Christian Meditation Podcast

042 - The Testing of Your Faith Produces Endurance - A Guided Christian Meditation Podcast James 1:2-4 I work as a Hospice Chaplain and having worked as an ICU chaplain in a busy hospital, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open to be changed by the Spirit of God by using a centuries old form of Christian Meditation called Lectio Divina. It consists of: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Consider for a moment all the work your body had done this week. What stresses have your born? What has your body done without being asked: breathing, heart beating, blood pumping, sitting, walking, moving, working, feeling. Your body replicated cells and fought infection. What a blessing it is that we have such a body. A low it to breath now. Allow a feeling a gratitude build for God about all that your body can do. With each breath you realize more the greatness of God's creation that is your body. Despite the aspects of our mortal frame that cause us suffering and sin there are also amazing aspects that glorify the God who created it. Breath slowly and allow this moment to be a time apart. Breath ever so softly but fully as you feel your mind show and your body rest. You feel relaxation building in your body and you feel grateful for it. Allow your mind to clear as you prepare to receive God's word. We will be reading from James 1:2-4 Bible verse for meditation: NRSV 2 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; 4 and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing KJV 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing Notice the similarities and differences in the translations presented. What does this scripture mean to you? Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past? How does this scripture make you feel? Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Our human weakness can be distressing. As we learn about our fallen nature it can be discouraging at times. We realize how we sin so easily, Ann's at times are slow to recognize God's hand in our lives. Wee feel trials and temptations as further evidence of our worth. This scripture is profound. Paul teaches that temptations or trials can be a source of joy. The range of these translations is useful. What is the difference between a trial and a temptation. Are they different? It could be argued the greatest trial is our own sin that results from our temptation. Yet even this can bring joy. How? It certainly Glorifies God when we have our sins washed away and are left redeemed. Paul teaches that there is a benefit to our character. God continually works to teach his children. Unfortunately trials teach us profound lessons. They teach us patience that is said to lead to our improvement. The Glory of God's mercy can yield patience in our hearts. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now with an attitude of patience. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: This part is very important. It is no accident that scripture is so full of narratives. Our minds connect with narratives. Imagine a visualization of a Narrative of your life knowing the truths from this scripture. Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Homework: what trials have you noticed bring blessings? Continuation of James 1 next week. Patreon Website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com contact. Final thought FIND ME ON: iTunes Facebook ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist

I work as a Hospice Chaplain and having worked as an ICU chaplain in a busy hospital, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open to be changed by the Spirit of God by using a centuries old form of Christian Meditation called Lectio Divina. It consists of: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Calm yourself to prepare to receive God's word. Bible verse for meditation: NIV 7 The Jewish leaders insisted, "We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God." 8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 "Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" 11 Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." 12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar." KJV 7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. 12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. Notice the similarities and differences in the translations presented. What does this scripture mean to you? Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past? How does this scripture make you feel? Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: There are any different aspects of the passion narrative. I've been thinking about the role of Pilate. Many times as we discuss Pilate we try and figure out if he is a good person or not. Pilate's troubled history with the Pilate's wife's dream Pilate seems to have had some kind of belief in Jesus. It turns out that it wasn't the kind of belief that leads to deep faith. Many times we see Pilate as a total villain. Based on the little that the Bible says about him it seems he made some half attempts to believe in Jesus. He even made some vague attempts to free Him. As I read about Pilate I can't help but to see parallels to us. Our natural desires work against us. When we have an encounter God and make a full commitment to Him, He can makes our efforts holy through His glory. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling the comfort and Love of God Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: This part is very important. It is no accident that scripture is so full of narratives. Our minds connect with narratives. Imagine a visualization of a Narrative of your life knowing the truths from this scripture. Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: FIND ME ON: iTunes Facebook ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist

This meditation has a lighter air. This is due to the presence of my daughter. Let her spirit lift you to see that through Christ all things are possible. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:Let this moment be a time of breathing. As you prepare yourself for to hear the word of God allow your body to relax and calm. Stay with my voice for this time as you prepare your heart to let God in. Breathe in and out.Box breathingFeel the tension leaving your whole body. Bible verse for meditation:Matthew 9:NIV23 When Jesus entered the synagogue leader's house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, 24 he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him. 25 After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. 26 News of this spread through all that region. KJV23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. Notice the similarities and differences in the translations presented. What does this scripture mean to you?Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past?How does this scripture make you feel? Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Discussion with TayleeMeditation of Prayer:Pray as directed by the Spirit.Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:I invite you to sit in silence feeling the comfort and Love of God Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life:This part is very important. It is no accident that scripture is so full of narratives. Our minds connect with narratives. Imagine a visualization of a Narrative of your life knowing the truths from this scripture.Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them.Conclusion:Stay with me until the end for a final thought and the reflection question. I have a couple of things to say and then I have a final thought so stay with me to the end.I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US.I did an interview with Nikki over at Bible Meditation Podcast. It's the Saturday's episode if you'd like to hear it. She is a competent and kind person and I appreciated the opportunity to talk with her. Her focus is on letting the scriptures speak and the form factor is much more compact. If you would like to listen to a thoughtful podcast dedicated to reading the liturgical scriptures, that would be a great choice. Also I welcome your responses to the reflection question as well as any other thoughts. You can contact me by going to ChristianMeditationPodcast.com and clicking on the contact tab. The information you fill in there just sends me a personal email. Reflection Question:What is one way that you can let go of anger and embrace more love in your life?Here is the Final thought:I love this scripture and I love the message that follows it. Love is patient and kind. As we learn to discipline ourselves by ridding our hearts of hate and allowing more love to take root, we invite the Spirit of God. Many times this is an act of faith. If we believe in the saving power of Jesus Christ then we trust that he can heal our hearts. He can help us stay safe from those who would do us harm while at the same time letting go of the soul rusting power of hate. If you have experienced deep betrayal from someone close to you, I am certainly not arguing that you need to put yourself in the way of further harm. Let God guide you in how you can free your heart from unpleasant feelings while at the same time making place for more love in your heart. There is a deeply freeing feeling that can fill us with peace as we learn to trust God in this crucial way. I say that in Jesus' name Amen.

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:Let this moment be a time of breathing. As you prepare yourself for to hear the word of God allow your body to relax and calm. Stay with my voice for this time as you prepare your heart to let God in. Breathe in and out.Box breathing Feel the tension leaving your whole body. Bible verse for meditation:1 Thes 4:13-18NRSV13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about those who have died,[b] so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.[c] 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died.[d] 16 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words KJV 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words. Notice the similarities and differences in the translations presented. What does this scripture mean to you?Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past?How does this scripture make you feel? Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: One of my roles as a chaplains is to comfort people where they are. As we experience the pain of the death of loved ones sometimes it takes time for us to resolve these feelings with our faith. There are moments of pain at the loss of others, but there is also hope. God suggests that this hope in the future can help us and our grief can be swallowed up in our faith. In the hearts of those who suffer is a war between the reality of pain and the hope of future relief. Many times we go about resolving this the wrong way. We go about with a feeling of tension and war. This struggle is not only against the pain of death but about all kinds of human loss.There are times when we are overcome with the loss of things and people in this world. I am proposing a different solution to resolve this conflict. Let these words slowly wash over your heart like an incoming tide of peace. Pause and listen, and feel.But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. Feel this hope slowly rise in your heart. If you feel any other feeling of doubt, of pain, any other reaction than peace and gratitude observe how your heart begins to slowly feel the incoming tide of peace. This peace slowly washes over your heart. Feel the peace in your heart rise. It doesn't need to fight the other feelings, it ultimately is more powerful but it often wont force its way into your heart. Softly allow it to enter your heart. Focus on this peaceful gratitude as you hear this message. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. The message of the Lord, through Paul, is not one of judgement but one of confidence and peace. What will it feel like to rise up to the clouds with Jesus?I imagine that our worry for everything of this world will matter very little in that day. Why should it matter now? Meditation of Prayer:Pray as directed by the Spirit.Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:I invite you to sit in silence feeling the comfort and Love of God Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life:This part is very important. It is no accident that scripture is so full of narratives. Our minds connect with narratives. Imagine a visualization of a Narrative of your life knowing the truths from this scripture.Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them.Conclusion:Stay with me until the end

Everything is on pause for this moment. Let things slow down. Allow your breathing to slow. Don't shy away from this moment. Allow the tensions that have been hiding in your body escape. Feel what is going on in your body. Breathe slowly. Anything unpleasant that wells up in your at this moment breathe it out effortlessly. Don't attempt to control it just let it go. Let your muscles go also. The longer you keep breathing, the more calm comes over your body. Don't fight the calm. Allow your mind to slow. If it feels pulled to one place or another just breathe deeply and allow it to slow. Open your mind and your heart for the scripture we are about to read. Bible verse for meditation:1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. KJV1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Notice the similarities and differences in the translations presented. What does this scripture mean to you?Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past?How does this scripture make you feel? Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: I want to share a moment of vulnerability. This is not a flatering message but I hope it will be a metaphor for you to allow you to ask yourself the same questions. I was preparing to put out this podcast. I had my scripture selected and I had read it and was trying to get ot a place of peace as I started writing my notes for the episode. I was thinking about someone who I have recently been feeling deep disagreement with, by the way if you're listening to this then it certainly is not you, anyway in this moment I found myself getting upset and angry. I had ahard time shaking these feelings and I resigned in myself that I was allowed to guard a little anger for this person in my heart.Have you ever done this? Do you still do this?Many times as we try to live a Christian life we encounter the realities of our humanity in this fallen state. Hate and anger enter our hearts. I found myself upset and I was not in a good place to bring peace. Instead of forcing myself to continue, I sat in my favorite chair put on a soft sound of a rushing stream and I began to relax and breathe deeply. In this moment I realized how I was trying to do something that contradicts reality. I was trying to justify not feeling love for someone while preaching a message of love. I opened my heart to the idea that I could disagree with this person while still loving them. As I opened my heart to prayer, I felt the peace of this scripture penetrate my heart and the anger I was feeling lost its grip on me. What does it feel like to feel love?What does it feel like to give up a grudge?I hoep that as we in America celebrate Valentine's day that we can always remember this message. It is equally appropriate for romantic love, family love, and friendly love. May God grant us peace as we make room in our hearts for love. Meditation of Prayer:Pray as directed by the Spirit.Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:I invite you to sit in silence feeling the comfort and Love of God Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life:This part is very important. It is no accident that scripture is so full of narratives. Our minds connect with narratives. Imagine a visualization of a Narrative of your life knowing the truths from this scripture.Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them.Conclusion:Stay with me until the end for a final thought and the reflection question. I have a couple of things to say and then I have a final thought so stay with me to the end.I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US.I did an interview with Nikki over at Bible Meditation Podcast. It's the Saturday's episode if you'd like to hear it. She is a competent and kind person and I appreciated the opportunity to talk with her. Her focus is on letting the scriptures speak and the form factor is much more compact. If you would like to listen to a thoughtful podcast dedicated to reading the liturgi

In this moment, loosen your focus. Feel the air around you. What is the temperature of the air as it gently surrounds you. Feel it as it eases into your lungs. As you breathe in you feel it bring calm. As you breathe out you feel the tension in your body escape. You feel your shoulders settle in, your face unflex, your shoulder blades soften. Each part of your body eases in. This moment, is for peace. This moment is your time with God's spirit. Gently embrace this moment. No holding on too tightly, but enjoying it while it's here. As you sit in this quiet relaxation, a growing feeling of contentment begins to fill your body. Little by little you feel the ease of body associated with this contentment. Hope builds inside of you. Take this in. Take it all in. Allow this feeling of calm to be absorbed into your body. The spirit of the Lord inhabits you. Breathe in calmly. Bible verse for meditation: Matthew 6:16-18 ESV 16 "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. KJV 16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Notice the similarities and differences in the translations presented. What does this scripture mean to you? Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past? How does this scripture make you feel? Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Something that I spend a great deal of time thinking about is the ideas of human suffering. In an effort not to be overwhelmed our efforts to accept suffering can confuse us and cause us to value suffering for its own sake. This scripture shows that suffering in and of itself is not a source of glory. We need not admire suffering, we need not relish in it. We endure suffering in the pursuit of God. We endure suffering to pursue something greater than this world. Willingness to endure suffering for the cause of God, does not equate to pursuit of suffering. As you endure suffering in your life reflect for a moment, to what end do you suffer? Are there areas in your life where you place a value on suffering for its own sake? What way can you follow God while at the same time giving up any unnecessary suffering? During the sermon on the mount Jesus tells us that the opinions of others, or arguably even ourselves, matter little when it comes to how we bear the hardships we encounter. We struggle for our Lord. Whether it is fasting, or any other aspect of religious devotion, we resist the things of this world to place value on the things of God and to do what He has asked us. How can you follow God better? Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling the comfort and Love of God Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: This part is very important. It is no accident that scripture is so full of narratives. Our minds connect with narratives. Imagine a visualization of a Narrative of your life knowing the truths from this scripture. Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Stay with me until the end for a final thought and the reflection question. I have a couple of things to say and then I have a final thought so stay with me to the end. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. I received a lot of input from so many of your regarding the answer to last week's reflection question. I loved hearing about what things you consider as your still waters. So many things, including family, peace from God, ease from anxiety. There are so many things that he leads us to. Here is the Final thought: As social beings we desire the good opinion of others. Many times the people who are the most vocal about not wanting the approval of others are the ones who secretly want it the most. This is not a judgement because I experience the same human instinct. May this reflection be a guide to us to continually improve. As we let go of this form of pride, we are able to focus more clearly on the pursuit of obedience to God. Later in this same chapter Jesus says that we should see

