October 16
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GENESIS 1
20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. – Genesis 1:20-23
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GENESIS 1 CREATION OF SEA CREATURES AND BIRDS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
After the creation of the great lights follows the making of creatures
The waters were swarmed with living creatures that moved in it
They were various of them but God made them according to each kind
Once again, the Lord decorated the water and the skies with much life.
When God makes something, he blesses them to be fruitful and multiply
What a sight it must have been to watch the waters and skies come alive!
All living creatures that God made were designed to propagate
That is why we still see these creatures continue their kinds on earth.
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If you are an animal lover, this may be your favorite day of God’s creation. God commanded the waters to produce all kinds of living creatures. It seemed like even the birds came out from the waters, but if you look at Genesis 2:19, it also indicated that they came from the earth. I am speculating that these birds coming from the sea must have been larger since in verse 21, great sea creatures were mentioned. It must have been like those flying reptiles like the pterosaurs that these verses were referring to. What an awesome sight it must have been to see the various kinds of animals, beasts, mammals, insects and birds all over the place all at one time. When I watched Jurrasic Park with my son when he was a kid, it brought out that inner child in me, excited to visualize how God made every living creature.
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REFLECTION
• What is your favorite living creature that God made? Why is it your favorite?
Tag Archives: Christian devotional
October 15
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GENESIS 1
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day. – Genesis 1:14-19
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GENESIS 1 THE SUN, THE MOON & THE STARS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
After the creation of the seas, land and the foliage
God continued to design the expanse of the heavens
He made the sun, the greater light to distinguish the day
He added the lesser lights, the moon and stars for the night.
What a remarkable design to set boundaries of time
These lights make us know the time when to do things
With the creation of the greater light, we can work
And with the addition of the lesser lights, we can have rest.
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Could you imagine if there was no sun, moon and stars? We wouldn’t be able to distinguish day from night. We wouldn’t have an inkling when we will work and when we will stop working. These greater and lesser lights help us to have order and not chaos. God designed it so that everything has a designated time. With these lights, we know when it is time to work, to play, and to rest. With these lights, we also get to recognize the different seasons that go with God’s design: winter, spring, summer and fall. All these seasons have their own distinct features that shows God’s amazing creativity and provision.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God was so clear with which light rules which time?
• How has man’s invention of lightbulb changed God’s intent for these lights?
GENESIS 1 CREATION OF PLANTS, FOLIAGE & TREES
October 14
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GENESIS 1
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
– Genesis 1:11-13
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GENESIS 1 CREATION OF PLANTS, FOLIAGE & TREES
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
On the third day, the Lord God painted the earth with foliage
All kinds of plants and trees decorated the land which he made
Why would he add the foliage to the dry land?
Was there a purpose for him to place them on earth?
God made the sprouting vegetation in preparation for man
It was to provide for their sustenance as they live on the land
What an ingenious plan to have some trees to bear fruit to be eaten
It was something that will give nourishment and delight to mankind.
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On the third day, we see Moses’ account of the creation of the seas and the skies and vegetation and fruit bearing trees. He must have been thinking of mankind when he made plants, foliage and trees. We now know that foliage, plants and trees all have a function in our lives. Without foliage, we will have less oxygen and no shade or shelter. The trees help protect us from the harsh weather conditions as well so we don’t get flooding. They provide much fruits that we can also have nourishment. These trees can also provide for making shelter where we can be protected from the weather. A lot of times, we forget that these essentials are there as God’s way of providing for our needs.
Just reflect on what happens when you walk through the woods or the garden. You can get refreshed and be re-energized. Even your mind gets reset and feel rested and fresh again. A walk amidst plants, flowers and trees makes a difference in the busy lives we live.
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REFLECTION
• What benefits do you get from the third day of creation that you can be thankful for? Why should we have a regular time to surround ourselves with foliage?
GENESIS 1 THE CREATION OF THE SKY AND SEAS
October 13
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GENESIS 1
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
– Genesis 1:6-10
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GENESIS 1 THE CREATION OF THE SKY AND SEAS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
The Lord God saw that the light and day was good when separated
So, he decided to follow that rhythm and created the firmament
God called the one above the expanse as “Sky”
Then the one below the firmament, he called “Seas.”
