Storytelling

25 Sept 2012
I am looking forward to WEC International's two new books which will be released as part of their centenary celebrations in 2013 which will include a Congo Prayer Walk to trace the journey their founder, CT Stubb took and will include a visit to Nebobongo Hospital which Dr Helen Roseveare set up at great personal cost but nothing compared to the price Christ paid to redeem all of us,
I am praying whether to pay the USD250 deposit to secure a place on the March trip because it will cost several thousands of dollars to travel to Entebbe from Singapore to join the team and I will have to see many patients to earn the money unless God blesses us with an inheritance.

"Two new books 

Storytelling rekindles passion. It fans the flames of our awareness of Christ's incredible love for us and deepens our passionate love for Him. So we tell stories and we corporately and personally open our hearts to be renewed by His love.

Storytelling reminds us of God's passion. It recalls Jesus' desire for us to be a part of that passion. In response we renew our focus for the unreached. We recommit ourselves to seeing multiplying communities of faith among those who have never heard. It's a daunting task and we are weak vessels, but we can count on our faithful God who has been writing his story in WEC for 100 years.
For the centennial year WEC will publish two new books, both aiming to tell these stories.

Beyond the Edge is a book of 100 tales of trusting God.

The Golden Chariot is aimed at a younger readership and has 33 stories from 11 nationalities about 20 different countries."

Loughborough

25 Sept 2012

Brian and I returned from England two days ago after settling Melissa in Loughborough University for a seven-week attachment at The School of Arts. I felt as if I had left a part of me behind. The Lord who doesn't slumber nor sleep will watch over her coming and going, both now and forevermore (Psalm 121).

Lest We Forget

5 Sept 2012 Loyang

2002

Back to Medicine 5 Apr 2002

GoForth

2003

Cambodia and Toul Sleng Prison and The Killing Fields of Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge

Condensed World Missions Course

2004

Brussells with SY, southern France to visit Ulla and Yorgen

2005

Aceh and the 2004 Post-Christmas Earthquake and Tsunami which killed more than 200,000 across the shores of Asia

Pattaya and its slums and flesh trade

Pakistan and the 2005 Kashmiri Earthquake

2006

Hysterectomy Jan 2006

Brian's enlistment

Oikos small group

Jogjakarta and the 2006 quake that affected villagers living in the highlands

2007

Pattaya slums, Victoria's WFM

Myanmar and Cyclone Nargis in May 2008 and the long wait for foreign aid workers to be given visas to enter that closed land of the Junta

Sichuan's earthquake shortly after on 12 May 2008

Bangladesh and its annual flooding and Koligram village

Grandma

2009

Padang and the Sumatran Highlands with its elusive white tigers

Sri Lanka and the end of the decades-long Tamil Tiger War and post-tsunami Batticaloa

Disaster Relief and Community Development for Kingdom Growth with BRGi at BTS

Manila's Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana) in 2009 - with BWAR24

Padang's earthquake shortly after

Lubo

2010

Taiwan

Bangkok

Haiti's earthquake in Jan 2010

Yushu's earthquake in Apr 2010

Pakistan's Great Flood

Down the Musi River in Palembang

Uncle Enrico

Labuan and Kota Kinabalu with Kheng - long lost Sim relatives

Lam Duong in the central highlands of Vietnam

2011

Pakistan's WCH in Multan

Tagaytay for chess

Labuan with Melissa

Visit of Grand Uncle Yeo Kok Peng

England with SY after Cochrane in Madrid, Spain - Imperial War Museum, Aunty Evelyn, National Archives

Rakhine in western Myanmar

Maesot at the border between Thailand and Myanmar where Karen refugees seek safety from the civil war

2012

Labuan for wake of Uncle Poh - Siew Cheng's brother

Kranji War Memorial 15 Feb 2012 - to commemorate the Fall of Singapore to the Japanese in 1942

Batam's fishing village at Air Lingka

SY Interim CEO of SCRI

Beijing's red roses in spring - China's political capital

Mongolia's slum people, street kids, peacekeepers serving under the UN and prisoners at Avdrant

Hue City, Vietnam - ancient political capital

Mindoro Island and the Aetas tribal people of Zambales

Penang coach trip with Melissa to trace date of birth of Grandfather Yeo Kok Hoe

Brian's MCAT

WEC International - Dr Helen Roseveare's autobiographical books; 100th annivesary Congo Prayer Walk in 2013?

