EncounterPodcast

Galatians 6:9 Galatians 6:9 is not a command to stop feeling tired. It is a promise spoken into the tiredness. There is a harvest coming. God does not waste faithful effort. The seed that has been planted in prayer, in service, in quiet integrity, in the repeated choice to love well even when it is not returned. None of it is lost. Does Encounter help you find peace?  Please consider giving! Is there something good in your life right now that you have quietly been thinking about giving up on?

Proverbs 11:25 Proverbs 11:25 is an invitation to bet your life on the generosity of God. Not recklessly. But trustingly. To live with open hands rather than clenched ones, believing that what you release will come back around in ways you could not have planned. Does Encounter help you trust the Lord? Please consider giving.  When was the last time you gave something away without expecting anything back, and actually felt more alive for it?

1 John 4:16 This meditation from 1 John 4 is an invitation to abide. Not as a guest in God's love, visiting when you have earned it, but as someone who lives there. Does Encounter help you abide in the love of God?  Please consider giving! What would it look like to make your home inside the love of God?

James 3:13 James 3:13 is not a rebuke. It is an invitation. It is asking all of us the same question: does the wisdom you claim actually show up in your daily life? Not in your arguments. In your conduct. In the way you treat people when you are tired, when you are frustrated, when you have been given every reason to be anything but gentle. Does Encounter help you discover the wisdom of Christ?  Please consider giving! Is the wisdom you carry something people around you can actually see?

Psalm 34:19 The promise in Psalm 34:19 is not that your life will be free of hardship. It is far better than that. It is that God is present inside every hardship, and that His deliverance is never in doubt. "Out of them all." That is not a small phrase. That is the whole story. Does Encounter help you find freedom in Christ?  Please consider giving! When you are in the middle of your hardest season, do you actually believe that God sees it?

Ephesians 1:7 Today we sit with Ephesians 1:7, and with the word that has echoed through every broken life that dared to receive it: redeemed. Does Encounter help you make a difference?  Please consider giving! What would change for you today if you truly believed your debt had already been paid in full?

Genesis 2:3 After six days of creation, God blessed the seventh day and made it holy -- not because something happened on it, but because he rested. The act of stopping was itself sacred. Rest wasn't the absence of purpose. It was the point. Does Encounter help you surrender to the strength of God?  Please consider supporting us. What if the holiest thing you could do today was simply stop?

Proverbs 19:17 I pray this meditation from Proverbs 19 will loosen your grip on what you hold and open your hands to those around you, trusting the Lender who always repays. Does Encounter help you live generously? Please consider giving! What would it look like to lend something to God himself?

Matthew 5:6 There is a kind of hunger that food cannot touch. You may know the feeling of sitting down to a full table and still walking away with something hollow in your chest. We reach for more, scroll for more, fill the space with more, and still something aches. That ache is not a problem to fix. It may be the most honest thing about you. Does Encounter help you satisfy your hunger? Please consider giving! What are you hungering for today?

Matthew 5:3 He doesn't say, "Blessed are those who have it together." He says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." This meditation sits with that word. What does it mean to be spiritually poor? And why on earth would Jesus call that blessed? Does Encounter help you accept God's blessings? Please consider giving! What would it feel like to let go of the need to appear spiritually sufficient, even for just this hour?

Isaiah 1:17 There is a kind of goodness that stays safely inside the walls of a comfortable life. It means well. But it never quite gets its hands dirty. That is the ache at the center of Isaiah 1:17. Not a call to try harder at religion. A call to let faith move through you and into the world around you. To learn, actively and intentionally, how to do good. Does Encounter help you live more intentionally? Please consider giving! When was the last time doing good actually cost you something?

Luke 12:3 The theme for this meditation is disclosure. There are always eyes to see and ears to hear-- if not the prying gaze of a neighbor, then indeed the eternal presence of God. Does Encounter help you find a safe haven in Christ?  Please consider giving! What secrets is God asking you to reveal to Him?

1 John 2:1-2 I pray this meditation from 1 John 2 will help you rediscover the invisible. Believe in what you cannot experience with your physical senses and look beyond the physical world for your comfort. Does Encounter help you experience God's grace?  Please consider giving! Why do you need God's supernatural comfort today?

Proverbs 13:20 Our theme for this meditation from Proverbs 13 is choosing wisely and choosing life. Every morning choosing joy, happiness, and wisdom. Even when mistakes are made, I pray you will feel the freedom to recenter, surrender once again to the grace of God, and continue to choose wisely. Does Encounter help you choose joy? Please consider giving! Who is walking wisely that you can walk with?

Luke 22:20 I pray this meditation from Luke 22 will help you remember how we tend to spoil any good thing of God, human that we are.  But by His grace, we can find order again.  Somewhere deep, somewhere inside of us.  Guided by the Holy Spirit, we can take the first steps to address our problems by first reflecting on the chaos. Does Encounter help lead you to a deeper communion with God?  Please consider giving to us! What do you desire most from God at this time?

A loving tribute to my grandson, Wiliam. Today would have been his 2nd birthday. Revelation 21:4 Isaiah 43:2 Psalm 18:5-6

ONE-HOUR Guided Sleep Meditation | Encountering Peace | What Promises Does God Have For You? This guided biblical sleep meditation will help you drift off to sleep, reflecting on God's word and the comfort of His many promises and guarantees for you, His child.

In the New Testament, Pneuma is the Greek word for the breath of God. It means Spirit and wind.    “And God breathed on me and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. God breathes out all Scripture.  He gives me life and breath and everything.” (John 20; 2 Tim 3; Acts 17)

Psalm 59:16 The theme of this meditation from Psalm 59 is safety.  It is my hope you will be encouraged to seek protection in the strong arms of God, care in his lovingkindness, and safety as you rest in his territory. Does Encounter help you find rest?  Please consider giving! Why do you need God's rest and protection today?

Luke 10:25-37.  The Bible tells us that God loves us and wants us to be safe, loved, and cared for.  But sometimes we feel hurt, don't we?  This is a story from the Bible of someone that got hurt and how God brought someone to care for him.

1 Corinthians 1:10 The theme of this meditation is unity.  It is my hope you will be encouraged to live in unison, synchronized with other believers, and in unity with Christ. Does Encounter help you find unity with others and with Christ?  Please consider giving! Will you set aside your pride to walk in unison with someone today?

2 Corinthians 12:9 Our theme for this meditation is having all you need.  Not wasting your life by finishing tasks yourself, but by God's grace having immediate access to all He has and all He is. Help us transform lives with God's peace. Please support us. A Question To Ponder: What is it you most want out of life? How is God providing?

Philippians 3:13-14 Have you ever thought, "This right here. Nothing is as wonderful as this."? This guided audio meditation from Philippians 3 will offer you fresh perspective on 'the most wonderful thing.'  Does Encounter help you find peace?  Please consider giving! How does your earthly wonder point to Jesus?

Revelation 21:4 A reflection on dealing with deep and secret pain, this meditation will help you be mindful of how Christ absorbs your agony. He cries your tears, takes your grieving, and brings you peace. Does Encounter help you find peace?  Please consider giving! When you encounter stress, what coping mechanisms do you rely on?

2 Corinthians 5:17 This meditation from 2 Corinthians 5 is a reflection on becoming a new creation, inspired by the very mind of God and far more beautiful than anything human hands could even imagine creating. Does Encounter help you discover your identity in Christ?  Please consider giving! Where are you in the process of becoming new?

2 Corinthians 5:21 This meditation is designed to combat the stress of the world by becoming a calm place of hope in the presence of God and a reminder of His offer of peace. Does Encounter help you accept an offer of peace?  Please consider giving! How big of a role does stress play in your daily life?

Proverbs 16:24 "Inner speech" can reveal our private desires, distractions, and disappointments. This meditation will help you better understand the power we have over shaping our thoughts when we talk to ourselves. Does Encounter help you find peace?  Please consider giving! What do you tell yourself?  How are you shaping your thoughts?

Ecclesiastes 7:9 This meditation from Ecclesiastes 7 will help you better understand and resolve the tension in your life, relationships, and even your walk with God. Does Encounter encourage you in your walk with the Lord?  Please consider giving! Can you remember a time when God brought peace out of tension?

Luke 2:22-38 This meditation from Luke 2 will follow Simeon on the morning when he sees the face of Christ. He has dreamed of this moment, which has finally arrived.  Does Encounter help you grow in your relationsip with the Lord?  Please consider giving! When did you first encounter Christ? 

Matthew 2:10-11 The theme of this meditation from Matthew 2 is flexibility.  Today, you'll learn to walk through your day while allowing God to work through chance moments and spontaneous encounters with Him.  Does Encounter help you deepen your relationship with the Lord?  Please consider giving! Is there a time God showed up for you in a chance encounter?

Luke 2:14 In today's meditation from Luke 2, we'll contemplate the feeling of surprise-- being so eager and anxious to break in immediately with the news of something you’ve learned. Does Encounter help you glorify the Lord?  Please consider giving! How can you give God the glory today?

