Nick’s Walk

My dear Wormwood: I pick up pen again to remind you of the vital nature of your mission and to give you some pointers for the successful completion thereof. The local church is the key to the enemy’s plan and we must work with great fervor to cripple and weaken it. I rejoice with you in the lower numbers attending your target. However, I must remind you what our original enemy did with a mere twelve and one of which was one of ours. Keep them focused on numbers but remember quality above quantity should be our focus. Don’t forget the importance of communicating. Keep them talking about each other and not talking to each other. Keep their talk trivial and dishonest. The last thing we want is for them to discover the power of honest vulnerable dialog. I don’t hear your charges begging enough to be better fed. It is vital that they consider themselves underfed. Heaven forbid they should learn that they have the ability to feed themselves, or worse each other or the greatest problem that they should learn to do instead of just learn. “I wasn’t being fed” is still the favorite song I hear […]

Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. Romans 14:13 It seems to me that there is way too much judging going on. The most recognizable trait in Christians is “judgmentalism.” That’s just not right. We are supposed to be recognized by the love we show. I understand the concern that sin should not be ignored. It just seems to me that instead of screaming, “You’re a sinner.” or focusing on certain sins. We need to remind folks that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 We need to stop promoting the idea that as Christians we are sinless instead of forgiven. One of our problems is that it is not acceptable in church to admit struggles with sin. Wouldn’t we serve each other much more if we admitted our struggles and shared suggestions about how to overcome them? Worst of all, we need to stop criticizing other churches. We all like to think we have all, or at least most, of the truth. But the truth is that we don’t. We […]

4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15   Last night I once again had a recurring dream. I am back in the Navy and having to pack out my locker. I guess I am being transferred or discharged. In addition to my uniforms, the locker is full of purchases that seemed wise and valuable when acquired, but are now obviously junk: things like cameras and radios that no longer work, things that seemed like a good idea at the time. I don’t think we really believe that without Christ we can do nothing. In fact, I think we believe that we can do most things. It’s just the occasional challenge that requires His help. It’s thinking like that which leaves us with […]

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30 Years ago Rose and I had friends that never seemed to stop. They were good Christian people whose lives were a blur of activity. They seemed to live on the edge of exhaustion. It made us weary just to be in their presence. It seemed they did much; but I’m not sure they accomplished anything. One of the great benefits of encountering God is rest. Not rest in the sense of lack of activity for in a God encounter we get activated to carry out his will. Not rest in the sense of lack of challenge or conflict, because once we encounter God we begin to get his mind and his view on life. That motivates us to concern and battle. Not rest in the sense of being burden less. For to have the heart of God is to be heavily burdened for the loss. It’s […]

I hope I never forget my first date with my wife. It was forty-five years ago and my memory isn’t what it once was. It’s a memory I never want to lose. It was so magical. We talked, a lot, we laughed and had a great time. I remember thinking this girl is pretty and funny and interesting, and most importantly, I think she might like me. For me, it was love at first sight, just like in the movies. I remember that I wanted to spend ever possible moment with this girl, for the rest of my life. Encountering God is something like that. After I get over the fact that He is so awesome and that I am so unworthy of Him, I begin to get a glimmer that He might just like me. I think we overemphasize the universal nature of God’s love and forget the very personal nature of it. Sure He loves the world, but He loves me. He wants a relationship with me. We begin to realize that encountering God is so much more than an obligation. It is something we seek and want like air and water. It is completely essential to life […]

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 The end of a God encounter is a change in us. The beginning is recognition of who we are and who God is. Too many attempt to have a spiritual transformation without a God encounter and, particularly, without the first step of recognition. This leads to all kinds of confusion. Many have “accepted” Jesus without recognition. Unless we realize that we are sinners in need of a Savior, no real relationship with God is possible. Many see God as a valuable counselor, loving grand father, potent provider, or future landlord. God is all these things, but these are not the greatest relationship He desires with man.  Many see God as a loving creator who desires that none should perish. He is. They fail to acknowledge that without a miraculous change, they are doomed to perish. God wants to restore us to the Eden relationship. He wants intimacy with us: the ability to enjoy His presence in quiet walks though the garden. For this to be possible, we must be pure enough to […]

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7 Yesterday I heard a great sermon on “Encountering God.” The bottom line is that we don’t change unless we encounter God. We may engage in various spiritual exercises but they are without substance unless God is encountered. The purpose of life is to know God. We gain that knowledge through encounters. Those encounters lead us to increased knowledge and the knowledge of God changes us and the way we act, the things we do. I grew up thinking that God was encountered in church. I remember the quiet solemness of the church building. I remember the reverence of the music and the humbleness of those in attendance. We can encounter God in church. We can encounter Him in prayer and in reading His word. I think […]

Today is my sixty-fifth birthday. By all accounts this is a real milestone. I get to trade Obamacare for Medicare. I have my little Medicare card in my wallet. Not too impressive. It’s made of paper. I get mail every day reminding me it doesn’t pay for everything and that I really need a supplement. Many of the clichés about aging turn out to be true: If I would have known I would live this long I would have taken better care of myself. Sixty-five doesn’t seem nearly as old when you’re sixty-five as when you’re twenty-five or forty-five for that matter. I am a much firmer believer that we need to respect the elderly and love to babble on about the “good old days.” It will be a great day. My granddaughter is cooking for me. She is a great cook. The whole family will be there. The Cajuns and Gators are both playing for conference championships. I may have to  miss my traditional nap. I really have had a great life so far. I spent eleven years in the Navy part of it working for the National Security Agency as an electronic spy and part as a paralegal. […]