THaNK GoD, THaNK YoU! =)

Friendship is a chain of gold
Shaped in God's all perfect mould
Each link a smile, a laugh, a hug, a tear
A grip of the hand, a word of cheer
Steadfast as the ages roll
Binding closer soul to soul
No matter how far or heavy the load
Sweet is the journey on friendship road.

Just want to say a big THaNK YoU to all of you for blessing my life with your sacrificial kindness and amazing love. May our gracious Heavenly Father bless each of you so abundantly..may He amaze and astound each one of you every single day of your lives by blessing you with a hundred-fold load of His bestest and most precious blessings! From my heart, i praise God so much for the precious brother-sister-ship-in-Christ and glorious friendship we can share together, and for each of your lives which have touched and impacted my life greatly. Thank you so much for praying, learning, laughing, crying, sharing, growing, rejoicing and walking on together with me on friendship road in the light of God's powerful love.. the Lord has made the pilgrim journey with each of you so sweet and beautiful. All praise and glory to our loving Redeemer! :)

In His Time

In His time, In His time;
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Lord, please show me every day
As You’re teaching me Your way,
That You do just what You say
In Your time.

In Your time, in Your time;
You make all things beautiful in Your time.
Lord, my life to You I bring;
May each song I have to sing
Be to You a lovely thing
In Your time.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:11

Listen To The People

Listen to the people crying everywhere.
Groping in the darkness with a load of care.
Listen to the hopeless living in despair.
Is there none to help them and the gospel share?

O Thou Holy Father listen to my prayer.
Heal this selfish servant from my worldly care.
Help me spread the message
That the world may see Jesus’ love in me,
Now to every creature a proclaimer be.

Thank you for Thy Spirit working in my heart.
I see my transgression cleanse Thou every part.
Where I’ve been so blinded by my vanity,
Grant me heavenly vision to win the lost to Thee.

O Thou Holy Father listen to my prayer.
Heal this selfish servant from my worldly care.
Help me spread the message
That the world may see Jesus’ love in me,
Now to every creature a proclaimer be.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

~ Romans 10:13-15

O taste and see that the LORD is good!

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.
I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?
Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.
The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

~ Psalm 34

Circumstances may appear to wreck our lives and God's plans, but God is not helpless among the ruins. God's love is still working. He comes in and takes the calamity and uses it victoriously, working out His wonderful plan of love.

~ Eric Liddell

Close To Thee

Thou my everlasting Portion, more than friend or life to me,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
All along my pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with Thee.

Not for ease or worldly pleasure, nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
Gladly will I toil and suffer, only let me walk with Thee.

Lead me through the vale of shadows, bear me over life's fitful sea;
Then the gate of life eternal may I enter, Lord, with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee, close to Thee,
Then the gate of life eternal may I enter, Lord, with Thee.

~ Fanny Crosby

Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.

Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.

My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

~ Psalm 73:23-26

Close to Thee and Thee alone, dearest Lord Jesus..thank you so much for Your sacrificial love..thank you so much for Your faithful promise that forever with Thee, we will be..

Keep Your Heart

Now on this mountain top we have gleaned so many things.
We’ve been drawn closer to His heart, a place that trial brings.
We have seen victory over sin, and witnessed answered prayer.
We have known Christ be our only strength, found His Word a jewel rare.

Keep your heart, keep your heart,
Keep your heart with all diligence.
Keep it clean, keep it pure, make your love for Christ endure.
Guard your ears; guard your eyes;
Pressing onward to the prize.
Lest you fall, lest you fail,
Make your love for Christ endure.

Now from this mountain top to your valley here below,
You have all of the armoury to defeat that wicked foe.
The victory is at your command,
Your prayers He’ll answer still.
Be the guardian of your only heart,
Heed His Word, His perfect Will.

