BLINDED BY DARKNESS Poem Devotional

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May 3                                                                                  The Power of God’s Word
Anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness. –1 John 2:11(NLT)
BLINDED BY DARKNESS
A poem by ILMA
When you find it hard to forgive
It makes it hard to receive
A person who choose to hate
Finds it hard to understand and relate.
When you constantly choose darkness
It makes you blind and hopeless
If you do not want to let go of sin
You forfeit the chance to be redeemed.
Have you ever related with someone who is unforgiving? I have lived my life with so many unforgiving people. It is so hard to watch them destroy their relationships and go down the road of desperation and anger. I’ve known someone who would never forgive a person who has asked her forgiveness for almost a decade until the day she died. I wonder if she ever forgave her. It is sad to watch people get consumed by hatred and anger. It is toxic, but somehow, the choice not to forgive makes that person blinded to the truth that can set them free.
The bible tells us that if we live in hate, we will be blinded by the darkness we chose. That person continues to live in obscurity and forfeits life.
PRAYER
Lord, show me how to forgive.
REFLECTION
Why is forgiveness essential to continue walking in love?

THE ROOT OF CRAVINGS Poem Devotional

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May 2                                                                                    The Power of God’s Word
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. –1 John2:16 (NLT)

A poem by ILMA
Do you indulge yourself in pleasures?
Do you get consumed by worldly treasures?
Do you rely on your own efforts to reach ambitions?
Do you take pride in your achievements and possessions?
Be careful you don’t succumb to cravings of this world
They enslave you and give the enemy an opening and a foothold
Yearnings of the flesh are not godly and righteous
They come from this world that is evil and vicious.
Consumerism is defined as the belief that it is good for people to spend a lot of money on goods and services. We are bombarded by all forms of media marketing to consume either a product or a service. These companies pay huge amounts of money to ensure that they create a need for people to purchase their product. They think of all kinds of strategies to persuade us that a want is actually a need in order to make us buy.
The bible tells us that these cravings are not from God but from this world. The moment we boast of our achievements and possessions, we endanger ourselves.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to have humility.
REFLECTION
How can awareness of our cravings keep us humble?

STEER CLEAR OF ANGER Poem devotional

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April 26 The Power of God’s Word
Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul. –Proverbs 22:24-25 (NLT)
A poem by ILMA
Do you associate with angry people?
Be wary for your spiritual progress will detour.
Steer clear of anger and quarrelsome beings
Your soul will be endangered by their bickering.
Have nothing to do with anyone who thrives on conflict
They will constantly keep you on edge and rob you of peace
Resentment, arrogance and judgment are all anger’s signs
They may be calm on the outside but imploding on the inside.
If I had known what the bible says about anger in my younger days, I would have steered away from it. It took me many years to realize that I was an angry person myself. Anger was something I absorbed from my own family and from someone I lived with. It was a stronghold in my family. The two types of anger are implosions and explosions. I was both exposed to the two types. For over 3 decades I was implosive and explosive for a couple of years. I can see through an angry person easily after being one for many years. The bible tells us to steer clear from anger and angry people or you will endanger your soul.
PRAYER
Lord, help me to stay away from conflicts.
REFLECTION
When does anger becomes sin? How can you avoid anger?

GOD SEES WHAT THE WICKED DOES Poem Devotional

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April 22                                                                                    The Power of God’s Word

The Righteous One knows what is going on in the homes of the wicked; he will bring disaster on them.         –Proverbs 21:12 (NLT)     

 

A poem by ILMA

Do you often wonder why God allows evil to happen?

Why do people’s hearts continually harden?

How can we help those who are experiencing violence?

Are we bold enough to expose their insolence?

God sees the evil things the wicked does

He watches over those who obey and trusts

He may allow wickedness to take place

God will bring justice and that is what his word says.

Evil lurks in our society. A lot of people have lost faith in God because of the prevalence of wickedness. People question why God would allow such things to happen especially to the weak and vulnerable. I’ve had my share of blaming God for the many sufferings I’ve experienced in life until I studied his word. He revealed to me that after all the pain I went through, he was there to protect me and later on bring justice to my abusers.  He also taught me to forgive so I can be free. The bible tells us that God is a god of justice. We may not be able to comprehend why bad things happen, but God is always watching and promised to bring justice.

PRAYER

Lord, teach me how to trust you.

REFLECTION

Why is faith essential especially in times of crisis?

 

 

 

THE YOKE OF HIS DISCIPLINE Poem Devotional

glen haffy conservation2013 144April 20                                                                                  The Power of God’s Word

And it is good for people to submit at an early age to the yoke of his discipline.

                                                      -Lamentations 3:27 (NLT)

 

A poem by ILMA

It is good for people to submit to God early

The yoke of his will break bondages severely

Surrendering your will to the Father when you are young

It will protect you from rebellion, lawlessness and harm.

The yoke of his discipline can bring restraint early on in life

The Lord tames your flesh and brings you light

He will guard you from falling into sin

He will bind you in his love and he will redeem.

A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.  The Bible makes frequent use of the yoke as a symbol of work and servitude. Jesus asks us to take his yoke upon us and let him teach us because he is humble and gentle at heart. He assures us that his yoke is easy to bear and his burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

The bible says that it is good for people to submit to the yoke of God’s discipline at an early age. When we yoke ourselves in God’s discipline, we will find peace and be free from sin’s bondage.

PRAYER

Lord, keep me yoked to you.

REFLECTION

Why is being yoked to Jesus early in our lives essential to a Christian’s life?