WEBVTT 00:00:11.210 --> 00:00:15.349 Is it possible to have peace? I mean to be content 00:00:15.349 --> 00:00:19.649 in the midst of adverse, challenging, and uncertain 00:00:19.649 --> 00:00:23.649 circumstances. The Bible would say yes. The question 00:00:23.649 --> 00:00:29.129 is how? And that's today. Welcome to this weekend 00:00:29.129 --> 00:00:31.929 edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:32.049 --> 00:00:34.909 The mission of this daily program is to intentionally 00:00:34.909 --> 00:00:37.710 disciple Christians through the insightful Bible 00:00:37.710 --> 00:00:40.280 teaching of Chip Ingram. You know, over the past 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:42.679 few years, I'm sure we've all experienced times 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:46.539 when peace felt unrealistic or unreachable. So 00:00:46.539 --> 00:00:48.880 today, as we revisit another program from our 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:51.799 current series, I Choose Peace, Chip will challenge 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:54.659 us to shift our perspective. Stay with us to 00:00:54.659 --> 00:00:57.020 learn a few valuable principles that'll help 00:00:57.020 --> 00:00:59.840 you hang on to God's gift of peace, even when 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.630 your world seems like it's falling apart. Well, 00:01:02.649 --> 00:01:04.609 with that, if you have a Bible, go to Philippians 00:01:04.609 --> 00:01:07.730 chapter 4 as we join Chip for his message in 00:01:07.730 --> 00:01:11.810 difficult circumstances. Webster, if you're wondering 00:01:11.810 --> 00:01:14.609 exactly what contentment is, says that contentment 00:01:14.609 --> 00:01:18.870 is happy enough with what one has or is, not 00:01:18.870 --> 00:01:21.709 desiring something more or different. In other 00:01:21.709 --> 00:01:23.769 words, you're satisfied. When you're content, 00:01:24.010 --> 00:01:26.010 it's not just you're happy with what you have, 00:01:26.170 --> 00:01:29.439 you're happy with who you are. You wouldn't want 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:31.739 to be three inches taller or seven inches shorter 00:01:31.739 --> 00:01:35.340 or, you know, you're content. You would say, 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:39.980 it's enough, it's good. And I want you to think 00:01:39.980 --> 00:01:43.239 back to what is it you believe would really help 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:45.760 you be content. And the clearer that you can 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:48.739 get on that, I believe the more powerfully God 00:01:48.739 --> 00:01:51.519 is going to speak to you. Because in human terms, 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:53.819 the problem with contentment is that the horizon 00:01:53.819 --> 00:01:56.489 is always moving. I mean, there's a time in your 00:01:56.489 --> 00:01:58.390 life where you say, you know, if I ever get a 00:01:58.390 --> 00:02:00.670 car, any kind of car, a beat -up junk or just 00:02:00.670 --> 00:02:02.629 a car, then I'd be happy. You know, then you 00:02:02.629 --> 00:02:04.609 get that car and you want one that really runs. 00:02:04.769 --> 00:02:06.629 And then you get that car. And then pretty soon 00:02:06.629 --> 00:02:09.389 you want one that runs and looks nice and you 00:02:09.389 --> 00:02:11.310 get that car. And pretty soon now you want two 00:02:11.310 --> 00:02:14.229 cars. And, you know, it goes on and on and on 00:02:14.229 --> 00:02:18.219 and on. The horizon always keeps moving. If I 00:02:18.219 --> 00:02:19.860 ever get married, God, I'd never ask for another 00:02:19.860 --> 00:02:22.680 thing. Three years later, oh, God, if you could 00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:24.400 ever work out this marriage, I'd never ask for 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:27.219 another thing. God, if you'd give me, give us 00:02:27.219 --> 00:02:30.000 a child. Oh, Lord, how did you bring that last 00:02:30.000 --> 00:02:35.500 one, you know? The horizon keeps moving. And 00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:38.759 so being human nature what it is, philosophically, 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:42.360 people over the ages have tried to solve this 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:46.110 contentment issue in two drastic ways. One group 00:02:46.110 --> 00:02:51.150 has taken that contentment will be found by conquering, 00:02:51.150 --> 00:02:54.449 achieving, acquiring until satisfied. But we 00:02:54.449 --> 00:02:56.250 kind of know from our personal experience that 00:02:56.250 --> 00:02:59.629 that doesn't work. Sure, it's nice to have nice 00:02:59.629 --> 00:03:01.689 stuff. It's nice to have a better job than the 00:03:01.689 --> 00:03:03.590 one you used to have, et cetera, et cetera. But, 00:03:03.590 --> 00:03:06.830 you know, that horizon keeps moving. And so in 00:03:06.830 --> 00:03:08.669 philosophic thought, one group of people thought 00:03:08.669 --> 00:03:10.810 