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Missions Opportunity

22 Nov

indonesiaI want to share some exciting news with you about a great opportunity that’s opened up for me.

I’m on the leadership team for our association in the Southern Baptist Convention. Recently we received a call from some Christian believers in the nation of Indonesia.

The original missionaries to Indonesia came from the Boston area. They were martyred for their faith. Now a group of Christians from that country are asking if there are any churches in the Boston area that are willing to help them plant a church right now on the island of Sumatra. We felt God’s unmistakable leading to answer that call.

I will be part of a team that’s taking some Boston area pastors on a Vision Trip to see the work being done and to meet the church planters involved. Our goal is to form a solid partnership between our churches and these missionaries.

In order to make this trip, I will need to raise about $2000 for transportation and other expenses. I would ask you to pray about whether the Lord would want you to help out financially.

If you can’t donate money, then I ask you to support this work in your prayers. We want to see a huge impact for Christ in this part of the world.

We will be leaving January 14-29, 2017, so it’s important that I raise my support as soon as possible.

Any money that comes in above the needed amount will be used for future mission trips that the Lord has on my horizons.

I believe that this partnership could change thousands of lives for eternity. I would be very grateful for your support and prayers.

To financially support this trip, click here.

For more details about this trip, click here.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20

 
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Posted by on November 22, 2016 in Newsletters

 

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Jesus Describes Himself

21 Nov

JesusJesus reveals Himself to the church in many different ways. It all depends upon what we need to see. Look at how He describes Himself to the pastor (angel, messenger) of a church in a town called Laodicea.

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.”
Revelation 3:14

The Lord reveals Himself in three ways. First, He shows Himself as the Amen. The literal translation of that word throughout the New Testament is so be it.

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always been “Yes.” For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
II Corinthians 1:19-20

It’s through Christ that the Amen is spoken to all the promises of God. So many times we don’t understand why promises seem to be delayed.

Our first response is, “Well, maybe it’s not God’s will for me.” Scripture is clear. If you’re in Christ you already have the yes and the so be it.

It’s no longer a matter of if, but of God’s timing – which, by the way, seems to be on a different level than our timing. Just remember, when it comes to His revealed will as recorded in His Word, we need unwavering faith to trust in Him no matter what the situation looks like.

He also reveals Himself as the Faithful and True Witness. He’s the One we can totally rely upon. He’s the only One worthy of putting your complete faith and trust in.

Not only is He true and genuine, the Lord is truth, the Word of God made flesh. It’s important, however, to understand how He’s a witness. What is it that the Lord is a witness to? The answer to that question makes all the difference.

God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
Romans 1:9-10

Over and over again in the New Testament we’re told that God is a witness to all that we do. We may be able to hide our activities from other people, but not from God. This should give us a motive to serve God with all of our hearts.

This is because the Lord is our attorney at the judgment seat. Granted, that in Christ we will not be in danger of Hell, but our rewards are dependent upon His testimony. Remember this – He is the faithful and true Witness. He will not whitewash your actions or cover up your wrong doings.

The testimony of Christ will be perfectly correct and accurate. If you want your rewards to be great, then you must live your life at the highest level for the Lord.

Finally, He shows Himself to be the Ruler of God’s creation. Everything was made by Him and for Him. He is the Origin and Source of the universe.

Therefore, the Lord is also the Owner. He has complete sovereignty over all there is. We must acknowledge that He’s in charge and we are not. It’s God’s plan that we follow His lead and not seek after our own petty desires.

Question: What are the ways in which Christ revealed Himself to you in your life?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 21, 2016 in Faith, Power of God, Spiritual Walk

 

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Passing Down the Blessing

18 Nov

FallenI’m posting about our call to be a blessing to those around us. I started by looking at this verse in Hebrews…

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
Hebrews 11:20

This is an interesting verse because in actuality Esau was Isaac’s favorite. He was the one that Isaac wanted to give the family blessing to. But in the final analysis, it was Jacob who went further with God and His plan.

When you talk to someone; do you know their heart? That’s why we want to be a blessing to everyone around us. We have no way of knowing what it could mean in their lives.

There is, however, another aspect of blessing that we sometimes miss. It’s a very important concept for us to understand.

And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.
Hebrews 7:7

The phrase without doubt means that this truth is absolute under all conditions. We need to realize that a true blessing can only travel down-line. It could pass from a parent to a child, a teacher to a student, or a pastor to a church. That means that a true blessing is only a part of a relationship where there is submission and obedience.

It’s very important that we understand that the blessing is passed through lines of authority. Even though we may say in church-speak , “he blesses me,” we really only means that he makes me happy.

A true blessing, the endowment with power for success, must come from an authority. And that brings us to the other side of the coin – cursing. By curse, I’m not talking about using foul language. Cursing is the opposite of blessing; it’s the endowment of power for destruction in a situation.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
James 3:9-10

What’s true for the blessing is also true for the curse. It can only travel down-line through lines of authority. That’s why I’m not worried about what people say to me…or about me.

