WEBVTT 00:00:11.280 --> 00:00:14.220 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:17.339 When you face a hard decision, what do you do? 00:00:17.620 --> 00:00:21.140 Who do you turn to? And let's face it, the decisions 00:00:21.140 --> 00:00:23.839 get more difficult when they impact your job, 00:00:23.899 --> 00:00:26.839 your family, your future. If that's you, stay 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:30.039 with me. Let's discover how we can tackle. the 00:00:30.039 --> 00:00:34.679 toughest decisions that life throws at us. Stuck 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:37.320 in a failing marriage? Stuck in financial catastrophe? 00:00:37.820 --> 00:00:40.939 Stuck in sadness as you watch your dreams evaporate? 00:00:41.159 --> 00:00:43.740 If you're there right now, today's weekend edition 00:00:43.740 --> 00:00:46.740 of Living on the Edge is for you. Chip Ingram 00:00:46.740 --> 00:00:49.299 presents a series called The Art of Survival 00:00:49.299 --> 00:00:52.520 in an Age of Chaos. According to James chapter 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:55.799 one, there's no shame in getting stuck. God isn't 00:00:55.799 --> 00:00:58.359 standing over us with crossed arms, shaking his 00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:01.340 head in disappointment. Instead, the Lord is 00:01:01.340 --> 00:01:03.979 near to the brokenhearted and saves those who 00:01:03.979 --> 00:01:06.640 are crushed in spirit. And right after Chip's 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.000 teaching today, he'll describe an exciting match 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:11.719 opportunity that's active right now. Because 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:14.200 of this match, every dollar you give to support 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:16.920 Living on the Edge during December is automatically 00:01:16.920 --> 00:01:20.989 doubled in size, having twice the impact. More 00:01:20.989 --> 00:01:23.709 details later, but right now, Chip opens to James 00:01:23.709 --> 00:01:27.409 1, verse 5, to describe the supernatural resource 00:01:27.409 --> 00:01:30.290 that will show you exactly what to do when you 00:01:30.290 --> 00:01:33.049 feel frozen in fear. Here's what I want you to 00:01:33.049 --> 00:01:36.450 know. When things are happening the way they 00:01:36.450 --> 00:01:39.969 are in our life, you don't have a job, maybe 00:01:39.969 --> 00:01:43.170 your marriage wasn't going well, and now it's 00:01:43.170 --> 00:01:46.709 a train wreck, it's a mess. Maybe your mental 00:01:46.709 --> 00:01:49.310 health, you are depressed, you are discouraged. 00:01:50.379 --> 00:01:52.980 I don't know where you're at, but I know many 00:01:52.980 --> 00:01:57.260 of you, you're stuck. And you're saying, I want 00:01:57.260 --> 00:02:00.980 to consider it all joy. I want to allow God to 00:02:00.980 --> 00:02:03.640 test me, and I want this endurance to make me 00:02:03.640 --> 00:02:07.719 mature and complete, but I'm stuck. I can't get 00:02:07.719 --> 00:02:13.020 there. I'm trying hard, but am I just supposed 00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:17.719 to pretend that I have joy? God understands. 00:02:18.560 --> 00:02:21.520 And he knows that we get stuck. And in verses 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:26.319 5 through 8 of chapter 1, he's now going to shift. 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:31.060 And early on, he said, don't ask why, ask what. 00:02:31.379 --> 00:02:34.199 And he told us that the key is first your attitude. 00:02:34.819 --> 00:02:38.560 Now he's going to tell you that you need a resource. 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:41.560 And it's a resource more valuable than money. 00:02:42.009 --> 00:02:44.449 It's a resource even more valuable than a friend, 00:02:44.550 --> 00:02:47.129 as important as that is. There's a resource that 00:02:47.129 --> 00:02:50.009 he wants to give you that when you get stuck, 00:02:50.150 --> 00:02:52.590 when you don't know what to do in your circumstance, 00:02:52.750 --> 00:02:57.250 he says, I have a resource that will show you 00:02:57.250 --> 00:03:00.629 exactly what to do, and I promise to give it 00:03:00.629 --> 00:03:05.340 to you 100 % of the time. Follow along as I read. 00:03:05.419 --> 00:03:08.180 Remember, let endurance have its perfect result 00:03:08.180 --> 00:03:11.159 that you might be perfect and complete, lacking 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:15.199 in nothing. Look at verse 5. But if any of you 