Do Not be Afraid – 4

Do Not be Afraid – 4

Subject – The Fear of the Lord

by Rick Welborne 

Isaiah 33:5‑6 (NIV) 

5 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. 

6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. 

–How powerful is this?  Holy fear is the key to God’s sure foundation, unlocking the treasures of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. We spoke about this right before Covid 19.

–Place the fear of God alongside the love of God and the two compose the very foundation of life and godly living.

–As we continue this series we will see that we cannot truly love God until we fear Him; nor can we properly fear Him until we love Him.

1. Jesus needed to live by the fear of the Lord and we should too.

Isaiah 11:1‑5 (NLT) 

1 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. 

2 And the Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 

3 He will delight in obeying the LORD. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay. 

4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. 

5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment. 

–Obviously this is an Old Testament prophecy about Jesus and it has much to say to us about what is needed in our lives. First, it says that Jesus was connected to God...shouldn’t we be connected to the vine?

John 15:5‑7 (NLT) 

5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 

6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 

7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 

–Second, the Spirit will rest on Him...Holy Spirit...the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 

–If Jesus needed Holy Spirit...how much more will you and I need Him...maybe...just maybe one of the reasons we have lost our fear of the Lord is because we are not filled with Holy Spirit.

–Out of this Spirit resting on Him flowed obedience, justice, fair decisions, and the Word was strong in His mouth...what about us? Jesus even put on the armor of God...how much more should those of us who fear the Lord? Our earnestness to seek God has to be of a great priority in our lives:

Jeremiah 29:11‑14 (NLT) 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 

12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 

13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 

14 I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” 

–Please get in your mind that God wants to do good for you:

Jeremiah 32:37‑41 (NLT) 

37 I will certainly bring my people back again from all the countries where I will scatter them in my fury. I will bring them back to this very city and let them live in peace and safety. 

38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 

39 And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants. 

40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. 

41 I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land. 

2. We must approach Him with reverence and awe.

Leviticus 10:1‑3 (NLT) 

1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu put coals of fire in their incense burners and sprinkled incense over them. In this way, they disobeyed the LORD by burning before him the wrong kind of fire, different than he had commanded. 

2 So fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and burned them up, and they died there before the LORD. 

3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when he said, ‘I will display my holiness through those who come near me. I will display my glory before all the people.’” And Aaron was silent. 

–How many of you would agree that it is important how we approach God. Sometimes I feel that we have lost our awe of God and our reverence for Him and His house...we have little godly fear of Him. 

–How many of you know that Aaron’s sons learned the hard way that how you come before God can be life or death...there was a reason Aaron was silent...Fear of God.

Isaiah 29:13 (NKJV) 

13 Therefore the LORD said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men, 

John Bevere - He said, “Their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.” He is saying that the people had reduced the glory of the Lord to the glory of corruptible man. They served God in the image they had created–not by His true image, but by their own standards.

–Ever since I have been a Christian I have often been very troubled by how people treat God so disrespectfully ...no fear or reverence.

–I worked with a young man in Irvin, Texas at a freight company who would often refer to Jesus as J. C.  Yes, I love Him and He loves me just the way I am.

–He would cuss, tell crude jokes, laugh about partying, and was so proud that he never had to go to church ...even would brag about his freedom to mess around. He would say to me...JC understands who I am.

–I told him that he was just kidding himself and please do not tell anyone else that he was a Christian...talk about influence...they draw near with their lips but their heart far from Me.

2 Corinthians 6:14‑18 (NLT) 

14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 

15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 

16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 

17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don’t touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. 

18 And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.” 

–I have heard people refer to Him as The Man Upstairs...Big Daddy in The Sky...I have even heard people say that when they see Him they will run and jump in His lap.

–The prosperity movement has made Him out to be like Santa because He will fill your every wish list...all you have to do is name it and claim it.

–John the Revelator fell before Him as though he was dead...Ezekiel and Daniel fell in His presence...when we see Him we will fall on our faces. 24 elders around the throne fall constantly. 

–If we intend on approaching God with reverence and fear there has to be a difference between us and the world. We have drifted so far from His truth and holiness.

3. We should have the fear of the Lord because no one else compares to Him.

Psalm 89:1‑8 (NKJV) 

1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. 

2 For I have said, "Mercy shall be built up forever; Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens." 

3 "I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 

4 'Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.' " Selah 

5 And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O LORD; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. 

6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD? 

