THE GODLY WAY Poem Devotional

Posted on October 15, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 16________________________________________
Stop at the crossroads and look around, Ask for the old, godly way and walk in it. Travel its path and you will find rest for your souls. – Jeremiah 6:16 (NLT)
THE GODLY WAY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you ever stop at the crossroads and look around?
What lessons in life presented itself that you have found?
Do you examine which way is easier or harder?
Do you choose the wider road or the narrower?
The godly way may have more challenges and trials
It brings us closer to our purpose rather than be in denial
The road less travelled is the way to everlasting life
It is the only path that leads us to God and his light.
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In a world where everything is fast paced and people seek comfort and convenience, it is easy to choose the path that leads to worldliness. My life used to be focused on making things easier for me. Because I had a very difficult life growing up and being raised in a third world country, I learned to live in survivor mode. I would do anything to ensure that I get what I deserve and worked for. I relied on no one and trusted nobody. It was a life of independence and self-care. The bible says that we have to choose the godly way and walk in it through faith and dependence on God.
PRAYER
Lord, may we never choose the worldly way.
REFLECTION
Which path are you treading on right now? Is it leading you to God?

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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

REAL TREASURES Poem Devotional

Posted on October 15, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 15________________________________________
Store your treasures in heaven where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. – Matthew 6:20(NLT)
REAL TREASURES
A poem and essay by ILMA
What treasures do you gather in this lifetime?
Do you chase after fame, money and titles?
Are worldly treasures what you are obsessing?
What possessions do you consider never-ending?
Real treasures are those stored up in heaven
They cannot be destroyed nor can they be stolen
Sow kindness towards one another and reap rewards
All godliness we do here on earth will bring us to God________________________________________
Each person treasure something in their life. What we treasure shows others what kind of character we have. If your wealth is mostly material possessions, you might be in danger of reaping real treasures. The bible tells us that real treasures must be righteousness and godliness. These characteristic of God that he passed on to us are gems that we need to nurture and cultivate. These virtues bring us to God’s kingdom closer. They are treasures of the heart. They cannot be stolen because God keeps the key to it. He keeps a record of all the investments we have allotted in his kingdom. By following what he requires in our lives, we come closer and closer to the promises he gave to all those who love and obey him. Eternal life is the real treasure that God has given us when he gave us his son Jesus.
PRAYER
Lord, help me store up treasures in heaven.
REFLECTION
What real treasures have you stored lately in God’s kingdom?
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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

HOW YOU LOVED ME Poem Devotional

Posted on October 14, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 14________________________________________
I remember how eager you were to please me, as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me even through the barren wilderness. –Jeremiah 2:2(NLT)
HOW YOU LOVED ME
A poem and essay by ILMA
I remembered you swore to love me completely
You followed me everywhere I go faithfully
As a young bride pleases her groom
You meekly followed me into our room.
How you loved me so passionately
Even in the wilderness you followed me
You were so eager to know me well
Now your love diminished I can tell.
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One of the most romantic moment one can ever experience is being married. Right after the wedding vows have been exchanged, both the groom and the bride are beaming with love and passion. This is probably why all brides are beautiful. It is the act of being singled out to make a commitment to be loved and cherished forever. The wedding night is the most memorable in the romantic lives of married people.
In Jeremiah 2, the Lord recalls how much his people loved him immensely. God’s people loved him so much and obey whatever he said. They followed him even when he brought him in the barren wilderness. The love of the people didn’t last long. They grumbled and about many things. They couldn’t wait any longer and started losing trust in the promises that was given by God in his covenant with them.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me passionately in love with you.
REFLECTION
When have you ever turned your back to God?

GET UP AND PREPARE! Poem Devotional

Posted on October 13, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 13________________________________________
Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them or I will make you foolish in front of them. -Jeremiah 1:17(NLT)
GET UP AND PREPARE!
A poem and essay by ILMA
Get up and prepare for each day
God wants you to choose his way
Do not be afraid of what people will say
Go out and tell them about God and pray.
Be ready to make a difference in people’s lives
Show them that they can live under God’s light
Bless someone each day to proclaim God’s greatness
It will grow your faith and help you walk in righteousness.
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Each day we make many choices and decisions. As soon as we wake up, we choose to fill our minds and hearts with something. We choose our food, our clothes, how to spend our day, which route to take to work, and many more. Making a choice to get up can make a big difference in our lives. If we decide to stay in bed, then we can probably get much rest if we need it or we can lose some work that needs to get done.
The bible emphasizes the importance of getting up and preparing for action. God talks to Jeremiah and tells him to get up and prepare for action. He commands him to tell the people everything he says.
PRAYER
Lord help me when I succumb to delays.
REFLECTION
Relate a time when Jesus asked you to do something and you procrastinated.
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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

