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A Life of Love

Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah

November 20, 2020

27:29

Discover what it means to love others the way God loves us.

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A Life of Love

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♪♪♪
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Dr. David Jeremiah: Each of ushas just one life to live.
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Our life should count.
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It should matter.
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It should have purpose and,frankly, it should be amazing.
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But as I look around me,I see lives lived in disarray,
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in defeat, and discouragement.
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I've been deeply burdenedabout this because, you see,
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an unfulfilled lifeis just no way to exist.
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And from what I read in theScripture, God promises us
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a life of blessings beyondour comprehension, literally
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a life beyond amazing.
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So I asked a few friendsof mine, friends who I believe
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demonstrate a life beyondamazing, to sit down together
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with me and discuss whatit takes to live a vibrant
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and victorious life.
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We gathered together for a mealin San Diego and what you're
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about to see is a partof our amazing conversation.
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♪♪♪
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Dr. Jeremiah: I wannathank you for joining me today.
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We're gonna talk about lovefor a few minutes.
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It's kind of like,where it all began.
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So, you know, if you readin the Scripture, love
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is at the top of every list.
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But most peopledon't know what it is.
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Bobby Schuller: That's right.
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Dr. Jeremiah: I believe loveis the key ingredient
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to a relationship not onlywith God but with others.
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Why do you thinkit's the cornerstone
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of the Christian faith?
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Kirk Cousins: Well, the Biblesays, you know, we love
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because he first loved us.
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You know, he set the example, hedisplayed that on the cross, and
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so it is the cornerstone, as yousaid, because it's what it's all
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about and because of his lovefor us is the only reason
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we even have the opportunityto relate to him
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in the first place.
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Dr. Jeremiah: Is therea place for love in the business
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world, David?
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David Green: You know,I think in the business world
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we ought to see ourselves--asemployers, we ought to see
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ourselves as caring aboutour people and their families.
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And this is one of the thingsthat we want to do
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at Hobby Lobby,is we want to make sure
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that we do the very bestwe can for our employees.
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We love our families and wenurture them and care about them
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but we should also careabout our employees' families.
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Dr. Jeremiah: You know,somebody told me once, David,
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that the difference betweenleadership in the world and in
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the church is like this: in theworld it's the triangle and you
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try to make your way to the top.
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Most people say, "Step onwhoever you have to to get there
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and when you're at the top youlook down and here's all these
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people that are serving you.
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But when you become a Christianthe triangle's turned upside
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down and it's no longer how manypeople are serving you, it's how
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many people are you serving,"and you model that
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at Hobby Lobby andit's really cool to watch that.
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Do you sing about love?
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Mandisa: Well, I thinkI do in a different way.
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For me, love is reflectedin a lot of different ways and
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I try to pray 1 Corinthians 13and so I pray, "Lord, help me
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to grow in patience.
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Help me to grow in kindness."
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And I heard you once say, "Don'tpray for patience because you're
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gonna have to be in situationsthat are gonna be testing your
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patience," but I try to growin my love in praying Scripture
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over myself and then asking Godto help me to be
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a 1 Corinthians 13kind of a person where I am
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displaying loveto everybody that I meet.
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Bobby: You know,for Christians, well, for human
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beings, the greatest needis to bond deeply with others.
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And that's what you seeis that when people get saved
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in the acts church, they don't,just like, get saved and then go
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on a personal journey alone.
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They get saved into a community
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where they're doing life withother people and then the church
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just says, "Yeah, come here,we love you, you know,
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we'll take you in."
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When Paul calls us the body ofChrist, he means it literally.
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We put skin on God.We're the new temple.
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That means, Dr. J., when yougive me a hug or a handshake,
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that's Jesus giving that to me.
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When you pray for me,that's Christ praying for me.
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And so what you're teaching andyou're right on is that love,
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it means you care about people.
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Dr. Jeremiah:And so what is love?
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It's what you do.
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And like you said, Bobby,it's a lifestyle.
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It's letting the love of Godbe shed abroad in your hearts
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so that you touch other people.
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And if we could learn that,we could change a lot that goes
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on in our churches, in ourcommunities, in our world.
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Dr. Jeremiah: As I sat withmy friends and reflected on what
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was shared, I was once againreminded that love is a
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decision, a decision thattransforms one's life and in the
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next few minutes I will sharewith you how a life of love
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is necessary in orderto live a life beyond amazing.
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♪♪♪
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announcer: What are the signsof a life beyond amazing?
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Among them, joy that is notdependent on circumstance,
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integrity that settlesfor no exceptions,
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and self-disciplinethat stands firm.
00:04:56.879 --> 00:05:00.049
But how do you get theminto your life?
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It takes a decision; actually,nine decisions each day
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to commit these into your heartand actions.
