1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: Then came Peter to him and said, Lord, how oft 2 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: shall my brother sin against me? And I forgive him 3 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: till seven times? Jesus saith unto him. I say not 4 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: unto thee until seven times, but until seventy times seven 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: Matthew eighteen twenty one through twenty two. Dear Lord, there 6 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: is no limit to your love. There are no boundaries 7 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: to your mercy. Even though I was once your enemy, 8 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:45,280 Speaker 1: you pursued me and forgave me. Even now I find 9 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: myself in awe of the forgiveness you give me. In 10 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: light of your unconditional love and unending forgiveness, I pray 11 00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: that you would help me forgive others, expand the hera 12 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: of my mercy, and empower me with grace. May my 13 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,679 Speaker 1: heart grow larger with every moment I spend with you 14 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: in Jesus's name, Amen, Thank you for joining me in prayer. 15 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for today's free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, 16 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,440 Speaker 1: where you can draw close to God and find strength 17 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: in him. 18 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on deep Forgiveness. 19 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:34,479 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, uspray 20 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 2: dot com every day and make prayer a priority in 21 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 2: your life. Again, our goal for today's meditative prayer is 22 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 2: all about deep forgiveness. So right now, in this moment, 23 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,119 Speaker 2: I would encourage you to slow down and just take 24 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 2: a minute to center yourself. Maybe find a relaxed environment 25 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 2: that will allow you to ruminate and reflect. Now turn 26 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 2: that reflection toward God's word, and allow your mind to 27 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: reach out to the presence of the Lord, and prepare 28 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 2: your heart to be filled with the Holy Spirit and 29 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 2: his teaching for you today. Remember, today will be meditating 30 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,079 Speaker 2: on Matthew chapter eighteen, verses twenty one to twenty two 31 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 2: from the King James version. Then came Peter to him 32 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 2: and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me? 33 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 2: And I forgive him till seven times? Jesus saith unto him. 34 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 2: I say, not unto thee until seven times, but until 35 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:37,120 Speaker 2: seventy times seven, My friends, let your worship rise up 36 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 2: to God. God. I praise you for your faithfulness. I 37 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,600 Speaker 2: adore you, for your love is unending and unmeasurable. I 38 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: praise you for you are gracious and kind. I praise 39 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: you for you are gracious and kind. Your forgiveness is 40 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 2: vast and inexhaustible. I give you my adoration, for you 41 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 2: have overcome an ickquity and conquered hate. Righteousness and truth 42 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 2: are found only in you. Forgiveness must be limitless. The 43 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 2: only condition God placed upon forgiveness is that it must 44 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: be inexhaustible. You are to have mercy and to show 45 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 2: grace repeatedly, no matter how many times you are wronged, 46 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 2: and regardless of how you may feel. You are ordered 47 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: to forgive. Even if those who hurt you do not 48 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 2: seek your forgiveness, forgive them anyway. This divine directive may 49 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 2: seem difficult, but it must be done. You need to 50 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 2: remember that God is not a cruel God. God is kind. 51 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: He has a purpose and a reason behind this commandment, 52 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: and that purpose is your well being. Forgiveness is for 53 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 2: your personal benefit. It has nothing to do with others. 54 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 2: It is internal and it is about you and God. 55 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 2: With holding for you giveness is like drinking poison and 56 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 2: expecting another's death, completely absurd, utterly, pointless, and fatal only 57 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: to you. Holding onto offenses and nursing grudges will bring 58 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 2: you nothing but evil. Withholding forgiveness will allow bitterness and 59 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 2: hurt to grow roots within your soul, to suffocate all 60 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 2: manner of joy and stifle any hope for a future. 61 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 2: For your own sake, you must forgive. Pain and pride 62 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: will tell you it is impossible to let go to 63 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 2: forgive repeatedly, But this is a lie the devil uses 64 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 2: to keep you bound to sin and sorrow. So right 65 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 2: now think for a moment on what is preventing you 66 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 2: from forgiveness. Confess that weakness to the Holy Spirit, and 67 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 2: right now share with him your wounds and your weariness. 68 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 2: Now consider all the times God forgave you, and thank 69 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: him for it. Thank the Lord for his kindness and 70 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 2: long suffering to towards you. Thank God that his love 71 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 2: and his grace are limitless. Thank Him for not keeping 72 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 2: a record of your wrongdoing. Give thanks to God for 73 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 2: all the times in the past he made you righteous, 74 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 2: for forgiving all your sins, no matter how grievous or 75 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:20,279 Speaker 2: heinous they may be. Thank Him that his compassion will 76 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 2: never change and he will never withhold it from you. 77 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 2: My friends, never forget God is present and he is 78 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 2: listening to you. Come before him and ask Him to 79 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: fill you with his love, to give you the ability 80 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 2: to have mercy and compassion as he does. Ask God 81 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 2: to remove your hurt and your hate. Reach out to 82 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 2: Him for healing and restoration. Ask him to guard your 83 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 2: heart from pride and presumption. Ask the Holy Spirit to 84 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:56,120 Speaker 2: empower you to overcome the evil done against you, to 85 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 2: rise above it and to live free from bitterness. And 86 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 2: ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to forgive those 87 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 2: who wrong you and to show grace toward the offenses 88 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 2: of others. Remember remember, God says you are to constantly 89 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 2: and ceaselessly forgive others, to show grace and compassion, regardless 90 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 2: of how repetitive the offenses may be. Take courage and 91 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 2: trust God's Holy Spirit will help you. Do not allow 92 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 2: yourself to grow weary of showing mercy, but pour it 93 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 2: out to others as God has poured it over you, 94 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 2: and let God's love and forgiveness flow constantly from you 95 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 2: to others. So choose to be God's living example of 96 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:43,000 Speaker 2: grace in this world, this day and every day to come. 97 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 2: My friends, thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on 98 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 2: pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy habit as a 99 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 2: daily practice, I believe you're not only making prayer priority, 100 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:57,280 Speaker 2: but you're also strengthening your walk with God. My name 101 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 2: is Zach Clinton, Vice President of the American Association of 102 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 2: Christian Counselors and we love being a part of your life. 103 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 2: Hey to find more help, hope, information and inspiration. I 104 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 2: would also encourage you to go visit our website which 105 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 2: can be found at AACC dot net. Again, that is 106 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 2: AACC dot net.