March 29
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PRAISE THE LORD
Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!3 Praise him, sun and moon,
Praise him, all you shining stars! 4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!5 Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.6 And he established them forever and ever;
He gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. 7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all deeps, 8 fire and hail, snow and mist,
Stormy wind fulfilling his word! 9 Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven. 14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
Praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD! -Psalm 148:1-13
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Crosswalk.com suggests some Hebrew words for praise that every Christian should know. “Hallah” means to boast, brag, or rave about God even to the point of appearing foolish. “Yadah” is to worship with extended hands. Raising the hands is a sign of surrender. “Tehillah” means to sing or to laud. “Todah” means to shout with a loud voice but it includes an attitude of gratitude for God’s promised deliverance even while we are still in need. “Shabach” also means to shout or to address in a loud tone. “Hallelujah” is the spontaneous outcry of one who is excited about God.
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ADORATION: Hallelujah to the Only True God. He is worthy of all praise and worship.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I become lukewarm in praising you Lord.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for an opportunity to give you the laud you deserve.
SUPPLICATION: May all creation bow down and give praise to the loving God we have.
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REFLECTION
• How do you give praise to the Lord?
• How is worship and praising God a manifestation of humility and surrender?
Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY
ZION, THE CITY OF OUR GOD ILMA’S VLOG
March 28
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ZION, THE CITY OF OUR GOD
Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised in the city of our God!
His holy mountain, 2 beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth,
Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.
3 Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.
4 For behold, the kings assembled; they came on together.
5 As soon as they saw it, they were astounded; they were in panic; they took to flight.
6 Trembling took hold of them there, anguish as of a woman in labor.
7 By the east wind you shattered the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God, which God will establish forever.
9 We have thought on your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple.
10 As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness. 11Let Mount Zion be glad!
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments! – Psalm 48:1-11
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Like Psalm 46, Psalm 48 is a hymn celebrating Zion as God’s special city, which he defends for the sake of the world. It remembers some great event, in which Gentile powers had attacked Jerusalem but did not conquer it. Though material fortresses may have their place, it is crucial that God himself be the defense of his people.
In the Old Testament, God had Zion as his holy city, on top of the mountain. After Jesus died for all of our sins, he dwelled in our hearts through the Holy Spirit living in us. We are the temple and we need to remain holy and pure as God made his home in our hearts.
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ADORATION: Praise be to the temple of the Lord, where He lives and bring life.
CONFESSION: Forgive me whenever I forget that you are my stronghold, my fortress.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for dwelling in the hearts of all those who believe in you.
SUPPLICATION: May the Lord dwell in the hearts of all believers and may they all remember to gather in Spirit and in truth.
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REFLECTION
• How can we maintain holiness and purity in the temple of the Lord which is our bodies?
THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION ILMA’S VLOG
March 27
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THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes,
It is they who stumble and fall.3 Though an army encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.
5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me under the cover of his tent; He will lift me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me,
And I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD 7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
Be gracious to me and answer me! 8 You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” 9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.
– Psalm 27:1-10
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This psalm speaks of David’s wisdom to surrender totally to the Lord. It shows how he makes the Lord as his stronghold and fortress against all foes and enemies. It denounces fear even in the midst of war. This is a timely psalm for us to all reflect on during this global pandemic we are currently experiencing in our world.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord for all his glory and power and mercy.
CONFESSION: May fear be completely annihilated as we surrender all our worries to God.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you Lord for all your protection and for your steadfast love.
SUPPLICATION: May all the world recognize that the Lord is our light and our salvation.
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REFLECTION
• How can a believer stay in the light that only God can give in this pandemic?
• What does giving-up fear look like and how can we embrace this in times of crisis?
DELIVER ME, O LORD, FROM EVIL ILMA’S VLOG
March 25
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DELIVER ME, O LORD, FROM EVIL
Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men,
2 Who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually.
3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
And under their lips is the venom of asps.
4 Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men,
Who have planned to trip up my feet.5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
And with cords they have spread a net; beside the way they have set snares for me.
6 I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!
7 O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
You have covered my head in the day of battle.
8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;
Do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted!
9 As for the head of those who surround me,
Let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 10 Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise!
