God’s Word

The Love Of God

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To know the love of God means you are in tune with your relationship with Him and you know Him versus just knowing about Him.  The love God has for us isn’t something to be measured or compared to others.  It is an experience, it is about a relationship with Jesus Christ, His one and only Son.  It is the reason we were created, it is why Jesus sacrificed Himself for us and it is the one thing we can always count on in life, no matter what.  Seek to learn about God’s love for you and spend time getting to know Him.  Amen.

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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

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

Stay On Track

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There can be so many demands on us in our daily lives.  It is easy to sink in to chaos and to feel overstretched, mentally thin and struggling.  This is the way of evil and darkness, the more it can distract you, the less time you will spend with God, reading God’s Word and in prayer.  Don’t lose sight of your faith journey in your every day life.  God is present and working in your life everyday.  He is not a God who just stops by and checks in at Christmas, Easter and on Sunday’s or Wednesday nights.  Just because we may not be paying attention to Him doesn’t mean He is not right there with us.  The whole reason I started this blog in the summer of 2013 and it’s title are based on a foundation that faith and our faith journey continues everyday, all the time.  Distractions will continue to fight to keep you away from God, don’t let them deter you and your relationship with Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:11-12

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Arches National Park in Utah)

God Is Love

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I am reminded this morning of this statement.  When we fix our eyes on Jesus and not on the pain, struggle and our self-serving desires, we are able to rise above those things carried by the love of God.  If we allow the hurt and pain of the past to rule our present day then we are missing out on so many opportunities to know joy and peace, to be thankful for what is good.  If we desire forgiveness for our sins, we need to be just as willing to forgive others.  The sacrifice has already been made for us, the race is already been won, death is defeated and Christ lives.  Let us turn towards God in prayer and thanksgiving for His everlasting love.  Amen.

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“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.”

1 John 4:15-16

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

Comfort And Peace

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It is astonishing to discover the comfort and peace that God can provide with His presence when we surrender control and strive to not only listen to the Word of God but actually do what it says.  The process of surrender takes time and I have only sensed this amazing comfort and peace on few occasions because…well old habits die hard.  The self is stubborn.  One occasion most recently was when my Dad went home to the Lord, unexpectedly.  I clung more tightly to the words in my bible and prayed more passionately…and as promised, God carried me through and is still carrying me and my family onward.  The hardest part is trying to avoid slipping back into old habits or old ways of thinking, especially after sensing such a closeness with the Lord.  The comfort and peace we seek and that God offers every single person is available to us today and everyday…if we are willing to put aside our selfish ways and desires and put our hope in God.  Amen.

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“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)

Patience

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During this Advent time of year, the Fruits of the Spirit keep coming into my mind.  We wait for the celebration of the birth of our Savior.  Nothing about His coming was designed by us, the human race.  This is a clear example of God at work for the good of all people.  We must be patient on our faith journey and not give up hope…no matter how bad things may get, in any situation.  Prayer…thoughtful, sincere, true and honest prayer, that is based in trust and belief in Jesus Christ is very powerful.  The answers to our prayers are not based on our plans or our desires and that is a good thing.  When you are discouraged or frustrated regarding a person or situation…take it to the Lord in prayer and remember when God was at work with His plan over 2,000 years ago, the results both then and now have been better than any human plan ever conceived.  I pray we all trust in the Lord and seek patience with His plan for our lives.  Amen.

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“And we know that in all things God works for the good of  those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Our Beautiful Savior

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When you think about it…when you look around your life and the world and see the things that the most attention is focused on…you may begin to see something of a trend or common theme.  We are all living in a lost and broken world, where anger, hate, suffering, hunger and homelessness are everywhere, the primary focus and attention of many people is on me, myself and I.  On the journey of faith I realize the only times I get worried or upset or feel like chaos is everywhere is when I have put my expectations or my plans or my wants and desires ahead of everything else.  The self is very powerful and very stubborn and will lead us to destructive thoughts and behaviors.  This is when we need to be renewed, to put our focus back on Jesus Christ and the Word of God.  Our beautiful Savior who came down from heaven to save us from self-destruction.  Come to the Cross and be renewed by Jesus Christ our one and only beautiful Savior.  Amen.

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 27:1

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Grace

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This has been defined as the unmerited favor and love of God.  It is because of the grace of God we can be saved.  Along our faith journey we will trip, we will stumble and we will get knocked down by sin and the sinful nature.  It is not a matter of if this will happen, rather it is about when it happens how do we choose to respond?  God’ grace provides us a way to get back up, to keep trying to do better.  The bible is filled with examples of people who stumbled significantly in their lives, we are not alone in our mistakes.  Jesus Christ came to save them and to save you and me.  No matter what the struggle is, no matter what level of darkness you feel like you are surrounded by…God’s grace is for you too.  He loves you and He sent His Son to give you the way back to Him and His love for you.  I pray we trust in God’s grace and love to guide us in overcoming all obstacles and for His way to lead us in our lives.  Amen.

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“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:10

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 in White Sands National Monument in New Mexico)

Be Humble

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We have seen the example of what humility looks like when we look at Jesus Christ and His actions and behaviors while He was here.  He suffered as a human and yet was obedient to the will of God.  It was not easy, even for Him…He prayed so hard that it could go differently and then in the next breath gave everything to God.  “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  -Luke 22:42  The only way we have a chance to learn about God’s will, is to be willing to surrender our own will.  One of my biggest obstacles in my faith journey is sustaining surrender…getting to the point of surrender is one thing, maintaining an attitude of surrender so God’s plan can unfold with His timing is yet another battle.  One thing I know for sure, as it is true for all of us…God’s not finished with me yet!  I pray that God will open the eyes of our hearts and wash over us with courage and patience.  Amen.

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Arches National Park in Utah)

The Message Of Hope

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No matter what is happening…no matter the circumstances in your life and relationships…even when you can’t see the way…The Word of God provides the message of Hope and a future with the Lord.  The world will provide false truths and absolutes…through the prophets of the Old Testament, through Jesus and the disciples in the New Testament, God provides Hope.  Throughout human history there has been suffering, tragedies and evil, God knows these things will occur in a fallen world filled with sin.  Yet only God can take the broken, suffering, worn down people of this world and give them a new perspective, a renewed strength and a belief in the Hope of good things even in the darkest hours.  Jesus Christ experienced the worst suffering and treatment that humankind can offer and God used that event to provide the greatest moment of Hope the world has ever seen.  I pray we take time to read about God’s message of Hope and believe in what God has in store for us and our lives.  Amen.

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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

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

God’s Presence

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Where do you see God?  When the road ahead looks dark and hopeless, seek Him…when you are unsure or afraid, seek His will…when you are frustrated and angry, trust in His way.  God is with you, no matter what, God created you and He loves you, just the way you are…He is the way to shine a light in the darkness.  Turn towards the Lord and live.  I pray we look for the ways God is with us in our everyday life.  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, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the north shore of the island of Maui)