Courageous – 6

Courageous – 6

Subject – Make the Most of Every Opportunity

By Rick Welborne

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

Colossians 4:2-5 (NLT2)
²  Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.
³  Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.
⁴  Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.
⁵  Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 

--Make the most of every opportunity. Let me make this observation. Many of the wonderful things that happen to us start out as small mustard-seed opportunities.

--Some of our biggest dreams often start out as the smallest opportunities. In fact, the seed is so small we wonder if it can grow into anything that is significant.

1. We Must Seize the Opportunity.

--Our greatest destiny is determined by whether or not we seize the God-ordained opportunities presented to us. When we do, it is like the domino effect and things begin to fall into place.

--If we miss these opportunities we can short-circuit God’s plans for our lives. That does not mean God will not give us another chance to get it right. He gives us second, third, and fourth chances. 

--Moses is a perfect example of how God can give us another chance but, I don’t know about you, I don’t want to delay the process for forty years…life is too short. Seize the opportunity when it is presented.

--Now put yourself in Benaiah’s sandals. His story could have been scripted so differently. He sees a lion. He runs away. He breathes a sigh of relief that he is still alive. No harm. No foul.

--Running from the lion may have even been the logical thing to do. Even prudent. But guess what, Benaiah would have disappeared into the annuls of history among other lost souls. Sad.

--But people like Benaiah are not prudent, they are opportunist. They are not focused on just avoiding problems. Our text said he was valiant.

Valiant- possessing or exhibiting valor, bravery, courage, or determination. It can be used to describe a person, an effort, or an action. Synonyms for valiant include brave, heroic, bold, and valorous. 

--Benaiah starts out as a brave soldier. Then, he becomes body guard for the King of Israel. A good low ranking job. He evidently proved himself in that capacity and was appointed an army commander.

--In this position he was given leadership over twenty-four thousand men. He must have proven himself again because under Solomon he became commander and chief over Israel’s entire army. 

1 Kings 2:35 (NKJV) ³⁵ The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army…

--So how did Benaiah fulfill his destiny? How did he climb to the top of the military chain of command? How did he become the most powerful person in Israel next to the king?

--He did it by seizing one opportunity at a time. We fail to realize the hoops Benaiah had to jump through to become the kings body guard. He had to have a resume. Wow, did he!

2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NLT2)
²⁰  There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.
²¹  Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. 

--Seizing the opportunity one battle after another…being valiant set him up to be commander in chief. Be faithful and brave wherever you are, and watch God open amazing doors.

--Who knows what small beginnings can lead to? 

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

--Most of you have heard my story about being the youth pastor here before I became your lead pastor but there is more to the story. Little opportunities. 

--The pastor here was in Bartow and when I came to SE University to finish my degree, I went to his church. I didn’t know him. They needed someone to pressure wash the buildings so I did.

--They lost the people who were cleaning the church so I did that. There was a transition with the YP so I was hired to do that. $25 a week. I was just faithful to do what God wanted me to do. 

--So what’s my point or really, what is the point given by the Word of God?

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.'

--We simply seize the opportunities God puts before us and we remain faithful, and God does the rest! Benaiah was a bodyguard, Joshua was a personal assistant, and Nehemiah was a cup bearer. Amazing.

--You prove yourselves when the little opportunities arise and when you do, God will bring bigger and better opportunities your way.

2. We Must Steward Our Opportunities.

--There is another guy in the Bible that you more than likely have never heard of or you just simply chose to overlook him. There is only one verse in the Bible about him but it says so much.

--He singlehandedly delivered the Israelites from the Philistines:

Judges 3:31 (NIV)
³¹  After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an ox goad. He too saved Israel.

--As far as we know, Shamgar had no armor, no military training, and no weapons. There is nothing that qualified him to do what he did. He was a plowman.

--All he had was an ox goad, a long stick used to prod oxen while plowing. Not much of a weapon.

--Just think of what he could have done with a real weapon like a sword or spear. He didn’t have either one. He had an ox goad. He did the best he could with what he had. 

--Shamgar and Benaiah had kindred spirits. They displayed epic courage and they defied the odds. They changed the course of history. Both could have said “no” to their opportunities.

--Shamgar was outnumbered 600 to 1 and all he had was a stick. The giant Egyptian had a spear the size of a weaver’s rod and Benaiah only had a club.

