Latest / Abide Meditation App / Heal While You Sleep_ Meditate On God_s Unbelievable Power To Forgive _ Restore The Prodigal Son

Transcript

Heal While You Sleep_ Meditate On God_s Unbelievable Power To Forgive _ Restore The Prodigal Son · Abide Meditation App

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the bedtime story taken from Luke fifteen. Right
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: now you can relax completely as we experience the love
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: of God who rescues his lost children. Take a deep
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: breath and hold it for a few moments. Now, exhale,
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Let go of every thought and concern you've had throughout
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: the day, and replace them one by one with the
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: peace of Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you,
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: He surrounds you and keeps you. He wants the best
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: for you, and has given you the gift of sleep
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: in this moment so that you may fully experience his
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: supernatural rest. Once you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort,
• 1:04
  Speaker 1: but now you are found in His love and in
• 1:08
  Speaker 1: his light. You are safe and free to gently drift
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: off to sleep. As we open in prayer, Good and
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: caring Father, thank you for all that you have provided
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: for me. Your careful attention to my life assures me
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: that I am loved by you and I can be
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: still in your presence. Lord, I pray that you help
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: me now to find the peace that surpasses all understanding.
• 1:43
  Speaker 1: As your calm overtakes me, I release to you all
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: of my worries and distractions and receive the blessing of
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: your inheritance and provision. I trust in your good plan
• 1:59
  Speaker 1: for my life, and pray that you help me to
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: meditate on your goodness and faithfulness as I fall asleep
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: and dream. Imagine that you are the child of a
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: very wealthy family. You live in an extraordinary home that
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: sprawls across vast property with acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife,
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: and meandering streams. Picture yourself walking through lush gardens of
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: carefully manicured hedges and filled with colorful flowers. As the
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: sun sinks to the horizon, it casts a deep golden
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: hue against sculptures and fountains that trickle over moss covered
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: stones into shallow pools of cool, clear water. The savory
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: scents of dinner drift towards you as you move slowly
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: back toward the house for an evening feast. The presence
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: of God surrounds you and lets you know that even
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: beyond all of these earthly blessings, He is there. After dinner,
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: with your stomach full and your eyes heavy with sleep,
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: you tuck into your soft bed. Your body nestles into
• 3:27
  Speaker 1: the blankets as quiet waves of rest wash over you
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: until you are in a deep sleep. The story of
• 3:39
  Speaker 1: the prodigal Son starts out with a similar scene and
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: a similar person like you, enjoying all of the benefits
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: of his father's provision. Jesus tells this parable in Luke,
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: chapter fifteen, verse eleven, that begins there was a man
• 3:58
  Speaker 1: who had two sons, and the younger of them said
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: to his father, father, give me the share of property
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: that is coming to me, and he divided his property
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: between them. This generous and loving father did not want
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: to see his son leave, but granted this wish, giving
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: the son half of the estate and let him go.
• 4:27
  Speaker 1: It appeared that, in spite of the life the son
• 4:30
  Speaker 1: lived on his father's estate, he thought he might find
• 4:33
  Speaker 1: greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered all he had and
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: traveled far away from his father. But it didn't go
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: as he had hoped. Not long after his departure he
• 4:48
  Speaker 1: spends everything, and a severe famine ensured that it would
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: only get worse. In verse fifteen, Jesus goes on to
• 4:58
  Speaker 1: tell of the son's desperate attempt to redeem himself, saying,
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: so he went and hired himself out to one of
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: the citizens of that country who sent him into the
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: fields to feed pigs, and he was longing to be
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: fed with the paws that the pigs ate, and no
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: one gave him anything. The atmosphere of his life is
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: now gone from savory and rich to stale and rotten.
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: As the sun experiences complete destitution. He lives among pigs,
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: uneble to eat even as well as they do, begging
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: for food that never comes. He longs for the not
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: so distant past of his father's house, where he was safe, comfortable, full,
• 5:52
  Speaker 1: and in need of nothing. He did not realize how
• 5:58
  Speaker 1: much he needed the love and care of his father
• 6:02
  Speaker 1: until it was gone. Imagine the loneliness he must have
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: felt among the pigs as he begged for help and
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: no one came to his rescue. Perhaps you have felt
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: alone in moments, even because of decisions you've made. It
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: seems that no one truly knows what you're experiencing, and
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: that help is nowhere to be found. This place of
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: loneliness can be one of the most difficult but valuable
• 6:35
  Speaker 1: moments we may experience, as it forces us to depend
• 6:39
  Speaker 1: on our father in Heaven like we never have before.
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: Consider the hope the son began to feel as he
• 6:48
  Speaker 1: thought about returning to his father's home. Jesus tells us
• 6:53
  Speaker 1: about this moment, saying, but when he came to himself,
• 6:57
  Speaker 1: he said, how many of my father's hired servants have
• 7:01
  Speaker 1: more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger.
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: I will arise and go to my father, and I
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: will say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven,
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: and before you I am no longer worthy to be
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.
• 7:25
  Speaker 1: The prodigal son's desperation drove him back to his father
• 7:29
  Speaker 1: in humility. He would have been happy to be treated
• 7:33
  Speaker 1: as a mere servant, just to be back in the safety,
• 7:38
  Speaker 1: comfort and provision of his father's care. But this loving
• 7:43
  Speaker 1: father had more in store for his son when he returned,
• 7:48
  Speaker 1: because the loss of half of his estate was nothing
• 7:52
  Speaker 1: compared to what appeared to be the loss of his
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: beloved son. Jesus tells of this father's wealth in verse twenty, saying,
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: but while he was still a long way off, his
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: him and kissed him. What does it feel like to
• 8:17
  Speaker 1: be truly found? When we are lost? Isolated? And lonely.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: It can appear like no one knows or cares about us,
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: But all that changes when we are truly found by God.
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: The deepest longing of our souls can only really be
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: satisfied in the loving arms of our Father in heaven.
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: Imagine the look in the father's eyes, who does not
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: judge you, does not condemn you, and does not turn
• 8:54
  Speaker 1: his back on you, but instead runs to meet you.
• 9:00
  Speaker 1: From alienation to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection,
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: you land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 9:20
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: and bring the fatten calf and kill it, and let
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this, my son was dead
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 9:53
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry, identified him with the people who loved
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: him most, his true family. He did not have to
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: beg He was lavished with every blessing, and likewise God
• 10:15
  Speaker 1: celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he found you.
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: The story of the prodigal son is one of redemption
• 10:25
  Speaker 1: because of the father's unconditional love. But it's also the
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: story of how Jesus made a way for you to
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus left his
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: heavenly home to join you here on earth, and then
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: he was truly lost when he was forsaken on the cross.
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is guaranteed by the
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: blood that Jesus shed when he became the prodigal for
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: your sake. This is how much our father in Heaven
• 11:04
  Speaker 1: loves you. These are the lengths he went to so
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: that you could be found in him. You are embraced
• 11:14
  Speaker 1: and you are celebrated. You are home. Now imagine yourself
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow of heaven, where
• 11:27
  Speaker 1: you are safe, loved, and have all you could ever ask, hope,
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: or imagine this time, Jesus is walking with you, your brother,
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: your savior, your friend. You are part of a family
• 11:46
  Speaker 1: that will never leave you or forsake you. You belong
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: there in your father's house, in a room that he
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: is provided a comfortable place to drift off to sleep
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: without a single concern, care, or worry, because He holds
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: these things and you in the palm of his mighty hand.
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: As you now lie in the safety, comfort and care
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: of the Father, allow yourself to embrace and appreciate anew
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: all that he has done for you. Rest in that
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: blessing and let his presence usher you into a deep
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: drank will sleep. Let your thoughts continue to drift off
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: into the serene places of his heavenly dwelling. As we
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: close in prayer, Dear Father, thank you for welcoming me
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: into your home with open arms. I once lived in
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: darkness and confusion, afar off from your love, but you
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: called me home. Now I abide in you, where your
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: spirit consumes me and sleep comes easily. In the precious
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now you can relax
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: completely as we experience the love of God who rescues
• 13:36
  Speaker 1: his lost children. Take a deep breath and hold it
• 13:41
  Speaker 1: for a few moments. Now exhale, Let go of every
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: thought and concern you've had throughout the day, and replace
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: them one by one with the peace of Jesus Christ.
• 14:00
  Speaker 1: He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds you and
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: keeps you. He wants the best for you, and has
• 14:12
  Speaker 1: given you the gift of sleep in this moment so
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: that you may fully experience his supernatural rest. Once you
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort. But now you
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: are found in His love and in his light. You
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: As we open in prayer, good and caring Father, thank
• 14:45
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: loved by you, and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 15:02
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 15:09
  Speaker 1: I release to you all of my worries and distractions
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life, and pray
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams. Picture
• 15:53
  Speaker 1: yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges and
• 15:59
  Speaker 1: filled with color flowers. As the sun sinks to the horizon,
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures and fountains
• 16:08
  Speaker 1: that trickle over moss covered stones and into shallow pools
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: of cool, clear water. The savory scents of dinner drift
• 16:21
  Speaker 1: towards you as you move slowly back toward the house
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: for an evening feast. The presence of God surrounds you
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: and lets you know that even beyond all of these
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: earthly blessings, He is there. After dinner, with your stomach
• 16:39
  Speaker 1: full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: your soft bed. Your body nestles into the blankets as
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: quiet waves of rest wash over you until you are
• 16:54
  Speaker 1: in a deep sleep. The story of the Prodigal Son
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: starts out with a similar scene and a similar person
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: like you, enjoying all of the benefits of his father's provision.
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells this parable in Luke chapter fifteen, verse eleven,
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: that begins there was a man who had two sons
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 17:37
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 17:41
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the estate,
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: and let him go. It appeared that, in spite of
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: the life the son lived on his father's estate, he
• 17:54
  Speaker 1: thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: all he had and traveled far away from his father.
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: But it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 18:14
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 18:22
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, And he
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, And no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: of his life is now gone from savory and rich
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten, as the son experiences complete destitution.
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: He lives among pigs uneble to eat even as well
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 19:10
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 19:42
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience. Orges Us to
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: depend on our father in Heaven like we never have before.
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: Consider the hope the son began to feel as he
• 20:11
  Speaker 1: thought about returning to his father's home. Jesus tells us
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: about this moment, saying, but when he came to himself,
• 20:19
  Speaker 1: he said, how many of my father's hired servants have
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger.
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: I will arise and go to my father, and I
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: will say to him Father, I have sinned against Heaven,
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: and before you I am no longer worthy to be
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: The prodigal son's desperation drove him back to his father
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: in humility. He would have been happy to be treated
• 20:55
  Speaker 1: as a mere servant, just to be back in the safety,
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: comfort and provision of his father's care. But this loving
• 21:05
  Speaker 1: father had more in store for his son when he returned,
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: because the loss of half of his estate was nothing
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: compared to what appeared to be the loss of his
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: beloved son. Jesus tells of this father's welcome in verse twenty, saying,
• 21:24
  Speaker 1: but while he was still a long way off, his
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: him and kissed him. What does it feel like to
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: be truly found? When we are lost, isolated and lonely,
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: it can appear like no one knows or cares about us.
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: But all that changes when we are truly found by God.
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: The deepest longing of our soul can only really be
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: satisfied in the loving arms of our father in heaven.
• 22:08
  Speaker 1: Imagine the look in the father's eyes, who does not
• 22:12
  Speaker 1: judge you, does not condemn you, and does not turn
• 22:17
  Speaker 1: his back on you, but instead runs to meet you.
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: From alienation to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection,
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: you land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: and bring the fatten calf and kill it, and let
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 23:20
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavished with every blessing, and likewise,
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal son is one
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love, but it's
• 23:52
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 23:55
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 24:01
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: Father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 24:29
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: You are embraced, and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 24:53
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope, or imagine this time, Jesus
• 24:58
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 25:06
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 25:09
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your Father's house,
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: in room that he is provided a comfortable place to
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: drift off to sleep without a single concern, care, or worry,
• 25:26
  Speaker 1: because he holds these things and you in the palm
• 25:30
  Speaker 1: of his mighty hand. As you now lie in the safety,
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: comfort and care of the Father, allow yourself to embrace
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: and appreciate anew all that he has done for you.
• 25:46
  Speaker 1: Rest in that blessing and let his presence usher you
• 25:50
  Speaker 1: into a deep drank will sleep. Let your thoughts continue
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: to drift off into the serene places of his heavy dwelling.
• 26:01
  Speaker 1: As we close in prayer, Dear Father, thank you for
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: welcoming me into your home with open arms. I once
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from your love,
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: but you called me home. Now I abide in you,
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily. In
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now you
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: can relax completely as we experience the love of God
• 26:57
  Speaker 1: who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath and
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let go
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 27:20
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 27:43
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort. But
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: now you are found in his love and in his light.
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: sleep as we open in prayer, Good and caring Father,
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: thank you for all that you have provided for me.
