The Gift - 2025 - 1

The Gift - 2025 - 1

Subject – The Gift of a New Beginning

By Rick Welborne

Isaiah 43:15-25 (NIV)
¹⁵  I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator, your King."
¹⁶  This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,
¹⁷  who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
¹⁸  "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
¹⁹  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.
²⁰  The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,
²¹  the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
²²  "Yet you have not called upon me, O Jacob, you have not wearied yourselves for me, O Israel.
²³  You have not brought me sheep for burnt offerings, nor honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with grain offerings nor wearied you with demands for incense.
²⁴  You have not bought any fragrant calamus for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses.
²⁵  "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. 

--2025 – Can you believe it? It seems like just a few days ago it was 2024. So how are you entering or approaching 2025? With dread and fear or with hope and praise?

--For so many 2024 was an extremely tough year. For many a very sad year. The loss of loved ones. For many a year of life seemingly punching you in the gut. Spiritually, physically, and financially.

--Many of you heard from doctors’ news that shook you to the core and many of you had loved ones who heard that report and it broke your heart.

--A few weeks ago I shared with you Paul’s perspective toward all the things that were happening in his life and how he perceived those things to be a gift.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NKJV)
⁷  And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
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.

--Perceiving the things Paul mentioned as gifts completely goes against the grain of what much of the American church believes. They believe that Christianity is nothing but happiness and bounty.

--Don’t misunderstand me, I believe the benefits of serving Jesus and being filled with Holy Spirit definitely makes a wonderful difference in our lives. But not free from difficulties.

--I have a little history here at Life Church which gives me a perspective that some may not have. When you stay in the same place for 36 years, you witness a lot.

--For example, no matter what camp you are in…Just confessing all your problems away or simply trusting God to help you when diverse trials come, life happens to everyone.

--I have seen those who have declared healing would happen but it didn’t. I have heard people declare someone wouldn’t die and they did. You shall live and not die. The Psalmist died.

--So many have been hurt by well-meaning Christians declaring certain things over people’s lives and, then, those things do not happen. I personally believe those people should be held accountable.

--On the other side, we cannot and we should not live our Christian lives without having tremendous faith in God. Nothing is impossible with God.

Hebrews 11:1&6 (NKJV)
¹  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
⁶  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

--Today, with God’s help, I want to share with you about the gift of a new beginning. Many need that. Matter of a fact, all of us need a new beginning.

1. The Gift of a New Beginning – Focus

--One of the many reasons why people are so hurt and frustrated with life is because they have focused on the wrong thing. We focus on people instead of on God.

Psalm 118:6-9 (NIV) ⁶ The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
⁷ The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.
⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
⁹ It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. 

--Much of the counseling we do to help people is trying to convince them to stop looking to people as the source of their happiness and fulfillment. The first two verses in our text:

Isaiah 43:15-16 (NIV) ¹⁵ I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator, your King."
¹⁶ This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 

--If He is your Lord and King and if He is the One Who has made a way through the sea for you and a path through turbulent waters…why do you keep trusting in man?

--Those of you who are single (young or old) you will never find that one person who is going to make you happy all the time. Stop thinking they are like God. They are not! Focus!

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) ² Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2. The Gift of a New Beginning – Faith.

--One of the tough parts of being a pastor or a spiritual leader is getting people to understand that God can take better care of our situation or circumstances better than we can.

--We feel the need to help God out because He is either way too slow in responding or He is not doing what we want the way we want it.

--Whose judgment or wisdom do we trust when our back is against the wall, or the healing is delayed, or the finances are scarce, or our hearts are broken from loss or loneliness?

2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT2)
³  By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.
⁴  And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 

--These two verses should be major faith-builders letting us know that God is the provider of everything we need. Maybe not everything we want, but everything we need.

--The first thing I see in these verses regarding our faith is that God is our source. God has given us everything we need. Not man, not a job, and not the bottom line of our finances. God!

--One of the reasons we stay so frustrated and depressed is because we want our source or sources to be people. People can never do for you what God can do.

