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Christian Meditation GUIDE PRAYERS FROM 1 PETER - Abide Meditation App · Abide Meditation App

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  Speaker 1: Find rest as you listen to this peaceful bedtime story.
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  Speaker 1: For more Bible stories that bring you refreshing sleep, download
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  Speaker 1: the Abide app in the iTunes or Google Play Store.
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  Speaker 2: What is the secret to joy in trials? Is it
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  Speaker 2: realistic that both joy and grief can exist together? Trials
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  Speaker 2: are strange by nature. They are difficult, but they tend
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  Speaker 2: to create deep intimacy with the ones who fight beside you.
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  Speaker 2: The very last thing that Jesus said before leaving the
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  Speaker 2: earth was I will never leave you or forsake you.
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  Speaker 2: So throughout everything Jesus walks next to us. When we
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  Speaker 2: focus on Christ, we are able to not only endure,
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  Speaker 2: but also thrive in the middle of a trial. Why
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  Speaker 2: Because trials grow faith, and faith is of greater worth
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  Speaker 2: than gold. Let that be our focus for our time today.
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  Speaker 2: Time that will be guided. But I hope you will
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  Speaker 2: pause the app often today and allow the Holy Spirit
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  Speaker 2: to take you further further into a place of peace
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  Speaker 2: and rest and alignment with God as you meditate and
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  Speaker 2: abide with Christ. From First Peter Chapter one, verses eight
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  Speaker 2: and nine. But first join me in just a moment
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  Speaker 2: of opening prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, I often wonder how
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  Speaker 2: the faith I have in your son compares with the
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  Speaker 2: faith of those that came before Jesus was born, compared
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  Speaker 2: to those that walked with him for those thirty years.
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  Speaker 2: No matter whether we've seen him or not, it still
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  Speaker 2: takes faith to believe. So thank you for the gift
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  Speaker 2: of faith to follow your son. And it's by your
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  Speaker 2: authority and in the name of your son, Jesus Christ,
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  Speaker 2: to whom I pray Amen. You know that's where it
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  Speaker 2: begins faith, having the faith to have faith. It's what
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  Speaker 2: Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection and seeing Thomas,
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  Speaker 2: bless you for believing, and bless you who have not
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  Speaker 2: seen yet still believed. So today I hope this time
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  Speaker 2: of longer deep meditation will help us be in awe
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  Speaker 2: of the gift of faith to have faith, the gift
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  Speaker 2: of believing. So as we begin, take those few deep breaths,
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  Speaker 2: just relaxing, peaceful, centering breaths, and get comfortable wherever you
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  Speaker 2: are right now, Just settle in there, being aware of God,
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  Speaker 2: encountering him, experiencing his presence, because understanding faith is what
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  Speaker 2: we will be seeking today. Scan your life for a moment.
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  Speaker 2: Is there anything keeping you from encountering God today, feelings
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  Speaker 2: of lack of faith, hearing from Him today, anything blocking
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  Speaker 2: you from Him, Well, confess those things to God right now,
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  Speaker 2: and then thank Him for his forgiveness. God is to
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  Speaker 2: be glorified. The Holy Spirit gives us the gift of
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  Speaker 2: having faith in God's glory, and Jesus is our example
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  Speaker 2: of having faith in the Father. Listen carefully to every
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  Speaker 2: detail as I read from First Peter chapter one, verses
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  Speaker 2: eight and nine. Though you have not seen him, you
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  Speaker 2: love him, though you do not now see him. You
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  Speaker 2: believe in him, and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible
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  Speaker 2: in filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith,
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  Speaker 2: the salvation of your souls. What did you notice even
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  Speaker 2: slightly from this incredibly powerful passage. Listen to it again carefully.
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  Speaker 2: Though you have not seen him, you love him, though
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  Speaker 2: you do not now see him, You believe in him,
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  Speaker 2: and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
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  Speaker 2: obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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  Speaker 2: Reflect here on how God might be using this passage
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  Speaker 2: to touch your life today. Where are you sitting right now?
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  Speaker 2: A seat, a chair, a couch. Did you thoroughly examine
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  Speaker 2: it before sitting down, examining every joint and nail and
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  Speaker 2: screw and bolt, or did you just sit down? Well,
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  Speaker 2: that's faith. It's held you before, it will hold you now.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus has loved you before, he will love you. Now,
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  Speaker 2: pause and ponder that for a moment. Consider the faith
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  Speaker 2: you have in Jesus without ever seeing him. Listen again
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  Speaker 2: for something familiar or comforting, or something new from this passage.
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  Speaker 2: Listen carefully for more as I read from First Peter
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  Speaker 2: chapter one, verses eight through nine. Though you have not
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  Speaker 2: seen him, you love him, And though you do not
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  Speaker 2: even see him, now you believe in trust in him,
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  Speaker 2: and you greatly rejoice in delight, with inexpressible and glorious joy,
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  Speaker 2: receiving as the result the outcome, the consummation of your faith,
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  Speaker 2: the salvation of your souls. What did you hear? This time?
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  Speaker 2: We'll focus there again even deeper now in quiet meditation.
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  Speaker 2: I love how it added the word trust to the
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  Speaker 2: word faith. And that is true. It's different than just believing.
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  Speaker 2: It's trusting not believing. The chair will hold me. Those
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  Speaker 2: are just words, But sitting in it that takes trust
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  Speaker 2: takes faith, and the result of our faith in Christ salvation.
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  Speaker 2: Pause and ponder here how your trust in Christ is
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  Speaker 2: the basis for your salvation. Rejoice in awe and quiet meditation.
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  Speaker 2: Listen one and final time as I read, and you
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  Speaker 2: meditate on First Peter Chapter one, verses eight and nine.
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  Speaker 2: You have never seen Jesus, and you don't see him now,
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  Speaker 2: but still you love him and have faith in him.
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  Speaker 2: And no words can tell how glad and happy you
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  Speaker 2: are to be saved. That's why you have faith. In
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  Speaker 2: Hebrews chapter eleven, it is the hall of fame of
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  Speaker 2: people of great faith, people like Abel and Noah, Abraham, Gideon, Brock, Samson, Jepthah, David, Samuel.
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  Speaker 2: They're all there. And of course Moses Hebrews elevenminds us
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  Speaker 2: that by faith Moses left Egypt, not being afraid of
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  Speaker 2: the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing
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  Speaker 2: him who is invisible. There it is him who is invisible.
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  Speaker 2: In much of the New Testament, people walked with Jesus.
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  Speaker 2: We have the gift of the Gospels and letters with
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  Speaker 2: first hand accounts of Jesus. But those before Jesus were
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  Speaker 2: true people of faith, enduring faith in an invisible God
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  Speaker 2: and coming Messiah. So use your imagination for a moment.
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  Speaker 2: Be Moses leaving Egypt. Imagine that faith, the fear, the trust,
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  Speaker 2: the hope. Can you relate Imagine his feelings and relate
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  Speaker 2: them to your own journey of faith and find hope there.
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  Speaker 2: What have you felt or experienced or may be reacted
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  Speaker 2: to in this time of meditation. We'll offer it to
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  Speaker 2: the Lord now in quiet reflection, seek his application of
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  Speaker 2: it into your life today. Join me now for a
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  Speaker 2: moment of closing prayer. Dear Jesus, you promised you would
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  Speaker 2: be with me always, and you are. You are here.
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  Speaker 2: I confess that sometimes I look for ease before I
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  Speaker 2: look for you, So turn my eyes back to you.
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  Speaker 2: Carry me, dear Lord, and fill me with inexpressible and
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  Speaker 2: glorious joy. Give me faith so that I remember eternity
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  Speaker 2: when life is hard here on earth. I love you,
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  Speaker 2: and I believe in you, my Savior and my King,
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  Speaker 2: and I offer and pray this in the name of Jesus,
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  Speaker 2: my Savior and my Lord. Amen. We're almost done, but
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  Speaker 2: don't rush off too quickly today, pause here for a
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  Speaker 2: moment before heading off into a day that may be
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  Speaker 2: full of some hopelessness, maybe a lack of faith or trust.
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  Speaker 2: Find extra time right now to consider the gift of
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  Speaker 2: faith that God has given you to have faith, how
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  Speaker 2: God has given you the desire to desire His son.
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  Speaker 2: And I hope that pondering will keep you here a
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  Speaker 2: bit longer. No rushing off today, no time or a clock.
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  Speaker 2: Just listen to the music and the sounds on abide
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  Speaker 2: or journal whatever God places on your heart. But I
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  Speaker 2: hope you will allow the Holy Spirit to hold you
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  Speaker 2: in this place for several more minutes, minutes of profound
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  Speaker 2: peace and rest and alignment with God as you meditate
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  Speaker 2: and abide with Christ.