7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. 

8 O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You. 

–When I was lost and so heavily addicted to so many things...no one had the power to set me free...to deliver me from the strongholds of the enemy.

–I remember my doctor telling me...you are going to die within the next few months if you don’t stop what you are doing...the doctor couldn’t help me. My parents were telling me I was out of control and I needed to change. 

–I was in the pigpen of life and it seemed that there was a spiraling vacuum right in the middle of it and there was no stopping the inevitable end to my life.

–The more people would tell me to quit the more I would take or drink...hopeless and lost.

–I am so glad that God put those in my life who had the answer...I mocked them...made fun of them and even scoffed at a Savior being born of a virgin.

–Many times, thru tears, Ronnie Chunn would tell me how much Jesus loved me and that God had a plan for my life...I wanted to believe it but who will deliver me from this body of death?

Romans 7:24-25 (NLT) 

24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 

25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.

–Finally when I was at the end of myself I promised Ronnie I would go to a revival with him...just to get him off my back. That night everything changed!

Psalm 89:6-7 (NKJV) 

6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD? 

7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. 

–We must honor Him, fear Him, revere Him because there is no one else like Him. Pastor Rick, I am a believer but I am hurting...go to the One that no one else can compare to:

Isaiah 40:25‑31 (NKJV) 

25 "To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. 

26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing. 

27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the LORD, And my just claim is passed over by my God"? 

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 

29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 

31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. 

Normal or Supernatural - 4

Normal or Supernatural - 4

Subject – Don’t Circle the Wagons

By Rick Welborne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. The danger of circling the wagons. 

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

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

Matthew 10:16-20 (NKJV)
¹⁶  "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
¹⁷  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
¹⁸  You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
¹⁹  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
²⁰  for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do Not Be Afraid – 3

Do Not Be Afraid – 3

Subject – Biblical Reasons Not to be Afraid

By Rick Welborne

--So far we have looked at this: First week:

1. Let’s look at why God tells us to not be afraid.

2. We must know based on God’s Word that He can be trusted even when we are afraid.

3. Fear and the cost of living in fear.

Second week:

1. What to do when fear knocks.

2. Why be afraid. 

3. Does God care when we are fearful. 

–This week (3) I want to talk to you about - Fear or Not to Fear? 

–Before we answer this question...let’s do some foundation work in Psalms 34. 

Psalm 34:1‑5 (NKJV) 

1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. 

3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. 

4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. 

5 They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. 

The foundation work in dealing with fear:

A. I will be a worshiper of God at all times no matter what is going in my life.  1

B. My boasting or lifting up will be in the Lord...not my fear or circumstances.  2

C. My lifting up of the Lord will be open and it will be a testimony to God.  2b

D. I will connect with others who are struggling and we will exalt Him together. 3

E. When I am fearful and hurting I will seek the Lord and find Him. 4

F. I will seek Him, find Him, and not be ashamed in my situation.  5

1. We should not fear poverty.

Psalm 34:6 (NKJV) 

6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

–There are all sorts of poverty...spiritual, financial, relational. As a worshiper we must understand that He is concerned about all the areas of our lives.

–Notice the pattern in this verse knowing the foundation that has already been established…This poor man cried out...he prayed: Jesus said pray like this:

Matthew 6:9‑11 (NKJV) 

9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 

11 Give us this day our daily bread. 

--We must have a confident that every day God is going to take care of us and meet our basic needs. If He feeds the sparrows, how much more valuable are you and me. 

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) 

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

2. We should not fear troubles.

Psalm 34:6‑8 (NKJV) 

6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. 

7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. 

8 Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 

–You are facing troubles but you are a worshiper...you are lifting up (magnifying Jesus not the trouble) the Lord...what does the Lord do?

–He sets up camp around you...He surrounds you with His protection and His power. He circles the wagons and puts us on the inside...safe and sound...whole and unafraid.

–It says...He delivers them from what...all of his troubles...His fears...His enemies. The enemy cannot surround us because we are already surrounded by you.

–Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good...in your fear trust Him and know that the taste of God’s deliverance is better than the taste of fear.

–Dr. Vicky...when you would say to her “God bless you!”  She would always respond, “I receive that” - We must receive God’s blessings as He sets us free from trouble.

