Latest / Abide Meditation App / HEALING YOUR HEART FROM TROUBLE Meditation GUIDE Feel God's Healing Hands & Heal while You Sleep - Abide Meditation App

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HEALING YOUR HEART FROM TROUBLE Meditation GUIDE Feel God's Healing Hands & Heal while You Sleep - Abide Meditation App · Abide Meditation App

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  Speaker 1: Find rest as you listen to this peaceful bedtime story.
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  Speaker 1: For more Bible stories that bring you refreshing sleep, download
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  Speaker 1: the Abide app in the iTunes or Google Play store.
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  Speaker 2: Does your heart feel troubled today? Are circumstances weighing you down?
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  Speaker 2: In this life? You will experience trials, Yet Jesus said,
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  Speaker 2: let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe
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  Speaker 2: also in me in hardships and difficulties. When your heart
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  Speaker 2: is so troubled. This sounds too simple, doesn't it. Just
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  Speaker 2: believe in God and believe in Jesus. It is simple,
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  Speaker 2: but that doesn't make it easy. Jesus understands that he
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  Speaker 2: experienced troubles beyond anything you and I will ever go through.
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  Speaker 2: Yet his heart was continually at peace because he trusted
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  Speaker 2: in his Father. He believed in him. Jesus willingly took
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  Speaker 2: your place on that cross, and he gave you the
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  Speaker 2: gift of salvation and a relationship with God. By doing this,
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  Speaker 2: he removed all the lasting reasons for a troubled heart.
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  Speaker 2: So now you have eternal life and a savior who's
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  Speaker 2: always with you. Perhaps a troubled heart doesn't come from
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  Speaker 2: experiencing trouble as much as it does from looking at
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  Speaker 2: the wrong things. If you look at trouble, you'll have
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  Speaker 2: a troubled heart. But when you look at Jesus, you
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  Speaker 2: see he is greater than any trouble you could ever face.
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  Speaker 2: If your difficult circumstances feel overwhelming today, just know you're
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  Speaker 2: not alone. Through the ages. Jesus has given strength to
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  Speaker 2: the weary. So focus on Jesus now and remember he
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  Speaker 2: is eternal, yet he's present with you in this specific
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  Speaker 2: moment of time. Let him speak to you as we
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  Speaker 2: pray together. Dear Jesus, thank you that you know my circumstances.
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  Speaker 2: You know all the reasons why my heart's been troubled.
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  Speaker 2: I ask that you helped take my eyes off of
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  Speaker 2: my troubles and fix them on you. I know that
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  Speaker 2: you're greater than every trial, So please use this time
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  Speaker 2: to strengthen my faith and to restore peace in my heart.
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  Speaker 2: It's in your name, I pray, Amen. When you feel
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  Speaker 2: weighed down by troubles, the natural tendency is for your
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  Speaker 2: eyes to look down all the time. If you can,
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  Speaker 2: why don't you lift your chin and look up as
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  Speaker 2: high as you can. Picture Jesus seated at the right
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  Speaker 2: hand of God, the Father in heaven. Now see yourself
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  Speaker 2: seated right there with him. Close your eyes if you can,
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  Speaker 2: and take a deep cleansing breath. Imagine yourself looking down
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  Speaker 2: from heaven on your earthly troubles. Continue breathing slowly and intentionally.
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  Speaker 2: From a heavenly viewpoint. Your life looks very different. You
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  Speaker 2: have every spiritual blessing in Christ. It's easy to forget
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  Speaker 2: that sometimes when we focus on the wrong things. Are
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  Speaker 2: there any negative thoughts or feelings that you've been struggling with.
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  Speaker 2: Why don't you release those to Christ right now and
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  Speaker 2: receive his grace, his forgiveness, and his love. You're seated
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  Speaker 2: in heavenly places with Jesus Christ. Keep that picture in
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  Speaker 2: the back of your mind. Earth is where you're a missionary,
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  Speaker 2: and Heaven is your home. All missionary face hardships, but
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  Speaker 2: they have the support of Home behind them. You have
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  Speaker 2: all of Heaven behind you on your side. Let your
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  Speaker 2: heart take courage, take some deep and cleansing breaths, and
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  Speaker 2: inhale courage as you exhale any fears that might be looming.
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  Speaker 2: Listen carefully to John fourteen to one from the English
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  Speaker 2: Standard version. Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God,
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  Speaker 2: Believe also in Me. Do anything stand out to you
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  Speaker 2: as I read it? Here, I'll read it one more time.
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  Speaker 2: Listen again John fourteen to one. Let not your hearts
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  Speaker 2: be troubled. Believe in God, Believe also in Me. The
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  Speaker 2: word troubled can mean anxious, bothered, distressed, or even uneasy.
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  Speaker 2: Do any of these words describe the condition of your
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  Speaker 2: heart lately? Take a quick inventory of your heart. What
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  Speaker 2: things have come in that you don't want to stay
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  Speaker 2: there in the midst of trouble. You probably want others
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  Speaker 2: to sympathize with you and understand how difficult it is.
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  Speaker 2: When that doesn't happen, it can make the trial feel
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  Speaker 2: even harder. Is there anyone you need to extend grace
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  Speaker 2: to in your troubles? Why don't you talk to the
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  Speaker 2: Lord about it for a few moments and receive his
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  Speaker 2: strength to forgive. Listen carefully again as I read John
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  Speaker 2: fourteen one, Do not let your heart be troubled. Believe
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  Speaker 2: in God, Believe also in Me. What did you hear
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  Speaker 2: different this time? Think about that idea for a few moments.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus said, do not let your heart be troubled. This
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  Speaker 2: means you have a choice. So you can choose to
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  Speaker 2: let your heart be troubled, or you can choose not to.
