Category Archives: Uncategorized

PROVERBS 5 BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR LOVED ONES

Posted on by

September 17

PROVERBS 5
15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.
16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice
in the wife of your youth,19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.
20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.
22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.
– Proverbs 515-23

PROVERBS 5 BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR LOVED ONES
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you commit to the one you love, you need to be faithful
Never let other people corrupt and tempt you to break your vow
Continue to love the one you had made a covenant with
Enjoy deep intimacy with them and don’t let love slip away
Do not be tempted to look out for other sources of enjoyment
Stay faithful to your beloved so you won’t be trapped by evil.

In these following verses, Solomon warns the young men to stay faithful to their beloved wives. This was a lesson on how sex can be wonderful between husbands and wives. Solomon advises young men never to get involved with other women and stay faithful to their loved ones. Solomon depicts the beauty of sex in marriage and the ugliness of fornication with those outside of it. It is sad how the world has corrupted the sanctity of sex in marriage. According to Wiersbe “Solomon compares enjoying married love to drinking pure water from a fresh well, but committing sexual sin is like drinking polluted water from the gutter or sewer…. To commit sexual sin is to pour this beautiful river into the streets and the public squares. What waste!”

REFLECTION
• Why is it important to enjoy your marriage bed according to Solomon?

PROVERBS 3 HOW TO PROLONG YOUR LIFE

Posted on by

September 7

PROVERBS 3

My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments,
2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.

3 Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
    bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 So you will find favor and good successin the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
8 It will be healing to your fleshand refreshment to your bones.

                                                                     – Proverbs 3:1-8

PROVERBS 3 HOW TO PROLONG YOUR LIFE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If you want to add days and years to your life

Do not forget the truth from God’s words and his laws

Never allow love and faithfulness to leave you

Trust always in the Lord with all your heart and soul

Do not rely on your own understanding, be renewed by his word

When you follow all his commands, your life will be prolonged.

Many people think that they can control the length of their lives. Solomon tells us the secrets to a long life in these following verses from his wise sayings. He says that it is important for us to keep God’s laws in our hearts and follow them faithfully. He also says that we must walk in love and be devoted to the Lord. One of the most interesting pieces of advice he said in this book is that we must never trust our own understanding and that we must always look up to the Lord for he alone can guide us towards the right path.

The fear of the Lord is another key ingredient to prolong our lives. When we revere and acknowledge God in all our ways, we will automatically turn away from evil. Our wounds get healed and our hearts are refreshed.

REFLECTION

  • How is the world’s formula for prolonging life different from God’s view?

EXODUS 36 BUILDING THE TEN CURTAINS FOR THE TABERNACLE

Posted on by

August 28

EXODUS 36

8 And all the craftsmen among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains. They were made of fine twined linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns, with cherubim skillfully worked. 9 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains were the same size.10 He coupled five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he coupled to one another. 11 He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of the first set. Likewise he made them on the edge of the outermost curtain of the second set. 12 He made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set. The loops were opposite one another. 13 And he made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to the other with clasps. So the tabernacle was a single whole.

                                                                   – Exodus 36:8-13

EXODUS 36 BUILDING THE TEN CURTAINS FOR THE TABERNACLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After the Lord assigned all the craftsmen to work on the tabernacle

All the craftsmen began making the ten curtains of the house of the Lord

Blue, purple and scarlet yarns were used for the building of this place

All the curtains were similar in sizes and grouped in two sets of fives.

There were only specific types of materials used which were fine twined linen and only three colors which were blue, purple and scarlet. According to the inspired scripture.com website, the fine linens pointed toward the unified and purified body of Jesus.2 Peter 1:4 and Colossians 1:22,27 says that as a believer, Jesus has imparted some of His righteousness to believers by making them holy with his blood. Blue symbolizes heaven. It is only through Jesus that we can have access to heaven. Purple symbolizes his royalty as “King of kings.” As mentioned in Revelation. The scarlet material symbolizes his blood that was poured out to atone for our sins as revealed in Revelation 7:14 and Hebrews 9:14. The ten curtains joined together as one symbolizes the divine order that comes from living out of love and not obligations and the 50 loops and clasps symbolize the freedom from sorrow that comes from living within the protection of his Covenant.

