The Shepherd's Heart

While Monte and I were in Baguio, Philippines from June 2000 to April 2001, the Lord graciously opened doors for us to minister.  One time, Monte was preaching at a church on the mountain in another area. The name of the pastor was John.  Pastor John was a wonderful man. We learned that the his wife was taken ill for a prolonged period. So along with another church member, we visited her at home. Pastor John's house was next to the church.

It is one thing to minister when things are going smoothly. But, for dear pastor John, he ministered with the burden of caring for a very sick wife. He kept on track because God empowered him daily.  He trusted the Lord.  He persevered against all odds

Oftentimes, pastors brave through tremendous difficulties and trying circumstances to serve the Lord. They perseveres through insurmountable challenges that weigh heavily upon their hearts. The love of God compels them to keep on going on. God has put within each one of them His shepherd’s heart. A heart that goes all out to reach every sheep within his fold.  A heart that is filled with God's rich love.  They do not hold back in fear and discouragement but surge forward through the might and strength of almighty God.

Hands of Grace

God has blessed us with all things beautiful. We stand in awe and wonder before Him. He made all things. He holds all things together. He is the beginning and the end. He is Alpha and Omega. Apart from Him, we can do nothing.

Geoff Bullock in his book, Hands of Grace, put it so beautifully when he said: “It seems to me that when I am found at my lowest, my weakest, and my worst, there I find God in His highest, His strongest and His best.”

Our God is never far away. He waits patiently for us to draw near to Him. He draws us by His Spirit.  He first loved us. He will walk us till the end of the road. He strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Breathtaking Sunset

Monte and I were cycling in Sengkang two days ago. I captured a beautiful sunset. The glorious view was breathtaking and awesome. We behold the beauty and glory of the Lord daily through amazing His creation. All creation worship You, Lord!

Unwavering Love

If we want to know about someone, the best person to ask is none other than the person's spouse. A married couple knows each other thoroughly. They see each other at their best and their worst. Their unconditional love is not dependent on changes in status, financial standing or career paths. They show constant support and encouragement and cover each other in loving prayer. The love relationship between a couple is built on Christ the solid rock. The firm foundation brings stability and strength to the lasting bond that God so graciously put together. With persevering, undying and unwavering love, a godly couple will live in the overflowing grace of our loving God and Father.

She takes Pride in what She does

Through a pre-operation check-up before my mother’s cataract condition, we learnt that she has diabetes. Subsequently we have seeing a wonderful dietician regularly. She is such a blessing. Every time we see her, she was cheerful, pleasant and helpful. She painstakingly runs through my mother’s daily diet from breakfast down to the last meal. The Lord brings people into our path to help us in various circumstances. As for my mother’s drastic change in dietary patterns and need, the kind help and guidance of this amazing dietician helps tremendously. She certainly takes pride in what she does.

Always Enough

God gave the children of Israel fresh manna for each day and should they keep any for the next, the manna would turn bad. A lesson we can draw from here is that the Lord provides for our daily needs and we are never to worry about tomorrow and the day after. Interestingly, being human sometimes, we worry about things that may not happen and we waste precious energy on empty speculation. Faith dwindles when we fail to put our complete trust in God. Crippling fear overwhelms us and paralyses us when we least expect. The Lord teaches us to rest securely and safely in His divine love and providence.

Monte and I have constantly remind ourselves that God is truly our provider. Without God's providence, we would never have bought a flat, gone to (APTS) Asia Pacific Theological Seminary to pursue Monte's further education. He sustains us daily and continues to provide for us.  He is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. He is always enough.  

God and God alone

I accepted the Lord in 1980 and embarked on an amazing journey with Him that I have never regretted right from the beginning. Soldiering on bravely by the power and strength of His spirit, I can only stand amazed at His goodness and grace.

In our walk with God, we soon discover that we have not arrived. Our journey has just begun. We will explore and discover more with the ticking of the clock. At the breaking of a new day, we purpose in our hearts to pursue the lover of our soul with our whole being. The love of God consumes every part of us as we abandon ourselves to Him with reservation. Only God and God alone can satisfy our deepest longing. He has the answer to our problems. He knows our thoughts before we could speak them out. How great and awesome is the privilege to worship and honour the God of this universe.

Always with us

He carries the world upon His shoulders; there is nothing He cannot do. The daily grind of life, the burdens, the heaviness of heart, the pain in the body, the distress in seemingly difficult circumstances glare loudly at our faces. But they will never overcome us as long as we fix our eyes on Jesus. He helps us to persevere and press on because He opens our eyes to see light at the end of the tunnel. Hope and faith burn brighter as we near the end of the race. Nothing can separate us from His love. We rest secure and safe in the arms of our loving God. He is always with us. We have peace that passes understanding and hope that never diminish. We live each day by the grace and power of God.

He has a soft Spot for the Needy

Years ago while we were in the Philippines, one time Monte preached at a mountain church. We had such a wonderful time of ministry to the villages. The people were so warm and kind. They may be poor but they were full of the joy of the Lord. The Lord always has a soft spot for the poor and the needy. As we ministered among the poor in the land, God’s power and grace flowed from His throne to touch those precious and needy people. After the service had ended, they served us chicken with rice for lunch. Chicken was a delicacy for these poor villages. Our hearts warmed up by their hospitality and kindness. They served us their best portions and for that, we received with immense gratitude.

So Proud of Him

I am very thankful for the privilege to conduct an oral communication class to primary four students at a school in Jurong from 15 - 19 March 2010. In the class, there was an autistic boy and I shall call him ‘John’. John was at times a little inattentive but otherwise he was coming along. At the end of the programme, I asked the kids to make an oral presentation individually in front of the class. When it was John’s turn, he willingly stood up and started with his presentation. I was so proud of him. It was not easy for him to stand before so many of his classmates to speak. What I like about my training job is that I am encouraged to see precious children excelling, improving and most of all growing in confidence.

Living in His Glory and Grace

One day, Monte and I were walking by the roadside when we saw these beautiful flowers shown in this post. Very often, we bypass God’s beautiful creation in the hustle and bustle of daily living. The Lord beckons us to look to Him. His loving, gentle nudge, His reassuring and life giving word, His abiding and awesome presence lure us deeper into loving Him. He consumes our total being completely. His life and light penetrate deep into our heart and spirit so that we can live in His glory and grace.

The Power of a Transparent Life

Men and women of God who made great impact on people for the cause of the gospel take enormous amount of risks. For some it is leaving their comfort zone, while others had to endure hardship, physical harm and danger. There is yet another type of risk and that is the risk of vulnerability. The Lord allows them to share some of their life experiences transparently to testify of His unwavering faithfulness. These sharing and testimonies not only challenge our faith but ultimately God’s great name is glorified and magnified.

By living a transparent life, nothing is hidden except for God’s grace and glory, which shine through gloriously. People who are open and transparent in life and ministry always lead others to a deeper walk with the Lord. Things may not be always rosy but the amazing grace and power of God emanates through broken people.  They are people who are not afraid to admit their weaknesses.  God ultimately gets all the glory because when the name of Jesus is lifted high, all men will be drawn to Him.

Rebuilding Our Shattered Lives

Our money plant is durable and easy to maintain. However, occasionally, diseases come and the leaves turn yellow. 

At least on two separate occasions in the past, we had brought it down to ground zero.  

Everything above the soil had to go. Soon new green shoots emerge. These new plants are luscious, green and healthy.

Like this plant that needs rebuilding, the Lord painstakingly rebuilds and restores us when we lose our luster and shine. 

God will never leave nor forsake us. He lovingly rebuilds our shattered lives. He always sees the best in us.

God restores all that the locusts and cankerworms had eaten. He blesses us till we burst at the seams. He assures us that we are in His good hands.

We do not lament over the lost years. God is faithful. He brings restoration and hope. God is merciful.

The Lord sees us through every life challenge. When we surrender our lives completely to Him, He turns our lives around. He is God of the second chance.

He shines and polishes us till we are fit for display. We are His masterpieces. We are His priceless possessions. Lord, thank You for rebuilding our broken lives.

Love Made Them One

One of the things that stood out in my late parents-in-law's relationship was their deep love for each other. They loved and cared for each other dearly. My late mum-in-law was physically sick, my late father-in-law cared for her lovingly.

Their deep love and affection was a powerful testimony. Love bound them together.

God causes marriages to flower and flourish. He is the cement that binds a husband and a wife together. We love through His love. He deepens our love for our spouses.

My late parents-in-law left us a great legacy. A legacy of lasting love and commitment.

A Tribute to My Mother-In-law, Barbara Jean Ham

My mother-in-law, Barbara Jean Ham went home to be with the Lord in early May this year. She was a wonderful person. She loved the Lord dearly. She was also nice and caring towards people. She was bubbly and cheerful.

For many years, she had to face much health challenges but that did not cause her faith to waver. She remained strong and faithful to the Lord. She persevered to love and serve the Lord wholeheartedly.

