Trust God

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 at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)

Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is, There Is Freedom

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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

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV

There Is Freedom by Josh Baldwin

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“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants[a] of God.”

1 Peter 2:16 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling through southern New Mexico)

God’s Promises

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“When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.“

Isaiah 43:2 NIV

Father God, Your Word is filled with promises for my life

Often times my circumstances distract me from Your faithfulness

As I read and re-read Your promises fill me with comfort and peace that surpasses understanding because I believe You are working for good at all times

In Jesus name, Amen

You Say by Lauren Daigle

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“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

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

Trust

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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.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Father God, when we are anxious and afraid, we will put our trust in You

We will rely on You no matter what comes our way because You are our source of strength and safety

You guide us and You fight for us

When we draw near to You, we have nothing to fear, because we know that You are in control

We know You will never leave us or abandon us and so we put our trust in You

In Jesus name, Amen

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken on a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Choose To Live A Holy Life

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“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Matthew 7:24-27 NIV

God created us and gives us free will to choose how to live

Our lives and how we live will either show that we love God and trust in Him or that we reject God and His will for us

Each of us gets to decide how we will live and how we will treat others

We cannot control what others will think, say or do…we can control how we choose to respond

Father God, guide us and help us make decisions that honor you and show love for each other.  Amen.

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“For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken along Beartooth Pass near the border between Montana and Wyoming)

He Restores You

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“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

1 Peter 5:10 NIV

We need time with God every day

When He is our source of life

We will know peace

We will be able to rest

He will renew us and restore us

If we try to go our own way…we will be consumed by sin

Trust in the Lord

He will restore your soul and give you all that you need

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“He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]
    for his name’s sake.“

Psalm 23:2-3 NIV

(This photo was taken while driving through North Dakota)

He Knows You

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“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

“That’s not what I meant”…”I wish they knew me better”…”I don’t feel like I fit in”…”Nobody understands me.”

Have you had moments like this?

I have been there before…

You can be surrounded by people but feel like you are isolated

God knows who you are, He knows what you can do, He knows how you think and He cares for you

If you feel like you are off the rails in your life, it is time to get back to God

He is waiting to hear from you

He is the Creator, the one who formed you and has been right there with you every step of the way in life

Turn towards God

Trust in Him

He knows all about you and loves you unconditionally

May you see the blessings from God in your life each day

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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. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

(This photo was taken on the shore of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin)

Keep Doing Good Things

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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

We reap what we sow in this life

This does not mean we can earn our way into heaven by doing the right things

It means whatever we go out and do in the world will come back around to us at some point and none of us knows or can control how or when that will happen

This is further proof that God is in control and it is our responsibility to choose our behaviors and our actions in our daily life

We cannot control what others will think, say or do, yet we can control how we respond

Let’s keep doing good things

May the Fruit of the Spirit flow through us each day

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“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.  Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:7-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

A Prayer Of Declaration

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“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

Lord Jesus, we believe You are alive

We believe You are ever-present and working in the world

We believe no matter what circumstances we face, You are good

We believe You weep, mourn, and rejoice with us

We believe You are our God and our Redeemer

We believe You are making all things new

We believe You are making each one of us a new creation

So come what may, Jesus, we place our faith, our hope and our trust in You

In your Name we pray, Amen

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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 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Our Faith And Actions

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“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

John 15:5-7 NIV

Faith and Actions are linked and interwoven together

A faith journey begins on the inside, molding and shaping our thoughts and our attitude

As we grow, we begin to show what we have learned in our actions and our behaviors towards others

We have the best example possible demonstrated for us in the life of Christ

He not only spoke the Words of faith and taught others, he went out and lived it

We all need to stop condemning, blaming and complaining…let us strive to bring healing to this broken world

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“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.  My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:11-12 NIV

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