Self Labeled

I call myself a Christian. Does this mean I believe in a divine being who has created the earth and all of existence. Yes, but it is not the core of this claim or what it means to be self-labeled a "Christian". If I choose this name for my life, it means no matter what I do, He is above every person, every place, every decision, every job, every sport, every situation and circumstance. Being a Christian means I am choosing to surrender and offer over my sinful life so that His crucified forgiveness may replace my stained selfishness. Being a Christian does not simply mean I claim in my Facebook religious status that I "Love Jesus" or "Christian" but rather that my status of life is God designed. Yes I read my Bible, yes every Sunday I wake up and go to church... but is this the core of who I am as a Christian, simply knowing my way around the Bible, or putting on a tie every 7th day does not gain my salvation before Christ.
I call myself a Christian... why? Because I am willing to let God shape who I am... I am willing to be made fun of, looked down upon, called names, get ridiculed in, and outside of school. Being a Christian is not being a good person... being a good person is simply being a good person. Being a Christian is being less then self so the Christ might instill a selfless heart within you. Being Christian means willing to let God take you wherever, to who ever, through what ever, so that you may become a reflection of Him to this world. It means that when God says "go here", you go... it means when God says "STOP", you stop.
I call myself a Christian not because I believe in God, not because I read my Bible, not because I go to church, not because I live in a western world, not because I am a "good person", not because I go to church... but because I see each day that I am a sinner... that I will always be a sinner... I call myself a Christian because each day I come before the cross, on which a selfless, sinless, savior died... who took not just my stains and guilt, but yours and everyone... I call myself a Christian because I not only believe in the forgiveness given by Him but I live the forgiveness in thankfulness each and every breath I take.
Tell me... what do you call yourself?

Paris, Profile Pictures and Awareness

Now as all of you probably know this weekend Paris was brutally attacked by ISIS. And many of you by showing support of Paris have chosen to participate in the facebook profile picture change movement that brings a french flag "haze"to your profile picture. Over the past three days I have been appalled and angered by the posts I have been seeing on my newsfeed about those who have been participating (myself included) in this support of Paris movement. Many are posting articles and comments that speak against doing this, saying that why do we support Paris when there were other attacks on the world during the week.
Here is my complaint, why are we not supporting this profile picture movement more? Instead of posting against it look at what it is truly doing! By changing your profile picture to this "hazed" French flag you are not only bringing awareness to the fact that Paris was attacked, but awareness to the deeper issues that this is a problem. Do you realize that it took Pearl Harbor to happen before the USA stepped into WW2? Would you say the same things against anyone who showed support to America after that event? Because what happened in Paris this weekend is a similar modern day Pearl Harbor, in the sense that it is waking up people to the fact that ISIS and the evil that that is happening in this world today is real and is not just a "Middle Eastern Squabble" but a real thing that is effecting the world.
So I would argue for you to stop complaining and see that the people who are doing this Profile Picture change are being more responsible then you ever have been. They realize the deeper issues that are at hand, but you in your immaturity do not... rather you would seek to complain about something.
So I have changed my profile picture because I don't believe that it is simply for Paris, or that it will stop Terror in this world, but because I want people to be aware of the fact that this is a serious thing, that we need to start realizing that we are effected by everything. Our culture and society needs to stop tweeting, texting, snapping, and instagraming and start realizing there is more in this world then selfies, money, parties, and sex. That we need to be aware and stand up for this, not simply ignore or complain about it but actually do something to change it.

Are You a Christian? Am I a Christian? Is She a Christian? How About Him?

