Happy New Year

It's a new year. It's a new start. It's the last year of university. It's probably my last year in the sisters' house. It's probably my last year of student life...
It's 2009!

So many things are for the last time... but may our love for the Lord be always first. May He be our first and fresh love. Just find that we need to be renewed day by day because we get old so fast. Our consecration gets old so fast, and we dry out so fast. That's why our consecration needs to be renewed. Not only yearly, but daily. Not even just daily, but hourly. O how we need to pray to fellowship with Jesus. To seek His face constantly.

Today in the young people's meeting, we sang a hymn which was my favourite when I was in high school. Though it was a familiar song and I could sing it almost by heart, it was a new song to me. New in experience and enjoyment of the hymn.

It is a hymn and reminder we all need from day to day. May our consecration to the Lord never grow old but always stay fresh.

One way is by calling on the Lord. The Lord is ever new. We need to absorb His newness moment by moment. The Lord is RICH to those who CALL.

Another way is by being WITH THOSE, encouraging one another POSITIVELY with the Word and share each other's experience of the Lord. We can apprehend His breadth and length and height and depth when we are with the saints (Eph 3:18). His RICHES, His inheritance is in the saints (Eph 1:18b). I was talking to a sister through the phone. Her encouragement and our prayer together was very encouraging and energizing. Praise the Lord!

Much more, His RICHES are in His Word. "Your words were found and I ate them, And Your word became to me The gladness and joy of my heart, For I am called by Your name, O Jehovah, God of hosts", Jeremiah 15:16. We need to pray-read His Word!

Lord, we consecrate ourselves to You afresh. May our love for You be forever fresh, always burning, never dwindling; always shining bright for You.

May this year be a year we offer ourselves as a burnt offering to the Lord, a sweet smelling savour for God's satisfaction.

1. Lord, keep my heart always true to You,
   Never backsliding, always viewing You,
   A heart that is pure that sees only You,
   A heart that loves You and treasures only You.
   
   
• Your love constrains me to give my all to You.
  Lord, I can't help it; my heart is drawn to You.
  Oh what a privilege! I give myself to You!
  I love You, Lord, dearest Lord.
  I love You! I just love You!
  
  
2. Lord, keep my love burning brightly for You,
   A love never dwindling always hot for You,
   A love, shining brighter all the way for You,
   A love, so fresh like the day I first touched You.
   
   
3. Lord, take my life, I present it to You!
   If I had a thousand, I'd pour all on You!
   Nothing withholding, my all is for You.
   My life and my future, dear Lord, is all for You.

by Bro. Howard Higashi
Music and lyrics can be obtained from www.hymnal.net