Nick’s Walk

Let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good . . . —1 Peter 4:19 When my Dad lay dying many came to visit and to pray with and for him. One I will never forget. He came by and introduced himself as a chaplain. He prayed and even sang a touching song. Dad was out of it and I was glad because this gentleman ended the pray with words like “may the suffering of Mr. Rene make up for anything lacking in the suffering of Christ.” I was shocked. There is nothing “lacking” in the suffering of Christ. Jesus did all that was necessary to purchase our salvation and our “suffering” adds nothing to that. Over the years of Christianity there have been those who sought suffering as either a payment for sin or for some other “spiritual” reason. Choosing to suffer means that there must be something wrong with you, but choosing God’s will— even if it means you will suffer— is something very different. No normal, healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he simply chooses God’s will, just as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not. And […]

Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ’Father, I thank You that You have heard Me’ —John 11:41 The Life of Christ was the example of a life of prayer. He made no move without consultation with the Father. The unity of Father and Son is such that Jesus responded to Philip when asked to “show us the Father:” Jesus answered, “Philip, I have been with you for a long time. So you should know me. The person that has seen me has seen the Father too. So why do you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you truly believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The things I have told you don’t come from me. The Father lives in me, and he is doing his own work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or believe because of the miracles I have done.” John 14:8-11 This unity of Father and Son was maintained by a life of prayer. When the Son of God prays, He is mindful and consciously aware of only His Father. Part of our inheritance as children of God is […]

I dreamed last night about an Exclusive Club for Christians. Like most dreams it was kind of vague and incomplete but it left me with some clear impressions and some questions. Wouldn’t such a club be unAmerican and discriminatory? Can we discriminate on the basis of religion? A couple of answers come to mind. Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s a relationship. God discriminates. In fact, this is the only distinction that makes a difference. He doesn’t discriminate between Jew or gentile; slave or free; male or female. But He does discriminate between those who are born again followers or his Son and those who are not. It’s a very significant discrimination: eternal life with Him or not. But wouldn’t it be difficult to qualify members for this club? Who is a Christian? Isn’t that a very private matter? It’s true that we know much about our family and friends, even our Facebook friends. We know about their relationship status, favorite foods, music and art; but often we don’t know if they are followers of Our Lord are not. Why not? It’s the only question that matters. We should know this about every person in our lives: Are they Christian […]

. . . that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God —Luke 1:35 When we are born again, the Lord of the Universe is born into our flesh. If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me? God’s Son is born into me through the direct act of God; then I as His child must exercise the right of a child— the right of always being face to face with my Father through prayer. Do I find myself continually saying in amazement to the commonsense part of my life, “Why did you want me to turn here or to go over there? ’Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ ” ( Luke 2:49  ). Whatever our circumstances may be, that holy, innocent, and eternal Child must be in contact with His Father. Be blessed. Nick

. . . they found Him in the temple . . . . And He said to them, ’. . . Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?’ —Luke 2:46, 49 A child about the business of His Father. It’s an amazing picture of Jesus in the Temple. Even more amazing in our times when it seems even adults are not about their Father’s business. Christ told us that we are to be as children. Am I a holy, innocent child of God as a result of my identification with my Lord and Savior? Do I look at my life as being in my Father’s house? Is the Son of God living in His Father’s house within me? Am I continually in touch with the reality of God, or do I pray only when things have gone wrong? I must be about My Father’s business”— and I must learn to live every moment of my life in my Father’s house. Think about your own circumstances. Are you so closely identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that everything comes from His hands? […]

In that day you will ask in My name . . . —John 16:26 Communication is an absolute requirement in any relationship. It is more than a need for an exchange of information. Participants in a relationship need to communicate because they need to KNOW each other, so that they may be one with each other. The Cross of Christ represents the result of our communication with  Him, absolute identification with the Lord Jesus Christ— and there is nothing in which this identification is more real to us than in prayer, our communication. “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” ( Matthew 6:8  ). Then why should we ask? The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have perfect and complete oneness with Him. The cross is the symbol of our oneness with Him. Pray consistently that we may be one with Him, Our Lord and Savior. Be blessed. Nick

’. . . and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.’ . . . But they understood none of these things . . . —Luke 18:31, 34 At Men’s Prayer this morning we lifted up a variety of life situations: joblessness, sickness, family troubles. This led us to a discussion of the value of tough times. That it is in these times that we meet God and grow into what He calls us to be.  God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from God’s standpoint, because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose. It’s important as we consider the “difficult” situations we face, to consider how God might be viewing these matters. Is He looking forward to triumph as we learn to trust in Him and to consider ourselves less than we have before? Is He looking to […]

He took the twelve aside . . . —Luke 18:31 Jesus’ plan to grow His church is to grow it one Christian at a time as we share what He has done for us. We are told that’s the plan. There is no plan B. We are the “A” Team. That seems a bit radical. What was God thinking? I wouldn’t trust us with the plan of salvation. Man in general and, me in particular, are unsuited to saving the world.  There is nothing good in me and I have no value. Ask my wife.  That is exactly why He chose you. As long as you think that you are of value to Him He cannot choose you, because you have purposes of your own to serve. It is not a matter of our equipment, but a matter of our poverty; not of what we bring with us, but of what God puts into us; not a matter of natural virtues, of strength of character, of knowledge, or of experience— all of that is of no avail in this concern. The only thing of value is being taken into the compelling purpose of God and being made His friends […]