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Don’t Give Up

28 Aug

WomanHave you ever felt like giving up? Everyone goes through times like this. We feel like giving up on our jobs, ministries, or marriages. You’re not alone. Even the prophet, Elijah, went through a point in his life when he felt like this.

It took place when the Queen of Israel, Jezebel, was threatening his life.

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
I Kings 19:3-4

Elijah is probably one of the most powerful Old Testament figures. Through him, God performed incredible miracles to turn Israel around. Yet at this point in his life he was ready to throw in the towel. He actually prayed for God to take his life.

What could cause such an uncompromising individual to leave the race? The answer lies in the first line. Elijah was afraid.

The evil queen, Jezebel, had ordered his arrest and execution. Fear had gripped his heart in spite of the presence of God in his life.

How many times do we lose sight of our calling when faced with the overwhelming problems of life? We need to take the same path that Elijah took – but not the same attitude. We need to run to a place of solitude with God and pour out our heart in prayer.

Just like Elijah, we need to admit our faults and failings. Only the Lord is able to meet the needs of our inner man.

We must use this time to seek the Lord’s help for the challenges we face. This may include confessing your failures and trials. God stands ready to enfold you in His arms. By doing this, we allow His strength to work in us the restoration that is needed.

Then he [Elijah] lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.
I Kings 19:5-8

While he was on the very edge of despair, Elijah received sustenance from the Lord. As he was running away from the stress in his life, God provided him with supernatural food. God knew that the journey before him was too much for his flesh to handle. So, He provided what Elijah needed.

I’ll let you in on a secret. If you’re following God’s plan for your life, then your journey is more than you can take. You’ll need this supernatural food to sustain you.

That’s why your time with the Lord is so important. Spending time with the Holy Spirit is one of the most powerful, life-changing events you could ever plan for. Don’t neglect your spiritual food.

Take the time to find nourishment for your soul in the Lord’s presence. Cast your burdens upon Him and allow His strength to revive your spirit.

Question: How has the Lord strengthened you in His presence recently?

© Nick Zaccardi 2015

 
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Posted by on August 28, 2015 in Encouragement, Ministry, Prayer, Spiritual Walk

 

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Stand Your Ground

08 Oct

DifferentI’m continuing to post about the spiritual battle that we’re in. The Apostle Paul had a lot of insight in this area. Of course not everything he wrote sounds good to me.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Ephesians 6:13

This is one of those scriptures that I have to take note of whether I like it or not. I’m told under the authority of the Holy Spirit to always be prepared to stand my ground.

This is a great lesson that the church needs to hear. So many people give up when things get hard. Some of us are under the impression that working for God should be all hearts and flowers.

Why then does Paul use the analogy of a warrior, fully armed, and dressed for battle? The fact is that there are spiritual forces that don’t want us to succeed in our service to the Lord. The victory comes from knowing that it’s the Holy Spirit giving you strength, and not giving up.

We need to learn how to stand in the center of opposition. The ancient Romans knew how to do this. It was the secret to the success of their army. Each of the Roman soldiers was taught how to defend a 3-foot square of ground from an invading army.   Together, there was no way to break through their lines.

We need to get it into our heads that the only way to victory is to move forward in the Lord. Backing up WILL NOT get you out of the battle. It will only make you have to fight to regain that ground later.

Most of all, the thing about this verse that gives me the most trouble, is when Paul says when the day of evil comes. Not “if”, not “there might come a time when problems arise”. He tells us in a straight forward way that this day is coming whether you’re ready or not. So the best thing to do is prepare now.

The word that Paul uses for stand literally means to stand in opposition to. This word is used elsewhere in the Bible.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7

The word resist in this verse is the same word as stand that Paul used. We need to stand our ground and resist the devil. We’re told that if we do this, in submission to the Lord, the enemy will flee. It’s the time frame between the resisting and the fleeing that gives us the most problem.

Why would the devil ever flee from us? After all, we’re not that strong compared to him. The answer is back in the verse from Ephesians.

The phrase after you have done everything actually translates after you have fully accomplished your work. When you have done everything you were assigned to do by the Lord, then it’s time for the Holy Spirit to take over. One thing I’m certain about. The enemy is no match for the God I serve!

So, being forewarned with the knowledge that the day of evil is coming, we need to be ready. We must be fully armed and prepared to stand our ground in Christ. Then we will see the victory of God manifest in our situation.

Question: What are you going through right now that will require you to stand your ground?

© Nick Zaccardi 2014

 
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Posted by on October 8, 2014 in Faith, Ministry, Power of God, Spiritual Warfare

 

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Attitudes

30 Jul

Jonah 4:3-5
“Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”
Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city.  There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city.

If you haven’t noticed – sometimes our attitudes stink.  There are times when we are mad at God, just like Jonah.  He was upset because God was not going to destroy the city of Nineveh.

I have found the same things to be true in my experience.  God doesn’t always carry out my plans the way I want Him to.  He seems to never even consider my timetable.

Jonah found out how devastating it is when we desire God to do something that’s not in His will for our lives.  Jonah’s response was to run away to a lonely hillside.  Once there, he erected a shelter and waited.  In spite of his attitude, God met with him there.  Although the Lord didn’t say what Jonah wanted to hear, He was able to redirect some of Jonah’s thinking.

