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Relax_With_God_s_Word_And_White_Noise_for_Peaceful_Sleep · Abide Meditation App

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Find rest as you listen to this peaceful bedtime story.
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: For more Bible stories that bring you refreshing sleep, download
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: the Abide app in the iTunes or Google Play store.
• 0:16
  Speaker 2: Welcome to this Abide meditation. I'm James Sewood. Have you
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: ever been at a place where all hope seems lost?
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: Zachariah chapter fourteen begins with the prophet telling Israel that
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  Speaker 2: one day Jerusalem will be plundered, But on that day,
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  Speaker 2: when all hope seems lost, he gives them hope. Zachariah
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  Speaker 2: chapter fourteen, verse nine says, and the Lord will be
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  Speaker 2: king over all the earth. On that day, the Lord
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  Speaker 2: will be one, and his name one. Take a big,
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  Speaker 2: deep breath as you inhale the hope that Jesus brings
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  Speaker 2: to every situation in your life. In a passage that
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  Speaker 2: prophesies the coming of the Messiah, Zachariah says on that
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  Speaker 2: day three other times. On that day, Jesus will return
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  Speaker 2: from where he left the mount of Olives. On that day,
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  Speaker 2: all other sources of artificial light will be distinguished, and
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  Speaker 2: only Jesus will shine. And on that day Jesus will
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  Speaker 2: bring life giving water that will always quench and never
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  Speaker 2: fail when all hope seems lost. Imagine Jesus coming back,
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  Speaker 2: being all the light and provision you will ever need.
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  Speaker 2: Do you ache for that measure of hope? Dear, Holy,
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  Speaker 2: Sovereign and Sufficient God. There are so many days I
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  Speaker 2: have trouble seeing past the end of my nose. I
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  Speaker 2: can't imagine my next step, much less see down the
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  Speaker 2: road or around the corner. On those days and every day,
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  Speaker 2: give me the hope and assurance that every day you
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  Speaker 2: are enough, You are sufficient, and your Son will light
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  Speaker 2: my path. And it is in the name of your
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  Speaker 2: Son Jesus that I pray. Amen, take another deep breath,
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  Speaker 2: hold it for a moment, and then let it go.
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  Speaker 2: Relax your muscles, still, your mind and your heart. Are
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  Speaker 2: you afraid of falling, stumbling, losing your way? Fall back
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  Speaker 2: into his strong arms. Let his hand guide you as
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  Speaker 2: he prepares you for time with him in prayer. Examine
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  Speaker 2: your heart for a moment. Were you most fearful, afraid
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  Speaker 2: of losing your way, unsure of your path? Ponder it
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  Speaker 2: as you come before him now in a time of
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  Speaker 2: confession and cleansing. Be aware of the presence of God,
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  Speaker 2: center on him. Consider what it means for the Lord
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  Speaker 2: to be king over all the earth. Focus your heart
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  Speaker 2: and your mind on the hope of God. Now listen
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  Speaker 2: carefully to Zachariah chapter fourteen, verse nine in the English
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  Speaker 2: Standard version. And the Lord will be king over all
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  Speaker 2: the earth. On that day, the Lord will be one
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  Speaker 2: and his name one. What did you hear? Take a
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  Speaker 2: moment right now to center on that word, thought or
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  Speaker 2: image God gave you. Just soak in it. The theme
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  Speaker 2: of Zachariah chapter fourteen is the coming day of the Lord.
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  Speaker 2: The chapter begins with the graphic imagery of the Lord
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  Speaker 2: in battle over the city of Jerusalem, standing on top
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  Speaker 2: of the Mount of Olives, as his power and might
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  Speaker 2: splits the mountain in half. Close your eyes and imagine
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  Speaker 2: it that the Lord God is in control on that day,
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  Speaker 2: in control of your day. Ponder it before him in
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  Speaker 2: prayer and reflection. Listen again to Zachariah chapter fourteen, verse
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  Speaker 2: nine from the Amplified Bible. And the Lord shall be
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  Speaker 2: king over all the earth. In that day the Lord
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  Speaker 2: shall be the only one worshiped, and his name the
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  Speaker 2: only one. What did you hear this time? Take a
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  Speaker 2: moment right now to center on that word, thought or image.
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  Speaker 2: God gave you, just soak in it. In the sixth
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  Speaker 2: verse of Zachariah chapter fourteen, it mentions that light will
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  Speaker 2: shine from the Lord and not the sun. That living
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  Speaker 2: water will flow from new springs. That the Lord God
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  Speaker 2: in control on that day is in control of your day,
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  Speaker 2: even providing light and water. Ponder it before him in
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  Speaker 2: prayer and reflection. The rest of the chapter is another
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  Speaker 2: graphic description of utter destruction of the enemies of the Lord.
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  Speaker 2: The phrase holy to the Lord will be inscribed across
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  Speaker 2: the land. That the Lord God in control on that
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  Speaker 2: day is in control of your day. Ponder that even
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  Speaker 2: deeper before him in prayer and reflection. Listen one final
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  Speaker 2: time as I read and reflect on Zechariah Ter fourteen,
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  Speaker 2: verse nine in the contemporary English version, Then there will
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  Speaker 2: be only one Lord who rules as king and whose
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  Speaker 2: name is worshiped everywhere on earth. Zechariah was a prophet
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  Speaker 2: of God. He was warning us of God's judgment to
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  Speaker 2: come on that day. Chapters eight through eleven of the
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  Speaker 2: Book of Revelation, it mentions seven angels blowing seven long
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  Speaker 2: straight trumpets. Each trumpet accused an apocalyptic event, showing the
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  Speaker 2: mighty power and judgment of God. Picture that scene in
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  Speaker 2: your mind. Hear the trumpets. This is the ending of
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  Speaker 2: what the prophet Zachariah was referring to. Look at the
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  Speaker 2: angels in heaven. How do you feel as each trumpet
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  Speaker 2: is sounded. How does it feel hopeful reassuring that the Lord, God,
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  Speaker 2: who chose you set you apart, will care for you
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  Speaker 2: on this day. Ponder this a sh nurrance, this hope
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  Speaker 2: before God in prayer. Listen carefully to the prayer that
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  Speaker 2: the elders lift up to God. As the seventh trumpet
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  Speaker 2: sounds in Revelation chapter eleven, verses fifteen through eighteen. Then
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  Speaker 2: the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud
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  Speaker 2: voices in heaven saying, the kingdom of the world has
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  Speaker 2: become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
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  Speaker 2: and he shall reign forever and ever. And the twenty
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  Speaker 2: four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell
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  Speaker 2: on their faces and worshiped God, saying, we give thanks
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  Speaker 2: to you, Lord, God Almighty, who is and who was,
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  Speaker 2: for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. Dear,
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  Speaker 2: sufficient and Victorious God. I confess quietly to you now
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  Speaker 2: I feel plundered. At times, right before my eyes, I
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  Speaker 2: feel the enemy taking all that you have given me.
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  Speaker 2: I can feel so discouraged. But on those days, on
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  Speaker 2: all days, give me the faith to remember that on
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  Speaker 2: that day you are returning. On that day you will
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  Speaker 2: be my light. On that day you will provide for me.
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  Speaker 2: On that day you shall be king over all the earth.
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  Speaker 2: On that day, you Lord will be the only one worshiped.
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  Speaker 2: On that day, your name will be the only one.
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  Speaker 2: And on that day and every day, I will praise
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  Speaker 2: your name. Amen and Amen. Search carefully to day for
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  Speaker 2: an example of lost hope, But rather than letting it
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  Speaker 2: cover you, surrender your thoughts back to the hope, authority,
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  Speaker 2: and victory you have in Christ. Until next time, may
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  Speaker 2: you abide in Him.
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  Speaker 1: What is your greatest need? As you think about that,
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  Speaker 1: take a deep, slow breath and close your eyes if
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  Speaker 1: you can, as you consider the answer to that question.
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  Speaker 1: So how did you answer that question? Personal health, improved finances,
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  Speaker 1: a new job, healed marriage or relationship. All of these
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  Speaker 1: are incredibly important, but none are the greatest needs that
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  Speaker 1: you and I have. Ephesians one, verse seven says in
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  Speaker 1: Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
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  Speaker 1: our trespasses according to the riches of His grace. The
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  Speaker 1: greatest need that you and I share is to have
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  Speaker 1: God forgive our sins before we die and face an
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  Speaker 1: eternity without him. Health, financial, blessings. The perfect relationships will
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  Speaker 1: mean nothing if you and I die without God's forgiveness.
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  Speaker 1: Dear one, do you know that you have God's forgiveness
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  Speaker 1: through Jesus. If you don't have the assurance of His
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  Speaker 1: forgiveness and love, then ask Him for that now through
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  Speaker 1: faith in His son. If you do, then remind yourself
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  Speaker 1: of it again and again, until the assurance of your
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  Speaker 1: salvation is what's most important. Let's pray together, Dear saving Lord.
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  Speaker 1: It's so easy to let the world guide my steps
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  Speaker 1: as I seek after salvation to what the world defines
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  Speaker 1: as safety and security. Let the steps I take in
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  Speaker 1: the world create an uneasiness in my heart, an uneasiness
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  Speaker 1: that can only be satisfied when I take steps toward You,
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  Speaker 1: when I lean in by faith to your salvation, not
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  Speaker 1: the world's. And it is in the name of Jesus,
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  Speaker 1: our Savior, that I ask these things. Amen. Keep taking slow,
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  Speaker 1: deep breaths in. Let's do it together in two three
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  Speaker 1: four and out two three four five. Again in two
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  Speaker 1: three four and out two three four five.
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  Speaker 3: Good.
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  Speaker 1: Now, take a moment to focus even deeper, still your mind,
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  Speaker 1: your heart breathing in again two three four and out
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  Speaker 1: two three four five. Are you anxious about your own
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  Speaker 1: needs right now? That's normal, But now is a good
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  Speaker 1: time to let them go. Fall back into his saving arms.
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  Speaker 1: Let his hand guide you as he prepares you for
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  Speaker 1: a time with him. Take a moment to examine your
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  Speaker 1: heart a if you chasing after the world salvation, ponder
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  Speaker 1: it as you come before him. Now in a time
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  Speaker 1: of confession and cleansing, be aware of the presence of God.
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  Speaker 1: Center on him. Ask him to make you aware of
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  Speaker 1: a word, a phrase, a thought, or image from this
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  Speaker 1: passage that you can use to center yourself on Him today.
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  Speaker 1: Listen carefully to Ephesians one, verse seven in the English
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  Speaker 1: Standard version. In him we have redemption through his blood,
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  Speaker 1: the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of
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  Speaker 1: his grace.
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  Speaker 3: What did you hear?
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  Speaker 1: Listen again, in Him, we have redemption through his blood,
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  Speaker 1: the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of
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  Speaker 1: his grace. What did you hear this time? Take a
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  Speaker 1: moment right now to center on that word, thought, or
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  Speaker 1: image God gave you. Just soak in it. Paul wrote
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  Speaker 1: this letter to the church at Ephesus, but we can
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  Speaker 1: all relate to it. The letter aimed to see them
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  Speaker 1: and us develop into true children of God and help
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  Speaker 1: strengthen them so they could fulfill the purpose in calling
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  Speaker 1: God had for them. And the church listened. But in
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  Speaker 1: the second chapter of Revelation, Jesus dictates another letter to
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  Speaker 1: the church at Ephesus that they had forgotten their first love.
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  Speaker 1: Have you come before Him now in a prayer of honesty, broken, humility,
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  Speaker 1: and repentance. Listen again as I read from Ephesians one,
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  Speaker 1: verse seven, this time from the amplified Bible. In Him,
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  Speaker 1: we have redemption, that is, our deliverance and salvation through
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  Speaker 1: His blood, which paid the penalty for our sin and
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  Speaker 1: resulted in the forgiveness and complete pardon of our sin
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  Speaker 1: in accordance with the riches of His grace. What did
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  Speaker 1: you hear? What did you notice that time? Anything new
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  Speaker 1: or unexpected? Take a moment right now to center on
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  Speaker 1: that word, thought or image God gave you. Let that
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  Speaker 1: envelop you in Jesus, we have redemption. It's a big word,
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  Speaker 1: but think of a coupon you get in the mail.
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  Speaker 1: You give up the coupon in exchange for a free pizza.
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  Speaker 1: How are we redeemed what was given in exchange? Ponder
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  Speaker 1: that in prayer before the Lord. Listen to how the
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  Speaker 1: verse ends in accordance with the riches of His grace.
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  Speaker 1: You and I didn't do anything to earn it. It
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  Speaker 1: just showed up. All you have to do is accept it.
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  Speaker 1: That is grace, an undeserved gift. In the next chapter
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  Speaker 1: of Ephesians, it says that our salvation is by grace,
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  Speaker 1: so that we won't rag about it. How would you
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  Speaker 1: describe grace? Listen one final time as I read and
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  Speaker 1: you reflect on Ephesians one, verse seven. In the contemporary
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  Speaker 1: English version, Christ sacrificed his life's blood to set us free,
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  Speaker 1: which means that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did
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  Speaker 1: this because God was so kind to us. God has
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  Speaker 1: great wisdom and understanding. Charles Spurgeon, a British pastor from
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  Speaker 1: the mid eighteen hundreds, once said, the greatest enemy to
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  Speaker 1: human souls is the self righteous spirit, which makes men
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  Speaker 1: look to themselves for salvation? How does that feel to hear?
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  Speaker 1: Listen again, the greatest enemy to human souls is the
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  Speaker 1: self righteous spirit, which makes men look to themselves for salvation.
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  Speaker 1: Does that thought seem distant or nearby? Can you really
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  Speaker 1: relate to it? Come to the Lord in prayer as
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  Speaker 1: you consider your own self righteous spirit with your eyes
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  Speaker 1: still closed? How are you looking to yourself for your
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  Speaker 1: own salvation? Pause the app if you need, and humble
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  Speaker 1: yourself before the Lord in prayer. Spend time now imagining
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  Speaker 1: Jesus' letter to the Ephesians. What or who is your
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  Speaker 1: first love? Bring your answer to him in prayer. Dear
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  Speaker 1: forgiving God, Thank you for the Gospel, the reality of
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  Speaker 1: the death, burial, and resurrection of your Son that gives
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  Speaker 1: us forgiveness and a promise of eternal life. Let nothing
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  Speaker 1: in our life today be more important than the truth
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  Speaker 1: that in You we have redemption, we have deliverance, we
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  Speaker 1: have salvation through the blood of your Son. Remind me
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  Speaker 1: every moment of every day of Jesus and the Gospel.
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  Speaker 1: And it is in his name that I pray. Amen,
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  Speaker 1: Let the truth and freedom of the Gospel be ever
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  Speaker 1: present in your mind and heart, and until next time.
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  Speaker 1: May you abide in Christ?
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  Speaker 3: How do you feel after completing a difficult task? Romans,
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  Speaker 3: Chapter eleven, Verses thirty three through thirty six are a
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  Speaker 3: hymn of praise written after some of the most theologically
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  Speaker 3: dense chapters of the entire Bible. I wonder what it
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  Speaker 3: would have been like to watch Paul writing this letter,
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  Speaker 3: struggling with the deep truths of the faith. What would
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  Speaker 3: have been the look on the faces of those in
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  Speaker 3: this early church after reading the letter or hearing this sermon,
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  Speaker 3: after thinking so deeply about our God. It is fitting
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  Speaker 3: that Paul would break into a hymn of praise. Verse
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  Speaker 3: thirty three says, Oh, the depth of the riches and
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  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of God, How unsearchable are his judgments
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  Speaker 3: and how inscrutable his ways. Take a deep breath as
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  Speaker 3: you think about those words and celebrate with Paul. It
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  Speaker 3: must have been like finishing a really hard workout and
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  Speaker 3: hearing the trainers say and break. It's about being thankful
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  Speaker 3: for the depth, riches, wisdom and knowledge found in God's
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  Speaker 3: word and then taking a moment to relax and soak
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  Speaker 3: in it. How often do you take time just to
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  Speaker 3: think about God, not to study theology, or even to pray,
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  Speaker 3: but just to meditate, contemplate, immerse yourself in the depths
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  Speaker 3: and wisdom of God, asking him to reveal himself to
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  Speaker 3: you in a new way. Take time to do that today,
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  Speaker 3: Dear Heavenly Father, bless my time in the gift of
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  Speaker 3: your word. Grant me understanding as your spirit guides me
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  Speaker 3: through the library of love letters you have given me
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  Speaker 3: in scripture to day. Help me soak in it, bask
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  Speaker 3: in its blessings. Even though your ways are inscrutable, You
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  Speaker 3: reveal yourself to me in so many ways. What I
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  Speaker 3: know is overwhelming, but so is your love and your grace.
