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Category Archives: The Church

Called to be Mighty

16 Jan

strongTough times call for tough people. That’s especially true in the body of Christ. More than ever we need to draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about God’s plan in our nation.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Ephesians 6:10

I am prompted to meditate on David and the men who were drawn to him as he was being hunted by King Saul. It was quite a group who joined him.

David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
1 Samuel 22:1-2

According to the Bible, the men who came to David were basically fed up with the way things were. They were distressed, in debt, and discontent.

The fact is that God is still looking for some angry people. He needs people with attitude.

“This is not the way it should be.”

That’s what God is doing in the church right now. He’s cultivating this attitude. This nation needs to change. The church needs to change. I need to change.

I want to take a couple of posts to look at some of the men who came to David. The ones termed his mighty men.

Of course, that was for a physical battle. Right now we’re in a spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of those around us. It goes without saying that the Lord needs mighty women as well.

By the way, maybe you disagree with that statement – and don’t believe that it’s a woman’s place to be mighty. If that’s you, then please note that in Proverbs 31, the word usually translated virtuous, is the exact word mighty used with David’s men.

Out of the 600 or so men who eventually joined with David, only 30 were called mighty. Think about it; 600 people knew what God was doing in Israel. 600 aligned themselves with God’s plan. These men joined David’s fight, and committed themselves to see God’s will carried out.

But of all those men, only 5% were termed mighty. When it comes to God’s kingdom, I want to be on the cutting edge. I want to be in the mighty category. It’s my hope that you want that distinction as well.

Most of Israel was clueless as to what was happening around them at that time. It’s the same in our generation. Much of the church has no idea about the spiritual climate, or what God is planning on doing.

Then again, many are like the 600. They’re onboard with what God is doing, but they’re just following orders. Then there were the 30 mighty men; but even with them we mostly only know their names.

We’re only told the details about five of these men. That’s less than 1%. That’s where we should desire to be. We should strive to be in the upper echelon of God’s warriors.

When my time on earth is done, I want my angels to talk about me. I want them to have some exciting war stories to share with their friends.

“Let me tell you about the guy we were watching. More than once we had a fight on our hands. It was always exciting being with him.”

In my next post I’m going to begin talking about what it takes to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Who are these mighty men, and what did it take for them to accomplish great things?

Question: How far are you willing to go to advance the cause of Christ?

© Nick Zaccardi 2017

 
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Posted by on January 16, 2017 in Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Warfare, The Church

 

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Why so Downcast?

14 Nov

heart CrossIn my last post I talked about how worshiping God on our own terms is actually a form of idolatry. It’s through our arrogance that we think that we can approach God however we want.

One of the problems of our humanity is our tendency is to make a god in our image.

“If I were God, then this is what I would do.”

We say things like that and think that somehow this makes our foolishness theologically correct. It doesn’t. God is God and I’m not!

When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, he spent a portion of his letter talking about idolatry. He explained that in the world there are many so-called gods.

…yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
1 Corinthians 8:6

For us there is only one true God. It’s for Him, only, that we live. I can’t relegate Him to the spot of one among many. I live for Him and for His pleasure. I have to come to the point of realizing that my relationship with Christ is all that matters.

It’s when the church in America comes to this realization that revival will break out. The timing and outcome are all on us. We need to respond to the call.

“Why so downcast?” The sons of Korah asked this of themselves. Cain was asked it as well. The answer was the same then and now.

“You know what to do.”

…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

This has always been the key to revival. I’ve heard this verse preached over and over since I was a child. We need to put our relationship with God back on His terms.

“Why so downcast?”

“Look at the condition of the world and its people. The economy is in rough shape. I don’t have the time to do anything for God. There’s no power in the church.”

Let’s put away all of the excuses. It’s time to return to our first love. We need to put our hope back in God where it rightly belongs. It’s time to let all else fall away.

It may mean that some things have to change. We might need to stop doing some things – even good things – that are eating into our time with the Lord. There might be priorities that have to be rearranged. Whatever it takes, it’s worth it to see the glory of God once again manifested in His church.

