#RecessionProofed #HowToTRUST (Total Reliance Under Stressful Times) Experiences 12: This Christmas Will You Look For The Real “Santa Claus”?

Today’s world of consumer-culture has commercialised Christmas into a hyped-up holiday. And poof, Santa Claus is at work everywhere, “Ho, Ho, Ho…” offering the world as your oysters.

So what would you wish and hope for this Christmas?

Jolting back to reality, unfortunately, this hoping-for-the-magical-Santa-Claus is only a figment of our imagination… Amid the festivities underneath the tinsel, the busyness, and the lights, this season offers one of the most valuable gift beyond the dollars and cents, by Someone who is even more amazing than Santa Claus. He is far able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power… (Ephesians 3:20).

And He has a storehouse in Heaven abundant with what we could ever wish for… so if God comes like a Santa Claus, what would you be hoping to receive in His here-is-your-gift bag this Christmas?

God isn’t a vending machine dispensing all our whims and fancies, but as a loving Father, He will provide what we need and what is good for us. He invites, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

If His gift will be just a word, TRUST, and tagged with this promise, “You will have no fear of bad news; your heart will be secure as you trust the Lord. Your heart be secure, you will have no fear; in the end you will look in triumph on your foes (whatever that you are facing…).(Psalm 112:7-8)

Will you then gladly accept this gift? (There is nothing to lose, isn’t it?)

P.S. Come Home this Christmas. Whatever you are going through this season, let God have your burdens, trust that He will work all things out in His timing. And trust that He will never let your challenges be wasted- I can ensure you that I have seen His Faithfulness, tasted His Goodness, and experienced His Greatness! He never fail. All difficulties are always incubator for something better, take heart!

DO YOU KNOW #RelationshipsMatters #ItTakesTwo #BeTheChange Tips 37: Stop Leasing Out Rooms To The Wrong Occupants

My recent hunt for a house has inspired me to pen this article about leasing rooms-

I have learned from the School of Hard Knocks over the years, that if I fill my mind with the right thoughts, there will not be any room for any wrong thoughts. If the occupants of the rooms are positive thoughts, then when negative thoughts come knocking, there will be a “No Vacancy” signboard hanged on the bolted door- they will not be welcomed. (But of course, unless the occupant chose to open the door and allow them in.)

In other words, you need to take inventory of what is / are occupying the rooms of your life. And there can only be one occupant of a room- If we lease a room to Fear, Faith stands outside, as there is no space to contain both. If you lease out a room to Worries, then Peace will be shut out. If you rent out a room to a “I can’t do it” jerk, the “I can do any thing” fella will be barred.

Be firm not to allow negative thoughts and emotions have a permanent home in your life. So quit renting out rooms to the wrong occupants, otherwise they may overstay and wreck havoc any time. Be discerning and choose your residents wisely. It is time to evict negative thoughts, “You have occupied my rooms long enough, so get out of the room immediately, I have new and better residents moving in now!”

Bear in mind that those wrong occupants will upset and hurt your guests when they pay a visit to your house- there will be repercussions on any relationships. Consider the unthinkable!

DO YOU KNOW #RelationshipsMatters #ItTakesTwo #BeTheChange Tips 27: New Year, New You, New Breakthroughs!

A recent catch up with a treasured friend jolted me “harshly” that many things have changed around us and hard to believe another year passed “so soon”…

The world gets messy, for sure. Any relationships will try us, for sure. Life’s trajectories will always have us caught off-guard, for sure. But, winters do not last forever, and springtime is only a turn of the calendar away.

New beginnings: A new year is often a springboard for new changes, new hope, new dream… But a new chapter will require new perspectives, and get into new actions to have new outcomes. Let’s not just sit and brood, take stock of your life, take a look at your relationships- if there are any sins, habits, or attitudes that might be areas to overcome, to change and set right.

Be the change instead:

Fear can’t stay where faith is. Discouragement can’t stay where hope is.

Bitterness can’t stay where forgiveness is.

Stress can’t stay where peace is.

