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Our Spiritual Surgeon

27 Dec
Our Spiritual Surgeon

As we’ve been going through the book of Colossians, we see a picture of who Christ is in all of His glory. We also see our relationship to Him.

Now, there’s something that Paul is hoping you’ll move into by faith. Paul describes this step to the Colossian church.

In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:11-12 NIV

This is what we want to concentrate on – the putting off of the sinful nature. According to Paul, this is a surgical procedure that can only be done by Christ.

It isn’t a work I can perform. It doesn’t matter how much will-power I put forth. Only Christ, Himself, can bring it to pass in my life. I must submit under the blade of the divine Surgeon.

There are two prerequisites to this surgery. The first is baptism and the second is faith in the power of God. This means that I can’t look to myself and how well I can obey God. It’s all about how much I trust His power working in my life. How much am I willing to surrender to Him?

It’s the same as in the natural world. If I don’t trust the surgeon in a medical procedure, then I will not allow them to put me under the anesthesia. I’ll only let someone I trust have that much power over my body. Do we trust Christ enough to consent to His life changing work in us?

No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

Romans 2:29 NIV

There’s another key point to this work of Christ in us. It can only be done in the spirit. It’s not something that I can physically accomplish. Neither is it a choice that I make in my mind.

The change is required in my heart. The old self has to be removed. How can my sin nature remove itself? It would never willingly choose to do that.

To get the old sin nature out of our heart requires outside assistance. That’s why it’s a work that only Christ can do, and it must be a spiritual work.

It’s for this reason that an understanding of the Word of God as a sword is so important.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

The sword of the spirit is the scalpel that performs the work in our heart. In the past I’ve emphasized that the things of the spirit can only be received through prayer in the spirit. This is the work that needs to be done in us. It’s a work that must be done in the spirit. Only prayer in the spirit will accomplish the change that’s necessary in our hearts.

In order for God to do this work in us, we must yield ourselves to Him. As in any surgery, we must willingly go under the knife if our healing is to take place. This is true for our spiritual surgery as well.

Question: How has prayer in the spirit changed your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 27, 2023 in Faith, Legalism, Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Spiritual Walk

 

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The Signs at Christ’s Birth

25 Dec
The Signs at Christ’s Birth

It’s Christmas Morning. Our thoughts turn to the Child born in a stable in Bethlehem.

This is the day that everything changed. Christ was born. God made flesh.

And yet, many people miss the significance of the events that occurred that day. Sometimes the smallest detail can make a world of difference.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:8-12 NIV

At night, in Bethlehem, everyone was asleep in their beds. Well, not everyone. There was a group of people who couldn’t sleep. They had a job to accomplish. They were shepherds watching over a flock of sheep.

That’s our calling. As the world gets darker and darker, we should be the ones who are spiritually awake.

But for those shepherds, suddenly the unexpected occurred. They had a supernatural encounter. An angel showed up with an important message for them. The Christ was born.

But more than that – there was a sign. That means there was a special thing they were to look for to prove they were in the right place. They would find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.

This sign to the shepherds was more than just proof for them. It was a sign of things to come. This baby was placed in a manger – not a crib or cradle.

A manger is a fancy way of saying a feeding trough for livestock. It’s a place for animal food, not babies.

Yet this was the “Bread of Heaven” who came down to give us life. So for Christ, this was an appropriate resting place for Him. The Bread of Life lying in a feeding trough.

The strips of cloth were another sign. It wasn’t the normal kind of baby clothes of that day. Strips of cloth were used to clothe the dead, not the living. This baby was dressed as a corpse. Again – it was a sign of things to come.

Here was the Lamb of God. He has come to take our place on the cross. Even as a baby, His calling was revealed. Death, burial, resurrection and ascension – all for our sake.

On this great day, amid all the activities and excitement you may find around you, don’t lose sight of the signs. This child we celebrate is no longer a baby. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is our Life and Light. This season is all about Him.

Have a Blessed and Wondrous Christmas!

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 25, 2023 in Encouragement, Faith, The Gospel

 

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Fullness in Christ

22 Dec
Fullness in Christ

We’re continuing our walk through Colossians. In my last post we saw that Jesus Christ is God. The fullness of deity is in Him. But that’s not the end of the story.

Paul continues the statement we looked at in that post.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Colossians 2:9-10 NIV

That second half is the most amazing part. We’ve been given fullness in Christ. He wants us to take part in His power and authority. The Lord allows us to walk in this as we serve Him.