that's not the way to go. It's not about getting, 00:03:10.870 --> 00:03:13.289 getting, acquiring, and having because there's 00:03:13.289 --> 00:03:16.000 no end to it. A group called the Stoics turned 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:17.819 it around and said, we're going to desire less 00:03:17.819 --> 00:03:21.099 and less until it doesn't matter. The only way 00:03:21.099 --> 00:03:22.719 to have peace is get less and less and less. 00:03:22.819 --> 00:03:24.639 And then when one of their children died or something 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.259 happened, it would be, it can't impact me. I 00:03:28.259 --> 00:03:31.060 like the quote of T .R. Glover said, the Stoics 00:03:31.060 --> 00:03:34.860 made the heart a desert and called it peace. 00:03:36.219 --> 00:03:39.860 And I don't know about you, but we got a little 00:03:39.860 --> 00:03:43.379 problem here. If getting more, more, more, more, 00:03:44.060 --> 00:03:46.939 can never bring contentment. And if desiring 00:03:46.939 --> 00:03:50.539 less, less, less, then the question is, how can 00:03:50.539 --> 00:03:56.539 we be satisfied today? And the answer to that... 00:03:57.840 --> 00:04:00.039 It's from the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:03.240 Spirit, and he's going to tell you and he's going 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:06.500 to tell me how you actually can be content. Not 00:04:06.500 --> 00:04:08.979 when this, this, this. You can be content today. 00:04:09.060 --> 00:04:12.919 You can actually live your life in a way empowered 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.319 by the Spirit of God so that when things are 00:04:15.319 --> 00:04:18.180 great or when things are terrible, you can say 00:04:18.180 --> 00:04:22.139 and mean it, it is well with my soul. And you're 00:04:22.139 --> 00:04:24.319 going to learn it today. In fact, when I got 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:26.160 thinking about this, we should have charged people 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:29.870 to come in. I mean, it can have such a profound 00:04:29.870 --> 00:04:32.769 impact in terms of the whole world's looking 00:04:32.769 --> 00:04:36.170 for happiness. And today, God is going to teach 00:04:36.170 --> 00:04:39.670 us, his children, how you can experience a it 00:04:39.670 --> 00:04:45.449 is well with your soul 24 -7, 365, 24 hours a 00:04:45.449 --> 00:04:47.790 day. Now, it's a journey. It doesn't happen all 00:04:47.790 --> 00:04:50.769 at once. Well, let's find out where that answer 00:04:50.769 --> 00:04:53.730 is found. Philippians chapter 4, 10 to 13. If 00:04:53.730 --> 00:04:55.819 you have your Bible, you can... Track along with 00:04:55.819 --> 00:04:58.040 me, but I put the text in so we could be in the 00:04:58.040 --> 00:05:02.019 same translation. Here's the occasion. The occasion 00:05:02.019 --> 00:05:05.379 is the Apostle Paul is in prison. So you've got 00:05:05.379 --> 00:05:08.160 to remember he's writing a letter, and this church, 00:05:08.279 --> 00:05:09.660 the Philippian church, they've got this great 00:05:09.660 --> 00:05:12.480 relationship, and it's the theme of this whole 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:14.560 letter that he writes to them is about joy, and 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:17.220 it started in such a way where there's not a 00:05:17.220 --> 00:05:19.139 lot of problems in this church. One made a little 00:05:19.139 --> 00:05:22.699 relational problem toward the end, but he's built 00:05:22.699 --> 00:05:25.470 this bond with them. And things have gone a little 00:05:25.470 --> 00:05:28.009 bit south for him. He's ended up in jail. He's 00:05:28.009 --> 00:05:30.509 in a Roman prison. And I'm not exactly sure what 00:05:30.509 --> 00:05:32.430 all that, but I know that every four to six hours, 00:05:32.470 --> 00:05:35.170 a new guard is chained to him. The food is not 00:05:35.170 --> 00:05:38.310 real good. He's got scars on his body. He's had 00:05:38.310 --> 00:05:41.089 a very difficult life. This is toward the latter 00:05:41.089 --> 00:05:44.050 parts of his life. So you got bad food. It's 00:05:44.050 --> 00:05:46.009 cold. It's damp. There's rats. There's probably 00:05:46.009 --> 00:05:48.490 the smell of excrements. I mean, his situation 00:05:48.490 --> 00:05:51.769 is really bad. But Epaphroditus, one of the... 00:05:51.949 --> 00:05:54.189 church guys found out finally, because they lost 00:05:54.189 --> 00:05:56.250 track of one another, where he was, and they 00:05:56.250 --> 00:05:58.449 came and brought him a gift. And what you're 00:05:58.449 --> 00:06:00.949 going to read is his literal thank you note. 00:06:01.470 --> 00:06:03.209 He's just writing a thank you note. So listen 00:06:03.209 --> 00:06:05.490 to what he says in verse 10. He says, I rejoice 00:06:05.490 --> 00:06:09.050 greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed 00:06:09.050 --> 00:06:12.290 your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, 00:06:12.310 --> 00:06:15.569 but you had no opportunity to show it. And circle, 00:06:15.589 --> 00:06:18.939 if you were, that word renewed. This word renewed 00:06:18.939 --> 00:06:22.920 is used for when a flower or a plant that has 00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:26.240 been dormant is now beginning to bloom. And the 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:27.920 Apostle Paul is saying, you know, we had those 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:30.759 great times together and God birthed the church 00:06:30.759 --> 00:06:33.620 and we were that band of brothers and sisters. 