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  Speaker 2: Do you ever feel helpless in the midst of your troubles?
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  Speaker 2: If so, just pause and consider what a gift it
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  Speaker 2: is that you have the ability to choose the state
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  Speaker 2: of your heart. Removes circumstances from the picture for a moment,
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  Speaker 2: and then decide what kind of heart do you want
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  Speaker 2: to have. Share your thoughts with Jesus. Listen once more
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  Speaker 2: to John fourteen one, Let not your hearts be troubled.
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  Speaker 2: Believe in God, Believe also in Me. Right before Jesus
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  Speaker 2: spoke those words to his disciples, he'd announced to them
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  Speaker 2: that one of them would betray him and that Peter
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  Speaker 2: would deny him. Imagine how that news must to have
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  Speaker 2: upset them. What do you think they were thinking when
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  Speaker 2: Jesus said, let not your hearts be troubled? Jesus told
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  Speaker 2: the disciples believe in God, believe also in Me. Sounds
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  Speaker 2: pretty simple, but it's very powerful. Your beliefs drive your actions.
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  Speaker 2: Sometimes your actions reveal that your beliefs are different than
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  Speaker 2: what you might think. Why don't you reflect on some
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  Speaker 2: of the actual beliefs that you've been living by. Are
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  Speaker 2: there any beliefs about Jesus that you need to reaffirm
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  Speaker 2: in your heart today? What about beliefs about God. Jesus
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  Speaker 2: had a heart at peace because he trusted perfectly in
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  Speaker 2: his Father, and Jesus lives in you. You don't have
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  Speaker 2: to try to overcome your troubles by your own effort.
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  Speaker 2: God's power at work in you enables you to believe,
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  Speaker 2: trust and even be at peace. Take a moment and
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  Speaker 2: really let that sink into your mind and let Jesus
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  Speaker 2: know what you're thinking. In Luke chapter eight, we read
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  Speaker 2: about a storm that came upon the boat of Jesus
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  Speaker 2: and his disciples, a really big storm that really scared
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  Speaker 2: the disciples, and they actually seemed kind of upset when
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  Speaker 2: they looked over and saw Jesus fast asleep in the
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  Speaker 2: middle of the storm. Of course, all he had to
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  Speaker 2: do was wake up and say be still, and the
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  Speaker 2: storm went away. But at that moment, doesn't it make
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  Speaker 2: you wonder if the disciples were curious where Jesus found
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  Speaker 2: that peace to be able to sleep in the midst
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  Speaker 2: of a storm. Does this story tell you anything about
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  Speaker 2: your own life. When storms are raging around you, do
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  Speaker 2: you feel peace? Do you think it's possible, as a
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  Speaker 2: child of God to experience that peace? No troubles of
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  Speaker 2: this life can change who Jesus is or the blessings
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  Speaker 2: you've been given in Him. Doesn't that give you comfort?
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  Speaker 2: Would you join me in a closing prayer. Dear Jesus,
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  Speaker 2: thank you that you're with me in all of my troubles.
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  Speaker 2: Please strengthen me to keep looking at you no matter
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  Speaker 2: how difficult my circumstances are. Would you please increase my
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  Speaker 2: faith so I can believe who you are and what
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  Speaker 2: you say. Please continue to heal my heart, and would
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  Speaker 2: you guard me with your peace in the midst of
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  Speaker 2: my troubles. Thank you for your faithfulness to me. God,
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  Speaker 2: help me to be faithful to you in Jesus' name. Amen,
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  Speaker 2: if you can try to be still right here for
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  Speaker 2: a little longer with the Lord, just let his peace
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  Speaker 2: fill your heart and listen for the truth He's speaking
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  Speaker 2: over your situation. When you face troubles, pay attention to
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  Speaker 2: your heart. If it starts to feel troubled, just pause
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  Speaker 2: and consider what are you looking at? Your troubles or
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  Speaker 2: Jesus just turn your focus back to him and remember
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  Speaker 2: He's greater, and picture yourself seated with Him in heavenly places.
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  Speaker 2: Look up at Him so that you can look down
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  Speaker 2: on your troubles from a heavenly viewpoint. Thank God that
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  Speaker 2: your heart can be strong and at peace as you
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  Speaker 2: abide in Christ. Broken hearted, That's probably a word you
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  Speaker 2: never wanted to speak, especially when referring to yourself. Yet
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  Speaker 2: have you been there? Have you experienced the unwanted circumstance
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  Speaker 2: of a broken heart? If so, God has a special
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  Speaker 2: message for you. He heals the broken hearted, and he binds
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  Speaker 2: up their wounds. Perhaps it feels like your heart has
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  Speaker 2: been shattered beyond healing. Well, even then, God's word gives hope.
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  Speaker 2: There is no circumstance too painful, no heart too broken
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  Speaker 2: to go beyond God's healing ability. His grace is always
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  Speaker 2: greater than the pain. God's healing is genuine and powerful.
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  Speaker 2: He doesn't just put a band aid on it and
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  Speaker 2: give you a pair of crutches to use for the
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  Speaker 2: rest of your life. He actually heals every broken heart,
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  Speaker 2: making each one whole again. But how and when well,
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  Speaker 2: In his own, wise, loving, faithful way, God works out
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  Speaker 2: his healing process uniquely for each person. Sometimes it's in
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  Speaker 2: a moment, other times it's one moment at a time.
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  Speaker 2: Either way, God keeps his promise to heal every broken
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  Speaker 2: heart that comes to him. Sometimes you have to take
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  Speaker 2: the bandage off a wound in order for it to heal.
