Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

Luke 12. 47  “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. 48  But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Dear Jesus, There are some things that I’m glad are not going to be in my life forever.   When I get to heaven because of your grace and mercy these things will be gone by then and hopefully before then, but at least by then. -My conflations, expansions, deceptions even out and out lies.   Not appropriate for a preacher or any Christian. -My overreactions to criticism of my thoughts and opinions. -The wickedness of this world that makes my love for my family cool or cold rather than hot. -My attention to my smart phone instead of my smart wife.   My Facebook instead of my wife’s face. -My prayers for people’s physical healing while ignoring the need for their spiritual healing. -My foolish attachment to temporary things like my house, car or gadgets especially my recliner. -My energy for feeding myself while saying I’m too tired to help feed the poor and hungry in my town. Thank you Jesus for reminding me and forgiving me and giving me a fresh s...

Luke 12. 35  “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, 36  like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. 37  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. 38  It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. 39  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40  You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” 41  Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?” 42  The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise ...

Luke 12. 22  Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24  Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25  Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life [ b ] ? 26  Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27  “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29  And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30  For the paga...

Luke 12. 22-24  He continued this subject with his disciples. “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

Luke 12. 13  Someone out of the crowd said, “Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance.” 14  He replied, “Mister, what makes you think it’s any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?” 15  Speaking to the people, he went on, “Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.” 16-19  Then he told them this story: “The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. He talked to himself: ‘What can I do? My barn isn’t big enough for this harvest.’ Then he said, ‘Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll gather in all my grain and goods, and I’ll say to myself, Self, you’ve done well! You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!’ 20  “Just then God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?’ 21  “That’s what...

Luke 12. 11-12  “When they drag you into their meeting places, or into police courts and before judges, don’t worry about defending yourselves—what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words when the time comes.”

Luke 12. 8  “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.   9  But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned  before the angels of God.   10  And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man  will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

Luke 12. 5  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.   6  Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.   7  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12. 4-5  “I’m speaking to you as dear friends. Don’t be bluffed into silence or insincerity by the threats of religious bullies. True, they can kill you, but then what can they do? There’s nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands.

Luke 12. 12  1-3  By this time the crowd, unwieldy and stepping on each other’s toes, numbered into the thousands. But Jesus’ primary concern was his disciples. He said to them, “Watch yourselves carefully so you don’t get contaminated with Pharisee yeast, Pharisee phoniness. You can’t keep your true self hidden forever; before long you’ll be exposed. You can’t hide behind a religious mask forever; sooner or later the mask will slip and your true face will be known. You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming when those whispers will be repeated all over town.

Matthew 13. 18-19  “Study this story of the farmer planting seed. When anyone hears news of the kingdom and doesn’t take it in, it just remains on the surface, and so the Evil One comes along and plucks it right out of that person’s heart. This is the seed the farmer scatters on the road. 20-21  “The seed cast in the gravel—this is the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it. 22  “The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it. 23  “The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.”

Luke 11. 53  When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions,   54  waiting to catch him in something he might say.

Luke 11. 52  “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

Luke 11. 45  One of the experts in the law  answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” 46  Jesus replied,  “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

Daily Life Questions and Answers What should a Christian do when you are worn out and tired? Matthew 11. 28-30  “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” What should you do if God leads you to do something that those close to you don't understand? Acts 11. 11  1-3  The news traveled fast and in no time the leaders and friends back in Jerusalem heard about it—heard that the non-Jewish “outsiders” were now “in.” When Peter got back to Jerusalem, some of his old associates, concerned about circumcision, called him on the carpet: “What do you think you’re doing rubbing shoulders with that crowd, eating what is prohibited and ruining our good name?” 4-6 ...

Luke 11. 44  “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

Thoughts on Charleston S.C. and the Confederate Flag If you are follower of Jesus and something very bad happens how do you respond? Nine people were in their church  building having a Wednesday evening Bible study.  A stranger comes into their group with a need.  I remember a distraught grandmother coming into a Wednesday Bible study in Denver with her granddaughter in tow.  She was completely broken by her cutting herself.  He had marks of over a hundred cuts on her arms.  The woman was at a complete loss regarding what to do.  She needed help immediately.  We counseled the young woman and gave the grandmother some materials to help her understand how to help long term.  I don't know what happened.  I know that in the church in Charleston N.C. a young man was welcomed into a prayer meeting of nine people.  Nine were shot and killed. At the bond hearing for the young man all the family members attended and extended forgiv...

Luke 11. 43  “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.