Refreshing Our Spirits With Scripture

 9.27-   Better Than a Pinata Ephesians 2:1-10 Keila Ochoa There cannot be a Mexican party without a pinata – a carton or clay container filled with candies and treats. Children strike it with a stick and try to break it, hoping to enjoy its contents. Monks used the pinatas in the sixteenth century to teach lessons to the indigenous people of Mexico. Pinatas were stars with seven points that represented the seven deadly sins. Beating the pinata showed the struggle against evil, and once the treats inside fell to the ground, people could take them home in remembrance of the rewards of keeping the faith. But we cannot fight evil on our own. God is not waiting for our efforts so that He will show His mercy. Ephesians teaches that “by grace you have been saved through faith . . . it is the gift God” (2:8). We don’t beat sin; Christ has done that. Children fight for the candies from the pinata, but God’s gifts come to all of us when we believe in ...

 9.26-   The Land of “What Is” Psalm 46:1-7 Dave Branon Even all these years after losing our seventeen-year-old daughter Melissa in a car accident in 2002, I sometimes find myself entering the world of “What If.” It’s easy, in grief, to reimagine the events of that tragic June evening and think of factors that – if rearranged – would have had Mell arriving safely home. In reality, though, the land of “What If” is not a good place to be for any of us. It is a place of regret, second-guessing, and hopelessness. While the grief is real and the sadness endures, life is better and God is honored if we dwell in the world of “What Is.” In that world, we can find hope, encouragement, and comfort. We have the sure hope (I Thessalonians 4:13) – the assurance – that because Melissa loved Jesus, she is in a place that is “better by far” (Philippians 1:23). We have the helpful presence of the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). We have God’s “ever-pr...

 9.25- Perfect Grace Matthew 5:43-48; John 8:9- 11 Philip Yancey Jesus’ teaching about absolute ideals and absolute grace seem contradictory. Jesus never lowered God’s perfect ideal. In His response to the rich young ruler, He said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). He told an expert in the law who inquired as to the greatest commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all you soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). No one has completely fulfilled those commands. Yet the same Jesus tenderly offered absolute grace. He forgave an adulteress, a thief on the cross, a disciple who had denied ever knowing Him, and a man named Saul, who had made his mark persecuting Christians. Grace is absolute and all-encompassing, extending even to those who nailed Jesus to the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” were among the last words He spoke on earth (Luke 23:34)....

 9.24- It has been common for football watching to be a main activity for many generations of guys in our family.  It requires strength and perseverance and teamwork and many things that we believe in.  Here is left to right. Jeff Wishard, me and Jared Wishard and Ralph Self. Joshua 24. 14  “Now, therefore, [ g ] fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and [ h ] truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the [ i ] River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord . 15  If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord , choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord .”  

 9.23-   Psalm 1. How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the [ a ] path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2  But his delight is in the law of the Lord , And in His law he meditates day and night. 3  He will be like a tree firmly planted by [ b ] streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its [ c ] leaf does not wither; And [ d ] in whatever he does, he prospers. 4  The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 5  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6  For the Lord [ e ] knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked will perish.   How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the [ a ] path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 2  But his delight is in the law of the Lord , And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 ...

 9.22- Almost beyond understanding.   The patience that is required for a mother in rearing her children almost beyond understanding. Monday our son came over to help us with some chores and bring some groceries for us. That is such a uplifting experience to know that he cares for us now and will in the future. We started retracing our life with him going back even before he was born. Sheila said that the pregnancy and the delivery was almost beyond understanding.   Mothers plan for things to go smoothly, but they sometimes don’t.   Oops becomes an opportunity.   Life with God sets up situations where our plan doesn’t go as we had hoped. Then we cry out to God and He has promised that for those of us who love Him that He was cause things to work out for the good.   He turns our mess into a message.   When we are delivered we tell others and our weak moment becomes a witness.   almost beyond understanding.    John 2 2 On the third da...