Return to Cambodia after nine years - in memory of Lucy Leow, Shelter of Love orphanage, Mercy Medical Centre

 Melissa to Loughborough

60th Anniversary of the CPIB with book launch

Blessings in the Silence

5 Sept 2012 Loyang

Where is God in the silence?

"Be strong in the Lord"

1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

1 Cor 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,  to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

1 Cor 2:9 No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.

Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Return to Cambodia 2012

4 Sept 2012 Loyang

After nine years, God gave me the opportunity and the courage to travel to Phnom Penh for a third time. It was the first mission trip of our Oikos Small Group. SY had an important meeting he couldn't miss so Brian came in his place together with Joseph and Jannie Sin, Noreen and Peter Barrett, Richard and Siew Ying Tan. I was sorry that Julia and Tom Miller-Wong and Wai Keong and Ida Kwok couldn't join us.

We travelled by van to Kampong Thom about four hours' drive north-west from the capital to the Shelter of Love orphanage started by Sue Singleton in about 2005 after my second trip in 2003. Lucy Leow had invited me to visit with her several times but I couldn't. I felt led to visit after she was called home by the Lord earlier this year to meet the youth at the orphanage that she told me about include Pou, a gifted artist. I also purchased bead and crochet handiwork that she had taught the girls to make. We also benefited from a recent teaching session by an American lady who spent a month showing the girls how to machine-quilt and make patchwork bookmarks, cushion covers and table runners as well as more ambitious quilts.

Back in Phnom Penh on 1 Sept we visited Mercy Medical Centre which has asked for help from strategic partners like IBC in the form of doctors to help run the hospital and see the patients while their expat staff members travel to Thailand for their annual medical, nursing and dental updates as part of their continuing education like our CME in Singapore. Brian was very impressed by the American-style hospital and is praying to return as a medical student or as an intern if God opens a door for him into Duke-NUS postgraduate medicine. His MCAT results are expected tomorrow, 5 Sept. Pray God's mercy for a score of 33 in order for him to be able to submit his application this year and not have to re-take it again in Jan 2013.

We didn't have the time for Brian to visit Toul Sleng prison but Richard shared Cambodia's dark history with him and I bought him a book on the Khmer Rouge Regime of Pol Pot at the airport.

Neither was there time to look for another bunny quilt for Melissa which I think we bought from Habitat in 2003.

Graduation Photoshoot

4 Sept 2012 Loyang

I was thankful for God's divine intervention in preventing Kong from going for Brian and Melissa's graduation photoshoot at King George's Avenue on 26 Aug 2012 because we had a to climb two and a half flights of stairs to reach the photo studio inside the photoshop. Papa scolded me most of the way up and down because of Mummy's OA knees but she accomplished the feat by the power of God and His enabling grace.

Coroner's Hearing

4 Sept 2012 Loyang

Thanks be to God that I received an email from AE while at Cambodia to confirm that the long-awaited and prayed for Coroner's Hearing on UE's death from his operation to insert a stent for his abdominal aortic aneurysm in 2010.

Praying for a God-honouring verdict.

Thankful to God for the way He used this time of waiting to provide scans of old Labuan family photos and a scan of Grandfather Yeo's school leaving certificate with his date of birth.

Be Spiritually Prepared

4 Sept 2012 Loyang

Today's ODB email devotional reminds us to be well-prepared.

The Bible tells us we must prepare ourselves spiritually as well. We do that by putting on spiritual armor to protect ourselves from spiritual attack (Eph. 6:10-20); by preparing our minds for holy living (1 Peter 1:13); by making sure we’re always prepared to answer questions about the reason for the hope we possess (3:15); and by ensuring that we are ready for the promised return of Jesus (Matt. 24:44).

