“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield[a] and the horn[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:2 NIV
“There is no one holy like the Lord;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.”
1 Samuel 2:2 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2015 at Red Rocks Park near Morrison, Colorado)
The bible states things very clearly…it doesn’t say you may or might face trouble in this world, no…it is clear that we will face trouble and hardship. Jesus gives us the bad news and then immediately gives us the Good News when He says…
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NIV
He tells us take heart, which means be strong, be courageous and today rise up from the ashes of trouble and suffering because He is with you. Trust the words of Jesus, believe and Rise Up! Amen.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Arches National Park in Utah)
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”
Colossians 4:2-6 NIV
That is the purpose of this blog. To share faith in the Lord for every aspect of life…no matter what you face in this world know that…God is with you, God is for you and He will never leave you. He promised and He sacrificed His Son to give us a way back to Him no matter how far we have strayed off course. Put your faith in God for everything, for anything and share your faith with others. Amen.
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.”
1 Peter 3:15-18 NIV
(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
(This photo was taken in September of 2022 in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)
“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
Courage is not the absence of fear…Courage is the willingness to move forward without knowing the outcome…to admit we don’t know the answers…to be patient…to share and be vulnerable with another person. Having courage is placing your trust in God ahead of fear…it is about not allowing fear to stop you or defeat you. It takes courage to seek the Light…to surrender your plans for God’s plan…it takes courage to live the life that God has intended for you…and where can you find strength for courage? In a relationship with Jesus Christ. There you will find joy, peace, patience, and strength for courage. Seek Him and His will and live with hope from God. Amen.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Isaiah 41:10 NIV
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
God is greater than anything we face in life. No challenge or difficulty, no pain and suffering is too much for God to handle. He is the Creator of the universe…He knows you…He loves you and He is with you every day, all the time. Put your faith in God and let your faith be greater than your fear.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.“
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
When you feel discouraged and defeated…when situations and circumstances look bleak, remember the One who gave up His life for you. He did it for love. God is greater than any situation or circumstances in your life…God has promised to always be with you and God never breaks His promises. Jesus Christ died to save all of us from sin and He has risen from the dead and it is because of Him that we have hope. Amen.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.“
Romans 15:13 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1 NIV
Faith is about trust and belief because we have experienced the Presence of God in our lives. Has it happened to you? It can be hard to put into words…unexplainable…one experience in my life was when I was putting together and delivering the eulogy at my father’s funeral. This is not something I ever could have done on my own…when I think about that time my words to describe it are few, yet some that come to mind are comfort, unusual peace, clear thinking. The process of putting together the words came naturally by talking with people from all parts of Dad’s life and God had prepared me to speak in front of others in several experiences in my past both in work and at church. It was an incredible experience. An example of an encounter with God from the bible is found in the book of Exodus…Moses was up on the mountain for 40 days with God without food or water, yet it does not say he felt any hunger or thirst. Moses had all that he needed because he was with God. An encounter with the Presence of God is unlike anything else you will experience in life. Faith is about a personal relationship with God. Where has God shown up in your life? Think about it…give thanks and know that He has been with you. Amen.
“The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14 NIV
(This photo was taken in September of 2014 on a walk near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 NIV
A faith journey. It begins with belief, confession and prayer. It grows as we read the Scriptures, as we spend time in devotions, when we engage in our communities and serve others…it transforms us with a new attitude centered on God and His will for us. Trust in God, spend time on your relationship with Jesus Christ and pray about everything, every day. Amen.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly[a] with your God.”
Micah 6:8 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)
“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. 10 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
“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.”
1 John 5:1-4 NIV
“Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”
1 John 5:5 NIV
(This photo was taken in October of 2018 near Winterset, Iowa)
Take Your Faith With You 