I wasn’t prepared for the move GOD had in mind for me. I’m used to Him moving me like a chess piece through the game-board of  life. He has directed me through various stages of my life, guided me past potholes of problems and counseled me as I courted the challenges of simply living nearly 66 years. GOD has moved me from the northeast shores of New Jersey to the Gulf Coast of Florida to the Windy City through the desert of Las Vegas out to the California coastline and then plopped me in the flat, landlocked state of Kansas. Lessons were learned along the way and I welcomed the adventure but…. this move was different. The thought of it was painful. For the first time in my life….I didn’t want to move!

During a time of morning prayer, I sensed a spiritual illness was being diagnosed. Although the ailment dropped me to my knees, it was not a revelation.  I knew I was badly infected and had been my entire life. I took the course of action many choose…inaction! I decided to ignore it in hopes that it would go away by itself. GOD assured me it would not.

In fact it had progressed to the stage where treatment was of no benefit.  CSS (Critical Spirit Syndrome) would require the removal of long held harmful beliefs, misshaped attitudes and hurtful words. I knew where the move would take me from….but I wasn’t sure where I was moving to.

As long I can remember I was a fault finder. Sometimes I called myself a perfectionist, a refiner or an improver but the truth was I had a critical spirit. No matter what anyone said, no matter what I saw I would always focus on what needed to be fixed, repaired, tweaked or perfected saying things like “She would be really beautiful IF she lost about thirty pounds” or  “He plays the keyboard well BUT He always plays so loud.” If they would just be more…like I wanted them to be….

 GOD whispered into my ear, ” Nicholas, you are candle giving light to people in your
own unique way. Now you must learn to appreciate and embrace the warmth and glow
of other candles as they give their light. It’s time for you to move closer to Me.”

No other instructions were given and, in truth, none were needed.  I knew that if I
wanted to move closer to GOD I had to see people as He did and that meant leaving IF
 and BUT out of my heart and out of my comments.  She is beautiful…period!  He plays
well….end of story!  GOD was moving me from critical to complimentary; focusing on
the warmth and glow of another  but without any detractions.

I wish I could tell you the move is complete but with any change of address, there are a lot of boxes to unpack.   I have tackled some of the little ones but I still have  boxes of Comparison, Competition and Jealousy to go through. The good part is that I don’t have to find room to store them, I just need to throw them out!  They are too big for me to handle all at once….I don’t know how I accumulated so much junk!….but little by little, they are being discarded.

I don’t feel as much stress with this move as I have with some of the others. Perhaps it’s because I’m downsizing; getting rid of stuff that does nothing but weigh you down  or perhaps it’s because of the moving company.

Remember, before you make any move, get in GOD’s company!

I have always found it interesting to see how phrases originated and I took for granted that this one got its start in the Bible. When I checked my sources…pastors, Scriptures and Google….I discovered that the “Repent the end is near ” phrase is not even in the Bible!  The closest you can come is when John the Baptist (and later Jesus) says “Repent the kingdom of Heaven is near.” Not only have the words been misconstrued but the meaning has been totally mangled. The message uttered by both Prophet and Savior is….. Change your thinking for a whole new wonderful beginning is at hand.

How many other phrases have we heard repeated and believed without questioning whether they are true or valid?
 ”A little knowledge is a dangerous thing” seems to tells us that a small amount of
knowledge can mislead people into thinking they know a lot. “A little knowledge” is
also the first step toward a world of wisdom; the beginning of a grand adventure.

Sometimes phrases are passed on through the years and with them…discrimination.
You have heard it said, “He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches.” The implication
is that teaching is a secondary or subservient profession.  Yet often…”He who can,”
glorifies only himself while he who teaches, inspires and molds generations.

Jesus tells us in Luke 8:18  “Consider carefully how you listen….” and he says again in Mark 4:24 “Pay attention to what you hear.” Just because something is repeated often or said loudly, does not make it true. Adolph Hitler arrogantly told us, “Tell a lie often enough, loud enough and long enough and people will believe you.” What he didn’t realize was that eventually the liar believes his own lies.

We live in an age where communication is rapid, loud and frequent. If we are not careful, we can easily be deceived, especially about people and situations of which we have little or no knowledge.  Through the years we have heard casual comments and they have crept into our minds and become beliefs. “More is better” we are told and so we begin to believe that we must accumulate to be better. “No pain, no gain” carries with it a hidden message that tells us to achieve, we must suffer.

