Pastor John Tilton
June 27, 2021 - W2126

"When Challenged by Change"

What Do You Do...

Pastor John Tilton

June 26 & 27, 2021

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV)

How to Respond When Challenged by Change; and The Decisions We Make Amid Change.

Aloha and Welcome, New Hope Oahu--it's a pleasure to have you worshipping with us, today!  In the last year and a half for the first time in history, the whole world stopped!  We were all blindsided with the COVID-19 virus--we heard about it one day; next, the lockdown happened; and now we all wear masks!  Everyone experienced the pandemic that changed everything!  

Workers had to adapt to new changes in schedules and responsibilities; children had to adapt to online classes; businesses closed and those that didn’t, had to reinvent themselves by making changes. Change is inevitable. It's a part of life; it's not if you go through change, but when. Change affects every aspect of our lives--our emotions, relationships, jobs, and families. The enemy will do his best to affect your life; so, today, we are continuing our series,"What Do You Do..." the topic is, "When Challenged by Change."  

Most of us don’t like change--their risk and uncertainty. We may even play the victim card as did Adam and Eve.  Eve said, "The serpent beguiled me." When we play the victim card, we are playing the enemy’s game! He knows that when you feel ineffective, you become paralyzed, distracted, numb, and wonder why this is happening to you! The devil is controlling you! The Lord will help us navigate through the change.

1. Don't Be a Victim, Be a Victor! Don't Be Bitter or Broken, Be Better!   

Psalm 71:20 NIV says: "Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth, you will again bring me up."

If anyone in the Bible deserved to play the victim card, it would be Joseph, the son of Jacob.  His brothers (who were supposed to love him), took his coat of many colors and sold him to traders; the traders sold him to Potiphar in Egypt and he served in Potiphar's household; he was seduced by Potiphar's wife, but Joseph didn’t respond to her, so she accused him of molesting her and he was thrown into prison; in prison, he helped the cupbearer, and when the cupbearer got out, he forgot about Joseph! Through all his trials, Joseph never rebelled--he just kept doing his best!

II. Don't Focus on What You've Lost, But on What You Have!

At the very depths of despair, God restored Joseph's life and brought him to great influence when he saved Potiphar’s kingdom from famine; he also forgave his brothers, when they came before him to buy food. 

"⁷ But whatever things were gain to me, these things I have counted as loss because of Christ.  ⁸ More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ." Philippians 3:7-8 NASB.

It means that if we focus on what could, should, would’ve been, rather than what could be possible, we will sink with the ship! But, if we give up everything because of Christ, we will be able to navigate.  When life changes, Jesus remains the same!

When you keep focusing on the past, you are playing the enemy's game and staying in the pit!  God is saying, "I’m reaching down and giving you My hand; but you must reach up to me and I will pull you out of that pit!"  

WE HAVE OUR FAITH! 

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1 NIV)

Faith is Trust/Confidence - Trusting in Advance What Will Only Make Sense in Reverse! 

Faith is the assurance that we have what we do not see yet; faith is trusting in advance by thinking of all that God has already given you. 

Base Your Faith and Trust on What You Have: Truth, Foundation, and Prayer.

1.  Truth is the Word. Read the Word; God will speak to you; you gain confidence and trust.  

2.  Foundation is meditating and memorizing the Word; it becomes your Sword of the Spirit.

3.  Prayer takes truth and foundation and mixes it to make a covering; prayer is the glue that holds it all together. 

I challenge you to memorize one scripture a week and keep it in your heart and see what God will do as you repeat that scripture throughout the week.  You'll say, "Every time I said it from memory, I felt this wonderful feeling.  What is that?"  That's the Holy Spirit! 

Let me share Danny Kim's testimony, a businessman and long-time member of New Hope Oahu. Danny owns an import, manufacturing, and distributing company, Koha Foods; he is also a member of Life Group. One day just before the pandemic, a prophet came to Life Group and prophesied over Danny. At first, Danny was apprehensive as the prophet told him things that only he knew about his business, and the prophet told him that he would have an opportunity to expand his small business into a mega business--beyond what he could comprehend; that he would buy a property a block from his.  It would take a miracle to make this happen as the banks did not want to give him a loan, to the timing of the sale. But Danny had faith and listened to the word and prayed.

