WEBVTT 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.240 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:04.379 --> 00:00:08.119 Are you or a friend living in a world where it's 00:00:08.119 --> 00:00:11.480 gone from bad to worse? When that happens, it 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:13.720 can feel like you're staring at a hundred foot 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:17.100 wave. Where do you go when it seems like all 00:00:17.100 --> 00:00:19.920 hope is lost? How do you keep going when the 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:22.219 waves of discouragement threaten to overwhelm 00:00:22.219 --> 00:00:27.160 you? That's today. Stay with me. We've all been 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:30.000 there. that suffocating moment when discouragement 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.340 wraps around our soul like a vice. We've prayed, 00:00:33.500 --> 00:00:36.280 we've tried, we've pushed forward with everything 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:39.439 we've got, and yet the darkness only deepens. 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:43.100 Today on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram reminds 00:00:43.100 --> 00:00:46.399 us that our hopelessness, our despair, is Satan's 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:48.960 most effective tool for neutralizing Christians. 00:00:49.979 --> 00:00:52.439 In his message called The Art of Survival in 00:00:52.439 --> 00:00:55.659 an Age of Chaos, Chip gets brutally honest about 00:00:55.659 --> 00:00:57.859 his own struggle and the temptation to quit. 00:00:58.140 --> 00:01:01.539 Then from the ancient wisdom of James, he unveils 00:01:01.539 --> 00:01:04.439 God's three -part battle plan to slay the dragon 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:07.859 of despair. And just after our study, Chip describes 00:01:07.859 --> 00:01:10.500 an exciting opportunity to double your support 00:01:10.500 --> 00:01:13.180 of Living on the Edge through the MATCH program 00:01:13.180 --> 00:01:16.239 that's active right now. It's the best time to 00:01:16.239 --> 00:01:19.519 leverage your year -end giving. But first, let's 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:21.840 open our hearts to the breakthrough God may have 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.659 in store for those who are losing heart. Well, 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:26.980 welcome to part three of our series, The Art 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:30.420 of Survival. And boy, don't we need to survive 00:01:30.420 --> 00:01:33.340 and even thrive in these kind of days. This is 00:01:33.340 --> 00:01:35.620 part three. It's all from James chapter one. 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:39.099 And as I begin, I want to tell you an apocryphal 00:01:39.099 --> 00:01:41.219 story. This is not a true story. It was made 00:01:41.219 --> 00:01:44.859 up. but has a very powerful point. The legend 00:01:44.859 --> 00:01:47.579 goes that Satan went into the market and he was 00:01:47.579 --> 00:01:50.719 having a big sale of all of his tools, tools 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:53.560 he used to blind unbelievers, but even more importantly, 00:01:53.739 --> 00:01:57.099 he had some tools to render Christians, especially 00:01:57.099 --> 00:02:00.500 leaders, people really walking with God, just 00:02:00.500 --> 00:02:03.849 to absolutely ruin their faith. And so he had 00:02:03.849 --> 00:02:06.670 a broad spectrum of multiple tools and he had 00:02:06.670 --> 00:02:09.389 a price tag on each one of them. And all the 00:02:09.389 --> 00:02:11.889 junior demons were invited to come and buy these 00:02:11.889 --> 00:02:15.370 different tools to help them as they would persuade 00:02:15.370 --> 00:02:18.810 and deceive Christians and unbelievers alike. 00:02:19.389 --> 00:02:22.689 There was one very, very small box that had an 00:02:22.689 --> 00:02:25.750 astronomical price. I mean, it was so high that 00:02:25.750 --> 00:02:28.930 all the demons said, what? It's such a small 00:02:28.930 --> 00:02:31.569 little box. What could be in that little box 00:02:31.569 --> 00:02:37.009 that's worth that much? And Satan said, what's 00:02:37.009 --> 00:02:41.110 in that box is discouragement because it's more 00:02:41.110 --> 00:02:44.590 useful to me than all the others. He said, I 00:02:44.590 --> 00:02:47.629 pry open men's heart and I get inside of them 00:02:47.629 --> 00:02:50.530 and I can get near to them with this tool like 00:02:50.530 --> 00:02:54.150 no other. It's badly worn because I use it almost 00:02:54.150 --> 00:02:57.729 all the time. But since few people know it really 00:02:57.729 --> 00:03:02.009 belongs to me, I deceive them, I discourage them, 00:03:02.169 --> 00:03:06.949 and I get them to give up or to give in and render 00:03:06.949 --> 00:03:11.490 them powerless in this fight against the enemy, 00:03:11.629 --> 00:03:16.800 the King, the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, discouragement, 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:19.439 I think, is the number one destroyer, especially 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:23.500 at times