Tag Archives: ILMA BARAYUGA-DOHERTY

PRIDE DISGUISED Poem Devotional

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May 17
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Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor. –Ezekiel 28:17 (NLT)
PRIDE DISGUISED
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you take pleasure in your beauty?
Do you desire to be adored by everybody?
Pride can be disguised in many ways
The enemy will do everything to sway.
Watch what your heart is filled with
Is it filled with love and not full of guilt?
Fill your mind and hearts with God’s truth
It is the only way that your heart will stay pure.
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Ezekiel 28 talks about the King of Tyre in this chapter. In verses 13 to 19 the details of how God crafted a model of perfection, full of wisdom and exquisite beauty. It also talks about how his beauty became an impediment for him to be with God. Isn’t this still very true in our present age now? We are bombarded with materialism and love for what this world can offer: beauty, wealth, success, money, power and many more.
The bible warns us of the many ways that pride can be disguised. It can manifest in many ways. In Ezekiel 28:17, we are asked to watch what we fill our hearts with. Beauty can be a way that the enemy can trick us into turning from God. Human knowledge is another manifestation of pride. If you don’t seek God’s truth, you can be fooled by seeking knowledge.
PRAYER
Lord, guard my heart.
REFLECTION
What manifestations of pride have you struggled with?
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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 PAIN & JOY OF WOMANHOOD Poem Devotional

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May 16
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Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule you.”
-Genesis3:16 (NLT)
THE PAIN & JOY OF WOMANHOOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you experience pain
You usually have something to gain
While giving birth, it may be unbearable
But beholding your child is pleasurable.
Because women are nurturers, they give more
They worry and care for others to the core
They feel more and are affected by things
They love more and learn from what has been.
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Women are very complex beings. They were made very differently from men. A woman’s brain is like many rooms in it while a man’s brain is just one big room. This is why women can multi-task more than men. When you ask a man what he is thinking, and he answers “Nothing”, this is really true. Women cannot fathom this “nothing” box that men’s brain likes to dwell in. While women can go to many rooms in their brains simultaneously, man has to go into the different boxes in his one big room, one at a time.
In Genesis, we learn the first sin of Adam and Eve and as a consequence of that sin, women were given painful childbirth and submission to their husbands. Out of the pain is the joy of bringing this child into the world.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for women.
REFLECTION
What attributes of a woman fascinates you most?
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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 DECEIVER OF THE WORLD Poem Devotional

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May 15
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This great dragon – the ancient serpent called the devil or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world-was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. –Revelations 12:9 (NLT)
THE DECEIVER OF THE WORLD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you think of things contrary to God’s truth?
The devil doesn’t want God’s word to take root
He steals, kills and destroys everyone he can deceive
He doesn’t want people to know the truth and believe.
The cross of Christ defeated the world’s greatest deceiver
He has no power over those who are true and faithful believers
When you closely walk with God in love and in his word
You are no longer a prey to the deceiver of this world.
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There are many Christian who do not acknowledge the reality of the existence of the devil. This is another ploy of Satan to deceive people that he isn’t real because humans cannot see him. This is how he is able to manipulate our minds by planting lies that could have been handed down to us long before we were even born. The bible clearly identifies Satan. I don’t understand how some believers wouldn’t even to acknowledge his existence for fear that he can do them harm.
In Genesis, we recount Eve being deceived by a serpent in the Garden of Eden. Revelations 12 describes the devil or Satan as a dragon and a serpent who is the greatest deceiver of the world.
PRAYER
Lord, protect me from Satan’s deception.
REFLECTION
How can we guard ourselves from the devil’s deception?
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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

WORD BRINGS LIGHT & LIFE Poem Devotional

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May 15
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The Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone.
-John 1:4 (NLT)
WORD BRINGS LIGHT & LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
God breathed life to all creatures through his word
It has power and it brings light to the entire world
His Word brings light especially to those living in darkness
It releases power and strength to the helpless and hopeless.
Whenever you seek the Word, you are filled with life
Those who are blinded by the world, lose their sight
The word is life to those who believe and obey
Say it out loud regularly especially when you pray.
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God created everything by breathing life on his creation. Words are very important. They can encourage, uplift or destroy someone. Saying out loud what is in your mind has power. Have you ever experienced saying something that you regretted later on? What you usually utter cannot be taken back anymore. We have to be careful what we say. Confessing with the mouth is one of the most powerful tool to defeat the enemy. Jesus used Scriptures to talk back to the devil. He reminded the enemy of the truth.
The bible says that it is through faith and confessing with the mouth that we can be victorious as Christians. The book of John emphasizes the importance of the word of God. It brings life to those who use it and confess it.
PRAYER
Thank you for your words which bring life and light.
REFLECTION
How has God’s word changed you?
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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

SPIRIT BRINGS WISDOM Poem Devotional

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May 13
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Those who are older should speak, for wisdom comes with age. But there is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them, that makes them intelligent.
Job 32:7-8 (NLT)
SPIRIT BRINGS WISDOM
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who are older are usually wiser
Some youth are mature and may be smarter
Those who have God’s spirit speaks the truth
The word of God frees people and bears fruit.
Pray in the spirit at all times and on all occasions
You’ll hear God’s voice and conquer temptations
The breath of the Almighty will bring you wisdom
You will experience peace, joy and freedom.
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There is a saying that “The older you get, the wiser you become.” I don’t totally agree with this saying. I knew a lot of older people in my youth that were not wise or intelligent at all. With the rise of the Information Age, we are bombarded with so much facts. Accumulation of information doesn’t necessarily mean that one is wise.
Proverbs 1:7 says that the fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. The word of God is the source of knowledge and wisdom. The world offers a different kind of understanding. God’s view focuses on the creator and others while the world view focuses on the “self.” Wisdom comes from the breath of the Almighty God within us, the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER
Let me hear your spirit within me, Lord.
REFLECTION
What has the Spirit whispered to you lately?
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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