Overlook the offences—rather than get offended;

Show respect—rather than to dishonour;

Be gentle—rather than be provocative;

Be appreciative—rather than nitpick;

Be thankful—rather than complain;

Adopt a good attitude—rather than be indifferent;

Choose to love—rather than to hate;

Choose to smile—rather Than to frown;

Choose to build—rather than to destroy;

Choose to persevere—rather than to quit;

Choose to compliment—rather than gossip;

Choose to heal—rather than wound;

Choose to give—rather than grasp;

Choose to act—rather than to procrastinate;

Choose to forgive—rather than to curse.

Life is a matter of choice.

#Breakthroughs #new2022

DO YOU KNOW #RelationshipsMatters #ItTakesTwo #BeTheChange Tips 25: Don’t Trust Your Feelings

The fatigue gets to you. The worries eat into you. The stings wounded you. The people annoy you. The burdens break you. Struggles seem to pilfer the life out of your life.

You may be staring down a seemingly impossible situation, and you are feeling torn in making some tough choices – but don’t trust your feelings. Feelings change; Feelings come and go; And feelings can be misleading. 

Wake up to the reality that life is a bell curve, going through up and down, so do our relationships with its seasons of high and low. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter:

a time to plant, and a time to de-root what is planted;

a time to “kill” and a time to heal,

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to keep silent, and a time to speak;

a time to love and a time to resent,

a time for war and a time for peace.

Seasons come, seasons go. It may be a hyperbole to say seasons don’t last but tough people do. It may be an overstatement to say that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

But when life gives you lemons, make the best lemonade out of it. Take courage to embrace changes, for the opportunity is golden, and, something new begins. 

#PostCOVIDseason: Living Through Life Dilemmas

Recent health check sent me a little unnerving, as it is my first time to hit a record high in my pressure reading… I can’t believe that it hit me since I am pretty conscious of my diet and exercise almost daily… Getting a little pensive, some burning questions gnawed in the deep recesses of my soul relentlessly- “I am already half a foot in the grave, how should I be living the next half?” “Will I be muddling through life living the same old same old?’ “How best should I be living as if tomorrow may be the last day of my life?”… 

The past one year hanging tough through COVID19 should have shed some new light to a post pandemic season:

“You have experienced many things. Were all those experiences wasted? I hope not! (Galatians 3:4 ICB)

1. RE-VIEW the what-have-been’s and the what-should-not’s. 

“Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up!” (Galatians 3:4 MES)

2. RE-LEARN and un-learn from life challenges.

You can’t control what gets your attention.

You can control what keeps your attention.

• Rick Warren

3. RE-DEFINE the new, not resume the old.

We may make our plans, but God has the last word. (Proverbs 16:1 TEV)

4. RE-SET for a purposeful post-COVID living.

“I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart” (Psalm 119:11 MSG)

5. RE-START in hope with God.

Obey God and be at peace with Him; this is the way to happiness. (Job 22:21 NCV)

6. RE-FOCUS so as to live intentionally. 

“Lord, the people who set their mind on you, you keep completely whole and steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit. So, depend on God and keep at it because, in the Lord God, you have a sure thing! (Isaiah 26:3-4 MES)

We can take heart that God bolsters us with His love and presence throughout the seasons. 

BE INTENTIONAL (12): Changes- It Is Time To Recalibrate Our Lives

I am the Lord, and when it is time, I will make these things happen quickly. -Isaiah 60:22 NCV

It is often said that life is a like a game of chess – a strategy board game where every decision made on each move of a chess piece will impact the entire game. And each move will result in different outcome. 

By the same token, COVID-19 pandemic has effectuated changes in our lives that require us to adapt to everyday situations and adjust our expectations. Changes is fundamental for us to get our acts together.  

So what is God doing right now? It is time to recalibrate our lives and thrive in this season of crisis. We cannot remain where we are and expect to move with God, nor expect Him to move without doing anything.

And to quote someone, ”Stupidity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.”

