Christian Meditation Podcast

Bible verses for Meditation: Acts 2:17-19 NIV 17 "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. KJV 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: Meditation on Scripture: Recently many people celebrated Pentacost. The Bible remembers this as a miraculous time of miracles and speaking in tongues as recorded in Acts 2. There were many mighty things done. This was a clearly demonstrated outpouring of God's Spirit. For us it is written as miraculous history. It is the story many have heard retold for centuries. Yet when it occurred it is likely almost nobody expected it to be as it was. This event represents an amazing transition representing the outpouring of the spirit that Jesus foretold. Yet even still it was a surprise. This time was when we see a great change in Peter. Before this he was a fisherman who struggled to understand. The two most recent appearances of Peter in the narrative Luke records is Peter denying Jesus and then Peter running to the tomb in surprise. Then in the chapters after Acts 2 Peter proclaims with conviction, heals, and leads. The spirit has a glorious and transformational affect. This is good news and has become an often talked about experience. What I want to focus on is that nobody knew this was going to happen, before it happened. As we may be down and not very hopeful of change may we remember what God is able to do with people who are willing to strive in His Spirit. Due to things going on in your own life or across the world you may come to believe that things can't improve. This passage shows that is not the case. Although there were many struggles that followed Pentecost it was handled differently. It was handled with God's Spirit. Don't set boundaries for the Lord. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: Do you hope for a better future through the Spirit of God? Final Thought: Jesus proclaims hope. He will take care of us with an eternal focus. I was speaking with a person today who was experiencing tough times. For them it seemed like the future had been already doomed by the past. That is not how things are meant to be. When we feel that way I invite you to open your heart to trust in the promise of God. For those who trust in Him, the future is eternally bright. Let your heart be lifted up in the knowledge that your current troubles are not eternal. Nothing that you are now experiencing has the ability to darken your future if you trust in God to help you escape its effects. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

NABRE 8 Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

238 Love Each Other Deeply, A Guided Christian Meditation on Peter 4:8-10 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Peter 4:8-10 NIV 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. NABRE 8 Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10 As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Meditation on Scripture: Many times we hope to think there is some kind of balance we can do to tip the scales of justice in our favor. For example as we think of our negative qualities we search for a counter balance of positive things as if this will undo the negative. Many times we seek to escape the evil in our own hearts. Perhaps if we love a certain subset of people it will justify us doing other sinful things. I think this scripture says something more interesting and enlightening. Peter equates sin and love as opposite. This reflects the greatest commandment Jesus gave to love. I don't think that this reflects any kind of moral calculation that we do where we can love a certain amount to undo any given amount of sin but there is an example of love that does overcome sin. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the greatest example of love and that covers all sin. There is no need to weigh your sin on the scales of justice rather it is far more important to love God and love your neighbor and to receive His love through faith which will wipe away all sin. Our world is full of darkness and hate but it is also full of love. I invite you to search for expressions of Love. When we search for it, we are more likely to find it. We as believers in Jesus Christ should seek to fill the world with God's love. As the love of God speaks through us perhaps we can help the world find more light. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How will your life be improved if you were more slow to anger? Final Thought: In some ways I am sorry to bring up such a strongly polarizing message in this meditation. I have seen so many of my friends have such wildly different and passionate perspectives about these things that I feel it is on many people's minds. These meditations are meant to help us make sense of the world of God which has clear messages for our times. The goal is not to help us compartmentalize the rest of our lives into the chaotic outside while the world of God is only discussed in idealized circumstances. Sometimes parts of us get mixed up in heated things which can be at odds with the peace we seek. I don't think the only way is to be silent and passive. May God give us guidance in how to help improve the world we live in. Slowing your body's natural anger response and finding healthy vents for it can be a powerfully helpful skill to learn. I invite you to trust in God's love to help us overcome the baser parts of our humanity and to rise up to make the change we want to see in the world. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

James 1:19-21 ESV 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

236 Quick To Listen, Slow to Speak, Slow to Anger, A Guided Christian Meditation on James 1:19-21 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: James 1:19-21 ESV 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. KJV 19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Meditation on Scripture: The concept of anger is challenging to address. In this moment, be slow to form a judgement and listen to this short message which I believe God has put on my heart to share. Passion and intensity are often associated with making positive change in the world especially against established forms of evil. This scripture says that our anger is not needed to bring to pass the righteousness of God because that is not what produces it. As you remember times when you were angry I want you to think about how well you listened. How well did you consider a wide range of information needed to make complex decisions. Many problems our world faces right now need exactly those solutions to work, which anger will derail. I find myself personally very angry when I hear of people from the African American community die in direct opposition to justice. I also feel angry when the city I live in has a curfew placed because people are rioting and causing chaotic senseless violence in the streets. I feel frustrated to see people run to one of those two extremes while not listening to the other. So I stop. And I listen. and I think. I have so much to learn. Are angry snap judgements helpful and healing to this crazy chaotic world? Are our shortsighted impulses the messages that will bring the change we want to see in the world? I invite you to join with me and be prayerful and thoughtful about how to overcome any snap judgements we mahy form and replace them with clarity as we plead with God for guidance. Perhaps with this guidance, we can do our small piece to heal our world. Perhaps God has a way for you to change people's minds with love. Perhaps there is something that only you can do, it will take your best brain power. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How will your life be improved if you were more slow to anger? Final Thought: In some ways I am sorry to bring up such a strongly polarizing message in this meditation. I have seen so many of my friends have such wildly different and passionate perspectives about these things that I feel it is on many people's minds. These meditations are meant to help us make sense of the world of God which has clear messages for our times. The goal is not to help us compartmentalize the rest of our lives into the chaotic outside while the world of God is only discussed in idealized circumstances. Sometimes parts of us get mixed up in heated things which can be at odds with the peace we seek. I don't think the only way is to be silent and passive. May God give us guidance in how to help improve the world we live in. Slowing your body's natural anger response and finding healthy vents for it can be a powerfully helpful skill to learn. I invite you to trust in God's love to help us overcome the baser parts of our humanity and to rise up to make the change we want to see in the world. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christ

Bible verses for Meditation: John 15:9-13 NIV 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. NABRE 9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. 11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

234 Greater Love Has No One Than This, That He Lay Down His Life for His Friends A Guided Christian Meditation on John 15:9-13 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: John 15:9-13 NIV 9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. NABRE 9 As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. 11 "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. 12 This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. Meditation on Scripture: What is a friend? May 25th is Memorial Day for us. It is a time when we can remember our fallen warriors who gave the last full measure of devotion and died in military service. There is a certain mystery and awe that people speak about those who have died in combat. When done to protect the innocent and prevent further oppression, it is honorable and a high ideal. The cause of peace should be an even higher priority. The message that was even more important here for Jesus did not actually have to do with soldiers in combat. It was a prophecy about his own pending death. He knew he was intentionally laying down His life for His friends. Jesus is the tip of the spear in taking the fight to the enemy. This is not an enemy that seeks to just kill us, but far worse. Jesus appeals to this concept directly even before his death was known to his disciples. In the Old Testament God was often portrayed as a Lion of Judah and there is a common metaphor there of God as a warrior. As you battle the darkness that creeps into your life to destroy you, know that you have a warrior who is strong enough to rescue you when you most need it. Your God continually protects you against the forces of evil and can continue to do so. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What is a friend? Final Thought: As you ponder that this week I want you to be mindful of how earthly friends can help you overcome hardship. Equally important, consider how the role of God's friendship is similar and also different from other humans who are your friends. Our friends have influence over us and help shape us into the people we will become. What things would you hope for in a person who would walk with you and help you stay out of danger. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Bible verses for Meditation: NRSV 24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God's grace. 25 "And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. ESV 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