--The second gift I see in regard to our faith is that everything we need is obtained by getting to know Him better. Getting to know Jesus better is a gift for sure.

--The third thing I see as a gift in regard to our faith is great and precious promises. He is the Way Maker and Promise Keeper, and again, He is our source.

--As a good Father, He has control of those gifts and how they are dispersed. Just remember, He is the Potter and we are the clay. Why do we tell God what to do?

Isaiah 29:16 (NCV)                                                                                                                                                 ¹⁶  You are confused. You think the clay is equal to the potter. You think that an object can tell the one who made it, “You didn’t make me.” This is like a pot telling its maker, “You don’t know anything.”

--Faith gives us a new beginning when we make the decision to rest in His hands and let Him form us.

3. The Gift of a New Beginning – Forgiveness.

Isaiah 43:25 (NIV)
²⁵  "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. 

A. If you want a new beginning, you must let God forgive you.

B. If you want a new beginning, you must for give others.

Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV)
¹⁴  For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
¹⁵  But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

C. If you want a new beginning, you must forgive yourself.

Psalm 103:2-4 (NIV) ²  Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits--
³  who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
⁴  who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 

D. If you want a new beginning, you must forgive God.

Malachi 3:14 (NLT2)
¹⁴  “You have said, ‘What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the LORD of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins? 

--Some of you need to forgive God because you think He didn’t do you right. This is shaky ground.

The Gift – 5

The Gift – 5

Subject: The Gift of Connecting Christmas with Fasting and Prayer

By Rick Welborne

Luke 2:36-40 (NIV) 36 There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 

37 and then was a widow until she was eighty four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 

38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. 

39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 

40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. 

–As I began to look at the new year I was very aware that it is Christmas time and keenly aware that we will be challenging you to fast with us Jan.1. 21 days. I felt that God wanted me to tie Christmas and fasting together.

–I feel at the beginning of 2025…if we can give our first fruits to the Lord…the first of our prayer, the first of our time, the first of our passion, the first of all we are and hope to be, blessings will come!

 

–I felt that He spoke to me and said...fasting and prayer is the push on the door that will swing open the door (actually the double doors) that we are praying for. The dreams we are believing God.

–Also I felt He spoke to me and said that our previous fasting, prayers, and persevering have accumulated before Him and He was about to reveal His great love and presence to us…Himself! Back to Anna.

Luke 2:37-38 (NIV) 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 

38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. 

–In these two verses I see three things that will help us to get ready for Jesus to come and we, also, will see what Anna did as she waited.

1. The Gift of Loving God’s House. 

Luke 2:37 (NIV) 37…She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 

--Church was not optional for her because she had a passion for God’s house.

Psalms 69:9 (NLT)    9 Passion for your house has consumed me… 

--Let me encourage you in this coming new year to make God and His House a dedicated and faithful priority.

--Anna was expecting the Messiah to be revealed and she knew the temple would be the greatest place for having an encounter with Him. The same for us!

--I am calling for a solemn assembly during our week of prayer...Make it a major priority for you to be here...we all say we want Him to come...let us come seeking and with great expectation!

Hebrews 10:23-25 (NKJV)
²³  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
²⁴  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
²⁵  not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

--With everything being shaken that can be shaken...get to God’s house...His refuge for us! What could be more important than spending time with God?

--If you are going thru a tough time, if you have a prodigal, if you need a break through...get to church and remember Simeon and Anna had an encounter with Christ at the temple.

2. The Gift of Worship. 

Luke 2:37 (NIV) 37…She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 

--Just an observation: those who make the choice to worship God night and day, thru the bad and good, thru blessed times and rough times...those individuals have peace with God and experience Him more often!

--It just stands to reason that if we have a love for God and His House and we worship Him continuously that everything will be alright! Let me remind us all!

Psalms 34:1 NKJV) 1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

--Don’t miss it...Anna saw Jesus because she was a worshiper. Who wants to come to Life Church and cast your eyes on the King of kings and the Lord of Lords?

