WHEN YOU REJECT THE WORD Poem Devotional

September 2________________________________________
It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.
– Acts 13:46(NLT)
WHEN YOU REJECT THE WORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you first heard the word of God
Did you heed it or did you turn your back?
It’s essential the word is preached to believers
But when they reject the word, they’re rebelling.
Once you defy Scriptures, you are losing out in life
It is the only way we will be led to God’s glorious light
The word is the only food we have for our spirit
We will be struggling and lost without it.
________________________________________
There were many years of my life when I didn’t know the word of God. I wasn’t raised in a Christ believing family. And yet, the Holy Spirit has taught me that I have a friend in Jesus. No one talked to me about the Lord but something inside me told me that there is someone who watches over me. I believed and was faithful to keep my relationship with the Lord even when I really didn’t know his word. When I was in my late twenties, I began to read Scriptures. It was amazing what I discovered. Yet, I didn’t really follow what it said. When I finally studied and obeyed it, it transformed me.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, show me who to share the word with.
REFLECTION
Why do you think people would reject the word of 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

REFUSING TO DO RIGHT Poem Devotional

May 12________________________________________
You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. -Genesis 4:7(NLT)
REFUSING TO DO RIGHT
A poem and essay by ILMA
We are always given choices to make
Do you think long or choose in haste?
When you refuse to do what is right
You endanger your own life.
When you choose to do wrong
Sin will easily crouch at your door
It will control you and keep you in slavery
Do what’s right and you will have victory.
________________________________________
Why is it easy to do what is wrong? Our human nature is bent on it. Because of the fall in the Garden of Eden, we are prone to do that is wrong and it takes only God’s grace and mercy to do the right thing. Because of our sin nature, it is not second nature for us to do good. That is why it is important for us to have a close relationship with the Lord. It gives us strength and wisdom to choose what God wants for us. It straightens our bent nature.
The bible says that you will be accepted if you do what’s right. If you refuse to do so, the you will be very vulnerable and become easy prey to the devil. Sin will easily take over to control you.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, thank you so much for letting me be protected.
REFLECTION
How can we easily say “yes” to 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

STUBBORNNESS DESTROYS Poem Devotional

barrie-visit-2011-411

October 16
________________________________________
Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. -Proverbs 29:1(NLT)
STUBBORNNESS DESTROYS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Is your life full of hardships and suffering?
Have you been obstinate in following?
Those who can’t take criticism
All they want to do is to argue and win
They will be destroyed beyond recovery
The devil will continually con them into slavery
The Lord detests defiance and rebelliousness
He considers it witchcraft when you are lawless.
________________________________________
The life of Christ is full of obedience and humility. This is the reason why he was able to save humankind from our folly and sin. Christians are summoned to live a life like Jesus in order to thrive in this life. The world on the other hand offers us a very different way to live. The world focuses on material gain, power and winning by disobedience and disrespect.
I was a very stubborn person for many decades of my life and I can attest to this verse because it surely destroyed me and led me to more sins. Each act of lawlessness was equivalent to endless troubles and sufferings. This stronghold was one of those many that God delivered me from. I thank him that he pulled me out of it. It took over 50 years to get out of it which was a result of my resistance and denial. Learn to accept criticism and learn from it.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to have an openness to your convictions.
REFLECTION
Why do you think stubbornness is considered witchcraft or divination according to 1 Samuel 15:23?

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

DON’T TEST THE LORD YOUR GOD Poem Devotional

wasaga 3rd anniv picnic & beatrice 3rd visit 124

June 8
________________________________________
Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.”
-Matthew 4:7(NLT)
DON’T TEST THE LORD YOUR GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you rebel against authority and force your demands
You are actually testing and questioning the Lord and his commands
When you are selfish, arrogant and think you know everything
You are challenging the Lord for a fight over something.
Don’t test the Lord your God for he knows what’s best for you
His thoughts are not your thoughts because he knows the truth
Whenever you don’t believe in his goodness and his character
You are asking for a fight that you will surely end up as the loser.
________________________________________
The book of Matthew chapter 4 narrates the temptation of Jesus by the devil during his forty days of fasting. The devil used all kinds of tricks to entice Jesus to prove that he is the Son of God. The devil tempted Jesus to turn stone to bread, then to give Jesus the glory of his worldly kingdom if Jesus will worship him, then ask Jesus to jump off the cliff so he can be saved by God’s angels from falling. All of Jesus’ response started with “The Scriptures say” and in the end he says “Don’t test the Lord your God.”
We can test the Lord by unbelief, asking him to prove himself, slandering his character and grieving his spirit.
PRAYER
Lord, forgive me when I allow the enemy to use me to test you.
REFLECTION
When have you ever tested the Lord your 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

INTERCESSION FOR THE LAWLESS Poem Devotional

canadablooms 019 (2)

March 11
Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your instructions.
– Psalm 119:136(NLT)
INTERCESSION FOR THE LAWLESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever I see Christians rebelling against God
It’s hard to watch their hearts go hard
Rivers of tears gush from my eyes
I pray that they be delivered from sin and lies.
I feel so much sorrow to witness their rebellion
I cry out to God so they can be led to salvation
Lord, free them from slavery to lawlessness
Show them the way to your righteousness.
When I was saved, God began to show me what my generational sins were and how I could be freed from them. It was through his word that I got free from all the lies that were perpetuated by the enemy for many years in my family. It took a while before I actually clearly understood why my life was such a mess and why there was so much suffering and pain. The minute I gave up rebellion, arrogance and pride, a lot of things became clearer. It was the spirit of rebellion and trauma that ran in my family for many generations.
Now that Jesus has set me free, it pains me to watch those who have turned their backs to God and have hardened their hearts.
PRAYER
Lord, please lead the rebels back to you.
REFLECTION
How can a Christian help other lost believers to return to God?
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

STUBBORNESS BRINGS DESTRUCTION Poem Devotional

IMG_2199

February 1
But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. – Romans 2:5(NLT)
STUBBORNESS BRINGS DESTRUCTION
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you been obstinate to admit your sins?
Do you know that it leads you to ruin?
Stubbornness is a manifestation of pride
It clearly indicates that you do not want to abide.
When you continually rebel against God’s truth
You are inviting destruction to take root
When you turn your back on God’s commands
You will find that ruin is at hand.
Samuel tells King Saul that rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshipping idols. (1 Samuel 15:23) Because the king rejected the Lord’s command, he was stripped of his position as king. Samuel anointed Saul as king through God’s instruction, but he became proud, stubborn and refused to follow God. Because of his disobedience, God took away his anointing as king and gave it to someone else.
Paul was teaching the Romans the aftermath of stubbornness. He said that when someone rebels, they store up terrible punishments for themselves, just like digging their own graveyard. As Samuel likens rebellion to witchcraft and stubbornness to idolatry, we can clearly see how God loathes it.
PRAYER
Lord, let me constantly obey you.
REFLECTION
Cite an instance when stubbornness let you to trouble.
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