REAP WHAT YOU SOW Poem Devotional

Posted on April 30, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 30 The Power of God’s Word
Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature, but those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. –Galatians 6:8(NLT)
REAP WHAT YOU SOW
A poem by ILMA
Those who want to satisfy their flesh
Their lives will be chaotic and a mess
To satisfy the sinful nature brings decay
It brings someone in a state of disarray.
People who live to please the Spirit
They will be in constant light and never adrift
Choose to follow God’s commands
This will make you surrender the world demands.
There are many people who live their lives according to the world’s standard. Sadly, some believers do not really live by the Spirit but by their own sinful nature. If a Christian have been raised by parents who never really followed godly standard and grew up surrounded by decay, it would probably be hard to live a life following the Spirit.
The bible tells us that we reap what we’ve sown. It is the most basic principle that life is founded on. If you live only to satisfy your own sinful nature, you will naturally reap death. If you live to please God, then you will harvest the fruits of the Spirit such as love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness and self control.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to live for you.
REFLECTION
What’s the consequence of living for yourself?

JOYFUL HEARTS SEEK PEACE Poem Devotional

Posted on April 29, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 29 The Power of God’s Word
Deceit fills the hearts that are plotting evil; joy fills hearts that are planning peace.–Proverbs 12:20 (NLT)
JOYFUL HEARTS SEEK PEACE
A poem by ILMA
What is in your heart these days?
Does it seek God and all his ways?
Do you find joy in your daily life?
Do you choose truth and stay in the light?
Deceit fills the hearts that are plotting evil
They are prisoners of their own desires and of the devil
Joyful hearts dwell on peace and love
They constantly seek the father up above.
In a world of corruption, we can be deceived by its standards and dictates. No wonder we live in so much confusion and turmoil. It is a difficult feat to seek God amidst all the distractions and noise around us. How can we protect ourselves from all the challenges we face in our world today and stay pure for God? Sadly, many of us view this life as the meaning of our existence. Most of us believe the lie that we are made for this world and not for God.
The bible tells us that we can distinguish a heart that seeks God from a heart that seeks the world. Deceit fills the hearts that are plotting evil while joy fills the hearts of those who plan for peace. Peaceful hearts embrace love and joy.
PRAYER
Lord, guide me to constantly choose peace.
REFLECTION
Is your heart joyful or full of deception?

QUICK TO LISTEN Poem Devotional

Posted on April 29, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 28 The Power of God’s Word
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. –James 1:19,20 (NLT)
QUICK TO LISTEN
A poem by ILMA
Are you quick to listen or to react?
Are you defensive or do you listen to facts?
When we rend our mouth and our emotions
We find peace and come up with resolutions.
Have an ear that is swift to pay attention
Guard your mouth so you can overcome temptations
Carefully watch your thoughts and emotions
Reacting hastily can bring trouble and destruction.
Have you ever regretted a quick reaction you made to someone? Has there been something you said that you wish you could have refrained from escaping your lips? In our fast paced world, it is almost impossible not to react swiftly. I used to teach my students that one of the barriers to effective communication is poor listening skills.
The bible tells us that we must be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger because it does not manifest the righteousness of God. In other words, the righteous person knows how to control their emotions, their mouth, and their reactions. Self-control is a fruit of the spirit of God. The absence of such fruit shows spiritual immaturity.
PRAYER
Lord, teach me how to have self-control.
REFLECTION
Why is self-control essential in enjoying a peaceful and joyful life?

THE SECRET TO WISDOM Poem Devotional

Posted on April 28, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 27 The Power of God’s Word
Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life. –Proverbs 19:20 (NLT)
THE SECRET TO WISDOM
A poem by ILMA
Do you want to gain wisdom and insight?
Seek God’s word and your mind will be right
When you heed instructions from the wise
You will gain knowledge from good advice.
Get all the guidance and teachings you can take
They will help you avoid mistakes and heartaches
The secret to wisdom is seeking God’s word
It will bring victory over this corrupt world.
Have you ever talked to a very wise person? If you ask the secret to their wisdom, they will probably include a life full of challenges and opportunities to grow. My paternal grandmother always had a lot of wise words to share and inspiring stories that shows her insight about many different aspects of life.
The bible tells us that the secret to wisdom is to get all the advice and instructions you can. It will lead you to a rich and blessed life. Most people who only want to follow their own thinking don’t go very far in life. They stay where they are and are afraid of changes. Those who never want to listen to anyone’s advice or instruction end up having limited knowledge and insight.
PRAYER
Lord, give me humility to seek other’s advice and counsel.
REFLECTION
Why is consulting someone else a good idea when making decisions?

STEER CLEAR OF ANGER Poem devotional

Posted on April 27, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 26 The Power of God’s Word
Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul. –Proverbs 22:24-25 (NLT)
A poem by ILMA
Do you associate with angry people?
Be wary for your spiritual progress will detour.
Steer clear of anger and quarrelsome beings
Your soul will be endangered by their bickering.
Have nothing to do with anyone who thrives on conflict
They will constantly keep you on edge and rob you of peace
Resentment, arrogance and judgment are all anger’s signs
They may be calm on the outside but imploding on the inside.
If I had known what the bible says about anger in my younger days, I would have steered away from it. It took me many years to realize that I was an angry person myself. Anger was something I absorbed from my own family and from someone I lived with. It was a stronghold in my family. The two types of anger are implosions and explosions. I was both exposed to the two types. For over 3 decades I was implosive and explosive for a couple of years. I can see through an angry person easily after being one for many years. The bible tells us to steer clear from anger and angry people or you will endanger your soul.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to stay away from conflicts.
REFLECTION
When does anger becomes sin? How can you avoid anger?

