Thinking for a Change

Pastor McGriffin taught a wonderful Bible study on Tuesday night.  His title was "Think for a Change" and his text was Acts 2:38-39.  Huh?  Isn't that the passage that tells us about salvation?  Yes it is, but Acts 2:38-39 also talks about changing your thinking... but I'll get back to that.

We can look at the title two different ways - A parent my say to their teenager, "I wish you would think for a change!"  But the lesson revolved around the long term effect thinking has on us - we need to "Think for a Change."

We are heading into a new year.  Many will make new year's resolutions that are forgotten by February.  But 2014 can be a year for change.  It's never too late to change.  Some things to know about change:

1.  You don't have the ability to change someone else.
2.  You can only change yourself.

You can make the choice to pray more, read the Bible more, fast more, be faithful to church.  Choose to think in such a way to go deeper in Christ.  While you can't change anyone, when you change, those closest to you may change as well.

I Peter 3:1-2 "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear."

Women whose husbands are not in the church - the direct and demanding approach doesn't work.  Be more like Christ - your husband is watching you.  The husband is changed when the wife is changed.  It is a powerful principle! 

Feelings should not drive your life choices or your thought life.  Think first.  Right thinking will produce positive change in your life.

The book of Acts is a record of triumph.  The primary message is showing obstacles of the early church.  The biggest obstacle was how they thought.  An example of that is found in Acts chapter 10 when Peter is sent to Cornelius.  He had to completely change his thinking!  When Peter said in Acts 2:39, "to all that are afar off," he wasn't thinking about Gentiles!  He thought that salvation was only to the Jews, including Jews who were afar off.  Jewish thinking of that time didn't let him think a Gentile could be born again.

God's greatest challenge is the way we think.

Every Apostolic can quote Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." This is the basis for the new birth experience.  The first step is repent.  To repent is to change your mind, in the Greek it is to think differently.

Godly sorrow is a sign of conviction, not repentance.  Being sorry for being caught is not repentance.  Shedding tears of sorrow at the altar is not repentance.  Making a decision to turn from sinful conduct is repentance.  We must have a change of mind, heart, and direction.  We must turn from sin to the righteousness of God.  We cannot be saved until we truly repent.

Change your thinking and you'll change your life. Think for a Change.