Nick’s Walk

I came across a good article yesterday, The 20 Things You Need to Let Go to Be Happy. We all have things we need to let go of. You would think that 20 would be enough to cover the most important ones, but I think the article missed the top 4. 4. Unforgiveness. Most of us harbor some unforgiveness. It doesn’t hurt anyone but us. The person we haven’t forgiven probably doesn’t even recall the hurt. Harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and thinking it will kill the person we can’t forgive. 3. Guilt. When we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them. The memory of them is done from his mind. We keep digging them up. Try to do what God does to your past failings. Forget them. Let them go and forgive yourself. 2. Sin. On the other hand, we hold on to current patterns of sin. Maybe we just find comfort in some of the dumb things we do. We think it if we give up the wrong things we love to do that somehow our life will be less pleasing. That’s a Satan lie. Don’t buy it. We may think that […]

I know in the end times things will get pretty bad, even  churches. If you listen to some folks, we must be in the end times because, according to them, lots of churches are bad. My problem is that much that is considered bad, to me, just isn’t. Mega – One of the signs of a bad church seems to be lots of people. So called “mega” churches are considered bad. All I know is the first church we hear of in the Book of Acts had several thousand members the first day and daily the Lord added to their number. So what’s the problem with “mega?” I think it might be jealousy. Some think if a church is that big they must be cheating. They probably aren’t telling the whole truth because after all the gospel doesn’t work. Did I just say that? It seems to be what they are saying. I think it might be a control issue. More people are harder to control and control freaks seem to do the most “bad church” talking. The other problem is when you have a lot of new people, you are bound to get people different from yourselves. That […]

There are a lot of bad acts in the world. Just read a newspaper, watch television, walk around a mall or look in a mirror. We like to believe that most folks are good, but sometimes they just slip up or satan gets hold of them. We wan to believe our precious offspring, the person we sleep with, our bosses, or friends, our pastor and the government are good. To believe that we would have to be blind or stupid. Scripture teaches that human nature is basically rebellious and, dare I say it, sinful. When we come to Christ we become new creations with the power to overcome the sinful nature, but it’s still hanging around. Satan is real and a busy guy, but so is sin. Being wrong-headed about the nature of man leads us into all kind of trouble. If we think man is basically good, we can miss the fact that we all need a savior. That’s a terrible personal and eternally significant mistake to make. If we think man is basically good, we can go through life naïve and we will be repeatedly disappointed by those we assume are good. When we discover they have faults, […]

Looking for something to give up for Lent? Give up resentment and become more forgiving. Give up hatred and return good for evil. Give up complaining and be more grateful. Give up pessimism and become more hopeful. Give up worry and become more trusting. Give up anger and become more patient. Give up pettiness and become more noble. Give up gloom and become more joyful. Give up doubt and turn to God.  

This is my favorite kind of Mardi Gras: so wet, icy and cold that most people with any sense will stay home.  I guess it’s obvious that I’m not a huge fan of Mardi Gras. I don’t remember our family celebrating much Mardi Gras when I was a kid. When I graduated from High School our family moved to Lafayette. We lived just off of Jefferson Street and across the street from George Rodrigue. You could watch the Mardi Gras parades from our front porch. I did notice that we had a lot more friends on the Mardi Gras weekend than the rest of the year. Some people forget that Mardi Gras is the last day before Lent, which marks the forty days before Easter. I do remember Lent as a child. I remember getting ashes. I remember my sweet grandmother gave up playing cards for lent. She turned into a she devil for forty days. We would never visit her during Lent. It just wasn’t safe. When we would ask about visiting her our parents would just say “It’s Lent” and give us a knowing look. We would be required to give up something for Lent. We would […]

Jesus looked at them at said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 Ragin Cajun athletes were “in the zone” this weekend. The softball team went 5-0 in a tournament. The baseball won 2 out of 3 from Alabama in a packed house. Men and women’s basketball both extended winning streaks. When you are in the zone, it’s like you can’t lose. When you are in the zone and at the plate the baseball looks like a beach ball. When you are in the zone in basketball, everything you throw at the basket goes in. We like to live our lives “in the zone.” Sometimes it’s because we are just awesome. Often it’s because we stick to the comfort zone. We live in a way that allows us to be successful. It may mean we settle for a job that’s not too challenging. We don’t do things we might fail at. We find a place in life in which our natural talents are enough to get us what we need. God isn’t satisfied with us living life in a comfort zone. He wants us at a place where our natural ability isn’t […]

It’s time to go to church. Don’t worry what the weather is. Please don’t skip it because it’s Mardi Gras weekend. I don’t care if it’s the one day you get to rest. Don’t think watching a TV preacher is just as good. Don’t stay home because of that guy who also goes who you “know” is a hypocrite. Don’t stay home because it’s too much of a hassle to get the kids ready. Don’t stay home because you think nobody will notice your absence. Don’t stay home because you’ve had a pretty good week and don’t think you “need” it this week. Don’t stay home because you’re embarrassed by something stupid you did. Don’t stay home because you’ve been thinking about other churches. Go because you need to. Go because you’re needed. Go because your perspective could  be better. Go  because it will encourage someone. Go because if  you don’t, I’ll miss  you.  

The Ragin Cajun baseball team is playing with the Big Boys this week. Wednesday they played Number 1 LSU in Baton Rouge. This weekend Alabama comes to town for three games. Yes, Alabama, home of Nick Saban and national championships and all that. I don’t know how the locals got the Crimson Tide to come to Lafayette, but that it’s Mardi Gras weekend might have something to do with it. Needless to say the Tigue was sold out last night. That’s Star Power. There is a certain amount of Star Power thinking in the church as well. We flock to hear the Billy Grahams and the Dr. David Jeremiahs of the Christian world. If we have a tough question we go to the pastor, usually the Senior Pastor, just a member of staff won’t do. We feel we have to take people to church to hear the gospel. We aren’t good enough to tell them. Jesus didn’t plan a Star Power church. His Great Commission went out to everyone. Each of us can pray for someone and they can be healed. Jesus is the Star, not the ones he works through. By the way, the Cajuns beat LSU on […]