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Understanding in Christ

11 Dec
Understanding in Christ

As we go through the letter to the Colossians, I’ve been talking about the prize Paul is striving for. In my last post we saw that he wants to see all believers’ hearts united in love.

Now the apostle shares the reason for this desire.

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2-3 NIV

The reason he wants us united, is because together, as the body of Christ, we can access the wealth of understanding in Christ. The concept of understanding in Scripture is very important, but most don’t realize it. The word, in Scripture, means to put together.

Understanding involves direction. It looks for the eventual outcome of a line of thinking. It tries to put together all the facts, and asks, “Where does the path I’m on take me?” This process exercises the mind to its greatest potential. It’s hard work, and sometimes brings unexpected results.

Because of this, most people will not seek understanding. Yet seeking is the only way to obtain it. And it’s only in Christ that we receive the full riches of understanding. That’s because this understanding opens up a whole new world to us.

Without this God-given understanding, we have no capability of knowing the mystery God. The fact is that Christ, Himself, is that mystery. I’m not talking about reading and studying the Bible to learn about Christ.

I’m speaking of truly knowing Christ in all of His fullness. That’s a mystery beyond our human comprehension. However, in Christ we have that ability. That’s where the riches are hidden.

This verse tells us that as we unite our hearts in love, we start to recognize and discern the wealth of the mystery of who Christ is. We start to see the glory of the Messiah working in us.

That’s where all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. Knowledge is the accumulation of facts. We get that from the Bible. Wisdom is the application of those facts. It makes right choices based on those facts.

But, as great as wisdom and knowledge are, they’re not enough. It’s the understanding of God that brings you to the next level.

King Solomon, the wisest man knew this.

Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor.

Proverbs 4:7a-9 NIV

Paul wants to see this church, and us, operating at the highest level possible. That will only come through God-given understanding. He emphasizes this because the Colossians were on the verge of leaving it for human wisdom.

I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

Colossians 2:4 NIV

Don’t chase after the world’s way of thinking. Allow the Holy Spirit to impart to you the mind of Christ. It will open up a higher way of living in Christ.

Question: How have you experienced the understanding of God?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 11, 2023 in Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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In the Arena

08 Dec
In the Arena

We’re continuing our walk through Paul’s letter to the Colossian church. If you remember, this is a church that Paul never visited personally. It was established by his spiritual son, Epaphras.

In my last post, Paul talked about his desire to see all believers rise up to their full potential in Christ. The last verse we looked at in chapter 1 actually ties in to the first verse of chapter 2.

To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.

Colossians 1:29-2:1 NIV

In both of these verses, he talks about how he is struggling. That’s an important word. Unfortunately, in the English language there are many kinds of struggling.

You could be struggling, climbing a mountain. You could be a soldier in a war against a bitter enemy. There are so many different ways you could interpret this.

The Greek language, however, gives us a clear picture of what Paul is referring to. This word, struggling, comes from a root word that means a gathering place, such as an arena.

So, this is a struggle that would take place in an arena. It’s a public spectacle like a boxing match or a race. It’s about struggling for a prize.

So, what’s the prize that Paul is struggling for? I’m glad you asked! It’s what every church leader should be striving toward. And, actually, it may take me a couple of posts to explain it.

My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Colossians 2:2-3 NIV

This passage is full of important truth. Let’s start with the phrase, encouraged in heart and united in love. These are not two separate things – there’s no “and” between them in the original Greek verse.

The word, encouraged, means to be called together. It’s an invitation to join a group. They’re being called to one place, for one purpose.

There’s a clear reason for this call. The original says that it’s for their hearts to be united in love. Again, this needs an explanation in the English language.

The words that Paul uses literally mean that he wants their hearts to be compacted or coalesced together. He wants them mixed together in such a way that they form one whole.

Think of it this way. If you’re making a cake, you get many different ingredients. You have flour, milk, eggs, oil, and flavoring. But then, you have to blend them all together until they coalesce into one finished bakery item.

That’s what Paul is looking to accomplish in the church. Trust me, anyone in church leadership can tell you that this process is a struggle. It requires all the people involved to submit themselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

And this is only the first part of the prize Paul is aiming for. In my next post, I’ll continue with this thought.

Question: How well is your heart united with your fellow believers?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 8, 2023 in Leadership, Ministry, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Spiritual Maturity

06 Dec
Spiritual Maturity

I have been posting a series about the letter to the Colossian church. The Apostle Paul has been talking about his ministry to the body of Christ. His goal is the maturity of all believers.

