Tag Archives: Christian devotional

GOD’S ANOINTING AND BLESSING Poem Devotional

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December 17________________________________________
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that. Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans and all such boasting is evil.
– James 4:15-16 (NLT)
GOD’S ANOINTING AND BLESSING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you ask the Lord for anointing on things you are given?
If the Lord appoints us to do something, we will be driven
There is no need to boast about your own plans or gifts
Only God knows what is best and you will be totally equipped.
He wants you to believe that he has a purpose in your life
He created you so you can be faithful to Him and be right
God’s anointing and blessing will manifest if you are faithful
He loves those who are loving, obedient, joyful and hopeful.
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There are things in our lives that God has anointed and blessed us with. Some people never discover their anointing and blessings because they are so tainted with the world’s point of view. It took me many years to realize what God has anointed me with because I was so wrapped up in achieving my own goals and ambitions.
The bible says that we should never boast about our own plans but rely on what God has anointed us with. He gives us natural and spiritual gifts so we can spread the good news and glorify him.
PRAYER
Thank you for all the gifts you gave me.
REFLECTION
What has God anointed or blessed you with?
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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

BOUGHT WITH A HIGH PRICE Poem Devotional

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December 16________________________________________
For God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
-1 Corinthians 6:20(NLT)
BOUGHT WITH A HIGH PRICE
A poem and essay by ILMA
God loves you so much that he values you immensely
He sacrificed his only Son; he loves you unconditionally
He bought you with a high price to save you from sin
Jesus Christ’s blood allowed you to be free
How are you going to repay his generosity?
Are you honoring your whole body?
He wants you to care for every gift he gave you
He cares when the world tarnishes your view.
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Have you ever owned something that was bought with a high price? When my husband proposed to me, he gave me the option to choose one of the most expensive engagement rings. I felt valued and loved when he did that. I consider one of my paintings as a valued possession because it was a painting I did for a total of 100 hours, something I did painstakingly in a matter of time. I actually don’t want to part with it because it reminded me of the many hours it took me to finish the work. It may not be considered a masterpiece by many, but for me, it is one.
God bought you with a high price so you must honor God with your body. It cost his Son’s life to purchase our freedom.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for setting me free with Jesus’ blood.
REFLECTION
How can you repay God for the high price he paid for your sin?
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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

ALL KNOWING GOD Poem Devotional

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December 15________________________________________
Your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him.
– Matthew 6:8 (NLT)
ALL KNOWING GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you ever met someone who knows you all the way?
God knows everything that you will go through today
He is there to help you when you are tempted
He is there to celebrate with you when you are delighted.
Your heavenly Father knows exactly what you need
Even if you think he doesn’t answer, he already did
Even before you ask him, he already anticipated
Run to him; ask him anyway then it will be granted.
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In my country of origin, the culture demands highly from God. God is treated like a vending machine to give what they ask for. We are so wrapped up in getting our needs met and forgot that God already knows what we need before we even ask for it. The problem with the requests lies in the fact that we actually ask for wants rather than needs. If we examine our lives, most of our needs are provided already by God. We are bombarded with marketing strategies to desire many wants and present them to us like needs. Just watch television and all the subliminal messages in the commercials will make you pine for something that you really have no need for. Have a close relationship with God and he will give you favor.
PRAYER
Lord, purify my view of what I really need in life.
REFLECTION
What are some wants that people usually turn into needs?
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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

NO LOOKING BACK Poem Devotional

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December 14________________________________________
Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God. – Luke 9:62(NLT)
NO LOOKING BACK
A poem and essay by ILMA
When the Lord calls you to follow him and do his work
There is no looking back whatever you are doing in the world
He wants you to let go of your concerns and obey
No more delays, he wants you to do it today.
Anyone who says they accept him yet cling to their old life
Is not fit for the kingdom and is not ready to shine his light
You cannot serve the world and claim that you are a believer
Don’t look back; commit to Christ to be a faithful follower.
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There are many believers who are swayed to and fro by the demands of their lives or by the circumstances they encounter. James 1:6 clearly said that we have to be sure that our faith is in God alone. We must not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. When I was serving myself, I was tossed back and forth by my divided loyalty to God and to myself.
In Luke, he said a similar statement. Don’t look back because if you do, you are not fit for God’s kingdom. If you commit to follow him, do it all the way.
PRAYER
Teach me to be firm and loyal to you Lord.
REFLECTION
Why is attachment to things of the world destructive?
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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

CHALLENGE TO BELIEVERS Poem Devotional

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December 12________________________________________
There will be a time of great persecution. You will be dragged into synagogues and prisons, and you will stand trial before kings and governors because you are my followers.
–Luke21:12(NLT)
CHALLENGE TO BELIEVERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you ever been questioned for your faith in Jesus Christ?
Have you ever denied Him because of your fear for your life?
Discrimination and persecutions are rampant these days
Are you brave enough to stand up for Jesus today?
If you commit your life to the Lord, you will be astounded
He will show you that he cares and will protect the persecuted
It is a challenge to be bold for the sake of the Son of God
Are you willing to declare your faith a live a life that is hard.
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There are many Christians who are not bold or brave enough to stand up for their Savior. When I turned my back to God in my twenties, I was a coward to even declare that I was a Christian. I hid my faith for fear of being rejected or not being approved. I wanted to blend in society and did everything to fit in, even to a point where I denied Christ. I remembered a Christian who asked me the question “How come you never announce or pronounce your belief in God publicly?” God convicted me and challenged me to be bold for him.
PRAYER
Lord, please give me strength and courage to shout to the world my love for you.
REFLECTION
Have you ever been marginalized or persecuted because you are a Christian?
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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

