Changing Lives through the Challenge
God has changed Eternal Lives
God is changing Spiritual Lives
God is changing Physical Lives
God is changing Community Life
God is changing Church Life
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Good morning.
Welcome to our first Sunday of multiple services.
If you are here this morning, you will always be able to say, “I was at the very first 9 am (10:45 am) service that Hickory Creek had when they went to 2 services.”
Well, this morning we are finishing up our series called the New Testament Challenge.
If you have kept up with the reading, you would have read Revelation 20-22 this morning and you would have completed reading the entire New Testament over these past 9 weeks.
It has really been an amazing 9 weeks. God has powerfully used the reading and the messages of this series through the New Testament to do some awesome works in the lives of many people in this church, including my own and my families.
As the pastor, I have had the privilege of hearing and seeing so many wonderful things that God is doing in people’s lives.
And being that it is so easy for us to complete something and quickly move on to the next things, I thought it would be good for us this morning to reflect on some of the things that God has been doing in the lives of the people here and in and through the church as a whole.
If you are visiting with us this morning, then you have picked a great morning to visit and see that God is alive and well and at work at Hickory Creek and in the lives of those who feed themselves on the word of God.
I hope you will be as encouraged by God’s work today as I am.
Now, I want to take you back to 9 weeks ago. We began this series with a challenge.
A challenge for each of you to make a commitment.
When you accepted the New Testament Challenge you were committing to
1. Striving to read and/or listen to the New Testament over these next 9 weeks.
2. Striving to attend each Sunday service over the next 9 weeks
3. Allowing God to speak into my life through His word and the messages.
4. Seeking to take any steps, by the power of the Holy Spirit, that the Lord reveals to you over these next 9 weeks.
I absolutely believe that as people have been reading the Bible, as people have been attending our Sunday morning worship and hearing the message that the Lord had for us, that
He has been speaking and
He has been empowering people to take steps of faith and obedience.
And because of that, God has been changing Lives through this Challenge
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Throughout this series, the verse that really encapsulates all that has been going on is Hebrews 4:12. It reads
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
The word of God is living and active.
It is powerful. It is sharp so as we read it, it can, like a laser, help us cut away the areas in our life that are
not glorifying to Him or
beneficial to us
so we can better grow in the areas that do glorify God and benefit us.
This morning, we are not going to be studying and looking at a particular text.
We are studying and looking at the work God has been doing through the message of his word in our lives and the changes he has made in many different lives.
God is in the business of changing lives so let’s see what kinds of lives have been changed over these 9 weeks.
First, and most importantly,
God has changed Eternal lives
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Over the past 9 weeks, we have been seeing more individuals come to receive Christ as Savior and have their eternal lives changed.
I have personally been able to lead 4 people to Christ and lead them to confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord as they believed in Him and His work as their Savior.
Their eternities were changed from an eternity without hope to one where they will eternally live with God in heaven.
The reading through the New Testament has done 2 things to help us see more fruit.
First, I believe that as those who were coming to Hickory Creek who had never received Christ as Savior, were challenged to read the Word, God honored and used that and spoke into their lives of their need.
Isaiah 55:11 - my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
God’s word will accomplish the purpose God has for it and God’s desire is for people to come to a knowledge of Him and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4)
But I believe also that God, through His word, has strengthened His people to be bolder in proclaiming the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.
As his people have been reading they know they have a responsibility to share this greatest of news. We know people need to hear this message if they are going to have their eternities changed.
Romans 10:17 - faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
As we read, we are strengthened to share the message of the word of Christ.
We don’t have the power to change people’s eternities, but God uses the power of His word through us, to change the eternities of those who hear and receive the message of salvation and trust in Jesus as their Savior.
Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15 that it is the Holy Scriptures that “are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”
God has changed and is changing eternal lives through the power of His word.
But God has not only changed eternal lives,
God is changing Spiritual lives
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Now what is the difference between our eternal life and our spiritual life?
Well our eternal life is changed in an instant, the moment we receive Jesus as our Savior.
Our Spiritual life is changed over time as God grows us in our faith.
How does it change? By growing closer to Jesus by being in His word.
1 Peter 2:2-3
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
That spiritual milk is the basic teachings of God’s word.
As we take in God’s word as a baby takes in milk, we get stronger and we grow spiritually so that, as we read and study God’s word further, we are going to be able to take in the more difficult parts as we continue to feast on the meat of God’s word.
This happens over time as we continue on reading and studying and hearing the word of God.
Over the 9 weeks of the New Testament Challenge, it has been amazing to see how God has been growing people spiritually.
Sometimes this change He is making in us is more visible.
Baptism
We saw 9 baptisms last week.
God growing people to take a step of obedience. I have had several others come up to me after they saw the video and I spoke on obedience, indicating that they too wanted to be obedient to the Lord’s command to be baptized.
Forgiveness
I have had people talk to me after I spoke on forgiveness that they either forgave someone or sought forgiveness and relationships were restored.
Colossians 3:13 - Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
God transforming people to be more like His Son and growing them spiritually.
Confession
I have had several people through this New Testament Challenge recognize sin in their life and confess it and repent and turn from it and have been purified and cleansed.
1 John 1:9 - If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Sometimes the Spiritual changes He makes in our lives are more internal.
I received this email from someone this week
“I am so thankful for the New Testament Challenge!! It has been awesome! I have had so many changes in my life I don’t know where to start. During these last weeks of reading I have had my eyes opened up to the Word in so many ways...from how to be a better wife, patient mother, friend, someone who prays because HE DOES ANSWER OUR PRAYERS!!! I have started 3 new bible studies and grown in Christian friendships. I have also learned more of the history of the bible and gained a better understanding of the books, who wrote them and why they were written. All in a few weeks...amazing! Most importantly I have learned to be patient, forgiving, and thankful for all I have and remember who gave it to me. I really feel I have filled a huge void in my heart with joy!
