Tag Archives: ILMA

GENESIS 8 GOD’S RESPONSE TO NOAH’S OFFERING

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November 13

GENESIS 8

20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. 21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again cursethe ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. 22 While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”– Genesis 8:20-22

GENESIS 8 GOD’S RESPONSE TO NOAH’S OFFERING

A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA

After God delivered Noah and his family in the flood

His response was to built an altar for the Lord

He got some of every clean animal and clean bird

And he burnt them to give it as an offering to God.

God was pleased when the fragrance of the offering reached him

His heart was touched and as a response to it, he gave a promise

He made a covenant with Noah that won’t curse the ground

He won’t blot out every living thing as he had done in the flood

What a great relief it was for Noah and his family to safely come out of the ark and have their feet touch the ground once again. We could witness Noah’s faithfulness to the Lord after they were delivered from the annihilation of living things. His heart is full of thanksgiving and so he built an altar to honor and show gratitude to his Master, Creator and Deliverer. Then he picked out the clean animals and birds without being told by God to do so. He did it out of his own thankfulness.

When the fragrance of the burnt offering reached God, he was very pleased and that act of gratitude of Noah made him vow not to destroy the ground and every living thing once again as he did in the flood. This is how important thanksgiving is to the Lord. He wants to be honored and praised for everything that he has done for us. It manifests our devotion and love for him, just like Noah did.

REFLECTION

  • What could we do to honor God since we no longer burn animals as offering?

ECCLESIASTES 10 ON FOLLY, WISDOM & CALMNESS

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September 30
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ECCLESIASTES 10
Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench;
so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 A wise man’s heart inclines him to the right,
but a fool’s heart to the left.
3 Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense,
and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place,
for calmness will lay great offenses to rest.
5 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: 6 folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. 7 I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves.
– Ecclesiastes 10:1-7
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ECCLESIASTES 10 ON FOLLY, WISDOM & CALMNESS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
The heart is the source of our words and actions
When the heart is upright, it will manifest wisdom
A fool’s heart is inclined to do thoughtless things
It feeds the pleasure-seeking selfish nature to sin
Folly is like the stench of dead flies over a perfumed area
No matter how little they are, it pollutes the fragrance
Folly is so obvious that you can spot it very easily
Fools lack sense and just do things out of recklessness
They don’t look, hear or use their minds when they do or say things
They are automated to follow their self-centered desires and motives
The wise exudes their wisdom and it always makes sense when they speak
They are good listeners and talk very little; they think before they open their lips
The wise do not react and let their feelings stir them up; they are calm
Their calmness pacifies even the maddest person and quiets their soul.
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REFLECTION
• What are the traits of foolish people that are easy to spot?
• How can calmness pacify even the angriest person?

ECCLESIASTES 6 THE FUTILITY OF INSATIABLE DESIRES OF MAN

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September 18
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ECCLESIASTES 6
7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun? – Ecclesiastes 6:7-12
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ECCLESIASTES 6 THE FUTILITY OF INSATIABLE DESIRES OF MAN
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Most of our lives are spent to work so we can eat and be satisfied
Yet when we have consumed our foods, we still desire something else
We buy things that we think will give us happiness and pleasure
But all that we acquire end up being set aside later and unused.
We study hard so we can reach a level of knowledge that we can be esteemed
But the more we know, the more we aim more and the bigger our egos become
We speak more words so we can project a bigger image of ourselves
Not knowing that fools talk a lot more and wise people speak less words.
We like to be in control of things and of the lives of those whom we love
When we do not understand, we panic and do our best to make sense of it
We try to figure things out and pretend that we can control what’s happening
All the insatiable desires of man to be in control are all futile and pointless.
Without the fear of the Lord, no knowledge is beneficial to man
It is revering the Lord that eventually leads us to discover wisdom
All of man’s cravings for pleasure, knowledge and control are all futile
All these insatiable desires are the beginnings of sin that leads to death.
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REFLECTION
• How are human desires useless and considered a striving after wind?

