Give Thanks And Praise

July 16, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The Lord gives us blessings…He knows each of us and He cares for us. Some blessings are talents or natural skills we can use to share abundance with others…some blessings don’t feel like a blessing but are intended for us to learn from, in these times it can be difficult to stay true to faith and to look for God in all of it. He is right there with you, no matter what has happened, no matter who you have lost in this life. Spiritual maturity comes by walking with God and trusting in Him. Give thanks and praise Him for His love, His mercy, His forgiveness and His grace. Amen.

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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

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Arches National Park in Utah)

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 Is With You

July 14, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Trustworthy…reliable…constant…unwavering…unfailing…steady…faithful. God is with you at all times no matter where you go. All that is required is for us to come to the Cross and believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. There is nothing, no place or no one on earth that compares to what you can have in a personal relationship with our Lord. We often spend our lives looking for something or someone and we believe that if that place or person could be a part of our everyday life then we would be satisfied…Jesus Christ is all that we need. Turn toward Him and give thanks for all that He has done for you. Amen.

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“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling through Nebraska)

God’s Word

July 13, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we open up and read the Word of God, we can sense the Spirit that God has planted within us. Our faith is living and breathing and needs to be fed. God’s Word renews us, encourages us and centers us on Him and His plan for us. His Word is truth, it is fact based on actual events in history and His Word gives us life. May God’s peace be with you and flow through you each day. Amen.

Word Of Life by Jeremy Camp

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

John 1:1

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

The Good Shepherd

July 12, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Jesus is described as our shepherd in many places in the bible. This is not a common occupation in today’s world, yet the description of who The Good Shepherd is and what it means for us is extremely accurate for our relationship with Him. He watches over us and ensures we have what we need…He guards us and keeps danger away…He knows everything about us…and most importantly He laid down His life to save us. You can read more about Jesus the Good Shepherd in the Gospel of John, chapter 10. We live in peace with The Good Shepherd watching over us. Amen.

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“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalms 23

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

Forgiven

July 9, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

As we grow on our faith journey it seems some behavior changes happen somewhat easily and for others, we keep going the wrong way. We get stuck and feel powerless to change what we know needs to change. It is at this point that the road to the Savior seems to narrow and we begin to see how truly amazing God’s grace can be…learning to have humility…to surrender…to admit we need Him even when we know we don’t deserve it…this can be a difficult step in our lives and it takes courage, yet it is the only way, Jesus is the only way to joy and everlasting life. From the most tragic events can come the greatest joy…if you ever doubt it…remember what happened between Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday. May God’s grace wash over you. Amen.

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“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

Psalms 51:1-2

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 at a park near Bayfield, Wisconsin)

Contentment

July 8, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

I hope you have enjoyed the music and listening for God in the talent of those who have been blessed to share the Good News through song over the last few weeks. This morning I am struck by gratitude for all the good things God has given. There is so much to be thankful for and yet we often choose to wish for things to be different or to have more or less of something. It seems to be human nature to desire more in some way, however, true joy and peace is found only in contentment. Think about how much we can enjoy the present moments in life each day if we begin with gratitude and thankfulness for what blessings we have been given and put Christ in the center of our lives rather than ourselves and our desires. Thanks be to God for all He has done for us and may the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”

1 Timothy 6:6-7

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

Extending His Grace to Others

July 7, 2019July 7, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

We have been blessed to be a blessing…He provides amazing grace to flow through us, so that we show His love to others with our actions and behaviors.

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) by Chris Tomlin

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

(This photo was taken in June of 2018 near the border of South Dakota and Minesota)

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)

Let Peace Begin With Me

July 4, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Freedom isn’t free…A price has been paid to save us…If we want things to change or to be better we have to start with ourselves first. Turn towards God and ask Jesus Christ into your heart each day to lead you and make you new. Let the peace of Christ be in you. Amen.

Let There Be Peace On Earth by Vince Gill

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