Grace
…you all are partakers with me of grace. Philippians 1:7b
Author: Lori Casto
Partakers of Grace
…you all are partakers with me of grace. Philippians 1:7b
- Partaker– to take part in or experience something along with others; to have a portion
- Grace – unending love and mercy, consistent favor, a gift, forgiveness, redemption, healing, transformation, and unmerited favor
This morning as I began reading Philippians, I got stopped at just a few words at the very beginning of chapter 1… partakers of grace. Every day we are all partakers of grace. It’s not like money where we spend it all, then have to earn more and put it into an account in order to spend it again. God’s grace is always available, and His mercy is new every day. His grace is sufficient. It’s exactly what you and I need every single day.
Have a blessed day as you partake in God’s amazing grace!
Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.
Wait
Wait
But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Romans NAS
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. NIV
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. NKJV
But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently. Living
Wait– to stay in place in expectation of
to look forward expectantly
Hope– to cherish a desire with anticipation
to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment
to expect with confidence : trust
Eager-moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest.
Patience– steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
Perseverance-continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering : steadfastness
Confidence– the quality or state of being certain
A Barrier to the Blessing
“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.
“Truly 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.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24
Jesus himself tells us to trust God. He acknowledges the mountains in our life.
Jesus doesn’t say to negotiate with the mountain. He doesn’t say to question the reason the mountain exists. He doesn’t say to sit and have a pity party because we are experiencing a mountain. We can’t let the mountains of our life paralyze us. We can’t keep our eyes fixed on the mountain. The longer we keep our eyes fixed on the mountain, the bigger the mountain appears.
After Jesus instructs us to trust God, He tells us to literally talk to the mountain. Jesus specifically tells us to tell the mountain to “go throw yourself into the sea.” When we instruct the mountain to throw itself into the sea and we trust God at the same time, the mountain has no other choice but permanent removal.
Isn’t it time you told it to throw itself into the sea? Mountain moving takes faith. “Trust God and don’t doubt.”
There’s a bigger picture…something you’ve been believing and praying for in your life that’s just beyond the mountain. The mountain is a barrier to the blessing God has in store.
Once the barrier is removed, God can really show off. He can work miracles way above what we ever dreamed possible, but the mountain must go first.
What’s your mountain? It’s time for mountain removal. Use your authority in Christ and speak to it. The ball is in your court.
“Truly 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. Mark 11:23
This Mountain
“Truly 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.”
Mark 11:23
New Thing
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
—Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)
Looking Forward
2025
I leave 2024 with a heart of gratitude. God has moved mountains in so many areas. I am grateful for His presence in my life and in the lives of my family.
My daughter, Maria, turned 18 in September and is getting ready to graduate high school. She has chosen Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, Tennessee to continue her education in the fall. She will pursue a degree in Elementary Education with a minor in music. I am proud, happy, and sad at the same time.
My son and daughter-in-law became homeowners for the first time in 2024. Halle will give birth to their first child, a son, in April. To say I look forward to becoming a Nonna is an understatement.
Randy & I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in 2025. The events over the last several years could break a relationship. Ours has grown stronger. God has been faithful.
As I go into 2025, I look ahead to challenges that running a business bring. God in in control and He will provide every need according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. I go forward knowing everything God has done for Wedgewood and remember those things as faith builders for what I know He is about to do.
I look forward to getting to know my new grandson and celebrating our anniversary. My heart is preparing as we watch our final child get ready to leave for college.
My word of the year for 2025 is ‘rectify’. Rectify means to make right.
Good Stewards
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:10-11
The Landscape
This Christmas season I found myself carefully cherishing the landscape. With my dad and father-in-law gone and other family & friends’ deaths as well as the losses we’ve experienced at Wedgewood over the past few months, I spent time looking around the table. I found myself appreciating the memories made and the people who I was making them with a little more than usual.
I am keenly aware that the landscape will change. The table and setting will not always look this way. What will future Christmases look like? How might things change moving forward?
It’s important to be in the moment. It’s important to appreciate the people we have around us. It’s important to cherish the landscape before it changes. If we appreciate the landscape BEFORE it changes, it makes it easier to handle the changes in the landscape later
His Star
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:1-11
He Called His Name Jesus
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth herfirstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-24
Let Us Now Go!
So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.