September 29
________________________________________JOYFUL DELIGHT IN GOD’S PRESENCE
“Shall I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of male goats?
14 “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and pay your vows to the Most High;
15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
16 But to the wicked God says, “What right have you to tell of My statutes
And to take My covenant in your mouth? 17 “For you hate discipline,
And you cast My words behind you.18 “When you see a thief, you are pleased with him,
And you associate with adulterers.19 “You let your mouth loose in evil
And your tongue frames deceit.20 “You sit and speak against your brother;
You slander your own mother’s son.21 “These things you have done and I kept silence;
You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you
and state the case in order before your eyes.22 “Now consider this, you who forget God,
Or I will tear you in pieces, and there will be none to deliver.
23 “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;
And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.”
– Psalm 50:13-23
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According to the ESV student study bible, through Psalm 50, the worshipers announce God’s standard for living as part of His covenant people. The God who summons the earth plans to judge His own people. He particularly warns all who presume that the sacrificial system is a way to satisfy God without having a living relationship with Him.
In Psalm 50:7-15, God’s people must realize that He does not depend upon sacrifices in any way since He owns the entire world. God wants His people to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and to perform vows, both of which are kinds of peace offering (Lev. 7:11-12, 16). Membership in God’s people is about being welcome in his presence, depending on Him and dealing justly with others.
In verse 16-22, the wicked here are members of the covenant people who despise the privileges and responsibilities of the covenant. The covenant should have connected them with all of God’s people to tell the world of God’s greatness, but instead, they use their tongues for destructive purposes.
Membership in God’s favored people should mean joyful delight in God’s presence and kind life in fellowship with God’s people.
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REFLECTION
• Why is being a Christian and being grumpy inconsistent with God’s word?
Monthly Archives: September 2020
DON’T IMITATE WHAT IS EVIL BUT WHAT IS GOOD ILMA’S VLOG
September 28
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DON’T IMITATE WHAT IS EVIL BUT WHAT IS GOOD
11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.
–3 John 11-15
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In this account, we are told what the Lord requires from all those who love Him. God wants them to do only what is good and right. He cautions them all to never have anything to do with evil or go in the way of wickedness. John tells us who are from God and who aren’t. Those who constantly do what is right and follow the Lord’s commands are the ones who belongs to Him. On the other hand, those who choose to sin and do what is evil has not seen and known God.
In this day and age, it is not easy to stay holy and focused on following God’s will. The world is full of corruption and evil. How can we actually avoid being tainted by the wickedness surrounding us? The Holy Spirit is given to all those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. As soon as one commits to God, they are indwelled by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that gives them the ability to do what is right and follow God’s commands. They can only desire to please God if they are truly His followers. Those who do not believe in the Lord will never be able to do what is right, they will always follow their flesh. They have no capacity to choose what is good and what the Lord wants.
We are warned again and again to never be yoked with evil or to be involved with anything that will displease God. Tolerating evil or even being exposed to it can make believers contaminated. This is why the Lord wants us to avoid all kinds of wickedness.
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REFLECTION
• How can we avoid being contaminated by the corruption in the world surrounding us?
• Why is it important to be in the word of God?
• What would the world look like if we all keep away from all unrighteousness?
FAITHFUL WITNESSING TO TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
September 27
________________________________________ FAITHFUL WITNESSING TO TRUTH
1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; 6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. – 3 John 1-10
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John writes to a “dear friend” named Gaius. He is commended for his hospitality to traveling preachers of the gospel (verses 5, 6 and 8); for his faithfulness (verse 5); for his love (verse 6); and for his walking in the truth (verse 3). According to tradition this Gaius may be the one whom John appointed as bishop of Pergamum.
John mentions Diotrephes in this account who is described as one who likes to be “Number One.” He had to be the important guy, the one everybody came to for answers to their questions, the one to make the big decisions. He even went so far as to say malicious things against John. He prated against him with malicious words. He spoke down on him. John warns his dear friend of this proud and arrogant person who rejects the believers and puts people out of the church.
In our modern society, we find many people like Diotrephes who brings chaos and confusion to the church. They create division and does not follow humility. We don’t see many believers like Gaius who exudes hospitality to those who work for God’s kingdom and for his devotion to God. Walking in truth and love is one of his greatest Christian hallmarks. We need to follow the example of this faithful servant of God in order to keep our sanctification intact.
