1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: his children shall have a place of refuge. Proverbs fourteen 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: twenty six. Dear God, we come to you in need 4 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: of your grace and mercy. We pray that you would 5 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 1: give us the confidence and boldness to live with courage 6 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: and trust that you are in control. Help us to 7 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: have faith in your will and plan for our lives. 8 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 1: Guide us down the path of righteousness, and guide us 9 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 1: through any trial or tribulation with grace and strength. Bless 10 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: us with the confidence to trust in you, for all 11 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: our days are in your hands. We cling to your 12 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: truth that you will never leave us nor forsake us, 13 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: and that by your grace and strength we can stand 14 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: firm in confidence. All glory to you alone in Jesus's name. Amen. 15 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for 16 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: today's free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you 17 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: can draw close to God and find strength in him. 18 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on improving confidence. 19 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use 20 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,559 Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority 21 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 2: in your life. Again. Our goal for today's meditative Prayer 22 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 2: is all about improving your confidence. Let's be honest. Confidence 23 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: can seem complicated to acquire. So today, let's gather your 24 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 2: courage to step back out and spend a moment with God. 25 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: I challenge you to close your eyes, maybe take a 26 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 2: deep breath in and then exhil out, taking captive every thought. 27 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: Let's now shift your focus unto God, for he is 28 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,799 Speaker 2: waiting for you. Today we'll be meditating on Psalm chapter fourteen, 29 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 2: verse twenty six from the King James version. In the 30 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,519 Speaker 2: fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children 31 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 2: shall have a place of refuge. My friends, take a 32 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 2: moment just to pour out your adoration to God. Jesus, 33 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 2: I love you and praise your name. For you, Lord 34 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 2: are my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, 35 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 2: my strength in whom I shall trust, my shield and 36 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 2: the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. God. It is 37 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 2: you who arms me with the strength and makes my 38 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 2: way perfect. Father, I praise you, for you are the 39 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 2: everlasting God. You do not faint or grow weary. Your 40 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:14,239 Speaker 2: love and your kindness towards me will never cease. Confidence 41 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 2: comes from fearing God. Confidence is generally the opposite of fear, 42 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,280 Speaker 2: But fear of God is the source of confidence. To 43 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 2: fear God is not to be scared of him, but 44 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 2: rather to love and obey him, To seek his presence 45 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 2: and his power, to keep his commandments and to cherish 46 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 2: his correction, To treasure his wisdom and to value his knowledge. 47 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 2: To meditate on his word day and night, to let 48 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: it catch fire in your heart. To yearn to know 49 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 2: him and to be known by him, To receive his 50 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: unconditional love, and to love him with no restrictions, to 51 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 2: recklessly pursue him, to desire him above all others and 52 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: all else. Simply put, to fear God is to put 53 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 2: him first in your life. When you honor God, when 54 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: you make him your priority, he too honors you. He 55 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: fills you with his courage and his strength. He covers 56 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 2: you with his grace and his goodness. He empowers you 57 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 2: with his wisdom and knowledge. He pours his Holy Spirit 58 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: over you, He reveals truth to you. He envelopes you 59 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 2: with his love and with the very essence of his being. 60 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: Sometimes we forget this, and we forget to put God first. 61 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 2: Right now, this is your opportunity to rectify your situation. 62 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: So turn to Christ and confess your sins to him. 63 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 2: Ask him to cleanse you of iniquity and to purify 64 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: your heart. My friends, take just a few minutes now 65 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 2: to dwell on the blessings of God. Thank Jesus for 66 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 2: his instruction and guidance for helping you to navigate the 67 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: obstacles of this world. Thank Him for his divine wisdom 68 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: and knowledge which enable you to not only survive, but 69 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 2: to thrive in this life. Thank Him for the love 70 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 2: and care he continuously bestows upon you. And now think 71 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 2: of some pass situations where you are filled with confusion 72 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 2: and frustration. Thank the Holy Spirit for being your comforter 73 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,279 Speaker 2: during those hard times, for being your light in the darkness, 74 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 2: and for showing you the way. Thank God for being 75 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 2: your place of refuge. God is present and he is 76 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 2: listening to you. Jesus longs to bless you and to 77 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 2: fill your heart with his assurance. He knows the difficulties 78 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:57,279 Speaker 2: and challenges that you face. As his child, you have 79 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 2: access to his throne room. So come before him and 80 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 2: ask for aid. Ask the Holy Spirit to imprint God's 81 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:08,600 Speaker 2: words upon your heart to enable you to live out 82 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 2: the promises found in scripture. Ask him to help you 83 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 2: love the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind, 84 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 2: and with all your strength. Ask Jesus to help you 85 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 2: be obedient to his word, to empower you to love 86 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 2: and know Him as you are loved and known by Him. Remember, 87 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 2: confidence comes from fearing God. To fear God is to 88 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:36,799 Speaker 2: respect him, to love him, and to obey his word. 89 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:40,880 Speaker 2: So choose this day to put your trust in God, 90 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 2: to boldly stand and trust in the promise of his word. 91 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 2: Allow His Holy Spirit to fill your heart, mind, and 92 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 2: soul with the truth of who He is. And open 93 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 2: yourself to the peace and assurance that God has prepared 94 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 2: for you. My friends, thank you for completing today's meditative 95 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:04,239 Speaker 2: prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy habit 96 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 2: as a daily practice, you're making prayer a priority and 97 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 2: strengthening your walk with God. As always, my name is 98 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 2: Zach Clinton, Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, 99 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 2: and we love being a part of your life.