Hopeful Heart
  • Home
  • Word of the Day
  • Hopeful Heart Pictures
  • Bible verses on Hope
  • Testimonials
  • About Hopeful Heart

.

.

Hopeful Heart

Chasing after the wind

16/9/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
What would it be like to be the wisest person who has it all? King Solomon had the privilege to be recognised as one in his time. He had the access to all the worldly possessions, knowledge and Godly bestowed wisdom.

King Solomon has tried whatsoever he desired during his lifetime. He chased all pleasures known to mankind, recognitions, promotions, wealth, and everything else under the sun, to these he said, all are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
​
With the applause, accolades and achievements he gained, it too was meaningless. Something is still amiss and he finally concluded that the greatest pursuits of one’s life is to fear God and keep his commandment. If the wisest man has learned his life lesson and offered us his wisdom that the Lord is centre of our whole existence, would we give weight to his words?

Ecclesiastes 12: 13 - 14
Let us hear the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgement, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.


True joy and true enjoyment: What are you spending your talent, your time, your treasures on; what are you chasing? May we ponder on Solomon's wisdom and turn wholeheartedly willing to Jesus. 

- Irene Soon
 

0 Comments

Enduring grace to rise

26/6/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
​In everyday life, the Lord lovingly leaves His fingerprints on His creations. I believe, these are reminders for us to believe in His provision and plans.

Take a look at a palm tree – 1) This tree will bend but it will not break. Despite how strong the storm or wind may come its way, the palm tree will bend its branches even to the ground and when the storm eases, it will straighten its branches and be its strongest in the place where it bent. 2) You can’t kill a palm tree; you may be able to cut it but it will grow again. The nutrients it need to survive are stored through the tree’s rough outer rings and it also remains close to its roots. 3) Palm tree’s roots can grow as deep as hundreds of meters in search of water hence why it could thrive even in a dry place as it stays close to its water source.

If the Lord could equip a palm tree to be enduring and robust, how much more would He equips you? He readily equips us, His beloved children with His enduring grace. You may be overwhelmed and bend but you will not be broken, lay your root deep to the source of the Living Water. Let no wind nor storm be able to uproot and break your faith.

​Yes, you are more than able to endure and rise stronger. The Lord is your source and you have His enduring grace to rise stronger.
​
Isaiah 40:31
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."


- Irene Soon


0 Comments

His wonderful Kingdom

15/3/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
Colossians 1:13 NLT
For he has rescued us from the kingdom of the darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son..

 
Have you ever imagined what it was like to be in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ? Joy, peace, fulfilment and love that many are seeking but many can’t find on this earth are freely offered as benefits to the citizen of His kingdom. Don’t imagine it any longer! His wonderful Kingdom is in you!

Jesus said for behold the Kingdom of God is already among you (Luke 17:21). From the moment you accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour, He lives in you. Just as Paul declared that “it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20). In 2018, as I was passing through a dark moment of my life, I saw this same verse - Galatians 2:20, boldly emblazoned on the back of a random guy’s t-shirt. That very moment, I could tangibly feel the Holy Spirit administering to my spirit. Love and hope were knocking loudly in my heart that day.

If you are going through a dark moment today, surrender your pain, fear and sorrow to Him. Give Him the reins to your life. You live in His kingdom and the government will rest on His shoulders (Isaiah 9:6). This will affirms His Lordship, over your life, family, relationship, work and any activities happening in His kingdom. Let the Lord's grace flow in your life and let Him lead you to the full abundant life He has promised (John 10:10). 

Galatians 2: 20 
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

- Annie Pisca

0 Comments

In the boat with Jesus

20/2/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
When we are faced with an unfavourable situation, the thought that is often the loudest in our mind tends to be why.

Life is like being in a boat and when we accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, we can and should be assured that we have Him in the boat with us.
​
At times we think that having Jesus, the sail would be easy. Then the waves hit, the storm rages, we think this should not be happening. Jesus is in us, with us and for us but why is this happening? Everything is against me, I am overwhelmed, why Lord, why?
 
Remember what Jesus says in John 16: 33
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

 
Yes, we have trials and sorrows but His promise is that He has overcome the world for us. This is where our faith in Him and His promises matters. Our faith in Him navigates through the waves and storm of our life. We are never alone and we have Him in the boat with us. It means that even though the storm hit, it will not sink our boat.
 
Practice to say His promises rather than the usual whine and why. A good skipper will defend his/her boat when the storm hits. We must also have the same stance and deny the influence of problems in our lives.

- Anonymous

0 Comments

Our first source

2/1/2023

0 Comments

 
Picture
“If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.” This is an infamous quote written by Corrie Ten Boom, a holocaust survivor and it is still a practical reminder to these days.

