Tag Archives: spoken word

MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA Poem Devotional

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November 16
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MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA
A poem by ILMA
This is the message from the one who is the Amen
He’s the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation
“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold
I wish that you were one or the other but you are like lukewarm water
You are neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth
You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing
You don’t realize that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.”
So, I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire
Then you will be rich; buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed
I correct and discipline everyone I love; be diligent and turn from your indifference.
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MEMORY VERSE
But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! – Revelation 3:14

Read: Revelation 3:14-22

This message to the church in Laodicea is a warning to all of us who have turned lukewarm or indifferent towards God. It is not easy to stay faithful when we are surrounded with so much temptations. That is why the bible have warned us again and again about the importance of guarding our hearts and our minds. Another caution in this letter is for us all to learn to live holy lives. God wants us to be pure and ensure that we are all anchored on the love of God and all the things that he wants us to do. We need to be able to go through the refining of fire so that we can mature and grow in our faith
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REFLECTION
• How can we ensure that we don’t get lukewarm in our faith?
• Why are trials important in our growth as a believer?
• What is importance of God’s discipline in our lives?

LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS Poem Devotional

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November 14
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LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIS
A poem by ILMA
“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Sardis
This is from the one who has the sevenfold Spirit of God and seven stars
“I know all that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead
Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead.
I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God
Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly
Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you
And when I do, it will be suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
“Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
All who are victorious will be clothed in white.
I will never erase their names from the Book of Life.
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MEMORY VERSE
Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
– Revelation 3:3
Read: Revelation 3:1-6
The message to the church in Sardis is practically about how most of its members are spiritually dead and have forgotten how they first heard and believed God when they first believed. Some members of this church are pure and uncorrupted. God promised them victory for staying faithful and their names will be in the Book of Life.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to keep a pure heart and remember how you first gave your life to Jesus?
• What are the symptoms of a spiritually dead person?
• Why do you think the message for all of the body of Christ is a warning to repent and return to God?
• What reward is awaiting those who are faithful?

MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA Poem Devotional

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November 13
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MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA
A poem by ILMA
This is the message of the Son of God to the church in Thyatira
“I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith
I recognize your service, and your patient endurance
And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.
“But I have this complaint against you. You are tolerating Jezebel
This woman calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray
She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols
I gave her time to repent, but she doesn’t want to stop being unfaithful.
I will ask nothing more except to hold tightly to what you have until I come
To all who obey me to the very end, victory will be given to you
They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots
I will also give them the morning star and the same authority God gave me.
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MEMORY VERSE
“But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols. – Revelation 2:20
Read: Revelation 2:18-29
This message to the church in Thyatira is very relevant to our present-day churches. Sexual immorality, control, division, jealousy, and idolatry are just some of the many sins that the Jezebel spirit propagates in the body of Christ. If you actually examine and reflect on the health of the churches in the current times, you will easily spot the fact that many churches tolerate the Jezebel spirit.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think the Lord prohibits us from allowing the Jezebel spirit to thrive in the body of Christ?
• Why is God so concerned that we stay uncompromised? Why can’t we tolerate the Jezebel spirit? What happens if we allow it to stay in the church?

LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA Poem Devotional

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November 11
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LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA
A poem by ILMA
This letter is addressed to the angel of the church of Smyrna
It comes from the Lord, the First and the Last, who was dead but now alive
The Lord knows about your pain, suffering and your poverty
Your church is assured that despite all of these trials, you are really wealthy
Your church recognizes those who claim they are Jews but are from Satan
Do not be afraid when blasphemy of those against you are constant
The devil is about to throw some of you in jail to test you
You will suffer for ten days, but don’t worry, it won’t last long
Stay on guard and remain faithful, don’t give up
You will receive the crown of life if you are faithful
Anyone with wisdom must listen to God’s Spirit
Whoever is victorious won’t be harmed by the devil.
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MEMORY VERSE
Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. – Revelation 2:8
Read: Revelation 2:8-11
The church of Smyrna is one of the seven churches in the book of Revelation whom God favored. There were only two churches among the seven that pleased the Lord. The church of Smyrna was singled out to be one of these two churches that the Lord approved. Because of their longsuffering and wisdom to discern those who are counterfeits, the Lord promised them the crown of life if they continue to be faithful.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think longsuffering is something that the Lord wants for all his people to have?
• What is the promise of God to those who remain faithful even when facing death and all kinds of suffering for him?
• What’s the condition present day churches compared to the church of Smyrna?

LETTER TO THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS Poem Devotional

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November 10
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LETTER TO THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS
A poem by ILMA
This letter is to the angel of the church in Ephesus
This is the message from the one who holds the seven stars
The one who walks among the seven gold lampstands
God knew all you did, especially their patient endurance
You do not let wickedness thrive or tolerate evil people
You examine the claims of those who claim they are apostles
You have discovered they are liars and have patiently suffered without quitting
But God has this one complaint against you; they don’t love God as they did before.
Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first
If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place
Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying
To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in God’s paradise.
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MEMORY VERSE
But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!
– Revelations 2:4
Read: Revelations 2:1-7
This letter is for the people of God whose love has turned sour on him. When Christians grow in years of becoming a believer, there is a big tendency to take for granted their initial feeling of love for Jesus. Passion and fire gets lost over time as we grow complacent and used to loving someone.
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REFLECTION
• How can we prevent losing the passion we once had for our loved ones?
• Why is living on fire for the one you love important in a relationship?
• Why do you think did God filed this complaint of not having passion to this church of Ephesus?
• Why wasn’t their good works enough for the Lord Jesus Christ?
• Why did the Lord remind this church how they lost their ardor for him important?

