WEBVTT 00:00:01.290 --> 00:00:03.629 There are three words that have the power to 00:00:03.629 --> 00:00:06.349 release you from the grip of the urgent. There's 00:00:06.349 --> 00:00:08.789 three words that contain the key to you experiencing 00:00:08.789 --> 00:00:12.169 more and more of what God wants for you. These 00:00:12.169 --> 00:00:14.650 three words could liberate you. They could help 00:00:14.650 --> 00:00:16.949 you keep your commitments to God. Would you like 00:00:16.949 --> 00:00:19.170 to know what these three words are? Well, stay 00:00:19.170 --> 00:00:23.289 with me. That's today. Thanks for listening to 00:00:23.289 --> 00:00:25.949 this edition of Living on the Edge with Chip 00:00:25.949 --> 00:00:28.559 Ingram. We are an international teaching and 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:31.160 discipleship ministry that encourages and equips 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:33.880 Christians to live like Christians. Well, today 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:36.740 Chip continues a series, Balancing Life's Demands, 00:00:36.780 --> 00:00:39.240 with more on how to put the first things first 00:00:39.240 --> 00:00:42.119 in our lives. A lot of insight to get to, so 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:44.399 go in your Bible again to Hebrews chapter 12 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:47.119 as we join Chip for the remainder of his message. 00:00:48.659 --> 00:00:51.280 Delayed gratification, if that's the key, how 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:53.829 do you develop it in your life? And the method 00:00:53.829 --> 00:00:56.130 of developing biblical discipline can be summed 00:00:56.130 --> 00:00:59.009 up in three words. Discipline is two words, delayed 00:00:59.009 --> 00:01:02.490 gratification. How you get it, the process of 00:01:02.490 --> 00:01:04.390 developing it. You say to yourself, what's the 00:01:04.390 --> 00:01:06.609 training? Where's the magazine that says if I 00:01:06.609 --> 00:01:08.870 run, you know, jog a little bit and then the 00:01:08.870 --> 00:01:11.069 next week I actually try and jog a mile and then 00:01:11.069 --> 00:01:13.750 after that I go and where, how does that happen? 00:01:13.829 --> 00:01:14.950 And you're gonna see it right out of scripture. 00:01:15.670 --> 00:01:18.510 The three key words are advance decision -making. 00:01:19.609 --> 00:01:23.170 The key to delayed gratification. If you are 00:01:23.170 --> 00:01:26.010 at the window and the moment where you know you 00:01:26.010 --> 00:01:28.769 need to delay your gratification and you haven't 00:01:28.769 --> 00:01:30.209 pre -decided what you're going to do in that 00:01:30.209 --> 00:01:33.349 moment, about 95 % of the time, you will do what 00:01:33.349 --> 00:01:38.349 you don't want to do. Let me give you a biblical 00:01:38.349 --> 00:01:41.069 example. And if you have your pen or pencil, 00:01:41.150 --> 00:01:43.129 pull it out because I want you to circle, do 00:01:43.129 --> 00:01:44.790 a little Bible study. You're going to see something 00:01:44.790 --> 00:01:46.870 very interesting about what the apostle Paul 00:01:46.870 --> 00:01:49.849 does. Now, remember, I mean, this is a godly, 00:01:49.849 --> 00:01:52.909 godly man. 13 books of the New Testament he writes. 00:01:53.349 --> 00:01:55.469 So I want to give you a little content. I mean, 00:01:55.469 --> 00:01:57.810 this is a guy who God has greatly, greatly used. 00:01:58.530 --> 00:02:01.150 But listen to some of his fears in his life. 00:02:02.290 --> 00:02:04.269 He's writing to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 00:02:04.269 --> 00:02:07.650 9. He says, do you not know that those who run 00:02:07.650 --> 00:02:09.990 in a race all run, but only one receives the 00:02:09.990 --> 00:02:13.930 prize? Run in such a way, that's a manner of 00:02:13.930 --> 00:02:16.969 living, that you may win, circle the word win. 00:02:18.219 --> 00:02:20.580 And everyone who competes in the games, he's 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:22.159 giving reference to the Olympic Games at the 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:25.819 time, exercises put a box around self -control. 00:02:25.900 --> 00:02:34.259 That's our word. In what? All things. Application 00:02:34.259 --> 00:02:37.199 to the Olympic Games and the people of his day. 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:40.819 They do it to receive a perishable wreath in 00:02:40.819 --> 00:02:43.120 the Olympic Games. They actually had an Olympic 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:45.560 village. You had to talk about training. You 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:48.219 had to sign up in advance. You had to be approved 00:02:48.219 --> 00:02:50.680 and you lived in an Olympic village and they 00:02:50.680 --> 00:02:54.219 moderated your food and your schedule for a full 00:02:54.219 --> 00:02:56.460 year. And you were in what was called training. 00:02:59.139 --> 00:03:01.379 So that was the commitment long before the games. 00:03:01.780 --> 00:03:05.560 They do it so at the very end, in front of thousands 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:09.120 of people, they would take a wreath and they 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:10.759 would stick it on your head to declare you as 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:13.860 the champion. To get the praise of people. They 00:03:13.860 --> 00:03:16.319 do it. They go into training. They're self -controlled. 00:03:16.539 --> 00:03:18.780 They rearrange their time, their eating, their 00:03:18.780 --> 00:03:21.819 habits, their focus, their family to get a perishable 00:03:21.819 --> 00:03:24.759 wreath. But we, an imperishable, and he's picturing 00:03:24.759 --> 00:03:27.699 the judgment seat of Christ and the reward for 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:30.500 the sons and daughters of the king. So here's 00:03:30.500 --> 00:03:34.240 his personal application. Therefore, I run, notice, 00:03:34.319 --> 00:03:37.460 in such a way. What's that? It's repeated again. 00:03:37.479 --> 00:03:40.580 It's a manner of life. How do I do life? How 00:03:40.580 --> 00:03:43.020 do I put my schedule together? What are my priorities? 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:46.900 See, I run in such a way, notice, as not without 00:03:46.900 --> 00:03:52.780 aim. I box in such a way as not beating the air, 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:57.020 but I buffet my body. And the phrase is interesting 00:03:57.020 --> 00:03:59.680 in the original text. Literally, it's a battering 00:03:59.680 --> 00:04:02.659 to black and blue. He's making a little hyperbole 00:04:02.659 --> 00:04:06.629 here. And I make it my slave. In other words, 00:04:06.650 --> 00:04:08.590 my body's not gonna tell me I gotta go to the 00:04:08.590 --> 00:04:10.169 refrigerator. My body's not gonna tell me because 00:04:10.169 --> 00:04:12.490 I'm tired I gotta turn on the TV. My body and 00:04:12.490 --> 00:04:14.949 my emotions are not gonna tell me how to live 00:04:14.949 --> 00:04:18.069 my life. I'm gonna be in control by the Spirit 00:04:18.069 --> 00:04:20.449 of God to do what needs to be done when it needs 00:04:20.449 --> 00:04:25.839 to be done so that I can have A wreath from the 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:28.660 King of Kings that says, well done, thou good 00:04:28.660 --> 00:04:31.839 and faithful servant. I can have the kind of 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:34.740 marriage that God wants for me. I can have the 00:04:34.740 --> 00:04:37.060 kind of kids who say, I wish I had a dad or a 00:04:37.060 --> 00:04:40.040 mom like that. I can have employees who say, 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:42.860 now there is someone who runs a company God's 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:49.819 way. Get it? He goes on to say, after I have 00:04:49.819 --> 00:04:52.120 preached to others, I buffet my body, I make 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:54.639 it my slave. He's talking about the self -control. 