WEBVTT 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:04.500 You know, the great physicist Albert Einstein 00:00:04.500 --> 00:00:09.740 once said, not everything that counts can be 00:00:09.740 --> 00:00:13.279 counted, and not everything that can be counted 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.920 counts. Now, you might want to spin that in your 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:19.519 mind a couple times, but what he's really saying 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.440 is we spend a lot of time counting things that 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:24.960 don't really matter, and we don't count some 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:29.140 things that matter most. How do you get out of 00:00:29.140 --> 00:00:36.020 the rat race? That's today. Welcome to this edition 00:00:36.020 --> 00:00:39.539 of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Our mission 00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:42.100 is to inspire Christians to be genuine followers 00:00:42.100 --> 00:00:45.200 of Jesus and to empower them to be active disciple 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.859 makers in our world. Thanks for being with us 00:00:47.859 --> 00:00:50.380 as we near the end of our series, Balancing Life's 00:00:50.380 --> 00:00:53.700 Demands. For these last couple of programs, Chip 00:00:53.700 --> 00:00:56.060 will focus on how we can stop wasting our lives 00:00:56.060 --> 00:00:59.200 chasing one thing after another. by uncovering 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:01.859 God's plan for lasting contentment and peace. 00:01:02.479 --> 00:01:04.480 So if you're ready, here's Chip with his talk, 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:07.879 How to Escape the Rat Race Forever. Go in your 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:11.939 Bible to Matthew chapter 6. I'd like to start 00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:14.120 with a little story. It's kind of a, I don't 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:16.040 know, I think it's a little bit of a funny story, 00:01:16.140 --> 00:01:18.319 but it comes out of the Midwest. It may be even 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:21.299 apocryphal, so don't try and find this anywhere, 00:01:21.439 --> 00:01:26.379 but I think it's an old, old story. The story 00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:29.060 goes like this. There was a very strong Bible 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:32.280 church, Bible teaching church, and they had what 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:35.680 they called... years ago, revival meetings. And 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:38.140 so once a year, they would bring in a great Bible 00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:40.480 teacher and they had revival meetings. It was 00:01:40.480 --> 00:01:43.079 a very small town. It was up in the mountains 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:45.659 and a very small community and everyone knew 00:01:45.659 --> 00:01:48.760 everyone. And so it was a big thing in town and 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:50.519 a lot of people would come from the town. And 00:01:50.519 --> 00:01:52.700 every year, a number of people would come to 00:01:52.700 --> 00:01:55.620 Christ and Christians who needed their priorities 00:01:55.620 --> 00:01:57.920 realigned would get their priorities realigned. 00:01:58.019 --> 00:02:00.159 But they always knew what was going to happen 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:02.890 on Friday night. On Friday night, they had a 00:02:02.890 --> 00:02:05.709 town drunk and he chose Friday night and he would 00:02:05.709 --> 00:02:07.709 come and he would sit in the back and he would 00:02:07.709 --> 00:02:10.229 listen to the message. And near the end of the 00:02:10.229 --> 00:02:17.810 message, you would hear, oh, amen. Yes, Lord, 00:02:18.229 --> 00:02:20.210 that's what I need to do. And so they would give 00:02:20.210 --> 00:02:22.750 a time of invitation where people could come 00:02:22.750 --> 00:02:25.270 forward and deal with God. And everyone knew 00:02:25.270 --> 00:02:27.530 on Friday night, the town drunk came through. 00:02:27.610 --> 00:02:30.490 I mean, for the last 15 years, every Friday night, 00:02:30.610 --> 00:02:32.849 he would come forward. So it was Friday night. 00:02:33.009 --> 00:02:35.689 He had moaned, he had groaned, he had amen. And 00:02:35.689 --> 00:02:38.430 now he is walking forward and he comes and, you 00:02:38.430 --> 00:02:41.770 know, he sort of had this down. Oh, Lord, oh, 00:02:41.889 --> 00:02:46.000 Lord. Oh, the cobwebs of sin that I have been 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:50.400 entangled in. Oh, Lord, I just ask once, please 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:54.020 remove the cobwebs. Remove the cobwebs and the 00:02:54.020 --> 00:02:58.180 tangled sin of my life. And there was a man after 00:02:58.180 --> 00:03:01.580 15 years who'd heard this for 14 years, and he 00:03:01.580 --> 00:03:05.500 stood up in the back and in a very loud voice 00:03:05.500 --> 00:03:10.120 said, Dear Lord, forget the cobwebs. Kill the 00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:23.189 spider. And I'd like to suggest that we've really 00:03:23.189 --> 00:03:26.810 addressed a lot of the cobwebs of priorities 00:03:26.810 --> 00:03:31.990 of time and money and relationships that we have 00:03:31.990 --> 00:03:34.310 said, okay, what's really important? We want 00:03:34.310 --> 00:03:36.740 to put first things first. We want to keep. First 00:03:36.740 --> 00:03:38.840 things first, we want to develop some discipline. 