prayer

Joy Because God Is Faithful

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV

“You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Psalm 16:11 NIV

Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness, even when we have been unfaithful to You

Thank You for Your presence in our lives and for never leaving us alone

We know that You will continue to guide us and protect us as You work in us and through us

Help us remember to place our hope and trust in You, so that we can experience true joy

In Jesus name, Amen.

DSC_0025 (2) publish

“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.”

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

Teach Us Your Way

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.”

Psalm 25:4-5 NIV

God invites us into a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ

It is up to us to choose how to respond to that invitation

If we ignore God’s call and go our own way we will bring about more pain and suffering without God’s presence and guidance

We need to be willing to open ourselves up to God’s way and His plan, that happens with His timing

We need to be willing to surrender our self-centered ways to Him

God is not in a hurry, like we typically are in this world

God is faithful and will guide you and lead you if you are willing to put your faith and trust in Him and His Way

Father God, please guide us and teach us as we seek to live a life that honors You

Lead us into our calling, and lovingly correct our mistakes

Thank You for being the One we can confide in, and for loving us just as we are

You are good, and we am grateful for You  In Jesus name, Amen

DSC06178 publish

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Psalm 32:8 NIV

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

The Son Of God

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Hebrews 1:3 NIV

Jesus is ‘The Way’ to God

The world, our flesh and Satan will all attempt to lead us astray

No matter where you are

No matter what has happened to you or in your life

Turn in prayer to Jesus…trust in Him

The Son of God is waiting to hear from you

Cry Out To Jesus by Third Day

DSC_0323 publish

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

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

God’s Love Holds Us Together Every Day

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Romans 12:4-8 NIV

Hold Us Together by Matt Maher

DSC_0101

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

Colossians 3:12-14 NIV

(This photo was taken along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota)

Remember With God, All Things Are Possible

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Luke 1:37 NIV

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 NIV

As we close out 2024 and look forward to the New Year…remember you have a Good Father in God and there is nothing He can’t handle in your life

When it looks and seems impossible

Know that God can conquer all things

He is with you…He is for you and He loves you

Good Good Father by Chris Tomlin featuring Pat Barrett

DSC_0021-1 publish

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:1-6 NIV

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

An Ever-Present Help In Trouble

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.”

Psalm 46:1 NIV

When you are stuck or in trouble, what do you do?

Who do you look to for help?

God has told us…He is here, He is with us

In every place we go and in all circumstances

Live each day with the knowledge and the comfort of knowing

He is with You and He is an ever-present help in trouble

The door to hope and help can be unlocked from the inside…open it and seek Him

DSC_0061 publish

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Revelation 3:20 NIV

(This photo was taken at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

To Know Him…

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.”

Colossians 1:9-12 NIV

Father God, Your Word is filled with wisdom and promises that offer guidance for our lives

Sometimes it is difficult for us to understand, please give us courage to trust Your faithfulness

Light our path, help us learn about You and Your way and give us clarity about how You want us to live

  In Jesus name, Amen

DSC_0205 publish

“ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Colossians 1:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in Wyoming)

Commitment

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

John 15:7 NIV

Father God, we want to seek You with all our heart

You are in everything…so let our thoughts and actions match our words

Help us draw closer to You

Guide our decisions and inspire us with new dreams

We want to honor You with all that we are and all that we do

In Jesus name, Amen

DSC_0135-1 publish

“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.”

Isaiah 26:3 NIV

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

Gratitude For Jesus

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

John 1:14 NIV

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2     Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
    It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”

Psalm 100:1-3 NIV

Gratitude by Brandon Lake

DSC_0011 publish

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving
    and his courts with praise;
    give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Psalm 100:4-5 NIV

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

The Greatest Love For All People

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV

There is no issue or circumstances too big for God

No matter what, God’s love is greater than anything or anyone

He offers this love to everyone, everywhere

He did this by sending His one and only Son

Tonight we celebrate the birth of Jesus, our Savior and Lord

Merry Christmas to all people!

DSC_0730 publish

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Luke 2:10-11 NIV

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