“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Luke 11:9-10
This is a verse that we like to quote a lot. But, I want to know if it’s real to us. Do we understand the importance of seeking? And in all of our seeking, are we searching for what’s truly important?
I’m reminded of the children of Israel as they waited on the doorstep of the Promised Land. They selected 12 “spies” who were instructed to search out the land and come back with a report.
So they went up and explored the land…When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
Numbers 13:21-25
God had promised this land to Israel. Now they were seeing it for the first time. They roamed up and down the whole area. Needless to say, they were very impressed with what they saw. The fruit was unmatched anywhere else. It was truly a blessed land that awaited them.
Their exploration of the land should be an example to us. We need to search out both the Scripture and the Mind of God to know our inheritance in Christ. It’s very important that we see what God has in store for us. Without that knowledge, we can’t go before God in faith to believe for the things that we need.
It’s unfortunate that most Christians have no idea the magnitude of the blessings there are in serving the Lord. They live their whole lives never knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for them. I believe it’s time for the church to live the abundant life that we were called to. This, more than anything else, will be an incredible witness to our generation.
That’s why the time you spend in the presence of the Lord is so important. Take the time each day to read the Bible, pray, and pray in the Spirit. That’s how you search out the things God has prepared for you.
As the Holy Spirit speaks to you, be quick to lay claim to the promise, blessing, grace, or strength that He offers. Walk each day in the faith that only comes through a living relationship with the Life-Giver.
Question: How intensely do you explore your “promised land”?
Tags: 12 spies, abundant life, ask, Bible, blessings, children of Israel, fruit, Holy Spirit, importance of seeking, knock, mind of Christ, our inheritance, pray, pray in the spirit, promise, promised land, promises of God, read, Scripture, seek, spiritual explorer, witness
It’s hard to believe, but in reality the United States can no longer be called a Christian nation. Yes, there are pockets of Christian majorities on various parts of the map, but overall the influence of believers is almost gone. I believe this is because we have lost sight of the true message of the Gospel.
I was recently reading a post about 5 issues the church will have to deal with over the next ten years. It was by Ed Stetzer, the President of Lifeway Research. In it he made some startling statements that I may comment about from time to time.
The issue that caught my attention, was that the church of this generation needs a clear understanding of the Gospel. It wasn’t many years ago that the flames of renewal and revival were sweeping across many parts of our nation. How have we fallen so far from the message of Christ?
Where has the Gospel of Jesus Christ gone? In many churches we are taught how to be “good people.” There are messages on how to live a great life – overcoming depression and other negative qualities. It’s almost as if the modern church has become a group emotional-therapy session.
Paul’s words should bring us a much needed wake-up call.
2 Timothy 2:8
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel…
We wonder why our impact on society has diminished. This just might be the key. The Gospel is not about New Year’s resolutions or turning over a new leaf. It’s not even about wanting to be a better person, spouse, or parent.
The true message of the Gospel is not about what I do. It’s all about what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. He died, was buried, and He rose back to life on the third day. The Lord accomplished this so that we could receive His life and become a new person in Him.
Anything less than that is not the Gospel.
In his post, Ed Stetzer made a statement that I have turned into a question in order to check myself. As a pastor, I’m responsible for the message received by the people under my care. I’m going to be accountable for what I preach to them each week.
The question I must ask myself is this: Would the message I’m preaching still be true if Jesus hadn’t died on the cross? If so, then I’m not proclaiming the Gospel. It might be good and helpful to the listener, but it isn’t the Good News of the Bible. The Gospel is life-changing.
The church in America needs to return to the true Gospel message.
Question: How do you perceive a need for the Gospel in our generation?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: America, America needs the Gospel, believers, Christ, Christian, Christian nation, church, cross, good news, gospel, influence, Jesus, message, message of Christ, preaching, proclaiming, renewal, revival, true message, understanding, United States
In my last post I talked about how Jesus rebuked the Pharisees (and us) for using the Scripture superstitiously. In effect, Jesus told them, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess healing. Yet you refuse to come to Me, the Healer.”