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: Your careful attention to my life assures me that I
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: am loved by you, and I can be still in
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: your presence. Lord, I pray that you help me now
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: to find the peace that surpasses all understanding. As your
• 28:28
  Speaker 1: calm overtakes me, I release to you all of my
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: worries and distractions and receive the blessing of your inheritance
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: and provision. I trust in your good plan for my life,
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: and pray that you help me to meditate on your
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: goodness and faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: that you are the child of a very wealthy family.
• 29:00
  Speaker 1: You live in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast
• 29:06
  Speaker 1: property with acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams.
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: Picture yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: and filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: the horizon, it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: and fountains that trickle over moss covered stones and into
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: shallow pools of cool, clear water. The savory scents of
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: dinner drift towards you. As you move slowly back toward
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: the house for an evening feast. The presence of God
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: surrounds you and lets you know that even beyond all
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: of these earthly blessings, He is there a dinner. With
• 30:00
  Speaker 1: your stomach full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: tuck into your soft bed. Your body nestles into the
• 30:11
  Speaker 1: blankets as quiet waves of rest wash over you until
• 30:16
  Speaker 1: you are in a deep sleep. The story of the
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: Prodigal Son starts out with a similar scene and a
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: similar person like you, enjoying all of the benefits of
• 30:33
  Speaker 1: his father's provision. Jesus tells this parable in Luke, chapter fifteen,
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: verse eleven, that begins there was a man who had
• 30:43
  Speaker 1: two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 30:53
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 31:03
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the
• 31:07
  Speaker 1: estate and let him go. It appeared that in spite
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: of the life the son lived on his father's estate.
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: He thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere, so he
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: gathered all he had and traveled far away from his father.
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: But it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, And he
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 31:58
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 32:05
  Speaker 1: of his life is now gone from savory and rich
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the sun experiences complete destitution.
• 32:17
  Speaker 1: He lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 32:28
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 32:40
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 32:59
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 33:17
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 34:16
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 34:20
  Speaker 1: back in the safety comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: son when he returned, because the loss of half of
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: the loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this
• 34:43
  Speaker 1: father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was
• 34:47
  Speaker 1: still a long way off, his father saw him and
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• 35:00
  Speaker 1: What does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 35:10
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us, But all that
• 35:15
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 35:21
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Imagine the
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: look in the father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 35:46
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection, you
• 35:55
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 36:08
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 36:12
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let
• 36:19
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead
• 36:24
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 36:31
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 36:47
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 37:02
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal Son is one
• 37:08
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love, but it's
• 37:14
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 37:17
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 37:23
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 37:27
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 37:31
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 37:43
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: Father in heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 37:56
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 38:04
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 38:15
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope, or imagine. This time, Jesus
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend. You
• 38:28
  Speaker 1: are part of a family that will never leave you
• 38:32
  Speaker 1: or forsake you. You belong there in your father's house,
• 38:36
  Speaker 1: in a room that he has provided a comfortable place
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: to drift off to sleep without a single concern, care,
• 38:46
  Speaker 1: or worry, because he holds these things and you in
• 38:52
  Speaker 1: the palm of his mighty hand. As you now lie
• 38:56
  Speaker 1: in the safety, comfort and care of the Father, allow
• 39:01
  Speaker 1: yourself to embrace and appreciate anew all that he has
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: done for you. Rest in that blessing, and let his
• 39:11
  Speaker 1: presence usher you into a deep, tranquil sleep. Let your
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: thoughts continue to drift off into the serene places of
• 39:21
  Speaker 1: his heavenly dwelling. As we close in prayer, Dear Father,
• 39:28
  Speaker 1: thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms.
• 39:34
  Speaker 1: I once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from
• 39:38
  Speaker 1: your love, but you called me home. Now I abide
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: in you, where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily.
• 39:51
  Speaker 1: In the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: you can relax completely as we experience the love of
• 40:18
  Speaker 1: God who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath
• 40:24
  Speaker 1: and hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let
• 40:34
  Speaker 1: go of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 40:42
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 40:50
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 41:05
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness and discomfort. But
• 41:10
  Speaker 1: now you are found in His love and in His light.
• 41:17
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to
• 41:21
  Speaker 1: sleep as we open in prayer. Good and caring Father,
• 41:29
  Speaker 1: thank you for all that you have provided for me.
• 41:33
  Speaker 1: Your careful attention to my life assures me that I
• 41:36
  Speaker 1: am loved by you, and I can be still in
• 41:40
  Speaker 1: your presence. Lord I pray that you help me now
• 41:45
  Speaker 1: to find the peace that surpasses all understanding. As your
• 41:50
  Speaker 1: calm overtakes me, I release to you all of my
• 41:55
  Speaker 1: worries and distractions and receive the blessing of your in
• 42:00
  Speaker 1: inheritance and provision. I trust in your good plan for
• 42:05
  Speaker 1: my life, and pray that you help me to meditate
• 42:09
  Speaker 1: on your goodness and faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream.
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: Imagine that you are the child of a very wealthy family.
• 42:22
  Speaker 1: You live in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: property with acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams.
• 42:36
  Speaker 1: Picture yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges
• 42:42
  Speaker 1: and filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to
• 42:47
  Speaker 1: the horizon, it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures
• 42:52
  Speaker 1: and fountains that trickle over moss covered stones into shallow
• 42:57
  Speaker 1: pools of cool, clear water. The savory sense of dinner
• 43:04
  Speaker 1: drift towards you as you move slowly back toward the
• 43:07
  Speaker 1: house for an evening feast. The presence of God surrounds
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: you and lets you know that even beyond all of
• 43:16
  Speaker 1: these earthly blessings, he is there. After dinner, with your
• 43:22
  Speaker 1: stomach full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck
• 43:27
  Speaker 1: into your soft bed. Your body nestles into the blankets
• 43:34
  Speaker 1: as quiet waves of rest wash over you until you
• 43:38
  Speaker 1: are in a deep sleep. The story of the Prodigal
• 43:45
  Speaker 1: Son starts out with a similar scene and a similar
• 43:50
  Speaker 1: person like you, enjoying all of the benefits of his
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: father's provision. Jesus tells this parable and luke chapter fifteen,
• 44:01
  Speaker 1: verse eleven that begins there was a man who had
• 44:05
  Speaker 1: two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 44:11
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 44:15
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 44:21
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 44:25
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the
• 44:29
  Speaker 1: estate and let him go. It appeared that, in spite
• 44:34
  Speaker 1: of the life the son lived on his father's estate,
• 44:38
  Speaker 1: he thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he
• 44:42
  Speaker 1: gathered all he had and traveled far away from his father.
• 44:48
  Speaker 1: But it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 44:52
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 44:58
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get work. In verse fifteen,
• 45:03
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 45:06
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 45:11
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 45:14
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, And he
• 45:18
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the pods that the
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 45:27
  Speaker 1: of his life has now gone from savory and rich
• 45:31
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the sun experiences complete destitution,
• 45:39
  Speaker 1: He lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well
• 45:43
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 45:54
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 46:05
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 46:12
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 46:15
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 46:21
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 46:26
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 46:31
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 46:36
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 46:39
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 46:44
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 46:48
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 46:53
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 46:58
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 47:02
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 47:06
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 47:10
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 47:15
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 47:19
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 47:24
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 47:28
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 47:34
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 47:38
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 47:42
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 47:48
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 47:51
  Speaker 1: son when he returned, because the loss of half of
• 47:55
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 47:59
  Speaker 1: the lf loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of
• 48:05
  Speaker 1: this father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he
• 48:09
  Speaker 1: was still a long way off. His father saw him
• 48:14
  Speaker 1: and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• 48:22
  Speaker 1: What does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 48:27
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 48:32
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us. But all that
• 48:37
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 48:43
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 48:46
  Speaker 1: the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Imagine the
• 48:52
  Speaker 1: look in the father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 48:57
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 49:01
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 49:08
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection, you
• 49:17
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 49:26
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 49:30
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 49:34
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 49:38
  Speaker 1: and bring the fat and calf and kill it, and
• 49:41
  Speaker 1: let us eat and celebrate For this, My son was
• 49:45
  Speaker 1: dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 49:53
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 49:59
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 50:04
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 50:09
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 50:14
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise
• 50:20
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 50:24
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal Son is one
• 50:30
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love. But it's
• 50:36
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 50:39
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 50:45
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 50:49
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 50:53
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 51:01
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 51:05
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 51:10
  Speaker 1: father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 51:13
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 51:18
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 51:26
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 51:31
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 51:37
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope or imagine this time, Jesus
• 51:42
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 51:50
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 51:53
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your Father's house,
• 51:58
  Speaker 1: in a room. He is provided a comfortable place to
• 52:03
  Speaker 1: drift off to sleep without a single concern, care, or worry,
• 52:10
  Speaker 1: because He holds these things and you in the palm
• 52:14
  Speaker 1: of his mighty hand. As you now lie in the safety,
• 52:20
  Speaker 1: comfort and care of the Father, allow yourself to embrace
• 52:25
  Speaker 1: and appreciate anew all that he has done for you.
• 52:30
  Speaker 1: Rest in that blessing and let his presence usher you
• 52:35
  Speaker 1: into a deep drank will sleep. Let your thoughts continue
• 52:40
  Speaker 1: to drift off into the serene places of his heavenly dwelling.
• 52:45
  Speaker 1: As we close in prayer, Dear Father, thank you for
• 52:51
  Speaker 1: welcoming me into your home with open arms. I once
• 52:56
  Speaker 1: lived in darkness and confusion of thought, off from your love,
• 53:02
  Speaker 1: but you called me home. Now I abide in you,
• 53:07
  Speaker 1: where your spirit consumes me and sleep comes easily. In
• 53:13
  Speaker 1: the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now you
• 53:36
  Speaker 1: can relax completely as we experience the love of God
• 53:41
  Speaker 1: who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath and
• 53:46
  Speaker 1: hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, let go
• 53:56
  Speaker 1: of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 54:01
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 54:04
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 54:17
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 54:20
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 54:27
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort. But
• 54:32
  Speaker 1: now you are found in His love and in his light.
• 54:39
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 54:44
  Speaker 1: As we open in prayer, good and caring Father, thank
• 54:51
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 54:55
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 54:58
  Speaker 1: loved by you and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 55:05
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 55:08
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 55:15
  Speaker 1: I release to you all of my worries and distractions
• 55:20
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 55:25
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life and pray
• 55:29
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 55:32
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 55:40
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 55:45
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 55:51
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wild life, and meandering streams.
• 55:58
  Speaker 1: Picture yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges
• 56:04
  Speaker 1: and filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to
• 56:09
  Speaker 1: the horizon, it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures
• 56:14
  Speaker 1: and fountains that trickle over moss covered stones into shallow
• 56:19
  Speaker 1: pools of cool, clear water. The savory scents of dinner
• 56:26
  Speaker 1: drift towards you. As you move slowly back toward the
• 56:29
  Speaker 1: house for an evening feast. The presence of God surrounds
• 56:34
  Speaker 1: you and lets you know that even beyond all of
• 56:38
  Speaker 1: these earthly blessings, He is there. After dinner, with your
• 56:44
  Speaker 1: stomach full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck
• 56:49
  Speaker 1: into your soft bed. Your body nestles into the blankets
• 56:56
  Speaker 1: as quiet waves of rest wash over you till you
• 57:00
  Speaker 1: are in a deep sleep. The story of the Prodigal
• 57:07
  Speaker 1: Son starts out with a similar scene and a similar
• 57:12
  Speaker 1: person like you. Enjoying all of the benefits of his
• 57:17
  Speaker 1: father's provision. Jesus tells this parable in Luke, chapter fifteen,
• 57:23
  Speaker 1: verse eleven, that begins there was a man who had
• 57:27
  Speaker 1: two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 57:33
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 57:37
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 57:43
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 57:47
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the estate,
• 57:52
  Speaker 1: and let him go. It appeared that, in spite of
• 57:56
  Speaker 1: the life the son lived on his father's estate, he
• 58:00
  Speaker 1: thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered
• 58:05
  Speaker 1: all he had and traveled far away from his father.
• 58:10
  Speaker 1: But it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 58:14
  Speaker 1: after his departure he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 58:20
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 58:25
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 58:28
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 58:33
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 58:36
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs. And he
• 58:40
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 58:42
  Speaker 1: pigs ate and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 58:49
  Speaker 1: of his life is now gone from savory and rich
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the son experiences complete destitution,
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: he lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well
• 59:05
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 59:12
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 59:16
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 59:24
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 59:27
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 59:34
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 59:37
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 59:43
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 59:48
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 59:53
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be
• 59:56
  Speaker 1: found this place of lonelines. And this can be one
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 1: of the most difficult but valuable moments we may experience,
• 1:00:05
  Speaker 1: as it forces us to depend on our father in
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 1: Heaven like we never have before. Consider the hope the
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 1: son began to feel as he thought about returning to
• 1:00:18
  Speaker 1: his father's home. Jesus tells us about this moment, saying,
• 1:00:24
  Speaker 1: but when he came to himself. He said, how many
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 1: of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread,
• 1:00:31
  Speaker 1: but I perish here with hunger. I will arise and
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: go to my father, and I will say to him, father,
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 1: I have sinned against heaven, and before you I am
• 1:00:45
  Speaker 1: no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me
• 1:00:49
  Speaker 1: as one of your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation
• 1:00:55
  Speaker 1: drove him back to his father in humility. He would
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 1: have been happy to be treated as a mere servant,
• 1:01:04
  Speaker 1: just to be back in the safety, comfort and provision
• 1:01:07
  Speaker 1: of his father's care. But this loving father had more
• 1:01:12
  Speaker 1: in store for his son when he returned, because the
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: loss of half of his estate was nothing compared to
• 1:01:20
  Speaker 1: what appeared to be the loss of his beloved son.