Begin by noticing your level of peacefulness. Try to focus on accurately noticing it and let go of a desire to force yourself to relax. There is no hurry to relax. Your body has started to unwind already and will continue to do so during this whole recording. Let go of any compulsion to feel relaxed and just let your body breathe and feel the points where you body touches your clothes and furniture. As you become aware of this you feel yourself resting deeper into this furniture through no effort of your own. Through this process you notice your level of peacefulness is continuing to grow. Your breathing is getting more gentle and fulfilling. Your whole body fills will cleansing air and all excess tension is breathed out. Feel you calm as you prepare to listen to readings from God's word. The verses today are very meaningful for so many people and I invite you to attempt to remain in this relaxed state during the reading and allow God's word to you in this moment be unique. Pretend as though you have never heard this scripture. Bible verse for meditation: Psalm 23 KJV 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Notice the similarities and differences in the translations presented. NIV 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. What does this scripture mean to you? Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past? Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: I have a deep connection with this Psalm. As an ICU chaplain I read this scripture over many people who were dying or dead. In many ways I felt that I walked through the valley of the shadow of death professionally. It is hard for me to fully read this scripture afresh and I am overcome with emotion when I think of it. In sickness, health, death and life, God is our Shepherd. Jesus leads us in this life and into the next. I had a woman who emailed me the details of the tragic death of her husband. I was moved by her strength and reliance on the peace of God. Despite our love for God and His love for us, he allows us to deal with the sadness and pain of this life. Our pain is intimately connected to our love. This pain of loss is not always death. Sometimes its estrangement or just the normal distance of time. God understands the pain of separation for every reason. Moments before he raised Lazarus from the grave, He wept for the pain of Martha and others despite Him knowing His own power to raise him. God has not designed our bodies to be free of pain and sadness. This sadness teaches us of love and, if we bear it with patience can connect our hearts to others and to God. In this moment allow this calm feeling to remain as you consider what blessings are attributed to God in this scripture. Breath this in. Meditation of Prayer:Pray as directed by the Spirit.Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling the comfort and Love of God Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life:This part is very important. It is no accident that scripture is so full of narratives. Our minds connect with narratives. Imagine a visualization of a Narrative of your life knowing the truths from this scripture.Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: I have a couple of things to say and then I have a final thought so stay with me to the end. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. My wife mentioned to me that she would really enjoy a question be presented to continue reflecting on afterwords. Perhaps as a type of continued focus. This week's question will be, "What in your life represents the still water

Begin by breathing in freely. It is a gift from God that you can draw this breathe. If you notice a small feeling of gratitude for this allow it to grow. Gently allow this moment to be fill of your awareness on the goal of slowing your breath. All other concerns fade away. You are preparing your heart and mind to receive the peace of God. In order to prepare yourself let all worry go. The only thing you have to do right now is breathe. You notice that as you place your intention on slowing your breathing that it becomes more calm. Breathe deeply softly, filling your whole body down to your belly. Imagine the air you breathe in goes farther than that. Imagine that the air you breathe in fills every part of you. Imagine that your breath fills your legs and feet, all the way down to your toes. Your breath similarly goes around your back and down your arms to your hands and fingers. You breathe also fills you head. As you continue to feel this breathe filling your body you notice that without your effort this breathe has been carrying away stress and anxiety. What is left is calmness, and stillness. Bask in this peaceful feeling. Allow your muscles to continue relaxing. Bible verse for meditation: Matthew 12:25-30 KJV 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. NABRE 25 But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 How can anyone enter a strong man's house and steal his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. 30 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: In the United States one of our Past Presidents Abraham Lincoln referred to this scripture during a speech. The crowd found it too divisive and caused him to lose an election. The ideas of God surrounding division are not always popular. Spend a few moments thinking about how we as humans are divided. How is this applicable on a personal level? How is this applicable on a national level? How is this applicable on an international level? How is this applicable beyond this earthly existence? When Jesus spoke them he referred to the casting out of devils as evidence that Satan would not do that to his own. This was a proclamation of the Condescension of God. Think for a moment about the witness Jesus bore here of His righteousness. What can we learn from his witness? Are there ever times when you feel the sting of division? Last week in the podcast I talked about unity and the community of God. I got an email from a woman who explained a family conflict to me. It was sad to me. Not all of life is uniformly good. Sometimes in our lives we may feel that it is not even mostly good. As you have calmed yourself in this moment allow the feelings of the peace of God to remain in your heart for a moment. As gently as possible allow these words of Jesus speak truth to your life situation. Allow God's light to illuminate your life on how you can change things with His help. Take this idea of a unified house and take the insights that you have gained from this peaceful reflection and join me in prayer. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling the strength from God and those you care about. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Share this message : Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion:

034 Two Are Better Than One - A Guided Christian Meditation Podcast Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. How to feel God's Peace. I work as a Hospice Chaplain and having worked as an ICU chaplain in a busy hospital, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open to be changed by the Spirit of God by using a centuries old form of Christian Meditation called Lectio Divina. It consists of: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization Intro:We will begin with some deep breathing in order to remove distractions so that we can focus completely on God's word. Get into a comfortable position and if you feel safe to do so, close your eyes Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:Feel yourself resting on the chair where you are sitting. Hear the sounds that fall on your ears. Without a force of will, allow your focus to loosen. Let your focus slowly move along your muscles and notice any tension. Allow your tension to slide along your neck resting briefly at the base of your skull. Allow your focus to move down your back and rest softly between your shoulder blades. As you do this you feel the tension harmlessly escape with each passing breath. Your focus moves along your body searching for tension, freeing it and observes it be breathed out. As you do this, you feel your body fill will calm. Keep breathing slowly. Feel how good this calm feeling is. Allow the calm to grow and fill your whole body. Bask in this feeling. Allow it to wash over you. Allow this feeling to grow and be absorbed fully into your body. As you do you body relaxes fully and your mind is clear. Keep breathing deeply and calmly as I read from these scriptures. Allow your mind to remain clear and your body to remain calm as you are ready to receive the peace of the LORD. Bible verse for meditation:Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. KJV 9 ¶ Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. NIV 9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: How are you blessed by those around you? An inevitable truth of this life is that none of us are designed to live in complete isolation. Each of us receive strength from others. We receive strength from those we care about. This is why the scriptures counsel for the saints to gather. We strengthen each other and we help each other. When is the last time you have been down and been lifted by someone else? Who is someone who lifts you up? When have you helped someone else in the same way? As we learn to love and be loved we experience the most profound connection in life. There is nothing safe about caring about someone else. In fact caring about others puts us at risk for being hurt by loss or disappointment. When God chose to love us, this was not without risk either. It eventually led to the Cross. We love because he first loved us. Even if you wish you had more genuine connection in your life, know this, God is always with you and will strengthen you more than any person can. In our relationships Christ is always there to mediate. Think about ways that you could lift the spirits of those you know and care about. Meditation of Prayer:Pray as directed by the Spirit.Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling the strength from God and those you care about.Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life:What insights did you gain during these moments?What thing will change in your life after this moment?Share this message :Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion:Print and use this scripture.I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US.You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. FIND ME ON: iTunes Facebook ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist

I work as a Hospice Chaplain and having worked as an ICU chaplain in a busy hospital, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open to be changed by the Spirit of God by using a centuries old form of Christian Meditation called Lectio Divina. It consists of: Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization Intro: We will begin with some deep breathing in order to remove distractions so that we can focus completely on God's word. Get into a comfortable position and if you feel safe to do so, close your eyes Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Allow this moment to be one of dedication to God. Regardless of how you feel whether tense or relaxed, in pain due to illness or comfortable. This moment is a perfect opportunity to allow the peace of God to enter your heart. His word has miraculous power. His spirit can enter you heart. Take a slow breathe. Feel your muscles relax. With each passing moment you become more aware of where you body can further unflex and relax and yo find that is automatically doing this in preparation of receiving the word of God from the Bible. You notice your muscles have relaxed. Sometimes as they do this you become aware of pain in your muscles. That is OK. That will pass. Let it pass. Let each moment end as smoothly as it began. Your mind has slowed. The distracting thoughts that inundate us have slowed. You feel more at peace. Continue allowing your body unwind. Let anything tense in your body escape with each passing breathe. You aren't forcing this, you are just allowing it. Now that your mind is relaxed, keep in this state as we read through these scriptures. Become aware of what message God has for you in these verses. Bible verse for meditation: Luke 5:36-38 KJV 36 ¶ And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. 37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. 38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. NIV 36 He told them this parable: "No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. 37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Many of us have a tradition of creating New Year's resolutions. We identify areas in our lives that we want to improve. Sometimes these things are related to our physical well being. Sometimes they are related to sin. Consider for a moment that these areas you want to improve represent a tear in your clothes. You want to patch it. In order to do this we consider incremental steps we can take to improve. I want you to consider now another alternative. Instead of incremental change, instead of changing in one small area at a time, we shed our old mindset and completely submit ourselves to God. Unless we are willing to do this then it is as if we are tearing the new clothes he would give us to try and patch the old. We cannot remain equally committed to our preconceived notions of who we are and God. So in this moment as you consider all the things you would like to improve, perhaps we could place at the top of this list to recommit to give all that we are to God. In this moment consider what it would be like if you completely submitted to God. What changes would you expect? What changes could you never expect? God can make more of our lives that we could imagine. See if you can harness this image of what your life would be like if you completely submitted to God. Would it be worth it? Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a spirit of submission to Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling the power of God over your life. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Share this message : Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. I would ask that you pray that this podcast can continue to find people wh

***Due to a family emergency I will do more of a New Years theme in the next weeks. This meditation is focused on the power of God. It may be aesthetically pleasing to feel relaxation but the reason we do it here is to put our minds right to remove distraction. So as you sit now allow your breathing to slow. Feel the air come in and go out slowly. Allow your mind to slow. Now is the moment to allow your mind to calm in preparation to receiving God's word. Allow the worries of this world to fade away. The only thing that you have to do right now is breathe. Everything else is optional. You can feel your body relaxing as you take slow and intentional breaths. You feel your muscles relax. Your brain begins to reset and send out all kinds of signals to your body that you are safe in this moment. Take in that feeling for a moment. Allow this calmness to sink into you. Let it be part of you. As you prepare to receive this message continue to allow this feeling of peace to develop. Bible verse for meditation: Matthew 9:2-8 2 And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." 3 At that, some of the scribes* said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, "Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 5 Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he then said to the paralytic, "Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home." 7 He rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings. KJV 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.7 And he arose, and departed to his house.8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: In this reflection I do not want to derail your thoughts which may be inherantly more applicable than what I will say but I like to add a thought that perhaps you can carry. Today my wife and kids were driving home from visiting family over Christmas. On the drive they got in a car accident where all of them were sent to the hospital via an ambulance. They were in a very small city and I was hours away. I dropped everything and drove the long distance to meet with them. As additional details came trickling in I found myself in though. One thing that I spend a lot of time thinking about is the balance God puts to us between faith and trust. On one hand he asks us to pray to him and ask him for what we need. On the other hand we are to trust his timing and what he wills. I'm happy to report that the accident was not life threatening and there do not seem to be broken bones at this point. I find myself grateful to God but I acknowledge that it could easily have gone another way. I love this scripture because it shows something so important. The greater miracle is that God forgives our sins. When things go well for us physically in this world, that may be nice but in an eternal sense the greatest gift is that of forgiveness. I am grateful for a God who has the power to do both and how thoughtfully he applies his will to us. No suffering is wasted if we draw nearer to him. Take a moment and reflect on the miracle of forgiveness. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a Spirit of deep gratitude. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling the power of God over your life. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Share this message : Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. Next week I am going to read from Luke 2 for Christmas. If you

I am releasing this on Christmas eve. I imagine that today has been deficient in opportunities to sit and reflect. And probably a larger than average amount of rush. Dedicate these next 20 minutes to stillness and reflection on God's word. This is a time where you can dedicate to God. We are going to be doing something a little differently. We are going to read long sections of the narrative of the birth of Jesus in memory of Christmas. During the reading continue the reading and let these words sink into your heart. Bible verse for meditation: 1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. Matthew 2:1-14 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 ¶ And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a Spirit of deep gratitude. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence. Meditate and Visualize Positiv

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Listen to the world around you. Sit quietly and hold your muscles gently. Leave your Body totally still. Instead of trying to control this moment just notice it. God has created every single spek of air entering your lungs. Your lungs have been perfectly designed to breathe this air. You feel it enter your body. You feel it interact in your lungs infusing them with live giving breath. Hold your attention lightly. If your mind wanders bring it gently back to the feelings of this relaxing pure air entering your body. All of creating declares to glory of God including this moment and the air you're breathing. You feel your muscles all over your body infused with God's gift of life giving breath. Let go of all need to force this moment. You notice your breathing is getting more deep and relaxed. Your mind is preparing to receive God's word in the Bible. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in Luke 1 KJV 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. What though, image, impression, or memory accompanied this story. Reflect on that. As prepare to read another translation look for the similarities and differences. ESV 28 And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Instead of giving additional insights I will quote Mary. 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Later she went to go visit her Relative Elizabeth. 46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51 He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; 52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; 53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever." It is difficult for me to express my feelings about the high value of righteous women. I was raised by an amazingly righteous woman. There is a reflection of Mary in the heart of every woman. Righteous women magnify the face of the Lord. If you are a woman, embrace this in your heart. If you know any women, then live in such a way to help them see how they magnify the face of the Lord. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a Spirit of deep gratitude. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Absorb this message. Take the insights you gained in this reflection and imagine what your life would change if you lived according to this knowledge. Picture in as great detail as possible this life. Imagine this in as vivid detail as possible. Imagining you act exactly how you wish you did, visualize yourself feeling exactly how you want to. Let this moment be as vivid and real as possible. Visualize blessing someone else: Share this message : Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture.