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  Speaker 3: Do you remember being in elementary school at recess and
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  Speaker 3: everyone was singled out and chosen for teams. No one
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  Speaker 3: really wanted to be the last one, because that meant
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  Speaker 3: you weren't really chosen. You were just the leftover that
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  Speaker 3: someone got stuck with. But it's different in the Kingdom
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  Speaker 3: of God. First Peter you nine through ten says, but
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  Speaker 3: you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
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  Speaker 3: a people for his own possession. That you may proclaim
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  Speaker 3: the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness
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  Speaker 3: into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people,
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  Speaker 3: but now your God's people. Once you had not received mercy,
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  Speaker 3: but now you've received mercy. From the beginning of time,
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  Speaker 3: God wanted a people on the earth who would be
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  Speaker 3: his chosen people, set apart for his purposes and his pleasure,
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  Speaker 3: a people on whom he could pour out his mercy,
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  Speaker 3: his love, and his goodness. Through Jesus. You are chosen,
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  Speaker 3: chosen to belong, chosen to receive mercy and grace, chosen
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  Speaker 3: to come out of the darkness and into his marvelous light,
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  Speaker 3: Chosen to proclaim the excellencies of the Lord. You're not
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  Speaker 3: the last one. You're not a leftover. You're not chosen
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  Speaker 3: by default. God isn't stuck with you. He sees you
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  Speaker 3: as his own possession, and He's chosen you to belong
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  Speaker 3: on his team. How can you come into the light
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  Speaker 3: and declare God's praises to others today? As we begin
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  Speaker 3: this longer time of meditation, Remember you can pause the
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  Speaker 3: app at any point. Just pause it and allow that
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  Speaker 3: truth to sink in a little deeper, or consider what
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  Speaker 3: the Holy Spirit might be speaking to your heart. And
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  Speaker 3: now open your heart and mind and focus in as
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  Speaker 3: we pray together. Dear God, thank you for choosing me
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  Speaker 3: to be on your team. When I'm feeling left out
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  Speaker 3: or alone, would you help me to remember I'm your
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  Speaker 3: special possession and You've poured your mercy and your grace
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  Speaker 3: out on me. You've called me out of darkness and
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  Speaker 3: into your marvelous light. And as I celebrate belonging to you,
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  Speaker 3: would you help me to declare your praises everywhere I
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  Speaker 3: go in Jesus' name.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Life can be up and down, and sometimes it's easy
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  Speaker 3: to forget that God has chosen you, that you belong
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  Speaker 3: to him, and He's called you holy and royal. So today,
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  Speaker 3: as we explore these truths a little deeper, let's begin
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  Speaker 3: by humbly posturing yourself before your father. Start with some
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  Speaker 3: deep and relaxing breaths inhaling deeply through your nose and
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  Speaker 3: exhaling slowly through your mouth. Just rest right now in
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  Speaker 3: God's goodness, Allow his mercy and his grace toward you.
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  Speaker 3: To just resonate in your spirit and become more aware
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  Speaker 3: He's near and he wants to give you peace today.
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  Speaker 3: Now take a few moments to consider your life. Do
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  Speaker 3: your words or your actions reflect that you're a child
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  Speaker 3: of God who's been brought out of darkness and into
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  Speaker 3: God's wonderful light. If not confess those things to God
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  Speaker 3: and ask him to forgive you, then receive the mercy
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  Speaker 3: that Jesus died to give you, and make sure you
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  Speaker 3: spend some time and thankfulness to him. God didn't just
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  Speaker 3: want the Jewish people to inherit his kingdom. He wanted
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  Speaker 3: all the people of the earth to belonged to his family.
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  Speaker 3: So he did send Jesus to make the way for
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  Speaker 3: you to be included, to receive mercy, to live as
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  Speaker 3: a king and a priest declaring his praises. Keep those
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  Speaker 3: truths in mind as I read verse Peter two nine
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  Speaker 3: through ten. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
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  Speaker 3: a holy nation, a people for his own possession. That
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  Speaker 3: you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you
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  Speaker 3: out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were
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  Speaker 3: not a people, but now you're God's people. Once you'd
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  Speaker 3: not received mercy, but now you've received mercy. So what
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  Speaker 3: caught your attention the most as you heard that passage?
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  Speaker 3: Why don't you listen again? Carefully one Peter two nine
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  Speaker 3: through ten. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
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  Speaker 3: a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that
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  Speaker 3: you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you
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  Speaker 3: out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were
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  Speaker 3: not a people, but now you're God's people. Once you
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  Speaker 3: had not received mercy, but now you've received mercy. Reflect
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  Speaker 3: for a few moments how God might be using these
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  Speaker 3: couple of verses to touch your life today. Keep in mind,
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  Speaker 3: God didn't choose you because you deserved it. He chose
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  Speaker 3: you because of his incredible mercy. He pulled you out
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  Speaker 3: of the grip of the enemy and appointed you as
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  Speaker 3: a priest to represent Him to the whole world. He
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  Speaker 3: calls you holy, He calls you chosen, He calls you
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  Speaker 3: his Allow this idea of being chosen by God to
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  Speaker 3: sink in and let God's spirit remove any feelings of
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  Speaker 3: rejection that you might have. Now listen closely again to
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  Speaker 3: one Peter iwo through ten from the New Living Translation.
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  Speaker 3: You are a chosen people, You are royal priests, a
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  Speaker 3: holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you
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  Speaker 3: can show others the goodness of God, for he called
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  Speaker 3: you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. Once
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  Speaker 3: you had no identity as a people, Now you're God's people.
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  Speaker 3: Once you receive no mercy, Now you've received God's mercy.
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  Speaker 3: Did you hear something different this time? Something compelling or
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  Speaker 3: even comforting? Why don't you meditate on that for a
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  Speaker 3: few quiet moments with the Lord. As a royal priest
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  Speaker 3: in God's kingdom, you have direct access to Him through Jesus.
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  Speaker 3: God chose you. He showed you his kindness and his
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  Speaker 3: favor so that you can show kindness and favor to others.
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  Speaker 3: Consider how your life has been changed by His goodness.
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  Speaker 3: How can you show his goodness and kindness to someone
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  Speaker 3: else today? When you feel like a nobody, when you
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  Speaker 3: feel like your life just doesn't matter, remember this, God
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  Speaker 3: calls you his special possession. If your identity is based
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  Speaker 3: on who God says you are, then your past holds
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  Speaker 3: absolutely no power over you. Your future is secure and your
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  Speaker 3: present is full of peace. Is anything holding you back
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  Speaker 3: from living like a chosen possession of God? Why don't
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  Speaker 3: you ask God's spirit to free you to live as
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  Speaker 3: his chosen possession. Listen one last time to firs Peter
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  Speaker 3: two nine through ten from the Passion translation, But you
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  Speaker 3: are God's chosen treasure priests who are kings, a spiritual
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  Speaker 3: nation set apart as God's devoted ones. He called you
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  Speaker 3: out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and now
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  Speaker 3: he claims you as his very own. He did this
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  Speaker 3: so you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.
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  Speaker 3: For at one time you were not God's people, but
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  Speaker 3: now you are. At one time, you knew nothing of
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  Speaker 3: God's mercy because you hadn't received it yet, But now
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  Speaker 3: you are drenched with it. Before your identity was defined
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  Speaker 3: by belonging to God, you were lost, without purpose and
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  Speaker 3: without hope. But now you're drenched with God's mercy. Wow.
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  Speaker 3: With your eyes still closed, imagine for a moment what
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  Speaker 3: it feels like for God's mercy to wash over you.
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  Speaker 3: Feel it clean your face and your shoulders. Let it
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  Speaker 3: wash your hands and your feet. What part of you
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  Speaker 3: feels the most refreshed by God's mercy today? In one
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  Speaker 3: Peter two verse five, it says we're being built up
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  Speaker 3: as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to
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  Speaker 3: offer spiritual sacrifices. Acceptable to God through Jesus Christ as
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  Speaker 3: God's holy priest. How can you offer spiritual sacrifices to
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  Speaker 3: the Lord today? Before Jesus, only Jewish people were considered
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  Speaker 3: God's people. But with Christ's sacrifice, we are a spiritual
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  Speaker 3: nation who's been set apart as God's devoted ones. Now
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  Speaker 3: ponder this, How can can you be more devoted to
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  Speaker 3: God this week? What can you do or sacrifice doing
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  Speaker 3: in order to be set apart for God? Now close
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  Speaker 3: your eyes and picture what you treasure. Maybe it's your
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  Speaker 3: spouse or your children, Maybe it's your friends, or maybe
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  Speaker 3: even your fur babies. Your love runs so deep for
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  Speaker 3: those that you treasure, doesn't it. Now imagine this. God
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  Speaker 3: treasures you just like this. You are His chosen treasure,
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  Speaker 3: and His love for you runs deeper than you could
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  Speaker 3: ever fathom. Stay here and allow the Holy Spirit to
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  Speaker 3: give you deeper insight into how much God treasures you.
