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How God Is Using Trump To Reshape The World

I have largely kept silent on my views surrounding American politics and geopolitics in general. However, this week, two things happened: 1) I was inspired by a brilliant Ted talk by Ian Bremmer (watch it here), and 2) I felt that God was releasing me to share my perspective.

My perspectives are based on considering the world through the lens of community – a global community – and through the lens of an unfolding plan of God.

First, let’s get a little historical context. According to the United Nations website:

In the summer of 1945, leaders from 50 countries gathered in San Francisco to agree upon an international treaty to enshrine the equal rights of all people and maintain peace.

This resulting treaty, the UN Charter, is the founding document of the United Nations, which pledged to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. In over 70 years since its creation, the United Nations maintains international peace and security, protects human rights, delivers humanitarian aid, supports sustainable development and climate action, and upholds international law.

Four years later the North Atlantic Treaty was signed by 12 countries. According to NATO’s website:

NATO’s purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.

POLITICAL – NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defence and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.

MILITARY – NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes. If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military power to undertake crisis-management operations. These are carried out under the collective defence clause of NATO’s founding treaty – Article 5 of the Washington Treaty or under a United Nations mandate, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organisations.

Both the UN and NATO were created against the backdrop of the devastation of World War II and a fragmented Europe. Having seen the ravages of war, the world decided to take a step away from individual interest-seeking toward global cooperation and peaceful co-existence.

Fast forward to today. Self-interest is on the rise across the globe. Without going into the details just yet, what I believe we are seeing is community dynamics. Think of the following 4 stages of community:

  1. No community – Individual interest is the order of the day. Those with more power (financial, political, social, physical/military) have a disproportionate influence on swaying circumstances to their advantage.
  2. Formation of fake community – A decision to put the good of all above the good of a few held together by enforced norms, codes, or laws. Equal rights for all group members are pursued with a focus on ensuring those without power are treated fairly.
  3. Destruction of fake community – Individuals with power (financial, political, social, physical/military) rebel against the enforced norms that do not suit them and steer back to individualism.
  4. Formation of true community – There is a possibility for true community only if individuals can find the motivation to persevere through the conflict of the previous step and come out on the other side with a deeper understanding of and genuine value for others. True community is formed when individuals voluntarily choose to love others as they love themselves without trying to make others conform to their personal preferences. This is true unity in diversity.

I believe that pre-WWII, was the era of no global community. For the last 80 years, what we have seen is a fake global community and increasingly so as international organizations and local governments have ramped up efforts to enforce harmony, cooperation, and the valuing of all members. 2025 for me, is the year when we are officially not pretending to get along or go along anymore. The trend has been going on for a while, but 2025 seems like an inflexion point. Here are some of the indicators that I have been seeing:

  • Brexit
  • The global rise in popularity of right-wing political parties
  • The global rise in anti-immigrant sentiment
  • The war in Gaza
  • Russia’s attack on Ukraine
  • US withdrawal from the World Health Organization
  • Trump
    • Pulling out of anti-bribery agreements
    • Pulling out of environmental agreements
    • Hard stance on immigrants
    • Tarriffs on China

The Trump factor is pivotal in this global shift, and what is even more interesting for me is the widespread Christian support for Trump and his policies. So, generally, we have a shift toward self-interest supported by Christians. How did that happen? How did a group that should be the ethos of selflessness come to be associated with the exact opposite? Well, I believe there are two things at play:

  1. American Christians got tired of being told that they had to call men women and women men. They got fed up of being forced to accept LGBTQ+ narratives but increasingly being suppressed from advocating and pursuing lifestyles based on Christian values. The pendulum had swung so far in the direction of protecting the rights of a minority that the majority’s rights were being trampled. An untenable situation.
  2. There is a question that must be answered about the values of Christians in America: Are their values based on what Christ taught or on the American dream of freedom, wealth, and success? Is the church in America American-Christians or Christian-Americans?

So what is God doing in all of this? I believe that this current era of destruction of the fake global community is absolutely part of God’s plan to get to true community, starting with the church. This will be a season of testing and refining for the church. All of the dross hidden under a veneer of Christian make-up will be coming to the surface. It already has. The name-calling, vitriol, and hate that spewed from the church during the US elections revealed the hearts. It was rampant everywhere, but the church should have been a light in the darkness.

There is no hope for global community and peace until and unless the global church stands united in love that is bigger than gender, race, economic status, social status, and country. Christ loved the world and died for the world. There is no non-immigrants first or America first or rich people first in the kingdom. In fact, Christ is decidedly on the side of the weak and powerless. Let me address a few of these issues head-on from scripture.

The Immigrant & The Poor

Leviticus 19:33-34 (NIV)

33 “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

1 John 3:16-18 (NIV)

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

Matthew 25:41-45 (NIV)

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

Wealth

Matthew 6:19-21, 24 (NIV)

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Power

Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV)

25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Environment

Revelations 11:16-18 (NIV)

16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,
    the One who is and who was,
because you have taken your great power
    and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were angry,
    and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,
    and for rewarding your servants the prophets
and your people who revere your name,
    both great and small—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Community

Philippians 2:3-4 (NIV)

 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Mark 12:31 (NIV)

The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The present age calls for great courage from the church. Not the self-righteous kind of courage that looks like outrage against our persecutors. Persecution is par for the course. Rather, it is the courage to fight with prayer and sacrificial servanthood instead of laws, economic bullying, and military might. You see, the great mistake at this point would be to trade one fake community for another – a more Christian-favourable one. Community cannot be made through laws or sanctions or tariffs. Christ modeled the only pathway to peace and unity – love expressed in sacrificial servanthood. We, the Christians, must have the courage to serve and love those who hate us. This is the narrow way.

Copyright 2025, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.
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New Event: Spirit-led Goal Setting Retreat 2025!

It’s that time again! Join us on 26th Jan for our Spirit-led Goal Setting Retreat 2025!

Start your new year discerning His will for you in 2025. Be intentional about setting yourself up for success.

Click here to register https://forms.gle/4zTGyS8rka77cufm8

Copyright 2024, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.

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The Quiet River

In October my wife and I visited Niagara, NY. It was a wonderful time of connection with an old friend and connection with God in nature. One day we did a 10km walk/hike along the Niagara River gorge. At every turn was a new vista of vibrant autumn colours against the backdrop of the vast blue of the sky or the deep blue of the river. We felt like we had stepped into a special moment curated by God just for us.

After walking for quite a while along the river, we came to a stone staircase leading us back to the upper rim. At the top of the stairs was a bench overlooking the river. This is the view taken from that spot.

As we sat on that bench, the river laid out before us and a gentle breeze blowing off the river, a stillness fell over us. We had visited the waterfall earlier and been impacted by the sheer power of the millions of gallons of water flowing over the Horseshoe Falls and exploding onto the rocks below. But here on this bench, we felt like Elijah after the wind and earthquake and fire. God began to speak in a gentle whisper.

“In this season you are that river,” he said. As my spirit unpacked what that meant with His Spirit, He showed me the quiet power of the river. A power that is not boisterous or loud but quietly undeniable. I had been going through a season at work where God was reshaping what it meant for me to influence my workplace for the kingdom. I have a strong justice value system. I feel very strongly about being treated fairly and even more strongly about others being treated fairly and with dignity and respect. In the face of injustice, I can be passionate and adversarial.

But what God was showing me in the river was a different way to stand up for justice and righteousness. God was showing me the power of this mighty river was not only in the foaming white waters but also in the slow steady flow. The same type of steady inexorable flow that formed the Grand Canyon.

God was telling me to quiet my soul. I heard Isaiah 30:15…

This is what the Sovereign Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me
and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.

He was calling me back to rest in Him and see the wonders that He would perform. Not me, He, the Holy One! In that moment I saw clearly the constant gnawing anxiety just below the surface that I had been living with for the past few months. I saw my unease and disquiet and fret. Even during this vacation, how many of my thoughts were still at work? I exhaled and began to take some deep breaths. When last had I even really breathed?

As I sat on that bench in Niagara a few days before the US elections it was not lost on me that my struggle to grasp Jesus’ way of impacting my world was a microcosm of a global church crisis of an identical nature. We all want to see righteousness and justice established on the earth but the critical question is how. I see us, the church, getting louder, more desperate, and more anxious. We are a lot more froth than depth.

I am still unpacking this lesson and what it means in practice to be the quiet river. But what I do know is this: There is a power to affect our world through prayer (God for us) and presence (God with us) that can only be accessed from a posture of abiding rest in Him and quiet confidence in the victory that has already been won. Being present in the moment to God and to people with a heart to love and to serve backed up by powerful governmental prayer from a pure heart is more powerful than any policy or legislation at the organizational or national level.

After telling His disciples about the Father sending the Holy Spirit to them when He was gone, Jesus said (John 14:27 NLT):

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Thank you Jesus for Your gift of peace. Teach us to return to Your peace and to remain in Your peace.

Shalom,

Copyright 2024, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.

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BECOMING MATURE PART 2: JAN-APR 2025

DATE: Tuesdays from 7th January 2025 to 1st April 2025

TIME: 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm Atlantic Standard Time

VENUE: Online Zoom Event (Cameras On)

FACILITATORS: Matik Nicholls, Tricia Celestin-Nicholls

DESCRIPTION: Participants will be taken on a 13-week journey that explores topics such as intimacy with God, identity, responsibility, spiritual/mental/emotional wholeness, resilience through trials, and discovering your calling/purpose. Part 2 is particularly focused on how to persevere through trials. The sessions will include teaching, discussion, reflection, and activation in an environment of safe and loving community. The emphasis is practical, not theological. Our focus is on how to practically live out the commands of Jesus and become more like Him.

TARGET AUDIENCE: This workshop is open to anyone seeking to walk more intimately with Jesus Christ and become more like Him. All are welcome no matter your faith tradition.

COST: FREE!

(You must have a Zoom account to register. Sign up for a free Zoom account here.)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

TESTIMONIALS

Matik and Tricia,

Thank you so much for a beautiful experience of discovering God’s love. It was so good to learn about the ways in which His love is planted, grows and multiplied in my life.
I thoroughly enjoyed every session and eagerly looked forward to the next one every week.
Each session helped me discover something about God that I hadn’t recognized before. And they showed me something of myself that I hadn’t yet discovered or actually knew but was holding back. Putting these lessons into practice in my life has been and will continue to be life transforming for me.
The wonderful thing is that when I am transformed the people in my life begin a journey also. They may not know it or realize it yet but I know that He who began a good work….
Thank you again for putting into us (me) the way you do.
It makes a difference.
The Lord bless you abundantly.

Much love in Christ
Delores, USA

Hello, Matik & Tricia,

First and foremost, thank you for creating a space where I could be open and vulnerable despite the fear I initially felt. It was truly an accomplishment for me to share my thoughts, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to do so.

Throughout this journey, there were times when I didn’t feel like showing up, when I wanted to skip sessions. Yet, my hunger to finish strong, without excuses, pushed me to honor my commitment to myself. I felt compelled to prove that I could make time for me, even amidst the busyness of the day and the emotions I carried.

Your mentorship has had an impact on me in ways I can’t fully express. When I said I felt like I was lost at sea, I meant it. Life’s unexpected challenges—like the loss of my eldest sister and the difficult relationship with my younger brother who seem to battle hatred and anger issues towards our family —had left me questioning everything. There were times when I felt as if I were being targeted, like I was digging myself out of a pit only for the dirt to be thrown back on me.

But through these struggles, I’ve come to understand that although the circumstances were too heavy to bear on my own, I always had the strength to return to the one who promised to be there for me. The class not only encouraged me but also challenged me in ways that forced me to engage with my Bible more deeply. It shouldn’t have taken this class to do so, but I’m grateful that it did. I’ve made a promise to myself to continue strengthening that connection, and I have been making more time for it.

You may not realize it, but on those days, your guidance saved my heart and mind from what felt like an inevitable breakdown.

Thank you once again for all you do. I applaud the message you’re spreading, and I look forward to joining Part 2 next year, God willing.

Warm regards,
Rachel, Trinidad & Tobago

I loved that this was an open place to share. I had quite a bit on my plate at the start, and being in that space was a healing in itself. It renewed my trust in God. At that time, my husband was having some issues with his sight; he couldn’t see. But listening to the teachings and hearing what others had to share helped me to see God’s hand working in my life, and that of my husband, even in that situation.

It seems like there was something happening in my life for each fraction of Part 2, I was having some issues with my alcoholic brother. He was drinking and getting into fights. But being in a place that I felt safe to share and being taught about God’s continued grace, helped me through. During Part 3, I was not in the best place spiritually; I wasn’t giving God His due, not spending enough time in His presence. But Matik’s presentations (practice and
assignments) helped to pull me out of that place and be more focused on my
relationship with God.

I truly believe that spirituality is much more important than religion. I also believe that God isn’t about saving only one religion but all of mankind. These three ‘courses’ reiterated that fact. Interacting with people of different countries, religious persuasions and socio-economic backgrounds, taught me that I take a lot of things for granted in my life.

I truly enjoyed these sessions and looked forward to them. I would this again if given the opportunity, because there was so much to learn that I’m sure I missed something(s).

Thanks so much for this Matik! May God continue to bless your efforts to spread His Kingdom message to others.

Jeneil, Trinidad & Tobago

Hi everyone. My name is Gillian. My husband and I met Matik and Tricia virtually during our search for a greater level of understanding of the Kingdom of God and desiring a greater daily impact in our lives through a deeper intimacy with God. I have had the great opportunity to sit expectantly through the Spiritual Formation sessions for Part 2 and Part 3 courses.

The Authentic Joy journey has been a real eye opener for me. In their loving way, I was encouraged to ask myself some deep questions, that allowed me to understand who I am and who God created me to be. My fellow course-mates helped in the process by sharing their experiences and what they gleaned as well. I especially liked the exercises and the habits we were encouraged to develop. Journaling is still a challenge but I appreciate the value of it and will settle in one day. Our model was always Christ Jesus and I learnt that real life was thriving in His love, joy and peace and not the false self of the survival mode where I had the tendency to perform for acceptance.

We are all to continue to seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and in this, mature in love and purpose. I encourage you to go on this journey of Becoming Mature. For me although the course has ended, the transformation journey continues. I am committed to ardently pursue intimacy with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. My life depends on it.

Thank you, Matik and Tricia for your passionate pursuit of God and joy in giving this course. I love you both.

Gillian, Jamaica

This spiritual growth 10 week class through Authentic Joy was extremely well crafted and thorough with the foundational principles of our faith and very helpful and necessary for me, personally, to contemplate the basics and see where things got tangled or bent away from truth. Matik and Tricia provide a warm, safe, authentic atmosphere to ponder together and reflect, and then be encouraged. I was edified so much and it was so affirming to my spirit what God has been teaching me, but took being in community-valuing the Body oneness- to actually believe in it fully. I love the emphasis on valuing community to grow. Also their prayers are SO full of life and powerful. I could have spent the whole time in prayer with them. Their deep relationship with God is so felt. I’m very grateful to have been a part of the class with such good company of other believers!

Margie, USA

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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Imaginative Scripture Reading

I’ve got a new plan that just came out on the YouVersion Bible app!! I am so excited! This plan takes you through an immersive experience of well-known passages about Jesus. The objective is to place you in the scene like you were there that day and let the glory of Jesus Christ shine afresh on your heart. Sometimes, we read a passage so often that the wonder and greatness of what Jesus did and who He is doesn’t touch our hearts like it used to. This plan aims to set your heart on fire for Jesus again!

Here’s the link to the plan: http://bible.us/r/Dlp

And here’s a preview!

Jesus and the woman caught in adultery

“It’s a stoning Hadassah. I’m expected to go.”

“You don’t have to go, Mustapha,” I shot back.

“I do if you want us to keep our standing in the synagogue. You know how it is, Hadassah.”

I let go of his arm as he turned and walked out of the door. I hated these stonings. I know that he hated them, too, but his standing in the temple meant so much to him. I wish we could just leave here and leave all of this behind.

As I watched him walk to meet the crowd gathering at the temple, he looked tired and defeated, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. I felt sorry for him. As the head of our family, he carried so much. Too much. I decided that I would go with him just to show him that I was there for him. I ran and caught up to him and put my arm around his. He gave me a half-smile and kissed my forehead. We walked arm-in-arm until we reached the temple court.

“You know you can’t come, Hadassah.”

“I know. I will hang back and wait for you out here.”

I hugged him, and he went in. I went just close enough to see what was going on. The usual temple gossipers were narrating the scene, “That’s Judith. They caught her committing adultery with Levi. It will be death for sure.”

I knew her. Levi had been chasing her for months. Her mother had died when she was young. She had no one to help her navigate the challenges of coming into adulthood as a young Jewish woman. I felt sorry for her. A wave of hopelessness and despair washed over me as I watched the bloodlust in the eyes of the crowd.

They had brought her to the Messiah. I had heard much about Him but never heard Him speak before. His face seemed pained as he watched the crowd assemble, dragging Judith and placing her in front of Him. Disheveled, she fell to her knees, sobbing before Him.

“Rabbi,” they said to Jesus, “This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do You say?” You could hear the venom in their question.

Jesus’ eyes scanned the crowd. Intense. Fiery. Like a gathering storm. Then He looked down at Judith, and a deep sadness washed over His countenance. He stooped down in front of her. Judith just kept looking at the ground, sobbing. Jesus began to write in the dust with her tears.

“What is He writing?” The question echoed through the crowd of onlookers. The Pharisees broke the silence like a discordant note, “We demand an answer!” After what seemed an eternity of tense silence, Jesus stood up and said wearily, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then He stooped back down again as though they had interrupted Him from a very important task and continued writing in the dust.

Mustapha looked at me sheepishly, and I signaled for him to come with a slight nod of my head. He seemed both relieved and ashamed as he shuffled back to me, dropping his stone like a weight off his shoulders. The older men all followed suit. Then the younger ones, until there was no one left. Then Jesus took Judith’s chin in His hand and turned her face upwards to Him. He held her arm with His other hand, and they stood up together, face to face. “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”

“No, Lord,” she said.

Then Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

As Judith’s tears of shame turned to tears of joy, something broke in my heart like the breaking of a dam. Tears held back for years ran freely down my cheeks. I cried for Judith and all who had gone before her. I cried for me. His words echoed in my heart, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more. Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

Copyright 2024, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.

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How Jesus Started His Leadership Journey

Jesus was practically unknown by the world for most of his life. When John baptized Him at the age of 30 he launched into ministry. I believe there are important lessons for every leader contained in the first 3 things that Jesus did after he ‘went public’. (These lessons are all taken from Matthew chapter 4).

Testing

The first thing that Jesus had to do as a newly anointed leader was successfully make it through a time of testing in the desert. He was faced with several tests that proved He was ready for the responsibility of leadership. These tests were designed to prove that He had the character to steward the power that He was given responsibly.

I believe as leaders we must pass these tests as well if we are to lead with honour and righteousness:

Test #1: Will you mis-use your power as a leader to benefit yourself?  “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” Mat 4:3b (NLT)

Test #2: Will you mis-use your power and influence to advertise how great you are? “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.'” Mat 4:6 (NLT)

Test #3: Will you compromise your values to accumulate power and possessions?  “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” Mat 4:9 (NLT)

Jesus’ response was No, No, NO! What will our response be? If you cannot pass these tests then you cannot lead honourably.

So what enabled Jesus to pass these tests? It was not solely His knowledge of the scripture. It was 30 years of internal work. 30 years of spiritual formation and character development. 30 years of preparation for 3 years of ministry.

Are you doing the inner work necessary for leadership?

Start With A Succession Plan

After successfully defeating all of the devil’s temptations, Matthew chapter 4 records an interesting turn of events. First, John the Baptist is arrested and Jesus begins to preach John’s message: “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” Then Jesus begins to select the guys who will eventually succeed Him.

Jesus takes over the reins of leadership from John and doesn’t immediately bring some new, cutting-edge message. He continues what John already started. He honours the pioneer who went before Him. How well do we honour those who have gone before us? Do we build upon what has gone before or are we constantly destroying the foundations in a vain attempt to make a name for ourselves?

But equally or even more poignant is the fact that Jesus sets a succession plan in motion at the very start of his ministry. From the inception, Jesus is thinking beyond His time on earth. Do we as leaders think like that? Are we putting off the preparation of the next generation to some time in the future when we are too old to be the top dog? Are we even thinking about what happens after we are gone?

Show & Tell

Finally, Jesus began to travel around the region preaching, teaching, healing and setting people free from demonic bondage. Jesus was not an armchair preacher. He was not even a pulpit preacher. He was out among the people demonstrating the Good News that He announced.

When you met Jesus, you didn’t just get an earful of inspiring talk. He didn’t just cast vision and roll out strategic plans. Jesus stopped for the one – the individual. An encounter with Jesus was unforgettable. He left you better than He met you. You saw the power of God at work, for real, in living colour.

As leaders, do we live what we preach? Do we walk the talk? Are we willing to put our money where our mouth is? Are we willing to lead from alongside instead of from our office or our pulpit? Are we busy managing the organization and forgetting about the individual touch?

Copyright 2024, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.
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Following God In Practice

The hallmark of a life yielded to God is a commitment to listening and obeying. However, I have found that both listening and obeying are disciplines that require practice.

When I was a babe in Christ I could not hear God very well at all and my life was at the mercy of those whom I allowed to guide me. It was not pretty. As an adolescent (in terms of spiritual maturity), I transitioned into taking responsibility for my decisions. I could hear God but only in a very general sense. I knew the general direction that He wanted me to go but not much more than that. Thankfully, today I can hear God much better. The beautiful thing about that is that when you have a word from God, and you know that you know that you have a word from God, staying the course of obedience is easier (still not easy mind you but at least you KNOW that it will work out in the end for your good and His glory).

At the beginning of this year, God spoke to me and said that 2024 would be a year of victory in every area of my life. Like Joshua, I would be taking territory in my health, finances, career, ministry, sanctification, relationships etc. Now, a decade ago I might have been naively excited about this word but not today. I knew what that word really meant. It meant: Get ready for war! I’m still excited, but it’s more of a sober excitement if you know what I mean.

Again, a decade ago I might also have thought that I had nothing more to do than wait for God to drop this victory in my lap. And, of course, I would have ended the year frustrated and disappointed. But not today! I have learned that God wants me to partner with His word; to partner with Him. So, I made a plan of how I would partner with this word to see it come to pass in my life.

One of the first things I did was to rearrange my schedule to prioritize physical exercise and time with God. I slowed down. I got focused. I disengaged from social media. I’m not running around attending a lot of church events. Instead, I’m focused on quiet alone time with Him. In other words, I prioritized self-care. War takes a toll and I know my victory depends on my ability to stay connected and refreshed in God’s presence as well as physically and emotionally healthy. This is what it takes to persevere. It’s all about the long game.

The second thing I did was to engage the services of a professionally trained Christian therapist. I stress professionally trained because we Christians have this belief that any pastor with bible knowledge makes a good therapist. I can tell you from experience this is not the case! Not only that, but many church leaders do not even have a pastoral gift/calling and are really frustrated by having to deal with people’s problems which is not who you want counseling you! You want someone who, first of all, can hear God, and secondly has been called and trained to facilitate transformation in your life. Someone who enjoys helping people become the best version of themselves. Someone who can deal with all of our mess without shaming us or condemning us and who genuinely finds joy in their work. Someone who is your die-hard advocate and is full of hope for who you can become in Christ. I am blessed to have found a therapist who fits that description to support me in this season. If I am to have victory in my personal life I need to put in the inner work.

Next, in each area of my life, I seek God daily for the details of how to engage the enemy and secure victory. While the word of the Lord for 2024 is my rallying call, my inspiration, and my anchor, experience has taught me that the pathway to victory relies on a daily partnership with God. How do I handle this situation at work, Jesus? How do I deal with this issue with my son, Papa? What do you want to do at our church meeting this morning, Holy Spirit? The Spirit-led life is the only pathway to fulfilling God’s word for my life in 2024.

So has it gone smoothly thus far? Ha! Finances are tighter than ever, one of my sons had his first car accident, my granddaughter had a health challenge, I just strained my hamstring this week, I have a cough that won’t go away, and there are contentious issues brewing at work. Just to name a few of the challenges… But this is what I expected. This is the nature of war. There is no victory without war. It is only in our fantasies that a ‘take the promised land like Joshua’ word means a comfortable stroll around Jericho singing a few songs and then we walk in and take over while the enemy hightails it for the hills. At least that was what it looked like in my head in my more immature days.

I am thankful that He has brought me to the place where I can genuinely rejoice through trials because I hear His voice and I KNOW that I am following the Commander of the Armies of Heaven! “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) This is my peace in the storm.

Every day I see victory in my circumstances. I see it in the unexpected heart-to-heart conversation when one of my children has an uncharacteristically teachable moment. I see it in an unexpected call from someone I do not know that connects me with purpose in a way I could not have planned. I see it in just-in-time resources to help me navigate difficult relationships. Most of all I feel it in His voice and the nearness of His presence. I know I am victorious because He is with me every day. This was God’s word to Joshua:

Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

There are a few things I want to leave with you:

  1. Hearing God takes practice. It develops over time. But it is essential for every one of us to be working on developing this ability. Your effectiveness in living a purposeful life that is pleasing to God is determined firstly by how well you can be directed by Him in your daily walk. This is not just knowing the bible. This is knowing His voice. There is a difference.
  2. When God gives you a word, know that it will not (generally) come to pass without your active participation. God wants to do things with you, more than He wants to do things for you. Active participation means digging into the details of what God requires from us. Never stop at just receiving a word with joy. Dissect it. Ask questions. Work it out daily with Him. God often gives scant details so that we will not run off without Him.
  3. God rewards obedience. When you begin to do life His way and in His timing, you will reap the rewards!

#2 in my opinion, is what makes all the difference in our experience of this Christian life. I know many people who are stressed, anxious, discouraged, and exhausted by following Jesus. There was a time when I was all of those things. We press on and hold on in the hope that all things work for good… But that is not how God wants us to live! We are designed to live in fellowship with God and His presence is supposed to be the source of our internal atmosphere. Our experience of life should be full of peace, hope, and joy not because circumstances are peaceful, hopeful, or joyful but because He is and He is with us! I am not afraid or discouraged because the Lord my God is with me wherever I go! If as a Christ-follower there isn’t peace and joy on the inside of you that is BIGGER than your circumstances then there is a deeper walk in God available to you. Press into it now!

Copyright 2024, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.
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Are We Keeping Jesus’ Word?

Last week I was reading through John 8:31-59 and the word ‘word’ jumped out at me. It’s repeated 7 times in the passage. Jesus is speaking to some Jews who believe in Him and He starts off by telling them in verse 13 (ESV),

“If you abide in my word you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

My immediate question to myself was, “What is His word and how do I know if I’m abiding in it?”. My prayer: “Lord, I desperately want to be Your disciple. I want to know Your truth. How do I abide in Your word, Lord?” I continued reading hoping to find the answer. The Jews begin to contend that they are free because they are the offspring of Abraham. In verse 37 He replies,

“I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

They are still not getting it so they continue with the same argument about Abraham being their father. So Jesus elaborates (verses 39b-41),

“If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.”

The Jews really get on the defensive now, digging in their heels and going further to affirm that they are children of God. Jesus goes deeper (verses 42b-47),

“If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

If we are to believe what Jesus says here, these Jews, who believed in Jesus, have somehow found themselves in the position of being sons of the devil. So in our present-day context, is it possible to belong to a church and believe in God but to be serving the devil and not God? Yes. Jesus also says that these men, who have been reading the Torah since their youth cannot hear the words of God. So is it possible to read the Bible and not hear the word? Also yes.

As I read this passage, I felt God speaking to me – I heard His word. I had become complacent. I had become satisfied with merely doing church. I had become satisfied with just reading the bible. I was in a rut; a stagnant pond with no fresh water coming in. How did I lose my hunger? When did the fire become an ember? And how do I get back to that place of hunger; that place where there is this uncertainty of what happens next; that place where God is so in control that every outcome is not predictable?

There is something about living in the place of ‘hearing and obeying’. It is uncomfortable but it is full of life! There is something about living daily from what God would speak. The place of ‘my food is to do His will’. It’s a place beyond being moral, or biblical, or doctrinally accurate. Those are often intellectual assessments to comfort our flesh that we are doing His will or to be accepted by our denominational tribe. I’m talking about something much more relational, real, and wild – being led by the Spirit. When we are led by the Spirit we are always a bit unpredictable (John 3:8).

“The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

Walking by the Spirit looks like the disciples walking with Jesus. When Jesus was getting ready to leave them He did not say that He would send an Advocate, He said He would send another Advocate. In other words, One who would walk with them as He had (John 14:16).

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. “

David Yonghi Cho was a South Korean minister who led the largest church in history of 700,000 members. In one of his famous sermons on prayer, he talked about living in this relational place of hearing and obeying. He recalled different times when God told him to go to places or step out and do things in faith and others who tried to emulate him and failed. He explained why he succeeded and others failed by contrasting the logos and the rhema. He explains that everything in the bible is potentially ours but it’s not actually ours until you get a rhema word from God. Peter, for example, had to wait on Jesus to instruct him to walk on water before stepping out of the boat. You don’t move until God speaks.

Toward the end of Jesus’ interaction with the believing Jews in John 8, He says, “if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death” and again, “‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death”. Are we Jesus’ disciples or just church-going believers? Are we keeping His word? Am I keeping His word? Am I daily listening for His direction and being quick to obey what He is saying? I find myself lacking. I find my ears dull and my feet slow. Eternal life is found in keeping the words that He speaks to us. His word is personal and specific to each one of us. What He asks of me, may not be what He asks of you.

Holy Spirit, give us keen ears to hear Your voice. Give us tender hearts that are sensitive to Your stirrings. Give us swift feet that run to do Your will.

Copyright 2024, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.
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ONLINE WORKSHOP: CONNECTION – BUILDING RELATIONAL MUSCLE

DATE:

Tuesdays from 2nd April to 4th June 2024

TIME:

7:30 pm – 9:30 pm AST

VENUE:

Online Zoom Event (Cameras On)

DESCRIPTION:

As a participant, you will be taken on a 10-week journey that explores the mechanics of how to transition from a place of disconnection to meaningful, and satisfying connection with others. We examine issues such as identity, self-worth, and vulnerability. We also tackle the challenges of staying connected with people with different values from us and how to do conflict well. And much more! We will explore kingdom relational principles and partner with Holy Spirit to discover hidden barriers that may be keeping us from having the kind of relationships God wants us to have. Participants will realize a marked improvement in their ability to partner with God in their relationships.

FORMAT:

The focus of this workshop is improving your practical ability to connect with others. Therefore, the sessions have been carefully designed to facilitate tangible growth in your effectiveness in building and maintaining healthy kingdom relationships. To this end, the sessions are camera-on sessions that include theory and practice, all based on sound biblical principles. You will come away with tangible work products and tools that will facilitate your continued growth well into the future. We have deliberately designed this as a series of small group meetings over a period of time to allow for ample personal reflection and meaningful sharing in a safe space of community with others. This methodology has been proven to deliver superior results for our participants.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

This course is for everyone! The content is relevant to every relationship in your life and they say that the biggest determinant of our quality of life is the quality of our relationships. Please note that all faith traditions are warmly welcomed.

FACILITATORS:

Matik Nicholls and Tricia Celestin-Nicholls share a burning passion for Jesus and for empowering people. They live in the beautiful Caribbean twin islands of Trinidad & Tobago with their five children and one granddaughter. Together they lead a small non-denominational faith community.

What they share in this workshop is largely based on their journey toward having a better marriage, and having better relationships with their children, parents, siblings, co-workers and brothers and sisters in Christ. A journey that involved facing their trauma and dysfunction, pursuing healing, getting professional help, and learning the relational skills that they were missing.

In addition, Tricia is a certified coach with the International Coaching Association and is trained in Story Informed Trauma Therapy and Trauma Counselling.

COST:

$30 USD or $200 TT

Note: If you feel that God is leading you to take this course but you cannot afford this price, please reach out to us.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS:

To do a direct bank transfer use the following information:

Name: Matik Nicholls

Bank Name: Republic Bank Limited

Account No.: 260086069031

Account Type: Savings

Swift Code (international transfers): RBNKTTPX

For more info on international direct transfers click here. When the transfer is completed, please email the receipt or a screenshot to matik.nicholls@authenticjoy.org together with your name.

To pay via credit card click Add to cart below:

ONLINE WORKSHOP: CONNECTION - BUILDING RELATIONAL MUSCLE

ONLINE WORKSHOP: CONNECTION – BUILDING RELATIONAL MUSCLE

$200.00

A 10 week course for Christians designed to improve relational skills. ($30US or $200TT)

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