I’ve been posting about the living hope we have in Christ. In my last post I talked about how the Lord’s mercy brings about hope in us.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you…
1 Peter 1:3-4
So far we’ve seen that this hope is birthed by mercy through the resurrection of Christ. But we also need to see that this Living Hope brings us into an inheritance.
The fact is that this hope points to an inheritance that we didn’t deserve. There was nothing we could have done to lay hold of it. It was all a work of Jesus Christ for us.
In the above verse there are three nots associated with this inheritance. First of all, it does not perish or decay. Praise God! That means that my inheritance in Christ is not affected by inflation.
It also says that it will not spoil. That means that it will not become soiled or dirty. It will always remain pure and new to us.
Finally, our inheritance will never fade. That means that it will never be used up or become worthless over time. Nothing on this earth meets those criteria. That’s why our hope, our treasure, is in Christ alone. I can look forward to His blessing in my life.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24
It’s because of this hope of the inheritance that we can work for God with all our heart. But there’s more. The above verse from Peter doesn’t end there.
…who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:5
Yes, we are birthed by mercy, through the resurrection, into an inheritance; but this Living Hope shields us by God’s power. I don’t need to remind you about the shield of faith. It keeps us secure in times of trial.
But it’s fed by the living expectation that’s fresh and new every morning. Paul puts it this way…
…a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time…
Titus 1:2
Paul mentions both faith and knowledge in this verse. Faith is our trust in God’s Word; while knowledge is what we have once our faith has been proven. It’s through these that we can rest on the hope of eternal life.
…so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:7
It’s this hope of eternal life that gives us joy in the trials that we face. This is because we know that the Lord is going to show up and work on our behalf. Never give up your hope; it will be richly rewarded.
Question: How has God proven Himself in your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2016
Tags: Christ, eternal life, faith, hope, hope and our inheritance, hope in Christ, Jesus, shield of faith, shielded, spiritual inheritance, trust, trust in God
I’m posting about the hope that we have in Christ. In my last article we saw that the living hope we receive is birthed in God’s mercy.
The problem I find is that many believers have no concept of what God’s mercy is. In our society we think of it as a “free pass” for something wrong that we’ve done. God can’t operate like that.
Every sin has to be paid for. That’s why Jesus had to go to the cross. Every sin, no matter how small it seemed, had to be laid upon Him.
Mercy is a whole different matter. If you do a word study of how mercy is used in Scripture, you’ll find a rich truth. In actuality, mercy is the favor God shows to His obedient children. That was brought out in the book of Hebrews.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16
If I’ve been disobeying the Lord, then I definitely don’t have confidence in approaching His throne. But as I obey Him, He births in me a living hope. It will never die and never go stale. According to the Old Testament, His mercies are new every morning. This is something that helped the apostle Paul face his many trials.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Corinthians 4:16-17
In Christ we have a hope that’s birthed, brand new, each day. Why does God have to give us fresh hope each day? It’s important because…
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
Proverbs 13:12
This verse literally says that old hope wears out your heart. So God keeps His hope alive and fresh each day if you’re walking obediently before Him.
In my last post we looked at a verse from Peter.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…
1 Peter 1:3
It’s clear to see that this Living Hope is given through the resurrection. Our hope could never be alive if not for the resurrection. If God could raise Christ, then I can be raised as well.
That’s good news. Not only did Jesus take my sin with Him to the cross, but He rose from the dead as well. That proves that He has the power to accomplish His will in my life. This should inspire a fresh hope in us each day, as we spend time in His presence – before His throne.
Question: How does the Lord’s mercy and hope affect you?
© Nick Zaccardi 2016
Tags: Christ, expectation, God's mercy, hope, hope in Christ, Jesus, mercy, mercy and hope, new every morning, resurrection, resurrection power, sin
I want to take a few posts to look at the hope we have that’s talked about in I Peter 1:6-9.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6-7
This truth is seen all through the Bible. It’s one of those teachings that we don’t want to hear. The fact of the matter is that we will all face trials and challenges.
Yet in spite of all this we can walk in the joy of the Lord. It’s also good to know that in those trials our faith being perfected.
In all of this, Peter understands that there’s a problem we face.
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9
The problem is that we don’t see the Lord. Because we can’t see Him we must operate by faith. We have to trust in His Word to us.
Of course faith always has a goal. Our goal is to see God’s life-changing power at work in us. Because we look to this goal by faith, it inspires hope – expectation – in our hearts.
