WEBVTT 00:00:01.129 --> 00:00:04.129 You know, we're so used to popping a pill for 00:00:04.129 --> 00:00:06.589 the aches and pains of life, we've completely 00:00:06.589 --> 00:00:10.029 lost sight of the fact that sometimes it takes 00:00:10.029 --> 00:00:13.550 real pain and real suffering to get the things 00:00:13.550 --> 00:00:16.809 that matter most. What if God wants to leverage 00:00:16.809 --> 00:00:19.750 the most difficult thing in your life to give 00:00:19.750 --> 00:00:22.809 you something you can't get any other way? That's 00:00:22.809 --> 00:00:27.469 today. Stay with me. Thanks for listening to 00:00:27.469 --> 00:00:30.109 this edition of Living on the Edge with Chip 00:00:30.109 --> 00:00:32.520 Ingram. Living on the Edge is an international 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:35.560 discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:38.320 live like Christians. Over in the middle of our 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:41.020 series, I Choose Hope, how to face your future 00:00:41.020 --> 00:00:43.399 with confidence. So if you've missed any part 00:00:43.399 --> 00:00:45.859 of our study in Philippians chapter 3, check 00:00:45.859 --> 00:00:48.380 out the Chip and Romana. Well, today Chip walks 00:00:48.380 --> 00:00:50.780 through the intentional steps you can take to 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:53.240 develop a deep, meaningful connection to Jesus. 00:00:53.640 --> 00:00:55.820 So if you're ready, grab your Bible and settle 00:00:55.820 --> 00:00:58.740 in for the second half of Chip's talk, Experiencing 00:00:58.740 --> 00:01:03.320 Hope. The way the Apostle Paul is going to teach 00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:07.480 us that we experience the resurrected power is 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:11.040 out of our weakness. Romans 8 verse 11 says, 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:13.260 but if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from 00:01:13.260 --> 00:01:15.739 the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ 00:01:15.739 --> 00:01:18.560 from the dead will also give life to your mortal 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:20.560 bodies through his spirit who dwells in you. 00:01:20.950 --> 00:01:23.390 In other words, the same power that raised Christ 00:01:23.390 --> 00:01:25.989 from the dead, when you turn from your sin, ask 00:01:25.989 --> 00:01:28.370 Christ to forgive you, come into your life, the 00:01:28.370 --> 00:01:31.409 same power, the same spirit lives inside of you. 00:01:31.469 --> 00:01:34.010 So you should expect supernatural things to happen. 00:01:35.329 --> 00:01:38.290 And then what he's going to say is, but the way 00:01:38.290 --> 00:01:40.390 those supernatural things happen is a recognition 00:01:40.390 --> 00:01:42.810 that what you need is his strength or you need 00:01:42.810 --> 00:01:47.349 his power in the midst of your weakness. Most 00:01:47.349 --> 00:01:51.560 of us, Just our mental, human, fleshly bent is 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:53.859 that I'm going to make it by what I do and this 00:01:53.859 --> 00:01:56.159 is what I can accomplish. He's going to say the 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.980 flip with God is it's when you come in humility 00:01:58.980 --> 00:02:02.420 and admit you can't. The 12 steppers have a lot 00:02:02.420 --> 00:02:04.799 to teach us on that one. Bill Wilson, by the 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:09.139 way, was a believer. Anybody know what the first 00:02:09.139 --> 00:02:14.900 step is? I'm absolutely powerless. I can't do 00:02:14.900 --> 00:02:17.879 this. I can't overcome this addiction. Well, 00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:19.439 guess what? You can't overcome forgiving someone 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:21.439 either. You can't overcome your fear of failure. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:23.819 You can't overcome your family of origin. You 00:02:23.819 --> 00:02:25.719 can't overcome your fear about the economy. You 00:02:25.719 --> 00:02:26.979 can't overcome what's going to happen to your 00:02:26.979 --> 00:02:30.439 kids. Right? Can you really? So what the Apostle 00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:33.120 Paul is, he has this difficult situation. Three 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:37.240 times he prays. God says, no, no, no. And then 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:42.139 in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, notice what he says. 00:02:42.629 --> 00:02:45.530 God, you have said no to me when I've asked you 00:02:45.530 --> 00:02:48.669 to remove this difficulty, this tribulation, 00:02:48.770 --> 00:02:52.930 some physical issue. Therefore, I'm well content 00:02:52.930 --> 00:02:55.810 with weakness, with insults, with distresses, 00:02:55.810 --> 00:02:58.289 with persecutions, with difficulties. Did you 00:02:58.289 --> 00:03:01.810 notice they're all plural? For Christ's sake. 00:03:02.530 --> 00:03:08.530 Why? For when I am weak, then I am strong. So 00:03:08.530 --> 00:03:12.039 Paul says, Wow, in a suffering, fallen world, 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:14.719 I want to experience your power. I've asked you 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:16.780 to deliver me out of it. Make everything great. 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:19.180 Make everything right. And God said no in this 00:03:19.180 --> 00:03:21.800 case. He doesn't always say no. Sometimes he 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:24.620 does the very, very miraculous. So Paul says, 00:03:24.699 --> 00:03:27.060 okay, therefore, I'm going to be well content. 