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  Speaker 2: Why don't you give yourself permission right now to expose
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  Speaker 2: any wounds to yourself and to God. Speak tenderly to
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  Speaker 2: your heart and remind yourself that you are safe in
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  Speaker 2: God's loving presence. Allow him access so he can begin
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  Speaker 2: the healing process. Let's begin our time together with a
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  Speaker 2: word of prayer. Heavenly Father, in spite of how I feel,
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  Speaker 2: I do believe that your promise to heal broken hearts
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  Speaker 2: is true. Please give me courage to listen to your
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  Speaker 2: voice and to let you touch those painful places. Help
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  Speaker 2: me to embrace your truth over my feelings. And God,
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  Speaker 2: would you guide me each step of the process with
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  Speaker 2: faith that my heart can be made whole again. And
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  Speaker 2: it's in Jesus name I pray. Amen. Sometimes the pain
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  Speaker 2: of a broken heart can cause all of life to
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  Speaker 2: seem negative. So right now, if you can lift your
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  Speaker 2: eyes and lift your hands, just allow God's gift of
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  Speaker 2: hope to wash over you. Believe that God has good
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  Speaker 2: gifts for you, and take several deep breaths focusing on
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  Speaker 2: the love that God has poured into your heart through
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  Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit. Try to smile even through tears if
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  Speaker 2: they come, and thank God for the safe place of
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  Speaker 2: His presence. As you come to this place of quietness,
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  Speaker 2: listen for God's still small voice. Ask him if there's
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  Speaker 2: anything he wants you to let go of right now.
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  Speaker 2: Maybe negative thoughts or emotions that are hindering you give
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  Speaker 2: them to Jesus and receive his forgiveness and his cleansing.
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  Speaker 2: The truth of God's word brings healing. So present your
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  Speaker 2: mind and your heart to God in this time. Remember
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  Speaker 2: his truth is greater than your thoughts and your feelings.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus said, the truth will set you free. So welcome
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  Speaker 2: the truth that He's going to show you. As you
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  Speaker 2: listen to Psalm one forty seven to three, he heals
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  Speaker 2: the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. What'd you
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  Speaker 2: notice in that verse as I read it? Listen as
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  Speaker 2: I read it again, he heals the broken hearted and
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  Speaker 2: binds up their wounds. Some people say that time heals
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  Speaker 2: all wounds. The truth is only God can heal. Sometimes
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  Speaker 2: he brings healing over a period of time, but he
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  Speaker 2: can also heal quickly because he rules over time. Have
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  Speaker 2: you thought time alone could heal your wounds? Or have
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  Speaker 2: you thought you'd never heal no matter how much time passes.
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  Speaker 2: Think about the expectations you may have had regarding healing
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  Speaker 2: and time. Jesus demonstrated again and again that he is
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  Speaker 2: the healer. His grace is greater than any pain. Take
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  Speaker 2: a moment and see if anything is keeping you from
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  Speaker 2: believing that Jesus can heal your heart. Listen again as
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  Speaker 2: I read from the Amplified Bible Psalm one three. It
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  Speaker 2: says He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds,
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  Speaker 2: healing their pain and comforting their sorrow. What did you
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  Speaker 2: hear differently this time? Think about that for a few
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  Speaker 2: quiet moments. When you have a broken heart, there's always
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  Speaker 2: another person or people involved, So a key part of
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  Speaker 2: healing could be practicing forgiveness. Whether you've been wounded or
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  Speaker 2: you've experienced loss, think about who may need your forgiveness today,
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  Speaker 2: and then take a moment with Jesus to forgive them
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  Speaker 2: right now. Or if you find that a little too hard, yet,
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  Speaker 2: just ask him to help you to begin the process
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  Speaker 2: of forgiveness. When you experience the pain of a broken heart,
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  Speaker 2: you may say or do things that you normally wouldn't do.
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  Speaker 2: Ask the Lord if there's anyone you need to apologize
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  Speaker 2: to and ask forgiveness from. Then receive his grace that
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  Speaker 2: is always there for you. Listen once more to Psalm
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  Speaker 2: one forty seven, verse three. He heals the broken hearted
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  Speaker 2: and binds up their wounds. Think about how God the
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  Speaker 2: Father must have felt as he watched Jesus suffer on
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  Speaker 2: the cross. God understands the pain of a broken heart.
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  Speaker 2: How does that comfort you right now? John wrote about
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  Speaker 2: Jesus that from his fullness we have all received grace
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  Speaker 2: upon grace. Grace isn't easily explained, because it's far greater
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  Speaker 2: than any human understanding. Yet grace is present with you
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  Speaker 2: every day. How have you seen God's grace express to
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  Speaker 2: you in the past few days. Pain can sometimes blur
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  Speaker 2: your perspective and cause everything to look negative. One way
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  Speaker 2: God brings healing is through revealing his goodness to you.
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  Speaker 2: Meditate on the goodness of God for a few moments.
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  Speaker 2: God never wastes anything, not even your pain. A broken
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  Speaker 2: heart is not the end of your story. It's the
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  Speaker 2: unlikely tool that God will use to move you forward
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  Speaker 2: in his plans for your life. What ways can you
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  Speaker 2: see that God is already bringing good from the pain
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  Speaker 2: that you may have experienced. Please pray with me as
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  Speaker 2: we close together. Heavenly Father, thank you for your promise
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  Speaker 2: to heal the broken hearted. I bring the pain and
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  Speaker 2: brokenness I've experienced to you, and I thank you for
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  Speaker 2: your grace that is always greater than the pain. Would
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  Speaker 2: you please give me patience and the healing process and
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  Speaker 2: hope for my future. And would you draw me closer
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  Speaker 2: to your heart as you heal my heart in Jesus' name. Amen,
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  Speaker 2: if you can take a few more minutes just to
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  Speaker 2: sit here with the Lord and let the truth that
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  Speaker 2: He's shown you in this time so deeply into your
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  Speaker 2: mind and your heart. Breathe, listen, receive, leave his healing touch.
