WEBVTT - A Prayer for Growth in Your Relationship With God

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer,

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<v Speaker 1>where we help you find the words you need to

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<v Speaker 1>connect to your Father in Heaven. No matter what's happening

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<v Speaker 1>in your life today, you can trust that God wants

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<v Speaker 1>to hear from you. Right after this short word from

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<v Speaker 1>our sponsors, we'll pray through today's prayer for growth in

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<v Speaker 1>your relationship with God. A prayer for Growth in your

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<v Speaker 1>Relationship with God, written by Christine F. Perry read by

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<v Speaker 1>Lea Gerard. I pray that out of His glorious which

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<v Speaker 1>is He may strengthen you with power through His spirit

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<v Speaker 1>and your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in

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<v Speaker 1>your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being

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<v Speaker 1>rooted and established in love, may have power, together with

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<v Speaker 1>all the Lord's Holy people, to grasp how wide and long,

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<v Speaker 1>and high and deep is the love of Christ, and

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<v Speaker 1>to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may

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<v Speaker 1>be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

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<v Speaker 1>Ephesians III. Sixteen through nineteen. I was recently given Behold

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<v Speaker 1>Your God, Rethinking God biblically by John Snyder in week two.

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<v Speaker 1>It shared the two reasons we don't grow in our

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<v Speaker 1>understanding of God. The first reason is pride. The second

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<v Speaker 1>reason is deceit. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I

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<v Speaker 1>immediately thought, no, I don't think that's true of me.

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<v Speaker 1>As soon as I thought that, I realized my pride

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<v Speaker 1>and deception and rose to the surface. I wish my

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<v Speaker 1>heart weren't so ugly. I wish my mind weren't riddled

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<v Speaker 1>with pride. I wish my will wasn't so set on

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<v Speaker 1>everything that opposes God. I want to cower away, but

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<v Speaker 1>I have to remind myself that God does not condemn me.

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<v Speaker 1>He provided away despite my sin. The Lord brought to

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<v Speaker 1>mine something that happened. I was a teenager, and I

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<v Speaker 1>had to admit to my dad that I'd been deceptive

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<v Speaker 1>and that I'd been encouraging a pursuit from a man

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<v Speaker 1>who was several years older than me. I was ashamed

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<v Speaker 1>to admit it, but this young man's character or lack thereof,

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<v Speaker 1>was being revealed. I thought my dad would be upset

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<v Speaker 1>or disappointed. Instead, he listened attentively and patiently. He asked

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<v Speaker 1>me questions to get the whole story, and that was

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<v Speaker 1>all he just wanted to hear from me. I was informed,

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<v Speaker 1>but I would not be seeing or hearing from this

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<v Speaker 1>young man again. At that point, however, I had already

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<v Speaker 1>distanced myself. I pray I never forget how tender and

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<v Speaker 1>protective my dad was of me. He didn't just leave

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<v Speaker 1>it at that either. My dad met with that young

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<v Speaker 1>man face to face to hear his side of the story.

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<v Speaker 1>He then told him he needed to stay away from me.

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<v Speaker 1>When we go through trials, mistakes, and extended periods of waiting,

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<v Speaker 1>we often get to know God better. It's similar to

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<v Speaker 1>when you have a conflict with someone. If you work

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<v Speaker 1>it out peaceably, you can actually learn more about that

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<v Speaker 1>person by working through the problem. C. S. Lewis said,

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<v Speaker 1>God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in her conscience,

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<v Speaker 1>but shouts in our pains. No matter how far away

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<v Speaker 1>you may feel from God, you can draw near. Jeremiah

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<v Speaker 1>thirty one three assures you he loves you with an

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<v Speaker 1>everlast love. And if you've known the Lord for a

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<v Speaker 1>long time, there's always more to know and more to learn.

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<v Speaker 1>We will fail, we will fall short, we will make mistakes.

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<v Speaker 1>But God is with us every step of the way,

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<v Speaker 1>and he's not going anywhere. Let's pray that we will

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<v Speaker 1>grow in our relationship and in our understanding of him.

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<v Speaker 1>Dear heavenly Father, please forgive us for our pride and

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<v Speaker 1>our deceit. I pray that you would help us to

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<v Speaker 1>have humble hearts so that we can get to know

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<v Speaker 1>you better. I pray that as we draw near to you,

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<v Speaker 1>you would show us where we've been wrong, so we

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<v Speaker 1>can keep short accounts with you. Lord, you say and

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<v Speaker 1>James four six that you oppose the proud, but give

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<v Speaker 1>grace to the humble Father. We need your help. We

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<v Speaker 1>want to know you better, but we often let too

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<v Speaker 1>many things come before you. Please help us to week

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<v Speaker 1>you first so we can grow closer to you. Please

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<v Speaker 1>help us make much of you, not ourselves. We need you,

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<v Speaker 1>We love you. Help us to grow in our walks

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<v Speaker 1>with you. Amen. Your Daily Prayer is a production of

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio and Salem Media. If you liked what you

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<v Speaker 1>your daily prayer and your nightly prayer, you can be

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<v Speaker 1>sure that your day begins and ends centered on the

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<v Speaker 1>Word of God and prayer.