2023 – Mission’s Convention

2023 – Mission’s Convention

Subject – Challenging All of Us to Reach the World

By Rick Welborne

Isaiah 54:1-5 (NKJV)
¹  "Sing, O barren, You who have not borne! Break forth into singing, and cry aloud, You who have not labored with child! For more are the children of the desolate Than the children of the married woman," says the LORD.
²  "Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes.
³  For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.
⁴  "Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; For you will forget the shame of your youth, And will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore.
⁵  For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth. 

--Our 2023 Mission’s Convention, can you believe it? I would have thought Jesus would have returned by now but it appears He is giving us more time to reach the lost here and around the world.

2 Peter 3:9-10 (NCV)
⁹  The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.
¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. 

--I preached these verses for La Vida Church’s 10 Year Anniversary, and as I was preparing this, God spoke to me about preaching this for our convention. He is Lord, so I said “Yes”.

--I have been the Lead Pastor here for a little over 32 years and I have challenged you every year to support the Mission of the Church which is the Great Commission.

Mark 16:15 (NCV)                                                                                                                                                 ¹⁵  Jesus said to his followers, “Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone.

--Go where? Everywhere! Tell who? Everyone! It does not get any simpler than that. It is not a suggestion but it is a command. Do you want a pastor who preaches God’s Word or not?

--God’s mandate for me is to encourage, exhort, and strongly contend for your support of what God’s Word has commanded us to do. To not challenge you would be negligence and disobedience. Paul to Timothy:

2 Timothy 4:1-2 (NKJV)
¹  I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:
²  Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 

--Our text today is:

Isaiah 54:2 (NKJV)
²  "Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. 

1. Enlarge the Place of Your Tent.

--God is saying to you from His Word. Get ready for growth. For souls to be saved here and around the world. Just from one of 220 missionaries that we support…in 17 years – led 110,000 people to Christ.

--Thank God for what we have accomplished but this is only the beginning of what He is wanting to do. There are so many people who need Jesus and our church needs to be a light.

--But, Pastor Rick, we are still small. Don’t forget what the Word of God says when Jesus asked the disciples who people were saying He was. 

Matthew 16:15-18 (NLT2) 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. 

--Jesus said He will build His Church. Who will build His Church? He will build His Church. He just wants us to work with Him and watch what He does.

--Church, you need to start thinking about how you will react when God begins to send the lost our way and how we can influence people to come to God’s House. Think of how we can change the world.

--When they come, don’t judge them, just love them and show them the way to Jesus. When missionaries come make them feel welcome. Let them see your love for the lost and each other.

John 13:35 (NKJV) ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." 

--I believe if we will pray and seek God with all our hearts, and reach out to our lost friends, family, and the world, God will send supernatural growth and multiply His Church!

Job 8:7 (NKJV) ⁷ Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly. 

--La Vida get ready to outgrow the FLC. Wouldn’t it be awesome to grow so much you have to use the main sanctuary or grow so much you start building your own building? All things are possible!

--Life Church, La Vida Church, and Village Campus, enlarge the place of your tent and lengthen your cords…reach out like you have never done before and watch all the miracles God will do.

2. Do Not Spare.

Isaiah 54:2 (NKJV)
²  "Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. 

Isaiah 54:2 (NLT2) ² “Enlarge your house; build an addition. Spread out your home, and spare no expense! 

--Pastor Rick, what do you believe this is saying to us? Do not spare…spare no expense? One of our Distinctives as a church is “Generosity.”

--We have found, I have found, that when you are generous with God, He is extremely generous with you. This works individually and corporately. Definitely works with missions. 

--This will work in your house and this will work in God’s House. Proverbs tells us there is one who scatters (gives) yet increases and there is another who withholds (is stingy) and comes to nothing.

--This is a truth that could revolutionize the church if we ever could grasp the enormity of what God wants to do. Through our generosity and God’s blessings, we could bless others on every occasion. Verse please:

--Please understand that 2 Cor. 8 & 9 are talking about the ministry of giving. 

2 Corinthians 9:11-12 (NIV)
¹¹  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
¹²  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 

--The phrase “Generous on every occasion!” has become a major part of my life and even my theology. What do you mean, Pastor, by your theology?

