August 6
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1 TIMOTHY 4
6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. – 1 Timothy 4:6-9
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1 TIMOTHY 4 TRAIN YOURSELF FOR GODLINESS
A poem inspired by these verses by ILMA
To be a good servant of the Lord Jesus, let us train in the truth
Meditate on his words day and night that it will harvest fruits
Because we are in this corrupt and fallen world, let’s equip ourselves
Let us be ready for the battlefield wearing God’s armour.
Do not engage with human philosophies and traditions
These worldly beliefs do not conform with God’s kingdom
Do not waste your time with false doctrines and myths
Instead, equip yourselves with the knowledge of God.
While physical training is good, godliness is much more vital
What good is it if you have good bodies but souls that are lost?
Bodily training is only good while you are on earth
Spiritual workout is better for it lasts long and is forever.
Train yourself for godliness as a soldier ready himself for war
If you take your faith seriously, you will seek first his word
The law of the Lord is true and is your spirit’s sword
The truth that comes from God’s word is your best weapon.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think some Christians do not train for godliness?
• How is suffering and endurance a good training ground for godliness?
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PSALM 118 BE AWED AND BE DELIGHTED WITH GOD’S GOODNESS!
February 14
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PSALM 118
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We bless you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
– Psalm 118:19-29
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PSALM 118 BE AWED AND BE DELIGHTED WITH GOD’S GOODNESS!
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Acknowledge the Lord our Maker, who made heaven, earth and human beings
He fashioned every person in his own likeness so man can be perfected in him
He was pleased at every created thing he decided to bring to completion
With mankind, he was very delighted; he can now have relations with them
Just as Adam was thrilled to finally have a helper and partner in Eve
So was God very pleased to have to live with humans daily in paradise.
The Lord God provided for all the things that every man needed
He expected faithful devotion from the very people he created
Every day that the sun shines, we are reminded of God’s faithfulness
Each morning when we see the dawn breaks, let’s be full of thankfulness
At the end of day, when we see twilight, let us be awed by God’s goodness
Never forget to thank the Lord for sharing God’s delight in his created likeness.
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REFLECTION
• How can we show gratitude to God as we behold his entire creation?
PSALM 105 HOW GOD DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE
January 16
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PSALM 105
26 He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
27 They performed his signs among them and miracles in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and made the land dark; they did not rebel against his words.
29 He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die.
30 Their land swarmed with frogs, even in the chambers of their kings.
31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country.
32 He gave them hail for rain, and fiery lightning bolts through their land.
33 He struck down their vines and fig trees, and shattered the trees of their country.
34 He spoke, and the locusts came, young locusts without number,
35 which devoured all the vegetation in their land and ate up the fruit of their ground.
– Psalm 105:26-35
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PSALM 105 HOW GOD DELIVERS HIS PEOPLE
A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
When you were chosen by the Lord as one of his people
You have no reason to fear; whatever trials you undergo, the Lord is faithful
Just like he delivered the Israelites from the Egyptians
He will do everything to rescue you from bondage and slavery.
The Lord sent Moses and Aaron to lead the Israelites
Despite their inabilities and fears, he equipped them to go forth
Then, he made them perform miracles to show off his power
It was a clear manifestation of the Lord’s provision and full control.
It was in God’s plan that he hardened the heart of Pharaoh
This was to exhibit all this power and glory to his own people
These wondrous deeds are made to make the Israelites stay faithful
It was to fulfill the covenant promise he made with his beloved people.
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REFLECTION
• Share an exodus experience that God has delivered you from.
• Why is it important to constantly recall these wondrous deeds God did?
PSALM 73 HUMAN KNOWLEDGE VERSUS DISCERNMENT
November 8
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PSALM 73 HUMAN KNOWLEDGE VERSUS DISCERNMENT
13 All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.
14 For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed the generation of your children.
16 But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,
17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.
18 Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin.
19 How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!
20 Like a dream when one awakes,
O Lord, when you rouse yourself, you despise them as phantoms.
21 When my soul was embittered, when I was pricked in heart,
22 I was brutish and ignorant; I was like a beast toward you. – Psalm 73:13-22
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Do you try to figure things out by yourself?
