WEBVTT 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.179 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.279 --> 00:00:17.960 Are you getting God's best? I mean, the God of 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:20.500 the universe who created all there is and loves 00:00:20.500 --> 00:00:24.920 you wants the highest, the best for you in every 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:27.839 area of your life. Is that what you're experiencing? 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:32.979 Well, if not, stick around. Ever wonder why so 00:00:32.979 --> 00:00:36.140 many Christians feel stuck? They genuinely love 00:00:36.140 --> 00:00:39.250 Jesus, but their lives don't reflect it. Today 00:00:39.250 --> 00:00:41.810 on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram exposes the 00:00:41.810 --> 00:00:44.329 invisible battle happening in every believer's 00:00:44.329 --> 00:00:47.729 mind. The world constantly pressures you to conform 00:00:47.729 --> 00:00:51.070 through screens, relationships, and endless messages 00:00:51.070 --> 00:00:54.090 about what makes you valuable. Meanwhile, God 00:00:54.090 --> 00:00:56.509 invites transformation through renewing your 00:00:56.509 --> 00:00:59.429 mind with His truth. This isn't about trying 00:00:59.429 --> 00:01:02.109 harder or being a better person through willpower. 00:01:02.329 --> 00:01:04.989 It's about allowing God's Word to reshape how 00:01:04.989 --> 00:01:08.459 you think, which transforms how you live. Now 00:01:08.459 --> 00:01:10.939 here's Chip Ingram with today's message, How 00:01:10.939 --> 00:01:13.900 to Get God's Best for Your Life. Have you ever 00:01:13.900 --> 00:01:18.420 wondered why there are so many decisions and 00:01:18.420 --> 00:01:22.579 so few disciples? Here's what I mean by that. 00:01:22.859 --> 00:01:25.859 What I know historically right now in the next 00:01:25.859 --> 00:01:29.319 24 hours, tens of thousands of people all across 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:31.739 the world will make decisions to follow Christ. 00:01:32.920 --> 00:01:35.799 They'll get it where you realize, I've sinned 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:38.560 before a holy God. Christ died in my place. He 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:41.359 rose from the dead. And you place your faith 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:43.060 in him and he takes you from the kingdom of darkness 00:01:43.060 --> 00:01:47.500 to the kingdom of light. But I'm guessing that 00:01:47.500 --> 00:01:49.780 we all have either a short or long list of friends. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:51.540 And for many of us, I've certainly been there 00:01:51.540 --> 00:01:56.079 myself where that's a reality. His spirit came 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:58.819 into your life. You begin to make some progress. 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:02.480 You started to grow. But then things kind of 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:05.969 got not so good. And the great majority, at least 00:02:05.969 --> 00:02:08.349 statistically, of people that genuinely know 00:02:08.349 --> 00:02:11.189 and love God, who are followers of Christ, their 00:02:11.189 --> 00:02:16.310 life isn't quite matching up. I got an email 00:02:16.310 --> 00:02:18.550 from a lady. It's a picture of this, and it's 00:02:18.550 --> 00:02:21.569 interesting. She said, thank you for your message 00:02:21.569 --> 00:02:26.060 this morning on Romans 12 .1. And then now listen 00:02:26.060 --> 00:02:28.080 to her story and see how much you can identify 00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.000 with. I came to Christ when I was 13, but I've 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:32.580 gone through a lot of hard times throughout my 00:02:32.580 --> 00:02:35.120 college and my relationship with God has been 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.039 up and down ever since. Lately, I've been feeling 00:02:38.039 --> 00:02:41.520 lethargic and distant from God. I woke up this 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:44.099 morning and I asked myself this question. If 00:02:44.099 --> 00:02:48.740 I died today, would people say that I was a Christian, 00:02:48.879 --> 00:02:53.219 that I was a messenger of God or? would they 00:02:53.219 --> 00:02:55.960 even say or know that I followed God at all? 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:00.319 Well, I happened to turn on your program, and 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:03.219 as I, in my inner life, have struggled both with 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:08.240 alcoholism and immorality, I heard what it meant 00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:13.120 to go all in. Bold letters. I decided to give 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:17.159 all myself to God and completely surrender to 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:22.960 Him. So thank you, and God bless. Sort of, there's 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:25.479 some really wonderful, neat parts. But isn't 00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:29.500 