00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:40.900 We want to do it in the right way. We want to 00:03:40.900 --> 00:03:43.400 do it with a perspective that is relational and 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:47.020 from the heart. And my concern is that you'll 00:03:47.020 --> 00:03:49.979 go for two weeks, maybe some of you for two months, 00:03:50.139 --> 00:03:53.080 and you'll start knocking out the cobwebs. Oh, 00:03:53.120 --> 00:03:55.599 we've got a budget now. We're now giving off 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:57.939 the first portion. Okay, I'm starting to spend 00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:00.240 some time with God. You start reading your Bible 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:02.580 more, might even join a small group or get in 00:04:02.580 --> 00:04:05.300 a Bible study. You know, you start changing a 00:04:05.300 --> 00:04:06.460 little bit what you're going to do with your 00:04:06.460 --> 00:04:09.780 giving. And all these things are extraordinarily 00:04:09.780 --> 00:04:15.759 important. And, but you know, you sort of, and 00:04:15.759 --> 00:04:19.220 then after three months, six months, eight months, 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:23.720 nine months, a year. Oh, Lord, the cobwebs of 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:27.639 those priorities. Oh, Lord, you know what it's 00:04:27.639 --> 00:04:30.500 like. There's so many demands on my time. Oh, 00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:32.740 Lord, you know, we were on a budget for a while, 00:04:32.819 --> 00:04:34.459 and we didn't expect that, Dr. Bill, and then 00:04:34.459 --> 00:04:36.959 there was that camp, and then we really need, 00:04:37.019 --> 00:04:40.699 and I'm kind of messing with you. But I like 00:04:40.699 --> 00:04:44.660 to suggest that to move beyond the periphery, 00:04:44.660 --> 00:04:50.189 we need to get to the kill the spider. What's 00:04:50.189 --> 00:04:54.110 at the heart of misplaced priorities? What is 00:04:54.110 --> 00:04:57.449 it that keeps pulling us in ways that our priorities 00:04:57.449 --> 00:05:02.750 over and over and over get out of whack? And 00:05:02.750 --> 00:05:06.029 Jesus is gonna address it. Jesus is gonna say 00:05:06.029 --> 00:05:11.029 there is a singular root cause to misplaced priorities, 00:05:11.290 --> 00:05:15.610 and it is the spider. And you need to kill the 00:05:15.610 --> 00:05:20.069 spider. And when you do, The cobwebs will go 00:05:20.069 --> 00:05:25.389 away. And if you'll notice in your notes, he's 00:05:25.389 --> 00:05:27.550 going to give a warning, and Jesus will teach 00:05:27.550 --> 00:05:31.709 us in Matthew 6, 19 to the end of the chapter, 00:05:31.850 --> 00:05:35.449 that the root problem in priority living is, 00:05:35.709 --> 00:05:38.990 and here's the word you can write, materialism. 00:05:40.930 --> 00:05:43.779 Materialism. Now, before you get all uptight 00:05:43.779 --> 00:05:45.279 and think, oh, he's going to talk about I have 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:47.839 too much, and is it wrong to have this, and every 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:50.040 time someone brings this up, I feel guilty, just 00:05:50.040 --> 00:05:53.959 lighten up, okay? Just lighten up. Let's analyze 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:58.139 what is materialism. First, let me give you a 00:05:58.139 --> 00:06:00.139 definition, and don't try and write all this 00:06:00.139 --> 00:06:03.519 down at this point. Try and think about what 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:07.660 it says. Materialism, by the way, is a disease 00:06:07.660 --> 00:06:10.480 of both the rich and the poor and everyone in 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:14.370 between. It has little or nothing to do with 00:06:14.370 --> 00:06:17.949 what you have. It is a condition of the heart 00:06:17.949 --> 00:06:23.069 where I am leaning, trusting, depending, or even 00:06:23.069 --> 00:06:26.930 believing that the outward props of things, money, 00:06:27.189 --> 00:06:30.970 and possessions, and the fame, status, and power 00:06:30.970 --> 00:06:34.410 that they provide have the ability to achieve 00:06:34.410 --> 00:06:37.889 for me inward peace, happiness, and satisfaction 00:06:37.889 --> 00:06:42.560 in my life. Materialism is a condition of the 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:45.720 heart. I can show you people that don't have 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:48.680 two nickels to rub against each other that are 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:51.620 shot through with materialism as evidenced by 00:06:51.620 --> 00:06:54.959 when they get their first $3, they go to 7 -Eleven 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:57.600 and buy a lotto ticket because, man, if I could 00:06:57.600 --> 00:07:00.120 hit the lotto, then everything would be okay. 00:07:01.220 --> 00:07:03.500 And most of them will never take the time to 00:07:03.500 --> 00:07:06.220 read some of the research and actually some of 00:07:06.220 --> 00:07:10.129 the... It's sad books of tracing the lives of 00:07:10.129 --> 00:07:14.089 people after they've won the lotto. The percentage 00:07:14.089 --> 00:07:17.290 who end in divorce, the percentage that say it 00:07:17.290 --> 00:07:19.709 ruined their life, the percentage who say, if 00:07:19.709 --> 00:07:22.610 I could do it all over again and not get it, 00:07:22.649 --> 00:07:26.410 I would do it. But it's a condition of the heart. 00:07:27.449 --> 00:07:31.069 And I could show you people with great wealth 00:07:31.069 --> 00:07:37.959 who have so many things to keep up with. So much 00:07:37.959 --> 00:07:42.459 stuff, so much demand that their time and their 00:07:42.459 --> 00:07:44.839 energy, it's not like they feel stuck on it. 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.839 It's just their time and their energy because 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:50.120 they unconsciously have been led to believe, 00:07:50.220 --> 00:07:55.379 I need to have these things. And there's no margin 00:07:55.379 --> 00:07:59.540 in their life. Their problem is not, can I get 00:07:59.540 --> 00:08:02.519 it or ever have it? Their problem is it has them 00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:06.649 and they don't even know it. Material things 00:08:06.649 --> 00:08:10.829 are in no way, listen carefully, evil in and 00:08:10.829 --> 00:08:14.350 of themselves. You might jot in the notes, I've 00:08:14.350 --> 00:08:17.569 quoted it several times, 1 Timothy 6 .18. Paul 00:08:17.569 --> 00:08:20.990 says, instruct those, teach those who are rich 00:08:20.990 --> 00:08:23.069 in this present world, that's you, that's me, 00:08:23.170 --> 00:08:28.829 not to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches. 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:33.500 but to fix their hope on God who supplies us 00:08:33.500 --> 00:08:36.919 with all things to enjoy. The all things are 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:40.700 material things. The goal is to enjoy. They can 00:08:40.700 --> 00:08:44.419 never be my hope. Don't be conceited. Don't be 00:08:44.419 --> 00:08:46.799 arrogant, he says, and fix your hope on those 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:50.100 things. So the problem is not that things are 00:08:50.100 --> 00:08:53.440 evil in themselves. It's when I'm trusting in 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:57.820 or even desiring them with the belief. that they 00:08:57.820 --> 00:09:00.639 can fill the inner void in my life and bring 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:04.879 significance, security, peace, joy, and meaning. 