Today we are starting a new series that...

... hopefully will be sobering and enlightening about the fear of the Lord and our response to that fear. Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV) “The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. 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.” As we look all around us here in the United States, I think we can agree that we see very little of what we would call the Fear of the Lord. But let me be honest. When we look through the church, it is difficult to see those who truly have a genuine fear of the Lord. I guess we need to start with us (the church) if we will deal with this situation. 1 Peter 4:17-18 (NKJV) “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 

“If the righteous one is scarcely saved.” Just that statement in verse 18 should be enough to sober us up about the fear of the Lord. Our relationship to Him is of such importance that we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling. What Isaiah is saying in our text is that holy fear is the key to God’s sure foundation in our lives. In that godly fear we find the treasures of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Sounds very important. The fear of the Lord along with the love of God sets us up to have a sure foundation to live in a depraved world. Hopefully we will learn in this series we cannot truly love God until we fear Him; nor can we properly fear Him until we love Him. I love asking people what their definition of the fear of the Lord is. Most of the time their answers reflect their relationship with the Lord or maybe their lack of it. What would your answer be? How do you see God? Is your fear of Him and your love for Him your sure foundation? Does your fear of the Lord assure you of salvation and provide wisdom and knowledge?

It is important how we see God the Son…Jesus Christ. Psalm 89:7(NKJV) “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.” I hope we can all see a distinction in this verse. Yes, we are to revere Him but we are to also to have godly fear. We must capture a glimpse of the greatness and the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Whom we serve. How we approach Him will say much about how we fear Him. Sadly, we have made God in our own image. Is the Jesus you serve the Jesus of the Bible or is He the Jesus you have created Who winks at your sin and lets you live anyway you want with no consequences? Jesus is greatly to be feared.

Today I am continuing to talk about missions...

... not just our World Missions but also our personal mission fields. Acts 1:8 (NKJV) “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." 

1. Our Mission should be clear. Our mission should impact all that we do as believers. Our mission should be what we are trying to accomplish, our target, what we hope with God’s help to be our goal…our mission given to us by God. As Christians our mission should not be that difficult because our Commander in Chief Jesus has already laid out for us what we should be doing. Mark 16:15&20 (NIV) “He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Our mission, according to Jesus, is to go! To go everywhere telling people about the good news of salvation and then, teaching them to be His disciples. It is not that complicated. How is that possible? Our mission can be accomplished by having an organized missions program where we faithfully support those who are being sent to the ends of the earth. We can’t go but we can send people. Paul says how can they go unless they are sent.

2. Our local mission can be realized by lifestyle evangelism. Wherever we are and whatever we are doing should always be a prospect for leading someone to Christ. We are not a church who is always on a mission’s trip but we should always be a church that is on mission. Holy Spirit will guide us to wonderful opportunities. 

Henry Blackaby – God is always on mission and He is just looking for those who will join Him to accomplish His will. Lifestyle evangelism is only effective when we are displaying the fruit of Holy Spirit on a regular basis. That favorite restaurant you go to; you can lose your chance of leading them to Christ with one bad day.

3. My mission cannot just be what I do but it must be who I am. Who I am in Christ. Yes, I am a minister and yes my church is a great responsibility to me…but the church is not the whole world Jesus told me to reach in Matthew. Tennis or golf or shopping are no longer just activities we are doing but opportunities for our light to so shine before those we are coming into contact with…God wants to be glorified. Your job, your recreation, your vacation, your doctor visit, your classroom, your whatever, is not just you grinding out your day but you are on your mission field. We should come to get empowered and so we can realize our mission to be witnesses. The lost need us. Yes, support Missions through the church but, also, be missionaries everywhere. Go!

On Wednesday nights I am talking about Missions.

 I know that you are so surprised! Matthew 14:22 (NKJV) “Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.” Today I want to speak to you about my last Wednesday night message about the process and purpose of the disciples going to the other side.

1. Jesus made His disciples get in the boat to go to the other side. Immediately Jesus made His disciples...I love the urgency and the authority of Jesus to get His disciples to the other side. Evidently there was something or someone very important on the other side...people! Jesus was sending His disciples on a mission’s trip because there were people who needed salvation and healing. Do you suppose Jesus wants to use Life Church to minister on the other side of the ocean and here at home?

2. Jesus never promised us that the process of getting to the other side would be easy. The boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. Maybe as you try to support missions, your sea is rocking and rolling. That does not change the mission. Why is it, so often, that when we decide to do the right thing that there is adversity? The devil hates souls. If He lays on your heart to help Life Church to send almost 196 missionaries all around the world...He will make a way in your financial storm.

