WALK IN FREEDOM Poem Devotional

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June 4                                                       The Power of God’s Word
I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
–Psalm 119:45(NLT)

A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you walk in love or in fear?
Is your mind constantly stirred?
Do you allow the Spirit to bring you wisdom?
Are you faithful to walk in love to gain freedom?
The commandments will release you from bondage to sin
Obedience to his commands keeps you strong and empowers you within
Walk in freedom by devoting yourself to God’s truth
It frees you from slavery to anything that has taken root.
Generational sins, curses and patterns are attitudes, actions, beliefs, behaviors, and/or habits that we have inherited from our family or relatives. We then “enter into” the same sin pattern and make it our own. It is usually repeated throughout our life as well as by individuals in successive generations. It took many decades before I was released from generational sins passed on in my family of origin. I am thankful to God for breaking the patterns in my family through me. It didn’t exempt me from the effects of these generation sins, but God used it to reclaim me and my entire clan. The bible tells us that freedom is the result of devoting our lives to following God’s commands. Obedience will protect us from the bondage to sin.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to obey you always.
REFLECTION
Why is obedience an integral part in our salvation?

JESUS’ FRIENDS Poem Devotional

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June 3                                                                                  The Power of God’s Word
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.–John 15:14-15 (NLT)

A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you live your life following his commands?
Do you constantly ask and demand?
Do you know God intimately?
Do you seek his word daily?
You are a friend of Jesus when you abide in him
He confides his father’s will so you can be redeemed
You are his friend when you align your life in his will
You’ll hear his voice when you are constantly still.
Have you ever had friends that lasted for a very long time? What did it take to last that long? Friendships take time and effort. You do not just have them and keep them without investing your time and care for them. It takes love, patience and kindness to be able to sustain friendships.
The bible says that we are called Jesus’ friends if we follow his commands. God confides everything to us through his son Jesus, who shared God’s word and his will. What are you going to do with what Jesus intimately shared with you?
PRAYER
Lord, I am honored that you call me a friend.
REFLECTION
How do we nurture the friendship we have with Jesus?

A PLEA FOR ANSWERS Poem Devotional

photo by ILMA

June 2 The Power of God’s Word
Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me for your mercy is plentiful– Psalm 69:16 (NLT)

A poem and essay by ILMA
Lord, where are you when I am in need?
How long will my heart bleed?
I am surrounded by people who don’t show affection
How long will you heal them from their deep affliction?
Oh, how I long to be heard and be seen
Why do unbelievers reject love and chose sin?
Please renew my mind and cease my exhaustion?
Will you show me mercy in all my tribulations?
Have you ever prayed for a long time for someone or something to happen and yet see no answers to your incessant requests? The hardest thing to visually see is the change of heart of people. Only God can see someone’s heart and intentions. We will never be able to know or sense if someone’s heart and mind is being renewed by God. Their actions or circumstances may give us a clue as to what God has done to them. We can never really see or know what is in their hearts.
The bible tells us that God’s love is unfailing and that he takes care of us because he is full of mercy. He lavishes us with mercy and grace always.
PRAYER
Lord, give me wisdom to know when you have answered my prayers.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to never lose hope?

PLEASING AROMA TO GOD Poem Devotional

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June 1 The Power of God’s Word
Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
–Ephesians 5:2 (NLT)

A poem and essay by ILMA
When you live a life full of love
It will give pleasure to the father up above
Jesus loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice
His act of love is a pleasing aroma to God that sufficed
It was this greatest act of surrender that saved us from sin
Redemption was granted when he submitted to God’s will.
Do you know that smell is a very powerful sense? It usually brings us lots of memories. When I went to trauma therapy, my doctor told me that the sense of smell is one of the senses that manifest memories. When I smell peanut butter and grape juice, I recall my grade school days because I usually have them for my snacks in school. It brings me memories of my best friends in grade school.
The bible tells us to walk in love and follow Christ’s example of offering himself as a sacrifice. This act was a pleasing aroma to God. He wants us to emulate Christ who lived in obedience and submission to his father’s will.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to obey and submit to your will.
REFLECTION
How can we walk in love and obedience in this very chaotic world?

LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL Poem Devotional

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May 31                                                                                 The Power of God’s Word
If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine. –Matthew 10:37 (NLT)
LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL
A poem by ILMA
Do you spend more time honoring your father and mother?
Do you take time to pray and be with your heavenly father?
What preoccupies your mind and heart?
Do you invest in spending time with God or stay apart?
If you love your sons or daughters more than the Lord
You do not deserve to be worthy of his love and his word
Love God above all else and you will reap a harvest
He promised all will be will if you make him first.
There are many kinds of things that we can idolize such as a house or a car that we love so much, but what if it is a loved one that is your idol? When you have a family, it is good to be in a healthy relationship with them, but when you prioritize your parents or children more than God, then you are not worthy of being called God’s people. The bible says that we must put God first in all. His command says that we love him first, then our neighbors as ourselves.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to make you first in everything.
REFLECTION
Why should we prioritize God?

