God’s faithfulness

Be Patient

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Do not be anxious or worried…be persistent in doing good things and in prayer.  God works on His own time table not ours.  He knows what you need and He wants to give you good things.  He cares for you, trust in the Lord.  Amen.

“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

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“Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.”

Psalm 37:7

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

God’s Grace

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The Word of God tells us about God’s grace in many passages.  Here are a few to reflect upon and give thanks to God for His mercy and grace…

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—”

Ephesians 2:8

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”

Ephesians 4:7

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“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

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

Wisdom From Heaven

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“Blessed are those who find wisdom,
    those who gain understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
    and yields better returns than gold.”

Proverbs 3:13-14

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“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

James 3:17-18

(This photo was taken in June of 2020 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

God Of All Comfort

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If we seek God first and not the things that the world values we will find comfort with Him.  God has done and continues to do more than anyone else for us.  He loves us…He cares for us…He wants good things for us.  Trust the God of all comfort.  Amen.

“May your unfailing love be my comfort,
    according to your promise to your servant.”

Psalm 119:76

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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, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

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

Lead Me

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Who better to lead us than our Creator?  He knows everything about us…He knows about every aspect and every interaction of our lives.  He knows and He still loves us and wants what is best for us, even when we don’t know what that is.  Turn towards God and ask Him to lead you through this day and every day of your life.  Amen.

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

Psalm 139:1

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

Psalm 139:23-24

(Thjis photo was taken in May of 2020 at Palisade Head along the north shore of Lake Superior)

Open Ended Praying

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When you pray leave room for God’s will and God’s plan to be the way you should go.  We tend to think we have things all figured out and we just need to top it off with a quick FYI to God to get Him on board.  Surrendering to God’s will and God’s plan means we are open to a new way for things to go…maybe in a way we haven’t considered or thought about yet…be open ended in your prayers…make room for God’s way in your life.  Amen.

“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

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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

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

Trust In The Lord

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

5 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

Psalm 37:3-9

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“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:33-34

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling through North Dakota)

Our Response To Trials

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Believing in Jesus Christ and following God’s Word does not mean all of our troubles will disappear.  In fact Jesus stated the truth about our trials very clearly…

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

So we know that we will face struggles and trials, how we choose to respond in these times can provide us a path to peace.  If we are praying for the trial to just go away…we need to go back to the verse above and remember that is not what we have been told.  As we read the Scriptures we learn that the only way past our trials is to go through them and we can do that because we are not alone.  When we follow Jesus Christ and the things He has taught us we can find our way through our trials and we can learn from them…and that growth will make us better prepared for trials we will face in the future.  Trust in the Lord…spend time in God’s Word everyday and He will guide you through all parts of your life.  Amen.

“God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1

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“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Put On Love

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Love is about actions…love is found in our behaviors and how we treat each other.  Words are cheap…love involves sacrifice, it is not a roller coaster emotion that rises and falls on a whim.  Paul describes the actions of love in 1 Corinthians 13…Jesus Christ lived the actions of love in everything He did and continues to do for you and me.  If you are wondering what should I do next…put on love and see where the Lord leads you.  Amen.

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:11-12

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at the Nakalele Blow Hole on the island of Maui)

God Knows

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No matter where you have been…no matter what you have done or left undone…God knows.  We may feel alone or trapped in our lives due to circumstances around us…don’t believe the lies that Satan is telling you…God knows about you…God loves you…He knows about everything and He knew it when He sent His Son to die for you.  You are not alone…God is with you and God loves you.  Turn towards God in faith and pray.  Amen.

God Only Knows by for King and Country

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

Psalm 103:8

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 on a bridge near Winterset, Iowa)