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."
-Matthew 13:44-46

The other day in a late night/early morning chat with some friends the question, "How do we know if people are truly Christians?" came up. Honestly I know that we frequently ask this question looking at others, and sometimes even looking at ourselves. I think Jesus did a pretty good job at showing us how not only through His life but also through His words, especially the ones quoted above.
You see I fully believe and know that we know when someone is a truly a Christian when one two one thing happens;
Upon discovering the mystery and wonder of the Gospel, they go completely head long into it and eat up anything and everything they can about God, scripture and being His child. That they will spiritually, emotionally, and sometimes physically give everything away and up only to desire and seek Him better and more.
You see I think a lot of times we over think Christianity, we make lists and regulations, requirements and duties. This is why I know people shun the Christian faith because in our foolishness to seek Him better we have really done the opposite and counter acted the very words of Jesus.
I fully believe that in this we as the western Church have become a pharisaic faith. Now I am no it going to start bashing on the church, I love church, there is a reason why every Sunday I get up and go to it. But what I am saying here is this, Christianity is simply, but we make it hard, really really hard.
We look at someone and we say, "Okay so if you want to be a Christian you need to; Go to church every Sunday, make sure you or your kids also go to youth group on Friday, Bible reading must be a daily thing, prayer is important so make sure 15 minutes of your day is spent in it. Make sure you read books on faith, such as Francis Chan, C.S. Lewis, oh and listen to David Platt, he is really good. You can't swear, you can't drink, you need to be careful what you listen too, and what you watch, well just to play it safe, always listen to worship music, like Kari Jobe, Micheal W. Smith, and Hillsong, Hillsong is really good, also if you don't like David Crowder and you are a hipster you are clearly not a Christian Hipster (For the sake of being honest I actually can't stand David Crowder, personal preference). On Sundays you have to wear a tie if your a guy and do your hair if you are a girl, jeans.... jeans in the church are not aloud, hats as well, and anything that doesn't really look like you aren't going to a wedding or a funeral"... and so much more
You see what I mean though, you know what Jesus said about being a Christian?
Now this is me paraphrasing so I apologize for my Message like wording here,
"To be a Christian, really all it means is once you find me, you realize how fake everything else is, and how it will never please you like I fully do. So you drop it all and completely desire and follow me." Not "You need to do this, you can't do this."
Jesus Simply wants us to desire Him with our whole life, and as a result of that desire our life then doesn't need anything else, doesn't think of anything else, doesn't find full pleasure, full fulfillment, full completeness and full peace in anything else but Him.
So how will people know we are Christians, how will you know yourself that you are a Christian? Because nothing else satisfies but Him and that is so clear because we drop everything for Him. Our desire is so strong that no matter what happens in life we have a strange sense of peace, that sure our money might be in the negatives, the struggle might be real, we might have no friends, we might be bullied for what we believe in, and so on, but in all of that our faith, trust, reliance and passion for Him only continues to grow in it.
"They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love" for Him.

The Unforgivable Sin

"Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come"
-Matthew 12:31&32


I once spoke at my church on forgiveness, after a member of the congregation approached me and said, "You said every sin is forgiven by God, but that isn't Biblical, a pastor once told me that there is a sin in the Bible that is unforgivable by God."
I told him to show me the chapter and verse of this said passage. He however never re-approached me on the matter. However, in my daily devotions I cam across the verse, as seen above, and here is my issue with it.
Now do not get me wrong I am not disagreeing with scripture at all, as a member in ministry and Biblical Studies I kind of can't disagree with scripture, even if I wanted to. No my issue with this passage is not the passage itself but rather the reader. You see the pastor that told this man that it said there was an unforgivable sin was slightly wrong and correct in the same instant with saying this. 
What aggravates me the most, especially being one in Ministry is when others, especially those in ministry leadership misquote the context of the scripture they are reading.
You see if you read this passage alone it makes sense that there is an unforgivable sin, however if you read the whole chapter that it is in, you see something completely different then just an unforgivable sin.
In this chapter Jesus is addressing the pharisees and their hypocrisy. He is talking about those who follow him and those who do not. And so when he says this statement about not forgiving it is said to mean that those who deny God are not forgiven.
There is a thing in Christian Doctrine called General Revelation, which basically means that everyone can and deep down knows God exists. As one who has a Christian world view I fully believe this doctrine to be true and Biblical. Jesus most likely did as well, so with that in mind; Jesus is saying here that anyone who knows God exists but chooses to live a life that says other wise, they are then living a lie, and thus living in sin. Seeing as God is a Holy God, meaning he is completely separated from sin, He cannot associate Himself with it. So those who choose this living lie cannot be associated with God, or rather cannot be forgiven, out of their own choosing!
But here's the thing though, all those who admit and live in His existence and presence are forgiven, in the sense that they follow Him and seek Him. So those who sin against the Son of Man, are those who are followers of Him, however they are still human and so still sin. Those who sin against the Holy Spirit are those who deny His calling to their life and choose their own path, or rather the preset path of sin.
So is sin forgivable before God according to this scripture? Yes and No... Yes because if you accept the cross and resurrection, if you believe in it, and lay down your choice of a self lead life, and choose that of a God centered, desiring and guided life you will be forgiven in, by, with and through Him. No because if you deny all that you choose a living lie, and so live in, with, through and by that lie. But it is never too late to realize the truth and follow Him. This is my prayer.