Keep your heart, keep your heart,
Keep your heart with all diligence.
Keep it clean, keep it pure, make your love for Christ endure.
Guard your ears; guard your eyes;
Pressing onward to the prize.
Lest you fall, lest you fail,
Make your love for Christ endure.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

~ Colossians 3:1-17, 23-24

The Lord is our refuge

In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

~ Proverbs 14:26

God makes no mistakes

My life I give to You, O Lord,
Use me, I pray.
May I glorify Your precious name in all I do and say.
Let me trust You in the valley dark as well as in the light,
Knowing You will always lead me; Your Will is always right.

I know God makes no mistakes.
He leads in every path I take along the way that's leading me to home.
Tho' at times my heart would break, there's a purpose in every change He makes;
That others would see my life and know that God makes no mistakes.

And when some day in heaven above I see His dear face,
May I then be counted faithful as a runner in this race.
But now I'm trusting in the Saviour to show me the way.
In His righteousness He guides me, as I seek to please Him day by day.

I know God makes no mistakes.
He leads in every path I take along the way that's leading me to home.
Tho' at times my heart would break, there's a purpose in every change He makes;
That others would see my life and know that God makes no mistakes.

God's Wisdom..God's Holiness

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

~ Proverbs 9:10

Every thing that a man leans upon but God, will be a dart that will certainly pierce his heart through and through. He, who leans only upon Christ, lives the highest, choicest, safest, and sweetest life.

~ Thomas Brooks

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

~ Luke 22:31-32

Unfortunately, just like in the days of Simon Peter and Jesus, Satan is alive and well on planet earth. Guess what? Just like he desired to sift Peter like wheat, he longs to rip us to shreds. You might say his plan is to make Christians into 'shredded wheat'! Fortunately for us, in the same way Jesus prayed for Simon Peter, He is also praying for all believers.

According to 1 John 2:1, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. When we sin, Jesus is praying for us. When we stumble, He is upholding us before the Father. When the devil shoots his fiery arrows or accuses us of wrongdoing, Christ is right there to defend us.

Do you think the prayers of the Son of God go unanswered? I don't think so! The Father hears the prayers of His Son on our behalf.

Think about that for a moment. There are times in all of our lives when we struggle. Like Peter, we stumble and fall in our relationship with Christ. Yet He will never leave us or forsake us! In fact, when we are at our worst, Christ is at His best. He is constantly pleading grace before our Heavenly Father to help us.

Perhaps today you are going through a tough time. It could be the consequences of sin, a family struggle or a broken relationship. Possibly you're catching flak because of your witness for Christ on campus, or it might be that you're just plain discouraged.

Take courage in one awesome truth. Someone is praying for you. Someone is passionately upholding you before the throne of the King. Someone knows your struggle and is articulating it before the Father better than you ever could. Someone cares. That someone is Jesus: the Author and Finisher of our faith. So now you can pray with confidence and witness with passion, because you know that you are not fighting the battle alone. You are standing side-by-side with your Champion and Eternal Savior, Jesus Christ. He is petitioning the God of heaven and earth on your behalf.

As you bring worry, discouragement, and failures before God, remember that:

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

~ Hebrews 4:15-16

Satan may desire to make us into 'shredded wheat', but Jesus is conforming us into solid rocks! =)

- Lane Palmer

And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

~ Luke 6:36-50

Faith

Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading.

~ Oswald Chambers

Your praise and Your honour, Lord..all the day

For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.
I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.
But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.
I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

~ Psalm 71:5, 7, 8, 14-16

My grace is sufficient for thee..

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

~ 2 Corinthians 12:9,10

Today i am resting completely upon Your wondrous promise, dear Lord. Thank you so much that Your grace is sufficient for me..always. =)

Christian one-liners

It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.

God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.

When you get to your wit's end, you'll find God lives there.

People are funny; they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church.

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your front door forever.

God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?

A lot of church members who are singing "Standing on the Promises" are just sitting on the premises.

Don't let your worries get the best of you; remember, Moses started out as a basket case.

You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.

We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.

Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.

Don't put a question mark where God put a period.

Forbidden fruits create many jams.

If God is your co-pilot - swap seats!

The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.

The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.

We do not change the message, the message changes us.

