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Category Archives: Spiritual Walk

It’s All About Mercy

28 May
It’s All About Mercy

We are now looking at Romans, chapter 9. In my last post we saw that God chose Jacob before he was born. That was because God already knew the choices that Jacob would make.

What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.

Romans 9:14-16

The only conclusion we can make is that there’s no unrighteousness in God. Paul then quotes a passage from Exodus 33:19.

The words, compassion and mercy in Exodus, mean to bend and stoop in kindness to an inferior…and then…to hold them lovingly. This is used throughout the Old Testament.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him…

Psalms 103:13

Mercy, however, has a different connotation in the New Testament. We need to understand this concept.

A thorough study of mercy in the New Testament will show that mercy is God’s reward for His obedient children. I did a detailed series of posts about mercy. To see this series, click here.

This verse in Romans tells us that much of God’s grace comes to us, not because of our will, desire, or actions. Instead, it’s by God who shows mercy. It’s all about mercy. So, we have to understand mercy, to understand God.

Our will doesn’t figure into the equation. That was true in the life of Christ.

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Mark 14:35-36

Jesus knew this truth. It’s not about our will, but God’s desire for us.

It’s the same for running.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24

You don’t get the prize just for running. All of the athletes run.

In our Christian walk, it’s all about the mercy of God. Contrary to popular thinking – mercy is not some random act that God does. It’s a part of God’s righteous law. Jesus tried to explain this to the Pharisees.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices — mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Matthew 23:23

God’s righteous law is based upon three things: The original Greek says that they are faith, judgment, and mercy. Faith is the basis – without it you can never please God. Judgment is God’s final decision – guilty or not guilty. But mercy is the reward for obeying God’s Word to you.

This is a part of the Christian walk that most believers don’t understand. So, I want to take a post or two in order to explain its importance

Question: What’s your view of God’s mercy?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 28, 2021 in Ministry, Prayer, Spiritual Walk, Word of God

 

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God’s Purpose, God’s Choice

26 May
God’s Purpose, God’s Choice

In my last post, I started talking about Israel as God’s chosen people. In looking at Paul’s writings, he said that it was only the children of promise that were Abraham’s true children. Paul continues…

For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” Not only that, but Rebekah’s children had one and the same father, our father Isaac.

Romans 9:9-10

Isaac was the son born of a promise. But, the same was true when Isaac went on to have children of his own. Isaac and his wife, Rebekah, had twins. They were born at the same time, in the same bloodline, into the same family.

Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad — in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls — she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

Romans 9:11-13

Now there’s a mouthful. What does that phrase, God’s purpose in election mean?

God has a purpose in choosing. Actually this goes along with Romans 8:28. Remember, in Greek that verse says, God works together with all who love Him to bring about good – the purpose to which they were called.

In the above verse from chapter 9, Paul uses a special word for purpose. It means something held out. It’s the Greek word that’s also used for the showbread in the Temple. They are also called the “bread of the presence.”

This showbread was displayed in the holy place of the Temple on a weekly basis. Then, incense would be poured on top of any that was not eaten. So it was eaten and burned each week.

Only those offering service to God may eat this in His presence with their prayers. It was constantly provided for the priests who served at the altar. I believe that it’s also a picture of Christ, since He called himself the Bread of Heaven (John 6:51).

That’s the word Paul used in describing God’s way of choosing. God has a purpose in His calling and choosing.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:11-12

Everything that God does is based upon His preordained plan. His plan was set out from the beginning.

So, God wanted to show that it wasn’t by works that He makes His choice. He didn’t wait to see who gave Him the better offering or service. BEFORE they did anything – God looked ahead and chose the one who would obey His plan for their life.

Getting back to the verse in Romans, in order to see what’s being said, we have to understand love and hate. Contrary to current opinion, when the Bible uses these words, they’re both without emotion.

It’s all about choices. Love is the choice to positively participate in someone’s life. Hate is the choice to negatively participate or not to participate at all.

Knowing that Jacob would participate with His plan, God participated with him. Knowing that Esau would ignore His will, God chose not to work with him.

At first, it may seem unfair that God would say such a thing. But, after the twins progressed, it was obvious that God made the right choice. That’s especially true since it was obvious that Isaac was trying desperately to groom Esau to be the chosen son.

It’s good to know that God has a plan for me. He knows the choices I’ll make, even before I make them. I’m so glad that He works with me to bring about His destiny for my life.

Question: How do you see God’s hand upon your life?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 26, 2021 in Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Over-Victors

21 May
Over-Victors

I’m continuing my study through the book of Romans. We’ve been looking at Paul’s questions at the end of chapter 8.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Romans 8:35-36

This is a great question. Every believer needs to remember both the question, and Paul’s answer. It will help us to face the toughest times in our faith journey.

