GOD DWELLS IN OUR DARKNESS

God sent Jesus in the darkness cos He can be a light to us in our darkness

-God doesnt bring us out of the darkness immediately.. if we wants God to bring us immediately, we will be disappointed

-God dont work according to our timetable... God has a plan for us

   we must learn to trust God

-challenges of life will come.. but God promise that He will be with us!

-dont go through the challenges, but grow through the challenges

TREASURES IN DARKNESS

-God uses Christmas to remind us that in dark season, God is always with us

-God uses dark places to bring us to higher places

-we must plant the seed in a soil, a dark place so tt it will come to life

   -we are the seed.. too much of the good things can hinder us from growth

-God doesn't send the bad things, but uses the bad things to let us grow

-in the dark places, we pray more, seek God more, prioritize more

-going through all good will not bring out the best of us

3 things to do when in a dark place

1. believe

-bring God into our situation 

-keep believing and speaking out the promises of God

-go through dark places believing!

2. trust

-God is working for us, in us

-learn to trust God's timing

3. surrender whole heartedly

stay in faith, but whatever the outcome, joyfully surrender

-faith is trusting God even if life doesn't make sense

unless the seed is placed in the dark place, it can't grow and one day something beautiful blossom!

THEOSIS - AFFECTIONS

-salvation is not on knowledge.. our reading must be mixed with prayer, praise and worship

   -reading alone will become dry

-salvation is not a self improvement thing, a better person.. but its an ultimate relationship with God

-we are declared righteous to declare God's righteousness

-righteousness and power have to be grounded to love

-without love, our faith cant work... faith works through love

-God is righteous, containing love and the power

-affections are more than feelings

   -feelings come and go, ups and downs

   -affections is temperament 

3 affections we should have

1. gratitude

remember what God has done for us even in times of hardship

2. compassion

compassion to love like Jesus...

Jesus loves, no matter how His day was

3. courage

courage gives us the strength and hope that God has a better plan for us!

THE HUMANITY OF JESUS

Jesus could have come down to this world as powerful superhero, but He took up the nature of servanthood

the key to living in this world is not easy, but we as human being, can have God who strengthen us

learn to depend on God

only when we are weak then God can be strong in us

only God can give security in life.. without God, we are bankrupt.. even if we are rich in everything

3 benefits of depending on God

1. healthy confidence 

-theres a difference between self confidence and God confidence

   -God confidence is having the courage to face anything in life despite limitations and weakness

-when we have God confidence, our mindset will change

-every time students go through a test, the teacher is always silent

2. healthy humility

3. balanced Christian

-balance is the key to life

-God wants us to be spiritual, but not to be out of this world

miserable comforters are people who are very spiritual but lost touch of the world

-Eliphaz

   -cos of sins tts why failed... repentance required

-Bildad

   -dont blame God, but magnify God..  

-Zophar

   -cos didnt do enough good to others

*they were good spiritual advice... but all failed to make humanity connections...

-tts why Jesus came to identify with us... our sins, pain and humanity