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:18.680 lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:21.620 all men generously and without reproach, and 00:03:21.620 --> 00:03:24.939 it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith 00:03:24.939 --> 00:03:27.759 without any doubting. For the one who doubts 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:31.020 is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed 00:03:31.020 --> 00:03:34.229 by the wind. For let not that person or that 00:03:34.229 --> 00:03:37.129 man or woman expect that they will receive anything 00:03:37.129 --> 00:03:40.229 from the Lord, being double -minded, unstable 00:03:40.229 --> 00:03:43.689 in all your ways. And in this little passage, 00:03:44.150 --> 00:03:47.050 he's going to teach you and he's going to teach 00:03:47.050 --> 00:03:49.389 me, what do you do when you're stuck in your 00:03:49.389 --> 00:03:51.969 pain? What do you do when emotional, financial, 00:03:52.289 --> 00:03:55.469 relational issues are flaring around and you 00:03:55.469 --> 00:03:58.389 want to follow God and you literally don't know 00:03:58.389 --> 00:04:00.879 how? Here's what I want you to know. Number one 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:04.360 is that God understands when we get stuck. God 00:04:04.360 --> 00:04:08.099 wants to help you when you're stuck. God gives 00:04:08.099 --> 00:04:10.680 you a condition that if you will fulfill this 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:13.580 condition, he promises he'll show you exactly 00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:17.339 what to do. And now let's break this down to 00:04:17.339 --> 00:04:21.199 understand God's offer of supernatural wisdom. 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:24.259 That's the resource. By the way, wisdom here 00:04:24.259 --> 00:04:27.459 isn't being smart. It's not intellectual. This 00:04:27.459 --> 00:04:30.240 is the Hebrew sense of wisdom. Hebrew wisdom 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:34.720 means the skill and the ability to know what 00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:38.420 to do, when to do, and how to do it in the midst 00:04:38.420 --> 00:04:41.860 of any situation or relationship. God's wisdom 00:04:41.860 --> 00:04:44.319 literally, from the Old Testament, and James 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:47.019 is writing as a Jew to these Jewish Christians, 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:51.389 he's saying, God has a design for life. And he 00:04:51.389 --> 00:04:53.589 wants to bring about the best possible ends by 00:04:53.589 --> 00:04:55.889 the best possible means for the most possible 00:04:55.889 --> 00:04:59.110 people for the longest possible time. And there 00:04:59.110 --> 00:05:02.170 is a way. There's a way to think. There's a way 00:05:02.170 --> 00:05:04.110 to do decisions. There's a way to do relationships. 00:05:04.449 --> 00:05:07.810 There's wisdom. There's this skill that God wants 00:05:07.810 --> 00:05:11.750 to give to those who ask. And here's the promise. 00:05:11.970 --> 00:05:15.370 He'll give it generously and without reproach. 00:05:15.870 --> 00:05:20.670 You know. You serve a God who is kind and good 00:05:20.670 --> 00:05:24.310 and loving and understanding. And I just want 00:05:24.310 --> 00:05:27.790 to remind you, when we go through difficult times, 00:05:28.029 --> 00:05:31.910 some of us blame other people. We can blame the 00:05:31.910 --> 00:05:35.029 government. We can blame circumstances. But down 00:05:35.029 --> 00:05:38.689 deep, many of us blame ourselves. And God would 00:05:38.689 --> 00:05:41.589 want you to know that I want you to come and 00:05:41.589 --> 00:05:44.149 I want to help you. But did you notice there's 00:05:44.149 --> 00:05:47.519 a condition here? He says, I want you to ask, 00:05:47.579 --> 00:05:51.879 but let him ask in faith without any doubting. 00:05:52.300 --> 00:05:55.420 There's two conditions. It assumes that you lack 00:05:55.420 --> 00:05:57.699 wisdom because of the construction and the grammar 00:05:57.699 --> 00:06:01.439 here. But then he says, we only receive God's 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:05.240 wisdom if we, one, ask in faith, and two, without 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:08.290 any doubting. So what's that mean? Let's figure 00:06:08.290 --> 00:06:11.209 out what it means to ask in faith. What it means 00:06:11.209 --> 00:06:14.230 to ask in faith is trusting and believing and 00:06:14.230 --> 00:06:17.730 having confidence in God's character and his 00:06:17.730 --> 00:06:21.670 word that you'll do whatever he shows you. Ask 00:06:21.670 --> 00:06:23.949 in faith. In other words, it's not, oh, Lord, 00:06:24.050 --> 00:06:26.550 I would kind of like to know your opinion on 00:06:26.550 --> 00:06:28.790 what I ought to do in this devastating situation. 00:06:29.490 --> 00:06:33.689 This is, Lord, I'm believing you're the all -knowing, 00:06:33.689 --> 00:06:36.889 all -powerful God. You're the sovereign God of 00:06:36.889 --> 00:06:40.170 the universe. I can trust your word. I can trust 00:06:40.170 --> 00:06:43.910 your character. I'm asking in faith. And then 00:06:43.910 --> 00:06:47.110 notice without any doubting. This is not that 00:06:47.110 --> 00:06:49.610 feeling that we all have at times like, God, 00:06:49.629 --> 00:06:52.290 are you really there? Or do I doubt that you 00:06:52.290 --> 00:06:54.709 might show up? Or are you really going to take 00:06:54.709 --> 00:06:58.170 care of me? God knows we're human. He knows that 00:06:58.170 --> 00:07:00.550 we'll have struggles at times and have some intellectual 00:07:00.550 --> 00:07:04.550 doubts. This passage is not saying that. This 00:07:04.550 --> 00:07:06.850 passage is talking about the kind of doubt that 00:07:06.850 --> 00:07:09.850 has disloyalty. Because notice what he says, 00:07:09.910 --> 00:07:12.310 he explains it later. He says, Come to him without 00:07:12.310 --> 00:07:15.230 any doubt, for the one who comes with doubt like 00:07:15.230 --> 00:07:19.110 that is unstable in all his ways. In fact, is 00:07:19.110 --> 00:07:22.750 double -minded. It's a picture of someone who 00:07:22.750 --> 00:07:26.709 says, God, I really want to know what you want 00:07:26.709 --> 00:07:29.209 me to do, but I'm not really committed to doing 00:07:29.209 --> 00:07:32.920 it. I just want to know. what your will is so 00:07:32.920 --> 00:07:36.439 I can evaluate whether I will obey or not obey. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.459 And then notice he says, let not that person 00:07:39.459 --> 00:07:41.939 expect that he'll get anything from the Lord. 00:07:42.300 --> 00:07:45.339 So here's what I want you to get. I know some 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:47.500 of you are going through really, really difficult 00:07:47.500 --> 00:07:51.269 times. And I know that God wants to work in us 00:07:51.269 --> 00:07:54.389 before he works through us. And so come to God 00:07:54.389 --> 00:07:56.949 and ask. And then here's what you need to do. 00:07:57.029 --> 00:07:59.629 You need to come to God. Think of it as a contract 00:07:59.629 --> 00:08:03.189 or a blank check. And what God wants you to do 00:08:03.189 --> 00:08:05.629 is sign the bottom of the contract and say, Lord, 00:08:05.730 --> 00:08:08.689 what should I do about where I should live? What 00:08:08.689 --> 00:08:10.629 should I do about this problem relationship? 00:08:11.110 --> 00:08:13.430 What should I do about the business that is lost? 00:08:13.709 --> 00:08:17.019 What should I do to make it through today? And 00:08:17.019 --> 00:08:20.579 God says, if you will come to me and ask in faith 00:08:20.579 --> 00:08:25.399 and then say, Lord, whatever you show me before 00:08:25.399 --> 00:08:29.360 I know what it is, I'll do it. He says, 100 % 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:33.500 of the time, I'll show you what to do. Let me 00:08:33.500 --> 00:08:36.139 picture this for you because these are great 00:08:36.139 --> 00:08:41.899 concepts. Let me personalize. Early in our marriage, 00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:46.730 I married my wife. We shortly went away to prepare 00:08:46.730 --> 00:08:49.929 for ministry, and my father was an alcoholic, 00:08:50.110 --> 00:08:52.549 and her father was an alcoholic. We came from 00:08:52.549 --> 00:08:54.970 very dysfunctional families, but we loved Jesus, 00:08:55.110 --> 00:08:57.330 and we loved each other, and we thought everything 00:08:57.330 --> 00:09:01.529 will be great. Within six months of being married, 00:09:01.669 --> 00:09:04.450 while I'm preparing in seminary to be a pastor, 00:09:04.649 --> 00:09:07.789 our marriage is not working at all. I mean, we 00:09:07.789 --> 00:09:10.950 can't resolve conflict. We have anger. The person 00:09:10.950 --> 00:09:14.549 I love makes me crazy. I'm making her crazy. 