July 21
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FUTURE GLORY
A poem by ILMA
What we suffer now is incomparable to the glory He’ll reveal to us
For all creation is eagerly waiting to know who his children really are
Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse
But with eager hope, creation looks forward when we join him.
We believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit
We long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering
We eagerly hope when God will give us our full rights as adopted children
We were given this hope when we were saved and believed in Jesus.
The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses and tells us what to pray for
He shows us to pray with groanings that cannot be expressed in words
And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is say
For the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s ways.
God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love him
God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like Christ
And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself
And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
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MEMORY VERSE
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. – Romans 8:28
Read: Romans 8:18-30
When we become Christians, we have hope that the promise of God for a future glory is going to happen. Unlike unbelievers, we can see that God causes everything, even the bad things to work for God’s glory. How loving our heavenly Father is, he gave us his son so that we can have right standing with him where Jesus is the oldest and all believers have the same right as him.
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REFLECTION
• What should we remember when we encounter hardships and trials in life?
Monthly Archives: July 2019
STRUGGLING WITH SIN Poem Devotional
July 20
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STRUGGLING WITH SIN
A poem by ILMA
The trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good
The problem is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin
I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right
Yet I don’t do what’s right but I do what I hate.
But if I know that what I am doing is wrong
This shows that I agree that the law is good
So, I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
I want to do what is right, but I can’t
I want to do what is good, but I don’t
I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway
But if I do what I don’t want to do I am not really the one doing wrong.
When I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong
I love God’s law with all my heart but there is another power within me
It is at war with my mind which makes me a a slave to sin
All this struggle is still so alive within me and I am bound to it.
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MEMORY VERSE
I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. – Romans 7:15
Read: Romans 7:14-28
Do you ever struggle with sin? Don’t we all go through this at some point of our lives if not always? Paul was explaining to the Romans that we all struggle with sin, but God is always there to win over this battle.
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REFLECTION
• What do you do each time you get into a conflict inside you, to do what is right instead of doing what is wrong?
• How can the battle between right and wrong be resolved for believers?
LIVE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF GRACE Poem Devotional
July 19
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LIVE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF GRACE
A poem by ILMA
Since we have died to sin, we can’t continue to live in it
When we joined Christ in baptism, we united with him in his death
For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism
Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the heavenly father
Now we also may live new lives and will also be raised like him
We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ
Sin lost its power in our lives so we’re no longer slaves
For when we died with Christ, we were set free from its power.
When Jesus died on the cross, it is to break sin’s power
Now that he lives, he does it for the glory of God
Do not let sin control the way you live or give in to sinful desires
Do not let any part of your body become an instrument to serve sin
Give yourselves completely to God for now you have new life
Use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right
Sin is no longer your master and no longer live under law
Instead, do your best to live under the freedom of God’s grace.
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MEMORY VERSE
Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. – Romans 6:14
Read: Romans 6:1-14
When we become born again, we are not bound by the law or sin. It was the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that enables all believers to be able to live under the grace of God. This makes Christians have the ability to live under the undeserved favor from our heavenly father.
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REFLECTION
• Why do some Christians stay legalistic instead of remembering what God did when he gave his only begotten Jesus Christ to die on the cross for us to be free?
• What challenges do you face that makes you see God’s favor on your life?
• Why is sin no longer your master when you became born again?
ALL PEOPLE ARE SINNERS Poem Devotional
July 17
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ALL PEOPLE ARE SINNERS
A poem by ILMA
Can anyone claim that they have never committed a sin?
If someone did, then they are not honest and is lying
Scripture says that no one is righteous, not even one
No one is truly wise and no one is seeking God.
All have turned away and we all have become useless
No one does good, not a single one for we are all sinners
One moment we speak praise, then we also speak evil things
We are by nature selfish and want to please our desires.
But now God has shown us a way to be right with him
He gave us his only begotten Son so we can be saved from sin
We only need to place our faith in Jesus and he cleanses us
We all fall short of the glory of God, yet he declares us righteous.
Can we boast that we have done anything to be accepted by God?
No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law but by faith
We are made right with God only by faith, whether we are Jews or Gentiles
Only when we believe in Christ and have faith can we truly fulfill the law.
