Faith

Sing Praise

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Today is a day of worship.  Give thanks and praise to the Lord.  May we be comforted by His mercy and grace and know that God is with us…Forever.  Amen.

Forever by Chris Tomlin

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“An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; his is Christ the Lord.”

Luke 2:9-11

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

The Word Of God

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The Holy Bible…The Good Book…The Scriptures…The Word of Life…The Living Word…the Truth.  It is more than a compilation of stories about people who lived thousands of years ago…it is God speaking to us, teaching us principles of life and the story is not over at the end of the Book.  It lives on in all of us today because of Jesus Christ…He has risen and He lives!  Take time to read and hear the Word of God in your life, you will find the stories about struggles and comfort are very similar to our lives today…the principles are still the same.  The reason it is stood the test of time is because it is the Truth.  Amen.

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“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be throughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Ask Yourself

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Is this how I would like others to treat me?  When we get into interactions and activity we can quickly lose sight of how we are treating other people.  Our emotions can blind us to our impact on those around us…the first step to understanding how we are being received is to observe closely the reactions of others to us and the next step then is to ask yourself how would I like someone to treat me in this situation?  If more of us would just take a moment to assess ourselves in this way, more often, things would be much different in the world…unfortuantely selfishness, pride and a host of other sins keep getting in the way.  Turn towards Jesus in prayer and ask Him to help you open the eyes of your heart.  Amen.

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“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6:31

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

Identity Crisis

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Who are we trying to be?  What are our worries?  What are our concerns?  Are we pursuing to be who God created us to be?  How do we know?  Why am I doing this?  Where is God?  Why is this happening?  This is so hard…I don’t know how I got here…I don’t know what to do…

STOP…Pick up a bible

“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

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7

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

Proverbs 3:5-6

“You were taught, with regard to  your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

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

Philippians 4:13

How do we know that this is the way…that this is the truth…and this is the life?

“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

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Amen.

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Seek God’s Will

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When questions seem never-ending in life, we often look for easy or convenient answers in worldly places.  If we just knew all the answers than life would be easy…becareful what you wish for.  Easy has never been promised to anyone and even if you think there is a person or people who have it easy than most likely you don’t know the whole story about them or their lives.  We all have troubles, we all are broken in some way.  The one constant, the only thing that we know we can count on is God’s love.  He is our Creator, He knows everything about our lives and His plan is far better than anything we can cook up ourselves.  Seek God’s will for your life and you will find peace.  Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Gifts And Serving Others

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Each person is unique is some way.  Everyone has a different combination of strengths and weaknesses.  No individuals were made to stand alone or to be isolated from the community.  We are designed to work together to use our blessings to help fulfill the needs of others and for others to help fulfill our needs.  The things that get in the way are sin…pride and selfishness, judgement and favoritism…these exist in everyone on all sides of every issue.  Each of us should assess ourselves and understand what are our strengths and gifts to offer…the important thing to remember is the value of our gifts in God’s eyes not value according to the world’s perspective…because even if what we can offer will change life for just 1 or a few other people, we are still changing the world for good in the eyes of God.  Peace be with you on your journey.  Amen.

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“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in is various forms.”

1 Peter 4:9-10

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 while driving near the South Dakota and Minnesota border)

The Greatness Of God

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Good morning and peace be with you.  The God of all creation is with you and ready to lead you today.  There is nothing on earth greater than God and your personal relationship with Jesus Christ His Son.  Be thankful for the blessings in your life and extend the peace of the Lord to others throughout your day.  Amen.

The song I share today was just released early this year…

The Greatness Of Our God by The Newsboys

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“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”

Psalm 145:3

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

Return To Sender

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It is true…we will get exactly what we give in this life.  If we choose to stomp around with anger, deceit and selfish motivations, always screaming and yelling about our rights…there is no reason to expect others to treat us any differently.  Take a moment to reflect on any recent interaction you have had that didn’t go well from your perspective.  Who was first to start the interaction?  You or the other person and what was the tone and demeanor of the first person to act?  If things started from a place of anger and tension then I would guess it continued and escalated or even if it started out just fine something must have happened that turned it into something unpleasant.  We are wired to react and respond and if someone doesn’t stop the reaction response mentality things get to the point where people get hurt or killed.  There must be a better way…The Good News is just that…a better way.  We can choose to be different, we can be kind and compassionate with patience if we are willing to turn towards Jesus Christ and invite Him into our hearts and minds and we read the Word of God to learn about this Way every day.  Amen.

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“The one who sows to please the sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Galatians 6:8

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Dillon, Colorado)

Believe

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God loves you…God is with you…Bring all your worries and your fears to the Cross and trust in Him who died to save you.  Our faith is free but it is not cheap, when you plant the Word of God in your heart nobody can take that from you.  Believe in God the Father…believe in Jesus Christ His Son our Lord and live knowing…God loves you…God is with you.  Amen.

We Believe by The Newsboys

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“Do not let you hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in me.”

John 14:1

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

Patience

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Here is where I struggle in life…I know we all face trials in life but oh man, patience is where I need help every day.  I find it ironic that I depend so greatly on God’s patience with me because I have so much growing yet to do.  God’s Word is a big help and reading daily helps to renew and restore my perspective and attitude.  Here is the lesson that I need to keep learning…it’s not about me.  We face troubles and trials all the time and how we handle these things can indicate how much we truly believe in the faith we profess.  One of the most incredible people in the Bible to me is Job…talk about perseverance and a faith so strong it could survive such devastation and destruction, amazing.  I pray we all can develop the patience and perseverance provided by faith…no matter what we may face in this world.  Amen.

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

James 1:2-3

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)