like this, that undermine us. And that 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:26.599 might sound like an exaggeration, unless you're 00:03:26.599 --> 00:03:29.120 one of those people that's really been discouraged, 00:03:29.419 --> 00:03:33.800 that's felt like giving up, giving in, I can't 00:03:33.800 --> 00:03:37.219 do this anymore. As I was praying about it early 00:03:37.219 --> 00:03:39.240 this morning and thinking of my time to get to 00:03:39.240 --> 00:03:42.620 talk with you, I thought of one of the seasons, 00:03:42.659 --> 00:03:46.400 very much like now, You know, the things that 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:48.919 held me up, there were health issues, and then 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:51.000 there were ministry issues, then there were financial 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:54.419 issues, and there were family issues. And I felt 00:03:54.419 --> 00:03:56.939 like it was a time in my life where I was seeking 00:03:56.939 --> 00:04:00.560 and praying and pursuing God like never before. 00:04:00.900 --> 00:04:04.240 And it just was getting worse and worse and worse. 00:04:04.919 --> 00:04:06.979 And I actually, it was about 10 years ago, and 00:04:06.979 --> 00:04:09.780 I dug this journal out this morning. I wrote, 00:04:09.860 --> 00:04:12.479 for 20 months, I have clung to a passage and 00:04:12.479 --> 00:04:16.259 a promise in Psalm 25. The journey has been characterized 00:04:16.259 --> 00:04:21.420 by pain, injustice, betrayal, the stripping of 00:04:21.420 --> 00:04:26.660 the old, new insights into my pride, into ministry 00:04:26.660 --> 00:04:30.040 metrics that don't focus so much on the number 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:33.040 of people that do this or that. but leading into 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:36.339 new processes and strategies and focus and energy 00:04:36.339 --> 00:04:39.639 that really have to do with life change, while 00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:43.040 at the same time experiencing absolute desperate 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:47.360 dependency. We're broke personally and as a ministry. 00:04:47.540 --> 00:04:51.720 We have no office, no staff to speak of, no clear 00:04:51.720 --> 00:04:54.579 direction for teaching, a future that is uncertain 00:04:54.579 --> 00:04:57.939 and unknown, and we're forced to live simply 00:04:57.939 --> 00:05:01.959 by faith. and the clear conviction and pain that 00:05:01.959 --> 00:05:04.939 we must move forward to helping Christians live 00:05:04.939 --> 00:05:08.120 like Christians, with what we have, which is 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:10.959 little, with where we are, which is difficult, 00:05:11.139 --> 00:05:14.120 and with God who brought us here. I have been 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:17.600 tempted many times to give up. I have felt deeply, 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:20.399 deeply discouraged, and I've battled feelings 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:22.699 of hopelessness in the midst of this journey. 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:26.540 That was 10 years ago. And as I look back now 00:05:26.540 --> 00:05:29.480 at what God did, I realize that he had to work 00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:33.279 deeply in me before he was going to work significantly 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:36.060 through me. I had to learn what we've learned 00:05:36.060 --> 00:05:39.060 in part one and part two about, you know, considering 00:05:39.060 --> 00:05:41.920 it all joy when nothing feels or looks joyful. 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:44.500 I had to come to the point where I said, Lord, 00:05:44.579 --> 00:05:48.379 I don't know what to do. I don't have any money. 00:05:48.439 --> 00:05:52.079 I don't have direction. Difficulty is at every 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:56.500 turn. I need your wisdom. And he gave it. And 00:05:56.500 --> 00:05:59.279 now what I want to ask you is, where are you 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:02.459 at? How are you doing with discouragement? And 00:06:02.459 --> 00:06:05.060 what discourages you? You know, the definition 00:06:05.060 --> 00:06:08.439 of discouragement is to deprive courage, hope, 00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:13.300 or confidence. It's the lack of courage. Courage 00:06:13.300 --> 00:06:15.639 is that thing that wells up inside of you that 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:18.620 says the circumstances don't matter. The opposition 00:06:18.620 --> 00:06:21.740 doesn't matter. I'm going to press forward. I'm 00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:23.959 going to follow Christ. I can do all things through 00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:26.959 Christ who gives me strength no matter what happens. 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:31.480 Discouragement is when you lose heart. Discouragement 00:06:31.480 --> 00:06:34.839 is that feeling when you say it's not worth it. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:39.569 Nothing will ever change. I can't go on. I'm 00:06:39.569 --> 00:06:43.410 powerless. It's that feeling that just screams, 00:06:43.569 --> 00:06:47.269 just quit. Just give it up. Just compromise. 00:06:47.509 --> 00:06:51.110 Take a shortcut. So let me ask you, before we 00:06:51.110 --> 00:06:54.149 begin the teaching time here and get into how 00:06:54.149 --> 00:06:57.709 to slay the dragon of discouragement, I want 00:06:57.709 --> 00:07:00.930 to ask you, where are you at in terms of what 00:07:00.930 --> 00:07:05.029 discourages you? What person? What circumstance? 00:07:05.850 --> 00:07:08.430 What's going on in your life or in your thoughts? 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:11.459 Where are you in your life right now that you 00:07:11.459 --> 00:07:14.680 would say, I mean, very specifically, this is 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:17.680 discouraging me. These are the thoughts that 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:19.800 are coming into my mind that make me want to 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:23.639 say, God, I just can't do this anymore. I give 00:07:23.639 --> 00:07:27.079 up. What is going on? I want you to get it down 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:30.660 very specific and very clearly because God's 00:07:30.660 --> 00:07:32.860 going to take his word today and he's going to 00:07:32.860 --> 00:07:35.800 speak to that very specific discouragement in 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:39.870 your life and in mine. Discouragement is the 00:07:39.870 --> 00:07:43.509 number one destroyer of God's plans for our lives. 00:07:43.790 --> 00:07:47.129 Just before we receive God's highest and best, 00:07:47.430 --> 00:07:51.569 many of us throw in the towel. You know, I've 00:07:51.569 --> 00:07:53.949 had some times, and I've counseled so many hundreds 00:07:53.949 --> 00:07:56.389 of people, right before there's a breakthrough 00:07:56.389 --> 00:07:58.509 in their marriage, where it gets resolved, where 00:07:58.509 --> 00:08:00.709 they learn to forgive, and where they love, so 00:08:00.709 --> 00:08:04.120 many quit. and separate or get a divorce. Right 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:06.699 before there's a huge answer to prayer, whether 00:08:06.699 --> 00:08:09.920 it's finances or an open door in ministry, just 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:14.120 before that happens, so often many give up and 00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:16.959 they quit. You know, just before God is at work 00:08:16.959 --> 00:08:19.540 and, you know, the habit, the addiction, the 00:08:19.540 --> 00:08:22.300 struggle, that it has just been a stronghold 00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:24.259 in your life. God is working, working, working, 00:08:24.300 --> 00:08:27.579 working. And just before he answers and delivers, 00:08:27.800 --> 00:08:31.399 so many people give up. And what I want to say 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:35.340 to you is we're going to learn how to slay the 00:08:35.340 --> 00:08:38.559 dragon of discouragement. And God is going to 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:41.460 give us a plan. He's going to answer, how do 00:08:41.460 --> 00:08:45.620 you survive when you're tired, when you've tried, 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:48.700 when you've worked, when you've prayed, when 00:08:48.700 --> 00:08:51.340 you're exhausted, and everything in you says, 00:08:51.440 --> 00:08:57.539 I just can't take it anymore. God says, I have 00:08:57.539 --> 00:09:00.700 an answer for you. He has an answer for me. And 00:09:00.700 --> 00:09:04.100 he has a plan. And the plan begins with an attitude. 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:07.879 It all begins with our attitude. God's will in 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:10.919 adversity is this attitude. Joyful endurance. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:15.279 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:18.360 various trials. Knowing the testing of your faith 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:21.259 produces endurance. And let endurance have its 00:09:21.259 --> 00:09:23.960 perfect result that you might be perfect or mature, 00:09:24.259 --> 00:09:27.470 lacking in nothing. And then the second thing 00:09:27.470 --> 00:09:30.850 he gives us is a resource. In the midst of not 00:09:30.850 --> 00:09:33.509 knowing what to do, in the midst of not having 00:09:33.509 --> 00:09:36.230 answers and battling discouragement, he says, 00:09:36.250 --> 00:09:39.210 here's a resource. God's promise in the process 00:09:39.210 --> 00:09:43.429 is supernatural wisdom. He's going to give you 00:09:43.429 --> 00:09:46.289 insight into the best possible ends by the best 00:09:46.289 --> 00:09:49.029 possible means for the most possible people for 00:09:49.029 --> 00:09:51.769 the longest possible time. He says in verse five, 00:09:51.909 --> 00:09:55.000 but if any of you lack wisdom, Let him ask of 00:09:55.000 --> 00:09:57.460 God who gives to all men generously and without 00:09:57.460 --> 00:10:00.600 reproach, and it will be given to him. Condition. 00:10:00.899 --> 00:10:04.279 But let him or her ask in faith without any doubting. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.100 For the one who doubts is like the surf of the 00:10:07.100 --> 00:10:10.460 sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not 00:10:10.460 --> 00:10:13.480 that man expect that he will receive anything 00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:17.340 from the Lord, being double -minded, unstable 00:10:17.340 --> 00:10:23.100 in all his ways. We'll hear more from Chip Ingram's 00:10:23.100 --> 00:10:25.460 message in just a moment. First, we're inviting 00:10:25.460 --> 00:10:27.720 you to multiply your year -end donation through 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:30.120 an exciting match that's active right now. You 00:10:30.120 --> 00:10:32.200 know, when you give to Living on the Edge, you're 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:34.799 not just supporting one ministry. You're creating 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:38.120 a ripple effect. You begin to mobilize people 00:10:38.120 --> 00:10:40.840 who help other people who help other people, 00:10:40.940 --> 00:10:43.320 and that makes a huge difference. Your gift to 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:45.720 the match will make an impact. Picture these 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:48.500 scenes. A single listener in Iowa shares our 00:10:48.500 --> 00:10:51.080 teaching with a small group Bible study. A grandparent 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:53.659 in Texas sends our resources to a son in Oklahoma 00:10:53.659 --> 00:10:56.200 that pastors a local church. Yes, the ripple 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:59.120 effect of giving to Living on the Edge. For 30 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:01.899 years, Living on the Edge has been God's vehicle 00:11:01.899 --> 00:11:04.740 to not only help pastors, but to teach God's 00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:07.279 Word. And right now, we're on the threshold. 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:10.379 We're at a season where God is using Living on 00:11:10.379 --> 00:11:12.360 the Edge like never before. Double the impact 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:16.480 of your gift at livingontheedge .org. Don't let 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:19.360 this opportunity slip by to double your gift, 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:21.820 and even more importantly, to double your impact. 00:11:22.139 --> 00:11:24.620 Today, let's multiply God's ministry through 00:11:24.620 --> 00:11:26.379 Living on the Edge while there's still time. 00:11:26.820 --> 00:11:30.840 Go to livingontheedge .org. From a series called 00:11:30.840 --> 00:11:33.659 The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos, Chip 00:11:33.659 --> 00:11:37.500 Ingram is teaching from James chapter 1. God 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:39.879 tells you and me in the midst of our discouragement, 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:42.720 He will show you what to do and how to do it 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:45.409 to get through your greatest challenges. And 00:11:45.409 --> 00:11:47.470 then the third thing in God's plan isn't just 00:11:47.470 --> 00:11:50.049 an attitude. And it's not just a resource of 00:11:50.049 --> 00:11:53.029 supernatural wisdom. He's going to say, I'm going 00:11:53.029 --> 00:11:57.169 to give you a truth, a theology, if you will, 00:11:57.309 --> 00:12:00.070 about life and about circumstances and about 00:12:00.070 --> 00:12:03.710 the future. And when you get this clarity, this 00:12:03.710 --> 00:12:06.950 truth, it is the thing that will allow you to 00:12:06.950 --> 00:12:10.169 slay the dragon of discouragement. He writes, 00:12:10.269 --> 00:12:14.029 but let the humble brother in his humble circumstances, 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:17.720 glory in his high position and let the rich man 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:22.000 glory in his humiliation. Why? Because like flowering 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:24.259 grass, he will pass away. Speaking of the rich 00:12:24.259 --> 00:12:27.080 man, for the sun rises with a scorching wind 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:30.519 and withers the grass and its flower falls off 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:33.519 and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed. 00:12:34.200 --> 00:12:38.259 So too, the rich man in the midst of his pursuits 00:12:38.259 --> 00:12:42.620 will fade away. And then he gives this admonition, 00:12:42.620 --> 00:12:48.559 this hope. this reward. Blessed is a man who 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:52.440 perseveres under trial. For once he has been 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:55.700 tested and is approved, he will receive the crown 00:12:55.700 --> 00:12:59.419 of life, which the Lord promised to those who 00:12:59.419 --> 00:13:04.759 love him. God's prescription, his truth to persevere, 00:13:04.840 --> 00:13:09.340 to not give up, is this, a divine perspective. 