STUDY AND REFLECT ON GOD’S WORD Poem Devotional

October 31________________________________________
I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. – Psalm 119:15-16(NLT)
STUDY AND REFLECT ON GOD’S WORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you become a believer of Jesus Christ
Follow his words and changes happen in your life
As you study and reflect on God’s ways
You will be stronger not to be swayed.
If you hide his truth in your heart
He will live in it and never depart
Delight in his commands and obey it
It is how we can have the fruits of the Spirit.
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As a new born again Christian, I was surprised to know that there are many Christians who do not really spend time on the word of God. I was a voracious reader of many different subjects before I became born again, but since I started studying the bible, there is no other book that can transform me and heal me. In Timothy 3:16 we know that Scriptures is God breathed and is there to teach us, correct us and tell us what to do. If this is the map to life, how come many believers don’t use it. It is sad to know that many of us don’t want to grow spiritually or else we won’t miss a day in reading, meditating and applying the word of God. We need to feed on it daily.
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PRAYER
Lord, give us all a hunger for your truth in the word.
REFLECTION
Why do you think some Christians fail to study and meditate on the word of 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

IDOLS COMPETE WITH GOD Poem Devotional

October 29________________________________________
How foolish to trust in your own creation-a god that can’t even talk. – Habakkuk 2:18(NLT)
IDOLS COMPETE WITH GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When one trusts his own creations
It is an impediment to receive salvation
God is the only one who has infinite wisdom
How foolish to turn away from God’s kingdom!
When you turn to idols created by mere creatures
You are competing with God’s sovereignty and power
Anything man-made is fleeting and temporary
Trust only in the Lord who can bring you eternity.
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According to the international bible society, Habakkuk is somewhat unique among the prophetic writings in that it includes no oracle addressed to Israel. It contains, rather, a dialogue between the prophet and God. This account of wrestling with God is, however, not just a fragment from a private journal but that it was composed for Israel. No doubt it represented the voice of the godly in Judah, struggling to comprehend the ways of God. God’s answers therefore spoke to all who shared Habakkuk’s troubled doubts. And Habakkuk’s confession became a public expression—as indicated by its liturgical notations. Anything that distracts us from having a relationship with God or making him first in our lives is a form of idol. Habakkuk warns us not to rely on idols because it is not going to bring us eternal life. It is actually allowing competition to hinder our pure relationship with God.
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PRAYER
Help me Lord to never allow any idols to come between us.
REFLECTION
How can idols become a way of competing with 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

ETERNAL WEALTH Poem Devotional

October 27________________________________________
Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.
– Luke 12:21(NLT)
ETERNAL WEALTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you like to gather wealth and material things?
These are all fleeting and will only tempt you to sin
You are a fool if your life focuses on what do not last
Gather the wealth that is eternal, seek Jesus Christ.
Build a relationship with God and make him always first
You will benefit from focusing your life on Christ
Prioritize him and you will receive a life that does not end
Make him last and you have just made the world your friend.
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How would you like to be a spiritual millionaire? It is sad to watch people who spend their lives accumulating wealth, power, fame, possessions and not give the Lord even a tiny bit of time and attention. We humans get all hyped up and obsessed with the things that belong to this world. In Ephesians 6, we are all warned that we are not just dealing with physical things but with unseen forces. Life is not all about this world. James warned us that we cannot be friends of this world and retain our relationship with God. We cannot serve two masters.
Luke warns us that we need to gather eternal wealth rather than physical things because this is the one that will give us a life that lasts forever. ¬________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help me to always maintain making you first in my life.
REFLECTION
How can you maintain a rich relationship with 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