The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

~ James 4:7,8,10

Take Him

Take Him not only as your Savior from the guilt of sin but also as your Savior from the power of sin. He not only died to make atonement for your sins, He also rose again, and He lives today to set you free from the power of sin and to make intercession for you (Hebrews 7:25). Will you take Him now as your Deliverer from the power of sin? Will you come to this risen and mighty Lord Jesus with all your weakness and sins and trust Him to set you free? That is the right thing to do with Jesus Christ: Just take Him as your Savior, your crucified Savior, from the guilt of sin and your risen Savior from the power of sin..

~ R.A. Torrey

Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

~ Isaiah 50:10

A Grace-Awakened Ministry

One characteristic of a grace awakening ministry deserves special attention: release from past failures. A ministry of grace does not keep bringing up the past for the purpose of holding it over people. There is an absence of shame.

Paul addresses this in 1 Timothy 1:12–14: I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.

You may be surprised to know that the apostle Paul had every reason to feel ashamed. He was one whose past was dreadful: "formerly a blasphemer...persecutor...violent aggressor." Then how could the same man write, "I am not ashamed" (2 Timothy 1:12 )?

He gives us the answer here in 1 Timothy 1:14: Grace was more than abundant. Blasphemy had abounded in his past, but grace superabounded. Violence and brutality had abounded, but grace superabounded.

What if it read "divorcee"? What if it read "homosexual"? What if it read "addict"? I realize it reads "blasphemer, persecutor, aggressor." But what if it read "prostitute" or "ex-con" or "financial failure" or "murderer"? In a grace-awakened ministry, none of those things in the past are allowed to hold those people in bondage. They are released, forgiven, and the believer is allowed to go on to a new life in Christ. Grace releases people, not only from sin but from shame. Do you do that in your ministry? Or do you make a note of those things and keep reminding yourself when that particular name comes up: "Well, you know, you'd better watch her" or "You've gotta watch him." Do you give people reasons to feel greater shame? Who knows what battles of shame most folks struggle with? It is enormous.

~ Charles R. Swindoll

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,
Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;
Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,
Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

~ Fanny Crosby

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord..

~ Acts 3:19

Never is the path so rough that God's Hand cannot lead the way;
Never is the road so dark that His light will not show the way.

Dearest Lord,

Grant me a deeper trust, that I may lose myself to find myself in You, the ground of my rest, the spring of my being.

Grant me a deeper knowledge of Yourself as Saviour, Master, Lord, and King.

Grant me deeper power in private prayer, more sweetness in Your Word, and a more steadfast grip on its powerful truths.

Grant me deeper holiness in speech, thought, action, and let me not seek moral virtue apart from You..

~ Author Unknown

He leadeth me

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since ’tis my God that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Dearest Lord, thank you so much for being the loving Redeemer of our souls, the wondrous Lord of our lives. Thank you so much that we can always trust You no matter the circumstance, no matter the trial. Please continue to lead and guide our dear Bro Eric as he studies in New York. We ask that You graciously meet his every need while he presses on for You in a foreign land. May he be kept so close to You -- keep him meditating upon Your precious Word, keep him on his knees ever seeking after You every single day of his life. May You bless and keep our Bro always, may You always show Yourself so strong in his life.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

My Saviour's love

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene,
And wonder how He could love me,
A sinner, condemned, unclean.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

For me it was in the garden
He prayed: "Not My will, but Thine."
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.

In pity angels beheld Him,
And came from the world of light
To comfort Him in the sorrows
He bore for my soul that night.

He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calvary,
And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
'Twill be my joy through the ages
To sing of His love for me.

O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
And my song shall ever be:
O how marvelous! O how wonderful!
Is my Savior’s love for me!

*'Twill be my joy through the ages, to sing of His love for me..*

I surrender all

All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

Precious Lord Jesus, please take all of me and all that You have made me to be..i surrender all.

Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.
I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.
Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.
For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.
Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

~ Psalm 57:1-2, 7-11

Dearest Lord, please fix our hearts on You..our all-powerful, almighty and awesome God who performeth all things for us. May Your holy name be praised, glorified and exalted now and forever, above the heavens and above all the earth.