DANNY KIM:   My dad would visit me in my office and see my Bible in front of me; and one day he asked if it was helping me?  I said, "Yeah, Dad, that’s how I’m getting through this.  It’s because of my faith and what Jesus is doing."  Dad knew everything I was going through!  I had to be a role model to him as I was the one Christian he could see--so I never blew up or yelled at anybody. I tried to put everything in God’s hands and think about what Jesus would do.

I start every day with prayer and Bible reading and I had read in James 1:5 that if I ask God for wisdom that He will provide. Since I had so many challenges to overcome every day, I continued to seek for wisdom--and God always provided solutions for me!

One day a property (a block from ours) came up for sale that I had thought of buying. In the process, my dad said, "What are you doing?  You crazy?  That's how companies go bankrupt."  But I was able to tell him, "You're right, but it would be a cool thing if we made it happen, right?"  He just shook his head and walked out.

When we were building on that property, construction costs kept going through the roof and unexpected things happened, every day!  We started a prayer group and every day we prayed for our company--for families, employees, customers, and everyone.  We put our issues out there and asked God for help, and He provided solutions every single day--He was always consistent! We completed the construction and moved into the new building in February 2021.  As difficult as 2020 was, February 2021 brought many opportunities, as God blessed us in so many ways! 

Our goal is to help make Hawaii become 50% self-sustainable; and we’re moving toward manufacturing, food production, and bringing back small batch manufacturing to Hawaii.

After we moved into the new building, I brought Dad into my office and shared everything that had happened--from the prophet speaking to me and all the miracles that happened. Dad just nodded his head and I told him, “It’s not about all that. The only thing that matters to me is that you and Mom know Jesus, and that I see you in heaven--that’s all I care about.  It doesn’t matter what happens to this business or to me; but it matters that you will be in heaven! God made this happen to show you what He can do.”

Mom accepted Jesus and we're still working on Dad.  He’s a man of few words but I’m praying that he will get to know Jesus and see what He has done. I have two sons and a daughter that I would love the opportunity to work with, as I did with my parents.  I don’t want them to get caught up in material things of the world--I want them to work hard.  More importantly, I want them to know Jesus.  My hope for them is that they will have a relationship with Jesus early, so they won't make as many mistakes as I did! It’s so humbling to know that we have a God who loves and cares about all the details of our lives; we can reach out and connect with Him! It's been such a blessing! 

PASTOR JOHN:  Just to add to the testimony: If you go to Costco to get gas, the building in front of Costco, used to be his old building. During the pandemic, he bought the whole warehouse complex one block over.  It looked like an impossibility, but he was able to buy a warehouse five times the size of the old one and sell it, and everything worked out!  And he told me, "John, every step of the way it was a miracle!"  

The best part of this testimony is not about the business, but the salvation of Danny's family!  We are going through changing times, and the big picture is knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The last point I want to share is what drove Danny through this time... 

III.  FOCUS ON YOUR PERSPECTIVE, PURPOSE, AND POTENTAL!

PERSPECTIVE: Perspective is intentionally viewing something because we know that through God it will happen. Danny had perspective, even when his dad said, "You're going to bankrupt the company.  Why you do that?"  But Danny knew what God was telling him--his perspective was straight ahead! Perspective is intentionality. I know my God, I know the Word, I know that I know this will happen--that's perspective. Perspective leads to purpose and potential.  The acronym is AWE:

            Acting on what you have and know because it’s from the Lord.

            Wielding the Word is a sword of the Spirit.

            Expecting God’s faithfulness.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us," (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV)

PURPOSE: When you have purpose and fill your minds with purpose, you will forge ahead.

So, fill your minds with purpose so the devil cannot put distractions and doubt in your head.  

"A worthless person digs up evil, while his words are like scorching fire."  Proverbs 16:27 NASB. 

POTENTIAL: Potential gives you drive and perseverance; but what gives perseverance? It's the potential of what I know I can grasp--the combination of perspective, purpose, and potential of what can be. 

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13 NASB) 

STUDY QUESTIONS

1.  What is a challenge that you are facing right now?

2.  What is your perspective now?

3.  What can you see as a purpose?

4.  What can you see as potential?