Do you think that if you worked hard, you can be cleansed?
You can do daily task of purifying yourself, but it is all in vain
The cleansing of your soul is the work that only God can do.
Why do you keep on understanding what only God can?
Why do you keep on thinking hard what you can’t understand?
Have you not discovered that the more you analyze, the more you are paralyzed?
Wouldn’t discernment be better than your quest for knowledge?
Human understanding is limited but God’s revelation is boundless
What good is it to keep on understanding and finding answers?
Doesn’t this futile activity just hinder us from hearing God’s Spirit?
Why keep on wanting to know what God has kept secret?
Go to the throne of the Lord and he will give you discernment
Fear the Lord and you will begin to be wise and be enlightened
Rely on your own understanding and you enter the door to disaster
Ask the Lord for discernment and you will see his view and prosper.
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REFLECTION
• Why do you think it is very easy to overthink and rely on our own understanding things in this world? How can we avoid this work of the flesh?
PSALM 30 BY GOD’S FAVOR ONE CAN STAND STRONG
August 30
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PSALM 30 BY GOD’S FAVOR ONE CAN STAND STRONG
I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
3 O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.
4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O LORD, you made my mountain stand strong;
you hid your face; I was dismayed.
8 To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!”
11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever! – Psalm 30:1-12
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A poem inspired by this psalm by ILMA
Without God’s grace, favor and mercy, life will be empty
We can overcome evil only when we give God all the glory
Do you think you can do anything through your own efforts?
It is God’s steadfast love that makes us strong and encouraged
He alone choses whom he will give his mercy and favor
There is nothing we can do to contribute to our salvation
Without God’s favor, we will be easily defeated
But by his grace and generosity, we can be victorious
Raise up your arms and bow down to your loving Lord
Declare his goodness and proclaim his gospel throughout the world.
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REFLECTION
• How should we respond to God’s generosity, grace and favor?
HUMAN VERSUS GODLY WISDOM
May 11
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HUMAN VERSUS GODLY WISDOM
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. – James 3:13-18
________________________________________The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about wisdom. It is an instruction manual for wisdom. Why is Proverbs so important? Proverbs compiles many different instructions for living life effectively so that those who want to serve God can stay in the path of wisdom. Proverbs 1:7 clearly states the theme of the whole book: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Is it any wonder why James would want us all to know the essence of wisdom in our lives?
In verses 13-16, James gives an illustration of what human wisdom is. He says that if one thinks he is wise, let him manifest it in his actions. Someone who claims they are wise and have bitter jealousy, selfish ambition, arrogant and are liars are devoid of true wisdom. He says that human wisdom doesn’t come from above, but is earthly and demonic. He further gives a picture what this human wisdom usually brings about: chaos, disorder and all kinds of evil things. This kind of wisdom does not acknowledge God as the beginning of knowledge. They do not know him who is the source of all wisdom.
In verses 17-18, he presents what godly wisdom is. He describes it as pure, peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and manifests good fruits, impartial or fair, free of hypocrisy. In other words, there is no falsehood or pretense. It results in righteousness and those who uses godly wisdom brings about peace.
How come the world cannot discern godly wisdom? Because they do not know God and therefore do not fear him. Without the knowledge of God, there is no fear of God. How can godly wisdom exist without the knowledge of God?
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REFLECTION
• Why do some people think that their knowledge is true and righteous wisdom?
FAITH PERFECTED ILMA’S VLOG
May 8
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FAITH PERFECTED
19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was our father Abraham not justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was Rahab the prostitute not justified by works also when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. – James 2:19-26
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In this verse James preaches about how faith is perfected. In verse 9, he explains to the those who have committed their lives to Jesus that faith is not just believing in Him. As he mentions in verse 9, even demons do that. So, what difference does that make between believers and demons?
In the next verses, he gives us examples of those who have perfected their faith. In verses 21-23, he shows the story of Abraham whose faith is coupled with works, which resulted in the perfection of his faith. His faith was proven by his willingness to give up his own son to obey God, that is why he was considered righteous and a friend of God. It was by this perfected faith that he became the father of all nations.
