Episode 87 - Are you ready for a fresh, spicy approach to the love of God today?
\nWe've all heard that God loves us. Do we really believe it?\xa0How can we\xa0live in deeper awareness of God's love for me? The Book of Proverbs might not be overtly explicit about God's love, but it is the underlying foundation for the entire book. So, today, we are pondering God's love: what does it mean that "God is love"? Why is He love? What does His love look like? We're not staying in shallow waters. We are peeking under the hood of Proverbs to look at how the engine of this book truly functions. And we discover that Love is the fuel behind every motion in Proverbs.
\nStephanie starts us off this week with a powerful quote by her countryman, Blaise Pascal, on his famous "God-shaped hole" in the human heart:
\n\u201cWhat else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself\u201d -- Blaise Pascal, 1670.
\nWe see that, IN God, our primary life calling: to REST in LOVE and DELIGHT in HIM in return. To make God our rest and my delight.\xa0We are created to LOVE and BE LOVED.\xa0We are attracted by LOVE like an irresistible magnet. And, we can only love well when we are loved well.\xa0Love is an experience of the heart AND mind. It is a decision of the will that transforms your heart and turns living into loving.
\nStephanie challenges us to embrace the challenge of the Christian life: to nurture the One Craving of craving the One--Christ, that is. And we discuss practical ways to do just that. They may sound overworn and cliche, but there's a reason some paths are well-trodden by countless generations of Christ-worshipping believers across time and space: these well-worn paths actualyl work, and actually lead us deeper into God. They are called prayer and the study of Scripture. Stephanie gives us a fresh perspective to rejuvenate our desire to walk these paths daily. We are challenged to learn to experience the consequences of growing in our craving of God\xa0alone.
\nThen, we look at the practical outsome:\xa0True love is binding yourself to the One you love. It is a surrender of freewill to embrace freedom to love another. God displays His supernatural glory through human impossibilities.\xa0He chooses us to make us a willing partner of His acting through us.
\nLove the Lord your God, and then love your neighbor as yourself. - Jesus.
\nJoin us today for a fresh, in-depth dive into the love of God!
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\n--------- CELEBRATING THE ASCENSION AND PENTECOST\xa0---------
\nThis year, Gospel Spice is not publishing episodes dedicated to the celebration of the Acension and Pentecost. These are crucial, momentous events in the life of Christ, and of the church. Please go to https://www.podcastics.com/podcast/gospel-spice/series/experience-the-ascension-and-pentecost/ to listen to all our content on this pricelesss topic!\xa0You will also find several other topic-themed inspiring series at the bottom of the page:\xa0gospel-spice.com
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