May 18
________________________________________IDOLATERS BECOME LIKE THEIR IDOLS
13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.
14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.
15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
16 They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see;
17 They have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths.
18 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.
19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem Praise the LORD!
– Psalm 135:13-21
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The psalmist worships the Lord, whose name endures forever throughout all ages. In this song, we are reminded that God is our vindicator and our deliverer. Sadly, many of us, including believers like justifying ourselves or defending our agendas or causes. The psalm also warns those who make idols of anything. He emphasizes that these idols are human made. They do not have mouths that speak, eyes that see, ears that hear or has any breath at all in their mouths. In other words, they have no life in them. The psalms caution us to avoid idols because those who trust them become like them as well. They are lifeless and take the place of a real God which angers the Lord. How can believers avoid the trap of having idols in their lives when they are surrounded by these counterfeits?
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ADORATION: I give praise only to the One True God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the lamb of God who takes away our sins. He is the name above all names. His love endures forever.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord, when I unknowingly bow down to anything other than you.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all your admonitions and guidance.
SUPPLICATION: May we smash all idols that compromises our relationship with God.
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REFLECTION
• What are some of the idols that you have bowed down to that now resembles you? Why do we need to smash idols if we claim we love and serve God?
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The Lord Does Whatever He Pleases ILMA’S VLOG
May 17
________________________________________THE LORD DOES WHATEVER HE PLEASES
Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,
2 Who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession.
5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
7 He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
Who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses
8 He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and of beast;
9 Who in your midst, O Egypt, sent signs and wonders
Against Pharaoh and all his servants; 10 who struck down many nations
And killed mighty kings,11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan,
And all the kingdoms of Canaan,12 and gave their land as a heritage,
A heritage to his people Israel. – Psalm 135:1-12
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The psalm focuses on God’s Sovereignty and power. The psalmist praises God’s name and reminds all believers of these attributes of God. He encourages all committed believers to stand in the house of the Lord and sing his name forever. It is a way of thanking God for having chosen Israel to be his own treasured and prized possession. It also stresses that the Lord does whatever He pleases. Since he knows all things and made all things, he has the sole authority to do as he wants because all things are made by him. He knows how to change what needs to be done in order that such things and such people will fit his majestic plan. It is interesting how the sinful bent of man likes to control things but we forget that God is the only one in control.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord who is omnipotent and does what pleases him.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord when I do what I please instead of what pleases you.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all the power you exercise over your creation.
SUPPLICATION: May all humans recognize God’s sovereignty in all things.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it that it is only God can do what he pleases? Why can’t man do it too?
MAY ALL KINGS SERVE THE LORD ILMA’S VLOG
May 12
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MAY ALL KINGS SERVE THE LORD
May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him!
12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life,
And precious is their blood in his sight.15 Long may he live;
May gold of Sheba be given to him! May prayer be made for him continually,
And blessings invoked for him all the day!
16 May there be abundance of grain in the land;
On the tops of the mountains may it wave; may its fruit be like Lebanon;
And may people blossom in the cities like the grass of the field!
17 May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun!
May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!
18 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen! 20 The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended. – Psalm 72:11-20
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As we live in this world, we are all under the authority of a leader, ruler or a monarch. Many nations have suffered many evil things because of how some of these leaders ruled their countries or kingdoms. In this psalm, a blessing is prayed over the kings that will become heirs to David’s throne. The psalmist’s prayer is that may all these kings fall down before the Lord and serve him for the Lord is king of all kings. God has chosen these rulers so that it will fit into His plan. It would benefit mankind if all people give their rulers prayers and blessings so that they can accomplish the tasks and their authorities according to the bigger plan of God.
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ADORATION: Praise the most Sovereign of all kings, our Lord Jesus Christ.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord when I fail to remember to bless my leaders.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for giving us someone to lead us.
SUPPLICATION: May all leaders recognize that they are also servants to God.
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REFLECTION
• What are the ways we bless our leaders to keep peace reigning in the world?
MAY THE RIGHTEOUS FLOURISH AND PEACE ABOUND ILMA’S VLOG
May 11
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MAY THE RIGHTEOUS FLOURISH AND PEACE ABOUND
Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son!
2 May he judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice!
3 Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness!
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
Give deliverance to the children of the needy, and crush the oppressor!
5 May they fear you while the sun endures,
And as long as the moon, throughout all generations!
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth!
7 In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!
8 May he have dominion from sea to sear, and from the River to the ends of the earth!
9 May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust!
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute;
May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! – Psalm 72:1-10
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This psalm is a prayer that David’s heirs might be faithful kings, which means ruling God’s people well, protecting the poor and needy and bringing blessing to all nations of the earth. It is request to the Lord that during the reign of the kings that follow David, they will give deliverance to the needy, crush the oppressors. The prayer also requests that there will be flourishing of righteousness and peace amongst Jerusalem and God’s people. Honor and respect from other rulers and sovereign leaders is also something that the prayer asks God for. The prayer is also that all the heirs of David will follow suit to this.