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:57.959 Least possibly after I've preached to others, 00:04:58.139 --> 00:05:01.860 I myself should be disqualified. Not speaking 00:05:01.860 --> 00:05:05.800 of a salvation whatsoever. Disqualified as, you 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:07.899 know what? I'm not in the game. Not making a 00:05:07.899 --> 00:05:10.759 difference. I mean, all of us want to say, well, 00:05:10.759 --> 00:05:12.000 Paul, are you kidding me, man? I mean, right 00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:13.819 by now, you've probably got five, six, seven 00:05:13.819 --> 00:05:15.740 New Testament books written. You're one of our 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:17.379 heroes. You're the greatest missionary entrepreneur 00:05:17.379 --> 00:05:22.120 of all time. And he realizes it never ends. The 00:05:22.120 --> 00:05:24.639 pull of the flesh, the draw of the spirit. The 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:28.160 pull of the world, the draw of the spirit. Let 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:30.740 me make a couple observations and then I wanna 00:05:30.740 --> 00:05:34.160 get this very practical. Notice he has a clear 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:38.180 cut goal, verse 24, to win. Notice verse 25, 00:05:38.540 --> 00:05:42.699 there's a focus on the prize. He lives consciously 00:05:42.699 --> 00:05:45.220 with a sense of reward. There's something I want 00:05:45.220 --> 00:05:49.060 to get. There's something I want to become. Notice 00:05:49.060 --> 00:05:53.699 verse 25 and 26, there's a motive. And his motives 00:05:53.699 --> 00:05:56.819 are the eternal versus the temporal, right? An 00:05:56.819 --> 00:05:59.639 imperishable versus a perishable. And then finally, 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:02.959 notice the personal application. He basically 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:06.839 says, I have clear -cut goals. I don't beat the 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:09.500 air. I don't run aimlessly. I'm not jogging here. 00:06:09.560 --> 00:06:12.939 I know exactly where I'm going. Second, he focuses 00:06:12.939 --> 00:06:15.399 on the reward so that I'll get that. And third, 00:06:15.620 --> 00:06:19.360 he ponders the consequences. of what if I don't 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:23.779 do this? What if I don't do what needs to be 00:06:23.779 --> 00:06:26.560 done when it needs to be done as an apostle of 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:30.459 the Lord Jesus Christ and I am disqualified for 00:06:30.459 --> 00:06:34.420 service? And from that passage alone, if you 00:06:34.420 --> 00:06:36.699 honestly in your heart of heart want to learn 00:06:36.699 --> 00:06:38.959 to put first things first, everything from your 00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:42.709 money, to your time, to your relationships, to 00:06:42.709 --> 00:06:45.829 ministry, and to work. I will tell you, the Apostle 00:06:45.829 --> 00:06:48.550 Paul is outlining for us exactly how to do it. 00:06:49.629 --> 00:06:51.730 Advanced decision -making, we said, is the key. 00:06:51.990 --> 00:06:56.610 Notice it begins with clear -cut objectives. 00:06:57.910 --> 00:07:01.329 Advanced decision -making is rooted in clear 00:07:01.329 --> 00:07:05.639 -cut objectives. Now, let me give you a couple 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:08.819 examples of advanced decision -making. And by 00:07:08.819 --> 00:07:11.240 the way, again, sometimes when you hear people 00:07:11.240 --> 00:07:14.639 talk, we unconsciously think, well, he said that. 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:16.519 Maybe I should do that. Maybe you shouldn't. 00:07:17.699 --> 00:07:20.040 I'm going to give you personal advanced decisions 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:23.100 I've made that the Spirit of God has led me to 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:25.439 make so I can become who God wants me to be. 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:28.839 If some of them might be helpful, great. But 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.379 that's how people get all messed up. Well, you 00:07:31.379 --> 00:07:33.040 know, Chip, he's doing it this way. Well, good. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:35.019 You know why? Because he's Chip. You're Mary. 00:07:35.740 --> 00:07:38.660 Be Mary. Be Bob. You need to discern what God 00:07:38.660 --> 00:07:41.199 wants you to do. But here's a few advanced decisions 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:45.399 I've made. What? So that I can get the imperishable. 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:49.660 I have an advanced decision. I'll be with God 00:07:49.660 --> 00:07:51.980 before I'll be with people. It's my advanced 00:07:51.980 --> 00:07:54.300 decision with my time. Hey, can we get together 00:07:54.300 --> 00:07:56.060 tomorrow? I've got a big business deal. We want 00:07:56.060 --> 00:07:57.480 you to meet so -and -so and so -and -so and da 00:07:57.480 --> 00:08:00.199 -da -da. Okay. Advanced decision. I'm going to 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:02.600 meet with God before I meet with people. Boy, 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:07.990 that really backs things up. But I just found 00:08:07.990 --> 00:08:10.269 when I start getting with people, I get pulled. 