A Soul that Thirsts for God - 4

A Soul that Thirsts for God - 4

Subject – Having a Determined Purpose is not Easy

By Rick Welborne

Psalm 42:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.
²  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 

Philippians 3:10 AMP                                                                                                                                         [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in the same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [the power it exerts over believers]; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death.   

--Tonight let’s look at two more essential decisions, each related to a discipline (we are disciples), that will help us develop an in-depth intimacy with Christ and Holy Spirit. 

--If you are serious about becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with God, you will find these two decisions will help you in that process. 

--Last week we looked at these two disciplines and they had ouch written all over them. It only gets tougher.

Reordering One’s Private World: The Discipline of Simplicity

--Everything we encounter in this world works against reordering and simplifying our lives. Yes, everything. Our world is cluttered with junk and is extremely complicated. 

Ecclesiastes 7:29 (TEV)                                                                                                                                        29 God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.

--Solomon was definitely right…We have made ourselves very complicated. Not only do we acquire more stuff, we accumulate more and more and run out of room to keep it. 

2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV) ³ But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Being Still: The Discipline of Silence

--I have almost found in my own personal life that this challenge is insurmountable. Another family crisis, another funeral, and just life keeps us from the times of silence. But listen to the Psalmist:

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) 

¹⁰  Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! 

Swindoll – Noise and words and frenzied, hectic schedules dull our senses, closing our ears to His still small voice and making us numb to His touch.

--Intimacy with Jesus calls for disciplines that are no longer valued or emulated by our society. We must begin with simplicity which allows us to re-order our private world. 

--After this, there must be silence…Be still and know that I am God. This silence and stillness allows us to be able to hear from God and allow for the closeness we so desperately need. 

--All of us can testify, God does not speak to a hurried, worried mind. It takes time alone with Him and His word before we can expect our spiritual strength to recover. Two more disciplines today.

1. Cultivating Serenity: The Discipline of Solitude

--We all understand (hopefully) the value of companionship to enable us to be encouraged, accountable, and challenged. But please do not miss the discipline of solitude where we cultivate serenity.

Serenity – the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. 

--Solitude has been called the “furnace of transformation.” Not just a quick-stop of privacy where we gain just enough strength to keep going. It becomes an oasis of the soul.

--It is where we see ourselves, others, and especially our God in new ways. It is where the clutter of our lives is identified and exterminated. Soul surgery transpires as serenity replaces anxiety.

Swindoll – In solitude, struggles occur that no one else knows about. Inner battles are fought here that seldom become fodder for sermons or illustrations for books. God, Who probes our deepest thoughts during protracted segments of solitude, opens our eyes to things that need attention. It is here He makes us aware of those things we try to hide from others. 

--Henri Nouwen describes solitude as a place to get rid of scaffolding that holds us up: no friends to talk to, no phones, no meetings, not even music, no books except the Bible.

--Just us, naked, vulnerable, weak, sinful, deprived, broken, nothing. It is in this nothingness that I have to face my solitude. So much nothingness that all I want to do is run to my friends, work, my phone. It hurts.

--As we stay in our solitude we have confusing thoughts, disturbing images, wild fantasies, and weird thoughts attack my mind like wild monkeys in a banana tree. Anger and greed show up. 

--Wow, Pastor Rick, that sounds terrible. Our task is to persevere in solitude, to stay in our isolation, until the monkeys (demons) decide to leave. Most of us resist this kind of soul searching because it is too severe.

--We think; life is way too short for this kind of scrutiny. My religious show must continue! No, the point of the discipline of solitude is to stop the show. Listen to the Psalmist inviting this examination.

Psalm 139:1-4, 23 -24 (NKJV) ¹ O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
²  You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
³  You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴  For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
²³  Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;
²⁴  And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting. 

--The Apostle Paul sees the church at Corinth abusing the wonderful Lord’s supper so he corrects them. He tells not to neglect those who are hungry. Don’t get drunk. Listen to his instruction:

1 Cor. 11:28-31 (NKJV) ²⁸ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
²⁹  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
³⁰  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.
³¹  For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

--If we refuse to take these times of solitude we find ourselves continuing busy with no hope of serenity.

--Tt is time for judgment to begin and to begin at the house of God. God never intended His church to become a place of empty, endless chatter. Self-examination is necessary if we will grow up in the Lord.

