Looking at Questions in God’s Word – 7

 Looking at Questions in God’s Word – 7

Subject – Whom Shall I send?

By Rick Welborne

Job 38:1-4 (NLT2)
¹  Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind:
²  “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
³  Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
⁴  “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 

Luke 6:46-49 (NKJV)
⁴⁶  "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
⁴⁷  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
⁴⁸  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
⁴⁹  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great." 

Isaiah 6:5-8 (NKJV)
⁵  So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."
⁶  Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
⁷  And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged."
⁸  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." 

--It was great hearing from Missionaries Sam and Shelly Bowdoin and hearing about what God is doing in the Philippines and Asia. Thank the Lord we were able to help rebuild churches there.

--Also, what an honor to be challenged by our General Treasurer Doctor Pastor Choco DeJesus. We believe he is God’s man to lead us into greater things for the Kingdom and for missions and finances in the AOG.

--They challenged you to be faithful to the call of missions here in the US and abroad. Thank God we are doing much for the Kingdom until you compare it to the unfinished task. The Gospel preached to all nations.

--Let’s look at the Bible today as we continue the series on Looking at Questions from God’s Word and see what God is truly saying to His people.

1. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

--Job is trying to defend himself and he steps over some lines. This question needs to be put in the front of every book promoting evolution or every book on geology.

Job 38:3-4 (NLT2)
³  Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
⁴  “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 

--Never in my lifetime have I seen such arrogance and pride from so many. We see it in our nation’s leaders on both sides of the aisle. Left and right. Even in the church. 

Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)
¹⁸  Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. 

--Our nation was birthed with a great understanding that without the help and intervention of Almighty God we were doomed to destruction. 

Thomas Jefferson - "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever..."

--I personally believe the mission of America and of a Christian is that once you have found freedom and liberty, you should be willing to help others do the same. 

--It is past time for America and those who call themselves Christians to come down from our haughty places and humble ourselves before a great and awesome God.

--Humble yourselves before God and He will lift you up. We act like we are drunk on religious formulas that tell us just to declare what we want when God’s is calling us to repentance.

--God says, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Why don’t we again acknowledge God to be Lord and Savior of all. Then, do what He says…reach the earth He created. 

2. But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?

Luke 6:46-49 (NKJV)
⁴⁶  "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
⁴⁷  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
⁴⁸  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
⁴⁹  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

--Here we see Jesus making a contrast between two different people. One person does what Jesus says to do and the other does his own thing.

--One person, through his obedience, assures himself of having a good and solid foundation. When the storms come, and they will come, his house will stand.

--The other person, through their disobedience, assures himself of being on a foundation that is nothing more than shifting sand. When the storms come, and they will come, his house will crash.

--Okay, Pastor Rick, where are you heading with this? We know you have something on your heart and it probably has to do with missions. You are so perceptive. 

--It has been my observation through the years that those who are obedient to the Great Commission in their witnessing and giving (sending) missionaries are extremely blessed and established on the Rock.

--It has also been my observation through the years that those who are disobedient to the Great Commission in their witnessing and support of missions, struggle financially and in other ways. No secure foundation.

--It has also been obvious that churches who are faithful in their support of missionaries all around the world and they give sacrificially to missions, God blesses them and establishes them even during a pandemic. 

--I have also seen churches who claim to be Spirit-filled Full Gospel Churches struggle because they say they cannot afford to give to missions. You know what, they were right.

--Until there is a willingness to call Jesus Lord and do what He says in regards to the Great Commission, they will always be too poor and on shaky ground. Again these are people who claim to be filled with the Spirit.

Matthew 7:21-22 (NKJV)
²¹  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
²²  Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'

--So what are you saying, Pastor Rick? But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? Don’t call Jesus Lord and try to convince me how spiritual you are if you are not willing to send missionaries around the world. A reminder:

Romans 10:14-15 (NKJV)
¹⁴  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
¹⁵  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

3. Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?

--The Lord is talking to Isaiah and He is telling him that He needs representatives on this earth who are willing to go and to speak on His behalf. Missionaries. 

Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV)
⁸  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?"  

--Once Isaiah got a glimpse of Who God really was he went thru a process of repentance. Unfortunately, if we have a vision of God, it causes us to see how great we are instead of how great God is. 

Isaiah 6:5-7 (NKJV)
⁵  So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."
⁶  Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
⁷  And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged." 

So what is the result of this encounter and repentance. "Here am I! Send me." Once we have been transformed and cleansed by God we become His missionaries. Sharing Christ wherever we are.

--The Lord says, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Who is willing to stand today and say…

Here am I! Send me!

 Annual Business Meeting – 2021

February 24, 2021

by Rick Welborne

Romans 10:13-15 (NLT2)
¹³  For “Everyone (whoever) who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
¹⁴  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
¹⁵  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent…

--Is this the Word of God? Was the Word of God given as Holy Spirit moved on men of God to write what He was saying? Are we a church who believes that God’s Word is infallible?

--Are we a church who believes in the power of Holy Spirit? These aren’t trick questions. Are you guys Covenant Members? Are covenants important? Should we fulfill our covenants with God and man?

--When you became covenants members you agreed to be faithful in your attendance, faithful in your tithes, faithful to missions, and faithful to one another. Are you being faithful in all these areas? Back to God’s Word:

1. How can they call on Him?

--Let me ask it another way; how can anyone be saved if they don’t know Who Jesus is? Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t the Word say there is no other Name under heaven where man can be saved?

Acts 4:12 (NKJV)
¹²  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 

--How will they know Who Jesus is unless someone who knows Jesus tells them. You can’t believe in someone if you know nothing about Him (Speaking of Jesus).

2. How can they believe in Him?

--According to God’s Word, do we have any responsibility to help others know Who Jesus is? Of course, we do, and that is why that when we all signed up to be Covenant Members, we signed up for the Great Commission.

Mark 16:14-15 (NKJV)
¹⁴  Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
¹⁵  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

--He Jesus rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart. We need some of that here tonight. If you are here for the church’s business and you are not being faithful in the tithe and missions, what are you thinking?

--Not only do you have a responsibility biblically but you have a covenant commitment to do so. 

3. How can they hear about Him?

--How can they hear about Him? Great question. God’s Word and the church have set up a system where you can help people hear about Jesus. It’s called evangelism and missions.

--Covid does not give you an out when it comes to God’s Word or keeping your covenant with God. All our excuses will sound so ridiculous when we stand before our God. Did you make sure they heard about Me?

--I truly believe one of the many reasons God will have to wipe away our tears when we get to heaven is because we have had this treasure in earthen vessels and we kept it to ourselves. 

4. How will anyone go?

--And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? Now we are speaking of Missions.

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.

--Jesus is sending and Paul is asking, “How will anyone go?” Missions! Mission’s Faith Promises.

Mark 16:15&20 (NKJV)
¹⁵  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
²⁰  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. 

--Jesus said “go” and they “went”! Paul asked, “How will anyone ‘go’ without being sent?” Please obey God and do your part to sending our missionaries.

--Faith Promises are available. Even if you did one last year, do a new one this year. Go on-line or fill out the card! Just do it!

 Never Stop Praying – 5

Subject: God Will Always Provide

by Rick Welborne

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT2) ¹⁷  Never stop praying.

Exodus 16:15-19 (NLT)
¹⁵  The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, “It is the food the LORD has given you to eat.
¹⁶  These are the LORD’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.”
¹⁷  So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little.
¹⁸  But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.
¹⁹  Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” 

--As we continue praying for the walls that need to fall in our lives we see how incredibly important for us to trust God with all our hearts and to not lean to our own understanding.

--Last week we looked at the acronym…JEJIT…and we spoke about how God is often Just Enough Just in Time! God has a great tendency of showing up at the last second to reveal Himself. A father with his child.

--I will not re-preach my sermon from last week but let me just say…it is vitally important for us to stay out of God’s way when He is trying to accomplish something. 

