Partnership - 1

Partnership - 1

Subject – God Uses People

By Rick Welborne

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NLT2)
¹  Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.
²  They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
³  For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.
⁴  They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.
⁵  They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. 

--Today we start a new series that I have been meditating about and praying about for quite some time. “Partnership” hopefully will be an eye opener for how God works.

--When I say “Partnership – God Uses People” I am not referring or insinuating God uses people like some use people. I am not talking about abuse or misuse but I am talking about partnership with God. 

--We see throughout Scripture how God has chosen to use different individuals to accomplish His will and to bring deliverance for His people.

--This is not to say that God has to partner with people but that He has chosen, in His Sovereignty, to use people for His glory. Our responsibility is to cooperate with Him and to do His will.

--Again, God has shown us His ability to accomplish what He wants to do without the help of man. He shows us that in creation.

Genesis 1:1-5 (NKJV) ¹  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
²  The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
³  Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
⁴  And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
⁵  God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day. 

--We see when it came to the salvation of mankind God could not depend on any man to purchase us and save us from our sin, it was something He did. It’s what Jesus did.

Isaiah 59:16 (NIV) ¹⁶  He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 

Hebrews 9:12-14 (NLT2)
¹²  With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
¹³  Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity.
¹⁴  Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 

--I think it is important for us to ask the question or, at least, investigate why God would want to partner with people, with us? It is truly thought provoking.

--Over all the years of ministry, I know there are type “A” personalities out there who want to do everything on their own. Others will just mess up my plan. You know who you are.

--People like that are usually angry, judgmental, and controlling. They are never happy because the people around them never measure up.

--They usually do not have deep friendships with those around them. It is truly hard to get close to someone who thinks they know it all. Very self-righteous. 

--Maybe that gives us a hint of why God does what He does in wanting relationships and partnerships, just possible that He wants us to be His close friends. Not perfect friends.

Exodus 33:11 (NKJV) ¹¹ So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. 

John 15:13-16 (NLT2) ¹³ There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
¹⁴  You are my friends if you do what I command.
¹⁵  I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
¹⁶  You didn’t choose me. I chose you. 

--It blows my mind that God has chosen us, that He has chosen us to be His friends, and He has chosen us to be partners with Him especially when it comes to reaching the lost. Back to our text:

2 Corinthians 8:1 (NLT2) ¹  Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 

1. When We Are in Partnership with God, He Gets the Glory.

--Notice the phrase, “What God in His Kindness has done.” Who did it? God did it! Partnership with God means that God always get the glory.

1 Cor. 10:31 (NKJV) ³¹ Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

--It is okay to give credit where credit is due and to give honor where honor is due…Even Paul, after what He says God has done says He did through the churches in Macedonia. 

--It is this beautiful partnership that causes God to get the glory. We have decided as a church to partner with God in the Great Commission.

--Yes, I appreciate getting recognition from the District and the GCAOG and I am thankful for what we have accomplished but unless God gets the glory…it’s just wood, hay, and stubble.

--Notice the churches in Macedonia were not affluent and they had their own problems for sure. They realized they could bring glory to God even in their poverty.

2 Corinthians 8:2 (NLT2) ² They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. 

--Partnering with God does not mean you have it all together, you have no troubles, and your bank account is huge and blessed. They were poor and had lots of trials.

--We don’t expect the poor widow here at Life Church to give the same amount in tithes and Faith Promises as the professional person who is making six figures. Everyone can partner with God.

2 Corinthians 8:2-5 (NLT2) ² They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
³  For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.
⁴  They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.
⁵  They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. 

--Do you see it? See what, Pastor? Do you see how the people at the churches in Macedonia were giving God all the glory? 

--Was it their money? No. Was it their heart? Their motives? Their free will? Yes. Their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. 

--If you want to partner with God and if you want to glorify His Name, give yourselves completely to Him and He will have all you have.

