Monthly Archives: November 2015

SUBMIT AS TO THE LORD Poem Devotional

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November 24________________________________________
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. – Ephesians 5:22 (NLT)
SUBMIT AS TO THE LORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you find it difficult to obey and succumb to authority?
The Lord wants you to follow him in all so you can have victory
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord
When you reflect on Christ’s love for all, you can’t help but applaud
If you love your spouse like Christ loves his church unconditionally
You will find it easy to succumb to your beloved wholeheartedly
Surrender all your faculties and gifts for God’s kingdom,
It will bring so much peace, joy, love and freedom.
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The bible defines the word “submit” as to follow or succumb to authority without resistance. This word had a very negative impact on me as I was growing up because healthy boundaries was something that we didn’t apply. I had a lot of trouble following authority figures in my life. Even though I was a law-abiding citizen, I found it hard to relate with authority figures.
God delivered me from all of my lawlessness and I never want to disobey the Lord anymore. As a wife, I am expected to follow my husband’s leadership in marriage as I would obey the Lord. I was assigned a husband to be my leader.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the authorities in my life that you anointed.
REFLECTION
Why is it important for us to submit to the Lord?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

ON JUDGING Poem Devotional

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November 23________________________________________
Hypocrites! First get rid of the log in your own eye, then you will see enough to see the speck in your friend’s eye. – Luke 6:42 (NLT)
ON JUDGING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you easily offended by what others do different from you?
Do you find yourself assuming or presuming what is possible true?
How can you examine others without looking at yourself first?
It is easy to point your finger at someone or have an outburst.
First get rid of the log in your own eye to see the speck in others
You will then understand the point of view of your sisters and brothers
Only God can judge perfectly for he sees everything and knows all
When humans judge, we usually miss out something, fail or fall.
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I was raised in an environment where criticism was the norm. Because I was criticized and judged a lot, I learned to become critical too. I may not say it out loud to someone that I don’t agree with him or her, but my mind has already come with different presumptions of why that person did something very different from me. God convicted me after many years of bondage to the spirit of criticism.
The bible tells us that we must never judge others especially if there are so many things that we need to repent about in our lives. Judging others is an act hypocrisy.
PRAYER
Lord, convict me when I start to assume or presume or criticize.
REFLECTION
Why is examining our hearts and mind critical in our Christian walk?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

WORDS REFLECT YOUR HEART Poem Devotional

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November 22________________________________________
Luke 6:45 –What you say flows from what is in your heart. (NLT)
WORDS REFLECT YOUR HEART
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you hear what comes out of your mouth?
Does it resonate God’s truth aloud?
Did you say something to encourage someone?
Or did you hurt somebody and made them run?
What you say flows from what is in your heart
When you speak lies, you are living in the dark
When you align your mouth with God’s word
You will be able to win over sin and the world.
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Do you ever listen to what comes out of your mouth? Despite my analytical mind, it took me a while to actually objectively hear what I say. One day, when I caught myself on a video that I was preparing for a performance for a show, I saw my attitude towards my husband. I was shocked to hear and see what kind of a haughty person I was when I get so much into perfecting a performance. I was rude, unkind and demanding. It was ugly. I played it again and again. I felt the Holy Spirit convict me of that spirit of pride and performance that kept me in bondage for so many years. My words and attitude reflected the condition of my soul and heart. I was hurting and angry. What I say and how I act was coming from my deeply wounded soul.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to keep my mind and heart pure.
REFLECTION
How can we guard what we say and do?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

