Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 7.13- 3,000 years ago one of the world's richest men said humans should live each day fully and enjoy their lives with an eye to the reality that life includes death and judgement for how you treated people. So stay in step with God. Steve Jobs who was one of the modern world's richest people got pancreatic cancer and found out his death was approaching. He is reported to have said that death is life's best invention because it teaches you to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose if you follow your best dreams. The teacher said live your life without worry. If you are a child of God, you should know that he is for you and if he is for you who could be against you. Romans 8 8  Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.   2  For the law of the Spirit of life  [ a ] in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.   3  For what the Law could not do,...

 7.12-   Growth. Life long learning. There are hard things that happen where no one is to blame. That which moves us from arrogance to humility actually is to help us learn. Watched a July 4th movie. The Starling. 6 stars out of 5. Matthew 6 25  “For this reason I say to you,  [ q ] do not be worried about your  [ r ] life,  as to  what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body,  as to  what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?   26  Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather  crops  into barns, and  yet  your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they?   27  And which of you by worrying can add a single  [ s ] day to his  [ t ] life’s span?   28  And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do the...

 7.11- I watch New York news shows which at times helps us celebrate Holidays. One theme is odd mixture of food. My dad would often mix eggs and calf brains for breakfast. Sheila liked blueberries, yogurt and apple juice mixed 50/50 with water. Now July 4th 2024, I like sausage and peanut butter and bread. My mission today is to say "Happy Birthday" for the 77th time to the country where most citizens like very much but hope to make better day by day. Planning to celebrate all day. One of my family members recently said, "No one cooks and eats like you since you mostly eat what fits your likes and dislikes." I said, "Thank you". Mark 8 8  In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat,  Jesus  summoned His disciples and *said to them,   2  “I feel compassion for the  [ a ] people because they have remained with Me for three days already and have nothing to eat.   3  And if I send them away hungry to thei...

 7.10- I am alive again today. I remember sitting at the lunch table with Aunt Johnnie Wishard Fink and Aunt Doodie Woods Phillips and they were my only living aunts. They both said if you live to be older it's because God has important work for you to do. My work right now is learning to be still and know that God is God and I am not. Children of God should know that their best life is not to run from him but to him. that he wants for them the refreshment of starting every day with a clean slate. that it is right to not be like any other human. Uniquely yourself. No one else can do you. that it is right to celebrate life as a loved child of God regardless of whether you are on the top of the mountain or at the lowest valley. Because God has chosen you and you have chosen him back. 1 Thessalonians 5 12  But we ask you, brothers  and sisters , to recognize those who diligently labor among you and  [ h ] are in leadership over you in the Lord, and give you...

 7.9- Pursue love. Desire gifts. We too often pursue gifts and try to throw in a little love. 1 Timothy 6 11  But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love,  [ j ] perseverance,  and  gentleness.   12  Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and  for which  you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.   13  I direct you in the presence of God, who  [ k ] gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate,   14  that you keep the commandment without  [ l ] fault  or  reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ,   15  which He will  [ m ] bring about at  the  proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of  ...

 7.8- The best praying is when you forget you are praying.  When praying as we come to see it as a constant conversation wherer our Father knows us and we know Him and He knows what we want and need.  Our prayers in our private place are for us to listen to Him and listen to ourselves and ideally is reverent, but constant.  Matthew 6 6  “Take care not to practice your righteousness in the sight of people, to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. 2  “So when you  [ a ] give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, so that they will be praised by people. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.   3  But when you  [ b ] give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,   4  so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees  what is...