--Listen to Jesus’ admonishment to His disciples after a time of ministry to the people. 

Mark 6:30-32 (NKJV) ³⁰ Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.
³¹  And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
³²  So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

--Sadly the people chased them down before they could rest but Jesus’ words still resonate with us for solitude. Swindoll strongly encourages us to keep a journal of these times of solitude. 

2. Trusting the Lord Completely: The Discipline of Surrender

--All of us have heard how “trusting in the Lord” is not a new concept or a new revelation to the church. Just a few days ago someone said the verses about trusting in the Lord were their life verses.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 

--Though it has been used and re-used the fact remains that God is inviting us in all of our ways, in everything we are doing or hoping to do, that we should trust Him with all of hearts. Easy to say but hard to do.

--If we have a determined purpose, like Paul, to become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Jesus, we cannot try to work out the details of our own lives. We must trust Him fully.

--This generation, thanks to us who have raised them, pretty much cannot stand the word “surrender” so the discipline of surrender sounds ridiculous. No one surrenders anything now days.

--Our kids have never had to learn to trust God because we have taught them to trust us more than God. Thus, we raise kids who become adults not knowing how to trust God with all their hearts.

--They want it, we get it. They do not have to work for it or change anything about their lives and we oblige to serve them. They don’t appreciate it and then, they want more. We give it. Remember working?

--We have been cheating this generation out of trusting and surrender. Too bad, since it is in trusting and surrender that some of God’s greatest treasures are found. Listen to Swindoll about trusting God:

Swindoll – I’m finally learning that His sovereign plan is the best plan. That whatever I entrust to Him, He can take care of better than I. That nothing under His control can ever be out of control. That everything I need, He knows about in every detail. When I keep my hands out of things, His will is accomplished. His Name is exalted, and His glory is magnified. 

--I hope we are learning that surrendering to our sovereign Lord, leaving the details of our future in His hands, is the most responsible act of obedience we can do. Find solitude, learn to trust, and find intimacy. 

--Trusting will make me a deeper person passionately loving Him with all my heart. Intimacy!

Welcome - 1

Welcome - 1

Subject – Welcoming Jesus into Life Church and Our Lives

By Rick Welborne

John 2:1-11 (NLT2)
¹  The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
²  and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.
³  The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
⁴  “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
⁵  But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
⁶  Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.
⁷  Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled,
⁸  he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.
⁹  When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over.
¹⁰  “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
¹¹  This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 

--Today we begin a new series that has been stirring in my heart for a long time. If you have been coming to Life Church for any time at all you know we welcome Holy Spirit.

--During this series we will look at welcoming Jesus, God the Father, Holy Spirit, missionaries, the hurting, and the Word. May add others.

--Who we welcome and why in our church and in our lives will greatly define who we are and where we are going. It will help define our vision and purpose for the Lord.

--Today we are looking at welcoming Jesus to Life Church and into our lives. Since there is no other Name whereby we can be saved, welcoming Him is vitally important.

Acts 4:10-12 (NLT2)
¹⁰  Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.
¹¹  For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’
¹²  There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.” 

1. Welcome Jesus to a Wedding

John 2:1-2 (NLT2)
¹  The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
²  and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 

--Think about this…there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee. Not a church service, not a conference, not a prayer meeting, a wedding celebration.

--Do you just suppose that this is simply saying to us that Jesus should be welcomed or invited to whatever we are doing with our lives.

--If Jesus is Lord and Savior shouldn’t He be included into every aspect of our lives whether it is a wedding, a family gathering, a picnic, a ball game? I think you get my point. Everything!

--If you can’t take Jesus with you to whatever event you are participating in; it may be an indication you shouldn’t be doing the event. These verses kept coming to my mind:

Hebrews 13:5-6&8 (NIV)
⁵  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
⁶  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
⁸  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 

--When we have received Jesus as Lord and Savior we have a promise from Him…He says, “I promise you… I promise you I will never leave you and I will never forsake you.” He is our helper.

--Interesting that the writer of Hebrews throws in here that Jesus has not changed…Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 

--We welcome Jesus because He is the One constant in our lives in whom we can depend on all the time. You can’t say that about anyone else.

--No matter how much we love someone and no matter how good our intentions are, we will always disappoint people at some point and on some level. Jesus is always the same.

