Author: Lori Casto

Calling

Written by Lori Casto on September 15, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 2 Timothy 1:8-9

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 2 Peter 1:10

Anxious

Written by Lori Casto on September 14, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

Deny

Written by Lori Casto on September 11, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him 1.deny himself, and 2.take up his cross, and 3.follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Matthew 16:24-28

Through Him

Written by Lori Casto on September 6, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Psalm 16:2

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

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

Legacy

Written by Lori Casto on September 5, 2024. Posted in Blog.

My dad got saved when I was around a year old. He was 31. He began helping in the bus ministry at a Nazarene church in Bedford, Ohio- the church he was saved in. The bus ministry was very popular back in the day. Often parents would send their kids to church each Sunday by having them picked up by the church bus. Their kids would get saved and the parents would begin going to church and get saved as well.

3 years after dad got saved, He felt called into the ministry. Dad wasn’t completely certain He was called, so he made the decision to fast and pray. He ended up fasting and praying for 3 days before he realized through the witness of the Holy Spirit that He was for certain called to preach and become a pastor.

I suppose if you are looking at the possibility of selling your home, quitting your job, and leaving your comfortable lifestyle, perhaps you’d better make sure it was a “God” thing.

We did just that. Dad left his managerial job at a steel mill, and we sold our home. We moved to the small village in Lexington, Ohio, where dad pastored his first church while going to college. We lived in the church parsonage. It’s a home owned by the church. I could tell you story after story of God’s provision and blessings over the coming years as I grew up in a “parsonage family.” I could also tell you story after story of lives changed, people saved, and God working in situation after situation.

Mom and dad taught me what it means to be completely centered in the will of God and what it took to get there. I’m so thankful for God’s reminder today.

Thank you, Lord, for my parent’s legacy.

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. 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

Go Forward

Written by Lori Casto on September 4, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

Deuteronomy 1:6
The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.”

Exodus 14:15
The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.”

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

Redemption

Written by Lori Casto on September 4, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:7-12

Keep Unity

Written by Lori Casto on September 3, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:1-6

Give cheerfully

Written by Lori Casto on August 31, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Corinthians 9:6

Love

Written by Lori Casto on August 30, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:37-40

Be Careful

Written by Lori Casto on August 29, 2024. Posted in Daily Scripture.

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:1-4

Overcomers

Written by Lori Casto on August 28, 2024. Posted in Devotionals.

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you,’ and,‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ” Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. Luke 4:1-13

When the Spirit of God lead Jesus into the wilderness for 40 days, the devil tempted Jesus 3 times. 3 times Jesus resisted the devil. I think it’s important to note that the Holy Spirit directed Jesus to the wildness and the Holy Spirit of God helped Jesus resist the devil. The word says Jesus was filled with the Spirit. Jesus also used God’s word to resist the devil.

We can overcome. We can become overcomers. Jesus himself gives us a great testimony as to how. When we resist the devil, he has to flee. He WILL flee. The word says so.

The power of the Holy Spirit, God’s word, and the precious name & blood of Jesus are so important in our lives if we want to live lives overcoming instead of lives of defeat. As Christians, isn’t it time we activate the power and authority we have to be the overcomers God wants us to be? The devil WILL flee if we resist him. He will wait for any opportunity to cause defeat in our lives, but we have the power to resist every time.

How will you devote2day?

Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:7-8a

Author: Lori Casto

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