SECRET TO OVERFLOWING JOY Poem Devotional

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October 18 The Power of God’s Word
When you obey my commands, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow. – John 15:11-12 (NLT)
SECRET TO OVERFLOWING JOY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you enjoying your life?
Are you seeking the light?
Remain in God’s love through Christ
You will have joy and never lose sight.
Abiding in Christ is the secret to overflowing joy
It gives you peace and shows you that life is to be enjoyed
Fill your life with love for God and others
You will be fulfilled when you constantly love your sisters and brothers.
Are you enjoying the life God has given you? Some people find it hard to enjoy life because they focus so much on what they don’t have. The apostle Paul always enjoyed life whether he is in prison or free to preach the Good News. God revealed to me at a point in my life when I was so negative and whiny that the only way to enjoy life is when I abide in him.
The bible tells us the secret to an overflowing joy. It is to obey God’s commandments and remain in his love. He gave us his son so that we will pursue joy.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to enjoy life.
REFLECTION
What takes out your joy in life?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

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October 18                                                                          The Power of God’s Word
When you obey my commands, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow. – John 15:11-12 (NLT)
SECRET TO OVERFLOWING JOY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you enjoying your life?
Are you seeking the light?
Remain in God’s love through Christ
You will have joy and never lose sight.
Abiding in Christ is the secret to overflowing joy
It gives you peace and shows you that life is to be enjoyed
Fill your life with love for God and others
You will be fulfilled when you constantly love your sisters and brothers.
Are you enjoying the life God has given you? Some people find it hard to enjoy life because they focus so much on what they don’t have. The apostle Paul always enjoyed life whether he is in prison or free to preach the Good News. God revealed to me at a point in my life when I was so negative and whiny that the only way to enjoy life is when I abide in him.
The bible tells us the secret to an overflowing joy. It is to obey God’s commandments and remain in his love. He gave us his son so that we will pursue joy.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to enjoy life.
REFLECTION
What takes out your joy in life?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

THE SECRET OF GROWTH Poem Devotional

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October 16                                                                              The Power of God’s Word
Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. –Colossians 1:10 (NLT)
THE SECRET OF GROWTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you live a life of honesty and purity?
Do you seek God’s word and never compromise integrity?
Are your actions and choices geared on following Christ?
Are you producing good fruits and staying in the light?
The way you live will gauge how you will grow
You won’t reap a good harvest if you don’t sow
As you seek and follow God, you will reap his promises
You will get better and grow without making compromises.
When you put up a small business, there are many factors to consider so that you will be successful. One of the secrets of a profitable industry is integrity. When the business is anchored on it, success isn’t far. Perseverance and hard work are also crucial in making your business grow.
A Christian’ secret to growth is based on living a life of honor and purity. If you live your life to please the Lord and faithfully seek him and follow him, you will harvest every kind of good fruit and mature as a believer of God.
PRAYER
Lord, grant me a hunger for you always.
REFLECTION
Why is it necessary to live a life for Christ?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

GOD TRANSFORMS THE REJECTED

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October 15                                                          The Power of God’s Word
The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see. – Psalm 118:22-23 (NLT)
GOD TRANSFORMS THE REJECTED
A poem and essay by ILMA
When others reject you, rejoice and be glad
Christ was also cast off but he continued to abide
Jesus came for those who are broken hearted and rejected
Exult for he will ensure that you are healed and protected.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone
This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful to see these transformation
God can do anything to build up those who are suffering rejection
Thank him each time you go through the same discrimination.
Rejection was the theme of my life for almost over five decades. I had been rejected during my early years and somehow the enemy infiltrated my former life and generated many lies about rejection. I saw through the filter of the world’s system and it made me an advocate for the oppressed and those without a voice. I did it because it made me have control over my powerlessness when I was rejected.
The bible tells us that Jesus himself was rejected but God made him the cornerstone and the foundation of his church. He transformed the rejected into the source of strength for all to see.
PRAYER
Lord, let me look up to you when rejected.
REFLECTION
How do you deal with rejection?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

