Monthly Archives: November 2018

SPIRIT OF GOD HOVERS Poem Devotional

Posted on by

November 16________________________________________
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. -Genesis 1:2 (NLT)
SPIRIT OF GOD HOVERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Even in darkness, God’s spirit hovers
He watches and cares for all his people
When you are feeling dejected and down
He will bring you comfort and calm.
The Spirit of God knows everything
You need not fear or go in hiding
He is ever present and all seeing
No need to fret about anything.
________________________________________
Have you ever been at the bottom of the pit? I have been in it for over four decades of my life. It was a roller coaster of panic, frustration, fear and desperation. I felt that I was imprisoned by me own emotions, expectations and fears. I lived in the darkest moments between fourteen to fifty-six years of my life. Even at the time that I almost ended my life as a teenager and in my mid-twenties, I sensed a spirit hovers over me and watches me. Maybe it was the same spirit that saved my life when I almost succeeded ending it. He sent two of my closest friends to check up on me when I was bathed in my own blood when I missed choir practices that day. I thank God that he has pulled me out of the abyss. He is always hovering over me.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for always hovering over me.
REFLECTION
When have you felt God’s Spirit or presence watching over 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

ETERNAL GOD: OUR REFUGE Poem Devotional

Posted on by

November 15________________________________________
The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’- Deuteronomy 33:27(NLT)
ETERNAL GOD: OUR REFUGE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you need to be rescued
Your eternal God is your refuge
Run to his everlasting arms
So you will be safe and be calmed.
Your heavenly Father protects you
When you believed you became a new person
Always remember that your God is eternal
Be faithful for he always loves you forever.
________________________________________
Have you ever been rescued by someone when you were in great need of it? When I arrived in Canada, I didn’t realize that the same husband who sponsored me to come here was the same one who was going to hurt me so badly. He didn’t physically hurt me but I also didn’t know that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I married him. I met him online and didn’t know so much about him when I jumped into marriage. I had no one else to help me, no friends nor family to run to.
I never forgot to ask God’s help and he was my refuge. He gave me counselors who walked me through the craziness of being with someone who had mental issues. He also provided a lawyer to get me free from that first failed marriage. God brought people to rescue me.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, thank you that you never leave or forsake us especially in crisis.
REFLECTION
Where or who do you run to as your sanctuary?
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 SUPPRESSING TRUTH Poem Devotional

Posted on by

November 14________________________________________
But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. – Romans 1:18 (NLT)
ON SUPPRESSING TRUTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
God hates those who are wicked
These people knowingly want to do evil
As they do this, they allow darkness in
It generates Satan’s purpose for all to sin.
Truth is suppressed when wickedness prevails
These people will surely receive God’s anger
Don’t participate in any unrighteousness
Instead, guard your heart and stay blessed.
________________________________________
Many people are unaware how truth is suppressed. The bible says that propagating evil and wickedness is one way that we can hinder truth from prevailing. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, we are told that Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. Because they are blind, they do not know the truth, and so, they are bonded to sin. As they continue to generate wickedness, they are suppressing the truth. We are cautioned by the apostle Paul about this. He warns us of God’s anger on those who wilfully do evil to others.
When one suppresses the truth from surfacing, they are going to suffer the consequence and get God’s wrath.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from all those who suppress the truth.
REFLECTION
Describe a time when someone suppressed you from knowing the truth through evil.
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

OBEY AND DESTROY IDOLS Poem Devotional

Posted on by

November 13________________________________________
You were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. – Judges 2:2(NLT)
OBEY AND DESTROY IDOLS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you commit to the Lord Jesus Christ
Are you ready to be transformed in your life?
The Lord wants you to honor your covenant with him
He doesn’t want you to open any doors to temptations.
When he asks you to destroy idols that attracts
He is protecting you from what will distract
Idols open doors for the enemy to attack
They are portals to keep us in the dark.
________________________________________
Many people think that idols refer only to other gods. This is what the enemy wants us to think and believe. The bible says that the devil is very cunning and he does a good job in masking idols by using people or things that we love. When we start to lose focus on making God as first, we are already compromised. The moment we can’t bear losing something or someone, it is another symptom of idolatry. There were many years of my life that I was an idolater. I made the only child I have as my world and did not realize that it was taking time away from God. The book of Judges reminds us that we have a covenant with God. We must honor and obey it so we can stay pure.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help me to honor the covenant you have with us.
REFLECTION
What idols have God asked you to give up?
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