As we continue to walk with Christ, we learn more about His ways. This causes us to love Him more and more.
So actually, the trials of life are foundational to our spiritual growth. They produce faith, hope and love in us as we continue to look to the Lord. These are the three essentials that we can’t live without if we want to live a life pleasing to God.
Of all the apostles, Peter had the best handle on this. When it came to persevering under trials, there was no one else like him. When Paul and Silas were in jail they had to start singing to keep their spirits up. When Peter was in prison, chained between two guards, he actually fell asleep!
The question is; how can I rejoice in trials? The secret is in the verses before these.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…
1 Peter 1:3
We’ve been given a Living Hope, an expectation of what God’s going to accomplish in and through us. It’s this living hope that causes rejoicing in the trials. The prophet Jeremiah understood this truth.
O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living water.
Jeremiah 17:13
He knew that the hope of Israel was the Lord, as the spring of living water. Israel missed it. I don’t want to miss it.
It’s clear from the above verse that the Lord’s mercy gives birth to a Living Hope. Hope is birthed in His mercy. In my next posts I’m going to expand on this thought.
Question: How has placing your hope in Christ changed your outlook?
© Nick Zaccardi 2016
Tags: challenges, Christ, expectation, faith, hope, hope in Christ, Jesus, love, mercy, our living hope, spiritual growth, trials
I’m posting about supernatural signs. Specifically, we’re looking at the sign of the virgin birth of Christ.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
In my last post we saw that the Lord was dealing with an evil king of Judah named Ahaz. He refused to ask God for a sign when asked to by the prophet Isaiah.
Because of this act of disobedience, God Himself would choose the sign. This would be the sign that the Lord is victorious. You can do your own thing. But God will accomplish his will though you…or around you.
This sign was what God was going to accomplish. Basically what God said was, “You don’t want to know what I’m doing now so I’ll tell you something you’ll never see.”
Someday there will be a virgin. She will not be married and never had sex. Yet, miraculously, she will conceive and bear a son. His name – the designation of who He is – will be Immanuel. The Hebrew word Immanuel literally means with us is God.
Now let’s fast forward to the New Testament. A young woman named Mary is found to be with child. She’s a virgin. Her fiancé, Joseph, is confused. Then he’s visited by an angel with a message, exhorting him to marry her, because this is no ordinary child.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” – which means, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:22-23
Years of waiting were now fulfilled. The Messiah was soon to be born.
A supernatural sign brings hope to those trusting God. I’m waiting for a sign. The Bible says that when you see the sign of the Son of Man in the sky, stand to your feet and lift up your head for your redemption is here. That gives me hope.
I know that God is going to step into our world one day. Things aren’t going to go on like this forever.
There was a day when many were waiting expectantly for the Messiah. There were shepherds in the field watching their sheep. They heard the angelic announcement.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
Luke 2:14
These angels were giving glory to God in the highest place. On earth, they proclaimed peace, shalom to men of good-will. That literally means to those who have a will to do good. This message was to people who have God’s good (pleasing and perfect) will resting in them.
This is because; ultimately a supernatural sign brings glory to God. When I see the sign come to pass, I give God glory.
I want God’s will. He wants to show signs and wonders as He brings forth His will. Therefore, we need to work with Him. Expect God to speak. Expect Him to show up. Expect a miracle each day.
Question: What signs have you seen of the Lord working in and through you?
© Nick Zaccardi 2015
Tags: Christ, expectancy, glory, glory to God, God's glory, God's will, hope, Immanuel, Jesus, signs, supernatural signs, victory, virgin birth, watching, watching for signs
Today’s post will conclude my series about last-days attitudes. I’ve talked about the things that cause the world to worry and fret about the future. God’s people are not to act like this.
The promises of God don’t go null and void simply because we’re living near the end of the age. We’re still under our covenant with Christ – a better covenant. That’s why we can look to what’s ahead with hope and anticipation.
He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”
Luke 21:29-31
This should be an exciting time for the Church of Jesus Christ. The Kingdom is near! That thought should push us forward to greater effectiveness in the Kingdom.
Jesus does give us a warning, however. That’s the key reason for this series. I think that we’ve somehow lost sight of His Word to us.
“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
The Lord tells us that there are three things that we should be especially careful about in the last-days. The first of these is dissipation. Think about something like fog, when it dissipates. It seems to vanish right before our eyes.