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:36.100 And then I ended up in prison. We lost track 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:38.540 of one another. I knew you cared about me, but 00:06:38.540 --> 00:06:40.939 now you have opportunity. And it's like the relationship 00:06:40.939 --> 00:06:45.019 has bloomed again. And notice the phrase, I greatly 00:06:45.019 --> 00:06:48.040 rejoice. I'm happy. I'm sitting in this prison, 00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:51.500 but I greatly rejoice in the Lord. And then notice 00:06:51.500 --> 00:06:53.759 he's going to clarify his motives, because I 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:55.639 don't know about you. You know, sometimes if 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:57.180 you've helped someone, this is the only church 00:06:57.180 --> 00:06:59.439 we know of early on that financially supported 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:01.920 Paul. It was the first one. And so he wants them 00:07:01.920 --> 00:07:03.680 to know, now this is not like one of those thank 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:05.980 you letters. Thank you for this great contribution 00:07:05.980 --> 00:07:07.620 to the ministry. Now let me tell you how much 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:10.720 money I need next. He says, my motives are just 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:13.319 from the heart. Picking it up in verse 11, he 00:07:13.319 --> 00:07:15.560 says, I'm not saying this because I'm in need. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:19.939 For I have learned to be content whatever the 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:22.779 circumstances. He goes on to say, I know what 00:07:22.779 --> 00:07:25.180 it is to be in need. I know what it is to have 00:07:25.180 --> 00:07:28.259 plenty. I have learned the secret of being content 00:07:28.259 --> 00:07:31.879 in any and every situation, whether well -fed 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:35.279 or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 00:07:35.459 --> 00:07:37.980 Now, would you go through and take the word learned 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:40.620 and put a box around it and then skip down where 00:07:40.620 --> 00:07:45.250 he says, I've learned again? It's very interesting. 00:07:45.410 --> 00:07:48.589 This isn't a tense of the verb. It's not present 00:07:48.589 --> 00:07:51.569 tense. I am learning to be content. This is a 00:07:51.569 --> 00:07:53.850 tense of the verb that's punctiliar, seeing something. 00:07:54.050 --> 00:07:56.850 He basically is saying, in this journey with 00:07:56.850 --> 00:07:59.449 God, I've had mountain peaks and low times. I 00:07:59.449 --> 00:08:01.629 remember when I had a lot. I was a young man. 00:08:02.370 --> 00:08:04.290 Some say he may have been the most brilliant 00:08:04.290 --> 00:08:08.170 mind of his time. He got his MBA and his doctorate 00:08:08.170 --> 00:08:11.170 at Harvard Business School of his day and graduated 00:08:11.170 --> 00:08:14.029 number one. He was a Pharisee. He came from an 00:08:14.029 --> 00:08:16.750 upper crust family. He was a Roman citizen. He 00:08:16.750 --> 00:08:19.149 was from this place called Tarsus. Barnabas, 00:08:19.149 --> 00:08:21.850 early friend, was very, very wealthy. He knows 00:08:21.850 --> 00:08:23.750 what it's like to drive the nicest cars, have 00:08:23.750 --> 00:08:26.250 the nicest clothes, be esteemed by people, live 00:08:26.250 --> 00:08:28.910 in a nice house, go to any restaurant whenever, 00:08:29.129 --> 00:08:32.370 and have a fat 401k. He knows what that life's 00:08:32.370 --> 00:08:37.299 like. But he says, I've had plenty. But he also 00:08:37.299 --> 00:08:41.399 says, the ups, I've also had downs. Night and 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:44.019 a day in the deep. I've been beat within an inch 00:08:44.019 --> 00:08:47.259 of my life, the 39 lashes, three times. I've 00:08:47.259 --> 00:08:51.039 been left for dead once. In this current situation, 00:08:51.320 --> 00:08:53.240 one of his closest friends named Demas betrayed 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:58.220 him and left. He's by himself. His body is marked 00:08:58.220 --> 00:09:01.129 with the scars. He's been times where he has 00:09:01.129 --> 00:09:04.129 had no food for days at a time. He's lived as 00:09:04.129 --> 00:09:06.610 high as you can live in his day and he's lived 