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Category Archives: Revival

Have a Chat with God

07 May

AloneThere’s a story that’s told of a conversation that took place during the Welsh revival. A minister was approached by a member of his congregation. He asked the pastor a question.

“Can you guess what’s the happiest time I have in religion?”

The minister figured that it was a simple question.

“Why, we’re all as happy as we can be during these revival days, and at our prayer meetings night after night.”

“Well,” the man answered, “That’s true, but I wasn’t thinking about that. Try again.”

“Then, it must be when you’re at prayer.”

“You are getting near it now,” the man said, “but it’s not exactly when I pray. It’s when I’m done praying, and God and I are just chatting.” **

I thought it was interesting. He considered his chats with God to have taken place after the praying was done. I believe that it’s in those times of friendly conversation with the Lord, that the true power abides.

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.
James 2:23

It’s all about friendship and intimacy with the Lord. Friendship assumes that you enjoy being with someone. You stick with them for no other reason than that you like being around them.

Too many of our prayers are these formal petitions as we go through our lists of requests. We need to “get real” with God. We should talk to Him as we would any other friend.

Of course, with that said, we must speak to Him in the respect He deserves. He is the King of kings, Lord of the universe.

Yet in spite of His grand position, Christ allows me the privilege of sitting down and chatting with Him whenever I desire. More than that, He looks forward to those times.

We need to cultivate our friendship with Christ. As with any other relationship, it’s not the times we’re together in public that bring closeness. It’s the private times when we can reveal to each other who we really are.

Continue to pray. Bring your petitions and requests before the throne of God. But don’t forget to have a chat with Him from time to time. I believe that this will be the most memorable of your times in His presence.

(** The above conversation is adapted from Illustrations of Bible Truths, Copyright © 1995, 1998 by AMG International, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

Question: What are the different kinds of prayer times that you experience with the Lord?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on May 7, 2014 in Prayer, Revival

 

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The Truth about Repentance and Restoration

25 Apr

WeedingThere are times when we pick up a bad attitude towards God. This usually happens when we feel that God isn’t listening to us. We think He’s ignoring us. There was a time in Israel that the people felt the same way.

After they returned from captivity in Babylon, the prophet Malachi was sent with a message from God. Listen to the exchange.

“I have loved you,” says the Lord.
“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’”
Malachi 1:2a

God gets right down to the basics. It’s all about His love for us. He loves us with an everlasting love.

That love is also a tough love. It’s like a parent who will not let their child touch a hot stove. The Bible clearly teaches that discipline flows out of the Father’s love. That’s usually when we get upset.

In the face of God’s love, the people respond with, “How have you loved us?” It’s a slap in God’s face. They’re saying, “Prove it, God.” It implies that they see no evidence of God’s love.

Why this attitude. It could be because they had just returned from Babylon. Their fields were overgrown. They were surrounded by their enemies. The temple they worshipped in was vastly inferior to the one Solomon built.

“Look at what’s happening to me, God. How can You possibly say that you love me.”

The thing is, we do this all the time in our attitudes. Here’s what they didn’t understand. The condition they found themselves in was because of their sin. It got so bad that they were captured and taken from their homeland.

Now they’ve repented. They’ve turned away from the false gods and were brought back to the land of promise. This is where the attitude springs up.

“Lord I repented, why aren’t things like they were before?”

This is what we need to learn as well. Repentance does not equal restoration. How do you get restoration?

Look at it this way. Spiritually speaking, you spent years planting weeds. Now your life is growing nothing but dandelions and chicory. You see the error of your ways and you repent. Immediately you want God to turn all your weeds into porterhouse steaks! I can tell you from the Word of God, and my own experience – it rarely ever happens that way.

What do you need to do? You dig up the weeds, plant new seed, and wait for the new harvest. Yes, you can trust God for an abundant harvest; and even a quick harvest. But there will still be a period of waiting for the blessings to appear.

Repentance and restoration. They go hand in hand. It’s just that restoration sometimes takes a little longer than we want it to. I repent and replant. Then I remember to keep my attitudes pure as I wait on the Lord to restore what was lost.