--People who chase lions for God do not look for excuses, they don’t focus on their disadvantages, but they submit what they have to God and let Him turn the odds.

Batterson – Isn’t it ironic that some people who have so much do so little and others who have so little do so much. Lion chasers don’t let what they can’t do keep them from doing what they can. Success is doing the best you can with what you have where you are.

--Opportunity stewardship is seizing the opportunity that is before you and trusting God to work out all the details. It is grabbing life by the mane and not letting go.

--We need to think of every opportunity as a gift from God. What we do with the opportunity is your gift to God. 

3. Make the Most of Every Opportunity.

Colossians 4:5 (NLT2) ^5…make the most of every opportunity. 

--The Word of God doesn’t specifically tell us how many or how few opportunities we will have or how big or small they are; we are simply to make the most of every opportunity. 

Opportunity (Greek definition) – a serendipitous window or occasion. 

--Every day is filled with countless God-ordained opportunities to love, to serve, to give, and to learn. What we do with those opportunities is so important to our spiritual maturity.

--About three years ago I was going through Walgreens. Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “Tell the lady behind the glass that I love her and that everything will be okay. I did.

--She burst into tears so I went in to pray for her. Over the next couple of years, I was able to pray for her and, with her. She turned her life over to Christ.

--A few weeks ago I sent her a “Happy Birthday” on FB. I received a private message that she had suddenly passed away. 51 years old. I believe this was a divine opportunity. 

--Here’s the catch, many times opportunities come disguised as 500lb lions, a giant with a spear, 600 Philistines, or maybe as an opportunity to share Christ with someone. Be courageous!

--People who chase lions for God make the most of every opportunity. They know that whatever they face may have an uncertain outcome but they know God is with them.

Romans 8:28&31-32 (NIV)
²⁸  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
³¹  What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 

Finding God’s Direction - 3

Finding God’s Direction - 3

Subject: Finding God’s Divine Direction in Our Lives

By Rick Welborne

Proverbs 3:1-10 (NKJV)
¹  My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
²  For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
³  Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
⁴  And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
⁷  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
⁸  It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
⁹  Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
¹⁰  So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. 

Review:

1. To find God’s direction we must daily weigh the options before us.

2. To find God’s direction you must be willing to pass the multiple choice test.

3. To find God’s direction you must realize the choice is yours. 

Groeschel – You can’t change your past, but God can help you rewrite your story and change your future. 

Tonight’s Message:

1. To find God’s direction you must avoid that one stupid mistake. 

Psalm 118:24 (NKJV) ²⁴ This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. 

--This is the day…everyone say…this is the day…the Lord made this day and He made it for me. No matter what your past looked like. Today you can decide to start new and fresh.

--Pastor, I have started over so many times and I have failed every time. Everyone who has ever accomplished anything of significance have failed and started over many times.

--More than one time every pastor has someone sitting in their office saying…I made just one stupid mistake and it is costing me everything. 

--How far could we go back in this person’s life to find out many bad mistakes and bad decisions, one after another…they pile up and so does the sin. Example of David.  

2 Samuel 11:1-5 (NKJV)
¹  It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
²  Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.
³  So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 

⁴  Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.
⁵  And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, "I am with child." 

--In a time when kings go out to war…other translations say in a time when kings normally go out to war, David was home lounging. He was getting lazy…it is a choice.

2 Samuel 11:2 (NLT2)
²  Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath.

--Late one afternoon he gets out of bed and goes on the roof (a good view) to watch HBO – Home Bought Oppression…probably came on at that same time every day. Most likely premeditated. 

--He looked, he lusted, he called for her, he slept with her, she became pregnant, and he had her husband put up at the front lines of the battle to have him killed…he did the noble thing and married her…wow!

--He made many bad choices but if there was one stupid mistake…it was staying home during a time when kings go out to war. Do you see the domino effect? There was a prophet willing to deal with David.

2 Samuel 12:1-7 (NLT2)
¹  So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor.
²  The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle.
³  The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter.
⁴  One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
⁵  David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!
⁶  He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
⁷  Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! 

2. To find God’s direction you must start where you are. 

--It has been said that two of the biggest mistakes you can make in life are not starting and not ending well. If you are like most people, you have good intentions to start new habits or a new life.

