Faith

A Sacrifice…Our Salvation

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When you feel you are not sure where God is in your daily life…stop and take a moment to remember what God has done for you.  God is love.  He is our Creator and our Redeemer.  We are broken, all of us.  Me, you and everyone you know is broken in some way, even if it is unclear to you how someone else is broken or fighting a battle it is still going on.  God knows this, He knows our worries, our fears and He is doing good things.  It is all a matter of perspective.  If we reflect on what has been done already it will help restore our perspective and our knowledge that God is love and He loves us more than we can ever imagine…the proof?  The Cross.  May you know the love of God in your daily life.

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“This is love; not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

1 John 4:10

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

Living Water

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How are we going to get through this?  Now what?  I don’t know what to do?  Why is this happening?  The answers to these and many other questions is Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.  The true source of all that makes life good is your relationship with Jesus.  Like any relationship we must invest time in meeting with Him, we must be willing to listen to Him, we should do our best to help support what is important to Him and be willing to introduce Him to others.  He supplies the living water of life.  The first step to staying connected or re-connecting with Christ is spending time reading the Word of God.  May God’s mercy and grace be with you.

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“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:13-14

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

He Knows Me

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The One who created us knows everything about us.  Even if we haven’t spent much time with God in our life.  Even if we have put Him aside in our daily, weekly routine and have been trying to go it alone or do things our own way.  He knows you, He loves you and He wants to have a relationship with you.  If you want to seek more about this read Psalm 139.  Then pray and invite Jesus into your everyday moments.  God has a plan for you and your life and we must be willing to surrender our belief that we are in control and seek His Word.  God knows you, He loves you because He created you.  May our days be filled with the comfort of God’s presence.

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

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

Peace Of God

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As I have been fully immersed in working through life after my Dad has passed away 7 days ago…there are moments of busyness, so much to take care of and do and there are moments of calm and reflection.  Life has slowed down and I am grateful for that pace change.  It will not be this way forever, and from the moment my brother called and told me ‘Dad is gone…they couldn’t bring him back,’ life has changed forever.  We can either fight it or we can embrace it…live it to the best of our ability…be present right where we are and trust in the Lord.  May you find peace with God in your life.

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“They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.”

Psalm 145:5

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

Nothing Can Separate Us…

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God is our Creator, He created us out of love.  Jesus Christ died to save us from our sins, He did it out of love.  The Holy Spirit is with us and guides us, we are guided by God’s love.  God has us covered in love, seek Him, trust in Him and know that all good things come from God.  When you are suffering, when you are troubled, when it feels like your world is crashing down around you God comes to you with His presence in a variety to ways, and through other people.  Be at peace and know that nothing in this life can separate you from the love of God.  May you find peace and contentment in God’s love.

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“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39

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

God Of All Comfort

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Our strength…we are forgiven…He comes near to us…He holds us up…He wraps His loving arms around us.  I am so thankful for the Lord our God.  His presence is all around all of us.  The world does not want you searching for Him or trusting in Him.  He is our Rock and our Redeemer and we can have peace because of Him.  Look around you and your life and give thanks for the blessings God has given to you.  May the peace of the Lord be with you.

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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we  can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 while traveling through the State of Montana)

God Is Love

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There is pain…we will have trouble…things will not go as we plan…what are we to do?  Everyone is facing something, something big or difficult.  Trying to overcome obstacles and find their way.  Some will fail and some will succeed…any failure and any success is better because of love.  Love powerful it is not weak, it can overcome pain, suffering and the troubles we face in life.  Love begins and ends with God.  We are created out of love, we are intended to live in God’s love while we are here and when we die Jesus Christ gave up His life to save us because He loves us.  I am convinced that love conquers all and if you need something, turn towards God and speak with Him, because He loves you and He is waiting to hear from you.  May the Lord bless you and keep you safe with love.

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“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”

1 John 4:15-16

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

Give And You Will Receive

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The messages we keep getting from all around us are “get more”, “take what is yours”, “protect it”, “mine”, “not yours” or “me first”…the world emphasizes selfish behaviors and attitudes and people wonder why there is so much conflict and suffering.  This is not how we were made to be.  When God created us out of His love He gave us free will because when we choose to give, it has such a deep impact compared to being forced to give and serve.  Let’s talk about our pets as a simple example…if you have ever owned a dog or a cat you may have experience in the joy one feels when our pets give love and affection freely versus when they choose to do other things…and often times the pets receive better attention and affection when they are givers rather then when they are demanding to get!  If you have never owned a pet I recommend watching the movie ‘Marley and Me’ to see this illustration.  The point is when we make a choice to help, to serve and to give we are showing the love of God through our actions and we will have no need to worry about what we receive.  May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you.

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

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

Solid Rock

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Firm foundation…strength…courage…determination…a shield…a place of refuge.  When we think about solid rock it gives us the impression of strength to stand on or the protection to shield us.  All of us has a rock in our lives, whether it is another person, a place or something else.  The rock we all need is a solid relationship with Jesus Christ.  He is our firm foundation, He gives us strength and courage, He gives us the fortitude to keep going and He is our shield and protector.  Anything we could ever need will come from Him.  Make time to build your relationship with Jesus Christ our Solid Rock!  May you seek the Lord in your everyday life.

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

Psalm 18:2

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

Listen To Understand

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To truly gain wisdom and to find understanding we must develop the ability to really listen.  Not to be concerned with making our own point but to put ourselves in the place of those who are speaking.  When you read the words of Jesus in the bible just breezing through it may not give you a sense of clarity.  When Jesus spoke He was speaking to all of us not only the people alive at His time.  To understand His message is to step out of your life in this world for a moment and consider where God is working in your life.  One of the phrases I like to use is a summary of this website…“to know Him and to make Him known”  When the Holy Spirit works into us and transforms us we then become equipped to go out and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Gospels to others.  This journey is different for all of us and our impact is not measured by how many others we teach like a score sheet.  Our mission is to receive the Word of God, let it transfigure our mind and attitude, then use our new self to serve.  May the wisdom and peace of the Lord be in you.

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“My dear brothers, take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

James 1:19-20

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