September 7
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THE WISE AND FOOLISH AND FUTILITY OF WORK
A poem by ILMA
I said “Wisdom is better than foolishness, just as light is better than darkness
For the wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark”
Yet I saw that the wise and the foolish share the same fate
Both will die. So, I said to myself, what’s the value of all my wisdom?
This is all so meaningless”; the wise and the foolish both die
The wise will not be remembered any longer than the fool
In the days to come, both will be forgotten, so I came to hate life
Because everything is meaningless—like chasing the wind.
I learned to hate my hard work here for I must leave everything I’ve earned
And who can tell whether my successors will be wise or foolish?
Yet they will control everything I have gained by my skill and hard work
How meaningless! So, I gave up questioning the value of hard work in this world.
I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy life and be satisfied with work
Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God
For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?
God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to those who please him
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MEMORY VERSE
So, I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. – Ecclesiastes 2:24
Read: Ecclesiastes 2
King Solomon presents nothing different between the wise and the foolish. They both end the same. He also emphasizes the futility of work and how important it is for us to enjoy life and our work for everything comes from the Lord and he is the one who gives wisdom and blessings to those who please him.
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REFLECTION
• Why does the world think that wise people are better of than those who are foolish? What do you think is God’s perspective on this?
Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY
THE FUTILITY OF PLEASURE Poem Devotional
September 6
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THE FUTILY OF PLEASURE
A poem by ILMA
I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure
Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.”
But I found that this was meaningless
“Laughter is silly so what good is it to seek pleasure?”
I also tried to find meaning by building huge homes for myself
I made gardens and parks, filling them with all kinds of fruit trees
I built reservoirs to collect the water to irrigate flourishing groves
I bought slaves, both men and women, and others were born into my household.
I also owned large herds and flocks, more than any of the kings in Jerusalem
I collected great sums of silver and gold, the treasure of many kings and provinces
I hired wonderful singers, both men and women, and had concubines
I had everything a man could desire and yet it all seemed meaningless.
So, I became greater than all who had lived in Jerusalem
Anything I wanted, I would take; I denied myself no pleasure
But as I looked at everything, it was all so meaningless
Like chasing the wind, there was nothing really worthwhile anywhere
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MEMORY VERSE
But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.
– Ecclesiastes 2:11
Read: Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
In this book of Ecclesiastes, we hear the wisest man on earth, Solomon discount the fact that pleasures are futile. Everything we crave and do in this world seems meaningless for him. Isn’t it crazy how we long to have many things and yet does it really have meaning?
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think many of us do all kinds of things to pleasure ourselves?
• Is it good for a Christian to want to long for many things? What does it do to them?
EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS
September 6
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EVERYTHING IS MEANINGLESS
A poem by ILMA
“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”
What do people get for all their hard work under the sun?
Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes
The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again.
The wind blows south, and then turns north, blowing in circles
Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full
Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out to the sea
Everything is wearisome beyond description.
No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied
No matter how much we hear, we are not content
History merely repeats itself; It has all been done before
Nothing under the sun is truly new; some people don’t realize they’re old.
Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!”
But it is actually old; nothing is ever truly new
We don’t remember what happened in the past
In future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.
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MEMORY VERSE
Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”
– Ecclesiastes 1:2
Read: Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
What is important to you? Many people go through life valuing many different things but Solomon discusses that nothing in this life is really meaningful. Of course, in the later part of his book of Proverbs, he said that only when you make God first will it make a difference
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REFLECTION
• Why does the wisest person say that all things in life is meaningless? Do you agree with that statement? Why or Why not?
• What is meaningful in your life at this point of your life?
CALL TO GRACIOUS ACT OF GIVING Poem Devotional
September 2
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CALL TO GRACIOUS ACT OF GIVING
A poem by ILMA
Dear fellow believers, God in his kindness did through the Macedonian churches
They are all being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor
But they’re also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity
For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more.
And they did it of their own initiative and their free will
They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give
To share themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do
So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place
We encourage you to finish this ministry of giving
Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith
your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us
I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.
It’s not a command, But I am testing how genuine your love is
And comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches
You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich,
For your sakes he became poor, so that by this, he could make you wealthy.
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MEMORY VERSE
You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:9
Read: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9
In this letter of Paul to the Corinthians, he urges them to the act of gracious giving. It is amazing how he focuses on the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who though he was rich, became poor so we can be rich.
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REFLECTION
• Why is giving a good act of showing that you are following Jesus?
• What have you generously given to someone that made you feel like you are following the footsteps of the Lord?
LIGHT CAN’T LIVE WITH DARKNESS Poem Devotional
September 1
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LIGHT CAN’T LIVE WITH DARKNESS
A poem by ILMA
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers
How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness?
How can light live with darkness?
What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?
How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?
And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols?
For we are the temple of the living God
As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them.
He further said: “I will be their God, and they will be my people
Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
And separate yourselves from them, says the LORD
Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.
I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters,
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves
We need to stay away from everything that can defile our body or spirit
And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
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MEMORY VERSE
Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
– 2 Corinthians 6:14-16
Read: 2 Corinthians 6: 14-7:1
Paul explains to the Corinthians how light and dark can never live together. We are asked to work toward complete holiness if we are believers. Never compromise purity.
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REFLECTION
• Why are we discouraged to live with unbelievers if we are true believers?
• What happens if we associate with those who are living in darkness?
GOD’S PARTNER Poem Devotional
August 31
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GOD’S PARTNER
A poem by ILMA
As God’s partners, we beg you not to ignore this gift of God’s kindness
God says, “At just the right time, On the day of salvation, I helped you.”
Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation
We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us.
In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God
We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind
We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs,
We worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.
We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, By the Holy Spirit and by our sincere love, we faithfully preach the truth
God’s power is working in us; we use the weapons of righteousness
We serve God whether people honor us or despise us.
We are honest, but they call us impostors
We are ignored, even though we are well known
We live close to death, but we are still alive
We have been beaten, but we have not been killed.
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MEMORY VERSE
As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. – 2 Corinthians 6:1
Read: 2 Corinthians 6: 1-9
In this account of Paul, we are summoned to be God’s partner. We are asked to prove ourselves by our purity, understanding, patience and kindness. It is through the Holy Spirit power that we can live a life of holiness and righteous living.
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REFLECTION
• What have you done to prove that you are God’s partner in life?
• Why is it important to let the Holy Spirit be alive in you all the time?
• What are the things we do that we can lose God’s Spirit in us?
WONDERFUL MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION Poem Devotional
August 30
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WONDERFUL MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION
A poem by ILMA
Because we understand our responsibility to the Lord, we persuade others
If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God for Christ’s love controls us
Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we died to the old life
He died for all who receive his new life and those who don’t live for themselves.
Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them
So, we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view
At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human perspective
This means all those who have committed to Jesus are new persons.
The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
And all of this is a gift from God who reconciles people to himself
For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself
He no longer counting people’s sins against them.
And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation
So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us
We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin.
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MEMORY VERSE
And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. – 2 Corinthians 5:18
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:11-21
This letter of Paul to the Corinthians addresses how God wants us all to reconcile everyone to himself. This is the only purpose we have in life. All those who believe Christ are called to bring back others to God.
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REFLECTION
• Have you brought the message of reconciliation to someone?
• What happens when we give up our comfort zone to bring Christ to someone?
• Have you died to the old life when you committed yourself to Christ?
HEAVENLY BODIES Poem devotional
August 29
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HEAVENLY BODIES
A poem by ILMA
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down
That is, when we die and leave this earthly body, we’ll have a house in heaven,
It is an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands
We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies.
We will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies
While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want, We want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up God himself has prepared us for this, and guaranteed us his Holy Spirit.
Though we know that while we’re in our bodies, we are not at home with God
We live by believing and not by seeing; we’d rather be separate from our bodies
That’s how we’ll be at home with the Lord; whether we’re here on not
Our goal is to please him, for we must all stand before Christ to be judged.
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MEMORY VERSE
So, we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing.
– 2 Corinthians 5:6-7
Read: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Christians can easily be derailed at looking at the big picture. Because we live in this world, it can be a challenge to continue to believe even if we don’t see. In these verses, we see how Paul addresses the importance of focusing on what has been promised to us by God, our heavenly bodies which will be united with him when He comes back for us on Judgment day. Do you get into the pitfall of clamoring to stay in your physical bodies and fail to look forward to what God promised us, a heavenly body to join him.
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REFLECTION
• How can we not lose track of the spiritual and avoid focusing on the physical?
• Why is the heavenly body we’re promised didn’t make sense to unbelievers?
LIKE FRAGILE CLAY JARS Poem Devotional
August 28
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LIKE FRAGILE CLAY JARS
A poem by ILMA
Since God in his mercy has given us a new way, we never give up
We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods
We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God
We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.
Satan, the god of this world, has blinded unbeliever’s minds
God’s truth is hidden only from people who are perishing
They’re unable to see the glorious light of the Good News
They don’t understand the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.
God said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” and allowed believers’ to see
They know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ
We now have this light in our hearts, but we’re like fragile clay jars
We have this great treasure inside us and feel God’s power in us.
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but not crushed
We are perplexed, but not driven to anguish
We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God
We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.
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MEMORY VERSE
We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. – 2 Corinthians 4:7
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:1-9
The Greek word for clay is ostrakinos, from which the archaeological term “ostraca”—pottery sherds—is derived. He argued that the references to light in verses 4 and 6 strongly suggest that clay lamps were the ceramic objects in Paul’s mind when he wrote this passage. So Paul developed his analogy about the fragility of the human body from the clay lamps used in antiquity to provide light. -extracted from biblical archeology.com
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REFLECTION
• Have you allowed God’s light to shine and praise his power inside your heart?
CHRIST-LIKE FRAGRANCE & LETTER CARVED ON HUMAN HEARTS Poem DEvotional
August 27
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CHRIST-LIKE FRAGRANCE & LETTER CARVED ON HUMAN HEARTS
A poem by ILMA
God has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ
He uses us to spread Christ’s knowledge everywhere like a sweet perfume
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God but is perceived differently
By those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.
To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom
But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume
And who among us all believers is adequate for such a task as this?
We preach the God’s word with sincerity knowing that God is watching us.
Are we beginning to praise ourselves again?
Are we like others, who need to bring letters of recommendation?
Who ask you to write such letters on their behalf?
The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves.
Your lives are a letter written in our hearts so all can recognize God’s work
Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result his ministry among you.
A “letter” written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God
It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
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MEMORY VERSE
Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.
– 2 Corinthians 2:15
Read: 2 Corinthians 2:2:14 – 2 Corinthians 3:3
In this letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses how God has made us captives by using His knowledge to spread everywhere like a sweet perfume. Paul also mentions how our lives are like a letter written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God.
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REFLECTION
• Is your life bonded to the Lord Jesus Christ that all the knowledge he gave you is like a Christ-like perfume smelling sweetly everywhere?
• Is your life like a letter written with God’s Spirit for everyone to know him?