December 18
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ENTRY WAY TO GOD’S KINGDOM
A poem by ILMA
Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader came to ask Jesus one evening
He said “Rabbi, your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
“I tell you the truth, you can’t see God’s kingdom unless you are born again”
“How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be reborn? he asked.
“Humans can make only human life, but God’s Spirit gives birth to spiritual life
Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going
So you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit” Jesus replied
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet don’t know”
“If you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things
How can you possibly believe if I tell you about things that are heavenly?
No one has gone to heaven and come down from it but the Son of Man has.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son
He did this so everyone will be saved and have eternal life
God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world
He sent his beloved Son so that the world can be saved through him.”
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MEMORY VERSE
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”– John 3:3
Read: John 3:1-17
Being Born again is the gateway to enter God’s kingdom. To be born again means to be born in the Spirit. When someone commit their life to Jesu, they receive the Holy Spirit that enables them to be able to live the new life that is given to them by Jesus. Sadly, some believers are not authentic enough to live in this new life they have received.
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REFLECTION
• How can a Christian remain to be “born again” after they have received the Lord Jesus Christ?
Tag Archives: poetry spoken word
THE WORD BECAME HUMAN Poem Devotional
December 15
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THE WORD BECAME HUMAN
A poem by ILMA
Before anything came into existence, the Word was already there
The Word was with God and the Word was God and already existed
God made all things through him, and nothing was made except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to all.
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so all might believe
John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light
The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into our lives.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him
He came to his own people, and even they, mocked and rejected him
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to belong to God
They are reborn—not with physically but a birth that comes from God, our Creator.
So, the Word became flesh and made his home here on earth
And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another
For no one has ever seen God. But the Son is revealed God to us.
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MEMORY VERSE
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:3-5
Read: John 1:1-18
The essence of Christianity is the truth that the Word, who is Christ, has already existed even before the creation of all things. God made all things for him and through him. When a believer’s life is focused on the Alpha who is also our Omega, we are living the truth.
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REFLECTION
• Why does the epistle of John calls Jesus as the Word?
• Do Christians really understand the meaning of God making creation through Christ, with Christ and for Christ? How should that manifest in their lives?
SIMPLE FOODS ADD VIBRANCE AND WISDOM Poem Devotional
December 5
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SIMPLE FOODS ADD VIBRANCE AND WISDOM
A poem by ILMA
Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the King’s food and wine
He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods
God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel
But he said, “I am afraid it is the King’s order for you to eat these meals
If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age,
Then I will be the one responsible and the king will have me beheaded.”
Daniel spoke with the attendant appointed by the chief of staff
He was assigned to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
“Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water, then see what happens
See how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food
Then make your decision in light of what you see,” so the attendant agreed
At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier than all.
When the training period ordered by the king was over, they were all brought in
The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as these young men Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and judgment
They found them ten times more capable than any of all magicians and enchanters.
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MEMORY VERSE
At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. – Daniel 1:15-16
Read: Daniel 1:8-20
The vegan diet goes as far back as Daniel’s time. It proved that the simple vegetable and water diet didn’t compromised their decisiveness and knowledge. As compared to what others ate, they came out much wiser and had good judgment.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think that a vegan diet can change your health and mind?
WHEN YOU LOVE THE WORLD Poem Devotional
December 1
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WHEN YOU LOVE THE WORLD
A poem by ILMA
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you,
When you love the world, you don’t have the Father’s love
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure,
A craving for everything and to be proud of achievements and possessions.
These cravings are not from the Father, but are from this world
And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave for
Anyone who does what pleases God will live forever and have eternal life
So, make it your goal to please God so you are ready when Christ returns.
As believers, you know the difference between truth and lies from his word
Watch out for anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ for that is an antichrist
Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist
Anyone who denies the Son doesn’t have the Father, either.
So, you must remain faithful and in fellowship with the Son and with the Father
And in this fellowship, we enjoy the eternal life he promised us long ago
You have received the Holy Spirit and he lives within you
You don’t need anyone to teach you for the Spirit teaches you that is true.
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MEMORY VERSE
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you. For when you love the world, you don’t have the Father’s love. – 1 John 2:15
Read: 1 John 2:15-27
It is interesting how some Christians think that they can coast along loving the world and being a Christian. They say they are believers but they still follow the world system so easily.
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REFLECTION
• Why can’t we love the world and the things it offers especially if we have committed our lives to Jesus?
• Why is it important to constantly be in relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit?
UNTAMABLE TONGUE Poem Devotional
November 23
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UNTAMABLE TONGUE
A poem by ILMA
We all make many mistakes and we have no control over our tongues
For if we could govern it, we would be perfect and we will manage our lives well
We can make a large horse go wherever we want with a small bit in its mouth
A small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go
Even through strong winds in the storm, he guides it’s direction.
In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches
But like a tiny spark, it can say something and can set a great forest on fire
Among all the parts of the body, the tongue is like a flame
It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting our entire body
It can set our whole lives on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,
But no one can tame the tongue; It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison
Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses others
And so, blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth
Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!
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MEMORY VERSE
People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. – James 3:7-8
Read: James 3:1-12
The book of James reminds us of the uncontrollable tongue. It likens the tongue to a great forest on fire that can only be started even by a tiny spark. What comes out of our mouths is the one that defiles us and not what we put in it. We can only control it if the Holy Spirit live in us and we surrender our mouths to Him.
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REFLECTION
• How can we teach ourselves to control our mouth?
• Why do we need to watch what comes out of our mouth and always examine our hearts to keep pure?
