WEBVTT 00:00:01.229 --> 00:00:03.669 What are biblical priorities in the midst of 00:00:03.669 --> 00:00:07.129 busy lives? How do we create margin? How do we 00:00:07.129 --> 00:00:09.910 get our lives in order? How do we get the things 00:00:09.910 --> 00:00:12.369 that are out of control under control by the 00:00:12.369 --> 00:00:14.390 Spirit of God? Today, we're going to talk about, 00:00:14.449 --> 00:00:17.289 I think, maybe the most important truth about 00:00:17.289 --> 00:00:20.089 how to take this from your head to your heart. 00:00:21.949 --> 00:00:24.429 Thanks for listening to this edition of Living 00:00:24.429 --> 00:00:27.550 on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We are an international 00:00:27.550 --> 00:00:30.629 teaching and discipleship ministry that encourages 00:00:30.629 --> 00:00:33.149 and equips Christians to live like Christians. 00:00:33.429 --> 00:00:36.009 Well, today, Chip wraps up our series, Balancing 00:00:36.009 --> 00:00:38.890 Life's Demands. Over the past several programs, 00:00:39.009 --> 00:00:41.509 we've discovered God's desire for us to live 00:00:41.509 --> 00:00:45.009 with peace, purpose, and joy, and how we can 00:00:45.009 --> 00:00:48.189 actually experience a life like that. So if you've 00:00:48.189 --> 00:00:50.429 missed any part of this series, catch up anytime 00:00:50.429 --> 00:00:53.750 at livingontheedge .org or wherever you listen 00:00:53.750 --> 00:00:56.939 to podcasts. If you have a Bible, go now to Matthew 00:00:56.939 --> 00:00:59.539 chapter 6 for the remainder of Chip's message, 00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:04.060 How to Escape the Rat Race Forever. The issue 00:01:04.060 --> 00:01:07.640 behind materialism at the core has nothing to 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:11.079 do with things or even money. It has to do with 00:01:11.079 --> 00:01:13.859 faith. It has to do with trust. Do you trust 00:01:13.859 --> 00:01:17.239 me? Do you trust me to come through for you? 00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:20.739 Yes, in the material necessities. But do you 00:01:20.739 --> 00:01:23.680 trust me to come through for you that you're 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.280 significant and valuable the way I made you? 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.819 Do you trust that if you would find my purpose 00:01:28.819 --> 00:01:31.560 and my role for your life, that you don't have 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:33.340 to look like that, you don't have to live in 00:01:33.340 --> 00:01:35.200 that zip code, you don't have to drive that, 00:01:35.340 --> 00:01:37.280 you don't have to have so many people know you? 00:01:37.340 --> 00:01:40.140 Can you trust me that if you do life my way, 00:01:40.260 --> 00:01:42.560 the deepest things that you long for in your 00:01:42.560 --> 00:01:45.319 heart, I'm going to give you because I'm good 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:48.069 and I love you? That's really what he's getting 00:01:48.069 --> 00:01:52.069 to. So do not worry, saying, what are we gonna 00:01:52.069 --> 00:01:54.209 eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what shall we 00:01:54.209 --> 00:01:57.450 wear? And then, and then just, this is more than 00:01:57.450 --> 00:02:01.269 a mild rebuke. For the pagans run after all these 00:02:01.269 --> 00:02:03.650 things and your heavenly father knows what you 00:02:03.650 --> 00:02:05.930 need, that you need them. Put a little line under 00:02:05.930 --> 00:02:08.330 run after because he's gonna use a play on words. 00:02:08.830 --> 00:02:12.430 It means to vigorously pursue. And that verse 00:02:12.430 --> 00:02:14.569 that we like that's coming up that tells us how 00:02:14.569 --> 00:02:16.539 to really arrange our. priorities where it says, 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:20.659 but seek ye first. The word seek, this word is 00:02:20.659 --> 00:02:22.900 an intensive form of that. It's the same word. 00:02:23.080 --> 00:02:26.080 The pagans are seeking, are running, are pursuing 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:29.479 after all these things. And his point is, is 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:31.740 that you don't look any different than the pagans. 00:02:33.699 --> 00:02:38.020 Who's he talking to? Hey, Pete, you got to watch 00:02:38.020 --> 00:02:40.680 out for James. John, listen up on this one. Hey, 00:02:40.740 --> 00:02:42.879 these are his disciples and the crowd's overhearing. 00:02:42.979 --> 00:02:46.599 These are issues that the faithful will struggle 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:49.610 with. He says, guys, I'm gonna leave and I'm 00:02:49.610 --> 00:02:51.270 gonna cut out of here and there's a mission and 00:02:51.270 --> 00:02:54.669 I am the Messiah and God has a plan for the world 00:02:54.669 --> 00:02:56.550 and I love you and I'll take care of you and 00:02:56.550 --> 00:02:58.189 there are things that really matter and eternity 00:02:58.189 --> 00:03:00.030 really is real and there's a real, real heaven 00:03:00.030 --> 00:03:02.289 and there's a real, real hell and I've chosen 00:03:02.289 --> 00:03:04.849 you and this is the character and quality and 00:03:04.849 --> 00:03:06.789 the rewards of a kingdom citizen and I want you 00:03:06.789 --> 00:03:09.169 to be salt and light and live it out and I want 00:03:09.169 --> 00:03:11.009 you to know that your righteousness has to exceed 00:03:11.009 --> 00:03:12.969 that of the Pharisees because what I'm telling 00:03:12.969 --> 00:03:15.349 you, it's issues of the heart. I mean, I'm telling 00:03:15.349 --> 00:03:19.520 you guys, I came to give life to the world and 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.319 I want you to be the conduits of my grace. But 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.300 you know what? There's gonna be two motives. 00:03:24.379 --> 00:03:26.379 You can play that game and you see it. There's 00:03:26.379 --> 00:03:28.080 gonna be two treasures you're gonna have to decide 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:30.539 and it's gonna get down to how you look at life. 00:03:31.319 --> 00:03:33.680 Are you gonna use ministry as a platform for 00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:36.819 the same junk of people thinking highly of you 00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:39.060 and impressing them and all the rest? Or are 00:03:39.060 --> 00:03:41.460 you gonna have the singular eye, the single focus? 