Nick’s Walk

I spent much time last week considering the end times: the anti-Christ, sign of the beast, and the tribulation. That’s probably behind the strange dream I had last night. For some reason, I was trying to get “off-the-grid.” Gain a new identity. Real super spy stuff. Like most dreams, the “why” was not clear but the “how” was certainly disturbing. It really isn’t very easy to do. Even without implanted circuits in our hands or numbers tattooed to our foreheads. Consider how much we are tied into the world system. Try living for just a day without your SSN, debit card number, or email address. Cut off from these we may already be unable to “buy or sell.” Consider how much who we are is tied into numbers we don’t directly control, like our credit score or our blood sugar or pressure numbers. Is that really who we are? Is our substance convertible to digits and stored in a micro-sized file? I “know” the right answer. That’s not me. I am a blood bought child of the king. But just saying it doesn’t ring completely true. It doesn’t seem to be the focus of my life. I do seem […]

Colton Dixon would rather lose “American Idol” than try to conceal his spirituality. Colton, a devout Christian from Murfreesboro, Tenn., plans to continue using the show and social media to spread his message of faith — despite warnings from producers that it could alienate some viewers and cost him the “Idol” crown. It’s time we recognize that the coming Christian persecution, isn’t coming; it’s here. Those of us who claim Christ as Savior need to realize that there are consequences to being a bold Christian. It doesn’t really matter if the producers of American Idol are genuinely concerned about Colton getting a fair shot on their show, or if they just don’t want any Christian controversy on the program. The affect is the same. Being bold about being a Christian has impact today. In my lifetime, most folks found it advantageous to be considered a “good Christian.” For us the new paradyms are strange. We need to realize that with every move we make things are different. Being a bold Christian can affect our employment and career status. It can impact us socially. It can make life tough for us and our family. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not […]

Today is my sixty-third birthday. I’m afraid that my family is not too thrilled with my birthday mood. I am considered a gloomy Gus on birthdays. I guess I owe them an explanation. First, I take no credit for making it for 63 years. I am responsible in no way for this. Life is the gift of God. It is a gift in conception, in regeneration, in eternity. He determines the number of our years. It seems silly to me to accept congratulations for something for which we have no part. Don’t get me wrong. I am extremely grateful for the years I have been given. Occasionally, I review the obituaries and notice how often the dead have had fewer years, often many fewer years, than I have been granted. I am grateful for every year, every hour, every second. If I am glum at the time of the celebration of my birth it is because I feel I have not taken full advantage of the gift of time I have been given. We can only live today and it is not fruitful to spend much time considering the wasted years. However, I think it is wise occasionally to […]

It is becoming increasing obvious that there is a war against followers of Christ. It is in many ways an undercover war. It will be filled with much intrigue and stealth. The most difficult task in this struggle may be identifying friend and foe. Old definitions of “christian” and “non-christian” or even “anti-christian” will not apply. It will take spiritual help to keep the players straight. We will need discernment like never before. At times we might find ourselves aligned with others on certain issues, with whom with might disagree on other issues. For example, we need to stand with all those whose religious liberty is threatened, even if our specific beliefs are not the same. The enemy will also attempt to confuse things by majoring on the minors. We need to perpetually keep our eyes on Jesus. Other “political” or “social” issues will have to take a back seat. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Ungird ever word and action with prayer. Be alert and diligent. Times are about to get much tougher. Nick

I went to the Post Office this morning and is true most mornings I had just “junk mail.” The trash can at the post office was overflowing with “junk mail.” Many customers went to their boxes, flipped through the mail and tossed it all in the trash. We sure get lots of “junk mail.” It’s kind of like cable tv, hundreds of channels, and nothing to watch. Why is so much spent on sending out mail and programming that no one seems to watch? I guess if you send a ton of junk mail out and one pound of it is read and one ounce of it is responded to, then you will have achieved your goal. We need to be constantly aware that so much of what circulates around us is junk: mail, tv, lots of conversation. Talk is cheap and folks are willing to churn out tons of it if only a tiny bit comes back to them as profit. It makes worth while words all the more valuable. We need to be so careful about what we throw out there. If we send out words of value they will be scooped up from the junk pile […]

I must be poking Satan in the eye with a stick. I’m not sure what I have done but I have apparently gotten his interest. I have been under what we Christians call “attack.” I have overslept three mornings in a row. I have added a twisted ankle and bladder problem to my knee woes. I am having awful dreams at night, very real and vivid. There is more evidence of spiritual skirmish, but I won’t bore you with detail. I don’t know exactly what I have done. It is probably good that I don’t because I would be sorely tempted to quit doing it. I am feeling very much in need of a break. I have been listening to David Jeremiah’s teaching on the end times so Satan comes up every day. Today he discussed the mark of the beast. The beast just seems a bit closer than usual the last few days. I believe that satan is real and that spiritual warfare is in constant progress. There are times when we take notice of it. It becomes more real in our lives for any number of reasons. It may be just a time of increased spiritual sensitivity […]

What a Blue Monday. I usually have Blue Monday feelings on Sunday night. I guess it’s in anticipation of Monday. But today is special. It’s the first day light savings time Monday. I had bad dreams last night and had trouble sleeping. I’m still burned out from my bladder infection. I missed church yesterday (more oversleeping) I over slept this morning. I twisted my ankle on my way out the door to greet a day gray with rain. Nicky went into the post office to help me by getting my mail. He dropped his iphone and cracked his screen. It’s not shaping up as a great day. I wonder if Jesus suffered Blue Monday syndrome while a man on earth. Were some days harder for Him to do what the Father called Him to do than others? Did He wake each morning with knowledge of the challenges He would face, the doubt He raise, the rejections of His message? I have to think He was in every way human, with the divine within that sometimes made His mission tougher rather than easier. For me I have to accept that I am subject to mood altering situations. Some days it’s […]

There are some steps required in coming to Jesus. There must be recognition and sorrow for our sinful state and an understanding that our state deserves nothing but punishment. There must be an acknowledgement that alone we are unable to justify this sinful state. That’s pretty much basic orthodox Christianity. What has been pretty simple and straightforward for most of human history has become complicated in this age of New Spirituality. In a society that doesn’t recognize absolute truth and puts the individual at the center, it is nearly impossible to come to a position of repentance. Without repentance, there is no salvation. Consider this definition of sin: “Sin is Being Out of Alignment With My Values.” Sorry wrong answer. God sets the standard,  not each of us individually. What societal chaos would result, in fact, has already resulted, from a general acceptance of that definition of sin. What of heaven/hell and award/punishment? Try this:  “If I’m true to myself and my faith then that is its own reward; when I’m not true to it, it’s its own punishment.” So, in short, I set the standard. If I don’t live up to it, I feel real bad. If I do, […]