--God was a giver…God gave us the beautiful world we live in, He gave us the Ten Commandments, He gave us the awesome power of Holy Spirit, and…

John 3:16 (NIV)
¹⁶  "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

--What am I saying, Church? Be givers! Be faithful in your tithing! Support the Mission’s Program of the church! Be givers every time an opportunity is presented. Do not spare. Spare no expense.

3. Strengthen Your Stakes.

Isaiah 54:2 (NKJV)
²  "Enlarge the place of your tent, And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; Do not spare; Lengthen your cords, And strengthen your stakes. 

--When you set up a tent, what holds the tent in place? The stakes. Many are so careless when they do this and they do not drive the stakes deep enough or into the right foundation. Get blown away.

--What am I saying, Church? It is time to go deeper. Some want to shout louder and jump higher and that’s okay as long as you are going deeper. 

--There are way too many shallow Christians in the church. The first wind, or storm, or test, they are blown away. We have to go deep into the Rock Christ Jesus so when the storm come, we are still standing.

Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)
²⁴  "Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
²⁵  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
²⁶  But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
²⁷  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."

--We should not have to worry if you are going to be here for church or if you are going to fall away. Go deeper my brothers and sisters…strengthen your stakes. Get connected to Jesus like never before. 

--Be filled with Holy Spirit so you can be witnesses here and around the world. 

--Enlarge the Place of Your Tent. Do Not Spare. Strengthen Your Stakes.

Praying with Power – 2

Praying with Power – 2

Subject – Praying Earnestly 

By Rick Welborne

James 5:13-18 (NLT2)
¹³  Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
¹⁴  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
¹⁵  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
¹⁶  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
¹⁷  Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!
¹⁸  Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops. 

--Tonight we continue our series on Praying with Power. Please do not try to convince me of your concern for America if you are not willing to pray.

--James points out that whatever your need is, sincere prayer is the answer. Whether it is hardships, sickness, or the ravages of sin. Our prayer has great power and wonderful results.

Charles G. Finney – Revival is no more a miracle than a crop of wheat. Revival comes from heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict determined to win or die—or if need be, to win and die! “The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

--Ministry in many ways has become this opportunity for many to show-off their gifting and talent and to convince the crowd how they can move them with their coolness and smooth communication. 

--Many today think how awesome it would be to stand before crowds and feel the power of the moment. In contrast, the prophets of old felt the weight (the enormity) and unpopularity of their calling.

--Many tried to escape the burden of their calling. Moses tried to use the excuse that he stuttered and Jeremiah tried to claim he was way too young for such responsibility. 

--My point is this, many in the ministry today want the glamor without the burden. The burden to pray for the lost and the burden of caring for wandering sheep.

--Pastor Manzer Wright in his last days would share with me the burden he carried as a minister of the gospel and it always came with a warning. “Don’t let those people kill you.” The burden was heavy.

--Whenever I interview someone for a pastoral ministry position here at Life Church, I always ask them to share with me their experience with God when He called them. No experience, no position.

--Why would I do that? In the ministry you will need to go back in your mind a 1000 times to your calling especially when you are faced with great difficulty. Hear Paul’s burden.

1 Corinthians 9:16 (NKJV)
¹⁶  For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!

--Woe is me if I do not preach this gospel God has called me to, and to exhort you to prayer like never before.

1. Approaching God in Prayer. 

--In the last century we have found the power (the awesome power) of atomic and nuclear force. The church needs to re-discover the power of prayer with Holy Spirit and holy living. 

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.

--Praying in Holy Spirit will build you up, will prepare you for spiritual warfare, and it will help you live a holy life before God (keep yourselves in the love of God).

--We must pray if we want to live a holy life. Also, it will be difficult to pray in sincerity before God if we are not living a holy life. Scripture please.

Psalm 24:3-5 (NIV)
³  Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?
⁴  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.
⁵  He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. 

--You see, how you approach God is so important. Here is something to think about. The secret of praying is praying in secret. What you do in your private life speaks volumes of your desire to approach God.

--Reading books, listening to podcasts, or going to conferences about prayer is good but you still have to learn to pray. I can have the guns and bullets galore but until I go and shoot the game, the freezer is empty.

--From someone who loves you, maybe, just maybe the reason your soul is dry, the reason you are unhappy, the reason you are unfulfilled is because of your lack of time in prayer with the Master. 

--We act like with God similar to the kid who rings the doorbell and runs away before the door is opened. How many undiscovered blessings are forfeited because we do not tarry with God and pray? 

