God Will Make A Way

The Word of God is true. What He has promised, He will bring it to pass. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. No sickness, disease, problem, failure or utterly hopeless circumstance will deter Him from coming to our rescue. He fights on our behalf. When we let go and let God take over, He makes a way when there seems to be no way. I personally know of Christian friends who are going through the toughest time in their lives and I am amazed at how God strengthens and empowers them to embrace day with the experience of God’s loving hand on them. What an awesome privilege to know God so intimately and to behold His magnificent glory.

GOD WILL MAKE A WAY

God will make a way
When there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way
He will make a way

By a roadway in the wilderness
He’ll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain
He will do something new today

The Balm Of Gilead

Not long ago, a Christian brother who traveled in and out of Vietnam for ministry shared about the miraculous healing of an 84 year old woman. God healed her of her deafness and blindness. The balm of Gilead, our great physician outshines the best medical doctor on earth. Repeatedly, doctors and experts in the medical field cannot fathom how their patients recovered when all the odds were against them. At other times, terminally ill patients outlived the time that they were given. God is great, He is above every sickness and disease. The wonder working power of God is at work right at this moment. His glory, grace and mercy flows from Him unceasingly. Great is the Lord!

A Sign Of His Goodness

As we awake each day to face the challenges ahead, God inspires us to trust Him.

A brand new day awaits us. We see a sign of His goodness. We know His love. 

He leads us gently by the hand and guides us along life’s rocky paths. We do not need to live in despair for He is the glory and the lifter of our heads. 

He grants us confidence and courage for every endeavour. He upholds the righteous with His right hand. He will never let us slip away as long as we cling to Him. Who can compare with Him. Glorious Lord. Strong and majestic is our God.

Lord, flood our hearts with Your presence in increasing measure. We hunger and thirst after You. We need You.

Outreach From The Heart

A few weeks ago, I learned about a heart-warming event through a Mandarin radio programme. In a few days time on 13th December, a family service centre here in Singapore called Chu Ai will be holding a special event to touch the underprivileged children whose parents are currently serving time in prison. These children will be going on an outing and volunteer taxi drivers will fetch them from their homes to the designated locations for that day. Subsequently some car owners called the radio station to check if they could help even though they were not taxi drivers. Wow! What an act of love and care.

Through their contact with these underprivileged children, staff members of the family centre noticed that when a parent goes into prison, the family will distance themselves from friends and relatives because of shame and embarrassment. Sometimes, they may even be ostracised. The pain they go through is tough enough; no one should despise them. They need people who would come along side and help them to journey through the darkest and most painful time of their lives. They want to know that there is hope when they see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Whatever He Says To You, Do It

Mary, the mother of Jesus, understood the very essence of faith and obedience. In the gospel of John chapter 2 at the wedding at Cana in Galilee, Mary in her answer to the servants when they told her that the wine was gone was: “Whatever he (Jesus) says to you, do it.” Mary was totally committed to Christ. She set an example for many who have set their hearts to follow Christ.

When we submit our lives completely to the Lordship of Jesus, He turns our lives around. He gives us hope to live out every new day. Christians who walk in total liberty in Christ become a beacon of light to this dark world. We have the one and only hope that many are dying to get a hold of. Right at this moment, people are seeking, they are lost, they need someone to help them. They need peace that money cannot buy. Lord, fill our hearts with compassion and love for those who need You today.

Life's Little Pleasure

Last night after spending some time at Changi beach, Monte (my husband) and I headed towards Hougang for some XO durians. After purchasing the durians, we found a place to sit and prepared our disposable gloves to keep our hands clean. The durians were so good; creamy, rich and sweet. Sometimes, people who passed us by would say; “ang mo jia liu lian” which means that a Caucasian is eating durians. It is very unusual to find Caucasians who like durians. They will stay miles away if they smell it. However, Monte, is an exception, he loved eating durians. Every once in a while, we just crave for durians. It is certainly one of life’s little pleasures for us.

No Price Tag

Some people will tell you that if you have money, you can do anything and the world is at your disposal. I beg to differ. There is no price tag on peace, joy, freedom, hope, courage and love. All the resources combined together cannot measure up to what God gives us. His presence in us is priceless. The things of this temporal world leave us high and dry but the presence of God empowers and strengthens us. All we ever needed is found in Christ and Christ alone, the hope of glory and our eternal God and King.

Be Generous With Praise

From July to October in 2008, I had the privilege to conduct weekly training in Oral Communication to a bunch of wonderful eleven year old children at a school at Victoria Street. On the last session, I told them that I had a wonderful time with them and thanked them for their participation, involvement and enthusiasm. They really did well and I lavished much praise on them. However, what was interesting was their reaction. They were a little squeamish; probably they were not used to receive praise. Maybe, it had been a long time since someone last praised them.

