Petra Podcast

Today we’re going to have a family conversation about money. For some of you it’s not easy to talk about. It feels very painful. It feels very personal. That’s why we need to talk about. There are few things that impact your life more than money. That can cause you such anxiety, or such joy. Wrap you up in bondage, or set you free. To cause you to live a small and self-interested existence. Or empower you to fulfill your purpose by making an impact in the world around you. God cares about your financial well-being. God cares about how you relate to money.

Our generation is quick to call people heroes. We have sports heroes, superheroes, the list goes on. But so many of you women and moms out there are the real heroes and I salute you. You are an amazing group of people. And you’ve overcome much.
We’re continuing our sermon series on Unlikely Heroes. These are people in the scriptures who are flawed but we can learn something from their lives and see how God used them through their weaknesses.
Today we’re going to be spending some time looking at two women who approached Jesus very differently. Mary and Martha.

The people we read about in the bible were flawed people like you and me but that didn’t stop God from calling them and using them. The primary lesson in all of this is that you don’t have to have it all together to be used of God. Today we are looking at the unlikely person of Peter.
Peter's original name was Simon until Jesus changed it to Peter. Peter live the tough life of a fisherman. He and James and John were partners in the fishing business.
Peter was married and he and his wife would often travel together in ministry. Peter met Jesus through his brother Andrew who took him to meet Jesus. In the natural Peter was a poor candidate for the ministry. He wasn’t the most pleasant, kind and considerate person to be around.
If he was in the school year book he probably would have been listed as the most unlikely to succeed as a leader in the church. The most unlikely to be chosen.

Today we’re going to learn a very important lesson from a failure in the life of Abraham’s wife Sarah. Sarah went through a test that every person in this room will walk through, at one time or another.
If we’re not careful, our response to our test can cause someone else’s duress. When Jesus went through his test, people were blessed. I do confess that our test can bless instead of oppress. So let the caress of Jesus possess you so that you can address your mess with success. That might take a moment to digest.

Over the next few weeks we are going to study a few characters from the bible...Sarah, Peter, Mary, Martha, and today, Samson.
The purpose of this series is to remind you that even the greatest characters in the bible, the ones whose lives are surrounded by the miraculous, were just people and they were flawed. Their families had problems, they had a past they were embarrassed of, and in essence they were a lot like you and me. Our hope is that you will not be trapped by the lie that you have to be perfect or have it all together to be used by God; or even just loved by God.

The theme for our Good Friday Service was The Price of Hope and todays theme is Hope Lives. Hope is one of the most powerful forces on the planet. It is what keeps the human spirit alive, enabling people to overcome the most overwhelming circumstances.
Easter Sunday is a day of great celebration. Easter is about forgiveness and hope. Jesus paid the price on the cross for our forgiveness and for us to have an eternal hope. We have hope because Jesus overcame the powers of darkness.

Celebrating the day Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, five days before they crucified him. He had taken the 100 mile journey down from Galilee, with hundreds of thousands of other Jews arriving from all over the country to worship YHVH at the temple during Passover holiday.
5 Days. If you had five days to live. What would you do with them. What’s on your bucket list?

The willingness to forgive can bring people through the deepest kinds of pain and transform their lives into something beautiful, propelling them into their destiny. The unwillingness to forgive shrivels up a person’s soul, physically destroys their health, and produces all kinds of spiritual bondage.
• Forgiveness is the power to heal wounds and right wrongs.
• It is the power to overcome offenses.
• It is the power to show grace and mercy.
• It is the power to restore relationships.
• It is the power to heal memories and walk in new freedom.
Of all the spiritual traits, the one that is the most important and probably the hardest is the ability to forgive. If you want to live a joy-filled life, a spirit-filled life, and a life that makes a difference, it is important to walk in forgiveness toward others.

This morning is a unique morning in that we will be talking about a subject that feels very private and we don’t typically address to such a broad audience. That is the topic of sexuality, and what is healthy sexuality, and how can broken identity lead to unhealthy sexuality?
To help me with our topic I’ve invited Ben & Marci Dodd to join me. Ben & Marci often share on marriage and sexuality at various churches, seminars, conferences and so on. Ben also serves as the head of our Counseling Department here at Petra so he brings a unique perspective.