Question: What has the Lord restored in your life? How long did it take?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on April 25, 2014 in Faith, Revival

 

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The Adolescence of the Church

23 Apr

GirlAs far as I’m concerned, this is the worse stage of growth whether you’re talking about the spiritual or the physical. If there was one point in my life I wouldn’t want to go back to, it would be my pre-teen and teenage years.

The problem with life as an adolescent is that you’re coming into the height of your adult strength and intelligence. Yet, you lack the experience and permission to do things on your own. You see the freedom and resources that adults enjoy, yet you’re locked into a world where you have to wait for your turn to experience it.

In many ways, this is the place that most of the modern church finds itself in. We understand what should be ours in Christ, but walking in it seems to elude us. We need to learn how to overcome and make it successfully through this stage of our Christian development.

I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
1 Corinthians 4:14-16

In this passage, Paul urges his people to follow his example as a mature believer. That’s the toughest assignment for a growing Christian. It’s a very hard thing to move from a childish mindset to that of an adult. There are behaviors that will work for children that adults will never get away with. The problem in most of the church is that we want the irresponsibility of childhood with the freedom and resources of adulthood. This will never happen.

There has to be a giving up of childish ways. We have to move into our role as mature followers of the risen Lord. Until this happens, we will never attain to our true potential in Christ.

My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…
Galatians 4:19

This verse should wake us up. Paul is writing to believers who are in the adolescent stage of their spiritual growth. They are saved and on their way to Heaven, but he tells them something that should get our attention. His burning desire is that Christ would be formed in them.

This is the Greek word morphoo. It’s where we get our English word morph. We hear this word a lot in dealing with computer graphics. When we see special effects in a movie, where one thing turns into something else, we say that it morphed. That’s the spiritual change that we’re looking for.

I want to let the world see a change in me. I want to “morph” into the same life that Christ lived. This is the point where the change happens that brings me from being a child to living as an adult.

In life it happens almost unnoticed. Then one day you see what you’re doing and realize you’re not a child anymore. As Christians, we need to go through this change on a spiritual level. The church as a whole needs to walk on the adult level. This is what Christ is looking for in us.

Question: What would a spiritually adult church look like?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on April 23, 2014 in Revival, The Church

 

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Cultivating Your Soul for Revival

14 Apr

agricultureEverybody says that they want revival. Few understand what it is or how it comes about. The spirit of revival starts in the lives of individuals before it ever sweeps the church.

What I’ve found is that there are five realizations that we must come to for revival to get a foothold in our lives.

King David understood this. The following is taken from Psalm 51. You may want to read it before looking at the rest of this article. It’s David’s cry for repentance after his sin with Bathsheba.

(Verses 1-5) Realization #1 – I’m not walking in the fullness of my calling. We need to take a long, hard, look at ourselves. No comparisons, no excuses, and no justifications. We must see the life that Christ has called us to live, compared to how we’re walking. This alone should drive us toward repentance.

(Verses 6-9) Realization #2 – Cleaning my life is something only God can do. It’s not enough to simply say that I’m sorry and then trying my best to do better next time. I must come to the point where I know I will never attain a godly life on my own. I need the power of the Holy Spirit working in me.

(Verses 10-12) Realization #3 – I WANT God to change me. Knowing that I need to change, and wanting it, is a big difference. There are too many believers that cry over their sin on Sunday, and then run back into it the rest of the week. We must cry out for the change that the Lord wants to accomplish in us. Change will only come when we open the door of our heart to the wind of God’s Spirit.

(Verses 13-15) Realization #4 – I must lead others to the point of revival by my example. The sad thing is that we like to wait for someone else to experience it first, before we jump in. It’s getting too late for that. The time is now. We desperately need revival.

“Start the work in me, Lord.”

That should be our attitude.

(Verses 16-17) Realization #5 – God doesn’t want my stuff, He wants me. We sometimes get the idea that it’s about what I can contribute to the Kingdom. It’s not your money, time or resources that God is looking for – He wants you. The Lord knows that if you willingly lay down your life at His feet, then anything else will be freely given.

The rest of the Psalm shows the move from personal to corporate revival. That’s what it’s all about. The only way to a move of God that sweeps through His church, is when He moves in the lives of individuals. The road to revival is an alignment of our attitudes with the Word.