• 1:01:26
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells of this father's welcome in verse twenty, saying,
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 1: but while he was still a long way off, his
• 1:01:35
  Speaker 1: father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 1: him and kissed him. What does it feel like to
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 1: be truly found? When we are lost, isolated, and lonely,
• 1:01:53
  Speaker 1: it can appear like no one knows or cares about us.
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 1: But all that changes when we are truly found by God.
• 1:02:04
  Speaker 1: The deepest longing of our souls can only really be
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 1: satisfied in the loving arms of our Father in heaven.
• 1:02:14
  Speaker 1: Imagine the look in the Father's eyes, who does not
• 1:02:18
  Speaker 1: judge you, does not condemn you, and does not turn
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 1: his back on you, but instead runs to meet you.
• 1:02:28
  Speaker 1: From alienation to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection,
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 1: you land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 1:02:44
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 1:02:48
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 1:02:52
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 1:03:00
  Speaker 1: and bring the fatten calf and kill it, and let
• 1:03:03
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this, my son was dead
• 1:03:08
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 1:03:15
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 1:03:21
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 1:03:26
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 1:03:36
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavished with every blessing, and likewise
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 1:03:46
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal son is one
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love, but it's
• 1:03:58
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 1:04:07
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 1:04:11
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 1:04:15
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 1:04:23
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 1:04:32
  Speaker 1: father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 1:04:40
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 1: you could ever act, ask, hope, or imagine. This time,
• 1:05:04
  Speaker 1: Jesus is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 1:05:12
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 1:05:15
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your father's house,
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 1: in a room that he is provided a comfortable place
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 1: to drift off to sleep. Without a single concern, care
• 1:05:30
  Speaker 1: or worry, because He holds these things and you in
• 1:05:36
  Speaker 1: the palm of his mighty hand. As you now lie
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 1: in the safety, comfort and care of the Father, allow
• 1:05:45
  Speaker 1: yourself to embrace and appreciate anew all that He has
• 1:05:50
  Speaker 1: done for you. Rest in that blessing and let his
• 1:05:55
  Speaker 1: presence usher you into a deep drank will sleep. Let
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 1: your thoughts continue to drift off into the serene places
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 1: of his heavenly dwelling. As we close in prayer, Dear Father,
• 1:06:12
  Speaker 1: thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms.
• 1:06:18
  Speaker 1: I once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 1: your love, but you called me home. Now I abide
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 1: in you, where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily.
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 1: In the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 1: you can relax completely as we experience the love of
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 1: God who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath
• 1:07:08
  Speaker 1: and hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let
• 1:07:18
  Speaker 1: go of every thought and concern you have had throughout
• 1:07:21
  Speaker 1: the day, and replace them one by one with the
• 1:07:25
  Speaker 1: peace of Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you,
• 1:07:33
  Speaker 1: He surrounds you, and keeps you. He wants the best
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 1: for you and has given you the gift of sleep
• 1:07:42
  Speaker 1: in this moment, so that you may fully experience his
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 1: supernatural rest. Once you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort,
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 1: but now you are found in his love and in
• 1:07:58
  Speaker 1: his light. You are safe and free to gently drift
• 1:08:04
  Speaker 1: off to sleep as we open and prayer, good and
• 1:08:11
  Speaker 1: caring Father, thank you for all that you have provided
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 1: for me. Your careful attention to my life assures me
• 1:08:20
  Speaker 1: that I am loved by you, and I can be
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 1: still in your presence. Lord. I pray that you help
• 1:08:28
  Speaker 1: me now to find the peace that surpasses all understanding.
• 1:08:33
  Speaker 1: As your calm overtakes me, I release to you all
• 1:08:39
  Speaker 1: of my worries and distractions and receive the blessing of
• 1:08:43
  Speaker 1: your inheritance and provision. I trust in your good plan
• 1:08:49
  Speaker 1: for my life and pray that you help me to
• 1:08:52
  Speaker 1: meditate on your goodness and faithfulness as I fall asleep
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: and dream. Imagine that you are the child of a
• 1:09:03
  Speaker 1: very wealthy family. You live in an extraordinary home that
• 1:09:10
  Speaker 1: sprawls across vast property with acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife,
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 1: and meandering streams. Picture yourself walking through lush gardens of
• 1:09:24
  Speaker 1: carefully manicured hedges and filled with colorful flowers. As the
• 1:09:30
  Speaker 1: sun sinks to the horizon, it casts a deep golden
• 1:09:34
  Speaker 1: hue against sculptures and fountains that trickle over moss covered
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: stones into shallow pools of cool, clear water. The savory
• 1:09:47
  Speaker 1: scents of dinner drift towards you as you move slowly
• 1:09:50
  Speaker 1: back toward the house for an evening feast. The presence
• 1:09:55
  Speaker 1: of God surrounds you and lets you know that even
• 1:09:59
  Speaker 1: beyond all these earthly blessings, he is there. After dinner,
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 1: with your stomach full and your eyes heavy with sleep,
• 1:10:11
  Speaker 1: you tuck into your soft bed. Your body nestles into
• 1:10:17
  Speaker 1: the blankets as quiet waves of rest wash over you
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 1: until you are in a deep sleep. The story of
• 1:10:29
  Speaker 1: the prodigal Son starts out with a similar scene and
• 1:10:33
  Speaker 1: a similar person like you, enjoying all of the benefits
• 1:10:38
  Speaker 1: of his father's provision. Jesus tells this parable in Luke
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 1: chapter fifteen, verse eleven, that begins there was a man
• 1:10:49
  Speaker 1: who had two sons, and the younger of them said
• 1:10:53
  Speaker 1: to his father, father, give me the share of property
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 1: that is coming to me. And he divided his property
• 1:11:01
  Speaker 1: between them. This generous and loving father did not want
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 1: to see his son leave, but granted this wish, giving
• 1:11:12
  Speaker 1: the son half of the estate and let him go.
• 1:11:17
  Speaker 1: It appeared that, in spite of the life the son
• 1:11:20
  Speaker 1: lived on his father's estate, he thought he might find
• 1:11:23
  Speaker 1: greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered all he had and
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 1: traveled far away from his father. But it didn't go
• 1:11:33
  Speaker 1: as he had hoped. Not long after his departure, he
• 1:11:38
  Speaker 1: spends everything, and a severe famine ensured that it would
• 1:11:43
  Speaker 1: only get worse. In verse fifteen, Jesus goes on to
• 1:11:48
  Speaker 1: tell of the son's desperate attempts to redeem himself, saying,
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 1: so he went and hired himself out to one of
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 1: the citizens of that country, who sent him into the
• 1:11:59
  Speaker 1: fields to pigs, And he was longing to be fed
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 1: with the paws that the pigs ate, and no one
• 1:12:07
  Speaker 1: gave him anything. The atmosphere of his life has now
• 1:12:12
  Speaker 1: gone from savory and rich to stale and rotten. As
• 1:12:18
  Speaker 1: the son experiences complete destitution. He lives among pigs, uneble
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 1: to eat even as well as they do, begging for
• 1:12:29
  Speaker 1: food that never comes. He longs for the not so
• 1:12:35
  Speaker 1: distant past of his father's house, where he was safe, comfortable, full,
• 1:12:43
  Speaker 1: and in need of nothing. He did not realize how
• 1:12:48
  Speaker 1: much he needed the love and care of his father
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: until it was gone. Imagine the loneliness he must have
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: felt among the pigs as he begged for help and
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 1: no one came to his rescue. Perhaps you have felt
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 1: alone in moments, even because of decisions you've made. It
• 1:13:13
  Speaker 1: seems that no one truly knows what you're experiencing, and
• 1:13:16
  Speaker 1: that help is nowhere to be found. This place of
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 1: loneliness can be one of the most difficult but valuable
• 1:13:25
  Speaker 1: moments we may experience, as it forces us to depend
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 1: on our father in Heaven like we never have before.
• 1:13:35
  Speaker 1: Consider the hope the son began to feel as he
• 1:13:39
  Speaker 1: thought about returning to his father's home. Jesus tells us
• 1:13:43
  Speaker 1: about this moment, saying, but when he came to himself,
• 1:13:47
  Speaker 1: he said, how many of my father's hired servants have
• 1:13:51
  Speaker 1: more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger.
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: I will arise and go to my father, and I
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 1: will say to him, Father, I have sinned against Heaven,
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 1: and before you I am no longer worthy to be
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 1: called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.
• 1:14:15
  Speaker 1: The prodigal son's desperation drove him back to his father
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 1: in humility. He would have been happy to be treated
• 1:14:23
  Speaker 1: as a mere servant, just to be back in the safety,
• 1:14:28
  Speaker 1: comfort and provision of his father's care. But this loving
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 1: father had more in store for his son when he returned,
• 1:14:38
  Speaker 1: because the loss of half of his estate was nothing
• 1:14:42
  Speaker 1: compared to what appeared to be the loss of his
• 1:14:45
  Speaker 1: beloved son. Jesus tells of this father's welcome in verse twenty, saying,
• 1:14:52
  Speaker 1: but while he was still a long way off, his
• 1:14:57
  Speaker 1: father saw him and felt compas and ran and embraced
• 1:15:02
  Speaker 1: him and kissed him. What does it feel like to
• 1:15:07
  Speaker 1: be truly found? When we are lost, isolated, and lonely,
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: it can appear like no one knows or cares about us.
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 1: But all that changes when we are truly found by God.
• 1:15:26
  Speaker 1: The deepest longing of our souls can only really be
• 1:15:30
  Speaker 1: satisfied in the loving arms of our Father in heaven.
• 1:15:36
  Speaker 1: Imagine the look in the father's eyes, who does not
• 1:15:40
  Speaker 1: judge you, does not condemn you, and does not turn
• 1:15:45
  Speaker 1: his back on you, but instead runs to meet you.
• 1:15:50
  Speaker 1: From alienation to unconditional acceptance. From utter shame to tender affection.
• 1:16:01
  Speaker 1: You land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 1:16:06
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 1:16:10
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 1:16:18
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 1: and bring the fat and calf and kill it, and
• 1:16:25
  Speaker 1: let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was
• 1:16:29
  Speaker 1: dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 1:16:37
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 1:16:48
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 1:16:58
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise
• 1:17:04
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 1:17:08
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal Son is one
• 1:17:14
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the Father's unconditional love, but it's
• 1:17:20
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 1:17:23
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 1:17:29
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 1:17:33
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 1:17:37
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 1:17:49
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 1:17:54
  Speaker 1: father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 1:18:02
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 1:18:10
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 1:18:15
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 1:18:21
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope, or imagine. This time, Jesus
• 1:18:26
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 1:18:34
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 1:18:37
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your father's house,
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 1: in a room that he has provided a comfortable place
• 1:18:47
  Speaker 1: to drift off to sleep, without a single concern, care,
• 1:18:52
  Speaker 1: or worry, because he holds these things and you in
• 1:18:58
  Speaker 1: the palm of his mighty hand. As you now lie
• 1:19:02
  Speaker 1: in the safety, comfort and care of the Father, allow
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 1: yourself to embrace and appreciate anew all that he has
• 1:19:12
  Speaker 1: done for you. Rest in that blessing, and let his
• 1:19:17
  Speaker 1: presence usher you into a deep drank will sleep. Let
• 1:19:23
  Speaker 1: your thoughts continue to drift off into the serene places
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 1: of his heavenly dwelling. As we close in prayer. Dear Father,
• 1:19:35
  Speaker 1: thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms.
• 1:19:40
  Speaker 1: I once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from
• 1:19:45
  Speaker 1: your love, but you called me home. Now I abide
• 1:19:50
  Speaker 1: in you, where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily.
• 1:19:57
  Speaker 1: In the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now
• 1:20:20
  Speaker 1: you can relax completely as we experience the love of
• 1:20:24
  Speaker 1: God who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath
• 1:20:30
  Speaker 1: and hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let
• 1:20:40
  Speaker 1: go of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 1:20:45
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 1:20:48
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 1:20:56
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 1:21:04
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 1:21:11
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness and discomfort. But
• 1:21:16
  Speaker 1: now you are found in His love and in His light.
