“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
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:3
(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
An action of hope means getting practical. Working and doing things with trust in God’s plan even when the circumstances don’t reveal it. Actions of hope are a way to live in faith and to put your trust in God. In Jeremiah 32 there is a story of Jeremiah buying a field at a time when Babylon was coming to capture the city…this was not a logical action at the time rather an action of hope because God had said the people will return to buy fields, build houses and live in this land. Destruction was coming yet Jeremiah bought a field. Turn towards God in faith and ask for His guidance for opportunities for you to take actions of hope in your life. Amen.
“…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
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling in North Dakota)
The Word of God will uphold you and sustain you…it will provide peace and calm in your mind and in your heart. Take time to memorize some verses…whichever ones speak to you. You will know them when you read them…then put them deep in your mind and in your heart where nothing and no one can reach them. Then at anytime and in any situation you can remember them to lead you and guide you. God’s Word is a gift and one of the ways He communicates with us. 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
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 14 Do everything in love.”
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
“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
(This photo was taken this past weekend at sunrise at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
1 John 4:4
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”
James 3:17-18
(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
“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
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for him!”
Isaiah 30:18
(This photo was taken in May of 2020 along the north shore of Lake Superior)
Do not be anxious or worried…be persistent in doing good things and in prayer. God works on His own time table not ours. He knows what you need and He wants to give you good things. He cares for you, trust in the Lord. Amen.
“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
“Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.”
Psalm 37:7
(This photo was taken in June of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)
Who better to lead us than our Creator? He knows everything about us…He knows about every aspect and every interaction of our lives. He knows and He still loves us and wants what is best for us, even when we don’t know what that is. Turn towards God and ask Him to lead you through this day and every day of your life. Amen.
“You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.”
Psalm 139:1
“Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23-24
(Thjis photo was taken in May of 2020 at Palisade Head along the north shore of Lake Superior)
“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.
5 Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”
Psalm 37:3-9
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Matthew 6:33-34
(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling through North Dakota)
Believing in Jesus Christ and following God’s Word does not mean all of our troubles will disappear. In fact Jesus stated the truth about our trials very clearly…
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
So we know that we will face struggles and trials, how we choose to respond in these times can provide us a path to peace. If we are praying for the trial to just go away…we need to go back to the verse above and remember that is not what we have been told. As we read the Scriptures we learn that the only way past our trials is to go through them and we can do that because we are not alone. When we follow Jesus Christ and the things He has taught us we can find our way through our trials and we can learn from them…and that growth will make us better prepared for trials we will face in the future. Trust in the Lord…spend time in God’s Word everyday and He will guide you through all parts of your life. Amen.
“God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.”
Psalm 46:1
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Romans 12:12
(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)