it kind of sad that someone would come to a saving 00:03:29.500 --> 00:03:34.300 knowledge at 13 and have the next plus or minus 00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:40.580 20 years described by up and down, distant, lethargic, 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:45.020 looking for the satisfaction that only God can 00:03:45.020 --> 00:03:47.819 give and for reasons maybe she didn't understand, 00:03:47.879 --> 00:03:52.280 finds herself. relying on alcohol and then multiple 00:03:52.280 --> 00:03:58.340 sexual relationships only to discover, oh, God 00:03:58.340 --> 00:04:01.500 has a good plan. God wants to give me the best. 00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:05.139 And for many people, they didn't know. It does 00:04:05.139 --> 00:04:08.020 require a moment where you say to him, I'm going 00:04:08.020 --> 00:04:11.900 to trust you. And here's what Romans 12 .1 said. 00:04:12.270 --> 00:04:14.469 Therefore, I urge you, my brothers, in view of 00:04:14.469 --> 00:04:17.009 God's mercy, remember 11 chapters of his love 00:04:17.009 --> 00:04:20.290 for you, offer your body a living and holy sacrifice, 00:04:20.509 --> 00:04:23.449 well -pleasing to God. This is your spiritual 00:04:23.449 --> 00:04:24.990 service. In other words, that's what God really 00:04:24.990 --> 00:04:29.990 wants. But here's the question. It's one thing 00:04:29.990 --> 00:04:33.050 to give God what he really wants. Second question 00:04:33.050 --> 00:04:36.750 is, how do you get the very best from God? And 00:04:36.750 --> 00:04:38.899 it's interesting, that's verse two. He's going 00:04:38.899 --> 00:04:41.959 to say, and do not be conformed any longer to 00:04:41.959 --> 00:04:45.120 this world, but be transformed by the renewing 00:04:45.120 --> 00:04:47.319 of your mind that your life, in other words, 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:49.540 your lifestyle, what you actually experience 00:04:49.540 --> 00:04:52.740 would be the good, well -pleasing, and perfect 00:04:52.740 --> 00:04:54.819 will of God. So I'm going to ask you to open 00:04:54.819 --> 00:04:56.720 your teaching handout. And what I want you to 00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:58.980 do is know that we're going to ask and answer 00:04:58.980 --> 00:05:01.040 the question that I think is one of the most 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:04.000 important for any Christian. How do you get the 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.389 very best from God? What you're going to see, 00:05:06.430 --> 00:05:08.290 the structure of this passage, there's a negative 00:05:08.290 --> 00:05:11.649 command. Stop literally allowing the world to 00:05:11.649 --> 00:05:14.110 conform you to its mold. Then there's a positive 00:05:14.110 --> 00:05:17.829 command. But be transformed by the renewing of 00:05:17.829 --> 00:05:19.910 your mind. And then there's this purpose clause. 00:05:20.350 --> 00:05:23.990 There's a reason. Why? So that you personally, 00:05:24.149 --> 00:05:27.129 not someone out there, so you could experience 00:05:27.129 --> 00:05:30.810 the good, well -pleasing, perfect will of God. 00:05:31.310 --> 00:05:33.629 So you got your study out. Let me do a little 00:05:33.629 --> 00:05:35.790 Bible study. It's a bit more technical than normal, 00:05:35.850 --> 00:05:39.110 but I think it's worthwhile. The negative command 00:05:39.110 --> 00:05:41.329 is do not be conformed to the pattern of this 00:05:41.329 --> 00:05:44.769 world. And then in 1 John 2, 15 through 17, I've 00:05:44.769 --> 00:05:47.250 put the text right in your notes. He will literally 00:05:47.250 --> 00:05:51.009 define and explain what are the world's values 00:05:51.009 --> 00:05:54.230 and how's it work. Follow along as I read. Do 00:05:54.230 --> 00:05:56.430 not love the world or the things that are in 00:05:56.430 --> 00:05:59.920 the world. If anyone loves the world, The love 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:02.379 of the Father is not in him. And now he's going 00:06:02.379 --> 00:06:04.139 to define. So what's the world? For all that 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:06.060 is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust 00:06:06.060 --> 00:06:08.839 of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life is 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:10.579 not from the Father, but it's from the world. 00:06:10.699 --> 00:06:14.360 And then notice this commentary. The world is 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:19.319 passing away in its lusts or passions. But the 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:23.620 one who does the will of God lives forever. And 00:06:23.620 --> 00:06:28.120 so... In summary, the world system seeks to seduce 00:06:28.120 --> 00:06:31.980 us from our love for Christ by pleasure, possessions, 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:36.279 and position. Here's what I want you to get. 00:06:36.579 --> 00:06:39.980 There is a system that comes on almost every 00:06:39.980 --> 00:06:43.220 commercial, every billboard, in every magazine, 00:06:43.420 --> 00:06:47.620 where you work, that tells you that if you could... 