WEBVTT 00:00:01.129 --> 00:00:04.030 What is the biggest challenge that you're facing 00:00:04.030 --> 00:00:07.809 in your life right now? What relationship, what 00:00:07.809 --> 00:00:11.550 circumstance, what is so confusing and so difficult 00:00:11.550 --> 00:00:14.869 that you just need God's wisdom to know what 00:00:14.869 --> 00:00:17.969 to do? Well, today we're going to teach you about 00:00:17.969 --> 00:00:22.469 how to get that wisdom. Stay with me. Welcome 00:00:22.469 --> 00:00:25.370 to this edition of Living on the Edge with Chip 00:00:25.370 --> 00:00:27.800 Ingram. Our mission is to inspire Christians 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:30.879 to be genuine followers of Jesus and to empower 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:33.579 them to be active disciple makers in our world. 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:36.219 Thanks for joining us as we're a little over 00:00:36.219 --> 00:00:38.640 halfway through Chip's series, The Real God, 00:00:38.899 --> 00:00:41.679 as he continues identifying fundamental attributes 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.420 of God's nature that cause us to worship and 00:00:44.420 --> 00:00:47.280 appreciate him even more. If you've missed any 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:50.500 part of this intense study, catch up at livingontheedge 00:00:50.500 --> 00:00:54.429 .org or wherever you listen to podcasts. Well, 00:00:54.450 --> 00:00:56.729 if you have a Bible, go to Romans chapter 11 00:00:56.729 --> 00:00:59.950 as Chip begins his message, The Wisdom of God. 00:01:01.250 --> 00:01:03.530 I'm going to ask you to go to a little bit different 00:01:03.530 --> 00:01:06.209 place with me, all right? Put your pencil down. 00:01:06.450 --> 00:01:10.769 I want you to lean back. And I want you to, in 00:01:10.769 --> 00:01:14.370 your mind, think of the most difficult, stressful 00:01:14.370 --> 00:01:18.709 area of your life. Okay? I want you to think 00:01:18.709 --> 00:01:21.959 of... of an area of your life that not only is 00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:24.180 difficult and hard and maybe it's a relationship 00:01:24.180 --> 00:01:27.280 or maybe it's work or maybe it's a health issue 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:29.780 that you can't get resolved or maybe it's an 00:01:29.780 --> 00:01:32.099 aging parent or maybe it's something with one 00:01:32.099 --> 00:01:35.620 of your kids, but I want you to think about something 00:01:35.620 --> 00:01:38.560 that is not only difficult for you, but it's 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:41.920 difficult to understand. I mean, something that 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:44.840 in your heart of hearts, you wouldn't wanna say 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:47.879 this, but if you could reverently say it to God, 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:50.760 you would say, God, I'm walking with you the 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:53.859 best that I can, and I know your will is good, 00:01:53.939 --> 00:01:56.239 and I know you'll never give me more than I can 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:00.799 take, but these circumstances sure don't feel 00:02:00.799 --> 00:02:04.019 like you're a good God. These feelings and these 00:02:04.019 --> 00:02:08.400 struggles and this barrier, whatever it is, it... 00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:11.759 I don't understand why a good, loving God, I 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:14.539 know I don't have to, but I just don't understand 00:02:14.539 --> 00:02:18.800 why a good and loving God would have this situation 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:23.699 in my life. Okay? So just reflect for a minute. 00:02:23.780 --> 00:02:26.699 Let me give you just a minute to bring the picture 00:02:26.699 --> 00:02:28.819 into your mind. And for some, it will come very 00:02:28.819 --> 00:02:33.699 quickly. What is it, put another way, that if 00:02:33.699 --> 00:02:36.919 God could remove it in an instant, that's what 00:02:36.919 --> 00:02:40.430 you would want him to remove? Have you got it? 00:02:41.490 --> 00:02:45.169 Feel free to keep your eyes closed and kind of 00:02:45.169 --> 00:02:48.810 lean back and think of this perplexing, difficult, 00:02:48.990 --> 00:02:52.169 maybe even very stressful issue that you can't 00:02:52.169 --> 00:02:55.289 get unraveled. And as you do, I'd like you to 00:02:55.289 --> 00:03:00.069 listen to some words. To believe actively that 00:03:00.069 --> 00:03:02.509 our Heavenly Father constantly spreads around 00:03:02.509 --> 00:03:06.210 us providential circumstances that work for our 00:03:06.210 --> 00:03:09.800 present good and Our everlasting well -being 00:03:09.800 --> 00:03:16.479 brings to the soul a veritable benediction. Most 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:20.319 of us go through life praying a little, planning 00:03:20.319 --> 00:03:24.340 a little, jockeying for position, hoping but 00:03:24.340 --> 00:03:27.620 never being quite certain of anything, and always 00:03:27.620 --> 00:03:31.180 secretly afraid that we will miss the way. This 00:03:31.180 --> 00:03:35.900 is a tragic waste of truth, and it never gives 00:03:35.900 --> 00:03:57.770 rest to your heart. God has charged himself with 00:03:57.770 --> 00:04:00.849 full responsibility for our eternal happiness, 00:04:01.030 --> 00:04:04.629 and he stands ready to take over the management 00:04:04.629 --> 00:04:08.969 of our lives the moment we turn. In faith to 00:04:08.969 --> 00:04:12.289 him. Before you open your eyes, let me repeat 00:04:12.289 --> 00:04:14.909 that. I want you to think of the situation. I 00:04:14.909 --> 00:04:16.689 want you to think of that you can't understand. 00:04:17.050 --> 00:04:19.949 Why has God allowed it? And I want you to listen 00:04:19.949 --> 00:04:24.509 one more time. God has charged himself with the 00:04:24.509 --> 00:04:27.569 full responsibility for our eternal happiness. 00:04:27.709 --> 00:04:30.290 And he stands ready. That means this moment. 