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  Speaker 3: I bask in them today in the name of Jesus. Amen,
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  Speaker 3: Relax and shake off the burdens and the tension that
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  Speaker 3: can sometimes be overwhelming. Shake out your arms, relax your shoulders. Now,
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  Speaker 3: breathe deeply, slowly, as you imagine resting in the entirety
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  Speaker 3: of God. Inhale deeply again, hold it and exhale anything
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  Speaker 3: pulling you from praising God today, offer your confession to
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  Speaker 3: Him and thank Him for his unending love, grace, mercy,
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  Speaker 3: and forgiveness. God is worthy of our praise. He's worth
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  Speaker 3: the time you spend just sitting in contemplation of his character,
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  Speaker 3: instead of just thinking that you can't possibly know him.
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  Speaker 3: Rest in his love and grace. Now, listen to Romans
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  Speaker 3: eleven thirty three through thirty six in the English Standard version. Oh,
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  Speaker 3: the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.
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  Speaker 3: How unsearchable are his judgments, and how inscrutable his ways?
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  Speaker 3: For who has known the mind of the Lord, or
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  Speaker 3: who has been his counselor, or who has given a
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  Speaker 3: gift to him that he might be repaid for? From
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  Speaker 3: him and through him and to him are all things
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  Speaker 3: to him be glory forever. Amen. There's so much there,
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  Speaker 3: but what stood out to you. Listen to just verse
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  Speaker 3: thirty six again. For from him, and through him, and
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  Speaker 3: to him are all things to him be glory forever. Amen.
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  Speaker 3: Today we are going to pray. Through this prayer. Let's
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  Speaker 3: begin by meditating on the depth of the riches and
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  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of God. See in your mind the
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  Speaker 3: deepest ocean. Lift your eyes to heaven and see the heights,
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  Speaker 3: the greatest expanse you can imagine. Now, see it all
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  Speaker 3: filled with His riches, wisdom, and knowledge. Stay there, Rest
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  Speaker 3: there soak there in quiet meditation and praise. Now listen
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  Speaker 3: to Romans eleven, Verses thirty four and thirty five. For
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  Speaker 3: who has known the mind of the Lord, or who
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  Speaker 3: has been his counselor, or who has given a gift
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  Speaker 3: to him that he might be repaid? Paul is quoting here,
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  Speaker 3: and it's very similar to Isaiah forty thirteen. Who has
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  Speaker 3: measured the spirit of the Lord, or what man shows
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  Speaker 3: him his counsel. It is impossible to measure the extent
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  Speaker 3: of God. There is no end to his presence, his love.
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  Speaker 3: He is incapable of being fully explored or understood. And
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  Speaker 3: that's as it should be. Do you want to worship
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  Speaker 3: a God that is small enough to be fully explored?
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  Speaker 3: Soaked there in quiet meditation and praise of the expanse
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  Speaker 3: of his presence. We're used to having information at our fingertips.
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  Speaker 3: How does this idea of such a big God make
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  Speaker 3: you feel? Listen again to verse thirty four. For who
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  Speaker 3: has known the mind of the Lord, or who has
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  Speaker 3: been his counselor? Your first instinct might be, of course,
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  Speaker 3: that's true. No one can be God's counselor His ways
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  Speaker 3: are higher than our ways. His thoughts are higher than
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  Speaker 3: our thoughts. But do you live like that? Do you
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  Speaker 3: ever claim to know more than God, or have a
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  Speaker 3: better grip on how to live your life than God does,
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  Speaker 3: or want to offer God advice on how to handle
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  Speaker 3: a situation or people you disagree with. Let this be
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  Speaker 3: a time of reflection and confession. Let's continue in prayer
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  Speaker 3: from Romans eleven thirty five, or who has given a
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  Speaker 3: gift to him that he might be repaid. You may
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  Speaker 3: feel like you never expect God to pay you back.
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  Speaker 3: But have you ever thought, God, I have dropped money
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  Speaker 3: in the offering plate, but now I need money, Please help?
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  Speaker 3: Or God, I have been faithful to pay attention to you,
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  Speaker 3: Now I need you to pay attention to me. Or God,
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  Speaker 3: I have helped others, now I need you to help me.
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  Speaker 3: Has the phrase now I need ever drifted into your
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  Speaker 3: heart once again? Let this be a time of reflection
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  Speaker 3: and confession. Now hear Romans eleven thirty six in the
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  Speaker 3: Amplified Bible. For from Him all things originate, and through
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  Speaker 3: Him all things live and exist, And to Him are
• 43:51
  Speaker 3: all things directed. Picture the endless action of the tide,
• 43:58
  Speaker 3: or a wave on a beat to the beach, and
• 44:03
  Speaker 3: from the beach the tide into the bay and out
• 44:07
  Speaker 3: of the bay. Close your eyes in meditation and see that,
• 44:15
  Speaker 3: See how all things flow out from Him and all
• 44:19
  Speaker 3: things flow back into him. He is the source. Once again,
• 44:27
  Speaker 3: let this be a time of reflection and confession. How
• 45:00
  Speaker 3: has God used this passage in your heart today? Dear
• 45:35
  Speaker 3: sovereign God of creation? Who can measure the wealth and
• 45:40
  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of you? Who can understand your decisions
• 45:47
  Speaker 3: or explain what you do? Has anyone known your thoughts
• 45:53
  Speaker 3: or given you advice? Has anyone known something to you
• 45:57
  Speaker 3: that must be repaid? No, but I confess I've tried.
• 46:07
  Speaker 3: All things were made because of you, and will return
• 46:10
  Speaker 3: to you. Praise you forever in the name of Jesus.
• 46:16
  Speaker 3: I pray, Amen, What an awesome truth you've meditated on today.
• 46:24
  Speaker 3: God is inscrutable and still as close as your breath.
• 46:29
  Speaker 3: Rest in Him today until next time. May you abide
• 46:35
  Speaker 3: in Christ.
• 46:59
  Speaker 4: Do you feel in your gut in unseen battle? All
• 47:04
  Speaker 4: of us at one point were slaves to sin the
• 47:08
  Speaker 4: cruel Master. But Christ came and gave himself as a
• 47:13
  Speaker 4: ransom so that we could live in freedom. So are
• 47:19
  Speaker 4: you living in freedom? Are you walking in the way
• 47:23
  Speaker 4: of the spirit. Take a slow, deep breath to steady
• 47:29
  Speaker 4: your heart rate and relax your body as you think
• 47:33
  Speaker 4: about that. Galatians five twenty four says, and those who
• 47:45
  Speaker 4: belonged to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
• 47:50
  Speaker 4: passions and desires. That doesn't mean that there is no struggle.
• 47:56
  Speaker 4: Any honest Christian will tell you that the fight against
• 48:00
  Speaker 4: sin keeps on going while we live here on earth.
• 48:05
  Speaker 4: But with the strength of Christ in us, we can
• 48:10
  Speaker 4: daily work to walk in the way of the Spirit.
• 48:15
  Speaker 4: We have a new name, a new family. We have
• 48:20
  Speaker 4: a new spirit with new desires. Today is a new day,
• 48:33
  Speaker 4: just a few verses before our verse today, Paul writes,
• 48:38
  Speaker 4: But I say walk by the Spirit, and you will
• 48:42
  Speaker 4: not carry out the desire of the flesh. And the
• 48:46
  Speaker 4: apostle John says, greater is he who is in you
• 48:51
  Speaker 4: than he who is in the world. New life, new desires.
• 48:56
  Speaker 4: With God's help, the battle rages. But God is our deliverer.
• 49:08
  Speaker 4: He will not allow us to be tempted beyond our
• 49:11
  Speaker 4: ability to handle it, because He provides the way of
• 49:16
  Speaker 4: escape through the power of the Holy Spirit. Hold fast
• 49:21
  Speaker 4: to Him in your efforts to remain free in Christ,
• 49:28
  Speaker 4: Dear Holy Righteous God, by the undeserved gift of your
• 49:33
  Speaker 4: grace to me and faith in your son, I am
• 49:38
  Speaker 4: new more than just repaired. I am new more than
• 49:46
  Speaker 4: simply replacing the parts that are broken. I am an
• 49:50
  Speaker 4: entirely new creation. And part of my new creation is
• 49:56
  Speaker 4: new passions, new longings, and new desires, not of this world,
• 50:04
  Speaker 4: but of the world to come. Help me embrace and
• 50:09
  Speaker 4: breathe in that truth. And it is in the name
• 50:14
  Speaker 4: of Jesus I boldly pray. Amen, take another deep breath, Relax,
• 50:23
  Speaker 4: still your mind, your heart, your spirit. Let your breathing
• 50:31
  Speaker 4: become a prayer to God, a plea for stillness and quiet.
• 50:39
  Speaker 4: Settle in now to a posture of prayer. Examine your
• 50:58
  Speaker 4: heart for a moment. What sin do you have the
• 51:03
  Speaker 4: most trouble surrendering to God? Ponder it as you come
• 51:07
  Speaker 4: before Him now in a time of confession and cleansing.
• 51:28
  Speaker 4: Be aware of the presence of God. Center on him.
• 51:33
  Speaker 4: Ask him to make you aware of his desires for you,
• 51:38
  Speaker 4: of his plan and purpose. Let his desires become yours
• 51:45
  Speaker 4: as you humble yourself before Him. As you continue in
• 51:51
  Speaker 4: a posture of openness, willing to hear what God has
• 51:55
  Speaker 4: to say to you in this time. Listen to Galatians
• 51:59
  Speaker 4: five to twenty four in the English Standard version. And
• 52:05
  Speaker 4: those who belonged to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh
• 52:09
  Speaker 4: with its passions and desires. Listen as I read that again.
• 52:16
  Speaker 4: And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
• 52:21
  Speaker 4: flesh with its passions and desires. What did you hear?
• 52:30
  Speaker 4: What did you notice? Take a moment right now to
• 52:35
  Speaker 4: center on that word, thought, or image God gave you,
• 52:40
  Speaker 4: Just soaking it. That's pretty graphic language. If we belong
• 53:18
  Speaker 4: to Christ, then our worldly passions and desires are crucified.
• 53:24
  Speaker 4: With eyes closed. Picture that see it. Imagine the desires
• 53:31
  Speaker 4: and passions of your flesh being crucified, destroyed, not just
• 53:38
  Speaker 4: asked to leave or shown the door. They are dead.
• 53:45
  Speaker 4: Ponder it in prayer. Listen now to Galatians five twenty
• 54:20
  Speaker 4: four in the Amplified Bible. Ask God to point out
• 54:25
  Speaker 4: a word or a phrase to focus on from this verse.
• 54:31
  Speaker 4: And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
• 54:34
  Speaker 4: sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. What did
• 54:41
  Speaker 4: you hear? This version goes one step further than your
• 54:51
  Speaker 4: passions and desires being crucified. It mentions even your appetites,
• 54:57
  Speaker 4: all of your sinful nature. The word appetite is interesting.
• 55:04
  Speaker 4: How does your body respond when you are hungry? Is
• 55:09
  Speaker 4: your appetite strong or weak? How does it drive you?
• 55:46
  Speaker 4: Imagine not only your sin, but your appetite for sin
• 55:52
  Speaker 4: being crucified, being killed, destroyed, bound, and punished. How does
• 56:01
  Speaker 4: that truth resonate with you? Listen one last time to
• 56:36
  Speaker 4: Galatians five twenty four, this time in the contemporary English version.
• 56:43
  Speaker 4: Consider how this translation strikes you differently than the others.
• 56:50
  Speaker 4: And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed
• 56:54
  Speaker 4: our selfish feelings and desires. This theme in Galatians five
• 57:01
  Speaker 4: of our sins and appetite for sin being destroyed is
• 57:06
  Speaker 4: also picked up in Romans eight. Listen to Paul's words carefully,
• 57:14
  Speaker 4: for you have not received a spirit of slavery to sin,
• 57:18
  Speaker 4: a spirit leading again to fear of God's judgment. But
• 57:24
  Speaker 4: you have received the spirit of adoption as sons of
• 57:29
  Speaker 4: the Spirit, by which we joyfully cry Amah father Ingallatians.
• 57:37
  Speaker 4: Paul mentions we are slaves to sin in Romans, we
• 57:44
  Speaker 4: are forgiven of sin and adopted into the family of God.
• 57:52
  Speaker 4: Do you feel like a slave or a child of God?
• 57:58
  Speaker 4: Ponder it? Praise Him with your answer. Stay with that
• 58:34
  Speaker 4: question for a moment. A slave is owned the property
• 58:40
  Speaker 4: of another, forced to obey. Do you feel owned by sin?
• 58:48
  Speaker 2: At times?
• 58:50
  Speaker 4: Weak and almost forced to obey it? Come broken and
• 58:58
  Speaker 4: humbled before God now in prayer, calling for release for
• 59:05
  Speaker 4: freedom in Christ. Compare that to Romans, where we are
• 59:40
  Speaker 4: adopted children, not birth children, but adopted children. What's the difference.
• 59:49
  Speaker 4: We are chosen, picked out, set apart, with the full
• 59:56
  Speaker 4: rights and privileges of being a child of the creator God.
• 1:00:03
  Speaker 4: How does that feel different? Take time now to soak
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 4: in the light of freedom from even the appetite of sin.
• 1:00:45
  Speaker 4: Come to Him again in thanksgiving for being chosen by God,
• 1:00:50
  Speaker 4: free to be his child with new desires, new longings,
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 4: new freedom, new hope, and new promises. Ah a Father,
• 1:01:34
  Speaker 4: I am your beloved child. When you called my name,
• 1:01:39
  Speaker 4: you gave me grace and mercy and hope. Help me
• 1:01:45
  Speaker 4: to see how drastically you changed my life and my eternity.
• 1:01:51
  Speaker 4: Let me rest in the knowledge that in You there
• 1:01:55
  Speaker 4: is no condemnation. There is a bad a raging inside
• 1:02:01
  Speaker 4: of me. My flesh wants what is against my spirit.
• 1:02:06
  Speaker 4: Help me to seek the spirit and to be led
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 4: by the Spirit, so that my life will be characterized
• 1:02:15
  Speaker 4: by your fruit in Jesus name. Amen, Let each choice
• 1:02:24
  Speaker 4: you make be a reminder of new choices, desires, and
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 4: longings you have as a child of God. Until next time,
• 1:02:38
  Speaker 4: may you abide in Christ.
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 1: Authentic Christian living begins with emptying yourself. This is the
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 1: pattern Jesus himself showed us. Paul wrote to the Philippians,
• 1:03:16
  Speaker 1: you must have the same attitude that Christ. Jesus had.
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 1: Though he was God, he did not think of equality
• 1:03:24
  Speaker 1: with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 1: up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of
• 1:03:34
  Speaker 1: a slave and was born as a human being. When
• 1:03:40
  Speaker 1: he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience
• 1:03:44
  Speaker 1: to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
• 1:03:53
  Speaker 1: Breathe in the wonder.
• 1:03:55
  Speaker 2: Of this.
