THE GOD WHO COMFORTS & PROVIDES Poem Devotional

June 28
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The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down. The LORD loves the godly. – Psalm 146:8(NLT)
THE GOD WHO COMFORTS & PROVIDES
A poem and essay by ILMA
What are you struggling with nowadays?
Are you discouraged and feeling down today?
The Lord lifts those who are tired and weary
He will comfort those who are feeling dreary.
God loves those who are righteous and godly
He guides them all and brings them victory
He opens the eyes of the blind and lets them see
Believe and commit your life to Christ and you’ll be free
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When we are weighed down by many challenges in our lives, it is natural to feel discouraged. When one becomes a believer and commits to Jesus, the tendency to follow one’s nature changes. When we become born again, we see things new because the Lord transform the way we think and see things. While we were still unbelievers and living in sin, we become blind to see the truth. Only God’s Holy Spirit can open the eyes of the blind, we cannot do it in our own. It is very essential for a Christian to deepen their relationship with the Lord so they can be set free. The Lord loves all his creation but most especially those who lead a godly life. He comforts and provides for all his people.
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PRAYER
Thank you Lord that you comfort us when we are weighed down and lost.
REFLECTION
Who do you run to for comfort when you are feeling down?
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

SPIRITUAL CLOTHES Poem Devotional

November 13
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Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. -Colossians 3:12(NLT)
SPIRITUAL CLOTHES
A poem and essay by ILMA
When God chose you as his people
He expects you to be kind and gentle
Clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy
Follow a life of patience and humility.
Put on all of God’s armor so you’ll be victorious
For shoes, put on peace that comes from the Good News.
Hold up the shield of faith to stop the attacks of the devil
Take the Spirit’s sword from God’s word to ward off evil.
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What do clothes do for you? They protect you from the elements around you. They adorn your body and represent your style and personality. They identify the roles that you play in life. Clothes also exhibit your ideology or lifestyle. What kind of clothes do you wear that clearly identify your beliefs?
The bible tells us that when God chose his holy people, he had specific spiritual clothes that He requires his people to wear. He wants his children to be forgiving, understanding, merciful, kind, humble, gentle and patience. If you go to Galatians 5, you will find that these spiritual clothes God requires is also the Holy Spirit’s fruits. In other words, if we claim that we are believers, we will use these holy clothes that will eventually mirror God’s character.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for showing us what to spiritually wear.
REFLECTION
What amongst these spiritual clothes have you trouble wearing?
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 EYES AND MINDS ARE SHUT Poem Devotional

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September 6
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Their eyes are closed and they cannot see. Their minds are shut and they cannot think.
-Isaiah 44:18(NLT)
WHEN EYES AND MINDS ARE SHUT
A poem and essay by ILMA
When someone’s eyes are closed to the truth
They won’t be able to get deep into the roots
Their minds have been shut and cannot think
They can’t discern so they easily sink.
Their minds have been blinded by the enemy
Without running to God, they won’t have victory
Watch and guard your heart and mind
It will transform you and keep you from being blind.
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During those years that I turned my back on God, I was doing all kinds of foolish things. I attracted people whose eyes were close and minds were shut to the truth. So, you could probably imagine what kind of life I lived at those stage of my life. Yes…I wallowed in sin because I was patching the pain with dependency. I wasn’t a drug addict but I was a love addict. I pursued love with a passion, not knowing that this is not the kind of love that will set me free from bondage. I was totally blind to the thing that would set me free: God’s love. My mind was shut from understanding the unconditional love that God has already granted me through the sacrifice of Jesus’ life. I thank God he freed me from this oppression. Now I am free.
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PRAYER
Lord, free me from not seeing or knowing your truth.
REFLECTION
What were you freed from when you believed in 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