00:05:06.489 --> 00:05:09.459
Discover the steps to the lifeof blessings God has for you
00:05:09.492 --> 00:05:12.862
in Dr. David Jeremiah'sinspiring book,
00:05:12.895 --> 00:05:15.365
"A Life Beyond Amazing:9 Decisions That Will Transform
00:05:15.398 --> 00:05:18.434
Your Life Today."
00:05:18.468 --> 00:05:20.570
Order this transformational bookfrom Dr. Jeremiah today when you
00:05:20.603 --> 00:05:24.207
give a gift of any amountin support of this program,
00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:27.043
and if you give $60 or more,Dr. Jeremiah will send you
00:05:27.076 --> 00:05:30.980
in appreciation,his comprehensive
00:05:31.013 --> 00:05:33.649
"A Life Beyond Amazing" set.
00:05:33.683 --> 00:05:35.752
It contains his book, his entireteaching series on CD or DVD,
00:05:35.785 --> 00:05:40.123
a correlating study guide,and the "Life Beyond Amazing"
00:05:40.156 --> 00:05:43.059
Scripture cards.
00:05:43.092 --> 00:05:45.027
Also available, the "30 Daysto a Life Beyond Amazing"
00:05:45.061 --> 00:05:48.197
workbook.
00:05:48.231 --> 00:05:49.532
Implement the 9 key decisionsfrom "A Life Beyond Amazing"
00:05:49.565 --> 00:05:52.468
in powerful and practical ways;plus, it includes a DVD
00:05:52.502 --> 00:05:56.739
with video instructionsfrom Dr. Jeremiah, available
00:05:56.773 --> 00:05:59.642
on its own for $30 or more
00:05:59.675 --> 00:06:01.878
or as part of"A Life Beyond Amazing" set
00:06:01.911 --> 00:06:04.847
for a gift of $85 or more.
00:06:04.881 --> 00:06:07.717
Decide today to start livinga life beyond what you thought
00:06:07.750 --> 00:06:11.220
possible, a life beyond amazing.
00:06:11.254 --> 00:06:13.790
Order these resources when youcontact Turning Point today.
00:06:13.823 --> 00:06:17.827
♪♪♪
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Dr. Jeremiah: Countrysuperstar Alan Jackson made
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a fortune singing love songswith words like this:
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"When somebody loves youthere's nothing you can't do.
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When somebody loves youit's easy to get through."
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That sentiment may not beabsolutely true but it's a whole
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lot better than the old countryclassic that goes like this:
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"I went back to my fourth wifefor the third time and gave her
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a second chance to makea first-class fool out of me."
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That actually is a song.
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I gotta tell you that aftera lifetime of ministry, I've
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observed that the whole ideaof love makes fools
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out of a lot of people.
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When you talk about love,you are talking about something
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that people write, talk,and sing about so much
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and I believe thatone of the reasons that's true
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is because there's a holein the human heart and we need
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reassurance and affectionand fellowship.
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Love is the oxygen of the soul
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and we have to have it.
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The first thing that an infantneeds at birth is to be held
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and hugged by a loving parent,and the presence of love brings
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a lifetime of blessing.
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When we receive Jesus Christas our personal Savior,
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the very love of Godis poured into our hearts.
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Did you know that?
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The Bible tells us that he pourshis love into our hearts by his
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Holy Spirit and that love growswithin us just like grapes grow
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on a vine and the fruitof the Spirit is love.
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And this loveisn't just a sensation.
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It's not just a warm feelingaround here, in your body.
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This love wears work glovesand handles the everyday nuts
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and bolts of life.
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It's very practical.
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It hugs the lonely, it feeds thehungry, it tends the sick, it
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comforts the sorrowful, and itputs up with the insufferable.
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It's kind and long-suffering,it's pure and perceptive
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and positive in its outlook.
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It is truly oneof the foundations of a life
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beyond amazing.
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And here's the interesting thingabout it, folks.
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Until Jesus came to this earth,nobody ever had experienced
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that kind of love.
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The world's conceptof love before that
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was very self-centered.
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It was love that demandedsomething in return.
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It was love for what you couldget out of love but when God
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sent his Son as a love giftto this world, his special
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other-centered love was put ondisplay in Jesus Christ for all
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of us to watch and they calledthat love agape.
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That's the word in John 3:16:"For God so agape the world."
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Now let me tell you somethingthat will surprise some of you.
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Love is not an option.
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Love is a command.
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The command of loveis everywhere on display
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in the New Testamentand I find many believers
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are quite shockedat this because they've bought
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into the ideathat you can't command love.
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Love is something that's gonnakind of overtake you.
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You know, we talkabout it this way.
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We fell in love, like you'rewalking down the street
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and you fall into it, you know?