We need not be victims of circumstances, though we do not have control over the external, but we have control over what we can do at best, and leave God the rest.

So changes is not necessarily a bad thing- There are times when God need to shake things up to force us to change – He is intimately aware that we will not move forward without a push. So He will put us in situations that will make us uncomfortable (in whatever our area of struggle) to stretch us and make us grow. His ultimate goal isn’t to make our life miserable but to push us to a greater purpose for His higher Glory.

Change, and we be changed too.

When people’s lives please the Lord, even their enemies are at peace with them. – Proverbs 16:7 NLT

So hang on tight, and trust that God will eventually bring something good out of it, one day.

I trust the Lord God to save me, and I will wait for him to answer my prayer. – Micah 7:7 CEV

BE INTENTIONAL (7): Let it all out, lay it all down, leave it all behind.

Every morning you’ll hear me at it again. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on Your altar and watch for fire to descend. – Psalm 5:3, MSG

Hello 2020! A new year often signify changes that can make us apprehensive and uncomfortable— Seasons change; plans change; people change; feelings change; and things change— Ways we cannot see; times we cannot control; events we cannot comprehend; and things we cannot understand. Undeniably, changes are inevitable and unpredictable, but God is still in the center of it all. As the calendar turns another page, each day comes with a God-given Gift:

1. Gift of a NEW day. 

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:23

Each morning is a new day, new beginning. It is a chance given to start over or make the best out of it. It is a loving reminder how God has sustained us the night before and bless us with a gift to live another day. He carries us through day to day. What greater gift can there be to live another day? So, treasure each day and live for His Glory.

2. Gift of SURRENDER. 

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. – James 4:7-8

Do we want to carry baggages from the past year(s) to the new year: Insensibilities. Sensualities. Guilt. Mistakes. Wilderness. And whatnots. Lay them down; let them go; and hand them over. Each day is a call, a chance to humble ourselves and surrender all that is in our heart, our mind and on our hands. Breakthroughs take 100% God and also 100% man- to let go and let God – God can’t do any thing if we withhold any thing. Let God have the key, He is way far better in handling our lives (and messes) than ourselves.

3. Gift of MERCIES. 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” – Lamentations 3:22–24

The God who is slow to anger, and abounding in love and faithfulness, is ever so gracious. His Grace unmerited and given, therefore we can hope in Him to see us through the seasons, whatever we are facing.

4. Gift of RENEWAL.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16

Day by day, continuously, God makes us new every moment, and each day brings a fresh beginning.

5. Gift of LOVE. 

His Love endures forever.  – Psalm 136

God is love. No matter how faith less or faithless we are, He will always be faithful. Since God has already given His All which demonstrated the extent and the depth of His Love, no good thing will He withhold from us.

6. Gift of BLESSINGS. 

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:19

The crux is- what do we “see”? His blessings are actually everywhere— it is a matter of perspective— they may not come in the package we expect, they may be the little things we often dismissed or overlooked. Look around, and count our blessings, and we will realise we have actually forgotten to be grateful. 

7. Gift of the HOLY SPIRIT.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4

The Holy Spirit living in us is an Overcomer – that with Him and through Him, we can do all things.

8. Gift of ASKING. 

Ask of Me, and I will give you… – Psalm 2:8

Ask and you shall be given (Matthew 7:7)! What would we want to ask God for? Call upon Him and He will answer and tell us great and unsearchable things we know not. (Jeremiah 33:3)

9. Gift of EMPOWERMENT.

The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. – Psalm 28:7

What is the center of our lives? And this centre will drive us. Chase feelings and feelings will bring us on a roller coaster ride with highs and lows; follow our heart and our heart will bring us go places with heartbreaking zig-zag turns; chase the world and the bible warns that we will lose our soul. Make Jesus the centre, and life will be back in the balance. 

BE INTENTIONAL (1): Complete Surrender

“Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer, and give up your sins—even those you do in secret. Then you won’t be ashamed; you will be confident and fearless. Your troubles will go away like water beneath a bridge, and your darkest night will be brighter than noon. You will rest safe and secure, filled with hope and emptied of worry”. – Job 11:13-18 CEV

We are already a few weeks into 2019, and it feels like 2018 passed not long ago… Many of us are probably still looking back and counting the misses or the whatnots- which may affect our outlook into the new year with hope or apprehension. Therefore, the Lord has birthed this word in my heart, “BE INTENTIONAL”, to embark on a new series of writing for the year. And the first key to unlocking God’s promises of an abundant life is, “SURRENDER”.

Why? One word we usually fear the most is “Surrender”. Because the last thing we want is to give up control. The world associates “surrender” with defeat, humiliation, and losing, thus pride can be a barrier in surrendering to God. Another reason why we are fearful to surrender to God because surrendering to God requires obedience. And if we are completely honest enough, it is just that we don’t trust God thus we resist surrendering to Him. 

But, if God is going to do His deepest work in us, it will begin first with surrendering. 

So what happens when we do not surrender to God? Everybody eventually surrenders to something or someone. If not to God, we will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, fear, pride, lust, ego or emotion. Without surrendering, we will be led to more frustration, disappointments, and self-destruction. WE cannot fulfill God’s purposes for our lives while focusing on our own ways, plans and methods. 

So what does it mean to surrender to God?

1. Surrender means to yield ownership, relinquish control over what we consider ours: our possessions, our resources, our rights, even our dreams. When we surrender to God, we are simply acknowledging that what we “own” on earth actually all belongs to Him, we are just His stewards entrust with a responsibility to take care for Him. 

2. By surrendering to God, we admit that He is ultimately in control of everything, including our present circumstances good or bad. It helps us to let go of whatever that has been holding us back from God’s best for our lives. Through surrendering, we make the conscious choice (be intentional) to let go of that control.

3. When we surrender, we “give over” to God all that has kept us from wanting God’s ways first, and put the focus back to where it rightfully belongs to God. 

4. Obedience is demonstrated as the best answer- “Yes, Lord” to whatever He asks of us. We cannot call Jesus our Lord and refuse to obey Him. God demands 100% obedience.

Surrendering our lives comes on a daily basis, and is the only way to live the abundant lives God has for us. If we often find ourselves living defeated, it is simply because we have not truly come to the end of ourselves in surrendering fully to the Lord. We will know that we are surrendered when we do not react to situations emotionally, we do not demand our rights, and we are not self-serving.

The Bible is very clear about the benefits of a fully surrendered life unto the Lord:

“Surrender your heart to God, turn to him in prayer, and give up your sins—even those you do in secret. Then you won’t be ashamed; you will be confident and fearless. Your troubles will go away like water beneath a bridge, and your darkest night will be brighter than noon. You will rest safe and secure, filled with hope and emptied of worry”. – Job 11:13-18 CEV

In surrendering, we are intentional to give up our sins, including our deepest hidden sins. Thereupon, we can experience freedom without shame nor fear, and all that has a hold over us will be shackled by the power of this divine exchange. We will no longer be engulfed by nights of darkness and be embraced by the light of hope. This freedom promises safety, security, hope and a worry-free life when we are able to walk in victory with the Lord.

It is better to choose (be intentional) to obey Him, even if we do not feel like it. The sooner we surrender to God, the sooner He can start getting our lives straightened out. We can trust that an All-knowing, All-mighty and infinite God can run our lives far better than we do now and the future. And being a loving God, He wants only the best for us. But He won’t step in until we ask Him. Nothing can be out of control if He takes control.

Unchangeable. Unbreakable. Unstoppable.