00:04:30.509 --> 00:04:33.930 He stands ready to take over the management of 00:04:33.930 --> 00:04:40.370 our lives. The moment we turn in faith. That's 00:04:40.370 --> 00:04:44.569 a quote by A .W. Tozer on the wisdom of God. 00:04:45.769 --> 00:04:50.189 And I will never forget the circumstances that 00:04:50.189 --> 00:04:53.649 led to me learning what the wisdom of God is 00:04:53.649 --> 00:04:56.569 all about. A classical definition of the wisdom 00:04:56.569 --> 00:04:59.209 of God is that God brings about the best possible 00:04:59.209 --> 00:05:02.990 results for the most possible people in the best 00:05:02.990 --> 00:05:05.800 possible way. I mean, that's the idea. He's going 00:05:05.800 --> 00:05:08.740 to bring the best results by the best means for 00:05:08.740 --> 00:05:11.379 the most people for the longest time. And that 00:05:11.379 --> 00:05:13.639 sounds like a nice theological definition and 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:19.420 great. Wisdom of God. Share experience where 00:05:19.420 --> 00:05:26.519 that truth saved my life. I was in seminary at 00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:28.459 the time and I had a conviction that my wife, 00:05:28.500 --> 00:05:31.160 I had two small kids that were twins that were 00:05:31.160 --> 00:05:33.620 about six years old and then I had an 18 -month 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:36.100 -old little boy. So we had three kids and my 00:05:36.100 --> 00:05:38.899 conviction was my wife should be home and be 00:05:38.899 --> 00:05:41.240 able to nurture our children. And so I was going 00:05:41.240 --> 00:05:43.759 to seminary full -time and I was working full 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.459 -time, a straight commission job. It's the only 00:05:45.459 --> 00:05:47.740 thing I could do to make enough money just to 00:05:47.740 --> 00:05:50.540 make it through. And I went three years straight 00:05:50.540 --> 00:05:53.730 through. And so I was up about 4 .30 or 5 every 00:05:53.730 --> 00:05:55.790 day and went to a donut shop and studied Greek 00:05:55.790 --> 00:05:58.350 for about two or three hours, went to a carpool, 00:05:58.589 --> 00:06:01.250 went and went to classes, and every moment I 00:06:01.250 --> 00:06:03.269 wasn't in a class, I was reading a book or studying 00:06:03.269 --> 00:06:05.509 or doing something, caught the carpool, came 00:06:05.509 --> 00:06:07.149 home, played with my family for about an hour 00:06:07.149 --> 00:06:09.370 and a half, went to work from about 6 .30 to 00:06:09.370 --> 00:06:13.550 11 at night, got up 4, 4 .30, did the same thing 00:06:13.550 --> 00:06:17.629 for three years. And on the side, we did a little 00:06:17.629 --> 00:06:19.829 ministry because you had to have an outlet. And 00:06:19.829 --> 00:06:22.110 the good news was the ministry started to just 00:06:22.110 --> 00:06:25.350 multiply and flourish. The bad news, it was just 00:06:25.350 --> 00:06:28.290 more and more stress. Then it was a straight 00:06:28.290 --> 00:06:29.810 commission job and the company I was working 00:06:29.810 --> 00:06:31.990 for went through some major problems. And so 00:06:31.990 --> 00:06:35.790 my income disappeared. I've been going on about 00:06:35.790 --> 00:06:38.550 four hours to five hours sleep for three years 00:06:38.550 --> 00:06:41.019 straight. I'm working full -time. I'm going to 00:06:41.019 --> 00:06:44.019 school full -time. My wife has two small children 00:06:44.019 --> 00:06:47.519 and a toddler. I am dead broke. I do not have 00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:50.939 money to pay my bills. The stress is over the 00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:52.920 level that I've ever experienced in my life. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:56.240 I'm discouraged, depressed, completely out of 00:06:56.240 --> 00:06:58.500 it, and I'm sitting in a seminary class thinking, 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:03.360 okay, I almost went King James in my mind. Is 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:10.220 this how thou treats thy servants? I mean, I 00:07:10.220 --> 00:07:15.540 was a school teacher. I was a basketball coach. 00:07:16.040 --> 00:07:19.779 I liked what I did. God said he wanted me to 00:07:19.779 --> 00:07:21.759 go to seminary. I went to seminary. I've done 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.500 it for three years. I've taken all this Greek 00:07:23.500 --> 00:07:25.800 and all this Hebrew, and I'm working full time, 00:07:25.879 --> 00:07:28.300 and now I don't have any money. I got my rent 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:32.399 due. We haven't bought meat or groceries in 15 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:35.519 days. We've taken the $7 that we put with the 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:38.740 little co -op. And we've been eating fruits and 00:07:38.740 --> 00:07:40.959 vegetables for 15 days. And my wife has been 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:43.379 baking bread from the whole wheat flour that 00:07:43.379 --> 00:07:49.339 she has left. I can't pay my bills. And I'm just 00:07:49.339 --> 00:07:52.540 to where I'm thinking, this is what it looks 00:07:52.540 --> 00:07:55.720 like to get rewarded when you, quote, sell out 00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:58.480 for God. I want to be in your service. I want 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:01.759 to learn your word. And I'm ready to cash in, 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:03.839 at least Christian service. I thought, you know, 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:06.920 I know enough now. I can never leave the Lord. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:09.439 But this being a pastor and preparing for ministry, 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.459 and I was sitting in a classroom, a theology 00:08:12.459 --> 00:08:17.839 class, and just sort of staring. And it was a 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.759 class, a room much like this with a couple hundred 00:08:20.759 --> 00:08:24.480 students, and it was a big class, and it was 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:27.779 a very famous professor. Have you ever been in 00:08:27.779 --> 00:08:33.340 one of those zones where... And I looked up and 00:08:33.340 --> 00:08:35.919 someone tapped me on the shoulder. And it was 00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:38.059 the professor and the class was empty and I didn't 00:08:38.059 --> 00:08:42.679 hear anybody leave. And I wasn't asleep. I was 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:45.899 just so numb. And I was sitting there thinking, 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:52.139 I think I'm going to quit seminary. I can't do 00:08:52.139 --> 00:08:56.860 this. And the seminary professor was one in theology. 