WEBVTT 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:03.819 If you want to love more, experience deeper and 00:00:03.819 --> 00:00:06.540 more fulfilling love, and you want to do less, 00:00:06.580 --> 00:00:09.640 I mean simplify your life, stay tuned. Because 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:11.960 today we're going to talk about three essentials 00:00:11.960 --> 00:00:18.199 that you must do to make that happen. Thanks 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:20.440 for listening to this edition of Living on the 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:23.019 Edge with Chip Ingram. We are an international 00:00:23.019 --> 00:00:25.859 teaching and discipleship ministry that motivates 00:00:25.859 --> 00:00:28.750 Christians to live like Christians. Today, we're 00:00:28.750 --> 00:00:31.070 wrapping up our series, Spiritual Simplicity, 00:00:31.210 --> 00:00:33.530 with what might be the most challenging message 00:00:33.530 --> 00:00:36.310 in this entire study. Chip's going to walk through 00:00:36.310 --> 00:00:38.990 God's simple method for us to not only build 00:00:38.990 --> 00:00:41.229 meaningful relationships, but keep them too. 00:00:41.670 --> 00:00:43.929 But before he dives in, if you haven't already, 00:00:44.149 --> 00:00:47.439 subscribe to our daily podcasts. With a few simple 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:49.759 taps on your phone, you'll have access to the 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:52.799 full -length version of our latest series. And 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:55.060 whether you're commuting, exercising, or just 00:00:55.060 --> 00:00:57.880 enjoying your day, you can easily download a 00:00:57.880 --> 00:01:00.780 few programs to listen to anytime. So search 00:01:00.780 --> 00:01:03.560 for Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram today 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:07.519 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:10.239 to podcasts. Well, with all that said, here's 00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:12.420 Chip with the conclusion of his message, The 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:17.230 Love Train. Get on board. The ultimate test of 00:01:17.230 --> 00:01:20.569 success and the ultimate test of spiritual maturity, 00:01:20.609 --> 00:01:23.049 of becoming what he commanded, make disciples, 00:01:23.269 --> 00:01:26.390 is that I love God more deeply and authentically 00:01:26.390 --> 00:01:29.549 each day, and I love others more sincerely and 00:01:29.549 --> 00:01:31.909 more practically in ways they can understand. 00:01:32.650 --> 00:01:35.370 And the Apostle Paul, again, then takes what 00:01:35.370 --> 00:01:38.010 Jesus said, that very simple thing, and then 00:01:38.010 --> 00:01:40.790 in Romans chapter 12, he says, let me show you 00:01:40.790 --> 00:01:43.469 what it looks like to love God, verses 1 and 00:01:43.469 --> 00:01:46.319 2. Let me show you what it looks like to love 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:50.120 others as yourself. Verses 3 to the end of the 00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:53.780 chapter. It's what the love of God produces in 00:01:53.780 --> 00:01:56.500 relationship. And so the profile of a disciple 00:01:56.500 --> 00:01:59.959 is verse 1 of chapter 12 of Romans. You're surrendered 00:01:59.959 --> 00:02:04.579 to God. Verse 2 is this. We are not conformed 00:02:04.579 --> 00:02:08.699 to this world, so we step away. And we're transformed 00:02:08.699 --> 00:02:11.199 by the renewing of our mind that our actual lifestyle 00:02:11.199 --> 00:02:13.699 would prove or demonstrate what God's will is. 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:16.560 Verse 3 is we get a sober self -assessment. We 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:18.060 don't think too highly of ourself or they're 00:02:18.060 --> 00:02:22.340 too low. We think of ourselves accurately, clearly. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:25.800 Our role in the body, verse 4 and 5. Our gifts 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:28.539 operational, verses 6 through 8. Then verses 00:02:28.539 --> 00:02:31.310 9 through 13. We're surrendered to God, yes. 00:02:31.610 --> 00:02:33.949 We're separate from the world's values. We're 00:02:33.949 --> 00:02:36.090 sober in self -assessment. And then in verses 00:02:36.090 --> 00:02:39.189 9 through 13, we're serving in love. We're actually 00:02:39.189 --> 00:02:41.349 doing life with each other. We don't come to 00:02:41.349 --> 00:02:44.509 an event called church or even to a small group. 00:02:44.969 --> 00:02:49.379 We let love be without hypocrisy. We abhor what 00:02:49.379 --> 00:02:51.800 is evil. We cling to what is good. We're devoted 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:54.259 to each other with brotherly love. We give preference 00:02:54.259 --> 00:02:57.340 to each other in honor. We lay our lives out 00:02:57.340 --> 00:02:59.500 for one another. We love each other in such a 00:02:59.500 --> 00:03:03.439 way that people outside can't understand. It's 00:03:03.439 --> 00:03:07.280 not an organization. It's a living organism of 00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:09.620 people connected to God and connected to each 00:03:09.620 --> 00:03:13.520 other who serve each other. And then verse 14 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:15.759 to 21, we're supernaturally responding to evil 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:19.740 with good. So when our enemies, need food, we 00:03:19.740 --> 00:03:21.580 feed them. And when they want to drink, we give 00:03:21.580 --> 00:03:23.500 them something to drink. And when we're harmed, 00:03:23.659 --> 00:03:26.240 we don't take our own revenge, but we overcome 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:29.099 evil with good. So do you get it? It's real simple. 