Welcome to God’s Vision Ministries Bible Study Teacher: Pastor Burnice B. Green, Sr.
Transcript
Slide 1
Welcome to Gods Vision Ministries Bible Study Teacher: Pastor
Burnice B. Green, Sr.
Slide 2
How to Change Yourself: A Bible Pattern for Self-Help and
Self-Improvement Becoming a Christian requires change. We must
remove old habits and develop new ones. This study considers Bible
principles to help us improve ourselves: faith, love, repentance,
Bible study, prayer, avoiding temptation, and patience. God's word
is the best source of guidance for self-help and motivation for
self-improvement.
Slide 3
How to Change Yourself: Introduction: Have you ever had
difficulty trying to change a habit? Human beings are creatures of
habit. We tend to continue acting as we have acted in the past.
Like a river flowing through a canyon, the longer a habit
continues, the more deeply it becomes ingrained, and the harder it
is to change. This is true of all habits, good or bad.
Slide 4
How to Change Yourself: Ephesians 4:22-24 shows that major
changes must occur when we are converted to serve God. Old
practices and attitudes must be replaced by new ones. Christians
must learn good habits like Bible study, prayer, love, faith,
patience, attending church meetings, giving, teaching others, etc.
We must also eliminate bad habits like foul language, uncontrolled
temper, gambling, drugs, smoking, drinking, gossip, lying,
pornography, sexual promiscuity, etc
Slide 5
How to Change Yourself: Knowing what changes to make is not
enough. We also need to know how to make them. Change does not come
easily. Since the Scriptures provide us to all good works (2
Timothy 3:16,17), they give all the guidance we need. God's word is
the best source of guidance for self-help and motivation for self-
improvement. Let us study 12 specific, practical steps the Bible
gives to show us how to change and improve our selves to become
what God wants.
Slide 6
How to Change Yourself: Step1: Change Your Purpose in Life.
Before people are willing to act, they must be motivated. A sound
sleeper is more likely to get up in the middle of the night if the
house is on fire than if he remembers he did not brush his teeth!
Christians have some of the strongest possible motives for
changing. Consider some:
Slide 7
How to Change Yourself: Love and Dedication to God Romans
12:1,2 - Christians are transformed (changed) by renewing their
minds (cf. Eph. 4:23). To live differently, we must think
differently. We must not seek to be like the world but to use our
bodies in God's service. The Macedonians practiced generous giving
because they first gave themselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5).
Changing our conduct becomes much easier when we are totally
dedicated to God's service. (See also Ecc. 12:13; Matt. 6:33;
16:24.)
Slide 8
How to Change Yourself: 1 John 5:3; 4:19,9 - What motivates us
to obey God? Our love for Him. What motivates us to love Him? The
fact that He loved us. How do we know He loved us? Because He gave
His Son to die to save us.
Slide 9
How to Change Yourself: Step2: Believe You Can Change with
God's Help. Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart with all diligence, for
out of it are the issues of life. The way you act is determined by
your attitudes and intentions. People and circumstances may
influence you, but you do not have to give in. You do what you
decide to do (cf. Matt. 15:18,19; 12:34-37).
Slide 10
How to Change Yourself: 1 Corinthians 10:13 - God will not
allow temptations that are beyond your ability to bear. He will
always make a way of escape. "God is faithful." He will always keep
this promise. It follows that you can break any bad habit and
develop any good habit according to God's will. Philippians 4:13 -
We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us
Slide 11
How to Change Yourself: Psalm 37:5 - If you commit yourself to
the Lord and trust Him, He will accomplish His will for you. No
matter how strong a temptation you face, no matter how long you
have practiced a sin, if God says to change, you can change. (See
also Eph. 6:10-18; 3:20,21; 2 Cor. 9:8; Josh. 1:5-9.)
Slide 12
How to Change Yourself: Step 3: Study the Bible about Your
Habit. Joshua 1:8 - To succeed in God's work, meditate on God's
word. List the pertinent Bible passages about each habit you need
to change. List reasons why you should change. Meditate on these
verses daily, filling your mind with them. (Cf. Psalm 1:2;
119:11.)
Slide 13
How to Change Yourself: Deuteronomy 6:6-9 - Frequently remind
yourself of these verses. Write them and place them where they will
remind you: on your bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator door, on
your table at mealtime, on the TV knob.
Slide 14
How to Change Yourself: Matthew 4:1-11 - Jesus overcame
temptation by quoting Scripture. But this worked only because He
knew the Scripture. Memorize verses about your habit so that, when
you are tempted, they will come to mind and strengthen you. Quote
them to yourself and to those who tempt you. (See also Prov. 3:5,6;
2 Tim. 3:16,17; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 1:16; Heb. 4:12.)
Slide 15
How to Change Yourself: Step4: Repent of Sin. Acts 8:22 - Sin
requires repentance. Repentance is a change of mind - a determined
commitment to cease sin and obey God (see Matt. 21:28,29; Acts
17:30; 11:23). Before one can change his conduct, he must change
his mind.
Slide 16
How to Change Yourself: Step 5: Develop a Plan of Action.
Proverbs 14:22 - We must devise to do good, not evil. God's example
demonstrates the importance of planning. He purposed man's
redemption (Rom. 8:28), the church (Eph. 3:10,11), the temple (Heb.