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REFLECTION
• How can believers be consistently faithful to witness to truth?
WALK IN LOVE & TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
September 26
________________________________________WALK IN LOVE & TRUTH
1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. 7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full.13 The children of your chosen sister greet you. – 2 John 1-13
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In this account, John advises us to walk in love and in truth. He writes this to the church and all who belongs to God. He reminds all believers to make sure that they follow God’s commands and never turn their backs on God. He warns all Christians to ensure that they do not lose anything that they have already accomplished. He calls our attention about anyone who comes to teach false doctrines. We are asked never participate in any wicked deeds they bring. We need not even show hospitality to these people.
Walking in love means that we follow the command to treat one another with much respect and honor as we would give to God. To walk in truth means that the word of God is actually alive and manifest in our lives.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important for Christians to walk in truth and in love?
• What happens when believers don’t follow the command to love?
ASK ACCORDING TO HIS WILL AND GOD WILL HEAR YOU ILMA’S VLOG
September 25
________________________________________ASK ACCORDING TO HIS WILL AND GOD WILL HEAR YOU
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death. 18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. – 1 John 5:13-21
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In this account, John emphasizes one of the promises of God to those who believe in the name of the Son of God. They can ask God anything in His name, provided that it doesn’t go against His will and God will hear their request. As a result of this promise, we become confident that God is there to provide for what His children ask for.
John also mentions the sign of a true believer is that they do not keep on sinning because they know that sin leads to spiritual death and being separate from God. Christians can have more victory over the evil one because God makes sure that they are protected. Because the Son of God has already sacrificed His life for all sinners, believers have power through Jesus Christ. Those who do not believe in Jesus continually lie and they are under the power of the evil one. They constantly choose to follow their pleasure and sin against God. They do not follow the commands of God, they do not care about it.
We are warned to watch ourselves from idols and all things that can hamper us from following God’s commands. To those who know God, they get revelations of God’s wisdom. Truth is given to them but we are constantly asked to guard ourselves from the corruption of the world and keeping yourselves pure.
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REFLECTION
• What can you ask God that He won’t give you? Why won’t He give it to you?
ETERNAL LIFE IS IN JESUS ILMA’S VLOG
September 24
________________________________________ETERNAL LIFE IS IN JESUS
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.5 Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. 11 And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12 He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. – 1 John 5:1-12
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When we believe in Jesus Christ, we become children of God. In this gospel account of John, we learn that faith in Jesus is the only way we can overcome the world. No unbeliever can every be able to have victory over sin and the world system. They do not know how to since the offer of eternal life is only to those who will believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. This means that they can never live holy and pure lives because they do not know Christ. In verse 7, we hear that the Spirit, the water and the blood are in agreement. They all testify concerning Christ, the Son of God. Those who do not believe in Jesus are liars according to verse 10. It is only in Jesus Christ that we can have eternal life. As verse 12 says, the Son has life and those who do not believe in Him can never have a life everlasting.
Many people are going to be sorry for not believing in the only one who can give them eternity. The love of the world and the things on it becomes the purpose of those who don’t know Christ. They are already judged by God when they do not believe. What a sad fate it is when they realize what they lost when it is already too late to avoid hell.
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REFLECTION
• How can we ensure our salvation and the promise of eternal life as believers?
PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR ILMA’S VLOG
September 23
________________________________________PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 19 We love, because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. – 1 John 4:15-21
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In this gospel account, we get more revelation regarding perfect love. Those who declare that Jesus is the Son of God belongs to God and they have His presence in them. Since God is love, those who believe and commit to Him surely have His approval and Spirit in them. John expounds on what perfect love is in verse 17-18. God’s perfect love is manifested by sending His only begotten Son so we can all be saved and receive salvation and be reconciled with Him.
John further tells us that in perfect love, fear is absent. He also explains that when one fears, it is because of the punishment tied up to it. No wonder God says many times in the bible “Do not fear.” Fear is the opposite of love. When we fear, we lack trust in the God who is in control. Fear was a result of sin. When Adam and Eve sinned for the first time, they became fearful of the consequence of their sins, which gave birth to it. Fear is something that the enemy wants us to be in bondage to. When we become slaves of fear, the enemy can paralyze us or hinder our closeness to God. It makes us tainted and corrupted.
