Jesus

Self-Assessment

/ 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.

DSC_1625 publish

“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)

My Rock, My Fortress And My Deliverer

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The Book of Psalms is filled with songs and prayers of David that express a wide range of emotions.  As you may know I believe in the power of music and its ability to stir us up in the deepest places of our hearts.  I am thankful to those who have been blessed to create and produce music and do so out the love and passion they have to share their gifts.  Today the words to one of David’s songs strikes me as comforting.  I encourage you to read the entire Psalm 18…I will share the verse that grabbed my attention this morning below.  Peace be with you on your journey.  Amen.

DSC_0939 publish

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.  He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 18:2

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

Shine The Light

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we believe, when we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who lived and died and was resurrected to save us…we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  When we can come to the Cross and confess our sins, we are forgiven and we are restored.  As we move along the journey of faith, the Light of Christ is put into the empty space inside us.  It is a space made by Him and made for Him.  Many try to fill that space with other things.  When we receive this Light, it is up to us to shine this Light in the world for others to see.  If we are unsure how God wants us to do that, all we have to do is ask.  May we all learn how God wants us to shine the Light of Christ in our lives.  Amen.

DSC_0203 (2) publish

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6

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

Our Hearts And Minds

/ 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.

DSC_0232 publish

“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)

Be Humble

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we take time to reflect and think about how we interact with others and what our relationships with others look like, what do we see?  Are we good listeners?  Do we seek feedback?  How do we handle missteps or miscommunications?  The triat of humility is lost on many in the world.  If we want to learn about it we should read about the ultimate example of humility in the bible, turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 13…that is a standard of humility all of us can learn from…may we all seek to find ways to be humble in this world.  Amen.

DSC07416 publish

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

John 13:13-15

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

To Make Him Known

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The second part of our purpose in life.  As we learn and grow, we will be given opportunities to share faith.  How, when or where we share is different for everyone.  This is about living in the present moments of your life.  If we are constantly stewing about the past or what might happen in the future we will miss that which is right in front of us.  This is a journey, we will get distracted and sidetracked, it happens to everyone.  In our efforts to get to know Him and make Him known, we will read stories of conversion and sharing by others and it seems like, wow they changed who they are on Monday and by Friday they were sharing the Good News with others…ah no, at least not for me.  Case and point, I didn’t start daily devotions in my life until around 2010…I started posting on this blog in 2013…I started posting something everyday late in 2015…and began actually writing thoughts inspired by the Holy Spirit on this blog everyday in the beginning of 2018…and here we are today.  What you don’t know is all the other things that go on in a person’s life that impact this process.  We all are part of God’s plan, on my journey God is helping me narrow the focus on this…He created me to Know Him and to make Him Known, everything else should lead into that and I am still learning how that works.  Thank you for reading and stopping by.  May the peace and joy of the Lord be with you on your journey.  Amen.

DSC_0993 publish

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Philippians 4:13

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

To Know Him

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

As it has been said, faith is a journey not a destination.  So what does that mean?  For me it is about making progress, every day.  We learn, we pray, we live, we give thanks, we cry for help, we forgive others and we learn some more.  We are human, we live in a broken and fallen world.  Nobody is perfect, even if their social media profiles try to project it.  We are not made to do this life alone.  We need to know Him, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.  He gave His life to save us and to reconcile us to God.  Give faith a chance, spend time learning about Jesus Christ and His birth, His life, His teachings, His death and His resurrection.  Pickup God’s Word and seek Him daily, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  Amen.

DSC_0144 publish

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10

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

Everyone Has A Role

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The body of Christ is discussed in several areas of the Bible.  It is compared to the makeup of the human body.  Stating that every part of the body has certain contribution to the whole body and everything is functioning at its greatest ability when all the members play their role.  A sports team could be described in a simialr way.  If every member of the team does what they are responsible to do the team can be and will be very successful.  The same is true for Christians.  We all have a role in the body of Christ and even though some roles get taken for granted they have the same value as every other role.  We never notice how much we use our pinky on either hand or our little toe on either foot until it gets broke or dislocated and suddenly we really notice how often we need it.  We are created out of love, we are created for a purpose, every single person has value in God’s plan.  Seek wisdom from God to understand your role is His plan.  Amen.

DSC06178 publish

“Just as each one of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts according to the grace given us…”

Romans 12:4-6

(This photo was taken in February of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Savior

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

His mercy…His grace…His forgiveness…His sacrifice…His death…His resurrection and His love. All of this and more means Jesus Christ has fought the battle and won. He has saved us and we can be reconciled with God. Seek Him and the message of Good News in God’s Word. He gave His all to save you because He loves you just the way you are. May the love of Christ comfort you and encourage you this day. Amen.

DSC_0290 publish

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 on a lake in central Minnesota)

Living By The Spirit

/ 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.

dsc_0105publish

“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)