1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We are so 2 00:00:14,240 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: glad to have you listening with us here today. Today's 3 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: topic is love and how we view it. We will 4 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 1: return after a brief message from our sponsor. A Proper 5 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: View of Love written by Vivian Bricker Bread by Rochelle 6 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: Alberti Bible reading. But God demonstrates his own love for 7 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: us in this while we were still sinners, Christ died 8 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:55,080 Speaker 1: for us Romans five to eight. Many of us grew 9 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: up with an incorrect view of what love actually means. 10 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: From an early age, we are taught that if someone 11 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: says they love you, we are to say I love 12 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,839 Speaker 1: you back, regardless of how we are feeling. Without giving 13 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: these words much thought, we have lost the true meaning 14 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 1: of love and its uniqueness in our lives. The word 15 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: love has a deeper meaning than just a greeting, a goodbye, 16 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: or a simple I love fill in the blank. The 17 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 1: meaning of love has been distorted by over use. As believers, 18 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: we need to understand what love is and avoid using 19 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: it haphazardly. There is a time and place to say 20 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,880 Speaker 1: we love others, but we also need to show it 21 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,039 Speaker 1: in our actions. We are told in the Bible dear children, 22 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: let us not love with words or speech, but with 23 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: actions and in truth. First John three eighteen. My mom 24 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 1: used to say she loved me each morning before I 25 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: went to elementary school. But she didn't use the word 26 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:57,560 Speaker 1: love in a way that was repetitive or meaningless. When 27 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: she said she loved me, she meant it, and she 28 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: backed it up with her actions. Now this is the 29 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: key difference. The love my mom showed me was not 30 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: just in her words. She also showed it through her 31 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: actions and genuine concern for me. Whenever she would tell 32 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: me she loved me and to have a good day 33 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: at school, she truly meant it. The true definition of love, 34 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: the apostle Paul tells us. But God demonstrates his own 35 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: love for us in this While we were still sinners, 36 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: Christ died for us Romans five eight. God has shown 37 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: in both his actions and words that he loves us. 38 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 1: He didn't only say he loves us, but rather he 39 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: left heaven to die the death we deserved and pay 40 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: our sin debt. Jesus did this out of the love 41 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: he has for us. No one would die for someone 42 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: they didn't love with every fiber of their body. Very 43 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 1: rarely will eatyone die for a righteous person. Though for 44 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:01,560 Speaker 1: a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But 45 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 1: God demonstrates his own love for us in this while 46 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: we were still sinners, Christ died for us Romans five 47 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 1: seven through eight. Jesus's death on the Cross demonstrates to 48 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: us what real love looks like. Sacrifice love is not 49 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: all roses, beautiful dates, or perfect families. Real love is 50 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: rooted in sacrificing our own needs for others. This is 51 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,240 Speaker 1: what real love looks like. As it models the same 52 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: love that Jesus has for us, we will have to 53 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: love others in their darkest times. For example, one of 54 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: our friends might need support when they are going through 55 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:45,480 Speaker 1: alcohol or addiction recovery. Showing judgment towards them and not 56 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: being there for them will only cause them to feel 57 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: awful about themselves. However, if we model Jesus's sacrificial love 58 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: in our lives, we will be loving, caring, and compassionate 59 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: towards them and sacrifice our own plans to spend time 60 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: with them. The Lord tells us greater love has no 61 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: one on this to lay down one's life for one's friends. 62 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 1: John fifteen thirteen. Living under a proper view of love 63 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 1: will change our lives and ensure we love others as 64 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: the Lord loves us. Praying to Jesus to help us 65 00:04:21,520 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: practice sacrificial love will help us if we find it 66 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,719 Speaker 1: a difficult concept to fully embrace, God can and transform 67 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: our hearts and change them to reflect His own. Ezek 68 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: You thirty six, twenty six Intersecting faith in life? What 69 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: is your definition of love? Has anyone modeled the love 70 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: of Jesus for you in their life to this leave 71 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 1: a lasting impact on you? How can you lean into 72 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:54,839 Speaker 1: the Lord's love today? Further reading Jeremiah thirty one three 73 00:04:55,839 --> 00:05:04,679 Speaker 1: John three sixteen through eighteen First John four ten. Thanks 74 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 1: for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what you 75 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: heard today, we want to make sure you know about 76 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: our sister podcast, your Daily Prayer. When you follow your 77 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 1: daily prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get a 78 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: brand new prayer and devotional each day, so your days 79 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 1: begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to grow 80 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: in prayer or start your day with your heart focused 81 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: on the right things, search for your daily prayer in 82 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app and be sure to follow the 83 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: show so you get a new prayer delivered straight to 84 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: you each morning.