00:09:15.169 --> 00:09:17.990 You all understand what that's like. And I'm 00:09:17.990 --> 00:09:20.230 feeling this guilt because I'm preparing for 00:09:20.230 --> 00:09:22.909 ministry and my marriage is not working at all. 00:09:22.970 --> 00:09:26.210 And I'm trying hard, trying to be good. No matter 00:09:26.210 --> 00:09:29.070 what I do, it doesn't work. And I came to this 00:09:29.070 --> 00:09:32.970 passage and I said, Lord, will you show me what 00:09:32.970 --> 00:09:37.110 to do? I can't fix this. Bowed my head, lifted 00:09:37.110 --> 00:09:41.590 my hands, and I heard the Spirit say, Chip. go 00:09:41.590 --> 00:09:44.830 to a good Christian counselor. And I thought, 00:09:44.909 --> 00:09:47.409 oh no. No, no, that's for people with real needs. 00:09:47.529 --> 00:09:49.990 And if I walk into one of those counselor's offices, 00:09:50.309 --> 00:09:52.730 it would be embarrassing and people will know 00:09:52.730 --> 00:09:55.490 we have a problem. And I heard the Holy Spirit 00:09:55.490 --> 00:09:59.350 whisper, so what's the problem? Is it your pride? 00:10:00.309 --> 00:10:05.500 And I realized it was. See, sometimes... When 00:10:05.500 --> 00:10:08.820 you say, Lord, show me your wisdom, we unconsciously 00:10:08.820 --> 00:10:11.720 have a box that says, as long as it fits inside 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:15.340 of this. In another time, I needed God's wisdom, 00:10:15.419 --> 00:10:17.840 and he said, I want you to relocate from this 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:19.960 side of the United States to that side of the 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:22.279 United States. And then it was, oh, Lord, no, 00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:24.879 my wife doesn't want to go. This won't work. 00:10:25.100 --> 00:10:26.799 It's going to cost a lot of money. I had all 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:30.320 these reasons. But when you want God's wisdom, 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:34.879 he says, come. And you sign up and say, I will 00:10:34.879 --> 00:10:37.679 do, Lord, whatever you want me to do. And here's 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:42.279 what he promises. He will do it 100 % of the 00:10:42.279 --> 00:10:46.019 time. I can't tell you how many times, whether 00:10:46.019 --> 00:10:48.159 it was a big decision, a financial decision, 00:10:48.419 --> 00:10:51.440 there was a time we literally, and some of you 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:56.159 are there, we had no food. I had worked. Our 00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:59.500 money was taken away. We had no food and we sat 00:10:59.500 --> 00:11:02.200 in the middle of the living room and we prayed 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:06.440 and we asked God, we need food. We ate fruits 00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:09.580 and vegetables that we got for just five US dollars. 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:12.840 And we combined with some other couples and we 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:16.620 could eat fruits and vegetables for a week. And 00:11:16.620 --> 00:11:19.620 I never forget asking God for wisdom. I told 00:11:19.620 --> 00:11:22.059 him I would do whatever he wanted me to do. And 00:11:22.059 --> 00:11:26.320 I was working, unloading trucks and doing odd 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:29.159 jobs. wondered how we're ever going to make enough 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:31.919 money. And I'll never forget the day my wife 00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:34.100 had dropped our children off to school and she 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:36.799 came back and there were five bags of groceries 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:40.059 on our front porch filled with meat and cheese 00:11:40.059 --> 00:11:44.080 and a type of flour to make bread. We never told 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:47.279 one person, not one person, that we had any needs. 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:51.559 We had $10, $10 U .S. dollars. That's how much 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:55.659 money we had. And as she opened those bags, it 00:11:55.659 --> 00:11:58.259 was the kind of flour she used to make bread 00:11:58.259 --> 00:12:01.080 for our family every day. We had not eaten meat 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:03.360 in about 15 or 20 days, and it was filled with 00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:06.440 meat and cheese and things that we longed for. 00:12:06.899 --> 00:12:10.480 And my only explanation is, when we're really 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.539 desperate, God shows up in supernatural ways. 