WHOEVER BELIEVES WILL NEVER BE SHAKEN Poem Devotional

December 20________________________________________
Look I am placing a foundation in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It’s a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.
– Isaiah 28:16(NLT)
WHOEVER BELIEVES WILL NEVER BE SHAKEN
A poem and essay by ILMA
When God promised a Messiah to all of mankind
He gave them Jesus, a solid and firm foundation
From the lineage of King David is where he came from
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone that will never be shaken.
Whoever believes in the Lord will be secure
They will be changed and their hearts renewed
If they continue to seek him for guidance and protection
They will be strong and they will always win over temptations.
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There were years of my life that I wavered in my faith. Those were the years when I was a teenager up until my late twenties. I believed in the Lord, but I was living a life of legalism and materialism as well. In other words, I was flip-flopping from the world and my faith. No one guided me to seek the Lord and his word. I was surrounded by religion, different philosophies and traditions. Sadly, in those years, I was waylaid and was consumed by the culture and worldly systems.
I am grateful and amazed at how God has delivered me from all of these wavering faith. Now, I firmly anchor my life on his word and seek him first always.
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PRAYER
Thank you for being the strength in my life Lord.
REFLECTION
Share moments when you felt so strong and not threatened by the world’s system.
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

THE CHOSEN ARE SET APART Poem Devotional

December 19________________________________________
For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all the other people on earth. – Exodus 33:16(NLT)
THE CHOSEN ARE SET APART
A poem and essay by ILMA
Even before you were born, God has chosen you
You are not made by chance but you have a purpose
The chosen people of God are set apart from the world
His Spirit dwells in the hearts of those who heed his word.
Like Moses and the Israelites, he separated his chosen people
You will clearly notice how you are very different from others
God promised to care for his chosen and be with them always
He will never abandon those who faithfully abide and follow his ways.
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In Exodus, we witness how Moses pleaded God to forgive and have mercy on all those who sinned against God by idolizing other gods. He reminded God his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to multiply and fill the earth with their descendants. He praises God for all that he has done for the Israelites and also tells him in this verse that because He was always with him, that made them different from the rest of the people on earth.
When I became born again, I suddenly realized how different I was from the rest of the world. For many years I believed the lie that I am weird because I believe in God. Now, I know why.
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PRAYER
Lord, I am so grateful that you set me apart from those that don’t belong to you.
REFLECTION
Do you recognize those who belong to Jesus?
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

FEAR OF THE LORD PREVENTS SIN Poem Devotional

December 14________________________________________
“Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!” – Exodus 20:20(NLT)
FEAR OF THE LORD PREVENTS SIN
A poem and essay by ILMA
When there is reverence for the heavenly Father
There you will be able to overcome any matter
The Lord may test anyone who commits to him
He wants to protect them from corruption and sin.
Do not be afraid; He is with you always
He will shield so don’t fail to follow his way
Be courageous and keep obeying him
The Lord will ensure that you will win.
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When Moses was leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, he had direct orders from the Lord and the people of God was trembling when they heard his voice while he was talking to Moses. Even though they didn’t see him, they have witnessed his power and guidance and all his provision.
In this verse, Moses saw how scared the Israelites were to hear the Lord God Almighty. He assured them that they need not fear him. He explained to them that he may test all those who love him and that when we fear him, we will be able to overcome sin.
To fear the Lord is to revere and honor him, which would mean that we won’t do anything to displease him.
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PRAYER
Lord, we pray that you will always keep us from displeasing you.
REFLECTION
How can reverence for the Lord save us from sin?
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

LEADING THE REDEEMED Poem devotional

December 13________________________________________
With your unfailing love you lead the people you have redeemed. In your might, you guide them to your sacred home. -Exodus 15:13(NLT)
LEADING THE REDEEMED
A poem and essay by ILMA
When the Lord Jesus Christ saves you
He will change you and make you new
The Lord leads his people to his sacred home
With his unfailing love, he treats them like his own.
Like the people he led out of Egypt from captivity
He will also deliver you from all forms of slavery
If you are faithful to the Lord, he will be more faithful
If you turn your back on him, he can still forgive you.
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In the book of Exodus, Moses gives a detailed account how God saved his people from the Egyptians. He provided and guided his people in the desert into his Promised Land. In Exodus 13:21-22 Moses gives an account that by day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. The Lord gave them quail and manna as their food. He was faithful to redeem them and he will also faithfully bring you to his sacred home.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your unfailing love.
REFLECTION
How have you responded to God’s guidance and unfailing love?
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 TWO AGREE Poem Devotional

December 11________________________________________
I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. – Matthew 18:19(NLT)
WHEN TWO AGREE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When two people agree when you ask God
He will approve it and anoint your plan
One of the causes why we won’t succeed
Is when we are alone in what we seek.
However, there is power in agreement
In division, you will find disappointments
When two or three are gathered in his name
There, you’ll find amongst you God’s presence.
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Ecclesiastes 4 9-16 explains to us why two is better than one. The following reasons are stated in this book of the bible. First, it says that they have a good return for their labor. If one falls down, the other can help but if they are alone, no one is there to give them aide. These verses further give us the benefit of two better than one. They can keep each other warm while you can do that when you are alone. They can also defend themselves better if they are more than one. Like a chord of three strands, it has more strength.
The same thing when you have someone to agree with you when you ask the Lord for anything. If you look back at the Old Testament stories, they emphasized so much on agreements and covenants.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember to bring someone in agreement with anything I ask from you.
REFLECTION
Why do you think agreement is a requisite for answered requests?
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

