WEBVTT 00:00:01.229 --> 00:00:06.250 After food and water, the greatest need in every 00:00:06.250 --> 00:00:10.810 human heart is to be deeply loved, valued, and 00:00:10.810 --> 00:00:14.269 accepted just for who we are. Here's the question. 00:00:14.429 --> 00:00:17.109 How do you get that kind of love? That's what 00:00:17.109 --> 00:00:23.210 we'll explore today. Welcome to this edition 00:00:23.210 --> 00:00:26.579 of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. The mission 00:00:26.579 --> 00:00:29.079 of this daily program is to intentionally disciple 00:00:29.079 --> 00:00:31.519 Christians through the insightful Bible teaching 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:34.280 of Chip Ingram. And in just a minute, he'll continue 00:00:34.280 --> 00:00:37.179 his series, The Real God. By digging into the 00:00:37.179 --> 00:00:39.600 characteristic of God, we tend to focus on the 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:42.899 most, his love. And today, Chip takes us on a 00:00:42.899 --> 00:00:45.259 journey to better understand and appreciate this 00:00:45.259 --> 00:00:47.799 attribute in a way we may never have before. 00:00:48.299 --> 00:00:50.479 Well, there's a lot to get to, so let's get going. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:53.340 Here now is Chip with his message, The Love of 00:00:53.340 --> 00:00:57.549 God. Can you imagine what would happen? Hypothetically, 00:00:57.630 --> 00:01:02.789 what if you loved 50 % more beginning tomorrow 00:01:02.789 --> 00:01:06.230 for the rest of your life? Just 50 % more. You 00:01:06.230 --> 00:01:08.689 loved your friends 50 % more. You loved your 00:01:08.689 --> 00:01:11.730 coworkers 50 % more. What if the people sitting 00:01:11.730 --> 00:01:14.709 down at the United Nations would just love one 00:01:14.709 --> 00:01:17.870 another 50 % more than they do now? That people 00:01:17.870 --> 00:01:20.569 would start forgiving and listening instead of 00:01:20.569 --> 00:01:23.329 battling and positioning. What would happen if 00:01:23.329 --> 00:01:27.069 in the Middle East, People from diverse backgrounds 00:01:27.069 --> 00:01:30.890 would love one another just 50 % more. What would 00:01:30.890 --> 00:01:33.810 happen if in their inner city and in the suburbs, 00:01:34.090 --> 00:01:37.170 people would love one another just 50 % more? 00:01:38.170 --> 00:01:40.969 Can you imagine the difference that it would 00:01:40.969 --> 00:01:45.189 make in the world? See, there's an amazing thing 00:01:45.189 --> 00:01:48.989 going on. I don't think I could make the statement, 00:01:49.069 --> 00:01:52.650 what the world needs now is love, sweet love. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:55.400 It's what everyone needs, what everyone wants. 00:01:55.500 --> 00:01:57.640 I don't think I could get hardly a person in 00:01:57.640 --> 00:01:59.420 the world to raise their hand and say, excuse 00:01:59.420 --> 00:02:01.739 me, I disagree. We don't need any more love. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:04.359 People being kind to one another, forgiving one 00:02:04.359 --> 00:02:06.760 another, taking care of each other, family staying 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.360 together, people being sensitive. I'll tell you 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:13.960 what, we got enough of that as there is. Now, 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:18.319 think this through though. If universally we 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:23.370 agree that the world needs love, And we all need 00:02:23.370 --> 00:02:31.090 to be loved. Why is there such little love? It's 00:02:31.090 --> 00:02:35.590 kind of amazing, isn't it? I put a little statement 00:02:35.590 --> 00:02:42.050 of three facts about love. Fact number one, it's 00:02:42.050 --> 00:02:45.240 a universal need. We are all looking for love. 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:47.580 I have never met a person who's not looking for 00:02:47.580 --> 00:02:49.819 love. From the moment you came out of the womb, 00:02:49.979 --> 00:02:52.240 you were looking for someone to hold you, feed 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:54.819 you, protect you, love you. When you got older, 00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:56.379 you were looking for someone to look into your 00:02:56.379 --> 00:02:58.719 eye and say, you matter, you're secure, you're 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:00.860 significant. When you blew it or you failed, 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:03.639 you wanted someone to say, you know what? I forgive 00:03:03.639 --> 00:03:08.379 you. I'm still for you. Everybody is desperately 00:03:08.379 --> 00:03:10.860 looking and wanting to be loved. Fact number 00:03:10.860 --> 00:03:15.900 one. Fact number two is there's a universal solution 00:03:15.900 --> 00:03:20.219 to the universal need. God loves all people everywhere 00:03:20.219 --> 00:03:22.180 and longs to meet the deepest needs of their 00:03:22.180 --> 00:03:27.199 heart for love. God loves everyone. He's demonstrated 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.000 his love. His heart breaks when he sees what 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:32.479 happens to people. He wants to heal. He wants 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:34.780 to forgive. He wants to encourage. He wants to 00:03:34.780 --> 00:03:37.560 affirm. He wants to support. He wants to redirect. 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:40.280 He wants to guide. He wants to hold. He wants 00:03:40.280 --> 00:03:42.860 to heal. You have a universal need over here 00:03:42.860 --> 00:03:45.740 of people desperately wanting to be loved. And 00:03:45.740 --> 00:03:49.020 you have over here a omnipresent, all -wise, 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:51.780 all -knowing creator who wants to love and has 00:03:51.780 --> 00:03:56.000 already loved the world. Fact number three, we 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:00.969 have a universal disconnect. There's a tragic 00:04:00.969 --> 00:04:04.830 disconnection. You have this unbelievable need 00:04:04.830 --> 00:04:09.229 and this supernatural, unlimited, boundless availability. 00:04:10.389 --> 00:04:13.189 And nevertheless, most people remain starved 00:04:13.189 --> 00:04:19.509 for love. They're starved for love. Imagine if 00:04:19.509 --> 00:04:21.769 you can, can I give you a word picture? Imagine 00:04:21.769 --> 00:04:24.470 all the people of the world on every continent. 