Today’s blog is an answer to a question I received from a subscriber. It’s actually a question a get once or twice a year: How do you blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

They’re worried that they may have committed the “unforgivable sin”. Now, there is an unforgivable sin. It’s mentioned several times in the Gospels:

Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. -Matthew 12:32

Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. -Luke 12:10

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin. -Mark 3:29

The way this “blaspheme the Holy Spirit” is phrased has led some people to believe that if they say this sentence they are eternally damned. What’s more, some atheists have picked up on this and created a real wacky website encouraging unbelievers to take “The Blasphemy Challenge” and say, “I deny the Holy Spirit” on video.

So, if someone says this is the code now broken? Is the person really eternally damned? Please, don’t think in such absurd terms. It just plays into that unbelieving foolishness. The reality is when you resist the Holy Spirit, continue to resist and give no place for God in your life, guess what, you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit and you will be eternally damned. It’s the same thing as you saying, “I do not believe. I do not want to believe. And I will never believe.” Well, keep that attitude and it becomes unforgivable. Why? Because you resisted the Holy Spirit of God. In resisting you blasphemed and in continuing to blaspheme it becomes the unforgivable sin.

So, you might wonder if you’ve ever done that. Well, if you have just undo it! If you think at some point in time you blasphemed the Holy Spirit understand this: For you to be worried about blaspheming the Holy Spirit tells me that the Holy Spirit is in you! And He’s causing you to be worried in such a way that you want to clear the confusion and erase the past by saying, “Holy Spirit, I yield to you today. And I pray, Lord God, you forgive me of all my past sins and anything I may have done before knowing You”. That’s all you need to do. God removes your sins and casts them as far as the east is from the west. He doesn’t remember them anymore.

Now if you can’t do that then maybe you are resisting the Holy Spirit. But if you can then open your heart to Christ, say “Yes” to Him and you don’t have to worry about this whole blaspheme of the Holy Spirit thing. Choose to continue to walk with God, keep following after Him and you are eternally secure in the fact that your profession of faith has moved God’s heart and with that holy touch you are His forever. Amen?

How do you prepare your kids for the harsh realities of this world?

Is it God’s desire for all people to be saved; to surrender their lives and not reject Him?

A recent USA Today article discusses many Christians are mixing New Age beliefs with their faith. You can hear my thoughts on the matter below. Click here to read the article.

Thanksgiving…here are a few thoughts on what we can be grateful for despite troubling circumstances.

Here’s a question submitted by one of our blog subscribers:
There’s been a lot of talk about the world ending or some horrific events happening in the year 2012. Where is this date coming from? Should we pay attention to this? What can we do in light of all the commotion?

My understanding for all the recent 2012 commotion is the blockbuster movie that was recently released. But before that, the idea of the world ending in 2012 really originates from the Mayan long count calendar. Basically, the Mayans, an ancient civilization from Mesoamerica, developed a calendar that clocked the earth and all its events lasting 5,125 years and ending on December 21st or 23rd, 2012.

So, what do we do? Is there a horrific, transformative event waiting to happen in 2012?? I don’t know but here’s what I do know: I’ve been a Christian for a long time now. And we need to be aware of the fact that every now and again there’s someone saying, “This is the year. This is when it all ends.” A perfect example is from back in the 80s. I remember a pamphlet circulating that read, “88 Reasons God is Returning in October 1988”. Because of this I saw a lot of well-intentioned people in the church selling all their stuff and getting ready for the day. Obviously, nothing happened.

But the reality is this: something could happen in 2012, in 2011, in 2010 or something can happen today. So my hope for all of us is that we get in the Word and read Matthew 24. And as you read the whole chapter you’ll find Jesus tells us “no man knows the day or the hour” but to always be ready and always be prepared.

So, here’s a question for you: would you get ready if you knew He was coming back tomorrow? I ask because just a couple weeks ago we held a memorial service for a 12-year-old girl and a few days later I did a service for a 60-year-old man. He died of lung cancer and she died of leukemia but a year ago we didn’t think either one of those people was going to pass. They didn’t make it to see 2012.