00:08:10.569 --> 00:08:13.410 I need to meet with God first. I made an advanced 00:08:13.410 --> 00:08:15.370 decision. So I don't get up in the morning and 00:08:15.370 --> 00:08:17.149 the alarm goes off and go, I wonder what I should 00:08:17.149 --> 00:08:19.370 do today. I wonder if I should read my Bible 00:08:19.370 --> 00:08:20.990 and pray. I wonder what I should do. I wonder 00:08:20.990 --> 00:08:23.550 where I should. I got a plan. That's an advanced 00:08:23.550 --> 00:08:26.370 decision. Second advanced decision, I will give 00:08:26.370 --> 00:08:30.279 the first portion of every check to God. It's 00:08:30.279 --> 00:08:31.699 an advanced decision. I don't care what we got 00:08:31.699 --> 00:08:33.440 in the bank, don't have in the bank. Man, I've 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:35.460 pulled quarters out of the back seat. I've been 00:08:35.460 --> 00:08:37.759 a really, really poor guy at times in our life 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:42.879 with three kids and four kids. And no matter, 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:45.940 we just decide, we pre -decided by faith, either 00:08:45.940 --> 00:08:48.740 I trust God, I believe in God, or I don't. He 00:08:48.740 --> 00:08:50.759 needs to have my heart. He doesn't have my heart 00:08:50.759 --> 00:08:52.740 unless he has my money. And we've been on this 00:08:52.740 --> 00:08:54.899 journey of giving the first portion and progressively 00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:58.259 giving more and more and more because we want 00:08:58.259 --> 00:09:00.759 to, because we actually believe there's an eternity 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:02.759 and we actually believe there's a reward and 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:04.480 we actually believe you can send it on ahead 00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:07.179 because Jesus said so. Advanced decision number 00:09:07.179 --> 00:09:09.919 three, I will not buy anything we can't pay for 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:13.210 in 30 days. And I will say, yes, the exception 00:09:13.210 --> 00:09:18.230 of a house. Or some of you would say, you know, 00:09:18.309 --> 00:09:20.330 Chip, that's good for you, but you need to consider 00:09:20.330 --> 00:09:23.309 this. Great, consider all the other stuff. I'm 00:09:23.309 --> 00:09:25.950 just saying as a general rule, if we can't pay 00:09:25.950 --> 00:09:31.230 for it, I've never paid interest on any credit 00:09:31.230 --> 00:09:35.889 card, ever. After I saved up the first time and 00:09:35.889 --> 00:09:37.950 prayed and asked God, I've had cars for eight 00:09:37.950 --> 00:09:40.570 and 10 and 12 years, but it's been 20 some years 00:09:40.570 --> 00:09:44.860 since I ever, Put a car on time. You'd start 00:09:44.860 --> 00:09:46.919 trusting God and asking for those things. This 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:48.840 whole deal, they want you to get a car, you know, 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:51.379 every three years. You know, man, you just lost 00:09:51.379 --> 00:09:53.519 about 15 % of it when it goes off the lot. And, 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:58.440 you know, that whole leasing deal. The most profitable 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:00.700 part of Ford Motor Company has nothing to do 00:10:00.700 --> 00:10:02.279 with selling anything. It's their finance department. 00:10:03.789 --> 00:10:05.870 Because they got Americans thinking, for life, 00:10:05.889 --> 00:10:07.190 I've got to have a house payment. For life, I 00:10:07.190 --> 00:10:08.750 have a car payment. For life, now I can go to 00:10:08.750 --> 00:10:11.370 rooms to go and, hey, don't have to pay for any 00:10:11.370 --> 00:10:14.929 of the rooms until 2094 and, you know, no interest 00:10:14.929 --> 00:10:17.669 down. I mean, you know, everything on TV says, 00:10:17.769 --> 00:10:19.330 they don't even tell you the price of things 00:10:19.330 --> 00:10:22.850 anymore. It's just how much a month. But, I mean, 00:10:22.870 --> 00:10:27.590 for me, that's just a decision. I've pre -decided 00:10:27.590 --> 00:10:31.440 I will not view nudity of any kind. For me, not 00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:34.179 you, for me, I've decided there's certain ratings, 00:10:34.259 --> 00:10:36.960 I don't care, I won't see them. I just pre -decide. 00:10:37.080 --> 00:10:39.100 I've missed probably two or three really great 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:41.840 movies that had a rating that's beyond my personal 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:45.220 conviction. I confess, I have missed a couple 00:10:45.220 --> 00:10:48.740 great movies. And I think I've dodged about a 00:10:48.740 --> 00:10:52.840 thousand. Because I'm just, I'm real visual and 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:55.700 I'm sensitive. And so I just, my one is I will 00:10:55.700 --> 00:10:59.139 not be with another woman alone other than my 00:10:59.139 --> 00:11:02.799 wife. I've seen all these ministry guys who love 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:04.840 God. They start counseling people. I'm a lousy 00:11:04.840 --> 00:11:06.340 counselor anyway, so that's a pretty easy one 00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:11.820 for me. But, I mean, it's even down to, you know, 00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:13.399 there's an emergency. The car's here. You know, 00:11:13.419 --> 00:11:16.340 my assistant. You know what? I made a pre -decision. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:20.019 I mean, it's only six miles away. You're legalistic. 00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:23.240 Okay, confession. I am, I am, I am. On this one, 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.740 I'm legalistic. But I just got this theory. If 00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:28.259 I'm not with another woman alone other than Teresa, 00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:32.120 there's a good chance I'll end with her. And 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:34.120 is it okay for some other people to do that differently? 00:11:34.220 --> 00:11:37.519 Absolutely. You do whatever God shows you. A 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.860 lot of my pre -decisions are about my weakness, 00:11:39.899 --> 00:11:45.779 not my strength. So what pre -decisions would 00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:50.600 God want you to make? I mean, my dad, I really 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.559 saw God do a great thing in his life when he 00:11:53.459 --> 00:11:55.580 You know, it was really hard. World War II and 00:11:55.580 --> 00:11:58.360 became an alcoholic, a functional, loving alcoholic. 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:00.059 I mean, you know, he drank all the time, but 00:12:00.059 --> 00:12:02.559 he wasn't like mean or he just started drinking 00:12:02.559 --> 00:12:04.500 beer about 2 in the afternoon and about 11 at 00:12:04.500 --> 00:12:06.059 night he was still drinking beer. And on Saturday 00:12:06.059 --> 00:12:08.019 he started at 9 in the morning and did it all 00:12:08.019 --> 00:12:11.419 day. But, you know, he was a nice guy. And I 00:12:11.419 --> 00:12:14.620 remember when he quit. And then he actually quit 00:12:14.620 --> 00:12:16.480 and then came to Christ. Give it to the Marines, 00:12:16.620 --> 00:12:20.730 right? And then he just made some pre -decisions. 00:12:20.730 --> 00:12:22.169 You know, all of his buddies, he just, you know, 00:12:22.190 --> 00:12:24.389 I can't go to Pete's Bar and Grill. I like hanging 00:12:24.389 --> 00:12:27.909 out with you guys, but I can't go there and maintain 00:12:27.909 --> 00:12:31.190 victory. And we all have those areas. I have 00:12:31.190 --> 00:12:33.970 a very, very good friend who does not have internet 00:12:33.970 --> 00:12:35.570 at his house. And you're thinking, how do you 00:12:35.570 --> 00:12:38.149 do life? Well, he had a porn problem for two 00:12:38.149 --> 00:12:42.809 years. And he just pre -decided. You know, other 00:12:42.809 --> 00:12:45.990 people, I can't. I just can't have it in my house. 00:12:47.340 --> 00:12:50.759 But if you want to be disciplined, you have to 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:52.799 make some pre -decisions. And here's the key. 