Facing Trials

March 8, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We are not made to do this on our own…so many people try to go it alone. We need faith and a belief in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. We need a community of believers to pray with us and for us. Every trial can provide growth in our relationship with Jesus. The trials will keep coming, that is just part of what we are facing in this fallen world. There is hope, there is joy and there can be peace if you believe in God and trust Him with your life. He has shown His love for us through the sacrifice of His One and Only Son. Whatever are you are facing today…take it to the Lord in prayer. Amen.

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“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, becasue you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

James 1:2-3

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 while on a hike near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

God’s Purpose For You

March 4, 2019 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

What is it? When was the last time you asked Him, directly? What would it look like to get a direct answer? Or has this question been answered, several times, several ways and we just are not sure or we don’t like what is being said? We were all made for a purpose and it is not always the purpose we think it should be…it actually is something better then what we come up with on our own. To help us understand more about our purpose we should reflect and think about the things that come easy to us that we can do that another person may not be able to do for themselves. Look around your life right where you are…if you are willing, God can use you there too. Seek the will of the Lord for your life because He is with you every step of the way. Amen.

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“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10

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

Troubles Can Be Overwhelming

February 27, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Our thoughts are often the driver of our hearts and our actions. The more we think about and focus on something, the more likely it will lead us to doing something. The problem is the amount of inputs and sensory overload we are getting from darkness and evil tend to keep us dwelling on our sins and the sinful nature within us. It truly is a struggle and can be all consuming. The only source of Light is Jesus Christ. The only way to get help in removing the blinders to goodness and good things is God’s Word. Faith will not make the evil and darkness disappear, rather it provides the tools and the resources we need to promote the Fruit of the Spirit. Faith helps us shine the Light of Christ for us and others to see in this dark world. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ our Light of the World. Amen.

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“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Romans 12:21

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

Nothing Can Separate Us

February 26, 2019April 16, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

No matter what we do or where we go, we are still loved by God. We tend to think, not me, God deosn’t really love me…look at the things I have done and left undone. Look at what I said, look at my life and the things that have happened because of me. To this I say look at the examples of people in the Bible. Peter, rejected being associated with Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested. Rahab in the Book of Joshua, she was a prostitute who acted with faith and courage to help God’s people capture the Promised Land. Saul who became Paul…he hunted down and killed many of the followers of Jesus and yet the Lord still loved him and made him one of the greatest teachers of the faith in the New Testament. There are many more like these. We are not perfect nor will we ever be, we will make mistakes and do the wrong things…inspite of it all God still loves us and wants to help us grow and mature in our faith. Trust in the Lord. Amen.

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“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 8:38-39

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

The Facts Of Faith

February 24, 2019February 24, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Jesus Christ was born and lived life as a human being for 30+ years. He performed miracles that thousands of people witnessed and recorded. He was arrested, beaten, presented to the people as a criminal. He was innoccent and yet He was sentenced to death. He was flogged and finally He was crucified and died. His body was placed in a tomb and it was sealed…this is not the end of the story. Three days later Jesus Christ rose from the the dead, many came to the tomb but He was not there, His body was never found, after His resurrection He was seen several more times, the fact is Jesus Christ is alive and living with God our Father in heaven. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

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“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 near Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Shine The Light

February 13, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we believe, when we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived and died and was resurrected to save us…we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we can come to the Cross and confess our sins, we are forgiven and we are restored. As we move along the journey of faith, the Light of Christ is put into the empty space inside us. It is a space made by Him and made for Him. Many try to fill that space with other things. When we receive this Light, it is up to us to shine this Light in the world for others to see. If we are unsure how God wants us to do that, all we have to do is ask. May we all learn how God wants us to shine the Light of Christ in our lives. Amen.

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

2 Corinthians 4:6

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

To Make Him Known

February 8, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The second part of our purpose in life. As we learn and grow, we will be given opportunities to share faith. How, when or where we share is different for everyone. This is about living in the present moments of your life. If we are constantly stewing about the past or what might happen in the future we will miss that which is right in front of us. This is a journey, we will get distracted and sidetracked, it happens to everyone. In our efforts to get to know Him and make Him known, we will read stories of conversion and sharing by others and it seems like, wow they changed who they are on Monday and by Friday they were sharing the Good News with others…ah no, at least not for me. Case and point, I didn’t start daily devotions in my life until around 2010…I started posting on this blog in 2013…I started posting something everyday late in 2015…and began actually writing thoughts inspired by the Holy Spirit on this blog everyday in the beginning of 2018…and here we are today. What you don’t know is all the other things that go on in a person’s life that impact this process. We all are part of God’s plan, on my journey God is helping me narrow the focus on this…He created me to Know Him and to make Him Known, everything else should lead into that and I am still learning how that works. Thank you for reading and stopping by. May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you on your journey. Amen.

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

Philippians 4:13

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

Everyone Has A Role

February 4, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The body of Christ is discussed in several areas of the Bible. It is compared to the makeup of the human body. Stating that every part of the body has certain contribution to the whole body and everything is functioning at its greatest ability when all the members play their role. A sports team could be described in a simialr way. If every member of the team does what they are responsible to do the team can be and will be very successful. The same is true for Christians. We all have a role in the body of Christ and even though some roles get taken for granted they have the same value as every other role. We never notice how much we use our pinky on either hand or our little toe on either foot until it gets broke or dislocated and suddenly we really notice how often we need it. We are created out of love, we are created for a purpose, every single person has value in God’s plan. Seek wisdom from God to understand your role is His plan. Amen.

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“Just as each one of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts according to the grace given us…”

Romans 12:4-6

(This photo was taken in February of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Savior

February 1, 2019February 5, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

His mercy…His grace…His forgiveness…His sacrifice…His death…His resurrection and His love. All of this and more means Jesus Christ has fought the battle and won. He has saved us and we can be reconciled with God. Seek Him and the message of Good News in God’s Word. He gave His all to save you because He loves you just the way you are. May the love of Christ comfort you and encourage you this day. Amen.

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“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

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

Change

January 28, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Life is not about what the world and other people are doing to us, it is about what are we doing to be a light, to encourage others, to be helpful and supportive, what are we doing to be different? Micah Tyler released a song last fall…he introduces the story behind the song in the video I am sharing today about change and being different.

Different by Micah Tyler

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