1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: I had fainted unless I had believed to see the 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: goodness of the Lord in the land of the Living 3 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: Psalm twenty seven thirteen. Dear Lord, you are my joy 4 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: and delight. I am glad when I think of how 5 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: blessed it is to be living in your presence. The 6 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: beauty of the world around me reminds me of your 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: majesty and magnificence. How wonderful it is to enjoy life 8 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 1: with you. Lord. Your unfailing love sustains me and gives 9 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: me strength. When I am weak, I come to you 10 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: for refuge and assurance that my future is in your hands. 11 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: Thank you for being the God of hope and faithfulness 12 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: as I journey through this life. In Jesus's name, Amen, 13 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: thank you for joining me in prayer. Stay tuned for 14 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: today's free podcast Meditative Prayers with Zach Clinton, where you 15 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: can draw close to God and find strength in him. 16 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 2: My friends, welcome to your meditative prayer on staying on track. 17 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 2: To get the most out of your spiritual journey, use 18 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 2: pray dot com every day and make prayer a priority 19 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 2: in your life again. Our goal for today's meditative prayer 20 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 2: is all about staying on track, so right Now, let's 21 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 2: just take a moment to simply relax. Maybe head to 22 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 2: a quiet place where you can be free to inspect 23 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 2: your heart, and as you close your eyes, maybe take 24 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 2: a couple of deep and calming breaths, gain control over 25 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 2: your thoughts, shift your focus to Christ, and ask God 26 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 2: to come and have fellowship with you, opening yourself to 27 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: the Holy Spirit and asking him to minister to you 28 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 2: and your heart again. Today, we'll be meditating on de 29 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 2: Uteronomy chapter six, verse five from the King James version, 30 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 2: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all 31 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 2: thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all 32 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 2: thy might. Now, my friends, let's just take a moment 33 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:19,799 Speaker 2: to simply pour out our adoration to God. Father, God, 34 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 2: I worship you, for you are who you say you are, 35 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. I praise you for your unending love, Holy Spirit. 36 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 2: I adore you for your relentless kindness, your patience, and 37 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 2: your wisdom ministered continuously over me. God, I bless your name, 38 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 2: for there is none like you, and none beside you. 39 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:49,919 Speaker 2: My friends, God must come first to have a relationship 40 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 2: with Jesus. He must continuously come first. You see, God 41 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 2: demands and he commands first place. If you are to 42 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 2: have a relationship with God, he must come first because 43 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:04,799 Speaker 2: God requires all of you, your heart, your mind, and 44 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,079 Speaker 2: your body. As soon as you allow something to come 45 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: before God, even if it's your family, you begin to compromise. 46 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 2: You start making concessions that will eventually affect your faith. 47 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,640 Speaker 2: To remain strong and steadfast, though, you must examine your 48 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 2: motivations and seek God first. If you are not sure 49 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 2: whether your desire is truly to put Him first, then 50 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: right now, my friends, confess those sins to God, reach 51 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:39,800 Speaker 2: out to him and receive the Holy Spirit's comfort. And now, 52 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: as we transition, let's just simply take a moment to 53 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 2: dwell on the blessing of God's pre eminence. Remember how 54 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 2: He loves you and what he sacrificed for you. Think 55 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 2: how wonderful it is to know that He watches over 56 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: you and that he works in your favor. Thank Him 57 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: for thinking of you, for his thoughts are more than 58 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 2: the sand on the seashore. Thank God for the ability 59 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: to know him and to lead others as you are 60 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 2: led by him. Thank Him for the strength to choose 61 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:17,000 Speaker 2: a life of service and to keep choosing it. Do 62 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 2: not forget. God is present and he is listening to you. 63 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 2: He gave all of himself for you on the cross, 64 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 2: So to serve him as fully as Christ sacrificed himself 65 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 2: for you, it requires all of you, your body, soul, 66 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 2: and spirit. Right now, my friends, ask God for the 67 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: ability to commit yourself to his service completely and willingly. 68 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: Remember love the Lord your God with all your heart, 69 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 2: with all your soul, and with all your strength. To 70 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: remain faithful and true to God. You can't put him 71 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:58,160 Speaker 2: in second place. He must come before everything else. So 72 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: let yourself decrease and Christ in you increase. Draw your 73 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 2: strength from Him as you pour yourself out. Choose this 74 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 2: day to give God supremacy and prominence in your life. 75 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 2: Choose this day to live a life in obedience and 76 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 2: relationship with God. Do this and you will see God's 77 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 2: goodness and grace manifested in your life, not only this day, 78 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: but in all the days to come. My friends, thank 79 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 2: you for completing today's meditative prayer on pray dot com. 80 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,440 Speaker 2: By incorporating this healthy habit as a daily practice, I 81 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: believe and you're not only making prayer priority, but you're 82 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 2: also strengthening your walk with God. As always, my name 83 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 2: is Zach Clinton, Vice President of the American Association of 84 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 2: Christian Counselors and we love being a part of your life. 85 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 2: Hey for more help, hope, encouragement, information and inspiration. I 86 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: would encourage you guys to go visit our website at 87 00:05:54,480 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 2: AACC dot net. Again, that's AACC dot net. Hi.