Compassion

September 20, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Understanding…care…concern…warmth…kindness…gentleness…mercy…love. God’s loves you…He knows everything about you and your life, everything. Even still He loves you and wants to have a relationship with you, so much that He sent His Son as a sacrifice to pay for your sins. Think of it this way…you have committed a crime and you are in a courtroom before the judge, you know what you have done, you know it was wrong…everyone else knows it was you…yet out nowhere a completely innocent man steps forward and says ‘I will take the punishment this person deserves’ and you are set free…that is exactly what God in the form of Jesus Christ has done for you…why? Because that is how much He loves you. Amen.

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“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.”

Psalm 103:8

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Strength

September 19, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

All that we need is provided by God. It is easy to give up and believe that something is never going to change or get better and frankly the majority of people do exactly that…the strength to keep working for good comes from God. Reading God’s Word and spending time with Him in prayer renews your spirit and your mind. When we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and we see what He has done, we know that God is working for our good in all things…do not give up…whatever it is, whoever it is…don’t give up…bring it to the Cross of Christ. Amen.

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“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13

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

Living Hope

September 18, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Hope in this world mostly gets aligned with wishful thinking in general conversations. This hope is not sure, not firm and is not based on belief. The hope talked about in the Bible is hope that believes and knows God’s promises for good things. This hope is supported by our actions and behaviors. The hope we receive from Christ is a hope that knows that God is for us and working for our good, even when, especially when the visible evidence is against it. The hope from God’s Word tells us to not give up or surrender to sin and doubt, rather know that God is with you and you can trust in Him…not for the things you believe you should have but for the things God knows that you need. May the God of all hope be present in your daily walk. Amen.

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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

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

This Is Love…

September 17, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Jesus came down from heaven…He came in human form as a baby…He taught the people how to live…He showed people kindness and compassion…He showed everybody love…He was treated terribly by others…He was beaten…He was tortured…He was crucified and died…and He did all of it for you and for me. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to save us. Thank you, Jesus…Amen.

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“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

1 John 4:10

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

Living In God’s Love

September 16, 2019 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

No matter where we are or what we are doing, God’s love is with us. In the Old Testament God’s people lived in exile for seventy years before they could return to the land He promised to them…in all that time God asked them to live their best with what they had. That is what He asks of us today…live your best, right where you are because He is with you. Amen.

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“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:31-39

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

Sing To The Lord

September 15, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Music can be an expression of what resides deep within us. It touches on feelings and emotions. Music is a language that spreads across the world, to all cultures and to all generations. It is a gift from God and it is a beautiful way to offer praise to the Lord. Amen.

Lifesong by Casting Crowns

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“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”

Psalm 95:1-2

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

Forgiveness

September 14, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What we need in the world more than anything right now is forgiveness…the longer people hold on to the pain and bitterness of past events that can’t be changed the more people will suffer…if people want to truly see change in this world…look in the mirror and decide who do I need to forgive? Pray about it and seek the courage to share that forgiveness so that healing can begin. This is true for all people on all sides of every issue. Seek to forgive and you will be set free. Amen.

Forgiveness by Matthew West

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“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15

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

Trust Him

September 13, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God has fulfilled every promise He made to us, except one, and you can be sure that one will be fulfilled when Christ returns. We so easily give trust to some that don’t deserve it and hold back our trust when we have more than enough evidence know that we can trust. We will continue to struggle and be frustrated if we believe that other people and the things of this world are all we need. We need God and when we read God’s Word we can learn about His past relationship with humanity and that when God makes a promise, He will fulfill it on His timeline, not ours. Trust God believe in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord and connect with the Holy Spirit within your heart. Amen.

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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

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Living Water

September 12, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The water of life comes only from Jesus Christ. Just like our bodies must be fed and hydrated, we must feed and nourish our faith for it to be strong and to grow. It is so easy to become too busy and to slip away from God with everyday life and events. Our source of strength and hope is the living water that comes from Christ. Amen.

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“Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:13-14

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

He Knows…

September 11, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

All that has happened in our lives and in history. The greatest blessings can come from the greatest tragedies. This has been true throughout history…going back to the resurrection after the crucifixion. God knows all these things and He will guide us through everything and anything we encounter in life…it is up to us to seek Him and His Word. Amen.

He Knows by Jeremy Camp

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