Savior

Reflecting On This Year With Gratitude

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.

3 For the Lord is the great God,
    the great King above all gods.
4 In his hand are the depths of the earth,
    and the mountain peaks belong to him.
5 The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land.”

Psalm 95:1-5 NIV

As we approach the New Year, take time to reflect on what has transpired in your life over the last 12 months…where do you see God?  Where do you see yourself in putting your trust in Him?  What difficult challenge did you face or are you still facing that you have had unknown courage to keep going?  Have you had any moments of unexplainable joy, contentment?  What situations worked out better than you expected?  There are so many ways both big and small that God has shown you He is with you…did you notice?  Give thanks to God for the gifts and blessings in your life and pray that He continues to help you see Him.  Most importantly give thanks to Jesus Christ for what He has done and continues to do for you every day.

DSC01182 publish

“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.

4 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

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

Allow Christ to Change Your Life

/ mcalcagno / 2 Comments

“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. 2 Do 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 NIV

Jesus Christ is born…the promised Savior has come!  Now what?  What difference is He making in your life?  Are you aware of God’s presence in your daily life?  Believe…seek Him…pray…read God’s Word…pay attention to how God is at work in your life.  Choose to live different…allow Jesus Christ to impact every area of your life.

Different by Micah Tyler

DSC_0322 publish

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Ezekiel 36:26-27 NIV

(This photo was take in September of 2022 in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming)

The Love Of Christ

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 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.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV

Jesus Christ loves you…He cares about you…He knows what is happening in your life…and He is with you.  Put your Hope in Him, find your Peace with Him, live in Joy because of Him and know His Love for you.  I hope you have enjoyed the last four weeks of Advent devotions and I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Silent Night by Chris Tomlin ft. Kristyn Getty

DSC06178 publish

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:35,37-39 NIV

(This photo was taken in February of 2013 in a neighborhood near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Joy In God’s Promises

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

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

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.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.”

Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV

The promises of God are throughout the Bible.  God has kept every promise He made…the last promise that will be fulfilled is when Jesus returns.  One of the greatest promises God made and fulfilled is the promise of Jesus.  The Book of Isaiah spoke about the coming Savior 700 years before it was fulfilled…700 years.  Think about that…in the world today that is over 7 generations of a family.  That strikes me with awe and wonder about how our lives are only a moment in God’s amazing story.  It helps me reset my perspective…God is in control not me…His will, not mine.  He is the Creator and what is so incredible about that is He loves us and wants a relationship with us so much that He sent and sacrificed His Son to reconcile us to Him.  During this Christmas season, make time to think about the birth of Christ and the Joy we can have because of God’s promises. Amen.

DSC_1549 publish

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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 2:8-11 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 at Sapphire Point near Dillon, Colorado)

Joy Because Of Jesus

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Jesus has made the Way for us to be reconciled with God.  He came to earth as a baby like one of us…He taught us how to live and then He suffered and died to take the punishment we deserve.  Yet that is not the end of His story…He lives!  We can have Joy because He lives.

DSC_0084 publish

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through 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.”

Romans 5:1-2 NIV

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

The Good News Will Cause Great Joy

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this.”

Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV

O Holy Night by Point Of Grace

IMG_20181223_194931 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 December of 2018 on Paradise Island in the Bahamas)

Peace Through Jesus

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”

Colossians 1:15-18 NIV

Do you know Him or do you only know about Him?  Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with Him is the only Way to peace with God and the peace of God.  Spend time with Jesus…there is no better time than now to reflect of His birth, why He came and how He is your source of peace.

DSC08480 publish

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

Colossians 1:19-20 NIV

(This photo was taken in December of 2013 while on a walk in northwestern Wisconsin)

Peace On Earth

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 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. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly 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

IMG_20181223_194931 publish

“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

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Jesus is

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

12 Salvation 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

DSC01214 publish

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

Advent – Peace

/ mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15 NIV

In the world peace is defined as the absence of conflict.  The biblical definition of peace is more expansive and is speaking about having completeness or wholeness.  It is referred to as the taking of something that is broken and making it complete once again.  Jesus gives us peace by taking our broken relationship with God because of sin and restores it to completeness by His sacrifice on the Cross.  You can learn about this and other bible studies on a web site I hghily recommend…it is called the BibleProject

This is a great resource to spend time studying and learning about the bible through video.  May the peace of God be with you and flow through you each day.  Amen.

DSC_0125 (2) publish

“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 July of 2021 in the Black Hills in western South Dakota)