April 8________________________________________
Never stop praying. – 1 Thessalonians 5:17(NLT)
PRAY UNCEASINGLY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you have a blessing to be thankful for?
Why don’t you pray and give praise to the Lord?
Are there some problems that continually cripple you?
Pray for strength and for your mind to be renewed.
When you wake up each morning, talk to the Lord
You need to seek him first and study his word
Meditate on his truth to detect what might be wrong
Don’t stop praying so you can be free and be strong.
________________________________________
Some Christians fail to understand the importance of prayer in their lives. The enemy’s job is to steal, kill and destroy us. How does Satan stop us from unceasing prayers? He brings many distractions in our lives such as health issues, financial problems, losing someone, experiencing abuse, our roles in life, busy-ness and many more. The more he diverts our attention from God, the less time we will pray. One of the weapons we can use against this evil scheme is to pray. In Ephesians 6, we learn that the sword of the spirit is the word of God and that we have to pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion and stay alert and be persistent in praying for all believers everywhere. Because we are dealing with unseen forces and the battle is spiritual, we need to pray incessantly to win it.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, let me connect with you and run to you for everything.
REFLECTION
Why do you think some people fail to pray unceasingly?
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
Tag Archives: ILMA ARTS STUDIO
UNCERTAINTY OF WEALTH Poem Devotional
April 7________________________________________
In the blink of an eye, wealth disappears, for it will sprout wings and fly away like eagle.
-Proverbs 23:5 (NLT)
UNCERTAINTY OF WEALTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
If you think that wealth will bring you stability
You will have a shaky life for it is full of uncertainties
Like our lives, wealth disappears in the blink of an eye
You can enjoy it now, but you can’t take it when you die.
Why would you want to rely on things of this world?
It is best to seek the truth and follow God’s word?
Seek treasures in heaven and you’ll gain eternal life
Wealth is uncertain and it can draw you away from Christ.
________________________________________
In Matthew 19, we hear of the story of the rich young man who came to Jesus to ask what good deeds must he do to have eternal life. Jesus replied first to keep the commandments. Then the man claimed that he had kept all the commandments already. He continued to ask the Lord, what else must he do. So Jesus told him to go and sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor so he can have treasures in heaven. The rich young man couldn’t part with his wealth. Jesus teaches us that it is hard for the rich to enter God’s kingdom. We are also cautioned on the uncertainty of wealth because it disappears in the blink of an eye.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help me to share my wealth with those in need.
REFLECTION
How hard can it be for the rich to enter heaven?
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 ONLY WORK GOD REQUIRES Poem Devotional
April 6________________________________________
This is the only work God wants from you. Believe in the one he has sent. – John 6:29(NLT)
THE ONLY WORK GOD REQUIRES
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you fully trust the Lord that he will deliver you from sin?
Do you do works of the flesh or go back and forth where you’ve been?
The only work God requires from you is to trust him completely
There is no need for performing, he grants us grace freely.
If you trust and believe in Jesus, you will surely receive
If you doubt and have little faith, you will live in fear
Believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and Savior
He will redeem you and give you blessings and favor.
________________________________________
Work is defined as an activity in which one exerts strength or faculties to do or perform something. It is a sustained physical or mental effort to overcome obstacles and achieve an objective or result. God gave us gifts and abilities so that we can contribute in the building of his kingdom. We are asked to love and care for others if we love God because that is the only way we can manifest our love for the Lord. When work becomes focused on self-gain, it becomes a form of idolatry. We were all designed for God’s purpose, not our own. The only work God really wants from you is to believe in the one he has sent.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, help us to work at strengthening our faith.
REFLECTION
How can “work” be considered an idol or a form of bondage?
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
USE ENERGY WISELY Poem Devotional
April 5________________________________________
Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval. – John 6:27(NLT)
USE ENERGY WISELY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you manage your energy wisely?
What kind of things do you do regularly?
