Truth

The Cross Of Christ

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“The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:56-58 NIV

Come as you are…no matter where you have been…no matter what you have done or left undone…come to the Cross of Christ…you have been forgiven and you will find peace.  Amen.

The Cross Has The Final Word by Newsboys

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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 June of 2015 while traveling in South Dakota)

God’s Presence

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“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.”’[e]

Acts 2:28 NIV

He is always with us…any comfort you have, any joy and peace, any courage you need…it comes from God. The presence of God brings good things to us…the sin of world brings bad things. Turn towards God and give thanks for all that He does for you. Amen.

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“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

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while standing in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

The Word Of God

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.”

Psalm 119:105 NIV

“You are my refuge and my shield;
    I have put my hope in your word.”

Psalm 119:114 NIV

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“For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25     but the word of the Lord endures forever.”[a]

And this is the word that was preached to you.”

1 Peter 1:24-25 NIV

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

He Carries Us Through…

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?”

Psalm 27:1 NIV

Struggle…conflict…suffering…darkness…pain…difficulties…uncomfortable.  We all encounter these moments in our life.  There is no way to avoid them and if we spend our time trying to avoid them we are mostly likely hurting ourselves and others.  The one true source of peace, courage, strength and perseverance is Jesus Christ.  He is strength in the struggle, He is calm in the conflict, He is peace in the suffering, He is light in the darkness, He is healing for the pain, He is answers to the difficult times and He is our comfort when we are uncomfortable.  Nothing is impossible for our God.  Seek Him and His Word and you will find rest for your soul.  May you see and sense the presence of the Lord in your life.

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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 July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Holy Living

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“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:2 NIV

The people in our daily lives, the family and friends we interact with every day, these are the people on earth who know the most about us.  How we treat each other, whether or not we trust each other, these are the cornerstones of our relationships.  It is too easy to take others for granted or think they will always be there because for such a long time they have always been there.  Yet things will happen in this broken and sinful world or time and age itself will catch up with every single person, and one day you may get a phone call that will change everything in an instant…they are gone.  None us really knows what life has in-store for us each day, only God knows.  He doesn’t make the bad things happen, the sins of the human race have done that…however, He will bring comfort, He will bring courage and He will bring His presence to strengthen us.  Let’s strive to not take people and relationships for granted, each day.  I pray we attempt to live our best and show others the light and love of Christ that we have so graciously received.  Amen.

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin)

Be Strong And Courageous

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“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 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 1:7-9 NIV

It is so easy to get caught up in uncertainty…we want to take control and try to force our desired outcomes.  Many of us spend years trying to grasp that which is beyond our control and get anxious and worry when things don’t go the way we want.  In the Old Testament Moses and Joshua are excellent examples of trusting God with uncertainty, being obedient to Him and trusting His way even though we have doubts.  At the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of the book of Joshua, Moses dies and Joshua is being promoted to fill his shoes.  Just like Moses was apprehensive to lead the people out of Egypt, Joshua is uncertain he should be the one to lead after Moses.  In both situations God reassures them to “be strong and courageous because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) We would do well to listen to these words when we are uncertain and have doubts about situations and events in our own lives.

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?“

Psalm 27:1-2 NIV

(This photo was taken in Spetember of 2022 in Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming)

Give Thanks To The Lord

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“Praise the Lord.[a]

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.”

Psalm 106:1 NIV

We are saved by grace.  We can not earn it nor do we deserve it.  It is a gift from God.  Let us give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for us.  He is with us, He loves us and He will never leave us.  Amen.

Forever by Chris Tomlin

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“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 along Beartooth Pass in Montana)

The Glorious Truth That Changed Everything…He Is Risen!

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“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 NIV

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“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”

Mark 16:4-7 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2020 at sunrise by a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Holy Saturday – Rest and Reflect

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“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.”

Romans 6:6-7 NIV

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“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.”

1 Peter 4:1-2 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

He Did It All For You

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“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV

From Genesis to Revelation the over-arching theme of the Bible is God’s love…this love is not a guarantee that life will be easy and always pleasant…yet it is a love that is consistent, based on facts and comes to us directly in the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Open your heart and mind to Jesus every day…everything He did was done for you.  Amen.

End Of The Beginning by David Phelps

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

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