In my last post I started talking about the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew, chapter 25. I concluded that the key is identifying what’s meant by the light, the lamps and the oil. If we can understand these three parts, then we’ll know how to act wisely in the days leading up to the return of the Lord.
All ten virgins had the ability to light up their area, at least for a little while. This tells me that all of the Christians in the end-time church will have the same ability to be a light to their generation.
This should help us, because on more than one occasion Jesus told us to be a light to those around us. What does this mean? And more importantly, does it fit into the constraints of the parable of the ten virgins? Let’s allow Jesus Himself to explain it to us.
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16
Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world. He wants our light to be as conspicuous as a city on a hill, showing that we belong to Him. What is it that shines from our lives to those around us?
It’s clear from the above passage that our light is the works we show forth to those needing a touch from the Lord. All of us have the same ability. Jesus is clear that He will not allow our light to be hidden.
There are many believers who think that they should be able to live their lives without anyone knowing that they’re Christians. They don’t want to do anything to label themselves. Jesus never gave us this option.
We’re to share the Gospel, pray for the sick, and give hope to the hurting around us. I’m not talking about activities that we do in church buildings. God wants us to function like that in our society.
I’m to be a light on the job, at school, at home, or even on the ball field. The point is that when I’m with people, my works should be a light to reflect who Jesus is. So the light then, is the good works that I perform in Jesus’ name.
But wait, when the Lord speaks of “good works”, He’s talking about righteousness. Please understand that righteousness is the only work that’s good in God’s eyes. It’s as I live righteously before God that the world sees the light of life.
This concept is underscored by the Apostle Paul.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14
In this passage Paul states that righteousness and wickedness are the spiritual equivalents of light and darkness.
Question: How can our lives be as bright as possible?
© Nick Zaccardi 2014
Tags: Christ, good works, Jesus, light, light of the world, living for Christ, parable, return of Christ, righteousness, second coming, ten virgins
A little over a year ago I posted a series about Christianity as a counter-culture. I want to pick up that theme again for a few more posts. Too many believers want to keep their feet in both the church and the world. That’s going to become increasingly difficult as we approach the Lord’s return.
The world hates Christ and His people. Please understand what I mean by this. I’m talking about the world system and not the individual people themselves. It’s the system – the way our culture has established itself – that’s against the knowledge of Christ.
The Lord spoke about it.
This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
John 3:19
We live in a society that hates the light – the knowledge of truth. This is because truth is an agent of change. When I begin to know and understand the truth, I’m responsible to do something with it.
Because of this, the default response of the world is, “I don’t want to know the truth.” They have found that ignorance is bliss – at least in the short term.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:17-18
Here’s what many people don’t understand. Christ didn’t come to condemn the world. And it’s definitely not our job either. We are not here to rebuke sinners for doing what is natural to them.
The problem arises when the light of truth becomes evident. Even though we may not directly condemn anyone, by rejecting the truth they stand condemned. In effect, they’ve condemned themselves.
When you know that there’s a right path, yet you knowingly chose the wrong way, you become self-condemned. At that point the only solution is to cram your life with so many distractions that you never think about this truth.
That’s where our society finds itself today. We have more opportunities to amuse ourselves than ever before. I chose that word on purpose. A-muse – it literally means to not-think.
On the other side of the coin, we as believers should be the ones who don’t fear the truth. We should delight in the presence of the Lord and His Word. We should be welcoming the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
We can’t afford to pick up the attitude of the world. Don’t fall victim to the distractions of this age which will short-circuit your destiny in Christ. Spend time in the light of Christ and His truth.
Question: How does walking in the light differ from walking in the darkness?
© Nick Zaccardi 2014
Tags: Christianity, church, condemnation, counter-culture, culture of darkness, darkness, distractions, knowledge of truth, light, sinners, the world, truth, world system
We understand the principle that the Word of God is like seed. I want to discuss how this seed is received into our hearts. If the Word is my life, then it’s important that I know how to handle it correctly.
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4
It’s the Word that gives us life – the essence of life, the abundant life. That’s what we desperately need as believers in this generation.
How do we receive this life? To answer that we’ll go to the beginning of the Gospel of John.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
John 1:4
We see in this verse that life is only found in Christ, the Living Word. Not only is He life, but this life is the light of men. If we’re truly going to be the light of the world, then we need this life – the life that only comes from Christ.
If Christ is the life, then how is that life transferred to us?
I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life.
John 6:47-48
This is vital to our understanding of how to receive life. Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. That’s the theme of the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. The Lord sums it up in this way.
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
John 6:63
We’ve now come to the bottom line. In order to walk in the abundant life we must live by every Word of God. Christ is the Living Word – the personification of the Word of God. His Word is Spirit and life. It’s a life that can only be received by the spirit. This is the foundation of understanding how the Word works in us. Now we must apply it in our everyday situations.
Over the next few posts, I’ll talk about how the Word of God relates to us. How I receive the Word is important because without it, I’m powerless.
Too many believers are trying to live for God without placing the Living Word at the center of their being. This is a sure recipe for disaster. We need the understanding of Scripture to bring us to the place where we operate out of an overflow of God’s Word.
