Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 5.14- What is God's reaction to the slaughter of innocent children in Allen Texas? He sent His Son into this kind of world about 2023 years ago with a heart full of love and compassion. Babies were killed and mourning in Ramah and in Allen and in Brownsville and around this broken world. Look for God in those binding up the wounded hearts in the name of Jesus. We will catch tears and relieve depression where we can and look toward a day when God wipes away all our tears. Let us use all hard times to point people to the God of all comfort. Matthew 2. 16  When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.   17  Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 18  “A voice is heard in Ramah,      weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children      and refusing to be comfor

 5.13- I saw a story yesterday about a woman who was listening to her directions on her GPS device. It said turn left and she turned left. Left was into the ocean. She turned left into the ocean and the car started to sink. Thankfully, several bystanders, jumped in and saved the passengers who climbed out of the car before it sank. When we follow the world’s guidance system instead of God’s guidance system the same thing happens. Our hearts go out to the people who follow this world as their GPS advisor. It will lead to death instead of life. Following God’s direction will lead to an abundant life. Matthew 7. 15  “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.   16  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?   17  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.   18  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good

 5.12- He was an accomplished Eagle Scout. He was an excellent athlete and after college joined the Navy and flew planes. He was an optimist and greeted everyone with a smile and could light up a room with his contagious personality. On leave from the Navy he had a near fatal motorcycle accident that most thought he would not survive. He sustained partial paralysis and suffered a traumatic brain injury at the age of 23. When I met him it was hard for me to grasp that part of his life. He had the joyful optimism and big smile, but he walked with a cane and moved slowly but steadily and talked with a bit of difficulty. As we were driving home from a church fellowship he told me that without this accident he wouldn’t be alive. “Larry, I was so proud. I was my own god and had no room in my life for a relationship with the true God. I was arrogant and conceited and didn’t think I needed anything. When I crashed I realized how much I needed God as my healer and my Savior.” Pride kills

 5.11- The transformational power of mercy. A teenager shot toward a rival gang member. He missed and hit a young lady in her spine. She would never walk again, but she did move forward. She extended mercy to him. After 25 years she asked for him to be released. He had been transformed by her forgiveness. They filmed their meeting the first time. He fell on his knees at the base of her wheel chair and cried. "I am so sorry. Please forgive me." She said "Yes, I forgive you. I didn't want you to carry this." Jesus came to earth to be a ransom for our freedom. His mercy when received transforms us. Our lives are simply a thank you to God. Romans 12. 12  Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.   2  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve

 5.10- Wisdom. One of the wonderful things we can ask from God and He promises to give it to us. Solomon could have asked God for anything and he asked for wisdom and was greatly blessed by this decision. Wisdom will lead to spiritual riches which will continually sustain us through all of life. The financial riches may come and go and cannot deliver us through times of suffering and death. Wisdom and spiritual riches will sustain us through all things. James 1. 5  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.   6  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.   7  That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.   8  Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. All reaction

 5.9= How can you tell if a word of wisdom is from above in heaven? Is it pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering without hypocrisy. This what flows from God who is love. James 3. 17  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.   18  Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

 5.8- There are two kinds of people. Those who get pain for doing right. Those who get pain for doing wrong. Those in the first group have this advantage. They experience love from God to themselves and others. Mark 4.   16  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.   17  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.