SOURCE OF SATISFACTION Poem Devotional

July 6
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Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. – Psalm 90:14(NLT)
SOURCE OF SATISFACTION
A poem and essay by ILMA
Have you been discontented in your life?
Has someone let you down so outright?
If you rely on humans for satisfaction
You will not be able to find gratification.
Only the Lord Jesus Christ will fill your thirst
You will find joy when you make him first
No one else can satisfy and make you content
Only the Lord can release you from torment.
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There are many things that people resort to in order to feel contented in their lives. They try to cover up their discontent with material things such as wealth, knowledge, fame, achievements and many other fleeting things. What they don’t know is that the more they crave to cover up their displeasure, the more they feel empty. I can attest to this because during those dark moments in my life, I also resorted to some of these things I mentioned. When I became born again, the Lord revealed to me that the source of my discontent was because I didn’t run to him. I chose the material things of this world that will never be able to fill up what was missing in my life.
The bible says that when we focus on God’s unfailing love, we become satisfied and joyful.
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PRAYER
Lord, show me how to always focus on your unfailing love.
REFLECTION
Why do you think material things won’t fill our discontent?
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 BREVITY OF LIFE Poem Devotional

July 5
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Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. – Psalm 90:12(NLT)
THE BREVITY OF LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Look carefully at how you live your life
Make wise use of your resources and time
Do not boast about anything, for life is brief
You don’t know what tomorrow brings.
Life is like a mist, it his here now and gone later
Humble yourself and serve your heavenly Father
He will teach and guide you so you will grow wise
Seek him and his word and you will get good advice.
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There are some people who brag about their achievements, knowledge, possessions, health and strength as if there is no tomorrow. I knew someone who took so much pride in his skills and his intelligence. He never took time to learn about others or even care about what other people say. He only cared about the things that he is very much capable of doing and also in pleasuring himself with all his wants and desires. This man never gave attention to caring for his health because he thinks he is immortal. This same person died in his mid fifties, without his family taking care of him. When he was diagnosed with cancer, it didn’t take a year before he died. The bible warns us that life is short. Run to God for much needed wisdom.
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PRAYER
Lord, remind me always how mortal I am and how short my life can be.
REFLECTION
How can one grow in wisdom in this short life we have?
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

TRUE HOME Poem Devotional

July 4
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Lord, through all the generations, you have been my home. – Psalm 90:1(NLT)
TRUE HOME
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you get lost in the corruption of this world?
Do you consult God’s truth by meditating on his word?
Life can sometimes become chaotic and confusing at times
We can be consumed with many different things in our lives.
The Lord is always with us through many generations
He is our home, let’s run to him as we face temptations
When we go through many challenges, trials and sufferings
Let us go to our true home, the one true God Almighty.
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Have you ever travelled for a number of days, weeks, months that you became so homesick? When you are in transit to many places, you pine for the comfort of your own home and wish that your journey ends where you are comfortable and familiar with. Other places or people can sometimes become alienating, especially if you are a “home person.”
The bible tells us that the Lord has always been with us through many generations. He never leaves or forsakes us despite our feelings that we are abandoned. But we can get muddled and lost in this very cruel and confusing world. The prodigal son’s story shows us how he left his father and asked for his inheritance, just to squander it later. He realized later that his Father’s home is still the best.
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PRAYER
Lord, let me never lose my way in this life.
REFLECTION
Share an experience how you felt at home in God’s love.
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

JOYFUL CALL TO WORSHIP Poem Devotional

July 2
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Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence Lord. -Psalm 89:15(NLT)
JOYFUL CALL TO WORSHIP
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you adore and give praise to the Lord?
Are you worshiping him and walking in his presence?
Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship
They will walk in the light and applaud his kingship.
Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise and thanksgiving
Let us rejoice and be glad for all his favors and blessings
Call everyone to revere him and gather in adoration
Make all know that you are giving Christ due adulation.
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How often do you hear of people jumping around joyfully praising the Lord? Some church denominations probably practice this, but an individual person actually doing it alone and infecting others to joyfully give praise to the Lord may be becoming a novelty nowadays. More and more people are becoming impersonal and sloppy with their worship. The distractions and busy-ness of life have contributed to people’s lax way of showing their adulation to the Lord.
The bible tells us that those who hear and heed the joyful call to worship will walk in the light and the presence of the Lord. In other words, their passion to exude the light of God to others will make them more intimate and closer to Christ Jesus.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me a heart on fire to worship you.
REFLECTION
Have you ever met someone on fire and joyfully worshiping the Lord?
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

GIFTS TO HEAR AND SEE Poem Devotional

July 1
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Ears to hear and eyes to see, both are gifts from the Lord. -Proverbs 20:12(NLT)
GIFTS TO HEAR AND SEE
A poem and essay by ILMA
The Lord gave us ears to hear and eyes to see
He wants us to discern and to continue to be free
You were given two ears so you can listen more
And also two eyes so you can watch and explore.
Only the Lord can make you understand
Without him, you won’t be able to withstand
Use your heart in order to be able to see clearly
Keep your eyes focused on him so you’ll have victory.
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In Mark 8, Jesus fed four thousand from seven loaves of bread and a few fish. It was one of those miracles that many people witnessed. In verses 17-18 Jesus questions the disciples because they were getting influenced by the hardened hearts of the Pharisees. They became unable to hear what was really being said and fail to see things with pure hearts. Their faith began to waver and they argued why they haven’t brought any bread at that time. Jesus confronted and warned them of losing their faith despite all the miracles that they have witnessed.
We are cautioned to keep our hearts pure many times in the bible because when the heart is hardened, we will fail to see and hear God’s voice.
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PRAYER
Lord, keep me pure so I can be able to hear and see what you are teaching me.
REFLECTION
What hinders you from seeing and hearing?
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 HAVE SINNED Poem Devotional

June 30
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Who can say “I have cleansed my heart; I am pure and free from sin?”
– Proverbs 20:9(NLT)
ALL HAVE SINNED
A poem and essay by ILMA
Who can say that they have not sinned?
Since man’s fall, humans are not totally free
Only in Christ will we be cleansed
Without him, we will have no defense.
Whenever we deny our sins and don’t repent
We open doors for the enemy to torment
All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory
Let us run to Jesus so we can have victory.
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1 John 3:4 defines sin as lawlessness. Being lawless is synonymous to being a rebel or someone who is disobedient. The story of the fall of man in Genesis reminds us of the first rebels on earth, Adam and Eve. Because of their disobedience, the whole mankind suffered and we inherited “sin.” It made us all prone to lawlessness. It imprinted us all to have the tendency to disobey rather than to submit.
Despite our natural tendency to sin, God showed us how much he loves us by giving his only Son to pay the debt for our transgressions. Although all have sinned, God gave us a way out through the sacrifice of his Son. He only wants us to confess and repent of our sins and he is ready to forgive anyone who asks for his forgiveness.
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PRAYER
Lord, help us to have the humility to come back to you and ask for forgiveness whenever we sin.
REFLECTION
How can one protect himself from lawlessness?
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 MARK OF HONOR Poem Devotional

June 29
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Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor; only fools insist on quarreling. -Proverbs 20:3(NLT)
THE MARK OF HONOR
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you avoid quarrels at all cost?
Or do you insist on being the boss?
It is a mark of honor when you avoid fights
Pursue peace, that’s what God wants in our lives.
When you walk in love, there’s no room for conflicts
God wants us to love others and walk in the Spirit
Remember to follow Christ who always served others
He commanded us to love our sisters and brothers.
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When people grow up in the midst of conflicts, they automatically react to life either defensively or offensively. I witnessed a life of passive aggression. I didn’t know what peace looked like because I didn’t have a role model for it. When I reached high school, I didn’t realize how much I thrived in arguing. It became mechanical to respond to things by arguing to proving myself right. It was difficult to concede to any suggestions that didn’t jive with my ideas. It became an obsession to argue and I lost so many relationships because of this foolish pursuit. Pride became my lifestyle and I didn’t realize that I was my own idol. Thanks be to God that he delivered me from this and showed me that he wants me to pursue peace at all cost. Avoiding fights is a mark of honor.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to choose peace all the time.
REFLECTION
How can you change a high conflict personality?
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