11 Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
Let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
And will execute justice for the needy.
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
The upright shall dwell in your presence. – Psalm 140:1-13
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David prays for protection from various kinds of people, the evil men, violent ones, the wicked ones, the arrogant and the slanderer. He asks for deliverance from a God whom he knows will surely protect the upright who dwells in His presence. His hope is infectious.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord who can deliver us from all kinds of evil.
CONFESSION: I believe that you have covered all those who are righteous, my Lord.
WITH GOD WE SHALL DO VALIANTLY ILMA’S VLOG
March 24
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WITH GOD WE SHALL DO VALIANTLY
My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!
2 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!
3 I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth! 6 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
Give salvation by your right hand and answer me!7 God has promised in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem and portion out the Valley of Succoth.
8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter.
9 Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I cast my shoe; over Philistia I shout in triumph.”
10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? Who will lead me to Edom?
11 Have you not rejected us, O God? You do not go out, O God, with our armies.
12 Oh grant us help against the foe, for vain is the salvation of man!
13 With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes. – Psalm 108:1-13
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This psalm is a good reminder of the steadfast love of God and how we must also be steadfast in our love for him. Thanksgiving and praise must be something that we all believers should make a habit of. Pleading God for help and relying only in Him alone is the only valiant thing we can do. He is the only source of strength. He alone can bring us courage. When we have his Spirit present in our lives, we can be sure that nothing that the enemy has planted will prosper. In our current world where self-reliance and independence are the way of life, this psalm is a good reminder of the importance on God-dependence.
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ADORATION: Praise to the One and Only source of strength, power and wisdom, Jesus.
CONFESSION: I receive the aide that only comes from my Savior Jesus Christ.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all your supply of love, faith, courage and hope and joy.
SUPPLICATION: May we remember to always rely on God alone and no one else.
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REFLECTION
• How can believers have a constant dependence on God alone?
WORSHIP IN THE SPLENDOR OF HOLINESS ILMA’S VLOG
March 23
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WORSHIP IN THE SPLENDOR OF HOLINESS
Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!
2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established;
It shall never be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity.”
11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 Let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy13 before the LORD, for he comes,
For he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness,
And the peoples in his faithfulness. – Psalm 96: 1-13
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God’s kingship over all creation means that all people should love and worship him. According to the ESV study bible, the psalm has three sections, each beginning with a command (sing-v1, ascribe-v7, and say-v10), and each mentioning the Gentiles. God called Israel to be a means of blessing for all mankind, bringing them knowledge of the true God. Are we believers doing the same thing for humanity?
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ADORATION: Blessed be the true God of Israel who saves all those who believe in Him.
CONFESSION: Pardon me when I do not bring truth about the true God to others.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for using all believers to be the channel to know the true God.
SUPPLICATION: May all humanity hear the Good News of the only true God who loves them and gave up his only begotten Son to save them.
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REFLECTION
• How can we worship the Lord even in the midst of trials and a pandemic we are experiencing now?
• Why is worshiping God regularly an essential practice that Christians need to do?
How Long O Lord? ILMA’S VLOG
March 21
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HOW LONG, O LORD?
O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
They have defiled your holy temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given the bodies of your servants to the birds of the heavens for food,
The flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth.
3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem,
And there was no one to bury them.4 We have become a taunt to our neighbors,
Mocked and derided by those around us. 5 How long, O LORD?
Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?
6 Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know you, and on the kingdoms
That do not call upon your name! 7 For they have devoured Jacob
And laid waste his habitation.8 Do not remember against us our former iniquities;
Let your compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name;
Deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name’s sake!10 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?” Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants
Be known among the nations before our eyes! – Psalm 79:1-10
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According to ESV study bible, this is a community lament. It was occasioned by a great disaster, most likely the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon. It recounts the violence and unbelief of the Gentile conquerors and asks God how long he intends to allow such things.
The psalmist Asaph recalls how the conquerors defiled the Lord’s temple and how the Israelites have been mocked and laughed at because they haven’t been delivered by God. So, this lament is asking God how long will they be allowed to be trampled on by them.