--Anna cried out and the Lord heard her…she saw the deliverance that she had prayed for all those years. She prayed for Messiah to come! Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus!

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." 

--The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart…those who approach Him in prayer and worship with a humble attitude.

--If you have many afflictions…many physical, spiritual, emotional, financial needs come and worship Him…He is ready and willing to proclaim liberty and recovery of sight to the blind…healing.

3. The Gift of Fasting and Praying.

Luke 2:37 (NIV) 37…She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 

--Your pastor and church leadership are admonishing you to join with us in fasting and praying beginning January 1. Could it be that 2025 will be your year! Our year!

2 Chronicles 20:1-4 &12 (NKJV) ¹  It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.
²  Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar" (which is En Gedi).
³  And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
⁴  So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.
¹²  O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." 

--We are asking you to do a true biblical fast...fast food...you can fast TV, FB, watching sports, watching the news, or other stuff but fast food in some way. Crucify your flesh!

--We know some of you have to be careful and some of you may have to check with your doctors but all of us can fast something for 21 days. You can do a Daniel fast…fruits and vegetables. 

--We are asking for 100% participation...we are asking for you to especially join with us starting Sunday January 5 for our Annual week of Prayer.

--We are asking everyone who can to come out every night that week and join us in seeking after God for a sovereign move of His Spirit! For dreams to become reality! Biblical results of fasting and prayer.

 

Isaiah 58:5-14 (NIV)
⁵  Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?
⁶  "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
⁷  Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸  Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
⁹  Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰  and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 

¹¹  The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
¹²  Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
¹³  "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
¹⁴  then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken. 

Give Us Today - 4

Give Us Today - 4

Subject – Kiss the Wave

By Rick Welborne

Matthew 6:9-15 (NKJV)
⁹  In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰  Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹  Give us this day our daily bread.
¹²  And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
¹³  And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
¹⁴  "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
¹⁵  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

--Today we continue the series “Give us today” and hopefully we are all learning how to, one day at a time, live for Jesus, lean on Jesus, and thrive in this life. Give us today!

--Most of us, if I were to mention the name Joseph Merrick, would have no clue who I am talking about. He was born in Leicester, England, on August 5, 1862. If I said he was the Elephant Man, we would know.

--Films and movies have been made about his story. Very few people have ever suffered from more physical deformities than him. All of his fingers were useless nubs. 

--His misshapen head was the circumference of a man’s waist, his distorted mouth made his speech almost impossible to understand. His right arm was twice the size of his left. His deformed legs barely supported…

--In nineteenth century England, a perverse form of entertainment was human novelty exhibitions. Joseph was a headliner and one of these exhibits. Posters about him said he was half man/half elephant. 

--People paid their shillings to see this human freak show and people would shriek at the horror of his sight. One day a surgeon named Frederick Treves wandered into the human circus. His initial reaction:

Doctor Treves – He was the most disgusting specimen of humanity I had ever seen. 

--But Dr. Treves didn’t shriek and turn away. The sight of Merrick stirred his scientific curiosity and his empathy for this man. He tried to talk to him but could not understand him. He gave him his business card. 

--It was that business card that the London police found on him as he huddled in a dark corner of a train station like a wounded animal. The police called Treves who came and took Merrick to the London Hospital.

--Shortly after Merrick arrived, Dr. Treves ordered him a tray of food but failed to warn the nurse about his appearance. When she saw him she dropped the tray and went out of the room screaming. 

--Over time they adjusted to his appearance. Dr. Trevor orchestrated a very careful experiment for Merrick. He had a woman enter his room, smile at him, wish him a good morning, and shake his hand. Treves recorded:

Treves – The effect on poor Merrick was not quite what I expected. As he let go her hand he bent his head on his knees and sobbed until I thought he would never cease. He told me afterwards that was the first woman who had ever smiled at him, and the first woman, in the whole of his life, who had shaken hands with him. 

