WEBVTT 00:00:01.449 --> 00:00:04.150 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:04.209 --> 00:00:08.410 What could make this year different than all 00:00:08.410 --> 00:00:11.609 those other years where you set goals, tried 00:00:11.609 --> 00:00:16.190 really hard, but little or nothing changed? Well, 00:00:16.230 --> 00:00:18.030 that's today on Living on the Edge. And I've 00:00:18.030 --> 00:00:21.510 got some good news, some practical news. And 00:00:21.510 --> 00:00:23.329 if you want to see some change this year, I'm 00:00:23.329 --> 00:00:25.789 going to tell you. I think the Lord has given 00:00:25.789 --> 00:00:28.089 me some help that will really help you. Stay 00:00:28.089 --> 00:00:32.770 with me. We're just days into a brand new year 00:00:32.770 --> 00:00:35.670 and already the gym memberships are signed, the 00:00:35.670 --> 00:00:38.630 diets have started, and the ambitious goals are 00:00:38.630 --> 00:00:41.770 written down. But here's the hard truth. Most 00:00:41.770 --> 00:00:44.710 of those resolutions will be abandoned by February. 00:00:45.350 --> 00:00:48.850 So what will make 2026 different? What will make 00:00:48.850 --> 00:00:51.770 this year stand out from all the rest? On today's 00:00:51.770 --> 00:00:54.369 edition of Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram reveals 00:00:54.369 --> 00:00:57.469 it's not about trying harder or having more willpower. 00:00:57.869 --> 00:01:00.310 It's about applying biblical principles that 00:01:00.310 --> 00:01:03.189 actually work, principles that set the stage 00:01:03.189 --> 00:01:06.109 for God to do His best work in us, transforming 00:01:06.109 --> 00:01:09.609 our hearts from the inside out. Chip titled today's 00:01:09.609 --> 00:01:12.549 message, How to Make This Year Different. Well, 00:01:12.629 --> 00:01:15.170 as we opened the program, I asked that question, 00:01:15.370 --> 00:01:18.189 what will make this year different than last 00:01:18.189 --> 00:01:21.769 year? Or for some of you, maybe the last few 00:01:21.769 --> 00:01:24.500 years. Because what we all know is that people 00:01:24.500 --> 00:01:26.859 are going to sign up for the gym. I'm going to 00:01:26.859 --> 00:01:30.540 lose five pounds, 20 pounds, 30 pounds. I'm going 00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:33.219 to get in the Bible every day. I'm going to join 00:01:33.219 --> 00:01:35.379 a small group. You know what? I'm going to set 00:01:35.379 --> 00:01:37.200 goals and I'm really going to work. I'm going 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:39.500 to make partner this year. Or you know what? 00:01:39.540 --> 00:01:41.439 I'm going to get my license. You know, I'm finally 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:44.120 going to go back to school. And it goes on and 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:47.920 on and on. And in about two weeks, there'll be 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:50.280 less people in the gym. There'll be a lot of 00:01:50.280 --> 00:01:53.799 diets that started that have fizzled out. In 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:56.760 about a month or six weeks, the gym will be back 00:01:56.760 --> 00:01:58.900 to normal of those people that get up really 00:01:58.900 --> 00:02:01.799 early and do it or hit it right after work, and 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:04.299 it's a part of their life they almost never miss. 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:08.280 And what I want to talk to you today about is 00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:12.419 how life change can happen in your life, but 00:02:12.419 --> 00:02:16.439 maybe it doesn't happen the way you think it 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:19.610 does. And maybe you've been kind of running the 00:02:19.610 --> 00:02:23.789 wrong software or trying to execute a game plan 00:02:23.789 --> 00:02:27.009 that doesn't work. And you've decided that you 00:02:27.009 --> 00:02:29.530 can't change or something's wrong with you or 00:02:29.530 --> 00:02:33.330 you're down on you or you have areas of relationship 00:02:33.330 --> 00:02:36.789 or your relationship with the Lord or with your 00:02:36.789 --> 00:02:39.370 weight or some habit or maybe it's smoking or 00:02:39.370 --> 00:02:43.009 maybe it's logging off the Internet or it's shopping. 00:02:43.090 --> 00:02:46.150 I don't know what it is. What I know is that. 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:50.039 If any man or any woman is in Christ, we become 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:54.000 new creations. The old things pass away. Behold, 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:58.639 all things become new. And some become new immediately, 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:01.819 and some are a process of what the Bible calls 00:03:01.819 --> 00:03:04.659 sanctification, where there's a journey where 00:03:04.659 --> 00:03:08.659 God delivers some things dramatically. And others, 00:03:08.699 --> 00:03:11.560 it's kind of over time, and it's incrementally. 00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:15.469 We're completely changed. But we begin to experience 00:03:15.469 --> 00:03:19.009 that change as we cooperate with him. The mind 00:03:19.009 --> 00:03:21.930 of a man plans his way. The Lord establishes 00:03:21.930 --> 00:03:26.349 our steps. And so I'm going to share maybe some 00:03:26.349 --> 00:03:29.189 mistakes that I've made that you don't need to 00:03:29.189 --> 00:03:32.050 make or don't need to keep making. And rather 00:03:32.050 --> 00:03:34.210 than if you're expecting like a teaching time, 00:03:34.409 --> 00:03:39.090 think of today as it's January 2nd. It's Friday. 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:43.979 Chip asked if we could grab a cup of coffee together. 00:03:44.139 --> 00:03:45.439 That's what we're going to do. I got a coffee 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:48.500 right here. And if we were sitting across the 00:03:48.500 --> 00:03:50.139 table from one another and you said, you know 00:03:50.139 --> 00:03:52.680 something, I really do want to change in some 00:03:52.680 --> 00:03:54.879 areas. There's a lot that are really going well. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:58.939 Or, man, I'm really, really challenged in one 00:03:58.939 --> 00:04:01.439 area and I want to change and I've tried to change. 00:04:02.090 --> 00:04:05.250 And I just don't seem to be able to. Chip, any, 00:04:05.469 --> 00:04:07.150 I mean, you know, you're older than me probably. 00:04:07.189 --> 00:04:10.629 So if you have any insight, any help, any wisdom 00:04:10.629 --> 00:04:15.729 from God. And I like to suggest that maybe over 00:04:15.729 --> 00:04:18.069 time or maybe over the years or maybe just our 00:04:18.069 --> 00:04:21.529 time together, that God will help you. I have 00:04:21.529 --> 00:04:25.050 a little practice I've done. This sounds crazy, 00:04:25.089 --> 00:04:29.139 but maybe for three decades at least. And when 00:04:29.139 --> 00:04:31.519 I get near the end of the year, or even though 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:34.040 it's Friday, right? You've got Saturday, you've 00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:37.980 got Sunday. January 5th, I believe, is going 00:04:37.980 --> 00:04:40.699 to be on Monday, but most schools won't start. 00:04:41.620 --> 00:04:44.339 Work for some of you, you'll be back into it, 00:04:44.360 --> 00:04:46.579 but it's not going to really take, I mean, full 00:04:46.579 --> 00:04:49.240 throttle until the following week. So if you 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:52.240 really wanted to block off some time this weekend, 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:57.199 maybe later today or sometime next week, I believe 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:59.810 you could. Because here's what I'm going to tell 00:04:59.810 --> 00:05:03.569 you. My practice has been threefold, and I'm 00:05:03.569 --> 00:05:06.709 going to focus on the first two. The first is 00:05:06.709 --> 00:05:10.870 I look back. Second, I look up. And then third, 00:05:11.089 --> 00:05:13.889 I look forward. And here's what I mean by that. 00:05:13.990 --> 00:05:15.750 There was a quote that I read many, many years 00:05:15.750 --> 00:05:18.910 ago about Socrates. And not that he's on the 00:05:18.910 --> 00:05:22.069 same level of the Bible, but, you know, a philosopher, 00:05:22.389 --> 00:05:26.319 Plato, others. greatly respected. And Socrates 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:31.060 said, the unexamined life is not worth living. 00:05:31.500 --> 00:05:36.060 And I think that we often jump into what needs 00:05:36.060 --> 00:05:39.480 to change without doing something that every 00:05:39.480 --> 00:05:41.620 business does, right? If things aren't going 00:05:41.620 --> 00:05:44.639 very well or good businesses, if things are going 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:48.120 really well, what do they do? They pause. They 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:52.769 evaluate. Maybe it's a very specific SWOT analysis 00:05:52.769 --> 00:05:55.850 or they look at, you know, the last quarter, 00:05:55.970 --> 00:05:58.649 the last year, the last three years, year over 00:05:58.649 --> 00:06:01.569 year, what are our KPIs? In other words, what 00:06:01.569 --> 00:06:05.089 are those key performance indicators? But I find 00:06:05.089 --> 00:06:08.389 that even people in business, even executives 00:06:08.389 --> 00:06:11.870 often who will do that in their business life 00:06:11.870 --> 00:06:15.509 don't do it in their personal life. And so one 00:06:15.509 --> 00:06:17.470 of the things I've learned over the years, it 00:06:17.470 --> 00:06:20.399 says the fear of the Lord. is the beginning of 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:22.500 knowledge. And then later in Proverbs, Solomon, 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:25.720 the wisest man in the world, will say the fear 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:27.560 of the Lord is also the beginning of wisdom. 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:31.420 And in Hebrew, the word wisdom isn't like being 00:06:31.420 --> 00:06:33.379 smart. There's a difference between being smart 00:06:33.379 --> 00:06:37.540 and being wise. Wisdom is understanding how God 00:06:37.540 --> 00:06:42.350 has arranged or orchestrated life to work. how 00:06:42.350 --> 00:06:45.389 relationships work, how money works, how goals 00:06:45.389 --> 00:06:48.649 work, how people work, how he's designed life 00:06:48.649 --> 00:06:52.649 to work. And wisdom is lining your life up with 00:06:52.649 --> 00:06:56.310 the way that God has lined life to work. And 00:06:56.310 --> 00:07:00.129 so you know what's the right thing to do in each 00:07:00.129 --> 00:07:02.829 season, the right reason that you're going to 00:07:02.829 --> 00:07:05.449 do it, and then how to actually do it. All that 00:07:05.449 --> 00:07:10.050 is involved in wisdom. And so the first thing 00:07:10.050 --> 00:07:14.339 you need to do is push the pause button. And 00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:17.079 before you get all focused and, you know, write 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:20.939 out a new set of goals for 2026 and sign up for 00:07:20.939 --> 00:07:23.459 the gym and, you know, you're checking and scrolling 00:07:23.459 --> 00:07:25.500 about, okay, am I going to go with the keto diet 00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:27.480 or I'm going to go with this diet or that diet? 00:07:27.579 --> 00:07:29.680 Am I going to go the intermittent fasting route? 00:07:29.860 --> 00:07:32.500 And, you know, we just want to hack to change 00:07:32.500 --> 00:07:36.620 things overnight. Please pause and evaluate. 00:07:38.360 --> 00:07:42.339 You may not keep a journal. I keep one. I've 00:07:42.339 --> 00:07:45.500 done it actually since college. I'm a verbal 00:07:45.500 --> 00:07:48.579 processor, so this sounds funny, but I often 00:07:48.579 --> 00:07:52.740 actually don't know what I think until I say 00:07:52.740 --> 00:07:57.120 it or I write it. And I found that my denial 00:07:57.120 --> 00:08:00.160 level can be so high that I actually lie to myself, 00:08:00.220 --> 00:08:02.660 but it's really hard to lie to yourself if you 00:08:02.660 --> 00:08:05.379 write it down. And then over the years... You 00:08:05.379 --> 00:08:07.519 know, when God has been speaking to me, I actually 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:10.839 don't write my journal every day. I use it as 00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:12.959 a tool. So probably every third day, sometimes 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:15.199 it's a week, and sometimes it'll be, you know, 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.240 four or five days in a row. I'm not so much writing 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:20.240 down what happened yesterday, the day, the day 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:23.279 before, but I'm writing much more about... this 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:25.860 is what I'm sensing. This is what I'm praying. 