No one knows what the future holds. We’re quick to wish a “happy new year” on January 1st, but we actually have very little control over how things will play out. “You do not know what a day may bring,” the Bible cautions.

It’s good to plan ahead and lay solid foundations in our personal and professional lives, but we know from the start that the year is going to be full of events and circumstances that we haven’t foreseen and that we will have limited ability to influence.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, if it reminds us that when all is said and done, the happiest and most secure place for us and our loved ones is in God’s hands. Perhaps rather than wishing the outward manifestations of happiness to those we care about, we should wish for them to be connected to the source of those blessings, the loving Father who promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Whether the upcoming new year brings prosperity or hardship, health or sickness, love or loss, we can be assured of God’s love and presence, His ability to answer our prayers, and His standing resolution to make all things work together for good in the lives of those who are His children and who love Him. God never forgets His promises and He’s never unable to keep them. As Paul observed, “All of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’”

God bless you with His presence and care in the coming year.

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.

John 14:23 (NIV)
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

- Anonymous

​How much are you willing to trust the Lord? Sometimes I put conditions on God, such as ‘Lord, I believe that you can and that you will heal me today.’ Sounds innocent, but behind a statement like can actually be unbelief. Yes I believe that God can heal me today, but I also struggle to believe that if he doesn’t, that He’s still working for my good. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had greater faith than this. They were threatened to be thrown into the King’s fiery furnace for not worshiping his false gods. This was their response.
 
Daniel 3: 16 - 18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
 
These men had faith that God could and would save them. But even if God chose not to save them in this particular way, they still knew that God is good and he works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Rom 8:28). Their faith was not in the things of God, but in God Himself.
 
Even if God does not heal me this day, even if He does not bring me provision in finance nor employment or restoration of anything lost or even my other half in the new year, even if today my earthly body give way and I go to be with the Lord in paradise - my faith is in the knowledge that the Father is good - so, so good. 

​- Rebecca Ng

December is a month of extras. There’s usually extra preparation work to do at home, extra visitors, and extra expenses. Most of us get extra time off from studies or jobs. Many churches see extra people in their pews. Charities receive extra donations.

But there is of course one bigger extra—God’s extraordinary gift. In the most ordinary of settings but most extraordinary of circumstances, a very special baby was born. God’s love was made manifest, and the potential for our relationship with Him took a whole new turn.

What an extraordinary Savior: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” He came to bring us peace with God and among ourselves. “God was pleased … through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

The apostle John tells of when Jesus’ followers met behind closed doors, discouraged and confused following His crucifixion. Miraculously, the risen Jesus appeared in their midst, telling them, “Peace to you!” The same peace is promised to us, if we allow Him into our hearts.

December might be an extra-busy month, but it’s also the month when we mark the birthday of Jesus. Don’t let this time pass us by without some special moments in the presence of the One who makes it extraordinary. “Thank God for his Son—his Gift too wonderful for words.”

Luke 2:14 
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.

John 20:26
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!

- Anonymous

In our Christian walk, God promises His strength in trials and tribulation. The strength promised is the kind of strength Jesus showed, as He let Himself be nailed to the cross in submission to His Father’s plan. It is a supernatural strength no human strength could fathom. Consider this truth when fear comes creeping in.

God’s strength is available 24/7,He goes before us and always is with us. Though our fear, spiritual warfare or simply facing the unknown may still be very real, the truth is God’s supernatural strength is available to us. Overwhelming situations are no match to God’s present power in our life. Have faith He shall deliver us.

The helpless Babe born in Betlehem was our Omnipotent, Almighty Saviour in human flesh. Born in human flesh, having our physical limitation yet Jesus knew He was able to access His father’s supernatural power in times of need. We have this hope because of Jesus Christ who was born on Christmas day; He is our Shield and Refuge, our everlasting Saviour and Deliverer.
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Psalm 28: 7 – 9
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. The Lord is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.

- Irene Soon

​We all have plans that didn’t turn out the way we’d hoped, prayers that seem like they didn’t make it past the ceiling, dreams that break and are shattered as we wonder what went wrong. We keep going, but often these apparent failures remain etched in our mind along with a question mark. 

Imagine there is a beautiful painting hanging on the wall of an apartment. It was beautifully painted by a great artist if you could see it in its entirety. But you’re not inside the apartment, and the only chance you have of seeing it at all is through the keyhole, where you can catch only a small glimpse of the darkest, most shadowed section. 

This is so often our perspective of our own lives. We focus on the dark spots, the losses and perceived failures. But all the while, our life is a beautiful, colorful, joyful, and bright painting; the problem is that we are viewing it through a tiny keyhole. Maybe those dark spots represent a broken friendship, a painful breakup, a business opportunity falling through, or a feeling that our dreams are slowly being swept away by life just being the way it is - complicated, busy, and not always in our favor. At least, that's how we think.