ECCLESIASTES 6 THE MEANINGLESSNESS OF A DISSATISFIED LIFE

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February 3
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PSALM 63 THE LOVE THAT IS BETTER THAN LIFE
O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up
my hands.5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; 10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.
– Psalm 63:1-11
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YOUR LOVE IS BETTER THAN MY LIFE by ILMA
My Lord, I sincerely seek you; my whole being yearns for your company
My entire existence will cease if I cannot worship you and bring you glory
Like the trees and plants that need water for their sustenance
My life will run dry if I do not experience your Holy Presence.
I searched for you in your sanctuary, magnifying your power
Your steadfast love makes my entire existence much better
I will praise you constantly, with much joy and thanksgiving
My soul will only be content if I have your blessings.
When I go to bed at night, I meditate on your word
Without it, I will not know how to navigate this world
You have been my help and my provider and defender
My soul will abide in you, for you give life eternal.
Those who mean harm to me will have to face you, my Lord
You will never allow me to be overcome by this world
For He defends all who faithfully serve the One true Master
They’ll experience the best and the only love that matters.
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REFLECTION
• How is God’s steadfast love better than life as mentioned in this psalm?

PRAYER FOR AN OVERFLOW OF LOVE AND WISDOM ILMA’S VLOG

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January 30
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PRAYER FOR AN OVERFLOW OF LOVE AND WISDOM
8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that your love may overflow still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may discover the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and blameless for the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, for the glory and praise of God.
-Philippians 1:8-11:
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Adam Clarke paraphrased verse 8 as “I call God to witness that I have the strongest affection for you, and that I love you with that same kind of tender concern with which Christ loved the world when he gave himself for it.”
Verses 9-11 is Paul’s loving prayer for the Philippians. And he asked God for an overflow of love, even though he knows that they are very loving already. He also asked God to bring them more knowledge and wisdom and discernment so that they will be able to discover all the excellent things that God has for them. He also prayed that they will continue to be faithful, pure and holy until the next coming of Jesus because they have already been filled with the fruit of righteousness that came when they committed their lives to Jesus Christ. As the fruit of righteousness manifest in their lives, then God will be praised and glorified.
What a prayer! Paul is clearly full of the Spirit of the Lord when he wrote this prayer for the Philippian believers. All of these blessings were all aligned with God’s truth. He asked for more love, wisdom, discernment, which leads to the joy of discovering all of God’s gifts for them so they can be sanctified and continually pure for Christ. Clarke comments on this prayer as “That it may be like a river, perpetually fed with rain and fresh streams so that it continues to swell and increase until it fills all its banks, and floods the adjacent plains.”
How often do you pray like Paul? He knows and sees the righteousness of God manifest in the Philippians. Do you usually see the love God has for the person you are praying for? It is amazing how Paul almost sees their hearts, even though we know that only God is the one who can see our hearts. It is like God gave him a glimpse of what he sees in them. When we know our Lord so well, he will give us discernment to see what he sees.
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REFLECTION
• How can we learn to pray Spirit-led prayers like Paul?

THE NEARNESS OF GOD IS GOOD FOR ME ILMA’S VLOG

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November 5
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THE NEARNESS OF GOD IS GOOD FOR ME
When my heart was embittered
And I was pierced within,
22 Then I was stupid and ignorant;
I was like an animal before You.
23 Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You have taken hold of my right hand.
24 You will guide me with Your plan,
And afterward receive me to glory.
25 Whom do I have in heaven but You?
And with You, I desire nothing on earth.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;
You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.
28 But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
So that I may tell of all Your works.- Psalm 73:21-28
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In this psalm, Asaph continue with his confession to the Lord. In verse 21, he repents of bitterness that actually pierced him inside and in verse 22, he admits being foolish and compared himself to an animal before God. We tend to be savages when we forget how God has created us. He made us in His own image. In verses 23-24, he turns around with giving God credit for his faithfulness to Him, despite all his natural tendencies to sin. He looks up to the promise of being with the Lord when he is faithful. Verse 26 declares his submission to God. He declares that God is the source of all his strength and that he is his portion. In verse 27, he cautions those who are turning their backs on God and who is far from him. Destruction is the consequence of such rejection of the Lord. The highlight of the whole psalm lies in verse 28. He declares that abiding in God is the only way we can receive our salvation. He made a decision that he will only serve God and that He will rely on Him for his safety. He will shout to all of God’s goodness and all that He has done for His people.
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REFLECTION
• Why is the knowledge of God being near to you essential in our lives?