​When you look around, you become aware that everyone is fighting their own battles and it may magnify your “aloneness” in your own battles, when you look within, you are reminded of your own shortcomings but when you look at God, His peace would be your strength and you are reminded that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all. God may use people or things to bless you but He alone is your source, your provider. Yes, sometimes God may let you reach end of your rope but it will only assure you that He is all you need.

In this new year, look unto the Lord as our first source, it may even be in a form of a small short prayer or an utter of dependence on the Lord’s help and you will find His rest, His peace and His strength to move forward. Don’t look elsewhere.

Lamentation 3: 22 - 25
The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases, his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him. The Lord is good to those who trust in him, to the one who seeks him. 


- John W.

0 Comments

Faith is stronger than castles

30/11/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
I came across a writing that states, “men are better than walls and faith is stronger than castles.” I believe one of the ways our God strengthen us is by making us strong in the inward might, this is done through perseverance, quiet trust and giving thanks amidst all situations and faith, faith being our spiritual weapon; the castle and unshakeable fortress  of our inner man.

When we place our faith in the author and the perfecter of our faith, God can take the feeblest of us and make us to be courageous like David. He could fortify you better than walls before your enemies. We serve a living God who gave victory to a small shepherd boy who had only a slingshot and stones against an almost 7 feet trained military soldier. We, the armies of the living God as proclaimed by David, are not weak and hopeless, our confidence is in our living God; He makes His champions mightier than all of their enemies. Let our faith be strong, let our stance be strengthened, the Lord is our Victor and He gives us victory!

Lord, infuse Your strength unto my faith and fill me with the courage to rise above my situation and take up my victory. Amen!
 ​
Hebrew 12: 2- 3
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.


- John W. 

0 Comments

When God is silent

29/8/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Recently one of our relatives lost one of their family members and due to disappointment in Christ, they stopped going to church altogether. I believe in all seasons; we will face trials and tribulations but the recent loss of our relatives made me think why do some people persevere and endure in trials and why some just walk away from God when they are disappointed that God was silent or did not intervene in the eleventh hours of their tribulations.
​
In my own life, I believe these are due to my own lack of understanding; I try to figure out God’s ways and I could not produce the faith with my own will as God’s ways are higher than mine. It is in the time like this, our faith is put into practice: whether we keep trusting and persevering or we choose to put the trust in ourselves rather to trust God.
​
And actually, Jesus had reminded us about troubles in life, but the most important promise of His is an assurance to us: I have overcome the world (John 16:33). We do not have a ‘silent’ God, He is a God who is acquainted with grief and suffering and even to the point of death. We are called to persevere and endure in this journey of faith because our faith rest in the victory and promise that our Lord has overcome the world. He is a God who gives us victory in the land of the living!

Psalm 27: 13

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

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.


- Jenni Wang 

0 Comments

Good Friday 2022 - The Weight of the Cross

15/4/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Bearing our sins, Jesus carried the heavy wooden cross 2000 years ago, today. The cross was believed to weigh about 70 – 80kg for its solid pine-wood plank whilst the crossbar was estimated to be around 30-40kg, totalling at least 100kg.

​A man weakened by brutal torture, forced upon a crown of thorns on his head, persevered silently and carried the cross under the hot sun until his physical strength failed him.
​
Jesus carried two heaviness that day; the weight of the sin of all mankind and the weight of the cross that His weakened body had to endure. Jesus knew His torture and crucifixion will come if He leaves His Heavenly throne to save us, He did it anyway. The Lord who could silent the waves and part the sea, raised the dead to life, cast out Demons, chose to surrender Himself to a human death as the symbol of an atoning sacrifice for our sins. He cancelled the record of sin charges against us… and took it away by nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2: 14). This way, the darkness will no longer have a hold on us and we have His power to overcome all things.

Dear friends, accept the Lord as your Redeeming Saviour for a life a victory and if you have, proclaim His sovereign victory over all of your trials, praise Him and await your supernatural resurrection from “death.”  

Jesus loves you and on this Good Friday, we celebrate His sacrifice as the beginning of victorious miracles to come. 

- Hopeful Heart Team

0 Comments

Claim the promise, doubting one

4/4/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
​

Faith is not working up by will power or mustering some sort of certainty that something is coming to pass, but it is choosing a belief as an actual fact that God has said that this shall come to pass and lifting praise rejoicing to affirm the promise and entering an active rest when doubts constantly attacks because we choose to believe God has won the battle for us.

