July 27
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THE GOOD SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.7 So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. – John 10:1-10
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In this story, Jesus explains the purpose of His life, to be the Savior of the world. He begins by explaining the difference of the legitimate shepherd against those are counterfeits and who only wants to snatch away the sheep. The doorkeeper opens for the shepherd but the thieves come in on a different door because since they are hiding their agenda to steal. Jesus was speaking to the crowd in figures of speech because He only reveals Himself to those who belong to his flock. In verse 7, He declares his role as the only door for the sheep to enter because all the other ones who came before him are thieves and robbers. In verse 10, he differentiates himself from the thief whose purpose is to steal, kill and destroy while his purpose is to give life lavishly.
We also get a glimpse of how those sheep who belongs to the good shepherd behave. They know their shepherd’s voice and they do not follow the voice of strangers. Perhaps this is why Jesus uses sheep as a symbol for those who believe Him. Sheep are very obedient and faithful. They follow without too much resistance their shepherd. They are only going to heed his voice whom they were trained to follow. This explains clearly how believers should be: that they only listen and know God’s voice. They don’t hear other voices that do not belong to their Master. They are not led by counterfeits for they are loyal to the Good Shepherd, who is Jesus. They only walk in truth and not in lies.
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REFLECTION
• How can you differentiate a true believer from a false one?
Author Archives: ilmaarts
JESUS DECLARES HIS DEITY ILMA’S VLOG
July 26
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JESUS DECLARES HIS DEITY
35 Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him. 39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” 40 Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains. – John 9:35-41
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When Jesus heard that the blind man he healed was questioned and put out by the Jewish leaders, He talked to the man. Since Jesus is all knowing, He already knew that the man believed him before He asked him. Why then did He had to ask him? It is essential that the man recognize Him, who gave Him sight as from God. Of course, Jesus knew exactly the conversation that transpired earlier between the healed man and the Jewish leaders. He knew that this man believed in Him and that is why He was able to tell the Pharisees that He knows that only someone from God can heal a man born blind like him. As soon as we believe in Jesus, we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. Because the Holy Spirit is our counselor, helper and teacher, we immediately get revelations about the deity of Christ. It is also the Holy Spirit that makes us see things that we naturally won’t see. We are also gifted with worshiping God when we are filled with His Holy Spirit. That’s why the healed man praised Jesus as soon as He declared He is the Son of Man.
When the Jewish leaders saw that the man worshiped Jesus, they came and asked Jesus if He thinks they are blind too. Another trick question they ask Jesus so they can find something to reject Jesus with. But Jesus gives back to them a response that clearly says that they are sinners because declare they can see. In those times, blindness was associated to sin. Jesus changed that belief. He actually says that the blind are those without sin. So, when the leaders declare that they can see, He actually points out to them how sinful they are. I Corinthians 1:27 says “Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.” This verse is almost what Jesus did to the Jewish leaders who think they know it all.
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REFLECTION
• How has Jesus shown His divinity in your life?
THOUGH I WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE ILMA’S VLOG
July 25
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THOUGH I WAS BLIND, NOW I SEE
24 So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” 28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.” 30 The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. 32Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you teaching us?” So, they put him out. – John 9:24-34
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This conversation transpired between the Jewish leaders and the blind man that Jesus healed on the Sabbath. After the leaders talked to the parents of the blind man, they still aren’t convinced that the man could possibly be healed. So, they went and called for the man again to interrogate him. The Jews were insisting that he tells them the details of his healing and the man told them that he already explained it to them earlier. What was interesting in this exchange was that the man declared that once he was blind, and now he can see. It seemed more than physically seeing because as he spoke to the leaders, he sounded very wise. As the leaders try to convince him that Jesus wasn’t from God, he responded in verse 30 by asking them how they could possibly not know where Jesus came from. In verse 31, he spoke from Scripture saying that if someone is God fearing and obedient to God, that person is heard by God. The ensuing verse is a declaration of Jesus’ origin. He says that if he is not from God, how could he do such a thing as it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a blind person. The leaders were pissed at him do because that would negate all their legalistic beliefs. It is sad to watch people continue in disbelief even though they witness miracles already.
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REFLECTION
• How has the Lord made you see? Share a testimony about it.
