Believe Without Seeing
Dearest Father, Thank You for helping me believe without seeing. As written in the Gospel today.
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Today's Readings
Second Sunday of Easter
First Reading: Acts 5: 12-16
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 118: 2-4, 13-15, 22-24
Second Reading: Revelation 1: 9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
Alleluia: John 20: 29
Gospel: John 20:19-31
Reading 1, Acts 5:12-16
Acts 5:12-16 GNBDK
[12] Many miracles and wonders were being performed among the people by the apostles. All the believers met together in Solomon's Porch.
[13] Nobody outside the group dared to join them, even though the people spoke highly of them.
[14] But more and more people were added to the group — a crowd of men and women who believed in the Lord.
[15] As a result of what the apostles were doing, sick people were carried out into the streets and placed on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
[16] And crowds of people came in from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing those who were ill or who had evil spirits in them; and they were all healed.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 118:2-4, 13-15, 22-24
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His mercy endures forever.” Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.”
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
I was hard pressed and was falling, but the LORD helped me. My strength and my courage is the LORD, and he has been my savior. The joyful shout of victoryin the tents of the just:
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, his love is everlasting.
Reading 2, Revelation 1:9-11, 12-13, 17-19
Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19 GNBDK
[9] I am John, your brother, and as a follower of Jesus I am your partner in patiently enduring the suffering that comes to those who belong to his Kingdom. I was put on the island of Patmos because I had proclaimed God's word and the truth that Jesus revealed.
[10] On the Lord's day the Spirit took control of me, and I heard a loud voice, that sounded like a trumpet, speaking behind me.
[11] It said, “Write down what you see, and send the book to the churches in these seven cities: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
[12] I turned round to see who was talking to me, and I saw seven gold lampstands,
[13] and among them there was what looked like a human being, wearing a robe that reached to his feet, and a gold belt round his chest.
[17] When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right-hand on me and said, “Don't be afraid! I am the first and the last.
[18] I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive for ever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.
[19] Write, then, the things you see, both the things that are now and the things that will happen afterwards.
Gospel, John 20:19-31
John 20:19-31 GNBDK
[19] It was late that Sunday evening, and the disciples were gathered together behind locked doors, because they were afraid of the Jewish authorities. Then Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
[20] After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord.
[21] Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.”
[22] Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
[23] If you forgive people's sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
[24] One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (called the Twin), was not with them when Jesus came.
[25] So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” Thomas said to them, “Unless I see the scars of the nails in his hands and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
[26] A week later the disciples were together again indoors, and Thomas was with them. The doors were locked, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
[27] Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands; then stretch out your hand and put it in my side. Stop your doubting, and believe!”
[28] Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
[29] Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!”
[30] In his disciples' presence Jesus performed many other miracles which are not written down in this book.
[31] 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.
Dearest Father,
Thank You for helping me believe without seeing. As written in the Gospel today:
John 20:29 GNBDK
[29] Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you see me? How happy are those who believe without seeing me!”
In another version,
John 20:29 CSB
[29] Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
Here's clearer one:
John 20:29 AMP
[29] Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, do you now believe? Blessed [happy, spiritually secure, and favored by God] are they who did not see [Me] and yet believed [in Me].”
Blessed, happy, spiritually secure, and favored by God are the ones who did not see and yet believed.
The world says, to see is to believe. Jesus says, to believe is to see.
To be honest, it's so hard to believe in wealth when all you see is lack.
It's so hard to believe in healing when you still feel the symptoms of illness.
So hard to believe in your love of a lifetime when you're still single with no one in sight.
So hard to believe your family's going to be restored when relationships remain broken.
So hard to believe in impossible dreams when nothing is happening.
So hard to believe in having the rich and satisfying life when my life seems so poor and unsatisfying.
That's when we need to hold on to faith - being sure of all that we hope for, being certain of things we cannot yet see.
Hebrews 11:1 GNBDK
To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see.
You want to be happy, to be spiritually secure, and highly favored by God?
Believe in the things you hope for but still can't see.
Believe in the words of Jesus even when you can't still see His words coming true for you.
As you know from my previous diaries, I lost one of my online jobs. And I'm not able to work much on my other online job so finances are super tight in my family right now.
My bank account is down to only a couple thousand, which my mama said would only last us a few days.
Fear regarding provision starts to creep in. My sister who I subcontacted with me naturally lost that income too. And her seaman husband is home now which means no income from him too. So I'm also worried for them.
This is when I'm holding tight to God's word and promises to me. This is when I fight for my faith by murmuring and declaring God's words and promises to me every time fear and doubt creep in:
Philippians 4:19 AMP
[19] And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Thank You, Lord, You supply all our needs according to Your riches and glory in Christ Jesus!
2 Corinthians 9:8, 10-11 GNBDK
[8] And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause.
[10] And God, who supplies seed to sow and bread to eat, will also supply you with all the seed you need and will make it grow and produce a rich harvest from your generosity. [11] He will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts which they receive from us.
Thank You, Lord, You make every grace abound in me, so that in all things at all times, I always have more than enough for every conceivable need and abundance for every good work. You who provide seed to sow and food to eat will supply and multiply my storehouse of seeds and make my harvest a bigger one. You always make me rich at all times so, I can be generous on every occasion!
Deuteronomy 1:11 GNBDK
[11] May the LORD, the God of your ancestors, make you increase a thousand times more and make you prosperous, as he promised!
Thank You, Lord, You've increased us a thousandfold more than we are and blessed us just as You have promised us!
Fight for what you believe in!
Do not settle for less than what God has told you in His word.
He says you are rich. Then you are rich. Thank God now that you are rich.
Doesn't matter if your bank account is zero.
He says you are healed. Then you are healed. Thank God now that you are healed.
Doesn't matter if your body still feels pain.
He says you are loved. Then you are loved. Thank God now you have the perfect love.
Doesn't matter if you still feel lonely.
He says you are successful. Then you are successful. Thank God now you are successful.
Doesn't matter if you still feel like a failure and nothing is happening.
Remember Jesus says,
Blessed are they who believe and yet not see.
Believe without seeing.
Be counted among the blessed!
Believe even when you don't yet see.
Jesus is alive! That's all the assurance we need.
If you want to grow in your belief in Christ even when you don't yet see, join me in our SpeakChrist RichLife Club. We'll do it together. St. Katharine Drexel, pray for us.
Live the RichLife in Christ today
The world says, to see is to believe.
Jesus says, to believe is to see.
Believe and then you'll see.
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Believe you are rich.
Believe you are healed.
Believe you are loved.
Believe you are successful.
Believe without seeing.
Blessed are you who believe!
John 20:29 CSB
[29] Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
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 believing in Jesus even when you have not seen Him?
Are you believing in God's word and promises even when you don't yet see them happening?
Are you growing your faith so you believe even when you don't yet see?
Your Actionable Steps to Do This Week:
Believe Jesus is alive.
Believe even when you don't see.
Grow your faith so you believe even when you don't yet see.
Let us pray:
If you want to live the rich life in Christ every day - live blessed because you believe without seeing - give your life to Jesus.
That’s the first step.
Say this prayer with me:
Dearest Father,
Father, forgive me of my sins. I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for making me now Your child and heir, with power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory, and blessing. Thank You that in Christ, Father, I am blessed because I believe without seeing. And because I believe, then I will definitely see.
In Jesus’ Name.
This is it for now. Until next time.
Vivo dives vitae in Christo. Live the RichLife in Christ.
P.S
If you want to develop daily discipline and consistently achieve what God wants you to be, do, and have, without struggle - live the rich life in Christ. Join the RichLife Club now. We’ll do it together.