Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

9.24- John 4. 43-45  After the two days he left for Galilee. Now, Jesus knew well from experience that a prophet is not respected in the place where he grew up. So when he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, but only because they were impressed with what he had done in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast, not that they really had a clue about who he was or what he was up to. 46-48  Now he was back in Cana of Galilee, the place where he made the water into wine. Meanwhile in Capernaum, there was a certain official from the king’s court whose son was sick. When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went and asked that he come down and heal his son, who was on the brink of death. Jesus put him off: “Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle, you refuse to believe.” 49  But the court official wouldn’t be put off. “Come down! It’s life or death for my son.” 50-51  Jesus simply replied, “Go home. Your son lives.” The man ...

In the last two weeks I have had friends who live in the DFW area and really all over America asking me to pray for a situation they are experiencing as a Christian that gives them great pain and suffering. Divorce. Alcoholic parents neglecting or abusing their children.  Job pressure. Fear of officers of the law. Wells Fargo fires 5.300 minimum wage workers for playing games with people's accounts and retires there top manager with a $125 million retirement package. No one in handcuffs. Frustration because the football came is delayed to include the National Anthem and who is standing and who is kneeling and who has a fist raised and who doesn’t.   “I’m here for the game.   I don’t want to thank or talk about racial issues.   Those were solved by the Civil War in 1865 or the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s or certainly when we finished electing an African American President in 2008.   Let’s move on now that everyone is treated f...

9.23 John 4. 39-42  Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him because of the woman’s witness: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!” They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed two days. A lot more people entrusted their lives to him when they heard what he had to say. They said to the woman, “We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He’s the Savior of the world!” Psalm 112. 112  1-10  Hallelujah! Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God , Who cherish and relish his commandments, Their children robust on the earth, And the homes of the upright—how blessed! Their houses brim with wealth And a generosity that never runs dry. Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people— God’s grace and mercy and justice! The good person is generous and lends lavishly; No shuffling or stumbling around for this one, But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation. Un...

9.22- John 4. 31  In the meantime, the disciples pressed him, “Rabbi, eat. Aren’t you going to eat?” 32  He told them, “I have food to eat you know nothing about.” 33  The disciples were puzzled. “Who could have brought him food?” 34-35  Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time! 36-38  “The Harvester isn’t waiting. He’s taking his pay, gathering in this grain that’s ripe for eternal life. Now the Sower is arm in arm with the Harvester, triumphant. That’s the truth of the saying, ‘This one sows, that one harvests.’ I sent you to harvest a field you never worked. Without lifting a finger, you have walked in on a field worked ...

9.21 John 4. 27  Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked. They couldn’t believe he was talking with that kind of a woman. No one said what they were all thinking, but their faces showed it. 28-30  The woman took the hint and left. In her confusion she left her water pot. Back in the village she told the people, “Come see a man who knew all about the things I did, who knows me inside and out. Do you think this could be the Messiah?” And they went out to see for themselves. Psalm 110 110  1-3  The word of God to my Lord:      “Sit alongside me here on my throne      until I make your enemies a stool for your feet.” You were forged a strong scepter by God of Zion;      now rule, though surrounded by enemies! Your people will freely join you, resplendent in holy armor      on the great day of your conquest, Join you at the fresh break of day,    ...

Careful about what you do with a troubled heart.   Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. John 14. 1  “Do not let your heart be troubled; [ a ] believe in God, believe also in Me. 2  In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3  If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. What you believe about life after death has consequences for daily life.   Values chart a path.   For example a high school or college student is dropped by their boyfriend or girlfriend.   They can become depressed and harm themselves because they have the belief that how they handle their troubled heart is their business and no one else’s.   The reality is that their decision has a big impact on many other people for the rest of their lives. I get concerned at times about young peo...

9.20- John 4. 17-18  “I have no husband,” she said. “That’s nicely put: ‘I have no husband.’ You’ve had five husbands, and the man you’re living with now isn’t even your husband. You spoke the truth there, sure enough.” 19-20  “Oh, so you’re a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?” 21-23  “Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter. 23-24  “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of peop...

9.19 John 4. 10  Jesus answered, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink, and I would give you fresh, living water.” 11-12  The woman said, “Sir, you don’t even have a bucket to draw with, and this well is deep. So how are you going to get this ‘living water’? Are you a better man than our ancestor Jacob, who dug this well and drank from it, he and his sons and livestock, and passed it down to us?” 13-14  Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever. The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.” 15  The woman said, “Sir, give me this water so I won’t ever get thirsty, won’t ever have to come back to this well again!” 16  He said, “Go call your husband and then come back.” Psalm 108 108  1-2  I’m ready, God, so ready,      ready fro...

Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save the world.   The reality is that there are choices and consequences of those choices.   Whether you are a believer or an atheist if you jump off the top of the temple instead of walk down it will not go well with you.   If God is your Father He will either use you to teach a lesson about gravity or make an unusual exception.   Wise men listened to God and wrote down words that are principles of the consequences of choices among other things.   Jesus came to save the world, not judge and condemn the world but if you pick up one end of the sick you will get the other end of it most likely. It is not our work to make the ultimate judgments about people because we don’t know their road.   We have not walked in their moccasins as the Indians used to say. C.S. Lewis said we should not judge people because only God knows the raw material a person was working with. Jesus said something that is a stron...