Month: April 2020

My Jesus I Love Thee

16 year old William Featherston of
Montreal wrote this simple hymn
shortly after his conversion in 1862.
Featherston sent the poem to his
aunt in LA who then sent it to
England, where it appeared in
the London Hymnbook of 1864.
Baptist minister Gordon was
preparing a hymnal for Baptist
congregations when he saw: My
Jesus I Love Thee in British hymnal.
He didn’t like the music the words
were set to, and he later wrote
a tune which complemented
the simple words and soon the
hymn was sung across America.

Lord Jesus, we Love Thee:
This is real love – not that we
loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son as a sacrifice to
take away our sins. Dear friends,
since God loved us that much, we
surely ought to love each other.
If we love one another, God
abides in us… There is no fear
in love; but perfect love casts
out fear… God Is Love, and he
who abides in love abides in God.
We love Him because He first
loved us (1 John 4:10-12, 18-19).

Lord, thank U for first loving me!
As we live in You, our love grows
more complete. Although I don’t
understand the trials I may go
through, I trust Your love for me.
Help me to truly abide in You.
Fill me with Your perfect love that
casts out all fear, so that I can
live in confidence and rest in You.
Help me share Your amazing love
with those around me. Amen.

Lord, You are love. And because
of that Nothing will happen to me
that is not permitted within the
scope of Your love. Lord, I want
to overflow with the constant
refreshing fountain of Your love
so that I will spill out in my words
and actions. Even in difficult
circumstances with difficult people
help me Lord find the path of love.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know
Thou art mine – For Thee
all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer,
my Saviour art Thou: If ever
I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now…
I love Thee because Thou hast
first loved me And purchased
my pardon on Calvary’s tree;
I loved Thee for wearing
the thorns on Thy brow: If ever
I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

Loving Heavenly Father, we thank
and acknowledge Your steadfast
love and sovereignty. We humbly
come before You confessing
our anxieties while submitting
our Petitions to You. We come
united in the Name of our Lord
Jesus to intercede this day for
the Coronavirus crisis in general
and for Singapore in particular….

Lord, we are really concerned
by the surge in cases yesterday.
In Your mercy and compassion,
together we intercede that You
will miraculously bring about
a Containment and an eventual
turnaround to this situation
in all affected countries; and
Your Antioch Singapore….

Lord God of Wisdom, we ask
that You may grant officials at the
national and international levels
Wisdom, competence & favour
as they coordinate efforts to
maintain public health and order…

Lord, we ask for Protection and
good health for all as we go about
our daily lives. We seek protection
especially the vulnerable young,
elderly or ill. And those in the
frontlines of essential services;
those in healthcare, food retailing,
policing and immigration. And
remember my three children who
are covering Covid cases these days.

Lord Jehovah Rapha, we ask
for swift recovery and complete
Healing for the quarantined in
hospitals as well as calm for those
in the cities undergoing lockdown.
We especially ask for Faster
recovery rate in Singapore so that
the hospital spaces will be able
to cope the surge in cases….

Lord of Compassion, we ask
for all of us to continue to abide
in our Lord Jesus, show practical
love to one another and to look out
for our fellow citizens, colleagues
and neighbours. Help us to sow
seeds of kindness so that we
can Be Light of the world. And
in due time share Your gospel…

Lord God Almighty, together we
Thank You that we can come
with these requests, knowing
that we can cast all our cares
on You because You Care for us.
Have mercy, Lord, as we pray all
these in mighty Name of Jesus.
Amen.

Hope Is Built on Christ the Rock

Many British hymn writers were
children of the clergy or came from
middle or upper-class backgrounds;
but that’s not so for Edward Mote.
He was apprenticed to a cabinet
-maker who took him to church
in a London suburb. The chorus
came to Mite’s mind as he was
walking to work, and during the day
the stanzas came to him. Two years
later he published it in a collection
of his hymns entitled “The Basis of
a Sinner’s Hope.” It is a hymn that
combines deep biblical theology
with sincere personal experience.

