September 24
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HOLD ON TO YOUR PROGRESS
A poem by ILMA
I haven’t reached that point of achieving perfection in my faith
But I press on to have that which began when Christ possessed me
I focus on forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead
I reach towards the end of the race to receive the heavenly prize.
We are all to look forward to this goal for which God called us
Let all who are spiritually mature agree on this focus
If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain
But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.
Pattern your lives to the spiritually mature and are true disciples
We must be watchful of fake believers but are really Christ’s enemies
They are headed for destruction and their appetites are their gods
They brag about selfish things and think only about life here on earth.
As believers, we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives
And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior
He will take our mortal bodies and change them into glorious ones like his
He’ll use the same power with which he’ll bring everything under his control.
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MEMORY VERSE
But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. – Philippians 3:16
Read: Philippians 3:12-21
Have you ever been in a marathon or a race? I once used to be a cycling enthusiast. I train daily to bike 60 kilometers a day. On weekends, I go with a cycling club of fifty for which I am the only woman. When we aim to finish a 160 kms in an hour, it can get really hard towards the finish line. But we press on and don’t think of the hardship but the finish line.
That’s how Jesus wants us to focus on as well, we hold on to the progress we’ve made.
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REFLECTION
• What are the things that make people give up when they are following Jesus?
Tag Archives: spoken word
THE PRICELESS VALUE OF KNOWING CHRIST Poem Devotional
September 23
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THE PRICELESS VALUE OF KNOWING CHRIST
A poem by ILMA
Whatever comes your way, never get tired of sharing your faith
Look out for people who do evil and tell you to follow laws to be saved
For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly praising him We rely on what Christ Jesus did and not put confidence in human effort.
I used to value many things but now I consider them worthless
Because of what Christ has done, everything else is useless
I know appreciate the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord
For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage.
I do this so I could gain Christ and become one with him
I no longer rely on my own righteousness through following the law
Rather, I become righteous by trusting and depending on him totally
For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.
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MEMORY VERSE
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. – Philippians 3:8
Read: Philippians 3:1-7
When someone commits to Christ as his or her Lord and Savior, many things get transformed or changed. One of these changes is the way we value things. Those things that we used to think important becomes worthless now. This is a result of the work of the Spirit in our hearts because we become new creation in Christ. We begin to witness and tell everyone the precious value of knowing Jesus.
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REFLECTION
• What things do you use to value that are now worthless compared to knowing Christ?
• What is your opinion of Christians who still continue to put importance of things that are not of the Spirit but more of the physical realm?
CHRIST-LIKE ATTITUDE Poem Devotional
September 22
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CHRIST-LIKE ATTITUDE
A poem by ILMA
Is there any reassurance from being a follower of Christ?
Any relief from his love? Any closeness with the Spirit?
Are your hearts affectionate and kind like Jesus’ heart?
Then agree with each other, love, and work harmoniously.
Avoid thinking of yourself always and don’t impress others
Be modest and think of others as better than yourselves
Don’t be concerned only for your own benefit, but think of others too
Do your best have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Jesus could have thought of being equal with God
But he gave up his divine rights, something to be awed?
Instead, he gave up his divine privilege and became a slave
He was born as a human being in obedience to God.
Jesus died a criminal’s death on a cross
So, God raised him to the place of highest honor
He gave him the name above all other names
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.
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MEMORY VERSE
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. – Philippians 2:5
Read: Philippians 2:1-11
The apostle Paul warns the Philippians about the importance of a Christ-like attitude. He gives further guidance how to be a true follower of Jesus. The importance of modesty and humility is further stressed in this letter. He gave the example of Jesus who could have used his own power to be equal with God but instead chose to be a slave.
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REFLECTION
• Why is humility one of the most important trait that we can emulate from Christ?
• Why is self-centeredness something that a Christian must never indulge in?
• Why is it important that we Christians think highly of others instead of ourselves?
JOY OF CHRIST’S MESSAGE PREACHED Poem Devotional
September 21
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JOY OF CHRIST’S MESSAGE PREACHED
A poem by ILMA
Everything that has happened to me here helped me to spread the gospel
Everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains
I was imprisoned because of Christ and most of the believers were happy
They have gained confidence and boldly spoke God’s message without fear.
