I Am Tired of Christmas

It's Eve Christmas, the presents are out, the trees are dressed in lights and childhood memories, the craziness of last minute shopping (men) has begun, and the last minute changes of outfits for the Church service will be a common thing tonight.
But here's the thing, I am tired of Christmas. That's right you heard this Pastor kid, Theology student, Bible believing, breathing, living Christian. I. AM. TIRED. OF. CHRISTMAS.
Now before you get all mad at me and say that I am Satan hear me out on what I mean by this.
What I mean is that I find as Christians although we try are best to not get caught up in secularism, we then dive to far into the Nativity story.
As Christians to stray away from the world we turn to our cute little nativity season and Christmas pageants with the Sunday school kids sticking their hands down their pants and running around throwing the sheep at the three wise men (who I might add dawn their drawn on beard quiet proudly) but we forget that Christmas isn't really about little Baby Jesus at all.
Again I say "CHRISTMAS IS NOT REALLY ABOUT LITTLE BABY JESUS AT ALL" and please bear with me here... I do not condone heresy or Satan. So what is Christmas about then Nathan? Mr.JESUS ISN'T THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!?
This is what I mean, we focus on Baby Jesus so much that we forget about Adult Jesus. And then BOOM Easter and it is all about Adult Jesus and we forget about everything else... but once that's done good bye Adult Jesus...
The thing is Jesus is the same Jesus... he's the baby, and the adult. And I have been convicted lately (especially in the last week) to not read the traditional "Christmas story" but in my devotions (I have been working my way through the Gospels) I just happen to come to Mark 14... aka the the "Easter Story" the week of Christmas... Coincidence? I think not my dear Blog reader!
You see God has been saying to me, "Nathan today and tomorrow are not about Jesus being born... that's a minor thing, today and tomorrow, they are about what I am about to do in History at this point. This part of the story is merely the ending of the prologue, the preface, the overture, the final touch before the real story." You see God has been showing me that Christmas isn't about "Away in a manger, no crib for a bed", it's not about Sheppard or Wise men... NATHAN IT'S ABOUT THE CROSS! It's about the anticipation for the climaxation of all of creation! (Yes I know climaxation is not a word... but you gotta admit it sounds cool in that sentence!).
So here's the thing, I am tired of Christmas... I am tired that we have made Christmas about a baby and not a conquoring king... not about THE GREATEST SACRIFICE OF ALL OF TIME AND HISTORY!
This Christmas join me in remembering not the baby, not the manager... but join me this Christmas in really remember CHRIST MASS (A REMEMBER OF CHRIST'S SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS) join me in properly enjoying, rejoicing and celebrating Jesus and who He was, is and will forever be.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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.
 

Too Ashamed or Scared to Tell

Its the feeling of being trapped. That's what it feels like, the fact that you see the key to the lock, you have it in your hand, but knowingly you stay. Sometimes it doesn’t even feel like you that's making you stay. That something else, someone else is controlling everything you do in that moment. and you sit there watching, helpless… after, after you realize that you have locked yourself back in the cage, back to what you hate. You feel alone in the cage, oh so alone, like no one else wants to be there, like no else understands, like everyone will judge you and think you are so stupid and so disgusting for staying their. You
feel dirty. You feel like you will never get out, soon you feel like you don’t deserve to leave the cage, that you should just belong there… that the outside doesn’t want you, that's why you stay. That’s why you can’t and won’t leave.
This is what it means to have a porn addiction.

Why is it such a taboo to talk about this struggle this issue? Why can people openly talk about eating disorders and drug addictions openly, but the minute you bring up this addiction, this struggle, everyone runs and hides. This is a topic the church is afraid to address. They are too busy pointing fingers at homosexuals and worried that Trudeau is the Antichrist to worry about the fact that the majority of people in the congregation have some sort of porn problem.
However we hide behind our ties and shirts and do not admit this issue, because it is “To personal” or “to sensitive” we are worried about everyone judging us. And if someone does ever say anything it is responded by shaking heads and shunning looks… but we will clap and cheer when someone comes up with a drug problem or an eating problem. I am not saying these are not real issues as well, if you are taking that from this you are completely missing the point. I am saying that the issue of porn addiction is an issue that needs to be dealt with and addressed regularly like anything else in the church today.
As a male Christian in this world I know how hard it is to a) try their best not to give in to the on coming avalanche of porn introducing possibilities and b) to come before my brothers and sister in Christ and admit this problem.
Now some of you who read this may be shaking your heads already, however hear me out. I am saying that this problem needs to be changed, to the point where it is not a regular problem that is shoved under the bed by so many in our church, (male and female a like). I am saying this as someone who has struggled for years with this issue and only recently has begun to keep it under control and before God.
I also say these things to tell those who are reading this out their that my friend, my brother, my sister, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Those are lies! Lies that have been fed to you until they become your truth, but YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Not just spiritually (because yes God is there with you) but also physically. Thousands of your brothers and sisters in Christ right now are going through the same thing. So I am here for you, I may not know you but I am praying for you, and I am here. I know how hard it is, I know those long nights you lay there battling the urge, and those thoughts of hatred towards yourself, and that voice that isolates you, making you think that “No one will ever understand”.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE, the lights have been turned on and so many are with you in the cage. So Brothers and Sisters, whether you yourself struggle with this issue, or know someone, let us bring this forward, let us make it so we can feel comfortable to come forward in a church, a small group, a youth group or just some good friends and say “I am addicted to porn, and I need help”. Does this struggle make you any less of a Christian? Not at all! Unfortunately we as humans have the tendency to make sins “stronger” then others…. but God only sees sin, so whether it’s that you struggle with homosexuality, drugs, alcohol, sex, lying, stealing, gossiping, or even porn… you are all sinful, but you are all also children of God!
So as one people under a merciful, a loving, but yet strong God, let us come and work together to seek Him! No matter the issue, the struggle, lie, or pain we have, carry or believe ourselves to be. Let the church truly be the house of God where everyone can come and confess to one another, whether it is this thing or that. Stop arguing over which denomination is right or wrong, stop posting on our news feed about how liberals are either the devil or the second coming! Open your eyes and see the issues infant of you, the issues that sit right in our very congregations, and open your eyes, ears, hearts and minds to them, letting God’s Holy Spirit work through in and with you.
Let us be the true Catholic (Universal) Church, whether universal in physicality, racially, spiritually, or sinfully. Let us not be afraid, but let us be joyful, hopeful, and free in Him.