Seek a revival in your soul that will lead to a waking up of God’s people.

Question: What is God seeking to change in your life?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on April 14, 2014 in Revival, The Church

 

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The Well Pleasing Sacrifice

09 Apr

FireIn my last post I talked about having a faith that’s well pleasing to God. Today I want to continue in that theme of pleasing God.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.
Romans 12:1

This is one of those verses that we wished wasn’t in the Bible. But it is, so we have to follow it. It says that there’s something we can do that’s holy and well pleasing to God.

The word offer means to stand beside your body. Paul is talking about something that can only be done in the spirit.

The original Greek says that it’s a burnt offering, living, holy, and to God – well pleasing. Wait a minute; we are to be a living burnt offering? There’s really no other way to say it.

Pleasing God requires sacrifice. But what exactly does that mean to us? Most people use the word sacrifice to mean they’ll try harder. They think it tells them to fast on holidays, eat according to the Old Testament food laws, dress like the 1940’s, and talk King James English.

That’s not what God is looking for. If you read the epistle to the Romans, you find that Paul writes about the walk of the spirit. If that’s in place, then you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. How do we get there?

We need the fire of God to consume the sacrifice. In the book of Acts we see tongues of fire on the heads of those praying in the upper room. We are also told (I Thessalonians 5:19) not to quench the Holy Spirit’s fire. Paul told his spiritual son, Timothy, to fan into flame the gift that was within him (II Timothy 1:6).

Paul was a man who had a rich experience of prayer in the spirit. He assumed that those he was writing to also knew how to pray in the spirit. When you pray in the spirit, you’re standing beside your body as a burnt offering.

The last part of the verse in Romans could be modernized as, logically – this is what you signed up for. We are living out a spiritual walk. You can try harder, stumbling around in the flesh without Christ. But if I’m to be well pleasing, it will require a spiritual work.

My last post talked about our faith being tested and approved – that’s the fire. As I pray in the spirit, I stand beside the burnt offering.

Remember, I’m not talking about whether or not you’re saved, or even acceptable to God. You’re all those things, and more, in Christ. I’m talking about going beyond acceptable and into the realm of well-pleasing to God.

This should be our desire if we want to see a move of God in our lifetime.

Question: Why do some believers find this sacrifice so difficult?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on April 9, 2014 in Anointing, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival

 

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Do We Really Want a Revival?

04 Apr

WaveYou may think that’s a strange question. Of course we want a revival. We pray for revival. We sing about revival. We see the need all around us.

Even though all that is true, it still doesn’t mean that we want a move of God. Why would I make a statement like that? It all comes down to history.

I love history – especially church history. I enjoy reading about the lives of godly men and women who have done exploits for Christ. I encourages me to learn about the past revivals and awakenings that have swept not only our land, but others around the world.

It gives me hope for the future and presses me forward in my calling to prepare us for that next wave. But there is a problem I see looming on the horizon. It’s something that the church is going to need to wrestle with before very long.

It might even be the greatest hindrance to us entering the next move on God’s agenda. It’s something that’s unique to our generation of believers.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:23-25

This passage clearly references the last days when it talks about us seeing the Day approaching. There are some clear commands for us to observe as God’s people.

First, we must hold to our hope in Christ without swerving to the right or the left. We can’t be distracted by what’s going on in the world.

Next, we need to be involved in each other’s lives. Spurring is not comfortable, either for the giver or the receiver. We’d much rather live our lives with any thought to the needs or struggles of those around us.

But it’s the third statement that concerns me the most. The writer is talking to a people in the habit of missing church meetings. I don’t believe he was only talking about Sundays, but all through the week.

What concerns me is this; because he references the last days, he makes it sound like it will become harder and harder to meet together near the end. In fact, that’s exactly what we’re seeing right now.

God’s people have learned from the world to fill up their schedules with so many good things. I fear that many are going to miss out on the best thing that God has planned for us.

From a look at history, it’s obvious that revival isn’t convenient. You can’t add it to your schedule in the free hour you have next Thursday at 4:00.

Revival is a move of God that goes on every day for weeks, months, or even years at a time. Do we really want that? Are we really willing to rearrange our lives to accommodate God’s will?

