Today we continue the series “A Quest for Intimacy.” -1

 Listen to Paul: Philippians 3:10 AMP [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him—that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding [the wonders of His person] more strongly and more clearly. And that I may in the same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [the power it exerts over believers]; and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death.” In this single sentence we find the Apostle Paul’s goal or quest for his life. He refers to it as his “determined purpose” as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

1. A Determined Purpose. What is that saying to us? It says that there is or should be a change in order. We have to deliberately embrace this aim to “become more intimately acquainted with Christ.” That I may know Him. Hear me, not intimately acquainted with theology, as important as theology may be. Not intimately acquainted with the church, as valuable as the church may be. Matthew 6:33 (NCV) “The thing you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what God wants…”

2. Nothing is of Greater Importance than Knowing Christ Intimately. This was the whole point the Apostle Paul was trying to make to the Philippians as he shared his resume. Philippians 3:7-8 (NKJV) “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord…”

3. Holy Spirit is Our Key to Intimacy with Christ. Jesus is the Mediator between God and man. Without Jesus to fill that gap, we are all in trouble. We have been reconciled to God through Christ. Question…Jesus is the Mediator between God and man is indisputable, but Who is the Mediator between Christ and the believer? In other words, Who is the One Who connects us to Jesus? Of course, Holy Spirit. John 16:7 (NKJV) “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.” God, please draw us closer to Jesus by the beautiful intimacy we can have through Holy Spirit.

Today we begin a new series that I believe...

... is going to resonate with many. A Quest for Intimacy. One of the first responses we get when we ask someone how they are doing is, “I am so busy!” Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV) As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? People, even church people, actually everyone are caught up with the phrase Charles Swindoll calls the “tyranny of the urgent.” Swindoll – The tyranny of the urgent is not a theoretical issue, but a very real fact of life. It leaves people feeling strung out, impatient, occasionally resentful, and even worse, empty. I guess what I am asking of us as we begin this series, are we willing to make the changes needed to help us?

1. Deep Things. People have always been intrigued by deep things. Deep recesses of space, deep jungles, deep oceans, deep caves, deep thoughts, and deep conversations. Nothing is more exciting or nothing should be more exciting than to realize that God is giving each one of us an invitation to go deeper with Him instead of being swallowed up with surface junk.I believe some of God’s best truth’s or treasures are hidden in depths few are willing to venture into. What a loss for us! Patiently God waits on someone who is hungry enough to dig.

2. Hearts that Belong to God. As intriguing as the deep things of God might be, they are not found by the natural means of our mind. He is looking for hearts who belong completely to Him. Sadly, in our crazy hurried world there is very little time for intimacy with God. The church has become a group of people who resemble a herd of cattle in a stampede than a flock of sheep by still waters. Psalm 23:1-2 (NKJV) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 

3. We Cannot Stay Where We Are Now. Think about the condition of our world. Think about new government leaders in our country putting people in leadership who are the most pro-abortion, anti-family, Israel defying they can find. Isn’t it time for the Church…the real church, to get serious about its relationship to God and our responsibility to a lost and dying world. We must go deeper. Obviously God has provided Holy Spirit for us so we can have greater intimacy, greater power, and depths we have yet to discover. Let’s go!

Today we continue “Looking at Questions in God’s Word.

     These three questions. Job 38:4 (NLT2)  “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. Luke 6:46-49 (NKJV) "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?” Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV) “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." It was great hearing from Missionaries Sam and Shelly Bowdoin and hearing about what God is doing in the Philippines and Asia. Thank the Lord we were able to help rebuild churches there. Also, what an honor to be challenged by our General Superintendent Doug Clay. We believe he is God’s man to lead us into greater things for the Kingdom and for missions. Let’s see what God is truly saying to His people.

1. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Job is trying to defend himself and he steps over some lines. Our nation was birthed with a great understanding that without the help and intervention of Almighty God we were doomed to destruction. Thomas Jefferson - "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever..." I personally believe the mission of America and the mission of a Christian is that once you have found freedom and liberty, you should be willing to help others do the same. 

2. But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? Here we see Jesus making a contrast between two different people. One person does what Jesus says to do and the other does his own thing. One person, through his obedience, assures himself of having a good and solid foundation. The other person, through their disobedience, assures himself of being on a foundation that is nothing more than shifting sand. So what are you saying, Pastor Rick? But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? Don’t call Jesus Lord and try to convince me how spiritual you are if you are not willing to send missionaries around the world. 

3. Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? Once Isaiah got a glimpse of Who God really was he went thru a process of repentance. So what is the result of this encounter and repentance. "Here am I! Send me." 

Today we welcome Sam and Shelly Bowdoin ...

 

...to Life Church and to our 2021 Annual Mission’s Convention. They will be challenging us about the truth found in God’s Word about the Great Commission and encouraging us to go beyond what we have ever done in the past with Faith Promises.  A.W.Tozer said, “The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!" King David said that he would not offer anything to the Lord that did not cost him something. I pray we are ready to be sacrificial.

