WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:04.259 Has someone wounded you? It may have been years 00:00:04.259 --> 00:00:06.280 ago. It could have been a parent, could have 00:00:06.280 --> 00:00:08.800 been a mate, maybe one of your kids, a co -worker. 00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.199 But has someone hurt you very deeply, betrayed 00:00:12.199 --> 00:00:15.699 you to the point that deep anger and bitterness 00:00:15.699 --> 00:00:18.320 has occurred in your soul? I want to tell you 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:21.260 that God wants to clean the wound, heal the wound, 00:00:21.500 --> 00:00:25.059 bandage the wound, and make you whole. That's 00:00:25.059 --> 00:00:32.759 today. Thanks for listening to this edition of 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:36.000 Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We are an 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:38.500 international teaching and discipleship ministry 00:00:38.500 --> 00:00:41.679 that encourages and equips Christians to live 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:44.039 like Christians. In just a moment, Chip will 00:00:44.039 --> 00:00:46.340 wrap up our series, Overcoming Emotions That 00:00:46.340 --> 00:00:49.600 Destroy. We pray that Chip's words have challenged 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:52.479 you to evaluate how anger may be devastating 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:54.759 your life and the steps you can take to regain 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:57.340 control. And by the way, if you've missed any 00:00:57.340 --> 00:00:59.659 part of this teaching, go back and listen either 00:00:59.659 --> 00:01:03.759 at livingontheedge .org or wherever you listen 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:06.659 to podcasts. All right, here now is Chip with 00:01:06.659 --> 00:01:09.359 part two of his message, How to Be Good and Mad 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:13.599 from Ephesians chapter four. I want to talk now 00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:18.140 about it is so dangerous to take this weapon 00:01:18.140 --> 00:01:23.439 of anger that he's going to tell us now how specifically 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:27.519 after this passage, to treat it when you've been 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:30.760 wounded deeply, how to clean out that wound, 00:01:31.019 --> 00:01:34.459 how to bandage the wound, and how to get whole 00:01:34.459 --> 00:01:39.019 so that good things can happen. And so that's 00:01:39.019 --> 00:01:41.879 what I want to talk about now. Step one to be 00:01:41.879 --> 00:01:47.219 good and mad is to cleanse the wound. Cleanse 00:01:47.219 --> 00:01:51.700 the wound. Verse 31 says, get rid of all bitterness, 00:01:51.939 --> 00:01:58.200 rage, and anger. Brawling and slander along with 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:03.480 every form of malice. How do you cleanse the 00:02:03.480 --> 00:02:07.959 wound? Confession and repentance of unresolved 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:12.219 anger. Confession and repentance are the two 00:02:12.219 --> 00:02:15.120 key words there of unresolved anger. Listen to 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:19.199 the command, get rid of. He's given us this picture. 00:02:19.259 --> 00:02:22.580 Take off, have your mind renewed, put on. Get 00:02:22.580 --> 00:02:27.860 rid of. All bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling, 00:02:27.979 --> 00:02:30.199 slander, and then along with that, that desire 00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:33.719 to hurt people, malice. The motive is you really 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:37.360 want to make them pay. And you got to cleanse 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:41.900 the wound. Now, here's the deal. In your humanness 00:02:41.900 --> 00:02:44.280 and in my humanness, here's how I play it out. 00:02:45.500 --> 00:02:48.659 When she really apologizes and realizes how deeply 00:02:48.659 --> 00:02:53.539 she's hurt me, I'll forgive her. When that former 00:02:53.539 --> 00:02:55.560 business partner that rips me off who claims 00:02:55.560 --> 00:02:58.300 to be a Christian apologizes and tells me what 00:02:58.300 --> 00:03:00.539 he really did and owns it. When that lady who 00:03:00.539 --> 00:03:02.659 said those things about me at church and, you 00:03:02.659 --> 00:03:07.120 know, we mentioned, apologizes then. And here's 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:08.919 what I want to say. Some of you, especially as 00:03:08.919 --> 00:03:13.139 couples, you got to be the proactive one. Every 00:03:13.139 --> 00:03:16.219 issue, every anger issue, every relational problem 00:03:16.219 --> 00:03:20.039 is never a 100%, 0 % issue. You know what I'm 00:03:20.039 --> 00:03:23.939 saying? In other words, they're not 100 % wrong 00:03:23.939 --> 00:03:26.199 and you're 0 % innocent. Now, most of you would 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:28.860 agree with that, right? Now, what I know is it's 00:03:28.860 --> 00:03:31.099 90 -10. It's 90 % them and only 10 % you, right? 00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:34.020 I mean, when you think of what they did and what 00:03:34.020 --> 00:03:36.400 he did. Okay, now here's the deal. If you want 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:39.550 to see... the wound cleansed. If you want to 00:03:39.550 --> 00:03:42.530 not let this anger ruin your relationship with 00:03:42.530 --> 00:03:45.189 God and with others and not allow you to be a 00:03:45.189 --> 00:03:47.569 vessel and a weapon for righteous ignatiation, 00:03:47.669 --> 00:03:50.569 you gotta cleanse the wound. You have to get 00:03:50.569 --> 00:03:53.569 rid of the 10 % of your bitterness and anger 00:03:53.569 --> 00:03:56.229 and wrath and malice, and you have to confess 00:03:56.229 --> 00:03:59.349 it and then repent. Confess means I agree with 00:03:59.349 --> 00:04:02.530 God. This anger, this bitterness, this resentment, 00:04:02.669 --> 00:04:05.129 this passive aggressive, this leaking, these 00:04:05.129 --> 00:04:08.259 exploding, I need to say, Say, God, I am sorry. 00:04:08.419 --> 00:04:11.599 Will you forgive me? I turn away from that. I 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:13.580 don't want to do it anymore. I resolve in my 00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:15.639 heart. And then you look into the eyes of that 00:04:15.639 --> 00:04:20.480 friend or that mate and you say, honey, I want 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:24.680 to tell you, this is how I've hurt you with my 00:04:24.680 --> 00:04:27.759 anger. And this is the mask that I wear. And 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:32.680 then with eye contact, will you forgive me? And 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:35.139 then you purpose, and in your heart of hearts, 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.079 you know it's a pattern, and you purpose, I don't 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:39.079 want to do this anymore, but if I do it again, 00:04:39.139 --> 00:04:42.459 I want you to know, I am going to take this seriously. 00:04:43.699 --> 00:04:47.000 And it's hard, and it's painful. And you're saying, 00:04:47.060 --> 00:04:48.199 but well, you know, you don't understand, it's 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.420 90 % him. Hey, you know what? You own yours. 