00:09:05.659 --> 00:09:11.440 And what he's going to do from verse 19 to the 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:14.779 end of the chapter is he's going to teach you 00:09:14.779 --> 00:09:18.580 and he's going to teach me how to kill the spider 00:09:18.580 --> 00:09:23.200 of materialism so it will once and for all begin 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:26.000 to remove the cobwebs of misplaced priorities. 00:09:26.819 --> 00:09:29.120 Now, the structure of this is very important. 00:09:29.179 --> 00:09:30.500 You've noticed in your notes, I've put it on 00:09:30.500 --> 00:09:33.799 the right side. The context is what? It's Matthew 00:09:33.799 --> 00:09:36.639 6, verses 1 through 18. And remember, he talked 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:39.919 about what? He talked about giving, he talked 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.379 about prayer, and he talked about fasting. What 00:09:43.379 --> 00:09:46.899 is the one thing that was true of his teaching 00:09:46.899 --> 00:09:50.860 about giving, prayer, and fasting? When you pray, 00:09:51.120 --> 00:09:54.700 when you fast, when you give, don't do it like 00:09:54.700 --> 00:09:59.690 the... To be seen of men, but when you do it, 00:09:59.690 --> 00:10:03.049 do it in secret so your father who sees in secret. 00:10:03.169 --> 00:10:04.769 Here's my point. Here's what I want you to get. 00:10:05.250 --> 00:10:08.309 The context of what we're going to see is two 00:10:08.309 --> 00:10:11.549 motives. You can either impress people or you 00:10:11.549 --> 00:10:15.169 can please God. And then the text will unfold 00:10:15.169 --> 00:10:17.710 because the question is, well, how do you know 00:10:17.710 --> 00:10:20.440 what your motives are? I mean, he just told me 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:22.899 my motives need to be secret and to pleasing 00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:25.740 God. Well, how do I know? Who can know what's 00:10:25.740 --> 00:10:29.259 in your heart? Well, in verses 19 through 21, 00:10:29.539 --> 00:10:31.840 he's gonna say, guess what? I will show you a 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:35.139 very clear way to know exactly what your motives 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:38.399 are. The two motives will reveal two treasures. 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:41.259 And then after that, he's gonna say, now that 00:10:41.259 --> 00:10:43.500 you understand that there's two treasures, one 00:10:43.500 --> 00:10:46.279 eternal and one temporal, I'm gonna tell you 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:48.779 where those treasures come from. There are two 00:10:48.779 --> 00:10:52.919 eyes. There's two perspectives about life. And 00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:55.419 then finally, those two perspectives will determine 00:10:55.419 --> 00:10:59.200 two options, two masters. Let me walk through 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.139 the passage with you. Okay, Lord, we understand 00:11:02.139 --> 00:11:06.080 when we pray, when we give, when we fast, we 00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:08.399 need to do it with the right motive. Your means 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:11.360 of protecting our motive is secrecy. Well, how 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.179 do we know what our motives are? Here's what 00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:18.500 he says, verse 19, Matthew 6. Do not store up 00:11:18.500 --> 00:11:21.539 for yourselves treasures on earth. The reason, 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:24.639 where moth and rust destroy and where thieves 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:27.299 break in and steal. Translation, it's a bad investment. 00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:31.240 But store up for yourselves. Will you underline 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:34.539 the word for yourselves? This is not about deprivation. 00:11:35.129 --> 00:11:37.549 This is about doing something good for you. But 00:11:37.549 --> 00:11:41.149 store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where 00:11:41.149 --> 00:11:43.970 moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves 00:11:43.970 --> 00:11:46.970 do not break in and steal. For where your treasure 00:11:46.970 --> 00:11:51.370 is, there your heart will be also. And so he 00:11:51.370 --> 00:11:52.850 just makes a point. He goes, if you want to know 00:11:52.850 --> 00:11:56.009 what your motives are, it's pretty simple. Where's 00:11:56.009 --> 00:12:02.070 your treasure? Your money is the greatest. clearest, 00:12:02.129 --> 00:12:07.029 true revealer of your heart. Our trust always 00:12:07.029 --> 00:12:12.029 follows our treasure. Our trust, what I believe 00:12:12.029 --> 00:12:15.149 is going to come through for me. People whose 00:12:15.149 --> 00:12:21.129 God is gold always have anxiety. People whose 00:12:21.129 --> 00:12:25.330 God is Christ, even in the midst of varied circumstances, 00:12:25.370 --> 00:12:29.009 can relax. He says there's two treasures. So 00:12:29.009 --> 00:12:33.940 he says, be smart. Invest your treasures in what's 00:12:33.940 --> 00:12:37.580 ahead. And then he says, well, okay, okay, now 00:12:37.580 --> 00:12:39.440 I can see where my motives are. If I want to 00:12:39.440 --> 00:12:41.759 do an acid test of where my motives and heart 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:43.960 is, I'm going to look at my treasure, and the 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:45.720 treasure of money for sure, but I would also 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:49.559 say the treasure of my time, the treasure of 00:12:49.559 --> 00:12:54.759 my energy. What are the resources? What is the 00:12:54.759 --> 00:12:56.679 wealth that I have, and where do I spend that 00:12:56.679 --> 00:12:58.720 wealth? That will tell me my true treasure, my 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.879 true motives. And then there's this kind of interesting 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:04.620 passage. I mean, really interesting little passage 00:13:04.620 --> 00:13:09.399 here. And notice what it says. He says that the 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:13.320 eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are 00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:17.399 good, circle the word good, and then above it, 00:13:17.419 --> 00:13:21.759 write the word singular. If your eyes are good, 00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:25.259 your whole body will be full of light. But if 00:13:25.259 --> 00:13:28.200 your eyes are bad, circle bad, and actually then 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:30.820 write the word evil underneath that, your whole 00:13:30.820 --> 00:13:34.320 body will be full of darkness. If then the light 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:38.820 within you is darkness, how great is that darkness? 