--It is pretty safe to say that many of us never followed through with those good intentions. Also, many of us are guilty of starting that new life or new habit, just to quit. It is easy to feel like a failure.

--We must somehow find the strength to know that God is our beginning and He is our ending. Also, He is everything in between.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)
¹  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
²  looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

--If you are to start where you are, you must first look to Jesus, the author and the finisher of your faith. Our motivation to start over has to be what He did on the cross…His suffering for us gives us hope. 

Revelation 1:8, 17-18 (NKJV)
⁸  "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
¹⁷  And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
¹⁸  I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 

--Jesus says I am the Author and Finisher, I am the Alpha and Omega, I am the Beginning and the End, I am the One Who was, Who is, and Who is to come, the Almighty!

--He says I am the First and the Last, I am He Who lives and was dead, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death…I am Everything from A to Z!

--How easy should it be to start…to start over…to start afresh? Start today, start again tomorrow, and start every day after that. Pastor, I need a new heart! OK!

 Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NIV)
²⁵  I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
²⁶  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
²⁷  And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

3. To find God’s direction you must start flossing.

--Say what…sometimes we get the strangest answers in the most unusual places. I had horrible gums. I could lose all my teeth. I was sitting in the dentist chair when I looked up on the ceiling.

--As I contemplated being toothless, I looked up and there was an answer and a challenge to my teeth and gums. You do not have to floss all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep!

--I started that day. It is one of my greatest commitments. Within weeks my gums started improving and improving rapidly. When I went back to the dentist in 3 months, he was shocked.

--My gums were almost perfect. Most of the issues I was having with cavities went away also. It felt like a miracle! My dentist thought it was! He wanted to use me as a poster child for flossing. 

Zechariah 4:6-10 (NKJV)
⁶  So he answered and said to me: "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.
⁷  'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone With shouts of "Grace, grace to it!" ' "
⁸  Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
⁹  "The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you.
¹⁰  For who has despised the day of small things? For these seven rejoice to see The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. They are the eyes of the LORD, Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth." 

--Catch what the Lord is saying in your situation…What you are believing God for will not happen by your own strength or power but by Holy Spirit. He will remove the mountains in your way as He applies His grace.

--Phil.1:6 – You can have confidence that what God has started in you, He will complete…you will finish well. Do not despise a small beginning…God has this!

--Start flossing! Get started with what God called you to do!

Finding God’s Direction - 2

 Finding God’s Direction - 2

Subject: Finding God’s Divine Direction in Our Lives

By Rick Welborne

Proverbs 3:1-10 (NKJV)
¹  My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
²  For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
³  Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
⁴  And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
⁷  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
⁸  It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
⁹  Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
¹⁰  So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. 

Review last week: 

1. Small Decisions Can Have Huge Effects on Our Lives.

2. Our Choices Accumulate to Tell Our Life Story.

Craig Groeshel – What is always true is that the decisions we make today determine the stories we tell about our lives tomorrow. Every day, all day, we make one small choice after another. And those choices keep accumulating, each one woven into the rest, forming the tapestry that is your life story. 

3. Our Decisions Lead to Predictable Consequences. 

--Most of us look at other people and we just assume that they made some really big wonderful choices and that is why they ended up so successful. Don’t forget all those small choices no one sees.

--Let me give some examples…When you choose to forgive your spouse instead of holding on to resentment, no one sees that happen. The evidence shows up later in your marriage. 

--People may think you’re lucky your kids turned out great by serving God and working hard but no one saw you make the small choices to pray with them, to take them to church, to teach them strong ethics. 

--Small, every day choices lead to big results. This one small choice in Daniel’s life was what, I believe, led him to be exalted before God and man.

Daniel 1:8-9 (NKJV)
⁸  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.
⁹  Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.

--Small decisions can have eternal consequences…Right before I moved to Florida, I bought gas at a Quick Stop…went in to pay…I made the choice to quickly share Jesus with the lady.  

--She just looked at me and said thanks. OK! When Face Book came out… I get a message from this lady. Evidently she listened to me and came to our church…I left right after that.

--She shared with me how she came to our church, she gave her heart to the Lord, and now all of her children and grandchildren are serving the Lord. The choices we make, make a difference.

1. To find God’s Direction We Must Daily Weigh the Options Before Us.

--Neurologist tell us that the first time we think about a decision, our brain starts weighing options, eliminating one possibility after another, until we settle on the one we feel is the best choice for us. 

