“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 10:10 NIV
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:2-3 NIV
God has given us the gift of peace through the blood of Jesus shed on the Cross
He gives us free will to decide whether or not we want to receive this gift and then share it with others in the world
Many have chosen to ignore or reject God and His gift of peace
For anyone who seeks Him and choses to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, God instructs us to share the gift on peace with one another, by how we live and treat each other
Every day…all the time
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV
(This photo was taken in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:13-18 NIV
We are caught in the spiritual battle every day
Jesus Christ has won the war and defeated death and evil
Yet darkness is still working to keep us away from God
Be aware the battle continues because of sin
And we know that God will work all things for our good and His glory
“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 2:18 NIV
(This photo was taken near Arches National Park in Utah)
10 “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”
11 The Lord Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Psalm 46:10-11 NIV
Be Still And Know by Amy Grant
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“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)
“Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
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 5:3-8 NIV
God Is In This Story by Katy Nichole & Big Daddy Weave
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
James 1:12 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
“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
The power of prayer does not come from what words you say or what order you say them in
The true power of prayer comes from the One who answers prayers and whether you believe in Him
A prayer offered without belief or out of routine is not the same as one offered from the heart with honesty, sincerity and belief in God
Pray, believe and you will receive
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:22-24 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16-17 NIV
As we travel on the journey of faith, we will encounter questions and doubts along the way
That is natural and it is ok
We need to remember that the one simple truth of faith is that Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself to save us and reconcile us to God because He loves us
His love for us will conquer every battle in our lives
He is worthy of our thanks and praise
Thank you God, for your Son Jesus Christ!
“In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
Revelation 5:12 NIV
(This photo was taken in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Matthew 6:33 NIV
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
James 4:7-8 NIV
Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to the world. Give us courage and strength to follow Him. Regardless of our trials or temptations, help us to seek Him. Give us wisdom and endurance to pursue Him above all else. In Jesus name, Amen.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16-17 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“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
What A Beautiful Name by Hillsong
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.“
1 John 5:1-5 NIV
(This photo was taken at Temperance State Park along the North Shore of Lake Superior)
Take Your Faith With You 