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:32.659 Spiritual simplicity, love God, love others. 00:03:32.939 --> 00:03:36.000 What's spiritual simplicity look like? An R12 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:39.590 Christian. Well, how do you practice that? I 00:03:39.590 --> 00:03:43.189 mean, how do you operationalize becoming an R12 00:03:43.189 --> 00:03:45.069 Christian that's surrendered to God and separate 00:03:45.069 --> 00:03:47.150 from the world's values and has a sober self 00:03:47.150 --> 00:03:49.770 -assessment and is serving in love and supernaturally 00:03:49.770 --> 00:03:52.750 responding to evil with good? What practices 00:03:52.750 --> 00:03:55.870 actually have to happen? Because an R12 Christian 00:03:55.870 --> 00:04:01.229 is what you are to be. The three practices are 00:04:01.229 --> 00:04:04.810 what you are to do in dependency and faith so 00:04:04.810 --> 00:04:08.680 God gives you the grace to become. what he wants 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:12.960 you to become. And we use the acronym BIO because 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:15.680 it's about life. It's not about religion. It's 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:20.199 not about duty. And so our goal, you will never 00:04:20.199 --> 00:04:23.579 become an R12 Christian, nor will I, unless on 00:04:23.579 --> 00:04:29.579 a daily basis, you are in God's word, surrendered 00:04:29.579 --> 00:04:31.879 to him. What it means to be surrendered is on 00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:34.319 a certain day, at a certain time, you say, God, 00:04:34.339 --> 00:04:37.269 I'm all in. But it's not just a decision. Then 00:04:37.269 --> 00:04:40.470 you say, that means whatever you say in your 00:04:40.470 --> 00:04:43.790 word about anything, I will obey it. I'm going 00:04:43.790 --> 00:04:47.149 to obey it when it looks like a great deal. I'm 00:04:47.149 --> 00:04:49.829 going to obey it when I'm thinking, oh God, surely 00:04:49.829 --> 00:04:54.269 I don't want to do this. But by faith, I'm going 00:04:54.269 --> 00:04:56.970 to believe that if you say it in your word, I 00:04:56.970 --> 00:04:59.509 guess handling my money this way will keep me 00:04:59.509 --> 00:05:01.970 out of debt. Well, I guess doing relationships 00:05:01.970 --> 00:05:05.560 this way. will not only stop sexually transmitted 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:07.459 diseases, but I'll probably stay married to the 00:05:07.459 --> 00:05:09.819 same person for a long time. I guess if raising 00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:14.079 my kids this way, it'll create it. But you say, 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.160 that's hard. No, no, no, it's not hard. It's 00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:20.060 impossible. I can't do this. You can't do this. 00:05:22.360 --> 00:05:26.759 But the word of God, as you talk with God in 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:30.259 the context of God, people gives you grace. Grace 00:05:30.259 --> 00:05:33.699 is the want to. and the will to, and the power 00:05:33.699 --> 00:05:38.199 to do God's will. And so we're asking and trying 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:41.279 to create ways where you can be before God. And 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:42.879 I don't mean just having a devotional life. I 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:46.339 mean, be before God daily. You experience his 00:05:46.339 --> 00:05:48.839 presence. You talk with him in the car. You utter 00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:52.139 quick prayers before meetings. You're mad and 00:05:52.139 --> 00:05:53.720 you're angry. Oh God, will you help me with this? 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:55.920 It's this living reality. You don't live for 00:05:55.920 --> 00:05:57.959 yourself. You're living with him and for him. 00:05:58.980 --> 00:06:01.879 And then you're before him. regularly on a weekend 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:04.399 where you worship and have instruction and say, 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:07.819 God, I want to join with the family. And so that's 00:06:07.819 --> 00:06:10.860 a practice. It's a discipline. The second is 00:06:10.860 --> 00:06:13.399 to live in community. And to be in community 00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:16.519 is not joining a small group. You need to be 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:19.279 in a small group, but community is when the real 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:21.360 you meets real needs for the right reason in 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:24.500 the right way. It's when you take off your mask 00:06:24.500 --> 00:06:27.459 and I take off my mask. It's when you have a 00:06:27.459 --> 00:06:30.259 need or someone has a need. And you spend some 00:06:30.259 --> 00:06:33.060 money you don't have or you give some time that 00:06:33.060 --> 00:06:35.720 you don't have to really help someone. And then 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:41.180 God goes, and you experience his grace. And the 00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:46.389 O for life of bio is you're on mission. You're 00:06:46.389 --> 00:06:48.550 on mission at 24 -hour fitness. You're on mission 00:06:48.550 --> 00:06:50.649 at the job. You're on mission when you're just 00:06:50.649 --> 00:06:52.610 walking in the neighborhood. You're on mission 00:06:52.610 --> 00:06:54.269 when you're at Home Depot. You're on mission 00:06:54.269 --> 00:06:56.069 when you're at Target. You're on mission when 00:06:56.069 --> 00:06:59.110 there's a crisis in your house. You are on mission 00:06:59.110 --> 00:07:02.430 asking the Spirit of God to give you the wisdom 00:07:02.430 --> 00:07:05.189 to know what it looks like to serve and to reach 00:07:05.189 --> 00:07:08.129 out and to be a minister of reconciliation as 00:07:08.129 --> 00:07:10.310 an ambassador from heaven. Now, does this make 00:07:10.310 --> 00:07:14.069 sense? This is not, you know, rocket science. 