Revival is the saints of God agonizing on behalf of lost souls going to hell.
Revival is the people of God living in the power of an ungrieved, unquenched Spirit.
Revival is the child of God desperately in love with his glorious Savior and Lord.
Revival is living the Christ life in the home.
Revival is the heathen saying, "The Lord hath done great things for them" (Psa. 126:2).
Revival is the Church of God as a conquering army putting to rout the hosts of hell.
Revival is torrents of living water flowing out of the individual believer.
Revival is the beauty of holiness adorning the saints.
Revival is the recognition of the ministry of insignificant members of the body, and deliverance from idol worship of the more prominent members who are in the limelight.
Revival is restoring the years the locusts have eaten.
Revival is the people of God constrained, gripped, overmastered, and overwhelmed by the love of Christ, so that they are feverishly restless to win souls for Christ.
Revival is the whole assembly powerfully and passionately winning lost souls to Christ.

~ J. Stewart

To be utterly and passionately revived by You like never before, dearest Lord -- this is my heart's one desire. Take hold of my heart, everything that is within..take complete control of this life of mine. Please remind me once again what it truly means to be on fire for You, to be so passionately in love with You..and You alone. i must have grown cold, i must have forgotten, precious Lord, because the memories seem very distant to me. Please allow this life to be made alive once again, transform it afresh and anew..for this one life needs only one thing..and that is You.

Next Year in Jerusalem

With every little parting
And someone says 'Goodbye'
Familiar times departing
It makes you want to cry
Our God is gently telling
While thru' this world we roam
To seek a better city
For our eternal home.

Next year in Jerusalem
There's no need for despair
Next year in Jerusalem
You know you'll see me there
And when we see our Saviour Lord
We'll sing the Victor's song
And in His love we'll find our rest;
So while we're here, let's give our best;
Just next year in Jerusalem;
Where weary souls belong.

Though rough may be the pathway
And heavy is our cross
The hurt of disappointment
The pain of every loss
But knowing our Lord Jesus
For our sake walked this way
We still will battle forward
For daily strength we'll pray

Our former self He's broken
Our pride and will brought low
Thru' training by the Master
Like Him He's helped us grow
Beneath the strain of labour
He holds us lest we fall
And still we're pressing onwards
To heed our Captain's call.

The twilight casts its shadows
The arms have now grown old
Which bore the torch of valour
The Gospel of our soul
My friend, be bold and ready
To grip the standard high
Tho' former ones have passed on
The faith must never die.

Next year in Jerusalem
There's no need for despair
Next year in Jerusalem
You know you'll see me there
And when we see our Saviour Lord
We'll sing the Victor's song
And in His love we'll find our rest
So while we're here, let's give our best;
Just next year in Jerusalem;
Where weary souls belong..

~ Composer: John Wee

*May our loving Heavenly Father lead and guide you amazingly in each step of this new and wonderful chapter of your life, Eric. We will be missing you and praying for you as you march on so courageously and faithfully for His glory and honour. May the Lord shower His richest and most abundant blessings upon you this day and always, Bro. Take good care and God bless..we'll see you sooner than next year in Jerusalem ya? Ever praying you through..may you surf on so boldly in the glorious power of the Holy Spirit always, our Almighty God goes before you and He will never ever fail you. God speed, Eric! =)*

Nearer, still nearer

Nearer, still nearer, close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Savior -- so precious Thou art!
Fold me, oh, fold me close to Thy breast.
Shelter me safe in that 'Haven of Rest';
Shelter me safe in that 'Haven of Rest'.

Nearer, still nearer, nothing I bring,
Naught as an offering to Jesus, my King;
Only my sinful, now contrite heart.
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.
Grant me the cleansing Thy blood doth impart.

Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine!
Sin, with its follies, I gladly resign,
All of its pleasures, pomp and its pride,
Give me but Jesus, my Lord, crucified.
Give me but Jesus, my Lord, crucified.

