Not A God of Moments

I am sitting here in "Sanctuary" the regular Sunday night praise and worship chapel led by the chapel interns at my School.
Here's the thing as I sit here with music being played, with eyes closed, hands and voices raising high God leads me to two thoughts.
1) He is not a God of moments
2) we are the same in this as we are any other time.
First we need to understand that God is not a God of moments. He works in moments but He is not a God of feeling, or simply just emotion. Faith in Him is not just a living from one mountain top spiritual high to the next. Of course this is a regular occurrence in Christianity, and I must admit I am so guilty of it as well! But this is a life style of lies created by Satan. Yes we are filled by the Spirit at certain times, the doors in certain occasions are more open then others. But He does not only just work then... I fully believe and know (because there has been life experience and Biblical proof) that God works even more in the "low points" of our lives!
This then goes into my second thought. That we are the same in this "moment" as we were before we walked in, and as we walk out. I find it strange that a lot of times people walk out of Spirit led services, bible studies, and conferences and then go right back into the same sinful retinues, hobbies and habits (again I am so guilty of this as well!). I find it kind of ironic that we stand and sit with arms lifted high, eyes closed, saying "Amen" and all the other Christian responders words and then when we walk away from such an empowering from God just give up once people start noticing we are Christians.
I have worked with youth and in youth ministry for 6 years now, and countless times kids have come to me and said, "Nathan you are so encouraging, I wish I had your faith, I want what you have, how can you do it?".... and here's the thing there is really nothing different from them and me, other then age, and maybe if they are a girl... but I am a human, I struggle, I fail, I screw up (so much!!), I go threw daily battles emotionally, mentally, spiritually and sometimes physically. So what am I doing different? Well I am not doing anything... its God that does something!
You see when we walk away from our "mountiantop" Spirit experiences and go back into the crappy, sinful lost world we live in we have to let God do His thing and have the lead in our life. I think a lot of the "valley" feelings we get and the discouragement that happens is due to not letting God completely in. And also understand that Satan really will never lean you alone. I have said it so many times, but Satan does not care one bit that you are Christian, he could care less. He (Satan) starts caring when you lwt God have complete control! Absolute power. This is when Satan grows afraid and starts doing all he can in his fear.
So heres the thong God will never take away your problems, issues, struggles, pain or sin... what would be the good of that? God is not a magic genie in a bottle that you rub with prayer... He is not a magic wand that you wave over your life to fix all your problems. He is also not a old mean man who leaves you alone also. No God rather walks with you in this life! He walks with you as you go through this world, as you go through your struggles, your problems and sin.
So as I walk away out of this chapel and start a new week of readings, lectures, notes, and Satan's temptation I would challenge not only you but also myself of Moses. You see Moses would spend days even weeks solely with God on Mnt.Sinai, and when he would come down he came back countless times to a people who turned away from God to a golden Calf, who complained, and who ultimately caused him to never reach the promised land himself. Moses litrally came down from a mountain top of God's Spirit into a valley of lost, broken, confused, sinful people. But yet Moses never lost faith in God or His promises, he struggled, he had hard and difficult times... but never lost faith.
So let us all be challenged to make a decision, and a declaration and be a generation from this point on of Moses people who walk away from the mountain top into the valley but no matter what never loose hope or faith in Him!

