Count On Blessings

I went to watch Red Cliff (Chinese pinyin: chibi) last sat. This film is one of the two 2008 Three Kingdoms related films. I am waiting for this film to release and must catch it in the cinema after I missed to watch the Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon which has already been released. I enjoy to watch this film not because any of the movie stars. I’m more attracted and interested in getting more familiar with the historic events in Three Kingdoms after I read the book 10 years ago.

Overall, the director, John Wu did a pretty good job in terms of shooting marvelous war scenes and connecting different storylines. The bits and pieces of humor introduced by John Woo successfully chase away the dry and boring of film with 145min running time. First it is a surprised and a bit tampering with the unconcluded ending. When I think further, I will be more surprised if He is able to squeeze this ancient Chinese war epic in one round of running time without missing any important and interesting details of story. This gives me anticipation for the coming episode.

I was impressed with war scene starting with Sun ShangXiang, Sun Quan’s younger sisters, luring Cao Cao’s army into the Eight Tiagrams Formation, where Cao’s army was utterly defeated by the allied forces of Liu Bei and Sun Quan. The strategy was brought out by the chief advisor, Zhu GeLiang and Chief Commander of Wu’s army, Zhou Yu.

My mind was thinking the battles recorded in book of Joshua 6: 1-27: The fall of Jericho. The Lord is indeed the chief advisor who had given the victory to the Israelites. Lord’s knowledge and wisdom is higher than man. The battle won without the weapons as what I saw in the film and great warriors just as like Guan Yu, Zhan Fei. He only asked the people to march around the city, carry and blow the trumpets in front of the ark. The wall collapsed when the people gave a loud shout.

Our life just like a battlefield. We have to encounter many battles in different stages of our life. The enemy making us to fear can be a person, a situation, kind of sickness, an accident, a change, etc. We really need someone to be an advisor to tell us what measures should use to defeat our different kind of enemies.

As a believer, we are blessed to have Lord to be our advisor. He said in the Psalm 32: 8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”

If you really wish to have a great victory, first you have to learn to surrender. Not to surrender to your enemy, but surrender to the only one, He is God. Surrender doesn’t weaken you; it strengthens you. Learn from Joshua as he approached the biggest battle of his life, he encountered God, fell worship before Lord, and surrender his plans. That surrender led to a stunning victory at Jericho. Our victory in life comes through surrender. Surrender to God, you don’t have to fear or surrender to anything else.

The effect of sleeping pill is really powerful. Yesterday, I turned in early last night because of tiredness and loss any interest to do anything. My heart is willing, my flesh is weak. I tossed about in my bed for an hour, still couldn’t have a peaceful sleep. I decided to take sleeping pill. I switched on my light, trying to find the sleeping pill which given by my doctor last time for a special prescription and when necessary to take it. I took a pill and continue my sleep. It is really working. I have a nice sleep till the next morning and only woke up by my faithful alarm.

The effect of the sleeping last longer than my night sleep. I managed to come to office on time. I lost focus and strength to start my work. I tried my very best to focus my eyes and mind, still failed. With no other choice, I decided to take leave in order to ‘detoxic’

Do you ever have this experience like me, even though physically you are tiring till you want to rest, but your mind overcontrol your physical strength. My mind is troubled with a problem. This problem becomes a blocking stone for a friendship to grow in a more fruitful and be healthy. Communication is a vital process in maturing a friendship.

It’s not such a simple thing. You may know how to talk, but doesn’t mean you know how to communicate. Communication is more than just speaking, it’s listening. And it’s more than just listening; it’s understanding and properly responding to what we’re heard. Clear communication occurs when two people know not only what to say, but when and how to say it. You may find both exchange thousands of words with people and never learn what they believe or value or fell.

Authentic communication is a skills that take time, effort and determination to learn. It also takes humility. The fist step in getting at communication is admitting that we’re not good at it.

This is what Joshua Haris taugh his reader in his book ‘Boy meet girls”

Principle 1: Communication problems are usually heart problem

Principle 2: Your ears are you most important communication tools

Principle 3: Good communication doesn’t happen by accident

Principle 4: The absence of conflict doesn’t equal good communication

Principle 5: Motive is more important than technique.

