Tag Archives: ILMA ARTS STUDIO

2 CORINTHIANS 9 ENRICHED BY GRACE

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February 10

2 Corinthians 9

6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,

“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. – 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

2 CORINTHIANS 9 ENRICHED BY GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a result of your faith, you will be enriched by God’s grace

You will no longer give unwillingly but you’ll pay it forward

Since you were given much while you didn’t deserve it

Your heart will be moved to sow more instead of sparingly

Like God, you will become a cheerful giver and stay grateful

You will be giving God true worship in Spirit and in truth.

In this account, Paul explains to the Corinthian church how they were enriched by the grace of God when they believed in him. He mentions one law of boundaries in this letter. In verse 6, he points out that if they didn’t sow much, they will reap little and if they sow much, there is a bounty of harvest. In verse 7, he explains the concept of generosity which is a result of the grace we received from God. Without God, we will stay selfish and not give from the heart. It is God’s grace that equips us to love one another and thereby be accountable to care for each other’s needs. Verse 7 expounds on the principle behind giving. It is not just giving for the sake of it or for us to look good and generous. Even our giving is stirred by the grace that only comes from God because if we were left on our own, we will only focus on meeting our own needs and not others’. There is something not right when we give for the wrong reasons. Take for example a man who was wanting to be looked up to as a good person. He does give, but wants to make sure others see his act of giving. This isn’t “giving” as a result of grace, but as a result of performance and self-exaltation. Verse 7 clearly states that it must not be done out of obligation or compulsion. It has to be an act of the heart which aims to serve others as you have received from God himself.  Can you imagine a world where everyone is stingy and unloving? There will be lots of conflicts and chaos. Now, imagine that everyone is sowing much and giving wholeheartedly without limits. What would that look like? Could you imagine a peaceful place where no one has to be in need because each believer is looked after by their sisters and brothers.

Because of God’s grace, we can now give as much as we received from God. Giving and loving no longer have bounds and limits. We pass the grace forward so we can reap more from God’s promises.

REFLECTION

·       How can we constantly be mindful of how grace enriches our lives?

2 TIMOTHY 2 STRENGTHENED BY GOD’S GRACE

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February 9

2 TIMOTHY 2

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men,who will be able to teach others also. 3 Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. 5 An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. 6 It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. 7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

                                                                                 – 2 Timothy 2:1-7

2 TIMOTHY 2 STRENGTHENED BY GOD’S GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you became a servant of Christ, you were saved

It is his grace that gave you strength to be alive

By God’s grace, you heard the gospel and His word

No longer are powerless but victors over the world

You are now able to understand the authority of God

You no longer give in to rebellious spirits but obey his word.

In this letter of Timothy, he brings a new mindset to the believers. By having this viewpoint, they will begin to be strengthened by the grace given to them. It is only the gift of grace that allows them to have strength.  Timothy presents three ways to change the way they see themselves as servants of Christ:

1.     As a good soldier of Christ-Soldiers train to be ready for battle so they can overcome the enemy’s tactics. 1 Peter 1:13 explains how this mindset is. It is preparing the mind for action, and being sober-minded, setting one’s hope fully on God’s grace and revealed at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Paul also talks about this in Ephesians 6:13 when he commands them to take up the whole armor of God, so that they may be able to withstand in the evil day.

2.     As a competitive athlete who trains and follow rules- All athletes prepare for the competition by training regularly and persevering. Paul mentions this mindset also in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27  when he says “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. So, I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

3.     As a hard-working farmer– In James 5:7, he compares a believer to a farmer and says that we have to “ Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.” The writer ofHebrews says in 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

REFLECTION

  • Which of these three mindsets have you adopted and how has it grown your faith?

ACTS 4 OVERFLOWING GRACE

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February 8

ACTS 4

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. – Acts 4:32-37

ACTS 4 OVERFLOWING GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When they were called to be servants of the Lord Jesus Christ

They became part of a family of believers who constantly witnessed

By the grace given to them, they testified to the resurrection

It is in this testimony that they come together in communion

They began to fill each other’s needs and stayed connected

Therefore, grace abounded because they were committed

By living this way, they encouraged and built one another

They became strong and ready to grow their faith together.

