716 I Urge That Prayers Be Made For All People and Leaders, A Guided Christian Meditation on 1 Timothy 2:1-4 with the Recenter With Christ app 

The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ. 

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate.

Scripture for Meditation

1 Timothy 2 

NABRE

1First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.

ESV 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Meditation on Scripture:

In the earliest days of Christianity there were severe conflicts with those who professed God to be the King, and the Roman government who held their emperor to be not only the king but also a god. These Christians suffered for their beliefs and they ultimately hoped most for a system that would allow them to be left alone to worship God as they saw fit. They desired the freedom to live out a peaceful and quiet life. Many early Christians would tried to establish the difference that they would not pray to the emperor but they would pray to God on behalf of the emperor that he would make good decisions. Tertulian is often seen as one of the greatest early western theologians and the first Latin theologian. He said the following regarding the Roman leaders of the time: 

We pray for life prolonged; for security to the empire; for protection to the imperial house; for brave armies, a faithful senate, a virtuous people, the world at rest, whatever, as man or Cæsar, an emperor would wish. These things I cannot ask from any but the God from whom I know I shall obtain them, 

How grateful we should be that we have exactly the kind of freedom that those early Christians longed for. They recognized that it was God alone that could grant peace. As the free nations of the world have the opportunity to participate in selecting their leaders, as early Christians did not, may we remember to pray to God for their success because true and lasting success can only come from God. God is the one in control of salvation and eternity. This scripture says God wants all people to be saved. Our greatest interest should be to share God’s goal of bringing the love of God to all, and to prioritize the things of God, even as we live in a fallen world. May God allow us to live, as it says in this scripture, a quiet life of peace.

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:

This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast

Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind? 

FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

NIV 5 The Lord watches over you—     the Lord is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day,     nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—     he will watch over your life; 8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going     both now and forevermore.

712 I Lift Up My Eyes to the Mountains, A Guided Christian Meditation on Psalm 121 with the Recenter With Christ app 

The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ. 

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate.

Scripture for Meditation

John 10

NASB I will raise my eyes to the mountains; From where will my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to slip; He who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who watches over Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.

ESV I lift up my eyes to the hills.     From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord,     who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;     he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel     will neither slumber nor sleep.

Meditation on Scripture:

I had someone write me such a dear message telling of her struggle with Cancer several years ago and how she listened to the podcast. That is the essence of the way the Lord cares for us. She requested this Psalm and it is a powerful message for us. 

I lift my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? In the difficult journey’s through the mountains we find ourselves asking this question. Even when we know the answer our eyes still search for the help we feel we must have in that moment. The fortunate news for us is that we seek this comfort from the Lord. The mighty Father of Heaven who has created the earth, the galaxy and everything beyond and within. His understanding is not limited or weakened by anything. In Him we trust for the direction of our path. The longer I live the more I realize the question of what support I get from the Lord is more a matter of me learning to see God’s purposes than it is to bend his will to mine. And yet we plead. But he will not allow our foot to slip on its forward motion. He is ready at all times to watch over us, to guide us to where He wants us to go.

This scripture has long been a favorite of those engaged in difficult journeys. It was a favorite of a well known Chrsitan missionary to Africa David livingstone. In reference to a question about the limits of where he would go to serve the Lord he stated. “Ill Go anywhere, as long as its forward.” I feel that this line embodies the spirit of this Psalm. It is perfectly fine and right for us to seek God in prayer to ask for what we feel we need. Once we do then, we trust that He will not let our foot slip regardless of how difficult the journey is. 

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:

This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast

Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind? 

FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

710 To Whom The Word Of God Came, A Guided Christian Meditation on John 10:34-39 with the Recenter With Christ app 

The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ. 

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate.

Scripture for Meditation

John 10

NIV 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’[d]? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

NASB 34 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified), 36 are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may [h]know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.” 39 Therefore they were seeking again to arrest Him, and He eluded their grasp.

Meditation on Scripture:

Jesus Quotes Psalm 82 to show us that the true power comes from the will and decisions of God. True Goodness comes from God. The Messianic role fulfilled by Jesus came through the power of God. There is a great irony of having Jesus accused of Blasphemy. This scripture is deep and has many lessons but, at this moment I’d like to reflect on this.. Has the word of God come to you? Jesus is the word, spoken of in John 1 that was with God and was God. Awareness about Jesus is the heart of this. Do we understand that the true word referred to here is embodied in Jesus who was sent to the world to make us holy. Without Jesus and the works he came to do, none of the other struggles of life has any eternal meaning. As we put our trust in Jesus we are swallowed up in the power of God over the whole world and every possible dimension and eternal consequence. 

In this moment if you haven't done so already, choose to follow Jesus and learn of Him for the rest of your life. If you have already chosen this, then grab hold of that memory and decision and embrace it in your mind and heart. Let us recommit to that. To continually bring our minds and hearts back to that decision. Embrace the things God says in scripture as eternally important and allow that word to take hold in your heart by reflecting on it, reading it, meditating on it, as we are here. Overall we should seek to feast on it. 

God cannot blaspheme. It is certainly not blasphemy for God to describe something about Godhood that we dont understand. Had the Jews realized that Jesus was God it would have been ridiculous to call out Jesus for Blasphemy. As we embrace Jesus as the Savior of the world we also embrace His sovereignty about the truth. God can guide you in your life and learning how to receive that is one of the greatest lessons of life. 

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.

Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:

I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials.

Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life:

This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast

Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind? 

FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: [email protected] Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod

John 10 NABRE 31 The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God.” 

NIV 25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”