--After a while, the tiny decisions we have to make every day, we do not have to think about that much. They just happen. In weighing options, how important is it that we know God’s Word. 

Psalm 119:9-11 (NKJV)
⁹  How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
¹⁰  With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
¹¹  Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! 

--God’s Word has to be the very foundation of the believer’s life. Every decision has to be weighed according to what God has to say about it.  

--David hid God’s Word in his heart…what does that mean? The Word was so strong in his heart that every decision was filtered through it. We need to stop being lazy about studying.

Proverbs 3:5-7 (NLT2)
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
⁶  Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
⁷  Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. 

--Again, why is it so important to do every day? These seemingly no-big-deal decisions add up over time. They become habits. Our habits have a cumulative effect, ultimately changing our story.

--Let me give you a few examples of people, who if they had thought about their decisions, if they had weighed their options, would have made better choices.

--Both my parents started smoking at very young ages (10-11). Of course they thought it was cool to sneak around and do it. Do you think they knew they would both become addicted and die of lung cancer?

--I knew a minister who started taking a little money from their church (embezzling). He was the associate pastor who was set up to be the next pastor…big church. He took over $300,000. He lost everything.

--People who get addicted to prescription drugs never dreamed that abusing the drug would lead to a DUI…I know the guy and he got two DUIs two evenings in a row…spent time in jail. Decisions!

--It is so easy to hear about people like these and say I would never do something stupid like that. Small decisions can lead to big addictions or problems. 

--The truth is that you are just one decision away from changing your life forever…good or bad. The best decision ever is the next one you make…to serve God with all your heart.

2. To Find God’s Direction You Must Be Willing to Pass the Multiple Choice Test.

--Please understand that your decision can do more in your life than just help you avoid the negative. It can ignite the positive that God has planned for your life. 

--Once you make your choice to do what is right and righteous, it propels you into a deeper relationship with Jesus and helps you to honor God in everything you do.

--Let’s just say you have a desire to honor God by living debt free. God speaks to you about things you can eliminate in your life. Multiple choices. A. Yes, Lord! B. No, Lord? C. I’ll pray about it later.

--You realize you can pay more against your debt if you brown bag your lunches, if you get a lesser smart phone, get the basic cable package, stop with the special drinks…wow, $300 extra a month!

--Our oldest son had never met a dollar he couldn’t spend and he was just as gifted in spending your money as much as he was spending his. He was headed for a life of debt.

--I talked to him many times about this issue…Multiple choices…Tithe – A. Yes B. No. C. Maybe. Will you continue down this path. A. Yes B. Maybe C. Will you take a Dave Ramsey class? Yes!

--This same son now is calling me and asking me…Dad, do you have enough for retirement? Are you saving money? What is your debt load now? What a transformation! Paying their house off early.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NKJV)
¹⁹  I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you, life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
²⁰  that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; 

--Do you see how God sets before us every day the multiple choice questions…the sad thing is that His choices are really no brainers. Yet, we struggle with our answers. Ok, here is your choices:

--Life or death? Let me think about it. Blessing or cursing? Now that is a tough one. God even gives us the answer to His multiple choice questions: therefore choose life.

Mark 8:34-37 (NKJV)
³⁴  When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
³⁵  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
³⁶  For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?
³⁷  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

--God gives the answers before He gives the choices. I do not want to make any of us feel bad tonight but isn’t it obvious to us what the right answers are but we keep doing the same thing. Bad results.

Insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

James 4:17 (NKJV) ¹⁷ Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

3. To Find God’s Direction You Must Realize the Choice is Yours. 

--Our best decision ever is to follow Jesus. Rev. 3:20 tells us that He is standing at the door knocking. He wants to be in our lives and He wants to be our lives. The choice is yours!

--If you do not like the way your life is going, the good news is you have a choice and you can go a different direction. 

Groeschel – You can’t change your past, but God can help you rewrite your story and change your future. 

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)
¹¹  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
¹²  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
¹³  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Courageous – 5

Courageous – 5

Subject – Offense or Defense

By Rick Welborne

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

--I shared with you from a previous sermon that we have two kinds of regret. We can have regrets of action or regrets of inaction.

