Missions – 2023 – Kingdom Builders

Missions – 2023 – Kingdom Builders

Subject – Why We Should Be Kingdom Builders

By Rick Welborne

Matthew 16:13-19 (NLT2)
¹³  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
¹⁴  “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
¹⁵  Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
¹⁶  Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
¹⁷  Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
¹⁸  Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
¹⁹  And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” 

--We have been sharing with you for the last month (actually the last 32 years) about missions, Faith Promises, and about all of us being involved. 

--This is definitely not an exact figure of what we have done here at Life Church but here is a conservative estimate of what we have done over this period of time. 6 ½ Million Dollars.

--Not bad for a small Assembly of God Church in Fruitland Park, Florida. Top 10 in the state and top 50 in the nation out of over 13,000 churches for several years. I truly commend you.

--I have prayed and prayed and prayed this year that God again will use us to support the 220 missionaries we already have and to enable us to continue adding more and more missionaries.

--By the way, it is not just about adding more missionaries and supporting the 220, it is also being able to respond to needs all over the world like this resent earthquake. So tragic.

--God’s mandate to me on the backside of that mountain in Mexico has never subsided and I don’t believe God has changed His mind about the Great Commission.

--Over the last several weeks I keep challenging myself about this mandate and about our responsibility to do what God has called us to do.

--Just in case you were wondering, every year we increase what we had given the previous year and we give every time we have a guest missionary or a world crisis. This is more than just rhetoric. 

--Whether you believe it or not or receive it or not, you were included in that mandate from God. Listen to the Words God gave me then and see if you guys were included.

--Remember I was begging God to let me be a missionary and to stay in that small Mexican Village and pastor the church that sat up on the side of the mountain. God spoke to me:

“You will go back to the states and you will continue being a youth pastor. Eventually you will become a lead pastor of a church and your job will be to make that church a great missions church.”

--My response of course, because Jesus is Lord, and because He is the Lord of the Harvest, was “Yes, Lord.” I never lost my heart for Missions and I eventually became your lead pastor.

--After being fully installed as lead pastor, I along with Margaret Belew, began immediately planning our first Missions Convention and that has continued to this day. Pastor, we know all that. Yes.

--So back to the mandate and my challenging of myself, I began asking myself “Why are we doing what we are doing?” Why are we pushing so hard for the Great Commission?

--Why do I feel obsessed with this mandate and why is the burden of making sure that it happens so overwhelming? Why Missions and why have we chosen to be Kingdom Builders?

1. Jesus Said “Go” and Paul Said “Send”.

--Why, as a believer in Christ, as His follower, do we do anything? We do it because we want to be obedient to His Word.

Mark 16:15-16 (NCV)
¹⁵  Jesus said to his followers, “Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone.
¹⁶ Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who does not believe will be punished.

--Jesus command could not be much clearer…Go everywhere and tell everyone. If you are truly a follower of Christ and you are truly a bond slave to Jesus, you must be obedient to His Word.

--And then, Saul, who became Paul, transformed by the power of God, made into a brand new creation by Him, and branded for Christ the rest of His life said this:

Romans 10:1&9-15 (NLT2)
¹  Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.
⁹  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
¹⁰  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.
¹¹  As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
¹²  Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.
¹³  For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
¹⁴  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
¹⁵  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” 

--Why missions? Why be Kingdom Builders? Why support missionaries all over the world? Why do what we do? Because God’s Word says so! Truly, that should be enough!

2. We Must Allow God to Open Our Eyes.

Acts 9:15-18 (NLT2)
¹⁵  But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.
¹⁶  And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
¹⁷  So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
¹⁸  Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 

--Until the scales fell off of Saul’s eyes (Paul) he could not see his need for Jesus and he definitely could not understand what God’s plan for his life was. 

--What was God’s plan…listen to it…my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. God’s plan was for him to be a missionary.

--I believe the same is true for us. Until the scales fall off our eyes, we will not know what God’s plan for us is. We, also, are to be missionaries and we are to send missionaries. 

