January 12________________________________________
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.
-Jeremiah 17:9 (NLT)
THE LORD EXAMINES
A poem and essay by ILMA
The human heart can be wicked and misleading
It can conceal what is true about something
The Lord searches all hearts and examines
He knows exactly what caused us to sin.
Be careful what your heart desires
It can keep you longing and be on fire
The Lord examines motives and intentions
Make sure that it is free from deception.
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According to the bible, the human heart can be deceptive and wicked. If we can only be honest in looking closely into our hearts, we can admit that it is evil. What usually comes out of our mouth knowingly or unknowingly is what is in our hearts (Matthew 15:18-20 paraphrased). Mark 7:21 says: For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery. This is why the Lord examines our hearts. That is the reason for God warning us to guard our hearts and our tongues because they are naturally wicked. They can only be supernaturally pure when we allow God to work in our hearts. The Lord rewards according to what our actions deserve.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me wisdom to guard my heart from wickedness.
REFLECTION
What happens to us when our hearts are full of unconfessed sins?
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
Monthly Archives: January 2017
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOU GOT Poem Devotional
January 11________________________________________
Listen Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.
– Deuteronomy 6:4-6 (NLT)
LOVE GOD WITH ALL YOU GOT
A poem and essay by ILMA
Listen, all you people, there is only one God!
You must bring him all the glory and laud
You must love the Lord with all your heart
He is your strength so never leave or depart.
Commit yourselves wholeheartedly to his commands
He will bring blessings and provide for life’s demands
Love God with all that you got and follow his ways
He will lead you to the path to his kingdom if you obey.
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Have you been in love so deeply that you gave it all you got Parental love is most likely the closest to what our heavenly Father feels for us. God’s love for us is unfathomable and our parent’s love is a poor comparison to God’s unfailing and unconditional love. I am sure that if you have children who are now adults, your heart would have been broken by one of your child’s poor choice or blatant disobedience. They may have gone astray or put themselves in deep trouble.
The bible tells us to love God with all your heart, soul and strength and obey his commands.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, let me give back the love you give me with all I have.
REFLECTION
How do you manifest loving God with all you got?
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
WISDOM FROM A WISE GOD Poem Devotional
January 10________________________________________
Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
–Proverbs 19:20 (NLT)
WISDOM FROM A WISE GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you have challenges that are overwhelming?
Fear not, the Lord will provide so you can start discerning
The Holy Spirit dwells inside you if you are a follower
He will give you protection from all the tactics of the deceiver.
Wisdom from a wise God is all you need to be victorious
He will never forsake you so you can continue to be righteous
Get all the advice and instruction you can from his word
It will equip you to navigate successfully in this world.
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Do you usually seek counsel from wise people or do you just solve your problems by yourself because you think no one knows better than you? The bible cautions us not to be wise in our own eyes. Even kings and queens have advisers to guide them to make the right decisions. It is always wise to seek advice and instruction from God’s people because there may be some truth that you have missed out that they can remind you. The best source of wisdom is God himself. He gave us his word, so we can be able to go through life victoriously. A lot of people do not even realize the importance of seeking counsel from God through his word.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to meditate on your words daily so I can be guided always.
REFLECTION
What happens when we seek counsel from the bible and other believers?
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
ALL BELONG TO GOD Poem Devotional,
January 9________________________________________
The earth is the Lords’ and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1– (NLT)
ALL BELONG TO GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
The birds, the trees and all of nature
They all belong to God and we must nurture
We must be thankful for all creatures
We are all equally made no matter from what culture.
Treasure the blessings that God gave us all
He wants to bring us victory and not easily fall
Be good stewards of all that has been given
It will bring us close to him and to heaven.
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There are so much blessings that we can thank the Lord for. Everything on earth was all made by the Lord. Isn’t it only fitting that we bring him laud? There have been various distractions that the enemy brings to our lives that hinders us from being grateful and for praising God. There are even people who think that they own stuff and fail to see that without God, they won’t have such things. The enemy twists our minds and heart to think that all that we own is ours. In truth, we have them because God was merciful enough to grant us such blessings. He loves us all so much that he gave us everything we need and could ever want. We must remember that they all belong to him and we must care for them respectfully.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, remind me that I own nothing so I can praise you for all that I have.
REFLECTION
What happens if we think that we own stuff?
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
DISGRACE COMES TO DECEIVERS Poem Devotional
January 8________________________________________
No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. – Psalm 25:3 (NLT)
DISGRACE COMES TO DECEIVERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When someone trusts in the Lord, they will receive grace
To those who try to deceive others, they will be disgraced
Shame will result from a habit to trick your sisters and brothers
Guilt will be a consequence of doing evil to others.
Live in righteousness and integrity so you won’t feel shame
Apply God’s truth in your life and stop putting blame
If you continue to discredit God for all that He is
You will be judged by him and will not experience bliss.
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Shame is defined as a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. We oftentimes feel shame when we have done something that we know is not right. We also experience shame when we believe a lie that is told to us and twist God’s truth. Shame doesn’t come from God. It is the enemy that is the origin of shame. In Genesis, we are given an illustration of the shame that Adam and Eve felt after disobeying God and allowing themselves to be tempted by the devil. The bible says that we will be free from shame or disgrace if we trust in the Lord.
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PRAYER
Lord, let me never be tempted to do anything that is not right.
