In 1950, professor Curt Richter experimented with rats to analyse their survival instincts. He plunged a dozen of rats into a large jar filled with water. The rats drowned in an average time of 15 minutes. Richter then decided to save the next set of rats before they give up swimming due to exhaustion; he took them out of the jar, dried them and gave each rats a few minutes to rest before putting them back into the water jar.

The “rescued’ rats lasted an astonishing 60 hours afterwards. Richter concluded that by “saving” the rats, it gave the rats the motivation to swim approximately 240 times longer. He believes the rats have been given a glimpse of hope of “being rescued” and they pushed their bodies beyond what they thought possible.

We as Christian would also agree that hope is the essential ingredient in our own faith journey. Christ has come and given us hope that we have a living Saviour. His Word breathes hope to our inner spiritual sanctuary and it fuels us to stand, to push and believe again with an unsurpassable peace.
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Henceforth, as the Lord encourages us daily, let us extend this hope and encourage people around us. Kind words go a long way and it may be the glimpse of hope they need to push further. Be a bringer of hope as the Lord fans the flame of hope within us.
 
Hebrews 6: 19
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.
 
Zechariah 9:12
Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.

- Irene Soon 

I’ve recently watched a documentary on Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch woman who persevered in her Christian faith. She helped many Jews into hiding in her house, got captured and survived the concentration camp in World War II.

She displayed an extraordinary forgiveness to everyone who have wronged her and her family and even when she loses her ability to speak in her old age, she remained faithful to the Lord in her ministry. She penned a famous poem titled ‘the Tapestry poem’ in which it revealed the bittersweet truth of faith with God being the weaver of threads in the canvas of our lives. What we see as tangled threads and disarray of colours are due to our limited human ability to comprehend God’s perspective from above.

Our Omnipotent God is able to oversee all patterns of weavings to His purpose; He is making all things work for good for us. Ten Boom trusted the Lord in all her sufferings and tribulations. She worded ever so beautifully, “He gives the very best to those who leave the choice to Him.”

Dear blessed ones, the Lord loves and cares for you more than you could fathom. Even if anything does not make sense, know that the Lord is for you and He is making all things work for good for you.

Romans 8: 28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

- Irene Soon

Dear blessed ones,
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Today Hopeful Heart turns 10 years old. (Facebook page Link)

A decade of journeying in faith and trusting in the Lord daily. We would like to humbly lift praises to the Lord for His grace to sustain this milestone and we are truly grateful of your being with us in this journey to encourage each other.

A powerful reminder for us is found in Zechariah 4: 6 – “Not by might, not by power but by the Spirit of the Lord.” It is the Lord who prepares you for the journey and it is also He who equips you for the journey. The success of any journey is not made through our strength and sheer will alone.

The Lord promises He will never leave nor forsake us (Deut 31: 8). This is a promise He spoke before the Israelites were to cross Jordan river without Moses as their leader. Essentially, the Lord is assuring them that all will be well and a change of leader will not affect their success; it is the Lord that goes before them. This also displays the Lord’s willingness to be involved in their journey actively; this promise still applies to us today.

The Israelites made it to their promised land and witnessed the fall of the Jericho wall through shouting praise to the Lord. Dear blessed ones, the Lord is faithful to His Words and His Omniscience assures us to not fear or be discouraged. He wants to be actively involved in our own journey too.
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We give the glory and praise to our Lord Jesus Christ who sustains us daily and we hope this community of faith will continue to help you to fix your gaze to the One who is the light of the world. Amen. 

Deuteronomy 31: 8
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

- Hopeful Heart Team

Many would have heard the name George Muller as a man who prays and received many miraculous provisions through prayers. Faced with many overwhelming needs to run his orphanages, he turned every need to the Lord in prayer.
 
“I was at peace when worries come because I believed the truth of God’s promises, His Word and His everlasting unchanging character that loves us unconditionally.” Muller goes on saying, “I believe God is able and willing to deliver me.” Such display of faith has surely gone through the darkest nights yet seen through brightest sunshine after the billowing gush and storm that destroys.
 
Muller’s life has displayed his dependence on God’s Word and him meditating on the word to create an inner peace sanctuary within himself; the place that ensures him that God is willing and surely deliver Muller from his troubles.
 
Just as a daily good nutrition strengthens us physically, so is studying, proclaiming and standing on God’s Word will strengthen us spiritually. We will not be able to avoid troubles or worries life may throw our ways but if we seek the Lord daily and put all of our petitions in prayers, we will be able to overcome trials and rest in the peace God has gifted us through His sacrifice on the cross.
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Romans 8: 32
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
 
- Irene Soon 

​In one old movie, I watched a story about a shrewd businessman who eagerly helped to restore a nunnery which was damaged during the WWII. When asked why he did it, the unbelieving businessman simply said, “just in case!” It made me ponder aren’t we all like this businessman at some point?