The Lord could say the same thing to us, these days. “You think that by Scripture you will possess prosperity, yet you refuse to come to Me, the Provider.”
Please understand what I’m saying. The Holy Spirit can speak a Word of healing to me through the Scripture, but He’s not limited to this avenue. All that I need for life and godliness is found in Christ.
I will never obtain God’s blessing through my works – not even through intensive study and memorizing of the Bible. Healing will come by the Word of God – no matter how God chooses to send it to me.
We need to hear a Word from God. That Word will only come from time spent in His presence. When I study the Bible instead of cultivating intimacy with the Lord, I’m going to lose out. That’s the very problem that the Pharisees had.
…and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior…
Titus 1:3
In this passage, Paul tells Titus that the Word of God is made visible by the command of God. It is God’s Word made manifest in God’s time. That’s why time spent with the Lord is so important. I need to be quiet and listening to hear His voice. Hearing from God is actually the greatest theme of the New Testament. It’s the foundation for everything we need in our walk with God.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16
This is one of the greatest misunderstandings that we have in looking back to the early church. We think that they were just like us. On the contrary, they knew the importance of seeking a Word from God. They spent time in His presence listening for His voice.
What I’m saying is this – the study of Scripture and hearing from God are not replacements for each other. We need both, in order to have an abundant life in the Lord. In our generation, the study of Scripture has been elevated out of proportion to listening for God’s voice. That’s why my message is so strong for the church to spend time listening to God.
Question: Have you ever been guilty of seeking blessings from Scripture rather than Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Bible, blessing, blessing of God, Christ, church, diligent study, God's word, hear his voice, Holy Spirit, importance of a word from God, Jesus, listening, manifest, Pharisee, Scripture, study, study of Scripture, superstition, voice of God, word, word from God, word of God, word of healing
I believe that in this generation God is trying to get His children to listen to His voice. He wants them to hear from Him on a daily basis. God is maturing His church. I believe that we are very close to a revival.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
1 Corinthians 13:11
God is bringing us from adolescence to adulthood in the Spirit. In order to attain to this place in Christ we need to “put childish ways behind us.”
By referring to childish ways, I don’t mean these things are bad or wrong. They’re simply things that we needed to progress in our childhood, but no longer need in adulthood. For instance, I needed to ask permission to use the car as a teenager when I lived at home. Now I have my own car, and I can use it whenever I want. There was nothing wrong with asking permission, but that phase of my life is now over.
The church is progressing through the training levels God has for us. As this happens, there are some things that worked for a season, but are not needed in our maturity. I want to take a few posts to talk about this maturing process. As I go through the teaching of Scripture, we will see some of these temporary principles.
What I’m afraid of, is that there are some who are so attached to the things of our childhood, that they will not want to release them and embrace adulthood in the Lord. With that in mind, please read with an open mind and an open heart. Receive those things that are Scriptural and of the Spirit. And, if there are any things that I have put in from the flesh – with no Scriptural foundation – then you have my permission to lay them aside.
God is bringing His church back to a deeper walk in the Spirit. At this point in history it seems that we do so much by the flesh. The winds of change are blowing. It’s time for us to start operating in the new move of the Spirit. The foundation for this is the Word of God.
Paul told Timothy that we need to “correctly handle the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15) In order to correctly handle something, you need to know what it really is. In the next few posts we will look at what the Word of God is and what it isn’t.
I think some of the words of Christ will surprise you. In reality, the church has been guilty of using things that are not the Word of God as if they were. It’s time for us to get back on track.
Question: Do you think the church is ready for revival? Are you ready?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: adulthood, childish things, childish ways, church, deeper walk, grow up, growing up in the word of God, hear God, mature, maturity, put away childish things, revival, voice of God, word, word of God
I believe that signs and miracles are a part of the true Gospel. Without them, it’s difficult to impact the unbeliever.
The Apostle Paul refers to this truth throughout his writings.
I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done – by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
Romans 15:18-19
Paul tells us how he led the Gentiles to obey God by announcing the Gospel and making disciples. Notice, that he accomplished this by what he SAID and DID. It was through the power of signs and miracles. The difference between a sign and a miracle is that a sign is a miracle that confirms what you say about God.
The key issue is that by operating in this way, Paul fully proclaimed the gospel. I believe that just talking about Christ is not the whole Gospel. The Bible is clear that the kingdom of God is “not a matter of talk but of power.” (I Corinthians 4:20)
Last week I asked, what is it about the Gospel that we’re ashamed of ? I used some illustrations. If I won a new car I would call you over to look at it. If I got a promotion at work, I would immediately show you my new business cards. How is that different from the spiritual Good News?
I believe it’s because we have reduced the Gospel to clichés. “Jesus loves you.” “Jesus wants to bless you.” “God loves you and I do too.”
The problem is that there’s no demonstration. It’s not like the new car or the promotion at work because I offer you no proof of what I’m saying.
Based upon Scripture, if there’s no demonstration, then there’s no Gospel. Many are ashamed because all they can do is tell about Jesus. Some can’t even see the proof in their own lives because of the lack of power. It makes many believers feel like charlatans when they share the Good News.
It seems we’ve lost the original Good News. We don’t understand the power of God and we don’t understand the Gospel. The two go hand in hand.
Without the Good News, there’s no need for the demonstration of power. Some American Christians want the power without proclaiming the Good News. The fact is, that without the message of the Gospel there’s no need to demonstrate healing, prosperity, joy, freedom from depression, or anything else the Lord has provided for us through the cross. I’m striving to spur the church on to get hungry to experience the full Gospel.
That’s why Paul could say that he had fully proclaimed the Gospel of Christ. Not only did he tell about Christ, but he also demonstrated the love and power of the Lord.
Question: How can we return to the true Gospel?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: announce, ashamed, ashamed of the gospel, Bible, Christ, confirm, demonstration, good news, gospel, Jesus, make disciples, miracles, place of signs and miracles, power, power of God, power of the spirit, proclaim, revival, Scripture, share, signs, true gospel
Do we proclaim the same Gospel as the early church did? Is there something missing from our experience that would make a big difference? I believe that we’re lacking one of the greatest aspects of the Gospel. We need to return to this truth if we’re going to impact our generation for Christ.
In my last post I talked about the need to announce the Good News of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. In today’s post I want to explain exactly what that means. Here’s one of the verses I looked at last time.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
1 Thessalonians 1:4-5
I have heard people explain this verse by saying, “The hearers were convicted by the Holy Spirit. That’s the power Paul’s talking about.” I simply can’t agree with that kind of thinking. Paul said that the Gospel came to them with power AND the Holy Spirit, AND deep conviction.
Even the very word conviction that Paul used was a Greek word that means many assurances. It was something that could be seen and experienced by the unbelievers receiving the Good News.
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5
As you can see, I’m not using some isolated verse without context. This teaching runs throughout the New Testament. The Good News must be demonstrated. That demonstration can only be energized by the power of God. It is beyond our human ability to walk on that level if we rely upon our own strength, wisdom, and knowledge.
I fear that too many Christians allow their faith to rest on man’s wisdom, because they have never seen a demonstration of the power of God. There are so many believers that have never seen a healing or a miracle. They have never heard an anointed prophecy or someone speaking in the heavenly language. There are Christians that have never witnessed someone delivered from demonic possession or oppression.
As a result the Good News, in most cases, has merely become an intellectual debate. On many occasions, what we call the Gospel today, is void of any power to change the direction of a life impacted by it.
The church needs to do what it takes to once again walk in this life-changing power. In short – we need revival. We must admit that we’ve lost something along the way and allow the Lord to make the necessary adjustments.