That’s the distractions of the world. They dissipate your time, money, and strength. Then you find that you have nothing left to put into the Lord’s work.
Then there’s drunkenness. I don’t believe that Jesus is only talking about alcohol here. It could be anything that intoxicates God’s people. We end up chasing things when we should be pursuing the Lord.
The third is the anxieties of life. This is when you’re worried about things you can’t control. Put them in God’s hands. If you trust the Lord and follow His plan for your life, then the rest will fall into place.
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:36
This is the bottom line of how to live in the last days. We must be a people who watch and pray. We must spend quality time in the presence of the Lord. This includes praying in the Spirit and listening to hear God’s voice.
In this way, the Holy Spirit will give you insight on how to live. We’re told that living like this will allow us to escape. Escape what? The anguish, perplexity, fainting from terror, and the apprehension that’s coming upon the world.
Isn’t that our ultimate goal; to stand boldly before the Son of Man at His return? If we heed His exhortation to us, then we’ll be unashamed by our life on earth. I’ll know that I lived by His power operating in me.
We’ll finish the race strong, knowing there’s a reward waiting for us. Not in fear, but the faith that Christ is with us.
Question: What do find most exciting about living in the last-days?
© Nick Zaccardi 2015
Tags: anticipation, anxieties, dissipation, drunkenness, faith, finishing strong, future, hope, Jesus, last days, pray, prayer in the spirit, second coming, second coming of Christ. Christ, watch, watch and pray
There are many believers who never enter into their calling. Are you one of them? Don’t miss the point of why God wants us to work for Him and with Him.
We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 1:3
Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church, commending them on their work for the Lord. He mentions three aspects that speak volumes to us as God’s people. We need to take these things to heart if we’re going to be productive in the Kingdom of God.
Our work is produced by faith. The word for work means what we do for God. It’s the task to which we’ve been assigned.
We’ve all been called to do something different in the Body of Christ. Your personality, strengths, weaknesses, and skillsets all combine to bring about the plan God has for your life.
The key is that you must seek God to find out what you’re called to do. That’s where faith comes into the picture. How well do you trust God for your future? Are you willing to give up your agenda for His?
Then, by faith, we must let the Holy Spirit train and prepare us for the work. Too many believers want to rush ahead and get “on the job training.” Usually they become tripped up when they run ahead of the Lord. You need to trust God to bring about the plan He has for your life.
Our labor is prompted by love. This word labor, in the Greek, literally means your toil that results in weariness. It speaks of using your strength to accomplish something.
We’re willing to do this for our bosses, because they pay us cash for our strength. The Kingdom of God has a different economy. What we do for the Lord is based upon our love for Him, or at least it should be.
Your love for God is expressed in how much time, money and energy you’re willing to expend in His work. There’s no way around it – there’s something that you need to do for the Lord.
Our trouble is that we want to reap without sowing. We wait until we want to eat a salad, then go out and plant the garden. At that point, we blame God that our “salad bowl” is empty.
If you cultivate a love for the Savior, your work for Him will be a lot easier.
Our endurance is inspired by hope. The word endurance speaks of our ability to persevere through the completion of the work.
This is the hard part. Once we’ve started the task, we need to keep going. Hardships, opposition, and even the daily grind of repetition saps our will to continue.
Our attitudes often surprise me. We’re willing to drag ourselves to our job, even though we’re sick – and our boss will pay us to stay home – just to impress our employers. Why aren’t we so inspired to impress the King of kings? This is the secret to walking in the abundant life.
As I focus on the hope, the expectation, held out in the Gospel, I’m able to endure through the hard times. Then I can see the power of God released in my life.
Question: What do you find to be the hardest part of enduring in your work for God?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: calling, endurance, endurance inspired by hope, expectation, faith, hope, kingdom of God, labor, labor prompted by love, love, reaping, seek God, sowing, work, work for God, work produced by faith
Luke 8:22-25
One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.
The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”
He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.
In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”
Being out in the open water in a storm is very risky. Even with all the modern equipment that boaters have today, it is no easy thing to navigate in a raging storm.
In this passage, the disciples are crossing a lake and a huge squall engulfs them. The wind is against them and the waves are filling the boat. Imagine their terror when they realize they’re not going to make it.
Yet all the while, Jesus was with them. That was a factor that, apparently, none of them considered to be important. When they woke Him, Jesus showed Himself to be in control of the forces of nature.