2. When We Are in Partnership with God, People Are Blessed.

1 John 3:16-18 (NKJV) ¹⁶  By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
¹⁷  But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
¹⁸  My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

--Verse 17 asks a very important question…How does the love of God abide in a person? The context is us seeing someone in need and choosing to do nothing about it.

--When we partner with God and we partner with each other, we not only can preach the gospel to people but we can also meet their felt needs.

--Jesus and His Body, the Church, partner together to feed the hungry (HOH), we have Joseph’s Storehouse to help brothers and sisters during a tough time, and we have Christmas blessings.

--When we partner with God and we give, we serve, we work, we pray, we love, people’s lives are changed and many can find salvation. People are blessed and God gets the glory.

3. When I Am in Partnership with God, I Am Blessed.

Mark 3:32-35 (NLT2) ³² There was a crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”
³³  Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”
³⁴  Then he looked at those around him and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.
³⁵  Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” 

--When I do the will of God (when I obey His Word) I am in partnership with God. I become His brother. How amazing is that. 

1 John 1:6-7 (NKJV)
⁶  If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
⁷  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

The Gift – 2025 – 6

The Gift – 2025 – 6

Subject – The Gift of Being Shipwrecked

By Rick Welborne

Acts 28:1-6 (NIV)
¹  Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.
²  The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
³  Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.
⁴  When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live."
⁵  But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
⁶  The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god. 

--Sometimes we believe our lives are bad and, I agree, people have extremely tough days. Whether it is loss of a loved one, health issues, family crisis, financial setbacks. Life hurts. Paul’s calling:

Acts 9:15-16 (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.”

--His calling was one of suffering. Paul is arrested and stands before King Agrippa and Felix the Governor. He is accused of being crazy and committing heresy.

--In chapter 27, he and a large number of criminals are placed on a ship and were bound for Italy with many stops in between. Paul warned them of impending danger:

Acts 27:10-11 (NLT2) ¹⁰ “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.”
¹¹  But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul.

--It hurts when you try to warn people that danger lies ahead if we continue on this same route. I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.

--Our world and many in the church just believe preachers and pastors are just talking to hear themselves talk when they warn them a storm is coming. Get prepared.

--Sure enough, a storm arises and they are days fighting the wind and waves, and days without food. They feared for their lives. Paul said an angel stood before me tonight.

Acts 27:22-26 (NLT2)                                                                                                                                             ²²  But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down.
²³  For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me,
²⁴  and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’
²⁵  So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said.
²⁶  But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

--276 people are shipwrecked on the Island of Malta. All cargo gone, the ship is destroyed, they are wet and cold. Today we are going to look at the Gift of being Shipwrecked. Say what?

1. The Gift of Being Shipwrecked.

--Watch the miracles begin to stack up as they get over the shock and fear of being wrecked on an Island. It was a miracle no one died. God had promised and He keeps His Word.

--Often we have events or circumstances that happen in our lives and because we are so overwhelmed with said events, we fail to see what God is truly up to. His gifts.

Romans 8:28 (NLT2) ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

--What an amazing promise from the Word of God that the Apostle Paul is letting us in on but let’s reverse the verse to see what our part is. 

--Our part is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. And to answer His calling from His Spirit and His Word.

--God’s part…say God’s part…is to somehow, someway work out all the circumstances or everything in my life, good or bad, for my good. Only God can do that. Back to Paul:

Acts 28:1-2 (NIV) ¹ Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.
²  The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.

--After surviving the shipwreck, they find themselves on an island where the islanders showed them unusual kindness. Do you suppose God had something to do with that? Could have been wild natives.

--Unusual kindness and they built them a fire. Forgive me for seeing Holy Spirit throughout the whole Bible but I can’t help but see the Spirit of God there on the island with them. The Fire!

--Spiritual maturity demands that I always have my Holy Spirit senses alive and awake so that I can discern what God is doing even in the middle of shipwreck.

--Please keep in mind the Apostle Paul was a missionary and missionaries are never off duty. Paul said that we are to make the most of every opportunity. 