2. A Miracle in the House

John 2:1-5 (NLT2)
¹  The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
²  and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.
³  The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
⁴  “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
⁵  But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

--They have no more wine. Does not seem like a big deal but what an embarrassing dilemma for the couple, the host, and the planners of the wedding celebration.

--Think about this, the first miracle that happened in the life of Jesus and at the beginning of His ministry was simply because He was invited to the event.

--Could it be that one of the reasons we do not see more miracles is because we do not invite Jesus, we do not welcome Jesus into whatever we are doing.

--Now wait a minute, Preacher, you just said Jesus promises to never leave us or forsake us. Is that true? Of course, but there is a difference between having someone in the house and them being welcomed.

--When we welcome (acknowledge) Jesus into the party, all bets are off because when Jesus is present and acknowledged there is a miracle in the house. 

--Watch this, when someone is invited and welcomed into the house, the event, or whatever, you truly want to get to know them better.

Philippians 3:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ
⁹  and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
¹⁰  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,

--When Jesus is welcomed in all sincerity, nothing is more important than Him being there. Paul was saying getting to know Jesus makes everything else insignificant.

--I can experience not only His presence but I can also experience His resurrection power…His miracles. Thus, the water being turned into wine. Power of His resurrection!

--A wedding that was potentially going to crash was totally transformed simply because Jesus was invited, He was welcomed into their lives and their party and everything changed.

--Meditate on this, the miracle you need in your family, your life, your finances, your job, your health may just be an invitation away. Welcome Jesus and let the water be changed into wine.

3. I Stand at the Door

Revelation 3:14-20 (NKJV)
¹⁴  "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
¹⁵  I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
¹⁶  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
¹⁷  Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked--
¹⁸  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
¹⁹  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
²⁰  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 

--Revelations 2 and 3 are directed to seven churches which I believe are representatives of the churches that are in the world. He gave commendations but also correction. He says much in verses 15-19 correcting them.

--We often use verse 20 for someone to receive Christ and that’s ok but keep it in context. Jesus is standing at the door of the church, He gave His life for, waiting for a welcome or invitation to come in. How sad.

--Shouldn’t Jesus always be welcomed in His Church. Sadly, He is not. Our programs, platforms, and prejudices keep Him out. He’s knocking! Let Him in! Welcome Him!

--We need Him in our lives and in our church because He is our life and our salvation. We need Him here because He saves and because miracles happen when He shows up.

--Stand with me and let’s welcome Jesus into His house!

A Soul that Thirsts for God - 3

A Soul that Thirsts for God - 3

Subject – Having a Determined Purpose is not Easy

By Rick Welborne

Psalm 42:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.
²  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? 

Philippians 3:10 (NKJV)
¹⁰  that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 

Philippians 3:10 AMP                                                                                                                                         [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in the same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [the power it exerts over believers]; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death.   

--I believe we all can agree that having a “determined purpose” is so important to our intimacy with Christ, but hear your pastor, it is neither easy nor automatic. 

--If you are looking for encouragement from this world or even from friends who are not born again, forget it. I am shocked how many people look for counsel outside the family of faith. Non-biblical.

--Listen to Isaac Watts’ questions. They are extremely old but overwhelmingly relevant:

Watts – Are there no foes for me to face? Must I not stem the flood? Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God?

--Tonight let’s look at two essential decisions, each related to a discipline (we are disciples), that will help us develop an in-depth intimacy with Christ and Holy Spirit. 

--If you are serious about becoming more intimately acquainted with God, you will find these two decisions will help you in that process. This is not all we can learn but a good beginning. Swindoll:

1. Reordering One’s Private World: The Discipline of Simplicity

--Everything we encounter in this world works against reordering and simplifying our lives. Yes, everything. Our world is cluttered with junk and is extremely complicated. 

--Know God did not create our world that way. Our depraved world wanting more and wanting it faster has made it that way. Think about the devices made to save us time. A joke. Complicated everything. 

Ecclesiastes 7:29 (NCV)
²⁹  One thing I have learned: God made people good, but they have found all kinds of ways to be bad.

Ecclesiastes 7:29 (TEV)                                                                                                                                        29 God made us plain and simple, but we have made ourselves very complicated.

--Advertisements have one major goal: to make us discontented. They want us miserably dissatisfied with who we are and what we have. Why? So we will buy what they are selling. And we do.

--The watchword for the consumer society is more! Enough is never enough. Even in the church we get caught up with competition which pushes us to the brink of questionable motives.

