I will protect and carry you all the days of your life.

Isaiah 46:4 New International Version (NIV)

4 Even to your old age and gray hairs
    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

The New International Version Bible translates Isaiah 46:4 this way... Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. 

This is a Scripture that I often refer to when I am speaking about the importance of embracing a childlike heart even in our old age. In today's passage of Scripture, God is speaking to Israel and He tells them that He is the One who made them, He is the One who will sustain them and He is the One who will carry them all the days of their lives... even when they get old!

It doesn't matter if we are two years of age or 102, God is still our Father... And fathers look after their kids. No matter what you are facing in life, the Ancient of Days has promised to carry you and He will be faithful to rescue you in every situation where you need to be rescued.

You were never ever created to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. God is your burden bearer and He wants you to cast every care upon Him because He really does care for you. (1 Peter 5:7) He promises to protect and carry you all the days of your life! 

I am your Father and you are My handiwork.

Isaiah 64:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
    We are the clay, you are the potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.

The Bible tells us in Genesis that God formed Adam out of the dust of the earth. I wonder if the creation process that happened in the Garden of Eden was similar to the reference that Isaiah makes in today's Scripture passage?

God is a loving Father who formed us with His own loving hands. His eyes are focused on each one of us as He shapes us and molds us into the image of the Son whom He loves (Romans 8:29). He is for us and we are the work of His hands! What a simple but profound thought.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are our Heavenly Father's workmanship created in our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ to do the good works that He prepared in advance for us to do! The enemy of our soul would want us to believe otherwise. My prayer today is that we would all see how amazing we are, simply because we are the handiwork of our Heavenly Dad!

Announcement

Good Friday Service

Date: 19 April 2019 (Fri)

Venue: Penang Corps - Worship Hall

Time: 8pm - All are welcome.

Easter Sunrise Service

Date: 21 April 2019 (Sun)

Venue: YMCA

Time: 7am - All are welcome.

Easter Service & Celebration Lunch

Date: 21 April 2019 (Sun)

Venue: Penang Corps - Worship Hall

Time: 10:30am - All are welcome.

Details: Celebration lunch at 12:30pm and those who like to contribute dessert for this special day, please contact Sis Jasinta. Thank you.

2019 - 14 April Palm Sunday & Sis Grace Birthday

Click here for more pictures

I created all things for My pleasure.

Revelation 4:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

The backdrop to today's promise is found in the throne room of God as described by the Apostle John in Revelation 4. What an amazing sight! Rainbow colors flashing, angels crying holy, and the four and twenty elders falling on their faces worshiping the Lord God Almighty. I can't wait for the day when I experience this amazing sight face to face.

As the elders are worshiping God, they are declaring that everything that God created was made for His pleasure! Think about that for a minute. You and I are part of His amazing handiwork and the reason He created us was for His own pleasure!  The Message Paraphrase says today's Scripture verse this way... Worthy, O Master! Yes, our God! Take the glory! the honor! the power! You created it all; It was created because you wanted it. (MSG)

The reason that you were created is because God wanted you! He created you to make Him happy! Not as a servant, but as His beloved child. My prayer today is that this reality would go deep into our hearts. We were all wanted. We were all planned. We were all created by a loving God who made us in His own image so that we could make Him smile! What a wonderful God we have!

I am a gracious God who is righteous and full of mercy.

Psalm 116:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
    our God is full of compassion.

Our God and Father is as righteous as He is gracious and merciful. He is just and holy, as well as being loving and compassionate. For some of us, we might see this as a contradiction in terms. How can the same God who is righteous and holy be gracious and full of mercy?

The simple truth is that the price that Jesus Christ paid for all our sin when He died on the cross was more than enough to satisfy God's righteous requirements so that we would be recipients of His extravagant mercy. Because of the once and for all sacrifice of the holy Lamb of God, we now have unlimited access to the throne room of our righteous and merciful Heavenly Father.

With this in mind, let us reflect with great joy on the invitation found in Hebrews 4:16... Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (ESV)

My eternal Word is anchored in the heavens.

Psalm 119:89 New International Version (NIV)

ל Lamedh

89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;
    it stands firm in the heavens.

The NIV Bible translates today's Bible verse this way... Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.  The English Standard Version translates it... Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.  Whatever translation you prefer, the message is the same. God's Word is firmly fixed and settled in heaven forever.

God is not a man that He should lie. His Word is His bond and it is anchored in heaven itself. Whenever circumstances come in direct opposition to God's Word, agree with God and believe His Word. Whenever your emotions shout out something about yourself other than what God says about you, agree with God and believe His Word.

He is the same yesterday, today and forever and His Word is a constant that we can rely in our daily life. May faith rise up in our hearts today so that we will simply take God at His Word and cry out "I believe!".

My kingdom is everlasting and My dominion will endure forever.

Psalm 145:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
    and faithful in all he does.[a]

The kingdoms of this world will not last forever. Even some of the most long standing empires that spanned immense territories eventually faltered and faded away. No matter how great the king, no matter how vast their armies, every kingdom has a beginning and an end.

