Faith Over Fear

May 31, 2020 / mcalcagno / 1 Comment

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

Give Me Jesus by Danny Gokey

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He 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? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who 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. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?”

Romans 8:31-35

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[c] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither 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 8:37-39

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 on the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Accountability

May 30, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We are all the same…we are all human. We all were born and we all will die. Yet we are all different. We are individuals…we are not groups. We all are created by God. We are all responsible for our actions and behaviors and we will be held accountable for our individual actions when we die and leave this world. The answer to all our worries, our fears and our burdens is Jesus Christ. If you believe in Him…turn towards Him in faith…pray with conviction…trust in Him and treat all other people with kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience and with love…the same love He has shown you we He died to save you. Amen.

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³²Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:29-32

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“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10.12

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Palisade Head on the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Love One Another

May 29, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.”

1 John 4:7-9

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“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

(This photo was taken yesterday at Palisade Head on the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Friendship

May 28, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Jesus tells us in the Gospel of John that we are His friends. Friends take care of each other, they are loyal, respectful, trustworthy and they support each other through difficult times. Friendship is a two-way street…sometimes you are giving in your friendship and sometimes you are receiving. Take time to reflect upon your friendships…especially your relationship with Jesus Christ. Amen.

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

John 15:12-15

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“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

(This photo was taken yesterday in Temperance State Park on the north shore of Lake Superior)

Generosity And Contentment

May 27, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Give of yourself and be content when your needs are fulfilled. The brokenness of this world will tell you to want more and to get more. God has provided more than enough for everyone. Generosity and contentment are topics that are about much more than money in life. They are about all aspects of life…our time, our talents, our emotions, our faith. The more we are able to be content the more we can share when we have received an abundance. Take time to assess where you stand…where do you have more than enough on your hands and how can you share to help those who are in need? May the grace and peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

“For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. ⁵And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.”

2 Corinthians 8:3-5

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“But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. “

1 Timothy 6:6-9

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

Worship Every Day

May 26, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Anything worth doing takes commitment. The athlete does not become the best at their sport “overnight.” It takes dedication and focus…hours and hours of practice, discipline. The more time we spend on something the more we grow in it. It also means we must sacrifice time doing other things. This is true for all aspects of our lives. It is the same with our faith and our relationship with Jesus Christ. Where we choose to spend our time has a direct impact on who we are and who we can become. Choose your faith journey, choose God’s Word, choose prayer and worship every day. Amen.

You Are Holy (Prince Of Peace) by Michael W Smith

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“Better is one day in your courts
    than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
    than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
¹¹For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.

¹²Lord Almighty,
blessed is the one who trusts in you.”

Psalm 84:10-12

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 in Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota)

Memorial Day

May 25, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Today, we honor those who have served and sacrificed themselves for the greater good. These individuals knew that there are things much more important than self. They believed in serving to help others and fighting for those who could not fight for themselves. It takes courage and humility to do what they did and so we honor them with gratitude and respect for their sacrifice. Amen.

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“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:1-4

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota)

Start With These…

May 24, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Love God. Love People. Too often we seek power or control over situations and people. That’s what gets us into trouble. For some of us we are protecting ourselves because we have been hurt in our past…the longer we proceed carrying around the hurts of the past the longer they will damage our future. Life is not about what others do to us…it is about how do we choose to respond? Choose God, choose love…Love God. Love People. Amen.

Love God Love People by Danny Gokey

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“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[b] ³¹The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[c] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Do Not Worry

May 23, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It can consume us if we allow it to…worry. What does it do for us? There is a famous quote that is attributed to many different individuals…I believe it is famous for what it says not because of who said it:

“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere”

We have a choice; we can sit and worry and stew about things or we can make use of the time we have by meeting with God about these things and trust in Him to guide us and lead us. Do not worry, seek the Lord and you will find peace. Amen.

“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? ²⁶Look 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? ²⁷Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?”

Matthew 6:25-27

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“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴Therefore 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 April of 2020 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Gift Of God

May 22, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The Spirit with in us. It guides us and leads us…not with anger, bitterness and disrespectful behaviors, rather is provides the Fruit of the Spirit for all aspects of our lives. Amen.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:6-7

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