Lessons Learned

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)

Planted And Growing In Faith

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“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 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 NIV

Father God, I want to submit to You

Please fill my mind with thoughts that honor You and other people

Guide me to speak in a way so that my words can bring life and encouragement to others

Transform me into a new person by helping me grow from the inside out

In Jesus name, Amen

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“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.”

Psalm 1:1-3 NIV

(This photo was taken while driving on Beartooth Pass in Montana)

Do Not Give Up

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.“

Galatians 6:9-10 NIV

Our lives are filled with moments and memories

Some are good times and some are difficult

We all tend to embellish a bit in our memories, the memory of good times seems to be really good and the memory of bad times seem to be really bad

Sometimes our bad memories start to take us down a path so that even the present moments of our life are seen through a negative perspective

This is a quick spiral downward and we can get stuck in the swirl of negativity

We must have the courage to choose a new perspective, a more balanced view of everything

Fortunately, the Word of God along with our relationship with Jesus Christ can provide that perspective

When times are hard and it feels like you are making no progress on anything…do not give up

Keep pressing on, keep believing…that is your faith at work

Goodness will come to those who believe in the hope that God provides through Jesus Christ

May God’s peace be with you

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Colossians 3:12 NIV

(This photo was taken in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)

Praise God For His Goodness

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“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

Father God, You are good!

No matter what goes on around us-You are good

You are worthy of praise because You are good

You provide for us, strengthen us, deliver us, and heal us

Even when we do not see you at work in our lives, that does not change the fact that You are working

There is no one like You

So regardless of what we face today, we will praise You

In Jesus name, Amen

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“Praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord, O my soul.  I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.”

Psalm 146:1-2 NIV

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

Forgiveness

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

This is something we need to give as much as we need to receive it

Forgiveness is more than God’s grace given to us through Jesus Christ…we need to be able to give forgiveness to others and to ourselves as well

If we choose to hold on to the pain, the bitterness and the anger it will eat away at our very life and end up affecting our relationships with everyone

To forgive is not to say someone gets a free pass for hurting you…it is the act of letting go of the things that are continuing to hurt you in your daily life

Christ will help you through this…come to Cross and give thanks to Jesus for His forgiveness of your sins and ask Him to help you find your way to give forgiveness

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“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32 NIV

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

God Is Love

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.“

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

God’s love renews and restores us

Our relationship with God is an inside out relationship

We need to know and understand God’s love for us and that there is nothing we can think, say or do that will change God’s unconditional love

As we receive and understand God’s love, we are equipped to go out and give love to others in our daily life and interactions

May God’s love and peace be with you and flow through you

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“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?“

Romans 8:31-35 NIV

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Measuring Success

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“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

2 Timothy 4:6-8 NIV

The measure of success we have in our life depends on which race we have chosen to run

Have we decided to pursue the race of the world, chasing money and possessions, constantly consuming and comparing our standing or our place in the world with others on social media?

Or have we been working on pursuing the race marked out for us by God’s will?

Making faith more important than things, focusing on our relationships, how we treat others and seeking to grow in our spiritual life

God has given us the gift of free will and so we have the ability and the responsibility to choose which race we will run

No matter where we are today, God is with us and we can trust in Him by turning to Christ in prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit to guide our path

Best of luck to you and to everyone in your race today

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.“

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

All Things Are Possible With God

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“Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?”

Jeremiah 32:27 NIV

Nothing we face in this life is too big for God…Nothing

No matter what, no matter who, no matter where…all things are possible with God

Put your hope and your trust in the Lord and see the good that He will do.

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37 ESV

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 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 NIV

(This photo was taken near Pike’s Peak in Colorado)

Let Jesus Lead The Way

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“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 NIV

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“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.“

Psalm 23:1-4 NIV

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

God’s Presence Is All Around Us

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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 NIV

God Is With Us by Casting Crowns

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“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV

(This photo was taken in Big Sky, Montana )