Unity

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Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians…

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:1-6

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while driving northern in Colorado)

God’s Presence

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The words of Jesus according to the Gospel of John…

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:9-12

(This photo was taken by my daughter in August of 2016 near Dillon, Colorado)

Jesus Knows How You Feel

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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, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

It is so easy for us to get distracted by events and the words of this world that make us feel terrible.  That is about the time we let our self-talk, you know, the talk in our minds about how alone we are, how nobody really understands…been there, done that myself, too often!

The thing is Jesus does know, he came down from heaven and lived as a man on earth.  He lived an everyday life, not just a miracle making life.  He interacted with people, he got frustrated with others, he felt grief and sorrow, he went to weddings and funerals, he was treated poorly by many and treated with love and respect by others.

He lived a life on earth just like you and me…no matter where you are, how you are feeling, trust in Jesus, talk to him about it today…

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin.

Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:14-16

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while driving through Nebraska)

Listen And Learn

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Solomon the son of David became king of Israel and when God came to him and told him to ask whatever he wishes and it will be given to you…Solomon made a choice very few people would…

“Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

2 Chronicles 1:10

God blessed him with significant wisdom and knowledge, more than any other person had ever been given.  The Book of Proverbs is a collection of many nuggets of wisdom spoken by Solomon and therefore it has many great instructions for life…and again most of these items are simple statements of truth that are not always easy to live out.

If you have had difficulty wondering where to start in looking at or reading the Bible, try starting in Proverbs it has so many great lessons to remember for everyday life.

“Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.”

Proverbs 19:20

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

What Is Faith?

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As is it with anything in life the answers are within the Bible, take a few moments to look at the Book of Hebrews, chapter 11.  It begins…

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1

As it continues it provides several examples of faith represented in the lives of biblical heroes, who despite their circumstances, persevered in faith to trust God even when everyone around them told them differently.

The statement above is simple, living it out is not easy…we need daily interaction and a growing relationship with the Lord in order to stay on course.

Faith is not an event or a destination it is most definitely a journey!  May God’s peace be with you today as you take a few more steps along the way.

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while driving near Pike’s Peak in Colorado)

 

Reflect and Give Thanks

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

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

Psalm 100

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 on a lake near Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Seek First His Kingdom

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“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 6:33-34

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while driving in northern Colorado)

Be Courageous

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Paul writes in one of his letters to the Corinthians…

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

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs, Colorado)