You Be the Change You Want to See - 2

                                                 You Be the Change You Want to See - 2

Subject:  Leading The Change in Your Family, Church, or Business

By Rick Welborne

2 Kings 7:1-4 (NLT)
¹  Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the LORD! This is what the LORD says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.”
²  The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”
³  Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. “Why should we sit here waiting to die?” they asked each other.
⁴  “We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway.” 

1. You will never create the change you want to see as long as you stay where you are.

--The truth is that in every situation we have a choice or an option, and for sure, we all have opinions. The truth is our opinions can be accurate or misdirected…powerful or impotent.

--How quickly do all of us form an opinion just from a minute sound bite on the news when we have no clue what the whole truth is.  News Flash…they are most of the time telling us what they want us to hear.

--Every family, church, or organization has those who are trying to make it happen and those who are resisting the direction that is being pursued.  

--As stated last week, many of the people who are resisting the change or direction have just as many gifts and talents of those who are all in…they are just holding back. So why do they hold back?

--Many allow their differences with the leader or leaders to keep them from being totally committed to the institution they could bless.

--I hope you realize that your pastor fellowships with other pastors who do not believe exactly as I do, or we do as the A/G, but I choose to focus on what we have in common…not the differences.

--Maybe you have noticed that millennials (ages 18-34 – numbering 75 million) seem to be extremely bright and highly opinionated. They struggle moving beyond criticizing to giving constructive input.

--All you have to do to see this is to look on social media or read their blogs…our challenge is moving them from the background of negativity and encouraging them to help the organization be stronger.

--What I have learned is that if you get these folks on board and helping with a positive attitude…they have so much to offer that will propel you to the place you want to be.

--One of the reasons I have very young staff around me is to keep me relevant in our society and culture, and I have some older than me to help keep me balanced.

--I believe this is true in every organization but I especially see it in church…that it is not just the young who resist change…many are singing “I will not be…I will not be moved.”

--They come wanting to be moved or impressed by those on the platform instead of being the change they want to see. Warning: if you have a bad attitude you are probably affecting others in the same way. Jesus:

Matthew 23:15 (NIV)
¹⁵  "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. 

--Most of these people are not mounting an open rebellion but their disapproval is obvious to those who have gathered to listen to them…they are just not willing to step up and add to instead of take away.

--Yes, there are things that probably need to be improved, and could be made better, if they would just engage the leadership in a humble and respectful manner. (This is key).

2. So why sit there until you die and the organization dies when you could be the change you want to see.

--The story in 2 Kings would have had a sad and terrible ending if those four outcast (outsiders literally) would not have made a decision to do something even if it was wrong.

--They would have died and those in the city would have died! The enemy would have been able to waltz right in, bury the dead, and take over the city without much effort.

--I believe some people stay in the background or on the outside and criticize because they do not believe there is a possibility of seeing constructive change. Nothing ventured nothing gained.

--They ask themselves…Would it really make a difference if I started engaging in the present system?  Can there truly be viable change? 

Jean Sibelius (Great Classical Composer) – A statue has never been set up in honor of a critic.

--Let me say that there is always a place for constructive clear eyed discussion of the issues but there also comes a time when we must move beyond criticism and start positive improvement. 

--Just maybe, God could use you to lead others around you toward doing something great for the Kingdom of God.  I wonder who was the first of the four lepers who spoke up…we will find out in heaven. 

--Why are people so critical?  An article in the Harvard Review says people are critical because of something called projection.

Projection – It is a psychological defense mechanism that people use to deny their own faults by attributing those faults to others.  

--In other words, be careful what you complain about or talk about, because it might shine a light on your faults.

--Of course, most of us do not see ourselves as being critical…we see ourselves as being right. We just do not realize the power of thinking in such a negative way.

Luke 6:45 (NKJV)
⁴⁵  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. 

--Be careful not to listen to those who are constantly negative, who will hold you back as well as the organization they are a part of…those who will hold a church back from biblical growth.

3. What to do if you are stuck in negativity.

--If you find yourself getting negative or maybe you have been negative for a long time here are some things you can do to help bring you out.