GET UP AND GO Poem Devotional

June 25
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“Young man” he said. I tell you. “Get up!” – Luke 7:14(NLT)
GET UP AND GO
A poem and essay by ILMA
When we are asleep, we accomplish less
Standing up and start moving keep us afresh
Get up and go is a command to spring to life
It protects us from believing the devil’s lies.
When we limit ourselves from our potentials
We are asleep, let’s focus on what’s essential
Take all weaknesses to Jesus and arise
It will free you from bondage and you will thrive.
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There are many verses in the bible that we hear God or Jesus commanding someone to get up or arise. In Leviticus 19:32, God commands Moses to rise up and revere God. In Joshua 7:10, the Lord asks Joshua to rise up because he has fallen on his face. Isaiah 52:2 was a message to Jerusalem to rise up and shake themselves out from the dust. The prophet Micah in chapter 2 verse 10 was summoned to arise and go because of the destruction of uncleanliness. In 2 Samuel 19:7, he was commanded to go out and speak kindly to his servant.
Almost all the miraculous healing of Jesus included this command to “Get up” or “Arise.” Why did the bible use this words often, especially to those significant persons that God gave the anointing? The act of getting up is an active stance while sleeping and not doing something is likened to being dead.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to always obey when you command me to arise.
REFLECTION
What bondages or weaknesses have God asked you to rise from?
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

BIG LEAP OF FAITH Poem Devotional

June 24
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I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are and my servant will be healed. -Luke 7:7(NLT)
BIG LEAP OF FAITH
A poem and essay by ILMA
Growing their faith is crucial to all believers
Without it, they will easily be targeted by the deceiver
The centurion’s humility was worth emulating
Jesus cited him to have big faith worth following.
Abraham, David, Mary, Joseph, Daniel and also Moses
They all are examples of faith, they received God’s promises
Why don’t we all make a big leap to prove that we believe
Totally surrender to Jesus and you will definitely receive.
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It is one thing to say that you believe in Jesus and another thing to actually exercise it. Talking about what you believe may not necessarily jive with that you are doing. In this verse, we witness the epitome of humility and faith in the centurion’s story. The centurions were high officials in the Roman empire and they had servants. In Luke 7:2, a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, whom he highly valued. When he heard about Jesus, he went to see him so his servant can be healed. What was amazing with this humble officer was to plead Jesus even at his position, to heal his servant. Even more astounding, was his words that he wasn’t worthy, but Jesus’ word is enough to heal his servant.
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PRAYER
Lord, give me faith like the centurion.
REFLECTION
Share a big leap of faith that you witnessed to 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

PRAY IN SOLITUDE Poem Devotional


June 23
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Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. – Luke 5:16 (NLT)
PRAY IN SOLITUDE
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you pray, go to a place of solitude
It will set you for the right attitude
To spend time with the Lord requires intimacy
It allows you to hear his voice easily.
Even Jesus withdrew often to pray in the wilderness
He took all the chance to be with God regularly
Pour out your heart and spend time to pray quietly
The Lord waits on you to make him your priority.
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The movie “War Room” inspires us believers to find a place where we can cry our hearts out to the Lord in prayer. In it, the wife converted a walk in closet to be her war room where she puts sticky notes all over the walls with her requests and spends much time with God. She learned how to do this from a much older woman whose life was focused on getting down on her knees and being intimate with the Lord. As she went deeper in prayer, she got transformed into a new person. The husband and daughter witnessed how changed she was that they became curious what was in the closet. As they discovered all the prayer requests, they too began to follow what she was doing. Their family got renewed. Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness to pray in solitude. No distractions.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to find time to always be in solitude with you.
REFLECTION
What would your advice be to someone who is new in praying?
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.c