REBELLION BRINGS RUIN Poem Devotional

Posted on December 9, 2014 by ilmaarts

December 8 The Power of God’s Word
What sorrow awaits my rebellious children, says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my spirit, thus piling up your sins. – Isaiah 30:1(NLT)
REBELLION BRINGS RUIN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who believe the Lord and continue to sin
They will be held answerable to only Him
If you want to stay faithful to your creator
You acknowledge that no one else is greater.
Those who continually rebel and disobey the Lord
They will find sorrow at the end of the road
If you makes alliances not directed by God’s spirit
You will find out later that the enemy is the culprit.
Do you have any idea how a rebel’s life is like? Rebellion brings ruin. I can testify to the validity of this statement. I was a strong willed child and was brought up by 2 strong willed parents. Another strong willed aunt added to the picture of many strong willed people living with each other. It brought so much ruin and sorrow to our family. God revealed to me that these strongholds of rebellion were passed on from many generations.
Isaiah 30:1 says that sorrow awaits those who are lawless. He also says that the more you rebel, the more you get buried in sin. Obedience was something that Jesus exampled in his life. He saved our sins through perfect obedience.
PRAYER
I will obey you Lord.
REFLECTION
What other areas of your life need obedience?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

A JEALOUS GOD Poem Devotional

Posted on December 7, 2014 by ilmaarts

December 6 The Power of God’s Word
Therefore, I myself, the Sovereign Lord, am now your enemy. I will punish you publicly while all the nations watch. Because of your detestable idols, I will punish you like I have never punished anyone before or ever will again.
– Ezekiel 5:8-9 (NLT)
A JEALOUS GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you professed your love for Jesus
Did you ever consider that he can be very jealous?
He wants you to love him very faithfully
He doesn’t want competition and hates idolatry.
If you put everything else before him
He will reveal to you that it is a sin
He detests idols and considers it adultery
He wants your complete faithfulness and loyalty.
Have you ever experienced jealousy in any of your relationships? In human relationships, jealousy can be a negative behavior. Do you ever wonder where jealousy comes from? In Exodus 34:14, God’s very name is Jealous. So, we must have gotten jealousy it from our spiritual DNA. In God’s economy, jealousy is very different from our worldly view. God is jealous because he knows what is best for us. We were given a glimpse of the wrath of God in Ezekiel 5:8-9 when the Israelites were having idols. God actually showed them how he detested idolatry. James called it adultery in his book.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me faithful to you.
REFLECTION
Do you make God first in everything?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

DEVOTING TIME TO PRAY Poem Devotional

Posted on December 5, 2014 by ilmaarts

December 4 The Power of God’s Word
Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
– Colossians 4:2 (NLT)
DEVOTING TIME TO PRAY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you wake up looking forward to a new day?
Are you thankful for seeing the sun’s ray?
How much of your thoughts are in disarray
Are you alert to everything that happens or do you stray?
Devote yourselves to prayer with a renewed mind
Allow God’s word to make you see and not stay blind
When you spend time with the Lord, you are using your time wisely
When you waste your time, you will be consumed by the enemy.
Making prayer a task or duty rather than an act of love is one of the many causes why people don’t pray enough. Do you remember the last time you were in love? Didn’t you want to be with that person always and talk to him or her? You want to know everything about the person’s thoughts and character. It’s the same with prayer. If we love God, then we will devote time to talk to him and be with him so we can know him deeply. We would drop everything we are doing, just to be with him. Just like any relationship, the more time we invest, the more intimacy and growth we gain.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to talk to you at all times.
REFLECTION
What are the challenges you face with regards to your prayer life?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

UPSIDE OF SUFFERING Poem Devotional

Posted on November 28, 2014 by ilmaarts

November 27 The Power of God’s Word
I am glad when I suffer for you in my body for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continued for his body, the church. –Colossians 1:26 (NLT)
UPSIDE OF SUFFERING
A poem and essay by ILMA
What do you do when you are continually abused and people put you down?
Do you react by being angry, withdraw or do you succumb?
Believers are called to embrace suffering, just like Christ
We are called to participate in his body without a fight.
We don’t need to endure when there is no resistance
The test is in the trials; that is the source of patience
The upside of suffering is going through the finish
Focus on the kingdom and you’ll be able to put up with the anguish.
Human suffering is part of life. The “world” has bombarded society with the avoidance of suffering. We live in a “microwave age” where everything is about quick self-gratification. Society has put so much premium on getting quick fixes and fast results in almost everything.
Paul teaches the Colossians to look at the upside of suffering. He invites believers to be glad when they suffer in their bodies. It is a privilege to partake in Christ’s suffering. By dying to our wants and desires, we are participating in the suffering that Christ endured in order to pay in full our debts and free us from sin.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to endure quietly.
REFLECTION
What challenges are you enduring for Christ?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

SECRET TO LONGEVITY AND PROSPERITY Poem Devotional

Posted on November 26, 2014 by ilmaarts

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November 26 The Power of God’s Word
Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.- Psalm 34:12-13 (NLT)
SECRET TO LONGEVITY AND PROSPERITY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you want to live a long and prosperous life?
Have you been feeding on the word to be in the light?
Do you take care of your heart and your body?
Does your mouth talk about things that are pure and godly?
If you want to live long and be wealthy
You ought to keep your tongue from words that are filthy
Keep lies out of your lips then you will gain prosperity
When you follow Christ, you will thrive and have longevity.
So many seminars on prosperity are taken by people obsessed with getting rich. In God’s economy, there is a different secret ingredient to have longevity and be prosperous. Psalm 34 speaks about the formula to gain long life and wealth. It says that we must keep our tongues from speaking evil and our lips from telling lies.
I suspect that unbelievers will find this key ingredient very bizarre because they don’t understand how God operates. An authentic Christian who has walked with God long enough and has spiritually grown knows that everything that thrives is a result of a pure heart and a good mouth.
PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from lies.
REFLECTION
Why do you think people tell lies and speak evil?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