 9.21-   Lord, I call to you . . . listen to me when I call to you.” Psalm 141:1 Max Lucado Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night. The centurion came in the middle of the day. The leper and the sinful woman appeared in the middle of crowds. Zacchaeus appeared in the middle of a tree. Matthew had a party for him. The educated. The powerful. The rejected. The sick. The lonely. The wealthy. Who would have assembled such a crew? All they had in common were their empty hope chests, long left vacant by charlatans and profiteers. Though they had nothing to offer, they asked for everything: a new birth, a second chance, a fresh start, a clean conscience. And without exception their requests were honored  

 9.20- 7 Blunders of the World That Lead to Violence  Wealth without Work Pleasure without Conscience Knowledge without Character Commerce without Morality Science without Humanity Worship without Sacrifice Politics without Principle ~ Mahatma Gandhi Matthew 7. 24  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and [ o ] acts on them, [ p ] may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25  And the rain fell, and the [ q ] floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26  Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not [ r ] act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27  The rain fell, and the [ s ] floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”  

 9.19-   A Treasure to be Shared II Corinthians 4:1-7 Bill Crowder In March 1974, Chinese farmers were digging a well when they made a surprising discovery. Buried under the dry ground of central China was the Terracotta Army – life-size terracotta sculptures that dated back to the third century BC. In this extraordinary find were some 8,000 soldiers, 150 cavalry horses, and 130 chariots drawn by 520 horses. The Terracotta Army has become one of the most popular tourist sites in China, attracting over a million visitors annually. This amazing treasure lay hidden centuries but is now being shared with the world. The apostle Paul wrote that followers of Christ have a treasure inside them that is to be shared with the world: “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure” (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT). The treasure inside us is the message of Christ and His love. ...

 9.18-   The Restoration Business Philippians 3:1-8 Dennis Fisher Adam Minter is in the junk business. The son of a junkyard owner, he circles the globe researching junk. In his book Junkyard Planet, he chronicles the multibillion-dollar industry of waste recycling. He notes that entrepreneurs around the world devote themselves to locating discarded materials such as copper wire, dirty rags, and plastics and repurposing them to make something new and useful. After the apostle Paul turned his life over to the Savior, he realized his own achievements and abilities amounted to little more than trash. But Jesus transformed it all into something new and useful. Paul said, “Whatever were gains to me I now consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I my gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8). Having been trained in Jewish religious law, he had ...

 9.17-   Heavy load shaking.   2020. Covid 19. Financial losses and job losses in many industries around the world. Racial strife and tensions. Political division and hatred. Moral failure of religious leaders and political leaders. What is next? Locusts. My washing machine. A heavy load. A light load. My washing machine is about to shake itself into destruction. I get down on my knees with my pink foam knee pad. I get the tools I need. I make adjustments to the foot pads. The heavy load made a difference. With a light load it didn’t shake. With a heavy load it seemed to shake the washing machine and the house. I was taught to set things so that it can handle the heavy load or the light load. Sheila and I have had some heavy load years, 1969-72. Moved jobs and houses every year or two. Hard financial set backs. Heavy load shaking.   1975 we lost twins in a miscarriage. One of our favorite uncles died suddenly of a heart attack on the same day. Heavy...

 9.16- People who thought we thought we could trust will disappoint us. Leaders rise and fall, come and go. God’s word remains. I heard a friend of mine say yesterday, "I am no role model. If you have put me as your example in life you are aiming too low." Make Jesus your example and the one you imitate." We constantly hear of some national religious leader who has fallen down. They will be exposed for their immorality or their financial mismanagement. I don't believe we should trust our lives over to religious leaders. Trust only God and His living word, Jesus Christ.   Matthew 7. 15  “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16  You will [ k ] know them by their fruits. [ l ] Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17  So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18  A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree ...

 9.15-   Think about what you really, really want. Ask Jesus to give you this. Keep up the request until you change your mind or He gives it to you. Thank Him for it. Tell others what Jesus' mercy has extended to you. Repeat.   Luke 18. 18  Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, 2  saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. 3  There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘ [ a ] Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ 4  For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, 5  yet because this widow bothers me, I will [ b ] give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will [ c ] wear me out.’” 6  And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge *said; 7  now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Hi...