Do I really Desire God? or am I just Crazy?

I delight in the Lord always... but do I give Him each day? Do I devout myself to Him always? Sadly I would have to admit that I not always have.
In a conversation with a good friend of mine I was told a true story about a two pastors, one was a Youth Pastor, and the other the Head Pastor. For the sake of flow we will call the Youth Pastor Steve, and the Head Pastor Rick.
Steve had been working at the church for a couple months, in these months he had been observing and talking with Rick. Which is completely understandable seeing as Rick was a bit of a mentor for him. Rick had been in Ministry for quite some time now and was very wise and serious about his job and faith. But Steve couldn't understand how Rick's life and faith were so perfectly intertwined and in-tune with each other. So he approached Rick and asked,
"How is you faith so solid? Please what is the secret"
Rick responded with a smile and said, "I just seek God."
Steve shrugged and moved on, but it kept eating away at him, Rick's response was not sufficient enough for him. One day Steve could not resist it, it was eating away at him to know what Rick's secret was.
He confronted Rick in his office, "Rick, what is your secret?! Please I want to know"
Rick replied, "Do you really want to know?"
"YES!"
Rick continued, "I watch little to no TV, and rarely use my phone other then calling, instead for my entertainment, I read through the New Testament every week, from beginning to end. I made this commitment ever since I started in ministry and have not wavered from it since."

Remember this is a true story. You see Steve saw something in Rick, something that truthfully I fully believe all Christians should have and want. Unfortunately so many Christians see no issue with not having it... What I am getting at is we have a God who has created the universe, who has named each star, who provides rain for the plants, who knows, can do, and sees all things. A God who loved His creation of man so much that He came and lived on top of a box and in the shape of a cloud for years, who came and sacrificed His own son for our sake. Here's the catch though... He has, is and does all these things, and we can't bother to spend time with Him each day.
Now we might look at this story and think "The whole New Testament in a whole week?! That is insane!" But is it really? I someone once told me that for devotions each morning they read 4 chapters of the Bible, 2 in the Old and 2 in the New Testament. Another person then turned around and said "That is crazy." I didn't take note of it, completely forgot about the comment until recently when I started taking my own devotional life more seriously... the comment of "That's crazy" well personally I think that comment is "Crazy!". When we read scripture we see verses like;
"But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:2)

"I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands." (Psalm 143:5)

And many more like this. So really, if I am going to call myself a Christian, someone who follows, loves and seeks the God of all things... an hour a day is the least amount of time asked for to be spent with Him!
Now hear me out when I say that if you truly are a Christian, you probably are out of a desire for God, and so really, truly if you desire Him, that hour will seem like nothing, you will begin to crave more, want more. I know people who spend up to five hours just in prayer and mediation on Scripture, why? Because they want to, the desire to, because they love the Lord their God with all their heart and all their understanding.
But oh yeah... your busy....
This has not been a Blog post out of judgement, but out of accountability for not only you brothers and sisters, but also for myself. I am as guilty of "I am busy" excuse as the next. 
God desires "Steadfast love" (Hosea 6:6) and how do we show that? Through sacrifice, desire, and a love for Him, and how is that shown? not only be showing others His grace and further His kingdom, but also by seeking His truth and knowledge through your personal, daily time with Him.
So look at your life... are you "To Busy" for Him? If so, if you truly love Him... what do you need to place upon the alter and sacrifice to draw close and spend more time with Him. God doesn't want "Busy", He wants "Here I am Lord, send me!" (Isaiah 6:8)