His Sacrifice, Our Salvation

November 5, 2021 / mcalcagno / 3 Comments

This post was originally shared in January of 2021…

Nobody loves us as much as God loves us…Jesus gave up heaven with the Father to come down to earth as one of us…from the glory of the angels singing to a manger as a baby on earth, to save us, yet there was no room for Him. Make room for Him in your heart, seek Him and trust in God. He loves you and wants good things for you. Amen.

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:31

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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

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

Surrender

November 2, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.”

Luke 9:23-24 NIV

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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 in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

The Conclusion

November 1, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Later, Jesus knew that everything had now been finished. He also knew that what Scripture said must come true. So he said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹A jar of wine vinegar was there. So they soaked a sponge in it. They put the sponge on the stem of a hyssop plant. Then they lifted it up to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰After Jesus drank he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died.”

John 19:28-90 NIRV

“At just the right time Christ died for ungodly people. He died for us when we had no power of our own. ⁷It is unusual for anyone to die for a godly person. Maybe someone would be willing to die for a good person. ⁸But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:6-8 NIRV

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“Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.”

Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2020 at sunset at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

We Are Forgiven

October 16, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIV

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Ephesians 4:32 NIV

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“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

(This photo was taken in October of 2014 at sunrise on the island of Maui, Hawaii)

Our Redeemer Lives

October 6, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“I know that my redeemer lives.
    In the end he will stand on the earth.
²⁶Though my skin will be destroyed,
    in my body I’ll see God.
²⁷I myself will see him with my own eyes.
    I’ll see him, and he won’t be a stranger to me.
    How my heart longs for that day!”

Job 19:25-27 NIRV

“Here is what love is. It is not that we loved God. It is that he loved us and sent his Son to give his life to pay for our sins.”

1 John 4:10 NIRV

“But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8 NIRV

Redeemer by Nicole C. Mullen

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“For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

¹¹In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 6:9-11 NIV

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

His Sacrifice For You

September 30, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But he was pierced for our rebellion,
    crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
    He was whipped so we could be healed.
⁶All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
    We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
    the sins of us all.”

Isaiah 53:5-6 NLT

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Romans 5:8 NLT

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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. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

John 3:16-21 NIV

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

Humility

September 4, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Proverbs 16:18

“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

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“…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

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

Gratitude

September 2, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[i] have been called according to his purpose.”

Romans 8:28

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“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:1-2

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

The Promised One

September 1, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[a] a sign: The virgin^[b] will conceive and give birth to a son, and^[c] will call him Immanuel.”^[d]

Isaiah 7:14

“For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

What A Beautiful Name by Hillsong Worship

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“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹²Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴The 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 1:9-14

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 while traveling in southern New Mexico)

The Good News

August 24, 2021 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

Luke 2:6-11

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