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) ¹⁸ Where there is no vision, the people perish:

Eph. 1:17-19 (Voice)                                                                                                                                           ⁷ God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, Father of Glory: I call out to You on behalf of Your people. Give them minds ready to receive wisdom and revelation so they will truly know You.                                                  ¹⁸ Open the eyes of their hearts, and let the light of Your truth flood in. Shine Your light on the hope You are calling them to embrace. Reveal to them the glorious riches You are preparing as their inheritance.               ¹⁹ Let them see the full extent of Your power that is at work in those of us who believe, and may it be done according to Your might and power.

3. Why We Should Be Kingdom Builders

--Why missions and why should we be Kingdom Builders? From A to Z:

--Why? In Africa we are Kingdom Builders with Impact Africa, in Zambia, Youth programs, and on the Ivory Coast we are ministering to Children.

--Why? In Belgium we have Kingdom Builders as campus pastors and we have Breaking Chains Network setting people free.

--Why? In Cambodia we have Kingdom Builders reaching the children and in Columbia they are reaching the Columbian National Police.

--Why? In the Dominican Republic we have Kingdom Builders who are church planters and in Eurasia we have Live Dead missionaries.

--Why? In France we have Kingdom Builders using the arts to reach the lost and in Guatemala we have church planters raising up new churches.

--Why? In Hungary and Indonesia, we have Kingdom Builders doing children’s ministries.

--Why? In Japan we have Kingdom Builders going to unreached people groups and in Koror, Palau children’s ministers are changing a culture.

--Why? In Lakeland we have Kingdom Builders using Oral Learners to reach the world and in Mexico we have church planters raising up new works.

--Why? In Nicaragua we have Kingdom Builders doing Kings Castle and in the Ozarks Teen Challenge is going strong. 

--Why? In Panama we have Kingdom Builders planting Churches and in Quito, Ecuador they are there touching the lives of children. 

--Why? In Romania we have Kingdom Builders using a Dream Center to transform lives and in Spain and Switzerland church planters.

--Why? In Thailand we have Kingdom Builders ministering to students and in the U.S. we have Kingdom Builders in High Schools, Universities, Inner Cities, Teen Challenges.

Why? In Vanuatu we have Kingdom Builders planting new churches and in Washington, DC we have urban ministries. 

--Why? In Fort Worth, TeXas we have Kingdom Builders making sure our missionaries are well cared for and in Yunnan evangelistic outreaches are happening.

--Why? In Zambia Kingdom Builders have a youth outreach program to save the kids!

--So why should we support missions and be Kingdom Builders? Jesus said “Go” and Paul said “Send”.

--So why should we support missions and be Kingdom Builders? Because Jesus has opened the eyes of our hearts to see that where there is no vision people perish. 

--So why should we support missions and be Kingdom Builders? Because we are building God’s Kingdom all over the world. I just gave 26 examples. We have almost 200 more.

Praying with Power – 7

Praying with Power – 7

Subject – Our Gift to Jesus – The Heart of a Servant

By Rick Welborne

Psalm 27:1-14 (NKJV)
¹  The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
²  When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
³  Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident.
⁴  One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
⁵  For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
⁶  And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
⁷  Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
⁸  When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."
⁹  Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
¹⁰  When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
¹¹  Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
¹²  Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me, And such as breathe out violence.
¹³  I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living.
¹⁴  Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! 

--Think about this…what gift could we give Jesus to honor Him. What would please the heart of our Lord more than anything else?

--I personally believe the greatest gift we could give Jesus is the heart of a servant. Let’s look at these verses.

1.  A true servant gives Jesus their complete trust.

--A true servant of God will give Jesus his complete trust because he knows Jesus is the One Who shows him the way. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

Psalm 27:1 (NKJV)
¹  The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

--A true servant of God gives Jesus his trust because he knows Jesus is his salvation. Not a political party or earthly personality. We do not have to be afraid because we serve an Omnipotent God! 

Psalm 118:8-9 (NKJV)
⁸  It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man.
⁹  It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes. 

