1
00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:06,200
Speaker 1: For a bishop must be blameless as the steward of God,

2
00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:11,920
Speaker 1: not self willed, not soon angry, not given to wine,

3
00:00:12,600 --> 00:00:17,600
Speaker 1: no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover

4
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:25,280
Speaker 1: of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy,

5
00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:35,640
Speaker 1: temperate Titus one seven through eight. Dear Lord, you have

6
00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:40,720
Speaker 1: set clear standards for leaders in your church. For that

7
00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:45,600
Speaker 1: I am grateful. Because the flock of God can be

8
00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:52,200
Speaker 1: vulnerable to corruption, its shepherds must be people of integrity.

9
00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:56,600
Speaker 1: But I also know these qualities do not just apply

10
00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:02,840
Speaker 1: to pastors and ministry leaders. These qualities apply to anybody

11
00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:06,640
Speaker 1: who desires to be effective for the Kingdom of God.

12
00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:14,000
Speaker 1: Purify my heart, strengthen my character, and refine my conduct

13
00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:21,720
Speaker 1: for your glory. Lord, in Jesus's name, Amen, thank you

14
00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,680
Speaker 1: for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's free

15
00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:29,000
Speaker 1: podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can draw

16
00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,920
Speaker 1: close to God and find strength in him.

17
00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,360
Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on Stoic Leadership.

18
00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,720
Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use

19
00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,960
Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority

20
00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,200
Speaker 2: in your life. Again. Our goal for today's meditative prayer

21
00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,720
Speaker 2: is all about stoic leadership. So right now, let's just

22
00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,240
Speaker 2: head to a calm space and me take a minute

23
00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:57,840
Speaker 2: to gather your thoughts, quiet your spirit, close your eyes,

24
00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:05,760
Speaker 2: and just now fix your attention on God and know

25
00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:08,959
Speaker 2: what He has for you this day again today will

26
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,160
Speaker 2: be meditating on Titus chapter one, verses seven to eight.

27
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,639
Speaker 2: From the King James version, they read for a bishop

28
00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,640
Speaker 2: must be blameless as the steward of God, not self willed,

29
00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,160
Speaker 2: not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not

30
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:28,200
Speaker 2: given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality, a

31
00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:34,960
Speaker 2: lover of good men. Sober, just, holy, temperate. Right now,

32
00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,240
Speaker 2: my friends, let's just take some time to adore God

33
00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,040
Speaker 2: for being the perfect example. God, I look to you

34
00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,360
Speaker 2: and praise you for your greatness. I worship you for

35
00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:48,640
Speaker 2: the salvation found through your sacrifice and submission at Calvary,

36
00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:53,120
Speaker 2: for your perfect portrayal of leadership and love displayed at

37
00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:58,000
Speaker 2: the Cross. I praise you for you overcame, you challenged

38
00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:02,440
Speaker 2: the world, and you won. I extol you for your

39
00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,520
Speaker 2: life is a living example of hope and victory for

40
00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:12,240
Speaker 2: all of humanity. You see leaders lead by example. It

41
00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:16,280
Speaker 2: is human nature to mimic and mere observed behavior, especially

42
00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:20,000
Speaker 2: of those perceived as powerful or in positions of authority.

43
00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,160
Speaker 2: As a godly leader, you were called to imitate Christ

44
00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:29,079
Speaker 2: and to lead by example. Jesus Christ was a consistent

45
00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:33,520
Speaker 2: and complete illustration of what a leader should be. He

46
00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,440
Speaker 2: lived to serve and served in love, placing the needs

47
00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,640
Speaker 2: of others before his own, and seeking to do God's

48
00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:44,840
Speaker 2: will in all things. As Christ lived and led, so

49
00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,560
Speaker 2: should you Understandably, this can seem a daunting duty, as

50
00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:52,800
Speaker 2: Jesus set the bar pretty high. Yet do not be

51
00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:57,800
Speaker 2: discouraged or disheartened. God knows the task of leadership is

52
00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,760
Speaker 2: not easy and that you are not perfect. You will

53
00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,960
Speaker 2: war with yourself and struggle with your flesh to lead

54
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:09,760
Speaker 2: as Christ dead. Nonetheless, you must not allow imperfections and

55
00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,160
Speaker 2: insecurities to stop you or to keep you from striving

56
00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:17,440
Speaker 2: to imitate Christ and to lead by example. So right now,

57
00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,680
Speaker 2: in this moment, confess your sins and shortcomings to the

58
00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:24,040
Speaker 2: Holy Spirit, and he will care for you and aid

59
00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:30,599
Speaker 2: you along your path. Now, let's make the transition by

60
00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,760
Speaker 2: taking a moment just to dwell on God's amazing leadership.

61
00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,440
Speaker 2: Think of how Jesus acted while here on this earth.

62
00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,279
Speaker 2: Thank him for submitting himself in obedience to God's will,

63
00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:46,640
Speaker 2: for continuously and wholeheartedly loving others in kindness and humility.

64
00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,680
Speaker 2: Thank him for setting aside his personal desires for the

65
00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:54,400
Speaker 2: benefit of mankind, and for being the perfect example to

66
00:04:54,480 --> 00:05:00,680
Speaker 2: be emulated. Give thanks to God for his leadership over you, yesterday, today,

67
00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,479
Speaker 2: and always. My friends, God is present and he is

68
00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:10,160
Speaker 2: listening to you. Jesus was intimately acquainted with the burden

69
00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,800
Speaker 2: of leadership. He is aware of the struggle and hardship

70
00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:18,120
Speaker 2: associated with being looked up to. As Jesus persevered in

71
00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:22,480
Speaker 2: setting the example through his actions, you will too because

72
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,920
Speaker 2: you're not alone. So right now, in this moment, ask

73
00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,120
Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit to help you submit your whole heart

74
00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:33,600
Speaker 2: to Christ. Ask him to empower you with conviction and

75
00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:38,440
Speaker 2: determination to love is Christ loved, To live as Christ lived,

76
00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:44,760
Speaker 2: and to lead as Christ led. Remember, leaders should embody

77
00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,640
Speaker 2: the attributes they wished to see in others. A leader

78
00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:52,440
Speaker 2: should live a holy and blameless life filled with self control.

79
00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,839
Speaker 2: For leadership requires a life of humility and righteousness, filled

80
00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:02,560
Speaker 2: with peace, hospitality, love, wisdom, and lacking in greed. A

81
00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,919
Speaker 2: leader should be like Christ and should lead by example.

82
00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,720
Speaker 2: So be encouraged by God's love and his testimony and

83
00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,200
Speaker 2: strive to love and to lead others in God's likeness,

84
00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:19,800
Speaker 2: and I promise you will wreak God's blessings. My friends,

85
00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:23,080
Speaker 2: thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com.

86
00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,320
Speaker 2: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, I

87
00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,400
Speaker 2: believe not only are you making prayer priority, but you're

88
00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,880
Speaker 2: also strengthening your walk with God. As always, my name

89
00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,960
Speaker 2: is Zach Clinton, Vice President of the American Association of

90
00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,200
Speaker 2: Christian Counselors, and we love being a part of your life.

91
00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,600
Speaker 2: Hey to find out a little bit more information, inspiration, help, hope,

92
00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,600
Speaker 2: and encouragement, I would encourage you to visit our website

93
00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:52,640
Speaker 2: at AACC dot net. Again, that is AACC dot net.