Monthly Archives: September 2018

THE PROMISE OF PEACE & PROSPERITY Poem Devotional

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September 9________________________________________
The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. Everyone will live in peace and prosperity. – Micah 4:3,4(NLT)
THE PROMISE OF PEACE & PROSPERITY
A poem and essay by ILMA
To those who abide in the Lord Jesus Christ
They are promised a mediator who will settle fights
No longer will there be war, chaos and confusion
He will mediate between peoples and settle the misperception.
The Lord is the peacemaker and he will grant you calm
Run to him so you can experience his mediation and love
He promises peace and prosperity to those who follow him
Why would you compromise the peace and with constant sin?
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I lived many years of my life without peace. It was a life full of chaos and confusion. Because I didn’t live for the Lord, I didn’t know his promises to those who love him. I was living in the world and it was ignorant to live that way especially since I have committed my life to Jesus since I was seven years old. When someone decides to turn to him, he will mediate between peoples and nations and make that person experience peace. It took me almost five decades to hear God’s conviction about how I have lived my life those many years. When I decided to obey the Lord, I began experiencing peace and calm. Blessings came pouring down on me.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me pursue peace constantly.
REFLECTION
How can we constantly pursue 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

TURN TO GOD FOR HEALING Poem Devotional

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September 8________________________________________
Plug their ears and shut their eyes. That way, they will not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts and turn to me for healing.
-Isaiah 6:10(NLT)
TURN TO GOD FOR HEALING
A poem and essay by ILMA
When something besets you in life
You would want to turn to Christ
He can make you unable to hear or see
He wants you to rely on him regularly.
When you rely on yourself for things
He will make you unable to see
This way you can turn to him for healing
He is waiting for you to depend on him.
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The Israelites took an eleven-day journey into a forty year wandering. Why did they take that long? They were complaining and very stubborn people and had little faith. Despite all the miracles that God provided for them so they can increase their faith, they actually turned their backs on him and worshiped other Gods. So, God made them unable to hear and see what he is planning to do for them. All that God wants them to do is to obey and to stay faithful and look up to his promises. He didn’t want them to be self-sufficient and independent.
Don’t we behave like the Israelites at times? Don’t we resort to many things to heal ourselves instead of running to the greatest healer of all times?
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PRAYER
Lord, help me never to forget to rely on you especially for healing.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God makes us unable to hear and see some of his plans?
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

PARTAKE OF CHRIST’S BODY Poem Devotional

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September 7________________________________________
But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body- 1 Corinthians 12:18-20(NLT)
PARTAKE OF CHRIST’S BODY
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you believe and commit to Christ
It is best that you follow Jesus in your whole life
You are expected to be part of his body
To grow, you must be involved with somebody
He created his church so we can encourage one another
He didn’t create man to be alone and live a life that’s isolated
Being part of the body of Christ is a sign of obedience and respect
When you wilfully defy being part of his body, you are actually a rebel.
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Does the bible literally say that you must be a member of a church? Some Christians have created their own beliefs regarding being part of the body of Christ. Some may have had bad experiences in the past when they were once members of it. That is a lame excuse not to obey what Christ required us. In gotquestions.org, they expounded on what it means to be the bride of Christ. The imagery and symbolism of marriage is applied to Christ and the body of believers, the church. When we don’t partake in his church, we are acting as an unfaithful wife.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help me to stay faithful to you by being part of your body.
REFLECTION
How can you convince Christians who doesn’t partake of Christ’s body to do so?
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