Some people get all upset and anxious over the careless words of others. Someone might say something like, “You look like you’re coming down with something.”

I’ve heard people get very upset and respond, “Don’t speak death over me!”

The fact is that I don’t have to worry. Only my authority can curse me, and I’m confident that they won’t.

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
Proverbs 26:2

I don’t have anything to fear from the curse. I’ve been set free in Christ. Anybody can say what they want to me or about me – my life is under God’s protection.

Enough about the curse. The point is that as far as we’re concerned we should be speaking blessing and life into the people God has placed us over.

This includes the unbelievers around us. You do realize that in Christ, we’re in a higher place than they are. If we spoke more blessings into them, they would probably be more open to the Gospel of Christ.

As believers, we should be a people who are known for the blessings that come from being around us.

Question: What was the last blessing that you spoke into the life of someone else?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2016 in Ministry, Power of God, Spiritual Walk

 

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Blessed to be a Blessing

16 Nov

Come to JesusWhat does it mean to be a blessing? We use the word a lot, but do we really understand it? I want to take a couple of posts to talk about our ability to bless others.

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.
Hebrews 11:20

Mature believers don’t just seek to be blessed, but to be a blessing. It’s a choice that has to be made. It’s by faith that we choose to be a blessing to others.

We use the word bless very loosely in the body of Christ.

“God blessed me with a parking space.”

We seem to think that anything good that happens is a blessing. That’s the modern church definition. But when you read the Bible, that thought will hide the truth about the blessing.

There are two opposites in Scripture, and we need to understand both of them. I’m talking about blessing and cursing.

Let’s start with blessing. What exactly does the word bless mean. In the Old Testament it’s the Hebrew word Barak. It means to kneel, which emphasizes the receiving aspect. In the New Testament, the Greek word Eulogeo is used. It means a well spoken word; and relates to the giving of a blessing.

One thing that we have to realize is that the blessing is always spoken. The actual word, bless, means to endue with power for success. That’s a tall order – to be a blessing to someone. How can I do that?

In Scripture we’re told to do everything in the Name of Jesus. It’s in His powerful name that we have what we need to bless others.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you.
Psalm 118:26

If you have the name of the Lord, then you’re already blessed. It’s an event that has taken place when you made Christ the Lord of your life.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3

The good news is that I’m not looking for God’s blessing. According this verse, He has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heaven in Christ.

We know Scripture tells us that we can do all things through Christ. We have to remember this. We’ll never get that done on our own. We are blessed in order that we might be a blessing to others.

Getting back to what I said above. Now that we know what a blessing is, we can understand it better. A good parking space is not a blessing – it’s actually the result of the blessing that’s upon our lives.

This is the basis for blessing others. I can only bless those around me if I know that I am truly blessed. It takes blessed people to bless people.

Question: How has the blessing of God been evident in your life lately?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 16, 2016 in Ministry, Power of God, Spiritual Walk

 

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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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Idolatry – Worship on my Terms

11 Nov

MirrorIn my last post I started talking about how we relate to God. It needs to be on His terms and not ours. In the book of Genesis, Cain learned that lesson the hard way and ended up angry and depressed.

That happens when we try to approach the Lord on our terms.

“After all, God should respond the way I want Him to no matter what the situation is.”

When this doesn’t work, we get upset. It’s just like what we read in the Psalms.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
Psalm 42:5-6a

The Sons of Korah ask a very insightful question in this Psalm. It literally asks why is there a war raging inside me? The answer was simple.

“Your hope is not in God.”

Cain wanted a relationship based upon his desires and not God’s. It’s what we do many times. In ministry and in life, we cut corners, show up late, and pursue our priorities over God’s. We portray the unspoken attitude that “this should be good enough for God.”

We think that we should be accepted by God simply because we performed some task for Him. Unfortunately, that will never happen. We want to work for God’s approval. Then we can boast about how good we are, and how much more we do than others. It’s all about us.

In fact, it should be all about the Lord and His work in us. That’s the crux of the conflict between Cain and Abel. As a result, Abel became an innocent victim of Cain’s desire to approach God on his own terms.

It was also the start of a new trend that has carried on through the ages. Mankind wanted a god who was there when, and only when, they needed him. They didn’t want him to mess with their lives the rest of the time. They wanted a god who would help bring rain when their crops were dying. Make a sacrifice for rain and that’s it – a rain-god.

Oh, yes, and when I want a child, I may need a fertility god. On and on it went throughout the generations. What Cain did was the start of idolatry – worship on my terms.

There was a king of Israel who learned this the hard way. Saul was told what God’s will was, but he decided to do things his way instead.

“For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”
1 Samuel 15:23

Why is arrogance like idolatry? It’s because by our arrogance we reject the known Word of God. We know what God has said, yet we do it our way and continue to expect His blessing on our lives. We say, “That should be good enough.”

