Shine A Light

April 3, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Our purpose is to learn about Him who loves us and sacrificed Himself for us… and then to shine a light on God’s love, God’s mercy and God’s grace for others to see not for ourselves but for God. We can show God to others by who we are in how we treat others and by our actions and behaviors. Shine a light in this dark world and trust in the Lord. Amen.

“For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:5-6

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“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. ¹⁴As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. ¹⁵But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”^[a]“

1 Peter 1:13-16

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

Light In The Darkness

March 12, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and we confess our sins, we will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit…which is a light, the light that shines within us and enables us to walk in darkness. We do not have all the answers, yet we have confidence in God for this life and the life to come. Amen.

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“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6

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

The Light Of The World

February 19, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we are discouraged and defeated it may be because we are clinging to the things of this world and we are living in darkness. Comparing ourselves to others, believing our worth and our value comes from something or someone other than God. If we are struggling to see, we need to remember the Light of the World…Jesus Christ…our Savior and Lord. Let Him lead you and guide you…read God’s Word about His birth, His life, His death and His resurrection and remember He did it all for you. Amen.

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“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

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

Our Source For Light

October 23, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we admit we are broken and sinful and turn to Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord we will begin to learn about the Light of the world. The world is filled with darkness and sin. The thoughts, words and actions of worldly values is centered on the self and a selfish attitude. A life centered on Christ can be a Light in the world when we are willing to surrender our plans for God’s plan. The one true source of Light is God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Trust in Him and you will have joy and peace. Amen.

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“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 God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6

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

A Light In The Darkness

August 30, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

The world is filled with darkness…we all are searching for a light and a way to see more clearly…many of us have been told about The Light and some have even spent time looking towards The Light…yet often we look away and believe we don’t need it or believe that The Light isn’t really there. Believe in Jesus Christ, He is The Light of the world. Only He can shine as Light in this dark world…seek Him and you will see. Amen.

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“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 God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 4:6

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

A Light

August 8, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When we become overwhelmed by sin due to anger, fear, frustrations, discouragement, loneliness, sadness or shame which are all tools of evil and darkness…the first place to look for a light is in God’s Word. It is our light to find our way through anything life and this world throws at us. It is knowledge, it is wisdom, it is comfort, it is strength…it encourages us and helps us to see better and most importantly it is the Truth. We will not get all the answers and understanding until we pass on to be with the Lord…yet we will get all that we need while we are here. May we all take time to read God’s Word and may the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Psalm 119:105

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

Shine The Light

May 8, 2019 / mcalcagno / 1 Comment

To follow Jesus, to read the words He spoke and do as He instructed is to walk in the Light of Christ. There are several references in the Bible to the darkness and the light. Evil and sin lead us into darkness and keep us from our relationship with God. When you find yourself physically in a dark room or outside on a dark night and you cannot see anything, what is your first instinct? We were made to seek the Light…when we invite Jesus into our hearts and we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit we will have the Light of Christ and as we study God’s Word and build our relationship the Lord, we will learn how God wants us to shine His Light into the world. Seek the Light of Christ that God has placed in you and ask Him how He wants you to let that light shine. Amen.

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“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

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

Light Of Life

March 19, 2019 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

When the power goes out or we enter a place or a room that is dark…what do our instincts tell us to do? Search for a light, why? So we can see our surroundings and the way to move forward. This is exactly the reaction we should have when our life feels like we are in the dark or surrounded by darkness. Search for the Light, the Light of Christ to help us to see and to guide us forward. So many of us stay in the darkness and spend days, weeks, months or even years trying to find our way around in the dark and we wonder why life is so hard? Follow the instincts that God has placed inside you…seek the Light of Life so that you can see. Amen.

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“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

(This photo was taken in June of 2016 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Shine The Light

February 13, 2019 / 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.

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“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)

Seek The Light

January 20, 2019January 20, 2019 / mcalcagno / 2 Comments

In our daily lives we are surrounded by messages of temptations, judgements and propaganda telling us what we should think, what we need to do, what brand of this or that, that a ‘sensible’ person uses. In the era of social media it has evolved into pop-up ads and notifications within streams of other information. This is all the work of darkness and evil. No matter what outlet you choose the attempt to pull you away from God will be present. There is a light for all of us and it is the Word of God. Seek Him and His Word and you will find hope and peace in a dark world. Amen.

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