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:41.539 Now, it's really interesting here. He's going 00:13:41.539 --> 00:13:44.419 to say the eye is the lamp of the body, you know, 00:13:44.419 --> 00:13:47.740 and he's using this play on words. And he's going 00:13:47.740 --> 00:13:51.580 to help you see is that your outlook will determine 00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:56.110 your outcome. Your perception will determine 00:13:56.110 --> 00:13:59.710 your pursuits. He's gonna say, what you and I 00:13:59.710 --> 00:14:03.330 perceive to be as important is what we will passionately 00:14:03.330 --> 00:14:06.370 pursue. So, you know, I jotted a few thoughts. 00:14:06.549 --> 00:14:10.450 A mother, her children. A man, his work. An athlete, 00:14:10.590 --> 00:14:13.549 his workout. An artist, his art. A musician, 00:14:13.669 --> 00:14:19.710 his music. A Christian, his God. He's gonna say, 00:14:19.809 --> 00:14:25.100 if you don't know, What drives your desires? 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:28.700 He says, if your eye is clear, the word is haplos. 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:32.480 It literally means to be without any folds in 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:36.600 it. In Latin, it's translated simplex. It has 00:14:36.600 --> 00:14:40.779 the idea of simplicity, clear, singular focus. 00:14:42.539 --> 00:14:48.480 On the contrast from clear, singular, there's 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:52.159 two motives, there's two treasures. Really, he's 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:55.399 getting down to the eye physically, wherever 00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:57.899 the eye goes, the whole body follows, right? 00:14:58.419 --> 00:15:00.860 I mean, I don't have eyes in the back of my head. 00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:05.259 Whatever I see, I can see, perceive, make direction. 00:15:05.460 --> 00:15:09.080 He says, your desire, your core beliefs, your 00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:12.379 passions, your pursuits, what you believe, if 00:15:12.379 --> 00:15:14.960 it's clear, if it's singular, if it's on God, 00:15:15.179 --> 00:15:18.580 if it's honoring him. If it's being the man, 00:15:18.659 --> 00:15:21.500 the woman that you know he wants you to be, he 00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:23.340 says your whole body will be full of light. Everything 00:15:23.340 --> 00:15:27.139 else comes. You're listening to Living on the 00:15:27.139 --> 00:15:29.740 Edge. We'll get you back to today's program in 00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:32.419 just a second. But first, did you know that other 00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:34.720 believers are paramount to your faith journey? 00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:37.860 Keep listening after this message as Chip explains 00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:40.740 why and highlights some resources we have to 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:43.159 help you connect with authentic community today. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:46.440 Stick around to learn more. But for now, here 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:49.820 again is Chip. He said, however, you can have 00:15:49.820 --> 00:15:52.320 these external things going on in religious activities 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:56.480 if your eye is evil, if there's duplicity, if 00:15:56.480 --> 00:16:03.320 your deep belief is that things and power and 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:08.419 status and possessions can deliver satisfaction, 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:13.740 meaning, and significance. He says your whole 00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:18.000 body will be full of darkness. Your eye or desire, 00:16:18.220 --> 00:16:22.299 if it's clean, healthy, undivided, and godly, 00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:25.279 your whole life will be directed and affected 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:31.080 by God's blessing, power, and presence. It has 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:35.080 the idea of undivided loyalty to God, singleness 00:16:35.080 --> 00:16:39.059 of purpose, if you will. If your eye focus is 00:16:39.059 --> 00:16:41.940 bad, your whole life will be infected by darkness 00:16:41.940 --> 00:16:46.919 and ultimately destroyed. The word for evil here, 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:50.559 it's very interesting. It's poneros. It means 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:54.179 evil, corrupt, perverted. It's used for food 00:16:54.179 --> 00:16:57.470 that has been spoiled or is un... unsuitable 00:16:57.470 --> 00:17:00.389 to eat. It's something separated or anti -God. 00:17:00.669 --> 00:17:03.370 It's translated Matthew 18, 22. Remember the 00:17:03.370 --> 00:17:07.210 worthless servant? That's this word. John's gospel 00:17:07.210 --> 00:17:12.049 contrasts this word. You'll hear it against God's 00:17:12.049 --> 00:17:16.829 light, God's word, God's work. In Matthew 13, 00:17:17.089 --> 00:17:22.349 19, the article there is added and the ho poneros 00:17:22.349 --> 00:17:26.740 is the evil one. And the point I want to make 00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:31.880 here is simply at the heart of all these things 00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:36.359 we're talking about, cobwebs, priorities, time, 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:39.819 money, symptoms. He said there's two motives 00:17:39.819 --> 00:17:42.940 in walking with me. Those two motives lead to 00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:45.019 your treasure. Your treasure will tell you where 00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:48.740 your motives are. But what treasure you pursue 00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:53.299 has to do with your core beliefs, passions, desires. 