1 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: And as ye would that men should do to you, 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: do ye also to them likewise, Luke six thirty one. 3 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: Dear Lord Jesus, you are the perfector of the Golden Rule. 4 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:23,280 Speaker 1: You are the ultimate example to follow for our conduct. 5 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: I pray for a renewed appreciation for your words and deeds. 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: I pray they would inspire me in my day to 7 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:38,520 Speaker 1: day life. I want to treat people like I want 8 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 1: to be treated with understanding, patience, and love. When I 9 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 1: fail at these things, gently guide me back to a 10 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: faithful place. I want others to be better off because 11 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: I was in their life. In Jesus's name, Amen, thank 12 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's 13 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can 14 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 1: draw close to God and find strength in him. 15 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on Stoic leadership. 16 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use 17 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority 18 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 2: in your life. 19 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:24,119 Speaker 3: Again. 20 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: Our goal for today's meditative prayer is all about stoic leadership. 21 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 2: So right now, just take a second to simply slow down. 22 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 2: May you head to a quiet and peaceful place a 23 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 2: place where you can. 24 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:41,840 Speaker 3: Be alone with God. And in this moment I. 25 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 2: Would encourage you to close your eyes and just breathe 26 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: deeply in and out. And now shift your attention to 27 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: scripture and prepare to receive from Jesus. Today we'll be 28 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 2: meditating on Luke chapter six, verse thirty one, from the 29 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: King James version. It says, and as ye would that 30 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 2: men should do to you, do ye also to them. Likewise, 31 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 2: Now take a moment just to pour out your adoration 32 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 2: to God. 33 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 3: I extol your name, O, God most High. 34 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 2: I worship you for your heavenly wisdom, your wisdom that 35 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full 36 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. I will 37 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 2: praise you with an upright heart as I learn your 38 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 2: righteous laws. You see, leadership is about justice, mercy, and humility. 39 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 2: Although the concept of reciprocity is not exclusive to Christianity, 40 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 2: Christ taught this truth from a position of gifting and 41 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 2: not gain. Biblical reciprocity is not based on a principle 42 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 2: of selfish preservation or gratification, but rather it stems from 43 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 2: a place of servitude and love. Jesus did not issue 44 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: in admonition or prohibition. He didn't say don't do to 45 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: others what you don't want done to you, but quite 46 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: the opposite. His instruction is a call to action to 47 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 2: be the blessing that you long for. He commands you 48 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 2: to be proactive, to do for others as you wish 49 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 2: it would be done unto you. It is not a 50 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 2: warning to fear and word off negativity. It's actually a 51 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 2: push towards a positive narrative and lifestyle. You are to 52 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 2: do the good that you wish to experience, to lead 53 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 2: in a manner. 54 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: That you would be happy to follow. 55 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 2: So right now, in this moment, I would challenge you 56 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: to reflect, just for a moment, on the times when 57 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 2: you did not succeed in godly leadership, maybe times where 58 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 2: you were not the leader you would wish over yourself. 59 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: And right now, just confess those sins to God. God, 60 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: tell Jesus of your shortcomings, your mistakes, and those errors. 61 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 2: And now let's transition by just taking a moment to 62 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,920 Speaker 2: dwell on the goodness of God's service. Remember how it 63 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: felt to have His love permeate your heart, to experience 64 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: God's grace operating within you. Thank Jesus, for his mercy 65 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: over your life, for His justice that sustains you. Thank 66 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 2: God for giving you access to His presence, for enabling 67 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: you to draw near to Him and to know him. 68 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 2: And thank God for sending his son to serve as 69 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,720 Speaker 2: ransom in your place to atone for your sins. For 70 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 2: loving you with the very best part. 71 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 3: Of who he is. My friends, do not forget. 72 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: God is present and he is listening to you, and 73 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 2: He desires for you to be a blessing, to act 74 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:04,039 Speaker 2: with goodess and grace towards all people. You see, Jesus 75 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 2: wants you to know him and to be like him. 76 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 2: So ask the Holy Spirit to transform your heart, to teach, 77 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 2: to lead, Ask him to show you how to live 78 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:20,479 Speaker 2: and lead with justice, mercy, and humility. And ask the 79 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 2: Holy Spirit for the ability to love others as you 80 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 2: wish to be loved. Remember, as you want others to 81 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 2: do for you, do the same for them. Act with 82 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: kindness that you would like to receive. Show your neighbor 83 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 2: the acceptance and grace that you long for. Be caring, thoughtful, 84 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 2: and attentive to those around you, and do so with 85 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: the same intensity that you desire to experience. Love others 86 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 2: with your whole heart, holding nothing back, and be the 87 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: leader that you wish to have, set an example that 88 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 2: you would feel honored to follow. And today I challenge 89 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 2: you to take the initiative by allowing Jesus to use 90 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 2: you to be the good that you want to see 91 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 2: in this world. My friends, thank you for completing today's meditative. 92 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 3: Prayer on pray dot com. 93 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, you 94 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 2: are making prayer priority and I believe you're strengthening your 95 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 2: walk with God. As always, my name is Zach Clinton, 96 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 2: Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors. 97 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,599 Speaker 3: And we love being a part of your life. 98 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 2: Hey to find out more information, inspiration, help, hope and encouragement, 99 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 2: I would encourage you to visit our website at AACC 100 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,920 Speaker 2: dot net. Again, that's AACC dot net.