Include God in your decision making. Perfect decision is a myth due to our own limitation but great decision is always possible and when we include God in our plans, He promises to set our path straight as we continue to walk in faith. Successful decision-makers don’t act on impulse, intuition, or even experience alone; they have a system that they work through step by step. Here is one employable system:

• Define the issue. An identified issue is a half solved issue.
• Ask Jesus. Pray for guidance at each step of the decision-making process. We may not know all the answers, but we know the Man who does and He is for us.
• List and consider your options. Write down the pros and cons for each option and see how they stack up against each other.
• Gather information. You will not only make better decisions but a peace of mind as you carry out your decision.
• Be objective. Welcome alternatives and opposing views. Remember that the goal is not to prove yourself right, but to make the right decision.
• Be true to yourself. Leave out any alternatives that compromise your values.
• Make a decision. When you’re convinced that you’ve found the best course, commit to it.
• Be open to change if circumstances change. Once you make a decision and begin acting on it, a better option may open up. This is sometimes referred to as the “boat-and-rudder effect.” It’s not until a boat is in motion that the rudder can come into play.

 
Proverbs 16: 3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

- Anonymous

Imagine the luxury of a pig’s life. Each new day brings no hard task but slopping through the mud and probably snorting happily when served with a meal. What do they eat? Most likely, it would be leftovers tossed into the pen. At least that’s what I saw and it doesn’t look good.
​
It probably doesn’t look good to the prodigal son either. Before he started to feast with the pigs, he had a secure future, a successful father, a home and plentiful of food for sure but to him, it wasn’t enough. He wanted a life of “fun”, “freedom” and control over his own life. His pursuit resulted in sharing a meal with the pigs.

When we ignore the guidance of God’s Words, similar results occur. There were times where we see people professing to know Jesus but choose a life that rejects His clear teaching deliberately. The choices could include sexual sin, addictive substance, lack of integrity or any actions that shows lack of Godly conscience within, risk ending badly.

​Clear biblical morals and Godly guidance steers us from the path of trouble. The Book of Luke tells us that when the prodigal son turned things around and returned home. Return to a life guided by Christ, a life that follows His teaching and Words wholeheartedly. His Words gives us life and never an obstacle to deprive believers of an abundant life.

Psalm 16: 11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

- John W.

“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.”
Ge 28:15 NIV
How come when someone talks to God we say, “They are praying,” yet when someone claims that God talks to them we think they are “flaky”? Has God suddenly stopped speaking to His children? Would you stop speaking to yours?

John Calvin described God’s guidance as “the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit.” And Saint Ignatius called it “movements of the soul—thoughts, feelings, or desires…given to us by God.” They may come as a conviction of sin, an assurance of God’s love, or the call to do a certain thing, but they’re a “must” for the spirit-guided life.

To hear from God you must be receptive, and sometimes—desperate! During a very bad time in Jacob’s life God appeared to him in a dream, saying, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” When Jacob awoke the next morning, he said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it” (v. 16 NIV). “Not aware”—does this describe you?

As you read these words your thoughts are being guided by a human being: a writer. Don’t you think God can do the same, or better? In truth, God can guide your thoughts without the influence of intervening sounds or images. Look what happened to Samuel when he was a boy. God spoke to him one night in the temple, but he didn’t know it was God speaking. He needed the help of Eli the high priest to recognize the voice of God. But once he did, his life changed dramatically—and yours will too.

- http://www.jentezenfranklin.org/gods-guidance-system-3/ -

God is challenging me to be more people-driven and less results-driven. Being results-driven can be part of striving (doing things FOR God). When I feel overwhelmed and heavily-burdened to do things FOR God, then I know something’s wrong - I’m results-driven.
 
Being people driven is sharing Christ’s heart for people, and desiring to do life WITH God. Jesus was people-driven, not results-driven. Sure, there are benefits of being results-driven. But when we follow Christ and His example, we find that the only results God is concerned with relate to people. The only thing He desires is that nothing would come between us and His love. 
 
Just like in Mark 5:24-34 - Jesus was not concerned with the ‘large crowd’ of people surrounding him. In that moment, he was concerned with the one woman who had reached out and touched him. She was the one woman who had faith that He could save her.
 
When we reach out to our Saviour - with faith that He can save us - everything else of this world becomes a blur. In that moment it’s just us and Him. My eloquent words don’t matter. What I’m wearing doesn’t matter. Whether or not I stand out/ look foolish doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is Christ’s great love for me, and for others.

Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

- Rebecca Ng