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:57.980 What do you really, really want? What do you 00:17:57.980 --> 00:18:00.380 believe? Not what you say, not even what you 00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:04.259 verbalize, but what do your actions demonstrate 00:18:04.259 --> 00:18:10.059 is your core pursuit in life. And then notice 00:18:10.059 --> 00:18:18.900 what Jesus will say. He says, you can have only 00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:23.339 one of two masters. It will be either mammon, 00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:28.940 or him. Right after the two I's. I mean, it's 00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:32.619 an amazing thought here. He says, no one can 00:18:32.619 --> 00:18:35.279 serve two masters. Either you will hate the one 00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:37.599 and love the other, or he'll be devoted to the 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:41.019 one and despise the other. You cannot serve both 00:18:41.019 --> 00:18:43.740 God and money. It doesn't say you cannot have 00:18:43.740 --> 00:18:47.079 God and have money. It says you cannot serve 00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:51.440 God and money. The battle in priorities boils 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:55.119 down to you either have faith in God and his 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:58.359 promises for peace, security, significance, and 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:01.059 your passion is relationship with him, or you 00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:05.160 have faith in things and their power to deliver 00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:11.900 for your life. And so what you have here is it 00:19:11.900 --> 00:19:14.059 is clearly laid out as anywhere in Scripture. 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:18.640 This is the issue. Materialism. It's a condition 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:23.680 of the heart. How do you go about it? Well, check 00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:26.960 your motives. There's some practices. Where's 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:30.339 your treasure? It's the revealer. Check then 00:19:30.339 --> 00:19:33.619 your eye. Where is it focused? And then finally, 00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:39.079 your eye will reveal one master or another master. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:42.339 Now here's the question. I mean, this is the 00:19:42.339 --> 00:19:44.359 question that brings everything we've talked 00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:46.660 about in the series to a head. Here's the fundamental 00:19:46.660 --> 00:19:48.819 question. You'll notice I put it in your notes. 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:54.279 It says, do not allow the pursuit of material 00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:57.480 things to thwart your spiritual development. 00:19:57.859 --> 00:20:00.319 I mean, that's the statement. That's what he's 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:02.900 saying. But then the question is, how can we 00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:06.180 live in a material world without becoming materialistic? 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:09.400 I mean, isn't that it? I mean, I got news for 00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:11.559 you. There's college tuitions and you save for 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:13.660 this and you have house payments and, you know, 00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:16.119 I got to rent this. I've got to do that. I've 00:20:16.119 --> 00:20:17.960 got to buy food. I've got responsibilities. So 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:20.720 I live in a material world. I can't come up to 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:22.640 some mountaintop and hear great things about 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.160 God. Buddy, when I get home, I got bills to pay. 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:30.559 I got issues. I've got tuition. I've got car 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:35.079 repairs. I got doctor bills. How do you live 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:39.200 in a material world? world without being materialistic. 00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:42.779 And you notice, you remember when Jesus was talking 00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:45.000 about spiritual growth and spiritual development, 00:20:45.039 --> 00:20:47.079 how it happens, and he was talking about the 00:20:47.079 --> 00:20:49.359 power of God's Word, and he says the Word of 00:20:49.359 --> 00:20:51.519 God is like a seed, and the man went out and 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:53.319 sowed the seed, and there's four types of soils, 00:20:53.420 --> 00:20:55.480 and the soils are the human hearts, and you know, 00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:57.559 Satan comes, and the hard soil takes it away, 00:20:57.680 --> 00:20:59.539 and there's the one that sprouts up quickly, 00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:01.559 and then persecution comes, and it dies out. 00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:05.119 The third seed Remember, it grows up, but the 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:07.880 thorns grow up around it and it chokes out the 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:10.839 life of truth in your heart and soul. Does anybody 00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:15.559 remember? It's the worries of the world, the 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:19.240 deceitfulness of riches, the deceitfulness. By 00:21:19.240 --> 00:21:22.759 the way, when your money is messing you up, when 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:24.859 your possessions are messing you up, I got news, 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.759 you don't know about it. That's what deceit means. 00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:32.079 You know, we read stuff, oh yeah, boy, I bet 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:33.279 there's some people out there that are really 00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:35.480 deceived. No, no, you don't get it. I'm deceived. 