8 As when a hungry man dreams, and behold, he is eating

and awakes with his hunger not satisfied,

or as when a thirsty man dreams, and behold, he is drinking

and awakes faint, with his thirst not quenched,

so shall the multitude of all the nations be

that fight against Mount Zion.

 

This reminds me of video games/movies. Temporary fantastical relief to our itching sense of purpose and wonder, only to groggily wake up and find that we itch a little worse. 

John 7:7
The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

Jesus was constantly losing followers and having people turn on him because of what he said. People sought him out because of his incredible love, and then abandoned him because of the truth he spoke. I don't think I should seek to ostracize people or blow them up needlessly or anything like that. 
But man, Jesus had less friends than most people, and less followers than most preachers, and I don't think that's a coincidence.  
If Jesus was around today how many Christians would follow him as he is telling them to sell everything they have, pick up their cross, and follow him? Would I?

Mediocrity and Effort

Make every effort, Peter says.
The Spirit of God is in us to change and control us, but we also have to make every effort. God draws near to us when we draw near to him.
How much time is spent just twiddling my thumbs waiting for God to change me, meanwhile I do nothing for him. I don't pray fervently, I don't read with a burning desire to know him, I don't assume he will use every minute of every day, I don't believe him for much of anything or grab a hold of his promises with all I have banking on his word being true, even true for me.
Its clear from the bible that God didn't save me to be mediocre and accomplish little, yet I accomplish little. He wants me to decrease so he can increase. He wants Tyler to die so Christ can live through me.
He has joined me with him in death on the cross, that much is done.
But I spend much time holding onto the last bastions of myself instead of just purposing to lose the war, and surrender every encampment that waves my own flag.

Glory and Obedience

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. - John 17

Jesus didn't glorify God by being satisfied or content in him. In Gethsemene he was worlds away from contentment. Not to say there weren't mixed emotions, it says "for the joy set before him he endured the cross." 

But often I think of the Christian life in terms of learning more about the grace of God and that will propel me into obedience, as Paul says that the love of Christ is what compels us. I don't believe, however, that you reach a magic day where Christ's goodness overwhelms you to the point that you are a puppet and his mercy the puppeteer; all things obedience now coming as naturally as breathing, for even Christ was tempted in all manner as we are today. 

But when you think on the grace and love of God it spurns you on to decide to obey. And then, during the times of difficulty and blindness even to God's goodness, you are able to go on because you remember your commitment and you remember the times you looked on the face of God and laughed, incredulous at his delight in you. 

Anyway isn't it a two way street? Love and obedience? Doesn't John 15 say that we will experience the love of God as we obey, obedience being loving one another?

I think God is excited and delighted as a father when we are delighting in him. But he gains no extra glory from it. Rather, the world sees his glory (thus "he is glorified") when we obey. But not only obey because that's not all Christ says. He says, "having accomplished". 

Not starting the work of God and then running out of steam, but finishing to the end; completing the course marked out for you, as Paul did. Christian men talk a lot and discuss and debate, instead of putting their nose to the grindstone of really loving people. Spurgeon says to let the sinners be damned only with our arms wrapped around their knees, bathed in our prayers, with us proverbially blocking the path to hell as best we can. 

But what do we do about it? "My life is the gospel to this dying world." And then in parenthesis, "so I don't need to open my mouth, or spend real time loving and meeting people where they are at, I have sermons to listen to. After all, I can't encourage someone else if I myself aren't encouraged."

Prayer

Why do I not think of what deserves to be asked for, before even beginning to pray?
Should I go into a store, as Spurgeon says, without having in mind what it is I need?
And why do I pray halfheartedly for a thing, and without it being resolved, move on to the next?
I must learn to stop and fervently pray for someone until I'm convinced God will save or deliver or mature them, until moving on to the next.
When I hear stories about people praying through the night and getting 3 or 4 hours of sleep, because they count prayer as immensely more valuable... I look at my own schedule and know that things have to change.
My heart and attitudes toward people have been affected by my prayer life, most of all my heart toward God.