--Those of you who trust in man. Let me give you a little history lesson. We all have heard of Herod in the NT and he is mentioned over 50 times. It is not always the same Herod. 

--Herod the Great – killed all the babies when he was tricked by the Magi. Herod Archelaus – caused the fear that made Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt. Herod Antipas – Had John the Baptist’s head removed.

--Herod Agrippa I – Had James killed and Peter arrested. Herod Agrippa II – He is last of the Herods and is the one Paul almost convinced to believe.  

--My point is this…If you are hoping to get rid of a leader you think is corrupt or obnoxious, there is always others waiting in the wings probably more corrupt than the last. Your trust has to be in King Jesus.  

--A true servant of God gives Jesus their complete trust because even when they are weak, He is there.

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.

--We quote it so much but it is time that we start living it. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. In Psalm 27 David is saying…The Lord is my Light, my Salvation, and my Strength. True servants trust completely.

Psalm 27:1-3 (NKJV)
¹  The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
²  When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell.
³  Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident. 

2. A true servant is not independent of but dependent on Holy Spirit. 

--Something burned in my heart for years, probably because of my love of Holy Spirit, has been in the prayer of repentance David did after his adultery and murder, what was his concern?

Psalm 51:10-12 (NKJV)
¹⁰  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹  Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 

--Please pay attention to your pastor, your sin may not have your name erased from the Book of Life (though that is a possibility – Rev.3:5 – Not blot out your name) but you can lose fellowship with Holy Spirit.

--Hear David’s cry as he confesses his sin, do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore my joy, Lord, and hold me up with your Holy Spirit.

--As a servant of the Lord, there is no worse feeling than realizing that you have grieved Holy Spirit and now He is no longer close to you. Who moved? You! Oh God, do not take your Holy Spirit from me!

--If your attitude is such that you say, as long as I make it into heaven I am good, then, you are not a true servant of God. No greater gift can you give Jesus than to walk in the Spirit.

--Without Holy Spirit, how will you know it is God’s time to pray for a lost or hurting person. How will you know God wants you to pray for healing for a brother or sister? God’s gives gifts of the Spirit as He wills.

Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV)                                                                                                                            ²⁶  Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
²⁷  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

--Even if you are sick and in the hospital how will you know that doctor or nurse is going through the toughest time of their lives and needs a Spirit-filled believer to reach out to them. 

--Though David failed God terribly, he knew the secret. Your face, Lord, I will seek. Biking at Santos, I had finished riding my 31 miles, ready to go home. I had prayed in the Spirit most of my ride.

--As I am loading my bike and putting things in my truck, I lock my keys inside. Frustrated and tired until I realized I had been set up to share Christ. While I waited on Tricia, shared Christ with several people.

--My mind gets totally blown when I hear of churches who want nothing to do with Holy Spirit. Even more, my heart is broken here when we preach, teach, and flow in the Spirit, and people still ignore Him.

--A true servant of God realizes his total dependence on Holy Spirit guiding him and flowing through him. If Jesus acknowledged Holy Spirit, how much more should we acknowledge Him?

Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV)
¹⁸  "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
¹⁹  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." 

--When we turn to marketing strategies, technology, promotion, or any other human resource without the power of God, we are headed for death instead of life. 

Ravenhill – The Church has lost the note of authority, the secret of wisdom, and the gift of power, through persistent and willful neglect of the Holy Spirit of God. Confusion and impotence are inevitable when the wisdom and resources of the world are substituted for the presence and power of the Spirit of God.  

--Seek God’s face, seek Holy Spirit power, and pray in the Holy Spirit as much as you can every day. A servant of God will be strong because of his dependence on the Spirit.

Jude 1:20-21 (NKJV)
²⁰  But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
²¹  keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

3. A servant of the Lord is highly flammable. 

Matthew 3:11 (NKJV) ¹¹  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

--Are we available fuel to be set ablaze for God? Missionary Amy Carmichael prayed, “Make me Your fuel, Flame of God!”