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  Speaker 3: Let's close our time together with a word of prayer.
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  Speaker 3: Lord God, thank you for choosing me as your own
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  Speaker 3: special treasure and for drenching me in your mercy, your goodness,
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  Speaker 3: and your kindness. Would you help me to be a
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  Speaker 3: priest showing your goodness and declaring your glorious wonders to
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  Speaker 3: everyone I know. May I never forget how you rescued
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  Speaker 3: me from darkness and you brought me into this marvelous
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  Speaker 3: light of yours. I'm devoted to you, Lord, and I
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  Speaker 3: choose you every single day in Jesus name and by
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  Speaker 3: his strength. I pray.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Now, if you can linger here a little longer and
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  Speaker 3: allow God's mercy to just wash over you, He'll remove
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  Speaker 3: worry or rejection. Just allow his peace to fill you
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  Speaker 3: and remind you that you're his chosen treasure. Begin to
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  Speaker 3: see yourself as his priest, called to show his goodness
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  Speaker 3: to others on his behalf. Open your mouth and declare
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  Speaker 3: his wonders aloud as you continue to rest and abide
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  Speaker 3: in Christ.
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  Speaker 2: First Peter, Chapter four, verses twelve through thirteen reminds us, beloved,
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  Speaker 2: do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it
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  Speaker 2: comes upon you to test you, as though something strange
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  Speaker 2: were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share
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  Speaker 2: Christ's suffering, that you may also rejoice and be glad
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  Speaker 2: when His glory is revealed. Rejoice in trials in pain,
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  Speaker 2: count pain as a sharing in Christ's suffering is such
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  Speaker 2: a thing possible well as we should. Let's start this
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  Speaker 2: journey in prayer. Dear Present and healing God, I am
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  Speaker 2: weak and so often run from pain. Give me your
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  Speaker 2: strength that I might look into the face of my
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  Speaker 2: own pain and suffering, that I might see it as
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  Speaker 2: a way to share in your humanity. Transform my mind
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  Speaker 2: so that I can look into the eyes of my
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  Speaker 2: suffering and respond the way you would respond. Teach me
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  Speaker 2: to draw closer to you through pain and suffering. Teach
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  Speaker 2: me how my pain evidences the places that need most healing,
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  Speaker 2: how it ushers in you, the great healer. Teach me
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  Speaker 2: how suffering brings humility, how it makes me more like you.
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  Speaker 2: And in Jesus' name, Amen, humanity runs from pain, we
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  Speaker 2: resist it. Humanity medicates and an exercise pain. But consider this.
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  Speaker 2: Only by experiencing pain can you and I recognize the
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  Speaker 2: areas of our life that require healing. Cip or congenital
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  Speaker 2: and sensitivity to pain is actually a genetic defect, so rare.
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  Speaker 2: Medical professionals are unsure how many individuals it affects. And
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  Speaker 2: though insensitivity to pain might seem like an evolutionary miracle,
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  Speaker 2: a blessing of sorts. Consider this CIP patients cannot feel
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  Speaker 2: the sear of a burn, the throbbing warning of appendicitis,
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  Speaker 2: or the crack of the broken bone. Often they are
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  Speaker 2: unaware of their injuries, suffer infections, or otherwise succumb to
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  Speaker 2: treatable diseases. Their inability to feel pain is dangerous, often
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  Speaker 2: life threatening. So pain see is a gift. What you
• 31:28
  Speaker 2: consider examining your pain using pen and paper, take an
• 31:32
  Speaker 2: inventory of your emotional and spiritual pains. Where do you
• 31:37
  Speaker 2: feel battered, bruised, or cut in those areas of your life?
• 31:44
  Speaker 2: Pause the app for a moment, as long as you need.
• 31:46
  Speaker 2: God is in no rush, nor should you be. I
• 31:49
  Speaker 2: will be here when you press play again. The curse
• 32:00
  Speaker 2: of pain is also its present. The throbbing, searing, stinging,
• 32:05
  Speaker 2: and aching shows the locus of injury. It is indicative
• 32:10
  Speaker 2: of the place of weakness and need. There's an analog
• 32:14
  Speaker 2: here in the emotional and spiritual world. So many of
• 32:17
  Speaker 2: us would rather numb the pain or otherwise not feel
• 32:20
  Speaker 2: it at all. When life slides its shive into the
• 32:23
  Speaker 2: soft spot between two ribs, when the pain shoots through
• 32:27
  Speaker 2: every nerve, common sense dictates that we run to the
• 32:31
  Speaker 2: doctor or therapist. Common sense dictates that we allow them
• 32:36
  Speaker 2: to take it out and bind our wounds. Why then,
• 32:39
  Speaker 2: do we so often ignore the emotional shives. If congenital
• 32:44
  Speaker 2: and sensitivity to emotional or spiritual pain were a thing,
• 32:49
  Speaker 2: I'd take it, you might say. But without this pain,
• 32:52
  Speaker 2: this suffering, would you know the locus of your weakness?
• 32:57
  Speaker 2: Without suffering? Would the desinations of your life be robotic unfeeling?
• 33:04
  Speaker 2: Without the ache? Could you enjoy the pleasures of healing
• 33:09
  Speaker 2: and wholeness brought by the greatest of doctors. Take several
• 33:14
  Speaker 2: minutes again and sit in silence. Ask God to visit
• 33:18
  Speaker 2: you in your pain, to bring the treatment you need.
• 33:24
  Speaker 2: Ask him how he might bring you healing, and then
• 33:27
  Speaker 2: listen for the answer. Take your time, be unhurried. Did
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: you sense anything? Did you hear his still small whisper?
• 33:44
  Speaker 2: Did he press something into your heart about treating the ache?
• 33:49
  Speaker 2: Maybe a word? If the pains run deep, perhaps too deep,
• 33:55
  Speaker 2: consider calling a therapist, a priest or a pastor today, really, really,
• 34:00
  Speaker 2: do that emotional and spiritual pain show us our need
• 34:06
  Speaker 2: for treatment, show us the need for a greater physician.
• 34:11
  Speaker 2: And it's the tenderness of this great physician that makes
• 34:14
  Speaker 2: life worth living. Let us pray, dear great physician, on
• 34:21
  Speaker 2: this side of eternity. My pain hurts, it aches, It's
• 34:26
  Speaker 2: draining to me. Turn my focus from this temporal pain
• 34:33
  Speaker 2: to the soulful healing. Let the focal point of my
• 34:37
  Speaker 2: temporal pain be your promise of eternal healing and wholeness.
• 34:42
  Speaker 2: Give me the courage to walk into the pain, to
• 34:46
  Speaker 2: look in your eyes and ask for the healing only
• 34:49
  Speaker 2: you give. Let it be my first thought, Let it
• 34:53
  Speaker 2: be my last until you come in your name. Amen.
• 34:59
  Speaker 2: When and only when the spirit leads you, I hope
• 35:02
  Speaker 2: you will join me in the next step as you
• 35:04
  Speaker 2: and I talk about the problem with our pain.
• 35:09
  Speaker 1: Okay, confession time again. I am a Grammar nerd and
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: one of the most comforting verses in scripture is actually
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: a fragmented sentence, Join me in prayer from one Peter
• 35:21
  Speaker 1: five seven, where we are casting all your anxieties on
• 35:24
  Speaker 1: him because he cares for us. We really have to
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: look at verses six and seven together. Humble yourselves therefore
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: under the mighty hand of God, so that at the
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: on him. Because he cares for you. There you go.
• 35:43
  Speaker 1: That's better. So the way in which we humble ourselves
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: before God is to cast our cares upon him. When
• 35:51
  Speaker 1: we worry, when we are overly critical, when we do
• 35:55
  Speaker 1: not acknowledge our profound neediness and even helplessness before God,
• 36:00
  Speaker 1: we are not being humble. Biblical humility is recognition that
• 36:04
  Speaker 1: our worth is to be found in our maker. We
• 36:07
  Speaker 1: have a loving Father who desires us to come to
• 36:10
  Speaker 1: him with all our shattered dreams, disillusionment, dashed hopes, and fears,
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: and it is not cool. Being cool is what sells
• 36:20
  Speaker 1: blockbuster movies. But being cool is ultimately a fantasy, radically
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: divorced from reality, and being cool is the antithesis of
• 36:30
  Speaker 1: biblical humility. Join me in prayer about being uncool, about
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: being humble, Creator God. The world around me tells me differently,
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: but please help me remember with every beat of my
• 36:47
  Speaker 1: heart that you oppose the proud, but gives grace to
• 36:52
  Speaker 1: the humble. Help me be humble, for everyone who exalts
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: himself will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: be exalted. Even though the world tells me differently, Help
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: me to always remember that the reward for humility and
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. Lord,
• 37:15
  Speaker 1: in all things you must increase, but I must decrease.