Thanksgiving for Life's Journey Companions

4 Sept 2012

" .. give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

At Loyang today, already 10.15am and still clearing the first morning wave since 8.30am. Thankful for the cheerfulness experienced professionalism of clinic assistants, Mdm Koh, Jennifer and Jolene.

Thankful for Jannie during last week's Cambodia trip.

Thankful for Lydia at Bukit Merah and Theresa when she is in a good mood and managing the work load.

Thankful for a hardworking husband to provide for the family and teach the Bible in small group and at Sunday school

Thankful for the children and pets in the silence at home.

Thankful for Grandma and Kong

Thankful for a childhood at 494

Thankful for Papa and Mummy's continuing supportive presence at the age of 52 years

Thankful for father-in-law, Dad to help with the children

Thankful for prayer partners, Ida, Julia, Su Yuen, Shini

Destined to Die Once

 3 Sept 2012

"Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment" Hebrews 9:27

God in His wisdom gave us each only one life to live because He knew that if we had another chance we might not make the same life choices and decisions.

Servants of Christ

26 July 2012
At Medihealth today with a scratchy voice probably cross-infected by a patient.
Note to self from this week's BSF study on 1 Corinthians 1-7 specifically in 1 Cor 4:1 So then, men ought to regards us as servants on Christ...
Lesson 19 1 Cor 9:19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone...
Pray to keep Paul's writings in mind this week at home, in the clinics, serving in BSF, not to consider my rights.

The Power of the Cross

24 July 2012

Our BSF study for this week, Lesson 19, is on 1 Corinthians 1-7, The Power of the Cross.

In chapters 1-4 Paul pointed out major sins which the Corinthian Church had ignored, deep divisions over personalities caused by pride. Christ's Lordship and His Cross are central to how Paul handled the Corinthians' problems. The cause of the Corinthians' disunity was intellectual pride, not doctrine. Competing cliques used the names of Christian leaders to split the church, dishonouring Christ Himself. None of the leaders was crucified for them or gave them eternal life. The Corinthians depended on impressive words, talents and philosophy to win people to Christ. Paul made it clear that human wisdom without Christ is worthless. 

It is not your intellect, emotional appeals, attractive personality or gift of articulation that have power to produce a faith that stands to eternity. The only real power is found when you identify in attitude and life with the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Then the Holy Spirit is free to use your life and words as He pleases. 

Christ is the foundation. Only work done through Christ by the Holy Spirit's power and wisdom survives and receives God's reward. Though we do not deserve it, God graciously rewards us for what was accomplished only through Christ with no merit of our own (Jon 15:5b; Ephesians 2:8-10).

Been there and should have done that in IBC in 2004-05.

Driving In The Dark

23 June 2012

Isaiah 42:16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 50:10 . . Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord
and rely on his God.

Isaiah 52:12 . . for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

Psalm 119:105 Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

The day after our return from the ASEAN Age Group at Hue, Victoria joined her friends on the second last day of the Freshmen Orientation Mock Camp. She forgot to pack her towel and water bottle so after the night clinic, I drove with SY and Brian to the adventure camp in Sarimbun. Brian was at the wheel. SY's newly-installed GPS took us way past his old NS camp in Lim Chu Kang. We finally saw a sign that led us down a dirt track.

It was Brian's first experience of driving along an unlit road.

"How do we see where we're going?" he asked.

"Turn on the high beam," his dad said.

As we bumped along the unpaved lane, Brian trying to manoeuvre around the deeper potholes I prayed that SY's new secondhand car wouldn't be damaged! Isaiah 42:16 came to mind, as the high beam of the car turned the darkness into light before us.

I am thankful to God who goes before us on every journey in life.

I pray our family will always be guided by our spiritual GPS, God's Word, a lamp to our feet and a light for our path.

God's Comfort From The Psalms

23 June 2012

Elisabeth-Klein Corcoran in "If I Could Teach My Children One Thing... the Word of God is the key to his comfort, especially, I’ve found, the Psalms. There isn’t one emotion left uncovered in that book. David and the other writers went through it all. Bad for them, good for us. Betrayal, unfaithfulness, sinning, being sinned against, being chased, having enemies, feeling far from God, searching for him and not finding him, searching for him and finally finding him. Relational strife. Love, loss of love. Friendship, loss of friendship. Life, loss of life. You name it, it’s in there.

