Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 9.4- Excellent teachers teach their students to show love for God by things they do for God that no one but knows about and therefore the reward is getting to give honor to God only. Only God knows who did it. The best of all teachers said to give a dinner and invite people who cannot return the favor. This is a delight to the God who looks out for the poor. Luke 14. 12  Then Jesus said to his host,  “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.   13  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,   14  and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

 9.3- God's children are kind not quarrelsome and argumentative. 1 Timothy 6. These are the things you are to teach and insist on.   3  If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching,   4  they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions   5  and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. 6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.   7  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.   8  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.   9  Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desir...

 9.2- There is a shortage of workers who answer 911 calls. Also teachers and other important areas. Jesus looked at His world and said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. His answer was to pray for workers to step up. Sheila and have been blessed with nurses who helped our parents in hard times. They are angels. Hard work but fulfilling work. Let's pray that more people will be drawn to focus on helping people more than being wealthy. Luke 10. 10  After this the Lord appointed seventy-two [ a ]  others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.   2  He told them,  “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.   3  Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.   4  Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.

 9.1- Our 55th Anniversary. This week 55 years ago I spent my last week as a single person.  I was excited and overwhelmed about the prospect of marrying Sheila Self.  We had some plans to have a fun loving family life.  We have. What marriage to Sheila gave to me was a partner who could envision the calling that God had put on both of our lives to work with Jesus on building up our family and building up the church with Jesus at the same time. This was difficult for Sheila at first, because it took her a while to understand the kind of temperament she had and how this would fit into encouraging other Christian women in the church and in the community. When she grasped that she had her own unique gifts to bring to it from God it worked out well.  She was a gracious hostess when needed, but she was also happy to support others who might even be more gifted in that and she applied her favorite work to working with paper.  A bulletin or a series of encourageme...

 8.31- Be alert to the desire for advantage over others. Win/Lose. No. Win/Win or no deal is the way to go. I like what Jared Wilson wrote "you are perhaps closest to the heart of Jesus when you care for those who can do nothing for you." Luke 12. 13  Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14  Jesus replied,  “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”   15  Then he said to them,  “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16  And he told them this parable:  “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.   17  He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18  “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.   19  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of...

 8.30- A human being is prone to wander. Away from the group a pack of wolves can bring death. For about 2022 years groups have been gathering on Sunday to help protect each other. Jesus said that His church would be built by Him. One Of of my coworkers is helping Him build it in Greece today and one in South Korea. What a fellowship. Loving sheep and looking for lost ones. Luke 15. 15  Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus.   2  But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3  Then Jesus told them this parable:   4  “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?   5  And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders   6  and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me...

 8.29- Whatever you place before God is your god. Luke 16. 13  “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” 14  The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.   15  He said to them,  “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.