Never forget that truth in your times of struggle. The Lord is in control of the winds and the waves. We have got to remember that, even when the road ahead seems hopeless. I can rest assured that nothing will touch my life, except that which will help me. I need never fear for the future.
Remember to place yourself in His care each and every day. The Lord has already walked the road ahead and is well able to bring you through. Trust His wisdom and grace to handle each situation that arises.
Tags: assurance, Bible, Christ, Christian, devotion, disciple, encouragement, enemies, faith, fear, forces of nature, God's faithfulness, God's wisdom, grace, hope, Jesus Christ, overcoming, problems, protection, storm, struggle, trust, victory, wind
Exodus 15:27
Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.
Every so often I find it, when I’m hiking. That place where the view, the temperature, the shade, the water, everything lines up for that “perfect spot.” I know that one is coming, just ahead, maybe around the next corner. It is the search for those spots that keeps me hiking.
It is because of this that I can take the cold, the rain, the bugs, and other trail problems. Just knowing that once in a while I’ll find an Elim on the path gives me hope.
Our journey through life should be no different. I’d like every day to be an Elim type day, but I know that won’t happen. As a matter of fact, it would probably make for a very boring life. We know that we’re going to encounter problems. But just when we need it, up comes a day that makes all the others worthwhile.
We must live in hope, the expectation that there are good days ahead. The only guarantee of an Elim, however, is if we follow the trail mapped out for us by the Master. His Word, the Guide for your life, brings you out to the best spots on the trail of life.
Meditate on His Word to you today. Allow it to sink deep into your heart. Only then will it guide your steps and take you to those perfect spots in Christ.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, destiny, devotion, distractions, Elim, encouragement, expectation, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, hiking, hope, meditate, Moses, overcoming, path, perfect spot, problems
2 Corinthians 1:8-10
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us.
It is my hope and prayer that you are never in a life-threatening situation. I know, however, that weather, accidents, and natural disasters can come when least expected. It seems like everyday there is something going on in the United States that could have tragic results. If and when that occurs, you will be faced with a choice – do you despair and give up or do you continue to put your hope in God?
I have been in that kind of situation. I know what it feels like to be trapped by an unforeseen incident with no way out and no help in sight. It is truly in those times of need that God proves Himself faithful. I can say, without hesitation, that God has never abandoned me to my problems.
The key to making it safely through a future problem is to make the choice now, that whatever happens, you will not abandon your trust in God. You will find that He is always there with you to help you in your time of need. In your prayer time today, reaffirm your trust in the Lord to take you through the hard times. Place your life fully in His hands.
Tags: accident, Bible, Christian, Christian witness, deadly, despair, devotion, encouragement, fear, God's faithfulness, God's love, hope, hope in God, natural disaster, overcoming, peril, prayer, prepare, problems, protection, strength, trust, victory, weather
1Thessalonians 1:2-3
We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith, hope, and love – they are the three things that the Bible says will be with us eternally. Too often we think about them in spiritual terms. We get the idea that these are just good feelings that Christians should enjoy. Like they are wonderful gifts that should be tucked quietly away in our hearts.
NO WAY!!! Faith, hope, and love are the sparks that ignite our ministry before God. There are three different things that happen as a result of their influence on us.
First, faith produces our work. That word literally means your assignment. It is the task that God has given you. As you go before God in faith, He gives you grace for the calling He has placed upon your life. Faith causes you to stand in your assignment.
Then comes love – it prompts us to labor. That word means to use up your strength in performing a task. Without the love of God, we will never pour ourselves into the calling He has placed upon us. We are called to work with all of our strength. Without love, that will never happen.
Finally, hope inspires endurance. It’s easy to start out strong, but it’s how we finish that matters the most. Hope is the biblical word for expectation. If I do my part, then I can expect God to show up and do His part. That’s what keeps me going even when I don’t feel like it. Hope gives you the endurance to persevere to the end.
Let faith, hope, and love give you more than just a warm feeling. Let them spur you on to accomplishing your destiny in the Lord’s Kingdom.
Tags: assignment, Bible, calling, Christian, destiny, devotion, disciple, encouragement, endurance, expectation, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, hope, labor, love, ministry, prepare, strength, victory, work
I’ve been posting about the living hope we have in Christ. In my last post I talked about how the Lord’s mercy brings about hope in us.
The Spirit and the Word 