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ADORATION: Bless the Lord who never leaves us or forsake us. He is steadfast in his love.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I get impatient when I don’t get answered prayers.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your patience with me Lord.
SUPPLICATION: May the Lord hear our prayers and may we have the mind of Christ as we lay down our requests to him.
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REFLECTION
• How can we learn to endure suffering during this time of adversity?
O GOD OF OUR SALVATION ILMA’S VLOG
March 20
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O GOD OF OUR SALVATION
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed.
2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come.
3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions.
4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts!
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation,
The hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas;
6The one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might;
7 Who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves,
The tumult of the peoples,8O that those who dwell at the ends of the earth
Are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning
And the evening to shout for joy. 9 You visit the earth and water it;
You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain,
For so you have prepared it. 10 You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges,
– Psalm 65:1-10
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This psalm praises the Lord, who is the God of our salvation. I love how David worships the Lord by focusing on all the Lord faithfully does to his people. He magnifies at how the Lord blesses all those who are in awe of all the wonderful things that the Lord has provided for his people: He gave them a temple where they could dwell in his goodness and God’s people is forever grateful for all the things that God provides for them such as the wonders of nature and how he controls all things he made.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord of our salvation.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I fail to count my blessings and how wonderful you are to your people.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all the provisions you give all your chosen people.
SUPPLICATION: May all people recognize the greatest designer of our world and our lives.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it necessary for believers to give thanks and praise to the God of our salvation?
O LORD, BE GRACIOUS TO ME Poem Devotional
March 19
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O LORD, BE GRACIOUS TO ME
Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble, the LORD delivers him;
2 The LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land;
You do not give him up to the will of his enemies.
3 The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; In his illness you restore him to full health.
4 As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!”
5 My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words,
While his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
7 All who hate me whisper together about me; they imagine the worst for me.
8 They say, “A deadly thing is poured out on him;
He will not rise again from where he lies.”9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
Who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
10 But you, O LORD, be gracious to me, and raise me up, that I may repay them!
– Psalm 41:1-10
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This is King David’s lament to God that despite his fulfilment of his responsibilities to the poor, he is still suffering severely. He prays for God’s help and vindication. God honors the person who shows kindness and takes care of the poor. In this verse, we hear David’s deep sadness for a betrayal of a close friend (v9). In spite of all that he is going through, he still looks up to God for mercy and help and trusts the Lord who will repay all that good things he has done and how he has been faithful to him.
In our current global pandemic, we need to pray this psalm to God and have that expectancy that God is in control and he will do what needs to be done so people will bow down to his sovereignty. That, our protection and healing is in him alone.
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ADORATION: Praise be to the God full of mercy and love.
CONFESSION: Forgive us when we succumb to fear and panic in this pandemic.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your promise to protect all those whom you love.
SUPPLICATION: May all people recognize that their life is only in God’s hand alone.
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REFLECTION
• How can we stay expectant in the midst of life-threatening situations?
WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF MY DAYS? ILMA’S VLOG
March 18
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WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF MY DAYS?
I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.”
2 I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress grew worse.
3 My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned;
Then I spoke with my tongue: 4 “O LORD, make me know my end
And what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!
5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,
And my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely, all mankind stands as a mere breath!
6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
Man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.
8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
9 I am mute; I do not open my mouth, for it is you who have done it.
10 Remove your stroke from me; I am spent by the hostility of your hand.
11 When you discipline a man with rebukes for sin,
You consume like a moth what is dear to him; surely all mankind is a mere breath!
-Psalm 39:1-11
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The ESV study bible notes describes this psalm as something that allows those who are suffering to express their confusion to God. David acknowledges the importance of keeping himself out of sin. As he confesses to God his view of man without God’s presence, we see how he realizes how fleeting this life we live on earth is. He asks God to discipline him and rebuke his sins for we are all nothing without our creator.
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ADORATION: Praise the God who created all things and knows everything about us.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord, when I take for granted the life you gave me.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for disciplining me so I can live the new life in Christ that you gave me.
SUPPLICATION: May all Christians recognize the fleeting moments we have in this life.
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REFLECTION
• Why do we need to be reminded that life is like a mist, it is here now and gone the next moment? What would this do to how we view life?