00:09:06.610 --> 00:09:09.710 as low as you can live and in the ups and downs, 00:09:09.850 --> 00:09:12.509 there's a thread that connects all of them and 00:09:12.509 --> 00:09:15.509 it's a supernatural relationship with Jesus and 00:09:15.509 --> 00:09:17.730 he says, he looks at that whole thing and he 00:09:17.730 --> 00:09:20.370 says like he's taking a photograph. Snap, I have 00:09:20.370 --> 00:09:23.970 learned. Now this is what he's saying, like I 00:09:23.970 --> 00:09:26.909 learned to ride a bike, okay? I'm not learning 00:09:26.909 --> 00:09:29.470 to ride a bike. If you put a bike up here, Trust 00:09:29.470 --> 00:09:34.110 me, I can get on it and I can ride it. I can 00:09:34.110 --> 00:09:37.909 get better, but I have learned to ride a bike. 00:09:37.990 --> 00:09:40.330 You know what he's saying here? I've learned 00:09:40.330 --> 00:09:46.450 to be content. It means it's possible. I've learned 00:09:46.450 --> 00:09:48.350 to have a ton of money in the bank, go to the 00:09:48.350 --> 00:09:50.590 finest restaurants, have everything going my 00:09:50.590 --> 00:09:55.009 way, and I've learned when my physical body didn't 00:09:55.009 --> 00:09:57.500 work, when my closest friends betrayed me, when 00:09:57.500 --> 00:10:00.340 people walked out on my life, and when it seemed 00:10:00.340 --> 00:10:03.779 like things could not be any worse, I have learned 00:10:03.779 --> 00:10:07.960 already out of my relationship with Christ to 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:10.240 say and to actually experience it's well with 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:16.500 my soul. No fake, no artificial. And then in 00:10:16.500 --> 00:10:18.820 verse 13, he tells us how it occurs. He says, 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:22.440 I actually can do everything through Christ who 00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:25.830 gives me strength. So this is by way of an overview 00:10:25.830 --> 00:10:27.710 of what's happening and by way of conclusion, 00:10:27.909 --> 00:10:31.789 contentment is not a thing to be achieved, but 00:10:31.789 --> 00:10:34.169 a secret to be discovered. As we're here today, 00:10:34.370 --> 00:10:37.690 you can actually discover a secret. There is 00:10:37.690 --> 00:10:40.070 a way. He said, I've learned the secret. And 00:10:40.070 --> 00:10:44.710 he says, I've got it. I am content. It's not 00:10:44.710 --> 00:10:48.009 something to be achieved. There is a... pattern 00:10:48.009 --> 00:10:50.769 of things that you can learn that you could walk 00:10:50.769 --> 00:10:53.389 out that door or one of those doors out of this 00:10:53.389 --> 00:10:56.129 and you could start a journey and you could come 00:10:56.129 --> 00:10:58.669 to the point in this life that regardless of 00:10:58.669 --> 00:11:01.450 your circumstances, you could be fully satisfied, 00:11:01.669 --> 00:11:05.210 content, not want for anything else and be satisfied 00:11:05.210 --> 00:11:07.649 and content with who you are, where you are, 00:11:07.730 --> 00:11:11.080 what you're doing. You're listening to Living 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:13.620 on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We'll get back 00:11:13.620 --> 00:11:16.059 to today's message in just a minute. But first, 00:11:16.139 --> 00:11:18.580 if you're wanting to do a deeper study of Philippians 00:11:18.580 --> 00:11:21.440 chapter 4 with Chip, check out his popular book, 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:24.480 I Choose Peace. You'll discover how to willfully 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:27.279 and purposely choose the peace that only God 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:30.039 can offer. Stick around after the broadcast to 00:11:30.039 --> 00:11:32.740 learn more. Well, with that, here again is Chip. 00:11:33.340 --> 00:11:36.019 And this word means, the word content means self 00:11:36.019 --> 00:11:39.820 -sufficiency. This is not the removal of, I love 00:11:39.820 --> 00:11:42.720 what one commentator says, he learned the secret 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:45.519 of deep peace based on detachment from his outward 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.720 circumstances. And then he goes on to say, this 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:52.100 is not a fatalism which cuts the nerve of ambition 00:11:52.100 --> 00:11:55.480 or smooth endeavors, no. It is a detachment from 00:11:55.480 --> 00:11:58.879 anxious concern about the outward features of 00:11:58.879 --> 00:12:00.740 this life. This kind of contentment doesn't mean 00:12:00.740 --> 00:12:02.639 you, well, I'm going to lay back on the couch 00:12:02.639 --> 00:12:05.120 and, you know, this is pressing on, being all 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:08.139 you want to be. And in the midst of the ups and 00:12:08.139 --> 00:12:11.620 downs of life, a veritable peace in your heart, 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:15.919 a satisfaction that's supernatural. And the question 