Monthly Archives: April 2016

HELMET AND SWORD OF GOD Poem Devotional

Posted on by

canadablooms 118 (2)

April 20
________________________________________
Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the spirit which is the word of God.
-Ephesians 6:17(NLT)
HELMET AND SWORD OF GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you prepared to face the spiritual war that you get into daily?
We battle with principalities and authorities unseen almost repeatedly
Put on salvation as your helmet and God’s word as your sword
When you do, you can defeat the devil who rules this world.
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will stand firm against the devil
He wants to steal, kill and destroy and tempt you to do evil
Remember the cross of Christ that brought you salvation
Speak out the word of God so you can overcome all temptations.
________________________________________
Are you aware that even in your sleep, the enemy tries to steal, kill and destroy you? Many people have no clue what we are battling with every day. Can you imagine being a soldier and coming to war without any ammunitions? That soldier who is not trained and ready for battle will surely lose his life because he has no defense strategy.
The apostle Paul clearly gives us a strategy how to win over the enemy in chapter 6. He exposes the enemy’s tactics and gives us a guideline how to win the battle. He wants us to put on God’s armor so we will win the war.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to use your word to defeat the enemy in his tricks.
REFLECTION
How can God’s word help us win the spiritual battle we so often go through?
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

TRUE MINISTERS OF GOD Poem Devotional

Posted on by

barrie visit 2011 412

April 19
________________________________________
We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God.
-2Corinthians 6:3-4(NLT)
TRUE MINISTERS OF GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you ensuring that your heart is free of bitterness?
Have you repented your sins and asked forgiveness?
As true ministers of God, we need to live blameless lives
Believers need to set examples and shine as Christ’s light.
It is not words but actions that speak that you are true ministers
In everything we do, we are reflecting our Redeemer
Live in such a way that no one will stumble because of you
Or you will be responsible for all the persons you confuse.
________________________________________
There are believers who do not pay attention to what they do and in turn cause some baby Christians to doubt or get confused with their new found faith. I have first hand experiences of believers who have been Christians a very long time, but have actually not been good examples to others. When we are reckless and careless about what we do or say, we are bringing in darkness instead of light.
Paul stressed that we ought to live in such a way that we will not cause others to stumble and not find fault in our ministry through our actions.
PRAYER
Lord, remind me what you would in a situation do before I act or speak.
REFLECTION
Share an experience when you have been discouraged by someone’s reckless behavior.
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

OBEDIENCE: SHIELD AGAINST EVIL Poem Devotional

Posted on by

IMG_1884

April 18
________________________________________
I have followed your commands, which keep me from following cruel and evil people.
– Psalm 17:4(NLT)
OBEDIENCE: SHIELD AGAINST EVIL
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever we defy the truth and God’s will
We are opening the door to the devil
To disobey is to question God’s sovereignty
To obey is to bow to his power and glory.
The first sin is an act of rebellion and idolatry
It is an outright insolence against God’s authority
Pride is the source of all disobedience
Love is the results in humility and patience.
________________________________________
For over five decades, I was a rebel. I disobeyed my parents and God as well. No wonder I led a very tumultuous life. Honor your father and your so things would go well with you is a command that has a condition. If children do not obey their parents, they are in for trouble. I could attest to this because I didn’t get it for many years. I didn’t understand why my life was full of tragedies and pain. It is ironic that God used my disobedience to reveal to me this stronghold in my family. Pride and idolatry was the source of the disobedience. When God revealed to me that the consequences of my disobedience was pain and suffering. When I re-committed my life to Jesus six years ago, he showed me the shield against evil which is obedience.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be able to say yes to you when you ask me something.
REFLECTION
What were the results of obedience to God’s will in your life?
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