JESUS FEVER Poem Devotional

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October 14                                                                   The Power of God’s Word
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere–in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria and to the ends of the earth. – Acts 1:8 (NLT)
JESUS FEVER
A poem and essay by ILMA
When the Holy Spirit comes upon you
You will long for Jesus and your minds will be renewed
You won’t stop talking about Christ to others
You’ll shine like a light to your sisters and brothers.
Your lips will only talk about God’s truth and power
You will know what to say to the enemy so it will cower
You will witness to all the good things he has done
You will forget your selfish nature and focus on the Son.
Have you ever experienced getting a fever? Intense nervous excitement is one
definition of the word “fever.” The bible says that when the Holy Spirit comes into your life, you will be experiencing Jesus Fever. The Holy Spirit will come upon you and you will witness to the power of God, telling everyone about the Good News.
I remember one time when the Spirit kept on prodding me to give testimonies to what God has done in my life. I couldn’t stop talking about Jesus. I was a teacher of Oral Communications, but somehow everything that came out of my mouth was about the miracles that God has done in my life.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your Spirit.
REFLECTION
Do you talk about Jesus to others?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

CHRIST DIDN’T DIE FOR THE LAW Poem Devotional

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October 12                                                                              The Power of God’s Word
For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. – Galatians 2:21(NLT)
CHRIST DIDN’T DIE FOR THE LAW
A poem and essay by ILMA
Is your legalistic ways confining you to grow?
Do you strictly adhere to regulations and the law?
Christ didn’t die for you to be in a religion
He came so that you can be in a constant relation.
For if keeping the law could make you right with God
What is more important is to seek Him and abide
Love is the only way you can be free from the law
When you walk in love, peace is what you will sow.
The true believer knows that Christ didn’t die so we could only follow a religion. God loves us so much that He wants us to be in constant relationship with him. As an authentic believer, we must be able to walk in love and not just do things for the sake of following. When you love someone, you would do anything to know that person. That is what God expects us to pursue. He wants us to deeply know him. The bible says that if we keep ourselves right by just keeping the law, then it was pointless for Christ to die on the cross.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to seek intimacy with you.
REFLECTION
How is legalism an impediment in walking in love?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

COUNTERFEIT GOSPEL Poem Devotional

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October 11                                                                 The Power of God’s Word
You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News, but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. – Galatians 1:6-7(NLT)
COUNTERFEIT GOSPEL
A poem and essay by ILMA
Does your belief about Christ focus on self seeking goals?
Does your life anchor on getting pleasures for the body and soul?
If you claim you are a believer and living a superficial life
Be careful, this is not the gospel that brings light.
There are many false teachings and preachers that twists the truth
Seek God and His ways and your life will get deeper roots
The only way to know counterfeit gospel is to know God’s word
It guides you to be able to discern the ways of this world.
How does one recognize a counterfeit from the real thing? One must be able to inspect and really study the genuine thing. The bible tells us that there are many false teachers propagating a gospel that is not from Christ. They try to add or subtract from the Good News and somehow make it appealing to unbelievers and believers alike. Satan wants us to be blind and stay unclear about God’s truth. This is how he can deceive people from following God’s ways. We are cautioned to take responsibility to know the truth because it protects us from being fooled.
PRAYER
Lord, guide me.
REFLECTION
Why is seeking the word important?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

