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Humility

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“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a] with your God.”.

Micah 6:8 NIV

Imagine if more people in the world were working for fairness for all people…instead of trying to push and pull others down to get a step up

People often can’t trust that other people will be honest and work for the best intentions of all due to selfishness…due to sin in a fallen world

Think about what it felt like when someone did something kind and generous for you that had no benefit for them

That is where you see God at work

The only one who can overcome the rule of sin and self in the human race is God

He can be trusted, He has kept every promise He has ever made and He has one promise left to fulfill

Walk humbly with God and trust in Him

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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 NIV

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

Believing And Seeing

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“Though the fig tree does not bud
    and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
    and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
    and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
    I will be joyful in God my Savior.

19 The Sovereign Lord is my strength;”

Habakkuk 3:17-19 NIV

Faith is about being certain of God and His love and faithfulness beyond our visible circumstances and surroundings

We Believe by Newsboys

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“We live by faith, not by sight.”

2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV

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

The Lord Is Our Rock

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“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.“

Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV

We have been saved

We have a fortress of salvation

We have been delivered by Jesus Christ to eternal life

Trust in the Lord, there is no greater strength than the love of God

Let the Word of God wash over you and flow through you in your attitude and behaviors

When we fall down He will pick us up…He renews us and restores us

His Word is a shelter from evil

When it feels like the world is crashing down around us we need to look to the Lord for He is our Rock

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“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 NIV

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

Humility

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“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly[a] with your God.”.

Micah 6:8 NIV

Imagine if more people in the world were working for fairness for all people…instead of trying to push and pull others down to get a step up.  People often can’t trust that other people will be honest and work for the best intentions of all due to selfishness…due to sin in a fallen world.

Think about what it felt like when someone did something kind and generous for you that had no benefit for them.  That is where you see God at work.  The only one who can overcome the rule of sin and self in the human race is God.  He can be trusted, He has kept every promise He has ever made and He has one promise left to fulfill.  Walk humbly with God and trust in Him.

DSC_0027 publish

“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 NIV

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

The Lord Is Our Rock

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“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.“

Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV

You have been saved…you have a fortress of salvation…you have been delivered by Jesus Christ to eternal life.  Trust in the Lord, there is no greater strength than the love of God.  Let the Word of God wash over you and flow through you in your attitude and behaviors.

When you fall down He will pick you up, He renews us and restores us.  His Word is a shelter from evil.  When it feels like the world is crashing down around you look to the Lord for He is our Rock.  Amen.

DSC_0920 publish

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

The Lord Is My Rock

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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 NIV

We have been saved…we have a fortress of salvation…we have been delivered by Jesus Christ to eternal life.  Trust in the Lord, there is no greater strength than the love of God.  When we fall down He will pick us up, He renews us and restores us.  His Word is a shelter from evil.  When it feels like the world is crashing down around you look to the Lord for He is our Rock.  Amen.

DSC_0920 publish

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

At Home With God

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We have been redeemed…Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins…we belong to Him…we have a home with God.  Amen.

“For you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the foe.

4 I long to dwell in your tent forever
    and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.”[a]

Psalm 61:3-4

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“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

John 14:1-4

(This photo was taken in June of 2020 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

The Way Home

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We all have choices and decisions to make in life and each one leads us either closer to or further away from God.  God provides all that we need, an instruction manual for life…the Bible…He has provided the One who can lead us…Jesus Christ.  Meet with Jesus regarding the path you are on and follow Him…He is the only Way home.  Amen.

Home by Chris Tomlin

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6

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“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’[a] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Revelation 21:4

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

Stay Connected

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Both to God and to others.  Yes, the world has changed and things are very different than they were a few weeks ago…most if not all of it was outside of your control…still today how you choose to respond is completely up to you.  You can connect to/stay connected to God by reading His Word and praying or you can reject the opportunity to explore your faith and build your relationship with Jesus Christ…you can choose to find simple or creative ways to connect to family and friends or you can focus your time on what was lost with the changes you can’t control.  Yes, we are all different and we all deal with change in different ways…and God gives us free will to choose our response…so how will you choose to respond?  Choose God (verse above the photo), choose life (verse below the photo).  Amen.

“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

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“Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Ecclesiastes 4:12

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Together In Christ

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There is a section in Ecclesiastes 4 that speaks about going through life alone versus with others.  It provides a few examples of how much more difficult life can be alone.  We are made to be in community, to work together to support each other.  I am a sports fan and my favorite sport is football, today is a very big day in the football world…over the years I have reflected on the different sports and I have come to realize I often prefer team sports versus individual ones…it is not that individual sports are bad but I prefer a sport where we are more dependent on each other than individual talent alone…a sport that requires community for success.  At its basic level, in football it takes all 11 people on the field to find success, individuals willing to sacrifice for the good of the team…community, working together for the good of all.  May we all be engaged in community in our daily lives…if you are unsure of your community, turn towards God and seek His guidance.  Amen.

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“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:1-6

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Custer State Park in South Dakota)