Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 5.18- God uses weak, messy and common things to accomplish big, positive changes. There was a baby born into such poor circumstances that he was born in a barn, laid in a wooden manger. Today 2 billion people claim he is their teacher. If you are in a poor, weak and powerless situation it doesn't limit your ability to make a positive impact in the world. Luke 2 2  In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.   2  (This was the first census that took place while [ a ]  Quirinius was governor of Syria.)   3  And everyone went to their own town to register. 4  So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.   5  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.   6  While they were there, the time came f...

 5.17- You are not responsible for everything that happened to you, but you are responsible for how you turn it into fuel for growth. Matthew 5 9  Blessed are the peacemakers,      for they will be called children of God. 10  Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,      for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11  “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.   12  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor [ i ]  and hate your enemy.’   44  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,   45  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the ri...

 5.16- All our words need to pointed toward building people up. At times these words will please people and at times challenge them to greater heights according to the need of the moment. The words must always be pleasing to God. Our words must communicate that we are willing to bear with those who are going through times of failure without giving up them. Romans 15 15  We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.   2  Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.   3  For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” [ a ]   4  For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

 5.15- Have you ever known there's something you need to do, but 51% of you doesn't want to do it. The 49 %. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. 49 % pushes that this is the right thing to do. Good for you and others for sure. You sit and pray and think. You think of the kindness that has been poured into your life. Maybe the job had several parts. The 49 % becomes 50%. A voice inside says just take one step at a time and see what happens. You move one foot then the other. Momentum shifts. The energy snowball starts rolling. I a short time lights were green doors were open and you feel so much better because you did what was right by concentrating on the love that has been extended to you. Romans 2. Have you ever known there's something you need to do, but 51% of you doesn't want to do it. The 49 %. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. 49 % pushes that this is the right thing to do. Good for you and others for sure. You sit and pray and think. You th...

 5.14- C F P Focus. Compassion for people focus. Some need a loving guide. So.need food. Some need help with eye problems. Others are hungry or thirsty. What do they need? What do they want? How can I help? To live with this focus infuses energy and joy. Mark 1 29  As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.   30  Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her.   31  So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32  That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.   33  The whole town gathered at the door,   34  and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

 5.13- I like to think of a family as an orchard. It has several trees and each is different. The land and trees and fruit is owned by their creator. Growth and fruitfulness is expected and normal. The more healthy the soil and water and care, the greater the fruit. Some trees have 100 fruits, some 60 and some thirty. The trees are beautiful and provide a great blessing to all. Have you seen a family like this? They are known and loved but give credit for their value to the creator and his love and provision of the proper balance of good soil, loving care, sunshine and rain. Gifts from the creatorv. Matthew 13 13  That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.   2  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.   3  Then he told them many things in parables, saying:  “A farmer went out to sow his seed.   4  As he was scattering the seed, some fe...

 5.12- Regardless of what you have done, God's not done with you. John 21 21  Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. [ a ]  It happened this way:   2  Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus [ b ] ), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.   3  “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4  Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5  He called out to them,  “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6  He said,  “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”  When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. 7  Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Pete...

 5.11- You don't retire because you get old. You get old because you retire. Titus 2 2  You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.   2  Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

 5.10- Health is the ability to adapt to life as it happens. James 4 13  Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.”   14  Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.   15  Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”   16  As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.   17  If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

 5.9- There no greater lovers of children than God and he created school teachers. Two of my longest term friends are Larry and Carol Wilterdink from Aurora Colorado. They are teachers. They both are in a tough medical situation right now. Would you pray for them? As we approach thoughts of our death it is good to remember God cannot lie. He promised us that if we kept our faith and trust in him he would provide us a home. Greater even than loving earthly home is our heavenly home. Also he promised that nothing could separate us from his love. Not death, nor angels, nor demons, nor the present nor the future, nor any powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Matthew 18 18  At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2  He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.   3  And he ...

 5.8- You can give people the benefit of the doubt or You can be cynical toward everyone one and everything. The teacher seemed to go with the former. Those who are not against us are for us. Random acts of kindness are noticed by God and he rewards each one. Other groups besides our own have good ideas and do good things. Their way of helping might be different but should not be discounted. 1 Corinthians 13 13  If I speak in the tongues [ a ]  of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.   2  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.   3  If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, [ b ]  but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4  Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it ...