• 37:20
  Speaker 2: God.
• 37:21
  Speaker 1: I know you have had it with pride. You take
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: delight in just plain people. So help me be content
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: with just being a plain person who adores you. I
• 37:34
  Speaker 1: know your hand is on me, and you will guide
• 37:36
  Speaker 1: me and lift me at the right time with the
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: right people. Help me live care free before you, God,
• 37:44
  Speaker 1: because you know and care for me. In Jesus's name. Amen,
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: What is.
• 37:52
  Speaker 2: The secret to joy in trials? Is it realistic that
• 37:57
  Speaker 2: both joy and grief can exist together? Trials are strange
• 38:02
  Speaker 2: by nature. They are difficult, but they tend to create
• 38:06
  Speaker 2: deep intimacy with the ones who fight beside you. The
• 38:10
  Speaker 2: very last thing that Jesus said before leaving the earth
• 38:13
  Speaker 2: was I will never leave you or forsake you. So
• 38:17
  Speaker 2: throughout everything Jesus walks next to us. When we focus
• 38:22
  Speaker 2: on Christ, we are able to not only endure, but
• 38:26
  Speaker 2: also thrive in the middle of a trial. Why Because
• 38:30
  Speaker 2: trials grow faith, and faith is of greater worth than gold.
• 38:36
  Speaker 2: Let that be our focus for our time today, time
• 38:39
  Speaker 2: that will be guided. But I hope you will pause
• 38:42
  Speaker 2: the app often today, and allow the Holy Spirit to
• 38:45
  Speaker 2: take you further further into a place of peace and
• 38:48
  Speaker 2: rest and alignment with God as you meditate and abide
• 38:51
  Speaker 2: with Christ from First Peter Chapter one, verses eight and nine.
• 38:57
  Speaker 2: But first join me in just a moment of opening prayer.
• 39:01
  Speaker 2: Dear Heavenly Father, I often wonder how the faith I
• 39:05
  Speaker 2: have in your son compares with the faith of those
• 39:08
  Speaker 2: that came before Jesus was born, compared to those that
• 39:12
  Speaker 2: walked with him for those thirty years. No matter whether
• 39:17
  Speaker 2: we've seen him or not, it still takes faith to believe.
• 39:21
  Speaker 2: So thank you for the gift of faith to follow
• 39:24
  Speaker 2: your son. And it's by your authority and in the
• 39:27
  Speaker 2: name of your son, Jesus Christ, to whom I pray Amen.
• 39:31
  Speaker 2: You know that's where it begins faith, having the faith
• 39:35
  Speaker 2: to have faith. It's what Jesus told his disciples after
• 39:40
  Speaker 2: the resurrection and seeing Thomas. Bless you for believing, and
• 39:44
  Speaker 2: bless you who have not seen yet still believed. So
• 39:49
  Speaker 2: today I hope this time of longer deep meditation will
• 39:53
  Speaker 2: help us be in awe of the gift of faith
• 39:56
  Speaker 2: to have faith, the gift of believing. So as we
• 40:01
  Speaker 2: begin take those few deep breaths, Just relaxing, peaceful, centering breaths,
• 40:08
  Speaker 2: and get comfortable wherever you are right now. Just settle
• 40:11
  Speaker 2: in there, being aware of God, encountering him, experiencing his presence,
• 40:18
  Speaker 2: because understanding faith is what we will be seeking today.
• 40:38
  Speaker 2: Scan your life for a moment. Is there anything keeping
• 40:41
  Speaker 2: you from encountering God today, Feelings of lack of faith,
• 40:46
  Speaker 2: hearing from Him today, anything blocking you from him. Will
• 40:50
  Speaker 2: confess those things to God right now, and then thank
• 40:53
  Speaker 2: Him for his forgiveness. God is to be glorified. The
• 41:13
  Speaker 2: Holy Spirit gives us the gift of having faith in
• 41:16
  Speaker 2: God's glory, and Jesus is our example of having faith
• 41:20
  Speaker 2: in the Father. Listen carefully to every detail as I
• 41:24
  Speaker 2: read from First Peter chapter one, verses eight and nine.
• 41:29
  Speaker 2: Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though
• 41:33
  Speaker 2: you do not now see him, you believe in him
• 41:36
  Speaker 2: and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
• 41:41
  Speaker 2: obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
• 41:47
  Speaker 2: What did you notice even slightly from this incredibly powerful passage.
• 41:52
  Speaker 2: Listen to it again carefully. Though you have not seen him,
• 41:56
  Speaker 2: you love him, though you do not now see him,
• 42:00
  Speaker 2: you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is
• 42:03
  Speaker 2: inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith,
• 42:08
  Speaker 2: the salvation of your souls. Reflect here on how God
• 42:13
  Speaker 2: might be using this passage to touch your life today.
• 42:47
  Speaker 2: Where are you sitting right now? A seat, a chair,
• 42:50
  Speaker 2: a couch. Did you thoroughly examine it before sitting down,
• 42:55
  Speaker 2: examining every joint and nail and screw and bolt, or
• 43:00
  Speaker 2: did you just sit down? Well, that's faith. It's held
• 43:06
  Speaker 2: you before, it will hold you now. Jesus has loved
• 43:10
  Speaker 2: you before, he will love you. Now, pause and ponder
• 43:14
  Speaker 2: that for a moment. Consider the faith you have in
• 43:17
  Speaker 2: Jesus without ever seeing him. Listen again for something familiar
• 43:52
  Speaker 2: or comforting, or something new from this passage. Listen carefully
• 43:56
  Speaker 2: for more as I read from First Peter Chapter one,
• 43:59
  Speaker 2: verses eight through nine. Though you have not seen him,
• 44:03
  Speaker 2: you love him, And though you do not even see him.
• 44:06
  Speaker 2: Now you believe in trust in Him, and you greatly
• 44:10
  Speaker 2: rejoice in delight with inexpressible and glorious joy, receiving as
• 44:15
  Speaker 2: the result the outcome the consummation of your faith, the
• 44:19
  Speaker 2: salvation of your souls. What did you hear? This time?
• 44:24
  Speaker 2: We'll focus there again even deeper now in quiet meditation.
• 44:59
  Speaker 2: I love how it a the word trust to the
• 45:01
  Speaker 2: word faith, and that is true. It's different than just believing.
• 45:06
  Speaker 2: It's trusting, not believing the chair will hold me. Those
• 45:10
  Speaker 2: are just words, but sitting in it that takes trust,
• 45:14
  Speaker 2: takes faith, and the result of our faith in Christ salvation.
• 45:20
  Speaker 2: Pause and ponder here how your trust in Christ is
• 45:24
  Speaker 2: the basis for your salvation. Rejoice in awe and quiet meditation.
• 46:00
  Speaker 2: Listen one in final time, as I read and you
• 46:02
  Speaker 2: meditate on first Peter chapter one, verses eight and nine.
• 46:07
  Speaker 2: You have never seen Jesus, and you don't see him now,
• 46:11
  Speaker 2: but still you love him and have faith in him.