A. Learn how to be thankful. Make a list of all the things you are thankful for. 

--Especially think about family, friends, the things you have, and even your church. It is hard to be negative when you are full of gratitude. Be careful of the downward spiral Romans talks about:

Romans 1:21-25 (NLT)
²¹  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.
²²  Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.
²³  And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
²⁴  So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
²⁵  They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 

B. Complete this statement: I can make a difference by ______________.  Spend quality time praying about and thinking about ways you can make your family, church, community, or workplace better.

C. Once you have thought and prayed about the previous point choose one thing that you can do within the next week that will make a difference. Don’t put it off or you will probably not follow thru.

D. Replace negative influences with positive ones. You really cannot stop negative thoughts from coming to your mind but you can replace them with positive ones.

Philippians 4:8-9 (NIV)
⁸  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
⁹  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

--I know this is probably hard for some of you to do but if you encounter someone who is constantly negative or critical, you must confront them about it and if they are unwilling to change…find new friends.                                    

E. Learn to talk to yourself when you start down a negative path and ask yourself the question, “Really?” Is what your imagination saying to you really going to happen? 

--It has been proven that most of the things we worry about never come to pass…about 97% of them.  It is so easy to make up excuses but it so much better to pray.

Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV) ⁴  Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
⁵  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
⁶  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.                                                                                                                                                               ⁷  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Who We Welcome and Why – 8

                                                         Who We Welcome and Why – 8

Subject – Welcoming Holy Spirit Baptism – Part 2

By Rick Welborne

Luke 24:45-53 (NKJV)
⁴⁵  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
⁴⁶  Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
⁴⁷  and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
⁴⁸  And you are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
⁵⁰  And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
⁵¹  Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
⁵²  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
⁵³  and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. 

--How beautiful…The Promise of the Father…Holy Spirit baptism. Yes, I know we have already spoke about welcoming Holy Spirit, and if you remember, He showed up. Pastor Neftali spoke about Him.

--Today is a little different because, not only are we talking about Holy Spirit, but we are talking about the New Testament experience that is available to every believer…Holy Spirit baptism.

--You cannot do an honest, sincere, and exegetical study of the New Testament without seeing Holy Spirit baptism as a viable experience for the believer today.

--Five reasons we should welcome Holy Spirit baptism: We just mention the first three today.

1. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism and speaking in tongues because it is biblical.

2. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism because speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence.

1 Corinthians 14:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸  I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;

3. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism because speaking in tongues helps us communicate better with God.

4. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism because speaking in tongues moves us toward the mission of God.

--It is so apparent in the Book of Acts to see the connection between Holy Spirit baptism and fulfilling the Great Commission…missions. 

--Once baptized with Holy Spirit we see disciples who could not even stand for Jesus or stay and protect him, and now, they are boldly standing and proclaiming the Good News. Right before Jesus ascended to heaven:

Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)
¹⁸  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
¹⁹  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
²⁰  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

--We can see in Acts 2 where Holy Spirit empowerment transformed Peter (who could not witness to one young girl before) to become a mighty witness to all who were there at Pentecost. 

--Of course, Jesus knew what awaited the disciples and that the road would not be easy, He told them to wait for the Promise of the Father, Holy Spirit baptism.

--Jesus knew they needed supernatural power and boldness to accomplish what He had commissioned them to do. What makes us think we can do it any other way. Technology is good, but Holy Spirit power is better.

--At the start of the 20^th century we have seen the difference Holy Spirit baptism has made in the life and mission of the church. The church has grown exponential since Holy Spirit was poured out.

--Because these newly baptized believers have been emboldened by Holy Spirit they have taken this gospel to the ends of the earth. They have felt compelled to go! Obedience!

--As Pentecostals we should be seeking the same power and Spirit the early disciples sought because we want to declare to the world the message of salvation. So many countries were there at Pentecost hearing:

Acts 2:11 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                                   ¹¹  Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."

--Because of Holy Spirit baptism the wonderful works of God have been manifested in signs and wonders. God please again pour out Holy Spirit on your people so that signs and wonders will come. Healings.

