Category: Culture

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“My Kingdom Is Not An Earthly Kingdom”

“My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

John 18:36b (NLT)

This was Jesus’ answer as Pilate questioned Him about being king of the Jews. It is a reality that informed everything that Jesus did and the way in which He conducted His life. But perhaps more to the point that Jesus is making here is what He didn’t do. He did not vie for leadership of the Sanhedrin. He did not come as a king like Hezekiah or David to free the Jewish people from their oppressors. In fact, he made no attempt to free them from Roman rule at all. He never tried to gain any earthly power, whether through political means or through violence. His kingdom was not of this world and therefore was not enforced by earthly means.

As 2021 comes to a close, I cannot help but think that we (Christians) still haven’t learned the lessons of 2020. We are still desperately trying to build a spiritual kingdom with earthly tools. Utter futility. Nothing, I believe, illustrates this better than US abortion statistics:

First of all, it is worthy of celebration that abortions have been falling since 1990. I think that this is good news no matter if you are pro-life or pro-choice. However, what is striking is the fact that the greatest declines in the number of abortions took place under Democratic administrations (shown in blue). We can conclude from this chart that there either is no correlation between a pro-life administration and reducing abortion rates or more astoundingly an inverse correlation.

Many well-known Christian leaders publicly and vociferously supported the Republican candidate in the last US elections and cited his policy on abortion as a deciding factor (if not the deciding factor). This one issue absolved us Christians from any responsibility for the pettiness, bigotry, hate, and division that he spewed forth daily. We were saving innocent lives. Only, as it turns out, we weren’t. The CDC’s statistics on abortion for 2018 and 2019 reveal something that has not happened in a long time – two successive years of rising numbers of abortions. (https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/data_stats/index.htm)

Could it be that what influences a nation is not so much the legal policies but the spiritual atmosphere? Could these scandalous statistics be a message from the unseen realm… “My kingdom is not of this world!”

Maybe (and I admit that this is a hypothesis) what made a difference was the prayers of the church lifted up during pro-choice administrations as opposed to resting on our spiritual laurels during pro-life administrations? Maybe…

Looking forward into 2022, the pandemic rages on and many of our churches continue to be preoccupied with earthly kingdom business. Our big concerns – being forced to wear masks and get vaccinations. As over 5 million people worldwide (including many clergymen and women) have now died from Covid-19, one would think that there would be bigger things on the minds and hearts of God’s people than the infringement of our ‘religious freedoms’. Surely.

Our kingdom compass is desperately in need of recalibration. Where does the anchor of our hope find ground? In Christ or in our government? What is the motivation for our actions? Love of neighbour or love of self? Are we moved by God’s voice or the latest conspiracy theory? What’s our priority, our freedom, or our responsibility as ambassadors of Christ?

Do you have strong convictions about taking or not taking vaccinations? Great! Take a page from the Hebrews in Babylon. They stood up for their convictions and depended on God to deliver them from the earthly authorities of the day. We can rest assured that if we are in the purpose of God, He will protect and provide for us as He did for Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Our King is much more powerful than any earthly power. Daniel and his friends never sent around a petition for signatures or started a campaign against the king or plead their case or even asked God to judge the authorities. They just stood by their decision and left the rest to God come what may. They knew that their kingdom was not of this world.

Let’s flip the script in 2022. Let’s show the world the power of God like Daniel did… like Jesus did! Let’s be radical demonstrations of the love of Christ. The demonstration of Christ’s kingship was not in His ability to bend men to His preferences through legislation, political power or social pressure but His ability to destroy the power of sin, sickness and demonic oppression in the lives of men. In the physical realm, Jesus spent His life as a sacrificial demonstration of love. In the spiritual realm, He completely undercut the power darkness that was at the root of all evil. This is how we shine in the present darkness. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Our weapons are mighty for spiritual battle.

Let’s get radical. Let’s see thousands healed of Covid as churches send out intercessory teams to surround hospitals with prayer. Let’s see churches give radically to care for the sick. Let’s elevate our minds above these worldly affairs of masks, vaccines, and politics and begin to really follow Christ into His kingdom. Let’s demonstrate the indefatigable love and power of Jesus Christ!

Copyright 2021, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.

If you haven’t yet, check out our FREE Spiritual Growth Foundation Course in which we cover the four foundational principles for spiritual growth and much more! In addition to on-demand videos which you can watch at your leisure, there are downloadable handouts for those who prefer written content.