--The whole point of hiding behind the door is to let the King of Glory come in and to make sure He gets all the glory. Remember John 14 tells us that Jesus is the door of the sheep…Hide behind the Shepherd. 

John 10:7-10 (NKJV)
⁷  Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
⁸  All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
⁹  I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
¹⁰  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

--Today I want to talk to you about the message of the manna, holy complications, and making the comfortable uncomfortable.

1. The message of the manna.

--When God provided the miraculous manna for the Israelites as they wandered around in the wilderness, our text says that He provided “enough for that day”. Just enough! The language that is used is extremely precise.                 

Exodus 16:17-18 (NLT)
¹⁷  So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little.
¹⁸  But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed. 

--God provided just enough and then, He gave them this strange command…Do not keep any of it until morning. So why does God provide just enough?

--Why would God forbid them to have leftovers? What’s wrong with taking a little initiative and gathering enough manna for two days or even two weeks?

Batterson – Here’s my take on the manna miracle: The manna was a daily reminder of their daily dependence on God. God wanted to cultivate their daily dependence by providing for their needs on a daily basis. Nothing has changed. Isn’t that the point of the Lord’s prayer? 

Matthew 6:9-11 (NKJV)
⁹  In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
¹⁰  Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹  Give us this day our daily bread. 

--In our selfishness we want God to supply one week or one month or one year but God’s goal is to teach us to drop to our knees every day in complete dependence on Him. 

--God knows that if He provided too much for us that we would lose our desire to seek after and to hunger after Him. We would stop trusting the Provider and we would start trusting the provision. 

--One of our central misunderstandings of spiritual maturity is thinking that it should result in self-sufficiency. It’s the exact opposite. The goal isn’t independence; the goal is codependence on God. 

--Could it be that our desire for self-sufficiency is a subtle expression of our sinful nature? It’s a desire to get to a place where we don’t need God, don’t need faith, and don’t need to pray. Let’s be content with just enough.

Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)
¹¹  Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.
¹²  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.
¹³  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

2. Dealing with holy complications.

--Let’s face it, many people are either misled or misinformed when they come to the Lord believing that their lives will be trouble-free or at least, free from what the world goes through.

--There are sectors of Christendom who teach us that when we come to Christ and we confess the right things, life will not only be better…it will be filled with prosperity and lots of blessings. Easy to do God’s will. Nope!

Batterson – I don’t know if this will be encouraging or discouraging, but the will of God doesn’t get easier. The will of God gets harder. Here’s why: the harder it gets, the harder you have to pray. 

--When I read that quote immediately Holy Spirit reminded of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane praying:

Matthew 26:37-39 (NKJV)
³⁷  And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
³⁸  Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."
³⁹  He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

--God will keep allowing you to be in situations that stretch your faith, and as your faith stretches, so do your dreams. As you pass one test in this life, others are waiting around the corner…usually harder ones.

--Life doesn’t get less complicated as you serve God…it actually gets more complicated because God does not want you to stay where you are…He wants you to grow…He wants you to be a disciple.

--We have to come to grips with this two sided truth…the blessings of God won’t just bless you…they will complicate your life. Sin complicates our lives in negative ways.

--Marriage is complicated. We have had three more complications…Jeremy, Joshua, and Stephanie…oh my! Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! The truth is, I can’t imagine my life without these holy complications!

--The truth is, with every promotion, there are complications. As you earn more money your taxes get more complicated. Blessings complicate your life in ways God wants it complicated. 

--When God spoke to me about having a campus in the Villages, it complicated my life…when, where, how, how much? It not only complicated my life…my staff’s lives are now complicated.

--One of the joys of having holy complications from God is that you get to share them with others. Everyone on my team are scrambling to get ready for a new campus…we are all in complication mode.

--A new campus and a tremendous missions program complicates everyone’s lives…dreams take money and people…I joyfully invite you into the complications God shares with me as you joyfully follow!

--Even in a day when many churches are choosing to relegate Holy Spirit to a backroom somewhere, we complicate our lives by inviting Him to have pre-imminence at the beginning of every service.