Question: How important is the Living Word of God to you?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: bread of life, Christ, flesh, Jesus, life, light, living by the word, living word, overflow, seed, spirit, word of God
I’ve been posting about our end-time ministry as the “John the Baptist Generation”. There were some interesting prophecies about John that I believe can be applied to us.
“…because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
Luke 1:78-79
Our generation must be a light in the darkness. There has never been a darker time in the modern world. Unless you’re living with your head in the sand, this is an undeniable truth.
We need to understand what being the light entails. It’s obvious that light gets the attention in the dark. There’s no getting around that. We’re not called to just blend into the background.
This is because a light stands in direct opposition to the darkness. There cannot be any two kingdoms that are more opposite than us and the world.
We are not a part of this society. We live here, work here, and have to interact with those around us. We need to be loving, productive, and contributing to the welfare of our community. But the fact is we don’t BELONG here.
You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
1Thessalonians 5:5-6
The word night speaks of a segment of time – but we are eternal. Because we live in the eternal realm, we are of the day.
Dark speaks of a place – but we are seated with Christ in heavenly places; that’s the kingdom of light. This is not our time and place.
We need to be what we’re called to be. It’s not our destiny to blend in and become part of the whole. It’s our calling to show there’s a different way to live.
John the Baptist is an example to us of how to minister to the world while living in the Kingdom of God. It’s time for us to live up to this calling. The world is desperate to hear the message that has been entrusted to us. We need to stop chasing their dreams and live for Christ with an urgency that reflects the times we live in.
This generation of the church must grow up so that we can function as we must at this time in history. Be equipped with the spiritual weaponry. Be listening and hearing a Word from God. Then continue to walk in that word. Finally, if we do these things we will be the light that will draw people to Christ. We are the John the Baptist Generation.
Questions: How much light is the church producing right now? How can that light be increased?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: blending in, calling, Christ, darkness, day, destiny, Jesus, John the Baptist, John the Baptist generation, kingdom of God, light, light in the darkness, live for Christ, message, night, opposition, return of Christ, second coming, spiritual weapons, the world, urgency
In my last post I talked about the work it took to love others. Faith is the fuel, so as we love, our faith is used up.
That’s the hindrance that we face. We’ve noticed, the more we try to love others, the more of our spiritual reserves are used up. Anyone in ministry can tell you about this phenomenon. The more we minister to the needs of others, the more we need to be built up ourselves.
But, instead of more time in the Word to refuel, since faith comes by hearing the Word of God, we decide to love less. We spend less time truly fellowshipping with other believers. Less time going to church, prayer meetings, and other events that could possible tap into our faith-fuel reserves. That’s the condition of many Christians these days.
There is a fallacy with this kind of thinking. You can’t just decide not to use the car because the gas gauge goes down when you drive it. That’s simply foolish.
We wouldn’t do that in the natural. We’d never think of telling our boss, “I’m only coming to work one day a week because my car would use too much gas if I came to work more often.” Yet, many believers treat God this way all the time.
Jesus warned us that this would be a sign of the last days.
“However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8b
Jesus was asking if anyone would fuel up in the last days. That’s a valid question based upon what we see taking place in the church today.
“Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Matthew 24:12-13
Jesus warns us that in the last days the love-generators will start shutting down for lack of fuel. Engines begin to grow cold once they’re turned off. In the same way, love begins to grow cold without the addition of faith.
Heed the warning of the Lord. Don’t become a victim of this age. Keep your spiritual engine running. Keep your tank filled with the fuel of faith. Use it to energize your love walk so that your spiritual voltage is always high.
This is the generation when the church needs to shine the brightest. The world is getting darker and darker. This makes the light of the Lord that much more powerful.
Remember, it’s the power of God that draws men to Himself. But that power is only energized in us by our faith working through love. It’s not faith all by itself. Stay fueled up, and keep your love flowing.
Question: How do you keep your “faith tank” filled?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: Christ, faith, faith working through love, fellowship, heat, Jesus, lacking love, last days, light, love, love faith connection, ministry, power of God, prayer, prayer meetings, sign of the times, spiritual reserves, the word, time in the word
2 Corinthians 3:18
And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
In this verse, Paul is referring to Moses. When he was leading the children of Israel through the desert, they stopped for a while at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Moses went up to meet with God. At one point, upon his return, the people couldn’t look at his face because it shone like the sun.
The glory of God was reflecting off his face. Moses had to wear a veil until things were back to normal. He had an incredible encounter with God, but it eventually faded back to the way it was.
Understand this, the Lord has greater plans for us. The Holy Spirit is working in us to make us like Christ. Each day we are becoming more and more like Him. This is the glory of God in us.
This glory that God is clothing us with is different than that of Moses. First of all, it doesn’t fade. It is a glory that is always on the increase. My prayer in the presence of the Lord is that throughout my life people will see more of Jesus and less of me.
Another aspect of this glory is that we reflect it with unveiled faces. It is not a glory that frightens others and pushes them away. It is the warmth of love and freedom that draws men and women to the cross.
Spend some time in the presence of this glory. Let it continue to do its transforming work in you. Make it your goal to reflect more of His beauty.
