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
Guarding Your Heart & Mind Series: God Works in Us What We Cannot Produce | Wednesday Devotional
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Willpower runs out. Motivation fades. And if spiritual growth depends on us generating perfect discipline, most of us end up stuck in the same cycle: try harder, fall short, feel guilty, repeat. We open Philippians 2:13 and let the Apostle Paul dismantle that exhausting story with one clear truth: God is the one working in us, giving us both the desire to obey and the power to follow through.
We walk through what it means for Christian obedience and sanctification to be a partnership with God rather than a solo project. We talk about the quiet pressure many believers carry, the assumption that holiness is mainly about consistency, and the relief that comes when you realize you are not left alone to “manufacture” spiritual strength. When your humanity feels limited and your will feels tired, God’s help is not small or distant. His grace meets you in the exact place you cannot produce change on your own.
You’ll also get a simple, guided moment of reflection with one pointed question: where do you feel like you lack the desire or strength to obey God right now? We then repeat a practical affirmation you can carry into your day, followed by a closing prayer asking God to strengthen weak desire, renew tired will, and empower what we cannot do through human effort.
If you’re hungry for a short Christian devotional on Philippians 2:13, spiritual growth, and Holy Spirit empowerment, press play, then subscribe, share with a friend who feels worn out, and leave a review so more people can find this encouragement.
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Welcome And Scripture Reading
Pastor Robert YoungToday's scripture is coming from the book of Philippians, chapter two, verse thirteen. For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Many believers assume that spiritual growth depends on their own discipline, motivation, or consistency. But the Apostle Paul makes something radically clear. Even our desire to obey God comes from God Himself. We don't generate spiritual strength, we don't manufacture holy desires, we don't produce obedience through human effort. God worked in us, giving us the will, giving us the work, and giving us the strength. This means we are never left alone to try harder. Every step of obedience is supported by God's supernatural help. Every transformation is a partnership where God supplies what we cannot produce. Our humanity is limited. God's help is limitless. Let's take three minutes to reflect on the following question. Where do you feel like you lack the desire or strength to obey God and need Him to work in you? Repeat this affirmation now and throughout your day. God is working in me, giving me both the desire and the power to do His will. Let's say it again. God is working in me, giving me both the desire and the power to do His will. Our closing prayer. Lord, thank you that you never asked me to obey you in my own strength. When my desire is weak, strengthen it. Where my will is tired, renew it. When my ability falls short. Empower me. Work in me what I cannot produce on my own. I depend fully on your help today. Amen.