WEBVTT 00:00:01.389 --> 00:00:04.209 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:04.309 --> 00:00:07.309 When you face a hard decision, what do you do? 00:00:07.570 --> 00:00:11.070 Who do you turn to? And let's face it, the decisions 00:00:11.070 --> 00:00:13.789 get more difficult when they impact your job, 00:00:13.849 --> 00:00:16.809 your family, your future. If that's you, stay 00:00:16.809 --> 00:00:20.050 with me. Let's discover how we can tackle the 00:00:20.050 --> 00:00:24.670 toughest decisions that life throws at us. Stuck 00:00:24.670 --> 00:00:27.300 in a failing marriage? Stuck in financial catastrophe? 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:30.920 Stuck in sadness as you watch your dreams evaporate? 00:00:31.179 --> 00:00:33.799 If you're there right now, today's edition of 00:00:33.799 --> 00:00:36.780 Living on the Edge is for you. Chip Ingram presents 00:00:36.780 --> 00:00:39.759 a series called The Art of Survival in an Age 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:43.259 of Chaos. According to James chapter 1, there's 00:00:43.259 --> 00:00:45.880 no shame in getting stuck. God isn't standing 00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:48.539 over us with crossed arms, shaking his head in 00:00:48.539 --> 00:00:51.640 disappointment. Instead, the Lord is near to 00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:54.240 the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:57.070 in spirit. And right after Chip's teaching today, 00:00:57.229 --> 00:00:59.329 he'll describe an exciting match opportunity 00:00:59.329 --> 00:01:02.250 that's active right now. Because of this match, 00:01:02.409 --> 00:01:04.790 every dollar you give to support Living on the 00:01:04.790 --> 00:01:07.569 Edge during December is automatically doubled 00:01:07.569 --> 00:01:11.189 in size, having twice the impact. More details 00:01:11.189 --> 00:01:14.709 later, but right now Chip opens to James 1, verse 00:01:14.709 --> 00:01:17.890 5, to describe the supernatural resource that 00:01:17.890 --> 00:01:20.549 will show you exactly what to do when you feel 00:01:20.549 --> 00:01:23.230 frozen in fear. Here's what I want you to know. 00:01:24.540 --> 00:01:26.879 Things are happening the way they are in our 00:01:26.879 --> 00:01:30.859 life. You don't have a job. Maybe your marriage 00:01:30.859 --> 00:01:34.019 wasn't going well, and now it's a train wreck. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:37.620 It's a mess. Maybe your mental health, you are 00:01:37.620 --> 00:01:41.219 depressed. You are discouraged. I don't know 00:01:41.219 --> 00:01:44.140 where you're at, but I know many of you, you're 00:01:44.140 --> 00:01:47.780 stuck. And you're saying, I want to consider 00:01:47.780 --> 00:01:51.659 it all joy. I want to allow God to test me, and 00:01:51.659 --> 00:01:54.500 I want this endurance to make me mature and complete, 00:01:54.680 --> 00:01:59.000 but I'm stuck. I can't get there. I'm trying 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:04.780 hard, but am I just supposed to pretend that 00:02:04.780 --> 00:02:09.360 I have joy? God understands, and He knows that 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:13.659 we get stuck. And in verses 5 through 8 of chapter 00:02:13.659 --> 00:02:18.280 1, He's now going to shift. And early on, he 00:02:18.280 --> 00:02:22.340 said, don't ask why, ask what. And he told us 00:02:22.340 --> 00:02:25.620 that the key is first your attitude. Now he's 00:02:25.620 --> 00:02:29.500 going to tell you that you need a resource. And 00:02:29.500 --> 00:02:32.460 it's a resource more valuable than money. It's 00:02:32.460 --> 00:02:34.439 a resource even more valuable than a friend, 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:37.099 as important as that is. There's a resource that 00:02:37.099 --> 00:02:39.960 he wants to give you that when you get stuck, 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:42.539 when you don't know what to do in your circumstance, 00:02:42.680 --> 00:02:47.199 he says, I have a resource. that will show you 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:50.599 exactly what to do. And I promise to give it 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:55.280 to you 100 % of the time. Follow along as I read. 00:02:55.340 --> 00:02:58.159 Remember, let endurance have its perfect result. 00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:01.479 You might be perfect and complete, lacking in 00:03:01.479 --> 00:03:05.439 nothing. Look at verse 5. But if any of you lack 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:09.080 wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:11.800 generously and without reproach, and it will 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:15.310 be given to him. But let him ask in faith without 00:03:15.310 --> 00:03:18.110 any doubting. For the one who doubts is like 00:03:18.110 --> 00:03:21.430 the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the 00:03:21.430 --> 00:03:24.650 wind. For let not that person or that man or 00:03:24.650 --> 00:03:27.110 woman expect that they will receive anything 00:03:27.110 --> 00:03:30.189 from the Lord, being double -minded, unstable 00:03:30.189 --> 00:03:33.729 in all your ways. And in this little passage, 00:03:34.110 --> 00:03:36.990 he's going to teach you and he's going to teach 00:03:36.990 --> 00:03:39.340 me. What do you do when you're stuck in your 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:41.900 pain? What do you do when emotional, financial, 00:03:42.259 --> 00:03:45.400 relational issues are flaring around and you 00:03:45.400 --> 00:03:48.340 want to follow God and you literally don't know 00:03:48.340 --> 00:03:50.800 how? Here's what I want you to know. Number one 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:54.300 is that God understands when we get stuck. God 00:03:54.300 --> 00:03:58.039 wants to help you when you're stuck. God gives 00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:00.639 you a condition that if you will fulfill this 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:03.539 condition, He promises He'll show you exactly 00:04:03.539 --> 00:04:07.289 what to do. And now let's break this down to 00:04:07.289 --> 00:04:11.090 understand God's offer of supernatural wisdom. 00:04:11.210 --> 00:04:14.210 That's the resource. By the way, wisdom here 00:04:14.210 --> 00:04:17.410 isn't being smart. It's not intellectual. This 00:04:17.410 --> 00:04:20.189 is the Hebrew sense of wisdom. Hebrew wisdom 00:04:20.189 --> 00:04:24.670 means the skill and the ability to know what 00:04:24.670 --> 00:04:28.389 to do, when to do, and how to do it in the midst 00:04:28.389 --> 00:04:31.790 of any situation or relationship. God's wisdom 00:04:31.790 --> 00:04:34.399 literally from the Old Testament. And James is 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:36.980 writing as a Jew to these Jewish Christians. 00:04:37.139 --> 00:04:41.360 He's saying, God has a design for life. And he 00:04:41.360 --> 00:04:43.560 wants to bring about the best possible ends by 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:45.920 the best possible means for the most possible 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:49.079 people for the longest possible time. And there 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:52.120 is a way. There's a way to think. There's a way 00:04:52.120 --> 00:04:54.100 to do decisions. There's a way to do relationships. 00:04:54.439 --> 00:04:57.779 There's wisdom. There's this skill that God wants 00:04:57.779 --> 00:05:01.699 to give to those who ask. And here's the promise. 00:05:02.300 --> 00:05:05.319 He'll give it generously and without reproach. 00:05:05.819 --> 00:05:10.620 You know, you serve a God who is kind and good 00:05:10.620 --> 00:05:14.240 and loving and understanding. And I just want 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:17.740 to remind you, when we go through difficult times, 00:05:17.980 --> 00:05:21.860 some of us blame other people. We can blame the 00:05:21.860 --> 00:05:25.000 government. We can blame circumstances. But down 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:28.639 deep, many of us blame ourselves. And God would 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.730 want you to know that I want you to come. and 00:05:31.730 --> 00:05:34.089 I want to help you. But did you notice there's 00:05:34.089 --> 00:05:37.470 a condition here? He says, I want you to ask, 00:05:37.529 --> 00:05:41.829 but let him ask in faith without any doubting. 00:05:42.290 --> 00:05:45.370 There's two conditions. It assumes that you lack 00:05:45.370 --> 00:05:47.649 wisdom because of the construction and the grammar 00:05:47.649 --> 00:05:51.389 here. But then he says, we only receive God's 00:05:51.389 --> 00:05:55.209 wisdom if we, one, ask in faith, and two, without 00:05:55.209 --> 00:05:58.220 any doubting. So what's that mean? Let's figure 00:05:58.220 --> 00:06:01.139 out what it means to ask in faith. What it means 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:04.220 to ask in faith is trusting and believing and 00:06:04.220 --> 00:06:07.660 having confidence in God's character and his 00:06:07.660 --> 00:06:11.620 word that you'll do whatever he shows you. Ask 00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:13.879 in faith. In other words, it's not, oh Lord, 00:06:14.019 --> 00:06:16.500 I would kind of like to know your opinion on 00:06:16.500 --> 00:06:18.740 what I ought to do in this devastating situation. 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:23.639 This is, Lord, I'm believing you're the all -knowing, 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:26.839 all -powerful God. You're the sovereign God of 00:06:26.839 --> 00:06:30.120 the universe. I can trust your word. I can trust 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:33.860 your character. I'm asking in faith. And then 00:06:33.860 --> 00:06:37.060 notice without any doubting. This is not that 00:06:37.060 --> 00:06:39.560 feeling that we all have at times like, God, 00:06:39.579 --> 00:06:42.240 are you really there? Or do I doubt that you 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:44.660 might show up? Or are you really going to take 00:06:44.660 --> 00:06:48.120 care of me? God knows we're human. He knows that 00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:50.500 we'll have struggles at times and have some intellectual 00:06:50.500 --> 00:06:54.500 doubts. This passage is not saying that. This 00:06:54.500 --> 00:06:56.800 passage is talking about the kind of doubt that 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:59.800 has disloyalty. Because notice what he says, 00:06:59.860 --> 00:07:02.259 he explains it later. He says, come to him without 00:07:02.259 --> 00:07:05.180 any doubt, for the one who comes with doubt like 00:07:05.180 --> 00:07:09.060 that is unstable in all his ways. In fact, is 00:07:09.060 --> 00:07:12.699 double -minded. It's a picture of someone who 00:07:12.699 --> 00:07:16.680 says, God, I really want to know what you want 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:19.160 me to do, but I'm not really committed to doing 00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:22.870 it. I just want to know. what your will is so 00:07:22.870 --> 00:07:26.410 I can evaluate whether I will obey or not obey. 00:07:27.009 --> 00:07:29.410 And then notice he says, let not that person 00:07:29.410 --> 00:07:31.889 expect that he'll get anything from the Lord. 00:07:32.269 --> 00:07:35.310 So here's what I want you to get. I know some 00:07:35.310 --> 00:07:37.470 of you are going through really, really difficult 00:07:37.470 --> 00:07:41.220 times. And I know that God wants to work in us 00:07:41.220 --> 00:07:44.339 before he works through us. And so come to God 00:07:44.339 --> 00:07:46.920 and ask. And then here's what you need to do. 00:07:46.980 --> 00:07:49.579 You need to come to God. Think of it as a contract 00:07:49.579 --> 00:07:53.160 or a blank check. And what God wants you to do 00:07:53.160 --> 00:07:55.579 is sign the bottom of the contract and say, Lord, 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:58.639 what should I do about where I should live? What 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:00.600 should I do about this problem relationship? 00:08:01.060 --> 00:08:03.379 What should I do about the business that is lost? 00:08:03.660 --> 00:08:06.939 What should I do to make it through today? And 00:08:06.939 --> 00:08:10.500 God says, If you will come to me and ask in faith 00:08:10.500 --> 00:08:15.360 and then say, Lord, whatever you show me before 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:19.319 I know what it is, I'll do it. He says, 100 % 00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:23.439 of the time, I'll show you what to do. Let me 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:26.079 picture this for you because these are great 00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:31.839 concepts. Let me personalize. Early in our marriage, 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.679 I married my wife. We shortly went away to prepare 00:08:36.679 --> 00:08:39.899 for ministry, and my father was an alcoholic, 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:42.500 and her father was an alcoholic. We came from 00:08:42.500 --> 00:08:44.919 very dysfunctional families, but we loved Jesus, 00:08:45.059 --> 00:08:47.279 and we loved each other, and we thought everything 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:51.480 will be great. Within six months of being married, 00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:54.399 while I'm preparing in seminary to be a pastor, 00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:57.740 our marriage is not working at all. I mean, we 00:08:57.740 --> 00:09:00.899 can't resolve conflict. We have anger. The person 00:09:00.899 --> 00:09:04.500 I love makes me crazy. I'm making her crazy. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:07.940 You all understand what that's like. And I'm 00:09:07.940 --> 00:09:10.179 feeling this guilt because I'm preparing for 00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:12.860 ministry and my marriage is not working at all. 00:09:12.940 --> 00:09:16.179 And I'm trying hard, trying to be good. No matter 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:19.019 what I do, it doesn't work. And I came to this 00:09:19.019 --> 00:09:22.919 passage and I said, Lord, will you show me what 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:27.059 to do? I can't fix this. Bowed my head, lifted 00:09:27.059 --> 00:09:31.539 my hands, and I heard the Spirit say, Chip. go 00:09:31.539 --> 00:09:34.779 to a good Christian counselor. And I thought, 00:09:34.860 --> 00:09:37.360 oh no. No, no, that's for people with real needs. 