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:17.879 This is not overly difficult. This is the game 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:20.740 plan that's aligned in Scripture for you to be 00:07:20.740 --> 00:07:25.279 on the love train. Now, there's some processes 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:27.660 that I've observed over the years. I don't have 00:07:27.660 --> 00:07:29.980 a verse for these, and so you can weigh these. 00:07:30.379 --> 00:07:32.980 But there's three things I've seen over the years 00:07:32.980 --> 00:07:39.600 that ignites life change. The first one is, and 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:42.019 I've got a lot of demographics and a lot of actual 00:07:42.019 --> 00:07:45.800 content on this one. We began to teach Romans 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:48.600 12 .1 and the R12 series about four or five years 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:55.120 ago on the radio. And by far, 85 % of all the 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:57.100 feedback, thousands and thousands of emails, 00:07:57.319 --> 00:07:58.860 people, I've been a Christian 10 years, five 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:02.680 years, seven years, three years. And I don't 00:08:02.680 --> 00:08:05.259 know what happened. I've never heard about surrender. 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:10.019 I prayed today to be all in. And then the testimony 00:08:10.019 --> 00:08:12.899 goes on and they start talking about radical 00:08:12.899 --> 00:08:16.379 life change. restoration of marriages, alignment 00:08:16.379 --> 00:08:19.319 with God's will, restoration of finances. In 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:22.420 other words, the action doesn't really happen 00:08:22.420 --> 00:08:26.959 until you, on a certain day, at a certain time, 00:08:27.180 --> 00:08:30.920 come to the actual reality that there is a ladder 00:08:30.920 --> 00:08:33.460 or something you're dependent on that is not 00:08:33.460 --> 00:08:36.559 the lordship of Jesus Christ, and you get down 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:42.049 and you surrender. When that happens, things 00:08:42.049 --> 00:08:44.909 begin to occur in people's lives. Radical things 00:08:44.909 --> 00:08:47.850 occur. Now, you'll notice, I'm gonna connect 00:08:47.850 --> 00:08:51.309 the phobia with it, is did you notice, the reason 00:08:51.309 --> 00:08:55.669 people don't do that is fear of the future. Okay, 00:08:55.769 --> 00:08:58.049 let's just get this all out in one good session 00:08:58.049 --> 00:09:01.990 together. The reason people don't go all in is 00:09:01.990 --> 00:09:04.590 I'm afraid if I go all in, I won't get married. 00:09:05.309 --> 00:09:08.330 I'm afraid if I go all in, I got some money now 00:09:08.330 --> 00:09:11.399 and I may not have some money. Because, The issue 00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.340 is control. The issue is I have to be in control 00:09:15.340 --> 00:09:18.240 because I know what outcomes are best for me. 00:09:18.419 --> 00:09:20.940 And this all -knowing, all -powerful God that 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:23.559 died on a cross, was risen from the dead, and 00:09:23.559 --> 00:09:27.360 loves me, I mean, what's he know? See, it's not 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:31.100 logical, is it? But I mean, I would just tell 00:09:31.100 --> 00:09:33.980 you, the Pew research, the Gallup research, and 00:09:33.980 --> 00:09:36.379 the Barna research that we instituted, the last 00:09:36.379 --> 00:09:40.350 one. Nine out of 10 Christians in America are 00:09:40.350 --> 00:09:43.830 not all in. If you're not all in, there's no 00:09:43.830 --> 00:09:47.210 power. It's just like, yeah, you know, I can 00:09:47.210 --> 00:09:50.830 be in. There's no flow. You're not compelled 00:09:50.830 --> 00:09:52.950 by the love of Christ. You're not living for 00:09:52.950 --> 00:09:56.190 him. You're living for you. You know, I've been 00:09:56.190 --> 00:09:59.490 there, done that. It doesn't work. But it's the 00:09:59.490 --> 00:10:02.370 fear of the future. Until you can say, that's 00:10:02.370 --> 00:10:04.789 why Psalm 84 11 is like this verse that I just 00:10:04.789 --> 00:10:08.149 harp on all the time. It says, the Lord God is 00:10:08.149 --> 00:10:11.429 a sun and a shield. The Lord gives grace and 00:10:11.429 --> 00:10:13.909 glory. No good thing will he withhold from those 00:10:13.909 --> 00:10:17.529 who walk uprightly. That was for me. Okay, I'm 00:10:17.529 --> 00:10:21.090 going to get the best by surrendering. Have you 00:10:21.090 --> 00:10:24.269 done that? See, you can read the Bible a little 00:10:24.269 --> 00:10:26.129 bit and be involved in it. You can do all kinds 00:10:26.129 --> 00:10:29.129 of things to avoid that. You will never experience 00:10:29.129 --> 00:10:34.450 the power of God. The second process is in this 00:10:34.450 --> 00:10:38.629 area of In community. And it's the fear of rejection. 