August 14
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THE TROUBLE IN MARRIAGE
A poem by ILMA
If you have a wife, do not seek to end the marriage
If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married
But if you do get married, you will definitely have troubles
I am trying to spare you those problems so you can focus on Christ.
Those who weep or rejoice should not be consumed with lament or their bliss
Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them
For this world as we know it will soon pass away; be free from life’s concerns
The single can serve God undividedly while those married has to serve their spouse.
Married man’s interests are divided while the single one can focus on God
In the same way, a woman who is single can be devoted to the Lord
A married woman has to think about her duties and pleasing her husband
Do whatever will help you serve the Lord with as few distractions as possible.
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives; she’s free if he dies
She can marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the Lord
But it would be better for her to stay single so she can stay focused
She can serve the Lord without having to divide her attention.
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MEMORY VERSE
However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems. – 1 Corinthians 7:28
Read: 1 Corinthians 7:25-40
There are many couples going into marriage expecting fairy tale endings. The apostle Paul clearly gives us instructions about what we need to face when we get married. Sadly, the world gives us unrealistic expectations about it. Our focus on serving God is divided when we are married. So, why do people expect marriage to be smooth sailing all the time?
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think people expect a trouble-free marriage?
• Why is it hard to serve God first when we are married?
Tag Archives: poetry
AS YOU WERE WHEN GOD CALLED YOU Poem Devotional
August 13
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AS YOU WERE WHEN GOD CALLED YOU
A poem by ILMA
Those who are married, the Lord commands you these
A wife must not leave her husband but if she does
She must remain single or be reconciled to him
And the husband must not leave his wife likewise.
If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer
And she is willing to continue living with him, he mustn’t leave her
And if a believing woman has a husband who’s an unbeliever
If he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him.
For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage,
And the believing husband brings holiness to his matrimony
Otherwise, your children wouldn’t be holy, but now they are holy
If the unbelieving spouse insist on leaving, let them go.
In such cases the believing spouse is no longer bound to the other
Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you?
And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?
Each one should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed them.
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MEMORY VERSE
Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. – 1 Corinthians 7:17
Read: 1 Corinthians 7:10-17
Isn’t it amazing that the Lord gave us clear instructions about marriage in this account of Paul to the Corinthians? As believers, it is good for us to follow these instructions about marriage in order for us to be able to thrive in our marriages. The trouble with many of us is that we don’t follow these rules and so we end up having broken marriages.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think God blesses the marriage even if they are unequally yoked?
• Why are unbelievers made holy by the believers?
BETTER TO STAY SINGLE Poem Devotional
August 12
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BETTER TO STAY SINGLE
A poem by ILMA
Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations with someone
But because there’s much immorality, each man must have a wife
Likewise, each woman should have her own husband as well
The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs regularly
The wife should satisfy her husband’s needs as much as possible
The wife gives to her husband authority over her own body
And the husband gives authority over his body only to his wife
Do not deprive each other of sexual relations or you will be tempted.
Unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time
Do it for the purpose of giving yourselves more completely to prayer
Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t succeed
I say this as a concession, not as a command, but I wish everyone were single
Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another
So, I say to those unmarried and widows—it’s better to stay unmarried
But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry
It’s better to marry than to burn with lust if you can’t control yourself.
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MEMORY VERSE
So, I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9 But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust. – 1 Corinthians 7:8-9
Read: 1 Corinthians 7:1-9
The world dictates us to be married. Many who are single long to be married so that someone will complete them. This is a very worldly reason to be committed for life. As believers, we are expected to make God our first. When we are married, are focus is divided to our spouse and our Maker.
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REFLECTION
• For those married, do you think that your spouse can distract you from time with God? For the single, do you have more time for God when you are solo?
ON SEXUAL SIN Poem Devotional
August 11
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ON SEXUAL SIN
A poem by ILMA
You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you
“Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food”
Though “I’m allowed to do anything,” I mustn’t be enslaved by anything
You can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality
They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies
God will raise us from the dead by his power like His Son was risen.
Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ?
Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and sleep with a prostitute? Don’t you know that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, they’re united
He can’t separate himself from anyone whom he had been intertwined
Scriptures say that when a man and a woman joined in body, they are one
A person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him and his only Son
Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does
Sexual immorality is a sin against your own body which is God’s temple
He lives in you and was given to you by God? You don’t belong to yourself
God bought you with a high price. So, you must honor God with your body.
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MEMORY VERSE
Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18
Read: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
It’s amazing how many people don’t understand that our bodies are not ours but the Lord’s when we committed our lives to him. Just like a husband and wife, we can’t defile our bodies for it does belong to whom we have committed ourselves to.
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REFLECTION
• What lies have the world taught us that makes us justify that sexual sins is okay?
• Why do we need to honor and respect our own bodies?
• What would a compromised body do to a person?
• Why do you think God wants us to honor our bodies?
AVOIDING LAWSUITS WITH CHRISTIANS Poem Devotional
August 10
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AVOIDING LAWSUITS WITH CHRISTIANS
A poem by ILMA
When one of you has a dispute with another believer,
You shouldn’t ask a secular court to decide the matter
Instead, you should take it to another member of the body
Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world?
Can’t you decide even little things among yourselves?
Don’t you realize that we will judge angels?
Surely you should be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life
Why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?
Isn’t there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide on issues?
But instead, one believer sues another—right in front of unbelievers!
Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you
Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that?
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MEMORY VERSE
When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers.
– 1 Corinthians 6:1
Read: 1 Corinthians 6
So many people easily resort to courts to resolve their disputes with others. It becomes a battle who is right or wrong. Paul talked to the Corinthians about what God expects us to do when we get into disputes. Unlike the world’s view of setting conflicts, God asks us to run to another believer and seek counsel from the elderly of the church. This way, we can live in the truth and be reminded of God’s wisdom. When we consult the world’s system, we are just like any other unbeliever.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to get guidance from another believer instead of just running to the world?
• What’s the view of God when it comes to resolving disputes?
PAUL CONDEMNS SPIRITUAL PRIDE & SIN Poem Devotional
August 9
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PAUL CONDEMNS SPIRITUAL PRIDE & SIN
A poem by ILMA
I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality among you
I am told that a man in your church is allowed to do wrong
He living in sin with his stepmother and you are all so proud of it
You should be mourning in sorrow and remove him in your fellowship.
Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you spiritually
And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on wickedness
You must call a meeting of the church and I’ll be with you in spirit
And so, will the Lord Jesus Christ also will be with you all present.
Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan
So that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved
Your boasting about this tolerance of this sin is terrible and shameful
Don’t you realize that the sin is like yeast that spreads through the whole dough?
Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you
It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders and who haven’t vowed to God
It is certainly your responsibility to judge those believers who are sinning
God will judge unbelievers but you must remove evil people amongst you.
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MEMORY VERSE
God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”– 1 Corinthians 5:13
Read: 1 Corinthians 5
In this chapter, we see how Paul confronts the church for allowing sin to thrive amongst the members of the church. Some believers have lived compromised lives that have been tolerated by other members of the church. Paul reminds us that we are to ensure that the body of Christ isn’t defiled by those who claim to be committed to Jesus.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think the other members of the church didn’t confront the sin committed by one of its members? Should you allow a brother to continue to fall?
LAYING FOUNDATION LIKE A BUILDER Poem Devotional
August 8
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LAYING FOUNDATION LIKE A BUILDER
A poem by ILMA
We are God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News
Each of us did the work the Lord gave us; I planted the seed in your hearts
Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow
It’s not important who does the planting, or the watering
What’s important is that God makes the seed grow
The one who plants or waters work with the same purpose
Both will be rewarded for their own hard work
For we are both God’s workers, God’s field and God’s building.
Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like a builder
Now others are building on it. When building, we must be very careful
For no one can lay any foundation other than Jesus Christ
On judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work one has finished.
The fire will show if a person’s work has any value
If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward
But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss
The builder will be saved, but barely escaping through a wall of flames.
