“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of suffering.”
1 Peter 5:6-9
(This photo was taken in October of 2014 while driving the north shore of Maui)
It takes courage and a strong personal relationship with God to surrender our will and focus on God’s will for our life. The world and the forces of evil want desperately for us to choose the easy path, the convenient way and not bother with God. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus was not focused on easy. In fact, it shows us and sets the example of what sacrifice looks like and what putting our trust in God can result in. A wonderful Pastor friend in my life taught me a lesson around Easter a few years ago…from the greatest of tragedies, pain and suffering comes the greatest joy, jubilation and triumph.
Jesus while praying in Gethsemane shortly before he was arrested, in one moment was pleading with God to ‘take this cup from me’ and then in the next moment he surrenders, ‘Yet not what I will, but what you will’ Mark 14:36 He knows what it means to suffer…He knows more about suffering, pain and tragedies in this world than many of us will ever see. Trust Him because He did it all for you.
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Psalm 37:5-7
(This photo was taken in June of 2013 near Badlands National Park in South Dakota)
“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set you 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
(This photo was taken in October of 2014 while on the island of Maui)
Jesus said while speaking to his disciples…
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
John 14:1-4
(This photo was taken last month at a lake place in central Minnesota)
“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. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such an opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Hebrews 12:1-3
(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while driving through northern Colorado)
“I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.”
Psalm 138:1-3
(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the north shore of Maui)
Two very important aspects of faith are patience and persistence. Patience to know that God is working in our lives according to His plan not our own ideas. Persistence to seek guidance from God to understand His plan so that we work together for His glory and our salvation. The verses below do not say you will get what ever you want or you will get the answers you desire or that every opportunity you want will come your way. One of the hardest part of transformation is to read the verses of God’s Word from a God centered perspective and not a self-centered perspective. May God’s peace be with you.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Matthew 7:7-8
(This photo was taken in June of 2012 while driving through northwestern Wisconsin)
When Jesus was speaking to his disciples…
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, i would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”
John 14:1-4
(This photo was taken in the summer of 2015 on a lake in central Minnesota)
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’.”
Matthew 19:26
(This photo was taken in March of 2014 in California near San Diego)
This is the first section I ever highlighted in my bible…we waste so much time not trusting that God will provide all that we need that it is difficult to get to what he intends our lives to be…
“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 important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you , O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:25-34
(This photo was taken in the summer of 2012 while driving to a lake in NW Wisconsin)
Take Your Faith With You 