2. The Gift of Being Snake Bit.

Acts 28:1-3 (NIV)
¹  Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta.
²  The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.
³  Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 

--The devil knows how true missionaries think and he will do anything to stop them for accomplishing God’s will. Arrested, storms, shipwreck, floating on debris, and now snake bit…a viper.

Acts 28:4-6 (NIV)
⁴  When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, "This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live."
⁵  But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.
⁶  The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

--The islanders had sized Paul up and came to the conclusion that he must be a murderer because he survived the shipwreck and now he is snake bit by a poisonous viper. He dead.

--This is no different than the world when they see one of us surviving one battle after another, and when you think it can’t get any worse, snake bit. Must be something in their lives.

--Remember being snake bit might just be a gift from God. One time a shared the story of my mother being bitten by a rattle snake at the age of seven.

--A dear sweet saint of God came up to me after the service and had a question. Did your mother (7) die of the snake bite? Yes, she had me when she was 6 years old. And I am the youngest of 4.

--The people expected and watched for Paul to swell up and suddenly fall down dead. Your friends and maybe a few enemies, are watching for you to crash and burn but I love what Paul did:

 Acts 28: (NIV) ⁵ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire.... 

--Listen, I don’t know what you are going through now, I don’t know everything you have been through, and I don’t know what has attached itself to you now but I came with a Word…

--Shake it off into the fire…as long as I have breath in these lungs I am going to worship! And when that old serpent attaches himself to me, I will shake him off into the fire.

--Some of you have been snake bit and you have almost given up but I am here to tell you to get to your feet and shake him off into the fire of Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 12:28-29 (NKJV) ²⁸  Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
²⁹  For our God is a consuming fire. --That snake bite may just be an amazing gift from God because He has given you an opportunity and a testimony to glorify God.

3. The Gift of Missions – Being in the Right Place at the Right Time.

Acts 28:7-9 (NLT2)
⁷  Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days.
⁸  As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him.
⁹  Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.

--No one in their right mind wants to be arrested, no one wants to be in a storm without food, no one wants to be shipwrecked, and no one wants to be snake bit.

--Do you just suppose the souls on the island of Malta were more important to Jesus than Paul’s comfort. Because all that happened to him, revival came to Malta.

--People were healed and lives were changed because horrible things turned out to be gifts from God so that the Gospel could be preached to an isolated island.

--God is more interested in the souls of men and women than He is in your comfort and prosperity. Maybe God has you where you are for the lost around you.

Romans 8:28 (NLT2) ²⁸ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Finding Our Identity – 6

Finding Our Identity – 6

Subject – The Lost Need to Know Their Identity

By Rick Welborne

1 Peter 2:9-10&12 (NLT) ⁹  But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.
¹⁰  “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”
¹²  Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. 

--We have looked at people who have struggled with their identity and who have questioned what their real purpose is in this life. Many would question this familiar verse:

Jeremiah 29:11 (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.

--Maybe you would question whether God has a plan for you or not. Maybe the thought of living a prosperous life is beyond your comprehension. A hope and a future…you think…I have no hope or future.

--Many could stand and testify today that their lives were empty and they seemed to have no hope at all. Many of them may have had ‘things’ but not true happiness or joy! Maybe you were destitute.

--Don’t misunderstand me, growing up we were never without food or shelter but when I was born we lived in an 800 sq. ft. slave tenant house…My first bike came from the junk yard…junk!

--What was funny, as a very young kid, I did not know how poor we were…when we were in the third grade my parents bought a house in a real neighborhood with paved streets…Clampets had come to town.

--The house cost $6900 and I remember my parents talking about how tough it would be to make a $76 payment every month. When they sold it four or five years after I graduated they got $35,000 dollars. 

--We definitely were poor spiritually…church was never on the radar, and God and Jesus were talked about often but never in ways that was respectable. We were lost with no plan or hope.

--By the time I was 17, not only was I poor, my life was bankrupt. Without love and guidance, I kept falling deeper and deeper into a spiritual abyss. This is when I met Ronnie Chunn…he saw my identity.