2. Prayer as Vast as God Is.

--There may be those who can estimate the distance from the earth to the sun, those who can tell us the speed of light, predict the rising of the sun every day. You cannot estimate the power of prayer. 

--Prayer is as vast as God. Why? Because He is the One behind it making it happen. Prayer is so mighty because God has committed Himself to answering when we call on Him. Listen to the psalmist praying:

Psalm 34:4-6 (NKJV)
⁴  I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
⁵  They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed.
⁶  This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 

--It has been said that the reason Jesus will have to wipe away tears from our eyes at the Judgment Seat of Christ will be because of our small prayers in light of His greatness.

--How powerful are the prayers of the saints of God? Prayer has nullified the strength of fire, prayer has shut the mouths of lions, prayer has stopped anarchy in the streets…ask Esther.

--If God’s people praying and declaring a fast could stop anarchy for Queen Esther and Mordecai in the streets, couldn’t God do the same for the cities of America if we pray?

--Prayer has reversed the laws of science (ax head floating), prayer has stopped armies (ask Jehoshaphat), prayer has cast out demons, prayer has raised the dead to life (ask Lazarus). 

--Prayer has healed diseases like leprosy (what could God do to Covid 19?), prayer made the sun stand still in the sky so the battle could be won (ask Joshua).

--Prayer is a power, prayer is a privilege, prayer is access to the God Who has no limitations. The Bible says we have not because we do not ask. We have not today because we pray not. We must pray. 

--Make note of this, your time of prayer is not just a place where you hand God your unending list of things you want Him to do for you. Yes, prayer changes things but prayer changes people.

--Prayer changed Hannah by taking away her reproach but also, prayer changed Hannah from a barren woman to a fruitful woman. From a woman of mourning to a woman of dancing. Hannah came to a vast God!

--Many of us are praying that God will cause us to dance but maybe the issue is that we have not learned to mourn first. We want the garment of praise first.

Isaiah 61:3 (NKJV)
³  To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." 

--Thank God we are a mission’s church but please never forget the vastness of God. You guys give so much to missions and that is great but what would happen if we added prayer?

Psalm 126:5-6 (NKJV)
⁵  Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
⁶  He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him. 

3. Praying with Power Birthed by Love.

Exodus 32:31-32 (NKJV)
³¹  Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold!
³²  Yet now, if You will forgive their sin--but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."

Romans 9:2-4 (NLT2)
²  My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief
³  for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.
⁴  They are the people of Israel, chosen to be God’s adopted children. 

--If John Knox had prayed, “Give me success.” But he prayed a self-sacrificing prayer.

John Knox – Give me Scotland, or I die!

 --David Livingstone had such a burden for Africa…He prayed, Lord, when will the wound of this world’s sin be healed? He lived in prayer and actually died on his knees in prayer.

--Only prayer motivated by love will change this sin hungry world. We need a prayer hungry church that will stay in God’s presence until things change. 

--Pastor, I only have influence over a few people. What difference can I make? You probably have more influence than you think. It is not the size but the sort.

1 Corinthians 3:11-13 (NKJV)
¹¹  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
¹²  Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
¹³  each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.

Fear of the Lord - 4

Fear of the Lord - 4

Subject – Understanding the Fear of the Lord

By Rick Welborne

Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV)
⁵  The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
⁶  He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. 

--The more I look into this subject of the fear of the Lord the more I realize God wants us to understand how serious it is for us. Pastor, this is uncomfortable for us. 

--Let me ask you this question…Is it the Word of God? Do you want a minister who preaches the whole counsel of God?

The fear of the Lord - can be defined as a continual awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God, and that every motive, thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be judged by Him.

--The Apostle Paul wrote about a third of the New Testament and I believe he was definitely serious with his exhortations and commands. We want a gospel and a Jesus who makes us feel comfortable.

Philippians 2:12 (NIV)
¹²  Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 

Adam Clarke's Commentary - With fear and trembling—Considering the difficulty of the work, there is a danger of miscarriage. If you do not watch, pray, and continually depend on God, your enemies will surprise you, and your light and life will become extinct; and then consider what an awful account you must give to Him whose Spirit you have grieved, and of whose glory you have come short.

--I have had many opportunities to share Christ with many in our community who are fearful and wondering what in the world is going on. They need hope.