Pray And Not Lose Heart

22 June 2012

Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 

From Our Daily Bread June 10, 2012

One of my biggest struggles is unanswered prayer. Maybe you can relate. You ask God to rescue a friend from addiction, to grant salvation to a loved one, to heal a sick child, to mend a relationship. All these things you think must be God’s will. For years you pray. But you hear nothing back from Him and you see no results.

You remind the Lord that He’s powerful. That your request is a good thing. You plead. You wait. You doubt—maybe He doesn’t hear you, or maybe He isn’t so powerful after all. You quit asking—for days or months. You feel guilty about doubting. You remember that God wants you to take your needs to Him, and you tell Him your requests again.

We may sometimes feel we’re like the persistent widow in Jesus’ parable recorded in Luke 18. She keeps coming to the judge, badgering him and trying to wear him down so he’ll give in. But we know that God is kinder and more powerful than the judge in the parable. We trust Him, for He is good and wise and sovereign. We remember that Jesus said we “always ought to pray and not lose heart” (v.1).

So we ask Him, “Summon Your power, O God; show us Your strength, O God, as You have done before” (Ps. 68:28 NIV). And then we trust Him . . . and wait. —Anne Cetas

Pray on, then, child of God, pray on;
This is your duty and your task.
To God the answering belongs;
Yours is the simpler part—to ask. —Chisholm

Delay is not denial so keep praying.

What Is It You Want?

21 June 2012

From Connection! 27 Oct 2009

“The king said to me, ‘What is it you want?’ Then I prayed to the God of heaven, and I answered the king, ‘If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it’” (Nehemiah 2:4-5).

"Do you wonder how many prayers God might have answered differently if we had just been obedient in our actions?"

Be Careful What You Look for

21 June 2012 Loyang Offshore Supply Base

2 Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”

What are you looking for in life? Be careful what you look for. The Bible tells us that those who seek will find. But you might be seeking wrong things. If you are looking to be rich, you may well end up rich, but also tremendously unhappy and burdened down by the things of this world. You may be looking for fame, for recognition of your accomplishments. In the process of finding that recognition on earth, you may well lose the praise of heaven.

From Connection! 18 June 2012

Good Works Prepared For Us To Do

19 June 2012

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Can't go back on my commitment to go on the Philippines medical mission with Hun Hoe and Julia without a better reason than my disappointment over unanswered prayers for Victoria's last ASEAN Age Group Chess.

Judges 11:30-31 And Jephthah made a vow to the Lord: “If You give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering. ”

Bible scholars do not agree on whether Jephthah sacrificed his daughter (to a God who abhorred the child sacrifices of pagans and wicked kings) or dedicated her to a lifetime of service unto the Lord. To me, the passage serves as a reminder that our promise-keeping God would expect us to honour our commitments as far as humanly possible, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Only God Who Makes Things Grow

19 June 2012

1 Corinthians 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

So thankful to be home with family and pets and to find that God has preserved the back and front garden of our flat despite a letter from the management of our housing estate advising residents to pot their ground plants because the gardens were going to be replanted in a more uniform manner. Praise and thanks be to God for preserving and protecting the garden that has given me joy and comfort for 23 years.

Thanksgiving From Vietnam

19 June 2012 Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Ho Chi Minh City

Thank God for His grace and provision in replacing the rating points Victoria lost at the Asian Nations Chess Cup in Shandong, China in May.

Thank God for free wi-fi and Internet access at Huong Giang Hotel n Le Loi Road, air-conditioning, hot running water, a room with a view (320) comfortably furnished with ratten furniture and glass-topped writing desk and bedside table for Victoria and me, coffee and tea-making facilities with an electric jug kettle, a nice bathroom with a bath tub and shower, thick white towels, a stainless steel rack shelf to hang my handwashing, shampoo and bath gel, a fridge, soft warm lighting but enough lamps for brightness, a long glass-topped table along one wall for the television Victoria's chess board and laptop/notebook with a conveniently located socket on the wall just behind the desk top.
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Thank God for the Riverside Restaurant with its view of the lotus pond in bloom and beyond it the wide Perfume River. The  put-put sound of the bumboats chugging up and down the river brought back memories of 494. Grandma or Kong used to carry me to look across the upstairs balcony to see the boats sailing past the east coast of Singapore. I didn't get to go on a boat ride because the USD22 for a one hour ride paid for another dress for Victoria from Gia Huy Silk across the road (www.giahuysilk.com)