Proverbs 30:11-15 (NIV)
¹¹  "There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers;
¹²  those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
¹³  those whose eyes are ever so haughty, whose glances are so disdainful;
¹⁴  those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth, the needy from among mankind.
¹⁵  "The leech has two daughters. 'Give! Give!' they cry. 

--Solomon was right…We have made ourselves very complicated. Not only do we acquire more stuff, we accumulate more and more and run out of room to keep it. I have nothing to wear.

--We are driven, not led, to win at any cost no matter who we have to run over to get there. Not only do we want more, we have to spend so much time trying to maintain those things.

--Trying to stay ahead at this maddening pace leaves us strained and struggling to deal with all this stuff. We find ourselves fearful and even struggling to breathe because of the anxiety. 

--Surely it is not God Who is the author of such confusion and chaos. Thomas Kelly - God never guides us to an intolerable scramble of panting feverishness. 

--To re-order one’s own world happens when we find it imperative to simplify our lives. If we don’t we will not be able to find inner peace, nor be able to access the deep parts of our hearts where God speaks to us

--If we stay in that condition too long we will find our hearts growing cold toward Christ. We become like Eve.

2 Corinthians 11:3 (NKJV)
³  But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

--Please do not think you are not vulnerable. It can happen in a family where everyone is a Christian, in a church where truth is taught, and even in seminary where exhausted students let down their guard.

--Another enemy to this simplicity is when we compare ourselves with ourselves. We compare how we are better than the other person or discover we never measure up to the super saints.

--To those who determine to simplify their lives quickly discover it is a rigorous solo voyage against the wind. We must slow our pace and stop envying others. Two tough assignments. Make your life simple.

2. Being Still: The Discipline of Silence

--The disciplines get tougher not easier. Imagine how tough it is to simplify our lives in a world filled with noise, restlessness, and nonstop activity, to have the discipline of silence.

--I have almost found in my own personal life that this challenge is insurmountable. Another family crisis, another funeral, sickness, and just life keeps us from the times of silence. The Psalmist:

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV) 

¹⁰  Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! 

Psalm 46:10 (TLB)
¹⁰  "Stand silent! Know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation in the world!" 

--No matter what translation you choose, God is addressing His own people of every race, culture, and era, people mature, employed, unemployed, single or married…be still and be silent in my presence.

--We are commanded to rest, relax, let go, and make time for God. The scene is one of stillness and quietness, listening and waiting before Him and Him only.

--Sounds almost impossible in these busy times but if we will know God intimately we must have this discipline of silence. We can’t do without silence if we hope to go deeper with God. 

Swindoll – Noise and words and frenzied, hectic schedules dull our senses, closing our ears to His still small voice and making us numb to His touch.

--Think about how we contend with words (messages) on our phones and on social media. Sometimes we fill like we are driving thru a dictionary. Use me, drink me, buy me. Nonstop words.

--Think about it when you go to the beach, the mountains, or wherever there is silence or solitude, and how we are refreshed by that. It is the therapy of stillness connecting with God.

--Do you ever find yourself victimized by the noisy, busy, overcrowded world in which we spend many hours a day in the middle of. We become insensitive to Holy Spirit and the things of God.

--There are times we find ourselves feeling down and depressed without even knowing why. We find it hard to pray and we find ourselves truly distracted from what is important.

--Straight talk…no one can do anything about this but you. 

Swindoll – Allow it to continue, and you will gravitate into one of two directions. Either you will run through the motions and cultivate a hypocritical spirituality hidden behind the mask of phony enthusiasm, or you will simply fade from involvement and distance yourself from meaningful relationships with other Christians. In both cases, you will set yourself up for a fall. I have seen it happen more often than I want to recall. 

--We all can be sucked into a sort of black hole of activities in this hurried world. When that happens, we find ourselves running from others in our own family and church rather than toward them. 

 --Intimacy with Jesus calls for disciplines that are no longer valued or emulated by our society. We must begin with simplicity which allows us to re-order our private world. 

--After this, there must be silence…Be still and know that I am God. This silence and stillness allows us to be able to hear from God and allow for the closeness we so desperately need. 

--We testify, God does not speak to a hurried, worried mind. It takes time alone with Him and His Word before we can expect our spiritual strength to recover. In Paul’s struggle, he could hear God:

 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
⁹  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
¹⁰  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.