December 19
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LIVING WATER THAT BRINGS ETERNAL LIFE
A poem by ILMA
Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee for on his way to Samaria
Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar
Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk sat beside it
Well about noontime, a Samaritan woman came to draw water
Jesus approached the woman and said to her, “Please give me a drink.”
He was alone; his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to deal or talk with Samaritans
“You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman, why are you asking me for a drink?
“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to
Then you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said
and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?
Do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well?
How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again
It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
“Give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, then I won’t be thirsty again.
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MEMORY VERSE
“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” -John 4:10
Read: John 4:1-15
This story tells us the character of Jesus. He is a radical person who goes against what society dictates. He didn’t care what people said or think, he wanted to save that Samaritan woman from her unquenchable thirst for water that doesn’t last.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think people continue to feed on what the world offers instead of what the Lord does?
Tag Archives: spoken word
CHRIST PURIFIES THE TEMPLE Poem Devotional
December 17
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CHRIST PURIFIES THE TEMPLE
A poem by ILMA
It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration, so Jesus went to Jerusalem
In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices
He also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money
Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple.
He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor He turned over their tables and went over to the people who sold doves
He told them, “Get these things out of here all of you who have defiled this temple
Get out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”
Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures
The Son will have “Passion for God’s house will consume me.”
The Jewish leaders demanded, “What are you doing?
If God gave you authority to do this, show us a miraculous sign to prove it.”
“All right,” Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up”
“It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you’ll rebuild it in 3days?”
But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body
After he was raised from the dead, he rose and was resurrected.
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MEMORY VERSE
Jesus replied. “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” “What!” they exclaimed. “It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple, and you can rebuild it in three days?” But when Jesus said “this temple,” he meant his own body. – John 2:19-21
Read: John 2:13-20
We witness the passion of Jesus in this account. He was full of righteous anger for having the Temple of God defiled by money making vendors. He was cleaning up a holy place that the people desecrated for their own gains. He was rightfully angry that they tainted the Most Holy Place of his Father.
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REFLECTION
• How can righteous anger keep us pure and holy?
THE WORD BECAME HUMAN Poem Devotional
December 15
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THE WORD BECAME HUMAN
A poem by ILMA
Before anything came into existence, the Word was already there
The Word was with God and the Word was God and already existed
God made all things through him, and nothing was made except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to all.
The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it
God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so all might believe
John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light
The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into our lives.
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him
He came to his own people, and even they, mocked and rejected him
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to belong to God
They are reborn—not with physically but a birth that comes from God, our Creator.
So, the Word became flesh and made his home here on earth
And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another
For no one has ever seen God. But the Son is revealed God to us.
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MEMORY VERSE
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:3-5
Read: John 1:1-18
The essence of Christianity is the truth that the Word, who is Christ, has already existed even before the creation of all things. God made all things for him and through him. When a believer’s life is focused on the Alpha who is also our Omega, we are living the truth.
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REFLECTION
• Why does the epistle of John calls Jesus as the Word?
• Do Christians really understand the meaning of God making creation through Christ, with Christ and for Christ? How should that manifest in their lives?
MICAH’S PROPHECY OF THE FUTURE REIGN Poem Devotional
December 15
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MICAH’S PROPHECY OF THE FUTURE REIGN
A poem by ILMA
In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will reign
It will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth
It will be raised above the other hills, and all will stream there to worship
People from all nations will say “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD
Let’s go to the house of Jacob’s God, There, he will teach us his ways,
The LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion and his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The LORD will mediate between peoples and settle fights between strong nations
They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks
Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore
Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
There will be nothing to fear for the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!
Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow God forever and ever.
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MEMORY VERSE
Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
for there will be nothing to fear. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!
– Micah 4:4
Read: Micah 4:1-5
Micah’s prophecy is a promise that the people of God need to look up to. It is important to focus on God’s promises especially when we are going through a lot of trials and challenges in our lives. What is interesting in this prophecy is how God mediates between people of God and the strong enemies from different nations. But the promise of peace and prosperity and the absence of fear are the most hopeful of all the future prophecies.