00:08:26.100 --> 00:08:29.240 This is where God is leading. Here's the top 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:31.279 three or four challenges that I'm facing. And 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:33.620 I might write a little box and turn those into 00:08:33.620 --> 00:08:37.179 a prayer request. And so when I read back over 00:08:37.179 --> 00:08:40.519 the whole year, and I do that, kind of that time 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:42.799 between Christmas and the new year or the first 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:46.360 few days of the new year. I find a corner, and 00:08:46.360 --> 00:08:49.019 it might be in a couple, three different journals, 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:51.580 depending on how much I wrote that year. I will 00:08:51.580 --> 00:08:55.919 slowly, just without judgment, read back over 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:59.059 the year. And some themes will emerge. You know, 00:08:59.100 --> 00:09:01.700 God was speaking to me about maybe an area in 00:09:01.700 --> 00:09:04.120 my marriage in March. And yeah, that's right. 00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:06.159 I probably need to be more sensitive in that 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:09.399 area. You know, in July, that same area pops 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:13.279 up. And, you know, then October, it pops up again. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:18.259 And then I realize I'm thinking about 2026. And 00:09:18.259 --> 00:09:21.019 at least three or four different times, God spoke 00:09:21.019 --> 00:09:23.960 to me about maybe that area of my marriage or 00:09:23.960 --> 00:09:27.899 that practice about, you know, my health or this 00:09:27.899 --> 00:09:30.690 relationship that I keep. you know, kicking the 00:09:30.690 --> 00:09:33.870 can down the road in order to, you know, I need 00:09:33.870 --> 00:09:35.750 to deal with that relationship. I need to improve 00:09:35.750 --> 00:09:38.850 it, whether it's forgiving or whatever it needs 00:09:38.850 --> 00:09:43.669 to be. There's something about pausing and looking 00:09:43.669 --> 00:09:46.690 back over the year that gives you perspective. 00:09:47.309 --> 00:09:51.710 We too, too often start acting about what we're 00:09:51.710 --> 00:09:54.649 going to do next without really trying to get 00:09:54.649 --> 00:09:58.429 a sense of where are we. And then the flip side 00:09:58.429 --> 00:10:02.740 of this, Some of you are so driven or you have 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:05.960 such a sensitive conscience. You may not keep 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:08.500 a journal, but if you did, you would just highlight 00:10:08.500 --> 00:10:10.379 everything you did wrong. You would highlight, 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:12.220 I didn't do this. I should have done this better. 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:13.679 Should have done this better. Should have done 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:17.220 that better. And you make yourself crazy. And 00:10:17.220 --> 00:10:19.840 you have this view of God that his arms are crossed 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:22.539 and you don't measure up. And he has like these 00:10:22.539 --> 00:10:25.899 scales and like has a microscope into every thought 00:10:25.899 --> 00:10:28.950 and every action. with the goal of being down 00:10:28.950 --> 00:10:34.509 on you instead of a heavenly father, an elder 00:10:34.509 --> 00:10:37.129 brother making intercession for you every day, 00:10:37.230 --> 00:10:40.230 the Spirit of God living inside of you, wanting 00:10:40.230 --> 00:10:43.690 to lift you and guide you and direct you. And 00:10:43.690 --> 00:10:47.509 so I would encourage you as you look back that 00:10:47.509 --> 00:10:52.250 you, yes, Lord, is there some things I need to 00:10:52.250 --> 00:10:55.230 address? But also that you list some things, 00:10:55.289 --> 00:10:59.049 this went well. I really made improvements. Wow, 00:10:59.250 --> 00:11:02.269 you know something? I did work out more regularly 00:11:02.269 --> 00:11:05.250 than in the last several years. Or, you know 00:11:05.250 --> 00:11:08.730 something? You know, I had a troubling or a difficult 00:11:08.730 --> 00:11:11.850 or a concerning relationship at work. Or, you 00:11:11.850 --> 00:11:13.169 know, if you're married, maybe it was with one 00:11:13.169 --> 00:11:16.230 of your children or with an in -law. And you 00:11:16.230 --> 00:11:17.830 kind of look at that and you say, you know something? 00:11:18.309 --> 00:11:21.870 Great progress was made. Because see, once you 00:11:21.870 --> 00:11:25.539 look back, you want to evaluate and then what 00:11:25.539 --> 00:11:29.039 I call looking up, you want to take what you 00:11:29.039 --> 00:11:31.399 think and then kind of look up and say, Lord, 00:11:32.700 --> 00:11:35.259 you know, whether it's in your mind's eye or 00:11:35.259 --> 00:11:37.320 if you don't keep a journal, maybe you go through 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:40.019 the calendar and you just look at your calendar 00:11:40.019 --> 00:11:43.600 or scroll back over maybe some key texts and 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:47.679 just say, wow, what went well? Where did I see 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:50.340 God show up? What would I give thanks for? And 00:11:50.340 --> 00:11:53.080 what were some areas that seemed to be some themes? 