1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: And they departed from the melt of the Lord three 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:06,880 Speaker 1: days journey, and the ark of the covenant of the 3 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 1: Lord went before them in three days journey to search 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:16,280 Speaker 1: out a resting place for them. Numbers ten thirty three. Lord, 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 1: I thank you that your presence goes before me everywhere 6 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,759 Speaker 1: you send me. Teach me to start every day's work 7 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: with a prayer to fortify my spirit, Cause your light 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: to rise upon me and scatter the darkness that would 9 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: seek to block your purposes from coming forth. Thank you 10 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: for demolishing the strongholds of the enemy and preparing a 11 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: path before me. Thank you that you cause me to 12 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: rest at the appointed time and find places where I 13 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: can safely do that along the way. Thank you that 14 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: your favor is upon me and you will never leave 15 00:00:53,960 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: me or forsake me. You are with me always. Amen. 16 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,759 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to pray dot COM's nightly prayer 17 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: to experience a pocket of peace before you go to sleep. 18 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: Stay tuned for our free meditative prayer after this quick 19 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 2: word from our sponsors. Welcome to your meditative prayer on 20 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,400 Speaker 2: new friendships. To get the most out of your spiritual journey, 21 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 2: usepray dot com every day and make prayer a priority 22 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:44,959 Speaker 2: in your life. Our goal for today's meditative prayer is 23 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 2: new friendships. Hit pause for a second, head to a 24 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: spot where you can settle down and be comfortable, close 25 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 2: your eyes and just breathe a moment as you quiet 26 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 2: your thoughts and ready your spirit to receive from God, 27 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 2: invite His Holy Spirit to come minister to your heart. 28 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 2: We will be meditating on Luke chapter five, verses seventeen 29 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 2: through twenty from the King James version. And it came 30 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 2: to pass on a certain day as he was teaching, 31 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:35,480 Speaker 2: that there were pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, 32 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 2: which were come out of every town of Galilee and 33 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 2: Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was 34 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: present to heal them. And behold, men brought in a 35 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 2: bed a man which was taken with a palsy, and 36 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 2: they sought means to bring him in and to lay 37 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: him before him. And when they could not find by 38 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 2: what way they might bring him in, because of them ultitude, 39 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 2: they went upon the housetop and let him down through 40 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 2: the tiling with his couch, into the midst before Jesus. 41 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 2: And when he saw their faith, he said unto him. Man, 42 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 2: thy sins are forgiven. THEE take a moment to pour 43 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 2: out your adoration to God. Lord, I praise you for 44 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:34,399 Speaker 2: your word that is edifying and encouraging. Jesus, I worship 45 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 2: you for your loving kindness and your grace, Holy Spirit. 46 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 2: I adore you for ministering this truth to my heart. 47 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 2: Friendship is steadfast. The Bible teaches that friendship is a blessing, 48 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,960 Speaker 2: and the story above illustrates this truth in the best 49 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 2: possible way. In the face of opposition, a group of 50 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 2: men decided to remain steadfast and to pursue the blessing 51 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 2: of a friend. Those men refused to give up. They 52 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 2: relentlessly persevered in their task of finding a way to 53 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 2: present their friend before the Lord, and because they did so, 54 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: their friend was healed. Their action of steadfast love and 55 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: dedication changed the life of a friend. God has called 56 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:35,280 Speaker 2: us to such friendship. He has called us to enter 57 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 2: into a covenant of love with one another and to 58 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 2: love each other at all times. He has called us 59 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: to fight for each other's victories and to be a 60 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 2: blessing unto others. He has called us to change lives 61 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:56,480 Speaker 2: and to experience the joy of giving and receiving steadfast 62 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 2: love through friends. Perhaps you have yet to experience this 63 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 2: type of friendship. Perhaps you've been struggling with having friends 64 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 2: or with being a friend yourself. Regardless of what your 65 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: issues are, this is your opportunity to present yourself before 66 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 2: the Lord, confess your sins to God, and tell him 67 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 2: what is preventing you from experiencing this blessing. Take just 68 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 2: a few minutes to dwell on God's goodness. Thank Jesus 69 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 2: for the gift of steadfast friendship. Thank him for the 70 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 2: blessing of friends who will fight with you for your victory. 71 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 2: Thank Jesus for his grace in you that empowers you 72 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 2: to be a friend to others. Thank Him for the 73 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 2: opportunity to be a blessing and to minister to your 74 00:05:55,640 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 2: friends in their time of need. Is present and he 75 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 2: is listening to you. The Bible says, ask and it 76 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 2: shall be given unto you. So ask the Holy Spirit 77 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 2: to give you steadfast friendships. Ask him to fill you 78 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 2: with love and compassion for others. Ask him for perseverance 79 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 2: to fight beside your friends for their blessings. Ask the 80 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 2: Holy Spirit to also put people in your life who 81 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 2: will cherish you and love you people who will fight 82 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,920 Speaker 2: for your victory, beside you, and who will not give 83 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:47,479 Speaker 2: up on you. Remember, friendship is steadfast. God wants you 84 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: to experience friendship that perseveres in the face of need, 85 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 2: a friendship that does not give up but rises to 86 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:01,480 Speaker 2: the occasion in the face of adversity. Friendship that loves 87 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 2: and intercedes, Friendship that is not shaken. So choose this 88 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: day to love others as you love yourself. Choose to 89 00:07:12,920 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 2: be an instrument of blessing, and watch as God's grace 90 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:24,960 Speaker 2: is manifested in your life. Thank you for completing today's 91 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 2: meditative prayer on pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy 92 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: habit as a daily practice, you're making prayer a priority 93 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 2: and strengthening your walk with God.