Life of Jesus

Greater Is The One Who Is In You

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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

Make it a priority in your life to spend time with Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord

He has conquered all things and nothing you are facing or will face in your life is greater then Him and His saving grace

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“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10 NIV

(This photo was taken at sunrise by a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

The Greatest Story Ever Told…

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.”

John 1:1-5 NIV

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

John 1:14 NIV

From Genesis to Revelation the over-arching theme of the Bible is God’s love through Jesus

This love does not guarantee that life will be easy and always pleasant…yet it is a love that never changes

This love comes to us directly in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ

You are part of this story…God chose you

Open your heart and mind to Jesus, invite Him into every part of your life

As you learn this story, help tell others about it

It is the greatest story ever told

End Of The Beginning by David Phelps

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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.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

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

Prepare The Way For The Lord

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“…as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[a]—
3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[b]

Mark 1:2-3 NIV

God’s story and God’s plan is greater than our desires

We are a part of His story, not the other way around

We all have been given certain gifts to use while we are here

Our role is to recognize the gifts we have been given and to use them to help others

We are to do our part to Prepare the Way for the coming of the Lord

Prepare Ye The Way by Michael W Smith

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.“

John 1:1-5 NIV

(This photo was taken at sunrise on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

To Make Him Known

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“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Matthew 28:16-18 NIV

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“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 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

He Did It All For You

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“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.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

From Genesis to Revelation the over-arching theme of the Bible points to Jesus and His love

This love is not a guarantee that life will be easy and always pleasant

Yet it is a love that is consistent, unchanging and comes to us directly in His birth, life, death and resurrection

Open your heart and mind to Jesus every day…everything He did was done for you

End Of The Beginning by David Phelps

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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.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

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

The Message

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“…but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 NIV

“Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 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 53:1-5 NIV

All of life comes down to this question…

What do you believe?

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“Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

33 “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 16:31-33 NIV

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

Our Faith And Actions

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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. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

John 15:5-7 NIV

These two things are linked and interwoven together

A faith journey begins on the inside, molding and shaping our thoughts and our attitude, as we grow, we begin to show what we have learned in our actions and our behaviors towards others

We have had the best example possible set for us in the life of Christ

He not only spoke the Words of faith and taught others, he went out and lived it

He befriended the hurting, the sick, the lonely and the mistreated and came to bring healing to the broken world

When we are able to join our faith and our actions they feed our spirit, help us and others to grow and they bring joy and peace

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“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:11-12 NIV

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

Let The Word Of God Be Our Guide

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.”

Psalm 119:105 NIV

“You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.”

Psalm 119:114 NIV

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“For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[a]

And this is the word that was preached to you.”

1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV

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

Jesus Set The Example

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For everything…His character…His goodness…His compassion…His response to questions…His attitude…His selflessness…His love

No matter what our struggle is, no matter where we are in life…Jesus has an example of how we should try to respond, react, proceed

For example, while hanging on the Cross, blood draining out of His body…taking the punishment we and those who put Him there deserve, He spoke these words:

“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

Luke 23:34 NIV

No matter what is happening in your life turn towards Jesus Christ

He has set the example for us to follow in this life

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“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

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

Go Tell Others About Him

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“18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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 28:18-20 NIV

Father God, we are so grateful that we get to be a part of Your great story

Thank You for having a plan and a purpose for our lives

Help us to be courageous to be able to step out in faith and do what You have called us to do

We love You and want to honor You by telling others about You

In Jesus name, Amen

The Commission by CAIN

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“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 NIV

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