Trust God

Prayer Is Powerful

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“Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is anyone one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;  the Lord will raise them up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.“

James 5:13-15 NIV

 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of the righteous one is powerful and effective.”

James 5:16 NIV

(This photo was taken near the border between South Dakota and Minnesota)

God’s Faithfulness

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“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV

Father God, even in the midst of many troubles, You are faithful

When we are tired, overwhelmed, burnt out or grieving, Your love still covers us

Thank You for showing us kindness and mercy every day

Your steadfast love endures forever

Great is Your faithfulness!

In Jesus name, Amen

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“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

(This photo was taken in Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming)

Patience and Persistence

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“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

Don’t give up…don’t give in…be encouraged, trust in the Lord’s way

Continue to pray for that person or situation

God is with you and He will lead and guide you

When you grow tired rest in Him…find peace in God’s Word

The one who persists and is patient is the one who will see God’s plan and God’s timing

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“pray without ceasing…”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 NIV

(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

God Watches Over You

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“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

Father God, in You I have all I need

When trials come sometimes I forget that You are in control

I need You to make me strong and courageous

Please give me courage I need to trust in You

Remind me that You are with me, and that You will continue to instruct and guide me no matter what happens

In Jesus name, Amen

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“The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.”

Psalm 121:7-8 NIV

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

Contentment

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“But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10 NIV

Contentment is found in a relationship with God

We can search for it in the many things the world offers

Yet those seeking it in worldly values have and will continue to find it unattainable in worldly pursuits

Put your hope in God and spend time with Him every day…

This is the path to finding contentment

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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

(This photo was taken in Rocky Mountain National Park)

The Spirit of Truth

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“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”

John 16:13 NIV

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth

Put your trust in the Lord and His will for your life…

His will may not be what you have planned for your life…yet God is the Creator and knows what is best for you

Stay close to the Lord and spend time with Him

Be in His Word and the Spirit of Truth will guide you

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“If you love me, you will obey what I command.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.  The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

John 14:15-17 NIV

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

Look For God In All Things

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12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 NIV

In the book of Genesis, the story of Joseph is an example of what it looks like to trust God at all times

Joseph suffers many hardships at the hands of others and yet keeps his faith in God

He trusts God and lives his life with a God honoring attitude and perspective even on the most difficult days

This attitude focuses more on what God is up to for our good and less on what others are doing to us

We have a much better chance of learning about what God is up to if we are looking for God in all things

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“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28 NIV

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

We Are Not Alone…God Is With Us

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6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV

Whatever the struggle…whatever the battle is in your life…physical, mental, emotional or spiritual…

You are not alone in your fight

God is with you

He tells us over and over again in the bible…Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20 and several more times

  Trust in the Lord, He has never broken a promise

His promise is to be with you for every day and for every situation

It is up to us to look, listen and to come near to Him

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“…because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5 NIV

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

Anything Is Possible With God

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“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37 NIV

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 NIV

Haven’t Seen It Yet by Danny Gokey

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

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

Peace Of God

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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27 NIV

Father God, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by circumstances that are beyond our control

We are easily distracted by things that don’t matter

Please forgive us for not consistently placing our trust in You

Even when we are faced with intense situaitons, You are still near

You are the Creator of peace, and we can have access to Your peace-filled presence whenever we draw near to You

Help us to make room in our hearts and minds to experience the peace You freely give

In Jesus name, Amen

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“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:7 NIV

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