We need to ask ourselves...are we doing our best?  Are we bringing our tithe into the storehouse (the church) and are we doing what we can to reach the world?  Am I giving a token to God or am I giving Him a sacrifice? Oswald J. Smith, "No one has the right to hear the gospel twice, while there remains someone who has not heard it once." Jesus Christ was extra-ordinarily faithful to us when He went to the cross and died for our sins. Can we really say that there is anything extra-ordinary about our giving to the Lord or to His Great Commission? I challenge you to prayerfully allow Holy Spirit to speak to you about what to do for Missions and for our Lord Jesus Christ!  

Years ago our General Council Mission’s Director spoke to us about the Assemblies of God and Life Church having an appearance of doing great things for God but he went on and said that sounds good until you compare it to the unfinished task.  We are in the top ten churches in the Peninsular Florida District which represents about 330 churches and we are in the top 100 churches in the United States in World Missions giving which represents around 12,100 churches.  We are one of about forty of the top 100 churches who increased their giving during chaotic 2020. Very impressive until you compare to the unfinished task before us. Before we get too impressed with ourselves consider this, about two-thirds of the world still have not had an adequate witness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our challenge is great but we serve an awesome God! Prayerfully fill out a Faith Promise card and let’s do our part in reaching the world.

Today at the beginning of our Mission’s Convention...

 

... we continue our series “Looking at Questions in God’s Word.” Romans 10:13-15 (NLT2) “For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” 
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent?” Powerful questions from God’s Word. Attempting to stay with our theme in this series our text asks us some pretty piercing questions that I believe are worth investigating. Four questions:

1. How can they call on him? Let me ask it another way; how can anyone be saved if they don’t know Who Jesus is? Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t the Word say there is no other Name under heaven where man can be saved? We want them to call on Jesus and we want them to believe in Jesus so as we show them the transformation in us and we love them they will call on Him. 

2. How can they believe in Him? Again it comes down to personal responsibility. I have found in my restaurant ministry, if I am honest, loving, and transparent I have a much greater possibility of getting them to believe in Christ. Just a news alert from someone who loves you…sinners can see a fake or a hypocrite from a mile away. 

3. How can they hear about Him? I truly believe one of the many reasons God will have to wipe away our tears when we get to heaven is because we have had this treasure in earthen vessels and we kept it to ourselves. And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? You know what is funny? No one told me I had to go tell people about Jesus when He totally changed my life. I couldn’t wait. I personally believe the greatest motivation to be a great witness for Christ is love that is propelled by Holy Spirit power! 

4. How will anyone go? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? I want to challenge you in 2021 to join with God and with us in helping missionaries to be sent to the countries of their calling. Make out a new Faith Promise card or increase yours from last year. Isaiah’s vision…Lord, send me!

Why do we all need to be a part of Missions Faith Promises?...

 

 ... Why is there such a sense of urgency to add more and more missionaries and to continue increasing the ones we already support? We all know that the Great Commission in Matthew 28 and Mark 16 tells us to go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to everyone. Also, Jesus said:  Matthew 24:14 (NKJV) 
^“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Jesus has told us to go or to send missionaries and if we do not we are disobedient. Five reasons for all of us to get involved:

1. When the body of Christ is in unity, great things happen! Ephesians 4:16 (NLT) “He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.”

2. The sooner we turn in our Faith Promises, the sooner we will know we can add new missionaries, increase the support of present ones, and help with special projects for them. You need to fill out a Faith Promise every year no matter how many years you have given. 

3. Pastor, it seems we are competing to be one of the best Missions giving churches around …you would be correct, we are competing for the souls of people here at home and around the world.

4. I do not feel that all of us are sacrificial when it comes to Missions…we all can do something and many of us can do more. No condemnation if you can’t. Pray and obey! Romans 12:1 (NKJV) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” 

5. A Faith Promise is not what you can do but what God can do through you. As you make that Faith Promise step back and watch Jehovah Jirreh supply everything you need!

Today we continue the series “Looking at Questions in God’s Word” ...

 

...and as we see our Life Church ministries, I want to challenge you to be a true disciple. Jesus says in Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,” God sent out the disciples, actually all of us, into the world so that people would be saved but also to make disciples. My definition of disciple. Disciple – A disciplined Christian who is obedient to Christ and is using his or her talent to serve Jesus and to serve people. Loving God and loving people, not just in word, but in deed and in truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

1. Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? Matthew 9:10-13 (NKJV) “Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" True disciples of Jesus Christ care about and attempt to do whatever they can to reach the lost. 

2. Who do people say that the Son of Man is? Matthew 16:13 & 15 (NLT2) “When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” As a disciple it is imperative that you know Who Jesus is. Why? How will you help others who need to find Him if you do not know Jesus yourself? 

3. What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Matthew 26:40 (NKJV) ^“Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?” Jesus is needing His disciples so much at this time in His life. He is about to be arrested, abused, and eventually crucified. Needless to say, they did not get it. It is obvious that our world is on fire right now, and if God has ever needed His disciples, it is now. Needless to say, many of us do not get it. Could you not watch with Me one hour? Could you not pray with Me one hour? Could you not serve for Me for one hour? How long are our services now? Oh, one hour. Become a true disciple of Jesus.