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.980 I've not met a lot of angels personally, but 00:12:16.980 --> 00:12:20.100 the only explanation, because we told no one, 00:12:20.139 --> 00:12:23.320 and no one in the world knew how she baked what 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:27.299 we had. I mean, we whispered to no one. God provided. 00:12:29.940 --> 00:12:32.080 We'll hear more from Chip Ingram's message in 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:34.559 just a moment. First, we're inviting you to multiply 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:37.100 your year -end donation through an exciting match 00:12:37.100 --> 00:12:39.299 that's active right now. You know, when you give 00:12:39.299 --> 00:12:41.440 to Living on the Edge, you're not just supporting 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:44.220 one ministry. You're creating a ripple effect. 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:48.039 you begin to mobilize people who help other people 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:50.440 who help other people, and that makes a huge 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:52.600 difference. Your gift to the match will make 00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:55.799 an impact. Picture these scenes. A single listener 00:12:55.799 --> 00:12:57.840 in Iowa shares our teaching with a small group 00:12:57.840 --> 00:13:00.720 Bible study. A grandparent in Texas sends our 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:03.299 resources to a son in Oklahoma that pastors a 00:13:03.299 --> 00:13:05.460 local church. Yes, the ripple effect of giving 00:13:05.460 --> 00:13:08.580 to Living on the Edge. For 30 years, Living on 00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:11.500 the Edge has been God's vehicle to not only help 00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:14.500 pastors, but to teach God's Word. And right now, 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:17.679 we're on the threshold. We're at a season where 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:19.860 God is using Living on the Edge like never before. 00:13:20.139 --> 00:13:22.679 Double the impact of your gift at livingontheedge 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:27.240 .org. Don't let this opportunity slip by to double 00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:29.879 your gift, and even more importantly, to double 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:32.620 your impact. Today, let's multiply God's ministry 00:13:32.620 --> 00:13:34.580 through Living on the Edge while there's still 00:13:34.580 --> 00:13:38.970 time. go to livingontheedge .org. From a series 00:13:38.970 --> 00:13:41.529 called The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos, 00:13:41.850 --> 00:13:44.230 Chip Ingram is teaching from James, Chapter 1. 00:13:44.830 --> 00:13:47.129 On another occasion, like many of you, we were 00:13:47.129 --> 00:13:51.590 completely out of money. And, Lord, we can't 00:13:51.590 --> 00:13:55.590 pay our rent. I went to the mailbox and there 00:13:55.590 --> 00:13:58.870 was a check. A check from a man I met six or 00:13:58.870 --> 00:14:02.590 seven years earlier who later played sports in 00:14:02.590 --> 00:14:05.659 college, later on a professional team. And God 00:14:05.659 --> 00:14:07.460 woke him up in the middle of the night with my 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:09.379 name on it. I taught him when he was in high 00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:12.820 school one time for one hour. And he sent me 00:14:12.820 --> 00:14:14.820 a check. He was a quarterback in the NFL for 00:14:14.820 --> 00:14:18.220 $1 ,000. I could tell you story after story after 00:14:18.220 --> 00:14:21.860 story after story after story of God's miraculous 00:14:21.860 --> 00:14:25.940 provision. And it's not for special people. It's 00:14:25.940 --> 00:14:29.460 for needy, desperate people. I'm telling you. 00:14:29.769 --> 00:14:32.889 Come to God. If he says relocate, relocate. If 00:14:32.889 --> 00:14:34.909 he says forgive your enemy, forgive your enemy. 