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:55.279 Let the pre -decisions grow out of clear -cut 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:59.039 objectives. My experience is so often what they 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:01.460 grow out of is guilt and other people's expectations 00:13:01.460 --> 00:13:03.519 and this thought of, well, I ought to do this. 00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:05.600 I ought to be more this way. You know, that won't 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:09.700 keep you. You're listening to Living on the Edge. 00:13:09.879 --> 00:13:12.120 We'll get you back to today's program in just 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:14.580 a second. But first, did you know that other 00:13:14.580 --> 00:13:16.940 believers are paramount to your faith journey? 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:20.019 Keep listening after this message as Chip explains 00:13:20.019 --> 00:13:22.919 why and highlights some resources we have to 00:13:22.919 --> 00:13:25.340 help you connect with authentic community today. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:28.620 Stick around to learn more. But for now, here 00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:31.519 again is Chip. In that passage, the world, you 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:33.580 know, the children of darkness more shrewd than 00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:35.889 the children of light. To get through seminary, 00:13:35.889 --> 00:13:39.070 I used to sell insurance and investments. If 00:13:39.070 --> 00:13:41.769 I made three sales, I could feed my family. I 00:13:41.769 --> 00:13:43.409 was full -time in school and working full -time. 00:13:43.909 --> 00:13:45.409 And so I went out about three or four nights 00:13:45.409 --> 00:13:48.149 a week, and I went to the northern part of Dallas, 00:13:48.289 --> 00:13:50.950 amazing luxury home, sat down with this couple, 00:13:50.990 --> 00:13:53.409 and I learned something. I mean, I had all different 00:13:53.409 --> 00:13:55.909 socioeconomic levels, but a lot of them I got 00:13:55.909 --> 00:13:57.330 in sort of the referrals. I was getting into 00:13:57.330 --> 00:13:59.370 the, you know, the gravy land, the people that 00:13:59.370 --> 00:14:01.039 had some... money and I thought this is really 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:02.659 going to work out and then I learned something 00:14:02.659 --> 00:14:04.779 when people had a little window and they made 00:14:04.779 --> 00:14:07.080 this much money that's what they spent and then 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:08.779 when they made this much money that's what they 00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:10.740 spent and then when they made this much money 00:14:10.740 --> 00:14:13.309 that's what they spent I mean, I just would pray, 00:14:13.389 --> 00:14:15.529 God, give me an engineer. Please, please, please, 00:14:15.610 --> 00:14:17.049 I wanna meet with an engineer. They're just so 00:14:17.049 --> 00:14:19.269 logical. I can show them this, this, they go, 00:14:19.350 --> 00:14:21.830 bang, okay, let's do it. I would sit at the table 00:14:21.830 --> 00:14:24.210 with people in luxurious homes and BMWs and a 00:14:24.210 --> 00:14:26.509 Mercedes and this and that, and they were leveraged 00:14:26.509 --> 00:14:28.490 up to their nostrils and they couldn't make a 00:14:28.490 --> 00:14:30.789 simple change or invest the difference. And it 00:14:30.789 --> 00:14:32.330 was like, and I remember sitting at that table 00:14:32.330 --> 00:14:35.389 and I looked over and this guy had on his refrigerator, 00:14:35.529 --> 00:14:39.110 I mean, a big picture of a black turbo nine, 00:14:39.169 --> 00:14:44.009 I think it was a 911 Porsche. You got to say 00:14:44.009 --> 00:14:47.330 it right, Porsche. And I said, what's that? He 00:14:47.330 --> 00:14:53.389 goes, that's why I do what I do. I said, what 00:14:53.389 --> 00:14:56.210 do you do? He said, I'm growing a business, make 00:14:56.210 --> 00:14:58.789 a lot of money. And you know, at first I thought, 00:14:58.850 --> 00:15:01.169 oh, how materialistic. And then I thought, you 00:15:01.169 --> 00:15:02.690 know what? That dude's smarter than most of us. 00:15:03.009 --> 00:15:05.889 We don't even know what we want to do. He's got 00:15:05.889 --> 00:15:09.269 a... Picture a goal, a clarity, and it makes 00:15:09.269 --> 00:15:11.409 the rest of his life make sense. I may disagree 00:15:11.409 --> 00:15:13.090 that that's the highest thing to give your life 00:15:13.090 --> 00:15:18.509 to, but this is Paul's illustration. There's 00:15:18.509 --> 00:15:21.190 people that give up a year of their life, eat 00:15:21.190 --> 00:15:24.110 the same food, be away from their families, go 00:15:24.110 --> 00:15:26.250 in training for a year so that they could get 00:15:26.250 --> 00:15:28.289 a little wreath on top of their head. Hello. 00:15:30.049 --> 00:15:33.730 He's saying, what are your clear -cut goals? 00:15:35.049 --> 00:15:38.730 I would encourage you to develop a to -be list. 00:15:40.710 --> 00:15:42.649 I know you do to -do lists, or at least most 00:15:42.649 --> 00:15:48.190 of you do. It was 1986. Obviously, Prof. Hendricks 00:15:48.190 --> 00:15:50.769 of Dallas Seminary has had a big impact. It was 00:15:50.769 --> 00:15:53.350 a brown bag lunch. I was with 12 other guys. 00:15:53.929 --> 00:15:57.549 We were talking about life and ministry and being 00:15:57.549 --> 00:15:59.110 husbands and fathers and what we were supposed 00:15:59.110 --> 00:16:01.690 to be, what we wanted to do. And I'll never forget, 00:16:01.809 --> 00:16:04.330 Prof. put these four words up on the board. And 00:16:04.330 --> 00:16:06.870 then he basically said, guys, hey, get grace 00:16:06.870 --> 00:16:09.370 down. God loves you at this moment as much as 00:16:09.370 --> 00:16:13.769 he'll ever love you. Okay? Let that sink in. 00:16:14.730 --> 00:16:17.429 Gentlemen, you can't impress him. Reading longer, 00:16:17.629 --> 00:16:20.690 praying longer, effective ministries doesn't 00:16:20.690 --> 00:16:23.649 change his love. So what you need to do first 00:16:23.649 --> 00:16:25.909 is get rooted and grounded in that you are loved 00:16:25.909 --> 00:16:28.029 and accepted that you're his son. We were all 00:16:28.029 --> 00:16:30.330 men in the room at the time. He says, then you 00:16:30.330 --> 00:16:32.409 need to ask, how do you say thank you and what 00:16:32.409 --> 00:16:34.429 do you want to do with your life? What do you 00:16:34.429 --> 00:16:39.110 want to be? What do you want to be? And it hit 00:16:39.110 --> 00:16:41.309 me because I was focused. Accomplishments are 00:16:41.309 --> 00:16:44.490 about doing, doing, doing, doing. And I remember 00:16:44.490 --> 00:16:46.210 driving home. I can almost tell you where I was 00:16:46.210 --> 00:16:48.649 on the freeway. And I started thinking, what 00:16:48.649 --> 00:16:50.629 do I really want to be? I mean, out loud in the 00:16:50.629 --> 00:16:53.509 car, kind of, you know, talks with God. I thought, 00:16:53.570 --> 00:17:00.279 I want to be a man of God. That's what I want 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:04.460 to be. I want to be a man of God. I want to be 00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:06.980 like one of those people God would say, Chip 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:11.180 fulfilled God's purposes. Chip had a heart for 00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:15.900 me. And I thought, boy, okay. And then I thought, 00:17:15.940 --> 00:17:20.119 I want to be a great husband. I want a great 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:22.960 marriage. I want to be a great husband. I had 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:26.319 three kids at the time. I want to be a great 00:17:26.319 --> 00:17:29.099 father. And then I got kind of bold and I thought, 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:34.799 I want to be a great pastor. I don't want to 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:37.819 be an okay one. I want to be a great pastor. 