It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry
But others preach about Christ with pure motives because they love me
For they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News
Others preach with selfish ambition, intending to make my chains more painful.
But that doesn’t matter whether their motives are false or genuine
The message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice
The Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me and will lead to my deliverance
I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past.
I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die
For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better
I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow
And when I come back, you’ll see what Jesus is doing through me.
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MEMORY VERSE
For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. – Philippians 1:20
Read: Philippians 1:22-26
What an amazing joy we find in this letter of Paul to the Philippians! He can’t stop sharing the happiness he felt that that the message of Christ was being preached. He didn’t care whether the motives of those who are sharing it is for good or not, as long as it is being preached.
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REFLECTION
• Are you bold enough to spread the Good News to as much people as you can?
PAUL’S JOY AT THE CHURCH’S REPENTANCE Poem Devotional
September 20
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PAUL’S JOY AT THE CHURCH’S REPENTANCE
A poem by ILMA
When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us
We faced conflict from all direction, both from outside and inside
God encouraged us by the arrival of Titus, one of Paul’s followers
His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought with him
When he told us how much you long to see me
And how sorry you are for what happened
Including how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!
I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you,
I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while
I am glad I sent it, not to hurt you, but because the pain caused repentance
Such repentance led to change your way and it was that a kind of sorrow
It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to have leads us away from sin and saves us.
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MEMORY VERSE
Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. – 2 Corinthians 7:9
Read: 2 Corinthians 7:6-16
In this letter of Paul to the Corinthians, he expressed his joy over the repentance of the church in Corinth. He assures them that when he confronted them of what needs to be addressed so that they can actually face the sins and be convicted and repent so that they can be saved.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important that we confront and rebuke in gentleness another sister or brother in Christ?
• What made Paul joyful when God encouraged him when Titus came?
• Why is repentance important for salvation?
IRONIES OF LIFE Poem Devotional
September 19
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IRONIES OF LIFE
A poem by ILMA
When you dig a well, you probably might fall in
When you demolish an old wall, you could be bitten by a snake
When you work in a quarry, stones might fall and crush you
When you chop wood, there is danger with each stroke of your ax
Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade
That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed
Wise words bring approval, but fools are destroyed by their own words
Fools use their assumptions, so their conclusions are wicked madness
No one knows what’s going to happen; no one can predict the future
Fools are so tired by a little work; they can’t even find their way home
Laziness leads to a sagging roof; idleness leads to a leaky house.
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MEMORY VERSE
Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed. – Ecclesiastes 10:10
Read: Ecclesiastes 10:5-20
Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It may also be a situation that ends up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated. In simple words, it is a difference between appearance and reality. King Solomon presents some of these ironies in life that we face. Let us learn from these ironies and take it as a guide so we can do the wise thing instead of doing what fools might do.
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REFLECTION
• What ironies in life have you been faced with lately?
• Why do you think people go crazy when they can’t predict what’s going to happen?
• Why is important for us to search for the truth and live by it?
DEATH COMES TO ALL Poem Devotional
September 17
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DEATH COMES TO ALL
A poem by ILMA
Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands,
No one knows whether God will or will not show them favor
The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked
Good people receive the same treatment as sinners.
It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate
Twisted by evil, people choose their own mad choices and have no hope
There is nothing ahead but death and there’s hope only for the living
As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”
The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing
They have no further reward, nor are they remembered
Whatever they did in their lifetime—is all long gone
They no longer play a part in anything here on earth.
Whatever you do, do well, you only live once.
When you go to the grave, there’ll be no work or wisdom.
The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race
The strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle
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MEMORY VERSE
The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. – Ecclesiastes 9:5
Read: Ecclesiastes 9:1-12
Death is something that will inevitably come in our lives. Some people avoid this topic because they don’t know the Lord Jesus Christ who has overcome the grave and has resurrected. They think their existence ends in physical death. Jesus promises eternal life for those who believes him.
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REFLECTION
• What is the reason behind the “fear of physical death?”
• Why do people who don’t know Jesus lose hope when someone dies?