Now is a great time for you to slow down. You've already decided to have this moment be peaceful. Everything else fades out of your life for these minutes. As you continue to practice relaxation, you feel it come quicker and easier. You don't need to force out any external noises. Anything you hear and feel is part of this moment now and just let it be what it is. Just let things progress naturally. Your body was created by an almighty God. This body has an amazing ability to feel of His peace. You find yourself breathing effortlessly. You breath slows. you prepare your heart for the message from the Bible and therefore from God, continue this breathing. As you do you feel your muscles start to melt away. If you notice your mind trying to solve problems just remember that the only thing you have to do during this relaxation is to breathe. Everything else is optional. Continue breathing slowly and rhythmically. As your breathing has naturally slowed, help it expand deeper. Breathe so deeply and softly that your stomach fills with air. Continue breathing throughout the rest of this meditation. You feel your heart open and ready to receive the words of Jesus in this scripture as he is preaching in the sermon on the mount. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in Matthew 6:19-22 ESV 19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, What though, image, impression, or memory accompanied this story. Reflect on that. As prepare to read another translation look for the similarities and differences. KJV 9 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Many times when we hear Jesus' commands to drop our obsession with the things of this world. We sometimes try and justify that perhaps that is not really what he meant. Ultimately though, Jesus did mean what he said. The wonders and terrors of this life hold nothing when compared to things beyond this life. There is nothing that we can attain in our lives that is more valuable than what God has in mind for those who love him. The problem is we trick ourselves at times to think that we are unavoidably connected with this world. As we have experiences in scripture, prayer, and with God's Spirit, we realize that God's promises are more profound than anything of this earth. If we aren't careful we can get stuck. We think we can have it both ways. By learning to hold our desire lightly, we can be freed from this conflict. The unavoidable fact is that eternal peace cannot be earned through the treasures of this world. Ultimately the best good that earthly goods can do is to ease physical suffering and allow us to develop deeper love for each other, and above all to draw our hearts and focus to God. Those who find themselves in financial bondage may feel as though this scripture does not apply to us. The truth is that anytime we put life's greatest aspirations or fears in debt or wealth, we remain distracted. When you die and are reunited with God he will only interested with how you loved Him and your neighbor and how we showed this. The fear we cause ourselves by worrying about money also don't even have the effect of helping us out of any financial mess. If you connected with any of this message I offer us this final challenge. Let go of desire. Realize that you don't have to want anything to feel peaceful. You don't have to "need" anything in this world. The only thing that we truly need is God's grace and no amount of needing with force that issue only God's sovereignty. During this Christmas season focus on emotionally letting go of money. When we realize that we are stewards of the resources of this world our anxiety around money can dissipate. All that is left is to do the best we can. When we allow the money to be a treasure to us we miss the whole point. In your heart see if you can practice what it feels like to let go of the idea that money is treasure or that debt will enslave your soul for eternity. You can break free of this oppressive message with the Words of Jesus. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Filter all f

Feel your breathing. Feel the air coming into your body. Feel the air flow down past your chest all the way down to your stomach. Let the air coming into your body come and let it go. Feel your stomach slowly grow. Imagine that your stomach is a large balloon. Let it softly expand and deflate. Feel your breathing as it comes in and out. If you feel the need to do something let it pass. In this moment the only thing you have to do is breathe. As you do this you feel any tension in your body go out. Just feel your breath let it go in and out. As you are doing this feel how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you. Even if you make mistakes they love you. As you prepare your heart for the message from the Bible and therefore from God, continue this breathing and relaxation. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in Mark 1:1-3 KJV 1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. What though, image, impression, or memory accompanied this story. Reflect on that. As prepare to read another translation look for the similarities and differences. NIV 1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 2 as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" — 3 "a voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scripture? How does this scripture make you feel? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Many Christians participate in types of anticipation for Christmas when we remember the coming of the Son of God. Some people use Advent calendars where they open a small door on an advent calendar leading up to the celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ into this world on Christmas day. This year the December 3 has been set as the first Sunday of the Advent. Many even choose something to give up similar to lent. In reflecting on Advent this is what led me to choose this scripture. In Jesus' earthly ministry there are few people on earth that understood his earthly ministry better than John the Baptist. When the Apostles were still clueless John was powerfully prophesying of the mission of Jesus. As we celebrate the coming of the Lord John's message can speak to us as a voice calling from the wilderness. Consider what you can do in your own actions, mind, and heart that would prepare the way of the Lord for you and those you know. How can you make his path straight? John's message can speak to us powerfully now as we prepare our lives for the coming of the Savior of the world. As the season gets busier and busier, dedicate time with God. In this time you can reflect on the miracle that was Jesus' birth. When you prepare for a party at work or with family, consider how can you make His path straight. When you are thinking of what presents to give, think how you can prepare for the coming of the Lord. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now in a Spirit of deep gratitude. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence as you feel His gift in your heart. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Use you imagination to fully visualize what that change will look at. Image one very concrete change you will make in your life. What new action will you take. Visualize yourself now doing this new action. Make it as vivid as possible with as much detail. Visualize blessing someone else: Share this message : Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. As you accept this Christmas season into your heart, may you feel his generous nature inspire you. The most valuable gift that you can give is to risk showing genuine care, love, and concern for others. This gift is not without risk, but it has the benefit of being infinite and limitless. The strangest blessing of the gift of love is the more we give, the more we have to give. May God bless you with the insights you need to love so deeply that it changes who you are. Let this Christmas be a time that causes your heart to grow as your realize how God can change you to meet his purposes. I pray that you will find the courage to follow Jesus and love, and in so doing discover the greatest jo

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Stop. Listen. Notice your breath. Notice your body. Allow the rushing of thoughts to slow in your mind. Allow your focus to rest on your breathing. As you do this focus on allowing your breath to slow. Allow your focus to soften. There is no need for your to tense your focus. Allow it to rest gently on your slow and easy breath. One of the powerful aspects of meditation is how we can train our minds to slow. As we reinforce this trend it allows to think clearer at other times. As you continue to breathe deeply, you feel your muscles softening. You feel the tension leaving your body with no active will of your own. You feel your body and your mind prepare to receive the healing word of God. God's message for you is unique and powerful. He can help you. Remain open to God's word in the scripture I am about to read. As you here these words focus on the rejoicing nature of these words. Search the rejoicing response in your own heart. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in 2 Corrinthians 9:9-15 NABRE 9 As it is written: "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." 10 The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God, 12 for the administration of this public service is not only supplying the needs of the holy ones but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. 13 Through the evidence of this service, you are glorifying God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your contribution to them and to all others, 14 while in prayer on your behalf they long for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! What though, image, impression, or memory accompanied this story. Reflect on that. As prepare to read another translation look for the similarities and differences. NIV 9 As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever." 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scritpure? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: How do you bless others? What gifts have you been given that bless others? What are the seeds of this giving? This scripture shows us how deeply our generosity is connected to God. Our generosity comes from being enriched by God. God is the one who provides the seeds of our giving. It is through the generosity that resides in our hearts, inspired by God, and in turn our generosity results in gratitude to God. This happens in our hearts and also in those who are blessed when our hearts yield to a generous nature. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! Not only does this service cause thanksgiving to God but it also results from obedience that accompanies our confession of the Gospel of Christ. As we live according to the commands of Jesus Christ our hearts will naturally be filled with a generous nature that leads other to thanksgiving to God. As we prepare to enter the Christmas season, lets have this message guide us. May our expressions of gratitude before God result in an overwhelming generosity of heart that leads us to give the most valuable gift of all, love. God himself showed us this message. This is the true meaning of the Christmas season. The birth of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ represents the greatest generosity in the history of earth. The condescension of God is the reason for our rejoicing. We share with each other gifts and love in memory of this, the greatest gift. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! If you feel emotional or financial burdens of this season, may they melt in importance when compared to the eternal value of the Salvation that came through Jesus Christ. His birth was a requitsite step. He first must be born as the Son of God before he could save the world. Remember the purpose of Christmas is not only the veneration of the baby but the fac

026 As a Hospice chaplain 026 Your Faith Has Made You Whole - A Guided Christian Meditation Podcast Luke 17:12-19 How to feel God's Peace. I work as a Hospice Chaplain and having worked as an ICU chaplain in a busy hospital, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open to be changed by the Spirit of God. Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization Feel free to use this podcast each day for the coming week. Repetition will help it remain in your memory longer. Intro: We will begin with some deep breathing in order to remove distractions so that we can focus completely on God's word. Close your eyes Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Stop. Listen. Notice your breath. Notice your body. Allow the rushing of thoughts to slow in your mind. Allow your focus to rest on your breathing. As you do this focus on allowing your breath to slow. Allow your focus to soften. There is no need for your to tense your focus. Allow it to rest gently on your slow and easy breath. One of the powerful aspects of meditation is how we can train our minds to slow. As we reinforce this trend it allows to think clearer at other times. As you continue to breathe deeply, you feel your muscles softening. You feel the tension leaving your body with no active will of your own. You feel your body and your mind prepare to receive the healing word of God. God's message for you is unique and powerful. He can help you. Remain open to God's word in the scripture I am about to read. As you here these words focus on the rejoicing nature of these words. Search the rejoicing response in your own heart. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in Luke 17:12-19 NIV 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."And as they went, they were cleansed.15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." What though, image, impression, or memory accompanied this story. Reflect on that. As prepare to read another translation look for the similarities and differences. KJV 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.4 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. What does this scripture mean? What message materialized as you listened to this scritpure? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: It can be hard for us in modern times to identify with or even understand such a miraculous change. Leprosy was a horrible and lethal skin disease. Not only did it cause immense physical suffering but it resulted in people being completely isolated from their family and all of their past sources of emotional support. The healing here is indeed miraculous but that is not the focus of the story. The focus and purpose of this story is placed squarely on the response of those healed. Unfortunately this scripture demonstrates the immense and almost limitless potential of us as humans to not acknowledge the source of blessings and give thanks. Similar to these lepers we have been given so much. The fact that you have the ability to listen to this recording shows the immense power of technology to bless and change our lives. We have human connections, we have financial blessings, we have life, we have LIFE. The positive side of this story is that each of us can choose to be like this single leper who returned to give thanks to Jesus. In the moments that follow I want to allow you to focus on thanksgiving but not in a spirit of obligation. Imagine how you would feel as this leper did. Life your voice or thoughts high to God in a spirit of rejoicing. I know many of you do not live in the US but this week in the US we celebrate Thanksgiving day. Use this time of thanksgiving to not only be grateful but lift your voice in rejoicing to God. He has told us that as we are grateful we will feel his blessings more deeply. Both Scripture and science converge on