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:57.740 And can I say, don't overthink it. The Lord really 00:11:57.740 --> 00:12:01.759 longs to help you more than you and I often want 00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:04.200 help. And if you're not quite sure, Lord, would 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:07.440 you bring to my mind? And so you evaluate. That's 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.950 step one. And when I do that, I do have a list. 00:12:11.070 --> 00:12:15.370 And so I'll ask myself, you know, in 2025, did 00:12:15.370 --> 00:12:19.230 I have a growing, vital, fruitful relationship 00:12:19.230 --> 00:12:24.710 with the Lord? Would I say my marriage is like... 00:12:25.710 --> 00:12:28.710 On a scale of 1 to 10, was it a 4? You know, 00:12:28.730 --> 00:12:31.389 we made it through. Was it a 7? You know, are 00:12:31.389 --> 00:12:33.330 we flourishing? Have we had one of those like, 00:12:33.370 --> 00:12:38.149 wow, wee, it was a 9. However you want to do 00:12:38.149 --> 00:12:40.789 it, but I think it's important to not get too 00:12:40.789 --> 00:12:44.169 narrowly focused. Obviously, we know from all 00:12:44.169 --> 00:12:46.440 the research that people are. a little over the 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:49.059 top on their weight and on getting in shape. 00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:51.100 And if you're a follower of Jesus, it's, you 00:12:51.100 --> 00:12:54.019 know, time in the Bible and prayer time. And 00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:56.919 those are all really, really important. But I 00:12:56.919 --> 00:12:59.179 would encourage you to say, okay, where am I 00:12:59.179 --> 00:13:02.139 at in my relationship with the Lord? Where am 00:13:02.139 --> 00:13:04.600 I at in those most important relationships? If 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:07.360 you're married, obviously your mate. If you have 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:10.500 children, obviously your children. Then you may 00:13:10.500 --> 00:13:13.580 ask yourself physically, I mean, if my body's 00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:16.590 the temple of God, You know, let's be honest, 00:13:16.789 --> 00:13:19.850 you know, if it's been sort of a lot on the couch 00:13:19.850 --> 00:13:21.950 and a lot of potato chips and a lot of pizza 00:13:21.950 --> 00:13:25.549 and a lot of like you've been planning on changing 00:13:25.549 --> 00:13:28.970 or maybe you're on the other end where, I mean, 00:13:28.970 --> 00:13:32.009 you're just so self -focused because your body 00:13:32.009 --> 00:13:34.110 has to be just perfect and, you know, you've 00:13:34.110 --> 00:13:36.909 got to work out at this nth degree and it's taken 00:13:36.909 --> 00:13:39.629 over your life. You know, part of evaluation 00:13:39.629 --> 00:13:42.830 is realizing, you know, there's some good things 00:13:42.830 --> 00:13:45.830 that can become idols as well. And then I would 00:13:45.830 --> 00:13:48.610 look at other relationships. You know, how are 00:13:48.610 --> 00:13:51.409 you doing with friends? And I don't mean just 00:13:51.409 --> 00:13:54.389 casual, but I mean, are they growing? Are they 00:13:54.389 --> 00:13:56.110 going deeper? Do you feel like you have people 00:13:56.110 --> 00:13:58.710 that you can really be open and honest with? 00:13:58.870 --> 00:14:02.269 And maybe the flip side, are you that kind of 00:14:02.269 --> 00:14:06.429 a friend to someone? Work is obviously a big, 00:14:06.509 --> 00:14:08.909 big part of your life and my life, and it takes 00:14:08.909 --> 00:14:12.610 up a huge chunk. And we usually do better at 00:14:12.610 --> 00:14:15.230 goals at work. But to ask yourself, what are 00:14:15.230 --> 00:14:17.889 your goals this year? And maybe the goals are, 00:14:17.929 --> 00:14:21.509 I'm going to work less. Maybe it's, I have a 00:14:21.509 --> 00:14:24.750 real specific goal for a promotion that's a God 00:14:24.750 --> 00:14:28.500 -given, this is a desire or a dream. Maybe it's 00:14:28.500 --> 00:14:30.500 like, you know, I've talked about going back 00:14:30.500 --> 00:14:33.080 to school for like five years. No, it's six years. 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:35.580 Oh, actually, it's been seven years. And I took 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:39.399 one class and get focused and decide what you're 00:14:39.399 --> 00:14:41.600 not going to do. I mean, if you're going to go 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:44.000 back to school, fantasy football goes out the 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:46.480 door. If you're going to go back to school, you 00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:49.320 know, the Tuesday, Thursday bowling league, whatever 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:54.409 it is, you can't do everything. The big lie is 00:14:54.409 --> 00:14:59.590 we think we can do far more than we can. And 00:14:59.590 --> 00:15:02.629 then I would be remiss if I didn't ask you to 00:15:02.629 --> 00:15:06.149 evaluate your personal ministry. I don't mean 00:15:06.149 --> 00:15:08.230 just you go to church. I mean, that would be 00:15:08.230 --> 00:15:10.990 a good one to look at. When we survey people, 00:15:11.149 --> 00:15:13.350 you know, we have Barna or others do some surveys 00:15:13.350 --> 00:15:16.759 for us at Living on the Edge. You maybe you wouldn't 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:19.159 be shocked. I'm shocked that what people report, 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:21.679 how often they go to church or how often they 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.139 read the Bible or how they're doing spiritually 00:15:24.139 --> 00:15:29.539 is is like 25 to 50 percent better than reality. 00:15:29.539 --> 00:15:31.720 And I don't think they're consciously lying. 