Holy Spirit

Receive The Holy Spirit

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“And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:5

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“But the Advocate, 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. 27 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 14:26-27

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Set A Good Example

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“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
11 They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”[a]

1 Peter 3:8-12

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“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

1 Peter 5:7-9

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Beaver River Falls in northern Minnesota)

Strength From The Lord

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“I love you, Lord, my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield[b] and the horn[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:1-2

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“Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Nehemiah 8:10

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Cascade State Park in northern Minnesota)

Rest…Restoration

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

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“Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Worship Every Day

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Anything worth doing takes commitment.  The athlete does not become the best at their sport “overnight.”  It takes dedication and focus…hours and hours of practice, discipline.  The more time we spend on something the more we grow in it.  It also means we must sacrifice time doing other things.  This is true for all aspects of our lives.  It is the same with our faith and our relationship with Jesus Christ.  Where we choose to spend our time has a direct impact on who we are and who we can become.  Choose your faith journey, choose God’s Word, choose prayer and worship every day.  Amen.

You Are Holy (Prince Of Peace) by Michael W Smith

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“Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

12 Lord Almighty,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you.”

Psalm 84:10-12

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 in Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota)

Start With These…

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Love God.  Love People.  Too often we seek power or control over situations and people. That’s what gets us into trouble.  For some of us we are protecting ourselves because we have been hurt in our past…the longer we proceed carrying around the hurts of the past the longer they will damage our future.  Life is not about what others do to us…it is about how do we choose to respond?  Choose God, choose love…Love God.  Love People.  Amen.

Love God Love People by Danny Gokey

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“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

 

The Gift Of God

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The Spirit with in us.  It guides us and leads us…not with anger, bitterness and disrespectful behaviors, rather is provides the Fruit of the Spirit for all aspects of our lives.  Amen.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:6-7

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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

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Our Counselor

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We all have been given the gift of free will…to decide, to make decisions every day about how we will choose to respond to circumstances and situations in our lives.  Yet we are often quick to allow the thoughts, words and actions of others to drive how we feel.  Maybe that is how we are made, to listen and to be guided…unfortunately we have not chosen to listen to the only one worthy to guide and counsel us…our Lord and Savior.  Seek Him…seek wisdom and listen to the Counselor who loves you.  Amen.

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“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

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

Faithful God

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Our God is faithful to all His promises…forever.  Amen.

Forever by Chris Tomlin

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“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Deuteronomy 7:9

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 near Garden of Gods in Colorado)

God Is Love

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As we live and learn and grow on our spiritual journey, we slowly gain a greater understanding of God’s love.  It is one thing to hear about it, read about it and know it in your head and it is something much greater to experience it and know it in your heart.  God is love, He loves you and His love will never let you down.  Amen.

“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:8

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“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. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:9-12

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 near the border of Minnesota and South Dakota)