In my last post I made a statement about the Word of God planted in us. I first made the point that we’re powerless to make the seed grow. I then said that the only help we can give it, is in the watering process.
How do we water the seed of the Word of God? That’s what this post is about.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:10-11
Now that’s an interesting concept. Not only is the Word seed, it’s also the water. The first time you receive God’s Word concerning a certain matter, be it salvation or healing, it’s the seed being planted in your life.
After that, you can still hear the Word of God in those areas. However, it’s now the water to bring the plant to maturity. That is why it’s so important for me to receive God’s Word in all of its forms. I need both the initial seed and the water for growth.
As a pastor, I’m accountable to God to bring His Word to those under my care. I must regularly plant seed and water what’s been planted. Both are done by a Word from God.
The Word is both the seed and the water. But that’s not a reason for you to feel comfortable if you’re not a pastor. You’re under the same marching orders.
You’re accountable to God for the Word God has sent you to plant in the lives of others around you. It’s this truth that sheds light on a problem that we’re currently experiencing in the body of Christ.
Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.
Proverbs 25:14
It’s very easy to claim gifts that you don’t possess.
“I am a teacher to the body of Christ.”
“I’m a prophet of God.”
It’s easy to lay claim to titles and positions. The true test is whether or not people are being planted with the Word of God. Is there fruit to the ministry?
What the world desperately needs right now is a Word from God. The church promises so much, yet a lot of it is “clouds and wind without rain.”
It’s time for God’s people to press in to receive His Word. When our society sees someone truly transformed by the Spirit of God, then they’ll hunger to receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Question: Why are so many believers content to merely talk about the good things of God, yet not experience them?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: body of Christ, Christ, fruit, fruit of the Spirit, God's word, grow, growth, healing, Jesus, maturity, plant seed, planted, planted in us, receive God's word, salvation, seed, self-watering word of God, transformed, water, watering process, word of God
In my last post I talked about how the work of salvation was started in your life. But that’s not the end of it. The Word has a greater job to do in you.
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
James 1:21
James is writing to the church in this passage of Scripture. As I’ve stated before, I believe that the book of James was the first New Testament Scripture to be written. If that’s true, then the Word he refers to could not be the Bible, since that was unknown at this point in church history.
What James is telling us is that the Word has been planted in us and is continuing to grow in us. It’s there to change us. Actually, what he says in the original Greek, is that this seed has the power (dunamis) to save your soul. James is telling us to allow the seed of the Word to do its job, the saving of our souls.
Wait a minute! I thought that if I accepted Christ, then I’m saved already. The answer to that is an important one. Yes, you were saved from sin and hell. If you died right now you would go to heaven to be with the Lord.
However, in the broadest sense, salvation is not a one time thing. It’s ongoing. I’m saved (from sin and hell), I’m being saved (from the effects of sin in me), and I will be saved (from my flesh). It’s this ongoing process of salvation that James is writing about.
Salvation itself is a package deal. It includes everything that Christ paid for on the cross. That same Word that brought me over from death to life also works God’s health and provision in me. But for this to work, it has to start in my soul and work its way out.
That’s why the Word is called a seed. Much of its work is done in the unseen places, below the surface. Then, as it continues its work, it bursts out into the sunlight to bring the work in my life to completion – the bearing of fruit.
The question may arise – where does the seed come from? The answer is simple. It comes from the processes of the Spirit. The seed grows, produces the plant and then the fruit. The fruit itself contains more seed. That seed is then planted in new ground to produce even more – and the cycle continues.
So, in reality, the seed comes from those who at one time received the Word, allowed it to grow, and then brought forth fruit. The seed comes from someone who accepted the Word. According to the parables of Christ, there can be 30, 60, or even 100 times what was originally sown. God wants an abundant harvest. The greater the harvest, the greater the next planting will be.
