#163 F-Bomb #3: Factions

“Transformation is my favorite game and in my experience, anger and frustration are the result of you not being authentic somewhere in your life or with someone in your life. Being fake about anything creates a block inside of you. Life can’t work for you if you don’t show up as you.”     Jason Mraz

Frustration rises when you have made an investment and the return does not meet your expectation.
The stock market   …   The Leafs   Pajammas … my pezz cup

Unresolved disappointment.
1.    React       2.    Repress     Medicate – Motivate – Meditate        3.    Respond

Luke 12:31-32 “Only aim at and strive for and seek His kingdom, and all these things shall be supplied to you also. Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom!”

Genuine fear must be: 1. Potent    2. Immanent
Studies say that as much as 99% of fear is not legitimate.
Chances of being abducted by aliens is 1 in 50

1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].”

MOVIE CLIP WAS PLAYED

“If you try to build intimacy with another person before you have done the work of getting whole on your own, all your relationships become an attempt to complete yourself.” Dr. Les Parrot

Your relationships can only be as healthy as the least healthy person in the relationship.
If others more mature than you … you’re pulling down the average.
A frame relationships don’t work. You can’t fuse yourself to another person.

Factions:— strife or dissension within a group
Synonyms — discord, disagreement, schism, split, friction.
Relationships gone sideways can bring out the f-bomb.

1 Peter 1:22 “You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.”

Romans 12:9, 18 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; … If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

For Healthy Relationships:
1. Profound Significance   Apple of His eye … to die for.
2. Unswerving Authenticity    I know who I am in Him.
3. Self-giving Love     A steady, consistent giving.

Judges 11:1-11 Jephthah turned his faction into function. Jephtath:– (yif-tawkh) to open for oneself.

Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah. 2 Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, “You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.” 3 Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and dwelt in the land of Tob; and worthless men banded together with Jephthah and went out raiding with him.
4 It came to pass after a time that the people of Ammon made war against Israel. 5 And so it was, when the people of Ammon made war against Israel, that the elders of Gilead went to get Jephthah from the land of Tob. 6 Then they said to Jephthah, “Come and be our commander, that we may fight against the people of Ammon.”
7 So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “Did you not hate me, and expel me from my father’s house? Why have you come to me now when you are in distress?”
8 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “That is why we have turned again to you now, that you may go with us and fight against the people of Ammon, and be our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.”
9 So Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, “If you take me back home to fight against the people of Ammon, and the Lord delivers them to me, shall I be your head?”
10 And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, “The Lord will be a witness between us, if we do not do according to your words.” 11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the Lord in Mizpah.

How Do You Make Faction Function?
1. He had a bad start.
“…but he was the son of a harlot.”

2. He was severely rejected.
“You shall not have an inheritance in our father’s house…”
Your pain often has its source in someone else’s behaviour.

3. Wise Response
“…dwelt in the land of Tob;”
Tob:—to be good, be pleasing, be joyful, be beneficial, be pleasant, be favourable, be happy, be right.
1. Forgive It 2. Bless It 3. Give Thanks

Romans 8:28 (NIV) “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
It’s all good! Dwell in TOB!!!!

Things shift in TOB:
1. Acrimony TO Acceptance
2. Disappointment TO Discovery
3. Pain TO Preparation
4. Rejection TO Revelation
5. Resistance TO Reigning

4. The Awesome Comeback
Left in disgrace comeback in Honor       Left alone comeback with Elders
Left in rags comeback General’s robe    Left secretly comeback in  PARADE
Left a nobody comeback Commander

Make your FACTION FUNCTION!!!
You’re a secret in God.  You’re a Commander waiting to happen.    Turn your rejection into promotion.

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