--So what’s the point? If they needed Holy Spirit power then to fulfill the Great Commission and to reach the then known world, why do we believe it would be any different today?

Timothy Laurito – Given the connection in the Book of Acts between Spirit baptism and missional empowerment, we must not overlook the importance of seeking Holy Spirit today. A decline in Spirit baptisms will lead to a decline in missional effectiveness. 

Pastor Rick’s interpretation – If we are not Holy Spirit baptized, we more than likely will not be missionaries or be supporters of the Great Commission. Without Him we just don’t get it. 

Galatians 3:3-5 (NLT2)
³  How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
⁴  Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
⁵  I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. 

--So, speaking in tongues is not just about Pentecostals continuing a tradition, it is about us receiving power to be the effective witnesses God called us to be. If you care for the lost, get Spirit baptized.

5. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism because speaking in tongues gives us a glimpse of our future hope.

--In the AOG we have emphasized in our doctrine and in our preaching that there is coming a day when Christ will return for those who belong to Him. 16 Fundamental Truths.- The Blessed Hope

Titus 2:13 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                                   ¹³  looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

--Okay, Pastor Rick, how are you connecting Holy Spirit baptism or outpouring on end time events or hope?

--A Pentecostal understanding of the outpouring of Holy Spirit in Acts 2 must include the prophecy from Joel 2 concerning eschatological (end times) events. People there from every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5).

--Watch in these verses the connection between Holy Spirit outpouring and end time events. 

Acts 2:17-18 (NKJV) ¹⁷  'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.
¹⁸  And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 

--As Peter continued to preach under the inspiration of Holy Spirit, it was obvious God was using him to help fulfill the Great Commission He had just called them to in Mat. 28.

Acts 2:37-41 (NKJV)
³⁷  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"
³⁸  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
³⁹  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."
⁴⁰  And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation."
⁴¹  Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 

--Holy Spirit preaching led to repentance, water baptism, and Spirit baptism. In other words, once we are filled with Holy Spirit, we should be sharing the same message to others. Salvation, water baptism, Spirit baptized.

--So why is it important to mention that every nation under heaven were represented in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost? Because it sounds like heaven.

Revelation 7:9-10 (NKJV)
⁹  After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
¹⁰  and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

--So why do we support 213 missionaries and continually want more? When we are Spirit baptized, when we support the Great Commission, and when send missionaries to the end of the earth:

Matthew 24:14 (NKJV)
¹⁴  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 

Wonderfully Complex - 1

                                                             Wonderfully Complex - 1

Subject - Finding Your Uniqueness in God

By Rick Welborne

Psalm 139:1‑16 (NLT) 

1 O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 

2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. 

3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. 

4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. 

5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. 

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! 

7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 

8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. 

9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 

10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. 

11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— 

12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. 

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 

15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 

16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 

–This portion of Scripture has always brought me a measure of comfort and of great consternation. God knows everything about me!

–He knows what I am going to say before I say it...wow!  He goes with me everywhere! Verse 13-14 begins to talk about how God made you and I unique...

Psalm 139:13‑14 (NLT) 

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 

–Look at your neighbor and say...you are wonderfully complex!

–He was watching when we were formed and woven together (my body, my personality, everything about me). You were there watching and forming me.

–If that were not enough...every day of my life...every moment was laid out in your book before a single day had passed...God has a plan uniquely for me...just for me. Mark Batterson - Soul Print!

1. There has never been and never will be anyone else like you!

–Look at the person on your right and left and say “Amen”. This is not a testament to you.  It is a testament to the God Who created you.

–You are unlike anyone who has ever lived...you have your own finger prints...your eye scan would be different than anyone else...God is so incredible...snowflakes!

–Your uniqueness is not a virtue but a responsibility. Uniqueness is God’s gift to you, and uniqueness is your gift to God.

Mark Batterson - You owe it to yourself to be yourself. But more important, you owe it to the One Who designed you and destined you.

–Before any of you start to get nervous...this is not going to be a self-help sermon or series. Self-help is nothing more than idolatry...you are not good enough to get where God wants you to go without His help.