00:06:47.899 --> 00:06:50.939 possess that, if you get this position, if your 00:06:50.939 --> 00:06:53.379 kids get in this school, if you can have these 00:06:53.379 --> 00:06:56.660 things that security and significance and meaning 00:06:56.660 --> 00:06:59.319 and happiness and purpose, it's all for you. 00:06:59.540 --> 00:07:01.939 In fact, every time you walk out of the checkout 00:07:01.939 --> 00:07:04.920 stand, it screams the world system. Because here 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:07.000 you are, you got your little groceries and you're 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:08.800 at the local grocery store and, you know, they 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:10.500 got all the magazines and this magazine number 00:07:10.500 --> 00:07:13.339 one is either Cosmo or Men's Health. And if you're 00:07:13.339 --> 00:07:15.519 a guy, you look more at Cosmo than you do Men's 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:18.439 Health. And all the girls, literally, they're 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:20.060 all the same from the neck down when you look 00:07:20.060 --> 00:07:22.959 at the cover of Cosmo. Some of you will get that 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:25.480 a little bit later. And it just says sex, man, 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:28.420 if you have that. Or part of this, look at men's 00:07:28.420 --> 00:07:31.560 health and say, man, if I had abs, if I had abs 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:35.500 like that, man, the women would love me. And 00:07:35.500 --> 00:07:40.720 so sex, power, position, and then we create worlds 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:45.389 so that our kids can get money. power, sex, and 00:07:45.389 --> 00:07:49.009 position. So we work like crazy, don't see one 00:07:49.009 --> 00:07:52.269 another, spend most of our time staring at screens, 00:07:52.610 --> 00:07:56.069 have relationships that don't work, work hours 00:07:56.069 --> 00:07:59.029 that are insane, be in the gym for long hours 00:07:59.029 --> 00:08:01.470 to become and look like someone so someone will 00:08:01.470 --> 00:08:06.170 love us. And all the while, the people that have 00:08:06.170 --> 00:08:10.589 the most money, with the sexiest bodies, with 00:08:10.589 --> 00:08:14.699 the largest houses, who've won the lotto or are 00:08:14.699 --> 00:08:18.500 the celebrities, when we look carefully at their 00:08:18.500 --> 00:08:21.660 life, we see the highest percentage of depression, 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:26.920 divorce, suicide, and emptiness. It's like this 00:08:26.920 --> 00:08:29.500 crazy picture of everyone following the great 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:31.899 rainbow for the pot of gold with possessions 00:08:31.899 --> 00:08:34.980 and power and position. And those that have it 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:38.159 would come out and say, it's empty. It's empty. 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:41.620 And I can tell you, whether it's in South Africa 00:08:41.620 --> 00:08:45.240 or Korea or Hong Kong or Indonesia or the Silicon 00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:49.639 Valley or Nebraska, the great majority of Christians 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:53.679 are not experiencing God's best. And they're 00:08:53.679 --> 00:08:55.879 not experiencing God's best because their heart 00:08:55.879 --> 00:08:59.659 has been seduced away from their Savior and we've 00:08:59.659 --> 00:09:02.320 bought the lies that these things will fulfill 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:07.120 and they don't. And God brought you into this 00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:10.500 room on this day to say to you, I want to give 00:09:10.500 --> 00:09:14.820 you the best. So negative, stop allowing yourself 00:09:14.820 --> 00:09:18.179 to be molded by the world. So get aware. But 00:09:18.179 --> 00:09:20.320 that's not enough. Turn the page. Second, he's 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:24.120 going to say, start allowing yourself to be transformed 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:28.309 by the renewing of your mind. Notice the positive 00:09:28.309 --> 00:09:30.549 command. He says, don't allow the world, the 00:09:30.549 --> 00:09:33.289 externals to squeeze you and their values into 00:09:33.289 --> 00:09:35.669 this false belief and system of lies that lead 00:09:35.669 --> 00:09:38.710 to death, but allow yourself by the transformation 00:09:38.710 --> 00:09:41.490 of your mind to be changed from the inside out. 00:09:42.090 --> 00:09:45.350 It's the spirit of God taking the word of God, 00:09:45.470 --> 00:09:48.730 renewing your mind in the context of community 00:09:48.730 --> 00:09:52.470 of real life relationships where the very personality. 00:09:53.240 --> 00:09:56.519 of Jesus and his character where you're loving 00:09:56.519 --> 00:10:00.779 and kind and peaceful and gentle and generous 00:10:00.779 --> 00:10:05.659 and other -centered and have self -discipline. 