Whenever life gets into a mess

From the trying times of high stress

Those moments caught me faith less…

 

When Providence seems to be taking me for a ride

There is nowhere I could hide

I no longer know how to take things in my stride…

 

All the wanderings in my mind

Caught my spirit in a bind

There are no answers to life’s vicissitudes I could find…

 

The battles I have to wrestle each day

The rebellion of sins hold me in ransom to pay

There are times I could not even pray…

 

The silent nights seem long

My waning soul long for a song

In need of His Love to stay strong…

 

The core of my soul crippled in pain

Every fibre of my being in need of an Angel’s slain  

I am back in the valley again…

 

Weary from all the fight

When days passed without light

And God is no where in sight…

 

The howling storms of doubt and fear assail, 

I cling to the promises of God that never fail, 

by the living Word of God I ought to prevail…

 

As I watch by the breakwater the turn of each tide

The sea reminds me that God’s Love is deep and wide

That I have forgotten God is right by my side…

 

As I watch from a distance the day falls from dawn to dust

I look up to God whom I place my trust

Hold on to the Almighty I must…

 

His Character is unchangeable

His Promises unbreakable

His Love unstoppable.

Why Waiting Is So So Hard……

“God does everything just right and on time, but people can never completely understand what He is doing” – Ecclesiastes 3:11 NCV

Living in today’s fast-paced world where everything is a quick-fix, quick-gain, quick-grab, quick-bite, quick-sale, quick-fly, quick-quit and quick-confirm (a Singlish terminology), little wonder that people are a lot more impatient now than ever. Nobody likes to wait — except Singaporeans’ unflinching penchant for good food that long-long queue means die-die-must-try (speaking in Singlish again) — as waiting always challenge one’s patience, and is always the hardest and perhaps painful, especially when we are in a hurry.

And it hurts to know that God has never been in a hurry- He is never too early nor too late – His Timing is always perfect. But we are the problem – how do we hear His answer, nor know His Timing? 

Wait, wait and wait… Delay after delay… And yet God is still silent. We all have such seasons in our lifetime. But God has His reasons that we are not able to grasp His infinite incomprehensibleness.  

So when we are in a hurry, we are susceptible to commit the fallacy in taking matters into our own hands, thinking that God will still bless us if we think our decision is right. Little are we aware that impatience really means it is a lack of trust. When we are impatient, we are implying that we do not trust God enough to wait any longer, because time is running short and we reinforced our decision, thinking that God does not care enough to answer on time in our best interest, or perhaps, we think that God’s way is not the best. And here’s another pinch to our already bruised soul- God never reveal His Timetable nor His plans for us, ahead.

Sounds familiar? 

I had been there, and it took me donkey’s years to really learnt that trusting God’s timing is always a maturing of character and testing of faith, that I need to discern between hearing God says, “No.” and “Not yet.”. And delays are not necessarily His denial. (And yes, I often wish God can simply say, “Yes!” and make my life easier, but I guess I would not have learnt what it means to differentiate discernibly His Will in so doing.)

From time to time, I often have to remind myself how God had prepared Moses for 80 years, including 40 in the wilderness from a somebody (he was born a Prince) to a nobody (he became a refugee from murder) then to be somebody He had intended Moses for (leading the Isrealites to the Promised Land). I am sure, like Moses, we all have wondering and wandering times, struggling with “What is next, God?”, “When, God?”, “Is it time yet, God”, “What is this, God?”, “Are you there, God?”…… And God’s “Not Yet” took Moses 80 years in waiting… Woah, it is a-gulping-long-time…

God can do any thing any time, time is never a factor to Him. But He is far more concerned in our Character than our comfort; that we act in Faith than respond in fear; and that we preserver in Trust than we panic and tumble. Common to the adage that great souls are birthed through seasons of pain and suffering, our learning path will be shorter so long as we do not short-circuit our process of God’s refinements. Just as James advised, “Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed” (James 1:4 MSG).

Just remember where we are standing now- how far we have come, we are not yet where we want to be, but at least we are not where we used to be. 

Here’s God’s golden rules:

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act – Psalm 37:7 NLT

Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries his footsteps errs.- Proverbs 19:2

Last but not least, LEARN to be patient and WAIT in trust for God’s Best in His perfect Timing.

The Pain Of Contentment

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. – Philippians 4:11-12

In the midst of some household chores, I chanced upon this quote in the Chinese newspaper that read,  “不知足的人，永远不会福。” (which literally translated as, “Those who do not know how to be contented, will never be blessed.”) resonated deeply to me.

