Episodios

  • A Meditation to Envision Finding Shelter in God from Psalm 142:5
    Jul 16 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax your body, refocus your mind, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. Our summer schedule has begun. Look for new once-per-week episodes each Tuesday during the summer. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Psalm 142:5 NIV I cry to you, LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Psalm 142:5 CSB I cry to you, LORD; I say, “You are my shelter, my portion in the land of the living.” Luke 21:16-18 NIV 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. “LORD” in all uppercase letters in our English Bibles indicates that in Hebrew God’s name, Yahweh, is used (for example, Exodus 3:14-15; Isaiah 42:8). Yahweh is the ancient Hebrew verb form for “HE IS.” God’s name, Yahweh, is used more than any other term for God in the Hebrew scriptures. More than “God” is used. When we survey the various truths associated with God’s name, HE IS, in the Hebrew scriptures (what we call the Old Testament), four important aspects of God are emphasized. HE IS the Creator and Sustainer of ALL that exists, including this entire universe (Ps 33:6; Isa 40:26; Isa 42:5; Isa 44:24). HE IS the Giver and Sustainer of ALL life everywhere always (Num 27:16; Job 12:10; Acts 17:25). HE IS eternal and forever God (Isa 40:28; Isa 57:15) HE IS ALWAYS infinitely 100% present with you and in control of everything in your life at every moment (Ps 31:14-15; without being any less present or focused anywhere else in the universe, because HE IS infinite). See Jesus’s words in Matthew 10:29-31. We often meditate on God‘s name in this podcast because it is the key to experiencing God as HE IS. God’s name is filled with wonder and mystery and transcendence for us to meditate on using our biblically guided imagination. So imagine – envision – this reality. He is the Source of all being; he is the Giver of your life and sustains your life at every moment; he is the one who “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15), and so has the eternal perspective in all your life’s circumstances; and he is infinitely, intimately, 100% present with you at every moment and in control of every circumstance in your life. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    15 m
  • A Meditation on Receiving God’s Mercy in Psalm 140:6
    Jul 9 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. Our summer schedule has begun. Look for new once-per-week episodes each Tuesday during the summer. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Psalms 140:6 (NIV) I say to the LORD, “You are my God.” Hear, LORD, my cry for mercy. One way to think of mercy is not getting the punishment you deserve. Whereas grace is getting the blessing you don’t deserve. We don’t want to get too technical with these kinds of things because this distinction is not always what the biblical authors are thinking – but one way to think of mercy is the death of Jesus on the cross and one way to think of grace is the resurrection of Jesus. The cross takes the punishment you deserve. The resurrection gives you the blessing you don’t deserve. The cry for mercy is the acknowledgment of your desperate need for God‘s forgiveness. To atone for your sin through Jesus on the cross. It’s an emotional disposition of humbling ourselves before God and acknowledging that we have nothing in ourselves to put our confidence in except to cry out for God’s mercy. “Have mercy on me, a sinner” is what the tax collector says in Jesus’s parable in Luke 18:13. And Jesus says he’s the one who went away justified before God (Luke 18:14). “For those who humble themselves will be exalted.” To me at least, there’s a kind of relief that comes from knowing that my only hope is to cry out for God’s mercy. Knowing that there’s nothing I can do to atone for my sin other than humble myself and cling to Jesus on the cross. That that’s my only good option. “LORD” in all uppercase letters in our English Bibles indicates that in Hebrew God’s name, Yahweh, is used (for example, Exodus 3:14-15; Isaiah 42:8). Yahweh is the ancient Hebrew verb form for “HE IS.” God’s name, Yahweh, is used more than any other term for God in the Hebrew scriptures. More than “God” is used. When we survey the various truths associated with God’s name, HE IS, in the Hebrew scriptures (what we call the Old Testament), four important aspects of God are emphasized. HE IS the Creator and Sustainer of ALL that exists, including this entire universe (Ps 33:6; Isa 40:26; Isa 42:5; Isa 44:24). HE IS the Giver and Sustainer of ALL life everywhere always (Num 27:16; Job 12:10; Acts 17:25). HE IS eternal and forever God (Isa 40:28; Isa 57:15) HE IS ALWAYS infinitely 100% present with you and in control of everything in your life at every moment (Ps 31:14-15; without being any less present or focused anywhere else in the universe, because HE IS infinite). See Jesus’s words in Matthew 10:29-31. We often meditate on God‘s name in this podcast because it is the key to experiencing God as HE IS. God’s name is filled with wonder and mystery and transcendence for us to meditate on using our biblically guided imagination. So imagine – envision – this reality. He is the Source of all being; he is the Giver of your life and sustains your life at every moment; he is the one who “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15), and so has the eternal perspective in all your life’s circumstances; and he is infinitely, intimately, 100% present with you at every moment and in control of every circumstance in your life. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    12 m
  • A Meditation on the I AM Being Your Refuge from Psalm 91:2
    Jul 2 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. Our summer schedule has begun. Look for new once-per-week episodes each Tuesday during the summer. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. “LORD” in all uppercase letters in our English Bibles indicates that in Hebrew God’s name, Yahweh, is used (for example, Exodus 3:14-15; Isaiah 42:8). Yahweh is the ancient Hebrew verb form for “HE IS.” God’s name, Yahweh, is used more than any other term for God in the Hebrew scriptures. More than “God” is used. When we survey the various truths associated with God’s name, HE IS, in the Hebrew scriptures (what we call the Old Testament), four important aspects of God are emphasized. HE IS the Creator and Sustainer of ALL that exists, including this entire universe (Ps 33:6; Isa 40:26; Isa 42:5; Isa 44:24). HE IS the Giver and Sustainer of ALL life everywhere always (Num 27:16; Job 12:10; Acts 17:25). HE IS eternal and forever God (Isa 40:28; Isa 57:15) HE IS ALWAYS infinitely 100% present with you and in control of everything in your life at every moment (Ps 31:14-15; without being any less present or focused anywhere else in the universe, because HE IS infinite). See Jesus’s words in Matthew 10:29-31. We often meditate on God‘s name in this podcast because it is the key to experiencing God as HE IS. God’s name is filled with wonder and mystery and transcendence for us to meditate on using our biblically guided imagination. So imagine – envision – this reality. He is the Source of all being; he is the Giver of your life and sustains your life at every moment; he is the one who “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15), and so has the eternal perspective in all your life’s circumstances; and he is infinitely, intimately, 100% present with you at every moment and in control of every circumstance in your life. Psalms 16:2 (NIV) “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” Psalms 31:14-16 (NIV) “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.” Psalm 91:2 NIV I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    13 m
  • A Meditation on the I AM Being the Only Giver of Anything Good from Psalm 16:2
    Jun 25 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. Our summer schedule has begun. Look for new once-per-week episodes each Tuesday during the summer. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Psalms 16:2 (NIV) “I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’” Psalms 31:14-16 (NIV) “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.” “LORD” in all uppercase letters in our English Bibles indicates that in Hebrew God’s name, Yahweh, is used. Yahweh is the ancient Hebrew verb form for “HE IS.” God’s name in the Hebrew scriptures is used more than any other term for God. More than “God” is used. When we survey the various truths associated with God’s name, HE IS, in the Hebrew scriptures (what we call the Old Testament), four important aspects of God are emphasized. HE IS the Creator and Sustainer of ALL that exists, including this entire universe. HE IS the Giver and Sustainer of ALL life everywhere always. HE IS Eternally God. HE IS ALWAYS infinitely 100% present with you and intimately focused on you in every present moment (without being any less present or focused anywhere else in the universe, because HE IS infinite). These four realities of what God’s name means are easy to memorize, and so to remember them when you “Praise the LORD” and “Trust in the LORD” will help you replace anxieties and self-protective tension with a calm confidence and peace. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    14 m
  • A Meditation to Envision Putting Your Times in God’s Hands from Psalm 31:14-15
    Jun 18 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. Our summer schedule has begun. Look for new once-per-week episodes each Tuesday during the summer. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Psalms 31:14-16 (NIV) “But I trust in you, LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.” “LORD” in all uppercase letters in our English Bibles indicates that in Hebrew God’s name, Yahweh, is used. Yahweh is the ancient Hebrew verb form for “HE IS.” God’s name in the Hebrew scriptures is used more than any other term for God. More than “God” is used. When we survey the various truths associated with God’s name, HE IS, in the Hebrew scriptures (what we call the Old Testament), four important aspects of God are emphasized. HE IS the Creator and Sustainer of ALL that exists, including this entire universe. HE IS the Giver and Sustainer of ALL life everywhere always. HE IS Eternally God. HE IS ALWAYS infinitely 100% present with you and intimately focused on you in every present moment (without being any less present or focused anywhere else in the universe, because HE IS infinite). These four realities of what God’s name means are easy to memorize, and so to remember them when you “Praise the LORD” and “Trust in the LORD” will help you replace anxieties and self-protective tension with a calm confidence and peace. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    10 m
  • A Meditation to Envision Jesus As More Than Anything Else in Colossians 1:16-17
    Jun 11 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. Our summer schedule has begun. Look for new once-per-week episodes each Tuesday during the summer. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. The apostle Paul says… Acts 17:25 NIV “…He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Speaking of Jesus, the apostle Paul writes… Colossians 1:16-17 (NIV) “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    12 m
  • A Meditation to Envision Oneness with Jesus as Your Creator in Isaiah 42:5
    Jun 4 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. The apostle Paul says… Acts 17:25 NIV “…He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” The Old Testament prophet writes… Isaiah 42:5 NIV “This is what God the LORD says — the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it.” The apostle John says this is Jesus… John 1:3-4 (NIV) “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.” Speaking of Jesus, the apostle Paul writes… Colossians 1:16-17 (NIV) “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    14 m
  • A Prayer-Meditation to Take Up the Sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17
    May 30 2024
    This is Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life – a time for you to relax, refocus, and re-narrate your life. I’m Dave Cover. I want to help you with Christian meditation where you can break through all the distractions and experience God’s presence through biblically guided imagination. If your podcast app is set to skip the silent sections, disable that in your podcast app for this podcast. Acts 17:25 NIV “…He himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Ephesians 6:11, 14-17 says: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. …Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (NIV). One way to “put on the full armor of God” is through prayer. Here’s an example of how to “take your stand against the devil’s schemes” in your life and family through prayer. Today we will meditatively pray to put on “the breastplate of righteousness.” Father in Heaven, your word tells me to submit to you and resist the devil, and he will flee from me (James 4:7), and so I want to do that now in this prayer. I submit my whole self to you, my whole life to you, (my family to you), all my cares to you, and my entire future to you. And I take my stand right now against all the devil’s schemes in my life (and family). I take up your “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” I affirm Jesus’s words when resisting the devil’s temptation, that I do “not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). I affirm that your Spirit gives life, and that your words are full of the Spirit and life (Jn 6:63). I affirm that your word is living and active and at work in me (Heb 4:12; 1 Thes 2:13). And that I will overcome the evil one because your word lives in me (1 Jn 2:14). And I pray all these things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit (Eph 6: 18). Amen. Who can you share this podcast with? If you found this episode helpful, consider sharing it on social media or texting it to a friend you think might benefit from it. Follow Dave Cover on X (Twitter) @davecover Follow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePod Our audio engineer is Matthew Matlack. This podcast is a ministry of The Crossing, a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located.
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    14 m