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:39.960 And if I walk into one of those counselor's offices, 00:09:40.259 --> 00:09:42.860 it'll be embarrassing and people will know we 00:09:42.860 --> 00:09:45.759 have a problem. And I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, 00:09:45.840 --> 00:09:50.700 so what's the problem? Is it your pride? And 00:09:50.700 --> 00:09:55.549 I realized it was. See, sometimes... When you 00:09:55.549 --> 00:09:58.769 say, Lord, show me your wisdom, we unconsciously 00:09:58.769 --> 00:10:01.669 have a box that says, as long as it fits inside 00:10:01.669 --> 00:10:05.309 of this. In another time, I needed God's wisdom, 00:10:05.370 --> 00:10:07.809 and he said, I want you to relocate from this 00:10:07.809 --> 00:10:09.909 side of the United States to that side of the 00:10:09.909 --> 00:10:12.230 United States. And then it was, oh, Lord, no, 00:10:12.309 --> 00:10:14.830 my wife doesn't want to go. This won't work. 00:10:15.049 --> 00:10:16.750 It's going to cost a lot of money. I had all 00:10:16.750 --> 00:10:20.269 these reasons. But when you want God's wisdom, 00:10:20.450 --> 00:10:24.840 he says, come. And you sign up and say, I will 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:27.639 do, Lord, whatever you want me to do. And here's 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:32.240 what he promises. He will do it 100 % of the 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:35.980 time. I can't tell you how many times, whether 00:10:35.980 --> 00:10:38.120 it was a big decision, a financial decision, 00:10:38.379 --> 00:10:41.419 there was a time we literally, and some of you 00:10:41.419 --> 00:10:46.120 are there, we had no food. I had worked. Our 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:49.450 money was taken away. We had no food and we sat 00:10:49.450 --> 00:10:52.149 in the middle of the living room and we prayed 00:10:52.149 --> 00:10:56.409 and we asked God, we need food. We ate fruits 00:10:56.409 --> 00:10:59.529 and vegetables that we got for just five US dollars. 00:10:59.750 --> 00:11:02.789 And we combined with some other couples and we 00:11:02.789 --> 00:11:06.590 could eat fruits and vegetables for a week. And 00:11:06.590 --> 00:11:09.570 I never forget asking God for wisdom. I told 00:11:09.570 --> 00:11:12.029 him I would do whatever he wanted me to do. And 00:11:12.029 --> 00:11:16.269 I was working, unloading trucks and doing odd 00:11:16.269 --> 00:11:19.110 jobs. wondered how we're ever going to make enough 00:11:19.110 --> 00:11:21.870 money. And I'll never forget the day my wife 00:11:21.870 --> 00:11:24.049 had dropped our children off to school and she 00:11:24.049 --> 00:11:26.750 came back and there were five bags of groceries 00:11:26.750 --> 00:11:30.009 on our front porch filled with meat and cheese 00:11:30.009 --> 00:11:34.029 and a type of flour to make bread. We never told 00:11:34.029 --> 00:11:37.230 one person, not one person, that we had any needs. 00:11:37.549 --> 00:11:41.509 We had $10, $10 U .S. dollars. That's how much 00:11:41.509 --> 00:11:45.610 money we had. And as she opened those bags, it 00:11:45.610 --> 00:11:48.230 was... the kind of flour she used to make bread 00:11:48.230 --> 00:11:51.029 for our family every day. We had not eaten meat 00:11:51.029 --> 00:11:53.309 in about 15 or 20 days, and it was filled with 00:11:53.309 --> 00:11:56.409 meat and cheese and things that we longed for. 00:11:56.889 --> 00:12:00.409 And my only explanation is, when we're really 00:12:00.409 --> 00:12:03.529 desperate, God shows up in supernatural ways. 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.919 I've not met a lot of angels personally, but 00:12:06.919 --> 00:12:10.059 the only explanation, because we told no one, 00:12:10.059 --> 00:12:13.240 and no one in the world knew how she baked what 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:16.740 we had. I mean, we whispered to no one, and God 00:12:16.740 --> 00:12:21.500 provided. We'll hear more from Chip Ingram's 00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:23.879 message in just a moment. First, we're inviting 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:26.120 you to multiply your year -end donation through 00:12:26.120 --> 00:12:28.519 an exciting match that's active right now. You 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:30.600 know, when you give to Living on the Edge, you're 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:33.220 not just supporting one ministry. you're creating 00:12:33.220 --> 00:12:36.480 a ripple effect. You begin to mobilize people 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:39.240 who help other people who help other people, 00:12:39.340 --> 00:12:41.740 and that makes a huge difference. Your gift to 00:12:41.740 --> 00:12:44.120 the match will make an impact. Picture these 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:46.919 scenes. A single listener in Iowa shares our 00:12:46.919 --> 00:12:49.500 teaching with a small group Bible study. A grandparent 00:12:49.500 --> 00:12:52.059 in Texas sends our resources to a son in Oklahoma 00:12:52.059 --> 00:12:54.600 that pastors a local church. Yes, the ripple 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:57.539 effect of giving to Living on the Edge. For 30 00:12:57.539 --> 00:13:00.320 years, Living on the Edge has been God's vehicle 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:03.120 to not only help pastors, but to teach God's 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:05.679 Word. And right now, we're on the threshold. 