During times of lack in my journey of entrepreneurship, I struggled the most with being contented. I seem to be consumed by thought of “Will I have the money this month?” day in and day out. I do not trust my Heavenly Father to provide? Perhaps. I lack faith? Perhaps. I worship money more than God? Perhaps. I am getting worldly? Perhaps. I am relying on my own strength instead of God? Perhaps. It is just part and parcel of being an entrepreneur? Perhaps. Thousand of possibilities.

And there is always this great void in me that can’t seem to find peace. Perhaps, it is a sense of insecurity. At such, the word, “contentment”, was never found in my dictionary. After prolonged seasons of seeking after “more securities or assurance”, I seemed to distrust God more and more. Perhaps my value system in believing that if I work hard, I will get what I have worked hard for. But nothing is further than the truth- no matter how hard I tried, the return of “investment” (time and effort) did not commensurate with what I had consecrated to. Didn’t the bible say, “one reaps what one have sown”? (2 Corinthians 9:6)

That was how I discovered something is not quite right with my mentality. Little wonder, blessings elude me because I never learnt to appreciate the little and be contented.

The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways. (Proverbs 14:14) Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice. (Proverbs 16:8)

It was high time to let go and let God. But it took me years to really learn from Exodus 16 to live day to day and taking one step at a time, where God provides just enough for the day. I have to daily exercise my faith muscles and work on my trust issue- imagine I receive a mandate from Jesus, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25) Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. (Luke 12:15) Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for you brought nothing into the world, and you cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these you shall be content.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

In whatever situation, good or bad, we are to count our blessings even in the little things, and learn to be contented. Only then will we realise how blessed we are for God’s mercies and love are often disguised in what we deemed insignificant. We are forgetful beings and need constant reminders that God will supply every need of ours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

God doesn’t just bless us with bigger things all the time, but often the little things that made us learn to depend on Him more, and more.

Courtesy photo from a friend who visited Canggu, Bali, on 1 October 2017.

Faith Even On Rainy Days

The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. – Psalm 37:23

A cell mate shared this beautiful Chinese song with me which lyrics resonated with every fibre of my being- I can relate to those times when I felt downcasted. In translating this song to English (though not literal), I hope to share this song to minister to those who need to hear it…

Song title: 祷告 (Pray)

– By Streams Of Praise

(Listen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YbBwg5B9Uk&feature=youtu.be )

 

祷告，因为我渺小；

Pray, because I feel inconsequential;

祷告，因为我知道我需要明了，你心意对我重要。

Pray, because I know I need understanding, to your Will as it is important to me.

祷告，已假装不了；

Pray, I can no longer pretend;

祷告，因为你的爱我需要；

Pray, because I need Your Love;

你关怀，我走过的你都明白。

You care for me, and know every path I tread.

有些事我只想要对你说，因你比任何人都爱我；

There are things I can only share with You, because You love me more than any one else could;

痛苦从眼中流下，我知道你为我擦。

Tears shed from pain, I know You will wipe my tears away.

在早晨我也要来对你说，主耶稣今天我为你活；

Come morning I pray, Lord Jesus I live for You today;

所需要的力量你天天赐给我，你恩典够我用。

I need Your Strength each day, for Your Grace is sufficient for me.

 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Psalm 34:18) You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. (Psalm 139:2)

Even on rainy days, the Lord is near; Even in the pit, the Lord is there. He knows every details of our lives. He searches our heart and know our thoughts even before we could find the words to say. (Psalm 139:23)

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8A) The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever. (Psalm 121:7-8 NASB)

Keep faith. Keep going. Keep praying. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

A Blank Page

Each book, each chapter, each page,
Strewn with autographs of life-
Scribbled with regrets.
Pierced with rejections.
Trampled with derision.
Crumbled with resentment.
Composing into a cacophony of hoots and wails.

