However, in the midst of these 3 months, one thing does surface in my thoughts and reflections. That is Hope. I was thinking, what is the one thing that will propel us to do what we do and sustain us through the hits and bumps of life? It is Hope. It is not just hoping for the best, but hoping for One who will make all things new. As we approach the Christmas season, I can’t help but once again remember of the Hope that I have. The hope that a better place will come, a hope that there will be no more sorrows and tears, a hope of abundant provision, grace and love ….. and this hope is only in the person Jesus Christ… the begotten one who came to lay His life for me and restore me to the Maker.

“Thank you Jesus.”

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saint, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power towards us who believe.” Eph 1:18,19a (NASB)

PS: Remember to switch of the blog music to enjoy this wonderful song

Recently, I have simply came to realised once again that without Christ and God in my life, I am simply nothing. It is not that I doubt my giftings, capabilties and strengths. But it simply dawned on me that without Christ in me, I will simply be living a mediocre life and being pushed around and chasing the vanity of life.

“Lord, thank you for choosing me and led me to you. Thank you for choosing to die for me that I may experience Your love and grace. Most importantly, that I may experience the life of having You in me. Thank you Lord, and may You grant me the tenderness of heart, and never let my heart be hardened, to accept You and let You be everything that I am. Amen”

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life i live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20 (NIV)

Heard my colleague played this song in office today. I have sang this in church once and it has touched me then. Wanted to get and find out more about this song but the busyness of the daily things simply got me by. And I chance upon it again today.

The lyrics is simple and yet profound. Indeed, God is not just an individual God. He is God of the cities and the nations. And He is concern about the cities and the nations. Ed Silvoso put its clearly that “the ultimate goal of the Great Commission, is not simply making disciples of people, but also discipling, teaching and baptising nations.”  To transform the nations, we have to first transform the cities, one person and at time. Indeed, greater things have yet to come and greater things are still to be done……let’s proclaim it for our nation.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to te end of the age.” Matt 28:19-20 (NLT)

P/S : Remember to mute the blog music to enjoy the song.  The song is also birth out in an usual place and used in anextraordinary manner. Click on this link to hear more about it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co-RP2isqZY.

Every once in a while, you will come to a crossroad where you do not know where to head on and move forward to. There is only one place to turn to…..back to the arms of Jesus.

“Lord, you will grant us peace, for all we have accomplished is really from you.” Isa 27:12 (NLT)

P/S: Turn off the blog music to enjoy this meaningful chorus.

Enjoy this wonderful Chinese song  simply depicting the power of the Cross and His agape love for us.

“For God so loved teh world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.” John 3:16-17 (NASB)

“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1 Cor 1:18 (NIV)

P/S: Remember to switch off the blog music.

I was having breakfast at McDonald @ Lucky Plaza while waiting Xiuli for her medical checkup. It has been a while that I am having breakfast at Mac and enjoying the time reading and savoring the time with the Lord.

I was reading the book “Church Shift” by Ps Sunday Adelaja. As I was reading the book, I was gently reminded by the Lord to be “living in a higher standard”, a standard that is not of this world but of His heavenly kingdom.

“To be kingdom minded is to reject te world’s way of thinking and to live by a superior principles from a superior place.”

Many a times, I wondered, why sometimes non-Christians prosper and like living under an umbrella of blessings and like there is no tomorrow. Not that I envied them, but just that I find it perplexed. And at time, Christians who try to live in the way of the Lord got persecuted and received less “blessings” and even suffered to the point of death. Through the book, I was once again reminded and encouraged that our “good works will not go to waste”…..

“We are called bu God to “live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us” (1 Pet 2:12). Our holiness and righteousness is the best testimony we have for showing people that God is real.”

“Lord, thank you for Your encouragement, Your truth and Your promise. Help me to persevere to see Your promises come to pass. I pray the You will strengthen those that is under persecutions, that they will endure and see their good works come to pass. Bless them with Your presence, joy and peace.”

“Lord, thank you for the clean bill of health for Xiuli.”

“Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass, and fade like the green herb.” Ps 31:1-2 (NASB)

This song has been playing in my mind for the past week. Not only for its good rythm and melody, but also for its ministering and meaningful lyrics. The context of the song is taken from Isaiah 61. Isa 61:1,2 are the words which Christ quote at the synagogue at the beginning of His ministry (Luke 4:18-21). It is also the prophecy of the Messiah’s office or a messianic prophecy pointing to Christ’s ministry on earth. (Side note: The book of Isaish is written about 681 years BC i.e. before the birth of Christ).

