God’s Presence

Trust His Word

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God is with you.  It is said over and over again in the Bible.  The message is clear, we can rely on God…this does not mean your life will be free of trouble and suffering.  It tells us that when those things come, we can count on God to guide us, strengthen us and give us hope through those times.  Pick up a Bible and see for yourself in Deuteronomy 31, Joshua 1, Isaiah 41 or Hebrews 13 and other places…God is with you, trust Him and His word.  Amen.

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“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”[a]“

Hebrews 13:5

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

The Lord Is Near

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He is closer than you think…He knows what is on your mind.  Take your thoughts, your gratitude and your worries and your burdens to God in prayer.  Be patient and persistent…pay attention to His responses in the many ways He speaks to us.  Trust in the Lord.  Amen.

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 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 4:4-7

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Lord Is Near

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He is right there with you…no matter where you are…no matter what is happening…no matter what you are feeling…no matter what you are going through…God is with you…no matter what.  Turn towards Him and pray…the Lord is near…trust in the Lord.  Amen.

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 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 4:4-7

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Holy Spirit

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Our guide…Our conscience…Comforter…Presence of God…Spirit of truth…Helper.  When we believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God and we confess our sins, God gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in our daily lives.  Open your heart and mind to God’s Holy Spirit, seek His wisdom and you will find strength and peace.  Amen.

Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli

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“The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

1 John 3:24

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)

God’s Presence

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Courage…comfort…strength…persevering…secure…enduring.  In the bible we are told we will have trouble in this world.  All of us will be in a battle of some kind…we are also told that God will be with us every step of the way.  There have never been any promises that life will be easy and even if you think someone has an easy life, they may be fighting a battle you know nothing about.  Thanks be to God for His presence in our lives, in your prayers give Him thanks…if it is hard to see where He is working or what He is up to in your life, pray that you can look at things with new eyes and a new perspective.  No matter what the situation…God is with you and He knows what you are going through, today and every day.  May His peace wash over you.  Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

God’s Presence

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He is with you…He is guiding you…He has been impacting your life in ways you cannot comprehend while living in this world.  The greatest experience in faith is experiencing and realizing God’s presence in your life…acknowledging the voice of the Holy Spirit when you sit quietly in prayer.  Learn to connect with the Lord daily…He is with you everywhere you go.  Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling on Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Renew Their Strength

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Turn towards God.  Open your heart and mind in prayer and speak earnestly about your worries, your fears, your burdens.  Open up God’s Word and read the writings He has left for you.  If you believe that your circumstances are hopeless, read the Book of Job in the Old Testament…this person lost everything and He pleaded with God to tell him what was going on…Job wanted answers like many of us.  I have been reminded this morning, that God does not reveal His plan…He reveals Himself with His presence.  He gives us comfort, courage, warmth, perseverance, love, joy and peace.  We can renew our strength because He gives us hope through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 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 40:29-31

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling through southern New Mexico)

Prepare The Way

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Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life.  He gave up everything to save us and to reconcile us with God.  Seek Him and prepare your heart and mind to follow Him in all that you do.  In Him we will find peace, courage, strength, wisdom, joy and love.  There is nothing on earth that can compare to Him.  Amen.

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“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  There was a man sent from God whose name was John.  He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.  He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.”

John 1:5-9

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling through southern New Mexico)

 

Persevere Under Trial

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Don’t give up…keep praying…keep trying…be persistent…have courage…believe.  Everyone is challenged by something in life.  Everyone is fighting a battle of some kind.  It is in these situations that we can see the power of God, we can see the His mercy and His grace when we shift our perspective off of worldly treasures and back on to Jesus.  God is holding on to you through everything the world is throwing at you.  Trust in Him and persevere through trials.  Amen.

I Am by Crowder

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“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

James 1:12

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 standing on one of the Bridges of Madison County near Winterset, Iowa)