“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 NIV
“You are my refuge and my shield;
I have put my hope in your word.”
Psalm 119:114 NIV
“For,
“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[a]
And this is the word that was preached to you.”
1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV
(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)
“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
What are you thankful for today?
How often are we able to see something to be thankful for during difficult times?
It is not easy…yet it is a choice
An attitude of gratitude may not come naturally to us but we should strive for it
It can make such a big difference in our lives and the lives of others
We don’t have to do it alone
Start by thanking God for Jesus Christ and what He did for you at the Cross and see where you can go from there
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:15-17 NIV
(This photo was taken while traveling through North Dakota)
For everything…His character…His goodness…His compassion…His response to questions…His attitude…His selflessness…His love
No matter what our struggle is, no matter where we are in life…Jesus has an example of how we should try to respond, react, proceed
For example, while hanging on the Cross, blood draining out of His body…taking the punishment we and those who put Him there deserve, He spoke these words:
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”
Luke 23:34 NIV
No matter what is happening in your life turn towards Jesus Christ
He has set the example for us to follow in this life
“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
(This photo was taken by a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
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.”
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“
Colossians 3:15-17 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake place in central Minnesota)
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:15-17 NIV
Jesus Christ suffered and died for you because He loves you
He has risen
He is alive and wants to help you in this life and prepare you to spend eternity with Him
Give thanks to Jesus, not only with words but with how you choose to live your life every day
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV
(This photo was taken on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
“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 NIV
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
– John Wesley
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NIV
(This photo was taken while traveling through North Dakota)
“For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 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
Our purpose is to learn about Him who loves us and sacrificed Himself for us
And then to shine a light on God’s love, God’s mercy and God’s grace for others to see not for ourselves but for God
We can show God to others by who we are in how we treat others and by our actions and behaviors
Shine a light in this dark world and trust in the Lord
“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”[a]“
1 Peter 1:13-16 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)
“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. 2 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
Jesus Christ is alive…the promised Savior has come!
He was born, He lived and taught us how to live
He sacrificed Himself and was crucified and died for us
He has risen and is seated at the right hand of God in heaven
Now what does that mean for us?
What difference is He making in your life?
Are you aware of God’s presence in your daily life?
Believe in Him…seek Him…pray…read God’s Word…pay attention to how God is at work in your life
Choose to live different from the way of the world
Allow Jesus Christ to impact every area of your life and change your perspective
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”
Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV
(This photo was take in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)
“Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.[b]
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.”
Psalm 32:1-5 NIV
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:17 NIV
(This photo was taken at a park on the island of the Bahamas)
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3 NIV
Success in life is most often tied to commitment
When you learn the details of a success story there is always a moment or moments along the way that a person had to make a choice to stay committed to a vision or mission in order to see it through
It is a willingness to commit that leads to success in relationships and our everyday life
When we reflect on our lives, we all are committed to something right now…what is it for you?
Ask yourself this question, how do my commitment(s) tie into my faith and my relationship with God?
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be people of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
(This photo was taken near Arches National Park in Utah)
Take Your Faith With You 