ALL BECAUSE OF OBEDIENCE Poem Devotional

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June 16________________________________________
And through your descendants, all nations of the earth will be blessed, all because you have obeyed. – Genesis 22:18 (NLT)
ALL BECAUSE OF OBEDIENCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you struggle following God’s commands?
Has there been much trials from life’s demands?
All because of one man’s obedience
Abraham became God’s preference
Because he followed without question
God made him father of all nations
When obedience becomes paramount
Blessings will be poured out in much amount.
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Obedience is defined as compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority. Obedience is very important in families, organization, companies, and in our relationships. Without it, chaos, confusion, rebellion and conflicts. When children do not obey their parents, consequences of their wrong actions rebound on them. When Christians do not follow God’s commands, they separate themselves to him through sin. No wonder, God made a big deal of obedience. He chose Mary to be the mother who bore Jesus because of her obedience. Joseph became the father of Jesus because he obeyed the instructions of the angel to marry the virgin mother of Christ.
The bible talks about the aftermath of Abraham’s obedience. He became the vehicle for which the people of God became blessed. He was the epitome of faith because he was able to obey God even if it involved giving up his most beloved son, Isaac. As a result. God made him father of all believers.
PRAYER
Lord, instill in me an obedient spirit.
REFLECTION
What hinders you from obeying God’s will?
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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

RELENTLESS Poem Devotional

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June 13________________________________________
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. – Matthew 7:7 (NLT)
RELENTLESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you have a need that hasn’t been met?
Are you in bondage and afraid of death?
Are you hungry to be loved and accepted?
Have you been abandoned or rejected?
Relentlessly ask the Lord and he will answer
Keep on seeking and you fill find it later
The door will open if you keep on knocking
The Lord will reveal himself if you keep on seeking.
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Persistence is one of my traits. I don’t stop until I find what I am looking for. I don’t easily give up when I want to do something. I can be relentless oftentimes especially when it entails creativity. Sewing was my first taste of creativity. I grew up with an aunt who was a seamstress and just kept on watching her sew. By age 9, I can sew my own clothes from undoing some of my old clothes. I figured out how to sew by destroying some of my clothes and redoing it again like a puzzle.
The bible tells us to be relentless in our prayer requests and in seeking the Lord. It is in our persistent diligence that we get answered prayers and blessings poured out on us.
PRAYER
Lord, give me courage to be diligent.
REFLECTION
When was the last time you prayed persistently and got answers?
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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

MAY GOD’S WILL BE DONE Poem Devotional

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June 11________________________________________
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true. “- Luke 1:38 (NLT)
MAY GOD’S WILL BE DONE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you struggle to hear God’s voice?
Are you constantly faced with a choice?
If you are a servant of the Lord
You will want to bring him laud.
It is meditating on his words that you see
He will speak to you directly and clearly
He will make you understand his plans
If you will follow the footsteps of his Son.
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When the angel Gabriel announced to Mary about her conception of the son of God, she was confused and disturbed at first (Luke 1:29). She had questions about how her conception will happen when she was a virgin. She didn’t have an argument with Gabriel. It was enough for her to hear that it is the Holy Spirit’s power that will do everything planned by God. She obeyed despite her confusion.
How often do we just obey like Mary did? Oftentimes when we are presented with circumstances beyond our understanding, we wallow in the perplexity of the situation. I sometimes fall into analysis and human reasoning and most of the time, it paralyzes me to just do what needs to be done.
Mary was a great model of obedience and this is probably why God chose her to be the person to bring Christ into this world.
PRAYER
Lord, teach me obedience.
REFLECTION
What stops you from obeying God’s will?¬¬¬
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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

REBORN IN CHRIST Poem Devotional

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June 9________________________________________
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn-not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. –John 1:12-13 (NLT)
REBORN IN CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
To anyone who believes in the power of Christ
They will have a renewed heart and eternal life
They are reborn not with a physical birth
They are stronger and cannot easily be hurt.
Believers will be considered God’s children
They will not allow the enemy to hinder
Being born again in spirit will lead to victory
It will equip them with power and authority.
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When I first heard the word “born again” in my early twenties, I thought it was a spiritual movement. Because I didn’t read the bible then, I had no understanding of the actual meaning of it. Until God gave me revelation to discern what it meant in my life, I had no clue what it really meant to be reborn in Christ.
One day, as I was reading my daily bible devotionals, I thought of searching for the meaning of being born again. After much study on it, I realized that I was already born again even before I got a revelation because I have always believed and accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. My mind was renewed and I saw things just like how God would see it.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for giving me new life.
REFLECTION
What changes occurred in you after being born again?
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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

KNOW WHEN TO QUIT Poem Devotional

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June 7________________________________________
Don’t wear yourself out by trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
-Proverbs 23:4 (NLT)
KNOW WHEN TO QUIT
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you get obsessed with getting rich?
Watch out for the enemy is out to trick
When you find yourself constantly wanting
It is trouble and strife that you are welcoming.
Know when to quit and to let go
Seek God and make his kingdom grow
Enrich yourself with God’s word
It is the only way you can beat this world.
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I have known many people who get obsessed with different things. Some people think that being rich is a good goal in life. This is one of the world views that destroys so many people. They pursue wealth, possessions, power, fame because they think it will bring them satisfaction. On the contrary, it destroys their lives. When you continually want material things, it changes your perspective. You become self-centered and isolate yourself from others. You want to protect your wealth, fame or power. You become envious if someone else has more than you have. You become greedy, wanting everything for yourself. You forget others because you are so busy satisfying your desires.
The bible warns us to know when to quit. It also says that we need to seek God first before anything else. When our lives is focused on being rich, we become idolaters of material things.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to focus on you first.
REFLECTION
What obsessions do you have that draw you away from 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