3. We should not fear lack of substance.

Psalm 34:9‑10 (NKJV) 

9 Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. 

10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing. 

–Remember your foundation...you are a worshiper and you worship Him no matter what. He is always more than enough!  Paul:

Philippians 4:11‑13 (NLT) 

11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 

12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

–When we face lack or fear because of lack...we know that He can be trusted. We have so much here in the United States. We are so blessed and we can get by with less if we need to.

Psalm 33:18‑19 (NLT) 

18 But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. 

19 He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. 

4. We should not fear not having a good life.

Psalm 34:11‑12 (NKJV) 

11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 

12 Who is the man who desires life, And loves many days, that he may see good?

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.

–We have so bought into having the good life as being the abundance of money and stuff. Abundant life is having a close and wonderful relationship with Father God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit!

–Don’t forget the foundation...the psalmist is a worshiper at all times and because He has God in his life...life is good. If we have Jesus in our hearts...life should be good.

–Having the Lord and living by the fear of the Lord should be what makes it good. The fruit of the foundational relationship with God should be:

Psalm 34:13‑15 (NKJV) 

13 Keep your tongue from evil, And your lips from speaking deceit. 

14 Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. 

15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. 

5. We should not fear abandonment by God.

Psalm 34:17‑18 (NKJV) 

17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. 

18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 

–Worshipers cry out to the Lord, He encamps around those who do, He hears their cry for deliverance and help, and He delivers them...He is near.

–This has probably gotten me thru more tough times than anything else...The Lord is near those who have a broken heart. Knowing He is there. Paul says when I am weak…then, I am strong.

–Life has a way of hurting...hearts have a way of breaking...Jesus has a way of healing the broken hearted and setting the captives free.

–Nothing...nothing has helped me more than knowing that Jesus was only a whisper away, even in times when words were not easily forth coming...He understood and was there.  

–To worshipers He says:

Hebrews 13:5‑6 (NIV) 

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 

6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" 

6. We should not fear afflictions.

Psalm 34:19‑20 (NKJV) 

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. 

20 He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. 

–Afflictions can be troubles but keeping it in this context He is talking about their health. Guards their bones. Watch this:

Proverbs 3:5-8 (NKJV)
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. 

–It is so beautiful to me that it says the Lord delivers them out of them all.  “All”.

Psalm 103:1‑5 (NKJV) 

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 

3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 

4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 

5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 

–All means all...all of His benefits...forgives all your iniquities, and Who heals all your diseases.

–Renewed youth like an eagle...ever heard of molting?  We may have to go thru shedding of some junk but worshipers keep worshiping! God has a way of ruffling some feathers.

7. We should hope and fear in the Lord.

Psalm 33:16‑22 (NKJV) 

16 No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. 

17 A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. 

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, 

19 To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. 

20 Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. 

21 For our heart shall rejoice in Him, Because we have trusted in His holy name. 

22 Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us, Just as we hope in You. 

--Our soul waits for the Lord. This is key. Spending time with Him and waiting on Him. So much of what we face could be fixed if we just spent time waiting on Jesus and being filled with Holy Spirit.

Normal or Supernatural - 3

Normal or Supernatural - 3

Subject – The Church Must Decide – Are We Pentecostals 

By Rick Welborne

Acts 1:4-8 (NKJV)
⁴  And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;
⁵  for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
⁶  Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
⁷  And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
⁸  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

--Today we are celebrating Pentecost Sunday, or at least, as a Spirit-filled church, we should be celebrating the fact that God sent Holy Spirit to be with us after He left.

--My prayer is that we are not just Pentecostal in name only but that we are truly baptized or filled with Holy Spirit power. Are we Pentecostal? Are you Pentecostal?

--Sometimes I wonder if we even know what it means to be Pentecostal or Spirit-filled. Someone told me a church close to us was also Spirit-filled. How do you know?

--Well, they sing the same songs we sing, some of their people lift their hands, and, oh yeah, some of them even clap their hands during the worship. What?

--Jesus was definitely telling the disciples (the 120) that when they received Holy Spirit, they would receive power. Dunamos – dynamite power. Can we say we have dynamite power?

--He also goes on to tell them what I believe is the main purpose of sending this wonderful power, so they can be witnesses locally and all over the world. 

--Pentecostal churches (Spirit-filled churches) should be growing because of the power of God to be witnesses. Having Holy Spirit should make us more effective witnesses.