FAITH MAKES YOU RECEIVE THE SPIRIT

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May 28                                                                           The Power of God’s Word
You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. –Galatians 3:2 (NLT)
FAITH MAKES YOU RECEIVE THE SPIRIT
When you received Christ as your savior
You also got his spirit living inside your heart and soul
Faith makes your heart the home of Christ
It protects you from the devil’s tactics and lies.
The spirit of God will teach and guide you
It helps your mind to be aware and renewed
It protects you from going against God’s will
It defends you from the enemy’s ploy to steal.
Ephesians 6:12 says: For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. This means that there is a constant spiritual war that we don’t visually see, but is real. How can we win a battle when we don’t know how the enemy’s strategies? The devil has kept many people living in lies that gave him a foothold on their hearts. They became his slaves.
The bible tells us that faith makes us receive the Spirit of God. It is the first step to allowing the spirit to work and strengthen us to win the spiritual battle of unseen forces. It is the spirit that corrects us and teaches us to do right.
PRAYER
Lord, let your spirit stay in my heart.
REFLECTION
Why is faith essential in salvation?

EXAMINE YOUR WAYS

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May 27                                                                             The Power of God’s Word
Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the Lord. Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven. –Lamentations 3:40-41 (NLT)
When things don’t go well in your life
Do you examine your ways or continually fight?
Do you resort to blaming and pitying yourself?
Why not confess instead and ask God for help.
When rebellion and disobedience dominate your heart
Everything is a struggle no matter where you start
Lift your heart and hands to God in heaven
He will protect and provide you with a haven.
Do you examine your ways on a daily basis? Many people do not reflect on what they think and do. Actions speak out our minds and hearts. Our decisions and reactions are greatly influenced by what preoccupy our minds. If we constantly think of negative things, the results will be destructive choices. On the other hand, if we renew our minds and feed it with the truth that comes from God, we will reap all the promises he has made to us. We will harvest the fruits of the spirit and have peace and joy.
In Lamentations, we are summoned to examine and test our ways and turn back to the Lord. We must lift our hearts and hands to God in prayer and supplication.
PRAYER
Lord, hold captive my heart and mind.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to examine our thoughts and ways regularly?

WISDOM BUILDS, FOOLISHNESS DESTROYS Poem Devotional

eugenia falls and chasing clouds 579May 26                                                                         The Power of God’s WordA wise woman builds her home but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. –Proverbs 14:1 (NLT)Does love and kindness live in your home?Is perseverance and trust your goals during a storm?A wise woman builds her home with faith and hard workShe’s a foundation that makes this life a better world.Are you obsessed with power and ambition?Does it bring you happiness and more possessions?A foolish woman prioritizes material things that doesn’t lastShe tears down her home with her own hands in a blast.If you have met someone who is very wholesome and intact, that person probably comes from a home where wisdom prevailed. She or he might have been raised by either a wise mother or grandmother. On the other hand, look at the story behind delinquents or criminals. Behind their stories you will probably discover a foolish woman who controlled their lives which contributed to their destructive tendencies.The bible presents to us two kinds of women, the wise one and the foolish one. The wise woman is nurturing and walks in love. She thinks of her family’s welfare. The foolish one is only concerned with herself. She couldn’t care less about other people’s needs. Her independent behavior leads to her home’s destruction and chaos.PRAYERLord, please guide all women to be nurturers and lovers of God.REFLECTIONWhat is the role of women in our society?

GOD IN NATURE Poem Devotional

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May 24                                                                                 The Power of God’s Word
Only fools say in their hearts, ”There is no God.” They are corrupt and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! Psalm 53:1(NLT)
GOD IN NATURE
Tulips gracefully rising, cupping the sun’s light coming out
What a beautiful spring sunny day where birds come about
Leaves sprouting out from the branches of some trees
They finally come to life and survive the severe winter freeze.
Only fools say “There is no God”
The trees, birds and flowers give him laud
God cares and nourishes all his creatures
He manifests himself in all of nature.
Many unbelievers claim that there is no god. They make all kinds of theories of how the universe and everything came about. They concoct all kinds of stories to disprove the existence of God. The enemy has blinded them with lies that appear like truth to them. Their choice to believe these lies deprive them to see that there is a God who is magnificent and has created everything we can’t explain and understand.
Psalm 53 talks about fools that claim there is no God. They are corrupt and choose evil deeds. What will it take for people to believe that there is a higher being who made everything? Just watch the birds, the trees, the flowers, the river, the seas, and the skies. Who can create such magnificence?
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your presence in nature!
REFLECTION
Soak yourself in nature and feel God’s presence.

SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT Poem Devotional

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May 23                                                                              The Power of God’s Word
My nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me and from finishing his work. –John 4:34 (NLT)
SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT
Do you feed on God’s truth and his word?
Are you contented with what is in this world?
Spiritual nourishment comes from doing God’s will
Starving your spirit brings havoc and makes you ill.
Just as your body needs food to keep alive
So does your spirit needs truth to break the lies
Feed your spirit with what will make you see
Seeking and following God’s will is what sets you free.
It is amazing how so many people put so much emphasis on their physical well being. They spend much money being a member of a health club or a gym just so they can look good and stay fit. Sadly, the mental and spiritual health is often neglected by many of us. This is one of the reasons why so many people are mentally or spiritually ill. Because we see our bodies and not our minds and spirit, it is often ignored.
The bible tells us that our nourishment must come from doing God’s will who gave us life. Our purpose in life is not just to care for our bodies, but also to put priority to the real reason for our existence. We were created to fit in God’s big plan.
PRAYER
Lord, help me keep spiritually fit.
REFLECTION
Why do we need to feed our spirits?