Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 1.16.25- When something goes wrong in our life we have "friends" who know why it happened. When we have skin cancer they know we should 't have played or worked in the sunshine without a cap or hat. If our.child or grandchild have mental health issues they know they were not raised right. They are miserable comforters. A famous wise man said. "I would rather speak to God about this" Often the reason something has happened is no one's fault. It is to allow people to see awesome power and learn the need to cry out to God. I have been thinking and praying about the tragedy in Los Angeles. In this awesome destruction we see God's love in the helpers. We are all reminded of what is important. There anchor of hope must be in God who is unshakable. He will open a way where there is no way. Often for us to pray and serve and contribute and refuse to be full of quick, easy answers is best. Just to sit and cry with them can be just what they need. Job 13 “Beho...

 1.15.25- I had some refreshment today. A good friend of mine planned a lunch for me and brought it to my house. He likes low cal, low carb frozen dinners like I do and so he brought this kind of meal over We discussed ways to handle anger, some that work and some that don't. Ways to help our family without overhelping them. Ways to honor our parents and brothers and sisters. Neither was the teacher, but we were both co-learners. He also comes to my house on Thursday morning at 6am to pray and learn together how to be good helpers in our work places and good resources to offer prayer for those we work with. I am constantly invigorated by people who do what they think are little things that I think are big things. 1 Timothy 1 15  You are aware of the fact that all who are in  [ j ] Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes.   16  The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not a...

 1.14.25- Have you been able to take a nice walk during the snow storm? Did you set a little hike after the bright sun came out? I heard a friend say that people in Japan call that a "nature bath" have seen video where a person in a dense population city in Japan goes on a ride to a grocery store and gets some food and takes the food and the small Hibatchi grill and crawls in in the back of a small suv to cook an evening meal. Eat it slowly. Bed down in the back. Gets up to cook food and coffee or tea. A cooked breakfast and she was back to drive back to town and work. A "nature bath"? Cleansing the heart, soul and mind of any unbelief in God's greatness. Psalm 8 Lord , our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, You who have  [ a ] displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2  From the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have established  [ b ] strength Because of Your enemies, To do away with the enemy and the revengeful. 3  When I...

 1.13-25 We know that the teacher said his followers are "the salt of the earth". They stand up for good things any country they live. We all know we fail to live up to our best dreams of who we could be. I think this quote might encourage us "HOW EARLY CHRISTIANS LIVED – – From the Apology (“Defense”) of Aristides of Athens, presented to the Roman emperor, Antoninus Pius, circa 125 AD. I was impressed by the casual reference to not eating for two or three days in order to provide food for someone else. Christians know and believe in God as the Creator of heaven and earth in whom and from whom all things exist. They have learned God’s commandments and they live by them in hope of the world to come! For this reason, they do not commit adultery or engage in sexual immorality; they do not give false testimony in court or withhold someone’s deposit or envy another person’s possessions. They honor their father and mother, they are helpful to their neighbors and as judges, t...

 1.12.25- I have noticed that some of the most severe poverty cases are the ones who care the most for others. In one of the poorest areas of Denver there is a couple who pray for the hungry, find food banks and find a way to get food to them and they often don't have a car that works. Those us who are rich may be poor of compassion. Those who have little overflow with generous hearts. The teacher said,"Blessed are the poor, theirs is the kingdom of heaven." James 1. 9  Now the brother  or sister  of humble  circumstances  is to glory in his high position;   10  but the rich person  is to glory  in his  [ j ] humiliation, because like  [ k ] flowering grass he will pass away.   11  For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so also the rich person, in the midst of his pursuits, will die out.

1.11.25 I got reports this week of amazingly positive family meetings over the holiday season. I heard that what made them joyful was the freedom, respect and genuine appreciation the family members had for each other. If you have a family that gives you grace and space and celebrates your advances in life, then you are. Blessed. They provide a trapeze safety net without smothering you. John 2 2  On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;   2  and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.   3  When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.”   4  And Jesus *said to her,  “ [ a ] What  business  do you have with Me, woman? My hour has not yet come.”   5  His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He tells you, do it.”   6  Now there were six stone waterpots standing there for the Jewish...