00:04:25.019 --> 00:04:27.300 South America, North America, Australia, Europe, 00:04:27.420 --> 00:04:30.019 China, Asia, every continent, all the people, 00:04:30.060 --> 00:04:33.019 all six plus billion some people. And imagine 00:04:33.019 --> 00:04:36.220 them all standing shoulder to shoulder with this 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:38.879 universal need to be loved. And then imagine 00:04:38.879 --> 00:04:40.800 that they're in some continent in the center 00:04:40.800 --> 00:04:43.019 and we've packed them all together. And every 00:04:43.019 --> 00:04:46.379 ocean is instead of water, every lake, every 00:04:46.379 --> 00:04:52.279 stream is turned into liquid love. Imagine that 00:04:52.279 --> 00:04:56.040 word picture. It's liquid love. And there's three 00:04:56.040 --> 00:04:58.779 reasons, all these 6 billion people starving 00:04:58.779 --> 00:05:02.980 for love. And there's all this love, but some 00:05:02.980 --> 00:05:06.139 of those people have never seen the ocean. Some 00:05:06.139 --> 00:05:08.699 of those people were brought up or lived in a 00:05:08.699 --> 00:05:11.699 desert. They aren't loved because they're not 00:05:11.699 --> 00:05:15.139 aware that there's an ocean of love available. 00:05:16.899 --> 00:05:19.399 Some people have no idea that God cares for them 00:05:19.399 --> 00:05:23.800 and loves them. Some of those people have tasted. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.120 And they know about God's love, but they've not 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:29.500 received it. They were stacked all together, 00:05:29.579 --> 00:05:31.540 all these people in the world, and someone took 00:05:31.540 --> 00:05:33.720 them over to the ocean or to a stream or to a 00:05:33.720 --> 00:05:35.819 lake, and it's just flowing with liquid love. 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.980 And you can dive in. You can take a bottle. You 00:05:38.980 --> 00:05:41.259 can drink it. You can take a bath in it. You 00:05:41.259 --> 00:05:42.839 can get in the barrels. You can get it in the 00:05:42.839 --> 00:05:45.720 jugs. You can take it home with you. And it's 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:48.180 a sense of well -being and purpose and significance 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:50.720 and an overwhelming sense of your importance 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:55.279 and security, unconditional, given by God. But 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:57.019 there's countless numbers of people that get 00:05:57.019 --> 00:05:59.480 to the edge of the ocean and they intellectually 00:05:59.480 --> 00:06:03.279 agree there's an ocean full of love. And for 00:06:03.279 --> 00:06:05.379 whatever reason, I'm not worthy of that love. 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:08.420 I'm afraid if I would receive that love, what 00:06:08.420 --> 00:06:11.319 the demands might be on me. But there are some 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:13.459 people that aren't loved because they don't know 00:06:13.459 --> 00:06:16.720 they're loved. There's a lot of people who are 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:19.839 aware that they are loved, but they're standing 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:23.040 on the shore and they've never received it. And 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:25.220 then there's a whole nother set of people that 00:06:25.220 --> 00:06:29.040 at least once or twice, they have jumped into 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.379 the lake and they've taken maybe a water bottle 00:06:31.379 --> 00:06:33.160 full of love and they've tasted it and they've 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:35.259 experienced it and it's changed their life and 00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:37.259 they've gotten back out on the shore and it was 00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:40.860 overwhelming, but it was so good and so amazing. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:43.279 They start to confuse it with other kinds of 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:45.980 love, like how their dad or their mom or an ex 00:06:45.980 --> 00:06:50.000 -mate or a boss. And they're so afraid that I 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:52.300 don't want to get. too radically involved in 00:06:52.300 --> 00:06:54.420 this kind of love and they had this experience 00:06:54.420 --> 00:06:56.120 and for the life of them, they don't know how 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:59.160 to touch it or taste it again. And it just comes 00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:01.259 in little windows and they can't quite figure 00:07:01.259 --> 00:07:03.420 it out, but it often comes when they're so desperate 00:07:03.420 --> 00:07:06.040 and so thirsty and there's no place else to go. 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:08.259 They dive back into the ocean or the lake or 00:07:08.259 --> 00:07:10.139 the stream of love and they taste it in their 00:07:10.139 --> 00:07:13.600 lowest times and darkest moments. And then somehow 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:15.500 when they get filled just enough with love to 00:07:15.500 --> 00:07:17.139 get on their own, they start living their own 00:07:17.139 --> 00:07:22.300 way again. I would say that's at least a decent 00:07:22.300 --> 00:07:29.360 picture of a universal need, a universal solution, 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:32.959 and a very tragic disconnect among both believers 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:37.540 and unbelievers. Brennan Manning in his little 00:07:37.540 --> 00:07:42.819 book called Abba's Child quotes Henry Nowen and 00:07:42.819 --> 00:07:48.019 talks about what's the root cause behind Christians. 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.480 not experiencing the love of God. I think his 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:55.959 words are instructive. Now in rights over the 00:07:55.959 --> 00:07:57.860 years, I've come to realize that the greatest 00:07:57.860 --> 00:08:01.459 trap in our life is not success, popularity, 00:08:01.459 --> 00:08:07.040 or power, but self rejection. Follow his logic 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:11.740 closely. Success, popularity, and power can indeed 00:08:11.740 --> 00:08:15.180 present a great temptation, but their seductive 00:08:15.180 --> 00:08:19.360 quality often comes from the way They are a part 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:22.000 of a much larger temptation to self -rejection. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:25.800 When we have come to believe in the voices that 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:30.740 call us worthless, unlovable, when we have voices 00:08:30.740 --> 00:08:33.259 that you're not worthy, you don't measure up 00:08:33.259 --> 00:08:36.039 as the idea, when we carry in our hearts shame 00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:40.139 and guilt in a sense that we are unlovable, then 00:08:40.139 --> 00:08:43.720 he goes on to say, success, popularity, and power 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:47.139 are easily perceived as attractive solutions. 