• 46:14
  Speaker 2: And no words can tell how glad and happy you
• 46:17
  Speaker 2: are to be saved. That's why you have faith. In
• 46:22
  Speaker 2: Hebrews chapter eleven, it is the hall of fame of
• 46:25
  Speaker 2: people of great faith, people like Abel and Noah, Abraham, Gideon, Brock, Samson, Jepthah, David, Samuel,
• 46:34
  Speaker 2: They're all there, and of course Moses. Hebrews eleven reminds
• 46:40
  Speaker 2: us that by faith, Moses left Egypt, not being afraid
• 46:44
  Speaker 2: of the anger of the King, for he endured as
• 46:47
  Speaker 2: seeing him who is invisible. There it is him who
• 46:53
  Speaker 2: is invisible. In much of the New Testament, people walked
• 46:57
  Speaker 2: with Jesus. We have the gift of the Gospels and
• 47:01
  Speaker 2: letters with first hand accounts of Jesus. But those before
• 47:06
  Speaker 2: Jesus were true people of faith, enduring faith in an
• 47:11
  Speaker 2: invisible God and coming Messiah. So use your imagination for
• 47:16
  Speaker 2: a moment. Be Moses leaving Egypt. Imagine that faith, the fear,
• 47:23
  Speaker 2: the trust, the hope. Can you relate imagine his feelings
• 47:30
  Speaker 2: and relate them to your own journey of faith and
• 47:34
  Speaker 2: find hope there. What have you felt or experienced, or
• 48:07
  Speaker 2: maybe reacted to in this time of meditation. We'll offer
• 48:11
  Speaker 2: it to the Lord now in quiet reflection, seek his
• 48:14
  Speaker 2: application of it into your life today. Join me now
• 48:47
  Speaker 2: for a moment of closing prayer. Dear Jesus, you promised
• 48:52
  Speaker 2: you would be with me always, and you are. You
• 48:54
  Speaker 2: are here. I confess that sometimes I look for ease
• 48:59
  Speaker 2: before I look for you, So turn my eyes back
• 49:02
  Speaker 2: to you. Carry me, dear Lord, and fill me with
• 49:06
  Speaker 2: inexpressible and glorious joy. Give me faith so that I
• 49:10
  Speaker 2: remember eternity when life is hard here on earth. I
• 49:14
  Speaker 2: love you, and I believe in you, my Savior and
• 49:17
  Speaker 2: my King, and I offer and pray this in the
• 49:21
  Speaker 2: name of Jesus, my Savior and my Lord. Amen. We're
• 49:25
  Speaker 2: almost done, but don't rush off too quickly today. Pause
• 49:29
  Speaker 2: here for a moment before heading off into a day
• 49:31
  Speaker 2: that may be full of some hopelessness, maybe a lack
• 49:34
  Speaker 2: of faith or trust. Find extra time right now to
• 49:38
  Speaker 2: consider the gift of faith that God has given you
• 49:42
  Speaker 2: to have faith, how God has given you the desire
• 49:47
  Speaker 2: to desire His son. And I hope that pondering will
• 49:51
  Speaker 2: keep you here a bit longer. No rushing off today,
• 49:54
  Speaker 2: no time or a clock. Just listen to the music
• 49:57
  Speaker 2: and the sounds on a bide or journal ever God
• 50:00
  Speaker 2: places on your heart. But I hope you will allow
• 50:03
  Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit to hold you in this place for
• 50:06
  Speaker 2: several more minutes, minutes of profound peace and rest and
• 50:10
  Speaker 2: alignment with God as you meditate and abide with Christ.
• 50:20
  Speaker 3: Do you remember being in elementary school at recess and
• 50:24
  Speaker 3: everyone was singled out and chosen for teams. No one
• 50:29
  Speaker 3: really wanted to be the last one, because that meant
• 50:32
  Speaker 3: you weren't really chosen, You were just the leftover that
• 50:35
  Speaker 3: someone got stuck with. But it's different in the Kingdom
• 50:39
  Speaker 3: of God. One Peter two nine through ten says, but
• 50:43
  Speaker 3: you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
• 50:49
  Speaker 3: a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim
• 50:53
  Speaker 3: the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness
• 50:57
  Speaker 3: into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people,
• 51:01
  Speaker 3: but now you're God's people. Once you had not received mercy,
• 51:05
  Speaker 3: but now you've received mercy. From the beginning of time,
• 51:11
  Speaker 3: God wanted a people on the earth who would be
• 51:14
  Speaker 3: his chosen people, set apart for his purposes and his pleasure,
• 51:20
  Speaker 3: a people on whom he could pour out his mercy,
• 51:23
  Speaker 3: his love, and his goodness Through Jesus. You are chosen,
• 51:29
  Speaker 3: chosen to belong, chosen to receive mercy and grace, Chosen
• 51:35
  Speaker 3: to come out of the darkness and into his marvelous light,
• 51:40
  Speaker 3: Chosen to proclaim the excellencies of the Lord. You're not
• 51:44
  Speaker 3: the last one. You're not a leftover. You're not chosen
• 51:48
  Speaker 3: by default. God isn't stuck with you. He sees you
• 51:52
  Speaker 3: as his own possession, and he's chosen you to belong
• 51:57
  Speaker 3: on his team. How can you come to the light
• 52:00
  Speaker 3: and declare God's praises to others. Today, as we begin
• 52:05
  Speaker 3: this longer time of meditation, remember you can pause the
• 52:09
  Speaker 3: app at any point. Just pause it and allow that
• 52:13
  Speaker 3: truth to sink in a little deeper. Or consider what
• 52:16
  Speaker 3: the Holy Spirit might be speaking to your heart. And
• 52:20
  Speaker 3: now open your heart and mind and focus in as
• 52:24
  Speaker 3: we pray together. Dear God, thank you for choosing me
• 52:28
  Speaker 3: to be on your team. When I'm feeling left out
• 52:31
  Speaker 3: or alone, would you help me to remember I'm your
• 52:34
  Speaker 3: special possession and You've poured your mercy and your grace
• 52:38
  Speaker 3: out on me. You've called me out of darkness and
• 52:41
  Speaker 3: into your marvelous light. And as I celebrate belonging to you,
• 52:47
  Speaker 3: would you help me to declare your praises everywhere I
• 52:50
  Speaker 3: go in Jesus' name.
• 52:52
  Speaker 2: Amen.
• 52:54
  Speaker 3: Life can be up and down, and sometimes it's easy
• 52:58
  Speaker 3: to forget that God has chown you, that you belong
• 53:01
  Speaker 3: to him and He's called you holy and royal. So today,
• 53:06
  Speaker 3: as we explore these truths a little deeper, let's begin
• 53:10
  Speaker 3: by humbly posturing yourself before your Father. Start with some
• 53:15
  Speaker 3: deep and relaxing breaths inhaling deeply through your nose and
• 53:20
  Speaker 3: exhaling slowly through your mouth. Just rest right now in
• 53:26
  Speaker 3: God's goodness, Allow his mercy and his grace toward you
• 53:31
  Speaker 3: to just resonate in your spirit and become more aware
• 53:36
  Speaker 3: He's near and he wants to give you peace today.
• 53:55
  Speaker 3: Now take a few moments to consider your life. Do
• 53:58
  Speaker 3: your words or your actions reflect that you're a child
• 54:02
  Speaker 3: of God who's been brought out of darkness and into
• 54:05
  Speaker 3: God's wonderful light. If not, confess those things to God
• 54:10
  Speaker 3: and ask him to forgive you, then receive the mercy
• 54:14
  Speaker 3: that Jesus died to give you, and make sure you
• 54:17
  Speaker 3: spend some time and thankfulness to him. God didn't just
• 54:36
  Speaker 3: want the Jewish people to inherit his kingdom. He wanted
• 54:39
  Speaker 3: all the people of the earth to belong to his family.
• 54:43
  Speaker 3: So he did send Jesus to make the way for
• 54:46
  Speaker 3: you to be included, to receive mercy, to live as
• 54:50
  Speaker 3: a king and a priest declaring his praises. Keep those
• 54:55
  Speaker 3: truths in mind as I read verse Peter two nine
• 54:58
  Speaker 3: through ten. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
• 55:04
  Speaker 3: a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that
• 55:09
  Speaker 3: you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you
• 55:13
  Speaker 3: out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were
• 55:17
  Speaker 3: not a people, but now you're God's people. Once you'd
• 55:21
  Speaker 3: not received mercy, but now you've received mercy. So what
• 55:27
  Speaker 3: caught your attention the most as you heard that passage?
• 55:30
  Speaker 3: Why don't you listen again carefully one Peter two nine
• 55:34
  Speaker 3: through ten. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood,
• 55:40
  Speaker 3: a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that
• 55:44
  Speaker 3: you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you
• 55:47
  Speaker 3: out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were
• 55:52
  Speaker 3: not a people, but now you're God's people. Once you
• 55:56
  Speaker 3: had not received mercy, but now you've received mercy. Reflect
• 56:01
  Speaker 3: for a few moments of how God might be using
• 56:04
  Speaker 3: these couple of verses to touch your life today. Keep
• 56:37
  Speaker 3: in mind, God didn't choose you because you deserved it.
• 56:41
  Speaker 3: He chose you because of his incredible mercy. He pulled
• 56:45
  Speaker 3: you out of the grip of the enemy and appointed
• 56:48
  Speaker 3: you as a priest to represent Him to the whole world.
• 56:53
  Speaker 3: He calls you holy, he calls you chosen, He calls.
• 56:57
  Speaker 2: You his.
• 57:00
  Speaker 3: This idea of being chosen by God to sink in
• 57:03
  Speaker 3: and let God's spirit remove any feelings of rejection that
• 57:07
  Speaker 3: you might have. Now listen closely again to one Peter
• 57:40
  Speaker 3: two nine through ten from the New Living Translation. You
• 57:45
  Speaker 3: are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation,
• 57:50
  Speaker 3: God's very own possession. As a result, you can show
• 57:55
  Speaker 3: others the goodness of God, for he called you out
• 57:58
  Speaker 3: of the darkness into his world wonderful light. Once you
• 58:02
  Speaker 3: had no identity as a people, Now you're God's people.
