Christian Meditation for A Bigger Life with Pastor Dave Cover
Christian Meditation can help refocus your mind and recalibrate your body to get the stress, anxiety and anger out of your heart and out of your body. Spend about 23 minutes to "be still" with God as each episode uses a different biblical image to e...
Recent Episodes
The Power of Music Part 2 - House Worship Recording with Crossing Music | Psalm 16
38:11 | 06-03-2021
In our last episode we discussed Psalm 98 about the power of singing and music in worship. God has created this universe, and created music to be a powerful expression of beauty, goodness, truth, and transcendence. Music is grounded in who God is. So you will never be able to worship God as fully as he intends without learning to worship through music and singing. It is embedded with God’s power to effect immediate change in our lives. This episode is the audio of a Facebook live recording our A Bigger Life team did recently with singing and discussion around Psalm 16. In a sense it was a live recording session for A Bigger Life. We intended it to be an episode that you can save and can come back to from time to time to help you worship through music and singing. King of My Heart: By: Steffany Gretzinger & Bethel Music Let the King of my heart Be the mountain where I run The fountain I drink from Oh, He is my song Let the King of my heart Be the shadow where I hide The ransom for my life Oh, He is my song 'Cause You are good You are good, oh oh (Repeat) And let the King of my heart Be the wind inside my sails The anchor in the waves Oh oh, He is my song Let the King of my heart Be the fire inside my veins The echo of my days Oh oh, He is my song Let the King of my heart Be the wind inside my sails The anchor in the waves Oh oh, He is my song Let the King of my heart Be the fire inside my veins The echo of my days Oh, He is my song 'Cause You are good You are good, oh oh (Repeat) You're never gonna let You're never gonna let me down And You're never gonna let You're never gonna let me down (Repeat) Oh 'cause You are good You are good, oh oh 'Cause You are good You are good, oh oh 'Cause You are good You are good, oh oh Psalm 16 ESV 1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” Great Are You Lord By: All Sons & Daughters You give life, You are love You bring light to the darkness You give hope, You restore Every heart that is broken And great are You, Lord It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise We pour out our praise It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise to You only You give life, You are love You bring light to the darkness You give hope, You restore Every heart that is broken Great are You, Lord It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise We pour out our praise It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise to You only (Repeat) And all the earth will shout Your praise Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing Great are You, Lord And all the earth will shout Your praise Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing Great are You, Lord And all the earth will shout Your praise Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing Great are You, Lord It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise We pour out our praise It's Your breath in our lungs So we pour out our praise to You only (Repeat) Psalm 16 ESV 8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. Heart Is Glad By: Crossing Music with Aaron Strumpel I have set the Lord always before me Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I will not be shaken Keep me safe, my God; I have come to You, I have come to You for refuge. Keep me safe, my God; I have come to You, I have come to You for refuge Is it any wonder that my heart is glad? Is it any wonder that my heart is glad? I rejoice. You alone, O God,...