–Here is the good news:  There is nothing God cannot do in you and through you if you simply yield your life to Him. All of it. All of you. Think of your uniqueness in this verse

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

2. No one can worship God like you or for you!

–This sermon is all about you, but it’s not about you at all. The fact that there has never been and never will be anyone like you simply means no one can worship God like you.

Batterson - You were created to worship God in a way that no one else can. How?  By living a life no one else can – your life. 

–God has created you to fulfill a unique destiny and no one else can take your place. Fulfilling your true destiny starts with you discovering who you really are and this is probably our greatest challenge.

–Most of us live our entire lives as strangers to who God intended us to be. We know more about other people than we know about ourselves.

–How do we lose our true identities? They get buried in the mistakes we have made, the choices we have made, the insecurities we have embraced, the lies we have believed.

–You will never amount to anything...you are not supposed to be here.   When are you leaving home? 10 yrs.

–Hear me...we are held captive by others expectations of us...their belief of what we will become...we are uncomfortable in our skin. We are prisoners of others thoughts of us. 

–We spend way too much emotional, relational, and spiritual energy trying to be who we are not. Why?  Because it is easier and safer! When I went to Bible school everyone wanted to be Jimmy Swaggart. 

–When we try to be someone God has not called us to be it is the equivalent of selling our birthrights. The sad thing is not just that we are lying to ourselves...somewhere along the way, we lose ourselves.

Missionary Amy Singleton - I am not sure where you are on your journey.  Maybe you are at the beginning trying to figure out who you are. Maybe you are on the back end of your life trying to remember who you were meant to be. Possibly you are somewhere in the middle trying to close the gap between who you are and who God intended you to be. 

–The key is that I want you to experience the joy of finding out who you really are and the freedom of discovering who you are not. I am not Jimmy Swaggart or any other preacher on the planet.

–It is not necessarily easy to discover who you were intended to be (clouded so much by cheap imitations) and there are no shortcuts. God has not given up on you yet.

–I am challenging you tonight not to give up on yourself and let this promise soak into your spirit...it is never too late to be who you might have been...stop believing what others said about you.

–Pastor Rick, what if I only have two days, two weeks or even two years? It does not matter...become who God intended you to be for the rest of your life!

James 4:13‑15 (NIV) 

13 Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 

14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 

15 Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 

3. To find out who you are supposed to be you will have to dig deep.

Batterson - Self-discovery is like an archaeological dig. It takes a long time to uncover the hidden treasures that lie buried beneath the surface. You can never be certain of what you will find or where you will find it. And it is a painstaking process.  

–If we fail to dig deep in discovering who we are in Christ. It will result in a superficial life.

--If you live as a stranger to yourself how will you ever find intimacy with others? Intimacy is a product of self-discovery. It stands to reason that it will be hard to get to know others when you do not even know yourself.

–How will this relate to our occupation? If you have not discovered who you are with your unique gifts and passions how will you find fulfillment in what you do?

Key - You might make a living, but you will not make a life. You will never experience the joy of doing what you love and loving what you do. 

–How does this unwillingness to dig deep and discover who we are in Christ affect us spiritually? 

Batterson: Superficiality is a form of hypocrisy. If you fail to discover the truth, the whole truth, about yourself, aren’t you lying to yourself? Your life becomes a half truth.

–Many of us live second persona lives because we have bought into the notion that image is everything.

Amy Singleton (Missionary) - Young adults are tired of seeing in our churches all the lights, the glitzes, and the superficial. What they are looking for are people who will be real and who will be themselves. When a real person speaks the truth hungry people will come flocking to them because of the void that now exists.

–I am so glad that Amy was who God called her to be. When will live as the second persona we end up with a second hand life. Instead of living out God’s best for us we allow someone else to narrate our lives...Hypocrisy!

Psalm 139:14 (NLT) 

14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 

–No matter how bad your situation or life maybe God has a plan for you...exclusively for you. When God’s people were being led into captivity listen to what he says to them:

Jeremiah 29:11‑13 (NIV) 

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 

13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

–We not only cheat ourselves and others when we fail to discover our God given identities and God ordained destinies, but we also cheat God Himself.

