bible verses

Be Transformed

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“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

John 15:7 NIV

Father God, make us more and more like You.  We want You to know what is in our hearts, and we want You to change the way we think.  We want every aspect of our lives to reflect Your glory, so please teach us how to pursue choices that lead to life.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

He Gives Us Strength

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 NIV

Father God, all of our hope is in You.  You are all we need.  Thank You for being our protector and the source of our strength.  No matter what we face, we ask for Your courage and endurance to handle it well.  Please guide us with Your wisdom in our decisions and give us peace.  Thank You for all that You did, all You are doing, and all that You will do for us.  Amen.

Shout To The Lord by Darlene Zschech

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“I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13 NIV

(This photo was taken in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Listen…May God’s Word Be Your Guide

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“Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[a] paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 4:23-27 NIV

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8 NIV

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.”

Psalm 119:105 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Wait For The Lord

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“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
    to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.”

Lamentations 3:25-26 NIV

Hurry and impatience are causing more bad things to happen to us than we are willing to admit.  Why are we rushing around?  This is not how God created us to be.  Look at how Jesus lived on earth.  He took time sit quietly alone with God and to pray.  Filling our life with busyness is a sickness and will cause damage to our bodies and our relationships with others over time.  If you are often tired and weary take a moment to slow down…pick up God’s Word and pray to the Lord.  Remember God’s promises and wait for Him to guide you and lead you.

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“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
    therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
    Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Isaiah 30:18 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2023 alomg the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Prayer Makes A Difference

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

Do we always get what we want, when we want it?  No.  Does a child always get what they ask for?  Do they understand why?  No, they don’t…what we do know is that God wants us to pray.  It is our way to communicate with God.  It is a common topic in the bible…Matthew 6:6, Luke 18:1, Philippians 4:6 and many more places.

Prayer is something God encourages us to do and knowing that, means that even though we may not understand how it works, prayer does make a difference.  Amen.

When We Pray by Tauren Wells

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“ Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessolanians 5:16-18 NIV

(This photo was taken in july of 2018 on shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Listen…Be Transformed

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“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Romans 10:17 NIV

Draw near to God…stay close to Him.  Do not allow the world with its values and temptations entice you to drift away from Jesus.  It is easy to start a new habit of connecting with God every day and it is also easy to let it slip away.  Try to attach your new habit to something you are already doing every day.  Start small and it will build naturally as you stick to it.

If you are a ‘I need coffee in the morning’ person…make it a point to spend your first cup reading or listening to scripture.  If you are a ‘I like to read at night person’ give a few minutes to a daily devotional book each night.  Maybe mid-day would work best for you…no matter when or what the important thing is to do it and trust that God will use that time to transform you.

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“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

(This photo was taken in September of 2020 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

He Gives Us Strength

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 NIV

When we feel weak and tired…when frustrations seem overwhelming…when the way forward is difficult or unknown.  God the Father, Jesus Christ His one and only Son and the Holy Spirit lift us up and renew us.  Everything and anything in life is going to be better when God is at the center of our lives.  Spending time in devotions and prayer, reading God’s Word these are ways to build your relationship with Jesus.  The more our relationship grows the more we begin to sense His presence in our lives which can lead us to courage and strength at times when we need it most.  We were never promised a life of faith would be easy…the promise is “…he will never leave you nor forsake you.” –Deuteronomy 31:6  The Lord is good and He is the provider of all we need.  I pray we seek the will of the Lord and trust in Him.  Amen.

Shout To The Lord by Darlene Zschech

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“I can do all things through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Be Faithful

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“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

Draw near to God…stay close to Him.  Do not allow the world with its values and temptations entice you to drift away from Jesus.  Once you start a new habit of connecting with God every day, it is easy to let it slip away.  Try to attach your new habit to something you are already doing every day.  Start small and it will build naturally as you stick to it.  If you are a ‘I need coffee in the morning’ person…make it a point to spend your first cup reading or listening to scripture.  If you are a ‘I like to read at night person’ give a few minutes to a daily devotional book each night.  Maybe mid-day would work best for you…no matter when or what or where, the important thing to remember is to do it and trust that God will use that time to transform you.

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23 ESV

(This photo was taken in September of 2020 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Hope In God’s Word

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.”

Psalm 119:105 NIV

No matter what you are facing or up against…no matter what your circumstances in life, you can always find Hope in God’s Word.  The Bible is God speaking to us directly in the case of Jesus and through others as well.  Believe in Jesus and spend some time reading God’s Word every day.  You will not find hope in the things of this world…yet the Creator has provided His Word to lead us, guide us and to give us Hope. Amen.

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“You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.”

Psalm 119:114 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 at Big Sky Resort in Montana)