Dear blessed friends and families, 

We pray into the year of 2021 that it may bring you abundant favors and beautiful beginnings. May you continue to bring the Lord as the center of your 2021 and let Him lead you in all of your plans.

May you receive fullness in health, joy and love in abundance. Together, we proclaim the blessings of the Lord and may our cups overflow to bless others around us and in this, lead them to the Victory of Christ Jesus. 

In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

Dear blessed ones, 

As the year is coming to a closing, we celebrate the joys, tears, losses, gains, blessings and sorrows with a grateful heart to the Lord. We thank Him that He has brought us through another year which has been different that any other year we are used to encounter. Nevertheless, we are children of God who believes the best is yet to come. Let us always praise the name of the Lord through good and bad, through darkness and light for He sustains us through it all. 

We wish you a blessed season of favours, abundance, joy and health to everyone around. Merry Christmas 2020. 

John1: 16
From His abundance, we have all received one gracious blessing after another

Jesus loves you.

- Hopeful Heart team

Some of the loneliest people in the world are those who are constantly surrounded by others, yet they feel that no one truly knows or understands them. They may even have an abundance of material things yet the loneliness they feel still stings. 

We may have a spouse or dear friends who love us, but even they will never know or understand us completely. We may climb the heights of success or accomplishment, yet there is no one who can fully share the emotion of that moment when we finally reach our goal. Even some of our dearest friend could be strangers to our supreme joy and don't always understand our most bitter pain. Some tears are always shed alone. No other human being can ever enter the deepest recesses of our mind or soul.

God Himself is the answer, the fulfillment to these deepest recesses. He who made us is the only One who can fill every part of our life. God’s Word says He is our “satisfying portion.” Not until He fills that inner longing will we ever be truly satisfied or completely free from loneliness.

There’s no need to ever be lonely. Jesus promises in Hebrew 13: 5, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” and “I am with you always.” 

So when you feel this loneliness, it is the voice of Jesus saying, “Come to Me.” And every time you feel that no one understands or the load is too heavy to bear alone, it is a call for you to call unto Him again. The truth is, you can never bother or tire God too often, His limit is endless. Come as often, come as you are. His presence satisfies the lonely soul.

Psalm 16:5-11
LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. 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.

- Anonymous

With news, social medias and radios discussing COVID-19 on a daily basis, it is hard not to let fear take hold of our imagination.

When we are in need to leave our homes for basic supplies and food, there is always a sense of fear if what is lurking out there.
“Is wearing a mask enough?”
“Should I wear gloves too?”
“That person just coughed!”
"Is today the day I catch the virus?"
The list goes on…

Fear often shows up when we are at higher risk of losing something – health, job, families and much more; it reveals our deep desire to protect things and relationships that are important in our lives. It also shows that having faith and fully trusting all of our cares to God is not something automatic nor natural. Fear cripples our spirituality and drains us emotionally. Fear tempts us to take matters into our hands and compromise the foundation of our faith.
​
In this uncertain time, find hope in God’s promises and trust in the reality of His power, protection and provision. Only then, His presence will radiate and expel any fear from your life. The psalmist knows this testimony well, “ I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34: 4
 
- John W.

In my recent travel, I have learned that autumn has the most rainfall in all parts of Scandinavia or at least that was what we experienced. We spent countless days walking in the rain, holding to dear hope that our waterproof gears could withstand the harsh weathers.

The gloomy days were enough to dampen any travelling spirits. I tried to pray the rain away and held on believing that the Lord’s favours surround us like a shield (Psalm 5: 12).

​Slowly but surely, the rains gave way to the sunny skies and we were able to hike the two most scenic mountains in Norway during the days rains were predicted to fall the heaviest.  At one of the mountains, we were the only group at the top and I saw how the clouds shifted dramatically as I uttered prayers under my breath. Many may say that what happened to us was pure luck as weathers could change instantaneously in that region but we continued to enjoy days where the weathers were bearable and we got to enjoy most of what our destinations have to offer.