--A regret of action is doing something you wish you hadn’t done. We all have those. A regret of inaction is not doing something you wish you had done. I have had my share of regrets of action for sure.

--When we moved to our new neighborhood we found out quickly that there were tensions between the people who lived up on the hill (us) and the people below. There was war. Literally!

--Between the hill people and the valley people was a creek. Stink Creek. A man made creek dug out by the paper mill to take all the waste water from the mill to a swamp. Wham Break!

--Because the creek was dug out there were hills beside it. This was the battle zone. We used BB guns and cherry bombs. Pretty serious. One day we were on opposing hills fighting it out.

--For the most part, no one ever got hurt. The valley people yell for a seize fire. We agree, sort of. We stop shooting momentarily. I said, if they stand up…I will shoot them…Daisy BB gun.

--I was laying on the ground with my gun aimed and ready. Someone stood up and I shot. Hit him right in the forehead. Needless to say that action got me in trouble and the war escalated.

--Bo Bo came on top of the hill with a shotgun and shot at me as I dove into an abandoned van. Fortunately, I was not hit (close) and he was arrested. My parents made sure I regretted my action.

--All of us have said things or done things we regret but I believe our deepest regrets will be missed opportunities. Actions taste bad for a while but inaction can hurt for a lifetime.

--Inaction can make us ask “What if?” What if I would have chased the lion into the pit instead of running away. Benaiah’s story could have ended quite different. 

2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NLT2)                                                                                                                                     ²⁰ There was also Benaiah…on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.

--I love telling you stories of sharing Christ with people and seeing wonderful results. Those are such “feel good” stories. But I have a story of inaction that happened years ago that I have struggled with.

--I had only been a Christian for a few months. I am driving out in the country and stop at a little store to get a soda. The family who owned the store were very kind. They had a special needs son.

--Holy Spirit said pray for him to be healed. That freaked me out. What will the parents think? What if nothing happens? What if they get angry and think I am making fun?

--I had a war going on inside of me. I got in my car and drove off. God said go back and I said “no!” That sin of omission or sin of inaction haunted me for years.

--My job was not to heal the little boy; my job was to pray but I didn’t. What guilt and shame. Of course, I have asked God to forgive me a hundred times.

2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (NCV)
⁹  Now I am happy, not because you were made sad, but because your sorrow made you change your lives. You became sad in the way God wanted you to, so you were not hurt by us in any way.
¹⁰  The kind of sorrow God wants makes people change their hearts and lives. This leads to salvation, and you cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has brings death.

--I have determined, with God’s help, to listen to Holy Spirit and do what He says. We need to stop worrying about our reputation and start striving for God to be glorified.

--So what is your point? We won’t regret the mistakes we have made as much as we will regret the lions we did not chase into the pit. Make the most of your regrets and live more intentional.

1. Play to Win.

--There are two camps we can live in as Christians. We can either play to win or play not to lose. Guess which camp lion chasers are in. 

--Many of us are tentatively playing the game of life as if the goal of life is to arrive safely at death. We need to take our cues from the early church as they advanced the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 11:12 (NKJV)
¹²  And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.

--Following Christ should not be something we do passively. Some of us follow Christ as if the goal is to get to the end of our lives with as few mistakes as we can.

--It seems we are playing a “prevent defense” when we should be in a two-minute offense. Jesus said it best:

Matthew 24:34-36 (NIV)
³⁴  I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.
³⁵  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
³⁶  "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 

--The truth is, none of us know when that trumpet will sound but we do know that the events (prophesies) are pointing toward the soon return of Christ. 

--Being faithful in these last days has nothing to do with maintaining a status quo or simply holding the fort until Jesus comes back. 

--It has everything to do with competing for the Kingdom of God and storming the gates of hell. That is not something you can do just sitting on a pew every now and then. 

--A few years ago I helped coach my daughter’s tennis team and it was exciting trying to get these young ladies ready to compete. Some had never played tennis until they walked on the court for try-outs. 

--Some of them were just interested in looking good on the court and, at least, looking a little bit like they knew what they were doing.

--You might not know this about me but I am competitive. I want to win whether it is at a game of cards, playing a sport, or the game of life from the Kingdom’s perspective. Play to win!

--The tennis team had winning seasons while I was coaching them and the second year they made it to the finals in their district. Let me just say it, winning is fun, losing, not so much.

