Monthly Archives: May 2017

EVERLASTING GOD Poem Devotional

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May 21________________________________________
Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. -Isaiah 40:28(NLT)
EVERLASTING GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Look around you and you’ll be amazed at God’s creation
He made all things on this earth for your consumption
Give praise and thanksgiving for an everlasting God
Never forget to worship him and always bring him laud.
The Lord is faithful; he never grows weak or weary
God forgives and never ceases to love unconditionally
He is there when we are joyful or during our adversities
Believe that he is eternal; he gives all believers victory.
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Do you ever grow weak or weary? Like me, I am sure you experience ups and downs in your life. It can be very challenging to constantly be bombarded with much choices and noise around us in this very chaotic world. We need to pursue peace at all cost and receive God’s rest daily. This is the only way we can be guaranteed that we will experience peace. God created us in his image and I am sure he wants us to focus on him so that we don’t experience weakness or weariness. He is everlasting and we can only come close to his perpetual character if we regularly connect with him. He promises eternal life to all those who believe in him.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for a promise of eternity.
REFLECTION
How do you deal with weakness or weariness?
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 SPEAKS PEACE

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May 20________________________________________
I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways. -Psalm 85:8(NLT)
GOD SPEAKS PEACE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you hear what the Lord requires from his people?
He wants you to pursue peace and be faithful
The Lord is after those who seek him without ceasing
Don’t forget his word and always meditate on his teachings.
God wants you to choose peace, it shows that you trust him
When you do, you’ll be able to resist the devil and avoid sin
Hear the Lord’s call and don’t return to your foolish ways
Store his words in your heart so you can win without delay.
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Before I became a born again Christian, I often wondered why it was so easy to dwell on the negative and a lot of effort to focus on the positive. Now I know that without the blood of Jesus, I can’t do anything. Since we live in a fallen world and we are all sinners, it is effortless to be inclined to do the negative things. This is the difference when you are born again. The Holy Spirit lives in you and transforms your heart and mind. You are a new person who seeks the Lord and pursue peace at all times.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for reminding me to pursue peace.
REFLECTION
What distracts you from the pursuit of peace? How can you keep focused on seeking peace?
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 GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE

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May 19________________________________________
See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. – 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NLT)
DO GOOD TO ALL PEOPLE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Has anyone done you wrong lately?
Don’t retaliate, forgive quickly
Don’t pay back evil for evil
Or you will open doors for the devil.
The Lord wants us to do good always
It manifests our love and kindness
If you are a disciple of Jesus
You will easily grant forgiveness.________________________________________
In Exodus 21:24, we are told of the law “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, a foot for a foot.” In his book The End of the Law: Mosaic Covenant in the Pauline Theology, Jason Meyer explains that the concept of “an eye for eye,” sometimes called jus talionis or lex talionis, is part of the Mosaic Law used in the Israelites’ justice system. Justice should be equitable; excessive harshness and excessive leniency should be avoided. Meyer clearly states in his book that this law was for the judicial system and doesn’t apply to personal relationships.
In Matthew 5, Jesus teaches the opposite of this law when he said in verse 39 to offer your other cheek if someone slaps you. Paul reiterates Christ’s teaching about doing good and letting go of being wronged. He advises us to give back good for evil.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for teaching us how to forgive.
REFLECTION
Why do you think it’s difficult to do good to those who do you wrong?
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 GOD WHO TRULY CARES Poem Devotional

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May 18________________________________________
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)
A GOD WHO TRULY CARES
A poem and essay by ILMA
What are you worrying about these days?
Is it a loved one who is going astray?
Are your finances stressing you out?
Do you pray for help or do you just pout?
Give all your worries and cares to God
With him around, nothing is too hard
He truly cares so much and wants you to prosper
Don’t be proud, run to him and he will deliver.
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How many times in the past did you dwell on a pity party? You have been praying for someone or something, that has never really happened for the longest time. You start worrying and thinking negatively about it. Then your body starts to give in from the stress and the toxic thinking. I have been guilty of this negative thought patterns for a good five decades of my life. When I became a born again Christian, God delivered me from this negative pattern and renewed my mind. I started replacing my worries and prayed instead. I didn’t realize that worrying was a sin until I got revelations. It also hinders our dreams to come true. I looked for truths from God’s word that would replace such toxic thoughts. I began memorizing bible verses and voila…God truly cares for me. He has answers for all my worries.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your unceasing love and care for me.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to focus on God’s faithfulness especially when discouraged?
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

ENDURANCE LEADS TO SALVATION Poem Devotional

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May 17________________________________________
But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. – Matthew 24:13-14(NLT)
ENDURANCE LEADS TO SALVATION
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you encounter much trouble and suffering
Be thankful! Your faith will surely be growing
The one who endures to the end will be protected
Those who easily give up will not be included.
Endurance is a manifestation of being faithful
It also shows that you are diligent and hopeful
Jesus endured all kinds of violence and cruelty
He wants us to embrace challenges courageously.
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Endurance is defined as a noun as the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way. As an adjective, it is denoting or relating to a race or other sporting event that takes place over a long distance or otherwise demands great physical stamina. Endurance is an important ingredient in overcoming obstacles or winning a competition. James 1:2-3 tells us that the testing of our faith produces endurance. In other words, if we easily give up at the first trial or testing, we won’t finish the race to God’s kingdom. It is also a pre-requisite in order for us to be saved. When we endure and persevere, we show strength in our character.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to focus on you instead of the circumstance when my faith is being tested.
REFLECTION
How can we develop endurance in our character?
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

