Honesty

Yeah probably putting one's self in another's shoes would help to make the article more sensible. Haha my bad on thinking it was selfish

But yeah, relationships within family members is a core thing of how God made this world. But we need to love God above them, for us to really love them.

I really like how Jesus says that if “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:26 NIV

I love my dad. Not because of what he's done, but because of God. I would my father regardless of what he's done. That's how he brought me up, through the example of loving as how God would love.

I wasn't thought it though words, I learnt it through living in a family that just practiced what God wanted.

Hence, there was no dissociation...

There is no need to rebel,
There is no need to gain attention, or to compare.

I wasn't compared, there was no favouritism, no said expectations to live up to.

No expectations were asked of me, but I still knew about them in my heart. That it was not for men's expectations to be met, but God's. Not my father's , not my teacher's or pastor's or friend's or boss's

The moment I started to live for others instead of God. That's when the horrible feeling of meaninglessness came in. Everyday was a drag. Work, ministry, relationships..

No doubt the consequences were due to my choices. And the healing doesn't happen over night. But it's in the process...

We all are broken, none of us are perfect. And if we were to potray a life as such, then better for my neck to be tied to a stone and thrown into the river. For I would become condescending, and that would in turn turn others away from God.

Am I proud or ashamed to be a son. A son of whom? My dad? Or God? My identity is not in my family, but in my relationship with God. I was not actively conscious about this when I was little, but now as a young adult I see the importance of realising and internalising this truth.

For even if my pastor or father or wife to be shall be anything other than what I expect them to be... If they shall fail. I would not hold it against them. For I too am in as much grace as them.

Honestly

by Barnabas Piper (John Piper's son)

Honesty and transparency are always more fruitful than hiding—and abandoning the people and the structures that God has put in your life always leads to disaster.

Well said

Disobedience is very draining and destructive. I know that in my own life deliberate sin leads to guilt and saps energy. Ultimately, we end up miserable. Moses said in effect, ‘See his goodness’: ‘it was your own eyes that saw all the great things the Lord has done. Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today, so that you may have the strength…’ (vv.7,8). Obedience brings the blessing of strength.

Excerpt from BiOY day 99

Mt. SAINAI III. Elijah. Ps yew meng. PPBC. 1 kings 19

1 Kings 19
Our greatest Attack may come after our greatest Victory.

V4: we can all face discouragement. The one that saw fire come down form heaven, raised the dead, call rain down, etc...

Greatest lies: once I become a Christian is that we will never face tough times.

The point is not just to go into it, but through it.

Elijah had an expectation

That Israel would turn back to God after seeing all the miracles.

When you have an expectation and it does not take place.

Unmet expectation

Arise and eat

"Hope differed makes the heart sick"

Listen to the message from God. His Malak, His Angle. I'm not going to listen to the voice of the devil anymore. I'm going to go into God's presence and listen to Him.

Realize our physical needs.
Eat, rest.

The greatest and best of Christians when are physically weak are more prone to an attack of spiritual depression more than any other time. - Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones

Christianity is not about becoming a ghost. Where there's no flesh and blood.

Hospitable: to meet the physical needs of others.

He still knew where to run to. The mountain of God. Sometimes we run to the wrong things: Internet, alcohol, porn

"what are you doing here?" - God

Elijah pours out his heart to God.

God responds in supernatural ways.
Winds, earthquakes, fire...

Elijah knew all this from history.

But the Lord was not in all those.
He was in a low wisper

In the sound of silence

God reveals Himself in His own ways. Not how we expect Him.

Sometimes we look for God in the big loud things that we often miss Him in the small still quite things of the humble heart.

Stimulation has replaced connection

V14 still some self centrednes and pride. Misguided of his own self importance. Self pity. Self absorbed.

How does God break it?

V15 anoint the enemy king, the Israel king and elisha

The victory will come to pass not in your hands but in others.

Not through a miracle, but a bland polical change in power. God is sovereign, in the events of the nation... Not just God of the miraculous, but the mundane. Not just of the big things but also the ordinary.

You are not alone, there are 7000 more.

In every generation, there's always a community whom are quietly faithful to the things of God.

Learn to get past ourselves

God its not about me anymore.
Forget ourselves.
My hope is in You,
And You're gonna work your ways in me,
And Your process.

Key: there is One that has never forgotten us, whom has loved us, died for us, saved us...

Turn our eyes upon Jesus.

God I don't understand the pain and confusion.

But God I'm going to trust You.

That You know what You're doing.

Hold hands - water bottles

When holding hands in a circle..
The hand at the bottom is the one that's above, a firm foundation, solid, giving.
The hand on top is the one that's bellow, the builder, elegant, receiving.

When sitting in the plane,
Helping others to put their luggage up.
Check for water bottles and take it out, put it at the seat upright. You don't want water spilling out.

Comfort in Christ

People tend to take things for granted when all is well. God had alot of  traditions and feast for the isrealites to recall and remember all that He did for them in the Old Testament times.

Jesus came not to do away with the old ways, but to fulfil the covenent in its entirety, so that Salvation and relationship with God would no longer rely on works of humans.

And I think unless we truely understand how prayer, worship and the ability to read scripture daily (with others and individually) with relevations from the Holy Spirit is such a privalege... That it came at such a cost... The life of God's beloved Son...

I don't think anyone can (really) be comfortable if they knew someone actually gave up their life for them... 😐