A bigger question I have is this. Is God waiting for us to simplify our lives in preparation for a move of God? Is He waiting on us to open up our schedules to more fellowship, prayer, and worship activities?

Pray for revival. Pray for a change in the hearts of believers.

Question: How much time do you have in your schedule for a revival?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on April 4, 2014 in Revival, The Church

 

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Christian – Why the Word Gets Bad Press #Christian

12 Mar

Dry2It used to be that if you were known as a Christian, it was considered a good thing in our society.  Now, if you use that term, you’re labeled everything from a loser, to a hypocrite, to emotionally disturbed.  Why is that?

It has a lot to do with how we portray ourselves to the world.  We say things about ourselves that give hope to the world only to let them down when they find out the real story.  I’m not talking about Christ, but about us.

I believe that if we truly portrayed Christ to the world, they’d have a different opinion of us.  It’s obvious, even today, that those churches and individuals who walk as Jesus did are drawing many to the cross.  What makes the difference?

A few months ago I wrote a post about what it means to be a disciple.  You can click here to read it.  In that post I said that disciples are more than just students learning what someone taught.  They want to become what the teacher is.

This requires us to follow, come near to, experience, and live in Christ and His Word.  It’s a deeper walk than many want to attain to in our generation.  The reason I bring this up, is a statement I read in the book of Acts.

The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
Acts 11:26b

It’s a very simple declaration.  The first time the disciples were called Christians – little christs – was in a town named Antioch.

This was at a time when the church was walking in the power of God.  Even though they were small and suffering some persecution, they were turning their world upside-down with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Notice what Luke doesn’t say.  He doesn’t record that the believers were called Christians.  It wasn’t all those who attended church.  The disciples – those who were striving to live like Christ – were called little christs by the world.

This is why the world largely rejects our witness.  They look at how we live versus what we say.  They don’t see the same thing in modern Christianity that was evident in the early church.

I know, it’s too late to change our language now but, we can let God change us.  If I’m going to wear the name of Christ, then I need to let Him work His plan in me.  I want the world to see me in Him.

When we lift up Christ by our lives, the world will gain a different perspective of who we are.  It will be easier for them to hear the Gospel.  We need to follow the path of true discipleship.

If that’s already your heart’s desire – continue on and let nothing sway you.  If the Lord is convicting you about it, then repent and move forward right now.  Let the world see Christ through His church.

Question: How would Jesus minister to people in our generation?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on March 12, 2014 in Revival, The Church, The Gospel

 

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The Greatest Roadblock to Revival

07 Mar

Give UpLet me start by apologizing.  I don’t usually want to air my dirty laundry in these posts.  But since the goal of this blog is to promote a revival in our generation, I felt that I needed to say this.

So, I’m sorry for letting my emotions get the better of me, but today’s post is coming from a heart that desires to see change.  The body of Christ needs to wake up, from the leadership on down.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 13:2-3

This verse talks about a prayer meeting that was held at the church of Antioch.  During this meeting, Saul (later to become Paul) and Barnabas were called into a missionary work.  Their work changed the world forever.

This morning I was at a prayer breakfast hosted by an association of churches that we are involved with.  It was called because of some needs and transitions that our churches are experiencing.  It was to be an hour of prayer, with a half hour of breakfast provided beforehand.

There are just over 100 churches in our association.  All of the pastors and leaders were called and invited to the meeting.  What do you think the response was?  There were 8 of us there to pray.

Just 8.  Of those 8, 4 of them were on the committee that hosted the prayer.  At this point, I have to say that it was a wonderful time of prayer.  Those who attended were there to seek God.  We had a great time in the spirit.

But on the way home, I had to think about what we’re missing.  We need revival in our land.  We know that.  We talk about it.  When someone brings it up we all nod our heads in agreement.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t give birth to revival.  Prayer brings it about.

In the above verse, Saul went to this meeting.  I’m sure he had other things to do.  At that point he was vocational.  He was a tent-maker who taught at his local church.  What if he decided that he was too busy to get to that prayer meeting?

I hear pastors complain all the time about the prayerlessness of their people.  “We can’t get them to come out to the prayer meetings we call.”  Where are these pastors when they are called to pray?