HOW PRIDE DECEIVES Poem Devotional

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May 12
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You have been deceived by your own pride because you live in a rock fortress and make your home high in the mountains. –Obadiah 1:3 (NLT)
HOW PRIDE DECEIVES
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you think that you deserve better than others?
Do you think highly of yourself than your brothers?
You associate only with those who please you
You build a fortress so others can’t get through.
You have been deceived by your own pride
The enemy lied so you can lose sight
Keep pride away in your life and you can be free
When pride is present, you are not able to see.
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Why do you think pride is a deadly sin? Pride leads to many other sins. The original sin of Adam and Eve is rooted in pride. The serpent enticed the first man and woman to eat the forbidden fruit so they can know everything that God knows and that they will be equal to him. This is clearly a sin of pride. They wanted equality with God. Lucifer who was one of the most beautiful angels also committed the same sin. He became in love with his own beauty and wanted equality with God as well. When someone starts to feel that they are entitled to something than whatever they already have, the sin of entitlement starts which leads later on to pride. The bible cautions us to not be deceived by pride.
PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from pride.
REFLECTION
What manifestations of pride do you still have?
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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

CURE TO INDIFFERENCE AND DULLNESS Poem Devotional

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May 11
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Our greatest desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. –Hebrews 6:11-12 (NLT)
CURE TO INDIFFERENCE AND DULLNESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When one becomes isolated and caters to himself
He doesn’t care for others nor does he want help
When someone stops caring and loving
He sets himself up for trouble and suffering.
God made humans to be in relationships
The cure to indifference is loving kinship
Go out there and make yourself vulnerable
God will never forsake you in times of trouble.
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Why does God emphasize the importance of keeping our hearts pure and guarding it? The bible says that God is love and that he made us out of love. We are all commanded to follow our default setting, which is “to love.” When we do not love others, we are not obeying and honoring God.
We are also asked to keep on loving others for as long as life lasts to ensure that what we hope for will come to reality. Loving others endlessly is the cure to spiritual dullness and indifference. The opposite of love isn’t hate. It is indifference. When we do not love, we risk becoming indifferent and dull.
PRAYER
Lord, protect me from indifference.
REFLECTION
How do you guard yourself from becoming indifferent?
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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

A MOTHER’S HEART Poem Devotional

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May 10
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And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph) and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.
–Matthew 27:55-56 (NLT)
A MOTHER’S HEART
A poem and essay by ILMA
When Jesus was nailed on the cross, Mary was watching
Can you imagine how terrible it is to see Jesus dying?
When you bear a child, you’d want to give your best
When they get hurt, your heart cry and cannot rest.
Only a mother’s heart can understand suffering
It is pure love for their children that keeps her going
When she’s restricted by circumstance to give help
She never stops loving and continually dies to self.
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Mothers are God’s greatest gift to mankind. It is through our mothers that we first experience love, security and closeness. The child in the womb is a union that is bound by so much love, almost like how much God loves us. Mothers would give anything for her child’s well-being.
Mary, Jesus’ mother is the epitome of strength. We know that she watched her son beaten and crucified, yet she stayed at a distance and allowed God’s will to happen. It must have been the hardest thing to do. Bearing a child, caring and protecting them as they grow up and then watch that son or daughter killed right in front of you.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for mothers.
REFLECTION
What have you done to honor your mother today?
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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

TRAINING FOR GODLINESS Poem Devotional

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May 9
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Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. -1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)
TRAINING FOR GODLINESS
A poem and essay by ILMA
Your body needs exercise and training
Just as your spirit needs God’s correcting
Developing muscles in your body is essential
It honors the Lord and is reverential.
Training for godliness will lead to discipline
It promises benefits such as overcoming sin
It reaps a harvest of fruits from the Holy Spirit
It brings us closer to heaven when we do it.
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I go to the gym regularly with my husband at least twice a week and we go for walks and bike as often as the weather permits. I was a cyclist for over two decades, regularly biking an average of 30 km/day and 100 km/weekend. I talk to the Lord while I biked and would enjoy bike breaks to magnify God in nature. I wrote love letters to God for over 30 years now. I feel incomplete whenever there are days that I missed. In those 30 years, I think there were very few odd occasions that I missed.
The bible tells us the importance of training for godliness which is much better than physical training. It is essential to take care of the body, but spiritual training should be first in hierarchy. There is much benefits to it in this lifetime and in the life to come.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for my body, soul and spirit.
REFLECTION
What is the condition of your spirit?

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 WAVERING Poem Devotional

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May 8
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How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! -1 Kings 19:21 (NLT)
ON WAVERING
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you faithful in doing what the Lord says?
Do you get buried in confusion and haste?
How much longer will you waver?
Why do you delay clinging to your Savior?
If the Lord is God, why aren’t you following him?
There is no salvation in deceitfulness and sin
A person with divided loyalty is unfaithful
No one can serve two masters and stay truthful.
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It is sad to know that there are believers who actually serve two masters. Some of them do not even realize that they are unfaithful to God. This is one way that the enemy tricks many Christians. Satan deceives many believers by twisting truths in the bible or taking many verses out of context. How do you detect when you or another believer wavers? Hesitation is a dangerous place to be in. When one dawdles, it shows their confusion. It also exhibits a lack of honesty and integrity.
God is a faithful God, he never wavers. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah confronts Ahab about how he and his family refused to obey God’s commands and worship Baal instead. He boldly challenged them to show that God is superior over all their other gods. God was with Elijah and he sent fire flashed from heaven to prove his power.
PRAYER
Lord, help me never to waver.
REFLECTION
What can wavering do to a person’s 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