Author Archives: ilmaarts

JOHN 14 ASK WHAT GLORIFIES THE FATHER

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March 17

JOHN 14
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. – John 14:8-14

JOHN 14 ASK WHAT GLORIFIES THE FATHER
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you pray, ask for anything that is lined up with truth
You are glorifying your Father in heaven when you do
If you ask for something that gratifies only your wants
You may not receive it for it won’t always be good for you
Your Father in heaven knows what is best for your growth
As a good father, he will not let anything hinder His love.

In this conversation between Philip and Jesus, we see how our minds can hinder our ability to see and discern. It sounds like Jesus was a little bit sad that after all those years he had been teaching them, they still do not get it. Of course, everything that happened was according to the plan of God. We will always be limited in our comprehension of the mind of God. I think Jesus wanted them to listen more with their hearts and follow and do what they heard. Doubts and unbelief can hamper our ability to act out our faith. Jesus also reassured his disciples of the generosity of his Father. He told them that if they ask anything in his name, it will be given to them by the Father. Many of us do not ask. “Asking” is the humble act of going to God for our needs. Some of us think since God knows our needs so what’s the point of asking. Some of us think he is a genie who’ll grant us our wishes and wants as we demand or command him to do so.

REFLECTION
• What does the book of James say about asking in chapter 4?

JOHN 14 THE ONLY WAY

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March 16

JOHN 14
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
– John 14:1-7

JOHN 14 THE ONLY WAY
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Believe in Jesus and you will be led to the truth
When you know the truth, you will bear fruit
Sin, that is natural to humans lead them to darkness
The only way to get out of that pit is through Jesus Christ.

These following verses are transitional in my life because when I reflected on the promise that Jesus has a room for me in His Father’s house, I felt so reassured. Growing up without much assurance of unconditional love, made me blind to the concept of true love. In this account, Jesus reassures his disciples of God’s promise of a place in his kingdom. Can you imagine how that would look like to have your own special room in that palace of God?
Doesn’t that make you feel special and loved? For traumatized people, that is a foreign thought.
Thomas was another disciple who struggled with unbelief. He asked the question “How can we know the way?” He has this notion that he needed to understand first before he believed and follow the way. Jesus answered him with “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.” In John 20:24-29, this unbelief of Thomas was illustrated when he didn’t believe that Jesus ascended and visited the disciples after he died on the cross. He wanted to be assured that it was really Jesus who came to see them. Jesus had to let him touch his wound for him to believe.

REFLECTION
• What are the hindrances in believing that the only way to God is through Jesus?

JOHN 13 CONFRONTING THE SIN OF DENIAL

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March 15

JOHN 13
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times. – John 13:36-38

JOHN 13 CONFRONTING THE SIN OF DENIAL
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you have a role and responsibility and deny it
Are you not showing unfaithfulness and idolatry?
When you dismiss and deny giving love to others
Are you not depriving love to your sisters and brothers?
To dismiss someone’s value, abandon or neglect caring for others
Are clear manifestations that you live for yourself only.

Jesus knew each one of us, especially his disciple Peter. He cautioned Peter by foretelling him that he will deny him three times before the rooster crows. It was a response to Peter’s highly emotional reaction to what Jesus said about laying down his life.
Let us have a character sketch of Peter based on some bible verses such as Matthew `6:22-23. When Jesus predicted his suffering and death, Peter reacted that he won’t let it happen. This verse shows Peter’s impulsiveness and how quickly he reacted to his own idea instead of accepting what Jesus said. In John 13:6, we witness again another personality of Peter. He is assertive and quick to protest when Jesus begins to wash his feet. He has this grandiose act of making sure his intentions were loud and clear. In John 18:10-11, we witness again another impulse reaction to protect Jesus with violence when he drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priest. In these following verses in John 18:15-19, we see his weakness in faith when he denied Jesus for fear of being arrested. But there is a positive trait of Peter in John 21:7 when he jumped out of the water to meet Jesus. He exhibited much enthusiasm, courage, faith and eagerness to be with Jesus.

REFLECTION
• What do you think are some reasons why people deny someone or something?

