1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:04,920 Speaker 1: And as ye would that men should do to you, 2 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: do ye also to them likewise, Luke six thirty one. 3 00:00:12,280 --> 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 --> 00:00:29,600 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' 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 00:01:04,880 --> 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 --> 00:01:17,199 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on Stoic leadership. 16 00:01:17,680 --> 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 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 2: in your life. Again. Our goal for today's meditative prayer 19 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 2: is all about stoic leadership. So right now, just take 20 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: a second to simply slow down. Maybe you head to 21 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:37,320 Speaker 2: a quiet and peaceful place a place where you could 22 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 2: be alone with God. And in this moment I would 23 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 2: encourage you to close your eyes and just breathe deeply 24 00:01:45,959 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: in and out. And now shift your attention to scripture 25 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 2: and prepare to receive from Jesus. Today we'll be meditating 26 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: on Luke chapter six, verse thirty one, from the King 27 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 2: James version. It says, and as ye would that men 28 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 2: should do to you, do ye also to them. Likewise, 29 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 2: Now take a moment just to pour out your adoration 30 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 2: to God. I extol your name, O, God most High. 31 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 2: I worship you for your heavenly wisdom, your wisdom that 32 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 2: is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full 33 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 2: of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. I will 34 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 2: praise you with an upright heart as I learn your 35 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 2: righteous laws. You see, leadership is about justice, mercy, and humility. 36 00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 2: Although the concept of reciprocity is not exclusive to Christianity, 37 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 2: Christ taught this truth from a position of gifting and 38 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 2: not gain. Biblical reciprocity is not based on a principle 39 00:02:55,840 --> 00:03:01,240 Speaker 2: of selfish preservation or gratification, but rather it stems from 40 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:06,119 Speaker 2: a place of servitude and love. Jesus did not issue 41 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 2: in admonition or prohibition. He didn't say don't do to 42 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 2: others what you don't want done to you, but quite 43 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 2: the opposite. His instruction is a call to action to 44 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 2: be the blessing that you long for. He commands you 45 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 2: to be proactive, to do for others as you wish 46 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 2: it would be done unto you. It is not a 47 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 2: warning to fear and word off negativity. It's actually a 48 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 2: push towards a positive narrative and lifestyle. You are to 49 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 2: do the good that you wish to experience, to lead 50 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 2: in a manner that you would be happy to follow. 51 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: So right now, in this moment, I would challenge you 52 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 2: to reflect, just for a moment, on the times when 53 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 2: you did not succeed in godly leadership, maybe times where 54 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 2: you were not the leader you would wish over yourself. 55 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 2: And right now, just confess those sins to God. God, 56 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: tell Jesus of your shortcomings, your mistakes, and those errors. 57 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 2: And now let's transition by just taking a moment to 58 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,919 Speaker 2: dwell on the goodness of God's service. Remember how it 59 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 2: felt to have His love permeate your heart, to experience 60 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 2: God's grace operating within you. Thank Jesus, for his mercy 61 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: over your life, for his justice that sustains you. Thank 62 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 2: God for giving you access to his presence, for enabling 63 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 2: you to draw near to Him and to know him. 64 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,840 Speaker 2: And thank God for sending his son to serve his 65 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 2: ransom in your place, to atone for your sins. For 66 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: loving you with the very best part of who he is. 67 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 2: My friends, do not forget. God is present and he 68 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: is listening to you, and He desires for you to 69 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 2: be a blessing, to act with good, goodness and grace 70 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: towards all people. You see, Jesus wants you to know 71 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 2: him and to be like him. So ask the Holy 72 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 2: Spirit to transform your heart, to teach, to lead, Ask 73 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 2: him to show you how to live and lead with justice, mercy, 74 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 2: and humility. And ask the Holy Spirit for the ability 75 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 2: to love others as you wish to be loved. Remember, 76 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:29,960 Speaker 2: as you want others to do for you, do the 77 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 2: same for them. Act with kindness that you would like 78 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 2: to receive. Show your neighbor the acceptance and grace that 79 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,240 Speaker 2: you long for. Be caring, thoughtful, and attentive to those 80 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: around you, and do so with the same intensity that 81 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 2: you desire to experience. Love others with your whole heart, 82 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: holding nothing back, and be the leader that you wish 83 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:59,360 Speaker 2: to have, set an example that you would feel honored 84 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: to follow. And today I challenge you to take the 85 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 2: initiative by allowing Jesus to use you to be the 86 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 2: good that you want to see in this world. My friends, 87 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 2: thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com. 88 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 2: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, you 89 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 2: are making prayer priority and I believe you're strengthening your 90 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:25,160 Speaker 2: walk with God. As always, my name is Zach Clinton, 91 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 2: Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors and 92 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 2: we love being a part of your life. Hey to 93 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 2: find out more information, inspiration, help, hope and encouragement, I 94 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 2: would encourage you to visit our website at AACC dot net. Again, 95 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 2: that's AACC dot net.