John 16:7 (NKJV)
⁷  Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

1. Jesus is taking the disciples from the normal to the supernatural. 

--The disciple had witnessed Jesus being crucified, being buried, and placed in a tomb. They ran, they fled, they deserted Him. Three days later, He rises from the dead.

--Even though He is back, He is really back. Their hearts, their dreams, their destinies have been crushed. After revealing Himself twice to them, they still go back fishing. The safe and the normal.

--Jesus did not call the disciples to be a part of a normal life but He was calling them to a life that was not only going to change them, but to a life that was going to change the world.

--Jesus knew that if this band of believers were going to make any kind of difference in this world, it would absolutely take supernatural power. 

--I believe I have a word for the church today. No matter what Covid 19 was or is God’s plan is the same for us.

--Some of you are still walking in fear and that is understandable if your source is the news and all of those supposedly experts. An ex is a has been and a spurt is a drip under pressure. Paul says:

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)
⁷  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

--If we have a spirit of fear it did not come from God. So who did it come from? It came from the media; it came from committees put together by our government.

--Let’s get real, fear does not come from the Lord, it comes from the pits of hell, it comes from the enemy of our souls, Satan. If he can make us fearful, he can neutralize us. 

1 Peter 5:8 (NKJV)
⁸  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

--Satan is like a roaring lion but he only has the power that we give to him. I am not telling you the virus is not real, but I am telling you not to walk in fear but power, love, and a sound mind. Lord, give us a sound mind! 

2 Timothy 1:6 (NKJV)
⁶  Therefore I remind you to stir up (fan into flames) the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

--Someone help me preach a little bit this morning, you will never go from the normal to the supernatural until you fan into flames the gift inside of you. What gift? The gift of the Father…Holy Spirit!

--The reason you are numb and the reason you are in such a funk is because you have allowed the enemy to give you a spirit of fear, or frustration, or suspicion. 

--I have said this to many people individually but let me say it to Life Church and those who are live-streaming with us. No matter what you think Covid 19 is or what our government is doing the answer is the same:

A. Our response is to get on our knees and pray.

B. Our response is to seek God with all our hearts until we find Him.

C. Our response is to fulfill the Great Commission with every fiber of our being.

D. Our response is to evangelize everyone we come in contact with every day.

E. Our response is to be filled with Holy Spirit power and to stir up that gift within us.

F. Our response is to be faithful to God in every area (attendance, giving, service) with all our hearts.

--Our job is not to forward fear on the internet with every kooky video that comes across FB or Messenger. You will be held accountable for every crazy thing you have forwarded without verifying. Please stop. Pray!

--Until you have done the above list with all diligence and with all your heart, please just remain quiet. Please!

Proverbs 17:28 (NLT2)
²⁸  Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

--If we will go from normal to supernatural we must make our way to the upper room and wait on the Promise of the Father until He comes in power and glory. 

Luke 24:49 (NKJV)
⁴⁹  Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." 

2. To go from normal to supernatural we must wait and we must 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.

--After Jesus rescued the disciples from going back to the normal, He promised them something supernatural if they were willing to tarry or wait to receive Him.

--I love what these verses say…they worshiped Him and they were continually in the temple. They were focused on worshiping Jesus and them being continually in the temple, signified their diligence. 

--Please don’t tell me that you want another Pentecost when you only give God a token of your worship and your time with Him is so minimized based on your important schedule. 

--I hope Covid 19 pushed you into your prayer closet where you sought God and worshiped Him with all your heart instead of spending all your time on your phone or computer. 

--I have said this often but let me say it again, pressure was never supposed to push you away from God or away from His church, pressure should push you into a deeper relationship with God.

--Let me continue, I hope you realized thru Covid 19 that church is more than just a building or a mass gathering, it is saints who have shut their doors and spend time alone with God. 

--Even though all of us love getting together for church, what do you think the early church did when they were being hunted like animals and what believers do in the Middle East, in China. Church is home too!

Matthew 18:20 (NKJV)
²⁰  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." 

--When was the last time you had a personal Pentecost with the Lord that while you were praying and seeking Him? He came and baptized you with Holy Spirit power and fire.

--Many times when I am diligently praying for someone who is lost, someone who is terribly sick (Greg Mundis or Pastor Larry Boone), or someone going thru trauma, Holy Spirit shows up! Wow!

