1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: For by grace are ye saved through faith, and not 2 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: that of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:16,440 Speaker 1: of works, lest any man should boast Ephesians two eight 4 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,880 Speaker 1: through nine. Dear God, you have done for us what 5 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 1: we could not do for ourselves. With your mercy. You 6 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: provided a way of salvation through the Cross that is 7 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: entirely undeserved and unearned. We are thankful for this amazing 8 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: gift of grace that was given to us solely because 9 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:45,159 Speaker 1: of your kindness and love. You called us out of 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: darkness and into your glorious light so that we may 11 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 1: live our lives honoring you. We are deeply grateful for 12 00:00:55,840 --> 00:01:00,279 Speaker 1: this most precious gift, which is the sure hope of 13 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: eternal life with you. We honor and adore you, and 14 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: ask that you would empower us every day to walk 15 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: worthy of this beautiful life you've won for us on 16 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:20,279 Speaker 1: the Cross. In Jesus's name, Amen, Thank you for joining 17 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: me in prayer. Stay tuned for today's free podcast Meditative 18 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you can draw close to 19 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: God and find strength in him. 20 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on grace and 21 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 2: gratitude to get the most out of your spiritual journey. 22 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:41,959 Speaker 2: Use pray dot Com every day and make prayer a 23 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 2: priority in your life. Again. Our goal for today's meditative 24 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 2: prayer is all about grace and gratitude. So let's just 25 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 2: take a minute, just for a second, to unwind. Maybe 26 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 2: look for a quiet place and assume a position that 27 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 2: will allow you to relax. And now shift yours to 28 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 2: this time with God. Direct your thoughts toward the throne 29 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: of the Lord, and prepare to be filled with his word. 30 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:11,959 Speaker 2: Today will be meditating on Ephesians chapter two, verses eight 31 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 2: and nine from the King James version. For by grace 32 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 2: are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. 33 00:02:20,560 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: It is the gift of God, not of works, lest 34 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 2: any man should boast. My friends, let your worship rise 35 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: up to God in this moment. God, I praise you 36 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: for your unending and boundless love. I adore you because 37 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 2: you are good, you are kind, and your mercies endure forever. 38 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 2: I praise you for your endless grace poured out over 39 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 2: your children. I worship you for your great kindness, and 40 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 2: I extol your name, for there is no one else 41 00:02:53,440 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 2: like you. Grace is God given, undeserved favor We all 42 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 2: like to think of ourselves as good people, but the 43 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: truth is only God is good. If you were to 44 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 2: be brutally honest with yourself and objectively look at your 45 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 2: life through the lens of God's law, you'd quickly see 46 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: just how corrupt the human heart truly is. And this 47 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 2: is why salvation is a gift. You did nothing to 48 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 2: deserve it, nor could you ever acquire it through your 49 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:28,280 Speaker 2: own actions. Salvation cannot be bought through deeds, nor could 50 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 2: it ever be earned. You can never afford it, nor 51 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 2: do you deserve it. Yet because of his love, Jesus 52 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 2: chose to freely give it to you. Simply put, salvation 53 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 2: is acquired through grace and by grace alone. And the 54 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: beauty of God's grace is that it does not depend 55 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 2: on you whatsoever. It depends completely and entirely upon Him. 56 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: And that is why there is nothing in this world 57 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: you could do to make Jesus love you anymore or 58 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 2: any less than he all already does. The only requisite 59 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: for grace is faith. To receive this gift from God, 60 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 2: you must believe in him. You must set aside your 61 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 2: pride and your arrogance, your assurance, and your own flawed capabilities. 62 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 2: Don't ever fool yourself into thinking that God loves you 63 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 2: because you are a good person, even when you are not. 64 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 2: God is all loving. The Bible teaches us that all 65 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 2: have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 66 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 2: Do not be discouraged by this truth. Instead, rejoice. God's 67 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 2: grace is measureless, and he wants to pour it out 68 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 2: into every area of your life. This is your opportunity 69 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 2: now to present yourself before the Lord, to pray to 70 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: God and to confess to him your areas of weakness. 71 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 2: So share with the Holy Spirit your struggle and your suffering. 72 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 2: Confess to God your imperfections. God's not expecting perfection from you. 73 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,599 Speaker 2: He just wants your faith. So open yourself to God's 74 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: love and pour out all that is weighing heavy on 75 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 2: your heart. Right now and now, my friends, consider all 76 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 2: the times God's grace covered your sins and thank him 77 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:21,680 Speaker 2: for it. Thank Jesus for dying in your place and 78 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 2: for paying the price of your sins. Thank Him for 79 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 2: loving you and for providing a way of reconciliation to 80 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 2: the Father. Thank God for his grace that covers all 81 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 2: your transgressions, and thank the Holy Spirit for enabling you 82 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 2: to receive God's grace and for continuously working within your heart. 83 00:05:42,240 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 2: Never forget God is present and he is listening to you. 84 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 2: So come before Him and ask for his grace to 85 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: be manifested in your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to 86 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 2: open your eyes to the way Jesus loves you, to 87 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 2: minister the truth of God's grace upon your heart. Ask 88 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,840 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit for the ability to understand disgrace and 89 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 2: to receive it, and ask him to seal the truth 90 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:12,440 Speaker 2: of God's salvation love upon your soul. Remember you have 91 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 2: been saved by grace because you believe salvation is a 92 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:22,279 Speaker 2: gift from God. You did not and could not save yourself. Therefore, 93 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 2: be aware of the grace placed upon you. Do not 94 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 2: allow pride to enter your heart. God loves you and 95 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 2: gives of himself to you because He chose to do 96 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 2: so and for no other reason. So believe in Christ 97 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 2: and receive his grace, his love, and his life changing power. Today, 98 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 2: my friends, thank you for completing today's meditative prayer on 99 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 2: pray dot com. By incorporating this healthy habit as a 100 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: daily practice, you are making prayer a priority and strengthening 101 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,919 Speaker 2: your walk with God. My name is Zach Clinton, vice 102 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 2: president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, and we 103 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 2: love being a part of your life.