Question: How much has your life changed since you first made Christ Lord of your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: bearing fruit, Christ, church, cross, dunamis, effects of sin, flesh, future, God's word, grow, growth, harvest, hell, James, Jesus, living saved, ongoing salvation, past, power, present, process, process of salvation, salvation, save your soul, saved, savior, sin, word, word of God, word planted
For the last few posts I’ve been talking about the Good News of Jesus Christ. What exactly is that Good News? I think you’ll be surprised at how the modern church has turned the message around, making it empty of its power.
If I were to ask people “What is the Gospel?”, I would probably receive many answers. There are a host of believers who are actively trying to “win the lost.” They would most likely give me very Biblical answers.
What I want to know are the perceptions of those who hear the Gospel. From talking with unbelievers who have been “witnessed to” I could boil it down to the following: “You’re an evil sinner going to hell, but if you repeat a special prayer you can go to Heaven.”
If that’s what they got out of an encounter with a Christian, then something’s wrong with our approach. There is no way to demonstrate a statement like that. That’s why so many unbelievers are bitter toward those who have tried and failed to convert them.
We need to return to a true understanding of what the Good News is all about.
Here is an example of Jesus’ ministry.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Mark 1:15
Jesus made two statements. The kingdom of God is near was the Good News. The Lord then told the people how to respond to this Good News.
Repent and believe is not the Good News, it’s the response that’s needed. We must learn that the power is in the Good News, not in the response to the Good News. In many cases, we have started calling the response, the Gospel. You cannot go out preaching “repent and believe” and assume you’re bringing the Gospel to the world.
When it comes to the Good News, one size doesn’t fit all. There are gang members and single moms, Wall St. executives and the homeless. Is the Good News the same for all of them?
Don’t get me wrong, I realize that the response to the Good News must be the same for all people. But the message itself will be different depending upon who you’re talking to. This is how God established it in His Word.
God, Himself, gave us four Gospels. Matthew was written for the Jews and Mark for the Romans. Luke was for the Greeks and John contained Good News for the Christian.
It’s a fact that religious people need to hear something different than the unchurched. The Bible itself describes the Good News in many ways. It’s called the Gospel of the Kingdom, of God, of Christ, of God’s grace, of your salvation, and the Gospel of peace.
Of course, no matter how the Gospel message is tailored to an audience, Jesus Christ is central. Furthermore, it all must be demonstrated by the power of the Holy Spirit in order for the world to see the full picture.
Question: How can you bring the Good News to those in you sphere of influence?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: good news, gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, John, Luke, Mark, Matthew, message, message of the gospel, modern church, power, power of the Gospel, salvation, true gospel, unbelievers, unchurched, win the lost, witnessing
Why do we share the message of Christ? Is it all about how many people we can get to pray the “sinner’s prayer”? In my last post I talked about how we are to serve the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As important as servanthood is, there’s still more to understand about the Good News.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:17-18
As God’s people, we must come to the understanding that we are not sent to merely “get people saved”. Our goal is to announce the Good News. When someone accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, that’s only the beginning of the salvation process. As a pastor of over 20 years I am still “being saved” by the power of the Gospel. Remember what Jesus said to His disciples.
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Mark 16:15-16
We are to preach or announce the Good News first, then baptize later. Our main job is to announce the Good News. I believe this is the point where we’ve lost sight of what the Good News is all about.
It’s what Paul was talking about in the passage from I Corinthians 1:17-18, above. Our goal shouldn’t be to “get people saved”. We are commissioned to announce the Gospel. According to Paul, it’s sometimes not with words. It’s not even with wise words. The reason for this is that words can sometimes neutralize the cross.
How can that be? Paul continues to explain it to us. He states that the message is foolishness to the unsaved even though it’s the power of God to us. So many Christians think that the Gospel is merely announcing the message of the cross. That’s why so few are turning to Christ these days. We are trying to win them with what they perceive is foolishness. There is another way – it’s the way Paul and the early church turned the world upside-down for Christ.
For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
1Thessalonians 1:4-5
The early church brought the Good News with not just words. They brought the Gospel on the scene with the manifestation of the power of God. This is what our generation desperately needs to see.
Question: What will it take to once again see God’s power manifest in His people?