--Holy complication caused Moses to deliver the children of Israel from bondage, caused Joseph to save his family and the then known world from starvation. Caused Jesus to become the Savior of the world. 

3. Making the comfortable uncomfortable.

--Truly every true man of God has two goals with his portfolio: to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. Obviously, the second part is more difficult.

--Let’s be honest; many of us if not most of us, our prayers are selfish in nature. We pray as if God’s chief objective is our personal comfort. It’s not. God’s chief objective is His glory. His gain may be our pain. Job!

--So many people want churches where they feel comfortable. I hope by Holy Spirit I can preach about missions to the point that you feel so uncomfortable that you choose to do something about it. No pain no gain.

--I have gotten so bold over the years that I tell people in our covenant member’s classes that if they do not want to be faithful in the tithe and missions, they probably will not want to join our church.

--We have to get past this seeker sensitive stuff and to be willing to challenge people with the Word of God and to direct them to the Great Commission. 

--I am going to say it…if you have been coming here for years and you have still not caught the vision for missions and outreach…how hard is your heart to resist the Word and Holy Spirit?

--I loved the heart of Sister Browne“Pastor, with our dreams for a new campus, with wanting to reach our community, it will take sacrifice and money…just ask the people to give! Yes Ma’am!

--Would it be more comfortable just to relax and be happy where we are? There comes a time when you not only pray about something…there comes that time when you have to put your money where your mouth is.

--Sadly, many of us are willing to pray right up to the moment of discomfort, but no further. We are willing to pray up to the moment of inconvenience but no further. 

--Praying hard and believing God is uncomfortable and inconvenient but that is when you know you are getting close to your miracle. Your dream!                                                                                                                               

Batterson: There comes a moment, after you have prayed through, when you have to start doing something about it. You have to take a step of faith, and that first step is always the hardest.

--Sometimes we have to be willing to do the uncomfortable and get our feet wet! This is how we will experience the miraculous!

Matthew 14:28-29 (NKJV)
²⁸  And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
²⁹  So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

Normal or Supernatural - 4

Normal or Supernatural - 4

Subject – Don’t Circle the Wagons

By Rick Welborne

Mark 16:15-20 (NKJV)
¹⁵  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
¹⁶  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
¹⁷  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
¹⁸  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
¹⁹  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
²⁰  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. 

--I grew up like many of you watching old cowboy and Indian shows where the adventuresome settlers would be moving westward across the US for a new life, a new frontier.

--Their wagon train, with family and supplies, would be making their way westward when all of a sudden they would be attacked by Indians wanting to kill them and take their supplies.

--Before anyone loses their mind and accuses me of not having compassion on our native Americans, I am just talking about TV shows or movies. We support missionaries to our US native Americans.

--The wagon master or leader (possibly John Wayne) would shout, “Circle the wagons”. The settlers would, as quickly as possible, get the wagons in a circle for protection. Women and children in the middle for safety.

--I loved how the Indians were so good at riding their horses. They would scoot down on the opposite side of the horses for protection, and shoot their arrows at the cowboys. 

--The cowboys hunkered down behind the wagons would attempt to shoot the wild savages as they rode around and around the wagons like shooting at ducks at the fair. 98% of the time the cowboys won. Yippee!

--Okay, Pastor Rick, we know you are heading somewhere with this but we are struggling to see where you are going. With God’s help I want to help us understand we don’t have to circle the wagons. 

--I love last days’ prophecy and I have a deep appreciation for those who have spent years and years of study investigating the Scriptures and present day events and how they tie together.

--Don’t misunderstand me, I believe we are in the last days and I believe Jesus could return at any moment. The key for us is make sure we are ready and to reach out to the lost. 

--What I want to share with you in my introduction is by no means an exhaustive list of events that have happened over the last forty years but I want to mention a few to help make my point.

--When I first came into the Kingdom (1974) Bible prophecy was very strong and there were a large number of Christians at that time who were circling the wagons. 

--The first Christian book I read (given to me by our pastor) other than the Bible was the book, The Day the Dollar Dies (1973) written by Willard Cantelon. Put fear in people’s hearts to buy silver, gold, and property.

--In Bible College in Waxahachie Tx.1976 I was invited to teaching on the Alumina Tee. A bunch of friends invited me to a meeting in Dallas where the guy said sell your TV and get a gun. Stockpile food and ammo.

--He even said that when people came to take your food or supplies that you should take your gun and shoot them. I had only been a Christian a couple of years but I had read my Bible. I raised my hand and read it.

Romans 12:18-21 (NIV)
¹⁸  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
¹⁹  Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
²⁰  On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
²¹  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

--He told me I just didn’t have the understanding he did. I told him I was just reading the Bible. We left.

--In 1988-89 (about the time we came to Life Church), Eighty-eight reasons Jesus was Coming. Christians circled the wagons. Sold their homes and other crazy things. Oops Eighty-nine Reasons. Believers listened.

--I hope you are aware that Jesus did not come then or all of us are in a heap of trouble. The church just helped another person get wealthy off their ignorance of the Word.

Matthew 24:35-36 (NKJV)
³⁵  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
³⁶  "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 

--Then 20 years ago…Y2K. What a frenzy from the church as we once again circled the wagons. People were in a panic and believers (who are supposed to have peace) were going nuts.

--Our computers will not work, our cars won’t crank, planes will crash, and our economy will crash and we will have to take the mark of the beast to buy and sell. 

--The pastors who were not caught up in all the fear mongering were trying to calm done believers who should have known better. Pastor, what are we doing to get ready? Are we buying food for the apocalypse?

--If I had done every crazy thing people would have wanted me to do, the church would have lost its mission and purpose and would have been a laughing stock. Stop circling the wagons.

--For sake of time, let me skip a few other crazy things the church has swallowed hook, line, and sinker, let’s get to Covid 19. Once again the church is circling the wagons. Everyone knows what this is all about.

--You know they know because they send you a different video every day on messenger or by email. Some of you wonder why I don’t respond. I have hidden your junk so I don’t see it. We will answer for this:

Matthew 12:35-37 (NKJV)
³⁵  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.
³⁶  But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
³⁷  For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

--Don’t misunderstand me, this could very well be a part of the end day prophecies, this could be a part of an evil world trying to stop the church, but what I fear most, it is another distraction for the church.

--Let’s face it, Satan has been trying to destroy the church since the beginning. If the enemy of our souls can get us to major on minors and to get us off mission, he will laugh every time a soul is lost. 

--Please listen to someone who has seen a lot of crazy things come and go in our world and in the church, we cannot afford to get off message and spend our time on dung that doesn’t matter.

1. The danger of circling the wagons. 

Circling the Wagons – It is when the Church forgets there is a lost world outside the walls and we turn inward concerning ourselves with self-preservation instead of the Great Commission. It is when no one goes out and no one comes in. We spend our time taking shots at the heathen outside our circle.

--But, Pastor Rick, there are wolves outside our circle and we possibly will die if we leave these walls. True!

Matthew 10:16-20 (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.
¹⁹  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
²⁰  for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

--Matthew 28 and Mark 16 Jesus said…Go! But we cannot go because we have to figure out what Bill Gates and all the other people are up to first. We can’t go because we have circled the wagons. Hold the fort!

--We can’t go because now the government is recording every sermon the preachers are preaching on-line and they will use that against us some day. Someone has to listen to find what we are saying. 

Romans 10:14-18 (NIV)
¹⁴  How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
¹⁵  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
¹⁶  But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"
¹⁷  Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
¹⁸  But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did: "Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." 

--If we circle the wagons and if we turn to self-preservation, how will they hear, who will call on the Name of the Lord, how will anyone be saved? This is why we cannot lose focus.

--We must be a soul winning mission’s church who will not be distracted from our mission no matter what comes. Whether it is Covid 19 or any other persecution. We have a job, Life Church!

2. The Great Commission will take us going from normal to supernatural.

Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
⁸  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." 

--It will take more than the church’s ability to keep up with Hollywood and the music industry. Just getting the live-streaming right won’t do it. It will take supernatural power.

