Monthly Archives: June 2018

ACCEPT HOSPITALITY poem devotional

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June 10________________________________________
Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve their pay.
– Luke 10:8(NLT)
ACCEPT HOSPITALITY
A poem and essay by ILMA
When someone is welcoming you with much blessings
Why would you not accept hospitality when it’s given?
Don’t hesitate to receive what you deserve when you work
God cares and provides for your needs; he’s after your growth.
Accepting hospitality from others shows your humility
We all need each other’s support to grow spiritually
Give and be generous too, God loves a cheerful giver
He wants you to share what you have to other believers.
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Hospitality is defined as the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers. Hospitality is one of the inherent traits that most Filipinos have. Hosting parties and having a feast when friends and relatives visit is the norm in my country of origin. When I came to Canada, I was shocked to discover that some Canadians are uncomfortable with my gift for entertaining. It wasn’t a welcome idea for some people. Some feel obliged to give back what I generously share with them. No matter how much I explain that I am not expecting anything back, I pose a threat to some. I remember one of my friends mentioned that she can’t compete with my hosting skills. I felt sad knowing that she was a believer and can’t accept my gift of hospitality. We are encouraged in the bible to receive it.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me wisdom to respect those who cannot accept my hospitality.
REFLECTION
Why do you think we are encouraged to receive hospitality?
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

PEACE BE ON THIS HOUSE Poem Devotional

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June 9________________________________________
Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, “May God’s peace be on this house.”
– Luke 10:5(NLT)
PEACE BE ON THIS HOUSE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you enter someone’s home
Do you bless it as you enter the main door?
When you share the peace to someone’s dwelling
You will also get a share of God’s blessings.
Declare God’s peace on the house and their owners
Using the word of God will breathe life to believers
Make it a habit to share the fruits of the Spirit
Because it will definitely please the Holy Spirit.
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One of the most important fruit of the Holy Spirit is “peace.” This is probably why we are encouraged in the bible to pursue it at all cost. Psalm 34:14 says that we have to turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. James 3:18 discusses the reward of sowing peace which is righteousness.
There were many years of my life that “peace” was a novelty. Because of the many strongholds and generational sins that was passed on to me, I didn’t have any clue how to pursue it. I thought it was something that happens when you have all you want. What a twisted way of thinking I had then.
One of the things that God wants us to do is to bless a person’s home when we enter their dwelling places.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember to bless others with peace when I enter their homes.
REFLECTION
Why do you think it is important to bestow blessings of peace in a home?
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

LET THEM BE! Poem Devotional

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June 8________________________________________
Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you. – Luke 9:50 (NLT)
LET THEM BE!
A poem and essay by ILMA
When someone is not against the Lord Jesus Christ
Let them be! They will not hinder his glorious light
Even if they are unbelievers, they are still loved by him
God is in control and sometimes, he permits sin
Whatever their motives are when they teach
Give them the benefit to be able to preach
If they are not against the truth that comes from the word
God can always use anything to shine light to this world.
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When the disciples where being commissioned to spread the Good News, they were given specific instructions what to do. They were told by Jesus not to bring anything on their journey and to accept hospitality of those who welcomes them. The Lord also told them to shake the dust of their feet when they are not welcomed and move on. He also reminded them to respect children for when they do, they are also respecting him. As they were going through their ministry, there were another group of people preaching to others and some disciples came and reported to Jesus that they were also spreading what they were teaching. They became very clannish and was soliciting approval from the Lord to stop such people. Jesus told them to let them be since they were not against them.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to be accepting of other believers who are different from me.
REFLECTION
How do you know when someone is against the truth and 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

ON RESPECTING CHILDREN Poem Devotional

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June 7________________________________________
Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. – Luke 9:48 (NLT)
ON RESPECTING CHILDREN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you treat children with much respect?
There is no way you should treat them any less
They are loved so much by our Lord Jesus
You should consider them also very precious.
You must be like these little children
So you can have a piece of heaven
Anyone who respects God’s little ones
They are also honoring him and his only Son.
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Many adults do not treat children with honor and respect. I am glad that it has come a long way from those generations when children were totally treated like they don’t have rights. I come from such periods when corporal punishment was the norm and children are mostly abused, neglected or minimized. Even the time of Jesus, the apostles were setting aside the children to get out of their way as they were doing ministry. They were rebuked by the Lord and told that they have to let the children come to him because anyone who welcomes a child welcomes him. He further said that if they are not like little children, they won’t enter the kingdom of God. It seems to me that these little ones are very precious to God just as we adults are.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me a childlike spirit so that I can remain pure.
REFLECTION
How can you respect children more in this very busy world we live in?
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

SHAKE THE DUST OFF Poem Devotional

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June 6________________________________________
And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate. – Luke 9:5(NLT)
SHAKE THE DUST OFF
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are preaching the good news
Don’t force it on others or you will be rebuked
When people turn their backs on Jesus Christ
Shake the dust off your feet, go on with your life.
If some people welcomes you, stay with them
No use to remain there when they reject or blame
Move on to your next assignment and don’t look back
There are others who will receive it and not be taken aback
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There are some believers who try to force the message of Christ to others by being preachy or legalistic. This doesn’t really help because they more the unbelievers become repulsed by such attitude. Jesus never pushed his teachings to anyone who won’t want to hear it. He gave us a choice to take it or leave it.
Jesus instructed the disciples to travel light as they preached the good news to the ends of the earth. He warned them not to be discouraged when people refuses to welcome them. He told them to shake the dust off their feet as they leave as a sign that they have abandoned their faith. He wanted them to press on and not be bothered by such hostilities.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to learn to shake the dust off my feet when others turn their backs on you.
REFLECTION
How can one accept rejection?
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