Find time to put God first in your activities
If you do, you’ll get his blessings easily.
God gave Jesus his seal of approval
Let’s seek him daily because it is crucial
Use your energy to spread God’s kingdom
It will make you free and receive his wisdom.
________________________________________
If I don’t plan ahead of time, my day becomes so distracted and unproductive. When I don’t prioritize spending time with God first thing in the morning, I get depleted even just in the middle of the day. Despite my busy schedules, I do my best to pray and have quality moment studying Scriptures. I ask the Lord to help me do my schedule so that I will not be doing things out of his will. I usually am able to finish all the planned activities and I don’t get to feel so tired at the end of the day. On odd occasions when I get interrupted with regular schedule and I fail to pray and study the bible, the enemy gets an open door to steal my joy, time and energy with subtle distractions.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, guard me from doing things for my own purpose.
REFLECTION
Where do you spend your energy on? Do they praise the Lord?
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 MONEY AND WISDOM Poem Devotional
April 4________________________________________
Wisdom and money can get you almost anything, but only wisdom can save your life.
-Ecclesiastes 7:12(NLT)
ON MONEY AND WISDOM
A poem and essay by ILMA
Money is a tool to get you something done
Only God’s spirit can offer you wisdom
Money can get you almost anything
Wisdom helps you do the right thing.
If you rely only on wealth to be alive
You are missing the truth that’s in Christ
Love of money blinds you to see
Wisdom tells you how to be set free.
________________________________________
There are many things we can buy with money. Some people become attached to it that lead them to distance themselves from others. They fear that everyone is out to get their wealth. They isolate themselves and live very lonely lives because they chose money as their priority. I know of someone who stayed single because she thinks that men were only after her money. She is now almost in her sixties. It is sad to watch her cling to her assets and not let anyone in her life just because she is guarding her wealth. She wants to have a family since she was in her twenties but what she doesn’t realize is that her love for money keeps her from trusting others and getting them close to her.
The bible tells us that money and wisdom can get us anything, but only wisdom can save our lives.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, free those who are lovers of money from their idolatry.
REFLECTION
Why do we need to exercise God’s wisdom over handling money?
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
WISE PLANNING Poem Devotional
April 3________________________________________
But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there’s enough money to finish it?
-Luke 14:28(NLT)
WISE PLANNING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you assess and process something before acting on it?
Do you consult the Lord and hear the voice of his Spirit?
Wise planning is important in order to execute a project
Without realistic goals and research, you cannot budget
Without estimating the costs of your planned work
It will bring you trouble and will make you broke
Wise planning brings about a realistic projection
It will help you achieve your goals and ambitions.________________________________________
My husband and I like to watch videos of past “Grand Design” show. It features people taking on the task of rebuilding old houses or structures and convert them to their homes. It is seldom we watch some people who actually had realistic budgets and time frame to build their dream homes. Most of them over-estimate or under-estimate their projections in terms of material or time cost. I think that a lot of them do not factor in the element of time and do not give provision for unexpected turn of events. The bible tells us that it is unwise to tackle a project without planning and projecting what would it cost us. It will cost us more if we don’t realistically plan.
PRAYER
Lord, give me discernment especially when I tackle a task or project.
REFLECTION
How can research, careful and realistic planning help you to succeed in your ventures?
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
A HEART FOR LEARNING Poem Devotional
April 2________________________________________
It is senseless to educate a fool, since he has no heart for learning. -Proverbs 17:16(NLT)
A HEART FOR LEARNING
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you keep putting limits to your ability
You are missing out on discovering your full capacity
A wise person has openness to new things
A fool clings to old ways of doing and thinking.
