Missions – 2023 - Unity, Faithfulness, and Generosity

Missions – 2023 - Unity, Faithfulness, and Generosity

Subject – Connecting the Dots of Being Blessed in Missions

By Rick Welborne

Psalm 133:1-3 (NKJV) 

¹  Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
²  It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.
³  It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore. 

Matthew 25:21 (NLT2)
²¹  “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 

Isaiah 32:8 (NLT2) ⁸  But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity. 

--Psalm 133, these verses refer to the time that Aaron was anointed high priest. It also speaks of the priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

--Someone has said that in this verse you have the fragrance of a lovely rose. This precious ointment was put on the priest to indicate that he was a priest unto God. This was also a prophecy of future events.

--Ezekiel speaks of a future day, and like that ointment that ran down on Aaron, so will God pour out His Spirit. This is the meaning, of Joel's prophecy on the day of Pentecost. 

Acts 2:16-18 (NKJV) ¹⁶  But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
¹⁷  'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.
¹⁸  And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. 

1. Unity

--I see something here that is definitely relevant to Life Church, to our vision, our passion, and our mission. All of you hear me speak of Holy Spirit and missions all the time. Unity magnifies this.

Acts 2:1 (NKJV) ¹ When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 

--The 120 were with one accord (in unity) in one place (the upper room or church) waiting and worshiping for the Promise of the Father. They were not exactly sure what they were waiting on. Stay with me.

They were in unity in their obedience to God. Jesus had told them to go to Jerusalem and to wait there until they were endued with power from on high. 

They were in unity with their gathering together where Jesus told them to go and wait. None of the 120 said we can pray just as well at home. 

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT2) ²⁴  Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
²⁵  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

--They were in unity in their obedience, in their gathering where Jesus told them (church), and           They were also in unity in what they were doing. Worship.

Luke 24:52-53 (NKJV) ⁵² And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
⁵³  and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

--The 120 were in such beautiful unity with their expectation of what God was about to do that they were filled with joy as they worshiped.

Psalm 133:1 (NKJV) ¹ Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 

--The 120 were in such unity in the upper room being obedient, being where Jesus told them to be, and in their worship…the psalmist said it was good and pleasant. They were unified!

--So what was the result of this good and pleasant unity…the oil was poured out on the priest…not just a little. It was so much it was running down Aaron’s beard and onto his clothes. But he was the priest. Yes!

1 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)
⁹  But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
¹⁰  who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. 

Key - Because you are dwelling together in good and pleasant unity and because you are a royal priesthood, a special people, you become a candidate for the oil to be poured out upon you!

--On the Day of Pentecost we see the fulfillment of Psalms 133 and that of Joel 2 and it was all set up by the Word of the Lord and by the unity of the people. 

Joel 2:28-29 (NKJV)
²⁸  "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.
²⁹  And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. 

--So what are you saying, Pastor Rick? So glad you asked. I am saying that good and pleasant unity among the believers leads to the outpouring of Holy Spirit!

--Not only that, it leads to revival! And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance. Kingdom Builders.

--We must contend for unity! We must seek after the outpouring of Holy Spirit because it leads to people being empowered and people calling on the Name of the Lord! But there is more in Psalms 133.

Psalm 133:3 (NKJV) ³ It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing-- Life forevermore. 

--I hope you see it before I say it…where there is good and pleasant unity God pours out His Spirit in abundance. But there is more! Everyone say more! There the Lord commands blessings!

--How many of you want God to pour out His Spirit on you, on your sons and daughters, on your employees, and how many of you want Him to command blessings over you. Life evermore!

John 10:10 (NKJV) 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.

--Let 2023 be your year that you are in unity as Kingdom Builders by being faithful in your attendance, your tithing, and by doing a Faith Promise. 100% participation. Unity!

--What miracles could God do if we were all in one accord? Let’s find out! Let your 2023 vision be such that you trust God that He will do what He says. Get ready for Him to command blessings!

2. Faithfulness

Faithfulness - the concept of unfailingly remaining loyal to someone or something, and putting that loyalty into consistent practice regardless of extenuating circumstances. It can also mean keeping one's promises no matter the prevailing circumstances, such as God's covenant to love his people. Literally, it is the state of being full of faith in the sense of steady devotion to a person, thing, or concept.

--To be faithful is to be reliable, steadfast and unwavering. Loyal consistent practice no matter what is going on in our lives. Easy to be faithful when everything is going well. Do it when times are tough.

--Just a warning from a pastor who loves you very much. If you give in to the temptation backing away with attendance, giving, or loyalty is a slippery slope leading always to the bottom…the pit.