Luke’s account focused on how the disciples lived their lives in a community. It showed the accountability of each of the believers and manifested how they loved each other and built one another. In verse 33, Luke mentioned the powerful witnessing of the apostles to the resurrection of Jesus. Because of such faithful praise to God, they were overflowing with grace. In verse 34, one of the proofs of the fruit of grace is that there was nobody who was poor or needy in that community of believers. Those who possess properties and houses, shared whatever they have with those who didn’t have much. They all brought to the apostles whatever they have so that as all the gifts and contribution were gathered together, they met all the needs of the whole community. Luke specifically mentioned Joseph who was a Levite and native of Cyprus who sold a field he owned and gave the proceeds of that property to the apostles. It seemed like it was a big and generous act of giving. As a result of such loving and caring for each other, they abounded in God’s grace. Their needs were all met and they abounded in love and fellowship with each other. The result of such building each other up and being responsible for one another grew their church and community. That is overflowing grace!

These sharing and caring for one another in the believers’ lives is still practiced in our Christian churches now. They followed that same format of giving. This is why we have offerings and tithes that we give so that the people of God will be provided for. Even the act of giving is a manifestation of grace that we received when we were chosen to be God’s people.

REFLECTION

  • What overflowing grace have you received when you became a believer?

TITUS 2 THE BENEFITS OF GOD’S GRACE

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February 7

TITUS 2

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you. –  Titus 2:11-15

TITUS 2 THE BENEFITS OF GOD’S GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

God gave us grace because we cannot cleanse our sins

Only Christ’s blood made it possible to reconcile with Him

By the grace of God, we are able to train for righteousness

We can now have control over our desires and ungodliness

By the sacrifice on the cross, we no longer follow our cravings

Instead, we renounce our worldliness and seek godly living

With the grace granted to all those whom he has elected

Every believer is now able to praise God instead of pleasing self.

In this letter, Titus gives the church a guideline for the believers to follow by spelling out to them the benefits of God’s grace. It is almost like giving an instructional manual as to the profits of being granted salvation through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

Here are some of the results of God’s grace in a believer’s life according to Titus:

  • The believer is saved from the damnation of sin – no one can save himself from God’s wrath so

             God gave us Jesus to do that. He paid for our sins because we cannot pay it ourselves.

  • It trains the believer to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions – by being freed from the

             wrath of God, we can now let go of all the sins we habitually do. We are now alive in Christ and

             no longer slaves to sin.

  • It allows the believer to have self-control and upright lives – since the Holy Spirit lives in

             every believer, he is now able to take over the out-of-control lives they used to live.

  • The believer now posses a blessed hope -the hopeful expectancy of the fulfillment of the

             promise of God to his own people. They no longer believe in lies from the world but looking

             forward for the coming of Jesus.

  • The believer is now purified from his sins when he believed in Jesus – this means that he is now able to see himself as the temple of God and that everything he does is going to keep that temple pure and holy since God himself is holy.
  • The believer is now able to do good works because he is now a slave of righteousness and no longer in bondage to sin-his heart is changed from the sinfulness to the righteousness of Christ.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important for us to understand the benefits of God’s grace as Christians?

EPHESIANS 2 BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED

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February 6

EPHESIANS 2

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:1-10

EPHESIANS 2 BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Before you were chosen, you followed your cravings

You carried out your desires and your longings

But by the grace of God, you have been saved

You no longer have to give in to your lusts

It is now the Spirit of the Lord that stirs your heart

By grace you are now free to obey and please the Lord.

In this account, Paul teaches the church in Ephesus how the grace of God has allowed them to abandon their old life and walk in the new way of the Spirit. He explains the condition of the man’s heart before Christ made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross to save them. They couldn’t free themselves from the bondage of sin. They were spiritually dead, unable to overcome their oppression and walk in the way of righteousness. So, while they were still in that state, God poured out his grace on them and gave his only begotten Son so Jesus could do what they cannot do themselves.

In verse 6, Paul gave them a visual picture of the amazing grace that was given to them. This grace raised them up beside Christ and seated them in the heavenly places with him. What a great picture of being lifted up beside the Lord! Paul explains to the believers that they still have to do something while they are on earth and waiting for the second coming of Christ. Because of their faith, they merited undeserved favor from God. So, they cannot boast or add anything to the finished work of Christ.

Paul reminds them to remember that they are all image-bearers of God and that they are his workmanship. They needed to see their new creation in Christ. They can no longer continue to live in habitual sins because they were given the Spirit of the Lord when he died on the cross for them.

REFLECTION

  • How must a Christian show gratitude to God’s amazing grace?

ROMANS 5 GRACE ABOUNDS WHERE SIN INCREASED

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 February 5

ROMANS 5

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man, Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.18 Therefore, as one trespassled to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord – Romans 5:15-21

ROMANS 5 GRACE ABOUNDS WHERE SIN INCREASED

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Do you not know that Jesus came to pour out his grace on you?