3. Jesus promises to go with us when He sends us to the other side. Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. What makes ministry and missions possible is knowing that Jesus will be with us. He has promised that Holy Spirit will give us power to be witnesses. Matthew 28:18‑20 (NLT)“Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

4. Jesus sent them to the other side so they could witness a great revival. When they have crossed over...Yippee!  Mission accomplished...well not completely. You see when we give to Missions...it is the front side of the miracle...we provide for those getting in the boat to physically go to the other side. When the disciples (along with Jesus) come out of the boat...revival broke out! This is Missions!

Missions – 2020

Missions – 2020 

Subject: Celebrating God’s Faithfulness thru Our People

by Rick Welborne

Through our text I want to show you three things…The Great Commission, Holy Spirit, and Faith Promises. 

Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
¹⁹  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

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." 

2 Corinthians 9:5-8 (NLT)
⁵  So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.
⁶  Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
⁷  You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
⁸  And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

--The Apostle Paul is sending an envoy ahead of him to receive a Faith Promise from Achaia (Greece) for the believers in Jerusalem who were very much in need. 

--A Faith Promise is what you prayerfully decide God wants you to do for the Missions of Life Church on a monthly basis or for a one time offering in 2020. This is between you and God. Your FP card is in your bulletin.

--Pastor Rick, if this is between us and God why do we have to do a Faith Promise at all? Great question. The Faith Promise totals help us to figure out how many missionaries we can support and how many raises we can...

--Let me definitely throw in here that even if you did a Faith Promise last year or for the last 30 years, you still need to do one for this year. The FP cards are our indicators on how we can bless our missionaries. 100%

--He wants the gift to be a willing gift not one given begrudgingly. I am talking about how you folks did here at Life Church in 2019. You prayed and God spoke to your heart and you gave! Wonderful! Please do it again!

--I don’t want any of you to give reluctantly or because of pressure because God loves a cheerful giver. Notice it says that they were to decide how much to give not whether to give or not. Listen to God’s promise.

2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)
⁸  And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

--Of course, my purpose today and our purpose for the next few weeks (today and two other Sundays) is to encourage you to make a faith promise to our General Missions of Life Church. Let’s do it in three Sundays!

--I say General Missions because if you give only designated offerings to particular missionaries or missions, that does not help us to be able to add more missionaries or increase the ones we have. You can do both.

--Today is a humble celebration of what God has done in 2019 here at Life Church thru all of us who were willing to be faithful in the tithe and also with mission’s offerings. Please get ready to celebrate!

Psalm 34:1 (NKJV)
¹  I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 

1. Though our wonderful House of Hope and all their incredible volunteers, in 2020 we gave to our community 264,885 pounds or 132.4 tons of food.

--The House of Hope is led by Everett Bass and his awesome team…thanks so much! Please stand!

--Life Church spent only $12,636 in purchasing food (Second Harvest) and the rest was given by you, by First Baptist Church of Leesburg, Operation Blessings, and by Harbor Oaks Community ($3,048.50 donations).

--They averaged about 356 families a month…4,277 families annually. Brother Bass’s report said that they ministered to or impacted about 1,224 individuals a month! Volunteer hours were 4182 hours. 80 a week!

--They received again a 100% rating on their Second Harvest Inspection, which is an annual requirement.

2. Through Joseph’s Storehouse and LEGACY we gave over $32,000 to help the poor and needy in our community, to help teachers in two schools, and to help those needing counseling.

--We have cultivated an atmosphere of generosity at Life Church and I commend you for catching the vision of what God is doing and desires to do. All the teachers in two schools received $50 each from our church. $6050

--I figured that we gave close to $700 a week (an average) to help the poor and needy in our community. God bless you, Life Church, for your amazing generosity. 

Proverbs 19:17 (NLT)
¹⁷  If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD— and he will repay you! 

--I don’t believe there is a lack of funds for ministry but I do believe there is a lack of vision…people will put their money where there is vision. Pro. 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish…

--Leadership is here to bring vision and revelation about what our responsibilities are…the poor and missions!

Quote: We often hear, “Put your money where your mouth is” but I say “Put your money where your vision is.”

--Of that $32000, $5015 went to help people who could not adequately have a Christmas for their families… thank you again for your generosity!

3. Through our Life Church Mission’s Program in 2019 we were able to do amazing things!

--Life Church Missions is led by Dan and Peggy Duvall and Joel and Carrie Rosario and a wonderful mission’s board. Please stand!