--Again the disciples were in trouble. They were not in trouble for circling the wagons. They were in trouble because people were being saved and healed supernaturally. The lame man.

--They were being persecuted and told by the authorities to stop preaching in the Name of Jesus. Did they circle the wagons? No, they prayed for more power!

Acts 4:24, 29-31 (NKJV)
²⁴  So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: "Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,
²⁹  Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
³⁰  by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
³¹  And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. 

3. We must stop being distracted and keep things in proper perspective. 

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

--For those of you who feel we have had it so bad with Covid 19 imagine you were born in 1900. When you are 14, World War I starts, and ends on your 18th birthday with 22 million people killed. 

--Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until you are 20. Fifty million people die from it in those two years. Yes, 50 million. 

--When you're 29, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25%, global GDP drops 27%. That runs until you are 33. The country nearly collapses along with the world economy. 

--When you turn 39, World War II starts. When you're 41, the United States is fully pulled into WWII. Between your 39th and 45th birthday, 75 million people perish in the war and the Holocaust kills six million. 

--At 52, the Korean War starts and five million perish. At 64 the Vietnam War begins, and it doesn’t end for many years. Four million people die in that conflict. 

--Approaching your 62nd birthday you have the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tipping point in the Cold War. Life on our planet, as we know it, could well have ended. Great leaders prevented that from happening. 

--As you turn 75, the Vietnam War finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you survive all of that? Yet, during that time the Azusa Street Revival breaks out. Millions saved.  

--At this time there are almost 300 million Pentecostals in the world not counting those who have been saved because of their Holy Spirit witnessing!

--So what’s my point? Covid 19 has been tough but comparatively not that tough. We need to grow up, stop whining, and fulfill the Great Commission thru the power of Holy Spirit. 

--Fix your eyes on Jesus and on the lost!

Looking at Questions in God’s Word – 6

Looking at Questions in God’s Word – 6

Subject – Mission’s Convention – 2021

By Rick Welborne

Romans 10:13-17 (NLT2)
¹³  For “Everyone (whoever) who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
¹⁴  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
¹⁵  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
¹⁶  But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “LORD, who has believed our message?”
¹⁷  So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. 

--We are here today kicking off our 2021 Mission’s Convention and mostly to give all the glory to God for all He has done for us and through us.

--Every year we celebrate our wonderful House of Hope. Brother and Sister Bass and their team do a great service to God and our community by providing food and love.

House of Hope - 2020 - Served close to 3000 families. The HOH volunteers donated more than 3900 hours. Food collected and purchased was 241, 449 lbs. Thank you Bro. Bass and your team. Please stand.

Joseph Storehouse and LEGACY - Glorified God by helping our people and others through tough times. These two ministries helped numerous families and the teachers at two elementary schools. FPE and VELL.

2020 Mission’s Program - So blessed by God, and though we did our part, we want to give God all the glory because without Him we could do nothing. Supporting 203 missionaries with $425,346. PTL! Dan and his team.

--Attempting to stay with our theme in this series…Looking at Questions in God’s Word…our text asks us some pretty piercing questions that I believe are worth investigating. Four questions:

Romans 10:13-17 (NLT2)                                                                                                                                      ¹⁴  But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?
¹⁵  And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?

1. How can they call on Him?

--Let me ask it another way; how can anyone be saved if they don’t know Who Jesus is? Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t the Word say there is no other Name under heaven where man can be saved?

Acts 4:12 (NKJV)
¹²  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 

--How will they know Who Jesus is unless someone who knows Jesus tells them. You can’t believe in someone if you know nothing about Him (Speaking of Jesus).

--Today you will hear much about personal responsibility. Who is the best person to tell someone else about Jesus? Of course, the best person will be someone who already knows Jesus.

--We want them to call on Jesus and we want them to believe in Jesus, so as we show them the transformation in us and we love them (so important) they will call on Him. Result of a Christian should always be another Christian.     