00:08:56.940 --> 00:08:59.649 He was a very thin man. He had wire -rimmed glasses, 00:08:59.769 --> 00:09:02.009 and he tapped me on the shoulder, and he gave 00:09:02.009 --> 00:09:03.929 me a little comment. He just very discerning 00:09:03.929 --> 00:09:06.409 said, Chip, whatever you do, don't make any major 00:09:06.409 --> 00:09:09.710 decisions in the next 48 hours. Go home and get 00:09:09.710 --> 00:09:12.909 a good night's sleep. Take a day off. Eat a good 00:09:12.909 --> 00:09:18.570 meal. And I'll see you Monday. And I just remember, 00:09:18.809 --> 00:09:23.929 often he would say things in class, and I wouldn't 00:09:23.929 --> 00:09:25.730 even write them down, but he said them in such 00:09:25.730 --> 00:09:28.860 a way that I just remembered them. And I sat 00:09:28.860 --> 00:09:30.980 there in the stupor trying to decide whether 00:09:30.980 --> 00:09:34.840 to quit school, cash it all in, and out of the 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:38.600 blue comes this definition of God's wisdom. God 00:09:38.600 --> 00:09:43.279 brings about the best possible ends by the best 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:47.100 possible means for the most possible people for 00:09:47.100 --> 00:09:51.279 the longest possible time. And that definition 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:53.279 was rattling in my brain, and I just thought 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:59.580 to myself, okay. What if I believe that? I mean, 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:01.480 what if I just hypothetically, God, I'm not saying 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:05.799 I do, but just hypothetically, because I don't 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:07.720 really want to give up my anger and my resentment 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:10.960 and my depression and my pity party, but in case 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:13.519 I wanted to, what if I believe that just for 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:16.539 a couple seconds? What if I believe that you 00:10:16.539 --> 00:10:18.399 do bring about the best possible ends and the 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:20.220 way you do it is by the best possible means? 00:10:22.729 --> 00:10:25.389 And people, I'm telling you, I'm sure there was 00:10:25.389 --> 00:10:27.509 sin in my life. I just didn't know of any. Man, 00:10:27.509 --> 00:10:29.029 I'm getting up. I'm meeting with God. I'm reading 00:10:29.029 --> 00:10:31.269 the Bible. I'm studying the languages. I'm involved 00:10:31.269 --> 00:10:33.169 in ministry. I'm loving my wife. I mean, you 00:10:33.169 --> 00:10:35.909 know, as far as I know, there's nothing between 00:10:35.909 --> 00:10:41.090 me and God. So it's not a sin issue. And then 00:10:41.090 --> 00:10:43.990 I began to think, well, if I believed it, I'm 00:10:43.990 --> 00:10:46.870 not saying I do, but if I believed it, it would 00:10:46.870 --> 00:10:50.950 mean that if you are good and gracious and sovereign, 00:10:51.419 --> 00:10:53.899 It would mean that these present circumstances 00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:57.600 were allowed by a good God who's in absolute 00:10:57.600 --> 00:11:00.740 control of the universe and that if there was 00:11:00.740 --> 00:11:04.879 an easier or kinder or gentler way to produce 00:11:04.879 --> 00:11:07.860 in me and through me what you wanted to produce, 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:11.960 it would be different circumstances. But if I 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:15.039 believe, hypothetically of course, that you were 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:18.669 all wise, then the fact that... The company shut 00:11:18.669 --> 00:11:22.009 down. I don't have a job. I don't have any money. 00:11:22.190 --> 00:11:24.889 I'm absolutely exhausted. I'm discouraged, depressed, 00:11:25.049 --> 00:11:27.009 and I don't see how I'm going to make it through 00:11:27.009 --> 00:11:31.250 tomorrow, let alone today. That this actually 00:11:31.250 --> 00:11:33.789 could be from the hand of a good, sovereign God 00:11:33.789 --> 00:11:39.389 that knows all things actual and possible, and 00:11:39.389 --> 00:11:42.490 therefore... What needs to happen in me from 00:11:42.490 --> 00:11:45.230 your eternal, all -wise, loving, and good perspective 00:11:45.230 --> 00:11:48.330 is exactly the circumstances that I'm living 00:11:48.330 --> 00:11:51.529 with. But here's the problem. It's hard to trust 00:11:51.529 --> 00:11:52.950 in the wisdom of God if you don't know what it 00:11:52.950 --> 00:11:55.470 is. If someone would have said, what's the wisdom 00:11:55.470 --> 00:11:57.909 of God to me, probably before I went to seminary, 00:11:57.929 --> 00:12:00.750 I would say, it means he's real smart. I mean, 00:12:00.750 --> 00:12:03.970 he must be the smartest guy, right? But wisdom 00:12:03.970 --> 00:12:07.269 is not smartness. Wisdom is not IQ. Wisdom is 00:12:07.269 --> 00:12:09.070 something quite different than what we think. 00:12:09.470 --> 00:12:11.070 And so in our time, here's what I want to do. 00:12:11.190 --> 00:12:13.990 I want to define what the wisdom of God is. I 00:12:13.990 --> 00:12:16.789 want to reveal how God has shown us his wisdom. 00:12:16.889 --> 00:12:18.889 And then I want to look at how do we respond 00:12:18.889 --> 00:12:24.169 to that wisdom so that here's the goal. You can 00:12:24.169 --> 00:12:30.850 rest and you can trust in the wisdom of God in 00:12:30.850 --> 00:12:34.690 the very area that you were thinking about. So 00:12:34.690 --> 00:12:37.049 that's the game plan. Let's define the wisdom 00:12:37.049 --> 00:12:41.860 of God. It is a attribute of God whereby he produces 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:45.100 the best possible results by the best possible 00:12:45.100 --> 00:12:48.120 means. That's by Berkhoff. He's a German theologian. 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:50.840 That's just a classical theological definition 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.539 of the wisdom of God. Webster says it's the quality 00:12:54.539 --> 00:12:56.620 of being wise. It's the power of judging rightly. 00:12:56.820 --> 00:12:59.059 It's following the soundest course of action 00:12:59.059 --> 00:13:01.240 based on knowledge, experience, and understanding. 