It is senseless to educate a fool, they like resisting
Don’t waste your time or they will be arguing
The wise always keeps an open mind and heart
They hunger for explorations and getting a new start
________________________________________
One of the joys of being a teacher is getting to know students who have the heart for learning. This is a novelty in our society today. We live in a world of information explosion. We are bombarded with many different views and it is not very easy to filter or monitor what we need to take in and throw out. There are much facts flying all over social media. We need to be wise to know which ones will benefit us or which ones will harm us. Those who are wise are like sponges, they hold all the things you teach them. The foolish are like rocks, you can not teach them anything because they are impenetrable. The bible says that it is useless to teach a fool because their stubbornness and pride keeps them from learning.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to be wise in your economy.
REFLECTION
What is the difference of knowledge and wisdom?
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
WEALTH CAN’T BRING TRUE HAPPINESS Poem Devotional
April 1________________________________________
Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think wealth brings true happiness. -Ecclesiastes 5:10(NLT)
WEALTH CAN’T BRING TRUE HAPPINESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Many people envy the wealthy
They think they live lives happily
Those who have much possessions
They become enslaved by their obsessions.
Those who love money will never have enough
They will always find something they lack
Store up treasures in heaven, not on earth
Commit to Jesus and always make him first
________________________________________
Our society dazzles us with materialism. The world’s standard of beauty is based on external looks not the inside. The rich get more powerful and they are looked up to for their luxurious lifestyles. Some wealthy people become richer because of their love for money. Yet, the bible says that those who love money are never satisfied. They want more. Money in itself is not bad, but to obsess about it is what will lead you to greed and selfishness. There is no point in thinking that wealth can bring about happiness. On the contrary, there are very many wealthy people who are the loneliest. They do not have that priority for others because they are protecting their treasures all the time. Since money is their idol, they probably don’ have time for God either. We are reminded in Scriptures that it is meaningless to think that wealth can bring happiness.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, don’t let me be dazzled by material wealth.
REFLECTION
How can you protect yourself from the love of money?
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
BENEFIT OF LOVING OTHERS Poem Devotional
March 31________________________________________
We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers. -Hebrews 6:9-10 (NLT)
BENEFIT OF LOVING OTHERS
A poem and essay by ILMA
The Lord created us for better things
He did not make us so we can wallow in sin
He will not forget if you work hard to love others
He will reward your faithfulness to your brothers.
God considers all his children very precious
He is fair and is very merciful and gracious
By caring for others, you prove that you love him
You will reap the fruits of his spirit and win over sin.
________________________________________
When the apostles asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is, he summed it up in loving God above all and loving others as you love yourself. The Christian’s life must be focused on walking in love. Since God is love and we are all made in his image, our default setting is to love. This is probably why we get in trouble when we don’t love. Just like when you buy an appliance and you don’t follow the manual how to maximize it’s use, you may accidentally destroy it. But God promises us that if we love him through loving others, he will reward us.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, give me a generous and loving heart.
REFLECTION
What do you think is the reward that God has in store for those who love others?
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 TEACHING GOD’S WORD
March 30________________________________________
You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. -Hebrews 5:12(NLT)
ON TEACHING GOD’S WORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
How long have you committed to Christ?
Have you been faithful to follow his light?
Believers are expected to grow in the word
The gospel has to reach all the parts of the world.
Are you doing your part in spreading the Good News?
Are you living your life anchored on his truth?
Don’t delay your responsibility to teach
All believers are expected to preach.
________________________________________
As a Christian, we are all expected to spread the Good News of Christ, who came to sacrifice his life for us. We are to preach the gospel of the grace. God gave his only begotten Son to pay for our sins. He forgave and cleared us from all sins when Jesus died on the cross. Some believers think that they need to have a degree in bible studies to be able to teach the word of God. I used to have the same mentality until the Lord revealed to me in 2 Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is God-breathed and is supposed to teach us what we ought to do and correct us when we are wrong. All believers are commissioned to spread the word of God to all the ends of the earth.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, remind me to bring your gospel to as much people as I can.
REFLECTION
What have you done to obey the commission to teach God’s word?
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