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Like something happens to you,you didn't have anything to do
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with it, you don't knowanything about it.
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I just--what happened to you?
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"Oh, I just fell in love."
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Well, the Bible tells usthat we are responsible
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to love one another.
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And I'm gonna read theseScriptures and I want you
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to notice how oftenthe word "command"
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or "commandment" shows up.
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The command to love.
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Here's what the Scripture says.
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John 13:34: "A new commandmentI give to you, that you love one
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another; as I have loved you,that you also love one another."
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John 15:12: "This is Mycommandment, that you love one
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another as I have loved you."
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John 15:17: "These thingsI command,
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that you love one another."
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1 John 3:23: "And this isHis commandment: that we should
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believe on the name of the Sonof God and love one another,
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just as He gave us commandment."
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Now here's the questionthat you and I have to answer.
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Is it possible for usto obey that commandment?
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Can love be commanded?
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Can we love each otheras he has loved us?
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And based on the evidence thatyou observe today, you would
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have to see that most peoplehave taken that option
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off the table.
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No, love is not something theytake as a responsibility but
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something they get to do if itso happens to be right for them.
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I hear guys all thetime--earlier when I was doing
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a lot more counseling than I donow, guys would say,
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"Well, Pastor Jeremiah, I justgotta tell you, I don't love her
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anymore," like they have anoption not to love her anymore.
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The Bible says,"Husbands, love your wives."
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What part of that don't we get?
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"Well, what if I don't feellike it?"
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That isn't anythingto do with it.
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Love her anyway.
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Because love isn't a feeling;love is an action.
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Love is a response.Love is a verb.
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Love is what we do morethan what we feel.
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The feelings comeafter the action.
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In the New Testament bookof Revelation when the Ephesian
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church had lost its first love,
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what is it that God told themto do?
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"Go backand do the first works."
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He didn't say, "Go back and sitaround and see if the feeling
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comes back."
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He said, "Go back and dothe first works."
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In fact, inthe New Testament Scriptures--
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listen to this--we are commanded55 different times to love.
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And all of these commandsare given to us in different
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contexts, in different settings.
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They affect us as parents,they affect us as children,
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they affect us as individuals.
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These commands affect us asmembers of the local church.
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Even the New Testament holds outfor us what seems to be
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impossible, that we should loveour enemies, and Jesus Christ
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apparently thought that wasimportant enough to leave us
00:12:11.547 --> 00:12:14.517
with a vivid illustration as hehung on the cross and forgave
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the people that put him there.
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Of those 55 commands to love,21 of them are commands
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for us to love one another.
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God commands the impossibleand then he gives us his ability
00:12:30.666 --> 00:12:35.037
to accomplish this love.
00:12:35.070 --> 00:12:37.573
So how do we cultivatethis love in our lives?
00:12:37.606 --> 00:12:39.842
How do we cultivatethis command?
00:12:39.875 --> 00:12:41.911
As with all the character traitswe are studying in this series,
00:12:41.944 --> 00:12:44.814
let me tell you we areresponsible for developing
00:12:44.847 --> 00:12:48.350
God's gift to us of love.
00:12:48.384 --> 00:12:49.785
Remember now, God pours outhis love to us when we're saved.
00:12:49.819 --> 00:12:52.588
He gives us this depositof love.
00:12:52.621 --> 00:12:55.124
But he doesn't give that to usjust so that it can sit there
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and not be responded to by us.
00:12:57.927 --> 00:13:00.129
We're to take that loveand take it to the next level.
00:13:00.162 --> 00:13:05.100
We are to say, "This is God'sgift to me and I'm gonna take
00:13:05.134 --> 00:13:09.438
this and give a gift back to himout of what he's given to me."
00:13:09.471 --> 00:13:13.642
Paul summarized the wordsof 1 Corinthians 13
00:13:13.676 --> 00:13:17.279
in this statementat the end of the love chapter.
00:13:17.313 --> 00:13:19.415
You know it well.
00:13:19.448 --> 00:13:21.050
"And now abideth faith, hope,love, these three; but the
00:13:21.083 --> 00:13:23.919
greatest of these is love."
00:13:23.953 --> 00:13:26.889
Now, that seems like that's theend of the discussion of love.
00:13:26.922 --> 00:13:30.826
But unfortunately, there isa chapter division between
00:13:30.860 --> 00:13:34.830
13 and 14 which I thinkshouldn't be there.
00:13:34.864 --> 00:13:38.167
It's arbitrary.
00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:39.501
By the way, the chapterdivisions in the Bible
00:13:39.535 --> 00:13:41.103
are not inspired.
00:13:41.136 --> 00:13:42.872
They were put there by peoplewho wanted to make the Bible
00:13:42.905 --> 00:13:45.641
easier for us to read.
