Watch the door of my lips

I've observed that those who speak most often about God's goodness are usually those with the most trials. They focus on the Lord's mercy and grace rather than on their troubles, and in so doing they taste His goodness.

So let us remember what David did in the book of Psalms and declare with him : I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the LORD; lt the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the LORD, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Psalms 34 :1-10

Matthews 15 : 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

Psalms 141 : 3 Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Dealing with doubt

I have known many believers that went through repeated cycles of joy and gloom. And when they were down, merely quoting Bible verses helped little because they were already aware of them. But they kept living for God and praying, and their faith prevailed.

For the past weeks, we visited a few Christians who pass through the dark tunnel of depression and sickness. They were depressed and down, and tend to focus on their sins and weakness and failures so much that they may even want to die.
Trying to live a Christ honouring life while experiencing hardship can leave us frustrated and discouraged. Yet when we depend on God to help us through our difficulties, we are empowered to keep going even when we can't always see the resolution of our problems.

In Psalms, God promises that : God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Psalms 46:1-3

Lord, give us grace to trust You when
Life's burdens seem too much to bear;
Dispel the darkness with new hope
And help us rise above despair. - Sper

Khan Gua Eh Chiu

Khan gua eh chiu, gua eh Zhu ah
Chia li mai li khui gua
Chit tiao lor gua koh ai kia

Gua su yau li lai cho phua

Khan gua eh chiu, gua eh Zhu ah

Chia li mai li khui gua
U si gua eh kia
U si mg chai an chua kia
U si ka na thia beh tiow li eh sia

Khan gua eh chiu, gua eh Zhu ah
Chia li ka gua choe phua
Ho gua eh kha po yu un yu tia
Kia kao Li eh bin zheng

Thia tiow li eh sia, ka gua kong, jip lai gua eh kia

[In English translation]

Hold my hand, My Lord.
Please don't leave me.
This path I still have to walk.
I need you to be my companion.
Hold my hand, My Lord.

Please don't leave me.
Sometimes I am afraid.
Sometimes I don't know which way to go.
Sometimes I seem not to hear your voice.

Hold my hand, my Lord.
Please be my companion.
Let my footsteps be strong and firm.
Walk till your front door.

Hear your voice saying to me, "Come in, my child".

[Song written and sung by Pas. GT Lim in Hokkien]

Psalms 37 : 23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. (KJV)

Overcoming greed

Money is not everything :-

Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle. Proverbs 23:5

Jesus is my wealth:

This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches" Jeremiah 9:23

Be Careful

Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God... Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 8:11-14

The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.
You have power over your mind - not outside events
Your life is what your thoughs make it.

If money is your highest goal,
The thing you long to gain,
Its power will enslave your soul,
And cause your life much pain - D.De Haan

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house; thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's." Exodus 20:17 [The last of the Ten Commandments]

THE BEST REMEDY FOR GREED IS GENEROSITY.

Real love - The LOVE of God

Every year without fail on February 14, the world takes delight in celebrating Valentine's Day - a day in which people celebrate and express love or feelings for each other. It is also the time to develop a sense of belonging and friendship.

To love and be loved by someone is the most beautiful and fulfillng experience.

True love knows no bounds and consists of great sacrifice and care. It also embraces compassion, kindness, respect and thoughtfulness.

Real love comes with a lot of responsibility, commitment, understanding, tolerance, acceptance and humility.

The word love appears in Scripture more than 500 times. The essence of the gospel is love, as we see in John 3:16. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (NIV)

The Bible gives us some practical suggestions about becoming the person who demonstrates the love of Christ. We are to give preference to one another (Romans 12:10), edify one another (Romans 14:19), care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25), serve one another (Galatians,comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and pray for one another (James 5:16).

5:13), bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), forgive one another (Colossians 3:13)

It is always better to give others a piece of our heart than a piece of our mind.

TO KNOW LOVE, OPEN YOUR HEART TO JESUS,.

TO SHOW LOVE, OPEN YOUR HEART TO OTHERS.

LOVE is an expression

LOVE IS AN EXPRESSION - My wife received this bouquet from a senior member, aged 80 years after a sharing this morning. She was sharing in a senior group gathering numbering about 70 people at a local church.

This gift is truly an expression of God's love, expressed through this uncle even before the world celebrated Valentine Day on the 14th of February.

To know that you are cared for by someone is one of life's greatest gifts - David Roper

Faith or Hope

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) KJV

There are two main ways in which faith differs from hope.

Firstly, hope is directed towards the future, but faith is established in the present. Hope is an attitude of expectancy concerning things that are yet to be, but faith is a substance - a confidence, something real and definite within us - that we possess here and now.

Secondly, hope is anchored in the realm of the mind; faith is anchored in the realm of the heart.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Notice that faith - together with love - is found in the region of the breast, that is, the region of the heart. But hope is pictured as a helmet, in the region of the head, or mind. Thus, hope is a mental attitude of expectancy concerning the future, faith is a condition of the heart, producing within us here and now something so real that it can be described by the word substance.

[This excerpt is taken from Foundational Truths For Christian Living by Derek Prince]

God's great "medicine bottle"

God's Word is so varied and wonderful in its working that it provides not only spiritual health and strength for the soul but also physical health and strength for the body. In Proverbs 4, God's promise perfect healing and health to every believing child of God. God's great "medicine bottle" is contained in Proverbs 4: 20-22.

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.

They are four fold :

1. "Give attention to my Words."

2. "Incline your ear."

3. "Do not let them depart from your eyes."

4. "Keep them in the midst of your heart."

[This excerpt is taken from Foundational Truths For Christian Living by Derek Prince]

The Right Kind of FAITH

My faith is not in my ability to control my own destiny.
My faith is not in my good name and good living.
My faith is not in my church or its ceremonies.
My faith is not in my ability to improve myself.
My faith is not in my ability to push all negative thoughts out of my life.
My faith is not in my own sincerity.
My faith is not in my power to tap some inner, godlike resources.
My faith is in Jesus Christ.

[This excerpt is taken from Do I Have The Right Kind Of Faith? 2001 RBC Ministries.
Read it online at www.discoveryseries.org/q0603]

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, former pastor of London's Westminster Chapel said: "Faith is holding on to the faithfulness of God and, as long as you do that, you cannot go wrong. Faith does not look at the difficulties..... Faith does not look at itself or at the person who is exercising it. Faith look at God..... Faith is interested in God only, and it talks about God and it praises God and it extols the virtues of God.

Steamboat dinner

We were invited and blessed with a steamboat dinner at 'Zi Wei Yuan Steamboat' along Jalan Raja Uda, Butterworth yesterday. The restaurant is situated opposite the busy 'Apollo" open market. The place is spacious and there are wide varieties of choice.

There were also a good company of friends to share the good food.

CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP BUILDS US UP AND BINDS US TOGETHER.