Vision is a God given gift to enable us to have faith on the invisible. When God promised Abraham that his descendant would be as numerous as the stars, He brought him outside and told him to look up into the sky and count the stars. God knew Abraham needed to have the vision of the promise and picture it in his mind; that he would be constantly reminded as he look to the sky every night through the years of unfulfilled promise that he waits for.
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When you could see the Lord’s promise through your eyes of faith, you could have a stronger resolute when doubt visits. Your vision will light up your body with hope and surely you will experience joy as you wait for the fulfillment of the promise.  Ask the Lord to strengthen your vision of His promises for your life and picture it through your eyes of faith.

Matthew 6: 22 – 23 writes, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light but if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.” What you can see will change your life and if all you could see is darkness, the Lord could give you a new vision. Trust the Lord to provide you a vision and trust his process. 

- John W.

Recently I had a discussion with a lady. We talked about how we could recognize Jesus if he comes back during our lifetime. Will we confuse Him with others who claim they are the Savior? Can we tell who is Jesus?
 
I am not sure I can boldly say I could recognise Jesus with all the noise of the modern world but I rest my assurance that He will help me to recognise Him; that He will speak to me and He will not let me lost in the crowd because Jesus loves me. He knows me by name.
 
There are times I get overwhelmed with the noise from the world and I tell myself I might be chasing after the wind when I’m trying to be kind or wanting to shine His hope in this broken world. Ephesian 6 however, reminds me to pray in perseverance. Our hope is, when we are unable to approach the throne of grace and pray in perseverance, the Lord will help us. Just like how I believe the Lord will cause me to recognise Him if He were to return in my lifetime, I believe He too will enable me to pray in perseverance. I’m unable to do it with my own strength but I cast this need unto the Lord and He will strengthen me.

The Lord, He is our helper. Let Him help you.

Psalm 28: 7 - 8
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.

Ephesians 6: 18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

 - Jenni Wang

I have ever read that the saddest human words is “if only”.

​The writer believes that many are trapped by regrets and they beat themselves up by lamenting on the mistakes made and spend their life saying, “if only…”, “if only I tried harder”, “if only I was truthful”, “if only I made time…” What if instead of saying “if only”, we choose to say, “I will”.
“I will try harder next time,”
“I will be truthful”,
“I will make time” and so on.

Notice the hopeful anticipation that arises with the change of words and perspective.
The Bible speaks of “A wholesome tongue and a tree of life but perverseness in it breaks the spirit” – Proverbs 15: 4 NKJV. “Death and life are in the power of tongue and hose who love it will eat its fruit” – Proverbs 18: 21.

These scriptures confirm that our words bring life and death into our space, into our world and into our atmospheres so instead of speaking defeat and speaking our regrets and mistakes, let us  start speaking of an active resolute action; changing our perspectives therefore, no perverseness will break our spirits and no death will reign in our atmospheres.

- Irene Soon 

Receiving blessings and be blessings for others are. what we as Christian are called to. What we have received and seen from God, that is what we can share to the world so that the world will know Him.

​In saying so, I still struggle with family issues and uncertainties about how to continue serving the Lord even after many encouraging moments in my life. It is so easy to be discouraged when you have not received the breakthrough you pray for your trials or salvations of loved ones.
 
In a moment of discouragement, I would like to remind us Roman 8: 24 – 25 NIV For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  When the darkest day comes, it is His timing to show His glory among the people (Psalm 102: 12 - 13) and everything is in His timing, not mine. Trusting God even when it is difficult, is when I seek His strength to continue on. I believe My God is a Saviour who never fails to fulfil His promises.

Though I do not know when Salvation will come to my household nor when He will answer my prayers and opens doors in my own mission fields, I remind my soul that He has been working all things for my good and His timing is perfect. Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope; today I declare that I will restore to you double (Zechariah 9:12 ASV). Return to your place of hope, the Lord is your loving Saviour. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! - Psalm 27:14 ESV

Psalm 102: 13
You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.

- Jenni Wang 

Recently, a dear colleague of mine passed away.

A woman in her late 60’s passed quietly on her bed without struggle and pain as we were told. The funeral director began her commemoration by asking guests what is the first word that comes to mind when we think of Pam, my mind quietly whispered, “kindness” and like an echo, the funeral director voiced it audibly, “kindness.”

Pam’s kindness will leave a lasting mark of a gentle soul that touches each one of us who came to know her and it will certainly be a legacy we aim to replicate when life feels unkind. Kindness is often misconstrued as a weakness, softness, a vulnerability that may be misused by people around us when in truth, anyone who shows kindness are the ones with profound strength; a strength to forgive, a strength to accept and a strength to heal from hurt with courage.

