TRUSTING IN YOUR OWN Poem Devotional

Posted on July 14, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 17________________________________________
How foolish to trust in your own creation. –Habakkuk 2:18 (NLT)
TRUSTING IN YOUR OWN
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you believe in your creator?
Do you think you are any better?
God has power beyond your capacity
He is all powerful and mighty
How foolish to trust in your own ability
It will never be at par with the Almighty
Trusting in your own is idolatry
It will never bring you victory.
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I became a self-taught painter in the early 90’s and became obsessed with painting and drawing for almost two decades. I was very prolific. I painted over two thousand works in the last two decades of my life. My artworks became so important to me. When I came to Canada, God revealed to me that it was my artworks that got in the way of my relationship with him. I couldn’t see his plan because I was clinging to my idol, my art.
The Lord spoke to the prophet Habakkuk about the dangers of idolatry and what it does to the people who believe in their own creation making their own gods. In our modern day setting, we need not create our own god carved from wood or other materials. The enemy has cunningly camouflaged idolatry in many other forms. Media has bombarded society with many idols such as Hollywood stars, beauty, wealth, power, fame and many more.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to detect any forms of idolatry in my life.
REFLECTION
What idols are you clinging to that hampers your spiritual growth?

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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

Agreement Poem Devotional

Posted on July 14, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 16________________________________________
Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? –Amos 3:3 (NLT)
AGREEMENT
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you give honor to your relations?
Do you consider their opinions?
Can two people walk together without agreeing where?
Without agreement, conflict will arise between each other.
Agreement is vital for harmony to transpire
It is also important so that you can abide
When you agree with someone about anything
You will be able to overcome all things and win.
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My old life was infested with conflicts and chaos. I didn’t understand for a long time why I thrived in turmoil. In fact, it became so second nature to me to argue and make my point heard. It probably was a result of not being respected and listened to as I was growing up. The enemy had so much clout on me that created a clash with those I have relations with. I was seeking approval and wanted to convince almost everyone that I have worth and that I deserve to be loved. It destroyed many of my relationships and kept me isolated and guarded.
The bible tells us the importance of agreement in our lives. God spoke to Israel through the prophet Amos in chapter three and told them how Israel have chosen to be astray. He stressed the importance of agreeing with his plans for them. By going against God’s commands, they will have no victory.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to agree with you.
REFLECTION
How can agreement resolve conflicts in relationships?
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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

WHEN TROUBLE COMES Poem Devotional

Posted on July 13, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 15________________________________________
Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me. – Hosea 5:15(NLT)
WHEN TROUBLE COMES
A poem and essay by ILMA
What do you do when you are suffering?
Do you run to God and keep on praising?
When trials and troubles come your way
Do you remember to run to Christ and pray?
Remember to admit your sins and confess
God will forgive you and have you cleansed
Run to him always, not just when trouble comes
You will have authority and the devil will run.
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Most people only remember God when trouble comes. They do everything they can to solve problems and never think of consulting God first. No wonder, they never get the right solution. Sometimes God uses such trials and difficulties to hone us and give us strength and character. If we are not familiar with God’s ways, we will find ourselves, complaining or performing. The first thing we need to do when we encounter challenges is to run to God and lay it on his hands. However small or big the situation is, God knows best. Most people say these when they face trials “I have done everything I could and now the only thing left to do is pray.” This does not honor God. We need to confess our sins and then ask God for help.
PRAYER
Thank you for your guidance.
REFLECTION
What do you do when you face challenges?
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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

SPEAK OUT! Poem Devotional

Posted on July 13, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 14________________________________________
Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent. For I am with you and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me. –Acts 18:9-10(NLT)
SPEAK OUT!
A poem and essay by ILMA
A child of God is unafraid of the world
He or she is bold and loves the Lord
Believers trust and depend on God’s protection
They have faith and are hopeful for his provision.
Christians speak out gently and in love
They praise their heavenly father up above
They have confidence that nothing can harm them
They look forward to be freed and redeemed.
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There are many people who are afraid to speak out. Most abused individuals live in fear of speaking the truth. There are also people who are just tactless and insensitive to other people’s feelings. They hurt others with their words. I used to air my opinion freely and sometimes I hurt others by doing so. The bible talks about how we should be bold and speak out, but also tells us to do so gently, kindly and lovingly.
The Lord tells his people to be unafraid. There are 365 times that the word “Do not fear” or “Do not be afraid” mentioned in the bible. It must be very important to God that we are fearless and bold. The only fear he wants us to have is the fear of the Lord or reverence for him.
PRAYER
Give me courage to be bold Lord.
REFLECTION
When was the last time you boldly declared your faith in God to others?

LIKE A CHILD Poem Devotional

Posted on July 12, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 13________________________________________
O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it please you to do it this way. – Luke 10:21(NLT)
LIKE A CHILD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you see the world in a child’s perspective?
These little ones are pure and they believe
They are dependent and non-judgmental
They are bold, open but not critical.
You can only know God if you are like a child
Look at life from the eyes of a child and you will find
Their innocence makes them unaffected by the world
They are unafraid of being loving and bold.
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Have you ever observed children? Give them something and they will think of many different ways to use that thing. If you give a child a plank of wood, he or she might lean it on something and use it as a slide or put it on the ground and pretend that it is a boat and they start rowing, imagining that they are on it. Childlikeness is a trait that God wants us all to have even as adults. Children do not worry or are afraid. Their fearlessness and purity are so apparent that they become very vulnerable to adults who sometimes have their agendas. The bible says that we cannot enter God’s kingdom unless we are like a child.
PRAYER
Lord, keep me childlike always.
REFLECTION
Give some instances when you are childlike?
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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