I have been ministered by this song. Simply becuase it reminded me that it is not what I can do for Him or in service for Him. But rather, I can only do all things “through Him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13, NIV). It is only with the partnership of His Holy Spirit, that I can face the challenges and tasks in 2009 and the years ahead. It is only with His annointing and empowerment that I will be able to serve Him in the arenas He has placed me in.

“Ashes – By ashes understand whatever is proper for days of mourning, as by beauty whatever may become times of rejoicing. (John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible)” Indeed, the Lord will turn all circumstances around for the “good of those who love Him and are call according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28. NIV).

Lord, pour Your Spirit over me and lead me to Your cross where You are. Lead me and guide me in path of righteousness for Your name sake, that I may honour and glorify You in wherever You have placed and lead me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring  good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind  up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; 2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To grant those who mourn {in} Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks  of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isa 61:1-3 (NASB)

“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory.” Isa 61:3 (NLT)

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isa 61:3 (KJV)

“and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour.” Isa 6:3 (NIV)

PS: Remember to turn off the blog music as you listen to the song. Enjoy.

I had a good start with 2009 Ate my favourite chicken feet noodle and drank my kopi-o kosong. Why is this a good start? Well, this chicken feet noodle stall will run out of chicken feet by 930am each morning. Although the stall sells chicken wing noodle and wanton noodle, its main selling dish is its chicken feet noodle. The last time I ate it was about a year ago. There were a few times, i went down at about 9am and all the chicken feet were sold out. It is good to start the year enjoying one of my favourite food and breakfast combo

Apart from the sumptious breakfast, i also had a good time with the Lord while having my breakfast. Was reading ‘Walking with God” by John Eldredge. Been using it as my devotion. While I was ahving my kopi-o kosong, I came upon this paragraph and it stirkes me.

“We are created to enjoy life. But we end up worshipping the gift instead of the Giver. We seek for life and look to God as our assistant in the endeavour. We are far more upset when things go wrong than we ever are when we aren’t close to God.”

God has been gracious and faithful to me. Not only in 2008, but since I have came to know Him in 1989. Well, I think for 2009, God has given me a good start and a focus for the year. A focus and a call to draw near to Him and seek Him.

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Jam 4:8a (NASB)

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” Prov 9:10 (NASB)

To many, Christmas is about Santa Claus, jingle bells, presents under a Christmas tree…… but Christmas means more than that. It is really about Jesus, the Child, the Son of God who came down from His heavenly throne, to walk on earth among us. To be with us, to understand us, to show us the way and to redeem us from the grip of the evil one and death.

This is one of my favourite secular Christmas song. It tells of the true spirit of Christmas….that when the Child (Jesus) is born,  He brings forth the ray of hope that mankind seeks for. Enjoy.

“….and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” Matt 1:21 (NASB)

“”Behold, the virgin shall be with Child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuael,” which translated means, “God with us.”" Matt 1:23 (NASB)

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through me.” John 14:6 (NASB)

PS: Remember to turn off the blog music as you listen to this song.

Been thinking about this recently again. It is not something new to me. Instead I have been occasionally thinking about this since my encounter with poverty face to face in my trip to Cambodia in 2003.

During the last 2 years in the course of my work, I have been exposed and encountered with families or individual who are trap in this vicious cycle of poverty. Jeffery Zach, in his book “The End of Poverty”, stated that there are 3 levels of poverty. They are those in extreme poverty where they can’t meet basic needs for survival. Those in moderate poverty just barely meet their basic needs. Lastly, those who are in relative poverty, generally have income level below those of the national average, lack access to cultural goods, entertainment, recreation and quality health care, education, and other prequisities for upward social mobility. I would think many of the poor in Singapore fall in the 3rd category i.e. relative poverty. However, this doesn’t mean they are not poor.

I have known some families or individual who try to upgrade themselves and work hard, but bills still pile up, what was earned, is easily spent off to pay bills and necessities. Worse still, when emergency situations arises (medical, death of family members, lost of job etc), they do not have any savings or reserves to help tide them over. Furthermore, bills and arrays still need to be pay off. How then can they be out of this cycle? How can we really help?  Should we simply keep providing them? Will they develop an over-dependence attitude? Shall we help them to look for job or better jobs? But what if job opportunties are not available? Shall we help them upgrade themeselves in terms of skills and, but what if, likewise, job opportunities are not available?

Frankly, I don’t know. I know it is not an easy problem and likewise there is no simple solutions to it.

I am just thinking aloud…….

“… Give me just enoughto satisfy my needs, For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.” Prov 30:8-9 (NLT)

Lord, help me to be content. Meanwhile, grant to me a heart that is willing to give, a heart that is not fearful and a heart that is teachable, that I may be bold and creative to help the poor and those in needs. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.