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:07.960 And the fruit of the Spirit, which is really 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:11.279 the life of Christ, progressively becomes more 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:14.960 how you think and how you act. It's not trying 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:17.200 hard to be like Jesus. It's allowing the Jesus 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:19.820 living in you by the Holy Spirit to transform 00:10:19.820 --> 00:10:23.450 you from the inside out. You're listening to 00:10:23.450 --> 00:10:26.230 Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We're halfway 00:10:26.230 --> 00:10:28.289 through today's message, so don't go anywhere 00:10:28.289 --> 00:10:31.450 just yet. Today's insightful lesson comes from 00:10:31.450 --> 00:10:33.789 our series called God's Dream for Your Life. 00:10:34.110 --> 00:10:37.070 Want to dig deeper into these truths? Well, the 00:10:37.070 --> 00:10:40.610 full series is ready for you online at livingontheedge 00:10:40.610 --> 00:10:44.029 .org. You'll discover extra teaching content, 00:10:44.309 --> 00:10:46.809 downloadable materials, and discussion guides 00:10:46.809 --> 00:10:50.250 to take you further. Find it all at livingontheedge 00:10:50.250 --> 00:10:53.820 .org. Well, now let's rejoin Chip with today's 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:56.580 message. And so the application is really, I 00:10:56.580 --> 00:10:58.759 put it in the form of a question. Are you shaped 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:04.320 more by the world or by the word? The world is 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:06.860 saying, get, get, get, accumulate, accumulate, 00:11:07.139 --> 00:11:10.340 impress, impress, impress. The word is saying, 00:11:10.460 --> 00:11:16.879 give, give, give, be authentic, love, care. The 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:20.419 world is saying, it's how you look. The word 00:11:20.419 --> 00:11:24.580 is saying it's who you are. The word comes to 00:11:24.580 --> 00:11:27.600 you in the beauty of nature, primarily the Bible, 00:11:27.659 --> 00:11:29.840 the word of God, and out of the relationships 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:32.480 of other believers where Jesus lives inside of 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:35.539 them. All those things wooing you and drawing 00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:39.159 you to allow Christ be formed in you. And the 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:42.620 world comes at you in smartphones, computer, 00:11:43.100 --> 00:11:52.080 TV, Netflix, billboards. romance novels, relationships 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:55.940 where people kind of look at you and say, unless 00:11:55.940 --> 00:11:58.419 you have this, unless you look like that, unless 00:11:58.419 --> 00:12:00.679 you can do this, unless you can form that, you 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:03.559 don't really measure up. And you're in the battle 00:12:03.559 --> 00:12:08.080 of your life. External forces like this saying 00:12:08.080 --> 00:12:12.059 to you, conform, conform, conform. And an internal 00:12:12.059 --> 00:12:14.500 supernatural power saying, be transformed, be 00:12:14.500 --> 00:12:18.220 transformed. Is the input of God's word and God's 00:12:18.220 --> 00:12:21.639 people and those things influencing your time, 00:12:21.740 --> 00:12:24.740 your priorities, and your focus? Or is it more 00:12:24.740 --> 00:12:27.840 the world? Can you imagine in heaven how God 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:31.580 must feel about that lady and about us of a 13 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:34.100 -year -old girl that comes to know Jesus and 00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:36.179 his love and he's got this amazing plan for her. 00:12:36.580 --> 00:12:38.539 But she hears that unless you sleep with your 00:12:38.539 --> 00:12:40.759 boyfriend, you don't measure up. And so she does. 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:42.899 And she feels guilty because when the spirit 00:12:42.899 --> 00:12:45.440 lives in you, there's this battle. And she did 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.539 it to be loved. And well, then she feels bad 00:12:47.539 --> 00:12:49.159 about it. And so to get it sleep at night, she 00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:51.299 starts drinking a little bit. And she wants to 00:12:51.299 --> 00:12:52.940 be a part of things. So she hangs with the crowd. 00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:56.340 And down deep inside of her soul, she has this 00:12:56.340 --> 00:12:59.500 lack of peace. And then finally, she just realizes, 00:12:59.539 --> 00:13:01.460 I've spent 20 years with the Spirit of God living 00:13:01.460 --> 00:13:04.779 inside me. And I've never gotten God's best. 00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:08.860 I wonder how many Christians sitting in this 00:13:08.860 --> 00:13:13.700 room today are living right there today. Because, 00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:17.659 boy, I'll tell you, I've been there. So, application. 00:13:19.299 --> 00:13:23.000 And the goal of application is there's movement. 