April 11________________________________________
Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath. -Psalm 116:2 (NLT)
AS LONG AS I HAVE BREATH
A poem and essay by ILMA
When I wake up each morning, I will pray
I will thank the Lord for his favor each day
Because he bends down to listen to me
I will connect to him in order to be free.
I will pray to the Lord as long as I have breath
Because he is forever faithful, I will do my best
He gives me mercy and grace to overcome all evil
I will stay loyal and grateful to him forever.
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When people get married, they vow to love each other for as long as they live. In our society today, we find that many married people have breached these vows they made. Changes, circumstances and other factors come along the way that made them forget how much they loved each other. This is why it is always good to remind ourselves if we are married to renew these vows. The Lord has given us so many promises and stayed faithful to each of us, we also need to pray unceasingly to him. When we committed ourselves to Christ, we got married to him. We vowed to stay faithful and make him first in our lives. We sometimes forget that we made that promise to serve Him faithfully.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember the commitment I made to you daily.
REFLECTION
What can we do to stay faithful to the Lord for as long as we 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
Monthly Archives: April 2017
DISHONESTY TEST Poem Devotional
April 10________________________________________
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. – Luke 16:10(NLT)
DISHONESTY TEST
A poem and essay by ILMA
What occupies your heart and mind?
Do you feed on God’s word or are you blind?
Do you do good only when someone is watching?
Are you honest to always choose the right thing?
Your trustworthiness can be tested in little things
So does deceit show also in bigger responsibilities
Live a life full of integrity and you will thrive
Continue to live in lies and you will surely die.
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East Anglia research on honesty found that people’s honesty varies significantly between countries. The study examined whether people from different countries were more or less honest and how this related to a country’s economic development. More than 1500 participants from Brazil, China, Greece, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States, Argentina, Denmark, the United Kingdom, India, Portugal, South Africa, and South Korea – were chosen to provide a mix of regions, levels of development and levels of social trust. The four least honest countries resulting from their quiz were China, Japan, South Korea and India.
The bible tells us that the test for integrity is in little things. If one is honest in little things, they will also be honest in large ones and in bigger responsibilities.
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PRAYER
Lord, convict me when I compromise my integrity.
REFLECTION
Why do you think some people choose dishonesty over integrity?
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
DO WELL WHATEVER YOU DO Poem Devotional
April 9________________________________________
Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. -Ecclesiastes 9:10(NLT)
DO WELL WHATEVER YOU DO
A poem and essay by ILMA
God gave you abilities to use and hone
Use it! So you can press on to your growth
Whatever you do, give all you got to do it well
For your life may end, no one can tell.
There’ll be no work or planning on your grave
So when you face challenges, just be brave
When you do outstanding work, God can be praised!
Others will see his power and his amazing grace.
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I know of some people who like to settle for less because of their fear of criticism, rejection or not living up to other people’s expectations. What a waste it is when we have this kind of mentality. It places us in a box where we don’t really see our maximum capabilities. Being safe brings comfort to many people, but success is usually a by-product of taking risks, sacrificing comfort and not being afraid to fail. Most successful people didn’t achieve it in just one click. It is usually a result of repeated failures, learning from them and not giving up.
The bible tells us that we must do our best in anything we do because when we die, we won’t have the opportunities to excel and thrive.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to recognize it when I become mediocre.
REFLECTION
Why do you think the bible encourages us to be excellent in what we do?
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
PRAY UNCEASINGLY Poem Devotional
April 8________________________________________
Never stop praying. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17(NLT)
PRAY UNCEASINGLY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you have a blessing to be thankful for?
Why don’t you pray and give praise to the Lord?
Are there some problems that continually cripple you?
Pray for strength and for your mind to be renewed.
When you wake up each morning, talk to the Lord
You need to seek him first and study his word
Meditate on his truth to detect what might be wrong
Don’t stop praying so you can be free and be strong.
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Some Christians fail to understand the importance of prayer in their lives. The enemy’s job is to steal, kill and destroy us. How does Satan stop us from unceasing prayers? He brings many distractions in our lives such as health issues, financial problems, losing someone, experiencing abuse, our roles in life, busy-ness and many more. The more he diverts our attention from God, the less time we will pray. One of the weapons we can use against this evil scheme is to pray. In Ephesians 6, we learn that the sword of the spirit is the word of God and that we have to pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion and stay alert and be persistent in praying for all believers everywhere. Because we are dealing with unseen forces and the battle is spiritual, we need to pray incessantly to win it.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, let me connect with you and run to you for everything.
REFLECTION
Why do you think some people fail to pray unceasingly?
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
UNCERTAINTY OF WEALTH Poem Devotional
April 7________________________________________
In the blink of an eye, wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like eagle.
-Proverbs 23:5 (NLT)
UNCERTAINTY OF WEALTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you think that wealth will bring you stability
You will have a shaky life for it is full of uncertainties
Like our lives, wealth disappears in the blink of an eye
You can enjoy it now, but you can’t take it when you die.
Why would you want to rely on things of this world?
It is best to seek the truth and follow God’s word?
Seek treasures in heaven and you’ll gain eternal life
Wealth is uncertain and it can draw you away from Christ.
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In Matthew 19, we hear of the story of the rich young man who came to Jesus to ask what good deeds must he do to have eternal life. Jesus replied first to keep the commandments. Then the man claimed that he had kept all the commandments already. He continued to ask the Lord, what else must he do. So Jesus told him to go and sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor so he can have treasures in heaven. The rich young man couldn’t part with his wealth. Jesus teaches us that it is hard for the rich to enter God’s kingdom. We are also cautioned on the uncertainty of wealth because it disappears in the blink of an eye.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to share my wealth with those in need.
