Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 4.12- This Easter for the 146th year my home congregation, Oak Ridge church of Christ, will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Many times we went home to eat ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, coleslaw and Pecan pie. The ham was traditional because Jesus declared hogs were not unclean but clean. So bacon and ham were good food. The Jewish religion, were he grew up, declared that certain animals were unclean. He said unclean was an inside the heart problem. To Jesus, the religious people who played word games, and didn't honor and support their parents had an unclean hearts. He said it wasn't a food problem but a heart problem. So he declared ham to be clean. Evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and greed that kept them from supporting their parents was a heart problem. Some of my gentile friends have gone back to saying ham is unclean. I will not. I will celebrate the ways of the resurrected...

 4.11- The greedy, rich are not peaceful and content because their is a restlessness for more. How much do we need to make? More. The richest NFL qb. Is that for one week or month or until the next contact is signed. The poor in spirit are content and peaceful because the have the kingdom of heaven that has come down into their heart and life. These are blessed. 1 Timothy 6 3  If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not  [ d ] agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,   4  he is conceited  and  understands nothing; but he  [ e ] has a sick craving for controversial questions and disputes about words, from which come envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,   5  and constant friction between people of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that  [ f ] godliness is a means of gain.   6  But god...

 4.10- When you know where you came from and where you are going and who your father in heaven is, it changes everything. Like Joseph, you can forgive those who did evil to you knowing that they meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. To forgive is to move forward. To refuse to forgive is to live in bitterness and toxicity. Over and over Joseph had to remind his brothers that they didn't need to worry. God is forgiving toward his stiffnecked children. God news. Grace bats last. John 13 13  Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come that He would depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them  [ a ] to the end.   2  And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot,  the son  of Simon, to betray Him,   3  Jesus , knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had com...

 4.9- Put people before things. Matthew 16 24  Then Jesus said to His disciples,  “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.   25  For whoever wants to save his  [ y ] life will lose it; but whoever loses his  [ z ] life for My sake will find it.   26  For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but  [ aa ] forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul?   27  For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and  will then repay every person according to his   [ ab ] deeds . All reactions: 8 Beth Norwood, Larry Wilterdink and 6 others

4.8- Today is had to give up. I had ten years of beautiful joy with my shade and beautiful fall leaves with my sweet gum tree off my back porch. Two years ago I noticed some limbs dying. I hoped and waited for weather improvements to bring her back. Nothing better. One year ago I suspected it was over, but wouldn't call my trees doc. friend Nick. I waited another year. The third year. Today it has to be cut down. It ruins other things around it so Today it is being cut down for the health and beauty of my backyard and street and my beautiful town. Today I stopped eating junk for breakfast and had a banana. My life will be better for this. What other pruning out for better health is needed? I keep waiting for better answers. Do greed, gossip and meddling and other things need to go too? Yes. God and my family and friends continue to help me be healthy. Thank God for amazing grace. John 15 15  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.   2  Every branch i...