Paul understood this aspect of his work as an apostle of Christ.

We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Colossians 1:28-29 NIV

That’s the goal of the ministry. All who are in leadership are here to present everyone – not just a select few – perfect and mature in Christ. This requires supernatural strength and wisdom.

We cannot hope to perform this on a merely human level. As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I need to yield to the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this great task.

The belief that this is impossible to achieve in our lifetime only serves to undermine the Lord’s goal for us. We need to recognize where He’s leading us to and cooperate with the Lord’s program for our development. After all, He’s bringing us on an incredible spiritual journey.

That’s exactly what the Lord taught His disciples.

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:48 NIV

This word, perfect, also means to be mature and complete. This is God’s desire for His people. That we attain to the same level of maturity as Christ.

The unfortunate thing is that many teach that this is impossible. Over and over, we are told that to walk like Jesus is beyond our reach. I don’t buy into this type of reasoning.

When I see the lives of the Apostles in the book of Acts, I don’t get the idea that they’re immature. I see the same signs and wonders that were performed by the Lord. I see thousands of people drawn to, and changed by, the Word of God. If it was possible for them, then the same is true for us – if we’re willing to walk the same road they walked to get there.

One of the key ingredients to us reaching this level is the ministry gifts God has given to the body of Christ. In talking about apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, Paul said that they were given as gifts to the church. They have a very clear purpose.

…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:12-13 NIV

The goal of the five-fold ministry is the maturing of the saints. The level of that maturity is beyond question. It is that we would live and minister as the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Why would the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to write these words if it were not possible? We need to stop making excuses and start working towards the walk of maturity.

Question: What would the ministry of a spiritually mature believer look like?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2023 in Leadership, Ministry, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Passion and Pressure

04 Dec
Passion and Pressure

I’m continuing with my walk through Paul’s letter to the Colossian church. In my last post, I talked about faithfulness. Now Paul shares his passion for the church.

Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

Colossians 1:24 NIV

Here we see the heart of Paul for the people of God. He rejoices in his suffering for the church. But we really need to understand that word.

The apostle is not talking about a physical hurt. This is an emotion type of suffering. It’s the passion he has to see these believers walking in their true potential.

Then he goes on to describe another thing that he’s feeling. Paul lives under the pressure of seeing what’s lacking in God’s children. That’s what the word affliction means in this verse.

This combination of passion and pressure is what drives him forward. It’s something that we need to learn in our ministries today. Do I feel the passion and pressure to advance the church of Jesus Christ?

This is what’s needed for effective ministry. Unfortunately, there are too many times when we look for the easy way forward. We shy away from any kind of emotional hardship.

I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness – the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.

Colossians 1:25-26 NIV

It’s through the passion and pressure that Paul has become a servant in the body of Christ. The word, commissioned, in the above verse is a Greek word from which we get our English word, economy.

In God’s economy, Paul has become a servant to those he ministers to. That’s one of the problems we have with Christian “lingo”. The word, minister, actually means a servant. Somehow, we’ve elevated it in church circles to mean the person in charge.

Yes, it does speak of leading. But it’s a servant leadership. The kind of leadership exemplified by Christ Himself.

According to Paul, it’s this kind of service that brings God’s Word to light. He wants to see this Word fulfilled in the lives of God’s people.

Until that time there was a great mystery. What was this mystery? The fact that God was going to call Gentiles into His kingdom. Jesus Christ came to seek and save all of lost humanity.

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Colossians 1:27 NIV

Until this time, God’s glory was reserved only for the Jewish people. Now, all of mankind can be a part of the glorious kingdom.

This is where the passion and pressure come from. Knowing that we have the answer to what the world is hungering for. That should drive us forward to bring the message of Christ to the world.

Let the Gospel consume you. Let the world see the glory of God in you.

Question: How strong do you feel the passion and pressure of the Gospel?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2023 in Leadership, Ministry, Revival, The Gospel, Word of God

 

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Faithfulness is the Key

01 Dec
Faithfulness is the Key

As we go through Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we’ve been talking about the supremacy of Christ. He is Lord over all of Creation. He’s the supreme Commander – the Head of the church.

Now Paul looks at our relationship to Him.

