I will bless you in times of mourning with My comfort.

Matthew 5:4 New International Version (NIV)

4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.

In Matthew 5, Jesus shares a kingdom message that we lovingly call The Beatitudes. In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reveals some of the values of His kingdom. Nine times He says that people are blessed in circumstances that would seem opposite to what the world system would see as blessed.

The Amplified Bible translates the word blessed that He uses as... (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions). (AMP)

At some point or another, we will all suffer the loss of a loved one and we will need the comfort that comes from God alone. In today's promise, we read that when we mourn we will be blessed (from a kingdom perspective) with the comfort that comes only from God Himself. Psalm 34:18 says... Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves those who have a crushed spirit. (WEB)

If you are going through a time of grieving right now, my prayer is that this promise would be very tangible to you. I pray that you would feel God's closeness to you as He carries you through this season of mourning.

Through it all, may you truly feel blessed by God despite your circumstances as described by the Amplified Bible... (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous--with life-joy and satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions). 

I will heal your broken heart and mend all your wounds.

Psalm 147:3 New International Version (NIV)

3 He heals the brokenhearted
    and binds up their wounds.

When we hurt, God's heart is full of compassion towards us. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, He is called the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort. When we are wounded, His desire is to bring healing to us. If you are struggling today with a broken heart, be comforted in knowing that your Heavenly Father understands everything that you are going through and wants to heal your broken heart.

In Psalm 103:13-14, the English Standard Version Bible it says... 13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. 14For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (ESV)

When Jesus was moved with compassion, He healed the sick. When our Father is moved with compassion, He heals us too. My prayer today is  that we would all know that we are not alone in our struggles, for our heavenly Father loves us with all His heart and His compassion will bring healing to every wounded area in our soul. 

I will keep you safe because no one can snatch you out of My hand.

John 10:29 New International Version (NIV)

29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

I love the picture that Jesus paints in this passage of Scripture. In order to better appreciate what Jesus is saying, let's read a broader view of this promise found in John 10:27-30... 

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” (WEB)
Jesus tells us in this Bible passage that those who come to Him will never perish because we are being held safely in the palm of His hand where no one can snatch us away. He then goes on to double our feeling of safety and security by telling us that we are also held in His Father's hand who is the greatest of all!

Every time I think about this Scripture passage, I envision myself being firmly held in the hand of Jesus and Jesus' hand being firmly held by the Father's. What a picture of unity in the Godhead and security for us.

No matter what comes your way, nothing can snatch you out of the loving, invincible hands of both Father and Son. May the thought of this security bring much peace to every troubled heart.

I am your Shepherd and I will meet all your needs.

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Psalm 23 is one of the most loved psalms. It has been recited in times of celebration, in times of loss and and everything in between. The author of this psalm was King David who had a good understanding of what it meant to be a shepherd. As a boy, David learned to care for the flock under his care so when he made the statement that The LORD was his shepherd, he knew what he was saying.

When David said I shall not want (KJV), he was basically saying that he would not be in need of anything because of the shepherding care of the Lord. The NLT Bible says I shall have all that I need. Shepherds look after their sheep in every way. They lead them to green pastures, they protect them and they provide all that they need to live a good life.

In John 10:12-16 Jesus tells us how a shepherd not only protects the sheep under his care but will gladly lay down his life for their safety. The truth is that Jesus is our great shepherd and because of His loving care we will have all that we need. My prayer is that the reality of this promise will go deep into our hearts today.

Hebrews 13:20-2120 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, 21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (WEB)

Announcement

NorthEast Cell Group
Date: 24th Feb 2019 (Sun)
Time: 12:45pm
Venue: Corps Community Hall

SouthWest Cell Group
Date: 8th Mac 2019 (Fri)
Time: 8pm
Venue: Bro Kim Aun & Sis Jasinta Home

Senior Citizen Fellowship

Date: 16th Mac 2019 (Sat)
Time: 8:30am
Venue: Dim Sum Abu Siti Lane

Women's Ministries One Day Conference
Date: 6 April 2019 (Sat)
Time: 9am - 3pm
Theme: Living the Royal Life
Details: Kindly see Captain Fiona for further information.

My love will never fail you.