00:10:38.870 --> 00:10:40.730 I've watched this happen. I've been in small 00:10:40.730 --> 00:10:43.129 groups where nothing happens. I've been in small 00:10:43.129 --> 00:10:45.210 groups where we talk about the Bible a little 00:10:45.210 --> 00:10:48.289 bit. Everyone stays sort of superficial. Then 00:10:48.289 --> 00:10:50.190 you eat a little bit. And it's okay. And it's 00:10:50.190 --> 00:10:51.970 social. And it's nice. And you learn a little 00:10:51.970 --> 00:10:56.009 bit. It's not the will of God. But here's what 00:10:56.009 --> 00:11:00.210 happens. Every small group that becomes authentic 00:11:00.210 --> 00:11:03.470 community, someone has some courage. And maybe 00:11:03.470 --> 00:11:05.210 you divide up in groups sometimes, and it's the 00:11:05.210 --> 00:11:07.590 men over here and the women over here, or maybe 00:11:07.590 --> 00:11:09.690 it's together, and someone does something like 00:11:09.690 --> 00:11:14.750 this. I feel a little bit safer here, and I've 00:11:14.750 --> 00:11:18.269 not shared this ugly part of me before, and it's 00:11:18.269 --> 00:11:21.450 vulnerability. And they share something that's 00:11:21.450 --> 00:11:27.889 really real, that if they get shut down, they'll 00:11:27.889 --> 00:11:29.669 probably put it back and may never take it out 00:11:29.669 --> 00:11:33.330 again. But at some point in time, there's this 00:11:33.330 --> 00:11:36.250 step of faith. The first you surrender your will. 00:11:37.090 --> 00:11:41.049 Here, you surrender your image. And you let people 00:11:41.049 --> 00:11:44.289 see who you really are. And this step of vulnerability. 00:11:45.450 --> 00:11:48.210 And then I've watched it happen hundreds of times. 00:11:48.750 --> 00:11:52.350 And what they assume would be met with rejection 00:11:52.350 --> 00:11:55.870 is met with people that look and say, wow, you 00:11:55.870 --> 00:11:59.289 struggle with that too? Yeah. And you just watch 00:11:59.289 --> 00:12:04.000 the group change. So the igniting event is when 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:06.620 you share and you take that step where you're 00:12:06.620 --> 00:12:11.360 in, but then you step up. But the fear is rejection. 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:15.379 As long as you never want to be rejected, just 00:12:15.379 --> 00:12:18.259 go on record and know you'll also never be loved. 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:22.220 Never be loved. Because all you're doing and 00:12:22.220 --> 00:12:23.919 all I, and we all do, we have all these defense 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.779 mechanisms. I always put forth what I want people 00:12:26.779 --> 00:12:29.399 to think I am. And if they love that, that's 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:32.399 great, I guess. Except it's not me. Because I 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:34.259 got some good stuff, but I got some bad stuff. 00:12:34.779 --> 00:12:37.480 I got some ugly stuff. I got some motives I don't 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:39.600 like. I have some really bad days. I have some 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.259 issues I'm wrestling with. When I can put those 00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:44.799 out there and a group of people looks me in the 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:47.500 eye and loves me, I experience the love of Christ 00:12:47.500 --> 00:12:51.659 and healing takes place. Healing takes place. 00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:54.860 Confess your sins to one another that you might 00:12:54.860 --> 00:12:59.139 be healed, James says. And then finally, in terms 00:12:59.139 --> 00:13:03.940 of the third igniting process, and this is like 00:13:03.940 --> 00:13:06.419 yesterday to me, I'll never forget, I was a Christian 00:13:06.419 --> 00:13:08.659 about two and a half years, I'll never forget 00:13:08.659 --> 00:13:11.580 the first person I ever led to Christ. I did 00:13:11.580 --> 00:13:15.960 it very poorly. I said it very slowly. And at 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:18.019 the end, the guy says, can I receive Christ right 00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:23.080 now? I mean, where's Billy Graham when you need 00:13:23.080 --> 00:13:31.399 him? Yeah? Well, how do I do it? Let's pray together. 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:33.399 Oh, God, what do I do? What do I do? What do 00:13:33.399 --> 00:13:35.659 I do? What do I do? And I prayed a very bad prayer 00:13:35.659 --> 00:13:38.259 for him to pray that he prayed, and it was real, 00:13:38.299 --> 00:13:40.580 and that guy's life changed. Here's the deal. 00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:46.620 When you risk failure, and you step out with 00:13:46.620 --> 00:13:51.210 your gifts, and you step out and serve, And supernaturally, 00:13:51.210 --> 00:13:54.169 you become the conduit of the grace of God in 00:13:54.169 --> 00:13:56.669 you and then through you. And maybe they come 00:13:56.669 --> 00:13:59.070 to Christ, or maybe their marriage turns around, 00:13:59.230 --> 00:14:00.929 or maybe they were super depressed. Whatever 00:14:00.929 --> 00:14:04.570 it is, you actually realize it was like electricity 00:14:04.570 --> 00:14:07.169 going through your body. Ooh, this is God. This 00:14:07.169 --> 00:14:10.009 isn't me. It went out. It did something. When 00:14:10.009 --> 00:14:15.570 that happens, it's wonderfully addicting. And 00:14:15.570 --> 00:14:18.889 you'll take risks like never before. About 7 00:14:18.889 --> 00:14:21.250 out of 10 Christians in America have never led 00:14:21.250 --> 00:14:25.490 anyone to Christ. In most churches, 80 % of the 00:14:25.490 --> 00:14:28.129 people are watching 20 % of the people work very 00:14:28.129 --> 00:14:33.250 hard to make an organization move forward. You're 00:14:33.250 --> 00:14:36.009 listening to Living on the Edge. Before we continue 00:14:36.009 --> 00:14:38.690 today's program, let me ask you, are you in a 00:14:38.690 --> 00:14:40.860 small group? Well, if so, are you looking for 00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:43.620 a new study to do together this year? Join us 00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:45.740 