love

To Know Him And To Make Him Known

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“This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom
    or the strong boast of their strength
    or the rich boast of their riches,
24 but let the one who boasts boast about this:
    that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
    justice and righteousness on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV

Our purpose, to Know Him…our ministry, to make Him Known.  Amen.

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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 in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Peace From God’s Word

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

The Bible is God’s Word given to us to lead us, teach us and encourage us in our lives.  It is an instruction manual for life.  Teaching us about how God wants us to live and about having a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ.  It has been translated in to languages for people all over the world and it is continuing spread so that one day every person from any walk of life can connect to God through His Word.  We can do our part by learning about what is says and putting it into action.  Read God’s Word…Do what it says…and you will enjoy God’s peace.  Amen.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:8-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2021 at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

His Sacrifice For You

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“But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5-6 NLT

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIV

He came down from heaven and was born as a baby.  He lived and taught…He was beaten, spit on and made to carry the Cross He would die on.  He comitted no sin and took the punishment for all of our sins.  He suffered, He was crucified, died and was buried and He did it all for you.  Then God raised Him from the dead and He is alive!  Thanks be to God for the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me so that we can be reconciled to God.  Amen.

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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. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.“

John 3:16-18 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Obedience…Walk In Love

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“And this is love:  that we walk in obedience to his commands.  As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”

2 John 6 NIV

The commandments that Jesus himself recognized as the greatest commandments are about love.  Jesus said…“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and prophets hang on these two commandments.”  (Matthew 22:37-40)  One the most popular parts of the Bible 1 Corinthians 13 is all about Love.  So what does it mean to walk in love?  It is about attitude and behaviors towards God, yourself and towards others.  It does not mean all behavior is permissible…sin is still sin.  However, we are all guilty, we are all broken and we all do not deserve His forgiveness.  No one sin is greater than another, that is worldly talk.  When you want a reminder of what it means to walk in love go back and read 1 Corinthians 13, it speaks specifically to us about what behaviors constitute love.  May we learn to walk in obedience to God’s Word. Amen.

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“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

Romans 5:19 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2012 on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

Surrender

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“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

James 4:1-3 NIV

When we pursue goals to satisfy the self, we will become frustrated and disappointed…wondering why things don’t go our way.  We must learn to surrender our desires for what God has planned.  He can see everything; we can only see a small part of our lives.  This doesn’t mean do nothing…our job is to learn from God’s Word and keep doing good things as best we can with what we have been given.  Submit whatever you do to the Lord and you will find peace.  Amen.

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“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

James 4:7-10 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Believe

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“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:9 NIV

Believe.  Believe in God and His Son.  Believe that Jesus came down from heaven, was crucified, died and was buried…believe that He has risen and that He did it all for you.  It will change your life forever.  Believe it!

We Believe by Newsboys

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“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Romans 10:10 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 in Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming)

Gratitude

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“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.”

Psalm 136:1 NIV

“This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24 NIV

One of the first steps towards a new attitude is starting with gratitude.  Give thanks for what you have received…instead of worrying about what you don’t have.  Appreciate what has been done for you…instead of worrying about what others don’t do.  Stop comparing…start praising!  The path to a new attitude begins with gratitude.

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“See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 along the shore of Lake Superior in northern Wisconsin)

Do Your Best, Wherever You Are

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“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

Live out your day today…what is the next right thing to do?  Live in the present day, right where you are.  God is with you there…if we are always looking towards the past or the future or to when this or that happens we may miss what God is presenting to us right in front of us, right now.  Do your best for God today, wherever you are.

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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.“

Colossians 3:15-17 NIV

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

The Truth Will Set You Free

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“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32 NIV

Faith in God means believing the truth.  The truth that God sent His only Son to save us from our sins.  If we allow temptation and sin to rule our lives…it will keep us away from God we will be inviting trouble into everything we do.  If we follow the truth and put Jesus in the center of our lives, we will be free from sin.

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“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 16:33 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2022 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Prayer

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“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Romans 12:12 NIV

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

No matter what the situation or circumstances, don’t stop praying about it.  Don’t give up when God doesn’t meet your timeline, He knows more about everything than we realize.  Rather choose to trust in Him and His Way…He loves you, He cares for you and He is with you every step along the way.  Amen.

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“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.“

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2020 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)