232 Your Life's Value and God's Whole Purpose A Guided Christian Meditation on Acts 20:24-27 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: NRSV 24 But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God's grace. 25 "And now I know that none of you, among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom, will ever see my face again. 26 Therefore I declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. ESV 24 But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Meditation on Scripture: Purpose is something that can bridge the disconnect between human frailty and the love of God. This is perhaps one of the more important truths we need to learn as we navigate life. The way in which we hold the value of our life is profoundly important. If we hold our lives of too high an importance we may miss the purposes God has for us and act selfishly. If we hold our lives of too little importance, without proper focus, we can loose purpose and be vulnerable to abuses in this life. This scripture provides a strong statement that may be misinterpreted to be careless about the sanctity of life. That doesn't seem to be Paul's intent. I have talked with people in the hospital who experienced death and then came back. Although I have many unanswered questions about these experiences, the very often filled people with Godly purpose for years afterward. If we could see into our future reunion with God I am confident we would feel this same purpose. For now we are left to look forward to that reunion in faith. God loves you profoundly and wants you to trust him and then apply the gifts he has given you, to better your life and those around you as much as possible. The Gospel of the Love of God does not require us to feel horrible about ourselves, in fact rightly interpreting our fallen condition can fill us with joy and gratitude that God chooses to love us. You can be fallen and flawed while being lifted up and loved by God at the same time. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What is the value of your life? Final Thought: This week has been an extremely intense emotionally taxing week in my ministry. I have come head to head with the struggles of others regarding the purpose of life in the midst of suffering. I can promise you that God has his perfect purposes which will be fulfilled. He blesses us with the ability to follow the path he has laid out and regardless of our fallen nature and our nearly constant sin, he has decided there is something greater for us. His hope for us that is higher than what we are currently living. The way to do that is by trusting him, and then developing our spiritual strength and maturity. Unfortunately, oftentimes, that comes through suffering and hardship. Despite the temporary nature of life, it has profound eternal purpose. I feel that meditating on the word of God can help reveal that purpose to our hearts. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitte

230 Mary the First Witness of Jesus Luke 1:1-4 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Luke 1 NIV 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. NABRE 1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, 3 I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. Meditation on Scripture:FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

230 Mary the First Witness of Jesus Luke 1:1-4 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Luke 1 NIV 1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. NABRE 1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, 3 I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. Meditation on Scripture: The book of Luke and Acts was written as letter. Luke spoke to eyewitnesses as stated in the scripture. Consider the parts were the account of Mary was given. For example, later when she experiences the angelic visitation. What other eye witness account could have been given other than hers? In this sense, Mary's experience with the angel and then feeling Jesus in her womb was the first testimony of the living Christ. Although prophecy abounds, her words represent the first physical testimony of the life of Jesus. For most people on earth this trend continues. Your life was likely first discovered by your mother while you were in her womb. Since we live with ourselves all our lives we don't see what a consistent discovery that is. The discovery of our life was made by the women who bore us. Today many people celebrate Mother's day. I want you to understand that I am aware of the complexities of many people's family relationships. In fact there are so many different possible combinations of how you could have been raised. My hope for you today is that you can experience the miracle that is your life from the perspective of a discovery. At one point there was a person who suddenly discovered that your life was new. In some ways that same being that we were in that moment is what we still are. The full ramifications of our lives are still being discovered. When Jesus revealed himself to the Apostles and to congregations and gatherings he was the same being that was born a baby and laid in a manger. Despite where we have been and what we are now. Our whole life is an opportunity to mature spiritually and fully realize God's plans for us. God continues to work in us to do amazing things. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: Who is an eyewitness to your life? Final Thought: Many people are separated from family today. Perhaps your mother is not with us, perhaps you didn't know her or she has died. There are so many complex ways our days play out. I want to invite the peace of God into your heart as you work through the gratitude and longing of your feelings about your mother. If you are a struggling mother, know this that God loves you and your efforts are amazing and godly. Your testimony of the life you attempt to rear will last on throughout the eternities, however despite the best efforts, each person is given the freedom to Choose God and follow him or stumble. As we trust in the wisdom and love of God we can trust in the just and merciful plan that He has for the betterment of all, including distant children. May God pour into your heart the balm of joy in the understanding of His great plan for you. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jar

229 Free Form Christian Meditation on Genesis 2:4-7 Bible verses for Meditation: Genesis 2 NIV 4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. ESV 4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

228 God Put the Breath of Life in Us A Guided Christian Meditation on Genesis 2:4-7 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Genesis 2 NIV 4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. ESV 4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. Meditation on Scripture: One thing I love to learn about is God's creation as illustrated through scientific discovery. I have seen planets, nebulae, and galaxies through my telescope. I have seen a full eclipse with my bare eyes, and recently I have been getting into learning about microscopic life. It is amazing to see the complexity and diversity of life that can exist in a single drop of water. I often wonder how God created life. I often wonder what that looked like. Was it done in a flash of light? Did he use similar methods for ways he is continuing to be involved with creation, by using the laws he set up in the beginning? Based on my understanding, it seems that God created the earth through an immense and elaborate system of causation continually guided by His will. The advance of science can never answer the questions of why the Earth exists, or even why would our earth be able to support life that could be conscious. Only God can fully answer that question. The ability for us to exist on earth as we are is dependent now, and has always been on an innumerable number of microscopic life forms that God created for this purpose. There is evidence that a certain kind of bacteria called Cyanobacteria was responsible for converting the water on earth to energy and Oxygen many many years ago resulting in a global production of oxygen. God converted the iron based toxic wasteland that was the pre-oxygen earth, into a Garden teeming with life and in that moment, breathed life into us. You are alive because God created this extremely complex earth for you to live on. You live because he created you to live. God provided processes and laws that would govern the earth, making it possible to support your life throughout time. He has been forming this moment for you. The very air you breathe has been prepared for you for a very long time. His life fills you. Breathe in and feel the breath of God in your lungs. He created this world for us because he loves us. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: Why did God create the Earth? Final Thought: God molded the confines of our world to give us an opportunity to glorify the name of the Lord even when the world seems to be set up against you. It isn't. It has been created for your ETERNAL good, even if it is hard right now. The scriptures say very little about many fundamental laws of science because that doesn't impact our ability to follow him. For example the fundamental forces of physics that God created in the first moments of our Universe are not explained in Scrip

