Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY

SUPPLIER OF NEEDS Poem Devotional

Posted on by

burks falls 2014,barrie,erin, stanley hoop 146

October 13
________________________________________
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:19(NLT)
SUPPLIER OF NEEDS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you desperately looking for someone to satisfy your needs?
There is not a person who can actually supply you with this
Only our heavenly Father can satisfy and give us provision
He gave us his only Son to share his riches and give us redemption
Through Christ Jesus, we can be assured of all blessings
It is through him that we can be alleviated from sufferings
God is the one who can generously supply all our needs
He is fountain of goodness and the source of all things.
________________________________________
When I got married, I had this notion at the back of my mind that my husband is going to supply all my needs. Several years later, I got more frustrated each day because he couldn’t supply and meet my needs. When I started reading and studying God’s word, I finally had to give up this worldly and romantic notion that my spouse can fill all those needs. After all, he is as broken as I am himself.
The bible tells us that God is the only one who can supply all our needs. It is unrealistic to expect from people we love what only God can supply.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to only expect from you.
REFLECTION
What happens to relationships when we have very unrealistic expectations from those we are in relationship with?
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 CAN DO ANYTHING Poem Devotional

Posted on by

auries 2012 visit 068

October 12
________________________________________
I know you can do anything and no one can stop you. – Job 42:2(NLT)
GOD CAN DO ANYTHING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you ever doubt if God can deliver his promises?
Do you trust him fully in times of crisis?
Faith in him may benefit you during difficulties
God can do anything; he has no weaknesses or frailties.
Are you assured that he will be faithful to give provision?
You must believe in him and not trust human intuition
Never question God’s will or you will be frustrated
Rely on him for anything and ask so you will be provided.
________________________________________
What do you think is the difference between someone who have faith and a person who do not believe in God? Blessings and contentment are clearly seen among those who are authentic believers. Bitterness, complaining and not having enough are the clear manifestations of an unbeliever’s life.
There were years of unbelief during my early teen years. I became bitter and whiny because I relied more on my own efforts to get my goals and needs met. I didn’t have enough faith in the Lord that he will provide for me. I was proud and never really cared about God those years and I really had a hand to mouth existence. I was like the proud Job who forgot that God can do anything and no one can stop him.
PRAYER
Lord, let me remember how powerful and merciful you are always.
REFLECTION
What has God done in your life that manifested his power and might?
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 CAN’T LIE Poem Devotional

Posted on by

crawford lake 2013 048

October 11
________________________________________
God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
-Numbers 23:19(NLT)
GOD CAN’T LIE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you been betrayed by someone’s lies?
There is one who never lies and that is Jesus Christ
He became human but he is supreme over all man
He is not weak like us, he is majestic and grand.
Christ’s very nature is love so he can’t engage in lies
He sees all things and always do what is right
God is love so he is can only do loving things
He is faithful and perfect and will never engage in lying.
________________________________________
According to mentalfloss.com, in a 2002 study conducted by the University of Massachusetts, 60% of adults can’t have a ten-minute conversation without lying at least once. We lie to everyone. Our parents get the worst of it, according to The Day America Told the Truth, with 86% of us lying to them regularly, followed by friends (75%), siblings (73%), and spouses (69%). But in general we lie about things that aren’t important.
I think the first lie ever told is when Adam and Eve committed the original sin and was asked what they have done. Both of them lied, pointing at each other. Our fallen nature makes us lie, but we can avoid lying supernaturally by God’s power alone.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me from all kinds of lies.
REFLECTION
How do lies affect relationships? How can we avoid lying?
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

