Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 11.14- Great teachers cause their students to know themselves better and to feel useful to the community. They catch people doing something right and tell them. They are genuine in their words without flattery. They turn a downside day rightside up. Ephesians 4 25  Therefore, ridding yourselves of falsehood,  speak truth each one  of you  with his neighbor , because we are parts of one another.   26  Be angry, and  yet  do not sin ; do not let the sun go down on your anger,   27  and do not give the devil  [ t ] an opportunity.   28  The one who steals must no longer steal; but rather he must labor, producing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have  something  to share with the one who has need.   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

 11.13- Nothing could be better than a life without suffering? Yes there is. It is learning how to keep our joy in times of suffering And learning to empathize and encourage others in their suferring. And realizing there is no such thing as a life without suffering. Suffering can be reframed as the accelerator of growth in wisdom. Hebrews 4 8  For if  [ d ] Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.   9  Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.   10  For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.   11  Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by  following  the same example of disobedience.   12  For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to  [ e ] judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.   13  And t

 11.12= Sheila's birthday in heaven is today. One hour talks about what a great joy we have in the ability of or our kids to reach the point where they say to themselves, ""I gotta get out of here." I heard a story from my nephew, Keith Luttrell, that when his son, Lane, was about four years old they couldn't find him. He was behind the couch and curtains up next to a picture window saying to himself on a lovely fall day . "I gotta get out of here." I miss her perfume. Her beautiful red hair. Her perfectly smooth skin. Her eyes. Her smile. Her ability to laugh and make me laugh. Her joy over Frioles cheese enchildas. Her frustration at an unnesessary Bronoco or Cowboy loss. Her joy when the Christmas tree was up and all decorations in place. Her joy at our annual Christmas party finished except for a few friends going on with deep, fun stories of the year till 1am. By her attention to detail I was blessed with knowledge of how to run the dishwasher, wa

 11.11- What i learned this week. In connected groups where we are vulnerable to openly share our weaknesses there is a hothouse of spiritual and emotional growth. An ongoing audit of how I'm doing at resisting victimitis is part being deeply healthy. Live in a dual conscienousness. Aware of what i want and what my designer wants for me, short term and long term. Listen deeply to internal signals when entering big commitments. Green light. Red light. Yellow light from within. Take time to obey your internal signals. We are ridiculously in charge of our own decisions and their consequences. We must own our own stuff. 1 Corinthians 2. 2  But I decided this  [ n ] for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again.   2  For if I cause you sorrow, who then  will be  the one making me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me?   3  This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in

 11.10- The designer of the universe loved to make beautiful things that men and women could enjoy and have pleasure in. Stars. Moon. Handsome men and beautiful women. Lovely gardens were in the garden of Eden. All enjoyed without shame but with delight. He shows up at wedding receptions. Honeymoon and births and family reunions. Let's have a day of delighting in what the designer has made and do so without harming ourselves and others in the process. Genesis 2 4  [ ar ] This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the  Lord  God made earth and heaven.   5  Now no shrub of the field was yet on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the  Lord  God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to  [ as ] cultivate the ground.   6  But a  [ at ] mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole  [ au ] surface of the ground.   7  Then the  Lord  God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his

 11.9- "Put down thoughts." The teacher said that he did not get birthed into this world to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. His brothers and sisters have been set free from Put down thoughts I don't serve God enough. Self talk that comes from the great accuser need to be challenged. It's important in life to know our mission. I am not here to put down people but build up people. That includes myself. The teacher did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as ransom. Good news. Matthew 20 20  Then the mother of the  [ m ] sons of Zebedee came to  [ n ] Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.   21  And He said to her,  “What do you desire?”  She *said to Him, “Say that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine shall sit, one at Your right, and one at Your left.”   22  But Jesus replied,  “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?”  They *said to Him, “We