Nick’s Walk

I receive about a dozen devotionals by email each day. I search them for ideas for this blog. It amazes me how often the same idea flows through many of the devotionals. It is the Holy Spirit at work. He works like the ocean waves affecting many at the same time. Similar ideas arise in different souls at the same time. For some time I have noticed the same idea arising not only in these devotionals,  but in my Pastor’s sermons and in Glenn Beck’s Israel event yesterday. It includes don’t fear, get organized, go and make disciples. I think the best word for it is “mobilize.”  “Mobilize” is a verb or action word. It is defined as 1.  Prepare and organize (troops) for active service. 2. Organize and encourage (people) to act in a concerted way in order to bring about a particular objective. The opposite of mobilize is “frozen in fear,” or fearful, inactive, slumber. So the call is “Awake, Arise and Mobilize.” Satan has successfully frozen the people of God. We have all experienced situations in which fear prevents us from acting. In some cases this is good, we are prevented for foolish and dangerous activities. […]

1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit ? Or where can I flee from Your presence ? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there ; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. Psalm 139 Do you really believe that all are created equal? Do you really believe that all have equal value? It’s easy to say, “yes.” But give it some thought. Certain […]

I have a face made for radio. In fact, I have done some radio. I worked at KSIG in Crowley in High School. KVOL in Lafayette in college and did some time on the air at KSJY in my adulthood. So I am comfortable working unseen as “Web Pastor” at Amana. I enjoy maintaining web sites for the church, Kairos, and One Nation Under God.  Doing a daily blog keeps me in the word. My most recent project has been working with Jonathan on a web site for The Source, Amana’s Youth Group. The great thing about doing this kind of work is that it provides a daily opportunity for learning. Yesterday, Jonathan sent me an Introduction Video for posting on the web site. It’s great. Included is a wonderful statement about the purpose of The Source:  “We are determined not to be a social group; but a movement of teenagers, committed to Christ, beyond the four walls of the church. To change the direction of their generation through the power of the Gospel in their lives. We’re not here to babysit you but to equip you to be a tool for the Kingdom of God.” Isn’t that a […]

But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; Jude 10 Matthew 7:1: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” Admit it. There’s a lot we don’t know.  That’s why we are not appointed to be judges. We know Matthew 7:1 doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make judgments. But it does mean we are not judges. The reason is we don’t have the facts. People often rage against judges or juries because of what appear to be ridiculous verdicts. Generally, those ragers don’t have the facts.  God is the judge; He is the one with all the facts. There is nothing hidden from Him. There is much hidden from us. I recall a story recently about a man whose kids seemed to be going wild in a fast food restaurant. The other diners concluded he was a terrible parent. They didn’t know his wife had just died and his kids’ rudeness in a McDonalds was not his biggest issue at that moment. We are so quick to draw conclusions from a minimum of facts. If I say, “convict” you will quickly draw a mental picture. Have you met many “convicts?” Have you spent time with any? Can […]

I watch too much television. There, I’ve said it. Sure, much of my television watching occurs while I am working on the computer; so I often couldn’t tell you what was happening in the program being broadcast. Nonetheless, I watch too much. Adrian Rogers was wise when he said: “The most dangerous thing on television in my estimation today is the sitcom. Do you know what they’re doing? They’re getting you to laugh at sin. In fact, a Christian television and film writer attended a producers’ workshop one day. One of the keynote speakers was one of TV’s most successful producers of sitcoms. In his address, he stated that in order to have a commercially successful production, the characters in a sitcom must violate at least three of the Ten Commandments.” Most of us probably watch programs we shouldn’t. Even worse we let our family watch programs they shouldn’t. Just because a program is on a “family” or “children” network, doesn’t mean it’s good for kids.Let me suggest this “test” based on Adrian Roger’s comments. If there is a program you aren’t too sure about, next time you watch it count the violations of the Ten Commandments. If you […]

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 NLT The days after Pearl Harbor were dark days in America. Much of our navy had been destroyed and Hitler was marching across Europe as the Japanese moved across the Pacific. Both forces seemed invincible.  Our armed forces were minimal and, besides, all that had been happening far away was moving close to home. There was much grieving and crying and dying. Things are dark today. Our economy is in a shambles. Unemployment is sky high. Government spending is out of control and politicians are out of touch. The church is not in any better shape. Attendance is down in most places. Christianity is under attack. The concept of separation of church and state is completely out of wack with our history and our freedom. There is […]

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. – 2 Timothy 2:3 Today’s devotional is inspired by a recent column by Greg Laurie.  The Declaration of Independence declares that we are endowed with certain rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our life and our liberty should not be taken from us without just cause. We have a right to pursue happiness. We don’t have a right to be happy. That’s a distinction that seems to be lost on many in these days. The result is a population that expects to be provided everything necessary for happiness. When the government can’t deliver that, expectations are dashed. The same kind of confusion weakens the gospel. Consider the Christian life: God takes a life that was empty, aimless, and, worst of all, headed for a certain judgment and then turns it around and transforms it. He forgives all our sin, removes our guilt, and takes residence inside of us through the Holy Spirit. Most importantly, He changes our eternal address from hell to a place heaven. Sounds like a pretty good deal, certainly “good news.” Why would we proclaim any less of a gospel, a Gospel […]

Attitude is everything. Brother Lawrence demonstrated this. Consider these words: (His attitude about himself)Yet, I think it is appropriate to tell you how I perceive myself before God, whom I behold as my King. I consider myself as the most wretched of men. I am full of faults, flaws, and weaknesses, and have committed all sorts of crimes against his King. In deep regret I confess all my wickedness to Him. I ask His forgiveness. I abandon myself in His hands that He may do what He pleases with me. (His attitude about God) My King is full of mercy and goodness. Far from chastising me, He embraces me with love. He makes me eat at His table. He serves me with His own hands and gives me the key to His treasures. He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways. And He treats me in all respects as His favorite. In this way I consider myself continually in His holy presence.  Consider how often our attitudes mess us up. We often consider ourselves put-upon. Poor, poor pitiful me. We focus on our problems and struggles. That’s why taking a mission trip […]