00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:34.659 I think it's just like, well, yeah, you know, 00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:37.799 we yeah, we're regular. Well, except for during 00:15:37.799 --> 00:15:41.789 the traveling. team season. And we're regular 00:15:41.789 --> 00:15:44.509 except for in the summer where we've got a place 00:15:44.509 --> 00:15:48.570 at the lake. And pretty soon you start adding 00:15:48.570 --> 00:15:50.549 the holidays. Well, when people come in town, 00:15:50.649 --> 00:15:53.509 it's not really so good to go to church. My whole 00:15:53.509 --> 00:15:56.009 point is not whether you do or whether you don't 00:15:56.009 --> 00:16:00.029 at this point. It's being honest with where are 00:16:00.029 --> 00:16:04.610 you really at. And I think the final one that 00:16:04.610 --> 00:16:07.129 is really important is ask yourself to evaluate. 00:16:07.820 --> 00:16:11.899 Where am I at emotionally? I mean, am I an anxious 00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:17.159 person? Am I someone who worries? If I sort of 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:19.360 tried to evaluate, what's my joy level? What's 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:23.240 my peace level? What's my love level? And then 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:26.019 no evaluation is complete by doing it just by 00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:30.059 yourself. I would encourage you to, as much as 00:16:30.059 --> 00:16:33.259 you can, do a little bit of a 360. If you're 00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:37.539 married, you know. Get prepared, but ask with 00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:39.919 a real desire to hear, what do you think I'm 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.600 really doing well? Don't ask for everything. 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:45.179 Could you give me two areas you think I could 00:16:45.179 --> 00:16:48.659 improve? And if you have children, a little riskier, 00:16:48.779 --> 00:16:51.940 but you might ask them. What about some close 00:16:51.940 --> 00:16:54.600 friends or someone in your small group? And even 00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:57.940 at work, regardless of your role, to just a couple 00:16:57.940 --> 00:16:59.960 people like, you know, I'm evaluating this year. 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:03.710 And I look back on last year and, you know. They 00:17:03.710 --> 00:17:06.250 probably will not be as honest, but you might 00:17:06.250 --> 00:17:09.509 be surprised. And so you might be saying, Chip, 00:17:09.569 --> 00:17:11.269 you're spending a lot of time on evaluation. 00:17:12.589 --> 00:17:18.869 That's because knowing where you are is the prerequisite 00:17:18.869 --> 00:17:23.329 to moving from where you are to where you and 00:17:23.329 --> 00:17:25.849 God want you to be. You know, you can get in 00:17:25.849 --> 00:17:28.150 the car and say, man, I'll tell you what, we're 00:17:28.150 --> 00:17:30.549 going to Philadelphia. But if you don't know 00:17:30.549 --> 00:17:34.180 you're in L .A., you know, instead of Las Vegas, 00:17:34.279 --> 00:17:37.500 or you don't know you're in LA instead of New 00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:41.079 Orleans, it's a very different road to get there. 00:17:42.359 --> 00:17:45.279 I have some great news to share. So many of you 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:48.000 responded to our year -end match, sending your 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:50.660 gift before the December 31st deadline. Your 00:17:50.660 --> 00:17:53.500 investment is already at work, reaching the next 00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:56.279 generation, supporting pastors who feel alone, 00:17:56.539 --> 00:17:59.000 and helping believers grow deeper in their faith. 00:17:59.740 --> 00:18:02.779 Because you gave, 2026 will be a year of expanded 00:18:02.779 --> 00:18:06.319 ministry impact. On behalf of Chip and the entire 00:18:06.319 --> 00:18:09.680 Living on the Edge team, thank you. We'll now 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.019 back to today's message called, How to Make This 00:18:12.019 --> 00:18:14.559 Year Different. Again, our Bible teacher, Chip 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.940 Ingram. And now, let me give you, if you will, 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:22.880 some real practical ways that I think will kind 00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:26.539 of help. Once you get that list, And you're looking 00:18:26.539 --> 00:18:28.640 at it. If you don't feel overwhelmed, you probably 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:31.380 haven't done a great job. So you want to summarize 00:18:31.380 --> 00:18:34.819 and prioritize. This is where I'm doing well. 00:18:35.460 --> 00:18:38.900 This is what needs to change. And then list them. 00:18:39.180 --> 00:18:40.660 You know, just get them out of your head because 00:18:40.660 --> 00:18:42.559 they're going to mess with your brain and with 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:44.660 your emotions. Just list. Here's all the things 00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:46.380 I'm doing well. Here's all the things I think 00:18:46.380 --> 00:18:49.259 I need to change. And right. Once you get past 00:18:49.259 --> 00:18:51.279 about two or three, it's like, oh, my gosh, I 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:53.259 need to change, change, change. Just write them 00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:55.240 down to get them out of your head. And then you 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:57.500 take those lists and you look up and you bring 00:18:57.500 --> 00:18:59.900 them before the Lord and you say, God, you know, 00:18:59.900 --> 00:19:03.690 I. There's no way I can address all those issues. 