The Greatness Of God

March 24, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Good morning and peace be with you. The God of all creation is with you and ready to lead you today. There is nothing on earth greater than God and your personal relationship with Jesus Christ His Son. Be thankful for the blessings in your life and extend the peace of the Lord to others throughout your day. Amen.

The song I share today was just released early this year…

The Greatness Of Our God by The Newsboys

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“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”

Psalm 145:3

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

Believe

March 22, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

God loves you…God is with you…Bring all your worries and your fears to the Cross and trust in Him who died to save you. Our faith is free but it is not cheap, when you plant the Word of God in your heart nobody can take that from you. Believe in God the Father…believe in Jesus Christ His Son our Lord and live knowing…God loves you…God is with you. Amen.

We Believe by The Newsboys

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“Do not let you hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.”

John 14:1

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

Holy Living

February 20, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It is a choice we face every day…what is the way we are going to choose to live this day? Others are going to do, say and think things and we do not control that. Our response is up to us and nobody else. The sinful nature is going to push hard for selfishness and putting the self before others, do we have the foundation of faith to be able to put on the full armor of God? To learn more about the armor of God grab your Bible and look to Ephesians chapter 6. The truth in everything begins at The Cross…start there and see what happens next. May the mercy and grace of God wash over us this day. Amen.

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“You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Colossians 3:7-10

(This photo was taken in December of 2018 on walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

Be Thankful

February 16, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

There is significant power in gratitude. It is one of the forces that can truly impact our perspective. The attitude of gratitude drives us to reflect and reconsider, it encourages a shift in focus on what is good, instead of what is wrong. It leads us to look for solutions, instead of problems. It helps us give thanks instead of complaining. Most importantly it takes the focus off of the self and the sinful nature within all of us. All that is good in our lives is from God, everything else is because of sin and selfishness, in us and in others. “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1) Amen.

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“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15

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

Our Hearts And Minds

February 11, 2019 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

What are the thoughts and things that stir up your heart and your mind? Sometimes, we make it too easy for evil to ensnare us. We get so easily distracted and consumed by the things of this world and forget what we have learned from God. Daily time with God’s Word and in prayer is the only resource I know of, for helping us to reset and refocus our hearts and our minds. The self and the sinful nature will not give up on tearing you down and breaking you apart. Find wisdom, strength and courage in Jesus Christ. He knows more than anyone the battles we are facing as He too lived on earth and was tempted by the devil. Seek Him and God’s Word and your heart and mind will be restored. Amen.

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“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:1-2

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

Servant Leadership

February 5, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

This is a way of being a leader that has care and empathy for others as much as anything. A servant leader understands that we is far greater than me. They include others in decision making, they pay attention to the growth and potential of those around them, they are not only good for a group or organization, their presence is necessary for sustainable growth and success. You know a servant leader when you see one as they tend to be different from the majority of leaders…they listen, they have high self-awareness and they are often shining a spot light on others. The greatest example of a servant leader we have is Jesus Christ…He gave of Himself to everyone and anyone, no matter what the “rules” of society were at the time. He taught others and set them up for growth and success, and with Him as their leader, the disciples spread the message that has changed the world like nothing ever has or ever will. They shared the Good News and it is still impacting the world today. They were leaders working to serve as they were taught, knowing the greatest success will come when you empower others to be future leaders. Seek the Lord Jesus Christ and His leadership as He is always working for your good. Amen.

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“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45

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

Living By The Spirit

January 31, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Life by the Spirit is a life that is conscious of our impact on others. It is not always looking inward and seeking to satisfy the self. It is a balanced life, aware of the present more then the past or future. It is a life that strives to put Christ in the center of everything…it is not easy to achieve in a dark and broken world nor are we able to do this alone. I pray we seek a life that is led by the Spirit. Amen.

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“The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.”

Galatians 5:14-15

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 while hiking in Wisconsin near Lake Superior)

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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“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Psalms 51:10

(This photo was taken in December of 2013 on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

How We Connect

January 6, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

People and relationships, these are two important elements in seeking and finding peace and joy in life. The world says that money and comfort/convenience is what you need to be happy. Focusing on others feeds our spiritual life and focusing on the self only feeds the self. As with everything in life it is our choice. God is pretty clear about the value of free will. He is not interested in having a people that just do things at His command. We are responsible for our behavior and the way we treat each other. The best place to start is with our relationship with Jesus Christ…begin, continue or renew your relationship with our Lord and Savior and will find peace. Amen.

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

Colossians 3:12-13

(This photo was taken in December of 2018 on Paradise Island, Bahamas)

God Came Down

December 29, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The coming of Jesus Christ, to be born as a baby here on earth was miraculous for many reasons. The most difficult part to comprehend is that God, the Creator of the world, the beginning and the end of all things, loves us so much that He took the form of one of us, to save us from our sinful ways. When we read in the bible about the people of God in the Old Testament, it seems like the people and God go back and forth. The people are suffering, God does something to help them, win a battle, defeat an enemy, free them from slavery and the people are thankful and grow closer to God…and then time goes by and they wander off again. The cycle repeats itself several times…much like many of us in our faith journey. In the New Testament, God changes the cycle and does something that has changed the relationship we have with Him forever. God came down from heaven and became like us in order to reconcile us to Him…think about that for awhile…the Almighty God, Creator of all things came down from heaven to become one of us because He loves us. As we think about the past year and the year to come, I pray we reflect on God’s love and the amazing things He has done for us. Amen.

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