HONOR GOD Poem Devotional

Posted on July 12, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 12________________________________________
No wonder you can’t believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God. – John 5:44 (NLT)
HONOR GOD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Who do you respect and honor?
Do you prefer to achieve and clamor?
Have you given God recognition?
Are you only obsessed with your ambitions?
No wonder you can’t believe, you are deceived
You cater to your longings so you don’t receive
Bring praise to the only one who is worthy
He is the one who deserves all the glory.
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I spent many years of my life catering to my own desires and clamoring for recognition for the things I thought I did. God dealt with me. He slowly took away all those things that brought me so much acknowledgments. When I first began as a self-taught artist, I asked the Lord to grant me success in this field. As I became famous as an artist, I became proud of the achievements. Having sold over four hundred works in my lifetime got in my head.
My faith and dependence on God decreased. I became worldly and whiny, wanting more.
When I moved to Canada, I was literally stripped of the chance to gain more credit for my artistic skills. God had another plan for me. He wants me to give him all the glory. He wants all the honor because he gave me all.
PRAYER
Lord, help me remember to praise you always.
REFLECTION
How do you bring honor to God?
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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

FOR YOUR BENEFIT Poem Devotional

Posted on July 11, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 11________________________________________
God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit, God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God, He made us pure and holy and he freed us from sin.
– 1 Corinthians 1:30 (NLT)
FOR YOUR BENEFIT
A poem and essay by ILMA
The minute you believe in Jesus Christ
You will be able to live in his light
For your benefit, God has united you with him
He has sent his son so you can be redeemed.
Our heavenly Father made Christ to be wisdom
In him alone you will have joy and freedom
For your benefit, Christ made us right with God
It is only right to give him thanks and laud.
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Have you ever experienced being given much appreciation for what you do? I was a teacher of Speech, Art and Theater for fifteen years. On Teacher’s Day celebration, all of the faculty were given royal treatment and appreciation for how we mold the lives of the youth. It is a nice feeling to be thought of and admired for what one does. How would you feel if the royal treatment you will receive comes from God himself?
The bible tells us that Christ made us right with God and made us holy and pure. God gave us his only begotten Son so we can be freed from sin. What an awesome honor it is what Christ did for our benefit!
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for giving your Son for my benefit.
REFLECTION
How has Christ death affected your life?

THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE Poem Devotional

Posted on July 10, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 10________________________________________
I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.
-John 11:25 (NLT)
THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you feel defeated and exhausted from life’s challenges?
Do you keep on sinning despite wanting to change?
If you do it in your own strength, you will be defeated
If you allow Christ’s power, you will be resurrected.
Christ is the resurrection and the life
If you believe in him, you will have light
Death has no power over Christ
Only in him will you be right.
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Resurrection is the condition of being restored to life. There are many forms of death in our lives. Most people think of physical death when resurrection is mentioned. There is another form of death that may currently affect us even while we are still alive. This is spiritual death. The bible talks about sin as the cause of spiritual death. When we sin, we are not living life as God wants us to live. We live in darkness and confusion when we continually defy God’s commands. God made us all in his image and he has no sin, so if we decide to disobey him and go our own way, we are separating ourselves from God who is life himself. When “un-forgiveness” resides in our hearts, love is absent. When love is absent, God isn’t present because he is love.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for dying for my sins.
REFLECTION
What sins have God resurrected you from?
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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 GOOD SHEPHERD Poem Devotional

Posted on July 9, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 9________________________________________
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.
– John 10:11 (NLT)
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Christ is the good shepherd who loves his herd
He never allows them to be lost or hurt
Jesus sacrificed his life for his sheep
He wants them saved and never drift.
The good shepherd knows each of his flock
He cares for them and watches their back
He will lead them to greener pastures
He will protect and guide them so they’ll be pure.
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The duty of shepherds was to keep their flock intact, protect it from predators and guide it to market areas in time for shearing. In ancient times, shepherds also commonly milked their sheep, and made cheese from this milk; few shepherds still do this today. Unlike farmers, shepherds were often wage earners, being paid to watch the sheep of others. Shepherds were most often the younger sons of farming peasants who did not inherit any land. In other societies, each family would have a family member to shepherd its flock, often a child, youth or an elder who couldn’t help much with harder work.
David was a shepherd and played the harp very well. He won the fight with Goliath and later anointed as king. The bible emphasizes the role of shepherds and how they sacrifice their lives for the flock. Christ sacrificed his life for us, his sheep.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your sacrifice.
REFLECTION
Relate a time when you sacrificed for someone else’s benefit.
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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

YOUR WILL NOT MINE Poem Devotional

Posted on July 8, 2015 by ilmaarts

July 8________________________________________
For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. – John 6:38 (NLT)
YOUR WILL NOT MINE
A poem and essay by ILMA
Do you live a life that is according to God’s will?
Or are you doing things according to what you feel?
Jesus came down from heaven to do it God’s way
If you follow Christ, you will never be swayed.
Focus on serving others just as Christ did
You will find it easier to do good deeds
Submit your mind, body and spirit to the Lord
You will find peace when you follow his word.
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The original sin of Adam and Eve brought about our fallen nature which defaults to selfishness. Most of us wants to do things on our own. We want it our way. When God sent his son Jesus, he wanted to reset us to our default setting which is righteousness. Jesus Christ became man and experienced all the things that man goes through. He has a physical body that feels hunger, pain, thirst, sorrow, joy and many more. What exemplify him from others is his capacity to obey and submit to the will of God. Jesus never boasted that he was God himself. God chose him to be of humble origin to show man that it is in his mercy and grace that we can be blessed.
PRAYER
Lord, make me obedient and humble.
REFLECTION
When do you find it hard to submit to God’s will?
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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

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