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:03.899 Now, this is interesting. Catch this. The root 00:13:03.899 --> 00:13:06.720 words to wisdom have the idea of the ability 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:11.139 to see. And two, no. You need to see, in other 00:13:11.139 --> 00:13:14.039 words, wisdom is kind of life savvy. It's not 00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:16.620 IQ. It's not intelligence. It's not what you 00:13:16.620 --> 00:13:19.360 do on a test. Wisdom is understanding how life 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:22.299 works and then living your life in a way that 00:13:22.299 --> 00:13:24.960 cooperates with how God has designed life to 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:27.019 work to bring about the best possible results 00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:30.019 in relationships and in decisions and in parenting 00:13:30.019 --> 00:13:32.440 and in marriage and in singleness and all that 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:35.639 God has for us. But it involves the people that 00:13:35.639 --> 00:13:38.179 you go to for wise counsel, they have two abilities. 00:13:38.539 --> 00:13:42.539 One, they can see. Either by experience or knowledge 00:13:42.539 --> 00:13:45.639 of the scriptures or insight or giftedness, they 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:48.100 can kind of see some things you can't see. And 00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:50.299 second, they have knowledge. And they take that 00:13:50.299 --> 00:13:52.379 knowledge and they take what they can see and 00:13:52.379 --> 00:13:54.419 they help you make good decisions. That's what 00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:57.360 wisdom's all about. So the wisest person on the 00:13:57.360 --> 00:13:59.799 face of the earth is someone who can what? See 00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:03.620 everything. from beginning to end, who knows 00:14:03.620 --> 00:14:07.799 everything, who has all power. In fact, Dr. Ryrie 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:11.480 at Dallas Seminary, I love his definition of 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:15.419 the omniscience of God. God knows all things 00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:19.320 actual and possible. Short, brief, and unbelievably 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:24.279 accurate. God not only knows all things, he knows 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:26.899 all things actual and all things that are even 00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:29.440 possible. And say, where do you get that? Don't 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:31.919 you remember the little passage when Jesus was 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:34.659 being attacked by the Pharisees and people were 00:14:34.659 --> 00:14:36.840 rejecting him? And he said, I'm telling you, 00:14:36.940 --> 00:14:40.639 if Sodom and Gomorrah would have heard the message 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:42.679 that you just heard, they would have repented. 00:14:43.620 --> 00:14:48.779 Wait a second. You mean you know how people would 00:14:48.779 --> 00:14:51.139 have responded hypothetically in another timeframe 00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:55.379 hundreds of years earlier? Yes, he's God. God 00:14:55.379 --> 00:14:59.039 knows all things actual. and all things possible. 00:14:59.779 --> 00:15:03.620 He sees all things. He has all power. He is eternal. 00:15:03.820 --> 00:15:06.720 He's outside of time. He lives in the current 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:11.039 now. He knows the beginning from the end and 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:13.980 the end from the beginning. And so since he sees 00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:17.840 all things and knows all things, he's all wise 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:21.100 and can give us the greatest and best direction. 00:15:21.139 --> 00:15:23.519 In fact, the scripture says it, 1 Timothy 1, 00:15:23.559 --> 00:15:27.399 17. Now to the king eternal, immortal, invisible, 00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:31.980 the only God be honor and glory forever and ever. 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:35.539 Amen. Or my favorite passage on the wisdom of 00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:39.019 God is Romans 11, 33. Oh, the depths of the riches 00:15:39.019 --> 00:15:43.029 of the wisdom and the knowledge of God. How unsearchable 00:15:43.029 --> 00:15:46.250 are his judgments and his past beyond tracing 00:15:46.250 --> 00:15:49.889 or finding out. God's wisdom, what he orchestrates. 00:15:49.929 --> 00:15:52.250 Here's what you've got to understand. How things 00:15:52.250 --> 00:15:55.850 appear so often in your life. How things so often 00:15:55.850 --> 00:15:59.549 appear in history. God has a silver thread. He's 00:15:59.549 --> 00:16:01.730 doing things that we can't see and you don't 00:16:01.730 --> 00:16:03.529 see God's wisdom until you see it over here. 00:16:04.269 --> 00:16:07.370 So much of life is like that. So much of what 00:16:07.370 --> 00:16:09.889 he's doing in your life, it just, I mean, Joseph 00:16:09.889 --> 00:16:11.730 is thinking, this doesn't look good, this doesn't 00:16:11.730 --> 00:16:13.289 look good, this doesn't look good, this doesn't 00:16:13.289 --> 00:16:16.309 look good, this doesn't look good. And then you 00:16:16.309 --> 00:16:19.649 turn it over and what? He has woven a man into 00:16:19.649 --> 00:16:23.269 a position of the second highest power in the 00:16:23.269 --> 00:16:26.190 known world to accomplish a goal and a task. 00:16:26.289 --> 00:16:29.190 But he didn't see the wisdom of God. All he saw 00:16:29.190 --> 00:16:31.950 was the knots and the strings on the back of 00:16:31.950 --> 00:16:35.350 the tapestry. As God was weaving his life through 00:16:35.350 --> 00:16:37.730 a series of circumstances, none of which he would 00:16:37.730 --> 00:16:41.009 have chosen. All of which he needed, not only 00:16:41.009 --> 00:16:43.629 personally, but for the purposes God would fulfill. 