Teaching

Father’s Day – Relationships

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We all need need our Father’s, just as much as we all need our Mother’s.  Unfortunately, Father’s and Fatherhood has been under attack for a long time.  Many television shows and movies portray the Father as the doofus who just messes everything up or the stupid and incompetent one who is hardly necessary.  When most of society sees this as the role of the Father, it is no wonder that the family structure is disintegrating in this broken world.  If God is the God of everything then He needs to be the God of our families.  No matter what the current status is of our relationships, we need to invite Jesus into them with our Father’s and with everyone else in our family.  Honor your Father and Mother.  God designed the family structure for a purpose and it is for our good to honor the relationships we do have.  Love like God our Father loves us.  May God’s love, peace and joy be with you.

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“If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

Romans 14:8

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

The Lord Of My Everything?

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One of my struggles in faith is opening up to the Lord for everything.  Not only the parts of my life and my heart I think He wants to be involved in…that would be God on my terms.  It does not work like that.  God is the God of everything and Jesus Christ is Lord of all.  All of creation, all people in all nations since the beginning of time and His love for everything, His grace and His mercy will endure forever.  It is so difficult for my finite mind to comprehend the totality of God and His love.  He is more than the God of Sunday morning or Wednesday evening…He is more than the God of when I really need help or a crisis is happening…He is more than a beautiful sunrise or sunset when we feel more of His presence.  He is the Lord of housework, the Lord of daily errands, the Lord of trips to Grandma and Grandpa’s house, He is the Lord of where you work and what you do…He is the Lord of everything.  Period.  The best part of all of this means He is right there waiting to hear from you about all of it.  He is your Lord and Savior and even though that doesn’t mean everything will be easy and good He is with you through it all everyday.  May God’s presence, His love, His joy and His forgiveness be present in your life everyday.

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“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of the life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalm 23:6

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Be A Positive Example

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The news and social media focuses so much time and effort on the anger, sadness, deception and evil that exists in the world.  There are just as many good and positive things happening in the world each day…we just don’t get to see it or talk about it as much.  Don’t let what others like to focus on be your only perspective.  Feed your mind and spirit by reading God’s Word and spend time in prayer.  Look for the good and be the good that exists in the world.  It does not have to be on the national news or go ‘viral’ to make a difference to at least one other person.  Your life is a gift and you were made to be who you are by a loving God.  Seek His plan for your life and look to be the good in your daily walk.  May God’s grace and mercy be with you.

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“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

1 Peter 3:8-9

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota)

Angels All Around Us

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As we go about our journey of life God knows we will need His ever-present help along the way.  Creation has so much to offer us but we still live in a fallen world.  God is constantly sending in His angels to guide and protect us throughout our life.  Angels come in and protect us, and the help they provide is typically essential in our daily lives.  When you reflect on moments in your life where something incredible was avoided or times when a decision you made quickly ended up keeping you and others safe…do you believe angels played a part in the process?  I do.  God does not do His work alone…it is written about in the bible and I believe He has an army of angels working for the good of those who love Him.  May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”

Psalms 91:11-12

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

Holy Living

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We are broken but we are saved.  We are sinful but we are forgiven.  We live in a dark world but Jesus Christ is the light of the world.  For every statement about human life on earth God has provided an answer and hope for a future.  There is no need to dwell in negativity and sadness for an extended period of time.  Pick up the Bible and read God’s Word.  Read the stories of those who came before us and the real struggles they went through even when Jesus Christ was here on earth.  We will never be perfect but we will always have hope because of God’s love.  Choose positive responses to life’s questions and live your best holy life according to God’s Word.  May God’s peace and contentment be with you.

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14

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

Take Refuge In Him

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The world is an attacking place filled with darkness, deceitfulness and evil.  The only place to seek refuge from the storms of life is in God.  There are several examples in the Bible of people who were under attack by others or by circumstances surrounding them…Abraham, Elijah, Job, the disciples, Jesus etc.  They all took refuge in God, through prayer and listening.  We don’t have to have all the answers and we never will…we just need the courage to seek our relationship with God everyday and be able to listen and understand where He is leading us.  May you experience the peace and joy of God today.

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“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”

Psalm 18:30

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at Kaanapali Beach on the island of Maui)

His Love Endures Forever

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Just when we think, ‘I am sure God is upset with me’ or ‘why do I feel so distant from God’ or any other self pity thoughts about our relationship with God…He shows us again that His love is all around us.  Either through nature or through another person God shows up and reminds everyone He will never leave you or abandon you.  When we make an effort to start with gratitude for what blessings we have been given, we learn to better understand how God is working in our life.  God is love and His love is never-ending for us.  He gave His one and only Son to be a sacrifice for us, out of love, and He continues to know you and to bless you because His love endures forever.  May you see God’s love and peace present in your life.

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“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

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

The Holy Spirit – Counselor

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There are many times when we are praying to God and we just want Him to tell us in an easy to understand way, what should I do?!  One of the greatest freedoms God provides is free will.  He provides us the ability to decide our attitude and our behavior.  Better still He has given us the instruction manual for life, the Bible and the guide to walk along with us, the Holy Spirit.  The key to unlocking these resources?…Time.  In order to understand the instructions and to sense the direction of the Holy Spirit, we need to spend time studying the Word and time in prayer.  Jesus our Savior came and has saved us all from the defeat of sin and before He ascended into heaven He told of the Holy Spirit coming.  Tune in to the Counselor and seek direction and guidance from the Word of God.  May God’s love and joy be with you.

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“All this I have spoken while still with you.  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John 14:25-26

(This photo was taken yesterday while walking the dog in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Love Of God

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It may be hard to believe sometimes…it seems unfathomable, an error in judgement or even misguided from our perspective.  However, it is true…God loves you, unconditionally.  There is nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God.  It has all been tried over and over again throughout the Old Testament, so God took things up a notch and sent His one and only Son to triumph over all, forever.  He had it written about before it occurred in the Old Testament and then again after it occurred in the New Testament.  God loves you and He is right there with you, He knows the struggles and the victory you experience in your life every day.  Talk with God, thank Him for His never-ending love and seek His will as you go forward in your faith and life journey.  May God’s peace and joy be with you.

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 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

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while driving through North Dakota)

Forgiveness

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This is something we all want and need and yet it is so hard to give to others.  The part to work on is remembering this is not saying what someone did or said is Ok…forgiveness is making a commitment to not hold on to bitterness and hardness in your heart over something that happened in the past and can’t be changed.  We all make mistakes and we all will be making more mistakes in life, forgiveness is about the courage to move forward and to find joy, it is about letting go of the things in the past.  The best place to start to forgive is to turn to God in prayer, as He has forgiven you already.  Look up the serenity prayer and use it to speak to God about the forgiveness needed in your life.  May God’s grace and mercy be with you.

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12

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