1 00:00:35,675 --> 00:00:40,635 Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Daily Christian Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's 2 00:00:40,715 --> 00:00:43,915 Speaker 1: meditation is brought to you by our partners at Life Audio. 3 00:00:44,235 --> 00:00:46,475 Speaker 1: If you go to lifeaudio dot com you will find 4 00:00:46,555 --> 00:00:50,075 Speaker 1: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've 5 00:00:50,075 --> 00:00:53,915 Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more. Head 6 00:00:53,915 --> 00:00:57,795 Speaker 1: over to lifeaudio dot com now, and remember you can 7 00:00:57,835 --> 00:01:01,555 Speaker 1: have full access to our meditations commercial free. Just text 8 00:01:01,635 --> 00:01:05,075 Speaker 1: abide to two two four three three for twenty five 9 00:01:05,115 --> 00:01:09,355 Speaker 1: percent off. Now receive his piece as we meditate and 10 00:01:09,435 --> 00:01:11,795 Speaker 1: abide in Christ. 11 00:01:12,995 --> 00:01:18,755 Speaker 2: Welcome to this Abide Meditation. I'm lone, Laura. What does 12 00:01:18,795 --> 00:01:23,395 Speaker 2: Godliness look like to you? Think about this for a moment. 13 00:01:24,555 --> 00:01:27,075 Speaker 2: God can use you to carry out his mission, no 14 00:01:27,115 --> 00:01:30,955 Speaker 2: matter how qualified you are. He often chooses people who 15 00:01:31,035 --> 00:01:34,435 Speaker 2: don't feel qualified at first. But for those who choose 16 00:01:34,475 --> 00:01:38,675 Speaker 2: to live according to God's will, what godly qualities typically 17 00:01:38,755 --> 00:01:42,395 Speaker 2: rise to the surface. How do they make it obvious 18 00:01:42,795 --> 00:01:50,595 Speaker 2: that they love the Lord? To get a good example 19 00:01:50,595 --> 00:01:54,675 Speaker 2: of godliness In the Bible, let's examine Barnabas in Acts 20 00:01:54,715 --> 00:01:59,515 Speaker 2: eleven twenty three through twenty six. The passage says, when 21 00:01:59,515 --> 00:02:02,275 Speaker 2: he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done. 22 00:02:02,835 --> 00:02:06,115 Speaker 2: He was glad and encouraged them all to remain true 23 00:02:06,155 --> 00:02:09,355 Speaker 2: to the Lord with all their hearts. It was a 24 00:02:09,395 --> 00:02:13,035 Speaker 2: good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and 25 00:02:13,075 --> 00:02:15,715 Speaker 2: a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 26 00:02:21,235 --> 00:02:25,835 Speaker 2: Get into a comfortable position, lean back, let go of 27 00:02:25,875 --> 00:02:30,195 Speaker 2: the tension in your muscles. Notice any distractions that might 28 00:02:30,315 --> 00:02:33,555 Speaker 2: pull you away from this moment of prayer, and set 29 00:02:33,555 --> 00:02:38,355 Speaker 2: them aside for now. Close your eyes and take a 30 00:02:38,515 --> 00:02:51,755 Speaker 2: deep breath in and out. Barnabas gives us an excellent 31 00:02:51,835 --> 00:02:55,835 Speaker 2: example of godly character. When he saw how much God 32 00:02:55,955 --> 00:02:59,755 Speaker 2: was moving in Antioch, he praised Jesus and encourage the 33 00:02:59,795 --> 00:03:04,115 Speaker 2: local believers. This was the first place that followers of 34 00:03:04,195 --> 00:03:12,155 Speaker 2: Jesus were called Christians. Pray with me, Lord Jesus, Thank 35 00:03:12,195 --> 00:03:16,715 Speaker 2: you for the truth of the Bible. Thank you for 36 00:03:16,795 --> 00:03:21,675 Speaker 2: the examples of faithful people that teach me what godliness means. 37 00:03:22,475 --> 00:03:27,275 Speaker 2: This year, I want to live for you. You deserve 38 00:03:27,395 --> 00:03:31,435 Speaker 2: all the glory. Thank you for giving me your church 39 00:03:31,675 --> 00:03:36,675 Speaker 2: to encourage me and help me grow. I surrender control 40 00:03:36,995 --> 00:03:41,875 Speaker 2: over my life to you. Please mold me to look 41 00:03:41,995 --> 00:03:46,395 Speaker 2: more like you so that I can impact more people. 