God’s Consistent Character

May 25, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

James 1:17 NIV

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.”

Malachi 3:6 NIV

God is faithful and trustworthy. He keeps His promises…He is consistent in character for all generations. All good things come from the Lord.

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Renew Your Perspective And Strength

May 24, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Many aspects of life on earth can make us weary and tired, shaping our perspective to approach life with negativity, doubt and fear. We often forget, daily, that we can choose our attitude and perspective for this day. If we focus all our thoughts and energy on our problems and why me, then we may get stuck and begin to spiral downward. We can be renewed and draw strength by turning our focus to the Lord. No matter what you are facing remember God is in control and if you put your trust in Him, your strength will be renewed. Amen.

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“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling through southern New Mexico)

Love God

May 23, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] ⁵Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV

Of all the things we can learn from God’s Word…this is the place to start, Love God. Seek a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Anytime is a great time to reset and remember Jesus came to earth as a baby to do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves and He did it out of love. Receive Him, receive God’s love and show love to God every day. Amen.

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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? “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[e] ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[f]

Mark 12:28-30 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Contentment

May 20, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10 NIV

Contentment is found in a relationship with God. We can search for it in the many things the world offers yet those seeking it in worldly values have and will find it unattaianble in worldly pursuits. Put your hope in God and spend time with Him every day…this is the path to finding contentment.

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“Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
⁶He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

Psalm 37:3-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2021 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Believe…Ask…Receive

May 19, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

John 14:12-14 NIV

When you pray, do you truly believe what you are asking for will happen? Or is it more like wishing for something that may or may not happen? True transformation is when we believe what we ask for will happen and not on our timeline or according to our expectations. As I look back over the early part of my faith journey, I remember prayers that were more just like going to a wishing well…speak it once and probably never think about it again. This is not sincere, authentic praying. Prayer is communication with God, it is about spending time with Him and our relationship with Him. Jesus put it this way…

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Matthew 6:6-8 NIV

The key to this statement is your Father knows what you need. Ask Him for things, believe in Him and what He can do. Then watch and listen for Him and you will receive. Believe…Ask…Receive. Amen.

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“Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”²⁰He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” ^[21]^[a]

Matthew 17:19-21 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2021 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Living A New Way

May 18, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That’s because it has been made impure by the desire for things that lead you astray. ²³You were taught to be made new in your thinking. ²⁴You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.”

Ephesians 4:22-23 NIRV

“When anyone lives in Christ, the new creation has come. The old is gone! The new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIRV

Every day brings new possibilities…don’t let the worlds values and the pursuits of ungodly things keep you distracted and lost. Trust the promises of God…we will not find hope and fulfillment in other people because we are all broken and in need of Jesus. The world is telling us we should value me first and live a self-centered life…not true. A Christ centered life…meeting with Him every day and trusting His Way is the New Way to live…each day. May the peace of God be with you and flow through you. Amen.

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“Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things. ⁹Do what you have learned or received or heard from me. Follow my example. The God who gives peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:8-9 NIRV

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

Be Strong And Courageous

May 17, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:7-9 NIV

At the end of the Book of Deuteronomy and the beginning of the Book of Joshua, Moses dies and Joshua is being promoted to fill his shoes. Just like Moses was apprehensive to lead the people out of Egypt when God called him, Joshua is uncertain he should be the one to lead after Moses. In both situations God reassures them to “be strong and courageous because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) We would do well to listen to these words when we are uncertain and have doubts about situations and events in our own lives. Amen.

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“The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?“

Psalm 27:1-2 NIV

(This photo was taken in Spetember of 2022 in Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming)

Rest…Trust…Refuge

May 15, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
⁶Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
⁷My salvation and my honor depend on God^[c];
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
⁸Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge.”

Psalm 62:5-8 NIV

Rest with the Lord. Put your trust in the Lord. Find your hope in Him. He is our refuge, He is the source of our strength and with Him we will know peace. Do your part…do your best…and leave the rest up to God. Amen.

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:4-9 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2021 at The Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cementary)

Unconditional Love

May 12, 2023 / mcalcagno / 3 Comments

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may 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, ¹⁹and 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

Love without limitations or conditions. Love that is faithful, love that only grows greater, love that is loyal and never changes based on events or circumstances. One of the best examples of unconditional love in this world is the love of a dog. Last month we had to say goodbye to our family dog, Lilly. She was 11 years old and exemplfied unconditional love daily. No matter where I went or what I was doing there was Lilly by my side…working in my office, Lilly laying down on the floor next to me…sitting and reading in my chair, Lilly in the room with me…outside in the yard, Lilly out there with me…even if I went to sneek in a nap, Lilly would eventually pop up on the bed. She was the first to greet me every morning and the last to say goodnight. She would get me up to go for walks with her irresistable joy and excitement…we loved her and she gave us her heart and her whole self with love, unconditionally. People would do well to learn from dogs on what true unconditional love looks like.

There is one person who is the best of example any of us will ever find of unconditional love…Jesus Christ. He came to this world to save you…He is with you and He will never leave you…believe in Him, give Him your heart because He has already offered His heart to you…why? Because He loves you, unconditionally.

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

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2023 of our dog Lilly the day before she passed away)

Don’t Give Up

May 11, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.“

Galatians 6:9-10 NIV

When times are hard and it feels like you are making no progress on anything…don’t give up, keep pressing on, keep believing…that is your faith at work. There can be a quick spiral downward and we can get stuck in the swirl of negativity if we stop trying to do good and see the good. We have to have the courage to choose a new perspective and we are fed that perspective when we read the Word of God. Goodness will come to those who believe in the hope that God provides through Jesus Christ. Don’t quit, don’t give up, don’t give in…keep fighting, the God of the Universe is with you and He is for you! May God’s peace be with you. Amen.

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