How to Experience God

UNDERSTAND THE LONGINGS OF YOUR SOUL, DISCOVER HOW GOD FEELS FOR YOU AND ENJOY INTIMACY WITH JESUS

Pablo Pérez

Open Heavens Publishing

Elizabeth, New Jersey

www.openheavenspublishing.com

YOUR FREE GIFT

As a way of saying thanks for your purchase, I’m offering a free report that’s exclusive to my readers. I believe that experiencing God’s affections for you can transform your life. That’s why I wrote: If You would Only Know What God Feels for You.

But this is not only a report… it’s an interactive guide that explores the art of dialoguing with God and has the potential to rewire your emotional chemistry (instructions inside).

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Table of Contents

Secrets of Your Burning Heart

The Fountain of Living Waters

The Core Human Dilemma

Painkillers for the Soul

I Wanted to Kick Myself...

Looking for God in the Wrong Places

From Survival to Fellowship

The Water that Becomes a Fountain

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit

The Never Ending Encounter

The Messiah Moment

What the Father Wants

What is Eternal Life?

Falling In Love with a Harlot

The Burning Heart of God

The Most Important Question of Your Life

It’s Time for a Paradigm Shift

Stop Visualizing that White Dress

The Gospel in One Word

Overcoming Guilt and Shame

It’s Time to Discover Your Real Name

Amazing and Incredible News

The Lovesick God

The Search for Significance

The Revolution Begins

The Lovesick Son

The Lovesick Father

You Have Ravished my Heart

You Are the Object of His Affections

Knowing and Believing

Hearing Did Not Benefit Them

The Mystery of Hardwired Faith

The Creative Power of Your Thoughts

The High Definition Movie Theater of Your Soul

Your Magnetic Frequency

The Power of Your Words

The Confirmation of Your Faith

Passionate Lovers of God

Eyewitness of His Majesty

The Law of Transformation

I Am Lovesick

In Closing

Recommended Resources

CHAPTER 1

Secrets of Your Burning Heart

And as He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories… but for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before ― C. S. Lewis (The Last Battle)

Eternity is written on your heart. That’s why you love reading stories like the one above: they remind you that life is more than the things you “see” and that you are more than you have dared to believe.

Truly, you were made for God, designed to love Him and be loved by Him—the magnificence of God’s person is your birthright and inheritance—you exist to be fascinated by His beauty, allured by His love and His presence is the environment you were created for.

Yet, it’s easy for you and I to live disconnected from this heavenly atmosphere. We navigate through life believing lies that we were told are true, feeling emotions that reflect those lies and overheating our minds with the cares of this world.

As if this weren’t enough, an ocean of distractions threatens your sanity. Multitudes of voices call for your attention: “Come here and find life!”, “Follow me!”, “Buy this; it will cure your pain”. Both, the media and savvy marketers have identified your thirst. They understand your “emotional brain” and how to seduce your longings for profit.

Ironically… they are not alone in their pursuit. Although for much different reasons, the God of heaven and the prince of darkness are after the same thing: your burning heart.

Make no mistake; your affections will burn for something or someone, your heart is not neutral. You must experience life at any cost, and you will. Because you carry powerful passions within—they are like mighty rivers of longing that will not relent in their search for an outlet.

You are dealing with intense soul affections and the charm of many lovers. This tension feels like subtle harassment. And if you’re not careful, you can become “a flute” that anyone could play.

Sooner or later you’ll discover that you are profoundly thirsty within—you were made with a burning heart—a heart that must experience life, joy and pleasure… at any cost.

Ignorance is your first enemy. Because ignoring how you are wired within will make you an easy target for sin and the devil (who is well aware of your cravings and longings).

What’s more, unless you learn to manage your “inner thirst” your heart will not make it (not in the long run). You might wear all kinds of masks before people. You can fake success, go through the motions and be dead inside: tormented by sinful cravings and infected by a cancer of the soul I call: meaningless.

That’s why I called this chapter: Secrets of Your Burning Heart, because the information I’m about to share will help you identify how you are wired within and how to channel your passions to stay satisfied with God.

The Fountain of Living Waters

For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and dug for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water — Jer. 2:13

Some years ago during a time of prayer the Lord told me: “You have forsaken Me, and you are replacing me with your ‘broken cisterns’. But I am the only One that can satisfy your thirst… I am the Fountain of Living Waters. All you needs and desires can be found in Me. Your efforts to find life, success, security and happiness apart from Me are evil and useless”

Knowing the Lord was right (He always is), I asked Him why… why did I forsake Him? And what was the reasoning behind building my “cisterns” (my God-replacements)?

The Lord said: “You make cisterns because you thirst within (you thirst for experience, meaning, pleasure and happiness) and when you STOP believing I am everything you need (that I am the answer for all your longings) you forsake Me… and you start looking after your “broken wells” for satisfaction. First, commit “evil” by turning away from Me. Then, you commit idolatry by pouring intense affections (worship) upon your ‘new sources’ of water”.

Wow! Those are not easy words to hear, but they are liberating, because it’s not only the story of Israel, and my story. It’s the story of the human heart. Understanding what the Lord showed me can rescue you from the darkness of not knowing why you pursue the things you pursue and what is it you are really looking for.

CHAPTER 2

The Core Human Dilemma

Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters… why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? — Is. 55:1-2

Deep within your heart you live and yearn for experience—all of us crave for it—it’s not really things, status and success we desire, it’s the experience those things provide we are after (and how they make us feel inside).

It’s no secret that you and I desire to be known and to be loved—that we yearn for romance, adventure, thrills and fascination—and that we seek lasting friendships, approval from people, financial security and success… but why?

Why you and I want those things?

You desire those things because they feel great—every longing of your soul anticipates a specific experience. In fact, “experience” is the concealed driving force behind every human pursuit.

Unfortunately, the same passionate longings we have are the root for our addictions (good and evil).

Think about your favorite form of entertainment and ask: Why is it so attractive and appealing? What's the emotional payment of the exchange? And why at times I find myself over doing it?

The reason we get drunk with entertainment is rather simple: we have a profound need for mental engagement. You need to engage and be engaged; you hunger for new discoveries and fresh encounters (it is how we are wired).

The problem is, that every form of entertainment ever invented becomes old. No matter how exciting, ingenious, amusing and thrilling—we’re always left wanting, always longing for more...

Something similar happens with sin (which feasts on our misguided longings).

Have you ever wondered why the “prohibited” seems so attractive and appealing? What lies do we choose to believe when we abandon reason and agree to sin?

Truth is… there have been occasions where you and I have crossed boundaries and tasted the forbidden (be it in thought or act). We have followed deception and irrationally searched to quench our thirst.

But every time however, the temporal pleasure of sin vanishes and our emptiness grows. There is no exit. No lasting satisfaction. Only a painful trail of consequences and that “revived” aroma of death.

I will not lie to you… I have lived long enough to know that everything within the created order comes short. Be it virtuous or evil, nothing created can cure my inner thirst—my craving for experience never goes away—even good and exiting things become old, they fade away and lose their charm.

On every count, I always keep silently longing for more… I found my soul forever thirsty.

How about you?

I tell you what. Let’s go on a trip overseas. That’s right, you and me hitting the pulse-pounding road. Destination: ancient Jerusalem. Total expedition cost: your creative imagination.

Coming?

Great! Once you get to Jerusalem, drive thirty miles northwest toward Sychar (close to Jacob’s well). Find a good tree nearby and open those ears: you’re about to hear a confidential conversation between the God-Man and a forgotten woman.

Within their dialogue you’ll find the secret to life, and the most meaningful words ever exchanged by two absolute strangers.

Painkillers for the Soul

The Samaritan woman said: “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep… Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again…” — John 4:10-13

The Samaritan woman praised the greatness of father Jacob (the giver of the well). But Jacob’s well—according to Jesus—fails to solve the “thirst” dilemma. It offers a temporal solution, maybe a soft painkiller, but cannot fix our core problem: unquenchable thirst.

Jacob’s well is a picture of ‘the waters of this world’. It represents every natural pleasure and painkiller for the soul ever invented. Be it the best of technology, entertainment, immorality, witchcraft, humanism and religion. Or whatsoever government, culture and devils may invent to capture the souls of men.

In short, the waters of this world cannot and will not quench the profound thirst of the human heart.

Quoting Jesus, “whoever drinks of this water will thirst again”

And I should know… I have a history with polluted wells and counterfeit water. Most of my wells were not sinful. Actually, some had noble labels like “Success in Ministry” and “Creating Wealth and Security”. But every single one—be it religious, man created, or from the pit of hell—soon turned shallow, disappointing, polluted and broken.

For years I wear my religious mask outside; but inside the words of Solomon were like the blues of my soul: “everything is meaningless, completely meaningless” (Ec. 1:2 NLT).

What about you? What is the well you are drinking from? What makes you feel great, happy and successful? Which fountain is presently fueling your significance, establishing your ‘value’ and defining your identity?

Maybe you weren’t ready for that direct “challenging question”. I mean no disrespect. But I really want to help you encounter and experience God like you never did before. And for that to happen, you must understand your inner cravings and longings.

If you answer those challenging questions (honestly) you will identify what is driving your pursuits and have the choice to consciously pursue God.

What happened with the Samaritan woman?

Little did she know, when that unusual Middle Eastern noon arrived, she would see color for the first time and her wounded heart would be set free… forever satisfied.

