September 29
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LET PEACE RULE YOUR HEARTS
A poem by ILMA
Most importantly, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us in harmony
And let the peace that comes from Christ dominate your minds and hearts
As part of the body of Christ, you are called to live in peace
Be thankful always and let Christ’s message in all its richness fill your lives.
Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives
Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus
Be grateful to God the Father through his one and only Son.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for all believers
Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly
Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord
Fathers, don’t provoke your children, or they will become discouraged.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do and please them always
Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord
Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward.
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MEMORY VERSE
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. – Colossians 3:15
Read: Colossians 3:14-25
I think a lot of people misconstrue the real meaning of peace. Peace isn’t absence of conflict. One can have peace amidst conflict. If you remember the commotion that Paul brought about while he was preaching in the Book of Acts, we see how he had peace in his heart despite all these people who had been plotting all the while to kill him. We are told to let the peace that comes from Jesus, dominate our hearts.
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REFLECTION
• What challenges do you face these days that challenges you to keep peace?
Monthly Archives: September 2019
PUTTING ON YOUR NEW NATURE Poem Devotional
September 28
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PUTTING ON YOUR NEW NATURE
A poem by ILMA
Now that you have a new life in Christ, focus on heavenly things
It is in heaven where Christ sits in a place of honor at God’s right hand
Think about the things that are the realities in heaven, not of this earth
For you died to this life and your real life is hidden with Jesus in God.
And when Christ, who is Life is revealed to all, you will share in his glory
So, turn your back to your sinful nature and worldly things lurking within you
Don’t get involved in sexual immorality, impurity, lust and evil desires
Don’t be greedy for a covetous person worships the world and is an idolater.
You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world
But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, slander and malicious behavior
Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator.
Since God chose you to be his holy people, clothe yourselves with mercy
Be kind, gentle, humble, and patient to all especially to the family of Christ
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you
Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others to be forgiven.
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MEMORY VERSE
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. – Colossians 3:10
Read: Colossians 3:1-13
It is interesting to know that some Christians do not know how to put on the new creation that they received when they committed their lives to Christ. Just like putting on a new clothing, we usually removed the old to try on the new clothes. We don’t put on top of the old clothes our new ones. Sadly, this is what we do when we don’t let go of our worldly things and beliefs. It hinders us from knowing Christ deeper and become like him.
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REFLECTION
• What part of your old nature keeps creeping in your Christian life?
BRAND NEW LIFE IN CHRIST Poem Devotional
September 27
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BRAND NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
A poem by ILMA
When you accepted Christ as your Savior and Lord
You must continue to obey and follow his commands
Let your roots grow down into him and build your lives on him
Then your faith will grow strong, and you’ll overflow with gratitude.
Don’t be deceived by human reasoning and spiritual powers of this world
Instead, prioritize Jesus in all you do and study and meditate on his word
In Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body
So you’re complete by your union with Christ who has full authority.
When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not physically
Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinfulness
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized
And by believing in Jesus, you were raised to a brand new life.
You were dead because of your sins and since it wasn’t yet cut away
Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins
He canceled the record of the charges against us and nailed it to the cross
This way, He shamed them publicly by his victory over through his blood.
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MEMORY VERSE
For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. – Colossians 2:12
Read: Colossians 2:6-13
When one becomes a believer of Jesus, they receive the new life that he promised. They get to start new and the old life is dead and gone. Many believers struggle living a new life because some people couldn’t let go of the old life. When we do this, we are actually not focusing on the power that Jesus had over sin.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to be intentional in living the new life you were given when you became a Christian?
CREATION THROUGH AND FOR CHRIST Poem Devotional
September 26
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CREATION THROUGH AND FOR CHRIST
A poem by ILMA
Jesus is the visual manifestation of the God that we don’t see
He was here in the beginning before all things were created
It was through Christ that God made all things in heaven and on earth
He created all things that we both see and also those that are not visible.
Thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities are those that are unseen
All things were made for the sake of our Lord Christ Jesus
He was there before anything was made and he holds all things together
Jesus Christ is the head of the church, which is his body.
He is the Alpha and is supreme over all things and won over death
He is first in everything and God in all his fullness, lived in Christ
It is through him God reconciled everything to himself
He made peace in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood.
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MEMORY VERSE
He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. – Colossians 1:17
Read: Colossians 1:15-20
It is an amazing revelation to the Colossians about the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Most people do not realize that everything in this world was created for Jesus and through him. Interestingly, he was also part of the creation because he is also God like the Heavenly Father. But we must also remember that there is a three-person God so, the Holy Spirit is also present during the creation, especially when humans were created. In Genesis 1:26, the plural form “Let us make humans” gives us a clue that the three-person God were all present in the making of the world, especially when mankind was made.
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REFLECTION
• As a Christian, do you always see that all things always point to our Lord Jesus Christ? Why do you think God created all things for Him and through him?
ENCOURAGING WORDS FOR BELIEVERS Poem Devotional
September 25
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ENCOURAGING WORDS FOR BELIEVERS
A poem by ILMA
Because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do
Stay true to the Lord for the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything but pray about everything
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds our comprehension
His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable
Focus on what is right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received
Then the God of peace will be with you and
Learn how to be content with whatever you have
Know how to live on almost nothing or with everything
Learn the secret of living in every situation
For you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.
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MEMORY VERSE
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. -Philippians 4:4-5
Read: Philippians 4:1-14
In this letter of Paul to the Philippians, we are actually given many pointers how to navigate in life. Some Christians live a joyless life. In this chapter, we are commanded to be always full of joy and be considerate to everyone. We are suppose to live worry-less lives but in prayers, bring it to the Lord.
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REFLECTION
• Why is a joyless Christian not an authentic believer?
HOLD ON TO YOUR PROGRESS Poem Devotional
September 24
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HOLD ON TO YOUR PROGRESS
A poem by ILMA
I haven’t reached that point of achieving perfection in my faith
But I press on to have that which began when Christ possessed me
I focus on forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead
I reach towards the end of the race to receive the heavenly prize.
We are all to look forward to this goal for which God called us
Let all who are spiritually mature agree on this focus
If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain
But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.
Pattern your lives to the spiritually mature and are true disciples
We must be watchful of fake believers but are really Christ’s enemies
They are headed for destruction and their appetites are their gods
They brag about selfish things and think only about life here on earth.
As believers, we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives
And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior
He will take our mortal bodies and change them into glorious ones like his
He’ll use the same power with which he’ll bring everything under his control.
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MEMORY VERSE
But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. – Philippians 3:16
Read: Philippians 3:12-21
Have you ever been in a marathon or a race? I once used to be a cycling enthusiast. I train daily to bike 60 kilometers a day. On weekends, I go with a cycling club of fifty for which I am the only woman. When we aim to finish a 160 kms in an hour, it can get really hard towards the finish line. But we press on and don’t think of the hardship but the finish line.
That’s how Jesus wants us to focus on as well, we hold on to the progress we’ve made.
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REFLECTION
• What are the things that make people give up when they are following Jesus?
THE PRICELESS VALUE OF KNOWING CHRIST Poem Devotional
September 23
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THE PRICELESS VALUE OF KNOWING CHRIST
A poem by ILMA
Whatever comes your way, never get tired of sharing your faith
Look out for people who do evil and tell you to follow laws to be saved
For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly praising him We rely on what Christ Jesus did and not put confidence in human effort.
I used to value many things but now I consider them worthless
Because of what Christ has done, everything else is useless
I know appreciate the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord
For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage.
I do this so I could gain Christ and become one with him
I no longer rely on my own righteousness through following the law
Rather, I become righteous by trusting and depending on him totally
For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
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MEMORY VERSE
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. – Philippians 3:8
Read: Philippians 3:1-7
When someone commits to Christ as his or her Lord and Savior, many things get transformed or changed. One of these changes is the way we value things. Those things that we used to think important becomes worthless now. This is a result of the work of the Spirit in our hearts because we become new creation in Christ. We begin to witness and tell everyone the precious value of knowing Jesus.
