Spiritual Simplicity - All You Need Is Love, Part 2

Human member that old Beatles song all you need is love. Number all you need is love Bob about guess what a lot of people criticized Beatles, and for good reason. They got it right on that one will get to talk about how to get out of the performance track and get down to what really matters learned all you really need that's today. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping from Living on the Edges of international teaching is discipleship between the Bible teaching and picture continues a series spiritual simplicity doing less loving more know this is going to seem kinda random it started. Let me ask you if you were a kid pillow fights which time feathers or foam better will as you listen to that you suggest you defend yourself with that proverbial pillow that offer something other than another swing bullets jumping out part two of chips message. All you need is love from first Corinthians chapter 13. Many of us live very hurried overextended complex lives with shallow, superficial relationships, even with our closest friends and families because we have unconsciously learned to believe performing well, possessing much in providing stuff is what life is all about your value as a person your significance. You get to perform well who you are what you do what people think, has to do with possessing stuff, some of its intangible and some of it is very tangible how you doing with this boy. It's quiet in here is an and this is you know what this is. You don't get a free pass on this because your pastor is I've as I looked at my DNA and my schedule and when I look at the list of not what I say but the list of what does my behavior say what does my schedule screen where it is my money go. I feel like there's a constant battle fighting against this belief system but possessing performing and even the ultra stick. I'm going to provide for can get me going to pace that in good for my soul. It isn't good for my marriage. Is it good for my parenting are grandparenting and it kills friendships so that's the diagnosis but with the doctor say what would the simplify your life doctor say here's a prescription for transformation. Three things he would say he gets a little pad out, you know, put your shirt back on. I'll be right back in just a second. Will prescription pads coming out number one the secret to simplifying your life's focus.

Now this isn't earth shattering is your trying to do too much. Oh you trying to accomplish too much all you try to get your kids involved in too much.

All you need to do lasts but do it better deeper, more relational, but you need to do the things that matter most. Okay.

Knowing that we've all done that and tried that at last for two days to two weeks to putting on her personalities. RX number two you can only do lasts when you purpose to love more. This for me is the biggest of the series in this message. I have tried many many times to tweak my schedule right I'll do little less of this less of that and I ready I go to bed early. I get up real early. I mean I've read time management books like you all have.

I do my A's first before I do my B's and I do my sees I do know how to multitask and I'm on one very intense person and yet I want you just multiply multiply multiply until different seasons of my life. I feel like I've got the seven plate spinning or juggling the balls and him and somehow Smolensk and lay there for a couple minutes to get my attention. Over here it's my marriage. You can't lay there very long, and what you done it right if just tweaking things was about intelligence. I'm talking to really smart group of people who you want to figure that out by now. This is a lifestyle issue. This is a mindset issue in this pressure and this demand has us going all these different directions and then sedating our pain and our loneliness with videos and technology and food and on health and that's what we have so many addiction issues because right before people get ready to crack they just find a substitute to make him feel better. I was in the South African afterwards went to Zimbabwe and I have to visit orphans and it was yes, we want to help the orphans and my wife and I been financially supporting a ministry really believe in, but it you great it wasn't on my gut check it out. I knew it was good to be good before I got there.

What I knew was at the pace that I live with the new things that I've taken on unless I look into the eyes of Little orphan kids who live in shacks and unless I feel their pain and see what the third world is like. I will just go faster and faster and trying to think bigger and better and faster and more bigger and better and faster and more just because their spiritual that can make your life just as crazy and so I remember in Zimbabwe was the second home. I've been doing some teaching in our group visit a couple different homes in date they have a gated place and you go into the home and have like eight or 10 girls in a ante and a grandmother and they teaching the Bible and they get a good meal and we went back in their teaching the garden to feed them and then had a chicken run were there raising chickens for their food and but I got out of the car in this little little girl that she was she's about this tall so she's little heavier than I hope she just walked up to me like this went so I got her to put on my hip and we walked around for a while and she seemed to really enjoy that it was colic really go to the back. You want to walk. I'm thinking my back said to be nice if you walk in and she just put her arms around no I said what's your name she goes blessing that that's interesting and so we went around back and she was on my hip for about 25 or 30 minutes Exide to change ships and and then we had little girl was 13 years old. It was taken off the streets when she was about five and you don't know what will this like for little girl in Zimbabwe around the world in these countries that are on the streets with no parent 5647.