UNCHANGEABLE GOD

Posted on by

IMG_8680

October 9
________________________________________
I am the Lord and I do not change. – Malachi 3:6 (NLT)
UNCHANGEABLE GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you been let down by someone’s indecision?
Are you tossed and turn by some situations?
Have you been heartbroken by someone’s unreliability?
Are there broken promises resulting from instability?
The Lord, your God never changes
You can depend on him to face all challenges
He is always faithful and merciful to his children
His unchanging love and character, he has freely given.
________________________________________
Have you ever been with someone who is so unstable that your life became compromised? I once lived with someone who constantly changed his mind and can never come up to a decision. He is always seeking to satisfy himself and expects everyone around him to succumb to gratify himself. You’ll never know what he is thinking or feeling. He can be nice one moment and flip into a monster the next second. I walked on eggshells living with this person. I started to doubt myself and became more insecure and unstable as a result of being around him. I felt unloved, belittled and neglected. I felt non-existent because everything was about him and he never cared for anyone else except to get what he wants from those around him.
The bible describes God as someone who is unchangeable. He is constantly loving, merciful and faithful. He is the epitome of love and stability.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you that I can rely on you at all times for you never change.
REFLECTION
How has God’s faithfulness shaped your life as a Christian?
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

FAITH MAKES US RIGHTEOUS Poem Devotional

Posted on by

badlands fall2012 157

October 8
________________________________________
He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous. – Romans 4:21-22(NLT)
FAITH MAKES US RIGHTEOUS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you believe that God keeps his promises?
Do you continue to trust and have peace?
Are you convinced that God is faithful?
What do you do to show him you are grateful?
Faith makes us right with the Lord
Believing him brings him glory and laud
Press on and continue to grow your faith in Jesus
You are loved so much; to him, you are precious.
________________________________________
One of the ways that the enemy traps us is by making us focused on the self. Human nature desires to gratify the self. The only way we can be focused on others is by the grace of God. Otherwise, we can fall into the pit of showing off or performing to get approval. I grew up thinking that I could work my way to being righteous. I followed the ten commandments religiously but the more I do, the more I sinned. The bible tells us that we were freed from the law when Christ died on the cross. If you believe in Christ, you are under his grace.
We are made righteous only through faith just like Abraham. Romans 3:22 declares us righteous by our faith in Christ.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to grow my faith in you.
REFLECTION
Why do you think faith in Jesus is essential in our lives?
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

UNWAVERING FAITH Poem Devotional

Posted on by

monocliff 2011 035

October 7
________________________________________
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger and in this, he brought glory to God. – Romans 4:20(NLT)
UNWAVERING FAITH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you think that uncertain faith gives God praise?
What does the Scriptures say about having faith?
Continue to believe God’s promises and never waver
Keep on trusting despite not seeing; it makes you stronger.
Don’t dither for a person with divided loyalty is unbalanced
They are like the waves that tosses and turns by chance
What brings God glory is a faith that never changes
It is incessant believing even when faced with challenges.
________________________________________
Mustard seed are very small, usually about 1 to 2 millimetres in diameter and may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spice in many different countries. They can grow as tall and wide as twenty feet. In Matthew 13:31-32, Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches. He requires us all to have faith just like mustard seeds. It only takes 1-2 millimetres of faith to grow it huge. Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger and in this, he brought glory to God.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to never be tossed and turn by doubts.
REFLECTION
What are the ways we can grow our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ?
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

WHEN YOU PUT GOD FIRST Poem Devotional

Posted on by

monocliffhike 052

October 6
________________________________________
Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. -Matthew 6:33-34(NLT)
WHEN YOU PUT GOD FIRST
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you make God your priority
You actually let go of idolatry
Seek God first and be right with him
When you take your eyes off God, you sin.
Worrying brings out more fear and sorrow
Let go of all your concerns about tomorrow
Today’s trouble is enough, so give up anxiety
Instead, put God first and you will have victory.
________________________________________
What is the first thing you do as soon as you wake up? Do you run to the shower or rush to do your stuff? I learned early to say a prayer before anything else. Having been brought up to follow religious rituals paid off after all. As I habitually prayed as young as seven years old, the Holy Spirit taught me to find meaning in rote praying. He invited me to converse and tell Jesus my heartaches and troubles. So, at an early age, I had a personal relationship with Christ.
The bible tells us that when we put God first in everything, live a holy life following Jesus, we will be granted all our needs. We need not worry about anything.
PRAYER
Lord, help me whenever the enemy distracts my attention from you.
REFLECTION
What happens when you take off your eyes off Jesus?
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