Shouldn’t we also pray the same prayers for our leaders and rulers in our nations? That they may lead us all honestly and think of the good of all and peace to reign in the whole world?
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord, He is the king of all kings, Sovereign over all rulers.
CONFESSION: May all rulers acknowledge the kingship of Jesus.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for keeping us in peace even amidst a pandemic.
SUPPLICATION: May all leader recognize that God has placed them in that position.
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REFLECTION
• How can praying for our leaders change the way the world can become?
GOD HAS LISTENED ILMA’S VLOG
May 10
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GOD HAS LISTENED
You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
12 You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water;
Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
13 I will come into your house with burnt offerings; I will perform my vows to you,
14 That which my lips uttered and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.
15 I will offer to you burnt offerings of fattened animals,
With the smoke of the sacrifice of rams; I will make an offering of bulls and goats.
16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.
18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer
Or removed his steadfast love from me! – Psalm 66:11-20
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This psalm recounts how God allowed suffering and pain in the lives of those whom He delivers. These trials and hardships are what God used to bring them out of trouble. It becomes a test of their faith and the source of strength and endurance to go through what comes their way. Verses 17-18 identifies what will be required for God to hear our prayers: fear of the Lord and giving up of sin. These are very essential requirements of answered prayer. Oftentimes, man do not follow such necessities when they lift up their voices to God. Many occasions, we fail to ask in line with his will. Thus, we end up not being able to be heard. God will never give us anything that will be detrimental to us. Have you ever asked God something and he listened?
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ADORATION: Praise a God who hears our prayers. He is full of Mercy and steadfast Love.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I ask something that isn’t what you want for me.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you Lord, for all your test so I can grow in faith and endurance.
SUPPLICATION: May all of God’s people recognize the importance of trials and hardships in life and learn to endure and grow their faith.
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REFLECTION
SHOUT JOYFULLY GOD’S AWESOME DEEDS
May 9
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SHOUT JOYFULLY GOD’S AWESOME DEEDS!
Shout for joy to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name;
Give to him glorious praise! 3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you.
4 All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.”
5 Come and see what God has done:
He is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
6 He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot.
There did we rejoice in him, 7 who rules by his might forever,
Whose eyes keep watch on the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
8 Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard,
9 Who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip.
10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. – Psalm 66:1-10
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When we shout out loud something, we are expressing the uncontainable emotion inside us. In this psalm, all the earth is summoned to shout for joy to God, to give him praise and all the glory. When we declare aloud all of God’s wonderful and awesome work, we bring him glory. Rejoicing is one manifestation of our thankfulness and delight in what God has given us. It is a way of blessing God for all the love he has showered us with and all the provisions he has given us. Verses 8-10 mentions how God has strengthened his people by testing and trying them as silver is tested through fire. It is a hymn of exultation over the deliverance of God to those who are faithful to him.
In our present day and age, do we shout joyfully God’s awesome deeds? How many believers actually make a habit of this? How many of us get consumed by the corruption of this world that we fail to even thank and acknowledge God for what we have received?
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord who is a generous Giver of all things that we need.
CONFESSION: Forgive me each time I take for granted opportunities to shout joyfully.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all that you have delivered me from Lord.
SUPPLICATION: May all of God’s people make a habit of shouting out joyfully God’s deeds.
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REFLECTION
• How can joyful shouting of God’s marvelous deeds change our perspective in life?
WORLDLY MATTERS DON’T MATTER ILMA’S VLOG
May 7
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WORLDLY MATTERS DON’T MATTER
Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high, rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
When the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 Those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
8 For the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
9 That he should live on forever and never see the pit.
10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish
And leave their wealth to others. – Psalm 49:1-10
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This psalm written by the sons of Korah is a great reminder for all mankind, low and high, rich and poor alike. We can never boast of our possessions or be consumed by wanting to have riches. In verse 4, we hear the psalmist suggests the importance of listening to wisdom instead of living in fear. Just like the book of Ecclesiastes says in the first chapter, everything is meaningless; 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. The psalm talks about the fact that no one have guarantees in this life. They can never ransom another life. Both the poor and the wealthy, the wise and the fools all perish. The rich cannot bring their wealth when they die. Only dependence on God can bring them salvation. Eternal life is their only guarantee, so why depend on worldly matters instead of spiritual things?
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord Almighty, the God of our salvation!
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord, when I focus on worldly things and boast about it.