WHEN TRUTH IS SUPPRESSED Poem Devotional

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August 13
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But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. – Romans 1:18(NLT)
WHEN TRUTH IS SUPPRESSED
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who are suppressing truth through evil
Their minds have been corrupted by the devil
When truth is suppressed by wickedness
The Lord’s anger will eventually manifest.
Defend the truth and allow it to spread
When you do, you let God be your head
The truth sets you free and makes you see
Never permit anyone to tarnish and suppress it.
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John 10:10 says that the enemy’s purpose is to kill, steal and destroy. Satan will do anything and everything to distort the truth and blind people. He uses wickedness to stop the truth from being exposed. Instead, he lies to us or gives us half-truths so that we will be confused and not know it. He can use situations, hurts and people to suppress the truth through wickedness. The devil keeps people from knowing the truth. The more we listen to the enemy’s lies, the further away he will keep us from God’s perspective. When truth is suppressed, there will be a consequence to those who stops others from knowing the truth. For as long as we embrace wickedness, the wrath of God is not far. He is a forgiving God but the bible also says that he will judge all evil and wickedness rightfully.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from people who suppress the truth.
REFLECTION
How can one stand up for truth and be bold to declare 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

MERCY EACH MORNING Poem Devotional

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February 25________________________________________
Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. -Lamentations 3:23(NLT)
MERCY EACH MORNING
A poem and essay by ILMA
To those who love the Lord with all their heart
They will have mercy each morning; what a start!
God’s love is unconditional and unfailing
Be faithful in return so you won’t keep falling.
Is there anyone else who could forgive you each time?
He waits for you to return when you commit a crime
Great is his faithful, his mercies begin afresh each day
Seek him constantly; he is faithful to those who obey.
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There were many years that I tortured myself with guilt when I did something wrong. I sometimes punished myself for my sins. It was a life full of remorse and condemnation. I never felt that I was good enough for anyone especially for God. I always critiqued myself harshly. I get so down and hopeless at times when I know I broke a rule or a law of the church. I did not realize that these attitude and thinking were the result of the legalism I grew up into. Corporal punishment was the way adults disciplined children. So much rules, but very little love and affection.
The bible tells us that God is faithful and he forgives and gives us grace and mercy each morning. We need not compare God with our parents and other caregivers. He is a merciful God.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your faithfulness and mercy.
REFLECTION
What are the ways that you can manifest mercy to 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

MAKING CERTAIN DREAMS COME TRUE Poem Devotional

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October 20
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Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. – Hebrews 6:12(NLT)
MAKING CERTAIN DREAMS COME TRUE
A poem and essay by ILMA
What are the dreams that you’ve hope for?
Do they make you closer to God and faithful?
For wishes to be come true, keep on believing
To realize them, you also need to keep on loving.
Walk in love for as long as life lasts
It is the secret to fulfilling dreams fast
Living a life full of love makes anything possible
Satisfying selfish pleasures make it improbable.
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What dreams have come true for you already? What other wishes have not come to fruition yet? When I was three years old, I was captivated by paintings and wished I was a painter. That dream didn’t come true until I was thirty-two years old. What took it that long? I was living in rebellion and disobedience many years of those era of my life. When I decided to turn to God again at age twenty-nine and became celibate and more loving to those around me, he made the impossible dream come true. I became a self-taught or rather God-taught painter. I sold over 75 artworks by the time I had my very first solo exhibit. Our dreams will be realized if we keep on loving others.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to never live out of love.
REFLECTION
What dreams are being hindered to happen because of your unloving ways?
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

FULL TRUST BRINGS GOD’S PRESENCE Poem Devotional

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February 28________________________________________
Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. -Hebrews 10:22(NLT)
FULL TRUST BRINGS GOD’S PRESENCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you let go of your guilt so you can move forward?
Focusing on the past hinders you from getting the reward
When you fully trust the Lord in all circumstance
You will experience the peace of his presence.
Do not live in guilt, instead, confess your sins and repent
You will be sprinkled with Christ’s blood and you’ll have strength
Your body have been washed with pure and living water
You will be heir to God’s kingdom that lasts forever.
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Have you ever loved someone so much that his or her presence is paramount in your life? What happens to you when this person is absent physically or emotionally? If you are like me, you will get depressed and lonely because you want the joy that comes from their presence. Statistics say that four to five months is the average time before a long distance relationship breaks down and 40% of all long distance relationships ends with a break-up.
The bible summons us to go right into God’s presence with sincere hearts fully trusting him because he has already washed our sins when he died for us.
PRAYER
Lord, give me courage to trust you completely always.
REFLECTION
When have you turned your back to God’s presence? What was the result?
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