WARNING TO THE WORLDLY poem devotional

October 26________________________________________
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed.
– Luke 9:25 (NLT)
WARNING TO THE WORLDLY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you focused much on following this world’s system?
Do you only care to satisfy your pleasures and cravings?
Be warned! If you do so, you will lose yourself
You may be let down and not even get help.
When you are consumed by the ways of the world
You will suffer its consequences according to God’s word
There is no benefit in seeking approval from mankind
Seek the Lord and you won’t be swayed to stay blind.
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Many decades of my life was spent on following the ways of this world. Gaining knowledge, having control over others and situations, aiming to reach my goals to be recognized and looked up to, idolizing myself and the talents I had were just some of the ways I lived before I became a born again Christian. I didn’t know any better because I didn’t read the word of God even though I thought I have already been saved when I was baptized as an infant. That’s what I was taught. Ambition, success, earning money, hard work to gain others’ approval where some of the systems I anchored my life on. No wonder I was so confused, got lost, and eventually destroyed. Now that God has released me from such bondage, I am forever grateful.
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PRAYER
Lord, always convict me when I get corrupted by this world.
REFLECTION
How can the world system sneak and steal your joy and peace?
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 PREFERED WORSHIP Poem Devotional

October 24________________________________________
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
-John 4:23(NLT)
GOD’S PREFERED WORSHIP
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you bringing the Lord all the praise?
Is it a kind of worship that focuses on his grace?
God prefers you to worship him in spirit and truth
He values those who allow His word to take root.
God is looking for those who will worship Him this way
He doesn’t care about religion; he wants you to pray
Pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion
Obey and follow his will to overcome temptation.
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Some Christians don’t know how to worship God, so they concoct their own way of doing so. I used to do my own religious rituals before I became born again. I went to hear mass, prayed to different saints and Mary, received sacraments, prayed novenas and the rosary for four decades. What I didn’t do was to pray in the spirit at all times and in truth. I knew at some moments in my life that I was led by the Spirit but I didn’t always follow what I was led to do. I didn’t know the truth. I thank God that He freed me now and I can worship him in truth and spirit.
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PRAYER
Thank you Lord for your truth and setting me free.
REFLECTION
Why do you think God prefer to be worshiped in spirit and in truth?
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

CALLING ALL REPENTANT SINNERS Poem Devotional

October 22________________________________________
I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent. – Luke 5:32(NLT)
CALLING ALL REPENTANT SINNERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Jesus didn’t come for self righteous people
He came for all the repentant sinners
He’ll be there for those who have humility
Those who confess their sins will have victory.
Calling all those who need eternal life
You’ll have it if you believe in Jesus Christ
You need to confess your sins to receive it
If you do, your heart will be the host for His Spirit.
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Each person is invited to partake of the gift of salvation. Just like a regular invitation that you receive, you have the option to come or not to come. God gave us all a free will to decide whether we want eternal life or not. It is sad to know why some people would reject or take for granted this grand invitation to the most important thing for us all, salvation.
Some of us are held captive by the enemy to dwell on those sins so we will not receive the greatest gift of freedom. Jesus came for all the repentant sinners. He didn’t come for those who think they are perfect and sinless because unless they repent and confess their sins, they won’t be transformed in Christ. He came for those who acknowledge their sins and repent.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to always repent and confess when I sin.
REFLECTION
Why do you think Jesus wants us to confess our sins and repent?
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

GET DEEPER TO CATCH FISH Poem Devotional

October 21________________________________________
Now go out where it is deeper and let down your nets to catch some fish. – Luke 5:4(NLT)
GET DEEPER TO CATCH FISH
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you commit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ
You are expected to get deeper in in truth in your life
The more you hunger to know and be close to him
The more you are responsible to get serious in following.
He commanded us all to get intimate with him and walk in love
We are also commissioned to make disciples of all nations
Are you living the truth in love and service to others?
Are you getting deeper to catch men for Jesus?
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My grandfather was a fisherman and sometimes he took me with him fishing in the middle of the night. I didn’t quite understand when I was small why he fished at night instead of during the day. So he told me that at night, is low tide and the fishes are in the deeper waters rather than in the shallow area. So he goes to the deeper area to get a good catch.
According to Wikipedia, the Philippine sea is a marginal sea and its sea plate forms a portion of the western North Pacific Ocean. It has deep sea trenches, among them containing the deepest point on the planet.
No wonder Jesus asked us to get into deeper water to catch men.
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PRAYER
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to get deeper into your word Lord.
REFLECTION
How can getting to know the Lord bring us a big catch?
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 PRUNES US Poem Devotional

