attitude

The Message

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We can bring the light of Christ to the world several ways.  We can use more than words as actions are often more powerful then words alone.  How we conduct ourselves in our everyday life tells a great deal about what we believe.  How we react to both success and failure will tell others about what is deep in our hearts.  Our attitude and the characteristics of our personality and how we apply them to helping others in need will tell a story about who has saved us.  As we grow in our faith we learn from our past, we are thankful for the present and we know our future is secure with God.  Share Jesus Christ with another person when the opportunity presents itself in your life.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.  He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit…”

1 Peter 3:18

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling in northern Colorado)

Living Faith

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We have been redeemed.  Christ lives, He is in us and we are saved.  Jesus did His part to save us and now it is up to us to live as a people saved by Christ.  We are blessed with free will.  We need to do our part to uphold our faith.  Choose goodness, choose kindness, choose to help those in need, choose joy, choose to be encouraging and uplifting…we have already received more than we could have ever hoped for from Jesus Christ, now we are reconciled with God, let’s go out into the darkness of the world and share the light of Christ.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6:31

(This photo was taken in July of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Good Friday, Reflect…Be Transformed

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There cannot be unexpected and jubilant celebration at the resurrection without the pain and tragedy of the crucifixion.  Life is not always going to be sweet smelling roses and unconstrained happiness.  It is because of our sufferings that we learn and appreciate the good things God has given us.  When I think about the most difficult times of my past I begin to see my focus at those times was all self-centered, I was putting myself at the center of my life and that is not my place.  When I notice the times when I have had real joy, peace and contentment it is when I have surrendered myself to God and His will.  Only God can help us in the terrible times and events that are caused by humans and sin, only He can bring about the love, forgiveness, peace and joy.  God does not make the bad things occur, we do that ourselves but He is always there ready to help us when we turn towards Him and His Son who sacrificed everything to save us.  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.”

Romans 12:2

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Share Goodness

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Whenever you can, share the goodness of life.  Make eye contact and smile at other people, hold a door open, help someone carry things, be patient with others, listen instead of talking and support those in need without expectation of something in return.  When we choose to live in community with one another we can see the goodness of the Lord in life.  It is striving to get back to the basics of interacting with each other in a simple and kind manner.  It is a choice, we are not victims of our environment or our surroundings unless we choose to be.  If you don’t know how or where to start, I would recommend getting out into nature and be present in God’s creation.  Nothing soothes my soul better than being outdoors in the amazing world God created.  May God’s peace and the wonder of creation be with you.

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling in northern Colorado)

Trials Of Life

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Everyone has knowledge and experience in trials and pain and suffering.  No matter what type of front they display on a social media feed there is trial and pain in their life too.  The problem with comparing ourselves is that many people are very skilled at hiding their pain, trying to ignore the suffering.  Worse yet is the news media and the sad way they choose to display their view of the world.  There is a phrase I have heard used more when I was younger and not as much now…“you get what you give” or “what you will get out of this is determined by what you put into it”  To me this provides one of the things missing in society today…accountability.  Easy street is not a real place or a way to live.  That doesn’t mean that we never will feel happy or joy but it depends on where you are looking for it, it depends on your perspective.  The one place that helps with every day life and builds a strong foundation to live on is the Cross.  Come to the Cross and live.  May God’s peace be with you.

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”

Psalm 139:23

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

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)