INQUIRY ON THE HEALING ON THE SABBATH ILMA’S VLOG
July 24
________________________________________ INQUIRY ON THE HEALING ON THE SABBATH
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”18 The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, 19 and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. 23 For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
– John 9:13-23
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It is interesting how Jesus chose to heal on a Sabbath day. It seems to me that He has been revealing to the Jews who He really is and that He is above any law that has been made. He is higher than the Sabbath law and that it was made for man. The blind man was given sight so that the glory of God might be displayed, but the Jews were so spiritually blind that they cannot see what was being shown to them. Their legalism and insecurity were so clear in this account. They cannot even magnify at the miracle because they were so concerned about following the law. They had to do an inquiry to the parents themselves to find out the whole story. Their unbelief and jealousy were so obvious in this story. The more power Jesus manifest, the more they panicked and became angry. They couldn’t believe that an uneducated person can do such marvelous things. Fear gripped the hypocrites. They will lose their reputation and power.
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REFLECTION
• How can we easily miss the miracle when we focus on following l
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD GIVES SIGHT TO THE BLIND ILMA’S VLOG
July 23
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THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD GIVES SIGHT TO THE BLIND
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” 6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So, he went away and washed, and came back seeing. 8 Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” 9 Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” 10 So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.” – John 9:1-12
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In this account, we witness another miracle that Jesus did while he was here on earth. It was giving sight to a man born blind. In those time, whenever someone is blind, they associate it with sin. Light is associated with God and darkness represents Satan’s territory. Genesis 1:2-3 gives us a picture of how God created his first work, which is light. It says: The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. From the creation story, it is obvious that without light, we will still be formless and full of darkness. It was God who brought us light. Jesus declares that He is light of the world in verse 5.
When the disciples asked who sinned in this blind man’s family, Jesus claims that it is to display God’s glory and power that’s why this man was born blind. We hear Jesus say once again about his divinity to His disciple. Only God can bring light and sight to the blind. The restoration of sight for this blind man is so that all will magnify at the greatness and power of God. It is only God who can totally restore sight to anyone living in darkness.
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REFLECTION
• How can physical blindness be synonymous to spiritual blindness?
GOD’S WORD KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM DEATH ILMA’S VLOG
July 21
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GOD’S WORD KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM DEATH
48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ -John 8:48-52
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In this account in John’s gospel, we clearly see how the Jews were relentless in their pursuit to find something about Jesus that they could use to stop Him from saying truth. They don’t want to hear anything true because that would mean that they will have to give up their reputation. Jesus was exposing them and they know that Jesus sees through their schemes and plots. So, they try their best to avoid knowing the truth so they could dwell on their love for power and prestige from the public.
Aren’t many of us this way: we reject the truth that will set us free because we want to stay in bondage? We have been slaves of sin for so long that righteousness is something that is naturally unattractive. The flesh wants to cater to its instinctive desire to serve and please the “self.” It wants to protect the image that ensures that people see the image they are trying to project, even though deep inside, they know that they are counterfeits.
There is a very strong reproach and a promise that Jesus is telling them in this account. In verse 49, Jesus reveals to them that He Himself, honors and respects His own Father. He confronts the Jews how they dishonor Him. Of course, this sounded like an insult to these legalistic Jews because they think highly of themselves and who does this Jesus think He is to tell them that they don’t honor God. In verse 50, Jesus exposes their idols: their own selves. He said that He doesn’t seek His own glory, but God’s. On the other hand, they are only concerned to give themselves the glory. The promise he offers to them is that if they keep and follow God’s word, they will never taste or experience death. Jesus was talking here of the importance of Scriptures. Without it, we will perish. The Jews once again didn’t get this. They use Scriptures as a means of bringing honor to themselves. They fail to see that God’s word will free them and give them life.
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REFLECTION
• How can feeding, meditating and following Scriptures keep you away from death?
HE WHO IS OF GOD HEARS THE WORDS OF GOD ILMA’S VLOG
July 20
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HE WHO IS OF GOD HEARS THE WORDS OF GOD
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason, you do not hear them, because you are not of God.” – John 8:39-47
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Once again, the Jews exhibit their hypocrisy in verse 41 claiming that God is their Father. Jesus vehemently claims that if they were really Abraham’s children, they will never seek to kill Him. He tells them that if God is their Father, they will love and accept Him, but they have continuously rejected Him. It is strong language when Jesus tells them that they are children of the devil and explains to them the nature of their father. He is a murderer and cannot stand the truth. He is a liar and the father of lies. Jesus tells them that the reason why they cannot stand the truth that He reveals to them is because they thrive in lies. He exposes the reason why they cannot hear what He is saying. They do not hear His words because they do not belong to God.
