Nick’s Walk

On Sunday mornings we are studying Offense – The Bait of Satan. Last week’s session dealt with offense in the church and it is well worth summarizing. We are very susceptible to offense in church, because we are most likely to be offended by those from whom we expect the most: those who are close to us for example or our leaders, pastors for example. The biblical response to offense is to go to the person giving offense and talk it out. Satan’s response is to go to others and look for similar offense. An offended person becomes obsessed with the offense and the offender. It’s all they can think or talk about and, almost certainly, they will find others similarly offended and the sense of offense grows. The offended person thinks and talks obsessively in the first person: I I I its all about me. He finds others and changes the “I” to “We.” God uses tough times to strengthen us. It’s when our root system should become stronger. When we feel drought, our roots should go deeper to find water. When offended, we should go deeper to find where our strength and foundation is. If we take […]

I knew it was 3:10 in the morning after fumbling for the light button on my watch. I turned over and realized that there actually was light in the room. It came from two led lamps over my wife’s bible. They looked like stadium lights over a football field in the very dark room.  I have no problem sleeping at night. My problem is I tend to fall asleep on movies and programs my wife finds for me to watch. Rosemary, on the other hand, struggles to sleep at night. But she doesn’t waste her sleepless evenings. She memorizes scripture, not just favorite verses but entire chapters. She is working on entire books. She can then sit down at the computer and type out the chapters she has memorized. She has a passion for scripture and a passion that others know scripture.  I love scripture, but not like she does. I am familiar with it, but not like Rose. Sunday our pastor preached from Jeremiah 13, A Linen Belt. It was a story I was not familiar with. I should have been it’s a great illustration. We all could know more of our Bibles. I think the problem is […]

If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15 I have been taking careful notes on sermons and teachings at church. I like to look back and I am really pleased with what I see. I read notes and recall words that made me uncomfortable with where I am, desirous of being in a better place, and some ideas on how to get there. If we are to follow His commands, we need to know very specifically what they are.  Recently a poll was conducted of youth atheists, including those who had been “church” kids, but had given it up. It was fascinating what these youth had to say: “These kids had attended church but “the mission and message of their churches was vague,” and manifested itself in offering “superficial answers to life’s difficult questions.” The ministers they respected were those “who took the Bible seriously,” not those who sought to entertain them or be their “buddy.“ Kids, and adults, have plenty to keep them, us, occupied. I would not want to calculate how much time I spend “playing games” online as opposed to serious work. Look around you and take notice of how much folks are “playing” with […]

Last night Rosemary and I attended the SALT meeting at our church. It’s the ministry for the over-fifty group. Although we have long qualified as far as age goes, we have not attended. This has been a mistake. We had a great time last night. The format is pretty simple. A pot luck meal and an activity. The food was great and we sat at tables set up in the sanctuary. At our table were three folks we really didn’t know. It was a great pleasure getting to know these people a bit better. The activity was watching The Letter Writer, the kind of great award winning movie that doesn’t seem to make it to the theatre or the general population. One of the main characters lives in a nursing home and spends his time writing letters of encouragement to folks he doesn’t know. He teaches a young girl the importance of finding a purpose in life by discovering a talent and sharing it with others.  All in all it was an inspiring evening, with a great lesson. I could write letters to folks I don’t know and most of them could be people I go to church with. […]

Some things are completely enjoyable.  There is no aspect to them which detracts from them. They are not “guilty pleasures.” They are not something that is fun, but that you know you really should be doing something else.  They don’t make you fat. They don’t add to  your pleasure at the expense of someone else. It seems that you were created to do that thing. You look forward to it and remember it fondly. It’s pure joy. Last night I got to fill in for my pastor for our Wednesday night teaching. He has been teaching from Ephesians. I got to cover the second half of chapter 2. I enjoyed the research and every moment that went into the preparation. I enjoyed the nervous tension that comes in the moments before I began. I enjoyed the teaching. I enjoyed the reaction. I enjoy now remembering the experience and thinking that maybe someone got something out of it. Find something that gives you pure joy. Let me suggest that it will probably be something that advances the kingdom if only a tiny bit. It will probably be something that you aren’t perfect at and that can only be accomplished with […]

I have a friend who is spending some time this summer ministering in Cambodia. He is conducting Bible Schools, visiting prisoners, just being Jesus. Earlier a friend went to Mexico, and spent a week helping children in a desperately small village. I was getting the feeling that I was really wasting my summer.  I haven’t been any place that you could call exotic. I haven’t really done anything that you could call extraordinary. It takes some planning to do a trip to Cambodia or even Mexico. I’m not much of a planner these days. I seem to just move from day to day. That doesn’t mean I can’t grow where I’m planted or make a difference in the very non-exotic place where I live. The summer is half way over. I really haven’t done very much. But it’s better to be a half full guy than a half empty guy. There is half a summer left and there is plenty left that needs to be done. Be blessed. Nick

I have a morning routine. I wake up and lay in bed for a while. This seems to be the time when the Lord speaks to me. Sometimes He tells me what I should blog about that day. Sometimes we focus on what needs to be done. It’s a special time. I enjoy it because spending 11 years in the Navy after a year and a half in seminary, I grew up thinking that you had to jump out of bed as soon as your eyes open. I now, in my older age, find lingering in bed is really cool. When I do get up I check my email, Facebook, Twitter, then write my blog. I admit it doesn’t sound like a very spiritual routine, but I’m trying to be honest this morning and not spiritual. I do all that electronic checking up on folks because it reminds me, after spending time with the Lord in bed, that others are very important. In fact, while doing my Facebook review this morning I noticed the above quote, “We need to give others hope. We need to give others a second-chance. We need to forgive others.” That may involve different groups […]

John 14:27 New International Version (NIV) 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. and do not be afraid. At one point in my life, I thought I wanted to be a weatherman when I grew up. I’m glad I didn’t follow that path, but I am still fascinated by weather.  Storm centers are areas of low pressure. Because the pressure in such centers is low, air tends to flow toward them. The lower the pressure the more intense the flow. This is the reason why hurricanes are so powerful. Their centers have very low pressure. Did you ever notice that some people are like that. Their lives seem to be a perpetual storm and the lowness of their existence tends to suck everything and everyone around them into their storm.  I guess that the natural tendency is to avoid such folks and thus avoid getting “sucked in.” But Jesus has another solution. In fact, I guess our ministry as Christians to to be sources of high pressure. One thing that will kill a storm, is a high pressure center. It pumps pressure into the storm area and evens out the pressure.  It’s what Jesus did. He was […]