“The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.”
Psalm 145:9 NIV
“The Lord is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,”
Nahum 1:7 NIV
“Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
Psalm 34:8 NIV
Goodness Of God by Jenn Johnson
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.”
Psalm 107:1 NIV
(This photo was taken at sunrise along the North Shore of Lake Superior)
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Matthew 28:5-6 NIV
He is with you!
No…matter…what!
No matter where you have been, no matter what you have done, no matter how long you have stayed away or how long it takes you to learn a new way…
The Son of God came down from heaven
He sacrificed Himself on a Cross to free you from sin and death
And He has Risen!
He is with You…He is within You
God is with you and waiting to hear from you
Do you believe it?
Profess your faith, confess you sins and trust in the one who stays with you through all things
The God Who Stays by Matthew West
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:9-10 NIV
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:6-8 NIV
God Is In This Story by Katy Nichole & Big Daddy Weave
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your graciousness[b] be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4-7 CSB
Do not give up…
The Lord hears our prayers and His way is better than our ways
We must learn to be patient and persistent
No matter how long you have been praying about something and you haven’t seen a change…don’t quit…keep praying…believe
Many people fall away from God because He does not work on our time lines
Remember He is God and He knows what is best for us even if we can’t see it
Trust Him in everything
Don’t Stop Praying by Matthew West
Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Luke 1:37 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.”
Psalm 103:8 NIV
“He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”
Jonah 4:2 NIV
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV
(This photo was taken near Winterset, Iowa)
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans 10:9-10 NIV
Are we fully committed to putting Christ first in life?
Our actions will always speak louder than our words
We know we can never be good enough on our own, yet we seem to keep trying to go our own way
Give thanks to God, for His mercy and His grace…
Because of His great love for us we can return to Him and confess our sins
When we believe in our hearts that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was crucified, died and has risen
I know I struggle often when I reflect on my own actions…
The things I have done and the things I have left undone
It is at these moments that I imagine with my mind’s eye, kneeling at the foot of the Cross, laying down my sins and thanking Jesus Christ for His sacrifice
God is with you and me, He loves us and only He can lead us through the events in our lives
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.“
John 1:14 NIV
(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
There are many elements of life working against those desiring to follow Jesus
The world, the flesh and Satan all are like a rushing river of water trying to keep us away from God and His Word
We must learn to stand firm in the faith…to be courageous
To speak the truth with respect, kindness and compassion
Remembering God is with you, no matter what
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”
1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV
(This photo was taken in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)
“For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.”
1 John 3:11 NIV
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
1 John 3:16-18 NIV
“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”
1 John 3:23-24 NIV
(This photo was taken at the Botanical Gardens in the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 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
Though we can’t earn it God offers us grace and gives us the opportunity to be free from sin
He loves us so much that He willingly went to the Cross to pay to price for our sins
Think of it this way you were charged with a crime and were brought to court…
You are found guilty and convicted…
Then as you are about to be led away…
The judge comes down from the bench and says He will take the punishment you deserve and you are set free
That is what Jesus Christ has done for you and me…
He has made a way for us to be reconciled with God
Thanks be to God for His forgiveness, His mercy and His grace
“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV
(This photo was taken near Winterset, Iowa)
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8 NIV
Prayer and talking with God on a daily basis are key elements on our faith journey
Prayer includes confessing our sins, expressing gratitude, asking and listening
Keeping in mind that God is not a wishing well…rather He is your friend, your guide, your confidant
He knows about every aspect of your life and He loves you…
He sacrificed His one and only Son in order to reconcile you with Him
God loves you…He is with you…He is wating to hear from you
“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”
John 16:24 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
Take Your Faith With You 