Tag Archives: ilmaarts.com

GOD’S GUARANTEE FOR INHERITANCE Poem Devotional

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April 13________________________________________
The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised us and that he has purchased us to be his own people so that we will praise and glorify him.
-Ephesians 1:14 (NLT)
GOD’S GUARANTEE FOR INHERITANCE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When Jesus died on the cross, God purchased us
He gave his only Son so we can believe, yet we lack trust
God guaranteed us an inheritance through his Spirit
We need to open up our hearts so he can live in it.
He also gave us the power to use his name to gain
He wants us to have victory and not wait in vain
As heirs to his kingdom, must we not be thankful?
As children of God, shouldn’t we be hopeful?
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When someone gets an announcement that they inherited money or a property unexpectedly, that person must feel so special. It may come as a blessing specially if it never occurred to them that they’ll be handed such legacy. They would be grateful and hopeful if they are people of goodwill. If they are foolish, they would probably mismanage the gift they have received and splurge it recklessly.
The bible tells us that God purchased us to be his children and gave us a guarantee of our inheritance through his Spirit. He chose our hearts to live in so he can be with us always.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to be open to your Spirit always.
REFLECTION
What can block the Spirit to live in our hearts?
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

LEARN TO DO GOOD Poem Devotional

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April 12________________________________________
Learn to do good. Seek Justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. – Isaiah 1:17(NLT)
LEARN TO DO GOOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
We are summoned to always do the right thing
It protects us from the enemy and from sin
Seek justice, comfort the poor and help the oppressed
Defend those who are lost and confused; help them find rest.
Learn to do good always by obeying God’s commands
He equipped us to be able to cope with life’s demands
Fight for the right of widows and take care of them
It is the only way we can be free and cleansed.
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Man is naturally inclined to do wrong. Notice how effortless it is for us be bad. It seems automatic to do so. It didn’t use to be this way until Adam and Eve sinned and made it easy for us to be sinful. It usually takes effort and help from God to be able to do good. When we raise a child, we want him or her to be able to function well in society and do good in life. We show them slowly how to be able to learn things in the different stages of their early development up until they are grown enough to live by themselves. The bible wants us to learn to do good always, seek justice and care for orphans and widows.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to always do and choose the good.
REFLECTION
How can we have a conscious awareness to do good instead of evil?
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

GREED: ROBBER OF LIFE Poem Devotional

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April 10________________________________________
These people set an ambush for themselves; they are trying to get themselves killed. Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life. – Proverbs 1:18-19(NLT)
GREED: ROBBER OF LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Are you being robbed of your life?
Do you always stay in God’s light?
When you are greedy, you set traps for yourself
Such appetite doesn’t bring you much help.
Selfishness and greed is the key to all evil
It opens your heart’s door to the devil
Give up covetousness and you’ll be blessed
Be generous and God will do the rest.
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I have observed many greedy and selfish people in my life. I lived with some of these covetous persons and it really was a challenge to watch their lives robbed of peace, joy and contentment. They become so obsessed with hoarding things, wealth, money and other possessions. They work and toil so hard to get what they want and never want to share these things they have. All they do is boast about them and use it to gain power and control of many aspects of their lives. They have no idea that they are being robbed of time, relationships and fellowship with others. They are constantly suspicious of others motives because they think they will be robbed of their material possession. What they don’t realize is that the enemy has stolen their peace and joy.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to be generous.
REFLECTION
How can greed be removed in man’s heart?
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

LIKE LEAVES THAT NEVER WITHER Poem devotiona

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April 8________________________________________
They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season, their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. Psalm 1:2-3 (NLT)
LIKE LEAVES THAT NEVER WITHER
A poem and essay by ILMA
Those who believe in God, delight in all his commands
They do not give in to their selfish motives and demands
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruits
Their leaves never wither because they have deep roots.
They seek the Lord day and night and abide in him
They stay pure and holy and choose not to fall into sin
They prosper in all they do because God always delivers
They are faithful and will never be defeated by the devil.
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Have you ever watched or observed leaves of trees and plants by the riverbanks? Their leaves look so healthy? The trees will never fail to bear fruit because they are always nourished by the water beside them. If we constantly abide in the Lord, meditating on his commands and truth day and night, we will also prosper like the leaves of trees by the riverbanks that never wither.
When we constantly feed on the word of God, we are constantly blessed with the fruits of the Spirit which is joy, love, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, peace, self-control. If we abide in Christ, we will all have the fruits.
PRAYER
Lord, let me constantly abide and obey you.
REFLECTION
Are you abiding in Christ? Are you reaping the fruits of His 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

HOLY SPIRIT, THE HELPER Poem Devotional

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April 7________________________________________
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. – Romans 8:26(NLT)
HOLY SPIRIT, THE HELPER
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever we are in trouble, we are not alone
Just remember to go and run to the throne
The Holy Spirit was given to us by Christ
He teaches and guides us in everything in this life.
Whenever we have difficulties and challenges
He is there to tell us how to face changes
He prays for us even when we can’t express it in words
He teaches us how to overcome sin and this world.
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Have you ever paused while you are praying and didn’t know what to say? The bible tells us in Ephesians 6 to pray in the spirit at all times and on every occasion. What does praying in the Spirit means? It is opening your heart to the Lord and honestly telling him what is going on inside you. It is showing how weak you are and acknowledging that you need his help on everything, no matter how big or little it is.
Paul tells the Romans that the Holy Spirit is our helper. He is there in times of weakness and when we don’t know what to pray for. He can express our hearts through groanings.
PRAYER
Lord, lead me to pray in the Spirit always.
REFLECTION
Have you ever prayed in the Spirit? What was it like?
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