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  Speaker 2: Every day. Thank God for the healing that He's doing
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  Speaker 2: in your heart. And when that pain resurfaces, just pause
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  Speaker 2: and take a deep breath. Know that Jesus is there
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  Speaker 2: holding your hand, and ask him to lead you forward
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  Speaker 2: another step in the healing process as you abide in Christ.
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  Speaker 2: Have you ever been rejected by someone? Rejection can come
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  Speaker 2: from strangers or friends. Feeling ostracized by others can be
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  Speaker 2: so devastating, can it? Well? Unfortunately, rejection is a part
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  Speaker 2: of living in this fallen world where sinful people hurt others.
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  Speaker 2: We've all experienced it at some point in our lives.
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  Speaker 2: Jesus himself faced rejection many times, and he warned his
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  Speaker 2: disciples they would experience rejection as well. When he said,
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  Speaker 2: if the world hates you, no, oh, that it has
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  Speaker 2: hated me before it hated you. Jesus knew the disciples
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  Speaker 2: would be rejected and hated, and he explained only one
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  Speaker 2: reason why. It wasn't because of their jobs, their ethnicity,
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  Speaker 2: or even their behavior. It was simply because they followed Jesus.
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  Speaker 2: I heard it said once that man's rejection is God's protection.
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  Speaker 2: When the world rejected Jesus and put him on that cross,
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  Speaker 2: God was protecting his redemptive plan. Man's rejection was God's protection.
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  Speaker 2: Think back times that you were rejected. How did it
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  Speaker 2: end up turning out? Don't you see? And retrospect how
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  Speaker 2: God's hand was always on you, protecting you, perhaps even
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  Speaker 2: bringing something new or better. God has never rejected you
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  Speaker 2: and he never will, and man's rejection can actually pave
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  Speaker 2: the way for God's perfect plan to unfold in your life.
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  Speaker 2: Remembering this truth can change your perspective and help bring
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  Speaker 2: healing to your heart in the next few moments. Why
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  Speaker 2: don't you embrace an attitude of hope and expectancy. God
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  Speaker 2: has blessings in store for you as you meditate on
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  Speaker 2: his word. He loves spending time with you and pouring
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  Speaker 2: truth into your heart and your soul. If you need
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  Speaker 2: to try to bring down any walls that may have
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  Speaker 2: been built up around your heart because of the pain
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  Speaker 2: of rejection, allow the Holy Spirit to give you an
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  Speaker 2: open mind and heart ready for whatever God wants to
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  Speaker 2: do in you. Right now, would you join me as
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  Speaker 2: we pray. Dear Jesus, I am amazed that even you,
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  Speaker 2: the perfect God, have felt the sting of rejection. The
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  Speaker 2: prophet Isaiah said you were despised and rejected of men.
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  Speaker 2: I'm so thankful I serve a God who knows my
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  Speaker 2: pain so intimately. Thank you for the truth of your
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  Speaker 2: word that shows me that man's rejection could be your
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  Speaker 2: protection in my life. Would you help me reject the
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  Speaker 2: enemy's lives and help me understand your perspective on rejection
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  Speaker 2: so my heart can receive your healing. In your name,
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  Speaker 2: I pray Amen. Rejection is a painful topic for a
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  Speaker 2: lot of people, but healing begins with bringing the pain
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  Speaker 2: to Jesus. So right now, place one hand over your
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  Speaker 2: heart and hold the other hand out to him. See
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  Speaker 2: him taking your hand, and receive from him the courage
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  Speaker 2: that you need to walk through this healing process. Tell
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  Speaker 2: Jesus that you're ready to give him access to these
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  Speaker 2: painful places. Take some slow and deep breaths right now
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  Speaker 2: as you inhale, receive the peace of God. Rest in
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  Speaker 2: his unconditional love for you. When you've experienced rejection, the
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  Speaker 2: natural human response is usually not a godly one. Why
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  Speaker 2: don't you consider any sinful responses you've had in the
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  Speaker 2: past to rejection, things that may be even weighing your
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  Speaker 2: heart down. Confess those to Jesus right now and thank
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  Speaker 2: him for his complete forgiveness and receive his cleansing that
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  Speaker 2: renews your heart. God accepts you perfectly and forever because
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  Speaker 2: of Jesus. Allow that truth to just sink into your
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  Speaker 2: mind and your heart. Right now, you're secure in Christ.
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  Speaker 2: His words of truth bring healing and freedom. Listen carefully
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  Speaker 2: to hear what Jesus wants to speak to you. As
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  Speaker 2: I read John fifteen eighteen, If the world hates you,
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  Speaker 2: know that it has hated me before it hated you.
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  Speaker 2: What stood out to you in this verse? Listen as
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  Speaker 2: I read it again. If the world hates you, know
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  Speaker 2: that it has hated me before it hated you. Have
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  Speaker 2: you ever felt like someone hated or even rejected you
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  Speaker 2: for no reason? Consider that situation for a moment. How
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  Speaker 2: was the person's rejection actually about Jesus and not you?
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  Speaker 2: The world hated Jesus, but Jesus loved the world so
• 33:12
  Speaker 2: much that he died for all people. As he hung
• 33:16
  Speaker 2: on that cross, he said, Father, forgive them, for they
• 33:20
  Speaker 2: know not what they do. Forgiveness doesn't say that sin
• 33:24
  Speaker 2: is okay. Forgiveness is trusting God to deal with the
• 33:28
  Speaker 2: person and their sin. Is there anyone you need to
• 33:32
  Speaker 2: forgive who may have heard or rejected you. Talk to
• 33:36
  Speaker 2: Jesus about that right now. Ask him to give you
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: his power to forgive and take as long as you need.
