Author Archives: ilmaarts

PROVERBS 5 BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR LOVED ONES

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September 17

PROVERBS 5
15 Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well.
16 Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice
in the wife of your youth,19 a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.
20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman
and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?
21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his paths.
22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.
23 He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.
– Proverbs 515-23

PROVERBS 5 BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR LOVED ONES
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you commit to the one you love, you need to be faithful
Never let other people corrupt and tempt you to break your vow
Continue to love the one you had made a covenant with
Enjoy deep intimacy with them and don’t let love slip away
Do not be tempted to look out for other sources of enjoyment
Stay faithful to your beloved so you won’t be trapped by evil.

In these following verses, Solomon warns the young men to stay faithful to their beloved wives. This was a lesson on how sex can be wonderful between husbands and wives. Solomon advises young men never to get involved with other women and stay faithful to their loved ones. Solomon depicts the beauty of sex in marriage and the ugliness of fornication with those outside of it. It is sad how the world has corrupted the sanctity of sex in marriage. According to Wiersbe “Solomon compares enjoying married love to drinking pure water from a fresh well, but committing sexual sin is like drinking polluted water from the gutter or sewer…. To commit sexual sin is to pour this beautiful river into the streets and the public squares. What waste!”

REFLECTION
• Why is it important to enjoy your marriage bed according to Solomon?

PROVERBS 5 LOVE DISCIPLINE AND REPROOF

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September 16

PROVERBS 5

7 And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless,
10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength,

    and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,
11 and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed,
12 and you say, “How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof!
13 I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors.
14 I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation.”– Proverbs 5:7-14

PROVERBS 5 LOVE DISCIPLINE AND REPROOF

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord God disciplines those who belong to him

If you love him, you’ll heed his reproof in order to avoid sin

To love discipline is to protect oneself from the world’s corruption

To hate reproof will lead you to utter ruin and destruction

Do not allow yourself to be swayed and seduced by evil ways

Keep your mouth from speaking lies and focus on the right path.

Who wants discipline when you are actually going through it? We naturally hate to be corrected or be told what to do or cautioned not to proceed with something we love to do. This is our sin nature. But we can learn to love discipline if we understand the reason behind such reproof.

The world views discipline as a restriction from pleasures or desires. They think it kills the joy of life. But God’s purpose for disciplining us is always for our own good, never for our ruin. Human discipline on the other hand, involves control and power and can sometimes be selfish in its agenda.

Solomon warns us to run from those who plot evil. He focuses on discipline as a tool so that we can be protected from ruin and destruction.

REFLECTION

  • When can discipline be a bad thing instead of a good thing?

PROVERBS 5 AVOID THE TEMPTRESS

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September 15

PROVERBS 5

My son, be attentive to my wisdom;
    incline your ear to my understanding,
2 that you may keep discretion,
    and your lips may guard knowledge.
3 For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey,
    and her speechis smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
    sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
    her steps follow the path toSheol;
6 she does not ponder the path of life;
    her ways wander, and she does not know it.

                                                                – Proverbs 5:1-6

PROVERBS 5 AVOID THE TEMPTRESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you serve the Lord your God, avoid the temptress

If you listen to God’s wisdom, you will know her strategies

She is an expert at manipulation, control and seduction

She will use her charms to get you isolated and secluded

Remember that she doesn’t follow the way of the righteous

Her ways always lead you to chaos, destruction and deep darkness.

In this book, Solomon focuses on the temptress or the other woman. It may appear that the gender used is a woman, but I think it also points to anyone who is adulterous, whether male or female.  In these following verses, Solomon wants us to cling to wisdom and the truth that only comes from the word of God. It is in his divine wisdom that we get to decode all the tricks that the enemy uses to lure us into sin. It would be wise for us Christians to follow these warnings. We do not want to be caught off guard when we encounter seductions from anyone, be it a man or a woman. When we are seeking God’s truth, we will be protected from such lures and wiles.

REFLECTION

·       Why should we avoid temptations with all our might?

