore I urge you, brothers  and sisters , by the mercies of

 5.15- Worst scenario we still have our Father in heaven who is for us. His comfort. His love. His guidance. His children drawing in close in our hardest moments without negative comments and judgement. Just quiet service without cost. Life in the family. Romans 8 26  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.   27  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who [ i ]  have been called according to his purpose.   29  For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.   30  And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

 5.14- How do you frame your life? Mostly suffering. Loneliness.Death. Or. Mostly love from our maker. Cared for from birth. Nourished by mom. Taught God's love from childhood. Known as a human being created in God's image. Meant to care for all of creation in a good way. Kindness to others is the default setting. "Preaching the gospel to myself each day mounts a powerful assault against my pride and serves to establish humility in its place. Nothing suffocates my pride more than daily reminders regarding the glory of my God, the gravity of my sins, and the crucifixion of God’s own Son in my place. Also, the gracious love of God, lavished on me because of Christ’s death, is always humbling to remember, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the Hell I deserve." Milton Vincent, 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 th

 5.13- Overcoming pride and racism and hate. Not an easy task. I know a group of people who started a cemetery in 1874. The civil war killed 750,000 Americans. After that war there have been several others in our country. Wars of all kinds have killed many. In 1874 Oak Ridge cemetery was started. In 1879 a church was started. I spent my first 19 years attending there. And the last four years attending there online. Groups of people in churches have worked for about 2024 years to overcome selfishness and arrogance and racism and other self destructive habits through comforting broken hearted people and giving them a fresh start. Broken people trying to help other broken people. Oak Ridge church, in Fannin County Texas has been doing this for 145 years. Perfect love overcomes fear. I was with them on Zoom last night and they were teaching and giving all present a fresh start to love better. How blessed I am. Wow! 1 John 4 7  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from G