Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 11.5-   " how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing." I will be gathering with the maker of our nation and all nations for the next couple of weeks and watching for his answers to my prayers for peace in the USA and around the world. Matthew 23. 29  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous,   30  and you say, ‘If we had been  living  in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in  shedding  the blood of the prophets.’   31  So you testify against yourselves, that you are  [ aa ] sons of those who murdered the prophets.   32  [ ab ] Fill up, then, the measure  of the guilt  of your fathers.   33  You snakes, you  [ ac ] offspring of vipers, how  [ ad ] will you escape the  [ ae ] sentence of  [ af ] hell? 34  “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scri

 11.4- Are you known as a peacemaker in your family? Congratulations. You are living the high life. Do you have peace in the midst of burden and heart break? I am honored to know you. Peace of God to you today. Matthew 5. 5  Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the  [ a ] mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.   2  And He opened His mouth and  began  to teach them, saying, 3  “ [ b ] Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4  “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5  “Blessed are the  [ c ] gentle, for they will inherit the earth. 6  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. 7  “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9  “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

 11.3- We are surrounded by dark images right now. This world where we live the main thing people pursue is money, power, comfort and convenience. We like celebrity and fun, upbeat emotions. The fact is that to get money and power our eyes and ears are drawn to screens. Smart phones and television screens. Dark images of how horrible this world is. There was a man who worked in a cold, dreary, drippy wet basement. He lived and worked in times of war and death. He took his mind's eye to another place. I come to the garden alone. While the dew is still on the roses. The voice i hear falling on my ear The son of God discloses. He walks with me. He talks with me. He tells me I am his own. The joy we share as we visit there. None other has ever known. He speaks and the sound of his voice. Is so sweet that the birds hush their singing. And the melody that he gave to me Within my heart is ringing. I stayed in the garden with him. Though the night all around me is falling. But he bids me g

 11.2- Discipline. Habits. Getting up early to go slow and notice a sunrise. Linger on a walk as water reflects clouds and mountains and trees. Too busy to do all I can to cherish my spouse is too busy. No time for a breakfast to set up a day of positive thoughts and prayers for all my family is too busy. God's compassion and mercy is new every morning and I want to have that same compassion for every person who crosses my path today. I want to be still enough to notice God's love for his creatures every day. The sparrow is noticed by God and he will notice and respond to my cries for help. Help me slow down and take time to pray those three prayers. Please. Thank you. And Wow!

 11.1- Come. Four English letters. They set up such joy in my heart. Mom would get up on the first day of the week to cook fried chicken. Mashed potatoes. Gravy. Rolls. Tomatoes. Okra. Green beans. Apple or pecan pie or apple cobbler. She was going to use these four English letters. She was going to church in the summer under the tabernacle, sheet iron roofed shed or wooden church building across from the Oak Ridge cemetery for assembly, Sunday School, worship. After church she would say to a visiting preacher and other people, "Come over for lunch." In the evening service she would say her friends, "Come over for leftovers and let's play 42." Halloween. ""Come by and bring kids or grandkids I've got candy." Thanksgiving. To kids, grandkids, nephews, nieces and their friends. "When can yall come?" Christmas. Springbreak. Summer vacation. Any holiday. "Yall come when you can." Reminds me of a story of a father whose son had

 10.31- On burning bridges. When you leave a job voluntarily or you are "laid off" or "fired" and walked out of the building with security and a severance packet it would be good if you could avoid burning all the bridges it seems to me. Why? Just because someone doesn't believe in you as a business partner does not mean there is no way you might help each other in the future. Fisher men and women are very careful in catch and release situations. The hook is taken out carefully. They don't want to destroy a future of possible healthy growth. Disengaging in any kind of learning and growth partnership is delicate. I'm not perfect for all jobs and not all jobs, teams and bosses are a perfect fit for me. I'm growing and have new expectations for myself this year. My growth is too slow for some and too fast for others. In the future we might partner again. I have had the same Barber for 30 years in Denver. He went out of business once or twice. I moved t

 10.30- Clearing land. Tilling soil. Manure fertilizer. All is a part of reaping everything from peanuts to soybeans to porter tomatoes. Some do one part some the other but only God gives rain. God send your rain on the wicked and the righteous, (none of us is righteous all the time.) Thank you for your grace, mercy and peace to all of us and for peanut butter and salsa and rain we thank you in advance. Luke 13 13  Now on that very occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had  [ de ] mixed with their sacrifices.   2  And Jesus responded and said to them,  “Do you think that these Galileans were  worse  sinners than all the  other  Galileans  just  because they have suffered this  fate ?   3  No, I tell you, but unless you  [ df ] repent, you will all likewise perish.   4  Or do you think that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were  worse   [ dg ] offenders than all the  other  people who live in Jerusalem?

 10.29- Charles Dickens in the novel, Tale of Two Cities writes of a look alike man who substituted himself to deliver another man to go and live with his family. He wanted to lay down his life for others. Certainly he wanted the man to enjoy his life. Shortly before the executions are due to begin, Carton puts his plan into effect and, with Barsad's reluctant assistance, obtains access to Darnay's prison cell. Carton intends to be executed in Darnay's place. He drugs Darnay and trades clothes with him, then has Barsad carry Darnay out to the carriage where Lorry and the family are expecting Carton. They flee to England with Darnay, who gradually regains consciousness during the journey. A quote from Dickens for the character who gave his life, "A day wasted on others is not wasted on one's self.” “There is prodigious strength in sorrow and despair.” I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss. I see the lives for which I lay down my life,