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

Colossians 1:21 NIV

Things didn’t start out too good for us. We began our lives as enemies of God. Everything in our beings wanted the opposite of God’s will for us. Thank God the story doesn’t end there!

But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation – if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Colossians 1:22-23 NIV

Because of the work on the cross, Christ brought us back into right standing with God. Being fully God and fully man, He was the only one who could bring about such a great redemption.

Now I can enter the presence of God without fear, anytime I want to. Because of Christ, I now can stand before Him holy, clean, and without any accusations.

There are many who want to emphasize this point. They push the fact of our position in Christ. Some take this a little too far.

They almost get into the same ditch as the Gnostics. They feel that they can live however they want and still be considered holy, clean, and without condemnation. But, if you read this verse closely, you’ll find an “if”.

This is a big “if.” We all like to think that we’re unconditionally free from accusation. We quote that there is now no condemnation in Christ. But these verses are all contingent upon us continuing our walk of faith, trusting the Lord’s will for us. It’s not about me fulfilling my plan and desires.

On the other hand, if you’re truly walking in faith, then you’ll be obedient to what the Lord desires for you. You won’t be off doing your own thing, trying to fulfill your own wants and desires.

If you’re really trusting God, then you love Him and His ways. Unfortunately, with many it’s only lip service.

Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find?

Proverbs 20:6 NIV

It’s easy to say that you love the Lord. The real question is; are you faithfully carrying out His will? It doesn’t matter how spiritual you make it sound. The only true sign of unconditional love is faithfulness to the plan God has set out for you. Apart from that, all your claims of “loving God” are merely empty words.

God’s people are a supernatural kingdom under the direct authority of a sovereign Lord. It’s not up to us to choose where and for how long we will work. It’s the King of kings who decides our destiny and, to tell you the truth, I have more faith in His ability to promote me than in my own.

What I need to do in the tough situations is to stand my ground and let the Lord work His will through me. Faithfulness will bring God’s reward.

Question: How has God worked through you in the past?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 1, 2023 in Faith, Ministry, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Supremacy of Christ

29 Nov
The Supremacy of Christ

We’re continuing our walk through the book of Colossians. Paul is giving truth that shows the fallacy of Gnosticism. For the last couple of posts, I talked about the place of Christ in creation.

Now Paul talks about the Lord’s place as Ruler and King.

And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

Colossians 1:18-20 NIV

As I’ve said before, Paul is combating the heresy that places Christ at the bottom of the ladder of created angelic beings. He now gives us a picture of Christ in His rightful place.

First, we see the Lord as the Head of the church, His body on earth. The word, church, that Paul uses, means the gathering together of God’s people.

Jesus Christ is the beginning of it all. That word means the chief in order, rank, time, or place. Nothing would exist if not for Christ.

But, more than that, He is the firstborn from the dead. Not even death itself could stop the Lord from His assignment.

There were many who were raised from the dead in Scripture. But Jesus Christ is the only one who came back and stayed alive forever. All of the others, people like Lazarus, eventually had to die and go back to the grave. Not Jesus!

Paul makes the reasoning clear. This was so that in every area of existence, Christ is supreme.

The fullness of God was in Him. That’s one of the hardest things for us to grasp. The fact that Jesus Christ was both fully God and fully man at the same time.

But, because of that, He was the perfect mediator. The Lord could deal with our sin and the holiness of God at the same time. Now we have peace with God through the blood He shed on the cross. The power released in that act is totally unimaginable.

Now, because of His sacrifice, we can stand holy, righteous, and clean before the God of the universe. What an amazing gift. His love is unthinkable.

When you look at all of this as a whole, you can realize why only He is worthy of our worship. All of heaven, and earth will bow before His Lordship. The best thing we can do is to choose this response now, before we have no choice.

It takes me back to a verse in 2 Corinthians.

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. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NIV

This is the message a dying world needs to hear. How can we keep it to ourselves? Share the Good News with everyone who will listen!

Question: How is the supremacy of Christ evident in your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2023 in Creation, Faith, Power of God, The Gospel

 

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Dark Matter and the Word

27 Nov
Dark Matter and the Word

As we go through Paul’s letter to the Colossian church, the apostle is giving them a clear picture of who Jesus Christ is. He explains the glory of God, the Son, in powerful terms.

But, before I start on today’s Scripture, I have to start with an introduction. As many of you know, I don’t have a religious degree. My degree is in the field of science. That gives me a unique perspective on the Word of God.