Lord, in this Covid crisis, our hope
is in You Jesus our solid rock: If we
are living in the light, as God is in
the light, then we’ve fellowship with
each other, and the blood of Jesus,
his Son, cleanses us from all sin.
If we claim we have no sin,
we are only fooling ourselves
and not living in the truth. But
if we confess our sins to Him;
he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness (1Jn 1:7-9).

Lord, I confess my sins before You…
If there is sin that I am not seeing,
reveal to me so that I can confess it.
Thankful that You are faithful
to forgive sins and to cleanse
me from all the effects of them.
Thankful that I can live in wholeness
of complete forgiveness and
purified of all unrighteousness.
Thankful that You reckon me
faultless for Jesus alone is my
righteousness. In His name, Amen.

Lord, Give me strength of character
to take responsibility for my actions
and not to blame others. Please
Forgive me when I am wrong; for You
promise that when I confess my sins,
You will forgive me and cleanse me.
Lord, I tend to be guilty of reacting
wrongly in the midst of tough times.
Help me stay close to You so that I
dont fall apart spiritually/emotionally
at the signs of trouble. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for Your Word that
says U are our solid rock, no matter
whatever circumstances around us.
You are always with us and we are
safe and secure under Your arms.
Lord, You are our all in all, our hope
is in You alone and we rest on You.
Support us Lord in this Covid crisis;
for we look up to You our solid rock!
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood & righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name…
On Christ, the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand…
When darkness veil His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the vale…

Coming Hope for God’s People

God is holy and just, but He is also
loving and gracious. God must
discipline, but because of His
endless love He will ultimately save
and restore His wayward people.
“I will heal their backsliding, I will
love them freely; for mine anger
is turned away from him.” Hosea
whose heart has already been
broken once by the harlotry and
shameful behaviour of his wife
Gomer, now pleads one last time
for his countrymen to repent: “O
Israel, return unto the Lord thy God.”

The book of Hosea dramatically
portrays God’s  persistent love.        And in Chap 11-14, although God        will discipline His people for sin,           He will restore those who repent.
Lord in Covid adversity, we consider.
We Commit be Faithful to Your love.
We Confess our Rebelliousness;
We Wait for Your Restoration; and
We Will Return to Your Fold. Amen.

Lord, we confess our rebelliousness:
When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
But the more I called Israel, the
further they went from me. They
sacrificed to the Baals and they
burned incenses to images. They
did not realise it was I who healed
them. I led them with cords of human
kindness, with ties of love; I lifted
the yoke from their neck and bent
down to feed them… My people
are bent on Backsliding from Me.
Though they fall to the Most High,
none at all exalt Him (Hos 11:1-4,7).
Father, You are hurt when we reject
U by preferring to live our own way.
And it pains You to watch as we
suffer consequences of our sin.
Lord, don’t let let me waste my life
complaining about my experiences.
Help me to grow stronger through
them and to recognise Your loving
hand in them. In Jesus’ name, Amen

Lord, we will Wait for Restoration:
Lord God Almighty, I call You Lord.
It is a name of renown. May I seek
to return to You, my God, and
maintain love and justice, and wait
for You always. (Hos 12;5-6).
Lord, I am prone to wander; and
so draw me to return back to You.
Lord, grant me the grace to “qawa”
to hope, to wait until hope is fulfilled.
Reassure me with Your quickening
Spirit; for without U I can do nothing.
Fill me Lord with love, peace, joy
and all the other fruits of the Spirit.
Whatever circumstance that I am
in, I will flee to You for safe refuge.
I surrender myself to You Lord,
trysting Your precious promises, and
against hope believing in hope. Amen

Lord, we will Return to Your Fold:
Return O Israel to the Lord yr God
for your sins brought you down.
Bring your petitions and Return
to the Lord. Say to Him: Forgive
all our sins and graciously
receive us, so that we may offer
You the sacrifice of praise…Never
again will we call the idols we
have made our gods (Hos 14:1-3)
Lord, we recognise how sinful
and needy we are. I cannot save
myself but You have saved me.
I humble myself before You in
confession of my manifold sins.
And I praise You for all You have
done to extend Your endless love,
mercy and forgiveness to me.
I am truly grateful to You Lord
and I love You deeply. Amen.