In the eastern culture, most are not very good in accepting compliments. We see it more like showing modesty and humility. What can be helpful is to encourage people to receive compliments with thanks. As for our young people who are maturing daily, this can be helpful in building confidence and hence encouraging them to do better not forgetting to remain sincere and humble.

Miracle Working God

Last Sunday, a visiting speaker, Art Sanborn, ministered a powerful message at the church service. He is a walking miracle because he should not be walking around; he should have been wheelchair bound all his life. 

After a bodysurfing accident, Art was reduced to a quadriplegic. God healed him miraculously and he went on to plant 12 churches in Thailand. He pioneered mission work in several Asian countries. He led 61 outreaches and directed 25 YWAM (Youth With A Mission) and SMMI training schools. 

The healing power of God speaks of His greatness and goodness. He is the great physician and our faith arises to see the master at work in His awesome power and glory.

I invite you to watch a video clip on the amazing touch of Jesus upon Art Sanborn at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACovSQSnf28

Appreciating People

From time to time, people would refer me potential trainees who are keen to be in my vocal training, At other times, some fellow trainers in my enrichment training will link me up to some companies or establishments that I can collaborate with. I thank God for all these people who have extended their help to me. No man is an island, we cannot be on our own all the time. Some times, God send different people to help and assist us at different juncture of our lives. It is a blessing to give but it is also a blessing to receive. As we align our lives in accordance to the will and work of God, He grants us His special favour and help along the way. Thank you, Lord.

They Deserve Our Honour

In the Chinese culture, we have a common saying “Jia you yi lau, ru you yi bao”.(家有一老, 如有一宝). It means you have an elderly person at home you have a treasure. In other words, they are very important. For that reason, we have often got three generations living under one roof. However, sometimes this is not possible because of space constraint, changing mindsets or some logistical constraints or other reasons.

The elderly people have sacrificed tremendously to make Singapore what it is today. It is a known fact that some aged people have very little savings to carry them through retirement because they have spent most of their money on their children and loved ones. Some gave heavily towards their children's education, especially those who pursued further education abroad. There are instances where parents would help their children with their wedding costs, home renovation costs or other financial commitments. One time, I learned that a friend’s parents helped them to get a car because of the arrival of their first-born. This is the extent of parental love and concern because in their eyes their children will also be their priority despite of the fact that their children have set up their own families. We can never ever repay their love and sacrifice.

I am so proud of all the government is doing for this special group of people. Often concessions and special discounts help in lowering their expenditures. As we continue to grow into a gracious society, one of the most crucial areas is to attend to the need of these people as they age graciously into their golden years.

His Heart Beats for Them

God miraculously touches and transforms us daily into His image. We constantly keep our maturity and spirituality in check out of the deep desire to follow Him. He empowers us and work in our life and ministry. We allow the search light of the Holy Spirit to shine on us.

Jesus sets an example for us. He had His own setbacks and challenges; He was misunderstood, betrayed, despised, rejected and even looked down upon. But He was not inward looking, He ministered to the poor, sick, disadvantaged, marginalised, the down-and-outs, the have nots, the outcasts and people on the fringe. The very people that the world despise and neglect are put into our paths because God's heart beat for them.

Lord, help us to reach out to people who need You desperately. Fill out hearts with compassion. Flow through us to touch someone with the love of Christ.

Stand Amazed At His Glory

How can a God so great and mighty live in our hearts? How is it possible that God can be so personally present in our lives? Our natural mind can never fully comprehend God. We can only stand and behold His glory and beauty. Wave upon wave of His glory overwhelms us as we worship Him with wholehearted devotion. He sets us apart for His good purpose. He knows what is best for us.

The angels cry holy. holy, holy is the Lord, God almighty. Every time, we bless the name of the Lord in worship, we have company, the angels worship the Lord unceasingly. Lord, saturate our whole being with You. Let Your presence envelop and empower us to pursue You till the end of time.

Porterhouse Steak

Every time I think of Porterhouse steak, I am reminded of God’s providence. Back in the middle of 2000, when Monte and I left for APTS (Asia Pacific Theological Seminary) in Baguio, Philippines, we did not have our finances fully taken care of and we literally stepped out in faith. The supernatural hand of God never ceased to amaze us. He provided for our needs miraculously. We were even able to bless some fellow seminarians by treating at least one or two of them to Porterhouse steaks. (Porterhouse steaks at Baguio were really good.) We are blessed to be a blessing.

The journey of faith is challenging though it may be very trying at times. God is no man’s debtor. Whatever we sow into His kingdom is never wasted. We can put our faith in our almighty God who is more than able to provide for our every need.

A Long Walk

Last Monday, Monte (husband) and I took a very long walk at East Coast Park. We must have walked for about two hours. We were captivated by the beauty all around us. The sea, the beach, the landscape, the greeneries, the ferns and fauns, the flowers and all that the great outdoor offered were absolutely great. We went away thoroughly refreshed and rejuvenated.

Pour Forth Your Spirit, Lord

Yesterday morning at the church, I saw a short video clip on the Billy Graham crusade in Singapore in 1978. The throngs of people who responded to the altar call to gave their hearts to Jesus was amazing. My heart was beating faster than usual. It is always wonderful to see people turn their lives over to Jesus.

We need a revival. We need the grace and mercy of God to fall on this land. With the turmoil and looming global recession, I believer many hearts are open to the touch of Jesus. The church the world over must unite in concerted effort to pray for the outpouring of God’s spirit in all the earth so that His glory will be revealed to the hearts of people who are groping in pitch darkness.

Guard It Jealously

Jesus is irreplaceable. All the money in this temporal world cannot buy our relationship with God. Some people may have fallen away because of greed, pride or idolatry. Anything or anyone who tries to usurp God’s place in our hearts is a potential danger that we must watch out for. The enemy of our soul prowls around desperately seeking who he can devour. I know of people who were hurt or stumbled by fellow Christians and they allow bitterness and resentment to grow. Sad to say, they fell through the cracks and today they are no longer enjoying a joy filled life with Jesus. Some others who have allowed money or positions to corrupt them and the enemy had lured them away from the Lord. The deception of riches and power deals heavy blows on us and we must always be on guard. The Bible cautions us to be careful in these. Obviously, there are other reasons that people backslide. But at the end of the day, what we need to do is to fix our eyes on Jesus at all times.

It is imperative to guard our relationship with Jesus jealously for the enemy seeks to destroy us at the slightest opportunity. The battle that we are engaged in is not a physical battle but one that is spiritual. If we do not flex our spiritual muscles, we are certainly a potential candidate to be slaughtered. For that reason, we continue to draw strength and keep in step with God’s Holy Spirit so that we are constantly near the Lord. His hand of love and protection covers and shield us from all seen and unseen danger. We stay safe and secure in the loving arms of Jesus.

Back To The Closet

Looking to the Lord in prayer is not a duty or a chore. It is our lifeline. Going back to closet again and again shows that we are a needy people who desperately need the Lord every moment of our lives. Show me a man or a woman who is prayerful and you see a strong Christian who stands firm in the Lord.

In my time at Calvary Charismatic Centre (currently known as Victory Family Centre) from 1983 to 2000, we had plenty of opportunities to gather in small group as well as corporate prayer. It helped to lay the foundation of prayer in my life. Those times of prayer yielded fruits that I am tasting up till today. God is a prayer answering God. He hears our heart cry and reaches out to us in His love.  He is our helper in times of need.  There is nothing our God cannot do.

Prayer helps us to stay in tune with the Lord. Prayer helps us to keep in step with the Spirit In our times of prayer, we are built up and strengthened and we allow God to speak into our lives. The power of the Holy Spirit comes upon us when to draw near to God. The forces of darkness are pushed back when the light of Christ shines in all its brightness.

Gracious And Kind Singaporeans

My elderly parents-in-law from the States are currently visiting with us. When we are travelling on the LRT(light rail transport) or MRT(mass rapid transport) trains, people would offer their seats. The act of kindness warms my heart. People care for the elderly besides offering their seats to pregnant women or women with very young children on our trains.. At other times in different places, people offered their help when the need arises.

Today, one in 12 people in Singapore is aged 65 or above. The government is consistently addressing this need. Some of the areas that are looked into are:

Elder-Friendly Housing

Barrier-Free Society

Holistic Affordable Healthcare and Elder Care

Active Lifestyles and Well-being

The increasing ageing population will warrant the concerted effort of every Singaporean to chip in to meet the needs of this special group of people who have build Singapore from a fishing village to what it is today. The government, educators or organizations continue to motivate us to show greater care and concern to the elderly. A gracious society begins in our hearts.

Never Looked Back

From day one of our marriage in March 1999, Monte (husband) and I committed our life together into the loving hands of God and we have never looked back since. God's faithfulness and goodness to us cannot be put into words. We continue the journey of faith with our merciful Saviour and Lord. We have our fair share of both tough and good times but one thing we know for sure is that God will see us through each day. We 

have seen His hand of love guiding and helping us in our time of need. Someone once said that God is indescribable. I can safely say that all the words and expressions in our limited vocabulary is insufficient to describe how awesome and wonderful our God is. Great is His faithfulness.

The Joy of Life

The Lord gives us the joy of life. He gives joy for mourning. As we put on the garment of praise, the Lord releases joy into our hearts. Only God can make our hearts leap with joy.