• 1:03:57
  Speaker 1: Jesus, Fully, God, God gave up every single privilege to
• 1:04:04
  Speaker 1: be with us. He came to serve, and he willingly
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 1: died alongside criminals. Breathe in the wonder dear one. To
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 1: find your life, you may have to lose it. The
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 1: true life of faith consists of taking on the attitude
• 1:04:30
  Speaker 1: of Jesus, becoming humble, becoming willing, being willing to give
• 1:04:38
  Speaker 1: up anything in order to serve and love. How does
• 1:04:43
  Speaker 1: this invitation resonate in your heart today? Perhaps admitting your
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 1: emptiness and need can be the beginning of finding God's
• 1:04:58
  Speaker 1: abundance poured out in you. But you have to begin
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 1: by humbly acknowledging your need. Please pray with me God.
• 1:05:15
  Speaker 1: I'm coming to you because I need you. I need
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 1: to hear your voice. I need to be changed by
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 1: your spirit. I need to be filled with you. Empty
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 1: myself of me today and fill me with you. In
• 1:05:38
  Speaker 1: Jesus' name, I pray Amen. All right, Let's turn our
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 1: attention to your breath. Notice it moving in.
• 1:05:55
  Speaker 3: And out.
• 1:05:58
  Speaker 1: Let your breaths grow a.
• 1:06:00
  Speaker 3: Little longer.
• 1:06:02
  Speaker 1: And a little deeper. Let distractions fall away, and just
• 1:06:11
  Speaker 1: attend to your breath in and out. Let's borrow the
• 1:06:23
  Speaker 1: words of John the Baptist to guide your breath. Breathing in,
• 1:06:29
  Speaker 1: he must become greater and breathing out. I must become less.
• 1:06:38
  Speaker 3: Again.
• 1:06:40
  Speaker 1: He must become greater. I must become less confess to
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 1: God the ways you let pride rule you instead of
• 1:07:06
  Speaker 1: letting Jesus rule you. Bring all your sins to the Lord.
• 1:07:11
  Speaker 1: Now in Christ you are forgiven and healed and called
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 1: to walk in newness of life. Listen to Philippians two,
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 1: verses five through eight in the New Living translation. You
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 1: must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 1: he was God, he did not think of equality with
• 1:07:52
  Speaker 1: God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 1: his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a
• 1:08:02
  Speaker 1: slave and was born as a human being. When he
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 1: appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to
• 1:08:12
  Speaker 1: God and died a criminal's death on a cross. As
• 1:08:17
  Speaker 1: I read that again, listen for a word that stands
• 1:08:20
  Speaker 1: out to you. You must have the same attitude that
• 1:08:26
  Speaker 1: Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not
• 1:08:31
  Speaker 1: think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead,
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 1: he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 1: position of a slave and was born as a human being.
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in
• 1:08:52
  Speaker 1: obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
• 1:08:59
  Speaker 1: What did you you here? Reflect on it prayerfully? What
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 1: do you tend to cling to as a source of
• 1:09:36
  Speaker 1: meaning or identity? Listened to Philippians too, Verses seven through eight.
• 1:10:11
  Speaker 1: In the Amplified Bible, Jesus ended himself without renouncing or
• 1:10:17
  Speaker 1: diminishing his deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 1: expression of divine equality and his rightful dignity. By assuming
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 1: the form of a bond servant and being made in
• 1:10:31
  Speaker 1: the likeness of men, he became completely human, but was
• 1:10:37
  Speaker 1: without sin, being fully God and fully man. After he
• 1:10:43
  Speaker 1: was found in terms of his outward appearance as a
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 1: man for a divinely appointed time, he humbled himself still
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 1: further by becoming obedient to the Father to the point
• 1:10:56
  Speaker 1: of death, even death on a cross. You know, we
• 1:11:03
  Speaker 1: tend to fight for our rights, but Jesus was willing
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 1: to give up his rights in order to reach us.
• 1:11:13
  Speaker 1: Ask God right now to show you if there are
• 1:11:16
  Speaker 1: ways you too, ought to be willing to give up
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 1: your rights. Jesus not only gave up his rights, he
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 1: also submitted to death that he didn't deserve. It was
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: more important to him to be humble and obedient, and
• 1:12:02
  Speaker 1: to prove to those watching that he was right. How
• 1:12:07
  Speaker 1: does this example speak to you today? Ask Jesus to
• 1:12:42
  Speaker 1: teach you humility listened to Philippians Too, Verses five through
• 1:13:16
  Speaker 1: eight in the new revised standard version. Let the same
• 1:13:22
  Speaker 1: mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who,
• 1:13:26
  Speaker 1: though he was in the form of God, did not
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 1: regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 1: emptied himself taking the form of a slave. Being born
• 1:13:39
  Speaker 1: in human likeness and being found in human form, he
• 1:13:44
  Speaker 1: humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death,
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 1: even death on a cross. Listen to this poem by
• 1:13:54
  Speaker 1: Thomas Brown, a Victorian poet and teacher. If thou couldst
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 1: empty all thyself of self, like to a shell dishabited,
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 1: then might he find thee on the ocean shelf and
• 1:14:10
  Speaker 1: say this is not dead, and fill thee with himself instead.
• 1:14:46
  Speaker 1: But thou art all replete with very thou and hast
• 1:14:50
  Speaker 1: such shrewd activity that when he comes he says, this
• 1:14:56
  Speaker 1: is enough unto itself. Twere better let it be? It
• 1:15:03
  Speaker 1: is so small and full, there is no room for me.
• 1:15:37
  Speaker 1: Are you too full of self importance?
• 1:15:41
  Speaker 2: Too quick?
• 1:15:42
  Speaker 1: To grasp at your own rights to make room for God.
• 1:16:16
  Speaker 1: Invite God to empty you of vanity and pride and
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 1: to fill you with himself. Please pray with me Jesus,
• 1:16:57
  Speaker 1: there is no one like you. You gave up the
• 1:17:02
  Speaker 1: glory of heaven to take on human flesh. You were
• 1:17:06
  Speaker 1: born to a poor mother in a quiet corner of
• 1:17:09
  Speaker 1: an empire, and you lived your days there in perfect
• 1:17:13
  Speaker 1: service and love. You died without having committed a crime,
• 1:17:20
  Speaker 1: and you conquered death, rising again and attaining eternal life.
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 1: For all who are in you. Help me to be
• 1:17:31
  Speaker 1: like you, a humble servant. Free me from my pride.
• 1:17:37
  Speaker 1: It's in your name, I pray. Amen. Remember, when you
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 1: are emptied of yourself, you can be filled with God.
• 1:17:51
  Speaker 1: Until next time, may you meditate and abide in Christ.
• 1:18:19
  Speaker 2: Have you ever been at a place where all hope
• 1:18:22
  Speaker 2: seems lost? Zachariah chapter fourteen begins with the prophet telling
• 1:18:29
  Speaker 2: Israel that one day Jerusalem will be plundered. But on
• 1:18:34
  Speaker 2: that day, when all hope seems lost, he gives them hope.
• 1:18:41
  Speaker 2: Zachariah chapter fourteen, verse nine says, and the Lord will
• 1:18:47
  Speaker 2: be king over all the earth on that day. The
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 2: Lord will be one and his name one. Take a big,
• 1:19:02
  Speaker 2: deep breath as you inhale the hope that Jesus brings
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 2: to every situation in your life. In a passage that
• 1:19:16
  Speaker 2: prophesies the coming of the Messiah, Zachariah says, on that
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 2: day three other times, on that day Jesus will return
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 2: from where he left the Mount of Olives. On that
• 1:19:32
  Speaker 2: day all other sources of artificial light will be distinguished,
• 1:19:36
  Speaker 2: and only Jesus will shine. And on that day Jesus
• 1:19:42
  Speaker 2: will bring life giving water that will always quench and
• 1:19:46
  Speaker 2: never fail. When all hope seems lost, imagine Jesus coming back,
• 1:19:58
  Speaker 2: being all the light and p vision you will ever need.
• 1:20:03
  Speaker 2: Do you ache for that measure of hope? Dear Holy,
• 1:20:08
  Speaker 2: Sovereign and Sufficient God, there are so many days I
• 1:20:13
  Speaker 2: have trouble seeing past the end of my nose. I
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 2: can't imagine my next step, much less see down the
• 1:20:22
  Speaker 2: road or round the corner. On those days and every day,
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 2: give me the hope and assurance that every day you
• 1:20:32
  Speaker 2: are enough, You are sufficient, and your son will light
• 1:20:38
  Speaker 2: my path. And it is in the name of your
• 1:20:41
  Speaker 2: son Jesus that I pray. Amen, take another deep breath,
• 1:20:52
  Speaker 2: Hold it for a moment, and then let it go.
• 1:20:56
  Speaker 2: Relax your muscles, still, your mind and your heart. Are
• 1:21:02
  Speaker 2: you afraid of falling, stumbling, losing your way? Fall back
• 1:21:09
  Speaker 2: into his strong arms. Let his hand guide you as
• 1:21:14
  Speaker 2: he prepares you for time with him in prayer. Examine
• 1:21:34
  Speaker 2: your heart for a moment. Were you most fearful, afraid
• 1:21:41
  Speaker 2: of losing your way, unsure of your path? Ponder it
• 1:21:47
  Speaker 2: as you come before him. Now in a time of
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 2: confession and cleansing, be aware of the presence of God.
• 1:22:12
  Speaker 2: Center on him. Consider what it means for the Lord
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 2: to be king over all the earth. Focus your heart
• 1:22:21
  Speaker 2: and your mind on the hope of God. Now listen
• 1:22:27
  Speaker 2: carefully to Zachariah chapter fourteen, verse nine in the English
• 1:22:33
  Speaker 2: Standard version. And the Lord will be king over all
• 1:22:38
  Speaker 2: the earth. On that day the Lord will be one
• 1:22:42
  Speaker 2: and his name one. What did you hear? Take a
• 1:22:47
  Speaker 2: moment right now to center on that word, thought or
• 1:22:52
  Speaker 2: image God gave you. Just soak in it. The theme
• 1:23:28
  Speaker 2: of Zachariah chapter fourteen is the coming day of the Lord.
• 1:23:33
  Speaker 2: The chapter begins with the graphic imagery of the Lord
• 1:23:37
  Speaker 2: in battle over the city of Jerusalem, standing on top
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 2: of the Mount of olives as his power and might
• 1:23:45
  Speaker 2: splits the mountain in half. Close your eyes and imagine
• 1:23:51
  Speaker 2: it that the Lord God is in control on that day,
• 1:23:56
  Speaker 2: and he's in control of your day. Ponder it before
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 2: him in prayer and reflection. Listen again to Zachariah chapter fourteen,
• 1:24:39
  Speaker 2: verse nine from the Amplified Bible. And the Lord shall
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 2: be king over all the earth in that day. The
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 2: Lord shall be the only one worshiped, and his name
• 1:24:54
  Speaker 2: the only one. When did you hear this time? Take
• 1:25:00
  Speaker 2: a moment right now to center on that word, thought
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 2: or image God gave you. Just soak it. In the
• 1:25:41
  Speaker 2: sixth verse of Zachariah chapter fourteen, it mentions that light
• 1:25:46
  Speaker 2: will shine from the Lord and not the sun. That
• 1:25:51
  Speaker 2: living water will flow from new springs. That the Lord
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 2: God in control on that day is in control control
• 1:26:00
  Speaker 2: of your day, even providing light and water. Ponder it
• 1:26:06
  Speaker 2: before him in prayer and reflection. The rest of the
• 1:26:41
  Speaker 2: chapter is another graphic description of utter destruction of the
• 1:26:46
  Speaker 2: enemies of the Lord. The phrase holy to the Lord
• 1:26:51
  Speaker 2: will be inscribed across the land. That the Lord God
• 1:26:55
  Speaker 2: in control on that day is in control of your day.
• 1:27:01
  Speaker 2: Ponder that even deeper before him in prayer and reflection.
• 1:27:37
  Speaker 2: Listen one final time as I read and reflect on
• 1:27:42
  Speaker 2: Zechariah chapter fourteen, verse nine in the contemporary English version,
• 1:27:50
  Speaker 2: Then there will be only one Lord who rules as king,
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 2: and whose name is worshiped everywhere on earth. Zachariah was
• 1:28:01
  Speaker 2: a prophet of God. He was warning us of God's
• 1:28:05
  Speaker 2: judgment to come on that day. Chapters eight through eleven
• 1:28:10
  Speaker 2: of the Book of Revelation, it mentions seven angels blowing
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 2: seven long straight trumpets. Each trumpet cused an apocalyptic event,
• 1:28:21
  Speaker 2: showing the mighty power and judgment of God. Picture that
• 1:28:27
  Speaker 2: scene in your mind. Hear the trumpets. This is the
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 2: ending of what the prophet Zachariah was referring to. Look
• 1:29:08
  Speaker 2: at the angels in heaven. How do you feel as
• 1:29:12
  Speaker 2: each trumpet is sounded. How does it feel hopeful reassuring
• 1:29:49
  Speaker 2: that the Lord God, who chose you set you apart,
• 1:29:53
  Speaker 2: will care for you on this day. Ponder this assurance,
• 1:29:58
  Speaker 2: this hope before God in prayer. Listen carefully to the
• 1:30:34
  Speaker 2: prayer that the elders lift up to God. As the
• 1:30:37
  Speaker 2: seventh trumpet sounds in Revelation chapter eleven, verses fifteen through eighteen,
• 1:30:45
  Speaker 2: Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were
• 1:30:49
  Speaker 2: loud voices in heaven saying, the kingdom of the world
• 1:30:53
  Speaker 2: has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
• 1:30:58
  Speaker 2: and he shall reign forever and ever. And the twenty
• 1:31:02
  Speaker 2: four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell
• 1:31:07
  Speaker 2: on their faces and worshiped God, saying, we give thanks
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 2: to you, Lord, God Almighty, who is and who was,
• 1:31:18
  Speaker 2: For you have taken your great power and begun to reign. Dear,
• 1:31:54
  Speaker 2: sufficient and victorious God. I confess quietly to you now
• 1:32:01
  Speaker 2: I feel plundered. At times right before my eyes, I
• 1:32:06
  Speaker 2: feel the enemy taking all that you have given me.
• 1:32:10
  Speaker 2: I can feel so discouraged. But on those days, on
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 2: all days, give me the faith to remember that on
• 1:32:20
  Speaker 2: that day you are returning. On that day you will
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 2: be my light. On that day you will provide for me.
• 1:32:29
  Speaker 2: On that day you shall be king over all the earth.
• 1:32:34
  Speaker 2: On that day, you Lord will be the only one worshiped.
• 1:32:38
  Speaker 2: On that day, your name will be the only one.
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 2: And on that day and every day, I will praise
• 1:32:45
  Speaker 2: your name. Amen and Amen. Search carefully to day for
• 1:32:52
  Speaker 2: an example of lost hope, but rather than letting it
• 1:32:56
  Speaker 2: cover you surrender your thoughts back to the hope, authority,
• 1:33:02
  Speaker 2: and victory you have in Christ. Until next time, may
• 1:33:08
  Speaker 2: you abide in Him.
• 1:33:32
  Speaker 1: What is your greatest need? As you think about that,
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 1: take a deep, slow breath and close your eyes if
• 1:33:43
  Speaker 1: you can, as you consider the answer to that question. So,
• 1:33:52
  Speaker 1: how did you answer that question? Personal health, improved finances,
• 1:33:59
  Speaker 1: a new job, healed marriage or relationship. All of these
• 1:34:04
  Speaker 1: are incredibly important, but none are the greatest needs that
• 1:34:09
  Speaker 1: you and I have. Ephesians one, verse seven says in
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 1: Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
• 1:34:19
  Speaker 1: our trespasses according to the riches of His grace. The
• 1:34:28
  Speaker 1: greatest need that you and I share is to have
• 1:34:32
  Speaker 1: God forgive our sins before we die and face an
• 1:34:36
  Speaker 1: eternity without him. Health, financial, blessings, the perfect relationships will
• 1:34:44
  Speaker 1: mean nothing if you and I die without God's forgiveness.
