June 16
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1 JOHN 4
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
– 1 John 4:7-12
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1 JOHN 4 WHOEVER LOVES KNOWS GOD
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
God is love and whoever he has chosen will manifest love
True love is that God loved first us and sent his only Son
Love is the manifestation of God’s presence in us
Because God is love, those who knows him walks in love.
If someone doesn’t show compassion or hate his brothers
They must not have known the Lord who commands to love one another
Because God loves us, shouldn’t we also love each other?
Who are we to say that we can love God if we don’t love our brothers?
God is the only source of love; without him, we can’t have it
Whoever loves knows God and he has his Spirit in him
The absence of love manifests the love for the world
When there is love, there is also a hunger for God’s word.
If someone says they know how to love but doesn’t show it
That person is a liar; he clearly doesn’t have God’s spirit
To love one another is the demonstration of God’s presence
To hate another person is the evidence of the works of the devil.
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REFLECTION
• How different is the world view of “love” from this true love that John was talking about in these following verses?
Category Archives: Poem devotionals
1 JOHN 4 ON TESTING AND DISCERNING SPIRITS
June 15
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1 JOHN 4
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore, they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
– 1 John 4:1-6
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1 JOHN 4 ON TESTING AND DISCERNING SPIRITS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
We are cautioned to be aware of spirits around us
Let us not believe every spirit, instead, bring it to a test
We live in a world that is corrupted and full of deception
The prince of this world wants us all to have chaos and confusion.
The only way we can test the spirit is if we walk in God’s Spirit
He gave us his word so we can walk in truth and not be deceived
You will know if it is from God when they confess Jesus became man
If they deny Christ, they don’t speak the truth but lies from Satan.
The spirit of the antichrist does not declare Jesus as Lord
They will deceive you with subtle lies that are from this crooked world
Many false prophets and antichrists are out now to wreak havoc
If you believe in Christ, you will have his Spirit who’ll deliver you.
Do not be afraid little children for Christ has already won the battle
He who lives inside you is stronger than they are, so have courage
Those who listen to the truth and lives in it are from the Lord Jesus
Don’t fret if the world doesn’t listen to all those who are from us.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think some people cannot discern the Spirit of truth from error?
1 JOHN 3 GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEART
June 14
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1 JOHN 3
19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. – 1 John 3:19-24
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1 JOHN 3 GOD IS GREATER THAN OUR HEART
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When the Spirit convicts you of sin, do you repent right away?
Or do you wallow in guilt when you do wrong and go astray?
To all those whom God has chosen to belong to him
The Spirit of the Lord is given to them so they can overcome sin
When you acknowledge the correction of God’s Spirit
He will also guide you to the right path so you can walk on it.
God is merciful and full of compassion and steadfast love
If you confess and acknowledge your sin, you will be pardoned
There is no need to live in the guilt of the sin you committed
God is greater than our heart; he knows us inside and out
We are easily deceived by our own hearts, we are unstable
But the Lord is the Absolute Truth and he is not changeable.
Let us all believe that God has equipped us with his Spirit
The proof of the Spirit’s presence is when there are fruits
The Lord God will give you the ability to follow all his laws
He will instill in you a hunger for his word and his statutes
Draw near to the Lord and he will come close to you
Delight in his word and follow it and you will be renewed.
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REFLECTION
• How can guilt be good for a believer? When can guilt be destructive?
1 JOHN 3 LOVE IN DEED AND IN TRUTH
June 13
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1 JOHN 3
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. – 1 John 3:16-18
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1 JOHN 3 LOVE IN DEED AND IN TRUTH
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
You cannot say you know God if you do not manifest love
As a believer, the proof of your love is to show that you care
To love with a return in mind is not love but is a transaction
True love is to lay down one’s life without any conditions
If someone comes to you who is in need and you have it
Do not dismiss it but respond by providing that need.
Let us not just talk but show in action the love that we have
The fruit of the Spirit is in the deed that we show to our brother
It is not in what we say that we can truly prove our love for others
It is in how we risk our own life to bring life to another sister or brother
Jesus lay down his life to save us from the bondage of sin
We also ought to follow his example so we can please him.