00:08:48.490 --> 00:08:52.250 The real trap, however, is self -rejection. Self 00:08:52.250 --> 00:08:54.389 -rejection is the greatest enemy of the spiritual 00:08:54.389 --> 00:08:57.529 life because it contradicts the sacred voice 00:08:57.529 --> 00:09:02.049 that God calls us the beloved. We are beloved 00:09:02.049 --> 00:09:06.389 in Christ. We are in Christ. Being the beloved 00:09:06.389 --> 00:09:09.389 constitutes the core truth of our existence. 00:09:10.149 --> 00:09:13.649 I have... Been on a very interesting journey 00:09:13.649 --> 00:09:16.289 like many of you. And in the first decade, I 00:09:16.289 --> 00:09:17.669 learned many of the disciplines of the Christian 00:09:17.669 --> 00:09:19.570 life and learned to read my Bible and study and 00:09:19.570 --> 00:09:22.269 pray and share my faith. And then in the next 00:09:22.269 --> 00:09:24.470 decade, probably learned a little bit more about 00:09:24.470 --> 00:09:27.470 ministry. And then probably in the last 12 to 00:09:27.470 --> 00:09:29.850 15 years, began to learn more about the disciplines 00:09:29.850 --> 00:09:32.470 of the Christian life and have read very widely 00:09:32.470 --> 00:09:35.730 from a lot of different backgrounds. And I'm 00:09:35.730 --> 00:09:37.710 convinced that if you put a gun to my head and 00:09:37.710 --> 00:09:40.629 said, What's maybe the biggest discovery about 00:09:40.629 --> 00:09:42.450 what it means to have a relationship with Christ? 00:09:42.950 --> 00:09:46.389 I would say it's coming to believe and accept 00:09:46.389 --> 00:09:49.110 that God really loves me completely apart from 00:09:49.110 --> 00:09:52.370 my performance. And separating that love from 00:09:52.370 --> 00:09:55.090 the love that I've received from people, separating 00:09:55.090 --> 00:09:57.210 that love from the kind of love that you get 00:09:57.210 --> 00:09:59.750 if you can do this or because you can do that, 00:09:59.870 --> 00:10:03.289 separating it from things that feel so close 00:10:03.289 --> 00:10:07.899 to love, like being admired. Things that feel 00:10:07.899 --> 00:10:10.960 so close to being loved, like being affirmed 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:15.220 or encouraged or valued because you can do this 00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:19.039 or you own that or can give this or can empower 00:10:19.039 --> 00:10:23.059 others in a certain way. And I think at the core 00:10:23.059 --> 00:10:25.860 of the existence of God's heart, at least in 00:10:25.860 --> 00:10:27.779 what I'm learning, and as I've read many of the 00:10:27.779 --> 00:10:31.220 people that have walked much deeper in the Christian 00:10:31.220 --> 00:10:35.259 life than me, it comes to the sense that believing, 00:10:36.169 --> 00:10:41.490 just as you are, not if this gets cleaned up, 00:10:41.570 --> 00:10:44.830 not because you do this or do that, but just 00:10:44.830 --> 00:10:49.009 as you are because of who God is, that you are 00:10:49.009 --> 00:10:51.970 the object of his affection and that all these 00:10:51.970 --> 00:10:54.529 things about purity and all these things about 00:10:54.529 --> 00:10:56.950 caring for others and all these things about 00:10:56.950 --> 00:11:00.299 life transformation really start. if they're 00:11:00.299 --> 00:11:03.100 genuine, at the very, very core of our existence, 00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:06.440 when we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, 00:11:06.539 --> 00:11:12.200 as precious, as valuable, as unconditionally 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:15.759 loved, as the object of his affection and concern. 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:19.779 as the one who thinks about us because he is 00:11:19.779 --> 00:11:22.039 in the eternal and he can think about all of 00:11:22.039 --> 00:11:24.559 us simultaneously and know all of our thoughts, 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:27.480 all of our issues, all of our concerns. And if 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:30.120 I can learn that, then it begins to remove me 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:33.700 from trying to perform to earn his favor or trying 00:11:33.700 --> 00:11:36.620 to impress you to make you somehow think I'm 00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:39.379 either better or more spiritual or more kind 00:11:39.379 --> 00:11:42.460 or whatever. Because if I can't experience God's 00:11:42.460 --> 00:11:48.480 love, Human love is a good second best. But then 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:50.700 what you all keep doing to me is you keep letting 00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:54.840 me down. And every time I try and find that unquenchable 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:57.379 love in another human being, and whether it's 00:11:57.379 --> 00:11:59.500 in my wife or whether it's in a close friend 00:11:59.500 --> 00:12:01.820 or whether it's in being a dad or whether it's 00:12:01.820 --> 00:12:05.019 with a ministry partner, these human frail pieces 00:12:05.019 --> 00:12:09.230 of dust just... keep letting me down. And somewhere 00:12:09.230 --> 00:12:12.169 along the line, I feel manipulated and I feel 00:12:12.169 --> 00:12:15.330 used and I feel abused. And then that's very 00:12:15.330 --> 00:12:17.649 painful, except it gets worse because then I 00:12:17.649 --> 00:12:20.269 look in the mirror and I find that I am using 00:12:20.269 --> 00:12:24.269 and manipulating and abusing others so that I 00:12:24.269 --> 00:12:28.730 can feel better about myself. And I would say 00:12:28.730 --> 00:12:32.190 at the core of our heart and our lives is beginning 00:12:32.190 --> 00:12:35.720 to grasp the love of God. And so I think now 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:38.299 it has a point that's very well taken. And so 00:12:38.299 --> 00:12:41.379 I would like to spend the remainder of our time 00:12:41.379 --> 00:12:46.200 seeing if we can take a crack, a journey of understanding 00:12:46.200 --> 00:12:48.840 what it would be like in increasing progressive 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:52.200 measures. Maybe we won't dive into the ocean 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.740 of God's liquid love, but I'd like to at least 00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:57.759 all of us get a little water bottle on a regular 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:01.539 basis. And maybe some of us could get some gallon 00:13:01.539 --> 00:13:05.000 containers. And long -term, my dream is that 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:07.580 I'd like to kind of get one of those big tankers 00:13:07.580 --> 00:13:09.940 like they have the gasoline and the truck in, 00:13:10.059 --> 00:13:12.120 and I'd like to get that thing and back it in 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:14.159 and get a hose that comes out of it and have 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.340 that pouring through that ocean in that tanker 00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:19.259 so I could go out and I could pour out that liquid 00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:22.080 