And Heaven declared a new lease of life.
Erased with The Divine Blood, leaf by leaf.
Finished.
A brand new page-
Tomorrow births a new beginning.
A blank new chapter-
Tomorrow glimmers a new hope.
How would you choose then to fill those dashes?

The brushes. The bruises. The stings.
Try again. Get up again. Start over again.
Tomorrow is a blank new page.

But ever thought how many pages you have left?
Those misses you are afraid to try again…
Those times you fail to treasure…
Those lives you have no time to care…
A blank page.

“Forget the former things;  do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. – Isaiah 43:18-20

Look At The Farmer

See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. – James 5:7 NLT

My journey on entrepreneurship is often fraught with challenges that is beyond apprehension. When times are bad, business gets a slow-down, and prolonged seasons of barrenness can really test faith as well as financial strength, and the next moment, discouragement sets the scene.

While in my usual habit of taking a prayer-walk at my park down the block, I saw a vision of a farmer ploughing the ground, and planting some seeds. After planting the entire field, perspiring from such hard labour, he waited by the side overlooking the field with anticipation…… At that instance, the scene seemed to freeze for the longest time- the farmer was still in the same position, waiting patiently……

This vision seemed to be conveying to me:

(a) The field represents my business and the land is given by the Lord;

(b) There is a time for everything: plowing, planting and harvesting- a time to sow and a time to reap;

(c) The farmer is synonymous to: (a) patience- seeds take time to sprout; (b) stewardship – watching over the field is call of duty; (c) faithfulness – seeds require constant tender loving care (watering, fertilising, pulling out weeds and even pest-control). And do not neglect the little things for the little things is a proof of trustworthiness. (Luke 16:10)

(d) The outcome is never instant, it takes a lot of hard work- it takes years for the seeds to grow into trees;

(e) It takes seasons of faith to trust the Lord to provide, as He determines the outcome.

We are to work hard if we want our field (apart from work, our ministry counts too) to bear fruits: Remember this–a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. (2 Corinthians 9:6 NLT)

Farmers toil with blood and sweat, neither can we have it all easy too, otherwise God will not mention the wise and hardworking ants in the bible (Proverbs 6:6, Proverbs 30:25)! However, God is still the ultimate God of the Harvest, our duty is to just do our best and leave the rest to God. And in His time He will bring about our due in due time. Just trust, and wait patiently.

The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works. The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. – Psalms 145:13b-16

That is one thing for sure, God will never let us go hungry.

Metamorphosing Into The New Season

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

As you pass this mid year of 2017, are you still carrying the baggages of the rued past? All the ne’er-do-well that embittered you; all the might-have-been that frustrated you; all the all-over that unnerved you; all the why-me that crunched you; and the sins-in-the-flesh that checkmated you.

The pains. The tears. The dollars. The seconds. The misses.

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. – Hebrews 12:1

Metemorphosing Into The Seasons

1. Basking in the heat of SUMMER

Lying supine in the meadow flanked by the flower-beds resplendent of flamboyant blooms, carpeted lusciously in green, enshroud by a warm symphony of suffused gold and pink rays, the butterflies flit flirtatiously from one flower to another; a morning avian serenading you; the beautiful nature beckons.

Dreams seem beautiful. Life seems wonderful. When will time freezes at this standstill?

2. Sojourning SPRINGtime

The vibrant kaleidoscope of colours mushrooming the landscape coupled by a dream-like and surreal aura from the relucent glaze of the sun sends you bedazzled, enchanting like a jewel box sparkled with shimmering satin and sequins.

The beauty is lingering. The future is promising. When will hope springs forth certainty?

3. Traversing AUTUMN terrains

The foliages rustling at your feet, the pebbles rattling, the onslaught of the autumn chill gnaws your spine relentlessly. Moonlight filtered through the naked branches and scattered dappled patches on the foliages-strewn ground. And the next minute passes like a slow-motion suspended trailer.

Everything mellows by time. Everything plunges into a comatose. When will it be a resuscitation of vitality?

