Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

2.18- Children can see and appreciate the glory of God and His salvation in Jesus.  Those who were arrogant were indignant.  In order for someone to connect with God and be blessed it requires humility.  Those who are full of men's wisdom are actually often spiritually blind and foolish.  Those who know they need God's wisdom and trust God's provision and help are willing to seek God and trust God and praise God as the children do. Matthew 21. 14  And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15  But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16  and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘ Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself ’?” 17  And He left th...

2.17- The second of Jesus two great commandments. Love your neighbor as yourself.  Leviticus 19 18  You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord . Matthew 19. 19  Honor your father and mother ; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself .” 20  The young man *said to Him, “All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?” 21  Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be [ j ] complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22  But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. 23  And Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24  Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the ki...

2.16-Jesus did not come to abolish the commandments of His Father in heaven, but to fulfill them.  There were people then and now who want to abolish God and His commands from the memory, but they remain. Jesus says that heaven and earth will pass away, but God's word will not pass away. Exodus 20. The Ten Commandments 20  Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2  “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of [ a ] slavery. 3  “You shall have no other gods [ b ] before Me. 4  “You shall not make for yourself [ c ] an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. 5  You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6  but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep ...

2.15- God intended for men and women to be drawn together.  The garden of eden where they were created was a place of shamelessness with their body.  We have become so shamed by  our body today.  Too big or too small.  Your eyes are not pretty enough.  Your ears stick out too much.  In the garden God created there was Adam and Eve and they were to become one flesh with each other without any shame in the complete nakedness with each other  Genesis 2. 24  For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. 25  And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Matthew 19. 5  and said, ‘ For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh ’?    Mark 10. Jesus’ Teaching about Divorce 10  Getting up, He *went from there to the region of Judea and beyond...

2.14-Jesus believed that God had created humans as male and female.  They could come together in love and form a family and children would be brought into this world as the greatest gift of all.  Jesus loved the family and loved the children.  He wanted them to be welcomed.  He didn't want the children hindered. Genesis 1.  27  God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28  God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the [ al ] sky and over every living thing that [ am ] moves on the earth.” Matthew 19. 19  When Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan; 2  and [ a ] large crowds followed Him, and He healed them there. 3  Some Pharisees came to [ b ] Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it...

2.13.20, Passionate Thoughts Christians are not one issue thinkers. We think about protecting the rights of women, children and this includes babies in the womb. We think about what is lawful marriage in God’s world and what is not. We think about how to be gentle and bold and forceful, humble and confident. We think about where to stand on a variety of matters. We are not ultimately for any person, or party or nation, but ultimately for Jesus and citizens of heaven first. Imagine the pressure and stress going on in Germany in 1938. The leader of the nation had divided Germany into “us” versus “them” and was going to get rid to “them” the problem. The Jews. We also think about Boenoffer’s Ordination Sermon in 1938 Germany said, You have only one master now...But with this 'yes' to God belongs just as clear a 'no.' Your 'yes' to God requires your 'no' to all injustice, to all evil, to all lies, to all oppression and violation of the we...

2.13-One of the basic commands of Jesus is that children need to honor their mother and father.  This is one of the big ten. The religious people around Jesus would claim they had declared all their assets and dedicated to God and so had no money to honor their parents.  Jesus called this for what is was a bunch of baloney.  They were honoring God with their words, but their hearts were far from God. Isaiah 29. 13  Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their [ p ] words And honor Me with their [ q ] lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their [ r ] reverence for Me [ s ] consists of [ t ] tradition learned by rote , Matthew 15. 15  Then some Pharisees and scribes *came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2  “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3  And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment ...

2.12- There are people who see, but don't see.  They observe, but don't perceive.  They eyes of their heart are not open because they don't want to have open eyes. The prophets who were read to Jesus and by Jesus in the synagogue.  In Isaiah 6 there was they reality that they were going to keep shutting their eyes and ears spiritually so long that there would be a callous over their heart and soul and they would be devastated spiritually.  They would get so bad that their conscience would be seared over and long longer sensitive to God. There is none so blind as he who will not see. Isaiah 6. 8  Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” 9  He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive; Keep on looking, but do not understand.’ 10  “Render the hearts of this people [ e ] insensitive, Their ears [ f ] dull, And their eyes [ g ] d...

2.11- True prophets don't generally dress in soft clothing.  That's for people in king's palaces.  Jesus did not want to be aligned with the kings in their powerful position. They came to try to make Him a king and He wanted no part of it.  Those who claim to follow Jesus and who claim to be disciples of Jesus are not interested in being someone who imitates and President or National leader or some Monarch with a lot of earthly power.  A true prophet is there is stand with God to confront and push for repentance and improvement from the President or other national leader.  They don't wear soft clothing and live in nice houses.  They live in the wilderness and eat whatever their friends might share with them.  They are not reeds swaying with the winds of what is trendy and what wins elections.  They are followers of Jesus who was introduced by John the Baptist, a true prophet and a bold prophet who was willing to speak truth to power.  Mal...