1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,400 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is the Beauty 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: of Less. Will return with the devotional after a brief 4 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: message from our sponsors, The Beauty of Less written and 5 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:42,199 Speaker 1: read by Megan J. Connor. He must become greater, I 6 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: must become less, John three thirty and ivy. How many 7 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 1: of us have felt trapped by the demands of more, more, accomplishments, 8 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:57,480 Speaker 1: more accolades, more money, more security, more, doing more, going more, 9 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: belonging more, pursuing more, achieving more, more, more, with no 10 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: end in sight. The mantra viger is better reigns King 11 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: and many of our lives, and incessantly clamors for attention. 12 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,720 Speaker 1: So we work our fingers to the bone, while fraying 13 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: our nerves and destroying our peace. More often than not, 14 00:01:16,280 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: even if we're able to acquire the elusive pot of 15 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: gold at the end of our desired rainbows, the emptiness 16 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: we are attempting to fill remains void. Why is it 17 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: that we are so drawn to the pursuit of more? 18 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,279 Speaker 1: Simply explained, it is part of our human nature. Without 19 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:34,919 Speaker 1: the Lord, we are naturally selfish and long for praise 20 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: and exaltation. We want to be seen as important, we 21 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: want to be known. But the truth is we are 22 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: known and deeply loved by our heavenly Father, and his 23 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: validation is the only one that will truly satisfy. John 24 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 1: the Baptist understood this when he declared, he Jesus must 25 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: become greater and I must become less John three thirty 26 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: and IV. John Baptists was the beloved cousin of Christ 27 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: and lived for the sole purpose of preparing the way 28 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: for the Lord's coming. John was the first messenger to 29 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. He called 30 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 1: people to repentance and cleansing through baptism. He reminded listeners 31 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: that all are in need of a savior, that all 32 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: have fallen short of the glory of God Romans three 33 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: twenty three. He was bold in his preaching and refuted 34 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: the religious who refused to acknowledge their own sin. Because 35 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: of the impact John had on one region, his actions 36 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: earned him notoriety even faint, so much so that his 37 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: followers were upset when they felt like John was being 38 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: upstaged by Jesus and his disciples. They came to John 39 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 1: and said to him, Rabbi, that man who was with 40 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:46,519 Speaker 1: you on the other side of the Jordan, the one 41 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: you testified about. Look, he is baptizing and everyone is 42 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 1: going to him. To this, John replied, a person can 43 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: receive only what is given to them from heaven. The 44 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the 45 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of 46 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, 47 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: and it is now complete. He must become greater. I 48 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: must become less. John three twenty six through thirty NIV. 49 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: John's joy was not found in greatness. It was found 50 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 1: in Jesus. His joy was complete and less. John understood, 51 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,840 Speaker 1: the more he diminished, the more others sell Christ. The 52 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: same is true for us. When we pursue our own 53 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: attention and accolades, we are beckoning to others. See me, 54 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: recognize me, pay attention to me. For those of us 55 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: who consider ourselves disciples and ambassadors for Christ, these efforts 56 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: actually steal the spotlight from the true source of light 57 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: and hope for a hurting world. It is through humility, 58 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: not celebrity, that love shines the brightest. If decrease rather 59 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 1: than increase is the goal, how then can we practically 60 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: walk that out? We must lean into prayer. As shared earlier, 61 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: we are naturally selfish, so any attempt to force meekness 62 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: upon ourselves to accomplish our gospel mission will likely result 63 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 1: in false humility. This is why we must ask for 64 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 1: God's help through prayer and genuine surrender. Only then can we, 65 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: like John the Baptist, truly declare he must become greater, 66 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: I must become less John three thirty and IV. Intersecting 67 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 1: faith in life? Are you someone who feels weighed down 68 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: by the demands of war? Are you seeking the affirmation 69 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: and acceptance of others to feel avoid in your heart? 70 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 1: Do you struggle to remain still when opportunities are present 71 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: for you to gain recognition? If you answered yes to 72 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: any of these first, please know you are not alone. 73 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: We all wrestle with the allure of pride. After honestly 74 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: confessing your inner battle, may I encourage you to take 75 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,719 Speaker 1: some time today to be still before the Lord. Ask 76 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: him to show you the motivation behind your desire for attention. 77 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: Then ask him to help you surrender those desires As 78 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 1: you look to become less so that He can become 79 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: greater in your life. For further reading, take a look 80 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: at Matthew Chapter twenty, verses one through nineteen and Romans 81 00:05:15,279 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: Chapter three, verses twenty one through twenty six. Thanks for 82 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: listening to today's devotional. If you liked what you heard today, 83 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,760 Speaker 1: we want to make sure you know about our sister podcast, 84 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: Your Daily Prayer. 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