226 In God I Trust and am not Afraid A Guided Christian Meditation on Psalms 56:10-13 NABRE 10 My foes turn back when I call on you. This I know: God is on my side. 11 I praise the word of God, I praise the word of the Lord. 12 In God I trust, I do not fear. What can man do to me? 13 I have made vows to you, God; with offerings I will fulfill them, 14 For you have snatched me from death, kept my feet from stumbling, That I may walk before God in the light of the living. Meditation on Scripture: FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

226 In God I Trust and am not Afraid A Guided Christian Meditation on Psalms 56:10-13 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Psalms 56 NIV 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise— 11 in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? 12 I am under vows to you, my God; I will present my thank offerings to you. 13 For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. NABRE 10 My foes turn back when I call on you. This I know: God is on my side. 11 I praise the word of God, I praise the word of the Lord. 12 In God I trust, I do not fear. What can man do to me? 13 I have made vows to you, God; with offerings I will fulfill them, 14 For you have snatched me from death, kept my feet from stumbling, That I may walk before God in the light of the living. Meditation on Scripture: This week I have been struggling with stress with a particular thing I was working on. Perhaps you can identify with that at some point in your life. I am not new to stress and I am not new to trusting in God, yet in this case I really struggled working through the worry that things would not turn out. I knew that I should trust in the Lord and I knew that God would watch out for me and love me. I knew that in his eyes things were fine and would turn out alright. Yet despite what I knew in my head and I have experienced the peace of God so often in my life I knew of it as a reality. Yet for some reason I was struggling in this case. Sometimes I have seen people get down on themselves when they struggle with an emotional experience. Especially when I have a long streak of success with stress I forget that it is not the default position. It takes intentionality to let go of human neurotic worries. We can practice this and be gentle with ourselves as we work on coming back to peace. There despite whatever action I took I continued to feel stress. I did have the distinct impression that God could help me draw near to him through this struggle and I came to believe that. I had prayed and pleaded with the Lord to provide me feelings of peace and guide my actions. At that point I remember not feeling it. Similar to this the Psalmist called out to God in support from real stress. I remember not getting the answer of peace I was seeking, yet I continued to pour my heart out to God. Days past and I continued to struggle. I listened to my own podcast episodes to help me get to sleep at night which helped but when I awoke it continued. Then, at one specific moment that I can still visualize it came. God sent his peace into my heart in one specific moment. The sudden onset of the peace let me know with certainty it came from God. I was grateful. Since then when this worry has tried to creep back into my heart I can remember the peace that God sent and it returns. This peace is a gift from God that we do not get to control. Glory to God for the gift of His peace. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: When was a time when God sent you his peace? Final Thought: I hope that as you make gentle yet profound and positive steps toward drawing nearer to God spirit of peace that you don't feel failure or judgement if you at times struggle to feel that. I have talked to people who struggle to feel that consistently. It would be pure pride to argue that your or my experience with peace are somehow related to superior performance, yet there are things we can do consistently to attempt to invite that spirit of peace into our lives. My hope and prayer is that together we can work on those things as we invite God's word and spirit into our lives and then pour out gratitude on Him when we experience them. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ

224 Lord is it Time? A Guided Christian Meditation on Acts 1:6-8 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Acts 1:6-8 KJV 6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time arestore again the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. NIV 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Meditation on Scripture: From the very first moments after Jesus was resurrected the people wondered when the global salvation of the Messiah would be seen. I have heard this as long as I have been alive, that Jesus' second coming is right around the corner. One thing I can tell you for certain is that we will see the face of Jesus within one generation but perhaps not in the way we think. When everyone living now dies they will go before the judgement bar of God and see his face. Many times we can be tempted to answer this question that lingers in the hearts of many Christians. Many people spend a lot of emotional and intellectual energy on trying to discover this thing that Jesus said would not be known to us. God intentional has left this question answer and yet has answered a far more important question. As the world wonders how to escape the darkness of soul caused by moral corruption there is a clear answer. Jesus. As we wonder how to overcome overburdened anxiety and conscience there is a clear answer, Jesus. We can learn how to invite the Holy Spirit into our lives then rejoice in gratitude when the gracious presence is felt and we experience God. This is what gives us a profound witness which we can share. This is our mission and goal, to share the most real form of Love in existence, the eternal and all revealing acceptance of the God of Grace. As we wrestle with the question of purpose, we can be encouraged by the support offered by a God more focused on transforming us into the Holy image of the God. God's timing will prevail. Instead of heeding the normal curiosity and perhaps even anxious desperation of God's pending coming, we can focus on the absolute and resolute answer He gives. We have a Savior who lives and will redeem us from whatever is in our way. As we feel the influence of the Holy Spirit our hearts can be aided in sharing the hope of God. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How do we best invite the presence of the Holy Spirit? Final Thought: I feel a lot of compassion for the anxious energy surrounding the signs of the times. I know many people who have struggled for decades with fear of the evil prophesied about the end times. Regardless of the way you understand the theology of the end times I invite you to perceive all this prophecy in the context of the illuminating Love of God. Fear is not from God. We have nothing to fear as we place our trust in the only one who is mighty to save. If you are still working on feeling God's answer to this question I invite you to follow him. Leave the things of this world. Leave your favorite worry and anxiety. Leave your pet fear and follow the Master who claimed that he can place our burdens on Him. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail

Luke 24:28-31 NIV 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

222 Jesus Stay With Us A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 24:28-31 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Luke 24:28-31 NIV 28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. NRSV 28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. Meditation on Scripture: This scripture occurs right after the resurrection. As these two people were walking along Jesus sneaks up on them and intentionally talks with them without them knowing it is Jesus. Perhaps this may not seem like the most direct Easter message. I trust that in your thoughts and prayers you have been considering the Passion narrative and the meaning of the resurrection. This reflection is meant to ask the question of why God chose to do it this way. The most glorious and important of events in all the history of the earth occurred in such a way that we only have ancient writings of people who summarized it years after the fact. Why? Why are you living the life you are living right now? Why do you have the set of trials that you do? Why does God sneak into our lives and impart just enough hope to continue? I think this is tied to the very purpose of life in general. Why we were born on earth was not an accident. There is a deep purpose to your life. God knows it. As you spend time walking with him on your own road to Emmaus then you gain glimpses of His love and teachings. Keep walking the path. No matter how many dark days or confusing moments keep walking and searching for the purpose God has put into you. Cocider this purpose now. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How can you continue to search out God's purpose for you? Final Thought: When we realize the bizarre nature of life and how much suffering it can contain, we can be tempted by being satiated by the true and easy answer that our purpose is what God tells us our purpose is. As we read scripture many people will declare to know what God's purpose is for you. They may be totally right, but I think part of what this scripture teaches us is that God will walk with us and guide us in extremely unobvious ways. When we find the answer that our lives are meant to glorify Him, we can continue to grow spiritually by searching for how to do that. As we continue to live with integrity in our faith and understanding of God's commands this can be a deeper purpose. Learning what it means to be challenged and still choosing him is of value. There are thousands of other lessons we learn that are more complex than the answers you would give a child about God's purposes for you. In this time of chaos realize that God has a purpose for you now. I don't think the specific nuance of it is meant to be clear from birth to death. It is meant to be a personal road to Emmaus. Keep searching, keep living the faith, keep receiving God's grace as you work toward the highest ideals that He has for you. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts

ESV 29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "Lord,[e] have mercy on us, Son of David!" 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" 33 They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. Meditation on Scripture: FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

220 Lord Have Mercy on Us, Son of David A Guided Christian Meditation on Matthew 20:29-34 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Matthew 20 NRSV 29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 There were two blind men sitting by the roadside. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, "Lord,[h] have mercy on us, Son of David!" 31 The crowd sternly ordered them to be quiet; but they shouted even more loudly, "Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!" 32 Jesus stood still and called them, saying, "What do you want me to do for you?" 33 They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." 34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight and followed him. ESV 29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "Lord,[e] have mercy on us, Son of David!" 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" 33 They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. Meditation on Scripture: This will come out on Palm Sunday. The day in which our Lord was celebrated a few short days before his crucifixion. It must have been a confusing and polarized time. Some people were throwing down their clothes for him and some demanding he be killed. This scripture is found immediately before Jesus's entrance into Jerusalem. I am not sure if it occurred exactly like this Chronologically but I think it is important in the narrative. I think it is appropriate to speak of God with respect, deference, and reverence. Yet it sounded like these men abandoned all civility as they shouted to Jesus to be heard. Sometimes we are bothered by the normal sounds of children as we try and focus on important things. On bad days we may be so distracted trying to be good that we miss serving others who are less polished in their petitions. I think there is more personal way of looking at this; perhaps we are the ones that are the blind. Perhaps we are the ones that desperately need to shout a little louder as we approach God. Perhaps we need to abandon our normal docile and overly formal ways of trying to relate with God and bare our souls as we shout out our plea. Not to force him hear us, but to let us know how much we need Him. Like in this story, I believe that Jesus will have compassion on us in our requests. Perhaps the most difficult times of suffering and difficulty best help to brake away the stale and safe ways we have come to compartmentalize the parts of us that believe from the are ambivalent and sinful. Perhaps we need to smash these fake boundaries in our mind, until we are one unified heart shouting out to God in desperation. May any barriers between our hearts and God be broken down by feverish zeal as we proclaim our need of Him. In this we gain spiritual integrity. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What boundaries keep you from spiritual integrity? Final Thought: I invite you in your prayers to be like these blind men. God does not fear your desire for him. I don't even think he fears our frustrations or passion. As we become honest and genuine with God He can help us soften our hearts with more reality. Things like this can help us realize that scripture is not the words of old dead guys but the guide to helping us build our faith in God. I know when I am more honest with God, I feel more understood. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Chri

Bible verses for Meditation: Isaiah 58:6-8 NIV "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

218 Join With Me In Fasting For The Our World A Guided Christian Meditation on Isaiah 58:6-8 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Isaiah 58:6-8 NIV "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. NABRE Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke? 7 Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh? 8 Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Meditation on Scripture: This scripture points out our role in the world when there is suffering. As we experience the fear and worry associated with a world in panic, we can realize that we may be able to serve in unique ways. We have more options than to choose between ignorance and debilitating fear. If you are searching for something that you could do to help this world, I have an idea. Each of us who are healthy enough to fast can conduct a special fast for the healing of our world. As we do we can be prayerful of the medical providers who need guidance, sustainment, and rest. We can be prayerful for those who are afflicted and suffering physically from disease. And we can pray that the financial consequences of this disease don't cause additional suffering. Fasting does not twist God's arm into listening to us, but it can help us by helping us focus on God and those in need. While fasting we can learn to put down our immediate needs by confronting one of our most consistent urges. As we connect with the discomfort of fasting we become aware of the realities of those who are in want and our hearts can grow to find additional ways to serve. Eventually this particular bizzare and tragic situation will end and we will see the light of the dawn we as a world will be healed. Never forget that God's light penetrates the darkness. There is nothing that happens now that will not be shown in the full understanding of God's light. The effects will be felt as we move on with life, as it always is with tragedy but hopefully we can do it while keeping the desire for service to our fellow human beings. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What does the practice of the fast teach you about God? Final Thought: I invite you to Join me in fasting today, of course exercising good judgement if you are healthy enough to fast. But if you are this may give us something we can do. When I fast, I normally do a dry fast for a day. It is a physical challenge some days but it reminds us of our need before God. As we intensify our prayer during a fast it is a way to focus our intent and try our resolve. It is also a way that we can serve tangibly. If you forgo eating then you ideally have a surplus of food that translates into money. Perhaps find a worthy charitable cause and donate to that cause as a result of the fast. I would recommend looking at charities that need help during this time and giving to one of them. Although our leaders tell us to stay physically distant that doesn't mean there isn't anything we can do to help. Let us help God

217 A Free Form Christian Meditation on James 4:7-10 James 4 NIV 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. KJV 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

216 Draw Near Unto God and He Will Draw Near Unto You A Guided Christian Meditation on James 4:7-10 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: James 4 NIV 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. KJV 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Meditation on Scripture: Some of my Chaplain friends have been sharing this scripture almost as a joke but then I realized how profound it is. In some ways I am hesitant to share this message but I feel profoundly that this is what we all need right now. For everyone who has access to my voice right now, also has access to communicate with hundreds of people across the globe on the internet. Despite that, the efforts we make for health reasons may leave people feeling more isolated and lonely. This scripture points to an even greater need. As we are feeling the effects of social separation, we can remember that God invites us to draw as close as we want to him. He sets the conditions for what that will look like. It requires us to humble ourselves much of the time. Even as we believe that we are doing pretty good we can receive even greater love from God by submitting ourselves to Him. Peace comes from humbling ourselves before God. When we feel out of control. When we feel like there is nothing we can do, we can draw near unto him. When health officials ask us to wash our hands, God asks us to purify our actions and our hearts. What an encouraging thought that God invites us to draw near to him and provides a way to do that. I am not saying that somehow we need to believe that our actions make us pure, God makes us pure. God is teaching us how to draw near to him. We draw near to him as we learn that the things that we think are most important are not. As we are kind to others and speak with genuine hearts and help those that mourn, we take on the heart of God. Earlier in this scripture it basically says God is extremely interested, even jealous, to see the spirit in us that He put there. Each time we wash our hands may we also remember to wash our hearts. What a symbol of love this is. I fervently hope that this message brings joy to you as you realize the way to be exalted is to submit to God. I believe that this scripture is not meant to depress us but to lift us out of the trap of the carnal mind that each and every one of us are constantly wrestling with. As you reflect on this message I hope above all that this stirs in your heart a glimmer of the immense love that God has for you in wanting to lift us to a higher plane where His love will take us. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How can you humble yourself before God, purify your heart today and draw near to God? Final Thought: God loves you so much. Even in the midst of tough times. I live in California and things are being locked down over here, and yet the heavens remain open. As we find ourselves bored we can find so many positive things to do if we spend the time to look. I have found myself to be more easily frustrated than normal. I have felt a need to course correct. A lot of people I have been talking to have been feeling this same mix of calm and chaos. This is a perfect envi