The hope that we have in Christ is that we are destined for a kingdom that will last forever! It is an unshakeable kingdom, ruled by the most loving King! The kingdoms of this world can at times intimidate, but be of good cheer because our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ has overcome the world and all its systems.

My prayer today is that each and every one of us would set our affections on things above and not on things of this earth (Colossians 3:2). While the kingdoms of this world may compete for our attention, we belong to another kingdom where our God and Father reigns and His dominion will endure forever!

I will not forget My promises because I am a merciful God.

Deuteronomy 4:31 New International Version (NIV)

31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

Our God is a merciful God. He is full of compassion and love towards us. In today's promise, He tells Israel that He will never forsake them or hurt them or forget the promises He made to their forefathers. Our God is the ultimate promise keeper. He remembers every promise that He has made and He is faithful to keep all that He has promised.

The enemy of our soul would want us to think otherwise. He has always been lying about the character and nature of God and will continue to do so because Jesus called him the father of lies (John 8:44). May we all be reminded today that God is faithful to do everything that He has promised for us. Not one of the promises that He has made will ever fail us for He is good and His mercy endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:34).

My prayer today is that each one of us would choose to believe that God is who He says He is and we are who He says we are! May faith rise up within our hearts today and cry out to God... Lord I believe that you are a merciful God who keeps all His promises!

It is precious for Me to see My faithful ones come home.

Psalm 116:15 New International Version (NIV)

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.

We have all experienced the loss of a loved one.  We ourselves will one day experience this ultimate transition to glory if Jesus tarries. The Amplified Bible translates Psalm 116:15 this way... Precious (important and no light matter) in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (His loving ones). (AMP)

Whenever one of our Father's much loved ones come home, it is a very precious and holy time to God. As the Amplified Bible says, it is important and no light matter. My prayer is that this simple yet profound promise of our importance to God will bring much comfort and hope.

The hope of eternal life living in the presence of a loving God and Father is our destiny. It is our birthright because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. We do not have to fear death because we have this hope. May today's promise bring comfort to us for those who we have lost and peace to us to know that it is a precious time in the sight of our God when we will finally be home.

One day, our God and Father will wipe away every tear from our eye and take away all the pain we have suffered on this earth. (Revelation 21:4) This is the hope that we all have in Christ. 

I prepared a kingdom inheritance for you when I created the world.

Matthew 25:34 New International Version (NIV)

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

In today's promise, Jesus is telling a story about sheep and goats where the sheep (those who are in Christ) will be welcomed into the everlasting kingdom of our God and Father on that great day. Jesus tells us that the kingdom that we will inherit was prepared for us from the foundation of the world.

You and I may not have a substantial inheritance on this side of heaven from our earthly parents, but when we finish our race and are welcomed into the dwelling place of our God and Father, we will have an everlasting kingdom inheritance waiting for us.

May the reality of this promise encourage each one of us today. We are not poor in the sight of the living God, but are richer than any one of us could possibly imagine. Because we are sons and daughters to our Heavenly Dad... because we are joint-heirs with Jesus (our Elder Brother) ... because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit... we have an everlasting kingdom inheritance waiting for us. Hallelujah!!!!

Announcement

Southwest Cell Group

Date: 12 April 2019 (Fri)

Venue: Bro Sunny and Sis Rachel's Home

Time: 8pm (be punctual)

Good Friday Service

Date: 19 April 2019 (Fri)

Venue: Penang Corps - Worship Hall

Time: 8pm

All are welcome.

Easter Service

Date: 21 April 2019 (Sun)

Venue: YMCA

Time: 7am

All are welcome.

Easter Service & Celebration Lunch

Date: 21 April 2019 (Sun)

Venue: Penang Corps - Worship Hall

Time: 10:30am

All are welcome.

An eternal crown awaits you at the finish line, so keep running your race.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 New International Version (NIV)

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

We are all called to run our own unique race. In Hebrews 12:1-2, the writer encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the unique race set out for us. We are called to throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that can so easily trip us up and run our race with perseverance.

It is interesting to note that your race is different from my race. I can't run your race and you can't run mine. We can only be ourselves and fulfill the destiny that God has for each one of us. The encouragement for today is knowing that an eternal crown awaits each one of us at our finish line. There is not a solitary crown given to the fastest runner, or the runner with the most endurance, but for everyone who finishes!

It is amazing to think of our Heavenly Dad's heart where everyone gets a prize! No one is left out.  So keep running your race. Don't stop. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, who is waiting at the end of your running lane ready to present you with a crown of glory that will last forever!

Never tire of doing good, for in time you will reap a harvest.

Galatians 6:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Sometimes when I go on a ministry trip, I can get tired. Even though I love what I am doing, the rigors of travel, different places to sleep, meeting new people, etc. can get very tiring. In today's promise we read that we should never tire of doing good. This doesn't mean that we never get tired in the natural, but it does mean that we should never lose heart and give up.