Stop. Listen. In your heard in this moment let these words resonate. Lord, here am I. Your servant is listening. As you do this you feel your breathing start to slow. As you invite air all the way down into your belly you feel a tingle of release in all your tense muscles. Feel this calm. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in 1 John 1:8-10 KJV 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. ESV 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: I meant to do an episode on forgiveness, as in the need we have to forgive each other but I felt a strong pull to this passage. Only after we fully own our need for forgiveness to the other mandates of Jesus and his Apostles reach our hearts. Many calls for us to forgive are coincided with comparisons of our own need for forgiveness and how that is much greater. It is quite unfashionable to speak of sin these days. Many people have been wounded by shame. Many of us fear our temptation, and we want to overcome it so badly. The sad consequence is that we can turn a blind eye. We must train our hearts to listen to our conscience. John loves the message of light for Jesus. When we constantly ignore God's light we become less able to perceive it. When we feel convicted by the spirit, and we listen, the sentence is served not by shame but by a broken heart and a contrite spirit. We can reach a place when our ego is surrendered to gain the peace of God. Consider who would win in a contest, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, or you? God's desire to purify our hearts will ultimately bring us more happiness and peace than anything else in this life. When we can bow before him and feel the deep paradox of our eternal need for him while also feeling complete in Him. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now regarding the beatitude that is resonating with you. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence with a heart of gratitude for his ability to forgive us. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Use you imagination to fully visualize what that change will look at. Image one very concrete change you will make in your life. What new action will you take. Visualize yourself now doing this new action. Make it as vivid as possible with as much detail. Visualize blessing someone else: Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. After hearing the blessings many of you have been experiencing this podcast, I feel it is a good idea to offer an opportunity for you to support that option financially I have a Patreon page setup to accept donations at Patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast. In this way you can help support this cause of bringing peace. May you experience His peace in your life as you make these changes is my prayer in Jesus name. Amen. FIND ME ON: iTunes Facebook ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: As you start to relax, resist the urge to force yourself to relax. Many times this is not successful. Instead focus on living in this moment that you have right now. Notice your body. As you pay attention to your breathing you are in a place to notice the work of God in bringing your heart peace. As Moses said to the people of Israel when they were stuck between the Red Sea and the Pharaoh's armies: "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord." Hear this message right now. Fear ye not. Stand Still and see the Salvation of the Lord." Allow your breathing to expand. Allow it to slow down. As you do, you feel your body slowly unwind. Allow you breathing to go all the way down into your belly. You feel your muscles unflexing. Your shoulders start drooping . As you go throughout the rest of this meditation you will continue to notice your breathing slow and become deeper. If you notice your breathing starting to speed, notice it and allow it to become deeper. This scripture is a powerful one. In this story Jesus teaches how important it is to serve each other and specifically those who are oppressed, those who are powerless, those who most need it. Allow your heart to remain open as you commit to allow the words of God to reach the deepest part of your heart. My show notes are normally much more descriptive. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in the gospel of Matthew 25:34-40 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now regarding the beatitude that is resonating with you. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence and wait on the Lord. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Use you imagination to fully visualize what that change will look at. Image one very concrete change you will make in your life. What new action will you take. Visualize yourself now doing this new action. Make it as vivid as possible with as much detail. Visualize blessing someone else: Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. After hearing the blessings many of you have been experiencing this podcast, I feel it is a good idea to offer an opportunity for you to support that option financially I have a Patreon page setup to accept donations at Patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast. In this way you can help support this cause of bringing peace. May you experience His peace in your life as you make these changes is my prayer in Jesus name. Amen. FIND ME ON: iTunes Facebook ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist

023 I Have Engraved You on the Palms of My Hands - A Guided Christian Meditation Podcast on Isaiah 49:14-16 As a Hospice chaplain and having worked as an ICU chaplain in a busy hospital, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open to be changed by the Spirit of God. Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization Intro: We will begin with some deep breathing in order to remove distractions so that we can focus completely on God's word. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: As we begin, look down at your hands. Pick one and stare at it. If you can't do this, visualize it or look at some other part of your body. Notice the creases in your hands. Try and notice every contour. When I look at my hands I notice small hairs, pores, and many scars. As you do this let your whole focus rest on what you are seeing. Perhaps you run your fingers along the palms of your hands. As you do this breathe deeply. Allow all your focus gently rest upon your hands. The imagery of our hands reminds us what we have done. These hands of yours have been with you your whole life. When you have held a baby, or touched the grass and dirt. When you have worshiped and sinned. This is part of your existence on earth. Perhaps you have lost the ability to fully use your hands or the experience discomfort. Perhaps you never think about them. Our relationship to our body is very complex and confusing at times. Take this time to breathe deeply and allow all your muscles relax. Don't run from feelings that come but just let them be without fighting it. Open your heart to the word of God in the Bible. I'm breaking tradition a little here. As you continue to relax close your eyes and keep breathing deeply. One of my new friends who has reached out to me via my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com send me this message while we were talking about some hard things going on in his life. He brought up this scripture. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in the gospel of Isaiah 49:1-6 1Hear me, coastlands,listen, distant peoples.Before birth the LORD called me,from my mother's womb he gave me my name.2He made my mouth like a sharp-edged sword,concealed me, shielded by his hand.He made me a sharpened arrow,in his quiver he hid me.3He said to me, You are my servant,in you, Israel, I show my glory.4Though I thought I had toiled in vain,for nothing and for naught spent my strength,Yet my right is with the LORD,my recompense is with my God. 5For now the LORD has spokenwho formed me as his servant from the womb,That Jacob may be brought back to himand Israel gathered to him;I am honored in the sight of the LORD,and my God is now my strength!6It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,to raise up the tribes of Jacob,and restore the survivors of Israel;I will make you a light to the nations,that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth At times we can feel dejected. We can feel overcome. Deeply in need of the peace of the LORD. Later in the same scripture we find this profound scripture. Keep your heart open as you receive this scripture. Notice what word or thought your attention rests upon. Isaiah 49:14-16 Catholic Bible (NABRE) 14But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;my Lord has forgotten me." 15Can a mother forget her infant,be without tenderness for the child of her womb?Even should she forget,I will never forget you. 16See, upon the palms of my hands I have engraved you; your walls are ever before me. Look for similarities and differences in this reading. ESV 14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;my Lord has forgotten me."15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child,that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?Even these may forget,yet I will not forget you.16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;your walls are continually before me. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Take another deep breath as you ponder what this scripture means. What stuck out to you as you focused on the scripture? Continue breathing deeply and pondering as I share some thoughts. When I first started the podcast I started very exegetical and technical. Since there are many more people much smarter than me and the main goal of this podcast is to align ourselves with the spirit of peace my focus has turned to application. Part of me wants to talk about how Isaiah 49 forms one of the other servant songs. Similarl to Isiah 53 covered in episode 9. I'll place my focus on this follow on scripture. At times we find ourselves feeling as though we have sinned before God and are no more worthy to be called his sons and daughters. At times we feel thrown off, neglected, or worse… rebellious. This scripture is a calm reminder of the care of God. I've held my own children with the overwhelming love of a father. As they have rested helplessly in my arms as they weep I have felt profound love for them. The love of a mother is even more uni

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: As we begin, focus your attention on the idea of a blessing? Bring all of your focus to this word as your breathing slowly begins to expand. Feel the gentle breath enter your body as you imagine this idea of a blessing. Allow your breath to go all the way down to your stomach. Count your breath out. As you breathe in count to 5 slowly, then gently pause for a moment, then allow the air in you to gently rush out. Each breath you take is a blessing. Each breath you take is a miracle. Gently allow each new breath to come into your lungs for 5 seconds, the rest in your belly, then escape harmlessly. As you continue breathing, you feel the tension leave your body. All the tension leaves you slowly. Its is as though it is as ice that is melting and flows out of you. If you mind ever wanders, bring it back to this idea of a blessing. You feel a blessing rushing in you with each breath of fresh air being pulled into your lungs. As you continue to breath, you feel a gentle contentment with your life in this moment. These breaths are cleansing you from the inside and allowing you to focus all your attention. As I begin to read this scripture keep breathing deeply. This message will continue to speak peace to your heart and show you the many ways which we will be blessed. Keep your heart and mind open as you hear this message from God found in His scripture, the Bible. Place all of your focus on the scripture, allowing God to send you a message. This scripture is the beginning of Jesus sermon on the mount. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in the gospel of Matthew 5:2-12 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirsty for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Take another deep breath as you ponder what this scripture means. What stuck out to you as you focused on the scripture? The Sermon on the Mount and comprises Matthew 5-7. This first section is referred to as the Beatitudes Early texts of it did not have chapters and verses. As a result ancient readers would refer to a text by its first line. In this way the Sermon on the Mount was referred to as "Blessed are the poor." As a reference to this, early Christians did not call themselves Christians but they called themselves "The Poor." among other names. When I read the sermon on the mount, I am impressed that these could refer to other people and to myself in the future. In my line of work as a chaplain I think of those that mourn as being other people who I am ministering to. On the other hand I strive to be a peacemaker. How are these admonitions affecting you? Which are you latching onto? Take a deep breath and let this direction from Jesus, influence your heart. Listen to these brief references. Poor, mourn, meek, hunger, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, persecuted. Which one of these speaks to you, either as you are, or as you would like to be? Hold this thought in your mind as we pray. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Pray now regarding the beatitude that is resonating with you. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence and wait on the Lord. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Use you imagination to fully visualize what that change will look at. Image one very concrete change you will make in your life. What new action will you take. Visualize yourself now doing this new action. Make it as vivid as possible with as much detail. Visualize blessing someone else: Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. After hearing the blessings many of you have been experiencing this podcast, I feel it is a good idea to offer an opportunity for you to support that option f

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: As part of the meditation we will begin by starting with a relaxation. A powerful way to do that is to really connect with you body in some way. For this focusing and relaxing exercise I want you to pay close attention to your heart. Try and see if you can feel your heart beating. Notice it right now. Realize how you have almost never though about the beating of your heart for any extended period of time. Notice the impact of your breathing on your heart. As you pay attention to it as you relax your muscles you start to feel it beat more slowly. Allow every muscle in your body relax. Imagine that you even relax your heart. As you continue breathing, you notice your breathing slow. You feel your heart become lighter. Allow your attention to move from your physical heart to your metaphoric heart. Imagine where in your body you feel emotion. Can you place it? Where does the feeling of calm sit inside of your body? Where does the feeling of love sit inside of you? Pay attention to this place in you as you hear this reading from the Bible. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in the gospel of Luke 24:31-33 KJV 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, NIV 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What does this scripture mean to you? What stuck out to you as you focused on the scripture? This of a time when you may have felt something in connection to your faith. Recently I was meeting with a woman whose husband was dying. As I talked with her I asked her what she thought would happen in the afterlife. She talked about how she wasn't sure if she was a Christian. She referred to the fact that she had heard people refer to people hearing the voice of God or seeing him walking beside them. What resulted was a conversation that was a blessing to both her and me. She grew up being told many things about what God would do if she professed her faith. Instead of discussing this directly my chaplain instinct was to provide her with evidence in her own context that God may already have answered her question. After talking for a little while I mentioned the above scripture. We both felt God's spirit of peace and calm. The spirit of God washed over us both. If you have been listening to these podcasts and you are not sure where your faith is at, consider this. As you have been listening to these episodes and you have felt peace… did not your heart burn within you? Did not your heart burn within you? Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Let your heart remain open as you pray. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence and wait on the Lord. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: What insights did you gain during these moments? What thing will change in your life after this moment? Use you imagination to fully visualize what that change will look at. Image one very concrete change you will make in your life. What new action will you take. Visualize yourself now doing this new action. Make it as vivid as possible with as much detail. Visualize blessing someone else: Now visualize someone or a group of people who need this message. Imagine what their face would look like as they receive this scripture in their hearts. Imagine how you can share it with them. Conclusion: Print and use this scripture. I release a new episode of this every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. I have been getting more feedback through my website contact form. I very much appreciate to hear your inspiriational and sad stories of how this podcast is experiencing you. This experience has helped me to change the way I think about this podcast. For all of you that I have talked to via email, I am grateful for your encouragement. So many of you have given me so much strength. In no uncertain terms you have told me to keep going no matter what. This has helped me understand the value that is being added to the world by the simple action of me recording into a microphone in my home. I am not shy about the blessing that this podcast is. If you share that same feeling, share it on social media. Also I'm in the planning stages to developing an iOS and Android app for this podcast to

