Nick’s Walk

  Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. —ROMANS 5: 2 The second great treasure of grace is access to God. David Jeremiah refers to access to His grace, but goes on to say:  “The word access is only used three times in the New Testament, and it always refers to the believer’s access to God through Jesus Christ.” Jeremiah, David (2006-03-07). Captured by Grace: No One Is Beyond the Reach of a Loving God (p. 86). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. This treasure is so glorious is that it is revealed to us in stages. We can only take it a bit at a time. It is the basis for our sanctification. It’s more personal that a long distance access to a God in heaven. It’s access to a God who lives in us and us in Him. It’s a presence that assures that we never need to be alone, afraid or powerless. Being in the glorious presence of God changes us. His presence, through the indwelling Holy Spirit is constant. Our awareness of it is shifting. He defers to our free will and allows us to shut out even his mighty […]

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. —R OMANS 5: 1 There is a common misunderstanding about our legal system. It can not declare an accused to be innocent. He can be found to be “not guilty.” The charges against him can be determined to be substantiated or unsubstantiated. The accuser can even dismiss or withdraw the charges. The accused is still not determined to be innocent. I know personally how frustrating this is. A charge, once made, however unfounded and untrue, still hangs like a cloud. Amazingly, the grace awarded to the person who is in Christ through faith is a treasure. Grace is as David Jeremiah says a seven fold treasure. The first and most precious treasure is a parchment on which the innocence of the accused is confirmed. This innocence exists even if the accused was guilty of the sin, which, in fact, we all were, and some still are.  Whatever existed before, now there is just innocence. It’s a declaration not only of innocence but of righteousness written in the blood of Jesus. “Justification means that the war is over. Before the cross and before the […]

I lived in California for several years while I was in the military. Most of it was in northern California, which I love. I have never been a fan of southern California. Yesterday after a surprising early arrival at LAX, I got my rental car and on a whim drove up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. I had forgotten that Pepperdine University is in Malibu. I got my undergraduate degree from there but never set foot on the campus. I took all my classes at a military base near San Francisco. The drive was breathtaking. In that area mountains  run into the ocean creating dramatic drop offs and one beautiful scene after another. The picture above is of Pepperdine. I wish had had attended classes there. I stopped to eat at a beach cafe. It was expensive but fun. I was reminded how a very few of us look good in swim wear; most of us, not so much. I had the good taste not to remind any of the diners of that and was grateful I was fully clothed. For supper I ate at a small Mexican place. It was obviously family run and the customers, except […]

I am flying to California this morning for a few days. Those of you who follow my adventurous life on Facebook (and who doesn’t) know that the last time I tried this was an adventure. My 1 p.m. flight didn’t leave until after 6. I had to overnight in Houston. I damaged my rental car. All the seats on the flight had televisions except mine. You get the picture. It was an adventure. We want adventure. We just want it on our own terms. Is that really adventure? If we knew what each day held what kind of adventure would that be. I know this week will be an adventure. I am just praying for a “better” adventure. It’s starting out pretty good. I bought new glasses last week and an hour before the place closed last night they called that my glasses had come in. Now I don’t have to travel with broke glasses. At 4:30 this morning I woke up. I noticed my wife was still awake. She said she had started to go to sleep but realized if she stayed up one more hour she could kiss me good-bye. We lay together in bed for a […]

I was thinking recently that we don’t have enough theories about the end times. I thought I should come up with one of my own. My thinking went like this: Things are bad and they are getting worse. For many, tribulation is here. Whether it’s “great” or not depends pretty much on whether it’s happening to you. In some places, dozens of Christians are dying daily for their faith. Here in America we are just beginning to be marginalized, but the process is moving pretty fast. I’m getting pretty upset about it and I suspect so is my Father. We are promised persecution. At some point however, God’s wrath comes into the picture. When that happens it isn’t just a persecution from non-believers. It’s the anger of God. At that point, it seems to me, the  church is no longer the target. The target will be a world that has rejected the love offering of Jesus. When that happens it makes no sense for the church to still be around. It’s like that point in the old western movies when the Calvary (See what I did there?) shows up. The good guys stop getting beat up and the bad guys […]

2 And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came unto Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said unto Him, “Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned but what sayest thou?” 6 This they said testing Him, that they might have cause to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking Him, He lifted Himself up and said unto them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 And they who heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the eldest even unto the last, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted Himself up and saw none but the woman, He said unto […]

I am on a bit of a Grace Binge. I have read and reread everything I can get my hands on about Grace.  I just finished Yancey’s What’s So Amazing About Grace. I think next I will read a couple from Max Lucado and then maybe Swindoll and Spurgeon. I am doing this because I have become concerned about the confusion about grace among Christians and the alarming lack of grace in most of our lives. After Yancey wrote his classic, he was lambasted for remaining a friend to a prominent Christian who announced he was gay. He was clear that He was hating the sin and loving the sinner, but that wasn’t good enough for many “good” Christians who filled his mailbox with hate mail. Same thing happened when he visited the White House when the Clintons were there and wrote about their spiritual life. Apparently some “good Christians” believe only Republicans have spiritual lives. Yancey’s acts seemed to me like very graceful things to do and the fact that so many seem to violently disagree with Yancey and me has sent me back to the library (well Amazon anyway). I am not sure I’ll learn more than […]

I live in a nice subdivision with large lots. When I see my neighbors, I wave. I almost never have to talk to them. I’m comfortable with that. I quit watching the news on television. I’m not comfortable with any of our politicians and few of our public figures. What news I get now I get from Facebook and Twitter. I pick my friends and whom I follow. My picks are based on my comfort level.  If they start to make me uncomfortable, I unfriend or unfollow. I’m comfortable with that. I enjoy my church. I am comfortable there most of the time. I don’t typically read whole books of scripture. I’m not comfortable with all the passages. I’m not really comfortable with all the books. John is great; James not so much. Psalms are good; Revelations is not very comfortable. I try to stay away from the uncomfortable, but I’m not always comfortable with that. I know the uncomfortable verses are there for a reason.  I just hope they are there for someone else. Our air conditioning has given us trouble. We’ve had the servicemen out a lot. In fact, I’m waiting for one now. This is disturbing […]