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:19.059 I want to ask is, how do you get that? I mean, 00:12:19.080 --> 00:12:22.299 Paul knew it was a moving target. Paul knew from 00:12:22.299 --> 00:12:23.899 his experience that getting more and more and 00:12:23.899 --> 00:12:26.799 more wouldn't do it. Paul knew, I mean, the philosophers 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:28.759 of his day, there were multiple Stoics. He knew 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:30.840 pretending that relationships don't matter and 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:33.730 saying less and less isn't it. And the Apostle 00:12:33.730 --> 00:12:35.929 Paul on this morning, on this day in your life 00:12:35.929 --> 00:12:37.610 and mine is going to say, I'm going to share 00:12:37.610 --> 00:12:41.649 the secret. I will show you in this text, he's 00:12:41.649 --> 00:12:46.450 saying to us, how you can be content. So let's 00:12:46.450 --> 00:12:51.309 dig in. Four principles and four practices. Okay, 00:12:51.350 --> 00:12:53.230 this isn't idealistic. This isn't like one of 00:12:53.230 --> 00:12:55.450 those messages somewhere someday. He's going 00:12:55.450 --> 00:12:59.149 to walk you through and walk me through four 00:12:59.149 --> 00:13:02.330 specific practices that there's a principle behind 00:13:02.330 --> 00:13:05.309 them that if you understand the principle and 00:13:05.309 --> 00:13:08.269 start to progressively begin to practice it, 00:13:08.350 --> 00:13:11.809 you can come to a day in your life where you 00:13:11.809 --> 00:13:14.750 could say, I've learned to be content. Just like 00:13:14.750 --> 00:13:16.809 you can say, I can ride a bike. Just like you 00:13:16.809 --> 00:13:21.039 can say, I've mastered. This or that, you can 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:24.379 learn to be content. It's pretty exciting. The 00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:27.779 question's how. Contrary to the lie that I'll 00:13:27.779 --> 00:13:30.299 be content when my circumstances align with my 00:13:30.299 --> 00:13:33.279 desires, the first secret of contentment is learning 00:13:33.279 --> 00:13:36.820 our contentment principle number one is not dependent 00:13:36.820 --> 00:13:40.340 on our circumstances. See, unconsciously, what 00:13:40.340 --> 00:13:42.000 you've been taught, what I've been taught, what 00:13:42.000 --> 00:13:44.059 the world teaches us, what each commercial says 00:13:44.059 --> 00:13:47.559 is Here's your circumstances over here, and here's 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:50.620 your desires. Someday, someway, through lots 00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:53.139 of things, when your circumstances and desires 00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:56.799 align, then you can be happy. Then you can be 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:00.240 satisfied. I call it the when -then syndrome. 00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:05.960 Here's the when. When I get married, then I'll 00:14:05.960 --> 00:14:10.600 be happy. When I have a great job, then I'll 00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:13.559 be happy. When my marriage is on all cylinders, 00:14:14.090 --> 00:14:17.129 Then I'll be happy. When we have a child, when 00:14:17.129 --> 00:14:19.250 we have more money, when we have a second house, 00:14:19.350 --> 00:14:21.350 when we remodel the bathroom, when I make the 00:14:21.350 --> 00:14:23.169 cheerleading squad, when I finally score this 00:14:23.169 --> 00:14:25.269 on the SAT, when I get into this college, when, 00:14:25.389 --> 00:14:28.309 when, when, then, then, then, then. It's a lie. 00:14:30.370 --> 00:14:33.490 The people that have the then are not happy. 00:14:34.309 --> 00:14:40.190 And yet we, like cats chasing their tail, just 00:14:40.190 --> 00:14:43.639 increase the speed. of the when -then mentality. 00:14:44.759 --> 00:14:48.700 Paul says the answer is to break the power of 00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:53.000 this lie, and he gives us the practice. Be grateful. 00:14:54.299 --> 00:15:00.580 Be grateful. Be thankful. Put another way, develop 00:15:00.580 --> 00:15:04.799 the discipline of thanking God for what you do 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:08.259 have instead of focusing on what you don't have. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:12.700 You understand that billions of dollars each 00:15:12.700 --> 00:15:16.159 year coming across the screen in every magazine 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:20.259 ad are designed specifically to make you what? 