August 27
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CHRIST-LIKE FRAGRANCE & LETTER CARVED ON HUMAN HEARTS
A poem by ILMA
God has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ
He uses us to spread Christ’s knowledge everywhere like a sweet perfume
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God but is perceived differently
By those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.
To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom
But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume
And who among us all believers is adequate for such a task as this?
We preach the God’s word with sincerity knowing that God is watching us.
Are we beginning to praise ourselves again?
Are we like others, who need to bring letters of recommendation?
Who ask you to write such letters on their behalf?
The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves.
Your lives are a letter written in our hearts so all can recognize God’s work
Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result his ministry among you.
A “letter” written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God
It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
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MEMORY VERSE
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.
– 2 Corinthians 2:15
Read: 2 Corinthians 2:2:14 – 2 Corinthians 3:3
In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses how God has made us captives by using His knowledge to spread everywhere like a sweet perfume. Paul also mentions how our lives are like a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God.
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REFLECTION
• Is your life bonded to the Lord Jesus Christ that all the knowledge he gave you is like a Christ-like perfume smelling sweetly everywhere?
• Is your life like a letter written with God’s Spirit for everyone to know him?
Tag Archives: poetry
VEIL THAT KEEPS US FROM KNOWING Poem Devotional
August 26
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VEIL THAT KEEPS US FROM KNOWING
A poem by ILMA
Now that the Holy Spirit is giving us life
Aren’t we to expect greater glory under the new way?
If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious
How much more it is with the new way, it makes us right with God.
In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the new way
So, if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious,
How much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!
This new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold.
To this day whenever the old covenant is heard, the same veil covers their minds They cannot understand the truth. And this veil can only be taken away by Christ Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings.
Their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there’s freedom So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect God’s glory who is He makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
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MEMORY VERSE
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. – 2 Corinthians 3:16-17
Read: 2 Corinthians 3:7-18
The veil that is being talked about in this part of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians hampers us all to see the glorious presence of God. In this chapter, Paul stresses the importance of having that veil removed only by Christ. We just need to ensure that we haven’t turned our backs on God and this veil will be removed.
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REFLECTION
• How do we ensure that the veil is going to be removed from us?
• Why do you think some people carry on the veil that prevents them from knowing?
GOD COMFORTS US ALL
August 25
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GOD COMFORTS US ALL
A poem by ILMA
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort
He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others
When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort.
The more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort
It is for our benefit when we are weighed down with troubles
For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort others.
Then we can patiently endure the same things we suffer.
We are confident that as you share in our sufferings,
You will also share in the comfort God gives us
We think you ought to know about the trouble we went through
We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure.
We thought we would never live through it and we expected to die
But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and relied only on God
He did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again
He will continue to rescue us because God has graciously answered prayers.
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MEMORY VERSE
For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 1: 5
Read: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11
The world views suffering very differently as God would. Getting comforted from someone is something we all desire as human beings. When we don’t get it from people, we expect it from, we get frustrated and sometimes angry. It leads us to become needy. What we don’t realize is that God always gives us comfort, but we need to look at the sacrifice of Christ on the cross to understand this.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think comfort is something that we people can’t do without in this world?
ORDER TO THE RESURRECTION Poem Devotional
August 24
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ORDER TO THE RESURRECTION
A poem by ILMA
Why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead?
For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised
And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching and your faith is useless
We’ll all be lying about God—it can’t be true if there’s no resurrection of the dead.
If there’s no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised
And if Christ has not been raised, then you are still guilty of your sins
In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost!
And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are to be pitied.
Christ has been risen and he’s the first of a great harvest of all who have died
Just as death came into the world through the man Adam
Now the resurrection from the dead has begun through God’s Son
Everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.
There’s an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest Then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back
After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over his Father,
Having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.
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MEMORY VERSE
But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. – 1 Corinthians 15:23
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-24
Those who are believers need to be reminded of the order to the resurrection. When Christ was risen from the dead, he was the first one to be the first of the harvest. His promise to those who love him and are faithful will also experience the resurrection.
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REFLECTION
• Do you believe that you will be resurrected like Christ was? What do you do to keep this promise of Christ possible for you as a believer?
• What does the resurrection power do to all who believe in Jesus?
PAUL’S REMINDER OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION Poem Devotional
August 23
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PAUL’S REMINDER OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION
A poem by ILMA
Let me now remind you of the Good News I preached to you before
You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm and trust the Lord
It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message
I passed on to you what’s been passed on to me and what’s most important.
Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures spoke about
He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day
He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve apostles
After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers.
Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles
Lastly, as though I’d been born at the wrong time, I also saw him
For I am the least of all those who followed him and called
I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after I persecuted God’s church.
But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his favor on me
And not without results, for I have worked harder than any of the others
Yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace
So, it makes no difference who preaches, the message is the same.
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MEMORY VERSE
But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me.
– 1 Corinthians 15:10
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
It is easy to forget the importance of focusing on the resurrection of Jesus. It was what saved us all and reminds us of the undeserved favor He gave us all. Whenever we go through stages of spiritual dying in our lives, we must focus on the Risen Christ who can raise us from whatever circumstances we go through.
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REFLECTION
• How can you remind yourself constantly of what the resurrection means?
CALL TO ORDERLY WORSHIP Poem Devotional
August 22
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CALL TO ORDERLY WORSHIP
A poem by ILMA
When you meet together to worship, some will sing or teach
Others will say some revelation from God or speak in tongues
One might interpret what’s said but it must strengthen all of you
No more than two or three should speak in tongues and speak one at a time Someone must interpret what they say but if no one interprets, be silent.
Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said
But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from God
In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other
Remember that people who prophesy are in the Spirit’s control to take turns
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of the church.
Do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians?
Are you the only ones to whom it was given?
If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized.
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MEMORY VERSE
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.
– 1 Corinthians 14:33
Read: 1 Corinthians 14:26-39
In this chapter, Paul talks about the order when we come to worship. He stresses here how the Lord is a God of order and not of chaos. Though we have many different gifts, the gifts of speaking in tongues and prophecy was emphasized here and Paul tells the Corinthians that these two gifts are very important in the body of Christ. He clearly gives detailed instructions as to how it must be orderly done in the church. Where there is disorder, the Lord is not in that situation or place.
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REFLECTION
• Have you ever spoken in tongues or prophesied in your church?
• Why is it important to have order in worshiping the Lord?
GIFTS OF TONGUES AND PROPHECY Poem Devotional
August 21
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GIFTS OF TONGUES AND PROPHECY
A poem by ILMA
Let love be your highest goal also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives
Desire specially the ability to prophesy because it benefits the entire church
For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God People won’t understand you for you’ll be speaking by the Spirit’s power.
One who prophesies strengthens, encourages, and comforts others
A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally
But one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church
For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues.
Unless someone interprets what you are saying when you speak in tongues,
Only you and the Spirit understand, the whole church won’t be strengthened
If someone speaks in an unknown language, how would that help you?
But a revelation, special knowledge, prophecy or teaching, will be helpful.
Even lifeless instruments must play the notes clearly for melody to be recognized
It’s the same for you; if you speak to people in words that they don’t understand
How will they know what you are saying?
You might as well be talking into empty space.
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MEMORY VERSE
I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened. – 1 Corinthians 14:5
Read: 1 Corinthians 14:1-9
God’s Spirit gives us many different gifts, among them are the gifts of speaking in tongues and prophecy. Paul urges the Corinthians in this chapter to allow these gifts in the church. He stresses the importance of prophesying for it benefits and strengthens the church.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think prophesying is better than speaking in tongues?
• Do you speak in tongues in public? Why do you think some people don’t exercise this gift of the Holy Spirit?
WITHOUT LOVE, NOTHING MATTERS Poem Devotional
August 20
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WITHOUT LOVE, NOTHING MATTERS
A poem by ILMA
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others,
It would be pointless like I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal
If I had the gift of prophecy, and knew all God’s plan and had great faith
It would mean nothing if I didn’t love others, I would be nothing.
If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body
I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing
Love is patient and kind; love isn’t jealous or boastful or proud or rude
It doesn’t demand; it’s not irritable, and keeps no list of being wronged.
It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures all things
Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge is useless
But love will last forever! It is the secret for lasting relationships.
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child
But when I grew up, I put away childish things; Now we see things imperfectly, Like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we’ll see everything clearly
Three things last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest is love.
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MEMORY VERSE
If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. – 1 Corinthians 13:2
Read: 1 Corinthians 13
This chapter is popularly known as the Love Chapter. This was the reading for my wedding and yet it was something that a lot of people do not really comprehend fully what it means. Until after ten years of marriage, I still often times forget to apply the most important ingredient in any relationships, which is love.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think love covers all and mean everything in relationships?
ONE BODY WITH MANY PARTS Poem Devotional
August 19
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ONE BODY WITH MANY PARTS
A poem by ILMA
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body
So it is with the body of Christ; some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles
Some are slaves, and some are free; but we’ve all been baptized into one body
by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit though it has different parts.
If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,”
That does not make it any less a part of the body but contributes to the whole
And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,”
Would it diminish its role make it any less a part of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear?
But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants
How strange a body would be if it had only one part!
The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.
Some parts of the body that seem weakest are actually the most necessary
The parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care
God placed the body so we care more for those parts that have less dignity
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.
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MEMORY VERSE
All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. – 1 Corinthians 12:27
Read: Corinthians 12:12-27
This illustration of the body of Christ in this message of Paul to the Corinthians is a good reminder how all those who committed to Christ is part of one big church, which is the body of Christ. Some Christians isolate themselves from the other parts of the body when in fact, we are all members of this one body and we all need to live in harmony and not comparing each one of us from the rest. We all have a role to play.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to know role and purpose you are made to function in his body?
• Why should we not isolate ourselves from the other parts of the body?
HOLY SPIRIT DECIDES WHAT GIFTS TO GIVE Poem Devotional
August 17
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HOLY SPIRIT DECIDES WHAT GIFTS TO GIVE
A poem by ILMA
Brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities
You know that when you were still pagans, you were astray worshiping idols
I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus
And no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it comes from the same Spirit
There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord
God works in different ways, but it’s the same God who works in us all
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice
To another, the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge
The same Spirit gives great faith to another and to another, healing gifts
He gives someone power to perform miracles and another the ability to prophesy.
He gives someone else the ability to discern God’s spirit or another kind
Some are given ability to speak in tongues while another interprets
It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts
He alone decides which gift each one of us must have.
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MEMORY VERSE
It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. – 1 Corinthians 12:12
Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-12
There are many gifts of the Holy Spirit to believers, but no one can choose which one to have because only God’s Spirit decides on that. Sadly, some Christians think that they could work at a gift. It is freely given to us.
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REFLECTION
• Do you know what your spiritual gift is? Have you been using it for God’s glory?
• Why do you think it is hard for some believers to recognize such gifts from God’s Holy Spirit?