00:13:45.674 --> 00:13:47.610
So you hear the summarystatement of what love
00:13:47.643 --> 00:13:51.747
is at the end of chapter 13.
00:13:51.780 --> 00:13:53.082
Do you know what the first verseof chapter 14 says?
00:13:53.115 --> 00:13:56.352
It says: "Pursue love."
00:13:56.385 --> 00:13:59.722
Here is what love looks like,the love that God
00:13:59.755 --> 00:14:04.193
has given to you.
00:14:04.226 --> 00:14:05.527
Accept it, rejoice in it,be thankful for it.
00:14:05.561 --> 00:14:07.129
Now pursue it.
00:14:07.162 --> 00:14:08.898
In other words, take control of
00:14:08.931 --> 00:14:11.066
your own life and begin to askGod to help you learn
00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:14.336
how to love better.
00:14:14.370 --> 00:14:15.704
That's what I want in my life.
00:14:15.738 --> 00:14:17.873
And here we have this primeexample of that seeming paradox
00:14:17.907 --> 00:14:21.477
that stands at the centerof all of these traits.
00:14:21.510 --> 00:14:24.513
The fruit is always a giftbut it is still something
00:14:24.546 --> 00:14:28.717
that requires hard workon our behalf.
00:14:28.751 --> 00:14:32.187
So that brings usto how we do this.
00:14:32.221 --> 00:14:34.590
How do I becomea more loving person?
00:14:34.623 --> 00:14:37.159
I've been commanded to love.
00:14:37.192 --> 00:14:38.661
I hear people say this, "I justwasn't born with much love."
00:14:38.694 --> 00:14:42.097
Or "I don't have--I'm just nota loving person," like once you
00:14:42.131 --> 00:14:46.235
say that you're off the hook.
00:14:46.268 --> 00:14:48.404
No, you just admittedwhere you are but you're really
00:14:48.437 --> 00:14:50.539
on the hook now.
00:14:50.572 --> 00:14:52.308
Nobody has a right to say,"Well, I know we're supposed to
00:14:52.341 --> 00:14:54.443
do this but I just wasn't bornthat way."
00:14:54.476 --> 00:14:57.246
I know some of you weren't bornwith a loving attitude
00:14:57.279 --> 00:15:00.182
but that doesn't mean youaren't responsible to love.
00:15:00.215 --> 00:15:03.185
So since love is both a giftand a task, here's the question
00:15:03.218 --> 00:15:06.121
that challenges us in every oneof these discussions.
00:15:06.155 --> 00:15:09.758
How can we becomemore loving people?
00:15:09.792 --> 00:15:14.063
I'm a Christian.I know God.
00:15:14.096 --> 00:15:16.065
I know that he pouredhis love into my heart.
00:15:16.098 --> 00:15:17.900
I'm confident that God loves me.
00:15:17.933 --> 00:15:19.234
John 3:16 is somethingI know well, but do you know
00:15:19.268 --> 00:15:22.371
1 John 3:16?
00:15:22.404 --> 00:15:25.674
We all know John 3:16.
00:15:25.708 --> 00:15:27.576
Do you know what 1 John 3:16looks like?
00:15:27.609 --> 00:15:30.446
The 3:16s are kind of therefor us to remember.
00:15:30.479 --> 00:15:33.682
"By this we know love, becauseHe laid down His life for us.
00:15:33.716 --> 00:15:37.353
And we also ought to lay downour lives for the brethren."
00:15:37.386 --> 00:15:42.825
That's 1 John 3:16.
00:15:42.858 --> 00:15:45.461
And 1 John 4:11-12 is similarbecause "if God so loved us, we
00:15:45.494 --> 00:15:50.299
also ought to love one another."
00:15:50.332 --> 00:15:53.736
So let me just laythis principle out so
00:15:53.769 --> 00:15:55.804
that we can all grab hold of it.
00:15:55.838 --> 00:15:57.306
One of the ways you learn how tolove one another is by learning
00:15:57.339 --> 00:16:00.576
how much God loved you in thefirst place, because if we're
00:16:00.609 --> 00:16:04.413
supposed to love one another asGod has loved us, then we need
00:16:04.446 --> 00:16:08.250
to learn more about how God hasloved us so that we can pattern
00:16:08.283 --> 00:16:11.920
that in our lovefor one another.
00:16:11.954 --> 00:16:15.724
Because God loved us,we are to love one another.
00:16:15.758 --> 00:16:21.830
October 22, 2007, the firstmedal of honor was awarded
00:16:21.864 --> 00:16:26.135
for combat in Afghanistan.
00:16:26.168 --> 00:16:28.670
It was presented to the familyof Lieutenant Michael Murphy,
00:16:28.704 --> 00:16:32.107
a Navy SEAL who gave his lifeto make a radio call
00:16:32.141 --> 00:16:35.344
for help for his team.
