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+ Imagine A doctor calls, “I’ve got good news and bad news.
- Bad news is that you’re going to die within a month.
- Good news is that if you significantly change your lifestyle right now and for the next month and beyond, you’ll live a long and happy life.”
- Could you make the change?
- Could you turn on a dime and go another direction with your life? - After all, this is a real choice for many people, so you’d think the odds would be fairly high, especially if you were told that if you don’t change, you’ll die.
- Sounds like a no-brainer. I’ll change. I’ll change.
- No you won’t. - odds are 9 to 1 that you won’t.
- Of course, you’ll say, “Yes, I’ll change.” And of course, you’ll begin to make those changes in lifestyle, eating habits, recreational pursuits and so on. But it’s not long before your enthusiasm tapers off, and soon you’re back to square one. No change. No chance.
Case in point: People who’ve had heart bypass surgery, most definitely a life-and-death matter, are directed by their doctors to change their eating habits, stop smoking, exercise, significantly alter their lifestyle. They know they should make those changes — know that they’ll die sooner than later if they don’t — yet multiple studies have shown that in just two years after such major surgery, 90 percent of these patients have not significantly altered their behavior.
X > > - Rom 12:2
+- NLT … 12:2a Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
> - J.B. Philips ….. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.
The World’s Behavior
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+ >>>>- Ex. - From Stuff We Can’t Live Without
- Example - Local Movie Entertainment (molding us)
+ "Click"
> Control your life with a remote control
+ "Omen"
> Trailer On the five days
+ "Nacho Libre"
> Viewer Comment “The humor in this film is a bit more from the toilet”
+ "Cars"
> Tag Line
– Life Is A Journey, Enjoy The Trip
+ In The World We Either Change or Die
It . . . .
• > Brings Death
• > Undermines Faith
• > Hurts
• > Self-Seeking
• > Brings About Failure
• > Seductive
• > Infuses Hopelessness
• > Weakens Resolve
• > Pollutes Our Minds
• > Guarantees Judgment
- Easy to drift with the world’s thinking
- Change is tough but not impossible
- Rom 12:2 - By Renewing your mind
Five Steps to Renewing Your Mind
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+ 1. Change Your Attitude
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- Toward sin
- Sin is deadly wicked & deceitful
- Ps 139:23 - Search Me O God ...... wicked way
> Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
+ 2. Change Your Focus
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- Is my heart fixed on God
> Colossians 3:2-4 (KJV)
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
- Passion for God
- You can’t spot clean
- Spot may be gone but the garment is still dirty
+ 3. Change Your Diet
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> Colossians 3:16 (KJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another
>Colossians 3:16 (New International Reader’s Version)
16 Let Christ’s word live in you like a rich treasure. Teach and correct each other wisely.
- You Who.....
- Remember your first cigar, beer, chew?
- Could not stand it could you?
- Get the desire by repeating over/over
- Get into the Word
- Repeat it over & over
- The way to kill sin in your life is to feed it Scripture.
- Scripture is poison to sin
- Get into a reading plan & Memorize
- Whatever really controls your mind, controls your behavior
> Ps 1:1-3
4. Change Your Worship
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- We dream think and talk about what we desire
- Dream Think and talk to God of his desires
- The best way to fight against sin is to fight it on our knees. - Philip Henry
- God shapes the world by prayer
> Ps 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance,
- What God thinks is so much bigger & better than what we can ever think
+ 5. Change Your Habits
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- We give into our desires
- To have a garden you have to pull weeds
> Key to changing habits is Obedience
- Obedience is the only way to get the weeds out
- Like exercise a little bit at a time
- Over time you are stronger healthier
+ How Am I Doing In These Areas?
> With My Attitude
> With My Focus
> With My Diet
> With My Worship
> With My Habits
+ An Inward Look
> How’s My Passion toward Christ?
- Is my heart cold towards God?
- Has sin made me indifferent to Prayer?
> Checked Against the Word
- Convection of sin
- Love for Christ
- Love for people
- If you don’t have these you better change or die