Lord, through prayer, I’m able to communicate with you,

through prayer, I’m able to be comforted by you,

every single tear I cry is a diamond at your hand,

through the word of God, I’m able to be guided from the light to the dark,

teach me to be humble before you, to be listening to you

take away my fear and anxiety,

leave you courage and peace,

Walk with me in the light of peace, joy and victory. Amen…

Today is my first day of lifestyle change right after the fuel price hike. I woke up at 6.30 a.m which is half hour earlier than last time. I left my hse for taking the STAR train at 7 a.m. I was able to get the train at 7.25 a.m. By the time I login my attendance, the record showed 8 a.m. Yes, praise God! I made it, I’m not late for work today. I’m the first second to reach the office.

Our company has a very funny rule. Whenever you are late, even late for 1 min, you are required to get your superior to sign off the lateness form. Sigh! I have 3 lateness forms for last week. Normally I got two lateness forms per month, not per week. I’m so paiseh to be so regular to ask my boss to sign this stupid form. Praise God! I have a very considerate boss. This did not give misimpression to my boss.

What happened to me! It all because of the fuel petrol hike.

Right after the increase, I note that it is always crowded with the people at the Hang Tuah monorail station. The worst is I have to let go 4 times of the monorail without being able to hop into the coach. Now, most of the time I do not walk into the coach but I am pushed into it. The train is so full with the people, almost no space to turn and yet the people still try their very best to ‘push’ themselves into the train. I just like a sardine at that moment. I am ‘packed’ into a can of sardines. Even a can of sardines still have moving space, but not the train…

Government advises the people to change lifestyle in order to go through the tough time. It is true, is time to change. Change is not because being supportive to the suggestion of government. Change to sleep earlier and wake up earlier. Therefore, I won’t be always the last person to come in the office. (However, I know I won’t be always the last…because the last is always my boss,…haha…but the stupid rule doesn’t apply on him)

Actually I welcome to this change. Change to sleep earlier to reduce my dark circle under eyes . Wake up earlier so I can take a slow and relaxing pace to work.

During this economy downturn, we may need to change lifestyle, but we can apply what Pastor advised us yesterday during the prayer meeting. Let’s ‘Work, Give, Save and Spend’. We got to earn a living so that we can give to fulfill the needs of ourselves and others, we got to save money before we spend it.

Lord, continue to bless the hands who put trust on you,

no matter good or ill, we know that you will gently lead us,

with grace sufficient day by day,

thank you being the one who is the controller of my life. Amen..

Is 11.30 a.m, is my bedtime.

17/06/08

Judge Brian is a noble man. From the day he became a judge, he always put justice for everyone, and throughout the years, he earned the trust from the people to be their judge.

One day, Judge Brian was handling a case of a young female driver who got caught by the police the other night. She was accused of DUI (Driving under influence). Upon conviction, she admitted that she just got back from a party at her friend’s house and had been drinking heavily. At the end, the judge knocked his gavel 3 times to conclude that the drunk driver is guilty of DUI and she will be suspended from driving for 6 months, she will have to take special driving course at the end of her probation, and she also have to pay $500 in fines because DUI is a serious case.

That was the last case for the day, so the judge went to his changing room, changed his clothes to his civilian clothes.

Outside, the young female driver who was guilty of DUI was sitting on a chair, next to the cashier where people usually pays the fine. To my amazement, the judge was waiting in the line to the cashier.

I was like: "what in the world is he doing there?" Being a curious person, I waited until the judge’s turn to the cashier.

Cashier             : "Judge Brian, how can I help you?"
Judge Brian       : "I am here to pay for the fine of Ms. Laura"
Cashier             : "It’s $500 but I will need her driver license too. Why are you paying for her, judge?"
Judge Brian       : *while writing on his checkbook* - "well, Laura is my daughter.."
Cashier             : "oohh"………..

