“I love you, Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield[b] and the horn[c] of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalm 18:1-2
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:1
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)
Jesus Christ was treated as poorly as any human ever has been treated by others in history to the point of death…and yet as He hung on the Cross in which He was crucified on for our sins, He spoke these words…
“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34
If we do not find the way to forgive others it is us who will be destroyed…not those who have wronged us…no matter what they did.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Luke 6:37-38
(This photo was taken in June of 2015 while traveling in South Dakota)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Colossians 3:12-14
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)
“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”
Romans 8:31-35
“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,[b] 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
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:6-8
(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 4:6
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)
“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”
Romans 5:19
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8
(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
We must be willing to give forgiveness, to let go of bitterness, anger and pain as our Father in heaven will forgive us. Forgive, be forgiven and you will find peace. Amen.
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Matthew 6:14-15
(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)
When we have wandered off…messed things up…did things our own way and are feeling scattered and confused…the first step to reconnecting with God is to pray. When things are going well and we have a sense of courage and confidence…the first step of gratitude is a prayer of thanks to God. If we strive to make prayer a priority, we can move from reacting in prayer to proactively praying about each day and the events and issues we are facing every day. The more we pray the more our relationship with God will grow and the better equipped we will be for the journey. Amen.
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14
(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the north shore of Maui, Hawaii)
Come as you are…no matter where you have been…no matter what you have done or left undone…come to the Cross of Christ…you have been forgiven and you will find peace. Amen.
The Cross Has The Final Word by Newsboys
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20
(This photo was taken in June of 2015 while traveling in South Dakota)
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.
“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)
Take Your Faith With You 