February 18
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PSALM 119
25 My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O LORD;
let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
when you enlarge my heart! – Psalm 119:25-32
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PSALM 119 CHOOSE THE WAY OF FAITHFULNESS
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Do you want to live a conflict-free life and one that is fearless?
When you commit to serve the Lord, you’ll find joy and happiness
The false ways of the world will no longer consume your heart
You will feel content and joyful knowing the Lord never departs
Dwell on the commands of the Lord and you will not be deceived
Cling to his testimonies, do not waver or doubt, but always believe
Choose the way of faithfulness to the Lord, instead of rebellion
God will judge the wicked; they will perish and end up in oblivion
Put away all lies, cravings of the flesh and all kinds of evil
Obey the laws and walk in the Spirit so that you can resist the devil.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to stay faithful to the Lord? What happens if you don’t?
• What usually hinders us from faithfully committing our lives to the Lord?
Monthly Archives: February 2023
PSALM 119 OPEN OUR EYES O LORD
February 17
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PSALM 119
17 Deal bountifully with your servant,
that I may live and keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
19 I am a sojourner on the earth;
hide not your commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with longing
for your rules at all times.
21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
who wander from your commandments.
22 Take away from me scorn and contempt,
for I have kept your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors. – Psalm 119:17-24
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PSALM 119 OPEN OUR EYES O LORD
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Lead us Lord to have a constant longing for your word
Let us never wander away from you and be consumed by this world
Open our eyes O Lord, so that we may discern the truth from your law
Do not let our nature hinder us to see your view and always follow
Give us eyes that see and ears that hear your voice
Let us never take for granted each time you call us
May our hearts be longing to serve you faithfully
May we meditate on your words constantly
Give us discernment so we can see what is unseen
Help us to gather only treasures that lead to heaven.
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REFLECTION
• Why do we need to humbly ask the Lord to open our eyes to discern his ways?
PSALM 119 STORE UP GOD’S WORD IN YOUR HEART
February 16
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PSALM 119
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
– Psalm 119:9-16
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PSALM 119 STORE UP GOD’S WORD IN YOUR HEART
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
How can we live peaceful and prosperous lives in this world?
Seek the Lord with your whole heart and meditate on his word
The Scripture is alive and is given to us to guide and correct
If you feed on God’s word, it will keep your heart from being corrupt.
Declare the laws of the Lord with your mouth so it can be ingrained
It will surely remind you of God’s love and what angers him as well
Meditate on his words day and night and fix your eyes on his ways
This will be your armor against the devil’s tactics, schemes and wiles.
Keep your hearts pure and holy for it is designed for God’s glory
Gather all the commands and live by it so you can have victory
Seek only what is truth and Spirit; don’t conform with the world
Spread the good news to all men so they can benefit from his word.
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REFLECTION
• How can meditating and following God’s word help us discern truth from lies?
• Share an instance when the word of God has kept your love for the Lord deeper?
PSALM 119 SEEK THE LORD WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART
February 15
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PSALM 119
Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
– Psalm 119:1-9
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PSALM 119 SEEK THE LORD WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Seek the Lord with your whole heart and you will be blessed
You will not be overcome by evil and you will have strength
Your eyes will be fixed on all his commandments and live by it
The world will not corrupt you because you will have God’s Spirit.
If you allow distractions and the world’s ways to occupy your mind
You open the doors to be drawn into the enemy’s tactics and wiles
Always put God first and pursue his truth constantly
It will be your protection and strength against the enemy.
Be hungry for his word and meditate on it day and night
He gave it to us so that we can walk always in his ways
If you starve yourself with the truth from his word
You will find yourself following the ways of this world.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think the psalmist recommend us to seek the Lord with our whole heart and not just with our minds?
PSALM 118 BE AWED AND BE DELIGHTED WITH GOD’S GOODNESS!
February 14
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PSALM 118
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
– Psalm 118:19-29
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PSALM 118 BE AWED AND BE DELIGHTED WITH GOD’S GOODNESS!
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Acknowledge the Lord our Maker, who made heaven, earth and human beings
He fashioned every person in his own likeness so man can be perfected in him
He was pleased at every created thing he decided to bring to completion
With mankind, he was very delighted; he can now have relations with them
Just as Adam was thrilled to finally have a helper and partner in Eve
So was God very pleased to have to live with humans daily in paradise.
The Lord God provided for all the things that every man needed
He expected faithful devotion from the very people he created
Every day that the sun shines, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness
Each morning when we see the dawn breaks, let’s be full of thankfulness
At the end of day, when we see twilight, let us be awed by God’s goodness
Never forget to thank the Lord for sharing God’s delight in his created likeness.
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REFLECTION
• How can we show gratitude to God as we behold his entire creation?