I Wanted to Kick Myself...

But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life — John 4:13

Jesus clearly told her: “If you drink that water (Jacob’s well) you will thirst again. But if you drink my water you will never thirst again”.

I don’t know about you, but after processing the meaning of that verse my first reaction would be:

“Wait Lord, I need clarification… do you mean never thirsting again now or when I get to heaven? You see, last time I checked I was still profoundly thirsty. The day I got saved—well, I think every pastor’s kid is a little confused about that—but You know I witnessed four revivals in three nations and have served in ministry for almost two decades. I have been around the block, so to speak, and it feels great when You are close, but honestly… the ‘never thirsting again’ part has escaped me.”

Perhaps Jesus would answer:

“Pablo, I appreciate your honesty, but you’re missing the forest for the trees. First, you need to identify “who” the water is. Next, you must understand what “drinking” the water means. Then, you must comprehend the unlimited extent of the phrase ‘will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal life’. Have you discerned the meaning of eternal life? And how by constantly drinking, the water becomes a fountain within you that never runs dry? By the way, was the Samaritan woman in heaven when I told her that? Look, it’s very simple. Like most of my people, you already have “the water” within, but only drink from it occasionally. And, though you have witnessed my glory and the power of my presence, you often switch back to your “broken cisterns” those “God replacements” you treasure. Then, after drinking what makes you miserable, your thirst is revived and you think that my promise does not work. Look, I really like you. But you should listen again to what I said and follow my instructions.”

Intriguing, as Spock would say: fascinating. How could I have missed this for so long? When I consider all the years wasted and every single excuse embraced, I can’t help but kick myself!

What’s more, the day I understood what I’m about to tell you, my burnout excuses died, they were terminated—not a single wire within my brain can accept them anymore.

Jesus was not playing with her and He’s not playing with us. His promise remains. If you drink the water He gives you will never thirst again—this applies to today and to all eternity.

It’s an incredible promise don’t you think?

Looking for God in the Wrong Places

Being a sharp and intelligent lady she said, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband” - John 4:15-18

Look at the sequence here: after she asked for the water Jesus went straight to the heart. Like if He was saying: “Sure, no problem. But before I give you my water we must deal with the “water" you are presently drinking to satisfy your thirst… go call your husband and comeback”.

She froze inside; chances are she forgot to breathe while responding: I have no husband. The story continues with an impressive hook-undercut (mail reading) by Jesus—thing is, she turned out to be living with Mister number “six”.

If there is something we can’t accuse her of, is being hopeless. After five broken marriages and loads of emotional wounds she did not give up. Yes, her sixth attempt was definitely adultery, but we should give her credit for maintaining high hopes and keep trying, don’t you think?

I believe her core problem was not immorality. (That was her sinful output, merely the symptom of a far greater disease). The central issue, which Jesus brilliantly addressed, is the same we all have: we desperately thirst within.

The Samaritan woman jumped from one relationship to another trying to find what only God can give, but it didn’t work. It didn’t work for her and it will not work for us.

And we are not unlike her, when we place impossible expectations on friendships and family and (unconsciously) demand they solve our emptiness. Or when we search for the perfect community (the ideal local church; that truly loving ministry team), because the last seven we visited didn’t work. And someone told us (though we can’t really remember who) that all believers should always behave flawlessly and without fault.

Smile (:

Jesus brought up the whole “husbands” issue not to condemn the Samaritan woman but to enlighten. She had to recognize the false lovers that were capturing her soul… and she did. She refused to present excuses and agreed with Jesus. Qualifying herself to receive the “real” water: the water Jesus gives.

Once again, the promise is beyond incredible: If you drink the water He gives you will never thirst again!

Within this promise is the secret to cure your unquenchable thirst and the key to navigate the longings of your burning heart!

And by now you may be wondering: who or what is the water that becomes a fountain? And what does it mean to drink this water?

CHAPTER 3

From Survival to Fellowship

Oh Living flame of love, that tenderly wounds my soul, in its deepest center… how gently and lovingly you wake in my heart, where in secret you dwell alone; and in your sweet breathing, filled with good and glory, how tenderly you swell my heart with love — John of the Cross

Back in those days, during winter of 1991 to be exact, Buenos Aires felt intoxicatingly beautiful. Everything seemed radiant and glowing. Still the same city—packed with tall buildings, tons of busy people and nerve-racking noises—but the eyes of my heart had evolved somehow… I was not the same.

It happened during weeks of ruthless fever, after I became totally immobilized and sentenced to my bible college bed. When my defenses were “literally” down and I wondered the meaning of it all, a voice emerged from within and said: If you give Him room I will completely revolutionize your life.

Things got moving when Andrea, who by then had already stolen my heart, gave me a skinny book titled: Good Morning Holy Spirit (by Benny Hinn). I didn’t know Benny back then and definitely wasn’t a fan of that hairstyle from the seventies, but his book made my soul burn. It was the first time I heard about the person of the Holy Spirit in such a direct way.

Soon after, I began speaking to the Holy Spirit as a Person and amazingly, He started talking back. The sound of His voice, his companionship, and the flame of His love were like nothing I’ve experienced before. I was transformed. My life literally changed in a matter of weeks.

But not all is well in Camelot—as the years went on, I grew cold and forsake Him. Still doing ministry and going through the motions but without His flame burning inside. At times my thirst would become unbearable, I would awake from my slumber and return to Him; only to forget Him again during the heat of life’s battles, when seasons change unannounced and doors painfully close.

Maybe you already guessed it, or perhaps you knew from the beginning. If you didn’t, I’m quite sure you have figured it out by now. He is the water that cures our thirst—the key that solves the human dilemma—the person of Holy Spirit is the living water Jesus gives.

The Water that Becomes a Fountain

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive… — John. 7:37-39

Your quest is for the person, presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit—He’s the “place” you have been wanting to go—the only One that can solve your emptiness.

It is possible for the constant searching of your heart to stop, for anxiety and discontent to disappear, because Holy Spirit (the Comforter) can satisfy every longing of your soul.

The day you truly believed, when you first came to Jesus, God regenerated you and gave you His Spirit. I am not talking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit (the powerful Pentecost experience of Acts chapter two). What I'm highlighting here is the indwelling of Holy Spirit within your heart.

That 'indwelling' became a reality the instant God saved you. The Holy Spirit lives within that beautiful sanctuary we explored on the previous episode: The Secret of Living Indoors.

And it is logical for you to think and ask: I am born again and I already have the “water/fountain” within. But if this is the case, how come I am still thirsty?

Great question. Let me amplify it a little:

How come millions of Christians worldwide (millions of fountain owners) are bored to death, flirting with sin, drinking from broken cisterns and feeling absolutely miserable and unhappy?

The answer is simple: we are not drinking the Water.

Pay close attention now…

The promise of never thirsting again is not in the “ownership” of the water but in the “drinking” of the water. You may own the water alright, but if you never drink it you will die of thirst!

Imagine I have one million gallons of water stored on my basement (that’s a huge basement). But I get busy working, forget I have water available and never drink it.

After three days my lips begin to look dry as a rock and I become crankier than Elijah (before the ravens arrived). But lo and behold, I still have more important things to do. So, I continue to ignore my thirst and go on with my life.

What would eventually happen to me?

Well, I will keep growing cranky and thirsty until I lose my focus and drop dead. Or even worse: I could decide to go and drink from polluted wells and build broken cisterns of water myself… (Jer. 2)

But the simplest action would have been to go down (to the center of my house) and drink from the unlimited supply I have within.

I am sure you are getting the picture…

The ownership of this powerful “fountain” makes you a son of God, but daily drinking from the fountain cures your thirst and satisfies the longings of your soul. In other words, possessing the water is not enough. You must drink the water to inherit the promise.

I’m not saying you won’t make it to heaven. What I’m saying is: unless you learn to drink from the fountain within your life experience will be miserable and meaningless.

And I’m not talking about drinking the water one time, or during a special event, or when the heavens open and revival come—all that is fantastic—but to take a hold of Jesus' promise you must drink His water every single day. Because it’s like the tree of life in the midst of Eden: you must keep eating to live forever (Gen. 3:22-23).

And that brings me to the next couple of questions: If the water Jesus gives is the Holy Spirit, what does it mean to drink it?

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit

The amazing grace of Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with you — 2 Cor. 13:14 (The Message)

Drinking the water means: living in intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit, cultivating a dialogue that never ends. Fellowship with the Spirit of Truth (as Jesus calls Him in John 16:26) is the secret to never thirsting again.

So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity for doing good… don't act thoughtlessly… don't be drunk with wine... instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you — Eph. 5:15-18 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit counsels, strengthens, and teaches you all things. By following his "law of life" you are constantly delivered from the law of sin and death. The fire of His love answers your deep longings and heals the wounds of your soul. But all of that is only the beginning.

The Holy Spirit unlocks your heart, cures your thirst and heals your soul; but not only that, He opens the treasure of the deep things of God and unveils the majesty of Jesus and the glory of the Father.

As it is written:

No eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him - these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God — 1 Cor. 2:9-10 (ESV)

What would happen if you start to develop an intimate friendship with the Holy Spirit?

Consider the possibilities… you can engage Him as a person, as your best friend… you can start (right now) a conversation that never ends.

