Why Don’t You Do Something for a Change (Part 1)
2 Corinthians 5:17; 2 Corinthians 3:18
By: Pastor Dan Turpin WestCoastChurch.com
Objective and Aim: Everyone will learn how to change their lives by observing four practices that produce growth in ones life.
Introduction: Charlie Brown said to Linus: “Perhaps you can give me an answer, Linus. What would you do if you felt that no one liked you?” Linus replied, “I’d try to look at myself objectively, and see what I could do to improve. That’s my answer, Charlie Brown!” Charlie Brown replies, “I hate that answer!”
Max Depree: We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. Author Unknown: If you continue to do the same thing you have always done you will continue to be the same thing you have always been. John Maxwell: Two mistakes we make: We wait for God to change our circumstances and we wait for circumstances to change our behavior.
#1. Think for a change (Eph. 4:22-24 Put (throw) off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust
and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like
God—truly righteous and holy)
A. William E. Gladstone: Be inspired with the belief that life is a great and noble calling; not a mean and groveling thing that we are
to shuffle through as we can, but an elevated and lofty destiny.
1. Thought Determines Destiny (Phil. 4:8 Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is
anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things)
a. Tommy Barnet; There’s a Miracle in your House: You never become something or someone you did not first become in your
thoughts. The wise man said, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Who you are is a direct result of what you think.
b. Ralph Waldo Emerson: Life consists of what a man or woman is thinking about all day.
c. Ps. 1:2-4
d. Ro 12:2
e. 2 Cor. 10:3-5
f. Steven R. Covey; 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a
habit, reap a character; Sow a character reap a destiny Galatians 6:7-9
g. 2 Cor. 10:3-5 You are not responsible for every thought you think. Thoughts come from several different sources (God,
Satan, Others, feelings, flesh, and the World philosophy). But you are responsible for what you do with everything that
you think.
h. James Allen: You are today where your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.
i. Joshua 1:8
j. Psalm 19:7-14 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the
simple; 8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the
eyes; 9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover
by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. 14 Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer
2. Thoughts Influence Choice (Josh. 1:9 Have not I commanded you to be strong and of good courage. Fear not for I am with
you; be not dismayed for I am your God.)
a. William Jennings Bryan: Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a
thing to be achieved.
b. Josh. 24:15 Choose this day who you will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord
c. Author Unknown: Every moment you have a choice, regardless of what has happened before. Choose right now to move
forward, positively and confidently into your incredible future.
d. Col. 3:1-3
e. Deut. 11:26-28; See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— 27 the blessing if you obey the commands of the
LORD your God that I am giving you today; 28 the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn
from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.
f. Deut. 30:19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death,
blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live
g. Eleanor Roosevelt: One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes. In the long
run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are
ultimately our responsibility.
j. Leo Tolstoy: Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one think of changing himself.
#2. Believe for a change (Matt. 21:22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive)
A. Source Unknown: Expecting the unexpected makes the unexpected expected and the expected unexpected.
1. Everything is possible (Mk 9:23 All things are possible to the man or woman who believes)
a. K. Kuhlman: I believe in miracles because I believe in God.
b. Norman Vincent Peale: If you can only believe! If you will only believe! Then nothing, nothing, will be impossible for you!
That is the truth and the gospel, and it is wonderful. It’s the good news.
c. Romans 10:17 and 12:3 faith comes by hearing … a measure of faith
d. Luke 1:37 Nothing is impossible with God
d. Norman Vincent Peale: To learn to believe is of primary importance. It is the basic factor of succeeding in any undertaking.
e. Henry van Dyke; The Upward Path: Happy and strong and brave shall we be—able to endure all things, and to do all
things—if we believe that every day, every hour, every moment of our life is in God's hands.
f. Ps. 55:22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
g. Paul Tournier: Faith is not shelter against difficulties, but belief in the face of all contradictions.
h. Phil. 2:13
i. Phil. 1:6
2. We are what we believe (Benjamin Cardozo)
a. David Schwartz: Belief triggers the power to do.
b. Henry Ford: If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.
c. Eph. 3:20 There’s Greatness in You.
d. Thomas Brooks: As the body lives by breathing, so the soul lives by believing.
e. Louis Tice: Once we think we know “the truth” about something, we seal it in our subconscious as a belief and start acting like
it. We don’t even know we’re doing it. That’s because our subconscious causes us to behave like the person we believe
ourselves to be.
f. Smith Wigglesworth: I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe.
g. Author Unknown: A belief is not just an idea a person possesses; it is an idea that possesses a person
h. Heb. 4:2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not
being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
Closing and Invitation: Peanut’s cartoon: Lucy and Linus were sitting in front of the television set when Lucy said to Linus, "Go get me a glass of water." Linus looked surprised, "Why should I do anything for you? You never do anything for me." "On you 75th birthday," Lucy promised, "I’’ll bake you a cake." Linus got up, headed to the kitchen and said, "Life is more pleasant when you have something to look forward to.