SIN AND INDIFFERENCE Poem Devotional

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May 16________________________________________
Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold.
– Matthew 24:12(NLT)
SIN AND INDIFFERENCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
The second coming of the Lord is near
War, conflicts and violence will be here
There will be earthquakes and many disasters
Much deception and lies will happen thereafter.
People will experience all kinds of tribulation
Many will grow cold and love isolation
Sin and indifference will be rampant everywhere
It will be a trap to keep people from going nowhere.
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Indifference in Hebrew is “adish” meaning “couldn’t care less. Some synonym to this words are: emotionless, apathy, passivity, negligence, carelessness, inattention, unconcern, unimportance. A lot of people think that the opposite of love is hate. It is actually indifference on the other side of love. Many of mental illnesses and crimes are usually a product of people who were victims of an indifferent parent or caregiver. This is why “negligence” is also as harmful as abuse. Being indifferent shows that you also don’t care for the Lord. It signifies selfishness.
Hebrew has words for “sin.” The word “pasha”, or “trespass”, means a sin done out of rebelliousness. The word “aveira” means “transgression”. And the word “avone”, or “iniquity”, means a sin done out of moral failing. My own definition of sin is to live out of God’s truth and to live for the “self.” Prevalence of sin and indifference are signs of end times.
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PRAYER
Lord, guard my heart from indifference and sin.
REFLECTION
What do we need to do to protect ourselves from being indifferent and sinful?
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

DON’T BE MISLED Poem Devotional

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May 15________________________________________
Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you. – Matthew 24:4 (NLT)
DON’T BE MISLED
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you believed in Jesus Christ
You must guard your path in life
Make sure that you stay in God’s word
It will guide you to overcome this world.
Jesus warned us not to be misled by evil
Be on watch for the tactics of the devil
Meditate on his truth day and night
It will give you wisdom and great insight.
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We live in an age of information and technology. We are bombarded with a lot of data and it becomes challenging to decipher which ones are authentic or not. We have to exercise boundaries in discerning the let the good in and the bad out. It is sad to watch people being victimized by too much deception and lies hovering around them. How can we protect ourselves from these corrupt world? The bible tells us to stay in the word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16 says that all Scriptures is God-breathed and is there to guide us, teach us and to correct us when we do wrong and it also gives us a way out of the most adverse situations. What would happen if we don’t know God’s word? We will be easily misled by the enemy and be tossed and turned. We will only know a counterfeit if we are fully aware of the truth.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to always hear your voice so I won’t be misled.
REFLECTION
How can you protect yourself from being misled by the enemy?
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

EXAMINE SPIRITS Poem devotional

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May 14________________________________________
Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. – 1 John 4:1(NLT)
EXAMINE SPIRITS
A poem and essay by ILMA
As a follower of Christ, you need to examine spirits
Do not believe everyone who claims they are godly
Test them to see if they align with God’s truth
Some prophets’ teachings are not at all true.
Strengthen yourself with God’s word; meditate on it
It makes us win over the world’s corruption and defeat it
The Spirit that comes from God is full of love and peace
The one that is in the world is about selfishness and conflicts.
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The bible tells us to be watchful and examine spirits. Because we do not see the invisible realm, it can be challenging to detect what is really going on in the spirit. Since we are not omniscient and omnipotent like God, we can be a prey to the enemy. This is why we are instructed to meditate on God’s word and follow his will. When we are in relationship with God, we become aware of the spirit world. If we have developed an intimacy with him, we can hear what he says about things, persons and circumstances. He wants us to examine every spirit so we can discern false teachings.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your guidance and protection.
REFLECTION
What are some signs to spot a false teacher or a false teaching?
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 GOD OF ORDER

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For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. -1 Corinthians 14:33(NLT)
A GOD OF ORDER
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you ever get overwhelmed with so much disorder?
Watch out because, it shows your mind’s clutter
When you constantly live a life of confusion
You are not living God’s vision but of illusion.
God is not a God of chaos but of peace
He wants us to live a life that is free
Give up disorder and you will feel better
Let go of un-forgiveness and don’t stay bitter.
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Whenever conflicts and confusion presents itself in our marriage, I know that we are being attacked by the enemy. The bible says that Satan’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy God’s people. I wish I could have known this truth four decades ago. There were many years of my life that was stolen from me. My childhood was snatched from me with generational sins and strongholds that have been passed by our parents to us unknowingly. It is very essential for a Christian to know that we are battling with unseen forces as the book of Ephesians clearly states. Since we do not see them, it can be a challenge to identify how we are being attacked.
The bible describes God as a god of peace, not of disorder. We must recognize the stealthy way the enemy can creep into our lives by creating confusion.
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PRAYER
Lord, protect me when confusion pops in my life.
REFLECTION
How do we defend ourselves from the enemy’s tactics?
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

HARM THAT LIES BRING Poem Devotional

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May 12________________________________________
Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow. -Proverbs 25:18(NLT)
HARM THAT LIES BRING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you tell a lie to someone
You are a copycat of Satan
Remember that he is the father of lies
If you concoct lies, you defy life.
Telling lies about others is like murder
It attacks and wounds their characters
Just like a sharp arrow, lies can kill
They can easily corrupt minds for real.
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John 8:44 says “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Jesus was speaking to the Jews when he said this verse. He was exposing their evil deeds in this story. The Jews where lying and maligning Jesus because they were so threatened by Jesus’ authenticity which is the opposite of their hypocrisy. In this verse we get a clear picture of Satan. He loved do evil and was a murderer from the start. He hated the truth and was consistently telling lies. Proverbs clearly identifies the harm that lies bring. It is like killing others.
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PRAYER
Lord, please guard my mouth from telling lies.
REFLECTION
How can lying be like murder? Share an experience how lies affected 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