“Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.”
Proverbs 3:3 NIV
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”[a]
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
(This photo was taken at a park near Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.“
Romans 5:6-8 NIV
God loves us unconditionally
We do not earn His love; we do not deserve it
There are not certain things you must do or be to receive God’s love
He offers it to us through His Son and by His mercy and grace
Our job is to receive His love by seeking Him, spending time with Him and being in relationship with Him
We are to know Him
And we are to make Him known to others
There is no greater gift you will ever receive in this life than God’s love
Turn away from sinful thoughts and ways and live in God’s unconditional love
“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
(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior)
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NIV
The Creator of the universe knows all about you and He loves you and wants a relationship with you
Look what He has done to ensure that you have the opportunity to believe in Him and spend time with Him
The Old Testament is a back and forth of God and His people growing close together and people wandering off and then coming back together…so in order to put an end to the cyclical back and forth God put His plan together to reconcile us to Him once and for all
He put His plan into action at just the right time and now because of the sacrifice and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the penalty for our sin has been paid and we can be with God for eternity
He did it for you…He did it because He loves you that much
“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 at sunset at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
“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
“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)
“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
All actions and behaviors of violence and destruction against others are wrong
Nobody can rightfully condone violence at one event because it aligns with their opinion and condemn it at another…all actions and behaviors of violence against others are wrong
We need more listening that is seeking to understand even when we don’t agree
We need more kindness, more compassion
If we choose to condone violence at any time, against anyone…we are just going to get more violence in the world
Turn towards God, seek Him, seek understanding
Forgive as Christ forgave you
“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 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“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
“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)
“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.”
1 John 4:7-8 NIV
Each of us needs to ask ourselves…
Do I truly know Jesus or do I just know about Him?
There is a significant difference
To know that He lived and the things that He did and even the things He said is to know about Him
To know Him is to meet with Him daily and communicate with Him all the time
To know Him is to ask Him questions and express your true feelings to Him
To know Him is to do what He did in your relationships with others
To know Him is to take up your cross and follow Him
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Matthew 16:24-24 NIV
(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota)
“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[a]
1 Peter 5:5 NIV
Father God, You invite us into a peaceful relationship with You where we can be fully known and loved
You also invite us to pursue peace with others around us
Please help us to appraoch our relationships with humility, grace and wisdom
Grant us knowledge to recognize when we should speak and when we should listen as we pursue peace
In Jesus name, Amen
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Philippians 2:1-4 NIV
(This photo was taken at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)
Love God
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:5 NIRV
Love God and Love Others
“He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]””
Luke 10:27 NIV
Share The Good News
“So you must go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.”
Matthew 28:19-20 NIRV
Love God…Love Other People…Share the Gospel
(This photo was taken on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Ephesians 4:1-6 NIV
Character and attitude…how we treat each other in our daily lives
These are the things that show that we believe
Love is action
Learn from the example that Jesus provided in His life, death and resurrection
Live out your faith with your attitude and how you treat others in daily life
“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 photo was taken while traveling in northern Colorado)
Take Your Faith With You 