Love One Another

September 13, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

1 John 4:7-10 NIV

Think about it…God sacrificed His one and only Son for other people just as much as He did it for you. He created all of us…yes even the person on your mind right now that chooses to reject God and shows it in their daily life. We are not here to be the judge of each other, we can’t because we are all sinful and we all need the Savior. Trust me I struggle with this in my faith as much as anyone else does…maybe that other person has never had anyone show them kindness, compassion or taken time to listen to them because society has decided they are not worth it. In the end it is not up to us…our purpose is to love God, love others and share the Gospel, that is how we can make a difference in our lifetime.

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“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:11-12 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)

Love

September 11, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

Love is more than words or feelings…love is action! We are told in the bible exactly what actions are love. Not only in 1 Corinthians, which is the most popular description of love. Again, this is more than the words you hear at a wedding…think about what it takes to live it out. When we review our life and our daily actions…how are we doing living out? I know I have work to do to be better, which is why a relationship with God is so important. We are broken, we are sinful and we need the Savior to keep us close to God and His love. The best part is nothing can separate us from His love…nothing. No matter where you are, no matter what your circumstances…turn towards the Lord and think about how you can act out in love. Amen.

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither 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 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2022 at Big Sky Resort in Montana)

God’s Love Changes Lives

July 28, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:7-11 NIV

God’s love is the most powerful thing in the world. Nothing can compare to it…no matter where you are, no matter what has happened or is happening…God’s love can change what you believe is impossible. Trust Him, seek His Word, believe, confess your sins and surrender your ways for His way. Amen.

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“We love because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:19 NIV

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

Fruit Of The Spirit…Love

June 6, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^[a] ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b] ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:35-40 NIV

The laws of God are the only laws that will can save us from our own destruction. The rejection of God and His way is what has led us to this place. It is not too late to turn towards Jesus and offer our love to God and to others. That is the only way we will find peace.

Love God Love People by Danny Gokey

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“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:5 NIV

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[a]

Galatians 5:14 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

God’s Love Changes Lives

January 13, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

1 John 4:7-12 NIV

God’s love is the most powerful thing in our world. Nothing can compare to it…no matter where you are, no matter what has happened or is happening…God’s love can change what you believe is impossible. Trust Him, seek His Word, believe, confess your sins and surrender you ways for His way. Amen.

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“For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom every family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I 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 3:14-19 NIV

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

Love One Another

December 20, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Just as the Father has loved me, I have loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that you will have the same joy that I have. I also want your joy to be complete. ¹²Here is my command. Love one another, just as I have loved you.”

John 15:9-12 NIRV

Love. Love is more than feelings…it is actions and behaviors. The passage above refers to “If you obey my commands.” Love is a choice. Love means sacrifice, humility, serving others and being unselfish. Love means being willing to admit…it’s not about you. God has blessed us with free will, we can choose to love…Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself to save us, we are redeemed from sin, and the Holy Spirit is present within us to guide us, our future is secure. Why? Because God is Love. How can you show Love to others this Christmas season?

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“You did not choose me. Instead, I chose you. I appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit that will last. I also appointed you so that the Father will give you what you ask for. He will give you whatever you ask for in my name. ¹⁷Here is my command. Love one another.”

John 15:16-17 NIRV

(This photo was taken in OCtober of 2014 at the Nakalele Blowhole on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Unconditional Love

November 23, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“At just the right time Christ died for ungodly people. He died for us when we had no power of our own. ⁷It is unusual for anyone to die for a godly person. Maybe someone would be willing to die for a good person. ⁸But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:6-8 NIRV

God loves us unconditionally. We do not earn His love; we do not deserve it. There are not certain things you must do or be to receive God’s love. He offers it to us through His mercy and grace. Our job is to seek Him, spend time with Him, communicate with Him. We are to know Him and make Him known. There is no greater gift you will ever receive in this life than God’s love…turn away from sinful thoughts and ways and trust in the Lord. Amen.

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“Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become a child of God and knows God. ⁸Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹Here is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only Son into the world. He sent him so we could receive life through him. ¹⁰Here is what love is. It is not that we loved God. It is that he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God loved us this much, we should also love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God. But if we love one another, God lives in us. His love is made complete in us.“

1 John 4:7-12 NIRV

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Amazing Love

August 9, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

You Are My King (Amazing Love) by Newsboys

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:6-8

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1 John 4:7-12

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

Fruit Of The Spirit…Love

April 17, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Matthew 22:35-40

Love God Love People by Danny Gokey

IMG_20141016_114917386_HDR publish

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:5

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^[a]

Galatians 5:14

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

He Comforts Us

August 31, 2020 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

It was 2 years ago today that Dad went home to be with the Lord. There was no warning, no diagnosis…there was no indication at all that on that day Dad would be leaving us. It happened around 12:30 in the afternoon…I received one of those phone calls…you know the ones I’m talking about, it was a phone call that would change life from that moment forward. The only way to go forward is with Jesus Christ, He comforts us in a way that exceeds human understanding. Thank you for comforting us Jesus. Amen.

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“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 from a spot Dad would have loved to sit, by a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)