Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

4.6-The cost of truth If we decide to follow God instead of ritual religion there must be a change of heart.    It requires knowing the spirit of truth and living by it at all costs.   This is not as easy as we might think.   We become trained by our surrounding culture, work culture and religious culture to say things that aren’t true.   Someone goes to church and is asked, “How are you?”   The untruthful answer we often give is “fine.”   We resist being brutally honest with ourselves and others.   When we decide to speak the truth in love or nothing at all things will change and there can be a change of who is willing to associate with us.   Jesus stuck with the truth and some of his own family thought he was mentally off.   God gives people the spirit of truth in their hearts. I hope to be more aligned with what is in my heart in my words tomorrow than I was today. Matthew 3. 3  In those days John the Baptist came...

4.5- The leader of my life was given this name at birth, Jesus, for He came to save people from their sins. I sure need Him in my life. I'm glad He came to save me not condemn me. He accepts me as I am, but doesn't leave me like I am. His mercy causes me to want to try to improve each day. Lord help me to treat others the way I want to be treated. Matthew 1. 18  This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about [ d ] : His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19  Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet [ e ] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21  She will g...

4.4- Successful people use their gifts to make a living for themselves and their families. They don't do much complaining but do much complementing. They are extremely alert and self-controlled. They pray constantly. 1 Peter 4. 4  Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2  As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3  For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4  They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you. 5  But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6  For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they mi...

4.3- One of reasons I believe in Jesus is the unusual ethical life of those who have been my teachers. They had learned the good news that Jesus Christ was the son of God from His empty tomb. They regularly gathered for worship with people whose lives were very much aligned with their values and some not so much.   What were those values?   They were Jesus values. Death is a normal part of life, but it is not the end of life. Evidence of this “seen world” speaks of a designer of this world who is generally, “unseen”. The good leaders of Jesus’ people have had a great deal of experience with walking with God. Weeping is a time to bring the people of God close together with each other. Good leaders are good at asking good questions. Good leaders know the names of people. Leadership is expected for all people. They don’t give special titles to men and women.   All are considered ministers and priests. They don’t cling to the physical body ...

4.2- I don't like dwelling on bad news. I want to turn it to good news as soon as possible. Two doors down the street from my home in Aurora Colorado lived a family forever effected by the Aurora Theater shooting. Their son died there. The sister of one of our families from church survived, but were in the Theater. My mind is on them today. I arrived at the school gym where families from Columbine were learning whether their children had survived or not. There was tension th ere that could be cut with a knife. These people and their families are on my mind this morning. It is common today for communication to happen through social media quicker than any other method. I learn of many of the most heart breaking things in my own family and friendship circle through social media before I get a phone call. Why? Because it is an effective way to communicate quickly about what is important. I say this because I want to say to my online friends something I...

4.1- What has God permitted in this world He created? Free choice. Freedom to work to save life. Freedom to kill someone and take a life. Freedom, but not permission. War is terrible and nations do it.  For a soldier to go to war and be asked to defend His nation and its citizens is not the same as shooting someone as murder. After God gave Adam and Eve free choice it was not long until someone used that choice to kill someone because God favored His gift of firstfruits. Did God cause Cain to kill Abel?  No. God gave people the choice to tell the truth. If they don't tell the truth they may tell a lie. If someone doesn't want to speak the truth or hear the truth the only thing left for them is to believe lies. 2 Thessalonians 2. 2  Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2  not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophec...

3.31- Is self control possible? Is perfect self control possible? Is it possible to completely and perfectly control your tongue? James 3. 3  Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2  We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 3  When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4  Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5  Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and ...