love to other people with the belief that the 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:24.960 more I give and the more I spread unconditionally 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:28.899 of who God has given to me. is that there is 00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:31.120 a dynamic principle of the universe of our Lord 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:33.700 Jesus, that as I give, it will be given good 00:13:33.700 --> 00:13:35.779 measure, pressed down, shaken together, and I'll 00:13:35.779 --> 00:13:38.710 never run out. Because what I think we taste 00:13:38.710 --> 00:13:41.649 of God's love is normally about a thimble full 00:13:41.649 --> 00:13:44.529 in an ocean. And the love that is available to 00:13:44.529 --> 00:13:47.529 us 24 -7, totally apart from our performance, 00:13:47.629 --> 00:13:50.190 our background, how intelligent we are, our personality, 00:13:50.549 --> 00:13:53.009 what we've done, what we haven't done, what we've 00:13:53.009 --> 00:13:55.669 read, what we haven't read, is not just all the 00:13:55.669 --> 00:13:58.009 oceans, but all the oceans on all the planets 00:13:58.009 --> 00:14:00.529 and all the world of all the time. It is boundless 00:14:00.529 --> 00:14:03.419 and limitless. And there's nothing that brings 00:14:03.419 --> 00:14:06.220 greater honor to God if we could learn to receive 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:12.019 it. How great a love the Father has on us, has 00:14:12.019 --> 00:14:15.860 lavished upon us that we should be called the 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:19.320 children of God. So let's talk about what love 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:23.720 is. Let's see if we can move it from that concept 00:14:23.720 --> 00:14:26.899 intellectual in our head down to our hearts. 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:31.200 For me, it's God's love is his holy disposition 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:34.139 toward all that he's created that compels him 00:14:34.139 --> 00:14:37.559 to express unconditional affection and selective 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:40.899 correction to provide the highest and best quality 00:14:40.899 --> 00:14:44.899 of existence, both now and forever for the objects 00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:47.860 of his love. Let me unpack that just a little 00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:50.039 because the words were actually chosen fairly 00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:53.340 carefully. God's love is holy. In other words, 00:14:53.340 --> 00:14:55.279 we learned that word, right? It means separate, 00:14:55.419 --> 00:14:57.860 Markov. It's totally other. I want you to know 00:14:57.860 --> 00:15:00.419 it's not like the love of a human being. It's 00:15:00.419 --> 00:15:02.100 a different kind of love. It's a different category. 00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:05.500 And it's a holy disposition. It's just the way 00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:08.379 he feels, the way he thinks all the time about 00:15:08.379 --> 00:15:12.120 you. And it's that he's created, he has this 00:15:12.120 --> 00:15:15.919 holy disposition that compels him to do two things. 00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:19.379 He's just compelled, not because of something 00:15:19.379 --> 00:15:22.559 in you, but because of something in him to express 00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:25.860 unconditional affection. I mean, I don't want 00:15:25.860 --> 00:15:28.419 to get like ooey gooey here, but he just wants 00:15:28.419 --> 00:15:31.159 to hug you all the time. And he wants to express 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:34.279 hugs and smiles and affirmation. You're, you 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:36.259 know, some of you here are parents. You know 00:15:36.259 --> 00:15:38.100 how you feel about your kids. You know what, 00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:39.720 how it is to hold them close. You know what it's 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:42.379 like to tuck them in. It is unconditional affection. 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:45.580 But notice God's love isn't just this ooey gooey 00:15:45.580 --> 00:15:49.559 goodness of wellbeing, but it's a holy disposition 00:15:49.559 --> 00:15:52.039 that compels him toward unconditional affection 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:55.899 and selective correction. See, God loves me so 00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:58.820 much that anytime my life, my thought, my relationship, 00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:01.700 my finances, and my priorities are moving me 00:16:01.700 --> 00:16:05.039 toward unhealthy things that will do damage to 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:07.600 me and damage to others, his love does what? 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:12.480 He brings about correction. See, that's what 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:16.019 God's love is. He's compelled to do it, but why? 00:16:16.299 --> 00:16:19.200 In order to provide the highest and best quality 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:22.690 of existence. You know, the abundant life Jesus 00:16:22.690 --> 00:16:24.250 talked about, that's just another way of saying 00:16:24.250 --> 00:16:28.429 it. The highest, best, what's it mean? Life that's 00:16:28.429 --> 00:16:32.610 really life. Living to the brim, living fulfilled, 00:16:33.049 --> 00:16:36.370 living not dependent on people's response, but 00:16:36.370 --> 00:16:39.629 something that wells up inside where the deepest 00:16:39.629 --> 00:16:42.950 longings and thirsts of your soul are satisfied. 00:16:43.769 --> 00:16:46.389 That's what God wants for you. And you know what 00:16:46.389 --> 00:16:50.470 that is? That is experiencing the love of God. 00:16:52.009 --> 00:16:56.490 And so that's the goal. And so he's compelled 00:16:56.490 --> 00:17:01.549 by a holy disposition to constantly give unconditional, 00:17:01.750 --> 00:17:04.609 not based on your performance, affection and 00:17:04.609 --> 00:17:07.829 selective correction. It's selective. I use that 00:17:07.829 --> 00:17:10.329 word because there's a lot of times I'm veering 00:17:10.329 --> 00:17:12.450 off, I'm veering off, I'm veering off. And his 00:17:12.450 --> 00:17:15.650 mercy and his long suffering says, you know, 00:17:15.690 --> 00:17:17.690 Chip could use a little spanking right now, but 00:17:17.690 --> 00:17:19.650 I'm just hoping he's going to catch on a little 00:17:19.650 --> 00:17:21.130 bit later. I'm just going to keep loving him. 00:17:21.529 --> 00:17:26.170 It's selective correction. Anytime he can withhold 00:17:26.170 --> 00:17:28.470 what's justly due, it's called mercy. He does. 00:17:29.789 --> 00:17:33.130 Because I'm the object of his affection. And 00:17:33.130 --> 00:17:35.190 by the way, this isn't after you become a Christian. 