Peace On Earth

December 7, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“And 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. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁴“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:8-14 NIV

Jesus came down from heaven and was born as a baby to reconcile us to God…to bring peace on earth. That peace only goes forth when we choose to live as Jesus lived and strive to let peace begin within us…by our actions, our words and our behaviors towards others. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with each us individually.

Glory (Let There Be Peace) by Matt Maher

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“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

Peace With God

December 5, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’^[a]

¹²Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:11-12 NIV

If you are wondering about having peace with God in your life there is only one Way to receive it…Jesus Christ. He sacrificed Himself to death on the Cross to reconcile us with God. This was God’s plan to save us from our sin and from separation from Him. If you are looking for peace with God believe in Jesus, seek Him and you will find peace.

“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

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“You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
⁴Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”

Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV

(This photo was taken in April of 2016 at a lake in central Minnesota)

The Hope Of The World

December 2, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Luke 2:8-11 NIV

Jesus Christ came down from heaven to live as one of us to save us from our sin. He is the Hope of the World!

One King by Point of Grace

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“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we^[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ²through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we^[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. ³Not only so, but we^[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Romans 5:1-5 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 in Mitchell, South Dakota)

Advent – Hope

November 27, 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

Hope is being certian of good things to come even when circumstances show no sign of things changing or getting better. Hope is to believe what God can do because you know what God has done.

We Believe by Newsboys

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

Hebrews 11:1 NIV

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a park in Winterset, Iowa)

Hope From God

November 17, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.“

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

When you feel discouraged and defeated…when situations and circumstances look bleak, remember the One who gave up His life for you. He did it for love. God is greater than any situation or circumstances in your life…God has promised to always be with you and God never breaks His promises. Jesus Christ died to save all of us from sin and He has risen from the dead and it is because of Him that we have hope. Amen.

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“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

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

Savior…Sacrifice…Salvation

November 11, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Luke 2:8-11 NIV

The world tells us to pursue money, comfort and the easy life. To look out for ourselves and satisfy ourselves first and most often, this is the sinful nature and it has taken hold in many people. There is a way to be different and to live with purpose and it is based on your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He loves you, He gave His life to save you and His way is the only way to God the Father. Spend time reading God’s Word and learn about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. May the peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.

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

Romans 5:8 NIV

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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 in June of 2013 in Mitchell, South Dakota)

His Sacrifice For You

October 30, 2022 / 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

He came down from heaven and was born as a baby. He lived and taught…He was beaten, spit on and made to carry the cross He would die on. He comitted no sin and took the punishment for all of our sins. He suffered, He was crucified, died and was buried and He did it all for you. Thanks be to God for the sacrifice Jesus made for you and me. Amen.

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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)

Love Is Action

October 29, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

1 Peter 4:8 NIV

“This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

1 John 4:10-11 NIV

Love is not a feeling…it is action. Love is grounded in behavior not emotions. The description of love in the bible tells us how to live when we love. It is not about approving or accepting others, rather it is about how we choose to live in our daily life and interactions. How can each of us demostrate love today?

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

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

The Promised One

October 25, 2022 / 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 NIV

“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 NIV

God promised to send us a Savior, He kept that promise when He sent His one and only Son. We have a Savior who sacrificed Himself for us…and His name is Jesus.

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 NIV

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

Believe

October 18, 2022 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:9 NIV

Believe. Believe in God and His Son. Believe that Jesus came down from heaven, was crucified died and was buried…believe that He has risen and that He did it all for you. It will change your life forever. Believe it!

We Believe by Newsboys

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