Jim Elliot, martyred by the Auca Indians – God makes His ministers a flame of fire. Am I ignitable? God, deliver me from the dread asbestos of “other things.” Saturate me with the oil of Your Spirit that I may be a flame. Make me Your fuel, Flame of God!

--If you want to give Jesus the best gift ever, let Him baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire! Be combustible!

Boundary Markers - 2

Boundary Markers - 2

Subject - We All Need Boundaries

By Rick Welborne

Deuteronomy 19:14 (NLT) 

14 “When you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession, you must never steal anyone’s land by moving the boundary markers your ancestors set up to mark their property. 

Nehemiah 1:1‑4 (NKJV) 

1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel, 

2 that Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 

3 And they said to me, "The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire." 

4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 

–Last week we spoke of having boundaries or fences in our lives to keep us safe and that seemed to strike a cord with so many...we all need certain limitations on our lives.

–We are overwhelmed not just because we have no walls or fences in our lives but also because the ones we do have are broken down and the gates are burned.

–We need to realize as Nehemiah did that people are in great distress and reproach because the walls that used to be there to protect them are broken down. Have compassion.

–What we are speaking about today are walls, fences, boundaries that God has intended to be there to keep you safe from the enemy of your soul. What did Nehemiah do?

1. To see the walls restored there must be sincere praying and repentance. 

Nehemiah 1:5‑11 (NKJV) 

5 And I said: "I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love You and observe Your commandments, 

6 please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned. 

7 We have acted very corruptly against You, and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. 

8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; 

9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.' 

10 Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. 

11 O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man." For I was the king's cupbearer. 

–Prayer and repentance to the Lord Jesus must be the foundation of the walls or fences in our lives.

1 Corinthians 3:10‑11 (NKJV) 

10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 

11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 

–Hear me...we pray to Jesus...we repent to Jesus and we build on Jesus. We confess that we have sinned and been negligent about establishing boundaries in our lives and our children’s lives.

–Many have scattered...many who have said they loved Jesus have fallen away...why? The walls were down.

We have given the enemy access long enough and now it is time for it to stop...we have to rebuild.

–God said...9 but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them…He will bring them back within safe boundaries...for them to return to the walls of safety...the church.

–Satan loves to divide, to tear down, and to conquer...it is time for us to rebuild the walls and for our sons and daughters to be more than conquerors. 

2. To see the walls restored someone has to go before the King and petition Him.

–Nehemiah prayed for mercy and then went before the king...we have to do the same...we must go before King Jesus to get help to rebuild the walls. 

Nehemiah 2:2‑5 (NKJV) 

2 Therefore the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but sorrow of heart." So I became dreadfully afraid, 

3 and said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?" 

4 Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 

5 And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."

–Do you just suppose God is waiting for someone to come before Him with a sincere heart to help others by rebuilding their walls.  Imagine God saying...What do you request?

–Because Nehemiah was a faithful servant with a gracious heart...the king was more than ready to bless him and to grant him his request.  This may be key for us. God wants to save our kids.

–What’s our responsibility?  Lord send me that I my rebuild it...rebuild the wall...rebuild the church...rebuild our homes.  Again God is saying...What do you request?

–There is an all-out assault on the family, the church, and us as individuals but it is time for us to rise up and build the walls together. After expecting the walls and Nehemiah met with the city officials:

Nehemiah 2:17‑18 (NKJV) 

17 Then I said to them, "You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach." 

18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king's words that he had spoken to me. So they said, "Let us rise up and build." Then they set their hands to this good work.   

–Come on, Life Church, let’s allow the hand of our God to be upon us and let’s allow the Word of the King to motivate us...What do you request?  "Let us rise up and build." 

3. You can expect opposition from the enemy.

Nehemiah 2:19 (NKJV) 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?" 

–There will always be those who fight against the ones who want to follow after God. You will get opposition when you decide to rebuild the walls and to set boundaries.

