God Is Love

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 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. 10 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

“We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

1 John 4:19-21 NIV

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

Taste and See God Is Good

“Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Psalm 34:8 NIV

Circumstances and events around us can be difficult, sad or frustrating in this broken world…

God is still good

The difficulties of life come because of our sin and the rejection of God…

Bad things happen as a result of human choices to pursue sinful desires and not God

Take any difficulty in your life and pray about it openly and honestly to God

Not just one time

Do it every day for a period of time

Pray for wisdom, courage and strength

And you will see what God can do

Trust in the Lord, for He is good.

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“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”

James 1:17-18 NIV

(This photo was taken in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)

Amazing Love

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:6-8 NIV

You Are My King (Amazing Love) by Newsboys

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“God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.“

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

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

Faithfulness

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
    bind them around your neck,
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
    in the sight of God and man.”

Proverbs 3:3-4 NIV

“So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”

Deuteronomy 5:32-33 NIV

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“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

(This photo was taken at the Nakalele Blowhole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

God’s Presence Is All Around Us

“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

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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 NIV

(This photo was taken in Big Sky, Montana )

But God…

“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

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“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)

God’s Faithfulness

“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

 Father God, thank you for Your never-ending faithfulness

No matter what we face You continue to guide, protect and strengthen us

Thank You for sending us Your Son and for saving us

When unexpected things occur help us turn towards You first and put our hope and trust in You

In Jesus name, Amen

Nobody Loves Me Like You by Chris Tomlin

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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 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Grateful For God’s Presence

“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

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“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)

Overcome Trouble And Sorrow

“Our days may come to seventy years,
    or eighty, if our strength endures;
yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow,
    for they quickly pass, and we fly away.”

Psalm 90:10 NIV

The Bible tells us in this life we will have trouble and sorrow…

It states very clearly that life is hard

Yet we still have hope and can be encouraged because Jesus Christ came into this world and sacrificed Himself to assure that we can have a relationship with God

Do not be overcome by trouble and sorrow…

Overcome these things with faith and trust in the Lord

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“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

(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)

Character

“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. 4 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 1:3-4 NIV

Personality…nature…disposition…temperament…mentality…essence…identity…spirit

Our character is defined by who we are and how we relate while interacting with others

This is at the core of who we are as a person

For some, their true character is only revealed to a few other people as they have fear and a lack of trust in others due to previous wounds and painful past experiences

The other reason fear exists in revealing our true character is our concern regarding acceptance

With the proliferation of social media sites, judgement or what is know as ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ has inappropriately become the measuring stick of defining who someone is…talk about judging a book by its cover!

We can begin to get knowledge and a better understanding of our character by spending time with Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord and by accepting who we are according to God

Additionally, we can encourage and help build up others by taking time to listen and discuss the things that make us different

I pray we all examine who we are more than what we do and we lay our fears and worries at the foot of the cross

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“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.”

2 Peter 1:5-7 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)