00:17:35.650 --> 00:17:38.029 Does the scripture say God so loved the believers 00:17:38.029 --> 00:17:41.109 that he gave his only son? God so loved the world. 00:17:42.230 --> 00:17:45.049 He feels, are you ready? This is how he feels 00:17:45.049 --> 00:17:48.769 about Saddam Hussein. This is how he feels about 00:17:48.769 --> 00:17:51.789 Hitler. This is how he feels about the two little 00:17:51.789 --> 00:17:54.410 10 -year -old boys that raped a seven -year -old 00:17:54.410 --> 00:17:57.349 girl. This is how he feels about people that 00:17:57.349 --> 00:18:00.509 in a moment of uncontrolled rage abuse one of 00:18:00.509 --> 00:18:04.630 their kids physically or sexually. God's love 00:18:04.630 --> 00:18:08.210 is other and so absolutely beyond what we can 00:18:08.210 --> 00:18:13.220 grasp. And so that's kind of my definition. The 00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:16.019 characteristics of this love, and I call it agape 00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:17.539 love. The New Testament writers actually made 00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:19.519 up that word. They just didn't have a good word 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:21.220 so that, you know, we're going to take this word 00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:24.259 agape and let's kind of sanctify it, put it in 00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:26.539 the New Testament so it doesn't get confused 00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:28.940 with storge or eros or some of these other kind 00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:31.660 of loves that the Greek language was familiar 00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:34.339 with. And the characteristics are interesting. 00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:36.960 It's a giving love. It's a sacrificial love. 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:39.599 It's an unconditional love. And it's a boundless 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:44.000 love. God's love is expressed primarily through 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:47.259 his goodness, mercy, long -suffering, and grace. 00:18:47.740 --> 00:18:50.180 And I have a quote here from one of my professors. 00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:53.660 I really like what Dr. Ryrie says here. He says, 00:18:53.779 --> 00:18:59.519 the love of God is like a tree, and then there 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:02.279 are branches of its expression, and they are 00:19:02.279 --> 00:19:04.960 primarily his goodness, mercy, long -suffering, 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:07.859 and grace. And he says, although there are distinctions 00:19:07.859 --> 00:19:10.200 as you study these words, they're really not 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:14.539 exact. God's goodness may be defined as his benevolent 00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:17.619 concern for his creatures. Did you ever just 00:19:17.619 --> 00:19:21.799 think of God as the today, this moment? He's 00:19:21.799 --> 00:19:24.859 concerned about you. You know how some of you 00:19:24.859 --> 00:19:27.619 moms are? Hey, call me when you get there. Call 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:30.779 me. I want to know you made it okay. The God 00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:33.440 of the universe sort of has that attitude. Hey, 00:19:33.579 --> 00:19:35.619 I'm just, I'm checking on you. I want to make 00:19:35.619 --> 00:19:37.980 sure everything's okay. Is that how you think 00:19:37.980 --> 00:19:41.700 of him? Or do you think of him as far away, hard 00:19:41.700 --> 00:19:43.900 to get to, wish you could get his attention? 00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:47.039 The love of God is expressed in his goodness. 00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:49.740 It's also divined as a benevolent concern for 00:19:49.740 --> 00:19:52.019 his creatures, as well as mercy is the aspect 00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:53.900 of his goodness that causes him to show pity 00:19:53.900 --> 00:19:57.400 and compassion. Have you ever just really blown 00:19:57.400 --> 00:20:00.180 it and just felt so shameful and so bad and just 00:20:00.180 --> 00:20:03.809 like, you're not. you're not even lovable. I 00:20:03.809 --> 00:20:07.329 mean, forget by God, by anybody. The love of 00:20:07.329 --> 00:20:10.670 God is expressed in his mercy. And he just looks 00:20:10.670 --> 00:20:13.809 down and says, this didn't surprise me at all. 00:20:14.009 --> 00:20:16.809 I'm not even shocked. In fact, before the foundations 00:20:16.809 --> 00:20:19.049 of the earth, when the God has been determining 00:20:19.049 --> 00:20:21.210 what the price tag of men's freedom would be, 00:20:21.329 --> 00:20:24.210 Jesus knew that he would come and he would hang 00:20:24.210 --> 00:20:28.569 on a cross for that very shameful sin. It goes 00:20:28.569 --> 00:20:33.440 on to say that, His long suffering speaks of 00:20:33.440 --> 00:20:35.900 his self -restraint in the face of provocation. 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:38.339 Have you ever thought of God exercising self 00:20:38.339 --> 00:20:40.460 -restraint? I mean, you know, like you really 00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:44.000 need a spanking and he just, well, wait a couple 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:46.619 more days. You know, you just got a really rotten 00:20:46.619 --> 00:20:48.660 attitude or you're involved in some blatant sin, 00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:51.480 you know, and the consequences should be swift, 00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:54.460 but he just loves you so much. God is practicing 00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:57.039 self -restraint in his relationship with you. 00:20:57.079 --> 00:20:59.170 Why? Because he loves you. And then the final 00:20:59.170 --> 00:21:01.269 word there is grace. His unmerited favor shown 00:21:01.269 --> 00:21:04.309 primarily through Christ, which makes possible 00:21:04.309 --> 00:21:08.190 a relationship with him. You're listening to 00:21:08.190 --> 00:21:10.930 Living on the Edge. We'll return you to Chip's 00:21:10.930 --> 00:21:13.130 message in just a minute. But let me quickly 00:21:13.130 --> 00:21:15.869 share with you, God has called us to do incredible 00:21:15.869 --> 00:21:18.970 ministry work all around the world. And when 00:21:18.970 --> 00:21:21.190 you partner with us financially, you're a part 00:21:21.190 --> 00:21:23.769 of what we do. So if you'd like to join us, go 00:21:23.769 --> 00:21:28.450 to livingontheedge .org. We appreciate you giving 00:21:28.450 --> 00:21:31.390 whatever God leads you to give. Well, with that, 00:21:31.410 --> 00:21:35.029 here's Chip. I've taken all that I've learned 00:21:35.029 --> 00:21:38.150 about God's love, and I thought if I could put 00:21:38.150 --> 00:21:42.329 it in a few statements, a few simple statements 00:21:42.329 --> 00:21:46.119 to get it from this. God loves me and I have 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:48.539 these feelings now and then, and okay, it's goodness 00:21:48.539 --> 00:21:50.579 and it's mercy and it's long suffering. And, 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:53.640 you know, I get a little flash of it, but I wanted 00:21:53.640 --> 00:21:56.700 to give you maybe a little summary of what it 00:21:56.700 --> 00:22:00.619 would look like if you could see specifically 00:22:00.619 --> 00:22:06.240 what it feels like and how God thinks about you. 00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:09.339 So you could start to move it from up here, intellectual 00:22:09.339 --> 00:22:13.539 to down here to spiritual and emotional. And 00:22:13.539 --> 00:22:15.619 as I read these, what I'd like you to do is think 00:22:15.619 --> 00:22:17.759 about just this question, kind of lean back. 00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:22.339 Is this how I see God? Is this how I see God? 00:22:23.319 --> 00:22:27.079 And if sort of that quick gut reaction is, I 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:29.779 might intellectually believe God is that way, 00:22:29.880 --> 00:22:32.839 but that is not how I see God or think of how 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:36.220 he sees me. Then what you know is you have some 00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:39.839 renewal of the mind to do. Statement number one, 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:43.269 God loves for you means. His thoughts, intentions, 00:22:43.650 --> 00:22:46.609 desires, and plans for you are always for your 00:22:46.609 --> 00:22:49.829 good and never for your harm. We looked at, you 00:22:49.829 --> 00:22:52.829 know, Jeremiah 29, 11, and James 1. But think 00:22:52.829 --> 00:22:56.009 of that. Do you kind of in your heart of hearts 00:22:56.009 --> 00:23:00.049 think that his desires and intents, his plans, 00:23:00.230 --> 00:23:03.529 they're always for your good? He's just a very 00:23:03.529 --> 00:23:07.710 safe, safe person to be with. And the plans for 00:23:07.710 --> 00:23:10.309 the future that he has for you, his desires for 00:23:10.309 --> 00:23:13.809 you, oh. It's always for your welfare. See, if 00:23:13.809 --> 00:23:16.509 you understand the love of God, that's what you'll 00:23:16.509 --> 00:23:19.970 think. God's love for you means that he is kind. 00:23:20.170 --> 00:23:24.329 He's open. He's approachable. He's frank. And 00:23:24.329 --> 00:23:27.069 he's eager to be your friend. Do you see him 00:23:27.069 --> 00:23:29.849 that member? I don't call you slaves because 00:23:29.849 --> 00:23:31.430 a slave doesn't know what his master is doing. 00:23:31.470 --> 00:23:33.710 I've called you my friends for all things. The 00:23:33.710 --> 00:23:36.029 father has made known to me. I've revealed to 00:23:36.029 --> 00:23:39.390 you. Do you see him as open and friendly or is 00:23:39.390 --> 00:23:41.670 he distant and unapproachable? And you know, 00:23:41.710 --> 00:23:43.549 you gotta be good to be on good terms. And when 00:23:43.549 --> 00:23:45.250 you're good, he'll listen to you. But if you 00:23:45.250 --> 00:23:48.809 struggled, he probably doesn't. God's love means 00:23:48.809 --> 00:23:54.190 that 24 seven, he's open, he's kind, he's approachable. 00:23:54.730 --> 00:23:57.549 God's love for you means he emotionally identifies 00:23:57.549 --> 00:24:00.369 with your pain, your joy, your hopes and dreams. 00:24:00.769 --> 00:24:04.670 And he's chosen to allow your happiness to affect 00:24:04.670 --> 00:24:07.750 his own. Have you thought of the, you know, when 00:24:07.750 --> 00:24:09.549 you're in pain and when you're hurt, is he on 00:24:09.549 --> 00:24:11.369 the other side of the fence and he's maybe kind 00:24:11.369 --> 00:24:13.750 of causing it? Or is he on the side of the fence 00:24:13.750 --> 00:24:18.309 behind you with his arm around you and your joys 00:24:18.309 --> 00:24:20.769 bring actually happiness to the heart of God 00:24:20.769 --> 00:24:23.670 and your hurts and your struggles bring tears. 00:24:23.869 --> 00:24:25.910 Have you ever thought of that? Have you ever 00:24:25.910 --> 00:24:28.609 thought that when Jesus' friend Lazarus died 00:24:28.609 --> 00:24:33.960 in John 11, that he wept, that he hurt? That 00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:37.460 he felt for Mary and he felt for Martha and it 00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:40.119 broke his heart when he saw what a fallen world 00:24:40.119 --> 00:24:44.759 and death did. Is that how you see God? That 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:47.680 when you're really struggling, instead of being 00:24:47.680 --> 00:24:51.480 down on you, he weeps with you. God's love for 00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:53.619 you means forth that he takes pleasure in you 00:24:53.619 --> 00:24:56.880 just for who you are, totally apart from your 00:24:56.880 --> 00:24:59.799 performance or your accomplishments. He's the 00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:03.390 God of Zephaniah 3. He's the God that is mighty. 00:25:03.609 --> 00:25:06.630 He is the God who is with you. He is the God 00:25:06.630 --> 00:25:08.750 that when there's confusion all around says, 00:25:08.990 --> 00:25:13.430 just let me quiet you with my love and let me 00:25:13.430 --> 00:25:18.049 sing over you in rejoicing. Is that how you see 00:25:18.049 --> 00:25:21.869 him? You know who I'm describing? I'm describing 00:25:21.869 --> 00:25:24.809 the God of the Bible. This is the God of the 00:25:24.809 --> 00:25:30.640 Bible. Finally. God's love for you means he's 00:25:30.640 --> 00:25:33.539 actively and creatively orchestrating people's 00:25:33.539 --> 00:25:36.700 circumstances and events to express his affection 00:25:36.700 --> 00:25:40.779 and selective correction to provide for your 00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:44.460 highest good. Do you think of this God who is 00:25:44.460 --> 00:25:47.599 not only loving, but he's actively orchestrating 00:25:47.599 --> 00:25:51.460 and allowing relationships and events and circumstances. 00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:54.500 so that he could express affection through a 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:58.299 person, affection through a job promotion, affection 00:25:58.299 --> 00:26:00.940 through a discovery of a spiritual gift, affection 00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:03.119 through a new friend that really understands 00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:05.839 you, affection through a relationship that you 00:26:05.839 --> 00:26:07.900 never thought you would have, affection because 00:26:07.900 --> 00:26:10.339 your body wasn't working and for reasons that 00:26:10.339 --> 00:26:12.720 none of us understand why or when or how, but 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:14.440 rather than through medicine, he decided just 00:26:14.440 --> 00:26:18.740 to touch your body. Or does he also in his love 00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:23.960 just... So care that selectively brings circumstances 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:26.859 and people to bring about selective correction 00:26:26.859 --> 00:26:29.960 and bring some pain and discouragement and some 00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:32.559 depression. And maybe you lose a job. Maybe you 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:35.700 lose a friend because he wants to get your attention. 00:26:36.140 --> 00:26:40.059 Maybe your 401k went bloop and maybe your business 00:26:40.059 --> 00:26:43.500 is going south because just little by little, 00:26:43.559 --> 00:26:46.859 you didn't mean to, but you're drifting. You're 00:26:46.859 --> 00:26:50.529 drifting. And he's so jealous and he so loves 00:26:50.529 --> 00:26:53.349 you and he sees where that's going to head. But 00:26:53.349 --> 00:26:55.529 he does some things that make you mad at first. 00:26:56.369 --> 00:26:58.630 But like watching the little kid run out into 00:26:58.630 --> 00:27:01.470 the street, he runs out after you, grabs you 00:27:01.470 --> 00:27:04.130 by the neck, jerks you back so the car doesn't 00:27:04.130 --> 00:27:06.430 hit you, and then out of love gives you a little 00:27:06.430 --> 00:27:09.349 whack on the rear end and says to you, honey, 00:27:09.549 --> 00:27:13.210 don't go there anymore. You're too precious. 00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:18.660 You know, some of you may say to yourself, like 00:27:18.660 --> 00:27:22.460 I have struggled with, you know, of all the ones, 00:27:22.519 --> 00:27:24.519 this is kind of the neat. If this were true, 00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:28.059 it would be really neat. You know, that one on 00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:29.960 justice was kind of hard to take. The holiness 00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:32.539 was a little overwhelming. The wisdom I kind 00:27:32.539 --> 00:27:39.079 of liked. But boy, this would feed my soul. This 00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:42.990 would change my life. Is it really true? And 00:27:42.990 --> 00:27:44.930 so what I'd like to do is I'd like to demonstrate 00:27:44.930 --> 00:27:50.029 from scripture that this is the God that loves 00:27:50.029 --> 00:27:53.869 you and loves me. I'd like to walk through how 00:27:53.869 --> 00:27:56.589 God reveals his love to us through about one, 00:27:56.730 --> 00:27:59.849 two, three, four, five, oh, six different things. 00:28:01.750 --> 00:28:04.490 God reveals his love to us first through creation. 00:28:04.970 --> 00:28:08.450 Are you ready for this? He made you for himself. 00:28:09.309 --> 00:28:11.549 Do you ever think about this way? You know, Genesis 00:28:11.549 --> 00:28:14.309 chapter one, verse 26 and 27, then God said, 00:28:14.410 --> 00:28:16.809 let us make man in our own image, in our own 00:28:16.809 --> 00:28:18.970 likeness, and let them rule over the fish of 00:28:18.970 --> 00:28:20.710 the sea and the birds of the air and the livestock 00:28:20.710 --> 00:28:23.009 and over the earth and over all the creatures 00:28:23.009 --> 00:28:25.710 that move along the ground. So God created man 00:28:25.710 --> 00:28:27.970 in his own image. In the image of God, he created 00:28:27.970 --> 00:28:31.769 him male and female. He created them. He created 00:28:31.769 --> 00:28:34.289 you in his own image. You're like him. And he 00:28:34.289 --> 00:28:37.319 creates this. paradise and he wants to have a 00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:39.660 relationship with you. And then in Colossians 00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:42.940 1 16, you learn for by him, Jesus, all things 00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:45.160 were created, things in heaven, things on earth, 00:28:45.240 --> 00:28:48.039 visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers 00:28:48.039 --> 00:28:50.779 or rulers or authorities, all things were created 00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:55.579 by him. And I love this for him. You know, it's 00:28:55.579 --> 00:28:57.720 easy to think, oh, the earth was created for 00:28:57.720 --> 00:29:00.339 him. Angels were created for him. Everything 00:29:00.339 --> 00:29:05.220 was created for him. Watch this. You, you, were 00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:10.400 created for him. He made you so he could be with 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:15.200 you. I remember when I was a little boy, I mean, 00:29:15.240 --> 00:29:17.460 it's so in our DNA because we're in God's image. 00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:19.640 I remember going to the beach as a little boy 00:29:19.640 --> 00:29:21.920 and you know, when you play in the sand and it 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.380 was that kind of wet kind of sand where you could 00:29:23.380 --> 00:29:26.900 build stuff. I took about three hours. I mean, 00:29:26.900 --> 00:29:28.700 I dug the hole and got it. I thought it was real 00:29:28.700 --> 00:29:31.000 deep, but it seemed kind of deep. And then I 00:29:31.000 --> 00:29:33.079 built this wall and I was making this castle. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:36.299 And it was like on a cartoon. Some big kid I 00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:39.259 didn't know, three hours. You feel bad for me 00:29:39.259 --> 00:29:42.859 already, don't you? Tell you what, ladies in 00:29:42.859 --> 00:29:44.960 the front row here, they're going to be permanent 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:48.160 prayer partners. Oh man, Chip, he's probably 00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:51.859 psychologically damaged for years. But seriously, 00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:54.480 this big kid comes and he kicks it all down. 00:29:55.180 --> 00:29:58.180 I'm five years old and I can still remember it. 00:29:58.200 --> 00:30:01.740 And I created sand, castle from a little water. 