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REFLECTION
• Why should believers make God the main focus of their lives? What happens when they don’t?
• Why is important for us to give up any idols that will compromise our relationship with God?
JUDGMENT AGAINST ISRAEL’S LEADERS Poem Devotional
December 14
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JUDGMENT AGAINST ISRAEL’S LEADERS
A poem by ILMA
“Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong
But you are the very ones who hate good and love evil
You skin my people alive and tear the flesh from their bones.
Yes, you eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin.
Then you beg the LORD for help in times of trouble and expect him to answer?
After all the evil you have done, he won’t even look at you!”
The LORD says: “You false prophets are leading my people astray!
You promise peace for those who give you food, but not on those who don’t.
Now the night will close around you, cutting off all your visions
Darkness will cover you, putting an end to your predictions
The sun will set for you prophets, and your day will come to an end
Then you seers will be put to shame, and you fortune-tellers will be disgraced.
You leaders of Israel, You hate justice and twist all that is right
You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption
You rulers make decisions based on bribes, priests teach God’s laws only for a price;
you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid Yet you claim to depend on the LORD.
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MEMORY VERSE
You are supposed to know right from wrong, but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. – Micah 3:1-2
Read: Micah 3:1-11
The prophet Micah warned the leaders of Israel about the wrong and evil things they are doing and confronted them. When we are leaders, we are expected to be more responsible and set an example to the rest of the ones we were leading otherwise, we are going to corrupt those whom we lead.
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REFLECTION
• Why does the Lord expect much from those who are in leadership position?
• Why is it wrong to ask the Lord for favors when you don’t follow him?
JONAH’S ANGER ON GOD’S MERCY Poem Devotional
December 13
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JONAH’S ANGER ON GOD’S MERCY
A poem by ILMA
When God decided not to punish the Ninevites, Jonah was greatly upset
He complained to the LORD saying, “Didn’t I said that you will do this exactly?
That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are going to show mercy
For you are a sympathetic God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love
Kill me now LORD! I’d rather be dead than to see what I’ve foretold won’t happen.”
The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under
Then he sat there and waited to see what would happen to the city
And the LORD God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there
Soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun
This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant
The next morning the worm ate the stem of the plant then, it withered away.
When the sun grew hot, God arranged for the east wind to blow on Jonah
The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die
“Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed
Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”
God said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there
Nineveh was in spiritual darkness, Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
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MEMORY VERSE
Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city? – Jonah 4:11
Read: Jonah 4
It is interesting how Jonah reacted to how God gave Nineveh mercy and pardon. This was the reason why he didn’t want to go in the first place and he was so proud to accept God’s forgiveness.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think some people don’t want others to be given mercy by God?
• What happens when we repent and confess our sins?
WHEN JONAH OBEYED Poem Devotional
December 12
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WHEN JONAH OBEYED
A poem by ILMA
Once again the LORD spoke to Jonah and said “Go to Nineveh
Proclaim to the people the message I have given you.”
So, Jonah obeyed the LORD and went to the big city
It took three days to walk through the whole Nineveh
Jonah proclaimed, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!”
The people of Nineveh believed God’s message
They decided all should fast from the greatest to the least
They put on sackcloth, each one of them, to show that they had repented
When the king heard about it, he got up from his throne
He took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat down in ashes.
He sent out a proclamation to the people of Nineveh
“This is an order from the king and his officials
No one is to eat anything; all persons are forbidden to eat or drink
Each person and animals must wear sackcloth
All must pray earnestly to God and give up their wickedness
Perhaps God will change his mind and stop being angry
Then the whole city will be saved and we will not die!”
God saw what they did, he saw that they had given up their wicked behavior
So, he changed his mind and did not punish them as he had said he would.
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MEMORY VERSE
So, Jonah obeyed the LORD and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to walk through it. – Jonah 3:3
Read: Jonah 3:1-10
When Jonah finally obeyed the Lord after he was spitted from the fish, a miracle happened. The wicked people of Nineveh, repented. All from the king and everyone.
