In ancient Israel, there is a clear distinction between a good shepherd and a hired hand. A hired hand only goes as far as tending to the needs of the sheep for the day.

A good shepherd tends to his sheep above what is required of his duties. He enjoys the time spent with his sheep and he answers to the faintest cry of each lamb. He comforts each lamb and knows their livelihood depends solely on his protection and provision. A good shepherd has deep knowledge for each of his sheep’s characters and his care is faithfully abiding.
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In John 10: 14 – 27 Jesus refers Himself as the Good Shepherd, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me…” Just like the sheep, we are able to place our helpless self to the capable care of our Good Shepherd, Jesus. How wonderful it is to know that we are not sheep with shepherd and with The Good Shepherd beside us, we are no longer helpless. We are able to rest in the promise of His sustaining care in each trial and season we face.

The Lord knows our livelihood depends solely on his protection, love and provision. Try our Good Shepherd, he is faithfully abiding.

John 10: 14 - 16
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

- Irene Soon

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.

We often ask the question, "Why didn't God help me sooner?"

It is not His order. He must first adjust us to the situation and cause us to learn the intended lesson from it. His promise to us is, "I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him."

God must first be with us in the trouble until we step into our own persevering quietness. Then He will take us out of it. This will not come until we have stopped being restless and fretful about it. He desires for us to be in calm disposition and trustful. Then we may find Him say, "It is enough."

God uses trouble to teach His children precious lessons. They are intended to better us. When the good work is done, a glorious recompense will come to us through them. The Lord does not regard trials as difficulties but as opportunities. Without difficulties we cannot have a mercy worth praising God and the glory to see His sovereign power. 

Psalm 91: 15
He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

- Writing of  A. Simpson 

With social distancing encouraged and big indoor gatherings not allowed, it is easy to cave into our comfort zone and not socialize like we used to during the pre CoVid-19 days. Though churches are doing online sermons and small groups are still engaging in video teleconference, we have the option to disengage and in turn, it may lead to us losing enthusiasm to spend time with God or serve Him. I certainly have days as such and prayers seem to lessen as days go by.

That’s when I heard an old hymn that sings, “Come home, come home , Ye who are weary , come home, Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling…” Realizing the risk of becoming indifferent for God, I repented. I have gravitated towards a self serving attitude that may cause a fall out in fellowship with the Lord. It humbles me to know God is always lovingly and tenderly welcoming us back into His life of mercy and abundant grace.

Has your mind or heart wandered off from God? He is calling you home again, you will never be lost in His daily care, neither does He condemns you.

Psalm 51: 12 ESV
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

​- Irene Soon

​We have come to that time of the year again, making New Year’s resolution that is. This time, I’m going to think small, yes you read it right, “think small.” Despite it sounding counter intuitive to the popular belief of think big, it is actually a healthier progression to thinking big.

We do not fail overnight. Simply said, failure is making repeated poor thinking and erroneous judgement/action everyday. In short term, these errors do not make much difference but the danger of such deludes us to drift from day to day repeating the same errors and wrong choices. Over time, these consistent bad actions will bring a series of failures in our lives.

The good news is the formula to success is also a similar process but instead of repeating daily errors, we choose to take good disciplined action every day. Over time, small positive choices will lead us to a series of successes and eventually, a major positive change in our new year. Ready to think small? Commit your plan firstly to the Lord and let’s think small.

Perhaps you resolve to read a full Bible this year. Make your timeline plan but instead of pressuring yourself to devour chapters within deadlines, aim to read your Bible five minutes longer than usual, daily. You can do better than five? Great, do ten minutes then. Grandiose resolution tends to intimidate and our motivation will fuse out quickly if we don’t see an immediate result or fail our goal but when we find ourselves achieving small goals daily, we are motivated to do better. Here is to your New Year and resolution making!
 
Proverbs 16: 3
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.
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- John W.

Dear friends and families, 

We collectively pray that this season brings upon you the Joy of the Lord; not as the world gives but as the Lord has given us and may your peace surpasses all understanding.

We the Children of God has been given this privilege and may you see His promises fulfilled in your lives.

May your words, kindness and living testimonies be a fragrant offering to everyone around you and strangers who are in need of Christ in their lives.

Amen.