Thank God for the familiar company of Iskandar's Mum, Zainah and Joyce Ho, mum of Danielle and Michelle and Mr Jovan as Victoria's trainer during the competition. The others were almost all new faces. Thank God that Victoria is still playing chess, an answer to prayer for wholesome activities for our children, when so many have given up the sport despite their talent and investment in training paid with their parents' hard-earned money.

Thank God for Joyce showing us Dong Ba Market when four of us shared a cab on the first day of the tournament with Zainah and Vivian to get juice from the supermarket.

Thank God for our smooth flight from Hue. Victoria had a Chick 'N Crisp burger at Burger King outside the International Terminal with the trainers, Jovan, Rico, Enrique and Ramos.

Thank God Iskandar found a bank of wall sockets at one end of the departure terminal. Now he, Victoria and I are seated in a row of soft blue seats, working on our notebooks. Unlike Hue City's Phu Bai Airport with its free wi-fi, this sister airport does not. Once again we have Iskandar to thank for access through Confetti Restaurant because he guessed its password "confetti" and gained us a connection to its network. Pray protection of our computers.

A Memorial To The People

18 June 2012

1 Samuel 4:7 " . . These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

Praying for 494 which is being considered for conservation along the Siglap-Bedok Heritage Trail by the National Heritage Board.

Each one of us has been blessed by God at various times throughout the history of 494.

I am thankful to God that the interview of a daughter of the Ko family that first lived in 494 may be a source of information for my memoirs of the Yeo family, Kong and me. It was Mummy and Papa's first home after they got married in1959, my first and only home till I got married in 1986 and where our children, Brian, Melissa and Victoria spent a large part of their childhood in Grandma and Kong's care while I was work, sharing many of my memories.

Praying that God Who is Sovereign will over-rule in all decisions that are made concerning the future of 494, to His glory and the continued blessing of His children. And that Kong will be able to spend his remaining time on earth in the house that been home to him longest.

Pray God's peace for Papa and me as we entrust 494 into God's hands because He is trustworthy.

Thus Far Has The Lord Helped Us

18 June 2012

1 Samuel 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the LORD helped us.”
Isaiah 25:1 O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name,
for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
Joshua 4:7,24 . . These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever. . .
He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

We are done with the AAG. No medals or WIM title but God has graciously replaced the rating points Victoria lost at the Asian Nations in Zaozhuang last month, all glory to Him.

Living Up to God's Trust

18 June 2012

Sophia just forwarded me the Eagles Rendezvous email on their Bible studies Studies in 2 Timothy on Saturday July 14, 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18 & 25, 2012. SY and I resume our Faith Bible Institute (FBI) Bible studies in August so I am praying whether to attend Eagles' study until our final Semester 6 commences.

Life is a trust from God. To have lived well is to have lived up to God's trust, to have fulfilled His purposes and to have exercised His gifts. As Paul comes to the close of his life, he discloses what has given him meaning and motivation. He shares how to live such that we too can echo at the end of our time, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
In this 7-part series, you will learn:
* How to experience God's trustworthiness in your life.
* How to remain passionate for Christ and to remain firm in sound beliefs.
* How to avoid worldly influences and to flee temptations.
* How to stand firm in the faith and finish the race strongly.
* How to stay focused and not be derailed in the Christian life.
* How to keep your eyes on the prize - being rewarded in heaven by Jesus Christ.
* How to live your life to God's approval and commendation.

Join us in discovering and responding to what God will do with and through us!

"What is the matter, Hagar?"