The Power of Music - Interview with Scott Johnson | Psalm 98
49:18 | 06-01-2021
When we actually pay attention to what the Bible says about singing and music, we discover that music is a powerful force in God’s universe. When we worship through song, something happens in us that doesn’t happen through mere words spoken or heard. In this episode on Psalm 98, I interview Scott Johnson, who has served as one of our co-directors of worship at the church I pastor for 21 years. He’s passionate about worship and he knows his stuff. And I think you’ll gain a new level of respect for the role God wants for music in your life and worship. Psalm 98 ESV 1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. 2 The LORD has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! 7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! 8 Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together 9 before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
Our Conflicted Reaction That God is Holy | Psalm 99
38:28 | 05-27-2021
When you worship God as holy, it brings a kind of fear that also brings a kind of joy. There’s a reason why Jesus told us in the Lord’s Prayer that the first thing you’re to pray for is that you would see and experience God’s name as holy (“Hallowed be your name”). Your experience of God’s holiness in worship anchors your life vertically. It’s like putting on corrective glasses for the first time. You see things so much more vividly and clearly than before! Psalm 99 is an important psalm to help you see and experience God’s holiness in worship. And you can do it right now in this episode. Psalm 99 ESV 1 The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 3 Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! 5 Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he! 8 O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. 9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy! Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
Light and Life and Joy from Right Worship | Psalm 97
31:32 | 05-25-2021
The battle line in our lives is always at our worship. As human beings created for living in God’s glory and love, we are always worshiping. Worship is when we ascribe the highest worth and worth-it-ness to someone or something in our hearts and minds. That’s ultimately what prayer is all about, worshiping God “in Spirit and truth” (John 4:24). That’s what brings light and life and joy into our lives. While flawed worship brings greater anxiety and discontentment. Psalm 97 is a great psalm to refocus our worship on the life and light and joy-giving I AM. Let’s do it now. Psalm 97 ESV 1 The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! 5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory. 7 All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods! 9 For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. 10 O you who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked. 11 Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. 12 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name! Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
A Meditation on Jesus as the I AM | John 6:20
26:34 | 05-20-2021
We learn from the order of The Lord’s Prayer that Jesus saw prayer as worship. And one significant key to learning to worship in Spirit and truth (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A23-24&version=NIV (John 4:23-24)) without imaginative meditation on biblical images and phrases. Jesus’s I AM phrases in the Gospel of John are such images and phrases. When we use our imagination to meditate on these images and phrases, we’ll experience how powerful worshipful meditation can be in our lives. Have you tried it? Let’s do it in this podcast episode using these images of Jesus as the I AM in John. John 6:16–20 NIV 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” (Literally in the Greek: “I am; don’t be afraid.”) John 8:24 ESV “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (Literally in the Greek: “...believe that I am you will die in your sins.”) John 8:28–32 NIV 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Literally in the Greek: “...then you will know that I am and…”) John 8:58–59 ESV 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 18:4–8 NIV 4 “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he.” (Literally in Greek in all three occurrences it’s just “I am.”) Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
When Jesus says, I AM | John 6:60-69
20:51 | 05-18-2021
What does it mean when Jesus says, I AM? Like in John 6:20, he stands on the waves in the middle of the Sea of Galilee and says, “I AM, don’t be afraid.” In the Bible, the seas represented the unknown, chaos, evil. And Jesus stands on top of all that and says to his followers, “I AM, don’t be afraid.” The apostle John records seven times where Jesus makes this absolute I AM statement (in five different settings). In the original Greek in which the Gospel of John was first written, the words are simply I am. Our English Bibles translate it often as “it is I” or “I am he” to make more grammatical sense. But it didn’t make any more grammatical sense in the original Greek either. Jesus is making an astonishing claim. And each of these times he says it is significant with meaning when it comes to seeing Jesus and worshiping Jesus as the I AM. John 6:15–20 NIV 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. 16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” John 8:24 NIV “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.” John 8:28 NIV “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he….” John 8:58 NIV “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” John 18:4–8 NIV 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he.” Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
When Following Jesus Is Hard | John 6:60-69
25:12 | 05-13-2021
How long will you stick with following Jesus? What would it take for you to walk away from him? When we read of the miracles of Jesus, the idea of following Jesus is attractive. Jesus is being a healing and blessing God. But then there are other times where Jesus acts like an unrivaled Lord, and says things that challenge our own authority in our lives. Both are the same thing — his miracles show his true power to heal and bless our lives, AND his words are also his true power to heal and bless our lives. But that’s harder for us to see right now. Remember the first part of John 6 — Jesus miraculously fed thousands. People loved following him for it. Then Jesus taught on what that really demonstrated — He’s the Bread of Life. But then the more Jesus taught the more people began to get irritated with him. It’s one thing for Jesus to say let me bless you, but another to then say the only way I can truly bless you is by being Lord of your life. And so toward the end of John 6, in some sense, it seems that Jesus is trying to be directly offensive toward people’s false assumptions about him, about themselves, and about life — because he's forcing people to deal with his claims and to deal with who he really is beyond just his miracles. And so it's one of those points where people are confronted with the decision to leave him or keep following him even if it’s hard. Most chose to leave. We should talk about it. John 6:60–63 NIV 60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” 61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. John 6:66–69 NIV 66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. 67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
Imagining Jesus as Your Bread of Life | John 6
25:40 | 05-11-2021
Often the reason we desire other things more than God is a lack of using our imagination in worship. With any desire we have that we pursue, we use our imagination. That’s what makes us want it. We imagine a possible experience that makes us desire it more. A desert. A purchase. A relationship. A vacation. A job. A house. A meal. Do I want to go out to dinner? Have someone over? Go to church? Go golfing? I have to imagine it to want it. Our imagination — the imagery that allows our mind to picture an unseen reality — a possibility — is what fuels all of our desires. That’s why the Bible gives us lots of images for us to imagine as we worship. We need to learn to worship God through biblical mental images. Like when Jesus calls himself the Bread of Life in John 6. Have you ever used that image to worship him? Let’s try it here. John 6:3–6 NIV 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. …5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. John 6:8–11 NIV 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. John 6:12–13 NIV 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. John 6:26 NIV Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.” John 6:33–36 NIV 33 “For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. John 6:40 NIV For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. John 6:48–51 NIV 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
Trusting the One Story of the Bible | Isaiah 11:1-9
24:26 | 05-06-2021
It’s a conspiracy that increases my faith in the gospel. I’m amazed at how often we see the Bible’s one story threaded all throughout Scripture, but written centuries apart. This one story of the Bible, written over a period of 1,500 years by more than 40 different authors, most of whom never even knew each other, is a conspiracy indeed, but not of humans. It’s a conspiracy of the Holy Spirit. Telling ultimately one amazing story of God becoming the perfect human King in order to restore https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201%3A26-28&version=NIV (his plan for his humanity) to rule and care for and continue his work of creation. A world exploding with the beauty and glory and wonder of God, that rejoices in and reflects his glory and love and beauty and goodness and wisdom and faithfulness. I want to be in THAT story! And to be in that story we must learn to worship God in the Spirit and truth (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%204%3A23-24&version=NIV (John 4:23-24)). And a great place to worship in the Spirit and truth of this incredible story is in Isaiah 11, written centuries before Jesus was born. Let’s talk about it and worship together in this episode! Isaiah 11:1–9 ESV 1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. 6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. 9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.
Why Worship Is So Worth It | Psalm 96
19:40 | 05-04-2021
Don’t let yourself get hijacked away from the incredible bigger and better story this world is in and you could be in. Your trust and faithfulness will be so worth it! But we must worship the I AM to keep our affections focused on the right story. Learning to worship is the most important action in your entire life. And Psalm 96 helps us worship the I AM in the context of his bigger and better story for this world and for you. God’s name, Yahweh (Hebrew for HE IS), is mentioned eleven times in the thirteen verses of this psalm. When we learn to “ascribe” the truths of all that the I AM is and is for us, it elevates our imagination and emotions and attitudes so that we can be empowered to run our race of faith. Try it now with this episode. Psalm 96 ESV 1 Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. 3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! 10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.” 11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; 12 let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy 13 before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness. Follow Dave Cover on Twitter https://twitter.com/davecover (@davecover) Follow A Bigger Life on Twitter https://twitter.com/abiggerlifepod (@ABiggerLifePod) This podcast is a ministry of https://www.thecrossingchurch.com/ (The Crossing), a church in Columbia, Missouri, a college town where the flagship campus of the University of Missouri is located. Like this content? Make sure to share it with others and leave us a rating, so others can find it too.