00:16:35.377 --> 00:16:38.180
Murphy and three other SEALswere sent on a mission
00:16:38.213 --> 00:16:41.016
in June of 2005 into the rugged10.000 foot Afghan mountains,
00:16:41.050 --> 00:16:45.287
searching for a known terroristand they apparently
00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:48.023
were spotted by local tribesmenwho reported them to
00:16:48.057 --> 00:16:51.226
the Taliban and Murphy's teamwas trapped by 50 enemy troops
00:16:51.260 --> 00:16:55.497
who surrounded them on 3 sides,forced them into a ravine
00:16:55.531 --> 00:16:58.700
and all 4 men began to sustainwounds and were out
00:16:58.734 --> 00:17:02.237
of ammunition.
00:17:02.271 --> 00:17:04.339
"We were hurting,"said the team's sole survivor,
00:17:04.373 --> 00:17:07.609
Petty Officer 2nd ClassMarcus Luttrell.
00:17:07.643 --> 00:17:10.479
"We were out of ammoand it was bad.
00:17:10.512 --> 00:17:12.481
It was real bad.
00:17:12.514 --> 00:17:14.783
But Murphy moved from man to manto keep his team together,
00:17:14.817 --> 00:17:18.220
though he had to expose himselfto enemy fire to do it.
00:17:18.253 --> 00:17:21.723
Then because the mountainousterrain blocked communications,
00:17:21.757 --> 00:17:24.526
he had to move into the openarea and call for help.
00:17:24.560 --> 00:17:27.162
Despite incoming fire, he calmlyprovided his unit's location
00:17:27.196 --> 00:17:30.699
and informationabout opposing force.
00:17:30.732 --> 00:17:34.169
While making the call, he tooktwo rounds in the back
00:17:34.203 --> 00:17:37.606
and dropped the handset buthe managed to retrieve it and
00:17:37.639 --> 00:17:41.610
complete the call, even tellingthe person at the other end,
00:17:41.643 --> 00:17:45.614
"Thank you," while he wasin this wounded condition.
00:17:45.647 --> 00:17:49.551
His dad, speaking to reportersafter his son had been killed in
00:17:49.585 --> 00:17:53.956
action, said, "Here is a man whohad been shot in the stomach.
00:17:53.989 --> 00:17:58.427
He'd been fightingwith this wound.
00:17:58.460 --> 00:18:00.329
Then he gets shot in the backand then he still has the
00:18:00.362 --> 00:18:02.865
presence of mind to say,'Thank you.'"
00:18:02.898 --> 00:18:06.235
Petty Officer Luttrell survivedthe firestorm because
00:18:06.268 --> 00:18:08.770
he was blasted over the ridge bya rocket-propelled grenade,
00:18:08.804 --> 00:18:11.507
knocked unconscious,and rescued by local villagers
00:18:11.540 --> 00:18:15.077
who refused to turn himover to the Taliban.
00:18:15.110 --> 00:18:18.113
He was later transported toa Marine outpost and he owed
00:18:18.147 --> 00:18:21.350
his life to Lieutenant Murphy.
00:18:21.383 --> 00:18:25.020
I can't imagine the love,respect, and gratitude that
00:18:25.053 --> 00:18:26.955
he feels today for his fallencompanion, to know that a buddy
00:18:26.989 --> 00:18:31.093
willingly and without hesitationexposed himself to enemy fire
00:18:31.126 --> 00:18:34.796
to save him.
00:18:34.830 --> 00:18:36.632
That must bea lifelong appreciation.
00:18:36.665 --> 00:18:40.369
Not many of us will ever seethat kind of courage or love in
00:18:40.402 --> 00:18:43.172
our own personal lives 'cause itdoesn't happen that often.
00:18:43.205 --> 00:18:46.575
The "me" generation has turnedinto "it's all about me"
00:18:46.608 --> 00:18:50.145
generation and, if we're notcareful, even in our churches,
00:18:50.179 --> 00:18:53.582
we become consumer centerswhere everyone wants his
00:18:53.615 --> 00:18:56.919
or her own style of worshipor set of programs.
00:18:56.952 --> 00:19:01.723
But the Bible says this:"While we were yet sinners,
00:19:01.757 --> 00:19:05.394
Christ died for us."
00:19:05.427 --> 00:19:08.764
There's only one symbol that Ithink is greater than the medal
00:19:08.797 --> 00:19:11.166
of honor and that's the crossof Calvary.
00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:15.170
And I think it would help usif we used our imagination once
00:19:15.204 --> 00:19:17.739
in a while just to consider howsimilar our plight was to that
00:19:17.773 --> 00:19:21.143
of Murphy's team, trapped by theenemy, outnumbered, wounded and
00:19:21.176 --> 00:19:24.346
hopeless, and yet one man stoodup and stretched out his arms
00:19:24.379 --> 00:19:29.618
and saved us.
00:19:29.651 --> 00:19:32.120
There's something aboutthat picture that moves us and
00:19:32.154 --> 00:19:35.524
I think it's no accident thatJesus died
00:19:35.557 --> 00:19:37.859
with outstretched arms.
00:19:37.893 --> 00:19:39.962
It was his way of embracingthe whole world and reaching out
00:19:39.995 --> 00:19:44.833
for you and me.
00:19:44.866 --> 00:19:46.835
The second thing we need to dois pursue genuine love.
00:19:46.868 --> 00:19:51.373
Did you know that in
00:19:51.406 --> 00:19:53.375
John 13:35 it says: "By this thewhole world will know whether
00:19:53.408 --> 00:19:57.679
or not we are Christiansif we love one another."
00:19:57.713 --> 00:20:00.349
You expect that to say, "By thisthe whole world will know we are
00:20:00.382 --> 00:20:02.818
Christians if we come to churchor if we pray or if we give
00:20:02.851 --> 00:20:06.188
to the offering."
00:20:06.221 --> 00:20:07.522
Doesn't say any of that.
00:20:07.556 --> 00:20:08.857
It says: "By this shall everyone
00:20:08.890 --> 00:20:10.292
know that youand I are a Christian
00:20:10.325 --> 00:20:12.628
by how we love one another."
00:20:12.661 --> 00:20:14.596
That's the badge of ourdiscipleship and it's no wonder
00:20:14.630 --> 00:20:17.866
that the watching world lookssometimes at the church which
00:20:17.899 --> 00:20:21.403
seems to be more about fightingand griping and complaining and
00:20:21.436 --> 00:20:24.673
all of that, and they don't wantany part of it because it
00:20:24.706 --> 00:20:27.376
doesn't seem genuine.
00:20:27.409 --> 00:20:28.710
It doesn't seem real.
00:20:28.744 --> 00:20:30.812
This was very much of a problemin the New Testament.
00:20:30.846 --> 00:20:33.982
Here's the third thing I wantto share with you and I'll just
00:20:34.016 --> 00:20:35.717
give you this principle:"Pray for greater love."
00:20:35.751 --> 00:20:40.289
If you don't feel like you'rereally as loving as you ought
00:20:40.322 --> 00:20:42.491
to be, ask God to help you.
00:20:42.524 --> 00:20:43.825
God wants us to be loving peopleand he doesn't mind if we come
00:20:43.859 --> 00:20:47.162
and ask him to help us.
00:20:47.195 --> 00:20:49.064
And if you have somebody inyour life who's not very loving
00:20:49.097 --> 00:20:51.900
toward you and others, you mightwant to pray for them that God
00:20:51.933 --> 00:20:54.970
would give them somemore love, too.
00:20:55.003 --> 00:20:58.473
Then don't be afraid to risk.
00:20:58.507 --> 00:21:00.976
That's number four.
00:21:01.009 --> 00:21:02.611
If you want to grow in your lovefor others, don't think
00:21:02.644 --> 00:21:05.147
it's a safe way to go.
00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:07.149
How many of you know it's neversafe to love anybody
00:21:07.182 --> 00:21:09.351
'cause they can hurt you?
00:21:09.384 --> 00:21:10.819
We've often said in ourdiscussions at home, that
00:21:10.852 --> 00:21:14.189
sometimes the people you helpthe most are the ones
00:21:14.222 --> 00:21:16.391
who hurt you the worst.
00:21:16.425 --> 00:21:18.126
Isn't that something?
00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:19.728
But that's one of the thingsyou have to guard against.
00:21:19.761 --> 00:21:21.997
You cannot stop loving simplybecause you're afraid
00:21:22.030 --> 00:21:25.233
that if you love you'll be hurt.
00:21:25.267 --> 00:21:26.868
Maybe you've gone througha relationship and it just ended
00:21:26.902 --> 00:21:29.504
up so bad and you've saidin your heart,
00:21:29.538 --> 00:21:31.973
"I'm never getting involvedwith anybody else again.
00:21:32.007 --> 00:21:34.376
This was so awful."
00:21:34.409 --> 00:21:36.144
Let me read to you whatC.S. Lewis said about this.
00:21:36.178 --> 00:21:39.147
He said, "To love at allis to be vulnerable.
00:21:39.181 --> 00:21:41.550
Love anything and your heartwill certainly be wrung
00:21:41.583 --> 00:21:44.286
and possibly broken.
00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:46.221
If you want to make sure ofkeeping it intact, you must give
00:21:46.254 --> 00:21:48.623
your heart to no one,not even an animal.
00:21:48.657 --> 00:21:52.561
Wrap it carefully around withhobbies and little luxuries.
00:21:52.594 --> 00:21:55.731
Avoid all entanglements.
00:21:55.764 --> 00:21:57.065
Lock it up safe in the casketor coffin of your selfishness,
00:21:57.099 --> 00:22:00.001
but in that casket, safe, dark,motionless, airless,
00:22:00.035 --> 00:22:03.538
it will change.
00:22:03.572 --> 00:22:04.873
It will not be broken,it will become unbreakable,
00:22:04.906 --> 00:22:07.576
impenetrable, irredeemable.
00:22:07.609 --> 00:22:10.212
The alternative to tragedy orat least to the risk of tragedy
00:22:10.245 --> 00:22:13.882
is damnation.
00:22:13.915 --> 00:22:15.851
The only place outside of heavenwhere you can be perfectly
00:22:15.884 --> 00:22:18.754
safe from all the dangers andperturbations of love is hell."
00:22:18.787 --> 00:22:25.360
You've got to be willing to riskand then here's the last one
00:22:25.394 --> 00:22:29.464
and we're done.
00:22:29.498 --> 00:22:31.466
Practice love every day.
00:22:31.500 --> 00:22:35.904
"Therefore be imitatorsof God as dear children,"
00:22:35.937 --> 00:22:38.173
the Scripture says.
00:22:38.206 --> 00:22:39.508
"And walk in love."
00:22:39.541 --> 00:22:40.842
How many of you know walkingis one step at a time?
00:22:40.876 --> 00:22:43.111
Just as we learn to walk onestep at a time, we learn to
00:22:43.145 --> 00:22:45.380
love, one loving act at a time.
00:22:45.414 --> 00:22:47.816
1 Corinthians 16:14 says:"Let everything you
00:22:47.849 --> 00:22:50.719
do be done with love."
00:22:50.752 --> 00:22:53.522
So here's the essenceof the message.
00:22:53.555 --> 00:22:58.660
Find out how much God loves youand take that love
00:22:58.693 --> 00:23:04.232
and be a distributor.
00:23:04.266 --> 00:23:06.735
Take that love and love others.
00:23:06.768 --> 00:23:09.604
Every time you think, "I don'tknow if I can love that person,"
00:23:09.638 --> 00:23:12.174
stop for a moment and rememberhow much God loved you, what
00:23:12.207 --> 00:23:16.611
he not only saved you from inthe past, but what he might have
00:23:16.645 --> 00:23:19.815
saved you from in the future.
00:23:19.848 --> 00:23:21.450
Remember, the Bible says Godloved us when we were
00:23:21.483 --> 00:23:24.186
without any reason to be loved,sinful, rebellious.
00:23:24.219 --> 00:23:29.724
Not looking for love,God reached out to us.
00:23:29.758 --> 00:23:33.061
That's the quality of lovehe wants us
00:23:33.094 --> 00:23:35.864
to develop as believers.
00:23:35.897 --> 00:23:37.232
And when we do, I want to tellyou if you've ever experienced
00:23:37.265 --> 00:23:40.168
even a little bit of this,it's an amazing life.
00:23:40.202 --> 00:23:44.072
To love others isthe greatest reward you will
00:23:44.105 --> 00:23:47.509
ever get in your life.
00:23:47.542 --> 00:23:50.245
announcer: Dr. Jeremiahwill return with one more
00:23:52.047 --> 00:23:54.349
inspirational word to closetoday's "A Life Beyond Amazing"
00:23:54.382 --> 00:23:57.719
program right after this.
00:23:57.752 --> 00:24:00.155
announcer: Discover the stepsto the life of blessings
00:24:01.556 --> 00:24:03.758
God has for youin Dr. David Jeremiah's
00:24:03.792 --> 00:24:06.127
inspiring book,"A Life Beyond Amazing:
00:24:06.161 --> 00:24:09.331
9 Decisions That Will TransformYour Life Today."
00:24:09.364 --> 00:24:12.734
Order this transformational bookfrom Dr. Jeremiah today when you
00:24:12.767 --> 00:24:16.371
give a gift of any amountin support of this program,
00:24:16.404 --> 00:24:19.207
and if you give $60 or more,Dr. Jeremiah will send you
00:24:19.241 --> 00:24:23.144
in appreciation,his comprehensive
00:24:23.178 --> 00:24:25.814
"A Life Beyond Amazing" set.
00:24:25.847 --> 00:24:27.916
It contains his book, his entireteaching series on CD or DVD,
00:24:27.949 --> 00:24:32.287
a correlating study guide,and the "Life Beyond Amazing"
00:24:32.320 --> 00:24:35.223
Scripture cards.
00:24:35.257 --> 00:24:37.192
Also available, the "30 Daysto a Life Beyond Amazing"
00:24:37.225 --> 00:24:40.362
workbook.
00:24:40.395 --> 00:24:41.696
Implement the 9 key decisionsfrom "A Life Beyond Amazing"
00:24:41.730 --> 00:24:44.633
in powerful and practical ways;plus, it includes a DVD
00:24:44.666 --> 00:24:48.904
with video instructionsfrom Dr. Jeremiah, available
00:24:48.937 --> 00:24:51.806
on its own for $30 or more
00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:54.042
or as part of"A Life Beyond Amazing" set
00:24:54.075 --> 00:24:57.012
for a gift of $85 or more.
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Decide today to start livinga life beyond what you thought
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possible, a life beyond amazing.
00:25:03.418 --> 00:25:05.954
Order these resources when youcontact Turning Point today.
00:25:05.987 --> 00:25:08.990
announcer: And now, with onelast word for today's program,
00:25:11.726 --> 00:25:14.663
here is Dr. Jeremiah.
00:25:14.696 --> 00:25:16.398
Dr. Jeremiah: It's ironic,isn't it, that the thing the
00:25:17.365 --> 00:25:19.401
world needs most, love,is the thing the world
00:25:19.434 --> 00:25:22.504
understands the least.
00:25:22.537 --> 00:25:24.306
Our culture has an abundanceof counterfeit love that
00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:27.742
is incapable of satisfyingthe longing of the soul.
00:25:27.776 --> 00:25:31.580
If you and I are going to livea life beyond amazing
00:25:31.613 --> 00:25:35.116
we must first learn to lovethe way God loves.
00:25:35.150 --> 00:25:38.954
Fortunately, we have thegreatest illustration of perfect
00:25:38.987 --> 00:25:42.857
love modeled for usby Jesus Christ
00:25:42.891 --> 00:25:45.894
when he died to provide usan abundant life today
00:25:45.927 --> 00:25:49.664
and heaven in the future.
00:25:49.698 --> 00:25:52.467
Understanding true loveultimately begins when we commit
00:25:52.500 --> 00:25:55.904
our life to Christ by faith.
00:25:55.937 --> 00:25:58.840
So to encourage you as you growin your knowledge of God's love,
00:25:58.873 --> 00:26:02.744
I would like to send youthree free gifts.
00:26:02.777 --> 00:26:06.081
First, "Life Beyond Amazing"Scripture cards to help you stay
00:26:06.114 --> 00:26:09.718
focused every day on the amazinglife we have in Christ.
00:26:09.751 --> 00:26:14.155
Second, a booklet about knowingand living for Christ called,
00:26:14.189 --> 00:26:17.559
"Your Greatest Turning Point,"and third, our monthly
00:26:17.592 --> 00:26:21.162
devotional magazine,"Turning Points," to encourage
00:26:21.196 --> 00:26:24.566
you with inspiring articlesand devotionals.
00:26:24.599 --> 00:26:28.803
And we'll send all these giftsto you, free of charge,
00:26:28.837 --> 00:26:31.539
if you will contact us hereat Turning Point today.
00:26:31.573 --> 00:26:34.909
announcer:Next time on "Turning Point."
00:26:36.711 --> 00:26:38.847
announcer: Dr. Jeremiahcontinues his conversation with
00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:41.049
Bobby Schuller, Mandisa,David Green, and Kirk Cousins.
00:26:41.082 --> 00:26:49.391
And he teaches howwe can make the decision
00:26:49.424 --> 00:26:51.493
to live a life of joy.
00:26:51.526 --> 00:26:53.695
Dr. Jeremiah: The Bible says,"Commit your way
00:26:54.229 --> 00:26:55.530
unto the Lord and he," what?
00:26:55.563 --> 00:26:57.132
"Gives you the desiresof your heart."
00:26:57.165 --> 00:26:59.668
But it doesn't start until yousay, "Yes," until you say,
00:26:59.701 --> 00:27:02.370
"Lord God, I want your joy.
00:27:02.404 --> 00:27:04.239
I know I'm not gonna get itmy way so here I am.
00:27:04.272 --> 00:27:07.475
Here's the page of my life.
00:27:07.509 --> 00:27:09.044
I've signed the bottom,you fill in the details."
00:27:09.077 --> 00:27:11.112
announcer: Thank youfor being with us today
00:27:12.814 --> 00:27:14.649
for Dr. Jeremiah's series,"A Life Beyond Amazing."
00:27:14.683 --> 00:27:18.053
Join us next timefor Dr. Jeremiah's message,
00:27:18.086 --> 00:27:20.388
"A Life of Joy,"here on "Turning Point."
00:27:20.422 --> 00:27:24.959

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A Life of Love

A Life of Love

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A Life of Love

A Life of Love

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