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:44.849 Because guys, I want you to know, I'm gonna check 00:03:44.849 --> 00:03:46.889 out of here, and you're either gonna worship 00:03:46.889 --> 00:03:49.090 me or you're gonna worship mammon. It's the Aramaic 00:03:49.090 --> 00:03:52.610 word for possessions, property, and money. It's 00:03:52.610 --> 00:03:55.770 just materialism. I wanna go back through and 00:03:55.770 --> 00:03:59.909 make some observations of verse 24 through 27, 00:04:00.069 --> 00:04:03.310 and then we'll come back to the solution where 00:04:03.310 --> 00:04:05.689 it says, but seek first. Doesn't that sound like 00:04:05.689 --> 00:04:09.469 a priority deal? His kingdom, that's where Christ's 00:04:09.469 --> 00:04:11.860 rulership is reigning. where we're doing things 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:14.479 God way. He's the CEO of the universe. And you 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:16.120 say, ah, since you're running the whole world, 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:18.759 why don't you be the CEO of my life too? It's 00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:21.899 really what he's saying. And you seek first his 00:04:21.899 --> 00:04:24.439 agenda instead of your own. And you're seeking 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:27.240 first his righteousness so it's about character 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:31.139 development. What if every parent was as committed 00:04:31.139 --> 00:04:34.019 to the character development of their kids as 00:04:34.019 --> 00:04:35.459 they are how good they could be in all these 00:04:35.459 --> 00:04:38.980 athletic teams and ballet and music and ah, na, 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:43.060 na, na, na, na, na. These are good, loving people 00:04:43.060 --> 00:04:45.879 who just find themselves in a maze of activity 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:48.519 pulled with school activities here and here and 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:50.500 youth here and this here and this here and then 00:04:50.500 --> 00:04:52.019 youth group here and the church does this and 00:04:52.019 --> 00:04:54.560 this does this and this does this. And why? Well, 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:56.500 because my kids have to have the best and we 00:04:56.500 --> 00:04:58.939 have to prepare them. Why? So they can get ahead. 00:04:59.060 --> 00:05:00.560 Why? So they can get good jobs. Why? So they 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:01.699 can make a lot of money. Why? So they can be 00:05:01.699 --> 00:05:12.740 happy. Wrong paradigm. Is that who's happy? Well, 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:14.639 all the other couples in the church are doing 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:16.779 it, and their kids are playing all the 17 sports. 00:05:17.019 --> 00:05:20.000 And I guess, I mean, I don't want my little Missy 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:25.939 to miss out. I mean, you know? Now, is it wrong 00:05:25.939 --> 00:05:28.899 to play youth sports? Of course not. But you 00:05:28.899 --> 00:05:30.819 know what? What would happen if you started with, 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:32.699 we're going to have great times as a family. 00:05:33.579 --> 00:05:36.129 We're going to really meet with God. My first 00:05:36.129 --> 00:05:38.829 responsibility is I'm going to have fun and I'm 00:05:38.829 --> 00:05:41.269 going to teach my kids. I mean, imagine the deep 00:05:41.269 --> 00:05:43.269 relationship that occurs when three nights a 00:05:43.269 --> 00:05:45.149 week I'm sitting in little stands feeling like 00:05:45.149 --> 00:05:47.230 I'm being a good parent as my kids are running 00:05:47.230 --> 00:05:50.850 around being yelled at by other parents who probably 00:05:50.850 --> 00:05:55.089 don't know how to coach the sport anyway. And 00:05:55.089 --> 00:05:57.149 then we have to hustle supper and then it's late 00:05:57.149 --> 00:06:00.870 to do the homework. And you know what? He's out 00:06:00.870 --> 00:06:02.509 there in that little uniform that I can't believe 00:06:02.509 --> 00:06:05.540 they made us pay for that much. and you have 00:06:05.540 --> 00:06:08.819 no relationship with him or her, and then you're 00:06:08.819 --> 00:06:10.920 under pressure going home, and then they go to 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:12.800 bed, and then you get up early, and you do the 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:14.899 same thing again, and then your kids wake up, 00:06:14.899 --> 00:06:16.379 and you took them to church every week. Some 00:06:16.379 --> 00:06:18.100 of you even put them in a Christian school, and 00:06:18.100 --> 00:06:20.600 you tried to model the life, and then, you know, 00:06:20.620 --> 00:06:22.720 at 18, 19, after one year of college, they say, 00:06:22.899 --> 00:06:24.839 man, I don't know what this Jesus church religious 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:27.740 stuff is, but I'm worn out, and I don't need 00:06:27.740 --> 00:06:34.879 it or want it. And then we say, Lord. And see, 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:39.000 it's not bad stuff. The enemy of the best of 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:42.120 God's will is never bad stuff. You're smart people. 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:46.959 It's good stuff. Good is always the enemy of 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:50.699 the best. And to follow this passage, I'm telling 00:06:50.699 --> 00:06:53.680 you, you'll get unpopular. You're not allowing 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:55.759 your kids to do three sports this time. You're 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.000 not allowing them to be in the play, do this, 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:00.889 do this, do this, do this, do this, and... I 00:07:00.889 --> 00:07:02.449 mean, there's times I was the pastor. I would 00:07:02.449 --> 00:07:03.769 say to my own kids, you're not going to that 00:07:03.769 --> 00:07:06.730 youth activity. Dad, come on. No, you're the 00:07:06.730 --> 00:07:09.569 pastor. I know I'm the pastor. I'm a dad first. 00:07:10.709 --> 00:07:13.009 I remember the time in our church when, I mean, 00:07:13.029 --> 00:07:15.250 it was so blowing and going in California in 00:07:15.250 --> 00:07:18.509 so many different directions. And we unconsciously, 00:07:18.509 --> 00:07:20.129 I mean, the fifth and sixth year, we had hundreds 00:07:20.129 --> 00:07:22.350 here and hundreds in the junior high and hundreds, 00:07:22.430 --> 00:07:24.389 you know, in the high school and this and this 00:07:24.389 --> 00:07:26.329 and that. And I sat down one day, because I was 00:07:26.329 --> 00:07:28.889 a parent, and I thought, what would it be like 00:07:28.889 --> 00:07:31.279 as a really committed Christian? in our church. 