Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY

PATIENCE IN TROUBLE Poem Devotional

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April 16________________________________________
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying.
– Romans 12:12(NLT)
PATIENCE IN TROUBLE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you encounter difficulties and trials
Run to God’s throne instead of being in denial
Be patient in trouble and keep on praying
He will guide you, keep on trusting.
Continue to rejoice and be hopeful
There’s no point in being doubtful
Expect the best despite all adversities
God will bring about favor and victory.
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When we are beset by troubles, our natural reaction is usually panic and worry. We analyze and problem solve instead of running to God for help. We like to think that we can do it on our own and as a result, we fail. Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit. It is not something we can work on. The dictionary definition of patience is “the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.” I think that this meaning is close to how the word of God meant it as well. The capacity to have this fruit of the Spirit is a favor or grace given to that person who believes and rely on God’s goodness. It is not something we can automatically do or work at. The more we believe, the more we will be hopeful. When we are expecting the best out of something, we receive the fruit of patience.
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PRAYER
Lord, grant me an unwavering faith so I can reap patience.
REFLECTION
How does impatience manifest in your daily life?
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

PLANTING AND NURTURING Poem Devotional

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April 15________________________________________
The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. -1 Corinthians 3:8(NLT)
PLANTING AND NURTURING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you plant God’s word in your life
You are actually living in his glorious light
When you water God’s truth with your obedience
You become a testimony and learn resilience.
The one who plants and the one who waters work together
Both will be rewarded for and receive a life that’s forever
Whenever we plant and nurture the seeds of God’s word
It will transform us and make us overcome this wicked world.
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I love plants and have been a gardener since high school. Despite small spaces I’ve lived in the past, I always have plants either indoor or outdoor. It is such a fulfilling moment when the seeds that you sow will later on bear flowers, fruits or bloom at their best. Many think that “green thumb” is a gift, but I disagree with that. If you make a choice to care for a plant, the success of that decision will be dependent on how you follow through with nurturing it with water, care and attention.
The bible tells us the same thing. If we plant and nurture the truths that God gave us, we will be rewarded for it and reap fruits from the hard work.
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PRAYER
Lord, let me focus on the fruit rather than the work as I grow my faith.
REFLECTION
How can we reap fruits of the Spirit in our life?
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

INNOCENT YET MATURE Poem Devotional

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April 14________________________________________
Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind. -1 Corinthians 14:20(NLT)
INNOCENT YET MATURE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you let no corrupt thoughts occupy your mind
You are guarding your heart and staying pure
When you feed on God’s word, you won’t be blind
You become aware of the enemy’s tactics to lure.
Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil
By staying pure, you protect yourself from corruption
Be watchful with all the tricks of the devil
By seeking God, you are going to receive His redemption.
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Ignorance is defined as lack of knowledge or information while innocence means being pure or uncorrupted. When it comes to civil laws, each citizen of a country will you be obliged to follow it, wouldn’t they? They can’t tell the cop that I didn’t know that the speed limit for that area was such. They will still be given a ticket if they go over the limit and have consequences on their driver’s license. Is ignorance of God’s law an excuse to be judged by the Lord? In 1 Corinthians 14:20m we are specifically instructed to be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but mature in understanding when it comes to God’s will and commands. Staying pure but hungering for knowing his desires and plan for us is the formula for salvation.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to stay focused on you and not on this world.
REFLECTION
How can you stay innocent yet mature in this corrupt world?
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

SPECIAL ABILITIES Poem Devotional

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April 13________________________________________
Let love be your highest goal. But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives. -1 Corinthians 14:1(NLT)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
A poem and essay by ILMA
When God formed us in our mother’s womb
He gave us special abilities to use for good
He provided us a heart so we can love abundantly
He bestowed on us gifts to use them wisely.
Let love and not performance be your highest goal
By loving one another, we will make this a better world
Use the natural gifts you were given to serve the Lord
If you do it to prosper yourself, you are defying God’s word.
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It took me a while to find out the special gifts I had because of so much turmoil in my life. I believed so many lies that clouded these special abilities the Lord gave me. When I discovered some of these gifts, I hoarded them and glorified myself instead of thanking God for these blessings. I was fool to think that it was all mine. I didn’t know that they were supposed to be used for prospering God’s kingdom instead of consuming it for my own purpose. I think this is what is wrong with the world. We are all twisted to think that whatever we got is ours. The enemy wants us to focus on the “self” and blinds us to operate in fear and selfishness instead of love.
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PRAYER
Lord, protect me from selfishness so I can love fully.
REFLECTION
What roadblocks in your life prevent you from your highest goal which is “to love” ¬¬¬?