We do things for God because of “just in case” too. If you were asked, “what would you willingly do for God without any ‘repayment’?” Would you have done it whole heartedly?

The businessman wanted to do good just in case there is a God and he believed his good deeds would earn him an eternal place in Heaven. That was his insurance – his good deeds would not go unrewarded.
Let us cultivate a steward heart out of gratitude for the abundant forgiveness, favor, grace and mercy that God has provide us daily. A “just in case” mentality fosters a calculative mindset with God where our bitterness grow and we say things such as, “after all I have done for You, God”, “I tithed every week and now I’m unemployed!”, “Didn’t I serve you well, why I have to endure this?” The list goes on.

Can we trust the One who loves us? Just as Satan needed God’s permission to test Job, he is unable to test you without the Almighty God not being in control. The One who loves you will have the final say and you do not need fear and resort to a “just in case” mentality.   
 
Job 1: 9-12
Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” 12 And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

- John W.

John 3:16
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
 
Have you ever pondered on this passage? Imagine if it were you sacrificing for your loved ones. What would you want your loved ones to see and gain from your sacrifices for them?
 
Jesus sacrificed His life for us, He sacrificed willingly for us to gain hold of the promise of salvation, healing, peace, provision and abundant joy. In doing so, He demonstrated an incomprehensible love to us as a loving Father, Saviour and a Friend. This is what the Father and His Son want us to see. They gave the best treasure of Heaven and held nothing back to gift us eternal salvation.
 
Equipped with this knowledge, will you press on when the devil is trying to bring you down? Fix our eyes on our loving Saviour continually; fully trusting in Him. How can He who gave up his one and only Son gives conditional love and withheld anything that is good for us? Trust and continually seek His face
 
Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own son but deliver Him up for us a. How shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.

- Annie Pisca

Do you wake up with a heavy feeling; constantly worrying about things? Do you feel alone with your thoughts as if no one is there for you? No one understands you?

​Have you stopped for a second and think that these thoughts would make us susceptible to the devil’s lies? We tend to trust our heart conditions and let it dictate our feelings.
 
Jeremiah 17:9 says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick, who can understand it. Our loving Father knows of our human trait and when we do not guard our hearts, it magnifies our problem to the point of exhaustion. In Deuteronomy 30:6, God assures us that He will never leave you nor forsake you. He also says that not to worry, He will take good care of you (Matthew 6:26-30). The Word of our Lord uphold the highest credibility as He is a God who doesn’t lie. When He assures us that He will never, He stands by His words to never forsake us.
 
If we human could place our utmost trust to one or few people in our lives to never forsake us and to always be there for us when we are in the lowest valleys, how much more have we belittled our Lord who is capable of an everlasting and consistent care upon us. He loves you so very much, dear friends. Let us reset and trust a little more in our Lord.
 
John 3:16
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

- Annie Pisca

How did God perform the miracle of the Red Sea? By shutting His people in on every opportune side so that there was no way out but by the supernatural  way. The Egyptians were behind them, the sea was in front of them, the mountains were on both sides of them.

There was no escape but from above.The devil can wall us in, but he cannot roof us over as we can always get out at the top. Our difficulties are but God's challenges, and many times He makes them so hard that we must get above them or go under.

During such trial, it presents us with highest possibilities to build the muscles of our faith. We are pushed by the very emergency into God's best inteference. Friends, this is God's hour. If you will rise to meet it you will get such a hold upon Him that you will not be in extremities again; or if you are, you will learn to call them not extremities, but opportunities.

Like Jacob, you will go forth from that night at Peniel, no longer called Jacob, but as victorious Israel. 

2 Corinthians 4:9
We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

- Writing of A Simpson

As we have just celebrated Thanksgiving recently, let it not only be a practice on that one day. A life of gratitude expands goodness that the Lord has provided to us, a smile breeds another and a thankful speech delights another soul. 
  
The Bible shows the miracle of giving thanks when Jesus faced a lack. Jesus did not fret when He did not have enough to feed the multitudes. He did not heed the requests of the disciples to send the multitudes away instead, He gave thanks to His Father in Heaven for the little He had and we knew the rest of the story about the miraculous multiplication that left twelve basketful of food and the 5000 people fully fed.

In another words, Jesus did not listen to the negativity of the disciples, he did not walk away from the trials, instead He focuses on what He already has and He gave thanks. The Bible did not record any lengthy prayers either. Everything God did, He does it with purpose and faith in His Father’s love for Him.

Let us embrace a thankful and grateful approach to all lacks, stir ourselves to praise the all-knowing Lord and avoid complaining or murmuring. Surely, He will not let His children fade away.
 
Psalms 100: 4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

- John W.