JOHN 13 THE GREATEST LOVE

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March 14

JOHN 13
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
– John 13:31-35

JOHN 13 THE GREATEST LOVE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
If you love God, you will also love one another
God is love therefore you must love your neighbor
Give up your life for the sake of giving God the glory
Just as Jesus gave up his life for the praise of his Father.

In this account, Judas Iscariot has left the last moments that the disciples had with their Master. It won’t be long when Jesus’ impending death on the cross will happen. He is now lovingly giving his disciples instructions on what they need to be prepared for. First, he declares that he is now glorified, meaning that the purpose that he came here on earth for is now nearing its completion. This was to appease the wrath of God of the sin of mankind. We witness how loving Jesus was when he used “little children” as an endearment to his disciples. He loved them as a father would love his children. He explained to them that they cannot come to where he is going just as he said it to the Jews. Jesus was talking about his coming death on the cross and his ascension.
Just as a dying person would give instructions to his loved one before they pass on, Jesus tells them his last will. He wants them to love one another as he loved them. This will be their distinguishing trait from everyone else around them. He was preparing them for the work that they needed to do to follow the work that he had begun. Love is the purpose of his coming, therefore his followers also need to follow through that same function.

REFLECTION
• What kind of love did Jesus show us that is not the same as the world’s love?

JOHN 13 IDOL BEHIND BETRAYALS

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March 13

JOHN 13
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
– John 13:21-30

JOHN 13 IDOL BEHIND BETRAYALS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you betray someone, your heart will feel guilt
No matter how you dismiss it, it will catch up on you
To betray someone is to go against your loving nature
You have begun to listen to the lies that are thrown at you
When you betray someone’s trust, you also hurt your own self
Repent and turn away from it or you’ll open doors to more lies.

“Mammon” is an Aramaic word that essentially means “riches” or “wealth”. In a religious context, it’s often personified as a money demon or false god, representing the worship of material possessions and the desire for gain. We witness here that it was the spirit of Mammon that led Judas to betray his Master Jesus. In John 12:5-6, we know that Judas was the treasurer and helped himself with the money and he was angry that Mary used expensive perfume to anoint Jesus’ feet. Judas betrayed Jesus over money. But if we look at the spiritual context of this betrayal, it was about idolatry of money. He gave up his service to the Lord and served his mammon god.

REFLECTION
• Share some insights on your experience of someone with the spirit of mammon.

JOHN 13 DO AS I HAVE DONE

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March 12

JOHN 13
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
– John 13:12-20

JOHN 13 DO AS I HAVE DONE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Jesus bowed down to wash his disciples’ feet
He was expecting them to do the same with each other
In God’s kingdom, we are to humble ourselves and be a servant
There is no room for pride and entitlement in his kingdom.

When Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he was showing them how different it is in God’s kingdom as compared to the world around them. He explained to them how a servant is never greater than his Master and a messenger than the one who sent him. He was giving them a picture of how the power-hungry world is very different from God’s kingdom. Humility is the key difference in these two warring kingdoms. In the world system, power is what runs it. In God’s system, love is the driving force that brings everything to Himself.
Competition is usually an offshoot of the corrupted world we live in. In God’s economy, there is no room for striving against who is better or best. He sees us all differently but we all have one common thing: we are made all in God’s image. Humility is the solution to combat this power-hungry world. Jesus sampled that humility when he became flesh.

REFLECTION
• Why do you think humility is a novelty in this world we live in?

JOHN 13 SERVICE IS THE GREATEST ACT OF LOVE

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March 11

JOHN 13
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
– John 13:1-11

JOHN 13 SERVICE IS THE GREATEST ACT OF LOVE
What is the significance of this washing of the feet of the disciples by Jesus? Can you imagine how the roads were during those times? They were not paved like how we have it today. It was dusty and probably some muddy areas where there were potholes. They were not wearing shoes but sandals, so their feet must be dirty. There is usually a waterpot by the door so people can clean their feet before they enter. When Jesus washed their feet, he was role modelling to his disciples that the greater of them would be the one who will serve the others.
According to Luke 22:24-27, after their last meal with the Lord, they were arguing which one of them was the greatest. The act of the washing of their feet was the greatest manifestation of his love for them. Humbly bowing down to their dirty feet to wash them would be looked down upon as a very degrading task to be done. The kingdom of God sees the greatest as the last and least. It was a lesson of humility and love. Are they able to follow that servant heart that Jesus had?