00:14:35.110 --> 00:14:37.230 If he says apologize to your wife, apologize 00:14:37.230 --> 00:14:39.850 to your wife. If he says this is your job, but 00:14:39.850 --> 00:14:43.210 your new job needs to be this, you come to God 00:14:43.210 --> 00:14:46.710 with no expectation other than, Lord, whatever 00:14:46.710 --> 00:14:49.629 you show me, I will do. He may show you through 00:14:49.629 --> 00:14:51.830 a book, through his spirit, through his word, 00:14:51.970 --> 00:14:53.990 through counsel, through a friend, through a 00:14:53.990 --> 00:14:55.830 prompting of the Holy Spirit, but here's what 00:14:55.830 --> 00:14:59.789 you need to know. If you're 100 % willing to 00:14:59.789 --> 00:15:04.450 get God's wisdom, He will show you what to do. 00:15:04.610 --> 00:15:08.570 Will it be easy? Probably not. Will you be comfortable? 00:15:08.809 --> 00:15:13.250 Probably not. God directs our steps, directs 00:15:13.250 --> 00:15:16.470 our paths, and reveals His power when we're at 00:15:16.470 --> 00:15:19.350 the very end of our rope, when we have nothing. 00:15:19.710 --> 00:15:22.250 We're at the bottom. We're in absolute desperation. 00:15:22.769 --> 00:15:25.710 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and he 00:15:25.710 --> 00:15:28.610 saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 00:15:28.610 --> 00:15:34.429 34. God's for you. He loves you. If you're stuck 00:15:34.429 --> 00:15:38.070 and you don't know what to do, here's his invitation. 00:15:38.669 --> 00:15:42.549 I will give you supernatural wisdom. I will show 00:15:42.549 --> 00:15:45.789 you exactly what to do, how to do it, when to 00:15:45.789 --> 00:15:50.000 do it, with whom. If you will come to me, with 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:53.539 open -handedness, and commit to do whatever I 00:15:53.539 --> 00:15:57.440 show you. These are the times where God's people 00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:01.419 see great power, where there's great testimony. 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:06.240 I look back now with my older children, and they 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:09.879 remember sitting around in the circle, a circle 00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:11.879 at a time when we didn't have a car that would 00:16:11.879 --> 00:16:15.080 fit our family, and we prayed, and God delivered. 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:17.799 A time when we didn't have food, and we prayed. 00:16:18.490 --> 00:16:20.450 a time when we didn't know what to do and we 00:16:20.450 --> 00:16:23.649 were asked to relocate. Most of the things that 00:16:23.649 --> 00:16:26.789 were difficult to do, what I can now look back 00:16:26.789 --> 00:16:30.090 on and realize, it was the good hand and the 00:16:30.090 --> 00:16:33.450 kindness of God. Some of you will never change. 00:16:34.389 --> 00:16:37.490 Some of you will never get on the path that has 00:16:37.490 --> 00:16:40.110 your highest and your best and God's greatest 00:16:40.110 --> 00:16:44.909 favor. Apart from a crisis like this that caused 00:16:44.909 --> 00:16:48.009 you to re -examine your life, your role, your 00:16:48.009 --> 00:16:51.149 relationships. And that God redirects us through 00:16:51.149 --> 00:16:54.269 times like this. You know, the early church was 00:16:54.269 --> 00:16:56.950 doing very, very well. I mean, just read Acts 00:16:56.950 --> 00:17:01.269 chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Thousands of people. 00:17:01.429 --> 00:17:03.950 There's favor. There's miracles happening. I 00:17:03.950 --> 00:17:07.569 mean, they're exploding. Acts chapter 8. And 00:17:07.569 --> 00:17:10.670 then a great persecution came upon the church. 00:17:12.250 --> 00:17:15.130 Well, Jesus told the church to go into all the 00:17:15.130 --> 00:17:18.630 world to make disciples, right? Jerusalem, Judea, 00:17:18.630 --> 00:17:20.910 Samaria, to the uttermost parts of the world. 00:17:21.390 --> 00:17:24.309 Well, for about the first 15 years, they didn't 00:17:24.309 --> 00:17:27.450 go anywhere. And God allowed a persecution. And 00:17:27.450 --> 00:17:30.349 now James is writing to them, and as they are 00:17:30.349 --> 00:17:34.089 going all across the world, God uses this crisis 00:17:34.089 --> 00:17:36.529 to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. 00:17:37.470 --> 00:17:40.990 God, in His wisdom, who knows what's happening, 00:17:41.170 --> 00:17:44.750 is going to show you and show me and every single 00:17:44.750 --> 00:17:48.009 person exactly what to do, when to do it, and 00:17:48.009 --> 00:17:50.349 how to do it in the midst of all the special 00:17:50.349 --> 00:17:52.970 details. It would be different for you than for 00:17:52.970 --> 00:17:56.250 me. That's why this is the art of survival. It 00:17:56.250 --> 00:17:59.380 creates a dependency like never before. It creates 00:17:59.380 --> 00:18:01.660 a desire and a thirst for his word like never 00:18:01.660 --> 00:18:04.839 before. It means we have to depend on each other, 00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:08.180 forgive one another, look through new eyes at 00:18:08.180 --> 00:18:12.039 our circumstance and say, Lord, show me what 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:16.000 to do. I need your wisdom. And he says, I'd love 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:21.180 to give it to you. Just ask and no double -mindedness. 