• 58:07
  Speaker 3: Once you receive no mercy, now you've received God's mercy.
• 58:14
  Speaker 3: Did you hear something different this time? Something compelling or
• 58:17
  Speaker 3: even comforting? Why don't you meditate on that for a
• 58:21
  Speaker 3: few quiet moments with the Lord. As a royal priest
• 58:53
  Speaker 3: in God's kingdom, you have direct access to Him Through Jesus.
• 58:58
  Speaker 3: God chose you, showed you his kindness and his favor
• 59:02
  Speaker 3: so that you can show kindness and favor to others.
• 59:07
  Speaker 3: Consider how your life has been changed by His goodness.
• 59:11
  Speaker 3: How can you show his goodness and kindness to someone
• 59:14
  Speaker 3: else today? When you feel like a nobody, when you
• 59:48
  Speaker 3: feel like your life just doesn't matter, remember this, God
• 59:53
  Speaker 3: calls you his special possession. If your identity is based
• 59:57
  Speaker 3: on who God says you are. Then You're past holds
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 3: absolutely no power over you. Your future is secure and your
• 1:00:05
  Speaker 3: present is full of peace. Is anything holding you back
• 1:00:10
  Speaker 3: from living like a chosen possession of God? Why don't
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 3: you ask God's spirit to free you to live as
• 1:00:17
  Speaker 3: his chosen possession. Listen one last time to one Peter
• 1:00:51
  Speaker 3: two nine through ten from the Passion translation. But you
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 3: are God's chosen treasure priests who are keen things, a
• 1:01:01
  Speaker 3: spiritual nation set apart as God's devoted ones. He called
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 3: you out of darkness to experience his marvelous light, and
• 1:01:10
  Speaker 3: now he claims you as his very own. He did
• 1:01:14
  Speaker 3: this so you would broadcast his glorious wonders throughout the world.
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 3: For at one time you were not God's people, but
• 1:01:22
  Speaker 3: now you are. At one time, you knew nothing of
• 1:01:25
  Speaker 3: God's mercy because you hadn't received it yet, But now
• 1:01:29
  Speaker 3: you are drenched with it. Before your identity was defined
• 1:01:35
  Speaker 3: by belonging to God, you were lost, without purpose and
• 1:01:39
  Speaker 3: without hope.
• 1:01:41
  Speaker 2: But now you're.
• 1:01:43
  Speaker 3: Drenched with God's mercy.
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 2: Wow.
• 1:01:46
  Speaker 3: With your eyes still closed, imagine for a moment what
• 1:01:49
  Speaker 3: it feels like for God's mercy to wash over you.
• 1:01:54
  Speaker 3: Feel it clean your face and your shoulders. Let it
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 3: wash your hands, your feet. What part of you feels
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 3: the most refreshed by God's mercy today? In One Peter two,
• 1:02:38
  Speaker 3: verse five, it says we're being built up as a
• 1:02:41
  Speaker 3: spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual
• 1:02:45
  Speaker 3: sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ as God's holy priest.
• 1:02:52
  Speaker 3: How can you offer spiritual sacrifices to the Lord today?
• 1:03:26
  Speaker 3: Before Jesus, only Jewish people were considered God's people. But
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 3: with Christ's sacrifice, we are a spiritual nation who's been
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 3: set apart as God's devoted ones. Now ponder this, How
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 3: can you be more devoted to God this week? What
• 1:03:44
  Speaker 3: can you do or sacrifice doing in order to be
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 3: set apart for God? Now close your eyes and picture
• 1:04:21
  Speaker 3: what you treasure. Maybe it's your spouse or your children,
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 3: Maybe it's your friends, or maybe even your fur babies.
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 3: Your love runs so deep for those that you treasure,
• 1:04:33
  Speaker 3: doesn't it. Now imagine this. God treasures you just like this.
• 1:04:41
  Speaker 3: You are His chosen treasure, and His love for you
• 1:04:45
  Speaker 3: runs deeper than you could ever fathom. Stay here and
• 1:04:49
  Speaker 3: allow the Holy Spirit to give you deeper insight into
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 3: how much God treasures you. Let's close our time together
• 1:05:27
  Speaker 3: with a word of prayer. Lord God, thank you for
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 3: choosing me as your own special treasure and for drenching
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 3: me in your mercy, your goodness, and your kindness. Would
• 1:05:39
  Speaker 3: you help me to be a priest showing your goodness
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 3: and declaring your glorious wonders to everyone I know? May
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 3: I never forget how you rescued me from darkness and
• 1:05:51
  Speaker 3: you brought me into this marvelous light of yours. I'm
• 1:05:55
  Speaker 3: devoted to you, Lord, and I choose you every single
• 1:05:59
  Speaker 3: day in Jesus name and by his strength. I pray.
• 1:06:03
  Speaker 2: Amen.
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 3: Now, if you can linger here a little longer and
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 3: allow God's mercy to just wash over you, He'll remove
• 1:06:13
  Speaker 3: worry or rejection. Just allow his peace to fill you
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 3: and remind you that you're his chosen treasure. Begin to
• 1:06:22
  Speaker 3: see yourself as his priest, called to show his goodness
• 1:06:25
  Speaker 3: to others on his behalf. Open your mouth and declare
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 3: his wonders aloud as you continue to rest and abide
• 1:06:33
  Speaker 3: in Christ.
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 2: First Peter, chapter four, verses twelve through thirteen reminds us, beloved,
• 1:06:45
  Speaker 2: do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 2: comes upon you to test you as though something strange
• 1:06:51
  Speaker 2: were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 2: Christ's suffering, that you may also rejoice and be glad
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 2: when His glory is revealed. Rejoice in trials in pain,
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 2: count pain as a sharing in Christ's suffering. Is such
• 1:07:11
  Speaker 2: a thing possible, well as we should. Let's start this
• 1:07:16
  Speaker 2: journey in prayer. Dear Present and Healing God, I am
• 1:07:22
  Speaker 2: weak and so often run from pain. Give me your
• 1:07:26
  Speaker 2: strength that I might look into the face of my
• 1:07:29
  Speaker 2: own pain and suffering, that I might see it as
• 1:07:32
  Speaker 2: a way to share in your humanity. Transform my mind
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 2: so that I can look into the eyes of my
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 2: suffering and respond the way you would respond. Teach me
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 2: to draw closer to You through pain and suffering. Teach
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 2: me how my pain evidences the places that need most healing,
• 1:07:53
  Speaker 2: how it ushers in you, the great healer. Teach me
• 1:07:58
  Speaker 2: how suffering brings human how it makes me more like you.
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 2: And in Jesus' name, Amen, humanity runs from pain, we
• 1:08:10
  Speaker 2: resist it. Humanity medicates and an ethicize pain. But consider this.
• 1:08:16
  Speaker 2: Only by experiencing pain can you and I recognize the
• 1:08:20
  Speaker 2: areas of our life that require healing. CIP or congenital
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 2: and sensitivity to pain is actually a genetic defect, so rare.
• 1:08:30
  Speaker 2: Medical professionals are unsure how many individuals it affects. And
• 1:08:35
  Speaker 2: though insensitivity to pain might seem like an evolutionary miracle,
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 2: a blessing of sorts, consider this. CIP patients cannot feel
• 1:08:45
  Speaker 2: the sear of a burn, the throbbing warning of appendicitis,
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 2: or the crack of the broken bone. Often they are
• 1:08:54
  Speaker 2: unaware of their injuries, suffer infections, or otherwise succumb to
• 1:08:59
  Speaker 2: treatable diseases. Their inability to feel pain is dangerous, often
• 1:09:05
  Speaker 2: life threatening. So pain see is a gift. What you
• 1:09:11
  Speaker 2: consider examining your pain using pen and paper, take an
• 1:09:16
  Speaker 2: inventory of your emotional and spiritual pains. Where do you
• 1:09:20
  Speaker 2: feel battered, bruised, or cut in those areas of your life?
• 1:09:27
  Speaker 2: Pause the app for a moment, as long as you need.
