“The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.”
Proverbs 18:10 NIV
“The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.”
Psalm 28:7 NIV
(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)
“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
“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)
“Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[a] 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 4:23-27 NIV
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Psalm 32:8 NIV
“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 NIV
(This photo was taken in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)
“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)
“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
God Is With Us by Casting Crowns
“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 in Big Sky, Montana )
“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23-24 NIV
“You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.”
Psalm 139:1 NIV
(This photo was taken at the Nakalele Blowhole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)
“But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.“
Genesis 50:19-20 NIV
We reflect and remember this day…evil attacked…thousands lost their lives…this was a great tragedy
We also remember that it is from great tragedies that God can bring about the greatest good
This is the hard truth
Jesus Christ died on the Cross…But God raised Him to life
On 9/11 we honor and remember those we lost and we can say with confidience…But God brought unity to our nation
There are other “But God…”statements about the good that God can bring from tragedy
Think about what your But God statement is in your life
May God’s comfort and peace be with us through all the tragedies we experience in life
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21 NIV
(This photo was taken at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery)
“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
God’s Presence restores and renews us, it comforts us
He provides for us even when we are not paying attention to Him
God meets all our basic needs…our role is to believe in Him and obey His Word
His Word is not a burden or only a bunch of rules to follow…
His Word and His Presence give life, comfort, peace and hope
Think about circumstances and events in your life that have occurred in the last few days, weeks, months and in the past year…
Throught it all, God was with you…so where did you see Him?
Give thanks and trust in the Lord…
Remember He provides for you with His Presence every day, all the time
“Praise the Lord.[a]
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.”
Psalm 106:1 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“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.”
John 14:26 NIV
“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
Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli
““If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you.“
John 14:15-17 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“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)