Because the Lord is a God of order, he wanted things in place
So, he gathered all the waters under the sky to form the seas
And then he added the dry land to appear and he was pleased
He watched the contrasting beauty between the land and the seas.
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We see God at work continuing his design from the first day towards the second day. Notice that he began a pattern in the first day of separating the light from the darkness. On the second day, he began to separate the waters from the waters and created an expanse which he called “sky” or “heaven” in some other bible translations.
It is in the sky that we see all the other lights he placed on it. It is where he also displays the beautiful colors of the sunrise and sunsets. We see all the cloud formations in it as well and I can’t stop but be in awe each time I see a platoon of clouds or cloud formations that almost forms a human face. God used the sky to paint pictures and have a show of colors for us to remember his great design that he made for us.
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REFLECTION
• What are your thoughts on God’s love for setting boundaries and separations?
GENESIS 1 GOD’S FIRST DAY AT WORK
October 12
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GENESIS 1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
– Genesis 1:1-5
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GENESIS 1 GOD’S FIRST DAY AT WORK
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
God authored creation when he saw that the earth was formless
There was darkness all over as his Spirit hovered over the waters
Just as he watches over us during our darkest moments in life
He is there to exercise his sovereignty and authority over our lives
When darkness looms, never forget that he is still watching
He will never leave or forsake his people during trials and suffering.
The Lord God begins his work with the words “Let there be light”
And at once, light illumined the darkness and what was empty
He saw that it was good, so he created a separation from the two
He deemed it wasn’t good to put them together, so he set aside the light
He called the light day and the darkness night so they can be distinct
Thus, the first day came into being and God created time difference.
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What a great account Moses gave us of how everything began! Could you imagine how it was when God was watching the emptiness and darkness? Picture an artist looking over a blank canvas and allowing himself to visualize what can become of this empty canvas. Then God figured out that light was needed to cover the darkness. Just like our world was dead in the dark, he gave light to give us life. No wonder we can’t survive without light. We cannot thrive without God’s grace too. God is always at work, completing us.
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REFLECTION
• How do these verses show God as the greatest artist and problem-solver?
PHILEMON 1 ON FORGIVENESS AND EQUALITY
October 11
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PHILEMON 1
17 So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. 18 If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self. 20 Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.
21 Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. 22 At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.
23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, 24 and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
25 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. – Philemon 1:17-25
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PHILEMON 1 ON FORGIVENESS AND EQUALITY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
When you have been hurt by someone you trusted
It may be hard to forgive and forget what happened
The Lord taught us to forgive and to pray for those who wronged us
Humanly, it isn’t possible to grant forgiveness but with God, we can give grace
The mercy he bestows on us is enough for us to give it to others as well
Let us remember how we were forgiven so we can also give it easily.
As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are expected to show no partiality
To give preference to others and treat some with biases is ungodly
No matter the status of someone, we ought to give respect to everyone
Just as the Lord treated others with kindness, we also have to be compassionate
When we show partiality, we have made distinctions and become judges
Let us all love one another especially those who are in the household of God.
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REFLECTION
• Why would Paul go out of his way to ask forgiveness to Philemon for the sake of Onesimus? What does he manifest by doing this?
• Do you think that Paul began the breaking down of slavery in this short letter to Philemon? Why or why not?
PHILEMON 1 AN APPEAL FOR RECONCILIATION
October 10
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PHILEMON 1
8 Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, 9 yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— 10 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) 12 I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. 13 I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own accord. 15 For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a bondservant but more than a bondservant, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. – Philemon 1:8-16
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PHILEMON 1 AN APPEAL FOR RECONCILIATION
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
To all those who have been given the faith in Christ Jesus
Remember how the Lord gave up his life for all of us
We are no longer consumed by this world or slaves to sins
Our desires no longer tempt us to sin, we are now slaves to Christ.
I appeal to all those who are still infants in their faith
Please consider growing the seeds that has been sown
Do not continue with your old ways before you heard the gospel
Be reconciled with your brothers and sisters in order to follow Jesus.
