1 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but 2 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: themselves Philippians two three. Dear Lord, you do not flaunt 4 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: your divinity or exploit us for selfish gain. You humbly 5 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: served your people, even to the point of death on 6 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:35,959 Speaker 1: a cross. What a mysterious and wonderful truth that is. 7 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: We have a God that bends down humbly to bless 8 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 1: us and laid down his own life to redeem us. 9 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: I pray that you would give me the mind of Christ. 10 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: I do not want to operate from my own glory 11 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: and self gratification. I want to humbly serve those around 12 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: me and glorify you, Oh Lord, teach me every day 13 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:09,959 Speaker 1: how to emulate your lonliness and give me opportunities to 14 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 1: exercise humility in Jesus's name. Amen, Thank you for joining 15 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's free podcast Meditative 16 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: Prayers with Doctor Tim Clinton, where you can draw close 17 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: to God and find strength in him. 18 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 2: Welcome to your meditative prayer on healing relationships. To get 19 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: the most out of your spiritual journey, use pray dot 20 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 2: com every day and make prayer priority in your life. 21 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: Our goal for today's meditative prayer is healing relationships. I 22 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 2: hope you'll hit pause for a second. Find a safe, 23 00:01:56,160 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 2: secluded place where you can comfortably settle. Now close your eyes, 24 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 2: breathe in and breathe out, and as you exhale, imagine 25 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 2: the tension leaving your body along with that breath. Now 26 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 2: take every thought captive and bring your focus to the 27 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:29,119 Speaker 2: Word of God again. Today we'll be meditating on Olypians two, 28 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 2: verse three from the King James version. It says, let 29 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 2: nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness 30 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,399 Speaker 2: of mind, let each esteem the other better than themselves. 31 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 2: As we get started to take a moment to pour 32 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 2: out your adoration to God. It was our perfect example. Jesus, 33 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: I thank you for even though you were God, you 34 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 2: did not think of the equality with God as something 35 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 2: to cling to. Instead, Paul said that in humility you 36 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 2: chose the cross, and you died on our behalf. You're 37 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: the beginning and the end, the alpha and the Omega, 38 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 2: the first in the last, the author and finisher of 39 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: our faith. To think of others as better than yourselves 40 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 2: can at times seem difficult, maybe even annoying. You are, 41 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 2: after all, only human, susceptible to acting out in anger, 42 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 2: maybe being a little belligerent when you are backed into 43 00:03:53,680 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: a corner when you've been hurt. Nevertheless, you're called to 44 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 2: be the better person. The standard set before you as high, 45 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 2: but we must rise to the occasion. And while failure 46 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:21,159 Speaker 2: is often expected, it is not to be embraced. Stop 47 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: for a second and allow God to speak to you 48 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 2: concerning those failures. Confess to Jesus those times you missed 49 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 2: the mark, those times where the pain was too much 50 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 2: and the hurt was too great. Hand those failures over 51 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:53,160 Speaker 2: to Jesus. Cast your cares on him God take them. Now, 52 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: take a few minutes to dwell on the goodness of 53 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:03,359 Speaker 2: God towards your life. Start by thanking Him because He 54 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 2: is faithful, even or not. Thank the Holy Spirit for 55 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 2: helping and enabling you to accomplish this incredible, difficult task. 56 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 2: Think of those past relationships you manage to save and 57 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 2: salvage by giving others the benefit of the doubt. Thank 58 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 2: God for those past reconciliations and future ones to come. 59 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 2: Thank God for his strength that in his strength you 60 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 2: will no longer react in anger or pride. You will 61 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 2: instead being that better person. You will consider others above yourself. 62 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: Thank God, because in His love and through his grace, 63 00:05:54,760 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 2: you can do all things. I want you to know 64 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: that God is present and that he's listening to you. 65 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 2: The Bible says, ask and it shall be given you. 66 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,679 Speaker 2: So ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be humble, 67 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 2: to treat others with the utmost respecting kindness, to put 68 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 2: others first, even when it's not meriti even when things 69 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 2: are done to hurt or hinder you, You can choose 70 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 2: to rise above and be the better person. As challenging 71 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 2: as that may seem, God has and will provide a way. Remember, 72 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 2: God has called you to treat others with level headed, 73 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,559 Speaker 2: calmness and humility, to not do things out of anger 74 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:51,920 Speaker 2: or pride, to think better of others, and to be 75 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: better yourself. You must be vigilant to not allow personal 76 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,559 Speaker 2: achievements or accomplishments to inflate your sense of self superior ority. 77 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 2: Instead allowed God to use you to be the good 78 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 2: you want to see him. Thank you for completing today's 79 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 2: meditative prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy 80 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 2: habit as a daily practice you're making prayer a priority 81 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 2: and strengthening your walk with God. I'm doctor Tim Clinton, 82 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 2: President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, and we 83 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 2: love being a part of your life.