00:16:44.730 --> 00:16:48.190 Notice, I like, it says in the Holy Scriptures, 00:16:48.370 --> 00:16:52.269 wisdom, when used of God and good men, always 00:16:52.269 --> 00:16:55.169 carries the strong moral connotation. It's conceived 00:16:55.169 --> 00:16:58.690 as being pure, loving, and good. Wisdom, among 00:16:58.690 --> 00:17:01.480 other things, is the ability to devise Perfect 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:04.500 ends and to achieve those ends by the most perfect 00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:07.640 means. I'm back to quoting Tozer, can you tell? 00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:12.819 Wisdom is the ability to devise, not good, perfect 00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:16.500 ends and to achieve those ends how? By... Perfect 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:19.559 means, what if God is perfectly orchestrating 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:23.079 a perfect end for your life? And what if even 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:25.839 in this naughty, yicky circumstances that seem 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:28.660 so unbearable, they are actually his perfect 00:17:28.660 --> 00:17:33.400 means to accomplish his perfect end in you? Would 00:17:33.400 --> 00:17:36.039 that change your perspective in how you deal 00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:41.339 with life? He goes on to say, It sees the end 00:17:41.339 --> 00:17:43.119 from the beginning so there can be no need to 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:45.980 guess or conjecture. Wisdom sees everything in 00:17:45.980 --> 00:17:48.759 focus, each in proper relationship to all, and 00:17:48.759 --> 00:17:51.259 is thus able to work toward predestined goals 00:17:51.259 --> 00:17:55.680 with flawless precision. You're listening to 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:58.269 Living on the Edge. We'll get you back to our 00:17:58.269 --> 00:18:01.190 series, The Real God, in just a minute. But first, 00:18:01.289 --> 00:18:03.769 if this teaching has ministered to you, consider 00:18:03.769 --> 00:18:06.630 becoming a monthly partner. Your regular financial 00:18:06.630 --> 00:18:09.289 support goes a long way to help us encourage 00:18:09.289 --> 00:18:12.569 pastors, create resources, and share Jesus with 00:18:12.569 --> 00:18:16.269 today's youth. Visit livingontheedge .org today 00:18:16.269 --> 00:18:19.130 to learn how to support us. Well, with that, 00:18:19.150 --> 00:18:21.970 here again is Chip. Let me give you an illustration 00:18:21.970 --> 00:18:24.769 that has helped me so much. This is a picture, 00:18:24.890 --> 00:18:27.349 and then we'll look. at how God has revealed 00:18:27.349 --> 00:18:29.109 his wisdom. Are you ready for this picture? It's 00:18:29.109 --> 00:18:32.049 a dramatic picture. Try and really let the color 00:18:32.049 --> 00:18:34.650 of your mind and the cinema scope just begin 00:18:34.650 --> 00:18:37.230 to really gravitate in to this picture. I want 00:18:37.230 --> 00:18:39.109 you to imagine there's a railroad tracks coming 00:18:39.109 --> 00:18:41.690 right across here and there's a nice little hill 00:18:41.690 --> 00:18:44.490 that goes up and on it is a small house where 00:18:44.490 --> 00:18:48.410 the railroad track man lives. And you come across 00:18:48.410 --> 00:18:50.730 the tracks and there's some gravel and you go 00:18:50.730 --> 00:18:52.910 up and then there's some steps and over here 00:18:52.910 --> 00:18:55.880 is a little booth. And the railroad track man's 00:18:55.880 --> 00:19:00.000 job is he has a lever and the trains come and 00:19:00.000 --> 00:19:03.539 his job is to push the lever at the right time 00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:06.339 so that the tracks slide over so the trains, 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:09.960 some trains go off to the north and some trains 00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:12.660 will go off to the south. And as they come through, 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:14.980 he gets radio wires and he hears what's going 00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:17.039 to happen, but it's an old -fashioned time, so 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:20.740 he must flick the switch to change the tracks. 00:19:21.349 --> 00:19:23.589 That's his job. And so he lives on a little hill 00:19:23.589 --> 00:19:25.890 and he has a cute little wife and they have a 00:19:25.890 --> 00:19:28.529 beautiful little four and a half year old. And 00:19:28.529 --> 00:19:31.529 so he is over doing his job. And his little boy 00:19:31.529 --> 00:19:33.950 is running down the hill, papa, papa, papa, daddy, 00:19:34.089 --> 00:19:35.690 daddy, daddy. Can you visualize him? He's coming 00:19:35.690 --> 00:19:38.109 down the hill and he sees his daddy doing his 00:19:38.109 --> 00:19:40.390 job. And often he would bring daddy his lunch 00:19:40.390 --> 00:19:42.569 and they would have good times together. And 00:19:42.569 --> 00:19:45.109 as he runs and comes across, he trips on the 00:19:45.109 --> 00:19:47.730 track. And as he trips on the track, his little 00:19:47.730 --> 00:19:52.430 tiny foot gets wedged underneath the track. And 00:19:52.430 --> 00:19:54.730 as you and I would look down about 500 yards, 00:19:54.809 --> 00:19:56.650 there is a train coming at a very high speed. 00:19:58.930 --> 00:20:01.329 There's not enough time for Daddy to come down 00:20:01.329 --> 00:20:04.130 from his post and pull his little boy off that 00:20:04.130 --> 00:20:09.230 track. He now has a decision to make about what 00:20:09.230 --> 00:20:14.049 is wisest, what is best, what should he do. And 00:20:14.049 --> 00:20:17.230 he has option number one, is that as the train 00:20:17.230 --> 00:20:19.789 is coming down the track, he could switch it. 00:20:20.490 --> 00:20:22.829 But if he switched it, because the track that 00:20:22.829 --> 00:20:26.970 it's on, it would jolt that track and probably 00:20:26.970 --> 00:20:30.190 400 to 500 people would go to their death. It's 00:20:30.190 --> 00:20:35.049 coming at a very high speed. Or he could leave 00:20:35.049 --> 00:20:39.470 it as it is. And as it is, he will watch a freight 00:20:39.470 --> 00:20:44.069 train filled with passengers go right over the 00:20:44.069 --> 00:20:48.730 top of his son. If he asked you, what's the wisest 00:20:48.730 --> 00:20:54.980 thing to do? What would you tell him? I didn't 00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:58.539 say the moral thing to do. I didn't say what 00:20:58.539 --> 00:21:01.400 he wanted to do. I didn't even say the sacrificial 00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:04.880 thing to do. What's the wisest thing to do in 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:08.779 