December 15
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MICAH’S PROPHECY OF THE FUTURE REIGN
A poem by ILMA
In the last days, the mountain of the LORD’s house will reign
It will be the highest of all— the most important place on earth
It will be raised above the other hills, and all will stream there to worship
People from all nations will say “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD
Let’s go to the house of Jacob’s God, There, he will teach us his ways,
The LORD’s teaching will go out from Zion and his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The LORD will mediate between peoples and settle fights between strong nations
They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks
Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore
Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
There will be nothing to fear for the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!
Though the nations around us follow their idols, we will follow God forever and ever.
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MEMORY VERSE
Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their own grapevines and fig trees,
for there will be nothing to fear. The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has made this promise!
– Micah 4:4
Read: Micah 4:1-5
Micah’s prophecy is a promise that the people of God need to look up to. It is important to focus on God’s promises especially when we are going through a lot of trials and challenges in our lives. What is interesting in this prophecy is how God mediates between people of God and the strong enemies from different nations. But the promise of peace and prosperity and the absence of fear are the most hopeful of all the future prophecies.
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REFLECTION
• Why should believers make God the main focus of their lives? What happens when they don’t?
• Why is important for us to give up any idols that will compromise our relationship with God?
Tag Archives: peace
LET PEACE RULE YOUR HEARTS Poem Devotional
September 29
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LET PEACE RULE YOUR HEARTS
A poem by ILMA
Most importantly, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us in harmony
And let the peace that comes from Christ dominate your minds and hearts
As part of the body of Christ, you are called to live in peace
Be thankful always and let Christ’s message in all its richness fill your lives.
Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives
Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus
Be grateful to God the Father through his one and only Son.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for all believers
Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly
Children, always obey your parents, for this pleases the Lord
Fathers, don’t provoke your children, or they will become discouraged.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do and please them always
Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord
Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward.
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MEMORY VERSE
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. – Colossians 3:15
Read: Colossians 3:14-25
I think a lot of people misconstrue the real meaning of peace. Peace isn’t absence of conflict. One can have peace amidst conflict. If you remember the commotion that Paul brought about while he was preaching in the Book of Acts, we see how he had peace in his heart despite all these people who had been plotting all the while to kill him. We are told to let the peace that comes from Jesus, dominate our hearts.
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REFLECTION
• What challenges do you face these days that challenges you to keep peace?
THE PROMISE OF PEACE & PROSPERITY Poem Devotional
September 9________________________________________
The Lord will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. Everyone will live in peace and prosperity. – Micah 4:3,4(NLT)
THE PROMISE OF PEACE & PROSPERITY
A poem and essay by ILMA
To those who abide in the Lord Jesus Christ
They are promised a mediator who will settle fights
No longer will there be war, chaos and confusion
He will mediate between peoples and settle the misperception.
The Lord is the peacemaker and he will grant you calm
Run to him so you can experience his mediation and love
He promises peace and prosperity to those who follow him
Why would you compromise the peace and with constant sin?
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I lived many years of my life without peace. It was a life full of chaos and confusion. Because I didn’t live for the Lord, I didn’t know his promises to those who love him. I was living in the world and it was ignorant to live that way especially since I have committed my life to Jesus since I was seven years old. When someone decides to turn to him, he will mediate between peoples and nations and make that person experience peace. It took me almost five decades to hear God’s conviction about how I have lived my life those many years. When I decided to obey the Lord, I began experiencing peace and calm. Blessings came pouring down on me.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me pursue peace constantly.
REFLECTION
How can we constantly pursue peace?
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
SIMPLY PEACEFUL Poem Devotional
July 14________________________________________
Better a dry crust eaten in peace than a house filled with feasting and conflict.
– Proverbs 17:1(NLT)
SIMPLY PEACEFUL
A poem and essay by ILMA
It is always good to be peaceful
Whether you are empty or full
Better a dry crust eaten in peace
Than luxurious food but in conflict.