GRIEF CAN BLUR VISION Poem Devotional

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September 5________________________________________
I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with tears. My vision is blurred by grief. -Psalm 6:6-7 (NLT)
GRIEF CAN BLUR VISION
A poem and essay by ILMA
When one looses someone; they may have bouts of weeping
It is hard to deal with the loss of someone they love so deeply
Grief oftentimes blurs someone’s perspective and vision
It can bring back painful moments and bring confusion.
When one looses a loved one, it can bring much sadness
For believers of Jesus, there will be a day of hope and gladness
Run to his arms so you can experience God’s comfort and peace
He will wipe your tears away, just be still and know he is there.
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My father just died a week ago. It was such a sudden death. Even though he was eighty- six, he had no other conditions but just old age. It was a very hot day according to my brother who witnessed him vomiting and in just a few hours died. When I heard the news on the phone, I was in shock. I couldn’t go home to the Philippines in four days to bury him. We were in the middle of doing our own renovation and practically drained of resources. I sobbed for three days straight. The Lord reminded me of his love, comfort and peace. I am grateful that he comforted me.
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PRAYER
Lord, let those who are grieving experience your comfort.
REFLECTION
What can you do when you feel sadness from your loss?
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

BOLDNESS FROM THE LORD Poem Devotional

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September 6________________________________________
But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders. – Acts 14:3(NLT)
BOLDNESS FROM THE LORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you declare the word of the Lord
He will give you boldness to proclaim his word
His apostles confidently preached the Good news
They were not afraid to face any kinds of threat or abuse.
Their faith was so strong that they were able to do wonders
They healed the sick and bring many people to think and ponder
Such courage only came upon them by the grace of Jesus
He will bless and prosper anyone who believes, they are all precious.
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There are many confident people who does not know the Lord. Anyone who have such assurance to declare or do something for their own pleasure is not the same as having boldness to do things for the Lord Jesus Christ. I used to be a haughty person, speaking confidently about all that I know and the things I excelled in. Yes, I can be able to show off to others my talents and abilities, but if I do it so that I can be praised, it isn’t for God’s glory that they are doing it. The bible says that he will be with anyone who will boldly proclaim the Good News.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to have the boldness to always spread your word.
REFLECTION
How is the world’s concept of boldness different from God’s vision of 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

A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART Poem Devotional

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September 4________________________________________
I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do. – Acts 13:22(NLT)
A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you willing to commit your life to Christ?
If so, are you passionately after his own heart?
David was a man who will do everything God wants
He may be a sinner, but he’ll never turn his back
He seeks the Lord and wants to know him deeply
He always pours out his own heart to God openly
His honesty with his own weaknesses is astounding
He often cried out to him for grace that is so amazing.
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One of the most interesting bible character is King David. Even before he was king, he had the audacity to fight against Goliath who is a giant. Though he was a very young lad when he did this, his faith is so huge that with a sling and a stone, he was able to defeat this huge and strong Philistine. He was such a musician, always playing the harp or lyre. He was a poet and the Psalms were filled with his writing. Though he was very weak and sinned by killing Bathsheba’s husband so he can have her, he never stopped seeking God. His honesty and openness truly exemplifies his desire to seek God’s own heart.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for showing us a very human King David who was relentless to pursue you.
REFLECTION
Would you consider yourself as someone who is pursuing and seeking to know 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

FORGIVENESS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST Poem Devotional

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September 3________________________________________
“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.” – Acts 13:38(NLT)
FORGIVENESS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you think you can forgive others easily
You’re wrong, only Christ can grant mercy
Without faith in him, it is impossible to forgive
Go and request his grace and learn to receive.
Jesus died on the cross to pardon our sins
No other gods have conquered death and win
Through his blood, we can have grace to forgive
Commit your life to him, and constantly believe.
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The hardest thing to do is to forgive someone you love who has betrayed you. I have been betrayed by many loved ones. It was many years before I realized that it took a while for me to forgive others. Just saying “I forgive them Lord” didn’t really mean I wasn’t going to go through the process of healing the pain it inflicted on me. It took even longer to forgive myself for allowing these people to abuse, minimize and neglect me. When I became born again, I suddenly got revelations that I was forgiving the “worldly” way. I learned that when I have forgiven someone, I have already discarded the list of wrongs they have done to me.
The bible tells us that we can only forgive because God loved and forgave us first. Without him, it’s impossible to forgive.
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PRAYER
Lord, grant me grace to forgive easily.
REFLECTION
Who was that person who was most challenging to forgive? How did you eventually grant that person forgiveness?
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