A story gives us a simple illustration about the character of Heavenly Father. He is a loving father. Our sin separates us from God’s grace. He justifies our sin using his standard. He guides us not to stumble and fall into the trap of sin. His mercy only can take place when you humble before Him. God can speak when we are humble and receptive.

Because of His justice, God cannot dismiss our sin,

Because of His love, He cannot dismiss us.

In a day, I came across with 2 mens who fail to keep their promise. One is for me and one is for my hsemate. We share the same feeling, which is disappointment. I have to confess that I myself have also made a promise that I couldn’t keep. It will be numerous reasons why we couldn’t keep our promise. Circumstances beyond our control might keep us from following through what we promised- sickness, accident, disaster, etc. Sometimes, our promise are made with no intention of keeping them because it’s convenient, achieves an objective, etc. In the end, however, there’s no doubt that broken promises have their origins in our sinful, human condition.

In Psalm 145:13, David reminded the readers of God’s nature as a promise keeper: “The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made”

God’s covenants are much more trustworthy than a covenant between two people.  God has always been faithful to His people, even when they have turned away from Him. That’s because our God is the ultimate Promise Keeper. We can’t rely on earthly promises, but we can rely on Him.

God has fulfilled His promises to His people in Jesus. Jesus gladly and willingly went to the cross and bore our sins upon Himself, sinless and holy , so that we and all who believe in Him would be saved, covered by His righteousness, and could stand before the Father, sinless and holy in Jesus.

My Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me the gift of eternal life in Christ. You have kept Your promises to me and You people by fulfilling salvations in the blood of Jesus. Forgive me for forgetting Your promises and trying to live life with my own strength and understanding. Also, forgive me for failing to keep my own promises so often, especially I have made to You. Help me to learn and follow Jesus’s example of obedience and be faithful in my promises. Guide me to proclaim the fulfillment of Your promised salvation in Jesus . Amen~

These four days, I got to be like a student to attend class from the early morning 9am to 5.30pm. The class was a review course catering for those who are going to take CIA Exam. The review course was reviewing topic of financial analysis and information technology. This two subjects is headache to me as I don’t have much relevant background in business analysis and IT. Trying to take note for every details when speaker was giving teaching. More worry and doubt arise when thinking about am I able to cope with this exam. Look at them just like a giant for me.

Remember a sharing by a brother talking about how David, a little shepherd boy managed to defeat Goliath, a nine-feet-champion with 5 stones.

‘..David choose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached Philistine.’ ~1 Samuel 17:40

Here is the illustration of these five stones:

1) The stone of past successes.

David remembered the way God had helped before saying, ‘God, who delivered me from the…lion and…bear, will deliver me…’ (1 Samuel 17:37). The human memory usually tends to hang on to bad memories longer than good ones! So, why not get a notebook to keep track of the ‘marvelous works…He has done’ (1 Chronicles 16:12)

2) The stone of prayer.

David remembered the way God had helped before saying, ‘God, who delivered me from the…lion and…bear, will deliver me…’ (1 Samuel 17:37). The human memory usually tends to hang on to bad memories longer than good ones! So, why not get a notebook to keep track of the ‘marvellous works…He has done’ (1 Chronicles 16:12)

3) The stone of honour.

‘Prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare’ (Ephesians 6:18); you can’t win without it. For many years David was on the run from crazy king Saul but he kept praying to God who he called his ‘defence and refuge’.

4) The stone of passion.

Lots of arrogant people like to disregard God but Christians are concerned with defending his honour. David’s defend it by killing Goliath and proving ‘There is a God in Israel ‘ (1 Samuel 17:46). Involving God in your situation gives an opportunity for His grace and power to shine.

5) The stone of preparation.

You have to ask why David picked five stones. It was probably because he didn’t know how many he’d need to do the job! Be prepared, victory may not be instant but with God’s help it will come in time. David was the only person in the nation with more passion than wisdom! Fighting Goliath was a stupid idea but God responded to David’s passionate heart and gave him victory. Sometimes it’s good to let your heart rule your head.

Let me face my giant with these 5 stones. Stones with the power of God!