Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY

PERFECT HUSBAND Poem Devotional

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June 25________________________________________
Fear not, you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid, there is no more disgrace for you. For your creator will be your husband. – Isaiah 54:4,5 (NLT)
PERFECT HUSBAND
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are rejected and abandoned
Fear not, you will be free and ransomed
Don’t be afraid and live no longer in shame
There is no need to continue the blame.
As soon as you believe in Jesus Christ
He takes the role of your husband for life
There is no more disgrace and shame
He wipes it all out with his blood and his name.
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When my son was born, I decided to offer my life to Jesus. Since I was a single parent, I needed someone to help me raise my son. I didn’t have time to ponder on looking for another partner because the father of my child didn’t turn out to be a kind and loving man. Something inside me chose God to be my husband. He was perfect, he was never going to hurt me or abandon me. So, I made a vow to him that I will faithfully cling to him especially so I can raise my son with the right guidance. I went to commune with him intimately and regularly. I involved my son to do so with prayers, worship and reading the word three times daily. The bible says that God took the role of husband to those who come to him.
PRAYER
Lord, let me submit to you always.
REFLECTION
How has God manifested himself in your life as a husband?
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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

ABOVE ALL Poem Devotional

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June 24________________________________________
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55: 9 (NLT)
ABOVE ALL
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you wonder how God thinks?
Are you able to find the link?
The Lord your God is above all
If you fathom much, you will fall.
Just as the heavens are higher than the earth
So is God’s ways higher than the rest
His thoughts are not your thoughts
His ways will bring clarity to the lost.
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Have you ever wondered and pondered over how God thinks or why he allows things to happen in our lives beyond our understanding and control? I did for so many years of my life. I was always curious how a supreme being would think, act and decide on in comparison with an ordinary person. The question “why” is my favorite question. I will literally not stop until I get an answer. By the time I reached fifty, I still have so many unanswered questions.
The bible says that God is all-knowing and men are limited. He rises above all. He knows all and doesn’t think like a fickle man would. He is faithful and forgiving and loves immensely. I learned to stop asking questions when God told me one day in my God moments that I don’t have to know all the answers.
PRAYER
Lord, make me hungry for knowing your character.
REFLECTION
Why is over-analyzing not really a good thing to do?
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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

CONSEQUENCES OF SELF-RELIANCE Poem Devotional

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June 23________________________________________
But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me; you will soon fall down in great torment.
-Isaiah 50:11 (NLT)
CONSEQUENCES OF SELF-RELIANCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you think that you can live on your own?
Have you reaped the harvest of what you’ve sown?
Watch out if you live in your own light
It will soon be extinguish and be out of sight
If you think that you can live without God’s insights
You will fall in great torment and will never be right
The consequences of self-reliance is damaging
It leads to sin; hearts are constantly hardening.
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I have lived so many years of my life being independent and self-sufficient. I took pride in individuality and not asking help. I thought that it was a good thing to owe nothing to anyone. I was made to believe that successful people never depended on anyone but themselves. Self-reliance is a concept generated by this materialistic world. In God’s economy, the opposite of independence is what God requires from us. He wants us to be totally dependent on him for everything, just like an infant or a child would be to their parents.
The bible warns those who live in their own light. The consequences of self-reliance is fatal and destructive to the hearts and minds of believers. It hardens the heart.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me focused on your light alone.
REFLECTION
How can a believer practice total dependence on 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

THE POWER OF SILENCE Poem Devotional

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June 22________________________________________
But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.
-Matthew 27:14 (NLT)
THE POWER OF SILENCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
How do you respond to an allegation?
Do you defend yourself without hesitation?
Do you flare up in anger in response to accusations?
Do you resist to react to lies that lead to rejection?
When Jesus Christ was betrayed and persecuted
Like a lamb, he was silent and never reacted
No matter how much charges they hurled at him
He made no response and didn’t give in to sin.
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What do you do when someone slander you or accuse you of something you never did? Before I was a born again Christian, I used to react instantly without thinking. I learned to be reactionary from someone I lived with for so many years. This is why the bible cautions us to stay away from angry people because we can easily learn their ways. Words rain from my mouth when someone spread lies and rumors about me. I always confront people when they attack me. I had a friend, who never said a word whenever people say negative things about him and I used to tell him, that he needs to fight for his right. God dealt with my reactions one day.
Jesus was a great example of the power of silence. He never made a response to all the charges against him. He prayed for them instead.
PRAYER
Lord, teach me to forgive instantly.
REFLECTION
How do you respond to accusations?
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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

KEY TO LIFE Poem Devotional

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June 21________________________________________
You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. – Deuteronomy 30:20 (NLT)
KEY TO LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you been living life to the fullest?
Are you walking on the path to happiness?
Make a choice to serve the Lord your God
You will find peace and joy if you bring him laud.
Commit yourself firmly to Jesus Christ
Serving and obeying him the key to your life
It is in him that you will have wisdom and insight
Only in Christ can you be godly and be right.
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Have you ever pondered how you live your life? I lived many decades of my life feeling empty and always running. I didn’t know that the cause of such emptiness is because I didn’t obey the Lord and commit myself to him fully.
How many people live their lives without knowing the key to it? Many just go through the motions of life without even giving it a thought. The philosopher Socrates said “An unexamined life is not worth living.” I agree with this saying. There is a thin line between a meaningful life and a worthless one. Obeying and committing yourself to the Lord is the key to life according to the bible. It is the dividing line that makes the difference between a full and an empty life.
PRAYER
Lord, fill my life with you.
REFLECTION
Where is the direction of your life going?
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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

