00:00:34 Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Sleep Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's meditation is brought to you by our partners at Life Audio. If you go to lifeaudio dot com, you will find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more. Head over to lifeaudio dot com. 00:00:53 Speaker 2: Now. 00:00:54 Speaker 1: Remember you can. 00:00:55 Speaker 3: Have full access to all our sleep stories commercial free. Just text Abide to two two four three three for twenty five percent off the app. Now relax your mind and body as we hear tonight's sleep story. 00:01:12 Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to this sleep story from Abide. I'm Jennifer. Thank you for joining me for our story titled Your God Given Assurance. The Dictionary defines assurance as a positive declaration intended to provide confidence. Biblically speaking, our assurance comes from the truth that Christ lives in us. Colossians, Chapter one, verse twenty seven says, for God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you, gentiles too, And this is the secret Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing His glory. When Paul wrote these words to the believers in Colossie. He wanted to build their confidence that they too belonged to Christ. By grace through faith, they were included in the riches of God's glory through Jesus his Son. Let this sleep story and richer faith. As you hear powerful words of scripture assuring you of your inclusion in God's beloved family. Be encouraged by the knowledge that God has imparted to you something that was once a mystery but is now revealed through Christ. Jesus, I invite you to rest in the Lord and his Holy presence, letting go of all worry, stress and anxiety. Let this sleep meditation lull you into a peaceful time of relaxation and refreshment. Know that the Holy Spirit is guiding this story from an abundance of his love of joy, peace and gentleness. Through his comfort and his counsel, he will lead you into deep, restorative sleep. As you hear from Colossians Chapter one, I'm grateful you've chosen this story, and I'm confident you'll be blessed by what is shared. Thanks again for listening. Throughout life, God sends different people to assure us everything's going to be all right. Family members gather around us, offering support. Friends lend a hand or a listening near and trusted pastors share comforting truths from God's word. The apostle Paul was gifted with the ability to encourage others. When he wrote to the believers in Colossie, he assured them of their heavenly inheritance through Christ Jesus. In Colossians Chapter one, verse twenty seven, he said, for God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you, gentiles too, And this is the secret Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. My friend, It's no secret that Jesus is the savior of the world, and all who believe in Him for salvation share in his glory. As you fall asleep, let your God give an assurance and fold you like a security blanket of peace and contentment. There is nothing to worry about. Your assurance is in Christ alone. Christian singer and producer Michael English shares these lyrics. In Christ alone, I place my trust and find my glory in the power of the Cross. In every victory, let it be said of me, my source of strength, my source of hope is Christ. 00:06:12 Speaker 1: Alone. 00:06:16 Speaker 2: Let his words Christ alone, center your heart on the finished work of Jesus. He is your source of strength and hope. Sleep comes easily when you rest fully in the one true source of peace. In Christ alone, you live and move and breathe. He is your light, your joy, your song through every valley and mountaintop experience. Jesus is the only one who remains with you every second. Let that thought settle over you for a moment. Every step you take, he takes with you. Nothing is beyond him. He sees, he knows, he hears. Thank you, Lord for being aware of all that is happening. There is comfort in knowing you are God and you are sovereign. Please draw this listener close, assuring them of your love, mercy, and grace that flows continually around them like a comforting blanket of peace. In Jesus' holy name, Amen, continue resting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit as he fills your dreams with pleasant images of God's creation. In nature, there's a bird called a honeyguide. These birds, also known as indicator birds, guide other animals and sometimes humans, to sources of wild honey. According to the Natural History Museum in London, the wild, honeyguides recruit people with a demanding call indicating that they have found a be nest. The honey hunting humans reply with calls passed down through generations and follow the bird. Mostly found in sub Saharan Africa, honeyguides are one of the few birds that work together with people through something science calls mutualistic interaction, which is simply the interaction between two species for mutual benefit. How wonderful that God designed honeyguides specifically for this purpose, displaying his limitless creativity and thoughtfulness. In vision, following a honey guide as it flies through the African woodland, it lands on a branch, waiting until you catch up before flying to another. This follow the leader game continues as you follow the honey guide to the specific tree where honey is found. He perches on a branch, giving his distinct call, indicating to you there is a hive within the tree. You decide to stay at a distance, observing the honey guide with his signature brown feathers and pink bill, and from the safety of a peaceful, shaded area, you watch and wait. Eventually, the honeyguyde loses interest and flies away, singing his familiar song. He is off to find other sources of honey and someone to help him harvest it. You walk for a while, enjoying the warmth of the setting sun, and when you grow tired, you find a shady place to rest under an acacia tree. Leaning your head back, you close your eyes and take in a deep breath. The air is fresh around you. Inhaling and eggshaling. You drift off to sleep, surrounded by the sounds of nature, the distant buzz of bees, the careless rustle of leaves, the occasional chirp of a cricket in the brush. You remember that spending time in nature is a peaceful way to eliminate stress and reconnect with your creator. Even turning off your phone for a few moments can restore a sense of peace and calm, soothing the tension and recalibrating your focus on Jesus. Take time to rest, listen, and simply be. God is with you and loves you dearly. You are in the palm of his hand, and he watches over you like a loving father who keeps you in his sight every moment. First John three, verse one says, see what kind of love the Father has? Given to us that we should be called children of God, and so we are. Third John chapter one, verse four says I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth as a beloved child of God. Rest in the assurance that He loves you unconditionally and rejoices in you. You are his precious creation, made in his likeness to bring him glory. Walk in God's truth, not only believing it, but receiving it day after day. Spend time reading and listening to the scriptures the wonderful words of life. In the song I Belong to Jesus, the lyrics provide a peaceful word picture, saying You're my shepherd. You are my keeper, my provider, my protector. You surround me. You are in every step I take. I believe you're the goodness. You're the constant. You are my first love and my future. You surround me. You are in every step I take. Rest in your good shepherd, your keeper and provider. He is the overseer of your soul. He surrounds you with goodness. Every step you take is guarded in his love and safety. You belong to Jesus, my friend, and you are kept safe and sound in his presence. Rest well. I pray for you one more time, Holy God, Thank you for the constant reminders that we belong to you through Jesus, your son. He made the way for us to commune with you every single day, and I pray that this precious listener will take the time to simply rest in your presence and receive the peace and goodness you so lavishly give. Please continue assuring them of who they are your child, fully loved, accepted, included, and welcomed into your holy family in Jesus' beautiful name. Amen, Thank you again for choosing this sleep story. I pray you were deeply blessed by Paul's assurance that you are included in Christ Jesus and blessed by the riches of His glory. In the days ahead, I encourage you to find time to relax in nature, enjoying the beauty God created, and the next time you watch a beautiful sunset, be reminded of God's marvelous handiwork displayed throughout heaven and Earth. I'm so grateful you tuned in to this peaceful meditation, and I hope you gained valuable insight as you listened, be blessed my friend, and as always, continue to abide in Christ.