this situation? And I would suggest that we as 00:21:08.779 --> 00:21:11.700 Christians, most of us would come up with an 00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:13.759 answer like this if we were given this in a small 00:21:13.759 --> 00:21:16.819 group. And we would discuss it together and come 00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:19.000 up with the noble and righteous answer that the 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:21.380 wisest thing to do, though painful and sacrificial, 00:21:21.539 --> 00:21:23.619 of this father will get to experience something 00:21:23.619 --> 00:21:25.839 like God the father must have experienced. And 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:31.160 he should not kill the 450 or 500 people, but 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:35.140 he should watch his son die. Now that may be 00:21:35.140 --> 00:21:37.420 the most loving and sacrificial and noble thing 00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:39.400 to do. I didn't say that. I said, what's the 00:21:39.400 --> 00:21:42.779 wisest thing to do? It's a difference. Because 00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:45.250 wisdom has to do with what? The best possible 00:21:45.250 --> 00:21:47.849 results for the most possible people for the 00:21:47.849 --> 00:21:51.390 longest possible time, right? And you say to 00:21:51.390 --> 00:21:55.029 yourself, well, I mean, this is it. 500 people 00:21:55.029 --> 00:21:57.450 versus one? Let the kid die. Wait a second. What 00:21:57.450 --> 00:22:00.670 if the kid is the next Billy Graham? If he's 00:22:00.670 --> 00:22:03.970 the next Billy Graham, would it be better for 00:22:03.970 --> 00:22:07.690 500 people to die in a train wreck and possibly 00:22:07.690 --> 00:22:09.569 millions of people to spend eternity in heaven? 00:22:09.690 --> 00:22:11.490 Which would be the wisest? Which would be the 00:22:11.490 --> 00:22:14.119 greatest benefit long term? Or what if this little 00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:17.299 boy has in his DNA, he will find the cure to 00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:22.400 HIV? Would it be better for 500 to live? Or to 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:25.160 have a million people or millions of people or 00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:27.359 to stop a plague that's going worldwide? Or, 00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:29.000 well, stop, stop, stop. Maybe that's not right. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:33.819 What if there's a person on the train and they 00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:38.319 have the cure for cancer and they will discover 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:41.380 it two years from now? Or what if the next Billy 00:22:41.380 --> 00:22:46.529 Graham? is on that train. Do you see how complicated 00:22:46.529 --> 00:22:49.430 it gets? See, all of a sudden, wait a second, 00:22:49.450 --> 00:22:51.250 we're not talking about a train in 500 or one. 00:22:51.869 --> 00:22:55.490 Unless you know all things actual and possible, 00:22:55.670 --> 00:22:57.710 unless you can see the beginning from the end, 00:22:57.869 --> 00:23:00.789 every one of our lives is like a huge bolter 00:23:00.789 --> 00:23:02.950 that's dropped into a pond and there are ripples. 00:23:03.009 --> 00:23:05.289 And you make a decision today and that affects 00:23:05.289 --> 00:23:07.970 children and grandchildren and friends and workers. 00:23:08.109 --> 00:23:10.549 And everyone's making all these decisions and 00:23:10.549 --> 00:23:12.430 they're happening with all these people all over 00:23:12.430 --> 00:23:15.009 the world. And in colliding these ripples of 00:23:15.009 --> 00:23:16.910 your decisions and my decisions and corporations' 00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:20.450 decisions. military decisions. Who in the world 00:23:20.450 --> 00:23:24.109 can know all things actual? The only person that 00:23:24.109 --> 00:23:26.269 can make a wise decision about what should happen 00:23:26.269 --> 00:23:29.210 in this situation is someone who knows everything, 00:23:29.410 --> 00:23:32.829 someone who sees everything, both now and on 00:23:32.829 --> 00:23:35.210 into the future and in eternity, and only that 00:23:35.210 --> 00:23:38.589 person can see and know to make the wisest decision. 00:23:39.789 --> 00:23:43.289 And my suggestion is, we don't have a clue of 00:23:43.289 --> 00:23:47.569 what the wisest thing is to do. Now think of 00:23:47.569 --> 00:23:50.230 that. Think of the logic you've just gone through. 00:23:51.029 --> 00:23:55.390 And now think of some things where we say, how 00:23:55.390 --> 00:23:59.609 could God let that plane go down? How could God 00:23:59.609 --> 00:24:02.950 let that seven -year -old boy die of cancer at 00:24:02.950 --> 00:24:06.849 his age? I don't understand how God could... 00:24:06.849 --> 00:24:11.549 You see, God is a good God. There is limited 00:24:11.549 --> 00:24:15.390 evil. He does work all things according to... 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:18.779 His will for the good of those who are called 00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:23.079 and who love him. And he knows the beginning 00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:26.740 from the end. And he knows the implications of 00:24:26.740 --> 00:24:29.299 every decision, of every relationship, of every 00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:32.660 human being for all eternity in an omnipresent 00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:35.720 present now with all the implications. And he 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:39.180 is all wise. And his decisions and his decrees. 00:24:39.799 --> 00:24:43.380 And his will is orchestrated for people, not 00:24:43.380 --> 00:24:45.700 just in view of his sovereignty, not just in 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:47.900 view of his power, not just in view of his love 00:24:47.900 --> 00:24:50.400 and compassion, or in his goodness and desire 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:53.900 to bless, but it's filtered through his wisdom, 00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:57.880 which means he brings about the best possible 00:24:57.880 --> 00:25:01.339 ends by the best possible means for the most 00:25:01.339 --> 00:25:04.160 possible people for the longest possible time. 00:25:05.740 --> 00:25:09.910 Tozer summarizes by saying this, All God's acts 00:25:09.910 --> 00:25:12.430 are done in perfect wisdom, first for his own 00:25:12.430 --> 00:25:15.089 glory and then for the highest good of the greatest 00:25:15.089 --> 00:25:18.509 number for the longest time. And all his acts 00:25:18.509 --> 00:25:22.009 are as pure as they are wise. Isn't that great? 