Jesus

Transformation

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Confess your sins…Believe in your heart…and Pray.  Some examples in the Bible of transformations…the woman at the well in John 4 and Saul becomes Paul in Acts 9.  God wants a relationship with you.  Make time to be with Him.  Amen.

“But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[a] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Romans 10:8-10

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“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20

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

Help Others

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Do whatever you can, whenever you can, as often as you can, wherever you are to help others who are in need.  Amen.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25:31-36

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“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:37-40

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

Our God Who Saves Us

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“The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Psalm 103:8

“He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”

Jonah 4:2

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“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 near Winterset, Iowa)

Humility

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“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14

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“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[a] Do not be conceited.”

Romans 12:14-16

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Palisade Head along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Joy

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It goes much deeper than happiness…it comes from down in your soul where you are most closely connected to the Lord.  It comes from your perspective based in trust, faith and hope…choose joy.  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

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Lake Dillon in Colorado)

Be Strong And Courageous

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“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Joshua 1:7-8

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

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

What Should We Do?

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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

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“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10

(This photo was taken in July of 2012 while on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

Believe

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“But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”[a] that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Romans 10:8-10

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

John 3:16-18

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)

The Goodness Of God

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All that is good is from God…all that is suffering, troubling and leads to struggle is from darkness and evil…these are not from God.  Jesus Christ was sent by God to save us becasue the darkness has come from our sins.  Amen.

“I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

John 12:46

Goodness Of God – Jenn Johnson

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“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The Lord is good to all;
    he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9

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

Problem Solving And Decision Making

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The Book of Proverbs is full of good stuff…advice that is straight to the point, understandable and most of them are less than 140 characters…

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10

“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
    the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10

“Plans fail for lack of counsel,
    but with many advisers they succeed.”

Proverbs 15:22

“Listen to advice and accept discipline,
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Proverbs 19:20-21

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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

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)