Let Your Light Shine

December 30, 2013 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Now is naturally a time to reflect on the past year of things that happened in your life and in the world…it may be a time to be thankful for your blessings of the past and hopeful for the coming New Year. For some it will be a time to say “I’m glad that year is over, I hope the next one is better!” What I have learned when I am reflecting on the past or looking towards what lies ahead is my feelings or perspective say quite a bit about my attitude.

If I am ‘I’ focused and only thinking about what happened to ‘Me’ during the year it is easy to get discouraged. As an example, if someone only thinks about ‘I didn’t get that job I really thought would be great for me’ then sure they will not feel good about that…if they think about things that happened in the days and weeks after not getting that job maybe that would be memories of how a friend or family member said or did something great and unexpected to lift them up. Or while discussing the rejection with someone a new opportunity presented itself for a job. It is all about perspective. If we choose to focus our thoughts on what was wrong, bad or frustrating then we are sure to feel that negative energy in everything. If we make an effort to find what was right, good or hopeful about a situation then that renewing energy will go with us.

This is true for any situation…I grant you it is not always easy to do and I battle with it myself. However, we are not meant to do this alone. Every single person has been blessed with gifts and talents and when they choose to use those blessings the way God intended them to be used they will see and feel the good that surrounds their life. I recently read the following analogy…

Every individual is a flashlight…if we try to show our light but do not have batteries inside, if we are empty, then we will not work…if we have our batteries inside but they are not being used correctly we will not work, our light will not shine…only when we are filled with good stuff and we use it correctly will our light shine…we need the love from Jesus in our hearts and when we use that gift to make the world better for even one person then our light will shine as God intended it to.

I pray that we all choose to “Let Our Light Shine” today and all throughout the New Year!

Peace and Happy New Year!

Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Christ

December 24, 2013 / mcalcagno / 1 Comment

Reflecting on the season and all that goes on in our lives…I have always been a Christmas guy. As a kid I enjoyed the lights, the music and family gatherings and of course the presents. As I and my faith have grown I realize that Christmas was the starting point for me to really deepen my faith. As an adult in mind and a kid at heart I still enjoy the lights, the music and the family gatherings…I now enjoy the giving far more than any receiving of presents. Where we live I enjoy the snow and even the cold. The change of season is natural to me it is God showing us his love using nature. All that was alive in summer has passed on but it will all be reborn in springtime. With the shorten daylight we set up lights to add color to the white world. But most of all it seems to be the one time of year that the most people in the world actually recognizes Jesus Christ and his coming into the world.

At Christmas time I pray you see and feel a sense of…

Hope – God made a promise to you and everyone to love you and to never leave you…believe him and trust him with every area of your life.

Peace – Be content when your basic needs are fulfilled and share with others if you have been blessed with abundance…practice patience.

Joy – Wear a smile more often and make an effort to help others find their smile…focus on the positive in any situation.

Love – Life is more about how you treat others than how they treat you…you can’t control what others will think, say or do so don’t waste time worrying about it…do all that you do with love.

At Christmas time put Christ in the center of your life…with Christ you will know Hope, you will know Peace, you will know Joy and you will know that the Love of Christ in your heart will help you overcome anything this world can throw at you.

May you see and know God’s blessings in your life this Christmas and carry them with you all through the New Year!

Merry Christmas!

By Faith

December 7, 2013 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When speaking to someone who has experienced a terrible tragedy or is going through a difficult time of trial some will ask, “How are you getting through this?” and from certain people the answer is “by faith” or “by the grace of God” and when this is the response I am sure some askers may be thinking ‘what does that mean?’

Well for me to understand it better I would go to the Guide Book for Life…the Bible.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1

Faith is based on hope and belief…these my friends are both choices in our life. This is why so many of us struggle with faith while living in this world. We live with in a world expecting immediate satisfaction, convenience and me first…not to mention the constant presence of evil and temptations.

As I have reflected this week on the passing of Nelson Mandela all I can think is ‘Wow now that is truly a man of faith.’ The world treated him horribly for so long but he never gave up his hope or his beliefs that the world could be a better place and he could contribute to that with God’s help. Many organizations are printing quotes from Nelson Mandela in the last few days as we all want to know more about a person who worked for justice in the world…here are a few.

“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”

-Nelson Mandela

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.”

-Nelson Mandela

There are many people who will write judgments both positive and negative about Nelson Mandela because of things he did during his life. I believe by faith that he tried to do what he believed God wanted him to do and he didn’t just wake up one day and decide to do it. It happened as a part of his journey…his life journey and his faith journey. He wasn’t perfect, he had his sins just like the rest of us but he also made choices to help others, to be a positive influence and to try and bring justice to other human beings in God’s world.