John 1:14 In this meditation from John 1, we'll focus on creating enough space in our tightly scheduled days for God to be revealed even during our distractions.  Does Encounter help you meet with the Lord?  Please consider giving! Do you allow enough margin in your busy life to discover God?

Matthew 1:21 This meditation from Matthew 1 reminds me of how Joseph must have felt as he stepped back to watch his wife gives birth to a Savior. Does Encounter help you worship the Savior?  Please consider giving! How might you help another discover the love of God?

Isaiah 7:14 This meditation from Isaiah 7 and Luke 2 will follow Mary and Joseph's journey on the evening that opened earth to heaven and changed the world forever. Does Encounter help you know your Savior?  Please consider giving! Who in your life is still searching for the Child in the manger?

Philippians 4:4 Today's guided audio meditation will encourage you to explore new ways to rejoice-- in both joy and sorrow. Let it remind you of the obedience of rejoicing no matter the circumstance. Does Encounter help you discover joy?  Please consider giving! What emotions are you feeling? Will you rejoice because or in spite of them?

Isaiah 12:2 This guided audio meditation from Isaiah 12 will help you recall the truth of the authority-- not of you but of Christ.  Contemplate on the fact that Christ is the author and perfecter of our faith.  Does Encounter help you find peace?  Please consider giving! In what way might you be plagiarizing the work of God?

Matthew 7 This meditation from Matthew 7 will help you better understand the gifts that God offers to you.  He gives good and advantageous gifts you may not even know you need or want...yet. Does Encounter help you experience joy in the Lord?  Please consider giving! Has a disappointment turned out to be an unexpected gift?

Colossians 3:13 This guided audio meditation from Colossians 3 is designed to encourage you to slip out from behind your mask and face the world, removing your worldly disguise in favor of your new self.  Does Encounter help you live more authentically?  Please consider giving! What masks do you wear?

Matthew 5:16 That is the theme of this meditation from Matthew 5 is about shining-- not from a sparkling ring or a bright smile but from inside of your heart.  Everything you do shining the love of God. Does Encounter help you live in the love of Christ?  Please consider giving! How bright does God’s light shine from within you?

Psalm 8:3-4 I hope this meditation on Psalm 8 enables you to remember that nothing happens in all of creation without the knowledge and the will of the Creator of creation-- the very one that made you and cares for you. Does Encounter help you connect with your Creator?  Please consider giving! How has your Creator shown his care for you recently?

Psalm 32:8 This meditation from Psalm 32 will help you take a walk. Unbridled, free, and being guided, not by the world but only by God’s whispered directions. Does Encounter help you find peace?  Please consider giving! What whispered direction is God giving you today?

Matthew 22:37 This meditation from the 22nd chapter of Matthew will help you use love to steer you through life. Use love to navigate through any situation you encounter. Does Encounter help you love God and love others?  Please consider giving! What do you think is the #1 rule to living a fulfilling life?

John 8:12 The theme for this meditation from John 8 is the heavenly light.  We'll contemplate how to block out the light pollution around us to once again see heavenly light.  Does Encounter help you focus on the things that matter?  Please consider giving! What is distracting you from the heavenly light?

Galatians 6:2 This meditation from Galatians 6 is about exploring ways to share the burdens of others and finding others to help carry some of yours. Does Encounter help you release your burdens?  Please consider giving! What (and whose) burdens are you carrying today?

Psalm 126:5 In today's meditation from Psalm 126, we'll focus on learning to be mindful of how joy abides within every moment of our lives, becoming aware of how even our tears can reap shouts of joy. Does Encounter help you find joy?  Please consider giving! When last did you experience true joy?

Romans 12:12 In today's meditation from Romans 12, we'll contemplate being marked by a life that lets the world know who you are, what you believe, and what matters most to you. Does Encounter help you strengthen your relationship with Christ?  Please consider giving! What mark does your life bear?

Romans 15:5-6 In today's meditation from Romans 15, we'll learn to be thankful for helpful instruction.  Instruction from the Lord is designed to give you hope, encouragement, and thanksgiving to endure the hard times. Does Encounter help you find encouragement for hard times?  Please consider giving! How can you model your life after Christ?

Luke 1:37 This meditation from the first chapter of Luke will help you find hope when hope seems lost and courage when facing the impossible. Does Encounter help you find hope?  Please consider giving! Why do you need hope and courage today?

John 1:12 This meditation from John 1 is a contemplation on believing and having humble faith. Today, we'll learn to place our trust, love, hope, and confidence, not in the things of the world, but in the loving arms of God. Does Encounter help you trust in the Lord?  Please consider giving! What are the attributes of a childlike faith?