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Tuesday, May 19, 2009 @4:02 PM

MEN OF UNITY.

During the 1 hour journey home, I was listening to "This is our God" by Hillsongs when I was reminded about the movie "Red Cliff".

The reason that Sun Quan and Liu Bei won the battle over Cao Cao is because of the unity that they had. Every soldier fought for one another even though they belonged to a different camp. They fought for each other not out of love for one another because they could be alliances one day yet an enemy tomorrow. But really, they fought together out of trust. Trust towards the leadership, trust towards the peers and trust towards those who are under them.

Still remember the strategy that Zhou Yu and Zhu Ge Liang took when Cao Cao's soldiers fell for their trap in Red Cliff 1? Their troups of soldiers stayed together, leaving no man alone or unguarded and they acted together as a group. Though they have lesser people (almost 4-5 times lesser as Sun-Liu only had 50,000 soldiers while Cao Cao had 220,000 - 240,000 soldiers), they have greater unity that was built on sheer trust and sacrifice.

Cao Cao, on the other hand, had no trust towards those who served him. Like what the story says, sometimes he said one thing yet mean another in his heart.

The CG is like many abled man fighting a war yet using his own way and direction to fight the battle. Without unity, the group of abled man will soon be powerless no matter how skillful or abled are the men of war. Hence, at such a time, all the more we must stay togther and overcome the giant of this CG.

Like what Pastor shared on Saturday JW service, we must overcome the Goliath of E399 with 5 stones as David took 5 stones to win the battle.

1st : Stone of the PAST

God uses what you went through in the past to put courage in you for the current and future because He never wastes any pain you go through.

2nd : Stone of PRAYER

Prayer prepares you for the Goliath in your life so that you are ready for it anytime.

3rd : Stone of PRIORITY

"Seek first the kingdom of God that ALL MAY BE ADDED to you that your JOY MAY BE COMPLETE." - Matthew 6:33

4th : Stone of PASSION

The fire keeps you keeping on. Delight -> Desire -> Discipline.

5th : Stone of PERSISTENCE

Sometimes it requires you to pray more than 1 time to have it answered.

A song of ascents. Of David.
"How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." - Psalm 133.

PS. Anybody have Red Cliff 2? Transfer me eh... HEEeeeee..

Love, Joanne.

@3:54 PM

IT has been a long time.

OOoooo.. Finally starting to do something about the situation.

I met up with Kitty today after hearing the word "GO therefore.." on Thursday and a great message from Pastor on Saturday. When I reached TP at12.50pm, honestly, I FELT SUPER OLD LA.. And out of place because I will tend to feel uncomfortable and awkward when I'm in a place I actually do not belong to. But I brushed through the great crowd to find a seat at the bench outside LT 29 of Block 11.

When I met up with Kitty, her 2 friends were with her?! Germaine and Carmen.. GOODNESS! Awkward. Because I don't know who are they. I felt out of place and worried if there will be awkward moments when none are talking. *Hate it when that happens* But everything went well, and her friends are friendly. Talked to all of them as if they are my friends. But before I left, I had a 1-1 catch up moment with Kitty when she shared with me that she was struggling to have a breakthrough in her life. A breakthrough that was longed for for a very long time and she was starting to give up hope and let go.

The fact that she was not the only 1 who was going through this cycle is the 1 thing that I am very certain about. Even I am going through it now. So I shared with her that I also felt the same. I felt like that CG was not growing and it was becoming stagnant just like this blog. And worst, people are leaving, MIA and getting to be busy with other stuff. The very question that I kept asking myself: Was I a bad leader that turns people away?

But God says "GO therefore" knowing that everyone has flaws and unpolished skills & potential in every man. It is just a matter of whether you want to put your hands into the harvest and plow for it. Because God will fill in the rest for what you do not have as you use what you have. Thats why "Many are called but only a few are chosen." Because not many can withstand the fire. But again, many ceased to commit because it requires discipline and efforts that people are not willing to put in as they choose the easy way out.

Just like what Yaowen shared on Thursday, "Narrow is the way that leads to life and peace but broad is the way that leads to death and destruction." We need to persevere and resist the devil. We need to commit once again to what we have always believed in that "Nothing is impossible". Truly it is always more blessed to give than to receive. Because you reap a greater return when you give than when you receive.

Love, Joanne.