--Hear your pastor…we must live lives that show we are living with a healthy fear of the Lord and we must live knowing we are either a good witness or a bad witness for Christ. 

--The time of only talking to people about Jesus only when they ask us is over. Jesus is coming soon and we need to tell as many as we can. We are not just staying afloat; we must reach out. 

Psalm 89:7 (NKJV)
⁷  God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. 

1. The Fear of Me…Jesus.

 Matthew 10:7-8 & 24-28 (NKJV)
⁷  And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
⁸  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
²⁴  A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
²⁵  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!
²⁶  Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.
²⁷  "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.
²⁸  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

--Jesus is sending His disciples out and He is warning them that it is not going to be easy to be one of His followers. We have not only made it easy…it has become cool. Jesus told them:

Matthew 10:16-18 (NKJV)
¹⁶  "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
¹⁷  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
¹⁸  You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

--Jesus said I send you out…He didn’t say He gave them the option to stay comfortable in their churches. The fear of the Lord tells us we must go or we must send missionaries.

--After Jesus gives them warnings and exhortations about what their lives will be like following Him, He gets on the topic of fear. Who to fear and who not to fear.

--In Luke 12 which is the parallel verses to Mat. 10, Jesus says something quite interesting to me.

Luke 12:1 (NKJV) ¹ "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 

--He was saying beware of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees…people who have an appearance of religion or a relationship with God but really do not. No fear of God. 

Luke 12:2-3 (NKJV)
²  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.
³  Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.

--This strikes the fear of the Lord in me…nothing is hidden or covered from God that will not be revealed. I need to make sure that all of my sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus.

--More fear…whatever you have spoken…one translation…every idle word will be proclaimed from the rooftops. Have you ever said something evil about someone? An accidental text. 

--Those things are terrifying enough in themselves but Jesus does not stop there in talking about how we should have a healthy fear of the Lord.

Luke 12:4-5 (NKJV)
⁴  "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
⁵  But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

--Don’t be afraid of those who can kill your body. Did some of them, no probably most of them, give their lives for their testimony with Christ. Glad that is not happening now. I just received this. 

Jay Sekulow - Islamic radicals are slaughtering Christians in Nigeria, and there is no end to their deadly rampage in sight. If the bloodshed continues, Africa's Christians face a very real threat of extinction.

--Jesus was telling His disciples and the Christians in Nigeria not to fear people who can kill you and that’s all they can do. Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell.

--I wonder if we even believe that anymore because of how we live. Remember this from our first sermon.

1 Peter 4:18 (NKJV)
¹⁸  Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 

Matthew 7:13-14 (NKJV)
¹³  "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.
¹⁴  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

--It is hard for me to get away from these statements…If the righteous one is scarcely saved and narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

--Scarcely and few. All we hear today is how easy it is to get in…just repeat this prayer. Few who find it. You would probably be surprised if God could show us who are actually on the narrow way.

--Pastor, are you trying to create fear in our hearts about our salvation. What I am trying to do is get you to consider if you truly fear and revere Jesus in your life.

--If you come to church and look the part, and then, go home and cuss out your wife and live contrary to God’s Word, you maybe should be glad someone is sending you a wakeup call.

Ephesians 5:11-15 (NLT2)
¹¹  Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.
¹²  It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.
¹³  But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them,                                                       ¹⁴  for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
¹⁵  So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. 

2. The Apostle Paul – The fear of the Lord

--Paul in speaking to the Romans is trying to warn them to make sure that they have a healthy fear of the Lord. 

Romans 11:20-22 (NLT2)
²⁰  Yes, but remember—those branches were broken off because they didn’t believe in Christ, and you are there because you do believe. So don’t think highly of yourself, but fear what could happen.
²¹  For if God did not spare the original branches, He won’t spare you either.
²²  Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off. 

--Isaiah 33 tells us that God wants to be our sure foundation, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; but he tells the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. 

--Paul says to the Gentiles (to us) not to think too highly of ourselves but to fear that what happened to the Jews could happen to us. ²¹ For if God did not spare the original branches, He won’t spare you either. 

--God is both kind and severe. Psalm 89 - God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. 

Hebrews 12:28-29 (NKJV) ²⁸  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.                                   ²⁹  For our God is a consuming fire.

Courage – 6

Courage – 6

Subject – Courage to Rethink Our Prayers

By Rick Welborne

2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NLT2)
²⁰  There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.
²¹  Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.
²²  Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors.
²³  He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.

