Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 11.22- A Journey of Belief John 20:24-31 David McCasland Since its first publication in 1880, Lew Wallace’s novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ has never been out of print. It has been called the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century, and it continues to draw readers today as it weaves the true story of Jesus with that of a fictional young Jewish nobleman named Judah Ben-Hur. Amy Lifson, writing in Humanities magazine, said that the writing of the book transformed the life of the author. “As Ben-Hur guided readers through the scenes of the Passion, so did he lead the way for Lew Wallace to believe in Jesus Christ.” Wallace said, “I have seen the Nazarene . . . I say Him perform works which no mere man could perform.” The Gospels’ record of the life of Jesus allows us to walk alongside Him, witness His miracles, hear His words, and see His triumphal entry into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. At the conclusion of John’s g...

 11.21-   Promises, Promises II Peter 1:1-9 Adam Holz My youngest daughter and I have a game we call “Pinchers.” When she goes up the stairs, I’ll chase her and try to give her a little pinch. The rules are that I can only pinch her (gently, of course!) when she’s on the stairs. Once she’s at the top, she’s safe. Sometimes, though, she’s not in the mood to play. And if I follow her up the stairs, she’ll sternly say, “No pinchers!” I’ll respond, “No pinchers. I promise.” Now, that promise may seem a little thing. But when I do what I say, my daughter begins to understand something of my character. She experiences my consistency. She knows my word is good, that she can trust me. It’s a little thing, keeping such a promise. But promises – or, keeping them, I should say – are the glue of relationships. They lay a foundation of love and trust. I think that’s what Peter meant when he wrote that God’s promises enable us to “participate in the divine n...

 11.20- Remember the Cross Mark 15:19-20, 33-39 Jennifer Benson Schuldt In the church I attend, a large cross stands at the front of the sanctuary. It represents the original cross where Jesus died – the place where our sin intersected with His holiness. There God allowed His perfect Son to die for the sake of every wrong thing we have ever done, said, or thought. On the cross, Jesus finished the work that was required to save us from the death we deserve (Romans 6:23). The sight of a cross causes me to consider what Jesus endured for us. Before being crucified, He was flogged and spit on. The soldiers hit Him in the head with sticks and got down on their knees in mock worship. They tried to make Him carry His own cross to the place where He would die, but He was too weak from the brutal flogging. At Golgotha, they hammered nails through His flesh to keep Him on the cross when they turned it upright. Those wounds bore the weight of His body as He hung the...

 11.19- Everyday Moments Proverbs 15:13-15 Elisa Morgan I piled groceries in my car and carefully exited my parking spot. Suddenly a man darted across the pavement just in front of me, not noticing my approach. I slammed on my brakes, just missing him. Startled, he looked up and met my gaze. In that moment, I knew I had a choice: respond with rolled-eye frustration or offer a smiling forgiveness. I smiled. Relief flickered across his face, raising the edges of his own lips in gratefulness. Proverbs 15:13 says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” Is the writer directing us to cheery grins in the face of every interruption, disappointment, and inconvenience life brings? Surely not! There are times for genuine mourning, despair, and even anger at injustice. But in our everyday moments, a smile can offer relief, hope, and the grace needed to continue. Perhaps the point of the proverb is that a smile naturally res...

 11.18-   Restored Failures Psalm 145:1-16 Leslie Koh A guest band was leading praise and worship at our church, and their passion for the Lord was moving. We could see – and feel - their enthusiasm. Then the musicians revealed that they were all ex-prisoners. Suddenly their songs took on special meaning, and I saw why their words of praise meant so much to them. Their worship was a testimony of lives broken and restored. The world may embrace success. But stories of past failure offer people hope too. They assure us that God loves us no matter how many times we have failed. Pastor Gary Inrig says that what we call the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 could well be entitled God’s Hall of Reclaimed Failures. “There is scarcely an individual in the chapter without a serious blemish in his or her life,” he observes. “But God is in the business of restoring failures . . . . That is a great principle of God’s grace.” I love the comfort of Psalm 14...

 11.17- The Last Will Be First Mark 9:33-37 James Banks Recently I was among the last in line to board a large passenger jet with unassigned seating. I located a middle seat beside the wing, but the only spot for my bag was the overhead compartment by the very last row. This meant I had to wait for everyone to leave before I could go back and retrieve it. I laughed as I settled into my seat and a thought occurred to me that seemed to be from the Lord: “It really won’t hurt you to wait. It will actually do you good.” So I resolved to enjoy the extra time, helping other passengers lower their luggage after we landed and assisting a flight attendant with cleaning. By the time I was able to retrieve my bag, I laughed again when someone thought I worked for the airline. That day’s experience made me ponder Jesus’ words to His disciples: “Anyone who wants to be first, must be the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35). I waited because I had to,...

 11.16- The early disciples of Jesus did not have the conception that everyone was supposed to support and encourage their work. The other religious leaders were jealous and told them to stop talking to people about God the Father and His Son Jesus doing great things to help people in their town. They were thrown in jail and told to stop teaching. God got them out and they went back to teaching. Eventually, people in the community stepped up encourage the authorities to leave them alone and if it was a work of men it would soon be over. If it was a work of God. they would not be able to stop it. 2020 years later through good government situations and bad situations the work of God to spread the love of God continues. Not because we are good. Not because our USA government is good. But because God is good.   Acts 4. 13  Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recogn...