• 34:13
  Speaker 2: Listen again as I read from the New international version,
• 34:16
  Speaker 2: John fifteen eighteen. If the world hates you, keep in
• 34:21
  Speaker 2: mind it hated me first. What did you hear in
• 34:25
  Speaker 2: the verse this time? Why don't you just consider that
• 34:28
  Speaker 2: for a few moments. Can you imagine anyone hating Jesus?
• 35:02
  Speaker 2: He was perfect, yet being perfect didn't guarantee that everyone
• 35:06
  Speaker 2: would love him. Have you ever thought if you were
• 35:10
  Speaker 2: perfect you wouldn't be rejected? Consider that idea for a moment.
• 35:14
  Speaker 2: In light of Jesus's experience, The enemy uses rejection to
• 35:48
  Speaker 2: try to whisper lies to you. For example, you're not enough,
• 35:54
  Speaker 2: you're not lovable, you're not valuable, all of which is
• 35:58
  Speaker 2: far from the truth. Take a moment and identify one
• 36:02
  Speaker 2: of the lies the enemy has tried to tell you,
• 36:05
  Speaker 2: and exchange that in your mind with the truth that
• 36:08
  Speaker 2: God has spoken about you. Listen once more to John
• 36:41
  Speaker 2: fifteen eighteen. If the world hates you, know that it
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: has hated me before it hated you. God created you
• 36:51
  Speaker 2: for loving relationships, not pain and heartache. No one would
• 36:55
  Speaker 2: purposefully choose to experience rejection except Jesus. He chose to
• 37:01
  Speaker 2: come into this sinful world and experience everything you go through,
• 37:06
  Speaker 2: including rejection. How does that encourage your heart. Right now,
• 37:40
  Speaker 2: after you've forgiven those who hurt you and you've replaced
• 37:43
  Speaker 2: the enemy's lies with God's truth, your heart may still
• 37:47
  Speaker 2: feel some pain from the experience of rejection. It can
• 37:51
  Speaker 2: be hard when people reject us, but remember healing is
• 37:55
  Speaker 2: a process. Talk to God about where you are in
• 37:59
  Speaker 2: that process. Jesus wasn't just disliked. He was hated. His
• 38:34
  Speaker 2: own people wanted to kill him. Yet that extreme hatred
• 38:39
  Speaker 2: it didn't derail him because he was so secure in
• 38:42
  Speaker 2: his Father's love for him and he trusted God's plan.
• 38:47
  Speaker 2: Imagine being loved by someone in such a complete and
• 38:50
  Speaker 2: powerful way that no one else's rejection could upset you. Well,
• 38:56
  Speaker 2: you already have that. You have that kind of love
• 38:59
  Speaker 2: in God. Why don't you reflect on that for a
• 39:02
  Speaker 2: few moments. Jesus always kept his focus on the Father,
• 39:36
  Speaker 2: not on people. What can you do to keep your
• 39:40
  Speaker 2: focus on Jesus in the midst of painful circumstances? Would
• 40:14
  Speaker 2: you join me in a closing prayer? Jesus, thank you
• 40:18
  Speaker 2: for the security of knowing that you will never reject
• 40:21
  Speaker 2: me in the painful moments. Would you help me to
• 40:24
  Speaker 2: look at You, not at myself? Or others. Would you
• 40:28
  Speaker 2: fill me with grace to forgive and faith to trust
• 40:31
  Speaker 2: that you have a plan and you will heal my heart.
• 40:35
  Speaker 2: Help me to see this from your perspective, Help me
• 40:39
  Speaker 2: to see opportunities to tell others about your perfect love
• 40:42
  Speaker 2: and faithfulness. And it's in your name, I pray, Amen.
• 40:48
  Speaker 2: Linger here for a few moments, if you can just
• 40:51
  Speaker 2: allow Jesus to continue to bring healing to your heart.
• 40:55
  Speaker 2: Rest in these sacred moments with him and feel completely
• 40:59
  Speaker 2: accepted and loved by him. And the next time you
• 41:03
  Speaker 2: face rejection, just remember that ultimately it's not about you.
• 41:08
  Speaker 2: In those painful moments, Jesus invites you to look at him,
• 41:11
  Speaker 2: to trust him, to receive his peace, and to find
• 41:15
  Speaker 2: healing in his perfect love for you as you meditate
• 41:19
  Speaker 2: and abide in Christ. When was the last time you
• 41:27
  Speaker 2: felt alone? You know, everyone feels alone at some point.
• 41:32
  Speaker 2: Even Jesus experienced loneliness. Jesus told his disciples, Behold, the
• 41:37
  Speaker 2: hour is coming. Indeed it has come when you'll be
• 41:41
  Speaker 2: scattered each to his own home and will leave me alone.
• 41:45
  Speaker 2: Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
• 41:49
  Speaker 2: Jesus knew one of the disciples would betray him, and
• 41:52
  Speaker 2: he also knew the rest would desert him and that
• 41:54
  Speaker 2: his own people would condemn him to death. In the
• 41:58
  Speaker 2: face of total abandon Jesus still declared, I'm not alone,
• 42:03
  Speaker 2: for the Father is with me. Imagine what it would
• 42:07
  Speaker 2: be like to have a perfect, constant friendship with someone.
• 42:12
  Speaker 2: That's what Jesus had for all of eternity, with God
• 42:14
  Speaker 2: the Father and the Holy Spirit. There was only one
• 42:18
  Speaker 2: moment when that relationship was interrupted, when Jesus hung on
• 42:22
  Speaker 2: the cross. When Jesus hung on the cross and God
• 42:25
  Speaker 2: the Father judged him for our sins, Jesus endured ultimate
• 42:31
  Speaker 2: loneliness in order to give us the gift of God's
• 42:33
  Speaker 2: constant presence. Jesus both understands loneliness and provides the cure
• 42:39
  Speaker 2: for it. On that note of hope, let's pause, Prepare
• 42:45
  Speaker 2: your mind and heart for the next few moments of reflection.
• 42:49
  Speaker 2: Encourage yourself to explore this topic of loneliness in a
• 42:52
  Speaker 2: positive way. Be expectant because you know as you listen
• 42:57
  Speaker 2: to God, he will bless you through his word. Let's
• 43:01
  Speaker 2: pray together, Dear Jesus, thank you that even in your
• 43:05
  Speaker 2: extreme loneliness, you didn't despair Please help me bring all
• 43:09
  Speaker 2: the lonely circumstances and feelings I experience to you. I
• 43:14
  Speaker 2: ask you to fill me with hope in you that
• 43:16
  Speaker 2: you can bring healing. Help me to hear your voice
• 43:20
  Speaker 2: speaking the truth you want to encourage me with today.
• 43:23
  Speaker 2: It's in your name that I pray. Amen. At times,
• 43:28
  Speaker 2: loneliness can feel very heavy, like it's weighing you down.
• 43:32
  Speaker 2: But Jesus is right there with you and he wants
• 43:35
  Speaker 2: to lift every burden. Let's begin today by taking a
• 43:39
  Speaker 2: few deep, cleansing breaths. Hold your hands out if you can,
• 43:45
  Speaker 2: and picture the burdens on your open hands. Now see
• 43:50
  Speaker 2: Jesus taking those burdens from you. But keep your hands
• 43:55
  Speaker 2: out because you want to be ready to receive the
• 43:57
  Speaker 2: love and peace he wants to give to you. As
• 44:16
  Speaker 2: you calm your mind and heart, ask God to show
• 44:19
  Speaker 2: you any fears you may have about loneliness. Ask the
• 44:23
  Speaker 2: Holy Spirit to help you release those fears. And thank
• 44:26
  Speaker 2: God for his perfect love that drives out all fear
• 44:30
  Speaker 2: except his grace today that continually washes over you. Relax
• 44:50
  Speaker 2: now as you embrace the truth that Jesus is right
• 44:53
  Speaker 2: there with you, think about how amazing it is that
• 44:56
  Speaker 2: the God of the universe is present with you every
• 44:59
  Speaker 2: single moment. Offer Jesus your focused attention and a heart
• 45:04
  Speaker 2: that's ready to receive from him. As you listen, I'm
• 45:08
  Speaker 2: going to read John sixteen thirty two from the English
• 45:11
  Speaker 2: Standard version. Behold, the hour is coming. Indeed it has
• 45:16
  Speaker 2: come when you will be scattered each to his own home,
• 45:19
  Speaker 2: and you'll leave me alone. Yet I'm not alone, for
• 45:23
  Speaker 2: the Father is with me. What words caught your attention
• 45:27
  Speaker 2: in that verse? Listen as I read it again. Behold
• 45:32
  Speaker 2: the hour is coming. Indeed it has come when you
• 45:36
  Speaker 2: will be scattered each to his own home and will
• 45:39
  Speaker 2: leave me alone. Yet I'm not alone, for the Father
• 45:44
  Speaker 2: is with me. Jesus said he would not be left
• 45:48
  Speaker 2: all alone, Yet he was not alone. Every human being
• 45:53
  Speaker 2: left Jesus. Not a single person remained with him, but
• 45:57
  Speaker 2: Jesus knew he had something even greater. Think about a
• 46:01
  Speaker 2: time when there wasn't a single person with you and
• 46:04
  Speaker 2: you felt all alone. Reflect on that time. What ways
• 46:09
  Speaker 2: can you now see that God was present all along.
• 46:41
  Speaker 2: As a believer in Jesus, you have a relationship with
• 46:44
  Speaker 2: God the Father, with Jesus, and with the Holy Spirit.
• 46:49
  Speaker 2: When you feel alone, remember that in God, you actually
• 46:52
  Speaker 2: have a family present with you, father, son, and spirit.
• 46:59
  Speaker 2: Really con or this truth for a moment. How can
• 47:02
  Speaker 2: this help you the next time you feel lonely? Listen
• 47:35
  Speaker 2: again as I read John sixteen thirty two. A time
• 47:39
  Speaker 2: is coming, and in fact has come, when you'll be
• 47:42
  Speaker 2: scattered each to your own home. You'll leave me all alone.
• 47:47
  Speaker 2: Yet I'm not alone, for my Father is with me.
• 47:51
  Speaker 2: Did you hear anything different this time? Why don't you
• 47:55
  Speaker 2: think about those thoughts for a few moments of quiet meditation.
• 48:27
  Speaker 2: When the crisis came, even Jesus' close friends left him.
• 48:32
  Speaker 2: It wasn't that they stopped loving him, but they ran
• 48:34
  Speaker 2: away because of fear. Think about some of the people
• 48:39
  Speaker 2: who have left you alone. Consider if they may have
• 48:43
  Speaker 2: acted out of fear. Take a moment and ask God
• 48:46
  Speaker 2: how he sees those people. Jesus knew ahead of time
• 49:19
  Speaker 2: that his disciples would desert him, yet he didn't hold
• 49:22
  Speaker 2: it against them. Jesus forgave them even before they did it.
• 49:27
  Speaker 2: Healing from loneliness involves forgiving anyone who's left you alone.