My parents-in-law were in Singapore about ten times over the years. We appreciated them for visiting us in Singapore. Making the trip here each time was not easy. Even as our families feel the pain of losing her, we know that one day we will meet her again. The place that we dwell in on this earth is only a temporal place. As we turn our eyes upon Jesus, He empowers us to press on till the very end.

Thankful

We are thankful for the invitation for Monte to preach at His Sanctuary on 17 April, 2010. We extend our thanks to Pastor Luke and his church for the wonderful opportunity to bring the word to their congregation. We are humbled by the grace and goodness of our almighty God.

The word of God is so precious. He leads and directs us through His word. We are mindful that His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. He uses His word to purge us of all uncleanness and filth. He also refreshes us with His life giving word. No wonder the psalmist said that he loved the law of the Lord. For His word brings us life and wholeness.

The Sunrise of Hope

Every sunrise glimmers with hope and optimism. We rise to boldly declare that our God is great. He invites us to go an awesome journey with Him each new day. We can live triumphantly through the power of His Spirit.

As surely as the sun would rise, sunset will follow. Every sunrise speaks of the faithfulness of our great God. His mercies never ends.

His reassuring and abiding presence is more than enough for everyday living. He calls us to fix our eyes on Him. His love compels us to pursue Him wholeheartedly. 

We serve a God who will never fail us. He is forever faithful and true. He is completely dependable and trustworthy. We live because He gives us the reason to live. We live with expectancy. We live triumphantly. The hope of God burns bright and strong in our hearts.

Vocal Training at Chapel of Christ the Redeemer

I am very thankful for the Lord’s opening for me to conduct vocal training at Chapel of Christ the Redeemer (CCR) over four sessions of training from 17 April to 15 May 2010. I am also appreciative of the leadership of CCR for this wonderful opportunity to go back there to share. I last trained there in 2008. It was a wonderful time of training with people who not only encouraged me by their commitment but also their infectious enthusiasm.

In my final session yesterday, I shared on the importance of continual learning. We will never stop learning, sometimes the source of information and knowledge can spring from the most unexpected places. No one can say that we have arrived because if we are open to learn, we will never leave empty-handed. There are times when people who may have less experience than us can open our eyes to see things we have never seen before.

How Great Is Our God

Notice the person standing before the magnificent rice terraces. This is beautiful picture depicting our smallness and the vastness and greatness of almighty God.

In the face of trials and tribulations, we see the smallness of our strength. Our weak and feeble knees reveal our limitations and weaknesses. But God in His mercy pours His strength and grace on all who call upon Him. 

His ears are inclined to our desperate cries. His hands are never too short to reach us. We serve a great and awesome God. He will never forsake us. He walks with us and He talks with us. He leads us by the hand and shows us His greatness. 

As we journey with the Lord, He reveals His might and power. We behold His glory. We taste His goodness. We dwell in His presence. We live in the light of His love.

Courage to Try Again

Failure can either cripple us or propel us to greater heights. When we fail, we often are fearful to try again for fear of seeing history repeating itself. At other times, our feelings of incompetence and inadequacies hang over us depressingly.

Peter was a powerful example of someone who turned his failures into stepping stones. Jesus picked him up after he denied Him. What Jesus saw was not failure or betrayal; He saw the heart of gold that was in Peter. He saw what people could not see in the natural. He gave Peter the courage to try again in the midst of utter shame, which could have hampered him from moving on. The tenderness of Jesus melted Peter’s heart where no one could. In many ways, we may have gone through the Peter’s experience in our lifetime, we have a loving God who loves us too much to let go of us.

Mary did You Know

The Bible tells us that Mary cherished what God was doing in and through her. The baby, Jesus, whom she was carrying, would be great. He would do wonders and He would rule and reign over all. Mary knew that Jesus would bring hope and deliverance. The miracle took place when Jesus came and set men free.

Mary did You Know


Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.


Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.


The blind will see, the deaf will hear and the dead will live again.
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb.


Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am.

Make His Praise Glorious

When I look out of my window at home, I am amazed at the beauty of God’s creation. The beautiful fluffy white clouds and blue sky show the beauty and the glory of the Lord. God has created this universe; He spoke the world into existence. All creation declares and proclaims His greatness. We see His glory in all the earth. We sing because our hearts are overflowing with God’s goodness. Make His praise glorious!

