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.

Friends, God is with us…right here, right now. Jesus said in the Gospel according to John…

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 14:27 NIV

(This photo was taken in February of 2022 at Cascade State Park along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

Nothing…

February 22, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be^[a] against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? ³³Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.^[b] ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”

Romans 8:31-35 NIV

There is nothing better than God and our relationship with Him. There is nothing in this world more important than Him. He is with you…He loves you and He is for you. It is up to each one of us to turn towards Him and put His Word in our hearts and trust that He is working for our good. While the world will disappoint and people will frustrate us there is nothing that can ever separate us from God and His love. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Graves Into Gardens featuring Brandon Lake by Elevation Worship

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“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 along Beartooth Pass near the Montana-Wyoming border)

God’s Grace

February 19, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

We can’t earn it…we don’t deserve it and yet God offers it to us. God is holy and God is love. Because He is holy our sin separates us from Him…because of His love He sent His one and only Son to take the punishment we deserve so that we can be reconciled with Him. Choose to believe…confess your sins…give thanks to God for His grace. Amen.

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“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

(This photo was taken in September of 2020 at sunrise by a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

His Love For You

February 13, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:9-13 NIV

God loves you. No matter where you are, no matter what you have done or left undone…He loves you. There is no love in this world as great as God’s love for you. We don’t earn His love and we don’t deserve it…we can’t get more of it because we are good and He doesn’t withhold it when we sin. He knows everything about you and your life and guess what…He loves you all the same. The proof is found at the Cross. Invite Jesus Christ into your heart and give Him thanks for His love for you.

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“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:6-8 NIV

(This photo was taken in March of 2013 at the Botanical Garden in the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)

The Truth Will Set You Free

February 9, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:6 NIV

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

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“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32 NIV

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

The Goodness Of God

February 6, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“A child will be born to us.
    A son will be given to us.
    He will rule over us.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Adviser and Mighty God.
He will also be called Father Who Lives Forever
    and Prince Who Brings Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6 NIRV

“The Lord is gracious, kind and tender.
He is slow to get angry and full of love.
⁹The Lord is good to all.
He shows deep concern for everything he has made.”

Psalm 145:8-9 NIRV

The Goodness Of God by Bethel Music & Jenn Johnson

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“Your kingdom is a kingdom that will last forever.
Your rule will continue for all time to come.

The Lord will keep all his promises.
    He is faithful in everything he does.
¹⁴The Lord takes good care of all those who fall.
    He lifts up all those who feel helpless.
¹⁵Every living thing looks to you for food.
    You give it to them exactly when they need it.
¹⁶You open your hand
    and satisfy the needs of every living creature.”

Psalm 145:13-16 NIRV

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

Put Your Hope In God

February 3, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Why am I discouraged?
    Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
    I will praise him again—
    my Savior and my God!”

Psalm 42:11 NLT

Where is your hope? What do you put your hope in? Do you put your hope in worldly values and worldly perspectives? I certainly have in my life. Is your hope in something that can be taken away from you and leave you disappointed and discouraged? Yep, been there done that. We must stop trying to fill the void in our hearts with the things or people of the world as that only leads to frustration…we were created for relationship with our God. Only God can satisfy the desires of our hearts through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Put your hope in God.

Find Rest by Fracesca Battistelli

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“Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
²⁹He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
³⁰Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT

(This photo was taken in April of 2020 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Living By The Spirit

January 29, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But the fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful ²³and gentle and having control of oneself. There is no law against things of that kind.”

Galatians 5:22-23 NIRV

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, living present and not dwelling more on the regrets of the past or trying to control the future. It is a life that strives to put Christ in the center of everything…this is not easy to achieve in a dark and broken world full of distractions nor are we able to do this alone. We need to remember God’s grace and receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts…so that His love can flow through us into every aspect of our lives. Seek a balanced life that is led by the Spirit. Amen.

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“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

³⁷Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’^[a] ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[b] ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”