Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. John 19:25-27
Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.
The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
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.”
Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples. Matthew 26:31-35
Peter was certain he wouldn’t deny Jesus. He was so certain that he wouldn’t deny Him that He said, “even if I have to die with You, I will not deny you.” What a powerful statement. Peter loved Jesus so much, that his full intention was to die with Him rather than deny Him in any way.
I’ve tried to put myself in Peter’s shoes. I would think that just after the first denial Peter would feel so guilty, sad, bad…all the emotions one would feel after sinning against our Savior, that he would be unable to deny Him again. Yet, Peter denies Jesus 3 times, just as Jesus said he would. The coming to himself moment was when the rooster crowed three times and Peter remember what Jesus said and he “wept bitterly.” I can imagine the feelings of anger, grief, sadness, and guilt Peter carried with him in the hours ahead as Jesus took His journey to the cross.
The reality for Peter, though, Jesus went to the cross just for him. Jesus was bruised, beaten, despised, and rejected just for Peter. Jesus carried the weight of the cross just for Peter. Jesus had nails driven in His hands just for Peter. Jesus wore a crown of thorns just for Peter. Jesus suffered, bled, and bared the agony of the cross for Peter.
We find out later after Jesus had risen, that Jesus specifically seeks Peter out and asks a question of which He already knew the answer. He asks Peter 3 times if he loves Him. 3 times Peter answered… “You know I do.” Jesus follows up each time with… “Then feed my sheep.”
I can’t help but be reminded that Jesus called Peter to be His disciple even knowing that eventually He would deny Him 3 times in His most critical hour. Then after bearing the weight of the cross, Jesus seeks Peter out to remind Him He is still called, despite what Peter had done.
Just as Jesus went to the cross for Peter, He went to the cross just for you and just for me. He calls us to be His disciples even though He knows we will deny Him. He is ready to use us for His glory, flaws and all, if we are willing to put down the guilt and anger from our denial.
Jesus is asking this question… Do you love me? He is waiting for a response. What will your answer be?
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep John 21:17
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and 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.
“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalm 103: 1-5
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” Numbers 11:23
The children of Israel were once again complaining. Amongst other things, God had brought them out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and given them manna to eat. Yet Moses found himself listening to more crying and complaining. The complaint this time was that they craved meat. God heard their complaining, and it made Him angry. Moses was also so irritated at the people for their complaining that Moses himself did a bit if complaining to God:
So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. Numbers 11: 24-25
Besides the fact that Moses felt a tremendous burden having to oversee over 600 thousand men on foot alone, he also asked God how the meat was going to be provided for all of them.
God gave Moses instructions to gather 70 elders that He would anoint with the same anointing that Moses had to help lead the children of Israel. He also instructed Moses to tell the people that the Lord will give them meat for a whole month. He told the people they will have so much meat until “it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it.”
In his humanness Moses begins to question how God would supply meat for over 600,000 men. He gives God suggestions as if God needs Moses’ suggestions.
And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?” Numbers 11:21-22
Like we often do as we pray, Moses gave God possibilities of what he thought God could do to feed the people. In our humanness we limit God because we are limited as people. Our humanness causes us to be short- sighted.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” Numbers 11:23
Of course, as we know, God gave the children of Israel Quail. In doing so, He didn’t even let them fully digest their first gathering of quail when He put a plague on the people for giving in to their craving.
We can be pretty hard on the children of Israel. They complain at every turn. Moses, God’s chosen man to lead the children of Israel to the promise land, also is worn down and feeling burdened and pressured with the responsibility of getting these people to the promise land, that he complains too.
How many times have we been in a position that lead to complaining? How many times have we given God suggestions on how he could work out a situation? The good news? Despite our complaining and short-sighted suggestions, God’s will always prevails, even when we get in the way.
God’s will always prevails.
God makes it very clear throughout the story of the children of Israel leaving Egypt, then wandering in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the promise land, that He gets angry when we complain. Our complaining causes wandering in the wilderness and all the problems “the wilderness” brings.
In the end, though, God’s will always prevails. I guess the question is, are we going to surrender to His will or get in the way by murmuring and complaining?
Let’s not wander in the wilderness. Surrender is way better than complaining.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” Numbers 11:23
I beseech (urge) you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, (in view of) that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, (a Christians offering of himself or herself to God) holy, acceptable (pleasing) to God, which is your reasonable service. (true and proper worship)
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable (pleasing) and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2 NKJV & NIV
Therefore, I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1: 6-7
Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; Philippians 1:6
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55: 8-11
I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles. Psalm 34:4-6
I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4 :1-5
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Numbers 11:10-22
Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You sworeto their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”
So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. Then you shall say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was well with us in Egypt.” Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall eat, not one day, nor two days, nor five days, nor ten days, nor twenty days, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have despised the Lord who is among you, and have wept before Him, saying, “Why did we ever come up out of Egypt?” ’ ”
And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?”