Just let your imagination go honest. It's a little bit worse than that in this little girl after now 4 1/2 years, five years in this home was amazingly articulate and not only amazingly articulate but she began to talk about not just parroting verses that she memorized. I have a relationship with Jesus now I get to eat every day. But the most important thing is and she looked up because a pastor comes like every other day there along with auntie and the grandmother. She says I have a family and unloved and she just been. I just thought you not just that and I thought with Blessed on my hip. These kids possess what so many of us are chasing after you. Not that there they're not taken drugs to fall asleep at night. They're not wondering how to balance 75 to dues. The simplicity of their life. I love God I love these people they love me. We want to help others in the way that we've been helped. I just thought that is a blessing and when I realize for me was the only way this was a big ha ha I've tried to do less but other stuff creeps in right there's always that great opportunity and it always comes with here's a great opportunity is right down the middle of the plate and by the way this great opportunities only to come now, and if you don't swing at it right now. Your kids are going to miss it or you get a message to the business of domesticated strategic and it's great and you can do this and you can add it to your schedule.can take anything off, but you mentally say act like you are and so one more thing gets on their right and I just realized my know isn't strong enough to keep stuff off my plate until I have a lot stronger. Yes, how did I have two weeks to go be with orphans and when I was with them and was that these pastors when I saw the Third World afresh all the sudden some of the stuff that felt so demanding and some of the people and things I need to say no to. It's easy to say no to doing less when you're saying yes to loving more. The third RX is begin to redefine success begin to redefine success from how did I do. That's a performance question mom how did I do dad how did I do teacher, how do I do coach.

How did I do corporate earnings. How did I do change that to whom I becoming you might right above the question, how did I do performance and put a arrow whom I becoming that the character question what do I have that's possessions put arrow from that and move it to how my using it. Not not what I have, using it that's it. You move from possessions to stewardship in the third question is how much do I give with you change that question to. Why do I give so it goes from providing to motive what we have before us. It is one of the greatest chapters in all of biblical history, but I want to tell you the apostle Paul did not sit down one day and say you know something I would like to write a literary masterpiece. I like to write something that people whether they were Christians or non-Christians all over the world.

When there is ever a wedding they would read this I want to provide something for people who love the decoupage.

I want Plax to be filled in future Christian stores all over the world. I want to be put with little lists of poems you know. Ralph Waldo Emerson, apostle Paul, I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, yet have not love, right. If I prophesy you know he was not trying to do that that what you gonna find his work and spend her time around and walk through this. He doesn't even define love in first rankings. 13 he gives us 15 descriptions of love, beginning at verse four and in the 15 descriptions all show you little bit later he takes at least 15 of their dysfunctional hurtful bad superficial relational fallout behaviors and every one of these things is a corrective so that they will be loving in their relationships.

This is a very practical chapter.

He's talking about. Instead of suing one another. Here's how you do instead of feeling hurt and rejected, betrayed and gossiping about people.

Here's what you do instead of living this way, here's what you do is shacking up with your mother-in-law and being sexually immoral. Here's what you do. I mean this this church had major problems but but if working a lot of more. The danger is that we will think that love is legally feeling. Now I have. I feel better. God I had 17.5 seconds of legally feelings with my wife, and 11.7 seconds of the good feelings of one of my kids or I'm a single person and I had coffee and we had a deep talk and I feel better now all those things may be good but here's the question if simplifying your life never works by just saying you going to do less but the secret is loving more. The fundamental question is what is love, and how do you practice what is it really mean to be loving and to get us started, and where to start real small and working to learn to start loving what love really is not an emotion, not a good feeling, but a choice to treat other people in a way that you don't have the power apart from God giving it to you but were never learned to love other people and I want you to start with those closest to you. Family, friends, spouse, irritating in-laws, and so notice what he says in verse four love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it's not proud, just underline love is patient, love is kind. It's all undercover today. We take one baby step toward how to become more loving people because as your love will get deeper and deeper and practical. This week you will you will gravitate and spend energy and time there and you'll start doing less and loving more love is patient, the word is macro Dumas macro meaning broad or to spread out Dumas has the idea of passion.

Some translators say it is to have a long, long suffering, the idea is only used it's not in reference to being patient with circumstances, this word has to do with being patient with people this is that when someone says a little remark that hurt your feelings. And so you shut down and turn on the remote. This is someone who you know you wanted to be romantic on a certain evening and you got turned down so you decide you know what Amanda's not going to respond her or him this is that little comment that your parents making you disable forget him to shut my door and you know videogame. This is someone at school who says something you to hurt your feelings and you you just you just find yourself telling another friend. What a jerk and how she stuck up and does he think he is. This is a different way to respond to hurt basically love is patient, love is kind. He's addressing the same issue. It's one calling the issue is this and write this down. How do I respond when people hurt me and you had to be in the church long to know your to get hurt and we hurt one another in families and we hurt one another and friends. We hurt one another. Ball teams and we hurt one another. Business how do you respond when a word or an action or neglect or someone doesn't invite you or someone says something about you. How do you respond when there's a little hurt or wound. My reaction is back or a passive aggressively say did you hear what he did to me or she did that, therefore you know some of you will lash out with your words. Some of you will pay back later some of you will passive aggressively leak and be sarcastic. Some of you will cut your parents off this passage says you want to learn to become loving.

Here's what it says love is patient and the word kind is only used in this form. In the New Testament and it's giving a undeserved response of goodness when stillness and encouragement to the person who's wounded you.

Love absorbs the below return to hug and it says you don't deserve this and I can't give it in my strength. But you said that to me and hurt my feeling I'm to go to the bedroom and I'm going to forgive you and I'm gonna think about how can I affirm and encourage you because most people who hurt you, usually comes out of the wound in their own life.

Can you imagine what can happen in relationships.

If that's all we do. Love absorbs the below and gives a hug. Now some of you have some historic situations in their some abusive situations and issues that you have common background and this does not mean that you know you go home now say that you are the father that abused you sexually know you think we could form a meeting I learned from God's post hugging on an okay that this list let's not oversimplify, there's issues and boundaries, but let's just start with the everyday relationships of where we live in our homes or in our apartments with roommates and at work in our neighborhood and let's say what would happen if we absorb the blow like a pillow and we returned to hug it's really what Jesus did his when he was on the cross.

He was hurt, rejected Beaton and was just by those people was by our sin and what would you he absorb the blow into your hands, Lord, I commit my spirit and many died and rose from the dead and his father forgive them.

He was kind, he loved to learn what that does.

It never fails powerful. This is supernaturally responding to evil with good.

This is just normal for God's people. So let me give you little assignment. What does your life and schedule indicate you want to be known for. That would be a real honest one to answer when second what's the biggest barrier to you slowing down and simplifying your life shut that down have coffee and talk with someone that you can trust that safe over that one third how can you begin to be more loving this week and with whom.

Let's just get one person, just as your thinking right now.

Write someone's name down.

Who is it that you know has a little wound a little hurt a little dissing Lee feel the rejection who could you just absorb the blow, forgive him and give him a hug of some sorts might be a note might be word of encouragement might be bringing something up and telling you forgive and I don't know what it is. Gotto show you and then here. Finally, why is it so critical to understand how much God loves you. In order to become more loving see your first assignment.

Are you ready your first assignment is not go be more patient and kind and loving your first assignment is to let God do that for you. Some of us the reason so hard to love. We don't let God love us when we mess up.

We beat ourselves up. We feel condemned all try harder.

Yesterday I did that one of the dumbest moves in my car, probably the last 10 years and I got the wrong lane and then II cut over about 2 1/2 lanes to make a freeway exit and as I pulled through in a Nikon. It had it I did it too fast. I did it too quick and then I didn't see it. I guy was out the crosswalk and I knew and you know you know he got my and I just because I was in a hurry. I mean I just thought, and then for a miserable quiet. Teresa looked to me like oh my, and she should just wailed on the and I find I said are you okay she was yeah she is.

You know you almost to the guys that I know it and I thought of how my whole life could be different because of a hurried stupid foolish act and I started on this journey of you know Chip you know you're not this you're not this you're not this you're not this, and because of this message. Instead I just stop this. I do know God, thank you for not giving me the consequences I may have deserved, and for that man.

I just totally blew it father. I'm so sorry. I want to remember your patient with I'm gonna receive your forgiveness and for some of you will never be patient with others until you let God be regulated with a little thought about his you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram chip stock today. All you need is love is from his serious spiritual simplicity doing less loving more chronic fatigue and shallow or fractured relationships are a few of the troubling side effects of a culture that's constantly running and never arrives. If you're looking for an alternative that will actually work spiritual simplicity will help you focus, prioritize, and love like you've never loved before you check out discounts and ordering details on all of the spiritual simplicity resources.

