Spiritual Growth

The New Has Come

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There is always hope for a new way and it begins by having a new attitude or new perspective.  If you wish things to be different or you believe there is something missing in your life and you are not sure how to find it…you must begin by changing you.  There is a phrase/quote that is used by some groups that sums this up really well…’the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result.’  The bible also tells us this, we must become new again and see things with new eyes and a new attitude.  We don’t have to do this alone; we can begin by turning towards Jesus Christ and inviting Him into our hearts and minds.  May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you.  Amen.

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

2 Corinthians 5:17

(This photo was taken in February of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Quiet Time

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Busyness is a distraction that keeps us away from spiritual growth.  Living life at a frenetic pace not only wears down the body physically it also wears down and dulls your inner spirit.  We were made to be more balanced in our daily lives.  The example has been shown to us by Jesus…He often went off to be alone and pray, even when many people were clamoring to be with Him or near Him.  If you reflect on your life over the past few days, weeks and months…how much time have you spent quietly, in solitude, just you and God?  Seek balance in your daily life and you will find peace.  Amen.

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“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

Mark 1:35

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

Filling the Void

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We all are born with a void in our spirit.  We all have free will, it is a gift from God.  As we go through this life we make choices about what is filling the void.  We choose sinful behaviors and we choose spirit led behaviors.  It is up to each and every one of us to invite Jesus Christ into our hearts and lives…He will not force His way in without an invitation from us.  Say a prayer and ask Jesus Christ into the void in you and see what God has planned for you.  Amen.

The Motions by Matthew West

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“O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where this is no water.” 

Psalm 63:1

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Renew Your Mind

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A time for daily devotion and reading of God’s Word is critical to feeding your spiritual life.  It helps with perspective, attitude and gratitude, it can be a guide to living if we are willing to take time to know Him who saved us.  Jesus Christ is the center of our faith, He sacrificed everything to save us…we do not deserve God’s mercy and grace and yet He loves us so much that He offers it to us anyways.  We are sinful, but we are redeemed because of Jesus.  Renew your mind with God’s Word and a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Romans 12:2

(This photo was taken in September of 2014 on a walk in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Greatness Of God

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Good morning and peace be with you.  The God of all creation is with you and ready to lead you today.  There is nothing on earth greater than God and your personal relationship with Jesus Christ His Son.  Be thankful for the blessings in your life and extend the peace of the Lord to others throughout your day.  Amen.

The song I share today was just released early this year…

The Greatness Of Our God by The Newsboys

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“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”

Psalm 145:3

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling through southern New Mexico)

Servant Leadership

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This is a way of being a leader that has care and empathy for others as much as anything.  A servant leader understands that we is far greater than me.  They include others in decision making, they pay attention to the growth and potential of those around them, they are not only good for a group or organization, their presence is necessary for sustainable growth and success.  You know a servant leader when you see one as they tend to be different from the majority of leaders…they listen, they have high self-awareness and they are often shining a spot light on others.  The greatest example of a servant leader we have is Jesus Christ…He gave of Himself to everyone and anyone, no matter what the “rules” of society were at the time.  He taught others and set them up for growth and success, and with Him as their leader, the disciples spread the message that has changed the world like nothing ever has or ever will.  They shared the Good News and it is still impacting the world today.  They were leaders working to serve as they were taught, knowing the greatest success will come when you empower others to be future leaders.  Seek the Lord Jesus Christ and His leadership as He is always working for your good.  Amen.

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“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45

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

The New Creation

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We often believe the most difficult battles will come from what the world and others are doing to us.  The actual battle that is most difficult to fight is within, it is the battle against the self.  The self is stubborn, persisent and demanding, always wanting to be at the center of life regardless of how that impacts our actions and others around us.  We are blessed with the opportutnity to choose our attitude, our behaviors, our values and our beliefs.  Self-awareness is the first step in learning our tendencies and noticing the habits we have developed in our thoughts and actions.  Self-awareness is learned through self-reflection, knowing your strengths and weaknesses, understanding your values and learning what situations and people bring about an emotional response from you.  It often helps to keep a journal and it is important to invite God into the process…after all, He created you.  The more you learn the better prepared you are to grow and change.  Peace be with you on your journey.  Amen.

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

2 Corinthians 5:17

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wiconsin)

More And Less

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As we pray and read and learn more about Jesus and the examples He has provided us for living, our spiritual life should take on greater significance.  The development on our faith journey could be referred to as an inside out process.  We profess our belief in Jesus Christ and open ourselves up and ask Christ to come into hearts…we receive the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us change our thoughts, our attitude and our perspective.  A surrendering of self-focused living and an increase in Christ focused living.  The stronger we become in faith the better prepared we are to share the Good News with others in this broken world.  First God restores us on the inside and then He sends us out to share what we have learned.  I pray for courage and wisdom for all of us to be persistent in growing and nurturing our faith.  Amen.

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“He must become greater; I must become less.”

John 3:30

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while driving through southern New Mexico)

Distractions

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It is so easy to get caught up in the things of this world.  So easy to lose focus from our purpose and why we are here.  The world is full of distractions and it is when we take our eyes off of Jesus and our faith that we begin to feel things becoming overwhelming.  We need to continually find ways to feed our faith and seek spiritual growth.  To build our relationship with our Savior and keep our focus on living a life centered on faith.  Jesus Christ is with you, even when you aren’t paying attention to Him…turn towards Christ and trust in Him to lead and guide you.  May the peace and love of Christ wash over us in our daily life.  Amen.

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“Lord if it is you,”  Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”  ” Come,” he said.  Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried our “Lord, save me!” 

Immediately Jesus reached our his hand and caught him.  “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Matthew 14:28-31

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

The Narrow Road

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As we move along the journey of Faith and grow in our relationship with Jesus we will begin to see differences in what people are pursuing (ourselves included) and what we read and learn about in the Bible.  When we read things like…“All people will hate you because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” – Matthew 10:22  or  “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10  And there are many other verses in the Bible that make us squirm in our seats…as people living in this world, when we read these things it makes some of us want to ask “really? persecuted? hated? and then forgiveness, kindness and compassion?”

It is at that moment that we should stop and think for minute…close our eyes and see the Cross, see Jesus Christ hanging there…He was beaten, hated, persecuted and crucified and He went through all that and offered a prayer of forgiveness just before He died…He did all of this for me and for you.  A life living in Faith is not a promise of easy street and all happiness all the time…in fact it is the life you will often find that needs to take the road less traveled and know in confidence that there is One who showed us how to travel that road.  May we all find refuge and comfort with Christ. Amen

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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.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Matthew 7:13-14

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)