When we declare we love someone, it has to be coupled with action
To say that we love and yet now manifest in our deeds is deception
All those who belong to the Lord do not use the word love loosely
If one uses it to get something back in return, it is lying wilfully
Let us love unconditionally like how God love us all
If we don’t, we will easily be tempted and fall.
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REFLECTION
• Share an experience that you totally felt you were loved by someone. What did they do to make you assured of their love for you?
• Why are actions stronger than words in this case of proving your love for someone as John indicates in the following verses?
1 JOHN 3 WHOEVER DOES NOT LOVE ABIDES IN DEATH
June 12
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1 JOHN 3
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. – 1 John 3:11-15
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1 JOHN 3 WHOEVER DOES NOT LOVE ABIDES IN DEATH
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
The love of God is the reason why we have life
Without the love of God, we will all die
The Lord made heaven and earth and all humans
It is for his delight that we are all created
Let us therefore abide in God by walking in love
If we are his, we will follow his commands and abide.
Whoever does not love abides in death
He does not know God, so will always be in the dark
When someone loves God, he will be hated by the world
Because the ungodly loves sin, he will abhor God’s word
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer
No one who hates someone will live forever.
Let all those whom God elect choose to walk in love
For God is love and whoever loves has the Spirit of God
When love isn’t present in someone’s life
There is all kinds of chaos, disorder and strife
Cling to the Lord by meditating on his word
Follow his commands and you will triumph over the world.
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REFLECTION
• What did John mean when he said that whoever does not love abides in death?
• Why do you think John calls someone who does not love, a murderer?
1 JOHN 3 WHEN ONE MAKES A HABIT OF SINNING
June 11
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1 JOHN 3
4 Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. 8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. – 1 John 3:4-8
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1 JOHN 3 WHEN ONE MAKES A HABIT OF SINNING
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Sin is the reason why we deserve God’s wrath
Because of sin, we have turned our backs to God
The Lord created us in his image, who is sinless
But humans handed over his life to wickedness
So, the Lord God in his mercy and steadfast love
Gave us his only begotten Son to free us
Whoever believes in the one whom God sent
Will have redemption from all their sins.
When you received Jesus in your heart
He sent the Holy Spirit so you won’t be apart
Whoever walks in the Spirit walks in love
Whoever makes a habit of sinning walks in the dark
If you belong to God, you do practice righteousness
If you belong to the devil, you live in lawlessness
Jesus came down so we can be free from sin’s slavery
Since the start, the devil wants us to so sin and be enslaved.
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REFLECTION
• Since we are all sinful, how can we defeat our flesh from making a habit of sinning?
• Why do some people minimize sin as faults or weaknesses instead of taking responsibility for it?
1 JOHN 3 WHY THE WORLD DOES NOT KNOW US
June 10
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1 JOHN 3
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so, we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
– 1 John 3:1-3
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1 JOHN 3 WHY THE WORLD DOES NOT KNOW US
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When God chose you to belong to him, he gave you his Spirit
The Spirit is unseen and does not belong to this earthly empire
Things that we see are those that belong to this world
God’s realm is unseen and revealed only in his word
The Lord only reveals himself to those whom he loves
Therefore, those who are not his, do not know God.
The works of the flesh keeps us in lust and constant craving
While the Spirit’s work is to keep us obeying and believing
The world lives only for himself and satisfying the self
While the Spirit guides and directs us saints, to be selfless
Those who belong to this world continue to desire and lust
Those who belong to Christ, live to obey him and trust.
So, to all God’s children, do not be discouraged
Only those who know God will truly comprehend
They do understand us because they don’t know him
They do not care what the Lord commands, they live in sin
Therefore, do not fret when you are misunderstood
Christ himself was misconstrued and also rejected.
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REFLECTION
• Why should true believers never fret or be anxious when they are misunderstood or rejected according to these verses?
• What goes on in our hearts when we get offended and defend ourselves?
1 JOHN 2 ABIDING IN GOD BRINGS CONFIDENCE
June 9
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1 JOHN 2
28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.