• 1:21:23
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 1:21:28
  Speaker 1: As we open in prayer, good and caring Father. Thank
• 1:21:35
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 1:21:39
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 1:21:42
  Speaker 1: loved by you, and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 1:21:49
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 1:21:52
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 1:21:59
  Speaker 1: I relieve to you all of my worries and distractions
• 1:22:04
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 1:22:10
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life, and pray
• 1:22:13
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 1:22:24
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 1:22:29
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 1:22:35
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams. Picture
• 1:22:43
  Speaker 1: yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges and
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 1: filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to the horizon,
• 1:22:54
  Speaker 1: it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures and fountains
• 1:22:59
  Speaker 1: that over moss covered stones and into shallow pools of cool,
• 1:23:05
  Speaker 1: clear water. The savory sense of dinner drift towards you.
• 1:23:11
  Speaker 1: As you move slowly back toward the house for an
• 1:23:14
  Speaker 1: evening feast, the presence of God surrounds you and lets
• 1:23:19
  Speaker 1: you know that even beyond all of these earthly blessings,
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 1: He is there. After dinner, with your stomach full and
• 1:23:30
  Speaker 1: your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into your soft bed.
• 1:23:38
  Speaker 1: Your body nestles into the blankets as quiet waves of
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 1: rest wash over you until you are in a deep sleep.
• 1:23:50
  Speaker 1: The story of the Prodigal Sun starts out with a
• 1:23:54
  Speaker 1: similar scene and a similar person like you, enjoying all
• 1:24:00
  Speaker 1: all of the benefits of his father's provision. Jesus tells
• 1:24:05
  Speaker 1: this parable in Luke, chapter fifteen, verse eleven, that begins
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 1: there was a man who had two sons, and the
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 1: younger of them said to his father, father, give me
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: the share of property that is coming to me, and
• 1:24:21
  Speaker 1: he divided his property between them. This generous and loving
• 1:24:28
  Speaker 1: father did not want to see his son leave, but
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 1: granted this wish, giving the son half of the estate,
• 1:24:36
  Speaker 1: and let him go. It appeared that, in spite of
• 1:24:40
  Speaker 1: the life the son lived on his father's estate, he
• 1:24:44
  Speaker 1: thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 1: all he had and traveled far away from his father,
• 1:24:54
  Speaker 1: but it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 1:24:58
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 1:25:04
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 1:25:09
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 1:25:12
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 1:25:17
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 1:25:20
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, And he
• 1:25:24
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 1:25:26
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 1: of his life is now gone from savory and rich
• 1:25:37
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the sun experiences complete destitution.
• 1:25:45
  Speaker 1: He lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well
• 1:25:49
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 1:26:08
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 1:26:11
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 1:26:18
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 1:26:21
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 1:26:27
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 1:26:32
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made, it seems that no one truly knows
• 1:26:37
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 1:26:42
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 1:26:45
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 1:26:50
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 1:26:54
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 1:26:59
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 1:27:04
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 1:27:08
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 1:27:12
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 1:27:16
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 1:27:21
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 1:27:25
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 1:27:30
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 1:27:34
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 1:27:40
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 1:27:44
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 1:27:48
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 1:27:57
  Speaker 1: son when he returned. Because the loss of half of
• 1:28:01
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 1:28:05
  Speaker 1: the loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this
• 1:28:11
  Speaker 1: father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 1: still a long way off, his father saw him and
• 1:28:21
  Speaker 1: felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• 1:28:28
  Speaker 1: What does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 1:28:33
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 1:28:38
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us, But all that
• 1:28:43
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 1:28:49
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 1:28:52
  Speaker 1: the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Imagine the
• 1:28:58
  Speaker 1: look in the father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 1:29:07
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 1:29:14
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection, you
• 1:29:23
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 1:29:28
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 1:29:32
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 1:29:44
  Speaker 1: and bring the fat and calf and kill it, and
• 1:29:47
  Speaker 1: let us eat and celebrate. For this, my son was
• 1:29:51
  Speaker 1: dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 1:29:59
  Speaker 1: The entire your household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 1:30:05
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the sun returned, he was adorned with
• 1:30:10
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 1:30:15
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 1:30:20
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 1:30:30
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal Son is one
• 1:30:36
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the Father's unconditional love. But it's
• 1:30:42
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 1:30:45
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 1:30:51
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 1:30:59
  Speaker 1: on the cross us. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care
• 1:31:07
  Speaker 1: is guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he
• 1:31:10
  Speaker 1: became the prodigal for your sake. This is how much
• 1:31:15
  Speaker 1: our father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths
• 1:31:19
  Speaker 1: he went to so that you could be found in him.
• 1:31:24
  Speaker 1: You are embraced, and you are celebrated. You are home. Now.
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 1: Imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow of heaven,
• 1:31:39
  Speaker 1: where you are safe, loved, and have all you could
• 1:31:43
  Speaker 1: ever ask, hope, or imagine. This time, Jesus is walking
• 1:31:49
  Speaker 1: with you. Your brother, your savior, your friend. You are
• 1:31:57
  Speaker 1: part of a family that will never leave you or
• 1:32:00
  Speaker 1: forsake you. You belong there in your father's house, in
• 1:32:05
  Speaker 1: room that he is provided a comfortable place to drift
• 1:32:10
  Speaker 1: off to sleep without a single concern, care, or worry,
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 1: because he holds these things and you in the palm
• 1:32:20
  Speaker 1: of his mighty hand. As you now lie in the safety,
• 1:32:26
  Speaker 1: comfort and care of the Father, allow yourself to embrace
• 1:32:31
  Speaker 1: and appreciate anew all that he has done for you.
• 1:32:36
  Speaker 1: Rest in that blessing, and let his presence usher you
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 1: into a deep drank will sleep. Let your thoughts continue
• 1:32:47
  Speaker 1: to drift off into the serene places of his heavenly dwelling.
• 1:32:51
  Speaker 1: As we close in prayer, Dear Father, thank you for
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 1: welcoming me into your home with us open arms. I
• 1:33:02
  Speaker 1: once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from your love,
• 1:33:08
  Speaker 1: but you called me home Now I abide in you,
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 1: where your spirit consumes me and sleep comes easily in
• 1:33:19
  Speaker 1: the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now you
• 1:33:27
  Speaker 1: can relax completely as we experience the love of God
• 1:33:32
  Speaker 1: who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath and
• 1:33:37
  Speaker 1: hold it for a few moments. Now, exhale, Let go
• 1:33:47
  Speaker 1: of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 1:33:52
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 1:33:55
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 1:34:03
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 1:34:08
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 1:34:11
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness and discomfort. But
• 1:34:23
  Speaker 1: now you are found in His love and in his light.
• 1:34:30
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 1: As we open in prayer, Good and caring Father, thank
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 1:34:46
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 1:34:49
  Speaker 1: loved by you and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 1:34:59
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 1: I release to you all of my worries and distractions,
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 1:35:17
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life, and pray
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 1:35:23
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 1:35:31
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 1:35:36
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 1:35:42
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams. Picture
• 1:35:50
  Speaker 1: yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges and
• 1:35:56
  Speaker 1: filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to the horizon,
• 1:36:01
  Speaker 1: it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures and fountains
• 1:36:06
  Speaker 1: that trickle over moss covered stones and into shallow pools
• 1:36:11
  Speaker 1: of cool, clear water. The savory scents of dinner drift
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 1: towards you as you move slowly back toward the house
• 1:36:20
  Speaker 1: for an evening feast. The presence of God surrounds you
• 1:36:26
  Speaker 1: and lets you know that even beyond all of these
• 1:36:29
  Speaker 1: earthly blessings, He is there. After dinner, with your stomach
• 1:36:36
  Speaker 1: full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into
• 1:36:41
  Speaker 1: your soft bed, Your body nestles into the blankets, as
• 1:36:47
  Speaker 1: quiet waves of rest wash over you until you are
• 1:36:51
  Speaker 1: in a deep sleep. The story of the Prodigal Sun
• 1:37:00
  Speaker 1: starts out with a similar scene and a similar person
• 1:37:05
  Speaker 1: like you, enjoying all of the benefits of his father's provision.
• 1:37:11
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells this parable in Luke, chapter fifteen, verse eleven,
• 1:37:15
  Speaker 1: that begins there was a man who had two sons,
• 1:37:20
  Speaker 1: and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 1:37:24
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 1:37:28
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 1:37:34
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 1:37:38
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the
• 1:37:42
  Speaker 1: estate and let him go. It appeared that, in spite
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 1: of the life the son lived on his father's estate,
• 1:37:51
  Speaker 1: he thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he
• 1:37:55
  Speaker 1: gathered all he had and traveled far away from his father.
• 1:38:01
  Speaker 1: But it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 1:38:05
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 1:38:11
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 1:38:16
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 1:38:19
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying so he went and hired himself
• 1:38:24
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 1:38:27
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, and he
• 1:38:31
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 1:38:33
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 1: of his life is now gone from savory and rich
• 1:38:44
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the sun experiences complete destitution.
• 1:38:52
  Speaker 1: He lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well
• 1:38:56
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 1:39:03
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 1:39:07
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 1:39:15
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 1:39:18
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 1:39:25
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 1:39:28
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 1:39:34
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 1:39:39
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 1:39:44
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 1:39:49
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 1:39:52
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 1:39:57
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 1:40:01
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 1:40:07
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 1:40:11
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 1:40:15
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 1:40:19
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 1:40:28
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, father, I have sinned
• 1:40:32
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 1:40:37
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 1:40:41
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 1:40:47
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 1:40:51
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 1:40:55
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 1:41:01
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 1:41:04
  Speaker 1: son when he returned, because the loss of half of
• 1:41:08
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 1: the loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this
• 1:41:18
  Speaker 1: father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was
• 1:41:22
  Speaker 1: still a long way off, his father saw him and
• 1:41:28
  Speaker 1: felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 1: what does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 1:41:40
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 1:41:45
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us. But all that
• 1:41:50
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 1:41:56
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 1:41:59
  Speaker 1: the life, loving arms of our Father in heaven. Imagine
• 1:42:05
  Speaker 1: the look in the Father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 1:42:10
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 1:42:14
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 1:42:21
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection, you
• 1:42:30
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 1:42:35
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 1:42:39
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 1:42:43
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 1:42:47
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
• 1:42:51
  Speaker 1: And bring the fat and calf and kill it, and
• 1:42:54
  Speaker 1: let us eat and celebrate. For this, my son was
• 1:42:58
  Speaker 1: dead and is alone again. He was lost and is found.
• 1:43:06
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate, with singing, dancing,
• 1:43:12
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the sun returned, he was adorned with
• 1:43:17
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 1:43:22
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 1:43:27
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 1:43:37
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal Son is one
• 1:43:43
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love, but it's
• 1:43:49
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 1:43:52
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 1:43:58
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 1:44:02
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 1:44:06
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 1:44:14
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 1:44:18
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 1:44:23
  Speaker 1: Father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 1:44:26
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 1:44:31
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home. Now.
• 1:44:40
  Speaker 1: Imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow of heaven,
• 1:44:46
  Speaker 1: where you are safe, loved, and have all you could
• 1:44:50
  Speaker 1: ever ask, hope or imagine this time, Jesus is walking
• 1:44:56
  Speaker 1: with you, your brother, your savior, your friend. You are
• 1:45:04
  Speaker 1: part of a family that will never leave you or
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 1: forsake you. You belong there in your father's house, in
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 1: room that he is provided a comfortable place to drift
• 1:45:17
  Speaker 1: off to sleep without a single concern, care, or worry,
• 1:45:23
  Speaker 1: because he holds these things and you in the palm
• 1:45:27
  Speaker 1: of his mighty hand. As you now lie in the safety,
• 1:45:33
  Speaker 1: comfort and care of the Father, allow yourself to embrace
• 1:45:38
  Speaker 1: and appreciate anew all that he has done for you.
• 1:45:43
  Speaker 1: Rest in that blessing, and let his presence usher you
• 1:45:48
  Speaker 1: into a deep drank will sleep. Let your thoughts continue
• 1:45:53
  Speaker 1: to drift off into the serene places of his heavenly dwelling.
• 1:45:58
  Speaker 1: As we close in prayer, Dear Father, thank you for
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 1: welcoming me into your home with open arms. I once
• 1:46:09
  Speaker 1: lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from your love,
• 1:46:15
  Speaker 1: but you called me home. Now I abide in you,
• 1:46:20
  Speaker 1: where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily. In
• 1:46:26
  Speaker 1: the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now you
• 1:46:49
  Speaker 1: can relax completely as we experience the love of God
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 1: who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath and
• 1:46:59
  Speaker 1: hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, let go
• 1:47:09
  Speaker 1: of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 1:47:14
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 1:47:17
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds you,
• 1:47:26
  Speaker 1: and keeps you. He wants the best for you, and
• 1:47:30
  Speaker 1: has given you the gift of sleep in this moment
• 1:47:35
  Speaker 1: so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest. Once
• 1:47:41
  Speaker 1: you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort. But now
• 1:47:46
  Speaker 1: you are found in His love and in His light.
