Message of GRACE
Dearest Father, thank You for Your message of GRACE to which Jesus Christ has dedicated me and by which I received God's inheritance for His people.
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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: Acts 20: 28-38
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 68: 29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab
Alleluia: John 17: 17b, 17a
Gospel: John 17: 11b-19
Reading 1, Acts 20:28-38
Acts 20:28-38 GNBDK
[28] So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son.
[29] I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.
[30] The time will come when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them.
[31] Watch, then, and remember that with many tears, day and night, I taught every one of you for three years.
[32] “And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the blessings God has for all his people.
[33] I have not wanted anyone's silver or gold or clothing.
[34] You yourselves know that I have worked with these hands of mine to provide everything that my companions and I have needed.
[35] I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way we must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’ ”
[36] When Paul finished, he knelt down with them and prayed.
[37] They were all crying as they hugged him and kissed him goodbye.
[38] They were especially sad because he had said that they would never see him again. And so they went with him to the ship.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 68:29-30, 33-35, 35-36
R. (33a) Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
Show forth, O God, your power,
the power, O God, with which you took our part;
For your temple in Jerusalem
let the kings bring you gifts.
R. Sing to God, O Kingdoms of the earth.
You kingdoms of the earth, sing to God,
chant praise to the Lord
who rides on the heights of the ancient heavens.
Behold, his voice resounds, the voice of power:
“Confess the power of God!”
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
Over Israel is his majesty;
his power is in the skies.
Awesome in his sanctuary is God, the God of Israel;
he gives power and strength to his people.
R. Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth.
Gospel, John 17:11-19
John 17:11-17, 19 GNBDK
[11] And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one.
[12] While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost — so that the scripture might come true.
[13] And now I am coming to you, and I say these things in the world so that they might have my joy in their hearts in all its fullness.
[14] I gave them your message, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
[15] I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but I do ask you to keep them safe from the Evil One.
[16] Just as I do not belong to the world, they do not belong to the world.
[17] Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth.
[19] And for their sake I dedicate myself to you, in order that they, too, may be truly dedicated to you.
Dearest Father,
Thank You for the message of GRACE to which Jesus Christ has dedicated me and by which I received God's inheritance for His people.
Acts 20:32 GNBDK
[32] “And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the blessings God has for all his people.
In another version:
Acts of the Apostles 20:32 NLT
[32] “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
The message of God's GRACE.
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense.
Yesterday, we read that we have all been entrusted with the mission, the ministry, to proclaim the good news of God's grace by our life and our actions.
The good news is that by the Passion and death of Christ on that cross, paying the price for our Salvation, we have been given all the riches of glory of God's inheritance for all who believe.
What is this inheritance?
Everything that Jesus has we have as children and heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.
Romans 8:17 BSB
[17] And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.
Power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory, and blessings!
These belong to Jesus, the Lamb Who was slain. Thus, these also belong to us as joint heirs with Christ.
Revelation 5:12 GNBDK
[12] and sang in a loud voice: “The Lamb who was killed is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength, honour, glory, and praise!”
What more can we ask for?
All the riches of glory that are God's are ours as His children and heirs in Christ.
That's the keyword - In Christ.
Living in Christ, remaining in Him and His words, everything we wish for shall be done for us.
John 15:7 NASB2020
[7] If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Did you get that? Everything we wish, want, desire, dream of, hope for (this doesn't even talk about our needs whom God knows before we ask Him) - everything shall be done for us.
There's no striving or hustling for us children and heirs of God. Only believing and abiding in Christ and His words.
His words. His message of GRACE. The good news of God's GRACE.
God's Riches at Christ's Expense.
I don't think I'll ever get tired of sharing that.
Because even now, I cannot even comprehend how awesome that is!
To be rich with the favor of God and Jesus Christ, His Son, King of kings and Lord of lords, Creator of Heaven and Earth!
All the riches of the world that you see? Our Father made that. And we have His favor!
My sister and I send out our invoices for our online job payments together. I make mine and sends it to her, then she sends it to our employer together with hers.
But it has happened twice now, I received my payment in my bank account just a few hours after our employer paid us but she hasn't, for one reason or another. Though she'd get it eventually, either just delayed or something happened with her payments on our employer’s side.
What is that? I take it as the favor of God.
I'm not saying God loves my sister less. I'm just saying God shows favor, a little bit of extra care, to those He chooses to give favor to - especially those who serve Him.
Malachi 3:16-18 NLT
[16] Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. [17] “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. [18] Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
The Lord shows special favor to those who serve Him, those who consecrate and dedicate themselves to obey His words and live in Him.
Consecrate means to set apart, separate for a purpose, dedicate for a cause, for Someone.
Jesus consecrated and dedicated Himself to God's truth so that His people, the flock God gave Him, will be consecrated and dedicated, too, in truth. God's word is truth.
John 17:14, 16-19 GNBDK
[14] I gave them your message, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. [16] Just as I do not belong to the world, they do not belong to the world. [17] Dedicate them to yourself by means of the truth; your word is truth. [18] I sent them into the world, just as you sent me into the world. [19] And for their sake I dedicate myself to you, in order that they, too, may be truly dedicated to you.
Just like Jesus, I consecrate and dedicate myself to God's truth, so you too, my dear readers, my SpeakChrist Angels, will be consecrated and dedicated to God's truth that I live and share every day - His message of GRACE.
God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
Acts of the Apostles 20:32 NLT
[32] “And now I entrust you to God and the message of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for himself.
If you want to be set apart for God, dedicated to His message of GRACE, live in Christ. Join me in our SpeakChrist RichLife Club. We'll do it together. St. Katharine Drexel, pray for us.
Live the RichLife in Christ today 🤟
Live today God's message of GRACE.
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense.
Free 🎁 for you.
Dedicate yourself to truth.
God's message of GRACE.
God's Riches At Christ's Expense.
Believe it. Receive it. Live it.
Say Amen! 🙏
Acts of the Apostles 20:32 NLT
[32] “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.
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
Do you believe God's message of GRACE?
Are you willing to receive God's message of GRACE?
Will you dedicate yourself to living God's message of GRACE?
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.