00:07:31.699 --> 00:07:33.560 Oh, they come to a service, you serve somewhere, 00:07:33.740 --> 00:07:35.500 you're in a small group. Let's see, Tuesday night, 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:36.860 we're doing that dinner and the electives. And 00:07:36.860 --> 00:07:38.759 then, my lands, if you had a kid here, you'd 00:07:38.759 --> 00:07:40.439 have to be out this night and junior high has 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:42.040 dropped off here, high school's here. I remember 00:07:42.040 --> 00:07:43.220 getting our whole staff together and saying, 00:07:43.300 --> 00:07:48.180 man, we're the enemy. We're idiots. We have successful 00:07:48.180 --> 00:07:51.240 programs that are killing families. And we pulled 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:54.040 it back and said, okay, high school, junior high, 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.439 fifth and sixth, and the family life counseling 00:07:56.439 --> 00:07:59.439 ministry. You all get together and we ain't doing 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:03.120 anything unless whatever we do flows to build 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:05.180 healthy families instead of build our church 00:08:05.180 --> 00:08:08.980 programs. And here's my point. You can see it 00:08:08.980 --> 00:08:10.680 when I give it to you corporately like that. 00:08:11.160 --> 00:08:15.199 That's what's happening to a lot of you. I mean, 00:08:15.220 --> 00:08:18.220 who can argue with... You know, 150 fifth and 00:08:18.220 --> 00:08:20.240 sixth graders studying God's word on this night 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:23.740 or, you know, 150 or 200 junior hires doing it 00:08:23.740 --> 00:08:26.139 this night and then going on a retreat here and 00:08:26.139 --> 00:08:28.279 then having an outreach over here and doing this 00:08:28.279 --> 00:08:31.000 over here. The only problem is dad is not the 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:33.399 priest of his home. You know, he and his wife 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:34.980 are going, do you think we could get a vacation 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:40.830 from like everything? And they get tired. Don't 00:08:40.830 --> 00:08:44.289 think of materialism as simply possessions and 00:08:44.289 --> 00:08:46.990 do I love money and let's see, am I a shopaholic 00:08:46.990 --> 00:08:50.529 or I'm a workaholic? At the heart of materialism 00:08:50.529 --> 00:08:53.809 is believing that the material world, a condition 00:08:53.809 --> 00:08:56.330 of the heart, it can be the concern for other 00:08:56.330 --> 00:08:58.850 things. I've got a good buddy who is extremely 00:08:58.850 --> 00:09:02.289 wealthy and very godly. And I remember he built 00:09:02.289 --> 00:09:05.090 a nice house, paid cash for it, was at one point 00:09:05.090 --> 00:09:06.529 in time in one of my ministries, chairman of 00:09:06.529 --> 00:09:09.029 the elders, great buddy. We met on a regular 00:09:09.029 --> 00:09:12.350 basis. And, you know, he did some other things. 00:09:12.429 --> 00:09:14.549 And, you know, he had a nice pool over here and 00:09:14.549 --> 00:09:16.730 this here and this here. And I remember meeting 00:09:16.730 --> 00:09:19.850 with him one day and he said, yeah, I made a 00:09:19.850 --> 00:09:23.230 decision. I'm tired of the upkeep of the stuff 00:09:23.230 --> 00:09:25.830 I got. If you got a pool, you got to have a pool 00:09:25.830 --> 00:09:28.529 guy. If you got a second house, you got to have 00:09:28.529 --> 00:09:30.350 someone come clean it when you invite people 00:09:30.350 --> 00:09:32.570 to stay. Then you got to go up there just often 00:09:32.570 --> 00:09:35.009 enough to feel like you're worth the second house. 00:09:35.850 --> 00:09:37.690 And then he said, you know, we got, I love the 00:09:37.690 --> 00:09:39.490 art, I love landscaping, but we got, you know, 00:09:39.509 --> 00:09:41.610 I can't do it. We got a landscaping guy. He started 00:09:41.610 --> 00:09:43.970 adding up how many hundreds of dollars a month 00:09:43.970 --> 00:09:46.610 just to keep up all the nice stuff he had that 00:09:46.610 --> 00:09:49.649 he graciously used and gave over and above. You 00:09:49.649 --> 00:09:55.169 know, he just said, I'm just tired. My to -do 00:09:55.169 --> 00:09:58.929 list is about all these things. Some of you have 00:09:58.929 --> 00:10:01.649 things, and I've talked with some of you, and 00:10:01.649 --> 00:10:03.110 it's like, I don't know how to get out of this, 00:10:03.149 --> 00:10:04.629 and I get these cobwebs, and I do it for a couple 00:10:04.629 --> 00:10:06.710 weeks, and there's a struggle, and you know, 00:10:06.769 --> 00:10:09.090 you can't tweak it. Some of you need to, I mean, 00:10:09.110 --> 00:10:11.269 you need to really pray, and don't write me and 00:10:11.269 --> 00:10:13.070 blame me if you make a dumb decision, all right? 00:10:13.659 --> 00:10:16.200 But you need to really, really pray. And then 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.000 you need to say, you know what? These relationships 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:20.259 that we feel guilty about that are going nowhere, 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:23.340 that we just out of expectation, you know something? 00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:25.159 We're just not doing those anymore. And you know, 00:10:25.240 --> 00:10:26.840 all these, some of these activities, some of 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:28.639 them quote religious activities because people 00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:30.200 expect them and I've done this for 11 years. 00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:33.059 Well, good, don't make it 12. Figure out what 00:10:33.059 --> 00:10:36.360 God wants you to do. Get focused, simplify your 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:38.860 life, get a handle on your money, on your time 00:10:38.860 --> 00:10:41.639 in alignment with what am I supposed to be and 00:10:41.639 --> 00:10:44.860 what am I called to do? And then just cut some 00:10:44.860 --> 00:10:48.659 stuff loose. I mean, just get out the old spiritual 00:10:48.659 --> 00:10:52.200 butcher knife, slop, swap. I mean, I'm not doing 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:55.539 that anymore. And oh, you'll struggle and feel 00:10:55.539 --> 00:10:57.779 guilty and good loving people. You can't do that. 00:10:57.860 --> 00:11:00.600 Our program could never go on without you. You 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:04.080 are the source of our church program. The ladies 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:06.120 will never go on without you. Well, then you 00:11:06.120 --> 00:11:07.899 got a bad program because we all thought they 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:12.519 could not go on without Jesus, right? So that's 00:11:12.519 --> 00:11:15.460 what we need to talk about. Now, let me give 00:11:15.460 --> 00:11:17.220 you the symptoms here. I think I had a small 00:11:17.220 --> 00:11:22.399 tangential moment. I think it was a spirit -led 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:26.820 tangential moment. But I'll tell you, that last 00:11:26.820 --> 00:11:30.840 three minutes wasn't in the notes. But I really 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:33.600 think it's where American culture is among believers. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:38.279 And I just keep meeting people that I love. who 00:11:38.279 --> 00:11:41.600 unconsciously are on this rat race. Did you notice 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.679 the title of this, by the way? How to Get Out 00:11:44.679 --> 00:11:49.340 of the Rat Race Forever. I will guarantee it 00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:54.440 will be painful. It'll be painful. You're not 00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:57.500 gonna tweak a couple little things. It'll take 00:11:57.500 --> 00:12:03.179 a gigantic, clear step of leading from God where 00:12:03.179 --> 00:12:06.360 you look at your plate and you just take some 00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:09.259 things off. That you assumed you always had to 00:12:09.259 --> 00:12:13.639 do. And then you'll put some things on that will 00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:17.759 be about storing up treasure forever. Friendships, 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:19.799 family. Are there any relationships that need 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:23.440 to be repaired? I mean, those are the things 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:26.279 that are going to matter. And what do we say? 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:27.980 Oh, we'd love to get together. We really can't. 00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:29.580 There's a couple we really connect. We'd love 00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:31.340 to be with them. And you look at your schedule 00:12:31.340 --> 00:12:33.769 and, you know, three months from now. Well, then 00:12:33.769 --> 00:12:35.649 just look at your schedule and start going, you 00:12:35.649 --> 00:12:37.570 know, and people do this all the time in business. 00:12:37.730 --> 00:12:39.289 Have you ever had someone call you and say, we're 00:12:39.289 --> 00:12:41.029 really sorry. There was a tornado. We were supposed 00:12:41.029 --> 00:12:42.669 to roof your house. We have to delay it for a 00:12:42.669 --> 00:12:46.149 month. And so what do you do? No, you can't do 00:12:46.149 --> 00:12:47.870 that. You come right now. What do we say? Oh, 00:12:47.889 --> 00:12:52.090 okay. Right? You can say that. You know, we had 00:12:52.090 --> 00:12:53.649 this on the calendar. No, no, keep your word. 00:12:53.769 --> 00:12:55.490 Don't get me wrong. I'm not talking, you know, 00:12:55.529 --> 00:12:57.690 you swear to your own hurt and change not. But 00:12:57.690 --> 00:12:59.230 some of this stuff, the sort of social obligation 00:12:59.230 --> 00:13:01.129 type stuff, you just start going through and 00:13:01.129 --> 00:13:04.019 going, you know what? If it matters and you long 00:13:04.019 --> 00:13:05.759 to do it and you're passionate about it and you 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:07.960 know God wants you to do it, let's do it. And 00:13:07.960 --> 00:13:10.019 if it doesn't, then figure out how to wean it 00:13:10.019 --> 00:13:12.100 where you get down to the basics. Because look 00:13:12.100 --> 00:13:14.759 what Jesus says, the symptom of materialism, 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:18.539 anxiety is the mark of a life preoccupied with 00:13:18.539 --> 00:13:21.120 material things. And if you have that pen handy, 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:23.379 you want to do a quick little Bible study, look 00:13:23.379 --> 00:13:27.799 at verse 25, do not worry. Skip down to verse 00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:30.320 27, you can underline that. Who of you by worrying? 00:13:30.990 --> 00:13:34.090 Skip down to verse 28. Why do you worry? Underline 00:13:34.090 --> 00:13:37.509 that. Skip down to verse 31. So do not worry. 00:13:38.830 --> 00:13:41.669 Verse 34, therefore, just in case you missed 00:13:41.669 --> 00:13:44.470 the first four or five do not worries. This is 00:13:44.470 --> 00:13:46.850 Jesus. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow. 00:13:48.309 --> 00:13:51.590 Well, I mean, we're just fixated on all the things 00:13:51.590 --> 00:13:53.350 that might or could happen or what we've got 00:13:53.350 --> 00:13:54.769 to do today in order to take care of tomorrow. 00:13:55.009 --> 00:13:57.190 Do not worry about tomorrow. Why? For tomorrow 00:13:57.190 --> 00:13:59.289 will worry about itself. Each day has enough 00:13:59.289 --> 00:14:02.759 trouble of its own. The meaning of worry, I love 00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:04.500 the Spanish word for worry. You know what it 00:14:04.500 --> 00:14:10.100 is? Preocupado. It means to be preoccupied. See, 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:12.519 we always think of worries. I'm wringing my hands 00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:15.419 and I'm so uptight about this. The Greek word 00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:18.879 for worry has this idea of a divided mind, of 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:21.039 being torn in two different directions, of being 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:24.580 pulled in opposite directions. And the root problem 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:27.870 is lack of faith. See, I'm always hedging my 00:14:27.870 --> 00:14:29.750 bets. You know, if this doesn't work out, I need 00:14:29.750 --> 00:14:31.429 to do this relationship and this relationship, 00:14:31.590 --> 00:14:33.669 and I need to do this and this, and I'm afraid 00:14:33.669 --> 00:14:36.529 I'll miss out. How can you miss out if God is 00:14:36.529 --> 00:14:38.169 good, God is sovereign, and you're listening 00:14:38.169 --> 00:14:41.809 to him? The frantic pace of our life is you don't 00:14:41.809 --> 00:14:43.730 want your kids to miss out, you don't want to 00:14:43.730 --> 00:14:45.789 miss out, and since you don't clearly know the 00:14:45.789 --> 00:14:49.009 way, you try to do more than God ever intended, 00:14:49.149 --> 00:14:51.590 and then you blame God for how tired you are, 00:14:51.649 --> 00:14:56.549 quote, doing his will. It's about faith. Stop 00:14:56.549 --> 00:15:03.929 the preoccupation. Cleanse the calendar. Cleanse 00:15:03.929 --> 00:15:06.649 the relationships. I mean, some of you have some 00:15:06.649 --> 00:15:08.529 people that, you know what? If God was going 00:15:08.529 --> 00:15:10.389 to use you to help them, they'd be helped by 00:15:10.389 --> 00:15:12.690 now. I mean, how many times can you hear the 00:15:12.690 --> 00:15:16.289 same thing? And the only reason you're meeting 00:15:16.289 --> 00:15:19.929 with them is guilt. It's the only reason. It's 00:15:19.929 --> 00:15:22.409 not being led by God. And you know what's amazing? 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:24.860 I still remember my dad was an alcoholic, and, 00:15:24.919 --> 00:15:26.419 you know, they went through all this different 00:15:26.419 --> 00:15:27.899 stuff, and he was a good functioning alcoholic. 00:15:28.139 --> 00:15:30.279 And, you know, Ralph, you need to stop drinking 00:15:30.279 --> 00:15:31.639 and this and this, and you're neglecting the 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:38.000 kids. I remember this was my mom. Ralph, Reb, 00:15:38.019 --> 00:15:42.919 she never called him Ralph. She was a guidance 00:15:42.919 --> 00:15:45.440 counselor, so she kind of knew her stuff, even 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:50.759 though we were a dysfunctional family. But she 00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:52.700 was one awesome codependent, I'll tell you that. 