• 1:34:50
  Speaker 1: Dear one, do you know that you have God's forgiveness
• 1:34:55
  Speaker 1: through Jesus. If you don't have the assurance of His
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 1: forgiveness and love, then ask Him for that now through
• 1:35:06
  Speaker 1: faith in His son. If you do, then remind yourself
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 1: of it again and again until the assurance of your
• 1:35:16
  Speaker 1: salvation is what's most important. Let's pray together, Dear saving Lord.
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 1: It's so easy to let the world guide my steps
• 1:35:30
  Speaker 1: as I seek after salvation to what the world defines
• 1:35:34
  Speaker 1: as safety and security. Let the steps I take in
• 1:35:39
  Speaker 1: the world create an uneasiness in my heart, an uneasiness
• 1:35:44
  Speaker 1: that can only be satisfied when I take steps toward you,
• 1:35:50
  Speaker 1: when I lean in by faith to your salvation, not
• 1:35:54
  Speaker 1: the world's. And it is in the name of Jesus,
• 1:35:58
  Speaker 1: our Savior, that I ask these things. Amen. Keep taking slow,
• 1:36:22
  Speaker 1: deep breaths in. Let's do it together in two three
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: four and out two three four five. Again in two
• 1:36:42
  Speaker 1: three four and out two three four five.
• 1:36:50
  Speaker 2: Good.
• 1:36:52
  Speaker 1: Now, take a moment to focus even deeper, still your mind,
• 1:36:59
  Speaker 1: your heart, breathing in again, two three four and out
• 1:37:08
  Speaker 1: two three four five. Are you anxious about your own
• 1:37:16
  Speaker 1: needs right now? That's normal, But now is a good
• 1:37:22
  Speaker 1: time to let them go. Fall back into his saving arms.
• 1:37:30
  Speaker 1: Let his hand guide you as he prepares you for
• 1:37:34
  Speaker 1: a time with him. Take a moment to examine your heart.
• 1:37:57
  Speaker 1: Are you chasing after the world's salvation? Ponder it as
• 1:38:01
  Speaker 1: you come before him. Now in a time of confession
• 1:38:05
  Speaker 1: and cleansing, be aware of the presence of God. Center
• 1:38:29
  Speaker 1: on him. Ask Him to make you aware of a word,
• 1:38:34
  Speaker 1: a phrase, a thought, or image from this passage that
• 1:38:38
  Speaker 1: you can use to center yourself on Him today. Listen
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 1: carefully to Ephesians one, verse seven in the English Standard version.
• 1:38:52
  Speaker 1: In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
• 1:38:57
  Speaker 1: of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.
• 1:39:03
  Speaker 1: What did you hear? Listen again, in Him we have
• 1:39:10
  Speaker 1: redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according
• 1:39:17
  Speaker 1: to the riches of His grace. What did you hear
• 1:39:22
  Speaker 1: this time? Take a moment right now to center on
• 1:39:26
  Speaker 1: that word, thought, or image God gave you. Just soak
• 1:39:32
  Speaker 1: in it. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus,
• 1:40:06
  Speaker 1: but we can all relate to it. The letter aimed
• 1:40:09
  Speaker 1: to see them and us develop into true children of
• 1:40:13
  Speaker 1: God and help strengthen them so they could fulfill the
• 1:40:17
  Speaker 1: purpose in calling God had for them. And the church listened.
• 1:40:24
  Speaker 1: But in the second chapter of Revelation, Jesus dictates another
• 1:40:28
  Speaker 1: letter to the church at Ephesus that they had forgotten
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 1: their first love. Have you come before Him now in
• 1:40:37
  Speaker 1: a prayer of honesty broken humility and repentance. Listen again
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 1: as I read from Ephesians one, verse seven, this time
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 1: from the amplified Bible. In Him, we have redemption, that
• 1:41:21
  Speaker 1: is our deliverance and salvation through His blood, which paid
• 1:41:26
  Speaker 1: the penalty for our sin and resulted in the forgiveness
• 1:41:31
  Speaker 1: and complete pardon of our sin in accordance with the
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 1: riches of His grace. What did you hear? What did
• 1:41:40
  Speaker 1: you notice that time? Anything new or unexpected? Take a
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: moment right now to center on that word, thought or
• 1:41:50
  Speaker 1: image God gave you. Let that envelop you. In Jesus,
• 1:42:28
  Speaker 1: we have redemption. It's a big word, But think of
• 1:42:33
  Speaker 1: a coupon you get in the mail. You give up
• 1:42:37
  Speaker 1: the coupon in exchange for a free pizza. How are
• 1:42:41
  Speaker 1: we redeemed what was given in exchange? Ponder that in
• 1:42:47
  Speaker 1: prayer before the Lord. Listen to how the verse ends
• 1:43:23
  Speaker 1: in accordance with the riches of His grace. You and
• 1:43:27
  Speaker 1: I didn't do anything to earn it. It just showed up.
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 1: All you have to do is accept it. That is grace,
• 1:43:40
  Speaker 1: an undeserved gift. In the next chapter of Ephesians, it
• 1:43:44
  Speaker 1: says that our salvation is by grace, so that we
• 1:43:48
  Speaker 1: won't rag about it? How would you describe grace? Listen
• 1:44:24
  Speaker 1: one final time as I read and you reflect on
• 1:44:27
  Speaker 1: Ephesians one, verse seven in the contemporary English version, Christ
• 1:44:34
  Speaker 1: sacrificed his life's blood to set us free, which means
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 1: that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because
• 1:44:43
  Speaker 1: God was so kind to us. God has great wisdom
• 1:44:49
  Speaker 1: and understanding. Charles Spurgeon, a British pastor from the mid
• 1:44:54
  Speaker 1: eighteen hundreds, once said, the greatest enemy to human souls
• 1:44:59
  Speaker 1: is the self righteous spirit, which makes men look to
• 1:45:03
  Speaker 1: themselves for salvation. How does that feel to hear? Listen again,
• 1:45:41
  Speaker 1: the greatest enemy to human souls is the self righteous spirit,
• 1:45:47
  Speaker 1: which makes men look to themselves for salvation. Does that
• 1:45:53
  Speaker 1: thought seem distant or nearby? Can you relate to it?
• 1:45:59
  Speaker 1: Come to the Lord in prayer as you consider your
• 1:46:02
  Speaker 1: own self righteous spirit with your eyes still closed? How
• 1:46:37
  Speaker 1: are you looking to yourself for your own salvation? Pause
• 1:46:43
  Speaker 1: the app if you need, and humble yourself before the
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 1: Lord in prayer. Spend time now imagining Jesus' letter to
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 1: the Ephesians. What or who is your first love? Bring
• 1:47:28
  Speaker 1: your answer to him in prayer forgiving God, Thank you
• 1:48:02
  Speaker 1: for the Gospel, the reality of the death, burial, and
• 1:48:06
  Speaker 1: resurrection of your Son that gives us forgiveness and a
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 1: promise of eternal life. Let nothing in our life today
• 1:48:15
  Speaker 1: be more important than the truth that in You we
• 1:48:19
  Speaker 1: have redemption, we have deliverance, we have salvation through the
• 1:48:25
  Speaker 1: blood of your Son. Remind me every moment of every
• 1:48:30
  Speaker 1: day of Jesus in the Gospel. And it is in
• 1:48:35
  Speaker 1: his name that I pray. Amen. Let the truth and
• 1:48:43
  Speaker 1: freedom of the Gospel be ever present in your mind
• 1:48:46
  Speaker 1: and heart, And until next time, may you abide in Christ.
• 1:49:15
  Speaker 3: How do you feel after completing a difficult task? Romans
• 1:49:20
  Speaker 3: Chapter eleven, Verses thirty three through thirty six are a
• 1:49:24
  Speaker 3: hymn of praise written after some of the most theologically
• 1:49:28
  Speaker 3: dense chapters of the entire Bible. I wonder what it
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 3: would have been like to watch Paul writing this letter,
• 1:49:37
  Speaker 3: struggling with the deep truths of the faith. What would
• 1:49:42
  Speaker 3: have been the look on the faces of those in
• 1:49:44
  Speaker 3: this early church after reading the letter or hearing this sermon,
• 1:49:52
  Speaker 3: after thinking so deeply about our God. It is fitting
• 1:49:57
  Speaker 3: that Paul would break into a hymn of praise. Verse
• 1:50:02
  Speaker 3: thirty three says, Oh, the depth of the riches and
• 1:50:06
  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgments
• 1:50:14
  Speaker 3: and how inscrutable his ways. Take a deep breath as
• 1:50:22
  Speaker 3: you think about those words and celebrate with Paul. It
• 1:50:32
  Speaker 3: must have been like finishing a really hard workout and
• 1:50:36
  Speaker 3: hearing the trainer say and break. It's about being thankful
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 3: for the depth, riches, wisdom and knowledge found in God's
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 3: word and then taking a moment to relax and soak
• 1:51:00
  Speaker 3: in it. How often do you take time just to
• 1:51:10
  Speaker 3: think about God, Not to study theology or even to pray,
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 3: but just to meditate, contemplate, immerse yourself in the depths
• 1:51:25
  Speaker 3: and wisdom of God, asking him to reveal himself to
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 3: you in a new way. Take time to do that today,
• 1:51:39
  Speaker 3: Dear Heavenly Father, bless my time in the gift of
• 1:51:43
  Speaker 3: your word. Grant me understanding as your spirit guides me
• 1:51:48
  Speaker 3: through the library of love letters you have given me
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 3: in scripture. Today, help me soak in it, bask in
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 3: its blessings. Even though your ways are inscrutable, you reveal
• 1:52:04
  Speaker 3: yourself to me in so many ways. What I know
• 1:52:08
  Speaker 3: is overwhelming, but so is your love and your grace
• 1:52:13
  Speaker 3: I bask in them today in the name of Jesus. Amen,
• 1:52:21
  Speaker 3: relax and shake off the burdens and the tension that
• 1:52:25
  Speaker 3: can sometimes be overwhelming. Shake out your arms, relax your shoulders. Now,
• 1:52:34
  Speaker 3: breathe deeply, slowly, as you imagine resting in the entirety
• 1:52:40
  Speaker 3: of God. Inhale deeply again, hold it and exhales. Bail
• 1:53:00
  Speaker 3: anything pulling you from praising God. Today, offer your confession
• 1:53:06
  Speaker 3: to Him and thank Him for his unending love, grace, mercy,
• 1:53:12
  Speaker 3: and forgiveness. God is worthy of our praise. He's worth
• 1:53:33
  Speaker 3: the time you spend just sitting in contemplation of his character,
• 1:53:41
  Speaker 3: instead of just thinking that you can't possibly know him.
• 1:53:46
  Speaker 3: Rest in his love and grace. Now listen to Romans
• 1:53:53
  Speaker 3: eleven thirty three through thirty six in the English Standard version. Oh,
• 1:53:59
  Speaker 3: the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God,
• 1:54:04
  Speaker 3: How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways.
• 1:54:11
  Speaker 3: For who has known the mind of the Lord, or
• 1:54:14
  Speaker 3: who has been his counselor, or who has given a
• 1:54:18
  Speaker 3: gift to him that he might be repaid for From
• 1:54:22
  Speaker 3: him and through him and to him are all things
• 1:54:27
  Speaker 3: to him be glory forever. Amen, there's so much there,
• 1:54:35
  Speaker 3: but what stood out to you. Listen to just verse
• 1:54:39
  Speaker 3: thirty six again. For from Him, and through Him and
• 1:54:45
  Speaker 3: to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.
• 1:55:08
  Speaker 3: Today we are going to pray. Through this prayer. Let's
• 1:55:13
  Speaker 3: begin by meditating on the depth of the riches and
• 1:55:16
  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of God. See in your mind the
• 1:55:22
  Speaker 3: deepest ocean. Lift your eyes to heaven and see the heights,
• 1:55:29
  Speaker 3: the greatest expanse you can imagine. Now, see it all
• 1:55:36
  Speaker 3: filled with His riches, wisdom and knowledge. Stay there, rest there,
• 1:55:46
  Speaker 3: soak there in quiet meditation and praise. Now listen to
• 1:56:21
  Speaker 3: Romans eleven, verses thirty four and thirty five. For who
• 1:56:26
  Speaker 3: has known the mind of the Lord, or who has
• 1:56:29
  Speaker 3: been his counselor, or who has given a gift to
• 1:56:33
  Speaker 3: him that he might be repaid. Paul is quoting here,
• 1:56:39
  Speaker 3: and it's very similar to Isaiah forty thirteen. Who has
• 1:56:44
  Speaker 3: measured the spirit of the Lord or what man shows
• 1:56:48
  Speaker 3: him his counsel. It is impossible to measure the extent
• 1:56:56
  Speaker 3: of God. There is no end to his presence, his love.
• 1:57:04
  Speaker 3: He is incapable of being fully explored or understood. And
• 1:57:10
  Speaker 3: that's as it should be. Do you want to worship
• 1:57:14
  Speaker 3: a God that is small enough to be fully explored,
• 1:57:21
  Speaker 3: soaked there in quiet meditation and praise of the expanse
• 1:57:26
  Speaker 3: of his presence. We're used to having information at our fingertips.
• 1:58:01
  Speaker 3: How does this idea of such a big God make
• 1:58:05
  Speaker 3: you feel? Listen again to verse thirty four. For who
• 1:58:40
  Speaker 3: has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has
• 1:58:44
  Speaker 3: been his counselor Your first instinct might be, of course,
• 1:58:51
  Speaker 3: that's true. No one can be God's counselor His ways
• 1:58:56
  Speaker 3: are higher than our ways, his thoughts are higher than
• 1:59:00
  Speaker 3: our thoughts. But do you live like that? Do you
• 1:59:09
  Speaker 3: ever claim to know more than God, or have a
• 1:59:14
  Speaker 3: better grip on how to live your life than God does,
• 1:59:19
  Speaker 3: or want to offer God advice on how to handle
• 1:59:22
  Speaker 3: a situation or people you disagree with. Let this be
• 1:59:30
  Speaker 3: a time of reflection and confession. Let's continue in prayer
• 2:00:08
  Speaker 3: from Romans eleven thirty five. Or who has given a
• 2:00:13
  Speaker 3: gift to him that he might be repaid. You may
• 2:00:20
  Speaker 3: feel like you never expect God to pay you back.
• 2:00:24
  Speaker 3: But have you ever thought, God, I have dropped money
• 2:00:29
  Speaker 3: in the offering plate, but now I need money? Please help?
• 2:00:35
  Speaker 3: Or God, I have been faithful to pay attention to you.
• 2:00:39
  Speaker 3: Now I need you to pay attention to me. Or God,
• 2:00:44
  Speaker 3: I have helped others, Now I need you to help me.
• 2:00:52
  Speaker 3: Has the phrase now I need ever drifted into your heart?
• 2:00:58
  Speaker 3: Once again? Let this be a time of reflection and confession.
• 2:01:33
  Speaker 3: Now hear Romans eleven thirty six in the Amplified Bible.
• 2:01:39
  Speaker 3: For from Him all things originate, and through Him all
• 2:01:44
  Speaker 3: things live and exist. And to Him are all things directed.
• 2:01:52
  Speaker 3: Picture the endless action of the tide or a wave
• 2:01:56
  Speaker 3: on a beach to the beach, and from the beach
• 2:02:02
  Speaker 3: the tide into the bay and out of the bay.
