Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 4.18- Birthday of Ruth Ann Milton Jones. Teachers and coaches shape the future. It is hard, dangerous work when done with passion and compassion. Superteacher. Super person. 45 years in a classroom. Leader of Beta students for most of those years. Mathematics, STEM, teacher to athletes going on to D1 college and those not going to college. Superstar teacher. Volunteer teacher from babies to preschool at church. Intensive care in suffering mom, dad, husband and beloved brother. Teacher of math at Honey Grove High Scool. Today is her birthday. The birthday of Ruth Ann Milton Jones, second generation super public school teacher and inspiration to 100's of teachers and coaches. She doesn't talk about doing it. She does it. Matthew 7 21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven  will enter .   22  Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in...

4.17- What can you cut and nothing comes back but beauty? Roses. When a wise friend corrects us in love and humility, then we are truly blessed. Having friends who help train us to live the abundant and good life are friends indeed. John 15 15  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.   2  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every  branch  that bears fruit, He  [ a ] prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.   3  You are already  [ b ] clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.   4  Remain in Me,  [ c ] and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit  [ d ] of itself  [ e ] but must remain in the vine, so neither  can  you unless you remain in Me.   5  I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him  [ f ] bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.   6  If anyone does not remain in...

 4.16- Gentle king on a donkey "If you come to Jesus and say, 'I would like some help. I would like some inspiration. I would like you to be my consultant. I would like you to be my partner.' You know what Jesus Christ says? Jesus says 'Oh, I could be more than that. I could be your shepherd. I could be your brother. I could be your guide. I can be your friend. But I won't be anything unless I'm king. Either i will be king. Or I will be nothing. I want all of you or none of. Crown me or kill me. Throw everything over and make me Supreme Monarch of your life or Despise me. But I will not be liked." Tim Keller John 12 12  On the next day, when the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,   13  they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and  began  shouting, “Hosanna!  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord , indeed, the King of Israel!”   14  Jesus, finding ...

 4.15- There is quiet joy that flows into the heart of those who are merciful with themselves and others. The teacher heard a bunch of long winded repetitions prayers and then heard a broken down sinner pray a short prayer. "God be merciful to me, a sinner." The teacher said, "This guy receives mercy from God." A short, honest prayer. Luke 18 9  Now He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:   10  “Two men went up into the  [ e ] temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.   11  The Pharisee stood and  began  praying this in regard to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, crooked, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.   12  I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’   13  But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even un...

4.14-   Such unusual connection with my Savior this morning. There is no Savior like ours.king on a donkey. Alone feelings. My God, my God why have you forsaken me? 100% human. 100% divine. I thirst. I sin. No I need forgiveness. Forgive them for they don't know what they are doing. I now need the help of my children and grandchildren. They are still living thank God. But Jesus. John, here is your mother. Mother, here John is your son. Is it ever too late to repent and turn to God. If you have you heart, mind, and soul, you can turn. To the thief who died with him who expressed true confession of faith in Jesus, Today you will be with me in paradise. My Savoir released his spirit into the hands of his father. Someday so will each of us who read this if he tarries. That cup of what. A holy, just, righteous God must have consequences of all the evil of all time paid for the forgiveness of my sins and yours. The cup of wrath was drunk by Jesus. The earth turned dark for three hours. ...

 4.13- Lord help me to merciful instead of critical. Amen. Colossians 3 3  Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things  that are  above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.   2  [ a ] Set your minds on the things  that are  above, not on the things that are on earth.   3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.   4  When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5  Therefore,  [ b ] treat the parts of your earthly body as dead  to  sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which  [ c ] amounts to idolatry.   6  For it is  because of these things  that  the wrath of God is coming  [ d ] upon the  [ e ] sons of disobedience,   7  and in them you also once walked, when you were living  [ f ] in...