• 1:47:52
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 1:47:57
  Speaker 1: As we open in prayer, good and caring Father, thank
• 1:48:04
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 1:48:08
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 1: loved by you and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 1:48:18
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 1:48:21
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 1:48:28
  Speaker 1: I release to you all of my worries and distractions
• 1:48:33
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 1:48:39
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life and pray
• 1:48:42
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 1:48:45
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 1:48:53
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 1:48:58
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 1:49:04
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams. Picture
• 1:49:12
  Speaker 1: yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges and
• 1:49:18
  Speaker 1: filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to the horizon,
• 1:49:23
  Speaker 1: it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures and fountains
• 1:49:28
  Speaker 1: that trickle over moss covered stones into shallow pools of cool,
• 1:49:34
  Speaker 1: clear water. The savory scents of dinner drift towards you
• 1:49:40
  Speaker 1: as you move slowly back toward the house for an
• 1:49:43
  Speaker 1: evening feast. The presence of God surrounds you and lets
• 1:49:48
  Speaker 1: you know that even beyond all of these earthly blessings,
• 1:49:53
  Speaker 1: He is there. After dinner, with your stomach full and
• 1:49:59
  Speaker 1: your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into your soft bed.
• 1:50:07
  Speaker 1: Your body nestles into the blankets as quiet waves of
• 1:50:10
  Speaker 1: rest wash over you until you are in a deep sleep.
• 1:50:19
  Speaker 1: The story of the Prodigal Son starts out with a
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 1: similar scene and a similar person like you, enjoying all
• 1:50:29
  Speaker 1: of the benefits of his father's provision. Jesus tells this
• 1:50:34
  Speaker 1: parable in Luke chapter fifteen, verse eleven that begins there
• 1:50:39
  Speaker 1: was a man who had two sons, and the younger
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 1: of them said to his father, father, give me the
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 1: share of property that is coming to me, and he
• 1:50:51
  Speaker 1: divided his property between them. This generous and loving father
• 1:50:57
  Speaker 1: did not want to see his son leave, but granted
• 1:51:01
  Speaker 1: this wish, giving the son half of the estate, and
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 1: let him go. It appeared that, in spite of the
• 1:51:10
  Speaker 1: life the son lived on his father's estate, he thought
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 1: he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered all
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 1: he had and traveled far away from his father. But
• 1:51:23
  Speaker 1: it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long after
• 1:51:28
  Speaker 1: his departure, he spends everything and a severe famine, insured
• 1:51:33
  Speaker 1: that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen, Jesus
• 1:51:38
  Speaker 1: goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts to
• 1:51:41
  Speaker 1: redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself out
• 1:51:46
  Speaker 1: to one of the citizens of that country, who sent
• 1:51:49
  Speaker 1: him into the fields to feed pigs, And he was
• 1:51:53
  Speaker 1: longing to be fed with the paws that the pigs ate,
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 1: and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere of his
• 1:52:02
  Speaker 1: life is now gone from savory and rich to stale
• 1:52:07
  Speaker 1: and rotten, as the son experiences complete destitution. He lives
• 1:52:15
  Speaker 1: among pigs, uneble to eat even as well as they do,
• 1:52:20
  Speaker 1: begging for food that never comes. He longs for the
• 1:52:26
  Speaker 1: not so distant past of his father's house, where he
• 1:52:30
  Speaker 1: was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing. He
• 1:52:37
  Speaker 1: did not realize how much he needed the love and
• 1:52:41
  Speaker 1: care of his father until it was gone. Imagine the
• 1:52:47
  Speaker 1: loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as he
• 1:52:51
  Speaker 1: begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 1:53:01
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 1:53:12
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 1:53:14
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 1:53:19
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 1:53:23
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 1:53:29
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 1:53:33
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 1:53:37
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 1:53:41
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 1:53:45
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 1:53:50
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 1:53:54
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 1:53:59
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 1:54:03
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 1:54:09
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 1:54:14
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 1:54:23
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 1:54:26
  Speaker 1: son when he returned, because the loss of half of
• 1:54:30
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 1:54:34
  Speaker 1: the loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this
• 1:54:40
  Speaker 1: father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was
• 1:54:45
  Speaker 1: still a long way off, his father saw him and
• 1:54:50
  Speaker 1: felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• 1:54:57
  Speaker 1: What does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 1:55:02
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us. But all that
• 1:55:12
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 1:55:18
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 1:55:22
  Speaker 1: the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Imagine the
• 1:55:27
  Speaker 1: look in the father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 1:55:32
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 1:55:36
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 1:55:43
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection, you
• 1:55:52
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 1:55:57
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 1:56:01
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 1:56:13
  Speaker 1: and bring the fatten calf and kill it, and let
• 1:56:16
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this, my son was dead
• 1:56:21
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 1:56:28
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 1:56:39
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 1:56:44
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 1:56:49
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise,
• 1:56:55
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 1:57:03
  Speaker 1: The story of the prodigal son is one of redemption
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 1: because of the father's unconditional love, but it's also the
• 1:57:11
  Speaker 1: story of how Jesus made a way for you to
• 1:57:15
  Speaker 1: be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus left his
• 1:57:20
  Speaker 1: heavenly home to join you here on earth, and then
• 1:57:25
  Speaker 1: he was truly lost when he was forsaken on the cross.
• 1:57:31
  Speaker 1: Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is guaranteed by the
• 1:57:37
  Speaker 1: blood that Jesus shed when he became the prodigal for
• 1:57:41
  Speaker 1: your sake. This is how much our father in Heaven
• 1:57:46
  Speaker 1: loves you. These are the lengths he went to so
• 1:57:49
  Speaker 1: that you could be found in him. You are embraced
• 1:57:55
  Speaker 1: and you are celebrated. You are home. Now imagine yourself
• 1:58:03
  Speaker 1: back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow of heaven, where
• 1:58:08
  Speaker 1: you are safe, loved, and have all you could ever ask, hope,
• 1:58:13
  Speaker 1: or imagine this time, Jesus is walking with you, your brother,
• 1:58:22
  Speaker 1: your savior, your friend. You are part of a family
• 1:58:27
  Speaker 1: that will never leave you or forsake you. You belong
• 1:58:31
  Speaker 1: there in your father's house, in a room that he
• 1:58:35
  Speaker 1: has provided a comfortable place to drift off to sleep
• 1:58:40
  Speaker 1: without a single concern, care, or worry, because he holds
• 1:58:46
  Speaker 1: these things and you in the palm of his mighty hand.
• 1:58:52
  Speaker 1: As you now lie in the safety, comfort and care
• 1:58:56
  Speaker 1: of the Father. Allow yourself to embrace and appreciate anew
• 1:59:02
  Speaker 1: all that he has done for you. Rest in that
• 1:59:06
  Speaker 1: blessing and let his presence usher you into a deep
• 1:59:11
  Speaker 1: trank will sleep. Let your thoughts continue to drift off
• 1:59:16
  Speaker 1: into the serene places of his heavenly dwelling. As we
• 1:59:21
  Speaker 1: close in prayer, Dear Father, thank you for welcoming me
• 1:59:28
  Speaker 1: into your home with open arms. I once lived in
• 1:59:32
  Speaker 1: darkness and confusion, afar off from your love, but you
• 1:59:38
  Speaker 1: called me home. Now I abide in you, where your
• 1:59:43
  Speaker 1: spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily. In the precious
• 1:59:49
  Speaker 1: name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now you can relax
• 2:00:12
  Speaker 1: completely as we experience the love of God who rescues
• 2:00:17
  Speaker 1: his lost children. Take a deep breath and hold it
• 2:00:22
  Speaker 1: for a few moments. Now exhale, Let go of every
• 2:00:32
  Speaker 1: thought and concern you've had throughout the day, and replace
• 2:00:36
  Speaker 1: them one by one with the peace of Jesus Christ.
• 2:00:42
  Speaker 1: He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds you and
• 2:00:48
  Speaker 1: keeps you. He wants the best for you, and has
• 2:00:53
  Speaker 1: given you the gift of sleep in this moment so
• 2:00:57
  Speaker 1: that you may fully experience His supername. Natural rest. Once
• 2:01:03
  Speaker 1: you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort. But now
• 2:01:08
  Speaker 1: you are found in His love and in his light.
• 2:01:14
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to
• 2:01:18
  Speaker 1: sleep as we open in prayer, good and caring Father,
• 2:01:26
  Speaker 1: thank you for all that you have provided for me.
• 2:01:30
  Speaker 1: Your careful attention to my life assures me that I
• 2:01:33
  Speaker 1: am loved by you, and I can be still in
• 2:01:37
  Speaker 1: your presence. Lord, I pray that you help me now
• 2:01:42
  Speaker 1: to find the peace that surpasses all understanding. As your
• 2:01:47
  Speaker 1: calm overtakes me, I release to you all of my
• 2:01:52
  Speaker 1: worries and distractions and receive the blessing of your inheritance
• 2:01:58
  Speaker 1: and provision. I trust in your good plan for my life,
• 2:02:04
  Speaker 1: and pray that you help me to meditate on your
• 2:02:06
  Speaker 1: goodness and faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine
• 2:02:15
  Speaker 1: that you are the child of a very wealthy family.
• 2:02:19
  Speaker 1: You live in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast
• 2:02:25
  Speaker 1: property with acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams.
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 1: Picture yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges
• 2:02:39
  Speaker 1: and filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to
• 2:02:44
  Speaker 1: the horizon, it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures
• 2:02:49
  Speaker 1: and fountains that trickle over moss covered stones into shallow
• 2:02:54
  Speaker 1: pools of cool, clear water. Sense of dinner drift toward you.
• 2:03:02
  Speaker 1: As you move slowly back toward the house for an
• 2:03:05
  Speaker 1: evening feast. The presence of God surrounds you and lets
• 2:03:10
  Speaker 1: you know that even beyond all of these earthly blessings,
• 2:03:15
  Speaker 1: He is there. After dinner, with your stomach full and
• 2:03:21
  Speaker 1: your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into your soft bed.
• 2:03:29
  Speaker 1: Your body nestles into the blankets as quiet waves of
• 2:03:32
  Speaker 1: rest wash over you until you are in a deep sleep.
• 2:03:41
  Speaker 1: The story of the Prodigal Son starts out with a
• 2:03:45
  Speaker 1: similar scene and a similar person like you, enjoying all
• 2:03:51
  Speaker 1: of the benefits of his father's provision. Jesus tells this
• 2:03:56
  Speaker 1: parable in Luke chapter fifteen, verse eleven, that begins there
• 2:04:01
  Speaker 1: was a man who had two sons, and the younger
• 2:04:05
  Speaker 1: of them said to his father, father, give me the
• 2:04:09
  Speaker 1: share of property that is coming to me, and he
• 2:04:13
  Speaker 1: divided his property between them. This generous and loving father
• 2:04:19
  Speaker 1: did not want to see his son leave, but granted
• 2:04:23
  Speaker 1: this wish, giving the son half of the estate and
• 2:04:28
  Speaker 1: let him go. It appeared that in spite of the
• 2:04:32
  Speaker 1: life the son lived on his father's estate, he thought
• 2:04:35
  Speaker 1: he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered all
• 2:04:40
  Speaker 1: he had and traveled far away from his father. But
• 2:04:45
  Speaker 1: it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long after
• 2:04:50
  Speaker 1: his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine ensured
• 2:04:55
  Speaker 1: that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen, Jesus
• 2:05:00
  Speaker 1: goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts to
• 2:05:03
  Speaker 1: redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself out
• 2:05:08
  Speaker 1: to one of the citizens of that country, who sent
• 2:05:11
  Speaker 1: him into the fields to feed pigs, And he was
• 2:05:15
  Speaker 1: longing to be fed with the paws that the pigs ate,
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 1: and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere of his
• 2:05:24
  Speaker 1: life has now gone from savory and rich to stale
• 2:05:29
  Speaker 1: and rotten. As the sun experiences complete destitution. He lives
• 2:05:37
  Speaker 1: among pigs, uneble to eat even as well as they do,
• 2:05:42
  Speaker 1: begging for food that never comes. He longs for the
• 2:05:48
  Speaker 1: not so distant past of his father's house, where he
• 2:05:52
  Speaker 1: was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing. He
• 2:05:59
  Speaker 1: did not realize how much he needed the love and
• 2:06:03
  Speaker 1: care of his father until it was gone. Imagine the
• 2:06:09
  Speaker 1: loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as he
• 2:06:13
  Speaker 1: begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 2:06:18
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 2:06:23
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 2:06:28
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 2:06:34
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 2:06:36
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 2:06:41
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 2:06:45
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 2:06:51
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 2:06:55
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 2:06:59
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 2:07:03
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 2:07:08
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 2:07:12
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 2:07:16
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 2:07:21
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 2:07:25
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 2:07:31
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 2:07:36
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant just to be
• 2:07:39
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 2:07:45
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 2:07:48
  Speaker 1: son when he returned, because the loss of half of
• 2:07:52
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 2:07:56
  Speaker 1: the loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this
• 2:08:02
  Speaker 1: father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was
• 2:08:07
  Speaker 1: still a long way off, his father saw him and
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 1: felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• 2:08:19
  Speaker 1: What does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 2:08:24
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 2:08:29
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us. But all that
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 2:08:40
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 2:08:44
  Speaker 1: the loving arms of our father in heaven. Imagine the
• 2:08:49
  Speaker 1: look in the father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 2:08:54
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 2:08:58
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 2:09:05
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection, you
• 2:09:14
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 2:09:19
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 2:09:23
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 2:09:27
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 2:09:31
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 2:09:35
  Speaker 1: and bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let
• 2:09:38
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead
• 2:09:43
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 2:09:50
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 2:09:56
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 2:10:01
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 2:10:06
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 2:10:11
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise
• 2:10:17
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 2:10:21
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal son is one
• 2:10:27
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love. But it's
• 2:10:33
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 2:10:36
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 2:10:42
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 2:10:46
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 2:10:50
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 2:10:58
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when He became
• 2:11:02
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 2:11:07
  Speaker 1: Father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 2:11:11
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 2:11:15
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 2:11:23
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 2:11:29
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 2:11:34
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope, or imagine. This time, Jesus
• 2:11:40
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 2:11:47
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 2:11:50
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your father's house,
• 2:11:56
  Speaker 1: in a room that he is provided a comfortable place
• 2:12:00
  Speaker 1: to drift off to sleep without a single concern, care,
• 2:12:05
  Speaker 1: or worry, because he holds these things and you in
• 2:12:11
  Speaker 1: the palm of his mighty hand. As you now lie
• 2:12:15
  Speaker 1: in the safety, comfort and care of the Father, allow
• 2:12:20
  Speaker 1: yourself to embrace and appreciate anew all that he has
• 2:12:25
  Speaker 1: done for you. Rest in that blessing, and let his
• 2:12:30
  Speaker 1: presence usher you into a deep drank will sleep. Let
• 2:12:36
  Speaker 1: your thoughts continue to drift off into the serene places
• 2:12:40
  Speaker 1: of his heavenly dwelling. As we close in prayer, Dear Father,
• 2:12:48
  Speaker 1: thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms.