CHAPTER 4

The Never Ending Encounter

We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea — C.S. Lewis (The Weight of Glory)

That Middle Eastern sun was not helping. Smitten by sweat and blush she wondered… how can He know so much? It seemed right to change gears (a scandalous adultery and five old broken marriages were not a lot of fun to talk about). Gathering her courage she said: Sir, I perceive you are a prophet (John 4:19), engineering the most unique conversation twist in the Gospels.

However haphazardly and seemingly out of the blue, the Samaritan woman switches the discussion to the topic of “worship”. Perhaps in automatic, since the correct religious assumption would be to connect worship with prophets.

But there is another possibility… what if she was drinking living water for the first time? What if something within her started bubbling up? If that’s the case, worship became a necessity, a pathway toward divine discovery.

Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father… the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him — Jn. 4:20-24

Two mountains were controlling worship liturgy in that region—mount Zion (Jerusalem) and mount Gerizim (Samaria). Jesus sets the record straight by pointing Jerusalem as the right place of worship and explains how salvation comes from the Jews.

Then, He prophesies about a coming hour where a new breed of worshipers—true worshipers—would worship the Father in spirit and truth, and that His Father was seeking such to worship Him.

The quality of the information released is mind-blowing. Equally incredible however, is why Jesus chose to deliver such historic revelation to a Samaritan—Samaritans were considered impure, dirty, close to animals under Jewish’s eyes.

To make it worst, she was a woman (the simple act of Jesus talking to her caught the disciples by surprise). But even more tormenting—to the dull religious mind—is the fact she was still living in adultery when Jesus told her this! None of the other Gospels captured Jesus going to Samaria, much less the conversation. And, in all likelihood, John learned the dialogue’s details from her, later on.

What’s the big deal? Well, God is the big deal! How He trusts a significant New Covenant revelation to an ex-adulterous brand new believer. If you were God, would you operate like this? Would I?

Obviously, God is not into the snobbish trend of most educational religious systems—He’s definitely challenging admission and promotion rules—no wonder Jesus storms upon the confident Pharisees “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (Mt. 21:31).

The Messiah Moment

I can only imagine what went through her mind; one thing is sure, there are no coincidences in Scripture. Pay attention to the sequence: thirst, counterfeit water, living water, drinking that living water, a fountain springing up, worship and:

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He — Jn. 4:25-26

Like following a heavenly symphony, the word ‘Messiah’ comes out of her mouth. How outstanding! Pause and imagine the effect of the ‘Messiah’ word in the atmosphere—chances are Jacob’s well had earthquake thoughts and the angels guessed, “Is He going to tell her? Will He reveal Himself? Can He resist this enthralling fragrance of worship?”

Jesus would often leave people wondering, but not this time. The whole exchange needed a grand finale. It was like a perfect canvas looking for completion. He peered into her gleaming eyes and declared: I who speak to you am He.

She was speechless. It took more than her breath away. Leaving her water jar, she ran back to town and boldly spread the news about Jesus—positioning herself as the first “gentile” evangelist.

The sequence of the story is powerful. And it’s rather fascinating how worship happens minutes before the revelation of Jesus. Not a coincidence of course, because fellowship with the Holy Spirit grows within a lifestyle of worship—worship is the key to the knowledge of God—the pathway that prepares us to experience the Lovesick God.

A brief quiz: If you want a personal appointment with the King of the Universe, and you happen to know what He’s searching for, what would be the logical thing to do?

What the Father Wants

True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him — Jn. 4: 24

When you truly engage your hearts and focus on the Lord you will encounter Him—and this is precisely what He wants. And why the Father is searching for true worshipers.

You see… He wants to be encountered.

Why God desires to be encountered? The answer is a bit extensive, but here are some revealing clues:

From the very beginning God is after relationship. He longs to be known, loved and preferred. He could have programmed you to choose Him, but love without choice is not love at all.

So, God gave you free will, taking the risk of suffering your rejection and independence. Nonetheless, He never stops pursuing you; even though He is often misunderstood and has to compete with other lovers, He anticipates and longs for the day you will choose Him voluntarily—not only to escape the wages of sin—but because He has stolen your heart.

In simple words: God longs to be encountered to reveal Himself and awaken the living flame of love within your soul. And true lovers can testify: hearts are ravished by true encounters.

What is Eternal Life?

This is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), whom You have sent. — John 17:3 (Amp)

You’ll be surprised to learn that, when you constantly drink the water Jesus gives (fellowship with the Holy Spirit) the possibilities for divine encounter become endless—the engulfing presence of the Spirit becomes a fountain that springs up into eternal life.

And what is eternal life?

Jesus tell us clearly in John 17: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Jn. 17:3).

Eternal life is getting to know the Father and the Son—it is the knowledge of God’s personality—the unveiling of God’s beauty and the understanding of why He’s beautiful.

Eternal life is the main gift Jesus came to give. It is the reason He died for our sins on the cross, rose again from the grave and ascended to heaven. Eternal life is also why He will return to earth—to fulfill His destiny and fill the earth with the knowledge of the glory of God, as the water covers the sea.

Eternal life is the reason the Father sent the Helper (the promised Holy Spirit) that cures your unquenchable thirst and declares everything about Jesus, even the deep things of God.

Eternal life is where the fountain springs up to—the ever-increasing knowledge of God exploding within you—tenderizing your heart, changing your emotional chemistry and renewing your marvelous mind.

Eternal life is the never ending encounter with the everlasting and always unfolding God.

Get ready!

Every remaining page of this book will lead you to encounter the transcendent majesty of God. And guess what? The most excellent song ever written is true: He is altogether lovely (S.S 5:10-16).

I will do my best to show you why.

CHAPTER FIVE

Falling In Love with a Harlot

Go again Hosea... love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the Lord for the children of Israel who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes — Hos. 3:1

In all likelihood the prophet pondered in amazement. Waves of intense sorrow and passion engulfed his soul. His mind remained confused, anxiously reasoning for logic…

Go again? Love her again?

The woman: Gomer, the prostitute. Her story: scandalous and unprecedented.

God commanded Hosea to marry a prostitute and have children of prostitution (Hos.1:2). Tossing his reputation through the window, he obeyed the Lord and married Gomer—a common harlot—the future mother of his children.

Did Hosea fall in love with her? Sure, after a while. But his redeeming love suffered when Gomer abandoned the house, the kids and the prophet. We are short on details of when, how and why. Maybe it was too painful for the author (Hosea) to elaborate. But this is sure: Gomer embraced the wounds of her soul, went astray and played the harlot with many lovers.

Why did she leave? Why did Gomer run away after tasting so much good?

Good question! Our [ex-harlot, runaway wife and harlot-again] draws a striking picture, one that you and I know very well. She is a portrait of the fallen heart; she illustrates the backsliding and adulterous tendencies of our souls.

After tasting the bitter wine of betrayal, Hosea learned to love as God loves and experienced the complexity of His desire for humans. The dramatic journey with Gomer introduces the Lord of Heaven (the supreme King of the universe) as the Bridegroom God.

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, As in the days of her youth… when she came up from the land of Egypt. “And it shall be, in that day,” Says the LORD, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master’ — Hosea 2:14-16

Understanding God as a Bridegroom is crucial. You can only see yourself as the Bride of Christ by knowing and encountering the affections of the Bridegroom God.

It’s by beholding the Bridegroom that we discover our identity as His cherished Bride. Actually, the only reason there is a bride at all, it’s because there was first a Bridegroom—it all started with God and His burning heart.

The Burning Heart of God

Then God said, “Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God he created Him; male and female He created them — Gen. 1:26-27

The Lord formed you in His own image. Man is wonderfully made from the dust into His own likeness. We are the marvelous display of God’s infinite power and glory.

This is fabulous! But have you ever wondered why, why did He do it? Why did God created man?

Pause for a second and consider: God—who knows all things and dwells eternity without time—the Beginning without beginning, who (according to Isaiah) sees and declares the end from the very start, didn’t He know His image bearers would fall from grace? Of course! God foreknew Adam, Eve, the serpent, Hosea, Gomer, Israel (the entire drama) from the first family until the end of the age. The omniscient God knows it all.

Yet, in Eden He breathed His life and man became a living being. Why? Why the trouble? Why taking the risk of granting free will? What was the all-sufficient and ever-knowing God looking for? Is it possible to discover His motive for creating us?

Was God bored? Did he create out of boredom or fueled by desire? If we decide to rule out divine boredom, then is fair to wonder: what kind of passion fueled His creative power?

What about Calvary? Why did Jesus die on that cross? We know enough about the benefits (what was accomplished) and the need to supply redemption for a dying race, but very little about the why.

The why of the cross must be felt to be understood. The why unveils the pinnacle of God’s emotions and reveals the motives of His heart.

A suggestion: during your conversations with the Holy Spirit today ask Him, why did you create me? Why Jesus die on that cross? Ask, and take the time to listen. I could tell you what I believe, but it will quench the moment. My purpose here is to awaken your divine curiosity and perhaps, unlock the eternity that is written on your heart.

One thing I’m sure of: it would be ironical and absolutely meaningless if you and I are the outcome of a mathematically bored God. The God I know yearns deeply; He passionately pursuits and desires—He is a Bridegroom God—beauty, love and romance burn deep within His heart.

