Monthly Archives: April 2018

EVEN BEFORE WE SAY IT Poem Devotional

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April 20________________________________________
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. -Psalm 139:4(NLT)
EVEN BEFORE WE SAY IT
A poem and essay by ILMA
Can someone know what you are about to say?
Can a person see your heart’s condition in every way?
No human can comprehend what’s in the mind of a man
Only our heavenly Father can see through every human.
We cannot hide from God; he knows us inside and out
He recognises in vivid details what we are all about
Even before we say it, he already recognizes it
Why not seek his truth so you can hear his Spirit?
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Is it really possible to discern what someone else is thinking? If you are very intimate with a person you are in relationship with, there may be instances that you can foresee what they are about to say or guess their thoughts. But, I am sure that you can’t always know at all times what these thoughts are.
Only the Lord knows everything and can see all things before, during and after a person says something. He even sees the condition of our hearts. He can discern our motives or intentions, our desires and our schemes. Despite his omniscience and omnipotence, he still respects us and gave us free will? What will it take to be open and honest with Jesus?
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PRAYER
Lord, please give me a heart that is open and honest.
REFLECTION
How can a believer establish an intimate relationship with God where he or she can honestly pour his or her hearts to Jesus?

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 EXAMINES THE HEART Poem Devotional

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April 19________________________________________
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. – Psalm 139:1(NLT)
GOD EXAMINES THE HEART
A poem and essay by ILMA
O Lord, please examine my heart
Look closely and help me never to brag
Your love for me is unconditional and true
Help my heart to be cleansed and renewed.
Convict me when I am inclined to do wrong
Show me how to be patient and endure long
Help me never to allow my heart to harden
Heal me when it gets corrupted or broken.

Heart surgery is done to correct problems with the heart. The most common type of heart surgery for adults is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). During CABG, a healthy artery or vein from the body is connected, or grafted, to a blocked coronary (heart) artery. The grafted artery or vein bypasses (that is, goes around) the blocked portion of the coronary artery. This creates a new path for oxygen-rich blood to flow to the heart muscle. CABG can relieve chest pain and may lower the risk of having a heart attack. Traditional heart surgery, often called open-heart surgery, is done by opening the chest wall to operate on the heart. This allows the surgeon to operate on a heart that isn’t beating and that doesn’t have blood flowing through it.
Spiritual heart surgery happens when God examines our hearts and rebukes us if it’s been corrupted by sin. He revives us through his word.
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PRAYER
Lord, always examine and cleanse my heart.
REFLECTION
Why do we need to allow hearts to be examined 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

CARRY YOUR OWN CROSS Poem Devotional

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April 18________________________________________
And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.
-Luke 14:27(NLT)
CARRY YOUR OWN CROSS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you constantly complain about your sufferings?
As a Christian, you ought to hope and keep on believing
You cannot be Christ’s disciple if you can’t endure
It grows your faith when you quietly suffer.
Like Jesus, we are encouraged to carry our burdens
It makes us know him and brings us closer to heaven
Why do you continue to complain about your predicament?
Embrace it and do it for Jesus and you won’t lament.________________________________________
Did you watch the movie “The Passion of Christ?” It was one of the most powerful movies I have seen in my life. It was about how Jesus Christ carried the cross which bore all our sins and how he was abused, rejected, spitted on and nailed on the cross. To be crucified in the time of Jesus was the death penalty for someone who committed a grave crime. Yet, the bible says that he was innocent. Mel Gibson directed this movie in order to give the viewers a chance to get into the shoes of Christ. It was probably the closest film that really depicted the way he suffered in order to free us from the penalty of sin. The bible says that if we want to be his disciple, we must carry our own cross.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me strength to carry on all the trials and sufferings.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God allows humans to suffer?
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

JESUS COMES FIRST Poem Devotional

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April 17________________________________________
If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison – your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. – Luke 14:26(NLT)
JESUS COMES FIRST
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you commit to be a follower of Jesus
Nothing or no one else is very precious
Jesus must always be your priority
Otherwise, you won’t have the authority
Only through Christ can we be brave
Jesus must come first, then you can be saved
If you want to be his disciple, focus on him
It will make you overcome temptations to sin.
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“Blood is thicker than water” is a saying that means that the ties that bind are stronger when it comes to family than people outside the family. However, in the bible, Luke 8:21 says that our mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice. Our spiritual family isn’t necessarily our blood kin. It may be any believer who applies God’s word in their lives.
It was very difficult for me to believe this old saying that blood is thicker than water because I didn’t feel that I belonged to my own family. I am so blessed now to have found a family of believers where I belong. You can’t be a disciple of Jesus if you don’t make him first in your life.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help me to never prioritize anyone but you.
REFLECTION
Why do people sometimes make their family first than God? What’s wrong with that?
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

GIVE UP ALL FOR JESUS Poem Devotional

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April 16________________________________________
So you cannot be my disciple without giving up everything you own. – Luke 14:33(NLT)
GIVE UP ALL FOR JESUS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you decide to be Jesus’ disciple
You are required to follow him and give up all
You can’t serve other gods but only your creator
You must give up the world and all other idols.
Surrender everything you own when you follow Christ
Nothing else should take your focus on him in this life
Relinquish all things that might take his place
This way, you can guard your heart all of your life’s days.
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When you get married, you give up your single life and embrace a life with your spouse. You are no longer two separate individuals, but you are now two in one. In other words, you are two-in-one. You cannot be removed from each other’s presence unless one of you goes astray and decides that they now want to go back to their former single life.
Just like changing your status from single to married, being a disciple of Christ also means that there are things that you need to give up in order to make the union thrive. The bible tells us that there are some pre-requisites to being a disciple. Jesus Christ must be the center of your life and that you must give up anything that will compete with your attention to focus only on him.
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PRAYER
Lord, let me learn to surrender everything for you.
REFLECTION
How is relinquishing all to Jesus essential for spiritual maturity?
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