00:17:38.839 --> 00:17:41.740 And I took my want to be's and then I want to 00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:46.319 be a great friend. I want to be in shape the 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:48.420 rest of my life. You know, I kind of had this 00:17:48.420 --> 00:17:51.500 thing where some of the circles that my early 00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:53.720 Christian experience was all these people talk 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:55.680 about God. It was just like, man, they were just. 00:17:56.360 --> 00:17:59.799 you know, like so far out of shape and so disconnected 00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:01.599 from the world and part of not wanting to be 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.539 a pastor was like, I don't want to be like that. 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:09.720 I want to be. I put my to -be's on my calendar 00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:13.740 for me. You can do it any way. To be a man of 00:18:13.740 --> 00:18:15.180 God, I'm going to meet with God and I blocked 00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:17.700 off these mornings. And to be a great husband, 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:19.660 it takes a lot more and it's relational, don't, 00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:22.700 okay? But I blocked off Friday and I had a date 00:18:22.700 --> 00:18:24.319 with Teresa and we had three or four hour block 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:27.880 every Friday. All the time I pastored. And then 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:31.460 I put my kids in my calendar. And then I blocked 00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:33.839 off, okay, all day Wednesday, half Thursday, 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:36.740 my outline. I want to be a great pastor. I want 00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:39.279 to preach great messages. And then I, like you, 00:18:39.339 --> 00:18:41.900 I can't keep that. And I was with Bill Glass 00:18:41.900 --> 00:18:46.170 in a prison. And we were sharing Christ, and 00:18:46.170 --> 00:18:47.950 one of the elders took me there and did it a 00:18:47.950 --> 00:18:50.450 number of times. And just off the cuff, he talked 00:18:50.450 --> 00:18:53.490 about how your mind, whatever you think about, 00:18:53.549 --> 00:18:56.250 what your desires are, you unconsciously gravitate 00:18:56.250 --> 00:18:58.369 toward accomplishing. And I don't know why I 00:18:58.369 --> 00:18:59.670 was just sitting at the table and I was listening. 00:18:59.769 --> 00:19:01.869 I was just a 28 -year -old pastor. You're sitting 00:19:01.869 --> 00:19:03.390 in the background listening to all these heavy 00:19:03.390 --> 00:19:06.549 hitters. And I remember thinking, I know what 00:19:06.549 --> 00:19:08.809 I'm going to do. I'm going to write. This is 00:19:08.809 --> 00:19:12.369 an old card, 1986. It's my desire cards. And 00:19:12.369 --> 00:19:13.730 it's, you know, delight yourself in the Lord. 00:19:13.789 --> 00:19:15.490 He'll give you the desires of your heart. What 00:19:15.490 --> 00:19:19.069 if I started writing on cards what I want to 00:19:19.069 --> 00:19:22.250 be? That I knew for sure it's God's will. I'm 00:19:22.250 --> 00:19:24.029 not going to memorize them. I'm coming out of 00:19:24.029 --> 00:19:25.529 becoming a workaholic, you know, after three 00:19:25.529 --> 00:19:27.630 years. I don't want to memorize them. I don't 00:19:27.630 --> 00:19:29.049 want to demand them. I'm not going to say their 00:19:29.049 --> 00:19:31.769 goals. I'm just going to tell God these are desires 00:19:31.769 --> 00:19:35.119 of my heart. And then I'm going to let him sort 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:37.839 of gravitate. So these are old colored cards. 00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:40.480 Actually, I was a little obsessive compulsive. 00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:42.960 I put the family in one color, work in one color. 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:46.799 So, you know, sorry. Some of us can't get over. 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:49.039 I was making progress. I was in recovery. But 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:52.660 anyway, but let me just give you. And at night, 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:54.819 I would just read these over. And then during 00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:56.819 the day, now and then. And I didn't feel like 00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:59.279 if I missed a day, who cares? But three or four 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:01.059 or five times a week, I'm reading these over. 00:20:01.630 --> 00:20:04.690 I want to be a worshiper. I want to enjoy God 00:20:04.690 --> 00:20:06.890 more, sing of his greatness, ascribe worth and 00:20:06.890 --> 00:20:09.609 praise to him. Because that didn't come naturally 00:20:09.609 --> 00:20:12.569 to me. I'd like to become habitually thankful 00:20:12.569 --> 00:20:15.529 as a matter of unconscious response to all life 00:20:15.529 --> 00:20:18.009 circumstances and relationships in light of the 00:20:18.009 --> 00:20:20.250 goodness and the sovereignty of God. I just want 00:20:20.250 --> 00:20:22.990 to become my unconscious reaction to everything. 