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How We Treat The Next Generation Determines Our Future

On one occasion Jesus was teaching the people and they kept bringing their children for Him to touch them. The disciples, however, did not think that blessing children was an appropriate use of Jesus’ time. They rebuked them for bothering their Master with such trivial matters. Jesus was indignant. “Do not hinder the children from coming to Me!” he said.

There are two value systems at work here… One says that children are of lesser importance and value than adults. The other says that children are of equal value and importance. Clearly, Jesus is in the latter camp. However, I wonder how seriously we Christians take the call to emulate Jesus in this regard. We much prefer the commandment that children should obey their parents and the proverb, ‘spare the rod and spoil the child’. We love to instill the value of obedience in our children but we’re not so keen on instilling in ourselves the value of treating our children as equally valuable contributors to our families and society.

This emphasis on obedience over value is so widespread that it’s easily missed. For example, do we consult with our children on family decisions that will affect them? Do schools consult with the students when making major changes? Instead, the message is: we adults make the rules and you must follow (without complaint or rudeness of course). This type of thinking is even more pervasive in countries like mine which value compliance over individual expression and empowerment.

Much to the dismay of my wider family and society, I have tried to give my children more of a voice in our family than in most Christian homes. Whereas a ‘good child’ in most Christian homes is one who is courteous and obedient, I have tolerated above-normal levels of push-back in favour of cultivating independent thought, negotiating skills, individual expression and initiative. I also apologize to my children when I lose my temper or do something to hurt them. This is very counter-cultural in traditional Caribbean homes where a wrong look from a child could earn them a beating. I have been told, “Why are you apologizing to a child?!” or “You are the adult and they are the child! You are spoiling them!”.

Admittedly, this is an experiment. Only time will tell if my method has any merit. However, I am 100% committed to living the values that I see in Jesus as best I can. Children were not second-class citizens to Him. I also have to admit that my experiment requires more effort and I’m constantly trying to strike the right balance. There are many times that I wish they would just please please comply without a fuss… (I do have a few years more experience in life than they do after all… sigh, exhale). Recently, my youngest has really been testing me with regards to his online gaming habits and after numerous attempts at a more collaborative approach, I’ve had to make some ‘my way or the highway’ decisions. Sometimes you do have to protect them from themselves.

In general, however, I think we have a value system that gives preference to the needs and desires of adults over children. The adults want it quiet; the children cannot play loudly. The adults want a clean house; the children can’t make mess. The adults don’t think that career will make money; the children must choose different subjects. The child then becomes a compliant automaton, rebels or waits patiently for the day of liberation when he or she has the power to make their own rules. Thus, perpetuating the cycle of using our power to get our way rather than using our power to empower others. And this is the crux of the matter – our attitude to power. Are we willing to give our power away to our children (or to our congregation or to our staff for that matter) or will we covet power to shower ourselves with perks and rewards? Which is the way of Christ?

At the end of the day, I see my job as supporting, nurturing and guiding my children into their own relationship with Jesus and mature adulthood. In neither their faith nor their life, do I want them to come into maturity by passively living through my relationship with God or following my dictates. I want them to find their own relationship and their own way. I’m here to support, coach, encourage, equip and empower.

I am convinced that in Trinidad and Tobago our parenting, schooling, church culture and workplace culture are set up to perpetuate a power-coveting worker mentality; people skilled at towing the line, not thinking for themselves, and seeking power through political maneuvering.  We have mass-produced these non-thinking suck-ups and the result is a generational inheritance of people who vote based on their race, expect the government to look after their tribe when they get into power, and exhibit no entrepreneurial spirit. I refuse to let that be the legacy of my family. I refuse to have that power sickness live in my heart. Our children may be a little more rambunctious, but I like rambunctious 😊.

Copyright 2021, Matik Nicholls.
All rights reserved.

To receive more content like this in your inbox and to receive a free e-copy of my book, The Primacy of The Voice of God – Elevating the Word of God to Its Rightful Position, please subscribe to www.authenticjoy.org.

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Kingdom Perspectives on Gender Equality

It’s been a while. I’ve been in a bit of hibernation. God has been reshaping my focus. New things are in the pipeline. Meanwhile, I was inspired to do a vlog on gender equality.

Check it out:

Copyright 2021, Matik Nicholls.

All rights reserved.