To be fair, I understand that many have vocational jobs during the week and they can’t take the time off.  I understand that others may have some transportation or health issues.  I don’t have a problem with these.

But 8 – out of all the pastors and leaders of 100 churches.  Where’s the revival we seek?  It’s in our hands.  We must remove the roadblocks.  One of the biggest is the lack of prayer from the top down.

Again, I ask your forgiveness for my ranting in this post.  But my heart’s desire is to see a move of God sweep this nation in my lifetime.  Whatever it takes.  Even the “sacrifice” of prayer.

Question: How often do you pray for revival in our nation?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on March 7, 2014 in Prayer, Revival, The Church

 

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Discipleship – The Cost and the Glory #discipleship

03 Feb

Jet Plane to NowhereI’ve been posting about discipleship.  How far are you willing to go to follow Christ?  The Lord doesn’t make it sound very convenient.

In my last post we saw that Christ said it involved picking up your cross and following Him.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters – yes, even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:26

Most people get tripped up by this verse because they don’t understand the usage of the word hate in the Scripture.  This word has no emotional attachment to it.  It’s just like the word agape, used to convey the idea of love.  Hate is a choice rather than an emotion.

This word hate means a choice to not participate with.  There are times when being a disciple of Christ means that you choose not to participate in every family event.  Maybe it’s a baby shower or a graduation party that’s held on a Sunday morning.

Christ is saying that if you choose to participate with your family over the Lord, then it shows that you’re not a disciple.  You might be a believer who loves God.  But you have yet to choose the high road of discipleship.

Following Christ can be very inconvenient at times.  However, if you want the same results as Christ, you must live as He does.

Jesus also makes the point that we must count the cost of discipleship.

“In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”
Luke 14:33

If you find your Christian walk to be easy, then you’re not yet a disciple.  The closer you follow to Christ, the harder your choices will become.  But there is a bright side.  The longer you serve the Lord, the easier it will be to make those choices.

It’s all about cultivating an attitude – I am nothing else but a disciple.  It may sound like a tough road, but in the end it’s worth it.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
John 15:7-8

The way of discipleship leads to a fulfilled life.  There’s a manifestation of the power of God working through you.  When you live at this level it becomes obvious to all those around you.  Your life shows the fruit of the spirit.

It’s apparent that you couldn’t produce the blessings that you’re walking in.  God is at work in you.  That’s the ultimate goal.  Living as a disciple shows God’s glory.

It’s that glory that will draw others to Christ.  This is what the Christian walk is all about.

Question: How much is the glory of God worth to you?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on February 3, 2014 in Power of God, Revival

 

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Do You have Room for the Word? #discipleship

31 Jan

WeedsIn my last post I talked about what Jesus said that it means to be His disciple in John, chapter 8.  It requires us to remain in His Word.  Our response to this truth is an issue today.

Even though Jesus was speaking to those who believed in Him, their response was surprising.  They were offended that He said they needed to be set free.

“We’ve never been a slave to anything or anyone.”

“You’ve gone too far, Jesus.”

“I know you are Abraham’s descendants.  Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word.”
John 8:37

Jesus knew that they were believers.  The problem was that they had no admittance, pass, designated space for His Word.  Because they wanted to justify themselves, their minds rejected what Christ was telling them.  Later in His teaching, Jesus explained why this happened.

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.
John 8:43

He literally said that it was because they did not have the power to hear my logos.  In order to let the Word of God work its change in our lives, we need to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle Paul even wrote about it.

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
1 Corinthians 2:14

It’s the Holy Spirit who helps us to hear God’s Word.  But don’t get the idea that it’s an easy thing.  The state of the modern church, pastors included – proves just the opposite.  Think about what Christ taught concerning the difficulties involved in discipleship.

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27

That doesn’t sound very convenient.  Picking up something that points to the death of my flesh.  Then, as if that’s not enough, I have to watch closely to where Christ is moving, and follow in His footsteps.

It’s no wonder that in the current version of Christianity, we use the word “disciple” to mean anyone who has received salvation.  We need to get back to the radical discipleship that Jesus taught.

In my next post I’ll talk about just how inconvenient this is.

Question: How far are you willing to be inconvenienced for Christ?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on January 31, 2014 in Ministry, Revival, Word of God

 

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