DIRECT REVELATION Poem Devotional

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October 10                                                                     The Power of God’s Word
I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. – Galatians 1:12 (NLT)
DIRECT REVELATION
A poem and essay by ILMA
No human wisdom can make you understand things
Only God can make you discern something
When you have a close relationship with Christ
He will fill you with courage and grant you insight.
I received my message from no human source
All the things I know is from the Lord
I get direct revelation from the one I truly love
He prepares me to join him later in heaven up above.
Do you hear God saying things to you? Many people freak out when I tell them God talks to me. I started conversing with God at an early age of seven. I wanted to ask questions and no one really listened to a little child then. So, I started asking him first and later on tell him how I feel. I didn’t hear human voice directly but somehow, something inside me would tell me what I needed to know. When I studied the bible in my twenties, I was astounded to know that all I knew from my chats with God was written in the bible.
The bible says that we can receive direct revelation from God. Do you have a close relationship with Christ to actually hear him?
PRAYER
Lord, keep me close to you.
REFLECTION
Do you get direct revelations from God?
For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or go to www.ilmaarts.com or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

FULL & COMPLETE BY CHRIST Poem Devotional

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October 9                                                                               The Power of God’s Word
And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself. – Ephesians 1:23 (NLT)
FULL & COMPLETE BY CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you feel empty and incomplete in your life?
Have you accepted and committed to Christ?
If you believe that Christ came to save you
You will be part of his church which renews.
You will have a new life and die to your old self
You will give up self-effort and seek God for help
You will be made full and complete by Christ
He will fill you with his Spirit and you’ll gain insight.
For many years of my life, I chased dreams, ambitions and approval from others. I felt incomplete and empty despite all these efforts. When I gave up rebellion, disobedience and self effort, Christ revealed to me the toxic gospels that I believed in before. The word of God changed my view and led me to the truth that only Christ can make us complete. I stopped relying on myself. Instead, I focused on Christ’s mercy and grace.
When we believe in Christ, we become part of his body. He fills us with his spirit that makes us full and complete. We stop performing and start following and living in love. We become dependent on him.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to focus on you always.
REFLECTION
What things and dreams keep you from focusing on Christ?

For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

CONVENIENCE VERSUS TRUTH Poem Devotional

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October 8                                                          The Power of God’s Word
For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4(NLT)
CONVENIENCE VERSUS TRUTH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you listen only to what you want to hear?
Are you allowing the Spirit to speak to you clear?
Do you go by your own convenience or God’s truth?
Are you giving in to your whims or does the word take root?
The truth will put off your sinful nature and let you walk in love
It will let you avoid the word’s system and focus to Him above
It will stop you from chasing myths and false teachings
The truth will set you free and allow you to keep on loving.
“Convenience” is mostly the choice of many as they go through life. Who doesn’t want to have a convenient life? We are mostly bombarded with advertisements targeting for us to have an easy life.
The bible tells us that there’ll come a time when people will choose to follow their own desires and choose convenience instead of God’s truth. They will reject the truth and believe in myths more. Are you choosing convenience more than God’s truth?
PRAYER
Lord, help me to walk in truth.
REFLECTION
What conveniences have you been embracing that defies God’s truth?

For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s Poem Devotionals, or to receive emails of the poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com

UNSHAKEN Poem Devotional

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October 7                                                                           The Power of God’s Word
I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. – Acts 2:25 (NLT)
UNSHAKEN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who trust the Lord will never be shaken
He is there when challenged and are burdened
Whether there is hail or storm or disaster
God protects them in all calamities and encounters.
The Lord is faithful to those who love him
He is always living inside to protect them
He promised his Spirit to dwell in their hearts
If you are faithful to seek Him, He will never depart.
Have you ever been loved so faithfully by someone? Devotion and faithfulness are key factors that make a relationship thrive. Most marriages that end in divorce usually lack these ingredients. Therefore, their marriages didn’t last long. Most successful relationships are anchored on faithfulness and trust. When unfaithfulness lures one partner, it usually ends the relationship eventually.
The bible tells us how faithful God is to his people. Even when Christ died, he left the Holy Spirit to dwell in the hearts of believers. King David acknowledges the presence of the Lord with him always in Acts 2:25. That is why is never shaken because he knows that God is always beside him. All believers must remember that He lives in us.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your faithfulness.
REFLECTION
How faithful are you to a God who constantly wants to be with you?