1 Peter 5:8-9 (NLT2)
⁸  Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
⁹  Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

--Last time we talked about how important it is for us to unlearn our fears. This week we are going to look at having the courage to rethink our prayers.

1. An Honest Assessment of Our Prayers.

--We would probably be amazed to discover how many of our prayers are aimed at simply reducing our problems. We pray God will keep us out of a pit with a lion on a snowy day.

--We pray that God will help steer clear of Egyptian warriors with spears. Also, if we have to fight against the Moabites, please let the numbers be on our side. 

--What if these problems are just opportunities in disguise? Our prayers are misdirected.

--I believe David and Benaiah had kindred spirits. They both were in the Jerusalem hunting club where giants and lions were favorite targets. I believe David saw himself in Benaiah to some degree. 

--Long before David became king, David was a simple shepherd boy. While his brothers were away fighting Philistines, he was stuck on the sidelines tending sheep.

--I am sure David had no idea that God was setting him up to become the next King of Israel. As David practiced with his sling and has he fought lions and bears, God was preparing him.

--Before his epic battle with Goliath it is amazing how David was able to connect the dots between his past problems and his current opportunity. 

1 Samuel 17:34-37 (NIV)
³⁴  But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
³⁵  I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.                                                                                                                                                ³⁶  Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.
³⁷  The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

--Don’t you just suppose that David prayed for his sheep? Kids always pray for their pets. But on numerous occasions, lions and bears would attack his sheep.

--I wonder if David ever questioned, “Why doesn’t God answer my prayers for safety?” I’m sure the answer dawns on David as he gets ready to face Goliath. He puts two and two together.

--His unanswered prayers had set him up for an opportunity of a lifetime. Every time he used his sling, took aim, and fired, it was just target practice for the giant in his life.

--At the end of our lives I believe we will thank God for the lions, bears, and giants in our lives. We will even thank God, like Benaiah, for the pits we end up in. Think about Joseph. 

--Someday we will thank God for the bad things that have happened to us because they were preparing us for the good things God was setting us up for. Our biggest problems present the greatest opportunities. 

2. The law of Unintended Consequences

C.S. Lewis – If God had granted all the silly prayers I’ve made in my life, where would I be now?

--Lewis went on to say that there will come a day that we will be more grateful for the prayers God did not answer than the ones He did. Why? 

--Many of our prayers are misguided. We pray for comfort instead of character. We pray for an easy way out instead of strength to make it through. We pray for no pain, when the result would be no gain.

--We pray that God will keep us out of pits and away from lions. But if God answered our prayers, it would rob us of our greatest opportunities. It would hinder God’s plans for us.

--Maybe we should stop asking God to get us out of difficult situations and start asking Him what we need to get out of these difficult circumstances.

--We have a tendency to blame our circumstances when things are not going well, just like we blame to ref when our team is losing. We look for an external scapegoat.

--But maybe our problem isn’t our circumstances. Maybe it is our perspective. We must remember God has perfect perspective on every situation while our view is so limited and narrow.

--So why do we assume that what we pray for is always what’s best for us.? If we could see what God sees, we would pray different prayers. 

--Have you ever heard of the Midas touch? Or everything he touches turns to gold. Legend tells it that Midas was granted a wish that everything he touched would be turned to gold.

--Midas was delighted until he realized his touch made food inedible and that his embrace made loved ones lifeless. Midas stumbled upon what sociologist call the law of unintended consequences. 

--Sometimes an unanswered prayer is God, in His sovereign wisdom, sparing us the pain of unintended consequences. Someday we will thank Him for those unanswered prayers. 

Batterson – Maybe prayer is less about changing our circumstances than it is changing our perspective. Most of our problems are not the by-product of our circumstances but of our perspective on our circumstances. Maybe we need to quit praying safe prayers. 

3. Worship is Our Way of Escape.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NCV)
¹³  The only temptation that has come to you is that which everyone has. But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it. 

--Think about Paul and Silas (Acts 16) being in stocks in a Philippian dungeon. Landing in a Middle Eastern prison isn’t much better than landing in a pit with a lion on a snowy day.

--Not long before this Paul had cast a demon out of a fortune teller and her master didn’t like it because his fortune-telling slave was his ticket to wealth. 

