Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 6.8- Where do ideas come from? Inside the heart, soul and mind. The ideas come into these from above or from below. Below ideas are bitter envy and selfish ambition which lead to disorder all kinds of evil. Above ideas are pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit like impartiality and earnestness. James 3 13  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.   14  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.   15  Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.   16  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good frui...

 6.7- How you can tell if a person who has done some things that are wrong and harmed himself and others.has really changed.? Actions. Words.? No words doesn't show real change. Lies and deception are easy. Earnestness will be seen in behavior. Humble confession of wrong and willingness to clear themselves to do whatever can be done for restitution. A desire for justice to be done. Acceptance that it will take years to restore trust. Forgiveness from God, who alone can read hearts, can be immediate. Reconciliation and trust from people is a different thing. 2 Corinthians 7 8  Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—   9  yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us.   10  Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads t...

 6.6- There are "friends" who know you are in a difficult time and make it worse by their actions and words. Then there are friends who are angels from God. They make no judgements. They silently serve and constantly remind you by their actions that you are not alone and you are not forgotten. These meet needs that you didn't know you had. They honor your tears by not overreacting or underreacting. Romans 12. 9  Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.   10  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.   11  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.   12  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.   13  Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. 14  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.   15  Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who m...

 6.5- The life that is happy and generous avoids being distracted by worry. Chicken little thought the sky was falling so did have not much to share but worry. If we look at birds, flowers and green grass instead 24/7/365 bad news we can have a cheerful attitude that blesses others. Luke 21 34  “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.   35  For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.   36  Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

 6.4- Some days we need thought and prayer to face a hard day. With every test and temptation to live in fear we receive God's strength in our weakness. Today jt was through this song. A Beautiful Song, Be With Me, Lord Be with me, Lord, I cannot live without Thee Author: Thomas O. Chisholm Tune: [Be with me, Lord, I cannot live without Thee] 1 Be with me, Lord, I cannot live without Thee, I dare not try to take one step alone, I cannot bear the loads of life, unaided, I need Thy strength to lean myself upon. 2 Be with me, Lord, and then if dangers threaten, If storms of trial burst above my head, If lashing seas leap ev'rywhere about me, They cannot harm, or make my heart afraid. 3 Be with me, Lord! No other gift or blessing Thou couldst bestow could with this one compare-- A constant sense of Thy abiding presence, Where'er I am, to feel that Thou art near. 4 Be with me, Lord, when loneliness o'er takes me, When I must weep amid the fires of pain, And when shall come t...

 6.3- Toward the later years of our lives we remember great gifts given to us by the mercy of God, our healer. How many times have I prayed for healing from God and he usually used, doctors, nurses surgeries and modern meds to restore me. Once Jesus healed ten levers, but only one came back to thank him. He said this one was made well spiritually because he remembered to thank God for the great healer. The great king David once wished for a drink of water from Bethlehem. They were at war and this well was behind the lines. Some soldiers who risked their lives to get him a pitcher of that water. This gift of great love caused David to be overwhelmed with thanks to God. He poured the water on the ground as a gift to his God. My left knee was rebuilt 12 years ago. The hands and hearts of medical angels are wonderful but God has built our bodies to heal. Thank you God. 2 Sam. 23 13  During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,...

 6.2- This was the first morning three years ago, 6.1.22, when Sheila's finish line was drawn for her. Now we knew why she had lost interest in eating, drinking and living in sharp pain. An obstruction was in her colon. There is a thin vail between the seen realm and the unseen realm. She had seen this close up with mom, dad, Gladys and Ralph. This for sure news clarifies and focuses one's thoughts. She did not change her spiritual direction or spiritual intensity, faith and family, but seeing the finish line nearby is something else. Short simple prayers. Zero time for careless words. Only words that build up. Precious time with the inner circle. Talk about traveling light. By God's grace and mercy she kept the "peace of God" all the way . 2 Corinthians 4 7  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.   8  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in ...