--The smile…the touch proved to be the tipping point, the turning point. He began to change from a disfigured thing into a man. Treves began to understand Merrick more and found him to be quite intelligent. 

--Another surprise the doctor found out about Merrick, he was a veracious reader of the Scriptures. He began to sneak him into plays, operas, and gave him books to read. 

--He would take him into the countryside where he loved to listen to birds singing, chase rabbits, and pick wildflowers. He would respond to the doctor quite often, “I am happy every hour of the day.”

--Merrick died at 27 and Dr. Treves eulogized the infamous Elephant Man this way: 

Treves – His troubles had ennobled him. He showed himself to be a gentle, affectionate and loveable creature… without a grievance and without an unkind word for anyone. I have never heard him complain. 

--Never heard him complain? How is that even possible with the kind of trauma he experienced? Happy every hour of the day? How does someone who was mistreated for so many years profess happiness every hour of the day?

--You may not be responsible for the difficulties you’ve had to endure but you are response-able. Our lesson learned from Merrick is this…the obstacles we face are not the enemy. More times than not, we are the enemy. The obstacle, believe it or not, is the way. 

1. Kiss the Wave.

--In regards to the obstacle or obstacles in our lives, it is vitally important that we learn to kiss the wave. This is actually a quote from the great Charles Spurgeon:

Spurgeon – I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages. 

--Another minister/pastor (not quite as famous) has always had a similar quote but maybe not quite as catchy as Spurgeon’s. 

Pastor Rick – Don’t let your problems or difficulties push you away from God but allow them to push you into a deeper relationship with God.

--Let me help you understand that kissing the wave doesn’t mean we won’t experience storms or even get seasick during them. There is a God Who can rebuke the wind and the waves…Peace, be still.

--This is so important to understand and is in many ways contrary to much teaching we hear today. Before you can rebuke the storm, you need to accept it. You can’t move past the pain if you ignore it or deny it.

--When you get cancer or any other bad diagnosis or problem, denying the evidence before you does no good. If you don’t own it, it will own you. 

--Kissing the wave is confessing what’s wrong, as in the case of cancer, but it is also confessing what is right—God’s healing power. The healing process can begin with a brave question to your sickness or difficulty. 

“What have you come to teach me?” or “God, what can I learn about You through my pain?”

Batterson – When we find ourselves in difficult situations, we get so focused on getting out of them that we fail to get anything out of them. Then we wonder why we find ourselves in the same situation all over again. There is nothing wrong with asking God to change your circumstances, but His primary objective is changing you. The circumstances you are asking God to change may be the very circumstances He is using to change you. 

--In the words of Pastor John Piper, “Don’t waste your cancer.” You can fill in the blank with whatever challenge you face. Don’t waste it. Maybe it has come to teach you a lesson that could not be learned any other way. 

--Kissing the wave starts with a brave question…What have you come to teach me? When it comes to suffering, you must recognize that it has the power to enrich your life in a way that nothing else can. 

--Verses please, Pastor. Listen to the Apostle Paul and tell me if he may be saying to all of us…Kiss the wave that throws you against the Rock of Ages. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                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.

--Leave verses 9-10 up there…Notice the little word “in” in weakness." …in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me… in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

--Nowhere does it say God will take you out of everything…New Theology, just confess it away. I’m glad Jesus didn’t just confess the cross away. “In”                                                                                                      

--If you find yourself in a season of suffering, all that I am saying can be difficult to handle. No judgment here because I have had my share of pain. I know this…everyone is fighting a battle we know nothing about. 

--We have dealt with some pretty heavy things today. The pain and suffering of the Elephant Man Joseph Merrick and his discovery of happiness in the middle of pain. He found much peace in the Word. 

--We have discussed when we have an obstacle or obstacles in our way (health, family, marriage issues, kid problems, or any other pain) that we have to learn to kiss the wave that pushes us against the Rock of Ages.

--I felt God say “Stop” with the sermon and give people a chance to lean against Jesus in their pain so we stop. Jesus, give us today!