--Romans 2 tells us that it is the goodness of God that leads people to repentance. Don’t you think it is the goodness of God in us that encourages people to call on the Lord for salvation? Personal responsibility.

2. How can they believe in Him?

--Many times we judge those dirty rotten sinners because of the blatant sin they commit. Isn’t that what sinners do? Sin? If we judge sinners who sin, how much more we who know Christ, will be judged when we sin. 

--I was preaching years ago how we all sin. We had visitors that night. They came up and told me I was preaching heresy. Wow! We have not sinned for over seven years. Really? What does the Bible say?

1 John 1:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
⁹  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
¹⁰  If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

--People struggle to believe in someone if they think it requires them to be perfect. I told my youth group one time that I struggled with sin just like them. I was honest with them.

--The lead pastor of that church called me in and rebuked me. Never say that. Set yourself way up on a pedestal and tell them to work their way up to you. I believe we are all on level ground when it comes to sin. 

--I feel sometimes those who were so messed up tend to understand the plight of the sinner more than someone raised in church. Even Paul had to cry, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Jesus was the answer!

--Lest I be misunderstood, I am not saying you have to live a total life of debauchery to be a good witness. Jesus lived a perfect sinless life and He was the greatest witness of all. Why? His love and grace for people. 

--Again it comes down to personal responsibility. I have found in my restaurant ministry, if I am honest, loving, and transparent I have a much greater possibility of getting them to believe in Christ. 

--Just a news alert from someone who loves you…sinners can see a fake or a hypocrite from a mile away. Again, if you are not going to tip them well, please don’t tell them you are a Christian.

3. How can they hear about Him?

--How can they hear about Him? Great question. Preachers, of course, that is why they get paid, for goodness sake. Christian TV. Other than Billy Graham crusades, not much of a chance of that. 

--Pastor, they have access to information on the internet if they really want to get saved. What if they do not know they are lost? Whose responsibility is it to tell them? It is not a trick questions. 

--I truly believe one of the many reasons God will have to wipe away our tears when we get to heaven is because we have had this treasure in earthen vessels and we kept it to ourselves. 

--And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? You know what is funny? No one told me I had to go tell people about Jesus when He totally changed my life. I couldn’t wait.

--If you were dying of some dread disease and your death was imminent, if someone came along with the cure and your life and body were healed immediately, do you think you would keep it to yourself? Of course not!

--I did not do God a favor by giving my life to Him, He saved Me! He saved me from addiction, from death, from hell, from eternity without Him, from emptiness. How can I keep silent?

--Just an observation. Some tried sharing Jesus and they were rejected. They were going after percentages. Others are being obedient…Jesus said, “Go and preach the gospel to every creature!” That’s good!

--I personally believe the greatest motivation to be a great witness for Christ is love and grace that is propelled by Holy Spirit power! What value do you put on Jesus?

Matthew 13:45-46 (NKJV)
⁴⁵  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
⁴⁶  who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

--How can they hear about Him unless we tell them? My own personal responsibility to share Jesus…Dad’s salvation and the men at the Paper Mill.

4. How will anyone go?

--And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? Now we are speaking of Missions.

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.

--On the backside of a mountain in Mexico God gave me a mandate about Life Church before I knew it existed. I was in Mexico telling people about Jesus and begging God to let me stay there.

--God told me I would pastor a church and my job would be to make that church a great missions church. Pastor, we all can tell your story. Exactly! 

--I want you to never forget God raised up this church to send missionaries. Matter of fact, that is exactly why God raised up the AOG!

--Much of our calling and destiny is to send missionaries all over the world to preach God’s message. And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? Don’t you think 203 is enough? Nope!

--I want to challenge you in 2021 to join with God and with us in helping missionaries to be sent to the countries of their calling. Make out a new Faith Promise card or increase yours from last year. 

--Look at what happens to those who work with God.

Mark 16:15-20 (NKJV)
¹⁵  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
¹⁶  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
¹⁷  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
¹⁸  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
¹⁹  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
²⁰  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. 

--Pastor Juan. Take out your Faith Promise Card – Let’s pray!