Bible verses for Meditation: Matthew 10 ESV 16 "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

214 Be Wise as Serpents and Innocent as Doves A Guided Christian Meditation on Matthew 10:16-18 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Matthew 10 ESV 16 "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. NABRE 16 "Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. 17 But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans. Meditation on Scripture: Jesus foretold that the would would experience tribulation. This included both persecution of Christians but also physical hardships. In light of the worldwide panic that is occuring right now due to COVID-19 I think this scripture brings insight into this situation. Many people struggle between the two extremes of complacency and terror. In this scripture, Jesus suggests another option. Be wise and thoughtful while also being open to the peace that comes from staying faithful to God. God does not desire us to be fearful. Later in this same chapter Jesus says not to fear people who can only destroy your body because God is in control of our immortal souls. The interesting analogy is that the serpent is used as a metaphor for the enemy because of its cunning, the Dove is a metaphor for the spirit of God. Here Jesus says it is good to be wise as long as we yield to the Spirit of God. We can be thoughtful and cautious while not being fearful. This can be helped by being mindful of where you get your information. There are many people who profit from making people fearful. God is not in that camp. It says in 2 Tim 1:7 God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, and love, and a sound mind. We should not embrace a spirit of panic. In fact we can actively choose the peaceful way while taking appropriate precautions. Take a breath right now and let go of any remaining fear that is in your heart. Open yourself to the peace of God. When you go throughout your week and you notice fear rising inside of you, remember this moment and remember to allow the spirit of the dove to guide your thoughts and actions. When you feel emotional fatigue of taking wise action, remember to accept wisdom. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How do you respond when feelings of fear well up inside of you? Final Thought: There will be many opportunities in the coming days and weeks for exercising this mindset. As you encounter sensationalized news reports remember to trust the spirit of God as a dove. When you are tempted to with apathy about medical wisdom, embrace screwedness and take appropriate action. As others place their entire focus on a microscopic organism, place your focus on the God of the universe. Our fallen world has disease which will affect many good people. Trust that God has our eternal good in mind and He will always care for that as we remain faithful in Him as the source of our salvation. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Luke 12:13-15 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14 But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" 15 And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Meditation on Scripture: FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

212 Life Does Not Consist in The Abundance of Possessions A Guided Christian Meditation on Luke 12:13-15 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Luke 12 KJV 13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. 14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? 15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. NRSV 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." 14 But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" 15 And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Meditation on Scripture: This scripture is interesting in many ways. Jesus asks who made him a judge, yet in the book of John he clearly states that the Father gave all judgement to the son. Also his focus and context was not on justice. There are times constantly when I parent that I have to decide which of the two children to correct first when they are in a disagreement. There is a value when the law protects the weak and powerless but there is also a need to help correct proud hearts. There are times when Jesus speaks to this. What he seems to be teaching above all is about greed and scarcity. Perhaps it is because he detected pride and greed in his heart and chose to focus on that because it would have more of an impact on his eternal soul than the possessions they were fighting over. There are times when we clamour for justice. We expect God to resolve things for us and take care of those in the wrong when our hearts are not set on his ways. We seek peace when we place too much importance on the things of this world. We can be tempted to see the world as a fearful place. We seek control. We seek indicators of meaning and value. We seek stability and to remove fear in our hearts. All of these things lead us to seek abundance of possessions. Jesus' message to us is extremely timely. As we have too little money or too much God remains in control. Regardless of our earthly possessions God sent his son to die for us. Regardless of our physical need we will end up in an eternal heaven with a loving Father who cherishes us and will pour out his glory upon us as much as we are willing to receive it through faith. Justice is clearly important. It is also important that we act in wisdom regarding our stewardship of financial resources to reduce our suffering and the suffering of others, but it is far more important for us to root out fear and pride out of our own hearts. Similarly Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How do you feel you should adjust your relationship to earthly things? Final Thought: Trust in God. He is eternally faithful. Even if we feel that he does not respond to our earthly need, as he did when interacting with this person. We can learn to put off our faith in money and our faith in possessions and we place greater faith in the eternal goodness of the God of the universe. Bad things do happen to good people. And sometimes those bad things teach us extremely valuable lessons. As we develop our faith in God we can fear and cling less to the things of this world. We can learn to detach from our desires and our things. Spend some time specifically placing the focus of our hearts on feeling the love of God and minimizing the fear and greed we experience in life. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditat

Hebrews 4 NIV 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

210 Jesus Understands our Temptation A Guided Christian Meditation on Hebrews 4:14-16 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Hebrews 4 NIV 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. NABRE 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help Meditation on Scripture: For many Christians this Wed was Ash Wed and this week began a period of 40 days of fasting called lent. In episode 75 I covered the beggining verses of Matthew 4 which is the temptation of Jesus which you may enjoy this week. This week's scripture is in reference to the experience Jesus has while on earth, living life as a man. Jesus understands what temptation is like. He understands what it is like to give up the necessities of life. Sometimes our greatest sin is when we get consumed with desires that we feel overcome us, but this scripture gives us hope. Our experience with temptation does not need to drive us into the ground in shame, rather our understanding of how Jesus understands this human experience can give us hope in His ability to help us overcome sin. During the weeks that lead up to Easter we can be mindful of this tension. We can observe our temptation within ourselves and plead with God to help us transform on a trajectory similar to His Son. We can approach the throne of grace confidently and as we attempt to overcome temptation and sin we can receive timely help if we consistently approach God in love and humility. As Jesus said, man will not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. In your efforts to reduce your submission to sin and focus on the Sacrifice and Resurrection of Jesus this season, keep the faith. Each time your heart feels discouraged, may it be lifted. Each time you think that you are too far gone or that you have done too much for God to forgive, remember his understanding and his desire for you to keep drawing ever nearer and abandoning sin. Use this time of prayer and fasting as a way to stay connected with Him in the middle of the tumultuous times so when we arrive at the gate he will invite us to enter into his presence because we have spent a life of trying to follow, although in a flawed way. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: How does knowing that Jesus was tempted as we are help you to relate to God? Final Thought: God has an overwhelming desire to help us overcome the natural effects of sin while helping us to develop and embrace his spirit of Grace. Fatih in God is also trusting in His process to transform us. Fortunately or unfortunately this includes a lot of trial and error as we attempt to clearly discern the will of the Lord then struggle against our rebellious natures to return each time we go astray. I firmly believe that it is important for us to take accountability for our sin while also not being bowled over by shame. Allow the peace of our understanding God to enter your heart as you attempt to give up sin in your life. That is what the Easter season is all about. Trust in new beginnings. Trust in an all powerful risen