–Your life inside whatever image you are living needs constant care, feeding, and of course, protection. We live in disguise presenting ourselves to be what we think we are meant to be. We are lying to ourselves. 

–Superficiality is the curse of our culture and I am afraid it has crept into our churches. You see it with 60-70-year-old pastors with their designer jeans and spiky hair cuts...shirts out and pointy toed shoes.

–Nothing wrong with that if that is who you are and who God created you to be. Why do we do this?  Why do we try so hard to imitate others...to be a copy?

–Here’s the answer...We are afraid of who we will find if we start digging deep into our own lives. We are afraid of digging up past hurts, failures, major sins we have done or major sins done to us.

–Pastor Rick, I don’t want to dig all that up in my life...keep digging...dig past all the junk and all the mess and you will find the truth that is buried beneath your sin...the image of God.

Genesis 1:27 (NKJV) 

27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 

–Keep digging and you will find your true identity and God’s true destiny for your life. As you do you will never see yourself the same way again because you will see yourself thru the eyes of your Creator!

You Be the Change You Want to See - 1

                                             You Be the Change You Want to See - 1

Subject:  Leading The Change in Your Family, Church, or Business

By Rick Welborne

2 Kings 7:1-4 (NLT)
¹  Elisha replied, “Listen to this message from the LORD! This is what the LORD says: By this time tomorrow in the markets of Samaria, five quarts of choice flour will cost only one piece of silver, and ten quarts of barley grain will cost only one piece of silver.”
²  The officer assisting the king said to the man of God, “That couldn’t happen even if the LORD opened the windows of heaven!” But Elisha replied, “You will see it happen with your own eyes, but you won’t be able to eat any of it!”
³  Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. “Why should we sit here waiting to die?” they asked each other.
⁴  “We will starve if we stay here, but with the famine in the city, we will starve if we go back there. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway.” 

--Be the change you want to see…like these lepers in this story I want us to realize that we bear responsibility in changing whatever we consider to be out of whack in our home, church, or business.

--They were starving, their city was starving, and everything seemed hopeless until they made the decision to do something…Why should we sit here waiting to die…why sit here until we die?

--Now you can make a decision to stay where you are, and if you do, there is not too much I can do to help you but if you are ready for change…get ready for insight that will help you.

--Tonight will be an introduction to what we will be talking about…You being the change you want to see.

1. To be the change you want to see; attitude will be everything.

Rob Ketterling: Attitude is everything.  Your posture will send a message that you’re all in or always looking for the next reason to opt out. If, however, you accept the challenge to invest personally, emotionally, and spiritually in accomplishing a shared vision, you can help create movement and achieve extraordinary change.

--In any institution it is easy to sit in the back ground and criticize the decisions and actions of those who are leading. It is not easy to become the change you want to see take place.

--This attitude…this decision is precisely what defines both those who hold organizations back and those who propel them forward.

--Many of us will say we want to see change and change is really what it is all about. Change doesn’t begin out there somewhere…it begins with us individually.

--It begins with four lepers saying “why should we sit here waiting to die.”  When each of us take personal responsibility for our own attitudes and actions, we will find the motivation to lead change.

--It is time for all of us to stop playing the “victim” card when people don’t treat us the way we expect them to.

Stop sacrificing giving God your best by resisting His call to be the change you want to see…you lead!

--Stop liking the distance between you and whoever is in charge…stop being physically present but spiritually and mentally disconnected. The four lepers said, “If we die…we die.” But we must try.  The attitude of Jesus.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT)
⁵  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
⁶  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
⁷  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
⁸  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

2. To be the change you want to see, offer what you have to make a difference.

 

--As long as they choose to stay anonymous they will never to be able to use their God given gifts for His Kingdom and Glory! We have all seen those who could contribute so much, yet they stay in the shadows.

--When I was in high school I had some natural leadership qualities where people would watch and even emulate the things I did. Instead of leading for the good I became an instigator and a bad example.

--We see it at church or at work, the person who undermines what the pastor or boss is trying to accomplish. When they could be the change they want they push against the grain and create division.

--It is a form of rebellion to lead against those God has put in positions over you and the criticism you spew is only hurting the organization as a whole.