One way to bring your focus to scripture is not with a spirit of fight but with a spirit of peace. A very effective way to do this is to become curious about your current moment. As an example is to observe your thoughts, feelings, and body tension. Another way to help your mind to find its way to scripture is to breathe deeply. Breathe deeply and it will help you relax. If you relax then it will be easier to untie your muscles. Realize that your body has breathed without your focus for years and years. You have literally taken tens of millions of breaths in your life. You don't need to force it now. Only allow you breathing to expand. Feel your breath and you don't have to force yourself to breathe. Your brain is hardwired to relax when it breathes deeply. God has placed this bit of programming into your body. Feel your body relax as you breathe deeply. And as you relax, your body will un-tense. Allow the air to fill your stomach. Slowly filling your lungs with full tummy breaths. As you do that you realize that you can receive peace without conquering the world. We know that we can't conquer the world but we worship a mighty God who has overcome the world. It is in the hollow of his hand that you breathe deeply now. You can feel his calming influence around you now. Keep breathing calmly as I read through the selected scripture. Bible verse for meditation: This scripture is in the gospel of John 14:25-28. NKJV 25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. Ponder on this meaning. Continue sitting in the grace of God and allow this scripture and God's message to reach your heart. NABRE 25 "These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, 'I am going to the Father,' for My Father is greater than I. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What does this scripture mean to you? What stuck out to you as you focused on the scripture? Jesus tells them, and us, that the Father will send the Helper… which is a name for the Holy Spirit. It is through the name of Jesus that it is sent. Only by the mission of Jesus and His holy name can we fully receive the Spirit. The Holy Spirit can be with us especially in our darkest times. He can do many things, and one thing that is highlighted here is that he will bring things to our remembrance. Specifically the words of God. Is there a particular memory that is coming to you now? Don't force it, but realize that this is one thing that the Helper can do. Only after he says that these things will be brought to our remembrance, is when he states that he leaves His peace with us. The peace of God is not a trick. It is not something that we control. A dangerous notion is to perceive meditation, reflection, scripture study, or anything else to fully dictate the spirit of God. It is important to realize that only the sovereignty, or unilateral decisions of God, dictate His spirit. We should therefore not expect that any spiritual practice will yield exactly what we want and when we want it. We should do the things we feel are right, such as spend time in His word and in prayer, then wait and be patient for the time that He determines to. As we readjust our expectations to accept the sovereignty of God, we are more patient for His timing. In this passage, the disciples were sad that he was going away. They should have rejoiced when he said that, but how could they? Without an understanding of the full and true message of Jesus, which they didn't have, why would the rejoice? So it is with us. We do not have a bird's eye objective view of our lives. Sometimes we have an expectation that Jesus will always stay with us, not realizing that this is not His plan. Only by accepting what God's true plan is, will we be able to recognize His Spirit in our lives. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Ask God for His Spirit to Rest on you. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: Imagine the Spirit of God resting on you and bringing things to your remembrance and bringing peace to your heart. Be patient. Me

As we prepare to consider the most important commandments that Jesus declared, let's take a moment to silence the distraction inside of us. Let's begin with a deep and relaxing breath. As you breathe in, feel all your muscles begin to unflex. You notice every part of your body and where it is. You feel where your body touches fabric and furniture. Allow that this moment causes you to create a space of quiet inside of you now. As you let the things of this world to fade, you feel a place of peace be prepared in your heart. Breath deeply now. Allow the things you feel you must do take a back seat to the things that God has in mind for you. Allow this moment to be dedicated to God and allow the desires he has for you, to guide you. Breathe deeply and slowly. Every muscle has begun to relax and is much softer that in was previously. Your mind is calm, your body feels more peaceful and will feel even better as you engage with God's spirit through His word. As I read through the selected Bible verses, keep breathing deeply and allow God's words to penetrate deep into your heart and soul. Bible verse for meditation: Matthew 22:34-40 NIV 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." KJV 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What does this scripture mean to you? What stuck out to you as you focused on the scripture? This scripture is a great gift. We are not left to wonder about any hierarchy of commands. We are asked by Jesus to love God and each other. It is significant when Jesus says that this forms the basis for the Law and the Prophets. These are the Jewish references for the Torah which is the Law of Moses as contained in the first five books Christians refer to as the Old Testament. The Prophets refers to other parts of the Hebrew Bible such as the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah. His intention with this is that all of the Law and guidance given to all the prophets was to teach these two commands. To love God and to Love our fellow human beings. This is not about personal preference. He taught in the Parable of the good Samaritan, that everyone can be considered our neighbor. We cannot allow hate to reside in us. Jesus tells it as a command. Bearing an echo of the Ten Commandments the KJV has it written as 'Thou shalt love'. Myself included. We must love. If we expect to receive the peace of God Jesus teaches that we cannot do so without having love for God above all, and also love for each other. If try and love God but secretly hold hate in our heart, we will miss out on the gift of God's spirit. The more we are able to accept God's love into our hearts and allow him to replace our stony hearts with hearts of flesh, we communicate our love for God and make ourselves open to receive His love. Let's take this moment inside our hearts right now to reject the hate that we have secretly been guarding. Take a deep breath. Imagine that any corners of your heart that are guarding and preserving hate are cleared out. Imagine this blackness being washed away by God's light that rushes in you as you focus on His word and breathe it deeply in. Ponder this command. 'Thou Shalt Love' Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Ask for God's help in developing pure love for Him and all of his creations. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: Imagine the love of God penetrating your heart and allowing it to open to all humankind. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: As we have now reflected on the Love of God penetrating their heart, there will likely be things in our lives that can change. I want to to visualize this change. Imagine what specific action you can take that will represent your renewed desire to love everyone. Maybe there is someone specific that you are thinking of. Maybe you are considering your way of interacting with people. Pick something specific that you can do differently now. Fully visualize the interactions that will occur with this insight. Imagine a life full of love. How will you behave differently after implementing this change. Vis

Regardless of what is going on in your life, making time for decompressing and relaxing is amazingly healing and productive. This is our intent at the moment. Become aware of every muscle in your body. Which muscles are flexing? You begin to notice the muscles flexing in your abdomen that are helping you breathe. Perhaps you feel muscles in your back or neck that are tense. Allow the muscles in your ab area slowly draw in a full breath. Breath slow and easy. As you continue to relax you feel your breath getting slower and easier. There is no need to worry about anything at this current moment. The only thing you have to be doing right this moment is to breathe. Everything else is optional. As you place the priority on your breathing you feel your body relax. You feel any worries melt away and be exhaled. Continue breathing slowly and allow this tension to continue to leave. During the rest of this meditation let the focus come on the things of God. Allow all your tensions to leave. Bible verse for meditation: Matt 6:25-30 NRSV 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? KJV 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What does this scripture mean to you? What stuck out to you as you focused on the scripture? This scripture fits into the broader context of what has been called the Sermon on the mount. It starts in Matt 5-7. There are so many profound quotes in these three chapters that they are highly worth the read. During this week I have shared this scripture multiple times with the hospice patients I have been working with. This is a message that can apply to us at every phase of life. Somehow regardless of how much time we have we seem to find time to live in stresses. We have a tendency to worry. This is true now and it was true of people thousands of years ago. As you breath deeply now, you continue to feel the worry fleeing. If you feel it, realize that this is natural, dont run from the worry, just let it go. Let God take it. As you do this continue to breathe deeply and feel more and more tension leaving. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: Imagine yourself as a flower growing slowly in a field. Gentle sun lands on your face as the flower gently sways in the breeze. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: Take the message that you feel that God has placed on your heart and let this come into your life. Let this existence become completely real in the theater of your mind. Imagine settings where it is true. Imagine specific scenes with people you know, and specific actions. Imagine the share. Conclusion: Thanks for joining me. I release a new episode every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. If you found this podcast more relaxing than your favorite beverage perhaps consider donating to help me pay the hosting fees. You can do that through Patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast.com FIND ME ON: iTunes Facebook ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist

Consider your breathing as you allow the distractions of the world to fade. With eyes closed and sitting comfortably, you let go of your need to control everything. As you sit in peace, you hear the gentle waves and your muscles begin to intense. Remember that one goal of approaching God in prayer is to submit to His will. By maintaining a demand for absolute control, many times we end up working against him. As you continue breathing, you can feel your whole body slowing down and becoming more relaxed. The goal is to allow your mind to not fixate on any specific thought and allow the scripture that will be ready to fill your mind. As you breathe, all the tension leaves your body. Imagine that the air that enters you is like clean and pure water. As it slowly rushes over your muscles it cleans them. With each breath, this healing water rushes through your whole body. Pay attention to the messages that God puts into your heart as you hear quoting from, His holy word, the Bible. Bible verse for meditation: John 4:7-10 ESV 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." KJV 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What does this scripture mean to you? What stuck out to you as you focused on the scripture? This scripture is a powerful one. It explains how Jesus allows the faith of those He ministers to. Jesus waits by the well that Jacob, the Old Testament Prophet, built. When the Israelites came to live in the area, Each tribe settled in a certain region. After years a great division separated them. They separated into two different groups. The southern group was called Judah mainly because it focused on the tribe of Judah. The Northern Kingdom was called Israel. As time went on, the Northern Kingdom (of Israel) was conquered. Many of the Israelites were carried away and those that remained ended up intermarrying with other people. For this, the people of Judah rejected them as inferior because they did not maintain their ethnic purity. This made Jesus's request to the Samaritan woman such a surprise. She seems dismissive of Jesus and expresses distrust and some people interpret her response as a mocking of Jesus. One thing is clear. After Jesus told her about, what would have been an adulterous relationship, she believed Jesus. His goal was not to shame her but to motivate her to change and become a powerful missionary to help others. Jesus shows his interest in breaking down false barriers between people. He wants us to abandon biases and personal judgments in order to receive his healing living water. This living water is available only through Jesus. What are things you can do in your life to abandon your own biases and replace them with the living water of Jesus Christ? Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. I invite you to ask God for forgiveness and then trust Him. I invite you to pray for his loving spirit to wash away your shame. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: Imagine sitting in the love of God as it pours over you as you are real about your sin. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: I want to share something with you that I hope you don't find too morbid. In my work in hospice, I talk to people who, many times, know that they are about to die. They begin to reflect their life and it finally sets in that this life is short. I consider it a blessing to have spent so much time in this place. For better of for worse, this is the only life that you will have. This is the life that is teaching you what you really need to learn. A major part of that message is learning how to be reliant on God. As you realize that it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that we can overcome this world, you begin to truly connect with a new and eternal hope. Imagine that, with God's mercy, you can change this life that you have. With the Spirit of God, you have EVERYTHING you need to change and become the best version of yourself. Visualize how this message can play out in YOUR life. Conclusion: Thanks for joining me. I release

Intro: I find it an important distinction to separate the ideas of shame and humbly admitting our sin before God. Take a moment and reflect on the purpose God has in this scripture. Why does Jesus tell this story? Not only why does he tell it, but why does he want us to acknowledge our sinful nature? How is this feeling different from shame? Is it possible to reject shame while still embracing humility before God? In my work, it seems that people who experience shame fatigue often misinterpret messages like this, then go on to see God as a being who desires us to feel immense shame. I would argue that shame is the adversary's counterfeit for a grieved conscience. Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization I invite you to get comfortable for 20 minutes, without driving or doing chores, but focusing exclusively on the message God has for you. If you feel safe to do so, close your eyes. The goal of this relaxation is to remove distractions to allow us to focus on God's word. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: I have found that it is easiest to relax not by blocking out all of your senses but by being allowing them to just be as you prepare your heart for a fast from the attention of the world. Listen to the sounds around you. Listen to the soothing sounds of the sea as the waves gently churn. As you become more aware of this moment you allow it to fade gently. You notice your breathing gently expanding. Air slowly fills your stomach as you breathe all the way from your diaphragm. Imagine your stomach is a large balloon filling with air. Gently breathe in with me as I count. For five seconds breath in. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Then pause. Breath out, 2, 3, 4, 5. Continue breathing slowly. As you breathe slowly you feel your muscles relax and unflex. With each passing breath, you relax more and more prepared to receive a message from the Bible, from God directly. As I read through this scripture keep your heart, mind, and ears open to God's message to you. Bible verse for meditation: Luke 18:10-14 KJV 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:10-14 NIV 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' 13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' 14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What stood out in this scripture? Who do you identify with in this scripture? What can you learn from this scripture? I find it an important distinction to separate the ideas of shame and humbly admitting our sin before God. Take a moment and reflect on the purpose God has in this scripture. Why does Jesus tell this story? Not only why does he tell it, but why does he want us to acknowledge our sinful nature? How is this feeling different from shame? Is it possible to reject shame while still embracing humility before God? In my work, it seems that people who experience shame fatigue often misinterpret messages like this, then go on to see God as a being who desires us to feel immense shame. I would argue that shame is the adversary's counterfeit for a grieved conscience. Open yourself up to the idea that your sin is egregious yet at the same time, through the infinite Love of God, He knows exactly how to handle that. I firmly feel that as we learn to engage in our guilt in a healthy way, that our artificial and inflated shame will decrease in most situations. Let God extend his great mercy to you. If you would like a deeper reflection on this, see episode 9 that discusses Isaiah 53. With His stripes, we are healed. Also refer back to the last episode about how we can stop deceiving ourselves. Continue breathing deeply as you acknowledge your sin before God. Allow his love to penetrate your sin. Make your heart ready for him to replace your stony heart with a heart of flesh. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. I invite you to ask

