Tag Archives: joy

JOY TO GOD’S PEOPLE Poem Devotional

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February 18________________________________________
What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen as his inheritance. – Psalm 33:12(NLT)
JOY TO GOD’S PEOPLE
A poem and essay by ILMA
What joy for those who believe in the Lord
They will be victorious and overcome this world
If you are committed to Christ, you will be his heir
You will experience his joy for he is generous and fair.
He will shower his people with an overflow
They will reap a harvest from the seeds they’ve sown
Rejoice and be glad for you will have an abundance
He will gladly fulfill his promises and hand you an inheritance.
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For so many years, I didn’t know how to enjoy life. I strived and worked so hard at every dream or goal I set. I was so consumed with I, me and myself? I think it’s impossible to experience joy if one is so self-centered and self-driven. There is always that nagging thought that I have to possess more or that I have to perform well in anything I get myself into. I have to aim for perfection. When things do not go well as I envisioned it, I become so frustrated and feel like a failure. Then I beat myself up to reach the maximum effort or performance. What a tiring and stressful life. No wonder, I had so much trouble. The bible says that joy comes only from choosing God.
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PRAYER
Lord, show me how to be faithful to you so I can experience joy always.
REFLECTION
What manifestations of joy have you experienced after choosing Christ?
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

VICTORY FROM CHRIST Poem Devotional

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February 12________________________________________
Victory comes from you, O Lord. May you bless your people. – Psalm 3:8(NLT)
VICTORY FROM CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you think you can win without Christ
You are deluding yourself in this life
Victory comes only from God’s power
It is him alone who can make Satan cower.
Why do you continue to use your own effort to win?
Leave to Christ all your struggles over sin
He is the only one who has authority over us
Trust him and you’ll have no need to fix, worry or fuss.
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Have you ever watched a live sports event? I used to be a cyclist and watching the Tour De France was always a joy. Even if I am just on television and not being there in France, I could feel the journey and challenges that these cyclists experience vicariously. It is months of hard work and pressing on that brings about victory for these athletes. Our struggles in life builds our character and perseverance just as these athletes’ lives brings about the desire to win the competition or tournament.
In God’s economy, our victory comes from faith and hope. We don’t win from life’s challenges in our own efforts. We grow in our faith when we continually hope that God is going to deliver and fulfill his promises. Even though we don’t see results or get answers, we look up to the victory that comes only from him.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to rely on you always.
REFLECTION
Please bring me victory over the enemy’s ploys.
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

RADIANCE OF JOY Poem Devotional

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October 26
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Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. – Psalm 34:5(NLT)
RADIANCE OF JOY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you living in shame and darkness?
Are you isolating yourself and living in loneliness?
Give it up, ask help and run to Jesus Christ
He will fill you up with joy and change your life.
Those who look to him for help will be glowing
There is no shadow of shame, only joy overflowing
They will shine like a dazzling light to others
They will radiate God’s joy and change one another.
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Can you spot the difference between a believer and an unbeliever? For those who do not know the Lord, they wouldn’t know the difference. However, those who are Christians would be able to detect the difference. Authentic believers have a certain exuberance in their character. They have this positive and patient attitude that attracts other people to them. Kindness and gentleness radiate in their personalities. They don’t judge others and they are forgiving and understanding. They usually don’t point fingers at other’s mistakes or faults. They are very loving and peaceful people. They know how to rest and they don’t do things to please or get approval. They pursue Jesus through his word and obey his will. There is no trace of shame or darkness in their spirits; just sheer joy.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for the light that you shine on me.
REFLECTION
Why do you think that asking God for help makes a Christian radiant with joy?
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