18 June 2012

Jill Briscoe's Just Between Us email devotion on 13 June 2012 entitled  "He Is Your Solution To Every Problem" encouraged me when Victoria returned crying to our room after losing by default to her Viet opponent for not claiming a draw within the last two minutes of their game even though the other girl did not have any pieces left to checkmate Victoria. Jill Briscoe's devotional reminded me that God's hears our children when they cry. I shared it with prayer partners and mums, Ida, Hannah and Maureen. I trust they were as blessed and encouraged by God's Word as I was.

Abraham had sent Hagar and her son Ishmael into the wilderness. It was very hot, and the water they had been given was gone. Hagar left her boy under a bush and, going a little distance away, waited for him to die. She couldn’t watch him suffer.

Then the Bible says, “Hagar cried – and God heard the voice of the lad!” It doesn’t say that God heard Hagar’s voice! “What is the matter, Hagar?” God asked her. “Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there” (Gen. 21:17).

Ishmael didn’t let tears stop him from praying. Hagar did, as we often do! Women, especially, are prone to have a good cry, and sometimes there is relief in being able to do that. But when God has to lean out of heaven and ask, “What is the matter?” it’s time to stop! He will remind us that He is a God who answers prayer. God opened Hagar’s eyes and she saw a well. Then she filled the bottle with water and saved the boy’s life.

Have you ever been so busy crying that you can’t pray? Maybe you need to dry your tears and to hush your voice to listen in expectancy. Our cries can block out the voice of God, and our tears can blind us to the well of water that is right under our nose.

God is waiting to show us the solution to our problems. There will always be a well of living water available to help us cope with our distress. We just need to stop crying long enough to see it and “to fill our skins with it.” Sometimes it takes the simple prayers of a little child to teach us these things!

Lord, thank You for being a God who answers prayer. Thank You for all the times you have answered my prayers – even those I couldn’t see. So many times I walk around carrying a burden that I haven’t even talked to You about. Remind me, again and again, that You are there just waiting for me. You know the answer to every problem, the solution for every concern. Help me to come to You, and then to listen for Your answer – the way to the living water You offer. Amen.

Keeping Your Dream Alive

18 June 2012

The SKS Books Newsletter on 18 May 2012 had a review of Dr Erwin W. Lutzer's book, Keep Your Dream Alive - Lessons from the Life of Joseph.

Each and every one of us have dreams, whether it is small or large, shattered or fulfilled, dreams are an integral part of our lives and helps us live our lives to the fullest.

The biblical story of Joseph is well known to most of us; as a young man, he was betrayed by his brothers, imprisoned and forgotten by all who knew him. Despite all the hardships he faced, he realized God's plan and experienced his dream to the fullest.

Through this engaging study of the life of Joseph, one of the most popular and beloved Bible character, bestselling author Erwin W. Lutzer shows you how to:

*embrace your dream as God-given and faith-filled.

*understand how your dream can be shattered by sin.

*nurture your dream and live it out.
*handle the tests and trials along the way.

Perseverance

18 June 2012

Perseverance Must Finish Its Work

From Connection! (Devotions For Every Day Life) Posted on 18 May 2012

One of George Müller’s firm beliefs was in the simple admonition to confide in God with the trust of a child, and to wait on Him to answer. Miraculous responses to prayer came almost daily as Müller waited for God to answer in His time. Throughout his ninety-three years, eight months, and five days, Müller learned to trust.

A favorite text from James 1:4 hung on his memory’s walls: “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” Müller had asked God to increase his faith and to sustain his patience and God heard and answered.

Indeed, he insisted at the very end of his life: “It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly continue in prayer, until we obtain an answer; and further, we have not only to continue in prayer unto the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers.

Most frequently, we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing.6 (emphasis added)

–Adapted from Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry (Chapter 24, An Historical Role Model of Personal Passion in Prayer by Karen O’Dell Bullock).

Father, how often I have quit praying too soon thinking that I have done all that I needed to do.  Forgive me for my lack of faith, and for not pressing into Your heart for the answer that You would delight to give if I would truly expect You to answer.  Forgive me for the mechanical nature of prayers that are spoken out of duty rather than delight!  Help me to persevere by pressing into You, and to spend more time listening for Your voice.

