Tag Archives: Christian devotonal

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING Poem Devotional

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April 27________________________________________
There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it and it will not be taken away from her. -Luke 10:42(NLT)
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
A poem and essay by ILMA
What things do you consider valuable in life?
Is it to be looked up to or to stay in God’s light?
Seeking and obeyin¬¬g Christ’s teaching is essential
Those who discover it, they will find it beneficial.
Only by depending on Jesus will we be victorious
It is by focusing on others that we become less oblivious
There is no other way but to follow Jesus
Come to the only one who is worthy and glorious.
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Many of us seem to be distracted by things that are not really that important. Sometimes we get caught up in the details and chaos in our lives and we miss out what is really valuable in life. I taught Art for many decades and one of the hardest things to do is to choose the subject you want to draw or paint. It may take awhile before one can decide which one to select. I usually give only a ten-minute time frame for my students to decide from a few choices. The more choices, the longer it takes to decide.
Just like in painting, we also need to make choices in life in order to grow. Following Jesus and obeying his teachings are essential to live a victorious life.
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PRAYER
Lord, keep me away from all sorts of distractions and focus only on you.
REFLECTION
Why is seeking God the most important thing in 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

WHY PRAY? Poem Devotional

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February 11________________________________________
When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before. -Job 42:10(NLT)
WHY PRAY?
A poem and essay by ILMA
To pray is to communicate and openly say
It is not just asking favors but preventing being astray
To pray is to acknowledge God’s power
It helps us to be strong and let the enemy cower.
When we pray, we get answered if it’s for our good
We receive blessings and be pulled out from gloom
When we pray, we receive God’s grace and mercy
It brings us to a place of abundance and victory.
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Many people live their lives without prayers. I began to learn to pray rote prayers when I was taught in school all those formula prayers. At the age of seven, I was so hungry for someone to hear me and talk to. I felt invisible because children were never listened to during the time I was growing up. They were just supposed to obey anything the older people say. We can’t question anything or it will be considered defiance or rebellion. So, I grew up not talking much. I became a compliant and just obeyed what I was told to do. Deep inside, I had this desire to reach out and talk to someone. I needed to pour out my thoughts and my pain. That’s when I learned to converse with God.
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PRAYER
Lord, open up my heart so your Spirit can take over when I pray.
REFLECTION
Share the answer or result of a long prayer.
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

TRUSTING GOD

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Nov 3
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But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask. – John 11:22(NLT)
TRUSTING GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you believe all of God’s promises?
He loves us you so much that he gave you Jesus
Whenever things do not go how you want it to
Do you continue to trust that God will eventually do?
Sometimes we ask things don’t align with his will
He wouldn’t want us to be hurt, rejected or be ill
He knows what’s best for us so we must have faith
Confidently hope and it will greatly change your fate.
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The story of Lazarus is one of the greatest miracles that Jesus did while he was on earth. Mary and Martha are both Lazarus’ sisters and they were very close to Jesus. In fact, in the account of Luke in chapter 10:38-42, we get a picture of their closeness. Martha was the one who can’t stop doing things but Mary knew how to relax and be still. She chose to give her full attention to Jesus rather than all the physical things Martha was doing.
When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been in his grave for four days already (John 11:17). Martha told Jesus that if he came earlier, he wouldn’t have died but she still believes that God will grant Jesus whatever he asks. Jesus acknowledged her great faith and raised Lazarus’.
PRAYER
Lord, let me grow my faith even when I don’t see miracles.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God requires faith in order for miracles to happen?
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

MANIFESTING YOUR LOVE Poem Devotional

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August 16
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But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. -1 John 2:5(NLT)
MANIFESTING YOUR LOVE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you love someone, do you illustrate through actions?
Showing without saying is better than just verbalizations
Those who obey God’s word truly manifest their love
It is the highest display of your faithfulness to him up above.
How can one claim they love someone without proof?
It only negates what they vowed to be truth
When we follow God’s word and live it
We are ensured of a life that’s full of the Spirit.
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When you love someone, what are the ways you show this person that you truly care for him or her? In parental love, parents do their best to understand and know how their child thinks, responds or behaves. Each child is different so if they have the same expectations for all their kids uniformly, they are in for trouble. What makes parents inclined to like one of their children is based on how their son or daughter obey what they command them to do. Just like parents, God treats us the same. We can show our love for God through obedience. Jesus obeyed God’s will despite the pain and suffering he was going to suffer. That is why God placed him on is right hand. He was obedient.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to obey all your commands
REFLECTION
Why do you think God gives so much emphasis on obedience?
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

INSEPARABLE MAN AND WOMAN Poem Devotional

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July 21
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This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called woman, because she was taken from man. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife and the two are united into one. – Genesis 2:23-24(NLT)
INSEPARABLE MAN AND WOMAN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Woman, you are taken from man’s bone
You were made so that man will not be alone
When a man and a woman are united in matrimony
No one can separate them if they live in harmony.
Man is the head of the woman and his family
He will do anything to cleave to his one and only
This is why a man leaves his father and mother
So don’t try to separate them from each other.
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God created marriage as one of the most important and core of family unit. He likened husbands and wives to Christ and his bride, the church. This is the reason why Satan is doing his best to destroy marriages because he knows that God treasures marriages. When a man and a woman decide to unite themselves in marriage, they become inseparable. The enemy attacks matrimony more than anything else because he knows how sacred it is.
The bible tells us that Eve was taken from Adam’s bone and flesh. God gave him a woman so he doesn’t have to be alone.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the sanctity of marriage.
REFLECTION
How does the enemy entice couples to desecrate marriage?
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’S SPIRIT SPEAKS THROUGH YOU Poem Devotional