PROVERBS 4 WHERE LIFE AND HEALING ARE

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September 14

                                                                   PROVERBS 4
20 My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you crooked speech,  and put devious talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

                                                                  – Proverbs 4:20-27

PROVERBS 4 WHERE LIFE AND HEALING ARE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you pay attention to the word of God and his commands

You will find rest and peace and thrive in all of life’s demands

If you treasure the laws of the Lord and keep them hidden in your heart

You will find life and healing to all that ails your body, soul and mind

Keep your mouth from uttering corrupt speech but say only what is true

Do not get involved with the systems of the world and all that is untrue

There is much benefit to those who treasure the will and word of the Lord

But there is much chaos and ruin to those who follow the systems of the world.

Some people rely on their own belief system, culture, philosophy and traditions. They think that what they know and what has been passed down to them by many generations will be enough for them to thrive in this world. I used to be one of those people until I was saved by the truth that only comes from the word of the Lord.

When I began to study the bible deeply, my life changed and all those beliefs and wrong mindsets were replaced by what is true according to God’s word. I also began to heal from many traumas that took me decades to process because I relied on human psychology instead of the truth that is eternal and from the Lord. Because he created us all, he is the only source of wisdom when it comes to living our lives for his own purpose.

REFLECTION

  • Share an incident when you got healed from the wisdom from the bible.

PROVERBS 4 DON’T LET GO OF GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS

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September 13

PROVERBS 4

10 Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
11 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.
13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;
    they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
    which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19 The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know over what they stumble. – Proverbs 4:10-19

PROVERBS 4 DON’T LET GO OF GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you hear God’s instructions, do not turn away from it

By following it, you’ll be protected against evil and all things wicked

Cling to the laws of the Lord and guard your heart against unrighteousness

The way of the wicked is going to make you stumble in so much darkness

When you don’t let go of God’s wisdom, you will have peace and joy

The Lord God protects those who walk in his path and obey his laws.

Many people do not realize that when they do not heed God’s word and his commands, they are truly hurting themselves. God created us for his own purpose: to give him all the glory. When we go against this purpose, we are opening doors for the enemy to instill our natural tendencies, which is our sinfulness. The law of the Lord is a boundary. It protects us from the tactics and wiles of the devil. When we don’t know the truth, it is easy for the devil to ensnare and trap us. As Solomon describes it in verse 19, the way of the wicked is like deep darkness where they do not know what they stumble on. The way of the upright on the other hand leads to many years of life and is like the light of dawn.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think some people think God’s laws are hard to follow?

PROVERBS 4 HOLD FAST TO GOD’S WORD

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September 12

PROVERBS 4

Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight,
2 for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.
3 When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
4 he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words;
  keep my commandments, and live.5 Get wisdom; get insight;
  do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
6 Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you.
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
8 Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;  she will honor you if you embrace her.
9 She will place on your head a graceful garland;

 she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” – Proverbs 4:1-9

PROVERBS 4 HOLD FAST TO GOD’S WORD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord gives his wisdom to his people through his teachings

He gave his beloved children good insights and precepts

He gave him his commands so that they can be protected

Hold fast to his laws and truth so you can overcome evil

When you cling to his word, you will begin to have wisdom

Wisdom will be a garland on your head and also be a crown.

Solomon continues to crusade for wisdom in these following verses. He enumerates the benefits when we hold fast to God’s word because it is the only and absolute source of wisdom. He wants God’s people to treasure it like a valuable possession that will enhance the life of those who believe in God.

The bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16 that 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. So, you can imagine if someone does not know God and doesn’t know his word. They don’t have wisdom. They do not know how to navigate in this corrupt world system. The only thing they know is what the world has given them, which is not for their own good.

REFLECTION

  • Share an experience in your life when you held fast to God’s word.

PROVERBS 3 HELP OR GIVE WITHOUT DELAY  

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September 11

PROVERBS 3

27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.
30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord,
    but the upright are in his confidence.
33 The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked,
    but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
34 Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.
35 The wise will inherit honor, but fools getdisgrace.

                                                                – Proverbs 3:27-35

PROVERBS 3 HELP OR GIVE WITHOUT DELAY  

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When someone you know is in need of help, do not delay

If it is within your power to extend assistance, do it quickly

If we procrastinate to give help to those in need, we are indifferent

When God gives us opportunities to show love, let’s respond promptly

If we delay giving at those times that our neighbors need it badly

We are caving in to the devil’s plot to make us more unloving and selfish.