8:5), etc. (cf. Gen. 12:1-7). Likewise, God's servants need to have
a plan to succeed in His service (Luke 14:26-33; Dan. 1:8; Psalm
17:3; Acts 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:7).
Slide 17
How to Change Yourself: In what other important endeavors will
we succeed without a plan? Consider the forethought needed to build
a house, run a business or a household, program a computer, etc.
Worthwhile activities, to be successful, need planning. Likewise,
to change your life, you need a specific, practical checklist of
steps you will take to change.
Slide 18
How to Change Yourself: Step 6: Pray Regularly. Prayer is
essential in two ways. A child of God should pray for forgiveness.
Then pray for God's help.
Slide 19
How to Change Yourself: Step 7: Seek Help from Other
Christians. James 5:16 - Christians should confess their faults to
one another so they can pray for one another. We should bear one
another's burdens (Gal. 6:2). If our sins have harmed specific
individuals, we should apologize to them (Matt. 5:23,24).
Slide 20
How to Change Yourself: When we are fighting an especially
difficult habit, it may help to choose one or two special
counselors to talk with regularly. They can give us Bible passages
and good advice about how to change. They can encourage us. It may
motivate us just to know that others are aware of our problem. And
they can surely pray for us.
Slide 21
How to Change Yourself: Step 8: Diligently Practice What is
Right. 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Be steadfast, immovable, always
abounding in the Lord's work. Abundant, steadfast work is needed.
We have discussed several steps to prepare us to change, but none
of them can substitute for hard work and dedicated effort. All the
good attitudes in the world will not get the job done until we
follow through with action. God does not promise change will be
easy, but He promises it is possible if we work diligently
according to His word.
Slide 22
How to Change Yourself: Step 9: Substitute Good Habits for Bad
Ones. Ephesians 4:22-32 - Do not just put off the old man. Put on
the new man. Note the examples: Speak truth instead of falsehood
(v25), work and give to others instead of stealing (v28), speak
good instead of evil (v29), show kindness and forgiveness instead
of anger and bitterness (v31,32). Matthew 12:43-45 - A demon left a
man but later found the man's life still empty. He moved back in
bringing seven other demons with him! Jesus applied this to Israel,
but it is a general principle.
Slide 23
How to Change Yourself: For every bad habit you "put off," find
some useful activity to "put on" in its place
Slide 24
How to Change Yourself: Step 10: Avoid Temptation. Matthew 6:13
- We should pray, "lead us not into temptation." If we pray this,
surely we obligate ourselves to avoid people, places, and
situations that tempt us (cf. Rom. 13:14). 1 Corinthians 15:33 -
Evil company corrupts good habits. Note: "Do not be deceived." Many
people think they can return to bad company without returning to
bad habits. They are deceived!
Slide 25
How to Change Yourself: You cannot change a bad habit while
continuing to run with the "crowd" that caused the habit. Changing
the habit will require changing your friends because the "friends"
are part of the habit!
Slide 26
How to Change Yourself: Step 11: Face One Day at a Time.
Matthew 6:33,34 - Do not worry about tomorrow. Today's temptations
will be enough to handle today. Handle tomorrow's temptations
tomorrow - if tomorrow comes.
Slide 27
How to Change Yourself: Often people quit trying to serve God
because they are overwhelmed by the sacrifices required to live the
rest of their lives for God. But ask yourself this: "Can I practice
what is right today - just today?" Of course you can. So when you
get up each morning, promise yourself and God, "I will live today
for God." Don't worry about handling tomorrow. If it comes, you can
handle it the same way you will handle today.
Slide 28
How to Change Yourself: Two men were climbing a steep path up a
tall mountain. One looked to the top and asked, "How will we ever
make it?" The other replied, "One step at a time." And that is the
only way for you to change yourself.
Slide 29
How to Change Yourself: Step 12: Be Patient. Romans 2:7 - We
receive eternal life if we continue patiently in well doing. We
must be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work
(1 Cor. 15:58).
Slide 30
How to Change Yourself: Galatians 6:9 - Let us not grow weary
while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose
heart. Your habits did not develop overnight and will not likely
disappear overnight. It will take time. If you fall, repent, and
ask God's forgiveness. But get up and go on. Do not give up. (1
John 1:8-2:2)
Slide 31
How to Change Yourself: 2 Peter 3:18 - Becoming a mature
Christian is a process of growth. You are born again as a baby and
gradually grow up in Christ. You may look at mature Christians and
think, "Why can't I be like them?" But they probably took years to
mature. Do not be impatient with yourself.
Slide 32
How to Change Yourself: As a child grows, you may notice small
changes from day to day. But look at pictures from years ago and
you will see amazing differences. So you may not see much change in
your service to God today compared to yesterday. But if you
diligently apply the steps taught in God's word, after a period of
5, 10, or 20 years you will see significant changes compared to
where you began.
Slide 33
How to Change Yourself: Conclusion What choice will you make?
By using the means God provides, you can change to be what He
wants. He gives motivation, guidance, and encouragement. All that
is left is for you to determine to follow His will and then
diligently act on that decision. He provides the tools. You must
use them. What choice will you make?