Listen, not just to words, but to the meaning hidden within those words. Question it. What is being said? Is it true? Could it be true? Do you believe it?  Examine what you hear. Words have the power to direct the course of the river of your life. Scripture tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue.

Listen well; be discerning and not deceived. Be careful how you hear.

One…
Two…
Three…

 All that you remember at this point in time may seem like a distant dream. Some
moments may feel like a nightmare. But you are awake now; you are safe. The past is
completed  and today life begins anew. You are re-born. As you gaze about the endless
horizon before you, excitement fills your spirit. There are no bad memories because you
are at the beginning of time; the place of no regrets.

Your hands are smooth; your body light. You know and yet….you wonder. N0
questions, no doubt, just awe. Energy floods your being and positive expectations
capture your spirit. Gazing about you notice spectacular colors and a waterfall of beautiful sound drenches your being.

You are alone and yet are not lonely.  All that you love is within you and all who love you surround you. Life, as you once knew it, is over.

No, my friend. You are not dead or having a near death experience. You are not dreaming or under the influence of an anesthetic or drugs or alcohol.

It’s early Thursday morning and you are beginning the first day of your new life with CHRIST.

When we abide in GOD and His Word abides in us, our atmosphere shifts and our existence is transformed. The pollutants of life lose their power. Fear is replaced with excitement. Certainty casts out worry. Age is irrelevant, sickness non-existent and lack is demolished by abundance. What you see is clearer. What you hear is crisper.  Now all is yours…..awaken and receive everything that GOD has bestowed upon you.

I will count to three and when I snap my fingers you will awaken feeling fresh, restored and totally, wonderfully alive.

One…Two…Three!

That’s the erroneous lesson the world is teaching us. It translates to a song that is sung over and over. You’re not enough BUT……if you work hard and spend your money on this DVD or that CD, read this book or go to that conference. The implication is that THEN….you will be wise, accepted and loved.

 There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve. It’s WHAT we’re striving to improve  that is misguiding our culture and misleading our children. The physical and material  must be attended to but not focused on and the spiritual cannot be ignored. Most men would like to be  considered warriors, knights or samurais and as such, we are drawn to worship financial  tycoons and contact sports that employ strong and powerful men. They are due all that they have earned and I do not begrudge them their just rewards….but there is more.

You cannot achieve greatness on the outside only. There are attributes of our Creator   that must grow and develop  within us. To build lighthouse without electricity or have a mansion without any furniture would simply present the shell of what it was designed to be.

We cannot construct a life without internal pillars of goodness and Godliness. The underlying lesson is that if we wish to  be, not just successful people, but significant ones then we must build  our children, our country and ourselves from within. A warrior never accepts defeat, never quits and never leaves a fallen comrade. A knight is expected to extend mercy, display generosity and be an inspiration. A samurai has a code of honor which is the essence of his being; discipline, valor and  loyalty. They were not judged great by the accumulation of money or possessions but rather how they lived their lives. We will judged in like manner.

And we will measure up, for you and I are enough when our lives are built on Godly principles. We are enough when we choose our associates  by their character. We are enough when we live to serve.

Lucy and I often visit schools and talk about  how we’re all different and how that’s perfectly fine!  We noticed that if you visit a kindergarten class, every child will sing. When we visit a  second grade class….just two years older than our friends in kindergarten….most of the children are reluctant to sing. Somehow they have learned if you can’t do it well then let someone else do it!  That thought is like a malignant tumor that grows in our spirit and cripples our thinking in our adult life.

We focus on what we think we can’t do without even trying, wondering “When will I be good at  anything? When will I be ready, GOD?” We are so busy lamenting, we fail to hear GOD speak to us.  He softly whispers, “You are made in my image. You are my child. You can do all things.” We resist Him by falling into the sin of comparison. Yolanda sings better than I do. Harry runs faster. Joannie is a better goalie. Michael bakes a better cake.

GOD continues to influence our hearts. “There will always be lesser and greater than you because it is not healthy for you to be either too proud or too humble.  I never said you would do all things well but that within you lies the capability to do a lot more than you are attempting. Keep in mind that whatever you do, I AM with you. I AM here to help  you.”

There are times we continue to resist GOD and follow the poor programming of our culture.  He smiles and quietly answers the question that repeatedly tugs at our soul and torments our mind.  ”Now,” He says tenderly….”You are ready NOW!”

Each of us has a dream…something to do, somewhere to travel to, a book to write, a house to build, a car to buy.  Whatever it is, it is doable!

The question is: Do we still believe? The truth is whatever we focus on grows and becomes bigger until it takes on a life of its own and begins to actually exist. Focus on the fact you can’t afford it,  hang around with those mutter “can’t afford it”  and the next thing we know… “can’t afford it” becomes our mantra, lack becomes our reality and depression our future.

When we focus on a time to realize our dream; a date to achieve whatever it is we want…life begins to expand to accommodate our heart’s desire. As we begin to think about that dream trip to Paris, imagine sipping wine, eating Brie with hard crusted French bread at an outdoor cafe while gazing at the Eiffel Tower, trying French recipes at home and clipping pictures from travel brochures. Slowly our belief system changes and we begin to believe again! Two years pass and …. We’re sitting at a cafe in Paris!  Dreams can come to be, they can happen to me!

The first step toward living our dreams is to team up with GOD! Talk to Him about what you want to do and why. Ask Him to show you how…and He will!  Scripture tells us “All things are possible with GOD.” (Matt 19:16) All things means all things….even our dreams! The next step is to fill our thoughts with what we want to have happen. It seems like we’re worrying about the worst that could happen. Let’s start thinking about what could happen right!

Let’s start a bank account for our dreams. The money we waste on coffee and donuts and other fast foods will finance a flight and make a beautiful memory.

The clock is ticking so let’s get excited and get started!

This was written…not by Nike…. but by my 85 year old friend and mentor William Allen Zulker as a suggestion to his children and grandchildren. I thought it prudent to stop and listen for this man does not just talk…he lives!

********

More and more I convinced that we could accomplish so much more in life if we adopted the slogan, “Do It Now!

How many times have you heard people say, “I wish I would have done that when I was young; now I’m too old.” No doubt you have said it as well.

But why is it that we put an age-limit on the things we dream of doing?

Could it be that we find that it is a good excuse or at least an acceptable one for not doing our best or the most we can?

Does it console us and ameliorate a feeling of guilt or failure?

I’m here to say that it is seldom, and probably never, “too late” this side of death. As long as we have breath and are in a reasonable state of health, there most always is time to do what we would like to do. So, dream, dream, dream, and begin to put those dreams into reality!

Another mistake we often make in life is to “put it off until later.” But “later” rarely becomes “now.”

As I look back over eighty-five years, my parents, or somebody, must have convinced me that I should “do it now” regardless of my age.

•   I was twenty-two years old when I first went to college.
•   I was thirty years old when I was ordained as a minister.
•   I was fifty-two years old when I earned my doctoral degree.
•   I was sixty-six years old when I wrote my first book.
•   I was seventy-three years old when I opened a book store.
•   I was seventy-nine years old when I started flying lessons.
•   I was eighty years old when I started helicopter-flying lessons.
•   I was eighty-three years old when I started to write a monthly newspaper column.

So, as you look to the future, as everyone seems to do, and as you consider what you want to do then, I suggest that you give more attention to the present and what you can do right now.

NOW IS THE TIME!

DON’T LET IT SLIP BY!

Helen is a woman of imagination; a poet and a songwriter. It didn’t  take her long to realize that this was simply a change like all the other changes of her 80 plus years. Soon she realized that this one, like the others before it, just required a little adjustment.

Instead of looking around and lamenting a lack of space, she understands it as a corporate executive does…
simple downsizing. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she entertains visitors much like a queen entertains
dignitaries. It was our good fortune to be granted entry into the royal court of this lovely woman and to be
warmed by both her smile and her stories.

Deep within the hearts of many of the people who have lived a good many years, lies a fear that their best days
are behind them or that they are of little value now. This is a lie!  It is a deception set in motion by the evil
one….just the opposite is true!

The gray haired ones are our living history! In a time when the latest  technology is the rage, we sometimes forget these, our greatest national resource! They are valuable not only because of the tough times they lived through but for the stories they were told by the people who went before them.

When you and I pause, unplug our headsets and spend just a little listening to the matriarchs and patriarchs of our cultures, we learn about the past, connect the generations in the present and lay love and values as the foundation for the future.

But don’t take my word for it…call your grandparents…talk to your mother and father….and don’t wait. It only takes a minute…pick up your cell phone and call. If you don’t know what to say, don’t worry. Just ask a question, be quiet and listen.

Addendum……

This is a poem Helen wrote about two weeks after……she entitled it “My Big Move”

I sure didn’t want to make the move
Away from friends that really care,
So I moved with worry, but guess what!
Jesus was waiting for me there.

I am sailing on the uncharted waters!
And the future cannot be seen
But I’ll sail forth with confidence,
For on my Jesus I will lean.

You can always count on Jesus
He will never let you down
He is our good friend and Savior
The very best that could be found.

So I’m living here with Jesus,
Telling me what I ought to do.
When my ship is finally anchored,
I’ll find Jesus waiting for me too. 

 Recently we had the opportunity to journey to a world where education is considered  complete after the eighth grade, electricity is shunned, automobiles are not used and yet  children are obedient and well mannered, hard work is honored and families spend large  amounts of time actually talking with each other. By invitation, we had stepped into the  realm of the Amish for a few brief hours on a Sunday afternoon.

Lucy and I left Pennsylvania and spent our time driving back to Kansas discussing our  experience; pondering what we agreed with and what we found hard to embrace. Despite  the differences in our opinions, we founds our hearts to be amazingly similar to those of our Lancaster County brethren.

The Amish sought to love people as best they can, and so do we. They sought to do good and help when the opportunity arises, and so do we. The Amish do their best to honor GOD with the way they live their life, and so do we. They fail at theses things from time to time….and so do we!

Although we use the same map (the Bible) to travel through life, our methods to achieve the same end – honoring GOD and loving our neighbor – vary greatly. Still we recognize, it is not the outward doing but the inward being that pleases GOD. He looks at the heart of a person and does not consider whether they drive a car or a horse and carriage.

We each bring light in our own way. We look a little different but we shine as best we can. Still
it was interesting.They seemed to be intrigued by two little people who looked different than they did….and we were equally fascinated by people who dress only in black and blue and often use pins in lieu of buttons.

We were so different from each other….or were we?

Several months ago I was reading Luke chapter six and ran across the story about building your  house on a  rock. I had read that particular piece many times and had intended to “skim” over it. GOD  had other ideas. As  I read the words of Jesus, a twinge of guilt swept over me. It seemed like He was  talking directly to me.

“So tell me, Nick, why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and then not practice what I tell you?” I looked down at the ground and shuffled my feet but I had no answer. Jesus continued, “if you come to Me, listen to what I say and then do what I say, no storm will prevail against you.”

Am I hearing this right? Could this be true? All I have to do is go to Jesus, listen to Him and follow His counsel and none of life’s storms will overpower me?

As I wondered about that, I thought….if that was true, I had better find out what He said…and then do it!  As I perused the “red ink” of the Bible, I discovered that Jesus taught us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, pray for those who abuse us and while we stand praying, forgive!

I started to perspire. Whew! I thought. GOD, I’m not sure I can do all that. His reply caught me off balance. “You don’t have to do it all, Nick.  I don’t? I replied. “No, just start with a little and add a little as you go along. My children put so much pressure on themselves and it’s all so unnecessary.  Remember, I know you, Nick, and I love you for who you are.  I don’t expect you to be perfect, just do the best you can for today.”

As I read and re-read the words of Christ, I began to see how simple He made things. Whatever circumstances happen, whatever situations occur, whenever we encounter challenging people…GOD has given a handful of options. We can simply choose one of five ways to respond.

 We can love, do something good, bless the person or problem, pray for the most favorable outcome for  all or forgive  ourselves or others. When we do any one of the five, we are obeying the teaching of  Jesus. When we  obey Him, we have entered into the protection of His sanctuary where storms may  rage but they do not  prevail. We are safe!

Whatever tempest we may find ourselves in; however difficult it may appear… we just Rest on The  Rock of  Ages and do our best to love, do good, bless, pray or forgive.

Jesus makes life so simple.