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Speaker 1: Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,

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Speaker 1: who for the joy that was set before him, endured

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Speaker 1: the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at

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Speaker 1: the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews twelve two.

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Speaker 1: Dear Jesus, your commitment to carry to the cross for

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Speaker 1: our shame is a testament to your unwavering will and resolve.

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Speaker 1: You didn't consider suffering as a reason to run. Rather,

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Speaker 1: despising sin and shame, you ran towards suffering. I pray

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Speaker 1: that I would have a fraction of that same resolve.

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Speaker 1: I pray you would anoint me and fill me with.

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Speaker 2: Strength to endure whatever trials come my way, all for

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Speaker 2: the sake of your Kingdom, Lord, in your name, I

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Speaker 2: pray Amen.

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Speaker 1: Thank you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for

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Speaker 1: today's free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you

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Speaker 1: can draw close to God and find strength in him.

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Speaker 3: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on commitment and perseverance.

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Speaker 3: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use

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Speaker 3: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority

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Speaker 3: in your life. Again. Our goal for today's meditative prayers

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Speaker 3: to spark commitment and perseverance within your life. So take

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Speaker 3: a minute right now just to unwind. Maybe look for

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Speaker 3: a welcoming place where you can relax and position yourself

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Speaker 3: in a comfortable manner. Now focus on your time with God.

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Speaker 3: Allow you to drift towards the throne of the Lord,

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Speaker 3: and prepare your heart to be filled with His word.

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Speaker 3: Today we'll be meditating on Mark chapter fourteen, verse thirty

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Speaker 3: eight from the King James version. It reads, watch ye

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Speaker 3: and pray lest he enter into temptation, for the spirit

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Speaker 3: truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. Right now,

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Speaker 3: let your worship rise up to God. I exalt you, Lord,

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Speaker 3: for I called upon you in my day of trouble,

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Speaker 3: and you answered me. I praise you for you delivered

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Speaker 3: me from my distress. I glorify you Jesus, for you

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Speaker 3: are my rock and my fortress, my sure foundation, and

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Speaker 3: you I can stand secure. I bless your name, God,

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Speaker 3: for your steadfast love will never leave nor forsake me,

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Speaker 3: and that love empowers me to overcome. Be vigilant, because

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Speaker 3: in this race called life, you will encounter many problems

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Speaker 3: on your way to the finish line, and the best

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Speaker 3: way to solve a problem is to avoid it entirely.

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Speaker 3: The Bible provides precise and effective instructions for accomplishing this.

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Speaker 3: You are to be careful of the thoughts you allow

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Speaker 3: to occupy your mind, and be mindful of the actions

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Speaker 3: you engage in. You should measure the words that you speak,

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Speaker 3: and be cautious of the company that you keep. You

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Speaker 3: are to be prudent of the situations you place yourself in,

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Speaker 3: and to consider your choices wisely before you make them.

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Speaker 3: And above all, guard your heart and heed the alerts

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Speaker 3: given to you by the Holy Spirit. For your God

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Speaker 3: given spirit will want to do what is right, but

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Speaker 3: your human nature won't. And your flesh, again, my friends,

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Speaker 3: is very weak. This is because of sin. When sin

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Speaker 3: entered the world through Adam and Eve, it not only

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Speaker 3: corrupted human nature, but creation and the world with it.

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Speaker 3: Because of sins, contamination and corruption, the world itself fell

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Speaker 3: from grace, and due to this God temporarily granted the

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Speaker 3: devil dominion over the earth. This is why your desires,

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Speaker 3: by default, will bend towards sin. So be aware of

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Speaker 3: your surroundings and of what's happening inside of your heart.

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Speaker 3: Perhaps you've been stumbling through your race Right now. This

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Speaker 3: is your chance to pray and to ask God for

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Speaker 3: his forgiveness and his help. So confess your sins to

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Speaker 3: Jesus and share with the Holy Spirit the areas you

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Speaker 3: are having issues with. Now, consider all the times God

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Speaker 3: heard your prayers and thank him for it. Thank the

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Speaker 3: Lord for the opportunity to reach out to him, to

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Speaker 3: lay your fears and frustrations at his feet. Thank God

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Speaker 3: for his interest in your well being and for wanting

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Speaker 3: to take care of you. Thank Jesus for his victory

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Speaker 3: that enables your own. Thank Him for his blessed assurance

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Speaker 3: that he will always be accessible to you. Thank the

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Speaker 3: Holy Spirit for helping you to overcome all obstacles in

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Speaker 3: your way, and thank him for interceding for you. For

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Speaker 3: presenting your prayers before God, My friends, never forget God

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Speaker 3: is present and he is listening to you. Plead your

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Speaker 3: case before God and tell him what is bothering you.

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Speaker 3: Ask Him to help you persevere in prayer. Ask Jesus

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Speaker 3: for the ability to understand his Holy Word to apply

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Speaker 3: his wisdom to your heart. Ask Him for divine endurance

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Speaker 3: and strength so you may run your race and you

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Speaker 3: may run it well. Ask the Holy Spirit to empower

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Speaker 3: you to have control over your thoughts and your emotions.

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Speaker 3: Ask him to teach you to recognize sinful temptations and

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Speaker 3: to stay away from them. And ask the Holy Spirit

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Speaker 3: to enable you to lean on Him and not on

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Speaker 3: your own understanding. Remember, remain vigilant and pray so that

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Speaker 3: you won't enter into temptation. Your spirit wants to do

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Speaker 3: what is right, but your body is weak. So put

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Speaker 3: aside all sinful thoughts and desires and choose this day

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Speaker 3: to set your sights on Jesus, to pray and to

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Speaker 3: read his Holy Word, and to receive his strength and

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Speaker 3: his fortitude. My friends, God is on your side and

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Speaker 3: he wants to hear you. He wants to bless you.

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Speaker 3: So be bold and be brave, and run your race

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Speaker 3: well and look forward to receiving your crown. Thank you

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Speaker 3: again for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com.

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Speaker 3: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, you

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Speaker 3: are making prayer a priority and strengthening your walk with God.

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Speaker 3: As always. My name is Zach Clinton, Vice President of

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Speaker 3: the American Association of Christian Counselors, and we love being

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Speaker 3: a part of your life