Questions: Do you think the modern “American Gospel” has the same impact as the early church? If not, what must we do to change?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, convicted, conviction, deliverance, demonstration, early church, good news, good news of Jesus Christ, gospel, healing, heavenly language, Holy Spirit, how we water down the gospel, Jesus, miracle, missing, power, power of God, preach, proclaim, prophecy, revival, share, spiritual power, water down
I have been posting about the difference between the Christian culture and the culture of the world. In my last post, we saw that there are two anointings in the world – the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the antichrist anointing.
The apostle John talked about these anointings in his first letter. In that same context he also said the following…
See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us — even eternal life.
I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray.
1 John 2:24-26
It is important that we remain in Christ – the Anointed One. If we do, then we will also remain in His anointing. The problem with many of us is that we try to jump back and forth.
Today we want the blessings of Christ. The next day we try and chase after what the world is offering. Sometimes we appear to be a little split in our loyalty.
We need to make a choice. What is it that I want from life? Do I want God’s best, or the world’s best?
After all, there are those who would try to lead us astray. It literally means that they are trying to cause us to roam. When that happens, we lose direction and focus.
It’s sad, but in many cases there are believers who are teaching us how to live with our feet in both worlds. While it’s true that we have to live within the present world system, we don’t have to embrace its philosophy of life. The priorities of the world should not be our priorities.
As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit — just as it has taught you, remain in him.
1 John 2:27
The truth is that the Lord wants to place His priorities in us. If we will listen to the Holy Spirit at work in us, we will walk in this anointing. If not, then we become a counterfeit.
A counterfeit is something that looks real, but it’s not. Usually, only something valuable is counterfeited. The counterfeit anointing is referring to those who appear to love God, yet really want what the world is offering.
Their priorities are in direct conflict with God’s, while appearing to serve, praise, and honor Him. Don’t be a Christian in appearance only. Remember, it’s what’s going on inside that counts.
Drink in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Let Him change your priorities from the inside out. Don’t fall victim to the counterfeit anointing that is so prevalent in the world today.
Question: Why is the world’s anointing so appealing?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: anointed one, anointing, antichrist, Christian, counter-culture, counterfeit, counterfeit anointing, counterfeit Christian, God's best, Holy Spirit, loyalty, remain in Christ, world, world system, world's best
Did you know that the present culture of America has an anointing on it? I have been posting about Christianity as a counter-culture. Today I want to talk about the modern cultural anointing.
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.
1 John 2:18-19
The word antichrist is very interesting. When some people think antichrist, it brings images of The Beast or a world dictator. Actually, antichrists have been around as long as the church has been in existence.
This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
1 John 4:3
What we need to understand is that there is a spirit of antichrist that is constantly at work in secular society. Let’s stop and think about it. Here is a spirit that is anti – opposite – Christ.
In my last post I made the point that Christ means the Anointed One. That means we’re talking about an anti-anointing that’s operating in the world. Whether you know it or not, there are two different anointings at work in our society. There’s the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of antichrist.
The first verse above tells us that there are people in churches who have bought into the anti-anointing that’s in the world. Eventually these people get offended at the Gospel of Christ – the true anointing – and they leave.
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist — he denies the Father and the Son.
1 John 2:20-22
It is all about Jesus Christ – that’s the bottom line. We live in such an accepting and tolerant world. It’s okay, no matter what you want to talk about…that is until you mention Jesus Christ. Suddenly the conversation gets shut down.
The reason is clear. There are two competing spirits at work. The spirit of antichrist wants no mention of the true anointing. Christ, the Anointed One and His anointing can break the bondage of sin, sickness, depression, and a whole host of other symptoms of this age.
We need to walk in the boldness of the Holy Spirit. Even if it means that we are ridiculed, shut down or rejected. We must be a light for the true anointing of Christ in our generation.
Question: Have you ever noticed intolerance for the name of Jesus Christ?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: America, anointing, antichrist, Christ, counter-anointing, counter-culture, culture, gospel, Gospel of Christ, Holy Spirit, intolerance, Jesus Christ, offended, secular, society, spirit, spirit of antichrist, tolerant
Our culture is our way of life. Why, then, is modern Christianity so much like the culture of America?
