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
A Meditation to Envision Putting Your Times in God’s Hands from Psalm 31:14-15
10:29 | 06-18-2024
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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Meditation to Envision Jesus As More Than Anything Else in Colossians 1:16-17
12:11 | 06-11-2024
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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Meditation to Envision Oneness with Jesus as Your Creator in Isaiah 42:5
13:46 | 06-04-2024
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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Prayer-Meditation to Take Up the Sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17
14:05 | 05-30-2024
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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Prayer-Meditation to Put on the Helmet of Salvation in Ephesians 6:17
16:46 | 05-28-2024
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.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 put on your “helmet of salvation.” In a mysterious way I don’t fully understand, I affirm that I have already been raised with Christ and seated at the right hand of God (Col 3:1). I have already died, and my life is now hidden in God with Jesus (Col 3:3). I affirm that Jesus is my very life right now, and when he appears again I will also appear with him in glory (Col 3:4). And I will shine like the sun (Mt 13:43). I know that my citizenship right now is in heaven, and that you will raise my body in resurrection and transform me into a body like Christ’s glorious, righteous body (1 Cor 6:14, Phil 3:20-21). So I know that my present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in me (Rm 8:18). Therefore, right now I submit my life to the glory and significance and love of the God of the universe. I affirm that you created me and saved me because you have a specific, glorious purpose for me in your universe forever (Eph 1:4-11; Rev 2:17).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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Prayer-Meditation to Take Up the Shield of Faith in Ephesians 6:16
13:54 | 05-23-2024
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.Job 33:4 NIV“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”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 hold up your “shield of faith” to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” in my mind and heart. I put my trust in your name, Lord Jesus. I know that by you and in you all things in this entire universe were created and have their existence (Jn 1:3). All things have been created through you and for you, and in you all things even now hold together (Col 1:16-17). You are the Giver and Sustainer of ALL life (Acts 17:25). And you created me and sustain my life at every moment — it’s in you that I live and have my very being (Acts 17:28). I trust in your constant presence and intimate love for me at every moment, and your sovereign care over every detail in my life (Mt 10:29-31). I choose to live by faith in Jesus Christ, who loved me and gave himself for me (Gal. 2:20).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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Prayer-Meditation to Put on the Gospel of Peace in Ephesians 6:15
14:04 | 05-21-2024
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.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 put your “gospel of peace on my feet” as my firm footing against all evil. I now have peace with you through my Lord Jesus Christ, through whom I have gained access into your grace in which I now stand. And I rejoice in my future reality of the glory of God (Rm 5:1-2). So I now approach your throne of grace with confidence, receiving your mercy and grace to help me in my time of need (Heb 4:16). I put on Jesus’s peace that he gives me, so that my heart will not be troubled, nor will I be afraid (Jn 14:27).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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Prayer-Meditation to Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness in Ephesians 6:14
16:15 | 05-16-2024
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.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 put on your “breastplate of righteousness” — Jesus’s righteousness given to me as a breastplate to guard my heart against all the devil’s deceptive shame and false bondage to sin. I know that the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ has already cleansed me of all my shame (Rm 5:9). I put off right now my old self, which is being corrupted by deceitful desires, and I put on my new, true self in Christ, created to be like Jesus in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:22-24). I hunger and thirst for righteousness, only by which I will be truly satisfied (Mt 5:6). I affirm that I have been washed, I have been sanctified (made holy), I have been justified (made and declared to be righteous) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of my God (1 Cor 6:11). All the ways that I am not enough have been filled with the fullness of Christ (Col 2:10). The Holy Spirit of God is in my body right now as your holy temple (1 Cor 6:19). And I affirm that this is who I truly am in Jesus Christ.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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Prayer-Meditation to Put on the Belt of Truth in Ephesians 6:14
16:14 | 05-14-2024
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.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 belt of truth.” 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 put on your “belt of truth” so I can resist the devil’s slanderous lies against your goodness, your steadfast love, and your faithfulness to me. I put on the truth of all that you are for me in Jesus Christ, who has become for me true wisdom from God, righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). I stand in this truth that sets me free (Jn 8:32) from “the father of lies” (Jn 8:44). Fill my mind and body with the wisdom of your Spirit of Truth (Jn 16:13). Right now I submit to your Spirit’s work of leading me into a new and true self according to the image of Christ (Rm 8:29-30) — leading me to an eternal future of glory and beauty and joy and awe.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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.
A Meditation on Overcoming the Evil One by God’s Word Living in You from 1 John 2:14
14:23 | 05-09-2024
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.Ephesians 6:11, 17 (NIV)11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. …17 Take …the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.John 6:63 (NIV)“The Spirit gives life... The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life.”Matthew 4:4 (NIV)Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)“For the word of God is alive and active.”1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NIV)“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.”1 Peter 1:23 (NIV)“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”1 John 2:14 (NIV)“I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”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) @davecoverFollow A Bigger Life on X @ABiggerLifePodOur 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.