God has promised many things and it is up to each of us to choose to have hope and to believe in the things we do not see. We will often fail and fall down but we should never quit. If we base our faith on how we feel instead of what Christ did for us we will have a difficult time sustaining a faith that is stable and growing. Faith and life are a journey and we can only live one day at a time on that journey…so I encourage you to embrace each day, thank God for the gift of life and seek what you hope for and what you choose to believe…by faith.

Peace and joy to you this day.

An Attitude of Gratitude

November 28, 2013 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Today is considered the day of giving Thanks. Everyone has some sort of tradition for this holiday. Whether it is the place you gather with family and friends, the food you eat or things you do on this day…or all of the above. Some people will just have “another” day they will go to work…no matter how this day or your weekend is planned try to start a new tradition or continue with this if you already do it…give thanks to God…

Too often we spend hours focusing time and energy on what we don’t have or can’t do and don’t like…make a commitment today…be thankful to God for all he has done for you and your family or friends every day. Have an attitude of gratitude today and continue it tomorrow and the next day and the next day…too make it easier think of 2-3 things you are thankful for every morning, write it down to help you remember, maybe even pray a prayer of thankfulness and praise. God loves you and to show you his love he sent his Son into this world…he forgives you for all the sins you have done and he wants an opportunity to show you a new way to live…you just have to choose to believe in him…a great way to start is to look around you in your world where you are and find those things you are thankful for and tell him.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:17

Peace to you and Happy Thanksgiving.

“Come, Follow Me”

November 21, 2013 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It is written, Jesus said “Come, Follow Me”…and Levi got up and followed him. Just like that…nothing further is written about this encounter specifically. The message that can come out of such a simple interaction is strong. Another interaction written in the bible…A rich young man ran up to Jesus and asked “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus instructed him to “sell all of your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” There it is again…

It is simply three words; come, follow me. As they say, that is easier said than done! Everything around us in the world is telling us to do this and get here and do that…very few times do we get the opportunity to sit and think about what it would mean to follow him. Here is what I have learned…the bible has all the instructions. It is clear about how God wants us to choose to live. Both of the above interactions are written about in the Gospel of Mark. The Levi encounter is in Mark 2 and the rich young man encounter is in Mark 10. Then in Mark 12 there is writing about The Greatest Commandment…

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no greater commandment than these.”

Mark 12:30-31

Thus we have the instructions…Love God and Love your neighbor. Do not do things just to serve you. Pray daily to grow in your relationship with God. Be humble and try to live with an attitude of gratitude. Next week is the Thanksgiving holiday…start thinking now how you can show the important people in your life how much you appreciate them, maybe give food or clothing or whatever you can to the needy…whatever that looks like is up to you and God.

If you are not sure where to start sit down for a quiet moment and ask him…he is waiting to hear from you. Then watch carefully for his guidance.

Peace to you and yours.

Actions Mean More than Words

November 7, 2013 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Have you ever been having a discussion with someone and you told them “I am listening” and yet as they begin or continue to speak your mind begins to wander? Once they have finished they are looking at you for a response or a reaction…in that moment your actions will truly determine if your statement of “I am listening” was really true.

It is this belief about actions being more important than words that really gets me confused about the explosion of social media…words, words and more words. Do you notice the items on social media that get the most attention or go “viral” (now there is an action) are the ones with a photo or a video? Why? Because they show actions not only words. This is not to say that words and what you say is not important but words are less important if you don’t have actions to back them up.

There is a song by Rich Mullins entitled Screen Door and that song states “Faith without works is like a song you can’t sing
It’s about as useless as a screen door on a submarine”

Actions can be so much more powerful than words that sometimes just doing something for someone means more than anything you could say. The bible has many words and usually they are words that are describing the actions of people in the past…so reading it is good to gain understanding of what God wants us to DO. Then we need to go do it!

Always remember the greatest action in human history is this…

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth”.

John 1:14

That is action…he came into the world to save us……I am off to go pray that God can use me to help someone who needs it today.

If you are interested in learning more about Rich Mullins here is a video from one of his last concerts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZNYtYRbH6aI

Spiritual Growth

November 2, 2013 / mcalcagno / 1 Comment

Often times people put little value on the things that they can do to help another, yet others believe it is the simplest gesture that can make the biggest difference in their day. This is something I was reminded of earlier this year while on a mission trip with senior high youth…

Do whatever you can

For whoever can

Whenever you can

Wherever you are

Because whatever you can do it will be something that someone else needs and never forget your actions DO make a difference in this world.

