God’s love

Peace That Surpasses All Understanding

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“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 14:27 NIV

“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 NIV

As we reflect on our time and the stroms of life in a broken world

We need to remember there is peace available for all of us

It is a peace that surpasses all understanding

As our faith rises up and we become still

Peace will come over us

Jesus speaks peace

Peace Be Still by Hope Darst

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“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 4:6-7 NIV

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

Come Near…Trust God

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“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.“

James 4:7-8 NIV

Father God, I want to seek You with all my heart

Each day, help me draw closer to You

Guide me through each decision, and inspire me with new dreams

I trust You Lord and I want to honor You in all that I do

In Jesus name, Amen

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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 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Persistence…Perseverance

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6 NIV

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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 in while traveling in northwestern Wisconsin)

Worry And Anxiety

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“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 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 6:25-34 NIV

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“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7 NIV

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

Overcome Evil With Good

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“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4 NIV

The Bible tells us that we will have trouble in this world…

And it states clearly that we can persevere through trials and temptations

The Bible also gives us examples of others who lived and suffered and how they interacted with God and lived their lives with faith

At times it wasn’t pretty, they didn’t live lives that were sweet and easy all the time

Read about Abraham and Sarah, read about Joseph in Genesis

Look through the pages of David’s life in 1 Samuel

Take time to read about the life of Jesus in the New Testament

Yes, there are struggles, trials and there is suffering…

Remember living a life of faith and in God’s love doesn’t mean these will disappear

What it does mean is you will receive the courage and hope you need as God is with you to help you and guide you to get through the difficult times

Do not be overcome by darkness and evil, look to God…pray and you can find the way to overcome evil with good

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“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:21 NIV

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

Grace…Love…Hope

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 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 4:7-12 NIV

God gives us blessings for every part or our lives…

God gives us Grace for our past

God gives us Love for the present

God gives us Hope for the future

Thanks be to God for who He is and all that He does and can do

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 NIV

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

Come Near To God

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“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Hebrews 4:8 NIV

“The Lord is near to all who call on him,
    to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 NIV

Take time to sit alone with God…pickup His Word and read

Acknowledge Him and give thanks to Him for where you have seen Him…

Give Him thanks for the blessings He has given you…

They are there and you will see them if you look for them

Spend time with your Savior, come near to Him and He will come near to you

“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”

Psalm 91:9-13 NIV

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

Faith Over Fear

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“So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

God is greater than anything we face in life

No challenge or difficulty is too much for God to handle

He is the Creator of the universe…He knows you…He loves you

He is with you every day, all the time

Put your faith in God and let your faith be greater than your fear

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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 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

God’s Word…God’s Way

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“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV

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“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 NIV

(This photo was taken in northern Minnesota)

There is Nothing Better Than You, God…

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“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[a] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.[b] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

Romans 8:31-35 NIV

God can and will provide all that we need

In fact, He is the only one who can

It is up to us to trust in Him

Graves Into Gardens featuring Brandon Lake by Elevation Worship

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass near the Montana-Wyoming border)