Do not allow the enemy to encroach at your heart’s door
Forgive other believers who have stumbled and hurt you
When you hold on to offense, forgiveness may be hard to grant
So, be quick to forgive and give others grace and let love prevail.
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REFLECTION
• What was the situation in this letter of Paul to Philemon?
• Why was Paul asking Philemon to be reconciled with Onesimus? What was their relationship?
PHILEMON 1 THANKFUL FOR GOD’S LIGHT
October 9
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PHILEMON 1
1 Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our beloved fellow worker 2 and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house:
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, 5 because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ. 7 For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.
–Philemon 1:1-7
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PHILEMON 1 THANKFUL FOR GOD’S LIGHT
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
O Lord, before I knew you, I concerned myself with the world
It was a life of darkness until you touched my heart with your word
Your word was light amidst that darkness that enveloped my life
The light coming from you was so intense and covered all the dark
After your overpowering light, there was no way my life was the same
Thank you for exposing all the lies that was so ingrained in me in the past
You transformed every inch of me and inclined my heart to hunger for you
I am thankful each time I have an opportunity to proclaim your good news.
In my dark past, I used all the resources I have for my own desires
But now, you made me realize that they are for your kingdom purpose
Thank you for using me as a vessel to spread the word that is so powerful
You called me by name to show your grace and your love so unconditional
You gave me your promises so that I can have hope in the midst of trials
Your assurance has kept me going and helped me to persist in loving others
Lord, let me never forget what you have done to save a sinner like me
Let me always count my blessings; deliver me from all kinds of grumbling.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think Paul wrote to Philemon and began in a thankful tone in his letter? What was his purpose in writing him?
ECCLESIASTES 12 ANTIDOTES TO VANITY
October 8
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ECCLESIASTES 12
9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. 10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. 12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. – Ecclesiastes 12:9-14
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ECCLESIASTES 12 ANTIDOTES TO VANITY
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
We can work hard to pursue things and do our best
But if it is to satisfy our own desires, it is pointless
If we exist only for the purpose of following our cravings
We are just living our lives without depth and meaning
There are antidotes to vanity: fear God and follow his laws
When we live in the fear of the Lord, we will honor his word
Everything we do when we love our Maker will now make sense
We will not have the emptiness inside as he fulfills his promises.
There is nothing more important in our lives than to please him
It will make us faithful to obey his word so we won’t habitually sin
The fear of the Lord is the purpose of our lives, it’s the source of wisdom
As we honor our majestic God, he will faithfully lead us to freedom
No longer will we follow our sinful nature, be indifferent or shallow
We will hunger for his presence always and begin to mature and grow
The whole duty of man is to obey his commands and to fear the Lord
Without these antidotes, we will continue to be vain and immature.
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REFLECTION
• How is fearing the Lord and obeying his commands antidotes to vanity?
• What kinds of vanity do you see in your community that keeps man from doing their duty of fearing God and keeping his laws?
ECCLESIASTES 12 SIGNS OF AGING & TOWARDS THE END
October 7
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ECCLESIASTES 12
5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man is going to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets— 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
– Ecclesiastes 12:5-8
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ECCLESIASTES 12 SIGNS OF AGING & TOWARDS THE END
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
In our young age, we did a lot of discoveries
We were brave and took risks and made choices
It may have brought us to where we are now
But this world is not really where we ought to go
As we mature and grow old, we become more fearful
Once we were brave but our boldness has dwindled.
As we look at our faces, we see sagging and wrinkles
Our tresses once dark, are now grey or white as snow
Towards the end of life, we become weak and sleepless
It is hard to get rest as we easily awake many moments
Our eyes are not as sharp and are now dim and hazy
Even heights that used to excite us are now a challenge.
In the morning we wake up with aches here and there
Our activities are limited as our bodies deteriorate
Our friends start to die and funerals are on the go
We begin to think if our lives are truly meaningful
Did we really make a difference in this existence?
Did we truly live our lives in the likeness of God’s image?
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REFLECTION
• What does verse 7 remind us of this life that we live?