Acts 16:22-24 (NLT2)
²²  A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.
²³  They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape.
²⁴  So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

--Just imagine if you were Paul or Silas. You are physically, emotionally, and spiritually spent. Drained with nothing left to give. Your back is still bleeding. Upset with the mob and questioning God.

--Circumstances truly can’t get much worse and Paul and Silas’ reaction is remarkable. If it had been you or me the text would have read, “Around midnight Rick and _____, were complaining.” Not these guys.

Acts 16:25 (NLT2) ²⁵  Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

--Usually when we get in a situation like this we have a tendency to be fixated on the problem. Instead, we should take a step back and zoom out of the present situation. The word is “worship.”

Quote – Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshiping what’s right with God.

--We have to learn as disciples to reframe our focus when we find ourselves in difficult circumstances. We have to start focusing on God and how wonderful He is and just worship.

Psalm 29:1-2&10-11 (NKJV)
¹  Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
²  Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
¹⁰  The LORD sat enthroned at the Flood, And the LORD sits as King forever.
¹¹  The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace. 

--Worship is forgetting about what’s wrong with you and remembering what’s right with God. It restores the joy of your salvation. It renews your mind. 

--Is it easy? Absolutely not. Nothing is more difficult than praising God when nothing seems to be going right. But one of the purest forms of worship is praising God when don’t feel like it. 

Psalm 96:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
²  Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
³  Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
⁴  For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. 

Praying with Power – 1

Praying with Power – 1

Subject – Praying Earnestly Until Revival Comes

By Rick Welborne

James 5:13-20 (NLT2)
¹³  Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.
¹⁴  Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.
¹⁵  Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.
¹⁶  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
¹⁷  Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!
¹⁸  Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
¹⁹  My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back,
²⁰  you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins. 

--Today we begin this new series “Praying with Power” and I hope this is exactly what Life Church will begin to do. Anyone with their eyes opened can see our world is in a mess.

--Please understand where I am going with this message and maybe where I am not going. I have heard recent prophesies that say this next revival or move of God will be easy (effortless).

--I have heard some people, of whom I respect very much, say that that basically all we will have to do is stand back and watch. I wish that were true. I wish it would be that easy. 

--We can plan and organize camp meetings or exciting services with tremendous worship that will make us shout and actually have fun but the spiritual high is only temporary.

--The kind of revival I am talking about takes a church takes the church in its grasp and refuses to let go until every last ounce of sin and self has been squeezed out. 

--Revival is not a season to be jolly. It’s not celebration or festivity. The church in revival is faced with the anguish of unforgiven sin.  Like Isaiah of old the church cries out “Undone”.  

--We have this misconception about revival that it is all about celebration and goosebumps when the reality is a true move of God reveals to us our sinful hearts and how we have turned from God. 

--I don’t worry as much about the believers who mess up, and then, feel guilt and shame followed by returning to God. I worry about those who sin and feel no guilt at all. Dangerous.

--Many times when we read about former revivals, we say we wish revival would come to us like it came to them, implying it was something easy.

--Revival does not come easy; it comes thru travail before God until the birth takes place. And just as Satan in the Revelation waited to destroy the Christ child, he waits to destroy revival.

--We are in for a battle, my friends, and it will not be easy. We have to be willing to take hold of eternal life and to never let it go. 

--Like with babies, revival has to be conceived, it has to be nourished for a period of time, then there comes the labor pains, and at the right time, there comes the birthing of the move of God. 

--I am not sure we are ready or willing to pray or pay that kind of cost. We say we need it, we say we want it with hands raised, but are we willing to agonize before God until it comes? Back to our text.

--James is telling us that if we are facing hard times, if we have sickness, if we have unforgiven sin in our lives, we should pray! The earnest prayer of a person right with God produces wonderful results. 

--James shifts and gives us Elijah as a man like us but a man who prayed powerfully. He prays and there is no rain, he prays and the oil and flour do not run out, and he prays and a dead child rises.

--He prays and fire comes down from heaven, he prays and the rain returns, he prays and chooses his successor, he prays (my favorite story) and says if I am a man of God let fire come down and destroy the captain (50).

--He prays and he and Elisha go across the Jordan River on dry land and he prays again, and he is taken up in a chariot of fire. So what’s the point? His prayer was powerful. His impact on Elisha:

2 Kings 2:14 (NKJV) ¹⁴  Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" 

--Maybe this is not the question we should be asking. God is where He has always been, on His throne but where are the Elijahs of God?