1 Corinthians 13:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

The Greek word for love used in this verse is the word 'agape', which is used to describe the everlasting, unconditional love of God. This popular chapter of the Bible is often used as the Scripture reading for weddings to emphasize the power of love.

I would encourage you to read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 as often as possible to remind yourself of the priority of love in God's eyes. Paul the Apostle writes that love is the greatest attribute of God that we can pursue.

We can have faith to move mountains, give all our possessions to the poor, understand all mysteries and have all knowledge, and even die a martyr's death, but if we don't have love, it means nothing.

1 John 4:16 simply says that God is love. The very core of His being is an unconditional, everlasting love that continually flows out to us. In today's promise the message is short and sweet. God's love will never fail you. Ever.

On the day of the year that many people celebrate love (Valentine's Day), may we all be reminded of the greatest of all loves that comes from the Father to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. The love that God has for us will never ever fail. Earthly loves may disappoint us from time to time, but the love that God has for us will never change and will last forever.

If you wait for Me, I will work on your behalf.

Isaiah 64:4 New International Version (NIV)

4 Since ancient times no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
    who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

God loves it when we wait for Him to work on our behalf. While many might think that waiting on God is a passive exercise, I believe waiting is one of the most active things that we can do! Waiting on God is acknowledging that He is our source for everything. When we wait on God, we choose to trust Him to act on our behalf rather than trusting in our own resources to make things happen.

I believe that when we truly wait upon God in obedience to the direction of His Holy Spirit in our lives (Romans 8:14), we are demonstrating our wholehearted trust in His goodness to lead us. When we trust Him, we honor His ability to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. My prayer today is that we would all see the incredible benefits of learning to wait on God.

May each one of us see the absolute wonder in waiting on God today. Psalm 37:7(a)... Rest in Yahweh, and wait patiently for him. (WEB) 

I am your shelter and a place of safety from your enemies.

Psalm 61:3 New International Version (NIV)

3 For you have been my refuge,
    a strong tower against the foe.

The New Living Translation Bible translates Psalm 61:3 this way... for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. (NLT) God is a safe place and a strong fortress where your enemies cannot reach you. I believe the more we can believe this, the more we will find peace and rest in our Father's arms.

If we struggle to believe that He will be a safe refuge for us, then we will likely spend most of our time trying to be a safe place for ourselves. Living a life trying to defend ourselves can be very exhausting. However, when we really see that God Himself is our shelter and a place of safety from all those who would want to hurt us, then we can take a deep breath and relax. In Exodus 14:14 the Bible says... The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm. (NLT)

If we can truly believe that we live in the secret place of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1) we can let down our guard because the wings of God Himself are our shield. May our God and Father give each one of us a deeper revelation of His protection and safety today.

Call on Me when you are in trouble and I will rescue you.

Psalm 91:15 New International Version (NIV)

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

When we are in trouble, God is ready and waiting to help us. We don't have to try and convince Him to come to our aid, for that is what good fathers do for their kids. No matter what the situation, good parents are always there to help their children when they need it.

When our children were young, nothing would stop my wife and I from rushing to their side when they needed help.  I believe every good parent that is reading this devotional thought would feel the same way too.

God is no different than a loving parent ...with the exception that He is Omniscient, Omnipresent and Omnipotent and the absolute most loving, best Father in the universe! Psalm 91 is full of promises of God's protection and His readiness to help us when we are in trouble.

If you are in a situation today where you need to be rescued, call out to God. He encourages you to call out to Him for He is ready, willing and able to be with you in your time of trouble and rescue you when you need to be saved! ...For that is what good fathers do. 

I will give you peace at all times and in every situation.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 New International Version (NIV)

Final Greetings

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

We live in a restless world that longs for peace.  Because the Prince of Peace lives within us, we have access to a peace that is beyond our own understanding. A peace that will bring rest and tranquility to the busyness of our soul. A peace that will be a shield and a shelter for our tender heart.

In John 14:27, Jesus promises to give us His peace. In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that His peace is available to us even in the midst of a troubled world. A peace that allows us to sleep on a boat in the midst of a raging storm. If you are in a situation today where you need the assurance of God's peace, open up your heart to God and ask Him to fill you with His peace.