00:20:23.349 --> 00:20:27.769 Thank you. I want to learn to take time and schedule 00:20:27.769 --> 00:20:30.970 in enjoyable, fun, refreshing activities without 00:20:30.970 --> 00:20:33.569 feeling guilty about them or what others might 00:20:33.569 --> 00:20:36.109 think. You can hear me trying to break out of 00:20:36.109 --> 00:20:40.170 those pleasing people. I long to see each of 00:20:40.170 --> 00:20:42.190 my children hunger and thirst for righteousness 00:20:42.190 --> 00:20:45.529 and know deep in their souls how loved, significant 00:20:45.529 --> 00:20:48.309 and valued they are in Christ, not because of 00:20:48.309 --> 00:20:53.230 anything or anyone. I'd like to become more joyfully 00:20:53.230 --> 00:20:55.410 disciplined in praying for longer seasons of 00:20:55.410 --> 00:20:59.369 time and learn the joy of simply resting in and 00:20:59.369 --> 00:21:02.250 enjoying my relationship with Jesus. I want to 00:21:02.250 --> 00:21:04.190 stop caring about what others think and apply 00:21:04.190 --> 00:21:06.730 myself, my schedule, to what will make me the 00:21:06.730 --> 00:21:09.970 best I can be to honor God the most. I want to 00:21:09.970 --> 00:21:12.630 be and grow free of the invisible expectations 00:21:12.630 --> 00:21:15.970 that I allow to hinder my joy, my freedom, my 00:21:15.970 --> 00:21:18.750 schedule, and for pursuing the best. I want to 00:21:18.750 --> 00:21:22.309 become more authentic in every aspect of my life. 00:21:22.410 --> 00:21:24.150 1 Corinthians 10, 12, you know, where Paul says, 00:21:24.329 --> 00:21:27.029 I am what I am by the grace of God. I'd like 00:21:27.029 --> 00:21:29.769 to view others in light of their eternity and 00:21:29.769 --> 00:21:31.609 needs instead of by their outward appearance, 00:21:31.869 --> 00:21:34.230 possessions, status, or do you get the idea? 00:21:34.589 --> 00:21:36.490 I know those are God's will, and you know, I 00:21:36.490 --> 00:21:39.809 got others, but we've had enough. What would 00:21:39.809 --> 00:21:43.619 happen if you did that? If God says he'll give 00:21:43.619 --> 00:21:45.119 you the desires of your heart, what if you wrote 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:47.980 down what you really wanna be? I wanna be a waifu. 00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:51.740 I wanna be a dad that, and I can tell you as 00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:54.059 I would read these over, I just have to confess 00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:56.119 I wasn't trying to pray, but I would just start 00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:58.380 gravitating toward praying these things for my 00:21:58.380 --> 00:22:01.000 kids. You know, one of mine is I want to be a 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:04.140 model of the attributes of God for each of my 00:22:04.140 --> 00:22:08.519 children. I mean, I want that, but... And then, 00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:10.319 so when something would happen and, you know, 00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:12.799 my anger or something, God would bring that little 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.319 card. And I end up, you know, apologizing to 00:22:15.319 --> 00:22:17.299 my four -year -old. You know, I'm sorry, and 00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:19.059 that's not how God works, and this is how daddy 00:22:19.059 --> 00:22:24.279 is. And clear -cut objectives. I learned this. 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:28.599 I was a gym rat. I didn't know what a workaholic 00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:31.059 was. I played basketball eight or ten hours a 00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:33.200 day because I thought it was my ticket to being 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:35.519 a somebody. And, you know, I mean, look at me. 00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:39.099 I mean, I am 6 '9", so you can... And I'm really 00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:42.259 strong, right? I probably had a 45 vertical. 00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:46.859 I mean, I'm a skinny little white kid, okay? 00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:50.019 And I know who I am. And I went in the inner 00:22:50.019 --> 00:22:52.880 city for years playing pickup with the brothers 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:56.039 to learn to get good. And I did those Pete Maravich 00:22:56.039 --> 00:22:57.819 drills until I could do this and do this and 00:22:57.819 --> 00:22:59.180 throw it here and threw it here and threw my 00:22:59.180 --> 00:23:01.559 legs. And I did it for eight or nine or 10 hours 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:03.440 because I had a goal. I wanted a scholarship, 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:05.220 a basketball scholarship. And if I did that, 00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:08.230 I'd be a someone. Well, I got a basketball scholarship, 00:23:08.309 --> 00:23:11.390 but that doesn't make you a someone. But here's 00:23:11.390 --> 00:23:14.529 what I learned. If you have a dream in your heart, 00:23:14.609 --> 00:23:16.930 if you have a desire, once the goal gets clear, 00:23:17.150 --> 00:23:19.329 you know what? I was very disciplined. I never 00:23:19.329 --> 00:23:21.529 thought I was disciplined. It was my want to. 00:23:21.990 --> 00:23:24.670 What do you want to? You want to be a great mom? 00:23:24.930 --> 00:23:27.609 You want to have a great marriage? You want to 00:23:27.609 --> 00:23:30.190 build a godly, great business? You want to be 00:23:30.190 --> 00:23:32.710 a great employee? You want to have great kids? 00:23:33.389 --> 00:23:35.950 Write down those desires. Get a clear -cut objective. 00:23:37.150 --> 00:23:39.289 And then all of a sudden, you know, yeah, a little 00:23:39.289 --> 00:23:41.170 sacrifice with our finances. Yeah, we can get 00:23:41.170 --> 00:23:43.589 on a budget because it ties into the clear -cut 00:23:43.589 --> 00:23:45.509 objective. Second is then focus on the reward 00:23:45.509 --> 00:23:48.789 like Paul did. Imagine, picture in your heart 00:23:48.789 --> 00:23:52.109 and mind the success. Reward yourself along the 00:23:52.109 --> 00:23:55.170 way. When I did real well in something, it takes 00:23:55.170 --> 00:23:58.230 six weeks to develop any habit, okay? getting 00:23:58.230 --> 00:23:59.990 up in the morning, whatever. When I did real 00:23:59.990 --> 00:24:02.390 well and it was hard to discipline myself in 00:24:02.390 --> 00:24:05.630 all these pools, I would reward myself. All my 00:24:05.630 --> 00:24:08.809 years in California, I met this older guy, godly 00:24:08.809 --> 00:24:12.069 guy, wise, gave oversight to these big companies 00:24:12.069 --> 00:24:14.089 in the past, and he was sort of my leadership 00:24:14.089 --> 00:24:18.230 guru. Every Thursday morning, if my outline was 00:24:18.230 --> 00:24:22.130 done, by 6 .30 a .m., we played nine holes of 00:24:22.130 --> 00:24:24.690 golf. And the first two or three holes, you know, 00:24:24.809 --> 00:24:26.470 I would, you know, we'd talk about stuff. Then 00:24:26.470 --> 00:24:28.029 I would go through my message. And then the last 00:24:28.029 --> 00:24:29.910 three holes, I'd give him all my leadership issues. 00:24:30.390 --> 00:24:32.049 And, you know, put his arm around me and had 00:24:32.049 --> 00:24:35.710 kids my age. And I got to tell you, I mean, a 00:24:35.710 --> 00:24:37.309 lot of times I was up at four in the morning 00:24:37.309 --> 00:24:40.730 at my little donut shop, finishing up my outline 00:24:40.730 --> 00:24:42.839 so I could be with Dick. And, you know, then 00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:44.680 if I did these things and we're going to treat 00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:46.460 ourselves and, man, we're going to go out to 00:24:46.460 --> 00:24:48.180 eat. And guess what? Yeah, we've been saving. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:50.680 We've been budgeting. But it's steak all around. 