• 2:02:07
  Speaker 3: Close your eyes in meditation and see that. See how
• 2:02:13
  Speaker 3: all things flow out from him and all things flow
• 2:02:17
  Speaker 3: back into him. He is the source. Once again, let
• 2:02:24
  Speaker 3: this be a time of reflection and confession. How has
• 2:02:58
  Speaker 3: God used this passage in your heart today? Dear Sovereign
• 2:03:32
  Speaker 3: God of creation, who can measure the wealth and wisdom
• 2:03:38
  Speaker 3: and knowledge of you? Who can understand your decisions or
• 2:03:45
  Speaker 3: explain what you do? Has anyone known your thoughts or
• 2:03:51
  Speaker 3: given you advice? Has anyone known something to you that
• 2:03:55
  Speaker 3: must be repaid? No, but I confess I've tried All
• 2:04:04
  Speaker 3: things were made because of you and will return to you.
• 2:04:09
  Speaker 3: Praise you forever in the name of Jesus. I pray Amen,
• 2:04:18
  Speaker 3: What an awesome truth you've meditated on Today. God is
• 2:04:22
  Speaker 3: inscrutable and still as close as your breath. Rest in
• 2:04:27
  Speaker 3: Him today until next time. May you abide in Christ.
• 2:04:56
  Speaker 4: Do you feel in your gut an unseen battle? All
• 2:05:01
  Speaker 4: of us at one point were slaves to sin, the
• 2:05:05
  Speaker 4: cruel master. But Christ came and gave himself as a
• 2:05:10
  Speaker 4: ransom so that we could live in freedom. So are
• 2:05:16
  Speaker 4: you living in freedom? Are you walking in the way
• 2:05:20
  Speaker 4: of the Spirit. Take a slow, deep breath to steady
• 2:05:26
  Speaker 4: your heart rate and relax your body as you think
• 2:05:30
  Speaker 4: about that. Galatians five twenty four says, and those who
• 2:05:42
  Speaker 4: belonged to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
• 2:05:47
  Speaker 4: passions and desires. That doesn't mean that there is no struggle.
• 2:05:54
  Speaker 4: Any honest Christian will tell you that the fight against
• 2:05:57
  Speaker 4: sin keeps on going while we live here on earth.
• 2:06:02
  Speaker 4: But with the strength of Christ in us, we can
• 2:06:07
  Speaker 4: daily work to walk in the way of the Spirit.
• 2:06:12
  Speaker 4: We have a new name, a new family, We have
• 2:06:18
  Speaker 4: a new spirit with new desires. Today is a new day,
• 2:06:31
  Speaker 4: just a few verses before our verse today, Paul writes,
• 2:06:36
  Speaker 4: but I say, walk by the spirit, and you will
• 2:06:39
  Speaker 4: not carry out the desire of the flesh and the apostle.
• 2:06:44
  Speaker 4: John says, greater is he who is in you than
• 2:06:49
  Speaker 4: he who is in the world. New life, new desires.
• 2:06:54
  Speaker 4: With God's help, the battle rages. But God is our deliverer.
• 2:07:05
  Speaker 4: He will not allow us to be tempted beyond our
• 2:07:08
  Speaker 4: ability to handle it, because He provides the way of
• 2:07:13
  Speaker 4: escape through the power of the Holy Spirit. Hold fast
• 2:07:18
  Speaker 4: to Him in your efforts to remain free. In Christ,
• 2:07:25
  Speaker 4: Dear Holy Righteous God, by the undeserved gift of your
• 2:07:31
  Speaker 4: grace to me and faith in your son, I am new,
• 2:07:37
  Speaker 4: more than just repaired. I am new more than simply
• 2:07:43
  Speaker 4: replacing the parts that are broken. I am an entirely
• 2:07:48
  Speaker 4: new creation. And part of my new creation is new passions,
• 2:07:56
  Speaker 4: new longings, and new desires, not of this world, but
• 2:08:02
  Speaker 4: of the world to come. Help me embrace and breathe
• 2:08:07
  Speaker 4: in that truth. And it is in the name of
• 2:08:11
  Speaker 4: Jesus I boldly pray, Amen, take another deep breath. Relax
• 2:08:20
  Speaker 4: still your mind, your heart, your spirit. Let your breathing
• 2:08:28
  Speaker 4: become a prayer to God, a plea for stillness and quiet.
• 2:08:36
  Speaker 4: Settle in now to a posture of prayer. Examine your
• 2:08:56
  Speaker 4: heart for a moment. What sin do you have the
• 2:09:00
  Speaker 4: most trouble surrendering to God? Ponder it as you come
• 2:09:04
  Speaker 4: before Him now in a time of confession and cleansing.
• 2:09:25
  Speaker 4: Be aware of the presence of God. Center on him.
• 2:09:30
  Speaker 4: Ask him to make you aware of His desires for you,
• 2:09:35
  Speaker 4: of his plan and purpose. Let his desires become yours
• 2:09:42
  Speaker 4: as you humble yourself before Him. As you continue in
• 2:09:48
  Speaker 4: a posture of openness, willing to hear what God has
• 2:09:52
  Speaker 4: to say to you in this time. Listen to Galatians
• 2:09:56
  Speaker 4: five twenty four in the English Standard version. And those
• 2:10:03
  Speaker 4: who belonged to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with
• 2:10:07
  Speaker 4: its passions and desires. Listen as I read that again,
• 2:10:13
  Speaker 4: And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
• 2:10:18
  Speaker 4: flesh with its passions and desires. What did you hear?
• 2:10:27
  Speaker 4: What did you notice? Take a moment right now to
• 2:10:32
  Speaker 4: center on that word, thought or image God gave you,
• 2:10:37
  Speaker 4: Just soaking it. That's pretty graphic language. If we belong
• 2:11:15
  Speaker 4: to Christ, then our worldly passions and desires are crucified
• 2:11:22
  Speaker 4: with eyes closed, picture that see it. Imagine the desires
• 2:11:29
  Speaker 4: and passions of your flesh being crucified, destroyed, not just
• 2:11:36
  Speaker 4: asked to leave or shown the door. They are dead.
• 2:11:42
  Speaker 4: Ponder it in prayer. Listen now to Galatians five twenty
• 2:12:17
  Speaker 4: four in the Amplified Bible. Ask God to point out
• 2:12:22
  Speaker 4: a word or a phrase to focus on from this verse.
• 2:12:28
  Speaker 4: And those who belong to Christ, Jesus have crucified the
• 2:12:32
  Speaker 4: sinful nature, together with its passions and appetites. What did
• 2:12:39
  Speaker 4: you hear? This version goes one step further than your
• 2:12:48
  Speaker 4: passions and desires being crucified. It mentions even your appetites,
• 2:12:54
  Speaker 4: all of your sinful nature. The word appetite is interesting.
• 2:13:01
  Speaker 4: How does your body respond when you are hungry? Is
• 2:13:06
  Speaker 4: your appetite strong or weak? How does it drive you?
• 2:13:43
  Speaker 4: Imagine not only your sin, but your appetite for sin,
• 2:13:49
  Speaker 4: being crucified, being killed, destroyed, bound and punished. How does
• 2:13:58
  Speaker 4: that truth restate with you? Listen one last time to
• 2:14:33
  Speaker 4: Galatians five twenty four, this time in the contemporary English version.
• 2:14:40
  Speaker 4: Consider how this translation strikes you differently than the others.
• 2:14:47
  Speaker 4: And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed
• 2:14:51
  Speaker 4: our selfish feelings and desires. This theme in Galatians five
• 2:14:58
  Speaker 4: of our sins and app tight for sin being destroyed
• 2:15:03
  Speaker 4: is also picked up in Romans. Aid listen to Paul's
• 2:15:08
  Speaker 4: words carefully, for you have not received a spirit of
• 2:15:13
  Speaker 4: slavery to sin, a spirit leading again to fear of
• 2:15:18
  Speaker 4: God's judgment. But you have received the spirit of adoption
• 2:15:25
  Speaker 4: as sons of the spirit, by which we joyfully cry
• 2:15:29
  Speaker 4: Amah father Ingalatians, Paul mentions we are slaves to sin.
• 2:15:39
  Speaker 4: In Romans, we are forgiven of sin and adopted into
• 2:15:45
  Speaker 4: the family of God. Do you feel like a slave
• 2:15:51
  Speaker 4: or a child of God? Pondreth, praise him with your answer.
• 2:16:31
  Speaker 4: Stay with that question for a moment. A slave is
• 2:16:35
  Speaker 4: owned the property of another, forced to obey. Do you
• 2:16:43
  Speaker 4: feel owned by sin? At times? Weak and almost forced
• 2:16:50
  Speaker 4: to obey it? Come broken and humbled before God now
• 2:16:58
  Speaker 4: in prayer calling for release for freedom in Christ. Compare
• 2:17:35
  Speaker 4: that to Romans, where we are adopted children, not birth children,
• 2:17:41
  Speaker 4: but adopted children. What's the difference? We are chosen, picked out,
• 2:17:50
  Speaker 4: set apart, with the full rights and privileges of being
• 2:17:56
  Speaker 4: a child of the Creator God. How does that feel different.
• 2:18:04
  Speaker 4: Take time now to soak in the light of freedom
• 2:18:08
  Speaker 4: from even the appetite of sin. Come to him again
• 2:18:43
  Speaker 4: in thanksgiving for being chosen by God, free to be
• 2:18:48
  Speaker 4: his child with new desires, new longings, new freedom, new hope,
• 2:18:57
  Speaker 4: and new promises. Ah, but a Father, I am your
• 2:19:32
  Speaker 4: beloved child. When you called my name, you gave me
• 2:19:37
  Speaker 4: grace and mercy and hope. Help me to see how
• 2:19:43
  Speaker 4: drastically you changed my life and my eternity. Let me
• 2:19:49
  Speaker 4: rest in the knowledge that in you there is no condemnation.
• 2:19:56
  Speaker 4: There is a battle raging inside of me. My flesh
• 2:20:00
  Speaker 4: wants what is against my spirit. Help me to seek
• 2:20:04
  Speaker 4: the spirit and to be led by the spirit, so
• 2:20:09
  Speaker 4: that my life will be characterized by your fruit. In
• 2:20:15
  Speaker 4: Jesus' name, Amen, let each choice you make be a
• 2:20:23
  Speaker 4: reminder of new choices, desires, and longings you have as
• 2:20:28
  Speaker 4: a child of God. Until next time. May you abide
• 2:20:37
  Speaker 4: in Christ.
• 2:21:01
  Speaker 1: Authentic Christian living begins with emptying yourself. This is the
• 2:21:07
  Speaker 1: pattern Jesus himself showed us. Paul wrote to the Philippians,
• 2:21:13
  Speaker 1: you must have the same attitude that Christ. Jesus had.
• 2:21:18
  Speaker 1: Though he was God, he did not think of equality
• 2:21:21
  Speaker 1: with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave
• 2:21:27
  Speaker 1: up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of
• 2:21:32
  Speaker 1: a slave and was born as a human being. When
• 2:21:37
  Speaker 1: he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience
• 2:21:42
  Speaker 1: to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
• 2:21:50
  Speaker 1: Breathe in the wonder of this.
• 2:21:54
  Speaker 3: Jesus.
• 2:21:56
  Speaker 1: Fully, God gave up every sin privilege to be with us.
• 2:22:03
  Speaker 1: He came to serve, and he willingly died alongside criminals.
• 2:22:10
  Speaker 1: Breathe in the wonder, dear one, to find your life,
• 2:22:21
  Speaker 1: you may have to lose it. The true life of
• 2:22:25
  Speaker 1: faith consists of taking on the attitude of Jesus, becoming humble,
• 2:22:31
  Speaker 1: becoming willing, being willing to give up anything in order
• 2:22:37
  Speaker 1: to serve and love. How does this invitation resonate in
• 2:22:42
  Speaker 1: your heart today? Perhaps admitting your emptiness and need can
• 2:22:52
  Speaker 1: be the beginning of finding God's abundance poured out in you.
• 2:22:58
  Speaker 1: But you have to begin by humbly acknowledging your need.
• 2:23:08
  Speaker 1: Please pray with me God. I'm coming to you because
• 2:23:14
  Speaker 1: I need you. I need to hear your voice. I
• 2:23:20
  Speaker 1: need to be changed by your spirit. I need to
• 2:23:24
  Speaker 1: be filled with you, empty myself of me to day
• 2:23:31
  Speaker 1: and fill me with you in Jesus name, I pray Amen.
• 2:23:42
  Speaker 1: All right, Let's turn our attention to your breath, notice
• 2:23:49
  Speaker 1: it moving in and out. Let your breaths grow a
• 2:23:57
  Speaker 1: little longer and a little deeper. Let distractions fall away,
• 2:24:07
  Speaker 1: and just attend to your breath in and out. Let's
• 2:24:20
  Speaker 1: borrow the words of John the Baptist to guide your breath.
• 2:24:24
  Speaker 1: Breathing in, he must become greater, and breathing out, I
• 2:24:32
  Speaker 1: must become less.
• 2:24:35
  Speaker 2: Again.
• 2:24:37
  Speaker 1: He must become greater. I must become less. Confess to God, God,
• 2:25:00
  Speaker 1: the ways you let pride rule you instead of letting
• 2:25:04
  Speaker 1: Jesus rule you. Bring all your sins to the Lord.
• 2:25:08
  Speaker 1: Now in Christ you are forgiven and healed and called
• 2:25:28
  Speaker 1: to walk in newness of life. Listen to Philippians two,
• 2:25:35
  Speaker 1: verses five through eight in the New Living translation. You
• 2:25:40
  Speaker 1: must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though
• 2:25:45
  Speaker 1: he was God, he did not think of equality with
• 2:25:49
  Speaker 1: God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up
• 2:25:54
  Speaker 1: his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a
• 2:25:59
  Speaker 1: slave and was born as a human being. When he
• 2:26:04
  Speaker 1: appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to
• 2:26:09
  Speaker 1: God and died a criminal's death on a cross. As
• 2:26:14
  Speaker 1: I read that again, listen for a word that stands
• 2:26:17
  Speaker 1: out to you. You must have the same attitude that
• 2:26:23
  Speaker 1: Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not
• 2:26:28
  Speaker 1: think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead,
• 2:26:34
  Speaker 1: he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble
• 2:26:39
  Speaker 1: position of a slave and was born as a human being.
• 2:26:45
  Speaker 1: When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in
• 2:26:50
  Speaker 1: obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
• 2:26:56
  Speaker 1: What did you hear? Reflect on it carefully? What do
• 2:27:31
  Speaker 1: you tend to cling to as a source of meaning
• 2:27:34
  Speaker 1: or identity? Listened to Philippians too, Verses seven through eight.
• 2:28:08
  Speaker 1: In the Amplified Bible, Jesus ended himself without renouncing or
• 2:28:14
  Speaker 1: diminishing his deity, but only temporarily giving up the outward
• 2:28:19
  Speaker 1: expression of divine equality and his rightful dignity. By assuming
• 2:28:24
  Speaker 1: the form of a bond servant and being made in
• 2:28:28
  Speaker 1: the likeness of men, he became completely human, but was
• 2:28:34
  Speaker 1: without sin, being fully God and fully man. After he
• 2:28:41
  Speaker 1: was found in terms of his outward appearance as a
• 2:28:44
  Speaker 1: man for a divinely appointed time, he humbled himself still
• 2:28:49
  Speaker 1: further by becoming obedient to the Father to the point
• 2:28:53
  Speaker 1: of death, even death on a cross. You know, we
• 2:29:01
  Speaker 1: tend to fight for our rights, but Jesus was willing
• 2:29:05
  Speaker 1: to give up his rights in order to reach us.
