The Price Of Salvation

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:13 NIV

Father God, thank You for sending Your only Son to save us

Thank You for creating a way for us to know You personally

Becasue of Jesus’ sacrifice, our sins are forgiven!

Please help us never take that for granted

Help us to recognize and glorify You in every area of our lives

In Jesus name, Amen

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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

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

Our Rock…Our Stronghold

“I love you, Lord, my strength.

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 NIV

Life is hard…there seems to be difficulties, struggles, pain and suffering, hardships of every kind everywhere we look

Yet there is hope!  How?  Where?  With the Lord who is our Rock and our refuge

The world rejects Jesus as Savior and His way seems upside-down according to the world’s values

But God, the Creator of all things, and following Jesus is the path to hope

God will have the final say about the world and He will make all things new again

Trust in the Lord, trust His will and His way…He is our Rock

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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 NIV

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

Relationships

19 We love because he first loved us

1 John 4:19 NIV

The attitudes and behaviors we choose to use towards each other are significant factors in our relationships

If we are self-centered, we will have many difficulties in our relationships

If we over extend ourselves in serving others and lack self-care we can become unable to help anyone

Our guide for daily living can be found by spending time with Jesus and reading God’s Word

Feeding our faith and doing it daily is the best thing we can do to influence all other areas of our lives

The most important relationship we will ever have is with our Lord and Savior, when we start with that and stick to it, everything else will get better

May you be comforted by God’s love today

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

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

God Of All Comfort

“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, 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

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

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

“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)

Trust What God Says…

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

You Say by Lauren Daigle

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“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 NIV

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

Seek Him First

“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

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;
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)