--Life Church began 2019 supporting 180 missionaries and ended the year supporting 194 (47 US and 147 World). That’s incredible. Adding 14 more missionaries! Thank you for being so faithful!

--I always want people to know how we support US Missions because many will try to say, “Why do we send so much money around the world when the US needs help?” We get it. We support 47 here and could do more!

--General mission’s offerings received as of 12/31/2019 were $291,553.50 and designated offerings (speakers, missionaries, etc.) were $82,099.79.   

--Monthly support for 50 missionaries was increased (raises ranging from $10 to $35 per month) for a total of $1,060 per month. LIFE Church also sent 60 onetime gifts for a total of $63,120.  

--In November, a Christmas blessing of $100.00 was sent to 170 missionary families / organizations for a total of $17,000. The year began with a balance on hand of $30,898.64 and ended with $53,068.65.  

--We added a second mission house in 2019 ($156,000) and both houses continue to be a blessing to our supported missionaries who return for itineration. It is our aim to provide comfortable low cost housing. $275

--Total income for the year was $414,771.49 and disbursements were $392,092.48.  During the year all Missions Committee requests for financial action were presented to and approved by the Board of Deacons. 

--Throughout the year, LIFE Church paid all monthly support in full! It is so important for everyone to give to the General Missions so that we can increase our numbers.

--Just think what we could do if we had 100% participation? Make a FP of $1 a week…can’t pay it…I will! Again I want to challenge you who have never given and see how God will bless you!

--Out of over 13,000 churches in the A/G…we have been in the top 100 for several years…how crazy is it that a relatively small A/G Church can accomplish that…your generosity! God’s faithfulness!

--I expect my pastoral leadership, my Board of Deacons, department heads, and all who lead to be an example of faithfulness and generosity to Missions…General Missions! It is our life blood and why we are so blessed!

1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT)
¹² Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

--I have had people ask me thru the years does Life Church tithe (give 10%) of the money that comes in back into ministry and missions? I say “no” because we give about one-third of our funds into these areas.

--That being said, we increased from 3% to 4% of our GF putting it into all the other Mission’s giving of our church. We believe what we preach about how God will bless us!

4. Life Church is celebrating God’s favor in an incredible way.

--Our Men’s Ministry under Bill Bibler is growing and thriving! Our WMs Ministry is flourishing under Donna Brooker. 

--The Life Church Music Department under Pastor Aaron and his team is growing so much! Bible Quiz has exploded with growth and success under Pastor Mark and Christie Anne. Children’s ministry is awesome.

--LA Vida (our Spanish ministry) was wondering about its survival two years ago and now has grown so much! Pastor Juan and Kacie are leading this ministry. Youth Ministry is very strong!

--BYF under Pastor Marty and Faye just had one of its largest attendances ever going to see the Gaithers.  Connect Groups are growing under Pastor Joseph. 

--We could go on and on but time will not permit. Thanks to all the other ministries that are also growing and making disciples on a regular basis.

--Yes, we are here to celebrate God’s faithfulness but we are here at the beginning of this Missions Month to boast in the Lord, to celebrate you and your faithfulness, and to challenge you again to commit to FPs.

--When we take on a missionary we do it basically for life or at least until they come off the field. We challenge you to be here these first three Sundays of February to here our heart and our speaker’s hearts for Missions.

--These speakers are great speakers and will challenge you! By the way, when we have guest missionaries, please do not decide to stay home…they need your encouragement and support. It’s not all about you!

--Be willing to give up something to do a FP for the first time or to increase your FP. Truly make it sacrificial. God will bless you for it. Our family and our church has experienced those blessings for years.

2 Corinthians 9:12-15 (NKJV)
¹²  For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God,
¹³  while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men,
¹⁴  and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you.
¹⁵  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Our faithfulness to giving and our faithfulness to Missions:

1. Meets the needs of the missionaries. 

2. It causes thanksgiving to God.

3. It shows your confession of Christ is sincere.

4. It causes the recipients (the missionaries) to pray for you. 

5. It magnifies God’s indescribable gift…Jesus!  

--Faith Promise Cards and offering!

--Communion.

Missions 2020…can you believe it?

 Through our text I want to show you three things…The Great Commission, Holy Spirit, and Faith Promises. Matthew 28:19 (NKJV) “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
^“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." 2 Corinthians 9:5 (NLT) “So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.” Obviously these three things Life Church is very passionate.