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MEMORY VERSE
Only when we have faith do we truly fulfill the law. – Romans 3:31
Read: Romans 3:9-31
In the world we live in, accountability and repentance have become a novelty. We justify our sins and call it mistakes, faults, weaknesses. We have lived lives of compromise. We live busy lives in this world that makes us follow the dictates of society and the world system. Following God has lost its priority in our lives. We become corrupted by this world’s standards and forget to grow our faith which leads us to a life of integrity.
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REFLECTION
• How can we grow our faith so that we can sin less?
• Why do you think some people deny the fact that they have sinned?
ADAM AND CHRIST Poem Devotional
July 17
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ADAM AND CHRIST
A poem by ILMA
When Adam disobeyed, sin entered the world; Adam’s sin brought death
Death spread to everyone and all people sinned before the law was given
But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break.
And yet everyone died from the time of Adam to the time of Moses.
Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.
But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift
For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many of us human
Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift makes us right with God.
Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone
Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God
Because Adam disobeyed God, many became sinners
But because Christ obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful we humans are
But as people sinned more and more, God’s grace became more abundant
So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death
God gives us right standing with God resulting in eternal life.
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MEMORY VERSE
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. – Romans 5:18
Read: Romans 5:12-21
Because of Adam’s disobedience, the whole humankind inherited sin. Because of what he did, we are all bent and have the tendency to be selfish. But God loved us so much that he gave us his son Jesus to break the power of sin over us all. Obedience to God’s will was what brought us back to become re-united with our heavenly Father.
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REFLECTION
• How can obedience matter so much to overcome selfishness?
JESUS’ BLOOD MADE US FRIENDS WITH GOD Poem Devotional
July 16
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JESUS’ BLOOD MADE US FRIENDS WITH GOD
A poem by ILMA
We have been made right in God’s sight by faith and we have peace
Because of what Jesus our lord has done for us, we are reconciled
Christ gave us the undeserved privilege when he died for us on the cross
We now stand and confidently share this sacrifice with much joy.
We can rejoice too when we run into problems and trials
For we know that they help us develop endurance
Endurance progresses strength of character
Character strengthen our confident hope of salvation.
We know how much God loves us for he gave us his Spirit
When we were utterly helpless, Christ died for us sinners
God showed us his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us
Since we have been made right by his blood, we are free from condemnation.
Since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son
Even though we were still enemies, we will be saved through Christ’s life
So, we can rejoice now in our new relationship with God
Jesus made us friends of God by his death and blood on the cross.
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MEMORY VERSE
So we can now rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. – Romans 5:11
Read: Romans 5:1-11
Isn’t it such a privilege to know that because of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ has done for us, we don’t get the punishment that we really deserve? In the Old Testament, they didn’t have the Holy Spirit living in them. They had to go through someone like Abraham or Moses to speak to God. Now, we are considered friends of God because of Jesus’ sacrifice.
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REFLECTION
• Do you treasure the fact that Jesus died for you so you can be God’s friend?
• Why do you think faith is important for us to have joy in life?
GOD’S JUDGMENT OF SIN Poem Devotional
July 15
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GOD’S JUDGMENT OF SIN
A poem by ILMA
You may think you can condemn and punish those who do unrighteous things
If you do, you are condemning yourself, for when you judged you’ll also be judged
It is only God who can judge; in his justice, he punishes those who do evil
For you cannot escape God’s judgment when you judge others who do wickedness.
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant and patient God is with you?
Can’t you see that God’s kindness is intended to make you be renewed?
When you are stubborn and refuse to turn from sin, you accumulate punishment
God will judge everyone according to what they have continually done.
He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good and giving God glory
But he will pour out his anger on those who live for themselves and disobey
There will be trouble and calamity for those who continue to do wicked things
Whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, you will be judged for God has no favoritism.
When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed though they never had God’s laws
And the Jews who have God’s law will be judged by what law they disobey
Merely listening to the law and not doing it doesn’t make us right with God
The day is coming when God, through Christ will judge everyone’s secret life.