This is one of the big problems of the modern American church. It seems so obvious to me when I compare our experience to that of the Book of Acts. The early church lived to do God’s will – all else was secondary.

Now our prayer is, “God use me, when my schedule is open. Maybe next Thursday at 3:00, if nothing else comes up.”

We need to make the will of God the highest priority in our lives. Then we can fit everything else in once we submit our whole schedule to the Lord.

Question: How often do you seek God’s leading when filling your schedule?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 11, 2016 in Revival, Spiritual Walk, Worship

 

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Relationship – But on Whose Terms?

09 Nov

AloneWe understand from Scripture that even though Adam started out well, he soon fell from grace into sin. Along with him, the whole human race was plunged into darkness. This required a change in the way God related to His creation. It was only restored through the work of Christ on the cross.

At this point in history it’s up to us to understand how God wants us to relate to Him. Then, we must attain to the walk with God that He desires. I want to talk about the heart of the matter. A good example is found in the book of Genesis. There we see two brothers, Cain and Abel.

In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.
Genesis 4:3-4a

What we see here, are two young men who both want a relationship with God. Both wanted to worship God, and both brought an offering.

The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Genesis 4:4b-5

Not many people know the significance of this statement. They think that the issue was as simple as God wanting a blood sacrifice. That would be true if this were a sacrifice of atonement. It’s clear from the verse that this was a firstfruits sacrifice, more like a tithe.

The Law of Moses tells us that offerings of fruits, vegetables and grain were always acceptable to God. There was more going on in this passage. The truth is that it’s all about ministry.

God taught Adam how to cover their nakedness, and their sin, through animal sacrifice (Genesis 3:21). At this point in history God had not allowed man to eat meat yet, that only happened after the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 9:3).

That means that the only reason for Abel to raise livestock was for clothing and sacrifice. According to Jesus, Abel was the first prophet (Luke 11:50-51).

This gives us great insight into the truth of these verses. Abel was the prophet-priest of his day. It wasn’t about the type of sacrifice, but who was offering it. For Cain to have been accepted, he would have had to go to Abel, for him to offer it on Cain’s behalf. That would have brought about the relationship with God that Cain desired.

What Cain needed to learn was that our relationship with God is on His terms, not ours. I don’t get to dictate to God how the relationship will progress or how it will be cultivated.

The above verse says that Cain was very angry and his face was downcast. How many Christians find themselves in this position? Their emotions all stirred up. There face is sad and angry. All because God is not responding as they think that He should.

I believe the answer is simple. The problem is not with God, it’s with us. We are the ones who need a greater understanding of who God is and how we are to relate to Him.

I want to take a few posts to talk about this issue – how we are to relate to God on His terms.

Question: What do you do to approach God on His terms?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 9, 2016 in Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Are You Running too Fast?

07 Nov

JogI’ve been talking about the days ahead and the enemy’s plans against God’s people. His strategy never changes. We looked at this verse…

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

In my last post I said that there were two usages for the word kill in this verse. I already talked about the first on – a burnt offering.

The second meaning of this word is very applicable to this generation. The literal meaning of this word is to rush, to breathe hard. This is one of the greatest temptations in our society.

We have a tendency to want to do everything – to be everywhere. We end up with full schedules and no time left over at the end of the day.

We have to live our lives aware of the enemy’s tactics. If he can get us running so hard, doing so many things, then we’ll never have enough time for the Lord and His work.

Please realize that I’m not talking about you doing anything evil. We can fill our day with good things. They’re just not the things that God’s called us to do. Living like that can rob us of God’s blessing.

Jesus spoke to His disciples about the Last Days. Listen to what He said we would have to look out for.

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.”
Luke 21:34-35

In looking forward to our time in history, Jesus said that if we weren’t careful, our hearts would be weighed down with dissipation. Dissipation – that’s the ongoing process of the word dissipate. That’s like evaporation – things like water just vanish into thin air.

Do you find that the things in your life are dissipating? Are your time, money, and resources vanishing too quickly, and you don’t know why? The problem may be dissipation.

When we don’t spend time in the presence of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to order our lives, we get into trouble. We end up doing things we were never meant to do. Good things, noble things; but they weren’t in God’s plan for us. At the end of the day they’re robbing us of our life.

It’s time for the people of God to get back into order – the Lord’s order. This may mean cutting some things out of our schedule. It may mean saying “no” to some people that are asking you to do things with them.

Then, your life will be clear for God to move in you. You’ll find that He has plenty for you to do, only without the grief. You’ll no longer have a life where you seem to be on a treadmill with no forward progress. Your life will be fulfilling – the way God planned it to be.

Spend time seeking God’s order for each of your days. You won’t regret it.

Question: How have you seen dissipation work when you’ve neglected God’s leading?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016

 
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Posted by on November 7, 2016 in Ministry, Prayer, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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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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