Living In God’s Will

May 26, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NIV

How we treat each other in our everyday lives says a great deal about our hearts. Whether we are talking about family members, friends or complete strangers we encounter during a day…each interaction is an opportunity to live in God’s will…even when, especially when others don’t meet our expectations. We are all human and we are all broken…remember every person you meet may be fighting a battle you know nothing about…just like you are fighting battles others don’t know about. God knows and He wants to help us, all of us…it is up to you and me to choose Him and His way…let us set aside our self-centered ways, our worldly values and choose to live according to His will and His way. Amen.

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“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. ¹⁴And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Colossians 3:12-17 NIV

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

God’s Consistent Character

May 25, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

James 1:17 NIV

“I the Lord do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.”

Malachi 3:6 NIV

God is faithful and trustworthy. He keeps His promises…He is consistent in character for all generations. All good things come from the Lord.

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

Hebrews 13:8 NIV

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

Renew Your Perspective And Strength

May 24, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Many aspects of life on earth can make us weary and tired, shaping our perspective to approach life with negativity, doubt and fear. We often forget, daily, that we can choose our attitude and perspective for this day. If we focus all our thoughts and energy on our problems and why me, then we may get stuck and begin to spiral downward. We can be renewed and draw strength by turning our focus to the Lord. No matter what you are facing remember God is in control and if you put your trust in Him, your strength will be renewed. Amen.

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“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary they will walk and not be faint.”

Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV

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

Love God

May 23, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] ⁵Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV

Of all the things we can learn from God’s Word…this is the place to start, Love God. Seek a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. Anytime is a great time to reset and remember Jesus came to earth as a baby to do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves and He did it out of love. Receive Him, receive God’s love and show love to God every day. Amen.

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“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important? “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[e] ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^[f]

Mark 12:28-30 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2018 on the shore of Lake Superior near Ashland, Wisconsin)

Forgiveness

May 22, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

1 John 1:8-9 NIV

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Matthew 6:14-15 NIV

Forgiveness is not saying the pain or the wrong done to us is ok…it is acknowledging that we have been hurt and that we are not going to allow bitterness and anger continue to impact us in the future. To learn about forgiveness seek wisdom in God’s Word…read or listen to the story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis, chapters 37-50. See how even when people intend to harm you, God can use it for good.

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“Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
⁵But 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.
⁶We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 53:4-6 NIV

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

Plans…Purpose

May 21, 2023 / 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

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 16:3 NIV

If we try to do things our own way for our own purposes all the time we will find discouragement and frustration. Our purpose comes from the Lord, our Creator. His purpose is based on love and if we are willing to follow Him we will find His way is better for us, His plan is for our good, we can put our hope in the Lord and trust His plan and purpose for our life. Amen.

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“Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

Proverbs 19:21 NIV

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

Contentment

May 20, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10 NIV

Contentment is found in a relationship with God. We can search for it in the many things the world offers yet those seeking it in worldly values have and will find it unattaianble in worldly pursuits. Put your hope in God and spend time with Him every day…this is the path to finding contentment.

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“Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
⁴Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
⁶He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
⁹For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.”

Psalm 37:3-9 NIV

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

Believe…Ask…Receive

May 19, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. ¹³And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

John 14:12-14 NIV

When you pray, do you truly believe what you are asking for will happen? Or is it more like wishing for something that may or may not happen? True transformation is when we believe what we ask for will happen and not on our timeline or according to our expectations. As I look back over the early part of my faith journey, I remember prayers that were more just like going to a wishing well…speak it once and probably never think about it again. This is not sincere, authentic praying. Prayer is communication with God, it is about spending time with Him and our relationship with Him. Jesus put it this way…

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Matthew 6:6-8 NIV

The key to this statement is your Father knows what you need. Ask Him for things, believe in Him and what He can do. Then watch and listen for Him and you will receive. Believe…Ask…Receive. Amen.

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“Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?”²⁰He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” ^[21]^[a]

Matthew 17:19-21 NIV

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

Living A New Way

May 18, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“You were taught not to live the way you used to. You must get rid of your old way of life. That’s because it has been made impure by the desire for things that lead you astray. ²³You were taught to be made new in your thinking. ²⁴You were taught to start living a new life. It is created to be truly good and holy, just as God is.”

Ephesians 4:22-23 NIRV

“When anyone lives in Christ, the new creation has come. The old is gone! The new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIRV

Every day brings new possibilities…don’t let the worlds values and the pursuits of ungodly things keep you distracted and lost. Trust the promises of God…we will not find hope and fulfillment in other people because we are all broken and in need of Jesus. The world is telling us we should value me first and live a self-centered life…not true. A Christ centered life…meeting with Him every day and trusting His Way is the New Way to live…each day. May the peace of God be with you and flow through you. Amen.

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“Finally, my brothers and sisters, always think about what is true. Think about what is noble, right and pure. Think about what is lovely and worthy of respect. If anything is excellent or worthy of praise, think about those kinds of things. ⁹Do what you have learned or received or heard from me. Follow my example. The God who gives peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:8-9 NIRV

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

Be Strong And Courageous

May 17, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. ⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:7-9 NIV

At the end of the Book of Deuteronomy and the beginning of the Book of Joshua, Moses dies and Joshua is being promoted to fill his shoes. Just like Moses was apprehensive to lead the people out of Egypt when God called him, Joshua is uncertain he should be the one to lead after Moses. In both situations God reassures them to “be strong and courageous because the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) We would do well to listen to these words when we are uncertain and have doubts about situations and events in our own lives. Amen.

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