with a
a collection of encouraging thoughts for your faith journey
Especially for:
From:
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40 Days with a Hopeful Heart Copyright © 2012 by Hopeful Heart Writers: Irene Soon • Elizabeth Tan • Caleb Allen • Jo Voon • John W. • Susanna Tan • Sandra Iliev Cover design & Layout: Felly Meilinda • Irene Soon Proof Readers: Chin Lee • Felix Wong In collaboration with: PT. VISI ANUGERAH INDONESIA Jalan Karasak Lama No.2 - Bandung 40235 Telp : 022-522 5739 - Fax : 022-521 1854 Email : visipress@visi-bookstore.com 1st edition, September 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this edition may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher. Member of CBA Indonesia No : 05/PBL-BS/1108/CBA-Ina
Member of IKAPI No : 185/JBA/2010
Foreword
G
od has HIS own ways to bring miracles and blessings unto our lives. Sometimes HE wraps it within the trials we need to go through; to purify our motives. Sometimes HE brings others to impart wisdom and guidance in our faith journey. At other times, HE answers our prayers instantaneously at that very moment of need. Whichever situations you are in right now, eventually we all have to go through trials where we need to keep hope and faith alive in our daily walk with God. Through this book, we hope to instil hope and faith in a simple and practical form to encourage believers to be steadfast in their faith and hope. We serve an extraordinary God who is able to make the impossible possible. HE knows very well what we need and everything HE does are for our own good thus we could put our hopes in HIM. Just like Abraham, we could hope against hope. Lastly, being the human we are, we may seek and love God in anticipation for greater blessings but let’s not dismiss the purpose of a Christian faith and that is to know the very character of our 7
Heavenly Father and draw ourselves to the knowledge of HIS love through a childlike faith – “Yes, Jesus loves me.” Once we are immersed in the knowledge of HIS love for us, doubt and fear will appear miniscule. HIS perfect love will cast out all fear of life’s uncertainties. Let it be known to all, Jesus loves you and me. Be hopeful, be blessed. Irene
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W
e all go through different times in our lives. Some of us may be in a really trying and difficult season; others may be reaping blessings that have come their way. The only constant that I have is the word of God.
The Only Constant
With every season that we go through in life, let us go through with confidence and boldness in the word of God.
Smith Wigglesworth puts it really well; he says “It is a blessed thing to learn “For the word of God is alive that God’s word can never fail.” When and active. Sharper than the Bible was put together, it was put any double-edged sword, it together with an intention to be used. penetrates even to dividing Thousands of years later, even through soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the bloodshed and persecution, we have thoughts and attitudes of the it now to wield and practice what the heart” word of God says. Hebrew 4:12
Make it a habit to turn to the word and find truth for you and declare it even with the smallest of faith. Learn for yourself that God’s word never fails.
Sandra Iliev
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H
ave you ever fallen asleep while reading the Bible and then felt guilty about it after? Let me inspire you to read as never before… The Bible is like a great big book of secrets. Secrets that if we gloss over on surface level reveals nothing. But the more you study and meditate, the more Secrets You realise how much depth there is. Were Meant To you It is like one of those mines that the Discover more you dig, the more you find and the deeper you delve the rarer the treaMark 4:24 sure will be.You would not display your Be careful what you are precious treasures where someone else hearing. The measure you would easily find it, would you? give will be the measure that comes back to you – and more will be given to you who hear
And He said to them, “Be careful what you are hearing. The measure you give will be the measure that comes back to you – and more will be given to you who hear” (Mark 4:24) Hearing does not just mean physically hearing, but it can also mean tuning our internal ears towards God’s voice (through the Word). The more we ‘hear’, the more secrets will be entrusted to us. God wants us to hunger and thirst after Him and to search for Him so that He can show us His deepest secrets. What secret is God wanting to share with you today?
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Susanna Tan
L
ately, the local TV has introduced a few new digital channels on air. Amongst them is a 24 hour commercial TV channel that airs a live psychic program frequently.
In Search For Hopelines Romans 8:25
Viewers are encouraged to call the hotline numbers to have their questions answered and futures predicted. Although the psychic is not well known, the number of calls multiplied within minutes.
But if we hope for what we In search for hope, truth and guidance, do not yet have, we wait for it these callers are willing to put their patiently.
faith on a stranger whom they have not met or encountered before. Some viewers are even willing to pay the premium price for vague unproven words, just to have hope again in their life.
Are you in search for hope? Don’t look anywhere else. The hope we read in the Bible is not a vague optimism. Instead, biblical hope is a firm and confident expectation that what God has promised in His words will be accomplished. Even in the midst of suffering, confusion and trials, there is hope and this hope is spoken by the living God who is the Alpha and Omega of everything we see and everything else we do not.
Irene Soon
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A Our Life Lines
bout one and a half years ago I was coming down a mountain late at night. It was 2 hours walk from the nearest person and all I could hear was the odd bird call and the wind, which was lacing mountain tops with snow. I was totally alone with my head torch and backpack.
It occurred to me that if my head torch died, I would be in trouble. One little 1 John 4:4 light was my guide. Though it only Little children, you are from showed me my next few steps that were God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is all I needed to keep away from the huge greater than he who is in the cliffs. It was my lifeline. world.
When I read the Sermon on the Mount it reminds me of this light. It’s a hard ethic for our world, but God is in it and He’s prepared to get His hands dirty by guiding our hands as our lifeline every step of the way. There is much darkness, but, “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). Feel like a child in the dark near a cliff? Never forget who is helping you navigate your next steps with the light of His word and Spirit!
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Caleb Allen