And the Lord said to Moses, “Has the Lord’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”
So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13
Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness. Psalm 143:10
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” John 4:34-38
For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing. Galatians 2:19-21
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Mathew 26:39
your kingdom come, your will be done, Matthew 6:10
Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him 1.deny himself, and 2.take up his cross daily, and 3.follow Me. Luke 9:23
So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. John 21:15-17
The other day, while at work, I received a very unusual phone call. The lady on the other end was an acquaintance. We barely spoke. I couldn’t remember how long it had been. She asked me if she could meet with me. She said it had nothing to do with work and that it was a “spiritual matter.” We made an appointment for the very next day.
I got busy the next day and had forgotten about our appointment until I happened to be up front and saw her walk through the door.
We sat down and she began to share her heart. She shared with me that God had impressed upon her to “come talk to Lori Casto, she will pray with you.” She said she knew it sounded crazy, but she was just being obedient. She went on to tell me how she wanted me to pray with her about finding a man to marry. She also said that she wasn’t just looking for a man to marry, but someone who saw her worth & value.
Her heart’s desire was for someone that looked forward to seeing her and spending time with her. She told me she never had anyone that found her to be worthwhile. My heart was saddened as she shared. I told her how she does have worth, and God sees her as worthwhile. I quickly understood why God put my name on her heart to pray.
Memories of my life 26 years ago flooded my mind as I began to share with her. 26 years ago, I went through a divorce. Over the next 4 years after my divorce, I longed and craved for someone to love. I feel like many times the same feelings she was sharing with me were in my own heart all those years ago.
God knew my longing heart 26 years ago and God knows her longing heart now. After given the opportunity to share my story with her, we then took the opportunity to pray. I look forward to getting a call from her telling me about the man she is going to marry.
After she left, my mind continued to go back to that time 22 years ago when I had gotten to the end of my rope after having been on my own with my son for 4 years. I was working at a book publishing company bored to tears and there was no decent man in sight. I had put my resume together hoping and praying for the right job to open. I even interviewed for a sales job at a local radio station that offered a good salary but didn’t feel clear about taking it.
My mom saw an ad for an assisted living facility called Wedgewood Estates and I reluctantly sent in my resume. (The sales job in radio sales was becoming more and more appealing.) On a Monday morning, as I was driving to work dreading my day, I prayed these words in desperation… “Dear Heavenly Father… I need a job and a man.” That same Thursday I received a call from a man named Bill Casto, the owner of Wedgewood Estates. He did a quick phone interview from an airport. I later had 2 more on-site interviews, one of which was with Bill Casto and his son, Randy.
Despite Randy not wanting to hire me because of my lack of experience, (for a job I wasn’t even sure I wanted) Bill hired me. 3 years after accepting a position at Wedgewood, I married Randy Casto. 17 months after that, our daughter Maria was born. It’s almost 19 years since we got married and my husband still enjoys spending time with me. He sees my value. We are very blessed. I am very blessed. If God can do that for me, He can do that for you.
If you ever think for one minute God doesn’t hear your heart’s cry, I can promise you He does. If you ever think you are broken and you can never be fixed, I’m here to tell you, you’re wrong. If you ever think God’s plan and your plan can’t be merged to make one amazing plan, I promise you, it can. The closer you are to God, the more your desire and God’s desire become one. I had to be willing to try it God’s way, though. I am so thankful for a God who answered my heart’s cry. I’m thankful for a God who took 2 broken people and gave restoration. I’m so thankful for a lady who obeyed God to seek me out to pray with her. It was as much for my benefit as it was hers. Time gets in the way. It can cause you to forget just how awesome God has worked.
…Just as it is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. Philippians 1:7
Can you imagine a table full of all your favorite foods? You have been invited to the biggest, most lavish, banquet of your life. The finest, most expensive food awaits your attention. The line is long, but you will get your turn. The plates of the people ahead of you are piled high. Everyone is enjoying their choice of what’s been laid before them.
You notice every plate has one common thing…the finest, most sought after dessert. No one wants to miss out on this fabulous dessert. No one is waiting to come back for seconds to get this dessert. After all, what if it runs out? Everyone is partaking of this fine dessert. Everyone desires this fine dessert.
Just as everyone is partaking of this fine, sought after, dessert at the banquet, we are all partakers of God’s grace. We all desire God’s unmerited favor, mercy, and compassion. We all can enjoy God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. The great news- we don’t have to stand in line to get it and it never runs out. There is no cost. We don’t have to earn it or save up for it.
We’re all partakers of God’s grace because we’re all in need of God’s grace. We’re all partakers of God’s grace, because we’re all in need of God’s grace.
We were all sinners saved by grace. The saved part is the part that we live in. Once we’ve been saved by grace, we are no longer sinners. That doesn’t mean we wont sin, it just means we don’t have to live as a sinner. I am so thankful for God’s grace, of which we are all partakers.
…Just as it is right for me to think this of you all because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. Philippians 1:7