WHEN YOU REJECT THE WORD Poem Devotional

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September 2________________________________________
It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.
– Acts 13:46(NLT)
WHEN YOU REJECT THE WORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you first heard the word of God
Did you heed it or did you turn your back?
It’s essential the word is preached to believers
But when they reject the word, they’re rebelling.
Once you defy Scriptures, you are losing out in life
It is the only way we will be led to God’s glorious light
The word is the only food we have for our spirit
We will be struggling and lost without it.
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There were many years of my life when I didn’t know the word of God. I wasn’t raised in a Christ believing family. And yet, the Holy Spirit has taught me that I have a friend in Jesus. No one talked to me about the Lord but something inside me told me that there is someone who watches over me. I believed and was faithful to keep my relationship with the Lord even when I really didn’t know his word. When I was in my late twenties, I began to read Scriptures. It was amazing what I discovered. Yet, I didn’t really follow what it said. When I finally studied and obeyed it, it transformed me.
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PRAYER
Lord, show me who to share the word with.
REFLECTION
Why do you think people would reject the word of 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

GOD DETESTS LAWLESSNESS Poem Devotional

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September 1________________________________________
God detests the prayers of a person who ignores the law. – Proverbs 28:9(NLT)
GOD DETESTS LAWLESSNESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you pray to the Lord
Make sure that you are obeying his word
God detests those who ignores his commands
He cannot hear the prayers of those who demands.
Those who follow his law diligently
They will know how to walk in victory
The Lord hears the prayers of those who are faithful
Stay in his word and in his will so you will be fruitful.
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“Lawless” is defined as someone who do not follow or abide the law. Laws are made so that there will be order and peace in a community or a place. Those whom the law is made for is usually the one who will receive the most benefit of if the rule is followed. When laws are breached or broken, chaos usually is the result. Without order and obedience to an authority, anarchy is not far from happening.
God honors those who are obedient and living in his will. When I lived in rebellion and disobedience in my twenties up until my fifties, I reaped disorder and confusion. So much pain and bitterness became part much of my life. When I became born again, the Lord convicted me of this rebellion. He showed me why my prayers weren’t answered then. I was ignoring his law. Thanks be to God that he granted me the grace to obey.
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PRAYER
Lord, please let me never disobey you.
REFLECTION
What should you do before you pray and expect God to answer 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

BENEFITS OF SCRIPTURES Poem Devotional

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August 31________________________________________
He used the Scriptures to reason with the people. They searched the scriptures day after day. – Acts 17:2, 11(NLT)
BENEFITS OF SCRIPTURES
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you want to be free from bondage
Use Scriptures so you can be at an advantage
God’s word brings truth and wisdom
It keeps us away from lies and bring freedom.
The apostles used Scriptures to reason with people
They know that the word of God is always useful
Seek it daily and you will have wisdom and understanding
Search the truth from Scriptures, it will keep you growing.
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The word of God is alive. It is not like any other philosophy or saying. In fact, many wise sayings originate from the word of God. I was amazed that even before I read the bible, I was given revelations about some truth. I didn’t even know that time that as soon as I accepted Christ in my life, I had the Holy Spirit dwelling inside my heart. It was God’s spirit who led me to truth but when I read Scriptures, all of the wisdom came flowing out of my mind and heart. God is the source of all knowledge. He alone is all-knowing and all-seeing. Scriptures is God-breathed, so it is powerful. It can make people see whatever it is that keeps them in bondage. The word of God can reveal something that no human words can ever do.
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PRAYER
Thank you for your words Lord.
REFLECTION
How has Scripture changed your life or someone else’s?
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