00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:30.360 I mean, it's not just I'm going to get through 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:33.780 it. I'm going to have a sense of settled peace, 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:41.680 the difficulties, persecutions. Distresses? Because 00:03:41.680 --> 00:03:44.919 when I'm weak, then I'm strong, he explains. 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:48.400 And God said to him, my grace is sufficient for 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:52.620 you for power is perfected in weakness. Most 00:03:52.620 --> 00:03:54.740 gladly, therefore, I'll rather boast about my 00:03:54.740 --> 00:03:57.479 weakness so the power of Christ may dwell in 00:03:57.479 --> 00:04:03.979 me. Power is perfected in weakness. God's power 00:04:03.979 --> 00:04:08.740 shows up. in supernatural ways, when his children 00:04:08.740 --> 00:04:13.240 say, I can't do this. I can't make this relationship 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:16.939 work. I can't change my supervisor. I can't get 00:04:16.939 --> 00:04:19.980 inside my kid's head or my parent's head and 00:04:19.980 --> 00:04:21.939 get them to see things the way they ought to. 00:04:22.259 --> 00:04:26.379 I can't break this habit. I have unresolved anger 00:04:26.379 --> 00:04:32.850 issues. And then, Power is perfected in weakness. 00:04:32.930 --> 00:04:35.430 The first step to experience God's power is, 00:04:35.509 --> 00:04:40.009 Lord, help me. Remember Peter? What happens? 00:04:40.189 --> 00:04:42.610 Very short prayer. Peter is sinking. What's he 00:04:42.610 --> 00:04:46.990 cry out? Help me. David, who really messed up, 00:04:47.069 --> 00:04:50.269 the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. He saves 00:04:50.269 --> 00:04:57.189 those who are crushed in spirit. This is an unfortunate 00:04:57.189 --> 00:05:01.160 truth. you will probably never experience the 00:05:01.160 --> 00:05:04.240 love of God and the power of God more than at 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:06.540 a time when you come not to a hard situation, 00:05:06.699 --> 00:05:11.180 but when it gets impossible. And it's like, hands 00:05:11.180 --> 00:05:14.379 up, I can't do this. I can't do this a single 00:05:14.379 --> 00:05:16.800 more moment. I can't do this. And then you cry 00:05:16.800 --> 00:05:20.480 out, oh God, deliver me. And he may deliver you 00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:22.560 out of it. He may deliver you through it. He 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:27.769 may change you in radical ways. One of my closest 00:05:27.769 --> 00:05:32.269 friends went through, I think, and this is Chip 00:05:32.269 --> 00:05:33.990 Ingram's opinion, there could be worse things. 00:05:34.129 --> 00:05:39.850 I just can't think of any. His grown son, prime 00:05:39.850 --> 00:05:44.230 of life, committed suicide. In a moment, had 00:05:44.230 --> 00:05:48.470 some bipolar stuff going on. And I've watched 00:05:48.470 --> 00:05:51.550 that man's life change more in the last two years 00:05:51.550 --> 00:05:54.470 out of his pain, out of his suffering. I've seen 00:05:54.470 --> 00:06:01.800 God's power. Because in his deep, deep distress, 00:06:01.939 --> 00:06:05.660 he was reading the Bible before, but he was listening 00:06:05.660 --> 00:06:08.839 a lot better now. He was praying before, but 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:11.360 now once a week he drives out near where he and 00:06:11.360 --> 00:06:13.860 his son would spend some time, special time, 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:16.560 and he looks out over this and he just pours 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:20.579 his heart out to God. And guess what? He's met 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:24.339 Jesus. He's met the power of God and the comfort 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:26.920 of God and the grace of God and the patience 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:30.519 of God. And he's had deep, deep down valleys. 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:37.180 And he's a big former athlete and not known for 00:06:37.180 --> 00:06:39.560 tears, not known for being overly sensitive. 00:06:39.660 --> 00:06:42.180 That's probably why we get along. No comment, 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:47.720 please. And I've watched a sensitivity and a 00:06:47.720 --> 00:06:52.290 crying and an emotion. that's transformed him. 00:06:53.069 --> 00:06:56.329 But if it's trying hard and Jesus, will you give 00:06:56.329 --> 00:06:57.889 me a little help? You'll never experience his 00:06:57.889 --> 00:07:01.829 power. How could you take where you're feeling 00:07:01.829 --> 00:07:04.790 hopeless and admit today, I can't do this. Second, 00:07:04.870 --> 00:07:07.009 not just his power in our weakness, but his presence 00:07:07.009 --> 00:07:12.769 in our pain. We are a society in the Western 00:07:12.769 --> 00:07:15.740 world, especially in America, that any... type 00:07:15.740 --> 00:07:19.240 of suffering or pain is to be avoided at all 00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:23.939 costs. If I could make one television rule, you 00:07:23.939 --> 00:07:28.639 could never advertise drugs ever again. It makes 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:33.259 me nuts. It makes me nuts. No matter what's happening 00:07:33.259 --> 00:07:35.180 to you, there's a new drug. And then, of course, 00:07:35.279 --> 00:07:38.000 you know, 67 seconds of all the byproducts. It'll, 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:40.540 you know, deep constipation. Many people have 00:07:40.540 --> 00:07:42.759 died from this. Liver problems. You may finally 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:45.420 have suicidal thoughts. And why the B -roll, 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:48.360 right? The B -roll is, you know, they're having 00:07:48.360 --> 00:07:51.259 fun. But the point, here's the point. It's not 00:07:51.259 --> 00:07:54.860 the drugs. The point is this message. If you 00:07:54.860 --> 00:07:57.360 ever have suffering physically, mentally, in 00:07:57.360 --> 00:08:00.040 other way, there's a pill. There's a sweet, quick 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:03.959 solution. You have been called for this purpose, 00:08:04.180 --> 00:08:09.259 says 1 Peter. You've been called for this purpose, 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:14.300 to suffer with him. In the end of chapter 1, 00:08:14.519 --> 00:08:18.540 he said, it has been granted to you, the word 00:08:18.540 --> 00:08:21.019 is grace. God has given you this grace, not only 00:08:21.019 --> 00:08:24.120 to believe in him, but also to suffer for his 00:08:24.120 --> 00:08:26.939 sake, experiencing the same conflict which you 00:08:26.939 --> 00:08:30.310 heard and now see to be in me. Now, this is not 00:08:30.310 --> 00:08:32.610 a masochistic, there's plenty of suffering that's 00:08:32.610 --> 00:08:35.950 going to come your way. But if unconsciously 00:08:35.950 --> 00:08:39.090 your worldview is all suffering, all difficulty, 00:08:39.129 --> 00:08:42.409 all pain, is I've got to avoid it all cost or 00:08:42.409 --> 00:08:43.870 I've got to just get through it, I've got to 00:08:43.870 --> 00:08:48.049 zoom through it, you will miss God. You will 00:08:48.049 --> 00:08:51.470 miss God. Some of the suffering that you're in, 00:08:51.570 --> 00:08:53.710 someone else did it to you. Some of it you brought 00:08:53.710 --> 00:08:56.330 on yourself like me. Some of it, it's just a 00:08:56.330 --> 00:08:59.110 fallen world. You don't have... You can't, the 00:08:59.110 --> 00:09:03.029 economy, the politics, the racism, the tension, 00:09:03.289 --> 00:09:05.929 the work situations, you don't have control of 00:09:05.929 --> 00:09:07.490 all that. Here's what I'm going to tell you though. 00:09:07.990 --> 00:09:10.190 And you guys know this, so just turn on those 00:09:10.190 --> 00:09:12.669 really smart brains of yours. Everybody in this 00:09:12.669 --> 00:09:15.429 room is going to go through a life that's really, 00:09:15.509 --> 00:09:17.730 really hard and you're going to suffer. True 00:09:17.730 --> 00:09:20.990 or false? I mean, if you haven't had some major 00:09:20.990 --> 00:09:24.230 health issue, just hang on. If someone hasn't 00:09:24.230 --> 00:09:26.129 betrayed you that you really trusted yet, just 00:09:26.129 --> 00:09:29.000 hold your breath. If you don't get like a raw 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:31.399 deal of injustice somewhere, somewhere, if one 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.299 of your kids don't really disappoint you or God 00:09:33.299 --> 00:09:35.639 doesn't come through and bring Mr. Right or Ms. 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:38.779 Right into your life, if you don't experience 00:09:38.779 --> 00:09:42.919 it in church, well, you're an anomaly. Some of 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:44.500 the worst things I've ever seen happen among 00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:48.200 church people. But here's my point. We're all 00:09:48.200 --> 00:09:50.639 going to suffer. You know what Paul says? In 00:09:50.639 --> 00:09:53.080 a fallen world where suffering is going to come 00:09:53.080 --> 00:09:55.539 at the hands of others, persecution, at times 00:09:55.539 --> 00:09:57.980 for doing exactly what God wants me to do, he 00:09:57.980 --> 00:10:02.220 says, I don't want to waste it. I was with Jesus. 00:10:02.340 --> 00:10:06.139 And when I was with Jesus, there's something 00:10:06.139 --> 00:10:08.919 that happens when someone goes through it with 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:13.720 you. Notice his experience. His experience is... 00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:19.480 2 Corinthians 4, verses 7 through 12. He says, 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:21.600 but we have this treasure, this spirit living 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:24.980 within us, this gospel, this new life in earth 00:10:24.980 --> 00:10:27.379 and vessels, speaking of this human body, so 00:10:27.379 --> 00:10:29.320 that the surpassing greatness of, what are we 00:10:29.320 --> 00:10:32.200 back to? The power will be of God and not from 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:35.940 ourselves. Now listen to this list. This is his 00:10:35.940 --> 00:10:40.240 life experience. We are afflicted in every way, 00:10:40.279 --> 00:10:44.649 but not crushed. We are perplexed. but not despairing. 00:10:45.110 --> 00:10:48.649 Persecuted, but not forsaken. Struck down, but 00:10:48.649 --> 00:10:51.169 not destroyed. Always caring about in the body 00:10:51.169 --> 00:10:53.610 the dying of Jesus. Notice his purpose clause. 00:10:54.330 --> 00:10:58.250 So that the life of Jesus also may be manifested 00:10:58.250 --> 00:11:03.129 in our body. What he's saying is, I've just been 00:11:03.129 --> 00:11:06.149 doing exactly what God wants me to do. And you 00:11:06.149 --> 00:11:09.110 name it, we've been there. It's bad, bad, bad, 00:11:09.309 --> 00:11:11.929 bad, bad, and a little worse. But in the midst 00:11:11.929 --> 00:11:16.799 of it, God is, hey, not struck down, not giving 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.960 in, not giving up. And as we die to ourselves 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:23.620 and we ask God, what do you want this to look 00:11:23.620 --> 00:11:25.720 like in the midst of my suffering? The manifestation 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.340 of the life of Christ. He says, I'm experiencing 00:11:28.340 --> 00:11:33.200 that. Notice he says, Jesus also being manifested 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:36.399 in our body. For we who live are constantly being 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:41.480 delivered over to death for