Who is Jesus Christ?

Hello All,

Some say He was a wise teacher. Some perceive Him as an all-knowing prophet. Others view Him as a powerful miracle-worker.

Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Who is Jesus Christ?

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling

Christ was born not in a palace of gold

He was born in the town of Bethlehem

He was born there, in a stable so cold

In a manger laid the pure, perfect Lamb

Christ was clothed not in fine vestments of gold

He was clothed in thin wraps of poverty

He was clothed thus, in a stable so cold

In a manger laid the frail, weak Baby

Christ was crowned not in the splendour of gold

He was crowned in the shame of mocking thorns

He was crowned so, in Calvary, we're told

On a cruel cross hung the pure, perfect Lamb

Christ was scorned by mocking sinners, we’re told

He was scorned by people He’d come to save

He was scorned so, nailed to the cross of old

On the cruel cross, He died for the depraved

Christ was placed in a tomb so dark and cold

But He rose from the grave and conquered death

He gives us life; more precious than gold

In this Saviour, we find life-giving breath

Do you trust in Jesus’ death to save you?

Have you found life in His resurrection?

What’s keeping you from trusting what’s true?

In the Gospel are truth and salvation

Points for Reflection:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

(John 3:16 ESV)

·       Jesus was indeed a teacher, a prophet and a miracle-worker. But He is so much more than that.

·       He is God, the Creator of the universe, who chose to save us by becoming one of us. He took on mortality so that He could take the punishment we deserve and die in our place.

·       He is the Creator of the world and the Saviour of mankind.

·       Who is Jesus Christ to you?

·       Do you trust in Jesus’ death to save you? Have you found life in His resurrection? What’s keeping you from trusting what’s true? In the Gospel are truth and salvation.

A Warm Cabin of Love

Hello All,

Life can be cruel. We feel like giving up in the chest-deep snow of pressure, stress, disappointment, betrayal, and hurt. There are times when we feel so lost in the snow and we lose the will to trudge through the snowstorm of adversities.

Sometimes the pain of trauma and loss become so big in our eyes that we lose sight of the little warm cabin of love in the distance. The fireplace of care keeps our cold, blistered hands warm and safe.

 

A Warm Cabin of Love

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling

In the cold and blistering winter wind

In the bitter deluge of chest-deep snow

When strength is diminished and courage thinned

A warm cabin, like a fireplace, glows

I see the warm cabin from a distance

With God’s strength, I trudge through the chest-deep snow

After hours of tears and persistence

I reached the lovely, warm cabin that glows

I step into the warm cabin of love

A warm fireplace in the corner glows

I hear laughter that warms me like a glove

God shows His love through the people we know

‘Where have you been? We’ve been looking for you!’

The care of my loved ones warms my cold hands

I see God’s love in theirs; now that is true

God’s love binds us like a strong rubber band

Our love is a reflection of God’s love

His love was shown through Christ’s death on the cross

He came down to earth from heaven above

Life and hope we’ve gained through His death and loss

I see God’s love in a prayer of a friend

I see His love in a loved one who’s there

They reflect divine love that knows no end

I’m in a warm cabin of love and care

Points for Reflection:

We love because God first loved us.

(1 John 4:19 ESV)

·       God brings people into our lives to help us through the hard times and to bring joy in the bitter cold. The care shown by our loved ones is but a reflection of God’s perfect love. Their love is not perfect, but God’s love is.

·       Perfect, divine love was demonstrated on the Tree where Jesus Christ died for you and me. His bloodied, nail-pierced hands warm our cold, blistered hands. His death brought us life and the Father’s rejection of Him, as He hung on the cross, brought the Father’s acceptance of unworthy sinners like us.

·       There is no greater hero than our Lord Jesus, Christ - the Saviour of the world.

·       This Christmas, as we celebrate the joy of glowing lights and sparkling tinsels, let us remember our Saviour who came down from heaven to earth, born in a humble and filthy manger so that He could save us through His death and resurrection.

·       This Christmas, let us see God’s love through a prayer of a friend and a loved one who’s there. They reflect divine love that knows no end. Let us rest in a warm cabin of love and care.

Lost in the Snow

Hello All,

How do we calm the storm within our hearts? How do we soothe the turmoil of our souls? How do we find rest in restlessness?