Have you ever experienced someone asking your help and you didn’t give it at once? We all have done that at one or more occasions in our lives. One of the reasons we do so is because of our sinful nature. We are all selfish by nature and we always think of ourselves first and our comforts. We do not want to be uncomfortable or inconvenienced, so we don’t respond soon enough. We justify and analyze and then we don’t do anything. Solomon gives us wisdom when to extend help or give assistance to others. He advises us to do it without delay if it is in our power to do so. Procrastinating giving that help is not heeding the Holy Spirit’s invitation to show love to others.

REFLECTION

  • How can we develop the mindset to extend help to others without delay?

PROVERBS 3 WHEN YOU HEED THE WISDOM OF YOUR WISE CREATOR

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September 10

PROVERBS 3

19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens;
20 by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew.

21 My son, do not lose sight of these—keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruinof the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.

                                                                – Proverbs 3:19-26

PROVERBS 3 WHEN YOU HEED THE WISDOM OF YOUR WISE CREATOR

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord God created all things including knowledge and wisdom

It is to your benefit if you do not lose sight of his instruction

They will bring your life much benefit and blessings

It will be your protection from evil and tendencies to sin

When you pursue wisdom, you will not be afraid

For you know that your strength is the Lord himself.

Solomon continues to enumerate the benefits of seeking and pursuing wisdom. He reminds us all that it is God who is the one who established the heavens and the earth. It is his knowledge that makes all his creation come to life for the purpose he intended it to be.

One of the greatest take we can get in these following verses is that wisdom can give you strength and courage to face whatever comes our way. It gives us reassurance that the Lord is our confidence and that he will protect us from any wicked plot of the enemy. It doesn’t say that we will have no more trouble but it reassures us that we will not be overcome by evil when we pursue God’s wisdom.

REFLECTION

  • Share an incident when wisdom has saved you from sinning or being harmed by plots to hurt you or defame your character.

PROVERBS 3 WISDOM: A TREE OF LIFE

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September 9

PROVERBS 3

13 Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding,
14 for the gain from her is better than gain from silver
    and her profit better than gold.
15 She is more precious than jewels,
    and nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
    in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
    and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;
    those who hold her fast are called blessed.

                                                                – Proverbs 3:13-18

PROVERBS 3 WISDOM: A TREE OF LIFE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When one searches and pursues wisdom

Understanding follows and so does insight

When you have wisdom, you are richer than you think

It is more precious than jewels because it brings peace

Wisdom is a tree of life to those who pursue it

If you hold fast to it, you will not fall into sin.

Why did Solomon call wisdom a tree of life? We know that a tree brings nourishment, oxygen and beauty. When we seek to have wisdom, we begin to experience peace and discernment which makes us understand what is right and what is wrong. Those who continue to live their lives like fools will never know what is right and what is wrong. Their lives become darkened with self-seeking purposes that leads them to wickedness and unrighteousness. Instead of wanting to enrich ourselves with money, let us follow the advice of Solomon and pursue wisdom. Let us aim to have this quest for knowledge that only comes from the word of God.

REFLECTION

  • How does wisdom add value to your character and life in general?

September 8

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PROVERBS 3

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth
    and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,
    and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline
    or be weary of his reproof,
12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves,
    as a father the son in whom he delights. – Proverbs 3:9-12

PROVERBS 3 THE LORD REPROVES HIS OWN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you belong to the Lord, he treats you as his own child

He will discipline you and never allow you to be endangered

Because he loves you so much, he warns you from falling into sin

Listen to his reproof so that you will never go without blessings

Honor the Lord with all that you have been given and with your best

This will ensure your life will never have a lack and you will thrive.

A good parent disciplines their children. Reproving your children is a result of God’s love for all mankind. He gave children to parents so they can be trained in the ways of the Lord. Sadly, we watch many parents nowadays being controlled and manipulated by their own children to get what they want, instead of the other way around. No wonder we have so many juvenile delinquents. This delinquency resulted from parents not disciplining their own children. Instead of living to serve God and others, they live to get what they want and serve their own selves.

It is important though that when parents discipline their children, it is out of love and not out of control. In Ephesians 6:4, fathers are instructed not to provoke their children to anger, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Can you imagine if parents do not know the Lord and his laws? Children will grow up in the ways of the world where they get what they want when they want it.

REFLECTION

·       Why is discipline very essential when raising children?

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