WHERE YOUR HEART IS Poem Devotional

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northbayfallvisit2013 002April 6________________________________________
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. – Luke 12:34(NLT)
WHERE YOUR HEART IS
A poem and essay by ILMA
What occupies your mind these days?
Do you think of pursuing God’s ways?
What is in your heart lately?
Is it pure or is it worldly?
Watch out what is in your mind and heart
It’s your treasure that you won’t want to depart
Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be
Seek the Lord first and you will always be free.
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Here is a quote the Pursuit of Happiness article:
Optimism is a trait that should become more common, judging by Winston Churchill’s famous quote that “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Optimism has been proven to improve the immune system, prevent chronic disease, and help people cope with unfortunate news. Gratitude is associated with optimism and has been determined that grateful people are happier, receive more social support, are less stressed, and are less depressed. Recent research indicates that optimists and pessimists approach problems differently, and their ability to cope successfully with adversity differs as a result.
The bible tells us that wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. If we pursue God daily, we will learn what he wants for us, we can have joy. If we chase the world’s standards, we won’t be free.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to dwell on the spiritual riches and not material wealth.
REFLECTION
How can gratitude help us to gather spiritual wealth?
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

THIRST FOR GOD Poem Devotional

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April 4________________________________________
As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O god. I thirst for God, the living God. – Psalm 42:1-2(NLT)
THIRST FOR GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Each morning, I pray that I can connect with you
I long to hear you and have my heart renewed
O God, I thirst for your wisdom and protection
I know that you’re always faithful to give provision.
As the deer longs for streams of water, so do I
Without your presence, I will surely die
You are the living God that quenches my thirst
Help me to always make sure that you are my first.
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I read an article that says that when there is a waterhole, there will be plenty of deer that will get attracted to it. They long for streams of water. They say that we humans can probably survive without food for a week, but studies say that we will perish without water in three days. This is how important water is in our physical lives.
The psalmist in Psalm 42 likens the deer to God’s people who thirst for God just as deer would thirst for streams of water. Our bodies need water to survive but we also need the water that gives life for our spirits, the living water that comes from God’s word. It quenches our thirst for knowing him and seeking his will in our lives.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your living water.
REFLECTION
How often do you drink from the living water that God provides?
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

VICTORY FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST Poem Devotional

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April 3________________________________________
Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. – John 16:33(NLT)
VICTORY FROM FOLLOWING CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
The world we live in is full of trials and sorrows
Don’t worry for there is always hope for tomorrow
Christ died for us on the cross so we can have victory
He wants us to follow his example so we can live life boldly.
You will never go wrong if you follow Jesus Christ
He showed us how to overcome this temporary life
Look up to the cross and you will never be crushed
If you do it out of love, it won’t ever feel like a task.
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For a very long time, I believed human effort will save me. So I always performed and please others to get approval. The world wants us to believe that we have to earn our salvation. It is one of the lies that the enemy generates in the hearts of many. Because I came from a third world country, it became almost normal to complain. Somehow, we Filipinos thought that we deserve to whine because we have been through a lot of calamities and suffering and much poverty. Honestly, I think it is an entitlement mentality that people think this way.
The bible says that here on earth, trials and sorrows are inevitable, but Christ overcame sin so we too, can.
PRAYER
Lord, help me learn from your victory over sin.
REFLECTION
How can a believer overcome the world? Is it possible to be victorious on your own effort?
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

SWEET TO THE SOUL Poem Devotional

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April 2________________________________________
Kind words are like honey-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
– Proverbs 16:24(NLT)
SWEET TO THE SOUL
A poem and essay by ILMA
When kind words are said, it is like honey
It refreshes the soul and makes us happy
The right words spoken in a timely way
Brings comfort and eases the pain away.
Kind words are sweet to the soul
They encourage others and bring joy
They are healthy for the mind and body
They bring hope and ease our worries.
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There is so much need in our society today for kind words. With so much access to information and communication, people have taken for granted the importance of choosing the right words to say at the right time. I grew up in an environment of criticisms and judgment. It was such a novelty for me to hear kind words. I remember when I was with my best friend and her family. I couldn’t believe how every member of her family always had some gentle and encouraging word for each other. I really felt special and respected each time I went to have dinners with them or sleep over. I felt safe and forgot feeling fearful.
The bible says that kind words are like honey-sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. If we are surrounded by people who say unkind words to us, our bodies and mind will be compromised as well.
PRAYER
Lord, let only kind words come out of my mouth.
REFLECTION
How can unkind words literally make us sick?
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

WORK ADDICTION Poem Devotional

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April 1________________________________________
Who am I working for? Why am I giving up so much pleasure now? It is all so meaningless and depressing. – Ecclesiastes 4:8(NLT)
WORK ADDICTION
A poem and essay by ILMA
When people toil morning till night
They lose relationships and joy in this life
Those who aim for more comfort and wealth
They’ll reap emptiness and compromise their health.
Work addiction results in isolation and brokenness
It draws us away from God’s love and righteousness
Working too much blocks all kinds of relationships
It hinders growth and interrupts all kinds of friendships.
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For many decades, I was a work addict. From age twenty up until my fifties, I was trying to prove to myself and others that I was hardworking and excellent in what I do. What I didn’t realized was that it was taking so much toll in my body. I was putting up art shows in 10 straight years, sometimes 5-6 exhibits in a year. Simultaneous to my painting career was teaching full time, single parenting, photographing, theater acting and stage managing. It wasn’t a surprise when I would constantly have migraines and all kinds of illnesses. One day, God taught me a really good lesson. I got so sick for three straight months to a point where I can’t even raise my fingers or go to the bathroom on my own.
It was all meaningless because I didn’t have much time for the Lord.
PRAYER
Lord, deliver me from too much compulsion to work.
REFLECTION
How can working too much become harmful to people?
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