“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.“
Proverbs 9:10 NIV
“How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!“
Proverbs 16:16 NIV
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.“
Psalm 111:10 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore on Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
“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 NIV
Courage is not the absence of fear…Courage is the willingness to move forward without knowing the outcome…to admit we don’t know the answers…to be patient…to share and be vulnerable with another person.
Having courage is placing your trust in God ahead of fear…it is about not allowing fear to stop you or defeat you. It takes courage to seek the Light…to surrender your plans for God’s plan…it takes courage to live the life that God has intended for you…and where can you find strength for courage?
In a relationship with Jesus Christ. There you will find joy, peace, patience, and strength for courage. Seek Him and His will and live with hope from God.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)
“Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.“
Proverbs 4:26-27 NIV
The original navigtion tool in this world is God’s Word. Which way should I go? What should I do next? How should I handle this situation? How do I respond to that person? And so many more questions can be answered by spending time in God’s Word.
Pick it up and read it, listen to Him and put into action the things He teaches us. God’s Word is the ultimate guide for your path. Take time to reflect of where you have been and where you are going in life…what path are you on?
“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 NIV
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13 NIV
We all face trials and struggles. The one thing we can control during these times and situations is how we choose to respond. Many of us quickly try to gain control and take charge, determined not to let the situation get the best of us…others do an about face and get away from the situation as quickly as they can.
All of us can do better if we start with bringing the situation, the difficult time or difficult relationship to God first. We need to stop waiting and trying to do things our own way…going into battle against darkness and evil without God is like a soldier heading into a battle without any weapon. If we turn towards God first, the more likely we will find peace and be able to overcome the troubles of life.
“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 NIV
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
(This photo was taken in October of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“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
Faith is a journey. Not an event, not something we do to check the box…it is a life learning and life-giving experience. We learn by reading God’s Word, spending time in prayer and through our own experiences…we share with others the things we have learned and we learn from others experiences. We can help others by sharing the things we learn and we give thanks to God for all that He has done for us.
God is with you, right now, today and He wants a relationship with you…turn towards Him every day…learn from Him…share with others what you have learned and give Him thanks and praise. Amen.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 NIV
(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling in southern Colorado)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.“
Colossians 3:1-2 NIV
Outlook…viewpoint…position…approach…frame of mind…attitude. What feeds your perspective? What are you consuming with your eyes, your ears and your mind? What experience or experiences are framing your view? All of these are inputs into your perspective and they shape your attitude.
If we choose to allow our point of view to be shaped by what goes on around us in a world filled with me first, self-centered, get more attitudes we will become like the world. The best defense is to build a foundation within your heart and mind that is based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We can’t stop the world from trying to influence us, yet we can choose to turn away from the sin and run towards our Savior and Lord. Jesus said;
“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 NIV
Perspective is about viewing things from a different point of view…trust in the Lord and seek His perspective on your life. Amen.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28 NIV
(This photo was taken in September of 2021 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”
Colossians 1:9-12 NIV
From the very beginning God created us out of his love. As we try to find satisfaction and happiness in worldly things we will come to find that only by God’s grace will we find true joy and peace in life. Wisdom is found in spending more time with God and less time on social media and watching the news.
The more we know Him rather then just know about Him…the more our eyes are opened and the better we begin to understand that we are broken, sinful people in need of a Savior and that Jesus Christ is our Savior, our Redeemer. Seek Him and learn to Know Him.
“ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:13-14 NIV
(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake in central Minnesota)
“Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.”
Psalm 25:4-5 NIV
God invites us into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. It is up to us to respond to that invitation. If we ignore God’s call and go our own way we will bring about more pain and suffering without God’s presence and guidance.
We need to be willing to open ourselves up to God’s way and His plan, that happens with His timing. It is a willingness and an ability to surrender our self-centered ways to Him…God is not in a hurry, like we typically are in this world. God is faithful and will guide you and lead you if you are willing to put your faith and trust in Him and His Way.
“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 NIV
(This photo was taken in May of 2020 along the North Shore of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota)
“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1 NIV
Worries and burdens will pile up. We set ourselves up for disappointment and regret when we try to go it alone. God is our refuge, He is the stronghold of our lives. There is more to our relationship with the Lord than Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings…there is more than quickly speaking memorized words before a meal or at bedtime.
Turn towards the Lord and seek Him. Pray for His presence to comfort you and encourage you…listen for His guidance in everything. Amen.
“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.”
Psalm 62:1-2 NIV
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Arches National Park in Utah)
“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 4:6 NIV
Do we always get what we want, when we want it? No. Does a child always get what they ask for? Do they understand why? No, they don’t…what we do know is that God wants us to pray. It is our way to communicate with God. It is a common topic in the bible…Matthew 6:6, Luke 18:1, Philippians 4:6 and many more places.
Prayer is something God encourages us to do and knowing that, means that even though we may not understand how it works, prayer does make a difference. Amen.
“ Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessolanians 5:16-18 NIV
(This photo was taken in july of 2018 on shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
Take Your Faith With You 