Seek Him First

March 9, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33 NIV

Jesus Christ…He sacrificed Himself to save you

No matter what has happened in your life, no matter what you have done or left undone

He is waiting for you with open arms…to forgive you and restore you

He is ready to do that for you and for others in your life because He loves you and He loves them too

Jesus Christ is the way…He is the only way to fellowship with God

The Way by Housefires

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“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 near Glacier National Park in Montana)

Christ-Centered Humility

March 5, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

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

Lord Jesus, You showed us what true humility should look like

Thank You for Your kindness and grace toward us

Please show us how to have the same attitude toward others that You had toward us

Teach us to love others unconditionally and sacrificially…for Your glory, and their good

In Your Holy Name, Amen

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“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 2:20 NIV

(This photo was taken at a park in Winterset, Iowa)

Jesus Set The Example

March 4, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

For everything…His character…His goodness…His compassion…His response to questions…His attitude…His selflessness…His love

No matter what our struggle is, no matter where we are in life…Jesus has an example of how we should try to respond, react, proceed

For example, while hanging on the Cross, blood draining out of His body…taking the punishment we and those who put Him there deserve, He spoke these words:

“Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

Luke 23:34 NIV

No matter what is happening in your life turn towards Jesus Christ

He has set the example for us to follow in this life

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“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Romans 12:9-13 NIV

(This photo was taken by a lake in Plymouth, Minnesota)

Saved By Grace

March 3, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

Nothing we do will make God love us more

Nothing we do will make God love us less

We have been saved by the Grace of God

It is a gift from God

We can either accept it and choose to follow Jesus

Or we can reject it and face the consequences of that choice

We are saved by Grace

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“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

(This photo was taken while traveling in southern New Mexico)

To Know Him vs To Know About Him

February 26, 2025 / 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. ⁸Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

1 John 4:7-8 NIV

Each of us needs to ask ourselves…

Do I truly know Jesus or do I just know about Him?

There is a significant difference

To know that He lived and the things that He did and even the things He said is to know about Him

To know Him is to meet with Him daily and communicate with Him all the time

To know Him is to ask Him questions and express your true feelings to Him

To know Him is to do what He did in your relationships with others

To know Him is to take up your cross and follow Him

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“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”

Matthew 16:24-24 NIV

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

Humility In Relationships

February 23, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,

“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”^[a]

1 Peter 5:5 NIV

Father God, You invite us into a peaceful relationship with You where we can be fully known and loved

You also invite us to pursue peace with others around us

Please help us to appraoch our relationships with humility, grace and wisdom

Grant us knowledge to recognize when we should speak and when we should listen as we pursue peace

In Jesus name, Amen

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“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Philippians 2:1-4 NIV

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

Called To One Hope

February 16, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ²Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.“

Ephesians 4:1-3 NIV

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“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV

(This photo was taken while traveling in southern New Mexico)

We Believe

February 15, 2025 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”

Romans 10:10 NIV

We Believe by Newsboys

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 NIV

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

God’s Grace

February 14, 2025 / 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 anyway

God is Holy and God is love

Because He is Holy our sin separates us from Him

He demonstrated His love when 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 amazing grace

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