Christians often experience conflict about anger. In, some ways we realize that is a natural human response. In other ways, we realize the damaging consequences of it. Some people wonder if Jesus really felt anger as he drove the moneychangers out of the temple, and if so, wouldn't that be a sin. Sometimes we try and justify our anger using this example. The greatest danger of our anger is when it affects our relationships with others. Ultimately though when we are thoughtful and honest we realize that righteous anger probably represents a small portion of our anger if at all. This meditation will focus on how to reconcile the anger we feel, and hopefully, learn a kind of discipline to make anger a less frequent visitor in our lives. Intro: This meditation will follow an ancient Christian model called Lectio Divina which originated in the 6th century AD. It is meant to be used all week long. Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization I invite you to get comfortable for 20 minutes, without driving or doing chores, but focusing exclusively on the message God has for you. If you feel safe to do so, close your eyes. The goal of this relaxation is to remove distractions to allow us to focus on God's word. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: Observe your body. Are you currently carrying tension? What does that tension feel like? Is it pent up anger, perhaps it's anxiety or fear? Gently allow air to come into your body and fill your stomach. Breathe slowly all the way down to your diaphragm. The experience of tension does not need to rule you. You notice that as you continue to focus on slowing your breath that you release this tension as you go. Your body receives the message. Imagine As you continue breathing deeply, leave your heart open to receive this message of scripture. Bible verse for meditation: James 4:1-3 - KJV 1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. James 4:1-3 - NIV 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: The cause of much of our contention is rooted in our desires, lusts, and expectations. Again I want to be clear that this is not universal. Think about a time when you were Angry? Was it related to desires lusts and expectations? Now breathe deeply and release that anger energy. Let the battle of desire within you subside. What is the solution recommended by scripture? We do not have because we don't ask God. If we have the wrong motive, we will not receive. As we learn to let go of that, we find greater peace. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: Imagine what it would feel like to give up worldly desire. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: Take the message that you gained from God's word as you continue to allow his breath cleanse you. What message did you get from this scripture? Remember that you can use your own experience, reason, but more importantly scripture and the Spirit of God to bounce this idea off. I invite you to imagine how this message would play out in your life. What behaviors would change if you lived your life, with the knowledge that this thing is true. Imagine at least one specific thing that you could do today or tomorrow based on this message. Fully visualize this. What would it look like in your life? What positive things could you do, or what would happen around you, knowing that this thing was true? Visualize the change Conclusion: Thanks for joining me. I release a new episode every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can help someone feel the peace you experienced here by sharing this podcast with those you care about. You can get more information about my podcast by visiting my website ChristianMeditationPodcast.com. You can also send me a message through the site. I would love to hear what your experience is with my podcast. REVIEW: A friend of mine Michael, who runs a podcast called Diet Science commented on my Facebook page Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast the following: Jared, this is awesome! Great Job and I love the music in the background. Nicely done! Thanks, Michael. If you haven't heard Michael's podcast I would highly recommend it. He interviews an expert on various aspects of nutrition and health. It's a great podcast. If you would like to look me

This week, much of the United States was riveted by the appearance of a total solar eclipse. If you are fatigued on this topic please be patient with me as I feel it is relevant. I drove up to Idaho with my two kids, unfortunately my wife had to work. As the eclipse began, my kids were quite complacent. Despite the fact that other people had told them of how amazing it would be, they were bored. Ii tried to explain why it was worth the long drive and sleeping in our vehicle but they didn't grasp the vision. The moment the sun was totally eclipsed was completely stunning to see in person. My children cheered and threw their hands in the air. There is no way that I could have understood it without seeing it. I could stare directly at the sun and see it glowing with a celestial brilliance, but with my own eyes. The glowing beams that surrounded the eclipsed sun was surreal and, at least for me, extremely spiritual. I imagined what it would be like to be able to see Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. I thought of the words of Peter "it is good to be here." (Luke 9:33) As the smalles part of the sun broke around the edge of the moono I could see it glisten with perfect clarity. As the bright streams of light broke forth as it came out, I didn't want to look away. I imagined that this was, on a small scale, like wanting to look directly upon the glory of God but wanting to. As we go through this meditation, perhaps one thing you could reflect on is what Joy will fill our hearts as we are received into his glory through Jesus Christ our Savior and why Jesus says this to Nathaniel. Relaxation is often best to be begun with introspection. As you sit comfortably, look inside of your body. What tensions are there in you, and where are they? On the positive side, where is there a gleam of God's glory poking through allowing its light to be shown? Allow your breathing to slow. Be very minful about the air comming in. You are preparing your heart to read the words that God spoke through the spirit. Gently fill your stomach with air. As you breath deeply, you feel your body relaxing. Luke 9:33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. Continue to breath deeply as I read these verses of the bible for meditation. Imagine what message stands out to you as you listen to them. Bible verse for meditation: John 1:48-51 - KJV The calling of Nathanael 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. Reflect on that message. As I read from another version look for similarities and differences. See how this contributes to the message you heard the first time. John 1:48-51 - ESV 48 Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." 49 Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. Meditation on scripture / bible verse for meditation: As you were hearing this verse, what message stuck out to you? Continue to remain relaxed and allow yourself to focus on the message you got from scripture. This describes when Jesus called Nathaniel to be one of his primary disciples. Nathanial is not naive. When Philip tells him about Jesus he rebuts "can any good thing come from Nazareth?" He knows the prophecies. Phillips response is a powerful one. Come and see. The same option is available to each of us. Come and see. Consider what it teaches us as Jesus praises Nathaniel. What is he praised for? He is a true Israelite, but why? Because there is no guile or deceit in him. He has no desire to pretend to be something he isn't. As Jesus talks of seeing him under the fig tree we don't have much of a backstory here but this is extremely meaningful to Nathaniel. As Nathaniel was living his life, perhaps in devotion to God under a fig tree, Jesus was aware of him. Now that he is called by Jesus he will see greater things. The heavens opened. What would it look like for the heavens to be open? Spend some time on that thought for a second. As the heavens op

Fear is a common emotion. It is inevitable that we will all feel it. The bravest people are the one's that are able to experience the feeling of fear and still charge forward. It is false to suppose that people who do amazing and challenging things must be free of the debilitating feeling of fear. Many of the things we do, sometimes more importantly, don't do are as a result of fear. As we go through this meditation, I would like you to consider how fear is stopping your progress. Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization I invite you to get comfortable for 20 minutes, without driving or doing chores, but focusing exclusively on the message God has for you. If you feel safe to do so, close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: As you sit and listen to the sound of waves take a slow and intentional breath. Allow your muscles to unflex. Continue deep breaths. Allow your mind to calm. Imagine that a single small candle is burning in the middle of your chest. With each slow and deep breath in you gently fan that flame allowing it to grow. As you place your focus on this flame it feels like pure love. You can't help but to feel this love. It starts to grow. Imagine all the tension in your body burns in this fire. As your attention rests on this small yet growing flame, you realize that it is the gift of God to you. In the rest of this meditation I invite you to think about what that gift is. As you continue breathing deeply, leave your heart open to receive this message of scripture. Bible verse for meditation: 2 Timothy 1:6-8 ESV 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What stood out to you in this scripture? Consider what is the gift of God? How is the fanning of this flame related to overcoming fear? There is an intellectual meaning to this gift as it relates to the laying on of hands. The most meaningful experience of the early disciples is that of deep communion with God, as it is for us. Christians have interpreted this laying on of hands differently, and what is most striking is that it is always to allow God's power to be more fully visible in this world. As you ponder how this gift plays out in your life, imagine how you can apply it to overcome your deepest fear. What is your deepest fear. Take a slow and easy breath as you fan the flame of the gift of God in you, and imagine what this fear is. For many people it is a fear of being unloved, or lonely. Many people fear not being important, or not being able to survive the situations that they are in. Whatever your fear is, don't focus on a feeling of judgement for having it. Release that judgement. Let Jesus take that. All judgement is given to the Son. What I invite you to consider is how this fear can melt away as you fan the flame of the gift of God. As you allow his power and love to fill your being, you will be able to gain self control. You can overcome any fear, any worry, any anxiety, any panic. Allow the reality of your situation to remain unchanged as you walk hand in hand with the Holy Spirit. Don't fear the suffering that results for living well. Suffer well and let God be with you in that suffering. As you do you will no longer fear it. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: Imagine this gift as it burns in your chest. Open yourself up to feel the love of God. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: Take the message that you gained from God's word as you continue to allow his breath cleanse you. What message did you get from this scripture? Remember that you can use your own experience, reason, but more importantly scripture and the Spirit of God to bounce this idea off. I invite you to imagine how this message would play out in your life. What behaviors would change if you lived your life, with the knowledge that this thing is true. Imagine at least one specific thing that you could do today or tomorrow based on this message. Fully visualize this. What would it look like in your life? What positive things could you do, or what would happen around you, knowing that this thing was true? Visualize the change Conclusion: Thanks for joining me. I release a new episode every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. You can help someone feel the peace you experienced here by sharing this podcast with those you care about. Facebook.com/ChristianMeditationPodcast I think that was awesome. What a nice unique way to combine the study of the Scriptures with a kind of meditation atmosphere conducive to deeper thought about the Scriptures you read, and the insightful background offe

Although not universally positive, children possess so many admirable traits. When I watch my kids pray for others, forgive after disagreements, and most of all when I see their faith, I am moved. Children have an amazing capacity to love. As we learn to be in communion with the spirit of God, we are able to absorb and integrate the most positive traits of Children, while turning away from the negative. In this meditation we are going to spend some time thinking about this, and how it applies to our life journey as we seek to live by the word of God. Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization I invite you to get comfortable for 20 minutes, without driving or doing chores, but focusing exclusively on the message God has for you. If you feel safe to do so, close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: How to relax and how to meditate: Take stock of your breathing first. Instead of trying to force the world out, become a curious observer. Allow your focus to become soft. If you notice your mind wander bring it back to your breath. Allow your muscles to unflex. Breath deeply and allow the air to gently sweep over you. Imagine that the inside of your body is becoming full of air. With each passing breath you more it fills you deeper. All of the tension drains out of you as you feel your attention resting on this air coming in. Through the rest of this meditation let your attention gently rest on the message you find in scripture. As I read the following scripture continue to relax and breath deeply. Allow your attention to focus on whatever message you see in this following scripture. Bible verse for meditation: Matt 18:1-4 NRSV 1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What is the thing that stood out to you most in this scripture? What does this message mean to you? What is the most important part of you? What is the most important aspect of you? This scripture gives us a clue as to what parts of you God things are most important. Somewhere deep inside of you there is the same person that was in your body when you were a child. In God's eyes you are still a child. He invites us continually to be with him. His constant message is "I want to be with you, do you want to be with me?" The things He loves and admires the most about you are wrapped up in the child part of your personality. When is the last time that you have lived in this kind of innocence? Let the darkness of cynicism lift from your mind as you see yourself running and playing before the presence of the Lord. Imagine that all the negativity that surrounds your heart disappears. Take the lessons you have learned as you have matured as ask yourself: "Have they brought me closer to God or not?" We learn how to be more critical, more secretive, put on more of a false persona. We learn how to give up our childish ways to avoid being seen as a child to the world. How can you be more like the little child that Jesus put before his disciples? How can you be more like the little child that Jesus put before his disciples? Lets pray to God and engage this question. As you take another deep breath continue allowing the muscles in your body to loosen, gently and continually bringing your mind back to the message of this scripture. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm As you start to sit in the feeling of the innocence of a child, Imagine the Love that God pours into you. Sit silently with this feeling. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: Take the message that you gained from God's word as you continue to allow his breath cleanse you. What message did you get from this scripture? Remember that you can use your own experience, reason, but more importantly scripture and the Spirit of God to bounce this idea off. I invite you to imagine how this message would play out in your life. What behaviors would change if you lived your life, with the knowledge that this thing is true. Imagine at least one specific thing that you could do today or tomorrow based on this message. Fully visualize this. What would it look like in your life? What positive things could you do, or what would happen around you, knowing that this thing was true? Visualize the change Conclusion: Thanks for joining me. I release a new episode every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time in the US. If you found this message useful please share it with people you care about. You literally can contribute to someone feeling more peace today. I've been thinking about how to more fully engage with you all, as my listeners. One way that I f

Have you ever tried to explain a spiritual experience to someone else? It's hard. Our language is not powerful enough or perhaps not precise enough to do it justice. Despite this deficiency, those who have experienced it, cannot deny the reality of this experience. It is the core of the scriptures, human experience with God. What is more amazing is that the Holy Spirit is offered to us. We can be born of His spirit, His spirit of peace. Now lets prepare our hearts and minds to listen to His word. Outline of the Meditation. I invite you to get comfortable for 20 minutes, without driving or doing chores, but focusing exclusively on the message God has for you. If you feel safe to do so, close your eyes. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: How to relax and how to meditate: Begin by observing how quiet your body is. Move until you are comfortable and don't need to move in the slightest bit. This time is an opportunity for you to fast from the constant inputs that are coming into your life. Right now there is no input, there is nothing coming in, but air. And the thing that is leaving is all tension. Leaving only a perfectly relaxed body behind. Bring any distracted thought back to the idea of fresh air coming in. Continue breathing deeply and what you will notice is that your body will gently release that tension. Imagine all the weight of your body begins to slowly melt away As you continue to take in breaths you become lighter and lighter. All the heavy tension of your body leaks out of you as you breath deeply. As you continue to breath you find yourself weightless in your chair. Imagine your body slowly floating above your chair. As you imagine yourself floating, your body is as weightless and loose as a cloud. With each breath that you let in your body you feel the gentle cloudiness sooth any spots that felt tense until they too are light as air. Keep breathing deeply as you listen to this scripture. While staying relaxed, listen carefully and let the message penetrate your soul. Bible verse for meditation: The reading will be from John 3:5-8 From the ESV 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you, 'You must be born from above.' 8 The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: Some people go to great lengths to justify their faith in terms of academic means. This is a noble venture but ultimately the only way that we can truly gain this witness is by having an experience with the Holy Spirit. I want to be very careful to not say that we can demand this from God. This is not something that we deserve. Despite this, God makes it very clear that he wants us to approach him. As David says in Psalm 51:17 "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." As we approach him true humbly, one of the responses is an outpouring of His spirit. God's spirit can bring peace. In my experience, God pours out his spirit more abundantly as we consistently focus on preparing our minds. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm Sit in silence before the Lord and Foster in you pure Awe, demonstrating the purest gratitude you know how to for the forgiveness of your sins. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: Imagine the message you got from scripture today. How can that be applied to your life? Visualize that in as much detail as possible. Take these ideas and share them with people you trust in your life, compare to other scriptures to provide checks and balances. Trust the spirit of the Lord and He will direct you for Good. Conclusion: I release a new episode every Sunday morning at 1AM Mountain time I would appreciate your help to share this message with anyone. FIND ME ON: iTunes ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Youtube Twitter Pintrist

What do you have that is important? What things do you hold of others that is valuable? Maybe you know someone intimately well. Maybe you know the full details of someone's life. That knowledge is a kind of sacred trust. What do you know from God that is sacred to you. So sacred that you would not share it? Do you have things that are so sacred that you must share them? In what contexts do you share things? Are you worthy of the trust people put in you? In our highly technical world we know so little about each other in some ways and in other ways, perfect strangers know more about us that we could imagine. In this meditation we will ponder how to be better stewards of the that with which we have been entrusted and to treat knowledge about each other with a sacred perspective. I invite you to get comfortable for 20 minutes, without driving or doing chores, but focusing exclusively on the message. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: How to relax and how to meditate: Begin by observing how quiet your body is. Move until you are comfortable and don't need to move in the slightest bit. This time is an opportunity for you to fast from the constant inputs that are coming into your life. Right now there is no input, there is nothing coming in, but air. And the thing that is leaving is all tension. Leaving only a perfectly relaxed body behind. Bring any distracted thought back to the idea of fresh air coming in. Continue breathing deeply and what you will notice is that your body will gently release that tension. Imagine all the weight of your body begins to slowly melt away As you continue to take in breaths you become lighter and lighter. All the heavy tension of your body leaks out of you as you breath deeply. As you continue to breath you find yourself weightless in your chair. Imagine your body slowly floating above your chair. As you imagine yourself floating, your body is as weightless and loose as a cloud. With each breath that you let in your body you feel the gentle cloudiness sooth any spots that felt tense until they too are light as air. Keep breathing deeply as you listen to this scripture. While staying relaxed, listen carefully and let the message penetrate your soul. Bible verse for meditation: The reading will be from 1 Timothy 6:17-21 From the NABRE New American Bible Revised Edition 17 Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. 18 Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, 19 thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life. 20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid profane babbling and the absurdities of so-called knowledge. 21 By professing it, some people have deviated from the faith. Grace be with all of you. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What Message did you receive from this scripture? What have have you been entrusted with? What do you value most in this world? What do you hold of others that they most value? What do you hold of God's that is of value? How are you planning on using or guarding that? Share that with God. In the silence of these moments you feel the weight of loyalty, born out of love. As we love each other we want the best for each other. Guard the sacred trust that you have been entrusted with. Honor it more precious than Gold. Many people claim that money is the root of all evil. That is not true. Paul states earlier in this letter that it is the love of money that is the root of all evil. Do you love the gain of this world more than you honor your sacred trust. I promise you that as you more carefully honor that with which you have been entrusted, the more God will guide you in guide you in how to use it, according to His will. Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm Sit in silence before the Lord and Foster in you pure Awe, demonstrating the purest gratitude you know how to for the forgiveness of your sins. Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life: Imagine the message you got from scripture today. How can that be applied to your life? Visualize that in as much detail as possible. Take these ideas and share them with people you trust in your life, compare to other scriptures to provide checks and balances. Trust the spirit of the Lord and He will direct you for Good. Conclusion: Thank you for joining me today. We will reach well over 1,500 downloads for this month. Thank you for your support with that. I want to share with you something that I found profound. I recently upgraded my stats package with my media hosting. Now I am able to see geographical information about the episodes. I am still nerding out about the results. I discovered that there are downloads all over the US. This podcast has been downloaded in 32 states or territories of th

The great cry of our generation is to reduce the anxiety that overwhelms so many of us. Many people try and find a mechanical solution. They think that a set procedure can alleviate that. Many people worry about the future or ruminate on things they have done wrong. Although God has placed in us an amazing power within ourselves to find through practices like meditation, without the Help of God we can't fully. In this episode we will go over the real source of our peace and how to tap into it. Get into a place where you can sit comfortably for 20 minutes. I recommend not driving or doing chores so you can focus totally on the message God and if there is something wrong in your body I recommend you talk to a medical person to let the miracle of medicine help you as much as it can. Intro: As you get comfortable I want to say Oh my goodness my friends, I am overwhelmed by the spike in listenership. Just to be totally transparent, this month we are experiencing a 1000% growth. That is because many of you share it with people you care about. I've been watching the download numbers and often times I see little spikes of 10 or 20 and I know just shared it. We had over 300 downloads of the last podcast. With you help, my goal is to reach 1000 downloads in the month of July and 10,000 downloads in the first year. I can only do that with your help, and it costs you nothing to share. Even though I am in grad school… again I am so happy to produce this podcast. My only compensation for putting this podcast out is to know that people are benefiting from it, so please pay it forward and share this podcast on social media and teach other people how to subscribe. Thank you so much for letting me into your home to whisper in your ear. I take that trust seriously. Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation: If you feel comfortable doing so, feel free to close your eyes. First things first as you sit comfortably in your chair, take inventory of your body. What sensations do you detect? what is your breathing doing? Is it fast? or is it nice and slow and even? Spend some time now and notice it. For this first part, if your notice your mind wandering gently redirect it back to your breathing. As you scan your body, try to notice areas that feel calm, spend time enjoying that part of the body that God has given you. If there are any areas of your body that feel tense, spend a moment to notice what that feels like. Now try and intentionally unflex them. Continue breathing deeply and what you will notice is that your body will gently release that tension. Imagine all the weight of your body begins to slowly melt away As you continue to take in breaths you become lighter and lighter. All the heavy tension of your body leaks out of you as you breath deeply. As you continue to breath you find yourself weightless in your chair. Imagine your body slowly floating above your chair. As you imagine yourself floating, your body is as weightless and loose as a cloud. With each breath that you let in your body you feel the gentle cloudiness sooth any spots that felt tense until they too are light as air. Keep breathing deeply as you listen to this scripture. While staying relaxed, listen carefully and let the message penetrate your soul. This reading will be Isaiah 53:4-6. The reading will be from the KJV. Bible verse for meditation: 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation: What Message did you receive from this passage? This is one of a the 4 servant songs in the book of Isaiah. The other servant songs identify the servant as the people of Israel, or God's covenant people. This one is not specified and scholars have argued the identity of this servant. As Christians it is very difficult to read this and not imagine Jesus Christ as we hear this. He bore our grief. He was stricken and afflicted. He carried our sorrow. Many times as Christians we don't realize the full gravity of this phrase. Jesus Christ quite literally carries our griefs and sorrows. Jesus helps with far more than only sin. His desire is to save us from all suffering as we learn to trust on Him and grow in Him. It is through His stripes we are healed. Despite this, we have gone astray. As we saw in last episode despite our going astray, Jesus considers us a gift to him. Despite the cost. I invite you to open your heart to Jesus. Let Him see your pain, your grief, your loss. Sit open to him without any need to explain yourself, because he understands you. Open up your sin to him also. As you do this you realize that any pain and guilt from this sin is for one reaso

How can we find more peace with God? It is unity with God and the power of relaxation he created in our bodies that can help us feel peace. Through His spirit we can feel calm and reduce stress, worry, and anxiety. The most useful meditation that I have had is when I feel that all formal barriers are dropped between me and God. Introduction: Get comfortable and take some time. Dedicate 20 minutes to get the most out of this. If this is helpful share to 7 friends. If you want to learn how to subscribe to this podcast, send me an email through my website christianmeditationpodcast.com. I would also love to hear your thoughts about the podcast or scriptures you would like me to cover in the podcast. I would love to hear from you. Outline: Relaxation, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization Relaxation and breathing exercises to reduce stress: Relaxation helps us prepare our minds to listen to God. Begin by becoming aware of your body. As you do and you become aware of your breathing pattern. Breath slowly. Allow yourself to calm. Feel your muscles unflex. Let all compulsive thoughts go and focus on breathing, preparing your mind to receive the scripture. Biblical Meditation on Bible verses John 17:20-23: 20 "I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. 22 And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Meditation prayer to God: What message stood out to you during the reading of this scripture? This is part of the great intercessory prayer. This is Jesus praying for his disciples. Right before this he specifically mentions how he is praying for those that his father had given him, those who believe in Him. When Jesus prayed for them he prays that they may be one with Him. Jesus wants you to be one with him as he is one with the Father. Imagine that. My goal here is not to examine an abstract theology but to look at the concrete way Jesus compares His union with the Father to the union we can share with Him. Regardless of how literal this is, this is an amazing overpowering thought. What kind of things does Jesus pray for? He prays that you can be one with him. His greatest desire is that we are joined with Him. Let that sink in. You can be one with Jesus. This is not through our power. This is because we are a gift to Jesus. Despite all our brokenness. Despite our rebellious desires, somehow Jesus considers fallen humans a gift. Despite what we cost Him. Despite Gethsemane, despite Golgotha, despite the blood on the Cross and the tomb, He calls us friends. May this union with God continually draw us closer to Jesus' desires for us. Contemplative Meditation with God: Through a contemplative silence we open our hearts to God. We experience His friendship. We sit in awe of his love and mercy. Bring to mind the last time you experienced awe. Apply that to unity with God. Imagine God's loving face smiling at you. Watch God redeem you: There are powerful lessons from reflecting on God's word. As you have been meditating on these things, consider what is the most valuable thing that has been impressed on you. Visualize that moment is as great of detail as possible. Share these insights with someone you trust spiritually, in the comments section in iTunes, or by contacting me through my website christianmeditationpodcast.com. Conclusion: Please use this podcast as a tool, and not a crutch, to help you draw closer to God and feel his peace. The power to feel peace comes from interacting with the Spirit of God as well as tapping into the power of relaxation he created inside of us. If this content was meaningful for you share it with 7 people you care about. The only thing I get out of this podcast is knowing that this message can bring peace to people's lives. As you share it you can help bring them some peace in their lives as well. I release a new episode each Sunday morning at 1 AM mountain time. By subscribing to the podcast you can easily download them to your smartphone each week when they come out. LINK: FaceBook, iTunes, Chistianmeditationpodcast.com, YouTube