00:19:03.890 --> 00:19:06.029 And I need to strengthen the things that I'm 00:19:06.029 --> 00:19:09.509 doing well. Would you give me real wisdom from 00:19:09.509 --> 00:19:13.309 you, Holy Spirit -led, of where do I need to 00:19:13.309 --> 00:19:16.589 stay focused in my strengths? And then what one 00:19:16.589 --> 00:19:19.750 or two things? It's just January, right? There's 00:19:19.750 --> 00:19:22.869 12 months in this year. What one or two things 00:19:22.869 --> 00:19:26.730 do you want me to begin to address? Please, please 00:19:26.730 --> 00:19:32.250 refuse to tackle all of them. I was talking to 00:19:32.250 --> 00:19:36.329 someone close to me. We, you know, got not a 00:19:36.329 --> 00:19:37.910 huge organization, but a number of different 00:19:37.910 --> 00:19:41.009 people in it. And I was looking at someone's 00:19:41.009 --> 00:19:44.109 goals. And I mean, it was like, you know, I'm 00:19:44.109 --> 00:19:46.009 going to read the Bible every day. I'm going 00:19:46.009 --> 00:19:47.710 to lead a Bible study. I'm going to memorize 00:19:47.710 --> 00:19:49.809 so many scriptures. I'm going to, I mean, it 00:19:49.809 --> 00:19:52.509 was like, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. And I 00:19:52.509 --> 00:19:55.549 told this particular person, I said, you really 00:19:55.549 --> 00:19:57.410 don't want to go there. No, no, no, no, no, I 00:19:57.410 --> 00:20:00.380 think I can do it. And then we do, rather than 00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:03.039 yearly, three times a year we do evaluations 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:05.960 at Living on the Edge. And so the evaluation 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:09.640 time came and this person came to me and said, 00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:13.920 oh my, I really, I bit off way too much and then 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.980 I could chew. Then I felt defeated a lot of the 00:20:15.980 --> 00:20:18.680 time. It was so overwhelming. Then I realized 00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:22.079 halfway in, I can't do all this. I actually made 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.180 some good progress, but because I tried to do 00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:27.240 everything, it was overwhelming. It was negative. 00:20:27.740 --> 00:20:31.059 I've got to scale back and just come up with 00:20:31.059 --> 00:20:35.339 what's realistic. And here's what all the research 00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:37.839 tells you. And whether you read a book like Atomic 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:42.700 Habits or others, consistency is much more important 00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:46.119 than setting a big goal and keeping a big goal. 00:20:46.339 --> 00:20:48.339 If you say, you know, I really want to get into 00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:51.779 God's Word and I want to develop that habit or 00:20:51.779 --> 00:20:54.839 I want to work out, I want to tell you. That 00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:57.039 if you would do it every day and if the day you 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:58.740 don't want to do it, it feels terrible. There's 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:00.539 no way I'm going to open the Bible. You say, 00:21:00.579 --> 00:21:02.880 I can open it for five minutes. Set your watch 00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:05.400 even. Open it for five minutes and read for five 00:21:05.400 --> 00:21:09.130 minutes and then shut it and go on. most times 00:21:09.130 --> 00:21:11.250 you'll end up doing it a bit more than five minutes, 00:21:11.289 --> 00:21:14.029 but the habit of doing it five minutes will lead 00:21:14.029 --> 00:21:17.690 to 10 or 15, and you'll build the rhythm and 00:21:17.690 --> 00:21:20.609 the habit in your life that's far more important 00:21:20.609 --> 00:21:23.309 than, I spent a half hour with God when you were 00:21:23.309 --> 00:21:25.809 doing nothing or little. You know, then I did 00:21:25.809 --> 00:21:27.970 this, then I did that, and then you look up and 00:21:27.970 --> 00:21:29.789 you haven't done it in a week, then you feel 00:21:29.789 --> 00:21:34.769 defeated. A consistency. Look, try to lose like 00:21:34.769 --> 00:21:38.880 one pound. a week or every two weeks. And he 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:41.359 goes, Chip, it'll take me six months to get where 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:44.819 I need to be. Yes, it will. And it'll stay off 00:21:44.819 --> 00:21:48.059 and you won't be binging. You know, the key, 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:53.640 start small, develop habits, progress and consistency. 00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:56.720 And so you're not going to try to do everything. 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:00.039 And here's when you think about prioritizing 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:04.240 things. Jesus was teaching in the Sermon on the 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:07.059 Mount. And by this time, he's talked about prayer. 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:09.839 He's talked about fasting. He's talked about 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:12.039 his word. He's talked about not lusting. And 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:15.420 when he gets to the end of chapter six, and this 00:22:15.420 --> 00:22:17.420 is before there's a pretty big summary about, 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:20.059 you know, chapter seven opens with, you know, 00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:22.779 the two kinds of people. And there's one kind 00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:24.960 that talk about and hear God's word that don't 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:26.980 put it into practice. And then there's the kind 00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:29.740 who hear from God and put it into practice. And 00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:32.430 one is built on the rock. application, consistency, 00:22:32.990 --> 00:22:36.690 obedience. And the other is, I heard it, I intended 00:22:36.690 --> 00:22:40.490 to, I convinced myself I am doing it, and it 00:22:40.490 --> 00:22:45.509 ends like built on sand. And in chapter 6 of 00:22:45.509 --> 00:22:48.869 Matthew, verse 33, he says, but seek ye first 00:22:48.869 --> 00:22:51.650 the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and 00:22:51.650 --> 00:22:54.589 all these things will be added to you. And it 00:22:54.589 --> 00:22:57.930 was the concern about clothing and food and the 00:22:57.930 --> 00:23:01.099 necessities of life. And so what Jesus was teaching 00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:03.519 there, that there is a really clear priority. 