THE WICKED AND THE RIGHTEOUS Poem Devotional
September 16
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THE WICKED AND THE RIGHTEOUS
A poem by ILMA
I have thought deeply how people have the power to hurt each other
There are wicked people who commit crimes and hide them to appear right
If a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong
Those who fear God will be better off than those who live long in sin.
The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God
Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows
In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked
While the wicked are often treated as though they were good.
So, I recommend having fun, because all these things are meaningless
Experience some happiness along with all the hard work and you’ll be satisfied
In our search for wisdom and watching people’s burdens here on earth,
I discovered that there is ceaseless activity, day and night.
I found out that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun
Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim
So, all this comparison with the wicked and the righteous are all meaningless
Live for the Lord and you will find meaning and purpose in your life.
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MEMORY VERSE
I realized that no one can discover everything God is doing under the sun. Not even the wisest people discover everything, no matter what they claim. – Ecclesiastes 8:17
Read: Ecclesiastes 8:9-17
The world we live in is full of comparison mostly of good and evil. The author of Ecclesiastes expounds on the futility of comparing the life of both the wicked and the righteous. He emphasizes that those who fear God are better off than those who live long in sin. We cannot totally comprehend what God is doing and no one can actually understand it and boast that they know things.
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REFLECTION
• Why is enjoying your life essential in life? What happens when you don’t?
LIMITS OF HUMAN WISDOM Poem Devotional
September 15
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LIMITS OF HUMAN WISDOM
A poem by ILMA
Most things are meaningless including the death of good young persons
Another thing that’s pointless is the long life of wicked people
Don’t be too good or too wise! On the other hand, don’t be too wicked either
Why die before your time? Anyone who fears God will avoid both extremes.
One wise person is stronger than ten leading citizens of a town!
Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins
Don’t eavesdrop on others—you may hear others curse you
For you know how often you yourself have cursed others.
I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions
I said to myself, “I want to be wise.” But it’s always distant and difficult to find
I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and understand things
I was resolute to prove that wickedness is stupid and foolishness is madness.
Though I have searched repeatedly, I have not found what I was looking for
Only one out of a thousand men is virtuous, but not one woman!
But I did find this: God created people to be virtuous
But people have each turned to follow their own downward path.
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MEMORY VERSE
God created people to be virtuous, but they have each turned to follow their own downward path. – Ecclesiastes 7:29
Read: Ecclesiastes 7:15-29
One of the things humans pursue in their lives is to understand things and be wise but the author of the book of Ecclesiastes discusses in this chapter how human wisdom is very limited. We try to find things to do that we think is meaningful, but we often miss out on what we were created for. God created us all to be righteous but we almost always follow our sinful human nature.
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REFLECTION
• Why do people want to understand and take control of meaningless things?
WISE WORDS TO LIVE BY Poem Devotional
September 14
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WISE WORDS TO LIVE BY
A poem by ILMA
A good reputation is more valuable than costly perfume
The day you die is better than the day you are born
Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties
After all, everyone die, so the living should take this to heart.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us
The wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fools think only of good times Better to be criticized by a wise person than to be praised by a fool
A fool’s laughter is quickly gone, like thorns crackling in a fire.
Extortion turns wise people into fools and bribes corrupt the heart.
Finishing is better than starting and patience is better than pride.
Control your temper for anger and don’t dwell on the good old days
When you manage your emotion, you will benefit in life.
Wisdom and money can get you anything but only wisdom can save you
Accept the way God does things for who can straighten what he’s made crooked?
Enjoy prosperity when while you still can but realize that both come from God
Remember that nothing is certain in this life; everything is in the Lord’s hand.
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MEMORY VERSE
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.
-Ecclesiastes 7:12
Read: Ecclesiastes 7:1-14
Most people live their lives carelessly without much thoughts on things that they should care about. They get all wrapped up in the world’s system and standards that God’s truth and his words are not important to them.
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REFLECTION
• What wise words touches you in this chapter of Ecclesiastes?
• Why is it important for us to be in touch with truth instead of focusing and believing the lies surrounding us?
• What do you believe is the key to a successful and joyful life?