00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:54.160 You can't control him, or you can't control her. 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:57.839 You can't control that person in another state 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:01.660 who did that and moved away with your mate. My 00:05:01.660 --> 00:05:05.560 kids and I, I love basketball, and Sunday afternoon 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:08.199 was sort of our release time, and so we played 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:10.420 pickup basketball, and I had a driveway that 00:05:10.420 --> 00:05:12.699 had a nice slant to it, so when all my friends 00:05:12.699 --> 00:05:16.259 came over, I know where the slant is, and it 00:05:16.259 --> 00:05:18.279 was an amazing home court advantage, you know? 00:05:18.660 --> 00:05:20.360 Man, I'm shooting kind of short. I don't worry 00:05:20.360 --> 00:05:26.899 about it, you know? So, and all my boys, it must 00:05:26.899 --> 00:05:31.649 be, and daughter, I don't know what it is, but 00:05:31.649 --> 00:05:34.709 there's sort of winning and losing. It's not 00:05:34.709 --> 00:05:37.350 like you're better than, but we're intense and 00:05:37.350 --> 00:05:39.629 we really like to compete along with my closest 00:05:39.629 --> 00:05:42.589 friends. I mean, we're brothers. We really care. 00:05:42.730 --> 00:05:46.009 But I mean, it is an in your face, no holes barred. 00:05:46.129 --> 00:05:48.350 And when you go to the hoop and a guy gets in 00:05:48.350 --> 00:05:49.810 your way, you don't mean to, but I mean, if his 00:05:49.810 --> 00:05:51.589 nose gets broken, his nose gets broken. And, 00:05:51.610 --> 00:05:53.970 you know, a guy skids on the concrete. So about 00:05:53.970 --> 00:05:56.069 every three months, I mean, Teresa is inside 00:05:56.069 --> 00:05:58.689 and hearing grunts and rolls. And, you know, 00:05:58.709 --> 00:06:01.459 we always go to the ER. And a lot of times you 00:06:01.459 --> 00:06:03.980 get a big gash, right? And it was just normal. 00:06:04.019 --> 00:06:05.740 I put him in the car. Here we go again. I mean, 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:07.680 three boys. This is life. That's how we did life. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:11.319 And we loved each other deeply. But I'm going 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:13.740 to tell you, when we went to the ER, and, you 00:06:13.740 --> 00:06:15.920 know, there would be like a deep gash and gravel 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:20.040 and dirt. They pour this junk in it. And, you 00:06:20.040 --> 00:06:21.319 know, when they were younger, I had to hold it. 00:06:22.120 --> 00:06:24.040 Right? Right? And then what do they do? Then 00:06:24.040 --> 00:06:26.060 they rub it, and the kid's going. And everything 00:06:26.060 --> 00:06:28.300 in you as a parent wants to say, you're hurting 00:06:28.300 --> 00:06:30.990 my boy. Hey, doc, do you need to do it that much? 00:06:31.110 --> 00:06:33.029 Hey, I've just started. And they start picking 00:06:33.029 --> 00:06:35.209 little pieces of gravel out and then it looks 00:06:35.209 --> 00:06:37.149 pretty clean to you. Then what do they do? They 00:06:37.149 --> 00:06:42.290 take the syringe with a needle, right? And the 00:06:42.290 --> 00:06:45.310 saline solution and oh, you know, right? They 00:06:45.310 --> 00:06:49.629 cleanse the wound. Because if they don't cleanse 00:06:49.629 --> 00:06:53.149 the wound, what happens? It gets infected. It's 00:06:53.149 --> 00:06:57.279 not pretty. It hurts a lot. But some of you are 00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:59.420 living with an infection that's festered for 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:05.339 decades. Cleanse the wound. Forgive and repent. 00:07:06.060 --> 00:07:08.579 Then in verse 32, he says, treat the wound. I 00:07:08.579 --> 00:07:11.139 mean, my kids didn't leave with, Dad, I think 00:07:11.139 --> 00:07:14.240 it's clean. Then what happens? They treated it. 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:18.139 Verse 32 tells us how to treat it. Be kind and 00:07:18.139 --> 00:07:20.600 compassionate to one another, forgiving each 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:23.360 other just as God and Christ also forgave you. 00:07:23.980 --> 00:07:26.660 Then he goes on to say, be imitators of God, 00:07:26.699 --> 00:07:29.639 therefore, as dearly loved children, live a life 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:33.220 of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself 00:07:33.220 --> 00:07:37.040 up for us as a fragrant aroma, a sacrifice to 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:40.500 God. And so he says, you need to cleanse the 00:07:40.500 --> 00:07:43.480 wound. And then he goes on to say, we need to 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:47.180 treat it. And this is forgiveness and reconciliation. 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:53.230 I confess it. I repent. And now I've got to take 00:07:53.230 --> 00:07:56.029 it from the horizontal and the beginning of confessing 00:07:56.029 --> 00:07:59.050 it to a person. And then I need to both receive 00:07:59.050 --> 00:08:03.769 and give forgiveness. I need to extend. I'm going 00:08:03.769 --> 00:08:08.139 to take you off the hook. I refuse to keep trying 00:08:08.139 --> 00:08:10.980 to pay you back. I'm not going to bring your 00:08:10.980 --> 00:08:14.519 mind up to God anymore. Out of my mouth, I won't 00:08:14.519 --> 00:08:17.620 say to my closest friends anymore how you do 00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:19.500 this, and our marriage is like this, and we've 00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:21.160 been doing it for years, and he's this viewer, 00:08:21.339 --> 00:08:23.759 and she doesn't do this, and every time I know 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:25.620 she's mad because she doesn't want to have sex 00:08:25.620 --> 00:08:28.180 ever, and all this stuff. I'm not going to say 00:08:28.180 --> 00:08:34.009 it anymore. I'm going to forgive. And I'm gonna 00:08:34.009 --> 00:08:37.350 extend reconciliation. I'm gonna say, let's get 00:08:37.350 --> 00:08:40.889 back on the same team. I'm gonna do for this 00:08:40.889 --> 00:08:43.730 person what Christ has done for me. Be kind. 00:08:46.029 --> 00:08:50.629 Be tenderhearted. And by the way, I will just 00:08:50.629 --> 00:08:53.330 tell you, that's the issue. According to Jesus, 00:08:53.409 --> 00:08:55.870 there's only one reason why people ever get divorced. 00:08:57.129 --> 00:09:00.840 Because of the hardness of heart. It's not your 00:09:00.840 --> 00:09:03.700 mate's stuff or your stuff. When you get wounded 00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:07.440 and you get hurt and you've been spewed on or 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:11.120 they've leaked anger or you feel used, your heart 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:14.600 gets hard. You just start protecting yourself. 