00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:13.639 There is a truth. There's a theology about life. 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:17.379 Here's life. God says, I want to give you a lens 00:13:17.379 --> 00:13:21.200 to look at life and your circumstances. I want 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:24.179 you to see things through the kingdom lens. In 00:13:24.179 --> 00:13:27.080 the practical lens, rich people, powerful people, 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:29.759 people with position, with homes, with money, 00:13:29.860 --> 00:13:32.480 with security, they're the ones that have it 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:35.740 made. He's going to say, no, in God's kingdom 00:13:35.740 --> 00:13:39.840 lens, actually the opposite is true. Those who 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:42.659 have little actually have a high position. And 00:13:42.659 --> 00:13:46.240 then he's going to explain why. Let me take a 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:49.480 moment and just explain this passage. And then 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:52.600 from it, I want to give you three very specific 00:13:52.600 --> 00:13:56.340 principles that will allow you to hang in there 00:13:56.340 --> 00:13:59.559 when things get tough. He says, let the brother 00:13:59.559 --> 00:14:02.440 of humble circumstance. This word is socioeconomic. 00:14:03.079 --> 00:14:05.299 He's not talking about, you know, like character 00:14:05.299 --> 00:14:07.600 or humility. He's saying, you know, basically 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:09.500 let someone who doesn't have very much money, 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:12.919 glory, and the word means to boast or take joy 00:14:12.919 --> 00:14:16.159 or rejoice and say, wow, look what I have. So 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.840 in your high position, and I don't know about 00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:21.360 you, but I have studied the Bible for a number 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:25.259 of years. And I remember reading and studying 00:14:25.259 --> 00:14:28.759 the entire book of James. And for years, honestly, 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:33.460 getting to verses nine through 12, especially 00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:37.259 9 through 11 in chapter 1, and we do this, don't 00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:39.379 we, who study the Bible, especially some of us 00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:42.419 who teach it, and just scratching my head and 00:14:42.419 --> 00:14:46.919 thinking, I don't get this. What's with this 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:50.960 little section about poor people having a high 00:14:50.960 --> 00:14:53.519 position and rich people having a low position 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:56.779 and then this promise of reward? Well, follow 00:14:56.779 --> 00:15:00.139 along. It's super insightful. One of the things 00:15:00.139 --> 00:15:02.679 I've learned about studying the Bible, If there's 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:05.419 something in a passage that at first doesn't 00:15:05.419 --> 00:15:08.440 seem to make any sense, chances are it's very 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:11.120 profound. And this is one of those passages. 00:15:11.539 --> 00:15:14.019 So he says to those of us that don't have very 00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:16.519 much, or for those of you that don't have very 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:19.500 much, I'm thinking, you know, maybe you've lost 00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:23.600 your job. Maybe you've lost your business. Maybe 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.480 you're in a country right now that things are 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:29.139 very, very difficult. I mean, super challenging, 00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:33.250 like you don't have food. He says to those who 00:15:33.250 --> 00:15:36.850 have little to boast and rejoice in your high 00:15:36.850 --> 00:15:39.830 position. And what he is doing is saying, I want 00:15:39.830 --> 00:15:42.210 to give you a perspective from heaven about looking 00:15:42.210 --> 00:15:45.330 at life through this lens of faith. Here's his 00:15:45.330 --> 00:15:48.509 point. He's going to say, when we don't have 00:15:48.509 --> 00:15:52.049 anything, our high position is we're automatically 00:15:52.049 --> 00:15:56.009 dependent. We automatically turn to God. We automatically 00:15:56.009 --> 00:15:59.950 pray. When I read this from my journal 10 years 00:15:59.950 --> 00:16:03.190 ago, When I said I was broke, I wasn't exaggerating. 00:16:03.549 --> 00:16:08.710 No money. I have had seasons where I have sat 00:16:08.710 --> 00:16:11.950 in the car with my family. We had no money. We 00:16:11.950 --> 00:16:14.769 had no food. And we bowed our head and said, 00:16:14.830 --> 00:16:17.409 Lord, you said that you would promise. It was 00:16:17.409 --> 00:16:20.529 literally after a church service. And we literally 00:16:20.529 --> 00:16:24.049 had nothing. And as we prayed and while we were 00:16:24.049 --> 00:16:27.129 praying, toward the end, we heard a knock. It 00:16:27.129 --> 00:16:29.230 was the first time I went to this church. We 00:16:29.230 --> 00:16:31.889 had just moved to that city to prepare for ministry. 