CAN’T HIDE FROM GOD Poem Devotional

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June 6________________________________________
I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night – but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. – Psalm 139:11-12 (NLT)
CAN’T HIDE FROM GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are living in chaos and darkness
You can run to God for light and brightness
No matter what you do, you cannot hide
He is always there for you to help and guide.
You can choose to stay in the gloom
He overpowers sin so you can bloom
You have nowhere to run to avoid his love
He made you so you can win and rise above.
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I ran for so many years from what God wanted me to be. I was consumed by traumas and denied myself the joy that I could have had if only I didn’t turn my back on God. He wanted the best for me but I was so arrogant to even listen or find out what he has in store for me. There was a time that I was so angry with him and hibernated for weeks after he didn’t give me the job I so wanted. I had a big argument with him and blamed him for all the bad things that happened to me. He still gave me a better job than what I wanted. The bible says that we can turn from God but He always sees us.
PRAYER
Lord, help me not resist your light.
REFLECTION
What have you been running from?
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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 SAKE OF THE GOOD NEWS Poem Devotional

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June 5________________________________________
If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. – Mark 9:35 (NLT)
FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOOD NEWS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you find it hard to let go of things in life?
What this world offers keeps you away from the light
When you hang on to the things of this world
You will lose God’s voice and the wisdom from his Word.
Remember that only the Good News saves
The world tempts you and makes you crave
It is in letting God take control of your life
That you find peace, freedom and insight.
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I am amazed at how many people cling to the material things offered by this world. I saw a video from a third world country who had a catastrophic typhoon and saw many people swept away by the rushing flood while they clung so hard to their possessions. Some died hugging objects that they couldn’t do without. It is such a painful sight to behold when people are enslaved by their love for the things of this life. Some of these victims of calamities died because of they couldn’t let go of these things. They could have saved their lives if they did. The bible says that if you try to cling to your life, you’ll lose it.
PRAYER
Help me to cling only to you, Lord.
REFLECTION
What are some things you can’t let go?
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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

WONDERFUL TRUTHS poem devotional

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June 3________________________________________
Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. –Psalm 119:18 (NLT)
WONDERFUL TRUTHS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you filling your life with good thoughts?
Do you let your mind stagnate and rot?
Fill your hearts and minds with wonderful truths
Allow God’s words and instructions to take root.
Only the Lord will open your eyes to what is true
Only his word will guide you and get you through
These wonderful truths are only found in Scriptures
They will bring you joy and they will be life’s treasures.
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For a very long time, I was blind to the truth. The enemy had taken over a good part of my life by telling me all kinds of lies that I believed for so many decades of my life. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells us how Satan, who is the god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. Even when I was a believer of Christ, I was still blinded because I didn’t study or put much effort in really knowing Christ and what he wants me to do for him. I lived to please myself and satisfy worldly pleasures, such as power, control, intelligence and performance based Christianity. I was religious but really didn’t understand much about the truths that comes from God’s word. The bible says that only God can open our eyes to see all the wonderful truths in God’s instructions.
PRAYER
Lord, give me eyes to see and ears to hear.
REFLECTION
What can stop you from missing God’s revelations?
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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

ONLY ONE GOD Poem Devotional

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June 2________________________________________
But we know that there is only one God, the Father who created everything and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life. -1 Corinthians 8:6(NLT)
ONLY ONE GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
There is only one God, the Father
He created big and little matters
He made us to be like him
He wants us free from sin.
Live for Jesus Christ alone
He’ll be with you all along
Praise be to God, our Saviour
Love him first and then your brothers.
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There are so many religions in this world, praising many different gods. Some people do not even acknowledge that there is a god who created them. They go about life aimlessly and without hope and peace. It is so sad to see so many people drifting away from their true and spiritual nature. We were created in God’s image according to Genesis 1:27. He is our default setting. When we change it to our own personal settings, we mess up the plan and the maximum potentials we were made for.
The bible says that there is only one God, the Father who created everything. We should live for him because without him, we are nothing and won’t even be in this world. He gave us his son, Jesus so we can emulate him and be godly and God will be so pleased.
PRAYER
Lord, I praise you only.
REFLECTION
How has your journey been towards your heavenly Father?
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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

UNCERTAINTY Poem Devotional

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June 1________________________________________
Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.
-Proverbs 27:1 (NLT)
UNCERTAINTY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Don’t brag about tomorrow
It may bring you joy or sorrow
You don’t know what the day will bring
Your heart may be troubled or it may sing.
Be humble and live each day with love
Seek peace and believe in God
Never boast about anything
It opens the door to evil and sin.
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Boasting is defined as talking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one’s achievements, possession, or abilities. I didn’t get so much affirmation as a child and the only way I was able to get love and attention is when I perform well academically or with any skill I can show that I am good at. I became very proud of myself and my achievements. As I got older, I gained the confidence from a performance oriented life. I got involved in theater which heightened my conceit. The bible says that we shouldn’t brag about tomorrow since we don’t know what the day will bring. It also says that the only thing we should boast about is that we know and understand God. Boasting is considered evil according to James 4:16. When we brag or boast about something, we actually compete and try to act like we know it all, which stems from pride.
PRAYER
Lord, let me never brag about anything but knowing you.
REFLECTION
What has boasting brought about in your life?
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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