1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: anger resteth in the bosom of fools Ecclesiastes seven nine. Lord, 3 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:14,360 Speaker 1: help me rule over my emotions and keep them in check. 4 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: I have a difficult time controlling my anger when people 5 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 1: have a bad attitude or act foolishly. Help me keep 6 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: my cool and not take their actions as a personal insult. 7 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: Keep me from being easily offended, so I can walk 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,599 Speaker 1: in peace and not fall into sin with my words 9 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: and actions. There is too much unrest in the world. 10 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,920 Speaker 1: Please keep me from adding to it. Teach me to 11 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: be a peacemaker as I go through my day. Help 12 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: me encourage others with your love and your peace. Show 13 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 1: me who needs a special touch of your love today. Amen, 14 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:02,320 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to pray dot COM's nightly prayer. 15 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: To experience a pocket of peace before you go to sleep. 16 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 1: Stay tuned for our free meditative prayer after this quick 17 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:17,600 Speaker 1: word from our sponsors. 18 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 2: Welcome to your meditative prayer on better marriage. To get 19 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 2: the most out of your spiritual journey, usepray dot com 20 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: every day and make prayer a priority in your life. 21 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:40,839 Speaker 2: Our goal for today's meditative prayer is better marriage. Slow 22 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 2: down for a moment. Go to a tranquil location, close 23 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 2: your eyes and catch your breath. Breathe deep as you exhale, 24 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: let go of the tension stored in your body. Open 25 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: your heart to the Holy Spirit, and prepare to receive 26 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 2: from Him. Today we will be meditating on Colossians Chapter three, 27 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 2: verses twelve through fourteen. From the King James version. Put 28 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 2: on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, 29 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 2: vowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering, 30 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 2: for bearing one another, and forgiving one another. If any 31 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 2: man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you, 32 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: so also do ye. And above all these things, put 33 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:53,239 Speaker 2: on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. Now take 34 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 2: a moment to pour out your adoration to God. I 35 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 2: worship you God, for you are long suffering and patient. 36 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 2: I adore you Jesus, for you are perfect in all 37 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:13,480 Speaker 2: your ways. Your forgiveness is more than I deserve. I 38 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:20,239 Speaker 2: praise you for you are generous and good. Serve God 39 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 2: through serving each other in love. Forgiveness is the mark 40 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 2: of perfect service. Being selfless is hard. It is even 41 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 2: harder when we see the flaws in the person you're serving. 42 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 2: Living together means you will see the best and worst 43 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: of your spouse. Loving each other means you are not 44 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: in competition. You are two complimentary parts of a whole. 45 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: Over time, if you do not forgive each other, roots 46 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 2: of bitterness and resentment will begin to grow. They start 47 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 2: off small and weak, but if they are not cut off, 48 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 2: they will begin to suffocate the fruit God wants to 49 00:04:05,320 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 2: bring out of your marriage. This is why you must 50 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 2: forgive as you have been forgiven by God. God's mercy 51 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 2: and grace towards you is not based on your actions, 52 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 2: just as Christ's service to his disciples was not based 53 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: on their flawlessness. It is based in selfless love. You 54 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 2: cannot base your service or forgiveness towards your spouse on 55 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 2: their behavior. It is part and parcel of your service 56 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 2: to God. We are to be perfect, and God is perfect. 57 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 2: Only through the Holy Spirit can we walk out perfect service. 58 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 2: Only with His strength. Can we bear each other's burdens 59 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: without growing weary. Only with His love can we show 60 00:04:54,520 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 2: kindness without condition? Only with his humility can we he 61 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: let go of offense without growing resentful. For true service doesn't 62 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 2: glory in itself. It doesn't commiserate with self righteousness or 63 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 2: give in to the illusion of martyrdom. 64 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: Christ gave and. 65 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 2: Still gives selflessly, so should we. Through His Holy Spirit, 66 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 2: we can forgive and serve sacrificially as Jesus did for us. 67 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 2: Perhaps you have been struggling with loving your spouse and 68 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:34,919 Speaker 2: serving Christ through serving them. Take this opportunity to reach 69 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 2: out to God and confess your sins to him. Tell 70 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 2: him about your struggle to serve and to forgive. Take 71 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 2: a moment now to dwell on God's blessings of sacrifice 72 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 2: and forgiveness, blessings God has given you through his son Jesus, 73 00:05:55,800 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: blessings given without measure. Thank God for removing your sins 74 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: as far as the East is from the west. Thank 75 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 2: Jesus for his great sacrifice, the offering of sin he 76 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 2: became for you. Thank God that his well never runs 77 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 2: dry and we may always draw from it. Thank Him 78 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 2: for his unchanging faithfulness and for his everlasting love. Do 79 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 2: not forget. God is present and he is listening to you. 80 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 2: This is your opportunity to reach out to him. So 81 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 2: ask God to show you any bitterness or offense hiding 82 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:45,599 Speaker 2: in your heart. Release it to him and ask him 83 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 2: to help you forgive. Ask God for the ability to 84 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: extend grace to your spouse as many times as necessary. 85 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 2: Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you to rely upon 86 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 2: God to serve him wholeheartedly out of love, not obligation. 87 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 2: Ask the Holy Spirit for humility. Ask him to protect 88 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 2: your heart from pride and presumption. Remember forgive one another 89 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 2: as God forgave you. Show mercy, be kind and gentle 90 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 2: to each other. And above all, let love hold you 91 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: in perfect unity. So do not fear. God will help 92 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 2: you to live out in service and in love. Choose 93 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 2: this day to commit yourself to living life through God's grace. 94 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 2: Thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com. 95 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 2: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, you 96 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 2: are making prayer a priority and so strengthening your walk 97 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:01,760 Speaker 2: with God.