In Times of Adversity Consider

For centuries the nation Israel had
been sowing seeds of wickedness.
And after repeated postponement
of Israel’s day of reckoning, the
time to settle accounts has come.
Barrenness and bondage will replace
prosperity and peace in the nation.
Because of unchecked sin and
worthless worship, Israel will be
removed from the land in a tragic
blast of destruction, famine and
forced labour will befall God’s pple.

Lord, we realise that moral and
spiritual decay will ultimately result
in judgment. But we know that God
is merciful and that You will restore
those who repent & turn back to You.
Lord, we confess Forgetting You;
Lord, we confess of Rebellion;
Lord, we confess of Unfaithfulness.
And we ask for Your mercy. Amen.

Lord, we confess Forgetting You:
Even though I give Israel all my laws,
they act as if those laws don’t apply
to them. The people of Israel love
their rituals of sacrifice, but to me
their sacrifices are all meaningless!
I will call my people to account for
their sins… Israel has built great
palaces and Judah has fortified
its cities. But they have both
forgotten their Maker (Hos 8:12-14)
Lord, I life this dryness before You.
I confess I have forgotten You
and even have disregarded You.
But I come to You Lord today
asking You to renew me soon.
For You are the living God who
has promised rivers of living water.
I come to You now for renewal.
Draw me to Yourself once again.
Cause me to find satisfaction in You.
Empower me for Your service. Amen.

Lord, we confess of Rebellion:
Israel deserted me for Baal-peor,
giving themselves to the shameful
idol. Soon they become as vile
as the God they worshiped…
All their wickedness began at Gigal;
there I began to hate them. I will
drive them from my land because
of their evil actions. I will love
them no more because all their
leaders are rebels (Hos 9:10-15).
Lord, on behalf of our friends, we
ask for Your mercy & forgiveness.
In Your hatred for sin, drive the sin
from them but don’t destroy as
they deserve. Help them understand
You cannot endorse such behaviour.
Let Your Holy Spirit remind them
of the joy of Your blessing. Amen.

Lord, we confess of Unfaithfulness:
O Israel, You have sinned
from the days of Gibeah…
Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break my Your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He comes and rains
Righteousness on You (Hos 10:8,12)
Lord, Your Word says in times of
adversity consider. And so we now
consider how we have soiled our
hearts with negativity, critical
nature, resentment, spite and
a refusal to forgive & make amends.
Holy God, shower Your righteousness
on me for I need to recover and to
answer Your call on my life. Amen.

Yesterday Today Forever,
Jesus Is The Same !!

Albert Simpson was born on Prince
Edward Island, Canada. In 1864,
he began a successful pastoral
ministry at Knox Presbyterian
Church, in Hamilton, Ontario. He
was an eloquent preacher and able
leader, and during his eight years
there, God used him to add 750
new members to the church.
Albert Simpson’s keen interest in
world missions, led him to found
the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
although he had no formal musical
training, Simpson had a keen sense
of melody and wrote many hymns,
including Yesterday Today Forever,
which was inspired by Hebrews 13.

Lord, we put our Trust in You:
Be content with things you have.
For He Himself has said: “I will
Never leave you nor forsake you.”
So, we may boldly say:
“The Lord is my Helper, I will not
fear. What can man do to me?”
(And) Jesus is the Same yesterday,
today and forever (Heb 13:5-8).

Lord, Your unchangeable nature
assures Your Word is ever faithful.
And Your precious promises are
always ‘yes’ and ‘amen’ in Christ.
You are holding me up & continue
to do so by Yr righteous right hand.
Lord on days when we are faithless,
You will remain faithful and true.
Grateful that Your goodness and
grace toward us is unchangeable.
And grateful that You are the same
yesterday, today & forever! Amen.