He asks if there’s anything or anyone who could place a separation between us and Christ. The word trouble, in this verse, is a Greek word that means pressure. That’s something we all have to deal with.

We may not like it when we find ourselves under pressure. But, it’s one of those things that we’re told to rejoice over throughout Scripture (John 16:33; Romans 5:3).

The word hardship, on the other hand, means to be in a narrow confining space. There are times we feel like we’re in a rut with no way out. Even in those times, God’s love is reigning over us. Paul actually says that he enjoys those times because when he’s weak, God shows His strength (2 Corinthians 12:10).

The apostle goes on to list other things we may face such as persecution, hunger, poor clothes, danger or fighting. In all of these things, none of them will put space between us and God’s love. We are the only ones who, by our own foolishness, can distance ourselves from the Lord.

Paul goes on to quote Psalm 44. It basically is asking God, “Why have you forsaken us? Our enemies are trampling us.” So, Paul is asking if that’s what serving God is all about. I like his answer.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

The short answer is NO!!!! We’re not meant to be a bunch of doormats for the enemy and the world to walk over. He literally says that we are over-victors.

It goes beyond just a victory. Not just a 6 to 5 win. It’s more like a 1500 to 5 blowout. If it were boxing, it would not be just winning by points but a first round knockout. There’s no need for a recount.

We’ve been given victory over all of the things listed previously…AND MORE!!! Not life or death. Not even the principalities of the enemy’s kingdom.

He also includes many of the things we worry about on a daily basis. The present things that are happening to me right now. But also, the future events that I don’t even know about yet. The Lord has them all taken care of already.

There may be high things, like walls or barriers, that I don’t think I can get through. Or, there might be deep mysteries beyond my limited understanding. The bottom line is that there is no thing, creature, or organization that can keep God’s love and grace from reaching me.

That’s the joy of being an over-victor. It’s all manifest by our intimate times spent with the Holy Spirit.

Question: What are some areas of victory that you’ve experienced lately?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 21, 2021 in Encouragement, Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Paul’s Questions

19 May
Paul’s Questions

In my last post, I talked about our response to God’s ongoing work in our lives. His desire is to show His glory through us.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:31-32

This verse literally tells us that God was not greedy about His own Son. He didn’t hold back His very best, but gave all for us. That’s why the Lord can call us to live on that same level.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

2 Corinthians 9:6

The words, spare in Romans, and sparingly in the next verse are the same word in Greek. Why do you think this is? It’s because greed goes against the very nature of God.

Along with Christ, God will grace us with all things. What kind of things? Everything that He’s promised.

You’ve probably noticed by now that Paul has been asking a series of leading questions in this section of Romans. It’s important that we understand the significance of each one.

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8:33

This one literally asks; who will demand a debt-payment from God’s chosen ones? The first thing we need to realize is that this verse is not talking about everyone. It only refers to those who are chosen.

I know that there are many believers who are under the notion that every verse in the Bible is talking about them. That’s simply not the case. This verse is about the chosen.

The Bible is clear that many are called, but few are chosen. We’re all called, but few respond obediently to their callings. This verse is about the obedient. Jesus talked about this group.

“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?”

Luke 18:7-8

This verse says that God’s chosen ones cry out to Him day and night. I believe that this can only be done by the spirit? Paul asks; who will demand payment from these people? That depends upon who is owed anything.

It’s God that we’ve sinned against. The God who justifies us is the only one who can legally demand payment. Praise God! In that case, I’m not afraid of the debt. It’s already been paid by Christ Jesus. It gets even better.

Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Romans 8:34

There is only one person in all the universe who is legally able to pass sentence on us. The Anointed One, Jesus Christ, who died. The same Anointed One who rose again. The same Anointed One who’s making intercession for us at this very moment.

The definition of intercession is meeting with for consultation toward a goal. The Lord is conferring over us to perfect us.

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Hebrews 7:25

His goal is to completely save us. As it turns out, He’s the only one who can pass sentence. I’m not afraid of that either.

Question: What’s your attitude toward the future, based on these verses?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 19, 2021 in Encouragement, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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God’s Progressive Work

17 May
God’s Progressive Work

As we continue through the book of Romans, we’re seeing how the Spirit-led life brings about God’s will. His goal is to conform us to the image of Christ Jesus. The next verse is a summary of how the Lord does this.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 8:30

In my last post we saw that our predestination was based upon the foreknowledge of God. He knew we would bow our knee to Christ, so He set our destination in Him.

Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, there are a progression of things that God works in our lives.

First, it says that He called us. What’s this talking about?

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20

The Lord is calling you to draw near through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. His call goes out to everybody, but not all will answer.

For those who do answer this call, there’s more ahead. There are deeper callings, the more we advance forward in Christ.

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:12

Our callings get more and more refined as we answer and obey. These callings bring us deeper and deeper into the destiny God has prepared for us.

The next step in God’s plan, is that He justifies us…He makes us innocent. This is only for those who respond to the first call…the call to submit to Christ. These are the ones God foreknew.

The final step is to be made glorious. This Greek word means that others place a high weight on your opinion, they value your words. As we’ve been seeing through Romans, people should be looking to you for freedom.

I believe this is why, many times, we hear those words, “I thought you were a Christian. Why did you…?” God wants us to be sought after for the solutions to life’s problems. Yet, many Christians are stumbling around through life themselves.

We need to get our lives back on track with God’s Word. The world is in desperate need to see us at that level.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

That’s a very good question that Paul asks at this point. What else is there to say? Literally – if God is over us, then who can come down on us?

Think about what was said earlier in this chapter of Romans. My spirit and the Holy Spirit are in conference over me. The Holy Spirit conferences over all the saints. So, if God is over us, we can definitely walk in His victory.

We must submit to the Holy Spirit so He can bring us to this point of maturity.

Question: What would your life look like if you were perfectly submitted to the Holy Spirit?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 17, 2021 in Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Working Together for Good

14 May
Working Together for Good

As we continue through the book of Romans, we arrive at another verse that gets us all turned around. We need to really understand it in its context.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

This is great verse and I’ve heard many people quote it and preach about it. They usually say something like, “Don’t worry, no matter how bad your situation gets, God will turn it around to good in the end.”

Is that what Paul’s saying here? To answer this, we need to think about the verse just before this one. What’s the context of this statement?

Remember, the apostle told us that our spirit and the Holy Spirit are in conference over us. The purpose of this conference is to bring about God’s will in our lives.

It turns out that there’s an alternate translation of verse 28.

“God works together with all who love Him to bring about good – the purpose to which they were called.”

Remember – I don’t know the objective precisely as needed. However, the Holy Spirit of God will work with me to overcome that weakness. This translation melds perfectly with what Paul said in verse 27.

Of course, many people want to believe this verse the alternate way. They feel they can do what they want – just “love God” – and He’ll work everything out.

I don’t believe that’s the case. The Lord will work together with me to bring about His good purpose in my life. That’s more in line with the context of this chapter.

Think about what the rest of Scripture teaches.

Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

Mark 16:20

As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

2 Corinthians 6:1

This concept is found all throughout God’s Word. The Holy Spirit and the saints working together. Why would Paul say that God will do the work Himself, all you have to do is love Him? I believe that it’s clear, God wants to work with us to bring about His will.

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:29

The next big question is about predestination. The key is that those He foreknew, He predestined to be like Christ.

We forget sometimes, that God is outside of time and space. Before you were born, He saw the day you would receive Him as your Savior. So, He already made a place for you in His Kingdom.

He set a destination for you, based on your future decision. It’s the destination that’s the important part of this verse.

What is that destination? That we are conformed to the likeness of His Son. It says that we’re morphed together into the picture of Christ.

This is the plan that the Holy Spirit and my spirit are working together to accomplish. Everyday, I want to look more and more like Jesus. That’s the goal of prayer in the spirit. That’s the only way to truly overcome the flesh and its sinful nature.

Question: How have you changed since coming to Christ?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 14, 2021 in Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Holy Spirit Conference

12 May
Holy Spirit Conference

In my last post, I started talking about Paul’s view of prayer in the spirit. It’s one of the cornerstones of living in victory.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Romans 8:26-27

In this passage, the word help is a special word, it’s only found two places in Scripture. It means to lay hold together against. This word was also used during the life of Christ.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

Luke 10:40

Martha wanted Jesus to tell Mary to “lay hold, together, against” with me. The work was an enemy to be overcome.

The spirit in verse 26 lays hold, together with us, against our weakness. We already saw (Romans 6:19) that our weakness is in our flesh. That’s why we couldn’t obey the law, we were weakened by our flesh. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

This spirit is someone who stands with us, laying hold of us, against our weakness – the flesh. This is our ally. We may not know that he’s doing it, but he searches our heart.

To know who this is we must ask who can search our hearts.

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:11

In my last post I asked you to trust me about it. Here’s the verse that explains about our spirit searching our heart. It’s only logical. So as my spirit searches my heart, he intercedes for me with groans.