Jesus. Say, why? 00:11:41.740 --> 00:11:44.980 So that the life of Jesus may also be manifested 00:11:44.980 --> 00:11:48.059 in our mortal bodies. So that death works in 00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:51.980 us, but life in you. My friend I was telling 00:11:51.980 --> 00:11:57.659 you about, death is working in him. And now I've 00:11:57.659 --> 00:12:01.419 watched life in family members. I've watched, 00:12:01.480 --> 00:12:06.320 he has a heart for evangelism and he's just a 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:09.399 bold human being. And so he came to my office 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:11.639 a little bit before all the things with his son. 00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:13.820 And he said, he calls me, bro. Hey, bro, I need 00:12:13.820 --> 00:12:16.059 some good stuff. I meet all these people. They 00:12:16.059 --> 00:12:17.799 got all these needs. And he kind of went through, 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:20.259 okay, give me those three CDs on that. Give me 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:21.740 a couple of books on that. Give me three CDs 00:12:21.740 --> 00:12:23.320 on that. And so he kind of cleaned out part of 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:25.340 my closet and he puts them in the back of his 00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:29.419 truck. I can't tell you. I bet there's been 50, 00:12:29.559 --> 00:12:33.259 60, maybe 100 people in two years that have seen 00:12:33.259 --> 00:12:36.259 the baptism of his son coming to Christ, heard 00:12:36.259 --> 00:12:39.039 his story, him listen to them and their clients, 00:12:39.179 --> 00:12:41.860 and he's handed either a CD or a book. And he 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:43.220 says, I only give it to the ones that I know 00:12:43.220 --> 00:12:48.279 are serious. Death in him, life to others. And 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:51.460 then he tells me this. He goes, man, he played 00:12:51.460 --> 00:12:52.899 major college. He was a quarterback at a big 00:12:52.899 --> 00:12:55.799 school. He said, man, I've experienced some highs. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:58.600 It doesn't get any better than this, does it? 00:12:58.620 --> 00:13:00.940 I mean, it's like when Jesus is like going right 00:13:00.940 --> 00:13:03.259 through your veins and you realize it's not you. 00:13:03.860 --> 00:13:07.399 This is what Paul's talking about. What are you 00:13:07.399 --> 00:13:11.259 suffering? The theology of it. He says, yeah, 00:13:11.299 --> 00:13:14.840 thanks be to God, Romans 5. We're justified by 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:17.639 faith and we exalt or boast in this brand new 00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:19.320 relationship. It's our introduction into grace. 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:23.110 But not only this. I also exalt. Do you understand 00:13:23.110 --> 00:13:26.169 the mindset that's so different than us? I exalt 00:13:26.169 --> 00:13:29.830 in the tribulation that I'm going through. Why? 00:13:30.149 --> 00:13:35.090 Because tribulation produces endurance. What's 00:13:35.090 --> 00:13:36.990 endurance? I just keep getting up and doing the 00:13:36.990 --> 00:13:38.590 same thing when it's hard and I don't feel like 00:13:38.590 --> 00:13:41.129 it. And what's endurance do over time? It produces 00:13:41.129 --> 00:13:43.789 proven character. What's that? It means your 00:13:43.789 --> 00:13:46.490 attitudes change as you hold up under that by 00:13:46.490 --> 00:13:48.690 the grace of God. And proven character doesn't 00:13:48.690 --> 00:13:53.210 disappoint because what? It produces hope. And 00:13:53.210 --> 00:13:56.090 hope doesn't disappoint because the love of God 00:13:56.090 --> 00:13:58.250 has been poured out into our hearts. And what 00:13:58.250 --> 00:14:01.210 he's giving us is a theology of suffering and 00:14:01.210 --> 00:14:05.120 difficulty in a fallen world. That as you trust 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:07.659 in him and as you persevere and you say, Lord, 00:14:07.740 --> 00:14:09.879 I can't do this, but will you be near me? Oh 00:14:09.879 --> 00:14:12.200 God, one more day of work and I hate this job. 00:14:12.340 --> 00:14:14.840 Oh God, I know this marriage counseling is the 00:14:14.840 --> 00:14:18.139 worst idea in the whole world. I can't stand 00:14:18.139 --> 00:14:20.039 facing all this stuff, but I'm not giving up. 00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:21.580 I'm not giving out and I'm not dropping out. 00:14:22.960 --> 00:14:27.039 And as you do that, change happens. And the change 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:30.159 happens in you. And the change produces this 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:33.340 unswerving hope in your life that you realize, 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:39.360 wow, God is real and he's with me. You're listening 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.860 to Living on the Edge, and Chip will be back 00:14:41.860 --> 00:14:44.500 in just a minute to finish today's talk. But 00:14:44.500 --> 00:14:46.860 quickly, this program is supported by the generosity 00:14:46.860 --> 00:14:49.679 of listeners like you. And right now, during 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.419 our mid -year match, it's a great time to partner 00:14:52.419 --> 00:14:55.559 with us. Between now and June 30th, every gift 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:58.200 we receive will be doubled dollar for dollar. 00:14:58.399 --> 00:15:01.179 You can give today by going to livingontheedge 00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:07.330 .org or by calling 888 - 333 -6003. Well, with 00:15:07.330 --> 00:15:09.450 that, here again is Chip to continue his message. 