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

Happy New Year dear blessed ones, 

It is such a sweet fragrance to have a timely word from the Lord in time of need and a new beginning. In this first day of the new year of 2024, we pray the Lord presence will always be something you tangibly notice and believe. May His presence brings timely words in all your needs, directions and guidance with strong convictions and courage. The Lord is always near to us and as His children who proclaims that the Lord Jesus Christ is our Saviour, let us also say that we are choosing to trust the Lord everyday.

Deuteronomy 33: 29
Happy are you, O Israel!
Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord
The shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
Your enemies shall submit to you
And you shall tread down their high places.

- Hopeful Heart Team

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.
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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 

In physics, the butterfly effect is a theory that describes on how a tiny momentum or changes i.e such as the flap of a butterfly’s wings could affect the weather thousands of miles away. There will be times when you feel insignificant, metaphorically like a small butterfly and you find yourself saying whatever you do will not matter much when you are facing trials.

As a child of God, there is much you could do. Like the butterfly effect, your words, your faith, your perseverance, your prayers, deeds and kindness could activate the heavenly forces no matter how small they may be. In the Bible, we have seen how the Lord uses things that we consider insignificant to bring miracles, things such David’s slingshot to bring down Goliath, a boy’s lunch box to feed multitudes, Samson’s donkey’s jawbone that slew thousand Philistines. What you do, could bring changes or influences to people around you and your own circumstances.

It is not about the size of seeds or actions you could do but it is about our God who could facilitate that mustard seed faith to grow. It is not about the number of prayers you pray but it is about the Lord who answers prayers of His children, He leaves no one behind and that is the beauty of His grace. He rejoices in your beginnings no matter how small, begin your butterfly effect.

Zechariah 4:10 NLT
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin…
 
- John W.

Where do I start? That is the most common question asked when it comes to reading the Bible for the first time. As a young believer, I remember starting to read from the beginning – the book of Genesis but I didn’t last long as I got to the Book of Leviticus. Nevertheless, as my personal relationship grew with God, I was starting to understand preached sermon better and took another try to re-read the Bible.

In my second attempt, I took into the Book of Psalm with full delight and studied the Psalmist’s struggles and prayers with a better discernment. A psalm may start in a tone of despair but as you read on, it always ends in praise and thanksgiving. There are 150 psalms and if we could read five in a day, we would be able to finish the book within a month. Another is the Book of Proverbs with 31 chapters making it a wise choice to read one day for a month.

When we come to God in humility and seek discernment from His Words, we will find strength for life’s battles. It will also help us to stay close to the Lord’s wisdom and assurance of His unfailing mercy and acceptance.

Where do you start? Start by asking God to help you understand what He wants you to learn from your daily reading and be willing to start on your reading wherever you are.
 
Psalm 119:18 - 19
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.
 
-  John W.

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 

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 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