Hope

Put Your Trust In God

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8 NIV

What do you put your trust in?

Who do you believe is trustworthy?

Take a moment and think about it

The dictionary states trust is – firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something

So, who or what in your life do you trust?

The world is filled with deception, selfishness, lying, cheating, etc… these things were brought into the world by the human race

There is still hope…there is One who is worthy of trust

There is One who is reliable, who is the truth, who has the ability and the strength and He is the One who sacrificed himself to save us…Jesus Christ

He is a Light in the darkness, turn to Jesus and put your trust in God

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.[a]“

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling through North Dakota)

Trust And Faith

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“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

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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 NIV

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

He Did It All For You

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“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in[b] Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:23 NIV

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

We didn’t earn it

We do not deserve it

Yet Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself for us

This is how much He loves us

This is how much He loves you

Remember what He did to show His love for you

Remember…He did it all for you!

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in northern Colorado)

Put Your Hope In God

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“Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.”

Psalm 42:11 NIV

Find Rest by Francesca Battistelli

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

John 14:6 NIV

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

Overcome Evil With Good

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“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4 NIV

The Bible tells us that we will have trouble in this world…and it states clearly that we can persevere through trials and temptations

The Bible also gives us examples of others who lived and suffered and how they interacted with God and lived their lives with faith

At times it wasn’t pretty, they didn’t live lives that were sweet and easy all the time

Read about Abraham and Sarah, read about Joseph in Genesis

Look through the pages of David’s life in 1 Samuel

Take time to read about the life of Jesus in the New Testament

Yes, there are struggles, trials and there is suffering…remember living a life of faith and in God’s love doesn’t mean these will disappear

What it does mean is you will receive the courage and the hope as God is with you to help you and guide you to get through the difficult times

Do not be overcome by darkness and evil, look to God…pray and you can find the way to overcome evil with good

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“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:21 NIV

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

Reflect with Gratitude, Go Forward with Hope

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“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

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6 NIV

Father God, thank You for being faithful

Thank You for making a way for us in this life

When we reflect on past events give us an eye for gratitude in all circumstances

Please show us how You are at work in our lives

We want to choose to patiently wait on You, becasue we know that You will finish the work You have started in us

In Jesus name, Amen

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“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

John 15:5 NIV

(This photo was taken at sunset by a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Gift Of Grace

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

“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 53:5 NIV

It is because of God’s grace that the battle has already been won…we are forgiven…we are healed…we are saved by Grace

Nothing can separate us from Him who loves us

Praise Him for Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace by Chris Tomlin

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“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountian National Park)

Be Faithful

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“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

Romans 15:5-7 NIV

Accept one another…

We spend so much time condemning, blaming and complaining

We all suffer from this condition in this broken world…no one is immune

Be intentional to be different

Trust God…even when circumstances say otherwise

Let the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) flow through you

Be faithful to follow Jesus and His teachings

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“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV

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

Choose Joy

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10 “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

John 15:10-11 NIV

Father God, thank You for our constant access to Your presence

Because You are near, we can experience joy in all things

Help us remember our joy is not based on our circumstances

Too often, instead of trusting You, we let our problems direct our behaviors

Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, so that we can strive to live with undefeatable Joy

In Jesus name, Amen

Joy by for KING & COUNTRY

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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 NIV

(This photo was taken near Lake Dillon in Colorado)

Hope…Nothing Is Impossible For God

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“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

Hope…What drives it?  Why do we have it?

It comes from belief…it comes from trusting God

Even when no one believes there is any hope…hope persists

Think about the day Jesus was crucified…nobody, not even the disciples had hope

Jesus, their teacher, the one who performed miracles had died…yet with God anything is possible

Jesus is risen!  He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

The stories of hope with God in the Bible go on and on…Sarah who was barren has a son…Moses and the Red Sea…Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego survive the fiery furnace…Daniel in the lion’s den…Mary the virgin gives birth to Jesus and on and on it goes

Don’t give up hope…trust in God!

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“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37 NIV

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