Matthew 25:21 (NLT2)                                                                                                                                  ²¹  “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ 

--Listen to what Jesus says in this verse. We see celebration! How awesome it is when we are such good stewards of what God has blessed us with, the Master celebrates with us! What a blessing!

--We see commitment! Well done, my good and faithful servant! Faithfulness leads to praise from Jesus!

--Faithfulness leads to commendation by Jesus. Again, when we are faithful with our obedience, calling, tithe, and with our missions (FP) God is very pleased! Jesus says, I will give you many more responsibilities.

--The number one thing I believe God requires of His servants is faithfulness…well done, my good and faithful servant. Faithfulness is what gives us access to Him and His joy. You are a Kingdom Builder. 

Matthew 25:21 (NKJV) ²¹ His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.'

--Your pastor is not so interested how talented you are or even all the experience you have in church life. If you cannot be faithful to God, to the church, to the pastor, you are disqualified.

--About faithfulness let me conclude with this…it is not just showing up, it is not just giving, it is much about loving people and treating them the way you want to be treated. It’s Building God’s Kingdom!

--Jesus talks in Mat. 24 about a wise and faithful servant taking care of those who worked for him. The servant says the Lord is delaying His coming and beats his servants…That person will be cut in two. 

3. Generosity 

--I had a pastor ask me…why do I believe Life Church is so blessed and so generous. Lots of wealthy people? Nope, just generous people. I asked him when was the last time his church had received a thank you card?

--What he said broke my heart. I can’t remember the last time. He asked what that had to do with anything? I said we receive thank you cards almost daily.

--Number 4 in our Distinctives as a church is creating an atmosphere of generous giving. Why? We have learned God will bless us individually and corporately when we are generous. Here’s the best reason:

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶  But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 

⁷  So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Isaiah 32:8 (NLT2) ⁸ But generous people plan to do what is generous, and they stand firm in their generosity. 

--So what are you saying? As we are in good and pleasant unity, as we are a church filled with faithful loving people, filled with Holy Spirit, and we are generous…God will command His blessings over us! It works!

--Be a Kingdom Builder!

Pray Until Your Walls Fall - 1

Pray Until Your Walls Fall - 1

Subject: Pray Until Something Happens 

By Rick Welborne

Joshua 6:8-20 (NLT)
⁸  After Joshua spoke to the people, the seven priests with the rams’ horns started marching in the presence of the LORD, blowing the horns as they marched. And the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant followed behind them.
⁹  Some of the armed men marched in front of the priests with the horns and some behind the Ark, with the priests continually blowing the horns.
¹⁰  “Do not shout; do not even talk,” Joshua commanded. “Not a single word from any of you until I tell you to shout. Then shout!”
¹¹  So the Ark of the LORD was carried around the town once that day, and then everyone returned to spend the night in the camp.
¹²  Joshua got up early the next morning, and the priests again carried the Ark of the LORD.
¹³  The seven priests with the rams’ horns marched in front of the Ark of the LORD, blowing their horns. Again the armed men marched both in front of the priests with the horns and behind the Ark of the LORD. All this time the priests were blowing their horns.
¹⁴  On the second day they again marched around the town once and returned to the camp. They followed this pattern for six days.
¹⁵  On the seventh day the Israelites got up at dawn and marched around the town as they had done before. But this time they went around the town seven times.
¹⁶  The seventh time around, as the priests sounded the long blast on their horns, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the town!
¹⁷  Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies.
¹⁸  “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel.
¹⁹  Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.”
²⁰  When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. 

Luke 18:1 (NLT)
¹  One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 

--In the 1^st Century BC there was a devastating drought that threatened to destroy a generation…the generation before Jesus. Miracles were only a distant memory and it seemed God was nowhere to be found.

--But there was a man (Honi), a sage, who dared to pray and believe God anyway. He believed that even though people could not hear God, he believed God could still hear them. 

--Honi was known for his ability to pray for rain and today was going to be his big opportunity (huge)…with a six-foot staff in his hand, he began to turn like a math compass in a circular motion…very methodical.

--Without looking up he turned 90 degrees, then 180 degrees, then 270 degrees, 360 degrees as the crowd looked on…After what seemed like hours but had only been seconds, Honi drops to his knees.

--With his hands raised to heaven and with authority like the prophet Elijah when he called fire down from heaven, Honi called down rain:

Honi – Lord of the universe, I swear before Your Great Name that I will not move from this circle until You have shown mercy upon your children.

--This prayer was not just a prayer of his voice but a prayer from the depths of his soul…Those who were nearby and heard the prayer were impacted by the authority in which he prayed.