Just call us at 1-888-333-6003 or visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org spiritual simplicity doing less loving more I'll be right back with some specific application to this message. But before I do I want to take a minute to tell you about one of my most favorite tools that we have to encourage everyone, but especially women. Some of you know, because of the story that I've shared that my wife really did not have a very positive childhood in terms of self-image. She experienced a lot of rejection condemnation really did not feel good about herself and that guy I met this beautiful godly wonderful woman that didn't like yourself at all and shortly after marriage counseling. We were introduced to the idea of identifying the lies that you believe about yourself writing them down putting a stop sign on the bottom of the card and then turning it over and reading the truth and then adding a passage from Scripture. And you know you may not realize it, that if you have a problem receiving love.

It's very difficult to give it away and so we got these cards and for two years on the couch before I went to work.

We review them, we would say them out loud. They later became what we called affirmation cards and as God changed her life. I had the privilege of watching this person just bloomed before my eyes and be totally transformed and as were talking about spiritual simplicity and doing less and loving more. One of things I would say is if you really want that to happen. Trying harder, will not work. I mean, it might work for a day or two or maybe a week, but you have to renew your mind and you can't love more and less you see yourself the way God sees you and that doesn't happen unless you renew your mind and so therefore everyone, but I will tell you they are really geared for women. I watch my wife take my daughter when she was about 11, 12, 13 years old and they went over these cards for a few years and I just want you to know that if you would like to love more. Or if you have a daughter or a granddaughter or a wife or a mom that you would say I would so long for them to see themselves the way I do. They're so wonderful there's so beautiful they bring so much but down deep if you don't believe that it causes all kind of problems affirmation cards they want to tell them how to get those are affirmation cards come out of the practice of battling the lives of self worth and value we all tend to believe with the truth from God's word about who we are in Christ.

This attractive set of hard stock cards is an effective way to renew your mind with the truth of Scripture to preview our affirmation cards online.

Just go to LivingontheEdge.org order your set today and maybe get a second set to give to a friend or to send as a gift affirmation cards you'll find them@livingontheedge.org or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 as we close today's program and there's something that occurred when I taught this that you couldn't see and that when I got to the part where I talked about you know a pillow and absorbing the blow and giving a hug.

II had a big pillow on the stool on the platform and there happened to be guy. I didn't know I probably should have done this, but I said excuse me, could you help me for a minute and I said come on up here right now and he did and I didn't realize until I got up there. He is about 65 and he was really pretty big and I didn't know inside and how he ended up on the front row, but I figure anybody on the front row is gotta be in a pretty bold and so I held up this pretty thick pillow and I put it against my chest and I said nope here's what I want you to do would you punch me into this pillow you know there's a thousand or so people, right there watching.

I said to me don't kill me, but this is gotta be kinda real so they see how it goes. You know, so I'm thinking he's going to do fairly, mildly, even though I've told me couldn't inoculate knockout the pastor in front of everybody. And so this big guy. He was pretty new. I've never seen before and he kind of smiled, and I mean he hit me right in the gut and I didn't tighten up because I thought I mean he would hit me that hard as I would like that. Then I had to sorely go. Oh boy.

As I took a deep breath as I sorta got the wind knocked out of me and I said that that's really good that's how a lot of people feel and then I took the pillow and I didn't know him very well and I gave him a little embrace and you know it was so good because so often it's not just these big huge things were we take a blow. It's a little comment here and we don't expect it. It's a it's a look that one of her kids gives us around the table. It's, you know, we offer something at work and someone kinda disses us and is just a little below and all of those little blows that happen in your life you know what you can have this little bitterness in this little anger and it can just destroy your soul. Love is patient and love is kind and and patients is that first step of you know putting up with absorbing the way Christ is absorbed it for us and it's a word picture and I had people all the next week. In fact, I reviewed this every week for three or four or five weeks, and people came back and said that word picture and I picked that up from a pastor many years ago I member hearing a message from years ago where he shared that illustration take that little picture is take it with you today and this week and when you feel a little wound. Think pillow and then kindness.

Give a hug.

See if God doesn't use that in your life would you like to take Living on the Edge with you to the gym or on your next run while you can. For those of you want to listen to Living on the Edge on the go.

Just download the free shipping remap will find all of Chip's recent messages access to free resources and much more. What you continues a series spiritual simplicity. So I hope you make plans to join now this is a really saying thanks for listening to the submission of living on the