• 2:29:10
  Speaker 1: Ask God right now to show you if there are
• 2:29:13
  Speaker 1: ways you too, ought to be willing to give up
• 2:29:16
  Speaker 1: your rights. Jesus not only gave up his rights, he
• 2:29:50
  Speaker 1: also submitted to death that he didn't deserve. It was
• 2:29:56
  Speaker 1: more important to him to be humble and obedient and
• 2:30:00
  Speaker 1: to prove to those watching that he was right. How
• 2:30:05
  Speaker 1: does this example speak to you today? Ask Jesus to
• 2:30:39
  Speaker 1: teach you humility. Listen to Philippians too, Verses five through
• 2:31:14
  Speaker 1: eight in the new revised standard version. Let the same
• 2:31:19
  Speaker 1: mind be in you that was in Christ. Jesus, who
• 2:31:23
  Speaker 1: though he was in the form of God, did not
• 2:31:26
  Speaker 1: regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but
• 2:31:31
  Speaker 1: emptied himself taking the form of a slave. Being born
• 2:31:36
  Speaker 1: in human likeness and being found in human form, he
• 2:31:42
  Speaker 1: humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death,
• 2:31:46
  Speaker 1: even death on a cross. Listen to this poem by
• 2:31:51
  Speaker 1: Thomas Brown, a Victorian poet and teacher. If thou couldst
• 2:31:57
  Speaker 1: empty all thyself of self, like to a shell dishabited,
• 2:32:03
  Speaker 1: then might he find thee on the ocean shelf and
• 2:32:07
  Speaker 1: say this is not dead, and fill thee with himself instead.
• 2:32:43
  Speaker 1: But thou art all replete with very thou and hast
• 2:32:47
  Speaker 1: such shrewd activity, that when he comes, he says, this
• 2:32:54
  Speaker 1: is enough unto itself. Tware better let it be. It
• 2:33:00
  Speaker 1: is so small and full, there is no room for me.
• 2:33:35
  Speaker 1: Are you too full of self importance, too quick to
• 2:33:39
  Speaker 1: grasp at your own rights to make room for God?
• 2:34:13
  Speaker 1: Invite God to empty you of vanity and pride, and
• 2:34:18
  Speaker 1: to fill you with himself. Please pray with me Jesus.
• 2:34:55
  Speaker 1: There is no one like you. You gave up the
• 2:34:59
  Speaker 1: glory of heaven to take on human flesh. You were
• 2:35:03
  Speaker 1: born to a poor mother in a quiet corner of
• 2:35:06
  Speaker 1: an empire, and you lived your days there in perfect
• 2:35:10
  Speaker 1: service and love. You died without having committed a crime,
• 2:35:17
  Speaker 1: and you conquered death, rising again and attaining eternal life
• 2:35:22
  Speaker 1: for all who are in you. Help me to be
• 2:35:28
  Speaker 1: like you, a humble servant. Free me from my pride.
• 2:35:34
  Speaker 1: It's in your name I pray, Amen. Remember, when you
• 2:35:42
  Speaker 1: are emptied of yourself, you can be filled with God.
• 2:35:49
  Speaker 1: Until next time, may you meditate and abide in Christ.
• 2:36:17
  Speaker 2: Have you ever been at a place where all hope
• 2:36:20
  Speaker 2: seems lost? Zachariah Chapter fourteen begins with the prophet telling
• 2:36:26
  Speaker 2: Israel that one day Jerusalem will be plundered, But on
• 2:36:32
  Speaker 2: that day, when all hope seems lost, he gives them hope.
• 2:36:38
  Speaker 2: Zachariah chapter fourteen, verse nine says, and the Lord will
• 2:36:44
  Speaker 2: be king over all the earth. On that day, the
• 2:36:48
  Speaker 2: Lord will be one and his name one. Take a big,
• 2:36:59
  Speaker 2: deep breath as you inhale the hope that Jesus brings
• 2:37:04
  Speaker 2: to every situation in your life. In a passage that
• 2:37:13
  Speaker 2: prophesies the coming of the Messiah, Zachariah says, on that
• 2:37:19
  Speaker 2: day three other times, on that day Jesus will return
• 2:37:24
  Speaker 2: from where he left the mount of Olives. On that
• 2:37:29
  Speaker 2: day all other sources of artificial light will be distinguished,
• 2:37:33
  Speaker 2: and only Jesus will shine. And on that day Jesus
• 2:37:39
  Speaker 2: will bring life giving water that will always quench and
• 2:37:43
  Speaker 2: never fail. When all hope seems lost, imagine Jesus coming
• 2:37:54
  Speaker 2: back being all the light and provision you will ever need.
• 2:38:00
  Speaker 2: Do you ache for that measure of hope? Dear, Holy,
• 2:38:06
  Speaker 2: Sovereign and Sufficient God. There are so many days I
• 2:38:11
  Speaker 2: have trouble seeing past the end of my nose. I
• 2:38:15
  Speaker 2: can't imagine my next step, much less see down the
• 2:38:19
  Speaker 2: road or around the corner. On those days and every day,
• 2:38:26
  Speaker 2: give me the hope and assurance that every day you
• 2:38:29
  Speaker 2: are enough, You are sufficient, and your son will light
• 2:38:35
  Speaker 2: my path. And it is in the name of your
• 2:38:38
  Speaker 2: Son Jesus that I pray. Amen, take another deep breath,
• 2:38:49
  Speaker 2: hold it for a moment, and then let it go.
• 2:38:53
  Speaker 2: Relax your muscles still, your mind and your heart. Are
• 2:38:59
  Speaker 2: you are of falling, stumbling, losing your way? Fall back
• 2:39:06
  Speaker 2: into his strong arms. Let his hand guide you as
• 2:39:11
  Speaker 2: he prepares you for time with him in prayer. Examine
• 2:39:32
  Speaker 2: your heart for a moment. Were you most fearful, afraid
• 2:39:38
  Speaker 2: of losing your way, unsure of your path? Ponder it
• 2:39:44
  Speaker 2: as you come before him now in a time of
• 2:39:47
  Speaker 2: confession and cleansing. Be aware of the presence of God.
• 2:40:09
  Speaker 2: Center on him. Consider what it means for the Lord
• 2:40:13
  Speaker 2: to be king over all the earth. Focus your heart
• 2:40:18
  Speaker 2: and your mind on the hope of God. Now listen
• 2:40:24
  Speaker 2: carefully to Zachariah chapter fourteen, verse nine in the English
• 2:40:30
  Speaker 2: Standard version. And the Lord will be king over all
• 2:40:35
  Speaker 2: the earth. On that day, the Lord will be one
• 2:40:39
  Speaker 2: and his name one. What did you hear? Take a
• 2:40:45
  Speaker 2: moment right now to center on that word, thought or
• 2:40:49
  Speaker 2: image God gave you. Just soak in it. The theme
• 2:41:25
  Speaker 2: of Zachariah chapter fourteen is the coming day of the Lord.
• 2:41:31
  Speaker 2: The chapter begins with the graphic imagery of the Lord
• 2:41:34
  Speaker 2: in battle over the city of Jerusalem, standing on top
• 2:41:39
  Speaker 2: of the Mount of Olives, as his power and might
• 2:41:42
  Speaker 2: splits the mountain in half. Close your eyes and imagine
• 2:41:48
  Speaker 2: it that the Lord God is in control on that day,
• 2:41:54
  Speaker 2: and he's in control of your day. Ponder it before
• 2:41:59
  Speaker 2: him in prayer and reflection. Listen again to Zachariah chapter fourteen,
• 2:42:36
  Speaker 2: verse nine from the Amplified Bible. And the Lord shall
• 2:42:42
  Speaker 2: be king over all the earth in that day the
• 2:42:46
  Speaker 2: Lord shall be the only one worshiped, and his name
• 2:42:51
  Speaker 2: the only one. When did you hear this time? Take
• 2:42:58
  Speaker 2: a moment right now to send on that word, thought
• 2:43:02
  Speaker 2: or image God gave you. Just soak in it. In
• 2:43:38
  Speaker 2: the sixth verse of Zachariah chapter fourteen, it mentions that
• 2:43:43
  Speaker 2: light will shine from the Lord and not the sun.
• 2:43:48
  Speaker 2: That living water will flow from new springs. That the
• 2:43:53
  Speaker 2: Lord God in control on that day is in control
• 2:43:57
  Speaker 2: of your day, even providing light and water. Ponder it
• 2:44:03
  Speaker 2: before him in prayer and reflection. The rest of the
• 2:44:38
  Speaker 2: chapter is another graphic description of utter destruction of the
• 2:44:43
  Speaker 2: enemies of the Lord. The phrase holy to the Lord
• 2:44:48
  Speaker 2: will be inscribed across the land. That the Lord God
• 2:44:53
  Speaker 2: in control on that day is in control of your day.
• 2:44:58
  Speaker 2: Ponder that even deep before him in prayer and reflection.
• 2:45:34
  Speaker 2: Listen one final time as I read and reflect on
• 2:45:39
  Speaker 2: Zachariah Chapter fourteen, verse nine in the contemporary English version,
• 2:45:47
  Speaker 2: Then there will be only one Lord who rules as
• 2:45:51
  Speaker 2: king and whose name is worshiped everywhere on earth. Zachariah
• 2:45:58
  Speaker 2: was a prophet of God. He was warning us of
• 2:46:02
  Speaker 2: God's judgment to come on that day. Chapters eight through
• 2:46:07
  Speaker 2: eleven of the Book of Revelation, it mentions seven angels
• 2:46:11
  Speaker 2: blowing seven long straight trumpets. Each trumpet cused an apocalyptic
• 2:46:17
  Speaker 2: event showing the mighty power and judgment of God. Picture
• 2:46:24
  Speaker 2: that scene in your mind. Hear the trumpets. This is
• 2:47:00
  Speaker 2: the ending of what the prophet Zachariah was referring to
• 2:47:05
  Speaker 2: look at the angels in heaven. How do you feel
• 2:47:09
  Speaker 2: as each trumpet is sounded, How does it feel hopeful
• 2:47:45
  Speaker 2: reassuring that the Lord God, who chose you set you apart,
• 2:47:50
  Speaker 2: will care for you on this day. Ponder this assurance,
• 2:47:55
  Speaker 2: this hope before God in prayer. Listen carefully to the
• 2:48:31
  Speaker 2: prayer that the elders lift up to God. As the
• 2:48:34
  Speaker 2: seventh trumpet sounds in Revelation chapter eleven, verses fifteen through eighteen.
• 2:48:42
  Speaker 2: Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were
• 2:48:46
  Speaker 2: loud voices in heaven saying, the kingdom of the world
• 2:48:50
  Speaker 2: has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
• 2:48:55
  Speaker 2: and he shall reign forever and ever. And four elders
• 2:49:00
  Speaker 2: who sit on their thrones before God fell on their
• 2:49:04
  Speaker 2: faces and worshiped God, saying, we give thanks to you, Lord,
• 2:49:10
  Speaker 2: God Almighty, who is and who was? For you have
• 2:49:16
  Speaker 2: taken your great power and begun to reign. Dear, Sufficient
• 2:49:52
  Speaker 2: and Victorious God. I confess quietly to you now I
• 2:49:58
  Speaker 2: feel plundered. At time right before my eyes, I feel
• 2:50:03
  Speaker 2: the enemy taking all that you have given me. I
• 2:50:07
  Speaker 2: can feel so discouraged but on those days, on all days,
• 2:50:15
  Speaker 2: give me the faith to remember that on that day
• 2:50:18
  Speaker 2: you are returning. On that day you will be my light.
• 2:50:23
  Speaker 2: On that day you will provide for me. On that
• 2:50:27
  Speaker 2: day you shall be king over all the earth. On
• 2:50:31
  Speaker 2: that day, you Lord will be the only one worshiped.
• 2:50:35
  Speaker 2: On that day, your name will be the only one.
• 2:50:38
  Speaker 2: And on that day and every day, I will praise
• 2:50:42
  Speaker 2: your name. Amen and Amen. Search carefully today for an
• 2:50:49
  Speaker 2: example of lost hope, but rather than letting it cover you,
• 2:50:55
  Speaker 2: surrender your thoughts back to the hope, authority, and victory
• 2:51:00
  Speaker 2: you have in Christ. Until next time, may you abide
• 2:51:06
  Speaker 2: in Him.
• 2:51:30
  Speaker 1: What is your greatest need? As you think about that,
• 2:51:37
  Speaker 1: take a deep, slow breath and close your eyes if
• 2:51:40
  Speaker 1: you can, as you consider the answer to that question. So,
• 2:51:50
  Speaker 1: how did you answer that question? Personal health, improved finances,
• 2:51:56
  Speaker 1: a new job, healed marriage or relationship. All of these
• 2:52:01
  Speaker 1: are incredibly important, but none are the greatest needs that
• 2:52:06
  Speaker 1: you and I have. Ephesians one, verse seven says in
• 2:52:12
  Speaker 1: Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
• 2:52:16
  Speaker 1: our trespasses according to the riches of His grace. The
• 2:52:25
  Speaker 1: greatest need that you and I share is to have
• 2:52:29
  Speaker 1: God forgive our sins before we die and face an
• 2:52:33
  Speaker 1: eternity without him, Health, financial, blessings, the perfect relationships will
• 2:52:41
  Speaker 1: mean nothing if you and I die without God's forgiveness.
• 2:52:48
  Speaker 1: Dear one, do you know that you have God's forgiveness
• 2:52:53
  Speaker 1: through Jesus. If you don't have the assurance of His
• 2:52:59
  Speaker 1: forgiveness and love, then ask Him for that now through
• 2:53:03
  Speaker 1: faith in His son. If you do, and remind yourself
• 2:53:08
  Speaker 1: of it again and again, until the assurance of your
• 2:53:13
  Speaker 1: salvation is what's most important. Let's pray together, Dear saving Lord.
• 2:53:24
  Speaker 1: It's so easy to let the world guide my steps
• 2:53:27
  Speaker 1: as I seek after salvation to what the world defines
• 2:53:31
  Speaker 1: as safety and security. Let the steps I take in
• 2:53:36
  Speaker 1: the world create an uneasiness in my heart, an uneasiness
• 2:53:42
  Speaker 1: that can only be satisfied when I take steps toward You,
• 2:53:47
  Speaker 1: when I lean in by faith to your salvation, not
• 2:53:51
  Speaker 1: the world's. And it is in the name of Jesus,
• 2:53:55
  Speaker 1: our Savior, that I ask these things. Amen. Keep taking slow,
• 2:54:20
  Speaker 1: deep breaths in. Let's do it together. In two three
• 2:54:28
  Speaker 1: four and out two three four five Again in two
• 2:54:39
  Speaker 1: three four and out two three four five.
• 2:54:47
  Speaker 2: Good.
• 2:54:49
  Speaker 1: Now, take a moment to focus even deeper. Still your mind,
• 2:54:56
  Speaker 1: your heart breathing in again two three four and out
• 2:55:05
  Speaker 1: two three four five. Are you anxious about your own
• 2:55:14
  Speaker 1: needs right now? That's normal, but now is a good
• 2:55:19
  Speaker 1: time to let them go. Fall back into his saving arms.
• 2:55:27
  Speaker 1: Let his hand guide you as he prepares you for
• 2:55:31
  Speaker 1: a time with him. Take a moment to examine your heart.
• 2:55:54
  Speaker 1: Are you chasing after the world's salvation? Ponder it as
• 2:55:58
  Speaker 1: you come before him now in a time of confession
• 2:56:02
  Speaker 1: and cleansing. Be aware of the presence of God. Center
• 2:56:26
  Speaker 1: on him. Ask him to make you aware of a word,
• 2:56:32
  Speaker 1: a phrase, a thought, or image from this passage that
• 2:56:35
  Speaker 1: you can use to center yourself on Him today. Listen
• 2:56:42
  Speaker 1: carefully to Ephesians one, verse seven in the English Standard version.
• 2:56:49
  Speaker 1: In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
• 2:56:54
  Speaker 1: of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
• 2:57:00
  Speaker 1: What did you hear? Listen again, in Him, we have
• 2:57:08
  Speaker 1: redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according
• 2:57:14
  Speaker 1: to the riches of His grace. What did you hear?
• 2:57:19
  Speaker 1: This time? Take a moment right now to center on
• 2:57:23
  Speaker 1: that word, thought, or image God gave you. Just soak
• 2:57:29
  Speaker 1: in it. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Ephesus,
• 2:58:03
  Speaker 1: but we can all relate to it. The letter aimed
• 2:58:06
  Speaker 1: to see them and us develop into true children of
• 2:58:11
  Speaker 1: God and help strengthen them so they could fulfill the
• 2:58:14
  Speaker 1: purpose in calling God had for them. And the church listened.
