Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

6.9- God is generous.  He sends His rain on the wicked and the good.  He provides daily bread and more.  He is love.  Some people have the wrong idea of who God is.  They see Him as one who reaps where He has not sown.  This causes them to live in fear instead of living in love.  They become unwilling to take any risk and in doing so their lives are not fruitful.  This mistake is rooted in not knowing God for who He. Luke 19. 11  While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. 12  So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. 13  And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten [ f ] minas and said to them, ‘Do business with this [ g ] until I come back .’ 14  But his citizens hated him and sent [ h ] a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15  When h

6.8- I have large trees in my back yard that are moving and swaying right now.   I don’t see the wind, but I see the effects of the wind. John 3. 8  The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” I can’t see the Holy Spirit, but I see the effects of the Holy Spirit. Galations 5. 22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

6.7- Five years ago our beloved church family gave us a send off party for our memories of 33 years together and at the center meal was a whole baked pig. I think that sign was reasonable for me. I loved to build friendship over food and drink. I don't know what I was known for exactly. I wish that Sheila and I would be known for this when the Lord looks at our marriage. I hope Jesus can say to Father about us, "Yes they struggle with worry and holding on to things, but they are growing in patience and kindness. They are pushing each other to be less arrogant and rude. Compared to last year they are less irritable and resentful. They are intentionally hanging out with people who rejoice in the truth. Father, we can stir them up this summer to be more hopeful and able to endure suffering and help others to grow stronger in love." I hope the sign of our lives is love, not a pig. By His grace and mercy we will try again this week. We are helped by a

6.6- Jesus teaches the wisdom of giving away your money to the poor who cannot repay you. Giving done in secret that cannot be repaid is transferred to heaven. Matthew 6.3,4, Luke 14.14, 1 Timothy 6.17-19 Matthew 6. 6  “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2  “So when you [ a ] give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3  But when you [ b ] give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4  so that your [ c ] giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Luke 14. 12  And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighb

6.5- How to be loved at work. 1. Show up on time ready to do your job. 2.Be pleasant to work with. 3. Be willing to work overtime to get the job done. 4. Submit to your leader. 5. Supply people with what they need. 1 Corinthians 16   13  Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14  Let all that you do be done in love. 15  Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that [ d ] they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), 16  that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. 17  I rejoice over the [ e ] coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have [ f ] supplied what was lacking on your part. 18  For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.  

6.4 Memorial Day for Spiritual Soldiers August 29, 1959 was a hard day in my hometown of Ladonia, Texas. A train wreck killed one of our most outstanding students, Gene Turman. He was a great student and athlete and loved by all who knew him. I remember that our whole community was saddened by this tragic event. He had been called by God to be a minister and his gravestone includes these words from Scripture, “I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course. I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4.7 Yesterday as I thought about the death of soldiers who had died for our country I thought also about soldiers of Jesus Christ who had been an influence me in my own life. Because human life includes death and judgement there is an awareness that how we live affects how we die and how we are remembered. Those of us who are Christian believe that our eternal home in heaven is set by the grace and mercy of God, not by our own works. The truth is that our choi

6.3.18 About Sexual Abuse and the Cover Up in the “Church” There is a feeling of mourning in my heart this morning.   It is for all the children and women and men who have been sexually abused. I am especially grieved if this happened in a family setting or a church setting. I am outraged if this happened and the congregation or denomination, Catholic or Southern Baptist, or any other “Christian” group tried to cover it up instead of expose it to the light of truth. I pray that God will heal, comfort and strengthen them to push toward justice. I hope and pray the perpetrators will be exposed, ashamed and repent to push for judgment and justice. May God have mercy on those who sincerely confess and repent and zealously get busy doing the right thing before God and man. God has judgment in death for those who did these things and do not repent, tell the truth and pay the debt they owe. The so called “Church Leaders” who break God’s commands to protect the abused and

6.3-Looking forward to a place where I have no pain. Revelation 21. 21  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will [ a ] dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them [ b ] , 4  and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”