00:15:10.230 --> 00:15:13.289 My wife got cancer. It's very serious. They did 00:15:13.289 --> 00:15:16.230 major operations and, you know, then they did 00:15:16.230 --> 00:15:18.269 radiation, all this high -powered stuff. And 00:15:18.269 --> 00:15:20.429 thank God for Kaiser, Stanford. Everybody did 00:15:20.429 --> 00:15:23.330 an amazing, amazing job. But here's what I can 00:15:23.330 --> 00:15:27.990 tell you about suffering. If you go through something 00:15:27.990 --> 00:15:30.669 deep and scary with someone you really love, 00:15:30.830 --> 00:15:33.409 however much you thought you loved them, it goes 00:15:33.409 --> 00:15:37.110 to a whole new level. I will never forget driving 00:15:37.110 --> 00:15:40.730 her after all that to each radiation treatment, 00:15:40.850 --> 00:15:42.929 and they did some new high -powered thing that 00:15:42.929 --> 00:15:47.950 just... And every single time, we would leave, 00:15:47.970 --> 00:15:49.649 and we would pull into a little coffee shop, 00:15:49.870 --> 00:15:54.090 and she would sit in the car like this. And I 00:15:54.090 --> 00:15:56.250 would go in and get two cups of dark roast, of 00:15:56.250 --> 00:15:59.909 course. And then they had little oatmeal cookies, 00:16:00.070 --> 00:16:01.809 and they said, would you like it heated? I said, 00:16:01.830 --> 00:16:04.470 please. And I would take my little oatmeal cookie, 00:16:04.610 --> 00:16:07.590 and I'd give her coffee, and we would break it 00:16:07.590 --> 00:16:10.190 in half. And I didn't know if I'd have a few 00:16:10.190 --> 00:16:11.970 more weeks, a few more months, or a few more 00:16:11.970 --> 00:16:15.929 years. But I can tell you this, that moment, 00:16:16.029 --> 00:16:19.139 those journeys together, There was a love and 00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:21.139 intimacy that I've shared with my wife that God 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:23.039 has allowed to continue that could have never 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:27.460 happened. Now, my hand goes up. Lord, I would 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:29.779 like to be on the list of no more cancer ever. 00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:34.500 And then my hand goes up and say, Lord, it's 00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:36.500 horrendous, but I wouldn't want to miss that. 00:16:36.539 --> 00:16:40.620 What I share with her. And what Paul is saying 00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:43.919 is, this is what I want to share with Jesus. 00:16:44.059 --> 00:16:46.240 But do you see behind all of this? There's this 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:50.610 passion. There's this focus. There's this sense 00:16:50.610 --> 00:16:52.830 that, you know, Paul has been there and done 00:16:52.830 --> 00:16:55.429 that. If getting famous or being smart or getting 00:16:55.429 --> 00:16:57.970 in the right school or wealth or how your kids 00:16:57.970 --> 00:16:59.870 turn out or all that, if all that could be a 00:16:59.870 --> 00:17:01.850 hope that would satisfy, he'd been there and 00:17:01.850 --> 00:17:04.430 done all that stuff. He's saying, this is what 00:17:04.430 --> 00:17:09.630 matters. Finally, he says the life, the life 00:17:09.630 --> 00:17:13.109 we can experience in our death. He's really talking 00:17:13.109 --> 00:17:17.319 here about coming to that point where I'm going 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:21.160 to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus' death. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:23.400 And here's his theology. In fact, you could read 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:27.200 all of Romans 6. But verse 4 says, Therefore, 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:30.559 we've been buried with him through baptism into 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:33.339 death, so that as Christ was raised from the 00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:36.019 dead through the glory of the Father, so too 00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:40.400 we might walk in newness of life. And then here's 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:43.880 his theology. For if we become united with him 00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:46.500 in the likeness of his death, certainly we shall 00:17:46.500 --> 00:17:48.160 also be in the likeness of his resurrection, 00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:52.680 knowing as a fact that our old self, the old 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:57.079 Paul, the old Chip, the old you, was crucified 00:17:57.079 --> 00:18:00.119 with him. Why? In order that the body of sin 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:03.720 or sin's power over us might be done away so 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:06.980 that we're no longer slaves to sin, for he who's 00:18:06.980 --> 00:18:09.619 died is freed from sin. There's a lot there. 00:18:09.660 --> 00:18:12.460 Here's all I want you to get. There is a mystical 00:18:12.460 --> 00:18:16.960 union that when you turn from your sin and recognize 00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:19.799 I fall short of the glory of God and you repent 00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:23.240 and you turn toward God and say, I can never 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:25.460 be made righteous, but I accept the gift of Christ 00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:27.539 on the cross and his resurrection to pay for 00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:30.400 my sin, come into my life. Now I want to walk 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:33.779 with you. There's a mystical union. The moment 00:18:33.779 --> 00:18:35.380 you do that, I don't understand it. And if anyone 00:18:35.380 --> 00:18:36.940 can explain it, they're probably lying. I don't 00:18:36.940 --> 00:18:39.549 think they can either. But what he says is that 00:18:39.549 --> 00:18:42.569 we're united. We're actually in Christ in his 00:18:42.569 --> 00:18:46.769 death so that when he died, your sins, your past, 00:18:47.150 --> 00:18:51.230 bam, sin, death, Satan, broken power, you're 00:18:51.230 --> 00:18:53.710 resurrected with him. So you're in this real 00:18:53.710 --> 00:18:58.069 spiritual union with the living God. That's the 00:18:58.069 --> 00:19:00.630 theology. And so notice what he, here's his practice. 