Day 3. The Mount of Beatitudes, Peter’s Mother-in-Law’s house, Capernaum and the Sea of Galilee.

Day two of Israel. Went to Caesarea, visited an aqueduct, saw the Valley of Megiddo and Nazareth.

Hey guys. I’m currently on an Israel tour with a group from our church. We’re gonna try our hardest to “bring you along” with us by posting pictures and, Lord-willing, some video. Here are the first few pictures from the trip. Enjoy!

Ever felt stale in your Christian walk? Maybe you’re feeling stale right now. Here’s something that can help…

Many “millennials”, or the next generation, believe “organized religion” is not necessary to connect with or experience God. That may be true in some ways, but here’s something that’s crucial for real faith to thrive.

Airline security is getting pretty personal. How much privacy do we have to give up to feel secure and protected?

The US Air Force has given neo-pagans an official place of worship at its base in Colorado. Is this cause for concern?

The Tebow ad came and went and so did all the controversy. What was the big deal?

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?

Conan O’Brien exited the Tonight Show and Jay Leno’s coming back. What does this “switcheroo” tell us about what’s popular and how agreements are treated these days?