REFLECTION

·       What can you learn from the making of the ten curtains by God’s chosen craftsmen?

EXODUS 28 GOD SELECTS HIS PRIESTS

Posted on by

July 24

EXODUS 28

 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. 4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. 5 They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. – Exodus 28:1-5

EXODUS 28 GOD SELECTS HIS PRIESTS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord asked Moses to call on his brother Aaron and his sons

Aaron, Abihu Eleazar and Ithamar were handpicked by the Lord

Moses was instructed to make garments for his brother and their sons

Breastpiece, ephod, robe, coat, sash and turban are to be their garments

The Lord provided artisans to skillfully make them for the priests

They were to use gold, blue and purple and scarlet fine twined linen.

Why did God choose Aaron and his sons as high priests? Even though they were sinful, the Lord picked them. Once again, this election of priests was to foreshadow the role of Jesus Christ as priest.  Although Jesus didn’t come from Aaron’s lineage, Christ himself was chosen by God to become a high priest. He is a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek. Since Melchizedek is without father or mother, some commentaries attribute this as “eternal” just as Jesus is without beginning and without end as well.

The role of a priest is to intercede for the people in bringing their offerings and sacrifices to God for the atonement of their sins. Jesus did more than that. He became the offering when he died for us.

God specified to Moses the garments that were to be made for the priests. He wants them clothed in special garments to represent Christ’s royalty and priesthood.

REFLECTION

  • What garments should God’s people wear according to Colossians 3:12-14?

EXODUS 19 GOD’S PRESENCE FELT IN MOUNT SINAI

Posted on by

June 24

EXODUS 19

16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. – Exodus 19:16-20

EXODUS 19 GOD’S PRESENCE FELT IN MOUNT SINAI

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Moses instructed them to cleanse from their impurities in three days

On the morning of the third day, the mountain was covered by a thick cloud

Then a very loud trumpet blast was heard and they were all trembling

Then Moses presented them to God and they stood at the foot of the mountain

The Lord descended on the mountain on fire and smoke enveloped them

God’s presence was felt and his voice in thunder was heard by his people.

This is a very powerful meeting between God and his people. They didn’t literally see God but the Lord surely made his powerful and glorious presence felt. No one else could have that power to come down in fire and be covered with smoke. God’s love for his people was clearly manifested in this smoke because they would have all died if they directly saw him. Imagine wildfires in the mountains. You could barely see anything because of all the smoke produced by these fires. I am sure you will be totally scared and trembling in fear.  The power of this burning heat that turns into smoke is overwhelming. I remember as a child experiencing a market on fire just beside our house. I could hear the crackling of the fire burning the building and saw the smoke that it produced. It was an unforgettable experience. I can imagine why the Israelites were all trembling. God showed his Almighty Power and Majesty through his Shekeniah (presence of God in the world). His glorious power should remind us how he hates sin and evil and his desire for our holiness as well.

REFLECTION

  • How is fear of the Lord very different from the world’s concept of “fear?”

EXODUS 15 BITTER WATER MADE SWEET

Posted on by

June 11

EXODUS 15

22 Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.24 And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water. – Exodus 15:22-27

EXODUS 15 BITTER WATER MADE SWEET

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

It did not take long for the Israelites to grumble after God’s miracles

It was when they went into the wilderness of Shur and found no water

They came and saw Marah but couldn’t drink of its bitter water

So, the Lord asked Moses to change it to something they can drink

The Lord offered them a promise that if they keep his laws

They will never have any of the diseases that the Egyptians had.

It is human nature to whine and grumble when circumstances become hard. In this case, it was the case of the bitter water for the Israelites. At the beginning, they were very resistant to come and follow Moses. They didn’t want to leave their comfort zones despite their slavery from the Egyptians. So, at the first instance of hardship, they easily complained to Moses.

Despite their groanings, the Lord provided them with sweet water from that bitter water at Marah. The Lord also required them to follow his laws and in turn, they wouldn’t ever have the diseases that the Egyptians were plagued with.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think men automatically complain when things are hard?