00:18:21.500 --> 00:18:25.259 Ask without any doubting. Let me fill in the 00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:27.970 top of the check. Let me fill in the top of the 00:18:27.970 --> 00:18:30.910 contract. Let me say, this is what to do. This 00:18:30.910 --> 00:18:34.329 is where to go. This is how. You just sign your 00:18:34.329 --> 00:18:38.930 name on the bottom that says, I am willing. You 00:18:38.930 --> 00:18:43.269 know, it reminds me of our Savior and the greatest 00:18:43.269 --> 00:18:48.089 moment that occurred in His life and ours. Yes, 00:18:48.150 --> 00:18:50.690 Jesus was fully God, but He was fully human. 00:18:51.509 --> 00:18:55.009 And there was a moment where He said, Lord, If 00:18:55.009 --> 00:18:57.349 there's any other way, let this cup pass from 00:18:57.349 --> 00:19:03.309 me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours. And 00:19:03.309 --> 00:19:07.569 he endured excruciating suffering and pain. And 00:19:07.569 --> 00:19:11.089 he actually took on your sin and my sin. And 00:19:11.089 --> 00:19:13.210 in that cataclysmic moment, the father would 00:19:13.210 --> 00:19:16.170 turn away. My God, my God, why have you forsaken 00:19:16.170 --> 00:19:20.250 me? And your sin and my sin were placed on Jesus 00:19:20.250 --> 00:19:24.319 for our forgiveness. Because he said to the Father, 00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:28.559 not my will, not my way. And that's how you get 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:31.700 God's wisdom. It's in these moments of absolute 00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:35.579 surrender. It's at a level like never before 00:19:35.579 --> 00:19:37.900 because of what's happening in the world where 00:19:37.900 --> 00:19:42.740 we say, Lord, I offer my body as a living sacrifice, 00:19:43.220 --> 00:19:48.240 holy and acceptable to you. This is my spiritual 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:52.890 service. I will do whatever you want. I will 00:19:52.890 --> 00:19:56.230 go wherever you want. The money in my bank account, 00:19:56.390 --> 00:19:59.450 little or much, is yours. My future is yours. 00:19:59.630 --> 00:20:05.410 My family is yours. Show me what to do. And I 00:20:05.410 --> 00:20:08.069 want you to know, Holy Father, I will do it. 00:20:08.730 --> 00:20:11.869 That's how you survive a crisis. That's the greatest, 00:20:12.089 --> 00:20:15.190 most important resource in all the world. It's 00:20:15.190 --> 00:20:18.109 the wisdom of God. Lord, I pray for my brothers 00:20:18.109 --> 00:20:21.009 and sisters because it is a journey. to come 00:20:21.009 --> 00:20:24.809 to the point where we can fully, completely surrender 00:20:24.809 --> 00:20:28.930 and be willing to do whatever you want us to 00:20:28.930 --> 00:20:32.150 do. But Lord, you have told us very clearly the 00:20:32.150 --> 00:20:35.309 condition to get this kind of supernatural wisdom 00:20:35.309 --> 00:20:39.130 is our absolute and complete willingness to do 00:20:39.130 --> 00:20:42.509 whatever you show us. And so I pray for a movement 00:20:42.509 --> 00:20:45.769 in people's hearts. I pray that they could believe 00:20:45.769 --> 00:20:50.420 how good, how kind, how all -knowing. that you 00:20:50.420 --> 00:20:53.460 want to give us the best, even when some of the 00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:56.319 first steps are very, very difficult. That's 00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:59.079 our prayer, Lord. Now lead us. Give us your wisdom. 