The Challenge - Week Seven
Turning Things Around

It’s early in the week and I’m working on putting together my sermon for Sunday. I’m in the second week of my new series, Life the Way It Was Meant To Be, a look at 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians. Like most preachers my upcoming sermon is what will fill a large part of my thought life this week.

The title for this week’s message is, U Turn Required, and is a look at what we need to do to change our lives and become more spiritually mature.

I suspect that this is something that occupies the hearts and minds of many if not most Christians. Oh we probably don’t admit it all that often, but after about 27 years in ministry I believe this topic dogs a lot of our heels.

We know we ought be better, do better, think better and feel better yet somehow we aren’t better! It would be one thing if we didn’t know better, but for many of us that’s not true. We do know better, in fact we know so much and do or experience so little that it’s a real problem for us.

These thoughts are hardly original with me. George Gallup said, “Never before in the history of the United States has the gospel of Jesus Christ made such inroads while at the same time making so little difference in how people live.”

Changed lives. It’s all about changing lives. You may have noticed our new slogan at the bottom of every page on this site, “Changing Lives on Purpose.” (That wasn’t original with me either!) I put it there to remind myself if no one else that changing lives is what it’s all about and to help me never lose sight of that.

Here’s the Apostle Paul’s insight on this issue from two different translations:

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do.  2 Tim. 3:16-17 (NLT)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 (KJV)

Paul says that the purpose of the Bible is to equip believers to do the work God has prepared for us to do!  People often look at these verses and get hung up on doctrine, reproof and correction. I’ve heard many sermons preached on how it’s the Bible’s purpose to teach us true doctrine.

I disagree – these verses say that doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness are the mean to God’s end – and that end is life change!

Therefore all we do must be aimed at not just learning the truth – but applying and living it! Isn’t that our problem today?  We have churches full (okay – half full but that’s another issue!) of people who say they are believers but who are making little or no effort to obey God and apply His Word to their lives!

Okay so what’s this week’s Challenge? Simple. I want you to take a look back on what you heard preached or taught in last week or two (I hope you can remember it!! Taking notes helps!) and pick out two or three things that you are either having difficulty with or simply ignoring completely.

Now, start applying the truths you heard to your life!  If your preacher isn’t giving you enough application – the try it yourself! It’s not easy, in fact it’s down right difficult!!  But it’s worth the trip believe me!