UNBELIEVERS’ THOUGHTS Poem Devotional

Posted on by

halloween 2011 and sunrises 129

October 5
________________________________________
So don’t worry about these things, saying “What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. – Matthew 6:31-32 (NLT)
UNBELIEVERS’ THOUGHTS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you fret and take hours to choose what to wear?
Do others find you difficult to deal with and to bear?
Do you worry about what to eat or drink each day?
Don’t you believe that God provides for you everyday?
All these thoughts are what dominates unbelievers
Their minds are filled by doubts given by the deceiver
Your heavenly Father already knows your needs
He wants you to ask in his name so you can receive.
________________________________________
I have been a Christian since I was seven but for many decades of my past life was lived like an unbeliever. I didn’t read the bible until I was in my late twenties which would give you an insight as to why I led a very messy life then. How can someone think that they could navigate life without God’s direction? What kind of life would that be if you claim that you are a committed follower of Jesus?
The bible says that the things that dominates unbelievers are mostly worries and anxieties over very trivial things such as what to eat, drink or wear.
PRAYER
Lord, please deliver me from worries, anxieties especially over trivial matters.
REFLECTION
What do you think an authentic believer’s mind’s pre-occupation is as opposed to the unbeliever’s thoughts?
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

PROOF YOU BELONG TO GOD Poem Devotional

Posted on by

IMG_2199

October 3
________________________________________
So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me. Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.
– John 8:45,47(NLT)
PROOF YOU BELONG TO GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you believe that Scriptures is truth?
Do you allow God’s word to take root?
Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly
They do what pleases the Lord faithfully.
By believing and obeying his word is the proof
It brings you blessings and the Spirit’s fruit
Those who don’t listen to the truth does not belong
They love the world much and all that is wrong.
________________________________________
There are many Christians who have committed their lives to Jesus. Does it mean that they really belong to God? The bible says that our faith, our actions and what we say should line up with God’s truth which is found in his word. What good is it to say and declare God’s truth, when your life is full of worldliness and you live following the standards of this world instead of God’s?
There were many decades of my life when I was so confused and I created my own religion. I picked some traditions and laws of the church that would easily fit my desires. The bible says that you belong to God when you gladly listen and follow his word.
PRAYER
Lord, forgive me for moments when I don’t meditate on your words.
REFLECTION
Why do you think people question the truths laid in Scriptures?
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

NOT BY SEEING BUT BY BELIEVING Poem Devotional

Posted on by

port elgin camping 2012 494

October 2
________________________________________
For we live by believing, not seeing. – 2 Corinthians 5:7(NLT)
NOT BY SEEING BUT BY BELIEVING
A poem and essay by ILMA
What have you been praying for?
Have you asked with much fervor?
Are you patient enough to wait?
Have you continued to grow your faith?
We live by believing, not by seeing
We get responses only by trusting
Don’t rely on your human understanding
Continue to hope; you’ll soon be receiving.
________________________________________
Chapter twelve of Genesis narrates the story when God called Abraham to leave his native country, relatives, father’s family and go to the land he will show him. He was promised a great nation and that he will be a blessing to all families on earth.
Will you be able to do what this old man did? He left everything familiar and follow God’s call to go somewhere he has no clue about. Abraham’s father Terah was 70 years old when he had Abraham and he left Ur to head to Canaan but stopped at Haran and settled there. Terah lived for 205 years and died while still in Haran. Abraham lived in Haran until he was seventy-five years old when God called him to head on to Canaan. He obeyed and continued to trust that God will fulfill his promise to him. He was ninety-nine and childless when God made a covenant with him to give him countless descendants. He believed even without seeing.
PRAYER
Lord, give me faith like Abraham.
REFLECTION
What and when was the greatest manifestation of faith in your 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.co