• 2:12:53
  Speaker 1: I once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from
• 2:12:58
  Speaker 1: your love, but you called me home. Now I abide
• 2:13:03
  Speaker 1: in you, where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily.
• 2:13:10
  Speaker 1: In the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now
• 2:13:33
  Speaker 1: you can relax completely as we experience the love of
• 2:13:37
  Speaker 1: God who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath
• 2:13:43
  Speaker 1: and hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let
• 2:13:53
  Speaker 1: go of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 2:13:58
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 2:14:01
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 2:14:09
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 2:14:14
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 2:14:17
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 2:14:24
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness and discomfort. But
• 2:14:29
  Speaker 1: now you are found in His love and in his light.
• 2:14:36
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to
• 2:14:40
  Speaker 1: sleep as we open in prayer. Good and caring Father,
• 2:14:48
  Speaker 1: thank you for all that you have provided for me.
• 2:14:52
  Speaker 1: Your careful attention to my life assures me that I
• 2:14:55
  Speaker 1: am loved by you and I can be still in
• 2:14:59
  Speaker 1: your presence. Lord, I pray that you help me now
• 2:15:05
  Speaker 1: to find the peace that surpasses all understanding. As your
• 2:15:09
  Speaker 1: calm overtakes me, I release to you all of my
• 2:15:14
  Speaker 1: worries and distractions and receive the blessing of your inheritance
• 2:15:20
  Speaker 1: and provision. I trust in your good plan for my life,
• 2:15:26
  Speaker 1: and pray that you help me to meditate on your
• 2:15:28
  Speaker 1: goodness and faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine
• 2:15:37
  Speaker 1: that you are the child of a very wealthy family.
• 2:15:41
  Speaker 1: You live in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast
• 2:15:47
  Speaker 1: property with acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams.
• 2:15:55
  Speaker 1: Picture yourself walking through lush gardens of careful manicured hedges
• 2:16:01
  Speaker 1: and filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to
• 2:16:06
  Speaker 1: the horizon, it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures
• 2:16:11
  Speaker 1: and fountains that trickle over moss covered stones and into
• 2:16:16
  Speaker 1: shallow pools of cool clear water. The savory scents of
• 2:16:23
  Speaker 1: dinner drift towards you as you move slowly back toward
• 2:16:26
  Speaker 1: the house for an evening feast. The presence of God
• 2:16:31
  Speaker 1: surrounds you and lets you know that even beyond all
• 2:16:35
  Speaker 1: of these earthly blessings. He is there. After dinner, With
• 2:16:41
  Speaker 1: your stomach full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you
• 2:16:46
  Speaker 1: tuck into your soft bed. Your body nestles into the
• 2:16:52
  Speaker 1: blankets as quiet waves of rest wash over you until
• 2:16:57
  Speaker 1: you are in a deep sleep. The story of the
• 2:17:04
  Speaker 1: Prodigal Son starts out with a similar scene and a
• 2:17:08
  Speaker 1: similar person like you, enjoying all of the benefits of
• 2:17:14
  Speaker 1: his father's provision. Jesus tells this parable in Luke chapter fifteen,
• 2:17:20
  Speaker 1: verse eleven, that begins there was a man who had
• 2:17:24
  Speaker 1: two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 2:17:30
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 2:17:34
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 2:17:40
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 2:17:44
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the
• 2:17:49
  Speaker 1: estate and let him go. It appeared that, in spite
• 2:17:53
  Speaker 1: of the life the son lived on his father's estate,
• 2:17:57
  Speaker 1: he thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he
• 2:18:01
  Speaker 1: gathered all he had and traveled far away from his father.
• 2:18:07
  Speaker 1: But it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 2:18:11
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 2:18:17
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 2:18:22
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 2:18:25
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 2:18:30
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 2:18:33
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, And he
• 2:18:37
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 2:18:39
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 2:18:46
  Speaker 1: of his life has now gone from savory and rich
• 2:18:50
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the son experiences complete destitution,
• 2:18:58
  Speaker 1: he lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well
• 2:19:02
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 2:19:09
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 2:19:13
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 2:19:21
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 2:19:24
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 2:19:31
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 2:19:34
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 2:19:40
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 2:19:45
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 2:19:50
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 2:19:56
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 2:19:58
  Speaker 1: difficult but valu valuable moments we may experience, as it
• 2:20:03
  Speaker 1: forces us to depend on our father in Heaven like
• 2:20:07
  Speaker 1: we never have before. Consider the hope the son began
• 2:20:12
  Speaker 1: to feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 2:20:17
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 2:20:21
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 2:20:25
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 2:20:30
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 2:20:34
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 2:20:38
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 2:20:43
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 2:20:47
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 2:20:53
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 2:20:58
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 2:21:01
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 2:21:07
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 2:21:10
  Speaker 1: son when he returned, because the loss of half of
• 2:21:14
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 2:21:18
  Speaker 1: the loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this
• 2:21:24
  Speaker 1: father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was
• 2:21:29
  Speaker 1: still a long way off, his father saw him and
• 2:21:34
  Speaker 1: felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• 2:21:41
  Speaker 1: What does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 2:21:46
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 2:21:51
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us. But all that
• 2:21:56
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 2:22:02
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 2:22:06
  Speaker 1: the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Imagine the
• 2:22:11
  Speaker 1: look in the father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 2:22:16
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 2:22:20
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 2:22:27
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection, you
• 2:22:36
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 2:22:41
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 2:22:45
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 2:22:49
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 2:22:53
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
• 2:22:57
  Speaker 1: And bring the fatten calf and kill it, and let
• 2:23:00
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this, My son was dead
• 2:23:05
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found
• 2:23:12
  Speaker 1: the entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 2:23:18
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 2:23:23
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 2:23:28
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 2:23:33
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavished with every blessing, and likewise
• 2:23:39
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 2:23:43
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal Son is one
• 2:23:49
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love. But it's
• 2:23:55
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 2:23:58
  Speaker 1: you to be reckoned to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 2:24:04
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 2:24:08
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 2:24:12
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 2:24:20
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 2:24:24
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 2:24:29
  Speaker 1: Father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 2:24:33
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 2:24:37
  Speaker 1: You are embraced, and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 2:24:45
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 2:24:51
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where You are safe, loved, and have all
• 2:24:56
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope or imagine. This time, Jesus
• 2:25:02
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 2:25:09
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 2:25:12
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your Father's house,
• 2:25:18
  Speaker 1: in a room that he is provided, a comfortable place
• 2:25:22
  Speaker 1: to drift off to sleep without a single concern, care,
• 2:25:27
  Speaker 1: or worry, because he holds these things and you in
• 2:25:33
  Speaker 1: the palm of his mighty hand. As you now lie
• 2:25:38
  Speaker 1: in the safety, comfort and care of the Father, allow
• 2:25:42
  Speaker 1: yourself to embrace and appreciate anew all that he has
• 2:25:47
  Speaker 1: done for you. Rest in that blessing, and let his
• 2:25:52
  Speaker 1: presence usher you into a deep drank will sleep. Let
• 2:25:58
  Speaker 1: your thoughts continue to drift off into the serene places
• 2:26:02
  Speaker 1: of his heavenly dwelling. As we close in prayer, Dear Father,
• 2:26:10
  Speaker 1: thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms.
• 2:26:15
  Speaker 1: I once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from
• 2:26:20
  Speaker 1: your love, but you called me home. Now I abide
• 2:26:25
  Speaker 1: in you, where your spirit consumes me and sleep comes easily.
• 2:26:32
  Speaker 1: In the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now
• 2:26:55
  Speaker 1: you can relax completely as we experience the love of God,
• 2:27:00
  Speaker 1: God who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath
• 2:27:05
  Speaker 1: and hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let
• 2:27:15
  Speaker 1: go of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 2:27:20
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 2:27:23
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 2:27:31
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 2:27:36
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 2:27:39
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 2:27:46
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort. But
• 2:27:51
  Speaker 1: now you are found in His love and in his light.
• 2:27:58
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 2:28:03
  Speaker 1: As we open and prayer, good and caring Father, thank
• 2:28:10
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 2:28:14
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 2:28:17
  Speaker 1: loved by you and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 2:28:24
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 2:28:27
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 2:28:34
  Speaker 1: I release to you all of my worries and distractions
• 2:28:39
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 2:28:45
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life, and pray
• 2:28:48
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 2:28:51
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 2:28:59
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 2:29:04
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 2:29:10
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams. Picture
• 2:29:18
  Speaker 1: yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges and
• 2:29:24
  Speaker 1: filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to the horizon,
• 2:29:29
  Speaker 1: it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures and fountains
• 2:29:34
  Speaker 1: that trickle over moss covered stones into shallow pools of cool,
• 2:29:40
  Speaker 1: clear water. The savory scents of dinner drift towards you
• 2:29:46
  Speaker 1: as you move slowly back toward the house for an
• 2:29:49
  Speaker 1: evening feast. The presence of God surrounds you and lets
• 2:29:54
  Speaker 1: you know that even beyond all of these earthly blessings,
• 2:29:59
  Speaker 1: He is. The After dinner, with your stomach full and
• 2:30:05
  Speaker 1: your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into your soft bed.
• 2:30:13
  Speaker 1: Your body nestles into the blankets as quiet waves of
• 2:30:16
  Speaker 1: rest wash over you until you are in a deep sleep.
• 2:30:25
  Speaker 1: The story of the Prodigal Son starts out with a
• 2:30:29
  Speaker 1: similar scene, and a similar person like you, enjoying all
• 2:30:35
  Speaker 1: of the benefits of his father's provision. Jesus tells this
• 2:30:40
  Speaker 1: parable in Luke, chapter fifteen, verse eleven, that begins there
• 2:30:45
  Speaker 1: was a man who had two sons, and the younger
• 2:30:49
  Speaker 1: of them said to his father, father, give me the
• 2:30:53
  Speaker 1: share of property that is coming to me, and he
• 2:30:57
  Speaker 1: divided his property between them. This generous and loving father
• 2:31:03
  Speaker 1: did not want to see his son leave, but granted
• 2:31:07
  Speaker 1: this wish, giving the son half of the estate, and
• 2:31:12
  Speaker 1: let him go. It appeared that, in spite of the
• 2:31:16
  Speaker 1: life the son lived on his father's estate, he thought
• 2:31:19
  Speaker 1: he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he gathered all
• 2:31:24
  Speaker 1: he had and traveled far away from his father. But
• 2:31:29
  Speaker 1: it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long after
• 2:31:34
  Speaker 1: his departure he spends everything, and a severe famine ensured
• 2:31:39
  Speaker 1: that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen, Jesus
• 2:31:44
  Speaker 1: goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts to
• 2:31:48
  Speaker 1: redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself out
• 2:31:52
  Speaker 1: to one of the citizens of that country, who sent
• 2:31:55
  Speaker 1: him into the fields to feed pigs. And he was
• 2:31:59
  Speaker 1: long to be fed with the paws that the pigs ate,
• 2:32:03
  Speaker 1: and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere of his
• 2:32:08
  Speaker 1: life is now gone, from savory and rich to stale
• 2:32:13
  Speaker 1: and rotten. As the sun experiences complete destitution. He lives
• 2:32:21
  Speaker 1: among pigs, uneble to eat even as well as they do,
• 2:32:26
  Speaker 1: begging for food that never comes. He longs for the
• 2:32:32
  Speaker 1: not so distant past of his father's house, where he
• 2:32:36
  Speaker 1: was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing. He
• 2:32:43
  Speaker 1: did not realize how much he needed the love and
• 2:32:47
  Speaker 1: care of his father until it was gone. Imagine the
• 2:32:53
  Speaker 1: loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as he
• 2:32:57
  Speaker 1: begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 2:33:02
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 2:33:07
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 2:33:12
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 2:33:18
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 2:33:20
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 2:33:25
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 2:33:29
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 2:33:35
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 2:33:39
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment saying, but when he
• 2:33:43
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 2:33:47
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, But I perish
• 2:33:52
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 2:33:56
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, father, I sinned against heaven,
• 2:34:01
  Speaker 1: and before you I am no longer worthy to be
• 2:34:06
  Speaker 1: called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.