Another detail of the perfect love discussed in this account is that the only way we can show that we love God is that we are able to love our brother. When we claim we love God and can’t even love our brothers, we are lying and only do lip service. Shouldn’t we manifest our love to our brothers in order to prove to God that we really love Him.
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REFLECTION
• Can someone be loving and fearful simultaneously? Why or why not?
LOVE EACH OTHER AND GOD WILL ABIDE IN YOU ILMA’S VLOG
September 22
________________________________________ LOVE EACH OTHER AND GOD WILL ABIDE IN YOU
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. – 1 John 4:7-14
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In this gospel account of John, he focuses on one of God’s attribute. God is love. This is the reason why He requires us all to love one another. Verse 9 shows us how much God loves us. He gave his only Son into the world so that we have life through Him. When He created us all, He made us all in His own image, so we are all made out of love. This is how we are made, so when we operate in fear, we are not maximizing the loving person God made us to be. Verse 10 tells us that we are loved by God first and it is impossible for us to love if He didn’t love us first. John further explains that if God loves us, we must love each other as well. Verse 12 says that though no one has seen God, we can know He is in us if we abide in Him. He gave us the Holy Spirit as a proof that we have His presence if we believe in both the Son and the Father. John witnesses to the Son because he himself saw Him and was loved by Him.
We are all commanded to love, but the world doesn’t want us to love the way God loves. In Genesis, sin came about and the idea of love was corrupted as well. From loving God, it became wanting to be like God and loving and pleasing the “self.” The world twisted the meaning of true love from unconditional love to conditional love. From a love that is sacrificial to selfish love. It is a love that is only concerned with what they can get from the other person, a love that is a transaction. So, the minute they cannot get what they expect from the other person, they leave or let go of them, just like disposing some object that they have no more use for. What a sad fate our world is facing now. God made us for the purpose of love but the enemy has corrupted that.
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REFLECTION
• How can we keep true love alive in this corrupt world?
September 21
________________________________________GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN YOU
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. – 1 John 4:1-6
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John reassures all believers that God is above all things in this world. He warns us all Christians to test the spirits that come upon us and ensure that they are from God and not from the world. The manifestation of the Spirit’s presence is the acknowledgement that Jesus Christ came and became flesh to follow His Father’s work of salvation. Anyone who doesn’t believe that Jesus came from God and is God Himself is the antichrist.
In this account, John stresses the importance of setting us apart from the world. If you are a Christian, you do not follow the ways of the world. You are governed by the Holy Spirit and understand spiritual things. You know God and understand that He is greater than any spirit living in this world. You recognize God’s voice and follow His commands. As children of God, we hear His voice and knows His ways. We do not follow the world, instead, we obey God in all things. The unbelievers or worldly people, on the other hand do not comprehend God’s ways and do not heed His words. They live in darkness and they do not know the spiritual realm. The believer knows the spirit of truth because He is given the word of God and anything that is not from God’s words, he doesn’t pay attention to.
It is such a blessing to know that we can count on God’s power and sovereignty. He is greater than any force or power that is in the world. No need to worry about people hating or punishing you. God is your defender. He will never let any of His believers to be defeated. You may still be persecuted but God’s promise is that He will never forsake those who love Him. He is bigger than any spirit in this world.
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REFLECTION
• How do you know if you are being deceived or controlled by evil spirits?
LOVE NOT ONLY WITH WORDS BUT IN DEED AND TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
September 20
________________________________________LOVE NOT ONLY WITH WORDS BUT IN DEED AND TRUTH
11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.13 Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. 19 We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20 in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.23 This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 24 The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
– 1 John 3:11-24
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In this account, John reminds us what love really means. Christ truly loved us because He gave up his life for us. As committed believers, we are asked to do the same for our brothers and sisters in Christ. The proof that we are God’s children is that we love not just in words but more in deed and truth. When we say we love and not really show it in our actions, we are really not loving. God commands us to love one another as he loves us. He also wants us to do what is pleasing in His sight. Believing in Jesus means you follow His commands and what He does.
John also reminds us not to be surprised if the world hates you because they do not really know who God is and what love really means. God is love and those who do not know how to love do not know God.
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REFLECTION
• What is the difference between true love and the world’s concept of love?