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:40.839 It's how much. And then that last part, this 00:21:40.839 --> 00:21:45.220 is why we don't have margin in our lives. Not 00:21:45.220 --> 00:21:48.279 just the deceitfulness of riches, but he says, 00:21:48.299 --> 00:21:52.099 and the concern, the worry, the preoccupation 00:21:52.099 --> 00:21:55.059 with what? Other things. What other things? Other 00:21:55.059 --> 00:21:58.250 things other than what really matters. He's talking 00:21:58.250 --> 00:22:01.130 about priorities. And so what I wanna do is I 00:22:01.130 --> 00:22:04.630 wanna walk now through verses 24 through 33, 00:22:04.809 --> 00:22:08.289 and we're gonna get the solution. This is how 00:22:08.289 --> 00:22:12.410 you kill the spider. And then those priorities 00:22:12.410 --> 00:22:15.529 and practices and disciplines are how you maintain 00:22:15.529 --> 00:22:19.349 that relationship of what? Having the right motives. 00:22:19.390 --> 00:22:22.269 I want to please God. Of doing what? Looking 00:22:22.269 --> 00:22:25.130 at treasure as some tug of war? No. I want my 00:22:25.130 --> 00:22:27.309 treasure to be an investment where it's going 00:22:27.309 --> 00:22:29.750 to make the most. So I want to invest the treasure 00:22:29.750 --> 00:22:32.950 of my money and my time and my heart and my energy 00:22:32.950 --> 00:22:40.250 in people, not in things. In doing things that 00:22:40.250 --> 00:22:43.710 last forever, in loving people rather than using 00:22:43.710 --> 00:22:47.509 people to get things. Well, how's it happen? 00:22:48.320 --> 00:22:50.579 Well, let's pick it up at verse 24. He says, 00:22:50.660 --> 00:22:52.539 no one can serve two masters, we've heard that, 00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:55.160 either hate the one or love the other, or be 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:57.480 devoted to one and despise the other. And before 00:22:57.480 --> 00:23:01.220 we go on, because we are Americans, can you just 00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:03.839 swallow hard? You can't have it both ways, all 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:07.099 right? That's what we wanna do. I love God with 00:23:07.099 --> 00:23:09.500 all my heart and, all right? You can't have it 00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:12.660 both ways, according to Jesus. You cannot serve 00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:16.539 both God and money. Therefore, I tell you, Therefore, 00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:20.779 when you see that, what do you mean? Say, hey, 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:24.579 hey, I understand. This is axiomatic. This is 00:23:24.579 --> 00:23:26.799 truth. Therefore, let me give you the solution. 00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:31.019 Let me help you learn how not to be materialistic. 00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:34.720 Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:36.859 life, what you will eat or drink or your body, 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:39.799 what you will wear. And then we get a rhetorical 00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:42.420 question. Is not life more important than food 00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:44.220 and the body more important than clothes? And 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:46.319 we would all say, well, yes. Or illustration 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:49.460 number two, look at the birds of the air. They 00:23:49.460 --> 00:23:52.480 don't sow or reap or store away in barns and 00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:55.259 yet your heavenly father feeds them. And then 00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:57.720 some logic application. Are you not much more 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:00.880 valuable than they? And it's grammatically in 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:03.180 such a way that the answer is overwhelmingly, 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:06.799 of course you are. Then, by the way, who of you, 00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:10.099 by worrying, can add a single hour to this life? 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:16.019 Logical conclusion, let's see, no one. And then 00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:19.940 a question, and why do you worry about clothes? 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:23.380 Illustration number two. I mean, see the lilies 00:24:23.380 --> 00:24:26.039 of the field? They don't labor or spin. They're 00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:30.539 not wiped out. They're not in minivans and SUVs 00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:33.859 and having bills up to their eyeballs. You know, 00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:35.660 they're not stressed out. They're not uptight. 00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:38.200 They don't feel like their life's out of control. 00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:40.460 They're not taking pills to go to sleep at night 00:24:40.460 --> 00:24:42.160 and pills to get them up in the morning. They 00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:43.819 don't feel like everyone's pulling on them from 00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:45.480 every direction and there's no way to find some 00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:48.900 peace and direction. Gosh, that passage really 00:24:48.900 --> 00:24:52.779 opened up, didn't it? It says, I tell you that 00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:54.440 Solomon in all of his splendor wasn't dressed 00:24:54.440 --> 00:24:58.180 like one of these. Now, again, the a priori logic 00:24:58.180 --> 00:25:01.670 from lesser to greater. If that is how God clothes 00:25:01.670 --> 00:25:03.869 the grass of the field, which is here today and 00:25:03.869 --> 00:25:07.430 tomorrow is thrown in the fire, will he not much 00:25:07.430 --> 00:25:11.029 more clothe you and circle this phrase, O you 00:25:11.029 --> 00:25:16.849 of little faith? The issue behind materialism 00:25:16.849 --> 00:25:20.490 at the core has nothing to do with things or 00:25:20.490 --> 00:25:23.150 even money. It has to do with faith. It has to 00:25:23.150 --> 00:25:26.789 do with trust. Do you trust me? Do you trust 00:25:26.789 --> 00:25:30.000 me to come through for you? Yes, in the material 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:33.660 necessities. But do you trust me to come through 00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:36.420 for you that you're significant and valuable 00:25:36.420 --> 00:25:38.980 the way I made you? Do you trust that if you 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:42.019 would find my