Question: What’s the next step in your progress to get closer to the Lord?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 14, 2016 in Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Times and Strategies

04 Nov

KeyIn my last post I talked about understanding the times that we live in. I hope that it wasn’t a “downer,” because we actually live in very exciting times – spiritually speaking.

I made reference to the book of Daniel as a good resource for understanding what we’re facing today. We are being given the same choices that Daniel and his friends had.

We can either compromise and accept the luxuries of the world, or stand up for Christ and face possible ridicule. We live in a country that’s no longer a Christian nation. Our leaders are taking us, step by step, into a society we would have never thought possible.

We need to understand what’s happening. First of all, we must not start blaming people. To be victorious, you must know who your true enemy is.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12

The Bible makes it clear that our biggest struggle is not against people. It’s not about who’s in power, or what government official gets elected. There’s no vote that could ever bring about a move of God in our nation.

We have to fight this war in the spirit. It can only be won as we enter God’s presence.

But there are some other issues that we face. We need to not only know our enemy, but his tactics as well. I think that’s where we fall short sometimes. We let the devil trick us into giving him the victory.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
John 10:10

Here we have been given the enemy’s objectives. He uses the same ploys over and over again. Of the three listed in this verse, the middle one – kill – is the least understood. It’s the one we fall victim to on a regular basis.

The word translated kill has a couple of usages. It doesn’t mean to kill in the general sense. The first usage is to offer up as a burnt offering. The devil wants to sacrifice you on the altar of the world.

He wants to get you to burn up all of your time, energy, and resources chasing after the world’s goods. If he does that, then the devil has effectively knocked you out of the battle. You’re of no use to the Kingdom of God.

…his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3:13-15

I don’t want to see anyone suffer this loss. To be saved, entering the future Kingdom, yet having nothing to show for your time on earth. Everything you accomplished, sacrificed on the world’s altar.

Don’t let that happen to you. Be a part of what God is doing right now. Pray for a spiritual awakening in our culture.

Question: How have you seen the enemy using this strategy in people you know?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 4, 2016 in Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Election Thoughts

02 Nov

FlagcrossHere in the USA it’s getting close to Election Day, when we choose a new president. It has me thinking about where we are as a nation and as the church.

I’ve noticed that, more than ever before, people are asking me how they should vote. It’s as though they’re asking me to tell them who to vote for. Of course, that’s not my place, especially in this election.

The more I think and pray about it, the more I realize that we’ve come to a unique place in our history. Unfortunately, it seems that very few believers actually understand where we are.

Scripture talks about the men who came to support David and make him king of Israel. It lists the strengths that each group had to offer.

…men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
1 Chronicles 12:32

Obviously, knowing the times that you live in and then applying that knowledge goes a long way. It’s what we need in the church right now. Contrast that to the leadership of Israel when Christ came on the scene.

He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
Matthew 16:2-3

I’m worried that so many in the church are in this condition – not seeing the signs of the times. It will be a crucial strength if we’re to navigate the uncertain waters ahead.

This is because of what I see happening all around us. For the first time, a large percentage of people don’t particularly like any of the candidates we’ve been given. To go even further, no matter who’s elected, we will not have a leader with a strong Christian worldview.

I believe that we’re living in an age a lot like what Israel faced in their Babylonian captivity. They were removed from their land and placed in a totally new environment where those who ruled had no knowledge of Biblical truth.

“But we haven’t been taken into captivity,” you may say. Think about it. The nation we live in right now is not the same nation that our grandparents were born into. We may not have been taken to another country, but this is definitely not the same nation that was founded in 1776.

Please realize, I’m not talking about technology and education. I’m talking about attitudes toward Christ. What’s accepted as a devoted believer today is miles from where it had been.

I don’t say any of this to frighten anyone. That’s not the point. As a matter of fact, this could actually bring an increase in the manifestation of the power of God. It could even trigger a national revival. (Read the book of Daniel)

I want to take a few posts to talk about the times that we live in; and how we should act. You might not agree, but it may get you thinking about it.

