Author: Nick

Galatians 5:17  For the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the spirit are against the flesh. For these things are opposed to each other to keep you from what  you want to do. Contrary forces seem to plague most of creation. Consider marriage. Men and women are different; no matter what political correctness may dictate. It’s why marriage is so tough.  Our natures have opposing elements; particularly once our spirit is ignited after we come to Christ. I remember years ago sharing a room with a friend at a men’s retreat. He had just been baptized in the spirit and spoke in his prayer language for hours. I recall him laying in his bed and commenting,”All things are spiritual.” Nice thought but not true. As far as I know he is no longer following Christ. In fact, he is very much in and of the world.  Our nature is like a successful marriage. Success doesn’t come with one partner dominating the other; but with both putting the marriage first. In a successful marriage, the partners adopt and adapt. The union becomes more important than the partners. If we are to be successful in […]

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. 1 Chronicles 29:11 The words with which we traditionally end the Lord’s Prayer were likely not uttered by Jesus. They are absent from original manuscripts. They were uttered by David when the people had gather together gifts for the construction of the temple. Nonetheless, the sincere praying of these words identify true followers of Christ who recognize where the kingdom, power and glory reside. They are the ones who take God seriously. Many give Jesus lip service, but those who “follow” Him know that all that counts is part of His Kingdom, that He has been handed all power and that anything worth doing is done for His glory. We turn to Our Lord when our needs float to the service, when they are obvious and grip us. It is good at all times, especially when we feel we’re doing fine without Him, to recite the words He gave us and meditate upon their […]

12 For the rulers, against the authorities, against this present darkness, against in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 Jesus taught us to pray to be delivered from evil. We need to pray that earnestly because most of us can’t even identify evil any more. Satan has three effective tricks that keep us confused. He has some people convinced that if he exists at all, he is a cartoon character with horns and a tail and no real power. He has others believing that He is as powerful, if not more powerful than God. These folks believe that Satan can ultimately win. Finally, and perhaps most prevalent today, he has some believing that he isn’t the real enemy; other men are. The truth is that it’s a real fight. It’s a spiritual fight. Just as Jesus’ reign as king is not yet perfected. Satan’s ultimate defeat is not yet perfected. We need to take Satan seriously as we take God seriously. But notice, Jesus taught us to pray that God deliver us from evil. There is no question in that prayer that God has the power to deliver. The victory has been ultimately determined but the battle is no less real.  Perhaps the biggest danger now […]

At first blush it seems strange to be asking God not to lead us into temptation. Is God the Tempter? Certainly not, but it is important to remember that God is in control, even of the tempter. Like Satan’s harassment of Job, God would only allow him to go so far. God is in control. One look around at our world might lead one to ask, “What control?” It may seem God has lost control. Several years ago Twila Paris had a Christian music hit. I loved the music and the lyrics: God is in controlWe will choose to remember and never be shakenThere is no power above or beside Him, we knowGod is in control History marches onThere is a bottom line drawn across the agesCulture can make its planOh, but the line never changesNo matter how the deception may flyThere is one thing that has always been trueIt will be true forever He has never let you downWhy start to worry now?He is still the Lord of all we seeAnd He is still the loving FatherWatching over you and me  God is in control. He controls even the temptations we may face. And He is still the loving Father, […]

We humans are strange creatures. We hang on to things that harm us. We grasp tenaciously to bad habits and sin. Harmful relationships seem to stick to us. But probably nothing is tougher to let go of than guilt and unforgiveness. We are sickly fond of these. Like most harmful things they have their root in pride. With guilt we are so proud as to believe that our sins are too great to be forgiven. We think, but don’t articulate, that Jesus didn’t do enough to cover those awful acts that only we are wonderful enough to perpetrate. Pride’s at the root of unforgiveness, too. How dare anyone trespass on the rights of one as important as us. Saying they are sorry just doesn’t cut it. We are so proud that we don’t even forgive ourselves. We sometimes even think we hold God in unforgiveness. How could He have allowed what He has allowed in our lives? I have long struggled with the connection Jesus sets up in the Lord’s Prayer between being forgiven and forgiving others. I have finally come to this conclusion. Accepting forgiveness for our own shortcomings (call them sin even though it’s out of style) […]

The most common use of “trespass” is the unlawful entry upon the land of another. Although “trespass” can also mean sin or offense. I think it’s useful to consider the common definition. Most landowners post “No Trespassing” signs not just because they don’t want visitors; but because there is danger when we wander from the “assigned paths.”  Isn’t “sin” really getting off the path, the act of moving from where we should be to some other place?  In teaching us to pray, Jesus follows up the concept of seeking the Father’s will on earth as in Heaven with forgiveness when we stray from that path. To the Jewish disciples, accounting for trespasses required sacrifices. Jesus is introducing a radically new concept. After His death, the perfect sacrifice has already been made. The temple sacrifice is no longer needed. He who strays from the path need not make sacrifice, but must appropriate the benefits of Christ’s perfect sacrifice by seeking forgiveness.  In another place, these trespasses are referred to as debts. When we stray, a debt is owed. Again, the debt has been paid; but that payment needs to be appropriated.  One of the real signs of our spiritual maturity is when […]

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34 (ESV) One of the toughest things in life is getting the proper perspective on today, yesterday and tomorrow. It’s easy to say that we need to move forward from yesterday, leave tomorrow for tomorrow and live for today. It’s not easy to do in practice.  The past keeps its hold on our ankles as we try to walk forward. Sometimes it’s guilt from our past. Sometimes it’s past glory that we miss. We need to learn from the past, but let go of it.  Others are fixed on the future. They worry about tomorrow or spend so much time looking forward to something ahead, that they miss the wonders of today.  Although it’s not an issue for most Americans, in most of the world, a person wakes up hopeful for adequate nourishment for today. It is no accident that our loving Father divided our lives into twenty-four hour periods. Our bodies need refreshment in that period.  It seems our emotions and spirits need a recycle in the same time period.  Focus is the key to success […]

  Today men will pay a small fortune to be King for a day. They will get a queen years younger than themselves. They will get to parade through town in gaudy costumes and throw fake coins and faker jewelry to the screaming masses who will fight each other for the opportunity to grab the worthless treasures. The common folk will wear masks and costumes and drink and do things they hope they will forget the next day. I know it’s all in “good fun” and “tradition.” I’ve heard it’s a “religious” holiday and tomorrow the revelers will don ashes and spend 40 days preparing for the death and resurrection of the savior. All I know there will be more drunk today, catching beads, and wearing masks than will wear ashes tomorrow and far more than will keep 40 days of “lent.” Just saying.