The Amplified Bible translates Galatians 6:9 this way... And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint. (AMP)

In 1 Corinthians 13:13, Paul the Apostle tells us that faith, hope and love remain. Today's promise is about encouraging us to be strengthened with hope. Hope that there is a harvest that we will one day reap if we do not give up. God loves it when we do good to one another.

May you and I have strength today to continue to do good to those around us and may we be encouraged to know that there is a real harvest that we will reap if we don't give up. 

I have carved your name in the palms of My hands.

Isaiah 49:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me.

Today's promise is part of a much loved Scripture passage from Isaiah 49:15-16 that describes the amazing mothering heart of Father God... 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will not forget you! 16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. (WEB)

In this passage of Scripture, we are told that even though a mother may forget her own nursing child, our God and Father will never ever forget us! He so desires to keep us in His sight that He has even engraved us on the palms of His hands.

When I think of this picture, I cannot help but think of the cross of Jesus Christ and His own nail scarred hands. I wonder if today's promise was a prophetic picture of Jesus' sacrifice at Calvary where our God would be forever reminded of us because of the finished work of Christ? He will not forget you!

You are always before Him. He loves you so much, that He has carved your name in the very palm of His hands. May the reality of this promise go deep into our hearts today.

Humble yourself before Me and in time I will exalt you.

1 Peter 5:6 New International Version (NIV)

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

Today's promise simply encourages us to walk in humility. God loves it when we embrace humility because when we are truly humble, we are just like Him! Jesus told us that the greatest in the kingdom is the servant of all (Matthew 23:11). Who is the greatest in the kingdom but our Father? That means that He carries within Himself the heart of a servant.

When we choose to humble ourselves, He is so delighted that He is the One who lifts us up! We don't have to fight and strive for our position in the kingdom because our Father will exalt us at just the right time. I remember a few years back I went to a very large church meeting and I felt the Lord directed me to sit on the very last row at the back of the church. He told me to literally take the lowest seat in the building, so I did.

Just before the meeting began, a man came up to my wife and I and ushered us to the very front of the building and we got the best seats in the house! The Lord then reminded me of His encouragement for us to take the lowest seat (Luke 14:8-10) so that we can then be re-assigned to a better seat if the opportunity arises.

Our Papa loves it when we embrace true humility (not false humility) and trust Him to exalt us in due time. My prayer for each one of us today is that we would see the incredible benefits of walking with a humble heart in our Father's kingdom.

I will cause all things to ultimately work for your good.

Romans 8:28 New International Version (NIV)

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose.

This Bible verse has brought comfort to a countless number of people throughout the years. It is very reassuring to know that no matter what happens in our life, our God and Father is able to cause all things to work together for our good.

Of course this does not mean that everything that happens in our life is good, because we know that is simply not the case. We live in a fallen world where bad things happen to good people. Nevertheless, our God is able to redeem even the most difficult of situations and somehow, some way, He promises to ultimately work all things for our good.

We might not see the 'good' that He has in store for us immediately, but be assured that from God's eternal perspective, His heart is for your best interest in the long run. May this promise of our Papa's plan for a bright future encourage you in the midst of any hardships that you are facing today.

My mercy will overrule judgment.

James 2:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

The Message Bible says... Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. The law of mercy and grace actually overrules the law of judgment. I don't know how you feel when you think about this promise, but I am thankful to God that His mercy does indeed win the day!

I am so glad that my God and Father does not treat me as my sins deserve, but is rich in His mercy towards me.  Every day I get to experience His new mercies! (Lamentations 3:22-23) In Matthew 5:7, Jesus tells us  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (KJV) 

I am painfully aware that in my own life, I need all the mercy that I can get. So if I want mercy for myself, I better be a dispenser of mercy to everyone I meet too! God loves mercy and He loves it when His kids are mercy-full. My prayer is that we would be a people who continue to walk in the amazing love and mercy that God bestows on us, so that we can be a vessel of His mercy to others.

May we actually love showing mercy (Micah 6:8) to those who don't deserve it and be an expression of our heavenly Dad's mercy to all those we meet. (Luke 6:36) ...Even to those drivers who may cut off us on the highway! :)

The mercy of our God and Father will triumph over every form of judgment in your own life. Believe it. Receive it. Love it... and give it away!

My divine power will give you all you need to live a good life.

2 Peter 1:3 New International Version (NIV)

Confirming One’s Calling and Election

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

I really appreciate how the New Living Translation expresses 2 Peter 1:3... By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (NLT)

Because of His amazing love, God has equipped you with His own power so that you will have everything that you need to live a godly life. When God says everything, He means everything! Christ in you, the hope of glory will overcome every challenge that you are currently facing.

No matter how difficult your circumstances, God will empower you with His own divine power! As the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:31 ...if God is for you, who can possibly stand against you? My prayer today is that each one of us would realize that whatever God has called us to do, He will give us the power to accomplish it.

We have all that we need in every circumstance because of His great and precious promise to empower us to live a full and good, godly life. 

2019 - International Day of Prayer for Children and Youth

Click here for more pictures