CHAPTER 6

The Most Important Question of Your Life

Seven hundred years after Hosea and Gomer, in the region of Caesarea Philippi, twelve ordinary men enjoyed the challenging adventure of following the God-Man. Right after forty one months of incredible miracles and powerful kingdom teaching, they seemed ready… it was time for a test.

Jesus knew the hearts of men—the envy, the coming betrayal, the secret assassination plot—trouble waited in the horizon. It was time to ask a very important question—the right answer to this ‘question’ would establish the foundation of a world changing movement and shape the minds of billions to come:

“Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah…” Then He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” — Mt. 16:13-20

Peter, that bigmouth brave fisherman, scores big time: You are the Christ the son of the living God. What a moment! Peter’s response opened the door for tremendous promises—on church building, gates of hell and kingdom keys—but the question Jesus presents deserves a lot more of attention. It’s no ordinary query; it comes loaded with wisdom and revelation.

Imagine Jesus asking you:

Who do you say that I am?

Here are some thought-provoking questions:

Who is Jesus? What is He like? How does He feel most of the time? Is He mostly sad or mostly happy? Is He frustrated and grieved when thinking of you or is He smiling? How does Jesus feel toward you right now? Your answers (consciously or unconsciously) have been, and are shaping your life.

Another colorful word to illustrate my point is paradigm—a paradigm is like a pair of lenses (you use) to filter the world and process data—present, past and future information. Paradigms are wired mindsets. Mindsets are ideas. Ideas determine how you think, feel and why we behave the way you do.

Your paradigm of God is the most relevant thing in our lives. Because the way you process Him affects your emotional life and everything you are and do.

As we approach the end of the age, a paradigm-shift will take place in the minds of the redeemed. How we perceive the personality of God and how (we imagine) He perceives us will significantly change.

It’s Time for a Paradigm Shift

I will allure her, will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her . . . in that day”, says the Lord, “you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer call Me ‘My Master’ — Hos. 2:14-16

God is mostly perceived as a taskmaster, somehow good but demanding and unfair at the core. Even believers often view Him a supreme boss who only seeks to get the job done. Others see Him as highly irritable (cold, distant and short-tempered), ready to punish every imperfection.

This perspective of God is not only wrong, but it’s a distorted and harmful “view” that keeps the souls of men in bondage. Satan knows this well, that’s why his network of demons works “over time” to constantly accuse God’s personality and intentions.

But God has a plan. The Holy Spirit is unveiling the knowledge of God’s person in unprecedented ways. What Hosea predicted will take place: In that day you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer call Me ‘My Master.’ (Hos. 2:14-16). No longer will the Lord be seen as a cold taskmaster but as a passionate and loving husband.

Of course, the Hebrew word for “my master” is Baali, which deals with Israel’s addiction to spiritual harlotry). But my point here is the future generation Hosea foresaw: they experience a paradigm shift, call God ‘My Husband’, abandon lesser lovers, return to the Lord and fully embrace their identity as the Bride of Christ.

We are that generation.

Stop Visualizing that White Dress

I get it—men tend to feel uncomfortable with this bridegroom-bride romantic language. “Leave that flaky-goofy bridegroom stuff for the women” they say.

We guys enjoy wild dangerous battles with lots of blood and thrilling adventures. But listen… would you feel better if I remind you that Jesus is not only a Bridegroom? He is (also) a returning Judge and conquering King—the ultimate end of the age warrior who fights extreme battles (with tons of blood) and triumphs to enjoy a never ending adventure.

Oh yes! But here is the deal: this powerful King and Judge is a Bridegroom at the core. In fact, one of the reasons He rocks the planet and destroys His enemies (during those final years) is to avenge His Bride, who has been abused and martyred among the nations.

Furthermore, the doctrine of the bride of Christ goes beyond gender—throughout the Scriptures the concept is used to highlight the following truth: we are God’s beloved and have intimate access to His heart.

Out of all the created order we are the only ones invited to know the Lord intimately—to be loved by Him and have the pleasure of loving Him in return.

Feel the passion of God’s heart:

“I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy… in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord” — Hos. 2:19-20

Listen to this old friend of the Bridegroom:

I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ — 2 Cor. 11:2

Men and women alike are betrothed to Him forever. The Lord of all creation is a Bridegroom God—He longs to be intimate with us, as I’ve mentioned before, love, romance and passion burn deep within His heart.

To summarize (my brave heart reader), you can breathe and relax. Being the bride of Christ is not about gender. You don’t have to imagine yourself coming down the aisle wearing that famous white dress (at least not for a while - Rev. 19:8).

Plus, the day you encounter the “romance of the gospel” and the fire of God’s love awakening your heart, no more explanation would be needed. Until that day, think of it this way: men are the Bride of Christ just as women are the Sons of God.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Gospel in One Word

A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead… and the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” — 2 Kings 4:1

She was young, married to a son of the prophets and raising two beautiful sons. Life looked somehow promising, until tragedy stroke. Without warning, her husband died. The hopeful days turned into a nightmare. Security faded away. Pain became torment (especially), when she considered the rough journey ahead: widowhood—the worst fear women had in ancient times.

Widowhood cultivates fear, despair, insecurity, reproach, shame, grief, disgrace and the sense of being forgotten. With some obvious differences, the emotional framework of widowhood outlines the makeup of the wounded soul.

On the surface everything may look all right, but the cancer of “spiritual widowhood” is devouring the peace within—killing the sense of joy and causing all kinds of trouble. Unaware of divine affections, the wounded person represses the storm inside and plays the game of life—looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places, calling “home” what is not home, and finding refuge with inferior lovers. But time after time, the soul crashes against the cruel wall of disappointment and (eclipsed by a cycle of discouragement) sinks into deeper levels of despair.

Of course, some fake it better than others and the game of life continues. But is this the way we’re suppose to live? Is this how God wants us to feel?

I don’t think so.

It’s time to admit the hidden journey of our souls and have a fresh encounter with our Maker. He has answers; soul delivering answers.

Overcoming Guilt and Shame

Fear not, for you will not be ashamed… you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband. The Lord of host is His name; and your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and grieved in spirit, like a wife of youth when she is cast off, says your God — Is. 54: 4-6

No matter your religious background, chances are you have believed lies concerning God’s personality and His feelings for you. Those lies, often dressed as religion or culture, have determined your awareness and perception: how you process God, yourself, and everything else.

Furthermore, the way you feel today is the outcome of your thought life—a network of ideas that at some point, consciously or unconsciously, you embraced as true. Those beliefs have been controlling your emotions for a long time. Put differently, your present emotional chemistry has been programmed by the paradigms (ideas, mindsets) you have chosen to believe.

Suppose you discover some of your ideas of God are wrong: how do you renew your mind? And, what is the fastest way to reprogram your emotions?

The Lord proclaims: You will forget the shame of your youth and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood (Is. 54:4).

Starting today you can forget the shame of your youth and teach your brain to stop recreating (remembering) the guilt and reproach from yesterday.

Here is how:

For your maker is your husband — Is. 54: 4

That tiny sentence carries a gold mine of freedom. Please read it over and over, again and again, until revelation explodes within and truth destroys deception.

Here’s what can deliver you from the tyranny of shame and grief: the affections of the Bridegroom God and the truth of who you are in His eyes.

When you encounter the Bridegroom God, your emotional makeup starts to change, the fire of His love reshapes your soul, and negative emotions (guilt, shame and reproach) lose their grip over you. The Creator (your Husband) sings the song of freedom and replaces your spiritual widowhood with confidence in His love.

It is transformation at its best. It feels like beautiful colors invading a dark world, or like falling in love for the first time, or like capturing the beauty of eternal life.

It’s Time to Discover Your Real Name

You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will name… you shall no longer be termed Forsaken — Is. 62: 2-4

In a time where names lost their magic and meaning, it is easy to overlook the significance they had in ancient times. Back in those days, a given name defined your identity and intended purpose; much as the name of today’s (cartoon) superheroes, which describe their uniqueness or special powers.

Biblical names are mysteriously powerful…

And believe me, they appear even more powerful when you write as I’m doing now: drinking a terrific earl grey tea at the Dan Panorama hotel, with most of Jerusalem on my window.

No, not in my imagination as I suggested before, I’m literally here in the Holy Land.

This morning during Shabbat, I had the privilege to awaken the dawn with live outdoor worship from top of Mount Olives, featuring mount Zion and a gorgeous panoramic of Jerusalem on my back (quite an indescribable morning).

In the afternoon, walking down the streets of the beloved city, right at the corner of Jewish Quarter Road, I found a window with this headline: The Real You.

And the following paragraph:

A person’s name expresses the essence of its bearer. The letters that make up your name are descriptions of your soul. Your Hebrew name is your spiritual call sign. Being called by your Hebrew name arouses your soul to be more manifest in your daily life.

What are the odds? Seek and you shall find comes to mind. Right when I’m writing about names I stumble into that sign. Some call it coincidence, others synchronicity—I call it fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

Now consider this:

What if your real name was not Bob, Jennifer, Pedro, Maria, Hanz, Abdul, Don, Carlos, Joseph, Pepe, John, Uwe, Fergus or Susan? What if that old passport is just showing your outward identity but your true identity is hidden within a mysterious new name you’re not yet aware of?

According to Isaiah, God promised to give Jerusalem a new name and He did.

