Believe in God

John 14:1

Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

It sounds almost ridiculous to say that one of the main problems with the church is that we don't truly believe in God, but it also seems to be true. It must have also seemed absurd to the apostles for Jesus to be telling them to believe in God at the end of His ministry. Weren't they following Him all along because they believed in God and that Jesus was the Messiah? Why would Jesus give them this simple command? The answer is also simple, because we forget who God is and our belief in the true God begins to decay. It is no coincidence that in the same chapter that Jesus tells his disciples to believe he also makes claims that he is the image of the Father, and that the Father is sending the Holy Spirit. The entire ministry of the Holy Spirit is to help us believe. Jesus says "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring your remembrance all that I have said" (John 14:26). We know God through His Son and the Word and it is the Holy Spirit who aids us in all of this knowledge, so that we may believe in God. 

It is important to note above all things that we "cannot receive even one thing unless it is given [to us] from heaven" (John 3:27). Faith and belief are gifts flowing from God's mercy and grace, and they should be treated as such. Belief doesn't come easy, but we can find comfort in the fact that it is not something that we are called to muster up. The beauty of the cross comes from the reality that we cannot do even one thing to boast in our own works. Everything was done for us by Jesus on the cross, so that God could punish sin and give us grace. We need to be constantly thanking Jesus and praying to the Father to give us more faith so that we may find more delight in Him.

Why is belief so important? It sounds like a silly question to ask, but if we aren't believing like we should maybe it's because we need to be reminded why we believe. In John chapter 14 Jesus gives us a monumental speech about the importance of belief. Jesus tells us that it leads to works (the Way), it leads to knowledge of the Father (Truth), and it leads to salvation (Life). That is why Jesus is able to make the claim he makes in verse six that "[He] is the way, and the truth, and the life," because trusting in Jesus is a transformation.

If we believe we will be transformed and we will walk in the ways of Jesus. In verse twelve Jesus states this quite plainly "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." When we truly believe in Jesus and his life it will transform our character, and we will develop a love for the Father and His commandments. It's only natural that true belief in the life of Jesus leads to love, because through him God has given us everything. And keeping with this logic it is only natural for our love to be worked out through our lives. True love like the love of Jesus is proven by commitment to the Father's will. "I do as Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father" (John 14:31). Does our belief show the world that we love the Father?

Does our belief show the world that we know the Father? Jesus said "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves" (John 14:11). This is a wonderful claim. These words should bring us joy after joy. God has chosen to reveal His character to us. We don't have to make guesses as to how God acts, we see it through the life of Jesus. We are blessed to live in a country where Bibles are abundant, most households have at least two. But we don't treasure them. Why? It breaks my heart, because there are people all over the world who have literally died to bring the Bible to others not as blessed. We need to learn to see the value of our Bibles. It is through belief in God's word that truth is made known to us. We can know truth. That is amazing. that is why the ministry of the Holy Spirit is so important, because the Holy Spirit helps teach us and remind us. How different the church would be if we all simply read our Bibles reverently. We need to pray for help believing and remembering what we read when we dive into the Scriptures. The Bible is meant to be our sword, but when we neglect it we make it our enemy.

Finally belief gives us life, and not just any life but full life. Through belief in Jesus we come to the Father, and through studying belief we learn that it is not simply a claim of faith, but a transformed lifestyle. Through belief in God we are given a hope that extends beyond this world. A hope that rests on the promises of an eternal God. We are given a life that allows Jesus to tell us to "let not [our] hearts be troubled" (John 14:1,27). We are given a life of eternal comfort and security that we can spend seeking after the pleasure of knowing our Creator intimately. A life spent anxiously awaiting for the moment when the veil is completely torn and we see God face to face, and there is no longer any mystery. We have a purpose, and that purpose is to know our Creator which can only be done through belief. Let us not take the words of Jesus lightly. We need to believe to live and we need God to believe. We were created that way for a reason, so that through belief we may eternally enjoy God by glorifying Him forever.

Belief is essential to the Christian life. It is the pulse of our existence. If we are not believing we are not living. Do we want to be dead?

Mark 9:24

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

Let us pray to God to help us overcome our unbelief, so we can be a people that the world will see and acknowledge that we love the Father.

Erotic Playlist

The Erotic Playlists

What is the basis of pleasure? Is it not the satisfaction of expectation? Music has neurological ties to a couple parts of the human brain, one of which is the pleasure center. The pleasure center is stimulated by pleasant foods, smells, and of course sexual arousal. What is it then about music that triggers the same response in one’s brain, as would a passionate kiss (let’s try and keep this PG) from the love of one’s life?

There are three kinds of music for any given person. That is unsatisfactory, satisfactory, and pleasurable. One can walk away simply satisfied from mediocrity, but the purest form of pleasure can be attained only when all expectations have been surpassed. Pleasure is greatest when expectations have been transcended. Pleasure is most awesome when the experience has been heightened beyond the limits of the imagination. In other words, pleasure draws one away from oneself and into something indescribably greater.

There is something so erotic about music. The music begins dynamically either in soft foreplay or comes in full force and passion. The music builds, and it builds, and it builds. Then comes the bridge where everything is exposed. The heart and soul are vulnerably bare in the climax. And lo, there is resolution.

