Freedom
Dearest Father, Thank You for giving us freedom as a people and my personal freedom as well. In Christ and by the power of His Spirit, we are unquestionably free. As written in the First Reading today.
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But these have been written in order that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through your faith in Him, you may have life (John 20:31 GNBDK) - the rich and satisfying life in Christ. (John 10:10 NLT)
Today's Readings
First Reading: Second Corinthians 3: 15 – 4: 1, 3-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 85: 9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
Alleluia: John 13: 34
Gospel: Matthew 5: 20-26
Reading 1
2 Corinthians 3:15 - 4:1, 3-6
[15] Even today, whenever they read the Law of Moses, the veil still covers their minds. [16] But it can be removed, as the scripture says about Moses: “His veil was removed when he turned to the Lord.”
[17] Now, “the Lord” in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.
[18] All of us, then, reflect the glory of the Lord with uncovered faces; and that same glory, coming from the Lord, who is the Spirit, transforms us into his likeness in an ever greater degree of glory.
[1] God in his mercy has given us this work to do, and so we are not discouraged.
[3] For if the gospel we preach is hidden, it is hidden only from those who are being lost.
[4] They do not believe, because their minds have been kept in the dark by the evil god of this world. He keeps them from seeing the light shining on them, the light that comes from the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
[5] For it is not ourselves that we preach; we preach Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.
[6] The God who said, “Out of darkness the light shall shine!” is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts, to bring us the knowledge of God's glory shining in the face of Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (see 10b) The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The glory of the Lord will dwell in our land.
Alleluia
John 13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 5:20-26
[20] I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires.
[21] “You have heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.’
[22] But now I tell you: whoever is angry with his brother will be brought to trial, whoever calls his brother ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before the Council, and whoever calls his brother a worthless fool will be in danger of going to the fire of hell.
[23] So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you,
[24] leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.
[25] “If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute with him while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, he will hand you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail.
[26] There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine.
Dearest Father,
Thank You for giving us freedom as a people and my personal freedom as well. In Christ and by the power of His Spirit, we are unquestionably free. As written in the First Reading today.
2 Corinthians 3:17 GNBDK
[17] Now, “the Lord” in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.
This morning I woke up remembering that today is my country's, the Philippines, Independence Day.
I thank You, Father, for our freedom as a people and, in faith, I thank You too for my personal freedom that I have been claiming:
Disease freedom
Debt freedom
Financial freedom
Time freedom
Spiritual freedom
Today, I'm reminded that I already have this freedom, as You confirmed it in today's First Reading.
2 Corinthians 3:17 GNBDK
[17] Now, “the Lord” in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.
This year is the year of freedom for me, my Jubilee year. Because this year, I turn 50.
I have been claiming financial freedom since I learned about such a thing when I entered a network marketing company and learned about passive income.
I thought the only way to get financial freedom is when you retire and get your pension and then you're able to receive income without working.
I realized then there are certain ventures that bring financial freedom by earning passive income through:
Residual income - income you earned from doing the work once and getting paid for it over and over again like selling digital and subscription products.
Royalties - income you earned from intellectual properties like sales of a book, music, or movie.
Interest income - income earned from dividends of an investment.
Rents - income earned from renting out properties like houses, cars, buildings, etc.
That was in 1996 when I stumbled upon my network marketing company and learned of financial freedom. I was 21 then.
Ever since then, this has become one of my life goals - to earn passive income more than my expenses so I can have financial and time freedom.
It also is one of my great frustrations in life that I'm not able to achieve it. I experienced a bit of time freedom when I got my online job with flexible hours but never financial freedom.
But now that I'm just a year away from my golden year, I realized I want and need more than financial and time freedom - I need disease freedom and spiritual freedom too.
And having been consistent in seeking God's wisdom each day since I implemented my RichLife Playbook early this year, I realized I already have all the freedom I wanted - in Christ.
How do I know that?
Because His word says so:
John 8:36 AMP
[36] So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.
Jesus has already set me free by His life and death on that Cross. And He's also given me His Holy Spirit, a confirmation of the freedom He's given me.
2 Corinthians 3:17 GNBDK
[17] Now, “the Lord” in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.
I already have it. Even when my circumstances deny it.
Even when my bank account is almost zero. Even when I still feel symptoms and pains in my body. Even when I still have to work in order to earn.
All I need to do is to live this freedom daily, believing in faith that I already have it.
This video I've been listening to yesterday reminded me about walking in faith, believing that what I desired is already mine.
And so today, I resolve to thank You for the freedom I already have in Christ. To dwell in the feeling of having freedom in all areas of my life in faith - by feeling gratitude and thankfulness for God's gift of my freedom.
I'm free as I already have the rich and satisfying life in Christ - everything in abundance, more than I expect, life to the full until I overflow.
It's only a matter of time when my world will catch up to my faith and assumption of having freedom in Christ.
Until then, I give thanks and grow rich in freedom every day as I give thanks to God for my freedom.
I teach more about giving thanks and growing rich here in my book, Give Thanks and Grow Rich.
This ebook is now available to my readers on my digital shop. It’s a Google Doc so you can easily read it even on your phone. Praise God, thank You, Lord!
Get a copy now if you still haven't got one. And learn how to live every day in the feeling of your wishes and desires fulfilled by giving thanks to God. You'll definitely grow rich infinitely.
If you want to live in all the freedom that God gives you each day, live in Christ who sets us free. Join me in our SpeakChrist RichLife Club. We'll do it together. St. Katharine Drexel, pray for us.
Live the RichLife in Christ today 🤟
All the freedom you'll ever want
Christ has given you.
If the Son sets you free,
You're unquestionably free.
Free 🎁 for you.
Freedom
That's what you have.
In Christ. In His Spirit.
You are unquestionably free.
Say Amen! 🙏
2 Corinthians 3:17 GNBDK
[17] Now, “the Lord” in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom.
Now Your Turn
(Questions to ask yourself when scripture journaling)
What verses spoke to me strongly and powerfully from the scripture readings?
What is God saying to me in these verse or verses?
What does God want me to do today?
Journal prompts of the day
Are you living today in the freedom God has given you in Christ?
Do you believe you are unquestionably free in Christ?
How can you live in freedom today?
Vivo dives vitae in Christo. Live the RichLife in Christ.
Join our SpeakChrist RichLife Club
Helping dreamers, like me, live the RichLife in Christ daily so we can go from being tired doubters and dabblers to becoming thankful believers and doers consistently achieving what God wants us to be, do, and have, without struggle, becoming God’s sources and symbols of blessing, extremely blessed and blessing others.