How To Change Your Life
Mark 7:20-23

Introduction:
A. Are you happy with your life?  When you look back is there
   anything that you would change?  It could be that perhaps
   you are trying to change something in your life right now.
B. How does one make a spiritual change?  How do you improve
   your service to God?  How do you break the old patterns and
   undergo a complete fundamental change in your life?

I. Have A Passion For Truth
   A. Without passion love dwindles - Psa 122:1
      1. How was your passion for your spouse or girl friend
         when you first fell in love?
      2. Did you have the desire that you would not let
         anything stop you from seeing them?
   B. Passion for truth will change your life - Acts 2:36-38
      1. How were these listening?
      2. They would not have been pricked if not listening
         with passion

II. Raise Your Personal Expectation
   A. Excel still more - 1 Thess 4:1, 9-11
   B. Do not settle - Phil 3:12-15

III. Use The Power Of Faith In God
   A. There is a great power in faith - Phil 4:13-15
      1. Not "I can not I don't know"
      2. "The Little Train That Could"
   B. Limiting is like putting on blinders - John 5:1-8
      1. He was so preoccupied, the answer was standing right
         in front of him, Jesus
      2. Must change our thinking
      3. Can't see the forest for the trees

IV. Copy Successful Godly Behavior
   A. Follow the example of Jesus - Heb 12:1-2
      1. Paul did - 1 Cor 11:1
      2. Success leaves footprints
   B. Look to other Christians for help - 1 Thess 5:11
      1. 1 Tim 4:12
      2. Gal 6:1-2

V. Decide To Succeed At All Cost
   A. Peter was successful but made mistakes - Matt 26:75;
      Gal 1:11ff
   B. The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few -
      Luke 10:2
      1. In or effort to do the Lord's work we are going to
         make mistakes
         a. Better to go forward and learn from these mistakes
         b. Remaining inactive never does anything
      2. "Luck" is a matter of preparation meeting
         opportunity!

Conclusion:
A. If we want to change the way things are, we must be willing
   to change.  All too often in life we simply go with the way
   things are and don't look any farther than the nose on our
   face.
B. We cannot allow the failures and disappointments of life
   cause us to abandon our quest in the Lord's service.