REFLECTION
How hard can it be for the rich to enter heaven?
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
THE ONLY WORK GOD REQUIRES Poem Devotional
April 6________________________________________
This is the only work God wants from you. Believe in the one he has sent. – John 6:29(NLT)
THE ONLY WORK GOD REQUIRES
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you fully trust the Lord that he will deliver you from sin?
Do you do works of the flesh or go back and forth where you’ve been?
The only work God requires from you is to trust him completely
There is no need for performing, he grants us grace freely.
If you trust and believe in Jesus, you will surely receive
If you doubt and have little faith, you will live in fear
Believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and Savior
He will redeem you and give you blessings and favor.
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Work is defined as an activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something. It is a sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective or result. God gave us gifts and abilities so that we can contribute in the building of his kingdom. We are asked to love and care for others if we love God because that is the only way we can manifest our love for the Lord. When work becomes focused on self-gain, it becomes a form of idolatry. We were all designed for God’s purpose, not our own. The only work God really wants from you is to believe in the one he has sent.
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PRAYER
Lord, help us to work at strengthening our faith.
REFLECTION
How can “work” be considered an idol or a form of bondage?
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
USE ENERGY WISELY Poem Devotional
April 5________________________________________
Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval. – John 6:27(NLT)
USE ENERGY WISELY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you manage your energy wisely?
What kind of things do you do regularly?
Find time to put God first in your activities
If you do, you’ll get his blessings easily.
God gave Jesus his seal of approval
Let’s seek him daily because it is crucial
Use your energy to spread God’s kingdom
It will make you free and receive his wisdom.
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If I don’t plan ahead of time, my day becomes so distracted and unproductive. When I don’t prioritize spending time with God first thing in the morning, I get depleted even just in the middle of the day. Despite my busy schedules, I do my best to pray and have quality moment studying Scriptures. I ask the Lord to help me do my schedule so that I will not be doing things out of his will. I usually am able to finish all the planned activities and I don’t get to feel so tired at the end of the day. On odd occasions when I get interrupted with regular schedule and I fail to pray and study the bible, the enemy gets an open door to steal my joy, time and energy with subtle distractions.
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PRAYER
Lord, guard me from doing things for my own purpose.
REFLECTION
Where do you spend your energy on? Do they praise the Lord?
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 MONEY AND WISDOM Poem Devotional
April 4________________________________________
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.
-Ecclesiastes 7:12(NLT)
ON MONEY AND WISDOM
A poem and essay by ILMA
Money is a tool to get you something done
Only God’s spirit can offer you wisdom
Money can get you almost anything
Wisdom helps you do the right thing.
If you rely only on wealth to be alive
You are missing the truth that’s in Christ
Love of money blinds you to see
Wisdom tells you how to be set free.
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There are many things we can buy with money. Some people become attached to it that lead them to distance themselves from others. They fear that everyone is out to get their wealth. They isolate themselves and live very lonely lives because they chose money as their priority. I know of someone who stayed single because she thinks that men were only after her money. She is now almost in her sixties. It is sad to watch her cling to her assets and not let anyone in her life just because she is guarding her wealth. She wants to have a family since she was in her twenties but what she doesn’t realize is that her love for money keeps her from trusting others and getting them close to her.
The bible tells us that money and wisdom can get us anything, but only wisdom can save our lives.
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PRAYER
Lord, free those who are lovers of money from their idolatry.
REFLECTION
Why do we need to exercise God’s wisdom over handling money?
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 PLANNING Poem Devotional
April 3________________________________________
But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there’s enough money to finish it?
-Luke 14:28(NLT)
WISE PLANNING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you assess and process something before acting on it?
Do you consult the Lord and hear the voice of his Spirit?
Wise planning is important in order to execute a project
Without realistic goals and research, you cannot budget
Without estimating the costs of your planned work
It will bring you trouble and will make you broke
Wise planning brings about a realistic projection
It will help you achieve your goals and ambitions.________________________________________
My husband and I like to watch videos of past “Grand Design” show. It features people taking on the task of rebuilding old houses or structures and convert them to their homes. It is seldom we watch some people who actually had realistic budgets and time frame to build their dream homes. Most of them over-estimate or under-estimate their projections in terms of material or time cost. I think that a lot of them do not factor in the element of time and do not give provision for unexpected turn of events. The bible tells us that it is unwise to tackle a project without planning and projecting what would it cost us. It will cost us more if we don’t realistically plan.
PRAYER
Lord, give me discernment especially when I tackle a task or project.
REFLECTION
How can research, careful and realistic planning help you to succeed in your ventures?
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
A HEART FOR LEARNING Poem Devotional
April 2________________________________________
It is senseless to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning. -Proverbs 17:16(NLT)
A HEART FOR LEARNING
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you keep putting limits to your ability
You are missing out on discovering your full capacity
A wise person has openness to new things
A fool clings to old ways of doing and thinking.
It is senseless to educate a fool, they like resisting
Don’t waste your time or they will be arguing
The wise always keeps an open mind and heart
They hunger for explorations and getting a new start
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One of the joys of being a teacher is getting to know students who have the heart for learning. This is a novelty in our society today. We live in a world of information explosion. We are bombarded with many different views and it is not very easy to filter or monitor what we need to take in and throw out. There are much facts flying all over social media. We need to be wise to know which ones will benefit us or which ones will harm us. Those who are wise are like sponges, they hold all the things you teach them. The foolish are like rocks, you can not teach them anything because they are impenetrable. The bible says that it is useless to teach a fool because their stubbornness and pride keeps them from learning.
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PRAYER
Lord, show me how to be wise in your economy.
REFLECTION
What is the difference of knowledge and 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