“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
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
Psalm 46:10
(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
The difference between faith and religion…faith is about trust and belief because we have experienced the Presence of God in our lives. Has it happened to you? It is hard to put into words…unexplainable…a time for me was putting together and delivering the eulogy at my father’s funeral. Not something I ever could have done alone…when I think about that time words are few, yet the ones that come to mind are comfort, unusual peace, clear thinking…that doesn’t fully cover it but what I can come up with…in the book of Exodus Moses was up on the mountain for 40 days with God without food or water, yet it does not say he felt hunger or thirst. An encounter with the Presence of God is unlike anything else in life. May His Peace be with you. Amen.
“The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14
(This photo was taken in September of 2014 on a walk near Plymouth, Minnesota)
Where have you seen God at work in your life? When you look back across your past, what moments or decisions do you believe God was working on for your good? He loves us and is always with us. When you pray? How do you pay attention for His response? He speaks to us many different ways. Be persistent, be patient and wait for 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
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
A faith journey. It begins with prayer. It grows as we read the Scriptures, spend time in devotions, engage in our communities, serve others…it transforms us with a new attitude centered on God and His will for us. Trust in God, spend time on your relationship with Jesus Christ and pray…pray about everything, every day. Amen.
“Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
“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
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)
Loyalty…dedication…devotion…commitment…dependability…truth. God is faithful in all He has promised. The struggles and the difficulties have been brought on by our chasing after sin and sinful desires. Even though we wander off…God the Father, our Creator and Jesus Christ His Son our Savior, with the Holy Spirit are faithful to loving us and saving us…if we are willing to confess our sins and trust in God. Amen.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.”
Lamentations 3:22-26
(This photo was taken in June of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
God is with you. It is said over and over again in the Bible. The message is clear, we can rely on God…this does not mean your life will be free of trouble and suffering. It tells us that when those things come, we can count on God to guide us, strengthen us and give us hope through those times. Pick up a Bible and see for yourself in Deuteronomy 31, Joshua 1, Isaiah 41 or Hebrews 13 and other places…God is with you, trust Him and His word. Amen.
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”[a]“
Hebrews 13:5
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
He is closer than you think…He knows what is on your mind. Take your thoughts, your gratitude and your worries and your burdens to God in prayer. Be patient and persistent…pay attention to His responses in the many ways He speaks to us. Trust in the Lord. Amen.
“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 April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
He has risen, indeed! Hallelujah! Jesus Christ has defeated Satan and He has defeated death. Trust in Him for everything, every day…He lives in you. Amen.
“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.”
Luke 24:2-8
(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a park in Winterset, Iowa)
Seek the way of the Lord. Spend time with God. Read God’s word. Pray. Seek to understand rather than judge. Cast all your worries and fears on Him who sacrificed Himself to save you. God loves you and He wants a personal relationship with you…turn towards Him in faith and trust His way. Amen.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
“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
(This photo was taken last night at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
The faith journey is an on-going learning and growing process. It is about our relationship with Jesus Christ and how it impacts life. It is not a to do list of check the box things and move on to the next…it is interwoven into our daily life. We can choose to acknowledge it or not. If we want to know peace that surpasses all understanding…we should choose to explore faith and see what God has planned for our journey. Amen.
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:5-8
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 along Beartooth Pass in Montana)
Take Your Faith With You 