Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

2.11- The basic unit of getting to know Jesus is in a family and/or a youth group, campus group, men's group or ladies class or Sunday school or community group.  This seems to be to be correct whether you attend a congregation of 50 or 5,000. What people wanted was to go be with Jesus where He was staying.  They stayed and spent the night with Him. They wanted others to get to know Jesus after getting to know Him.  Andrew wanted to go find his brother, Peter.  Peter became a close friend of Jesus and preached the very first sermon to begin the church even though he had denied he even knew Jesus.  He was to become a very effective shepherd. John 1. 37  When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38  Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39  “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was ...

2.10-Rejected by the world, but accepted by God our Father.  Jesus conduct in this world is often met with rejection.  His conduct is a spirit of humbleness and forgiveness.  This mercy is the basis of our life.  We don't see justice. We seek mercy.  This mercy transforms us.  It make us want to extend mercy to others. Jesus Father in heaven wanted the good news of the forgiveness and grace He poured out to overflow.  They rejected Him. The world doesn't want justice for themselves with God but mercy. When rejected we should not feel bad because Jesus also was rejected. Mark 12. 12  Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. 2  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3  But they se...

2.9- Writing on the ground. That is what Jesus did and perhaps that is what my writing is. Writing on the ground. Maybe it will allow me to think better and pray better. During the two years of the political campaign for President I tried to write nothing regarding my opinions about who people should vote for. I personally did not vote for any Presidential candidate because my conscience would not allow it. Now over two months after the election the campaign bullying and threatening and foolish behavior continues in the White House and in the Congress. I’m fed up with all of this foolish behavior. Jesus interacted with national leaders. He told a national leader putting Him on trial that this leader was not actually in charge, but rather His Father in heaven. When a leader is converted to Jesus something happens. They become meek. Meek is not weak, but it is power under control like a massive Clydesdale horse who teams with others under the ...

2.8- What are you asking for if you want to be an impact leader for Jesus?  You are asking for great suffering and pain. So often we look effective leaders and we don't know the suffering they have in their lives. Mark 10. 35  Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36  “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37  They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38  “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39  “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40  but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41  When the ten heard about this, they became indi...

2.7- Jesus makes promises.  He promises if we let go of things and release our things to Jesus that He will give us a new kind of life.  Eternal life. Release to Jesus the control of things and will lose some things, but you will gain more.  God is a Father who provides for His children. Mark 10. 28  Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29  “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30  will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31  But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

2.6- God wants all people to be saved.  He created them in His image and placed them in  a beautiful garden.  He pursued them and spoke to them when they rebelled against Him. God wants rich people to be generous with poor people.  The reality is that those of us who are rich get so attached to our things that we are greedy instead of generous.  Notice how Jesus spoke to a rich man who was not willing to release control of his wealth. Mark 10. 17  As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18  “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19  You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ [ d ] ” 20  “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept s...

2.5- Tonight on the news I saw a woman who had an autistic child who needed help.  His favorite time and place had been on Sunday at church.  He could stand and be free there and people would love him.  Then the minister called and told his mom that he couldn't stand during services because it distracted everyone. Later they found a church that welcomed him.  The minister said we are the people who represent Jesus and He loved all kinds of children.  The young man who had autism and his parents went to this church and now Sunday at 10am is the young man's favorite time of the week. Mark 10. 13  People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14  When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15  Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of Go...