In verse 25, Rahab sampled the saving faith by helping the spies that Joshua sent to check the land of Jericho. Rahab took the risk of hiding these spies because she has heard of the stories of the God of the Israelites who have delivered them from all the Egyptians. By ensuring that the Israelites captured Jericho, she proved her faith with works of helping the Israelites fulfill God’s plan for his people.
In verse 26, James reiterates the importance of the presence of the Spirit in our lives because our bodies would be dead without the Spirit. He likens this to faith. Without works, faith will be dead. Sadly, the world has twisted the true meaning of faith. The world looks at faith on a different lens, where faith is working for their own salvation. The bible tells us that God chose us first, even the ability to accept Him comes from him alone.
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REFLECTION
• Why do some believers think that faith isn’t an action word?
REJOICE AT HIS BIRTH Poem Devotional
December 3
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You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. -Luke 1:14(NLT)
REJOICE AT HIS BIRTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
When God sent his Son on earth
He wants us to rejoice in his birth
It is the manifestation of his great love
The baby Jesus was sent from up above.
Rejoice, rejoice, for we are set free
He brought light so we can be able to see
He removes all our guilt and shame
Just call on his most powerful name.
There is no darkness in him
He brings to light all our sins
Be glad that he was born
Give up all forms of scorn.
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Consumerism and traditions have destroyed the real essence of Christmas. We have completely lost focus on the true meaning of it. It was spun to worldly pursuits and people pleasing. What happened to the “give love” instead of “give me what I want?” In this selfie generation, each person thinks of what they can get instead of what they can give. Even in the giving, shouldn’t we ask ourselves what the motives behind it are?
Christmas is about rejoicing at the birth of the promised one who could free us from our prisons of greed, envy, jealousy, anger, lust, pride, independence, idolatry, disobedience, rebellion, stubbornness and all other sins. It is to remember how we shout be rejoicing and spreading God’s good news of salvation.
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PRAYER
Lord, keep me focused on the reason for Christ’s birth.
REFLECTION
How can we protect our hearts from corruption of the true meaning of Christmas?
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
HARVEST OF GOOD DEEDS Poem Devotional
January 4
You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. – Romans 7:4 (NLT)
HARVEST OF GOOD DEEDS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you believed in Christ
He has made you right
You died to the power of the law
Because of this, He will make you grow.
God wants you to walk in love
That’s what Jesus died for us to have
We can produce a harvest of good deeds
That was what the sacrifice on the cross did.
Do you ever wonder what Christians would be without the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross? We would probably still be going around in circles trying to take away the sins we inherited on our own. We would always be striving to be good and yet have no progress in our effort.
The bible says that we have died to the power of the law when Christ died. When he was raised from the dead, we were also raised and as a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. In other words, we won’t have victory in this life without the sacrifice on the cross. Jesus paid the price for our sins.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to focus on the cross.
REFLECTION
What good deeds have you harvested as a result of Christ’s sacrifice?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com
MANAGING ANGER Poem Devotional
July 3 The Power of God’s Word
Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent.– Psalm 4:4 (NLT)
MANAGING ANGER
A poem and essay by ILMA
Anger is an emotion created for a reason
It can protect you from the enemy’s treason
It can make you defend those who are oppressed
It can drive you to do something for the depressed.
Don’t sin by letting anger control you
Instead, control it by thinking it through
Remain silent until you reach tranquility
Then you will have victory over the enemy.
I was a slave of many generational sins before I became a born again. Among the list would be: seeking approval, perfectionism, performance, reasoning, judgment and anger. Each of these sins leads to the other. Because of rejection, it was a big deal for me to seek approval and attention which brought me to always perform. I reason and argue to prove my point and that I am right. When I don’t persuade others or they don’t live up to my expectations, I judge and then get angry. Sometimes this anger is manifests in many ways like irritations, sarcasms, jokes or confrontations and outbursts.
The bible tells us to manage our anger and not let it control us. Thinking about it overnight and remaining silent helps us calm down and win the battle.
PRAYER
Lord, give me strength to manage anger.
REFLECTION
How can awareness of anger and its source help us manage it?