• 49:32
  Speaker 2: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you right now to
• 49:35
  Speaker 2: forgive anyone you may need to forgive. Listen once more
• 50:08
  Speaker 2: as I read from the New Living Translation John sixteen
• 50:11
  Speaker 2: thirty two. But the time is coming. Indeed, it's here
• 50:16
  Speaker 2: now when you will be scattered, each one going his
• 50:20
  Speaker 2: own way, leaving me alone. Yet I'm not alone because
• 50:24
  Speaker 2: the Father is with me. Jesus told his disciples that
• 50:28
  Speaker 2: he was not alone because the Father was with him.
• 50:33
  Speaker 2: Yet a short time later, Jesus was hanging on the cross,
• 50:36
  Speaker 2: and he cried out, My God, My God, why have
• 50:40
  Speaker 2: you forsaken me? Jesus took our sin on the cross
• 50:44
  Speaker 2: and received God's righteous judgment. In those moments, Jesus was
• 50:51
  Speaker 2: truly alone. Imagine what that might have been like for him.
• 51:25
  Speaker 2: Hebrews twelve two says that Jesus endured the cross for
• 51:28
  Speaker 2: the joy set before him. Jesus endured the pain and
• 51:33
  Speaker 2: the loneliness of the cross in order to give you
• 51:36
  Speaker 2: a relationship with God. It delights Jesus to have a
• 51:40
  Speaker 2: relationship with you so much. Picture him not only present
• 51:45
  Speaker 2: with you, but actually really happy to be with you.
• 51:49
  Speaker 2: How does that make you feel. God knows you need
• 52:22
  Speaker 2: human relationships and godly friends, and He's faithful to provide
• 52:26
  Speaker 2: for all of your needs. But in the lonely times.
• 52:30
  Speaker 2: Perhaps God wants to change your focus from people to Him.
• 52:35
  Speaker 2: Reflect on how God can use loneliness to draw you
• 52:38
  Speaker 2: closer to Him. When you feel lonely, you're not alone.
• 53:12
  Speaker 2: Many people around you also feel alone. In what ways
• 53:16
  Speaker 2: can God use you to reach out to others who
• 53:19
  Speaker 2: feel lonely. Yes, loneliness is real, but it's not the
• 53:53
  Speaker 2: end of your story. You can experience healing from loneliness
• 53:58
  Speaker 2: through your relationship with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit.
• 54:04
  Speaker 2: Would you please join me in a closing prayer. Jesus,
• 54:09
  Speaker 2: thank you so much for experiencing the worst possible loneliness
• 54:12
  Speaker 2: at that cross so that I could experience your constant
• 54:16
  Speaker 2: presence in the lonely times. Would you remind me and
• 54:21
  Speaker 2: draw me closer to you and bring healing to my heart.
• 54:25
  Speaker 2: Please provide the godly friendships I need, and would you
• 54:29
  Speaker 2: help me to share your love with others? Thank you
• 54:32
  Speaker 2: for always being with me. It's in your name, I
• 54:35
  Speaker 2: pray Amen. If possible, why don't you spend a few
• 54:40
  Speaker 2: more moments with Jesus before going back to your day.
• 54:44
  Speaker 2: Just sit here, soak in his presence and watch him
• 54:48
  Speaker 2: delighting in you. Let your heart be satisfied in his
• 54:51
  Speaker 2: love for you. Ask him to fill you until his
• 54:55
  Speaker 2: love overflows out of you to others, and when shall
• 55:00
  Speaker 2: and just come throughout your day, remind yourself, I'm not alone.
• 55:04
  Speaker 2: My God is with me. How many times in life
• 55:12
  Speaker 2: have you said that's not fair? Well? Life isn't fair,
• 55:16
  Speaker 2: is it? At times? It's even unjust. Sinful people sometimes
• 55:21
  Speaker 2: do really horrible things. If you've been deeply wounded or
• 55:26
  Speaker 2: suffered injustice, it might be tempting to contemplate revenge. To
• 55:31
  Speaker 2: the Christians in Rome who faced cruel persecution, the Apostle
• 55:35
  Speaker 2: Paul wrote, beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to
• 55:40
  Speaker 2: the wrath of God, For it is written, vengeance is mine.
• 55:44
  Speaker 2: I will repay, says the Lord. First, Paul addressed them
• 55:48
  Speaker 2: as beloved. Healing from injustice starts with remembering whose you are.
• 55:54
  Speaker 2: You're a beloved child of God, your heavenly Father. He's
• 55:58
  Speaker 2: not forgotten or abandoned you. You're dearly loved, and you're
• 56:03
  Speaker 2: safe in his divine care, no matter what the circumstances
• 56:07
  Speaker 2: look like here on earth. Second, Paul didn't deny the
• 56:11
  Speaker 2: reality of terrible experiences, but he did declare the authority
• 56:16
  Speaker 2: of God. Vengeance is God's job. When humans take revenge,
• 56:22
  Speaker 2: it leads to more destruction. Because God is sinless, only
• 56:26
  Speaker 2: he can execute justice perfectly. Healing from injustice is possible
• 56:32
  Speaker 2: through receiving God's love and trusting his authority. In the
• 56:37
  Speaker 2: face of difficult circumstances. The normal response is usually to
• 56:42
  Speaker 2: run away or even to fight back. Right now, try
• 56:46
  Speaker 2: to lay down those responses. Prepare yourself to come to
• 56:49
  Speaker 2: God humbly with an open heart, and believe He has
• 56:54
  Speaker 2: good gifts for you in this time of meditating on
• 56:56
  Speaker 2: his word, because he does be ready and expectant to
• 57:01
  Speaker 2: receive from him. We're going to meditate on Romans twelve nineteen,
• 57:05
  Speaker 2: But first, would you join me in an opening word
• 57:07
  Speaker 2: of prayer. Father, God, thank you for giving your son
• 57:12
  Speaker 2: to die for me so that I could become your child.