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:57.659 I mean, really. And I remember when she came 00:15:57.659 --> 00:16:00.980 out of her codependency, she said, Ralph, and 00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:02.419 she took a beer bottle, and she goes, you can 00:16:02.419 --> 00:16:05.679 have that, you can have me, and the kids. And 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:08.360 I was the last one out, my sister, so I'm in 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:14.620 pretty late high school. So she knows, you got 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:17.639 24 hours to make a decision, and you can do whatever 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:20.820 you want to do. She nagged him for 10 years. 00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:24.159 She tried to help him for 10 years. She set a 00:16:24.159 --> 00:16:27.480 boundary and decided, what do I need to do to 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:31.659 follow God? And guess what? In 24 hours, my dad 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:36.639 decided he'd quit drinking. Maybe some of those 00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:39.080 people you're helping, maybe they need to hear, 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:40.840 you know something? I've done all I can do to 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:42.779 help you. Here's a card of a Christian counselor 00:16:42.779 --> 00:16:44.340 that I've learned in our area. If you want to 00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:46.539 keep talking to someone, maybe if you pay them. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:49.659 We'll get better results. I can't help you. I 00:16:49.659 --> 00:16:52.039 love you. I'll pray for you. I can't help you. 00:16:52.059 --> 00:16:53.960 I can see I'm going to create chaos all over 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:58.139 America after this talk. You're listening to 00:16:58.139 --> 00:17:01.000 Living on the Edge. Before we hear the rest of 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:03.200 Chip's message, let me remind you that we are 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:05.859 a listener supported ministry. Your financial 00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:08.519 gifts help us create programs like this one, 00:17:08.599 --> 00:17:11.160 develop new resources, and encourage pastors 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:14.160 globally. Prayerfully consider supporting us 00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:17.819 today. then go to livingontheedge .org to give 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:21.079 a gift. And thanks so much for your help. We'll 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:25.640 hear again as Chip. Notice the acid teff of materialism 00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:29.099 is not how much I have or don't have, but my 00:17:29.099 --> 00:17:32.539 preoccupation and concern over it. Did you get 00:17:32.539 --> 00:17:35.960 that? I can be preoccupied and concerned over 00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:38.359 all the tons of stuff that I do have, or I can 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:40.779 be preoccupied and concerned of what I don't 00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:44.259 have and what I need. Either way, it's materialism. 00:17:44.569 --> 00:17:47.509 The explanation, he says, stop your preoccupation 00:17:47.509 --> 00:17:50.650 with material things. Why? Look at verse 25. 00:17:50.890 --> 00:17:54.630 He says, because it's short -sighted. He says, 00:17:54.750 --> 00:17:56.990 don't worry about your life, what you're going 00:17:56.990 --> 00:17:59.170 to eat, what you're going to drink. He said, 00:17:59.269 --> 00:18:03.160 there's more to life than things. And his motive 00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:06.420 here is to protect us and our well -being. Material 00:18:06.420 --> 00:18:09.680 things are unable to meet the deepest needs of 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.579 your life. If your kids get in Harvard, if they 00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:15.420 have a 1500 on their SAT, if they have beautiful 00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:17.880 little grandkids, if they get a great job, if 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:20.140 they drive a BMW, have a wonderful house, an 00:18:20.140 --> 00:18:22.019 amazing driveway, and you can invite all your 00:18:22.019 --> 00:18:24.180 friends and show pictures to everyone, if they 00:18:24.180 --> 00:18:25.799 go into the ministry, if that's what you, and 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:27.880 some even go on the mission fields, and you finally 00:18:27.880 --> 00:18:30.240 have your nest egg, if your 401k is protected 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:32.470 from all the subprime mortgage, and everything 00:18:32.470 --> 00:18:34.349 is perfect, I will tell you, you will sit as 00:18:34.349 --> 00:18:40.250 a desperately lonely person thinking, what happened? 00:18:41.309 --> 00:18:44.890 You mean that didn't do it? No, and it never 00:18:44.890 --> 00:18:47.950 will. That's the lie. That's the enemy. That's 00:18:47.950 --> 00:18:51.269 a God. Now, as you walk with him, here's what 00:18:51.269 --> 00:18:54.710 I'll tell you. He may let your kids get into 00:18:54.710 --> 00:18:58.349 Harvard. Thank him. If they got 1 ,500 on their 00:18:58.349 --> 00:19:04.519 SAT, I'd ask him for counsel personally. If he 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:06.799 supplies you with beautiful grandchildren and 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:10.140 children and blesses you financially, what you'll 00:19:10.140 --> 00:19:12.779 find out if you're there is that it's more of 00:19:12.779 --> 00:19:15.319 an overwhelming stewardship of what to do with 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:17.180 all that money than it is what you thought it 00:19:17.180 --> 00:19:20.500 would be, like, ah, we finally made it. Because 00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:22.680 the more you have, the better the maturity and 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:25.880 the faith that it requires. And so he says, don't 00:19:25.880 --> 00:19:29.400 buy into materialism because it is short -sighted. 00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:35.420 Second, he says, it's... It's illogical. His 00:19:35.420 --> 00:19:37.380 application, look at the birds, look at the flowers. 00:19:38.099 --> 00:19:39.700 I mean, aren't you more important than them? 00:19:39.740 --> 00:19:43.599 Yes. So it's that classical argument. He says, 00:19:43.640 --> 00:19:45.900 look, it's short -sighted. It's impractical. 