00:16:32.210 --> 00:16:35.450 And someone we didn't know that apparently sat 00:16:35.450 --> 00:16:38.750 behind us and saw a young family knocked on the 00:16:38.750 --> 00:16:41.470 window. We rolled down the window and they said, 00:16:41.549 --> 00:16:44.389 excuse me, do you all have plans for lunch? We 00:16:44.389 --> 00:16:45.970 would love to bring you to our home for lunch. 00:16:46.429 --> 00:16:50.309 You see, we didn't pray in the car because we 00:16:50.309 --> 00:16:52.990 were being spiritual. We didn't pray in the car 00:16:52.990 --> 00:16:55.149 because we thought, oh, this is important. Let's 00:16:55.149 --> 00:16:59.080 be good Christians. We prayed in the car. because 00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:02.960 we had no money and nothing to eat, and I had 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:06.339 three kids in the back seat. What he's saying 00:17:06.339 --> 00:17:11.099 is, as hard as it is to face, when we are low 00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:15.779 socioeconomically, we are rich in faith because 00:17:15.779 --> 00:17:20.339 we are pre -positioned to be dependent, to trust 00:17:20.339 --> 00:17:23.839 God, and to seek Him. And then he says to those 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:28.140 who are rich, The idea of New Testament being 00:17:28.140 --> 00:17:30.920 rich is I have enough for today, enough for tomorrow, 00:17:31.019 --> 00:17:33.680 and I may have even savings for the future. In 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:36.059 other words, the person who basically has their 00:17:36.059 --> 00:17:40.279 own security. Many in America listening to this 00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:43.079 and many around the world that are watching and 00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:45.599 listening to this would say to themselves, by 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:47.940 biblical standards, I may not think of myself 00:17:47.940 --> 00:17:50.920 as rich, but I'm rich. I'm not worried about 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:53.299 can I eat tomorrow or do I have a roof over my 00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:56.349 head. And he says to those who are rich, we should 00:17:56.349 --> 00:17:59.730 glory. Now my season has changed. I need to glory 00:17:59.730 --> 00:18:02.930 in my low position. I need to realize that spiritually 00:18:02.930 --> 00:18:07.130 I'm at a very big disadvantage because money 00:18:07.130 --> 00:18:10.210 is powerful and money can provide false security. 00:18:10.670 --> 00:18:14.009 And money can create idols. And money can create 00:18:14.009 --> 00:18:17.089 expectations. And money can get us thinking that 00:18:17.089 --> 00:18:20.769 we can live our life our way without God. And 00:18:20.769 --> 00:18:24.509 so he says, we have to willfully choose. I need 00:18:24.509 --> 00:18:27.930 to get up and say, Lord, I need you. I choose 00:18:27.930 --> 00:18:30.829 to depend on you. Because the fact of the matter 00:18:30.829 --> 00:18:33.990 is, if I didn't pray today, I have enough money 00:18:33.990 --> 00:18:35.910 in the bank to eat for this week and next week 00:18:35.910 --> 00:18:38.460 and probably next month. I don't have to pray. 00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:42.920 And so he says rich people are in a more challenging 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:45.680 spiritual situation. And then he gives this reason. 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:48.519 For the sun rises with a scorching wind and it 00:18:48.519 --> 00:18:51.099 withers the grass. The flower falls off. In other 00:18:51.099 --> 00:18:54.259 words, life is temporary. Life is transitory. 00:18:54.380 --> 00:18:58.220 Life is a vapor. Life is a breath. And so what 00:18:58.220 --> 00:19:01.359 he's saying to us is that you can't trust in 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:04.539 these things because of the nature, the transitory 00:19:04.539 --> 00:19:08.089 nature of life. They fade away. And then he says, 00:19:08.150 --> 00:19:10.289 blessed, and this word is an inner quality of 00:19:10.289 --> 00:19:13.250 happiness, not dependent on circumstances, is 00:19:13.250 --> 00:19:15.369 the one who perseveres. Now, are you ready for 00:19:15.369 --> 00:19:17.990 this? If you have your Bible, circle that word 00:19:17.990 --> 00:19:21.069 persevere, and then go up at the top of chapter 00:19:21.069 --> 00:19:25.049 one. Remember where it says, let endurance? It's 00:19:25.049 --> 00:19:29.150 the same word. Hupo meno. Blessed is the man. 00:19:29.609 --> 00:19:33.769 Blessed is the woman who... person under pressure, 00:19:33.849 --> 00:19:37.349 under stress, under discouragement, under spiritual 00:19:37.349 --> 00:19:40.269 opposition, under difficult circumstances, under 00:19:40.269 --> 00:19:42.089 finances that you don't know what you're going 00:19:42.089 --> 00:19:45.029 to do, but you refuse to give up. You refuse. 