--Why wouldn’t we have that attitude for the Kingdom of God as we compete with the devil for the souls of men, women, boys, and girls? Winning souls is contagious. 

--That’s why you will never see this pastor being happy with the number of missionaries or mission’s organizations we support. As long as people are lost, we still have more to do.

2. Offense not Defense.

Matthew 16:18 (NKJV) ¹⁸ …I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

--I am sure you aware of this, gates are defensive measures. We need to see the church as a battering ram storming the gates of the devil and taking back captives from the kingdom of darkness.

--I just read a quote by Annie Dillard in her book, “Teaching a Stone to Talk.” Let me paraphrase what she said.

Dillard – As a whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the church, aware of what is going on in the world. Does anyone recognize the power available to us? Or as I suspect, does anyone believe a word of it? The church seems to be the children on the floor playing with a chemistry set trying to mix up something that will create a great Sunday morning service. We must be on the offense to reach the world because some day the Sleeping God may awake and send us out forcibly. By persecution.

--Is anybody else tired of the church playing defense? Why is it that the church is known more for what it is against than what we are for?

--Yes, it is great to defend the faith that we cling onto, but there comes a time that we have to put on our helmets, and get in the game on offense. Score a touchdown for God.

3. God is Raising Up a Generation of Lion Chasers.

--It is definitely good to distance ourselves from evil but it is never good to distance ourselves from sinners. How will we ever reach them if we never engage them?

Matthew 11:19 (NRSV)
¹⁹  the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds."

--God, please have people accuse us of being friends of sinners. Wisdom is proven right by the fruit that we bear. You can never pick the fruit until you go find the tree.

--Thank God for our pastors who are lion chasers but there are many others. They are young people on fire for God. They are adults working with Youth and Children.

--They are volunteers going to Bike Week and rubbing shoulders with the lost. They are people working at the House of Hope showing people that someone cares.

--Lion chasers have learned to stop criticizing the culture and start creating it. You may have to go into a pit with a lion but you always know God is with you.

Romans 8:31-32&37 (NIV)
³¹  What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
³²  He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
³⁷  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 

Courageous – 4

Courageous – 4

Subject – Sacrifice or Worship

By Rick Welborne

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

--I have tried to be courageous in my preaching here at Life Church and today will be one of those days. I have, for many years, wrestled with the concept of us being sacrificial to the Lord. 

1. Serving God is a Privilege.

--When I hear others and even hear myself, saying the word sacrifice, in the context of serving Christ, I have always felt uneasy or actually what I think to be conviction. 

--I think many people make a fundamental mistake in the way they view their relationship with God. We focus on what we have to give up and fail to see what we gain. 

--A relationship with God (a real relationship), is the ultimate win/win situation. Let me cut through the chase. I don’t think there is any such thing as sacrifice when you are a follower of Christ. 

--Wait a minute, Pastor Rick, doesn’t the Word of God tell us this:

Luke 9:23-24 (NKJV)
²³  Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
²⁴  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

--I will be the first to agree with anyone that we will certainly experience temporary loss but I don’t think anyone has ever sacrificed anything for God. 

--Why? Because we all get back more than we give up. And if you get back more than you gave up, have you really sacrificed anything at all? 

--On December 4, 1857, David Livingstone gave a speech at Cambridge University:

Livingstone – People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending much of my life in Africa…Away with the word in such a view and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger now and then with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these things are nothing compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.

--A confirmation from the Word that confirms and reiterates what Livingstone is saying:

Romans 8:14-18 (NKJV) ¹⁴  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
¹⁵  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
¹⁶  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
¹⁷  and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
¹⁸  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

--Let me sum up these five verses; 14. It is a privilege to be led by the Spirit of God. It is a privilege to be sons and daughters of God. 15. It is a privilege to call God Father.

--16. It is a privilege to have Holy Spirit confirm we are the children of God. 17. It is a privilege to suffer with Christ so we can be an heirs with God and Christ.

--17. It is a privilege to suffer now because of what comes later. God’s glory. Serving God is a privilege, not a sacrifice.

2. It is in Your Best Self-Interest to Always Obey God.

--This is what I meant when I said a relationship with God (a real relationship), is the ultimate win/win situation. Your obedience to do what God says is the best thing you can do for yourself.