00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:20.259 And so it's a big risky step of faith where you 00:09:20.259 --> 00:09:22.980 cleanse the wound and you confess your side of 00:09:22.980 --> 00:09:25.559 it and you repent. And then the next big step 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:31.250 is you extend forgiveness. You say, God, in light 00:09:31.250 --> 00:09:32.809 of what you've done for me, I'm going to extend 00:09:32.809 --> 00:09:36.789 it to them. I had a situation not all that long 00:09:36.789 --> 00:09:39.629 ago where I went through a really, really difficult 00:09:39.629 --> 00:09:42.269 time that involved betrayal. I don't know if 00:09:42.269 --> 00:09:43.990 you've ever been betrayed, where people make 00:09:43.990 --> 00:09:46.549 very specific commitments, and they say they're 00:09:46.549 --> 00:09:48.549 going to do certain things, and then you find 00:09:48.549 --> 00:09:54.509 yourself like, you're kidding. I mean, just way, 00:09:54.629 --> 00:09:57.940 way out there. And for me, maybe it's my personality, 00:09:57.960 --> 00:10:01.840 but when you're betrayed, ooh, the anger, the 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.360 resentment. And so, you know, I've gotten to 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:09.279 practice this. And to extend forgiveness. And 00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:11.480 I really wrestled. I had like a three -month 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:13.960 wrestling match with God telling him what he 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:15.940 ought to do to these people that betrayed me 00:10:15.940 --> 00:10:18.259 and they should know better and on and on and 00:10:18.259 --> 00:10:20.220 on. And then I had a friend say, you know something? 00:10:20.379 --> 00:10:21.759 I'd like you to go through a little exercise. 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:24.940 And he kind of knew the whole gamut of a situation. 00:10:24.940 --> 00:10:27.500 And he said, I'd like you to pray for a week 00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:29.720 and then we'll meet. It was at a golf club, actually. 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:31.980 And he said, let's meet next week right here, 00:10:32.059 --> 00:10:34.659 and I'd like you to pray and ask God any and 00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:37.419 every mistake and anything that you would be 00:10:37.419 --> 00:10:40.519 culpable of, even the small things, that sort 00:10:40.519 --> 00:10:43.379 of help bring about this difficult, painful thing. 00:10:44.299 --> 00:10:48.340 And I did. And I remember writing out seven very 00:10:48.340 --> 00:10:51.509 specific things that I thought, wow. God, I wish 00:10:51.509 --> 00:10:54.789 you wouldn't have shown me so much. And I'd like 00:10:54.789 --> 00:10:56.570 to say, and mine were all little and theirs were 00:10:56.570 --> 00:11:00.190 all big. It was, oh, that was dumb. And then 00:11:00.190 --> 00:11:01.870 I began to think, if I was them, how would I 00:11:01.870 --> 00:11:04.149 view that? Well, I could view that maybe he was 00:11:04.149 --> 00:11:06.549 actually trying to do that. Gosh, no wonder they 00:11:06.549 --> 00:11:09.649 betrayed me. Then there's this. And that wasn't 00:11:09.649 --> 00:11:12.750 sin, it was a mistake. And I listed seven things. 00:11:13.169 --> 00:11:15.149 And I got the next week with that guy at the 00:11:15.149 --> 00:11:20.659 golf course and I looked at it and he said, You're 00:11:20.659 --> 00:11:22.240 having a hard time forgiving these people, aren't 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.480 you? I said, yeah, I really am. He said, so how 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:26.940 do you think you'd like God to treat you on this 00:11:26.940 --> 00:11:30.100 one? I said, man, I don't want what I deserve. 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:32.679 And you know, it was just kind of like he led 00:11:32.679 --> 00:11:34.600 me through, you know, here's this guy helping 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:37.100 the pastor who's supposed to know this. And he 00:11:37.100 --> 00:11:39.100 kind of led me through that little parable, you 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:41.679 know, in Matthew 18 of the servant that gets 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:44.779 forgiven $20 million. And then he goes and won't 00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:47.879 forgive the guy for 20 bucks. And basically what 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:52.679 he said was, it's not about. You want God to 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:55.779 be merciful with you. If you really want that, 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:58.200 you always have to give away what you want to 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:01.539 receive. And then I had, you know, I listed my 00:12:01.539 --> 00:12:05.480 excuses. That's not fair. They don't deserve 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:10.840 it. And he looked at me and said, I know. You're 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:13.220 not doing it because they deserve it. You're 00:12:13.220 --> 00:12:16.340 doing it to obey. And you're doing it so that 00:12:16.340 --> 00:12:20.259 you can be free. And you know what? Christ did 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:23.940 it for you. Not passing it on is not an option. 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:28.919 What do you need to do? You cleanse the wound, 00:12:29.059 --> 00:12:31.879 confession and repentance. You treat the wound, 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:34.559 forgiveness and reconciliation. And then third, 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:38.360 you need to bandage the wound. This is chapter 00:12:38.360 --> 00:12:43.960 five, verses one and two. I alluded to them earlier 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:47.519 and read them, but you know, Listen to what it 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:49.940 says. It's not about just, okay, I forgave him. 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:51.299 I think everything's okay as far as it depends 00:12:51.299 --> 00:12:52.899 on me. I never want to see him again. I never 00:12:52.899 --> 00:12:54.700 want to talk to them. I hope nothing ever happens. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:13:00.759 Be imitators. Literally, the word is mimic God. 00:13:01.860 --> 00:13:03.759 We get our English word. That word imitator, 00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:05.480 if you would go to the Greek text, it's M -I 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:09.740 -M -I. Literally, it's mimic God. That's a pretty 00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:13.580 big command. Be imitators of God, therefore, 00:13:13.779 --> 00:13:16.899 and notice in your notes, put a parentheses around 00:13:16.899 --> 00:13:20.259 as dearly loved children. You can't give away 00:13:20.259 --> 00:13:22.879 what you don't have. And for many of you, the 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:25.340 breakthrough will come. I remember listing those 00:13:25.340 --> 00:13:28.039 seven things, and I don't want to be overly dramatic 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.759 here, but when I saw them, I cried. I just thought, 00:13:31.820 --> 00:13:34.539 man, that's ugly. And it wasn't like I willfully 00:13:34.539 --> 00:13:36.299 did any of that. It wasn't like I was doing some 00:13:36.299 --> 00:13:38.779 big bad things. But when I really saw some things 00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:41.740 in my heart and when I really saw where I blew 00:13:41.740 --> 00:13:45.000 it, it was just like, oh, that's so ugly, God. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:49.179 And then I had this amazing warmth experience 00:13:49.179 --> 00:13:52.659 where Jesus, you know, Chip, I know. That's why 00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:56.700 I died. Like, Chip, you know, I really wasn't 00:13:56.700 --> 00:14:00.360 surprised on this one. I wasn't shocked. I saw 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:03.259 this one all the way back at the cross. See, 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:06.379 you mimic God, but as one who's already dearly 00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:09.480 loved. You don't work this up. It's receiving 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:12.960 more and more. And then as a dearly loved one, 00:14:13.100 --> 00:14:15.720 live a life of love as Christ loved us and gave 00:14:15.720 --> 00:14:17.460 himself as a fragrant offering and sacrifice. 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:22.120 And so in terms of a very practical way, this 00:14:22.120 --> 00:14:25.980 is how you put the past behind you. You put the 00:14:25.980 --> 00:14:29.590 past behind you. When I have struggled with forgiveness, 00:14:29.850 --> 00:14:33.289 the most powerful thing I've ever experienced 00:14:33.289 --> 00:14:36.970 is learning to pray for that person. And it'll 00:14:36.970 --> 00:14:39.049 start off not real good, like, Lord, will you 00:14:39.049 --> 00:14:40.429 show them what they really need to hear? Lord, 00:14:40.490 --> 00:14:42.610 will you cause them to repent? Lord, would you 00:14:42.610 --> 00:14:44.309 bring about difficult things in their life so 00:14:44.309 --> 00:14:46.929 they would look up to you, seek you, and then 00:14:46.929 --> 00:14:49.789 tell me they're sorry? You know, there's all 00:14:49.789 --> 00:14:54.169 kind of ways we want to do that. And I've found 00:14:54.169 --> 00:14:57.639 that if I can bless those who persecute me, The 00:14:57.639 --> 00:14:59.419 word blessed means to seek the salvation or the 00:14:59.419 --> 00:15:01.580 deliverance of another. And when people curse 00:15:01.580 --> 00:15:04.460 you, it's a strong, strong word of them wanting 00:15:04.460 --> 00:15:08.240 to take you down. That's Romans 12, 14. But Romans 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:13.000 12, 14 to 21 became my mantra. Love your enemies. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:16.039 Paul is really quoting and capsulizing Jesus 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:19.320 in Luke 6. Love your enemies. Do good to them. 00:15:20.159 --> 00:15:24.399 Pray for those who use you, who despise you. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:27.279 If your enemy's hungry, feed him. If he's thirsty, 00:15:27.340 --> 00:15:29.620 give him a drink. Don't be overcome with evil. 00:15:29.679 --> 00:15:35.559 Overcome evil with good. And so I started praying 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:39.960 for these people every day. And then every time 00:15:39.960 --> 00:15:42.240 I took the Lord's Supper, I just made a little 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:47.240 vow. always pray and ask your blessing from the 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:49.759 depth of my heart. And I long for the day when 00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:52.340 I hear something great about them, about their 00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:54.419 marriage, about their life, about their kids, 00:15:54.580 --> 00:15:57.659 about ministry, that my initial reaction before 00:15:57.659 --> 00:16:00.799 I can think is rejoicing. And when that day comes, 00:16:00.860 --> 00:16:04.639 I'll know that I have act, forgive, process, 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:08.200 forgiven, forgiving. And then when that day comes, 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:10.519 when I can immediately rejoice, when I hear something 00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:13.740 good about those who've done me wrong. It will 00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:17.580 be forgiven. Forgiveness is a choice. It's a 00:16:17.580 --> 00:16:22.279 decision, a process, and there's an ending. And 00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:24.460 so every time I took the Lord's Supper, I prayed 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:26.379 and prayed and prayed. And, you know, it just 00:16:26.379 --> 00:16:29.899 really was exciting after a journey to hear some 00:16:29.899 --> 00:16:32.240 very positive things. And before I could think 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.799 about it, it was, thank you, Lord. And it was 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:38.179 like, great, great. I have extended to them what 00:16:38.179 --> 00:16:40.500 you extended to me. I don't want them to get 00:16:40.500 --> 00:16:43.779 what they deserve. Just like God, I don't want 00:16:43.779 --> 00:16:47.120 to get what I deserve. Therefore, be merciful 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:50.419 even as your heavenly Father is merciful, Jesus 00:16:50.419 --> 00:16:54.220 said, who causes it to rain on the evil and the 00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:56.879 good, on those who give thanks and those who 00:16:56.879 --> 00:17:00.720 don't. Here's what we've learned. It's okay to 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:04.019 be angry. It's what I do with it that matters. 00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:09.220 Anger can be good. Remember our little equation, 00:17:09.480 --> 00:17:13.099 your AQ, your anger quotient? And I wish I had 00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:18.059 a big whiteboard. AQ equals E, environment, plus 00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:24.240 P, perspective, times O426, obedience to Ephesians 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:29.140 426. And there you have it right there. The action 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:33.059 for a stuffer is to stuff, avoid, pretend, repress, 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:36.539 and suppress. The action for a spewer is explode, 00:17:36.700 --> 00:17:39.200 control, either in an uncontrolled manner or 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:43.500 in a very calculated way. Action for a leaker 00:17:43.500 --> 00:17:46.759 is passive -aggressive, indirect power, and then 00:17:46.759 --> 00:17:50.099 sort of subtle slander. And here's the appropriate 00:17:50.099 --> 00:17:54.180 expression. Be assertive. Make non -threatening, 00:17:54.240 --> 00:18:00.160 I -feel statements about needs and desires. In 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:05.559 terms of reaction, the stuffer denies feelings 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:09.240 or angry. Me? Angry? Not me. They bury, hide, 00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:12.789 pretend you're not angry. Spewers yell, slam 00:18:12.789 --> 00:18:15.190 doors, kick, shout, push, shove, become hostile. 00:18:15.930 --> 00:18:19.049 Leakers procrastinate, gossip, be late, don't 00:18:19.049 --> 00:18:21.809 follow through, and their yes and no is not reliable. 00:18:22.470 --> 00:18:26.450 The appropriate biblical response is what? The 00:18:26.450 --> 00:18:30.049 reaction, express it directly or release it indirectly, 00:18:30.390 --> 00:18:33.470 getting the anger out in a non -destructive way. 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:36.539 So there's times and ways we walk through. You 00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:38.940 address it. You address it to a person. Sometimes 00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:41.099 it's face -to -face. Sometimes it's on the phone. 