Maybe you have an attitude toward God about some things that have (or haven’t) happened in your life.  These could be bad news, life altering events or unfulfilled dreams.  Whatever they consist of, take them to the Lord.

Use your time in His presence to really wait before Him for an answer.  Spend some quality time before the Lord.  Let God redirect and refocus your life.  Only then can you overcome the problems of the past and make a fresh start.

 
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Posted by on July 30, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Awesome God

29 Jul

I Kings 19:11-13a
The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind.  After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.  After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.  And after the fire came a gentle whisper.  When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

There are many natural disasters reported in the news these days.  There’s bad weather, mudslides, earthquakes, and forest fires, just to name a few.  No matter what part of the country you live in, you need to be prepared to handle the threatening situations that can occur.

Unfortunately, we tend to blame God for all the bad stuff in life.  A tornado wipes out a trailer park, so we call it “an act of God.”  We figure anything that powerful, like floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes must be His doing.

The simple truth is that these things are not the work of God.  He is not the God of death and destruction, but the God of love.  His desire is to win the hearts of men and women through His gift of salvation.  He wants relationship with His creation.

We should be listening for that “gentle whisper” that speaks to our heart.  He uses this method to draw us to Himself.  Instead of seeking Him in the destructive forces of nature – seek to hear Him in the stillness of a quiet place.

 
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Posted by on July 29, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Running Away – Part 1

25 Jul

Genesis 16:7-8
The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.  And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
“I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

Here Hagar finds herself in a no-win situation.  She has just become pregnant by Abram, the husband of her mistress, Sarai.  Originally it was at Sarai’s insistence.  But now Hagar is hated and mistreated for her obedience.  She felt no other choice but to run away from the situation.

Many people use outdoor activities as an escape from the problems of life.  I have met many long-distance hikers who are on the trail to “find themselves.”  Just like Hagar, they are trying to get away from their problems.

It’s okay to run away sometimes, as long as we know where we are running to.  When she was asked what she was doing, Hagar admitted her problem.  She told the angel that she was running away.

That’s the first step to healing.  You must admit to yourself and to God that you are trying to cope with something beyond your strength to deal with.

If this describes you, take the time to admit your condition.  Be honest with yourself and seek the wisdom of God to see you through this difficult season.  Let His arms of compassion surround you and begin the process that will lead you back to an abundant life.

 
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Posted by on July 25, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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My Distress

24 Jul

Psalm 120:1
I call on the LORD in my distress, and he answers me.

We can clearly see from this Scripture what David’s natural response to distress was.  “I call on the Lord.”  It is a simple statement of fact.

I think back to when I first started hiking.  Out of shape and 50 pounds overweight, I was in distress most of the time.  Some hikes were one long prayer for my deliverance!

We need to ask ourselves – “What do I do when I find myself in distress?”  Do we first try to do everything we can think of to help ourselves?  Do we ignore the problem and hope it will go away?  Do we only run to God after everything else has failed?

We need to learn from David’s example.  Our first choice in time of distress should be to call upon the name of the Lord.  He is the Rock of safety that is always close at hand.  He alone is always available to meet our needs.

It is only in Christ that we are assured to come out victoriously on the other side.  Let the Lord handle your problems.  You will find that you spend less time worrying.  Trust Him, it will make all the difference in the outcome of the problem.

 
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Posted by on July 24, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Getting Help

16 Jul

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Most of us like to be helped.  When facing a difficult challenge, even a word of encouragement can go a long way.

If you are like most people, then you have relied upon help at one time or another.  Scripture teaches us that part of showing gratefulness is taking the blessing you received and passing it on to someone else.  It can be anything – a kind word, food, a ride, or a helping hand carrying things.  If it is done in obedience to God’s Word, it’s powerful and life changing.

What we need to start realizing is that even though all these good things came through the people around us, God originated them.  All the blessings that we receive come from the Lord’s hand.  It’s in thankfulness to Him that we are willing to pass a blessing on to someone else.

Look for an opportunity, today, to be a blessing to someone.  Do something unexpected.  Take the good things you have received from God and pass them on to someone around you.  The Lord will see to it that some day, in some way, you will be rewarded for your act of gratefulness to Him.

 
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Posted by on July 16, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Water in the Wilderness

13 Jul

Exodus 15:22-25
Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur.  For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water.  When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.)  So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
Then Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a piece of wood.  He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them.

When walking through the desert, water is a great necessity.  The effects of dehydration can be severe.  In the above verse, Israel found themselves having to trust God for their most basic needs.

Sometimes in life we go through wilderness experiences.  In the natural we can plan ahead to have the necessary food and water.  But in our life-journey we occasionally run into unexpected droughts.  These are the times we must trust God to feed our souls.

Grumbling and complaining about the situation that we find ourselves in is not the way out.  The solution is to walk in faith.  We know God will not fail us – He will see us through.  Why then would we want to wallow in self pity, when in reality, that only makes matters worse?

You must seek the Lord, especially if you are going through a hard time right now.  Spend some time in His presence, and obtain spiritual refreshment.  Let Him strengthen your inner man.  Renew yourself before His throne.  In that way you will always have an abundant supply, no matter how bad the situation.

 
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Posted by on July 13, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Crossing Over

11 Jul

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.

 
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Posted by on July 11, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Elim

10 Jul

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.

 
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Posted by on July 10, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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