JAMES 4 SUBMIT TO GOD

August 1


JAMES 4

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passionsare at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore, it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.     – James 4:1-10


JAMES 4 SUBMIT TO GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you submit to God, you will experience peace

No amount of work and doing matter if you do not submit to Him

Satan will overpower you if you don’t succumb to God’s authority

By obedience, you will have the ability to succeed and have victory

When your passion for something is too much, you’ll cause quarrels

It is the longing for what you don’t have that creates conflicts

Submit to God and you will have power over evil

Draw near to him and you can resist the devil.


The word “submit” has been misunderstood and the world has twisted its meaning. Today, that word connotes bondage and slavery instead of freedom. Many people think that to submit to someone is to be dominated by that person. That definition is a half truth because what it doesn’t include is the fact that if you submit to the righteous God who made you, you will have peace that surpasses all understanding. When we acknowledge God’s authority and submit to it, we are honoring and praising him, but if we submit to a human being who is flawed and sinful, chances are, we will be in bondage to that person’s whims and control. Because human beings are not like the divine God, they will have the tendency to abuse power. God’s sovereignty is never abusive nor is it unfair, but humans have a tendency to abuse power because our nature is very corrupt.

James explains the advantages of submission to God. He says that God gives grace to them and also keeps the devil away from us. He also mentions that we will be purified and joy will result from such obedience and honor that we give to the Lord. What is amazing about such submission is that God himself will exalt the one who obeys and surrenders everything to him.


REFLECTION

·       Share insights as to how you have submitted to God. What have you benefited from?

PROVERBS 30 HUMBLE YOURSELF & TRUST GOD

July 31


PROVERBS 30

The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out.
2 Surely, I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.
3 I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists?
  Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth?
  What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!

5 Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.

                                                                         – Proverbs 30:1-6


PROVERBS 30 HUMBLE YOURSELF & TRUST GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a servant of Jesus Christ, you are to be humble

He gave up his divinity for you and became human

Why would you boast and presume you know everything

Meditate on God’s word & you’ll discern the devil’s schemes

But if you ignore the word of God, you will continue to rebel

Humble yourself and trust God and so you will overcome the devil.


In this account, Solomon humbles himself and strips off all of his presumptions of knowing things. When he became king, he requested for wisdom from God instead of riches and yet God gave him both of it. It is quite interesting to know that the wisest person on earth became foolish later on in life when he yoked with 700 pagan wives and 300 concubines totalling to a thousand women all serving his sexual pleasure. That doesn’t look wise, does it? In fact, it is foolish to have more than one wife. It is hard enough to please one wife, why would you want a thousand?

In these following verses, you hear Solomon’s weariness. This must have been written towards his later years. Who wouldn’t be tired after all the quest for satisfaction from sexual pleasures? You hear his weariness and eventually acceptance of his foolish seeking of worldly things such as wealth, palaces, chariots and he even built a bigger temple for himself than he did built God’s temple. Something went wrong after he yoked with the pagan wives. He forgot to consult God and instead, relied on all the gifts that were given to him by the Lord. He didn’t use it for God’s glory but for himself. In verse 3, he declares that he has not learned wisdom and has forgotten who God was. Isn’t this also true for each believer?

When we yoke with earthly things, we don’t get a clear vision and image of the God who created us. We also get in bondage with all these worldly longings and become consumed by them. No wonder many addicting acts result in the absence of knowing the Lord. God didn’t create us for pleasure-seeking for ourselves but for us to give him all the glory. So, let’s humble ourselves and trust him. Acknowledge God.


REFLECTION

·       What happens when we make ourselves increase rather than God?

1 JOHN 4 TRUST GOD AND ABIDE IN HIM

July 30


1 JOHN 4

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannotlove God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. – 1 John 4:13-21


1 JOHN 4 TRUST GOD AND ABIDE IN HIM

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you serve the Lord your God, fear not

For you will have his Spirit living in you

So, trust that you are truly loved

For his Spirit guides every step you take

Abide in him and his love will flow from you

You’ll be able to show others that same love.


In this account, God reveals through John how to walk in love. To abide in the bible means to stay close, to remain or to continue to be with God. It is to walk closely with God. It is to stay faithful and unrelenting to anything that will draw the person away from God. In Genesis 5:22-24, it says that Enoch walked with God. In other words, he abided with God. So, he was taken straight to God without going through death. Noah also walked with God as Genesis 6:9 mentions. They were blessed with protection from God as they clung and walked with the Lord. In John 15:5, we are told that if we cling to the vine, who is the Lord, the branches who are his people, will bear much fruit. This verse also reminds us that apart from God, we can do nothing. So, why do so many people live isolated from God?