• 57:15
  Speaker 2: Would you help me understand and receive more of your
• 57:18
  Speaker 2: love for me. I really want to trust you God,
• 57:21
  Speaker 2: especially with my circumstances, even the unjust ones, and I
• 57:26
  Speaker 2: want a pure heart that sees you. Would you please
• 57:29
  Speaker 2: bring me through the pain to a place of peace
• 57:33
  Speaker 2: In Jesus name, I pray, Amen. Remember emotions affect you
• 57:39
  Speaker 2: big time, especially in your body. Whenever anger is present,
• 57:45
  Speaker 2: so is stress. So try to exhale any stress that
• 57:50
  Speaker 2: you might be holding on too, and inhale slowly and
• 57:54
  Speaker 2: place your hands in a position of openness. Relax your shoulders,
• 58:01
  Speaker 2: try to allow your breath to fill your lungs as
• 58:03
  Speaker 2: you inhale deeply and slowly. Let your body just relax
• 58:09
  Speaker 2: right where you are. Close your eyes if you can,
• 58:12
  Speaker 2: and picture Jesus right there with you as you relax
• 58:16
  Speaker 2: in his presence. Know that you're safe in God's love.
• 58:35
  Speaker 2: Now listen for his voice. Is there anything you want
• 58:38
  Speaker 2: you to let go of right now? Are there any
• 58:42
  Speaker 2: wrong thoughts or actions that you need to confess to him?
• 58:47
  Speaker 2: He already knows and you're already forgiven. But it's important
• 58:51
  Speaker 2: to take a moment and share with him how you feel.
• 58:55
  Speaker 2: Thank Him for his love and his grace. They are
• 58:58
  Speaker 2: never ending. Enjoy this moment of being still with Jesus
• 59:17
  Speaker 2: and breathe in his fragrance. You can open your eyes
• 59:21
  Speaker 2: if you want, but look around you with a new perspective.
• 59:25
  Speaker 2: See with eyes of faith that God is at work
• 59:28
  Speaker 2: in your life. With an open heart, listen carefully to
• 59:32
  Speaker 2: Romans twelve nineteen. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it
• 59:38
  Speaker 2: to the wrath of God, For it is written vengeance
• 59:42
  Speaker 2: is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. Did anything
• 59:46
  Speaker 2: jump out at you as I read that passage? Listen
• 59:49
  Speaker 2: carefully again as I read Romans twelve nineteen, Beloved, never
• 59:54
  Speaker 2: avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God.
• 59:58
  Speaker 2: For it is written, is mine I will repay, says
• 1:00:02
  Speaker 2: the Lord. Can you remember a time when someone addressed
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 2: you as beloved? It's not a commonly used word, is it.
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 2: It's a reserve for those who are very special and dear.
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 2: Sometimes it's easy to forget in the busyness and craziness
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 2: of life that you're very special and you're dear to God.
• 1:00:23
  Speaker 2: Why don't you take a few moments and reflect on
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 2: that truth. Paul addressed the people as beloved because he
• 1:00:59
  Speaker 2: will and just giving them rules to follow. He wanted
• 1:01:03
  Speaker 2: them to know that he genuinely cared about their welfare.
• 1:01:07
  Speaker 2: When you know that truth is being spoken in love,
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 2: it makes you more open to what's being said. If
• 1:01:13
  Speaker 2: you felt resistance to God's word, perhaps you've forgotten how
• 1:01:17
  Speaker 2: much he loves you. Why don't you talk to him
• 1:01:20
  Speaker 2: right now about that. Listen carefully as I read from
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 2: the New Living Translation Romans twelve nineteen. Dear friends, never
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 2: take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God.
• 1:02:02
  Speaker 2: For the scriptures say I will take revenge, I will
• 1:02:05
  Speaker 2: pay them back, says the Lord. Did you hear something
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 2: new in that passage this time? Why don't you consider
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 2: that and just spend some time talking with the Lord
• 1:02:15
  Speaker 2: about it? Paul said, never take revenge. That means there's
• 1:02:50
  Speaker 2: no situation where revenge is okay. That truth goes contrary
• 1:02:54
  Speaker 2: to our culture, though, doesn't it. Have you ever thought
• 1:02:57
  Speaker 2: revenge was okay, even if it was just in a movie?
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 2: Why don't you reflect any ways that the culture may
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 2: have influenced your thinking more than you realize and more
• 1:03:08
  Speaker 2: than the truth of God's word. Leave revenge to God
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 2: so much easier said than done? Right? What is it
• 1:03:46
  Speaker 2: that makes it so hard for us to leave revenge
• 1:03:48
  Speaker 2: to God? Why don't you ask the Holy Spirit to
• 1:03:51
  Speaker 2: show you whatever you may need to see? Right now,
• 1:04:24
  Speaker 2: listen once more to this passage from the New American
• 1:04:27
  Speaker 2: Standard Bible, Romans twelfth nineteen. Never take your own revenge, beloved,
• 1:04:33
  Speaker 2: but leave room for the wrath of God, for it
• 1:04:36
  Speaker 2: is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord.
• 1:04:41
  Speaker 2: God has righteous anger. That may sound like a contradiction,
• 1:04:46
  Speaker 2: but it actually means he hates sin and he always
• 1:04:49
  Speaker 2: does what is right. Vengeance belongs to God because only
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 2: he can do it righteously. Think about the damage that's
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 2: been done by people trying to take revenge.