THE BEATITUDES

-focus on the love and holiness

-what moves a person to lasting change is love

-God wants an obedience from the heart.. not cos of rules or laws

-in matt 5, its not a list of things to do, but the being.. how a son and daughter of the heavenly father looks like

-beatitudes = extremely happy, a heavenly joy out of this world

8 attitudes that brings heavenly joy

-poor in spirit = need to depend fully on God

   -God is not against possessions and wealth, but this are not the things tt will bring us nearer to God

-mourn = deep grieve over our own sins

   -our sins is affecting our fellowship with God

-repentance will bring us supreme happiness

-meekness is not weakness

-meekness is self-control when we are irritated, provoked

-it takes a lot of inner strength, the Holy Spirit

-just live a righteous life and we will be happy

   -the Holy Spirit wants to empty us and fill us with Him... many times, we are too full of ourselves to be filled

characteristics of beatitudes

1. contrast

2. countercultural.. its the direct opposite of the value of the world

3. beauty of Jesus

merciful

-we cannot have the Holy Spirit and not be a forgiving person

pure in heart

peacemakers

-Jesus shed His blood to reconcile us to God

-there should be a heart of seeing ppl being reconciled, go ard promoting peace and reconciliation and not to create confusion and division

persecuted because of righteousness

-Simon Peter was upset when Jesus is talking abt cavalry.. he wanted Christ without the cross

finally Peter understands...

if we follows Jesus, there will be troubles

-the first thing we should do is not to be defensive when being insulted cos of Christ

   -we should rejoice cos its a privilege cos we were counted worthy to suffer for Christ

-an overcomer is when nothing can bring us down

REPENTANCE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

experiencing a joy that is heavenly, out of the world

-mourn = grieve of own sin = repentance

repentance always bring heavenly joy

3 things about repentance

1. godly sorrow

this grieve is a godly one, it's the work of the Holy Spirit

-how proud, stubborn we are, based on our own strength.. and it's filthy rag to God.. which can in turn destroy ourselves

-the Holy Spirit tells exactly what we need to change

-the Satan condemns, shame and put us down

2. change of mind

-we need to change ourselves

-we tend to do things for ourselves.. now we need to change our thinking

change of mind, + we need to turn from darkness to light in Jesus

the father love his son even if his son is disrespectful, wanted to get his share for his father's inheritance

the son squandered his wealth and am left with nothing

the son changed his mind

-his son turned his ways in repentance

-his father is waiting for his son to come back.. Just like God is waiting for us to repent and return to Him

-if we repent, we will experience the goodness of God

-the older bro is with anger and bitterness..

-it is not how hard we work, how senior... It's the relationship that matters!

repentance is for all and it's a daily thing!

-we may be able to hide our little sins, but God knows them all!

   -one day it will snowball into something evil

-the Holy Spirit convicts us little by little..

   -by the power of the Spirit, we can overcome

-don't end up like the elder brother, being angry

   -he was just as lost as the younger bro.. he is just good at covering up through busyness in life

-if we are older, don't be complacent

-if we are younger, don't be condemned

THEOSIS - SPIRITUAL REUNION

-God is our ultimate goal!

   -we must willingly choose God. God wont force

-God is a person in 3 bodies

-God is a communal love

social trinity.. God wants relationship...

-Father, Son, Holy Spirit is constantly moving, loving.. moving in unity

-God was never lonely.. yet He open up this love to include us

God preparing us into an union with Him

theosis is the ability to join in the perichoresis "dance"

-this union has alr started... the moment we believe in Christ

-God uses marriage to describe the relationship we should have with Him

we must learn to take a few steps back and let God live through us, love through us

1. the more we focus on spiritual things, the more theosis happens

2. be repentant... theosis happens when we ask the Holy Spirit to help us

3. be as humble, gentle, patience as we can

4. hungry and desperate for righteous living

5. be kind and compassionate to the needy

6. dont stop dealing with immorality

7. dont be hostile.. seek to reconcile whenever possible

8. be brave for God.. dont be afraid of sufferings

this is how we have the easy yolk, light burden