Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation

Pastor Robert Young
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Daily

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.

  1. The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: Rise Into Your Calling | Friday Devotion

    1d ago

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: Rise Into Your Calling | Friday Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail “Rise, let us go.” That single line from Matthew 26:46 can feel like a hand on your shoulder when you’re tired, stuck, or unsure what to do next. We sit with Jesus in the garden and notice something subtle but life-changing: after prayer, he stands up with renewed strength. The struggle doesn’t vanish, but his resolve returns, and he steps forward into his calling with clarity, courage, and love. We talk through why this is such a practical model for Christian life and spiritual growth. Faith often looks like a pattern: we wrestle honestly, we surrender what we cannot control, and then we rise. If you’ve been waiting for your fear to disappear before you act, this reflection offers a better path. Prayer doesn’t always remove the weight, but it can restore your direction and your willingness to obey. You’ll also be guided into a simple three-minute moment of reflection with one focused question: What step is God inviting me to rise into today? We close with an affirmation and a short prayer asking God to strengthen us to rise with Jesus, walk with him, and obey with courage and love. If you’re looking for a Scripture-based devotional, encouragement for obedience, or a reset for your spiritual discipline, press play and take the next step with us. If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review. What step are you being invited to rise into today? Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    5 min
  2. The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: Jesus Meets Our Weakness With Compassion | Thursday Devotion

    2d ago

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: Jesus Meets Our Weakness With Compassion | Thursday Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail Your intentions are real and your faith is real, so why does follow-through feel so hard? We open Matthew 26:41 and sit with Jesus’ words: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Then we step into the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus wrestles in prayer and the disciples fall asleep. It is a scene that quietly names what so many of us live with: a willing heart paired with tired habits, distraction, and limits we cannot muscle past. We imagine the disciples asleep in the grass, unaware of the spiritual battle unfolding, and we ask what that image reveals about our own spiritual drowsiness. Where have we gone numb? Where do we keep missing what matters? This is a Christian devotional reflection on prayer, weakness, and staying awake to God’s presence, not through pressure or shame, but through honesty and grace. If you’ve been carrying guilt about inconsistency, this conversation offers a different starting point: clarity about your limits and courage to bring them to Jesus. The turning point is Jesus’ posture. He does not shame the disciples. He meets them with compassion, and that compassion becomes a gift for us too. We slow down with a guided question for self-examination and end with a closing prayer: “Strengthen my spirit, steady my heart, and help me to stay awake to your presence.” If this encouraged you, subscribe for more biblical reflections, share the episode with a friend who feels worn out, and leave a review so others can find it. What part of your life needs wakefulness right now? Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    5 min
  3. The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: The Courage To Surrender Wednesday Devotion

    3d ago

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: The Courage To Surrender Wednesday Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail One sentence from Jesus can confront everything we try to control: “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). We return to Gethsemane not to admire a distant moment, but to learn how surrender to God works when the cost is real and the emotions are loud. This reflection centres on a surprising truth: Jesus doesn’t surrender because the road is easy. He surrenders because the Father’s will is good, and that goodness is worth trusting even through fear.  We talk about obedience as something stronger than calm feelings. Obedience is not the absence of struggle. It’s the victory of trust over fear, the choice to love God with our will when our body still feels the weight of anxiety. Surrender is not passive or numb. It’s active, honest, and deeply personal, a decision to place our plans under God’s wisdom without pretending the struggle isn’t there.  Then we slow the pace with a short guided meditation, imagining the shift in Jesus from anguish to resolve, from fear to trust. We hold a simple question in silence: Where is God inviting me to say, “Not my will, but yours”? The episode closes with an anchor you can carry into your week, “Surrender is my pathway to peace,” and a prayer asking God for courage when His will stretches us.  If you want a Christian devotional, a guided prayer, and a practical way to build trust in God’s will, press play and take these few minutes seriously. Subscribe for more, share this with someone who needs steadiness today, and leave a review with the line that hit you hardest. Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    6 min
  4. The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: The Cup We Wish Would Pass | Tuesday Devotion

    4d ago

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: The Cup We Wish Would Pass | Tuesday Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail Jesus doesn’t hide his dread in the garden. He prays, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me” (Matthew 26:39), and that one line can change how we think about Christian faith, suffering, and prayer. We sit with Pastor Robert Young’s devotional insight that asking God for another way isn’t rebellion. It’s relationship. It’s proof that we believe God is close enough to hear the truth.  We explore what “the cup” represents in Gethsemane and why Jesus’ request reveals both vulnerability and trust. Faith isn’t pretending we want the hard thing. Faith is bringing our desires, fears, and burdens to the Father with honesty, even when the outcome is uncertain. If you’ve been carrying anxiety, grief, exhaustion, or a situation you wish would simply go away, this reflection gives you language that is clear, simple, and deeply biblical.  You’ll also be guided through a quiet three-minute pause to ask a direct question: what cup in your life do you wish God would take away? Picture Jesus gently placing his cup beside yours, acknowledging both without judgment, and then join us in a closing prayer of surrender that refuses to perform strength. If this helped you name what you’re carrying, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find this kind of honest, hope-filled prayer. Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    5 min
  5. The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: The Weight Jesus Carried | Monday Devotion

    5d ago

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 3: The Weight Jesus Carried | Monday Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail Jesus approaches the cross carrying crushing emotional and spiritual weight and He doesn’t cover it up. We sit with that moment in Gethsemane, imagining the dim garden, the heaviness on His face, and the startling clarity of a Savior who names His anguish instead of hiding it. That picture reframes prayer for anyone who feels stuck, overwhelmed, or ashamed of what they’re feeling.  We guide you through a short, spacious reflection that asks one honest question: what heavy emotion are you carrying that you have not named before God? Rather than rushing to solutions, we practise emotional honesty with God, the kind of vulnerable prayer Jesus models as fully human. If you’ve ever edited your prayers, avoided your grief, or felt like faith requires a brave face, this is a gentle invitation back to truth.  You’ll also hear a simple affirmation repeated slowly: “It is safe for me to be honest with God.” Let that line sink in as a new foundation for your spiritual life, especially if anxiety, sadness, anger, or exhaustion has been living just beneath the surface. We close with a prayer asking for courage to bring real emotions without fear or shame, trusting that God meets us in the places that feel heavy.  If this helped you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs permission to be honest, and leave a review so more people can find this kind of guided prayer and Christian reflection. Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    6 min
  6. The Jesus No One Talks About Series: Pt. 3 Strength in The Garden | Deep Dive with Dan & Sheila

    6d ago

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series: Pt. 3 Strength in The Garden | Deep Dive with Dan & Sheila

    Send us Fan Mail We’ve been trained to admire unshakable people the ones who never flinch, never doubt, never show fear. But the Garden of Gethsemane tells a different story, and it’s far more useful for real life. Dan and Sheila dig into Pastor Robert Young’s “The Jesus No One Talks About” and focus on one isolated night where Jesus of Nazareth is not stoic, not polished, and not distant. He is crushed, honest, and fully present to the weight in front of him and that changes how we think about strength.  We walk through why the setting matters: Gethsemane literally means “oil press,” a place built for crushing pressure that releases what’s deepest inside. From there we unpack the “cup” Jesus dreads, not as a vague symbol but as layered suffering physical agony, betrayal and isolation, and the spiritual and theological weight described in the biblical narrative. We also explore Luke’s startling detail about sweat “like drops of blood,” including the rare medical condition hematidrosis and what it signals about extreme stress and anxiety.  Then we tackle the big objection head-on: doesn’t fear make him look weak? Pastor Young’s argument about the incarnation reframes the whole question. If Jesus is truly human, he experiences real vulnerability, and emotional struggle doesn’t equal failure. We also look at the disciples falling asleep, Jesus’ compassion in “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,” and the internal turning point of “not as I will, but as you will.” Finally, we translate it into a practical framework the Gethsemane model for anyone facing a hard diagnosis, a painful decision, or a season that feels like an oil press.  If you want to explore this more deeply, you can contact Pastor Young by clicking the various links in the description box below. Subscribe for more deep dives, share this with a friend under pressure, and leave a review with the line that challenged you most. Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    19 min
  7. The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt.2: Becoming a Living Temple | Friday Devotion

    May 29

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt.2: Becoming a Living Temple | Friday Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail You can spend years trying to “clean yourself up” and still feel like something is off. We take a different route here: the bold spiritual claim that you are God’s temple and that the work Jesus does in the temple is the same work he continues in you, right now. That means your faith is not only something you think about; it is a living place where heaven touches earth through your life, your choices, and your presence.  We move from teaching into a short guided Christian meditation that helps the idea become felt reality. You will be invited to imagine your whole being glowing with quiet light, as if every room of your inner temple is being filled with God’s presence. Then we picture Jesus walking through with joy, smiling and saying, “This is my house.” It is a simple contemplative practice, but it can open the door to inner healing, spiritual formation, and a calmer way of being when your mind is loud.  We also sit with one direct question: “What does it mean for me today to live as a temple where God dwells?” To carry it into real life, we close with an affirmation you can repeat throughout the day: “I am a dwelling place of God. His presence fills me and flows through me.” If this reflection helps you breathe, reset, or return to God, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    6 min
  8. The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 2: Making Room for the Outsider | Thursday Devotion

    May 28

    The Jesus No One Talks About Series Pt. 2: Making Room for the Outsider | Thursday Devotion

    Send us Fan Mail Jesus clearing the temple can sound like a moment of pure confrontation, but we hear something else underneath it: protection, welcome, and space-making. When the Court of the Gentiles the one area set aside for outsiders gets taken over, Jesus doesn’t just “clean up.” He restores access. He makes room for the people who have been crowded out. That single move reframes the story from spectacle to invitation, and it raises a hard question: where have we blocked the space that was meant for belonging? From there, we turn the lens inward. Most of us carry an “outsider within” a part of ourselves we avoid, judge, or label as not spiritual enough. It might be the anxious part, the ashamed part, the angry part, or the exhausted part that feels unworthy of prayer. We sit with the idea that Jesus doesn’t only welcome the put-together version of us. He makes room for the hidden parts too, meeting them with kindness rather than contempt. If you’ve ever felt stuck in self-criticism, this is a gentle path toward Christian self-compassion and deeper spiritual formation. We also guide a short imaginative prayer practice: a peaceful room, a long table, and Jesus pulling out a chair for the part of you that feels overlooked. Then we pause for a simple, piercing reflection question: What part of myself have I treated like an outsider that Jesus is inviting to the table? We close with an affirmation you can carry into daily life and a prayer for an inner life marked by belonging. If this brings something up for you, listen through, share it with someone who needs it, and subscribe, rate, and review to help more people find the podcast. What part of you needs a seat at the table today? Support the show Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here: https://patreon.com/churchplanting https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here: (585) 331-3424 Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here: robyoung51.ry@gmail.com

    6 min
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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.

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