00:25:22.789 --> 00:25:26.789 And they are as good as they are pure. Not only 00:25:26.789 --> 00:25:31.009 could his acts not be done better, a better way 00:25:31.009 --> 00:25:35.970 to do them could not be imagined. Can I suggest 00:25:35.970 --> 00:25:40.359 something? that's true in your life. I mean, 00:25:40.380 --> 00:25:43.700 if you're in blatant sin, and I certainly have 00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:46.240 had times where I have been, so there's consequences 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.640 to our sin, and we often blame God for them. 00:25:49.619 --> 00:25:51.720 But if you're not in blatant sin, and as far 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:54.240 as you know, you're walking with God, you're 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:55.839 trying to be the man, the woman that he wants 00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:58.750 you to be, and you have certain... things in 00:25:58.750 --> 00:26:02.049 your life that you're saying, God, I don't understand. 00:26:02.230 --> 00:26:04.910 This isn't fair. This is hard. Please take it 00:26:04.910 --> 00:26:06.390 away. I'm praying, I'm praying, I'm praying, 00:26:06.430 --> 00:26:09.950 and nothing changes. Could it be? Could it be 00:26:09.950 --> 00:26:16.890 that the all -wise God of the universe is actually 00:26:16.890 --> 00:26:23.210 drawing you toward a perfect end by means of 00:26:23.210 --> 00:26:28.769 perfect methodology? to produce in you and through 00:26:28.769 --> 00:26:31.970 you beyond and better what you could ever dream. 00:26:33.890 --> 00:26:35.950 See, that's how you rest in the wisdom of God. 00:26:37.250 --> 00:26:39.930 But when you come to understand that this isn't 00:26:39.930 --> 00:26:42.109 something, this is not a concept, this is God. 00:26:42.549 --> 00:26:44.710 The God that you pray to, this is what he's like. 00:26:45.369 --> 00:26:48.210 Well, let's talk about how has he revealed his 00:26:48.210 --> 00:26:50.069 wisdom? I mean, if this is true, this could change 00:26:50.069 --> 00:26:52.529 your life. How has God revealed his wisdom to 00:26:52.529 --> 00:26:58.039 us? One, through creation. Psalm 19, verses one 00:26:58.039 --> 00:27:00.319 through seven. Listen to how God has revealed 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:02.759 that he's wise. The heavens declare the glory 00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:05.599 of God. The skies proclaim the work of his hands. 00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:08.420 Day after day, they pour forth speech. Night 00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:12.390 after night, they display knowledge. There is 00:27:12.390 --> 00:27:14.529 no speech or language where their voice is heard. 00:27:14.650 --> 00:27:16.650 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their 00:27:16.650 --> 00:27:19.009 words to the ends of the world. In the heavens, 00:27:19.089 --> 00:27:21.170 he's pitched a tent for the sun, which like a 00:27:21.170 --> 00:27:23.529 bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like 00:27:23.529 --> 00:27:26.829 a champion rejoicing to run its course. It rises 00:27:26.829 --> 00:27:29.329 at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit 00:27:29.329 --> 00:27:32.109 to the other. Nothing is hidden from its heat. 00:27:32.589 --> 00:27:36.250 The creation, the ecosystem. I mean, take an 00:27:36.250 --> 00:27:39.069 electron microscope and look at the smallest 00:27:39.069 --> 00:27:41.589 things you can find and you'll see an amazing 00:27:41.589 --> 00:27:44.609 order and wisdom and balance. And then take a 00:27:44.609 --> 00:27:48.769 telescope and blast it into all of the universe 00:27:48.769 --> 00:27:51.589 and we see what? These planets that are in these 00:27:51.589 --> 00:27:54.950 amazing orders and gravitational pulls and balance 00:27:54.950 --> 00:27:57.789 one another. You could take our earth. And just 00:27:57.789 --> 00:28:00.650 tilt it one degree or a portion of a degree and 00:28:00.650 --> 00:28:02.410 some people would freeze to death and the other 00:28:02.410 --> 00:28:06.470 people burn to death. The oxygen of the plants, 00:28:06.549 --> 00:28:09.049 the carbon dioxide of the people. You know, we 00:28:09.049 --> 00:28:11.150 as humans, we mess with the environment just 00:28:11.150 --> 00:28:13.390 a little bit and man, it just starts going crazy. 00:28:14.579 --> 00:28:18.220 God, in his wisdom, bringing the best possible 00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:21.579 results. Why do birds fly certain places, certain 00:28:21.579 --> 00:28:24.339 times? Why do they mate the way they mate? Why 00:28:24.339 --> 00:28:26.460 do they have certain boundaries? Why is there 00:28:26.460 --> 00:28:28.279 this balance of certain animals that eat other 00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:30.119 animals and others that don't eat other animals 00:28:30.119 --> 00:28:33.880 and so much grass? And how God orchestrates weather 00:28:33.880 --> 00:28:41.720 and patterns and animals, his creation. This 00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:44.480 is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and you've 00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:46.180 been listening to part one of Chip's message, 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:49.160 The Wisdom of God, from our series, The Real 00:28:49.160 --> 00:28:51.579 God. Chip will be back shortly to share some 00:28:51.579 --> 00:28:54.559 helpful application for us to think about. You 00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:57.039 know, we've all unintentionally projected some 00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:59.799 of humanity's worst qualities into our Creator. 00:29:00.180 --> 00:29:03.900 Many view God as moody, weak, unfair, impatient, 00:29:04.200 --> 00:29:07.259 and merciless. But those ideas couldn't be further 00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:10.390 from the truth. Through this series, Chip explores 00:29:10.390 --> 00:29:13.170 key Bible passages to reveal seven fundamental 00:29:13.170 --> 00:29:16.130 characteristics of our Heavenly Father, attributes 00:29:16.130 --> 00:29:19.109 that reflect the very essence of His divine nature. 