NIV 1 This is what the LORD says: "Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take along some of the elders of the people and of the priests 2 and go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. There proclaim the words I tell you, …. 10"Then break the jar while those who go with you are watching, 11and say to them, `This is what the LORD Almighty says: I will smash this nation and this city just as this potter's jar is smashed and cannot be repaired. They will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

208 Will The Lord Break His Pottery A Guided Christian Meditation on Jeremiah 19:1, 2, 10, 11 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Jeremiah 19 NRSV 1 Thus said the Lord: Go and buy a potter's earthenware jug. Take with you some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests, 2 and go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom at the entry of the Potsherd Gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you. …... 10 Then you shall break the jug in the sight of those who go with you, 11 and shall say to them: Thus says the Lord of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter's vessel, so that it can never be mended. In Topheth they shall bury until there is no more room to bury. NIV 1 This is what the LORD says: "Go and buy a clay jar from a potter. Take along some of the elders of the people and of the priests 2 and go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, near the entrance of the Potsherd Gate. There proclaim the words I tell you, …. 10"Then break the jar while those who go with you are watching, 11and say to them, `This is what the LORD Almighty says: I will smash this nation and this city just as this potter's jar is smashed and cannot be repaired. They will bury the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. Meditation on Scripture: This scripture is stern. It represents a fierce threat from God. As we learn and develop our relationship with God it can be tempting to look at Jesus and think that God would never truly bring punishment on anyone. Perhaps we see Him as a permissive and passive parent. This Jesus of Nasareth is the same Jehovah who sternly warned others of pending destruction. Many people struggle with notions of Gof because of how they interpret the Old Testament. Is God love or does God demand obedience? Which view is accurate? what if they are one and the same. I have a fervent conviction that God prefers us not to fear. Scripture teaches that God does not give us the spirit of fear but of power. Yet he is not permissive of sin. When he healed a lame man at the waters of Bethesda he said to the man "Stop sinning or something worse will happen." Jesus said many times that we need to believe and follow Him. If we make mistakes, we can come back. We can overcome sin with His help. In this moment I want you to imagine sitting in front of a loving smiling God. As you look into his loving face you begin to ponder on your current sins. What feeling rushed over you? My goal with this excersize is not to help you excuse your sin but to realize that any guilt we feel has one purpose. To draw us to the throne of grace and help us overcome that sin. Imagine now that as you look God in the eyes he strengthens you enough to leave your sin. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What sins do you need to release from your heart? Final Thought: as I said the purpose of guilt is to draw us to God and reconcile with each other and prevent us from sin in the future. It had no useful purpose outside of that. Satan knows that persistent guilt distracts and demotivates us from loving in the love of God. As you strive to love and live as God would have you do, embrace the fact that you can release the guilt required to draw you to repentance and trust God to forgive as He has said. He loves you and wants you to feel his peace. Embrace Hos peace as you accept his help in overcoming sin. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Jeremiah 18 NASB 1 This word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Arise and go down to the potter's house; there you will hear my word. 3 I went down to the potter's house and there he was, working at the wheel. 4 Whenever the vessel of clay he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making another vessel of whatever sort he pleased. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done?—oracle of the Lord. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

206 Can I Not Treat You As The Potter a Guided Christian Meditation on Jeremiah 18:1-6 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Jeremiah 18 NASB 1 This word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Arise and go down to the potter's house; there you will hear my word. 3 I went down to the potter's house and there he was, working at the wheel. 4 Whenever the vessel of clay he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making another vessel of whatever sort he pleased. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done?—oracle of the Lord. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. NABRE 1 This word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Arise and go down to the potter's house; there you will hear my word. 3 I went down to the potter's house and there he was, working at the wheel. 4 Whenever the vessel of clay he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making another vessel of whatever sort he pleased. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done?—oracle of the Lord. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel. Meditation on Scripture: Much of the time when us humans consider the word of the Lord we ponder what it means to us. We try and figure out what the Lord is doing in our life. We have a tendency to expect that what we think about something is important perhaps because much of God's focus when he speaks to us is to help move us along to follow in His path. Consider things from God's perspective. As he shapes the cosmos and has formed this earth at times he has declared that things are not how he wants them. The Old Testament is filled with this kind of language. How often do we consider God's justice from His perspective? How often do we see the struggle he has with our wickedness and disobedience. In being all powerful God could force each of us to follow the commandments. Yet he doesn't do this. Instead he lets things develop and at times problems grow, such as in the time of Jeremiah when the whole nation was punished for idol worship. Consider your life as a delicate glob of clay in the hands of a true master craftsman. As God works to shape you and change you into what he wants of you, He knows what he wants it to look like. At times that may mean that certain areas will be stretched and pushed. Certain areas will be pinched or ground down. Even with all of this at times His goals for us may take more. Perhaps you have experienced a moment in your life that has felt like a clay jar was finally starting to take shape and then everything came crashing down around you. Perhaps it was because God had different expectations for you. Perhaps as you allow him to rework you again, your relationship will him will continue to develop. Perhaps he will be more satisfied with the outcome, even though it has caused a lot of frustration or heart ache. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: Do you trust God to sculpt your life? Final Thought: As we give up on holding God to our human standard and expectation we can find peace in knowing that his goal for us, is spiritual growth. He does not care about the things we are able to obtain in this life. He wants to know if we learned to live and love. If not then we may need to be tossed again and sculpted again. If you are in the middle of a smooth period, or plateau give thanks to the God who is forming you and search deep within your heart for what your expectations are about life. Does God owe you this smooth period? I truly feel that as we spend our smooth periods learning to be grateful we can escape some of the snares of pride. Your life's design may not make sense to y

Bible verses for Meditation: Matthew 25 NRSV 8 The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Meditation on Scripture: FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

204 Give Us of Your Oil a Guided Christian Meditation on Matthew 25:8-10 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be change d by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Matthew 25 KJV 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. NRSV 8 The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, 'No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Meditation on Scripture: This is an excerpt from the parable of the 10 virgins in which there are ten young women who are invited to a wedding. The groom comes much later than expected and the oil burning lamps they brought had run out of fuel. The half that brought extra oil didn't have enough to share. The most clear metaphor is that the oil represents our spiritual development and relationship with God. This cannot be borrowed from anyone else And also cant be given by anyone else. The scripture shows how the women were directed to those people that sell oil. Where is this metaphorical oil obtained? I can only come from God. Even though I do this podcast that reaches hundreds of thousands, it actually cant do anything to give new oil to anyone. The only way that we can obtain spare oil is to open our hearts to God and to receive it from Him. only place to get that Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What are you doing to ensure you have extra oil? Final Thought: Jesus has stated that He will return. We cannot wait to prepare to meet Him until the end. We cannot wait to draw our hearts near to the Lord. I hope and pray that each of us are more able to so this each day. I deeply supplicate the Lord that these meditations can provide some context for us to be able to do that. Spend the emotional energy required to make sacred space and time in your life. Part of God's initial covenants with Abraham was that He will be our God and we will be His people. Make your heart available to do that. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Bible verses for Meditation: 1 Peter 3 NRSV 3 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; NABRE 13 Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, Meditation on Scripture: FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

