Allow Christ to Change Your Perspective

March 24, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“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 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

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“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. ²⁷And 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)

Peace From God’s Word

March 19, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

The Bible is God’s Word given to us to lead us, teach us and encourage us in our lives. It is an instruction manual for life. Teaching us about how God wants us to live and about having a personal relationship with His Son Jesus Christ. It has been translated in to languages for people all over the world and it is continuing spread so that one day every person from any walk of life can connect to God through His Word. We can do our part by learning about what is says and putting it into action. Read God’s Word…Do what it says…and you will enjoy God’s peace. Amen.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Philippians 4:8-9 NIV

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

The Truth Will Set You Free

March 8, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:31-32 NIV

Faith in God means believing the truth. The truth that God sent His only Son to save us from our sins. If we allow temptation and sin to rule our lives…it will keep us away from God we will be inviting trouble into everything we do. If we follow the truth and put Jesus in the center of our lives, we will be free from sin.

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“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2022 at a lake in northwestern Wisconsin)

The Way Of Faith

March 5, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

^{5 “}Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”^[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

The Way of faith is found in wisdom from God. A way to live that is found following a narrow path for life. Simple yet not easy. Commit your way to God, trust in Him and you will find the Way of faith. Amen.

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“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Matthew 7:13-14 NIV

(This photo was taken in June of 2013 while traveling in southern Colorado)

Walk In The Light

February 10, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

1 John 1:5 NIV

Our faith is about more than what we believe…it is also about how we put what we believe into actions. A faith journey is best lived inside-out…start with you…what do you believe…what is your relationship with Jesus Christ…your sin…your confession…this isn’t a check the box type of thing, it is a daily surrender of self-centered desires. As we build our faith on the foundation of coming to the Cross, we can take the things we learn and put them into practice in our daily lives and interactions…this is a journey that requires commitment, it requires a willingness to sacrifice and it provides peace and joy that is beyond our imagination. May God’s peace be with you. Amen.

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“If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. ⁷But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[a] sin.”

1 John 1:6-7 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Arches National Park in Utah)

Generosity

February 5, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9 NIV

“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”

– John Wesley

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“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.”

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NIV

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

The Power Of Prayer

February 3, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

The power of prayer does not come from what words you say or what order you say them in…the true power of prayer comes from the One who answers prayers and whether you believe in Him. A prayer offered with doubt and hesitation or out of routine is not the same as one offered from the heart with honesty, sincerity and belief in God. Pray and believe you will receive. Amen.

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“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. ²³“Truly^[a] I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. ²⁴Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Mark 11:22-24 NIV

(This photo was taken in July of 2019 at a lake near Plymouth, Minnesota)

Make A Commitment

January 14, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.”^[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

How do we get better at staying the course? This New Year’s resolution business is almost always a path to failure. Some of the most common mistakes is over-committing to too many things or setting unrealistic goals and achievements. Not to mention our lack of patience for change in this fast paced, immediately gratification world. The biggest mistake we make is either not asking God to guide us or not listening and looking for His will for our lives. We are easily distracted and believe we have to maintain everything on our own. The best change we can make is turning towards God first and a make a commitment to follow Him in all aspects of our lives. Amen.

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

Proverbs 16:3 NIV

(This photo was taken in August of 2016 in Glacier National Park in Montana)

Spiritual Growth

January 4, 2023 / mcalcagno / Leave a comment

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV

Stay committed, stay focused, stay patient and trust God’s way. Spiritual growth is not about immediate gratification…it is a process of daily meeting with Jesus Christ in prayer and reading God’s Word. Learning, asking questions of trusted advisors or mentors and spending time with God in whatever way works best for your spiritual growth. Not sure how to begin? Start by praying to God to help you focus on your spiritual growth.

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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.”