Trust God

When You Pray…

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“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Matthew 6:5-8 NIV

Amazing things can happen that only God can do, when you pray.  It is not about the right words or the proper position…it is about what you believe!  Prayer is for all circumstances and is meant to be communication with God…not only speaking but listening and reading His Word so it can be planted in your heart.

Look at Jesus…when the devil tempted Him He responded with Scripture and when He was struggling to follow through on God’s plan He prayed…He prayed so hard that He was sweating blood.  When you do not know what to do, pray…when things are going well, pray…when you need help or to calm down, pray.  God is with you and He is within you…He is also waiting to hear from you.  So pray.

When We Pray by Tauren Wells

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“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Mark 11:24 NIV

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

God’s Presence

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“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 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.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;”

Isaiah 43:1-3 NIV

His Presence restores and renews us, it comforts us.  It provides for us even when we are not paying attention to Him.  He meets all our basic needs…our role is to believe in Him and obey His Word.  His Word is not a burden or a bunch of rules…His Word and His Presence give life, comfort, peace and hope.

Think about circumstances and events in your life that have occurred in the last few days, weeks, months and years…God was with you…so where did you see Him?  Trust in the Lord and remember He provides for you with His Presence.  Amen.

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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 in April of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)

Commit Your Way

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“Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him, and he will act.”

Psalm 37:5 NIV

Stand firm in faith.  Trust God and His plan for you.  We will not always see the way or understand His plan, yet we know that all good things come from God.  Amen.

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“…But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Believe

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“When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

17 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” [21] [a]

Matthew 17:14-21 NIV

We Believe by Eagle Brook Music

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“Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:29 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Arches National Park in Utah)

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

God has promised to be with you wherever you go…still when we look around at the world or at our own worries, fears and frustrations…it’s easier to shrink back than to be bold and courageous, to play it safe rather than to go forward trusting in God.  That is how living by faith is different than living the way the world promotes life.  We are inundated with messages of self-center living and behaviors and it takes courage to strive to be different.  Put your hope and your trust in God and His promises…follow the example of Jesus Christ.  Be courageous.

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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 2016 along Beartooth Pass near the Montana-Wyoming border)

Peace From God

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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

If you are wondering about having peace from God in your life there is only one Way to receive it…Jesus Christ.  He sacrificed Himself to death on the Cross to reconcile us with God.  This was God’s plan to save us from our sin and from separation from Him.  If you are looking for peace from God, be still, believe in Jesus, seek Him and you will find peace.

Peace Be Still by Hope Darst

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“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”

Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)

Trust…Commit

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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.”

Psalms 37:3-4 NIV

No matter what the situation or circumstances you are facing…good, bad, unknown…put your trust in the One who knows you, loves you and is walking with you through every moment.  Commit it all to Him and He will guide you on your path.

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“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 16:3 NIV

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

Stop Chasing After The Wind

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“For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. 22 What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? 23 All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.

24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

Ecclesiastes 2:21-26 NIV

The wisest person who ever lived learned that worldly values and pursuits are foolishness and he wrote it down to share with you and me.  I believe learning from others in history, especially those who had a close relationship with God, is an incredible opportunity for all of us.  This is why God has given us His Word.  Solomon also had the opportunity to do more than many of us ever will, so we would be wise to pay attention to his conclusion to matter.  May we take time to read and acknowledge the wisdom Solomon has left for us.  Amen.

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“Now all has been heard;
    here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
    for this is the duty of all mankind.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment,
    including every hidden thing,
    whether it is good or evil.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Surrender

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“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Luke 9:23-24 NIV

God doesn’t need us to make the plans and try to control the outcomes…and frankly living this way often leads to disappointment and frustration.  I read once in a devotional these words…’God does not need our help or cooperation in establishing purpose in our lives…only our surrender.’  This is true, we need to remember that God is with us and within us always and at all times…instead of thinking He is only near when we pay attention or recognize His presence.  We need to ask ourselves…What have I been trying to plan and control that I need to surrender to God?

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

Galatians 2:20 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

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.”

1 Timothy 6:6-9 NIV

The worldly ways and worldly values say ‘get more’, ‘you need more’, ‘you are not enough’…this is evil working to keep us focused on ourselves and not on God.  The truth is we are not enough on our own and never will be…we need God and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ to save us.  We can’t earn it and we don’t deserve it.  When we recognize that because of sin we will never be good enough on our own, with humility, we can turn towards God who has saved us by sacrificing His Son and live content knowing we are saved by faith.  Amen.

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“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:11-13 NIV

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