BLAMELESS LIVING Poem Devotional

Posted on by

burks falls 2014,barrie,erin, stanley hoop 146

April 17
________________________________________
Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. -Psalm 15:1-2(NLT)
BLAMELESS LIVING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you an authentic believer of Christ?
Do you live a blameless life free of strife?
Do you choose to do the right thing?
Are you able to repent and confess your sins?
Speak the truth in love and be encouraging
Stop proving, testing, envying or mocking
Think only what is pure, honorable and true
It will protect you from evil and all kinds of rue.
________________________________________
There is a big misconception about being holy or living a blameless life. They mistake it for religiousness or external piety. Amos 5:21 says “I hate all your show and pretense, the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies.” Even God himself hated religion. He did not die on the cross for us to have a religion but a relationship. As Christians, we are urged and summoned to live blameless lives. In James 1:27 it says that pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.
The bible tells us that only those who live blameless lives, doing what is right and speaking the truth with sincere hearts will enter his kingdom.
PRAYER
Lord, convict me when I don’t live a blameless life.
REFLECTION
Why are we commanded to live holy lives? What does it do to us and to others?
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.

WALK WITH THE WISE Poem Devotional

Posted on by

pinery camping 2014 and others 534

April 16
________________________________________
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
-Proverbs 13:20(NLT)
WALK WITH THE WISE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Who do you spend time with these days?
Are they reflecting Jesus in many ways?
Walk with the wise and you will become wise
If you associate with fools, you will hear many lies.
The Lord wants you to follow him always
If you associate with fools, you will learn their ways
Those who are wise usually bear fruits in their lives
Fools on the other hand end up in stagnation and dies.
________________________________________
I’ve spent many years of my life associating and even living with fools. During the time I was living in or friends with foolish people, I lived a very unproductive and chaotic life. It is very stressful and tiring to live with fools. They drain you of your energy and drag you into their pessimism and passivity. The enemy has used these unwise persons in my life to keep me from realizing dreams and goals I have set for myself. Just recently, God convicted me of my boundary issues. I didn’t know what they were since I grew up in a family were most of my boundaries were violated. I thank God that he delivered me from such bondage to dwelling in the past and walking with fools. When I learned to set boundaries, I know better to set myself apart from fools.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for warning me about the way of the fools.
REFLECTION
Why is boundary setting important in relationships?
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

IN PURSUIT OF DREAMS Poem Devotional

Posted on by

tulipfestival 092

April 15
________________________________________
It is pleasant to see dreams come true, but fools refuse to turn from evil to attain them.
-Proverbs 13:19 (NLT)
IN PURSUIT OF DREAMS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you dream of spiritual or worldly things?
Does it parallel God’s truth; is it within his will?
Do you do your part to make your dreams come true?
Or do you refuse to turn from evil like other fools?
It is pleasant to see dreams come into fruit
Are we seeking God and living in his truth?
Wise people pursue their dreams pro-actively
While fools just wait passively and impatiently.
________________________________________
When I was three years old, I wanted to be a nun and later on a saint. I think I wanted to be a nun because I thought they were really closer to Jesus and I was surrounded by them in school I know now that it was the Holy Spirit that really drove me to pursue this dream. I read the book of saints to know them but no one pointed me to the bible. I had a very long journey searching what was missing in my life but I always longed to be close to God. That voice inside me was the Holy Spirit guiding me to pursue God which is the main purpose in my life. I thank God that even without direct human supervision, he still led me to him.
PRAYER
Thank you for living in my heart Lord and letting my dreams come true.
REFLECTION
What dreams have you realized in your life?
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 YOUR WAY TO WEALTH Poem Devotional

Posted on by

crawford lake 2013 049

April 14
________________________________________
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappear; wealth from hard work grows over time. -Proverbs 13:11 (NLT)
WORK YOUR WAY TO WEALTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you invest time and effort on working hard
It will reap results and make you glad
No need to get rich so fast or quickly
Wealth disappear this way so easily.
Hard work brings a harvest that is fruitful
It guarantees you a life that is joyful
Work your way to wealth with diligence
It brings you to a life of fullness and excellence.
________________________________________
I would like to quote an article in “The Atlantic.com” about what happens to people who win lottery tickets. They studied 35,000 lottery winners in Florida and found that 1900 winners filed for bankcruptcy within five years and that while the large infusion of cash reduced the probability of bankruptcy during the first two years of winning, it increased the odds of bankruptcy three to five years out. As for the long term, research regarding an 1832 land lottery in Georgia found that the descendants of those winners did not go on to be wealthier after a few generations. This is just a clear example that wealth obtained from get-rich-quick schemes disappears quickly.
The bible tells us that when wealth is a result of hard work and diligence, it tends to last longer and grow overtime. It clearly shows that God rewards those who work earnestly.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to embrace integrity in my personal and professional life.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God rewards those who diligently work hard in life?
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

