Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

Jim Elliot was a missionary to Acua Indians who was killed along with four others was killed on 1/8/56.  His most well known quote is this:"He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Intensive Daily Bible Reading If you have ten minutes, read Jesus from the Gospels. (Read prayerfully seeking guidance from Jesus for your personal situation.) If you have thirty minutes, read Jesus and the New Testament selection. If you have forty minutes, read Jesus, the New Testament and a Psalm selection. If you have an hour, read all the readings. Think of this time as an intimate conversation with your Father in Heaven. Listen for something of His love from His heart to yours today.   Date:1/12/13   Read a chapter of Jesus : Matthew 12. Read a chapter from Acts:12. Read a chapter from this New Testament Book:Romans 13. Read a paragraph from a Holy Spirit inspired older teacher to a younger teacher:1 Timo...

We just finished the Christmas season.   Are we willing to keep standing with Jesus on the hard truth He teaches. Baby Jesus grew up to be a tough-love teacher.   I have a friend whose wife is in her seventies and rehabbing following hip surgery.   He is an oil man who must travel for his work.   He is committed to work and making a living, but also for caring for his wife.   He took her and the family dog on his last business trip.   They checked into a Marriott and he contacted a local nurse to help her while he was at work.   I spoke to him last night and he said, “I seem to remember some vows I made about sickness and health.” Psalm 116:14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. Never be ashamed of God and His word.   Only He is all wise and all powerful.   We are not.   He is the fixer of people. We are not.   In the hardest of times when we stay with our work, we develop strengt...

   Once Jesus asked a man who had been sick a long time if he wanted to get well.  Jesus is the great physician and He knows it is critical whether one wants to live a healthy life or not.  The Bible teaches that our body is a temple of God's spirit.  Day ten of our New Year's resolution.  I went to my doctor yesterday and he said all my numbers were good except the number on the scales.  Thank God.  I can almost hear Dr. Jesus saying to me, "Now, Larry, how will you work on that part of it this year?"   I hope I will work hard instead of hardly work. Proverbs 10. 4. Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. 5 Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid. Larry Wishard     Intensive Daily Bible Reading If you have ten minutes, read Jesus from the Gospels. (Read prayerfully seeking guidance from Jesus for your personal situation.) If you have t...

Jesus said, "You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light." Matthew 10.39. The Message Paul said to his young intern, Timothy "Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching" 1 Timothy 4.12   Solomon sometimes referred to as the wisest and richest man in the Bible wrote, "Wise son, glad father; stupid son, sad mother. 2 Ill-gotten gain gets you nowhere; an honest life is immortal. 3 God won’t starve an honest soul, but he frustrates the appetites of the wicked. 4 Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth. 5 Make hay while the sun shines—that’s smart; go fishing during harvest—that’s stupid. " Proverbs 10.1-5 Intensive Daily Bible Reading If you have ten minutes, read Jesus from the Gospels. (Read prayerfully seeking guidance from Jesus for yo...

My co-worker, Robert Brock, tells the story of a man who got a job on a farm in spite of the fact that he told the farmer he could sleep through a storm.  A storm came.  S ure enough, the worker was asleep.  The farmer ran out to see if everything was tied down and covered up properly. It was.  The farmer went back inside and went to sleep.  Now the farmer knew what the worker had meant.  Everything that could be done had been done.  When you have done what you can, then turn everything over to Jesus who has all power.  He could sleep on the boat because His Father in heaven was in control and He knew it.   Matthew 8. 23-25 Then he got in the boat, his disciples with him. The next thing they knew, they were in a severe storm. Waves were crashing into the boat—and he was sound asleep! They roused him, pleading, “Master, save us! We’re going down!” Larry Wishard   Intensive Dai...

Getting ready to depart.  Have you noticed the stir as you gather things to head to the airport.  It is critical that we look around to leave nothing undone.  As we prepare for the realities of life which always includes some suffering and death, its important that we leave nothing undone.  Tell those you love that they mean a great deal to you every day.  That is good preparation for our departure. 2 Timothy 4.6-8   You take over. I’m about to die, my life an offering on God’s altar. This is the only race worth running. I’ve run hard right to the finish, believed all the way. All that’s left now is the shouting—God’s applause! Depend on it, he’s an honest judge. He’ll do right not only by me, but by everyone eager for his coming. The Message Larry Wishard Intensive Daily Bible Reading If you have ten minutes, read Jesus from the Gospels. (Read prayerfully seeking guidance from Jesus for your personal situation.) If you have thirty minutes...

There are so many questions about ethics and behavior that our children and grandchildren ask us about.   I have had many good conversations over this Christmas/New Year’s holiday with my family.   I remember hearing Barbara Bush describing the decoration of the tree in the White House when her large family would gather there with three words. “Family, Friends and Faith.”   Yes, it is the season when we get to re-connect to our generations about what is important.   I was asked, “Why is this language bad?”   I replied,   “Because the Spirit of God led wise men to write that our language should be that which builds people up.”   Today I was reading some words of Jesus in a modern paraphrase of his teachings Matthew 7. 12 “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them . Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get. The Message. Woul...

Larry Wishard’s Intensive Daily Bible Reading and Meditation Plan If you have ten minutes read Jesus from the Gospels. If you have thirty minutes read Jesus, The New Testament. If you have forty minutes read Jesus, The New Testament and Psalms. If you have an hour read all the readings. Think of this time as an intimate conversation with your Father in Heaven. Listen for something of His love He wants to pour into your heart today.   Date_1/6/13____________   Read A Chapter of Jesus Today: _Mt. 6_________________ Read A Chapter from Acts Today:___Acts 6______________ Read A Chapter from The New Testament Books Today__Romans 6_________________ Read A Paragraph from The Pastoral Epistles Today__1 Timothy 2.8-15____________________ Read A Verse About the Beauty of the Word of God Today__Psalm 119.6______________ Read A Couple of Chapters from the Old Testament Today_Genesis 11,12_______________ Read A Chapter from Wisdom Literatur...