--Let me clarify that we have all been a part of a job, a family, or even a church that we have seen things that needed to be changed…how we react to that is the key…we either help or we hurt the situation.

Galatians 6:1-5 (NLT)
¹  Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.
²  Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
³  If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
⁴  Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.
⁵  For we are each responsible for our own conduct. 

--It is so easy for us to see the faults and short comings of the leader and it is obvious that if we were in charge that we would do everything perfectly because we have all the answers…reminder…you reap what you sow.

--Example of an associate…if he was in charge.Paul said we should gently and humbly help…what a concept…and he goes on and warns us that we may be in the same situation ourselves.

3. To be the change you want to see, you can never be the creator of disunity. 

--Critics have the ability to stir up trouble but if they would use the same energy for the good of the organization what a difference they could make.

--Think about this…when you complain, undermine, and find an audience to listen to all that you are upset with, you risk causing disunity…think before you hurt Christ’s church.

John 17:20-23 (NIV)
²⁰  "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
²¹  that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
²²  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:
²³  I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 

--If we selfishly have to prove our point we usually create wreckage for the entirety of those who are involved.

When we think we have to win to win, it usually ends up with division.

--I have said for years, especially in marriage, there is something more important than being right…it is being righteous…applies to all our organizations.

--When there are dissenting views on certain things in the church, the home, or the company it does not mean that there has to be a win/lose situation.

--You may have never given this any consideration but Jesus died so we could be one with Him and with the Father…you just may have to die to make your job, marriage, or church better.

--Remember Jesus…humble yourself and become obedient even to death on the cross. When will we ever learn that we can be restorers of broken walls instead of those who bring division and disunity.

Isaiah 58:12-14 (NIV)
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. 

--Please hear me…you will do your family, church, and business a big favor when you stop criticizing everyone else and you become the change you want to see.

--The only ‘God choice’ you have is to be like Jesus, to humble yourself, to lay down your life, and to do everything in your power to create unity.

--Stop thinking you do not have a voice (you have an audience with God anytime you desire) and do not think no one knows your name. God knows your name.

--Leading toward this change is not just a job but it is a responsibility to all of us who feel we want the family, church, or business to be better.

--When we have this attitude we invite those around us to go with us…we create unity which is a God given goal for us.

--We think that our input, our prayer, or even our vote will make a difference…let me remind you that George W. Bush defeated Al Gore by only 537 votes. You matter to God and His Kingdom.

--One person (with God on his side) can still make a tremendous difference today.  That is what we are talking about in this series.  It is about becoming the influence God intended you to be.

--If you care enough to complain, you should care enough to lead.  You be the change you want to see and others will follow.  Take your place and let’s go.

Who We Welcome and Why – 7

                                                         Who We Welcome and Why – 7

Subject – Welcoming Holy Spirit Baptism – Part 1

By Rick Welborne

Luke 24:45-53 (NKJV)
⁴⁵  And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
⁴⁶  Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
⁴⁷  and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
⁴⁸  And you are witnesses of these things.
⁴⁹  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
⁵⁰  And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
⁵¹  Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
⁵²  And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
⁵³  and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen. 

--How beautiful…The Promise of the Father…Holy Spirit baptism. Yes, I know we have already spoke about welcoming Holy Spirit, and if you remember, He showed up. Pastor Neftali spoke about Him.

--Today is a little different because, not only are we talking about Holy Spirit, but we are talking about the New Testament experience that is available to every believer…Holy Spirit baptism.

--You cannot do an honest, sincere, and exegetical study of the New Testament without seeing Holy Spirit baptism as a viable experience for the believer today.

--My objective today is not to try and prove to you the experience of Holy Spirit baptism (the scriptures already do that) but to attempt to share with you why we should welcome this experience.

--Five reasons we should welcome Holy Spirit baptism:

1. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism and speaking in tongues because it is biblical.

--Let me say here the reason we Spirit filled believers speak in tongues is because it is in the Bible. Either we believe the supremacy of the Scriptures or we don’t.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
¹⁶  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
¹⁷  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

--The New Testament testimony is such that it tells us speaking in tongues is valid and valuable. Quickly:

Acts 2:4 (NKJV) ⁴  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

Acts 10:44-46 (NKJV)
⁴⁴  While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.
⁴⁵  And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
⁴⁶  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. 

