I know it has been a long while since I have written anything but this morning is one of those mornings where I just got very contemplative about everything. Perhaps it's due to my girlfriend, my family, friends and even the recent layoff but all of these aspects of my life, in a twist of events, have brought me back to remembering where it all comes down to -- Jesus Christ.
Given that I come from a strong Pentecostal background, there's a lot I grew up with for better or worse. I grew up with all that junk talk about external possessions being worn that shouldn't be worn otherwise you were associating with Satan, avoiding all sense of social environment that wasn't Christian altogether and a few others that anyone knows Pentecostals for would know. It doesn't end there, though.
In the process, I understood the value of enriching your spiritual relationship with God through the Holy Spirit, of whom the Bible calls the Helper and Spirit of Truth whom dwells in you (John 14.16-17), guides unto all righteousness (John 16.13), helps us in our weakness (Romans 8.26), gives wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11.2).
It's wonderful to think of the gift and help we have through the Spirit, whom came upon all believers of Christ after his ascension (with exception to his disciples, see John 20.22).
Now let us look back to Jesus Christ though. Up until He came to the scene, Jews were calling upon the Father, whose name was known as YHWH, YHVH, JHVH or Jehovah. What I always found fascinating was that with exception to their leaders, judges, some of their kings and their prophets, is that people were mostly afar from Him.
Then came Jesus. The Son of the Living God. They asked to show them God and His answer was, "Um, hi! See how I roll and you've seen how my Daddy rolls!" (John 14.10). He is also the new (and very permanent) High Priest on our behalf, as He owns the claim of being not only the way, truth and life but also that no one may get to the Fathert except through Him (John 14.6). I'm sure that may answer the question as to why when Christians start a prayer, right after they say "Dear Heavenly Father", "Our Father in Heaven", "Dear Jehovah Father God" or something similar, they always add, "we come before you in the name of Jesus". It gets bigger from there. His name is then glorified to be above every other name (Philippians 2.9-11).
As years went on, I began to really understand how these three work together. It is just amazing how in Christ's obedience to the Father , He was given an elevation beyond belief. He is humanity's lifestream of salvation, our gateway to the Father, our bread of life and by His name there is authority given that makes things go down. He is our inheritance and on top of that, His words were a gift to our human race, speaking straight up love of which can tear walls down. Then as a big bonus, His Spirit is put upon His believers as a seal and as our guidance.
You know that adage of, "He may not be here with us physically but still remains with us in Spirit"? Well, I don't think you can exemplify it any better than that.
I'm not sure if I'll get back to this later on but as I thought deeply in the middle of a bar called the Gotham City Lounge, sipping on water among comic book geeks, I thought about all of this.
Even at 27 and with all sorts of info out there (Illuminati, Luciferians, Church of Satan, The Zeitgeist), none of it has shaken my belief. When something has shown how real it is to your life personally, all else goes out the window. Heck, I once knew someone who ate the Zeitgeist like it was an ultimate revelation -- and became a Christian barely a year or two later.