TRAVEL LIGHT Poem Devotional

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June 5________________________________________
Take nothing for your journey. -Luke 9:3(NLT)
TRAVEL LIGHT
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you go and do the works for Christ
No need not bring things, just travel light
Jesus led a humble and simple life
He wants his disciples to simplify.
There’s no need to carry your many baggage
When you have nothing, you won’t have attachments
Travel light and you will have a clearer mind and view
Have more things and peace and joy will evade you.
________________________________________When I go on a trip, I am not one of those light travellers. I like to make sure that I got everything I need. I don’t like to waste my time going to find and purchase something just because I decided not to bring it. Because I can be obsessive compulsive with packing and organizing, it becomes very difficult to have a restful vacation or camping. I end up enslaved with putting things out and arranging them again and again. What a waste of time! I end up stressed and anxious.
Do you ever wonder why Jesus told his disciples to take nothing on their journey from town to town as they preach the good news? I think it is because he doesn’t want us to divert our focus on the things they are carrying. It makes their travel more burdensome. He wants them to rely on him for everything and for what hospitality others will give them.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me never to get attached to anything.
REFLECTION
Why is travelling light essential in our Christian walk?
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 WISDOM OF SILENCE Poem Devotional

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June 4________________________________________
Her parents were overwhelmed, but Jesus insisted that they not tell anyone what had happened. -Luke 8:56 (NLT)
THE WISDOM OF SILENCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are asked to keep something quiet
Are you inconspicuous and do you keep silent?
There is wisdom in exercising discretion
You will gain trust and avoid chaos and confusion.
Jesus never wanted to flaunt his powers
He wants you to be humble and love others
The wisdom of silence is beyond words
It brings about emotional and spiritual growth.
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Proverbs 17:28 says that even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise and when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent. Isn’t that amazing that you might be misconstrued to be a genius just by keeping your mouth zipped? People would want to be with discreet and quiet people rather than those who can’t stop talking. There is something attractive about those who know how to keep silent and know how to say something at the right moment.
In Luke 8, we see Jesus healed some people. He requested the parents of one of those he healed to keep it to themselves because he needed to do his Father’s business. Sometimes, when we let some works we’ve done escape our lips, it can ruin what the Father’s plan is. We also cannot talk and hear what God is saying when we are not silent. There is wisdom in silence and discretion.
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PRAYER
Lord, rend my mouth to only say what needs to be spoken.
REFLECTION
Why are discreet people more attractive to be around 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

FEAR BLOCKS HEALING Poem Devotional

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June 3________________________________________
Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed. – Luke 8:50 (NLT)
FEAR BLOCKS HEALING
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you ask the Lord to cure an illness
Do you surrender to him completely?
Do not be afraid or it will block healing
Fear means wavering and questioning.
Faith without hesitating is more than enough
It can bring about miracles without a doubt
Do not be afraid, just believe in Christ
He will reward anyone who has much faith.
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In Luke 8, we witness the healing powers that the woman who was bleeding for twelve years received just by touching the fringe of Jesus’ robe. It shows how desperately she wanted to be healed from the many years of suffering. Another man named Jairus came to ask the Lord if he can heal the daughter who was dying and Jesus’ reply was “Don’t be afraid, just have faith.” We will know in the end of the chapter who the daughter died already but Jesus assured him that she was just asleep. Some people who were outside the house was laughing at Jesus because they all know she was dead already. So, this is another miracle like Lazarus who was commanded to get up from the dead.
How many times have we prayed but didn’t totally believe and receive what is already given to us? We doubt and take control and it doesn’t help.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me faith that never falters.
REFLECTION
How can fear block healing?
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

FAITH HEALS Poem Devotional

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June 2________________________________________
Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. – Luke 8:44(NLT)
FAITH HEALS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Believe the Lord your God with all your heart
For anything is possible to all those who trust
Like the woman who have much faith
Just by touching, she changed her fate.
If you have faith even just like a mustard seed
It can bring you healing and fill all your needs
Faith is what will make you grow spiritually
It is the secret to reach deep intimacy.
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One of the greatest stories of faith in the bible is the woman who had a bleeding issue for many years. Because of her faith, she touched Jesus’ robe just so she can have even just his healing powers. She was healed instantly as soon as she decided to assert her faith.
I struggled much in my life and when I was raising my son alone, there where so much trials and suffering but I never lost hope. I relied on God for everything and he was faithful to provide all that I requested and much more. Many of my friends and colleagues witnessed how I was able to thrive despite all the illnesses and poverty that my son and I went through. He almost died of asthma at age four, but I was faithful and trusted that he would heal him, and he did.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me grow my faith daily.
REFLECTION
Why is faith essential in a believer’s 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