History tells that several decades after Isaiah Jerusalem was destroyed by king Nebuchadnezzar. The people of Judah went into captivity (to Babylon) and the land became desolate. Then, after seventy years of captivity things looked quite awful and the nick name for Zion became forsaken.

But the God of Israel, who often plays ten dimensional chess and knows the end from the beginning, had a different opinion about His chosen people. And as usual, He sent the press release several generations earlier. Would you like to hear the new name they got?

Fortunately, this new name is not exclusively for Zion. In fact, if somebody would ask me to condense the New Covenant in one word, this new name would make it to the top three—because it defines (brilliantly) who we are and how God feels for us.

Amazing and Incredible News

You shall no longer be termed Forsaken… but you shall be called Hephzibah, for the LORD delights in you — Is. 62:4

There you go, your new name (and your true identity). Hephzibah—a Hebrew word—you may not like how it sounds (I think it sounds trendy). Whatever the case, the power of the name is in its meaning. Hephzibah means: my delight is in her. In other words: I delight in you, I enjoy you; I really like you.

Hephzibah reveals what God thinks of you and how He sees you. It defines who you are: your spiritual status, importance and significance.

You might be thinking “impossible; you don’t know who I am, my lifestyle or what I have done”. Fair enough, you have a point. But I don’t think your case is worst than Israel—they were sacrificing their kids to foreign gods (demons) back then.

Of course, that example is only viable if we measure our performance with theirs. But Hephzibah has nothing to do with our performance. It depends on the performance of one Man and one Man alone: Jesus.

Truth is… you are not what the world says you are. You are not what your boss vented you are. You are not what your family, the media, ex-spouse, doctor, school, government or culture has insisted you are. You are not even what the devil accuse you of. And you’re definitely not who you feel you are.

You are Hephzibah: a nine-letter word that unveils your eternal beauty and the burning heart of God.

Hephzibah is the Gospel in one word—the incredible Good News of grace, salvation and eternal life. Hephzibah is like the down payment for the New Man reality, a central truth in the New Testament.

The New Man is God’s new creation in Christ Jesus—His ultimate masterpiece—is who you truly are, because of Jesus, because of the blood that was shed, and because you believed He is who He claims to be.

Let me tell you…. something marvelous will happen the day you believe that Hephzibah is who you are. Your spirit longs for the glorious hour when you stop confessing your old “names” and embrace God’s opinion of you. It is true. You are not forsaken; you are not forgotten… you are His delight.

If you have been surrounded by clouds of accusation and years of deception Hephzibah is a hard reality to grasp and live out. Even those who affirm to know its power are often betrayed by emotions that prove them otherwise.

Nonetheless, if you truly take a hold of your new name, you’ll experience a freedom you never did before. It will be like radiant rays of light overcoming darkness, or like falling in love all over again, even like beholding the beauty of the Lord and the meaning of eternal life.

Imagine the creator of the universe thinking about you right at this moment. What if you could read His thoughts and watch the expression of His face when your name comes up?

Truth is a person—Jesus—and He made some unbelievable statements about His affections for you. What comes next can transform you. It sounds like the Hephzibah song but remixed and vocalized by the God Man himself.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The Lovesick God

Take me to you; imprison me, for I, except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me ― John Donne

God did not die for angels when they fell—that glorious race of created beings did not qualify for His highest—they were not worthy of divine incarnation, not worthy of the ultimate sacrifice… not worthy of the shedding of holy blood.

But you were.

You and all the image bearers are mysteriously worthy of God’s highest: worthy of His everything. That’s why the Word became flesh. Yes, a mind-blowing reality, beyond anyone’s comprehension, but true nonetheless.

Yet, some of us play religious clichés like: it’s all about God not about me; I’m not really important. Are you serious? Have you read the Bible? The story is significantly about you too!

According to the Scriptures, one couple begins the script and another one ends it (with a spectacular and dramatic finale that reshapes the planet forever). Let me tell you, it’s considerable about you. You are at the center of His plan and eternal destiny, you are the Bride: the object of His affections.

The Search for Significance

What makes me great and significant?

I can sing, play the piano, produce worship albums, lead corporate worship, preach in front of thousands, write books, etc. But not one of those commendable things reveal my greatness and significance—they are only gifts, talents, tools I have freely received (and developed) to lead people close to God and to serve this generation.

My achievements in any area (also) fail short to define my importance, if they could, my worthiness would be subject to how well I perform or compete within the systems of men.

The high profile people I know and how well connected I am does not establish my significance; it could be divine favor, perhaps some skill to build relationships, but is not why I am valuable and great.

Physical attributes, meaningful friendships, celebrity, obscurity, wealth, bankruptcy—all of these influence my emotions (I’m not from Mars), but again, none of them determines why I feel great and successful.

If and when they do, I’m in trouble. In fact, if any of what I covered defines my significance I’m schedule for serious disappointment and breakdown.

Here’s a dramatic illustration: my personal ministry could totally vanish from the public arena or reach billions of people in the years to come. Both outcomes—up or down, death or alive—will not improve or downgrade my essential greatness. And they cannot change the primary reason why (today) I feel successful.

Those who truly believe what I’m about to share are difficult people to manipulate and control. They are not drawing their identity from stuff anymore, or from the praise and rejection of men. They have received the honor that comes from above, the life changing truth that sets them free.

So… what makes me great and significant? What defines my value and provides my sense of worth?

Stay tuned. It’s coming.

The Revolution Begins

Imagine tonight is your last dinner...

How would you eat, what would you drink? Would you watch a movie while you eat? Would you be peaceful or stressful? How would you talk to your wife, your sons, your family or friends? What would you think, feel and say?

Jesus faced that moment. He knew it was His last supper. And He was waiting and longing for it, to show the full extent of His love and unveil the burning desire of his heart.

After washing the disciples’ feet, the God-Man hinted the identity of His betrayer and predicted Peter’s triple denial. Then, the revelation feast begun—chapters fourteen to seventeen of John’s Gospel are a masterpiece—delivering an ocean of treasures in the knowledge of God.

Like always, Jesus chose his words carefully. That dinner conversation would impact the life of His followers forever. He made sure to be precise—no more parables or riddles—but plain and direct talk.

The Lovesick Son

Before diving into the life changing words of Jesus, consider this question: how much do you think Jesus loves you?

It’s a fair question. Does He love you more or less than your neighbors? Is His affection determined by your performance? If yes, can His feelings for you change next month, when your performance diminishes? If not, what determines the measure and quality of His love for you?

Here is what Jesus revealed:

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love — John 15:9 (NASB)

You couldn’t ask for a better deal. That high-voltage statement can rewire your emotional chemistry forever. Jesus affirms to love you as the Father loves Him—in the same way, with the same intensity and passion, and the same fiery emotions the Father has for Him.

Have in mind that those privileged last supper attendants (the disciples) were far from perfect. Peter would deny he knew Jesus three times (sealing the denial with a couple of curse words). And the rest of the disciples would run away.

What’s more, a couple days before, two of them tried to secure first class seating for eternity (Mt. 20: 20-28), leaving the other ten angry and preoccupied about who would be the first. Obviously, the love Jesus felt for them transcended their upcoming failure and present immaturity—it was emanating from the Father’s love for Him.

What kind of love and affection does the Father feels for Jesus?

Imagine is one billion years before the foundation of the world. Surrounded by eternity (without any limitations of time or space), the uncreated Father enjoys unending friendship with His uncreated Son, feeling the power of His Holy Spirit (the living flame of love). Passionate affection and burning desire flow from the Father’s heart to the Son—the same transcendent flame that one day would break the heavens to confess:

The [visible] heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, saying, “You are My Son, My Beloved! In You I am well pleased and find delight!” — Luke 3:21-22 (Amp)

Amazing as it sounds, Jesus assures to feel the identical passionate affection for you. Jesus loves you in the same way the Father loves Him. And He’s not exaggerating—He would never lie to you. When He says “as the Father loves me” He means it.

If you remember I started this chapter asking: what makes me great and significant? What defines my value and provides my sense of worth?

Well, here is my answer:

Knowing and believing that God is lovesick for me makes me great and significant. It’s what defines my value and identity—His desire for me is the anchor of my soul. Yes, I am super awesome, but not because of the things I can do, the stuff I have, or the gifts He has given me; I am super awesome because Jesus feels for me the same intense desire and affection that the Father feels for Him.

Truly believing this kind of love uncovered my true identity. It’s Hephzibah all over again. I am His delight. I am His beloved. I am what He desires forever and ever—this is who I am at the core—His constant affection is my eternal fulfillment and ever-glorious destiny.

The Lovesick Father

You’ll be delighted to learn that on the same famous evening, Jesus released some incredible information about His Father’s affections for you. The following short statement escapes the casual reader but it will not escape you, I will make sure of it:

I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me — John 15:9 (NLT)

Incredible news; overwhelming implications! Imagine the Son praying: Father you have loved them as much as you love me.

I could ask, what do you mean Jesus? Are you saying the Father feels for us the same kind of affection He feels for you? I mean, You are the only begotten Son, the perfect One, shouldn’t your Father love you extremely more than me?

He could answer, Pablo, my Father loves you with the exact passion and affection He has for me. He feels for you the same burning desire He feels for me. Yes, He loves you as much as He loves me.

I would reply, this is massively unfair, it’s too much; how can this be?

