1. Mariam is veryy upset !  She doesn’t know how to change!
Team is hosting a new show and Mariam is the sole presenter.
She feels like she can’t do it!
She says she always messes things up!
She doesn’t know how to change!
Two weeks ago, they were recording the show “Road signs”, and she accidently deleted the tape!!
She says she’s not very organized, and can’t be responsible for an entire show!

2. What things in US would we like to change???
Getting upset at people easily
Fighting with siblings
Not forgiving others
Lying
Not being generous
Not being obedient (to our parents, to God)
Being stubborn
Being prideful, not wanting to accept advice
Not praying at home as much as I should, or reading the bible
Being lazy
Not standing up for my values and principles, but merging in with everyone else

3. Can we change or can we not change?
What is our heart like?

4. A Soft Heart.... I should have the strong will to STOP it...
When I hear God’s word and it makes me realize that I’m doing something wrong....
I should ask God for His help and grace that would allow me to change.
I should have the strong will to STOP it...
I should let myself be easily shaped by God

5. Example of someone who DIDN’T change but hardened his heart ....
He saw all the wonders that God performed, but he still hardened His heart, and did not want to change his mind, and let God’s people go.
His heart was like the stone.
Example of someone who DIDN’T change but hardened his heart ....

6. "Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble"
(Proverbs 28:14)

7. There are other hearts that are not hardened....
They hear God’s word and WANT to change!
They put themselves in God’s hand so that He may shape them and TRANSFORM them

8. Because they have the DESIRE to change, to stop something wrong, or to start doing something right, God will help them
Even if it doesn’t seem easy, even if they fall on their journey, God will give them the strength to rise up again and continue, and they will rise up again and continue.

9. His name was Simon Peter
Born in Bethsaida
Lived in Capernaum with his family
Had a brother named Andrew
Both were fishermen
Peter wasn’t educated… all he knew was fishing
Example of someone who DID change, because He let his heart be easily shaped

11. “ Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net” (Luke 5:5)

14. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord”
Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men

15. At that point Peter left everything and followed Jesus

16. When Jesus called Peter, he wasn’t perfect, he wasn’t this great preacher or saint that we know today, he had MANY weaknesses
But through his journey with Jesus, and the time he spent with Him, he learned from God, and he allowed Jesus to CHANGE him.

17. What were St. Peter’s weaknesses?
At first, there were moments in St. Peter’s life where he didn’t have much faith

19. Do we sometimes lose faith? Examples?
When we pray something and don’t get the answer we want
When we see bad things happening
The problem is we look around us, and forget to focus on Jesus who is in control, we forget that no matter what happens, all things work together for good to those who love God, forget that we pray THY WILL be done and not MY will.

22. Romans 8:28

23. Peter was also Impulsive and spoke without thinking

26. Do we sometimes speak without thinking?
make promises we can’t keep?
say things we don’t mean?

27. What did St. Peter become like after he changed?
cautious
bold
courageous

28. Peter stood up and preached the word of God to all the people who were gathered there.
On that day, 3000 people believed and were baptized!!

29. “We ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29)
He spoke bravely about the Lord Jesus without fear of the Jews
“We ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29)

30. they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them

31. He endured many tribulations, sufferings, and imprisonments for the sake of Jesus’ name.

32. How can we make our hearts SOFT, so we can easily make changes in our lives?

33. Keep God’s commandments, and realize when we have a problem that needs to be fixed.
Be willing to change anything that is wrong in our life.
Ask God to help us and His grace will work in us in order for us to change for the better

34. = +
God’s Grace
Power to Change
My Struggle

35. Then we can say...
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)

36. To Practice this Week:
Find one thing that you need to change in your life…
Something that you want to stop doing, or something that you want to start doing…
Pray and ask God to soften your heart, give you that strong will to change, and strengthen you with His help and grace.

37. The sacrament of Priesthood was instituted by who?
Clue # 8
The sacrament of Priesthood was instituted by who?

38. Clue # 9
Philippians 4:13