August 18

2 CORINTHIANS 12

⁹ Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. ¹⁰ Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹ Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹² Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. ¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave itto the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” ²⁰ To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-21

2 CORINTHIANS 12 SUBMIT TO GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God called you as his servant, he becomes your King

You are now a new person who willingly submits to him

You no longer crave for what is gratifying; instead, you obey his commands

Because God is love and is righteous, you now succumb to what is good

You now hate what is evil and hold on fast to do what is right

You now let go of control and let him rule over your entire life

No longer do you make a habit of sin, but follow his word

You think less of yourself and is now concerned with others.

In this letter of Paul to the Corinthian church, he gives them a guideline how to submit to God’s righteousness. Many people do not have a servant’s mindset and heart. Some Christians think that they have accepted Jesus in their hearts on their own accord, as if it was their own doing to say yes to God’s invitation to be part of his people. When I became a Canadian citizen and pledged my allegiance to Queen Elizabeth as my sovereign leader, I began to understand the difference coming from another country. I made a vow to honor and follow the Queen and be loyal to her and her successors for as long as I am a Canadian. I had to let go of the old system of government that I was used to and realized what sovereignty means and why it is important to submit to the authority assigned to me by God himself.

Paul stressed to the Corinthian believers that their allegiance is no longer to themselves or earthly rulers, but to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. He urged them to love genuinely and hate what is evil and do good instead. This is what it means to submit to God’s righteousness. It means to have a passion for enthusiasm to do the work of the Lord which is to bring the gospel and to love and build each other up for the sake of the unity of the church and being ready for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He also asked them to be humble and care even for your enemies.

REFLECTION

• What does submission to God’s righteousness look like in a believer’s life?

August 17

2 CORINTHIANS 10

 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away! — ² I beg of you that when I am present, I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ⁶ being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.  – 2 CORINTHIANS 10:1-6

2 CORINTHIANS 10 SUBMIT YOUR THOUGHTS TO OBEY CHRIST

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

A child of God recognizes that he is made in God’s likeness

God gave us a mind that is not fearful, uncontrolled or anxious

Instead, we are given a sound mind that has power and is regulated

It does not listen to lies or succumb to anything that rebels against God

God’s child submits his thoughts into the obedience of Christ

He does not rely on his own understanding that is so limited

He does not claim any credit for what only God is able to do

He obeys the word that comes only from the mouth of God.

In this account, Paul explains spiritual warfare that happens almost regularly if not moment by moment in our lives. Few Christians probably have a soldier mindset because they haven’t approached life as a battlefield. It is easy to fight someone you see, but Paul explains in verse 4 that we are not dealing with enemies that we see but they are unseen and they exist in the spiritual realm. So, if we are not aware of this battle that is waged against us on a daily basis, how can we win the war?

Paul gives us a weapon to wage war in Ephesians 6:10-18 by spelling out the armor that we need to wear if we are soldiers for Christ which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace coming from the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation which is the word of God and to pray at all times on every occasion.

There is another very important weapon that we can also constantly use against the enemy. Paul explains it in verse 5. It has something to do with our mind. The battlefield actually starts in the mind. That is how Satan attacks us. Remember how the first sin of Adam and Eve happened? It was the seed of doubt that was sown in their minds that made them question the provision and promise of God. The devil twists God’s words and makes it appear like it is true when it is half-truths. They are still lies because some parts of the word are twisted. Paul wants us to hold our thoughts captive into the obedience of Christ.

REFLECTION

• What does verse 5 mean when it says to destroy arguments against the knowledge of God?

August 15

1 PETER 5

⁵ Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. ⁸ Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. ¹⁰ And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. ¹¹ To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 5:5-11

1 PETER 5 HUMILITY IS SUBMISSION TO GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, you are to follow him

He surrendered to his Father’s will and gave up his divinity

He humbled himself to set an example for us to emulate

Though he was King of kings, he continued to be obedient

He suffered for us so that we would be reconciled with God

He submitted to God’s plan of salvation in order to free us

To be humble is to walk in love and surrender to the Lord

When we are proud, we are not submitting to God.

Because of sin, human nature tends to be proud and arrogant. Without God, nobody can claim that they are meek. Manifesting humility is never an ability or skill that comes from humans. It is a divine work. We always think of ourselves first than others and it is God’s Spirit that makes those whom he chooses to think less of themselves and think more of others instead.  We cannot fabricate humility and submission. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of those who believe in God. Without faith, we can never do what is right and true. Our first parents made us selfish because of their disobedience to God. Let us never forget that without believing in God, we can not have the ability to be sacrificial and generous to others. That is why those who do not know God will have no chance to exercise obedience, submission and humility.

In this account, Peter reproves the young to submit to their elders. He also encourages them to exercise humility. What does humility mean? Peter explains in verse 6 that to humble oneself before God is to be free from anxiety but to cast all of them under the might hand of God. Unbelievers would never comprehend what this means because to be humble is to submit to someone you look up to. It is the opposite of pride in which a person would never bow down or give in to someone else other than themselves. The proud can never submit or surrender to anyone because they think so highly of themselves and the center of attention is on the self. It doesn’t see anyone else.

REFLECTION

• Can a proud person have the ability to submit or surrender to someone? Cite examples.

August 14

ACTS 5

²⁵ And someone came and told them, “Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.” ²⁶ Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.²⁷ And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, ²⁸ saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” ²⁹ But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. ³⁰ The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. ³¹ God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. ³² And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”³³ When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. ³⁴ But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. ³⁵ And he said to them, “Men of Israel, take care what you are about to do with these men.

                                                                                        – Acts 5:25-35

ACTS 5 OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a servant of God, your allegiance is not in your own or any other men

Your Creator is your Master and he requires his creatures to be obedient

God is the maker of all things and he is sovereign and knows what’s right

Humans are only his creation and does not have a clue about his life

God gave us laws so we can be protected from evil and give him all the glory

The true believers obey God rather than men; their Lord is their priority.

In this account, we hear of the power struggle of the high priest and those religious officials. Even though they have already succeeded in killing Jesus, they wanted to make sure that there will be no talk of him or teachings propagated by anyone who were followers of Jesus. In verse 28, they were very clear about the prohibition of Jesus’ teaching because they felt that if they do so, they are insinuating that they were responsible for Jesus’ death. Power is something that these men were so hungry for. It was their fear of losing the honor that they get from having their positions and knowledge. They were so threatened by the way Jesus taught because there’s so much wisdom and authority in his words. The religious leaders were so full of themselves claiming that they know the laws and the prophets and yet they didn’t believe Jesus was the Son of God. Peter’s response in verse 29-30 was bold and true. He couldn’t have said these words if the Spirit of the Lord wasn’t with him. He courageously told these power-hungry religious leaders that they will obey God and not stop teaching what Jesus had taught them. He even stated outright that they killed Jesus and hung him on a tree. Of course, this angered them because they were denying that they were responsible for Jesus’ death for fear of losing the respect they so clamor for. The apostles will not follow their order because they will obey God rather than men.

REFLECTION

·       Show instances when submission to authority from leaders could pose a disobedience to God and which one should the believer follow?

August 12

ISAIAH 66

Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool;
what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?
² All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be,
declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

³ “He who slaughters an ox is like one who kills a man;
 he who sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
he who presents a grain offering, like one who offers pig’s blood;
 he who makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.
These have chosen their own ways,  and their soul delights in their abominations;
⁴ I also will choose harsh treatment for them and bring their fears upon them,
because when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen;
but they did what was evil in my eyes   and chose that in which I did not delight.”

                                                                                        – Isaiah 66:1-4

ISAIAH 66 TREMBLE & SUBMIT TO GOD’S WORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Those who love and serve the Lord humble themselves to his word

They do not defy truth but succumb to every word it says

They fear the Lord so they tremble at God’s sovereignty

They do not question or resist truth but follow them instead

To submit to God is to obey his word and resist the world

It is the only way that one can prove their love for the Lord.

