My GodX Vision
Dearest Father, thank You that You are my shelter and that with glad cries of freedom You ring me round. Freedom to pursue my GodX Vision. As written in today's Responsorial Psalm.
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Today's Readings
First Reading: Genesis 3: 1-8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 32: 1-2, 5, 6, 7
Alleluia: Acts 16: 14b
Gospel: Mark 7: 31-37
Reading 1, Genesis 3:1-8
Genesis 3:1-8 GNBDK
[1] Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the LORD God had made. The snake asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?”
[2] “We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,” the woman answered,
[3] “except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die.”
[4] The snake replied, “That's not true; you will not die.
[5] God said that, because he knows that when you eat it you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad.”
[6] The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it.
[7] As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.
[8] That evening they heard the LORD God walking in the garden, and they hid from him among the trees.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7
R. (1a) Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
For this shall every faithful man pray to you in time of stress. Though deep waters overflow, they shall not reach him.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
R. Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.
Gospel, Mark 7:31-37
Mark 7:31-37 GNBDK
[31] Jesus then left the neighbourhood of Tyre and went on through Sidon to Lake Galilee, going by way of the territory of the Ten Towns.
[32] Some people brought him a man who was deaf and could hardly speak, and they begged Jesus to place his hands on him.
[33] So Jesus took him off alone, away from the crowd, put his fingers in the man's ears, spat, and touched the man's tongue.
[34] Then Jesus looked up to heaven, gave a deep groan, and said to the man, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Open up!”
[35] At once the man was able to hear, his speech impediment was removed, and he began to talk without any trouble.
[36] Then Jesus ordered the people not to speak of it to anyone; but the more he ordered them not to, the more they spoke.
[37] And all who heard were completely amazed. “How well he does everything!” they exclaimed. “He even causes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak!”
Dearest Father,
Thank You that You are my shelter and that with glad cries of freedom You ring me round. Freedom to pursue my GodX Vision. As written in today's Responsorial Psalm.
Psalms 32:6-7
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round. With glad cries of freedom, you will ring me around.
Freedom is my one word for this year.
Terri Savelle Foy, one of my online mentors, always asks the Lord for one word every year, a word that would guide her throughout the whole year.
Mine is freedom.
Freedom. To be exactly who God wants me to be, do, and have.
It used to be freedom to be, do, and have what I want to be, do, and have.
More specifically, I wanted be a successful entrpreneur, inspiring and encouraging God’s people, and have passive, recurring, residual income so I can work whenever I want, wherever I want on things I want, with people I want.
That's a lot of “I want.”
But working on the RichLife Playbook, I began to realize that instead of pursuing what I want to be, do, and have this year, I want to pursue what God wants me to be, do, and have.
Because I know that's greater than I will ever ask or imagine for myself:
Ephesians 3:20 TPT
[20] Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.
I want His desires fulfilled in me more than my desires fulfilled for myself.
I think that's the temptation that all descendants of Adam and Eve face as they themselves faced it before and failed:
We all want to be like God, wanting to be wise for ourselves, doing what I want, know what I want, be what I want, have what I want - me, my, and my shadow.
Genesis 3:4-6 GNBDK
[4] The snake replied, “That's not true; you will not die. [5] God said that, because he knows that when you eat it you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad.” [6] The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it.
Ever heard people say, “This is my body, I can do with it whatever I want?”
That's exactly the mindset that got mankind banished from paradise, the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve had complete fellowship with God.
Where everything was provided for them, where they didn't know anything except what God wanted them to know and they didn't want anything except to be, do, and have what God wants them to be, do, and have.
How did I know this?
Because they did not even know that they were naked!
They had that freedom to just be.
But when they ate the forbidden fruit of knowledge of good and evil, they realized they were naked, that they were guilty of disobeying God and they hid from God.
Genesis 3:7 GNBDK
[7] As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.
I was just thinking that yesterday, watching my naked niece after she came out of her evening bath - how children have this same sense of freedom - they can just be naked anywhere they want and not feel bad about it. I remembered I was that too, once upon a time.
Jesus came to show us a different attitude and mindset towards God.
Mark 14:36 GNBDK
[36] “Father,” he prayed, “my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”
Not what I want but what You want.
That’s what His life on earth was all about - to do what God wanted Him to do, even when the Father's will led Him to the cross.
I want to be like Jesus.
To be, do, and, have what God wants me to be, do, and, have.
That's my GodX vision.
In the RichLife Playbook, You taught me to take stock of where my life is at, at the beginning of this year.
Be:
I'm a child and heir of God.
I'm not as fit as I want to be, I weigh 64.3kg, have a body fat of 26.2%.
I'm an inconsistent dabbler, just doing little things here and there for my dreams and intentions sporadically.
Do:
I have 2 online jobs doing what I don't necessarily like to do but they really do pay my bills and help me bless my family. But my earnings are so dependent on the time I have to work.
I have limited time to do what I really want - focus my full time and attention to prayer and ministry of the Word.
Have:
I only have enough for my needs and a bit of overflow to bless my family financially.
I have a few audience in my newsletter and YouTube channels.
And then You helped me acknowledge what I want my life to be at the end of this year.
Be:
I'm a child and heir of God
I'm financially free. Able to employ my family in my own business.
I'm a writer and creator whose work blesses people worldwide.
I'm consistently achieving what God wants me to, be, do, and have.
Do:
Grow my RichLife Club to 1.3 million members living the RichLife in You everyday, inspired and encouraged by my SpeakChrist content: articles, books, and videos.
Focus my full time and attention on prayer and ministry of the Word.
Have:
I have a growing RichLife Club with 1.3 million members, Generous, Raving, Engaged, Apostolic, and Tribal SpeakChrist Angels living the rich life in You consistently achieving what You want us to be, do, and have.
I have recurring, residual, passive profits more than I expect and overflowing so I and my family and friends have total time and financial freedom, freeing our shoulders from the burden allowing us to lay aside the laborers’ basket and I'm able to focus my full time and attention in prayer and ministry of the Word.
Yes, I acknowledge these desires because I've learned that my desires are Your desires in me too.
But then, daily, You helped me see that there's more to the rich life than what I want to be, do, and have.
There's what You want me to be, do, and, have.
Yes, I want freedom. But I want the freedom to be, do, and have what You want me to be, do, and have.
Because I know that Your GodX vision for me is so much better, bigger, and bolder than I could ever hope to be, do, and, have.
And You reveal them to me day by day.
All the more reason to seek You every day.
Unlike our first parents who hid from God among the trees, I want God to be my hiding place, my shelter from distress:
Psalms 32:6-7
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
Yes, I want freedom. But I want the freedom to pursue daily my GodX vision - what God wants me to be, do, and have so that daily, I will consistently achieve them.
That's the rich life for me.
So, Father, do in me what You must, in order to do through me what You will.
I love You.
Live the rich life in Christ today:
You have a GodX vision waiting for you to be discovered - what God wants you to be, do, and have.
Jesus gave you freedom to pursue it.
What are you waiting for?
Jesus gave you the freedom to be, do, and have what God wants you to be, do, and have.
Your GodX vision.
Pursue it today.
Psalms 32:6-7
You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round.
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:
Who or what is your hiding place?
What does freedom mean to you?
What does God want you to be, do, and have?
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