Jesus Christ is now in the highest place of authority. His name is above all others.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:9-11 NIV

As I’ve said, Jesus Christ has the highest level of authority in the universe. But, He doesn’t just sit on His throne and watch the world go by. He’s an active participant.

In order to see His will accomplished, Jesus uses normal people like you and me. Anyone who will submit to His lordship comes under that authority. At that point, it’s passed on to those in submission to Him.

The Lord fully expects us to walk in and use His name in all of our activities. That means I need to strive to live the way He lived. That’s the only way I can adequately represent Christ to the world. It also means that I have a responsibility to seek the Lord’s way of ministry.

When we look at the world around us, we see people in spiritual darkness and captivity. They’re trapped in a world system that’s under the control of the kingdom of Satan.

It’s up to us, God’s people, to set them free and bring them to the cross. That’s where they can find true salvation for their souls.

In order for that to happen, there are some things that we need to understand. We can’t go into this battle with only half the information.

The first thing that we have to realize is that Christ has already won the war.

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:15 NIV

Jesus Christ has once and for all won the victory over all the power of the enemy kingdom. However, that doesn’t mean that the fighting has stopped.

Just like in WWII, when the Axis powers collapsed, the Allied forces had to mop up the remaining troops. They had to enter the concentration camps and free the surviving prisoners. That’s where we are in the spiritual war today.

The trouble is that even in defeat, the enemy is dangerous. He wants as few people as possible to be set free by the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The same power over the enemy that the Lord walked in has been conferred upon us. We have authority over the enemy’s kingdom.

As we spend quality time in God’s presence, we find the resources we need for the victory. Only then will we see lives transformed by the power of the cross.

Question: How have you walked in the power and authority of Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 22, 2023 in Anointing, Ministry, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk, Spiritual Warfare, The Gospel

 

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Jesus Christ is God

20 Dec
Jesus Christ is God

As we go through the book of Colossians, we see Paul dealing with the heresy of Gnosticism. In my last post, the apostle contrasted a false worldview with a Christian mindset. Now He talks about the person of Jesus Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…

Colossians 2:9 NIV

Let me just say “Thank You!” to the Apostle Paul for such a clear, simple statement about the divinity of Christ. Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, no matter what anybody chooses to believe about Him.

The literal Greek is so undeniable. It even has repetition so there’s no mistaking what’s being said. In Christ ALL the COMPLETENESS of God permanently lives in bodily, material form.

That’s the foundation of what we believe as Christians. God took on bodily form and lived among us. Then, He took it upon Himself to bear our sin to the cross. Having risen from the dead, He proved that our salvation was complete.

There are many organizations who deny the deity of Christ. If you’re in such a “church”, then you are a part of a cult. You need to search the Scripture and find a Bible believing group of Christians.

Why do I say this? Jesus Christ, Himself, made the claim to be God in the flesh.

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 8:58-59 NIV

Jesus was talking to a crowd of His fellow Jews. He tells them, point blank, that He is the I AM. That is clearly the God who revealed Himself to Abraham in the Old Testament. The crowd knew exactly what He was saying, which is why they wanted to stone Him to death for it.

I know there are many who want to believe that Jesus was merely a great teacher. They feel that His teachings are a good example to follow. But the Lord doesn’t give us that choice.

I like the way the author, Josh Mcdowell puts it. He explains that Jesus Christ never wanted us to see Him as only a good teacher. He claimed to be God.

That means we have one of three choices to make. He knew He wasn’t God – which makes Him an evil liar. He didn’t know that He wasn’t God – which makes Him a lunatic. Or He was telling the truth – which means we need to follow Him as Lord.

Personally, I have chosen the last option. He is the Savior and Lord of my life. And, actually, He has made good on all that He and His apostles have said. I’ve never regretted my choice to receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

Now the ball is in our court. It’s up to each one of us to decide on our own. How do we handle the knowledge of who Jesus Christ is?

It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, or where you live. At any time you can say a simple prayer accepting Him into your life. Declare your desire to receive Him as Lord and Savior.

At that point everything in your life will change. Then, find a group of Bible believing Christians who will encourage you in your new found faith. You won’t regret it!