Christ’s very essence is goodness. He emanates mercies and kindness and He offers us fresh new grace every morning to begin again. “Let us be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4: 32 ESV)”. Even if you struggle to offer a solace of kindness, the Lord will not condemn. The Bible speaks of kindness as one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), ask for the Lord’s strength and dear friends, I believe He will enable you to bear the fruit of kindness. Let us trust His process, amen.
 
Galatians 5: 22 – 23 NLT
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Ephesians 4: 32 ESV
Let us be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.
 
Irene Soon

On Good Friday, we celebrate and remember the day Jesus has atone for our sins willingly at the cross. His crucifixion is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

A Prayer of Gratitude

Dear Lord, thank you for Your selfless sacrifice on the cross for me, It is through Your sacrifice, I have been set free and You paid the price to offer me the gift of eternal life.

Help me to not take this gift of salvation for granted and grant me the wisdom to remember the cost of it all. Forgive me for all of my sins, for being too busy with things and please empower me daily to do good works.

Thank you, Lord, that by your wounds I’m healed of all pains and inequities; I’m completely set free. Jesus, I give You the glory and honour. Grant everyone peace and the joy of Easter for Your sacrificial gift has given hope to the hopeless and power to the powerless.

Amen

- Hopeful Heart Team

As a problem solver, I always look for ways to solve issues from math, science to engineering but I need to remember that people are not problems to be fixed. Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 is a good reminder that I ought to trust the Lord and not lean on my own understanding. That to me, applies to understanding wounded people He has sent around us and take it as an opportunity to learn more of ourselves and the grace of God to enable us to accept all differences or understanding we are yet to fathom.

Yet the problem solver in me needed answers and I continued reading books to only be reminded that as a Christian, we must tend to the wounded souls and help them to (re)discover the image of God they have in them.

From all these, I’m humbled and am still learning that I cannot and do not need to fix every problem, some problems can’t be fixed instantly and as we live in a fallen world, sins cause people to stay wounded and broken including myself.
 
Christ reconciles us to the Father, He restores His image in us and reunite us with Him as in the original plan of creation: perfect communion between man and God. The Lord constantly reminds me that only by knowing Him more, I can learn of His love for me and receive the wisdom of knowing myself and grow better as His image bearer to the world. At the same time, I will be able to find His image amidst the broken and wounded souls. His love would cause us to approach everyone with supernatural compassion and grace that our own flesh would not be able to give if we were to rely on our own understanding. Truly, the Lord is good to all.

Proverbs 3:5 NLT
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.

Isaiah 53: 5 NLT
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

- Jenni Wang 

Few years ago, I lost my job and the financial security it provided. For months, applying for jobs proved to be futile and to say I was discouraged was an understatement and I continued to think of how a God could who loves me could allow such misfortune to befall me.

Then, a friend shared a wisdom that I will always remember, “If we would find our security in the confidence that the Lord loves us than focus on how Lord could allow misfortunes on us, we would learn to not rely on things that meets our needs.”

The Apostle Paul also heeds us to be content in whatever state we are in (Phil 4: 11 – 13). It made me realise that whilst my circumstance had change, that did not change who I was and how God sees me (despite all my lamenting), He still loves me and has a good plan for me. My discouragement shouldn’t rob me off the contentment or happiness I had before I lost my job. When we choose to focus on the fact that the Lord loves us, we would have a quiet assurance that the Lord has a good plan for us regardless of with or without things and it is essential for me to remember on what I still have and not what I lack.
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Whilst speaking of it is easier than walking that daily battle, the wisdom became a reference point that helped me through the season. Let us be reminded that the Lord loves us and our happiness does not come from things and circumstance that can change anytime but our happiness needs to be planted secure on a God who is never changing, always in control and able to work all things for good for those who loves and rely on him.
 
Philippians 4:11 NLT
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.

Romans 8: 28 NLT
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

- John W

There is one morning not so distant in my memory; the warmth and peace it brought is what I would not forget. That one early morning, I opened the front door of the house and was greeted by nature’s silence, no sound of chirping birds nor moving vehicles, just the stillness of nature, the air and the rhythm of my own breathing.

A few snowflakes fell out of the grey overcast sky, adding to the sense of stillness and awe, the world is still sleeping and I stood there feeling grateful of the gift of life .

It was the very first morning of a new year, silent and still. Hope poised and expectations awaits for what the new year may bring yet what matters was the moment of stillness it gave, deafening yet assuring.

I’d like to imagine it was silent and still when God created the world and through those moments, He populated the world and created all the nature wonders. It was in the moment of quietness and stillness, He created and spoke. It was in times such as this, I could hear the stillness of God’s voice speaking, words of assurance for the new year. Peace and warmth followed after each word and I could feel the fullness of joy.

What a wonderful assurance to know that the grace I felt that morning is available, new and fresh to us every morning like the dew of rain on a parched land. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, let the Lord be your very reward; your portion. His love and mercy will be your shield and comfort everyday, put your hope in Him in this new year.

​Lamentations 3:22-24
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.
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- Irene Soon