We are commanded to live in harmony
It brings us closer to victory
It is better to be simply peaceful
Rather than stay anxious and fretful.
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According to Strong’s definition of “peace”, when we hear the word peace, which this word is usually translated as, we usually associate this to mean an absence of war or strife. However, the Hebrew word shalom has a very different meaning. The verb form of the root word is shalam and is usually used in the context of making restitution. When a person has caused another to become deficient in some way, such as a loss of livestock, it is the responsibility of the person who created the deficiency to restore what has been taken, lost or stolen. The verb shalam literally means to make whole or complete. The noun shalom has the more literal meaning of being in a state of wholeness, or being without deficiency.
The bible tells us that we ought to pursue peace and embrace it at all cost. It tells us in Proverbs that it is better to live in peace with the simple things rather than have luxury but in conflict.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to never engage in conflicts.
REFLECTION
How can we live simply in peace all the time?
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
PEACE BE ON THIS HOUSE Poem Devotional
June 9________________________________________
Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, “May God’s peace be on this house.”
– Luke 10:5(NLT)
PEACE BE ON THIS HOUSE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you enter someone’s home
Do you bless it as you enter the main door?
When you share the peace to someone’s dwelling
You will also get a share of God’s blessings.
Declare God’s peace on the house and their owners
Using the word of God will breathe life to believers
Make it a habit to share the fruits of the Spirit
Because it will definitely please the Holy Spirit.
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One of the most important fruit of the Holy Spirit is “peace.” This is probably why we are encouraged in the bible to pursue it at all cost. Psalm 34:14 says that we have to turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it. James 3:18 discusses the reward of sowing peace which is righteousness.
There were many years of my life that “peace” was a novelty. Because of the many strongholds and generational sins that was passed on to me, I didn’t have any clue how to pursue it. I thought it was something that happens when you have all you want. What a twisted way of thinking I had then.
One of the things that God wants us to do is to bless a person’s home when we enter their dwelling places.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember to bless others with peace when I enter their homes.
REFLECTION
Why do you think it is important to bestow blessings of peace in a home?
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
CHOOSE PEACE OVER CONFLICT Poem Devotional
March 6
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Don’t pick a fight without reason, where no one has done you harm. -Proverbs 3:30(NLT)
CHOOSE PEACE OVER CONFLICT
A poem and essay by ILMA
A true believer pursues peace at all times
Conflicts or arguments, he doesn’t find
When someone has done you wrong
Pray and gently confront the person.
Don’t pick a fight without reason
Jesus will never overreact to treason
He kept silent instead of retaliating
He chose peace over all kinds of fighting.
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Psalm 34:14 asks us to turn from evil and do good, to seek peace and pursue it. Hebrews 12:14 says that we must make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy.
Romans 14:19 tells us to aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. James 3:18 states that those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. Why do you think God asks us to choose peace over conflict?
In English, the word peace means an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities or a personality free from internal or external strife. The bible meaning of peace is deeper than this English definition. The Hebrew root “slm” means to be complete or whole or to be well. No wonder we are commanded to pursue it. Peace is not just a passive result of not having conflicts. It is a state of wholeness that God wants us to always be experiencing.
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PRAYER
Lord, show me whenever my peace is being compromised.
REFLECTION
How can a person literally pursue peace on a daily 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
PEACE OF MIND AND HEART Poem Devotional
October 22
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I am leaving you a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid. -John 14:27(NLT)
PEACE OF MIND AND HEART
A poem and essay by ILMA
It is only by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ
That you will receive peace in your heart and mind
The world will never be able to give you such peace
The enemy brings confusion, chaos and conflicts.
The Lord is the only giver of life and peace
Believe in him and you will be able to see
Pursue peace, do not be troubled or fearful
The Lord never leaves you, he is always faithful.