HOW TO ENJOY LIFE

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August 20
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If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. -1 Peter 3:10(NLT)
HOW TO ENJOY LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you struggling to enjoy your life?
Do you find it difficult to live in God’s light?
If you want to see happy days ahead of you
You need to keep your mind constantly renewed.
Keep your tongue from speaking evil and lies
It will purify your heart and keep you alive
The enemy wants to steal your peace and joy
Satan wants you to stagnate and never grow.
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I spent many years of my life in strife and bitterness. I didn’t even know that I was angry as a result of the many traumatic experiences in my life. I wallowed in self pity parties for so long. One of the ways the enemy trapped me into loneliness and desperation was swearing and telling lies. I manipulated a lot of circumstances so that I can get what I wanted. Lying became automatic and sometimes I get caught in my own lies too. God delivered me from this stronghold and set me free this past decade. I will never do anything to compromise my joy in the Lord now that have his righteousness. The bible tells us to enjoy life but we must keep our tongue from evil and lies.
PRAYER
Help me daily to watch what comes out of my mouth, Lord.
REFLECTION
How can speaking evil and lies deprive you of enjoying 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

REJOICE AND BE GLAD Poem Devotional

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April 5________________________________________
This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. -Psalm 118:24(NLT)
REJOICE AND BE GLAD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you grateful for all the things you have?
God provides for our needs; so rejoice and be glad
He brings us the sunshine so we can be warm
He gave us the rain to grow crops in our farm.
He brought people to love us so we can feel special
He wants us to know that he will always be loyal
Rejoice and be glad that he gave us this day
Enjoy and live it to the fullest everyday
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I have been with so many people who do not know how to enjoy their lives. Their pessimism can affect others around them and I admit that I became joyless for many years. Somehow, the Holy Spirit took hold of my heart early when I was in my teens and whispered to me to enjoy life despite all the pain I was going through. This led me to become hungry for knowledge. I learned to channel all my energies to sports, the performing arts and reading books. I discovered that pursuing and training myself with things that interests me took my mind off all the suffering. I began to enjoy life from all that God gave me. So I learned to rejoice and be glad.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for each day, help me enjoy it and rejoice.
REFLECTION
How can you maintain joy in our lives on a regular basis?
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

REJOICE! Poem Devotional

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March 23________________________________________
My heart rejoices in the Lord! My Lord has made me strong. Now I have an answer for my enemies; I rejoice because you rescued me. -1 Samuel 2:1(NLT)
REJOICE!
A poem and essay by ILMA
It was pitch black and cold in the abyss
I felt so scared and can’t find bliss
The silence was deadening
The isolation was frightening.
Then I heard a voice deep inside me
Saying “I love you, I will set you free!”
I saw a light amidst this darkness
I rejoice from being rescued from loneliness.
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There have been many years of my life that I lived in so much darkness. Because of wrong choices, wrong company and disobedience to God, I reaped the consequences and brought havoc in my life. I was enslaved by the fear of rejection and abandonment and tried to cope with all my traumas by performing and proving that I have worth because the enemy had made me believe I was worthless and unworthy to be loved. I thank God that four years ago, he literally pulled me out of this chasm of darkness and brought me into the light through his word. When the lies were brought out, I felt liberated inside.
The bible tells us that we must rejoice because the Lord makes us strong and he will take care of us. He will always be there to rescue us, so continue to rejoice.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to focus on your light in the midst of darkness.
REFLECTION
What have you fallen into in the past that God rescued you from?
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

FILLED WITH JOY Poem Devotional

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December 22________________________________________
When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. They entered the house and saw the child with his mother Mary. And they bowed down and worshiped him.
– Matthew 2:10-11(NLT)
FILLED WITH JOY
A poem and essay by ILMA
What makes you happy and fulfilled in life?
Is it a miracle or a dream that brings you light?
When the shepherds saw the star shining
They were filled with joy as they were looking
They entered the house and saw the child Jesus
The angels revealed to them and know he is precious
They couldn’t contain their joy, so they had to tell it
Those who heard the miracle also wanted to see him.
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When was the last time you were filled with joy? On my wedding day, I was overwhelmed with so much happiness. It was an amazing feeling to walk in the aisle and watch the man so happy to commit to me for life. That happiness didn’t last long when we had to fly to the Philippines for our honeymoon. The 24-hours flight was tiring and the weather and culture change was another thing to face after having lived in Canada for four years prior to our wedding.
Jesus made me experience joy when he touched my heart one day and made me experience his great love for me just as the shepherds were astounded by the miracle of Jesus’ birth one silent night.
PRAYER
Lord, help me be filled with joy this season.
REFLECTION
How can you bring joy to others this Christmas?
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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

SOURCE OF HOPE, JOY AND PEACE Poem Devotional

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December 10________________________________________
I pray that God, the source of hope will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13(NLT)
SOURCE OF HOPE, JOY AND PEACE
A poem and essay by ILMA
What is weighing you down in life these days?
Is it the suffering and trials that bother you today?
What stops you from experiencing peace?
What is distracting you which doesn’t allow you to see?
The only source of hope is to seek God’s truth in the word
Why are you believing the lies propagated by this world?
Trust in the Lord and in the power of the Almighty
Then you will have hope, joy and tranquility.
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When we are bombarded with so much distractions and desires, we will have difficulty navigating through life in peace. I didn’t have peace for many years in my life because I was a very needy person. I gauge my happiness in my achievements, circumstances and in the knowledge that other people loves me truly. Because of these human cravings, it took me a while to experience joy. When I depended much on the results of my hard work, my thirst for human love and approval was insatiable. No wonder, I felt very hopeless as well. The bible tells us that the only source of hope, joy and peace is God.
PRAYER
Lord, let me always run to your throne and follow you.
REFLECTION
What things distract you from experiencing God’s love, peace and joy?
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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.ARTSTUDIO@gmail.com

THE JOY OF YOUR PRESENCE Poem Devotional

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October 21________________________________________
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. –Psalm 16:11(NLT)
THE JOY OF YOUR PRESENCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Show me how wonderful it is to be in your presence
I long to overcome challenges and learn life’s lessons
Bring me joy that I can only have in your goodness
Help me live in your love and righteousness.
Lead me to the pleasures of living with your forever
I want to soak in your peace and prosperity river
Let me experience your power, might and glory
Transport me from this world into your majesty.
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The word “joy” comes from the Greek root word “chara” and means “to be exceedingly glad. It is not as shallow or as superficial as the word “happiness.” Joy is not dependent on circumstances as happiness is. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he was able to rejoice (where the word joy is extracted from) despite the fact that he was in prison. He felt joyful because the guards in prison was able to hear about the Good News and were saved and he was able to do the work of God despite his circumstance.
The bible tells us that we will only experience joy in God’s presence and in knowing that we are going to live with him forever if we give our whole life to him.
PRAYER
Grant me your presence so I can have joy Lord.
REFLECTION
What experiences in your life gave you much joy?
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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

THE PAIN & JOY OF WOMANHOOD Poem Devotional

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May 16
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Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule you.”
-Genesis3:16 (NLT)
THE PAIN & JOY OF WOMANHOOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you experience pain
You usually have something to gain
While giving birth, it may be unbearable
But beholding your child is pleasurable.
Because women are nurturers, they give more
They worry and care for others to the core
They feel more and are affected by things
They love more and learn from what has been.
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Women are very complex beings. They were made very differently from men. A woman’s brain is like many rooms in it while a man’s brain is just one big room. This is why women can multi-task more than men. When you ask a man what he is thinking, and he answers “Nothing”, this is really true. Women cannot fathom this “nothing” box that men’s brain likes to dwell in. While women can go to many rooms in their brains simultaneously, man has to go into the different boxes in his one big room, one at a time.
In Genesis, we learn the first sin of Adam and Eve and as a consequence of that sin, women were given painful childbirth and submission to their husbands. Out of the pain is the joy of bringing this child into the world.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for women.
REFLECTION
What attributes of a woman fascinates you most?
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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