00:18:41.259 --> 00:18:44.259 Sometimes you write a letter. And other times, 00:18:44.319 --> 00:18:46.880 it's a situation where, you know what? It will 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:49.640 do no good. You are not the person responsible 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:51.799 to address it. And what you need to do is do 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:54.920 some healthy, wholesome activity after expressing 00:18:54.920 --> 00:18:57.299 it to God. And like for me, it's working out 00:18:57.299 --> 00:18:59.759 or taking a walk or listening to music and releasing 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:03.619 that anger and saying, I'm not... I'm not responsible 00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:07.359 or I'm not the one to address this, but I need 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:10.960 to deal with my anger. In terms of results, when 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:12.799 you stuff, you grow out of touch with emotions. 00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:17.119 You live in denial. You expend excessive energy 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:21.039 avoiding anger. For some of you that are thinking, 00:19:21.099 --> 00:19:23.319 this is too hard, this is too difficult, I just 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:25.559 can't wait to get out of here and throw away 00:19:25.559 --> 00:19:28.839 these notes and not deal with this, do it for 00:19:28.839 --> 00:19:32.619 your kids. Do it for those that are around you 00:19:32.619 --> 00:19:36.740 because you will pass it on. The results for 00:19:36.740 --> 00:19:39.380 the spewer is damaged relationships and emotional 00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:42.400 distance. The results for the leaker is unhealthy 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:46.200 communication, damaged relationships. The appropriate 00:19:46.200 --> 00:19:49.380 expression and what occurs, the results are restored 00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:52.240 healthy relationships, open, honest communication, 00:19:52.779 --> 00:19:56.359 justice and righteousness upheld, grace and mercy 00:19:56.359 --> 00:19:59.619 given. Now, you know what? That's a very simple 00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:01.640 little chart, but that basically covers almost 00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:04.480 everything we've done. Questions for further 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:07.599 thought. Here's where I want you to ponder. I'll 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:10.339 encourage you, you know, as this kind of comes 00:20:10.339 --> 00:20:13.259 to a close, who is an accountability partner 00:20:13.259 --> 00:20:16.980 of the same sex? Who's two or three other people 00:20:16.980 --> 00:20:20.180 in a small group? Who's going to go on a journey 00:20:20.180 --> 00:20:24.000 with you to unpack and deal with where God's 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:26.160 spoken to you? Because I will tell you, you know, 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:29.619 Two days from now, the new pressures, the old 00:20:29.619 --> 00:20:32.539 patterns, nothing will change unless you start. 00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:35.779 And so here's the questions. One, in what areas 00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:37.900 do you see the need to become more expressive 00:20:37.900 --> 00:20:41.519 in your anger? I mean, where do you see that 00:20:41.519 --> 00:20:44.220 you need to be more expressive? Under control, 00:20:44.440 --> 00:20:49.339 rightly, directly? Second, what safeguards can 00:20:49.339 --> 00:20:52.539 help you express your anger and yet do it appropriately? 00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:57.009 Third question is how... Is the example of Jesus 00:20:57.009 --> 00:20:59.730 helpful as you examine anger issues relevant 00:20:59.730 --> 00:21:02.849 to you? Wasn't it kind of refreshing to think 00:21:02.849 --> 00:21:06.390 that Jesus really got angry? Isn't it exciting 00:21:06.390 --> 00:21:09.329 to think that there's wrong in the world and 00:21:09.329 --> 00:21:12.910 God deposited you with an emotion to make a difference, 00:21:13.049 --> 00:21:15.390 to motivate you like few things in all the world, 00:21:15.470 --> 00:21:17.589 and that you could make a difference by getting 00:21:17.589 --> 00:21:20.329 mad about the right stuff? Fourth, what did you 00:21:20.329 --> 00:21:23.890 learn about anger resolution? Why is it so important? 00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:28.960 And then fifth, are there any anger issues or 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.819 relationships in your life that need complete 00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:36.039 resolution? What steps will you take? For some 00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:37.900 people, I'll just repeat this one more time. 00:21:38.019 --> 00:21:43.220 I don't mean to beat a drum. If you need help 00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:45.660 personally, you're a single mom, you're a single 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:48.140 dad, you're a single person, you're a married 00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:51.599 couple, and you have tried. And this is a pattern. 00:21:51.859 --> 00:21:54.400 And maybe it goes all the way back to some things 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:56.220 that when you really think about it, you've learned, 00:21:56.299 --> 00:22:00.039 and you can't solve it yourself. Get some help. 00:22:01.019 --> 00:22:04.279 Just get some help. And you say, I can't afford 00:22:04.279 --> 00:22:08.500 it. You can't afford not to. I mean, you know, 00:22:08.599 --> 00:22:11.140 I discourage people from ever going into debt, 00:22:11.180 --> 00:22:12.859 but most of you spend money you don't have on 00:22:12.859 --> 00:22:17.430 Christmas every year. 80 or 100 bucks a shot 00:22:17.430 --> 00:22:19.950 for someone that would help you walk through 00:22:19.950 --> 00:22:22.910 the process to get anger where it needs to be 00:22:22.910 --> 00:22:25.869 and it will open up a window of issues that you 00:22:25.869 --> 00:22:28.410 had no idea that you'll know the truth and the 00:22:28.410 --> 00:22:30.609 truth will set you free and relationships will 00:22:30.609 --> 00:22:32.930 be improved and your relationship with God will 00:22:32.930 --> 00:22:34.769 get deepened. Like now, what's that worth to 00:22:34.769 --> 00:22:39.190 you? I bet more than the car you're driving and 00:22:39.190 --> 00:22:42.569 you spend a little money on that. Final thing 00:22:42.569 --> 00:22:45.759 I just want to share and this is, This will put 00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:47.640 everything in perspective. Just listen very, 00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:51.000 very carefully. Did you ever wonder why you get 00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:55.019 so mad and what you get mad at? You ever think 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:58.779 of that? Now, I shared the story of that lady 00:22:58.779 --> 00:23:01.000 banging that kid into a dryer. I mean, I got 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:05.920 mad. I don't know if you've ever seen really, 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:09.380 really deep injustice, but that gets us angry. 