Make His Praise Glorious

Praise the Lord of heaven

Praise the Lord of earth

Praise Him for His mighty power

Praise Him for His works

Praise the Lord ye nations

Praise the Lord ye kings

Praise Him all creation

Let your voices sing

Praise the Lord

Shout with joy to God all the earth

Sing glory to His name

Tell aloud His marvelous worth

His righteousness proclaim

Glory and honor and blessing and power be unto the Lord

Come and let us make His praise glorious

Praise the Lord with music

Praise the Lord with strings

Praise Him with the harp and lyre

Let the cymbals ring

Praise the Lord with trumpets

And the tambourines

Praise the Lord in chorus

Let your voices sing

Praise the Lord

Behold, how good it is to sing praises to our God

How pleasant and fitting to praise Him

Behold, how good it is

Overwhelming Gratitude

Every time we partake of the Holy Communion, we remember the broken body and spilled blood of the Lord. We remember His sacrificial love for us. Our hearts well up with thanksgiving for all He has done for us.

A grateful heart is a distinct characteristic of a Christian. When we bring to mind the goodness and graciousness of our loving God, we leave no room for anxieties, worries and fear. Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessings of family and friends, home, finances, food, clothing, education, resources etc. Nothing that we have belongs to us for we are merely His stewards. He sustains us and gives us energy and capabilities to make a living. If we are ever full of ourselves, we will hamper the move of God in our lives. Humility is the doorway that invites the presence of the Lord to work in and through us for His glory.

Empower Us, Lord

God has given us His Spirit so that we are empowered to live for Him. The strength of God’s Spirit gives us wings to soar like the eagle. We ride on the wind of the Spirit and see through His eyes. He builds us up in faith to experience the thrill and joy of walking in the Spirit. We must never be sugarcoated Christians that melt in the presence of heat or water. On the contrary, when the storms of life come crashing down on us, we will not be drowned. When the fire of tribulation rages in us, we will not burn. His Spirit fortifies us from within. He is with us in the storm and the raging fire. He empowers us as we triumph in Him to raise a shout of victory. We raise the banner of Christ in victory. Through the finished work of Christ, we live to enjoy each day full of life, hope, wholeness and fullness by the power of His Spirit.

The Father's Love Letter

I came upon this Father's Love Letter Narration Video and am deeply encouraged by it. Allow Abba Father to speak His love into our lives.

http://www.fathersloveletter.com/video.html

He Understands our Pain and Agony

If anyone asks me if I know what depression is, I will say ‘Yes’. I have gone through depression at different times. The recurring depression is devastating. I know the pain, agony, anguish, helplessness and despair that depression brings. I am able to identify and share my experiences because the Lord has helped me in my utter desperation and despondency. Only His love can lift me up from valley so deep.

Jesus understands our pain and suffering deeply. He was betrayed, physically and emotionally hurt, flogged, despised, abandoned, scourged, forsaken and died a cruel and excruciating death on the cross. He went through unimaginable suffering and pain. He does not leave us in despair. He is the only one who can sooth our gnawing pain. He is the only one who can dispel our paralyzing fear. He brings wholeness to us, Spirit, Soul and body. The balm of Gilead is offered to all who needs His miraculous healing power, flowing from the cross of Calvary. As we remember the suffering of Jesus on the cross, our hearts well up with thanksgiving for His great and enduring love.

The Jigsaw Puzzle of our Life

We are like a jigsaw puzzle in God’s loving hands. We are limited and finite mortal beings who are often clueless about what may come our way. We give full control to the Lord who patiently fixes each piece of jigsaw. He knows when and where to put them in place. All we need to do is to follow the leading of His Spirit and His gentle nudge. One day, the Lord will complete the jigsaw puzzle. And on that glorious day, He will present us proudly as His masterpiece. In the meantime, all we want is His hand upon us as we walk in love, obedience and reverential fear of the Lord.

If I had My Life to Live over

A friend sent me a beautiful flash presentation by Andie entitled If I had My Life to Live over

It is powerful, I know you will be blessed through it.

http://www.andiesisle.com/If_I_Had_My_Life_To_Live_Over.html

Merciful Saviour

Pastor Paul Ang’s story was featured on Mediacorp TV yesterday. The merciful Saviour snatched him from the edge of the cliff and transformed him powerfully to who he is today.

In his younger days, his life was plagued with drug addiction and crimes which led him to waste many years behind the bars. His wife divorced him while he was still in prison and up till today he is still trying to get in touch with his only daughter whom he has not seen for twenty years.

While in prison, he was miraculously saved and God in His mercy gave him a second chance. With the support of Helping Hand, a drug rehabilitation centre, he was completely free from drugs. He started an old aged home and went through Bible College.

He subsequently remarried and today Pastor Ang and his wife continue to reach out to the elderly people. Every Lunar New Year eve, Pastor Ang and his wife will have reunion dinner with them. It means a lot to these elderly folks because some of them have been abandoned by their children and families. They pour their love out lavishly on these old and forsaken people.

