July 31
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LAZARUS’ DEATH
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.” 12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.” 16 Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.” – John 11:1-16
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In previous accounts, we know that Jesus, Lazarus, Mary and Martha were very close friends.In verse 5 it shows how Jesus loved these sisters especially their brother Lazarus. In this story, we hear of Lazarus’ getting ill but Jesus had to continue his journey to Judea. The disciples were scared for Jesus because the Jews wanted to stone Him, and yet Jesus reminded them to walk in the day so they don’t stumble.
Jesus declares his deity again as He told them about Lazarus falling asleep which was a figure of speech to tell them he is dead. Then He declared that it was good that He wasn’t there so He could actually use his beloved friend’s death to bring forth life so that they may believe that He is the Son of God.
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REFLECTION
• How can Jesus postpone going to see Lazarus to heal him while he was still alive and continue to do God’s work in Judea?
Monthly Archives: July 2020
MANY BELIEVED JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS WORKS ILMA’S VLOG
July 30
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MANY BELIEVED JESUS BECAUSE OF HIS WORKS
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33 The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. 41 Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” 42 Many believed in Him there. – John 10:31-42
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After Jesus told the Jewish leaders that He and the Father are one, they went berserk and tried to stone Him. As they were going to hit him, Jesus asked what they were stoning Him for. During those times, the law allowed them to stone anyone who commits a crime or defies a law, but they had to have someone testify and have at least two witnesses. Jesus always answered them directly and exposed their unbelief each time they repeatedly ask. They didn’t really want to hear an answer. They were asking Him to catch Jesus in the act of breaking a law. He declared in verse 38, since He is from the Father, He was doing His Father’s works. How many times have they chased Jesus and yet, Jesus was able to elude their grasp? Their narrow and limited minds couldn’t fathom how Jesus was a man and yet says he is God. When Jesus went back to Jordan, many people believed Him because they saw all the signs and wonders He did. What an irony it was that those who actually claim they know the law and Scriptures, didn’t believe what had been prophesied about the Christ. John’s disciples weren’t probably as educated as the Jewish leaders, yet they believed because of the testimony that John had prophesied to them about the Christ who was to be their Messiah.
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REFLECTION
• How can a legalistic mind make you miss truth that is being revealed?
THE FATHER AND THE SON ARE ONE ILMA’S VLOG
July 29
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THE FATHER AND THE SON ARE ONE
22 At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; 23 it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. 24 The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. 26 But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” – John 10:22-30
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In this account, the Jews kept asking Jesus if He was the Christ. They said that they can no longer wait for His answer. It is interesting that in previous accounts, Jesus has already told them many times about His deity, but they wanted to hear Jesus outrightly declare that He is the Christ. The signs and wonders that Jesus showed them wasn’t sufficient enough for them to believe. Jesus explains to them on verse 26 the reason why despite all the things they have seen and heard Him say, they still continue to reject what He was telling them. It is because they do not belong to His flock. They cannot hear His voice simply because they were not chosen to be part of His kingdom. They do not belong to Him, so they don’t know Him nor recognize where He is from or hear His voice.
In this part of John’s gospel, Jesus repeats His claim that He and the Father are one. What Isn’t Jesus so direct with His answers to their queries?
2 Corinthians 4:4 explains the reason why they couldn’t hear or understand Jesus. it says in this verse that Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. Jesus has repeatedly revealed Himself to them, but they still couldn’t comprehend spiritual things that Jesus was revealing. They are so blinded by their unbelief because they have allowed Satan to rule their minds and hearts. This is what happens when people try to figure things what has already been revealed right before their very eyes. They miss it.
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REFLECTION
• How do we give Satan ammunition to blind us when we disbelieve Jesus?
• What happens when you constantly live in unbelief?
THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP ILMA’S VLOG
July 28
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THE GOOD SHEPHERD LAYS DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SHEEP
11 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” 19 A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20 Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21 Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?” – John 10:11-21
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Jesus continues to reveal His deity to the Jews in this account. He uses the shepherd and the sheep as an example to clearly define the relationship of the Good Shepherd to his sheep. He declares how the Good Shepherd is very different from those hired hands who do not care about their flock for they don’t own them. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His flock. He describes those counterfeit shepherds who only care for their own welfare and not for the sheep. Isn’t this so true with our leaders and pastors in this day and age? Many are not true shepherds but are only after their own agendas. They do not lay down their lives to give God the glory. They do it for their own increase. They give glory to themselves but not to God.