42 00:03:46,555 --> 00:03:57,875 Speaker 2: For your Kingdom in Jesus name, I pray. Heymen, take 43 00:03:57,915 --> 00:04:00,635 Speaker 2: a moment to notice the places in your body that 44 00:04:00,835 --> 00:04:07,995 Speaker 2: feel run down, achey, tight, or tired. Take a few slow, 45 00:04:08,915 --> 00:04:15,355 Speaker 2: peaceful breaths as you gently stretch. Allow yourself to slow 46 00:04:15,475 --> 00:04:45,675 Speaker 2: down and enjoy God's presence. As the Holy Spirit prompts, 47 00:04:45,675 --> 00:04:49,115 Speaker 2: you bring to him anything that make it in the 48 00:04:49,155 --> 00:04:53,715 Speaker 2: way of your relationship with God. Think of any sins 49 00:04:53,755 --> 00:04:56,995 Speaker 2: that you have not admitted and tell God about them. 50 00:04:57,995 --> 00:05:27,595 Speaker 2: Let Him make you clean. Jesus was the messiah the 51 00:05:27,675 --> 00:05:31,755 Speaker 2: Jews were waiting for, but he came for all people. 52 00:05:32,675 --> 00:05:36,515 Speaker 2: He commanded us to make disciples of all nations. Antioch 53 00:05:36,875 --> 00:05:39,155 Speaker 2: was one of the first places where the Gospel was 54 00:05:39,195 --> 00:05:43,355 Speaker 2: preached to non Jews. Listen to Acts eleven, twenty three, 55 00:05:43,395 --> 00:05:47,235 Speaker 2: and twenty four in the New International version. When he 56 00:05:47,355 --> 00:05:50,235 Speaker 2: arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, 57 00:05:50,635 --> 00:05:53,835 Speaker 2: he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true 58 00:05:53,875 --> 00:05:56,755 Speaker 2: to the Lord with all their hearts. It was a 59 00:05:56,795 --> 00:06:00,075 Speaker 2: good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and 60 00:06:00,155 --> 00:06:02,635 Speaker 2: a great number of people were brought to the Lord. 61 00:06:04,755 --> 00:06:07,555 Speaker 2: As I read that again, listen for a word or 62 00:06:07,635 --> 00:06:12,355 Speaker 2: phrase that stands out. When he arrived and saw what 63 00:06:12,395 --> 00:06:15,915 Speaker 2: the grace of God had done. He was glad and 64 00:06:16,075 --> 00:06:19,035 Speaker 2: encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with 65 00:06:19,115 --> 00:06:22,715 Speaker 2: all their hearts. He was a good man, full of 66 00:06:22,755 --> 00:06:26,315 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit in faith, and a great number of 67 00:06:26,355 --> 00:06:31,635 Speaker 2: people were brought to the Lord. What stood out to you? 68 00:07:13,195 --> 00:07:16,515 Speaker 2: Barnabas saw what God was doing in the church should Antioch, 69 00:07:17,315 --> 00:07:21,955 Speaker 2: and he got involved immediately, even finding Paul so they 70 00:07:21,995 --> 00:07:26,435 Speaker 2: could work together to create a bigger impact. What would 71 00:07:26,435 --> 00:07:28,875 Speaker 2: it take for your life to look a little more 72 00:07:29,115 --> 00:08:13,995 Speaker 2: like this? Now? Listen to Acts eleven, twenty three and 73 00:08:14,075 --> 00:08:18,395 Speaker 2: twenty four in the English Standard version. When he came 74 00:08:18,475 --> 00:08:21,555 Speaker 2: and saw the grace of God, it was glad, and 75 00:08:21,595 --> 00:08:24,195 Speaker 2: he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord 76 00:08:24,475 --> 00:08:29,235 Speaker 2: with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full 77 00:08:29,315 --> 00:08:32,435 Speaker 2: of the Holy Spirit and a faith, and a great 78 00:08:32,595 --> 00:08:37,235 Speaker 2: many people were added to the Lord. The body of 79 00:08:37,315 --> 00:08:41,035 Speaker 2: Christ or the Church, is made up of all different 80 00:08:41,115 --> 00:08:45,075 Speaker 2: kinds of people. That people around you will inspire you 81 00:08:45,155 --> 00:08:47,995 Speaker 2: to grow in different ways. Who are some of those 82 00:08:48,035 --> 00:08:52,875 Speaker 2: people who nurture and encourage you. Is it your pastor 83 00:08:52,875 --> 00:09:40,475 Speaker 2: your spouse, a close friend. Think about your unique personality, interests, background, 84 00:09:40,755 --> 00:09:44,875 Speaker 2: and talents. How can you use your gifts to follow 85 00:09:44,915 --> 00:09:48,675 Speaker 2: God's call on your life? How can you work with 86 00:09:48,795 --> 00:10:33,875 Speaker 2: other believers to maximize your impact? Now listen to As 87 00:10:33,875 --> 00:10:38,115 Speaker 2: eleven twenty three twenty four in the New Living Translation. 