Am I Trapped? Can I Change?

AM I TRAPPED?

CAN I CHANGE? CAN I CHANGE MY COUNTENANCE? MOOD? ATTITUDE?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE TELL SOMEONE THEY HAVE AN ATTITUDE?

CAN A PERSON CHANGE THEIR ATTITITDES OR ARE WE TRAPPED TO STAY

IN THIS ATTITUDE?

A. DO YOUR FEELINGS DICTATE YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS...

ISHMEAL AND ISSAC ARE TO GOOD STUDYS ON COUNTENANCE...

ESAU VS. JACOB, ISREAL... All Esau's family was bitter and revengeful....

B. FEELING:

An emotional reaction

Readiness to feel compassion, sympathy,

C. ATTITUDE:

Opinion or way that you think...

Behavior

D. MOOD:

State of mind or feeling

Fits of melancholy or bad temper

E. COUNTENANCE:

The face...

The facial expression... like a happy face...

composure

Give approval to...

F. DISPOSITION:

Natural tendency

Inclination

G. NATURE comes from INSTINCT and LEARNED BEHAVIOR....

II. YOUR MOOD, YOUR NATURE, YOUR ATTITUDE, YOUR FEELING CAN EFFECT EVEN

YOUR PRAYER LIFE....

A. THE BIBLE RECORDS SEVERAL ATTITUDES IN PRAYER.

Luke 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they

were righteous, and despised others:

[10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

[11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as

other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

[12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

[13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven,

but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

[14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one

that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

B. THE PHARISEE PRAYS MANY WORDS AND IS IMPRESSIVE TO HEAR...

BUT GOD DOES NOT LISTEN...

1.The Pharisee prays 33 words...

2. God is mentioned 1x,... I is mentioned 5 times... Prays within SELF...

3. The Pharisee JUDGES others in his prayer...

4. The Pharisee LIFT self up, and PUTS OTHERS DOWN...

C. The Publican prayed and TOUCHED THE HEART OF GOD...

1. He stand a distance away...

2. He feels unworthy

3. He confesses

4. He is HUMBLE

5. He begs for MERCY...

D. THE PRAYER THAT TOUCHES GOD IS:

1. Acknowledges God

2. The prayer is addressed to God

3. Searches for a GREATER ABILITY

4. Springs FERVENTLY FROM THE HEART...

III. DON'T KID YOURSELF AND PLAY RELIGIOUS GAMES, PRAYER TOUCHES

GOD AND CAN BRING ABOUT CHANGE...

BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT HEART/ ATTIITUDE WHEN WE PRAY...

A. As an airplane makes the approach to the run way, the pilot watches the wind.

B. The plane on take off has A POINT OF NO RETURN... You can stop and land,

you have to take off...

Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear

heavy, that it cannot hear:

[2] But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid

his face from you, that he will not hear.

B. Sure we can CHANGE IF WE COME TO GOD in a proper attitude...

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

C. CHANGE CAN COME BY HONEST PRAYER, TOTALLY SUBMITTED...

IV. THE SECRET TO PRAYER IS SECRET PRAYER...

WHILE PUBLIC PRAYER IS GOOD, TO BRING ABOUT A CHANGE IN OUR

ATTITUDES WE NEED PRIVATE PRAYER...

I CALL THIS COME APART OR COME APART...

A. The crowds and the majority is not always right...

B. Two paths, one well trodden, one seldom seen...

Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and

bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

V. THE SECRET OF PRAYER IS THE SECRET OF TRANSFORMATION AND

CHANGE. WE ALTER LIFE ON THE ALTAR... THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER

A. CONVICTION VS CONVERSION...

SAME PLACE, SAME TIME...

B. ONE CAN CHANGE, BE ALTERED, AND TRANSFIRGURED

Mark 9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and

leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured

before them.

Luke 9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his

raiment was white and glistering.

VI. GOD CHANGES PEOPLE IN ONE DAY...

A. JACOB THE CHEATER TO PRINCE OF GOD, ISREAL...

B. MOSES CHANGED AT THE BURNING BUSH...

C. STEPHEN MAN OF PRAYER FULL OF GOD AND THE HOLY SPIIRIT...

D. SAUL SEES THE LIGHT AND CHANGES TO PAUL...

E. PETER THE JELLYFISH TO THE ROCK...

VII. THERE WERE 4 AT THE PRAYER MEETING, ONE WAS CHANGED THEN...

A. CHANGE SELDOMS COMES TO THOSE THAT SLEEP THROUGH PRAYER...