Faith

Why Faith?

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Because, Jesus Christ…His birth, His life, His death and His resurrection embody the love of God for each one of us.  He is with you and He will never leave you.  For all the troubles and suffering we will encounter in this life…they can be overcome, because that is what faith can do.  Amen.

What Faith Can Do by Kutless

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

(This photo was taken in July fo 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

 

Faith

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Trust…belief…confidence.  Faith is not about the quantity of it that you have…it is more focused on do you have it or not?  We sometimes think, ‘if I just had more faith’ or ‘if I just prayed the right way,’ things would have gone the way I wanted them to…as if we are somehow in control of the outcomes in life.  God, our Creator and Father of all, gave us the gift of free will to choose how we will live and what we will believe…He loves us and wants a personal relationship with each one of us.  The facts of faith are in the bible and the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are events that happened here on earth…so as you think about your life, your relationships and your circumstances ask yourself…’what do I believe?’  As for me, my response is the words of the Apostles Creed.  May the peace of the Lord be with you.  Amen.

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“Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Matthew 21:21-22

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Doubt

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Everyone has doubt.  We all experience moments when we question…’where is God in all of this?’ or ‘Why is this happening?’  This has happened to people throughout history.  Even the disciples, who lived during the life of Jesus on earth had doubts.  Having doubt and questions is natural and it is a starting point to explore and learn, so what do you do to find answers to your questions and your doubts?  God wants us to have questions and to ask Him…having doubt and questions is ok…what you do with those doubts and questions is key to your faith journey.  Amen.

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“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  “Come,” he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:28-31

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

Serve Those In Need

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Food, shelter, clothing, clean water.  Basic needs…these should be readily available to all people.  The world was created with more than enough resources to provide for everyone…yet the sinful ways of all humans in all parts of the world has created shortages.  If we have our basic needs fulfilled, we should take inventory of how we can help others and then give our time and resources to help those in need.  Ask yourself, ‘how can I help?’…pray about it, do your best and God will take care of the rest.  Amen.

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“…And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 at a park near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

Trust Requires Patience

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God is working for good things in our life…we must be willing to wait for Him.  If we believe and know Jesus Christ is the Son of God and we confess our sins, and we know the sacrifice that Jesus made to save us…then we know how much God loves us and how far He will go to care for us.  As it says in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  Trust in the Lord, wait for Him and good things will come.  Amen.

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“I remain confident of this:  I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalms 27:13-14

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Our Source Of Strength And Hope

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We face difficulties and struggles each day and in so many different situations.  We look for help within the world…yet everyone else is struggling as well.  What are we to do?  Who can we turn to?  There is one who we should turn to and put our trust in, only one, it is Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Our Lord.  He is the source of comfort, courage, strength and hope…find your hope and find new strength in Christ Alone.  Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)

 

Stand Firm In The Faith

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Faith is most difficult when everything around us is telling us to doubt and have fear.  The overwhelming message from the world is don’t believe…it takes courage to believe and to stand firm in your belief and if you have a solid relationship with the Lord, He will give you courage when it seems hopeless.  If you are unsure of your relationship with God…begin a daily time for prayer and reading God’s Word and stick with it.  There is no right way or wrong way to make time to be with God, the best way is to just start doing it.  All things are possible with God.  Amen.

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“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.  Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Living Hope

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Hope in this world mostly gets aligned with wishful thinking in general conversations.  This hope is not sure, not firm and is not based on belief.  The hope talked about in the Bible is hope that believes and knows God’s promises for good things.  This hope is supported by our actions and behaviors.  The hope we receive from Christ is a hope that knows that God is for us and working for our good, even when, especially when the visible evidence is against it. The hope from God’s Word tells us to not give up or surrender to sin and doubt, rather know that God is with you and you can trust in Him…not for the things you believe you should have but for the things God knows that you need.  May the God of all hope be present in your daily walk. Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

He Knows…

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All that has happened in our lives and in history.  The greatest blessings can come from the greatest tragedies.  This has been true throughout history…going back to the resurrection after the crucifixion.  God knows all these things and He will guide us through everything and anything we encounter in life…it is up to us to seek Him and His Word.  Amen.

He Knows by Jeremy Camp

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“You have searched me, Lord and you know me.”

Psalm 139:1

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Solid Rock

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When trouble comes and we feel run down, overwhelmed, overextended, scattered and the pace of life seems to be spinning too fast…we can find peace and be restored by leaning on Christ our solid rock.  Jesus Christ, His birth, His life and teachings, His death and His resurrection are the foundation of our faith.  Nothing that we will face in this world can compare to what we have when we believe in Him and we trust in God’s Word.  No matter what difficulties and struggles are before you today, stand firm in faith and bring your burdens to Christ.  Amen.

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“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2

(This photo was taken in July of 2015 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado)