WEBVTT 00:00:01.459 --> 00:00:04.339 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:04.580 --> 00:00:08.279 Let's face it, hardship and pain are an unavoidable 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:11.339 part of life. Whether you're anxious, suffering 00:00:11.339 --> 00:00:13.900 from a health problem, lost your job or lost 00:00:13.900 --> 00:00:16.399 a friend, we're all struggling through something 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:19.460 right now. The question is, how do we endure 00:00:19.460 --> 00:00:21.679 it? How do we get through the darkest periods 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:26.859 of life? That's today. Stay with me. In a world 00:00:26.859 --> 00:00:29.600 that's driven by creature comforts, we do everything 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:33.140 possible to dodge any semblance of pain. After 00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:35.960 all, doesn't God want us to be comfortable? I'm 00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:38.240 Dave Drewy. Today on Living on the Edge, Chip 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:40.859 Ingram reminds us that comfort isn't God's agenda, 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:44.240 nor is he trying to break us. During our struggles, 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:47.320 God is building spiritual muscle we didn't know 00:00:47.320 --> 00:00:50.520 we needed. As we dig into James chapter 1, Chip 00:00:50.520 --> 00:00:53.259 identifies three game -changing questions that'll 00:00:53.259 --> 00:00:56.310 move us from victim to survivor. Plus, he'll 00:00:56.310 --> 00:00:58.670 show us why choosing the right attitude matters 00:00:58.670 --> 00:01:01.530 more than you think. Oh, and by the way, later 00:01:01.530 --> 00:01:03.829 in today's program, Chip will describe an exciting 00:01:03.829 --> 00:01:06.670 match that begins today, one of the biggest in 00:01:06.670 --> 00:01:09.269 our history. And it's just in time for Giving 00:01:09.269 --> 00:01:11.810 Tuesday, which is tomorrow. Well, more about 00:01:11.810 --> 00:01:13.950 that match later. Right now, the message from 00:01:13.950 --> 00:01:17.329 Chip Ingram, an attitude to embrace. You know, 00:01:17.349 --> 00:01:19.730 we're living in very historic times right now. 00:01:20.489 --> 00:01:22.989 For some right now, this is a very difficult 00:01:22.989 --> 00:01:25.650 time, but they see a way through. For others, 00:01:25.750 --> 00:01:29.069 it's a desperate time. How will we get through 00:01:29.069 --> 00:01:32.510 this? The question isn't sometimes, you know, 00:01:32.530 --> 00:01:35.870 how do we thrive? Sometimes the question is, 00:01:35.950 --> 00:01:39.469 how do we survive? Well, I want to tell you that 00:01:39.469 --> 00:01:42.489 there is an art to survival. You know, science 00:01:42.489 --> 00:01:45.129 sometimes is very clear. There's a formula, right? 00:01:45.250 --> 00:01:48.109 You know, two plus two equals four. Here's the 00:01:48.109 --> 00:01:51.420 law of physics. But art means that there's an 00:01:51.420 --> 00:01:54.260 answer, there's a way, but it looks different 00:01:54.260 --> 00:01:56.040 for different people in different situations. 00:01:56.579 --> 00:01:59.000 And you may not know it, but the early church 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:03.400 was birthed at a time much like our own. It wasn't 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:06.640 just difficult, it was desperate. And God gave 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:09.240 them the very first words from the half -brother 00:02:09.240 --> 00:02:12.439 of Jesus. His name is James, and it's found in 00:02:12.439 --> 00:02:14.080 the book of James. The book was written about 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:19.270 A .D. 46 or 49. So the church is only... 13, 00:02:19.409 --> 00:02:22.930 14, 15 years old from the death and resurrection 00:02:22.930 --> 00:02:25.840 of Jesus. And what we find is there's a great 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:27.939 persecution that occurred. We learn about it 00:02:27.939 --> 00:02:30.960 in Acts chapter 8. Now people are struggling. 00:02:31.659 --> 00:02:34.599 They've left homes. They're scattered abroad. 00:02:35.020 --> 00:02:38.319 There's economic issues. They've been disinherited. 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:40.979 They've been cut off from family. There's persecution 00:02:40.979 --> 00:02:43.419 by the Roman government. And they're wondering, 00:02:43.520 --> 00:02:46.300 what do we do? We've believed in this Jesus who 00:02:46.300 --> 00:02:48.879 died and rose from the dead. We have eternal 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:51.900 life. But how do we survive this difficulty? 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.340 And what's very interesting and so encouraging 00:02:55.340 --> 00:02:58.900 is we're going to get the answers. I call it 00:02:58.900 --> 00:03:01.319 the art of survival for those who speak English. 00:03:01.539 --> 00:03:03.500 There's a little acronym because I think there's 00:03:03.500 --> 00:03:06.759 an A attitude that you must have. R, there's 00:03:06.759 --> 00:03:09.520 a resource, the most important resource to get 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.479 through all of this. And the T is for a theology 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:14.659 or a way of thinking that will give you perspective 00:03:14.659 --> 00:03:17.659 in the midst of the most difficult times in all 00:03:17.659 --> 00:03:20.460 the world. Before we begin, let's get a little 00:03:20.460 --> 00:03:23.379 worldview perspective and say, what does the 00:03:23.379 --> 00:03:26.919 Bible say about a fallen world? Right? I mean, 00:03:26.939 --> 00:03:31.080 it's a very difficult fallen world. Some of us 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:33.759 are surprised and struggling and wondering why. 00:03:33.939 --> 00:03:37.099 Listen carefully to Peter. Peter said, Dear friends, 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:40.060 do not be surprised at the painful trial that 00:03:40.060 --> 00:03:42.199 you are suffering, as though something strange 00:03:42.199 --> 00:03:44.819 were happening to you. First Peter chapter four, 00:03:44.939 --> 00:03:48.259 verse 12. Jesus said the very last night on earth, 00:03:48.460 --> 00:03:52.199 these things I've spoken to you that in me, you 00:03:52.199 --> 00:03:56.479 may have peace in the world. You will have tribulation. 00:03:56.780 --> 00:04:00.199 Be of good cheer. I've overcome the world. The 00:04:00.199 --> 00:04:02.439 apostle Paul would write in second Timothy chapter 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:06.020 three. Everyone who wants to live a godly life 00:04:06.020 --> 00:04:09.099 in union with Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 00:04:09.419 --> 00:04:12.300 And evil persons and imposters will keep on going 00:04:12.300 --> 00:04:16.300 from bad to worse, deceiving others and being 00:04:16.300 --> 00:04:19.279 deceived themselves. So what I want you to know 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:22.019 is some observations before we jump into the 00:04:22.019 --> 00:04:25.560 text and learn the actual art of survival. Number 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:29.819 one, trials are inevitable. Difficulty in a fallen 00:04:29.819 --> 00:04:34.649 world is absolutely promised. observation is 00:04:34.649 --> 00:04:38.149 trials either make us or break us. You know, 00:04:38.189 --> 00:04:42.810 it's interesting. There's the word for tragedy 00:04:42.810 --> 00:04:46.709 and opportunity is put together. And that word 00:04:46.709 --> 00:04:49.149 for tragedy and opportunity that's put together 00:04:49.149 --> 00:04:52.689 in Chinese is the word crisis. You know, when 00:04:52.689 --> 00:04:55.389 you're in a crisis, whether it's personal, whether 00:04:55.389 --> 00:04:58.290 it's a community, whether it's a church, whether 00:04:58.290 --> 00:05:01.860 it's a nation. or whether it's global, what emerges 00:05:01.860 --> 00:05:05.480 out of this is great, great possibility for tragedy, 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:09.519 but also great opportunity. If you look at the 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:12.600 lives of great Bible characters, of great people 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:15.819 in history, you'll find that when pressure and 00:05:15.819 --> 00:05:19.519 difficulty and opposition and persecution, for 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:22.839 some people, they cave in. It destroys their 00:05:22.839 --> 00:05:26.139 life. And for others, something happens. It makes 00:05:26.139 --> 00:05:28.240 them. There's something that happens in their 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:31.120 character, in their faith, in their trust. The 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:34.579 greatest stories we have in human history, Christian 00:05:34.579 --> 00:05:38.079 or not, are people that come through the fire 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.899 and are purified. And that's what God wants for 00:05:40.899 --> 00:05:44.519 us. The third observation is that victims fail 00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:48.000 to move beyond asking why and remain stuck in 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:51.220 their pain. You see, the opposite of a survivor 00:05:51.220 --> 00:05:54.420 is a victim. And we need to be very careful. 00:05:54.500 --> 00:05:56.480 One, we don't want to diminish how difficult 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:00.000 this is. But you're only a victim if you choose 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.459 to be a victim. Victims begin to ask, why? Why 00:06:03.459 --> 00:06:08.459 me, Lord? Why now? Why this? And hear me, I understand. 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:12.399 There are such pains some of you are going through. 00:06:12.759 --> 00:06:17.360 It's okay to begin with a why question. Why me, 00:06:17.420 --> 00:06:19.959 Lord? I mean, I've been through cancer with my 00:06:19.959 --> 00:06:22.600 wife in an earlier season. Lord, why did this 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:25.339 happen? She loves God. By God's grace, we made 00:06:25.339 --> 00:06:28.019 it through that. I've been through seasons where 00:06:28.019 --> 00:06:30.560 I've been betrayed by Christian leaders that 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:32.899 I couldn't believe would do something to me. 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.680 I've had health issues. I've had challenges with 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:39.420 my children. I've been in places in the world 00:06:39.420 --> 00:06:42.779 where I didn't think I was going to live. So 00:06:42.779 --> 00:06:45.920 I think it's okay to pause and say, Lord, why 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:48.379 is this happening? But you can't stay there. 00:06:48.519 --> 00:06:51.279 But victims do. They get stuck in their pain. 00:06:51.399 --> 00:06:55.139 Why this? Why that? Here's the thing. It never 00:06:55.139 --> 00:06:58.660 works. Pragmatically, people who never stop asking 00:06:58.660 --> 00:07:02.139 why are stuck in their pain and they become victims 00:07:02.139 --> 00:07:05.420 and they get bitter and they get resentful or 00:07:05.420 --> 00:07:09.000 they give up. What I would suggest to you is 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:12.180 that God has clear instruction in James chapter 00:07:12.180 --> 00:07:15.389 one. verses 1 through 12. And we're going to 00:07:15.389 --> 00:07:17.410 look at the first section of it. Follow along 00:07:17.410 --> 00:07:20.449 as I read, James, a bondservant of God, of the 00:07:20.449 --> 00:07:23.529 Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes who dispersed 00:07:23.529 --> 00:07:27.290 abroad. Greetings. So he's saying to them, they're 00:07:27.290 --> 00:07:29.370 running for their life. They're going all throughout 00:07:29.370 --> 00:07:32.209 the Roman Empire. And he's writing to them and 00:07:32.209 --> 00:07:35.170 says, greetings. Christianity is primarily Jewish, 00:07:35.370 --> 00:07:37.069 right? I mean, there was the day of Pentecost 00:07:37.069 --> 00:07:39.110 and some different things have happened, different 00:07:39.110 --> 00:07:42.660 places. But overall, this first 10, 15 years, 00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:45.759 these Jewish Christians, their identity is still 00:07:45.759 --> 00:07:49.100 as their Messiah. Jesus has come. They are following 00:07:49.100 --> 00:07:52.699 him and their world has fallen apart. I mean, 00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.339 they aren't in a difficult situation. They're 00:07:55.339 --> 00:07:58.680 in a desperate situation. And so you might want 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:01.879 to ask, what would God say to them? I mean, if 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:04.500 Jesus walked in the room where you are right 00:08:04.500 --> 00:08:06.899 now and you could look him in the eye in his 00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:09.920 resurrection body and you could say. Jesus, what 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:13.040 do I do? What do I do with the situation with 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:15.959 my family? What do I do with this ministry? What 00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:18.279 do I do with this health issue? What do I do? 00:08:18.300 --> 00:08:21.240 I haven't been able to work. What do I do? I 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:24.319 lost my business. What do I do, Lord? I don't 00:08:24.319 --> 00:08:27.439 see my way in the future. Here's what he would 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:30.480 say. He said, there's an attitude that you must 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:33.879 begin with. Verse two, consider it all joy, my 00:08:33.879 --> 00:08:37.879 brother, when you encounter various trials, knowing. 00:08:38.539 --> 00:08:41.200 that the testing of your faith produces endurance 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:45.240 and let endurance have its perfect result, that 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:48.960 you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 00:08:49.419 --> 00:08:51.759 I want you to notice first, there's a command. 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:55.519 It says, consider it all joy. We'll look at that 00:08:55.519 --> 00:08:57.840 more carefully, but it's a command. It's not 00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:00.940 an option. Second, there's a reminder. It says, 00:09:00.980 --> 00:09:03.080 knowing, and this word for knowing we'll learn 00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:06.340 is knowing by experience, knowing by how God 00:09:06.340 --> 00:09:09.879 works in our lives. That faith will produce an 00:09:09.879 --> 00:09:12.399 endurance that will do something. And then after 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:14.580 that, he gives a second command. It says, and 00:09:14.580 --> 00:09:19.240 then endure. Don't give up. Don't give in. Don't 00:09:19.240 --> 00:09:22.399 become a victim. You are more than a conqueror 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:25.320 in Christ. But it starts with this kind of attitude. 00:09:27.909 --> 00:09:30.070 We'll hear more from Chip Ingram's message in 00:09:30.070 --> 00:09:32.549 just a moment. First, we're inviting you to multiply 00:09:32.549 --> 00:09:35.090 your year -end donation through an exciting match 00:09:35.090 --> 00:09:37.289 that's active right now. You know, when you give 00:09:37.289 --> 00:09:39.429 to Living on the Edge, you're not just supporting 00:09:39.429 --> 00:09:42.210 one ministry. You're creating a ripple effect. 00:09:42.450 --> 00:09:46.049 You begin to mobilize people who help other people 00:09:46.049 --> 00:09:48.429 who help other people, and that makes a huge 00:09:48.429 --> 00:09:50.590 difference. Your gift to the match will make 00:09:50.590 --> 00:09:53.789 an impact. Picture these scenes. A single listener 00:09:53.789 --> 00:09:55.850 in Iowa shares our teaching with a small group 00:09:55.850 --> 00:09:58.700 Bible study. A grandparent in Texas sends our 00:09:58.700 --> 00:10:01.139 resources to his son in Oklahoma that pastors 00:10:01.139 --> 00:10:03.440 a local church. Yes, the ripple effect of giving 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:06.559 to Living on the Edge. For 30 years, Living on 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:09.500 the Edge has been God's vehicle to not only help 00:10:09.500 --> 00:10:12.480 pastors, but to teach God's Word. And right now, 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:15.679 we're on the threshold. We're at a season where 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:17.840 God is using Living on the Edge like never before. 00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:20.679 Double the impact of your gift at livingontheedge 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:25.250 .org. Don't let this opportunity slip by to double 00:10:25.250 --> 00:10:27.889 your gift and even more importantly, to double 00:10:27.889 --> 00:10:30.669 your impact. Today, let's multiply God's ministry 00:10:30.669 --> 00:10:32.570 through Living on the Edge while there's still 00:10:32.570 --> 00:10:36.909 time. Go to livingontheedge .org. From a series 00:10:36.909 --> 00:10:39.509 called The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos, 00:10:39.830 --> 00:10:42.230 Chip Ingram is teaching from James chapter 1. 00:10:43.110 --> 00:10:47.129 And now what he's going to say is don't ask why, 00:10:47.429 --> 00:10:50.929 ask what. Here's what I can tell you, whether 00:10:50.929 --> 00:10:54.389 it's in a cancer ward, whether it's when a friend 00:10:54.389 --> 00:10:57.450 of mine's house burned down, whether it's when 00:10:57.450 --> 00:11:01.070 I was in Indonesia, I mean, literally less than 00:11:01.070 --> 00:11:05.029 a week after the tsunami, and I saw things devastated 00:11:05.029 --> 00:11:08.909 like never before. There are people who are survivors, 00:11:09.090 --> 00:11:12.909 and there are people who are victims. Victims 00:11:12.909 --> 00:11:16.710 almost always keep asking, why me? Why now? Why? 00:11:16.710 --> 00:11:22.470 Why? Why? And they get crushed. Survivors ask 00:11:22.470 --> 00:11:27.029 what questions? They ask three very important 00:11:27.029 --> 00:11:30.509 what questions. And the answer to those what 00:11:30.509 --> 00:11:33.250 questions are in this text. And here's what I 00:11:33.250 --> 00:11:38.230 want you to know. God can and will give you the 00:11:38.230 --> 00:11:43.190 power to be a survivor, to conquer. to overcome 00:11:43.190 --> 00:11:47.389 whatever you're facing as you begin to obey this 00:11:47.389 --> 00:11:50.490 passage by the power of the Holy Spirit sourced 00:11:50.490 --> 00:11:53.590 in the Word of God in the context of fellow brothers 00:11:53.590 --> 00:11:55.570 and sisters that we're going to go through this 00:11:55.570 --> 00:11:59.149 together. The first what question you need to 00:11:59.149 --> 00:12:03.129 ask in your world right now is this, what can 00:12:03.129 --> 00:12:07.230 I control when my world falls apart? What can 00:12:07.230 --> 00:12:11.059 you control? I can't control the economy of your 00:12:11.059 --> 00:12:14.240 country or my country. I can't control what certain 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.360 leaders decisions they make or what they don't 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:20.639 make. Here's what you can control your attitude. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:24.379 Notice he says, consider the word means evaluate, 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:30.799 calculate, choose, choose to consider your current 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:34.899 difficult situation as pure. Literally, the word 00:12:34.899 --> 00:12:39.559 is unmixed joy. And you say to yourself, how 00:12:39.559 --> 00:12:42.860 do I do that? How in the world could I do that? 00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:47.480 He says, knowing that you're surrounded by trials. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:49.960 In fact, this word is only used one other time 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:52.919 in the New Testament. He's saying, I want you 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:56.870 to consider to choose an attitude of peace. pure 00:12:56.870 --> 00:13:01.289 joy about these external trials. The other place 00:13:01.289 --> 00:13:04.350 it is used is when, if you remember the story 00:13:04.350 --> 00:13:06.970 of the Good Samaritan, it says he got surrounded 00:13:06.970 --> 00:13:12.309 literally by robbers. God is saying through Jesus, 00:13:12.490 --> 00:13:14.990 half -brother James, by the power of the Holy 00:13:14.990 --> 00:13:19.070 Spirit, that there are times in life where external 00:13:19.070 --> 00:13:22.649 circumstances come around our life and they threaten 00:13:22.649 --> 00:13:26.580 to crush and destroy us. And he says in the midst 00:13:26.580 --> 00:13:28.759 of that, because you are connected to the all 00:13:28.759 --> 00:13:31.779 powerful, all knowing sovereign God, because 00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:34.779 his spirit lives inside of you and because you 00:13:34.779 --> 00:13:38.240 can know for sure he's going to work this for 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:41.379 your good and bring good out of the worst in 00:13:41.379 --> 00:13:45.879 a fallen world. Choose to consider all joy, knowing 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:48.820 something that the testing of your faith is going 00:13:48.820 --> 00:13:51.659 to produce something. So the first question you 00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:54.639 need to ask and answer is, where's my attitude? 00:13:55.210 --> 00:13:58.129 And by the way, don't confuse attitude with feelings. 00:13:58.870 --> 00:14:02.889 In difficult situations, I don't feel like counting 00:14:02.889 --> 00:14:06.850 it joy. This is not an emotion. This is a choice. 00:14:07.289 --> 00:14:11.090 I'm going to choose to look into the face of 00:14:11.090 --> 00:14:14.090 this difficulty, and I'm going to choose to count 00:14:14.090 --> 00:14:16.830 it all joy as I'm surrounded by overwhelming, 00:14:17.110 --> 00:14:21.169 devastating trials, knowing that this is a test 00:14:21.169 --> 00:14:23.710 that God wants to take me through. And he's going 00:14:23.710 --> 00:14:26.090 to do something in my life. And as he does something 00:14:26.090 --> 00:14:28.610 in my life, he'll do something through my life. 00:14:28.870 --> 00:14:31.049 But I can't have a pity party at a time like 00:14:31.049 --> 00:14:34.570 this. I need to fight the good fight. Greater 00:14:34.570 --> 00:14:37.409 is he that is in me than he that is in the world. 00:14:37.669 --> 00:14:40.720 God has not given you or me a spirit of... fear, 00:14:40.840 --> 00:14:44.539 right? But of power and love and self -discipline. 00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:47.480 This is where we put on the full armor of God. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:50.340 This is where we fight. This is where we grab 00:14:50.340 --> 00:14:53.299 hold of the anchor of hope. And we say, I will 00:14:53.299 --> 00:14:56.419 not give up. I will not give in. I'm going to 00:14:56.419 --> 00:15:00.340 choose moment by moment my attitude. I remember 00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:04.700 reading a quote by one of the survivors of the 00:15:04.700 --> 00:15:07.100 concentration camps. He later became a world 00:15:07.100 --> 00:15:10.600 -renowned psychologist, Viktor Frankl. And he 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:14.759 wrote this after enduring the concentration camps 00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:17.419 of which most people died. He said, everything 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:20.799 can be taken from a man, but one thing, the last 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:25.080 of all human freedoms to choose one's attitude 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:29.659 in any given set of circumstance to choose one's 00:15:29.659 --> 00:15:32.299 own way. So here's what I want to say to you. 00:15:33.100 --> 00:15:37.940 Don't ask why, ask what. First, what question? 00:15:38.039 --> 00:15:41.570 What can I control? Second, what question is 00:15:41.570 --> 00:15:44.850 what must I do to make it through today? OK, 00:15:44.950 --> 00:15:48.809 not tomorrow, not what will happen next month, 00:15:48.929 --> 00:15:51.830 not what about my business, not what about the 00:15:51.830 --> 00:15:54.830 church, not what about even our country, not 00:15:54.830 --> 00:15:57.169 what will happen in the next two years or five 00:15:57.169 --> 00:16:00.789 years or 10 years. The moment your mind goes 00:16:00.789 --> 00:16:04.529 out that far and you have no idea what's going 00:16:04.529 --> 00:16:07.330 to happen and you can't control it, it will keep 00:16:07.330 --> 00:16:11.200 sending you downward. The question I need to 00:16:11.200 --> 00:16:18.259 ask, you need to ask, what can I do to make it 00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:21.899 through today? And the answer is one word, and 00:16:21.899 --> 00:16:24.779 I don't like it and you don't like it, but it's 00:16:24.779 --> 00:16:29.440 endure. It's persevere. In other words, it is 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:33.700 a choice to say, I won't give in. I won't give 00:16:33.700 --> 00:16:38.100 up. I won't become a victim. There's no short 00:16:38.100 --> 00:16:42.360 -term fix. I remember reading the story of a 00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:48.559 prisoner of war. And he was nine years in a prison 00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:52.500 camp of war. And he had a number of his colleagues 00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:55.419 were with him. And they asked him because he 00:16:55.419 --> 00:16:57.980 made it through after nine years. And the great 00:16:57.980 --> 00:17:00.320 majority of them didn't. They died. They gave 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:03.399 in. They struggled. They either died or were 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:06.640 tortured. And in the torture, they gave up information 00:17:06.640 --> 00:17:09.440 and then they were killed. And they asked him, 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:11.779 how did you make it? Who made it and who didn't? 00:17:12.119 --> 00:17:15.319 He said, I can tell you very quickly, those that 00:17:15.319 --> 00:17:18.619 were optimist died. They didn't make it. They 00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:20.599 thought, well, by Christmas, I'll get out or 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:23.500 by Easter, I'm going to get out or maybe in nine 00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:26.019 months or it can only last a year. And they kept 00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:29.740 creating false expectations. And then every time 00:17:29.740 --> 00:17:32.319 their expectations failed, you could see them 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:35.019 sink deeper and deeper and deeper in despair. 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.140 The only thing you can do and the only thing 00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:41.819 I can do is endure today. What do I do to make 00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:44.079 it through today? You know what I do? I hang 00:17:44.079 --> 00:17:46.839 tough. I don't give up. I don't give in. And 00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:50.319 here's the reason. Knowing by way of experience 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:57.319 that tests produce endurance. That what God is 00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:59.940 going to do, this word is, it does something 00:17:59.940 --> 00:18:04.119 inside of you. The Greek word is hupomeno. It's 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:07.500 to hupo, to be under, meno, pressure or stress. 00:18:08.299 --> 00:18:11.059 And for some of you right now, you're under incredible 00:18:11.059 --> 00:18:16.099 stress, emotional stress, family stress, financial 00:18:16.099 --> 00:18:20.579 stress, ministry stress, the stress of uncertainty. 00:18:20.980 --> 00:18:24.150 There's people looking to you. Others of you 00:18:24.150 --> 00:18:26.329 have seen people that you love and they have 00:18:26.329 --> 00:18:29.809 died. And I know what I'm saying is challenging 00:18:29.809 --> 00:18:33.230 and difficult, but you have the spirit of the 00:18:33.230 --> 00:18:36.670 living God who, as you choose to count it real 00:18:36.670 --> 00:18:39.450 joy, he will give you just what you need, not 00:18:39.450 --> 00:18:44.450 for tomorrow, but for today. His grace is sufficient 00:18:44.450 --> 00:18:48.549 for you. Power is perfected in weakness. And 00:18:48.549 --> 00:18:51.480 so the one thing you can do to make it through 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:57.079 today is choose. I will endure. It's a trite 00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:01.380 illustration, but for some of you that love to 00:19:01.380 --> 00:19:04.240 do athletics, you've probably at some point in 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:07.140 your time lifted weights, right? You get some 00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:10.599 weights and you do some curls, or you get some 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:13.980 big weights and you do it this way. If you meet 00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:16.559 someone who's very strong and very muscular, 00:19:16.779 --> 00:19:20.430 what most people don't understand is When you 00:19:20.430 --> 00:19:23.769 lift weights, the reason you need to do it every 00:19:23.769 --> 00:19:27.109 other day, not every day, is that as you lift 00:19:27.109 --> 00:19:29.710 weights, what happens is your muscles actually 00:19:29.710 --> 00:19:34.130 begin to tear. Tiny fibers are tearing. And then 00:19:34.130 --> 00:19:36.170 you don't lift every day because they need time 00:19:36.170 --> 00:19:39.009 to heal. And so what happens is you have to take 00:19:39.009 --> 00:19:40.910 them beyond their point of what they can do. 00:19:41.109 --> 00:19:43.309 And that's why you'll see weightlifters help 00:19:43.309 --> 00:19:46.400 each other do those last few reps. Because they 00:19:46.400 --> 00:19:49.240 want to just have micro tears. And then what 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:52.859 happens when they grow back? They grow back bigger 00:19:52.859 --> 00:19:58.619 and stronger. And you know, your soul, your character, 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:04.160 your ministry, your future, your relationships, 00:20:04.440 --> 00:20:07.359 you know how they grow? You know how you become 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:13.200 patient and kind and generous and loving and 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:18.799 forgiving? You have need of endurance. Why? Knowing 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:21.619 the testing of your faith. Could I remind you? 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.819 The test, because you're a follower of Jesus, 00:20:25.859 --> 00:20:29.559 is for you to come through it. That God will 00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:32.380 give you what you need to come through it. The 00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:35.779 testing of your faith will produce this endurance, 00:20:36.200 --> 00:20:40.000 this ability to hold up. And I know the moment 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.119 you think about tomorrow, how will I do it? You 00:20:42.119 --> 00:20:45.609 don't know. This is today. And if you start thinking 00:20:45.609 --> 00:20:48.430 about out there tomorrow, there's no grace. But 00:20:48.430 --> 00:20:51.549 God will give you grace for today. You choose 00:20:51.549 --> 00:20:55.190 baby choices. I won't give up today. I'll do 00:20:55.190 --> 00:20:57.509 what I can today. I may not have quite enough 00:20:57.509 --> 00:20:59.869 food today. I don't see how I'll make it tomorrow. 00:21:00.150 --> 00:21:05.049 But as you do that one day at a time, what happens 00:21:05.049 --> 00:21:08.130 is you're strengthened. And God will provide 00:21:08.130 --> 00:21:15.569 both within and without. Be sure to hold your 00:21:15.569 --> 00:21:17.910 place right here because there's much more Chip 00:21:17.910 --> 00:21:20.390 Ingram wants to show us. And he's in the studio 00:21:20.390 --> 00:21:23.309 today to share an exciting update for us. But 00:21:23.309 --> 00:21:25.130 first, I'll remind you that tomorrow is known 00:21:25.130 --> 00:21:28.609 across our country as Giving Tuesday. And there's 00:21:28.609 --> 00:21:30.730 never been a better time to participate because 00:21:30.730 --> 00:21:33.509 Living on the Edge is the recipient of a generous 00:21:33.509 --> 00:21:36.109 match, meaning that every dollar that's given 00:21:36.109 --> 00:21:39.349 right now has twice the value and twice the impact. 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:42.200 This is especially important because of our commitment 00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:45.099 to equipping and encouraging pastors. You see, 00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:47.180 when you help the shepherd of a local congregation, 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:49.740 your gift is multiplied through the people he 00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:52.799 impacts. The church is growing rapidly in other 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:55.970 parts of the world. God is moving. To address 00:21:55.970 --> 00:21:58.390 the needs of this exciting growth, our ministry 00:21:58.390 --> 00:22:01.289 has expanded into other countries, where churches 00:22:01.289 --> 00:22:03.869 are teeming with new believers who want to learn 00:22:03.869 --> 00:22:06.569 more about the Bible. Churches are desperately 00:22:06.569 --> 00:22:09.349 in need of pastors in order to provide leadership 00:22:09.349 --> 00:22:12.470 for new believers. Did you realize that Living 00:22:12.470 --> 00:22:15.170 on the Edge is equipping pastors around the world? 00:22:15.549 --> 00:22:18.190 We're training leaders in Southeast Asia, conducting 00:22:18.190 --> 00:22:21.069 discipleship programs in Egypt, with expanding 00:22:21.069 --> 00:22:24.390 programs in Africa as well. All this is made 00:22:24.390 --> 00:22:26.589 possible through people like you who want to 00:22:26.589 --> 00:22:29.250 make an impact for the kingdom of God. Chip? 00:22:29.410 --> 00:22:32.569 You know, in the Bible, pastors are called shepherds. 00:22:32.650 --> 00:22:35.789 And there's a reason for that. Shepherds don't 00:22:35.789 --> 00:22:38.670 just show up on Sunday. They're out there each 00:22:38.670 --> 00:22:42.650 and every day, protecting God's people, binding 00:22:42.650 --> 00:22:45.900 wounds, searching for lost sheep. leading, as 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:49.259 best they can, everyone to green pastures. It's 00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:52.559 a noble profession, and it's not easy. In fact, 00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:55.299 I've been there. It's exhausting. It's lonely. 00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:58.460 You often feel isolated. But what most people 00:22:58.460 --> 00:23:00.779 don't realize is shepherds need a shepherd too. 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:03.519 Your pastor is caring for the sheep, but here's 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:06.640 the question. Who cares for him? Living on the 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:09.279 Edge has become that shepherd to more than 500 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:13.059 ,000 pastors worldwide. We're the voice in their 00:23:13.059 --> 00:23:15.819 ear reminding them you're not alone. We're the 00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:18.099 encouragement when they're ready to quit. We're 00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:20.839 the biblical teaching that fills their soul so 00:23:20.839 --> 00:23:23.000 they have something to give to their congregation. 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:25.579 When you give to the match today, you're not 00:23:25.579 --> 00:23:28.059 just supporting one ministry. You're strengthening 00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:30.680 the shepherds who's caring for your church. And 00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:33.079 when the shepherd is healthy and equipped, are 00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:36.640 you ready? The whole flock thrives. December 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:40.000 31st is coming soon. The match is active right 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:43.559 now. And now is the time to respond. You can 00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:46.539 respond to Chip right now by going to livingontheedge 00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:50.059 .org. On our mobile app, just click the heart 00:23:50.059 --> 00:23:53.400 icon and follow the simple instructions. Or you 00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:58.640 can call right now, 888 -333 -6003. Together, 00:23:58.819 --> 00:24:01.619 let's make an impact by giving generously to 00:24:01.619 --> 00:24:04.180 the match that's active right now. and through 00:24:04.180 --> 00:24:07.079 the deadline on December 31st. Because of the 00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:09.259 match, every dollar you give is automatically 00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:13.019 doubled in size, having twice the impact. To 00:24:13.019 --> 00:24:15.059 send your donation in the mail, address your 00:24:15.059 --> 00:24:19.160 envelope to Living on the Edge, P .O. Box 3007, 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:24.460 Atlanta, Georgia, 30024. You can also call 888 00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:31.730 -333 -6003 or visit livingontheedge .org. In 00:24:31.730 --> 00:24:34.009 our struggles, God isn't trying to crush us. 00:24:34.089 --> 00:24:37.390 He's building muscle. I'm Dave Drewy. Chip Ingram 00:24:37.390 --> 00:24:40.789 describes the art of survival Tuesday on Living 00:24:40.789 --> 00:24:41.549 on the Edge.