Covered By The Spirit

October 24, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When you are comforted and have courage…when all your worries, doubts and fears have subsided…when you have a sense of peace and calm that is beyond understanding and the Fruits of the Spirit flow through you effortlessly…that is when you know you are covered by the Spirit of God. Amen.

DSC_0125 publish

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

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

Be The Light

October 21, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was with God in the beginning. ³Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome^[a] it.”

John 1:1-5

DSC_0153 publish

“For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:5-6

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Spirit Of God

October 10, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

John 4:24

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:26-27

Holy Spirit By Francesca Battistelli

IMG_20180713_210531 publish

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 while on a walk in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Be Reconciled To God

September 27, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹God made him who had no sin to be sin^[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

DSC_1355 publish

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

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

Life According To The Spirit

September 13, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^[a]; rather, serve one another humbly in love. ¹⁴For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[b] ¹⁵If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Galatians 5:13-15

DSC_0223 publish

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

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

Trust And You Will Have Peace

September 6, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

1 John 4:4

DSC_0005 publish

“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

James 3:17-18

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Set A Good Example

June 10, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰For,

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
¹¹They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”^[a]

1 Peter 3:8-12

DSC_0146 publish

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

1 Peter 5:7-9

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Beaver River Falls in northern Minnesota)

The Gift Of God

May 22, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The Spirit with in us. It guides us and leads us…not with anger, bitterness and disrespectful behaviors, rather is provides the Fruit of the Spirit for all aspects of our lives. Amen.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:6-7

DSC_0068 (2) publish

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. ¹⁴Do everything in love.”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

It’s Simple…

March 30, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Treat other people the way you want them to treat you. When you stop and think about it…often times yelling and anger gets you more yelling and anger right back at you…and kindness and a smile often get a kind response back. We are in charge of our attitudes and how we treat others and Jesus tells us the simple Golden Rule of life in the bible. Read about what Jesus teaches us and follow the example He has set for us. Amen.

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6:31

DSC00819 publish

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 7:12

(This photo was taken in July of 2012 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Wisdom From Heaven

March 24, 2020March 24, 2020 / mcalcagno / 5 Comments

I pray we all seek the wisdom of God. His message in the bible…the example His Son Jesus Christ set for us…the guidance His Holy Spirit provides us as that small voice in our minds. The current times show how hurtful it is when we are selfish. Because we are human, we all are convicted of selfish behavior at one time or another and when unity is what the world needs the selfishness of human behavior is magnified. There are many people who are doing good things in the world right now to help others and I pray we hear more about those stories and we seek to live that way. Lord, forgive us when we are selfish and teach us how to care for others just as you have cared for us. Amen.

DSC_1035 publish