00:29:19.430 --> 00:29:22.269 Join Chip on this journey to reshape your perspective 00:29:22.269 --> 00:29:24.869 toward God, which will deepen your relationship 00:29:24.869 --> 00:29:27.710 with Him like never before. You won't want to 00:29:27.710 --> 00:29:30.880 miss a single part of this study. Well, I'm joined 00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:33.799 in studio now by Chip, and Chip, the idea of 00:29:33.799 --> 00:29:36.039 discipleship is at the heart of this ministry. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:38.980 And we believe there's a specific group of people 00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:41.680 responsible for continuing that work all around 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:44.799 the world. So if you would identify these difference 00:29:44.799 --> 00:29:47.319 makers and explain how we're investing in them. 00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:50.319 Well, Dave, the fact of the matter is this, is 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:52.420 that we want to help Christians live like Christians, 00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:55.539 but God has ordained there is a place, there's 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:58.119 a supernatural community, and it's called the 00:29:58.119 --> 00:30:00.480 church. The church isn't a building. It's a group 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:03.700 of people. And there's a person or a group of 00:30:03.700 --> 00:30:06.799 people, pastors, who are morally responsible 00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:10.339 to lead churches. If there is a godly pastor 00:30:10.339 --> 00:30:13.380 who's healthy, who teaches God's Word practically, 00:30:13.619 --> 00:30:17.480 clearly, relevantly with orthodox theology, guess 00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:21.420 what? It produces people, young people, middle 00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:23.960 -aged people, and older people that are Christians 00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:26.480 who live like Christians. So one of the main 00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:29.220 things we do at Living on the Edge is we train 00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:32.259 pastors right here in the United States. all 00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:35.140 across the globe. If that's on your heart, would 00:30:35.140 --> 00:30:38.359 you help us? If you would give a gift to help 00:30:38.359 --> 00:30:41.579 us reach, train, develop, and encourage pastors, 00:30:41.859 --> 00:30:44.779 it would mean a lot to them, but it will create 00:30:44.779 --> 00:30:47.440 the disciples of the future. That's absolutely 00:30:47.440 --> 00:30:50.160 right, Chip. And if you'd consider becoming a 00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:52.700 monthly giver, it would make all the difference. 00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:55.799 If we can depend on your regular support, we 00:30:55.799 --> 00:30:58.519 can continue ministering to pastors all over 00:30:58.519 --> 00:31:01.160 the globe. Learn more about becoming a monthly 00:31:01.160 --> 00:31:04.799 donor by going to livingontheedge .org or by 00:31:04.799 --> 00:31:12.099 calling 888 -333 -6003. That's 888 -333 -6003 00:31:12.099 --> 00:31:16.730 or visit livingontheedge .org. App listeners 00:31:16.730 --> 00:31:19.589 tap donate. We'll hear again as Chip with his 00:31:19.589 --> 00:31:22.990 application. When we started today's program, 00:31:23.289 --> 00:31:26.910 I asked you a question. What's the biggest challenge 00:31:26.910 --> 00:31:29.990 that you're facing right now? What gives pressure? 00:31:30.170 --> 00:31:32.009 Where is there stress? Is it a relationship? 00:31:32.329 --> 00:31:34.789 Is it your marriage? One of your kids? Is it 00:31:34.789 --> 00:31:36.549 the fact that you don't have a relationship and 00:31:36.549 --> 00:31:39.529 you're single? Is it finances? Is it the world 00:31:39.529 --> 00:31:41.890 situation? Is it the stock market? I don't know. 00:31:42.329 --> 00:31:46.029 But here's what I do know. The toughest challenges 00:31:46.029 --> 00:31:50.470 that you face or I face can be revolutionized 00:31:50.470 --> 00:31:53.329 when we look at them through the lens of God's 00:31:53.329 --> 00:31:57.650 wisdom. God is orchestrating events and circumstances 00:31:57.650 --> 00:32:02.069 and people in your life to produce the best possible 00:32:02.069 --> 00:32:05.890 ends by the best possible means for the most 00:32:05.890 --> 00:32:09.670 possible people. Have you got that? He's working. 00:32:09.849 --> 00:32:13.309 He's wise. He knows what he's doing. understanding 00:32:13.309 --> 00:32:17.309 God's wisdom, this concept that life isn't just 00:32:17.309 --> 00:32:20.170 haphazard. Not only is he sovereign, but if there 00:32:20.170 --> 00:32:22.609 was a better way to help you learn, if there 00:32:22.609 --> 00:32:25.009 was a better way for God's will to be worked 00:32:25.009 --> 00:32:29.130 out in your life, he would do that, okay? You're 00:32:29.130 --> 00:32:31.009 not getting a raw deal. You're not getting God's 00:32:31.009 --> 00:32:34.890 second best. He knows you. He loves you. He's 00:32:34.890 --> 00:32:38.529 working for your good. And the plan that you're 00:32:38.529 --> 00:32:41.549 experiencing right now is the wisdom of God. 00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:44.880 This has brought more comfort and more peace 00:32:44.880 --> 00:32:47.559 in the midst of my most difficult challenges 00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:50.799 than probably any other aspect of God's character. 00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:54.119 Now the question is, how do you tap into that 00:32:54.119 --> 00:32:57.160 wisdom? How do you get it? That will be on our 00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:59.799 next program. Hope you'll be there. Looking forward 00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:02.200 to that message, Chip, next time as we continue 00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:05.599 our series, The Real God. But until then, I'm 00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:07.579 Dave Drewy, thanking you for listening to this 00:33:07.579 --> 00:33:09.440 edition of Living on the Edge.