202 Do Not Fear What They Fear a Guided Christian Meditation on 1 Peter 3:13-15 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be change d by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: 1 Peter 3 NRSV 3 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? 14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; NABRE 13 Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, Meditation on Scripture: Do you fear the world? How much do you stress? Do you fear an evil influence in the world or in your life? What about stress over other things in your life. Do you fear about money or relationships? Chances are if you are listening to this then you spend a lot of time thinking about or combatting against stress. Stress can feel debilitating. As part of my work I follow the research on stress and how it impacts us as humans. I was participating in a multi day training on trauma and PTS this week. Some of the most important and compelling research about stress that I have seen is summarized in in a TED talk called "How to Make Stress Your Friend." By Kelly McGonigal Although she does indicate that stress can lead to negative health outcomes however, this effect is entirely stopped for people who think that stress is good for them. Let me say that another way. If you believe stress has a positive roll in your life then it does not have the negative health effects in your life. I feel that this touches the same concept represented here. Wether we are talking about stress or suffering for Christ, the truth is that we can use our brain to change the way we perceive this. We can learn to rejoice that the Faithfulness of Jesus and that our faith in God is strong enough to get us over hardship just as we can trust that our physical stress responses in life can lift our focus and attention to help us rise to the challenges of life. If we do this we can feel the paradoxical peace of courage. As an example I preached in front of a new church. As I was getting ready to stand up, my heart began to race at the prospect of public speaking I embrace that as a blessing from God to help me hone my focus. We can literally reinterpret suffering and stress in our lives as signs of greater purpose and function. God can help us find more peace by helping our hearts be courageous. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What message is written on the tables of your heart? Final Thought: The irony of our defense of God is that is referenced here is that it does not require a fearful heart. Our response to any challenge can be an opportunity to life as Jesus did. Remember this as you feel stress. Stress is your body's response to challenge that helps you rise to the ocassion. I have found that as I learn to not fear my stress response that it is oddly less stressful and fear inducing. Our faith in God can help us come to realize God will lift your heart as you embrace and trust in God's ability to help you overcome the fear in your heart that harms your ability to overcome. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Bible verses for Meditation: 1 Peter 1 NIV 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ESV 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,[e] and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers,[g] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

200 Confirm Your Calling a Guided Christian Meditation on 2 Peter 1:5-10 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be change d by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: 1 Peter 1 NIV 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters,[a] make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, ESV 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,[e] and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if these qualities[f] are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brothers,[g] be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. Meditation on Scripture: Purpose in life comes from living according to the manner God has asked us. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What message is written on the tables of your heart? Final Thought: I believe profoundly in the redemptive power of God. Not only to consign our souls to eternal reward or punishment but also to change us here, to make our lives a closer approximation of the kingdom of God. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

Bible verses for Meditation: Genesis 15 NABRE 9 He answered him: Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 He brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. NIV 9 So the Lord said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." 10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. Meditation on Scripture: How did God determine that there would be a need for the Cross? Are we blessed to have wandered into the most eternally convenient coincidence that Jesus died for us? This is a very dense section of scripture. I picked it for a unique reason. At first glance this section is confusing. The strangeness of it causes us to gloss right over it sometimes. I have a possible interpretation. In the period of Abraham, roughly 2 thousands years before Jesus, there was a unique practice performed by powerful kings. It was a type of covenant and submission that was performed by a lower king called the assal who were serving under the power of a greater king called Suzerain. They would take animals and cut them in half and take the halves and separate them then the lesser king would walk between them. This was a symbol that if the vassal king did not live up to the covenant than he would be divided in two as the animals were. In this scripture it appears as though Abraham is being set up as the Vassal King yet Abraham is not what passes between the Animals but a smoking fire and a flaming torch. Some have interpreted this to be a representation of Jehovah. In other words, as part of the Covenant of Abraham Jehovah himself placed himself as responsible for the failure of Abraham and his posterity to maintain faithfulness to the Covenant. My goal with this scripture is to help us ponder on the mystery that is God's preparation to save us and the inevitability of our need to be saved. Despite our best intentions of positive change, if we do it alone and without God, it will not provide lasting change. As you continue to work toward improvement realize this, without God all change is incomplete at best or worse yet, pointless. Involve God in the goals for positive change that you have. We have evidence thousands of years ago that God has been preparing to bless us. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What is involved with your covenant with God? Final Thought: Long before Abraham had his son, long before Jacob's name was changed to Israel, before the Sons of Israel entered egypt, before the Exodus Jehovah was giving signs and prophecy of the need for the Cross. God was not surprised in an eternal sense that we would need a Savior. His plan to send His Son was not a last minute decision. It was because he cared for you and I before we were ever born. When we fall short of our potential at times, and sin, this is not a surprise to Him either. The Good News of the gospel is that despite our failure that God can and will forgive us if we believe in Jesus and follow His path. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

198 The Covenant of The Smoking Fire and Flaming Torch a Guided Christian Meditation on Genesis 15:9,10, 17 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be change d by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Genesis 15 NABRE 9 He answered him: Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon. 10 He brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the birds he did not cut up. 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. NIV 9 So the Lord said to him, "Bring me a heifer, a goat and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon." 10 Abram brought all these to him, cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other; the birds, however, he did not cut in half. 17 When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. Meditation on Scripture: How did God determine that there would be a need for the Cross? Are we blessed to have wandered into the most eternally convenient coincidence that Jesus died for us? This is a very dense section of scripture. I picked it for a unique reason. At first glance this section is confusing. The strangeness of it causes us to gloss right over it sometimes. I have a possible interpretation. In the period of Abraham, roughly 2 thousands years before Jesus, there was a unique practice performed by powerful kings. It was a type of covenant and submission that was performed by a lower king called the assal who were serving under the power of a greater king called Suzerain. They would take animals and cut them in half and take the halves and separate them then the lesser king would walk between them. This was a symbol that if the vassal king did not live up to the covenant than he would be divided in two as the animals were. In this scripture it appears as though Abraham is being set up as the Vassal King yet Abraham is not what passes between the Animals but a smoking fire and a flaming torch. Some have interpreted this to be a representation of Jehovah. In other words, as part of the Covenant of Abraham Jehovah himself placed himself as responsible for the failure of Abraham and his posterity to maintain faithfulness to the Covenant. My goal with this scripture is to help us ponder on the mystery that is God's preparation to save us and the inevitability of our need to be saved. Despite our best intentions of positive change, if we do it alone and without God, it will not provide lasting change. As you continue to work toward improvement realize this, without God all change is incomplete at best or worse yet, pointless. Involve God in the goals for positive change that you have. We have evidence thousands of years ago that God has been preparing to bless us. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What is involved with your covenant with God? Final Thought: Long before Abraham had his son, long before Jacob's name was changed to Israel, before the Sons of Israel entered egypt, before the Exodus Jehovah was giving signs and prophecy of the need for the Cross. God was not surprised in an eternal sense that we would need a Savior. His plan to send His Son was not a last minute decision. It was because he cared for you and I before we were ever born. When we fall short of our potential at times, and sin, this is not a surprise to Him either. The Good News of the gospel is that despite our failure that God can and will forgive us if we believe in Jesus and follow His path. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast

NRSV 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; 3 and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

196 You Are A Letter of Christ Written on The Heart a Guided Christian Meditation on 2 Corinthians 3:3-6 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be change d by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: 2 Corinthians KJV 3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. 4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. NRSV 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; 3 and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are competent of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us; our competence is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Meditation on Scripture: One thing that I hope you grasp about the purpose of this podcast is that it is not meant to simply help you feel a little more calm. Although I belive that is a deep and intentional side effect. The goal is to help us connect with the source of peace, truth and love who is Jesus Christ. Feeling peaceful is not what saves us. The state of mind or heart should not be the end goal. If you notice yourself feeling better as you do these meditations I hope you see that as a valuable stepping stone to a more profound relationship with God. A relationship that invariably will change us. One key difference that is often mentioned in podcasts such as the Being Well Podcast by Dr. Rick Hansen is moving from the focus of state to trait. In other words trying to develop tendencies toward positive emotions within us. Our relationship with God has the ability to do that, but for all eternity. Our goal should be to write the new covenant of Jesus upon our hearts and that our lives will be a living embodiment of the gospel of Jesus Christ. My hope is that as we hear of these aspirations that we don't feel fear or guilt. It is God who makes us competent enough to do the things He asks us to do. As you are making righteous desires to live your new commitments and goals I ask you to trust God one step more. Instead of being content to have good habits that produce good feelings, look for the deeper change inside of you. It will often be iterative, happening stronger with successive progress. My hope for you is that these changes take root deep inside of you and write God's law on the fleshy tables of your hearts Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What message is written on the tables of your heart? Final Thought: I believe profoundly in the redemptive power of God. Not only to consign our souls to eternal reward or punishment but also to change us here, to make our lives a closer approximation of the kingdom of God. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com App Store App: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

NRSV 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and oliveyards that you did not plant. 14 "Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

194 As For Me and My House, We Will Serve the Lord A Guided Christian Meditation on Josua 24:13-15 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Joshua 24 NIV 13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.' 14 "Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." NRSV 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and oliveyards that you did not plant. 14 "Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." Meditation on Scripture: Each of us have blessings in our lives and many things which we do not deserve. Things which were prepared for us without our forethought and action. The very resurrection of our Lord is an example of this. This is the situation we find ourselves in. Despite this many of us face challenges. Perhaps even things things can be what is referred to here. Perhaps our fields do have some vicious weeds in them. Regardless, we have a life ideally suited to give us the experiences we need to grow and choose faith in God. During this time of introspection that follows the new year I hope that we can take this message to heart. It is natural and helpful to look deep inside ourselves for improvement. We can look deep in our hearts as thoughtfully as possible. We can ask ourselves in my home and in my heart, who do I truly serve. When confronted with temptation what do I choose? When confronted with doubt, what do I choose to do and to believe? I think an important concept here is who do we choose this day. You live only today. When tomorrow arrives it will be today then. When we die someday it will feel like a today. When we go to our final spiritual reward that will become our eternal new type of moment. In this moment we can choose. In this moment we can serve. As we made new goals and objectives may we not experience them with the fear and weight of the future. We can't carry the weight of all future decisions in this moment. All we have to do is choose God this day, this hour, this moment. Set your goals to be big and then focus on what you need to do today. If one day you find yourself struggling against the weight of continuing your new habit or stopping old habbits bring your focus in and focus on just this moment. Today I can live a pure life. This moment I can choose God. This second I can release all inappropriate desire and urges. We can make goals for the future then live in this moment continually toward their fulfillment. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: What can you decide to do in this moment? Final Thought: I have found that something that gets in the way of our positive intentions is the worry of the future. How could we possibly do this forever? That is too much stress and pressure. I have found it immensely helpful to powerfully commit to the new behavior I seek or the new goal but not get burdened by the weig

NABRE 20 That is not how you learned Christ, 21 assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, 22 that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. FIND ME ON: Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Android App Store: Recenter with Christ Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast Youtube.com/ChristianMeditaitonPodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

192 Be Made New in the Attitude of Your Minds A Guided Christian Meditation on Ephesians 4:20-24 I'm Chaplain Jared and I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open for your heart to be changed by the Spirit of God. By using centuries old form of Christian Meditation named Lectio Divina: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate, deflate. Bible verses for Meditation: Ephesians 4 NIV 20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NABRE 20 That is not how you learned Christ, 21 assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus, 22 that you should put away the old self of your former way of life, corrupted through deceitful desires, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Meditation on Scripture: Rejoice in newness. Not novelty of possessions or situation in life but something more profound. Many times as we continue our walk with Christ we forget some of the passion that drives us when we first feel forgiven and renewed. It can be extremely important that we rejoice in this awareness even years and decades later. We have been created to be like God. God has already extended to us a pardon for our trust in him. Yet why is it important that Paul reminds these people of their conversion? Why does he need to tell them of their original and strong testimony of transformation? Was it not enough? What it not genuine? Was your conversion enough? This question is of course meant to be rhetorical. The answer to this question is much less important than what we experience by asking it. The answer is of course no and of course yes. If it was enough we could keel over and die the moment we profess faith in Jesus Christ. Yet we don't. We could also have perfect visions of the outline of the rest of our lives, but interestingly very few people could claim such a gift. We are left in our faith, in other words we are left to spend the rest of our lives attempting to walk in God's spirit and continually receive this transformation. As we begin the new year and you ponder what aspects of your life you could improve upon consider this, Christ can continue to transform you. Your change is not reliant solely upon your own willpower. Trust that God can help you make progress toward your worthwhile goals. Give up your corrupted desires. Refresh in your mind the truth of Jesus you have learned and trust and allow that this truth can guide your life toward continual improvement. This improvement does not need to be through force of white knuckled will but it can be the calm assurance that a loving God will continue to work in those who believe and trust him and continually try to follow. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Updates: Final Question: Do you live your life purposefully with Jesus as your King? Final Thought: I deeply hope that during this season that you will find deeper devotion to the relationships that are most important. My greatest hope for you is that you draw nearer to God both in good times and in bad. Both in busy times and lonely ones. In times of mourning and times of celebration. In times of light and while walking through the dark. Remember that Jesus is your king. He understands your needs better than you do. As the passage of time washes away the confusion and absolutist assumptions that we wrongly hold at times I truly believe that this life will be the greatest school house for Grace that we could have imagined. As we attempt to walk with God we may not feel Him by our side the whole time, but when it is all done and we are kneeling before Him we will finally come to u