REFLECTION
• Why can’t one be a true follower of Jesus if they cannot be humble and serve?

JOHN 12 LIGHT COVERS DARKNESS

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March 10

JOHN 12
44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
– John 12:44-50

JOHN 12 LIGHT COVERS DARKNESS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Is your life full of pain, struggle, chaos and adversities?
You are not alone; someone is going through the same difficulties
Satan wants us to stay in the dark; he throws lies at us constantly
Believe in Jesus and His truth and these lies will be exposed instantly
You will no longer be tricked by subtle tactics for it will be in the light
Darkness will not overwhelm and overpower you because you believed.

In the bible, “light” is used as a metaphor for our Lord, God and the truth. According to some sources, it is used over 200 times in the bible both in the Old and New Testament books. John 8:12 tells us that Jesus claims that he is the light of the world and whoever follows him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life. In John 1:5, he says that the light shines in the darkness and the darkness will not overcome it. In Psalm 119:105, the psalmist calls the word as a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. Genesis 1 gives us a picture of how the world was in darkness until God created light in verse 3. According to Barclay’s study notes, these words of Jesus were his last words in his public ministry. Hereafter he will teach his disciples and hereafter he will stand before Pilate, but these are the last words he will address to people at large. He is inviting all to partake of his greatest sacrifice on the cross so that they will all come to light and be saved.

REFLECTION
• Why do you think some people continually want to walk in the dark?

JOHN 12 BLIND EYES AND HARDENED HEARTS

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March 9

JOHN 12
When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” 41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
– John 12:36-43

JOHN 12 BLIND EYES AND HARDENED HEARTS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
What would it take for a proud man to believe the Christ?
Though the Lord’s work is visible, he still cannot see
Because his heart had been hardened, they cannot know
You cannot receive the Lord without him choosing you
A man will remain blind and unable to experience God’s glory
Because he prefers to please man rather than his Maker.

It is a sad fate to watch the Pharisees continue to influence the beliefs of those that were around them. They indoctrinated the people with their legalism, rules and rituals. Sometimes, we in our current society are not far from these people. Culture has ingrained so many lies and false systems that we cannot even brush it off from our minds and hearts. We become unable to receive the truth because it is so tainted with corruption and evil. People-pleasing becomes automatic. We fear confronting evil and wrongdoing because we may not fit in and be politically correct. We are not far from those people who believed the signs Jesus did that they witnessed. They believed yet were not free to express it because of their fear of losing something if they did. They were slaves of the dictates of the religious systems of the Pharisees.

REFLECTION
• Why do you think a man chooses to remain blind and hard hearted?

JOHN 12 WALK IN THE LIGHT

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March 8

JOHN 12
27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”– John 12:27-36

JOHN 12 WALK IN THE LIGHT
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Without light, we cannot do much but stumble in the dark
If you continually walk in darkness, you will eventually die
So, find the light source which only comes from the Lord
Believe in him alone and you will overcome this world.

In this account Jesus prophesied the kind of death he will go through in verse 32. He is clearly talking about his ultimate sacrifice on the cross which will lead to salvation of all mankind. But those who heard him didn’t understand what he was saying. Their idea of the Christ is that he will be eternal and not die. When they asked who this Son of Man he was talking about is. Jesus answered them with “The light is among you a little longer.”
This probably made them more confused. The issue here is that humans were thinking in earthly terms when Jesus was referring to the spiritual realm. These people didn’t have the bible as we do now, so at the time Jesus was uttering that statement, they couldn’t fathom it. Perhaps that is because the Spirit will only come when Jesus dies, then they will know what he was talking about. We now know that he is both life and light.

REFLECTION
• What are the benefits of walking in the light that Jesus exudes?