Faith

Follow Him

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?“

Luke 9:23-25 NIV

This is it…this is what we are told by Jesus in God’s Word

“Follow me” He says to the tax collector and Levi promptly gets up and begins to follow

We do have a choice in our lives…free will is very important to God

He wants us to choose to follow Him

In Matthew 19, a rich man is invited by Jesus to ‘follow me’ and rich man is sad because he has great financial wealth and does not want to give that up

There is nothing in this world worth more than a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

Look for yourself…read God’s Word…choose one of the Gospels

My persoanl recommendation is the Gospel according to John

Learn about Jesus and then choose whether or not you will follow Him

  May peace be with you

DSC_0061 publish

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

John 12:23-26 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Love Conquers All

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

1 Peter 4:8 NIV

Love is more than a feeling

Love is defined by our actions

Love can and will conquer all things in life

How do we know this is true?

Because God told us so…

“…because, God is love.”

1 John 4:8 NIV

DSC_0125 (2) publish

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.“

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in South Dakota)

Forgive

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

Forgive others as you have been forgiven

We are redeemed by Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord

No matter how far off we have wandered or how long it has been we can always return to Christ through faith and that is true for all people

  So, whether or not you are concerned about the path you are on or the path another is on you should pray and seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit to guide you and guide your support for one another

  May the grace and peace of the Lord wash over us all

Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave

DSC06178 publish

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

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

The Greatest Love For All People

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV

There is no issue or circumstances too big for God

No matter what, God’s love is greater than anything or anyone

He offers this love to everyone, everywhere

He did this by sending His one and only Son

We celebrate Jesus, our Savior and Lord

He shows us the greatest love and it is for all people!

DSC_0730 publish

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Luke 2:10-11 NIV

(This photo was taken in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Give Your Best

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NIV

Trusting in God means trusting in Him for the outcome of circumstances and events

If we can offer the best of what we can give, whether it is our time, our ideas, our attention or our money and we trust in God, He can take what we offer and do so much more than we can do on our own

In Matthew 14:13-21, the disciples gave Him all they had, five loaves of bread and two fish and with that over five thousand people were fed with plenty of leftovers

When we give our best and trust God for the outcome, amazing things can happen

May the peace of the Lord be in you and work through you

DSC07510 publish

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Matthew 25:37-40 NIV

(This photo was taken at Garden of the Gods park near Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Joy Because God Keeps His Promises

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.“

Psalm 32:8 NIV

God keeps His promises

God promised to send the Messiah

God fulfilled that promise when He sent His One and only Son to save us

God has made many other promises in the Scriptures

He has kept every promise He made

The only promise we are waiting for Him to fulfill is the return of Jesus

It will happen…He will come again

I know because God keeps His promises

DSC06842 publish

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

John 3:16-17 NIV

(This photo was taken at the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota)

Humility In Relationships

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

Romans 12:17-18 NIV

Father God, You invite us into a peaceful relationship with You where we can be fully known and loved

You also invite us to pursue peace with others around us

Please help each one of us to appraoch our relationships with humility, grace and wisdom

Grant us knowledge to recognize when we should speak and when we should listen as we pursue peace

In Jesus name, Amen

DSC_0301 publish

“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, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)

Waiting…

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

 “In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to come true. The Holy Spirit was with him. 26 The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard. Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required. 28 Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,

29 “Lord, you are the King over all.
    Now let me, your servant, go in peace.
    That is what you promised.
30 My eyes have seen your salvation.
31     You have prepared it in the sight of all nations.
32 It is a light to be given to the Gentiles.
    It will be the glory of your people Israel.”

Luke 2:25-32 NIRV

Oh, the waiting…our world is always sending out messages to hurry up…save time and literally “don’t wait” act now before…you get the point

Once again, the world pursues the exact opposite of what we hear from God’s Word

God wants us to walk with Him…not ahead of Him or on our own without Him

His timing is perfect because it is His plan

In Luke 2 we meet Simeon, who had been waiting his whole life to see God’s promise fulfilled in the Messiah…as he expected the promise was fulfilled just like every other promise God has made

The last promise to be fulfilled is when Christ returns…and so we are waiting for that day and while we wait let’s be like Simeon and be good, do-good things, be godly and be faithful to God’s Word

How are you doing while you wait?

While I’m Waiting by John Waller

DSC_0142_1 publish

“Dear friends, here is one thing you must not forget. With the Lord a day is like a thousand years. And a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow to keep his promise. He is not slow in the way some people understand it. Instead, he is patient with you. He doesn’t want anyone to be destroyed. Instead, he wants all people to turn away from their sins.”

2 Peter 3:8-9 NIRV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Trust God’s Promises

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

2 Peter 1:2-4 NIV

God’s promises are many and they are all throughout the Bible

He promises salvation, to give you rest, to strengthen you, to provide for your needs, to protect you, to never leave you and so many more

The question is do you believe Him and do you trust Him?

Consider what God has done, what He is doing and what He has promised will come

DSC_0730 publish

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,…”

Isaiah 43:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Allow Christ to Change You

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Don’t ask God to change the circumstances around you…ask Him to change you and your perspective so that you can handle the things you are walking through in life

Father God, take back my life

Take my burdens and fears

Replace my insecurities and my anxieties with Your peace

Teach me to trust in Your promises and Your faithfulness

Restore my joy and give me strength for today and hope for tomorrow

Lord, I want to be different

In Jesus name, Amen

Different by Micah Tyler

DSC_0322 publish

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV

(This photo was take in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)