SUFFERING FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN Poem Devotional

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November 9
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SUFFERING FOR BEING A CHRISTIAN
A poem by ILMA
In this world, we will always be encountering fiery trials
So, don’t be surprised if something strange were happening to you
Instead, be joyful-for these trials make you Christ’s partner
When you suffer for him, you share in revealing his glory.
So, If you are insulted because of Jesus, you will be blessed
If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing or other trouble
It must not be a result of your meddling into other people’s affairs
There is no shame to suffer for being a Christian but not for your own faults.
Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!
For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s people
And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits the unbelievers
If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?
If you are suffering in a manner that pleases God
Keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the Lord
He created you and he will never fail you
Sacrifice and suffer for Christ and you will be a victor.
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MEMORY VERSE
If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. – 1 Peter 4:14
Read: 1 Peter 4:12-19
There are Christians who suffer as a consequence of wrong choices and sin. That is not what this chapter is talking about. To suffer for Christ is to be rejected and ostracized for being a Christian. To suffer because you are being questioned for living the truth is what is being discussed in this verse.
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REFLECTION
• Why is suffering because of a sin not the same as suffering for Jesus?
• How can we suffer in a manner that pleases God?

SHOW DEEP LOVE FOR EACH OTHER poem devotional

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November 8
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SHOW DEEP LOVE FOR EACH OTHER
A poem by ILMA
Since Christ went through physical pain, you must have his same attitude
Be ready to suffer physically for Christ just like he did for you
When you decide to do this, you won’t spend your life chasing desires
But you will be anxious to do the will of the Lord Jesus Christ.
You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy
They love to do immoral things and lustful feasting and drunken wild parties
They worship idols and their lives are only about pleasing themselves
But they’ll have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone.
The end of the world is coming soon, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers
Most important of all, show deep love for each other, for love covers all sins
Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay
God has given each of you some spiritual gifts; use them to serve each other.
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MEMORY VERSE
The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. – 1 Peter 4:7-8
Love is the biggest command of the Lord for all. Christians are encouraged to show love deeply. Love is the only thing that covers a multitude of sins. It is important for us to be able to use the spiritual gifts that God gave us so that we can actually use these gifts to serve one another. In this chapter, we are warned because the end of days might be coming soon.
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REFLECTION
• How does love conquer all things?
• Why is showing deep love and affection for someone the only thing that really matters?
• Why is Christ the epitome of unconditional love?
• Why is the discipline to pray a very important component of a Christian life?

SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD Poem Devotional

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November 7
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SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD
A poem by ILMA
Who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you
So, don’t worry or be afraid of threats but worship Christ as Lord of your life
And if someone asks about your hope, always be ready to explain it.
Do this in a gentle and respectful way and keep your conscience clear
Then if people talk against you, they’ll be ashamed when they see your good life Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, than to suffer for doing wrong!
Christ suffered for our sins once for all time, he never sinned, but he died for us all.
Don’t be afraid to do things for the Lord for that is the right thing to do
Do not give in to your evil desire, instead, listen to the Spirit of the Lord
Make a sacrifice and follow the example of the Lord when he died for us
Carry your own cross like Jesus did and always do what is right and good.
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MEMORY VERSE
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So, don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. – 1 Peter 3:14
Read: 1 Peter 3:13-22
There are heroes that the world give recognition. Some people look up to them because of what they have achieved but in God’s economy, those who are real heroes are those who suffer for doing good. They are the ones who constantly want to obey the will of God and go through suffering just to be able to do what is right.
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REFLECTION
• Have you ever suffered because you made the right decision?
• Why are we asked to be sacrificial in showing our love for others?
• How can we avoid looking at the negative side of suffering?

TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD Poem Devotional

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November 6
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TURN AWAY FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD
A poem by ILMA
All believers must be of one mind and sympathize with each other
Love each other, be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude
Don’t repay evil for evil and when people insult you, don’t do the same
Instead, pay them back with a blessing, that’s according to.
Keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies
If you want to enjoy life and see happy days and pursue peace
God watches over those who do right and he hears their prayers
But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil.
Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?
But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you
It is better to suffer for doing good, to suffer for doing wrong!
Christ died for us to bring you safely home to God.
He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.
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MEMORY VERSE
For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. – 1 Peter 3:10-11
Read: 1 Peter 3:8-22
In this chapter, we are cautioned on many things so we can enjoy life. One of the most important things we learn from this chapter is to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from telling lies. It guarantees a life of peace and a reward of salvation from God.
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REFLECTION
• Why is having one mind among believers important in the kingdom of God?
• Why would it be good to suffer for good?
• What is the reward of suffering for righteousness?
• What reward awaits those who turn from evil and do good?
• Why shouldn’t a Christian take revenge?

CORNERSTONE AND LIVING STONE Poem Devotional

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November 5
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CORNERSTONE AND LIVING STONE
A poem by ILMA
Christ is the living cornerstone of God’s temple
Though he was chosen by God, the people rejected him
We are the living stone building into his spiritual temple
Through Christ’s sacrifice, we can please the Father.
So, get rid of all evil behavior and stop all your deception
Do not let hypocrisy, jealousy or unkind speech in your heart
Like newborn babies, you must crave spiritual milk to grow
By growing, you will experience salvation into it’s fullest.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone
He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall
They stumble because they do not obey God’s word,
So, they meet the fate that was planned for them.
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people
You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession
As a result, you can show others the goodness of God,
He called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
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MEMORY VERSE
You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but he was chosen by God for great honor. – 1 Peter 2:4
Read: 1 Peter 2:1-10
It is only in Jesus that we can have growth. We need to remember that we are royal priesthood like him if we are believers of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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REFLECTION
• Why is Jesus considered the cornerstone that the builders rejected?
• Shouldn’t be Christians expected to be rejected as Jesus was?
• Why are we believers considered royal priesthood?