Live as God’s Heirs

Many times I have wondered what I was doing…
I was afraid I was just a person wand’ring -
Someone in this world who forever was wond’ring…
“Will I keep on sleeping or wake up from dreaming?”

I have asked other people this question again.
“Who can tell me the answers? How? What? Where? And when?”
No one knows this; not even the wisest of men.
And I am again stumped – not even moved since then.

Often I have looked at other things as comfort.
And most of the time, these comfort things fall short.
Now, I’m starting to ask if these are just some sort
Of things that I’ll eventually have to abort.

In my desperation, I searched for some answers –
Answers that can light up all my worries and cares.
In an old book, I found the answer to my prayers,
“Live your lives to glorify Him; Live as God’s heirs.”

Days in a Prayer

Although we pray in our own little ways, I guess it is still good to pray for something different for each day. This is a prayer that I would pray during the week depending on what I am facing. Find your place to play and pray sincerely. Ok Ü
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Lord, today is a Monday.
I would like to thank you for the bright morning days.
Thank You for giving me a chance to see the sun’s rays.

Lord, today is a Tuesday.
And I would like You to know how much I’d like to say,
“Thank You for guiding me and not leading me astray.”

Lord, today is a Wednesday.
It’s the middle of the week; You still beside me stayed
Even during times when my heart doubted or was swayed.

Lord, today is a Thursday.
Protect my family from harm and keep them safe, I pray.
Give me opportunities to shine for You, if I may.

Lord, today is a Friday.
Even though troubles and trials may come to delay,
Your Word and comforting presence drives them all away.

Lord, today is a Saturday.
Help me to be a great person who fully obeys,
Who regularly walks and trusts in You in all ways.

Lord, today is a Sunday.
Thank You for your new mercies that I’m still living okay.
Mold me, craft me and use me just like a Potter’s clay.

May I Live

This song is very personal as it seeks to evaluate a person's life. At the start of the song, the person is acknowledging that He can only live because God allows it and that he'll try to live for Him. At the end, he's saying that hopefully, all his actions, thoughts, words - life - brought God the glory and pleased Him. (Only what is done for Christ will last!)

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Verse 1:
Another day is here; another day brand new.
So I praise You for the work that I’ll do.
Another day is dawning; another day to live.
Whatever You choose to give me I’ll gladly receive.

Chorus:
And may I live my life according to Your will;
And may my thoughts be pleasing Lord to You,
And may my words reflect the beauty of Your presence;
May my actions bring glory to You.

Verse 2:
Another day is through; another day is gone.
And I thank You Lord for what You have done.
Another day is over; another day has passed.
Only what is done for Christ will truly last.

Ending:
O have I lived my life according to Your will?
And are my thoughts all pleasing Lord to You?
And do my words reflect the beauty of Your presence?
Did my actions bring glory to You?
Do my words bring glory to You?
Are my thoughts all pleasing to You, O Lord?
Is my life bringing glory to You?

Because You Came

This song focuses on how we can only come before God because He first came to us. When God came to us, we realize that we are nothing, speechless. The only thing we can do is to use our live as an offering of praise and testimony of God's goodness and love.

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Verse 1:
The day You came to me – my life filled with hope
For You came into a dark world that was empty and lost.
The day You came to earth showed how much You really cared
For You sent Your only Son to die for me.

Chorus:
I come to worship You, to lift Your name, I want to worship You.
I come to praise You and magnify Your most holy name.
Lord Jesus Christ You sought and found me first.
I want to thank You because You came.

Verse 2:
I come before You, Lord, stripped of all my masks.
As I stand before You with nothing but my God-given life.
I come before You, Lord, through the blood of Jesus Christ.
And I want to live my life for You alone.

Chorus:
I come to worship You, to lift Your name, I want to worship You.
I come to praise You and magnify Your most holy name.
Lord Jesus Christ You sought and found me first.
I want to thank You because You came.

Bridge:
Words cannot express how truly grateful I am,
How such a God would love me as His own.
Today I come to You and confess all of my sins,
For this is only what I can do.

Chorus:
I come to worship You, to lift Your name, I want to worship You.
I come to praise You and magnify Your most holy name.
Lord Jesus Christ You sought and found me first.
I want to thank You because You came, (You came, You came);
Because You came, (You came, You came);
Because You came.

Jesus, Our Healer

I wrote this poem for my sick classmate Mark Alvin Chua. At that time, I couldn't finish it in time for his birthday surprise so I'm posting it here. It is dedicated to him for encouragement. May God continue to bless you and heal you - in His perfect time and will.

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At times, we ask how this could have happened
Or why must such good people suffer this fate.
I can assure you that He knows how we feel
Because He went through it all – He could relate.

My friend, there’s no need to hide all your tears.
There’s no shame for you to cry and be sad.
Because through all of these, He is with you -
Jesus is with you through good times and bad.

The one thing we can do is to hold on –
Trusting his infinite time and wisdom.
He is the true Healer of all sickness –
Like the Old Testament’s Gilead balm.

You see, God has a plan that we can’t grasp;
His plans are above our understanding.
But despite this fact, He still blesses us
With hope, faith, love and life overflowing.

The Message of the Cross

This song comes from Ahia Andrew's sermon on the cross and how people respond to it. Some people view the cross as foolishness or shame. Some people think of it as punishment and death. But in reality, to the people who are blessed to come to know our Lord, the cross signifies wisdom, victory, glory and eternal life. I pray that you do not neglect the message of the cross today.

This song holds a threefold response... Sorry for being selfish and self-centered, thankful for being saved by Christ by grace through faith, and Trust / Hope on the Lord for today and the future.

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Verse 1:
We are sorry for neglecting Your message to us.
We are sorry for being so foolish and shameful
Because we thought that we could be the master of our lives
And yet we found that there's no life apart from You.

Chorus:
The cross, Lord, is Your greatest gift to man.
The cross has brought us out of darkness into the light.
The cross has given us the blessing of eternal life.
We thank You Lord for Your gift of love and life - the cross.

Verse 2:
We are thankful for Your promise of vict'ry over sin.
We are thankful for sending the Spirit to guide us.
Although we live our lives on earth that's full of sin and death,
We know that You'll prepare a home in heav'n with You!

Chorus:
The cross, Lord, is Your greatest gift to man.
The cross has brought us out of darkness into the light.
The cross has given us the blessing of eternal life.
We thank You Lord for Your gift of love and life - the cross.

Bridge:
We did not understand,
We could not comprehend Your greatest plan...
But today I'll follow You,
Today I'll trust in Your divine plan.

Chorus:
The cross, Lord, is Your greatest gift to man.
The cross has brought us out of darkness into the light.
The cross has given us the blessing of eternal life.
We thank You Lord for Your gift of love and life
Yes, we thank You Lord for Your gift of love and life - the cross.

You Are With Me

I wrote this song while I was in Subic recently. This song is about God's presence and faithfulness in our lives despite our empty promises to Him. There are times when we really want to go back into His loving open arms but we simply choose to walk our way instead. When we face troubles and trials, we stumble and fall, but God was there each time to pick us up. My response is found in Psalms 25:5 "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are my God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."

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Verse 1:
Many times I’ve tried that my life in you abide
Yet time and time again I’ve fallen from Your side.
Many times I’ve wished how this life I could cherish
And run the race until the very finish…

Chorus:
O Lord, be with me ‘til the very end of days.
You were with me from the start…
O please guide me and teach me the way to seek Your heart.
Please be with me,
Never leave me.

Verse 2:
Many times I’ve said that my life will be Christ-led
But time and time again I’ve walked my way instead.
Many times I’ve longed to come back to You in song.
Before You I confess all of my wrongs.

Bridge:
For You are my God,
You are my Savior,
And my hope is in You.
You are my God,
You are my Savior,
You are with me - All the day long!

Ending:
You are with me.
Always with me.

Without You

This song came after I read the first chapter of Max Lucado's God Came Near. Isn't it a wonder that we could miss such a big event like the birth of Christ in the midst of our everyday chores. This song reminds me that all we do - our life - is meaningless, incomplete, empty even lost WITHOUT God's grace in our lives. This is my prayer today that I might truly see Him in my life.