00:24:50.940 --> 00:24:52.920 We're going to have a blast. And, you know, if 00:24:52.920 --> 00:24:54.880 we do this, honey, we're going to save up. You 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:57.599 and I, we're going to go away. Plan in some rewards 00:24:57.599 --> 00:25:00.619 and have a blast. What happens? You live with 00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:03.160 all this guilt and you don't know. And so we 00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:06.519 do too many fun things to escape stuff instead 00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:09.039 of reward ourselves and enjoy what God's giving 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:11.839 us. The key to discipline, delayed gratification. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:14.500 The key to delayed gratification, advanced decision 00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:16.400 -making. How do you make advanced decisions? 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:19.900 One, clear -cut objectives. Two, reward yourself 00:25:19.900 --> 00:25:22.619 along the way. Three, and this is very important, 00:25:22.799 --> 00:25:26.579 advanced decision -making becomes personal and 00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:29.240 a conviction when you ponder the consequences. 00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:34.740 Ponder the consequences. The Apostle Paul says 00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:41.099 he ponders. Without a clear -cut goal, If I don't 00:25:41.099 --> 00:25:42.839 buffet my body, I don't think he'd like that. 00:25:43.559 --> 00:25:46.000 If I don't discipline myself, if I don't say 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:48.339 no to the refrigerator, say no to the emotions, 00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:51.980 say no to the quick fix, say no to everything 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:54.420 in me that wants to run from this marriage issue, 00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:58.019 to say no to delaying talking to one of my kids, 00:25:58.119 --> 00:26:00.599 to say no to sitting down and saying, you know 00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:03.019 what, I need a day away to figure out what am 00:26:03.019 --> 00:26:04.880 I on earth for and what am I gonna do with my 00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:09.140 life? You gotta say no to all the pressures. 00:26:09.839 --> 00:26:12.220 And then give yourself permission and come up 00:26:12.220 --> 00:26:17.819 with a plan. Clear goal. Focus on the rewards. 00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:21.259 And then I remember sharing this with our church, 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:24.519 and it would be different now, I guess I would 00:26:24.519 --> 00:26:27.460 have to say, grandkids. But one of my great fears 00:26:27.460 --> 00:26:29.759 is, just because I see people fall financially 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:32.539 or morally, is I have this picture in my mind 00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:36.880 of all my kids on a couch. And I guess now the 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:38.460 couch has got to be really big, so they're kids. 00:26:39.660 --> 00:26:42.200 and sort of bending over with my knees, and they're 00:26:42.200 --> 00:26:44.980 on the couch. And I'm explaining to them how 00:26:44.980 --> 00:26:47.180 I really do love God, and I have been preaching 00:26:47.180 --> 00:26:51.420 God's word for now a lot of years. But it was 00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:53.680 just a weak moment, and I'm really sorry, and 00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:55.319 I know I've embarrassed God. I know I've embarrassed 00:26:55.319 --> 00:26:56.859 the kingdom. I know that everything I've ever 00:26:56.859 --> 00:26:59.640 taught you, this behavior and what I just did, 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:04.180 and now it's in the papers. And I visualize telling 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:08.750 my kids, eyeball to eyeball, and now grandkid 00:27:08.750 --> 00:27:15.569 to grandkid, that I blew it and I fell. It scares 00:27:15.569 --> 00:27:18.710 me to death. And the fear of the Lord is the 00:27:18.710 --> 00:27:21.789 beginning of wisdom. You need to ponder. You 00:27:21.789 --> 00:27:24.089 know, you think of that one? Raise the ante. 00:27:26.269 --> 00:27:30.069 Imagine what it's going to be like when Jesus 00:27:30.069 --> 00:27:32.529 is sitting on the couch and you're explaining 00:27:32.529 --> 00:27:34.569 to him why you didn't have time to fulfill your 00:27:34.569 --> 00:27:36.880 purpose. And how you just, you know, you were 00:27:36.880 --> 00:27:38.420 going to get around to getting on a budget and 00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:40.579 getting your finances straight and dreaming the 00:27:40.579 --> 00:27:42.119 dream and discovering your purpose, but you just 00:27:42.119 --> 00:27:45.019 had too many emails to answer and too many committee 00:27:45.019 --> 00:27:47.740 meetings to go to and too many kids to run around 00:27:47.740 --> 00:27:50.880 to all these activities. And I don't know about 00:27:50.880 --> 00:27:52.599 you, I want gold, silver, and precious stones. 00:27:52.700 --> 00:27:55.019 I don't want wood, hay, and stubble. But it takes 00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:57.380 discipline. That's how you put first things first. 00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:04.000 This is a sobering picture that I painted. And 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:06.900 that's why discipline is so important. I want 00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:09.539 you to begin to invite the Spirit of God right 00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:12.039 now, even as we're talking, to bring to mind 00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:14.920 what it looks like when there's failure to do 00:28:14.920 --> 00:28:17.660 what needs to be done when it needs to be done. 00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:20.640 That's the definition of discipline. And this 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:24.160 idea that later or someday, allowing that kind 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:27.200 of thinking to continue will produce a life of 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:30.299 tragedy. I believe that God has your ears and 00:28:30.299 --> 00:28:33.119 my voice connected right now. And his sovereign 00:28:33.119 --> 00:28:37.980 purpose is to say to you, stop, stop. You've 00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:40.460 got to stop living the way you're living. And 00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:42.859 you can't do that alone. And you can't do it 00:28:42.859 --> 00:28:45.380 in your own power. It's got to start with advanced 00:28:45.380 --> 00:28:48.119 decision -making. And you can't develop advanced 00:28:48.119 --> 00:28:51.160 decision -making about what it is God really 00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:55.380 wants you to do until you have what? First, clear 00:28:55.380 --> 00:28:59.930 -cut objectives. do you really want to be? How 00:28:59.930 --> 00:29:03.210 do you want your life to end? What kind of parent 00:29:03.210 --> 00:29:05.890 do you want to be? What kind of man? What kind 00:29:05.890 --> 00:29:08.809 of woman? What kind of student? What is it that 00:29:08.809 --> 00:29:12.289 you really want to be? Get your arms around that. 00:29:12.369 --> 00:29:15.589 Wrestle with that. Second, then focus on the 00:29:15.589 --> 00:29:17.650 rewards instead of what you have to give up. 00:29:18.069 --> 00:29:21.289 Ask yourself, what can I see as a reward of things 00:29:21.289 --> 00:29:24.369 that are priceless versus trivial? How many hours 00:29:24.369 --> 00:29:27.839 are spent in front of a TV or video games? doing 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:32.160 nothing, that produces nothing except regret. 