LITTLE FOOLISHNESS SPOILS HONOR poem devotional

Posted on by

November 12________________________________________
As dead flies cause even a bottle of perfume to stink, so a little foolishness spoils great wisdom and honor. – Ecclesiastes 10:1(NLT)
LITTLE FOOLISHNESS SPOILS HONOR
A poem and essay by ILMA
When we allow foolishness to come out
It spoils our honor and messes us
We need to come to the Lord for wisdom
It leads to truth and brings us to freedom.
As dead flies cause perfume to stink
Like being foolish can get you on the brink
Chase wisdom so you will do the right thing
Never allow folly to get you to sin.
________________________________________
Many of us don’t realize how important it is to chase wisdom. Instead we do foolish things. The Bible says in Proverbs 4:6-7, “Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.” When we choose a life of abandon and recklessness, we compromise the truth and get ourselves in trouble.
There were over four decades of my life that was spent in doing foolish things. I followed all my cravings and chased dreams that were unwise and ungodly. I allowed the spirit of rebellion and self-centeredness to permeate my life. It resulted in many sins and kept be in bondage to many other more. The bible compares even just a little folly to dead flies that can cause even a bottle of perfume to stink. When we do even just a little foolishness, we compromise honor.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help me never to let go of wisdom for it protects me.
REFLECTION
What stinking foolish things have you done that compromised your 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

THE LION OF JUDAH poem devotional

Posted on by

November 11________________________________________
Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. Revelations 5:4-5(NLT)
THE LION OF JUDAH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Stop weeping all you people of God
Focus your eyes on Jesus Christ
He is the lion of Judah, a God of love
He is the giver of light and life.
Jesus was the heir to David’s throne
His kingdom goes beyond the whole world
He has won the battle against evil
He died for us so we will win over the devil.
________________________________________
The biblical Judah (in Hebrew: Yehuda) is the original name of the Tribe of Judah, which is traditionally symbolized by a lion. In Genesis, the patriarch Jacob (“Israel”) gave that symbol to this tribe when he refers to his son Judah as a Gur Aryeh -Young Lion” (Genesis 49:9) when blessing him. In Jewish naming tradition the Hebrew name and the substitute name are often combined as a pair, as in this case. The Lion of Judah was used as a Jewish symbol for many years, and as Jerusalem was the capital of the Kingdom of Judah, in 1950 it was included in the Emblem of Jerusalem. This was sourced from Wikipedia.
The Lion of Judah, who is our Lord Jesus Christ is the one who won the battle for us. He saved all of mankind by dying on the cross for us.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Thank you for dying for us and saving us all Lord Jesus.
REFLECTION
How has Jesus manifested the victory over evil 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

WHEN HARMONY PREVAILS Poem Devotional

Posted on by

November 10________________________________________
How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
– Psalm 133:1(NLT)
WHEN HARMONY PREVAILS
A poem and essay by ILMA
As people choose to live in peace
They will start to see its benefit
When someone follow God’s word
They’ll have a weapon against this world.
As a believer gets deeper into his relationship
He will grow with other believers in fellowship
It is wonderful to live together in harmony
When there’s unity in Christ, there’ll be victory.
________________________________________
One of the many reasons for relationship breakdowns is disunity. The devil’s tactic is to lure us into thinking that we are always right. He wants us to think that everyone else is wrong but us. He is the father of all lies and he always plays cunning tricks on our minds. A little whisper in our minds that compromises our cravings can be easily used against us to create disunity. The devil wants us to focus on our self instead of on God. He will use anything to keep us in conflict with others.
I lived many years in conflict with those I have relationships with. I was kept captive by the enemy to think that many people were out to get me and so I had trust issues. It made it hard for relationships to thrive because of such mistrust and suspicion I had towards others. I learned to live in harmony with others when God revealed to me the truth.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, keep me in harmony with you always.
REFLECTION
How can one live harmoniously with others?
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