--Again, you have never sacrificed anything for God but have had the privilege to obey Him and serve Him. Your return is always so much greater than what you give. Verse please.

Matthew 19:27-30 (NLT2)
²⁷  Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
²⁸  “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
²⁹  And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
³⁰  But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. 

--Peter said to Jesus…we have sacrificed everything to follow you. Jesus, I serve at the church several hours a week. Jesus, I sacrifice a $100 a month for missions.

--Let me just say here, if you give $25, $50, $75, $100, or even $500 a month to missions on top of your tithe that already belongs to God, and you still go out to eat multiple times a week…is it really sacrificial?

--If we give $50 a month to missions and our cable bill is over $200 a month, have we really sacrificed anything? Yes, you have given but you have not sacrificed anything.

--We have so much here in the US that I think we have lost perspective on what sacrifice really is. Remember, if you are getting more back than you have given, it is not sacrifice.

Luke 12:48 (NLT2)
⁴⁸ When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

--Math has never been my favorite subject but God’s math blows my mind… everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 

--Help me understand this, Jesus. Whatever I give up for your sake, your cause, your mission, I will receive a hundred times as much back plus eternal life. Please sign me up! FP card please!

--It is in Your Best Self-Interest to Always Obey God. Whatever I have the privilege of giving to God (my life or my possessions) in this life will only bless me in this life and the one hereafter. Example:

Philippians 2:5-9 (NLT2)
⁵  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
⁶  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
⁷  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
⁸  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
⁹  Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 

--I know this for sure…the only regrets that we will have in heaven will be…why didn’t I seek Him more, why didn’t I give Him more, why didn’t I obey Him more.

--Whatever I give (not sacrifice) to Him, I am just making a deposit in Heaven which will be mine to enjoy for all eternity. It’s so hard for us to see past this life.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
¹⁹  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
²⁰  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
²¹  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

3. Living Sacrifice or Spiritual Act of Worship

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
¹  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 

Romans 12:1 (NIV)
¹  Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 

--I could not get away from these questions. Is living for God just reasonable service or is it our spiritual act of worship? Service or worship? I believe this is key to our understanding.

--Is it a sacrifice to live for Jesus and to give to Jesus or is it a privilege to serve Him with all our hearts? If we get more back than we give, is it a sacrifice at all?

--I think of poor widows in our church who have fixed incomes of $800 to $900 a month. No help from family and they ask nothing from their church. No one out gives these ladies.

--They buy their groceries, pay their utilities, pay their insurance, and take care of all their other needs without grumbling and complaining about what they do not have. I am blessed, Pastor Rick.

--First they tithe and give to missions every month $50-100. A sacrifice? No, it’s a privilege! Their secret!

Psalm 27:4-6 (NKJV)
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. 

Finding God’s Direction - 1

Finding God’s Direction - 1

Subject: Finding God’s Divine Direction in Our Lives

By Rick Welborne

Proverbs 3:1-10 (NKJV) ¹ My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
²  For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
³  Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
⁴  And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
⁷  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
⁸  It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
⁹  Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
¹⁰  So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine. 

--We all should want to find God’s direction for our lives. We should all want to know God’s plans and destiny for our lives. How do we arrive at the destination God has for us?

--The truth is…say that…the truth is…You are one decision away from changing your life forever. What’s interesting is that you probably do not know what that one decision will be. 

--It is natural to think that such a big, life changing decision would be obvious. Sometimes it is, like taking a job in another state and relocating your family. Or maybe returning to school to finish your degree. 

--Clearly decisions like these cause countless consequences rippling through our lives and for years to come.

1. Small Decisions Can Have Huge Effects on Our Lives.

--Our lives are constantly spilling over into the lives of others, and theirs into ours. We all like standing dominos up side by side. Our small decisions flow into consequences we didn’t see coming.

--I love giving life examples of what I speak about…I had been the youth pastor in Covington, La. for almost three years when I felt God wanted me to finish my college degree…Where should I go to school?

--My lead pastor thought I should go to Springfield, Missouri to the A/G Bible College there…his reasoning was…that is where the A/G Headquarters was…Meet the big wigs and make connections.

--I thought, it is cold in Springfield and I do not do cold weather…I had taken kids there for college days in January and thought I would freeze. I made it a matter of prayer. God is the One Who connects us!