Sometimes the Spiritual changes He makes in our life are just simple truths that He reminds us of that can have a profound impact in our lives.
Here is another email.
Sometimes the Lord reveals in His word the simple things that I have made into something more difficult. And that is what has been my greatest gain from the NTC over these nine weeks. Whenever I read through scripture I always see areas of my life that I want to grow in or change. What has been popping out at me as I’ve been reading are the scriptures that reveal how God does the work of changing and transforming His people.
My desire for change is a good desire, but I’ve had the equation for seeing results wrong. There is way too much of me as I strive to change under my own power instead of coming before God humbly and open to let Him do the work in me with His power. I think with this equation I will experience true and lasting results.
It probably seems like a simple thing to come out of nine weeks but it has greatly encouraged me!
God is changing people’s spiritual lives through being in His word.
And even as he changes spiritual lives, often those spiritual changes lead to other changes.
Because we have been seeing that
God is changing physical lives
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I have spoken to a number of people who have recognized and are overcoming physical addictions in their lives.
I have talked to others who have been convicted to lose weight because of its detrimental physical effects.
I have talked to some who have been strengthened to quit smoking.
People are recognizing that their “body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” 1 Corinthians 6:19
And they are taking the hard steps of caring for that temple.
And they are hard.
Taking steps to overcome physical addictions is very hard.
But it is as we grow in our spiritual lives God can strengthen us to make hard changes in our physical lives.
I talked to one person who, when they had a desire to smoke, they would turn and do their reading in the NTC and God would strengthen them to withstand the temptation.
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
God strengthens and reminds us through His word about who He is and that He can provide what we need to stand up under temptation.
So often we want God to take the temptation away.
More times than not, he doesn’t take the temptation away but gives us strength to withstand it to His glory.
The Lord tells Paul that “My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
When we are in His word, we are better able to rely on His strength and power to overcome things that bring us a momentary pleasure, but are harmful to our physical selves.
God is changing physical lives through His word.
Not only that but
God is changing Community Lives
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Through this New Testament Challenge, we have seen people challenged to help out in the community and be a help to people who need it.
Food Pantry Help
During these hard economic times, we had someone just recently began attending the church at the beginning of the NTC, and as she was doing the challenge, the Lord laid on her heart a desire to be a help to those in our community.
She saw and article about the local food pantry being low in supplies as more people were coming through.
She thought, what could she do to help? She couldn’t supply the whole food pantry herself. But she thought if she and all her neighbors could give just a small amount each, it could add up to real help.
She gave out flyers to her neighbors and they needed to use a hand truck to bring in the food that was collected.
Food Cards for those in need
We have a family who has regularly given the church grocery store gift cards to help out those who might be in need.
Over the past couple of months, we have been able to help out a couple of different people who live in the community who had fallen on tough times with both food cards and some financial assistance.
The Lord is working through His word in the hearts of His people to grow their faith and to reach out with practical help to people who are in need.
It is just what James tells us to do in James 2:14-16
James 2:14-16
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?
It is often through being able to give practical help that people are open to hearing and receiving spiritual help.
I have had a number of opportunities in the past and a couple recently where by giving practical help, I have been able to share the good news of Jesus Christ and the salvation that comes through Him and have even seen people receive Him as their Savior. All because of some practical help that was given.
God is changing lives in the community.
Finally,
God is changing Church Life
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Here are a few things that have gone at Hickory Creek during these last 9 weeks.
God has expanded our leadership as we have voted on and installed new deacons and elders.
We have now expanded our ability to reach the community by adding an additional service.
We have nearly doubled the number of people who have been willing to serve as we have started 2 services.
Before the NTC, we were unsure how we would find enough people to do this. Well, God is the one who has raised up people as they read His word.
1 Peter 4:9-10
10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
Conclusion
God has changed all kinds of lives through people reading His word, hearing the message of His word and taking obedient steps of faith to put it into practice.
James says
James 1:22-25
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does.
Sometimes acting obediently to the Lord, doing what the word tells us to do, is very hard.
It can be humbling, it can require sacrifice, it can sometimes in the short term be painful, but it is always best.
And when we do what His word tells us, we will be blessed.
What Change does God want to make in your life?
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Not feeling blessed – but striving to live God’s word
Maybe you are here today and have been applying God’s word and being strengthened to live it out as the Lord has been changing and strengthening you, but you feel far from blessed right now.
I want to encourage you to keep your eyes upon Him. Let Him continue to change and strengthen you through His word, because God is faithful and He will bring you through the difficult times to experience His closeness and the joy and peace that comes from that, regardless of our circumstance.
Feeling blessed as He has changed your life – Keep going
Perhaps, you are a life that God changed over these last 9 weeks. I want to encourage you to keep going.
Continue to be in His word.
Continue to be strengthened by Him.
Continue to apply His word to your life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
There will be times it is hard, really hard.
But he can give you the strength through His Spirit and through His people to get through.
And when you get through, you experience that blessing again.
Not feeling blessed – Not living God’s word
Perhaps you are here and this is all new to you.
Perhaps life has gotten pretty hard over the last several months or year and you are feeling anything but blessed.
God has got you here for a reason.
His desire is to change your life and to bless you with His closeness and the joy and peace that comes from knowing Him.
I would encourage you to open up the Bible and to continue to come back to church where God can continue to speak into your life and bring about the change that only He can.
Where ever you are at this morning, I want to pray that God would continue to speak to us through His word and continue to make the changes in our life that need to be made.
Let’s pray.