• 2:58:21
  Speaker 1: But in the second chapter of Revelation, Jesus dictates another
• 2:58:25
  Speaker 1: letter to the church at Ephesus that they had forgotten
• 2:58:28
  Speaker 1: their first love. Have you come before Him now in
• 2:58:34
  Speaker 1: a prayer of honesty, broken, humility, and repentance. Listen again
• 2:59:09
  Speaker 1: as I read from Ephesians one, verse seven, this time
• 2:59:13
  Speaker 1: from the amplified Bible. In Him, we have redemption, that
• 2:59:19
  Speaker 1: is our deliverance and salvation through His blood, which paid
• 2:59:23
  Speaker 1: the penalty for our sin and resulted in the forgiveness
• 2:59:28
  Speaker 1: and complete harden of our sin in accordance with the
• 2:59:33
  Speaker 1: riches of His grace. What did you hear? What did
• 2:59:38
  Speaker 1: you notice that time? Anything new or unexpected? Take a
• 2:59:43
  Speaker 1: moment right now to center on that word, thought, or
• 2:59:47
  Speaker 1: image God gave you. Let that envelop you. In Jesus,
• 3:00:25
  Speaker 1: we have redemption. It's a big word, but think of
• 3:00:31
  Speaker 1: a coupon you get in the mail. You give up
• 3:00:34
  Speaker 1: the coupon in exchange for a free pizza. How are
• 3:00:38
  Speaker 1: we redeemed what was given in exchange? Ponder that in
• 3:00:44
  Speaker 1: prayer before the Lord. Listen to how the verse ends
• 3:01:20
  Speaker 1: in accordance with the riches of His grace. You and
• 3:01:25
  Speaker 1: I didn't do anything to earn it. It just showed up.
• 3:01:30
  Speaker 1: All you have to do is accept it. That is grace,
• 3:01:37
  Speaker 1: an undeserved gift. In the next chapter of Ephesians, it
• 3:01:41
  Speaker 1: says that our salvation is by grace, so that we
• 3:01:45
  Speaker 1: won't rag about it. How would you describe grace? Listen
• 3:02:21
  Speaker 1: one final time as I read and you reflect on
• 3:02:24
  Speaker 1: Ephesians one, verse seven. In the contemporary English version, Christ
• 3:02:31
  Speaker 1: sacrificed his life's blood to set us free, which means
• 3:02:36
  Speaker 1: that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because
• 3:02:40
  Speaker 1: God was so kind to us. God has great wisdom
• 3:02:46
  Speaker 1: and understanding. Charles Spurgeon, a British pastor from the mid
• 3:02:52
  Speaker 1: eighteen hundreds, once said, the greatest enemy to human souls
• 3:02:56
  Speaker 1: is the self righteous spirit, which makes men look to
• 3:03:00
  Speaker 1: themselves for salvation. How does that feel to hear? Listen again,
• 3:03:39
  Speaker 1: the greatest enemy to human souls is the self righteous spirit,
• 3:03:44
  Speaker 1: which makes men look to themselves for salvation. Does that
• 3:03:50
  Speaker 1: thought seem distant or nearby? Can you relate to it?
• 3:03:56
  Speaker 1: Come to the Lord in prayer as you consider your
• 3:03:59
  Speaker 1: own self righteous spirit with your eyes still closed, how
• 3:04:34
  Speaker 1: are you looking to yourself for your own salvation? Pause
• 3:04:40
  Speaker 1: the app if you need, and humble yourself before the
• 3:04:43
  Speaker 1: Lord in prayer. Spend time now imagining Jesus' letter to
• 3:05:18
  Speaker 1: the Ephesians. What or who is your first love? Bring
• 3:05:25
  Speaker 1: your answer to him in prayer. Dear forgiving God, Thank
• 3:05:59
  Speaker 1: you for the Gospel, the reality of the death, burial,
• 3:06:03
  Speaker 1: and resurrection of your Son that gives us forgiveness and
• 3:06:07
  Speaker 1: a promise of eternal life. Let nothing in our life
• 3:06:12
  Speaker 1: today be more important than the truth that in You
• 3:06:16
  Speaker 1: we have redemption, we have deliverance, we have salvation through
• 3:06:22
  Speaker 1: the blood of your Son. Remind me every moment of
• 3:06:27
  Speaker 1: every day of Jesus and the Gospel. And it is
• 3:06:32
  Speaker 1: in his name that I pray. Amen. Let the truth
• 3:06:40
  Speaker 1: and freedom of the Gospel be ever present in your
• 3:06:43
  Speaker 1: mind and heart, and until next time, may you abide
• 3:06:49
  Speaker 1: in Christ.
• 3:07:12
  Speaker 3: How do you feel after completing a difficult task? Romans
• 3:07:17
  Speaker 3: Chapter eleven, verses thirty three through thirty six are a
• 3:07:21
  Speaker 3: hymn of praise written after some of the most theologically
• 3:07:25
  Speaker 3: dense chapters of the entire Bible. I wonder what it
• 3:07:30
  Speaker 3: would have been like to watch Paul writing this letter,
• 3:07:34
  Speaker 3: struggling with the deep truths of the faith. What would
• 3:07:39
  Speaker 3: have been the look on the faces of those in
• 3:07:42
  Speaker 3: this early church after reading the letter or hearing this sermon,
• 3:07:50
  Speaker 3: after thinking so deeply about our God. It is fitting
• 3:07:54
  Speaker 3: that Paul would break into a hymn of praise. Verse
• 3:07:59
  Speaker 3: thirty three says, Oh, the depth of the riches and
• 3:08:03
  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of God, How unsearchable are his judgments
• 3:08:11
  Speaker 3: and how inscrutable his ways. Take a deep breath as
• 3:08:20
  Speaker 3: you think about those words and celebrate with Paul. It
• 3:08:30
  Speaker 3: must have been like finishing a really hard workout and
• 3:08:33
  Speaker 3: hearing the trainer say and break. It's about being thankful
• 3:08:44
  Speaker 3: for the depth, riches, wisdom, and knowledge found in God's
• 3:08:50
  Speaker 3: word and then taking a moment to relax and soak
• 3:08:57
  Speaker 3: in it. How often do you take time just to
• 3:09:07
  Speaker 3: think about God, Not to study theology or even to pray,
• 3:09:15
  Speaker 3: but just to meditate, contemplate, immerse yourself in the depths
• 3:09:22
  Speaker 3: and wisdom of God. Asking him to reveal himself to
• 3:09:27
  Speaker 3: you in a new way. Take time to do that today,
• 3:09:36
  Speaker 3: Dear heavenly Father, bless my time in the gift of
• 3:09:40
  Speaker 3: your word. Grant me understanding as your spirit guides me
• 3:09:45
  Speaker 3: through the library of love letters you have given me
• 3:09:48
  Speaker 3: in scripture. Today, help me soak in it, bask in
• 3:09:55
  Speaker 3: its blessings. Even though your ways are inscrutable, you reveal
• 3:10:01
  Speaker 3: yourself to me in so many ways. What I know
• 3:10:05
  Speaker 3: is overwhelming, but so is your love and your grace.
• 3:10:10
  Speaker 3: I bask in them today in the name of Jesus. Amen,
• 3:10:19
  Speaker 3: Relax and shake off the burdens and the tension that
• 3:10:23
  Speaker 3: can sometimes be overwhelming. Shake out your arms, relax your shoulders. Now,
• 3:10:31
  Speaker 3: breathe deeply, slowly, as you imagine resting in the entirety
• 3:10:37
  Speaker 3: of God. Inhale deeply again, hold it and exhale anything
• 3:10:58
  Speaker 3: pulling you from praising God. Today, offer your confession to
• 3:11:03
  Speaker 3: Him and thank Him for his unending love, grace, mercy,
• 3:11:09
  Speaker 3: and forgiveness. God is worthy of our praise. He's worth
• 3:11:30
  Speaker 3: the time you spend just sitting in contemplation of his character,
• 3:11:38
  Speaker 3: instead of just thinking that you can't possibly know him.
• 3:11:43
  Speaker 3: Rest in his love and grace. Now listen to Romans
• 3:11:51
  Speaker 3: eleven thirty three through thirty six in the English Standard version. Oh,
• 3:11:56
  Speaker 3: the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God,
• 3:12:01
  Speaker 3: How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways?
• 3:12:08
  Speaker 3: For who has known the mind of the Lord, or
• 3:12:11
  Speaker 3: who has been his counselor, or who has given a
• 3:12:15
  Speaker 3: gift to him that he might be repaid? For from
• 3:12:19
  Speaker 3: him and through him and to him are all things
• 3:12:24
  Speaker 3: to him be glory forever. Amen. There's so much there,
• 3:12:32
  Speaker 3: but what stood out to you. Listen to just verse
• 3:12:37
  Speaker 3: thirty six again. For from him and through him and
• 3:12:42
  Speaker 3: to him are all things to Him be glory forever. Amen.
• 3:13:06
  Speaker 3: Today we are going to pray. Through this prayer, Let's
• 3:13:10
  Speaker 3: begin by meditating on the depth of the riches and
• 3:13:13
  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of God. See in your mind the
• 3:13:19
  Speaker 3: deepest ocean. Lift your eyes to heaven and see the heights,
• 3:13:26
  Speaker 3: the greatest expanse you can imagine. Now, see it all
• 3:13:33
  Speaker 3: filled with His riches, wisdom, and knowledge. Stay there, rest there,
• 3:13:43
  Speaker 3: soak there in quiet meditation and praise. Now listen to
• 3:14:18
  Speaker 3: Romans eleven, verses thirty four and thirty five. For who
• 3:14:23
  Speaker 3: has known the mind of the Lord, or who has
• 3:14:26
  Speaker 3: been his counselor, or who has given a gift to
• 3:14:31
  Speaker 3: him that he might be repaid. Paul is quoting here,
• 3:14:36
  Speaker 3: and it's very similar to Isaiah forty thirteen, who has
• 3:14:41
  Speaker 3: measured the spirit of the Lord, or what man shows
• 3:14:45
  Speaker 3: him his counsel. It is impossible to measure the extent
• 3:14:53
  Speaker 3: of God. There is no end to his presence, his love.
• 3:15:01
  Speaker 3: He is incapable of being fully explored or understood. And
• 3:15:07
  Speaker 3: that's as it should be. Do you want to worship
• 3:15:11
  Speaker 3: a God that is small enough to be fully explored?
• 3:15:18
  Speaker 3: Soak there in quiet meditation and praise of the expanse
• 3:15:23
  Speaker 3: of his presence. We're used to having information at our fingertips.
• 3:15:58
  Speaker 3: How does this idea of such a big God make
• 3:16:02
  Speaker 3: you feel? Listen again to verse thirty four. For who
• 3:16:38
  Speaker 3: has known the mind of the Lord, or who has
• 3:16:41
  Speaker 3: been his counselor Your first instinct might be, of course,
• 3:16:48
  Speaker 3: that's true. No one can be God's counselor. His ways
• 3:16:54
  Speaker 3: are higher than our ways, His thoughts are higher than
• 3:16:57
  Speaker 3: our thoughts. But do you live like that? Do you
• 3:17:06
  Speaker 3: ever claim to know more than God or have a
• 3:17:11
  Speaker 3: better grip on how to live your life than God does,
• 3:17:16
  Speaker 3: or want to offer God advice on how to handle
• 3:17:20
  Speaker 3: a situation or people you disagree with. Let this be
• 3:17:27
  Speaker 3: a time of reflection and confession. Let's continue in prayer
• 3:18:05
  Speaker 3: from Romans eleven thirty five, or who has given a
• 3:18:11
  Speaker 3: gift to him that he might be repaid. You may
• 3:18:17
  Speaker 3: feel like you never expect God to pay you back.
• 3:18:21
  Speaker 3: But have you ever thought, God, I have dropped money
• 3:18:26
  Speaker 3: in the offering plate, but now I need money? Please help?
• 3:18:32
  Speaker 3: Or God, I have been faithful to pay attention to you,
• 3:18:37
  Speaker 3: Now I need you to pay attention to me. Or God,
• 3:18:42
  Speaker 3: I have helped others, now I need you to help me.
• 3:18:49
  Speaker 3: Has the phrase now I need ever drifted into your
• 3:18:53
  Speaker 3: heart once again? Let this be a time of reflection
• 3:18:59
  Speaker 3: and confession. Now hear Romans eleven thirty six in the
• 3:19:33
  Speaker 3: Amplified Bible. For from Him all things originate, and through
• 3:19:40
  Speaker 3: Him all things live and exist, And to Him are
• 3:19:46
  Speaker 3: all things directed. Picture the endless action of the tide
• 3:19:53
  Speaker 3: or a wave on a beach to the beach, and
• 3:19:57
  Speaker 3: from the beach the tide into the bay and out
• 3:20:02
  Speaker 3: of the bay. Close your eyes in meditation and see that,
• 3:20:10
  Speaker 3: see how all things flow out from him, and all
• 3:20:14
  Speaker 3: things flow back into him. He is the source. Once again,
• 3:20:21
  Speaker 3: Let this be a time of reflection and confession. How
• 3:20:55
  Speaker 3: has God used this passage in your heart today? Dear
• 3:21:29
  Speaker 3: sovereign God of creation, who can measure the wealth and
• 3:21:34
  Speaker 3: wisdom and knowledge of you? Who can understand your decisions
• 3:21:41
  Speaker 3: or explain what you do? Has anyone known your thoughts
• 3:21:48
  Speaker 3: or given you advice? Has anyone known something to you
• 3:21:52
  Speaker 3: that must be repaid? No, but I confess I've tried.
• 3:22:01
  Speaker 3: All things were made because of you and will return
• 3:22:05
  Speaker 3: to you. Praise you forever in the name of Jesus.
• 3:22:11
  Speaker 3: I pray Amen, What an awesome truth you've meditated on today.
• 3:22:18
  Speaker 3: God is inscrutable and still as close as your breath.
• 3:22:24
  Speaker 3: Rest in Him today until next time. May you abide
• 3:22:30
  Speaker 3: in Christ.
• 3:22:53
  Speaker 4: Do you feel in your gut an unseen battle? All
• 3:22:59
  Speaker 4: of us at one point where slaves to sin the
• 3:23:02
  Speaker 4: cruel Master. But Christ came and gave himself as a
• 3:23:07
  Speaker 4: ransom so that we could live in freedom. So are
• 3:23:13
  Speaker 4: you living in freedom? Are you walking in the way
• 3:23:17
  Speaker 4: of the spirit. Take a slow, deep breath to steady
• 3:23:23
  Speaker 4: your heart rate and relax your body as you think
• 3:23:28
  Speaker 4: about that Galatians five twenty four says, and those who
• 3:23:39
  Speaker 4: belonged to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its
• 3:23:44
  Speaker 4: passions and desires. That doesn't mean that there is no struggle.
• 3:23:51
  Speaker 4: Any honest Christian will tell you that the fight against
• 3:23:54
  Speaker 4: sin keeps on going while we live here on earth.
• 3:24:00
  Speaker 4: But with the strength of Christ in us, we can
• 3:24:04
  Speaker 4: daily work to walk in the way of the Spirit.
• 3:24:09
  Speaker 4: We have a new name, a new family. We have
• 3:24:15
  Speaker 4: a new spirit with new desires. Today is a new day,
• 3:24:28
  Speaker 4: just a few verses before our verse today, Paul writes,
• 3:24:33
  Speaker 4: But I say walk by the Spirit, and you will
• 3:24:37
  Speaker 4: not carry out the desire of the flesh. And the
• 3:24:41
  Speaker 4: apostle John says, greater is he who is in you
• 3:24:45
  Speaker 4: than he who is in the world. New life, new desires.