88 00:10:39,315 --> 00:10:42,555 Speaker 2: When he arrived and saw this evidence of God's blessing, 89 00:10:43,035 --> 00:10:46,675 Speaker 2: he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers 90 00:10:46,675 --> 00:10:50,435 Speaker 2: to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, 91 00:10:51,155 --> 00:10:55,355 Speaker 2: full of the Holy Spirit, and strong in faith. In 92 00:10:55,395 --> 00:10:59,355 Speaker 2: your mind's eye, imagine that you are in a conference room, 93 00:10:59,795 --> 00:11:03,435 Speaker 2: sitting at a long oval table among the other Christ's 94 00:11:03,435 --> 00:11:07,835 Speaker 2: followers in your community. Through the wide windows, there was 95 00:11:07,875 --> 00:11:11,275 Speaker 2: a world of people who need help. They need to 96 00:11:11,355 --> 00:11:15,555 Speaker 2: know the good news of God's love. A whiteboard on 97 00:11:15,595 --> 00:11:18,395 Speaker 2: another wall is covered in ideas of how to help 98 00:11:18,435 --> 00:11:23,235 Speaker 2: the people outside. Think about your community who might be 99 00:11:23,275 --> 00:12:08,195 Speaker 2: sitting around this table with you. Each person sitting around 100 00:12:08,235 --> 00:12:11,475 Speaker 2: the conference table has brought something unique that they might 101 00:12:11,595 --> 00:12:16,675 Speaker 2: use to help. Some people are encouragers, others are teachers, 102 00:12:17,555 --> 00:12:22,195 Speaker 2: some are powerful speakers, and others are servants. What do 103 00:12:22,315 --> 00:13:11,395 Speaker 2: you bring to the table. As a team goes around 104 00:13:11,395 --> 00:13:15,195 Speaker 2: the room, debating and dividing into groups, you go to 105 00:13:15,275 --> 00:13:18,035 Speaker 2: the windows and hear the people cry out in pain. 106 00:13:19,155 --> 00:13:22,955 Speaker 2: You see the hopelessness on their faces. They need to 107 00:13:22,995 --> 00:13:26,275 Speaker 2: know the truth that you know. You turn back to 108 00:13:26,315 --> 00:14:10,555 Speaker 2: the conference room and open the door wide. The godly 109 00:14:10,635 --> 00:14:14,075 Speaker 2: people on your team leave that conference room and take 110 00:14:14,155 --> 00:14:17,395 Speaker 2: to the streets with the good news, bringing healing and 111 00:14:17,475 --> 00:14:21,195 Speaker 2: hope to the broken, hopeless world. There are so many 112 00:14:21,275 --> 00:14:24,435 Speaker 2: ways to impact others. As you go out into the 113 00:14:24,435 --> 00:14:28,195 Speaker 2: world today and every day, will you choose to live 114 00:14:28,275 --> 00:14:32,515 Speaker 2: for God? Will you tell people about the hope that 115 00:14:32,555 --> 00:15:20,675 Speaker 2: you have received. Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, I praise 116 00:15:20,715 --> 00:15:25,795 Speaker 2: you for your wisdom and endless love. Thank you that 117 00:15:25,955 --> 00:15:30,115 Speaker 2: your love and forgiveness is for all people, not just 118 00:15:30,115 --> 00:15:34,955 Speaker 2: a select few. Thank you forgiving me a unique perspective 119 00:15:35,755 --> 00:15:38,675 Speaker 2: and unique gifts to add to the body of Christ. 120 00:15:39,755 --> 00:15:43,715 Speaker 2: This year, I ask that you use my story and 121 00:15:43,835 --> 00:15:47,715 Speaker 2: empower me to impact others and bring more people into 122 00:15:47,755 --> 00:15:55,555 Speaker 2: your kingdom. It's in Jesus name I pray. Amen, take 123 00:15:55,595 --> 00:15:58,995 Speaker 2: a few more moments to pray and meditate on how 124 00:15:59,035 --> 00:16:02,675 Speaker 2: God can use you to impact the world. What can 125 00:16:02,715 --> 00:16:07,835 Speaker 2: you bring to the table? Until next time, May you 126 00:16:07,915 --> 00:16:09,275 Speaker 2: abide in Christ