IN JESUS poem devotional

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June 20________________________________________
Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. –John 16:33 (NLT)
IN JESUS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you experiencing challenges and suffering?
Is there a trial that you are currently undergoing?
Here on earth, you will have sorrows and pain
Don’t give up; believe in Christ and you will gain
He came and lived like you to overcome this world
He summons you to seek God and be in the word
In Jesus, you can have victory over the enemy
In Christ, you will find light and life through eternity.
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I lived for over four decades of my life thinking that I am the only one who can make my dreams and ambitions possible. I had no clue that I was never in control because it is only my creator who has the say in all that happens to me. The great thing about God is that he gave us “free will” and we can either use it for his glory or for our own selfish gains. When we use this gift of choice for our own purpose, we bear the consequence of that selfishness. When it is used to bring his kingdom glory, we reap a harvest of blessings and joy in our lives. The bible says we will have trials and sorrows here on earth, but if we do everything in Christ, we will overcome the world.
PRAYER
Lord, let me only serve you.
REFLECTION
What have you overcome in life when you did it in Jesus’ name?
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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

RESCUED FROM EVIL Poem Devotional

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June 19________________________________________
Jesus gave his life for our sins just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. –Galatians 1:4 (NLT)
RESCUED FROM EVIL
A poem and essay by ILMA
We live in a world full of evil
Where pain and suffering is real
Many of us are bonded to sin
But Christ has no sin in him.
Jesus gave his life to recue us
He freed us from bondage and lust
He paid a high price on the cross
Are you accepting him or staying lost?
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Rescue is defined as saving someone from a distressing situation. I lived in the Philippines for 43 years and had witnessed a lot of calamities such as earthquakes, typhoons, fires, and illnesses and accidents. After being exposed to such disasters, one becomes immune to the effects of helplessness and trauma brought about by such experience. You learn to live on survivor mode almost always. When I came to Canada, it was a long time before I actually learned to relax and let go. What I didn’t realize was the aftermath of all those traumas on my whole being. It made me a very independent and self-sufficient person, never depending on anyone but myself. It made me distrustful and always watching my back. Jesus rescued us from this evil world when he died. He obeyed God’s plan to wipe all our sins and be born again.
PRAYER
Remind me to ask your help always, Lord.
REFLECTION
What bondages and sin have God rescued you 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

PRAYER FOR RESTORATION Poem Devotional

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June 18________________________________________
Restore me to the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels and they will return to you. – Psalm 51:12-13 (NLT)
PRAYER FOR RESTORATION
A poem and essay by ILMA
Lord, forgive me for all of my transgressions
Give me a repentant heart so I can have salvation
Restore me and free me from all my iniquities
Help me to focus on you amidst trials and adversities.
Renew my mind and heart so I can be free
Help me to seek your word so I can see
Bless me as I humbly repent and confess
Bring me back to you and never digress.
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When a calamity has just destroyed a house, it takes a lot of time to actually deal with the damages. We clean it up first and take an inventory as to how much loss the disaster brought about. Then we sit down and calculate how we are going about repairing against what our budgets can afford. After the declaration of the state of the catastrophe, sometimes it takes a while before we can go through the motions of the restoration. We go through a state of shock and some people stay long in the point and they become immobilized by the trauma. Going through a calamity is just like being beaten up by the enemy. In Psalm 51, David prays for restoration after many years of unconfessed sins.
PRAYER
Lord, give me a contrite heart.
REFLECTION
What is the importance of confessing a sin?
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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

Beauty for Ashes poem devotional

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June 17________________________________________
To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. – Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)
BEAUTY FOR ASHES
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you mourning over losing someone?
Have you been enslaved by anyone?
How much have you been suffering in this life?
There’s hope for those who cannot see the light.
God promised a crown of beauty for ashes
Jesus received beatings and so many lashes
He died so that sinners can be redeemed
Be joyful, he saved us and cleared us of sin.
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It is not hard to feel despair in this wicked and chaotic world we live in. There are so many hopeless and lonely people. I used to be one when I was bonded to sin. What is ironic is that I thought I was saved but then my life was still full of discontent and longings. I did everything to satisfy my cravings and to provide for all my needs. I didn’t’ realize that Christ had already died for me and that I am free from the darkness of sin. I didn’t have to do anything for him to love me more. He already does and he has died for me already.
The bible talks in Isaiah about the promise of God to those who mourn. He will replace their sorrow with a crown of beauty. He will deliver them from despair.
PRAYER
Lord, help me never to despair.
REFLECTION
Relate a time when you were delivered from hopelessness.
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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

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