Sacrifice

God Of All Comfort

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“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Hebrews 2:18 NIV

“May your unfailing love be my comfort,
    according to your promise to your servant.”

Psalm 119:76 NIV

Good and gracious God, we need You – we always have

You are our source of strength, and You tell us to give You all our concerns

Replace any feelings of anxiety, fear, and uncertainity with Your peace and hope

Show anyone who is hurting that You are near, and You comfort those who call on You

Draw near to us as we draw near to You

In Jesus name, Amen

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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

He Cares For You

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10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10 NIV

When situations in life bring us down or when we are struggling and our path is difficult

Our human minds may wonder, ‘does God care what is happening to me?’

God is always with you…when you find yourself with a thought like this, stop and pray

Not some memorized words, rather a real heart felt prayer asking God to help you see your way forward

God does care for you…He sent His Son to die on a cross to save you and to be able to have a relationship with you

Seek Him and His will for you and your life and you will find peace

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“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

1 Peter 5:7 NIV

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

He Makes All Things New

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“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NIV

Each day we have the opportunity to live a new way

Let us approach life focusing on God’s plan rather than making new worldly plans of our own

Let us be filled with the Fruit of the Spirit

Let us run the race He has put before us

He makes all things new in a way we could never imagine

All Things New by Steven Curtis Chapman

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“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

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

Healed By His Love

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“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

1 Peter 2:24 NIV

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

1 Peter 2:1 NIV

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“For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:14-19 NIV

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

Seek Him First

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“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33 NIV

Jesus Christ…He sacrificed Himself to save us

No matter what has happened in our lives, no matter what we have done or left undone

He is waiting for us with open arms…to renew and restore us

He is ready to do that for you and me and for others in our lives because He loves us and He loves them too

Jesus Christ is the way…He is the only way to fellowship with God

The Way by Housefires

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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 near Glacier National Park in Montana)

Surrender

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“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?“

Mark 8:34-36 NIV

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.”[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

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“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

James 4:7 NIV

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

Christ-Centered Humility

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“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

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

Lord Jesus, You showed us what true humility should look like

Thank You for Your kindness and grace toward us

Please show us how to have the same attitude toward others that You had toward us

Teach us to love others unconditionally and sacrificially…for Your glory, and their good

In Your Holy Name, Amen

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“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 NIV

(This photo was taken at a park in Winterset, Iowa)

Daily Living By Faith

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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. 2 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 NIV

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV

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“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

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

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, Satan and our flesh tell us

To look out for ourselves and satisfy ourselves first and most often

This is the sinful nature and it has taken hold of us

God has a plan to redeem us

He provided the Way back into a relationship with Him

To live with purpose and it is based on a personal relationship with His One and Only Son

Jesus Christ

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

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

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is what we reflect on this week and this day

It is ‘Good Friday’ because of Who God is and What Jesus has done for us

Think about it…His Sacrifice as our Savior for our Salvation

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

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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)

But God…

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“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Genesis 50:20 NIV

“David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.”

1 Samuel 23:14 NIV

“My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.”

Psalm 73:26 NIV

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 NIV

These are just a few of the verses that remind us no matter what we are facing

No matter what we think is not possible or unchangeable

God can do anything

The world will tear us down…Satan will lie to us…

Even our own flesh wants to do the things we do not want to do

Just remember, we are powerless on our own

But God can do anything…

And it is possible that the next moment of our life might be a “But God” moment

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“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 5:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)