00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:25.879 God is going to nudge you about taking some steps 00:13:25.879 --> 00:13:29.000 to what? Saying no to the world and beginning 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.620 maybe some baby steps to say yes to him changing 00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:39.679 you. Notice Jesus, when he was facing this, Go 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:42.379 over to Jesus with Satan, Matthew chapter four, 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:45.879 and he's being tempted. And you, three temptations, 00:13:46.019 --> 00:13:48.559 how's he tempted? Lust of the flesh, lust of 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:52.399 the eyes, pride of life. How did he win? They 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:56.600 lost, he won. Why? It is written, it is written, 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:59.980 it is written. Each time, from memory, he reached 00:13:59.980 --> 00:14:02.980 back into Deuteronomy and the lie came, bam! 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.379 He knocked it out with the truth. And so in Matthew 00:14:07.379 --> 00:14:09.899 4, 4, it says, he answered Satan and said, it 00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:11.960 is written, man should not live by bread alone, 00:14:12.059 --> 00:14:13.840 but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:19.080 of God. You cannot experience God's best for 00:14:19.080 --> 00:14:24.500 your life without making this truth a part of 00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:29.940 your experience on a very regular basis. You 00:14:29.940 --> 00:14:31.480 don't have the power. I don't have the power. 00:14:32.350 --> 00:14:35.090 You must take the raw material of God's written 00:14:35.090 --> 00:14:38.730 word and get it into your mind and share it with 00:14:38.730 --> 00:14:40.769 other people so the Spirit of God can take the 00:14:40.769 --> 00:14:42.769 written word and make it the living word and 00:14:42.769 --> 00:14:45.509 change you and change your desires in ways that 00:14:45.509 --> 00:14:48.309 you can understand. It's supernatural. In fact, 00:14:48.330 --> 00:14:50.669 the Apostle Paul would say, it's not only supernatural, 00:14:50.809 --> 00:14:53.070 but it's a process. There's not like you can 00:14:53.070 --> 00:14:55.070 just turn a switch and now I'm like Jesus, you 00:14:55.070 --> 00:14:57.720 know? What's he saying? 2 Corinthians 3 .18, 00:14:57.779 --> 00:15:00.000 I put the passage there. But we all, speaking 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.059 of the difference between the old covenant and 00:15:02.059 --> 00:15:04.879 the new covenant, between, you know, the law 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:07.159 when it was given in Sinai and now with the Spirit 00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:09.679 living in us, but we all with unveiled faces 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:11.679 beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord. 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:16.139 Notice the tense of this verb. Our being transformed. 00:15:16.320 --> 00:15:19.799 How? From glory to glory, just as from the Lord, 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:25.460 the Spirit. He's saying, Moses, When he was up 00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:28.120 on the mountain with God, see, you become like 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:30.980 whoever you hang out with. And after 40 days 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:32.879 hanging out with God, he just glowed. He just 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:35.360 radiated with the glory of God. And so when he 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:36.860 came down, people couldn't take it, so he put 00:15:36.860 --> 00:15:38.500 a veil over his face so he could talk to them. 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:41.419 And then in his hypocrisy, when it started to 00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:43.259 fade, he kept the veil on because he wanted people 00:15:43.259 --> 00:15:46.460 to think he still had it. None of us ever do 00:15:46.460 --> 00:15:49.700 that, of course. We don't do any image management 00:15:49.700 --> 00:15:51.740 or any of those sort of things, but Moses did. 00:15:53.070 --> 00:15:55.049 And Paul says, you know, we, with an unveiled 00:15:55.049 --> 00:15:57.909 face, beholdings in a mirror, it's not direct, 00:15:57.950 --> 00:16:00.470 but we get these reflections and snapshots and 00:16:00.470 --> 00:16:03.710 moments where Jesus reveals himself and a passage 00:16:03.710 --> 00:16:05.690 comes out of the word and you're in a Bible study 00:16:05.690 --> 00:16:08.570 and someone speaks a word or accepts you in a 00:16:08.570 --> 00:16:10.450 way that you've never been accepted and you are 00:16:10.450 --> 00:16:12.789 vulnerable or you're supported or someone in 00:16:12.789 --> 00:16:16.379 love. actually rebukes you and calls you on the 00:16:16.379 --> 00:16:18.259 carpet for something that in your heart you've 00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:21.080 known and you realize that open rebuke is better 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:23.620 than love concealed and you find a safe place 00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:27.200 and God changes you. But it's from glory to glory. 00:16:28.019 --> 00:16:30.399 That's like four steps forward, two steps backward. 00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:33.679 We're all in process. And notice, who brings 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:35.360 about the change? From the Lord, the Spirit. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.960 And so here's the key, what I want you to get. 00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:42.360 Review, stop allowing the world to conform you. 00:16:42.920 --> 00:16:45.639 Start being transformed. Here's what I want to 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:50.179 camp on. How? What's your part? We said we can't 00:16:50.179 --> 00:16:52.580 change ourselves. Allow yourself to be transformed. 00:16:52.659 --> 00:16:55.419 How? Here's our part. The renewing of our mind. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:58.220 Mind renewal, I think, has three key components. 00:16:58.460 --> 00:17:01.159 The first component of mind renewal is renewing 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:03.899 your mind as a continual refocus of the Romans 00:17:03.899 --> 00:17:07.200 12 .1 perspective. Colossians 3 says, set your 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:08.640 mind on the things that are above, not on the 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:12.480 things that are on earth. It's a worldview, it's 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:14.900 a mindset that has eternity in mind, that has 00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:18.619 Christ in mind, about what matters in mind. See, 00:17:18.779 --> 00:17:20.319 when you come to that moment where you say, God, 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:22.960 I'm all in, I will do whatever, it's authentic, 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:25.240 it's real, it's sincere. You make great decisions 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:27.599 in that moment. But then there's Monday morning, 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:30.799 right? And that was two football games and an 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:32.779 argument with your roommate or your wife or with 00:17:32.779 --> 00:17:34.599 your husband and a kid who treated you dirty 00:17:34.599 --> 00:17:37.859 and a boss who wasn't very nice ago. And a different 00:17:37.859 --> 00:17:40.579 person shows up after that, right? And so you 00:17:40.579 --> 00:17:43.700 renew your mind to keep that focus, and all of 00:17:43.700 --> 00:17:45.759 us have different issues that we face that keep 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:49.299 us conformed to the world. Let me give you an 00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:54.839 example. As I grew up in my home, my family of 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:58.259 origin, I have one, you have one, the enemy uses 00:17:58.259 --> 00:18:01.039 the world in some ways in my life different than 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:04.450 yours. I mean, there's people that can walk into 00:18:04.450 --> 00:18:07.150 a bar, love friends, have no problem, never think 00:18:07.150 --> 00:18:09.369 about this, this, that. I mean, my dad was an 00:18:09.369 --> 00:18:12.789 alcoholic. Alcohol shaped our home. There's some 00:18:12.789 --> 00:18:14.650 people that you're not performance -oriented 00:18:14.650 --> 00:18:17.369 at all. Man, you are just balanced and laid back, 00:18:17.529 --> 00:18:20.109 and you go to work, you shut it off, no problem. 00:18:20.349 --> 00:18:22.490 You're not a people pleaser. You know, you're 00:18:22.490 --> 00:18:24.589 just so healthy, relationally and emotionally, 00:18:24.890 --> 00:18:28.579 and I envy you. And so I realized that I was 00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:31.039 a workaholic, that I was insecure, that I was 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:32.940 always trying to please people. And then after 00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:34.559 I got married, that I was very insensitive to 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:36.420 my wife. Other than that, as a Christian, I was 00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:39.829 really doing well. Now, I'm dead serious. I mean, 00:18:39.890 --> 00:18:42.470 I didn't have a porn addiction. I wasn't putting 00:18:42.470 --> 00:18:45.230 cocaine up my nose. Okay, but I'm saying those 00:18:45.230 --> 00:18:47.789 were real. And when I started reading the Bible 00:18:47.789 --> 00:18:49.930 some and I wanted to follow Jesus and I kept 00:18:49.930 --> 00:18:53.589 trying hard. I tried hard not to be a workaholic. 00:18:53.630 --> 00:18:56.230 I tried not to be insecure. I tried to be more 00:18:56.230 --> 00:18:59.130 sensitive to my wife. On my best days, and I'm 00:18:59.130 --> 00:19:01.809 pretty disciplined, willpower, I could only keep 00:19:01.809 --> 00:19:04.789 that up for about two weeks because I didn't 00:19:04.789 --> 00:19:07.990 understand. Transformation isn't about just trying 00:19:07.990 --> 00:19:12.109 hard. It's renewing your mind. And so I wrote 00:19:12.109 --> 00:19:15.869 down on some cards the truth. And now I prayed, 00:19:15.910 --> 00:19:17.890 I asked God, does it mean there's not self? Of 00:19:17.890 --> 00:19:20.250 course I had to make effort. But for example, 00:19:20.369 --> 00:19:22.869 I thought, am I gonna be insecure my whole life 00:19:22.869 --> 00:19:25.309 or am I gonna get my mind renewed? And so I wrote 00:19:25.309 --> 00:19:26.869 down this on a card. I read it in the morning, 00:19:26.910 --> 00:19:28.390 the night, put it in my pocket, read it multiple 00:19:28.390 --> 00:19:31.150 times a day. I'd like to be more authentic in 00:19:31.150 --> 00:19:35.819 every aspect of my life. You know, I was trying 00:19:35.819 --> 00:19:39.079 to please everyone and I am what I am by the 00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:41.380 grace of God. And his grace didn't prove vain 00:19:41.380 --> 00:19:43.119 toward me, but I labored more than all of them, 00:19:43.140 --> 00:19:46.519 yet not me, but Christ in me. You know, when 00:19:46.519 --> 00:19:48.660 you keep reading over, I'd like to be more authentic 00:19:48.660 --> 00:19:51.119 in every relationship. You know what happens 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:53.880 that gets in your mind? You catch yourself when 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:57.000 you're posing. You catch yourself image managing 00:19:57.000 --> 00:20:00.359 and God begins to birth where you say, you know, 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:02.279 I think I'm just gonna like who God made me. 00:20:02.779 --> 00:20:06.799 Got a long way to go. Transformation. My people 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:09.140 pleasing. I mean, anybody here ever struggle 00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:11.420 with like, everyone asks you to do this and you 00:20:11.420 --> 00:20:13.059 either feel guilty if you don't and you're trying 00:20:13.059 --> 00:20:14.720 to do everything and you're multitasking and 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:16.740 you're up early and you're back late and you 00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:19.279 know, I wrote this on a card. I want to stop 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:21.599 caring what others think and apply myself and 00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:23.859 my schedule to what will make me the best I can 00:20:23.859 --> 00:20:26.940 be to honor God the most. I want to grow free 00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:30.279 of the invisible expectations that I allow to 00:20:30.279 --> 00:20:33.000 hinder my joy, my freedom, my schedule from pursuing 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:37.220 the best. These invisible, like I had this gun 00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:42.180 to my head. Still struggle some. But if you live 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:44.920 your life to please people, it'll kill you. But 00:20:44.920 --> 00:20:49.319 it's the world. So you refocus. My next one was 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:54.319 on my workaholism. I just thought working a lot, 00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:57.200 performing, getting stuff done, I got approval. 00:20:57.819 --> 00:21:00.240 And so that was how I did everything. I even 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:03.039 did the ministry like that. And so I wrote on 00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:06.190 this card, I read it over. I want to learn. This 00:21:06.190 --> 00:21:08.289 is almost sick to have to learn this. I want 00:21:08.289 --> 00:21:10.470 to learn to take time and schedule in enjoyable, 00:21:10.730 --> 00:21:13.769 fun, refreshing activities without feeling guilty 00:21:13.769 --> 00:21:16.549 about them or caring what other people think. 00:21:17.650 --> 00:21:21.309 What happened was I just found putting it in 00:21:21.309 --> 00:21:23.609 my schedule. Pretty soon I didn't feel guilty 00:21:23.609 --> 00:21:25.609 about having fun. It was like, wow, this must 00:21:25.609 --> 00:21:30.190 be a part of God's plan. You're hearing Living 00:21:30.190 --> 00:21:33.170 on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Chip will be back 00:21:33.170 --> 00:21:35.970 with final thoughts in just a moment. Before 00:21:35.970 --> 00:21:37.970 he returns, though, let me point you to some 00:21:37.970 --> 00:21:40.630 valuable ways to stay connected with this ministry 00:21:40.630 --> 00:21:43.690 beyond the radio broadcast. The Chip Ingram app 00:21:43.690 --> 00:21:46.410 puts over a year's worth of Chip's teaching library 00:21:46.410 --> 00:21:50.470 in your pocket. Download it free on iOS or Android. 00:21:50.809 --> 00:21:53.369 You'll find current series, classic messages 00:21:53.369 --> 00:21:56.410 and resources like daily discipleship accessible 00:21:56.410 --> 00:22:00.369 anytime, anywhere. Also follow us on social media. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:03.339 Chip's Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube pages 00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:05.920 feature short teaching clips, daily encouragement, 00:22:06.140 --> 00:22:09.279 and resources designed for easy sharing. When 00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:11.819 you connect with us online, you join a community 00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:14.420 of believers worldwide who are learning to live 00:22:14.420 --> 00:22:17.880 out their faith authentically. For over 30 years, 00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:20.400 Living on the Edge has maintained one clear mission, 00:22:20.579 --> 00:22:23.279 helping Christians move from knowing about God 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:26.480 to genuinely walking with Him. not through complicated 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:29.259 theology or religious performance, but through 00:22:29.259 --> 00:22:31.940 practical biblical teaching that works in real 00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:35.220 life. Every week, believers discover how to apply 00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:37.960 Scripture to their marriages, parenting, careers, 00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:40.779 and personal struggles. This happens because 00:22:40.779 --> 00:22:43.319 partners invest in getting these messages to 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:46.000 people who desperately need them. Your support, 00:22:46.099 --> 00:22:48.759 whether monthly or one time, makes this ministry 00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:52.240 possible. Will you join our team today? To give, 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:55.240 visit livingontheedge .org or mail your gift 00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:59.160 to Living on the Edge, P .O. Box 3007, Atlanta, 00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:06.319 Georgia 30024. You can also call 888 -333 -6003. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:09.039 And be sure to subscribe to the Living on the 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:12.160 Edge podcast featuring uncut sermons through 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:15.299 the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast, available on 00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:18.720 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen. 00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:22.000 Well, now here's Chip with some final thoughts. 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:25.039 As you listen to today's message, what went through 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:28.099 your mind? I mean, it's a no -yes proposition, 00:23:28.119 --> 00:23:31.160 and to get God's best, what we talked about is 00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:34.700 you have to say no to the influences of the world 00:23:34.700 --> 00:23:38.839 system that is taking you out of receiving God's 00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:41.519 best. We're going to talk about how do you actually 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:44.619 renew your mind to receive God's best. But today 00:23:44.619 --> 00:23:47.500 is kind of like inventory day. I mean, what came 00:23:47.500 --> 00:23:51.039 to your mind? What people, what practices, you 00:23:51.039 --> 00:23:53.119 know, what's going into your mind, your heart 00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:56.980 that you realize as I was talking? In fact, you 00:23:56.980 --> 00:23:58.980 realized it because the Spirit of God did that 00:23:58.980 --> 00:24:00.859 thing. You know how he does where he just sort 00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:03.640 of pokes and you go, ooh, it sort of hurts, but 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:06.839 I know it's true. Where did he poke you? I mean, 00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:09.200 what movie, what Netflix, what relationships, 00:24:09.420 --> 00:24:13.529 what websites, what books? What magazines do 00:24:13.529 --> 00:24:15.369 you just say? And some of them, they aren't even 00:24:15.369 --> 00:24:18.210 wrong. They're just not helpful. They're not 00:24:18.210 --> 00:24:21.970 healthy. They're distracting. Did God just whisper 00:24:21.970 --> 00:24:25.150 to your spirit and say, you can keep doing that, 00:24:25.230 --> 00:24:28.150 but you'll never get my best. You need to make 00:24:28.150 --> 00:24:32.089 room for me so I can do in you and through you 00:24:32.089 --> 00:24:35.769 what I long to do so you get the very, very best. 00:24:36.009 --> 00:24:37.950 And so what I want you to do is just identify 00:24:37.950 --> 00:24:41.230 that and then make a commitment. to be with me 00:24:41.230 --> 00:24:43.430 at our next broadcast. And we're going to talk 00:24:43.430 --> 00:24:46.809 about how to be transformed by the renewing of 00:24:46.809 --> 00:24:49.470 your mind. I'm Dave Drewy, and we'll see you 00:24:49.470 --> 00:24:55.569 next time here on Living on the Edge. Today's 00:24:55.569 --> 00:24:58.130 program is produced and sponsored by Living on 00:24:58.130 --> 00:24:58.630 the Edge.