• 2:34:12
  Speaker 1: The prodigal son's desperation drove him back to his father
• 2:34:17
  Speaker 1: in humility. He would have been happy to be treated
• 2:34:20
  Speaker 1: as a mere servant, just to be back in the safety,
• 2:34:25
  Speaker 1: comfort and provision of his father's care. But this loving
• 2:34:30
  Speaker 1: father had more in store for his son when he returned,
• 2:34:35
  Speaker 1: because the loss of half of his estate was nothing
• 2:34:39
  Speaker 1: compared to what appeared to be the loss of his
• 2:34:42
  Speaker 1: beloved son. Jesus tells of this father's welcome in verse twenty, saying,
• 2:34:49
  Speaker 1: but while he was still a long way off, his
• 2:34:54
  Speaker 1: father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced
• 2:34:59
  Speaker 1: him and kissed him. What does it feel like to
• 2:35:05
  Speaker 1: be truly found? When we are lost, isolated, and lonely,
• 2:35:12
  Speaker 1: it can appear like no one knows or cares about us.
• 2:35:17
  Speaker 1: But all that changes when we are truly found by God.
• 2:35:23
  Speaker 1: The deepest longing of our souls can only really be
• 2:35:27
  Speaker 1: satisfied in the loving arms of our Father in Heaven.
• 2:35:33
  Speaker 1: Imagine the look in the Father's eyes, who does not
• 2:35:37
  Speaker 1: judge you, does not condemn you, and does not turn
• 2:35:42
  Speaker 1: his back on you, but instead runs to meet you.
• 2:35:47
  Speaker 1: From alienation to unconditional acceptance, from utter shame to tender affection,
• 2:35:58
  Speaker 1: you land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 2:36:03
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 2:36:07
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 2:36:11
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 2:36:15
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 2:36:19
  Speaker 1: and bring the fatten calf and kill it, and let
• 2:36:22
  Speaker 1: us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead
• 2:36:27
  Speaker 1: and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 2:36:34
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to celebrate with singing, dancing,
• 2:36:40
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the son returned, he was adorned with
• 2:36:45
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 2:36:50
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 2:36:55
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise,
• 2:37:01
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 2:37:06
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal son is one
• 2:37:11
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love. But it's
• 2:37:17
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 2:37:20
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 2:37:26
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 2:37:31
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 2:37:34
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 2:37:42
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 2:37:46
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 2:37:51
  Speaker 1: father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 2:37:55
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 2:37:59
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 2:38:07
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 2:38:13
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 2:38:18
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope, or imagine. This time, Jesus
• 2:38:24
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend. You
• 2:38:31
  Speaker 1: are part of a family that will never leave you
• 2:38:35
  Speaker 1: or forsake you. You belong there in your father's house,
• 2:38:40
  Speaker 1: in a room that he has provided a comfortable place
• 2:38:44
  Speaker 1: to drift off to sleep without a single concern, care
• 2:38:49
  Speaker 1: or worry, because He holds these things and you in
• 2:38:55
  Speaker 1: the palm of his mighty hand. As you now lie
• 2:39:00
  Speaker 1: in the safety, comfort and care of the Father, allow
• 2:39:04
  Speaker 1: yourself to embrace and appreciate anew all that He has
• 2:39:09
  Speaker 1: done for you. Rest in that blessing, and let his
• 2:39:14
  Speaker 1: presence usher you into a deep, tranqu will sleep. Let
• 2:39:20
  Speaker 1: your thoughts continue to drift off into the serene places
• 2:39:24
  Speaker 1: of his heavenly dwelling. As we close in prayer, Dear Father,
• 2:39:32
  Speaker 1: thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms.
• 2:39:37
  Speaker 1: I once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from
• 2:39:42
  Speaker 1: your love, but you called me home. Now I abide
• 2:39:47
  Speaker 1: in you, where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily.
• 2:39:54
  Speaker 1: In the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now
• 2:40:17
  Speaker 1: you can relax completely as we experience the love of
• 2:40:21
  Speaker 1: God who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath
• 2:40:27
  Speaker 1: and hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let
• 2:40:37
  Speaker 1: go of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 2:40:42
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 2:40:45
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, he protects you, He surrounds you,
• 2:40:54
  Speaker 1: and keeps you. He wants the best for you, and
• 2:40:58
  Speaker 1: has given you the gift of sleep in this moment
• 2:41:03
  Speaker 1: so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest. Once
• 2:41:09
  Speaker 1: you were lost in confusion, darkness, and discomfort. But now
• 2:41:14
  Speaker 1: you are found in his love and in his light.
• 2:41:20
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 2:41:25
  Speaker 1: As we open in prayer, good and caring Father, thank
• 2:41:32
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 2:41:36
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 2:41:39
  Speaker 1: loved by you, and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 2:41:46
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 2:41:49
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 2:41:56
  Speaker 1: I release to you all of my worries and distract
• 2:42:01
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 2:42:07
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life and pray
• 2:42:10
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 2:42:13
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 2:42:21
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 2:42:26
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 2:42:32
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams. Picture
• 2:42:40
  Speaker 1: yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges and
• 2:42:46
  Speaker 1: filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to the horizon,
• 2:42:51
  Speaker 1: it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures and fountains
• 2:42:56
  Speaker 1: that trickle over moss covered stones in to shallow pools
• 2:43:01
  Speaker 1: of cool, clear water. The savory sense of dinner drift
• 2:43:08
  Speaker 1: towards you as you move slowly back toward the house
• 2:43:11
  Speaker 1: for an evening feast. The presence of God surrounds you
• 2:43:16
  Speaker 1: and lets you know that even beyond all of these
• 2:43:19
  Speaker 1: earthly blessings, he is there. After dinner, with your stomach
• 2:43:26
  Speaker 1: full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into
• 2:43:31
  Speaker 1: your soft bed. Your body nestles into the blankets as
• 2:43:37
  Speaker 1: quiet waves of rest wash over you until you are
• 2:43:41
  Speaker 1: in a deep sleep. The story of the Prodigal Sun
• 2:43:50
  Speaker 1: starts out with a similar scene and a similar person
• 2:43:55
  Speaker 1: like you, enjoying all of the benefits of his father's provision.
• 2:44:01
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells this parable in Luke chapter fifteen, verse eleven,
• 2:44:05
  Speaker 1: that begins there was a man who had two sons,
• 2:44:10
  Speaker 1: and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 2:44:14
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 2:44:18
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 2:44:24
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 2:44:28
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the
• 2:44:33
  Speaker 1: estate and let him go. It appeared that, in spite
• 2:44:37
  Speaker 1: of the life the son lived on his father's estate,
• 2:44:41
  Speaker 1: he thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere. So he
• 2:44:46
  Speaker 1: gathered all he had and traveled far away from his father.
• 2:44:51
  Speaker 1: But it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 2:44:55
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 2:45:01
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 2:45:06
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 2:45:09
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 2:45:14
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 2:45:17
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, And he
• 2:45:21
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 2:45:23
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, And no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 2:45:30
  Speaker 1: of his life has now gone from savory and rich
• 2:45:34
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the son experiences complete destitution.
• 2:45:42
  Speaker 1: He lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well
• 2:45:46
  Speaker 1: as they do, begging for food that never comes. He
• 2:45:53
  Speaker 1: longs for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 2:45:57
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfort full, and in need of nothing.
• 2:46:05
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 2:46:08
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 2:46:15
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 2:46:18
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 2:46:24
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 2:46:29
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 2:46:34
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be found.
• 2:46:40
  Speaker 1: This place of loneliness can be one of the most
• 2:46:42
  Speaker 1: difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it forces
• 2:46:47
  Speaker 1: us to depend on our father in Heaven like we
• 2:46:51
  Speaker 1: never have before. Consider the hope the son began to
• 2:46:57
  Speaker 1: feel as he thought about returning to his father home.
• 2:47:01
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 2:47:05
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 2:47:09
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 2:47:14
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 2:47:18
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 2:47:22
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 2:47:27
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 2:47:31
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 2:47:37
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 2:47:42
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 2:47:45
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 2:47:51
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his
• 2:47:54
  Speaker 1: son when he returned, because the loss of half of
• 2:47:58
  Speaker 1: his estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be
• 2:48:02
  Speaker 1: the loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this
• 2:48:08
  Speaker 1: father's welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was
• 2:48:13
  Speaker 1: still a long way off, his father saw him and
• 2:48:18
  Speaker 1: felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• 2:48:25
  Speaker 1: What does it feel like to be truly found? When
• 2:48:30
  Speaker 1: we are lost, isolated, and lonely, it can appear like
• 2:48:35
  Speaker 1: no one knows or cares about us. But all that
• 2:48:40
  Speaker 1: changes when we are truly found by God. The deepest
• 2:48:46
  Speaker 1: longing of our souls can only really be satisfied in
• 2:48:50
  Speaker 1: the loving arms of our Father in heaven. Imagine the
• 2:48:55
  Speaker 1: look in the father's eyes, who does not judge you,
• 2:49:00
  Speaker 1: does not condemn you, and does not turn his back
• 2:49:04
  Speaker 1: on you, but instead runs to meet you. From alienation
• 2:49:11
  Speaker 1: to unconditional acceptance. From utter shame to tender affection, you
• 2:49:20
  Speaker 1: land in the Father's arms, and you are finally home.
• 2:49:25
  Speaker 1: As if that wasn't enough, the father commanded the very
• 2:49:29
  Speaker 1: servants his son had planned to join, saying, bring quickly
• 2:49:33
  Speaker 1: the best robe and put it on him, and put
• 2:49:37
  Speaker 1: a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet,
• 2:49:41
  Speaker 1: and bring the fat and calf and kill it, and
• 2:49:44
  Speaker 1: let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was
• 2:49:48
  Speaker 1: dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.
• 2:49:56
  Speaker 1: The entire household stopped everything to cele with singing, dancing,
• 2:50:02
  Speaker 1: and feasting. When the sun returned, he was adorned with
• 2:50:07
  Speaker 1: clothing and jewelry that identified him with the people who
• 2:50:12
  Speaker 1: loved him most, his true family. He did not have
• 2:50:17
  Speaker 1: to beg He was lavish with every blessing, and likewise
• 2:50:23
  Speaker 1: God celebrated with the whole host of heaven when he
• 2:50:28
  Speaker 1: found you. The story of the prodigal Son is one
• 2:50:33
  Speaker 1: of redemption because of the father's unconditional love, but it's
• 2:50:39
  Speaker 1: also the story of how Jesus made a way for
• 2:50:42
  Speaker 1: you to be reconciled to your father in heaven. Jesus
• 2:50:48
  Speaker 1: left his heavenly home to join you here on earth,
• 2:50:53
  Speaker 1: and then he was truly lost when he was forsaken
• 2:50:56
  Speaker 1: on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision, and care is
• 2:51:04
  Speaker 1: guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed when he became
• 2:51:08
  Speaker 1: the prodigal for your sake. This is how much our
• 2:51:13
  Speaker 1: Father in Heaven loves you. These are the lengths he
• 2:51:17
  Speaker 1: went to so that you could be found in him.
• 2:51:21
  Speaker 1: You are embraced and you are celebrated. You are home.
• 2:51:29
  Speaker 1: Now imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate, a foreshadow
• 2:51:35
  Speaker 1: of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and have all
• 2:51:40
  Speaker 1: you could ever ask, hope, or imagine. This time, Jesus
• 2:51:46
  Speaker 1: is walking with you, your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 2:51:53
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 2:51:56
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your Father's house,
• 2:52:02
  Speaker 1: in room that he is provided a comfortable place to
• 2:52:07
  Speaker 1: drift off to sleep without a single concern, care, or worry,
• 2:52:13
  Speaker 1: because he holds these things and you in the palm
• 2:52:18
  Speaker 1: of his mighty hand. As you now lie in the safety,
• 2:52:23
  Speaker 1: comfort and care of the Father, allow yourself to embrace
• 2:52:28
  Speaker 1: and appreciate anew all that he has done for you.
