1 00:00:02,160 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, 2 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: who for the joy that was set before him, endured 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews twelve two. 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: Dear Jesus, your commitment to carry to the cross for 6 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: our shame is a testament to your unwavering will and resolve. 7 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: You didn't consider suffering as a reason to run. Rather, 8 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 1: despising sin and shame, you ran towards suffering. I pray 9 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: that I would have a fraction of that same resolve. 10 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: I pray you would anoint me and fill me with 11 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: strength to endure whatever trials come my way, all for 12 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:10,080 Speaker 1: the sake of your Kingdom, Lord, in your name, I 13 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:15,760 Speaker 1: pray Amen. Thank you for joining me in prayer. Stay 14 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: tuned for today's free podcast, Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, 15 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: where you can draw close to God and find strength 16 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: in him. 17 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on commitment and perseverance. 18 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:34,760 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use 19 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority 20 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 2: in your life again. Our goal for today's meditative prayer 21 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 2: is all about commitment and perseverance. So let's take a 22 00:01:45,680 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: moment now just to relax. Find a comfortable and quiet 23 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 2: setting place where your focus can be completely on this 24 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: moment of reflection. Close your eyes, maybe take a deep breath, 25 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 2: and as you exhale, release all the tension and direct 26 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 2: your thoughts to God's word. Today will be meditating on 27 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 2: Hebrews chapter twelve, verse two from the King James version. 28 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 2: It reads, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of 29 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 2: our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, 30 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 2: endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down 31 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:26,880 Speaker 2: at the right hand of the throne of God. My friends, 32 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,959 Speaker 2: take a moment now just to pour out your adoration 33 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 2: to God, the author of your faith. Jesus, I praise 34 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,040 Speaker 2: you for your gift of faith, faith that allows me 35 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: to move mountains. For the faith that comes from you 36 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:46,680 Speaker 2: is true, it is not deceitful or vain. I praise you, 37 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 2: Holy Spirit, for continuously working this faith in my heart. 38 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: For your work of love that never ends and will 39 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 2: never fail. I bless your name, Lord, for this faith 40 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 2: allows me to persevere, to go forth, and to accomplish 41 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 2: all you have set before me, my friend's life is 42 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 2: a race. It's a test of endurance, a marathon, and 43 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 2: not a sprint. To reach the finish line well, and 44 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: to succeed, you must first have a goal. Jesus Christ 45 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 2: endured the crucible of the Cross, for he knew this truth. 46 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 2: He persevered because he foresaw the joy the completion of 47 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:32,360 Speaker 2: his task would bring. Jesus strove toward the reward at 48 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 2: the end of his race. And so should you. For 49 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 2: in this life you will have struggles. You will face 50 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: many obstacles in great opposition. Your path will be littered 51 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 2: with hurdles and filled with stumbling blocks, some of your 52 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 2: own making and many from the evil forces operating in 53 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: this earth. You will be met with resistance on every side, 54 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 2: Yet you must persevere. The world will pressure you to 55 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: fixate on the pain, the sorrow, and the suffering. The 56 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: devil will push you to focus on your regret, your sin, 57 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: and your shame. Yet again you must persevere. You will 58 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 2: be tempted to stagnate in your setbacks and shortcomings, and 59 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:20,719 Speaker 2: the spirit of self destruction will seek to drown you 60 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 2: and your failure and mistakes. Yet you must persevere. Satan 61 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,679 Speaker 2: will attempt to extinguish your faith and exterminate your hope. 62 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 2: He will try his best to stifle your dreams and 63 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 2: to snuff your spark, but you must persevere. The way 64 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:43,840 Speaker 2: to accomplish this is to keep your eyes on the prize, 65 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 2: and that prize is Jesus Christ. Remember you are not alone. 66 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 2: God runs your race beside you, so right now this 67 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 2: is your opportunity to reflect on the status of your race. 68 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 2: Bring to mind the hurdles and impediments that are keeping 69 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 2: you from running. Confess your sins to the Holy Spirit 70 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 2: and surrender your sufferings to him. Invite him to minister 71 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 2: right now to your weary soul. Now let us thank God, 72 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 2: who sees our faith through to completion. Thank Him for 73 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 2: helping you overcome all the obstacles in your race. Thank 74 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 2: Him for delivering you from all sin and shame. Thank 75 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 2: God for his continual work in your heart, in your soul, 76 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 2: and in your mind. And thank God that He will 77 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 2: bring his work in you to completion at the day 78 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 2: of Jesus Christ. Do not forget God is present and 79 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 2: he is listening to you. Once again, bring to mind 80 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 2: all impediments in your life. Ask God to enable and 81 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 2: empower you to succeed. To run you your race, and 82 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 2: to run it well. Pray for God's grace over your life. 83 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 2: Pray that his hope will fill your soul and encourage 84 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 2: your heart. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for his assurance, 85 00:06:15,279 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 2: assurance that you are loved, that you are cherished, and 86 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: that you are cared for. Remember, Jesus is the one 87 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,799 Speaker 2: who began your faith, and he makes your faith perfect. 88 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 2: You only get to live this life once, so make 89 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 2: the most of it, no matter the season you are 90 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 2: living in. My friends, persevere, run your race. If you 91 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:44,239 Speaker 2: cannot run, then walk. If you cannot walk, then crawl, 92 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: But don't stop moving forward. Trust in God's love for you. 93 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 2: Know that He is with you, and run your wate well, 94 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:57,640 Speaker 2: and run your race well, so that you may cross 95 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 2: your finish line with grace. My friends, thank you for 96 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 2: completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating 97 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 2: this healthy habit is a daily practice, you are making 98 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 2: prayer priority and strengthening your walk with God. As always. 99 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 2: My name is Zach Clinton, Vice President of the American 100 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: Association of Christian Counselors, and we love being a part 101 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 2: of your life.