Author: mcalcagno

Comfort and Healing

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“Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

James 5:13-16

(This photo was taken in the summer of 2013 at Custer State Park in South Dakota)

We Will Come Under Attack

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We need to be careful not to underestimate the power of evil and darkness in this world.  We should read the Word of God daily to help us keep God in the center of our lives.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Ephesians 6:10-15

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 at Falls Park in South Dakota)

Be Transformed

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“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20

(This photo was taken in the summer of 2013 at Falls Park in South Dakota)

Because He Lives!

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The answer to any question that speaks about what is possible…can be answered in some context with this phrase…”Because he lives…all things are possible with Christ.”  The joy and peace I feel on a day like this reflecting on who Jesus is and what he has done is incomparable to anything in this world!  Christ is Risen, he has Risen indeed!  Hallelujah!

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

1 Corinthians 15:20-22

(This photo was taken in the summer of 2014 in central Minnesota)

Below are the lyrics to a song recorded by Matt Maher a great song for this day!  Check him out on Youtube:  https://youtu.be/PBvU7arNhQs

“Because He Lives (Amen)”

I believe in the Son
I believe in the risen One
I believe I overcome
By the power of His blood

Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive
Because He lives
Amen, Amen
Let my song join the one that never ends
Because He lives

I was dead in the grave
I was covered in sin and shame
I heard mercy call my name
He rolled the stone away

Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive
Because He lives
Amen, Amen
Let my song join the one that never ends

Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know He holds my life my future in His hands

Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive
Because He lives
Amen, Amen
Let my song join the one that never ends

Amen, Amen
I’m alive, I’m alive
Because He lives
Amen, Amen
Let my song join the one that never ends
Because He lives
Because He lives

Nothing Can Separate Us

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“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 8:35-39

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while driving through Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

He Shows Us The Way

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“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.  ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’  he asked them.  ‘You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that should do as I have done for you’.”

John 13:12-15

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)

Our Helper

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“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?’ “

Hebrews 13:5-6

(This photo was taken in the summer of 2013 in Badlands National Park in South Dakota)

The Life of Jesus

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It is Holy Week.  The time of year when we are to reflect on the events towards the end of Jesus life here on earth.  His entire time here was the plan of God the Father, in order to reconcile sinners with God.  His birth, his baptism, his time in the wilderness, his teachings, his miracles, his hard lessons and the events of this week, his death on the cross and his resurrection.

There is no person you will ever meet on earth who loves you as much as Jesus and no person on earth that will do as much for you as Jesus has done.  There is so much anger, violence and hatred among the human race and for some reason people love to display this darkness.  There is also love, joy, peace and contentment if you have taken the time to invite Jesus into your heart and you have followed that up by showing your commitment to Him.  He is available to all of us…he even told us so when he was here and had it written down in the bible.

I pray we all take the time to invite or re-invite Jesus into our hearts this week and be open to God’s plan for our own life.  When you look at Jesus time on earth there was evil, suffering and difficult decisions…there was quiet times in prayer, time to help and serve others and at the end of it all there was eternal joy!

God’s peace be with you…Jesus said:

“I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up and thrown into the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.  This is my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

John 15:5-8

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)