Opening The Door Of Praise

18 June 2012

From Connection! (Devotions For Every Day Life) Posted on 21 May 2012

Jesus taught us to open the door of prayer with praise and thanksgiving. Praise is a response to the greatness of God, and thanksgiving is a response to the goodness of God. Praise acknowledges the attributes of God, whereas thanksgiving acknowledges the deeds of God. The psalmist said, “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving” (Psalm 95:2).

One of the attributes of Jesus mentioned in Revelation 5:5 is that He is the “Lion that is from the tribe of Judah. And the name Judah means “praise.” Jesus is the King from the tribe of praise. We need to enter into the presence of the Father by beholding the King with praise.
–Adapted from The Prayer Factor by Sammy Tippit

Lion of Judah, You are the King from the tribe of praise!  Your greatness compels my heart into the throne room where myriad thousands of angels are rejoicing before You!  As I think of how good and gracious You have been to me, I am filled with thanksgiving and awe!  I will honor You all the days of my life! 

Prayer Points
Praise God as the great and powerful Creator who has no equal on earth or in the spiritual realm. Give thanks for the vast, eternal reaches of God’s knowledge and wisdom. Confess those times when you have not trusted in God’s leading. Commit yourself to spending more of your prayer time meditating on the depth of His knowledge and understanding. Ask God to daily make you aware of His power, His wisdom, and His great love for you.

The God Who Closes Doors

17 June 2012

This past week Lydia shared a link to Pastor Joel Osteen's message on 10 June 2012. I couldn't listen to the podcast here in Hue City but this was the summary of his message from his website.

#541, The God Who Closes Doors
The same God that opens doors will close doors. Maybe you prayed and didn’t get the job you really wanted or a relationship didn’t work out. It’s easy to allow rejection to lead to discouragement and think that God is not working in your life. But God sees the bigger picture for your life. He knows where every road is leading and where the dead ends are.
Proverbs 20:24 says, “A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?”When you realize you are in the palm of God’s hand and that nothing happens without His divine purpose, then you will begin to see and realize that the closed doors are just as important as the open doors.

Walk Away Right Now

17 June 2012

Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Praying to God to show me a way out of the commitments of ministry so that I can stand up under the disappointment of unanswered prayers, unfulfilled hopes and broken dreams.

Note To Self

17 June 2012

Note to self at the completion of the seven rounds of Rapid Chess. The 13th ASEAN Age Group ends tomorrow with the Blitz Chess.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Psalm 31:14-15 But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
Isaiah 49:23 . . . Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in Me will not be disappointed

The God Of All Comfort

17 June 2012

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

As You Help Us By Your Prayers

17 June 2012

As You Help Us By Your Prayers

2 Cor 1:10-11 On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Thanks be to God for the blessing of prayer partners during this chess tournament especially Ida, Maureen, Hannah, Julia, Lydia and family.

Give Thanks In All Circumstances

17 June 2012 Hue City

1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

We give thanks for 2 points after 4 rounds of Rapid Chess in the 13th ASEAN Age Group together with Nguyen Thi Mai Hung and Nguyen Tran Ngoc Thuy from Vietnam, Docena Jedara from the Philippines, Jelsen Yemi from Indonesia and Enkhtuul Altanulzii from Mongolia whom Victoria is facing in Round 5 at 4pm.

2 Chronicles 14:11 Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You.”

Immeasurably More Than We Imagine

17 June 2012 13th ASEAN Age Group Chess, Hue City

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.

The Standard Chess tournament ended two days ago and yesterday, Ton Nu Hong An from Vietnam, stood on the winners' stand to receive her Girls Under-20 Individual Bronze Medal.

Five years ago, God did immeasurably more than all we asked or imagined when He blessed Victoria with a WFM title together with Ton Nu when they won the Girls Under-16 section of the 2007 ASEAN Age Group held in Pattaya, Thailand.

The mother's heart within me had hoped, dreamed and prayed that they would share the winners' podium for the second and last time they are eligible to compete in the AAG in the Girls Under-20 and gain their WIM title but it was not meant to be. Since the title eluded Ton Nu as well, there is still hope that, God willing, my prayer may be answered in God's time.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.^"