There are times in our lives when we feel so lost. We do not have the strength to trudge through the chest-deep snow. We are so lost in the deluge of snow around us.

Lost in the Snow

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling

The winter wind cuts through my bones

I pull my coat tighter 'round me

Snow pelts hard against me like stones

I'm lost in the snow around me

The winter wind howls wretchedly

Oh, how do I endure this storm?

Oh, I need someone to save me!

I'm lost in the snow of this storm

The winter wind pierces my heart

I scream in pain and clutch my chest

Snow hit hard against me like darts

I'm lost in the snow of unrest

Am I all alone in this storm?

Is there no one to rescue me?

But hope is starting to take form

I'm lost in the snow of mercy

Why should I fear the howling wind?

My Saviour tells them to be still

I know I'm wretched; I have sinned!

But my heart, with mercy, He fills

My Saviour's blood washes my sin

Until they are as white as snow

Through Christ, I'm glorious from within

His mercy like a river flows

The winter wind still cuts me deep

But Christ is my Shelter and Shield

Though darkness, around my head, creeps

In His hands, my faint heart, I yield

Points for Reflection:

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

(Psalms 42:11 ESV)

·       In the never-ending trials of life, it is natural to lose sight of the hope we have in Jesus Christ.

·       When the wind of despair is howling so deafeningly in our ears, we lose sight of the solid and eternal hope we have in our Saviour.

·       God may or may not remove the deluge of snow in our path. But He gives us the strength to trudge through it.

·       Turn your eyes from the snow and storm to the Saviour who loves you dearly.

·       The winter wind still cuts me deep, but Christ is my Shelter and Shield. Though darkness, around my head, creeps; in His hands, my faint heart, I yield.

The Fragrance of Winter

Hello All,

Can you sense fragrance in the stench of despair? Can you see the good in the bad? Can you see God’s love behind the atrocities of life?

There are many sorrows and tragedies that we may not be able to come to terms with. It’s all too natural to question God’s goodness in the pit of suffering and pain.

We may not have any answers to the brokenness of this life. But God has the answers, though He may not reveal them to us in this life. His ways are higher than ours and He can see what we can’t.

The Fragrance of Winter

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (9 November 2017)

The fragrance of winter is in the air

Elegant snow is falling everywhere

Where does fragrance come from in this season?

The trees are bare; the flowers have fallen

The fragrance of winter is in the air

There’s beauty in the winter of despair

The sweet fragrance comes from the ground below

Do you see blue flowers beneath the snow?

The fragrance of winter is in the air

God gives hope in the winter of despair

Can you smell the lovely fragrance of myrrh?

It issues from the tomb before Easter

The fragrance of winter is in the air

God’s grace lifts us from the tomb of despair

The fragrance of the Cross is shared with all

Who believe in Jesus after the Fall

The fragrance of winter is in the air

Spring comes after the winter of despair

There will be a day when all is made new

When stale rivers become fresh morning dew

Points for Reflection:

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

(Revelation 21:4 ESV)

·       Despite our questions and maybe even anger at the unfairness of life, we can draw comfort from God’s sacrificial love shown through the death of Jesus Christ.

·       We may not understand the purpose behind our pain, but we have a God who has gone through excruciating pain to save us from the hell of eternal torment. He knows your pain. He knows my pain. He knows our pain.

·       The suffering that we may be facing now is truly hard to endure but it will not last forever. For those who trust in Jesus Christ, we can look forward to the day when we see God in heaven.

·       Heaven is a joyful place with no tears. It is a place where broken relationships will be made whole. It is a place where we can enjoy being with God and His people forever. Do you long for that day? I know I do.

·       The fragrance of winter is in the air. Spring comes after the winter of despair. There will be a day when all is made new; when stale rivers become fresh morning dew.

Beneath a Blanket of Snow

Hello All,

Winter marks the end of the cycle of seasons. It reminds us of the year that is coming to an end. What has passed is now buried in the snow and when spring comes, it will be no more.

The year carries with it its highlights and heartaches. All that falls in between is usually forgotten.

As you reflect on the year that is coming to an end, what would you consider your highlights and heartaches? What were your happiest and most painful moments?

Winter, though gloomy, is beautiful. It possesses the beauty of hope. The hope of spring, a new beginning. But there is beauty not only in its future hope but in its frozen rivers and bare trees. In our scarcity, we find the plenteous mercy of God.

