June 9/10, 2007

“I can never change”
Luke 15:11-32 – The Prodigal Son

-We can change, it is difficult, it is a process that God takes us through.


5 Phases of Change

1 - The Careless Phase (vs 11-13)
-Situations happen, but we do not handle them properly (relationships, habits, finances)

2 - The Crisis (vs 14-16)
-Because of careless decisions we’ve made, we begin to experience the consequences of those poor decisions

3 - The Choice Phase (vs 17-21)
-One of God’s greatest gifts is our ability to choose, it is at this point that we begin to question and we believe in the myth that “We can not change”. We have to believe that God is always bigger than the crisis we are in.

4 - The Comprehension Phase
-You begin to understand the value of change. This gives you the motivation to press through. God is faithful to change the way we think, so that the way we act is changed as well.

5 - The Conduct Phase
-We are now faced with following through with our decisions. Our lifestyle and habits change to follow through with our choice to allow God to change us.


Change is a Process. Stick with it, the pain may get worse. Don’t start to question whether or not we can change. It is at this point that we either let God press us through or we give up. If we press through, we understand the value of change. Our lifestyles change to accommodate God’s work in our life. Our lives are now changing and being blessed by God’s process. It is far easier to cry about our situation than to actually change.

Following God’s process sets us free (Vs 22-23). The party begins when we do what God has asked us to do. God will give us the courage we need to bring about the changes he desires for us to go through.

3 immediate steps to change:
1 - Ask God For Courage
2 - Apply God’s Word to our Lives
3 - Anticipate God’s Help – God Will Be Faithful
4 - Adhere To God’s Plan

Don’t give up on the process, because it doesn’t work into your time schedule. We are an instant gratification society. The Bible says not to “Get tired of doing what is good” (Galations 6:9)

Don’t Give Up!