prayer

Resurrection Sunday – He Has Risen!

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“The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”

Matthew 28:5-6 NIV

The truth about all of life…only God can bring us peace

And Jesus is the One who has proved it

Reflect today on how much God loves you

And rejoice in what the risen Savior Jesus has done, is doing and will do to show you this love

Happy Easter!

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“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.  As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said.  “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified.  He has risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid him.”

Mark 16:4-6 NIV

(This photo was taken on a lake in central Minnesota)

We Believe

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“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:9 NIV

Today is Saturday…the day after the crucifixion and the day before the resurrection

Imagine how the disciples felt on Saturday

A struggle with doubt and fear, and feeling alone?

How often have you lived a day like this?

It is times like this that we are left with the question

What do you believe?

Does death and darkness prevail or is He who He said He is?

Our hope and our salvation depend on how we answer this question

For me the answer is in the lyrics of a song…We Believe by The Newsboys

We Believe by The Newsboys

In this time of desperation
When all we know is doubt and fear
There is only one foundation
We believe, we believe
In this broken generation
When all is dark, You help us see
There is only one salvation
We believe, we believeWe believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life
We believe in the crucifixion
We believe that He conquered death
We believe in the resurrection
And He’s comin’ back again, we believe

So, let our faith be more than anthems
Greater than the songs we sing
And in our weakness and temptations
We believe, we believe!

We believe in God the Father!
We believe in Jesus Christ!
We believe in the Holy Spirit!
And He’s given us new life!
We believe in the crucifixion!
We believe that He conquered death!
We believe in the resurrection!
And He’s comin’ back again!

Let the lost be found and the dead be raised!
In the here and now, let love invade!
Let the church live loud, our God we’ll say
We believe, we believe!
And the gates of hell will not prevail!
For the power of God, has torn the veil!
Now we know Your love will never fail!
We believe, we believe!

We believe in God the Father
We believe in Jesus Christ
We believe in the Holy Spirit
And He’s given us new life!
We believe in the crucifixion!
We believe that He conquered death!
We believe in the resurrection!
And He’s comin’ back,
He’s comin’ back again!
He’s comin’ back again!
We believe!
We believe

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“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

John 6:35 NIV

(This photo was taken at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

The Word Of God

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“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Ephesians 6:17 NIV

“You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.”

Psalm 119:114 NIV

Keep God’s Word close to your heart

Read it, memorize it, use it to pray

Let it be in your heart

Let it be on your mind

It will lead and guide you in your daily life

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“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Peace

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“For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.”

Ephesians 2:14 NLT

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27 NIV

Peace comes from God and God alone…not from ourselves or the world

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“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 4:6-7 NIV

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

Savior…Sacrifice…Salvation

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“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

The world tells us to pursue money, comfort and the easy life

To look out for ourselves and satisfy ourselves first and most often, this is the sinful nature and it has taken hold in many people

There is a way to be different and to live with purpose and it is based on your personal relationship with Jesus Christ

He loves you, He gave His life to save you and His way is the only way to God the Father

Spend time reading God’s Word and learn about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus

He came down from heaven and sacrificed His life to save us from our sinful desires

Think about what He has done, His Sacrifice as our Savior for our Salvation

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“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6 NIV

(This photo was taken on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Commitment

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“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

John 15:7 NIV

Father God, I want to seek You with all my heart

You are my everything…so let my thoughts and actions match my words

Help me draw closer to You

Guide my decisions and inspire me with new dreams

I want to honor You with all that I am and all that I do

In Jesus name, Amen

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“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

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

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

Read Isaiah 53 to learn how Jesus would submit to God’s plan to save you and me

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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 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

The Commission

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“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”

And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah 6:8 NIV

The Commission by CAIN

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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 28:18-20 NIV

(This photo was taken at Big Sky Resort in Montana)

God’s Love Is For You

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

Romans 5:8 NIV

The Creator of the universe knows all about you and He loves you and wants a relationship with you

Look what He has done to ensure that you have the opportunity to believe in Him and spend time with Him

The Old Testament is a back and forth of God and His people growing close together and people wandering off and then coming back together…so in order to put an end to the cyclical back and forth God put His plan together to reconcile us to Him once and for all

He put His plan into action at just the right time and now because of the sacrifice and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the penalty for our sin has been paid and we can be with God for eternity

He did it for you…He did it because He loves you that much

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken at sunset at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Character Building

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“Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:3-5 NIV

Father God, I am Your child

Thank You for adopting me into Your eternal family

Please shape my heart

Teach me how to act in a way that honors You in my daily life and circumstances

Help me correct my thoughts and perspective along with any patterns of behavior in my life that displease You

Replace these things with characteristics that show how much I love You

In Jesus name, Amen

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“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 at sunrise at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)