–The enemy will mock you...You are going to do what with your family? It’s too late to set boundaries, they are already lost. Who do you think you are asking God for help? Kingdom Builders? Funny!

Nehemiah 4:1‑3 (NKJV) 

1 But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. 

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish‑‑stones that are burned?" 

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall." 

–When you tell people they can’t when God has told them they can...you sound just like Satan...be careful not to speak against what God is up to. We must hear God’s voice.

Nehemiah 2:20 (NKJV) 20 So I answered them, and said to them, "The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem." 

–Listen to Sanballat’s questions and our responses: Will they fortify themselves?  Yes, we are rebuilding the walls and setting up the boundaries, of course, with God’s help.

--Will they offer sacrifices?  Yes, we will give offerings and sacrifices of praise to our God! Will they complete it in a day? Tough question. We can decide to rebuild the walls...Today is that day!

Will they revive the stones?  Yes, thru the power of God revival will come!

4. To rebuild the walls, everyone must do their part.

Nehemiah 3:1‑3 (NKJV) 

1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel.

2 Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built. 

3 Also the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. 

–So how do we rebuild the walls, Pastor, and how do we reset the boundaries? We hear God say...What do you request?  We do it side by side and we do it by families.

Nehemiah 4:13‑15 (NKJV) 13 Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 

14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses." 

15 And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. 

–They stood according to their families...if you do not have family here with you we will adopt you!!  Join with a family close to you! Take up you sword which is the Word of God...obedience is imperative.

–Listen to Nehemiah’s words: "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses." 

–What happened: God brought the enemy’s plot to nothing and gave the victory.

 

Praying with Power – 6

Praying with Power – 6

Subject – Giving Thanks as a Big Part of Our Praying

By Rick Welborne

Philippians 4:4-9 (NKJV)
⁴  Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
⁵  Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
⁶  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
⁷  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
⁸  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
⁹  The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 

--With thanksgiving…The Apostle Paul was exhorting us to not be afraid but to pray. How many of you know with what is going on in our world to be afraid?

--Paul was definitely telling the church at Philippi to pray but he wants them to understand one of the greatest keys to approaching God…approaching Him with thanksgiving.

--Many of us without doubt approach God with our list of things we want Him to do and unfortunately, many times, we forget to thank God in advance for what we are asking Him to do. 

--There is no telling how many times I have read our text and how many times I have preached these verses. But Holy Spirit is so faithful to highlight what we need to see when we need to see it. Verse 9.

Philippians 4:9 (NKJV)
⁹  The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. 

--The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do. These words jumped off the page as I considered our praying with power and I thought about us being thankful.

--No disciple of Christ, as far as I can tell, suffered more than Paul and he encourages us to emulate his life. Not necessarily all his pain, but his attitude toward it. 

--We, most of the time, pray for ourselves or others for God to deliver us or them from what we are suffering but not Paul. Consider when he was toward the end of his life.

Acts 20:22-25 (NKJV)
²²  And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there,
²³  except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.
²⁴  But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
²⁵  And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.

--Our human response to these things is to pray against them, rebuke them, not to submit ourselves to them like Paul. It goes against much of what the church has taught for years.

 Acts 21:12-14 (NKJV)
¹²  Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.
¹³  Then Paul answered, "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."
¹⁴  So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, "The will of the Lord be done."

1. The Lord’s will be done.

--What a concept! What an idea! When Paul wouldn’t listen to the saints they finally prayed, “The will of the Lord be done.”

--I have actually heard people say that praying that prayer is a lack of faith and a sign of weakness. What about Jesus? Didn’t He pray that prayer three times in the garden?

Matthew 26:42 (NKJV)
⁴² …He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."

--I personally do not believe it is a lack of faith but an act of submission. Jesus asked the Father, if it was possible, for Him to be delivered but when He understood it was not to be so…Your will be done.

--Could it be possible that we are praying the wrong prayer when we or our brothers or sisters are going through adversity? We may be working against the plan of God to pray they get delivered. What?