So, in the Romans passage, verse 26 is about what our spirit does, and verse 27 is about what the Holy Spirit does. It’s all about the relationship between my spirit and the Holy Spirit.

Our spirit comes alongside our soul in the struggle against our flesh – our weakness. We don’t have the knowledge in our soul as to what to pray for…the objective precisely as needed…but our spirit does.

The passage says that our spirit, with groans that words cannot express, is in conference over us. Is in conference with whom? The Holy Spirit.

My spirit looks at my weakness and not knowing precisely what I need to pray, goes into conference over me, with groans that cannot be put into words. But, because of the Holy Spirit living in me, my spirit also knows the mind (inclination or purpose) of the Holy Spirit. How? Because they’re in conference over me.

Why with the Holy Spirit? The next verse says that the Holy Spirit confers over the saints on God’s behalf.

This is an incredible truth. My spirit and the Holy Spirit conferring together. Mine spirit over me, your spirit over you. The Holy Spirit over all the saints.

It’s beyond all we could ask or imagine. Think about that – our spirit and God’s Spirit working together. That’s why I believe prayer in the spirit is the most powerful gift God could have given us.

Question: How often, if ever, do you pray in the spirit?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 12, 2021 in Prayer, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Spiritual Interaction

10 May
Spiritual Interaction

As we continue our trek through Romans, we’re about to look at one of the most misunderstood sections of Scripture. Let me explain.

The Apostle Paul had a very deep experience praying in the spirit. Now, along comes the Bible translators, most of whom have never prayed in tongues.

They desperately try to understand the words he wrote. What ends up happening, in many cases, is that they don’t translate the words, but try to give us what they think he’s trying to say.

I want to let Paul tell us in his words, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

Romans 8:26-27

It’s very important that we understand this verse. First of all, there’s no capital “s” in the word spirit. The translators did that because they believed that this passage was referring to the Holy Spirit.

Actually, this verse is talking about the interaction between our spirit and the Holy Spirit. I believe that the first part is talking about our human spirit. I would ask you to trust me on this for now.

We’ll look at another verse in my next post that will bear me out (1 Corinthians 2:11-12). At that point, if you disagree, you’re free to disregard what I say. But for now I ask you to keep an open mind.

I believe that verse 26 is saying that our spirit cooperates with our weakness. It’s very familiar with the failings of our flesh. Because it knows you intimately, your spirit works with your weakness.

What is the weakness that it’s talking about here? The literal Greek in this verse says, we do not know, by seeing and observing, the objective of the prayer precisely as needed. We don’t always fully understand what we’re praying for.

As a pastor, when someone comes forward for prayer, I want to see them blessed. If they say, “Pastor, I’m having severe headaches – pray for me.”, then I want to see them healed. So I pray in the name of Jesus, against that sickness.

This verse is saying that I don’t always know what’s happening. According to my observation, the person needs to be healed of the headaches. However, what if I don’t know that this person has been nursing bitterness against a brother in the Lord? What if the headaches are a physical manifestation of this bitterness?

There are many sins that can cause physical symptoms. The objective of the prayer should be to let go of the bitterness. That’s why the Scripture says that I don’t always know the objective of the prayer exactly as needed. This is a part of my weakness that my spirit helps me with.

So, what does my spirit do to help me? According to this verse, my spirit intercedes over me with sighs that cannot be spoken. Literally, you cannot put what the spirit is doing into words. The fact is, your spirit intercedes for you.

Now, here’s the great part. It says that he who searches our hearts does this work. It’s my spirit who searches my heart. Again, I’ll show you this elsewhere in Scripture in my next post. My spirit searches my heart AND knows the mind of THE SPIRIT.

Here I believe that THE SPIRIT is the Holy Spirit of God. This can only be what it means. Why would Paul feel it necessary to tell us that the Holy Spirit knows the mind of the Holy Spirit?

So what this tells me is that my spirit knows my weaknesses and searches my heart. But, because of the fact that the Holy Spirit now resides in me, my spirit also knows the mind of the Holy Spirit. And it’s this same Holy Spirit that intercedes for all the saints in the perfect will of God.

This is simply the most powerful interaction that anyone could ever hope for. These two things are happening as we pray in the spirit. My spirit intercedes for me knowing both my needs and my weaknesses. The Holy Spirit intercedes for the saints knowing God’s will. As they get together and share with one another, there’s nothing that they cannot accomplish together.