after Chip's message to learn more about our 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:48.519 library of study guides which are sure to help 00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:51.120 you and your group grow in your faith. You won't 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:53.279 want to miss it. Well, with that, let's rejoin 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:56.240 Chip for the remainder of his message. As you 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:01.379 turn to the back page, I just have a little application 00:15:01.379 --> 00:15:03.340 thought that I think will be very helpful for 00:15:03.340 --> 00:15:07.669 us. It says, a call to all. Would you just write 00:15:07.669 --> 00:15:12.370 the word an invitation to all? Here's, I just, 00:15:12.490 --> 00:15:15.149 there's times it doesn't happen. Maybe sometimes 00:15:15.149 --> 00:15:17.370 at the end of a series or sometimes when I'm... 00:15:17.960 --> 00:15:20.820 praying, I would just tell you, I just, if I 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:23.080 could humanly figure out how to sit across from 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:25.620 every person in this room over a cup of coffee 00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:27.840 and hear about an hour of your spiritual journey 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:29.539 and what's going on and what are the barriers, 00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:32.080 I would just plead with you about getting before 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.720 God and getting in community and getting on mission 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:37.039 and facing those fears. And I would just want 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.340 to say, you know something, I've so struggled 00:15:39.340 --> 00:15:40.919 with all of that. And I've been a pastor for 00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:44.220 25, 28 years. And every time I watch people take 00:15:44.220 --> 00:15:46.059 that step of faith through those things, amazing 00:15:46.059 --> 00:15:51.139 things happen. And they're not easy, but amazing 00:15:51.139 --> 00:15:54.860 things happen. And here's the invitation. What 00:15:54.860 --> 00:15:58.059 you need to hear is you and I will constantly 00:15:58.059 --> 00:16:01.500 be looking for love in all the wrong places unless 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:06.820 you hear Jesus say today and respond, hey, come 00:16:06.820 --> 00:16:11.039 to me. All of you that are heavy laden, that's 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:13.299 old words for stressed out and overcommitted, 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:17.940 and I will give you rest. And then it goes on 00:16:17.940 --> 00:16:22.960 to say, take my yoke upon you. It was a picture 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:26.759 of, you know, the two oxen and a yoke connects 00:16:26.759 --> 00:16:29.139 them. And where this one goes, this one goes. 00:16:29.940 --> 00:16:31.779 It's really a different way to say surrender. 00:16:32.139 --> 00:16:36.779 Do life my way. Decide and pre -decide that whatever 00:16:36.779 --> 00:16:40.019 this book says about how to do relationships 00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:44.360 or decisions, that's how you're going to do it. 00:16:45.950 --> 00:16:48.230 for I'm meek and lowly in heart. In other words, 00:16:48.250 --> 00:16:52.409 I'm not pushy. I've got your best, and you'll 00:16:52.409 --> 00:16:56.509 find rest for your souls. See, the picture that 00:16:56.509 --> 00:16:58.710 we, last week, about experiencing and exporting 00:16:58.710 --> 00:17:01.570 God's love, it really was, there's like, we're 00:17:01.570 --> 00:17:03.629 all in different places. Some of you are here 00:17:03.629 --> 00:17:06.930 today, and you know, you just, like me and everybody 00:17:06.930 --> 00:17:09.569 else, you've tried different ways to make yourself, 00:17:09.809 --> 00:17:13.190 I am somebody now. I am significant. Look at 00:17:13.190 --> 00:17:16.380 me. Look what I own. Look how I dress. Look what 00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:18.099 I've done. Look where my kids go to college. 00:17:19.099 --> 00:17:23.059 Look how pretty I am. Look at my muscles. And 00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:25.779 those things, at some point in time, you just 00:17:25.779 --> 00:17:28.720 realize, you know something? What I need is beloved 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:32.420 for me, not for how I look, not for what I've 00:17:32.420 --> 00:17:35.819 done. And in a moment of time, you actually, 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:40.779 you stop and you just say, Lord, I'm tired of 00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:46.569 trying to, I surrender. And I am afraid. And 00:17:46.569 --> 00:17:49.329 as you contemplate that, for some especially, 00:17:49.450 --> 00:17:52.829 you realize, you know, I can't do that because 00:17:52.829 --> 00:17:55.690 I know I'm living with this person, or I know 00:17:55.690 --> 00:17:58.829 that I can't keep this activity, or I know that 00:17:58.829 --> 00:18:01.430 the outrageous temper that I have behind closed 00:18:01.430 --> 00:18:05.230 doors, or I know that my lack of... And God says, 00:18:05.309 --> 00:18:07.769 okay, well, step away from the things and the 00:18:07.769 --> 00:18:10.549 people and the media that pull you away from 00:18:10.549 --> 00:18:13.769 me and step into the light. So he says, step 00:18:13.769 --> 00:18:17.890 down, then step away. And he says, now renew 00:18:17.890 --> 00:18:21.170 your mind. You got to get in your head and your 00:18:21.170 --> 00:18:25.049 heart. You are what you eat. You are