1. Elijahs of God

--James tells us that Elijah was human or of like passions as we are but we are not like him obviously when it comes to praying and seeking God. 

--He and God stand together as a majority against a wicked nation, against a wicked king, and a wicked Jezebel. We think we can’t make a difference in the mess today but we can if we pray.

Romans 8:28&31-32 (NIV)
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.
³¹  What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 

--We think elections are about either our team winning or the other team winning. Please stop it! This is about the soul of a nation, it is about standing for righteousness, and taking responsibility as believers.

--The things Elijah did to fight against wickedness could not have been done any other way than through prayer. If you want to make a difference, please vote but even more important pray for our nation.

2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (NIV)
¹³  "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,
¹⁴  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
¹⁵  Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

--Pastor, we have heard those verses over and over. Great, start doing what they say. Humble yourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from your wicked ways. Commentary on Elijah…he prayed.

2. Stand in the Gap.

--So many times we think we have it worse now than any time in history but Elijah was raised up at a time when darkness covered the land.

Isaiah 60:2 (NKJV) ²  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 

--The Lord is telling of a time when darkness will be so prevalent over the land and people but God, in His mercy, will reveal His glory thru His servants. How can this happen? 

--In Elijah’s day you could look across the landscape and see the smoke coming from a thousand pagan temples and altars and this was among the people who claimed Abraham as their father. God had departed!

--So what did God do? He looked for a man, not a committee, not a certain denomination, not the best worship group, but a man who would stand in the gap and make a difference.

Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV) ³⁰  So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.

--Pastor, I can’t pray unless we have good worship songs, music with no word, no music, loud music, quiet music, a devotion, a time of worship…please stop. Stand in the gap and pray!

--None of us can even imagine what America will look like in the next ten years if we do not have a revival that sweeps across the land and changes people. 

--Babies dying, cities with gun fights in the streets moving to neighborhoods, traditional marriage being mocked, pandemics keeping kids out of school, businesses destroyed. This is today!

3. Stand in the Gap and Pray.

--The secret to praying is praying in secret. If we are not praying, we are playing with the future of our kids and grandkids. I love the song…The Blessing but we have to pray for that to happened. 

--We love to talk about, read about, even quote Azusa, Hebrides, Wesley, Ravenhill, Bartleman, and other great men and moves of God. We do everything but imitate what they did for revival. They prayed.

--We marvel how they gave their last drop of blood to see God move and to change entire countries but we dare not sacrifice any of our own blood. The cost is too great. 

--God is by-passing so many men and women now, not because they do not know what to do, they are not too ignorant, it is because we are to self-sufficient. We have everything we want.

Revelation 3:15-22 (NKJV)
¹⁵  I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
¹⁶  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
¹⁷  Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—                                                                                                     ¹⁸  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
¹⁹  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.
²⁰  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
²¹  To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 

²²  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." ' "

--We must repent, we must stand in the gap, and we must pray!

Fear of the Lord - 3

                Fear of the Lord - 3

Subject – Content with Jesus

By Rick Welborne

Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV)
⁵  The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
⁶  He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. 

Numbers 21:4-9 (NLT2)
⁴  Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,
⁵  and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!”
⁶  So the LORD sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died.
⁷  Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people.
⁸  Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!”
⁹  So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed! 

The fear of the Lord - can be defined as a continual awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God, and that every motive, thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be judged by Him.

--As I sat here praying for the people I love and the people I have invested about half of our lives in, I simply asked God, what is He saying to the church right now.

--I believe he immediately led me to this story in the book of Numbers. I truly believe God has much He wants to say to us so please open up your heart to receive the Word. 

1. The People Grew Impatient.

--God had brought them out of Egypt and had delivered them from the hand of Pharaoh. He set them free from their bondage and oppression. No more whips and beatings. 

--He opened up the Red Sea in front of them so they could walk across on dry land. How awesome is that?

--Pharaoh’s army pursued them and tried to follow them on the floor of the Red Sea (for them it was the Dead Sea). Just saying, but didn’t someone think that was a bad idea?

--If God can make water stand up and part, couldn’t that same God make that water come back together and destroy whoever was in its way or wake? Rage can make us dash into our own disaster.