• 3:24:51
  Speaker 4: With God's help, the battle rages. But God is our deliverer.
• 3:25:02
  Speaker 4: He will not allow us to be tempted beyond our
• 3:25:06
  Speaker 4: ability to handle it, because He provides the way of
• 3:25:10
  Speaker 4: escape through the power of the Holy Spirit. Hold fast
• 3:25:16
  Speaker 4: to Him in your efforts to remain free in Christ.
• 3:25:22
  Speaker 4: Dear Holy Righteous God, by the undeserved gift of your
• 3:25:28
  Speaker 4: grace to me, and faith in your son I am
• 3:25:33
  Speaker 4: new more than just repaired. I am new more than
• 3:25:40
  Speaker 4: simply replacing the parts that are broken. I am an
• 3:25:45
  Speaker 4: entirely new creation. And part of my new creation is
• 3:25:51
  Speaker 4: new passions, new longings, and new desires, not of this world,
• 3:25:59
  Speaker 4: but of the world to come. Help me embrace and
• 3:26:04
  Speaker 4: breathe in that truth. And it is in the name
• 3:26:08
  Speaker 4: of Jesus I boldly pray. Amen, take another deep breath, Relax,
• 3:26:17
  Speaker 4: still your mind, your heart, your spirit. Let your breathing
• 3:26:25
  Speaker 4: become a prayer to God, a plea for stillness and quiet.
• 3:26:33
  Speaker 4: Settle in now to a posture of prayer. Examine your
• 3:26:53
  Speaker 4: heart for a moment. What sin do you have the
• 3:26:57
  Speaker 4: most trouble surrendering to God? Ponder it as you come
• 3:27:02
  Speaker 4: before Him now in a time of confession and cleansing.
• 3:27:22
  Speaker 4: Be aware of the presence of God. Center on him.
• 3:27:27
  Speaker 4: Ask him to make you aware of His desires for you,
• 3:27:33
  Speaker 4: of his plan and purpose. Let his desires become yours
• 3:27:39
  Speaker 4: as you humble yourself before Him. As you continue in
• 3:27:45
  Speaker 4: a posture of openness, willing to hear what God has
• 3:27:49
  Speaker 4: to say to you in this time, Listen to Galatians
• 3:27:53
  Speaker 4: five twenty four in the English Standard version, And those
• 3:28:00
  Speaker 4: who belonged to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with
• 3:28:04
  Speaker 4: its passions and desires. Listen as I read that again.
• 3:28:10
  Speaker 4: And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
• 3:28:15
  Speaker 4: flesh with its passions and desires. What did you hear?
• 3:28:24
  Speaker 4: What did you notice? Take a moment right now to
• 3:28:29
  Speaker 4: center on that word, thought, or image God gave you.
• 3:28:35
  Speaker 4: Just soaking it. That's pretty graphic language. If we belong
• 3:29:12
  Speaker 4: to Christ, then our worldly passions and desires are crucified.
• 3:29:19
  Speaker 4: With eyes closed. Picture that see it. Imagine the desires
• 3:29:26
  Speaker 4: and passions of your flesh being crucified, destroyed, not just
• 3:29:33
  Speaker 4: asked to leave or shown the door. They are dead.
• 3:29:39
  Speaker 4: Ponder it in prayer. Listen now to Galatians five twenty
• 3:30:14
  Speaker 4: four in the Amplified Bible. Ask God to point out
• 3:30:20
  Speaker 4: a word or a phrase to focus on from this verse.
• 3:30:25
  Speaker 4: And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the
• 3:30:29
  Speaker 4: sinful nature together with its passions and appetites. What did
• 3:30:36
  Speaker 4: you hear? This version goes one step further than your
• 3:30:45
  Speaker 4: passions and desires being crucified. It mentions even your appetites,
• 3:30:52
  Speaker 4: all of your sinful nature. The word appetite is interesting.
• 3:30:58
  Speaker 4: How does your body respect bond when you are hungry?
• 3:31:03
  Speaker 4: Is your appetite strong or weak? How does it drive you?
• 3:31:40
  Speaker 4: Imagine not only your sin, but your appetite for sin
• 3:31:46
  Speaker 4: being crucified, being killed, destroyed, bound and punished. How does
• 3:31:55
  Speaker 4: that truth resonate with you? Listen one last time to
• 3:32:30
  Speaker 4: Galatians five twenty four, this time in the contemporary English version.
• 3:32:38
  Speaker 4: Consider how this translation strikes you differently than the others.
• 3:32:44
  Speaker 4: And because we belong to Christ Jesus, we have killed
• 3:32:49
  Speaker 4: our selfish feelings and desires. This theme in Galatians five
• 3:32:55
  Speaker 4: of our sins and appetite for sin being destroyed is
• 3:33:00
  Speaker 4: also picked up in Romans aid. Listen to Paul's words carefully,
• 3:33:08
  Speaker 4: for you have not received a spirit of slavery to sin,
• 3:33:13
  Speaker 4: a spirit leading again to fear of God's judgment. But
• 3:33:18
  Speaker 4: you have received the spirit of adoption as sons of
• 3:33:23
  Speaker 4: the Spirit, by which we joyfully cry Abah, father ingallations.
• 3:33:31
  Speaker 4: Paul mentions we are slaves to sin. In Romans, we
• 3:33:38
  Speaker 4: are forgiven of sin and adopted into the family of God.
• 3:33:46
  Speaker 4: Do you feel like a slave or a child of God?
• 3:33:53
  Speaker 4: Ponder it? Praise him with your answer. Stay with that
• 3:34:29
  Speaker 4: question for a moment. A slave is owned the property
• 3:34:34
  Speaker 4: of another, forced to obey. Do you feel owned by sin?
• 3:34:42
  Speaker 4: At times? Weak and almost forced to obey it? Come
• 3:34:51
  Speaker 4: broken and humbled before God now in prayer calling for
• 3:34:58
  Speaker 4: release for free them in Christ. Compare that to Romans,
• 3:35:33
  Speaker 4: where we are adopted children, not birth children, but adopted children.
• 3:35:42
  Speaker 4: What's the difference. We are chosen, picked out, set apart,
• 3:35:50
  Speaker 4: with the full rights and privileges of being a child
• 3:35:54
  Speaker 4: of the creator God. How does that feel different? Take
• 3:36:01
  Speaker 4: time now to soak in the light of freedom from
• 3:36:05
  Speaker 4: even the appetite of sin. Come to Him again in
• 3:36:40
  Speaker 4: thanksgiving for being chosen by God, free to be his
• 3:36:46
  Speaker 4: child with new desires, new longings, new freedom, new hope,
• 3:36:54
  Speaker 4: and new promises. Ah, but Father, I am your beloved child.
• 3:37:31
  Speaker 4: When you called my name, you gave me grace and
• 3:37:36
  Speaker 4: mercy and hope. Help me to see how drastically you
• 3:37:41
  Speaker 4: changed my life and my eternity. Let me rest in
• 3:37:47
  Speaker 4: the knowledge that in You there is no condemnation. There
• 3:37:54
  Speaker 4: is a battle raging inside of me. My flesh wants
• 3:37:57
  Speaker 4: what is against my spirit? Help me to seek the
• 3:38:02
  Speaker 4: spirit and to be led by the spirit, so that
• 3:38:06
  Speaker 4: my life will be characterized by your fruit in Jesus name. Amen,
• 3:38:17
  Speaker 4: Let each choice you make be a reminder of new choices, desires,
• 3:38:23
  Speaker 4: and longings you have as a child of God. Until
• 3:38:31
  Speaker 4: next time, May you abide in Christ.
• 3:38:58
  Speaker 1: Authentic Christian living begins with emptying yourself. This is the
• 3:39:04
  Speaker 1: pattern Jesus himself showed us. Paul wrote to the Philippians,
• 3:39:10
  Speaker 1: you must have the same attitude that Christ. Jesus had.
• 3:39:15
  Speaker 1: Though he was God, he did not think of equality
• 3:39:19
  Speaker 1: with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave
• 3:39:24
  Speaker 1: up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of
• 3:39:29
  Speaker 1: a slave and was born as a human being. When
• 3:39:34
  Speaker 1: he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience
• 3:39:39
  Speaker 1: to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
• 3:39:48
  Speaker 1: Breathe in the wonder of this Jesus, Fully, God gave
• 3:39:55
  Speaker 1: up every single privilege to be with us. He came
• 3:40:01
  Speaker 1: to serve, and he willingly died alongside criminals. Breathe in
• 3:40:09
  Speaker 1: the wonder, dear one, to find your life, you may
• 3:40:19
  Speaker 1: have to lose it. The true life of faith consists
• 3:40:23
  Speaker 1: of taking on the attitude of Jesus, becoming humble becoming willing,
• 3:40:31
  Speaker 1: being willing to give up anything in order to serve
• 3:40:35
  Speaker 1: and love. How does this invitation resonate in your heart today?
• 3:40:46
  Speaker 1: Perhaps admitting your emptiness and need can be the beginning
• 3:40:51
  Speaker 1: of finding God's abundance poured out in you. But you
• 3:40:56
  Speaker 1: have to begin by humbly acknowledging your need. Please pray
• 3:41:06
  Speaker 1: with me God. I'm coming to you because I need you.
• 3:41:14
  Speaker 1: I need to hear your voice. I need to be
• 3:41:18
  Speaker 1: changed by your spirit. I need to be filled with you.
• 3:41:25
  Speaker 1: Empty myself of me today and fill me with you
• 3:41:32
  Speaker 1: in Jesus name, I pray. Amen. All right, Let's turn
• 3:41:42
  Speaker 1: our attention to your breath. Notice it moving in and out.
• 3:41:53
  Speaker 1: Let your breaths grow a little longer and a little deeper.
• 3:42:01
  Speaker 1: Let distractions fall away, and just attend to your breath.
• 3:42:09
  Speaker 3: In and out.
• 3:42:17
  Speaker 1: Let's borrow the words of John the Baptist to guide
• 3:42:20
  Speaker 1: your breath. Breathing in, he must become greater and breathing out,
• 3:42:28
  Speaker 1: I must become less again. He must become greater. I
• 3:42:39
  Speaker 1: must become less. Confess to God the ways you let
• 3:42:58
  Speaker 1: pride rule you instead of letting Jesus rule you. Bring
• 3:43:03
  Speaker 1: all your sins to the Lord now in Christ, you
• 3:43:22
  Speaker 1: are forgiven and healed and called to walk in newness
• 3:43:27
  Speaker 1: of life. Listen to Philippians two, verses five through eight
• 3:43:33
  Speaker 1: in the New Living translation. You must have the same
• 3:43:39
  Speaker 1: attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he
• 3:43:44
  Speaker 1: did not think of equality with God as something to
• 3:43:47
  Speaker 1: cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges. He
• 3:43:54
  Speaker 1: took the humble position of a slave and was born
• 3:43:58
  Speaker 1: as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
• 3:44:03
  Speaker 1: he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a
• 3:44:08
  Speaker 1: criminal's death on a cross. As I read that again,
• 3:44:12
  Speaker 1: listen for a word that stands out to you. You
• 3:44:18
  Speaker 1: must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though
• 3:44:23
  Speaker 1: he was God, he did not think of equality with
• 3:44:26
  Speaker 1: God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up
• 3:44:32
  Speaker 1: his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a
• 3:44:37
  Speaker 1: slave and was born as a human being. When he
• 3:44:43
  Speaker 1: appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to
• 3:44:48
  Speaker 1: God and died a criminal's death on a cross. What
• 3:44:54
  Speaker 1: did you hear? Reflect on it, prayerfully, What do you
• 3:45:28
  Speaker 1: tend to cling to as a source of meaning or identity?
• 3:46:02
  Speaker 1: Listened to Philippians too, Verses seven through eight. In the
• 3:46:05
  Speaker 1: Amplified Bible, Jesus ended himself without renouncing or diminishing his deity,
• 3:46:14
  Speaker 1: but only temporarily giving up the outward expression of divine
• 3:46:18
  Speaker 1: equality and his rightful dignity. By assuming the form of
• 3:46:22
  Speaker 1: a bond servant and being made in the likeness of men,
• 3:46:28
  Speaker 1: he became completely human, but was without sin, being fully
• 3:46:33
  Speaker 1: God and fully man. After he was found in terms
• 3:46:39
  Speaker 1: of his outward appearance as a man for a divinely
• 3:46:43
  Speaker 1: appointed time, he humbled himself still further by becoming obedient
• 3:46:49
  Speaker 1: to the Father to the point of death, even death
• 3:46:53
  Speaker 1: on a cross. You know, we tend to fight for
• 3:46:59
  Speaker 1: our rights, but Jesus was willing to give up his
• 3:47:04
  Speaker 1: rights in order to reach us. Ask God right now
• 3:47:09
  Speaker 1: to show you if there are ways you too, ought
• 3:47:12
  Speaker 1: to be willing to give up your rights. Jesus not
• 3:47:45
  Speaker 1: only gave up his rights, he also submitted to death
• 3:47:49
  Speaker 1: that he didn't deserve. It was more important to him
• 3:47:54
  Speaker 1: to be humble and obedient than to prove to those
• 3:47:58
  Speaker 1: watching that he was right. How does this example speak
• 3:48:03
  Speaker 1: to you today? Ask Jesus to teach you humility. Listen
• 3:49:09
  Speaker 1: to Philippians Too, Verses five through eight in the new
• 3:49:12
  Speaker 1: revised standard version, Let the same mind be in you
• 3:49:18
  Speaker 1: that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in
• 3:49:21
  Speaker 1: the form of God, did not regard equality with God
• 3:49:25
  Speaker 1: as something to be exploited, but emptied himself taking the
• 3:49:31
  Speaker 1: form of a slave. Being born in human likeness and
• 3:49:36
  Speaker 1: being found in human form, he humbled himself and became
• 3:49:41
  Speaker 1: obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
• 3:49:47
  Speaker 1: Listen to this poem by Thomas Brown, a Victorian poet
• 3:49:50
  Speaker 1: and teacher. If thou couldst empty all thyself of self,
• 3:49:58
  Speaker 1: like to a shell dishabited, then might he find thee
• 3:50:03
  Speaker 1: on the ocean shelf and say this is not dead,
• 3:50:07
  Speaker 1: and fill thee with himself instead. But thou art all
• 3:50:41
  Speaker 1: replete with very thou and hast such shrewd activity, that
• 3:50:47
  Speaker 1: when he comes he says, this is enough unto itself.
• 3:50:54
  Speaker 1: Twere better let it be? It is so small and full,
• 3:51:00
  Speaker 1: there is no room for me. Are you too full
• 3:51:33
  Speaker 1: of self importance, too quick to grasp at your own
• 3:51:38
  Speaker 1: rights to make room for God? Invite God to empty
• 3:52:13
  Speaker 1: you of vanity and pride, and to fill you with himself.
• 3:52:48
  Speaker 1: Please pray with me. Jesus, there is no one like you.
• 3:52:55
  Speaker 1: You gave up the glory of heaven to take on
• 3:52:58
  Speaker 1: human flesh. You were born to a poor mother in
• 3:53:02
  Speaker 1: a quiet corner of an empire, and you lived your
• 3:53:06
  Speaker 1: days there in perfect service and love. You died without
• 3:53:12
  Speaker 1: having committed a crime, and you conquered death, rising again
• 3:53:17
  Speaker 1: and attaining eternal life for all who are in you.
• 3:53:24
  Speaker 1: Help me to be like you, a humble servant. Free
• 3:53:29
  Speaker 1: me from my pride. It's in your name, I pray. Amen. Remember,
• 3:53:39
  Speaker 1: when you are emptied of yourself, you can be filled
• 3:53:43
  Speaker 1: with God. Until next time, May you meditate and abide
• 3:53:50
  Speaker 1: in Christ. I feel like when I listen to the
• 3:54:11
  Speaker 1: sleep meditations that I have a friend next to me