00:13:05.679 --> 00:13:08.779 We're at a season where God is using Living on 00:13:08.779 --> 00:13:10.759 the Edge like never before. Double the impact 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:14.879 of your gift at livingontheedge .org. Don't let 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:17.779 this opportunity slip by to double your gift, 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.220 and even more importantly, to double your impact. 00:13:20.539 --> 00:13:23.019 Today, let's multiply God's ministry through 00:13:23.019 --> 00:13:24.779 Living on the Edge while there's still time. 00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:29.240 Go to livingontheedge .org. From a series called 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:32.059 The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos, Chip 00:13:32.059 --> 00:13:35.559 Ingram is teaching from James chapter 1. On another 00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:37.399 occasion, like many of you, we were completely 00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:42.100 out of money. And, Lord, we can't pay our rent. 00:13:43.370 --> 00:13:46.090 I went to the mailbox and there was a check. 00:13:46.730 --> 00:13:49.730 A check from a man I met six or seven years earlier 00:13:49.730 --> 00:13:53.809 who later played sports in college, later on 00:13:53.809 --> 00:13:56.370 a professional team. And God woke him up in the 00:13:56.370 --> 00:13:58.450 middle of the night with my name on it. I taught 00:13:58.450 --> 00:14:01.250 him when he was in high school one time for one 00:14:01.250 --> 00:14:03.750 hour. And he sent me a check. He was a quarterback 00:14:03.750 --> 00:14:07.250 in the NFL for $1 ,000. I can tell you story 00:14:07.250 --> 00:14:10.049 after story after story after story after story 00:14:10.049 --> 00:14:14.389 of God's miraculous provision. And it's not for 00:14:14.389 --> 00:14:17.710 special people. It's for needy, desperate people. 00:14:18.090 --> 00:14:21.740 I'm telling you. Come to God. If he says relocate, 00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:24.340 relocate. If he says forgive your enemy, forgive 00:14:24.340 --> 00:14:26.759 your enemy. If he says apologize to your wife, 00:14:26.860 --> 00:14:29.320 apologize to your wife. If he says this is your 00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:32.279 job, but your new job needs to be this, you come 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:36.179 to God with no expectation other than, Lord, 00:14:36.299 --> 00:14:39.200 whatever you show me, I will do. He may show 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:41.299 you through a book, through his spirit, through 00:14:41.299 --> 00:14:43.340 his word, through counsel, through a friend, 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:45.679 through a prompting of the Holy Spirit, but here's 00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:49.279 what you need to know. If you're 100 % willing 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:54.200 to get God's wisdom, He will show you what to 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:58.159 do. Will it be easy? Probably not. Will you be 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:02.440 comfortable? Probably not. God directs our steps, 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:06.100 directs our paths, and reveals His power when 00:15:06.100 --> 00:15:08.840 we're at the very end of our rope, when we have 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:11.720 nothing. We're at the bottom. We're in absolute 00:15:11.720 --> 00:15:14.759 desperation. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted 00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:17.539 and he saves those who are crushed in spirit. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:24.059 Psalm 34. God's for you. He loves you. If you're 00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:27.480 stuck and you don't know what to do, here's his 00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:31.240 invitation. I will give you supernatural wisdom. 