00:19:46.380 --> 00:19:49.440 At the end of the day, what is it that really 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:53.099 matters? What has value? If you wrote down the 00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:56.339 top five memories in your life, what would you 00:19:56.339 --> 00:20:01.400 write down? Let me get you started. Wedding day. 00:20:02.059 --> 00:20:06.440 Birth of a child, birth of a grandchild, a deep 00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:10.339 friendship, times with your family, recovery 00:20:10.339 --> 00:20:12.660 from cancer. How many of those are material? 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:17.779 Have you ever gone to, you know, after the funeral, 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:19.740 I've done lots of them, and you go to someone's 00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:21.920 house, hang out, have a little food, and you 00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:25.930 talk kind of about the person? Has any one of 00:20:25.930 --> 00:20:27.630 you gone to one of those? And, you know, people 00:20:27.630 --> 00:20:29.230 getting little tables and all the people have 00:20:29.230 --> 00:20:31.349 made nice little food. And have you ever been 00:20:31.349 --> 00:20:33.230 to one of those? And, you know, maybe a group 00:20:33.230 --> 00:20:35.890 of guys sort of in the corner. Did that guy have 00:20:35.890 --> 00:20:39.089 a nice car or what? I mean, you know, if I had 00:20:39.089 --> 00:20:42.869 a 401k, in fact, he had a 5013B, a 401k. He was 00:20:42.869 --> 00:20:47.190 capital B. He was 32 on Forbes list. Man, did 00:20:47.190 --> 00:20:51.369 he look good, dad. Man, did you understand? Did 00:20:51.369 --> 00:20:54.880 you know that? I've never heard that. The only 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:56.880 thing we talk about when people are gone is what? 00:20:57.380 --> 00:21:00.000 Either how they modeled their relationship and 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:02.240 love for God and what they did in their relationships. 00:21:03.099 --> 00:21:06.980 Period. Period. And the saddest funerals I've 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:09.579 ever been to have been with the kids who knew 00:21:09.579 --> 00:21:11.480 the inside story. And funerals, people are the 00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:13.740 biggest liars at funerals. Oh, my lands, you 00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:17.039 know. Oh, Bob, he was da -da -da -da -da -da 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:21.029 -da -da. And the kids are going, ah. He wasn't 00:21:21.029 --> 00:21:22.910 home. He was a jerk. He had anger management 00:21:22.910 --> 00:21:25.690 issues. You know, he never talked to me, you 00:21:25.690 --> 00:21:31.769 know. But I will tell you, when someone has lived 00:21:31.769 --> 00:21:36.670 well and died well, actually, as hard as it is 00:21:36.670 --> 00:21:40.069 to let go, it's sweet time. Man, it's sweet when 00:21:40.069 --> 00:21:43.950 you see life. And you know what? Jesus said, 00:21:44.009 --> 00:21:47.509 I'm trying to protect you. I mean, some of you, 00:21:47.569 --> 00:21:50.990 if you could just relax. You relax and seek first 00:21:50.990 --> 00:21:53.450 his kingdom and his righteousness, he might scare 00:21:53.450 --> 00:21:56.589 you and just make you rich. And some of you will 00:21:56.589 --> 00:22:02.309 wish later that he hadn't. But he just says, 00:22:02.329 --> 00:22:04.950 don't buy the lie. This is really about a lie. 00:22:06.809 --> 00:22:11.509 He says it's unprofitable, verse 27, right? Can 00:22:11.509 --> 00:22:14.009 you add a single day by worrying or being preoccupied 00:22:14.009 --> 00:22:17.849 by material things? All it produces is ulcers 00:22:17.849 --> 00:22:21.009 and migraines. dysfunctional families and sleeplessness. 00:22:22.609 --> 00:22:25.809 It's disgraceful. You know, he says, the pagans 00:22:25.809 --> 00:22:29.069 run after this. When Christians live frantic, 00:22:29.069 --> 00:22:32.589 preoccupied lives thinking that all those things 00:22:32.589 --> 00:22:36.630 and what they can accomplish, we don't look any 00:22:36.630 --> 00:22:39.769 different than the world. That little tract that 00:22:39.769 --> 00:22:41.569 we give them, hey, why don't you come to our 00:22:41.569 --> 00:22:44.630 church? We have 11 activities every week. Your 00:22:44.630 --> 00:22:52.769 life can get as busy as ours. But we're doing 00:22:52.769 --> 00:22:59.829 it for Jesus. The promise, if you will pursue 00:22:59.829 --> 00:23:02.049 knowing Christ and making him known, verse 33, 00:23:02.269 --> 00:23:07.529 as your first priority, he will meet all your 00:23:07.529 --> 00:23:13.509 material needs. Run, seek, pursue after Christ, 00:23:13.650 --> 00:23:16.369 knowing him and serving him, and let him tell 00:23:16.369 --> 00:23:19.099 you what to do with your time. Let him tell you 00:23:19.099 --> 00:23:22.000 which relationships to be in and which ones to 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:24.480 get out of. I mean, it's kind of funny, and I'm 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:26.619 poking fun because I find when I say really hard 00:23:26.619 --> 00:23:28.440 things, if we poke fun, it's better to laugh 00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:32.380 now and then cry privately. Because some of you, 00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:35.000 if you start cleaning your relational network 00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:37.559 and cleaning your calendar and cleaning your 00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:39.500 garage and getting stuff out of storage, by the 00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:42.660 way, why do we need all this storage? Do you 00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:44.619 realize 30 years ago, that wasn't even an industry? 00:23:46.269 --> 00:23:47.970 Why do we have all these garage sales? Because 00:23:47.970 --> 00:23:49.650 I've got to get new stuff I don't need to impress 00:23:49.650 --> 00:23:51.630 people who don't care, and I put it in the garage, 00:23:51.730 --> 00:23:53.390 and I can't fit it in the garage, and I try and 00:23:53.390 --> 00:23:54.930 sell it, and that's a hassle, and I try to eBay 00:23:54.930 --> 00:23:56.849 it. Yeah, I don't know about that. And so I start, 00:23:56.950 --> 00:23:58.470 but, you know, you don't want to lose it. So 00:23:58.470 --> 00:24:00.369 you start, you know, cool. It's got to be temperature 00:24:00.369 --> 00:24:02.450 controlled, you know. And I put it in storage, 00:24:02.630 --> 00:24:04.710 and we've got people, we've got stuff, and then 00:24:04.710 --> 00:24:06.190 we've got stuff, and then we've got stuff, and 00:24:06.190 --> 00:24:07.450 then we've got stuff, and then we've got stuff. 