ACCESSING GOD’S GRACE

Posted on August 28, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 28 The Power of God’s Word
For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.
– Galatians 5:4(NLT)
ACCESSING GOD’S GRACE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who are legalistic and religiously follow the law
Watch out! You become an easy prey to the foe
God doesn’t want us to live only to follow a set of rules
He wants us to trust him completely and not be a fool.
When you focus on the law, you break away from Christ
When you work to earn points to make yourself right
There’s a chance you lose accessing God’s grace
Instead, he wants us to walk in love constantly and grow in faith.
Have you ever worked at earning points by doing good works and following a set of rules and regulations? I used to do it all the time. As children, we were told to follow a set of rules to protect us because we don’t have the maturity to understand consequences of actions. Sadly, many people reach adulthood but still in bondage to human traditions. We are cautioned not to be bound by it in Mark 7:8. If you try to make yourself right with God through following laws and traditions, you are cut off from Christ and have fallen away from God’s grace.
PRAYER
Lord, help me mature in faith.
REFLECTION
How does love break down legalism?

UNCOMPROMISED TRUTH Poem Devotional

Posted on August 27, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 27 The Power of God’s Word
You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.
– 2 Corinthians 11:4(NLT)
UNCOMPROMISED TRUTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you do not seek God and his word
You are vulnerable to be corrupted by the world
If you happily put up with whatever anyone tells you
You will be blinded and pulled away from the truth.
Have a constant hunger for what will set you free
When you study God’s ways, you will clearly see
Whenever they present lies and wrong teachings
You can easily detect what is incorrect and missing.
The apostle Paul was lovingly warning the church in Corinth about many false teachings and teachers and prophets thriving during his time. The enemy is still so much at work in our current society. Satan deceives many people with twisted teachings that seem like the real thing. How can we protect ourselves from these counterfeits?
The bible warns us not to put up with false teachings. The only way we can discern a lie from the truth is by studying the bible. If we know it by heart, then we can clearly see the difference.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your guidance and love.
REFLECTION
How can you protect yourself from deception and lies?

GLORY ONLY TO CHRIST Poem Devotional

Posted on August 26, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 26 The Power of God’s Word
You must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All glory to him both now and forever. – 2 Peter 3:18(NLT)
GLORY ONLY TO CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whatever you do in obedience to God
It will bring him glory and applaud
Remember that you are nothing without him
Everything you have is part of his blessings.
You must grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus
It will free you from pride and from being pretentious
Give him all the credit for every little thing you receive
Repent fast when you sin and he will surely forgive.
How often do we acknowledge the grace that we receive from Christ? Many believers run to him when they are in trouble. They get helped and they easily forget the grace they got. The bible talks about the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19. Jesus healed ten and only one gave him praise and thanksgiving.
We are summoned to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus and expected to give him all the glory now and forever. Whenever we take the merit of his grace to ourselves, we show ungratefulness. Christ expects us to receive his grace and acknowledge his generosity. When we have a thankful attitude, we are giving him praise and glory. When was the last time you thanked him?
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for all your blessings.
REFLECTION
How do you give praise to God?

COUNTERFEIT ANGELS OF LIGHT Poem Devotional

Posted on August 25, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 25 The Power of God’s Word
Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end, they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
– 2 Corinthians 11:14-15(NLT)
COUNTERFEIT ANGELS OF LIGHT
A poem and essay by ILMA
Be watchful of counterfeit angels of light!
They disguise themselves to bring life
They study you carefully to infiltrate your mind
They want to generate conflicts and make you blind.
Satan camouflages as a servant of righteousness
He wants to trap people into sin and darkness
All counterfeits will be punished harshly
God’s people will be protected and gain victory.
There are many counterfeit religion and religious leaders. Some churches create and add doctrines that are not biblical. Many of these false prophets and teachers are able to penetrate into those who do not have biblical foundation. This is why it is very important for believers to study the word of God because that is the only way they will know the counterfeits. Only the truth will set people free. If you don’t know the truth, how can you be free? Satan will do everything to keep you in the dark. He disguises himself as an angel of light and all who serve him deceive many believers and unbelievers. They will severely be punished in the end.
PRAYER
Lord, protect all believers from counterfeits.
REFLECTION
How can you protect yourself from the counterfeits?

FAN INTO FLAMES YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS Poem Devotional

Posted on August 24, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 24 The Power of God’s Word
This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1: 6-7(NLT)
FAN INTO FLAMES YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Fan into flames your spiritual gifts from God
Fear or timidity does not give him laud
God anointed you with these abilities, use your authority
He gave us spiritual gifts to help others and have victory.
Use and grow your spiritual gifts to proclaim his power
Whether the gift is to prophesy, discern, speak in tongues or counsel
We have to be bold to use them to bring others into his fold
He wants us to walk in love and develop discipline to be able to unfold.
Do you know your spiritual gifts? 1 Corinthians 12 enumerates the different gifts that the spirit of God has anointed us with. To some, the spirit gives the ability to give wise advice, to others, the ability to prophesy. Some are given the power to perform miracles or to heal; while some are able to speak in tongues or to interpret or given a vision. We are asked to be passionate about the gifts we are given to spread God’s kingdom.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to thrive in my gifts.
REFLECTION
What gift did you receive from the spirit?

