Monthly Archives: November 2014

TEACH AND COUNSEL EACH OTHER Poem Devotional

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November 6                                                                       The Power of God’s Word
Let the message about Christ in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.– Colossians 3:16 (NLT)
TEACH AND COUNSEL EACH OTHER
A poem and essay by ILMA
As you embrace God’s will and truth
He expects you to teach and bear fruit
The word of God is given so you can share and mature
It has power to transform lives and help you and others endure.
Teach and counsel each other with all God’s wisdom
He will use you so he can further his kingdom
Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to the Lord
It is one way of thanking him and giving him applaud.
I feel loved and special when someone gives me a gift, especially if it was something well thought of. It is not really the gift that matters but the act of thoughtfulness. I want to give someone in return for the gift I received. Somehow, I feel that I have shared what I got if I make someone feel special too.
The bible tells us that when we receive the Good News of Christ, we are expected to teach it to others. We are also expected to give thanks and praise to God through psalms, spiritual songs and hymns.
PRAYER
Lord, give me courage to teach and counsel.
REFLECTION
Who have you taught lately about God’s word?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

HOW TO GROW FAITH Poem Devotional

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November 5                                                                               The Power of God’s Word
Let your roots grow down into him and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. – Colossians 2:7NLT)
HOW TO GROW FAITH
A poem and essay by ILMA
One cannot please God without faith
It is by believing that we are saved
As you accept Christ, continue to follow his ways
A relationship with him protects you from being swayed.
Let your roots grow down by focusing on his truth
Seeking and obeying his word lead to the Spirit’s fruit
Your faith will grow strong and you will overflow with thankfulness
You will find hope amidst this world’s trials and challenges.
Jeremiah 17:8 talks about the trees planted along the riverbank with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green and they never stop producing fruit. If we focus and get rooted in the truth of God’s word, we will have a deeply rooted foundation and we will not be tossed easily by the wind and forces around us. In Colossians 2:7, Paul emphasizes the importance of building our lives on Jesus. He is the cornerstone of a strong faith. Without him, we will be confused, chaotic and lost.
PRAYER
Lord, help me grow my faith in you.
REFLECTION
How can you protect yourself from sin and hopelessness?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

PARTICIPATING IN CHRIST’S BODY Poem Devotional

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November 4                                                                     The Power of God’s Word
I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the suffering of Christ that continue for his body, the church. – Colossians 1:24 (NLT)
PARTICIPATING IN CHRIST’S BODY
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you experience pain, remember Christ who died for you
Recall how much beatings and humiliation he endured
Reflect on how much betrayal and abuse he went through
He did it all to clear you of sin so you can have a breakthrough.
Be glad when you are in pain, you are partaking of his body
He wants you to look at it as an opportunity
He wants you to embrace suffering and rely on his grace
He will never forsake you that is what the bible says.
Suffering is defined by the dictionary as the state of undergoing pain, distress or hardship. On the other hand, the Hebrew definition of suffering is “nasa or nasah” meaning to lift, carry, take. Notice the difference in the worldly view definition against the Hebrew meaning. One connotes burden, while the other emphasizes the act of lifting or carrying. One is pessimistic, the other optimistic.
The bible tells us that we should be glad when we suffer because we are given an opportunity to participate in the body of Christ which is an ongoing journey.
PRAYER
Lord, remind me to take “suffering” as a chance to grow.
REFLECTION
What kinds of suffering have you experienced that made you a better Christian?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

WITNESSING FOR THE LORD Poem Devotional

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November 3                                                                             The Power of God’s Word
I will not die. Instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.
– Psalm 118:17(NLT)
WITNESSING FOR THE LORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Is your life geared to seek pleasure?
Do you consider God’s word as your treasure?
Have you given up your old life and put on the new?
Do you still struggle with troubles and rue?
The Lord created you to demonstrate his glory
Do you live up to his image and reveal his beauty?
Live your life telling others what the Lord has done
It is the only way you can emulate his one and only Son.
I went through many decades of my life trying to figure out what my purpose in life was. I wished someone would have witnessed for the Lord in my growing years and guided me to the truth instead of being swallowed up by the world’s system. God’s spirit was with me since I declared him as my friend and Father at age seven. He lived in me and guided me subtly without my conscious knowing that all that I was going through would be my testimony for his kingdom later in life. The bible tells us to not be consumed by the world but to live to tell others what the Lord has done. Has your life been a testimony to the Lord’s greatness?
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for all my experiences.
REFLECTION
Has your life been a testimony to the Lord’s greatness?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

GOD’S ENEMIES Poem Devotional

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November 2                                                                         The Power of God’s Word
This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. – Colossians 1:21 (NLT)
GOD’S ENEMIES
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you a friend of God or his enemy?
How can you easily be an adversary?
When you don’t obey the heavenly Father
You are prone to cater to yourself instead of others.
The devil gains a foothold on rebels
He stamps them with thoughts that are evil
You become more lawless as you dwell in wickedness
When your actions defy God’s plan, you become one of his enemies.
What makes someone an enemy of God and an ally of the devil? Corruption, impurities, a life of compromises, succumbing to evil thoughts and actions, disobedience can all be leading to defying God’s plan in your life.
This is why the bible always cautions us to preserve a heart that isn’t tarnished by worldly ways and standards. When we turn our backs to God or become disobedient to his will, we are candidates to be his enemies. When we obey his will and feed on his word, we become his friend.
The bible also promises a way out when you become an enemy. You can repent of your sin and forgive others. God will take you back as his friend.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to obey you.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to repent and forgive to remain friends with God?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

KINGDOM BUSINESS Poem Devotional

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November 1                                                              The Power of God’s Word
Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. – Mark 16:15(NLT)
KINGDOM BUSINESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
What is your purpose in life?
Are you here to get what you want or be a light?
How do you spread the Good News to everyone?
Are you living in a material world instead of seeking the Son?
All believers are expected to do kingdom business
It is spreading the Good News and not being consumed by “busy”ness
God wants us all to partake of his kingdom
What do you need to give up to enjoy God’s freedom?
There are so many things that keep people busy. Careers, relationships, accruing wealth, chasing dreams, wanting fame and power, finding romantic love, etc keep people distracted from the business of God’s kingdom. There are some individuals who even reach the end of their lives and not know why they are here on earth. It is sad to see people going in circles making the same mistakes over and over again without realizing their purpose.
The bible tells us our purpose in life. It is to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. We need not be preachers, evangelists or bible scholars to fulfill this purpose. We need to tell them that God loves them and gave his Son to pay our debts.
PRAYER
Lord, use me to further your Kingdom.
REFLECTION
What have you done to spread the gospel to everyone?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com