1
00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,760
Speaker 1: And when they could not find by what way they

2
00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:08,719
Speaker 1: might bring him in because of the multitude, they went

3
00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,479
Speaker 1: upon the housetop and let him down through the tiling

4
00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:19,640
Speaker 1: with his couch into the midst before Jesus Luke five nineteen.

5
00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,360
Speaker 1: Dear Lord, you went to great lengths to free me

6
00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:30,280
Speaker 1: from sin and shame. You exemplified what it means to

7
00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,919
Speaker 1: be a true friend by laying down your convenience for

8
00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:39,200
Speaker 1: the sake of my comfort. I pray that I would

9
00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:44,080
Speaker 1: do the same every day. I know there are opportunities

10
00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:49,319
Speaker 1: to show your love and sacrifice. Give me vision and

11
00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:54,720
Speaker 1: clarity to see those opportunities. Give me the conviction to act.

12
00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,680
Speaker 1: I want to be a good friend who stops at

13
00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:05,000
Speaker 1: nothing to bring my friends to you. In Jesus's name, Amen,

14
00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,760
Speaker 1: thank you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for

15
00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,399
Speaker 1: today's free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you

16
00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:20,720
Speaker 1: can draw close to God and find strength in him.

17
00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,760
Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on New Friendships.

18
00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:27,279
Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, usepray

19
00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,360
Speaker 2: dot com every day and make prayer a priority in

20
00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,320
Speaker 2: your life again. Our goal for today's meditative prayer is

21
00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,520
Speaker 2: all about new friendships. So right now, let's just hit

22
00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,360
Speaker 2: pause for a second. Maybe head to a spot where

23
00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:45,279
Speaker 2: you can settle down and be comfortable, close your eyes

24
00:01:45,319 --> 00:01:50,600
Speaker 2: and just breathe for a moment. And as you quiet

25
00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,279
Speaker 2: your thoughts and ready your spirit to receive from God,

26
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,240
Speaker 2: invite His Holy Spirit to come minister to your heart.

27
00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,960
Speaker 2: Today we'll be meditating on Luke chapter five, verses seventeen

28
00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:05,440
Speaker 2: to twenty from the King James version they read. And

29
00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:07,760
Speaker 2: it came to pass on a certain day as he

30
00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,800
Speaker 2: was teaching, that there were pharisees and doctors of the

31
00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,919
Speaker 2: law sitting by, which were come out of every town

32
00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:17,960
Speaker 2: of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, and the power of

33
00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:21,639
Speaker 2: the Lord was present to heal them. And behold, men

34
00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,920
Speaker 2: brought in a bed a man which was taken with

35
00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:28,040
Speaker 2: a palsy, and they sought means to bring him in

36
00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,560
Speaker 2: and to lay him before him. And when they could

37
00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:32,920
Speaker 2: not find by what way they might bring him in

38
00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,480
Speaker 2: because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop and

39
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,680
Speaker 2: let him down through the tiling with his couch, into

40
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:43,079
Speaker 2: the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith,

41
00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:47,680
Speaker 2: he said, unto him, man thy sins are forgiven thee.

42
00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:51,200
Speaker 2: Right now, my friends, let's just take a moment to

43
00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:55,000
Speaker 2: pour out your adoration to God. Lord, I praise you

44
00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:59,560
Speaker 2: for your word that is edifying and encouraging. Jesus, I

45
00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,280
Speaker 2: worship you for your loving kindness and your grace, Holy Spirit.

46
00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,240
Speaker 2: I adore you from ministering this truth to my heart.

47
00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,320
Speaker 2: You see, friendship is steadfast. The Bible teaches that friendship

48
00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,720
Speaker 2: is a blessing, and the story above illustrates this truth

49
00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:21,119
Speaker 2: in the best possible way. In the face of opposition,

50
00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,560
Speaker 2: a group of men decided to remain steadfast and to

51
00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,680
Speaker 2: pursue the blessing of a friend. Those men refused to

52
00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:31,760
Speaker 2: give up. They relentlessly persevered in their task of finding

53
00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,480
Speaker 2: a way to present their friend before the Lord, and

54
00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,920
Speaker 2: because they did so, their friend was healed. Their action

55
00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,560
Speaker 2: of steadfast love and dedication changed the life of a friend.