--Raindrops began to fall as the people gasp and while they were looking upward, Honi’s head was still bowed because he was not yet satisfied with a few drops from heaven.

Honi – Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain that will fill cisterns, pits, and caverns. 

--History tells us that eyewitnesses said there were not drops of rain smaller than an egg in size…so much rain that the people had to run to the Temple Mount to avoid the flash floods…what a picture.

Honi – Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain of your favor, blessings, and graciousness. 

--The day before the day it had been difficult to believe it could be possible but the day after the day, it was impossible not to believe. I want us to learn to pray bold prayers.

1. I challenge you to pray bold prayers!

--Life Church, God is looking for people who will pray prayers like their lives depend upon it, pray prayers that will make walls come crashing down. Our bold prayers honor God and God honors bold prayers.

Mark Batterson: God isn’t offended by your biggest dreams or boldest prayers. He is offended by anything less. If your prayers aren’t impossible to you, they are insulting to God. Why? Because they do not require divine intervention. But ask God to part the Red Sea or make the sun stand still or float an ax head, and God is moved to omnipotent action.

--We must be convinced God loves keeping promises, answering prayers, performing miracles, and fulfilling dreams. That is Who He is! That is what He does! The bolder the prayer, more glory for God!

--But, I have prayed for ten years for the miracle…pray another year and pray boldly that this is going to be the time for God to show up in power and majesty! God is for you! Pray boldly.

Romans 8:31-32 (NKJV) ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

2. I challenge you to pray and not give up!

Luke 18:1-8 (NLT)
¹  One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
²  “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people.
³  A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’
⁴  The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people,
⁵  but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
⁶  Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.
⁷  Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
⁸  I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?” 

--How do we view God? Do we see Him as just to others but not to us? Is God just to everyone? Is He truly willing that none should perish? Is He willing to answer our prayers?

Hebrews 4:14-16 (KJV)
¹⁴  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
¹⁵  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
¹⁶  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

--How we view the justice of God will determine how we view our world. Justice will come to the chosen who cry out night and day. If an unjust judge will give justice, how much more will the just Judge God answer.

--How we pray will determine how we live…how we pray will determine how we care for the lost and hurting…how we pray will determine how much we trust our just God.

--What if Israel would have gone around Jericho one less time on that last day? Stopped on lap 12. No miracle! What if we pray one more time today and then, pray and never give up?

3. I challenge you to pray for those things that are most important.

--When I first read about Honi  and his miracle of praying for rain…I started trying to pray around everything and everyone I was already praying for. God said…you’re missing the point!

--Don’t misunderstand me, everything I pray for is very important and every person I mention in my prayers are dear to me and obviously are dear to God.

--I will continue to pray for all these needs but when it comes to life or death I will pray with a different intensity. Three needs that are near to me are my family, my church, and the lost! 

--I pray for my kids to love God and to find their calling and destiny with Him…I plead the blood of Jesus over them and I pray favor over them every day.

Joshua 24:14-15 (NKJV)
¹⁴  "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
¹⁵  And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

--I pray boldly for the church (Life Church) I pray for Holy Spirit, Book of Acts growth and that Jesus will build His Church and multiply us by souls being saved. Pray for the Villages and La Vida Church!

Matthew 16:18 (NIV) ¹⁸  And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

--I pray for the prodigals. I pray for my own family (who are lost), your families, and those I am witnessing to in our communities.

Isaiah 60:1-4 (NKJV)
¹  Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
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.
³  The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
⁴  "Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 

Boundary Markers - 3

Boundary Markers - 3

Subject - We All Need Boundaries

By Rick Welborne

Deuteronomy 19:14 (NLT) 

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

–The last couple of weeks we have looked at the importance of having fences, boundaries, or walls in our lives to keep us safe and to keep the enemy out.

–When we stay within the boundaries Jesus has set for us in the Word we are actually declaring two things...We are not trespassing (sinning) and ownership...We belong to Him!

–We looked at Nehemiah and he went before the king which was like us going before King Jesus and the King saying...What do you request?

–Nehemiah wanted to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and the gates so that the people could again live in safety and protection within the walls.

–We left off in Nehemiah with the families standing together with their spears, swords, and bows rebuilding the walls...the enemy saw their plot had come to nothing.

–Not for today’s message but chap. 5 Nehemiah found that there was much abuse among the Jewish people with each other and that had to be corrected...repentance happened.

–At the beginning of chp.6 we see the walls are completed but the gates had not been restored as of yet...gates are so important in God’s economy.

