Savior

Our Rock

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“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 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 Way 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 and 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 August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Surrender

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“And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.”

Luke 9:23-24 NIV

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20 NIV

His way is better than our ways.  He is the Creator of all things and all people.  He knows what you are going through and He cares for you.  Turn towards God and trust in Him.

I Give You My Heart – Hillsong Worship & Delirious?

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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

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)

The Truth

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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

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

You Say by Lauren Daigle

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“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Come Near…Trust God

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“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

James 4:7-10 NIV

Spend time reading God’s Word, take time to get to know Him.  Believe in God…put your trust in Him.  Turn away from self-centered living and begin to strive for God-centered living.  He loves you…He is with you…He is for you.  Come near to the Lord.

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“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

(This photo was taken in September of 2020 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

It Takes Courage…

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 NIV

Courage is not the absence of fear…Courage is the willingness to move forward without knowing the outcome…to admit we don’t know the answers…to be patient…to share and be vulnerable with another person.

Having courage is placing your trust in God ahead of fear…it is about not allowing fear to stop you or defeat you.  It takes courage to seek the Light…to surrender your plans for God’s plan…it takes courage to live the life that God has intended for you…and where can you find strength for courage?

In a relationship with Jesus Christ.  There you will find joy, peace, patience, and strength for courage. Seek Him and His will and live with hope from God.

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

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Nothing Can Separate Us

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 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. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

There is nothing on earth in your life that is more powerful than the love of God…nothing.  There is no situation or life circumstances that can separate us from God’s love.

Trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior…He came down from heaven and sacrificed His life to reconcile us with God…this is the greatest gift you will ever receive.  Nothing can separate us from Him, trust Him with every area of your life and you will know peace.

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“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 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Trust In The Lord…Praise Him

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“Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 37:3-4 NIV

Only God can do the things we wish we could control…only He can transform the way people think and change their hearts.  Faith is about trusting His way and His timing…be still and wait patiently for Him.  Keep doing good things according to God’s Word.

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“I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.”

Psalm 86:12 NIV

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

Learn, Share, Give Thanks

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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:15-17 NIV

Faith is a journey.  Not an event, not something we do to check the box…it is a life learning and life-giving experience.  We learn by reading God’s Word, spending time in prayer and through our own experiences…we share with others the things we have learned and we learn from others experiences.  We can help others by sharing the things we learn and we give thanks to God for all that He has done for us.

God is with you, right now, today and He wants a relationship with you…turn towards Him every day…learn from Him…share with others what you have learned and give Him thanks and praise.  Amen.

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“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling in southern Colorado)

The Truth Will Set You Free

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“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32 NIV

Faith in God means believing the truth.  The truth that God sent His only Son to save us from our sins.  If we allow temptation and sin to rule our lives…it will keep us away from God and we will be inviting trouble into everything we do.

If we follow the truth and put Jesus in the center of our lives, we will know peace.  Peace that surpasses all understanding.

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“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 at Big Sky Resort in Big Sky, Montana)

Love Is Action

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“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

1 Peter 4:8 NIV

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:10-11 NIV

Love is more than a feeling…it is action.  Love is grounded in behaviors not emotions.  The description of love in the bible tells us how to live when we love.

It is not about approving or accepting others or about being approved or accepted by others, rather it is about how we choose to live in our daily life and interactions.  What actions can each of us do today to demostrate love?  I pray that God’s love will be seen in each of us and flows through our actions every day.  Amen.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)