Jesus

He Gives Strength To The Weary

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31 NIV

If you find yourself weary and weak…struggling and feeling defeated

There is Hope

Review our relationship with God.  When have you last spoken with Him?

Is He a part of everyday or just here and there as needed?

I know I have found myself guilty of living distracted by my circumstances more often than I like to admit…walking with God takes time and effort on our part

God offers us so much yet we still have to do our part to make a commitment to follow Him

He will give you strength when you are weary and weak.  Trust in the Lord and you will find strength

DSC_0258 Publish

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

Jeremiah 31:25 NIV

(This photo was taken at The Chapel of Transfiguration in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)

Rest With Him

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

As the summer is winding down and the schedule of activities and places to be cranks up, it is important to be consistent in taking time to rest in between the coming and going

Making time and having a place to rest…truly rest…time to pray, read scripture and recharge your mind and spirit is so important

We can’t be all things for all people all the time…been there, failed at that

Even Jesus would make time to rest His mind and body…why do we think we could do more than Him?

  Seek Him and ask Him to help you find rest in your daily activities

2012 224 publish

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31 NIV

(This photo was taken while walking on the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Anything Is Possible With God

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The Lord is good to all;
    he has compassion on all he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9 NIV

No matter what, anything is possible with God

If you are discouraged or defeated and thinking this is never going to change or get better…turn towards God, put your trust in Him

If you are frustrated and at your wits end with your circumstances or another person don’t give up…pray to God and draw near to Him

In the Bible look at the story of Saul who became Paul…Saul was filled with anger and hate and he was leading the charge to kill believers in Jesus and yet this was the person God chose to change so he could help lead the charge to spread the Good News about Jesus…you can read more about him in the book of Acts

If God can change Saul to Paul, He can change you or someone you are praying for as well

Anything is possible with God!

DSC_0062 publish

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
    and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Power Of Prayer

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

We are children of God

He wants to hear from us

We may think, well He is God if He knows everything and life is supposed to go according to His plan why do I need to talk to Him?

Think about your relationship with your parents or if you are a parent think about your relationship with your children

In both circumstances the relationship is always enhanced or stronger when we have good two-way communication

The same is true with Father God.  Believe in the power of prayer

“When We Pray” by Tauren Wells

DSC_0894 publish

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Philippians 4:6 NIV

(This photo was taken in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Trust God’s Promises

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

2 Peter 1:2-4 NIV

God’s promises are many and they are all throughout the Bible

He promises salvation, to give you rest, to strengthen you, to provide for your needs, to protect you, to never leave you and so many more

The question is do you believe Him and do you trust Him?

Consider what God has done, what He is doing and what He has promised will come

DSC_0730 publish

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,…”

Isaiah 43:1-4 NIV

(This photo was taken at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

God Is Love

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:8 NIV

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”

1 John 4:11 NIV

It has been said that in order for people to receive and understand a message they must see/hear it a minimum of three times

May these verses and the words below help each of us to know and understand…

GOD is Love

God IS Love

God is LOVE

DSC_0176 (2) publish

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”

1 John 4:16-21 NIV

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

Our Rock…A Firm Foundation

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Psalm 18:2 NIV

Father God, there is no one besides You.  You are the only One who is holy and worthy of our praise.  Thank You for being our Rock and the firm foundation we can build our lives upon!  We are grateful that You are always faithful, never changing, and the One we can put our trust in.  We love You!  In Jesus name, Amen.

Firm Foundation (He Won’t) by Cody Carnes

DSC_0226 (2) publish

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in humans.”

Psalms 118:8 NIV

(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park)

Different…Changed

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Psalm 51:1-2 NIV

Different by Micah Tyler

DSC_1292 publish

“Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Psalm 51:10-12 NIV

(This photo was taken in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

Wait For The Lord

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV

Father God, break us of our busyness and striving for worldly things.  We want to be people of peace, loving and honoring You.  Help us prioritize our lives during this season of transition.  Show us what we need to surrender to You.  Teach us how to actively wait for You.  In Jesus name, Amen.

DSC_0229 publish

“I remain confident of this:
    I will see the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
    be strong and take heart
    and wait for the Lord.“

Psalm 27:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountian National Park)

Rest And Renew

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

We are not in control of what happens in the world

The daily news and events make that abundantly clear

The only thing we can control is how we choose to respond to things that do happen

The best thing we can do is turn towards Jesus

Give thanks to the Lord for the good things and ask for help and guidance for the difficult things

We don’t know and can’t control what will happen tomorrow yet we can trust in Him who sits on the throne of heaven

It is by drawing near to Him that we can find rest and be renewed

DSC_0322 publish

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

Mark 6:31 NIV

(This photo was taken in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)