Return To Sender

March 23, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It is true…we will get exactly what we give in this life. If we choose to stomp around with anger, deceit and selfish motivations, always screaming and yelling about our rights…there is no reason to expect others to treat us any differently. Take a moment to reflect on any recent interaction you have had that didn’t go well from your perspective. Who was first to start the interaction? You or the other person and what was the tone and demeanor of the first person to act? If things started from a place of anger and tension then I would guess it continued and escalated or even if it started out just fine something must have happened that turned it into something unpleasant. We are wired to react and respond and if someone doesn’t stop the reaction response mentality things get to the point where people get hurt or killed. There must be a better way…The Good News is just that…a better way. We can choose to be different, we can be kind and compassionate with patience if we are willing to turn towards Jesus Christ and invite Him into our hearts and minds and we read the Word of God to learn about this Way every day. Amen.

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“The one who sows to please the sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Galatians 6:8

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Dillon, Colorado)

He Knows

March 12, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

No matter how you are feeling or what thoughts are racing through your mind, remember that God knows what is going on in your life and in your mind and He is waiting for you to turn to Him and trust Him to be your guide and to care for you. All that is good comes from God, all that is sin and suffering was brought into this world by us. Believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and come to Him for whatever you need. The music of the world has been impacting more than usual over the last few weeks…I can’t help but think it is God speaking through others as some of the songs I have heard many times over and yet they seem to sound different lately or more like message. Today I share a song by Jeremy Camp that He released 4 years ago. May the God of mercy a grace be with you. Amen.

“He Knows” by Jeremy Camp

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“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28-29

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Self-Assessment

February 15, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Here is a difficult thing to do on our faith journey. And like everything else this is not a one and done check box in life…it is ongoing, it is a process, it is not something we should do alone. God knows about you, He knows what is going on in your life right now, He knows your thoughts and fears and He knows you will need Him…He did two things to help you…He sent His one and only Son as a sacrifice to save you and He gave you free will. Choose faith, choose Jesus Christ, choose God’s Word…He knows you, He loves you and He is waiting to hear from you. Amen.

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

(This photo was taken in September of 2016 at a lake place in central Minnesota)

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)

Measuring Success

December 27, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The measure of success we have in our life depends on which race we have chosen to run. Have we decided to pursue the race of the world, chasing money and possessions, constantly consuming and comparing our standing or our place in the world with others on social media? Or have we been working on pursuing the race marked out for us by God’s will? Making faith more important than things, focusing on our relationships, how we treat others and seeking to grow in our spiritual life. God has given us the gift of free will and so we have the ability and the responsibility to choose which race we will run. No matter where we are today, God is with us and we can trust in Him by turning to Christ in prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit to guide our path. Best of luck to you and to everyone in your race today. Amen.

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“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Hebrews 12:1

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Hope For The World

December 26, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The birth of Jesus is proof of God’s love for us. God chose to send His Son to save us. We will have struggles, suffering and difficulties in this world, yet our hope in goodness, kindness, compassion and love comes from our belief in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We can’t control what other people will do, say or think and focusing all our time on trying to change someone else will only lead to frustration. We can only control how we respond to others and the attitude we choose to present to the world. Let us choose love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. By faith, we can be the hope for the world by sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and His saving grace for everyone. May the peace and love of Christ be in us all today and in the New Year. Amen.

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“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Romans 5:3-5

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

The Gift Of The Holy Spirit

December 19, 2018December 19, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

If we are willing to the surrender our self-serving desires and seek out God’s will for us and our lives we should begin by turning towards Jesus in prayer and open ourselves up to Him. When we do that we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is our guide, this is that small voice telling us the right thing to do, especially when the right thing goes against the way of the world. Listening and then doing what God has intended for us will not be the easy route in many situations. Over time it can become more natural, it is at the beginning when change will be the most difficult…be persistent, be patient and trust the Lord. He is right there with you, every step of the way, every single day. Trust the guidance of the Holy Spirit, it is a gift from God that we may receive this spirit. Amen.

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“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

2 Timothy 1:7

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

Let Your Light Shine

December 13, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and our Savior and Lord we receive the Holy Spirit. It is implanted in us to guide us, strengthen us and to build us up. We must feed our spiritual lives by attending worship, reading God’s Word and by praying. As we go on this journey we may notice a stronger sense of peace and calm and joy present more often than it used to be within us…we may notice a desire to good things more often and we may find we have greater compassion for others than maybe we did before. We should seek to follow a desire to do good things as often as we can and to give credit to God for who we are and what we have done. I pray we seek to shine the Light of Christ that is planted within us to others by our actions and our behaviors. Amen.

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“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16

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

More And Less

December 5, 2018 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

As we pray and read and learn more about Jesus and the examples He has provided us for living, our spiritual life should take on greater significance. The development on our faith journey could be referred to as an inside out process. We profess our belief in Jesus Christ and open ourselves up and ask Christ to come into hearts…we receive the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us change our thoughts, our attitude and our perspective. A surrendering of self-focused living and an increase in Christ focused living. The stronger we become in faith the better prepared we are to share the Good News with others in this broken world. First God restores us on the inside and then He sends us out to share what we have learned. I pray for courage and wisdom for all of us to be persistent in growing and nurturing our faith. Amen.

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“He must become greater; I must become less.”

John 3:30

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

Doing Good

November 21, 2018 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

Patience…Persistence…Perseverance…Consistent…Helpful…Supportive…Kind. It can be difficult to sustain an attitude that focuses on good things. There is darkness and evil lurking everywhere in the world. When we state our belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and profess our faith that He is our Lord and Savior we will receive the Holy Spirit within us. The Holy Spirit along with the Word of God can be our foundation to stand on for doing good things and serving the needs of others. God is love and He has poured out His love to us through His One and Only Son. Let’s be grateful for His love, His mercy, His grace and His forgiveness and keep our courage up to do good things. Amen.

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