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Verse 1:
As a page is empty without words or paint,
My life is hollow without You.
As a quilt has holes without its bright patches,
My life is incomplete without You!

Chorus:
O Lord, let me see You, open my eyes.
Lord, let me see Your majesty.
Lord, let me catch a glimpse of Your face.
May I experience Your overflowing grace.

Verse 2:
Like a rudder that cannot turn left or right,
My life is lost without You.
As music goes wrong without its harmony,
My life is meaningless without You!

Chorus:
O Lord, let me see You, open my eyes.
Lord, let me see Your majesty.
Lord, let me catch a glimpse of Your face.
May I experience Your overflowing grace.

Ending:
My life is nothing Lord… without You!

Goodness and Greatness

This song actually came up to me after reading Charles Surgeon's explanation on Psalms 86. And He did a very good job that it became clear how each one was connected. Our God is a good God always ready to forgive. He is also great in person and in His deeds. He is not a tyrant (great but not good) nor is He weak (good but not able to save/protect us). That's why the nations will come to worship God - because He alone is our God. Knowing this, I know I can trust God and cry for help. So teach me your ways that I might wallk in your truth and always fear you alone. Goodness and greatness ultimately is shown by His death on the cross.

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Verse 1:
You are good and great, O Lord,
Full of grace and mercy, abundant in truth.
You have heard my prayers and supplications.

Verse 2:
You are good and great, O Lord.
All the nations come to worship your name.
There is none like you for you alone are God.

Chorus:
Goodness and Greatness,
No one possesses.
Only you have both, my God.
Goodness and Greatness –
Such a blended pair;
Goodness and Greatness
What’s pardoned my sins.

Verse 3:
I am poor and needy, Lord.
And I cry to You all of my days.
I will trust in you for You are my God.

Verse 4:
Teach me Your ways, O Lord
So that I'll be able to walk in Your truth.
Please unite my heart to only fear Your name.

Lamb Over Me

The idea of this song came from the Chinese word for righteous (義). Literally speaking, it is the Chinese character for Lamb (羊) on top of the Chinese word for Me (我). This word has a powerful message indeed. Jesus died for us as a Sacrificial Lamb, but He rose again and reigns on high. Now and forever, He will be the one who makes my day, the Lamb over me!

Verse 1:
Jesus, You are God’s precious Son
You came to earth for me
Jesus, You are the Sacrifice –
Who bore my sins,
Who took my place,
Who died on the cross for me.

Chorus:
You’re the Lamb who paid the price
Yet you are holy and without sin
You are Love sent from above
To cleanse me wholly within.
So I ask you now…
be the Lamb over me.

Verse 2:
Jesus, You are better than gold
Your worth is greater to me.
Jesus, You are the morning star –
Who brightens my day,
Who brings me to say,
“I’ll be devoted to You!”

Ending:
Jesus, You are God’s precious Son
Jesus, You are the Sacrifice
Jesus, You are better than gold
Jesus, you are the morning star
Jesus, You are the Lamb over me.

Total Thanksgiving

Completed January 11,2007

This is my way of thanking God for all that he has blessed me with and I mean everything! From blessings to trials to new mercies to the Ultimate Sacrifice - all are worth thanking for this start of the new year. You'll see here the merism figure of speech which denotes the totality of what I'm thanking for. By this poem, I am once again reminded of my littleness and God's greatness... Truly He's incomparable!

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Thank you for the times that were happy
And also for the times sad and gloomy.

Thank you for the days that were busy;
For the rest when life’s topsy-turvy.

Thank you for the moments of laughter
And for the peace and silence after.

Thank you for being there – listening…
Even when at times I’m just grumbling.

Thank you for the companions and friends
And for times when I’m just with my pen.

Thank you for the family you’ve blessed –
Home, work, church – all Thy hands wondrous crest!

Thank you for sending Jesus to die
And rising after up to the sky.

Thank you Lord for seeing the sunshine
And letting me feel your love divine.

Thank you for Your new mercies daily
And for bestowing grace so freely.

Thank you for Your enduring guidance;
For giving again another chance.

Thank you God for all that has happened
And for the doors this year You’ll open.

Thank you again for what you have done –
For being comparable to none!