Tags: Bible, Christian, Christian witness, cross, devotion, disciple, encouragement, glory, glory of God, God's love, God's will, goodness, Holy Spirit, holy worship, light, Moses, prayer, prepare, presence of the lord, reflect, testimony
Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.
Try as we might, we can never run away from God. What I have actually found is that people who try to run away from Him the hardest, end up running right into His arms. It is, as this Psalm puts so eloquently, impossible to flee from the presence of God.
If you are looking, His presence can be felt everywhere and in every situation. As a matter of fact, sometimes when I am hiking or camping in the most remote wilderness settings – far from any sign of civilization – I find His presence the strongest. The reality is that I can hear from the Lord the clearest when I am out in the wild.
It is an incredible blessing to know that the God of the universe is my constant companion. Wherever I go and whatever I do is in the company of His Holy Spirit. All I need is to ask and His guiding hand will take mine and lead me into His will for my life.
Go to Him today in the knowledge that He will never leave you or forsake you. Thank the Lord for His abiding presence in your life. Seek Him for His wisdom, strength, and guidance for the road ahead.
Tags: Bible, calling, Christian, devotion, encouragement, fellowship, God's faithfulness, God's will, Holy Spirit, holy worship, Jesus Christ, light, path, praise, presence of the lord, trust
Acts 9:3-6
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
We all make mistakes. The unfortunate thing is, that sometimes we compound these mistakes by going off into a totally wrong direction.
In this section of Scripture we find that Saul (later to become Paul the Apostle) has become self-deceived. He thought that by persecuting the church, he was in the center of God’s will for his life.
It took a wilderness journey and a voice from heaven to knock him off his horse and break through his defenses. Apparently there was no other way to get through to him. He needed to be shaken up in order for God to get his attention.
As we spend time in the wilderness we should be open for the Lord to wake us up and turn our lives around. Every once in a while God has a life altering event waiting for you just around the next corner. We need to be prepared and open for these heavenly interruptions.
As you go before the Lord today, make sure that you reaffirm your intention to obey Him no matter what comes your way. Let Him know that you will remain true to Him even if it calls for you to change your plans.
Tags: attention, Bible, calling, Christian, devotion, disciple, faith, God's faithfulness, God's will, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, light, mistakes, path, Paul, persecution, presence of the lord, Saul, self-deceived, wake up call
Proverbs 31:18
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
(NIV)
This verse really emphasizes the true purpose of a lamp. If the sun is shining brightly, and your house has a lot of windows, there is no need for a lamp. Turning a lamp on at that point is a waste of energy, and you probably wouldn’t even notice that it was on.
The time that a lamp is needed is after the sun goes down. When you light a lamp in a dark room, there is no hiding it. As a matter of fact, even a small light can have that effect. I have been in a hotel room where the tiny red light on the smoke detector has kept me awake for hours!
The darker it gets, the more the light is needed. That is true in the spirit as well. We live in a dark society – spiritually speaking. And it seems to be getting darker and darker with each passing day. That tells me that there is a reason God has us here in this place, at this time in history.
So many people spend their lifetimes trying to find purpose. That should be no problem at all for the Christian. We are to shine the light of Christ wherever we are. That is our destiny. To light up the darkness of this world.
Therefore, I need to spend quality time in the presence of the Source of that light. If I am to adequately reflect Christ, then I need to abide in Him. Spend time with the Lord today. Let His joy, strength, and purpose flood your soul. Then allow His light to spill out to all those around you who need to come into His light.
Tags: Bible, bright, Christ, Christian, Christian witness, darkness, devotion, glory, Jesus Christ, lamp, light, presence of the lord, reflect, testimony, world
Exodus 27:20
“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning.”
(NIV)
Hopefully, all believers want to be a light for Christ in this dark world. What trips us up is the fact that it doesn’t just happen. Left to myself I would do nothing worthy of the Lord’s glory.
It follows the same principle as in the verse above. If Israel wanted the lamps in the tabernacle to continue to burn brightly, they had to be tended to. It was not just a once a week task. Olives had to be picked and crushed for their oil. The oil had to be filtered for clarity. The wicks had to be changed when they had burned down. The oil level in the lamps needed to be monitored frequently.
In the same way, hearing a sermon and singing some songs once a week is not enough to keep us burning bright for the Lord. It is a daily task to tend to the needs of our spirits. We need the solid food of the Word of God. We need the living water of the presence of God. We need to be meditating on His Word throughout the day. These are the things that keep the lamp going.
As I said in my post yesterday, it is not my light that is shining. But that doesn’t mean I have no part to play. Unless the lamp is prepared, there will be no place in me for the light of Christ to ignite. Keep your lamp in good condition. Give the fire of the Lord a ready home to light up your world.
Tags: Bible, burning, Christian, Christian witness, darkness, devotion, glory, Jesus Christ, lamp, light, oil, prepare, presence of the lord, testimony, world
In my last post I started talking about the parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew, chapter 25. I concluded that the key is identifying what’s meant by the light, the lamps and the oil. If we can understand these three parts, then we’ll know how to act wisely in the days leading up to the return of the Lord.
The Spirit and the Word 