Nearer, still nearer, while life shall last.
Till safe in glory my anchor is cast;
Through endless ages ever to be
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee;
Nearer, my Savior, still nearer to Thee!

~ Leila N. Morris

God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, LORD Jesus.

~ Jim Elliot

Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

~ Isaiah 9:17

Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.
I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.
For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.
Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

~ Isaiah 45:11-13, 18, 21-22

Trials make the promise sweet,
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to His feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.

~ Robert M. McCheyne

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

~ Titus 2:11-14

Lord, You are worthy of all my praise..

My heart overflows with praise to the Lord.
I will lift up my voice to the King.
He brought me out of the pit of despair
And taught my heart to sing.

Worthy of all my praise,
You are worthy of all my praise.
I bow at Your throne
And worship You alone.
Lord, You are worthy, worthy of praise.

My lips sing His praise;
My heart feels His love.
His Word is a lamp to my way.
His mercy and grace forever endure;
His arms draw me closer each day.

Worthy of all my praise,
You are worthy of all my praise.
I bow at Your throne
And worship You alone.
Lord, You are worthy, worthy of praise..

I love You, Lord Jesus.
Thank you so much for all that You have done for my life..You are truly worthy of all our worship and praise..now and forever.
Please teach me what it means to worship You alone with all of my heart in this 1 life You have given me.
Forgive me for falling short of Your expectations so often and for failing to obey the truth of Your commandments..help me to truly live for You every single day of this life You have blessed me with.
Please lead and guide me step by step to Your way and Your Will..for Your glory and honour alone.
Thank you so much for Your great love and for Your mercy which is great above the heavens, and for Your truth and faithfulness which reaches unto the clouds.
Thank you so much..for everything.
In Your precious name i praise You, dearest Lord,
Amen.

Our Bros..=)

Let brotherly love continue.

~ Hebrews 13:1

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

~ Revelations 22:1-7, 12-20

This quote touched my heart..

Oh let every trial teach me more of Thy peace in my conscience, and more of Thy love in my heart, that I may keep on in a steady course, walking humbly with my God.

~ William Romaine

There was a day when i died, utterly died to my opinions, preferences, tastes, and will - died to the world, its approval or censure - died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends, and since then i have studied only to show myself approved unto God.

~ George Mueller

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

~ Matthew 16:24

Let the Holy Spirit fill every chamber of your heart; and so there will be no room for folly, or the world, or Satan, or the flesh..

~ Robert M. McCheyne

And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge..

~ Exodus 31:3

Love is the bond of perfectness..:)

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

~ Colossians 3:12-17

The Potter's Wheel..from a precious sis (thanks so much, dearest Soph..:p)

God is the Potter and we are the clay. Our Potter puts us on His wheel - a shapeless lump of dirt. When His Potter's wheel begins to spin, ofttimes we feel overwhelmed, confused and misdirected. We feel like we can't take it anymore and we're getting really dizzy with frustration.

Just when we think we can't take it anymore, His Hands descend. He presses, prods, squeezes His clay. It hurts, it aches, it stifles..but He gently but firmly shapes us to become what He wants us to be. We cry out, we cannot handle the pressure, we feel like we're going to collapse and break in a million pieces. We feel like we're going to crumble into oblivion, yet He continues to press and knead.

When we're finally shaped, the last stage takes us into the dreaded fiery furnace for the final refining. OUCH!! Whatever you're going through, submit to the Potter's shaping Hand. Acknowledge BUT put away our hearts' selfishness and wicked sins! Entrust them to the Lord and place them at the foot of His cross. May you be encouraged to press on towards greater faithfulness and obedience in your walk with God, irregardless of what man may think of you. We're accountable to God and God alone. Deny yourselves (even the pleasure of being look upon with man's favour), and honor our God and Him alone.

*~ Polished For A Destiny ~*

Not a single lump of pride
Is worthy of the potter's fire.
Every mark must coincide,
If perfection you acquire.

Thus He works on you every day,
That He might make His riches known,
By circumstances; forms the clay,
Till usefulness in it is shown.