Question: In your opinion, what is the spiritual condition of the USA right now?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2016 in Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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The God Who Sees Me

31 Oct

I’m looking at Philip’s call to become a disciple of Christ. He went and brought Nathanael to Jesus. When Jesus looked at Nathanael, He spoke out what He saw in the young man.

Nathaniel didn’t know how to respond.

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.
Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
John 1:48

“Where do you know about me from? Who’s been talking about me? Did Philip tell you about me?”

This is the big question. Everybody has it. Does God know me?

The fact is that Christ knows us all personally. He knows who we are and what we want from life, as well as our struggles and triumphs.

But Jesus went even further with Nathanael. He looked at him and told him, “Before Philip called you – while you were under the tree…I knew you.” This is the God we serve.

In the Old Testament book of Genesis, we see a servant named Hagar. She was pregnant and running away from Sarah, her master’s wife. She finds herself in the desert and about to die of thirst. That’s when an angel showed up to rescue her and prophesy about her and her son’s future.

She’s shown where to find water nearby. She was totally overwhelmed by the knowledge that God cared enough to intervene in her situation.

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered.
Genesis 16:13-14

She called God by a new name – El Roi – literally, the God who sees me. She then named that place the well of the Living One who sees me.

“Yes Nathaniel, I knew you before you knew me.”

His heart was laid bare.

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”
John 1:49

This is why Philip was called to bring the Good News to Nathaniel. He shared that this Rabbi, Jesus, was the Son of God; the King of Israel.

Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
John 1:50-51

Nathanael believed simply because of what he heard Jesus say. That’s amazing. There were people in Israel who saw great miracles and still didn’t believe.

We need to be excited about the God who sees us and knows us. We must let those around us know that God sees them, knows them, loves them, and is excited about them.

Be a Philip.

Question: Who can you share the Good News of Jesus with?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on October 31, 2016 in Encouragement, The Church, The Gospel

 

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The Gospel – Face to Face with Jesus

28 Oct

cross 2I’ve been talking about how Philip brought Nathanael to Christ. Jesus called Philip and he immediately shared the good news with his friend. When he was told about Jesus, Nathanael had an interesting response.

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.
“Come and see,” said Philip.
John 1:46

Look at his answer; it’s dripping with attitude. Nathanael was a man who was skeptical and bored with life. That’s why we can’t look at people’s attitudes when we share the Gospel with them. We must always remember to look at them through the eyes of Christ.

We can see that Philip understood this by his response. The NIV translates it as “Come and see”. But that doesn’t give you the full impact of what Philip said.

He didn’t use the normal word for see. The word he used is an excited interjection.

“You gotta see this!!!”

The truth is that disciples of Christ are excited about Christ. When was the last time you were excited about the Lord or something He did for you? How do you regain that excitement day by day?

King David is a good example to us. One day David didn’t feel like saying anything.

My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:
Psalm 39:3

If you want to fan the flame of excitement, then you must meditate on the good things of God. Good things, noble things, praiseworthy things. Why would anyone one want to come to Jesus if He’s not exciting to us?

It’s not about debating with people or convincing them to trust the Lord. The key is that your excitement about Christ should lead them into wanting what you’ve found.

So Nathanael, this skeptical, bored person, went to Jesus.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.”
John 1:47

When Jesus saw Nathaniel approaching, He used the same excited interjection that Philip used.

“Look at this!!!”

The Lord totally turned the tables on him. By saying that Nathanael was an Israelite with no trickery or deceit, the Lord caught him completely off guard.

The Lord knows what we need to see and hear in order to trust Him. Nathaniel was a skeptic, probably ready for a debate. Maybe had some questions to test Jesus with. Now he’s on the defensive.

That should be the case when a non-Christian comes into a group of excited believers who are being led by the Holy Spirit.

But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
1 Corinthians 14:24-25

It’s not about convincing arguments. It’s coming face to face with the power of God active in His people. I believe that this is the true nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Question: Do you know an example of an unbeliever coming face to face with the power of God?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on October 28, 2016 in Ministry, Power of God, The Church, The Gospel

 

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Revival – Getting There

07 Oct

SpeedRevival. Some Christians are praying for it. Many are hoping for it. But do we really understand what it will take to bring it about?