GOD’S WORD IN YOUR MOUTH Poem Devotional

Posted on October 13, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 12________________________________________
And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord have spoken.’ Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, ‘Look, I have put my words in your mouth!’ – Jeremiah 1:8-9(NLT)
GOD’S WORD IN YOUR MOUTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are your spoken word relaying God’s truth?
Does it exhibit the Holy Spirit’s fruit?
Don’t be afraid to utter God’s word
It will make you triumph over this world.
The Lord has given us commands
He expects us to succumb to his demands
Utter his words as you walk through life
It will bring wisdom and make your day bright.
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Words are very powerful. It can make or break someone. Survey says that average women speak 20,000 words per day compared to average men’s 13,000 words per day. That’s a lot of words per day. Now, if you were to examine what kind of words come out of your mouth on a daily basis, how much percentage of these words encourage others? How much of it, discourage or put down someone? How do words you hear affect you and your relationships with others?
The bible tells us to speak God’s word because he has given them to us so we can be protected and guided by it. Jeremiah gives an account how God touched his mouth and said “I have put my words in your mouth.”
PRAYER
Lord, let me only speak your truth.
REFLECTION
How often do you speak of God’s words?
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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

INDEPENDENCE FROM GOD Poem Devotional

Posted on October 10, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 11________________________________________
Why then do my people say, ‘At last we are free from God, we don’t need him anymore.’
-Jeremiah 3:31 (NLT)
INDEPENDENCE FROM GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When we flee from God, we get confused
It shows ingratitude and our want to refuse
When we run away from our Savior
We get messed up and always get in trouble.
When we live out of God’s love, we sin
Our disobedience is turning from him
Living independent lives is dangerous
Depend on him and you will be joyous.
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Independence is defined as a state of being independent or free from anyone’s control. Independence had been so emphasized in our lives today that we never want to depend on anyone for anything. It is so sad to see many people who take so much pride in doing things on their own. They think it is a good thing, but I believe God wants us to never be independent of him.
The bible relates in Jeremiah how God’s people tried to run away from God and thought that they don’t need him anymore. It is a mockery of God’s faithfulness when we try to separate ourselves from him and think that we have no need for him. In fact, the only dependence we should cultivate in our lives is to completely rely on God for every little or big things in our lives. He created us not to be isolated but be in relationships.
PRAYER
Lord, show me when I live independently from you and others.
REFLECTION
Why is independence a relationship wrecker?
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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

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE Poem Devotional

Posted on October 10, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 10________________________________________
They turn their backs on me, but in times of trouble they cry out to me. ‘Come and save us!’ -Jeremiah 2:27(NLT)
IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you suffering from poverty and oppression?
Have you forgotten to ask God’s provision?
Do you only cry out to him in times of trouble?
Do you pray even when you’re out of the rubble?
God doesn’t appreciate when we turn our backs
He wants us to depend on him in every lack
He feels for our pains and what we are going through
Run to him at all times so he can refresh and renew.
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What kind of relationship do you have with your parents? Do you only talk to them when you need something? If you do, you probably would have the same connection with God. I had a hard time running to my parents as a young child. They were very busy and absent physically and emotionally. I learned to look after my needs and it definitely messed me up. I looked for love in the wrong places because I was never shown or affirmed that I was loved. This is how I started to talk to Jesus because deep in my heart, I knew he would not judge me or withdraw love from me. I learned to rely on God not only in times of trouble but learned to be grateful for all my blessings.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your faithfulness.
REFLECTION
How do you deal with troubles in your life?

WRITTEN ON HIS HANDS Poem Devotional

Posted on October 8, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 8________________________________________
I would not forget you. See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands.
– Isaiah 49:15-16(NLT)
WRITTEN ON HIS HANDS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Can a mother ever forget her child?
Can the wedding dress be forgotten by a bride?
Christ will never fail to recall his followers
They will always have a place in his heart forever.
God has written your name on the palms of his hands
He will never abandon you until the end of time
Be faithful to him always just as he is devoted to you
Write Christ’s name in your heart so you will be born anew.
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The exercise of writing something helps you remember it. According to a recent study in a forthcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science, using pen and paper to take notes boosts memory and the ability to retain and understand concepts. When I write down bible verses in my journals or my bible study notebooks, it helps me memorize and recall such verses. I have kept diaries and journals for over four decades of my life. I think it has helped me immensely to develop a photographic memory. It helps you visualize what the words actually say.
The bible tells us that God has written our names in the palms of his hands. We will never be missed or forgotten. Have we written his name in our hearts?
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for valuing me.
REFLECTION
How can you imprint God’s name in your heart?
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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

WATCH YOUR OWN LIVES Poem Devotional

Posted on October 6, 2015 by ilmaarts

October 6________________________________________
Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you.
-1 Timothy 4:16 (NLT)
WATCH YOUR OWN LIVES
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you claim that you are a believer
Ensure that you’re not following the deceiver
Watch your own lives and your teaching
Be an example to what you are preaching.
Stay true to what is right so you will be saved
For your own sake and others’, be bold and be brave
Don’t just say things but live what you believe
It will help others from being tempted and deceived.
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What happens if we aimlessly drive without looking? We crash, don’t we? It is the same way when we don’t examine our lives, we fail and fall and get defeated by the enemy.
There are many people who live unexamined lives. Socrates said that an unexamined life is not worth living. The world gave credit to Socrates and Plato for this saying, but the bible talks about examining yourself in more or less 18 bible verses (Haggai 1:5-7; Lamentations 3:40; 2 Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 6:4). So you tell me, who is the origin of this saying.
The bible says that we should watch our lives and ensure that we stay righteous in order to stay saved and bring others to God.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for convicting me to examine my life.
REFLECTION
What benefit do we get when we examine 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.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

WATCH YOUR OWN LIVES poem devotional by ILMA

Posted on October 2, 2015 by ilmaarts

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