AS HUMBLE AS A CHILD Poem Devotional

December 10________________________________________
Anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4(NLT)
AS HUMBLE AS A CHILD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who want to be the greatest in heaven
They will have to be as humble as children
If we want to enter God’s kingdom
Let us stay pure and live in freedom.
If you become as meek as these innocent beings
You will have a special place in heaven
Seek the Lord and you will stay innocent and pure
You will be lost if you depart from the truth.
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Do you ever wonder why children are special in God’s eyes? Let’s look at the traits of a child. Under normal circumstances, they are innocent, pure, vulnerable and trust easily. These are only some of the reasons why we protect children. They are excited, curious, creative and open. No wonder children have a special place in God’s heart. They are uncorrupted and the purest of all human beings. God made man in his image but man defied God and defiled themselves. After man’s fall, our make was altered and tarnished. Our desires became corrupted by wanting to know and be like God. We became focused on ourselves. Children, have preserved their original form as God wanted humans to be. Humility is one of the traits that children possess that God treasures most. No wonder he requires us to be as humble as these little wonderful beings in order to enter his kingdom.
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PRAYER
Lord, make me more like a child.
REFLECTION
How can one be more childlike?
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

DANGEROUS TRAP FOR HUMANS Poem Devotional

December 9________________________________________
“Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” – Matthew 16:23(NLT)
DANGEROUS TRAP FOR HUMANS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When we are enticed to boast about knowing things
We are in a dangerous trap for humans set by the devil
Take authority against evil and rebuke it
If you don’t, you will be ensnared to listen to it.
Watch out when you rely on human reasoning
It is the devil’s tactic to keep you falling and failing
Satan will make you proud so you’ll miss God’s viewpoint
Abide in the Lord and he will make the victor.
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One of the tactics of Satan is to trap us. The most common way he steals from us is by keeping us imprisoned in our minds. This is why we are always cautioned in the bible to renew our mind and make it captive to Christ. This is what we humans easily fall into. Satan wants to keep us thinking that we can be equal with God. He steals our trust in God’s power and wisdom and entices us to think that we can rely on our human efforts and reasoning.
When we think highly of ourselves, we have commenced competition with God. This opens doors to more sins. Watch out and don’t trust your own thinking, but seek God’s viewpoint. You’ll fall easily when you do.
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PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from the tactics of the enemy.
REFLECTION
How can one easily detect the dangerous traps set by the devil?
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 KNOWS AND DECIDES Powm Devotional

December 8________________________________________
Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Exodus 4:11(NLT)
GOD KNOWS AND DECIDES
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whatever you are struggling with today
Trust that the Lord will always have his way
You might think that it is you who makes decisions
He is behind every thought and all choices and actions.
Sometimes we boast and take credit for success or weakness
He allows things to work out for good in the bleakest times
God knows and decides what we are going to do or say
Why resist his power when we can go the right way?
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When Moses questions God’s command for him to go to the Pharaoh to deliver the Israelites from slavery from the Egyptians, he argued with God because he didn’t think he was capable of speaking and being heard by the powerful ruler of Egypt. We see a spirit of resistance and complaining in Moses. But aren’t we all like this too? Whenever God leads us to do something of our comfort zones, we resist and question what God wants us to do. Even though God shows Moses how to convince the Egyptians with the miraculous signs he showed him, he still questioned his abilities. God reminds us that he knows and decides all things, but he wants our obedience first.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to never question your plans but follow instead.
REFLECTION
How can one overcome a habit of questioning God’s will and commands?
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

THE GOOD GARDENER Poem Devotional

December 7________________________________________
Every plant not planted by my heavenly Father will be uprooted. – Matthew 15:13(NLT
THE GOOD GARDENER
A poem and essay by ILMA
God the Father is like the good gardener
He plants seeds and ensure they are watered
He sees to it that they get all the nutrients they need
He plants them where they would thrive and breed.
When weeds invade the garden of our heavenly Father
He uproots each of them that wants to take over his garden
He sorts out all those that he didn’t’ intend to be there
He cares for all that he planted and watches their progress.
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Have you ever gardened or even take care of one plant? If you have, I am sure you understand how much care is needed for that plant to grow. I always loved trees and meadows and gardens but where I originally came from, the Philippines, we didn’t have much space to mostly have a garden. I lived in the city so it was very congested. My first boyfriend got me interested in plants and fishes in aquariums. As early as a young teenager, I have always been caring for houseplants and fishes or sometimes birds. I remember an old friend was amazed how I cared for fishes, birds and plants. When I moved to Canada, my 20 -year old plants were still alive. God uproots any weeds from his
people to ensure his will transpires.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for nurturing and caring for me.
REFLECTION
What weeds have popped out in your life that needs to be uprooted by God?
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

WORDS CAN DEFILE Poem Devotional

December 6________________________________________
The words you speak come from the heart-that’s what defiles you. – Matthew 15:18(NLT)
WORDS CAN DEFILE
A poem and essay by ILMA
What have you been saying lately?
Does it edify or hurt someone immensely?
The words you speak come from the heart
It can defile you or it can make others glad.
Guard your mouth for it reflects what is inside you
Ensure that you are the person Jesus made new
Words can destroy or edify; it is powerful
Do you use it to encourage others to stay faithful?
________________________________________Many people have been defiled by what they have said. The bible says that the one thing that can tarnish our person is the words that come out of our mouths. In Proverbs 18:21, we are warned that death and life lies in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 21:23 says that whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. The book of James gives us a good lesson on restraining our tongues. He reminds us that we all stumble in many ways and if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to control his whole body.
What we say is a reflection of the condition of our hearts. If we encourage and help, we have stayed pure, but if we criticize and put down someone, we have defiled ourselves.
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PRAYER
Lord help me to guard my mouth and keep my heart pure.
REFLECTION
What have you said that has defiled you?
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