SON OF GOD Poem Devotional

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November 21
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The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy and he will be called the Son of God. –Luke 1:35(NLT)
SON OF GOD
A poem by ILMA
A virgin mother will give birth to the promised Savior
She will conceive a baby because God gave him favor
The power of the most high will overshadow humanity
This child will be the Son of God and will have all the glory.
When Christ was born, the Star in Bethlehem shone so bright
It led the kings to give honor to Mary’s child, Jesus Christ
The Holy Spirit protected the Son of God from danger
They ensured that he is warm in swaddled cloths in the manger.
He was the king of kings but chose to be born in a feeding trough
He had a life full of ridicule, rejection and was very rough
Why did God choose ordinary people to bring Jesus in the world?
He wants to show his power in weakness and through his word.
As we remember the Son of God born in humble origin
Let us follow his example; reject wickedness and sin
Christmas is the day the Son of God was given to us sinners
It is the day to proclaim God’s majesty and be a true believer.
PRAYER
Lord, use me to proclaim your glory by humility this season of love.
REFLECTION
How can we illumine the darkness in this world this Christmas?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

SHARING IMMANUEL Poem Devotional

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November 20________________________________________
Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” – Matthew 1:23 (NLT)
SHARING IMMANUEL
A poem by ILMA
Mary will give birth to a son and call him Immanuel
Christ saved his people from sin and made them well
He is the gift that God gave man so we can be redeemed
He is the sacrifice that was promised so we can be free from sin.
God is with us from the beginning of life until the end of time
He is present even when we turn our backs on him and think we are fine
Christmas is a reminder of God’s unconditional love to his children
Imagine sacrificing his only begotten son so we can be saved and risen.
What would it take for us to understand the essence of Christ’s death?
Will we close our hearts forever and later on regret?
Forgive, repent and confess your sin so you can be free
You will get revelations of his unconditional love and finally see.
Let us give the gift of our presence to our sisters and brothers
This way we will honor and bring the glory to the heavenly father
The spirit of Christmas is an invitation to love and be there for others
It is sharing Immanuel to all believers and even those you think don’t matter.
PRAYER
Lord, help me share Immanuel to others.
REFLECTION
How can you clearly manifest that “God is with you” this Christmas?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

PRESENCE IS THE BEST PRESENT Poem Devotional

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November 19________________________________________
You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues. –Psalm 31:20(NLT)
PRESENCE IS THE BEST PRESENT
A poem by ILMA
The real essence of Christmas is in God’s presence
It is not found in how many or what kind of presents
Jesus’ birth is the manifestation of God’s unconditional love
He gave us his only begotten son so we can rise above.
God’s presence in our hearts is Christmas’ true essence
His spirit lives inside those who believe and listen
We can hide in the shelter of his love and faithfulness
He protects us from all wickedness and darkness.
Give the gift of your presence to someone this Christmas
Go and share stories of how the Son manifest in all of us
He wants us all to tell others the changes God made in our lives
It will bring him glory and will make us all victorious and thrive.
Wrap yourself in the glory light of the heavenly Father
Decorate your hearts with purity and faithfulness to our Maker
Bind your mind with the word that comes only from the truth
You will be the best present to all who believe and stay true.
Even those who do not know the Lord, Jesus Christ
Will be touched when you present his glory light
It will dazzle them like the star when Christ was born
And lead them to God and then they will eventually belong.
PRAYER
Thank you for the joy of your presence, Lord.
REFLECTION
Why do you think your presence is the best present you can give this Christmas?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

WORK WITH YOUR HANDS

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November 18________________________________________
Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands. -1 Thessalonians 4:11(NLT)
WORK WITH YOUR HANDS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Live a quiet life and mind your own business
It is one of the keys to peace and happiness
Make it your goal to work with your hands
It eases your soul and life’s demands.
Use your hands to build and repair
You can create many things that are rare
Without hands, you cannot write or even eat
Without it, you are not able to get things or reach.
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Have you ever imagined what it would be like without your hands? How difficult it would be to write or even browse through a book. Hands is only a part of the body, but without it, we will miss out on many things that we usually do in life. I come from a family where I was surrounded with people who mostly worked with their hands. My Aunt was a seamstress and my mother loved to clean and do crafts. My father loves geology and would always be picking and inspecting rocks and soil. My grandfather was a fisherman and a farmer too. My grandmother cooked a lot and all these things require to have hands. I became the first painter in our family and the first guitarist as well. The bible tells us to make it our goal to live quiet lives and work with our hands.
PRAYER
Thank you Lord for my hands.
REFLECTION
How do you think working with your hands can bring peace?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