Throughout this blog I’ve shared what I believe the next great awakening of the church will look like. It will be about God’s people listening for, hearing and obeying God’s voice. Unfortunately, the “how” and the “when” are a mystery.

Getting from here to there is what the church should be majoring on right now.

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
Psalms 127:1

As an engineering student, I had to take a lot of math courses. I learned very quickly from Geometry, that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Well, that may work on paper, but in life it’s never that easy.

What’s the quickest way to get from Boston to New York? That all depends. Are you driving a car or flying in a plane? There are highways, rivers, cities, and other obstacles to think about.

In driving, the shortest route is not always the quickest. It’s the just like our spiritual walk. The difference is that only God sees the whole map. We have to trust Him to set the route for us.

In looking at the verse above, we don’t always think like that. Many times God gives us the blueprint, and we rush off and try to build the house without Him.

When God gave Moses the plans for the tabernacle in the wilderness, He didn’t stop there. The Lord told Moses who would do the work, where to get the supplies, how to move it, and how to use it.

Faith is all about letting God have His total way in our lives. In Hebrews, chapter 11, the Faith Chapter, it says this about Abraham leaving his home at God’s request.

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
Hebrews 11:10

When we look to the Lord for our future, He doesn’t only want to be involved in the planning. What He wants to do in our life is too big for us to accomplish. God wants to be in on the building of it as well.

So, in talking about revival, it’s great to know where He wants us to get to. But it won’t come to pass without God’s working and power in our lives. That’s why we need to spend the time necessary to seek Him.

Spending time in the Holy Spirit doesn’t just reveal God’s plan to us. It opens the door for God to do a supernatural work in us and through us. That’s what a spiritual awakening is all about.

Question: How much time do you spend listening in God’s presence?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on October 7, 2016 in Faith, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, The Church

 

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Godless Christians?

07 Sep

Dry2I’m posting about the pattern of life handed down to us in the Scripture. Living for Christ is not all about following a set of rules. That’s the way the world tries to function.

“As long as I’m not breaking the rules, I can do what I want.”

A number of years ago I was leading a high school boy’s Bible Study at a Christian school. A frequent question that I got asked on a regular basis was, “Can I ___________ and still be a Christian?”

The blank was different every time, but the attitude was the same. It might have been about alcohol, dancing, R-rated movies, or rock music. The focus was the same each time it was asked. They were basically asking me, “How close to the world can I go and still make it to Heaven?”

Unfortunately, that’s the way a lot of Christians live out their lives. They look at the “religious” side of their life. They read the Bible, pray regularly, and go to church. So they’re okay. The rest of the time they do what they want. In our society they’re considered good Christians.

I’m about to say something that will probably make you mad. Please continue reading with an open heart. My goal is to see the church become who we were meant to be.

Right now there are a large percentage of “good Christians” who are godless. That’s a word that we usually associate with the unsaved. But a study of the Word of God will show that it sometimes applies to Christians as well.

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
2 Timothy 2:16

Here Paul is warning a young pastor not to get involved in godless talk because it leads you further into ungodliness. That makes it clear that a Christian can be ungodly to a point. But what does that mean?

Simply put, ungodliness means that you live each day with no thought of God being involved in your life. You can be saved, on your way to Heaven, and love Jesus. But in your daily life you don’t look for God to have a big role.

You make your plans for the day or the week ahead. Then you go before God in prayer and ask Him to bless it. You may not want to hear this, but that is an ungodly lifestyle. You’re not unsaved, you’re not an evil person; you’re just living a godless lifestyle.

The Scripture gives us the pattern of life that will bring God, Himself into our daily lives. He should affect all that we do.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…
Titus 2:11-13

In my next posts I will talk about what the godly pattern of living is all about. If we will strive for that, it will bring us to a whole new level in Christ.

Question: What does it mean to get God involved in our daily lives?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on September 7, 2016 in Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Calling the Discontent

05 Aug

WomanI’ve been posting about how God is calling His people back together. It’s a lot like how the Lord brought the Mighty Men to David when he was on the run from King Saul.

