Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

8.3- Be careful how you treat your fellow worker.  God is watching. Matthew 24. 45  “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46  It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47  Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48  But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49  and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50  The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51  He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. James 3. 13  Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humili...

8.2- Powerful leaders think they are in charge, but they are not.  God is. Matthew 24. 42  “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44  So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Acts 24. 24  Several days later Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he spoke about faith in Christ Jesus. 25  As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.” 26  At the same time he was hoping that Paul would offer him a bribe, so he sent for him frequently and talked with him. 2 Chronicles 20. 5...

8.1- As wickedness increases, love grows cold. Careful with your words in hard times. Those who stand firm in God's love will be saved. 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...

7.31- Things change.  Catastrophe can come into our lives.  It could be an earthquake.  What matters is that God will take care of His children. Matthew 24. 4  Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5  For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6  You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7  Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8  All these are the beginning of birth pains. 2 Chronicles 20. 15  He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16  Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you ...

7.30- It is good to pay poor people for their work on the day they do the work. Matthew 20. 8  “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ Leviticus 19. 13  “‘Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight. Deuteronomy 24. 15  Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.

7.28-There is more happiness in giving than receiving. Matthew 6. 6  “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2  “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4  so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 1 Timothy 6. 17  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to sha...