Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation
Welcome to the new season of the podcast, now titled "Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation"!
Join your host, Pastor Robert Young, as we embark on a journey of spiritual exploration and renewal. This podcast is designed to help you deepen your faith and find inner peace through calming, reflective, and transformative meditative practices inspired by scripture.
Our Evolution
While the podcast, formerly known as Not Your Parent's Religion, focused in Seasons 1 and 2 on correcting misinformation and myths about religious beliefs and the teaching of Jesus Christ, the program has evolved. In Season 3, we began drawing closer to God with guided meditations, exploring all the details of why and how to meditate, and discussing the Biblical origins of Christian meditations.
With over 30 years of experience in Church planting and mentoring other Pastors, and 30+ years of training leaders in evangelism/discipleship, Pastor Young is here to guide you through these moments of stillness and connection with God.
What to Expect in Season 4
We are excited to return with Season 4 starting Sunday, October 5. We will continue to offer a structured weekly schedule:
- Sundays: Our weekly guided meditation episode.
- Monday through Friday: Daily devotions and reflections that expand on the topic of the Sunday meditations.
- Wednesdays: Audio episodes of our House Church series. This series reflects the Bible's teaching that believers should gather together for corporate worship, fellowship, encouragement, and even admonishment.
For those seeking an enhanced experience, we are adding video versions of the meditations and devotions to our Patreon page. These videos are designed to give you a more immersive experience as you meditate on the Father, His teachings, and His presence.
Tune in each week as we lead you on this path to connecting more deeply with God.
Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation
Renew Your Mind Day 25 | Pilgrims of a Better Desire
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Longing shapes life more than willpower ever could. We explored how 1 Peter 2:11–12 reframes our daily choices by naming us pilgrims—people on the move who carry a different appetite. Rather than pretending we don’t feel earthly pull, we acknowledge it and then reach for something better: a steady fellowship with God that outlasts quick fixes and calms restless hearts.
We walk through the contrast between fleeting pleasure and enduring presence, not with lofty abstractions but with lived moments—stress at work, a sharp comment, a dull afternoon that begs for escape. Step by step, we show how honest conduct becomes a quiet witness. Not performance. Not polish. Just consistent goodness observed up close. That consistency invites curiosity in people who don’t share our beliefs. Over time, questions rise: Why are you steady when pressure hits. Where does that peace come from. How do you keep serving without needing credit.
You’ll take part in a two-minute reflection to test a common habit: do we hide our devotion when the room is skeptical. From there, we make a simple, bold pledge to let prayer, Scripture, and kindness be naturally visible, not staged. We ask for strength and wisdom, because timing and tone matter as much as courage. This is seed work—humble, patient, and hopeful. Every small act of integrity clears fog from someone else’s path and points beyond us to the One we love.
If this message nudged your heart, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs quiet courage, and leave a review with one visible step you’ll take this week. Your story may be the spark that helps someone else take theirs.
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Scripture And Theme Introduced
Pastor Robert YoungToday's scripture is coming from the book of First Peter, chapter two, verses eleven through twelve. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul, having your conversations honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. The world caters to their fleshly desires. We as believers don't deny that we have those same earthly and fleshly desires. However, we realize that we are just passing through this place called earth. We're always seeking to fulfill the desire of our spirit, which wants a constant fellowship with God. This fellowship in His presence far exceeds anything that this world and all its fleshly pleasures has to offer. And it's not fleeting or temporary like the earthly pleasures. When the unsaved see our consistent desire to want fellowship with God, it sparks curiosity. Let's take two minutes to reflect on the following question. Do I hide my desire to be in God's presence when I'm around the unbelievers? Starting today, I will express my devotion to God in the presence of the unsaved. Again, starting today, I will express my devotion to God in the presence of the unsaved. Our closing prayer. Lord, thank you for the strength and wisdom to express my devotion to you in the presence of unbelievers, and I pray that a seed of faith will be planted in their spirit. For Christ's sake, Amen.