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:24.960 Discontent. In other words, that set of clothes 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:27.379 will make you. So I got to go get that. This 00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:30.320 food will make you. This drink will make you. 00:15:30.419 --> 00:15:33.120 This job will make you. This surgery will make 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:36.480 you. This diet will make you. When? Then. When? 00:15:36.659 --> 00:15:40.169 Then. Paul says. Human nature is we focus on 00:15:40.169 --> 00:15:42.590 what we don't have, don't have, don't have. He 00:15:42.590 --> 00:15:45.129 says, here's what I've learned. I habitually, 00:15:45.309 --> 00:15:50.629 relentlessly, obediently thank God moment for 00:15:50.629 --> 00:15:53.870 moment for what I do have. And this is not like 00:15:53.870 --> 00:15:56.789 a sort of a nice suggestion, you know, power 00:15:56.789 --> 00:15:58.870 of positive thinking. Jot down, if you will, 00:15:59.029 --> 00:16:03.929 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 16 through 18. 16 says, 00:16:03.990 --> 00:16:07.360 rejoice always. 17 says, pray without ceasing. 00:16:07.620 --> 00:16:13.120 18 says, for giving thanks in all things, for 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:15.399 this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 00:16:16.120 --> 00:16:20.580 The giving of thanks in all things and for all 00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:23.659 things, it's God's will. What's your situation? 00:16:25.129 --> 00:16:28.350 What relationship, what issue in your life are 00:16:28.350 --> 00:16:31.230 you constantly focusing on what you don't have 00:16:31.230 --> 00:16:33.929 instead of thanking God for what you do have? 00:16:34.070 --> 00:16:37.169 The Apostle Paul says, if you want to experience 00:16:37.169 --> 00:16:39.710 contentment, it is well with your soul, practice 00:16:39.710 --> 00:16:44.429 number one, be grateful. Second, secret to contentment 00:16:44.429 --> 00:16:47.309 dispels the myth that contentment is a future 00:16:47.309 --> 00:16:50.610 event. Notice what the Apostle Paul says, principle 00:16:50.610 --> 00:16:54.029 number two, contentment is an attitude we learn. 00:16:54.669 --> 00:16:57.769 Not a thing that we achieve. You say, well, where 00:16:57.769 --> 00:16:59.350 do you get that? Well, look at verse 11, I have 00:16:59.350 --> 00:17:02.610 learned. Look at verse 12, I have learned. You 00:17:02.610 --> 00:17:06.150 might circle those if you haven't. Contentment 00:17:06.150 --> 00:17:10.269 is not out there, external. Contentment is God 00:17:10.269 --> 00:17:13.150 doing something in you, through you, so it's 00:17:13.150 --> 00:17:17.789 in here. Epicurus said, to him who little is 00:17:17.789 --> 00:17:22.269 not enough, nothing is enough. The practice, 00:17:22.450 --> 00:17:29.049 be teachable. Be teachable. You know, if you 00:17:29.049 --> 00:17:31.869 really want to learn to ride the bicycle of contentment 00:17:31.869 --> 00:17:35.309 as a way of life, you learn to practice gratefulness, 00:17:35.349 --> 00:17:39.150 thankfulness, and then be teachable. Ask God 00:17:39.150 --> 00:17:42.150 what he wants you to learn in your present circumstance 00:17:42.150 --> 00:17:45.130 instead of telling God what you want him to change. 00:17:46.130 --> 00:17:47.769 Wouldn't it be interesting if we put a little 00:17:47.769 --> 00:17:50.769 recorder under your pillow or some place where 00:17:50.769 --> 00:17:53.289 you pray if you pray out loud? Or we could record 00:17:53.289 --> 00:17:54.769 your mind and we could listen to your prayers. 00:17:55.310 --> 00:17:58.849 My prayers. I wonder how many of our prayers 00:17:58.849 --> 00:18:01.650 are totally about, God, I want you to change 00:18:01.650 --> 00:18:03.390 my boss. I want you to change my wife. I want 00:18:03.390 --> 00:18:04.890 you to, actually, I'd like to change something 00:18:04.890 --> 00:18:06.930 because I don't have a wife. I want you to change 00:18:06.930 --> 00:18:08.549 this. I want you to change that. I want you to 00:18:08.549 --> 00:18:10.089 change this about me. I want you to change this 00:18:10.089 --> 00:18:12.789 about that. God, here's your agenda. I know you're 00:18:12.789 --> 00:18:15.890 the great self -help genie and your whole goal 00:18:15.890 --> 00:18:17.890 of being the creator of all that there is is 00:18:17.890 --> 00:18:20.390 to make me happy, fulfilled, warm and fuzzy every 00:18:20.390 --> 00:18:22.970 day in every way. So here's my list. Take care 00:18:22.970 --> 00:18:26.700 of it, will you? See, unconsciously, that's the 00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:30.779 lie we've believed. People that are content first 00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:35.279 say, thank you, Lord. And then they're teachable. 00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:38.619 God, because of these circumstances, what do 00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:42.160 you want to teach me? Instead of asking you to 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:45.039 do something out there, what is it you want me 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:51.660 to learn? This is Living on the Edge with Chip 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:53.619 Ingram. And you've been listening to part one 00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:55.920 of Chip's message, In Difficult Circumstances, 00:18:55.920 --> 00:18:59.319 from our series, I Choose Peace. Chip will be 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:01.299 back shortly to share some helpful application 00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:04.140 for us to think about. What does it mean to be 00:19:04.140 --> 00:19:07.539 at peace? Is it having a thriving career, happy 00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:10.579 household, financial security? While many strive 00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:12.960 for these goals, they often bring only short 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:15.579 -term satisfaction, leaving us seeking more. 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:18.579 In this 12 -part study in Philippians chapter 00:19:18.579 --> 00:19:22.200 4, Chip explains where this attitude of discontentment 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:24.259 comes from and the ways it steals our peace. 00:19:24.539 --> 00:19:27.259 Stay with us to learn how to move beyond temporary 00:19:27.259 --> 00:19:30.259 calmness and develop a lasting peace -centered 00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:33.220 life that comes from God. If you've missed any 00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:36.579 part of this series, catch up anytime at livingontheedge 00:19:36.579 --> 00:19:40.200 .org or wherever you listen to podcasts. Well, 00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:42.420 before we go any further in this program, here's 00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:44.930 Chip. I'll be right back in just a minute to 00:19:44.930 --> 00:19:47.569 give some final application to today's message. 00:19:48.029 --> 00:19:51.750 But I just want you to know that peace is possible. 00:19:51.970 --> 00:19:54.430 And I don't mean just circumstance get better 00:19:54.430 --> 00:19:58.069 or some of your dreams come true. The peace of 00:19:58.069 --> 00:20:02.039 God. is a part of the Spirit of God living inside 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:05.059 of you. And I think we're settling for far too 00:20:05.059 --> 00:20:07.500 little instead of gaining all God wants us to 00:20:07.500 --> 00:20:10.640 have. We tend to redefine peace as I finally 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:13.099 meet the right person or I have enough money 00:20:13.099 --> 00:20:16.119 or I got a new car or my life's working right 00:20:16.119 --> 00:20:19.259 now. And we go from sort of circumstance to circumstance 00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:22.039 and things are kind of hard and I lose my peace 00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:25.200 and then things are great and I feel peace. Here's 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:28.240 what I want you to know. Life will always have 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:31.839 its ups and downs. But God is teaching us in 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:36.740 this series that His peace can be yours. A calm, 00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:40.519 a serenity, regardless of circumstance. And the 00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:42.859 book that I wrote from this series, I Choose 00:20:42.859 --> 00:20:45.940 Peace, is how you can have calm in the midst 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:49.220 of stress and anxiety and the demands of this 00:20:49.220 --> 00:20:52.160 world. I want to encourage you to get a copy 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.920 of this book and read through it slowly, or better 00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:56.779 yet, at the end of each chapter, there's some 00:20:56.779 --> 00:20:59.079 questions. You could discuss it with a friend 00:20:59.079 --> 00:21:01.480 or with your mate or get four or five people 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:03.779 together and say, hey, let's go through this 00:21:03.779 --> 00:21:08.789 together. Your peace matters to God. It's not 00:21:08.789 --> 00:21:12.230 elusive. It's not out there. God has provided 00:21:12.230 --> 00:21:15.349 it, but you need to learn how to access it. And 00:21:15.349 --> 00:21:19.490 I Choose Peace is the doorway for you to experience 00:21:19.490 --> 00:21:22.980 it on a regular basis. Good word, Chip. Well, 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:25.140 to learn more about this practical and insightful 00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:28.700 resource, visit livingontheedge .org or call 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:33.759 888 -333 -6003. If you're desperate to quiet 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:36.599 the worries of your heart and the anxieties of 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:39.220 this world and experience genuine peace, you 00:21:39.220 --> 00:21:42.279 got to check out this book. So go to livingontheedge 00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:48.220 .org or call 888 -333 -6003 to get your copy 00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:58.400 of I Choose Peace. As we wrap up today's teaching, 00:21:58.599 --> 00:22:01.539 I want to begin practicing with you the process 00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:05.539 where you'll learn to be content in every circumstance. 