This, your Maker, bids you be,
When shapened by His artful hand,
Polished for a destiny
Of service, labour, and demand.

~ H.E. Crane

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand..

~ Isaiah 64:8

Worship God in the spirit - Rejoice in Christ Jesus - Have no confidence in the flesh..

~ Philippians 3:3

The Will of God

The Will of God will never take you

Where the Grace of God cannot keep you

Where the Arms of God cannot support you

Where the Riches of God cannot support your needs

Where the Power of God cannot endow you.

The Will of God will never take you

Where the Spirit of God cannot work through you

Where the Wisdom of God cannot teach you

Where the Army of God cannot protect you

Where the Hands of God cannot mold you.

The Will of God will never take you

Where the Love of God cannot enfold you

Where the Mercies of God cannot sustain you

Where the Peace of God cannot calm your fears

Where the Authority of God cannot overrule you.

The Will of God will never take you

Where the Comfort of God cannot dry your tears

Where the Word of God cannot feed you

Where the Miracles of God cannot be done for you

Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

~ Author Unknown ~

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,

and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:

but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

~ 1 John 2:15-17 ~

Remember, sinner, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee -- it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee -- it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ (though that is the instrument) -- it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not to thy hope, but to Christ, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Christ, the author and finisher of thy faith..

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

..we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved..

~ Acts 15:11

Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations..

~ Deuteronomy 7:9

Forgiven to Forgive

The sin of unforgiveness is a cancer that destroys relationships, eats away at one's own psyche, and - worst of all - shuts us off from God's grace..

~ Robertson McQuilkin

Shortly after the turn of the century, Japan invaded, conquered, and occupied Korea. Of all of their oppressors, Japan was the most ruthless. They overwhelmed the Koreans with a brutality that would sicken the strongest of stomachs. Their crimes against women and children were inhuman. Many Koreans live today with the physical and emotional scars from the Japanese occupation.

One group singled out for concentrated oppression was the Christians. When the Japanese army overpowered Korea one of the first things they did was board up the evangelical churches and eject most foreign missionaries. It has always fascinated me how people fail to learn from history. Conquering nations have consistently felt that shutting up churches would shut down Christianity. It didn't work in Rome when the church was established, and it hasn't worked since. Yet somehow the Japanese thought they would have a different success record. The conquerors started by refusing to allow churches to meet and jailing many of the key Christian spokesmen. The oppression intensified as the Japanese military increased its profile in the South Pacific. The "Land of the Rising Sun" spread its influence through a reign of savage brutality. Anguish filled the hearts of the oppressed -- and kindled hatred deep in their souls. One pastor persistently entreated his local Japanese police chief for permission to meet for services. His nagging was finally accommodated, and the police chief offered to unlock his church..for one meeting.

It didn't take long for word to travel. Committed Christians starving for an opportunity for unhindered worship quickly made their plans. Long before dawn on that promised Sunday, Korean families throughout a wide area made their way to the church. They passed the staring eyes of their Japanese captors, but nothing was going to steal their joy. As they closed the doors behind them they shut out the cares of oppression and shut in a burning spirit anxious to glorify their Lord.

The Korean church has always had a reputation as a singing church. Their voices of praise could not be concealed inside the little wooden frame sanctuary. Song after song rang through the open windows into the bright Sunday morning. For a handful of peasants listening nearby, the last two songs this congregation sang seemed suspended in time. It was during a stanza of "Nearer My God to Thee" that the Japanese police chief waiting outside gave the orders. The people toward the back of the church could hear them when they barricaded the doors, but no one realized that they had doused the church with kerosene until they smelled the smoke. The dried wooden skin of the small church quickly ignited. Fumes filled the structure as tongues of flame began to lick the baseboard on the interior walls.

