Faith

True Hope

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People are constantly seeking answers to difficult questions in life from a worldly point of view.  Approaching situations with this perspective and mentality leads to phrases like…’I don’t know what else to do’…’It will never get better’…’I have tried everything’…’I give up.’  We were not made to do things alone.  We are created out of love and that love is from God.  He wants a relationship with us, all that is good in our lives is from God.  Darkness and evil, the bad things in life, are rooted in sin which is the way of this world.  Our hope, our peace comes from God and our time spent in our relationship with Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord and Savior.  Be renewed by the hope that we have in Jesus.  Amen.

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“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.”

2 Corinthians 4:7-8

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Madeline Island in Lake Superior)

Stay On Track

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There can be so many demands on us in our daily lives.  It is easy to sink in to chaos and to feel overstretched, mentally thin and struggling.  This is the way of evil and darkness, the more it can distract you, the less time you will spend with God, reading God’s Word and in prayer.  Don’t lose sight of your faith journey in your every day life.  God is present and working in your life everyday.  He is not a God who just stops by and checks in at Christmas, Easter and on Sunday’s or Wednesday nights.  Just because we may not be paying attention to Him doesn’t mean He is not right there with us.  The whole reason I started this blog in the summer of 2013 and it’s title are based on a foundation that faith and our faith journey continues everyday, all the time.  Distractions will continue to fight to keep you away from God, don’t let them deter you and your relationship with Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:11-12

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Arches National Park in Utah)

God’s Time

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God is always working for our good.  Even when life seems hopeless and we feel the darkness of evil surround us…God is with us.  Reach out to Him in prayer…true, honest, sincere prayer that is delivered with belief that He is there listening to you.  If your heart doesn’t truly believe in God and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God than your words are just sound.  We get frustrated because God does not respond the way we want or the way we think He should…that is not trust in God.  God does answer our prayers and He does provide us guidance.  The only reason we miss it is because the self is powerful and stubborn and won’t get out of the way.  God created you, He knows all about you and what you are going through in this world…He loves you, surrender your situation to Him and listen…He is caring for you in a far better way than you can do yourself.  I pray we all do a better job of giving ourselves to God’s time in the New Year.  Amen.

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“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness.  He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

(This photo was taken in December of 2018 on Paradise Island, Bahamas)

How We Treat Each Other

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The changing of the year signifies a milestone, a break point, a natural point in time to reflect and to begin again or renew or start over…we say things like ‘this year is going to be a good year’ or ‘I hope the next year is better than last year.’  We never truly know what the next year or even the next day will be like or if we even will be given the gift of life to live tomorrow, or next year.  We so easily slip into taking the days and life in general for granted…until something happens and you lose someone.  When 2018 started I had no idea we would lose 3 relatives this year…I did not know that the last time I said good-bye to my Dad on a Sunday in early August that he would not live to September.  In fact on August 30th, 2018 none of us knew, including my Dad, that Sunday August 31st was the day he was going home to the Lord.  Life is a gift…people and relationships are far more valuable than anything else this world offers you.  We are created out of God’s love to bear good fruit to others in the world and to be loved.  Life is a gift, let’s do our best not to take it for granted…every day we are allowed to wake up we should be thankful to God and treat others the way we would like to be treated.  Amen.

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“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

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

Hope For The World

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The birth of Jesus is proof of God’s love for us.  God chose to send His Son to save us.  We will have struggles, suffering and difficulties in this world, yet our hope in goodness, kindness, compassion and love comes from our belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  We can’t control what other people will do, say or think and focusing all our time on trying to change someone else will only lead to frustration.  We can only control how we respond to others and the attitude we choose to present to the world.  Let us choose love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.  By faith, we can be the hope for the world by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and His saving grace for everyone.  May the peace and love of Christ be in us all today and in the New Year.  Amen.

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“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Romans 5:3-5

(This photo was taken in December of 2018 at Atlantis on Paradise Island, Bahamas)

Mary, Did You Know?

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When we read in God’s word about the miracles of God and Jesus there is always some involvement of people on earth contributing to the miracle in some way.  The little boy who had the original fish and bread, the people who are sick and need healing and many more.  Mary, the Mother of God, may be the second greatest contributor to saving the world, after Jesus.  This song of the season helps us think about the questions many of us would have for her…as she was willing to surrender her life to God’s will.  Thanks be to God for Mary the Mother of Jesus.  Amen.

Mary, Did You Know? – Pentatonix

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“But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.”

Luke 1:30-31

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota)

The Season To Celebrate Jesus

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As I have said in the past music has a way of touching my soul and the hymns of Christmas, the traditional spiritual hymns that tell the story of the birth of Christ are the most powerful source of peace for me.  The Savior will be born and He is coming to save all people.  This morning as I woke up the hymn “O Come, All Ye Faithful” was playing in my mind with the phrase ‘O come let us adore him’, it gets me thinking about what Jesus did for me and for you…being born as a baby, what He gave up and what He went through to save me and to save you.  I encourage you to find your favorite Christmas place wherever you are put on some of the hymns of Christmas and give thanks to Jesus Christ this Christmas Season.  Amen.

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“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;  for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”

Psalm 95:6-7

(This photo was taken in February of 2013 while on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

Begin With Jesus

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How can we start or restart focusing on our Faith journey.  We can grow up going to church or not, we can be someone who attended Sunday school or catechism classes or not.  We can be someone who has very little exposure or experience to organized religious practices…none of this matters when it comes to your Faith.  Faith is bigger than religion…religious practices, worship services and activities at church are things we do as a part of our Faith journey.  They can contribute to our learning and our spiritual growth along the way.  Our Faith journey is more, it is everything, everyday and every interaction with others…and it begins with Jesus Christ and your relationship with Him.  No matter what is happening, where you are or how you feel, turn to the One that God sends to save you, to strengthen you and hold you up…begin again with Jesus.  Amen.

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“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.  After he provided purification of sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty of heaven.”

Hebrews 1:3

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

Faith

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Commitment…belief…trust…relationship…communication…courage…strength…mercy…grace…worship…praise…thankfulness…love.  It is a powerful thing.  Give thanks to God for all He has done for you and trust in Him to carry you through, wherever you are, no matter what struggle you are facing.  Believe in Jesus Christ and the power of Faith.  Amen.

Here is some music about Faith…

What Faith Can Do – by Kutless

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“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

More And Less

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As we pray and read and learn more about Jesus and the examples He has provided us for living, our spiritual life should take on greater significance.  The development on our faith journey could be referred to as an inside out process.  We profess our belief in Jesus Christ and open ourselves up and ask Christ to come into hearts…we receive the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us change our thoughts, our attitude and our perspective.  A surrendering of self-focused living and an increase in Christ focused living.  The stronger we become in faith the better prepared we are to share the Good News with others in this broken world.  First God restores us on the inside and then He sends us out to share what we have learned.  I pray for courage and wisdom for all of us to be persistent in growing and nurturing our faith.  Amen.

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“He must become greater; I must become less.”

John 3:30

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