Tags: announce, being saved, get people saved, good news, gospel, gospel not about numbers, Gospel of Jesus Christ, message of Christ, neutralize the cross, not with words, numbers, power of God, preach, salvation, salvation process, sinners prayer
Who is the Gospel for? Is it only the unsaved that need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ? I think that we’ve short changed ourselves by not continuing in the whole truth of the Gospel.
This is my second post in a series about the true, life-changing Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to look at what it is and its effect upon our lives. In this post I want to explain how the Good News is also for believers.
For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith.
Hebrews 4:2
According to this passage of Scripture, without faith, the Gospel is of no value or of no benefit to those who hear it. It starts there – you must believe the Gospel in order to enter into salvation. What most Christians don’t realize is that the Good News doesn’t end there. It’s not something that’s only for those in need of the saving power of God.
Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him…
Romans 16:25-26
In the first line of this section of the Word the phrase is able is the Greek word dunamis – power. This literally says that He has the power to establish you. How can the Lord accomplish this? It’s through the Gospel that we are established. Not only does the Good News save you, but it gives you a foundation. It sets you firmly in place by the power of the Lord.
I think one of our fundamental mistakes is to think of the word salvation as a one-time thing. It is actually an ongoing process. According to Scripture, I received salvation when I accepted Christ as my Lord. Now, for the rest of my life, I am being saved by His work in me. One day, when He returns, I will receive my final salvation – my resurrected body. The Gospel is a part of God’s continuing work in my life.
Of course, if you read the above verse carefully you’ll find that it’s not just the Good News. It’s also the proclamation of Jesus the Anointed One and His anointing that brings about this stability in your life. That’s why we can’t neglect the gathering together of the church. We need what happens when we meet together for worship if we’re going to progress in that anointing.
This is Good News, But as great as our lives being established is, the Gospel doesn’t stop there. In my next post I will talk about another aspect of the Gospel we don’t normally consider.
Question: What is a result of failing to see the Gospel as an ongoing work in your life?
© Nick Zaccardi 2013
Tags: believe, believer, Christ, do I need the Gospel, establish, faith, foundation, good news, gospel, Gospel of Jesus Christ, Jesus, ongoing process, salvation, save, saved, stability, unbeliever, unsaved, whole truth
Do you find yourself hesitant to share your faith with the people around you? Do you get flustered when asked about what you believe or your opinion on religious matters? Many Christians find themselves in this condition. I believe that the answer is found in Scripture.
In the past I posted about the power of God. I defined it as the ability to produce change in the life of the believer. This access to the life-changing power of God is vital to see the move of the Spirit in our lives and churches.
There is, however, an important ingredient that we very often trip over. I am talking about the Gospel. This is something that’s very misunderstood among Christians. It’s extremely important to see the Gospel for what it is because it directly relates to the power of God. I want to take a few posts to look at these factors.
I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Romans 1:16
We probably all know by now that the word Gospel in the Bible is a Greek word that literally means the Good News. What is this Good News? According to the verse above, it’s the power of God to save everyone. That’s the Good News in a nutshell. God is powerful enough to save all who come to Him.
Because of this truth, Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed” of this Good News. But that statement leads us to a thought provoking question. If I am ashamed of it, is it really the Gospel?
Think about this illustration for a moment. You were just promoted to Vice President of your company and your salary was doubled. Would you be too ashamed to tell anyone about that good news? If you had just won a new car, would you be too ashamed to speak about that?
When it comes to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I have to ask, what is it that we’re ashamed of and why? Is it even the Good News that we’re talking about? These are the issues I want to deal with over the next few posts.
My goal is to make you hungry for the true Gospel. It really is the power of God to save those who believe it. It carries with it the life-changing ability of God. If we could only understand the truth about this Good News it would change the way we approach the world.
Question: Why do you think we get uneasy sharing our faith with others?
Tags: afraid, ashamed, bashful, faith, good news, gospel, life changing, power of God, salvation, save, share, share your faith, true gospel, why are we ashamed of the gospel
In past posts I talked about spiritual power in physical terms. What does it take to walk in the power of God? Scripture gives us the answers.