PSALM 118 WHEN THE LORD DISCIPLINES YOU
February 13
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PSALM 118
10 All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD, I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns;
in the name of the LORD, I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
16the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
18 The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
– Psalm 118:10-18
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PSALM 118 WHEN THE LORD DISCIPLINES YOU
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
As you live in this world, you will be plagued with troubles and challenges
We are in a fallen state and it is wise to be mindful of these unseen forces
The enemy is out to steal, kill and destroy our relationship with the Lord
Be watchful that you are able to heed to the discipline of God through his word.
Though we are surrounded by wickedness and power-hungry people
Let us be reminded that in the name of God we can cut them off
Declare the deeds that the Lord has done to free you from oppression
Then you will be able to overcome sin and not succumb to depression.
When the Lord disciplines you, that means that he loves you
When you don’t get your way, hear his voice and be cautioned
The Lord will never let his people be crushed or defeated
You may feel weak, but if you go to God, you will be strengthened.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think that the discipline of the Lord is not easy to spot for some?
PSALM 118 THE LORD IS ON MY SIDE I WILL NOT FEAR
February 12
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PSALM 118
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
the LORD answered me and set me free.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is on my side as my helper;
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. – Psalm 118:1-9
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PSALM 118 THE LORD IS ON MY SIDE I WILL NOT FEAR
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
I will dwell on the steadfast love of the Lord that lasts eternally
He has delivered me from bondage so I can live for him faithfully
When I was in trouble, I cried out to him and he heard me
The Lord answered my prayer and freed me from the enemy.
Let us all give thanks to the Lord whose love endures forever
Those who fear the Lord will declare his majestic splendor
The Lord is on my side, therefore I will not fear anything
God is near me, there’s nothing anyone can harm me with.
It is better to trust in the Lord than on any human power
Man is finite and cannot have the sovereignty that only God possess
Let us only run to the throne of God for he is in control of all things
Remember that the Lord is on our side, there’s no reason to be afraid.
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REFLECTION
• What is the greatest assurance we can dwell on that is talked about in this psalm?
• Why is it important to trust in the Lord alone rather than in men or princes?
PSALM 116 GIVE THANKS AND CALL ON THE NAME OF GOD
February 11
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PSALM 116
10 I believed, even when I spoke: “I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.”
12 What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,
14 I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16 O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
18 I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! – Psalm 116:10-19
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PSALM 116 GIVE THANKS AND CALL ON THE NAME OF GOD
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The Lord has given me my life and all that I need
He has saved me from sin through Christ’s blood
O Lord, you have loved me so unconditionally
Help me to be grateful to you constantly
I am your servant Lord, for you have delivered me
Grant me to always give you praise and glory.
I call on the name of the Lord who is steadfast in his love
He hears all those who trust, depend on him and give him awe
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the midst of his people
I will declare all his wonderful deeds and stay faithful
Give thanks to the Lord for he is full of grace and forgiveness
In him alone can we experience peace, joy and faithfulness.
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REFLECTION
• We can never repay God for all the things he has done for us, but how can we honor him and give him glory?
• How is thanksgiving a form of worship and praise?
PSALM 116 WHEN I CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
February 10
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PSALM 116
I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!”
5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.
6 The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. – Psalm 116:1-9
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PSALM 116 WHEN I CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The Lord God is full of grace and mercy; his love is steadfast
I love the Lord and he loves me because he chose me and gave me life
Therefore, I will serve only the Almighty God who is gracious to give
When I call on the name of the Lord, he blesses me and outpours his gifts.
Each time I bless the name of the Lord; all my trials turn to opportunities
God’s Spirit guides me to endure and be strong to face adversities
When I call on my Lord, he hears my pleas and answers them
Because of his steadfast love, I am able to overcome temptations.
When I depend on the Lord, he gives me a fearless perspective
He preserves all the simple and gives them contentment and peace
I will walk with the Spirit so I can glorify the name of the Lord my God
It is the only way I can go against my flesh and tendencies to be bad.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think the act of calling on the name of the Lord is something we don’t habitually do?
• Why is it easier to depend on ourselves instead of asking God’s help?
PSALM 115 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD
February 9
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PSALM 115
12 The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the LORD, both the small and the great.
14 May the LORD give you increase, you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth!
16 The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD! -Psalm 115:12-18
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PSALM 115 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO FEAR THE LORD
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
The Lord is faithful and steadfast in his love; he cares for his people
He supplies all the needs of those who love him, God never fails or falters
The Lord keeps his covenant promise to those who fear him
He pours his blessings to those who are not lured by sin.
Choose the way of the righteous, it leads to everlasting life
The wicked do not fear the Lord, they will deteriorate and die
Blessed are you who worship and praise the God Almighty
You will have an increase in your offspring and have plenty.
There will be an outpouring of favor from the Lord himself
You will not be overcome by your enemy’s plans and tactics.
Let us praise the Lord who has sovereignty over all things
Fear the Lord for he alone has total control of everything.
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REFLECTION
• What does “fear of the Lord” actually mean? Why does the world twist this phrase?
• How do we manifest the fear of the Lord in our daily lives as Christians?