Author: Nick

So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” —Matthew 14:29–30 You can be fearful or faithful; but not both. It all depends where you are looking. As long as Peter was looking at Jesus, he was faithful enough to walk on water. When he began to focus on the storm, he began to sink.  I know it sounds simple: just look to Jesus; but it’s not so simple in practice. Because circumstances are so visible, so in-your-face and Jesus isn’t. I remember being in a storm at see. I wasn’t in a small boat like Peter. I was on a huge aircraft carrier. U. S. S. Ranger, with 5000 other men. We had been stationed off of Viet Nam for months and we were scheduled to be in Hong Kong. That was a great port and we all needed some good liberty. However, at the last minute we had to move away from that port. The night before our scheduled docking we […]

26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28 (NIV) Servanthood is ignited by the agape love of Christ. Once touched by His love, we are compelled to pass it on, to do onto others as was done onto us 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, For the love of Christ controls us [hems us in, directs us, compels us], because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Servanthood is not the first thing a new Christian jumps into. Most pastors will testify how difficult it is to get their flock to do something. Perhaps its a church culture which believes that Christianity consists of going to church. Maybe it’s our churches designed like theaters where folks go to watch and be entertained.  Perhaps it’s that immature believers have simply not had enough […]

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.—James 1:2–4 God’s end game is our joy not our happiness. Happiness is associated with happenings, happenstance, luck, and fortune. If circumstances are favorable, you are happy; if not, you’re unhappy. Christian joy, however, is directly related to God and is the firm confidence that all is well, regardless of your circumstances. In America we worship the pursuit of happiness, we should change our focus to joy. If we are looking to happiness, we will believe that a change in our circumstances will make the difference. We will be happy, we believe, if we are a little richer, prettier, lighter, or more liberated. We talk about the American dream, but the country that leads the world in prosperity also leads it in drug use. It is no accident that the church is flourishing not where it is most content, but where it is most persecuted. It’s interesting that James connects trials and patience with joy. We look at trials as evidence of a lack […]

If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Romans 8:31-32 Do you ever find yourself thinking that life is a choice: I can be good or I can have fun. We really believe that we are missing something if we follow Christ, that we are martyrs. This thinking comes from too much time in front of a television or walking the mall. The world does present itself as full of treasures and pleasures and if we taste of these and are not satisfied, we conclude we just need a bit more.  But this world never satisfies completely. We are hungry and food provides temporary relief. We thirst and a cool drink satisfies for a while. We can satisfy our desires and lusts, but only temporarily. That’s all the world can offer. And even completely full, we know we still are not fulfilled. C.S. Lewis said, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” […]

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.  Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back. James 5:16, 19; Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2 Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9,10  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:23-25 Saturday I met with my Kairos brothers. I have skipped the last two Kairos retreats so I have been many months away. I didn’t realize how much I missed the interaction. Kairos is a ministry, but the gathered participants are really a Christian Accountability group in the best sense of that term. It was great to be back together.  There’s much scriptural support for […]

Footprints in the Sand             One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.              Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.                   In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.                        Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,                            other times there were one set of footprints.                                     This bothered me because I noticed                                 that during the low periods of my life,                              when I was suffering from                          anguish, sorrow or defeat,                      I could see only one set of footprints.             So I said to the Lord,       “You promised me Lord,          that if I followed you,              you would walk with me always.                    But I have noticed that during                           the most trying periods of my life                                  there have only been one                                        set of footprints in the sand.                                            Why, when I needed you most,                                           you have not been there for me?”                                    The Lord replied,                           “The times when you have                   seen only one set of footprints,           is when I carried you.”                                                    Mary Stevenson Yesterday I attended the first preparation meeting for Kairos #52. We did the Footprints in the Sand exercise. I have done this many times before and its various lessons always come through: 1. God […]

 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”   Matthew 28:16-20 What do you want in a church? Don’t read any further. Think about that for a second and come up with an answer. Our answer to that question says more about us than it does about what church should be. What was your response? Do you want your church to be a place you can feel at home, kind of a holy “Cheers?” Should it be a place where you can hear a nice sermon, be with friends, have your needs met? As good and proper as these goals sound, they don’t resemble the church God intended. It was never supposed to be a place we go to, but […]

Blogger – The service through which I do my daily postings has been out for about a day. This worked out well for me since I was struggling with something good to post yesterday. God works in mysterious ways. So it wasn’t because it was Friday the 13th. Blame it on Blogger or Blame it on Nick. Nick