Category: Uncategorized

The parched ground shall become a pool . . . —Isaiah 35:7 Yesterday we discussed that planning is not really for the Christian, at least not planning without God. God has the plan, He conveys orders to us to guide us in the fulfillment of the plan. He sometimes gives a vision of His plan. We all have visions. A vision of warm beaches or cool mountains can lead to a vacation. A vision of a wonderful meal can lead us to a restaurant or the supermarket. A vision of unemployment can get us up and to work in the morning. Visions arise from our lives and the people in our lives. If we have a relationship with God, they will come from Him. The receipt of visions is a mountain top experience. We see the final product; but He sends us into the valley to work out the fulfillment of the vision. Let me give you a practical example. Last week before going on mission, Pastor asked me to convey information to the church on the events of the trip. He would text me updates and I would get them to the  church via the web. That was […]

Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass —Psalm 37:5   Most of us spend way too much time planning. Since we don’t know what tomorrow holds, planning on our own is just guessing. It leads to worry and the misplacement of resources. Consider I have a dollar. What should I do with it? Save it. Give it to missions. Buy something for a family member. Treat myself. If we are walking life alone we have to make a decision and planning will come into play. But if we are in relationship with God, He tells us what to do. In the first case we are just guessing as to what is best and we are setting ourselves up for worry. Did I make the right decision? If we are walking with God, we just do what He says knowing it is right and trusting in him for today and tomorrow.  We can tell when we have been walking on our own rather than in relationship. God seems to have a delightful way of upsetting the plans we have made, when we have not taken Him into account. We get […]

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 […]