The peace that rests on Jesus is the peace that is promised to every child of God as part of our inheritance.  No matter what you are going through in your life, God promises to give you peace at all times and in every situation. As Isaiah 26:3says...You will keep whoever’s mind is steadfast in perfect peace, because he trusts in you. (WEB)

I will look after you and teach you the way that is best.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.[a]

Proverbs 3:5-6 is one of those Scripture passages that have meant a great deal to me personally over the years. As a person who has had the tendency to trust in his own resources, the idea that I don't have to lean on my own understanding to manage life is very good news indeed.

Today's promise encourages us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and not to rely on our own ability to manage life. The Hebrew word for trust in this passage is 'batach' which Strong's concordance explains this way... to be confident or sure, be bold, confident, secure, sure, careless, to hope, to trust.

The more that we are convinced that God has our best interests at heart, the more we can put all our confidence in Him to steer our ship. The more we know that He really does love us and He is good, the more we will be able to give up control of our destiny and allow Him to lead us wherever we go.

My prayer for each one of us is that we would be more convinced of the goodness of our God and Father than ever before so that we would trust Him a little more today than we did yesterday. In doing so, may we find that He is indeed a faithful Father who we can trust with ALL our heart!

I will be a real Father to you.

2 Corinthians 6:18 New International Version (NIV)

18 And,

“I will be a Father to you,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”[a]

In my opinion, this one promise summarizes all New Testament revelation. God's desire for all of us is that He would be our real Father. That is why Jesus came to the earth two thousand years ago... To make the way for each one of us to come home to His Dad (John 14:6).

Everything that Jesus did pointed us to His Father. He was the exact representation of His Father on earth (Hebrews 1:3) and Colossians 1:15 says that He was the visible image of the invisible God. Jesus loved His Father so much that His desire was to bring many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10-11) so that God could be a real Father to those who would come to Him through the finished work of the cross.

I want to encourage you today that God is just not a 'father figure', but promises to be a real Father to you. He is not like any earthly father we have ever known, for He is the perfect Father (Matthew 5:48). Creating is what God does, but Father is who He is. The longing of His heart and the reason for the eternal sacrifice of Jesus is that we would know Him as Father from the core of our being.

When the Spirit of God bears witness with our spirits that we are His children, the only fitting response is to call back to Him and say 'you are my Abba Father!' (Romans 8:15) May the Abba cry resonate in each one of our hearts today.

I have sealed you with My Spirit to guarantee your coming inheritance.

Ephesians 1:13-14 New International Version (NIV)

13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

The English Standard Version of the Bible says Ephesians 1:13-14 this way... 13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is the guarantee of our  inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (ESV)

The Bible says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Spirit of the living God that raised Christ from the dead dwells in every person that has received Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In today's promise, we read that God even sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise to guarantee our coming inheritance.

The Amplified Bible calls the Holy Spirit the first fruits, the pledge and foretaste, the down payment on our heritage of what is yet to come. Our God and Father so wants us to rest assured in our eternal inheritance that He gave His own Spirit to live in us as a pledge of His eternal commitment to us.

May we all be keenly aware of the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit that lives within us today, and may we all know that we are sealed with the Spirit as a promise to guarantee our coming inheritance. 

2019 - Feb CNY Celebration & Lunch

Click here for more pictures

Announcement

NorthEast Cell Group
Date: 24th Feb 2019, Sunday
Time: 12:45pm
Venue: Corps Community Hall
Facilitator: Bro Choon Eng

Southwest Cell Group
Date: 22nd Feb 2019, Friday
Time: 8pm
Venue: Bro John Lee & Shirley Home

World Day of Payer
Date: 1st March Feb 2019, Friday
Theme: Come - Everything is Ready
Country Focus: Slovenia
Time: TBA
Venue: TBA
Details: TBA

I have blotted out your sins and dissolved them like the mist.

Isaiah 44:22 New International Version (NIV)

22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud,
    your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me,
    for I have redeemed you.”

I love how the New Living Translation says Isaiah 44:22... I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offenses like the morning mist. Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free.” (NLT) God has swept away all of our sins like a cloud, with just one blast from His nostrils, any remnants of our mistakes and failures vanish just like the morning mist is consumed by the heat of the sun.