“Be very careful, then, how you live- not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”

Ephesians 5:15-17

Even those who lived during the time of Jesus’s life on earth had doubts about Faith in life…one of his disciples was walking on water towards Jesus and once the wind kicked up he doubted he could really do it so he began to sink and Jesus was standing right there. We all will have moments of doubt and that is Ok, just don’t quit trying.

Even the easiest thing like holding a door open for someone can contribute to the spiritual growth of you and the other person. But do not do things expecting the “proper” reaction from another…we must remember we can’t control what another person thinks, says or does. Our spiritual growth will come from doing what God is asking us to do, not from what the world thinks we should do or how the world reacts to the things we do.

In short, we are blessed to be a blessing…we all have been given something to share…don’t immediately think about money. There are far greater things in life than financial riches…ask God to help you find what you can share with others and…

Do whatever you can

For whoever can

Whenever you can

Wherever you are…

Peace.

Be a Light in the Darkness

October 31, 2013 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Today is a day some people express the greatest fears of darkness they have in the form of costumes and decorations. Some are playful…some are of a dark nature. In this world we will encounter people and events that are surrounded by darkness. Do not be afraid…God gives us the Light. When God was sending his Son into the world he put one bright light in the sky to show the way. On this Halloween you certainly can celebrate in whatever way suits you and your family especially because we already know that darkness does not win in the end. The Light of the world comes from God and his Son and they have already had victory over darkness.

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light and knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6

Show others his Light today.

Peace.

Life by the Spirit…Self-Control

October 26, 2013 / mcalcagno / 6 Comments

It does not surprise me that this is the last thing listed in the Galatians 5:22-23 writing about the Fruit of the Spirit…why? Because as with all aspects of faith it all comes back to us…our attitude, our perspective and most of all our choices. We are blessed with free will, free to choose how we will act in this world.

Free to choose Love or hate

Free to choose Joy or sadness

Free to choose Peace or fighting

Free to choose Patience or hurriedness

Free to choose Kindness or be mean

Free to choose Goodness or cruelty

Free to choose Faithfulness or distraction

Free to choose Gentleness or be unbalanced

Free to choose to use the Fruits of the Spirit using Self-Control

Our guide for all of this is Jesus. God sent him so that reconciliation with God is always available. He loves us and wants us to choose to love him. Self-Control is not easy, I know from experience and I struggle with it as much as anyone.

Getting better at Self-Control is a choice in itself…it is choosing to live a healthy life style. Start by doing devotions in the morning and/or at night every day. Make those 5-10 minutes a priority and be quiet and calm with the Word every day. Given time it will help…then look at how you are physically caring for yourself…be sure you are eating regularly, getting rest and sleep and take a walk for exercise. When you feel things are out of control stop and pray. All of this is possible for anyone; it does not take a large financial investment just commitment. I know how the world we live in will try to distract and dissuade you from continuing…don’t quit. Even when you fall down and feel like you are failing, God is still right there saying “I understand, my own Son experienced frustration and temptation in the world. You are forgiven.”

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”

Galatians 5:22-26

I pray we all we seek to live using the Fruits of the Spirit in all we do every day.

Take a look at the picture above one more time…choose to see what is on the other side through that opening…

May God’s Peace be with you

Life by the Spirit…Gentleness

October 25, 2013 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Having Gentleness in life is all about finding a balance. Most of the world is about being tough, determined and pushing your way through this or that. You must be strong to achieve…while all of these traits have value and can definitely be beneficial there are also times in life when tenderness and Gentleness are needed and very helpful. They are typically more difficult times and these traits are not as common for some people. The goal should be to have a balance of all of these traits…most of us are stronger in one type of trait or another and we feel more comfortable expressing and using that dominant trait, however, this does not mean we are incapable of learning and growing into the ability to possess a less dominant trait.

Learning and growing are hard and we need help often to recognize when to be Gentle and when to be tough. The amazing part of a relationship with Jesus is that he can help us with whatever we need…if we let him!

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”.

Ephesians 4:1-2

This message is much different than the one we receive from our world. In order to find the balance we strive for we need to have the messages in the Bible to offset the powerful messages we receive in everyday life.

Don’t go it alone today…seek out a relationship with Jesus…you can start by finding a quiet moment in your day and let him know you want to accept him into your heart today and pray for strength to speak to him again tomorrow and when you don’t know what to say to him…let him know you are listening for him to speak to you.

Tomorrow I will discuss the last of the Fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23…Self-Control.

Peace.