Faith

Listening

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“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

James 1:19-22 NIV

Listening is a skill we all need to use more often and a way of communicating that could get us much closer to peace in our life

If we were better listeners there would be less divorce and broken families…if we were better at listening there would be less violence and crime as hate and anger would not be stirred up so quickly

Listening involves taking time to understand what the other person is saying, it involves empathy

It means not being so quick to respond with your own will and desires as first priority…it takes humility to really listen…it takes a willingness to admit we don’t have all the answers

Think about recent interactions in your life…when are you hearing and when are you listening?  I know I can do better

Lastly, communicating with God takes more than just talking, if we are doing all the talking in prayer when do we take the time to listen to Him?

May we all be blessed with courage and humility to listen better

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“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

Psalm 25:4-5 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Trust And Obey The Holy Spirit

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“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 14:26 NIV

“May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy. May you have perfect peace as you trust in him. May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.”

Romans 15:13 NIRV

Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli

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“If you love me, obey my commands. 16 I will ask the Father. And he will give you another friend to help you and to be with you forever. 17 That friend is the Spirit of truth. The world can’t accept him. That’s because the world does not see him or know him. But you know him. He lives with you, and he will be in you.”

John 14:15-17 NIRV

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)

It Takes Courage…

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“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

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“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 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Humility

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“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

Imagine if more people in the world were working for fairness for all people…instead of trying to push and pull others down to get a step up

People often can’t trust that other people will be honest and work for the best intentions of all due to selfishness…due to sin in a fallen world

Think about what it felt like when someone did something kind and generous for you that had no benefit for them

That is where you see God at work

The only one who can overcome the rule of sin and self in the human race is God

He can be trusted, He has kept every promise He has ever made and He has one promise left to fulfill

Walk humbly with God and trust in Him

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken on the shore of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin)

Anything Is Possible With God

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“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The Lord is good to all;
    he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9 NIV

No matter what, anything is possible with God

If you are discouraged or defeated and thinking this is never going to change or get better…turn towards God, put your trust in Him

If you are frustrated and at your wits end with your circumstances or another person don’t give up…pray to God and draw near to Him

In the Bible look at the story of Saul who became Paul…Saul was filled with anger and hate and he was leading the charge to kill believers in Jesus and yet this was the person God chose to change so he could help lead the charge to spread the Good News about Jesus…you can read more about him in the Book of Acts

If God can change Saul to Paul, He can change you or someone you are praying for as well

Anything is possible with God!

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“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Put Your Trust In God

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8 NIV

What do you put your trust in?

Who do you believe is trustworthy?

Take a moment and think about it

The dictionary states trust is – firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something

So, who or what in your life do you trust?

The world is filled with deception, selfishness, lying, cheating, etc… these things were brought into the world by the human race

There is still hope…there is One who is worthy of trust

There is One who is reliable, who is the truth, who has the ability and the strength and He is the One who sacrificed himself to save us…Jesus Christ

He is a Light in the darkness, turn to Jesus and put your trust in God

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

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling through North Dakota)

He Knows My Name

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“But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

Isaiah 43:1 NIV

God knows you

He created you and He wants to have a close relationship with you

Do not let the world define your value

You are God’s child…He sent His only Son down from heaven to save you from sin and evil

He is waiting to hear from you

Turn towards Jesus Christ in prayer today…He is with you, He loves you and He knows what you are facing each day

He Knows My Name by Francesca Battistelli

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“You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.“

Psalm 139:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Prayer

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“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

Psalm 19:14 NIV

When we have wandered off…messed things up…did things our own way and are feeling scattered and confused

The first step to reconnecting with God is to pray

When things are going well and we have a sense of courage and confidence…the first step of gratitude is a prayer of thanks to God

If we strive to make prayer a priority, we can move from reacting in prayer to proactively praying about each day and the events and issues we are facing every day

The more we pray the more our relationship with God will grow and the better equipped we will be for the journey

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

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

Trust In The Lord

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

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

When you are facing trouble in this world…and it seems like everything you try to do is failing

Pray and wait for the Lord

When you don’t know what to do next

Pray and trust in the Lord

Do something good and wait patiently for God and His will

Trust is hard, especially when we have put our trust in things that have let us down in the past

We can trust in the Lord

He keeps His promises…He always has and He always will

He is with you and He will never leave you

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4 NIV

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

By Faith

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“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV

When our faith is strong our foundation is solid

When we live by faith our motives and our purpose are clear

When we walk in faith our troubles will not disappear but God has promised to walk through them with us

By faith we will know hope that surpasses all understanding

By faith we will find peace that comes from God

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“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1

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