love

Peace From God

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I saw a story about Mother’s Day and that the most popular request from Mom’s is to get a day away from their families.  This is not true for all Mom’s, there was even an interview with one woman who was planning the whole day with her family and she spoke with a tone of…I know I am odd, but I just want to be with them.  Wow, the human race is really messed up.  We all, myself included, are so naive to look at life with ourselves in the center…we have allowed Satan to influence our perspectives so much that we have created a society in which “me time” is more important than anything else.  We treat each other so poorly, that makes it hard to trust others.  The only refuge, the one source of truth and peace is Jesus Christ.  Seek Him and you will find true peace.  Amen.

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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Shine The Light

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To follow Jesus, to read the words He spoke and do as He instructed is to walk in the Light of Christ.  There are several references in the Bible to the darkness and the light.  Evil and sin lead us into darkness and keep us from our relationship with God.  When you find yourself physically in a dark room or outside on a dark night and you cannot see anything, what is your first instinct?  We were made to seek the Light…when we invite Jesus into our hearts and we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit we will have the Light of Christ and as we study God’s Word and build our relationship the Lord, we will learn how God wants us to shine His Light into the world.  Seek the Light of Christ that God has placed in you and ask Him how He wants you to let that light shine.  Amen.

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“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Free Will

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God has given us the gift of free will.  We are allowed to choose how we will respond to everything.  When you think about it after everything that God has experienced with the human race…why did He do this?  After all the things humans have chosen to do wrong starting with Adam and Eve, why allow us to choose?  I believe it is because real love, joy and goodness offered voluntarily is the only kind worth having…the risk, of course, is we are filled with sinful hearts and minds and we often choose poorly and that is why bad things happen in the world.  Use your free will to offer goodness, kindness, love and joy to others.  Amen.

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“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command:  “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-14

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Arches National Park in Utah)

Filling the Void

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We all are born with a void in our spirit.  We all have free will, it is a gift from God.  As we go through this life we make choices about what is filling the void.  We choose sinful behaviors and we choose spirit led behaviors.  It is up to each and every one of us to invite Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives…He will not force His way in without an invitation from us.  Say a prayer and ask Jesus Christ into the void in you and see what God has planned for you.  Amen.

The Motions by Matthew West

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“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where this is no water.” 

Psalm 63:1

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Attitudes And Actions Of Love

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Compassion…mercy…grace…forgiveness…humility…kindness…faithfulness…selflessness.  Who should we share these with?  Everyone…family…friends…neighbors…co-workers…strangers…people we will only pass by once in life today only to never encounter them again…look around at your surroundings throughout the day.  What is the source of this amazing love?  God, He is the source of perfect love.  Seek the Lord and you will find love, joy and peace.  Amen.

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“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.  God is love.  Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”

1 John 4:16

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Amazing Love

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There is no one in life that will be able to show us through their actions the love that God has demonstrated for us in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross.  His love endures through every aspect of our lives.  Through the greatest joys and through the deepest of sorrows…God’s love is surrounding each one of us.  No matter where you are or what is happening turn towards the Lord and you will find comfort in His love.  Amen.

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“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 fo 2014 at the Nakalele Blowhole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Consistent

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Steady…stable…unchanging…unswerving…unwavering…dependable…reliable…unfailing.  Always available, always with us.  How many things or people can you name in your life that meet this standard?  We all have faced and will continue to face trials and troubles, we will all suffer loss and feel like nothing is going right and think where is God in all of this?  He is right there with you…the most consistent and reliable thing in life is God’s Word and the one person you can always count on is Jesus Christ His Son our Savior and Lord.  Nothing in this world can compare to what is available to us through faith.  Read the Word of God daily and spend time in communication with Jesus and you will find peace.  Amen.

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8

(This photo was taken in July of 2012 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Prayer…Taste And See

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We are searching for answers to so many questions.  We are easily frustrated and begin to think negative thoughts.  We think that the only way to pray is with certain words or a certain way…God just wants hear from us no matter how or when we pray.  He desires a real relationship with us, not for us to perform the way we think He wants us to.  Pray with your words and your feelings, be willing to be honest with God and seek His will for your life.  Here are the lyrics and a song by Riley Clemmons to share her thoughts about prayers…

Broken Prayers by Riley Clemmons

I’ve been taught how to talk to you
Hold it together, make the bad look better
Say all the words that I’m supposed to
Bow my head, say, “amen”
Yeah, that’ll do
Making every dead end look like heaven
Like being okay is the way to reach you
But you’re not afraid of all the things I feel
So why am I afraid of being real?
You want my tears, every messy word
Every scar and every fear
You want all I have
With no holding back
When I’m hurt, at my worst
You meet me there
‘Cause you see the beauty
In my broken prayers
In my broken prayers
You don’t care if it ain’t poetry
‘Cause all of my edges
They’re a little rough
But that’s all I got to bring
‘Cause you’re not afraid of all the things I feel
Don’t have to hide the scars that still aren’t healed
You want my tears, every messy word (yeah)
Every scar and every fear
You want all I have
With no holding back
When I’m hurt, at my worst
You meet me there
‘Cause You see the beauty
In my broken prayers
In my broken prayers
Mascara running down my face
Desperate cry in a dark place
You take me that way
All of me
You want my tears, every messy word
Every scar and every fear
You want all I have
With no holding back
When I’m hurt, at my worst
You meet me there
‘Cause you see the beauty
In my broken prayers
In my broken prayers
In my broken prayers
In my broken prayers
My broken prayers
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“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
Psalms 34:8
(This photo was taken in April of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

God’s Peace

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As hard as it may be to believe there is true peace available during life on earth.  To find it, we must be willing to seek Him.  We must be open to surrender.  We need to be persistent in allowing God to transform our attitudes and perspectives to be more like Christ.  Peace will not be found rushing from here to there, always in a hurry, scrolling through social media feeds for hours…there is no peace in those things.  The comforts and conveniences the world offers do not bring peace they bring an unsatisfied longing for more.  The world offers to help you “save time” but for what?  The peace in our realtionship with God can teach us to appreciate the time we have and it can calm our spirit.  True peace can be with you…if you believe in Jesus, the next step is to turn to God and ask Him for His help in finding it.  Amen.

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“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

My Rock, My Fortress And My Deliverer

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The Book of Psalms is filled with songs and prayers of David that express a wide range of emotions.  As you may know I believe in the power of music and its ability to stir us up in the deepest places of our hearts.  I am thankful to those who have been blessed to create and produce music and do so out the love and passion they have to share their gifts.  Today the words to one of David’s songs strikes me as comforting.  I encourage you to read the entire Psalm 18…I will share the verse that grabbed my attention this morning below.  Peace be with you on your journey.  Amen.

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“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)