April 22
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THAT THEY MAY KNOW YOU ARE THE MOST HIGH
9 Do to them as you did to Midian, as to Sisera and Jabin at the river Kishon,
10 Who were destroyed at En-dor, who became dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb, all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,
12 Who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves of the pastures of God.”
13 O my God, make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind.
14 As fire consumes the forest, as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,
15 So may you pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your hurricane!
16 Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O LORD.
17 Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace,
18 That they may know that you alone, whose name is the LORD,
Are the Most High over all the earth. – Psalm 83:9-18
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In this song, Asaph runs to God for rescue from the Gentiles who formed alliances to bring down the people of God. He recalls how God delivered them from the Midianites, Siserites and Jabinites at the Kishon river by crushing them and becoming dung for the ground. He particularly names their nobles like Oreb, Zeeb, Zebah and Zalmunna who wanted to take possession of God’s pastures. What a strategy to win! Running to God and reminding him of his great deeds for them in the past!
In the ESV study bible, the basic request is that these enemies would utterly fail in their scheme. The ultimate reason for Israel’s existence is to serve God’s purpose of restoring true worship and authentic human life among all mankind. Therefore, it is really for the good of these hostile Gentiles that they fail in their plan to destroy Israel.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord for all the mighty wondrous deeds he does for his people.
CONFESSION: The Lord is our rescuer, our strength and our fortress.
THANKSGIVING: Let us give thanks to a God who constantly protects the righteous.
SUPPLICATION: May all of the schemes of the enemy be exposed and destroyed so that there will be no more impediments in worshiping and giving God the glory.
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REFLECTION
• What are some of the tactics or schemes of Satan to destroy God’s people?
• What attacks from the enemy have you encountered lately? How did you respond?
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O GOD, DO NOT KEEP SILENT ILMA’S VLOG
April 21
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O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
Those who hate you have raised their heads.3 They lay crafty plans against your people;
They consult together against your treasured ones.
4 They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
Let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”5 For they conspire with one accord;
Against you they make a covenant—6 the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;8 Asshur also has joined them;
They are the strong arm of the children of Lot. – Psalm 83:1-8
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The ESV study bible says that this is a community lament, responding to a situation in which God’s people are threatened by Gentile enemies who aim to destroy them. The psalmist, Asaph asks that God will make these enemies fail miserably, be put to shame and perish so that they might come to know the Lord. The Gentile coalition and their evil crafty plans in verse 4 tells us they want to annihilate God’s people so their names will never be remembered anymore. Facing such danger, the people urge God not to be silent.
It is interesting that during this time in history, the people of God ask God to move into action against the Gentile alliance who wants to crush the Israelites. This probably shows how much they know their God and exhibits dependence on him. Their confidence stems in knowing their God will do everything to rescue them. Do we have this kind of dependence on our Lord? Do we reflect on his character and his promises?
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ADORATION: Lord, I praise your steadfast love and surrender to your strength.
CONFESSION: Do not keep silent and allow evil to win over the enemy’s plot to destroy your people.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your promise to be with us always in every situation.
SUPPLICATION: May the Lord’s will prevail especially in transitions from major changes in our lives.
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REFLECTION
• How can we develop confidence in depending on God? What must we give up?
HEAR THE DESIRE OF THE AFFLICTED ILMA’S VLOG
April 20
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HEAR THE DESIRE OF THE AFFLICTED
10 The helpless are crushed, sink down, and fall by his might.
11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it.”
12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted.
13 Why does the wicked renounce God
And say in his heart, “You will not call to account”?
14 But you do see, for you note mischief and vexation,
That you may take it into your hands; to you the helpless commits himself;
You have been the helper of the fatherless.15 Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer;
Call his wickedness to account till you find none.16 The LORD is king forever and ever;
The nations perish from his land.17 O LORD, you hear the desire of the afflicted;
You will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear
18 To do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed,
So that man who is of the earth may strike terror no more. – Psalm 10:10-18
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According to the ESV student study bible, as the wicked person oppresses the faithful, he assumes that God has forgotten them-that God is indifferent to their suffering. The faithful mention this to God, asking him to show the wicked that he has not, in fact forgotten his people (vv12-14). The ensuing verses call God to action and to confront the evil things done to those who are helpless. The fatherless and the oppressed were mentioned in verse 18 as in those times, the Old Testament law is full of warning about oppressing such people as the fatherless (Exodus 22:22 and Deuteronomy 10:18). The cry for God to deliver these oppressed people from evil is their faith that God is king forever and that He will keep his promise to his people.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord, who is king forever and ever.
CONFESSION: Lord, help those vulnerable and weak people to be protected from evil.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for giving me an occasion to witness suffering so I can pray for those who are persecuted, oppressed and discriminated.
SUPPLICATION: May all God’s people continue to believe and hope despite trials.
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REFLECTION
• How can a plea for the vulnerable play a big role in their deliverance?
TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS ILMA’S VLOG
April 18
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TEACH US TO NUMBER OUR DAYS
10 The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty;
Yet their span is but toil and trouble; They are soon gone, and we fly away.
11 Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
That we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
And for as many years as we have seen evil.16 Let your work be shown to your servants,
And your glorious power to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!
– Psalm 90: 10-17
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In this psalm, Moses pleads the Lord to have pity on his servants. In verse 15, he asks the Lord to show them mercy and replace all their afflictions with gladness. Before Moses’ time, people lived longer lives from 300-600 years, but because of people’s wickedness, God shortened the lifespan of humans which Moses refers to in verse 10. He longs for God to give his people wisdom how to live their short lives compared to their ancestors so that they can have a heart of wisdom. He desperately pleads God to have pity on his servants and bring back favor on them. Shouldn’t we all pray this psalm for all of mankind these days as we suffer God’s wrath for all of our sins of disobedience, rebellion, idolatry and unfaithfulness. Do you think this global pandemic is a call to remembrance of all God’s miracles in the past and how we need to bring our hearts to God in this short life?
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord who have created us and who is steadfast in His love.
CONFESSION: Forgive the whole of humankind for all of our sins; Free us from your wrath.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for calling our attention to repent and return to you.
SUPPLICATION: May all people confess that God is in control of all things.
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REFLECTION
• Why is Moses pleading God to teach them to number their days?
TEACH ME YOUR WAYS THAT I MAY WALK IN TRUTH ILMA’S VLOG
April 16
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TEACH ME YOUR WAYS THAT I MAY WALK IN TRUTH
10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth;
Unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
And I will glorify your name forever.13 For great is your steadfast love toward me;
You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
14 O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
And they do not set you before them.15But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant,
And save the son of your maidservant.17 Show me a sign of your favor,
That those who hate me may see and be put to shame
Because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me. – Psalm 86:10-17
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David’s prayer manifests his wisdom and intimate relationship with the Lord in this psalm. He praises his Lord be declaring his Master’s wondrous deeds and how God is the only true God. His humble stance to ask the Lord to teach him is something that all Christians should emulate. He is full of steadfast love and David constantly pleads the Lord to keep him united to his God. A thankful attitude in verse 12 and counting his blessings on the ensuing verses is another evidence how his heart seeks and pursues God’s own heart always. No matter how the situation is, he can still get comfort and be at peace because in the past, the Lord had always helped and comforted him. He is sure that his God will never let him go without help and protection.
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ADORATION: Our God, is the best teacher to all of those who love him. Praise the Lord.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord, when I do not rely on your word for guidance.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for giving us access to Scriptures so easily when others don’t know about it.
SUPPLICATION: May all Christians walk in truth and love and in the Spirit.
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REFLECTION
• Why do Christians still not seek truth even when they are available to them?
YOU O LORD ARE GOOD AND FORGIVING ILMA’S VLOG
April 15
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YOU O LORD ARE GOOD AND FORGIVING
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
Abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
Listen to my plea for grace.7 In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.
8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord,
And shall glorify your name.– Psalm 86:1-9
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The ESV student study bible says that this is an individual lament of David in a situation win which a band of insolent men seek his life. It confesses of God’s goodness and mercy. He also acknowledges in verse 5 that his own sins may have contributed to his enemies’ plans. I love how David honestly runs to the Lord for help and acknowledging his neediness. His trust in the Lord is astounding and so is his deep knowledge of the character of the God he serves. He is confident that because of God’s goodness and mercy, he will deliver him from these men seeking to kill him. His humble heart has never failed to confess and admit his sinfulness, yet it never stopped him from depending on God and hoping that God will keep his promise to redeem and protect his beloved faithful servants.
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ADORATION: Praise be to the God who is the Good and full of forgiveness. Bless his heart.
CONFESSION: Lord, you are the God who saves and graciously grant mercy.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for always being there for me especially when I need protection and deliverance.
SUPPLICATION: May all God’s people have a dependence and confidence in the Lord.
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REFLECTION
• How can we develop confidence instead of succumbing to fear in times of trouble?
• What do you think is David’s secret in asking boldly the Lord for help?
DELIVER & PROTECT ME FROM MY ENEMIES ILMA’S VLOG
April 13
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DELIVER & PROTECT ME FROM MY ENEMIES
Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 Deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,
4 For no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5 You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
Spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. 6 Each evening they come back,
Howling like dogs and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips—
For “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”8 But you, O LORD, laugh at them;
You hold all the nations in derision.9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
For you, O God, are my fortress. – Psalm 59:1-9
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In 1 Samuel 19, we hear an account how Saul tries to kill David. He even talked to his son Jonathan who was a friend to David to plot for his life. But Jonathan warned David so he fled from Saul. In verse 11, Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning, but David’s wife, Michal told her father’s plot to kill him, so David fled through the window that night. In this psalm, David pleads to God to be delivered from these enemies who want so much to kill him. He describes how they are bloodthirsty and howling like dogs and prowling about the city. We still witness David’s trust and dependence on God despite all these evil and wicked men who want him dead. He declares that God is his fortress and he is confident that he will be protected and delivered from these enemies by his faithful God.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord, our faithful protector and deliverer. He is mighty to save.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I succumb to panic or fear when I am attacked by evil.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your steadfast love and protection.