--I cannot begin to tell you how awesome it is for me when Holy Spirit shows up when I am seeking Him! Sometimes when I am riding 20 or 30 miles on my bicycle, tears are flowing down my face. Not from pain.

--We have so many tools to help us draw near to the Lord in worship and waiting on Him. What did the disciples have? Memories and promises. No worship, no air pods, no Podcasts! Just a relationship.

--Let us stop making excuses about why we are so miserable and let us wait on the Lord and let us worship Him with all our hearts. Seek Him until you find Him and until He fills you!

--I am not going to tell you that worship is always easy nor will it always be convenient but if you will be the man or woman of God He wants you to be, you must wait and worship even in difficult times.

--Abraham had waited for what seemed like an entire lifetime for the son of promise and now the Father is telling Him to take you son, your only son, and sacrifice him where I tell you.

Genesis 22:5 (NKJV)
⁵  And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."

--In Covid 19, in the midst of a fear propagating media, in your own sickness, or in your own mess, wait and worship. Have your own Personal Pentecost.

3. Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father.

Acts 1:4-5 (NKJV)
⁴  And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me;
⁵  for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 

--Jesus said (so it must be important), don’t leave Jerusalem but wait on the Promise of the Father. Who is this Promise of the Father? He tells us. You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. 10 days

--On the Day of Pentecost what happened? While they waited, while they worshiped, while they obeyed Jesus,
suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house. 

--They were all filled with Holy Spirit power and they all spoke with other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. Why would God choose the Day of Pentecost to pour out His Spirit? Great question.

Day of Pentecost - Historically, Pentecost (Shavout) is a Jewish feast celebrating the giving of the Torah and the summer wheat harvest. It was celebrated 50 days after Passover and was marked by pilgrims coming to Jerusalem from all over the world to celebrate the event.

--Our question was why the Day of Pentecost? My answer…Jesus is always interested in people and in their salvation. Pilgrims came to Jerusalem to celebrate. God saw the most potential for people to be saved. 3000

--Please do not give me the hogwash that this was just for them. Not for today. Read the Word!

Acts 2:38-39 (NKJV)
³⁸  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
³⁹  For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call."

--Pentecost is for you, for all of us! Will you receive His gift? Holy Spirit is available for you today!

Do Not Be Afraid – 2

Do Not Be Afraid – 2

Subject – Biblical Reasons Not to be Afraid

by Rick Welborne

Isaiah 43:1-7 (NLT2)
¹  But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.
²  When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
³  For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
⁴  Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.
⁵  “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west.
⁶  I will say to the north and south, ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth.
⁷  Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’” 

Last week we looked at this:

1. Let’s look at why God tells us to not be afraid.

2. We must know based on God’s Word that He can be trusted even when we are afraid.

Ortberg - I believe the reason God says “fear not” so often is that fear will sink us faster than anything else.  Fear disrupts faith and becomes the biggest obstacle to trusting and obeying God.

3. Fear and the cost of living in fear.

Ortberg - At is simplest and most benign, fear is an internal warning cry that danger is nearby and we had better do something about it. It is designed to be what researchers call a “self-correcting mechanism”–to be unpleasant enough to motivate us to take action and remove ourselves from whatever is threatening us. It readies our bodies to flee, hide, or fight.

A. Fear will cost us our self-esteem.

B. Fear will cost us a loss of destiny.

C. Fear will cost us a lack of joy.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV) 

11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

D. Fear will cost us a sense of real intimacy.

E. Fear will cost us our availability to God.

F. Fear gets passed from generation to generation.

–Todays’s message...

1. What to do when fear knocks.

–So many things make us afraid or cause us anxiety.

–Maybe they are talking about layoffs at work, slow downs in the economy, flare-ups in the Middle East with terrorism, downturns in the housing market, upswing in global warming, breakouts of al Qaeda or COVID 19..

–Maybe fear of a dictator in Iran getting nuclear weapons or fear of a Pandemic has shaken you to your foundation

–We fear being sued, finishing last, going broke, we fear the mole on our back, the new kid in the neighborhood, we fear being alone...we fear death.

–We have a sophisticated financial plan, get elaborate security systems, and we can even wear a button around our necks to cry for help yet we depend more on drugs more than any other generation in history.