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July 18
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When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking-it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. -Matthew 10:19-20(NLT)
GOD’S SPIRIT SPEAKS THROUGH YOU
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are a believer, God lives in you
You need not worry what to say or do
When you are detained, he has you covered
He will give you the right words to utter.
It is not you who will be speaking
God’s Spirit whispers what you’ll be saying
The Holy Spirit will use you as a channel
Open your heart to convey his message to others.
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There was a time in my life when I used to rely on myself so much when it came to choices and decision making. I claimed I was a Christian and yet I did not know God’s word and his will in my life. I missed so many good things because I didn’t listen to his Spirit. I used to call him intuition and gut feeling when I should have given God credit for that voice inside me that guides me to do what is right and avoid doing wrong. Some people call is conscience, but it is God’s Spirit who speaks through you and other believers, especially when we are in trouble.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for letting your Spirit live in me.
REFLECTION
How often do you listen to God’s Spirit and allow it to speak through 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

DANGER OF TOO MUCH WORDS Poem Devotional

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June 13
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When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
-Proverbs 10:19 (NIV)
DANGER OF TOO MUCH WORDS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you ask for something, be concise!
More words are not always right and precise
When words are many, sin is not absent
Hold your tongue and there’ll be no lament.
Use few words when you communicate
It lessens confusion and mistakes
Hold your tongue so you don’t open doors to sin
Lesser words will give your more chances to win.
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I love words. I think most writers do. But writers need to be wise in using lesser words than more. I find it difficult to use fewer words so I decided to take the route of writing poetry. The beauty of this genre is that you can use the least words and yet convey so much meaning in these fewer words. The challenge with writing poetry is to find the appropriate words that could rhyme or stir the readers’ attention through imagery and the different figures of speech. When I started reading the bible especially Proverbs, I learned that there is too much danger in too much words. It opens up more avenue to misunderstandings or misinterpretations.
The bible says that too much words put you at risk to sin. When you hold your tongue and think carefully what to say with few words, you learn prudence.
PRAYER
Lord, help us to communicate with less words.
REFLECTION
When have you used much words and led you to sin or confusion?
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

HARVESTING THE CROP OF LOVE Poem Devotional

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June 5
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I said, “Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.” – Hosea 10:12(NLT)
HARVESTING THE CROP OF LOVE
A poem and essay by ILMA
What acts do you sow in your life?
Are they good; do they bring light?
Plant good seeds of righteousness
You will find love and happiness.
Plow up the hardness of your heart
The Lord wants you to be new and start
Seek the Lord that he may bring righteousness
Then you’ll experience his love and faithfulness.
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It is spring now, the season for gardening. What do gardeners do first of all to prepare to plant and sow seeds in the garden? They try to dig and till the soil that have hardened through the past winter season so they can put new soil and nutrients in the ground in preparation for the new seeds to get in it. There are lots of things to do so that a good harvest of crops or fruits and flowers will ensue.
The book of Hosea instructs us to plow up the hard ground of our hearts so we can prepare to sow seeds of righteousness and later on harvest the crop of love. Like the ground that gardeners plant on, our hearts can also be hardened.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to never give in to hardness of heart.
REFLECTION
How can you harvest love in your relationships?
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

PROMISE TO PEACE LOVERS Poem Devotional

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May 30

Look at those who are honest and good; for a wonderful future awaits those who love peace. But the rebellious will be destroyed; they have no future. -Psalm 37:37-38(NLT)

PROMISE TO PEACE LOVERS

A poem and essay by ILMA

Do you pursue peace with passion?

Peace lovers are given much provision

Their future is bright and wonderful

They have no need to be fearful.

Look at those who are good and honest

They are promised a life that is blessed

The rebellious on the other hand will be demolished

They have no future because they want to stay foolish.

God wants us to have peace at all cost. Romans 12:18 says “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone”; and Hebrews 12:14 says that we should work at living in peace with everyone. The Lord has clearly instructed all believers to work at chasing peace. It is not a state that is a result of something but we ought to consciously make a decision to pursue it. I didn’t know his word during my younger years so I didn’t make a mindful effort to chase it as the bible says. My past life was infested with so much conflicts and chaos that led to so much pain and adversities.

The bible says that God has a future awaiting the peace seekers and lovers. Unlike the rebels, they will have a future.

PRAYER

Lord, thank you for granting peace to those who seek you.

REFLECTION

How can the pursuit of peace be rewarding?

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

HOLDS ALL CREATION TOGETHER Poem Devotional

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February 2________________________________________
He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.
-Colossians 1:17 (NLT)
HOLDS ALL CREATION TOGETHER
A poem and essay by ILMA
God has a system to make things work together
He created man so we can love one another
He placed the sky above the land and the seas
He made all kinds of animals, plants and trees.
He existed before anything else was in the universe
He made man so we can relate with him and converse
Each portion of his creation has a purpose in his plan
Do you know your destiny or do you fight and run?
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Have you looked at nature lately? Are you not astounded at how God has made beautiful trees, landscapes, seascapes, sunsets, cloud formation, the snow, the beautiful flowers and all living creatures? Scientists have obsessed with reasoning and getting answers to all the things we cannot fathom. But the bible says that we cannot understand God’s mind because we are limited and he is not. Why can’t we just thank the Lord for everything that he has given us? Why do we have to understand? It is our fallen nature that wants to compete with God’s understanding. Sometimes, we just have to accept and be thankful.
The bible says that God existed before anything else. He created all things and holds all creation together. We need to believe that he knew what he was doing when he created us.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for all the beautiful things you created.
REFLECTION
What part of God’s creation are you thankful for today?
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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