Trust God

Faith Over Fear

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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

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7 NIV

God is greater than anything we face in life

No challenge or difficulty is too much for God to handle

He is the Creator of the universe…He knows you…He loves you

He is with you every day, all the time

Put your faith in God and let your faith be greater than your fear

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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 Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

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

Prayer is communication with God…and your relationship with God will grow

When you pray…

When We Pray by Tauren Wells

“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 Rocky Moountain National Park in Colorado)

Do Not Worry…God Is With You

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“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?“

Matthew 6:25-27 NIV

No matter what the circumstances or the possibilities

Turn your worry into prayer

God is with you…God is within you

He will lead and guide you

Every day, all the time…even when you can’t see it

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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 Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)

Our Hearts

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“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Romans 10:9-10 NIV

Father God, open our eyes to what we are truly devoting ourselves to

Help us as we fight against selfish desires and worldly ways

We want You at the center of our lives

When we drift away refocus our hearts and minds on You, and Your Word

In Jesus name, Amen

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“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:1-2 NIV

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

Perseverance

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 1:6 NIV

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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 while traveling in northwestern Wisconsin)

Hope, Joy And Peace

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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 NIV

“You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Psalm 16:11 NIV

“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

We have hope because Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and He is alive

We can have joy when we understand that nothing in this life is too big for God to help us overcome

We can have peace knowing that God loves us, provides for us and will never leave us or abandon us

Know this hope, be filled with this joy and you will have peace that surpasses understanding

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“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 NIV

(This photo was taken at a Fish Sunflowers Field in Buffalo, Minnesota)

His Sacrifice, Our Salvation

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“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:31 NIV

Nobody loves us as much as God loves us

Jesus gave up heaven with the Father to come down to earth as one of us

From the glory of the angels singing to a manger as a baby on earth, to save us, yet there was no room for Him

Make room for Him in your heart, seek Him and trust in God

He loves you and wants good things for you

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“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14 NIV

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

He Makes All Things New

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“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Anything is possible with God

God can make all things new

Not on our timeline or when we want it…rather according to His plan and His timing

His plan and His way is better

God is with you and God is for you

He has shown you how much He loves you by sending His Son to the Cross to die for you and through the resurrection He has made your relationship with Him new

Choose God’s way and His plan…He makes all things new!

All Things New by Steven Curtis Chapman

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“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV

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

Strength To The Weary

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“Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

If you find yourself weary and weak…struggling and feeling defeated

There is Hope

Review our relationship with God.  When have you last spoken with Him?

Is He a part of everyday or just here and there as needed?

I know I have found myself guilty of living distracted by my circumstances more often than I like to admit…walking with God takes time and effort on our part

God offers us so much yet we still have to do our part to make a commitment to follow Him

He will give you strength when you are weary and weak.  Trust in the Lord and you will find strength

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“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

Jeremiah 31:25 NIV

(This photo was taken at The Chapel of Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)

Rest And Renew

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

We are not in control of what happens in the world

The daily news and events make that abundantly clear

The only thing we can control is how we choose to respond to things that do happen

The best thing we can do is turn towards Jesus

Give thanks to the Lord for the good things and ask for help and guidance for the difficult things

We don’t know and can’t control what will happen tomorrow yet we can trust in Him who sits on the throne of heaven

It is by drawing near to Him that we can find rest and be renewed

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“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31 NIV

(This photo was taken in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)