GOD WATCHES ALWAYS Poem Devotional

Posted on August 23, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 23 The Power of God’s Word
He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber.
-Psalm 121:3(NLT)
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you feel alone and feeling down
Don’t worry, God is always around
He will not let you stumble
He watches always and never slumbers.
He is watching every moment of your life
He wants to make sure you are under his light
Don’t be anxious; he wants you to be happy
He gave his son so you will be free.
Whenever you are experiencing many challenges and difficulties in life, it can be overwhelming. I used to feel so down and desperate before I had a real relationship with Christ. His words had set me free from all the negativities and lies I believed since I was a child. After studying his words, my life was transformed. He changed me to be strong and overcome my weaknesses. I now know that in my weakness, he is glorified. I can never be without God.
The bible says that God will never let you stumble and fall because he constantly watches over you. He doesn’t sleep. He sees everything that happens to you even before it does. He only allows the things that you can handle to strengthen you and make you enjoy his promises. He is always after your welfare.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to overcome all my difficulties.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to seek God’s help?

GOD KNOWS AND KEEPS TRACK Poem Devotional

Posted on August 21, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 21 The Power of God’s Word
You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. – Psalm 56:8(NLT)
A poem and essay by ILMA
The Lord knows and keeps track of all your sorrows
Whenever you feel down and seems there is no tomorrow
He wants you to trust him as you go through life’s battles
He has collected all your tears in your own bottle.
God keeps track of all your pain and suffering
He keeps a record of all the difficulties you are enduring
He knows every detail of your anguish
He wants you to overcome it and flourish.
Do you ever feel hopeless or helpless in your life? Sometimes life’s challenges can bring a person down. I used to be a pessimist and easily drawn to negativity. God has transformed me into a grateful person. He taught me to count my blessings and I kept a thank you diary since I was in my twenties. After many years of listing all the things I can be thankful for, I noticed how my negativity had melted down.
The bible tells us that God keeps track of all our sorrows. He collects all our tears in our assigned bottles and records everything. He knows every detail of our pain.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for loving me much.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to be grateful for all that we have?

INTO THE LIGHT Poem Devotional

Posted on August 20, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 20 The Power of God’s Word
Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God.– Acts 26:17-18(NLT)
INTO THE LIGHT
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you had no faith in the Lord
You were in chains and couldn’t soar
Jesus came to bring you into the light
Grab his hands and you will have life.
When you believed, you are combating evil
When you forgive, you are challenging the devil
You were ordered to bring others into the light
A place in his kingdom will be your reward for sharing your life.
There are so many people who do not even know their life’s purpose. It is sad to see that even believers live in darkness and confusion. Our guide to living are all laid out clearly in the bible. So many people read it for information and never get revelations from the spirit of God. We were given this map for life so that we can enjoy our lives and proclaim his glory. God gave his one and only Son to free us from sin and bring us into the light.
The people of God are commissioned to open the eyes of unbelievers from darkness to light and from evil to God’s righteousness and glory.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to partake in bringing people into your light.
REFLECTION
Whom have you brought into the light by your witnessing?

GOD’S POWER Poem Devotional

Posted on August 19, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 19 The Power of God’s Word
What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open.
– Revelation 3:7(NLT)
GOD’S POWER
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you realize how much power God has?
He can let you move on and forget the past
God can close doors that no one can
He has the power to alleviate your pain.
What he opens, no one else can close
He will protect believers from all evil and foes
He only allows what is good for us
He will test our strength so we can pass.
Has God opened doors and opportunities for you to grow or has he actually closed something that you enjoyed so long?
God opened doors in my life that brought so much recognition to me. He gave me teaching, acting, and painting careers simultaneously. He made me do things that I normally could not do. Later on, it became the source of pride. God took it away from me because it was destroying my priorities. He opened the chance for me to display his power but I used it to idolize myself. It is like a child being given a new toy and that child never wants to let go of it. It was consuming the child’s time and energy. God took it away from me so I can focus only on him.
PRAYER
Lord, give me discernment and trust.
REFLECTION
Why is it important to trust God no matter what?

NOTHING ON MY OWN Poem Devotional

Posted on August 18, 2014 by ilmaarts

Aug 18 The Power of God’s Word
I do nothing on my own but say only what the father taught me.
– John 8:28(NLT)
NOTHING ON MY OWN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Can you do anything without Christ?
Without God’s guide, there will be no light
Jesus did nothing on his own
He reaped what his father sown.
If you believe in the Lord
You must bring him all applaud
You can do nothing without the father
You must love all your sisters and brothers.
Many years of my life, I lived for pleasing the “self.” That was what the world taught me to be. I aimed at a goal to achieve and success at getting it was something to be proud of. My parents taught me the value of setting goals and working hard at achieving reaching them.”If I focused on achieving my goals, I will be a success” became my philosophy for a long time. Sadly, no matter how much achievements I got, I still felt empty and lost. The only time I felt peace and joy was when I was freed from this worldly principle of taking pride in my achievements. The bible convicted me of my pride in my own work.
Jesus did nothing out of his own, but only did what God taught him. He spoke only what God would say and did what he commanded.
PRAYER
Lord, I completely surrender to you.
REFLECTION
Why do we need to align our life to God’s will?

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