00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:13.559 But most of your anger is, and often with people 00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:17.299 close, They do you wrong, don't they? It's not 00:23:17.299 --> 00:23:20.980 fair. They violate you. They attack you. They 00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:23.599 do terrible things to you, and you get mad. And 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:25.799 a lot of times, you ought to get mad, right? 00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:28.359 A mate walks out on you, you should, you ought 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:31.140 to be mad. People steal from you, you ought to 00:23:31.140 --> 00:23:35.559 be mad. Why? Because it's not right. It's not 00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:41.099 fair. It's, ready, wrong. You're listening to 00:23:41.099 --> 00:23:44.059 Living on the Edge. return you to Chip's message 00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:46.519 in just a minute. But let me quickly share with 00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:49.000 you, God has called us to do incredible ministry 00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:52.140 work all around the world. And when you regularly 00:23:52.140 --> 00:23:54.299 give to Living on the Edge, you're a part of 00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:57.119 what we do. So consider becoming a monthly partner 00:23:57.119 --> 00:24:02.160 today and visit livingontheedge .org. We appreciate 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:05.119 your generous support. Well, with that, here's 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:09.599 Chip. Question, where'd you get that idea? I 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:11.160 want to suggest that you're made in the image 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:14.720 of God. And there is a phrase that I don't know 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:16.640 that I've heard a message in the last 25 years 00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:19.140 where anybody used this phrase. Now, I'm sure 00:24:19.140 --> 00:24:20.500 there's some people have. I just may have been 00:24:20.500 --> 00:24:24.220 in the wrong circles. The wrath of God. Anybody 00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:26.660 heard that one? Or we allude to an old sermon 00:24:26.660 --> 00:24:28.339 by Jonathan Edwards and everyone think it was 00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:30.900 a terrible sermon. But you know what? Like thousands 00:24:30.900 --> 00:24:33.539 of people got saved over that sermon. If you 00:24:33.539 --> 00:24:36.160 think you get mad, I mean, picture, if you will, 00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:38.900 spending all day and making this beautiful little 00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:41.880 sand castle on the beach. And, you know, you 00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:44.240 spent all day and it's a beautiful sculpture 00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:46.039 and somebody walking by kicks you out of the 00:24:46.039 --> 00:24:48.440 way and kicks it down. How do you feel? Mad. 00:24:49.140 --> 00:24:52.700 That's what we as human beings have done to God 00:24:52.700 --> 00:24:56.019 and his earth and his creation and his son. And 00:24:56.019 --> 00:25:00.099 he's holy. And he's pure. And when there is sin, 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:03.140 when things aren't right, he's mad. In fact, 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:06.359 however mad you think you get about stuff, multiply 00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:10.460 that infinitely. That's how mad he gets. And 00:25:10.460 --> 00:25:14.160 it's called God's just wrath. When you sin, are 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:18.140 you ready for this? He's mad at you. When you 00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:20.720 mess up relationships and hurt people, he's mad 00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:23.559 at you. When you violate the environment to make 00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:26.960 more money, he's mad at you. When you use people 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:31.440 and lie, he's mad at you. Well, should, no, wait 00:25:31.440 --> 00:25:33.980 a second. Don't look. I wish I had a picture 00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:42.240 of y 'all. He's mad at me. Ethel, you think he's 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:45.619 talking to us right now? Homer, I think he might 00:25:45.619 --> 00:25:50.420 be. He's mad at you. He's mad at me. Now, wait 00:25:50.420 --> 00:25:52.519 a second. It's okay for you to be mad when someone 00:25:52.519 --> 00:25:54.940 walks out on you, isn't it? It's okay for you 00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:57.319 to be mad when a child's abused. It's okay for 00:25:57.319 --> 00:25:59.579 you to be mad when girls are put into prostitution. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:06.019 God's mad at you when you sin in your mind, in 00:26:06.019 --> 00:26:08.740 your heart, with your mouth and your actions. 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:12.839 And the scripture says, The wrath of God is being 00:26:12.839 --> 00:26:15.759 revealed from heaven against all ungodliness 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:18.500 and wickedness of men who suppress the truth 00:26:18.500 --> 00:26:22.619 in their wickedness. So if you don't feel a pretty 00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:26.019 weighty problem, you need to check your pulse. 00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:29.180 You get mad about stuff because you're made in 00:26:29.180 --> 00:26:32.299 the image of God who knows the desires and the 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:34.700 thoughts and the intentions, not just of what 00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:37.359 you do, but your heart and even your motives. 00:26:39.079 --> 00:26:41.240 And the one who wrote those words went on to 00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:44.900 say in chapter three, but now a righteousness 00:26:44.900 --> 00:26:47.960 from God apart from the law, in other words, 00:26:47.960 --> 00:26:50.740 from keeping rules has been made known to which 00:26:50.740 --> 00:26:52.940 the law and the prophets testify. So it's not 00:26:52.940 --> 00:26:55.559 new. It was the intent all the time of all the 00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:58.440 prophets. This righteousness from God comes through 00:26:58.440 --> 00:27:05.140 faith in Jesus Christ to a special group, whoever 00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:09.690 believes. There's no difference. For all have 00:27:09.690 --> 00:27:14.970 sinned, big, small, little. All have sinned and 00:27:14.970 --> 00:27:18.710 fall short of the glory of God. And they're justified 00:27:18.710 --> 00:27:21.950 freely by what he did, his grace, through the 00:27:21.950 --> 00:27:24.390 redemption. That's the purchase price for you. 00:27:24.549 --> 00:27:29.369 It's the picture of the slave market. And in 00:27:29.369 --> 00:27:33.109 the slave market of sin, at the time this was 00:27:33.109 --> 00:27:37.579 written, if you would buy a slave, You would 00:27:37.579 --> 00:27:40.380 walk in and you would pay so much and you would 00:27:40.380 --> 00:27:43.579 buy the slave. And this is the word redemption 00:27:43.579 --> 00:27:47.160 of you being purchased out of the slave market 00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:50.920 of sin with your sins and God's wrath and his 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:54.859 anger hanging over your head. And Jesus came 00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:59.700 and he offered his blood as the payment price. 