December 21
________________________________________
MULTIPLICATION OF THE BREAD
A poem by ILMA
Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee
This sea It is also known as the Sea of Tiberias
A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went
Because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.
Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him
Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him
Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?”
He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.
Philip said, “We can’t afford to feed them even if we work for months”
Then Andrew spoke that there’s a young boy with five barley loaves
Then he asked Jesus, “what good is that with this huge crowd?”
“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said, so they all sat down.stia
The men alone numbered about 5,000 Then Jesus took the loaves
He gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people
Afterward, he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted
Then Jesus said, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.”
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.
– John 6:11
Read: John 6:1-14
This miracle of Jesus was based on what a little boy had to contribute. He was open enough to volunteer his five loaves of barley to the disciple and this is probably what the Lord wants us to do. When we give whatever little we have to the Lord, he can always multiply it.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it that some people do not see miracles even if it’s right in front of them?
Monthly Archives: December 2019
DO YOU DESIRE TO GET WELL? Poem Devotional
December 20
________________________________________
DO YOU DESIRE TO GET WELL?
A poem by ILMA
Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days
Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, the pool of Bethesda had 5 covered porches
Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the entrances
One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight long years.
Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time
He approached the lame man and asked him “Would you like to get well?”
“I can’t, sir for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up
Someone else always gets there first ahead of me and I don’t get a chance”
Jesus approached and told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”
Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!
But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected
They said to the man who was cured, “You can’t work on the Sabbath!
The law doesn’t allow you to carry that sleeping mat!”
The cured man said, “The one who healed me told me to ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’”
“Who said such a thing as that?” they asked but the man didn’t know for Jesus left
Later, Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you’re well; so, stop sinning
The man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had healed him.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” – John 5:6
Read: John 5:1-15
It is interesting in this controversial miracle of Jesus on the Sabbath that angered the Jewish leaders that he asked a question that he already knew the answer. “Would you like to get well?” Why? When we desire to get well, God wants us to have an active part in it and a desire to do so before He can actually heal us.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why is it necessary for us to have an active part in getting well before we even ask for healing?
LIVING WATER THAT BRINGS ETERNAL LIFE Poem Devotional
December 19
________________________________________
LIVING WATER THAT BRINGS ETERNAL LIFE
A poem by ILMA
Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee for on his way to Samaria
Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar
Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk sat beside it
Well about noontime, a Samaritan woman came to draw water
Jesus approached the woman and said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
He was alone; his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to deal or talk with Samaritans
“You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman, why are you asking me for a drink?
“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to
Then you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said
and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?
Do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well?
How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again
It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
“Give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, then I won’t be thirsty again.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” -John 4:10
Read: John 4:1-15
This story tells us the character of Jesus. He is a radical person who goes against what society dictates. He didn’t care what people said or think, he wanted to save that Samaritan woman from her unquenchable thirst for water that doesn’t last.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think people continue to feed on what the world offers instead of what the Lord does?
ENTRY WAY TO GOD’S KINGDOM Poem Devotional
December 18
________________________________________
ENTRY WAY TO GOD’S KINGDOM
A poem by ILMA
Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader came to ask Jesus one evening
He said “Rabbi, your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
“I tell you the truth, you can’t see God’s kingdom unless you are born again”
“How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be reborn? he asked.
“Humans can make only human life, but God’s Spirit gives birth to spiritual life
Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going
So you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit” Jesus replied
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet don’t know”
“If you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things
How can you possibly believe if I tell you about things that are heavenly?
No one has gone to heaven and come down from it but the Son of Man has.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son
He did this so everyone will be saved and have eternal life
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world
He sent his beloved Son so that the world can be saved through him.”
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”– John 3:3
Read: John 3:1-17
Being Born again is the gateway to enter God’s kingdom. To be born again means to be born in the Spirit. When someone commit their life to Jesu, they receive the Holy Spirit that enables them to be able to live the new life that is given to them by Jesus. Sadly, some believers are not authentic enough to live in this new life they have received.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can a Christian remain to be “born again” after they have received the Lord Jesus Christ?
CHRIST PURIFIES THE TEMPLE Poem Devotional
December 17
________________________________________
CHRIST PURIFIES THE TEMPLE
A poem by ILMA
It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem
In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices
He also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money
Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple.
He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor He turned over their tables and went over to the people who sold doves
He told them, “Get these things out of here all of you who have defiled this temple
Get out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures
The Son will have “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
The Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing?
If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”
“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”
“It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you’ll rebuild it in 3days?”
But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body
After he was raised from the dead, he rose and was resurrected.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. – John 2:19-21
Read: John 2:13-20
We witness the passion of Jesus in this account. He was full of righteous anger for having the Temple of God defiled by money making vendors. He was cleaning up a holy place that the people desecrated for their own gains. He was rightfully angry that they tainted the Most Holy Place of his Father.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• How can righteous anger keep us pure and holy?
THE WORD BECAME HUMAN Poem Devotional
December 15
________________________________________
THE WORD BECAME HUMAN
A poem by ILMA
Before anything came into existence, the Word was already there
The Word was with God and the Word was God and already existed
God made all things through him, and nothing was made except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to all.
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so all might believe
John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light
The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into our lives.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him
He came to his own people, and even they, mocked and rejected him
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to belong to God
They are reborn—not with physically but a birth that comes from God, our Creator.