what you 00:18:25.049 --> 00:18:28.089 think. And then since it's impossible to do by 00:18:28.089 --> 00:18:30.849 yourself, he says, I want you to find a group 00:18:30.849 --> 00:18:33.470 of people, you know, might be a group of guys, 00:18:33.490 --> 00:18:34.990 might be a group of couples, might be a group 00:18:34.990 --> 00:18:39.329 of women, and just do life. Don't have a Bible 00:18:39.329 --> 00:18:42.380 study. And at some point in time, at the right 00:18:42.380 --> 00:18:44.359 time, maybe in the group or maybe just one or 00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:47.119 two that you really trust, share a part of you 00:18:47.119 --> 00:18:49.339 that you're convinced if anyone ever knew it, 00:18:49.380 --> 00:18:53.559 they would reject it. And watch where the love 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:56.700 of God will get manifested in a way where you 00:18:56.700 --> 00:18:59.799 can say, you know, I wish I was making more at 00:18:59.799 --> 00:19:02.759 my job and I wish our marriages, you know, was 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:07.539 a nine or a 10 instead of a six and a half. But 00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:10.259 I'm on a journey. My kids aren't perfect and 00:19:10.259 --> 00:19:14.599 I got struggles, but God loves me. And I'm learning 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:17.460 how to love other people. And I don't think anybody 00:19:17.460 --> 00:19:20.880 has it together. And out of that, you step up 00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:23.720 and you begin to let people see who you really 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:26.880 are. And what's amazing is it's the most beautiful, 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:29.299 dynamic, wonderful person because that's who 00:19:29.299 --> 00:19:32.400 God made. You don't need to look like anyone 00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:35.019 else. You don't need to have this or have that. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:37.299 If God gives you stuff, great, you're a steward. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:42.039 and then you step out, and you say, you know 00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:44.339 something? I've got to get my focus off me. I 00:19:44.339 --> 00:19:47.579 don't want to live for me. I want to be on mission, 00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:50.640 and I want to discover what God made me to do. 00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:53.980 He's got a plan for you. You know, most everyone 00:19:53.980 --> 00:19:56.380 in this room, you're exactly where you're at 00:19:56.380 --> 00:19:59.700 today because there was some series of decisions 00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:02.740 that you made. You made a decision to go to this 00:20:02.740 --> 00:20:04.819 school, and you made a decision to have kids, 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:06.920 or to marry someone, or not to marry someone. 00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:11.099 made a decision to get up and come here. There's 00:20:11.099 --> 00:20:13.160 more to life than making decisions, but every 00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:18.279 pivotal moment begins with a decision. And I 00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:20.400 would just wonder, and I know I can't do it, 00:20:20.500 --> 00:20:23.980 but I so want you to have it. I wonder what would 00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:26.599 happen if every person in the room that knew, 00:20:26.740 --> 00:20:31.759 today I need to step down and surrender. If today 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:34.819 you did it. And for others, you said, I need 00:20:34.819 --> 00:20:36.539 to step away. You know, I'm going to break up 00:20:36.539 --> 00:20:39.059 with that girl or break up with that guy or I'm 00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:42.099 going to get help with that addiction. And for 00:20:42.099 --> 00:20:44.380 others, you stepped in. And maybe it's a ministry 00:20:44.380 --> 00:20:47.359 team or a small group or maybe you're in one 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:51.720 and you step up. And for others, you realize, 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:55.900 man, I'm pretty mature and I'm soaking and sitting. 00:20:56.000 --> 00:21:04.569 I need to get my gifts in the game. As we close 00:21:04.569 --> 00:21:07.890 today's program, I want to speak very privately 00:21:07.890 --> 00:21:10.789 and directly to you. If you're going to experience 00:21:10.789 --> 00:21:13.170 God's love like we've talked about for the last 00:21:13.170 --> 00:21:16.269 couple weeks, it means that you need to be before 00:21:16.269 --> 00:21:20.130 God on a regular basis. You need to be in community 00:21:20.130 --> 00:21:22.750 with other people with deep, authentic relationships, 00:21:22.869 --> 00:21:26.190 and it requires that you're on mission. You're 00:21:26.190 --> 00:21:28.430 using the gifts and the resource God's given 00:21:28.430 --> 00:21:31.779 you to share and to care for others. And so at 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:33.619 the very end of this message with the people 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:37.000 in the room, I gave them a very specific opportunity 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:40.740 to make a decision to take the next step. And 00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:43.059 I gave them three specific things depending on 00:21:43.059 --> 00:21:44.900 where they were at in their life. And I want 00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:47.759 to reiterate those for you right now. Do you 