Monthly Archives: September 2016

GOOD NEWS BRING FAITH Poem Devotional

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September 20
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So faith comes from hearing, that is hearing the Good News about Christ.
-Romans 1:17(NLT)
GOOD NEWS BRING FAITH
A poem and essay by ILMA
The first time you heard the Good News about Christ
Didn’t it stir your heart and give you a new view of life?
Faith comes from hearing that God sent his Son to save
It stimulates your trust and gives you reason to be brave.
When I first heard that someone came to cleanse me from sin
It was refreshing to know that I can finally be victorious and win
Remember to meditate on the blood that was shed by Jesus
Be reminded how loved you are and how you are so precious.
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When did you first believe that Jesus came to save you? I was about seven years old when he consoled me that he was there for me and will always be beside me. I was walking to school that day. I was criticized or ignored more often than not by the members of my family and I felt so lonely and unloved that day. I recalled I was crying as I carried my bag to school. I burst in tears and suddenly heard a voice inside my heart that Jesus loves me and that he cares for me. I started opening up my heart to Jesus that day. It was the start of a long time daily chat with Jesus.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for dying for me and rescuing me each time.
REFLECTION
Where did you first hear about the Good News?
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

RIVERS OF LIVING WATER Poem Devotional

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September 19
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Anyone who believes in me may come and drink. For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ – John 7:38(NLT)
RIVERS OF LIVING WATER
A poem and essay by ILMA
God promised believers access to living water
They may come and drink anytime hereafter
They will never go thirsty again after drinking it
They will be given a chance to have God’s own Spirit.
Anyone who believes in Jesus Christ will live
They are promised many gifts; they have to openly receive
The rivers of living water flows from God’s loving heart
Come and drink from it so you can be blessed and make a mark.
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There are many promises that God has given those who love him. One of them is the rivers of living water. John 7:39 explains what living water is. When Jesus said that rivers of living water will flow from his heart, he was speaking of the Spirit who would be given to everyone believing in him. When he said these words to his disciples, he was still with them so the Spirit didn’t live in their hearts until Jesus gloriously resurrected.
It is sad to know that a lot of Christians do not avail of this rivers of living water and live hungry and thirsty lives. They chase dreams and carnal desires but miss out on the Holy Spirit’s presence in their hearts. Accept the invitation and you will have an overflow.
PRAYER
Help me to acknowledge your Spirit’s presence always.
REFLECTION
How has the river of living water flowed 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

LORD PROTECTS THE RIGHTEOUS

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September 18
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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)
LORD PROTECTS THE RIGHTEOUS
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you have dedicated your life to Christ
You will be blessed and loved in this life
Not one of your bones will be broken
He guards and rescue all of his children.
The righteous person faces many difficulties
But God helps them in their challenges and frailties
Be joyful because he will never allow the godly to fail
He will always be beside them each and every day.
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Some unbelievers think that when you become a Christian, you are saved from troubles. On the contrary, it is the opposite. The closer you are to Christ, the more the enemy entices you to his camp. It is such a big deal for him to reap your close relationship with God. He is the father of all lies and his purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. He need not do that to those who are wicked already. They are no longer a challenge to him. Those who are building and maintaining a relationship with Jesus on the other hand, is a big trophy for him if he gets them down. The bible promises that God will never allow a bone in believers’ bodies to be broken.
PRAYER
Thank you for your protection Lord.
REFLECTION
Cite an instance when you were protected by God from harm?
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 SUPERVISION

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September 17
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The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. -Psalm 32:8(NLT)
GOD’S SUPERVISION
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you are a believer, you are being watched
The Lord shines his light upon your path
He will advise you and lead you to his righteousness
He will never allow you to be trapped in wickedness.
God promises protection and comfort for his children
He will never abandon them until they reach heaven
Our heavenly Father will show us the best pathway in life
Always choose the way he wants you to go and focus on Christ.
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Do you remember how much your parents hovered and watched over you when you were a very young kid? Your dad or mom probably won’t let you out of their sight. This is the same way God watches over his beloved children. He cares for them so much that he oversees everything they do. Unlike some parents who can become overbearing and controlling, God allows us to make the choices with his loving supervision. If we decide to choose the wicked path, he still watches over us and allows us to experience the consequences of our decision to live out of his will. He sometimes uses these painful experiences to teach us and make us learn patience and endurance. You are never alone if you are a believer.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for watching over me all the time.
REFLECTION
How does God’s supervision affect the life you live?
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

SLAVERY OF BORROWING Poem Devotional

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September 16
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Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. -Proverbs 22:7(NLT)
SLAVERY OF BORROWING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you borrowed anything or money from someone?
You will eventually be slaves of lenders and you can’t run
Just as the rich controls and rule the poor
The borrower is unwise and considered a fool.
If you think that borrowing is a good thing
You will end up stressed and always thinking
You will be bound by the money you owed
It will deplete you of whatever you have sown.
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In ancient times, the rich rule the poor. Nowadays, we don’t have outright slavery anymore, yet we can still be slaves to so many things. One rampant form of modern day slavery is the bondage of borrowing or the stress of having debts. With the rise of credit cards and the growth of the information age, we are deceived by the enemy that we possess money when we have the plastic cards. All it does is to keep us imprisoned in more debts, until we can’t afford to pay them off and lose and compromise our relationships and peace.
The bible says that just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender. The enemy entices us to be enslaved to borrow so we can acquire wants and be enslaved to crave for more.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me in truth so that I will not be living in this world’s standards.
REFLECTION
Cite an instance how borrowing can be a slavery?
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