Pastor Ang’s testimony speaks of the mercy of the Lord. God flows through a willing vessel to touch many others because His heart beats for people; the down and out, the marginalized, the despised, the helpless, the forsaken, the poor and the needy. Our merciful Saviour’s love flows deeply and strongly through broken and contrite vessels.

http://archive5.mediacorptv.sg/wassup/hotpicks/view/555/1/.html

The Lord Enables

Today, I had a wonderful time training some forty eleven year old children in Public Speaking in a primary school in Sengkang. I emerged from the training with much gratitude. I could never have done it on my own. It is all because the Lord enables me. He is the one who teaches me, gives me ideas and helps me to relate them to the precious children. Enthusiasm is infectious. The children in turn encouraged me with their earnestness and desire to learn. Truly, there is never a dull moment in the course of my training. I thank God for every training opportunity He has opened for me.

Taking the Plunge

There are times in our lives when the Lord challenges us to take a plunge into the deep water. 

These are precious moments where the Lord unleashes His power to fulfill what He desires to do through our obedience. 

He leads us by the hand and helps us to navigate through every obstacle and challenge. He leads us with love.

Taking the plunge of faith moves us to a greater height and dimension in the Lord. He inspires us to trust Him wholeheartedly.

Our faith rises exponentially. We begin to see how small and frail we are and how great and awesome our God is.

The Deepest Longing

We long for Your presence increasingly as we journey with You. 

The deepest longing can only by satisfied and fulfilled in You alone. You penetrate into every area of our lives and set our hearts on fire.

Your presence brings us wholeness, strength and hope. Your presence inspires us. Your  presence overpowers us.

Just like the watchman who watches out for the break of dawn, we long for You. You deserve all the praises in our hearts. We exalt Your holy name. We magnify and glorify You all the days of our lives.

It is All about Him

Today marks the eleventh year of our marriage. Monte and I stand amazed at how God has led us through these years. God is ever faithful. He has put His love in us so that we can be the couriers and carriers of His presence. As a couple, the Lord fuses our strengths and capabilities and makes us effective and useful vessels. For at the end of the day, it is all about Him. He is the reason for our being. He is the reason why we are able to look forward to yet another glorious day. He is the reason why our heart is bursting forth with hope and optimism.

Breaking into the World of Blogging

I broke into the world of blogging on 13 March 2007. It is an amazing and wonderful platform for me to express my thoughts and reflections.

Journeying with the Lord has led me to places I never ever thought of. Penning down all that the Lord has done helps me in recollection. Through the passage of time, many precious reflections and experiences have slipped through my memory. I am so thankful that these precious memories are kept in storage.

Jee Fong’s Corner chronicles the faithfulness, enduring love and grace of the Lord. Monte and I have many speechless moments where we would just stand back and marvel at God's greatness.

We persevere in His abiding love because His love compels us to press on. We have set our hearts on pilgrimage and the Lord leads us on in victory and triumph. And we rejoice in the hope of glory. He reigns through all eternity.

https://jeefong.blogspot.com/2010/03/breaking-into-world-of-blogging.html?m=1

Safe in His Love

We are safe in His love. We can run to the Lord at any time of the day. The gentle nudge of His love brings strength and solace.

We live to enjoy a vibrant and a living relationship with our God and maker. We rest secure in Him. Fears and anxieties banish in His presence. His peace, comfort and joy flood our hearts unceasingly.  

Draw us by Your spirit and we will run after You. You alone can satisfy our deepest longing. You alone are worthy of all glory, honour and praise.

Solace and Strength

Two days ago, I saw two ladies praying quietly in Starbucks at Wisma Atria. I do not know them or what they were praying about. What I do know is that the Lord was with them as they laid their needs before Him.

Times of prayer are times that we find solace and strength in the presence of God. The unseen hand of hand reaches out to us in our hour of need. He gives us the motivation and capability to take one baby step at a time. It is at our weakest point that we find His awesome strengthening power at work in and through us. We must remind ourselves to come back to the feet of Jesus to receive continually from His throne of grace.

Humility

Last Friday morning, I had the privilege to coach some upper primary school children to prepare them for their upcoming inter-school debating competition. I had a wonderful time with them. I am very thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to be involved in this training.

These kids are what we would term as the “cream of the crop”. I am so glad that they were not arrogant. These were very intelligent children who have risen to the top to represent their school. Yet, they did not allow themselves to be puff-up. On the contrary, they were humble and respectful. They were open and willing to learn. I believe humility can lead them to a far better and rewarding journey in their quest for knowledge. They will grow to learn the importance of lowliness and grace in the face of the fierce fighting rat race that sadly devoured much of our world.