00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:35.080 I will show you exactly what to do, how to do 00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:38.639 it, when to do it, with whom. If you will come 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:42.370 to me, with open -handedness, and commit to do 00:15:42.370 --> 00:15:46.750 whatever I show you. These are the times where 00:15:46.750 --> 00:15:50.929 God's people see great power, where there's great 00:15:50.929 --> 00:15:55.129 testimony. I look back now with my older children, 00:15:55.149 --> 00:15:58.110 and they remember sitting around in the circle, 00:15:58.250 --> 00:16:01.450 a circle at a time when we didn't have a car 00:16:01.450 --> 00:16:04.110 that would fit our family, and we prayed, and 00:16:04.110 --> 00:16:06.950 God delivered. A time when we didn't have food, 00:16:07.049 --> 00:16:09.600 and we prayed. A time when we didn't know what 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:12.879 to do and we were asked to relocate. Most of 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:15.639 the things that were difficult to do, what I 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:18.639 can now look back on and realize, it was the 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:22.639 good hand and the kindness of God. Some of you 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:26.440 will never change. Some of you will never get 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:29.019 on the path that has your highest and your best 00:16:29.019 --> 00:16:33.720 and God's greatest favor. Apart from a crisis 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:36.379 like this that caused you to re -examine your 00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:39.799 life, your role, your relationships. And that 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:42.659 God redirects us through times like this. You 00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:45.440 know, the early church was doing very, very well. 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.980 I mean, just read Acts chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:52.379 6, 7. Thousands of people. There's favor. There's 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:54.779 miracles happening. I mean, they're exploding. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:58.720 Acts chapter 8. And then a great persecution 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:04.220 came upon the church. Well, Jesus told the church 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:06.220 to go into all the world to make disciples, right? 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:10.420 Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the uttermost parts 00:17:10.420 --> 00:17:13.279 of the world. Well, for about the first 15 years, 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:16.519 they didn't go anywhere. And God allowed a persecution. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:20.079 And now James is writing to them, and as they 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:23.559 are going all across the world, God uses this 00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:26.240 crisis to take the gospel to the ends of the 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:30.930 earth. God, in his wisdom, who knows what's happening, 00:17:31.130 --> 00:17:34.710 is going to show you and show me and every single 00:17:34.710 --> 00:17:37.950 person exactly what to do, when to do it, and 00:17:37.950 --> 00:17:40.309 how to do it in the midst of all the special 00:17:40.309 --> 00:17:42.910 details. It will be different for you than for 00:17:42.910 --> 00:17:46.190 me. That's why this is the art of survival. It 00:17:46.190 --> 00:17:49.319 creates a dependency like never before. It creates 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:51.619 a desire and a thirst for his word like never 00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:54.779 before. It means we have to depend on each other, 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:58.119 forgive one another, look through new eyes at 00:17:58.119 --> 00:18:01.980 our circumstance and say, Lord, show me what 00:18:01.980 --> 00:18:05.940 to do. I need your wisdom. And he says, I'd love 00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:11.119 to give it to you. Just ask and no double -mindedness. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:15.200 Ask without any doubting. Let me fill in the 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:17.940 top of the check. Let me fill in the top of the 00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:20.839 contract. Let me say, this is what to do. This 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:24.279 is where to go. This is how. You just sign your 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:28.880 name on the bottom that says, I am willing. You 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:33.220 know, it reminds me of our Savior and the greatest 00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:38.039 moment that occurred in His life and ours. Yes, 00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:40.640 Jesus was fully God, but He was fully human. 