“He says, “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 NIV
Take time to be still with God’s Word
“Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him…”
Psalm 37:7 NIV
(This photo was taken in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”
Luke 9:23-24 NIV
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20 NIV
His way is better than our ways
He is the Creator of all things and all people
He knows what you are going through and He cares for you
Turn towards God and trust in Him
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.“
Romans 12:1-2 NIV
(This photo was taken at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)
“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 NIV
Faith is a journey
It begins with belief, confession and prayer
It grows as we read the Scriptures, as we spend time in devotions, as we engage in our communities and 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 about everything, every day
God is with you, He is for you
It is up to you to seek Him and choose to walk with God
“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 NIV
(This photo was taken in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.”
John 1:1-5 NIV
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 NIV
From Genesis to Revelation the over-arching theme of the Bible is God’s love through Jesus
This love does not guarantee that life will be easy and always pleasant…yet it is a love that never changes
This love comes to us directly in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
You are part of this story…God chose you
Open your heart and mind to Jesus, invite Him into every part of your life
As you learn this story, help tell others about it
It is the greatest story ever told
End Of The Beginning by David Phelps
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
John 3:16-17 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.”
Psalm 145:9 NIV
“The Lord is good,
a refuge in times of trouble.
He cares for those who trust in him,”
Nahum 1:7 NIV
“Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
Psalm 34:8 NIV
Goodness Of God by Jenn Johnson
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.”
Psalm 107:1 NIV
(This photo was taken at sunrise along the North Shore of Lake Superior)
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34 NIV
Jesus Christ was treated as poorly as any human ever has been treated by others in history to the point of death…
Yet as He hung on the Cross in which He was crucified on for our sins, He spoke the words above…He prayed for forgiveness for those killing Him
If we do not find the way to forgive others it is us who will be destroyed…not those who have wronged us…
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Luke 6:37-38 NIV
(This photo was taken while traveling in South Dakota)
“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV
Father God, You make all things beautiful in their proper timing
Nothing is too hard for You to accomplish
You are faithful to keep Your promises
So often, we forget this and grow discouraged when our situations don’t seem to change
In those moments, it’s easy to forget that You are not done working
Through Your Holy Spirit, please change the way we think and behave
When we start to grow weary, help us remember that You are near and You are faithful
In Jesus name, Amen
“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.”
Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV
(This photo was taken at sunrise by a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.”
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NIV
We have so much to learn…it is easy to think that we have lived our lives long enough to know what is right for us
We have experiences to draw on and we rely on feelings and emotions
Yet God knew all of these things before we were even born
He is our Creator and He loves us so much that He sacrificed His Son to save us…He knows what is best for us
For example, how many people would believe that Saul of Tarsus could become the Apostle Paul…the greatest enemy of Christians would become one of the greatest disciples?
You can read about it in Acts 9…this is the wisdom of God and it is far greater than any human wisdom
Trust in the Lord and seek His will for you and your life
“For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 NIV
(This photo was taken in White Sands National Park in New Mexico)
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:2 NIV
The people in our daily lives, the family and friends we interact with every day, these are the people on earth who know the most about us
How we treat each other, whether or not we trust each other, these are the cornerstones of our relationships
It is too easy to take others for granted or think they will always be there because for such a long time they have always been there
Yet things will happen in this broken and sinful world or time and age itself will catch up with every single person, and one day you may get a phone call that will change everything in an instant…they are gone
None us really knows what life has in-store for us each day, only God knows
He doesn’t make the bad things happen, the sins of the human race have done that, however…
He will bring comfort, He will bring courage and He will bring His presence to strengthen us
Let’s strive to not take people and relationships for granted, each day
I pray we attempt to live our best and show others the light and love of Christ that we have so graciously received
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:12-14 NIV
(This photo was taken on the shore of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin)
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9 NIV
One of the most difficult things for us to accomplish is change
A change that will last, is sustainable and makes a difference in us and how we interact with others
One of the greatest changes in human history occurred when Jesus Christ changed Saul into Paul, His disciple
We read about this is the Book of Acts, chapter 9
What Jesus did to create and sustain this change was to illuminate His Presence to Saul
To show His Presence and then to give instructions to Saul as to what he must do
God is present in creation and in each of our lives everyday…we just need to do a better job of looking for Him
His Presence exists in nature, the change of the seasons and in the Fruits of the Spirit that we give and receive in our interactions with others
God is with you, He loves you and His Presence is what gives you strength
Thanks be to God
“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 31:8 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
Take Your Faith With You 