00:24:07.490 --> 00:24:08.710 Guess what? You know what your life is? Full 00:24:08.710 --> 00:24:12.730 of stuff. It is stuff that ruins your relationship 00:24:12.730 --> 00:24:18.299 with Christ, and stuff can't deliver. Make him, 00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:24.720 run after him. Invest in people. Invest in God 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:31.839 and use things and money to extend love. And 00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:34.859 God says, I will tell you what, I'll work out 00:24:34.859 --> 00:24:37.099 a way that we can get those kids through school 00:24:37.099 --> 00:24:40.019 and, you know, those house payments, we can work 00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:43.299 those out. I'll help you with those. Use your 00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:49.740 brains. Be wise. Make the good investments. I 00:24:49.740 --> 00:24:51.900 came across an article I want to close with because 00:24:51.900 --> 00:24:55.799 this really is a warning. It's an article about 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:58.599 California cover story. When Jim Smallridge went 00:24:58.599 --> 00:25:00.519 to bed at his parents' house in rural San Diego 00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:03.000 County late Saturday, he wasn't concerned about 00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:05.519 wildfires. They were ravaging the Cleveland National 00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:08.440 Forest 15 miles away, a distant glow in the night. 00:25:08.829 --> 00:25:11.349 He awoke a few hours later to find flames in 00:25:11.349 --> 00:25:14.029 his parents' front yard. It was on us like that, 00:25:14.130 --> 00:25:17.529 he said. Chasing us, says Smallridge, 42 years 00:25:17.529 --> 00:25:20.170 old. I knew that if we didn't get out in a matter 00:25:20.170 --> 00:25:22.559 of minutes, we'd be dead. Minutes, it turned 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:24.700 out, were all the residents of Lakeside had. 00:25:24.940 --> 00:25:27.299 After frantically knocking on neighbors' doors, 00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:29.980 Smallridge managed to escape with his son, Sean, 00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:33.240 18, by driving their pickup truck through a 200 00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:37.059 -foot -wide wall of flame that blocked the only 00:25:37.059 --> 00:25:39.359 road out of the neighborhood. Now, imagine that. 00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:42.400 It's here. We gotta go. Tell the neighbors. So 00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:44.339 he tells the neighbors, son, get in the truck. 00:25:45.619 --> 00:25:47.519 And who knows what's on the other side of it? 00:25:47.799 --> 00:25:51.220 They come through the flames. Others weren't 00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:55.680 quick enough, Smallridge recalls. They disregarded 00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:59.380 his frantic warnings or they responded too casually. 00:26:00.119 --> 00:26:02.859 Several wanted to save their televisions and 00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:08.039 computers. They looked like they were packing 00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:11.839 for a trip, he said. The ones who listened to 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:18.000 me and left the area immediately lived. The ones 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:23.480 who didn't died. Feels a little bit like God 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:25.640 speaking through Moses. I put before you today 00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:31.859 a blessing and a curse. Choose life. It's not 00:26:31.859 --> 00:26:34.900 about things or how much you have or don't have. 00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:42.160 It is a condition of the heart that arrives and 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:46.220 starts first with motives. You discover it through 00:26:46.220 --> 00:26:49.680 these two treasures. It gets to the core of two 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:54.289 I's, singular, or duplicity. And then it results 00:26:54.289 --> 00:26:58.789 in two masters, either God or mammon. And the 00:26:58.789 --> 00:27:01.990 only way to live in a materialistic world and 00:27:01.990 --> 00:27:06.589 not be materialistic is what Jesus said. Seek 00:27:06.589 --> 00:27:10.990 first his kingdom, his rule, his authority in 00:27:10.990 --> 00:27:14.069 everything, in every situation. And his righteousness 00:27:14.069 --> 00:27:17.309 is that's the primary goal to become like Jesus 00:27:17.309 --> 00:27:20.500 and all. That's a pretty big word. All these 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:25.000 things will be added to you. That's why Paul 00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:27.900 would say, don't fix your eyes on these things. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:31.059 But then he said, richly enjoy all these things 00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:37.099 that God gives you when they're gifts. You're 00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:39.759 listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:42.559 And the message you just heard, how to escape 00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:45.920 the rat race forever, is from our series, Balancing 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:48.990 Life's Demands. Chip will join us in studio to 00:27:48.990 --> 00:27:51.349 share some insights from today's talk in just 00:27:51.349 --> 00:27:54.779 a minute. Are you exhausted juggling your job, 00:27:54.940 --> 00:27:57.460 kids, marriage, and everything else you're responsible 00:27:57.460 --> 00:28:00.319 for? Do you wish there was a way to relieve that 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:03.480 stress and live with a little more joy? Through 00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:06.180 this series, Chip revealed what a balanced life 00:28:06.180 --> 00:28:09.079 looks like and challenged us to rearrange our 00:28:09.079 --> 00:28:12.000 priorities around what matters most. We hope 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:14.700 Chip's words helped you access the joy -filled 00:28:14.700 --> 00:28:18.059 and satisfying life God desires for you. Let 00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:20.420 me encourage you to go back and revisit any part 00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:23.319 of this series by going to going to livingontheedge 00:28:23.319 --> 00:28:29.220 .org. That's livingontheedge .org. Well, before 00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:31.599 we go any further, Chip's with me in studio to 00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:34.579 share a quick word. Chip? Thanks so much, Dave. 00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:37.200 I'll be back with some application to today's 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:39.640 teaching. But if you're listening to this