How He Loves by David Crowder Band
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at the Nakalele Blowhole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)
love
An Encounter…
Many of the Books in the New Testament are a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the people in the churches He started. They are meant to teach, encourage and guide the people. They are also His prayers for them. Paul, formally known as Saul, had an encounter with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus and from that point forward everything single thing He did the rest of his life was about shining a light on Jesus Christ. When we read his letters, we learn about Jesus and a new life that puts faith first. Amen.
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:16-19
(This photo was taken in June of 2013 near Garden of the Gods Park in southern Colorado)
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Nobody…
Nobody Loves Me Like You by Chris Tomlin
“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
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)
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God’s Love
It is powerful…it has been sent to us in the form of His one and only Son…it can flow through us when we show love to one another…it has stood the test of time and it will endure forever. Amen.
“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 4:9-12
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)
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His Word
When we read His Word, we learn…when we read His Word, we are renewed…when we read His Word, we are encouraged…when we read His Word, we feel His love. I recently came upon another way to enjoy God’s Word. It is an app called the “Bible Lens”…when you download this app onto your phone it will look through your pictures and try to align a bible verse to your photos and create a new image with God’s Word on it. As you can expect some have been “just ok” and others have been amazing. Here is a photo from my phone regarding God’s Word…
Make time and find ways to enjoy the Word of God in your daily life. Peace be with you. Amen.
“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105
(This photo was taken in August of 2018 on a golf course in northwestern Wisconsin. The bible verse creation is courtesy of the Bible Lens App)
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Love
God loves you. His love means more and is more powerful than anything in this world. Live at peace and share His love with others…how? Start by picking up God’s Word and read His messages of love to you…His love runs throughout the bible. Love is described in terms we can understand in 1 Corinthians 13…it explains you could have all the money and knowledge and power the world offers and if you don’t have love you are nothing…then it explains how to live out love…
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13
Happy New Year and may God’s love be with you and shine through you each day of your life. Amen.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at the Nakalele Blow Hole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)
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Merry Christmas
At Christmas time and throughout the year put Christ in the center of your life…with Christ you will know Hope, you will know Peace, you will know Joy and you will know that the Love of Christ in your heart will help you overcome anything this world can throw at you.
May we all see and know God’s blessings in our lives this Christmas and carry them with us all through the New Year. Amen.
Merry Christmas!
Christmastime by Michael W Smith
“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:11-14
(This photo was taken in December of 2013 while on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)
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Compassion
Care…concern…gentleness…tenderness…kindness…mercy…understanding…love. God is compassionate. If we would choose compassion over self-centered behavior more often it would make such a big difference in this world. An act of compassion doesn’t have to be recorded and go viral to be meaningful…one act of compassion that benefits one person that nobody else knows about is just as valuable as one that encourages many. Jesus Christ has set us the example of care, concern, gentleness, tenderness, kindness, mercy, understanding and love…let’s strive to follow His lead and show compassion to others. May God’s love, joy and peace be with you. Amen.
“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”
Psalm 145:8-9
(This photo was taken in June of 2016 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)
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Self-Awareness
This is defined as knowledge of one’s own feelings, motives and desires. If we are able to understand more about ourselves, we can become more confident in our values and purpose. Being more self-aware will also improve our relationships and interactions with others. For example, if our motives and desires center around self-satisfaction we will most likely have difficulty in relationships as we are not accounting for the needs of others. There is a balance between self-care and helping others that we should strive for and we don’t have to do it alone. God is with us and because of Jesus Christ we can ask for guidance in finding this balance. May the Fruit of the Spirit be in you and flow through you. Amen.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
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Advent Season
Today is the beginning of Advent. The season of preparation and expectant waiting to celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas and His return at the Second Coming. We have many resources to help us observe this season, with calendars, candles, special devotionals, etc. Observing the rituals is one part of the process, actually preparing our hearts and minds with the meaning behind these symbols will help us to grow in our faith. For me the Advent wreath and candles are the symbols I choose to learn more about, there are four candles one for each week. Some traditions include a fifth candle called the Christ candle. As with many things different religions have different ways to celebrate these weeks. My preferred 4 themes are:
Hope–Peace–Joy–Love.
Hope is confidence in God’s faithfulness…even when everything going on around us is telling us something different, we can have hope because we know that God is working for our good in all things. Spend time this week reflecting on where you have seen God at work in your life or in the lives of others and renew your hope by remembering these things. Remember with God all things are possible. Amen.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13
(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in northern Colorado)
Take Your Faith With You 