Breakthrough in 2008

Perfect love casts out fear... Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, and He is with me all the time -of whom or what should I fear?

As the new year dawns, there will be challenges but with God as my fortress and my strength, I will forge ahead and be a victor and an overcomer.

I was inspired by Paster Eugene's sermon based on Mark 11:12-25. I seek breakthroughs in the following areas:

1. Speech - words have power, to be positive and speak blessings

2. Offering/tithing - an act of thanksgiving, a test of faith, give God the firstfruits

3. Time - live for God (cf. Phil 1:21, Rom 14:7-8)

4. Faith - pray and believe (cf. Mark 11:24)

5. Perspective - think of others, not self; forgive others (cf Mark 11:25, Phil 3:10).

I was also inspired by the Covenant Renewal Watchnight service at Wesley. Pastor Melvin preached about Inverse Destitution (Matt 5:3, John 3:30, 2 Cor 8:9, 2 Cor 12:7-10).

I felt I understood what it meant for me to be weak in order to be strong and we commited ourselves to Christ through the following prayer which I found meaningful:

Let me be your servant, under Your command. I will no longer be my own. I will give up myself to Your will in all things. Lord, make me what You will. I put myself fully into Your hands: put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You, let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and with a willing heart give it all to Your pleasure and disposal. Amen.

Bless us in this new year, O Lord.

My times are in your hands - Ps 31:15

Psalm 139 and On Eagle's Wing

It's TTC Sunday today and the sermon was delivered by Gordon Wong and it was based on Psalm 139.

Psalm 139 is not an unfamliar Psalm but what struck me most are the following verses:
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.


And one of the hymns we sang " On Eagle's Wings" struck another chord deep within me. It reminded me of Isa 40:31 but the song-writer based it on Exodus 19: 4. God said to Moses: 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

The chorus of the hymn goes like this:
And He will raise you up on Eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His hand.

The last line of the chorus reminds me of Isaiah 49:16:
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

I am so grateful that despite my weariness, God uplifts and protects and refreshes....

The tune of "On Eagle's Wings" can be heard from:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~sorem002/on_eagles_wings-satb.mid