00:19:01.450 --> 00:19:04.410 His practice is Galatians 2 .20. He says, see, 00:19:04.529 --> 00:19:06.930 I don't have to sin anymore. I still do, but 00:19:06.930 --> 00:19:09.750 I don't have to because I've been set free. Here's 00:19:09.750 --> 00:19:12.049 Galatians 2 .20. Here's how he lives each and 00:19:12.049 --> 00:19:15.190 every day to experience. I am crucified with 00:19:15.190 --> 00:19:19.990 Christ. I have been crucified with Christ. Notice, 00:19:20.109 --> 00:19:24.390 it happened. And it's no longer I who live. In 00:19:24.390 --> 00:19:28.450 other words, I have new life in me. The old Chip, 00:19:28.569 --> 00:19:32.789 the old you, the old Paul, Saul died. But Christ 00:19:32.789 --> 00:19:35.329 now lives in me, and the life which I now live 00:19:35.329 --> 00:19:38.950 in the flesh, in your body, I live by, uh -oh, 00:19:39.069 --> 00:19:42.609 there's our word, by faith in the Son of God 00:19:42.609 --> 00:19:47.210 who loved me and gave himself up for me. Paul's 00:19:47.210 --> 00:19:50.289 living every day with the reality that what is 00:19:50.289 --> 00:19:54.430 really true of me is this. When I trusted in 00:19:54.430 --> 00:19:59.950 Christ, the old me died. I was raised with him. 00:20:00.890 --> 00:20:03.809 His spirit actually that raised Christ from the 00:20:03.809 --> 00:20:06.789 dead dwells inside of me. I now have complete 00:20:06.789 --> 00:20:13.950 access to God. God the Father sees me like he 00:20:13.950 --> 00:20:16.750 sees God the Son, fully righteous in my position. 00:20:17.630 --> 00:20:21.549 And now I'm on this journey of experiencing his 00:20:21.549 --> 00:20:24.230 power in my weakness, experiencing his pain. 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:28.220 His presence in my pain. And I'm being changed 00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:31.279 so that I can come to that thing that you identified 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:35.059 and said, I feel hopeless about my marriage. 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:38.299 I feel hopeless about my future finances. I feel 00:20:38.299 --> 00:20:40.640 hopeless about will we ever have children. I 00:20:40.640 --> 00:20:45.059 feel hopeless about, and I can invite Jesus in 00:20:45.059 --> 00:20:49.720 and say, I can't solve this. I can't manipulate 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:53.130 it. I can't get people to do what I want. In 00:20:53.130 --> 00:20:56.190 my weakness, will you give me help? I don't even 00:20:56.190 --> 00:20:59.829 know what that looks like. And until or through 00:20:59.829 --> 00:21:02.470 in the presence of the difficulty and the pain 00:21:02.470 --> 00:21:05.970 that I feel, I want to experience you. And what 00:21:05.970 --> 00:21:07.990 I will tell you is that as you read the Psalms 00:21:07.990 --> 00:21:09.589 and read the Gospels, that's where I would go 00:21:09.589 --> 00:21:12.109 if you're suffering. And as you look at the life 00:21:12.109 --> 00:21:14.589 of Jesus and you say, will you help me know you 00:21:14.589 --> 00:21:19.450 that way? You will experience hope, not just 00:21:19.450 --> 00:21:22.509 know about it. Will you pray with me? Lord, I 00:21:22.509 --> 00:21:26.869 thank you so much. I confess, I want to be the 00:21:26.869 --> 00:21:29.210 first to get in line, to run to the front of 00:21:29.210 --> 00:21:31.769 the line and confess to you that I know a lot 00:21:31.769 --> 00:21:34.829 more than I experience, that I can explain this 00:21:34.829 --> 00:21:37.890 better than I can live it. But Lord, I also, 00:21:37.990 --> 00:21:41.569 I kneel here before you and my brothers and sisters, 00:21:41.650 --> 00:21:44.710 and I would tell you, I have experienced you 00:21:44.710 --> 00:21:47.549 in ways I never dreamed. I've seen supernatural 00:21:47.549 --> 00:21:50.309 things in my life, around my life, in this church, 00:21:50.329 --> 00:21:52.369 and through people that there's no explanation 00:21:52.369 --> 00:21:55.490 but you. And God, I thank you for your comfort 00:21:55.490 --> 00:21:58.390 and your love and your transformation. That's 00:21:58.390 --> 00:22:02.329 what I long for. That's what you long for, for 00:22:02.329 --> 00:22:04.869 every man, every woman, every student right now. 00:22:07.630 --> 00:22:09.990 Can I ask you, just in a moment of silence as 00:22:09.990 --> 00:22:13.759 we close, just to say, Lord, what... What's the 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:17.259 next step for me? And just listen quietly. Lord, 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:23.119 what's a step toward you look like? You're listening 00:22:23.119 --> 00:22:25.900 to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and the 00:22:25.900 --> 00:22:28.660 message you just heard, experiencing hope, is 00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:31.700 from our series, I Choose Hope. Chip will join 00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:34.240 us in studio to share some insights from today's 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:37.240 talk in just a minute. In times of uncertainty, 00:22:37.500 --> 00:22:40.180 where do you turn for hope? And how confident 00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:42.440 are you in your source of comfort to provide 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:45.599 the stability you desire? As Chip teaches through 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.380 Philippians chapter 3, he'll share what God has 00:22:48.380 --> 00:22:50.740 to say about our fears about the future and how 00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:53.779 feeling secure is possible even when anxiety 00:22:53.779 --> 00:22:56.839 comes. Learn how to embrace a more resilient 00:22:56.839 --> 00:22:59.960 hope that will help you face each day with certainty 00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:03.440 and peace. Well, Chip's with me in studio now. 