Latest / Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation / Putting Christ Back in Christmas: Meditation from Matthew 2:1-2 #175

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Putting Christ Back in Christmas: Meditation from Matthew 2:1-2 #175 · Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation

• 0:01
  Pastor Robert Young: Welcome to this week's Guided Christian Meditation.
• 0:04
  Pastor Robert Young: I am your host, Pastor Robert Young, and thank you for allowing me to be your guide on this journey.
• 0:11
  Pastor Robert Young: Today's meditation is entitled Putting Christ Back in Christmas.
• 0:17
  Pastor Robert Young: Our scripture is from the book of Matthew, chapter 2, verses 1 through 2.
• 0:26
  Pastor Robert Young: But first, proper worship of God requires us to be completely involved and free from sin in our mind, body and spirit.
• 0:38
  Pastor Robert Young: Let's prepare our hearts by asking God to forgive us of sin that might be in our lives, by reciting Psalms, chapter 51, verses 1 through 4, where it says, "ave mercy upon me, o God, according to thy loving kindness, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions, wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin, for I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
• 1:28
  Pastor Robert Young: Before we start to reflect on Matthew, chapter 2, verses 1 through 2, let's prepare our mind by closing our eyes and taking a deep breath, as we invite the presence of God to fill us.
• 1:43
  Pastor Robert Young: .
• 1:46
  Pastor Robert Young: Now take a deep breath in for a count of seven, hold the breath for a count of five and slowly exhale for a count of seven.
• 1:57
  Pastor Robert Young: Repeat the exercise.
• 2:15
  Pastor Robert Young: Now let's prepare our body with muscle relaxation exercises.
• 2:20
  Pastor Robert Young: We will simply tense each muscle group for three seconds and then release the muscle.
• 2:27
  Pastor Robert Young: Remember, don't hold your breath for this portion of the meditation.
• 2:31
  Pastor Robert Young: Let's begin with the calves, lightly tense the calf muscles for a count of three, now release.
• 2:41
  Pastor Robert Young: Moving upward to the hamstrings, quads and glutes, lightly tense for three seconds, now release.
• 2:52
  Pastor Robert Young: Moving to the abdominals, chest and back area, lightly tense for three seconds, now release.
• 3:01
  Pastor Robert Young: Finally, moving to the arms and shoulders, lightly tense these muscle groups for three seconds, now release
• 3:11
  Pastor Robert Young: .
• 3:18
  Pastor Robert Young: Now we can enter into worship of our Heavenly Father by focusing on Psalms 100, verses 1-3, where it tells us to shout for joy to the Lord all the earth.
• 3:33
  Pastor Robert Young: Worship the Lord with gladness, come before Him with joyful songs.
• 3:39
  Pastor Robert Young: Take a moment to lift up your voice in praise and thanksgiving to our where Father, who is worthy of all honor and glory.
• 3:50
  Pastor Robert Young: Now that we have prepared our mind, our bodies and our spirit, let's begin
• 4:37
  Pastor Robert Young: This passage ponder on Matthew, chapter 2, verses , when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of power, the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem saying when is he that is born king
• 4:29
  Pastor Robert Young: of the Jews, for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.
• 4:35
  Pastor Robert Young: Passage tells us about the birth of Jesus.
• 4:39
  Pastor Robert Young: Tells us about the birth of Jesus.
• 4:45
  Pastor Robert Young: Further in the passage it speaks of all the turmoil from those in power who wanted to prevent Jesus's birth.
• 4:49
  Pastor Robert Young: They knew about the foretelling of Jesus's birth and eventual rule over his people.
• 4:58
  Pastor Robert Young: Those in power mistakenly thought that Jesus would overthrow the existing government.
• 5:05
  Pastor Robert Young: They didn't realize that Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension and eventual return was to reconcile humanity back to a fellowship with the Father.
• 5:21
  Pastor Robert Young: Jesus paid the cost of our sins with his death on the cross.
• 5:27
  Pastor Robert Young: With his resurrection, he was given all power.
• 5:31
  Pastor Robert Young: When he returns for his people, he indeed will rule over the earth.
• 5:37
  Pastor Robert Young: Let's take two minutes to really reflect on the following question.
• 5:44
  Pastor Robert Young: The question is how can I celebrate the birth of Christ that is honoring to God?
• 7:54
  Pastor Robert Young: Repeat the following affirmation now and for the next seven days.
• 8:00
  Pastor Robert Young: "Jesus sacrificed so that I could have everlasting life with the Father.
• 8:07
  Pastor Robert Young: Again, jesus sacrificed so that I could have everlasting life with the Father.
• 8:21
  Pastor Robert Young: Imagine the love that one would have to give their only son so that the world could live eternally with the God of love.
• 8:35
  Pastor Robert Young: Picture yourself accepting and distributing that love to everyone that you come in contact with.
• 8:56
  Pastor Robert Young: Our assignment for this week.
• 8:57
  Pastor Robert Young: Listen to this meditation daily until it saturates your spirit.
• 8:58
  Pastor Robert Young: Read the rest of the book of Matthew as it tells of God's plan for humanity, and rest in the fact that you are one of God's children and that he has a great plan for your life and afterlife.
• 9:12
  Pastor Robert Young: In Jesus name, name amen.