4. Enveloped by the WINTER avalanche

The journey through the uncharted terrains gets rougher, encompassed by a thick bedding of snow. The incessant showers of snow pellets frosted your vision, greeted by life obscurities and enfolded by a hyperventilating miasma of tempest, the road ahead looks solemnly bleak.

All hopes come to blight. All efforts come to naught. When will dawn be glimmering?

But……

Be thankful for what you have instead of counting what you had missed;

Be thankful for what you went through instead of whining over the bumps;

Be appreciative of your-pain-in-the-neck for these often are the people whom God used to teach you something;

Instead of complaining about the thorns on a rose, be thankful for the roses amongst the thorns.

Behold 2017. A reborned person. A renewed mind. A reformed heart. A refreshed Spirit.

Even With Grey Hairs I Am With You

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. (Psalm 23:6A) I will be your God throughout your lifetime–until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. (Isaiah 46:4)

I was having a coffee break with 2 friends yesterday chatting about retirement plans when the uncertain future caught us a little apprehensive since we are single with age catching up. One of them shared that she does not look too far ahead to the future as we do not know what can happen tomorrow, therefore it is more important to live in the present, trusting God each step, day by day. Recalling God’s faithfulness in the past had helped her to deal with life’s challenges with renewed faith, strength and comfort. She shared a particular verse from Psalm 23:6 which she always anchored herself on- “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me ALL THE DAYS of my life.” (Emphasis in caps). This verse appeared to be a life-giving bread for me, at the same time I “heard” a small still voice, “Even with grey hairs I will be with you”.

Most of us dread old age, especially when our bodies are subject to decay anytime.

Most of us dread loneliness, especially when we may be walking through life alone.

Most of us dread darkness, especially when we are in our pits.

Whether we are single or married, or whether we are in the high or low season, we all face different issues in each stage of our lives that can render us insecure and fearful about what is next. Although reality bites— our world may fall, and men fail—  the Lord our God is always constant, till the end of the earth, today and forever: God gave His Family (God’s community) who can uphold us, His closest Companion (Holy Spirit) who is always with us, HIs billet–doux (love letters from the bible) which remind us of His Faithful Love, His spiritual communication tool (prayers) which we can tap into the Source of Power, and His Songs (worship) which minister to our souls.

Look back, at His Faithfulness;

Look now, at His Loving-kindness;

Look ahead, at His Trustworthiness.

Satisfaction At Work

It has always been an encouragement to me especially in my early walk trapped in prolonged darkness. And for the first time in 12 yrs I noticed this verse 13 “satisfaction in our labour is a GIFT fm God.” A carnal mind would strongly refute that satisfaction is a result of what we sweat for and a reward of our toil- “I deserve what I work hard for!”

Sounds familiar? Many people strived today because of discontentment and seeking satisfaction that never truly satisfied. They were not satisfied because they go after things that fade away or never meant for them to enjoy, they focus on their selves that subject to inconsistencies and fallacies of a fallen nature.

Satisfaction mentioned herein is not a promise of success or wealth, but that of an enjoyment of the fruits of our effort. The goal of our work is not to gain wealth and possessions on earth, but to serve the common good and bring glory to God- Because: (1) He is the ultimate Creator, Boss and Owner of our jobs; (2) He made us with the talents He wants us to put to good use for Him; (3) He wants our lives to be attestation and testimonies of Him, and (4) He wants to usher us in His Highest Plan for our greatest good, according to His blueprint for each of us.

So when we work unto The Lord, with the focus in pleasing and glorifying Him, our work will be enjoyable, satisfied and multiplied. (Having said this, it does not mean we will not face problems at work…)

Satisfaction is a gift from God, because of our obedience:

Whatever we do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men (including one self), and we shall receive our reward. – Colossians 3:23-24; Ephesians 6:7-8

On another hand, there is also a flip side or a danger to being satisfied:

As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me. – Hosea 13:6

Awwww… God knows our hearts, what we are made of and even knows where we will b falling away… Pay heed that we shld always seek and find satisfaction in Him and not the things He made.

Read Ecclesiastes 3