He could reply, Do you remember John 3:16 “for God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son” My Father is Love and I am the expression of His love. It has always been His idea and His burning heart. You can’t justify His love with human fairness. It doesn’t work like that. My Father’s love for you is not fair… it is a gift. Simply believe with all your heart it is true and you’ll begin to experience it.

Many think of the Father as cold, distant and unapproachable. Others, influenced by the wrong example of their earthly fathers, picture Him as selfish, abusive, absent and uninvolved in personal matters. What’s more, some preachers portray Him like the intolerant deity that only endures our existence because Christ shed His blood and paid for our sins.

But according to Jesus, when the Father sees you He feels the same love that He has for His Son. This is how much He loves you.

Whatever your current paradigm of the Father may be, your emotional life will change the day you start believing Jesus’ words are true—the day you look to your reflection in the mirror and (fully believing in your heart) declare: Father, thank you for loving me as much as you love Jesus.

You Have Ravished my Heart

You have ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; you have ravished my heart with one look of your eyes, with one link of your necklace. How fair is your love… how much better than wine is your love, and your perfumes than all spices! — Songs 4:9-10

The finest song ever written describes the bridegroom God singing (about) how the bride has ravished His heart. What kind of God has a ravished heart? Only a God that is lovesick.

The ‘single look’ symbolizes the gaze of your heart—the loving attention of your soul.

Let’s say you’re having a very challenging day, struggling with different things, frustrated with yourself and several other folks. However, in the midst of the storm a thought comes, you choose to think about Him and cry out: Jesus, I love you. Please help me.

That did it—a single look of your eyes, one movement of your heart toward Him it’s all it takes for His heart to be ravished.

Here’s my made up version of that possible scenario:

The Lord looks to the angels and say: “Did you see? That little weak and broken guy is clinging to me in the midst of his struggles. He could sink into anger, depression and bitterness, but no, he has chosen to look upon me. I love it! For you angels it’s easy to worship me up here (where my light and glory dwells). But he is reaching out to me from down below, surrounded by darkness. Gabriel! Michael! I have lost my heart again, where is it? I’m overcome with love.”

You could say I’m over dramatizing, “God could never be so softy, romantic and vulnerable” Well, I have been wrong before. But I think I have plenty of insurance on this one: the entire book of Song of Songs proves I’m right.

Oh my love, you are as beautiful as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, awesome… Turn your eyes away from me, for they have overcome me — Songs 6:4-5

The fact that God is lovesick for you defines your identity and greatness. He has set His affections on you—the creator of the universe likes you, now and forever more. Yes, you are worthy of God’s highest, worthy of His everything… you are the supreme object of His affections.

Do you realize how powerful this is?

But there’s a catch: His love can become the anchor of your soul only if you believe. That is, truly believing Jesus loves you like the Father loves Him and the Father loves you as much as He loves Jesus.

As powerful as this truth is, it will not change you unless you believe. And when I mention the term “believe” I’m not talking about intellectual assessment or merely agreeing. I’m talking about five essential parts of your being fully aligned—working in sync—I’m referring to the belief system that receives and executes the power of the Gospel in every area of your life.

Let me explain.

CHAPTER NINE

You Are the Object of His Affections

And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea — Mt. 14:25

Around three in the morning, beaten by the waves and a defiant wind, they could not stop wondering: How did He do it? Before He prayed we had only five loaves of bread and two skeletal fish, how on earth did we end up feeding more than five thousand people and collecting twelve baskets of leftovers?

What a historic day! Jesus bended universal laws of physic and multiplied matter in front of their eyes—but the show wasn’t over yet, not even close. They were scheduled for (more) intense paradigm shifts and haunting adventures.

After a time of solitude and prayer, Jesus left the mountain area to do some sea walking (prior to boarding the boat). When the disciples saw “a man” walking on water, they instantly remembered all the ghost stories from the Galilean Marine Community—no one disagreed, it was a ghost!

Showing admirable manhood, twelve grown men screamed their tender souls away (scared out of their wits and seriously terrified). Fortunately, Jesus ended their chaos: Have courage; it’s me!

"Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." And He said, "Come!" And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?” — Mt. 14:28-30

You got to love Peter; his big mouth often generated trouble but on this case opened the way for an amazing faith journey. He actually walked on water for a while, not still water: storm agitated water (even though both scenarios are impossible equal). But have you done something like that? I haven’t, not yet.

For as long as Peter believed Jesus things were going really good—he bended gravity and conquered the raging storm until… Peter turned his eyes away from Jesus and begun sinking… around 3:25 A. M.

The Bible declares: seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" (Mt. 14:30)

First, Peter changed his focus from Jesus to the wind—somehow the wind became (in his mind) more powerful than Jesus’ word. Second, the raging hurricane became his internal reality and a new emotion emerged: fear. Third, his fear of sinking gave birth to an action: real sinking. And finally, the time came for his 911 confession: Lord, save me! (a very smart move after all).

True believing takes place when five dimensions of faith are aligned and working together. It’s not merely confessing or mental agreeing; it’s all of you (thoughts, mental images, feelings, confession, and actions) going in one direction—positive or negative.

Indeed, as Jesus would often say: according to your faith is done to you—this is a basic kingdom law that functions like clockwork, continually and for everything.

As you might imagine, when it comes to believing the burning desire of God for you, it is imperative to comprehend the five dimensions of believing. Because simply knowing how much God desires you will bring some relief, but truly believing His affections will change you forever.

Knowing and Believing

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him — John 4:16

Knowing and believing God’s desire for you will revolutionize your life. Both aspects are needed—to know and to believe. Most people have never experienced neither. Others have come to know but their wrong programming prevented them from truly believing.

Knowing speaks of encounter, an intimate experience with God where you feel the warm of His love in your entire being. It can happen while you are alone or during corporate worship (those glorious moments where you sense God’s manifest presence).

Believing speaks of the inner certainty and conviction that something is truth. As we have seen, it combines all your being (thoughts, mental images, feelings, confession, and actions).

John said: we have known and believed the love that God has for us (1 John 4:16). He experienced the nearness of Jesus and he knew His love. But he also believed His words that last supper night, and it made all the difference.

I’ve personally experienced the “knowing” dimension for many years. It felt great while God was touching me—the awareness of His presence, the warm of His love—but afterwards, my wrong beliefs about God’s emotions for me would take over. It was not until I truly believed His love that I encounter long-term emotional change.

For this reason, I dare to say: knowing and experiencing His love is not enough, because we will spend far more time with our own beliefs than with the tangible felt presence of God—it’s just the way it is.

I titled this book: How to experience God. My definition of “experience” includes both knowing and believing. Combining their power will transform your emotional chemistry, define who you are, and become the fuel for everything you do.

Just like it happened with the Shulamite:

“I am my Beloved’s, and His desire is for me”

— Song of Songs 7:10

Coming to the end of her journey, the conquering Bride was absolutely convinced that she belonged to her Beloved and His desire was for her. Those words became her official confession, like the finest song of her soul. Believing God’s burning desire for her cured her wounds and revealed her true identity.

It will be a glorious day—the day you truly believe the maker of the universe is lovesick for you—the day you feel super important and successful because you are absolutely certain that… you are focus of His love, the object of His affections.

Hearing Did Not Benefit Them

This is worth repeating: simply knowing how much God desires you will bring some relief but truly believing His affections will change you forever.

Don’t you want to access the full benefits of being God’s beloved? Why settle for fractional relief when you can enjoy total freedom?

Back in the wilderness days, the people of Israel heard the good news from heaven, but they lacked a powerful ingredient:

For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened — Heb. 4:1-2 (ESV)

What a sad and shocking reality! According to Hebrews you can hear God’s message and totally miss its benefits (unless you truly believe).

What's more, you can read your Bible every morning but if you don’t insert faith, most of its blessings will escape you, because the power of the Gospel is released when we truly believe.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes — Rom. 1:16

Put differently, if we don't believe a particular truth, that truth cannot set us free, because its delivering power is only activated by faith. Without faith applied, truth is like fuel without ignition, or like diamonds that were never found.

Hearing the message and missing its benefits is the sad reality of millions of church goers worldwide. But it doesn’t have to be your reality… not anymore.

Jesus said: according to your faith is done to you. This is a fundamental law of the Kingdom—it’s neutral and never stops—whatever you constantly and truthfully believe will be done to you.

Take a deep breath and stretch your arms wide as I venture to explain the five dimensions of believing, what I like to call: hardwire faith.

CHAPTER 10

The Mystery of Hardwired Faith

All things are possible to him who believes — Jesus

It’s no secret that I’m using the term hardwired to illustrate the faith Jesus taught (the one He used to curse the fig tree and multiply food for thousands).

This faith cannot be understood in one dimension, not even in 3D, only in 5D—because true faith is a fivefold process. When five parts of your being are unified and aligned in one belief, the faith that moves mountains operates.

Here are the five parts:

• Thoughts: the constant conversation within your mind. You are always generating opinions, formulating (and answering) questions about you, others, life, the past, the future, God, the devil, etc.

• Mental Images: your imagination (the faculty of forming mental pictures or concepts of what is not actually present to the senses). You are always watching your internal movies, and you are the producer and main character in them.

• Feelings: your emotions are the expression of what you believe at any given moment, the product of your thoughts and images. Your feelings reveal your resonance, your reverberation. In scientific terms: your vibrational frequency.