- Hopeful Heart Team

We are entering the month of what some called a season of joy. Indeed, it is a season to be joyful about. The birth of a Saviour, who loves us greatly that He dies on the cross so that we do not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Jesus loves you, yes it is true. But, how much do we believe that saying? You and I, are greatly loved by our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Romans 8:38 says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing, simply nothing will make Him stop loving you. The devil knows full well and since the fall in the garden, he has been devising schemes to make you stop loving God because it is impossible for God to stop loving you.

Every day, demonic stronghold is being set in motion in our minds when we go through trials of life. When disappointment, fear and discouragement creep into your heart, lies about the Lord not caring for you are poured to your mind consistently.

The devil would make you shut your door to God. Your heart would harden and you say no to the love source (for love is from God - 1 John 4:7) or even to praying. Life starts to feel dry, depressing and hopeless. Joy will be replaced by solitude and depression; you may even find yourself saying or thinking, “no one understands.”

Don’t shut your door. Jesus always stand at the door and knocks. Welcome Him, trust the process and let Him love you. He promised that He will never leave you or forsake you - Deuteronomy 32:6 - no matter what circumstance feels or looks like. Let Jesus’ love for you always be your reason for joy.

- Annie Pisca

During my recent house-moving, I came to realization that I have become a collector of things. You know those people who seems to buy and store things in their closets or wardrobes and suddenly feel their house is in such clutter.

I believe most of this problem originates from the popular culture of materialism in our society. Whenever we watch TV, browse social media or listen to the radio, we are presented by many advertisements selling us the newest and greatest things we should own. The rapid technological advancement even contributed to a shorter life span of us owning that new piece of thing.

Jesus puts this in perspective when He said, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." If your possessions seems to clutter all your spaces including your mental space, you could decide to give what you no longer need to charity or those who are in need. Remember the golden wisdom that Jesus said, “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” As we give away our extra or earthly possessions in the spirit of generosity, we accumulate spiritual blessings and joy that no possessions could ever bring to us.​

Acts 20: 35 ESV
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

- John W.

Ephesians 5: 16
making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Two little words are found in the Greek Bible version here - ton kairon. The two words ton kairon mean, literally, the opportunity.

They do not refer to time in general, but to a special point in time, a juncture, a crisis. They refer to a moment full of possibilities quickly passing by, which we must seize and make the best of before it has passed away.
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It is closely mentioned that there are not many such moments of opportunity, because the days are evil. These moments are like flowers which appear here and there in the barren desert: pluck them while you can. Or they are like a business opportunity which comes once in a lifetime; buy it up while you have the chance. Be spiritually alert; be not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is (v. 16).

Walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise (v. 15), buying up for yourselves the opportunity. Sometimes it is a moment of time to be saved; sometimes it is a soul to be led to Christ; sometimes it is an occasion to love; sometimes for patience; sometimes for victory over temptation and sin. Let us redeem it. Redeeming the time and opportunities given.

- A Simpson

As the days are leading to Christmas, it has been a leading to share what has been the core heart of Hopeful Heart. Hopeful Heart started on a mundane night of August 2011 where God has been speaking much about hope unto our seasons.

Hope through Christ has been such a key message we delight in sharing to believers. When we as believers speak of hope, it resonates deeper that any earthly desires but it is an affirmation that our hope is made certain and it rests on the finished work of Jesus to bring us forgiveness, eternal salvation and reconciliation of humanity's brokenness in a fallen world. We are not left in this world to fight our own battles, Christ is the anchor of our soul, He has come to this world to be a Saviour and a secure hope in times of need and hopelessness.

Through the coming of Jesus, He has secured us hope in many ways. We are able to hope for the future; that we will be redeemed through the free gift of salvation, we could hope in the present that we are sustained, upheld and loved by a God who loves unconditionally. We are also enabled to hope for reconciliations over the scars and consequences of past mistakes; failures are no greater than God’s restorative power.
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As we were led to the verse of Hebrew 16: 20 about hope, it brought about the name of Hopeful Heart. The word Heart is derived from Proverbs 4: 23 NLT. It instructs us to guard our heart above all else as it will determine the course of our lives. So dear friends, as we anchor our hearts in Christ Jesus our Saviour and Redeemer in this month where Christ needs to be celebrated more than gifts and festive activities, we will find His Words to continually guard our hearts through the providence of insightful wisdom and deeper Biblical understanding. May you always find hope in Christ, your living hope and continue to spread His Good News. Jesus is the real reason for Christmas, it is because of His birth, we have Christmas; let Him be at the center of it.

Hebrew 16: 20 NIV
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf...

- Irene Soon