Even though Adam made you sinful, Jesus made you righteous

Sin has made you guilty and exiled you from the presence of God

But Jesus has paid the price so you won’t experience his wrath

When sin increased, God’s grace overflows more

His steadfast love endures forever and his mercy abounds.

In this letter, Paul states the difference between the aftermath of Adam’s sin and God’s grace. When Adam rebelled and disobeyed God, he was banished from the garden and removed from God’s presence. The consequences of his sins were to work for his own livelihood and toil the ground where he came from. God kept the garden guarded with cherubim and a flaming sword (Genesis 3:24) so the tree of life will be protected from Adam and Eve, who are now defiled. This is what happens to us when we sin. We shut ourselves when we sin and hide from God’s presence because of our filthiness. We become spiritually dead and continue to be unable to cleanse ourselves.

But because God’s love for us is so vast and indescribable, He gave us a way out of that deadness to come back to life through Jesus. His perfect sacrifice on the cross was God’s solution to the problem of man’s sinful state. His anger over our sins cannot be appeased by unholy and defiled people, so he sent us his only Begotten Son to cleanse us from sin, while we are still sinners. Jesus didn’t die for the perfect people who are sinless since there is no such person. Jesus died for all those who need to be cleansed and reunited with God. Even though Jesus died for the whole world to be redeemed from sin, only a few are given the gift of faith. The invitation is open to all people, but only a few are given the ability to receive, accept and serve him. Many are called but only a few are chosen.

REFLECTION

  • Give insights when sin increased and grace flourished.

ROMANS 6 GOD’S PROMISE RESTS ON GRACE

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February 4

ROMANS 6

13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be. – Romans 6:13-18

ROMANS 6 GOD’S PROMISE RESTS ON GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The promise of salvation was placed on an unworthy man

Despite his sinful state, Abraham was chosen for God’s plan

Abraham came from a pagan country and was a sinner like us

But it wasn’t his righteousness that counted but his faith and trust

It wasn’t anything special about him, only his obedience was amazing

He followed what he was instructed to do without complaining

He didn’t question anything even though it seemed impossible

He believed that God would use him and make all things possible.

In this letter, Paul presents to the Roman church why the promise of salvation rests on God’s grace alone and not on anything else. He reminded them that Abraham was chosen to be the one whom he will make a covenant with to fulfill his salvation plan for mankind. Abraham was from the country of Ur, a pagan nation and yet God chose someone who is not worthy to carry out his plan to redeem man from their sinfulness. He chose an ordinary sinful man to exercise his grace so that through Abraham, God manifested his power and glory to make possible the impossible. Nothing that Abraham did, made him God’s choice to be the father of all nations. It was grace that was given to an undeserving person that allowed him to obey the Lord without question and resistance. In his sinful natural state, Abraham could not have said “yes” to God. He didn’t even know where he was to go. He was only asked to follow where he leads him and leave everything behind.

Many other people in the bible that God chose to use were unworthy people. Some were criminals like David, prostitutes like Rahab, pagans like Ruth, killers like Paul and many others. This just goes to show how God can turn around any sinner and make them slaves of righteousness through his grace alone. He calls the dead in sin to become alive in righteousness through his Son’s work of salvation on the cross. If God gave us Jesus to free us from the bondage of sin, how can we not accept that gift of grace? Why would we want to continue living that old life instead of embracing the new creation in Christ?

REFLECTION

  • How does “grace” change your perspective in navigating the life you were given?

1 PETER 4 STEWARDS OF GRACE

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February 2

1 PETER 4

6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 4:6-11

1 PETER 4 STEWARDS OF GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you declared Jesus as your Lord and Savior

It is because of his grace that you were able to do so

It is an unmerited favor that He gave you his grace

It is not for your own benefit but solely for his praise

Since he gave you such undeserved favor

You ought to use it to serve one another.

In this account, Peter teaches the believers the reason why the gospel was preached to them. He emphasizes the state of the sinner’s life which is dead. In other words, he wants them to recognize that it is the grace of God that saved them from their own sins. There is nothing that they can boast about when it comes to their salvation. It is all the Lord’s work that freed us from God’s wrath. By his grace, we are freed from the bondage of sin.