Nehemiah 6:1‑3 (NKJV) 

1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates), 

2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono." But they thought to do me harm. 

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?" 

1. The unfinished gates represent an opening for the enemy.

–Many of us believe we are safe once the walls are built but the enemy is always looking for any access into our lives...we must be diligent to keep him out.

Ephesians 4:27 (NIV) 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 

–Give no place to the devil...don’t let him get his foot in the door because once he has access and because of his strength, he will get in.

–Every direction I turn people are dealing with serious addictions...most of which are prescription drugs...Oh, Pastor, I just need enough to take the edge off!  Right!

–You try to take the edge off by living close to the edge...you fall off...you get hurt...you cross the fence and you end up paying consequences you never thought of.

–I can handle this...famous last words before someone messes up royally. The people speaking into your life are not your enemy...they love you more than you love yourself.

Quote – Correction is only seen as judgment by those who still love their sin. 

–There will always be a Sanballat or Tobiah who want to negotiate with you and give you all the reasons to come down from the wall and talk it out. Why negotiate with those who want to destroy you.

–If Nehemiah would have left with the walls up but the gates unfinished...it would not have taken long until the city was re-conquered...Give no place to the devil.

2. We must realize Jesus is the gate.

–Pastor Juan was always telling people he ministers to that they were either one or two decisions away from greatness or one or two decisions away from disaster.

–Why is it that we know Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life yet we keep choosing another gate. We have convinced ourselves or the devil has that God is holding out on us.

–If I choose my own path or my own gate then I will find happiness and fulfillment...it is always fool’s gold and the person is left hurt, disappointed, and lost.

–Many blame God, the church, the preacher, their spouse, the world but the truth is they have chosen the wrong gate to go thru.  God’s Word is our boundary and our fence.

John 10:1, 7‑10 (NIV) 

1 "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 

7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 

8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 

9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 

–Jesus says...I tell you the truth...He knows you are getting misinformation and outright lies from the enemy and sometimes from those who are supposed to care.

–You see, those of us who follow Jesus, He knows our names, we follow Him and we know and hear His voice...what a safe fortress it is to hear God’s voice and obey.

–They will never follow a stranger...why do we follow those who lead us contrary to Jesus teaching and then are so surprised when we end up broken and hurting? Run to Jesus.

–Can we take Him at His Word? Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.”

–Oh, Pastor Rick, I know what I am doing is wrong but it feels so good right now...that is the key...it feels good now but pay day is coming.

Hebrews 11:24‑26 (NLT) 24 It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 

25 He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 

26 He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.  

–Look at Moses exercise his will...he refused, he chose, and he thought...sadly there is very few choosing to serve God, or thinking of the future.

–Choose the true gate of the sheep...Jesus.

3. Open up the gates and let the King of Glory come in.

–Let’s face it...if you invite Jesus into your world...into your life on a daily basis...if you hang out with others who do the same...you will dwell in that safe place.

–When we invite those who pretend to be Christian, when we invite those who are not Christian at all, when we invite things that we know bring bondage...asking for trouble.

–I guess it comes down to ownership...who is your master...who do you belong to...The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 

–You belong to Him so why have you become the slave to another person or to an addiction that you can’t beat on your own.

Romans 6:16 (NLT) 

16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 

–God wants you to approach Him so you can live in that safe place...approach Him with hands and hearts that are pure...don’t go after imitations...His promise:  

Psalm 24:5-6 (NLT) 

5 They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 

6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. 

–Who does not want God’s blessing and a right relationship with their Savior!  What’s the key?

Psalm 24:1‑10 (NLT) 

1 The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. 

2 For he laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. 

3 Who may climb the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? 

4 Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. 

5 They will receive the LORD’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior. 

6 Such people may seek you and worship in your presence, O God of Jacob. 

7 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 

8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty; the LORD, invincible in battle. 

9 Open up, ancient gates! Open up, ancient doors, and let the King of glory enter. 

10 Who is the King of glory? The LORD of Heaven’s Armies— he is the King of glory. 

Revelation 3:20 (NLT) 20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. 

Missions – 2023 – Kingdom Builders

Missions – 2023 – Kingdom Builders

Subject – Why We Should Be Kingdom Builders

By Rick Welborne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. We Must Allow God to Open Our Eyes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Why We Should Be Kingdom Builders

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Praying with Power – 7

Praying with Power – 7

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

By Rick Welborne

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

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

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

1.  A true servant gives Jesus their complete trust.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV)
⁸  Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
⁹  And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
¹⁰  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. A servant of the Lord is highly flammable. 

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

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

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

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