REMEDY FOR SADNESS &DISCOURAGEMENT Poem Devotional

Posted on April 25, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 25 The Power of God’s Word

My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be. Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God. –Psalm 42:4, 5 (NLT)

A poem by ILMA
Is your heart broken and sad?
Pray to God so you will be glad
Allow him to hear your hurts and pain
Then praise him for his mighty name.
Put your hope in God despite adversities
Even if you can’t see a glimpse of hope in your difficulties
Don’t listen to the enemy’s lies and deception
Let your lips release God’s word to fight temptations.
Do you get days when you just feel sad, lonely or discouraged? Sometimes a situation or a medical condition can bring someone down. It could probably because you are not getting enough rest or nutrition. Maybe someone has let you down or didn’t live up to your expectations.
The psalmist in psalm 42 gives us a remedy to sadness and discouragement. He poured out his brokenness to the Lord and chose to put his hope in God. He also praised God and called his name as his Savior and God. Worship and praise remedies these feelings. We have the choice to choose to live beyond our feelings and praise God.
PRAYER
Lord, replace my negative feelings with your truth.
REFLECTION
Why do you think praise stops sadness?

CONSEQUENCE OF REFUSAL TO LOVE Poem Devotional

Posted on April 24, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 24 The Power of God’s Word
He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived and they will believe these lies. -2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 (NLT)
CONSEQUENCE OF REFUSAL TO LOVE
A poem by ILMA
The enemy hunts people who are unloving
He easily preys on those who are hurting
He would do anything to keep you from the truth
He wants you to stay in the dark and have no roots.
Be wary when you refuse to follow God’s commands
You are vulnerable to deception and cannot take reprimands
The moment you allow your hearts to harden and be corrupted
God will cause you to be greatly deceived and bewildered.
Have you ever been in a relationship with someone so angry and arrogant? They are very hard to deal with. It almost feels like walking on eggshells. You have to be very careful about everything you say or do or you might be the recipient of their wrath. No matter what they went through, they made a choice not to love or forgive. We are warned about the aftermath of unloving hearts. They eventually accept the lies of the enemy and live it. They live in deception and cannot decipher truth from lies.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to walk in love.
REFLECTION
How can refusal to love give a foothold to the devil?

THE LORD RESCUES THE RIGHTEOUS Poem Devotional

Posted on April 24, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 23 The Power of God’s Word
The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken. –Psalm 34:19-20 (NLT)
THE LORD RESCUES THE RIGHTEOUS
A poem by ILMA
Those who obey the Lord isn’t trouble free
They learn and get strong through adversity
Their righteousness gives them a viewpoint that is godly
They find lessons in life and see things objectively.
The Lord rescues the righteous in times of difficulties
God ensures that they are intact and live life freely
He protects their bones and not one of them is broken
He promises them a life with him and his Son in heaven.
Some people think that when someone is godly and righteous, they are free from troubles. On the contrary, it is the opposite. The moment someone declares Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the more challenging it is for the enemy to attack and get us in his camp. God refines us by purifying and perfecting our faith. He readies each one to be part of his big plan.
The bible says that God doesn’t allow the righteous to be broken or crushed. The difference between an unbeliever and a Christian is God’s protection. When a believer is going through difficulties, God doesn’t abandon them. Instead, he rescues them.
PRAYER
Lord, allow whatever it is that will make me grow.
REFLECTION
How has God protected you during your troubles?

GOD SEES WHAT THE WICKED DOES Poem Devotional

Posted on April 23, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 22 The Power of God’s Word

The Righteous One knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked; he will bring disaster on them. –Proverbs 21:12 (NLT)

A poem by ILMA

Do you often wonder why God allows evil to happen?

Why do people’s hearts continually harden?

How can we help those who are experiencing violence?

Are we bold enough to expose their insolence?

God sees the evil things the wicked does

He watches over those who obey and trusts

He may allow wickedness to take place

God will bring justice and that is what his word says.

Evil lurks in our society. A lot of people have lost faith in God because of the prevalence of wickedness. People question why God would allow such things to happen especially to the weak and vulnerable. I’ve had my share of blaming God for the many sufferings I’ve experienced in life until I studied his word. He revealed to me that after all the pain I went through, he was there to protect me and later on bring justice to my abusers. He also taught me to forgive so I can be free. The bible tells us that God is a god of justice. We may not be able to comprehend why bad things happen, but God is always watching and promised to bring justice.

PRAYER

Lord, teach me how to trust you.

REFLECTION

Why is faith essential especially in times of crisis?

THE FUTILITY OF PLEASURE Poem Devotional

Posted on April 22, 2014 by ilmaarts

April 21 The Power of God’s Word

Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even find great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. –Ecclesiastes 2:10 (NLT)

THE FUTILITY OF PLEASURE

A poem by ILMA

What pleasures do you constantly chase?

Do you run after your own cravings or follow what God says?

Are you relentless in the pursuit of your aspirations?

Do you reward yourself instantly or do you delay gratification?

Seeking pleasure is futile and pointless

It defies your purpose in life which is to be selfless

All pleasures want to satisfy the self

It aims only to serve one’s own flesh.

King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes late in his life when he had chased almost every worldly pursuit imaginable. Later on, he realized that everything is meaningless unless we fear and worship God and obey his commands. It reminds me so much of my life when I pursued goals, ambitions, achievements just so I can be proud of myself. I rewarded myself for working very hard. I boasted of every little progress I made. I took pleasure in rewarding myself for all the hard work I put into it.

King Solomon warned us in Ecclesiastes 2:10 that we must be careful not to be consumed by worldly pleasures and be in constant pursuit of gaining it.