While this promise of God's forgiveness is found in the Old Testament, it really points to the day when the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world, would once and for all pay the ultimate price for us to be completely forgiven.

When God looks at you, He doesn't see all of your shortcomings and failures. For all those who have received the free gift of Jesus Christ, He sees you as fully justified and holy. While our past sins may continually scream to get our attention in the mental realm, to our God they have vanished into thin air because of the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ.

May we walk in a greater revelation of having our sins forgiven today and may the accuser of the brethren have no access into our thought life. As Romans 8:1 says... There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. (WEB)

You are holy and free from blame because of Jesus Christ's death.

Colossians 1:21-22 New International Version (NIV)

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your mindsbecause of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—

The New International Version Bible says Colossians 1:21-22 this way... 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.  (NIV)

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross has done for each one of us what nothing else could do. Jesus completely reconciled us to His Father through His death so that He might present us holy and blameless to His Father. We are free from any accusation and the Father sees us completely spotless because of Jesus!

God sees us this way because of the shed blood of Jesus and not for anything that we have done to earn or deserve His favor. The next time a condemning thought comes to your mind, remember this promise and the incredible power of the cross. You are holy and completely free from blame because of Jesus Christ's death!

I knew you before you were born and I designed you for My purposes.

Jeremiah 1:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

In today's promise, God is speaking to the prophet Jeremiah and reassuring him that before he was even conceived in his mother's womb, God knew him and designed him for His purposes. I don't know if you have wondered about this Bible verse before, but I have.

How could God have known Jeremiah before he was even conceived? The best way that I can try to comprehend it would be if I compared our creation with how an architect designs a building. (I realize this analogy could never adequately describe the creation process, but it helps me to grasp this promise.) Before a building is built, it has to be designed by an architect.

In the design process, the architect spends much time thinking about the plans and purposes for the building He is going to create. No detail will be too small for the architect to overlook. Even though the building is not yet created, He has already created it in his mind and then he commits the design to paper.

When I think about how God says that He knew us before we were conceived, I think that He carried our design in His heart before the creation of the world and knew us intimately before the wonderful day of our conception.

If you have ever felt misunderstood by anyone, if you have ever felt alone in this life, may the promise that God knew you before the foundation of the world bring great comfort to your heart today. You are His workmanship, created in Christ to accomplish His special purpose!

All My plans will be fulfilled, for I know the end from the beginning.

Our Elder Brother is known as the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. The Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always been and always will be. In today's promise, we read from Isaiah 46:10 that God knows the end from the beginning and all His plans will be fulfilled.

Many times in life, I feel like I can only see a few short steps ahead but it gives me such great comfort to know that my God and Father knows the end from the beginning. In Psalm 139:16 King David makes this declaration about God... Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them. (WEB)

God has a plan for your life. He knit you together in your mother's womb and ordained every one of your days, writing them in His special book before one of them ever came to be. We can rest in our God and Father's goodness to watch over us and fulfill the plans He has for us. For He is a good Dad and He knows the end from the beginning.

Jeremiah 1:5 (WEB)
“Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you.
Before you came forth out of the womb, I sanctified you.
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

I am seated in the heavens and My kingdom reigns over all.

Psalm 103:19 New International Version (NIV)

19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
    and his kingdom rules over all.

In Psalm 103:19, King David tells that God has prepared His throne in heaven and His kingdom reigns over everything in the universe. While this might be something that we all can agree on, do we live each day with the confidence that our God and Father really is the ruler of heaven and earth?

While we know that the Bible says that the devil is called 'the prince of the power of the air' (Ephesians 2:2), we also know that Jesus is called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! While we know that the enemy goes about as a roaring lion seeking those whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), we also know that our Savior is called the true Lion of Judah who has triumphed over all things (Revelation 5:5).

In Colossians 3:1-2, Paul the Apostle encourages us to keep our eyes fixed on heaven... 11 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. (WEB) If we focus on all of the darkness that surrounds us in the world we live in, we may get discouraged and lose heart. 

I pray that today's promise will be a reminder to each one of us that our God reigns in heaven and on earth. May we set our hearts and minds on things above, knowing that the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it!