GOD’S GUARANTEE FOR INHERITANCE Poem Devotional

Posted on by

butterfly mother's day event 033

April 13________________________________________
The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised us and that he has purchased us to be his own people so that we will praise and glorify him.
-Ephesians 1:14 (NLT)
GOD’S GUARANTEE FOR INHERITANCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When Jesus died on the cross, God purchased us
He gave his only Son so we can believe, yet we lack trust
God guaranteed us an inheritance through his Spirit
We need to open up our hearts so he can live in it.
He also gave us the power to use his name to gain
He wants us to have victory and not wait in vain
As heirs to his kingdom, must we not be thankful?
As children of God, shouldn’t we be hopeful?
________________________________________
When someone gets an announcement that they inherited money or a property unexpectedly, that person must feel so special. It may come as a blessing specially if it never occurred to them that they’ll be handed such legacy. They would be grateful and hopeful if they are people of goodwill. If they are foolish, they would probably mismanage the gift they have received and splurge it recklessly.
The bible tells us that God purchased us to be his children and gave us a guarantee of our inheritance through his Spirit. He chose our hearts to live in so he can be with us always.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to be open to your Spirit always.
REFLECTION
What can block the Spirit to live in our hearts?
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

LEARN TO DO GOOD Poem Devotional

Posted on by

canadablooms 143 (2)

April 12________________________________________
Learn to do good. Seek Justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. – Isaiah 1:17(NLT)
LEARN TO DO GOOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
We are summoned to always do the right thing
It protects us from the enemy and from sin
Seek justice, comfort the poor and help the oppressed
Defend those who are lost and confused; help them find rest.
Learn to do good always by obeying God’s commands
He equipped us to be able to cope with life’s demands
Fight for the right of widows and take care of them
It is the only way we can be free and cleansed.
________________________________________
Man is naturally inclined to do wrong. Notice how effortless it is for us be bad. It seems automatic to do so. It didn’t use to be this way until Adam and Eve sinned and made it easy for us to be sinful. It usually takes effort and help from God to be able to do good. When we raise a child, we want him or her to be able to function well in society and do good in life. We show them slowly how to be able to learn things in the different stages of their early development up until they are grown enough to live by themselves. The bible wants us to learn to do good always, seek justice and care for orphans and widows.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to always do and choose the good.
REFLECTION
How can we have a conscious awareness to do good instead of evil?
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

SPIRIT POWERED Poem Devotional

Posted on by

rbg 182 (2)

April 11________________________________________
I pray that from his glorious unlimited resources, he will empower you with inner strength though his Spirit. – Ephesian 3:16(NLT)
SPIRIT POWERED
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you able to face all of life’s challenges?
God has much glorious unlimited resources
If you believe and seek him, he will empower you
He cares and loves you; he wants you changed and renewed.
There is a way man can be powered by God’s Spirit
It is by believing him that you will receive it
He will endow you with inner strength to face life
He will lead you to do what is God’s will and right.
________________________________________
Have you ever experienced and felt the Holy Spirit in your life? I lived a very difficult and painful life yet somehow, there is a power inside me that kept me going, held my head up high and made me press on with life. I wasn’t sure what it was until I was baptized by the Spirit in my late twenties. That is when I was able to realize that God never left me and despite all the disobedience and rebellion, he still looked after me. It was powerful to keep on living amidst all the circumstances I have experienced.
The bible tells us that God has glorious unlimited resources and that heh empowers us with inner strength through his Spirit. We are Spirit powered when we commit to him faithfully.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for living in my heart.
REFLECTION
Do you have a relationship with God’s Spirit? How well do you know him?
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