Question: How does prayer in the spirit bring your prayer life to a whole new level?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 10, 2021 in Ministry, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Firstfruits of the Spirit

05 May
Firstfruits of the Spirit

In my last post, I talked about the fact that the world system is waiting for the church to be revealed in God’s glory. That’s a body of believers who are walking in maturity. This is the goal Paul is bringing us to in the book of Romans.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

Romans 8:22

According to this verse, the whole system is doing two things. The first word Paul uses means to be groaning together. This is a moaning because of the place we find ourselves in.

It speaks of a very narrow place. The world understands that there should be more to life than the petty things they’re chasing after.

The second word Paul uses means to be in birth pains together. Picture this in the spirit…the entire world filled with pregnant, groaning, women. That’s what God sees in regards to His destiny for the church.

In my last article, we saw that the world is desperate to be liberated from its bondage to decay. That’s the physical law that everything goes from new to old and decayed. It’s also known as the Third Law of Thermodynamics for all of us science geeks.

However, the kingdom of God – the church – should be a place where that law has no effect. We should be experiencing healing, prosperity, and joy – in spite of all that’s going on around us.

It’s just like Israel when they were in Egypt. When the plagues came, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived was unaffected. I believe this is what we’ll experience in the final days before the return of Christ.

Then, those with eyes to see and ears to hear will run to the kingdom of God before it’s too late. I believe that will be the final harvest before the coming of wrath and the return of the Lord.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

Romans 8:23

Now we see another groaning that the apostle talks about. The world system is groaning under the weight of decay. But we, as the body of Christ, are groaning too.

Who is it that’s groaning? It’s those who have the firstfruits of the spirit. That’s an interesting term. I understand the Fruit of the Spirit. That’s the result of the cultivation of the spirit walk.

In Old Testament times under the Law, you could plant fruit trees. According to that Law, you couldn’t touch the fruit for the first three years. Then, in the fourth year, all of the fruit belonged to God.

Then, from the fifth year on, it was considered a mature tree and all the fruit belonged to the owner. Now he could begin to give a firstfruits offering.

The Scripture didn’t say how much to bring for the firstfruits. So, the priests came up with some guidelines which became part of the traditions of the elders.

They said that the least anyone should give is one-sixtieth. However, if you want to be liberal with your offering, you could give one-thirtieth.

That reminds me of how the Lord blesses when we plant the seed of His Word. He blesses thirty, sixty, and even a hundredfold on His Word. He goes above and beyond all we can ask or imagine.

The fact is that those of us who are starting to see the work of God in us begin to groan inwardly. We’re waiting for the full adoption – the complete ransom – the deliverance of our body.

We’re starting to see the first of God’s work in us through the Fruit of the Spirit. But we’re groaning for the whole thing to be accomplished.

Question: How much of the Fruit of the Spirit do you see in your life?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 5, 2021 in Ministry, Power of God, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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They’re Waiting for Us

03 May
They’re Waiting for Us

In my last post I talked about the suffering that we’re all called to endure. It’s brought on by making the flesh do things that it doesn’t want to do.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

I sometimes think that I’m the only one with these problems. The fact is that Jesus had to go through the same things that we do. Even though His flesh wasn’t sinful, the Lord still had to bring it under the Holy Spirit’s control.

Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Hebrews 5:8-9

It’s interesting to note that Christ learned obedience from what He suffered. Now we’re called to obey, so it only follows that we learn obedience the same way that He did.

How did Christ deal with this?

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

Hebrews 5:7

Please understand that this is not talking about the Garden of Gethsemane. This is the suffering that took place during His life.

Think about the football player in my last post. He went forward with loud cries and tears. He screamed, “It hurts, it burns,” yet he kept going.

This is what we are sharers of. According to the verse in Romans, this is for the glory about to be uncovered in us.

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.

Romans 8:19

This is the intense anticipation of the creation. The whole system of life on this planet is waiting for the unveiling of the sons (and daughters) of God. The Lord’s endgame is for the church to become a full-fledged son.

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Romans 8:20-21

Actually, this is probably why we’re so hated by the world. The system wants liberation and they expect it to come from us. But, they look at the church, and compare us to what we promise. The result is frustration and hatred.

It’s like being a fan of a baseball team that keeps losing. Even if their team doesn’t win, the fans keep coming out. They hope for the best, but remain angry and frustrated.

The expectation is that there will be liberation from the effects of sin. This liberation should come through us, as believers.

The system is waiting for us to bring freedom. We need to rise to our feet as sons and daughters of the living God.

This could be the final harvest that’s talked about in Scripture. This will happen when the church becomes fully mature.

This is why we need to learn the lessons that Paul lays out in the book of Romans. We need to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Question: What would it look like if the church was fully mature?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 3, 2021 in Ministry, Revival, Sonship, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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