Many times we don't understand the work that God has for us. We don't understand that the most important thing we can do in this life is to take care of each other. Jesus responded that the two greatest commandments were to Love God and to Love our fellow human beings. Without this love, we can do nothing of value in the world. This week's episode will be a guided meditation on John 21:15-17. I recommend that you get into a comfortable chair where you can sit uninterrupted for 20 minutes. Introduction: As you do that I want to thank you for listening. I am blown away by the recent spike in people who have joined us in the last couple weeks. We have had hundreds of downloads. I am grateful for this and I have realized the power that you all have in helping to share this message. So if you find this meditation helpful please share it with 10 other people. I am glad that everyone I have shared it with has responded so positively. I am also on iTunes now. and I would greatly appreciate reviews there. It helps make this content more searchable. I have included the link here in the show notes below iTunes link Outline review: Relaxation to increase focus on God, scripture to meditate on, prayer for inspiration and guidance, contemplative worship, and visualization of change. Relaxation exercise to reduce distraction: Notice your breathing. Allow it to slow. Feel your stomach gently expand. Breath in for 5 seconds, gently hold it for 5 seconds, then let it out for 5 seconds. Bible verses for meditation: 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Meditate on the meaning of scripture: Reflect on the key verse, phrase or word that stuck out to you. We find this story occurring right after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Peter, unsure what to do goes back to what he knows, fishing. Due to the friendship that the apostles have developed and his leadership role, they follow him. While they are doing this they saw a man on the shore. He told them where to cast their nets. As they did this they brought in a huge catch of fish. Peter recognized Jesus and dove into the water to swim to him. After that we see this gentle but powerful rebuke by Jesus. He is building the men who will lead His earthly kingdom, with His guidance. The Apostles don't understand this yet. The metaphor is not lost to John. The efforts of man are unprofitable, but when guided by Jesus, they can bring in results greater than they could have imagined. Even after witnessing His ministry, these humble men don't know how to run a church or bolster a fledgling Jesus movement. They aren't sure what to do, so they do what they are comfortable with. Jesus does not let them stay comfortable. Jesus' simple repeated question now rings in our ears. Do we love God? If so what are we doing about it? What are we willing to do about it? What is the greatest thing we could do if we allow Jesus to guide us through our discomfort? What is the greatest thing you can imagine God doing through you? Meditative Prayer on the impressions received: Pray as the Spirit directs. Contemplative Meditation Sit in awe of the Glory of God as you would a beautiful work of art or a grad mountain view. Visualization of Godly Change: As fully as possible visualize what that change would look like in your life. How can you bless the lives of others? Make it as tangible as possible. Commit to sharing these insights with 7 people. Conclusion Thank you for joining me for this meditation. I hope you have found it valuable. If you did the way you can pay it forward is by sharing this content with 7 people who you feel need this message. You can share a number of different links: FaceBook, iTunes, or on Chistianmeditationpodcast.com. Our lives should be dedicated to helping others. In our profession, in our personal lives, and in our spiritual service we should maintain the view that what we do can bless others. Jesus showed Peter directly what he wanted for him. We can be guided to fill the niche in this world that God has in mind for us. You can bless the lives of those around you and participate in the healing work of God by sharing this content.

Introduction: In the USA we celebrate Independence Day on the 4th of July. For us, this represents liberty and freedom. The Bible teaches of a different kind of liberty, Christian liberty. We will discuss that. Christian Liberty is different. Get comfortable. Music Credit Andrew Payne Statio: Guided relaxation Lectio: 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.12 "I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both." The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Meditatio: The Corinthians really struggled in many ways. Paul's letter to them included many different corrections about sexual immorality, and various contentions as well. Among them was a form of spiritual covetousness. The argued and had ongoing drama.This was so pronounced that Roman Christians wrote a letter correcting the saints at Corinth in an apocryphal epistle known as 1 Clement. These Corinthians were confused on how to fully live the Gospel. Paul taught that. As Christians we consider the Law to have been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. At times we can be tempted to think that this means that we can do whatever we want as long as we have faith in Jesus. As Paul says in Romans 6:1 "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?" His answer to this is "by no means" or "God forbid." There are times when we may argue "I have the right to do anything" as if there is no sin. The transition from the way in which this was taught in the law versus the way it is taught in the New Testament was important. It changed from a set of prescribed rules to a set of prescribed principles. Instead of very direct do's and don't's we are given higher principles upon which to guide our action. What is harder to live? Is it easier to live the higher law? I would argue that this requires greater spiritual maturity to live the higher principle based system. Yet we don't do it alone. God will help. He guides us through his Holy Spirit. The challenge is that we have to be listening to gain the full benefit of this. As we yield to God's Spirit, He will guide us to take action that will draw us nearer to him and cause us to change in meaningful ways. We can be sanctified through His Spirit. Oratio: Prayer as indicated by the spirit. Contemplatio: Sit in contemplative silence in the spirit of God. Operatio: Visualize the change indicated to you through this scripture and share the message. Conclusion: Subscribe to the RSS by putting the following URL into your podcasting app. christianmeditationpodcast.com/rss If your podcast app requires the full feed URL then try this one. http://www.christianmeditationpodcast.com/rss iPhone: Click here for information to learn how to subscribe via the iPhone app. Android: Click here for a recommendation on a podcast app Each app will be slightly different on how to subscribe. On podcast addict you click the plus icon on the top of the app. Then click on the RSS button which is the second button down on the right after you click on the plus button. Then input the URL information from above.

In the last episode, I spent a lot of time on biological factors of change. This episode I want to focus more on emotional validation, and how Jesus did this. I have been blessed and humbled by the overwhelmingly positive feedback I have been receiving. It is really motivating for me to continue to put these episodes out. Outline: After a brief intro I will begin a relaxation exercise (Statio). This will be followed by a quiet reading of Scripture (Lectio) followed by Prayer (Oratio). We will then take some moments to bask in God's spirit (Contemplatio), then imagine how the message of this scripture can change you. Prepare yourself to relax for 20 minutes or so by getting in a comfortable chair. Introduction: This scripture was not chosen by me. I asked an 8-year-old girl what were her favorite scriptures and what I should do an episode on. She said I should do one on Jesus appearing to Mary at the Tomb. She also listed some other scriptures that I will cover in the future, but I was struck with this one. This woman in embryo saw something special in this scripture. Perhaps it's because she is drawn to a woman being the center of Jesus's attention through her unshaken faith. Maybe it's because she hopes to have that faith. Perhaps it's because she lives in a culture that constantly degrades both men and women but particularly women. When I thought of this my heart ached. To me, this attack is not accidental. How can we stand against this attack? It is not through our own strength Statio: Allow your body to relax and don't be distracted by the impulses of the day. Prepare your mind to be open to scripture. Lectio: John 20:13-16 New American Bible 13 And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken my Lord, and I don't know where they laid him." 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?"She thought it was the gardener and said to him, "Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher Oratio: Prayer guided by the Holy Spirit Contemplatio: Sit contemplatively while reflecting on the grandeur of God. Operatio: Imagine how God can help you change your life. Conclusion: God in His grace has decided to bestow on us a gift greater than anything we could imagine. He does this because He loves us. Scripture says that we love Him because He first loved us (John 4:19). I hope you go through the rest of your day, week and beyond feeling the value you have to God. He loves you and He loves me in a way we don't fully understand. Thanks for joining me. To get an outline of this episode or to see other episodes like this go to christianmeditationpodcast.com. You can subscribe to this podcast through podcast apps by adding the URL christianmeditationpodcast.com/rss which will be included in the show notes. I'm in the process of developing cover art for the podcast and once I get that complete, I'll submit to iTunes and other directories. As always I appreciate hearing from you. You can also reach out to me through my website contact form at christianmeditationpodcast.com I encourage you to use this podcast as a springboard, to a crutch, to improve your relationship with God. Until next week, may the Spirit of God rest with you and continually change you.

Science is not doctrine but, when taken in the context that it is generally available revelation about God's creation, it can enlighten our minds with additional inspiration to improve. In recent decades it has been shown that human brain cells continually grow throughout life. This debunks old school ways of seeing intelligence and mental skills as unchangeable. It has been demonstrated that the human brain physically rewires itself when we place intention on it. For example, when you learn to juggle, the parts of your brain that have to do with tracking visual inputs, grow. This information has been applied to meditation with increasingly motivating results. If you meditate consistently over months and years the parts of your brain associated with emotional regulation, memory, focus, attention, and happiness grow. This is amazing to know because it means that they hardware that your mind runs on can be physically upgraded by practice. By spending time in silence in meditation your brain grows. Although there is not specific research on Christian meditation, I suspect that these benefits would be joined with other spiritual benefits as well such as growth in the feeling that a loving God is watching over you. Relaxation: This relaxation is more focused on thinking about the grandeur of creation. Other episodes have been more of a guided step by step process. Let me know what you think You being alive is a miracle. The air you breath has traveled the world. You could be breathing air that was in Jerusalem a thousand years ago. Your body is built from the dust. Specifically through molecules that were in other plants and animals. This is thought that can join us to the rest of creation. God can look across the millions of miles that separate his galaxies and see you, not as a spec on one of billions of rocks, but as someone worth the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ezekiel 36:25-27 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Meditation: Through the waters of Baptism we can be symbolically cleansed as we give up, and he takes our unclean hearts. He gives us a new heart. Just as we reviewed in the idea of neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to change and grow) God can change our heart, referring to the emotional and spiritual motivation in us can increase and change as well. He puts His Spirit into us. This will purify us. Prayer: Pray according to the dictates of your heart. Contemplation: Imagine yourself standing before the throne of God. Application: Now visualize the change you feel you need to make based on this experience. Share this message with someone you know or via feedback on iTunes or other directories. Blessings

Drink and eat in remembrance of me. A meditation in preparation for taking the Sacrament of the Last Supper, Eucharist, Communion. A way to practice preparing your mind to be prepared for communing with God while partaking of the Sacrament. Intro: I'm so grateful for the ongoing feedback I'm getting from people who are benefiting from this podcast. Perhaps I shouldn't say this but I am surprised that this podcast is being so well received so far, so thank you to all of you who have reached out to me to let me know what you think. One piece of feedback I received that I want to use is a heads up at the beginning, that this episode, like all the others, will involve an invitation to sit quietly for 15 to 20 minutes. So if you are not in a comfortable chair I invite you to find a comfortable position. Most Christians participate in the ritual outlined as the Sacrament, also called the Eucharist or Communion. What does that mean? It means something similar, yet somewhat different, to many Christians. Something I think most of us share is that it provides an opportunity for us to reflect on our standing with God. We come before the God of heaven and are indicating to Him that we are remembering him and the Salvific sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Many people find it a challenge to remain focused on the moment as the silence fills the church. In the time it takes for everyone else to have the Sacrament offered to them, there is a perfect opportunity to reflect in a meditative way. This meditation is intended for that specific purpose. I am confident that as we meditate on the meaning that Jesus offered to us, we will feel closer to God and truly feel that we are in communion with him. Our meditation will begin with Relaxation, followed by the reading from the King James Bible, then reflecting on the meaning of the verses, followed by prayer after which we will allow time for silent contemplation, then finalizing this episode with an invitation on how this experience can change our lives. Let's begin with the relaxation: Guided relaxation. Then on to the reading: 26 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Meditation: This scripture represents the institution of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. There is not an extensive reference in the scriptures to the last supper but it is clear that it was important to early Christians. Paul writes about it in his letter to the corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11:23-32. Jesus taught publicly about the need to eat of his flesh and drink his blood in the Gospel of John. After this Jesus lost many disciples. He asked Peter will you also go away? To which Peter responded: "To whom would we go?" Is Jesus asking us today the same question when our minds wonder as we sit waiting to eat of the Sacrament? Is he asking us as he did to his Apostles in Gethsemane "could you not watch with me one hour?" As we practice focusing our thoughts we can be more open to the spirit as we partake of the Sacrament. Prayer: Pray as the spirit directs Contemplation: Enjoy silence in the Spirit of God. Practical application: Visualize how this change will be implemented in your life.

What manner of man is this Intro christianmeditationpodcast.com Positive feedback Multiple people gave positive feedback and I appreciated the technical feedback as well. This meditation is not entirely Lectio Divina but shares many things with that style of reflection and meditation. I referenced Tim Gray's called Praying Scriputre for change: an Introduction to Lectio Divina. There is great power in stillness is reducing distraction, even if there is noise around us. As you settle into a comfortable place I want to challenge the notion that silence is required for these. Many times in the hospital people seemed to try and force out any noise. In reality, these noises are part of your reality right now. They don't need to be your enemy. Relaxation Consider the calming power of God.

For details about me feel free to see the about me section of my website. I will also be listing an episode 000 explaining my theological framework. There are components borrowed from general relaxation practices as well Lectio Divina. I referenced Tim Gray's Book which is available on Amazon here (I don't have an affiliate link yet). I outline the structure for the meditation as follows: 1) Relaxation exercise (deep breathing, guided relaxation) 2) Read the verses twice (encouraging thoughtfulness) 3) Meditation (reflection on content) 4) Prayer (I lead then give some time for you) 5) Contemplative moment 6) Visualize application I'd love to hear from you about what insights you gained from this experience.