00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:05.059 And this is how it made me feel. Why? Because 00:30:05.059 --> 00:30:10.880 what I make for me matters to me. And what God 00:30:10.880 --> 00:30:14.440 makes for him matters to him. And he made you. 00:30:15.460 --> 00:30:21.579 He made you. That's how much you matter. This 00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:24.559 is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. And you've 00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:26.259 been listening to part one of Chip's message, 00:30:26.420 --> 00:30:29.359 The Love of God, from our series, The Real God. 00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:31.839 In just a minute, Chip will share some helpful 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:34.400 application for us to think about. But right 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:36.799 now, Chip's here in studio to pass along a really 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:40.119 important message to all of you. Chip? Thanks, 00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:42.599 Dave. I want to talk to those of you who partner 00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:45.789 with us financially. Your gifts help us not just 00:30:45.789 --> 00:30:48.470 stay on the air, but they provide the necessary 00:30:48.470 --> 00:30:50.950 funding to create curriculum and develop our 00:30:50.950 --> 00:30:54.049 website and provide resources at extraordinarily 00:30:54.049 --> 00:30:57.990 reasonable prices. I mean, your giving is making 00:30:57.990 --> 00:31:01.150 an amazing impact. So thank you very, very much. 00:31:01.349 --> 00:31:03.509 And for those of you that are enjoying the benefits 00:31:03.509 --> 00:31:05.970 of living on the edge, but you haven't yet become 00:31:05.970 --> 00:31:08.490 a financial partner, would you consider doing 00:31:08.490 --> 00:31:11.150 that today? Your gifts are going to get invested 00:31:11.150 --> 00:31:13.410 right back into the ministry to assist us to 00:31:13.410 --> 00:31:16.730 develop resources, stay on the air, and help 00:31:16.730 --> 00:31:19.630 Christians live like Christians. I mean, is there 00:31:19.630 --> 00:31:22.130 ever a day when we need to make a difference? 00:31:22.329 --> 00:31:25.650 Well, it's now. Will you help us? Thanks, Chip. 00:31:25.730 --> 00:31:28.410 As you prayerfully consider your role in this 00:31:28.410 --> 00:31:31.140 ministry, I want to remind you that every dollar 00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:33.819 is significant. When you partner with Living 00:31:33.819 --> 00:31:36.599 on the Edge, you multiply our efforts and resources 00:31:36.599 --> 00:31:40.960 in remarkable ways. To give a gift, go to livingontheedge 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:47.079 .org or call 888 -333 -6003. Again, that's 888 00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:54.380 -333 -6003 or go to livingontheedge .org. App 00:31:54.380 --> 00:31:57.460 listeners, tap donate. Thanks. We appreciate 00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:59.900 whatever you can do to help. Well, here again 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:03.279 is Chip. In today's program, I tried to do something 00:32:03.279 --> 00:32:06.099 that I know is impossible. I tried to describe 00:32:06.099 --> 00:32:09.000 the love of God. And we did go over a definition, 00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:11.849 and it's a good place to start. Let me read it 00:32:11.849 --> 00:32:14.950 for you one more time. God's love is his holy 00:32:14.950 --> 00:32:17.829 disposition toward all that he's created that 00:32:17.829 --> 00:32:20.910 compels him to express unconditional affection 00:32:20.910 --> 00:32:23.950 and selective correction to provide the highest 00:32:23.950 --> 00:32:27.309 and best quality of existence both now and forever 00:32:27.309 --> 00:32:30.170 for the object of his love. And you know, that's 00:32:30.170 --> 00:32:32.289 a good definition. I think it's pretty accurate 00:32:32.289 --> 00:32:34.809 and biblical, but it doesn't get down to the 00:32:34.809 --> 00:32:38.220 emotional level. I want you to hear today. I 00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:41.619 want to sink in how God really feels about you 00:32:41.619 --> 00:32:45.460 totally apart from your performance. And so listen, 00:32:45.559 --> 00:32:47.519 will you? Will you lean back if possible right 00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:50.880 now? This is the God of the universe. His thoughts, 00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:54.460 his intentions, his desires, and his plans for 00:32:54.460 --> 00:32:57.819 you are always for your good and never for your 00:32:57.819 --> 00:33:01.940 harm. Let that sink in. Everything he has lined 00:33:01.940 --> 00:33:04.670 up for your life. is to bring something good 00:33:04.670 --> 00:33:08.250 and wonderful to you because he loves you. Second, 00:33:08.410 --> 00:33:11.730 he's kind. He's open. He's approachable. He's 00:33:11.730 --> 00:33:14.609 frank. And he's eager to be your friend. He's 00:33:14.609 --> 00:33:17.009 not hard to get to know. He's not demanding. 00:33:17.230 --> 00:33:21.269 He's not unreasonable. Third, he emotionally 00:33:21.269 --> 00:33:24.609 identifies with your pain, your joy, your hopes, 00:33:24.670 --> 00:33:28.869 your dreams, and he's actually allowed your happiness 00:33:28.869 --> 00:33:32.000 to impact him. It's like a parent. I mean, when 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:33.740 your kids are doing well, there's joy in your 00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:35.279 heart. And when they're hurting and in pain, 00:33:35.420 --> 00:33:37.920 there's sorrow in your heart. Could you grasp 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:40.640 today that the God who created all that there 00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:43.519 is, that's how he feels about you in your present 00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:47.259 situation. And fourth, he takes pleasure in you 00:33:47.259 --> 00:33:50.119 just for who you are. I mean, if you don't do 00:33:50.119 --> 00:33:53.019 anything today, if you don't do any good works, 00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:55.059 although there are valuable and important and 00:33:55.059 --> 00:33:57.839 all the rest, it doesn't affect his love. It's 00:33:57.839 --> 00:34:00.740 not based on that. And finally, I want to remind 00:34:00.740 --> 00:34:03.380 you today and take this with you all throughout 00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:07.720 the day that he is actively and creatively orchestrating 00:34:07.720 --> 00:34:11.639 people and circumstances and events this day 00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:16.000 for you to express his affection and occasionally 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:19.599 some selective correction because you're his 00:34:19.599 --> 00:34:23.500 child and you matter. Like the little song says, 00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:27.780 Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells 00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:31.409 me so. And you are the object of that love today. 00:34:32.190 --> 00:34:35.570 Bask in it, will you? Enjoy it. Great application 00:34:35.570 --> 00:34:38.309 for us to think about, Chip. Thanks. Well, be 00:34:38.309 --> 00:34:40.570 sure to join us next time as Chip continues his 00:34:40.570 --> 00:34:43.829 series, The Real God. Until then, I'm Dave Drewy 00:34:43.829 --> 00:34:46.349 saying thanks for listening to this edition of 00:34:46.349 --> 00:34:47.590 Living on the Edge.