Knowing true liberty open the door for us enjoy this journey with the Lord. The journey to the heart of God revitalise and energise us daily.

He fills our hearts with unspeakable joy. We see the mighty work of His hand. We  stand in awe and declare that God is great. 

Even when things go wrong, we can be assured that as long as we have our eyes on the Lord, we are sound and safe. Perfect peace lingers in the heart of those who choose to trust God.

Nothing in this world can buy the presence of God. No one is fit to sit on the throne of our hearts except You, Lord. 

We give thanks to You. You made us and inscribed our names on the palm of His hand. We glorify You King of kings and Lord of lords.

Persevering Love

In this pragmatic, efficient, face paced world that we live in, people are often looking for quick fixes, short cuts and instant results. 

We are so afraid to make mistakes. We are afraid to try again if we do not make it the first time. We do not want to be labelled weak or incompetent. Sad to say, failure is a taboo for some people.

God reaches out to us in His mercy and love. He does not condemn us when we hit rock bottom. He will do everything He can to restore and strengthen us. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. 

We have not failed as long as we do not stop trying. The finishing line is within sight and we must persevere.  The persevering love of God abounds.  We will triumph and be victorious in Christ Jesus.

The Ministry Of The Song

Some years back, while I was in church back-up singing on stage, the visiting speaker’s wife was worshipping the Lord on the first row of the seats. 

I vividly remember that we were singing the song As The Deer Pants For The Water. She was crying that whole time. The Lord was ministering to her in a tangible manner. That was the power of God's presence.

While we are worshipping the Lord, He begins to speak to us. He reaches into the inner recesses of our hearts to touch us. He speaks strength. He pours His love and grace on us lavishly.

The greatest thing in our lives is to bow before the Lord in worship. There is no higher calling than to honour and worship the everliving God.

Cyber Bashing

I came upon a Christian forum once where an individual who had left a particular church went on a smear rampage. He was airing his dissatisfaction and anger at the leadership and members harshly. My personal feeling is that this is harmful not just because of the offensive remarks but also the negative impact we have on the readers, particularly for non Christians. Cyber bashing is certainly not the way of the Lord.

The cyber world is very far reaching. On the net, there is certainly good stuff but we also need to discard the trash that people have uploaded. Eat the meat and throw away the bones. We can make use of technology in the digital age to reach the dying world.

Painfully Misunderstood

Have you ever been misunderstood? Indescribable pain and agony is felt when we are wronged. We find solace and comfort in Jesus who was often misunderstood. He understands the pain that we go through. In the natural, we may want to defend and explain but sometimes the opportunity may not be readily available. The party or parties involved may not be willing to dialogue with us. Even when our motives are questioned, the Lord wants us to remain pure in Him. Bitterness and anger have no place in our hearts. We desperately cry out to the Lord for His divine intervention. His peace like a river fills us as we relinquish all control to Him. Ultimately we emerge victorious through the crisis because He cares for us. There is nothing He cannot do.

The Power of Two

Monte and I are different in many ways. At the same time we have many similarities. God in His love has brought us together so that we can become one in Him.

We were married on 20 March 1999. God builds and binds us as one in Him. He cements us with His love. The power of His love binds us together. His love prevails.

We support and encourage one another through every challenge. We live to see His hand of love. We live to see a glimpse of His glory. We live to taste His goodness.

The significance of the power of two is God bringing two persons together in holy matrimony. There is a synergy. There is a dynamic force at work. God is glorified. God is magnified. God moves through our broken lives.

We thank God for the opportunity to minister together. We support each other. God in His goodness allows us to love and serve His people. He releases His anointing as we step out in obedience. 

We continue to put our faith in God. His love never fails. He leads us by the hand and guides us through life's rocky paths. The mounting challenges only spur us to trust God for the miraculous. 

Lord, You are as close as the mention of His name. We worship You with no reservation. We come in humble submission. We bow in holy reverence. We worship You almighty God. 

All Figured Out

This quilt is so beautifully sewn. Every piece of cloth is meticulously and lovingly joined to the other. I likened this masterpiece to the wonder working God who is personally involved in each believer’s life. Sometimes, we may think that we have things all figured out but the plan and purpose of our loving God cannot be fathomed by finite beings. We leave room for Him to reveal everything that He so chooses to show us in His time. We leave Him to join each piece of cloth to complete the quilt of our lives.

Often times pride will deter us from embracing all that God has in stored for all who put their trust in our loving God. We become impatient and fidgety and we jumped ahead of the Lord and missed out on Him.

Lord, we allow You full permission to complete the quilt of our life so that Your glory will radiate from us. Help us to draw strength from You to complete this race so that our lives will bring honour to the King of kings and Lord of lords. You are sovereign, You are in full control of our life.