56
00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,840
Speaker 2: God has called us to such friendship. He has called

57
00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:49,680
Speaker 2: us to enter into a covenant of love with one

58
00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:53,480
Speaker 2: another and to love each other at all times. He

59
00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:56,240
Speaker 2: has called us to fight for each other's victories and

60
00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:58,960
Speaker 2: to be a blessing unto others. He has called us

61
00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,520
Speaker 2: to fight for each other's victories and to be a

62
00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:05,560
Speaker 2: blessing unto others. He has called us to change lives

63
00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:10,080
Speaker 2: and to experience the joy of giving and receiving steadfast

64
00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,320
Speaker 2: love through friends. Perhaps you have yet to experience this

65
00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:18,320
Speaker 2: type of friendship. Perhaps you have been struggling with having

66
00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,360
Speaker 2: friends or with being a friend yourself. Regardless of what

67
00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,240
Speaker 2: your issues are, this is your opportunity to present yourself

68
00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,880
Speaker 2: before the Lord. So right now, my friends, confess your

69
00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,839
Speaker 2: sins to God and tell him what is preventing you

70
00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:39,039
Speaker 2: from experiencing this blessing. Now, as we transition, let's just

71
00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,160
Speaker 2: take just a few minutes to dwell on God's goodness.

72
00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:47,440
Speaker 2: Thank Jesus for the gift of steadfast friendship. Thank Him

73
00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,480
Speaker 2: for the blessing of friends who will fight with you

74
00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:53,560
Speaker 2: for your victory. Thank Jesus for his grace in you

75
00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,120
Speaker 2: that empowers you to be a friend to others. Thank

76
00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,720
Speaker 2: Him for the opportunity to be a blessing and to

77
00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,559
Speaker 2: ma minister to your friends in their time of need.

78
00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,680
Speaker 2: You see, God is present and he is listening to you.

79
00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:09,840
Speaker 2: The Bible says, ask and it shall be given unto you.

80
00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,640
Speaker 2: So ask the Holy Spirit to give you steadfast friendships

81
00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:17,480
Speaker 2: ask him to fill you with love and compassion for others.

82
00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,200
Speaker 2: Ask him for perseverance to fight beside your friends for

83
00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:26,039
Speaker 2: their blessings. And ask the Holy Spirit to also put

84
00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:28,880
Speaker 2: people in your life who will cherish you and love you,

85
00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,479
Speaker 2: people who will fight for your victory beside you, and

86
00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:37,520
Speaker 2: who will not give up on you. Remember, friendship is steadfast.

87
00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,960
Speaker 2: God wants you to experience friendship that perseveres in the

88
00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,880
Speaker 2: face of need, a friendship that does not give up

89
00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,400
Speaker 2: but rises to the occasion in the face of adversity.

90
00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,760
Speaker 2: Friendship that loves and intercedes, Friendship that is not shaken.

91
00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,159
Speaker 2: So choose this day to love others as you love yourself.

92
00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:03,000
Speaker 2: Choose to be an instruy of blessing, and watch is

93
00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:07,520
Speaker 2: God's grace is manifested in your life. My friends, thank

94
00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,360
Speaker 2: you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com.

95
00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,839
Speaker 2: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, I

96
00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:16,840
Speaker 2: believe you're not only making prayer priority, but you're also

97
00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,200
Speaker 2: strengthening your walk with God. As always. My name is

98
00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:24,000
Speaker 2: Zach Clinton, Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors,

99
00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,360
Speaker 2: and we love being a part of your life. Hey,

100
00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:31,200
Speaker 2: for more information, inspiration, help, hope and encouragement. I would

101
00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:35,039
Speaker 2: challenge you to go visit our website at AACC dot net. Again,

102
00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:37,599
Speaker 2: that's AACC dot net.

103
00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,240
Speaker 1: Noah didn't wait until it started raining to build the arc.

104
00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,880
Speaker 1: He was prepared right Hi. I'm Matthew Potter, founder of

105
00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:49,000
Speaker 1: Prey dot com. Life brings us the unexpected, and we

106
00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:52,160
Speaker 1: need to be prepared like Noah. Take your health for instance,

107
00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:54,320
Speaker 1: what if you need to see a doctor now, but

108
00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,760
Speaker 1: you can't get in, or the pharmacy runs out of

109
00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:59,680
Speaker 1: medicine like during COVID, or you're traveling and you can't

110
00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:03,479
Speaker 1: find care. That's why world renowned doctors created the medical

111
00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:09,240
Speaker 1: Emergency Kit. Your kit contains essential prescription antibiotics, ivermectin, and

112
00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,440
Speaker 1: medications to treat over thirty nine.

113
00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:17,040
Speaker 2: Health issues like COVID, strep, throat pneumonia, UTIs, bronchitis, and more.

114
00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:19,640
Speaker 2: It's like having in urgent care right at home.

115
00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,160
Speaker 1: Be prepared like I am with a medical Emergency Kit

116
00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:24,880
Speaker 1: from the Wellness Company.

117
00:07:25,400 --> 00:07:27,960
Speaker 2: Order online in minutes and your kit will be rushed

118
00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:33,080
Speaker 2: to your door for fifteen percent off. Visit TWC dot

119
00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:38,280
Speaker 2: health slash Prey and use the promo code prey. That's

120
00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,920
Speaker 2: TWC dot Health slash prey promo.

121
00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:47,160
Speaker 1: Code Pray again TWC dot Health slash prey