00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:06.299 And I would say this, you may need to get in 00:23:06.299 --> 00:23:08.799 shape, get in shape spiritually before you get 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:11.460 in shape physically. It's not necessarily an 00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:14.779 either or, but what I know, if you get in shape 00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:17.460 spiritually, you'll hear from God. As you hear 00:23:17.460 --> 00:23:20.240 from God, you get grace. Grace is both the want 00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:23.339 to and the power and the ability to obey and 00:23:23.339 --> 00:23:26.380 do what he wants you to do. So that's just a 00:23:26.380 --> 00:23:28.759 priority with me. You know, there's times I don't 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:31.519 work out as much as I want to, but I have diligently 00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:34.839 made the habit over many decades now. I meet 00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:37.940 with God every morning. I have an honest conversation. 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:42.259 And if your soul gets healthy, the rest of you 00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:45.440 will eventually get healthy. The next thing I 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:47.789 would say is don't go it alone. you will fail. 00:23:47.930 --> 00:23:50.930 I mean, there's a reason that whether it's AA 00:23:50.930 --> 00:23:55.029 or Jenny Craig or White Watchers or you name 00:23:55.029 --> 00:23:57.970 any group, Al -Anon, they all have discovered 00:23:57.970 --> 00:24:01.269 the biblical principle that a cord of three is 00:24:01.269 --> 00:24:05.190 not easily broken. Proverbs 13 .20 says, He who 00:24:05.190 --> 00:24:08.009 dwells with wise men will be wise, but the companion 00:24:08.009 --> 00:24:12.660 of a fool will suffer harm. You can't go it alone. 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:15.460 You have to verbalize your goals. You need someone 00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:18.480 in your corner. And if it's an area that's a 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:22.079 struggle for you, like dieting or working out, 00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:24.759 probably your mate is not going to be the best 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:27.539 person because it feels like when we do that 00:24:27.539 --> 00:24:29.799 for the person that we're married to, that we're 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:32.500 becoming the junior Holy Spirit, and then they 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:35.460 feel it. Don't go there. If you're a woman, find 00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:37.740 a woman that can speak into your life. If you're 00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:40.039 a man, find a man who speaks into your life. 00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:43.339 And when it comes to devotions and physical exercise, 00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:47.740 don't go it alone. Even if you have to say, hey, 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:49.779 we're going to text each other at the end of 00:24:49.779 --> 00:24:52.420 each day when we do this practice or don't do 00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:55.500 this practice. Once a week, maybe it's your closest 00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:57.920 friend is across the country. Hey, can we Zoom 00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:01.640 for 15 minutes? There is plenty of ways to be 00:25:01.640 --> 00:25:05.400 successful and to connect, but don't go it alone. 00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:08.539 And then the last thought, or next to the last 00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:12.579 thought maybe, is John 15, 5. Jesus says, abide 00:25:12.579 --> 00:25:16.299 in me. I'm the vine, you're the branch. Apart 00:25:16.299 --> 00:25:23.480 from me, you can do nothing. Refuse, refuse to 00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:27.359 think somehow that willpower and habits and hacks, 00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:31.140 and I'm going to do it this way. The only one 00:25:31.140 --> 00:25:33.519 that can live the Christian life, are you ready, 00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:37.970 is Jesus. He's asked you to abide. The only one 00:25:37.970 --> 00:25:40.289 that can overcome every temptation is Jesus. 00:25:40.630 --> 00:25:43.769 And he lives in you. Your body is the temple 00:25:43.769 --> 00:25:47.549 of the Holy Spirit. Jesus dwells in you. His 00:25:47.549 --> 00:25:50.269 power that raised him from the dead dwells in 00:25:50.269 --> 00:25:54.750 you. It's independency. And he has you depend 00:25:54.750 --> 00:25:57.910 on him through his word, through the community 00:25:57.910 --> 00:26:02.349 of God's people. And just say, Lord, I can't 00:26:02.349 --> 00:26:05.859 do this. You never said I could. but you can 00:26:05.859 --> 00:26:09.700 work in me and through me. And I would say the 00:26:09.700 --> 00:26:12.859 final thoughts that I think over the years that 00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:15.839 I've met with people and in my own life where 00:26:15.839 --> 00:26:20.880 I've so failed is refuse to compare yourself 00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:23.970 with other people. The Apostle Paul would say 00:26:23.970 --> 00:26:27.069 in 2 Corinthians 10, verse 12, For we are not 00:26:27.069 --> 00:26:29.869 bold to class or compare ourselves with some 00:26:29.869 --> 00:26:32.069 of those who commend themselves. For when they 00:26:32.069 --> 00:26:34.809 measure themselves by themselves and compare 00:26:34.809 --> 00:26:37.329 themselves with themselves, they are without 00:26:37.329 --> 00:26:41.109 understanding. Comparison always leads to carnality. 