ON BLAMING Poem Devotional

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November 17________________________________________
Don’t point your fingers at someone else and try to pass the blame. – Hosea 4:4 (NLT)
ON BLAMING
A poem and essay by ILMA
What do you do when someone points their finger at you?
Do you react and defend yourself or assess their point of view?
When you blame somebody about something
They only resort to defending or reacting
Blaming is a cowardly way of facing reality
It shows that someone doesn’t want to take responsibility
Blaming is not taking the log out of your own eye
It will only create conflicts and generate more lies.
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Blaming is defined as assigning responsibility for a fault or a wrong. Who wants to accept a blame? I think no one would readily admit that they want to take the blame. Humans automatically wants to veer away from looking bad. They always want to look good especially in public. What is the result of blaming? It usually ends up in defense and fights. One person points a finger and the response would be to point back at another fault of that other person. It is a never-ending cycle of who is right. Blaming is a toxic act. It fuels people into destroying unity and harmony. It is very tiring to be with people who always blames and never take responsibility for anything. The bible warns us not to point our fingers on someone or try to pass the blame. It shows irresponsibility and immaturity.
PRAYER
Lord, help me never to blame.
REFLECTION
Why do you think the bible warns us not to blame? What does it do to others?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

WHY ARE YOU AFRAID? Poem Devotional

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November 16________________________________________
The Lord is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid? –Psalm 27:1(NLT)
WHY ARE YOU AFRAID?
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you declared God as your Redeemer
Have you set aside fears that usually takes over?
The Lord is your light and your salvation
There is no need to fear for he brings all solutions.
Why are you afraid of things that has no power?
God will grant you victory and make the devil cower.
Do not be afraid for he is right beside you
God never abandons, he saves and renews.
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What scares you in life? The biggest fear I have is that the end times will come and my family still do not know the Lord. I fear that they are losing their souls to this world we live in. The bible mentions the word fear or afraid about 365 times. God is awesome, he gives us a caution “Do not fear” and we can reflect on one each day of the year. This is how much God wants us never to live in fear. Fear is the opposite of love, not hate. When we fear, we are living in bondage. We are always catastrophizing and never at peace.
When I renewed my vow to Christ some time ago, he gave me courage to face any circumstance. The Lord is my light and salvation. I need not fear.
PRAYER
Lord, free me from “fear” of anything.
REFLECTION
Share an instance how God worked in one of your fears.
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

WHEN YOU LOVE Poem Devotional

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November 15________________________________________
For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. – Ephesians 5:28 (NLT)
WHEN YOU LOVE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you love God, loving yourself comes easy
When you turn your back on him, you will have difficulty
When you love someone unconditionally
You are following Christ who loves you faithfully.
When you love only because you want to gain something
It will eventually corrupt your heart and leave you with nothing
For a person who loves someone actually shows love for himself
And those who cannot love cannot stop prioritizing themselves.
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What is the true gauge of love? Our world has corrupted many hearts of people by dictating that love is something we give so we can get back something in return. God, on the other hand teaches us perfect love which is called “agape.” It is to love someone unconditionally. Agape is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Bible.
In Ephesians 5:28, the husbands are instructed to love their wives as a manifestation of their love for themselves. I often wonder how many wives feel so unloved by their husbands. Could it be because these men did not receive love at all in the past and therefore not able to give love to others and to their wives? Or could it be that they don’t actually love themselves that’s why they can’t show it?
PRAYER
Lord, help me manifest my love to others clearly.
REFLECTION
How can you love someone who is not giving back the love you give?
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com