Month: June 2018

God’s Grace

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Have you ever been in a situation where someone you love has done something that offends you?  I believe we all have this experience.  We know what they did was wrong, they know what they did was wrong and yet we love them so much we forgive them.  We go forward not holding the past against them…well as humans we are not quite that good at forgiveness…there seems to remain that little voice that says ‘remember what they did?  they might hurt you again.’  It is hard to forgive because we are not sure we can trust again.  Think about how hard this is for us…God has done this and will continue to do this for you everyday.  We are sinners, we are broken and yet He forgives us our sins.  We have never deserved it or earned it, yet Jesus Christ gave up His life to give it to us.  May you find peace knowing you are forgiven in God’s grace.

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

God’s Love And Faithfulness

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No matter where we go or what we do God’s love and faithfulness are always more powerful than anything in this world.  We spend our days searching for something…happiness, justice, peace of mind and we believe we will find it somewhere on earth.  Yet the whole time God offers a path to find these pursuits.  It begins with a belief in God and His goodness.  Every promise He made He has kept and the last promise has yet to come, and Jesus Christ will come again.  I pray we have the courage to stop putting our faith in things created by mankind and put our trust and faith right where it belongs…In God We Trust.  May you see God’s love and faithfulness at work in your life.

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“Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”

Psalm 115:1

(This photo was taken in June of 2015 on the side of the road while driving through South Dakota)

The Foundation Of Faith

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We often hear that it states in the bible if you have faith as small as a mustard seed you can move mountains and nothing will be impossible for you (see Matthew 17:20).  Well that doesn’t sound too hard.  A mustard seed, that’s really small…oh but wait.  If it only takes such a small amount of faith to do such big things why isn’t everybody full of faith?  Take a look at your personal belief in Jesus Christ…when we face any issues, problems, concerns or difficult people are we able to approach all those situations with a belief and faith that Jesus Christ can do anything with that situation?  God is still working on me for this level of spiritual maturity.  This is a faith that points 100% to Jesus Christ and the belief in the saving grace that He provided at Calvary for every part of your life.  It is a belief that every person no matter how the world has judged them and cast them aside can be redeemed, if we are willing to believe Jesus can change that.  I am focusing my faith journey on more of this and less of me.  May God’s grace and peace be with you.

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“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you:  Do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

Romans 12:3

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Father’s Day – Relationships

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We all need need our Father’s, just as much as we all need our Mother’s.  Unfortunately, Father’s and Fatherhood has been under attack for a long time.  Many television shows and movies portray the Father as the doofus who just messes everything up or the stupid and incompetent one who is hardly necessary.  When most of society sees this as the role of the Father, it is no wonder that the family structure is disintegrating in this broken world.  If God is the God of everything then He needs to be the God of our families.  No matter what the current status is of our relationships, we need to invite Jesus into them with our Father’s and with everyone else in our family.  Honor your Father and Mother.  God designed the family structure for a purpose and it is for our good to honor the relationships we do have.  Love like God our Father loves us.  May God’s love, peace and joy be with you.

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“If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

Romans 14:8

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Lord Of My Everything?

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One of my struggles in faith is opening up to the Lord for everything.  Not only the parts of my life and my heart I think He wants to be involved in…that would be God on my terms.  It does not work like that.  God is the God of everything and Jesus Christ is Lord of all.  All of creation, all people in all nations since the beginning of time and His love for everything, His grace and His mercy will endure forever.  It is so difficult for my finite mind to comprehend the totality of God and His love.  He is more than the God of Sunday morning or Wednesday evening…He is more than the God of when I really need help or a crisis is happening…He is more than a beautiful sunrise or sunset when we feel more of His presence.  He is the Lord of housework, the Lord of daily errands, the Lord of trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, He is the Lord of where you work and what you do…He is the Lord of everything.  Period.  The best part of all of this means He is right there waiting to hear from you about all of it.  He is your Lord and Savior and even though that doesn’t mean everything will be easy and good He is with you through it all everyday.  May God’s presence, His love, His joy and His forgiveness be present in your life everyday.

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“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of the life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23:6

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Honesty And Integrity

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In the world of constant information updates it seems to be getting difficult to know what is really true.  As we continue on our faith journey and study God’s Word we find the growth in ourselves when we are able to be honest with ourselves.  When we are truthful and accept who we are, who God made us to be, we can act with integrity and be honest with others.  I find it common in my faith journey the path to true joy is to get your relationship with God right first and take your worries, discouragements and concerns as well as your gratitude and joy to Him first and everything else will work itself out according to His plan.  My personal issue with that process…I need more patience.  So I am off to pray for patience in my day…May God’s grace and mercy be with you.

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“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:8-9

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Arches National Park in Utah)

Attitude

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Here it is…the one thing you have the most control over in your entire life…your attitude.  You choose what it is, about everything and everyday.  As I have shared in the past Charles Swindoll who is a pastor, author, teacher, etc has written the best description for us to reflect on when thinking about our attitude.  Here is what he wrote…

Attitude

by Charles Swindoll

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts.  It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.  It will make or break a company…a church…a home.  The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.  We cannot change our past…we cannot change that people will act a certain way.  We cannot change the inevitable.  The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude…I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it.  And so it is with you…we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

To learn more about Charles Swindoll you can go to his website http://www.insight.org/

In the words of Forrest Gump…”That’s all I have to say about that”

May God’s peace, love and joy be with you.

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“What, then, shall we say in response to this?  If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:31

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

 

Be A Positive Example

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The news and social media focuses so much time and effort on the anger, sadness, deception and evil that exists in the world.  There are just as many good and positive things happening in the world each day…we just don’t get to see it or talk about it as much.  Don’t let what others like to focus on be your only perspective.  Feed your mind and spirit by reading God’s Word and spend time in prayer.  Look for the good and be the good that exists in the world.  It does not have to be on the national news or go ‘viral’ to make a difference to at least one other person.  Your life is a gift and you were made to be who you are by a loving God.  Seek His plan for your life and look to be the good in your daily walk.  May God’s grace and mercy be with you.

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“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

1 Peter 3:8-9

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Angels All Around Us

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As we go about our journey of life God knows we will need His ever-present help along the way.  Creation has so much to offer us but we still live in a fallen world.  God is constantly sending in His angels to guide and protect us throughout our life.  Angels come in and protect us, and the help they provide is typically essential in our daily lives.  When you reflect on moments in your life where something incredible was avoided or times when a decision you made quickly ended up keeping you and others safe…do you believe angels played a part in the process?  I do.  God does not do His work alone…it is written about in the bible and I believe He has an army of angels working for the good of those who love Him.  May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

Psalms 91:11-12

(This photo was taken in September of 2014 on a walk in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Believe

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How many times do you have to see something to believe it?  How many stories do you have to hear to accept the facts?  When something in life seems to be beyond comprehension what does it take for you to believe it?  In the Gospel of John we see both the human side and the Godly side of Jesus…in chapter 11 there is the story of Jesus coming to where Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary has been laid in a tomb.  Lazarus has been dead for four days, starting at verse 35 and concluding at verse 44 Jesus shows all that He is…

“Jesus wept” – John 11:35

“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.  Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” – John 11:43-44

There are many more stories throughout the bible that show the truth about who Jesus is and that God sent Him out of love to save us from our sins.  Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Son of Man, as He said…”I am the way and the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” – John 14:6…Do you believe it?

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“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever believes in me will never die.  Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 in White Sands National Monument in New Mexico)