If we stay close to God, we will experience perfect peace and contentment. It is something that we can never experience if we live following the world system. God is love and if we are not living our lives for him, we will never know love. We will always be living in the fear of something like fear of not having enough, fear of pain, fear of missing out, fear of being unloved or fear of not being enough for anyone to love us. In verse 18, the Lord reveals to us that the only thing that can take away our fears is to abide in him and trust him. It only makes sense because he is the only One who is perfect. If we are in Him, we will be perfected in love. There is no more reason to fear. But verse 19 reminds us all believers that we are only able to love because he first loved us. It is a gift. On our own, we cannot truly love.


REFLECTION

  • How can we manifest our trust in the Lord in our daily lives as believers?

MATTHEW 6 TO WORRY IS TO MISTRUST GOD

July 29


MATTHEW 6

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  – Matthew 6:25-34


MATTHEW 6 TO WORRY IS TO MISTRUST GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Are you always worrying about what tomorrow will bring?

Do you not know that the Lord knows what you need?

Does worrying about what you’ll eat, wear or drink do you any good?

Isn’t it nerve-wracking to always be consumed by what is to come?

To be anxious about everything manifest a strong distrust to God

When you worry, you are not believing that he has you covered

To worry is to question the provision of the All-knowing God

It is to doubt him and be uncertain whether you’ll receive it or not.


I used to be a worrier. Maybe it was caused by not being shown love as I was growing up. Neglect made me rely on myself instead of my caregivers who were not there to nurture and made me safe in my own home. I’ll never know if there will be food on the table because people around me were so busy and workaholics and there was a lack of structure and solid foundation to feel that I was being looked after. At a young age of 7, I had to provide for my own emotional needs also since no one was there to even see my existence. As I grew up in my teenage years, I learned to rely on myself and not on anyone. I have a deep mistrust especially with my own family. But that all changed, when God saved me in my fifties and I didn’t have to be anxious about anything anymore when I read these following verses here.

It was the lack of the knowledge of God that made me live a life of anxiety. No wonder I had all kinds of illnesses because of trying to take care of myself and my son on my own, not knowing that God is the one who does that for me. I didn’t trust that he had me covered because of all the lies I believed.


REFLECTION

·       Share insights as to what people usually worry about and why it is a lack of trust in God.

JOSHUA 1 TRUST GOD & YOU’LL BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS

July 28


JOSHUA 1

5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good successwherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:5-9


JOSHUA 1 TRUST GOD & YOU’LL BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Fear is not a work of God but originates from the evil one

Fear comes from Satan lying about how God made us

The devil accuses us so that we will cower and not have courage

Satan twists every word that comes from the mouth of God

He wants us to doubt God and trust ourselves instead

This way, he is able to distract and delay our purposes in life

Trust God and you will be strong and courageous to expose darkness

Only God’s word can give you wisdom to discern the all of Satan’s lies.


Do you ever wonder why many people are living in fear, doubt and anxiety? It is probably because they haven’t discovered their true identity in Christ which can only be found in Scriptures. No wonder Joshua exhorts the Israelites to meditate on God’s laws day and night in verse 8. What would it mean for every Christian to do this? Is it saying that we must think of God’s commandments 24/7? If you want to take it very literally, then yes that is what we are told to do. Sadly, I have met and known closely many Christian who do not fill their lives with having God’s laws and words in their hearts and minds regularly. Some Christians have not even memorized a single verse of God in their lives. How else can they apply it in their lives if they haven’t stored it in their hearts? David says in Psalm 119:11 “I have stored your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” And we wonder why we have sinful and fearful lives. If we haven’t filled our hearts and minds with God’s word and don’t even meditate on his law each day and each night, how can we have strength and courage? That is impossible, isn’t it?

Joshua commands us in verse 8 that it shouldn’t depart from our mouths so that we can reflect and remember it day and night that we may not sin. He warns us to be careful to follow as the command says so we can be successful and prosperous. Verse 9 is a command to be strong and courageous. So, why do so many believers live in fear, worry, doubt and anxiety?


REFLECTION

  • How have you applied verse 8 in your life and how has it transformed you when you did?

JOHN 14 PEACE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO TRUST CHRIST

July 27


JOHN 14

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. – John 14:25-31


JOHN 14 PEACE GIVEN TO THOSE WHO TRUST CHRIST

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Have you surrendered to the Lord Jesus your entire life?