00:28:01.160 --> 00:28:05.359 And God said, okay, Mary, Bill, Ethel, Chip. 00:28:06.340 --> 00:28:10.500 Bob, Jim, whosoever, I'll buy them all back. 00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:14.980 The redemption that came by Jesus, God presented 00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:18.420 him as a sacrifice of atonement. It's an Old 00:28:18.420 --> 00:28:21.819 Testament picture of a covering. His blood covers 00:28:21.819 --> 00:28:26.170 the sin. Through faith in his blood. He did this 00:28:26.170 --> 00:28:29.349 to demonstrate, notice, his justice because in 00:28:29.349 --> 00:28:32.130 his forbearance, he left the sins committed beforehand 00:28:32.130 --> 00:28:35.170 unpunished. He did it to demonstrate justice. 00:28:36.349 --> 00:28:42.150 God's just. Sin's gotta be dealt with. He's mad 00:28:42.150 --> 00:28:48.900 at it. Like you get mad at it. He's angry. He 00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:50.819 did it to demonstrate justice in this present 00:28:50.819 --> 00:28:54.960 time so he could be just and the one who justifies 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:58.980 those who have faith in Jesus. I would like to 00:28:58.980 --> 00:29:03.160 suggest to you that God has an anger issue and 00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:06.819 God had to solve his anger issue. And the way 00:29:06.819 --> 00:29:09.980 God solved his anger issue toward you was he 00:29:09.980 --> 00:29:13.559 sent his son. I don't know how much you know 00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:15.839 or where you're coming from. And I think sometimes 00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:17.740 we think, you know, I went to a little camp and 00:29:17.740 --> 00:29:19.680 I prayed a little prayer and I believe in Jesus, 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:22.279 whatever that means. Let me give it to you straight. 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:25.839 You are under the wrath of God and he's angry 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:28.619 and knows all your sin and all mine. And the 00:29:28.619 --> 00:29:31.759 only solution was fully God, fully man, Jesus 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:34.799 came, born of a virgin. He lived an absolutely 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:37.440 perfect life, did miracles, raised people from 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:39.900 the dead, fed people, taught about the kingdom. 00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:43.519 told that he would die, raised three days later, 00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:48.119 and said, you can only find life in me. Not through 00:29:48.119 --> 00:29:50.440 religion, not through rules, not through trying 00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:54.119 hard, not through morality. The gateway to abate 00:29:54.119 --> 00:29:57.730 the just wrath of God. is he would hang upon 00:29:57.730 --> 00:30:01.349 a cross and when he would turn away in fulfillment 00:30:01.349 --> 00:30:04.490 of Psalm 22, my God, my God, why have you forsaken 00:30:04.490 --> 00:30:08.730 me? He was an actual offering and God took your 00:30:08.730 --> 00:30:11.630 sin and my sin and the sins of the whole world 00:30:11.630 --> 00:30:14.710 and he placed him on Christ and then he moved 00:30:14.710 --> 00:30:19.529 back and with his breath of anger went, and all 00:30:19.529 --> 00:30:21.930 of his wrath and hatred for sin was placed on 00:30:21.930 --> 00:30:25.009 Christ in that moment and it's finished and you 00:30:25.009 --> 00:30:28.920 were forgiven. And I was forgiven. And whosoever 00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:31.500 would believe and trust in that work on that 00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:35.619 cross by faith receives salvation. And those 00:30:35.619 --> 00:30:40.640 who reject that have been provided forgiveness 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:42.839 but will not receive it because of the hardness 00:30:42.839 --> 00:30:45.079 of their own heart. Jesus said, I didn't come 00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:50.259 to condemn the world. I came to save it. But 00:30:50.259 --> 00:30:53.140 those who walk in darkness and turn away, he 00:30:53.140 --> 00:30:55.839 came to his own and those who were his own would 00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:01.119 not receive him. Question, have you received 00:31:01.119 --> 00:31:09.700 the solution to God's anger issue with you? I 00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:12.440 didn't ask if you went to church. Didn't ask 00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:15.579 if you read your Bible. Didn't ask if you gave 00:31:15.579 --> 00:31:18.329 a little money. I didn't ask if you're a little 00:31:18.329 --> 00:31:23.710 bit moral than the next guy. Have you at a point 00:31:23.710 --> 00:31:27.569 in time in your life recognized that God is angry 00:31:27.569 --> 00:31:32.150 with you and rightfully so? And the only remedy 00:31:32.150 --> 00:31:36.589 for that anger is the work of Christ so God could 00:31:36.589 --> 00:31:42.170 be just fair. What the holiness of God demanded, 00:31:42.509 --> 00:31:46.690 the love of God provided. through the cross. 00:31:47.109 --> 00:31:50.809 And that's what it means when it says, for God 00:31:50.809 --> 00:31:55.089 so loved the world that he gave his one and only 00:31:55.089 --> 00:31:59.130 son, that whoever would believe, put trust in 00:31:59.130 --> 00:32:03.069 him, would not perish, but have everlasting life. 00:32:03.910 --> 00:32:07.430 Have you ever received the free gift of salvation? 00:32:08.329 --> 00:32:11.569 It's as simple as saying, looking upon that cross, 00:32:11.869 --> 00:32:17.160 your sin God's wrath and recognizing it's been 00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:21.000 covered. I can do nothing on my own. I admit 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:24.420 I am a sinner. I ask you now to forgive me, Lord 00:32:24.420 --> 00:32:28.319 Jesus. I want to put my faith in your work and 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:31.779 proof of resurrection that your work would cover 00:32:31.779 --> 00:32:35.039 me and atone for me. and that you would take 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:36.940 me from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom 00:32:36.940 --> 00:32:39.440 of light, and I now, you are the truth and the 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:42.220 life and the way, and I now will have access 00:32:42.220 --> 00:32:44.740 and relationship to the Father forever and ever 00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:48.680 and ever. Eternal life is not just length. It 00:32:48.680 --> 00:32:52.099 begins at this moment. There is no more condemnation. 