00:19:45.150 --> 00:19:49.390 I'm going to trust. He says, as you endure and 00:19:49.390 --> 00:19:52.950 persevere under trial. And it's the exact same 00:19:52.950 --> 00:19:56.390 word as in the earlier part. Blessed is the man 00:19:56.390 --> 00:19:59.750 who with these external trials, once you've been 00:19:59.750 --> 00:20:03.740 approved, notice. The word here is for a test. 00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:06.960 It says once you pass the test, you know what 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:09.740 passing the test is? It's being faithful to your 00:20:09.740 --> 00:20:12.900 calling. It's not giving up. It's not giving 00:20:12.900 --> 00:20:16.559 in. It's not caving in to temptation. It's not 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:19.359 compromising. It's not saying the ministry is 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:22.420 not worth it. It's saying... I'm going to hang 00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:24.440 in there in this difficult marriage. I'm going 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:26.640 to hang in there in this ministry. I'm going 00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:28.680 to hang in there with this difficult situation 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:32.200 with my boss or a supervisor. I'm going to hang 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:35.259 in there in this difficulty because I'm called 00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:39.480 by God to be faithful to him. I refuse in the 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:42.500 power of the Holy Spirit to give in or to give 00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:44.839 up. And it says, once you've been approved, you'll 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:47.319 receive the crown of life. And this is great. 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:52.059 Grammatically, this is the crown. namely life. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:55.720 Yes, we're going to get crowns and there's going 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:58.119 to be rewards for believers, but the emphasis 00:20:58.119 --> 00:21:01.880 here is the crown, namely life, this abundance. 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:07.599 When you persevere and do not allow discouragement 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:12.160 to sabotage your life, there is a quality of 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:15.119 life. There's an intimacy with Jesus. There's 00:21:15.119 --> 00:21:17.539 a power. There's a faith. There's a courage. 00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:20.940 There is a life. experience that other people 00:21:20.940 --> 00:21:23.740 don't get. He says, you're going to receive the 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:27.079 crown of life, not just now, but with future 00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:29.980 reward as well, which the Lord has promised notice 00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:34.519 to who? To those who love him, to those who say, 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:40.599 Lord, my loyalty, my loyalty is to you. It is 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:48.119 hard. It is difficult. It is painful. Chip Ingram 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:50.700 is our Bible teacher, and this is Living on the 00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:53.940 Edge. Our study in James chapter 1 will continue. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:56.500 And we'll hear from Chip again in just a moment, 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:59.740 so please stand by. First, it's exciting to share 00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:02.000 that Living on the Edge is the recipient of a 00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:05.099 major match opportunity. This was made possible 00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:07.660 through visionary friends who want to inspire 00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:10.160 other Christians to respond with their support 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:13.119 of Living on the Edge. What this means is that 00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:15.480 every dollar you're able to give on or before 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:18.880 December 31st is automatically multiplied by 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.240 two until we reach the goal. And we'll use these 00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:24.680 collective resources to train, encourage, and 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:27.039 equip pastors, not only here in your hometown, 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:30.299 but all across the country as well. Look, we're 00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:33.200 all concerned about the country we love. These 00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:35.799 are stretching days. But our hope for America 00:22:35.799 --> 