00:18:41.460 --> 00:18:44.960 And there was a moment where He said, Lord, If 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:47.299 there's any other way, let this cup pass from 00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:53.259 me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours. And 00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:57.539 he endured excruciating suffering and pain. And 00:18:57.539 --> 00:19:01.039 he actually took on your sin and my sin. And 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.160 in that cataclysmic moment, the father would 00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:06.119 turn away. My God, my God, why have you forsaken 00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:10.220 me? And your sin and my sin were placed on Jesus 00:19:10.220 --> 00:19:14.299 for our forgiveness. Because he said to the Father, 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:18.519 not my will, not my way. And that's how you get 00:19:18.519 --> 00:19:21.660 God's wisdom. It's in these moments of absolute 00:19:21.660 --> 00:19:25.539 surrender. It's at a level like never before 00:19:25.539 --> 00:19:27.880 because of what's happening in the world where 00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:32.720 we say, Lord, I offer my body as a living sacrifice, 00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:38.200 holy and acceptable to you. This is my spiritual 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:42.839 service. I will do whatever you want. I will 00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:46.180 go wherever you want. The money in my bank account, 00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:49.400 little or much, is yours. My future is yours. 00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:55.359 My family is yours. Show me what to do. And I 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:58.019 want you to know, Holy Father, I will do it. 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:01.819 That's how you survive a crisis. That's the greatest, 00:20:02.019 --> 00:20:05.160 most important resource in all the world. It's 00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:08.059 the wisdom of God. Lord, I pray for my brothers 00:20:08.059 --> 00:20:10.960 and sisters because it is a journey. to come 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:14.740 to the point where we can fully, completely surrender 00:20:14.740 --> 00:20:18.880 and be willing to do whatever you want us to 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.099 do. But Lord, you have told us very clearly the 00:20:22.099 --> 00:20:25.259 condition to get this kind of supernatural wisdom 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:29.099 is our absolute and complete willingness to do 00:20:29.099 --> 00:20:32.460 whatever you show us. And so I pray for a movement 00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:35.720 in people's hearts. I pray that they could believe 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:40.380 how good, how kind, how all -knowing. that you 00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:43.420 want to give us the best, even when some of the 00:20:43.420 --> 00:20:46.279 first steps are very, very difficult. That's 00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:49.039 our prayer, Lord. Now lead us. Give us your wisdom. 00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:56.619 In Jesus' name, amen. This is Living on the Edge 00:20:56.619 --> 00:20:59.059 with Chip Ingram. He's teaching from the New 00:20:59.059 --> 00:21:01.880 Testament book of James. He titled his series, 00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:05.779 The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos. And to 00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:08.279 access all the messages in this series and the 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:10.839 companion resources for digging into James on 00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:15.539 your own, go to livingontheedge .org. Please 00:21:15.539 --> 00:21:17.339 stay with us. We're going to hear an important 00:21:17.339 --> 00:21:20.630 closing comment from Chip in just a moment. First, 00:21:20.730 --> 00:21:22.650 I'm excited to share that Living on the Edge 00:21:22.650 --> 00:21:25.910 has just activated one of the largest match opportunities 00:21:25.910 --> 00:21:29.509 in our 30 -year history. So now's the time to 00:21:29.509 --> 00:21:32.390 leverage your December year -end giving. Whatever 00:21:32.390 --> 00:21:34.789 amount God places on your heart to give will 00:21:34.789 --> 00:21:37.730 be doubled in size, yielding twice the impact. 