--He started a two-year process of witnessing to me. He took much abuse but remained faithful to what I truly believe was God’s mission for him at that time…Imagine being assigned with that task!

--I finally went with him to a revival service…the rest has been history…that one encounter with Jesus has impacted me for eternity…I found my identity…I obviously found out God had a plan for my life. 

1. We Must Know Who We are in Christ!

1 Peter 2:10 (NLT) ¹⁰ “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.”

--We once had no identity as people but now we have received the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ and everything has changed, or at least, it should have changed.

--Once you have given your heart to the Lord, the devil has only one plan for you, and that is for you to not know who you are in Christ…for you to lose your identity.

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.

--Jonah was an Old Testament example of what happens when we do not know our identity in God and how that affects our lives.

--Jonah thought like many of us do, it does not matter what I do or what I am called to do…I will do my own thing and go my own way. We don’t have time to read all of the book of Jonah but:

--First the people on the ship he was taking to Tarshish were affected…They found themselves in a storm that was sent for Jonah…wow…our decisions do affect others who are around us.

--His decision cost others financially…because of the storm and Jonah they had to throw their cargo off the ship to lighten the load…the bad decisions you make can cost others bigtime. 

Romans 14:7 (NKJV) ⁷ For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.

--Even though Jonah told the men on the ship to throw him overboard, they wanted to preserve his life…they rowed harder and harder…our decisions make others have to work harder. 

--He ends up in the belly of a big fish…addiction can be a big fish…the wrong decision can be a big fish…not doing what God called you to do can be a big fish…we can disobey but there is a cost.

--Because Jonah tried to choose a different identity and a different plan an entire city could have been affected. When he obeyed, the people of Nineveh heard the Word and repented…revival came.

Romans 11:29 (NCV) ²⁹ God never changes his mind about the people he calls and the things he gives them.

2. We Must Know What We are Called to Do!

--Do you know what is sad? We are so much like Jonah, in that we know what God has called us to do but we choose to go a totally different direction. 

--When we speak of being called by the Lord we quickly think about specific ministries that God may or may not be calling us into.

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT) ¹¹ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 

¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

--This next list expands on the first and really opens up the areas we can be called into.

Romans 12:6-8 (NIV) ⁶  We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
⁷  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach;                                                                              ⁸  if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Galatians 5:13 (NLT) ¹³ For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 

--I do not want to over simplify this message but according to what we just read, I come up with this basic conclusion…We are called to serve God and serve one another. Agree?

--I truly believe that we, after we have been saved, should feel a call from God to love, serve, and disciple those who have received Christ. But what of those who have not received Christ? His call for us is to go!

Mark 16:15-16 (NKJV) ¹⁵ And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
¹⁶  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

--Once we lead them to Christ, our next job is to disciple them into who God wants them to be…in other words…once they are saved we are called to serve them.

--The reason so many Christians are not enjoying their life in Christ is because they are neither going nor serving. We think, we pay others to go (missionaries) and others to serve (pastors). Out text:

1 Peter 2:9 (NLT) ⁹  But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 

--Because you are royal priests, because you are God’s very own possession, because you are saved you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 

3. We Must Know Our Identity is Found in Helping Others Find Their Identity.

--Right after Peter tells us that we can show others the goodness of God (we show them their identity in Christ) we see that it says…Once we had no identity as a people and now we are God’s people.

--Once I did not know who I was or what I was supposed to do with my life, but now, because of finding God’s mercy…I know my identity.

--The sad woman at the well in John 4 did not know who she was and she surely did not know God had a plan for her life…Jesus knew His identity and that He came to seek and to save the lost.

--This woman thought her identity was found in having the right man, and she was right, it was the Son of Man.

John 4:28-42 (NKJV) ²⁸ The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,
²⁹  "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"

--Watch this…the woman finds her identity in Christ and goes to tell the men of the city about Jesus. She did for them what Jesus had done for her!