Lord, although life is faced with
challenges, grateful that You
are our Helper and that You will
never leave us nor forsake us.
And that all things work for the
Good for those who love God.
So, though there are times where
what we hope for did not come yet,
we will continue to have faith in God
And move forward bravely. Amen.

Oh, how sweet the glorious
message simple faith may claim:
Yesterday, today, forever,
Jesus is the same;
Still He loves to save the sinful,
heal the sick and lame,
Cheer the mourner, still the
tempest—glory to His name!
Yesterday, today, forever,
Jesus is the same,
All may change, but Jesus never
glory to His name!
Glory to His name! Glory to His name
All may change, but Jesus never
—glory to His name! Amen.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3t3DDkJSJh8

Emulating Faith of Our Fathers

Whether we turn to the OT and
see how God called Abraham out
of Ur or turn to the NT and see
how God stopped Saul of Tarsus
on the road to Damascus, the Bible
is filled with events that actually
happened. Our Christian faith is
rooted in history. Frederick Faber
appreciated the continuity with the
past and he respected the martyrs
who had given their lives for Christ.
So he wrote this hymn.

Lord, we will be Faithful to You:
So, since we are surrounded by
such a huge crowd of witnesses
to the life of faith, let us strip off
every weight that slows us down,
especially the sin that so easily
trips us up. And let us run with
endurance the race God has set
before us, looking unto Jesus, the
author & finisher of our faith, who…
endured the cross (Heb 12:1-2).

Lord, remind me of the huge cloud
of witnesses to stay faithful to You.
Help me throw off every weight
that stands in the way each day.
Help me throw off the sin that holds
me and accept the grace You offer.
Help me run the race that You
have marked out for me to run.
Help me to love You & strive for You,
to love others & to share the gospel.
Keep my eyes focused on Your Son
& fill me with the joy that You give.
Grant me grace to stay true to You
and bring You all the glory. Amen.

Lord, I give up the sin that so easily
entangled me. And I give up what
is not sinful but has become an
encumbrance to spiritual passion.
I will move with perseverance
toward the life You have called me
to live; and I will fix my eyes on You.
Possess my whole being so that my
life may only be a radiance of Yours.
Help me to spread Your frangrance
everywhere I go. Shine through me
so that every soul I come in contact
with may feel Your presence. Amen.

Faith of our fathers! We will strive
To win all nations unto thee; And
thro the truth that comes from God
Mankind shall then be truly free.
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to Thee till death…
Faith of our fathers! we will love
Both friend & foe in all our strife;And
preach thee too as love knows how
By kindly words and virtuous life.
Faith of our fathers! holy faith!
We will be true to Thee till death.

Blessed Assurance

Fanny Crosby wrote three hymns
each week during much of her
adult life, totalling more than 8,000
hymns. The fact that she was blind
didn’t diminish her productivity.
Phoebe Knapp composed a tune
in 1873 and brought it to Crosby
in Brooklyn. Play it on the organ,
Crosby asked. Knapp did and then
asked, What does the tune say?
She turned to see Crosby kneeling
in prayer. Knapp played a 2nd time
and then a third. Then the blind
woman responded: That says:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Lord, we’ll hold on to assurance:
We can boldly enter heaven’s
Most Holy Place because of the
blood of Jesus… Let us draw near
with a true heart in full assurance
of faith… Without wavering let us
hold tightly to the hope we say
we have, for God can be trusted to
keep his promise. Think of ways to
encourage one another to outbursts
of love and good deeds… especially
now that the day of his coming back
again draws near (Heb 10:19-25).

Father, let me not take for granted
the ready access to Your presence.
Let me never relate to You as
though You stand at a distance.
Let me come to You Lord in full
assurance of faith, fully trusting You.
Holy Spirit, overflow from me and
let me see You overflowing from
others in my relationships with
others. Let Your people be known
to display You & Your works. Amen.