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MEMORY VERSE
They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. – Romans 2:15
Read: Romans 2:1-16
We humans have a tendency to judge. We set expectations to ourselves and others that sometimes make us fail to see that it is only God who can really judge our actions and motives. Because only God can see our hearts, he is the only one who can judge our actions based on our intentions.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it hard to fight our tendencies to judge others by what we see?
• Who is the ultimate judge? Why shouldn’t we get in the habit of judging others?
GOD’S ANGER AT SIN Poem Devotional
July 14
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GOD’S ANGER AT SIN
A poem by ILMA
God displays his anger from heaven against all wickedness
He doesn’t put up with any form of unrighteousness
Even though they knew God’s existence, they supress the truth
Despite the creations God made, they deny that it is all true.
God has manifested himself in everything he created on earth
There is no excuse to say God doesn’t exist yet they deny him
These people knew God, but they wouldn’t worship and give thanks
They began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.
As a result of this denial, their minds became dark and confused
Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools
Instead of thanking and worshiping the glorious, ever-living God
They worshiped idols made to look like mere humans, birds and animals.
So, God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things they desired
As a consequence, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies
They traded the truth about God for a lie and worshiped God’s creations
God abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let do evil actions.
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MEMORY VERSE
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up of foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. – Romans 1:21
Read: Romans 1:18-32
Many people do not acknowledge “sin.” They try to call it weakness, mistakes, errors. There is no accountability to acknowledge their rebellion and foolish ways. This leads to more confusion and chaos. People have forgotten how God abhors sin.
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REFLECTION
• How can God separate the person from the sin and still love each human being?
• Can you be able to love a person who continues to sin? How is that possible
PAUL’S ARRIVAL IN ROME Poem Devotional
July 13
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PAUL’S ARRIVAL IN ROME
A poem by ILMA
Three days after Paul’s arrival in Rome, he called the local Jewish leaders
He told them that despite his innocence, he was arrested in Jerusalem
He was handed over to the Roman government, was tried and released
They found no cause for him to death, so he appealed to Caesar.
Even though Paul had no desire to press charges against his own people
He asked them to come so he could get acquainted and explain things
He said he was bound with this chain because he believed in the Messiah
He has hope because he knows that Jesus Christ has already come.
They replied, “We have had no letters from Judea or reports against you”
They wanted to know what Paul believed, for it was denounced elsewhere
So, a time was set, and on that day a number of people went to see Paul
He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and persuaded them.
Paul spoke to them from morning until evening and some were persuaded
And after they had argued back and forth among themselves
They said “The Holy Spirit was right when Isaiah the prophet prophesied
He said that salvation from God has been offered to the Gentiles as well.
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MEMORY VERSE
So, I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it. – Acts 28:28
Read: Acts 28:11-30
In this chapter, we witness another brave act of Paul which is Spirit led. He was telling the people about the Good News that needed to be shared not only with the Jews but with the Gentiles as well.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think Paul was able to persuade some of the Romans about the Good News?
• How do we know if the Holy Spirit lives in us?
MIRACLES IN MALTA Poem Devotional
July 12
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MIRACLES IN MALTA
A poem by ILMA
Once Paul and others were on shore, they discovered we were on the island of Malta
The people of the island were very kind to Paul and the others when they arrived
It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome them
As Paul gathered sticks to lay them on the fire, a poisonous snake came for the heat.
The snake bit him and the people saw it hanging from his hand; thought he deserved it
They were thinking that though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live
They thought he was one of the murderers who were being sailed to Rome
But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was he was totally unharmed.
The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead
They waited a while and saw that he wasn’t harmed, their minds changed
Near the shore where they landed was an estate belonging to Publius, an official
He welcomed them and treated them kindly for three days.
As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery
Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands, he healed him
Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed
As a people honored Paul and supplied them with everything on their trip.
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MEMORY VERSE
As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. – Acts 28:3
Read: Acts 28:1-9
Again, in this chapter, we witness God’s Spirit dwelling in Paul as he approached the island of Malta. The peoples’ hospitality and warmth, was in itself a miracle. The snake biting Paul would have killed him. But God used this again so they will see his power through Paul.
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REFLECTION
• What happens when we are faithful to God’s call to preach the Good News