00:22:38.740 resides not in political influence, but in the 00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:42.299 saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. By God's 00:22:42.299 --> 00:22:44.640 design, the local church is the training ground 00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:47.000 for believers. And right now, we're especially 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:50.200 focused on coming alongside your pastor and countless 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:53.299 others like him. Chip? You may not realize it, 00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:56.039 or maybe you do, but pastors all across America 00:22:56.039 --> 00:23:00.279 are under enormous pressure. Pressure to soften 00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:03.829 the truth. to avoid controversial passages, to 00:23:03.829 --> 00:23:06.490 make everyone feel comfortable. They're exhausted 00:23:06.490 --> 00:23:09.089 from the tension of speaking God's word with 00:23:09.089 --> 00:23:11.809 clarity and conviction and then keeping their 00:23:11.809 --> 00:23:14.519 churches from splitting apart. I have to tell 00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:16.839 you, because they talk to me personally, I'm 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:18.859 really questioning whether I can keep doing this 00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:21.799 any longer. I'm thinking about quitting. And 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:24.039 here's what I want you to know. Living on the 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:26.339 edge has become a lifeline for these pastors. 00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:29.519 Not because I have all the answers, but because 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:32.339 I'm a fellow pastor who understands the weight 00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:34.980 they carry. When you give to Living on the Edge, 00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:38.000 you're putting backbone into these pastors who 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:40.019 are tempted to bend the knee. You're helping 00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:43.319 them find the courage to open God's Word Teach 00:23:43.319 --> 00:23:45.859 it with conviction. Three decades of ministry, 00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:48.980 millions of lives touched, and we're just getting 00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:52.440 started. Right now, generous partners are matching 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:56.000 every dollar you give. America's future depends 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:59.900 on pastors who'll stand firm, who'll speak the 00:23:59.900 --> 00:24:02.640 truth in love. And your gift toward this match 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:05.430 helps make that possible. Thanks so much. You 00:24:05.430 --> 00:24:08.569 can respond to Chip right now by going to livingontheedge 00:24:08.569 --> 00:24:11.990 .org. On our mobile app, just click on the heart 00:24:11.990 --> 00:24:15.230 icon and follow the simple instructions. Or you 00:24:15.230 --> 00:24:20.670 can call right now, 888 -333 -6003. Together, 00:24:20.890 --> 00:24:23.849 let's make an impact by giving generously to 00:24:23.849 --> 00:24:26.470 the match that's active today and through December 00:24:26.470 --> 00:24:29.710 31st. Because of the match, every dollar you 00:24:29.710 --> 00:24:32.490 give is automatically doubled in size, having 00:24:32.490 --> 00:24:35.680 twice the impact. To send your donation in the 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:38.839 mail, write to Living on the Edge, P .O. Box 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:44.839 3007, Atlanta, Georgia, 30024. Chip will conclude 00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:47.460 our teaching series on Monday's program. It's 00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:50.079 called The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos. 00:24:50.579 --> 00:24:52.839 Did you know that he's written a book by this 00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:56.019 title? As Christians, we're called to be overcomers. 00:24:56.140 --> 00:24:59.859 The Bible promises victory, not victims. But 00:24:59.859 --> 00:25:02.039 how do we take the high road when life is hard? 00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:04.700 You'll discover the answer in Chip's book, The 00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:07.680 Art of Survival. It's the perfect choice for 00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:10.380 your personal devotions or to use in your small 00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:16.200 group Bible study. Call 888 -333 -6003 or visit 00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:21.009 livingontheedge .org. I'm Dave Drewy. Join us 00:25:21.009 --> 00:25:23.509 again Monday when Chip Ingram concludes his series 00:25:23.509 --> 00:25:26.509 called The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos, 00:25:26.730 --> 00:25:29.069 right here on Living on the Edge.