“Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.”
Psalm 42:11 NIV
Find Rest by Francesca Battistelli
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…”
Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV
God keeps His promises
We are responsible for how we live our lives and how we treat each other
God has given us free will
If we do our part and put our trust in Him and walk in the Light of Christ
He is faithful and will forgive us our sins and restore us
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:5-9 NIV
(This photo was taken at sunset at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 7:12 NIV
Love is about more than words or a feeling
Love is about how we treat each other with our actions and our behaviors
In this fallen and broken world we all will make mistakes and need to be forgiven
Thankfully, God is love and put His love into the action by sending His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins
We have been forgiven
Now it is our turn to put love into action
In what relationship or situation in your life is there a lack of love?
Who in your life needs to experience love in action?
Pray about it and ask God to guide you in love
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 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. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”
1 John 4:8-10 NIV
(This photo was taken near the border between South Dakota and Minnesota)
“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 the hope 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
“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)
“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 NIV
When things go side-ways or take an unexpected turn…what do we typically do first?
Ask questions, try to figure out what happened, look for ways to get control of what is going on…
All of these are natural human reactions…however, the first thing we should do is turn to the Lord and pray for help, pray for wisdom, pray for guidance
This is where our help really comes from and we typically wait to call on God as a very last resort
As you go through this day or this week try turning to God first for anything and everything
He loves you, He knows you and He wants to give you good things
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)
“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 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
Father God, thank You for being faithful
Thank You for making a way for us in this life
When we reflect on past events give us an eye for gratitude in all circumstances
Please show us how You are at work in our lives
We want to choose to patiently wait on You, becasue we know that You will finish the work You have started in us
In Jesus name, Amen
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 NIV
(This photo was taken at sunset by a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)
“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
“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.”
Isaiah 53:5 NIV
It is because of God’s grace that the battle has already been won…we are forgiven…we are healed…we are saved by Grace
Nothing can separate us from Him who loves us
Praise Him for Amazing Grace
“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 NIV
(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountian National Park)
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV
Prayer…it is our way to interact with God
It is how we can grow in our relationship with Him
Communication is the foundation of any relationship
Anyone can do it…it is not about using the right words or being in a certain position…it is all about speaking sincerely and from the heart
We can pray about everything in our lives and the best part? God is waiting to hear from you…He will listen…He will respond…that doesn’t mean you should expect everything to go the way you desire…that’s not how it works
But God promises no matter what you are going through He will be with you…it is up to you to do your part…so talk to Him and seek Him
God’s peace be with you
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 16:9 NIV
Sometimes I struggle with my faith when it comes to opening up to the Lord for all things
Not only the parts of my life and my heart I think He wants to be involved in…that would be God on my terms
I have come to learn…it does not work like that
God is the God of everything and Jesus Christ is Lord of all
All of creation, all people in all nations since the beginning of time and His love is for everything and everyone
His grace and His mercy will endure forever
It can be so difficult for my finite mind to comprehend the totality of God and His love
He is more than the God of Sunday morning or Wednesday evening…He is more than the God of when I really need help or a crisis is happening…He is more than a beautiful sunrise or sunset when we do feel more of His presence
He is also the Lord of housework, the Lord of daily errands, the Lord of trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, He is the Lord of where you work and He is the Lord what you do…He is the Lord of everything
The best part of all? This means He is right there waiting to hear from you about all of it…everything
If He is your Lord and Savior that doesn’t mean everything will be easy and good…yet He is with you through all of it
May we know God’s presence, His love, His joy and His forgiveness in everything in our lives…everyday
“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of the life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalm 23:6 NIV
(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)
“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.”
Psalms 37:3-4 NIV
Believe that God is at work even when you cannot see it
Stay focused and keep going
Do not be afraid and do not give up
Commit your way to the Lord
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
Take Your Faith With You 