• 1:09:30
  Speaker 2: God is in no rush, nor should you be. I
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 2: will be here when you press play again. The curse
• 1:09:43
  Speaker 2: of pain is also its present. The throbbing, searing, stinging,
• 1:09:49
  Speaker 2: and aching shows the locus of injury. It is indicative
• 1:09:53
  Speaker 2: of the place of weakness and need. There's an analog
• 1:09:57
  Speaker 2: here in the emotional and spiritual world. So many of
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 2: us would rather numb the pain or otherwise not feel
• 1:10:03
  Speaker 2: it at all. When life slides its shive into this
• 1:10:07
  Speaker 2: soft spot between two ribs, when the pain shoots through
• 1:10:11
  Speaker 2: every nerve, common sense dictates that we run to the
• 1:10:15
  Speaker 2: doctor or therapist. Common sense dictates that we allow them
• 1:10:19
  Speaker 2: to take it out and bind our wounds. Why then,
• 1:10:23
  Speaker 2: do we so often ignore the emotional shives. If congenital
• 1:10:28
  Speaker 2: and sensitivity to emotional or spiritual pain were a thing,
• 1:10:32
  Speaker 2: I'd take it, you might say. But without this pain,
• 1:10:36
  Speaker 2: this suffering, would you know the locusts of your weakness
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 2: without suffering? Would the machinations of your life be robotic,
• 1:10:46
  Speaker 2: unfeeling without the ache? Could you enjoy the pleasures of
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 2: healing and wholeness brought by the greatest of doctors. Take
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 2: several minutes again and sit in silence. Ask God to
• 1:11:01
  Speaker 2: visit you in your pain, to bring the treatment you need.
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 2: Ask him how he might bring you healing, and then
• 1:11:10
  Speaker 2: listen for the answer. Take your time, be unhurried. Did
• 1:11:22
  Speaker 2: you sense anything? Did you hear his still small whisper?
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 2: Did he press something into your heart? About treating the ache.
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 2: Maybe a word. If the pains run deep, perhaps too deep,
• 1:11:38
  Speaker 2: consider calling a therapist, a priest, or a pastor to day,
• 1:11:42
  Speaker 2: really really do that emotional and spiritual pain. Show us
• 1:11:48
  Speaker 2: our need for treatment, show us the need for a
• 1:11:52
  Speaker 2: greater physician. And it's the tenderness of this great physician
• 1:11:57
  Speaker 2: that makes life worth living. Let us pray, dear great physician,
• 1:12:05
  Speaker 2: on this side of eternity. My pain hurts, it aches,
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 2: It's draining to me. Turn my focus from this temporal
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 2: pain to the soulful healing. Let the focal point of
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 2: my temporal pain be your promise of eternal healing and wholeness.
• 1:12:26
  Speaker 2: Give me the courage to walk into the pain, to
• 1:12:30
  Speaker 2: look in your eyes and ask for the healing only
• 1:12:33
  Speaker 2: you give. Let it be my first thought, Let it
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 2: be my last until you come in your name. Amen.
• 1:12:42
  Speaker 2: When and only when the spirit leads you, I hope
• 1:12:45
  Speaker 2: you will join me in the next step as you
• 1:12:48
  Speaker 2: and I talk about the problem with our pain.
• 1:12:56
  Speaker 1: Okay, confession time again. I am a grammar nerd and
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 1: one of the most comforting verses in scripture is actually
• 1:13:04
  Speaker 1: a fragmented sentence. Join me in prayer from first Peter
• 1:13:08
  Speaker 1: five seven, where we are casting all your anxieties on
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 1: him because he cares for us. We really have to
• 1:13:15
  Speaker 1: look at verses six and seven together. Humble yourselves therefore
• 1:13:20
  Speaker 1: under the mighty hand of God, so that at the
• 1:13:22
  Speaker 1: proper time He may exalt you, casting all your anxieties
• 1:13:26
  Speaker 1: on him because he cares for you.
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 2: There you go.
• 1:13:30
  Speaker 1: That's better. So the way in which we humble ourselves
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 1: before God is to cast our cares upon him. When
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 1: we worry, when we are overly critical, when we do
• 1:13:42
  Speaker 1: not acknowledge our profound neediness and even helplessness before God,
• 1:13:47
  Speaker 1: we are not being humble. Biblical humility is recognition that
• 1:13:51
  Speaker 1: our worth is to be found in our maker. We
• 1:13:55
  Speaker 1: have a loving father who desires us to come to
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: him with all our shattered dreams, disillusionment, dashed hopes, and fears.
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 1: And it is not cool. Being cool is what sells
• 1:14:08
  Speaker 1: blockbuster movies. But being cool is ultimately a fantasy, radically
• 1:14:13
  Speaker 1: divorced from reality, and being cool is the antithesis of
• 1:14:18
  Speaker 1: biblical humility. Join me in prayer about being uncool, about
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 1: being humble Creator God. The world around me tells me differently,
• 1:14:30
  Speaker 1: but please help me remember with every beat of my
• 1:14:35
  Speaker 1: heart that you oppose the proud but gives grace to
• 1:14:39
  Speaker 1: the humble. Help me be humble, for everyone who exalts
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 1: himself will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will
• 1:14:49
  Speaker 1: be exalted. Even though the world tells me differently, Help
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 1: me to always remember that the reward for humility and
• 1:14:57
  Speaker 1: fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. Lord,
• 1:15:02
  Speaker 1: in all things, you must increase, but I must decrease.
• 1:15:08
  Speaker 2: God.
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 1: I know you have had it with pride. You take
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 1: delight in just plain people. So help me be content
• 1:15:16
  Speaker 1: with just being a plain person who adores you. I
• 1:15:21
  Speaker 1: know your hand is on me, and you will guide
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 1: me and lift me at the right time with the
• 1:15:27
  Speaker 1: right people. Help me live care free before you, God,
• 1:15:31
  Speaker 1: because you know and care for me. In Jesus's name, Amen,
• 1:15:43
  Speaker 1: What is.
• 1:15:43
  Speaker 2: The secret to joy in trials? Is it realistic that
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 2: both joy and grief can exist together? Trials are strange
• 1:15:54
  Speaker 2: by nature. They are difficult, but they tend to create
• 1:15:57
  Speaker 2: deep intimacy with the ones who fight beside you. The
• 1:16:01
  Speaker 2: very last thing that Jesus said before leaving the earth
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 2: was I will never leave you or forsake you. So
• 1:16:09
  Speaker 2: throughout everything, Jesus walks next to us. When we focus
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 2: on Christ, we are able to not only endure, but
• 1:16:17
  Speaker 2: also thrive in the middle of a trial. Why because
• 1:16:22
  Speaker 2: trials grow faith, and faith is of greater worth than gold.
• 1:16:28
  Speaker 2: Let that be our focus for our time today, time
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 2: that will be guided. But I hope you will pause
• 1:16:34
  Speaker 2: the app often today and allow the Holy Spirit to
• 1:16:36
  Speaker 2: take you further further into a place of peace and
• 1:16:40
  Speaker 2: rest and alignment with God as you meditate and abide
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 2: with Christ from First Peter chapter one, verses eight and nine.
• 1:16:48
  Speaker 2: But first join me in just a moment of opening prayer.
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 2: Dear Heavenly Father, I often wonder how the faith I
• 1:16:56
  Speaker 2: have in your son compares with the faith of thee
• 1:17:00
  Speaker 2: that came before Jesus was born, compared to those that
• 1:17:04
  Speaker 2: walked with him for those thirty years. No matter whether
• 1:17:08
  Speaker 2: we've seen him or not, it still takes faith to believe.
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 2: So thank you for the gift of faith to follow
• 1:17:16
  Speaker 2: your son. And it's by your authority and in the
• 1:17:19
  Speaker 2: name of your son Jesus Christ, to whom I pray. Amen.
• 1:17:23
  Speaker 2: You know that's where it begins. Faith, having the faith
• 1:17:27
  Speaker 2: to have faith, It's what Jesus told his disciples after
• 1:17:31
  Speaker 2: the resurrection and seeing Thomas, bless you for believing, and
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 2: bless you who have not seen yet still believed. So
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 2: today I hope this time of longer deep meditation will
• 1:17:44
  Speaker 2: help us be in awe of the gift of faith,
• 1:17:48
  Speaker 2: to have faith, the gift of believing. So as we begin,
• 1:17:54
  Speaker 2: take those few deep breaths, just relaxing, peaceful, sinering breaths,
• 1:18:00
  Speaker 2: and get comfortable wherever you are right now. Just settle
• 1:18:03
  Speaker 2: in there being aware of God, encountering him, experiencing his presence,
• 1:18:10
  Speaker 2: because understanding faith is what we will be seeking today.
• 1:18:29
  Speaker 2: Scan your life for a moment. Is there anything keeping
• 1:18:32
  Speaker 2: you from encountering God today, Feelings of lack of faith,
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 2: hearing from Him today, anything blocking you from Him. Will
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 2: confess those things to God right now, and then thank
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 2: Him for his forgiveness. God is to be glorified. The
• 1:19:04
  Speaker 2: Holy Spirit gives us the gift of having faith in
• 1:19:08
  Speaker 2: God's glory, and Jesus is our example of having faith
• 1:19:12
  Speaker 2: in the Father. Listen carefully to every detail as I
• 1:19:16
  Speaker 2: read from First Peter chapter one, verses eight and nine.
