Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 3.16- It happened again today. I was reflecting on some of my current limitations and reflecting on the dream I had this morning. I had gotten ready for church with my suit and tie and Sheila and I were looking our Sunday best as we walked into the church auditorium looking healthy and in our prime. I was proud that because of age and running and workout schedule I was in the best shape of my life. Then I woke up. I reflected on that compared to my current slow walking, scooter assisted movement style and mourning that picture was a dream. Still I was able to get myself out of bed and prepare my breakfast and move to do most of the things I needed to do. I sat down and noticed Bucknell's basketball team was about to play. They have a new coaching advisor on their team. He had played for Bucknell and coached high school. Now the coach advisor communicates with directing his eyes to a special machine that forms letters and words. Patrick Behan is a fairly young man, but he h...

You had the ability to take a nap and keep up with the scores of the games at the same time. I loved your naps during the hard, hot summer work days. I hoped you would go over your 30 minutes but you never did. Your big Sunday nap after church and lunch were great examples of how to work hard, play hard and nap hard. You enjoyed your life and helped all of us to do so. I believe your are enjoying your rest now and forever. You are always in our hearts. Hebrews 4 4  Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short  of it .   2  For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also  did ; but the word  [ a ] they heard did not benefit them, because  [ b ] they were not united with those who listened with faith.   3  For we who have believed enter  that  rest, just as He has said, “ As I swore in My anger , They certainly shall not enter My rest ...

 3.14- One of my friends, age 73, was explaining his method of keeping a positive attitude when hard things come his way. He had cancer. His wife had cancer. His daughter experienced serious kidney disease. His son in law was a coma for days from a stroke. He had a close work friend turn on him and tried to get him fired. Through all this he was steady, calm and positive. I ask what he did as a daily spiritual practice. He said he went to sleep with reflection on the day that was passing. He places himself in the presence of God and gives thanks for his love. He prays for grace to understand how God is working with him. He reviews the day recalling his feeling at special moments during the day. He reflects on what drew him closer to God and what took him further away. Praying about tomorrow how he might work with God's plan for his day more effectively. The old day is buried and as he feels a resurrection to a new life in the new day. 2 Corinthians 13 5  Test yourselves  ...

 3.13- I was listening to a man describing how he wanted to live. His family business has succeeded to the point that they have made billions in business and try to give away half of the profits each year. He said as life squeezes him that he wanted love to come out. His goals in life were to love God intimately and live in extravagant generosity. That is a little working model of life why when God who is love is your leader. 1 Timothy 6 17  Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.   18  Instruct them  to do good, to be rich in good  [ q ] works, to be generous and ready to share,   19  storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.

 3.12- We have heard rumors and read things in the Bible that make us suspect that God communicates from His heart into the heart of his Holy Spirit filled children.  Our own experience of this happening is more limited. We feel like we must pursue God when God is the type of God who pursues Adam even after he has messed up and been disobedient. When we mess up do we run and hide or do we run to the Father in heaven.  Jesus was describing why he hung out with prositutes and tax collectors he told the story of the two prodigal sons.  One who came to his senses decided to go home and his father ran to meet him.  That is who our father is. Genesis 3 3  Now the serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field which the  Lord  God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”   2  The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;  ...

 3.11- "Prayer for many of us is life vegetables for children. I know this is good for me but I am not looking forward to doing it... Prayer is the experience of knowing God. Prayer is being honest about who you are and where you are in your walk with God." Tyler Staton 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 done  in secret will reward you. 5  “And when you pray, yo...

3.10-   A house of love has elastic walls. Life has surprising changes. Our grandparents need a place to stay. Come stay with us. We have room. A baby is coming. The mom and baby can live here with grandmother. Our aunt fell and broke her hip. Bring her over here during recovery. God sets the lonely in families. He cares for the poor and the prisoners and so do his children. A house of love has elastic walls. Matthew 25 25  “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.   2  Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.   3  For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take  extra  oil with them;   4  but the prudent ones took oil in flasks with their lamps.   5  Now while the groom was delaying, they all became drowsy and  began  to sleep.   6  But at midnight  [ a ] there finally was a shout: ‘Behold,...