Beneath a Blanket of Snow

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling

The land lies beneath a blanket of snow

The river is frozen and does not flow

The leaves have fallen and the trees are bare

Winter is dressed like a maiden so fair

The land lies beneath a blanket of snow

Its beauty and fairness blossom and grow

And yet there's sadness and grief in the air

Sadness is dressed like a maiden so fair

The past lies beneath a blanket of snow

It's frozen but still there, and does not flow

The past is now gone, but memories are there

The past is dressed like a maiden so fair

My heart lies beneath a blanket of snow

My tears are frozen and do not flow

My grief is silenced and my mind is bare

Sorrow is dressed like a maiden so fair

My heart lies beneath a blanket of snow

My soul is frozen but Jesus knows

He knows my sorrows and His hand is there

His hand guides me when my feelings are bare

My hope lies within a manger so low

A manger too humble for Christ, I know

Born of a virgin in a place so bare

But great was His mission - our sins to bear

My hope lies beneath the great Tree that glows

On that Tree, my Saviour's blood streams and flows

My sins have fallen for my sins He bears

The Tree is dressed like a maiden so fair

My life lies beneath the great Throne that glows

From that Throne, the River of life flows

Jesus sits enthroned and white robes He wears

Joy is mine for in His Kingdom I share

Points for Reflection:

For to us, a child is born, to us, a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

(Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV)

·       Despite our past and present circumstances, our eternal hope lies within a manger and beneath the Tree. Our hope lies in the birth and death of Jesus Christ.

·       Jesus became one of us through a miraculous virgin birth and He saved us from God’s wrath through His death on the Tree. Through His death and resurrection, sinners like us are made righteous and are ushered into God’s Kingdom.

·       Jesus now sits enthroned in the heavens and we will see Him face to face in our future and eternal home.

·       Because of this hope, we can be comforted and strengthened in the gloomy winters of our lives.

·       There’s beauty in winter and all that lies beneath a blanket of snow.

Sometimes…

Hello All,

Sometimes the bitterness of life brings out the sweetness of the love and kindness of a friend.

If we had a choice, we would rather have a life without a trace of bitterness, hardships, and heartbreaks.

But sometimes it is during the most painful moments of your life that the love and kindness of a friend are most evident.

Sometimes…

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling

Sometimes

Bitterness brings out the sweetness

Of a friend, whose love and kindness

Surpass the bitterness of pain

And shelter our souls from the rain

Sometimes

Bitterness brings out the sweetness

Of God’s love, whose grace and goodness

Surpass the bitterness of grief

And help our hearts find relief

Sometimes

Bitterness brings out the sweetness

Of the cross, where Christ, the Sinless

Took on the bitterness of shame

And rescued our souls from the flame

Sometimes

Bitterness brings out the sweetness

Of a friend, whose love and kindness

Reflect the perfect love of God

Though they are imperfect and flawed

Points for Reflection:

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. You are my friends if you do what I command you.

(John 15:12-14 ESV)

·       A friend whom you feel safe sharing your struggles with and who constantly points you to Christ is indeed a great blessing from God.

·       Despite the imperfections of our friends, their love is a reflection of God’s perfect love.

·       Jesus Christ is the perfect Friend. He laid down His life so that sinners like us, who were once God’s enemies, can be reconciled to God as His friends.

·       Because Jesus has laid down His life for us, we are told to lay down our lives for our friends. We cannot die the death that Jesus died to save sinners, for we ourselves are sinners in need of saving. But we can die to our selfish desires to live for ourselves. We can put the needs of others before ours in wholehearted service and sacrifice.

·       Who are the friends that you can be showing God’s love to? How can you mirror God’s love to them? Who can you be reaching out to today?

Life Makes No Sense

Hello All,

Can you recall a time when life made no sense? Are you walking through such a time?

Can you recall a time when your mind shut down and refused to acknowledge the pain in your heart?

Have you ever felt numb? Have you ever turned to distractions and drugs to numb those deep-seated wounds?

Life Makes No Sense

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling

Life makes no sense

It’s all pretense

Nothing is real

That’s what I feel

Life makes no sense

The fog is dense

I feel no pain

I feel insane

Life makes no sense

It’s all nonsense

I am encaged

On a blank page

God, give me sense

When I feel dense

My mind is dim

My heart is grim

The cross makes sense

In life’s nonsense

When I can’t think

And when I sink

Points for Reflection:

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

(Psalms 34:18 ESV)

·       When we are at our wits' end and can make no sense of life, the cross of Jesus Christ makes sense.