Has your life changed after you professed your faith in Christ?

If you haven’t committed to your Savior, you will be full of troubles

Worry becomes your refuge when things do not go as you expect it

Your life will be filled with dissatisfaction and bitterness if you doubt

Peace only comes to those who believe and trust in the Lord Almighty.


These words of Jesus to his disciples are his farewell to them on the night before he was crucified. The disciples must have been grief-stricken, worried and scared about what will happen to them when he goes. It is human nature for us to be fearful when we have no clue about what is going to happen. I remember when my husband’s MRI showed traces of dementia. The grief was overwhelming even though he was still with me. I could imagine how the disciples felt knowing that they are going to lose their beloved master and teacher. They felt lost and purposeless because they left everything to follow the Lord.

Jesus had so much compassion for his disciples and in this account, we hear how much he loved them all. He assured them that even though he wasn’t around, there is a Helper who will be there constantly to comfort, guide and teach them. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the one who will remind them of all that has been taught to them by Jesus. That’s amazingly comforting to know that they are not going to be abandoned after all. But because of their limited minds and their emotions overcoming them, they couldn’t truly fathom what Jesus was saying. We also do this a lot when we become hyper focused on something negative that we fail to see the lessons or the upside of the situation. Jesus reminded them that if they love him, they will rejoice. Easier said than done to be joyful when you lose something or someone you love. If they trust Jesus’ promise of a Helper, they would not dwell on the loss itself but in the gain of the presence of the Helper who will be living in their hearts.


REFLECTION

  • Why do you think peace is the by-product of trusting the Lord?

PSALM 91 TRUST IN THE MOST HIGH

July 25


PSALM 91

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will sayto the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge;

  his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

9 Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place- the Most High, who is my refuge-
10 no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.

                                                                                        – Psalm 91:1-10


PSALM 91 TRUST IN THE MOST HIGH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Say to the Lord that he is your stronghold and sanctuary

He is the only One who can deliver you from all your enemies

If you trust the Most High, you fear nothing and no one

Only in him can you be protected, assured and calm

Even in the midst of much troubles, you will find strength

Only by trusting the Most High will you be safe and be content.


Biblehub.com defines “the Most High,” as the One who is absolutely supreme, unrivaled, and enthroned above every earthly or spiritual power. The title draws attention to His transcendence and to His sovereign right to rule and to judge. It is not a distant abstraction; rather, it is a covenant name that guarantees the security, inheritance, and vindication of His people.

In this psalm, the suspected author was Moses. We remember Moses asking God who shall he say that he is to the Israelites and God’s reply was “I am that I am.”  According to hebrewwordlesson.com “there are two primary ways to sayI am in the Hebrew Bible: ani and ehyeh. Ani (and anoki) is the most prolific Hebrew word meaning “I am”. Even YHWH repeatedly used it to speak of Himself, saying “Ani YHWH” (I am YHWH). I alluded to this title of God because it is the closest to the Most High. Moses exhorts the Israelites to trust in the Most High and they will be protected and delivered from their enemies. He described how God will vindicate them because they are his people and that they need not fear anything since he is sovereign and above all things.

What does total trust in God brings the believer? Assurance, protection and peace. No amount of problem solving and reliance on ourselves will keep us secure and calm. Only in the Lord will we have it.


REFLECTION

  • Why is it important for us to focus on God’s title “Most High” as we navigate this corrupt world?

PROVERBS 16 TRUST GOD & HE’LL ESTABLISH YOUR STEPS

July 23


PROVERBS 16

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose, 

   even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

   be assured, he will not go unpunished.

6 By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

   and by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.
7 When a man’s ways please the Lord,

he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.
9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.

                                                                                        – Proverbs 16:1-9


PROVERBS 16 TRUST GOD & HE’LL ESTABLISH YOUR STEPS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Are you a planner, a micro-manager, an achiever or a problem solver?

Do you like doing things on your own or do you ask help from others?

Do you rely only on your own understanding or do you seek counsel?

If you trust God, he will establish your steps and your plans will prosper

If you operate on your own, you will encounter troubles and have failures

Be humble and run to your Father in heaven who is your greatest Provider

If you run to yourself, you are ignoring God, you are defying the All-Powerful.