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.279 need to surrender? Do you need to just surrender 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:53.960 your fear of the future, your fear of what God 00:21:53.960 --> 00:21:58.680 may do and say to God, I'm all in. Okay, God, 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:02.930 I'm all in. Whatever that may mean with my future, 00:22:03.109 --> 00:22:06.150 my finances, my girlfriend, my boyfriend, my 00:22:06.150 --> 00:22:11.210 lifestyle, my job, I trust you and I fear you 00:22:11.210 --> 00:22:14.289 more than I fear what might happen. That is such 00:22:14.289 --> 00:22:16.950 a pivotal moment. If you've never done it, tell 00:22:16.950 --> 00:22:19.950 him right now, God, I surrender all that I am, 00:22:20.029 --> 00:22:22.849 all that I have to you. If you're one of those 00:22:22.849 --> 00:22:24.950 people, secondly, who you say, you know, I have 00:22:24.950 --> 00:22:28.490 surrendered, but I, I'm not connected. I'm not 00:22:28.490 --> 00:22:31.869 in community. I fear rejection. I'm kind of a 00:22:31.869 --> 00:22:33.890 lone ranger. You know, I read my Bible. I do 00:22:33.890 --> 00:22:36.230 my thing, or maybe I even go to a small group, 00:22:36.269 --> 00:22:38.910 but no one knows my heart. No one knows what's 00:22:38.910 --> 00:22:41.349 really going on inside. You have to overcome 00:22:41.349 --> 00:22:44.769 your fear of rejection and take a step into community 00:22:44.769 --> 00:22:47.369 and be vulnerable. And with at least one person 00:22:47.369 --> 00:22:51.809 this week, get real, get open. I am struggling 00:22:51.809 --> 00:22:56.180 with, and just risk it. And be wise with who 00:22:56.180 --> 00:22:59.160 you risk it with. But take a step to let people 00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:01.720 see where you're at, where you hurt, where you 00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:05.000 struggle. We all do. And when the Spirit of God 00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:07.500 allows you to experience acceptance through the 00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:10.220 body of Christ, you'll find there's a love waiting 00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:12.779 for you that you didn't know was possible. And 00:23:12.779 --> 00:23:16.140 then third, for some of you, you need to serve. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:18.779 I mean, the fact of the matter is, is that you 00:23:18.779 --> 00:23:22.349 are surrendered, that you're in community. You're 00:23:22.349 --> 00:23:24.690 basically, you come to church or you go to a 00:23:24.690 --> 00:23:27.730 small group, but you don't see yourself as every 00:23:27.730 --> 00:23:29.670 time you walk out the door, you're on mission 00:23:29.670 --> 00:23:32.049 in your neighborhood. You're on mission where 00:23:32.049 --> 00:23:34.509 you go to work. You're on mission in your church. 00:23:34.670 --> 00:23:38.089 I challenge you, if you're not using your gifts 00:23:38.089 --> 00:23:41.769 to serve others, to just ask God today. Where 00:23:41.769 --> 00:23:43.609 do you want me to serve? And just volunteer. 00:23:43.950 --> 00:23:45.930 It doesn't have to be the long -term solution, 00:23:46.049 --> 00:23:49.109 but you need to act. Volunteer and say, you know, 00:23:49.109 --> 00:23:50.869 go to your pastor. Where do you need some help? 00:23:50.990 --> 00:23:52.509 Go to a Sunday school teacher. Where do you need 00:23:52.509 --> 00:23:54.589 some help? Go to the junior high, the children, 00:23:54.750 --> 00:23:57.109 the high school, the maintenance. I mean, go 00:23:57.109 --> 00:24:00.710 to your local school. Go somewhere and just ask 00:24:00.710 --> 00:24:03.650 the question, how could I serve and love people? 00:24:04.069 --> 00:24:05.990 And I will tell you, God will show you where 00:24:05.990 --> 00:24:09.230 to fit in. Our prayer is that you would get before 00:24:09.230 --> 00:24:12.579 God, be in community, and get on mission in such 00:24:12.579 --> 00:24:16.240 a way that as you love more, you'll do less, 00:24:16.380 --> 00:24:19.880 and that the Lord will fill your heart with himself 00:24:19.880 --> 00:24:23.880 and then overflow through you himself to others. 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:27.039 That's what it means to live the simple life. 00:24:27.420 --> 00:24:30.099 Thanks for that encouragement, Chip. And if you're 00:24:30.099 --> 00:24:32.720 eager to do a deeper study of that acronym Chip 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:35.099 mentioned, let me encourage you to listen to 00:24:35.099 --> 00:24:38.650 our series titled, bio. It's an incredible opportunity 00:24:38.650 --> 00:24:41.509 to unpack these three practices and discover 00:24:41.509 --> 00:24:44.250 how to become more like Jesus. Check out our 00:24:44.250 --> 00:24:47.470 bio series today by visiting the special offers 00:24:47.470 --> 00:24:50.730 page on the Chip Ingram app or at livingontheedge 00:24:50.730 --> 00:24:54.779 .org. Well, Chip's still with me in studio now. 00:24:54.859 --> 00:24:56.640 And Chip, you know, over the past few weeks, 00:24:56.740 --> 00:24:59.400 we've really stressed why community is so vital, 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:02.099 both for changing lives and helping us all grow 00:25:02.099 --> 00:25:05.000 spiritually, which is why we've created a library 00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:07.859 of small group resources. If you would take a 00:25:07.859 --> 00:25:09.519 minute and highlight a few that our listeners 00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:12.400 should get their hands on. Well, Dave, we all 00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:15.000 have special times in our life where there's 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:17.440 either crisis or we know we need to improve our 