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

ACCOUNTABILITY Poem Devotional

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April 12________________________________________
For we are all responsible for our own conduct. -Galatians 6:5(NLT)
ACCOUNTABILITY
A poem and essay by ILMA
The Lord created humans and gave him full authority
What do you do to exercise your own accountability?
Do you apply the laws of boundaries in your life?
Do you take ownership for mistakes or do you fight?
We are all responsible for our own demeanor
Do we admit whenever we chose wrong behavior?
Accountability is the first step to grow spiritually
It is a rousing from the Spirit that gives us humility.
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When I was a teacher, I took delight in those students who were very responsible, diligent and persistent. I remembered a few of those girls during my fifteen-year tenure as a Speech and Visual Arts teacher. These students gave me inspiration to grow personally and professionally. They taught me to persist despite the others who were always blaming someone or something with their shortcomings. I witnessed how God blessed and showered them with many favors.
I grew up surrounded by blamers and it was very easy for me to take on what I learned from authorities around me. It made it very difficult to deal with people who whines and blames. They spin you around as well.
The bible tells us that we are all responsible for our own conduct. We need to exercise humility when we make mistakes and confess it and be accountable for it.
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PRAYER
Lord, caution me when I tend to blame.
REFLECTION
How can we be more responsible for our own choices and actions?
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

AS LONG AS I HAVE BREATH Poem Devotional

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Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath. -Psalm 116:2 (NLT)
AS LONG AS I HAVE BREATH
A poem and essay by ILMA
When I wake up each morning, I will pray
I will thank the Lord for his favor each day
Because he bends down to listen to me
I will connect to him in order to be free.
I will pray to the Lord as long as I have breath
Because he is forever faithful, I will do my best
He gives me mercy and grace to overcome all evil
I will stay loyal and grateful to him forever.
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When people get married, they vow to love each other for as long as they live. In our society today, we find that many married people have breached these vows they made. Changes, circumstances and other factors come along the way that made them forget how much they loved each other. This is why it is always good to remind ourselves if we are married to renew these vows. The Lord has given us so many promises and stayed faithful to each of us, we also need to pray unceasingly to him. When we committed ourselves to Christ, we got married to him. We vowed to stay faithful and make him first in our lives. We sometimes forget that we made that promise to serve Him faithfully.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to remember the commitment I made to you daily.
REFLECTION
What can we do to stay faithful to the Lord for as long as we live?
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

DISHONESTY TEST Poem Devotional

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April 10________________________________________
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. – Luke 16:10(NLT)
DISHONESTY TEST
A poem and essay by ILMA
What occupies your heart and mind?
Do you feed on God’s word or are you blind?
Do you do good only when someone is watching?
Are you honest to always choose the right thing?
Your trustworthiness can be tested in little things
So does deceit show also in bigger responsibilities
Live a life full of integrity and you will thrive
Continue to live in lies and you will surely die.
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East Anglia research on honesty found that people’s honesty varies significantly between countries. The study examined whether people from different countries were more or less honest and how this related to a country’s economic development. More than 1500 participants from Brazil, China, Greece, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States, Argentina, Denmark, the United Kingdom, India, Portugal, South Africa, and South Korea – were chosen to provide a mix of regions, levels of development and levels of social trust. The four least honest countries resulting from their quiz were China, Japan, South Korea and India.
The bible tells us that the test for integrity is in little things. If one is honest in little things, they will also be honest in large ones and in bigger responsibilities.
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PRAYER
Lord, convict me when I compromise my integrity.
REFLECTION
Why do you think some people choose dishonesty over integrity?
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

DO WELL WHATEVER YOU DO Poem Devotional

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April 9________________________________________
Whatever you do, do well. For when you go to the grave, there will be no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom. -Ecclesiastes 9:10(NLT)
DO WELL WHATEVER YOU DO
A poem and essay by ILMA
God gave you abilities to use and hone
Use it! So you can press on to your growth
Whatever you do, give all you got to do it well
For your life may end, no one can tell.
There’ll be no work or planning on your grave
So when you face challenges, just be brave
When you do outstanding work, God can be praised!
Others will see his power and his amazing grace.
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I know of some people who like to settle for less because of their fear of criticism, rejection or not living up to other people’s expectations. What a waste it is when we have this kind of mentality. It places us in a box where we don’t really see our maximum capabilities. Being safe brings comfort to many people, but success is usually a by-product of taking risks, sacrificing comfort and not being afraid to fail. Most successful people didn’t achieve it in just one click. It is usually a result of repeated failures, learning from them and not giving up.
The bible tells us that we must do our best in anything we do because when we die, we won’t have the opportunities to excel and thrive.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to recognize it when I become mediocre.
REFLECTION
Why do you think the bible encourages us to be excellent in what we 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

PRAY UNCEASINGLY Poem Devotional

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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.
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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

UNCERTAINTY OF WEALTH Poem Devotional

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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.
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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.
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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