To my beloved Heavenly Father on Fathers’ Day 2015
I am so thankful for Your goodness and faithfulness. By Your grace and with Your love, You’ve brought me to a place of such solid security in You that I’m blessed with a core of deep peace that surpasses understanding. What a treasure of a gift to be anchored in You—unshaken by situations and circumstances, content to listen to Your heartbeat and simply obey my Lord and God. You give me a constant song of joy and praise that stirs up a passion to help others reach the same unflinching faith and rootedness in You—the trustworthy, unchanging, eternal Rock of Ages, Ancient of Days, Alpha & Omega, Father.
A gentle easing into blogging again after a year of extensive travels and intense experiences. Here are several links that are a blessing to me.
Your Favourite Name Is Father
Newsong
阿爸天父 Abba Father
Streams of Praise
(with official English lyrics)
Jesus said: “[I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
– John 14:6 (Amplified Bible)
“My gracious God, what a good place You’ve brought me to.”
4 decades of living and the journey has been eventful but fruitful. Looking back, there are things that remain beyond my understanding, but I’m perfectly fine with that because there’s one thing I am sure of: “My trustworthy God reigns and He has been and continues to be faithful and good to me.”
“But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” -Psalm 13:5-6
When I focus on my God, everything else assumes a proper perspective.
My recent super smooth surgery is a beautiful demonstration of God’s amazing love for me. I shall dedicate my birthday to writing all about it so do stay tuned. 🙂
I am Abundantly Blessed & Truly Loved!
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My God—WOW!
How Great Is Our God (World Edition) – Chris Tomlin & Friends Lyrics/Music: Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, and Ed Cash
Indescribable(an extract) – Louie Giglio
“John (the Baptist) saw Jesus (Christ, Son of the Living God) coming to him and said, Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world!” –John 1:29
“After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. In loud voice they cried, saying, [Our] salvation is due to our God, Who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [to Them we owe our deliverance]!” –Revelation 7:9-10
The Whole Earth – 12 International Worship Leaders & Singers Lyrics/Music: Klaus Kuehn
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To each of you who has been or continues to be a part of my life, I truly appreciate you. You have contributed to my growth and I am thankful. I wish you and your family Blessings of Love, Joy, Peace & Progress.
May you increase in the knowledge and revelation of our Mighty Creator God who described Himself in His inspired Bible (Exodus 33) as merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abundant in loving-kindness and truth, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty (because He is holy and righteous). I am so glad that the LORD didn’t stop there but reached out to restore fallen mankind.
“The righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah/Saviour). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and are falling short of the honour and glory [b]which God bestows and receives. [All] are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favour and mercy), through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.” -Romans 3:22-25.
My beloved elder son Caleb Brandon
Today you reach a milestone, a momentous point in life
Today you turn twenty-one and step out from the age of minor
Age 21. The threshold of adulthood in Singapore. Now you can vote in national elections―a citizen’s right and responsibility that you’ve been looking forward to. And in the years ahead, your choice may not always match mine but that’s your privilege in a free country blessed by God. And just as I respect your decision to not turn today into a large group celebration, I aim to listen to your views as I hope you will do mine; share my thoughts with you in the expectation of reciprocity. Next to God I will be your strongest supporter (until your eventual marriage after which this role should belong to your wife), always rooting for you to fulfil His perfect plan and purpose for you. For therein lies the only reason and meaning for our lives on earth―a brief sojourn preceding the potential and promise of a glorious eternal life anchored in our Lord Jesus Christ.
* A Mother’s Heart
Within the two decades that you’ve lived, you’ve experienced both joys and pains. I could wish that you’d been spared the harsh parts but I know that hard times throw up valuable lessons and shape our character, usually for the better. And if we allow our hearts to remain tender to our Creator no matter what circumstances we’re in, He is always close to the broken-hearted and humble, a rock solid Source of Strength and Encouragement.
One thing that I am so thankful for—as your life becomes increasingly independent from mine, as it should be (I’ll ensure the apron strings are cleanly cut with no ungodly soul ties remaining)—I can always pray for you and know that God Almighty listens. His love for you far surpasses mine, and He is the Faithful and Reliable Refuge whom you can and should always turn to, whether concerning major or small issues. I ask that He keeps you ever zealous for righteousness and compassionate towards the needy and weak. I pray that He delivers you from evil and temptation daily. I ask that He provides for you and guides you each day. I desire that He pours out His favour upon you and shines His face on you. I pray that He grants you wisdom beyond your age, and gives you understanding, revelation and a spirit of excellence.
Among the abundance of gifts that our Heavenly Father has blessed me with, you rank right up there with your brother Joshua Jared in the top tier that’s marked Precious. “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. As arrows are in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” -Psalm 127:3-5
CALEB
The LORD said: “Because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it” -Numbers 14:24
Caleb has strength of mind and courage, displaying a right character and attitude toward God and His Word, having unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.
BRANDON
Fervent; One of Authority; ‘From the Beacon Hill’. “You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden…Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy and noble deeds and recognise and glorify your Heavenly Father.” -Matthew 5:14,16
May you always heed the divine counsel of Father God who cares for you and calls you His child
* “And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’” -Job 28:28
* “Get wisdom! For skillful and godly Wisdom is the principal thing. And with all you have gotten, get understanding (discernment, comprehension, and interpretation).” -Proverbs 4:7
* “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent [or give in to them].” -Proverbs 1:10-19
* “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night.” -Psalm 1:1-2
Personalised Blessing for My Son
“Caleb Brandon, may the LORD Almighty fill you with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship. May your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. May you be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything you do shall prosper [and come to maturity].” -Exodus 31:3, Psalm 1:3, Colossians 4:6
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Find Us Faithful – Steve Green (Much older but still faithfully pointing all to Jesus) Lyrics/Music: Jon Mohr
We’re pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who’ve gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we’ve left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
Carol Foo 珍 ALIVE & KICKING! 