“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 NIV
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Matthew 6:14-15 NIV
(This photo was taken in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)
“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV
From Genesis to Revelation the over-arching theme of the Bible points to Jesus and His love
This love is not a guarantee that life will be easy and always pleasant
Yet it is a love that is consistent, unchanging and comes to us directly in His birth, life, death and resurrection
Open your heart and mind to Jesus every day…everything He did was done for you
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)
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
John 15:7 NIV
Father God, I want to seek You with all my heart
You are my everything…so let my thoughts and actions match my words
Help me draw closer to You
Guide my decisions and inspire me with new dreams
I want to honor You with all that I am and all that I do
In Jesus name, Amen
“You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.”
Isaiah 26:3 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“…but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:23-24 NIV
“Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:1-5 NIV
All of life comes down to this question…
What do you believe?
“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
33 “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 16:31-33 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake in central Minnesota)
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV
A vital element to any relationship is trust
If there is a lack of trust everything else that comes after that will be filled with negativity and the relationship will erode and break apart
Trust takes effort, commitment and humility
Trust works like a bank account…you build it over time making deposits and it can disappear quickly with big withdrawals
The most important relationship for each of us is our relationship with Jesus Christ
We can trust in Him because of who He is and what He has done for us
To learn more about Him, pick up a Bible and read about His birth, His life, His death and His resurrection and know that He did it all for you…
Because He loves you
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
(This photo was taken while hiking on the North Shore of Lake Superior)
“You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.”
Isaiah 26:3 NIV
God is with you…wherever you are…whatever your circumstances
No matter what you have done or left undone
God promised He would never leave you or abandon you
If you can’t see Him…think about Jesus
Pick up God’s word and learn about Him and remind yourself what He teaches us
Choose gratitude, forgiveness, kindness and compassion
May the peace of the Lord be with you
“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 on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
3 For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
7 for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.”
Psalm 95:1-7 NIV
The only thing in all the earth that brings about true unity among all people from all over the world is Jesus Christ…His birth, His life, His death, His resurrection and His never-ending love
Praise Him
My Only Response (Unplugged) by Eagle Brook Music
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.“
Psalm 98:4-6 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Psalm 37:3-4 NIV
Father God, when I am afraid, I will put my trust in You
You are my source of strength and protection
You guide me and fight for me
When I draw near to You, I have nothing to fear, becasue I know You are in control
Thank You!
I put my trust in You and give You praise for who You are
In Jesus name, Amen
“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.”
Psalm 86:12 NIV
(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Father God, we are so grateful that we get to be a part of Your great story
Thank You for having a plan and a purpose for our lives
Help us to be courageous to be able to step out in faith and do what You have called us to do
We love You and want to honor You by telling others about You
In Jesus name, Amen
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 NIV
(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 19:21 NIV
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3 NIV
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior)
Take Your Faith With You 