Max Lucado: Fear, it seems, has taken a hundred-year lease on the building next door and set up shop.  Oversize and rude, fear is unwilling to share the heart with happiness. Happiness complies.  Do you ever see the two together? Can one be happy and afraid at the same time? Clear thinking and afraid? No. Fear is the big bully in the high school hallway: brash, loud, and unproductive.

–For all the noise that fear makes and all the room it takes, fear does little good.

Lucado: Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease. Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry. Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that.  Faith did that. People who refused to consult or cower to their timidity did that. But fear itself? Fear herds us into prison and slams the door. 

–Wouldn’t it be great to be able to walk out of the prison that fear makes? Wouldn’t it be great that when fear knocks we refuse to answer the door?

–Imagine your life wholly untouched by fear and anxiety. What if faith, not fear, was your default reactions to threats? Imagine living a day, just one day, absent of the dread of failure, rejection, calamity, and insecurity. 

2. Why be afraid. 

Matthew 8:23‑27 (NKJV) 

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 

24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 

25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" 

26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 

27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" 

–Jesus asked...Why are you fearful...why are you so afraid? Is He serious...He must be kidding. Teasing obviously. Like one swimmer asking the other one - why are you wet?

–Jesus is not kidding...He is sincere...why are you so afraid? It appears that Jesus has forgotten a small detail... 

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 

24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. 

–Matthew remembers well following Jesus onto the boat and then a great storm hitting so quickly and massive waves coming over the boat.

–The word Matthew uses bypasses your typical words for a storm...a shower, squall, cloudburst, or downpour ...none of these fit this storm.

–The word he used was Seismos - a quake, a trembling eruption of sea and sky. A great Seismos arose on the sea and they were in the middle of it.

–We still use the term today...seismologist study earthquakes, seismograph measures them and Matthew and the crew felt shaken to the core by a wet and wild earthquake.

–Only two other occasions was this word used...Once at Jesus death when Calvary shook and again at Jesus resurrection when the graveyard trembled.

–This occasion was comparatively part of a trilogy of Jesus earth shaking events where he defeats sin on the cross, death at the tomb, and here He silences the sea. Amazing.

–The storm comes suddenly, no preparation time...sudden fear that catches you off guard.

–This story reminds us that when you get a board with Jesus that you can get wet and afraid. Disciples can expect rough seas and strong resistant winds.

John 16:33 (NKJV) 

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." 

–You see, believers in Christ are not set apart by the lack of storms...they are set apart by Whom they find in the storm with them. He was sleeping.

–I believe (Actually I know) His sleeping was premeditated...He knew the storm was coming. 

3. Does God care when we are fearful. 

Mark 4:38 (NKJV) 

38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" 

–This is very interesting...they do not ask Jesus about His strength...Can you still the storm? Or His knowledge - Are you aware of the storm? Or His know how - Do you have any experience with storms?

–They raise doubt about Jesus’ character...Do you not care? Fear does this!

–Fear corrodes our confidence in God’s goodness...if God can keep His eyes shut when mine are wide open and He can sleep when I think I am going under...Does He really care? Fear unleashes doubts, anger stirring doubts.

–Fear, at its center, is a perceived loss of control. In the storm we start grabbing for something to hang on to. The more insecure we feel, the meaner we become. We do not like being out of control.

–When Pastor Martin Niemoller was asked about meeting Adolf Hilter and what he had learned, he responded:

Niemoller:  I discovered Herr Hitler is a terribly frightened man.

–Fear releases the tyrant within...frightened and insecure people become mean. The disciples had every reason to believe and know that Jesus cared and was good.

Lucado - Fear creates a form of spiritual amnesia. It dulls our miracle memory. It makes us forget what Jesus has done and how good God is. 

–When fear shapes our lives, safety becomes our god. We take no risk.

–The fear filled person cannot love deeply. Love is risky. They cannot give to the poor because they fear benevolence has no guarantee of return. The fear filled cannot dream big dreams.

–Out of 125 Christ issued imperatives...21 of them tell us not to be afraid...it is His number one statement...2nd was love God and neighbors.

Matthew 10:31 (NKJV) 

31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 

Matthew 6:25 (NKJV) 

25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 

Matthew 14:27 (NKJV) 

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." 

Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) 

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 

John 14:1‑3 (NKJV) 

1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 

2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 

John 14:27 (NKJV) 

27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

--Paul:

2 Timothy 1:6‑7 (NKJV) 

6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.