THANKSGIVING: Remind me to boast only of my dependence on you.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers remember that only in God will they have eternity.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to remember that worldly matters won’t matter in eternity?
TELL EVERYONE GOD’S WONDERFUL DEEDS ILMA’S VLOG
May 6
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TELL EVERYONE GOD’S WONDERFUL DEEDS
Sing praises to the LORD, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!
12 For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;
He does not forget the cry of the afflicted.13 Be gracious to me, O LORD!
See my affliction from those who hate me,
O you who lift me up from the gates of death,14 that I may recount all your praises,
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion, I may rejoice in your salvation.
15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;
In the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
16 The LORD has made himself known; he has executed judgment;
The wicked are snared in the work of their own hands. Higgaion.
17 The wicked shall return to Sheol all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten,
And the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
19 Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you!
20 Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but men! – Psalm 9:11-20
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Whether we tell other Christians or unbelievers the wondrous works of God, we are declaring his majesty and power. The decision to give witness to God’s acts of mercy and grace is an act of worship in itself. The Lord never forgets these acts of humility that declares our nothingness in comparison to his greatness. It is a manifestation of our service and obedience to his command to make him first among all things. In this psalm, David recounts all the things the Lord has done for them and how he looks forward to those promises He gave his people, especially the forgotten ones such as the needy. David is hopeful that God will bring them justice and mercy.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord for all his wondrous deeds. Glory and praise to Him alone.
CONFESSION: I will speak of God’s goodness to as much people as I can.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for all your faithfulness to deliver your promises to us.
SUPPLICATION: May we only speak of your wondrous deeds instead of complaining.
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REFLECTION
• What happens to our hearts when we speak of God’s wondrous deeds to others?
I WILL RECOUNT YOUR WONDERFUL DEEDS ILMA’S VLOG
May 5
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I WILL RECOUNT YOUR WONDERFUL DEEDS
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
2 I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.
3 When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence.
4 For you have maintained my just cause;
You have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.
5 You have rebuked the nations; you have made the wicked perish;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy came to an end in everlasting ruins;
Their cities you rooted out; the very memory of them has perished.
7 But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice,
8 And he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.
9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 And those who know your name put their trust in you,
For you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. – Psalm 9:1-10
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David manifests throughout the psalms his worship of the Lord. It shows his humility and love and obedience to the Master of his life. In this psalm, he recounts the many wonderful deeds that the Lord has extended to him. He uses all this remembrance to praise God and to remind himself of God’s steadfast love and deliverance from wickedness and evil. Shouldn’t all of God’s people do the same? Oftentimes, we get consumed by troubles and suffering that we forget to recall those times that the Lord has shown us favor, mercy and grace. We automatically rely on ourselves and problem-solve instead of counting the many times God had been faithful to help and deliver us from evil.
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ADORATION: Praise you Lord as you continually rescue your beloved people.
CONFESSION: Forgive me whenever I fail to recount your wondrous deeds in the past.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for giving me unconditional love though I don’t deserve it.
SUPPLICATION: May we all remember the times God rescued us and walked us through.
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REFLECTION
• How do you think recounting the many good deeds God did changes our views?
WHAT SHALL I RENDER TO THE LORD? ILMA’S VLOG
May 4
________________________________________WHAT SHALL I RENDER TO THE LORD?
What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,
14 I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16 O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
And call on the name of the LORD.18 I will pay my vows to the LORD
In the presence of all his people,19 in the courts of the house of the LORD,
In your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD! – Psalm 116:12-19
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When you love someone, don’t you do something for them to show that love? In this psalm, the people of God are urged to show their love for the Lord by: lifting up the cup of salvation and call on his name. Declaring our love for the Lord in the presence of all other believers is another suggestion that is mentioned in this psalm. If we utter such declarations of love and devotion to Jesus even in the midst of unbelievers, we are shining the truth and the light to them. Making our Lord our Master and Savior means that we are only to serve him and no other gods or idols. As servants of Christ, we are to bow down to him alone and follow him. We are to love one another as he first loved us. We are supposed to prioritize him in everything we do. We are to focus on him despite all the things that we cannot understand and have control over. We need to surrender all to him who knows and sees all things and is the Almighty and Power behind all creation.
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ADORATION: I bless and bow down only to my Master, Maker, Lord and Savior Jesus!
CONFESSION: I will show my love to the Lord by following him and taking up my cross daily.
THANKSGIVING: I am forever grateful for your sacrifice on the cross for me.
SUPPLICATION: May all believers not only say they love the Lord, but live for him as well. May they obey and live within his will.
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REFLECTION
• Why is obedience and faithfulness and loyalty important in our Christian lives?
• What happens when we only say we love God and yet not obey and live for him?