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REFLECTION
• What things do you use to value that are now worthless compared to knowing Christ?
• What is your opinion of Christians who still continue to put importance of things that are not of the Spirit but more of the physical realm?
CHRIST-LIKE ATTITUDE Poem Devotional
September 22
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CHRIST-LIKE ATTITUDE
A poem by ILMA
Is there any reassurance from being a follower of Christ?
Any relief from his love? Any closeness with the Spirit?
Are your hearts affectionate and kind like Jesus’ heart?
Then agree with each other, love, and work harmoniously.
Avoid thinking of yourself always and don’t impress others
Be modest and think of others as better than yourselves
Don’t be concerned only for your own benefit, but think of others too
Do your best have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Jesus could have thought of being equal with God
But he gave up his divine rights, something to be awed?
Instead, he gave up his divine privilege and became a slave
He was born as a human being in obedience to God.
Jesus died a criminal’s death on a cross
So, God raised him to the place of highest honor
He gave him the name above all other names
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.
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MEMORY VERSE
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. – Philippians 2:5
Read: Philippians 2:1-11
The apostle Paul warns the Philippians about the importance of a Christ-like attitude. He gives further guidance how to be a true follower of Jesus. The importance of modesty and humility is further stressed in this letter. He gave the example of Jesus who could have used his own power to be equal with God but instead chose to be a slave.
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REFLECTION
• Why is humility one of the most important trait that we can emulate from Christ?
• Why is self-centeredness something that a Christian must never indulge in?
• Why is it important that we Christians think highly of others instead of ourselves?
JOY OF CHRIST’S MESSAGE PREACHED Poem Devotional
September 21
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JOY OF CHRIST’S MESSAGE PREACHED
A poem by ILMA
Everything that has happened to me here helped me to spread the gospel
Everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains
I was imprisoned because of Christ and most of the believers were happy
They have gained confidence and boldly spoke God’s message without fear.
It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry
But others preach about Christ with pure motives because they love me
For they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News
Others preach with selfish ambition, intending to make my chains more painful.
But that doesn’t matter whether their motives are false or genuine
The message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice
The Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me and will lead to my deliverance
I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past.
I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better
I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow
And when I come back, you’ll see what Jesus is doing through me.
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MEMORY VERSE
For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. – Philippians 1:20
Read: Philippians 1:22-26
What an amazing joy we find in this letter of Paul to the Philippians! He can’t stop sharing the happiness he felt that that the message of Christ was being preached. He didn’t care whether the motives of those who are sharing it is for good or not, as long as it is being preached.
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REFLECTION
• Are you bold enough to spread the Good News to as much people as you can?
PAUL’S JOY AT THE CHURCH’S REPENTANCE Poem Devotional
September 20
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PAUL’S JOY AT THE CHURCH’S REPENTANCE
A poem by ILMA
When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us
We faced conflict from all direction, both from outside and inside
God encouraged us by the arrival of Titus, one of Paul’s followers
His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought with him
When he told us how much you long to see me
And how sorry you are for what happened
Including how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!
I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you,
I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while
I am glad I sent it, not to hurt you, but because the pain caused repentance
Such repentance led to change your way and it was that a kind of sorrow
It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to have leads us away from sin and saves us.
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MEMORY VERSE
Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. – 2 Corinthians 7:9
Read: 2 Corinthians 7:6-16
In this letter of Paul to the Corinthians, he expressed his joy over the repentance of the church in Corinth. He assures them that when he confronted them of what needs to be addressed so that they can actually face the sins and be convicted and repent so that they can be saved.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important that we confront and rebuke in gentleness another sister or brother in Christ?
• What made Paul joyful when God encouraged him when Titus came?
• Why is repentance important for salvation?