prayer

Spiritual Renewal

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Our spiritual life, our souls rely on being fed and nourished just like our physical bodies.  If we take time to feed our faith, ask questions, seek to learn and grow through many activities, we are encouraged and our faith can grow stronger.  If we set aside our faith and seek only self-satisfying activity our faith will be weak, withered and unable to stand up against sin and destructive behaviors.  This is not about fitting time with God into our lives, rather it is surrendering and having God lead us and guide us to the people and activities that need us.  Spend time with the Lord each day and be renewed by His presence.  Amen.

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“One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.”

Psalm 27:4

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)

A Prayer

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There are many people written about in God’s word.  They were people with lives on earth and time after time we read about the things they did in their life…they did some really bad things…lived sinful lives and hurt themselves and each other…scroll through your social media feed…turn on the a news channel…how are we any different today?  We all have the same human sickness…sin and sinful behaviors.  One person in the Old Testament, David, is described in Acts 13:22 as ‘a man after God’s heart’ this same man committed terrible sins when it came to a woman named Bathsheba.  When confronted about his sin David wrote the words of Psalm 51 as a prayer for forgiveness of his sins.  I find verses 10-12 of this Psalm powerful verses to memorize as a prayer when you are tempted by sin.  May God’s grace and peace be with you.  Amen.

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12

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

Prioritize

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Put first things first…when you don’t know what to do…when a decision is lingering and you are procrastinating…turn towards God’s word and pray.  The more we put our relationship with Jesus first, the better we will be able to function in our daily lives.  Too often, we want to keep God in a box off to the side with a sign that states ‘In Case of Emergency Break Glass.’  God wants more of a relationship with you every day, for every part of your life.  Assess your relationship with the Lord and make spending time with Him top priority.  May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you.  Amen.

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“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 6:31-34

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

Keep Doing Good Things

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Not for your benefit, rather for the benefit of helping others.  We reap what we sow in this life.  This does not mean we can earn our way into heaven by doing the right things…it means whatever we give out into the world will come back around to us at some point and none of us knows or can control how or when that will happen.  This is further proof that God is in control and it is our responsibility to choose our behaviors and our actions in our daily life.  We cannot control what others will think, say or do, yet we can control how we respond.  Let’s choose to keep doing good things.  May the Fruit of the Spirit flow through us each day.  Amen.

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“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:7-9

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Love And Serving Others

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Love is so much more than a feeling…it is actions and behaviors.  It is about looking at the needs of those you love and being willing to serve them…not so you can keep score…rather, you serve them out of love and care for them.  To live and serve in love is not about expecting something in return, that is something the world is teaching.  The world will always push the selfish mentality in relationships which fails.  Be willing to serve in love because you know and trust that God will provide for your needs.  Amen.

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“Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at the Nakalele Blow Hole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

 

Pray

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When you don’t know what else to do…when you are grateful for what you have been given…when things are going well…when things are not going well…pray.  God wants a relationship with us, through every part of life…the good, the difficult, the peaceful times as much as the stressful times.  The best relationships are built on communication with one another.  Turn towards God in prayer…open up your heart and trust in Him…He loves you; He cares for you and He is waiting to hear from you.  Amen.

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“pray continually…”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

(This photo was taken in August of 2012 on hike along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Humility

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One popular quote of the well-known professor and author C.S. Lewis states, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”  It is not about changing your perception of you, rather it is the intentional act of thinking about and considering the interests and needs of others.  The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was completed in order to reconcile us to God…Jesus Christ had to humble Himself to become like one of us and lay down His life to save us.  You may be thinking, ‘that’s pretty extreme humility’ and it is, yet that is how much God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you.  Turn towards the Lord and seek humility in your daily life.  Amen.

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:3-4

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a park near Winterset, Iowa)

Doubt

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Everyone has doubt.  We all experience moments when we question…’where is God in all of this?’ or ‘Why is this happening?’  This has happened to people throughout history.  Even the disciples, who lived during the life of Jesus on earth had doubts.  Having doubt and questions is natural and it is a starting point to explore and learn, so what do you do to find answers to your questions and your doubts?  God wants us to have questions and to ask Him…having doubt and questions is ok…what you do with those doubts and questions is key to your faith journey.  Amen.

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“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  “Come,” he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:28-31

(This photo was taken in July in 2016 at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Be Transformed

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To change…modify…reshape…rebuild…reconstruct…renew.  A transformation is the creation of a new way, a new way of thinking, a new approach.  For something or someone to be transformed the old ways and old thoughts must be broken down so that the new way can be created.  Transformation is personal and it is not easy…we should be careful that we do not assume that one person’s transformation will be the same as another person.  The greatest power we have in the transformation process is prayer.  Take time to be with God in prayer and be transformed.  Amen.

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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.  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

(This photo was taken in October of 2018  at a park near Winterset, Iowa)

Seek God’s Will

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When we pray the Lord’s prayer, which is written in the Gospel of Matthew 6:9-13, verse 10 states…“your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  Take a moment to think about that…we are asking for the will of God to be done on earth every time we pray this prayer.  So, after we speak the words, what’s next?  God’s will is done by people willing to seek Him and His will rather than their own wants and desires.  But then we think, ‘then I won’t get what I think is right for me.’  The thing is what we do receive is so much more than we ever imagined possible on our own with our own plan.  We need to learn to trust in the Lord and seek His will.  Amen.

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“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…”

Colossians 1:9-10

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