1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: But when ye go over to Jordan and dwell in 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, 3 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies 4 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: round about, so that ye dwell in safety Deuteronomy twelve ten. Lord, 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: I desire to worship you in sincerity and truth. When 6 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: I consider your goodness and all you have brought me 7 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: through to rest safely in your promises, I weep for joy. 8 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: It is my honor to serve you, and I delight 9 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: in fulfilling your call upon my life. It is not 10 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: an obligation to be obedient to your word. It is 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: a great comfort to know how to please you. Help 12 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: me to do whatever I do, whatever you have directed 13 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: me to do, all to your honor and glory. Help 14 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: me be cheerful and joyful in my efforts to serve you. 15 00:00:57,160 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: It is my honor and privilege. Amen. Thank you for 16 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 1: listening to pray dot COM's nightly prayer to experience a 17 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: pocket of peace before you go to sleep. Stay tuned 18 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: for our free meditative prayer after this quick word from 19 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: our sponsors, Welcome to your meditative prayer on new friendships 20 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: to get the most out of your spiritual journey. Usepray 21 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: dot Com every day, and make prayer a priority in 22 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: your life. Our goal for today's meditative prayer is new friendships. 23 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: Take a minute to unwine. Go to a place where 24 00:01:54,560 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 1: you can recline and relax. Close your eyes and breathe 25 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: in deep. Let the realization that God is waiting and 26 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: wanting to speak with you fill your thoughts. Invite the 27 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit to come minister the truth of God's word 28 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: to you. We will be meditating on Proverbs chapter twenty seven, 29 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: verse six from the King James version. Faithful are the 30 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 1: wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy 31 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 1: are deceitful. Let us take time to adore God for 32 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 1: his unending wisdom. God, I praise you for your word 33 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: that does not return void, but fulfills its purpose. Jesus, 34 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 1: I worship you for being a friend who sticks closer 35 00:02:56,120 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: than a brother. Holy Spirit, I thank you for the 36 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 1: lessons you continuously teach and minister to my heart. Friendship 37 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 1: requires accountability. No one likes being confronted with unpleasant truths, 38 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 1: but it is necessary to confront those unpleasant truths in 39 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: order to grow and to improve. Flattery is easy and 40 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: requires no real effort, whereas the act of addressing a 41 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: problem with the intent of resolution demands love. There is 42 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: nothing wrong with complimenting someone. Nevertheless, the measure of a 43 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: friend is not seen in the adulation given, but rather 44 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: in whether or not they are willing to step on 45 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: your toes to keep you from tripping and taking a 46 00:03:55,720 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: bigger fall. Friends will speak truth into your life because 47 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: they will want to see you do well. However, this 48 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: is easier said than done. Some people are blessed with 49 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: social skills and have no problem addressing issues, whereas others 50 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 1: suffer social anxiety from the mere thought of a possible confrontation. 51 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: God is with you, and he will help you step 52 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:30,520 Speaker 1: out encourage in your friendship. For in friendship all things 53 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: are to be done in love. If you are to 54 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: speak truth, speak it in love. If you are to listen, 55 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: do so in love. Regardless if you are on the 56 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: giving or the receiving end. God will use the situation 57 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 1: for your personal growth. So take this opportunity to present 58 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: yourself before the Lord. Tell the Holy Spirit of your struggle, 59 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: either with speaking or with listening. Confess your sins to 60 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: God and ask him to minister to your situation. Now 61 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: take a moment to dwell on the conviction of God 62 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: for your life. Give thought to your seasons of rebellion 63 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: and recklessness. The time's sin put you in danger and 64 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 1: you weren't even aware of it. Think of how the 65 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:35,279 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit spoke truth to you in love and kindness. 66 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 1: Remember how his correction produced a positive outcome for you. 67 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: Thank Him for all the past rebukes and reprimands over 68 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 1: your life. Thank him because his censure brings change for 69 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:58,279 Speaker 1: the best. Thank him for his wounds may hurt, but 70 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: will always produce good fruit. God is present and he 71 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: is listening to you. If you struggle in your efforts 72 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: of accountability through love in your friendships, lean on your 73 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: heavenly Father and learn from him. Ask God to teach 74 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: you to love your friend as you love yourself. Ask 75 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit to enable you to be patient and kind, 76 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: but also courageous and bold when the situation calls for it. 77 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you push past disinterest 78 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:43,279 Speaker 1: and discomfort when pointing something out in friendship. Ask him 79 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: to teach you to speak the truth in love. Remember, 80 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: friends help keep each other accountable. Do not allow the 81 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: fear of discomfort to keep you from speaking the truth. 82 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: In love God. God has called us to help each 83 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: other grow and mature through friendship. Likewise, when your friend 84 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: speaks truth to your life, do not turn away from it. 85 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,440 Speaker 1: Embrace it. Show your friend gratitude for serving you in 86 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: love and for pointing out the areas of danger in 87 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 1: your life. Trust in the truth and the wisdom that 88 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: God has provided in his word. Allow God's everlasting love 89 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 1: to flow through you into your friendships today and always. 90 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 1: Thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com. 91 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, you 92 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 1: are making prayer a priority and strengthening your walk with God.