FILLED WITH CHRIST Poem Devotional

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April 15________________________________________
And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. -Ephesians 1:23(NLT)
FILLED WITH CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
The moment you believe in Jesus Christ
He fills you up with his love and his light
You begin to view the way he sees things
Gone is the old life; you gain power over sin.
When you are filled with Jesus Christ
You begin to hear his Spirit manifest in your life
You are made full in Christ when you submit to him
His presence will manifest in you and you’ll win.
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There are some Christians who fail to allow Christ to fill their lives. One of the reasons why they are unable to access the power of Jesus is because they have not totally given up their old ways and embrace the new life that they have received when they accepted him in their lives. Having victory over sin comes with the pre-requisite that we need to receive the Holy Spirit in our hearts and not grieve it. Many people feel empty inside and keep searching how to fill this void. I did this many years during the valleys of my life. What I didn’t realize until I became a born again Christian was it was only Jesus that could fill up that desolation. He created us for himself and only him can fill us up.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me a heart that will always long for you.
REFLECTION
What happens if you fill your heart with other things rather than Jesus?
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

WORK OUT ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN Poem Devotional

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April 14________________________________________
He chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.
-Ephesians 1:11(NLT)
WORK OUT ACCORDING TO HIS PLAN
A poem and essay by ILMA
When things are not working according to your expectation
Don’t worry! God makes it all good according to his vision
He chose you in advance to ensure that everything works out
Don’t lose hope, his love, blessings and mercy abounds.
He is faithful and he is after your heart and your obedience
Follow his lead and he will grant you patience and endurance
He has prepared a place for us to join him in heaven
Grow your faith for his promises are many for his brethren.
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Have you ever made a blueprint? A blueprint is a guide for making something — it’s a design or pattern that can be followed. A plan is important so that what you are intending to do is clear and so you can execute it with higher success rate. Without a vision and a plan, you are more prone to fail. In Habakkuk 2:2, we are instructed to write down your vision. It is essential to see in advance the details of what you hope for to happen.
The bible also said in Mark 11:24 that you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. God also chose us in advance and he works everything according to his plan.
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PRAYER
Lord, grant me discernment to hear your plan for my life.
REFLECTION
Why do you think planning leads to success?
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

PURCHASED BY THE BLOOD Poem Devotional

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April 13________________________________________
He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. – Ephesians 1:7(NLT)
PURCHASED BY THE BLOOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
God loved us so much that he purchased our freedom
He wants to prepare a place for us in his kingdom
He is so rich in kindness and grace; he gave us his Son
We were bought by the blood of the only Son of God.
The blood released us from the sin we inherited
By his blood, we also benefit from him being resurrected
Thank the Father for the blood that bought us liberty
Only through it can we be saved and have victory.
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Have you ever been lavished by so much love by someone you have been in relationship with? So many relationships fail because there was one individual who was unable to show unconditional or generous love to the other person. Has there anyone who totally save you from something you were struggling from and died for you?
God is the only one who is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his only Son, just to release us from the debt of sin. His love is beyond words. No one could ever really die for you like Jesus did on the cross so you will be free from fear and sin.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the powerful blood of Jesus.
REFLECTION
How have you applied the blood of Jesus’ power 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

WATCH YOU DON’T DESTROY OTHERS Poem Devotional

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April 12________________________________________
But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. -Galatians 5:15(NLT)
WATCH YOU DON’T DESTROY OTHERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you believed in Jesus Christ
You must live in his light
He commands you to love all
Walk in love and you’ll never fall.
Watch you don’t fight and destroy others
Beware that you don’t jeer at one another
The enemy wants to steal your joy and peace
Guard your heart and you will win over sin.
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Have you ever been in an environment where every person there is always watching each other for a booboo or a weakness? The one who is found to make a mistake or have a weakness is grilled, criticized or ridiculed. I have worked with people like these when I was in my twenties. I worked in a performance oriented setting and each one has to prove that they are competent in their work. There is no room for error or weakness. No one forgives a blunder or a mistake. I learned to survive this job by focusing on perfecting my skills to live up to the high expectations.
The bible warns us to be watchful that we don’t destroy others. We have to stop biting and devouring one another. Instead, we need to let the Holy Spirit correct us and guide us when we relate to others.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me never to engage in any form of conflict.
REFLECTION
How may we unconsciously be destroying someone we are in relationship with?
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

LOVE AS YOU WANT TO BE LOVED Poem Devotional

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April 11________________________________________
For the whole law can be summed up in this one command; “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:14(NLT)
LOVE AS YOU WANT TO BE LOVED
A poem and essay by ILMA
Love the Lord your God as he commanded
Walk in his ways, so you will be guided
The Lord God summed up the law in one
He wants you to follow his one and only Son.
Love your neighbor as you love yourself
Do not delay any occasion to give help
If you love others, you show love to God
When you walk in love, you are giving him laud.
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When the apostles asked Jesus what is the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:36-39, he said “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Why do you think he said that the first and greatest is the same as the second one? It both involved “love.” Remember that in 1 John 4:8 it said that anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. Since He is love and we are made in his image (Genesis 1:27), therefore our default setting is love. When we engage in unloving things, we do not follow the creator’s owner’s manual. The whole law is summed up in “love.”
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PRAYER
Thanks for your loving ways and for creating us in your image, Lord.
REFLECTION
How can love conquer all?
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