attitude

Perspective

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We all have opportunity every day to choose how we see the world and people in it.  Our perspective has many influences, personal experience, things we read, things others tell us, our own emotions and the things we see happening.  If we allow our perspective to be formed with out consulting with our Creator are we really putting all we can into our beliefs?  Information provided by the human race always seems to have a selfish agenda of the those who distribute the data.  The only source of truth I have found is God and His Son Jesus Christ.  If you haven’t done so, I invite you to allow the Word of God to be an influence on your perspective…I recommend starting with the Gospel of John.  Believe in God the Father, Jesus Christ His one and only Son and the Holy Spirit and you will find the peace and joy of the Lord.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.”

1 Thessalonians 4:7

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Everlasting Peace

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Throughout the days, weeks, months and years of life you may come across reflections of a time or times when you remember moments of life with peace.  Where were you?  What was going on in your life and in the world?  Who were you with?  Do you remember what it felt like?

For me these times involve my time with family and friends most often…usually these moments are times of simplicity, not in a rush or hurry, not worried about the plans or the meal.  They were definitely times of less technology in our daily life.  Whatever those moments are for you, say a prayer to ask God to help you make time to do those things and to be with those people whenever and however you can.  It is that peace that feeds us to get through the times when we are unsettled and stressed.  May God’s peace overwhelm you and be with you.

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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Spiritual Food

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When we read the bible we are feeding our spiritual life so that it can grow.  If we only take time to listen to the word of God once a week in worship our spiritual growth is very limited.  Just as the body needs food and water daily to stay healthy.  We also need to exercise in order to be strong to stand up to evil.  For the spiritual food we receive is the verses of the bible, this is the living water that Jesus speaks about in the Gospel of John.  We can be nourished by spending time digesting the Word of God.  The exercise of our spiritual life is the action we take that shows we are a disciple of Jesus.  The actions that bear fruit to the world.  Choose to feed your spiritual life, pick up the bible and feed your spiritual body.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“I am the vine; you are the branches.  Whoever remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5

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

Prayer

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This is the beginning of a personal relationship with God.  It is not a place to worry about saying the right words in the correct order rather it is about being honest with yourself and talking in truth to God about everything and anything.  A strong personal relationship always begins with communication, honest, heart-felt and a willingness to be vulnerable shows true commitment and trust.  Then when we are looking for the answers we must be open to a possibility of something we did not think was going to happen because with God anything is possible, even the unthinkable.  Open up your heart and mind in conversation with God and then watch for the amazing things that will happen.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6

(This photo was taken in June of 2015 while driving through South Dakota)

Confidence

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The bible is filled with promises by God and He fulfills those promises, not according to our standard rather, according to His.  We are always trying to fit God into our view of how things should be instead of surrendering ourselves to His view.  Every promise God has made has been completed, except for one.  He promises that Jesus will come back again to take us home and based on the history of promises kept a believer should have every confidence that Jesus will return.  It is written, He will come down from heaven, check…He will heal the sick and help the poor, check…He will be crucified and die, check…He will be risen and ascend to the Father, check…He will come again, still pending…this promise will be fulfilled according to God’s standard not ours.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“I am still confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalms 27:13-14

(This photo was taken in June of 2012 while traveling through northwestern Wisconsin)

Strength

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Our strength to stand and face the difficult or troubling circumstances of life and the world we live in comes from God.  Personal will power or raw emotion will only carry us for so long…the key element that can impact and affect human behavior is a relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.  There will be times when you will feel blindsided by what someone has said to you or about you to others, unfortunately this is common human behavior.  Bring these moments to the cross, renew your resolve and strength through faith…it is the only place to find the one who gave everything He had for you.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

 

Forgiving

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Everyone has been hurt by others in some way, at one time or another.  This is not a unique situation to be in, the key to peace and joy is what you do with the hurt and the pain…do we live with bitterness and anger at the sound of their name or place where the pain occurred?  Maybe for a period of time, eventually we must find a way to forgiveness.  We will be much better off to learn about what it means to forgive someone and proceed with removing the dark cloud from over our heads.  It won’t make the pain go away and we will live with the scar of past hurts no matter what we do…what it will do is open us up for other future possibilities, some that we could have never imagined if we were still angry and bitter.  Give forgiveness a try and see what God has in store for you.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32

(This photo was taken in February of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Path To Peace

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The first steps to finding some peace for me have come from learning about faith and learning about Jesus.  Through weekly worship, daily devotions, listening to christian music and serving to help others in need.  The next steps to lasting peace are actually getting to know Jesus in personal relationship, through prayer and listening, taking time to sit outdoors in nature in the quiet and to be at peace.  The farther down the path you go the harder it can be at times because of the world we live in…that is when it helps the most to remember that Christ is with me, even if I don’t sense His presence.  Trust in God, trust also in Jesus as He is The Way to peace.  May God’s love and peace be with you.

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“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

The Final Word

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Once again I find myself in worship through music.  This time it is a song by The Newsboys.  Our journey of life will have ups and downs, highs and lows, struggles and joy.  We can find our way through anything if we stay close to God and His Son Jesus.  He gave up everything for us and He did it because of love.  No matter the situation of the events in your life…remember God has the final word.  Give this a listen…The Cross Has The Final Word by The Newsboys.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Nothing is all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Hebrews 4:13

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at Kaanapali Beach on the island of Maui)

 

Renew

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I am working on trying to be better about not making snap judgments and flippant comments regarding situations when I know very few details.  We don’t take time to learn the details of a situation and try to understand before we start down the path of judgment and criticism.  Social media, of course, it right there to encourage the wrong behavior.  If we strive to learn more before we speak out, society as a whole would be much better off.  I am able to renew my mind and my behavior when I spend time reading the Word of God.  I want to stop jumping in to be the critic and the doubter so quickly and remember that we all were created by God and that each and every person is fighting a battle.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Do not conform any longer 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 12:2

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