Do Good Works

January 1, 2021 / 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

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“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. ¹⁰For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Ephesians 2:8-10

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on Lake Superior near the Apostle Islands)

Love One Another

December 10, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.”

1 John 3:11

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

1 John 3:16-18

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“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. ²⁴The one who keeps God’s commands lives in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.”

1 John 3:23-24

(This photo was taken in March of 2013 at the Botanical Gardens in the Bellagio in Las Vegas, Nevada)

Surrender

November 23, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ²You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”

James 4:1-3

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“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

James 4:7-10

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

A Season Of Giving

November 18, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Remember that giving is about much more than money. Too much time spent focused on self only leads to sorrow and trouble. What has God blessed you with that you can give? Who does God want you to give to? Think about these things and act in faith. Amen.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

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“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Galatians 6:9-10

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Honor Those Who Have Served

November 11, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

John 15:12-13

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

1 John 3:16

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“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45

(This photo was taken in July of 2016 at the North Entrance to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming)

Everyone Is Carrying A Burden

October 26, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Evey person you encounter everyday is fighting a battle you know nothing about…we all have burdens of some kind. We are not here to judge whether one persons burden is greater than another…in love we are to strive to help others carry their burdens as much as we need someone to help us carry our own. We should strive to ask the question…”how can I help?” more often than “why isn’t someone helping me?” Jesus set the example for us and we would do well to follow Him. 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

(This photo was taken in March of 2018 at White Sands National Park in New Mexico)

Priorities

October 14, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Galatians 6:7-8

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Galatians 6:9-10

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

Help Others

October 7, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Do whatever you can, whenever you can, as often as you can, wherever you are to help others who are in need. Amen.

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Matthew 25:31-36

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“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:37-40

(This photo was taken in October of 2018 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Humility

October 5, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹²I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

¹³“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

¹⁴“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14

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“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.^[a] Do not be conceited.”

Romans 12:14-16

(This photo was taken in May of 2020 at Palisade Head along the North Shore of Lake Superior)

What Should We Do?

October 2, 2020 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly^[a] with your God.”

Micah 6:8

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