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Peace was a novelty in the first fifty years of my life. I thrived in conflicts and confusion. Being marinated in traumas and abuse most of my life taught me how to choose the familiar, which was a life of chaos. When one is exposed to much emotional pain and lack, one learns to live with it. It becomes comfortable to be surrounded by struggles. You even look for it when you don’t have it.
Thanks be to God that he delivered me from the bondage of conflict and pain. When I re-committed my life to him, he put an end to the cycle of confusion and traumas in my life for good. He taught me how to receive the peace he has given me from the beginning of his creation.
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PRAYER
Lord, remind me to always pursue peace all the time.
REFLECTION
What things strips you of peace in 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
LIVE IN PEACE AND THANKFULNESS Poem Devotional
October 9
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And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. – Colossians 3:15(NLT)
LIVE IN PEACE AND THANKFULNESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Peace can only come by allowing Christ to rule your life
It is a fruit that is given to those who commit to Christ
As members of one body, you are called to live in peace
Be thankful in all things and constantly seek God and heed.
The Lord will provide for all your needs; trust him completely
He will never forsake you, he loves you faithfully
Pursue peace and always have a thankful heart
It will protect you from all evil and let Satan depart.
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What do you have to thank for today? It is amazing how many of us forget to give thanks to the Lord for big or little things we receive from him. Do we really praise the Lord for all that we have no matter what it is? It is easy to thank him for something we have wanted to have, but do we also thank him for the trials, the suffering, the losses, the illnesses? We forget to thank him for stretching our patience, having strength, enduring and being resilient to face all our struggles. We are summoned in the bible to pursue peace at all cost and give thanks.
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PRAYER
Grant me a thankful heart and attitude Lord.
REFLECTION
How can we really show gratitude to God on a daily 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
GIFT OF PEACE Poem Devotional
June 23________________________________________
I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. – John 14:27(NLT)
GIFT OF PEACE
A poem and essay by ILMA
As soon as you declared Jesus as your Lord and Savior
His Spirit lives in you and he will help you in all troubles
You will have peace that surpasses all understanding
He will give you a life that will have much blessings.
Peace is not something you achieve or work for
It is a gift that comes from knowing God’s word
Do not be troubled or afraid for he is your Lord
Guard your heart; make sure you live by his word.
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There were many decades of my life that I didn’t experience peace. I was doing my best to achieve peace through works. It didn’t work that way because it is a gift from the Lord. I cannot force to get it. No wonder I lived a very troubled life for many years because I didn’t have the wisdom to know that I already have it when Jesus died for me. I just needed to access it. It is amazing how we go in circles not even recognizing that we already have all we need to live a righteous and blessed life. God gave us this gift when he sent his only Son to die for us.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your peace that exceeds all understanding.
REFLECTION
How can one access the gift of peace 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
GOD SPEAKS PEACE
May 20________________________________________
I listen carefully to what God the LORD is saying, for he speaks peace to his faithful people. But let them not return to their foolish ways. -Psalm 85:8(NLT)
GOD SPEAKS PEACE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you hear what the Lord requires from his people?
He wants you to pursue peace and be faithful
The Lord is after those who seek him without ceasing
Don’t forget his word and always meditate on his teachings.
God wants you to choose peace, it shows that you trust him
When you do, you’ll be able to resist the devil and avoid sin
Hear the Lord’s call and don’t return to your foolish ways
Store his words in your heart so you can win without delay.
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Before I became a born again Christian, I often wondered why it was so easy to dwell on the negative and a lot of effort to focus on the positive. Now I know that without the blood of Jesus, I can’t do anything. Since we live in a fallen world and we are all sinners, it is effortless to be inclined to do the negative things. This is the difference when you are born again. The Holy Spirit lives in you and transforms your heart and mind. You are a new person who seeks the Lord and pursue peace at all times.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for reminding me to pursue peace.
REFLECTION
What distracts you from the pursuit of peace? How can you keep focused on seeking peace?
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