FAITH AND ENDURANCE Poem Devotional
November 19
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FAITH AND ENDURANCE
A poem by ILMA
When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it a chance for great joy
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow
When your endurance is fully developed, you will be complete, needing nothing
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you
But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone
Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as anxious as the waves
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation
Then they’ll receive the crown of life that God has vowed to those who love him
And remember, don’t ever think “God is tempting me.”
God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away
These desires give birth to sinful actions and when it grows, it gives birth to death
Don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters
Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father
He created all the lights in the heavens, He never changes or casts a shadow
He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word and we are his prized treasure.
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MEMORY VERSE
For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing – James 1:3-4
Read: James 1:1-16
The world looks at suffering as something to avoid. In this book of James, we see how God looks at trials as something to be joyful about. When we have trials, we have a chance to endure and when it’s fully developed, we will be complete, needing nothing.
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REFLECTION
• How can believers learn to look at suffering the way God sees it?
• What can endurance bring to our lives according to James?
FAITH AND GOOD DEEDS Poem Devotional
October 27
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FAITH AND GOOD DEEDS
A poem by ILMA
Faith is feeling certain of something even if we don’t see it
If we don’t show it by our actions, then it is no good
Undemonstrated faith doesn’t save anyone
For faith alone without works is dead and useless.
Would you just ignore someone who asks you for help?
You can’t just say to them “Have a good day and goodbye”
It doesn’t do anyone good if it doesn’t produce deeds
For faith is manifested by things that is done by the believer.
Abraham was shown to be right by his willingness to sacrifice his son
His faith and his actions when he offered Isaac worked together
His actions made his faith complete because it proved it
We are made right with God not only by faith but by actions.
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MEMORY VERSE
Faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
– James 2:17
Read: James 2:14-24
There are some Christians who claim they believe in God and yet they never showed any signs of it. As a believer, we are expected to manifest our trust in the Lord by our good deeds. We are instructed by God to love one another and by doing so, we actually show that we love him. When we don’t couple our faith with good deeds, we are being hypocritical.
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REFLECTION
• Why do we need to show by our actions our trust in God?
• How can faith in action convince an unbeliever to turn to God?
• Why do we need to grow our faith as Christians?
• Why do you think faith is very essential in a Christian’s life?
• What have you done to grow your faith?
CREATION THROUGH AND FOR CHRIST Poem Devotional
September 26
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CREATION THROUGH AND FOR CHRIST
A poem by ILMA
Jesus is the visual manifestation of the God that we don’t see
He was here in the beginning before all things were created
It was through Christ that God made all things in heaven and on earth
He created all things that we both see and also those that are not visible.
Thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities are those that are unseen
All things were made for the sake of our Lord Christ Jesus
He was there before anything was made and he holds all things together
Jesus Christ is the head of the church, which is his body.
He is the Alpha and is supreme over all things and won over death
He is first in everything and God in all his fullness, lived in Christ
It is through him God reconciled everything to himself
He made peace in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood.
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MEMORY VERSE
He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. – Colossians 1:17
Read: Colossians 1:15-20
It is an amazing revelation to the Colossians about the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Most people do not realize that everything in this world was created for Jesus and through him. Interestingly, he was also part of the creation because he is also God like the Heavenly Father. But we must also remember that there is a three-person God so, the Holy Spirit is also present during the creation, especially when humans were created. In Genesis 1:26, the plural form “Let us make humans” gives us a clue that the three-person God were all present in the making of the world, especially when mankind was made.
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REFLECTION
• As a Christian, do you always see that all things always point to our Lord Jesus Christ? Why do you think God created all things for Him and through him?
LIKE FRAGILE CLAY JARS Poem Devotional
August 28
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LIKE FRAGILE CLAY JARS
A poem by ILMA
Since God in his mercy has given us a new way, we never give up
We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods
We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God
We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
Satan, the god of this world, has blinded unbeliever’s minds
God’s truth is hidden only from people who are perishing
They’re unable to see the glorious light of the Good News
They don’t understand the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
God said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” and allowed believers’ to see
They know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ
We now have this light in our hearts, but we’re like fragile clay jars
We have this great treasure inside us and feel God’s power in us.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed
We are perplexed, but not driven to anguish
We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God
We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
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MEMORY VERSE
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. – 2 Corinthians 4:7
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:1-9
The Greek word for clay is ostrakinos, from which the archaeological term “ostraca”—pottery sherds—is derived. He argued that the references to light in verses 4 and 6 strongly suggest that clay lamps were the ceramic objects in Paul’s mind when he wrote this passage. So Paul developed his analogy about the fragility of the human body from the clay lamps used in antiquity to provide light. -extracted from biblical archeology.com
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REFLECTION
• Have you allowed God’s light to shine and praise his power inside your heart?
THE DANGER WITH CRITICISM Poem Devotional
August 2
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THE DANGER WITH CRITICISM
A poem by ILMA
Why do you condemn another believer or look down on some of them?
Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God; stop condemning others
Instead to live in such a way that you will not cause anyone to stumble.
On the authority of the Lord Jesus, no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat
But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person, it is
And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, it is not loving
Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.
For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink
It is living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God
So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and build each other up.
Don’t tear apart God’s work over what you eat; all foods are suitable
It is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble
You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing
If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
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MEMORY VERSE
Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So, let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. – Romans 14:12-13
Read: Romans 14:10-23
It is automatic for us to criticize instead of affirm and encourage. The danger with criticism is that it will definitely destroy relationships. No one wants to be with someone who’ll constantly criticize them and make themselves feel inadequate. We don’t want to be judged so, we need to let judgment be God’s work, not ours.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think it is easy for us to criticize rather than encourage?