Monthly Archives: March 2017

DON’T SLIP BACK

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March 21________________________________________
So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. – 1 Peter 1:14-15NLT)
DON’T SLIP BACK
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you have been touched by God’s grace
Don’t slip back into your old worldly ways
You were blind and didn’t know any better then
You were lost and now you’re found and unbent.
You didn’t know the truth before but now you must be holy
You need to give your whole being to the Lord fully
Don’t slip back or you open doors for the enemy
Live and obey God’s commands to gain victory.
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There were many years of my life that was wasted on slipping back and forth to my old ways and old stinking thinking. I would obey and then I would rebel. It was wavering faith that hindered my spiritual growth. It delayed many blessings and fruits of the Spirit. I made it impossible for God to do miracles in my life when I didn’t totally trust him.
The bible says that we must live as obedient children and not slip back into our old ways that focused much on self-preservation. Now that we are born again, we need to chose to live a holy life.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to never waver in my faith.
REFLECTION
How can obedience contribute to growing your faith?
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 CRITICISM Poem Devotional

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March 20________________________________________
Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. – James 4:11(NLT)
ON CRITICISM
A poem and essay by ILMA
When was the last time you judged or criticized?
Did you realize it was wrong; did you apologize?
Don’t speak evil against one another
You are all made into the image of your Father.
When you find fault with another person
You are judging God’s law with human reason
Obey the law and you will be free from judgment
God gave you these commands for your atonement.
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Criticism is defined as the expression of disapproval of someone or something based on perceived faults or mistakes. Notice the word “perceived” in the definition? The one judging is actually applying his perception to the person’s behavior. Perception is usually colored by beliefs, experiences, culture and traditions. When you start thinking that someone’s behavior or attitude. You see it in the light of your own belief system and experiences. It is not necessarily true.
The bible cautions us on criticizing or judging others. We are all made in God’s image, so when we judge others, we are actually judging God himself. Our duty is to obey the commands set by God, not to justify ourselves and find fault in others.
PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from a critical spirit.
REFLECTION
What should you do when you feel the urge to judge someone?
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

UNGODLY SOUL TIES Poem Devotional

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March 19________________________________________
But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
-James 5:12(NLT)
UNGODLY SOUL TIES
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you swear that you will never do something
Watch out! The enemy will challenge you into sinning
Never take an oath by heaven or earth or anything else
It will open doors for you to experience vignettes of hell.
Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin
Anything vague and unclear makes the devil win
Do not vow that you will do something, just do it
Say only what’s true and what you hear from the Spirit.
________________________________________A soul tie is an emotional bond or connection that unites you with someone else. You can become bound to a person through your soul. If you have been anguished, obsessed or extremely thinking or worrying about someone, you may have soul ties. If you have grieved and never gotten over a severed relationship, you may have been tied with this person’s soul. Soul ties may be an offshoot of close friendships or blood-relations through oaths and promises, and through physical intimacy. Not all soul ties are bad. God wants us to have healthy relationships that build us up, provide wisdom, and give godly counsel.
The bible warns us of any ungodly soul ties.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me discern any ungodly soul ties I have and release it to you.
REFLECTION
How can you break ungodly soul ties?
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 ABOVE Poem Devotional

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March 18________________________________________
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. -James 3:17(NLT)
WISDOM FROM ABOVE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Wisdom comes from a loving God who is omniscient
No one who can compare to him; we are all deficient
The wisdom from above is pure and peace loving
It is gentle at all times and is willing to yield and give in.
The insight that comes from God’s spirit is discerning
He tells us what is good for us; he keeps us from sinning
He shows no favoritism and is always sincere and truthful
This wisdom generates blessings and makes us fruitful.________________________________________
There are two types of wisdom: earthly and heavenly. The wisdom that comes from the world focuses on the self while wisdom from above points to others’ benefit. How can we gauge if our knowledge is from God’s spirit or from the enemy? James gives us an illustration of the wisdom that comes only from our heavenly Father. He describes it as pure, peace-loving, gentle, willing to yield to others, merciful and fruitful, shows no favoritism and is always sincere. Based on these, we can deduce that worldly wisdom is corrupted, harsh, unforgiving, unfair, dishonest, legalistic, biased and selfish.
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PRAYER
Lord, always guide me when I fall into worldly wisdom.
REFLECTION
Do you think that human reasoning falls under worldly or godly wisdom?
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