This chapter in the book of Isaiah is a rebuke on the religious rituals that the Israelites practiced in terms of their worship of the one true God. Through his prophet Isaiah, God confronts the people of their empty rituals that do not actually worship him but are influenced by other pagan idolatry. God also reminds them that he created all things and that they can never build a house for him that would please him since they are all his possession. This marks the transition from physical worship in a structure using the Levitical practices into the spiritual worship that God required. In John 4:23-24, Jesus explains to the woman in the well that there’ll come a time when true worship transcends physical locations. So, the book of Isaiah was prophetically speaking about Jesus’ salvation work. When Jesus resurrected, the Holy Spirit indwelled those who believed in him. Since the Holy Spirit is living inside them, it is their whole being that is now the temple of God.

The Lord says through Isaiah that the true worshipers are those who are contrite in spirit and tremble at his word. What does it mean to have a contrite spirit? It is a spirit that hears the correction of God through his word, repent and submit to his word and laws.

REFLECTION

• What does it look like to tremble at God’s word and submit to it in a believer’s life?

August 10

ROMANS 6

⁵ What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  – Romans 6:5-23

ROMANS 6 BE SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Before you believed in Jesus Christ, you were a slave of sin

Without the sacrifice of his blood, you will not be free

It is by God’s grace that you were chosen to be one of his own

You are now slaves of righteousness and sin no longer own you

The new life in Christ cuts off your tendency to habitually rebel

You can now see the way that you are being tricked by the devil

You no longer habitually sin but choose what’s true and what’s right

You no longer live for pleasuring yourself but prioritize obeying Christ.

Many people in our world today have no concept of slavery and Paul explains in this account that to be a slave is to submit to someone’s control or rule. Slavery in the bible is not as bad as we think it is because to be a slave of someone meant that you were part of their household. You were clothed, fed and your masters paid your taxes. They were expected to serve their masters faithfully. Although we don’t have masters in our modern world today, we have employers that we work for who pay our wages so we can provide for our families.

Paul talks about a kind of slavery that is spiritual. He is referring to “slavery to sin.” Before we were believers, we catered to our flesh. We chase what we want and fulfill our own longings. Paul explains in this account that when Christ died for us, we are no longer slaves to anything or anyone but slaves to righteousness. We are transformed by the Holy Spirit to pursue what pleases God and not what pleases us or other men. Paul also explains that as a Christian, we are no longer bound by the law but by his grace. It means that our tendencies to seek pleasures for ourselves are changed to seek pleasing God.

REFLECTION

·       How do you know if someone is a slave of righteousness or a slave of sinfulness?

August 9

1 CORINTHIANS 11

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.² Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. ³ But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wifeis her husband, and the head of Christ is God. ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, ⁵ but every wifewho prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. ⁶ For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. ⁷ For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. ⁸ For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. ⁹ Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. ¹⁰ That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹ Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; ¹² for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. – 1 Corinthians 11:1-11

1 CORINTHIANS 11 HEADSHIP & SUBMISSION

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the Lord created man and woman, he had a plan

The husband is the head and the wife is to submit to the man

Therefore, the wife has to be subject to her husband who is the head

Since the husband heads her, he has to honor his wife and protect her

As the man fulfills his vow to cherish his wife, he is submitting to Christ

And as he submits to his Lord Jesus, he also fulfills God’s plan in his life.

In our world today, there is a very vague distinction about the roles of men and women and of leaders and their subjects. Satan has distorted the order that God had originally designed for humankind. After all, the original sin is about questioning authority and insubordination. Because of the effect of the sin of our first parents, we have also allowed those distortions of our roles and responsibilities in life. With the rise of homosexuality and various genders, Satan has propagated such confusion of the hierarchy and order that God has required for humans.

In this letter, Paul spells out the distinctions very clearly and clarifies who the head is and who the subject is who is supposed to submit to his head.  He says that men are subject to Jesus while Christ is subject to God himself. Since the woman is taken out of the man’s ribs, she is to submit to her own husband to honor the clear requirement stipulated by God to his people. So, how come, there are still many Christians who are clueless about how headships and submission to the head are applied in their daily lives. No wonder there is so much confusion in the roles of men and women today. Control is one of the curses that we have inherited from Adam and Eve. We like to take control instead of submitting to the heads that have been designated to us.

REFLECTION

• What does it mean when you do not have yourself covered by your head according to Paul?