Happy New Year 2020 dear blessed friends and families,

The Lord is good all the time and we believe that He crowns this year with a bountiful harvest and He will strengthen us through any trials and circumstances that will achieve the purpose of the Lord's calling in our lives. In Jesus's name, we pray.

Amen. 

- Hopeful Heart Team

Dear friends and families, 

We collectively pray that this season brings upon you the Joy of the Lord; not as the world gives but as the Lord has given us and may your peace surpasses all understanding.

We the Children of God has been given this privilege and may you see His promises fulfilled in your lives.

May your words, kindness and living testimonies be a fragrant offering to everyone around you and strangers who are in need of Christ in their lives.

Amen.

- Hopeful Heart Team

Through the chapters of Exodus and I was drawn to God’s covenant: If you will obey me fully and keep my covenant. (Ex.19:5). The covenant is not only for the Israelites, but it is for us too, the children of God who declared Christ as their Saviour.

The covenant’s promise is the same: we will be His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation and people belonging to God (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9). The promise which was for the Israelites alone now is for everyone. But the promise comes with responsibility: to declare the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His wonderful light. What a high calling and a difficult one if I may say but it is doable.

As we are celebrating Christmas, we are celebrating the impossible conception turning into a miracle. How can God become human? But Christ has done it in obedience to the Father so that those who walk in the darkness no longer will walk in the darkness. Because without the light, nothing can be seen but even in the darkness, a dim light will attract attention. So those walk in light can show to the world the Sovereignty of God.

The God we serve is the God who does not give us only promises and list of do and don’t but He has given us Himself. Nothing is impossible for a God who could uphold you in the callings He has for you. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden (Matthew 5: 14). Shine your light and declare praises for the remembrance that a Saviour has been born in the world for us.

- Jenni Wang

We are entering the month of what some called a season of joy. Indeed, it is a season to be joyful about. The birth of a Saviour, who loves us greatly that He dies on the cross so that we do not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Jesus loves you, yes it is true. But, how much do we believe that saying? You and I, are greatly loved by our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:38 says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing, simply nothing will make Him stop loving you. The devil knows full well and since the fall in the garden, he has been devising schemes to make you stop loving God because it is impossible for God to stop loving you.

Every day, demonic stronghold is being set in motion in our minds when we go through trials of life. When disappointment, fear and discouragement creep into your heart, lies about the Lord not caring for you are poured to your mind consistently.

The devil would make you shut your door to God. Your heart would harden and you say no to the love source (for love is from God - 1 John 4:7) or even to praying. Life starts to feel dry, depressing and hopeless. Joy will be replaced by solitude and depression; you may even find yourself saying or thinking, “no one understands.”

Don’t shut your door. Jesus always stand at the door and knocks. Welcome Him, trust the process and let Him love you. He promised that He will never leave you or forsake you - Deuteronomy 32:6 - no matter what circumstance feels or looks like. Let Jesus’ love for you always be your reason for joy.

- Annie Pisca

A friend of mine named Paul received a brand new car from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul was walking to his brand new car, a street urchin was admiring it. “Is this your car, Mister?” he asked.

Paul nodded. “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was astounded. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn’t cost you nothing? Boy, I wish . . .” He hesitated.

Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like that but to Paul's surprise, the boy went on and said, “I wish... that I could be a brother like that.”

“Would you like to take a ride in my car?” Paul sincerely offered then. 

“Oh yes Mister, I’d love that.”

After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes aglow, said, “Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?”

Paul smiled a little. He thought the boy wanted to show his neighbors that he rode home in a new shiny car. The boy quickly got off the car and ran up the steps of his house. Then in a little, the boy came back. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He sat him down on the bottom step and pointed to the car.

“There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m gonna give you one just like it . . . then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”

Paul got out and lifted the little brother to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in beside him and the three of them began a memorable holiday ride.

That Christmas Eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant when He said: “It is more blessed to give . . .”

Acts 20: 35 
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

- Dan Clark

During my recent house-moving, I came to realization that I have become a collector of things. You know those people who seems to buy and store things in their closets or wardrobes and suddenly feel their house is in such clutter.

I believe most of this problem originates from the popular culture of materialism in our society. Whenever we watch TV, browse social media or listen to the radio, we are presented by many advertisements selling us the newest and greatest things we should own. The rapid technological advancement even contributed to a shorter life span of us owning that new piece of thing.

