Strength Comes From God

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

Goodness Of God by Jenn Johnson

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Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

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

To Know Him And To Make Him Known

“This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV

Our mission…to Know Him

Our ministry…to Make Him Known.

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Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Overcoming Fear

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 NLT

Stop believing the lies of the evil one

Trust in God

Stay in the fight and He will guide you to be an Overcomer

  God promised He will and God keeps His promises

Overcomer by Mandisa

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“All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 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. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:25-27 NIV

(This photo was taken in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

God’s Consistent Character

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

James 1:17 NIV

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.”

Malachi 3:6 NIV

Father God, thank You for promising to bring us peace.  In every situation, help us to keep our minds on You and Your promises.  Because we know You do not change, we don’t have to be anxious about anything.  Help us stay focused on Your consistent character.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 NIV

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

Patience And Persistence

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

Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.”

Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV

Father God, we know You have a plan for our lives, and that You want to bless us.  Help us lean into that promise!  Sometimes it is hard to see past our present struggles.  Thank You for loving us even when we have doubts and fears.  Fill each of us with Your hope and give us courage to carry on.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

God Of All Comfort

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Hebrews 2:18 NIV

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

Psalm 119:76 NIV

Good and gracious God, we need You – we always have.  You are our source of strength, and You tell us to give You all our concerns.  Replace any feelings of anxiety, fear, and uncertainity with Your peace and hope.  Show anyone who is hurting that You are near, and You comfort those who call on You.  Draw near to us as we draw near to You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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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 receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

It Takes Courage

Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 NIV

God is with you, God is for you…He will never leave you or abandon you.  Believe it and be courageous.

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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV

(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Trust

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

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Father God, when I am anxious and afraid, I will put my trust in You.  I will rely on You no matter what comes my way because You are my source of strength and safety.  You guide me and You fight for me.  When I draw near to You, I have nothing to fear, because I know that You are in control.  I know You will never leave me or abandon me and so I put my trust in You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
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 on a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

We Have This Hope

“See, I will create
    new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered,
    nor will they come to mind.”

Isaiah 65:17 NIV

All Things New by Big Daddy Weave

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“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:4 NIV

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

Savior…Sacrifice…Salvation

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIV

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“He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”[e]

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f] but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Peter 2:22-25 NIV

(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior)