Are you or someone you know going through a really,
really hard time right now? Do you feel down?
Are you discouraged? Do you simply want to know,
oh God, how do I get out of this? How do I get
perspective? Well, stay with me. That's today.
Thank you for being with us for this edition
of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Chip
serves as our Bible teacher for this global teaching
and discipleship ministry, helping Christians
develop an authentic faith. Well, in just a minute,
we'll pick up where we left off in our series,
I Choose Joy. As Chip asks, with all the uncertainty
and anxiety in today's world, how do you endure
and have genuine, lasting joy? Well, today you'll
discover how. But first, to help you get the
absolute most out of this critical message, download
Chip's message notes. They contain his outline,
scripture references, and more. You can get them
under the broadcasts tab at livingontheedge .org,
app listeners tab, fill in notes. Well, with
that, here's Chip to share part two of his message,
Understanding the Power of Focus from Philippians
chapter one. How do you develop? an upward focus.
And I'm going to suggest right from this passage,
number one, it's a choice. It's a choice. And
the choice is gratitude. And the way you do it
is you choose to remember and you thank God for
significant relationships. In the mornings, our
whole staff comes down here and we have a prayer
time. And different pastors, actually different...
people on the staff lead it. And we all sit here
and he goes, here's what we're going to do for
the first 20 minutes. I want you to write on
these three by five cards, everything that you
can possibly thank God for in 20 minutes. Just
don't stop writing. I filled out five. God, thank
you that you forgave me. God, thank you for your
word. Thank you that your spirit lives within
me. Thank you for Teresa. Thank you for Eric.
Thank you for Jason. Thank you for Ryan. Thank
you, right? God, thank you for this church. Thank
you for the people I get to work with. God, thank
you that, you know, in the midst of a crazy world,
this is where we live. I mean, it was easy. I
had five of these filled front and back. And
I had this weird experience afterwards. I had
a great attitude that day. It's just a weird
experience, you know? It's just like, you know,
hey, you know? Why? Here's why. I spent 20 minutes
focusing on what God has provided instead of
my humanness like yours is to always focus on
what is missing. Second, it's an action prayer.
Prayer. By the way, remember he said, I willfully
chose. Willfully chose to remember the past youthfulness
and the partnership. See, I think we think prayer
is always going to be some ooey -gooey feelings
and these wonderful, great connections with God.
Part of my rehab on this fusion on my back was
walking, walking, walking, walking until I could
walk for an hour. That's a lot of walking. And
I just have to tell you, there's times when,
one, I didn't want to walk. Two, I bummed out.
And just, I mean, honestly, a little pity party.
God, you know, why me? Trying to serve you with
all my heart. Wimpy, wimpy, chippy, chippy, you
know. Just like you guys do. And then I remember,
I walk in and I listen to some worship songs
and I pull out those earplugs. Father, I thank
you. And I started quoting verses. And then I
started praying for people. I just started praying
for people. I started praying for a lot of you.
I prayed for our staff. I prayed for the city.
All of a sudden, I realized, you know, this isn't
the best time praying I've had in a lot of years.
Why? Because I had to walk. I don't know what
you're going through, but it's not an accident.
You can develop an upward focus by choosing to
give thanks and by the action of prayer. And
third, there's an attitude, and the attitude
is confidence. You know, I remember like toward
the end of my walks, what I realized was, you
know, I've been through a lot of hard times.
I'm getting older. And I've had God's promises
and God's character, God's promises and God's
character. And, you know, I have these little
packets where I've memorized verses over the
years. And I started reading some of these old
verses and I found one, 1978, God's promises
for Chip and Teresa. I mean, that was like a
month before we got married. And God gave me
this passage, this Old Testament passage. And
I was reading through that. I thought, like,
are you kidding me? I mean, my life is like 100x
better than I ever, ever, ever dreamed. But it
doesn't matter how good it is because if I have
a really great day today left to myself, I just
want it a little bit better. Right? And so do
you. But I want you to know that you choose.
You choose joy by being grateful. by being prayerful
and being confident of the future, not because
you've got it all together, not because your
circumstances are going to change, but there
is a God who put his spirit within you who says,
I'm confident of this very thing, that he who
began a good work in you has promises and character
that he's going to see you through. And I don't
want to be morbid, but the very worst thing that
could happen is you die and end up in the presence
of Christ with no more pain and the best atmosphere
forever and ever and ever. Say, our hope isn't
in this world. There's three observations that
I see out of this passage that have been both
helpful and convicting to me, so I want to share
the wealth. Observation number one from verses
seven and eight are that difficult circumstances
reveal our true affections. Fire number one,
he was depressed because he lost his stuff. And
he was a believer, but he got caught up in stuff
and money and prestige and flying to Vail and
skiing and luxury vacations. And fire number
two, he had a different set of affections. Second
observation is living above our circumstances
occurs when our hearts are so full of people,
there's no room for self -pity. That's what happened
in fire number two. 48 hours later, all 12 of
his master craftsmen had jobs with his competitors.
Paul, when you squeeze Paul, Paul's like a sponge.
You squeeze Paul with pressure and chains and
difficulty. And what oozes out is who he really
was. And who he really was was a man who loved
God with all of his heart and cared so deeply
about people. When pressure and difficulty and
circumstances, whether it's work or health or
problems in your family, when the vice of pressure
and circumstances come into your life, whatever
oozes out, that's who you are. That's who you
really are. If you're negative, if you're critical,
if you're blaming, If you're down on everyone,
I mean, it's easy to have a great attitude when
things are going great. God uses affliction sometimes
to allow adverse circumstances to realign our
affections. I mean, we all want to change, right?
This whole deal I've been with on my back, if
you would have asked me before all this, I would
have said, you know, I'm working on some things,
but God revealed some blind spots in my life,
and I'm so glad he did. And actually, my wife
was very kind the way she did it, and my children
as well, and a couple friends. Basically, these
new revelations I had about these blind spots
that I needed to address, they kind of looked
at me like, oh, really? You just found out? So
you just got that you're driven, over -the -top,
productivity -centered, nuts, in a loving kind
of way? You know, sometimes God loves you so
much that you're praying, oh, God, take it away,
take it away, take it away, take it away, take
it away. He's going, no. My goal isn't to make
your life comfortable. My goal is to make you
holy. And the only way you'll ever really be
happy is if you're holy. And the only way you're
holy is if you see what needs to be addressed
and allow me to forgive and cleanse and empower
you. The summary on the first portion of this
section was that our feelings always follow our
focus. In case you missed that, our feelings
always follow our focus. So how you are emotionally
is always going to be determined on what you
focus on. And then here, our focus always follows
our affections. See, my focus is my affections.
My affections were, and not uniquely, but my
blind spot was my affections were around that
being productive is what gave me value with God
and people. Not solely. I mean, it wasn't like
I was just completely in left field. But there
was a lot more of that than I ever dreamed. And
what I want you to know is that God is not down
on you and the difficulties that we have in our
life and the circumstances in a fallen world.
In a fallen world, there's storms, there's tsunamis,
there's earthquakes. The issue will be, what
do you focus on and how do you respond? As I
think about saying, okay, Lord, I want to choose
joy. I understand I need to have an upward focus
and an outward focus. And I get to have an upward
focus. I need to choose to be grateful. I need
to talk to you. And I understand that there's
some things that adversity reveals. But here's
the last question I want to address. It's this,
is how... Do you develop this outward focus?
How do you get where under pressure you're praying
for other people the way Paul prays for other
people? How do you do it where it becomes a habit,
where it becomes who you are, not just a thought
under some pressure? And I'm going to suggest
that the Apostle Paul is going to address that
in verses 9 through 11 specifically. You're listening
to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and he'll
be right back to continue our series. But quickly,
if you're eager to do a deeper study of Philippians
chapter one, check out Chip's newest book, I
Choose Joy. And right now we have a special deal
exclusively for you, our faithful listeners.
So stick around after the teaching to learn more.
With that, here's Chip to finish this insightful
message. Number one, think about those who've
loved you the most. When you are really discouraged
and really down, just think, who are the people
that have loved me the most? It's what he does
in verse three. I thank my God in all my remembrance
of you. They've just sent a financial gift. And
you know, when you're in prison back in those
days, they didn't like serve food. If you didn't
have friends to bring you food, you'd just die.
And he was just, you think about the people that
have loved you the most. Instead of the people
that rip you off the most. And then here's something
interesting. You pray for those you think about
the most. And put a big circle around prayer.
And by the way, there's a couple different ways
to pray. I had a good friend who really struggled
with, if this was this full, he could focus on
that much being empty. I'm not a very good counselor,
but I gave him a few shots, you know, and tried
to help him. And so I just said, well, are you
praying? He goes, yeah. And so I said, well,
he goes, it doesn't help. I said, well, let's
pray right now together. I'll never forget this.
And if you've heard this story, you need to hear
it again because it was like, are you kidding
me? And so it was in my little apartment. And
so Bob and I both get on our knees. I said, Bob,
you pray first and then I'll pray. And so Bob
gets down. Oh, God, you know the terrible childhood
I had. You know how bad my father was. You know
how the kids teased me all my life. You know,
and I mean, he went on and on and on and on and
on. I mean, he didn't pray at all. He was whining
in the presence of God. I mean, at one point,
I just opened my eyes and go, like, for real?
You know, and you know that, you know, I haven't
been able to hold down a job, and I think everyone
doesn't like me. And then finally, hey, Bob,
Bob, Bob, Bob, Bob, let me, let me, can I cut
in here? God help Bob. Amen. Okay. I said, Bob,
that's how you pray, right? He said, well, yeah.
I said, I got news for you. You can pray till
the cows come in. God's not answering that one.
Bob, that's just, that's not prayer. That's you.
You're telling God all this. You've told me this.
And I've heard it once or twice or three times.
And now, have you noticed that people in this
fellowship, like when you come around, they start
going, yeah, it's terrible, isn't it? I said,
there's a reason, Bob. He said, what's the reason?
I said, you're like a recorder. All you do is
whine, complain, whine, complain. We try to help
you once, but he said, Bob, okay, let's try a
different prayer. Pray something like this. And
this I pray. God, would you help Bob's love,
his passion, like never before, to understand
who you really are, how much you love him, and
have discernment about what truth is in life.
In order that, Bob could approve the things that
are excellent. He might know what are the best
things for him and the people and the things
that are worse for him so that his life could
be blameless. The word means tested by sunlight.
Sincere, tested by sunlight. Take that back.
And blameless means morally pure. In other words,
what Paul prays and what we can pray, I pray
this for my kids. I pray this for me. I pray
this for Teresa. I pray this for our staff. I
mean, sometimes I think we have these prayers.
God, help so -and -so, help so -and -so, help
so -and -so, help so -and -so. God knows all
that, and I'm not saying we shouldn't do it.
But when Paul prays, Paul prays, this is what
I'm praying. I pray this for my adult kids. Lord
God, would you give them an experiential, genuine
knowledge of you where they feel you and experience
you like never before in such a way that in the
world and all the pools that are coming at them,
they would understand, I don't want to go that
direction, but I want to go this direction. And
God, that each one of my boys, that you would
keep them pure in their hearts and their minds.
And each one of my daughter and my daughter -in
-laws would have such a love for you and understanding
that as everyone tells them they ought to be
this. ought to be that, that when you look like
sun coming through a pane glass window, they
would be pure before you and morally pure so
that they would be the kind of men and women
that would love one another and honor you and
create an environment so my grandkids could see
Jesus in their life. And if you look at this,
he has a request. Then he gives the reason for
the request. And the last phrase, he gives them
the resource, having been filled with the fruit
of righteousness. It's what's called a passive
perfect participle for those of you that are
English majors. Passive means the action is upon
you. Perfect is something that happened in the
past that continues on into the future. And what
he's saying is, Philippians, it's a hard world,
but let me tell you something. I'm praying that
you'll know God like never before. And I'm praying
you'll get it so crystal clear that all the trash
and all the temptations that you'll see, that
is not the way I want to go. And that instead
you will walk with God in such a way because
when you received Christ, the old man died, the
Spirit of God came into your life, and the righteousness
that he purchased, the fruit of it, this is how
God sees you now? And it's not about trying hard
to be a good person. You actually possess the
righteousness of Jesus Christ. And by faith,
you live out what's already operating in you
until the day of Christ, which is when he returns.
And so it's a deeply theological and personal
prayer. You start praying that kind of prayer
for people you care about, and your self -pity
will go, and your woe is me will go. And it won't
just be, you know, some of our prayers are, oh
God, help them sell their garage, help them sell
their house, help their back to get better, help
this to get better. We think that sometimes when
I listen to myself pray and some of you is that
the only goal is that God would make life better
or easier. What if the bigger goal is he makes
us more like Christ so that we are actually change
agents that change everything and everyone around
us? C plus P equals E. Question is, where's your
focus? I mean, okay, in that box? When you think
of that box, is your focus upward God? What do
you want to do in and through this? And is it
outward God? How are you going to use me? Or
what's happening in other people's lives? I got
a tough situation, but maybe at work. Or maybe
the unwed mother. Or maybe the lonely person.
or maybe a relative, or maybe there's someone
I know in this body whose difficulty and challenges,
you get your heart filled with loving other people,
and I will tell you, joy. Joy. Not because things
got better. It's because joy is the evidence
of Christ's presence operating freely in your
heart. It's a gift of the Spirit. You're listening
to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. And the
message you just heard, understanding the power
of focus, is from our series, I Choose Joy. Chip
will join us in studio to share some insights
from today's talk in just a minute. How do people
know you're a Christian? What is it that sets
you apart and causes others to say, I want to
be like them? Through Chip's study in Philippians
chapter 1, he reveals the supernatural work of
joy in a Christian's life that intrigues those
around us. Discover how joy can affirm your purpose,
energize your expectations, and renew hope in
your life. If you've missed any part of this
series or want to share one of these messages
with a friend, check out the Chip Ingram app.
Chip's back with me in studio, and Chip, you
know most people when they think about joy. They
associate it with happiness. I'm finally getting
married, or we finally bought the house, or I
got the dream job. But you've got a little different
definition of joy. Could you break it down for
us? Absolutely, Dave. We often associate joy
with happiness, and that's normal. But happiness
is built on the word happenings, and it's temporary.
And it's more of our emotional response. And
by the way, I want to be happy. I like being
happy. So don't get me wrong. Happiness is a
good thing. But joy is an overarching, deep,
soulful abiding. That's the byproduct of our
relationship with God, regardless of the circumstance.
I recently have written a book, I Choose Joy.
And this book was birthed out of one of the most
difficult times in my life when I didn't feel
like being joyful, when I'd been through two
back surgeries, a number of very, very difficult
things, and yet I was called to teach a passage
of the Bible where the Apostle Paul, having way
more difficult situation than mine, kept saying,
rejoice, rejoice, rejoice. And out of that was
birthed a book. that in the world that we're
living in, I think will really help people because
people are hurting. And you know what? If they're
waiting to be happy, they may wait a long time,
but this book will help them know they can actually
have joy regardless of their circumstance. That's
right, Chip. We're really excited about this
new book, which is why we're doing something
special for our listeners this week. Absolutely,
Dave, because we believe so strongly in the life
-changing power of choosing joy. We want you,
the Living on Edge family, to get this new book
before anyone else does at a discounted price.
Dave, could you take a minute and tell our listeners
a bit more of what we're doing for them and why
this is so important? Be glad to. Well, like
Chip said, we want you to truly experience the
joy the Apostle Paul talked about in Philippians
chapter 1. And to help you do that, we're giving
you, our faithful Living on the Edge listeners,
early access to this new book at a special price.
So visit livingontheedge .org or call 888 -333
-6003 to take advantage of this exclusive offer.
You'll be glad you did. Well, here again is Chip.
As we wrap up today's program, I wish we could
sit down literally and have a cup of coffee.
And you could tell me, hey, Chip, you know, here's
what I'm going through. And here's a couple of
relationships that are really difficult or my
work or a health issue. And I could really, really
listen and ask a few questions. And then I could
turn around and tell you, hey, you know, here's
some things I'm going through right now. And
then at the end of our time, I think we would
go back to what we heard taught today, that difficult
circumstances really do reveal our affections.
You know, the Apostle Paul, you see the core
of his attitude. He's going through horrendous
circumstances. But his focus is so upward. His
confidence is, you know, God's going to use this
for good. And they're outward. Now, he thinks
to himself, you know, this is really hard on
me right now, but think of the impact it's going
to have for other people. One of the things that
hit me about this was the truth that our feelings
always follow our focus. You know, when I'm looking
at things half empty and that's my focus, my
emotions go downward. But then... The next thing
we learned was that our focus is always determined
by our affections. Paul's affection was God's
heart, God's agenda, God's will. And what I want
to confess to you is when I really struggle with
perspective and when I get down, what I realize
very subtly is my affections are around my happiness,
my agenda, my plans, and what I want to happen
for me. And I don't mean that in a derogatory
way, but I would just ask you, as we study Philippians
chapter 1 together, could your affections have
drifted? Could some of your challenges, your
emotions, your negativity really be centered
around that your affections have gotten a bit
off of following and honoring Christ and a bit
more on you and your happiness and what you want
to happen? And if so, could we pause today together
and say, Lord, will you help us? You know everything
about us. We want our affections to be on you.
Would you help us to look upward and outward?
And would you give us your perspective today
for your glory? In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Thanks,
Chip. As we wrap up today's program, if you've
been blessed by Chip's teaching and you'd like
to bless others in the same way, let me encourage
you to partner with us financially. And right
now is a great time because every dollar we receive
between now and midnight on June 30th will be
matched. dollar for dollar. To join the team,
go to livingontheedge .org or call us at 888
-333 -6003. That's 888 -333 -6003 or visit livingontheedge
.org. App listeners, tap donate. For Chip and
the entire team here, this is Dave Drewy thanking
you for listening to this edition of Living on
the Edge, and I hope you'll join us next time.