Tag Archives: pardon

HARDENED HEARTS HINDER GROWTH Poem Devotional

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December 2________________________________________
When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of these people are hardened.
– Matthew 13:14-15 (NLT)
HARDENED HEARTS HINDER GROWTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
People who live in un-forgiveness and offense
They are very vulnerable and lose their defense
This opens door for them not to hear what God says
It keeps them blind and waylaid to another easy way.
A hardened heart makes us unable to have joy
One becomes mistrusting and always on guard
Hardened hearts hinder growth and relations
It brings about chaos, conflict and isolation.
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There were many years of my life spent in un-forgiveness and offense. I thank the Lord that he has released me from a hardened heart. It was shocking to discover that even though I thought I was a forgiving person. It took me many years to uncover that it was “me” that I never forgave. I didn’t realize that I blamed myself for allowing abuse to permeate my life. I couldn’t understand how God allowed bad things to happen to me. I wasn’t aware that even bad events can be used by God for good. One of the hindrances to a person’s spiritual growth is a hardened heart. Try to teach someone who is un-forgiving and he only hears his pain and being victimized. Let go of the hardness of your heart so you can grow spiritually.
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PRAYER
Lord, forgive me when I succumb to pride.
REFLECTION
How is pride usually the source of a hardened heart?
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

FORGIVENESS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST Poem Devotional

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September 3________________________________________
“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.” – Acts 13:38(NLT)
FORGIVENESS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you think you can forgive others easily
You’re wrong, only Christ can grant mercy
Without faith in him, it is impossible to forgive
Go and request his grace and learn to receive.
Jesus died on the cross to pardon our sins
No other gods have conquered death and win
Through his blood, we can have grace to forgive
Commit your life to him, and constantly believe.
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The hardest thing to do is to forgive someone you love who has betrayed you. I have been betrayed by many loved ones. It was many years before I realized that it took a while for me to forgive others. Just saying “I forgive them Lord” didn’t really mean I wasn’t going to go through the process of healing the pain it inflicted on me. It took even longer to forgive myself for allowing these people to abuse, minimize and neglect me. When I became born again, I suddenly got revelations that I was forgiving the “worldly” way. I learned that when I have forgiven someone, I have already discarded the list of wrongs they have done to me.
The bible tells us that we can only forgive because God loved and forgave us first. Without him, it’s impossible to forgive.
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PRAYER
Lord, grant me grace to forgive easily.
REFLECTION
Who was that person who was most challenging to forgive? How did you eventually grant that person forgiveness?
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 YOU SHOW MERCY Poem Devotional

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April 10________________________________________
There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you. -James 2:13 (NLT)
WHEN YOU SHOW MERCY
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you give mercy to others quickly
The Lord will forgive you easily
There’ll be no mercy to those who are merciless
You will be judged when you don’t grant forgiveness.
When you show mercy, you are loving
When you deny it, you are sinning
Granting forgiveness when others ask it
Is the key to living a life led by Spirit.
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The Lord’s Prayer specifically states that we are to forgive others first before we can ask him for forgiveness. We cannot ask something that we have not given to others. How can we expect to receive something that we have deprived others of? God is a very merciful, faithful and loving God. According to Lamentations, he gives us mercy afresh each morning. We need to live in his grace and when we do, he also expects us to give what we have been given.
James warns us of the judgment we will get when we don’t grant others the mercy that God has generously given us. He also reminds us how he will lavish us with mercy when we do forgive others.
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PRAYER
Lord, remind me to always be quick to forgive and to ask for forgiveness for my own sins.
REFLECTION
Why do you think it is hard for many people to be merciful 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

FORGIVE AS YOU ARE FORGIVEN Poem Devotional

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November 12
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Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. – Colossians 3:13(NLT)
FORGIVE AS YOU ARE FORGIVEN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you easily get offended with others’ fault?
Make allowance for one another’s mistakes
Forgive others as you were forgiven by God
Don’t hold on to resentment, indifference or hate.
Remember that Christ has died on the cross
He sacrificed his life so you won’t be lost
He grants you fresh mercy each morning
Don’t give in to offense; count your blessings.
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When people experience abuse and was treated harshly, they either become abusive or embrace the victim role. In my case, I assumed the victim role for many years. I got attracted to abusive people and somehow allowed myself to be victimized over and over again. When the Lord revealed to me the stronghold of violence in my life and healed me from the pain, I learned to receive his mercy. I was very easily offended before I became a born again Christian. I saw things in the filter of the abuses I went through.
The bible tells us that we need to make allowances for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends us. Paul reminds us to meditate on how God forgave our sins so we can emulate his generosity to grant mercy right away.
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PRAYER
Lord, grant me a heart that easily forgives.
REFLECTION
Why is forgiveness essential in 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

BE COMPASSIONATE & FORGIVE Poem Devotional

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August 23
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Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. – Colossians 3:13(NLT)
BE COMPASSIONATE & FORGIVE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When someone hurts or offends you seriously
Be compassionate, don’t take offense, forgive quickly
When you grant forgiveness, you will also be given mercy
The Lord wants you to make allowances wholeheartedly.
Do not allow the spirit of offense to consume you
Turn from your old self, Christ has made you new
Forgive infinitely and you will receive eternal salvation
He ransomed you and made it possible to gain redemption.
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Are you easily offended by other’s faults? I used to easily react and question the motives of people. Because of my traumatic past, it is really hard not to protect myself from possible harm or offensive attacks by others. It made me on guard about people’s purpose for inflicting pain on me. It was a life full of defense. I didn’t realize that I lived a life of fear and control. I wanted to make sure that no one is going to hurt me again and that I am always ready in case they do. It robbed me of my peace and good relationships with others.
The bible tells us that we have to make allowances for other people’s faults and shortcomings. We are reminded how much the Father forgave us all from our sins through Jesus.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to be generous with forgiveness.
REFLECTION
What do you think will happen if you stay upset and unforgiving to someone?
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