purpose and my role for your life, 00:25:42.140 --> 00:25:44.079 that you don't have to look like that, you don't 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:45.740 have to live in that zip code, you don't have 00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:47.819 to drive that, you don't have to have so many 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:50.380 people know you? Can you trust me that if you 00:25:50.380 --> 00:25:53.240 do life my way, the deepest things that you long 00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:56.099 for in your heart, I'm going to give you because 00:25:56.099 --> 00:25:59.210 I'm good and I love you? That's really what he's 00:25:59.210 --> 00:26:03.230 getting to. So do not worry, saying, what are 00:26:03.230 --> 00:26:05.170 we gonna eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what 00:26:05.170 --> 00:26:08.230 shall we wear? And then, and then just, this 00:26:08.230 --> 00:26:11.549 is more than a mild rebuke. For the pagans run 00:26:11.549 --> 00:26:14.210 after all these things and your heavenly father 00:26:14.210 --> 00:26:16.450 knows what you need, that you need them. Put 00:26:16.450 --> 00:26:18.630 a little line under run after because he's gonna 00:26:18.630 --> 00:26:22.410 use a play on words. It means to vigorously pursue. 00:26:22.869 --> 00:26:25.210 And that verse that we like that's coming up 00:26:25.210 --> 00:26:27.420 that tells us how to really arrange our. priorities 00:26:27.420 --> 00:26:30.680 where it says, but seek ye first. The word seek, 00:26:30.859 --> 00:26:33.700 this word is in an intensive form of that. It's 00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:36.720 the same word. The pagans are seeking, are running, 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:40.119 are pursuing after all these things. And his 00:26:40.119 --> 00:26:42.400 point is, is that you don't look any different 00:26:42.400 --> 00:26:45.039 than the pagans. When you're running after all 00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:47.660 these things, when your priorities are out of 00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:50.220 whack, when your relationships are being deteriorated, 00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:52.799 when you think that things and status and stuff 00:26:53.450 --> 00:26:55.589 And letters behind your name and kids getting 00:26:55.589 --> 00:26:58.690 into certain schools and SAT scores being a certain 00:26:58.690 --> 00:27:00.529 way and vicariously your little league teams 00:27:00.529 --> 00:27:03.170 of your kids and grandkids winning little championships 00:27:03.170 --> 00:27:05.289 that you can tell your friends about at cocktail 00:27:05.289 --> 00:27:07.730 parties. And of course, Christians drink different 00:27:07.730 --> 00:27:09.990 stuff at cocktail parties depending on what kind 00:27:09.990 --> 00:27:13.049 of background they come from. In fact, our cocktail 00:27:13.049 --> 00:27:15.329 powders are often in the foyer of the church. 00:27:16.349 --> 00:27:19.720 Have you heard about my grandson? Yeah, you know, 00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:21.460 Harvard really didn't quite work out, but we 00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:25.259 thought MIT would be a good second choice. Yeah, 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:28.000 well, did you hear about my daughter? Yes, well, 00:27:28.140 --> 00:27:30.140 she's in the, of course, she's been doing it 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:33.319 for 11 years. How old is she? She's 12. And at 00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:36.759 one, we put her in the pre -Olympic gymnastic 00:27:36.759 --> 00:27:39.420 team. They could see from, they ran tests on 00:27:39.420 --> 00:27:42.740 her DNA for $100 ,000, and we could see that 00:27:42.740 --> 00:27:46.059 she had high side potential. Actually, in the 00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:48.960 Olympics of 2042, we're expecting a gold medal. 00:27:49.539 --> 00:27:52.220 And we've rearranged our entire life. We'll be 00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:54.859 moving to Houston soon so that, you know, that's 00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:57.279 where the gymnasts, I mean, I'm putting you on. 00:27:58.259 --> 00:28:00.940 But so help me, you just back that off a little 00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:05.019 bit and we all play those games. And we think 00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:08.200 our meaning and our significance and our value 00:28:08.200 --> 00:28:11.720 is what we've done, what we've accomplished, 00:28:11.960 --> 00:28:16.430 who we know. what our kids have done. Now, is 00:28:16.430 --> 00:28:22.170 there a place for a God -honoring sense of accomplishment 00:28:22.170 --> 00:28:25.529 and pride? Of course. That's not what it's talking 00:28:25.529 --> 00:28:30.369 about here. And by the way, when this sucks you 00:28:30.369 --> 00:28:37.569 in, it's deceitful. This is Living on the Edge 00:28:37.569 --> 00:28:39.809 with Chip Ingram, and you've been listening to 00:28:39.809 --> 00:28:42.170 part one of Chip's message, How to Escape the 00:28:42.170 --> 00:28:44.910 Rat Race Forever. from our series, Balancing 00:28:44.910 --> 00:28:47.549 Life's Demands. Chip will be back shortly to 00:28:47.549 --> 00:28:49.809 share some helpful application for us to think 00:28:49.809 --> 00:28:52.630 about. Are you overwhelmed by the pressure to 00:28:52.630 --> 00:28:55.650 do more, have more, and achieve more? In this 00:28:55.650 --> 00:28:58.289 10 -part series, Chip provides practical biblical 00:28:58.289 --> 00:29:01.490 steps to help you move your life from chaos to 00:29:01.490 --> 00:29:04.589 contentment. Discover how to align your priorities 00:29:04.589 --> 00:29:07.609 around God's vision for your life and the discipline 00:29:07.609 --> 00:29:10.369 to not only put first things first, but keep 00:29:10.369 --> 00:29:12.470 them there. You're not going to want to miss 00:29:12.470 --> 00:29:15.750 a single program of this series. Well, our Bible 00:29:15.750 --> 00:29:18.190 teacher, Chip Ingram, is with us again in studio 00:29:18.190 --> 00:29:20.730 to share a compelling word with all of you. Chip? 00:29:21.069 --> 00:29:24.710 Thanks so much, Dave. The culture around us is 00:29:24.710 --> 00:29:27.269 a battleground, and we're not called to retreat, 00:29:27.369 --> 00:29:30.569 but to engage. And we have resources designed 00:29:30.569 --> 00:29:34.210 to equip you and your community to live courageously 00:29:34.210 --> 00:29:36.930 for Christ in today's culture. On our website, 00:29:37.049 --> 00:29:38.930 you'll find