Let The Holy Spirit Be Your Guide

“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

When we put our trust in God and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us grow spiritually

It can be difficult to tune in to the Holy Spirit during the hustle and bustle of daily life but that does not mean God is not present with you

Evil and darkness will go to great lengths to keep us from our connection to God…make time to connect to God’s presence in your life and tune into the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli

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“But the Counselor, 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

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

This Is Love

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:12-13 NIV

Sacrifice…Savior…Salvation

The actions of God through Jesus Christ were done to save us

We don’t deserve it, we can’t earn it by doing good things, it is given to us as a gift

We can choose to accept it

We can stay close to Him by meeting with Him daily

We can do good things to help others

The mission is to help as many people as we can learn about Him and know Him

May the love of God be in us and work through us

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“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 4:10 NIV

(This photo was taken at the Botanical Gardens in the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)

Courageous

“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 has promised to be with you wherever you go

Every day, all the time

When we look around at the world or at our worries, fears and frustrations…it’s easier to shrink back than to be bold and courageous, to play it safe rather than to go forward trusting in God

This is how living by faith is different than living the way the world tells you to live

Faith is simple yet not easy

We are inundated with messages of self-center living and behaviors

It takes courage to strive to be true to God’s Word

Put your hope and your trust in God and His promises

Follow the example of Jesus Christ

Be courageous

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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 along Beartooth Pass near the Montana-Wyoming border)

A Better Way…Come Near To God

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

Psalm 145:18 NIV

Father God, we want to seek You with all of our hearts

You are our everything-so let our actions match our words

Each day, help us draw closer to You

Guide us through each decision, and inspire us with new dreams and wisdom

We want to honor You in all that we do

We want to live a better way

In Jesus name, Amen

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

James 4:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Temperance State Park on Lake Superior)

Joy Because God Keeps His Promises

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

God keeps His promises

God promised to send the Messiah

God fulfilled that promise when He sent His One and only Son to save us

God has made many other promises in the Scriptures

He has kept every promise He made

The only promise we are waiting for Him to fulfill is the return of Jesus

It will happen…He will come again

I know because God keeps His promises

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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 the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota)

Trust God’s Promises

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

2 Peter 1:2-4 NIV

God’s promises are many and they are all throughout the Bible

He promises salvation, to give you rest, to strengthen you, to provide for your needs, to protect you, to never leave you and so many more

The question is do you believe Him and do you trust Him?

Consider what God has done, what He is doing and what He has promised will come

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“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,…”

Isaiah 43:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

His Sacrifice For You

But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5-6 NLT

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIV

He came down from heaven and was born as a baby

He lived and taught…He was beaten, spit on and made to carry the Cross He would die on

He comitted no sin and took the punishment for all of our sins

He suffered, He was crucified, died and was buried and He did it all for you

Then God raised Him from the dead and He is alive

Thanks be to God for the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me so that we can be reconciled to God

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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. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

John 3:16-18 NIV

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

Believe

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

2 Timothy 4:18 NIV

Believe in the power of God

He is our Creator

He is our Savior

He will guide us with the Holy Spirit

God can and will rescue you

Don’t give up hope…don’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result

Believe in God’s saving grace, believe in God’s love for you

Trust in the Lord and believe

Rescue by Lauren Daigle

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Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.”

Psalm 91:14-16 NIV

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

The Greatest Story Ever Told…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 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

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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)

Hope Perspective

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

The hope we receive from Christ is a hope that knows and believes that Christ lives and that God is for us and working for our good, even when, especially when the visible evidence is against it

The hope from God’s Word tells us to not give up or surrender to sin and doubt, rather know that God is with us and we can trust in Him

Not for the things we believe we should have but for the things God knows that we need

May we all place our trust in the God of hope in our daily lives

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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 on a lake in central Minnesota)