Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 6.1- Rest. My mom and dad did not have rigid religious rules about doing no "work" on the Sabbath. (For Jews this was Saturday.) They followed Jesus who taught if help is needed for animals or people it's okay to help them any day. But my parents had special "re-creational" habits. On Sunday feed animals. Take naps. Enjoy celebrating God as our guide and shepherd in life. Watch sports. Play 42. Eat and drink with family and friends. Enjoy Sunday for rest and "re-creation." After creating the universe in six days God rested on the seventh day. They didn't push their habits as if everyone should have the exact way of doing Sunay but it became a good, deep tradition with our family. I am thankful for this. It's a refreshing day. Genesis 2 2  Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2  By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.

 5.31- When you destroy a bird nest it doesn't show you are powerful. It shows you are foolish. When you break up a family that God built it is the same. Matthew 19 19  When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.   2  Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 3  Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4  “Haven’t you read,”  he replied,  “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ [ a ]   5  and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ [ b ] ?   6  So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 7  “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificat...

 5.30- You can't heal what you won't feel. John 11. 17  On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.   18  Now Bethany was less than two miles [ b ]  from Jerusalem,   19  and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.   20  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21  “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.   22  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23  Jesus said to her,  “Your brother will rise again.” 24  Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25  Jesus said to her,  “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;   26  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die....

 5.29- God is always preparing us for what he has prepared for us. John 14 14  “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God [ a ] ; believe also in me.   2  My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?   3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.   4  You know the way to the place where I am going.”

 5.28- What is the best response when someone loses a beloved spouse or child? Prayer. Silence. Presence. Service. More silence. No shallow Job's friends words. Silence. Prayer. Sensitivity. Space and grace. Job 2 11  When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.   12  When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.   13  Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.

 5.27- Danny Dennis was Sheila's high school friend. He survived the first tour to Viet Nam, but coming back and lack of understanding toward him sent him back. Then in the second tour he was killed. God, thank you for men women who gave their lives for our freedom. God forgive us for lack of understanding. Bless their families today. Romans 13 13  Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.   2  Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.   3  For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended.   4  For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if yo...

 5.26- My sister, Hazanne, has been cooking for me all my life. We missed our standard blackeyed peas and hog jawl(joel) on New Years. We caught up tonight with cornbread, butter and salad. She an amazing cook, sister, mom, grandmom and great great grandmother. She is force of love and fun in our life for nearly 90 years. Psalm 90 Psalm 90 A prayer of Moses the man of God. 1  Lord, you have been our dwelling place      throughout all generations. 2  Before the mountains were born      or you brought forth the whole world,      from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3  You turn people back to dust,      saying, “Return to dust, you mortals.” 4  A thousand years in your sight      are like a day that has just gone by,      or like a watch in the night. 5  Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death—    ...