So, the Word became flesh and made his home here on earth
And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another
For no one has ever seen God. But the Son is revealed God to us.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:3-5
Read: John 1:1-18
The essence of Christianity is the truth that the Word, who is Christ, has already existed even before the creation of all things. God made all things for him and through him. When a believer’s life is focused on the Alpha who is also our Omega, we are living the truth.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why does the epistle of John calls Jesus as the Word?
• Do Christians really understand the meaning of God making creation through Christ, with Christ and for Christ? How should that manifest in their lives?
MICAH’S PROPHECY OF THE FUTURE REIGN Poem Devotional
December 15
________________________________________
MICAH’S PROPHECY OF THE FUTURE REIGN
A poem by ILMA
In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will reign
It will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth
It will be raised above the other hills, and all will stream there to worship
People from all nations will say “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD
Let’s go to the house of Jacob’s God, There, he will teach us his ways,
The LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion and his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The LORD will mediate between peoples and settle fights between strong nations
They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks
Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore
Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
There will be nothing to fear for the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!
Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow God forever and ever.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
for there will be nothing to fear. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!
– Micah 4:4
Read: Micah 4:1-5
Micah’s prophecy is a promise that the people of God need to look up to. It is important to focus on God’s promises especially when we are going through a lot of trials and challenges in our lives. What is interesting in this prophecy is how God mediates between people of God and the strong enemies from different nations. But the promise of peace and prosperity and the absence of fear are the most hopeful of all the future prophecies.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why should believers make God the main focus of their lives? What happens when they don’t?
• Why is important for us to give up any idols that will compromise our relationship with God?
JUDGMENT AGAINST ISRAEL’S LEADERS Poem Devotional
December 14
________________________________________
JUDGMENT AGAINST ISRAEL’S LEADERS
A poem by ILMA
“Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong
But you are the very ones who hate good and love evil
You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones.
Yes, you eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin.
Then you beg the LORD for help in times of trouble and expect him to answer?
After all the evil you have done, he won’t even look at you!”
The LORD says: “You false prophets are leading my people astray!
You promise peace for those who give you food, but not on those who don’t.
Now the night will close around you, cutting off all your visions
Darkness will cover you, putting an end to your predictions
The sun will set for you prophets, and your day will come to an end
Then you seers will be put to shame, and you fortune-tellers will be disgraced.
You leaders of Israel, You hate justice and twist all that is right
You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption
You rulers make decisions based on bribes, priests teach God’s laws only for a price;
you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid Yet you claim to depend on the LORD.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
You are supposed to know right from wrong, but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. – Micah 3:1-2
Read: Micah 3:1-11
The prophet Micah warned the leaders of Israel about the wrong and evil things they are doing and confronted them. When we are leaders, we are expected to be more responsible and set an example to the rest of the ones we were leading otherwise, we are going to corrupt those whom we lead.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why does the Lord expect much from those who are in leadership position?
• Why is it wrong to ask the Lord for favors when you don’t follow him?
JONAH’S ANGER ON GOD’S MERCY Poem Devotional
December 13
________________________________________
JONAH’S ANGER ON GOD’S MERCY
A poem by ILMA
When God decided not to punish the Ninevites, Jonah was greatly upset
He complained to the LORD saying, “Didn’t I said that you will do this exactly?
That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are going to show mercy
For you are a sympathetic God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love
Kill me now LORD! I’d rather be dead than to see what I’ve foretold won’t happen.”
The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under
Then he sat there and waited to see what would happen to the city
And the LORD God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there
Soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun
This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant
The next morning the worm ate the stem of the plant then, it withered away.
When the sun grew hot, God arranged for the east wind to blow on Jonah
The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die
“Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed
Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”
God said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there
Nineveh was in spiritual darkness, Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city? – Jonah 4:11
Read: Jonah 4
It is interesting how Jonah reacted to how God gave Nineveh mercy and pardon. This was the reason why he didn’t want to go in the first place and he was so proud to accept God’s forgiveness.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• Why do you think some people don’t want others to be given mercy by God?
• What happens when we repent and confess our sins?
WHEN JONAH OBEYED Poem Devotional
December 12
________________________________________
WHEN JONAH OBEYED
A poem by ILMA
Once again the LORD spoke to Jonah and said “Go to Nineveh
Proclaim to the people the message I have given you.”
So, Jonah obeyed the LORD and went to the big city
It took three days to walk through the whole Nineveh
Jonah proclaimed, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!”
The people of Nineveh believed God’s message
They decided all should fast from the greatest to the least
They put on sackcloth, each one of them, to show that they had repented
When the king heard about it, he got up from his throne
He took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat down in ashes.
He sent out a proclamation to the people of Nineveh
“This is an order from the king and his officials
No one is to eat anything; all persons are forbidden to eat or drink
Each person and animals must wear sackcloth
All must pray earnestly to God and give up their wickedness
Perhaps God will change his mind and stop being angry
Then the whole city will be saved and we will not die!”
God saw what they did, he saw that they had given up their wicked behavior
So, he changed his mind and did not punish them as he had said he would.
________________________________________
MEMORY VERSE
So, Jonah obeyed the LORD and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to walk through it. – Jonah 3:3
Read: Jonah 3:1-10
When Jonah finally obeyed the Lord after he was spitted from the fish, a miracle happened. The wicked people of Nineveh, repented. All from the king and everyone.
________________________________________
REFLECTION
• What stops people from walking in obedience?
• What happened when Jonah finally obeyed the Lord after running the first time?