--If we would have been there when Joseph was thrown into a pit, falsely accused in Potiphar’s house, thrown in prison, we would have probably tried to rescue him.

--Let’s say we did rescue him. Who would have made it to the number two leadership in Egypt and ended up saving the then known world from starvation? Even God’s children, Israel..

--What about Paul, when he was shipwrecked, when he was being beaten, when he was being stoned, and when he was put in prison? Would we have the prison epistles? Two-thirds of the New Testament?

1 Peter 4:19 (NKJV)
¹⁹  Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

--What if, as soon as I got sick a few years ago, if I would have been immediately healed instead of spending three nights in the hospital? Would I have been blessed? Yes!

--But as it was with Joseph and with Paul, it is not always all about us. This new gospel seems to be that way. God is always thinking about the lost and we should be too.

--The next time you face a sickness, a trial, great adversity, just ask the Lord who does He want to touch, save, or encourage. Submit yourself to the will of God. He will take care of you when the time is right.

2. Pray in the Spirit (Holy Spirit).

Romans 8:26-28 (NIV)
²⁶  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
²⁷  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
²⁸  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 

--I see five things in these three verses that are very important if we will pray with power or do spiritual battle as we intercede.

A. Holy Spirit is available to help us in our weakness, sickness, or adversity.

B. Holy Spirit is available to help us when we do not know what to pray. He intercedes for us.

C. Holy Spirit knows what is in our hearts and will work on our behalf.

D. Holy Spirit prays through us in accordance with God’s will. God, your will be done.

E. Holy Spirit is working with the Father to make sure things turn out for our good.

--Many times when I am praying for my family or you guys, I don’t know what to pray so I pray in the Spirit knowing that I am praying the will of God and knowing I am praying for your good. 

--Example: Pastor, pray for my son to get out of jail so he can get help. Well, I don’t know if God wants him out of jail. He may be where God’s wants him to get his attention. 

--So many times Holy Spirit wants to intervene in behalf of our loved ones but He can’t because we intervene for them according to our will and what we think is best. We don’t know. Holy Spirit does.

3. Prayer with thanksgiving. 

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
⁶  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

--What Paul is saying here is that at the same time you are asking, you should be thanking God even before the answer comes. Thanks to God sets you up for more opportunities to say thanks.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 (NKJV)
¹⁶  Rejoice always, ¹⁷  pray without ceasing, ¹⁸  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit.

--These verses tie everything together. Your will be done. What’s His will? Rejoicing, praying continuously, giving thanks, and not quenching Holy Spirit. These are keys to bringing God glory.

--In everything not for everything, give thanks. I didn’t feel led to thank God for being in the hospital, but in my situation, in the hospital, in the harvest field, I felt the need to thank Him. To worship Him.

Psalm 105:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
²  Sing to Him, sing Psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!
³  Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
⁴  Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore! 

Boundary Markers - 1

Boundary Markers - 1

Subject - We All Need Boundaries

By Rick Welborne

Proverbs 22:28 (NKJV) 

28 Do not remove the ancient landmark Which your fathers have set. 

Deuteronomy 19:14 (NLT) 

14 “When you arrive in the land the LORD your God is giving you as your special possession, you must never steal anyone’s land by moving the boundary markers your ancestors set up to mark their property. 

1. We all need boundaries in our lives...we all need fences...we all need limitations set for us.

–Even though we do not have as many noticeable boundaries as we used to...we all need spiritual and moral boundaries set up in our lives.

–Because of where we live and because of so many horses and cattle...fences are absolutely necessary...oh, what fun when a gate is left open or a fence broken down.

–Maybe there are still a few here that remember a day when there was a distinction between the church and the world...fences seem to be disappearing.

–It appears that the pendulum has swung the other direction where the evidence of boundaries is all but gone...the church has its own political correctness.

John Hyde (Praying Hyde) - The most effective way to draw people to Christ is to look like Christ. Today’s prayer-less churches have come to believe that the most effective way to draw the world to Christ is by looking like the world. 

