Come Near To God

March 23, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

Hebrews 4:8 NIV

“The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.”

Psalm 145:18 NIV

Take time to sit alone with God…pickup His Word and read. Acknowledge Him and give thanks to Him for where you have seen Him…give Him thanks for the blessings He has given you…they are there and you will see them if you look for them. Spend time with your Savior, come near to Him and He will come near to you. Amen.

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“If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
¹⁰no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways;
¹²they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”

Psalm 91:9-13 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Doing Good

March 21, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. ⁹Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Galatians 6:7-10 NIV

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:12-17 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at the High Falls in Tettegouche State Park in northern Minnesota)

Listen…Learn

March 20, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“My dear brothers and sisters, pay attention to what I say. Everyone should be quick to listen. But they should be slow to speak. They should be slow to get angry. ²⁰Human anger doesn’t produce the holy life God wants. ²¹So get rid of everything that is sinful. Get rid of the evil that is all around us. Don’t be too proud to accept the word that is planted in you. It can save you.”

James 1:19-21 NIRV

“Lord, show me your ways.
    Teach me how to follow you.
⁵Guide me in your truth. Teach me.
    You are God my Savior.
    I put my hope in you all day long.”

Psalm 25:4-5 NIRV

Wisdom is important in living…Wisdom comes from learning…learning comes from reading or listening to God’s Word…spend time with God, pray, be apart of worship in some way. Put God first in your life…look for Him…listen for His guidance and learn how He wants you to live. Amen.

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“Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way.
It is like a light that guides me.”

Psalm 119:105 NIRV

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

Our Refuge And Help

March 19, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“You are my refuge and my shield;
I have put my hope in your word.”

Psalm 119:114 NIV

“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower;
the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10 NIV

Our troubles can be overwhelming and lead us down a dark path. We often seek relief in the things of this world and find ourselves disappointed and frustrated. There is one place where we can find shelter and be safe from the storms of life…that is in the arms of our Savior, Jesus Christ. With Him is where we can find peace and help in difficult times. Turn towards the Lord first not as a last resort…for He is our refuge and our source of help. Amen.

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“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
²My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2021 in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado)

Power In The Name Of Jesus

March 12, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:9-11 NIV

When life is difficult and frustrating, where do we get the ability to move forward? What could possibly renew us? What makes some people so resilient? It has been my experience that there is only one thing powerful enough to lift us up out of any tragedy or trial…and His name is Jesus. A relationship with Jesus Christ in the way to strength in the battle and rest when we are weary. To experience His presence, we must do our part and be willing to spend time in devotions and prayer building our relationship with Him. God made a promise, He will never leave you nor forsake you and He always keeps His promises. Invite Jesus into your heart and into your life daily and you will be renewed each day. May God’s peace be with you. Amen.

There Is Power by Lincoln Brewster

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“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”

Proverbs 18:10 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington)

The Fruit Of The Spirit

March 6, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

When we believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died and was resurrected to save us from our sins and we confess our sins to God…the Holy Spirit will come into us. It is not a feeling and not an emotional state of mind it is the presence of God living in us and working through us. When we surrender our old way of thinking and we live with the Holy Spirit pouring through our hearts and minds the results will be the Fruit of the Spirit flowing through us in our thoughts, words and our actions. May the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23 NIV

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

Faith And Hope

March 5, 2022 / mcalcagno / 3 Comments

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

It is a choice…it is your choice. To believe or not to believe. God gave you free will…He will not force you to do anything. Faith is about belief and comes from the heart. It gives rise to hope even when things look bleak and despair is spreading. Seek wisdom, learn about God from His Word and chose how you will respond each day. As for me, I chose to trust in the Lord. Amen.

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“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”

Hebrews 6:19 NIV

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

Pray

March 4, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

Philippians 4:6 NIV

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

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

When you don’t know what to do…Pray. Cry out to God for help. Tell God about your worries and fears. He is with you. He is for you. He sent His Son to die on the Cross to save you…there isn’t anything He can’t do. Surrender your ways and look and listen for His ways.

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“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Luke 11:9 NIV

(This photo was taken in May of 2014 at a lake in central Minnesota)

Hope

February 28, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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 NIV

The world is broken. We all have sinned yet because of Jesus and what He has done for us we can have Hope no matter what is happening. God gives us hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He has shown us that even after the most tragic circumstances have occurred, He can bring about good. Look at nature as an example…in winter the trees look dead, lifeless…then spring comes and there is new life…the warmth and lush green of summer is joyful and then the colorful beauty of fall creates scenic views only the Creator could design. Trust is the Lord, do good things to help others and live with Hope from God. Amen.

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“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.”

Psalm 23:6 NIV

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

Along The Way

February 24, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Luke 24:36 NIV

As we live our day to day lives and experience each and every detail of life we are easily distracted from recognizing God is with us. He is in everything…He is the Creator and the Author of our faith…“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 NIV

Just like the two individuals in Luke 24, they were ‘On the Road to Emmaus’. They were busy discussing what had happened over the previous three days…Jesus of Nazareth who they believed was a prophet was handed over and crucified but he was supposed to be the one to redeem Israel. They and all the disciples thought…’ok now we have a king who is powerful and will be sure to set things right for us in this world’…just like many of us today who latch on to something or someone and think ‘ok this is the thing or the person who is going to make everything right in my life’.

Then the two ‘On the Road’ encountered another while walking. He asked them questions and they explained their dismay at what had occurred, even though Jesus himself had told them several times before he died what was going to happen…even though it was stated by many of the early prophets that He will come, be sacrificed and will be raised from the dead.

They couldn’t understand, they were so distracted by the events of their everyday life to even notice that Jesus was right there with them the whole time. He was walking right beside them listening, teaching them and while they were sharing a meal with Him…Finally! They could see He was right there with them the whole time.