It is sad to watch many false teachers, pastors and leaders who lead their flock astray and preach a different gospel other than what Scriptures say. They are only after their own selfish ambitions.
Jesus is concerned with those sheep who belongs to Him who are being misled by these counterfeits and false leaders. He wants them back to His fold.
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REFLECTION
• How do you know if you are being misled by false prophets, teachers or pastors?
• What is your responsibility as a Christian when you know you are being misled?
THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP ILMA’S VLOG
July 27
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THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. – John 10:1-10
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In this story, Jesus explains the purpose of His life, to be the Savior of the world. He begins by explaining the difference of the legitimate shepherd against those are counterfeits and who only wants to snatch away the sheep. The doorkeeper opens for the shepherd but the thieves come in on a different door because since they are hiding their agenda to steal. Jesus was speaking to the crowd in figures of speech because He only reveals Himself to those who belong to his flock. In verse 7, He declares his role as the only door for the sheep to enter because all the other ones who came before him are thieves and robbers. In verse 10, he differentiates himself from the thief whose purpose is to steal, kill and destroy while his purpose is to give life lavishly.
We also get a glimpse of how those sheep who belongs to the good shepherd behave. They know their shepherd’s voice and they do not follow the voice of strangers. Perhaps this is why Jesus uses sheep as a symbol for those who believe Him. Sheep are very obedient and faithful. They follow without too much resistance their shepherd. They are only going to heed his voice whom they were trained to follow. This explains clearly how believers should be: that they only listen and know God’s voice. They don’t hear other voices that do not belong to their Master. They are not led by counterfeits for they are loyal to the Good Shepherd, who is Jesus. They only walk in truth and not in lies.
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REFLECTION
• How can you differentiate a true believer from a false one?
JESUS DECLARES HIS DEITY ILMA’S VLOG
July 26
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JESUS DECLARES HIS DEITY
35 Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” 40 Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. – John 9:35-41
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When Jesus heard that the blind man he healed was questioned and put out by the Jewish leaders, He talked to the man. Since Jesus is all knowing, He already knew that the man believed him before He asked him. Why then did He had to ask him? It is essential that the man recognize Him, who gave Him sight as from God. Of course, Jesus knew exactly the conversation that transpired earlier between the healed man and the Jewish leaders. He knew that this man believed in Him and that is why He was able to tell the Pharisees that He knows that only someone from God can heal a man born blind like him. As soon as we believe in Jesus, we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Because the Holy Spirit is our counselor, helper and teacher, we immediately get revelations about the deity of Christ. It is also the Holy Spirit that makes us see things that we naturally won’t see. We are also gifted with worshiping God when we are filled with His Holy Spirit. That’s why the healed man praised Jesus as soon as He declared He is the Son of Man.
When the Jewish leaders saw that the man worshiped Jesus, they came and asked Jesus if He thinks they are blind too. Another trick question they ask Jesus so they can find something to reject Jesus with. But Jesus gives back to them a response that clearly says that they are sinners because declare they can see. In those times, blindness was associated to sin. Jesus changed that belief. He actually says that the blind are those without sin. So, when the leaders declare that they can see, He actually points out to them how sinful they are. I Corinthians 1:27 says “Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” This verse is almost what Jesus did to the Jewish leaders who think they know it all.
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REFLECTION
• How has Jesus shown His divinity in your life?
THOUGH I WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE ILMA’S VLOG
July 25
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THOUGH I WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE
24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 32Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So, they put him out. – John 9:24-34
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This conversation transpired between the Jewish leaders and the blind man that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. After the leaders talked to the parents of the blind man, they still aren’t convinced that the man could possibly be healed. So, they went and called for the man again to interrogate him. The Jews were insisting that he tells them the details of his healing and the man told them that he already explained it to them earlier. What was interesting in this exchange was that the man declared that once he was blind, and now he can see. It seemed more than physically seeing because as he spoke to the leaders, he sounded very wise. As the leaders try to convince him that Jesus wasn’t from God, he responded in verse 30 by asking them how they could possibly not know where Jesus came from. In verse 31, he spoke from Scripture saying that if someone is God fearing and obedient to God, that person is heard by God. The ensuing verse is a declaration of Jesus’ origin. He says that if he is not from God, how could he do such a thing as it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a blind person. The leaders were pissed at him do because that would negate all their legalistic beliefs. It is sad to watch people continue in disbelief even though they witness miracles already.