Question: How has Jesus Christ changed your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 20, 2023 in Faith, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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A Solid Foundation

18 Dec
A Solid Foundation

We’re going through Paul’s letter to the Colossian church. In my last post, Paul talked about the basic fundamental truth of our salvation. That is the fact that Jesus Christ is both Lord and Savior.

Now the apostle wants to make sure that their foundation is secure. They need to possess a Christian worldview. That’s especially important in the age we currently live in.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2:8 NIV

He starts with a warning. To put it in terms of our language, he says, “Watch out!” There are those whose goal is to take your mind as a trophy for their point of view. That’s what the literal Greek of the verse says.

That’s what so many people of the world are doing these days. Their arguments sound logical and reasonable on the surface. But, taken to their conclusion, they only lead to wrecked lives.

Paul describes this as hollow and deceptive philosophy. These words speak of two things we should avoid. The first is human wisdom that the world is fond of. It’s a way of looking at the world that someone is comfortable with.

The second is empty delusions. These are conclusions based upon how I want things to be, rather than how they really are. That’s how much of the educational system of America operates these days.

Paul exposes the foundation of these worldviews. He says that they’re based upon human tradition and worldly principles. It’s interesting that the word, tradition, comes from a root that means to surrender.

By holding to a tradition, we’re surrendering to the way things have always been done. Or, we believe something because that’s what everyone in our sphere of influence believes.

Worldly principles means that you order things, prioritize things, the way the world does. That needs to be changed. As a believer, Christ and His will should be my number one priority. My whole life should be based on Christ.

That’s why our society is in such a sorry state. Suicides are out of control. Fear and anxiety are at such a level that counseling and therapy are a normal part of life. (Please realize that I’m not saying to stop counseling or therapy if it’s needed.)

What I’m saying is that we need to check our spiritual foundation. What are we basing our life upon? Where do I get my wisdom and opinions from?

In our generation, we need to be getting massive doses of the Word of God. I can’t base my life on what everybody around me believes. That includes the Christians around me. I need to check what they say against the Word.

I even encourage you to check my teaching. Be like the Berean Christians in the book of Acts.

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Acts 17:11 NIV

What we need in our generation are more “noble” Christians.

Question: How do you check your worldview?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 18, 2023 in Encouragement, Revival, Spiritual Walk, Word of God

 

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How Did You Receive Christ?

15 Dec
How Did You Receive Christ?

We’re studying the letter to the Colossian church. Paul is encouraging them to continue on the course they started at their salvation.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

Here, Paul is speaking to a church that he knows about because of the testimony of their pastor, Epaphras. They were evangelized by one of Paul’s spiritual sons, so he knew their foundation was solid.

But, that’s not always the case for us. I get concerned when I read a passage like this one. I have to ask myself some important questions. Unfortunately, there are too many times when we read through these verses without giving them a second thought.

The huge red flag that I see is the phrase, as you were taught. When we see a phrase like that, we have to ask ourselves, “Is that what I was taught?”

There were certain things that Paul and his team taught those who were turning to Christ. We need to judge our experience based upon these truths.

The first is…did I receive Christ Jesus as Lord? That’s a very important question. Too often in our generation we stress the fact that Jesus is Savior, and He is. But He’s more than that.

Our salvation is not just a matter of Jesus wiping our sins clean. I have to establish Christ Jesus as the Lord…supreme Ruler…of my life. Everything I am, must be submitted under His authority.

We need to stress this in our generation. At one point I heard a minister say that receiving Jesus as Savior is enough to start with. They can deal with the Lordship issue later.

Truthfully, I don’t see that way of thinking in the Scripture. I don’t have all the answers, but I wonder sometimes if you can be truly saved with acknowledging Christ as Lord of your life. I, personally, don’t want to take that chance.

Another big issue that this passage brings up is remaining in Christ, being rooted and built up in Him. Jesus talked about this in His parable of the seed.

In Matthew 13:21, the Lord makes it clear that without being rooted in Him, your spiritual life will wither. As that occurs, you run the risk of falling away from the truth. That’s a dangerous place to be.

The last thing they were taught was to strengthen their faith. That comes from reading, memorizing, and meditating on the Word of God. Without this in place, there will be no spiritual growth.

So, this is the important question to ask ourselves. Were we taught these fundamental truths? If not, then we need to start implementing them today. According to the Word, the result will be a life that’s overflowing with thankfulness.

Question: How important are these three issues to your walk with God?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 15, 2023 in Faith, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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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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