SUPPLICATION: May all God’s people remember to run to him for deliverance and victory over the plots of the enemy.
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REFLECTION
• How do you deal with people who scheme and plot evil to you?
I WILL CAUSE YOUR NAME TO BE REMEMBERED ILMA’S VLOG
April 12
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I WILL CAUSE YOUR NAME TO BE REMEMBERED
10 Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:
Forget your people and your father’s house,11and the king will desire your beauty.
Since he is your lord, bow to him.12 The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,
The richest of the people. 13 All glorious is the princess in her chamber,
With robes interwoven with gold. 14 in many-colored robes she is led to the king,
With her virgin companions following behind her.
15 With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king.
16 In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth.
17 I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
Therefore nations will praise you forever and ever. – Psalm 45:10-17
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This hymn celebrates a royal wedding and in verse 10-12 the song turns to the bride. Her loyalty now is to her husband, the king and no longer to her father’s house. The song speaks of the king’s enduring line. The marriage of a Davidic king is not a private matter. It is crucial for the fulfilling of God’s promises, not simply to Israel but to the nations.
In this psalm, we see how the princess is encouraged to be loyal to her king because she isn’t in her father’s house anymore. It shows that she is to submit to her king and her sons will be the replacement for her father. It is essential that she contributes for her king to be remembered.
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ADORATION: Praise the Lord, the king of heaven and earth.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord each time I don’t follow authority.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for giving us leaders who can rule over us.
SUPPLICATION: May all people submit to their rulers and leaders as they would to the Lord Jesus Christ.
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REFLECTION
• Why should women submit to their husbands and be faithful to them? Why is a woman’s submission to her husband essential in a marriage?
MY HELP AND MY DELIVERER! ILMA’S VLOG
April 9
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MY HELP AND MY DELIVERER!
I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog,
And set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud,
To those who go astray after a lie!5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
Your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.
6 In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.
7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me:
8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.” – Psalm 40:1-8
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This psalm of David manifests his total dependence on God. It also shows how he is so much patient. We know that patience is a fruit of the Spirit and so we can actually deduce that he is a led by God’s Spirit to constantly hope for God’s deliverance. He praised the Lord for his help and deliverance, something David has never failed to exude. Even in the direst situation, he still praises the Lord. His confidence must have come from his deep intimate relationship with his Lord and Deliverer. He even blessed those who put their trust in the Lord and proclaim him as the only God who is incomparable with any other gods.
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ADORATION: Praise our Lord, our Help and our Deliverer! He is steadfast and faithful.
CONFESSION: Forgive me Lord whenever I fail to trust you especially in times of troubles.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for letting me experience adversities so I can rely on you and grow my faith and endurance.
SUPPLICATION: May all the people of God trust only in the Lord who delivers us from evil.
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REFLECTION
• How can David still delight to do God’s will in the midst of attacks from his enemies? How can we develop a patience and confidence in God like David?
THE RIGHTEOUS GOD ILMA’S VLOG
April 8
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THE RIGHTEOUS GOD
8 The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness
And according to the integrity that is in me.
9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—
You who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God! 10 My shield is with God,
Who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge,
And a God who feels indignation every day.12 If a man does not repent,
God will whet his sword; he has bent and readied his bow;
13 He has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts.
14 Behold, the wicked man conceives evil and is pregnant with mischief
And gives birth to lies.15 He makes a pit, digging it out,
And falls into the hole that he has made.16 His mischief returns upon his own head,
And on his own skull his violence descends.
17 I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
And I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High. – Psalm 7:8-17
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In this psalm of David, he emphasizes how God is a righteous God. He judges people according to their integrity. The Lord is the only one who knows everything. He knows what we are thinking even before we think of it. He sees our hearts and every intention we have is never hidden from him. This psalm gives us a reminder how to live righteously so that we do not have to contend with the consequences of wrong choices and actions. If we love the Lord, we will do what is right and true. We will give him glory for being a just judge and a rewarder of good.
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ADORATION: Lord, you are worthy of praise and glory, you are righteous and just.
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I fail to choose the right thing at times.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for your truth that keeps me in check with staying right.
SUPPLICATION: May all Christians never forget that all our actions have consequences and that we have a righteous judge who rewards good and punishes evil.
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REFLECTION
• Why do we have to remember that God hates evil and won’t allow it to thrive?
• Do you think it is fair to punish those who do evil? Why or Why not?