00:32:52.500 --> 00:32:57.599 Now you're a son or a daughter of Christ. Have 00:32:57.599 --> 00:33:01.700 you ever done that from your heart and said, 00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:06.740 The world behind me, the cross before me. No 00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:12.740 turning back. You're listening to Living on the 00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:15.380 Edge with Chip Ingram. And the message you just 00:33:15.380 --> 00:33:18.180 heard, how to be good and mad, is from our series, 00:33:18.359 --> 00:33:21.480 Overcoming Emotions That Destroy. Chip will join 00:33:21.480 --> 00:33:23.819 us in studio to share some insights from today's 00:33:23.819 --> 00:33:27.059 talk in just a minute. Well, Chip's back in studio 00:33:27.059 --> 00:33:30.299 with me, and Chip, as I listen today... You know, 00:33:30.299 --> 00:33:32.019 I couldn't help but think about the countless 00:33:32.019 --> 00:33:34.380 people listening right now who have real needs. 00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:37.440 As we continue to create new programming and 00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:40.279 develop resources that meet those needs, the 00:33:40.279 --> 00:33:42.599 expenses of the ministry are a monthly issue. 00:33:42.859 --> 00:33:44.700 Take a moment, if you would, and talk to those 00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:46.720 who have considered partnering with us before 00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:49.680 but haven't made that commitment. You know, Dave, 00:33:49.859 --> 00:33:52.400 really only about 2 % of all the people that 00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:55.119 listen partner with us financially in any way. 00:33:55.220 --> 00:33:57.279 And I think sometimes it's because they just 00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:59.289 don't think. what I could do would make a difference. 00:33:59.450 --> 00:34:01.589 But I just want to encourage some of you that 00:34:01.589 --> 00:34:03.470 feel like, you know, God's really using this 00:34:03.470 --> 00:34:07.289 in my life, but I'm just not in a position. Maybe 00:34:07.289 --> 00:34:09.670 you could do something really small, but God 00:34:09.670 --> 00:34:11.829 could take your small gift and do something really 00:34:11.829 --> 00:34:14.730 big with it. So thanks so much and appreciate 00:34:14.730 --> 00:34:18.139 anything God leads you to do. Thanks, Chip. Well, 00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:20.320 if joining the Living on the Edge team is an 00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:22.699 idea that makes sense to you, let me encourage 00:34:22.699 --> 00:34:25.360 you to become a monthly partner. Now, you can 00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:28.599 do that today by visiting livingontheedge .org 00:34:28.599 --> 00:34:34.659 or by calling 888 -333 -6003. Take a few minutes 00:34:34.659 --> 00:34:36.880 to help others benefit from the work of this 00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:43.420 ministry. Call 888 -333 -6003 or go to livingontheedge 00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:48.760 .org. App listeners tap donate. Well, we've come 00:34:48.760 --> 00:34:51.679 to the end of the series and this last day is 00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:54.059 pretty heavy. We've talked about anger and how 00:34:54.059 --> 00:34:55.900 we deal with it, how God wants to use it for 00:34:55.900 --> 00:34:58.619 good and given a lot of real practical things 00:34:58.619 --> 00:35:00.820 and talked about tools to give you. But at the 00:35:00.820 --> 00:35:03.679 heart of all of this, when you're wounded, it 00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:06.599 starts with forgiveness. And what I know is that 00:35:06.880 --> 00:35:08.800 There's some of you that are saying, you know, 00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:11.340 you don't understand. You have no idea what I've 00:35:11.340 --> 00:35:13.440 been through. And I have a good friend who's 00:35:13.440 --> 00:35:16.139 a pastor in Louisville, and he and I were doing 00:35:16.139 --> 00:35:18.199 some studying together, and we were just sharing 00:35:18.199 --> 00:35:21.300 sort of dramatic stories of God's grace. And 00:35:21.300 --> 00:35:23.760 we were discussing how hard it is as pastors 00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:26.179 in our own lives, but especially as we help others 00:35:26.179 --> 00:35:29.980 really deal with forgiveness. I mean, real resolution 00:35:29.980 --> 00:35:33.559 when it's just unmentionable sin. And he told 00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:37.280 me this story of a lady. whose husband was a 00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:41.039 pastor, and during his message, a man came down 00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:44.420 the aisle and shot her husband. And then he began 00:35:44.420 --> 00:35:46.639 to share with me the journey this woman went 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:50.639 on to forgive this man, later visit him in prison, 00:35:50.820 --> 00:35:55.079 actually achieve a relationship with this man, 00:35:55.219 --> 00:35:58.960 and the testimony that was to the entire community. 00:35:59.219 --> 00:36:02.050 And he said more than anything else, what it 00:36:02.050 --> 00:36:04.829 did in her heart, in her life. And I remember 00:36:04.829 --> 00:36:07.110 listening to that story and thinking, you know, 00:36:07.130 --> 00:36:10.110 people have been abused, people have been walked 00:36:10.110 --> 00:36:14.829 out on, injustice. I mean, it is so deep and 00:36:14.829 --> 00:36:19.110 so painful that many of us have buried that hurt 00:36:19.110 --> 00:36:21.329 and that wound, and that infection is in your 00:36:21.329 --> 00:36:24.289 soul. And you actually get mad and irritable 00:36:24.289 --> 00:36:26.429 and struggle with things, and you don't even 00:36:26.429 --> 00:36:30.619 know why. God wants to cleanse the wound. Would 00:36:30.619 --> 00:36:32.699 you just be willing right now as we close this 00:36:32.699 --> 00:36:35.679 series to say, God, I will do whatever you want 00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:38.019 me to do. I'm willing to face it. I'm willing 00:36:38.019 --> 00:36:41.539 as an act of my will to release that person, 00:36:41.579 --> 00:36:43.659 maybe that parent who abused me, that mate that 00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:46.059 walked out on me, that kid that's been ungrateful, 00:36:46.159 --> 00:36:47.920 that person that took the money, that just whatever. 00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:51.039 I'm willing to release them to you as a righteous 00:36:51.039 --> 00:36:54.440 judge. And God, I ask that you give me the grace 00:36:54.440 --> 00:36:57.619 to forgive them the way you've forgiven me. That's 00:36:57.619 --> 00:37:00.500 the first big step on the journey. And if you 00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:02.900 need some additional help, let me encourage you, 00:37:02.940 --> 00:37:05.800 talk to your pastor. Talk to someone who's spiritually 00:37:05.800 --> 00:37:08.460 mature. Or if it's late when you listen to this 00:37:08.460 --> 00:37:11.119 and you feel lonely, go to the website at livingontheedge 00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:14.199 .org. And there's multiple resources that are 00:37:14.199 --> 00:37:17.260 free. And just kind of scan around about where 00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:19.880 your hurts and where your needs are. We want 00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:23.199 to help you today deal with the wounds in your 00:37:23.199 --> 00:37:25.820 heart. Thanks, Chip. Great way to wrap up this 00:37:25.820 --> 00:37:28.599 study. Well, until next time, this is Dave Drewy 00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:30.820 saying thanks for listening to this edition of 00:37:30.820 --> 00:37:31.980 Living on the Edge.