Contrary to what they say in the world, science does not disprove the Bible. Actually, in my experience, scientific FACTS only serve to prove who God is. The FACTS of science line up with the Word.

The problem comes in with the interpretation of those facts. Atheists come to the table with the foundational assumption that there’s no God. Therefore, they have to explain how those facts could work without God.

I see those same facts, and they only serve to increase my faith in the Lord. Today’s verse is one of those places that illustrate this. So, prepare yourself for a science lesson.

There are some things about this universe that baffle atheistic scientists. One of these is the FACT that there’s not enough mass in the universe to provide the gravity which holds it together. With the matter we see, everything should fly apart.

So, physicists have come up with a theoretical particle that they call dark matter. They say that in order for the universe to be stable, this dark matter has to provide the gravity necessary to hold everything together.

What baffles them is that you can’t see these particles. You can’t test for them. You can’t find them. You just have to take it on faith that they exist.

What does Scripture say? That brings me to today’s verse from Colossians. In talking about Christ, Paul says…

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Colossians 1:17 NIV

According to the Word, the Creator made the universe in such a way that it needed to be held together. It is God, Himself who holds it together.

Atheistic physicists describe their belief in dark matter as an invisible “spider’s web” holding the universe together. That sounds like misplaced faith to me. In order to hold on to their belief in “no God”, they trust an invisible array of dark matter.

However, if you listen to their belief, it’s even more incredible. One article I read (written by an atheist) actually said that our universe has been “finely tuned to support life”. Of course, they believe that nature finely tuned it.

Think about it. If I say that an Indy race car was finely tuned, does that sound like random chance to you? “Finely tuned” implies that someone took a lot of time and care to make it run exactly how it should.

These physicists say that our universe has exactly the right amount of dark matter to produce life. Too much and everything would come together in a big blob. Not enough, and everything would disintegrate. It had to be perfect.

Yes, I believe our universe was finely tuned. The Good News is that I know the Tuner and Creator. When I see the choice…an invisible spider’s web vs. A loving Creator…my decision is simple. I place my faith in the God who has revealed Himself through the Bible and in Jesus Christ.

That seems the simplest choice to me. Over and over again throughout my life, it has proven to be the exact, right choice.

Question: Where do you place your faith?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 27, 2023 in Creation, Faith, Power of God, Word of God

 

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God Lives in Us

24 Nov
God Lives in Us

As we continue through Colossians, I just want to remind you of some things. A man named Epaphras was the founding pastor of this church. He was one of Paul’s spiritual sons.

He visited Paul with a question about the Gnostic heresy that was creeping into his church. The Gnostics taught that everything in the material world is evil. God cannot touch it, so He created a number of lower beings as mediators.

According to their cult, Jesus was at the bottom of this list. This was a blatant denial of the Lord’s deity. Because he’s dealing with this subject, Paul gives us one of the clearest pictures of Christ in this small letter.

In my last post, Paul showed us that we have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of Christ. Now he describes exactly who Christ is.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Colossians 1:15-16 NIV

In this verse we see Christ as the Creator. Sometimes that confuses people. They trip up over the words, God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Much of the problem is that we’ve developed a religious language that’s not based on the Bible. It seems like it’s based on songs and traditions. If you listen to our language, you get the idea that there are three Gods.

The fact is that there is only one God. Another important point is that we’ve been created in the image of God. That should give us a foundation for understanding Him. Just like us, there are three parts to His being – Father, Son and Spirit.

Part of the problem is that we like formulas. Many times, I’ve heard that we must pray to the Father, through the Holy Spirit, in the name of Jesus. While there’s nothing wrong with that, a lot of what we do sounds like this…

If you were meeting with a friend, would you say, “I just want to sit down with your body and talk to your mind through your ears.”

We don’t do this in the natural. We simply say, “Can I talk to you?”

Even something as simple as “Who created the world?” sometimes can be confusing.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:1-3 NIV

We know that God created everything, but we argue over whether it was the Father, the Son, or the Spirit who said, “Let there be…”

This is why Paul’s description of Christ is so important. It answers the burning question. Was it Father, Son, or Spirit who created us? What I’m trying to say is that it doesn’t matter – God created us – all the parts of His being worked together.

That’s like asking; was it my spirit, soul or body who drove my car? I DROVE MY CAR!!!