Faith turns the promise into a prophecy. While it is merely a promise, it is dependent upon our co-operation; it may or may not be. But when faith claims it, it becomes a prophecy and we go forth feeling that it is something that must be done because God cannot lie.
​
Faith is the answer from the throne saying, “It is done.” Faith is the echo of God's voice. Let us choose to believe, speak boldly of God’s promises, and go out to triumph in His glorious power.

Hear the answer from the throne,
Claim the promise, doubting one,
God hath spoken, “It is done.”
Faith hath answered, “It is done”;
Prayer is over, praise begun,
Hallelujah! It is done.

- Writing of A Simpson

0 Comments

A God who sees no impossibilities

21/3/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
The birth of Jesus was not just a difficulty; it was an impossibility. Mary was a virgin but God could breathe life into her womb. And just as God caused Mary to conceive the sinless Saviour who is fully God and fully human, He too can accomplish through you, those things that seem impossible in your life.

There are many times where we feel it is impossible to see a change nor there are ways for us to surface out of the metaphorical water signifying the trials we are drowning in but these are the times we have humanized God. We have brought His Sovereignty down to our own level of understanding and abilities to figure a way out.

The Lord our Saviour is above all of our circumstances, externally and internally; He is the creator of Heaven and Earth and even the devil obeys the Lord’s authority and sovereignty.  Would all these facts comfort you? Would you be tempted again to box the Lord in our own confined understanding and comprehension of His ability to be our Deliverer and Saviour?

Dear blessed friends, the Lord has given His words to grant us peace and wisdom when we ask of Him. He has promised a heritage that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. His promises are as solid as His credibility through the Ages as the Living Lord who works miracles through and through again. Just as Mary conceived a child through a way that is outside of our understanding, we need to believe the Lord has a way out for us and grant us victories in situations we claim to be impossible. To you, it would be impossible but to the Lord, He is always victorious. He is a God who sees no impossibilities.

Isaiah 54: 17
no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.

- Irene Soon

0 Comments
<<Previous
    Through this site, we hope to encourage you in your faith journey as well as our own.

    Be hopeful. Be blessed.
    

    RSS Feed

    Picture



    Categories

    All
    Anger
    Arise
    Assurance
    Beautiful In His Timing
    Belief
    Blessings
    Breakthrough
    Choose Your Thoughts
    Comfort
    Courage
    Discernment & Wisdom
    Discouragement
    Disobedience
    Dissapointment
    Faith
    Favor
    Fear/doubt
    Festive Seasons
    Forgiveness
    Friendship
    God Is In Control
    God Provides
    God's Grace
    God's Mercy
    God's Unfailing Love
    God's Word
    Gratitude
    Holy Spirit
    Hope
    Humility
    Jesus Understands
    Joy
    Loneliness
    New Creation In Christ
    Peace
    Perseverance
    Power Of Words
    Praise
    Prayer
    Pride
    Psalm 23
    Quotes
    Rest In The Lord
    Restoration/ Healing
    Salvation
    Self Worth
    Small Things Matter
    Stewardship
    Success
    Temptation
    Thankfulness
    Trust
    Walk With Christ
    Worry
    Worship

    Archives

    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Photos used under Creative Commons from steakpinball, Elo_M., Sisterazzi, [puamelia], Go-tea 郭天, Ales Kladnik, edanley, InspiredVision, kleuske, Vampire Bear, Guilherme Yagui, Luchiano Prata, Filip Chudoba Performance., mysza831, Chewonki Semester School, girish_suryawanshi, Oneras, zenera, gunman47, docoverachiever, Yashna M, treehouse1977, Salvatore G2, Heath Cajandig, Upupa4me, ryanvanetten, jenniferforjoy, amy32080, Barbara L. Hanson, WarmSleepy, Pawel Pacholec, Kelly Hau Photography, Shot Your Photo, Bods, wackybadger, Art4TheGlryOfGod, Luci Correia, CJS*64 A man with a camera, trevorhpittman, emiliokuffer, SounderBruce, Ajith_chatie, TheNickster, OakleyOriginals, symphony of love, Hammershath, laradanielle, Stephanie Overton, Veronique Debord, mike138, Mini D, StarsApart, James Loesch, montuno, Alaskan Dude, jeffdjevdet, allenran 917, Waiting For The Word, Biscarotte, Joe Thomissen, cuongvnd, Philippe Put, The Forest Vixen's CC Photo Stream, amy32080, Allie_Caulfield, Dziunka (an amatour photographer), penjelly, farrago510, Ross Elliott, heipei, Philip Male, BLMOregon, SurFeRGiRL30, D&S McSpadden
© Copyright IS Hopeful Heart 2011 - 2023