To Know Him

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8 NIV

As it has been said, faith is a journey not a destination

So what does that mean?

It is about making progress, every day

We live, we learn, we pray, we give thanks, we cry for help, we forgive others and we learn some more

We are human, we live in a broken and fallen world

Nobody is perfect, even if their social media profiles try to project it

We are not made to do this life alone

We need to know Him, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord

He gave His life to save us and to reconcile us to God

Give faith a chance, spend time learning about Jesus Christ and His birth, His life, His teachings, His death and His resurrection

Pickup God’s Word and seek Him daily, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain

DSC_0144 publish

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

Proverbs 9:10 NIV

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

Our Faith And Actions

“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. 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. 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

Faith and Actions 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 the best example possible demonstrated for us in the life of Christ

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

We all need to stop condemning, blaming and complaining…let us strive to bring healing to this broken world

DSC_0841 publish

“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)

Greater Is He

“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

Nothing you are facing or will face in your life is greater then Him

DSC_0056 publish

“He must become greater; I must become less.”

John 3:30 NIV

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

Jesus

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:17 NIV

We are saved because of Him

We are forgiven

We can find joy, peace and contentment in life because of Him

Even when we have turned away from God, maybe for a long period of time because we are frustrated or mad or we have been overcome with doubt and fear

He calls to us, He cares for us and He is The Way back to a relationship with God

The things of this world will come and go…time, money, people and friendships

The one constant for us, the one thing we know we can rely upon no matter what is happening or where we are in life…we can always rely on the love of Jesus Christ

Give Me Jesus by Jeremy Camp

2012 224 publish

“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10 NIV

(This photo was taken while hiking on the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Prepare The Way For The Lord

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b] as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

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

Mark 1:1-3 NIV

God’s story and God’s plan is greater than our self-oriented 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 job 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 when He returns

DSC09993 publish

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

John 3:36 NIV

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

Greater Is The One Who Is In You

“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

DSC_0056 publish

“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…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 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

DSC01214 publish

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

“…as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[a]
“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

DSC09993 publish

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 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

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

DSC_1543 publish

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

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.
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

DSC01214 publish

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)