--We see two sides of God in this story, we see a God Who rescues and a God of judgment who deals with those in rebellion to Him. In America we have only chosen to see the love side of God.

--That being said, when something horrible happens to us or in our world, we begin to question the character of God. The truth is, He has always had both sides, we have just chosen not to acknowledge them. 

Numbers 21:4-5 (NLT2) ⁴  Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey,
⁵  and they began to speak against God and Moses.

--Please get this, God delivered them by His mighty hand, He sent plagues on Egypt and Pharaoh, He opened up the Red Sea so they could walk across on dry land. 

--He destroyed their enemy by drowning them. Before that, even though they were complaining, God brought water from a rock.   

Numbers 20:4-5 (NKJV)
⁴  Why have you brought up the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?
⁵  And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink."

--Israel became extremely impatient and if we are not careful, we can become impatient with what is going on. Please be careful what comes out of your mouth.

--They began to complain against God and against Moses. We are quick to complain against those who are in authority…what they are doing or what they are not doing.

Romans 13:1-5 (NLT2)
¹  Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
²  So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.
³  For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.
⁴  The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.
⁵  So you must submit to them…

--Please be patient with those in authority and pray for them. --I know none of us probably want to hear this, but when the people began to speak against God and Moses, it was God who sent the snakes.

2. The Secret.

Philippians 4:10-13 (NIV)
¹⁰  I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it.
¹¹  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
¹²  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
¹³  I can do everything through him who gives me strength. 

--Most of us have heard that last verse to mean I can do anything, I can climb mountains, I can build a great business, I can get wealthy, but the context here is quite different.

--Paul is in prison, yet, he is still teaching and sharing a secret to living in tough times as a Christian. This is one of his prison epistles. Writing to the church in Philippi…First city he hit on his 2^nd missionary journey.

--The church in Philippi remembered Paul and how he blessed them by preaching the gospel so they sent gifts to him. Prisons of that day, if people didn’t come and help you, you were in trouble. He was thankful.

--Paul is sending a letter back with Epaphriditus telling the church that he appreciates the gifts that they have sent him but then, he says something strange…Not because I was in need. What? You are in prison.

--Paul tells them that I have learned a secret in my Christian walk which takes me to a different level. I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in. Better than a PHD.

--Our education or status in life has very little to do with contentment. You can have more degrees than a thermometer and not be content. You can have the title of CEO or CFO and not be content.

--Unhappy people will find a reason to be miserable. Glass always half empty. Paul is writing that I have learned that in every situation to be content. Can you see how this is being applicable?

--But the man who has been beaten, stoned, left for dead, and thrown in prison says I have learned a secret. He is content? He is okay with where God has him.

--Paul said I have learned to be content when I have very little. I have a roof over my head and enough food to live on. He had learned the secret.

--Paul said I have learned how to be content with plenty. Paul said I have learned the secret. I have had little; I have had more. Life changes…I guess we all know that.

--Our world changed so quickly with Covid. People being told to stay home. You can only shop at certain times. Restaurants closed. People getting sick and dying. Struggling!

--Are we going to trust God and attempt to learn the same secret that Paul learned? To be content and rest in Jesus.

--Our son Jeremy had one of those slips of the tongue that made me laugh so hard. He said: We all have a skeleton full of closets! Of course he meant: We have a closet full of skeletons!

--As we look at this Pandemic I think he may have been right in what he accidently said. We are struggling as if we are a shell of what we used to be and it is exposing the closets we have hidden in our lives. 

--The secret is this, do we have Jesus with us? Isn’t Jesus enough? So how did Paul get to the secret place of I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me? 

--I am sure Paul first thought about what Jesus went through. We may have it tough but nothing like Jesus. If Jesus could go thru what He went thru, can’t we get thru whatever?

--Think about those who have it worse than we do. Paul learned that whatever we go through, it has a beginning and an end. We will get through this with God!

Psalm 30:2-5 (NKJV) ²  O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me.
³  O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.
⁴  Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
⁵  For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. 

3. A Snake on a Pole

--What’s that all about? So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” 

--So Moses made a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed! What a strange way for people to be healed. Maybe it was a type.

John 3:14-16 (NKJV)
¹⁴  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
¹⁵  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
¹⁶  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

--Jesus is still the answer…look to Him Who hung on the cross (like the snake on the pole). A snake on a pole?

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) ²¹  For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him