Acts 19:1&6 (NKJV)
¹  And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
⁶  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 

--Our position is not just about speaking in tongues; it is about believing the entirety of the Scriptures. We never need to apologize for what is biblical. Stop letting people shame you. 

--We can all be thankful for the A/G being birthed in Pentecostal fire and our history of speaking in tongues but it goes beyond tradition or even public opinion, it is about God’s revealed will in the Scriptures.

--Those who founded the A/G did not speak in tongues obviously because their grandparents had done it, or because the culture of the church supported it. Their motivation was to live out God’s Word.

--We continue to champion Holy Spirit baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues simply because we are determined to be obedient to a biblical hermeneutics that sees this experience as available today. 

 Acts 2:38-39 (NKJV)
³⁸  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
³⁹  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

--We welcome Holy Spirit baptism because it is biblical. Anything else mentioned in scripture as much as this would be a cardinal doctrine. I don’t understand the bias against Holy Spirit and the Word.

2. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism because speaking in tongues is the initial physical evidence.

--Less people speaking in tongues is definitely an indicator that fewer people are experiencing Holy Spirit baptism. Please understand, the purpose of Holy Spirit baptism is more than just speaking in tongues.

--Speaking in tongues is an outward sign of an inward work of Holy Spirit. The Bible identified those who were Holy Spirit baptized by saying they were speaking in tongues. Pentecost. Cornelius House, and Epehesus.

Acts 2:4 (NKJV) ⁴  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

Acts 10:46 (NKJV) ⁴⁶  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. 

Acts 19:2-6 (NKJV)
²  he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit."
³  And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism."
⁴  Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus."
⁵  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
⁶  And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

--When I first became a Christian I am sure the pastor and Ronnie Chunn probably got tired of me saying to them about anything I did not understand, “Show me in the Bible.” Speaking in tongues in particularly. 

--How do we know when someone is Spirit baptized? They heard them speak in tongues. Simon the sorcerer. 

--We must be careful to adjust our theology to the Word of God not adjust what we believe to our opinion or a denomination. Pastor Mark…if it is in the Bible, it is true.

--Remember we are saying that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence (the signpost of Holy Spirit activity) but the ongoing evidence is the Fruit of Holy Spirit. 

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV) ²²  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³  gentleness, self-control. 

--Speaking in tongues is not an end-all but simply a door to Holy Spirit’s activity within us. Jesus said:

Luke 24:49 (NKJV) ⁴⁹  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued (clothed) with power from on high." 

--We should not relegate Holy Spirit or His work to a backroom somewhere but give Him preeminence in our lives and our churches. 

--People seem to not want Holy Spirit present because of abuses they have seen. People have abused cars but you don’t see people going back to horses and buggies. Paul:

1 Corinthians 14:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸  I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;

3. We welcome Holy Spirit baptism because speaking in tongues helps us communicate better with God.

--The apostle Paul spoke in tongues as he prayed and worshiped God. His prayer and worship were enhanced.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 (NLT2)
¹⁴  For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.
¹⁵  Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. 

--Most of the time when someone is Holy Spirit baptized, it is in an atmosphere of prayer and worship. As we open our mouths to worship God (in Spirit and truth) we begin to pray in the Spirit (in tongues).

--Bob finally came to church with his wife and got wonderfully saved. He wanted more. Holy Spirit baptism. I don’t believe we have to spit on people, yell at people, tell them to hang on, or to turn lose. Worship and ask.

--In a powerful worship service Bob did just that and he was gloriously filled with Holy Spirit. He spoke in tongues all during the worship service. He told me he had never felt so close to God.

--Praying in tongues gives us a means of praying beyond our human limitations. How so, Pastor Rick?

Romans 8:26-27 (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.

--Do you want to be powerful for God? Do you want to pray the will of God in every situation? Do you want help when you feel weak? Welcome Holy Spirit and be Spirit baptized and pray in tongues (in Holy Spirit).