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A Mile in My Shoes

Being a man is not as glamourous or as easy as some women (and men) would make it out to be. We just don’t talk about it. And that’s the problem. The media is littered with the struggles women face in the workplace and in the family but there is a noticeable void when it comes to the challenges unique to the male gender. This in and of itself is one of the biggest challenges men face. We believe manliness includes the projection of strength at all times. This is one of the great issues of our time. It is destroying families, churches, corporations and countries. Men will not be vulnerable, show weakness, seek help or admit failure until they are forced to do so by a catastrophic crash.

I am particularly passionate about this culture of machismo and bravado in the church world because I see the wake of destruction it is causing. I am sure that almost every moral failure of every religious leader could be traced back to a point where the problem was still in its infancy but there was no space in the culture to be open about their problems. To admit that ‘we all sin’ is the biggest sin. It would mean being shamed, judged and demoted. Leaders must be infallible. The enemy, ably assisted by bible-thumping ‘perfect’ pastors worldwide, has used this culture to keep men of God in a morass of moral stagnancy for decades. True transformation begins with the space to ‘confess’ failure safely and receive help not condemnation. *Exhale* I digress..

So, I thought that in this blog I would give some insight into some of my personal struggles as a way of giving some insight into the male psyche and taking a small stand against this destructive definition of masculinity. I was actually grappling with these thoughts (by myself of course) amid the normal daily chaos of family life when I came across a podcast by my cousin and his friends titled Toxic Masculinity. That podcast inspired me to share my story.

I consider myself the leader of my family. I know this is, perhaps, a traditional view of the family structure, but I believe it is still a widely held belief (although most might not admit to it outright). Certainly, it is a common belief in the Judeo-Christian world. I start here because it sets the context for most men of the psychological pressures that we face as husbands and fathers. This has less to do with power and much more to do with responsibility. I abhor submission doctrines that are really tantamount to domination doctrines. I view my wife as co-leader of our family, but I still feel a great responsibly to provide for and protect my family. It’s just how I am wired and how many men I talk to are wired. This is not just in a financial and physical sense but also in an emotional sense. I want my wife and children to feel loved and I want them to be happy and I feel a great sense of responsibility to provide an environment that makes that happen.

As a disciple of Christ, I understand that the best thing I can do for my family is to follow God wholeheartedly. I know that if I align myself and my family with His will everything will be optimal. However, the problem I face is this – who determines what is God’s will? Do I? Does my wife? The children? We all believe we know the right way and often we are not in agreement. This is exacerbated in a blended family like mine.

In a blended family there are two sets of adults and children with distinct and unique cultures and traditions coming together to live in one house. Conflict is inevitable and inevitably each parent feels like the one caught in the middle. For me, on one hand, my wife wants my support in enforcing things the way she believes they should be done and if I don’t it makes her look like the evil stepmother. On the other hand, my children want things to remain as they were before and if I take her ‘side’ it’s evidence that I love her more than them and everything is now about her. This is the tightrope I have to walk every day and it is TOUGH.

Constantly, I find myself in the middle trying to make everyone see things from the other’s point of view. This scenario is not just between my wife and my children. It’s between her biological children and my biological children. It’s my children’s mother who has concerns about what’s affecting her children in my house. Its grandparents who have their own views of how we are bringing up the children. In each case, I am trying not to just brush them off but to actively listen, to hear the heart behind the words and ultimately to have a response that is filled with the wisdom and compassion of God and that reconciles and not divides.

If I did not care what God thought, it would be easy! I could just ignore everyone. “You can’t let your children run your home!” the parental pundits say. (Far less listen to your ex-wife’s concerns). But that’s not an option for me because my God teaches humility and compassion and to value EVERYONE. Many (if not all) Christian counselors say that husbands should put their wives first and children second, but I cannot subscribe to that in a blended context. Children in a blended family desperately need to know that they haven’t suddenly become second-rate citizens.

So, I find myself many times pleasing no one and everyone feeling that I favour the others. This is the defining feeling of being a man for me. The feeling that there is no one emotionally supporting me. I have to be the voice of reason, the inspirer, the pray-er, the optimist, the visionary, the reminder of God’s promises, the bigger person and reconciler to everyone and expect no empathy for my role. Often, I feel emotionally blackmailed into a decision and when it backfires, I beat myself up for listening to my wife or my children instead of doing what I felt was right.

But this is not THE truth. In a sense, it’s a prison of my own making because I am actually surrounded by supportive people! The truth is that my wife is my #1 cheerleader and support. In fact, she could be having the worst day but if she knows that I am struggling she immediately switches to full on support mode. I also have children (some more than others) that say, “Thank you dad for all you do for me.” Honestly, there has not been a moment in my life when I’ve had more support than right now. Yet, I still often feel overwhelmed because I still feel that it’s my job to be the strong one for them.

More recently, God has been teaching me to give my burdens to Him. I’ve always known this in theory… I could say the prayer, “Lord I give my burdens to You” but now more than ever I am learning how to practice this exchange of my anxiety, frustration and fatigue for His security, love and refreshing in tender moments of intimacy with Him each morning. It’s a beautiful place.

Well that’s my story. I would love to hear what being a man feels like for you.

Copyright 2021, Matik Nicholls.
All rights reserved.

To receive more content like this in your inbox and to receive a free e-copy of my book, The Primacy of The Voice of God – Elevating the Word of God to Its Rightful Position, please subscribe to www.authenticjoy.org.

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Give Thanks

My journal entry today February 14th, 2021:

“My Father, Papa, Dad, thank You for today. Thank You for this moment of silence. Thank You for the opportunity to serve Tricia. Thank You for the gentle breeze on my back. Thank You for the bright shining sun and the bright blue sky. Thank You for Your presence in everything. Thank You for the power of Your Word that is upholding us all even now… and now… and now. Thank You that You are near. That You are in me. That You are as near as my attention. Thank You for the paradise I live in. For the birds. The birds that flip and dive and rise and twist. And the birds that soar in ever higher circles of placidity. Thank You for life. Life that displays Your glory and gives continuous praise to the Creator of all Life.”

Posted on Facebook on October 26th, 2016:

“The sky looked like an artist’s impression. The wind had painted beautiful sweeping flows with the clouds from horizon to horizon. Meanwhile, in the valley where I stood sunlight raced down the side of the mountains and embraced the treetops, leaving a trail of golden glitter in its wake. The cold morning air smelled of woody trees and freshly cut grass. The kind of scent that made you breathe long, deep breaths with your eyes closed. And birds. Everywhere. Hummingbirds zipping by chit chittering. Blackbirds stalked their territory. A Kiskidee darted at a bug on the ground and then sat on a branch displaying its prize naturally attracting would-be thieves. Further away familiar calls rang out from birds I recognized only by sound.

Good morning Maracas Valley!”

Posted on Facebook on December 15th, 2016:

“It was a sunny morning, but the air was cool and crisp as is typical at Christmas time in Trinidad.

I was passing on my usual route to work that took me past the Caroni roundabout and past a lineup of vendors. This morning there was a doubles man, a doubles/saheena/pie lady, a coconut man and, the newest arrival to the Trinbago melting pot, a Veni arepa lady.

My eyes were drawn to a man with his head thrown back with a coconut pressed to his lips. In that moment my soul rejoiced with that man. In that simple act was a validation of the simple joys of the island life which I often take for granted.

I pulled aside, reversed and parked. I sauntered up to the stall (aka the tray of a beat up pickup truck filled with coconuts and empty half shells). I was quietly exuberant in my decision to be spontaneous. The coconut man did not disappoint my mood. He was bareback and barefoot. His pants and skin were the same colour; an earthy brown. Although for the pants, earthy was probably a more literal description.

‘Lemme get a medium jelly.’

‘Yuh taking it here?’

‘Yeah.’

He picked up one and started cutting.

‘How much?’

‘Ten.’

I pulled out a $20.

‘Take two nah.’

‘OK. Just shave that one fuh meh.’

He handed me the first one and I drank it all in one smooth motion. The water was slightly sweet and completely delicious. I handed the empty nut to him and he cracked it open with two deft chops and twists of his cutlass. He cut the ‘spoon’ and handed it back to me. The jelly was perfect. Soft but thick. I scraped every last bit off of the inside and licked my lips.

‘I will take the next one one time.’

‘It nice eh? I know what yuh want.’

‘Yeah boy.’

The procedure was repeated with similar gusto and satisfaction.

And this is why despite all the crime I not leaving my lovely twin island.”

There are always areas of difficulty in our lives. Right now, there are a few in mine that are not insignificant. I’m sure many could say the same, especially in light of a global pandemic. I wrote those last two pieces in 2016 while going through a divorce. Life was tough. Back then and today one thing has not changed, I am not alone. Christ is my constant companion. My focus always goes back to Him. Gratitude is an attitude that fuels my life. It’s a thankfulness that is deeper than my circumstances. In good times and tough times, the nearness of the Lord has been my joy and the lens through which I see the world.

Today, you may be overcome with challenges that seem to have no end in sight but take a moment with me right now and give thanks for life.

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Copyright 2021, Matik Nicholls.
All rights reserved.

To receive more content like this in your inbox and to receive a free e-copy of my book, The Primacy of The Voice of God – Elevating the Word of God to Its Rightful Position, please subscribe to www.authenticjoy.org.

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Welcome to Christmas at My House

One of the challenges of any marriage is the merging of two family cultures. New family norms and rituals must be formed that can be a wonderful ‘best of both worlds’ or an ‘acceptable compromise’. Some issues are easier than others. The degree of difficulty can range from easy peasy, like how to squeeze the tube of toothpaste (a real example btw!), to the not-so-easy, like coordinating parenting styles.

In my marriage, Christmas is one of those seasons that brings this culture clash issue to the fore big time. I come from a family where Christmas is just another holiday. If it wasn’t for the children, I probably wouldn’t even put up a tree. But for my wife, Tricia, Christmas is the high point of the year! Her mountainous village of Paramin is known for its Christmas parang music and food (There is even a song about it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWooZugXL3Q). At Christmas time, neighbours go from house to house drinking, eating and serenading each other. Serious planning and thought go into this most holy time of the year and Tricia’s family starts playing Christmas music from August!

So, you see the problem. Last year my poor newly wed bride practically cried through Christmas Day as the culture shock of a bare bones Nicholls Christmas blanketed our quiet home. I tried to liven it up a bit this year but still it was a far far cry from the atmosphere of love, family and celebration that permeates a Paramin Christmas. I’m sure we will do it better next year. God is always working with us, even in the nitty gritty of my wife and I becoming one. This year Tricia wanted to get new curtains and bedsheets. We had no money, but I said, “Honey, any extra money I get is yours.” Well God must have been smiling as the words left my mouth because that very week my company announced a bonus payment that was very unexpected especially considering these times. My praying wife got her Christmas wish.

This annual dilemma got me thinking about the paradigms that shape how we live. For me, events are not what I focus on. I believe that family should be treasured throughout the year and Christ celebrated every day. Reserving a special day to have some euphoric moment occurs to me as forced and fake.  I prefer to focus on consistent habits. Tricia believes in that too but whereas I had an either/or mindset, she has an and/both mindset; consistent habits AND special days of celebration. She loves putting aside a special day for all of us to celebrate something special together and, for some, it may be the only time they think about Christ at all. It’s about doing things together, as a family, as a church, as a community.

Slowly but surely, she has been winning me over to her way of thinking and just like that a new and unique family culture is being birthed. My hope is that Christmas for us will be an overflow of the love we show for each other throughout the year and the way we celebrate Christ every day. And if Christmas Day doesn’t go exactly the way we planned then that’s ok. It’s not about having the perfect day; it’s about living a life that treasures Christ in the little acts of love and in the grand displays of shared celebration.

There is a phrase that has been resonating in my heart for this season and I know that God put it there. It’s the phrase, “Fullness of joy.” In God’s presence there isn’t just joy, there is fullness of joy! What’s more joyful than joy? Shared joy! Relational joy! Jesus’ mission was to share the joy that already existed between Father, Son and Holy Spirit with every one of us. In John 15 and 1 John 4, John said that he shared the things he wrote so that the joy of the writers and the readers may together be full or complete. Think about it… Have you ever had some really great experience by yourself and your only regret was that there was no one there to share it with? I have. Somehow that sunset would have been better with someone to whom to say, “Wow. Look at that.”  Joy shared is joy multiplied for everyone!

Copyright 2020, Matik Nicholls.
All rights reserved.

To receive more content like this in your inbox and to receive a free e-copy of my book, The Primacy of The Voice of God – Elevating the Word of God to Its Rightful Position, please subscribe to www.authenticjoy.org.

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Does God Care Whether You Like Trump?

As I watch the unfolding US elections from the safety of my home in Trinidad & Tobago it seems to me as if American Christians have gone mad. I’m trying really hard to make sense of it (insert emoji of my brain sweating).

So far, I think I’ve figured out that there is one group for whom Mr. Trump is an Elijah-styled hero taking on all that is evil in America. His abrasive personality and speech can be overlooked or even condoned because they believe that’s what is required to fight against the evil forces that is arrayed against him. They even have prophecies to back it up.

Then there seems to be another group who are more focused on the behavior and character of the man. For them, Trump represents an icon of misogyny, bigotry and divisiveness. Any positive policy decisions cannot compensate for the mere force of negativity that pours forth from his speeches and twitter feed on a daily basis.

What’s interesting is that both of these groups are Christian. So, who is right? And does God care which side of the fence we fall on? I would like to propose that God is less concerned about our opinion of Trump and far more concerned about how we navigate this highly divisive issue.

Like it or not, one thing that Martin Luther’s reformation introduced into the church was the propensity to part ways when we disagree on issues. The existence of so many different denominations within the global church and the commensurate features of separation and castigation will not be a feature of the people that reigns after the return of Jesus. There is a unification of the church that must take place as the body matures into the fullness and stature of Christ.

However, many have interpreted this unification to mean that all will come to common agreement on THE TRUTH. This may happen, but I am fully convinced that there first must be a unification of hearts before there can be a unification of minds. The skill that the 21st century church has to learn; the lesson that God is orchestrating world events to allow us the opportunity to learn; is this:  How to strongly disagree with each other while remaining in undiminished and loving covenant relationship.

The heart issue that God is putting His finger on, is how we treat the person that we disagree with on issues we feel very strongly about. Do we treat them with love and respect? Do we pursue deeper understanding and relationship? I believe 2020 has been deliberately designed by God as a year of reckoning. There has been no shortage of opportunities to part ways with our brothers and sisters:

  1. Global pandemic: From God or from the enemy?
  2. Wearing masks: Responsible act or sign of a lack of faith in God’s protection?
  3. Ban on church congregation: Responsible community partnership or infringement on religious freedoms?
  4. Black lives matter movement: An opportunity to show solidarity for victimized brothers or an evil spirit to be opposed?
  5. Trump: Friend or foe?

I believe that this is a critical moment. The stance we choose toward that ‘other’ person is now under God’s microscope more than ever before.

For me, God’s corporate demand echoes the personal demand on my heart in my marriage. There are issues on which my wife and I have different views. We both have strong opinions. We both believe we are ‘right’. So, what do we do? Parting ways is not an option. Forcing the other person to comply with our way is also not an option. So, what are the options?

  1. One of us could compromise. But if we both feel that we are doing what is right in God’s eyes then why should we go against our convictions?
  2. We could avoid the issues that we disagree on entirely. But how do we move forward in true partnership if we never discuss tough issues. How do we move forward in partnership without making any decisions on what’s important or how to tackle problems?

It seems like a puzzle that has no solution, but I believe there is one! The solution for my marriage and for the global church is the same:

  1. Choose to engage rather than to avoid.
  2. Seek to listen and understand the other point of view rather than only to propagate yours.
  3. Choose to discuss and collaborate without disrespecting, dishonouring and slandering.
  4. Seek to mend fences and include those with different views rather than separate and divide.
  5. Choose to live in the tension and unresolved-ness and patiently wait for God to work it out.
  6. Choose to trust God to work His will in and through the other person’s beliefs and methodologies even if they are wrong.
  7. Choose prayer and lovingkindness as your primary means of influencing situations rather than persuasion, lobbying or bullying. (Even when you have the power to get your way)

We, the church, are the ones charged with loving our enemies. We are the ones of whom Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) We are supposed to be the model; the leaders in humility, love and unity. We have been anything but… Our behavior on social media has been deplorable. We have led the way in bullying others to our beliefs.  2020 is our year to flip the script! It’s time to be the church!

To receive more content like this in your inbox and to receive a free e-copy of my book, The Primacy of The Voice of God – Elevating the Word of God to Its Rightful Position, please subscribe to www.authenticjoy.org.

Copyright 2020, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.

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Do I Love Working from Home?

Yes I do, but I didn’t always feel that way about some aspects of our new normal. My new perspective on work from home started with this statement:

“Daddy, you have to help me with a PowerPoint presentation for school.”

“OK, bring your laptop next to mine and you will follow what I do.”

As I sat showing my 12-year-old the magic of animation and the art of the layout, I felt oddly useful. Finally, a school project that is super relevant to the real world and that I’m really good at! I got to pass on my knowledge to the next generation.

Time travel back to over a thousand years ago, and the two of us could have been putting horseshoes on a horse or kneading dough for the family’s famous bread that supplied the whole village. Back then (in the 1800s, before the industrial revolution and urbanization), work was mainly done by hand at home. People lived where they worked. Turn… turn… turn… and here we are again living and working in the same location, albeit in a completely new way. Truly there is nothing new under the sun, as King Solomon would say.

I understood in a new way what had been lost with the industrial revolution and lost again with women heading into the workforce en masse in more recent times. I remembered reading about Corrie Ten Boom and her family of watchmakers, living atop their little shop. I remembered reading about the family rituals where work and leisure intermingled like a tapestry, and children grew up observing not just a tiny slice of their parents’ lives, but the gamut of dealing with customers, handling crises and honing their craft. The scope of learning was entirely more holistic and relevant to real life.

I came out of my reverie with a new perspective. I had been bemoaning the loss of separation between work and family life and the stress of sharing my work space with my children. BUT… what if there is a golden opportunity here that we have been completely missing? Consider this with me…

Every time our children crash our Zoom meeting is not a cause for embarrassment or anxiety, it is actually an opportunity for them to learn how work gets done in the real world. A world they will soon inherit.  The type of work and the tools may be different, but the core lessons are not much different to managing the family farm.

In a counter-intuitive way (given that this virtual world has been vilified as one that alienates), we have also removed some of the distance that separated us from our co-workers and customers. In that bygone era of village life, co-workers and sometimes customers became like family. Inviting someone into your shop was almost the same as inviting them into your home after all. Life was lived in closer proximity. There is an opportunity now to invite each other again into our virtual spaces… to welcome it instead of resisting it. There is the opportunity to discuss a piece of work with your colleague, for example, with the sound of your daughter’s piano lessons in the background. “Wow, she has improved so much since last time!” we would remark humorously, remembering the cacophony that jarred our last meeting. The world needs more proximity in my estimation. Separation allow us to co-exist without ever really knowing each other. I believe many of our societal schisms and racial tensions would evaporate in time if we simply got to know each other better.

There is power in perspective. There is a moving scene in the bible where Joseph confronts his brothers who sold him into slavery. Many, many years have passed. Joseph has experienced servitude and imprisonment but comes through it all through the divine hand and favor of God. As he stands reunited with his brothers, the highest official over the kingdom of Egypt after Pharoah, he reveals himself to them and they are understandably afraid. To reassure them he makes this monumental statement, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Joseph had a different perspective.

We too today, need to bring to the world a different perspective. Paul said that for those who love God and are called according to His purpose, all things work together for good. This is the truth that Joseph demonstrated and understood as he looked back over his life. As we stand in the midst of this global pandemic, we should have a keen sense that, this too is working for God’s good purpose. Wrapped inside the pandemic package are gold nuggets that it is our privilege as sons of God to prophetically discern and mine.

It’s a great time to be alive! What shift in perspective can you make to help you engage more powerfully with the purpose of God at this time?

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Copyright 2020, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.

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Let The Women Speak!

There have been many topics rumbling around my heart this past week but ultimately this one bubbled to the surface as my heart‘s cry for my sisters in the faith could not remain unexpressed.

As the story about a prominent conservative pastor’s dismissive, dishonouring and unloving comments about two female preachers in particular and women in ministry in general made its way around the Christian news circuit I watched with mixed emotions. First, I was angry that this pastor and those of his ilk still find ears willing to entertain such unChristlike messages and attitudes. Even if his view was right (and I will get to that) the manner in which it was delivered negated everything he said. It was not delivered in love to say the least.

Then I was grieved. Grieved that we are still here in this place in the church. That women are still treated this way. It must hurt the heart of God. But then as the support started coming through from the Body of Christ condemning this message of hate and encouraging the women who had been named, I was filled with hope and joy.

The times are changing. The female voice in the Church is being recognized and honoured. I firmly believe that this is one of the signs that the church, the Bride of Christ, is maturing. There is no return of Christ until the Church appreciates, honours and is equipped by the female voice.

I first began to appreciate this on a very personal level years ago when I started doing bible plans on YouVersion. I was yearning for deeper intimacy with God and I quickly realized that the plans that really took me deeper were all written by women. Most plans tended to be very heady and academic, but the real gems were relational and encouraged an actual encounter with the Truth not just an appreciation of the truth. (Check out www.thistlebend.org!) There were some exceptions, but the trend was unmistakeable, women were better at teaching from a place of intimacy and encounter.

This explained a lot of why the church today is so much head and so little heart; so much truth and so little grace. The need to recognize and empower women is not just for their sake, it is more for ours! It also explains the nature of the enemy’s stronghold against female ministers; it’s all a rational, academic, biblical argument centred on some statements from Paul. The problem is, if we don’t have the heart of God, we cannot interpret the text accurately. We cannot discern what in the bible is the will of God, what is the culture of the day and what is the personality of men. There are so many passages in the bible that show women in prominent positions of ministry that it is strange that we hold onto a couple of verses from Paul.

What blinds us is our own hearts of course; our own lack of love. We see only what our hearts allow us to see. To illustrate: The bible has no support for the abolition of slavery. None. Slavery is accepted throughout. In fact, it admonishes slaves to obey their masters in sincerity of heart and not just to give eye-service! Yet the Church today is crystal clear on what the heart of God is. There is no doubt that slavery is not of God. But it was not always so. The upheavals that are happening today in Catholic and Protestant circles concerning women in leadership are akin to the battles that took place as men and women fought for the abolition of slavery years ago. Our current crisis is a sign that our hearts are awakening to God’s complete love for and calling upon women teachers, evangelists, pastors, prophets and apostles. It is a good sign!

One day the issue of the biblical view of women in ministry will no longer be a topic of debate. In that day the Church will shine with another degree of glorious brightness as we march on towards the fullness of the stature of Christ!

Copyright 2019, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.
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A Culture Of Relationship

Well folks, we have come to the end; the final instalment in my kingdom culture series! I hope you have enjoyed the content thus far. My aim in this series has been to highlight some of the values of authentic kingdom culture and to juxtapose that against the prevailing culture in the world. My hope is that the series has provoked thought and inspired you to live the values of the kingdom wherever you are!

In 1976 Edward T. Hall proposed a model for viewing culture as an iceberg. The part of an iceberg that is visible above the water is only 10% of its mass. The remaining 90% lurks hidden below the surface. Hall proposed that culture is the same; what we can see; the food, festivals, flag and fashion, is only 10% of what constitutes the culture. Underpinning that are dispositions, values, attitudes and beliefs. Let’s transpose this to the local church. The worship songs, preaching, activities, etc. are the most visible expressions of the culture but what I have been trying to focus on in this series is the underlying beliefs that lie below.

For this final piece I have chosen an issue which I believe is at the very bottom of the iceberg – love. I believe that love expressed through relationship is the very foundation of kingdom culture. I do not believe that anything achieved or constructed in the kingdom is of any value or merit or integrity unless it comes from a motive of love that finds expression through relationship.

Jesus said that all the Law and the Prophets depend on two commandments:

  1. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
  2. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Love for God and love for others are the foundational values of the kingdom.

Paul said that the most powerful exhibit of spiritual gifts or the most pious expressions of religious duty are all nothing if they are not done with love. Wow!

What does this mean for us? Well one practical implication is that God is not impressed by and He doesn’t respond to, mere spiritual activity. Often, I hear people say that the church would be better if we pray like we used to, or we attend services like we used to. I understand where those sentiments come from but the answer is not in the activity. The answer lies first in the quality of our relationship with God and with others. The activities are the 10% overflow from the 90% foundation.

I have found this to be a radically life-changing understanding. It means that our lack of victory in a situation may be more linked to the heart attitude we have toward our spouse than the time we put in in prayer.

This was recently brought home to be in a very tangible way. I was struggling with mild depression. I felt overwhelmed by the challenges in my marriage and the melding of two families under one roof. Extended family members weren’t making it any easier either. But worst of all my prayer life was nonexistent and my bible study was dull. Then God showed me that I had been carrying around a little undercurrent of resentment toward my wife. I thought it was nothing. I thought I had good reasons why I should feel that way but God saw it and He did not share my view. I was stopping the free flow of His love. The moment I saw it and acknowledged it for what it was, my life changed.

The same principle applies to other spheres of our lives. If we want more of the Presence of God in our ministry, don’t necessarily focus on what activity we need to add or change, focus on who we need to forgive or who we need to ask forgiveness of, or maybe which other ministries, leaders or denominations we pull down!

Kingdom power and the Presence of God flows and endures where people know His heart and live His values.

My dear friends, devote your lives to loving God completely and loving others well. Nothing else is of greater eternal consequence!

Copyright 2019, Matik Nicholls. All rights reserved.