We praised the Lord for His mercy and protections. No hails, snows nor storms could against the power of God, even the wind and waves listen to Him (Matthew 8: 27). Know that no matter how small your prayer may seem, the Lord cares enough to come down from His Heavenly throne and listen to our fearful whisper or bold cry. He has the power to change any outcome so cast your cares in prayers, take that step of faith and look forward to see the Lord intervene on your behalf.
 
Psalm 5: 12
Surely, LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favour as with a shield.
 
Matthew 8: 27
The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

- Irene Soon

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

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

​In Corinthians 10: 3 – 5 (ESV) Paul wrote:
 
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”
 
What are the strongholds that spiritually imprison people? Arguments and opinions.
What arguments are raging in your mind? What arguments and opinions do you have of God and most importantly what do you know of His arguments and opinions of you? Arguments and opinions are more than just strongholds. They are deadlier than any weapons. Adam and Eve (and us, included) fell to sin because of an argument. They believed the serpent’s argument and stopped believing God.
 
When we stopped believing God, whose argument and opinions do we believe? The argument and opinions of the world? And where do you think they come from? Our enemy, the devil. We do not want to believe his lies, he is a liar and the father of all lies - John 8:44. He is out to kill us with his lies.
 
When we believe wrongly about specific things or issues, emotions such as anger, discouragement, depression, anxiousness, self-pitying, fearfulness or irritation may likely follow.
 
Monitor your emotions as it may indicate what arguments are currently raging in your mind. The devil does not want you think clearly, he wants to keep you confused, unclear, imprisoned and disarmed. Press on and fight, warrior of God. He has overcome the world and in Him, we will find peace. .
 
John 8:31-32
If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. 
 
John 16:33
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

John 8: 43 - 44 
Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

- Annie Pisca

Recently, my relative responded to a distressed neighbor’s call. Together, they found another neighbor who has just committed suicide and the scene left them scarred in ways they would never forget.
 
This reminded me on how peace could be an elusive element in today’s society. Ephesians 6:12 clearly states that we are in a war-zone, whether we like it or not, we are in a war. This war is cosmic in proportions. It involves the big league, bigger than we what we can see. Everyone alive is enlisted, God is in it, so are the angels and demons.
 
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12
 
These battle in our everyday lives can be chalked down to pressure of life; work, financial issues, relationship problems, health concerns and the list goes on. However, where is the actual battle? It’s in waging aggressively in our mind.
 
Jesus has promised His peace for us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14: 27).

When the pressures of life harangue you to the ground, do not give up. Remember the promises of God that He has given us peace not as the world gives. This is a spiritual fight where we need to stand our ground and involve God in every aspect of the battles. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not let fear reign in your mind. The Lord is our victory.

- Annie Pisca

If you’re trying to recover from a broken relationship, don’t rush into another one. As you become healthy you begin to make healthy choices. Some hurts take a long time to heal, but don’t be discouraged: ‘He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.’

Give God a chance. Take time to search His Word and find out how He feels about you, for that’s the true basis of all self-worth. If God can love and accept you with full knowledge of your imperfections, then the message is: "Lighten up, you can love, and be loved again, but remember the second greatest commandment, only with the same wholeness with which you love yourself.

When you don’t value yourself, you attract people who feel the same way about you, including those who seek to control you. So hold out for it for better! Remember, you train others how to treat you by how you treat yourself. As you become whole, you’ll start to see how unwholesome some of your relationship choices have been. If some people walk away, ‘so be it’.

Sometimes you’ve got to give up less so that God can give you more. He has new relationships in store for you, but He’s waiting until your values, perceptions, and self-worth line up with His Word. So take it step by step, one day at a time. And take heart —your best days are ahead.

Psalm 147: 3
He heals the broken hearted, he binds up their wounds.

- Word for Today devotional Bob Gass