1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he 2 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: will flee from you. James four seven. Dear Heavenly Father, 3 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:20,760 Speaker 1: resisting temptation and selfish desires is not easy. There are 4 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: plenty of things trying to capture my attention and hinder 5 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: my obedience. But your word promises that the more I resist, 6 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:35,599 Speaker 1: the more these things flee. The way to resist the 7 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: devil is to resist the devil that takes fortitude in 8 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: the beginning and holy habits to keep me grounded. Foster 9 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: these things in me, and give me peace when it 10 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: grows tiring. In Jesus' name, Amen, Thank you for joining 11 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: me in prayer. Stay tuned for today to day's free 12 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can draw 13 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: close to God and find strength in him. 14 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on more productivity. 15 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use 16 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority 17 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: in your life again. Our goal for today's meditative Prayer 18 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 2: is all about more productivity. So right now, let's just 19 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 2: take a break. Maybe go to your secret place, a 20 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 2: place where you can relax and let your guard down. 21 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 2: Tune out everything else with your eyes closed. Go ahead 22 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:42,759 Speaker 2: and breathe in nice and easy, and as you exhale, 23 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 2: focus on shifting your attention toward what God has for you. 24 00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: Ready your heart and open your mind to receive the 25 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 2: word of the Lord again. Today will be meditating on 26 00:01:54,600 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: Ecclesiastes nine, verse ten from the King James versions. However 27 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. 28 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: For there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge nor 29 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 2: wisdom in the grave. Whither thou goest. 30 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: My friends. 31 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: Now, let's just take a moment to pour out your 32 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 2: adoration to God. Heavenly Father, I praise you for your 33 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 2: immeasurable wisdom and your mighty strength. Jesus, I worship you, 34 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 2: for you give power to the weak into those who 35 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:30,160 Speaker 2: have no might, you increase their strength. Holy Spirit, I 36 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 2: praise you for you enable me to focus and to 37 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 2: complete the task before me. God, I bless your name, 38 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 2: for you are great and greatly to be praised. Seize 39 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: the day. The only common denominator between all of humanity 40 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 2: is death. Death is the one fate we all share, 41 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 2: for all who are born will one day die. Not 42 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: only is dying inevitable, no one is guaranteed the time 43 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:10,959 Speaker 2: they will have here on earth. Given this irrevocable truth, 44 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 2: time is of the essence. This is why not a 45 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 2: single minute of it should be wasted. The time you 46 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 2: are given should be treasured and taken advantage of, regardless 47 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 2: of your circumstances. Every day you live is a gift, 48 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:28,920 Speaker 2: and you should seize the opportunity given to accomplish the 49 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 2: most you can while you still can. However, this can 50 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 2: be a difficult mindset to maintain, as life's monotony has 51 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: a tendency to create a sense of complacency. God knows 52 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 2: the human heart, and this is why his word urges 53 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 2: us not to be idle. You must give your all 54 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 2: in whatever you do, as one day you will die 55 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: and your opportunity at productivity will be no more. My friends, 56 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 2: God wants you to be conscious of this truth and 57 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: aware of your own mortality, so you do not waste 58 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: your time. For God created you to be productive and 59 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: to experience the joy of your labor. Perhaps you've been 60 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 2: tired and weary, perhaps life has you down and discouraged. 61 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,719 Speaker 2: Right now, this is your chance to present yourself before 62 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: the Lord, and this is your moment to bring to 63 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 2: mind all your struggles and confess your sins to God. However, 64 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 2: my friends, no matter the season you're in, there is 65 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:35,119 Speaker 2: always a reason to be thankful. So take a moment 66 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 2: just to set aside all concern and to acknowledge your blessings. 67 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 2: Thank God for his plans and his purpose for your life. 68 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 2: Thank God for blessing what is done in obedience to 69 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 2: His word. Thank God for his wisdom and the blessing 70 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 2: it brings to your life. Thank God for teaching you 71 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 2: to value and redeem your time. And thank God for 72 00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 2: the blessings already received and for the one still to come. 73 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 2: You see, God is present and he is listening to you. 74 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 2: My friends, be mindful of your mortality. Do not hesitate, 75 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 2: be bold and ask the Holy Spirit to convict you 76 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: of the need for urgency. Ask him to help you 77 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 2: recognize that you are created to be productive. Ask him 78 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,839 Speaker 2: to help you dedicate your plans unto God and to 79 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 2: help you focus on him. Ask him to fill you 80 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 2: with determination and discipline to complete your tasks. Ask him 81 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,760 Speaker 2: to give you wisdom and managing your time and your behavior. 82 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 2: And ask Him to bless the work of your hands 83 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 2: and to help you increase your productivity. Remember, all men 84 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 2: must die, so whatever work you do, do your best, 85 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 2: for one day you will go to the grave and 86 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 2: there is no working, no planning, no knowledge, and no wisdom. 87 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 2: There not carry regret with you unto eternity. Seize your 88 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 2: time here on earth. Choose this day to snatch the 89 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 2: opportunity God is giving you. Give God your all and 90 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 2: allow him to bless all that you do, and choose 91 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 2: to live your life for Christ. And in doing so 92 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 2: you will live your best life. My friends, thank you 93 00:06:22,520 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com. By 94 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 2: incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, I believe 95 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,919 Speaker 2: you're not only making prayer priority, but you're also strengthening 96 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 2: your walk with God. As always, my name is Zach Clinton, 97 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 2: vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, and 98 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 2: we love being a part of your life. Here. To 99 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: receive some more help, hope and encouragement, please visit our 100 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 2: website at AACC dot net. Again, that's AACC dot net.