--Our men’s ministry was going on a 26-mile canoe trip which turned out to be a 26-mile race! I was put with a man I did not know and was told to make him feel welcome. An avid canoer and we won the race. 

--Guess what? All he wanted to talk about was what a great Bible College SE University in Lakeland, Florida was. He and his wife both had graduated from there…who knew? God!

--In the process of a canoe trip, I got God’s direction for where to go back to school. It was warm weather and it was exactly where God wanted me to be.

--Not only did I get my education there, I found my wife at a nearby church, which that decision alone opened a ton of doors for me in ministry…every decision we make has major consequences. 

--Every little choice you make now determines the story that you will be telling later in your life. 

Proverbs 1:29-30 (NLT2) ²⁹ For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
³⁰ They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them.

--The decision not to fear the Lord…the choice not to listen to the wisdom of parents, pastors, or teachers has consequences. A young man in Covington, La. who would not listen to anyone. 

--Pastor Rick, I am sick of you, my parents, my teachers, and everyone else telling me what to do and when I have to do it. I am just going to leave home and go join the army! Say what!

Pro. 1:31-33 (NLT2) ³¹ …they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes.
³²  For simpletons turn away from me—to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.
³³  But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.” 

--After basic training, this simpleton came to my office at the church and as soon as he walked through my door he broke down and started crying…I am such an idiot! No argument here.

--The army tells me when I go to sleep, when I get up, when to eat, when to bath, when to run, when to drop and do 40 push-ups. They never stop yelling at me…I want to come home. You must eat the bitter fruit.

Proverbs 12:26 (NKJV)                                                                                                                                         ²⁶ The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray. 

--How important is it for us to choose friends wisely…Oh, how I remember Owen and I remember my parents who were not Christians at the time telling me…He is bad news.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (NKJV)
¹⁹  I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
²⁰  that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."

2. Our Choices Accumulate to Tell Our Life Story.

Craig Groeshel – What is always true is that the decisions we make today determine the stories we tell about our lives tomorrow. Every day, all day, we make one small choice after another. And those choses keep accumulating, each one woven into the rest, forming the tapestry that is your life story. 

--The purpose of this series is to help you make good godly decisions which enhances you to become God’s direction. If your destination for your life is peace and joy…you must make deliberate choices.

--Many people do not like to hear this…You have to be willing to take responsibility for every decision you make. Stop playing the victim card and stop blaming others because of your poor choices.

--When you choose to follow biblical principles set forth in the Word of God and you are dedicated to staying on this path for a lifetime, you will have a beautiful destination. 

--One way or another, each decision you make is the decision of a lifetime, whether or not you can see where it ultimately leads. You are one choice away from making your best decision ever. Solomon.

Proverbs 3:1-6 (NKJV) ¹ My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
²  For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
³  Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart,
⁴  And so find favor and high esteem In the sight of God and man.
⁵  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. 

--Look at verse 2…this is what obeying God’s Word will do… For length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. Daily choices lead to long life kissed with peace. 

--Do we truly trust the Lord with all our hearts when it comes to, not just big decisions, but every decision. Pastor, you make it sound like every decision is so important…In all your ways acknowledge Him. 

--Can it really matter where we eat lunch or dinner (which Mexican Restaurant)? If we acknowledge Him (if we ask Him) He may send you to a specific place to minister to a specific person. 

--I remember determining I was going to a specific place to eat and as I thought about that, I felt overwhelmed to go to another one. I simply made the decision to go where God wanted me to go. 

--I no sooner had sat down and this waitress came and sat at the table with me…thru her tears she said I prayed you would come here today…she confessed her sins, received direction. It matters!

Galatians 5:25 (NKJV) ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

3. Our Decisions Lead to Predictable Consequences. 

--The truth is many (probably most) of our choices lead to fairly predictable consequences. And as we learn to choose well, we can connect the dots of where we are and where we want to be. 

--When we choose in a moment of temptation or peer pressure to take that first drink, that first smoke, or that drug…we have just opened the door to much pain and suffering for yourself and others.

Hosea 10:12-13 (NKJV)
¹²  Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
¹³  You have plowed wickedness; You have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, Because you trusted in your own way, In the multitude of your mighty men. 

--The best decision you can make is always the next one. Each decision should move you closer to becoming all that God made you to be, to turn your life in the direction of a story you’ll be happy to share.