SECULAR-
This is a short playlist of secular songs that have drawn me away from myself in the experience of listening to them. These songs have more than satisfied my expectations, and in a crude sense have brought me into some sort of auditory ecstasy (i.e. orgasm).
*
Fake Palindromes- Andrew Bird
The Funeral- Band of Horses
Transatlanticism- Death Cab for Cutie
Cold Desert- Kings of Leon
This is Twice Now- Lydia
Chasing Cars- Snow Patrol
House of Regret- Wild Sweet Orange

WORSHIP-
Are we created to seek pleasure though? What of the Biblical warnings of pursuing the passions and lusts of our youth? What of Paul’s exhortations to lay dead the flesh and to resurrect the spirit? The world has definitely skewed what it means to find pleasure. I suggest, though, that our greatest pleasure is found in God. This is not to be confused with comfort or ease. I suggest that the martyr’s greatest pleasure came from the fellowship with Christ in the midst of their brutal sufferings. In the same way, I suggest that the modern church has tricked itself into finding menial satisfaction, not pleasure, in making much of itself rather than finding immense pleasure in making much of Christ.

I spent most of last semester having my heart torn apart and being put back together by my Heavenly Father. I came to the stark realization that my Heavenly Father is also my Heavenly Groom, and I His bride. This entails a calling to intimate fellowship with Him. The most erotic and intimate times that I have experienced with God have been in times of praise and worship. Obviously worship is more than singing songs to God. It is a renewal of your mind and submission of your body to the pleasing and perfect will of God (Romans 12:1-2). One way that this is done, however, is in song. Worship should be the place that we realize that we were made, not to be greatness, but to know greatness.

If music is such a powerful tool, then it makes sense that we sing to God in praise and worship. How much more transcendent must this experience be though? Is it not much more valuable to sing to God than it is to entertain yourself with music? If I can lose myself in music by Death Cab, then should I not lose myself infinitely more in the midst of the God who created me and redeemed me? How intimately erotic, transcendent, and passionate should this experience be, to submit ourselves to our groom who is capable of immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine?

These are songs that have utterly wrecked my life. Not so much because of the music, but because of the presence of my God and my Groom. These are more than chords, rhythms, and lyrics. These are more than dynamics, builds, and sustains. They are intimate discourses and proclamations to a Holy, Holy, Holy God. They have caused me to realize that I am in the presence of passionate divinity. They are erotic interactions with my closest and most divine lover.
*
Our God- Chris Tomlin
Our God Reigns- Chris Tomlin
Meteor Shower- Owl City
Cannons- Phil Wickham
You’re Beautiful- Phil Wickham
Heaven and Earth- Phil Wickham
Divine Romance- Phil Wickham
Beautiful, Scandalous Night- Robbie Seay Band
Yearn- Shane and Shane

* All playlists are arranged alphabetically by name of artist, and then by album. I encourage everyone to try and listen to these songs. If I find out how to load them, then I will surely do it.

Prayer: Restoration of Joy

Psalm 62:8

Trust in Him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us

Psalm 51:12

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

John 16:24

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. 

Ask, and you will receive,

 that your joy may be full.

Recently more than ever the importance of prayer has become extremely clear to me. We cannot delight in the Lord if we are not fellowshipping with Him. If we are not coming to God in prayer broken and contrite, humbled before our majestic Creator we will lack the joy salvation. God desires for our hearts to be near Him, but our hearts are prone to wander. If we honor Him with mere duty, but are hearts are far from Him we are no better than the Pharisees. It is essential for us as Christ followers to cast everything upon our Lord and to take refuge in His promise to deliver us. 

My prayer life has suffered due to an obvious lack of discipline. To improve our prayer life spiritual discipline is a must. We must learnt to love it. In Psalm 50 God speaks against the wicked "for [they] hate discipline," and He promises to reveal salvation "to the one who orders his way rightly. (Psalm 50:17,23 ESV) It is no wonder that in our present generation that despises authority that we also reject the need for discipline, but it is impossible to live a righteous and holy life without making priorities. We like to do things whenever we are in the "right" mood or have until we have "enough" time, but until we realize that we need to cry out to God even more when we don't "want" to we will always lack the joy of a mature Christian.

The more I have been thinking lately about the spiritual state of America and the more I have been reading Scripture the more I come to believe  that we as a church are far too content with spiritual infancy. What I mean by this is that we are far too pleased with only a little Jesus. We do not give God all the glory and majesty due to His name, and our faith reflects it. Our relationship with Christ is shallow, like that of an infant with his father, because we are not unified and we are not growing up into Christ. Yes, we are told to receive the kingdom of God like a child, but we are not called to be spiritually immature. In fact it is quite the opposite in Ephesians Paul tells us that "we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ" (4:15-16) 

I believe this is directly related to our prayer life. We don't struggle in prayer like Epaphras so that we may be "mature and fully assured in all the will of God" (Colossians 4:12). We don't prioritize prayer in our life and as a result we don't grow up, we don't have hope in God's promises, and worst of all we don't know Jesus as we should. All throughout Scripture there are commands to pray. I pray and long for us all to understand the sincerity of the importance to cry out to God. It is through prayer that we receive joy from God and that God is glorified in us. God is glorified when we come to Him broken so that He may restore us and fill us with Him. The joy of being filled with the fullness of God is indescribable and it is what compels us to outwardly share God with others. When we are filled with joy and love God we cannot help but to let overflow into every part of our lives bringing Christ with us everywhere shining as a light for the world to see.

My prayer for us is to become a people committed to spiritual discipline. Committed to growing up into spiritual maturity by devoting time to prayer and God's word. The Bible teaches us to pray all we need to do is open it up to the psalms and the Lord's prayer. Truthfully any passage of Scripture can guide is in prayer and we need to use it as such. Through all of this we will become a people filled with the joy of the Spirit and we will become a people anxiously awaiting the return of our Savior.

Ephesians 3:14-21

 ¹⁴For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 ²⁰Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.