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REFLECTION
• What stops people from walking in obedience?
• What happened when Jonah finally obeyed the Lord after running the first time?
WHEN WE RUN FROM GOD Poem Devotional
December 11
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WHEN WE RUN FROM GOD
A poem by ILMA
Jonah said to the crew of the ship, “I am a Hebrew
I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land”
Then the men became extremely frightened and they said to him
How could you do this?” For the men knew he was fleeing from God’s presence.
They asked Jonah “What should we do to you that the sea may calm down?
He said to them, “Pick me up and throw me into the sea
I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you
However, the men rowed desperately for the sea was becoming rougher.
Then they called on the LORD and said, “We earnestly pray, O LORD, do not let us perish
So, they picked up Jonah, threw him into the sea, and the sea stopped its raging
Then the men feared the LORD greatly, and they offered a sacrifice to God
God appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, where he was 3 night and 3 days.
Jonah prayed earnestly while he was inside the stomach of the fish
He cried out to God and realized that he cannot run from the Lord
He needed to walk in obedience and do as the Lord says.
He proceeded to Nineveh and delivered the message to repent.
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MEMORY VERSE
I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you. – Jonah 1:12
Read: Jonah 1:9-17
This story is a famous one that all Christian children probably knows. But there is much depth behind this story. When we run from God, we reach rock bottom or become trapped in our own foolish actions. We eventually fall on our knees and remember the Lord. It is ironic that God used a fish in the middle of a storm to swallow Jonah. It seems like thrown in the storm and yet quiet inside the fish. In the storm, we can still find peace.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think the other passengers in the ship prayed to the Lord even though they have their own gods as well?
GET UP AND GO! Poem Devotional
December 10
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GET UP AND GO!
A poem by ILMA
The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai
“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh
Tell them how I have seen how wicked its people are”
Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction instead,to avoid the LORD.
He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship leaving for Tarshish
He bought a ticket to escape from the LORD by sailing at the opposite direction
But the LORD hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm
It threatened to break the ship apart and everyone in it feared for their lives.
The sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard
All this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold
“How can you sleep at a time like this?” the captain told him
“Get up and pray to your god and maybe spare our lives.”
Jonah told them he was Hebrew, and serves the God of heaven
The sailors were scared and asked him how they can be spared from death
“Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again”
I know that this storm is all my fault, so release me so you’ll be spared.”
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MEMORY VERSE
“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” – Jonah 1:2
Read: Jonah 1-12
Get up and go is a usual command God gives those people He chose to participate in his plan for mankind. He said this to Abraham, to Moses and to other key characters in the bible. Notice that faith is an decision to get into action.
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REFLECTION
• Why does “inaction” debilitate us from God’s blessings and favor?
• Why is obedience and saying “yes” to God important in our walk as believers?
• How can we learn to literally act on what we believe regularly?
ALL BELIEVERS MUST TURN FROM EVIL Poem Devotional
December 9
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ALL BELIEVERS MUST TURN FROM EVIL
A poem by ILMA
Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ
Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life
Athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules
Hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor
Endure anything that will bring salvation to those chosen by God
If we die with him, we will also live with the Father’s Son
If we endure hardship, we will be victorious with Jesus
If we deny him, he’ll do the same, but if we are disloyal, he will remain faithful.
Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval
Be a good worker, one who correctly explains the word of truth
Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior
This kind of talk spreads like cancer which turns people away from the faith.
God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription
The LORD knows those who are his, for they hear His voice
All who belong to the LORD must turn away from evil
Keep yourself pure and you will be ready for the Master’s use.
MEMORY VERSE
The LORD knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the LORD must turn away from evil.” – 2 Timothy 2:20
Read: 2 Timothy 2:3-21
It is interesting how some believers deceive themselves from thinking that they can claim they are committed to Jesus and yet continue sinning. In this verse, Paul stresses the manifestation of a true Christian; they turn away from evil.
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REFLECTION
• Why can’t Christians continue to live evil live? What will become of them if they do?
• Why do people have a hard time admitting their sins and confront evil?