GIVING GENEROUSLY Poem Devotional

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September 15
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The wicked borrow and never repay, but the godly are generous givers. -Psalm37:21(NLT)
GIVING GENEROUSLY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who are wicked borrows and never repay
The godly are generous givers each and every day
When you share what you have been given
You are acting like Jesus Christ who was risen.
Those who are able to bless others wholeheartedly
They are reflecting God’s heart to others so kindly
Give enthusiastically and you will reap rewards later
It blesses you, your family and your heavenly Father.
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There are many things we can generously share or give to others. It doesn’t have to be money. You could share your knowledge, talents, resources, time and whatever it is that God is asking you to bless others with. The problem with the world today is that we don’t go out of our way to give others what we are given by God. We think that we possess these resources on our own and need to hoard it or keep it to ourselves. This is dangerous for our spirits when we only think of ourselves. This is how the enemy wants us to behave. He wants us to be selfish and not give. Sometimes when we give, we expect to be given back what we have shared. This is not giving. It’s a business transaction. The bible says that the godly gives generously.
PRAYER
Lord, give me opportunities to bless others.
REFLECTION
What can you generously share to others that God has given you? What are the benefits of giving?
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

WORSE THAN UNBELIEF Poem Devotional

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September 14
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Those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers. -1 Timothy 5:8(NLT)
WORSE THAN UNBELIEF
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you are a believer of Jesus, you will heed his instructions
Obeying his commands will let you overcome temptations
He also called you to love others as you love him and yourself
That includes loving all your relatives and giving them help.
When you do not care for your immediate family members
You are worse than the wicked and those who are unbelievers
You can show your faith in God by loving your sisters and brothers
Best of all, prioritize those who are closest to you than any other.
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We are all created in God’s image. God is love therefore we can also be love like him. Pain and suffering result from a life that is not ruled by love. I know we can also experience physical pain from illnesses and accidents. The enemy wants to steal, kill and destroy our relationship with God so he comes up with all kinds of strategies to keep us from loving.
The apostle Paul talks to Timothy about God’s instructions to love and care for our relatives, especially those in our own household. He compares these unloving people to unbelievers and considers them worse than them. This is a command for us to be stewards of our kin.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be a loving family member to my relatives.
REFLECTION
Why does God command you to care for your family?

TRUE WEALTH Poem Devotional

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September 13

True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it.

– 1 Timothy 6:6-7(NLT)

TRUE WEALTH

A poem and essay by ILMA

Wealth and possessions are all temporary

They can be used against you by the enemy

Too much love for your money and belongings

They open the door for much longings.

Godliness and contentment are true wealth

They make us preserve our joy and health

What really matters is how you enjoy life

Staying away from idols keeps you close to Christ.

Many of us have the wrong notion about wealth. Human nature wants us to possess and own stuff in this world so we can be recognized or respected. We study and get degrees so people can look up to us. We buy things so that we can say to ourselves that we are better off than others. We work hard to earn money and mostly compromise our own families.  We get ourselves so busy gaining recognition and wealth that we lose our sense of priorities. We leave out God in the equation. No wonder we don’t get far.

The bible tells us that true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. When we were born, we had nothing, so when we die, we can’t take anything with us too.

PRAYER

Lord, please teach me how to be contented and live a simple life.

REFLECTION

How can contentment be considered true wealth?

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

THROUGH FAITH ALONE Poem Devotional

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pinery camping 2014 and others 598September 12
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Can we boast then that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. -Romans 3:27(NLT)
THROUGH FAITH ALONE
A poem and essay by ILMA
What can we do to be accepted by Jesus Christ?
Can we boast that we have overcome difficulties in life?
Can we show off that we have done many good deeds?
Can following the rules be a good way to overcome sin?
There is no way we can work at our salvation
Only through faith alone we can be granted redemption
Our exoneration from sin is possible through faith
Only by trusting God can miracles be part of our fate.
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I spent many years of my life performing. I did my best to live up to my parents’ expectation to be academically excellent. I became obsessed being a good parent to my only son. I proved my worth to everyone by being a painter, a stage actress, manager, photographer and teacher. I didn’t know that it was futile to do so because God already loves me anyway. It was all that should have mattered but I was so busy fixing myself and others around me that I missed out on what really God requires from us.
The bible tells us that we cannot boast of anything we have done to be approved by God. Only faith alone matters to him.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for just loving me the way I am.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God requires faith for us to be saved?
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

ONLY ONE’S SPIRIT KNOWS Poem Devotional

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September 11
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No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit -1 Corinthians 2:11(NLT)
ONLY ONE’S SPIRIT KNOWS
A poem and essay by ILMA
There is a danger when we pry into other’s thinking
It is not our business to understand or to be assuming
No one can know someone’s thoughts except his own spirit
So there is no point in finding out or guessing what it is.
Presuming other people’s motives and thoughts leads to sin
Only God knows their hearts so don’t let the devil win
No one can comprehend God’s point of view or thoughts
Only the Holy Spirit knows it, don’t be confused or lost.
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When I was a stage actress, we were trained to learn to read the minds of the characters we are portraying based on the facts given in the script. One of our responsibility as actors is to go through the stream of consciousness of the character based on what was given in the play or possibly add more to it. We observe how they would react to certain situations so it would help us bring to life the nuances of the person we were playing. As a result of professionally working onstage for over 20 years, it became second nature for me to presume and assume. The bible says only one’s spirit knows what that person is thinking.
PRAYER
Lord, do not allow me to assume anything.
REFLECTION
Why do you think presumption leads to sin?
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