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MEMORY VERSE
Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
– 1 Corinthians 3:10
Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-15
If you have constructed any project, you will find that a good foundation is important in ensuring that what you have built is going to stand the test of time and other things that will put stress or weight on it. I recently began building sectional modular couches and because it was my first build from scratch, it started to fall apart in less than a year.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it essential to be solidly anchored on Christ as a believer?
• What happens to people when they forget to give credit to God and take it instead?
PAUL’S MESSAGE ON WISDOM Poem Devotional
August 7
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PAUL’S MESSAGE ON WISDOM
A poem by ILMA
When I came to you, I didn’t use lofty words to tell you God’s secret plan
For I decided that while I was with you, I would only remember God’s Son
I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling and my message were plain
Instead of using clever speeches, I relied only on the power of God.
I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in God’s power
Yet when I am among mature believers, I speak with words of wisdom
The wisdom that belongs to this world are soon forgotten
But God’s plan is revealed to us, so we can learn and understand it.
Scriptures says that “No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
No mind has imagined what God has prepared for those whom he loves
His Spirit searches out everything and shows us his deep secrets
No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit.
No one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit
And we have received God’s Spirit and not the world’s system
We can know the wonderful things God has freely given us
We speak words using the Spirit’s words to explain, spiritual truths.
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MEMORY VERSE
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” – 1 Corinthians 2:9
Read: 1 Corinthians 2
The apostle Paul explains the wisdom that God’s Spirit has endowed to all those who love him. He shares his wisdom with those who faithfully obey and seek his truth. What is amazing is that such wisdom is not like the world’s view of knowledge or intelligence. He cautions us not to rely on our human understanding for it is not always truth.
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REFLECTION
• What stops someone from understanding God’s wisdom?
• Why is it important to seek God’s word in our daily lives?
GOD’S WISDOM VERSUS HUMAN WISDOM Poem Devotional
August 6
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GOD’S WISDOM VERSUS HUMAN WISDOM
A poem by ILMA
The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction
But those who are being saved know it is the very power of God
As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
And throw away as well the intelligence of the intelligent.”
Where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and debaters?
God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish
He saw to it that the world won’t know him through their wisdom
God has used foolish preaching to save those who believe.
God chose things the world considers foolish to shame the wise
He chose the powerless to shame those who are powerful
And also, those despised by the world and counted as nothing
He used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.
For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself
Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy
He freed us from sin so no one can take credit for anything
If you want to boast, boast only of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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MEMORY VERSE
Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. – 1 Corinthians 1:22
Read: 1 Corinthians 1:1-21
The world view wisdom very differently from God. We think that when we accomplish or know something, it is of our own, but everything comes from God and only him deserves all the praise and glory.
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REFLECTION
• Do you regularly give God glory for all the knowledge and wisdom he has bestowed on you?
• Why should you only boast on the Lord Jesus Christ?
PAUL’S WARNING ON TROUBLEMAKERS Poem Devotional
August 5
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PAUL’S WARNING ON TROUBLEMAKERS
A poem by ILMA
Watch out for people who cause troubles and divisions
They upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to truth
Stay away from them for such people are not serving Jesus
They are actually serving their own personal interests.
By smooth talk and glowing words, they deceive innocent people
Be wise in doing right and stay innocent of any wrong
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet
May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you always.
Now all glory to God, who is able to make you strong as the Good News says
This message about Jesus Christ has revealed his plan for you Gentiles
A plan kept secret from the beginning of time but now made known to them
This is so that all Gentiles might believe and obey our Lord Jesus Christ.
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MEMORY VERSE
Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. 18 Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words, they deceive innocent people. – Romans 16:17-18
Read: Romans 16:17-27
Paul addresses the issue of deceivers in the church. If we don’t know the truth, how can we know if we are told a lie and being deceived? It took me six years to discover the believers who were masquerading as the real deal. It became clear as the Holy Spirit showed me the lies and the lack of integrity of such people. We are told by Paul not to have anything to do with these troublemakers and deceivers.
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REFLECTION
• How can we easily recognize deception?
• Why are we cautioned to stay away from troublemakers and conflict makers?
• What do we do when we see someone deceiving another believer?
• Why is division very destructive in the body of Christ?