–I agree with him in what he says but it seems that we have graduated even further where not only do we look like them but we live like them also.

–Being relevant and in touch can be a positive thing but when we begin to indulge in the same things and have the same attitudes as they do...where are the boundaries? We are seeker sensitive.  Paul says:

1 Corinthians 9:19‑23 (NLT) 

19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 

20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 

21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. 

22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 

23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. 

–So many have used these verses to excuse them for living compromising lifestyles. They say it is to win the lost...Paul said I obey the law of Christ...I don’t step over the fence. Joshua in the street.

2. When we move the boundary stone we are trespassing and trespassing is sin.

Ephesians 2:1‑5 (NKJV) 1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 

2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 

3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 

5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)...

–We were all dead in trespasses and sin but Jesus has set us free, by His grace we have been saved...why do we want to jump over the fence into the pig pen?

–Fences or boundaries have been placed in our lives to keep us from going where we shouldn’t go and to keep us from doing what we shouldn’t do. Traffic laws.

–When you are where you shouldn’t be, doing what you shouldn’t be doing, at a time you shouldn’t be there...bad things happen. Why are we surprised when people are hurt between 12 and 3am?

–Fences or walls are there to keep the enemy from getting to us to do us harm...borders may be important for countries who do not want bad people coming in. You think?

–God tells us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, yet we cross that line because of compromise and some emotional or physical attachment...we reap the consequences.

–Adam and Eve had incredible freedom and blessings and really only had one fence:

Genesis 2:15‑17 (NKJV) 

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 

17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." 

–When we step over the boundaries and do our own thing...we die spiritually. God was not trying to keep them from anything...on the contrary He was blessing them. Every tree but 1.

–We go after that thing, that person, that relationship that God has said in His Word that has fences around it...we trespass...we sin...we hurt ourselves spiritually...we hurt others.

Romans 14:7 (NKJV) 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 

–You see when you trespass...when you sin...it always impacts others in some way. You are on someone else’s property...you are hurting someone else when you sin.

–Do you think Adam and Eve really believed that their disobedience would have affected mankind in such a way...what do you think your trespassing is doing.

–You may have never thought about this verse having to do with boundaries but please stay with me: The previous verse talks about correcting a son...giving him fences.

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) 18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. 

Proverbs 29:18 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                        18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law. 

Proverbs 29:18 (NLT)                                                                                                                                           18 When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful. 

–You see, the fence or the boundary is vision, it is revelation, it is divine guidance and when the fence is crossed what happens...people perish, they run wild, and they cast off restraint.

3. So how are these boundaries or fences established in our lives?

–Proverbs 28:19 says we must have vision, we must have revelation, and we must have divine guidance...I guess the key would be...where do I find these things?

--It is not always that we do not know where to get the revelation or guidance or vision as much as it is we just want to do our own thing. Where do I find them?

A. We get our boundaries thru our parents especially if they are godly Christians. 

Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) 6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. 

B. We get our boundaries from the Word of God and our study of it.

Psalm 119:10‑11 (NLT) 10 I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands. 

11 I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 

C. We get our boundaries from being filled with Holy Spirit.

 

John 16:5‑8 (NLT) 

5 “But now I am going away to the One who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. 

6 Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. 

7 But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. 

D. We get our boundaries by the conviction of Holy Spirit

–A danger we need to watch for is 1^st Generation believers have convictions born out of prayer...without prayer 2^nd Generation believers look at the convictions as tradition.

–With 3^rd Generation believers tradition becomes legalism that is used to beat people over the head with trying to keep folks in the fences of the church. Five steps to keep us in the boundaries.

1. Conversion - this is the gate - we must become new creatures in Christ...we must be changed.

2. Contrition - we must be willing to humble ourselves...study the cross.

3. Consumption - we must tarry until He comes and wait until we are filled with Holy Spirit.

4. Conviction - we must allow Holy Spirit to convict us of sin, righteousness, and Jesus’ soon coming.

5. Confidence - we must have confidence in God that He will keep us from crossing the fence or falling.