• Confession: your words have creative power, but only when they are backed by your thoughts, images and feelings. Confession without the first three dimensions is empty air and does not bring results.

• Actions: what you do; your works. Most of the time, your actions are the confirmation of your faith—what you truly believe.

Plain and simple: if you confess God is lovesick for you (but think you are uniquely messed up) and then picture yourself as God’s favorite (but feel like a hopeless hypocrite) and then act like a slave who never discovered Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery… I would say: you have a severe case of non-wired faith (serious internal conflict).

Following the same idea, when the five integral dimensions of faith are in sync—fully aligned in one belief and operating without conflict—you are genuinely operating in faith.

In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus pointed that when you decree something without doubting (doubt is a feeling produced by your thoughts and images) it will be done to you. He also revealed that, the secret to successful prayer is to believe you already received the object of your desire.

Indeed, I am exploring the concept of hardwired faith to help you experience God (knowing and believing). So you can process and apply how God feels for you. But hardwired faith can be used (and is daily used) for anything and everything.

Let's examine each dimension in more detail.

The Creative Power of Your Thoughts

“For as he thinks… so he is” — Prov. 23:7 “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life” — Prov. 4:23 (NCV)

Thinking is the first dimension of faith. Your belief process starts with just one line—a single thought followed by a similar one. Your thoughts are creative and they are an incredible source of spiritual energy. Although invisible, they are a force, a vibrating substance similar to electricity.

Scientists affirm that thought moves at the speed of light—traveling at the rate of 186,000 miles per second—that’s 930,000 times faster than the sound of your voice (no other force in nature is that fast).

Your mind is like fertile soil that continually grows the seeds you sow—those seeds are your thoughts—positive or negative, good or bad, you will harvest them.

In brief, whatever you consistently think in your mind will grow… nothing can stop it.

Perhaps you are drowning in a sea of depressing thoughts. You read all the previous chapters but nothing connects, you still feel hopeless. I am here to tell you there is hope. You can rewire your brain and reprogram your mind.

This is not “recycled psychology”. I’m referring to the renewing of your mind—a crystal clear doctrine from the apostle Paul recorded in the New Testament.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God — Rom. 12:2

Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think — Rom. 12:2 NLT

Transformation begins with your thoughts. Would you like to start the process? Simple. You must start pondering on what God thinks of you, how He sees you and what He feels for you.

Try it now. Meditate on Jesus’ affection for you and how the Father desires you. Continue to dwell in God’s love for as long as you can, and every time a condemning thought comes, take it captive into the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).

The High Definition Movie Theater of Your Soul

God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being — Gen. 2:7

God breathes and man becomes a living being. You were made in the image of God—He imagined you—He spoke you into existence.

Have you considered the infinite ramifications of being an image bearer?

We are beings. Do you know what that means? It means to have the breath of life within us. It means to have creative capabilities—at a lower but significant rate—we can create things, situations and emotional states through our imagination: the creative visual department of our brains.

Amazing as it sounds, you can give the ‘breath of life’ within the expression you desire. Not to mention you do it every day. Let me explain.

You are always watching the incredible movie theater of your soul and you are the producer and main character on your movies. It may be unconsciously, but you play these motion pictures to feel and perceive your immediate future.

Your imagination flows from your thoughts. Actually, your focused thoughts produce the films you watch within. Have doubts? Read the following paragraph with all your attention:

“I left my red guitar standing on the white snow outside, leaning on the garage wall. Trying to escape the snowstorm, I hurried inside my warm and inviting home. That’s when it happened—the captivating aroma of fresh coffee captured my senses and ushered me into a dream like state. I must confess—I completely forgot about my red guitar. It was not until the night fell when I went outside to empty my overflowing trashcan that I saw her. She wasn’t red anymore—you could almost hear the ice resounding through her strings—she was trembling in the dark, faithfully standing, but absolutely covered in white”

That fictional paragraph is highly sensory and visual. Be honest. What happened within your mind when I told you about my red guitar? You probably pictured a red guitar standing on the white snow—you felt my warm and inviting home and almost savored the aroma of fresh coffee. What about my overflowing trashcan? And, could you picture my red guitar trembling in the dark, completely covered in white?

Now let me ask you… where did you watch all of that? I tell you where. You saw it within the incredible movie theater of your soul.

Here is how your imagination helps or obstructs the faith process:

Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you — Mark 11:24 (NASB)

Notice Jesus using the past tense: received. How can you believe you have already received what you are praying for? Can you be certain you already have what you are hoping for? The easiest way would be to imagine yourself in possession of the thing you are praying for. In simple words, you visualize yourself already living in the conditions you desire.

Powerful!

Can you imagine yourself as the object of God’s desire? Can you see yourself as the focus of His love and the object of His affections?

Your Magnetic Frequency

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life — Prov. 4:23 (NLT)

Keeping the heart is a matter of life or death, because that’s where thoughts and imaginations are born. Your feelings emanate from the current ideas and pictures you’re having, (and it might come as a surprise) but your surroundings respond to the frequency of your emotions (your vibrations).

Don’t be afraid of the term vibration. Just because new agers and metaphysical gurus are using the word doesn’t mean the word is evil. Just like “clapping your hands during praise and worship” is not evil—even though is used in devil worship.

Scientifically, your feelings are vibrations—the oscillating and reciprocating motions of your soul.

The whole universe God made vibrates. At the core, everything is energy and everything has a frequency set. The walls, your chair, your pastor, your mother in law, the moon, the trees, cats, dogs and anything you may think of. Matter may look solid, but put it under a powerful microscope and you’ll see how it vibrates.

In music there’s a phenomenon called resonance.

Resonance is the state of a system in which an abnormally large vibration is produced in response to an external stimulus. Resonance occurs when the frequency of the stimulus is the same, or nearly the same, as the natural vibration frequency of the original system.

In simple words: put a cello in the other side of the room and I can make one of its strings resound (vibrate) by playing the right note on the keyboard. How can I do this? By playing the same frequency (at a high volume), I attract the sound from the string and connect both—keyboard and cello.

Resonance happens all the time, not only in music bands but also in everyday life. It is why I consider emotions as powerful as confession—because they are the signal we are sending out.

Once again, like Jesus said: according to your faith it is done to you. It is “done to you” because you attract and connect to whatever you are in harmony with, whatever you are vibrating toward.

Get this: what you continually feel is what you truly believe. I will say it again: what you feel is the proof of your current belief—your emotions are the interpretation and expression of your faith.

Do you realize how powerful this is?

Do you feel you will have a horrible day? You will. Do you feel it will be fantastic? It will be fantastic. Because, according to your faith is done to you. Do you feel God is disappointed and mad at you? Then you will live under a cloud of depression. Do you feel God is lovesick for you and that the Father loves you as much as He loves Jesus? Then, the truth of His love will gradually set you free from all fear, guilt, shame and reproach.

Of course, bad events around you happen all the time, but you always control how you respond to the event—you always manage your resonance.

The Power of Your Words

The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation — Rom 10:8-11

How did you find salvation? According to Paul, you were saved using a powerful law of the Kingdom: the word of faith. You confessed Jesus and truly believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead.

The “believing in your heart” is the combination of the first three dimensions of hardwired faith: thoughts, mental images and feelings. When those three areas are aligned with confession salvation happens.

But the law of the word of faith doesn’t end there. Not at all! As with the previous dimensions, the word of faith works all the time and for everything.

The word of faith brings into existence what we believe and expect (good or bad). You can curse yourself or bless yourself. You can curse your kids or bless them. You can build others or destroy them.

But here’s the catch: your words possess this amazing power (only) when they are backed by your thoughts, images and feelings. Confession without the first three dimensions is like a car without gasoline, or like an eagle without wings.

You should pay close attention to your words—especially to those backed by vivid imagination and strong emotions—because your words will return to you, they will accomplish your purpose, complete the assignment you gave them and never comeback empty-handed.

Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, so will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them — Is. 55:10-11 (The Message)

You function at a lower degree but similar to your Maker, because you were made in God’s image.

And one more thing: your confession also serves as stabilizer. If your thoughts, images and feelings are out of control, you can conquer your mind with your words.

Speak the word of faith; confess yourself into a different emotional reality. Just like King David questioned and challenged his negative emotions with praise. Yes, David practiced self-talk. He talked to his own soul:

Oh my soul, why are you troubled within, why are you discouraged and sad? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him —Ps. 42:11

The Confirmation of Your Faith

Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works... was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? — James 2:15-22

The apostle James reveals that faith is proven and made perfect by works. Your actions are the evidence of what you believe—they confirm the ways of your heart.

We can fake our reality with empty words, but our works will tell the truth—actions don’t lie (most of the time). That’s why Jesus assured we could identify the tree by the fruit.

In one of the most heartrending stories of the gospels we find a woman proving her faith by her actions:

A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding. She had suffered a great deal from many doctors… she had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.” Immediately the bleeding stopped… she had been healed of her terrible condition — Mark 5:25-29 (NLT)

The story illustrates four dimensions of hardwired faith: thoughts, images, feelings and actions.

Before breaking through the crowd and touching Jesus’ garment, ‘she thought to herself’. It’s clear she imagined and felt her healing before reaching out. She confirmed the vision of her heart with her works (pushing her way through a hectic Middle Eastern crowd).