00:21:38.049 --> 00:21:40.990 And the deadline for receiving your gift is December 00:21:40.990 --> 00:21:44.180 31st. But here's the best part. Your generous 00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:46.680 gift will be applied toward coming alongside 00:21:46.680 --> 00:21:49.400 pastors and church leaders to make sure they 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:52.299 don't feel alone in their journey. Chip? As we 00:21:52.299 --> 00:21:54.539 meet together for just a minute, I want to ask 00:21:54.539 --> 00:21:57.500 you to picture something. The congregation has 00:21:57.500 --> 00:22:00.900 gone home. The Sunday service is over. It's Monday 00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:03.980 morning, and your pastor is sitting in his office. 00:22:04.380 --> 00:22:06.640 And he's looking at his calendar, looking at... 00:22:06.859 --> 00:22:09.539 marriages to counsel. He's got people to visit 00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:12.059 in the hospital. He's got to prepare next week's 00:22:12.059 --> 00:22:15.119 message. He's drained emotionally. He's got, 00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:17.759 I mean, big budget issues and financial things 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:20.259 staring him in the face. And he's got to lead 00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:22.240 through the cultural chaos that we're living 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:25.019 in. What does he say? What does he address? What 00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:27.619 does he not say? I want you to know that is a 00:22:27.619 --> 00:22:31.039 lonely, difficult place to be. I've lived there 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:33.819 for over 35 years. And here's what I want you 00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:37.019 to know. That lonely day of your pastor's life 00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:39.500 is when living on the edge becomes one of his 00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:42.380 closest companions. I hear it all the time. Chip, 00:22:42.420 --> 00:22:44.980 thanks so much. Sit in my office. I listen to 00:22:44.980 --> 00:22:47.720 Living on the Edge. I get recharged. I hear God 00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:50.680 speak to me through your voice. Here's what I 00:22:50.680 --> 00:22:53.079 want you to know. When you support this active 00:22:53.079 --> 00:22:55.500 match, you're strengthening the shepherd who's 00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:58.039 caring for the sheep. Did you realize that living 00:22:58.039 --> 00:23:00.700 on the edge, think of this, has impacted over 00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:05.160 500 ,000 pastors in the last few years? But here's 00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:08.240 the best part. We are positioned to reach even 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.440 more because of this match. Look, it's very simple. 00:23:12.029 --> 00:23:16.130 Anemic pastors make weak sheep. Healthy pastors 00:23:16.130 --> 00:23:20.329 make healthy sheep. We cannot allow pastors to 00:23:20.329 --> 00:23:23.589 become defeated and malnourished. Please, while 00:23:23.589 --> 00:23:26.430 there's still time, take advantage of this opportunity 00:23:26.430 --> 00:23:29.329 to double your gift. And you have several ways 00:23:29.329 --> 00:23:31.849 to respond to Chip Ingram. You can call right 00:23:31.849 --> 00:23:37.690 now, 888 -333 -6003, or go to livingontheedge 00:23:37.690 --> 00:23:41.630 .org. And when you give to the match today, you'll 00:23:41.630 --> 00:23:44.089 enjoy the personal satisfaction of knowing that 00:23:44.089 --> 00:23:46.789 you're encouraging pastors, not only here in 00:23:46.789 --> 00:23:49.589 North America, but beyond our borders where churches 00:23:49.589 --> 00:23:52.309 are expanding at a pace that is really stretching 00:23:52.309 --> 00:23:55.450 pastors and church leaders. Living on the Edge 00:23:55.450 --> 00:23:58.410 is celebrating 30 years of God's faithfulness. 00:23:58.609 --> 00:24:01.410 What started three decades ago as a fledgling 00:24:01.410 --> 00:24:04.450 radio ministry has become a movement of God to 00:24:04.450 --> 00:24:07.589 disciple Christians and encourage pastors. And 00:24:07.589 --> 00:24:09.700 it's because people like you have locked arms 00:24:09.700 --> 00:24:12.220 with us to make an impact for God's kingdom. 00:24:12.500 --> 00:24:15.140 To send your donation in the mail, address your 00:24:15.140 --> 00:24:19.700 envelope to Living on the Edge, P .O. Box 3007, 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:24.839 Atlanta, Georgia, 30024. You can also call 888 00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:30.119 -333 -6003 or give online at livingontheedge 00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:34.579 .org. How do we rise up from a period of deep 00:24:34.579 --> 00:24:37.509 discouragement? I'm Dave Drewy, inviting you 00:24:37.509 --> 00:24:39.809 to hear Chip Ingram's biblical answer Friday 00:24:39.809 --> 00:24:41.589 on Living on the Edge.