March 21 Devotion - FREE TO REJOICE

But if it is by grace (God’s unmerited favor and graciousness), it is no longer conditioned on works or anything men have done. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace [it would be meaningless].

 وَلكِنْ، بِمَا أَنَّ ذَلِكَ قَدْ تَمَّ بِالنِّعْمَةِ، فَلَيْسَ بَعْدُ عَلَى أَسَاسِ الأَعْمَالِ، وَإِلاَّ فَلَيْسَتِ النِّعْمَةُ نِعْمَةً بَعْدُ.

Romans 11:6 

‘Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵ I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.’

لَيْسَ لأَحَدٍ مَحَبَّةٌ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ هَذِهِ: أَنْ يَبْذِلَ أَحَدٌ حَيَاتَهُ فِدَى أَحِبَّائِهِ.

 ¹⁴ وَأَنْتُمْ أَحِبَّائِي إِنْ عَمِلْتُمْ بِمَا أُوصِيكُمْ بِهِ.

 ¹⁵ لاَ أُسَمِّيكُمْ عَبِيداً بَعْدُ، لأَنَّ الْعَبْدَ لاَ يُطْلِعُهُ سَيِّدُهُ عَلَى مَا يَفْعَلُهُ. وَلكِنِّي قَدْ سَمَّيْتُكُمْ أَحِبَّاءَ لأَنِّي أَطْلَعْتُكُمْ عَلَى كُلِّ مَا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ أَبِي.

John 15:13-15

 

We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s likeness (Romans 3:23). But Jesus’ death on the cross removed our collective death penalty once and for all. Therefore, we are now secure in Him. We are free to rejoice.

                                                                                                                                                                  

God gave you this great gift because:

·     He has something wonderful in mind for your life (Jeremiah 29:11).

·     He wants you to accomplish great things for His kingdom and to share the joy of your faith with others (Matthew 28:18–20).

·     God designed you for a purpose when He formed you in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13).

·     God wants you to feel free to rejoice. (Philippians 4:4).

I invite you to repeat the following prayer for yourself:

Abba Father, thank You for the riches of Your grace upon my life. Jesus help me to feel free to rejoice because You have paid my sin debt in full. Thank You Jesus that You love me so much that You consider me Your friend. Thank You LORD that You have designed a wonderful life for me. Thank You that You have enabled me to accomplish great things for Your Kingdom and that I get the opportunity to share the joy of my faith with others that You have put on my path. Thank You Father that You want me to rejoice and to rejoice always. Now to Him who is able to carry out His purpose and do infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Ephesians 3:20-21 AMP Amen.

Jesus loves you,

In Him,

Wagdi Henein