It doesn’t matter what you talk about, the statistics are very close. Divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, and a host of other issues seem very much a part of church life. I have known Christian girls who couldn’t wait to turn 18 so that they could lose their virginity legally.
Why are we so much like the world?
We would rather talk about religion than Jesus. We try to be so careful not to offend anyone by what we believe.
I think an important word to use is counter. Think about how we use it in society. We have groups in counter-intelligence or counter-terrorism. To be counter means that you are going opposite that group.
More than any other people, Christianity should be counter-culture. We should have our own cultural lifestyle. If you remember from my last post, that means our own way of doing things. It should be different than how our society operates.
We need to see the Scriptural pattern.
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22
This verse tells us that it’s God’s job to make us stand firm in Christ. How does He do that? The Lord accomplishes it by anointing us.
Anointing – now there’s a rich word. The very word Christ means the Anointed One. His anointing came from the Holy Spirit that was upon Him. Now we are standing firm in the Anointed One. That’s where we have the power to fulfill what we’re called to do.
This passage states that the anointing upon us is one of the things that are guaranteeing what is to come. That tells me that I have a future in Christ. This anointing is taking us somewhere.
In the same way, this culture we live in is headed somewhere. It leads to addiction, divorce, depression, guilt, and, worst of all, hell. Personally, I don’t want to go where the American culture is leading us to.
As the church of Jesus Christ, our future – our direction – should be vastly different. Actually, the world should want what our culture leads to. The differences should be that obvious. We need to get back to the basics of what Christ wants to do in us. Then we must follow it through to the end.
Question: What are some differences that should be obvious to the world?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: anointed one, anointing, Christ, Christ the foundation of a counter-culture, church life, counter, counter-culture, culture, different, foundation, future, Holy Spirit, Jesus, lifestyle, modern Christianity, religion, the world, way of life
Is the church called to run contrary to the world? If so, then where are we missing it? I want to take a few posts to deal with this issue. I want us to think about our walk as Christians in America.
This topic actually isn’t that new. James wrote about it long ago.
You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
James 4:4
Those are some strong words he uses. He called them an adulterous people. What does cheating on your spouse have to do with the spiritual condition of a generation? The answer is found in the verse just preceding this one. It explains his choice of words.
As he talked about asking for things in prayer, he wrote…
When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
James 4:3
Here’s the problem that James is describing as adultery. They asked God for things so that they could then spend those things on their pleasures. It literally says that their motives in seeking God, was so that they could become consumers of pleasures.
That sounds a little too familiar.
“God, please help me to get a better job.”
Then, as our blessings increase, we get more things and push God further into the background. After all, now that I have more stuff, I have less time for “church”.
Here’s the problem from God’s perspective. It says in verse 4, above, that trying to make friends with the world is an act of hostility toward God. To make a friend, you need to try to please them or be like them in some way.
Remember, we’re not talking about the people, but the world system. You can make friends with people without buying into the system.
There’s a word we use for the world’s system of order. It’s the word culture. Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary defines culture as, the sum total of the attainments and activities of any…people, including their implements, handcrafts, agriculture, economics, music, arts, religious beliefs, tradition, language and story.
In other words, the American culture is our entire way of life. It’s how we live and what we expect. It’s what we strive for as well as what we accept as “normal”.
When I think about the mainstream of life in the United States, I get a picture of the system at work here. Then, when I see the lifestyle we are called to as followers of Christ, I get a whole different picture. There are some areas where the two cultures are drastically different.
How do we live in both worlds? That’s what I want to talk about in the next few posts. Hopefully you’ll join the conversation.
Question: Do you see areas where the church is too friendly with the world system?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: blessings, Christ, Christianity, Christianity the counter-culture, consumers, contrary, counter-culture, culture, different, followers of Christ, normal, order, pleasure, spend, spiritual adultery, way of life, world, world system
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
The Spirit and the Word 