Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

2.10- When people have failed it is important to respond to them in a loving way. Let them know that they are still loved by God. They still have a place to do great work to help others. Let them know that God can help them overcome the times when they have to do things they don't want to do. John 21. 15  So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you [ f ] love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [ g ] love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16  He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you [ h ] love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [ i ] love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17  He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you [ j ] love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you [ k ] love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I [ l ] love You.” Jesus *said t...

2.9- There are many reasons I love this picture.   Mom, Dad, Amy and myself and the Blue Chevy Cavalier in Estes Park Colorado. One day as I was driving to my office one morning in the Cavalier I stopped at a red light approaching my office.   I was in the middle of the intersection on a green light and on the yellow I moved to clear the intersection, but a car came barreling through and hit me in the back-right quarter panel of this Cavalier. I was fairly sure this was not my fault, but the officer gave me the ticket.   I had gotten the name and phone number of two different witnesses who said it was not my fault. I decided to not pay the ticket and go to court and jury trial.   I had several hopes.   One was that the officer would not show up.   Two was that my subpoena server, a friend, would successfully get my witnesses available.   Three was that I would represent myself and win the case.   Why would I take a ch...

2.8- The Cold Within Six humans trapped by happenstance In bleak and bitter cold. Each one possessed a stick of wood Or so the story’s told. Their dying fire in need of logs The first man held his back For of the faces round the fire He noticed one was black. The next man looking ‘cross the way Saw one not of his church And couldn’t bring himself to give The fire his stick of birch. The third one sat in tattered clothes. He gave his coat a hitch. Why should his log be put to use To warm the idle rich? The rich man just sat back and thought Of the wealth he had in store And how to keep what he had earned From the lazy shiftless poor. The black man’s face bespoke revenge As the fire passed from his sight. For all he saw in his stick of wood Was a chance to spite the white. The last man of this forlorn group Did nought except for gain. Giving only to those who gave Was how he played the game. Their logs held tight in death’s still hands Was proof o...

2.7- John 5. 30  “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. If we watch the behavior of Jesus we can see what pleases God our Father.  He accepted the reality that some people would not trust His words and so He could not help them much. Mark 6. 6  Jesus went out from there and *came into [ a ] His hometown; and His disciples *followed Him. 2  When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such [ b ] miracles as these performed by His hands? 3  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of [ c ] James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. 4  Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in [ d ] his hometown and am...

2.6- Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. John Wooden At times we need to experience a hard landing instead of  soft landing. You can have pilots who do things that are against are the rules of flying, but they keep on doing it as long as there are not consequences that went with their choice. If the consequences are left with their choice and the hard landing is there, they learn the reason for that flying rule and they learn to obey the rule by allowing the consequences to teach them. We as parents or friends or bosses sometimes want to shelter them from the consequences so they keep doing it. If we keep doing what we have always been doing we will get what we have always got. John 5.6 5  A man was there who had been [ d ] ill for thirty-eight years. 6  When Jesus saw him lying there , and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition , He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” John 12. 20...

2.5- Bright sun and beautiful clear water. This is as it should be. On Thursday afternoon I headed to the Health Club, but started to sneeze. I didn't know if it was an allergy or something else and decided to stay by myself in the car a while on this lovely day in near Fort Worth, Texas. This is as it should be. I drove by a school and it gave me such good memories. I remember waiting to pick my kids up from elementary school with some excitement about what they had learned that day. This is as it should be. They had such wonderful teachers and they were totally hungry for learning everything they could at that age. Their teachers were working for top notch districts and were exceptional human beings. My children both love to read and I owe their mother and their teachers for causing them to have this gift. This is as it should be. The cars around the school in North Keller were lined up at Ridgeview Elementary School. The c...

2.8-I'll get back to this in 153 Years. A real picture of the sun. I would like to show you a picture of the lunar eclipse this week. I might be the greatest "picture deleter" in the world. More on that later. This week on Wednesday morning at 6.51.47 AM in Fort Worth Texas there was a total lunar eclipse. It will not occur again for another 153 years. I took a picture of it, but I deleted it. I took it through the "moon roof" of my car and it didn’t turn out perfect, but I wish I hadn’t deleted it. The universe runs like a clock. Psalm 8. 8 O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have [a]displayed Your splendor above the heavens! 2 From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established [b]strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease. 3 When I [c]consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have [d]ordained; Oh well I’...