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:20.140 parenting, our marriage, or there's some emotional 00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:22.900 issues. And as people go through, there's plenty 00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:25.859 of small group resources like that. But what 00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:29.099 I think is missing is what historically has been 00:25:29.099 --> 00:25:33.160 called a catechism. A catechism is a well -ordered 00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:37.460 process of truth by which you go through it systematically 00:25:37.460 --> 00:25:41.380 and intentionally. in order to become more and 00:25:41.380 --> 00:25:44.299 more like Jesus and to fulfill more and more 00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:46.940 what Jesus has called us to do. And so if you 00:25:46.940 --> 00:25:49.660 follow Jesus' life, his actual chronological 00:25:49.660 --> 00:25:52.819 life, the first thing is he defined what a disciple 00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:55.819 is. And so the very first study I encourage people 00:25:55.819 --> 00:25:59.079 to do is true spirituality, becoming a Romans 00:25:59.079 --> 00:26:01.700 12 Christian. It'll let them know this is what 00:26:01.700 --> 00:26:05.200 it means to be a follower of Jesus. The second 00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:07.680 thing Jesus did is he took them through various 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:11.859 experiences to reveal who God was like. What 00:26:11.859 --> 00:26:14.880 is God really like? And so our second study, 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:17.799 it's called The Real God. And in that, we study 00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:20.339 the attributes of God and how to get them from 00:26:20.339 --> 00:26:23.779 your head into your heart. The third thing that 00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:27.180 Jesus did is he helped them understand How does 00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:30.079 life change really occur? How do you put it into 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:32.680 practice? We have a study from Ephesians chapter 00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:36.500 4 called Transformed, The Miracle of Life Change. 00:26:36.799 --> 00:26:38.700 And then the fourth one I'll give you, because 00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:40.940 I don't want to lay it all out, is that when 00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:43.680 you take these kind of steps, all hell breaks 00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:46.339 loose. I don't mean that as a cuss word. What 00:26:46.339 --> 00:26:49.559 I mean is it's challenging. It's difficult. There's 00:26:49.559 --> 00:26:52.079 spiritual warfare. And that's our study from 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:54.359 Ephesians chapter six. It's called the invisible 00:26:54.359 --> 00:26:57.099 war. What every believer needs to know about 00:26:57.099 --> 00:27:00.240 Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare. So let 00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:03.160 me encourage you, unless there's a critical need, 00:27:03.299 --> 00:27:07.519 a high felt need, consider studying in order 00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:10.740 the catechism, the way Jesus taught his disciples. 00:27:11.559 --> 00:27:13.980 Well, to learn more about the studies Chip mentioned 00:27:13.980 --> 00:27:17.740 or any of our other small groups, go to livingontheedge 00:27:17.740 --> 00:27:23.339 .org or call 888 -333 -6003. And let me tell 00:27:23.339 --> 00:27:26.420 you, these materials are so easy to use. Chip 00:27:26.420 --> 00:27:28.500 provides the teaching. Then you'll have time 00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:30.900 to discuss what you've heard alongside our helpful 00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:33.640 study guides. So if you're not in a small group 00:27:33.640 --> 00:27:35.920 yet or are looking for something new to study, 00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:39.000 check out our resources. And for a limited time, 00:27:39.099 --> 00:27:41.599 we've discounted all of our small group tools. 00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:47.779 Visit livingontheedge .org or call 888 -333 -6003 00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:50.900 to learn more. App listeners tap special offers. 00:27:51.869 --> 00:27:54.490 As we close, I want to thank each of you who 00:27:54.490 --> 00:27:56.769 makes this program possible through your generous 00:27:56.769 --> 00:28:00.440 giving. 100 % of your gifts go directly to the 00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:03.019 ministry to help Christians live like Christians. 00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:05.559 Now, if you found this teaching helpful but aren't 00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:08.720 yet on the team, consider doing that today. Sending 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:12.420 a gift is easy. Go to livingontheedge .org or 00:28:12.420 --> 00:28:19.819 call 888 -333 -6003. That's 888 -333 -6003. Or 00:28:19.819 --> 00:28:24.180 visit livingontheedge .org. App listeners, tap 00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:27.119 Donate. And let me thank you in advance for doing 00:28:27.119 --> 00:28:30.039 whatever God leads you to do. Well, thanks for 00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:32.180 listening to this edition of Living on the Edge 00:28:32.180 --> 00:28:35.039 with Chip Ingram. I'm Dave Drewy, and I hope 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:36.579 you'll join us again next time.