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REFLECTION
• How has the Lord made you see? Share a testimony about it.
INQUIRY ON THE HEALING ON THE SABBATH ILMA’S VLOG
July 24
________________________________________ INQUIRY ON THE HEALING ON THE SABBATH
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
– John 9:13-23
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It is interesting how Jesus chose to heal on a Sabbath day. It seems to me that He has been revealing to the Jews who He really is and that He is above any law that has been made. He is higher than the Sabbath law and that it was made for man. The blind man was given sight so that the glory of God might be displayed, but the Jews were so spiritually blind that they cannot see what was being shown to them. Their legalism and insecurity were so clear in this account. They cannot even magnify at the miracle because they were so concerned about following the law. They had to do an inquiry to the parents themselves to find out the whole story. Their unbelief and jealousy were so obvious in this story. The more power Jesus manifest, the more they panicked and became angry. They couldn’t believe that an uneducated person can do such marvelous things. Fear gripped the hypocrites. They will lose their reputation and power.
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REFLECTION
• How can we easily miss the miracle when we focus on following l
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD GIVES SIGHT TO THE BLIND ILMA’S VLOG
July 23
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THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD GIVES SIGHT TO THE BLIND
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So, he went away and washed, and came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.” – John 9:1-12
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In this account, we witness another miracle that Jesus did while he was here on earth. It was giving sight to a man born blind. In those time, whenever someone is blind, they associate it with sin. Light is associated with God and darkness represents Satan’s territory. Genesis 1:2-3 gives us a picture of how God created his first work, which is light. It says: The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. From the creation story, it is obvious that without light, we will still be formless and full of darkness. It was God who brought us light. Jesus declares that He is light of the world in verse 5.
When the disciples asked who sinned in this blind man’s family, Jesus claims that it is to display God’s glory and power that’s why this man was born blind. We hear Jesus say once again about his divinity to His disciple. Only God can bring light and sight to the blind. The restoration of sight for this blind man is so that all will magnify at the greatness and power of God. It is only God who can totally restore sight to anyone living in darkness.
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REFLECTION
• How can physical blindness be synonymous to spiritual blindness?
GOD’S WORD KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM DEATH ILMA’S VLOG
July 21
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GOD’S WORD KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM DEATH
48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ -John 8:48-52
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In this account in John’s gospel, we clearly see how the Jews were relentless in their pursuit to find something about Jesus that they could use to stop Him from saying truth. They don’t want to hear anything true because that would mean that they will have to give up their reputation. Jesus was exposing them and they know that Jesus sees through their schemes and plots. So, they try their best to avoid knowing the truth so they could dwell on their love for power and prestige from the public.
Aren’t many of us this way: we reject the truth that will set us free because we want to stay in bondage? We have been slaves of sin for so long that righteousness is something that is naturally unattractive. The flesh wants to cater to its instinctive desire to serve and please the “self.” It wants to protect the image that ensures that people see the image they are trying to project, even though deep inside, they know that they are counterfeits.
There is a very strong reproach and a promise that Jesus is telling them in this account. In verse 49, Jesus reveals to them that He Himself, honors and respects His own Father. He confronts the Jews how they dishonor Him. Of course, this sounded like an insult to these legalistic Jews because they think highly of themselves and who does this Jesus think He is to tell them that they don’t honor God. In verse 50, Jesus exposes their idols: their own selves. He said that He doesn’t seek His own glory, but God’s. On the other hand, they are only concerned to give themselves the glory. The promise he offers to them is that if they keep and follow God’s word, they will never taste or experience death. Jesus was talking here of the importance of Scriptures. Without it, we will perish. The Jews once again didn’t get this. They use Scriptures as a means of bringing honor to themselves. They fail to see that God’s word will free them and give them life.
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REFLECTION
• How can feeding, meditating and following Scriptures keep you away from death?