Peter gives the church instructions as to how to be stewards of God’s grace. He pointed out the following:

  • To be self-controlled and sober-minded- they must not be following their flesh and gratifying their own selfish desires. They must be able to control their urges and pleasure seeking self.
  • To keep loving one another earnestly so their sins will be covered- this means that they no longer live in fear or mistrust. They will choose the path to love instead of fear so that they are not bound to be slaves of sins.
  • To show hospitality to one another without grumbling- to welcome and be open to carry each other’s burdens and exercise generosity to others.
  • To be stewards of grace for the praise of the Lord- to manifest giving grace to others especially those who need it most and who are not deserving. Because we were given amazing grace when we don’t deserve it, we also ought to give such grace to those who are difficult or treat us badly.

By following these guidelines that Peter gave the believers, they can walk in love and steward the grace that they received from God while they didn’t deserve it. This way, they bring God all the glory.

REFLECTION

  • How does grace and love work hand in hand in a believer’s life?

2 CORINTHIANS 12 THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD’S GRACE

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February 1

2 CORINTHIANS 12

6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Corinthians 12:6-10

2 CORINTHIANS 12 THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD’S GRACE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ, let us be content

He gave his grace freely to all whom he has chosen

We do not have to prove that we are worthy of it

God gave us his Son freely, we just need to believe Him

We do not need to be afraid of hardships and difficulties

When we are weak, we are strong since his grace is sufficient

By his grace alone can we be free from the world’s corruption

Let us then rely only on his grace so we can avoid deception.

Before I was born again, I didn’t understand the meaning of grace. The Roman Catholic church where I was born and grew up in didn’t make the concept of grace very clear to me. I think it was messed up by false teachings on earning salvation through works. As a young girl, I was made to believe that if I go to communion and attend mass and confess to a priest, I would be okayed by God. I prayed the rosary daily and regularly confessed and heard mass, but my life was still full of habitual sins. We weren’t encouraged to read the bible, but just to listen to the stories about Jesus in our religion classes.

When I became reformed, it took me a while to understand grace because I was focused on works. If I am good, I will be worthy of God’s love. I wasn’t taught that I can do nothing to change whom God has elected to be his people. I had no understanding of covenant promises of God. In the Heidelberg Catechism, it explains that only by true faith in Jesus Christ am I righteous before God. It emphasizes that there is no merit in whatever I do but that it is only out of mere grace that I am credited the righteousness and holiness of Christ. It also explains that good works cannot be our righteousness before God, since our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin. It took me years to realize that every good work that I do also comes from the Lord himself. Even my decisions to live a life of service to the Lord also comes from his grace. There is nothing to be merited to me at all. When my false beliefs were straightened out by wrong doctrines from the Roman Catholic church and replaced by truth that God’s grace is sufficient for me as Paul highlights in this letter to the Corinthian church.

REFLECTION

·       How can a believer manifest living in the sufficiency of God’s grace?

ROMANS 1 SINS THAT LED TO A FOOLISH MIND

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January 31

ROMANS 1

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. – Romans 1:28-32

ROMANS 1 SINS THAT LED TO A FOOLISH MIND

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you think that there’s no need to acknowledge God

It will bear consequences on your minds and your hearts

We will be filled with envy, conflicts, and haughtiness

Your priorities will all be towards the path to selfishness

You will hate God and do all kinds of rebellious acts

You will declare yourself as a god and want to be revered by all.

In this account, Paul explains the consequences of any believer who leaves the path of righteousness and decides to take the road towards idolatry. They didn’t see a need to acknowledge and revere the Lord.  Because of this choice, they were left by God to their foolish minds. As a result of such a decision, the Lord allowed them to drown in their own wickedness and debased minds. The consequences of these are the following sins that Paul enumerated in this letter:

·       Covetousness, greed and envy- since they desired to have it all, they began to hoard anything and everything so that they can feel powerful.

·       Malice, inventors of evil and all things wicked – because of their insecurity and mistrust, they have to invent all kinds of evil so that they can have control.

·       Disobedient to parents, heartless, insolent -they defy authority and have no care for those powerful and responsible for them.

·       Haters of God, faithless, idolaters, haughty, boastful – because they love themselves so much, they vilify everyone including their Creator. They also hate their own brothers and sisters and have no accountability for their own actions.

·       Ruthless, murderers, gossips and slanderers- without the knowledge of God, they didn’t care for others so they can just cancel anyone that gets in their way and assassinate them.

·       Unrighteous, evil, deceitful- they are darkened and have no shed of what is good. They manipulate to make everything about themselves and what they want to get.

All these acts clearly enumerated by Paul in this letter gives us a clear picture of the condition of the human heart, but more especially the Roman believers. This letter is to warn them of the old life that they used to live that they now have to abandon and return to God.

REFLECTION

·        Share insights on any of the consequences of not acknowledging God in this letter of Paul.