1 00:00:01,960 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble James four six. 3 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you in humble supplication, 4 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: acknowledging your grace and mercy. You have called us to 5 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: resist the spirit of pride and remain in a state 6 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 1: of humility at all times. We seek to be humbled 7 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:42,880 Speaker 1: before you, recognizing our many sins and shortcomings. We desire 8 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:48,040 Speaker 1: your grace and mercy in abundance, knowing that it is 9 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: only through your love that we can find true peace 10 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: and joy. So we thank you for the blessing of 11 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:02,160 Speaker 1: grace that you have given us opportunity to remain in 12 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: a state of humility, having faith that you will love 13 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: us in spite of our flaws. We pray for a 14 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: spirit of gratitude and thankfulness, knowing that it pleases you 15 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: when we are humble before you. In Jesus' name, Amen, 16 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for 17 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,880 Speaker 1: today's free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you 18 00:01:30,959 --> 00:01:34,520 Speaker 1: can draw close to God and find strength in him. 19 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on grace and gratitude. 20 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use 21 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority 22 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: in your life. Our goal again for today's meditative prayer 23 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 2: is all about grace and gratitude. So now just take 24 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 2: a moment just simply to relax. Maybe find a comfortable 25 00:01:57,920 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: and quiet spot where you can completely focus on this 26 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 2: moment of reflection. Close your eyes and take a deep breath, 27 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 2: and as you exhale, release the tension in your body 28 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 2: and in your mind. Today we'll be meditating on James 29 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: four verse six from the King James version, it reads, 30 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 2: but he giveth more grace, wherefore he saith. God resisteth 31 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,639 Speaker 2: the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Now take 32 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 2: a moment just to pour out your adoration to God. God, 33 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 2: I praise you for pouring out your grace upon me. 34 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 2: I worship you forgiving of yourself in an unmeasurable way. Father, 35 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 2: I praise you for teaching me humility through your word 36 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 2: and wisdom, for correcting me and loving kindness. And I 37 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:56,359 Speaker 2: thank you that you love me and that your grace 38 00:02:56,400 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: abounds toward your children. Comes from God. Grace is unmerited 39 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 2: and undeserved favor, and who can claim exemption from needing grace? 40 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,960 Speaker 2: No one from salvation to the mundane. The demand for 41 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: grace permeates every facet of life, whether it be in 42 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 2: a major or a minor way. There will always be 43 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 2: daily situations where grace will be required. Although the application 44 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 2: of grace is multifold, there is only one source, God, 45 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 2: and the requisite for grace with God is simple humility. 46 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 2: No matter who you are, if you wish to obtain grace, 47 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 2: you must be humble. Then this can be a challenge, 48 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 2: for humility is not a default standard of humanity, but 49 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: instead pride is. Pride is an ever present threat to 50 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 2: the human heart. Pride lurks in the deep corners of 51 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 2: the mind, disguises itself as self confidence, and dwells within presumption. 52 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: Pride is easy to possess and hard to dispose of, 53 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 2: whereas humility must be sought after. Humility must be wanted 54 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 2: and pursued. It must be cultivated constantly. It is achieved 55 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 2: through obedience to God's word, through spiritual discipline manifested in 56 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:22,359 Speaker 2: your daily choices. My friends, let us now reflect for 57 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 2: a moment on the areas of your heart that need 58 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 2: tending to those thoughts and actions that maybe don't align 59 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:34,119 Speaker 2: with God's word, actions motivated by selfish desires and based 60 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: on human arrogance. This is your opportunity to present yourself 61 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,560 Speaker 2: before the Lord, to set aside your pride, and to 62 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,160 Speaker 2: confess your sins to God, to give him your arrogance 63 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,839 Speaker 2: and your presumption. So be honest before God right now 64 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,160 Speaker 2: and invite Him into the areas of your heart where 65 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 2: his humility and his meekness do not reign. Now take 66 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:03,599 Speaker 2: a moment just to dwell on previous blessings of grace 67 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 2: that you have enjoyed, Grace over your past endeavors and 68 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 2: your goals, Grace for all situations and in all manners 69 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 2: of relationships. Thank God for the doors his favor has 70 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 2: opened in your life, His favor that goes before you 71 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 2: and makes a way in the wilderness. Give thanks for 72 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: the opportunities granted to you that you didn't deserve. Times 73 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 2: when you failed, but God, in his mercy still blessed 74 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 2: your efforts. And thank God for all the past manifestations 75 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 2: of His goodness in your life and for the ones 76 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 2: still to come. Do not forget God is present and 77 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 2: he is listening to you. God said he'd give grace 78 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: to the humble. So ask God to teach you humility. 79 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 2: Ask him to remove all the things in your heart 80 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 2: that hinder you from his grace. Pray for a tender 81 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:59,640 Speaker 2: heart toward God's voice and correction. Pray for a heart 82 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 2: filled with His spirit, a heart that will desire to 83 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 2: obey and to love the Lord. A heart that will 84 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 2: depend on God's strength and not its own. A heart 85 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,599 Speaker 2: that will submit to God and receive all he has 86 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 2: to give. And a heart that is pleasing unto the 87 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 2: Lord and is filled with his favor. Remember, God is 88 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 2: against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. 89 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 2: So strive toward humility with all that is within you. 90 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 2: Strive to yield to the Holy Spirit and to depend 91 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,159 Speaker 2: on him. To recognize that your blessings and your victory 92 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 2: come not from your own strength, but from the strength 93 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 2: of the Lord. Choose this day to reject all pride 94 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 2: and arrogance. Choose to be meek and to be obedient 95 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 2: to God's word. Choose to seek him and to receive 96 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:53,520 Speaker 2: God's grace in every area of your life this day 97 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: and always, My friends, thank you for completing today's meditative 98 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 2: prayer on Pray Die. By incorporating this healthy habit as 99 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 2: a daily practice, you are making prayer priority and strengthening 100 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: your walk with God. As always, my name is Zach Clinton, 101 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors, and 102 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 2: we love being a part of your life.