The following is an event that’s recorded in Luke 7:36-50. I encourage you to take the time and read through this section of Scripture to see the truth of what I’m describing.
A Pharisee had invited Jesus over to his home for dinner. When Jesus arrived at the house, the Pharisee neglected a few simple courtesies that were a way of life in that region of the world.
He didn’t offer Jesus a kiss, water for His feet, or oil for His hair. This was a slight against the Lord.
During Jesus’ visit, a woman came in and did something unique. She knelt before Him and wept, allowing her tears to fall on His feet. Then she wiped them with her hair. Once His feet were cleaned, she opened an alabaster bottle of expensive perfume and began to anoint His feet.
As this was going on, the Pharisee was thinking that if Jesus were really a prophet, He would know how sinful this woman was. According to the Pharisee’s thinking, Jesus shouldn’t let her touch Him.
Jesus, knowing his thoughts, turned to the Pharisee and told him a parable about two men who had their debts forgiven. One had a large debt, and the other a small one.
He asked the Pharisee which had more love for the one who forgave the debts. The Pharisee answered that the one who was forgiven more, loved more. Jesus then applied that truth to the Pharisee and the woman, much to the Pharisee’s shame.
In doing this, Jesus said some things that are very important for us to hear in regards to the flow of the power of God.
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Luke 7:50
We see from this verse that faith brought the woman salvation and peace. These are two results that can only be accomplished by the power of God. It is through the salvation and peace of God that we can live above the problems found in the world system.
But there is something else that Jesus said that causes us to question if faith was the only thing involved.
“Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Luke 7:47
According to Jesus, she had something else that released the power of God into her life. She had much love. This is an important concept for us to grasp. In order to truly understand the nature of power, we must come to terms with the relationship between faith and love. In short, we must understand the faith – love connection.
Question: Do you see the connection between faith and love?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: Christ, faith, faith love connection, flow of power, Jesus, love, much love, peace, Pharisee, power flow, power of God, salvation, Scripture, spiritual power, what does it take
“I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”
Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
Isaiah 44:22-23
On Christmas Day – at least in my part of the world – I woke up to snow in the air. It was a beautiful sight to see a new blanket of white on the frozen ground. I was then blessed to spend the morning opening presents with my wife and children. God is so good!
Sometimes it just seems like everything is right with the world. “The hills are alive with the sound of music.” We look around, and all of nature seems to be singing God’s praise. Actually, this is a product of our attitude. It happens when we start the day meditating on what God has done for us.
At least for believers, that should be an easy thing this time of year. We are reminded of all the Lord has done for us. Taking on our humanity and living among us was truly a special gift. Then, bearing our sins to the cross and rising for our salvation was something we couldn’t have even imagined that God would be willing to accomplish for us.
What an incredible thing! To have your sins forgiven. To know that the blood of Christ washes you clean. To be able to approach His holy presence without fear of condemnation. It’s no wonder that Isaiah felt like all creation was bursting into song before him.
The privilege is ours now to run into His majestic presence. Don’t start the day without spending time with Him. Commit the day ahead to His care. Let Him establish and maintain you. Bring praise and worship before Him. Don’t you dare let the forests and mountains outdo you in the praise of His glorious name!
Question: Is there something you would like to praise God for right now?
© Nick Zaccardi 2012
Tags: better than a tree, blessing, blood of Christ, creation, forests, forgiveness, gifts, mountains, nature, praise, presence of God, redeemed, salvation, singing, sins forgiven, snow, thanks, thanksgiving, the Lord, trees, worship
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.
Tags: act of God, awesome God, death, destruction, gift of salvation, God's love, holy worship, intimacy, natural disasters, prayer, presence of the lord, problems, quiet place, relationship, salvation, still small voice, trust
In my last post I made a statement about the Word of God planted in us. I first made the point that we’re powerless to make the seed grow. I then said that the only help we can give it, is in the watering process.
The Spirit and the Word 