Father God, empower me to hold
tightly to the blessed assurance.
Inspire me to encourage believers
to stay close to You & worship You.
Use me to give others assurance
and hope in You. Give me ideas
that will spur others to love and
good deeds. And I give You all the
glory for the Blessed Assurance.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of Spirit, washed in His blood…
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long…
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest
Watching and waiting, looking above
Filled w His goodness, lost in His love

Standing on the Promises of God

Russell Carter of Baltimore attended
the Methodist Holiness movt which
had profound impact on his life & he was ordained into ministry in 1887.
Carter held a number of teaching
posts at the Pennsylvania Military
Academy including professor of
chemistry, civil engineering & math.
Carter also edited hymnals, and
assisted in compiling a hymnal for
the Christian and Missionary Alliance
Church, a collection that contained
68 of his tunes and 52 of his texts.
“Standing on the Promises” was
composed in 1886 while Carter was
teaching at the military academy.
His military experience was reflected
in the martial style of the hymn.

Lord, we’ll Stand on Your Promises:
We desire that each of you show
the same diligence to the full
assurance of hope until the end,
that you do not become sluggish
but imitate those who through faith
and patience inherit the promises.
For when God made a promise to
Abraham, he said: Surely blessing
I will bless you, and multiplying
I will multiply you. And so, after
he had patiently endured, he
obtained the promise (Heb 6:11-15)

Lord, grateful that You are faithful.
Your word is sure and steadfast
and cannot be broken. And
Your word will not return void
but will certainly accomplish the
purpose which it was sent forth.
When things of this world become
tough, grant us Lord the grace to
be diligent to assurance of hope.
Help us to stand firm patiently on
Your Word & Your Promises. And
Help us imitate the heroes of faith
who through faith and patience
inherit their promises. Amen.

Lord, grant us the grace of making
Your Rhema word so clear to us; for
Satan is so good at casting doubts.
Grant us the inner witness that Your
promised will stand and cannot fail;
for God is not a man that He can lie.
Grant us the conviction that You
Jesus will never leave nor forsake us.
And deliver us Lord from every spirit
of unbelief in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Lord, thank you for the hymn:
Standing on the Promises,
which remind us Your promises
stand forever and cannot fail.
By the living Word of God, we’ll
prevail, and by the Spirit’s sword,
we will overcome. And resting
in our Saviour as our all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Standing on the promises of Christ
my King, Through eternal ages
let His praises ring, Glory in the
highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God…
Standing, standing, Standing on
the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing, I’m
standing on the promises of God…
Standing on the promises that
can’t fail, When the howling storms
of doubt and fear assail, By the
living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

O Jesus I Have Promised

When John Bode served the parish
of Castle Camps near Cambridge
England, in the middle of the
19th century, he had the privilege
of officiating the confirmation
of his daughter and two sons.
This hymn was written for the
occasion, and originally the first line
was: O Jesus, we have promised
as all three children were making the
dedication themselves to the Lord.
Tho Bode wrote the hymn for young
people and referred to the alluring
temptations in the world,its message
applies to Christians of any age.

Lord, we dedicate to Serve You:
Our greatest desire is that You
will keep on loving others as long
as life lasts, in order to make
certain that what You hope for
will come true. Then You will not
become spiritually dull & indifferent.
Instead, you will follow the example
of those who are going to inherit
God’s promises because of their
faith and endurance (Heb 6:11-12).

Lord, grant that I may always
allow myself to be guided by You;
always following Your plans, and
fully accomplishing Your will.
Grant in all things, great & small,
I may do what You require of me.
Help me respond to the prompting
of Your grace, so that I may be
Your instrument for Your glory.
And grant that Your will be done in
time and in eternity thro me. Amen.

Lord, there are things that cause
me to lose hope and stamina in
serving U: things like fear of failure,
negativity from others & exhaustion.
Grant me grace to counteract these
discouragements. And I commit to
be faithful in serving You; resolve to
be resilient & keep moving forward
even if it takes me outside my
comfort zone. In Jesus’ name, Amen

O Jesus, I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me,
My Master and my friend:
I shall not fear the battle
If Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway
If Thou wilt be my guide…
O let me feel Thee near me,
The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
The tempting sounds I hear:
O Jesus I have promised
To serve Thee to the end;
O give me grace to follow,
My Master and my friend. Amen.