A Faith Promise is what you prayerfully decide God wants you to do for the Missions of Life Church on a monthly basis or for a one time offering in 2020. This is between you and God. Your FP card is in your bulletin. Pastor Rick, if this is between us and God why do we have to do a Faith Promise at all? Great question. The Faith Promise totals help us to figure out how many missionaries we can support and how many raises we can give. Let me definitely throw in here that even if you did a Faith Promise last year or for the last 30 years, you still need to do one for this year. The FP cards are our indicators on how we can bless our missionaries. I don’t want any of you to give reluctantly or because of pressure because God loves a cheerful giver. Notice it says that they were to decide how much to give not whether to give or not. 

Through our Life Church Mission’s Program in 2019 we were able to do amazing things! Life Church Missions is led by Dan and Peggy Duvall and Joel and Carrie Rosario and a wonderful mission’s board. 

Life Church began 2019 supporting 180 missionaries and ended the year supporting 194 (47 US and 147 World). That’s incredible. Adding 14 more missionaries! Thank you for being so faithful! I always want people to know how we support US Missions too. General mission’s offerings received as of 12/31/2019 were $291,553.50 and designated offerings (speakers, missionaries, etc.) were $82,099.79.  Monthly support for 50 missionaries was increased (raises ranging from $10 to $35 per month) for a total of $1,060 per month. LIFE Church also sent 60 onetime gifts for a total of $63,120. In November, a Christmas blessing of $100.00 was sent to 170 missionary families / organizations for a total of $17,000. Just think what we could do if we had 100% participation? This is just a glimpse of what we are doing for missions. Again I want to challenge you who have never given and see how God will bless you! Let’s fulfill the Great Commission together, Life Church!

Today is the day we have our emphasis on...

... the ministries here at Life Church (Parade of Ministries). We do not parade them in front of you like we used to but they will be highlighted on the overhead. Since we have been emphasizing the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we will discuss how that experience with the Spirit can help you in the fulfillment of whatever ministry you are involved.

1. You shall receive power. Holy Spirit is needed, not just to be a witness, but for power to fulfill your ministry or calling. We acknowledge Holy Spirit gives us power to witness but He also gives us power to teach, to disciple, and to accomplish the second half of the Great Commission in helping us to make disciples. 

2. Holy Spirit baptism makes a difference. D L Moody was transformed by his encounter with the Spirit. Moody – My heart was not in the work of begging. I could not appeal. I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. Well, one day, in the city of New York—oh, what a day! I cannot describe it. I seldom refer to it; it is almost too sacred an experience to name. I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand. I went to preaching again. The sermons were not different. I did not present any new truths, and yet hundreds were converted. I would not now be placed back where I was before that blessed experience if you should give me all the world. 

3. Holy Spirit power manifested. Mark 16:15-20 (NKJV) “And He (Jesus) said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 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." So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” Notice that when we do what God calls us to do, He will be working with us through the power of Holy Spirit. Invite Him every day into your life and ministry, then, watch what He does!

I normally parallel my article with the Sunday morning sermon but...

... today I felt Holy Spirit would have me share from my Wednesday night sermon. If you miss Wednesday nights, you are missing an opportunity to be blessed and to grow in your faith. We are all familiar with the story about Peter being locked up in prison and how the angel came to rescue him. The message is more about the church praying than it is about angels. Acts 12:5-7 (NKJV) ^“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, "Arise quickly!" And his chains fell off his hands.” What happens when we pray sincerely?

1. When people pray in sincerity something from heaven shows up. There was an angel…a light showed up in the prison. When we pray here on earth, God responds from heaven. We have not because we ask not. We need something supernatural from God. Too much of what we have today has the smell of human instead of the touch of heaven. Maybe you are here needing something from heaven…pray until heaven shows up!

2. When people pray in sincerity God wakes people up. When the angel came to Peter, what did he do? He smote him in the side and woke him up. When God’s people pray…God wakes up those who are sleeping. Do you know anyone like that? People are sleeping…we must pray until they wake up. Our son was sleeping. We had to pray until he woke up. We had to call until God answered…until Josh responded.

3. When people pray in sincerity chains fall off. Chains are restrictive. If you have chains on your legs, you can’t run. When we pray personally we find a freedom we did not have before. A new ability or freedom to witness…no longer restricted. When we pray God sets people free. Listen, your prodigal can’t be worse off than Peter. I know with the opioid crisis we wonder if they can be free. They can! Pray! I was there before it was popular.

4. When people pray doors are opened. Pastor, the door is not opening…pray! There’s a battle! Pray! 1 Corinthians 16:9 (NKJV) “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” When God’s people pray…doors are opened just like for Peter. God opened the door and set him free. We don’t need a battering ram…we do not need to force it…God will open the door. Pray!