REFLECTION
Why do you think some people think that shame is a form of punishment by God?
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
PROMISE TO THOSE WHO LISTEN Poem Devotional
January 7________________________________________
Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give fruit from the tree of life in the paradise of God. – Revelations 2:7 (NLT)
PROMISE TO THOSE WHO LISTEN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Anyone with ears to hear must listen to God’s Spirit
Understand what he is saying, then follow and live it
To each person who follows, they will be victorious
To those who continue to be rebellious, there will be chaos.
Choose to listen with the ear of your heart
It will make you abide and never depart
Look up to the promise and you’ll receive blessings
Deny it and you will continually be living in sin.________________________________________
There are many believers who still remain deaf to God’s call. I once was this kind of believer who never really listened. I hear God’s word, but didn’t let it sink in my heart. So, it never really transformed me into the person that God wanted me to be. I lived like this for so many decades. I was blind to the truth and promises in God’s word because I lived in the world’s standard. The bible asks us to listen to the Spirit and you will bear fruit. As long as we don’t have a personal relationship with the Lord, it will be impossible to hear his voice.
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PRAYER
Lord, let my heart be always open to hear your voice.
REFLECTION
What happens if you hear God’s commands and not heed it?
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
LIKE TREES IN AUTUMN Poem Devotional
January 6________________________________________
When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled by the roots. – Jude 12 (NLT)
LIKE TREES IN AUTUMN
A poem and essay by ILMA
There are people who are dangerous
They are shameless and oblivious
They cunningly worm themselves into your fellowships
Their purpose is to bring havoc and destroy relationships.
They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead
They bear no fruit and are not Spirit-led
Like shameless shepherds only caring for themselves
They give no assistance to anyone or give any form of help.
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I know someone who live only for themselves. They couldn’t care less about others and are unaware of their surroundings or even the people they live with. It is dangerous to have a relationship with people who are like dead trees. They can’t produce fruit. They are not growing anymore and can make your life seem hopeless and empty.
The bible warns us about people who are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain.
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PRAYER
Lord, please deliver me from spiritually dead people.
REFLECTION
Why should we stay away from those who only care for themselves?
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
BEWARE OF SCOFFERS Poem Devotional
January 5________________________________________
They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.
– Jude 18-19(NLT)
BEWARE OF SCOFFERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When someone scorns you or puts you down
Run to Jesus Christ who is God’s one and only Son
Scoffers will satisfy their own ungodly desires
They create conflicts and make people cry.
Scoffers follow their natural instincts
They believe in lies and continually sin
Be careful that you don’t get dragged by them
They usually point fingers at others and blame.
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We were warned in the bible that in the end days, there will be a lot of scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. They are the source of divisions among God’s people. They don’t live spiritual lives and are prompted by their natural instincts. They are similar to animals who live only based on instincts. They just gratify their own desires and do not care about how they get it. They are so wrapped up in getting what they want and devoid of what it does to others. They couldn’t care less if they hurt someone as long as they satisfy their flesh. Beware of these scoffers. Don’t let them pull you down.
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PRAYER
Lord, protect me from scoffers and their greed and pride.
REFLECTION
Have you ever encountered a scoffer in your life? How did you deal with them?
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
SHOW MERCY TO OTHERS Poem Devotional
January 4________________________________________
And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution hating the sins that contaminate their lives. – Jude 22-23 (NLT)
SHOW MERCY TO OTHERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering
Rescue them from judgment and keep on helping
When you show understanding and compassion
You help them from falling into temptation.
Whenever you see a believer sinning
Don’t hate them, but continue forgiving
Remember what Jesus did to show us an example
He gave mercy and grace to all of God’s people.
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I know someone who never forgives. Her motto in life is never to show mercy to those who have done something wrong to her. I never understood why it was difficult for her to forgive until I learned all the abuses she underwent even as a young child. She allowed her circumstances to harden her heart. Later on, she was beset by cancer which was probably an aftermath of her heart’s un-forgiveness.
The bible tells us to show mercy to those whose faith is wavering and to snatch them from the flames of judgment. We have to be careful when we show forgiveness and understanding so that we don’t fall into the danger of contaminating our own lives. Keep a close relationship with the Lord.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to follow your example of generously granting mercy.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God requires us to give mercy 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.com
BUILD UP EACH OTHER IN FAITH Poem Devotional
January 3________________________________________
But you dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. – Jude 20-21(NLT)
BUILD UP EACH OTHER IN FAITH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Who among you needs encouragement?
In the Lord’s house, there is no room for discouragement
Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit so you will be content
He fills your emptiness and gives you strength.
Our Lord will give us his mercy daily
He brings eternal life to those who obey faithfully
Keep yourself safe in God’s love by building each other up
He gave you one another so you can all be lifted up.
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When God created Adam, it didn’t take long for him to figure out that he needs a helper. He gave Eve to Adam so that they can both build each other up and grow and propagate. It is sad that our society encourages isolation and independence. We make decisions on our own without consulting someone, then we wonder why we are not successful or why we struggle so much.
The bible tells us that we must build each other up in faith and pray to the Holy Spirit. This way, we keep ourselves safe in God’s love.
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PRAYER
Lord, teach me how to encourage others all the time.
REFLECTION
What can encouragement do to someone who is feeling down?
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