• 1:19:20
  Speaker 2: Though you have not seen him, you love him, though
• 1:19:24
  Speaker 2: you do not now see him. You believe in him,
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 2: and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
• 1:19:32
  Speaker 2: obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
• 1:19:38
  Speaker 2: What did you notice even slightly from this incredibly powerful passage.
• 1:19:43
  Speaker 2: Listen to it again carefully. Though you have not seen him,
• 1:19:48
  Speaker 2: you love him. Though you do not now see him,
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 2: You believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is
• 1:19:55
  Speaker 2: inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith,
• 1:20:00
  Speaker 2: the salvation of your souls. Reflect here on how God
• 1:20:05
  Speaker 2: might be using this passage to touch your life today.
• 1:20:38
  Speaker 2: Where are you sitting right now? A seat, a chair,
• 1:20:42
  Speaker 2: a couch. Did you thoroughly examine it before sitting down,
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 2: examining every joint and nail and screw and bolt, or
• 1:20:52
  Speaker 2: did you just sit down? Well, that's faith. It's held
• 1:20:57
  Speaker 2: you before, it will hold you now. Jesus has loved
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 2: you before, he will love you. Now, pause and ponder
• 1:21:05
  Speaker 2: that for a moment. Consider the faith you have in
• 1:21:08
  Speaker 2: Jesus without ever seeing him. Listen again for something familiar
• 1:21:44
  Speaker 2: or comforting, or something new from this passage. Listen carefully
• 1:21:48
  Speaker 2: for more as I read from First Peter chapter one,
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 2: verses eight through nine. Though you have not seen him,
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 2: you love him, and though you do not even see
• 1:21:58
  Speaker 2: him now, you believe in trust in Him, and you
• 1:22:01
  Speaker 2: greatly rejoice in delight, with inexpressible and glorious joy, receiving
• 1:22:07
  Speaker 2: as the result the outcome, the consummation of your faith,
• 1:22:11
  Speaker 2: the salvation of your souls. What did you hear? This time?
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 2: We'll focus there again even deeper now in quiet meditation.
• 1:22:50
  Speaker 2: I love how it added the word trust to the
• 1:22:53
  Speaker 2: word faith, and that is true. It's different than just believing.
• 1:22:57
  Speaker 2: It's trusting, believing the chair will hold me. Those are
• 1:23:02
  Speaker 2: just words, but sitting in it that takes trust, takes faith,
• 1:23:07
  Speaker 2: and the result of our faith in Christ salvation. Pause
• 1:23:12
  Speaker 2: and ponder here how your trust in Christ is the
• 1:23:16
  Speaker 2: basis for your salvation. Rejoice in awe and quiet meditation.
• 1:23:51
  Speaker 2: Listen one in final time as I read and you
• 1:23:54
  Speaker 2: meditate on First Peter Chapter one, verses eight and nine.
• 1:23:59
  Speaker 2: You have never see Jesus and you don't see him now,
• 1:24:03
  Speaker 2: but still you love him and have faith in him.
• 1:24:06
  Speaker 2: And no words can tell how glad and happy you
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 2: are to be saved. That's why you have faith. In
• 1:24:14
  Speaker 2: Hebrews chapter eleven. It is the hall of fame of
• 1:24:17
  Speaker 2: people of great faith, people like Abel and Noah, Abraham, Gideon, Brock, Samson, Jepthah, David, Samuel.
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 2: They're all there, and of course Moses. Hebrews eleven reminds
• 1:24:31
  Speaker 2: us that by faith, Moses left Egypt not being afraid
• 1:24:36
  Speaker 2: of the anger of the king, for he endured as
• 1:24:39
  Speaker 2: seeing him who is invisible. There it is him who
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 2: is invisible. In much of the New Testament, people walked
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 2: with Jesus. We have the gift of the Gospels and
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 2: letters with first hand accounts of Jesus. But those before
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 2: Jesus were true people of fa faith, enduring faith in
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 2: an invisible God and coming Messiah. So use your imagination
• 1:25:07
  Speaker 2: for a moment, be Moses leaving Egypt. Imagine that faith,
• 1:25:14
  Speaker 2: the fear, the trust, the hope. Can you relate Imagine
• 1:25:21
  Speaker 2: his feelings and relate them to your own journey of
• 1:25:24
  Speaker 2: faith and find hope there. What have you felt or
• 1:25:58
  Speaker 2: experienced or maybe re acted too in this time of meditation,
• 1:26:02
  Speaker 2: We'll offer it to the Lord now in quiet reflection,
• 1:26:05
  Speaker 2: seek his application of it into your life today. Join
• 1:26:39
  Speaker 2: me now for a moment of closing prayer. Dear Jesus,
• 1:26:42
  Speaker 2: you promised you would be with me always, and you are.
• 1:26:46
  Speaker 2: You are here. I confess that sometimes I look for
• 1:26:50
  Speaker 2: ease before I look for you. So turn my eyes
• 1:26:54
  Speaker 2: back to you. Carry me, dear Lord, and fill me
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 2: with inexpressible and glorious joy. Give me faith so that
• 1:27:02
  Speaker 2: I remember eternity when life is hard here on earth.
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 2: I love you, and I believe in you, my Savior
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 2: and my King, and I offer and pray this in
• 1:27:12
  Speaker 2: the name of Jesus, my Savior and my Lord. Amen.
• 1:27:16
  Speaker 2: We're almost done, but don't rush off too quickly today.
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 2: Pause here for a moment before heading off into a
• 1:27:22
  Speaker 2: day that may be full of some hopelessness, maybe a
• 1:27:26
  Speaker 2: lack of faith or trust. Find extra time right now
• 1:27:30
  Speaker 2: to consider the gift of faith that God has given
• 1:27:33
  Speaker 2: you to have faith, how God has given you the
• 1:27:37
  Speaker 2: desire to desire His son. And I hope that pondering
• 1:27:42
  Speaker 2: will keep you here a bit longer. No rushing off today,
• 1:27:46
  Speaker 2: no time or a clock. Just listen to the music
• 1:27:49
  Speaker 2: and the sounds on abide or journal whatever God places
• 1:27:52
  Speaker 2: on your heart. But I hope you will allow the
• 1:27:55
  Speaker 2: Holy Spirit to hold you in this place for several
• 1:27:58
  Speaker 2: more minutes of profound peace and rest and alignment with
• 1:28:03
  Speaker 2: God as you meditate and abide with Christ.
• 1:28:08
  Speaker 3: Let's close our time together with a word of prayer.
• 1:28:12
  Speaker 3: Lord God, thank you for choosing me as your own
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 3: special treasure and for drenching me in your mercy, your goodness,
• 1:28:20
  Speaker 3: and your kindness. Would you help me to be a
• 1:28:23
  Speaker 3: priest showing your goodness and declaring your glorious wonders to
• 1:28:28
  Speaker 3: everyone I know? May I never forget how you rescued
• 1:28:33
  Speaker 3: me from darkness and you brought me into this marvelous
• 1:28:36
  Speaker 3: light of yours. I'm devoted to you, Lord, and I
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  Speaker 3: choose you every single day in Jesus name and by
• 1:28:45
  Speaker 3: His strength. I pray.
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  Speaker 2: Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Now, if you can linger here a little longer and
• 1:28:51
  Speaker 3: allow God's mercy to just wash over you, He'll remove
• 1:28:56
  Speaker 3: worry or rejection. Just allow his peace to fill you
• 1:29:00
  Speaker 3: and remind you that you're His chosen treasure. Begin to
• 1:29:05
  Speaker 3: see yourself as his priest, called to show his goodness
• 1:29:09
  Speaker 3: to others on his behalf. Open your mouth and declare
• 1:29:13
  Speaker 3: his wonders aloud as you continue to rest and abide
• 1:29:17
  Speaker 3: in Christ.
• 1:29:23
  Speaker 1: Even though the world tells me differently, Help me to
• 1:29:27
  Speaker 1: always remember that the reward for humility and fear of
• 1:29:30
  Speaker 1: the Lord is riches and honor and life. Lord, in
• 1:29:35
  Speaker 1: all things, you must increase, but I must decrease. God.
• 1:29:42
  Speaker 1: I know you have had it with pride. You take
• 1:29:45
  Speaker 1: delight in just plain people. So help me be content
• 1:29:49
  Speaker 1: with just being a plain person who adores you. I
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 1: know your hand is on me, and you will guide
• 1:29:57
  Speaker 1: me and lift me at the right time with the people.
• 1:30:01
  Speaker 1: Help me live care free before you, God, because you
• 1:30:05
  Speaker 1: know and care for me. In Jesus's name, Amen, we
• 1:30:13
  Speaker 1: hope this meditation brought you peace. To listen to the
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 1: full collection of Biblical bedtime stories, download the Abide app
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 1: in the iTunes or Google Play store.