Spiritual Simplicity - In the Name of Love, Part 2

According to a recent survey we want to reduce the clutter, the stress, the ongoing chaos of our busy lives, but the big question is how do you really simplify your life for today on Living on the Edge really talk about a plan that will help you cut through the noise and you begin to simplify your life.

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Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram trips or Bible to daily international ministry outreach. I'm today Chip continues her series spiritual simplicity doing less loving more. Just before we get started, let me encourage you to try using chips message notes while you listen there full of Scripture references in this detailed outline notes are quick download when you go to Living on the Edge.O heart. Just click listen now okay if you have a Bible heavy turnout first Corinthians chapter 13 let's join Chip for part two of his message in the name of love. What would happen if some time you started a brand-new journey in the new journey went something like this.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the entire rest of my life.

But until I take my last breath. I'm gonna start thinking and planning and praying and structuring my life my activities my energy and my money around to things loving God and loving people, and I'm going to stop cheating by saying one thing and pretending it's true and I'm gonna ask do my finances and my time and my closest relationships reflect that I really love God and love people and characters. The promise love never fails.

You'll never have a regret you'll never say no to one view sport activity or a few more hours at work or one more deal that you can do where you say no this vacations planned and were going to go away you don't, you'll never look back and go oh I wish you would've done one more deal but you will look back with regret.

If love is not the number one priority and so he tells us how to do it. You ready for this, he says, grow up. So how does it how does love respond to misplaced priorities you grow up, look, look what he says, verse 11, he says when I was a child, I talked I thought and a reason. As a child but when I became a man in this word means a man who has responsibility who's at the point in his life is old enough to reproduce so I did little thinking about how kids think her children think the word for child. Here's a small child so and let me tell you how children think and then we'll talk about how adults think and then you can ask yourself how am I talking and thinking and reasoning like a child. The word talk here just means what comes out of your mouth. It's note no technical term to it but are to art what comes out of her mouth always reveals what's in our heart of the word think here's that same word that you used in the same root word is in member Romans 12 to don't think more highly of yourself than you ought to think.

But think is to have sober back same word judgment as God is a lot each. It's about processing in evaluating how what's going on and why. And then the word reasoning here is one my favorite words its low goods in my it's it's found in Romans 12 one do you hear logic of my it means to reason to have it as it's a very clear it's reckoning it's an accounting term. It's weighing things. Here's all the positive here's all the negative here's a P&L is what will deliver here. Here's what won't.

It's a reasoning matter of fact, thinking in Romans 12 one at the very end it says, for this is your spiritual service of worship. The word spiritual or reasonable is this work now. Here's how kids think. Here's how that when I hear kids talk little kids.

They say I want it meant I didn't experiment a sociological experiment Friday night.

I had two kids. There were not my house. One was three and one just turned six and I heard Bob I want that, that I want that. Can we do this can please please yes yes can want want want want want.

That's how kids think and and or how they talk and then how they think is what about them coming. There's 50 toys on our living room floor. There's two kids. One kids playing what I want that I want that I want the kids.

By nature they don't wake up in the morning thinking I wonder how I can encourage mom and dad today or they don't walk into a room with other seven-year-olds and say hey anybody feeling kinda down needle time to talk to everybody you know paint did everyone get their milk. I want to make sure I got to hear you think you can have seven milks and three kids and they fight over who gets two or three that's childish. Paul says when he was a child he talked like a child want want want he thought like a child about me me me, and he reasoned as a child in the way kids reason are called now immediate gratification. But, you know, if you tell them you can have five candy bars a week from now or you can have one now the wrappers off of it became think about five candy bars later. It's immediate it's now I've got to have it. That's how kids think, how to adults. Think talk and reason will a kid says I want an adult says what's needed, what's needed here.

Not what I want, not what you want what's needed what's best.

Kids say it's all about me when you're an adult with what you realizes anything that works.

It's about others.

Maturity is thinking about others, especially for you moms I don't think is probably hardly a mom in the whole world. He gets up thinking, oh I wonder how you spend this day on me today when you're adult when you walk into an office. It's about what do these people need.

I'm responsible, you think about others in adults.

Reasoning goes something like this to words delayed gratification.

It's not what this is going to deliver today is what is going to deliver over the long haul.

What will this behavior produce next week, next year, five years from now. It's adults asked the question, not what can I have now adults ask what is needed and what is best for the longest call for the most people.

What's wise what has value. What will deliver now he goes on to talk about cloudy vision leads to complexity and want to give you a you and me a little grace because if you think this these messages are hard to listen to. You should have to come up with them.

I'm seriously negative. Am I can apply this stuff if I don't reply to me first. I got nothing to say and the principal is notice what he says for now we see in a mirror dimly, by the way Amir in the ancient world was not like your mirror. Everything was clear was a piece of steel that was brushed and so you could see yourself and make yourself up but was cloudy you know who it was. It was helpful, but it wasn't crystal clear.

He says now temporal in this life the way were living we see in Amir, but it's kind cloudy so it's complex it's it's hard to know and some people say this, and some people say this, and then you get busy and you feel a pull here to pull here in this competing demands and there's a demand for this in the demand for this of the demand for family demand from when you do what how can you ever know, and so most of us trying to it all and not do any of it very well and neglect their own so he says now we see in the mirror dimly, but then he's talking about when Christ comes back then. We'll see fully now we we know and see him part but that it's can be face-to-face, jotting your notes. First John 32.

We do not know what we will be like.

But this is what we know when we see him we will be like him.

When you meet Christ face-to-face. We will be transformed and we will be like him, not God.

But his created beings. These glorified bodies. I mean, everything gets clear and when it's clear. Notice what happens when things are absolutely clear. He says now abide faith, hope and love the greatest of these is love. Why one because it last faith is trusting or believing what I can't see the promises and the character of God, but someday faith become site hope is this anchor of your soul the certainty to God says I am coming back. I have forgiven you. I am in control if it's not a wish. It's an absolute hope. But at one point time, your hope turns from hope to possession you will walk with God. If you're a Christ follower.

If you received his forgiveness but love will continue on because when you see him face-to-face. What's first John say God is love.

We will love one another perfectly. That's why it's never ruined. It never falls when you have a cloudy vision about your purpose and your priorities.

It produces complexity when you have a clear vision about where you're going why you're going there. What's important and how to get there. It produces love. Now if I was sitting there like I've been with this text.

And I really wanted my priorities in some of these are big issues right I mean this. This isn't like this isn't like all hey much print couple external prayers. I miss some of you saying you know what, I'm not sure I'm in the right job. This is some of you saying about this in the right job. I don't know if I can continue with living in this community for some of you.

It's like, well, you were both working we never see our kids make maybe one of us needs to stop me. For some it's like you know are my schedules nuts. I mean I intend and want and you know I'm I don't read the Bible don't talk with God much.

I can't figure why is not working. Ding ding ding ding ding you.

I know that I could get help from people that I love getting those small groups.

I hear it's really great I don't have time to make time to love God, to create margin to nourish your own soul. Some of you haven't taken a day off and ages and haven't had.

What's a real vacation in years and you know what you reap, and then you can do so, but what you need to hear is this isn't like the message you have misplaced priorities and God is mad at you what you need here is your living in a world that's complex in a place it's fast with a lot of smart people and this is your heavenly father saying let's call a timeout. I don't want your life to end up a super duper temporal ice sculpture that impresses people and then you get near the end of your life, or maybe even five or 10 years from now and the most important relationships and issues in your life. Be puddles of water and you say well I was successful.

My kids got in the school.

Or, you know, I was upwardly mobile. I work all these hours they promoted me or you know I did this and I did that and then you know you just think, and it profited you nothing and then you became nothing and so you gotta grow up yet learn to talk like an adult you start asking questions like, what's really needed. You need to begin to think like an adult.

What do the people in my sphere that I'm responsible for.

What do they need what not what they want, not what makes them happy. Not if I say this will they reject me did I need a cell phone at this age do they need to be watching this or that. Are these the right friends for them to be with for some of us do I need to keep hanging around this group of people that I find myself making progress and pulled back away.

Do I need to keep burning 2 to 3 hours a night become exhausted so I need to keep that second glass of wine every night or do I basically have an addiction see this. This is this is hard stuff unless we grow up.

Unless we ask you know what, what's wise, what's best, who do I really want to become what kind of relationships do I really want to have what you want to be known for what you really want to be known for.

I can't think of a greater goal than and I'm praying I got so far to go, but I would love I want my kids adult kids enough to say well my dad was a busy pastor, I like my adult kids to say you.

My dad had a lot on his plate.

The men I heard from them every week he had time for my kids. He really cared about me.

I want my wife. You know if I figure at the pace that I go I'll probably go before she because I hope so because I need her a lot more than she needs me but that I hope after I die. I hope my wife will say you know something he did have a lot on his plate but me and we had a rich he love me he loved me and he love God when I can tell you is off at various seasons my life like you have in your life where I just I just had to say you know something I'm gonna have to unclouded my vision and I may see in part but if you want. This is a lamp into your feet and a light to your path. If you want to get clear vision you have to be in God's word know legalism. No ought or got to it is a love relationship. If you want to know if you're doing the right thing you need to talk and and and talk to God out loud and when you're confused, asking the question and sit quietly and see if he doesn't give you direction.

If you want to make it in this life and stay clear and stay on course. It's not hard to do it alone. It's impossible to do alone.

You will have to create margin in your life to be with a group of people to say I can't love God and love others by myself. Will you help me if you want the kind of family that you know is in the back of your mind that you hope someday, some weights can have. You will have to structure in times around the table and times for vacation and times to really talk because you can get the outcomes of what you structured the way you're presently living is going to produce the continued outcomes. What you're presently receiving it really is about just loving God and loving one another. If you turn the last page I put RR 12 application as being separate from the world's values because in essence what have really talked about is how to be holy, holy is not that word conjures up for some of his black robes and candles in you know people with really big black Bibles and sometimes weird and mystical. The word holy and when he just thinks different word literally means something that set apart that it's special. It just means different God wants a different life for you a better life.

Holy life is moral purity part of it absolutely, but he wants something different for you. I mean, look, look at the families in America and the single people in America and all the pain and all the junk it all the stuff he just said I want that for you. So stop being conformed to this world's values and start not trying hard to renew your mind say no to some of the movies and some of the stuff and some of the time, and some of the novels and some the relationships they keep telling you gotta look like this and act like this and earned this much and do the stuff and limit the space and shut out some of that and start renewing your mind with God's truth, and the notice look in your notes. What's the second half of that verse eight.

What's his heart. His heart isn't that you become religious and weird is hard that you might approve or taste or tester experience. His will for you which is good, acceptable, perfect. I jotted down when we have misplaced priorities even when it's out of ignorance we end up buying what we don't need to impress people they don't care we listen to what the world says instead of what God's word says, we see it we assume that the goal that our parenting is to make our kids successful and happy instead of holy. We don't live differently and therefore, the great majority of all people who sincerely love God. Miss God's best in the point of simplifying your life is not to become some weird religious fanatical Christian in the negative sense is that you could be holy as God is holy, so that you could experience the very best and that when people would rub up against your life and your lifestyle and your values as a single person as a married person as people with kids they would see a refreshing peaceful deep connected relationship that flows out of your time with God. Your time with others and they would just say something like you know something this world's nuts. How could you say no to that opportunity or how do you balance your life with all your responsibility and you will have an answer that will say you know something I was going really strong and I really love God, but I came out of the Nile and I decided that it would actually make loving God and loving people.

My number one priority and trust that the hard decisions and the people that I disappoint. The guy was big enough to take care that. And that's my prayer for you will be recommended with a final thought about his you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram chip stock today in the name of 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. So let me encourage you fellow husbands, sons and fathers. Get a set of these cards for your wife, your daughter, your granddaughter, are you ready maybe even for your mom I can think of few things that would encourage and help the women in your life really believe that their love that they're valuable that their precious and turn away from the bombardment, especially that our teenage girls are getting, and they could know that there loved invaluable just for who they are just for the way they look right now.

Can't think of anything better to do mint. Let's do it today. We all tend to believe lies about our self-worth and value, which is why it's so important for you to renew your mind with the truth of God's word. Our Reformation cards provide specific scriptures to help you do that these attractive hard stock cards are designed to strengthen and equip you to win the battle for your thoughts about who you are to preview our affirmation cards online. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org order your set today and maybe even get a second set to give your friend or to send as a gift affirmation cards you'll find them@thelivingontheedge.org or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 as we close today's program. I just want to ask you, how about you when you listen today where did God speak to you and we talked about growing up. You just have to flat out grow up if you can receive and give love and I asked three little questions and I want to remind you of these three questions as we and our time together. The first one is what is wise what's the wise thing for you.

What's the path for you what you need to do second what is best.

What is the very best thing for you, not what is good and third what you want to be known for. At the end of your life. At the end of the day people organ and know you for something. What you really want that to be and you're a smart person. I mean if tweaking your life. If making little incremental changes would get you in the right place and priorities you would've already done that many of you this is going to be one most important days of your life and you can away things in the spirit of God is speaking to you and you realize you need to get off the committee you need to stop working two jobs you need to stop some hobby that's fun and that you like that's eating up your time you need to just literally do something radical to get your priorities in line so that you can love you can't keep living the way you're living and doing as much as you're doing and really love you, may appear loving but you can't really love living how you are now in the end of the message.

I put a game plan. I laid it out very specifically, this might be one we want to go to the Internet and download the notes or listen by an MP3 or get the CD but here's the issue. What are you going to do my challenge.

Get before God. Ask him sit quietly do what he says and then write down what he says and share it with one friend for accountability and then watch God work in you and through you. You know an easy way to hear this message again like chip suggested would be to download the chip Ingram map will have free access to all of these spiritual simplicity messages, chips, interactive message notes and much more. Not only that, but it couldn't be easier to email or give us a call right from the app if you prefer to download printable message notes or to purchase CDs just visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org and click listen now, but I hope you be with us again next time when we continue our current serious November Steve really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge