WHEN YOU SUFFER FOR CHRIST Poem Devotional

Posted on June 16, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 17________________________________________
So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. – 1 Peter 4:1(NLT)
WHEN YOU SUFFER FOR CHRIST
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you accepted Jesus as your Savior
You ought to follow him and be ready to suffer
Your Lord suffered physical pain to save you
He gave you the chance to be born again and new.
When you suffer for Christ, you discern his great love
He gave up his own life so you can be above
Rejoice when you hurt for He will lift you up
Embrace endurance and you will be built up.
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Our world advocates comfort and quick fixes. We are not taught to endure. We do not know how to delay gratification. Media has bombarded us with advertisements that do not advocate patience. Every product has to deliver quick services. This is why our youth do not have the patience to wait or postpone enjoyment. We are all like children having a tantrum fit if we don’t get what we want right away.
The bible tells us the importance of suffering for Christ. Jesus died on the cross to clear us of sin and he suffered a great deal before he actually died on the cross. Suffering leads to endurance which brings growth.________________________________________
PRAYER
Lord, thank you that you suffered for me.
REFLECTION
How can a believer rejoice when they are suffering?
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 OIL OF JOY

Posted on June 15, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 16________________________________________
You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else. -Psalm 45:7(NLT)
THE OIL OF JOY
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you treat others with love and kindness
God will bless you with the oil of joy; you’ll have gladness
When you choose love over wickedness, you will have peace
If you wallow in all kinds of evil, you’ll open doors to slavery.
When you love justice and hate evil, you have God’s anointing
He will pour out his joy on you and grant you all kinds of blessings
Let the oil of joy remain with you always the rest of your life
He chose you to shine for him; He will lead you to his light.
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I lived many years of my life in regret and never really knew how to enjoy life. I wallowed in self-pity and played over and over again the voices of those who treated me harshly and unjustly. As a result of this bad choice, I opened doors to the enemy to take over my entire life for over four decades. I was a prisoner of my emotions and pain. I let the “bad” in instead of the good. We can choose the life God wants for us. When we do,
God anoints us with the oil of joy and make us free.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your anointing.
REFLECTION
What things block people from experiencing the joy of 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

THE SOURCE OF COMFORT Poem Devotional

Posted on June 12, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 13________________________________________
God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. -2 Corinthians 1:3(NLT)
THE SOURCE OF COMFORT
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are troubled and not getting love
Do you ask your heavenly Father up above?
God is full of mercy and is the comfort source
Run to Him and He will immediately open doors.
No one can fully provide for your needs except Him
Ask Hand He will grant you more blessings
When you rely on His power, you are being humble
It will bring you satisfaction and lessen your stumbles.
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Our world capitalizes much on making a lot of us become comfort addicts. We love it when we can get everything we want just at the tip of our fingers. We shop online for commodities so we don’t have to go outside to shop. We research and read everything on the internet instead of manually reading a book or asking someone’s advice about something. We like to eat food that brings us comfort. We like to make our homes and relationships comfortable. We don’t like to be challenged to change the comfort zone. We take pride that we can make our own comfortable niches and ensure that nobody takes it away from us. Yet, oftentimes, despite all these plastic comfort bubble that we protect ourselves with, we still don’t feel fulfilled. Only God can give us true comfort and joy.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to run to you when I need to be comforted.
REFLECTION
When was the last time you ran to God to be comforted?
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

HANDLING TEMPTATIONS Poem Devotional

Posted on June 12, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 12________________________________________
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. -1 Corinthians 10:13-14(NLT)
HANDLING TEMPTATIONS
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you are presented with temptations here and there
Be joyful, the Lord will always strengthen you to recover
He will not allow it to be more than you can stand
He will show you a way out so you can withstand.
When the enemy entices you, God may allow it
He knows his children will always have His Spirit
Be at peace for you will always have his direction
You have the power to win over any temptations.
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When we are being tempted, our natural tendencies are to succumb. It is supernatural to handle and overcome temptations. Only in God’s power and grace can we win over it. Many Christians make the mistake of conquering sin by themselves without God’s help. So, a lot of times, we fail. Sometimes we even brag and compare, which temptations are greater than what we are experiencing. We boast that we conquered it and won over sin but it only by God’s power we can do any of these. God will never allow temptations beyond what we can handle. He shows us a way to endure it.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for strengthening me when temptations come.
REFLECTION
What protects you from being defeated by temptations?
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

BE STRONG IN THE LORD

Posted on June 11, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 11________________________________________
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
-Ephesians 6:10-11(NLT)
BE STRONG IN THE LORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Be on guard and put on all of God’s armor
You need to use it so you can have enough power
Your enemy wants to devour you and have you defeated
You need to be aware of his tactics so you won’t be tempted.
Be strong in the Lord, you need to use your authority
He gave you dominion over the wiles of the enemy
Exercise your supremacy over the ruler of this world
You have to use God’s sword which is in his word.
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It is sad to watch many Christians who live defeated lives. God has given us dominion and power over Satan but we never use the armor that he has provided for us. We wake up each morning defenseless when we don’t even start our day connecting to him or declaring a word from God. It is like going to war without any weapon and expect to win a battle. Ephesians 6 tells us how to be battle ready. Truth is our belt, God’s righteousness is the body armor, peace is our shoes, faith is our shield, salvation is our helmet and the word of God is our sword.
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PRAYER
Lord, remind me to always wear your full armor each day.
REFLECTION
How do you protect yourself from the attacks of the devil?
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 A ROARING LION Poem Devotional