All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
1 Samuel 22:2

The last group this verse talks about is those who were discontented; or literally bitter souled. That’s quite a picture of these people, yet God wanted to use them for His purpose.

When I think about bitter souled people I have to ask myself; do I really want them in my church? Then I studied out this phrase in the Old Testament. I made some interesting observations.

It was only used of 4 specific people in Old Testament. A woman named Hannah, who desperately wanted child. Job, who desperately wanted his life restored. King Hezekiah, who wanted healing. There was also the prophet Ezekiel…

The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.
Ezekiel 3:14

God placed a powerful Word in this prophet. The problem was that no one listened.

In reading about these individuals I found that bitterness can be used of God. But it depends upon the source of that bitterness. It must spring from a godly desire that we have in our heart. But it’s a desire that hasn’t been met yet. This takes place in us when we know that what we’re looking for is God’s will, but it didn’t happen the way we thought it should have.

All these great men and women of God; Hannah, Job, Hezekiah, and Ezekiel were discontent with the way things were. They knew that God was going to do something; they were just impatient in the waiting.

In that sense, God is calling for all the discontent believers. Bitterness in your soul is the sign that there needs to be a change. But how does it take place? We must cry out to God.

In each example of Scripture, God worked it out. Hannah received a son, Samuel, who anointed kings. Job was restored and his friends were blessed through his prayers. Hezekiah was healed. Ezekiel was miraculously brought to those who would listen to his message.

What has to happen for bitterness to bring glory to God?

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
Hebrews 12:15

Simply put; don’t let bitterness take root in your life. Use the bitterness to give you the drive to see things change. Let it bring you to your knees to cry out to God.

No one wants you to be satisfied with things as they are. But God wants you to do something with that discontent.

Bitterness can do one of two things. It can drive you into God’s presence; then you’ll see the power of God. Or it will give you an excuse to drop out.

The Lord wants these drop outs to get back on their feet for Christ. They know the need. They felt the hurt. Now by the power of God they can do something about it.

It’s time to call God’s people to gather back together.

It’s time.

Question: What is your godly discontentment?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on August 5, 2016 in Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Do You Need Spiritual Healing?

03 Aug

DoctorGod is calling His church to rise up and be a witness in this generation. I’ve been posting about David’s band of warriors and how they relate to us.

All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.
1 Samuel 22:2

One group of people who rallied around David was those who were in debt. In the Old Testament the root word of being in debt is led astray.

Spiritually speaking, there are Christians today who have been led astray and now feel indebted to the world. They’re chasing after the things of the world and have obligated themselves. Now they can’t totally live for the Lord because of it.

It’s time to call them to Christ. We need to get strong in the Lord and break the hold that the world has over us.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8

God is calling His strays back into the harvest field.

“I used to go to church.”

Don’t you want to fulfill your calling? It’s time for you to get back into the spiritual battle. Hear the Word of the Lord. Get strong again.

Think about when David and men came into town for supplies. The debt collectors didn’t go near them. There was strength in numbers. It’s the same in the body of Christ.

Sometimes people make it sound so holy.

“I don’t need church. I’m living for God – it’s just me and Jesus.”

The fact is that the devil has an easy time beating up the “lone ranger” Christians. It’s time to get back into the safety of God’s people.

These believers need to get back on the road to their calling. We can’t fulfill our destiny all alone. We need each other.

Maybe you feel bruised and battered. It might have even been at the hands of church people. I have to admit that there are some churches that do more harm than good.

But that doesn’t change the fact that Jesus Christ has established His church as a place of healing, growth, and worship. Don’t allow the foolishness of others to rob you of your destiny.

For every church that hurts people, there are many others that fulfill God’s calling to bring healing to the broken. You need to overcome your hurt, and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to bring you to a body of believers who are living correctly for Christ.

Believe it or not, your hurt is only temporary. God wants to put you back on your feet to live for Him. Don’t waste another day missing your calling. Do what it takes to overcome the attack of the enemy that was meant to destroy you.

Let God have the final Word in your life. You can overcome in Christ.

Question: How has the Lord brought you victoriously through hurts in the past?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on August 3, 2016 in Fellowship, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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