Jesus puts this in perspective when He said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." If your possessions seems to clutter all your spaces including your mental space, you could decide to give what you no longer need to charity or those who are in need. Remember the golden wisdom that Jesus said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” As we give away our extra or earthly possessions in the spirit of generosity, we accumulate spiritual blessings and joy that no possessions could ever bring to us.​

Acts 20: 35 ESV
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

- John W.

Would you be excited to receive a free gift? As God’s child, Jesus gave us a free gift; he promises to give us an advocate to help us and He will not leave us comfortless. His very free gift that is unseen by the world – the Holy Spirit. 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. The Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” – John 14: 16-17.

Holy Spirit is a free gift that everyone has access to, it is a gift that is redeemable by everyone. To receive the Holy Spirit is to access the supernatural power of God in your life, it is a gift of the Spirit and it has the ability to bring God’s reality into your life. God wants to do much good to you and through you.

​If it has been in your heart to invite the Holy Spirit into your life, all you have to do is ask for them to come and believe that Jesus is your Saviour.  It is a gift that will change your life for the better and you will always have an advocate who understands you like no other. 

The person who speaks in tongues is strengthen personally… (1 Corinthians 14: 4). Would you invite and allow the Holy Spirit into your heart today? He will be your Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counsellor and Strengthener.

Acts 19: 5 – 6
On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 

- Irene Soon

Luke 22:32
But I have prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers
 
How encouraging is the thought of the Redeemer's never- ceasing intercession for us. When we pray, he pleads for us; and when we are not praying, he is advocating our cause, and by his supplications shielding us from unseen dangers.

Notice the word of comfort addressed to Peter -"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.”  Jesus didn’t conclude by saying "But go and pray for yourself." That would be good advice, but it is not so written. Neither does he say, "But I will keep you watchful, and so you shall be preserved." That were a great blessing but no, Jesus said "But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not."

We little know what we owe to our Saviour's prayers. When we reach the hill-tops of heaven, and look back upon all the way whereby the Lord our God have led us, how we shall praise Him who, before the eternal throne, undid the mischief which Satan was doing upon earth? How shall we thank Him because he never held His peace, but day and night pointed to the wounds upon his hands, and carried our names upon his breastplate! Even before Satan had begun to tempt, Jesus had forestalled him and entered a plea in heaven. Mercy outruns malice.

O Jesus, what a comfort it is that You have pleaded our cause against our unseen enemies; countermined their mines, and unmasked their ambushes. 

- Writing of Charles Spurgeon (@Heartlight)

Merry Christmas dear blessed families and friends, 

As we gather to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, we pray that you will find the gladness of Christmas, filled with the love, joy and peace that the Lord Jesus Christ has come to bestow upon our lives. May you embrace His free gift of salvation and know that you are always loved and favored.

Amen.

- Hopeful Heart team.

As the days are leading to Christmas, it has been a leading to share what has been the core heart of Hopeful Heart. Hopeful Heart started on a mundane night of August 2011 where God has been speaking much about hope unto our seasons.

Hope through Christ has been such a key message we delight in sharing to believers. When we as believers speak of hope, it resonates deeper that any earthly desires but it is an affirmation that our hope is made certain and it rests on the finished work of Jesus to bring us forgiveness, eternal salvation and reconciliation of humanity's brokenness in a fallen world. We are not left in this world to fight our own battles, Christ is the anchor of our soul, He has come to this world to be a Saviour and a secure hope in times of need and hopelessness.

Through the coming of Jesus, He has secured us hope in many ways. We are able to hope for the future; that we will be redeemed through the free gift of salvation, we could hope in the present that we are sustained, upheld and loved by a God who loves unconditionally. We are also enabled to hope for reconciliations over the scars and consequences of past mistakes; failures are no greater than God’s restorative power.
​
As we were led to the verse of Hebrew 16: 20 about hope, it brought about the name of Hopeful Heart. The word Heart is derived from Proverbs 4: 23 NLT. It instructs us to guard our heart above all else as it will determine the course of our lives. So dear friends, as we anchor our hearts in Christ Jesus our Saviour and Redeemer in this month where Christ needs to be celebrated more than gifts and festive activities, we will find His Words to continually guard our hearts through the providence of insightful wisdom and deeper Biblical understanding. May you always find hope in Christ, your living hope and continue to spread His Good News. Jesus is the real reason for Christmas, it is because of His birth, we have Christmas; let Him be at the center of it.

Hebrew 16: 20 NIV
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf...

- Irene Soon