Learning

Be Courageous

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One of God’s great gifts is free will.  He created us out of His love and His desire for relationship with us is one He wants us to seek, willingly.  He did not create us to be robots or puppets, which means we have a responsiblity to make choices.  We will find we are often presented with opportunities to make decisions and if we are paying attention to our faith journey over time it becomes more and more clear which choice is step towards God and which choice is a step toward our sinful nature.  It will take courage to make decisions grounded in faith, it will be different than what the world thinks you should do.  Don’t give in to fear, the journey will be very difficult at times and as it states in the Book of Ephesians chapter 6, put on the full armor of God and stand in faith.  The choices will often be between courage and fear, be courageous in your faith.  Amen.

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“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

(This photo was taken in July of 2015 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Morrison, Colorado)

Seek The Light

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In our daily lives we are surrounded by messages of temptations, judgements and propaganda telling us what we should think, what we need to do, what brand of this or that, that a ‘sensible’ person uses. In the era of social media it has evolved into pop-up ads and notifications within streams of other information. This is all the work of darkness and evil. No matter what outlet you choose the attempt to pull you away from God will be present. There is a light for all of us and it is the Word of God. Seek Him and His Word and you will find hope and peace in a dark world. Amen.

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“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

Psalms 119:105

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 at a park near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

How Deep Is Our Faith?

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I have heard the faith journey described as a process of working from the inside, out.  The first part of the journey is transforming and changing the inside of ourselves…our thoughts, our beliefs, our attitude and our behaviors…removing the focus on sinful desires and self-centeredness as we learn and grow in our personal relationship with Christ.  As the inside changes we become better equipped to share what we have learned and to provide encouragement to others on the journey, just as we have been and will be given assistance on our own journey.  The question today is regarding that inside part of the process…the learning and growing and the depth of our inside transformation is not to reach a destination.  The more we learn and grow and spend time in our reltionship with the Lord the deeper and stronger that relationship becomes.  As discussed yesterday the battles will come at us in this life and a deep, strong relationship with Christ is the most powerful weapon we have when it comes to fighting evil in this world.  Continue to strengthen and grow your relationship with Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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“But blessed in the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green,  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

(This photo was taken in July of 2012 while walking on a trail in the North Shore of Lake Superior)

The Love Of God

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To know the love of God means you are in tune with your relationship with Him and you know Him versus just knowing about Him.  The love God has for us isn’t something to be measured or compared to others.  It is an experience, it is about a relationship with Jesus Christ, His one and only Son.  It is the reason we were created, it is why Jesus sacrificed Himself for us and it is the one thing we can always count on in life, no matter what.  Seek to learn about God’s love for you and spend time getting to know Him.  Amen.

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“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

1 John 4:10

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

The Foundation Of Our Faith

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Jesus Christ.  His birth, His life, His words, His teachings, His love, His grace, His mercy, His willingness to forgive us, His ability to take our punishment, His death, His resurrection.  If you are looking for answers, seek Him…If you are struggling with a situation, ask Him what you should do…If you are grateful and thankful for blessings in your life, thank Him.  He is our Light in a dark world.  Open yourself up to Him and you will find peace and joy.  Prepare The Way of the Lord in your heart.  Amen.

Prepare the Way – Holy Redeemer Church, Performer: Daniel Schmit

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

Proverbs 18:10

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

What’s Different?

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How has your faith shown up in your daily life?  When you reflect on your attitude, your perspective and your daily living and compare it to a previous point in time, what do you notice has changed?  Some of our old ways have faded, some are taking longer to adjust…this is the process of spiritual growth.  Not everyone will encounter a burning shrub in the desert like Moses or directly encounter Christ on the road like Saul who became Paul.  Our journey will be different, yet our God who is with all of us is the same.  Be aware of who you are, the people in your life and what you can offer someone in need right where you are and pray.  Pray for wisdom and courage, pay attention to what God is up to in your daily life.  That alone will be different than the way we were before.  Amen.

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“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Devotion

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Loyalty…faithfulness…commitment…dedication.  As we learn and grow in our spiritual lives we begin to see more clearly the differences between worldly goals and spiritual goals.  Eventually we all get caught in the middle of these differences for different reasons.  This is a battle that rages on for everyone.  The only answer I have experienced is trust in God.  We will not always be able to see the what or the why and that is incredibly frustrating…don’t let that hold you down.  Continue in faithfulness and not in worry, do your best in your situation and pray.  Talk with the Lord, not in memorized lines from childhood but with sincerity and true feeling because He is with you and He has shown His level of devotion to you by the sacrifice of His Son.  Amen.

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“And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

 2 Corinthians 5:15

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

We Are In His Hands

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No matter where we are, no matter what our circumstances, we are held in God’s hands.  He is our Creator, our Savior and our Guide for this life.  Things will go wrong, people will make mistakes and darkness will try to overcome all.  What we need to remember is God knows us, God loves us and He is working for the good in our lives today and everyday.  He can renew us, restore us and strengthen us…when we invite Jesus into our hearts and minds and trust in Him.  Let go of the things that are not for you to control and know God has you in the palm of His hand.  Amen.

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24

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

 

The Gift

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We have been given the greatest gift ever…the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Nothing compares to it.  He sacrificed His life in heaven to come down to earth and to be like one of us, He was beaten, tortured, spit on and crucified…then God did what only God can do…out of the worst of tragedies He brought about the most incredible joy.  Jesus Christ is alive and He lives today.  Don’t put off your relationship with Jesus, spend time with Him everyday, the Gift of Him is one that keeps on giving to you forever.  Amen.

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“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

How We Connect

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People and relationships, these are two important elements in seeking and finding peace and joy in life.  The world says that money and comfort/convenience is what you need to be happy.  Focusing on others feeds our spiritual life and focusing on the self only feeds the self.  As with everything in life it is our choice.  God is pretty clear about the value of free will.  He is not interested in having a people that just do things at His command.  We are responsible for our behavior and the way we treat each other.  The best place to start is with our relationship with Jesus Christ…begin, continue or renew your relationship with our Lord and Savior and will find peace.  Amen.

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Colossians 3:12-13

(This photo was taken in December of 2018 on Paradise Island, Bahamas)