Is it this year for you? What about next year? The hope that the Lord has in encouraging you to be ready at any time is that you would be ready. Just be ready at any time. Because if you put your stock and hope in December 2012 you might just do whatever you want and sin all through 2010 and 2011 and then start repenting and cleaning up your act when 2012 comes around. But in Matthew 24 you’ll find a parable about a man who didn’t think his master was coming back so he behaved very rudely. And, what do you know, his master came back when he least expected it. Don’t let that be you. Be prepared in season, out of season—any season whether it’s 2012, 2013 or 2015. That’s my hope for you.

I had a quick thought I wanted to share. This was taken after an Active Word radio recording session.

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When it comes to faith, you choose whether you want just enough to get by…or if you’re all in for a changed life.

I was going to take my kids to the circus, but I changed my mind. I know kids love the circus, but I started thinking. I was thinking about the smell. You know, the elephants, the stuffy tent, the crowded seats—smelly.

I thought about the cotton candy—tastes good, but so sticky! And it gets on everything—your hands, your clothes, in your hair. And afterward, you’ll spend weeks trying to get the last traces of it out of your car. No, for me, the circus is just not worth the trouble.

But for my kids? Now that’s a different story. For them, the circus is wonderful. They’re not thinking about the smell or the sticky mess. Their focus is on the fun and the laughs and the wonder of it all. So who’s right? Well, to be really honest, I think they are.

You see, if we only focus on the negatives, we’ll never enjoy anything. And that goes for most everything.

Think about your car. Remember when you first got it? You loved everything about it. Couldn’t wait to go for a drive. Kept it sparkling clean inside and out. But after a few years, a couple of nicks and scratches—there’s nothing to get excited about anymore.

How about your job? When you started, the sky was the limit! You couldn’t wait to get there! But now…you could think of a hundred reasons to show up late, or even to skip a day. Same probably goes for church: now that the newness has worn off, how excited are you to get there every time?

The point is this: when we only focus on the problems, we lose sight of God’s plan.

That’s what happened to Abraham. He had barely gotten to the Promised Land when news of a famine caused him to pack up and head for Egypt. He didn’t want to deal with the problems that came with the promise.

But listen, even God’s best for us in this very real, fallen world is going to come with some challenges. When we focus on the bad stuff—the smelly, sticky stuff—we miss the joy of trusting God and loving the life He intends for us. You think about that—I’m going to the circus…

I was in my office the other day preparing for a sermon. Many times my assistants encourage me to stay in the office until I finish my studying. So, I stay there away from all the noise and distractions. It was this particular day I realized how God has spoken to me so many times while I’m in my office. My office is a “Bethel.”

The Hebrew word “Bethel,” means “House of God” or “Place of God.” On a personal, spiritual level, Bethel is the place where God was and is discovered for you.

I pray for all Christians to have a Bethel. For some it could be your church where you’ve always discovered that God is there. You go and you hear His voice and you know that because He dwells there and your heart is changed, that is the place of true transformation. But it’s not always a church.

Years ago, when I still lived in Las Vegas, I used to be a sales rep. My territory included parts of Nevada and Utah and I had to drive the distance from Las Vegas to Cedar City, Utah in order to service a couple accounts.

Just outside the city was Virgin River Gorge, which to me is the epitome of beauty in nature. I would make my way to a parking space and time out my lunch to make sure I’d make my meeting in time. From there I’d crawl down the ravine where there were raging river waters and I’d tip-toe from rock to rock to get to this huge six-foot, flat rock. I’d sit there and just worship and pray.

I still know that place. If I went back there today and saw that rock I’d be filled with emotion because God spoke to me on that river gorge in amazing, supernatural ways.

That’s a Bethel for me.

So, where’s your Bethel? You might have had several through the years. If it’s been a while, go back. And if you don’t have one, let me encourage you—find a place to make one today.