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Speaker 1: Likewise, ye husbands dwell with them according to knowledge, giving

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Speaker 1: honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and

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Speaker 1: as being heirs together of the grace of life. That

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Speaker 1: your prayers be not hindered first Peter three seven. Dear Lord,

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Speaker 1: we know you take the treatment of women very seriously,

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Speaker 1: so much so that you hinder the prayers of those

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Speaker 1: who are harsh to their wives. We pray that you

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Speaker 1: would give every husband a gentle touch and understanding heart,

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Speaker 1: so they might be a shining example of your love.

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Speaker 1: Give them the wisdom and strength to carry humility and

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Speaker 1: power hand in hand. We pray for anyone caught in

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Speaker 1: a cycle of harshness or abuse. We pray for healing, intervention,

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Speaker 1: and restoration in Jesus' name. Amen, Thank you for joining

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Speaker 1: me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's free podcast Meditative

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Speaker 1: Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can draw close to

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Speaker 1: God and find strength in him.

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Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on creating a

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Speaker 2: better marriage. To get the most out of your spiritual journey,

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Speaker 2: uspray dot com every day and make prayer a priority

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Speaker 2: in your life. Again. Our goal for today's meditative prayer

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Speaker 2: is all about creating a better marriage. So right now,

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Speaker 2: just take a second to rest, maybe sit in your

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Speaker 2: favorite spot on your bed or wherever you feel the

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Speaker 2: most of these, close your eyes and take a couple

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Speaker 2: of deep and steadying breaths. Once you feel yourself start

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Speaker 2: to relax, turn your thoughts toward the teaching God has

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Speaker 2: for you today, and prepare to receive from the Holy Spirit.

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Speaker 2: Today we'll be meditating on First Peter chapter three, verse seven,

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Speaker 2: from the King James version. Likewise, ye husbands dwell with

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Speaker 2: them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as

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Speaker 2: unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirrs together of

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Speaker 2: the grace of life. That your prayers be not hindered,

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Speaker 2: my friends, take a moment just to pour out your

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Speaker 2: adoration to God.

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Speaker 1: God.

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Speaker 2: I worship you for who you are. To you belongs

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Speaker 2: all honor, glory, power, and praise. Jesus. You watched me

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Speaker 2: clean of my sins and humbled yourself for my sake.

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Speaker 2: You became a man, though you were God to bring

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Speaker 2: redemption to my soul. So I exalt you, for you

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Speaker 2: are my beloved, and I am yours.

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Speaker 1: Honor.

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Speaker 2: In relationship, the husband is to love the wife as

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Speaker 2: Christ loves the church, and Christ never mistreated the church.

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Speaker 2: He fervently prayed that the church would experience the unity

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Speaker 2: he had with the Father, and that the Church would

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Speaker 2: be a beacon of love and unity. Jesus envisioned the

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Speaker 2: church as a beautiful, spotless bride. He humbled himself to

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Speaker 2: wash the feet of the disciples and allow John to

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Speaker 2: baptize him. Although these were honors he could have taken

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Speaker 2: for himself, he allowed himself to be whipped and scourged

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Speaker 2: to remove our sin before being humiliated and hanging on

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Speaker 2: a cursed cross for our sakes. In the same manner

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Speaker 2: as Christ, the husband is to love and treat his wife,

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Speaker 2: for women are still entitled to the same inheritance as men. Together,

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Speaker 2: husband and wife are heirs in Christ. As such, men

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Speaker 2: cannot use their authority to treat their wives in any

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Speaker 2: way other than how Christ would have treated the Church.

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Speaker 2: When power is twisted or abused, the prayers of the husband,

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Speaker 2: who is the spiritual authority of the marriage, are hindered.

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Speaker 2: Wielding control as a weapon hurts not only the wife

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Speaker 2: but the husband as well, for neither part of the

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Speaker 2: whole can flourish if they are cut off from God. However,

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Speaker 2: nourishing one another and honoring one another opens the door

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Speaker 2: to blessing and abundance in your lives together. Christ's love

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Speaker 2: for the Church is a high standard to meet, so

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Speaker 2: it can only be reached through the power of the

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Speaker 2: Holy Spirit. Perhaps your relationship with the Holy Spirit has

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Speaker 2: been lacking or non existent. Perhaps you have broken the

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Speaker 2: trust God placed upon you to love and care for

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Speaker 2: your wife. Regardless of your circumstance, this is your chance

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Speaker 2: for change and improvement. Come before the throne of Grace.

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Speaker 2: Lay down anything that is impeding your relationship with God,

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Speaker 2: and right now confess your sins to God and ask

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Speaker 2: for Him to restore your communion with Him and with

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Speaker 2: your spouse. Now, as we transition, let's think for a

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Speaker 2: minute in all the times God has honored you. Times

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Speaker 2: when you failed and floundered, but God held you up

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Speaker 2: till the end, Times when you gave up and gave in,

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Speaker 2: but God still allowed you to enjoy the fruit of

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Speaker 2: your labor. Thank Him for all past instances when God's

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Speaker 2: grace was manifested in your life. Now think of your

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Speaker 2: imperfections and thank God for giving you what you lacked.

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Speaker 2: Thank him for his everlasting faithfulness. God is present and

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Speaker 2: he is listening to you. Never forget in Jesus our

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Speaker 2: sins are washed away. He will give you the ability

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Speaker 2: to be humble and selfless. So reach out to God

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Speaker 2: for his mercy and his grace. Ask the Holy Spirit

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Speaker 2: to help you be aware of God's honor in your life,

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Speaker 2: and ask him to help you seek and receive God's

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Speaker 2: presence and his sacrificial love. Remember, husbands should honor their

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Speaker 2: wives not based on their strength, but based on the

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Speaker 2: inheritance they share in Christ, so that nothing will stop

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Speaker 2: their prayers from reaching God. No matter what, the Holy

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Speaker 2: Spirit will help you be who you need to be,

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Speaker 2: So be encouraged because you are never alone. My friends,

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Speaker 2: thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com.

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Speaker 2: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, I

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Speaker 2: believe you're not only making prayer priority, but I also

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Speaker 2: believe that your strengthening your walk with God. As always.

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Speaker 2: My name is Zach Clinton, Vice President of the American

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Speaker 2: Association of Christian Counselors, and we love being a part

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Speaker 2: of your life. Hey to find more help, hope, information

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Speaker 2: and inspiration, I would encourage you go visit our website

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Speaker 2: at AACC dot net. Again, that is AACC dot net