ENVY AND SELFISHNESS IS EVIL Poem Devotional

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March 17________________________________________
If you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual and demonic. James 3:14-15(NLT)
ENVY AND SELFISHNESS IS EVIL
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you compare yourself with others
Watch out! You’ll eventually envy a sister or brother
When you have selfish ambitions in your heart
It is an opening for the devil to easily start.
Don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying
Be honest with God for he is very forgiving
Envy and selfishness can lead you to other evil
It is earthly, unspiritual and comes from the devil.
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“Envy” is defined as a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions, qualities, or luck or it is also desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to someone else. Selfishness, as we all know is the quality of being self-centered or desiring to always satisfy one’s own desires. Both envy and selfishness focus on I, me and myself.
The apostle Paul gives us an antidote to these two evils in Philippians 4:11-12. He gives us contentment and thanksgiving as the cure for envy and selfishness. James warns us not to cover up these evil with boasting and lying, but to be honest with God and to confess and repent.
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PRAYER
Lord, show me how to be thankful always so I don’t fall envious of others.
REFLECTION
How can you overcome selfishness in this very corrupt world?

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 GRACE BRINGS WISDOM Poem Devotional

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March 16________________________________________
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. -James 3:13(NLT)
GOD’S GRACE BRINGS WISDOM
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you love the Lord with all your heart
You are transformed; you want a new start
You turn your back from old and become new
Your heart is opened and your mind renewed.
If you are wise and understand God’s ways
Your life will shine and you won’t be easily swayed
God gives you the grace by giving you wisdom
He wants you to choose the path to his kingdom.
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We know that grace means undeserved favor from the Lord. The only reason why we have what we are currently enjoying is because God has poured his grace and mercy on us. Wisdom is not pure knowledge. We say that someone is wise when that person has actually manifested in his life the things he has learned. Otherwise, he is just called a knowledgeable person rather than a wise one. We don’t need to be literate to be wise. I know someone who cannot read or write and yet was able to succeed in life. He was a very strong believer of Jesus. Whenever he is to make a choice or decision, he consulted God through prayer and reading Scriptures. Most of all, he applied the truths in his life.
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PRAYER
Lord, let me never forget that wisdom only comes from you.
REFLECTION
Do you believe that God is the source of your wisdom and all your blessings?
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

WISE WORDS AND HARD WORK Poem Devotional

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March 15________________________________________
Wise words bring many benefits, and hard work brings rewards. -Proverbs 12:14(NLT)
WISE WORDS AND HARD WORK
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you heed to God’s wisdom and truth
You will receive blessings and the Spirit’s fruits
Wise words bring about many advantages
Scriptures will show you to get out of danger.
While the Lord provides, hard work is essential
You will find rewards as a result; it is beneficial
Wise words and hard work is a formula for success
It brings you to a place of victory and constant progress.
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If you talk to a successful person, you will discover that the reason behind their success is wisdom and hard work. The secret sauce to success of ultra successful people are the following: they read a lot, they organize lessons learned for future use, they wake up early, they are not couch potatoes, they discipline themselves, they meditate and know how to quiet their minds and bodies, they try to minimize distractions by managing their time well, they donate or give, they deliberately practice and work hard, and lastly, they don’t break the chain of their progress.
Without my awareness, God has really progressed me as a result of all the wisdom and hard work I’ve put in my life. Even at a young age of seven, I was hungry to learn more about the Lord and he has rewarded me with a very fruitful life.
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PRAYER
Thank you for your wisdom and blessings Lord.
REFLECTION
Who has inspired you to become a successful person? What is success like for you?
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