00:26:41.430 --> 00:26:44.210 You always find yourself comparing up or comparing 00:26:44.210 --> 00:26:46.809 down. If you compare up, you're a nobody, you're 00:26:46.809 --> 00:26:49.130 worthless. If you compare down, you get arrogant 00:26:49.130 --> 00:26:52.579 and you're a jerk. You are you. Don't compare 00:26:52.579 --> 00:26:55.680 yourself. The only one you compare yourself with 00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:59.960 is God's standard before the living God who loves 00:26:59.960 --> 00:27:02.759 you and is for you. And how are you comparing 00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:05.680 with what you did before? And the last thing 00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:10.799 is refuse, and this is my lifelong one, refuse 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:16.440 to be a people pleaser. In Luke 16, 15, Jesus 00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:19.039 was talking to the Pharisees, and he said to 00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:20.940 them, he was speaking about money and wealth 00:27:20.940 --> 00:27:23.039 and some other areas, but the principle is true. 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:26.880 He says, you know what, you all? That which is 00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:30.160 highly esteemed among men is detestable in the 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:34.640 sight of God. Fame, likes, what you drive, the 00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:37.759 handbag, the watch, where you vacation, there 00:27:37.759 --> 00:27:42.369 is so much stuff. whether so -and -so went public, 00:27:42.529 --> 00:27:45.890 so -and -so got a promotion. It's not just comparison, 00:27:46.130 --> 00:27:50.609 it's pleasing people. And even people that are 00:27:50.609 --> 00:27:56.069 very, very close to you, you and I need to first 00:27:56.069 --> 00:27:59.890 and foremost please God. Paul would say in Galatians 00:27:59.890 --> 00:28:03.250 1 .10, if I were still seeking to please people, 00:28:03.490 --> 00:28:06.210 I wouldn't be a bondservant of Christ. And so 00:28:06.210 --> 00:28:08.329 let me encourage you, this year can be different. 00:28:08.599 --> 00:28:10.539 But it's not going to be different by trying 00:28:10.539 --> 00:28:14.759 harder, by trying to do too much. Evaluate. Look 00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:18.700 back. Then look up. Prioritize. And then say, 00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:24.720 Lord, 633, I'm going to seek you first and your 00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:28.480 righteousness. And I'm going to abide and I'm 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:31.140 going to do it with you in the community of a 00:28:31.140 --> 00:28:33.099 friend or two that I can really be honest with. 00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:36.779 And I'm just going to take baby steps in a couple 00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:40.750 areas. You do that in January, you'll see progress. 00:28:41.289 --> 00:28:43.450 And then maybe you want to add one in February, 00:28:43.450 --> 00:28:45.630 or you may want to increase what you're doing. 00:28:46.230 --> 00:28:49.750 That's how long -term transformation happens 00:28:49.750 --> 00:28:53.309 from the inside out. I hope this is a help, and 00:28:53.309 --> 00:28:56.730 I would love to hear from you. It's chip at livingontheedge, 00:28:56.789 --> 00:29:00.289 one long word, dot org. Chip at livingontheedge 00:29:00.289 --> 00:29:05.910 .org. Let me know how it's going. With a special 00:29:05.910 --> 00:29:08.769 message designed just for the new year, you're 00:29:08.769 --> 00:29:10.869 listening to the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram, 00:29:10.950 --> 00:29:14.309 and this is Living on the Edge. I'll reinforce 00:29:14.309 --> 00:29:16.769 what Chip said a moment ago. He'd love to hear 00:29:16.769 --> 00:29:19.549 your story. And you can send an email that'll 00:29:19.549 --> 00:29:23.470 reach Chip's desk by writing to chip at livingontheedge 00:29:23.470 --> 00:29:27.240 .org. To hear today's message again or to share 00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:29.440 Chip's thoughts with a friend, you can readily 00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:32.279 access the audio file by downloading the Chip 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:34.819 Ingram app. Then search for the message titled, 00:29:34.940 --> 00:29:37.900 How to Make This Year Different. And as we wrap 00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:40.200 up today, I want to express our profound gratitude 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:42.960 to those who gave to our December match, where 00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:46.460 every gift was doubled in size and impact. While 00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:49.079 it's too early for a final tally with mail still 00:29:49.079 --> 00:29:51.900 arriving, I can tell you this, the response has 00:29:51.900 --> 00:29:54.799 been overwhelming. Your extraordinary generosity 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:59.000 means we're entering 2026 with momentum and confidence, 00:29:59.319 --> 00:30:02.299 ready to expand our reach and deepen our impact. 00:30:02.900 --> 00:30:05.799 And if you intended to give but missed the December 00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:08.759 31st match deadline, there's still time to make 00:30:08.759 --> 00:30:11.400 a difference. Your gift today will help us build 00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:14.180 on this incredible foundation. Here's where to 00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:17.109 send your contribution. Living on the Edge, PO 00:30:17.109 --> 00:30:22.890 Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia, 30024. Our address 00:30:22.890 --> 00:30:29.009 again is PO Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia, 30024. 00:30:29.529 --> 00:30:35.309 You can also call 888 -333 -6003 or give online 00:30:35.309 --> 00:30:39.859 at livingontheedge .org. Well, I'm Dave Drewy, 00:30:39.859 --> 00:30:42.339 grateful to have you along today and urging you 00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:44.619 to join us to hear more practical Bible teaching 00:30:44.619 --> 00:30:47.940 from Chip Ingram, Monday on Living on the Edge.