Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

Matthew 24. 32  “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33  so, you too, when you see all these things, [ u ] recognize that [ v ] He is near, right at the [ w ] door. 34  Truly I say to you, this [ x ] generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 36  “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37  For [ y ] the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38  For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39  and they did not [ z ] understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40  Then there will be two men in the field;...

Matthew 24. 42  “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43  But [ af ] be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be [ ag ] broken into. 44  For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will . 45  “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his [ ah ] master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46  Blessed is that slave whom his [ ai ] master finds so doing when he comes. 47  Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48  But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My [ aj ] master [ ak ] is not coming for a long time,’ 49  and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50  the [ al ] master of that slave wi...

Matthew 24. 29  “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from [ r ] the sky, and the powers of [ s ] the heavens will be shaken. 30  And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31  And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His [ t ] elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Psalm 67 67  God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine [ a ] upon us— [ b ] Selah. 2  That Your way may be known on the earth, Your salvation among all nations. 3  Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. 4  Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness ...

There are five presidential candidates in America remaining in the two major parties.   Does your favorite one behave as a “Christian ”?   Answer these questions for Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, John Kasich 1.        She/he respects her husband or wife. T   F 2.        She/he is loving.   T   F 3.        She/he is compassionate. T   F 4.        She/he is humble. T F 5.        She/he does not retaliate. T F 6.        She/he does not use sharp-tongued sarcasm. T   F 7.        She/he seeks peace. T   F 8.        She/he is quick to give a meal to the hungry and a bed to the homeless. T   F 9.        She/he says nothing hurtful....

Matthew 24. 24  Jesus came out from the temple and was going away [ a ] when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2  And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.” 3  As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the [ b ] end of the age?” 4  And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5  For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the [ c ] Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6  You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8  ...

Matthew 23. 37  “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38  Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39  For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord !’” Psalm 66. 66  Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; 2  Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious. 3  Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will [ a ] give feigned obedience to You. 4  “All the earth will worship You, And will sing praises to You; They will sing praises to Your name.” [ b ] Selah. 5  Come and see the works of God, Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men. 6  He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; Th...

Happy Easter. About 2016 years ago there was a man who claimed He was the Son of God. He did many things that were counter intuitive. Never owned a home. Never went to college. Never wrote a book. Never lead an army. Never ran for office. Never retired. He started his work with a long fast, but his life was generally one of enjoying friends over meals with them. He was called a glutton and drunk because he was constantly hanging out with sinners. He flipped the values of his time upside down. He did not march to the beat of the family religion as it has evolved. They didn't like sinners and he hung out with them constantly. They liked ritual more than compassionate service. He was opposed by the elders and chief priests and finally they got the cooperation of the Roman government and they flogged him and mocked him and crucified him on a cross. He had promised that after he was killed he would rise from the grave. Then on Easter morning it was...

Matthew 23. 13  “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven [ c ] from [ d ] people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14  [ [ e ] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation. ] 15  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one [ f ] proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of [ g ] hell as yourselves. 16  “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the [ h ] temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the [ i ] temple is obligated.’ 17  You fools and blind men! Which is [ j ] more important, the gold or the [ k ] temple that sanctified the gold? 18  And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever...

Matthew 23. 23  Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2  saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 3  therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them . 4  They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. 5  But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their [ a ] phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments . 6  They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7  and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. 8  But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9  Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10  Do not be called [ b ] leaders; ...