EXODUS 11 DISTINCTION BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL

Posted on by

May 23

EXODUS 11

6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land. – Exodus 11:6-10

EXODUS 11 DISTINCTION BETWEEN EGYPT AND ISRAEL

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After Pharaoh was warned about the death of the firstborn

The Lord tells Moses what will happen to the Egyptians

There will be wailing and mourning for the deaths in each household

But there will be no deaths for firstborns in all the Israelites

The distinction between Egypt and Israel was very clearly made by God

This was done to let the Egyptians know that he is the only true God.

It is so clear how God separates his people from the rest of the ungodly nations. You think that by now, Pharaoh would have changed his mind and let the Israelites go to worship the only One true God, but even his heart is controlled by God himself. He was helpless to save himself from all the plagues, but was shown that through Moses, his request could be made.  This is God’s sovereignty over all things.

When we believe in the One true God, he makes sure that we are separate from the world. Sometimes the world would ridicule us because they do not know the power of the Lord God Almighty. They do not know the truth that sets them free, but his people know.

REFLECTION

  • How has God made clear in your life that you are separate from the world?

EXODUS 8 THE SECOND PLAGUE

Posted on by

May 9

EXODUS 8

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs. 3 The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. 4 The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.”’” 5 And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt!’” 6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt. 8 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” 10 And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 11 The frogs shall go away from you and your houses and your servants and your people. They shall be left only in the Nile.” 12 So Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord about the frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh. 13 And the Lord did according to the word of Moses. The frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. 14 And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.  – Exodus 8:1-14

EXODUS 8 THE SECOND PLAGUE

You may be wondering why God specifically gave the plague of frogs. According to David Guzik’s commentary, the Egyptian goddess Heqek or Heket was always pictured with the head of a frog. According to ancient Egyptians, frogs were considered sacred and cannot be killed. Another commentary says that they are symbols of renewal, vitality and good luck, good omen and prosperity. Because they dwell in both land and water, God is returning Egypt to a state of disorder and chaos as judgment for their wickedness.

REFLECTION

  • How is the second plague another judgment by God on their idolatry?

April 26

Posted on by

EXODUS 3

9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.  – Exodus 3:9-15

EXODUS 3 MOSES’ COMMISION

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After Moses saw the burning bush at Mount Horeb

God revealed himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM”

He instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh to release his people

But Moses didn’t think that he is capable to do so.

In this account, we hear God revealing himself to Moses and how he wanted his people and Pharaoh to know who he is, the “I AM WHO I AM.” It is interesting how Moses doubted himself and thought that he cannot do the task of talking to Pharaoh. Sometimes we humans have limiting thoughts that we are unable to do something we have never done before. We forget that if God is asking us to do something, then he would equip us to accomplish the task at hand. We do not have enough understanding that when God asks us something, he already knows that it will be done.

According to some commentaries, Moses was eighty years old when this commission was announced to him. His first forty years were spent in Egypt, the next forty in Midian. The third forty is his time to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt.

REFLECTION

  • What commission from God have you been given that you feel uncertain about?

GENESIS 50 THE BURIAL OF JACOB IN CANAAN

Posted on by

April 18

GENESIS 50

7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

                                                                   – Genesis 50:7-14

GENESIS 50 THE BURIAL OF JACOB IN CANAAN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After Joseph’s body was embalmed by the Egyptian physicians

And they have grieved and mourned for seventy days,

Joseph and all Pharaoh’s servants, his brothers and his household

They all went to bury Jacob as he requested in the field of Macphelah

Because the Canaanites witnessed the grievous mourning of the Egyptians

They called the burial place Abel-mizraim which was beyond the Jordan.

In Genesis 23:9-17 we can recall how Abraham purchased the field of Macphelah to bury Sarah. He was a sojourner, so this was the only place Abraham owned as he followed God’s directive when he needed to move from one place to another until Canaan became their own land as God promised. It was here that Isaac, Rebekah and Leah were also buried (Genesis 49:31). So, it was understandable that Jacob requested that he be buried there as well. The Canaanites witnessed the honorable burial that Jacob was given.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think this burial of Jacob was so honorable?