November 3
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JOY IN TRIALS
A poem by ILMA
When you encounter trials, don’t be discouraged
Instead, look at the upside of it and take courage
These trials will show your faith is genuine
It will test how you are going to endure.
Such trials will make you strong like being tested on fire
It will bring much praise and glory when Christ is revealed
When you love Christ even though you’ve never seen him
The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your soul.
This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know
They prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you
They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you
This Good News has been preached by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.
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MEMORY VERSE
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. – 1 Peter 1:6
Read: 1 Peter 1:6-12
When we encounter adversities in life, we often become discouraged or hopeless or desperate. But there is actually an upside to trials. They grow us. We learn to endure and become able to have patience to suffer long. When our faith grows, we become almost perfect, needing nothing. It gives us a chance to be refined through the fire just like how gold and silver are put to the test in fire.
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REFLECTION
• How can one have the ability to look at the bright side to challenges and trials in life?
• Why are such trials important for our maturity as Christians?
• Why do worldly people see trials as a bad thing? What are they missing when they look at it this way?
• How can we train ourselves to see trials as a test that we need to pass?
Tag Archives: trials
ON ENDURING HARDSHIPS
July 6
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If we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us.
-2 Timothy 2:12(NLT)
ON ENDURING HARDSHIPS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you going through difficult times now?
Don’t worry; continue to believe and never doubt
If we endure hardship, we will reign with Christ
If we deny it, we will lose reason to live in this life.
Remember that Jesus experienced the worst suffering
Just look up the cross and keep on remembering
Hardships can stretch our character and discipline
It gives us the power to overcome sin and win.
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There is a misnomer in our society today that we should have a trouble-free life. Many people are in pursuit of happiness and getting what they want. I used to chase these same things before God changed my heart. I endured hardship in a way that God didn’t want me to. I used my talents and skills to overcome adversities and never really relied on God’s grace and mercy. I proved to others that I am a survivor and took pride in it. It was the worldly way to endure hardships. But when I was saved, God showed me that all the things I went through had a purpose. It was to bring me strength and character so I could contribute to build up his kingdom and to spread the good news about his redemption through Jesus Christ.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember that you died for me.
REFLECTION
What do you usually do when you encounter difficulties?
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
BLESSING IN DISGUISE Poem Devotional
October 22________________________________________
So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is more precious than real gold.
-1Peter 1:6-7 (NLT)
BLESSING IN DISGUISE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you go through many trials and difficulties
Don’t despair! It purifies you and leads you to victory
These hardships will show your genuine faith
It tests how much you can endure and change your fate.
So, be truly glad when your faith is tested
It means that God is refining the people he created
He is preparing you for a bigger task and calling
Don’t forget to thank him for the disguised blessing.________________________________________
Blessing in disguise is and idiom which means a bad thing at first but later on turns out to be good. Remember that the God will never give us anything that is beyond what we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). I had so much pain and traumas as a child. It came to a point of desperation and wanted to end my agony at age 14. I didn’t understand until in my early 50s what God was doing to prepare me for this ministry to spread his word. I am truly glad that he made me endure all the pain. It was a test of my faith.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for all the blessings in disguise.
REFLECTION
What blessings do you enjoy now that was a result of all your trials?
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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
WICKEDNESS OBSTRUCTS BLESSINGS Poem Devotional
January 31
Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things. –Jeremiah 5:25(NLT)
WICKEDNESS OBSTRUCTS BLESSINGS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you get tired and frustrated at life’s challenges?
When you get trial after trial yet nothing changes
Wickedness may be lurking behind all these poverty
Sin robs you of all harvest and prosperity.
Wickedness and evil deprive you of God’s blessings
It opens the door wide to the enemy
Repent, confess and ask God’s forgiveness
Then you will be amazed at how you’ll be blessed.
Do you struggle in life and go through difficulties and trials day after day? I used to live a turbulent life. Just before one difficulty is over, I have another one coming. It was unending. Sin thrived in my life during my early adult life. Denying the sins I was doing kept me from receiving God’s blessings. When my son was born right in my late twenties, God convicted me of these sins and I surrendered my life to him. He poured to me so many blessings after I sought him. It was unbelievably amazing. All my needs were met plus more to share with others.
The bible tells us that wickedness deprives us of blessings. Sin robs us of good things from God. Obedience and faithfulness opens the door to blessings from God.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me faithful and obedient to you.
REFLECTION
Share what blessings you received after giving up sin.
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
UPSIDE OF SUFFERING Poem Devotional
November 27 The Power of God’s Word
I am glad when I suffer for you in my body for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continued for his body, the church. –Colossians 1:26 (NLT)
UPSIDE OF SUFFERING
A poem and essay by ILMA
What do you do when you are continually abused and people put you down?
Do you react by being angry, withdraw or do you succumb?
Believers are called to embrace suffering, just like Christ
We are called to participate in his body without a fight.
We don’t need to endure when there is no resistance
The test is in the trials; that is the source of patience
The upside of suffering is going through the finish
Focus on the kingdom and you’ll be able to put up with the anguish.
Human suffering is part of life. The “world” has bombarded society with the avoidance of suffering. We live in a “microwave age” where everything is about quick self-gratification. Society has put so much premium on getting quick fixes and fast results in almost everything.
Paul teaches the Colossians to look at the upside of suffering. He invites believers to be glad when they suffer in their bodies. It is a privilege to partake in Christ’s suffering. By dying to our wants and desires, we are participating in the suffering that Christ endured in order to pay in full our debts and free us from sin.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to endure quietly.
REFLECTION
What challenges are you enduring for Christ?
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
THE SOURCE OF COMFORT Poem devotional
June 20 The Power of God’s Word
God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us–2 Corinthians 2:3-4 (NLT)
THE SOURCE OF COMFORT
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you seek comfort from all your troubles?
Does it seem like you are buried in the rubbles?
The heavenly Father is the only source of comfort
He will carry your burden and give you support.
He consoles us in trials so we can soothe others
He expects us to do the same to our sisters and brothers
Amidst sufferings, God exudes his love, grace and mercy
We ought to share what we received and be a blessing.
We live in a world where people obsess about comfort. We want to avoid inconveniences. We work very hard to make our lives and our families comfortable. We rely so much on our own strength to ensure that we live lives of comfort. We resist any form of change that will compromise these comfort zones.
The bible tells us that the only source of comfort is God. He brings us comfort during our troubles but he expects us to give back the same comfort we received to others. He gives us strength to share it.
PRAYER
Lord, bring me someone I could bless.
REFLECTION
How can you give back comfort to others?