Sacrifice

The Hope Of The World

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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…”

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

“…the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.”

Colossians 1:5-6 NIV

God is greater than anything in this world.  It is in Him that we can find hope.

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Surrender

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“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Luke 9:23-24 NIV

God doesn’t need us to make the plans and try to control the outcomes…and frankly living this way often leads to disappointment and frustration.  I read once in a devotional these words…’God does not need our help or cooperation in establishing purpose in our lives…only our surrender.’  This is true, we need to remember that God is with us and within us always and at all times…instead of thinking He is only near when we pay attention or recognize His presence.  We need to ask ourselves…What have I been trying to plan and control that I need to surrender to God?

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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 in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Contentment

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“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”

1 Timothy 6:6-9 NIV

The worldly ways and worldly values say ‘get more’, ‘you need more’, ‘you are not enough’…this is evil working to keep us focused on ourselves and not on God.  The truth is we are not enough on our own and never will be…we need God and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to save us.  We can’t earn it and we don’t deserve it.  When we recognize that because of sin we will never be good enough on our own, with humility, we can turn towards God who has saved us by sacrificing His Son and live content knowing we are saved by faith.  Amen.

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“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:11-13 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Jesus

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“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:17 NIV

We are saved because of Him.  We are forgiven.  We can find joy, peace and contentment in life because of Him.  Even when we have turned away from God, maybe for a long period of time because we are frustrated or mad or we have been overcome with doubt and fear.  He calls to us, He cares for us and He is The Way back to a relationship with God.  The things of this world will come and go…time, money, people and friendships.  The one constant for us, the one thing we know we can rely upon no matter what is happening or where we are in life…we can always rely on the love of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Give Me Jesus by Jeremy Camp

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“…I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

John 10:10 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2012 while hiking on the North Shore of Lake Superior)

You Choose Each Day

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“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15 NIV

God created us with free will…the ability to choose our actions and behaviors.  The reason is because a love worth having is love that is chosen, however, the risk is people will choose to reject God.  We were created out of love and as we live we can choose whom we will follow.  Love is found in actions…How will you choose to live this day?

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“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV

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

Freedom Isn’t Free

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“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Galatians 5:13-15 NIV

Freedom requires humility, sacrifice and a willingness to put the needs of many before one.  Freedom is the result of human beings working together for a common cause…not by shouting and trying to tear others down.  Freedom is earned through courage and a belief in something greater than self.  Jesus Christ is the one who provided the example of sacrifice and the willingness to forgive…we all would do well to read about Him and His example of love.  Time to put down the flaming arrows of hate and to serve one another in love.

Thank you God, for all the people who serve and have served in the military services of this country…thank you for their willingness to put themselves in the line of fire so others can prosper.  I give thanks for them and their families that sacrifice so much in the name of freedom for all of us.  Amen.

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“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at Mount Rushmore National Memorial)

Be A Light In The Darkness

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“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.”

1 John 1:5-7 NIV

One of the most difficult things for many of us is being different from our surroundings.  When our foundation for being different is rooted in God and the Fruits of the Spirit we can be sure we are standing on solid ground.  None of us is equipped to judge the actions and behaviors of others.  When we are confused or lack understanding that is a time to pray, listen and learn.  It is hard to be different yet God created each of us to be unique so that together we could build community and use our gifts to strengthen the body of Christ.  I pray we all seek to learn how God wants us to use our gifts each day.  Amen.

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“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 standing on one of the Covered Bridges near Winterset, Iowa)

But God…

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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

God’s grace is greater than all of our sins.  We know we are weak and we live in a fallen world…God knows us too.  He knew we needed a way of salvation and He provided it through Jesus Christ.  When temptation comes we need to turn towards God and His Word to strengthen us, the same way Jesus spoke the Scriptures when Satan tempted Him in the desert.  When you do make a mistake or fail to resist temptation…remember this phrase, But God,… call on Him because His Grace is greater than our sin.  Amen.

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“God made him who had no sin to be sin[a] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)

Redeemed

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“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 NIV

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

Romans 5:8 NIV

Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave

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“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

1 John 4:9-10 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Be Different

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“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

1 John 2:15-17 NIV

“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 12:2 NIV

Wash your heart and mind with the truth in God’s word.  We all are broken and sinful in this world and we need Jesus.  The world will flood us with lies about what to believe and turn us away from God.  We need to seek the wisdom that comes from God not from the world…plant the Word deep into our hearts daily to guide our attitudes and perspectives and to live out the love He has given us in every aspect of our lives.  Amen.

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“But that is not the way of life in Christ that you learned about. 21 You heard about Christ and were taught about life in him. What you learned was the truth about Jesus. 22 You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That’s because it has been made impure by the desire for things that lead you astray. 23 You were taught to be made new in your thinking. 24 You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.”

Ephesians 4:20-24 NIRV

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at Falls Park near Sioux Falls, South Dakota)