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The First Step to Excellence #excellenceinministry

05 Aug

MountainI’ve been posting about the walk of excellence for a few days now.  Hopefully, as a child of God, you desire to walk in excellence before Him.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2

Where do you start on this road to excellence?  As is the case with many things in Christ, it’s going to start with a choice.

It’s sad to say, but many believers will not be willing to make that choice.  The cost is great.  This is that small gate that leads to the narrow road that Jesus said few would find.

The reason is not that it’s difficult to see or understand, but because it involves sacrifice.  I have to sacrifice my plans, dreams, and hopes to make room for His.

Basically, I have to learn to see myself as lying dead upon the altar of the Lord in order for His resurrection power to raise me to new levels in Him.  That’s why, generally speaking, the body of Christ in this generation is in its present state.

There is a transformation process that I need to undergo in order for His Word, His will, and His Way to become a part of my being.  I must allow the Living Word and the Holy Spirit to renew my heart and mind.  My thought processes and desires must be transformed into that which conforms to His plans.

It’s only when I’m willing to see it through to completion, in God’s way, that He will entrust me with His excellent plan for my life.  So many people have come to me as pastor down through the years asking me how to “find” God’s will for their lives.

The above verse doesn’t say that I need to struggle or search for God’s will.  It says that if I’m willing to lay my life down on His altar and begin the renewal process of my mind, then I will just know it.  When I see His will for my life, I will approve it.  I think you can agree that if something is good, pleasing and perfect – it can also be described as excellent.

It’s only after the decision of excellence is made that God will entrust you with His will.  Too often our attitude is that we want to know His will first so that we can decide whether we want to do it or not.  The Lord requires faith if we’re to please Him.  We must come to Him with the decision to see it through before He’ll give us the glimpse of the road ahead.  If you will not trust God with your future, then He will not trust you with His vision.

Question: Have you chosen the road of excellence?

© Nick Zaccardi 2013

 
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Posted by on August 5, 2013 in Spirit of Excellence

 

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The Transforming Power of Music

28 Nov

In my last post I started talking about music as a spiritual force.  Did you know that music has the power to transform your life?  It can lift you up, or bring you to your knees.

The Old Testament book of Deuteronomy was Moses’ last exhortation to Israel before he died.  In it he made some very interesting comments as he was led along by the Holy Spirit.

It also includes what happened in the last few days of his life.  As he was nearing the end, he had a very interesting encounter with God.

At that point, the Lord summoned Moses and Joshua (his second in command) to the tent of meeting.  They were to appear before the presence of God for some instructions.  Joshua was to be commissioned to lead Israel after Moses was gone.  This is all found in Deuteronomy, chapter 31.

When they came to the tent God spoke to them out of a pillar of cloud.  He told Moses of his soon departure.  Then the Lord spoke of the future of Israel.  He said that very soon after Moses was gone, the Israelites would begin to worship some of the gods of the peoples around them.

Because of their condition, they would lose the blessing of God upon their nation and face many devastating hardships.  This must have been frustrating news to Moses, knowing that he was about to leave and could do nothing about it – or could he?

God gave Moses a special instruction that would bring the people back to repentance.

“Now write down for yourselves this song and teach it to the Israelites and have them sing it, so that it may be a witness for me against them.”
Deuteronomy 31:19

What can a song do to help?

And when many disasters and difficulties come upon them, this song will testify against them, because it will not be forgotten by their descendants.
Deuteronomy 31:21a

The Hebrew phrase, testify against them, literally means to announce in their face.  God would use this song to bring conviction and repentance upon the nation of Israel.  God knew that the only way to turn a backslidden nation around was to transport them back to a time when they were under His blessing.

That’s what the force of music can accomplish.  There are times when I’m in the mall and suddenly I’m transformed into a teenager on summer vacation – because that’s when I first heard the song.  If that’s what a secular song can do, just think what godly music, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit can do.

Spiritual songs have the power to hit the “reset button” in our lives.  That’s why we should surround ourselves with the music of worship and praise.

Question: Has God ever used a song to bring you to repentance?

© Nick Zaccardi 2012

 
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Posted by on November 28, 2012 in Music, Power of God, The Church

 

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The Word

14 Jul

Hebrews 4:12-13
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.  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

In this passage, the Word of God is compared to a double-edged sword.  The Word of God is sharp enough to cut through all your barriers to get to the real you.  It knows where you live.  It will find you and you cannot hide from it.  People try to run from the Word, but it catches up with them.

Once the Word of God is sown into your heart it’s inescapable.  As we walk through our everyday lives, we find that the world is alive with testimonies to God’s truth.  The Word of God opens your eyes to them all around you.  The Holy Spirit can speak sermons to you throughout the day.

Once activated in a person’s life, the Word cannot be stopped.  It will achieve that for which God empowered it.  Just think of the effect it will have if we yield to its power.  If I line my ways up with God’s ways, I will see a greater degree of transformation taking place in a shorter time.

Don’t fight it.  Let the Word of the Lord do its work in your life.  Don’t go a day without prayerfully reading a portion of Scripture.  After you’ve done that, then meditate on it throughout the day.  It is life-changing.  Apply it to your life, and see the difference it will make.

 
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Posted by on July 14, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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Transformation

07 May

Isaiah 55:12-13
“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.  Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.  This will be for the LORD’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”

We have the power to transform our world.  It would be an amazing thing if we could see this verse happening as we going about our daily tasks.

I have mentioned that I enjoy hiking on the Appalachian Trail.  There is a portion of this trail in Pennsylvania that traverses a barren, polluted wasteland.  It became that way because of the carelessness of man’s industry.  Nothing grows there, and you cannot drink the water.  You just want to get through it as quickly as possible.  It is an ugly scar on the earth.

What a joy it would be to see it blossom with new life before our very eyes.  Unfortunately, the literal fulfillment of this verse will have to wait for the coming of Jesus Christ to establish His kingdom on earth.

The good news is that there is another way to bring this verse to life.  We can fulfill this every day in the area of our attitude.  That is what makes all the difference in our outlook. It can change our whole view of the world around us.

If we are always looking for problems, disappointments, and sorrows, we will see plenty of them in this world.  But, on the other hand, if we are looking to see God’s Spirit at work, opportunities for ministry and things to praise God for – this attitude will transform our world.  We will see it change from thorn bushes and roadblocks to myrtle trees and singing mountains.

Transform your world today.  Renew your attitude in the presence of the Lord.  Let Him realign your focus so that you see His goodness and grace, instead of your problems.

 
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Posted by on May 7, 2012 in Daily Thoughts

 

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