Jesus

He is all we need.  He is the way to God for us.  He took the punishment we deserve.  The words He spoke when He was here are written in red in the bible.  If you want to learn more about Him, pick up a bible and read the Gospel of John.  Believe in Him, He is the Son of God, our Savior and our Lord.  No matter what you are going through, no matter where you are and no matter what you have done, turn towards Jesus…He is waiting to hear from you.  Amen.

Give Me Jesus by Danny Gokey

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“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

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

Here I Am To Worship

Wherever you are, whatever is going on in your life, take time for worship.  God is with you and He is waiting to hear from you.  Nothing that the world offers can compare with the blessings we receive from God.  It is never too late to turn back to God, no matter how far off you have wandered, God still loves you and will forgive you…turn towards Jesus and renew your relationship with Him.  May the peace of God be with you.  Amen.

Here I Am To Worship by Michael W. Smith

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“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Revelation 3:20

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Truth Is In God’s Word

We can search the whole world over and never find the happiness that the human race is searching to discover…what we seek in not of this world.  True joy, love, peace and contentment can only be found with Jesus Christ.  The Bible has stood the ultimate test…the test of time.  It is based on truth and actual events in history…it is the unchanging Word of God.  It is given to us so that we can learn and live our lives centered on Christ and not ourselves or our personal agendas.  Read God’s Word daily and seek Him, for He is with you every step of the way.  Amen.

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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God  may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

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

He Lives In You

Jesus Christ is the foundation of our faith.  Not only because of what He did when He was human on earth and not only because He sacrificed Himself for us and died on a cross or because He rose…He is the foundation of our faith today because of all these things and the fact that He Lives in us.  Before He ascended, He promised the Holy Spirit would come to those who love Him and do as He commands.  In the Gospel of John 14, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit and explains our connection to Him through the Spirit.  The love of God can be found in the hearts of people and can be shared with others…it is up to each of us to seek Him and trust in His way rather than our own.  May you be encouraged by the Holy Spirit within you today.  Amen.

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On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.  Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father,and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

John 14:20-21

(This photo was taken last weekend at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

How We Spend Time

None of us knows the time we have and yet we easily take it for granted.  The people in our lives and our relationships with them will end up meaning more than anything else in this world.  As each generation lives through the phases of life, we all have different experiences and opportunities to share with each other.  We eventually will get the opportunity to share with the next generation and that is what we truly will leave behind when we go home to the Lord.  If you are thinking about your time, turn towards Jesus in prayer and ask Him to guide you to living your life more closely aligned to God’s plan.  May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you.  Amen.

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Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

Ephesians 5:15-17

(This photo was taken last weekend at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Relationships

The attitudes and behaviors we choose to use towards each other are significant factors in our relationships.  If we are self-focused, we will have many difficulties in our relationships or if we over extend ourselves in serving others and we lack self-care we can become unable to help anyone.  Our guide for daily living is found by spending time with Jesus and reading God’s Word.  Feeding our faith and doing it daily is the best thing we can do to influence all other areas of our lives.  The most important relationship we will ever have is with our Lord and Savior, when we start with that and stick to it, everything else will get better.  May you be comforted by God’s love today.  Amen.

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

2 Corinthians 5:17

(This photo was taken in July of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

The War Between Guilt And Grace

We are forgiven…Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins…we can let go of our guilt and live in God’s grace…because in the battle that rages on within us and within others…Grace wins everytime.  Amen.

Grace Wins by Matthew West

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“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—”

Ephesians 2:8

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Give Thanks And Praise

The Lord gives us blessings…He knows each of us and He cares for us.  Some blessings are talents or natural skills we can use to share abundance with others…some blessings don’t feel like a blessing but are intended for us to learn from, in these times it can be difficult to stay true to faith and to look for God in all of it.  He is right there with you, no matter what has happened, no matter who you have lost in this life.  Spiritual maturity comes by walking with God and trusting in Him.  Give thanks and praise Him for His love, His mercy, His forgiveness and His grace.  Amen.

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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:5

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

Hope

Our faith relies on hope and our hope is eternal because of Jesus and what He has done for us.  The events and circumstances of our lives are constantly trying to snuff out all hope…if we get distracted and put ourselves in the center of our lives instead of Christ, it becomes difficult to see any hope.  When we choose to live this way, focused on the self, we will be frustrated, disappointed and feel hopeless.  When we turn our attention to the Lord, when we read God’s Word and we pray we can find hope once again.  As it is written in Matthew 19:26 “…With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”  May the hope that is found in Christ be with you this day.  Amen.

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“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 July of 2017 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconson)

God’s Word

When we open up and read the Word of God, we can sense the Spirit that God has planted within us.  Our faith is living and breathing and needs to be fed.  God’s Word renews us, encourages us and centers us on Him and His plan for us.  His Word is truth, it is fact based on actual events in history and His Word gives us life.  May God’s peace be with you and flow through you each day.  Amen.

Word Of Life by Jeremy Camp

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:1

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)