Praise

It’s All About Jesus

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“The name of the Lord is a strong fortress;
    the godly run to him and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10 NLT

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:9-11 NLT

The answer for everything and anything comes when we turn towards Jesus Christ.

Heart Of Worship by Michael W. Smith

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

Psalm 18:2 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 while driving in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Give Thanks To The Lord

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“Praise the Lord.[a]

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.”

Psalm 106:1 NIV

We are saved by grace.  We can not earn it nor do we deserve it.  It is a gift from God.  Let us give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for us.  He is with us, He loves us and He will never leave us.  Amen.

Forever by Chris Tomlin

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100 NIV

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

Praise The Lord

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“Praise the Lord.

I will praise the Lord.
2     I will praise the Lord all my life.
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

3 Don’t put your trust in human leaders.
    Don’t trust in people who can’t save you.
4 When they die, they return to the ground.
    On that day their plans come to nothing.

5 Blessed are those who depend on the God of Jacob for help.
    Blessed are those who put their hope in the Lord their God.
6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth and the ocean.
    He made everything in them.
    He remains faithful forever.
7 He stands up for those who are treated badly.
    He gives food to hungry people.
The Lord sets prisoners free.
8     The Lord gives sight to those who are blind.
The Lord lifts up those who feel helpless.
    The Lord loves those who do what is right.
9 The Lord watches over the outsiders who live in our land.
    He takes good care of children whose fathers have died.
    He also takes good care of widows.
But he causes evil people to fail
    in everything they do.

10 The Lord rules forever.
    The God of Zion will rule for all time to come.

Praise the Lord.”

Psalm 146 NIRV

Let Everything That Has Breath by Matt Redman

Put your trust in God for everything…for anything.  Every day, every relationship, every worry, every fear, every moment of thanks…praise the Lord.  He is with, He loves you more than you know…praise the Lord.  Amen.

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“The Lord says,

“Those who trust in human beings are under my curse.
    They depend on human strength.
    Their hearts turn away from me.
6 They will be like a bush in a dry and empty land.
    They will not enjoy success when it comes.
They will live in dry places in the desert.
    It is a land of salt where no one else lives.

7 “But I will bless anyone who trusts in me.
    I will do good things for the person who depends on me.
8 They will be like a tree planted near water.
    It sends out its roots beside a stream.
It is not afraid when heat comes.
    Its leaves are always green.
It does not worry when there is no rain.
    It always bears fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:5-8 NIRV

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

Daily Living By Faith

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“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

Each day is a new opportunity to live out our faith.  To surrender to the Holy Spirit that God has placed in our hearts and strive to live out our purpose.  God’s Word has told us to love God, love others and share the Good News.  He has given us the example of how He wants us to live in Jesus Christ…in the way that Jesus lived and by what He taught in His ministry.  God has prepared everything for us…and He has given us free will to choose how we want to respond…how will you choose to live your life today?

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“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 during sunrise along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Seek First His Kingdom

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Portions of this post were originally published in February of 2021…

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33 NIV

“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.”

James 4:7-8 NIV

What is at the center of your life?  What do you value above all else?  If you are unsure, look at where you spend your resources of time and money.  As you reflect, where is God in your priorities?  I began this type of review and reflection process over 10 years ago in my own life…I did not feel good about the answers I was seeing then and have been working on doing better ever since.  This blog started in 2013 as a part of my journey and has grown and changed as I have over the years.  One of the very first aha moments in my faith journey was when a clear thought came to mind…‘it’s not about me’…the it is anything and everything.  When we strive to put Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him first in life, we will begin to discover a new life.  During this season of reflection what do you see?

We Believe by Newsboys

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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.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

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

An Invitation To Worship

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 NIV

Christmas is a time to gather and praise the Name that is above every Name on earth…Jesus.  Throughout the Scriptures He invites us to come to Him and it is only with Him that we can find peace.  So, amid the busyness we bring on ourselves during this season…make time to stop…sit in the quiet and worship the coming of our Savior and Lord.  He came so that we could be with God.  In the spirit of the season, I extend an invitation to all of you.  No matter where you are in the world you can come to worship service at Christmas at the church my family attends.  Below is a link to times for both in-person or online worship services this weekend.  May we all know the peace that God provides by sending His one and only Son for us.  Merry CHRISTmas!

Eagle Brook Church

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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.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 while traveling on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Waiting…

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 “In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to come true. The Holy Spirit was with him. 26 The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. 28 Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,

29 “Lord, you are the King over all.
    Now let me, your servant, go in peace.
    That is what you promised.
30 My eyes have seen your salvation.
31     You have prepared it in the sight of all nations.
32 It is a light to be given to the Gentiles.
    It will be the glory of your people Israel.”

Luke 2:25-32 NIRV

Oh, the waiting…our world is always sending out messages to hurry up…save time and literally “don’t wait” act now before…you get the point.  Once again, the world pursues the exact opposite of what we hear from God’s Word.  God wants us to walk with Him…not ahead of Him or on our own without Him.  His timing is perfect because it is His plan.  In Luke 2 we meet Simeon, who had been waiting his whole life to see God’s promise fulfilled in the Messiah…as he expected the promise was fulfilled just like every other promise God has made.  The last promise to be fulfilled is when Christ returns…and so we are waiting for that day and while we wait let’s be like Simeon and be good, do-good things, be godly and be faithful to God’s Word.  How are you doing while you wait?

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

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“Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. Instead, he is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins.”

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIRV

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

Praise The Lord

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“Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his holy temple.
    Praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his powerful acts.
    Praise him because he is greater than anything else.
3 Praise him by blowing trumpets.
    Praise him with harps and lyres.
4 Praise him with tambourines and dancing.
    Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes.
5 Praise him with clashing cymbals.
    Praise him with clanging cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord.”

Psalm 150 NIRV

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“Praise the Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good.
    His faithful love continues forever.”

Psalm 106:1 NIRV

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling through North Dakota)

An Invitation

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This is a follow-up on yesterday’s post…no matter where you are on your faith journey, now is the time to worship.

Here I Am To Worship / The Call by Hillsong Worship

This is an invitation for you to come to or come back to God in worship…my family and I came to find this church through an invitation and so this is what I am sharing with you.  Our church is starting a new message series this weekend September 11-12 and I invite you to check it out online…no matter what your circumstances are in life, no matter where you are in the world, come to worship.

Eagle Brook Church

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
7 for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.”

Psalm 95:1-7

Eagle Brook Church

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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…”

Matthew 28:19

(This photo was taken in June of 2015 while traveling through South Dakota)

An Invitation

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Today’s post is an invitation for you to come to or come back to God in worship…my family and I came to find this church through an invitation and that is what I am offering today.  Our church is starting a new message series this weekend September 11-12 and I invite you to check it out online…no matter what your circumstances are in life, no matter where you are in the world, come to worship.

Eagle Brook Church

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
7 for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.”

Psalm 95:1-7

Eagle Brook Church

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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…”

Matthew 28:19

(This photo was taken in June of 2015 while traveling through South Dakota)