ONLY THE LORD IS WORTHY Poem Devotional

Posted on by

November 9________________________________________
“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.” – Revelations 4:11(NLT)
ONLY THE LORD IS WORTHY
A poem and essay by ILMA
There is no other god in the world who is worthy of praise
Only the Lord Jesus Christ deserves it from the human race
No one else can be present everywhere at the same time
He sees all things that happens in all people’s lives.
You are worthy of all glory and honor and power
You are the authority who makes Satan cower
Praise the Lord for he radiates mercy and faithfulness
Give him all the laud for he is God’s righteousness.
________________________________________
If there is someone who deserves all our attention, it will be our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, many people have not given him that full priority and attention. Most of us get wrapped up in glorifying our little successes and abilities. We get consumed by this world’s dictates and live it according to our limited human minds. We chase dreams that sometimes do not include God’s will. Then we wonder why we never reach that goal. God created all things that exist because he is pleased with making people in his own image. Do be maximize that gift that he gave us? Do we give him praise and do we live our lives to give him glory?
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, forgive me when I fail to praise and give you glory.
REFLECTION
How do you give glory to 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

THE BLESSED LIFE Poem Devotional

Posted on by

November 8________________________________________
Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” – Luke 11:28 (NLT)
THE BLESSED LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
The blessed life is the result of obedience
Let us continue to hear the word and be persistent
When we only read his word without doing it
We fail to receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Your life will be blessed when you apply his word
You will be able to resist the corruption of this world
God is pleased when you follow the truth and his will
He wants you to enjoy his blessings and live a life that’s free.
________________________________________
According to Baker’s evangelical dictionary God’s intention and desire to bless humanity is the maid focus of his covenant with humans. This is why the concept of blessing permeates the bible events and history. Two distinct ideas are considered as blessings. First, it is a public declaration of a favored status with God. Second, the blessing endowed power for prosperity and success. In all cases, the blessing served as a guide and motivation to pursue a course of life within the blessing. The Old Testament Terms for blessing abound in the Old Testament, occurring over 600 times. It meant “to kneel, ” since in earlier times one would kneel to receive a blessing. Jesus tells us that we receive a blessed life when we obey and apply his word.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, grant me a hunger to meditate and act on your word.
REFLECTION
What blessings have you received after putting his word into practice?
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 ALWAYS AND NEVER GIVE UP Poem Devotional

Posted on by

<a href=”http://www.ilmaarts.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/pinery-camping-2014-and-others-012.jpg”>

November 7________________________________________
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. – Luke 18:1(NLT)
PRAY ALWAYS AND NEVER GIVE UP
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you weighed down with life’s demands?
Pray that you will seek him and follow his commands
When you pray, you keep your focus on Jesus
When you don’t, you keep your focus on yourself.
The enemy will distract you from praying
He knows it is a weapon in winning over him
Never give up and be preoccupied with things
Make God first and you will have victory over sin.
________________________________________
I love to pray since I was seven years old. It meant spending time with Jesus for me. It gave me comfort during those times when I had no one else to run to. I always made sure I found time to be with a God who was always there for me and faithful to provide for all my needs. Because the enemy knew how much I loved Jesus, he stole a decade of my life through strongholds and weaknesses passed on through many generations in my family. Those dark periods in my life focused on reaching my ambitions and proving to everyone that I had worth. I stopped praying and got derailed with selfish dreams and quest to fulfill my unmet needs. Jesus said that we must always pray and never give up.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help me to stay intimate with you always.
REFLECTION
What do you think will happen if you stop praying and give up on 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