“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 NIV
He will never leave you. He is with you, He is for you. No matter what happens, give thanks to God and strive to focus on choosing an attitude of gratitude.
“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
“…All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[a]
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
1 Peter 5:5-7 NIV
It has been said, humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking about yourself less.
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Romans 12:9-13 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 along Beartooth Pass near the Montana and Wyoming border)
“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 NIV
What are you thankful for? How often do we take time to be thankful during difficult times? It is not easy…yet it is a choice. An attitude of gratitude may not come naturally to us but we should strive for it as it can make such a big difference in our lives. We don’t have to do it alone…start by thanking God for Jesus Christ and what He did for you on the Cross and see where you can go from there. Amen.
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:15-17 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling through North Dakota)
“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.”
Psalm 95:1-5 NIV
As we approach the New Year, take time to reflect on what has transpired in your life over the last 12 months…where do you see God? Where do you see yourself in putting your trust in Him? What difficult challenge did you face or are you still facing that you have had unknown courage to keep going? Have you had any moments of unexplainable joy, contentment? What situations worked out better than you expected? There are so many ways both big and small that God has shown you He is with you…did you notice? Give thanks to God for the gifts and blessings in your life and pray that He continues to help you see Him. Most importantly give thanks to Jesus Christ for what He has done and continues to do for you every day.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Psalm 100
(This photo was taken in April of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Colossians 3:15 NIV
In the world peace is defined as the absence of conflict. The biblical definition of peace is more expansive and is speaking about having completeness or wholeness. It is referred to as the taking of something that is broken and making it complete once again. Jesus gives us peace by taking our broken relationship with God because of sin and restores it to completeness by His sacrifice on the Cross. You can learn about this and other bible studies on a web site I hghily recommend…it is called the BibleProject
This is a great resource to spend time studying and learning about the bible through video. May the peace of God be with you and flow through you each day. Amen.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2021 in the Black Hills in western South Dakota)
“Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.”
Psalm 62:8 NIV
Opening your heart in honest, sincere transparency with God in a quiet time with Him is true prayer…an on-going conversation where you spend as much time listening as you do speaking on a daily basis is kind of prayer life that can change lives. Amen.
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Colossians 4:2 NIV
“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:15-17 NIV
Jesus Christ suffered and died for you because He loves you. He has risen…He is alive and wants to help you in this life and spend eternity with you. Give thanks to Jesus, not only with words but with how you choose to live your life every day. Amen.
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Romans 12:1-2 NIV
Every one of us has a choice, every day…how will you choose to live this day?
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Romans 12:9-13 NIV
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.“
Psalm 100:1-5 NIV
Take time to reflect on your life and remember what God has done for you. Think about the storms you have already come through…how He protected you or guided you safely. Remember that no matter what God loves you…He is with you and within you. Jesus left the comfort of heaven to come down and live as one of us…He sacrificed Himself to be beaten and crucified and to pay the penalty for our sin so that we could have a relationship with God. God will do for you that which you can’t do for yourself…put your trust in the Lord and give thanks to Him.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Colossians 3:12-17 NIV
(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling in northern Colorado)
“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 NIV
Remember God is not distant…He will never leave you. If God feels far off it is because we have wandered away from Him. He is with you, He is for you. No matter what happens, give thanks to God and strive to focus on an attitude of gratitude.
“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)
Take Your Faith With You 