program 00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:42.240 and you or someone you know is being blessed, 00:28:42.420 --> 00:28:45.279 I mean, God is using it in your life. I'd like 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:47.779 to ask you to really pray about partnering with 00:28:47.779 --> 00:28:50.359 Living on the Edge. Your financial investment 00:28:50.359 --> 00:28:52.900 allows us to equip Christians here in the United 00:28:52.900 --> 00:28:56.140 States, all across the world, to really live 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:58.619 like Christians. Because of your donations, we 00:28:58.619 --> 00:29:01.240 create materials, we get God's Word to leaders, 00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:04.299 and we take the Bible to the people in ways that 00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:07.039 help them grow and transform their families and 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:09.480 communities. So here's my request. Would you 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:12.259 help us reach the hurting people in the U .S. 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:14.980 and around the world? Help us to be a catalyst 00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:17.980 for change so that Christians everywhere can 00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:20.420 live more like Christians. It makes a huge difference, 00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:22.960 and thanks in advance for whatever God leads 00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:25.420 you to do. Well, as you prayerfully consider 00:29:25.420 --> 00:29:27.960 your role with this ministry, I want to remind 00:29:27.960 --> 00:29:30.839 you that every gift is significant, no matter 00:29:30.839 --> 00:29:33.519 the amount. When you partner with Living on the 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:36.200 Edge, you support and multiply the ministry work 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:39.180 we're doing all over the globe. Set up your monthly 00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:42.619 gift today by going to livingontheedge .org or 00:29:42.619 --> 00:29:50.019 calling 888 -333 -6003. That's 888 -333 -6003 00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:54.720 or visit livingontheedge .org. App listeners 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:57.809 tap donate. Well, with that, here again is Chip. 00:29:58.529 --> 00:30:02.049 As we close today's message and finish this entire 00:30:02.049 --> 00:30:04.710 series, I want to give you a game plan to move 00:30:04.710 --> 00:30:06.730 on from here. You know, it's one thing to say 00:30:06.730 --> 00:30:08.730 we're going to balance life's demands. We're 00:30:08.730 --> 00:30:11.309 going to live by biblical priorities. And, you 00:30:11.309 --> 00:30:12.890 know, we kind of get excited for a couple weeks, 00:30:13.009 --> 00:30:15.210 and hopefully you've got some good information, 00:30:15.430 --> 00:30:18.529 some good truth. But if I begin to ask you, like 00:30:18.529 --> 00:30:21.650 I ask myself, some fundamental questions, we 00:30:21.650 --> 00:30:24.029 realize that we've started something, and I want 00:30:24.029 --> 00:30:26.579 to help you. Keep moving in the right direction. 00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:29.720 When you start asking questions like, where are 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:34.200 you investing your life? Is God or mammon the 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:37.720 master of my soul? Am I living under pressure 00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:41.680 or am I living under priorities? Does my time 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:44.619 and my talent and my treasure reflect the life 00:30:44.619 --> 00:30:47.619 and following of Christ? Or does it reflect a 00:30:47.619 --> 00:30:51.200 out -of -control, crazy life that I want to bring 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:54.549 into balance, but I don't know how? We've started 00:30:54.549 --> 00:30:57.089 the journey, but let me give you three specific 00:30:57.089 --> 00:31:00.410 suggestions to move on. Number one, if you're 00:31:00.410 --> 00:31:02.730 kind of privately on this journey and realize. 00:31:03.450 --> 00:31:06.150 You just need to process this individually. Let 00:31:06.150 --> 00:31:08.769 me encourage you to get the MP3s and on your 00:31:08.769 --> 00:31:11.990 commute to work, think about it, ponder it, listen 00:31:11.990 --> 00:31:15.410 to it three, four times, download the notes for 00:31:15.410 --> 00:31:18.509 free and fill in the things and use it as the 00:31:18.509 --> 00:31:20.269 basis of your time with the Lord for the next 00:31:20.269 --> 00:31:23.970 30 days or so. Go on a personal journey. Deep 00:31:23.970 --> 00:31:26.769 inventory is the prerequisite for lasting change. 00:31:27.309 --> 00:31:29.849 Second, do this with someone. You know, get the 00:31:29.849 --> 00:31:32.410 small group resource and say, hey, Let's spend 00:31:32.410 --> 00:31:34.750 the next 10 weeks together, you know, once a 00:31:34.750 --> 00:31:37.049 week, and let's talk this over. Let's process 00:31:37.049 --> 00:31:39.849 this. That will really begin to reinforce it. 00:31:39.990 --> 00:31:42.369 And then finally, there's some of you that you're 00:31:42.369 --> 00:31:44.329 saying to yourself, of course, I have struggles, 00:31:44.369 --> 00:31:47.750 but I remember where I used to be. You want to 00:31:47.750 --> 00:31:50.309 help some younger believers. Maybe you do it 00:31:50.309 --> 00:31:52.569 in a class. Maybe you do it early before work. 00:31:52.670 --> 00:31:55.630 But take some people that want to grow, that 00:31:55.630 --> 00:31:58.470 have this need and say, I am willing to help 00:31:58.470 --> 00:32:02.160 you. And you walk them through the series. Balancing 00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:06.000 Life's Demands. Really, it's Jesus saying, this 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:08.759 is what it looks like to follow me in a high 00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:11.400 -pressure, high -demand world. It's possible. 00:32:11.539 --> 00:32:14.500 Go for it. Thanks, Chip. And if you'd like to 00:32:14.500 --> 00:32:16.519 get more plugged in with any of the resources 00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:20.539 Chip just mentioned, go to livingontheedge .org. 00:32:20.759 --> 00:32:23.220 You can download Chip's message notes, check 00:32:23.220 --> 00:32:25.819 out our small group studies, or go back and listen 00:32:25.819 --> 00:32:28.539 to any part of this series. We want to help you 00:32:28.539 --> 00:32:32.259 grow in your walk with Jesus. So visit livingontheedge 00:32:32.259 --> 00:32:36.400 .org today. For Chip and the entire team, this 00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:38.759 is Dave Drewy saying thanks for listening to 00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:40.839 this edition of Living on the Edge.