JESUS EXPOSES THE PHARISEES ILMA’S VLOG

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July 16
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JESUS EXPOSES THE PHARISEES
But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. 10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”
– John 8:1-11
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Once again, the Pharisees and scribes prove their schemes to bring down Jesus in this account. They brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery and they wanted to trick and test how Jesus would respond to the law of stoning caught in such sin. Did you ever wonder what Jesus was writing on the ground that stopped them from stoning the adulterous woman? One interesting theory is that Jesus wrote the name of each “stone-holding accuser” from the oldest to the youngest. They were so amazed at His supernatural knowledge that they dropped their ammunition, stunned and silenced. All accusers departed, from the oldest to the youngest. During those times, when someone was caught in adultery, both man and woman would be brought to the temple gates and accused. If there were witnesses to confirm the adultery, there will be a ceremony to bring judgment. However, in this instance they only brought the woman. This was a violation of the Oral Law of God. The priest was required to stoop down and write the law that was broken and the accused in the dust of the floor of the Temple which the Pharisees and Scribes didn’t do. Jesus did, so they were actually breaking the law.
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REFLECTION
• Why are the Pharisees relentless in proving that Jesus was an impostor?

WORLDLY MATTERS DON’T MATTER ILMA’S VLOG

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May 7
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WORLDLY MATTERS DON’T MATTER
Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high, rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
When the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 Those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
8 For the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
9 That he should live on forever and never see the pit.
10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish
And leave their wealth to others. – Psalm 49:1-10
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This psalm written by the sons of Korah is a great reminder for all mankind, low and high, rich and poor alike. We can never boast of our possessions or be consumed by wanting to have riches. In verse 4, we hear the psalmist suggests the importance of listening to wisdom instead of living in fear. Just like the book of Ecclesiastes says in the first chapter, everything is meaningless; everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. The psalm talks about the fact that no one have guarantees in this life. They can never ransom another life. Both the poor and the wealthy, the wise and the fools all perish. The rich cannot bring their wealth when they die. Only dependence on God can bring them salvation. Eternal life is their only guarantee, so why depend on worldly matters instead of spiritual things?
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord Almighty, the God of our salvation!
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord, when I focus on worldly things and boast about it.
THANKSGIVING: Remind me to boast only of my dependence on you.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers remember that only in God will they have eternity.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to remember that worldly matters won’t matter in eternity?

THE LORD REIGNS ILMA’S VLOG

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March 16
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THE LORD REIGNS
The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.3 Fire goes before him
And burns up his adversaries all around.4 His lightnings light up the world;
The earth sees and trembles. 5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
Before the Lord of all the earth.6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
And all the peoples see his glory.7 All worshipers of images are put to shame,
Who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!
8 Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice,
Because of your judgments, O LORD.9 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;
You are exalted far above all gods.10 O you who love the LORD, hate evil!
He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!
– Psalm 97:1-12
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Psalm 97, according to the ESV study bible commentary says that it is a hymn celebrating God’s kingship over all creation. It focuses on how God’s universal rule assures the faithful of his final victory over evil and idolatry. This victory involves God’s protection of his faithful ones from evildoers (v.10) and the Gentiles ultimately coming to know the true God (vv. 6-7). The assurance comes from biblical faith, and it produces a profound joy in those who embrace it (vv.11-12).
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ADORATION: We adore you O Christ and we bless your sovereignty.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I fail to bow down and surrender to your kingship.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for reigning over me. It keeps me to remember my place in your kingdom.
SUPPLICATION: May all Christians submit and surrender to the only one true God.
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REFLECTION
• Share how God rules over your heart, mind, soul and body?
• Why is it important to recognize those who are in authority over us?