RobinLJPodcast#7 To Know Him is to Please Him Part III

The series, "To Please Him is to Know You," concludes with a reflection on trust in God. The story of Peter's denial of Jesus is examined, highlighting the importance of faith and love. The main takeaway is that Jesus loved us and we should strive to love like Him. It is emphasized that forgiveness and obedience are essential in our relationship with God. The importance of having faith and believing in the power of prayer is discussed, along with the need to forgive others. The prayer concludes the session, expressing a desire to obey Jesus' command and have unwavering faith. The episode ends with acknowledgments and a blessing. Let's do self-reflection today as we wrap up our series, To Please Him is to Know You. Have you been actually trusting God more lately? Your spiritual arm and hand should immediately go up, just like in school when the teacher throws out a question to the class based on yesterday's homework reading assignment. You know that you read and studied the assignment and can't wait to be called on to reveal the answers to show how studious and how smart you are, well maybe not that far, but the point is you followed instructions and completed the task that was expected of you, then someone else is called on to answer just to hear that they answered correctly, but you quickly notice with internal embarrassment that the answer you were going to give was incorrect. You say to yourself, what, what, what, what happened? Well since you missed it, let's take a look at the scripture that was assigned. The reading was found in St. Matthew 26, verse 33, the last supper of Jesus with his disciples. Jesus reveals to the twelve that one will betray him. After the disciple Peter answers, Jesus insists, even though others might betray you Lord, I will not betray you. Jesus tells Peter, before the cock crows, Peter you will deny me three times publicly amongst men. In Matthew 26, verse 69, by this time the disciples began to scatter away from Jesus. He was being persecuted by those who hated him and wanted him dead. Peter was near and had been identified three times that he was seen as being a follower of Jesus. Each time Peter flatly denied, refused to admit he even knew Jesus, didn't have anything to do with him. He feared for his own life and sought any way out. Peter at that point did not exhibit faith, trusting Jesus as before everything came crashing down. Peter remembered the words of Jesus said and Peter felt worthless, went out and wept bitterly. Jesus had been betrayed by all, first Judas, then Peter, and also the other disciples disappeared as well. The savior of the world was left alone. He agonized and prayed to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane meaning a place or occasion of great mental or spiritual suffering. Has someone ever betrayed you, done something that was memorable and not easy to forget? God sent his son Jesus to the earth to represent him, to redeem man back to himself. Jesus knew what his heavenly mission was on earth when he was sent by God. Jesus was subject to what man experienced since his spirit was in a mortal body. He was subject to his emotions and senses like we are. He could have aborted the Father's heavenly plan and mission. He felt human when he prayed to the Father and asked twice to let this bitter, awful experience pass from him. He did it for the sins of the entire world. Isaiah 53 and 5, the biggest takeaway from this is Jesus just simply loved us. What does love have to do with faith? I'm glad you asked. It has everything to do with it. This is a main attribute of God. In the very familiar scripture, John 3.16, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Amen. If we want to continue to get to know him and please him, we must love just like God, just like Jesus. It is all tied together, faith, trust, obedience, rest, and love. If you are not getting the results you are desiring when you pray, examine yourself and make sure you are in the faith. Imitate your Father, be just like him. If there is something or someone in your life that you need to forgive, just take care of it. Don't hold any grudges. Pray according to Matthew 11.25. If you do this, the slate between you and them will be clean, all is well between you and God as well. There will be nothing standing in the way. Your prayers are not hindered or just hitting the ceiling and not getting through to God. Jesus on the cross had already gone to the Father. He forgave all who forsook him, denied him, and took him to trial. He was treated worse than a criminal, but forgave and loved his enemies. He commands us to do the same. Jesus trusted God to get him through and on the other side of victory. Amen. Let's pray Matthew 11.22 together. Dear God, help us to obey the command from your Son Jesus, to have faith in you. Help us to have the God kind of faith, to believe that if we say to a mountain to be moved and cast into the sea and not doubt, then it will happen. The word says if we say it and believe it, then it will come to pass. We will have whatsoever we say in Jesus' name. You said also, whatsoever we desire, when we pray, believe, we receive, and we will have it. You said to always forgive others, so our prayer will be heard and answered. We do it and receive that command. We know our sins will also be forgiven. We know that you hear us in Jesus' mighty name. Amen. This wraps up our time with you today. Our Father is ever present. This is Lucretia Jordan. We would like to acknowledge again Robin and Matthew Anderson on prayer and share, an invitation to intercede in prayer for our nation on Facebook and New Generation Christian Family Matters podcast. We're supporting our presentation to you today. God bless you as our prayer.