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:06.400 And Chip, the most recent research underlines 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:09.240 a profound truth. The most powerful influence 00:23:09.240 --> 00:23:12.420 in a person's life is their family. And that's 00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:14.920 why we're committed to supporting godly marriages 00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:17.980 and empowering moms and dads to make a difference 00:23:17.980 --> 00:23:20.579 in their children's lives. So, Chip, would you 00:23:20.579 --> 00:23:22.900 take a minute and elaborate on this crucial battle 00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:25.819 we're in? Absolutely, Dave. In fact, I remember 00:23:25.819 --> 00:23:28.519 one of my mentors, Professor Howard Hendricks, 00:23:28.539 --> 00:23:32.240 once said, the centerpiece of any society is 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:35.099 not the government, schools, or even the church. 00:23:35.339 --> 00:23:38.660 It's the family. And because of that, God -honoring 00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:41.099 families are in the crosshairs of the enemy. 00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:43.980 Couples today are struggling with communication, 00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:47.880 often feeling isolated in their marriages, bombarded 00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:50.440 by social media. And then as parents, they feel 00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:52.960 ill -equipped to navigate the complex challenges 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:55.420 of all the things that are coming at their kids, 00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:59.220 gender issues and sexuality issues and challenges 00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:02.859 from all directions. Parents are longing for 00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:05.200 help. And often these are the kind of issues 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:08.539 that don't get spoken to directly. or biblically 00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:11.059 in the local church because they're so controversial. 00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:14.440 So we at Living on the Edge are committed to 00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:17.119 helping create healthy families, which starts 00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:19.819 with equipping parents and strengthening marriages. 00:24:20.140 --> 00:24:23.640 Your support fuels the resources and events that 00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:26.960 build stronger, more resilient families that 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.900 are rooted in God's Word. Do you believe in the 00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:32.839 power of strong, faith -filled families to shape 00:24:32.839 --> 00:24:36.299 the future? If so, this is where your investment 00:24:36.299 --> 00:24:39.519 will make a tangible, long -term difference now 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:42.440 and in the days ahead. Thanks for whatever God 00:24:42.440 --> 00:24:45.259 leads you to do as we strengthen families all 00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:54.619 across America. But if you aren't yet on the 00:24:54.619 --> 00:24:56.980 team, now is a great time to become a financial 00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:59.880 partner. Thanks to a handful of ministry friends, 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:03.240 every dollar we receive until midnight June 30th 00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:06.059 will be matched dollar for dollar. To send a 00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:09.579 gift, visit livingontheedge .org or call us at 00:25:09.579 --> 00:25:16.500 888 -333 -6003. Again, that's 888 -333 -6003 00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:21.420 or go to livingontheedge .org. App listeners, 00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:25.539 tap donate. As we wrap up today's program, I 00:25:25.539 --> 00:25:29.259 confess to you that this is a really heavy message. 00:25:29.539 --> 00:25:31.900 I mean, there is so much pain and suffering, 00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:35.000 and sometimes it feels overwhelming. And, you 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:36.759 know, it just can seem like right now the world 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:39.740 is spinning out of control, and it's so difficult 00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:43.000 and so hard. And I want you to know that there's 00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:45.819 hope in the midst of that pain. That's what the 00:25:45.819 --> 00:25:48.480 Apostle Paul was talking about when he said, 00:25:48.559 --> 00:25:51.519 I want to know him. the power of his resurrection, 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:55.400 and the koinonia, or the fellowship of his suffering. 00:25:55.859 --> 00:25:58.700 In Romans 5, he says not only that, but exalt 00:25:58.700 --> 00:26:01.500 in my tribulation. And then he says, because 00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:05.259 why? He says there's this process God uses in 00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:08.700 a fallen world. tribulation brings about perseverance. 00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:11.099 You just hang in there. And then as you hang 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:13.180 in there and you persevere proven character, 00:26:13.480 --> 00:26:16.779 God actually changes you. And proven character 00:26:16.779 --> 00:26:19.599 leads to hope. Because what you realize is that 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:21.880 even though the external world may not change, 00:26:22.140 --> 00:26:25.980 God actually changes you. And hope doesn't disappoint 00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:29.039 because in the midst of your dependency and your 00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:32.400 pain and your suffering, he pours out the Holy 00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:36.150 Spirit in your heart. I think so many people 00:26:36.150 --> 00:26:39.450 are deeply, deeply disappointed with God because 00:26:39.450 --> 00:26:42.750 they're expecting God to do things He never promised. 00:26:43.609 --> 00:26:46.549 The Apostle Paul told us in the end of chapter 00:26:46.549 --> 00:26:50.250 1, it has been granted to us as a gift not only 00:26:50.250 --> 00:26:53.490 to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His 00:26:53.490 --> 00:26:56.750 sake. The theology of suffering, especially here 00:26:56.750 --> 00:26:58.990 in the West, when I go to the Middle East, believe 00:26:58.990 --> 00:27:00.990 me, they get it. When I go to China, believe 00:27:00.990 --> 00:27:03.849 me, they get it. But the theology of suffering 00:27:03.849 --> 00:27:06.589 somehow is almost completely missing from our 00:27:06.589 --> 00:27:10.970 prosperity -oriented mindset about God. And I 00:27:10.970 --> 00:27:13.109 know I'm speaking to some people right now that 00:27:13.109 --> 00:27:15.609 you're angry at God or disappointed with God 00:27:15.609 --> 00:27:17.809 and your arms are crossed or you even turned 00:27:17.809 --> 00:27:19.410 away from God because, you know, you went to 00:27:19.410 --> 00:27:22.170 church and you prayed and maybe even gave a tithe. 00:27:22.190 --> 00:27:23.869 And you know what? Your marriage didn't work 00:27:23.869 --> 00:27:25.930 out or your kids made some bad decisions and 00:27:25.930 --> 00:27:29.829 you're blaming God. I want you to know that he 00:27:29.829 --> 00:27:32.559 never promised all that would happen. What he 00:27:32.559 --> 00:27:34.720 promised is that he would love you and never 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:37.759 leave you and be with you in it and through it. 00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:40.500 And he wouldn't always deliver you out of things, 00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:43.559 but he would deliver you through everything as 00:27:43.559 --> 00:27:46.960 you trust him. And that's what the Apostle Paul 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:50.200 is teaching us. It's in trusting and loving God 00:27:50.200 --> 00:27:53.119 in the midst of it all. that our lives are transformed 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:56.140 and changed. And honestly, the greatest testimony 00:27:56.140 --> 00:27:58.759 to the outside world is not that you drive a 00:27:58.759 --> 00:28:00.980 nice car, have a big house, have a great job, 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:03.480 and it looks like you have it all together. The 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.559 greatest testimony is the reality of Christ in 00:28:06.559 --> 00:28:09.039 the midst of the most difficult issues of life, 00:28:09.259 --> 00:28:13.660 the cancer, the divorce, the unexpected car wreck, 00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:17.000 when there's no explanation other than a supernatural 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:21.130 hope in your heart and in your life. I want you 00:28:21.130 --> 00:28:24.690 to know that God will be there for you. Run to 00:28:24.690 --> 00:28:28.049 him. The scripture says you have need of endurance 00:28:28.049 --> 00:28:31.089 so that once you've done the will of God, you 00:28:31.089 --> 00:28:34.509 might receive what is promised. And Lord, it 00:28:34.509 --> 00:28:37.569 is so hard to endure for some right now. I pray 00:28:37.569 --> 00:28:40.890 in the name of your Son and by the power of your 00:28:40.890 --> 00:28:44.490 Holy Spirit that each person listening to my 00:28:44.490 --> 00:28:47.349 voice at this very moment might be given the 00:28:47.349 --> 00:28:51.549 grace to just endure, to hang on. And then, Lord, 00:28:51.609 --> 00:28:54.890 I pray that you reveal yourself in power and 00:28:54.890 --> 00:28:57.970 in comfort and in fortitude. In Jesus' name, 00:28:58.130 --> 00:29:01.849 amen. Amen, Chip. That's an encouraging word 00:29:01.849 --> 00:29:04.289 that'll speak to a lot of people. And if you're 00:29:04.289 --> 00:29:06.789 in a painful season right now, we'd love to pray 00:29:06.789 --> 00:29:09.359 for you. We sincerely care about what's going 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:14.319 on in your life. So call us at 888 -333 -6003. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:16.700 And a member of our team would love to pray for 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:21.799 you. That's 888 -333 -6003. Or if it's easier, 00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:26.619 email us at chip at livingontheedge .org. Again, 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:31.339 that's chip at livingontheedge .org. Well, until 00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:33.539 next time, this is Dave Drewy saying thanks for 00:29:33.539 --> 00:29:36.220 listening to this edition of Living on the Edge.