·       When we think we have lost all hope, the cross floods our empty trenches with hope.

·       Sometimes it is in our unfulfilled desires that we find true fulfilment in Christ.

·       Life's confusion and pain are megaphones that blast their message to us: this world is a mess and so are we.

·       If we are ever tempted to curse God in our pain, stop a moment to consider the suffering that Jesus Christ endured on the cross.

·       Although we cannot make sense of suffering, we cannot say that God does not care. He knows why; we don't. But He cares.

·       Jesus knows and has experienced suffering so that we can be spared from God's righteous judgement for our sin. We have rejected God’s rule over our lives, but He has accepted those of us who turn to Him as His beloved children.

·       Life may not make sense, but the cross does. Cling to the cross no matter what.

Life from the Ground

Hello All,

There are many things that do not seem to make sense. Many puzzles remain unsolved and mysteries unrevealed.

When these puzzles and mysteries hit us on a personal level, it hurts. Our hearts can make no sense of the pain of disappointment, betrayal, and loss.

Are there areas in your life that do not seem to make sense? Are you still hurting from the pain of disappointment, betrayal, and loss?

However, in unexpected ways, trials forge endurance, pain brings healing, and loss is gain. Life emerges from the ground through death.

Life from the Ground

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling

Life emerges from the ground

Life springs from a heart that was dead

Life from death is what I’ve found

Life comes from my Saviour who bled

Life emerges from the ground

Life springs from a soul that was dead

Life in Christ is what I’ve found

Life comes from my Jesus who bled

Life emerges from the ground

Though pain and anguish stay with me

Life in Him is what I’ve found

Hope, through this life, He gives to me

Points for Reflection:

"And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."

(John 12:23-24 ESV)

·       We were spiritually dead in our sin. But through the death of Jesus Christ, He gives life to those who trust in Him.

·       Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ and received life in Him?

·       Now we die a different kind of death. We have died from the life we used to live. We’re no longer enslaved to sin but we are free from the judgment of sin. We are now slaves of a loving God.

·       In this life, we still struggle with the desire to sin but we are not enslaved to it. Through the Holy Spirit, God has given us the power to turn away from temptations. Although we still give in to temptation now and again, the Holy Spirit convicts and brings us to repentance.

·       What temptations do you struggle with? Bring your struggles to our merciful God in prayer.

·       Life emerges from the ground, though pain and anguish stay with me. Life in Him is what I’ve found. Hope, through this life, He gives to me

Clarity in the Fog

Hello All,

After the rain comes the fog. After the turmoil comes tranquillity. After uncertainty comes clarity.

There is a sadness that lingers after the loss of someone or something we hold dear. Maybe the sadness is not as intense or heart-wrenching as it used to be. But it lingers like the fog over the grassy plains.

But this sadness is not without joy. Joy is not absent in the hearts of those whose faith and hope are in Christ.

Clarity in the Fog

By Joanne Liaw Sook Ling (5 October 2017)

Thick fog blankets the grassy plains

The fields are drenched with heaven’s rain

The flowers are soft to the touch

Joy and sadness mingle as such

Thick fog blankets the grassy plains

It tells of the grief that remains

The sadness is more peaceful now

Joy has entered with a still bow

Thick fog blankets the grassy plains

I see clearly after the rain

In the fog, God brings clarity

Joy He’s given despite misery

Thick fog blankets the grassy plains

The cross gives me hope in the rain

The future is bright and gleaming

Joy in God’s grace helps me to sing

Points for Reflection:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

(Romans 15:13 ESV)

·       Despite pain and loss, joy resides in the knowledge of the restored relationship we have with God that was once broken because of sin. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, we have been reconciled to God and can look forward to an eternity of bliss with Him.

·       We may suffer pain and loss in this broken world. But this pain lasts but a moment in light of the eternity of bliss we will enjoy in heaven when we see God face to face. Even in the midst of brokenness, God is there to comfort us with His unending love.

·       Yes, there’s light in the darkness and clarity in the fog. There’s hope when all seems hopeless. That hope is found in the cross of Christ alone.