It is interesting to watch how some Christians I know do not want the truth either. It is sad to witness these people think that they are followers of Jesus when they do not even want to know the truth. They may read the bible, but they never really reflect, follow and live the truth that comes from God’s word. They choose to live in lies and sin. They have no qualms in continually serving their own selves. They cannot belong to God if they are concerned only with their own desires and cravings.
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REFLECTION
• How is hearing the Word of God a clear indication that you belong to God?
THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE ILMA’S VLOG
July 19
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THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore, you also do the things which you heard from your father.” – John 8:31-38
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In this account Jesus tells them the pre-requisite of being His disciples. They must continue in His word so they can know the truth so they will be free. The Jews didn’t understand what Jesus was saying about being free. As far as they were concerned, none of them were slaves. Jesus was speaking to them about spiritual slavery. When they commit sins, they are slaves of sin. And those who are enslaved by sin will not enter God’s kingdom. Jesus claims his power as the Son of God when He said that if He makes them free, they will be free forever. He confronts them about their claim as Abraham’s descendants because they were seeking to kill Him. In verse 38, Jesus separates Himself from those who do not belong to His Father, insinuating that their father must be the devil because they do not speak of what His Father says.
We get another glimpse of the character of those who do not belong to God’s kingdom. The Jews constantly defy whatever Jesus reveals to them. They reject it and won’t have anything to do with truth. They were relentless in putting a stop to these truth Jesus were telling them. They are so arrogant to claim that they were Abraham’s descendants, yet they do not have the faith like Abraham had. Jesus hates sin and hypocrisy. He confronts them openly and so should all believers do. Sadly, like the Jews, many people do not want to confront sin and truth. They like to stay slaves of sins and lies. When they are faced with these things, they defend themselves and reject the chance to be saved. What a shame when we knowingly choose lies than truth or sin than righteousness.
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REFLECTION
• Why are some people afraid to face truth?
I DO NOTHING ON MY OWN BUT WHAT PLEASES MY FATHER
July 18
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I DO NOTHING ON MY OWN BUT WHAT PLEASES MY FATHER
21 Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” 25 So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.– John 8:21-30
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Jesus have been revealing many truths to the Jews in this account. He has told them that He was going somewhere they cannot come for He is from above and they are below. It is interesting that many of us, including some believers, think God is like humans. We unknowingly do this when we manipulate God to follow our wishes and wants. We place human attributes to God. We are made in His image, not Him in ours. We are the creatures not the Creator.
The most important revelation from Jesus in this account is that He doesn’t do anything on His own initiative. Everything He does and say are from the Father. How many Christians operate this way? Too often, we don’t consult God on any decisions, small or big. We don’t read, study, meditate or obey His word, so how can we be in sync with His will. How can we do what is pleasing to God when we don’t even know what is true which we can only find in Scriptures? If we constantly want to satisfy our own cravings and desires, how can we honestly say that we are doing and saying what is pleasing to God? We need to depend on God and consult His word. We need to die to our own desires which naturally wants to please the self. We need to abide in Him so we can live.
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REFLECTION
• How is reading and meditating on Scriptures a starting point in pleasing God?
IF YOU KNEW ME, YOU WOULD KNOW MY FATHER ILMA’S VLOG
July 17
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IF YOU KNEW ME, YOU WOULD KNOW MY FATHER
12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.– John 8:12-20
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The Pharisees were relentless in contradicting Jesus’ claim about being the Light of the world. They were constantly contesting how his testimony cannot be true because He is alone. They didn’t believe that Jesus was sent by God the Father and that He isn’t alone. Jesus reminded them that in their law, the testimony of two men were crucial for a testimony to be true. Yet, they could not accept what Jesus was saying. They still couldn’t fathom who His Father was. Once again Jesus tells them that they do not know where He is from or where He is going. He proclaims his deity to them when He said that if they knew Him, meaning if they believe in Him, they would also know His Father.
In this gospel account, Jesus declares that He is the light of the world. In other words, He is the only source of light here on earth. Without Him, darkness will prevail. He also invites us all to follow Him so that we will have the light of Life. Light and life go together. Darkness and death come as a package. Those who believe in Jesus will be given the light which will make them thrive in this dark and corrupt world. The Pharisees ignored the invitation to believe Him, instead, they raised another legalistic question about where Jesus could have possibly come from. They couldn’t get over the fact that someone who have never studied is much wiser than them. Jesus was a threat to their status and honor.
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REFLECTION
• How can unbelief hinder one from knowing Jesus and God the Father?