Have in mind that (under Jewish law) she was unclean and forbidden to touch people. The woman with the ‘issue of blood’ overcame numerous emotional barriers and regulations. But it was worth it, because it worked and her faith healed her.

You might say, “Pablo, the Lord Jesus healed her”. Technically, yes. But that’s not what Jesus said:

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace…” — Mark 5:34 NIV

Clearly, Jesus wanted to highlight her remarkable faith. He could have stated, “my power has healed you”, but instead He said “your faith has healed you”.

This story is important for you. Because it means than your faith can heal you—externally and internally.

Consider the ravished heart of God and how He desires you. Imagine Jesus telling you ‘I have loved you as my Father has loved me’. Let the flame of His love so capture your mind and emotions that you begin to act and live as the beloved of God.

Continue drinking from the river of His affections, certain to be the delight of His heart and observe what happens. See if your soul remains broken and lost. You might soon discover that… your faith has healed you.

In summary: simply knowing how much God desires you will bring some relief, but truly believing His affections (for you) will change you forever.

I encourage you to read this chapter on hardwired faith several times. It will help greatly help you.

I have asked myself…

How can the person of Jesus become my ultimate desire? How can I desire Him as He desires me? How can the beauty Jesus take such a hold of my imagination that I would not desire other lovers, nor seek to worship the gods of this age?

I am still searching for a comprehensive answer, but would you like to discover what I found so far?

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Passionate Lovers of God

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty… and we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain — 2 Peter 1:16-18

It happened on a high and glorious mountain—Jesus’ face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as light. Things escalated as Moses and Elijah joined the reunion to talk with Him. All of this made Peter very excited—it was the conversation he was born to join—I mean, Jesus talking with the “law” and the “prophets”, this was surely destiny to join.

Unfortunately, we don’t know what Jesus, Moses and Elijah were discussing, but we have record of Peter’s brilliant idea:

“Master, this is a great moment! What would you think if I built three memorials here on the mountain—one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah?” — Mt. 17:4 (The Message)

Sure thing. Why not capitalizing this heavenly moment with three sacred tabernacle shrines? Believe it or not, the Father interrupted Peter’s ingenious proposal:

While he was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him.” — Mt. 17:5 (The Message)

Instantly the three disciples fell to the ground, absolutely terrified. Perhaps John whispered to Peter “I told you to shut up, you always have to say something”.

I confess that I enjoy making fun of Peter. But don’t worry, I’m sure the day we meet in heaven he’ll remind me of every silly thing I ever did and said!

Eyewitness of His Majesty

Several years after that glorious event on Transfiguration Mountain, Peter recalls the experience with one of the most stunning sentences of Scripture: we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (2 Pet. 1:16). I can’t find a better phrase that describes the quest ahead of us.

If you desire to love God with all your heart, mind and strength, becoming an eyewitness of His Majesty is a must. You have to embrace King David’s philosophy: “one thing I ask of the Lord and this will I seek, to be in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold His beauty and inquire in His temple” (Ps. 27:4).

David’s motive for dwelling (in the house) was beholding. His dream was not the house of the Lord but experiencing the Lord of the house. He wanted to ‘be’ there all the days of his life, because the ark (God’s manifest presence) was there, and he loved to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and drink from the river of His pleasures (Ps. 36:7-9).

I could finish this book explore essentials spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, devotional study, communion, walking in holiness, practicing fast repentance, developing a lifestyle of worship, etc. But I’ve chosen to focus on something that will motivate and empower you to practice those spiritual disciplines.

Because knowing ‘what to do’ is not enough—as stated in the first chapter, your heart craves for pleasure and experience—faced with the pressure of emptiness, you will consistently pursue (what you believe) can bring you happiness, adventure, romance, meaning and fulfillment.

The greatest pleasure you can experience is spiritual, pure and eternal. It is the never ending pleasure of encountering Jesus as the Bridegroom God and feeling His burning heart intoxicating your soul.

But how can you increase the quantity and intensity of your encounters with God?

To do that, you must understand a life changing law that Paul revealed to the Corinthians. Practicing this law will save you years of frustration and rapidly cultivate passion for Jesus within your heart.

The Law of Transformation

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord —2 Cor. 3:18

According to Paul, transformation comes by beholding the glory of the Lord (who He is, what He thinks and feels). That means, whatever you experience of God (encounter, behold, understand, believe) will be the reality (image) formed in your heart.

Put differently, you will grow lovesick by beholding the glory of the One who is lovesick for you. The more you feel the flame of God’s love the more you will love Him in return. The more you behold the beauty of Jesus (and come to understand why He’s beautiful) the more passionate for Him you will become.

We love Him because He first loved us — 1 Jn. 4:19

Here is the same powerful principle with different phrasing (like Paul) John reveals the key to spiritual transformation: we love God because He first loved us.

The only way to truly love God is to first receive and understand His love for us. When you see it in Him, the same reality is awakened within you.

Do you want more passion for Jesus? You have to first experience His passion for you. Do you want more dedication for God? Encounter Jesus at the cross and discover how dedicated He is toward you. Do you want to enjoy God? Discover how much He enjoys you. The list goes on; whatever virtue you desire in your spiritual life must be first encountered in God’s heart.

That’s how it works. Actually, that’s the only way it works. It’s impossible to live the Christian life without a heart awakened by divine love.

Rules and regulations work wonders—they provide wisdom and keep you on the way—but they can never ignite your heart with burning desire.

Human zeal, will power, inspired ideas and enthusiasm—they’re all beneficial—but they are not able to sustain your soul long term. Only your Maker can do that.

I Am Lovesick

In two occasions within the Song of Solomon the bride declares she is lovesick for her beloved:

First, she is lovesick by understanding and feeling the fire of His love. Second, she becomes lovesick by experiencing His transcendent beauty.

I will close this book mentioning the first: the fire of His love. And I intend to write many other books describing the second: the transcendent beauty of Jesus.

Oh, that he would kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is more delightful than wine. The fragrance of your perfume is intoxicating; your name is perfume poured out — Songs 1:2-3 (HCSB)

The most excellent song ever written begins with the bride’s cry for intimacy. She asks for the kisses of His mouth (God’s Word) to touch the deepest places of her heart. Because she experienced how those kisses unveil God’s emotions.

That’s why her next statement is “for Your love is more delightful than wine.” God’s affections (for her) tasted way better than the fallen wine of this world. Wine “exhilarates” the heart; it’s a stimulating drink that makes people happy. It symbolizes the intoxicating things of this world—good and bad.

There is the good wine of God’s blessings and the bad wine of our sin. We all know sin is pleasurable (temporally) and that blessings are enjoyable. But nothing compares to the superior pleasures of loving God and being loved by God.

By stating “your love is better than wine” the bride is implying more than: your love is better than sin. She means that experiencing God’s love is better than all the other privileges of life and better than any other experience in the natural realm.

He brought me to the banquet hall… looked on me with love. Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apricots, for I am lovesick — Songs 2:4-5 (HCSB)

At the wedding table (banqueting hall) the bride gets drunk with the Bridegroom’s love. She asks to be sustained and refreshed—she is lovesick—she can’t live without Him, and is never going back to usual: she’s ruined by God’s affections.

Have you ever been in love? Lovesickness is like falling in love; you can’t go back to “business as usual”, and you can’t be unresponsive or pretend nothing happened. When you’re lovesick your affections are stolen, your thought life is captured, your longings change. The way you use your time and money change. Actually, every fiber of your being is influenced by the deep emotions you feel (for the one you love).

She said: I am lovesick. And I already told you who the bride is—your destiny is to become lovesick for Him, as He is lovesick for you.

In Closing

You were created to experience the everlasting encounter with the Lovesick God and become a passionate lover of God. This is who you are. I have only reminded you of things that are written on your soul and of all the treasures available for your heart.

Today, you can cross the threshold into a vibrant relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Why settle for mediocrity when you can experience the fullness of God?

Take a deep breath, open the eyes of your heart and behold your Maker… He is eternally lovesick for you.

COPYRIGHT © 2013 PABLO PÉREZ

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

All quotes from Scripture are from the New King James (Nelson Publishers) except other wise noted on each Bible quote.

http://openheavenspublishing.com

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Table of Contents

Secrets of Your Burning Heart

The Fountain of Living Waters

The Core Human Dilemma

Painkillers for the Soul

I Wanted to Kick Myself...

Looking for God in the Wrong Places

From Survival to Fellowship

The Water that Becomes a Fountain

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit

The Never Ending Encounter

The Messiah Moment

What the Father Wants

What is Eternal Life?

Falling In Love with a Harlot

The Burning Heart of God

The Most Important Question of Your Life

It’s Time for a Paradigm Shift

Stop Visualizing that White Dress

The Gospel in One Word

Overcoming Guilt and Shame

It’s Time to Discover Your Real Name

Amazing and Incredible News

The Lovesick God

The Search for Significance

The Revolution Begins

The Lovesick Son

The Lovesick Father

You Have Ravished my Heart

You Are the Object of His Affections

Knowing and Believing

Hearing Did Not Benefit Them

The Mystery of Hardwired Faith

The Creative Power of Your Thoughts

The High Definition Movie Theater of Your Soul

Your Magnetic Frequency

The Power of Your Words

The Confirmation of Your Faith

Passionate Lovers of God

Eyewitness of His Majesty

The Law of Transformation

I Am Lovesick

In Closing

Recommended Resources