Posted on June 10, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 10________________________________________
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. -1 Peter 5:8(NLT)
LIKE A ROARING LION
A poem and essay by ILMA
Be careful, watch out for your great enemy
Like a roaring lion, he lurks very stealthily
He is hungry to devour someone who is feeble
Make sure you are grounded on truth and is stable.
Always seek the Lord and guard your mind and heart
When you have unbelief, that’s when he attacks
Take every authority God gave you, crush his schemes
Be sure you have confessed and repented of your sins.
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Lions are the only big cats to live in groups, called prides. Interesting! Pride, just like the deadliest and origin of all sins. They work together to defend territory and hunt and use intelligent hunting tactics to catch prey. Lions roar to communicate their position to other prides and is the loudest of any big cat. It can be heard up to 8 km away. They have terrific night vision and are 6 times more sensitive to light than humans. This gives them a distinct advantage over some prey species when hunting at night. The bible warns us to be watchful of the devil who prowls like a roaring lion to devour, especially in the dark when we are vulnerable. Be alert and make sure you are close to God always.
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PRAYER
Lord, help me to be alert for the enemy who wants to devour me.
REFLECTION
How can we guard ourselves from the dangers of the enemy’s attacks?
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

GREATER SPIRIT LIVING IN YOU

Posted on June 9, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 9________________________________________
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
– 1 John 4:4(NLT)
GREATER SPIRIT LIVING IN YOU
A poem and essay by ILMA
When you decided to commit to Christ
The Holy Spirit will live inside your heart
If you belong to God, then you have already won
It doesn’t matter what the world’s spirit has sown
The Lord is greater than he who is in the world
Use the sword of the Spirit which is God’s word
Declare it out loud to stop the lies from coming
The devil will cower if you are constantly confessing. ________________________________________
There are so many myths about Satan that the movies have spread to the public that are really lies. The film industry sensationalizes how much power the enemy has but in reality, they have very little power. Once a person becomes a believer, the Holy Spirit dwells in them, so the enemy’s ability to attack us is very limited. The only way he can defeat us is when we turn our backs to God through sin and do not have a relationship with him.
The bible says that if you are a believer, you have already won the victory and nothing can ever defeat you. The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
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PRAYER
Thank you for letting your Spirit lives in me.
REFLECTION
How can a believer stand up against 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

CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK Poem Devotional

Posted on June 8, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 8________________________________________
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. – Romans 12: 2(NLT)
CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK
A poem and essay by ILMA
Whenever you get negative thoughts
It is a waste of time and of no worth
Don’t copy the customs of this world
Instead, consult always God’s word.
Let God transform you into a new being
It will help you from constantly sinning
You will learn God’s will which is pleasing
Then you will realize all of his gifts and blessings.
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What do you do when you are bombarded with negative thoughts? Do you get tossed and turned by these toxic way of thinking? I used to be enslaved by thoughts that make me literally worried sick. I thank the Lord that he has delivered me and set me free from this stronghold of harmful thinking. These do not come from God, they are from the enemy who wants to steal, kill and destroy us.
The bible warns us to be careful that we don’t get corrupted by the world’s standards. It is very easy to be swayed by our society. If you pursue God and hunger for his word, he will change the way you think and transform you into the person he created you to be.
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PRAYER
Thank you for your concern for me Lord.
REFLECTION
How can we protect ourselves from the standards of this world?
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

GUIDED BY A CLOUD Poem Devotional

Posted on June 6, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 6________________________________________
I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. – 1 Corinthians 10: 1-2(NLT)
GUIDED BY A CLOUD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Our ancestors were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them
It was a provision so they can go unharmed through the wilderness
All of them were baptized as followers of Moses
They all knew the promise of the coming of Jesus.
Remember that God is with his people always
Don’t turn your back on God’s faithfulness
Remember that you are being watched and protected
Look up to him and you will never be defeated.
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I was fascinated by clouds since I was a child. I see images when I look at it and can imagine many things as I observe deeper. The cloud formations make me feel closer to God. It’s as if he is just behind each of the various shapes I see at various weather conditions. My favorite is the storm clouds towering over us because it seems so powerful and gives us a foreboding of the coming storm. Remember that God is always there watching over us during storms in our lives.
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PRAYER
Thank you for always guiding us Lord, especially in the storms.
REFLECTION
How does the presence of clouds affect you?

ACCEPT THE WORD Poem devotional

Posted on June 2, 2017 by ilmaarts

June 3________________________________________
So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. – James 1:21 (NLT)

ACCEPT THE WORD
A poem and essay by ILMA
You were saved when you believed in Christ
He gave you his word so you can choose life
So, get rid of all the filth and humbly accept the word
He placed them in your heart so you will win over the world.
What is stopping you from feeding on God’s truth?
Why haven’t you allowed for it to take root?
The word of God has the power to save your soul
It can fill your hearts and mind and make you whole.
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It is puzzling to know that there are Christians who have not fully accepted the word of God in their lives. They have no idea what they are missing. One of the benefits on feeding on God’s truth is that you become wise and mature in your walk as a believer. I often wonder when I meet Christians who have been born again many years and yet still act like baby Christians.
The more we study the word of God regularly, the deeper our intimacy with God would be. Sadly, we get side-tracked with the busy lives we live that are superficial and not beneficial for our salvation. Accept the word of God.
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PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your truth that guides me constantly.
REFLECTION
How can you continually hunger for God’s word?
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

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