00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:36.539 This message is about avoiding regret. And then 00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:40.259 finally, ponder the consequences. Now, what I 00:29:40.259 --> 00:29:42.259 know is that you can be moved deeply by the Spirit 00:29:42.259 --> 00:29:44.740 of God as you face some things in this moment 00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:48.099 of time. But the probability is that following 00:29:48.099 --> 00:29:50.720 through on what we've just talked about for success 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:54.410 in the long term is minimal or almost impossible 00:29:54.410 --> 00:29:58.289 apart from two important things. Number one, 00:29:58.349 --> 00:30:01.849 someone to help you. And number two, a pathway 00:30:01.849 --> 00:30:05.529 or a resource to help you fulfill what you're 00:30:05.529 --> 00:30:08.049 thinking and feeling God wants you to do right 00:30:08.049 --> 00:30:10.180 now. And I want you to know at Living on the 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:12.940 Edge, both those things are available. We've 00:30:12.940 --> 00:30:15.380 created the resource and the pathway through 00:30:15.380 --> 00:30:18.259 small group material. Now you need to ask God, 00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:21.380 who's that person, one or two, maybe three people 00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:23.700 that you could say, I've made a big decision 00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:27.680 today. Will you help me keep my commitments to 00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:30.440 God? Great advice, Chip. Well, you've been listening 00:30:30.440 --> 00:30:33.180 to Living on the Edge and Chip's insightful series, 00:30:33.339 --> 00:30:36.589 Balancing Life's Demands. I'm Dave Drewy. And 00:30:36.589 --> 00:30:38.529 Chip, since you mentioned our small group resources, 00:30:38.990 --> 00:30:41.970 take a minute and explain why community and doing 00:30:41.970 --> 00:30:44.809 life with other believers is vital for our faith 00:30:44.809 --> 00:30:47.549 journey. Well, Dave, I'll tell you. I don't want 00:30:47.549 --> 00:30:50.869 to oversimplify, but Jesus said, I came that 00:30:50.869 --> 00:30:53.289 you might have life and have it more abundantly. 00:30:53.490 --> 00:30:56.269 At the heart of the Christian life, it's allowing 00:30:56.269 --> 00:31:00.230 Jesus to live his life through you by the power 00:31:00.230 --> 00:31:02.950 of the Holy Spirit, rooted in the Word of God 00:31:02.950 --> 00:31:05.960 in the context of community. And that little 00:31:05.960 --> 00:31:09.700 word bio means life. And so I've just taken that 00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:12.619 acronym here, Living on the Edge, and it simplifies 00:31:12.619 --> 00:31:15.940 it for me. If you want the life of Christ lived 00:31:15.940 --> 00:31:19.700 out, it means B, you have to get before God daily 00:31:19.700 --> 00:31:22.779 and before him with other people weekly in worship. 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:26.700 The I is for in community. You have to do life 00:31:26.700 --> 00:31:29.420 with people heart to heart, face to face. And 00:31:29.420 --> 00:31:33.359 the O is on mission 24 -7. What I've seen so 00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:36.599 much is people have lost the in community aspect. 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:41.460 It's impossible to obey the word of God to experience 00:31:41.460 --> 00:31:44.920 life. by yourself. So what we've done is we've 00:31:44.920 --> 00:31:48.039 put all of our small group resources on sale 00:31:48.039 --> 00:31:51.660 to encourage you to get in community. Get with 00:31:51.660 --> 00:31:54.119 a group of people. Watch the videos on your own, 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:56.779 then discuss them. Do it live. Do it online. 00:31:57.180 --> 00:31:59.960 Do it however it works best, but take the next 00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:02.700 step. Get in community. You'll never regret it. 00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:05.359 Thanks, Chip. Well, we have a growing library 00:32:05.359 --> 00:32:08.299 of small group resources on a wide range of topics, 00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:11.420 and they're so easy to use. Chip provides the 00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:13.609 teaching, Then you'll have time to discuss what 00:32:13.609 --> 00:32:16.049 you've heard alongside our helpful study guides. 00:32:16.170 --> 00:32:19.049 We even offer some insights for leaders to lead 00:32:19.049 --> 00:32:21.450 their groups well. So if you're not in a small 00:32:21.450 --> 00:32:23.769 group yet or looking for what to study next, 00:32:23.970 --> 00:32:26.650 check out our resources. And as Chip said, for 00:32:26.650 --> 00:32:29.230 a limited time, we've discounted all our small 00:32:29.230 --> 00:32:31.869 group resources so you can get into community 00:32:31.869 --> 00:32:35.690 today. To learn more, go to livingontheedge .org 00:32:35.690 --> 00:32:42.000 or call us at 888 -333 -6003. That's 888. 333 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:47.700 -6003 or livingontheedge .org. App listeners 00:32:47.700 --> 00:32:50.980 tap special offers. Well, just before we close, 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:53.319 I want to quickly thank those of you who regularly 00:32:53.319 --> 00:32:56.079 give to Living on the Edge. You're making a big 00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:58.440 difference in helping Christians live like Christians. 00:32:58.700 --> 00:33:01.019 But if you're benefiting from our ministry and 00:33:01.019 --> 00:33:03.259 haven't started giving yet, let me encourage 00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:05.940 you to join the Living on the Edge team. You 00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:07.880 can do that by setting up a recurring donation 00:33:07.880 --> 00:33:11.559 at livingontheedge .org or by calling us at 888 00:33:11.559 --> 00:33:18.700 -333 -6003. Again, that's 888 - 333 -6003 or 00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:23.059 visit livingontheedge .org. App listeners, tap 00:33:23.059 --> 00:33:25.700 donate. And thanks for doing whatever the Lord 00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:28.339 leads you to do. Well, thanks for listening to 00:33:28.339 --> 00:33:30.819 this edition of Living on the Edge with Chip 00:33:30.819 --> 00:33:33.400 Ingram. I'm Dave Drewy, and I hope you'll join 00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:34.299 us again next time.