Nick’s Walk

Our church is having a push to encourage members to join a connect group. It’s a tough sell. That’s a bit hard to understand. Most of us are compulsive connectors. We are very social creatures. There is proof in the number of clubs, gangs, teams, cliques and neighborhood bars. There is evidence in Facebook, and in texting while driving. We were created to connect. It’s even biblical. He’s Our Father not My Father.  Our connections greatly influence us. That’s the reason our moms are so concerned about whom we hand with. It really is greatly all about whom you know. Our connections can lift us up or drag us down. They can inspire or make us comfortable in whatever state we’re in. They influence our world view. They provide us an identity, shape our self image, be a growth medium,  and offer opportunities to serve.  We often choose our connections by the path of least resistance. We tend to group with those who are similar. Walk around any high school and easily id the jocks, the nerds, the in crowd, etc. They hang together between classes and have their own tables in the cafeteria. When we change or grow […]

Labor Day is weird. As a kid it seemed strange to me that a holiday was called “Labor” day. Why call a day you don’t labor, “Labor Day?” It’s been around forever. It goes back to the end of the 1800s. I know that it was meant to honor the “labor” movement. But even that’s weird. Hasn’t there always been labor? Doesn’t everyone labor in some form or other? If not, why don’t we honor those that don’t labor. It seems to me those are the folks that really have it together. I guess at one time “labor” was downtrodden and taken advantage of by “management.” Today it seems the union guys work the least and get paid the most, but maybe I’m just cynical. I know I’m not “management.” I’m not in charge of anything at my house or in my business. That’s sad since I’m a one man operation. I guess I’m all the “labor” there is. As a kid I remember Labor Day as the weekend we would sit in front of the television to watch the Labor Day Telethon. That tells you just how bad television was when I was a kid. We could only […]

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life

Yesterday I discussed the benefits of being in the presence of God: getting His perspective, power, peace and passion for the lost. How do we enter in? Before Jesus, one priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies (His presence) and then only once a year. They even use to tie a rope around him so that if something happened he could be dragged out without anyone else having to enter in.  After Jesus, we are not limited in time and place to audience with our God. The set up of the temple provides a type for us of entry into His presence.  Upon entry into the temple one first came upon the brazen altar. This is where sacrifice took place. It reminds us of the cross. Access to the presence of God is no longer limited to one priest, but it is for those who have been to the Cross and who are born again and are His children. When we approach His presence we should remember what Christ did and who we are because of Him. The next item was the water basin. It reminds us of our Baptism. We should examine our selves and confess any […]

What’s your problem? Oh, come on  you know you have one. Everybody has problems. Sometimes it seems that life is nothing but a serial problem, one thing after the other.  Before tackling the problem of problems, a brief side note. Wednesday night at the senior pot luck my wife brought ham and a pea salad. Two other folks thought a pea salad was a good idea. So we had an abundance of peas. This might have been a problem except that we just ate all three. Problem gone. God has answers to our [P]roblems. It’s all in the [P]eas. Most problems can be eliminated if we will thing “P.” Perspective – We can eliminate a bunch of problems if we can have God’s Perspective. What may seem like a problem to us, is not. We just don’t have the entire perspective. We usually have an earth bound, time limited view. God sees all. He sees our present, but also our past and future. With that perspective, He knows that our current situation is not an eternally significant problem. If we could just have His perspective. Power – Some situations we face are a problem because we feel powerless to […]

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. (Ephesians 4:1 NIV) Tim Tebow and Aaron Hernandez were roommates at University of Florida. Both had super careers as Florida Gators. Earlier this year they were about to be roommates again as both were together as team mates on the New England Patriots. That is until Hernandez was arrested for murder.  Tebow is one of the most respected men in college sports. Hernandez is suspected of more than one murder. Tebow has been trying to positively influence his former room mate for years. He once broke up a fight Hernandez started in a Gainesville restaurant. How can two individuals both given such great opportunities, walk such totally different paths?  With great blessing comes great responsibility. As Christians no one is more blessed than we are. With that blessing comes the responsibility to live a life that brings honor to our Lord. It doesn’t mean that every one who watches our walk will be changed and will join us in following Jesus. We are not responsible for the results, but only for the walk.  Today millions are being blessed […]

“Breaking Bad” is a television series about a timid high school chemistry teacher who becomes a drug lord. I had heard about it for years and finally broke down and starting watching. Through the miracle of Netflix I was able to watch 5 seasons worth in a few days. I don’t recommend the series, especially for children.  But the story powerfully teaches about the nature of sin. I doubt that was the intent of the producers, but that doesn’t matter.  At the beginning of the series the timid teacher learns he has cancer and believes it to be terminal. He is concerned about his family’s future finances if he were to die. His brother-in-law is a DEA agent and he gets the idea he might make some quick money “cooking” some crystal meth. His intentions are “good” but his choices are bad. By the end of the fifth season his family is shattered, people are dead, but he is VERY wealthy. He just never seems to be wealthy or powerful enough. Isn’t that the way sin is. We don’t go from being relative innocent to completely lost over night. We begin with questionable decisions. Then bad choices get a […]

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 We worship self-reliance. We prize hard work. We work to provide our kids an education so they can get ahead. We know, deep down, that much success is dependent on who you know, but we try not to think about it. It isn’t strange that we struggle with the concept of grace, unmerited favor. Even if we get the idea for a while, we slip back convinced we must have to do something. Accept it. We are control freaks. We love the bumper stickers: “God is my co-pilot.” I’ve never seen one proclaiming, “God is my pilot.”  We are naturally bad at relationships. We’re okay with knowing “about” someone, but struggle with “knowing” someone. Doing years of prison ministry I have met endless inmates who have […]