prayer

What’s Different?

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How has your faith shown up in your daily life?  When you reflect on your attitude, your perspective and your daily living and compare it to a previous point in time, what do you notice has changed?  Some of our old ways have faded, some are taking longer to adjust…this is the process of spiritual growth.  Not everyone will encounter a burning shrub in the desert like Moses or directly encounter Christ on the road like Saul who became Paul.  Our journey will be different, yet our God who is with all of us is the same.  Be aware of who you are, the people in your life and what you can offer someone in need right where you are and pray.  Pray for wisdom and courage, pay attention to what God is up to in your daily life.  That alone will be different than the way we were before.  Amen.

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“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.  Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

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

True Hope

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People are constantly seeking answers to difficult questions in life from a worldly point of view.  Approaching situations with this perspective and mentality leads to phrases like…’I don’t know what else to do’…’It will never get better’…’I have tried everything’…’I give up.’  We were not made to do things alone.  We are created out of love and that love is from God.  He wants a relationship with us, all that is good in our lives is from God.  Darkness and evil, the bad things in life, are rooted in sin which is the way of this world.  Our hope, our peace comes from God and our time spent in our relationship with Jesus Christ, His Son, our Lord and Savior.  Be renewed by the hope that we have in Jesus.  Amen.

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“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.”

2 Corinthians 4:7-8

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Madeline Island in Lake Superior)

His Sacrifice = Grace

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We can have a personal relationship with our Creator.  We are redeemed.  We have been saved from wrath.  The punishment we all deserve has been delivered onto Jesus Christ.  We are forgiven.  All of this has been completed because of the grace of God and His love for us.  Jesus gave up everything and suffered the worst things this world can deliver…to save us.  Let us give thanks to Jesus for His incredible sacrifice and let us live our lives in pursuit of the Fruits of the Spirit in our thoughts, our words and our actions.  Amen.

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“For is is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is a gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9

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

 

Perseverance

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Don’t quit…don’t give up…get up…keep going…keep seeking…keep trying…believe.  Here we are back to talking about attitude and perspective.  Attitude is formed over a period of time by experience and observation.  The things we chose to take in with our senses have significant impact on the formation of our attitudes.  Things we chose to read, what we chose to listen to, etc.  What is interesting here are the words…we chose, what we decide to spend our time on plays into our attitude.  We can develop the courage to persevere in difficulties and tough times or we can be stagnant and let those times defeat us.  To be clear none of this occurs in 140 characters or less…it takes time!  My personal definition of perseverance is be patient and be persistent and believe good things will come.  If you are unsure what to do about this, may I suggest a book?  Start with the bible and a sincere prayer to God and as the song says, let Jesus take the wheel.  Amen.

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

James 1:2

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

How We Treat Each Other

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The changing of the year signifies a milestone, a break point, a natural point in time to reflect and to begin again or renew or start over…we say things like ‘this year is going to be a good year’ or ‘I hope the next year is better than last year.’  We never truly know what the next year or even the next day will be like or if we even will be given the gift of life to live tomorrow, or next year.  We so easily slip into taking the days and life in general for granted…until something happens and you lose someone.  When 2018 started I had no idea we would lose 3 relatives this year…I did not know that the last time I said good-bye to my Dad on a Sunday in early August that he would not live to September.  In fact on August 30th, 2018 none of us knew, including my Dad, that Sunday August 31st was the day he was going home to the Lord.  Life is a gift…people and relationships are far more valuable than anything else this world offers you.  We are created out of God’s love to bear good fruit to others in the world and to be loved.  Life is a gift, let’s do our best not to take it for granted…every day we are allowed to wake up we should be thankful to God and treat others the way we would like to be treated.  Amen.

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“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

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

Measuring Success

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The measure of success we have in our life depends on which race we have chosen to run.  Have we decided to pursue the race of the world, chasing money and possessions, constantly consuming and comparing our standing or our place in the world with others on social media?  Or have we been working on pursuing the race marked out for us by God’s will?  Making faith more important than things, focusing on our relationships, how we treat others and seeking to grow in our spiritual life.  God has given us the gift of free will and so we have the ability and the responsibility to choose which race we will run.  No matter where we are today, God is with us and we can trust in Him by turning to Christ in prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit to guide our path.  Best of luck to you and to everyone in your race today.  Amen.

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Hebrews 12:1

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Comfort And Peace

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It is astonishing to discover the comfort and peace that God can provide with His presence when we surrender control and strive to not only listen to the Word of God but actually do what it says.  The process of surrender takes time and I have only sensed this amazing comfort and peace on few occasions because…well old habits die hard.  The self is stubborn.  One occasion most recently was when my Dad went home to the Lord, unexpectedly.  I clung more tightly to the words in my bible and prayed more passionately…and as promised, God carried me through and is still carrying me and my family onward.  The hardest part is trying to avoid slipping back into old habits or old ways of thinking, especially after sensing such a closeness with the Lord.  The comfort and peace we seek and that God offers every single person is available to us today and everyday…if we are willing to put aside our selfish ways and desires and put our hope in God.  Amen.

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“The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.  The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9

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

Goodness

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This is one of the Fruits of the Spirit.  In our dictionaries it is defined as ‘the quality and state of being good.’  I see it as a summary word…things that go into goodness can include…being helpful, selfless, supportive, kind, generous, a good listener or serving the needs of others.  There are several ways to express goodness in our every day life.  It is up to us to choose an attitude that will reflect goodness in our actions and our behaviors.  I pray we all tune into the Holy Spirit living within us and seek goodness and righteousness wherever we are in life and the world.  Here is a quote associated to John Wesley that speaks about doing good:

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

John Wesley

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“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”

Matthew 5:6

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

Relationships

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Communication…kindness…compassion…courage…commitment…time spent together…love.  There are so many things that can get in the way of this list of characteristics that support a strong relationship.  The world feeds us self-focused ways of living and that is exactly the opposite behavior needed for a strong relationship, yet people wonder why relationships are so hard?  The key to perseverance is building a relationship on a solid foundation.  That foundation is love.  More than a feeling, love is about behaviors and attitude…Jesus Christ has provided the example of love for us to follow and if we are willing to surrender self and live in this love we will begin to see our relationships get repaired, renewed and restored.  I pray we all seek the guidance of the Lord for our relationships.  Amen.

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“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:31-32

(This photo was taken in March of 2013 at the Botanical Garden at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)

God Renews Our Strength

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When I read God’s Word different verses and phrases will seem to stick out more than others from time to time.  This is our time to listen…God is speaking to us through the same words His Son spoke so long ago.  In the devotional bible I have been reading I have either highlighted or marked with little stars some of these verses…I have also taken time to make a list in the front of the book of the verses that speak to me the most or the most often.  This morning, on this day of worship, after completing my daily devotional I have read many of those on the list and in doing this I have literally felt peace and comfort washing over me.  If you are looking for something that seems to be missing in your life or in your heart, go look for it in the place God has provided…His Word of life.  I pray we seek the wisdom of God in His Word to renew our strength.  Amen.

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“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

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