studies and tools that will affirm 00:29:38.930 --> 00:29:42.109 your faith and help you discover the unique giftings 00:29:42.109 --> 00:29:44.970 God has given you to advance his kingdom in this 00:29:44.970 --> 00:29:47.470 world. These small group materials will help 00:29:47.470 --> 00:29:49.789 you connect authentically, grow spiritually, 00:29:49.990 --> 00:29:53.230 and live out your faith in your community. Let's 00:29:53.230 --> 00:29:56.819 not just go to church. Let's be the church. powerful 00:29:56.819 --> 00:29:59.240 challenge, Chip. Well, to learn more about our 00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:02.059 small group resources, visit livingontheedge 00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:05.759 .org. Let me tell you, they're so easy to use. 00:30:05.960 --> 00:30:08.359 Chip provides the teaching, and you'll have time 00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:10.779 to discuss what you've heard alongside our helpful 00:30:10.779 --> 00:30:13.859 study guides. We also offer guidance for leaders 00:30:13.859 --> 00:30:16.309 to lead their groups effectively. So if you're 00:30:16.309 --> 00:30:18.509 not yet in a small group or looking for what 00:30:18.509 --> 00:30:21.549 to study next, check out our resources. And for 00:30:21.549 --> 00:30:23.829 a limited time, we've discounted all our small 00:30:23.829 --> 00:30:26.289 group resources so you can get into community 00:30:26.289 --> 00:30:30.410 today. To learn more, go to livingontheedge .org 00:30:30.410 --> 00:30:36.049 or call 888 -333 -6003. Well, with that, here 00:30:36.049 --> 00:30:39.910 again is Chip. As we close today's message, I 00:30:39.910 --> 00:30:42.849 wish, I mean, I really wish I could sit down 00:30:42.849 --> 00:30:45.930 with a cup of coffee. you know, across a small 00:30:45.930 --> 00:30:49.049 table and just look you in the eye, you look 00:30:49.049 --> 00:30:51.450 me in the eye and say, you know, we heard the 00:30:51.450 --> 00:30:53.849 very words of Jesus. He said, there's two motives, 00:30:54.029 --> 00:30:56.730 there's two treasures, there's two eyes, and 00:30:56.730 --> 00:30:58.930 there's two masters. And he's either our master 00:30:58.930 --> 00:31:02.089 or mammon or riches are. And I wish, I mean, 00:31:02.130 --> 00:31:04.930 at a level of deep accountability, we could just 00:31:04.930 --> 00:31:07.450 ask one another the hard question, you know, 00:31:07.450 --> 00:31:10.109 who's really your master right now? I mean, if 00:31:10.109 --> 00:31:13.509 you looked into, you know, My schedule and my 00:31:13.509 --> 00:31:16.970 time and my money, what story would it tell? 00:31:17.289 --> 00:31:20.289 And if I looked into yours, what story would 00:31:20.289 --> 00:31:23.910 yours tell? And I believe that of all the areas 00:31:23.910 --> 00:31:26.390 here in America especially, it's about people 00:31:26.390 --> 00:31:29.190 that sincerely love God and yet their lives are 00:31:29.190 --> 00:31:33.210 often out of control. And the driving force that's 00:31:33.210 --> 00:31:36.170 hard to admit, it's the dollar. It's the movement. 00:31:36.309 --> 00:31:39.410 It's the stuff you got to have. And it's very, 00:31:39.490 --> 00:31:41.609 very subtle. It's the deceitfulness of riches. 00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:44.240 And so as we talk together, I just want to ask 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:46.759 you to kind of have a real heart check and ask 00:31:46.759 --> 00:31:50.460 God to help you be honest with yourself. I can't 00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:52.519 remember the last time that someone in a Bible 00:31:52.519 --> 00:31:55.460 study said, you know, I just want everyone to 00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:57.660 know I'm struggling with materialism, and I think 00:31:57.660 --> 00:32:00.200 it's an idol in my life. Would you pray for me? 00:32:00.460 --> 00:32:02.519 I mean, this is one of those things that's so 00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:05.680 close to all of us, it's insidious. And I had 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:07.799 a guy recently come up after service and say, 00:32:07.900 --> 00:32:10.279 I realize that no matter how much I've made, 00:32:10.440 --> 00:32:13.259 I've figured a way to up my lifestyle and spend 00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:16.119 more and more and more. And in the last seven 00:32:16.119 --> 00:32:19.000 months, the best gift from God was I lost my 00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:23.059 job. We're on a budget. I begin to give the first 00:32:23.059 --> 00:32:26.220 portion to God. I'm in the Bible again regularly. 00:32:26.579 --> 00:32:30.599 I now understand what really matters. Could it 00:32:30.599 --> 00:32:33.740 be? Could it be? that some of the hardship that 00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:36.460 you might be going through is the loving hand 00:32:36.460 --> 00:32:40.460 of a kind God drawing you back to himself. Why 00:32:40.460 --> 00:32:42.200 don't you get a good friend, since we can't have 00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:45.319 coffee, and talk about that from the heart, and 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:47.940 then do what God shows you to do. Really challenging 00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:51.140 word, Chip. Thanks. As we close, I want to thank 00:32:51.140 --> 00:32:53.819 each of you who makes this program possible through 00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:57.099 your generous giving. 100 % of your gifts go 00:32:57.099 --> 00:32:59.619 directly to the ministry to help Christians live 00:32:59.619 --> 00:33:01.900 like Christians. Now, if you found this teaching 00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:04.339 helpful, but aren't yet on the team. Consider 00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:07.240 doing that today. Sending a gift is easy. Go 00:33:07.240 --> 00:33:11.680 to livingontheedge .org or call us at 888 -333 00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:19.099 -6003. That's 888 -333 -6003 or visit livingontheedge 00:33:19.099 --> 00:33:23.640 .org. App listeners, tap donate. And let me thank 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:25.880 you in advance for doing whatever the Lord leads 00:33:25.880 --> 00:33:28.619 you to do. We'll listen in next time as Chip 00:33:28.619 --> 00:33:31.099 wraps up his series, Balancing Life's Demands. 00:33:31.279 --> 00:33:33.740 Until then, this is Dave Drewy saying thanks 00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:36.599 for joining us for this edition of Living on 00:33:36.599 --> 00:33:37.140 the Edge.