Category: Uncategorized

Do not fret— it only causes harm —Psalm 37:8 Fret comes from an Old English word which means to devour. When we say “fret” we normally mean to worry unnecessarily. The Psalmist warns us not to fret because it causes harm. Like the root word from which it comes, fretting devours. It devours our time, our energy, our productiveness. A fretter is wasting God’s great gift of time. It’s easy to say, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” ( Psalm 37:7  ) until our own little world is turned upside down and we are forced to live in confusion and agony like so many other people.  Resting in the Lord is not dependent on your external circumstances at all, but on your relationship with God Himself. We sometimes convince ourselves that worrying is natural. We think it shows that we are aware of the dangerous world in which we live and that we are showing wisdom by being concerned. In fact, when we fret we are either trying to accomplish our own agenda or lack the faith that God will empower us to carry out His agenda in our lives. In short, we are demonstrating a lack […]

Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips . . . —Isaiah 6:5 It is not really hard to admit that I am a sinner. After all that is the case with all men. There is nothing personal in that general admission. It is a different thing to recognize and admit specific sin in a particular area of my life. After all, that is something for which I have responsibility. It is not general. It is personal.  There is something about coming into the presence of God which focuses our attention on the specifics of our sinful condition. Not all the specifics; God is merciful and we could not handle or react to so much bad news at once. But He will point out a specific, something we can focus on, confess, turn away from and give that area of our life to Him. This experience is universal for those blessed with an audience with God, time spent in His presence. None of us is without sin. All of us have something God would have us deal with, from the newest Christian to the one who has walked faithfully for years. It […]

 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also . . . . And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me . . . . So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple —Luke 14:26-27, 33   A disciple has a primary relationship with Christ, a relationship that is above all others. We say we understand that Christianity is a relationship; but we keep falling back into dogma, theology. Christianity is a relationship like no other. It has to be; for it is a relationship with a person we can not see or touch. Our passion for Our Lord is a gift from the Holy Spirit, we can not love Him on our own.  The Spirit Filled Life is a life of relationship with Jesus. You can’t have one without the other. Be blessed. Nick

You will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny —Matthew 5:26 We all want salvation.We’re not so sure we want to be changed. We are quick to recognize the value of the penalty being paid for our sins; we are more reluctant to let go of sin. We love salvation; we’re not so sure about sanctification. There is no heaven that has a little corner of hell in it. God is determined to make you pure, holy, and right, and He will not allow you to escape from the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit for even one moment. The moment you are willing for God to change your nature, His recreating forces will begin to work. And the moment you realize that God’s purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road. Decide to do it right now, saying, “Yes, Lord, I will write that letter,” or, “I will be reconciled to that person now.” Lord, thank you for saving me and for empowering me to be all that […]

Agree with your adversary quickly . . . —Matthew 5:25 This is a tough verse, especially for a trial lawyer. We are trained to never agree with an adversary. We are focused on exercising our “rights.” As lawyers we are not alone in this. With every disaster the ads quickly appear advising us that we might have a claim. There has been an explosion of “rights.” We have moved from  have a right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” to believing we have a right to “a happy and stress free life.”  It is a lost art to see things for another’s point of view. Even when we “know” we are not in the right, it is our inclination to insist on our position. When we don’t immediately acknowledge that our opponent is right, we dig ourselves into a hole. Animosity rises and grows with each passing moment. Are there relationships in your life that are suffering from a long-standing “rights” battle? Have you determined that you will never give in? Give it up and do it now. Moreover, pledge to not dig yourself into that hole again. Acknowledge what is right instantly. You will save yourself […]

If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell —Matthew 5:30 Is there something in your life, that appears harmless, yet continues to lead you into sin? Maybe it’s your television habit, or a “friend” or a “watering hole” on your way home.  Then, would it not be better to remove this from your life. Jesus did not say that everyone must cut off his right hand, but that “if your right hand causes you to sin” in your walk with Him, then it is better to “cut it off.” There are many things that are perfectly legitimate, but if you are going to concentrate on God you cannot do them. Your right hand is one of the best things you have, but Jesus says that if it hinders you in following His precepts, then “cut it off.” The principle taught here is the strictest discipline or lesson that ever hit humankind. Lord, grant us a dedication to You and Your purposes that will motivate us to clean our […]

I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me —Philippians 3:12 Perhaps you have know folks like my old friend. I remember him as a great dreamer. Every time I would see him, he would have grand plans. He never accomplished any of them. Some of us are “What Might Have Been” types. We consider that our best day are past and we will never do anything great. Others of us are “My Day will come” types. We believe that someday; we will do something great. We are only given today. Yesterday Pastor Kerry focused on this verse: 1 Chronicles 28:20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.  I like this modern translation: 20-21 David continued to address Solomon: “Take charge! Take heart! Don’t be anxious or get discouraged. God, my God, is with you in this; he won’t walk off and […]

. . . I am with you to deliver you,’ says the Lord —Jeremiah 1:8 We have a mission to complete for our Lord. Like any good boss, God frees us from other distractions so that we can properly focus on His work. This is his promise to deliver us. This is the peace which surpasses all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ. We must take advantage of this deliverance to do what are called to do. God promised Jeremiah that He would deliver him personally— “. . . your life shall be as a prize to you . . .” (Jeremiah 39:18  ). That is all God promises His children. Wherever God sends us, He will guard our lives. A large portion of our deliverance is that our personal property and possessions are to be a matter of indifference to us, and our hold on these things should be very loose. If this is not the case, we will have panic, heartache, and distress.If we don’t have the right attitude about the “things” which we are given, they enslave us rather than bless us. We are also called to be free from demands for our “rights.” […]