Character

November 7, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Living life by faith is about who we are more than what we do. Our behaviors, how we treat others and our interactions with others say more about us than our job or career path. The world honors worldly things like wealth, awards, job titles and other self-oriented pursuits…these things are not considered to be wrong or bad…the issue is these things have become more important than God. When self-satisfaction is more important than our relationship with God, we are going off course…to be clear we are all guilty of this sin, it is human nature in a fallen world. The first step in repentance is awareness of the behavior and the next step is confessing to God and seeking to turn away from our sins, with God’s help. As humans we all suffer from the same types of trouble…how we choose to respond is up to us. May the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:3-5

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

Our Source Of Strength And Hope

September 27, 2019 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

We face difficulties and struggles each day and in so many different situations. We look for help within the world…yet everyone else is struggling as well. What are we to do? Who can we turn to? There is one who we should turn to and put our trust in, only one, it is Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Our Lord. He is the source of comfort, courage, strength and hope…find your hope and find new strength in Christ Alone. Amen.

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“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

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

Living Hope

September 18, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Hope in this world mostly gets aligned with wishful thinking in general conversations. This hope is not sure, not firm and is not based on belief. The hope talked about in the Bible is hope that believes and knows God’s promises for good things. This hope is supported by our actions and behaviors. The hope we receive from Christ is a hope that knows that God is for us and working for our good, even when, especially when the visible evidence is against it. The hope from God’s Word tells us to not give up or surrender to sin and doubt, rather know that God is with you and you can trust in Him…not for the things you believe you should have but for the things God knows that you need. May the God of all hope be present in your daily walk. Amen.

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“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 September of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

Trust In The Lord

August 13, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What is an event or issue you sincerely brought to the Lord asked for Him to guide you and to take care of you and others? What was the outcome? It most likely wasn’t exactly the way you thought it was going to go or it wasn’t the way you wanted it to go…yet you may be thinking it all worked out in the end…it also could be that the issue worked out for the betterment of others, more than for you. God is the God of all people. Having a personal relationship with God doesn’t mean more things will go the way you want…it means you believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and that you trust God even when you are unsure how things are going to turn out because you know He is working for the good in all things. Put your trust and your hope in God. Amen.

Find Rest by Francesca Battistelli

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

Psalm 37:3-4

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconsin)

Put Your Trust In God

July 30, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

What do you put your trust in? Who do you believe is trustworthy? Take a moment and think about it. The dictionary states trust is – firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. So, who or what in your life do you trust? The world is filled with deception, selfishness, lying, cheating, etc… these things were brought into the world by the human race. There is still hope…there is One who is worthy of trust. There is One who is reliable, who is the truth, who has the ability and the strength and He is the One who sacrificed himself to save us…Jesus Christ. He is a Light in the darkness, turn to Jesus and put your trust in God. Amen.

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“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

Psalm 143:8

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 while traveling through North Dakota)

Hope

July 15, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Our faith relies on hope and our hope is eternal because of Jesus and what He has done for us. The events and circumstances of our lives are constantly trying to snuff out all hope…if we get distracted and put ourselves in the center of our lives instead of Christ, it becomes difficult to see any hope. When we choose to live this way, focused on the self, we will be frustrated, disappointed and feel hopeless. When we turn our attention to the Lord, when we read God’s Word and we pray we can find hope once again. As it is written in Matthew 19:26 “…With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” May the hope that is found in Christ be with you this day. Amen.

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“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 2017 at a lake place in northwestern Wisconson)

He Loves Us

July 6, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

There is nothing in the world like God’s love for us…He sacrificed His one and only Son to save us…sin and suffering are the result of human behavior, all that is good comes from God. Seek Him and His will for you. Amen.

How He Loves by David Crowder Band

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“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may 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, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:17-19

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

What Is Faith?

June 17, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It is belief…it is trust…it is confidence…it is optimism…it is hope and it exists because of God’s love and what He has done for us. It is not complex, it is simple. Faith and religion are not the same thing. Faith is about your personal relationship with Jesus Christ…religion is about the ways people choose to practice their faith. Your faith is between you and God, first. Start by seeking Him, believing in Him and trusting Him and He will guide you and your life from that point forward through any and all circumstances. Amen.

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“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 near Glacier National Park in Montana)

Humility And Strength

June 5, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

It’s not about me…it’s not about how everything affects me or makes me feel…I am not the center of everything. Each of us is one person, created by God and how we choose to live and interact with others on a daily basis is what we can control more than anything. Our actions and how we choose to respond to the actions of others is up to us. Put God first, read His word and pray. Seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit and give thanks to Jesus Christ for His love, His mercy and His grace…if you are wondering how will I ever do this or get through this…know that strength can be found in weakness. Amen.

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“…For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12:10

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 in White Sands National Monument in New Mexico)

Our Hope Is Found

May 26, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

In Christ alone. We are saved by His sacrifice, His mercy and His grace. Give thanks to God for all that is good. We can search high and low and all over this world for peace but our source of strength and hope and true peace will be found in Christ Alone. Look for where God is at work in your life today. Amen.

In Christ Alone by Brian Littrell

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