00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:08.500 There's two practices that I've learned over 00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:10.579 the years. In fact, I learned them from the Apostle 00:22:10.579 --> 00:22:14.029 Paul. And number one is to be grateful. I mean, 00:22:14.089 --> 00:22:16.309 this isn't something that, you know, I learned 00:22:16.309 --> 00:22:19.390 once and I put in a message. This morning, the 00:22:19.390 --> 00:22:22.230 Lord awakened me very early. I have a lot on 00:22:22.230 --> 00:22:24.329 my plate. You know, all that jumbling in your 00:22:24.329 --> 00:22:27.970 mind demands, right? And I opened my journal 00:22:27.970 --> 00:22:30.170 and I just started thinking, okay, God, I want 00:22:30.170 --> 00:22:33.119 to thank you for. And then I listed a moment 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:35.880 my wife and I had yesterday. Then I listed a 00:22:35.880 --> 00:22:38.420 little time with my son and my granddaughter. 00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:41.039 And then some staff members who were just so 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:44.160 gracious. But it was just thank you, thank you, 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:46.119 thank you, thank you. And I put a little star 00:22:46.119 --> 00:22:48.859 by each one of them. And what I want you to know 00:22:48.859 --> 00:22:53.710 is the jumbled emotions began to settle. As I'm 00:22:53.710 --> 00:22:56.450 grateful for what I have, as I'm grateful and 00:22:56.450 --> 00:22:59.490 look at that through the lens of gratitude, it's 00:22:59.490 --> 00:23:02.369 amazing what God does in your heart. The second 00:23:02.369 --> 00:23:06.150 step that we learned is be teachable. In other 00:23:06.150 --> 00:23:08.730 words, when you're going through difficulty and 00:23:08.730 --> 00:23:11.009 when you don't understand things or when you're 00:23:11.009 --> 00:23:13.589 frustrated or even when you're angry at someone, 00:23:13.809 --> 00:23:17.130 here's the question, Lord, what do you want to 00:23:17.130 --> 00:23:20.960 teach me in this? Show me how you want me to 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:24.140 respond instead of, God, I want you to do this. 00:23:24.140 --> 00:23:25.980 God, I want you to do that. God, I want you to 00:23:25.980 --> 00:23:28.619 do this. And if you don't do that, if you can 00:23:28.619 --> 00:23:32.299 surrender that demanding spirit and ask him for 00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:36.279 help. As we learn to choose peace, we do some 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:39.000 positive things, gratefulness, teachability. 00:23:39.420 --> 00:23:42.759 Then we eliminate some negative things. Too much 00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:46.420 TV, Netflix, and social media. See if the Spirit 00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:49.319 of God doesn't use that starting today to bring 00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:52.539 you peace. Really timely advice and challenge, 00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:55.720 Chip. Thanks. Just before we close, I quickly 00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:57.920 want to thank those of you who regularly give 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:00.539 to Living on the Edge. You're making a big difference 00:24:00.539 --> 00:24:03.480 in helping Christians live like Christians. But 00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:05.579 if you're benefiting from our ministry and haven't 00:24:05.579 --> 00:24:08.240 started giving yet, let me encourage you to join 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:10.680 the Living on the Edge team. You can do that 00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:13.799 by setting up a recurring donation at livingontheedge 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:18.950 .org or by calling us at 888 - 888 -333 -6003. 00:24:19.109 --> 00:24:24.890 Again, that's 888 -333 -6003 or visit livingontheedge 00:24:24.890 --> 00:24:29.329 .org. App listeners, tap donate. And thanks for 00:24:29.329 --> 00:24:32.230 doing whatever the Lord leads you to do. You've 00:24:32.230 --> 00:24:34.250 been listening to a selected program that we 00:24:34.250 --> 00:24:36.769 wanted to share from this past week. To hear 00:24:36.769 --> 00:24:39.849 more from Chip's series, I Choose Peace, go to 00:24:39.849 --> 00:24:42.950 livingontheedge .org or the Chip Ingram app. 00:24:43.400 --> 00:24:45.880 Until next time, I'm Dave Drewy saying thanks 00:24:45.880 --> 00:24:48.460 for listening to this weekend edition of Living 00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:49.279 on the Edge.