December 4
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PERFECT LOVE EXPELS ALL FEAR
A poem by ILMA
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another as God commands
Love comes from God and anyone who loves is God’s child and knows him
But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love
God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into this world.
Since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other
No one has ever seen God, but if we love each other, God lives in us
His love is brought to full expression in us when we operate in love
God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.
All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them
They live in God and we know how much God loves us and have to trust him
And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect and we won’t fear the day
Then we can face him with confidence since we live like Jesus here in this world.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear
If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows we haven’t truly loved
If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar
For if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we can’t see?
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MEMORY VERSE
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.
– 1 John 4:18
Read: 1 John 4:7-20
Many of us do not realize the real meaning of how to live in perfect love. Even though we know that God is love, we are not able to live fearless lives. When we live in fear, we are not letting his Spirit live in us. When we are fearful, we fail to love. They can’t operate together.
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REFLECTION
• What deceives us from thinking that we can stay fearful and claim that we love?
Tag Archives: perfect love
WRAPPED IN STRIPS OF CLOTH
December 23 The Power of God’s Word
The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David. And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.-Luke 2:11-12 (NLT)
WRAPPED IN STRIPS OF CLOTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Why did Jesus come wrapped in strips of cloth?
Why did kings come to give respect and pay him tribute?
Why did God choose a manger for him to be born?
He could have chosen a palace comfortable for his Son.
The strips of cloth cannot be bought
They symbolize humility that has to be sought
A baby wrapped snugly in strips of rag
Shows perfect humility and perfect love.
A manger is a long open box or trough for horses or cattle to eat from. Why did God choose a manger for Jesus to be born in? Is Jesus food that animals need to feed on? What a sense of humor God has. He brought Jesus into this world on a manger. Does that mean we have to feed on Jesus? Isn’t Jesus the food for our soul and spirit? The bible describes how the Savior, the Messiah was wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. God chose Jesus to come as a baby in a feeding through.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to feed on Jesus.
REFLECTION
What vulnerabilities do you struggle with that needs to be given up to God?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com