 9.14- About 3,000 years ago there was a person who knew a bit about God and His ways who wrote, “Cast your anxiety on God because He cares for you.” Then a 1,000 years later another man who was an apprentice of Jesus quoted these words to another group of people, but they needed to be reminded of the same thing, “Cast your anxiety on God because He cares for you.” God is presented by Jesus as a Father who was the happiest being in the universe. God has created humans with free will which means that His ways are not forced on people. People come to God based on their own choices. Be sure to know that God wants to bring happiness to those who leave a life of self destruction and move back into the house of love. Jesus told a story about the prodigal son who returned home and the Father said, “Quickly.” Get the best robe. Get the family ring. Get the BBQ fired up. We are going to have a party. This my son has chosen life. If you want to live a heavenly lifestyle cast all you...

 9.13- My dear friend, Have you have come to have some doubts about Jesus’ real concern for you. You wanted to draw close to Him. You set up a situation to invite Him into your life and home. Now, some bad things have happened. You have had some prayer needs and made a clear request. The answer was not what you expected. Jesus didn’t give the answer you had hoped for at the time you hoped for it. People don’t even care that you are hurting so much. Now people are expecting you to give some more of yourself. You find yourself not having anything to give. You are tired and weary. Then someone says that not only must you help your husband to organize his life. You are to keep your job going. You are to teach your children to line up their computer and stay on task. Oh yes, you are supposed to be able to do all this and keep a positive attitude toward Jesus and people. Do you need to hear what Jesus says, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me an...

 9.12-   Sweet and Sour Job 2:1-10 Kochitl Dixon When our toddler first bit into a lemon wedge, he wrinkled his nose, stuck out his tongue, and squeezed his eyes shut. “Sow-wah,” he said (sour). I chuckled as I reached for the piece of fruit, intending to toss it into the trash. “No!” Xavier scampered across the kitchen to get away from me. “moe-wah!” (more). His lips puckered with every juice-squirting bite. I winced when he finally handed me the rind and walked away. My taste buds accurately reflect my partiality to the sweet moments in life. My preference for avoiding all things bitter reminds me of Job’s wife, who seems to have shared my aversion to the sourness of suffering. Job surely didn’t delight in hardship or trouble, yet he honored God through heart-wrenching circumstances (Job 1:1-22). When painful sores afflicted Job’s body, he endured the agony (2:7-8). His wife told him to give up on God (v. 9), but Job responded by trusti...

 9.11-   What Simon Said Luke 5:1-11 Poh Fang Chia A man named Refuge Rabindranath has been a youth worker in Sri Lanka for more than ten years. He often interacts with the youth late into the night-playing with them, listening to them, counseling and teaching them. He enjoys working with the young people, but it can be disheartening when promising students sometimes walk away from the faith. Some days he feels a bit like Simon Peter in Luke 5. Simon had been working hard all night but caught no fish (verse 5). He felt discouraged and tired. Yet, when Jesus told him to “put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch” (v. 4), Simon replied, “Because you say so, I will let down the nets” (v.5). Simon’s obedience is remarkable. As a seasoned fisherman, he knew that fish move to the bottom of the lake when the sun is up, and the dragnets they used could not go deep enough to catch those fish. His willingness to trust Jesus was...

 9.10-   Asked God I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong. I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve. I asked for prosperity and God gave me brawn and brain to work. I asked for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome. I asked for patience and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait. I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help. I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities. I received nothing I wanted and everything I needed. My prayers had been answered. Mark 11. 20  As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up . 21  Being reminded, Peter *said to Him, “Rabbi, look, the fig tree which You cursed has withered.” 22  And Jesus *answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. 23  Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going t...

 9.9-   God wants us to show compassion to the poor and sick.   He knows they way we were created in Him image that we cannot be at peace in our heart, soul and conscience when we ignore the needs of our fellowman.   To stifle compassion makes us a shriveled and calloused soul who is tormented by fear.  We all fall short of God's best for us here. Except for the grace of God all would be lost forever. Luke 16. 19  “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. 20  And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, 21  and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. 22  Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23  In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *...