Nikao (verb)/nik-ah'-o/ (Greek) To conquer, triumph, overcome, to be victorious
As I watched Freedom Writers (again) this past weekend, parts of the movie struck me differently this time around. In particular, there is a scene where the students successfully raise enough money to bring Miep Gies to speak to their class – the woman who secretly housed Anne Frank and her family during the holocaust.…
To love deeply, to love sacrificially, to love with every implication of 1 Corinthians 13 is a heavy responsibility. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom…
Being a Christian does not involve feeling God’s overwhelming presence every moment of our lives. It doesn’t involve dreaming dreams of future events every night. And it certainly doesn’t involve achieving perfection in this present life. Because our Christian journey is not about what we feel or what we see, we must spend time daily…
I know it’s silly, but as I read Paul’s timely wisdom in parts of the New Testament, for a few moments, I wonder why he couldn’t just stay on earth for a few hundred more years. He did a tremendous job convincing the inconvincible of the Gospel, strengthening the church, conveying his thoughts with clarity,…
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” (Psalm 14:1 NIV) Recently, a pastor mentioned that the scripture above should actually read: A fool says in his heart, “No, God.” With this new translation, I was baffled. I’ve always thought fool was reserved for nonbelievers, atheists and agnostics. But, lo and behold, I’ve…
With social media’s influence, it can be easy to put those with droves of followers on pedestals. But attempting to model our lives after influencers, will prove unfulfilling. “…for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” (Psalm 107:9 NIV) We cannot turn celebrities, peers, mentors or family members into gods. People…
I’m a firm believer that success is not reserved for the chosen few, the wealthy or the brilliant. As we turn our hearts toward heaven and give God our obedience – success, joy and fulfilment is a sure path for all of us. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working…
People Pleasing – Sigh. It can become quite overwhelming to complete a task list while simultaneously pleasing everyone and maintaining a level head (I’ve tried it). Being tugged in many different ways, without consulting God first will prove unsuccessful every time. “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or…
Deaths like Kobe and Gianna Bryant jolt us into the reality that life happens unexpectedly. It seems unreal that Kobe has passed away, and there are no words for moments like these. Death can be numbing. Death can be shocking. Death can be sickening. Even though we may not have known Kobe personally, it can…
“Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom) Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.” “Look, I am about to die,” Esau said. “What good is the birthright to…
The Nikao Collection 