October 20________________________________________
He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. – John 15:2(NLT)
GOD PRUNES US
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are a child of God, you are cared for
Your needs he will grant, that is for sure
He prunes that part of you that doesn’t produce
He trims parts that do so you can reap fruits.
God is the gardener who nurtures his garden
He waters and throws out dead leaves
He wants his plants and trees to bear fruits
He will never allow them to die but thrive.
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According to Wikipedia, “pruning” is a horticultural and silvicultural practice involving the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. Reasons to prune plants include deadwood removal, shaping (by controlling or redirecting growth), improving or sustaining health, reducing risk from falling branches, preparing nursery specimens for transplanting, and both harvesting and increasing the yield or quality of flowers and fruits. The practice entails targeted removal of diseased, damaged, dead, non-productive, structurally unsound, or otherwise unwanted tissue from crop and landscape plants.
The bible says in the book of John that God prunes all those he loves. He removes all the things that will not bear fruits in our lives. However, He also trims those that produces good things in our lives so it will reproduce more.
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PRAYER
Thank you Lord for pruning me.
REFLECTION
What things did the Lord prune in your life lately?
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

ON CHOOSING GOOD Poem Devotional

October 19________________________________________
Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers. – Psalm 1;1(NLT)
ON CHOOSING GOOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who choose to do good are blessed
They do the right thing and knows what’s best
They do not follow the advice of the wicked
They don’t stand around sinners and join mockers.
Blessed are those who guard their hearts and do right
They will have joy overflowing in their lives
They will prosper from the good deeds they do
And will reap the Spirit’s fruit as they live the truth.
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Psychiatrist William Glasser distinguished between survival and psychological needs in his 1996 book Choice Theory. He postulated that unhappiness results from bad relationships with relatives and friends, which in turn suffer as a result of making misguided choices. He believed that by making better choices, we can maintain better relationships which will help us to lead a more fulfilled lives. I have no idea what Glasser’s theory was based on or if he was influenced by some truths that comes from God’s word. But the truth presented in Psalm 1:1 about avoiding the counsel of the wicked and not following their ways must have been either a conscious or unconscious source in his formulation of this theory. When we choose do to right thing, joy will be overflowing.
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PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from evil and corruption of this world.
REFLECTION
How can hanging around with evil people influence what you do?
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

JOY SUSTAINER poem devotional


October 18________________________________________
If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.
-Psalm 119:82 (NLT)
JOY SUSTAINER
A poem and essay by ILMA
What could bring joy to you?
Could it be money or a change of view?
The truth will set you free and make you glad
There is freedom when you follow God’s commands.
I would have died in my suffering and misery
If God didn’t rescue me and gave me full recovery
I never would have experienced joy overflowing
If not for God’s unfailing love and blessings.
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Many different things can bring happiness to some people. We traverse this life in pursuit of that momentary pleasure to be happy. Sadly, many of us don’t experience it because we try to find it in the wrong things such as material wealth, fame, a relation or a career. I am a testament to this quest. Many decades of my life was wasted on chasing the wrong things that will bring me happiness. In the end, all these things made me feel even more empty than I already was. I kept looking for answers as to what could fill up that void inside me. What I didn’t realize was that I didn’t have to go far. I found it eventually when I heed to God’s call for me to come back to him and follow his commands. When I obeyed, it sustained my joy.________________________________________
PRAYER
Thank you for your commands that bring much joy to us.
REFLECTION
What would happen if you constantly seek God and obey his 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