FOR THE LOST Poem Devotional

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December 11________________________________________
For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. –Luke 19:10(NLT)
FOR THE LOST
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you confused, bewildered or perplexed?
Do you keep on running and find it hard to rest?
Rejoice! The Son of Man came to save the lost
This is the reason why Jesus died on the cross.
Do not be afraid to admit that you are weak
It is in your weakness that he convicts and speaks
Christ died to save us from sin; no need for denial
He wants us to run to him in our suffering and trials.
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How often do people admit that they are lost or confused? The world dictates that we hide our weaknesses and confusion. In God’s economy, we are encouraged to acknowledge or admit it. It is called humility to be able to recognize both one’s weakness or strength and use the knowledge to encourage or lead others to God. The enemy on the other hand wants to ensure that we deny it and keep on living in the lies so that there is more mix-up. It is a wide open door for the enemy to thrive when we are very proud to admit that we are vulnerable, weak and confused. The bible says that the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost and no need to deny it.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember that you came for the lost.
REFLECTION
Share an instance when God was present in your confusion and agony.
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For more darkness in our lives. 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.ARTSTUDIO@gmail.com

SOURCE OF HOPE, JOY AND PEACE Poem Devotional

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December 10________________________________________
I pray that God, the source of hope will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13(NLT)
SOURCE OF HOPE, JOY AND PEACE
A poem and essay by ILMA
What is weighing you down in life these days?
Is it the suffering and trials that bother you today?
What stops you from experiencing peace?
What is distracting you which doesn’t allow you to see?
The only source of hope is to seek God’s truth in the word
Why are you believing the lies propagated by this world?
Trust in the Lord and in the power of the Almighty
Then you will have hope, joy and tranquility.
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When we are bombarded with so much distractions and desires, we will have difficulty navigating through life in peace. I didn’t have peace for many years in my life because I was a very needy person. I gauge my happiness in my achievements, circumstances and in the knowledge that other people loves me truly. Because of these human cravings, it took me a while to experience joy. When I depended much on the results of my hard work, my thirst for human love and approval was insatiable. No wonder, I felt very hopeless as well. The bible tells us that the only source of hope, joy and peace is God.
PRAYER
Lord, let me always run to your throne and follow you.
REFLECTION
What things distract you from experiencing God’s love, peace and joy?
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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.ARTSTUDIO@gmail.com

WRAPPED IN STRIPS OF CLOTH Poem Devotional

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December 8________________________________________
The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David. And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger. – Luke 2:11-12(NLT)
WRAPPED IN STRIPS OF CLOTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
The Savior was born in Bethlehem
After his birth, the world was never the same
He chose to come wrapped in strips of cloth
He wants to show us that we have so much worth.
He came to give us freedom from bondage to sin
He knows what we endure and where we’ve been
He wants to save especially those who are lost
This is the true essence of his blood and the cross.
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Why did God use poor and ordinary people to bring Jesus into this world? Why was Jesus wrapped in strips of cloth and born in a manger instead of being in a palace and surrounded by all the comforts? This is God’s way of shocking the world with the simplicity and the peace that comes from a silent night when Mary gave birth in a trough wrapped snugly in improvised blanket. God chose a baby, a vulnerable being to be the entry of Christ in this world. We will never experience God’s magnificence unless we are humble, weak and poor. God works best in our weaknesses.
PRAYER
Lord, let me never be dazzled by opulence and materialism.
REFLECTION
Share how God has worked in your weaknesses and poverty?
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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.ARTSTUDIO@gmail.com

GOD NEVER CHANGES Poem Devotional

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December 7________________________________________
Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. –James 1:17(NLT)
GOD NEVER CHANGES
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you afraid of changes in your life?
Do you fear that you will be compromised?
Whatever is good and perfect comes from the Father
God never changes, he is always after our welfare.
You can be reassured that God loves us without conditions
It doesn’t matter if we are imperfect; he still gives provisions
He never casts a shifting shadow, he loves you constantly
He doesn’t waiver in his character; he waits for you faithfully.
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Have you ever experienced being tossed around by someone’s instability? Have you ever felt insecure because someone never reassures you of their love for you? I was raised in a very unstable home where you one walks on eggshells daily. I was always a very hopeful person but after many years of exposure to so much negativity and criticism, I learned to defend myself and ensure I will never be hurt again. Even before someone can be close to me, I stay away from them as soon as I feel a need to be dependent on them. It took many years until I got revelations from God that he has me covered.
The bible says that God never changes. He is love and light.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be like you.
REFLECTION
Why is constancy important in relationships and in our lives?
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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.ARTSTUDIO@gmail.com

GOD LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN Poem Devotional

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December 6________________________________________
God looks down from heaven on the entire human race, he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. – Palms 53:2(NLT)
GOD LOOKS DOWN FROM HEAVEN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Keep a close guard on what you do
God looks down from heaven to look at you
He looks to see if anyone is truly wise
He wants to know if you’d take his advice.
He is concerned when you don’t walk in love
You are important to him or he won’t watch from above
He longs for you to seek him and hunger for his word
That is the only way you can be a victor and conquer the world.
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Have you ever felt safe when someone you love looks after your welfare? Babies and young children cannot be safe in the world if their parents and caregivers do not provide a safe environment for them in their vulnerability. The reason why a lot of people who suffer from mental illness or depression and other disorders is because they weren’t provided a safe environment to go through the different stages of development from their birth up to their adolescence.
The bible tells us that God looks down from heaven on the entire human race, he looks to see if anyone is truly wise and if anyone seeks him at all. He pines for us to long for him and hunger to follow his word.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for looking out for me.
REFLECTION
When have you ever felt abandoned by God? Did he truly leave you?
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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.ARTSTUDIO@gmail.com