CLING TO THE WORD OF LIFE Poem Devotional

Posted on November 24, 2014 by ilmaarts

November 24 The Power of God’s Word
Hold firmly to the word of life, then on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
– Philippians 2:16(NLT)
CLING TO THE WORD OF LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you challenged with life these days?
Cling to the word of life and run the race!
Jesus is the only way to have eternal life
His word frees us from sin and brings us light.
Feed on the word that comes from Him
It is the cure for all illnesses and sin
Work at knowing the truth that sets you free
Choose peace and love and God will make you see.
What world beliefs keep you bonded to sin? The system of this world is very different from God’s economy. The world wants self gratification while the other dies to self. It is not hard to spot the “worldly” from the “godly.” The “wordly” seeks to please the self while the “godly” seeks to please the Lord. Worldliness blinds people from the truth. They cling to lies that will not compromise their earthly comfort.
The bible tells us to hold firmly to the word of life, Jesus. He is the answer to everything. If we run the race towards knowing God, we will benefit from it on the day of Christ’s return.
PRAYER
Keep me holy Lord.
REFLECTION
How do you cling to the word of life?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

LIVE IN PEACE & THANKSGIVING Poem Devotional

Posted on November 19, 2014 by ilmaarts

November 19 The Power of God’s Word
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body, you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
– Colossians 3:15 (NLT)
LIVE IN PEACE & THANKSGIVING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Is your life an act of thanksgiving and praise to God?
Do you acknowledge the giver of life and give him applaud?
Do you choose to live in peace and harmony?
Have you given up resentments in order to embrace unity?
Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts
For it keeps you close to Him and you will never be apart
All believers are called to live in peace and gratitude
Give up your sinful nature and let God change your attitude!
The word “peace” in English conjures up a passive picture, one showing an absence of civil disturbance or hostilities, or a personality free from internal and external strife. The biblical concept of peace is larger than that and rests heavily on the Hebrew root slm, which means “to be complete” or “to be sound.” The verb conveys both a dynamic and a static meaning” to be complete or whole” or “to live well.”
The bible tells us that peace comes from Christ and that we should let it rule our hearts. As Christians, we are called to live and embrace peace and always be thankful.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to choose peace always.
REFLECTION
How can you be thankful to God daily?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail

WARNING ABOUT END OF DAYS Poem Devotional

Posted on November 18, 2014 by ilmaarts

November 18 The Power of God’s Word
For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. – 2 Timothy 3: 2, 3 (NLT)
WARNING ABOUT END OF DAYS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Look around you and carefully hear the warning
Are you constantly in pursuit of owning or possessing?
Are you keeping a record of wrongs that people did to you?
Are you participating in evil and surrounded with people who are cruel?
God has warned us about the end of days
People will love themselves and follow their own ways
They will be unruly, unloving and unforgiving
They will slander and rely on human reasoning.
Are you witnessing today all the signs that Paul gave us in his letter to Timothy? Take a look at the world we live in. Clamor for power, wealth and fame dominate our society. Many people are hard hearted, unloving, unforgiving and have no self-control. Some people thrive on cruelty, abuse, arrogance, idolatry and greed. All these signs that we were warned in the days of Jesus are so crystal clear today. The desires of the flesh compete with the longing to please God.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me focused on you at all times.
REFLECTION
Do you live your life in such a way that it warns others of the end days?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION Poem Devotional

Posted on November 17, 2014 by ilmaarts

November 17 The Power of God’s Word
When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision-the cutting away of your sinful nature. – Colossians 2:11 (NLT)
SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you run to Christ, your life is going to be transformed
You will see the lies and deception perpetuated by the world
God will ensure that sin has no power over you any longer
He will make your minds renewed and you will be stronger.
When you surrender to Christ, you will have wisdom and mature
He spiritually circumcised and cut away your sinful nature
You were buried with his Son when you were baptized
You were raised to a new life just like our Lord, Jesus Christ.
“You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you.” –Genesis17:11. The Lord said that a time is coming when he will punish all those who are circumcised in body but not in spirit. –Jeremiah 9:25. God also told his people through Jeremiah in 4:4 –“O people of Judah and Jerusalem! surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord.
When we came to Christ, we received spiritual circumcision where our sinful nature was cut off. We need to honor that covenant with God.
PRAYER
Lord, free me from corruption of this world.
REFLECTION
What impurities do you need to bring to the cross of Christ?

For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

SEEKING INTIMACY WITH GOD Poem Devotional

Posted on November 14, 2014 by ilmaarts

November 14 The Power of God’s Word
The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth He grants the desires of those who fear him; he hearts their cries for help and rescues them. – Psalm 145:18-19 (NLT)
SEEKING INTIMACY WITH GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you spend time with God regularly?
Are you seeking to know him intimately?
The Lord is close to all who call on him
He grants their desires and helps them overcome sin.
The heavenly Father hears the cry of all believers
He rescues them by giving his Son as their Redeemer
Come to him, seek his will and you’ll fulfill his plan for you
You will have peace and you will be totally transformed and renewed.
What is the status of your relationship with God? Do you pray regularly and feed on his word daily? It amazes me that a lot of those who claim to be Christians do not even have an intimate relationship with Jesus.
The bible tells us that when we are close to Jesus, he provides for all our needs and he hears our cries for help. He also comes to their rescue. He is a very faithful lover and never cheats on us but is patient and a good provider.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to seek your truth and focus on you daily.
REFLECTION
Why is spiritual intimacy important in reaping the fruits of the Holy Spirit?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

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