A Year of Reflection: My 2015 Journey

2016. That my friends is crazy in its self! Remember back in 2011 when everyone thought we were going to all die in 2012? Ha. So that never happened...
Anyways it has been another year, memories have been made and things have happened that all of us wish to forget.
For myself 2015 was a bit of a rollicoster ride, after starting off semi-smoothly I had my girlfriend brake up with me in back in early March it lead me into a very confusing but much needed state. I began to reflect on my choices, decisions and life in general. For the next 4 months I would dive into a self discovery mode. With 2 months in a Pastoral internship, writing sermons every week brought me to a point where I learned a lot about not only God but myself as well as a young theologian going into ministry. I then would go through the next two months as program director of a summer camp.
In these 5 months I learned more about myself, my faith and who I am then I have in the past 20 years of my life. I stopped and asked myself "Who am I, where do I want to go, and who does God call and compel me to be?" With these questions in mind I began to almost restructure, refocus and restart the life I had started to walk down in the past year.
With the turning point being my girlfriend braking up with me I at first went into shock. My life suddenly seemed to stop. I had grown close at first as a friend to this girl over the past 2 years and then finally asked her out at a christian 3 day concert/conference. With regular weekend visits, skype study dates, and late night phone calls, I thought life was all fitting into place. I was going to school for Theology (my dream), I was dating someone I really liked and got along with, and I was regularly going to a huge church every Sunday. Then on a weekend in March she sat me down and over the next 2 hours explained she was braking up with me to deal with some issues in her life she had been ignoring. I didn't know what to do.
For starters I was lost... the church I was going to was the one she had been going to and was 1 1/2hr away, school was unbearable because I was a wreck and I was single again. What was I to do? I stupidly started talking to a girl who I had previously been interested in prior to my relationship, I made the mistake of almost rebounding and dating this girl, but God quickly stopped me and slapped me in the face. The following Sunday after my brake up I was invited by a friend to come to their church which was literally a God sent! This church is now my home church, which I love and regularly attend every week!
After school was over and the stress of exams was slowly wearing off I went back home where I was to start my Pastoral internship for May and June. A couple months prior I had contacted my dad and asked if I could, upon my arrival home from the school year, regularly preach at the evening services my church ran. He suggested, and put forward to the deacons that I do a Pastoral internship and completely take over and remodel the evening services. And so I came back home and began doing this. I preach almost every Sunday night and lead the congregation on a hour-long intensive study of God's word as a whole unit not separate testaments, books, chapters or verses. This brought me to a place where I would spend the entire week preparing not only the sermon but my spiritual state. It gave me a focus to pursue and led me back to my deep love for God and sharing His amazing power and love to others.
For the entire year of 2015 (January-August) I had been preparing for the two months of July and August which I was to be the Program Director at Camp Cherith, a Christian Summer camp outside of Walkerton, ON. In this position I was to lead the entire camp each week in meals, games, and an over arching theme. This job was like none other I had done at camp, in previous years I had worked in kitchen, on maintenance, I had counseled cabins, and been the director of the leadership program. Being the program director however meant I basically ran what the campers experienced at camp, which for me was slightly difficult as it meant being very organized, on point, and administrative. Now if you know me, you know that my personality is that of the B type, meaning I am thinking of and about multiple things, and although I am meticulous for detail, I am not organized (or at least not to most people). I had to work through working with multiple personalities, and letting others help me with things. I did however work along side another staff member who became a good friend and someone who also worked in a stressful and maintenance job. This individual was very different then me but listened to my rants, complaints, annoyances and multiple nerdy references (which she had no clue most of the time what I was talking about!). For this I am very thankful for her throughout the summer!
In sumary, this job, although stressful and difficult was very eye opening to me about myself and showed me a lot about who I am and how I work in certain situations and with certain people.
After all this I began my second year at University, which I was very excited and nervous for as I was going into the student leadership position of RA (Residence Adviser). In this position I was responsible for 15 young men who were attending school along with me. I was to be something who could help them, answer questions and if they wanted mentor them along not only their physical and emotional life journey but spiritual one as well. As I grew used to this I began to love it, and continued to learn more and more about myself and who God has created me to be!
finally we come to today. As I sit here full of popcorn from seeing Star Wars VII and looking back on this year and looking in anticipation for the year to come. I head into this year knowing God will do amazing and great things, I also know it might be hard in the moment but upon reflection I will see His great plan for it all!
And so I would then challenge you to really look back on your year and see what God has done, shown and where He has grown in you life. And I pray that He will continue to work on and in and through all of us!
God bless, and Happy New year friends!

Not just a bunch of boys, sheep, old men and gifts.

Is it not interesting to note that it was Sheppard's and Wise Men that came to worship and glorify Christ at his birth? Why is this so interesting? Because these two groups were not of the Jewish faith. Perhaps maybe the Sheppard's were, however they were low on the Jewish social latter, seen as dirty and unclean. The Wise Men were those from the east... and were not from Israel, therefore they were not in the Jewish genealogy. 
So I stop and look at this, and as God has been encouraging me to look forward onto the cross this Christmas, I cannot help but see the amazing things He is telling and showing all those around through these two groups.
Through the Sheppard's God reveals that Jesus will work with and among those who are seen as outcasts, and that they will draw close to Him, seeing who He truly is being healed not only physically and mentally, but spiritually as well.
God reveals through the Wise Men that Jesus' words will touch those who are not Jewish, that He will impact the Gentile world too. This is very evident as His gospel was not only brought to Gentiles after His death and Resurrection but also during His life, seen especially by his works with the Roman soldiers prior to and at the cross.
So the few sheep herders and old men from the east were not just a coincidence at the "Christmas story" they plaid an important part for what God was, is, and will always do physically and spiritually.
And so I challenge you this Christmas to look deeper into the "Christmas Story" we know so well and seek to see what God has, and is trying to truly say to His creation! 

Merry Christmas everyone

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.