There was an immediate rush for the windows. But momentary hope recoiled in horror as the men climbing out the windows came crashing back in -- their bodies ripped by a hail of bullets. The good pastor knew it was the end. With a calm that comes from confidence, he led his congregation in a hymn whose words served as a fitting farewell to earth and a loving salutation to heaven. The first few words were all the prompting the terrified worshipers needed. With smoke burning their eyes, they instantly joined as one to sing their hope and leave their legacy. Their song became a serenade to the horrified and helpless witnesses outside. Their words also tugged at the hearts of the cruel men who oversaw this flaming execution of the innocent.

Alas! and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would he devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?

Just before the roof collapsed they sang the last verse, their words an eternal testimony to their faith.

But drops of grief can ne'er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away
'Tis all that I can do!

At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away..
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day..

The strains of music and wails of children were lost in a roar of flames. The elements that once formed bone and flesh mixed with the smoke and dissipated into the air. The bodies that once housed life fused with the charred rubble of a building that once housed a church. But the souls who left singing finished their chorus in the throne room of God. Clearing the incinerated remains was the easy part. Erasing the hate would take decades. For some of the relatives of the victims, this carnage was too much. Evil had stooped to a new low, and there seemed to be no way to curb their bitter loathing of the Japanese.

In the decades that followed, that bitterness was passed on to a new generation. The Japanese, although conquered, remained a hated enemy. The monument the Koreans built at the location of the fire not only memorialized the people who died, but stood as a mute reminder of their pain.

Inner rest? How could rest coexist with a bitterness deep as marrow in the bones? Suffering, of course, is a part of life. People hurt people. Almost all of us have experienced it at some time. Maybe you felt it when you came home to find that your spouse had abandoned you, or when your integrity was destroyed by a series of well-timed lies, or when your company was bled dry by a partner. It kills you inside. Bitterness clamps down on your soul like iron shackles.

The Korean people who found it too hard to forgive could not enjoy the "peace that passes all understanding." Hatred choked their joy.

It wasn't until 1972 that any hope came. A group of Japanese pastors traveling through Korea came upon the memorial. When they read the details of the tragedy and the names of the spiritual brothers and sisters who had perished, they were overcome with shame. Their country had sinned, and even though none of them were personally involved (some were not even born at the time of the tragedy), they still felt a national guilt that could not be excused.

They returned to Japan committed to right a wrong. There was an immediate outpouring of love from their fellow believers. They raised ten million yen ($25,000). The money was transferred through proper channels and a beautiful white church building was erected on the sight of the tragedy. When the dedication service for the new building was held, a delegation from Japan joined the relatives and special guests. Although their generosity was acknowledged and their attempts at making peace appreciated, the memories were still there. Hatred preserves pain. It keeps the wounds open and the hurts fresh. The Koreans' bitterness had festered for decades. Christian brothers or not, these Japanese were descendants of a ruthless enemy.

The speeches were made, the details of the tragedy recalled, and the names of the dead honored. It was time to bring the service to a close. Someone in charge of the agenda thought it would be appropriate to conclude with the same two songs that were sung the day the church was burned. The song leader began the words to "Nearer My God to Thee." But something remarkable happened as the voices mingled on the familiar melody. As the memories of the past mixed with the truth of the song, resistance started to melt. The inspiration that gave hope to a doomed collection of churchgoers in a past generation gave hope once more. The song leader closed the service with the hymn "At the Cross."

The normally stoic Japanese could not contain themselves. The tears that began to fill their eyes during the song suddenly gushed from deep inside. They turned to their Korean spiritual relatives and begged them to forgive. The guarded, calloused hearts of the Koreans were not quick to surrender. But the love of the Japanese believers -- unintimidated by decades of hatred -- tore at the Koreans' emotions.

At the cross, at the cross
Where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away..

One Korean turned toward a Japanese brother. Then another. And then the floodgates holding back a wave of emotion let go. The Koreans met their new Japanese friends in the middle. They clung to each other and wept. Japanese tears of repentance and Korean tears of forgiveness intermingled to bathe the site of an old nightmare.

Heaven had sent the gift of reconciliation to a little white church in Korea.

~ by Tim Kimmel, Little House on the Freeway

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more..

~ Hebrews 8:12