• 2:52:34
  Speaker 1: Rest in that blessing, and let his presence usher you
• 2:52:38
  Speaker 1: into a deep drank, will sleep. Let your thoughts continue
• 2:52:44
  Speaker 1: to drift off into the serene places of his heavenly dwelling.
• 2:52:48
  Speaker 1: As we close in prayer. Dear Father, thank you for
• 2:52:54
  Speaker 1: welcoming me into your home with open arms. I once
• 2:52:59
  Speaker 1: lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from your love,
• 2:53:05
  Speaker 1: but you called me home. Now I abide in you,
• 2:53:10
  Speaker 1: where your spirit consumes me, and sleep comes easily. In
• 2:53:17
  Speaker 1: the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Right now you
• 2:53:39
  Speaker 1: can relax completely as we experience the love of God
• 2:53:44
  Speaker 1: who rescues his lost children. Take a deep breath and
• 2:53:50
  Speaker 1: hold it for a few moments. Now exhale, Let go
• 2:53:59
  Speaker 1: of every thought and concern you've had throughout the day,
• 2:54:04
  Speaker 1: and replace them one by one with the peace of
• 2:54:07
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ. He fills you, He protects you, He surrounds
• 2:54:15
  Speaker 1: you and keeps you. He wants the best for you,
• 2:54:20
  Speaker 1: and has given you the gift of sleep in this
• 2:54:23
  Speaker 1: moment so that you may fully experience his supernatural rest.
• 2:54:30
  Speaker 1: Once you were lost in confusion, darkness and discomfort. But
• 2:54:35
  Speaker 1: now you are found in His love and in His light.
• 2:54:42
  Speaker 1: You are safe and free to gently drift off to sleep.
• 2:54:47
  Speaker 1: As we open in prayer, good and caring Father, thank
• 2:54:54
  Speaker 1: you for all that you have provided for me. Your
• 2:54:58
  Speaker 1: careful attention to my life assures me that I am
• 2:55:01
  Speaker 1: loved by you, and I can be still in your presence. Lord,
• 2:55:08
  Speaker 1: I pray that you help me now to find the
• 2:55:11
  Speaker 1: peace that surpasses all understanding. As your calm overtakes me,
• 2:55:18
  Speaker 1: I release to you all of my worries and distractions
• 2:55:23
  Speaker 1: and receive the blessing of your inheritance and provision. I
• 2:55:29
  Speaker 1: trust in your good plan for my life, and pray
• 2:55:32
  Speaker 1: that you help me to meditate on your goodness and
• 2:55:35
  Speaker 1: faithfulness as I fall asleep and dream. Imagine that you
• 2:55:43
  Speaker 1: are the child of a very wealthy family. You live
• 2:55:48
  Speaker 1: in an extraordinary home that sprawls across vast property with
• 2:55:54
  Speaker 1: acres of forests, fruit trees, wildlife, and meandering streams. Picture
• 2:56:02
  Speaker 1: yourself walking through lush gardens of carefully manicured hedges and
• 2:56:08
  Speaker 1: filled with colorful flowers. As the sun sinks to the horizon,
• 2:56:13
  Speaker 1: it casts a deep golden hue against sculptures and fountains
• 2:56:18
  Speaker 1: that trickle over moss covered stones and into shallow pools
• 2:56:23
  Speaker 1: of cool, clear water. The savory scents of dinner drift
• 2:56:30
  Speaker 1: towards you. As you move slowly back toward the house
• 2:56:33
  Speaker 1: for an evening feast, the presence of God surrounds you
• 2:56:38
  Speaker 1: and lets you know that even beyond all of these
• 2:56:41
  Speaker 1: earthly blessings, He is there. After dinner, with your stomach
• 2:56:48
  Speaker 1: full and your eyes heavy with sleep, you tuck into
• 2:56:53
  Speaker 1: your soft bed. Your body nestles into the blankets as
• 2:56:59
  Speaker 1: quiet waves of rest wash over you until you are
• 2:57:03
  Speaker 1: in a deep sleep. The story of the Prodigal Son
• 2:57:12
  Speaker 1: starts out with a similar scene and a similar person
• 2:57:17
  Speaker 1: like you, enjoying all of the benefits of his father's provision.
• 2:57:23
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells this parable in Luke chapter fifteen, verse eleven,
• 2:57:27
  Speaker 1: that begins there was a man who had two sons,
• 2:57:32
  Speaker 1: and the younger of them said to his father, father,
• 2:57:36
  Speaker 1: give me the share of property that is coming to me,
• 2:57:40
  Speaker 1: and he divided his property between them. This generous and
• 2:57:46
  Speaker 1: loving father did not want to see his son leave,
• 2:57:50
  Speaker 1: but granted this wish, giving the son half of the
• 2:57:55
  Speaker 1: estate and let him go. It appeared that, in spite
• 2:57:59
  Speaker 1: of the life the son lived on his father's estate,
• 2:58:03
  Speaker 1: he thought he might find greater happiness elsewhere, So he
• 2:58:08
  Speaker 1: gathered all he had and traveled far away from his father,
• 2:58:13
  Speaker 1: but it didn't go as he had hoped. Not long
• 2:58:17
  Speaker 1: after his departure, he spends everything, and a severe famine
• 2:58:23
  Speaker 1: ensured that it would only get worse. In verse fifteen,
• 2:58:28
  Speaker 1: Jesus goes on to tell of the son's desperate attempts
• 2:58:31
  Speaker 1: to redeem himself, saying, so he went and hired himself
• 2:58:36
  Speaker 1: out to one of the citizens of that country, who
• 2:58:39
  Speaker 1: sent him into the fields to feed pigs, And he
• 2:58:43
  Speaker 1: was longing to be fed with the paws that the
• 2:58:45
  Speaker 1: pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. The atmosphere
• 2:58:52
  Speaker 1: of his life has now gone from savory and rich
• 2:58:56
  Speaker 1: to stale and rotten. As the sonnexperiences complete destitution, He
• 2:59:04
  Speaker 1: lives among pigs, uneble to eat even as well as
• 2:59:08
  Speaker 1: they do, begging for food that never comes. He longs
• 2:59:15
  Speaker 1: for the not so distant past of his father's house,
• 2:59:19
  Speaker 1: where he was safe, comfortable, full, and in need of nothing.
• 2:59:27
  Speaker 1: He did not realize how much he needed the love
• 2:59:31
  Speaker 1: and care of his father until it was gone. Imagine
• 2:59:37
  Speaker 1: the loneliness he must have felt among the pigs as
• 2:59:40
  Speaker 1: he begged for help and no one came to his rescue.
• 2:59:46
  Speaker 1: Perhaps you have felt alone in moments, even because of
• 2:59:51
  Speaker 1: decisions you've made. It seems that no one truly knows
• 2:59:56
  Speaker 1: what you're experiencing, and that help is nowhere to be
• 2:59:59
  Speaker 1: f This place of loneliness can be one of the
• 3:00:04
  Speaker 1: most difficult but valuable moments we may experience, as it
• 3:00:09
  Speaker 1: forces us to depend on our father in Heaven like
• 3:00:13
  Speaker 1: we never have before. Consider the hope the son began
• 3:00:18
  Speaker 1: to feel as he thought about returning to his father's home.
• 3:00:23
  Speaker 1: Jesus tells us about this moment, saying, but when he
• 3:00:27
  Speaker 1: came to himself, he said, how many of my father's
• 3:00:31
  Speaker 1: hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish
• 3:00:36
  Speaker 1: here with hunger. I will arise and go to my father,
• 3:00:40
  Speaker 1: and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned
• 3:00:44
  Speaker 1: against Heaven, and before you I am no longer worthy
• 3:00:49
  Speaker 1: to be called your son. Treat me as one of
• 3:00:53
  Speaker 1: your hired servants. The prodigal son's desperation drove him back
• 3:00:59
  Speaker 1: to his father in humility. He would have been happy
• 3:01:04
  Speaker 1: to be treated as a mere servant, just to be
• 3:01:07
  Speaker 1: back in the safety, comfort and provision of his father's care.
• 3:01:13
  Speaker 1: But this loving father had more in store for his son.
• 3:01:17
  Speaker 1: When he returned because the loss of half of his
• 3:01:21
  Speaker 1: estate was nothing compared to what appeared to be the
• 3:01:25
  Speaker 1: loss of his beloved son. Jesus tells of this father's
• 3:01:31
  Speaker 1: welcome in verse twenty, saying, but while he was still
• 3:01:35
  Speaker 1: a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion,
• 3:01:41
  Speaker 1: and ran and embraced him and kissed him. What does
• 3:01:48
  Speaker 1: it feel like to be truly found? When we are lost, isolated,
• 3:01:55
  Speaker 1: and lonely, it can appear like no one knows or
• 3:01:58
  Speaker 1: cares about us. But all that changes when we are
• 3:02:04
  Speaker 1: truly found by God. The deepest longing of our souls
• 3:02:09
  Speaker 1: can only really be satisfied in the loving arms of
• 3:02:13
  Speaker 1: our Father in heaven. Imagine the look in the father's eyes,
• 3:02:20
  Speaker 1: who does not judge you, does not condemn you, and
• 3:02:25
  Speaker 1: does not turn his back on you, but instead runs
• 3:02:29
  Speaker 1: to meet you. From alienation to unconditional acceptance, from utter
• 3:02:37
  Speaker 1: shame to tender affection, you land in the Father's arms,
• 3:02:44
  Speaker 1: and you are finally home. As if that wasn't enough,
• 3:02:49
  Speaker 1: the father commanded the very servants his son had planned
• 3:02:53
  Speaker 1: to join, saying, bring quickly the best robe and put
• 3:02:57
  Speaker 1: it on him, and put a ring on his hand,
• 3:03:01
  Speaker 1: and shoes on his feet, and bring the fatten calf
• 3:03:04
  Speaker 1: and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this,
• 3:03:09
  Speaker 1: my son was dead and is alive again. He was
• 3:03:13
  Speaker 1: lost and is found. The entire household stopped everything to
• 3:03:21
  Speaker 1: celebrate with singing, dancing, and feasting. When the son returned,
• 3:03:28
  Speaker 1: he was adorned with clothing and jewelry that identified him
• 3:03:33
  Speaker 1: with the people who loved him most, his true family.
• 3:03:38
  Speaker 1: He did not have to beg He was lavished with
• 3:03:42
  Speaker 1: every blessing, and likewise God celebrated with the whole host
• 3:03:48
  Speaker 1: of heaven when he found you. The story of the
• 3:03:53
  Speaker 1: prodigal Son is one of redemption because of the Father's
• 3:03:58
  Speaker 1: unconditional love. But it's also the story of how Jesus
• 3:04:03
  Speaker 1: made a way for you to be reconciled to your
• 3:04:06
  Speaker 1: father in heaven. Jesus left his heavenly home to join
• 3:04:12
  Speaker 1: you here on earth, and then he was truly lost
• 3:04:17
  Speaker 1: when he was forsaken on the cross. Your safety, comfort, provision,
• 3:04:24
  Speaker 1: and care is guaranteed by the blood that Jesus shed
• 3:04:29
  Speaker 1: when he became the prodigal for your sake. This is
• 3:04:34
  Speaker 1: how much our Father in Heaven loves you. These are
• 3:04:38
  Speaker 1: the lengths he went to so that you could be
• 3:04:40
  Speaker 1: found in him. You are embraced, and you are celebrated.
• 3:04:48
  Speaker 1: You are home. Now, imagine yourself back on that beautiful estate,
• 3:04:56
  Speaker 1: a foreshadow of heaven, where you are safe, loved, and
• 3:05:01
  Speaker 1: have all you could ever ask, hope, or imagine. This time,
• 3:05:07
  Speaker 1: Jesus is walking with you. Your brother, your savior, your friend.
• 3:05:15
  Speaker 1: You are part of a family that will never leave
• 3:05:18
  Speaker 1: you or forsake you. You belong there in your father's house,
• 3:05:24
  Speaker 1: in a room that he is provided a comfortable place
• 3:05:28
  Speaker 1: to drift off to sleep without a single concerned care
• 3:05:34
  Speaker 1: or worry, because he holds these things and you in
• 3:05:39
  Speaker 1: the palm of his mighty hand. As you now lie
• 3:05:44
  Speaker 1: in the safety, comfort and care of the Father, allow
• 3:05:48
  Speaker 1: yourself to embrace and appreciate anew all that he has
• 3:05:53
  Speaker 1: done for you. Rest in that blessing, and let his
• 3:05:58
  Speaker 1: presence usher you into a deep, tranquill sleep. Let your
• 3:06:05
  Speaker 1: thoughts continue to drift off into the serene places of
• 3:06:08
  Speaker 1: his heavenly dwelling. As we close in prayer, Dear Father,
• 3:06:16
  Speaker 1: thank you for welcoming me into your home with open arms.
• 3:06:21
  Speaker 1: I once lived in darkness and confusion, afar off from
• 3:06:26
  Speaker 1: your love, but you called me home now. I abide
• 3:06:31
  Speaker 1: in you, where your spirit consumes me and sleep comes easily,
• 3:06:38
  Speaker 1: in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.