Surrender

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

James 4:7 NIV

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Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

Mark 8:34-36 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

His Love Endures Forever

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
    nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
    or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Psalm 103:8-12 NIV

Forever (Live) by Michael W Smith

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Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.”

Psalm 136:1 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in northern Colorado)

Trust In The Lord

“I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful[a] one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Psalm 16:7-11 NIV

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The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield[a] and the horn[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in southern New Mexico)

Passion, Persistence, Perseverance

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

We are loved

We are forgiven

The battle has been won

Jesus has claimed victory over sin and death

No matter where you are or what the circumstances of your life look like…don’t give up

Remember what Jesus did for you and stir up the passion of His love in your spirit

He is with you…always

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Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

With Jesus We Find Rest…Hope…Joy…Peace

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

The Heart Of Worship by Michael W Smith

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 NIV

(This photo was taken while visiting Rocky Mountain National Park)

God’s Love Changes Lives

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:7-11 NIV

God’s love is the most powerful thing in the world

Nothing can compare to it

No matter where you are, no matter what has happened or is happening in your life

God’s love can change what you believe is impossible

Trust Him, seek His Word, believe, confess your sins and surrender you ways for His way

Nothing is impossible with God

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“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:12 NIV

(This photo was taken in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Transformed From The Inside Out

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Faith works from the inside out

We begin with the events and circumstances of life leading us to questions

The answers to our questions are in the Bible and it leads us to Jesus

If we choose to seek answers in worldly people and things we will be lost

If we seek answers in the Word of God we will become transformed on the inside

While many people stop here…this is not the end of the journey

As we are transformed on the inside we will be led to go out and do good works in the world

We will seek opportunities to help and serve others

This will provide them a chance to see what God has done in us

  It is journey throughout life on earth

We are made to live transformed inside out

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For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:5-6 NIV

(This photo was taken at a park near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

Teach Me Your Way

Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.

Psalm 86:11-13 NIV

Father God, please guide me and teach me as I seek to live a life that honors You

Lead me into my calling, and lovingly correct my mistakes

Thank You for being the One I can confide in, and for loving me just as I am

You are good, and I am grateful for You

In Jesus name, Amen

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I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Psalm 32:8 NIV

(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota)

All People

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Revelation 7:9-10 NIV

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:9-11 NIV

All people are created by God

All people

He has a plan and He values all people

If we choose to judge others by the standards of the world, we are forgetting what God teaches us

Often times we know very little about others we encounter in our daily life…yet we are quick to assume things about them

Pick up God’s word and strive to see people through the eyes of Jesus

Like many aspects of our faith journey it is simple, but it is not easy

We were never promised easy

Peace be with you

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Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.”

James 2:12-13 NIV

(This photo was taken at a park in Winterset, Iowa)

Redeemed

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:9 NIV

Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave

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For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV

(This photo was taken in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)