More often than not, we do not seek counsel from the Lord. Human nature tends to rely on ourselves first than on someone we do not see. Just because we don’t physically see God doesn’t mean he isn’t present in our lives. How else can you explain the natural beauty we gaze at every morning when the sun rises and every evening when it sets on the horizon? How do you explain all the complex emotions we have that’s unexplainable and hard to fathom? It only means that there is a Higher Power that we don’t see and has created all the natural beauty around us including our own self to exist and have its own purposes in the big scheme of God’s plan.

In this proverb, Solomon wants us to rethink how we approach life on a day-to-day basis. He wants us to recognize that there is a God who knows and sees all things. He also provides for all our needs. So, why would we ignore and forget that it was him who owns everything in this world he created? Why won’t we consult him for everything since he knows what we need and what is good for us?


REFLECTION

  • How can a Christian let go of automated self-reliance and turn to God for counsel at all times?

JAMES 1 UNWAVERING TRUST IN THE LORD

July 22


JAMES 1

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. – James 1:5-12


JAMES 1 UNWAVERING TRUST IN THE LORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

If your trust in the Lord is unwavering, you’ll prosper

If you lack wisdom, ask the Lord Almighty for his counsel

And you will be generously given it, but ask with no doubting

For if you hesitate, you are manifesting a heart that is distrusting

A firm trust in God is evidence of your commitment & love for him

It shows conviction that withstands the enemy’s temptation to sin.


So many of us say we love someone but how few of us could actually say that we totally trust the one we claim to love? It is human nature to protect ourselves from what is unknown. It is interesting that even between husbands and wives, we often see some tinge of mistrust brewing in marriages. It is understandable to witness such suspicions and uncertainties if there were preceding events that led to one of the spouses being betrayed once if not often. In those instances, we know that one of them has already broken their vows to love each other. It usually takes time to heal those wounds of unloving acts and betrayals, that is, if it is actually repented on and then forgiven.

In this letter of James, he emphasized the importance of unwavering trust in the Lord. To have a total and complete trust in God, we need to submit control and understanding to him. When we ask him for a plea, it must be out of humility and not twisting God’s arms to give us what we ask for. Often, we come to God for help after we have already exhausted all our knowledge and understanding of a situation. This isn’t truly showing a humble faith and dependence on God. It shows that we rely on ourselves first before we run to God’s counsel. It is proof that we don’t have full confidence that God is our Father and that he has already provided all that we need even before we ask for it. James cautions us from doubting as it is compared to the instability of the waves of the sea that is tossed and blown by the wind. When we doubt, we are not believing that God is the Provider and Source of all things. When we are not firm in our belief in him, we are actually not serving him. We are operating in the camp of the devil.


REFLECTION

·       What does unwavering trust in God look like in a Christian’s life?

PSALM 143 TRUST GOD & YOU’LL KNOW THE WAY

July 21


PSALM 143

7 Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails!

   Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.
   Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!
   Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!

11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
    In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
    and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, for I am your servant.

                                                                                        – Psalm 143:7-12


PSALM 143 TRUST GOD & YOU’LL KNOW THE WAY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Make a habit of lifting up your soul to the Lord each morning

It will ensure a day of praise and worship to the Almighty

Consult him for counsel for even the littlest matter

He’ll show you the way to go and you’ll be out of trouble

Trust God and he will preserve your life and destroy the enemy

You will have wisdom to face the battle courageously.


How often do you wake up and immediately say a prayer to God? Do you greet him as soon as you get out of your unconscious state? In this age of information and technology, many people sleep with their devices on their bedside table and usually it is the first thing that they reach out for every morning. I wonder how God longs for us to make him our priority! If you have been in a relationship, you always yearn for your loved ones’ attention, don’t you? Especially in the honeymoon phase of a marriage, the husband or the wife couldn’t get enough of their beloved and usually stares and looks at them with much affection even while they are still asleep. They are so in love with their partner and they can’t get their eyes off them. Shouldn’t each Christian feel the same way for their Lord? What would it be like if we are all so much in love with the Lord and we can’t get enough of him? Wouldn’t we start praising him as soon as we are awake? Wouldn’t we be reaching for our bibles so we can spend time with him and be caressed by his holy word? Wouldn’t we be engaging in a conversation with him from the truth that we have just received? Wouldn’t we pour out our hearts and praise him first thing in the morning?

In this psalm, David showed us his habit of conversing and seeking God’s counsel each time he woke up. In the midst of fleeing his enemies, he never stopped trusting God and making him his priority.


REFLECTION

·       How can you show your love for God in your daily life? How do you stay in love with him?