BLESSINGS TO PROSPER Poem Devotional

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March 14________________________________________
And may the Lord our God show us His approval and make our efforts successful. Yes, make our efforts successful. -Psalm 90:17(NLT)
BLESSINGS TO PROSPER
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whatever we do, we mustn’t forget to bring laud
We should always seek the approval of the Lord
Remember that our efforts will only succeed
If we constantly hunger for him and believe.
May the Lord our God show you his approval
May we live in obedience instead of denial
May he anoint us and make our efforts successful
May he guide us in his truth and make us fruitful.
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When you plan, do you usually consult the Lord? It wasn’t until I became so deprived and deep down in a terrible mess that God brought me on my knees to depend on him. I was a very self-sufficient and independent person. In the past, It never occurred to me to consult anyone when I want to make a major decision. I always thought that I carve my own destiny. “Live in God’s will” was a statement alien to me for many decades of my life, until he called me to live a life seeking his’ instead of man’s approval. I stopped being an approval addict, instead I pursued to do everything to please the Lord.
The bible tells us that if we want to prosper, we need to consult God in everything so that our efforts will succeed.
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PRAYER
Thank you for all your desire to prosper and bless me, Lord.
REFLECTION
What was the result when you consulted God in a plan?

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

ANNOUNCE THE GOOD NEWS poem devotional

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March 13________________________________________
Jesus travelled throughout the region of Galilee teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. – Matthew 4:23(NLT)
ANNOUNCE THE GOOD NEWS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you committed to Jesus Christ as your Savior
Did you have that hunger for him and his word?
Jesus travelled to preach the Good News
Do you emulate Christ and allow yourself to be used?
Announce the Good News to all the ends of the earth
This is why he gave his Son so you can witness his birth
All believers are called to preach the gospel of Jesus’ coming
We need to shout out loud and praise God who is all-forgiving.
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Are you a kind of Christian who is unashamed? Are you bold to declare the Good News to anyone you are given an opportunity to share with? I used to be an ignorant Christian who didn’t know any better because I didn’t seek the Lord with all my heart, my soul and my strength. I didn’t know that he required believers to follow the examples he set during his time on earth. We were encouraged to be a light to this dark world by sharing the gospel about Jesus’ coming and his sacrifice to save us from sin. Jesus travelled everywhere to preach and teach about God’s kingdom. Are you doing the same?
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PRAYER
Lord, always equip me with courage and boldness to announce the Good News.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God requires us to share his gospel everywhere?
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 BLAME GOD Poem Devotional

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March 12________________________________________
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord.
-Psalm 19:3(NLT)
WHY BLAME GOD?
A poem and essay by ILMA
Why do people tend to blame others?
It ruins us when we do it to one another
When we point to someone to blame
It just reinforces the feelings of shame.
Why blame God for something you did?
Why do the things he actually forbids?
Don’t destroy your life by fault-finding
Live in his truth; choose to stop sinning.________________________________________
It is human nature to point fingers to someone and not be responsible for the consequences of our own choices. It takes humility to be able to admit the wrong we’ve done and move forward with a mistake that we caused ourselves to experience. Ownership to material things is very easy to do but taking responsibility for our own actions involves a spiritual maturity which only comes from having a deep relationship with the Lord. I find it childish to blame God for things that we are dissatisfied or angry about. It is a picture of a spoiled brat having a tantrum fit to get his or her way. But, I am sure that if we can be honest, we probably have thrown fits ourselves maybe once or even more in our lifetime. The bible says that if we blame God and get angry with him, we are only ruining our lives.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me the humility to admit and take responsibility when I am wrong.
REFLECTION
When was the last time you blamed God or someone? What resulted from 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