I think that we get so caught up in the parts of God’s being, that we miss the big picture. God Himself lives in us. I have access into His presence because of Christ.

I don’t believe that the Lord is as concerned over our formulas as much as our relationship with Him. We must deepen our walk with Christ, by spending quality time with His Holy Spirit.

Question: How would you characterize your relationship with the Holy Spirit?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 24, 2023 in Creation, Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, The Gospel

 

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Are We Thankful

22 Nov
Are We Thankful

Since tomorrow is the day of Thanksgiving in the USA, I want to pause in my look at Colossians. I’ll start that back up on Friday. For now, I want to meditate on being thankful to God.

These thoughts on Thanksgiving come from reading Luke 17:11-19. In this section of Scripture, we see an interesting event in the life of Christ. It caused me to ask myself if I’m truly thankful for all God has done for me.

This story, from the life of Christ, surrounds ten lepers. These were men who had an incurable skin disease. They came to Jesus for a miracle and were not disappointed.

In these verses, we see everything needed for obtaining the blessing of God. There’s faith, obedience, and expectancy. Jesus’ response to them is simple.

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
Luke 17:14 NIV

There was no special religious display. The Lord didn’t touch them or even pray over them. He simply gave them a task to complete.

Then, something unexpected happened. As they were on their way to the priests, their healing was completed. By the time they got there, the leprosy was totally gone.

But that wasn’t the only unexpected occurrence that day.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.
Luke 17:15 NIV

On the way to the priests, one of the men sees what’s happening to him. As he experiences his healing, he turns around. He begins to make his way back to Jesus.

As he does so, he starts yelling. The literal Greek uses the words mega-phone. This was not a quiet thankfulness of the heart. His actions must have attracted attention. And what’s more, he didn’t even care who heard him. He wanted to praise God because of His blessing.

What this passage taught me is that thankful people live out loud for the Lord. This is not just a church thing, but a lifestyle of praise to God.

That’s why I believe Thanksgiving is more than just “Turkey Day” or “Football Day.” It’s about what God has done for us. Even the disciples of Christ caught hold of this.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen…
Luke 19:37 NIV

This is a normal response to the hand of God at work. It doesn’t mean you have to yell all the time. What it does mean, is that God’s work should be abundantly evident in your life.

Question: What are you thankful to God for? Are you willing to let people know about it?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 22, 2023 in Encouragement, Faith, Healing

 

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Out of Darkness

20 Nov
Out of Darkness

We’re continuing our walk through the book of Colossians. Paul has been telling them of the power that’s available through their relationship with Christ. We’re no longer a part of the world’s system.

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:13-14

This is the key to most of our Christian walk. We were under the authority of darkness. The word authority basically means permission to act. Now we have been brought over into the King-dom of Christ. That’s the dominion of the King – the area of His Lordship.

When I was saved, I placed myself under His authority – in His kingdom. That’s why we can do things, and trust God for things that the world can’t.

All the things Paul talked about in the preceding verses are ours as a part of God’s kingdom. That’s why we strive to live worthy of that kingdom.

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia…
1 Peter 1:1

In the opening statement of his letter, Peter describes the believers that he’s writing to. He tells us that we’re strangers in this world. The word he used literally means aliens alongside, resident foreigners. We may live here, but we’re no longer a part of this system.

This is a theme throughout the New Testament. We know that Hebrews, chapter 11, is the faith chapter. Towards the end of this chapter, the writer makes a comment about all the Old Testament saints he lists.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.
Hebrews 11:13

They were all still living by faith when they died. But more than that, they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. We need this mindset. We do not belong to this world. This truth is emphasized over and over again in the Scripture.

However, living in the world while being citizens of heaven places us in a unique position.

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

Because of our position, in this world but not of this world, we have diplomatic immunity. We operate as diplomats – where I am, my kingdom is. Wherever I am, the rules of my government are in operation. That’s why every believer should endeavor to understand how God’s Kingdom operates.

I live in the world, but I don’t belong to this world. I live by a different set of rules. I live on a different level.

There are a lot of things that are going on in the world – who’s in power, the economy, the weather, etc. These things are important, and I need to understand what’s happening, but they don’t determine what I do.

That’s because I’m a part of a different kingdom. We are a part of the kingdom of God.

Question: How does being a citizen of God’s kingdom affect your daily life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 20, 2023 in Encouragement, Faith, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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