– 1 John 2:28-29
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1 JOHN 2 ABIDING IN GOD BRINGS CONFIDENCE
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
Do you doubt or fear that your knowledge isn’t sufficient?
Are you obsessed to appear intelligent, good or efficient
Do you cringe at the thought that you will be shamed by others?
Are you always cautious and careful to impress one another?
We can all get caught up by the standards we set on ourselves
Because of world systems, we often think we need to look our best always
We get accustomed to get approval from those whom we look up to
We often compare ourselves with others and often feel like a failure.
God made humans in his own image and also “perfect” in many ways
But because of the fall, we often listen to accusations and Satan’s lies
The enemy constantly want us to doubt ourselves and our abilities
He steals the gifts that God gave us and marinates us in so much fears.
God gave us not a spirit of fear but of power, love and self-discipline
We may only have the confidence if we walk in the God’s Spirit he instilled
If we abide in him and all his commandments, we will have confidence
Only the truth exposes all kinds of fear that is caused by believing lies.
When you abide in God, all systems of the world become obvious
Strongholds set by the devil can no longer enslave or have a hold on us
The word of the Lord is the source of hope, love and courage
Keep close to it and you will surely break all kinds of bondage.
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REFLECTION
• Why is human knowledge not a true source of confidence?
• Where do we get confidence according to these following verses?
1 JOHN 2 GOD’S ANOINTING PROTECTS US FROM DECEPTION
June 8
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1 JOHN 2
26 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. 27 But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. – 1 John 2:26-27
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1 JOHN 2 GOD’S ANOINTING PROTECTS US FROM DECEPTION
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When God chose you, he equipped you with his truth
Because he loves you, he will protect you from what’s untrue
When you accepted the Lord by believing in him
You were anointed with the Holy Spirit’s indwelling.
Remember that the word of God will keep you in his light
Read it, reflect on it and obey what it says and you will have life
The truth that comes from his word exposes deceptions
Meditate and do what it says so you won’t have any misconceptions.
The Holy Spirit is your teacher and counselor, rely on him constantly
While you walk in the Spirit, you will have watchfulness continually
Even if the enemy plots evil and attacks you, you will be protected
Do not fear for your anointing is powerful and Satan will be defeated.
Be mindful how the devil works, he is cunning and sneaky
If you are always feeding on God’s word, you will see it easily
Abide in his anointing and you will walk in righteousness
If you fail to follow his commands and will, you will be in darkness.
All God’s children are called to pray in faith with no doubting
For the one who doubts is a double-minded person
He is like the wave of the sea that is tossed and blown
He is double-minded and has no stability and loyalty.
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REFLECTION
• Based on these following verses, do you think unbelievers have protection over deception? Why or why not?
1 JOHN 2 LET WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING ABIDE IN YOU
June 7
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1 JOHN 2
23 No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. – 1 John 2:23-25
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1 JOHN 2 LET WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING ABIDE IN YOU
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God
The Word is the Lord and he already existed in the beginning of time
God the Father created the world from its foundation
The Son and the Spirit were with him when he began creation.
The Lord made everything exist by his own breath
He uttered the words “Let there be…” and it was made
The world was created for the pleasure of God and the Son
Each creation was made through him, with him, in him and for him.
God the Father wants to reconcile the world to himself after the fall
This is why he gave his only begotten Son so we might be rescued
He brought us the Son, who already existed before time
He did this so that we might see his glory even if we haven’t actually seen him.
The Father gave his Son who is the Word, that he may be present among us
He made manifest himself in Jesus when he took the form of a human
Therefore, whoever have heard and believed that Jesus is the Son of God
The Father will also abide in that person who accepted his begotten Son.
Let what you have heard from the beginning abide in you
Confess that Jesus is Lord and that he came in the flesh to save
If you believe in Jesus Christ, you also believe in the Father
If you do, you’ll be granted the crown of life and live with him forever.
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REFLECTION
• What do you think John was referring to in the phare “what you have heard from the beginning”? Why are we supposed to abide in what we have heard?