Nick’s Walk

Our grandkids are spending much of this week with us as their mom makes final preparations for school. She drops them off pretty early. My job is to make sure the door is unlocked so they can get in and rest before we start our days.  You can read much these days about why young people are leaving the church. My duty in keeping the door unlocked makes me think maybe the wrong questions are being asked. We want more than our kids in church. We want them to join us in the walk of faith and the great relationship which is Christianity. Church is a part of that but just a part.  I think where we may be failing is in “locking out” the next generation from our Faith. Here’s why. Do we fail in making clear what faith is about? I think we talk too much about church and the importance of church. All you have to do is look around the Christian world to see that “church” means a lot of different things to folks. Most of us would be very uncomfortable in the churches most of the rest of us worship in each week. It […]

Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Some folks are stirrers. You know the ones I mean. It might be the kid in the family who is always ready to announce what someone else did. It might be the aunt or uncle who at the family reunion chimes in with “So when are you guys going to get married?” Stirrers are not normally popular people. And yet it appears from Hebrews that we are supposed to be “stirrers.” In addition to the usual definition, the dictionary says to stir is to:   To cause to move or shift, especially slightly or with irregular motion: A breze stirred the branches.  To prod into brisk or vigorous action; bestir: stirred themselves to fix breakfast.  To rouse, as from indifference, and prompt to action. See Synonyms at provoke  To provoke deliberately: stirred by trouble.  To excite strong feelings in. Do you know some folks who could use a shift in direction, or need to be prodded into action, or roused […]

School starts next week. Summer is over. Where did it go? Don’t get me wrong. Summer is my least favorite season and August is my least favorite month. Fall is my most favorite season and October my favorite month. Years ago my parents did a wise thing. They got me a job in the summer doing yard work. I quickly determined that I would get enough education to ensure that I did not have to make a living working outside in the heat. My distaste for summer was born. Summer is over and again we learn that lesson that nothing lasts forever. Once again we probably haven’t taken advantage of the season we are in. If things are tough, we need to be learning how God is in control no matter what we are going through. If it’a a great season, we need to be learning how great our God is and we should be storing up the good memories for the time when things aren’t so good.  I didn’t have much expectation for the summer. I didn’t plan any great vacation or super mission trip and, therefore, I didn’t get either. I am planning better things for the […]

As regular readers of this blog know, I am a football fan. I am looking forward to the start of the season in less than a month. I even watched part of the Hall of Fame game last night, Dallas and Miami, who cares right? I particularly enjoy watching in the early part of the season. Before the first regular season game, every team is undefeated and a championship is a possibility for everyone. As the season drags on, the play off teams and the also rans get separated and for some the tough job of finishing a season that really no longer matters emerges. We begin to see players going through the motions.  This should never happen to Christians. Our victory is already won. No matter how many “defeats” we seem to suffer, the end is already decided. There is never an excuse for just going through the motions. At our church there is a seating section on the side. When you sit there you can still see what’s happening up front, but you can also see most of the congregation. I sat in that section Sunday and was greatly encouraged. I didn’t see signs of folks “going […]

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. James 3 Last night was sleep over at Mimi and Paw Paw’s. Those kids can really talk. They are smart and funny and articulate. It was entertaining and uplifting to listen to their every word. Oh, there were a couple of times when they got on each other; but mostly it was positive.  It’s amazing how powerful words are. It’s no accident that Jesus is called “The Word.” From the beginning of scripture we see the power of speech as God speaks and things are created. The problem may be that speech comes so easily. Words can flow from us, often without much thought. Once out, the words can’t be recaptured or redirected. They are out there and their impact has been made.  We need to be so much more careful about what we say. We need to spend twice as much time thinking about what we plan to say before we speak the words. Today, for example, Sunday, we have endless possibilities for the use of our words. […]

4He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. 5You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; 6Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.… Psalm 91 Many years ago a group from our church went to New Orleans to witness on Bourbon Street. My wife went. I had something going on with work at the time and couldn’t go.  I have to admit I was a bit relieved. I read this morning that the New Orleans City Council has just repealed an ordinance that forbid street preaching. I have to admit that I’m not packing my bags and heading out to Bourbon Street. Those who went on that trip, including my wife, talk about it to this day. God showed them and did many wonderful things. I wonder how many great opportunities in life I have missed because of fear. I know that the New Orleans trip is not the only one. Just about anything worth doing has an element of risk that will keep some from seeing the […]

I spent yesterday accompanying a friend to Slidell to sign a lease on some restaurant property he owns there. The tenant is a Chinese family that plans to open the restaurant as a Chinese restaurant. The dad, a chef from New York, an uncle and two daughters were all present at the signing and plan to participate in the business. It seems we don’t have family businesses like we use to. At one time most commercial streets consisted of two or three story buildings with a business on the ground floor up front and a residence taking up the rest of the building. Most farms used to be family business; but these are generally a thing of the past. I think we have lost something with the passing of family business. It must have been great for a family to spend most of their time working together. Family pride must have insured high quality, aided by years of combined experience. Each child growing up had the family business as, at least, a first choice for a life career. When you think of it, church life should really be run as a family business. Too often we think of evangelism […]

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another,