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:06.660 In Jesus' name, amen. This is Living on the Edge 00:21:06.660 --> 00:21:09.099 with Chip Ingram. He's teaching from the New 00:21:09.099 --> 00:21:11.900 Testament book of James. He titled his series, 00:21:12.099 --> 00:21:15.849 The Art of Survival in an Age of Chaos. And to 00:21:15.849 --> 00:21:18.309 access all the messages in this series and the 00:21:18.309 --> 00:21:20.890 companion resources for digging into James on 00:21:20.890 --> 00:21:25.589 your own, go to livingontheedge .org. Please 00:21:25.589 --> 00:21:27.390 stay with us. We're going to hear an important 00:21:27.390 --> 00:21:30.680 closing comment from Chip in just a moment. First, 00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:32.700 I'm excited to share that Living on the Edge 00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:35.980 has just activated one of the largest match opportunities 00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:39.559 in our 30 -year history. So now's the time to 00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:42.440 leverage your December year -end giving. Whatever 00:21:42.440 --> 00:21:44.839 amount God places on your heart to give will 00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:47.779 be doubled in size, yielding twice the impact. 00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:51.039 And the deadline for receiving your gift is December 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:54.220 31st. But here's the best part. Your generous 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:56.720 gift will be applied toward coming alongside 00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:59.440 pastors and church leaders to make sure they 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:02.339 don't feel alone in their journey. Chip? As we 00:22:02.339 --> 00:22:04.579 meet together for just a minute, I want to ask 00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:07.539 you to picture something. The congregation has 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:10.940 gone home. The Sunday service is over. It's Monday 00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:14.019 morning, and your pastor is sitting in his office. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:16.579 And he's looking at his calendar, looking at 00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:19.579 marriages to counsel. He's got people to visit 00:22:19.579 --> 00:22:22.099 in the hospital. He's got to prepare next week's 00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:25.160 message. He's drained emotionally. He's got, 00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:27.819 I mean, big budget issues and financial things 00:22:27.819 --> 00:22:30.299 staring him in the face. And he's got to lead 00:22:30.299 --> 00:22:32.299 through the cultural chaos that we're living 00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:35.059 in. What does he say? What does he address? What 00:22:35.059 --> 00:22:37.700 does he not say? I want you to know that is a 00:22:37.700 --> 00:22:41.079 lonely, difficult place to be. I've lived there 00:22:41.079 --> 00:22:43.880 for over 35 years. And here's what I want you 00:22:43.880 --> 00:22:47.059 to know. That lonely day of your pastor's life 00:22:47.059 --> 00:22:49.539 is when living on the edge becomes one of his 00:22:49.539 --> 00:22:52.440 closest companions. I hear it all the time. Chip, 00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:55.019 thanks so much. Sit in my office. I listen to 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:57.759 living on the edge. I get recharged. I hear God 00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:00.710 speak to me through your voice. Here's what I 00:23:00.710 --> 00:23:03.109 want you to know. When you support this active 00:23:03.109 --> 00:23:05.549 match, you're strengthening the shepherd who's 00:23:05.549 --> 00:23:08.069 caring for the sheep. Did you realize that living 00:23:08.069 --> 00:23:10.750 on the edge, think of this, has impacted over 00:23:10.750 --> 00:23:15.210 500 ,000 pastors in the last few years? But here's 00:23:15.210 --> 00:23:18.289 the best part. We are positioned to reach even 00:23:18.289 --> 00:23:21.470 more because of this match. Look, it's very simple. 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:26.279 Anemic pastors make weak sheep. Healthy pastors 00:23:26.279 --> 00:23:30.380 make healthy sheep. We cannot allow pastors to 00:23:30.380 --> 00:23:33.640 become defeated and malnourished. Please, while 00:23:33.640 --> 00:23:36.480 there's still time, take advantage of this opportunity 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:39.380 to double your gift. And you have several ways 00:23:39.380 --> 00:23:41.859 to respond to Chip Ingram. You can call right 00:23:41.859 --> 00:23:47.619 now, 888 -333 -6003, or go to livingontheedge 00:23:47.619 --> 00:23:51.529 .org. And when you give to the match today, you'll 00:23:51.529 --> 00:23:53.970 enjoy the personal satisfaction of knowing that 00:23:53.970 --> 00:23:56.609 you're encouraging pastors, not only here in 00:23:56.609 --> 00:23:59.390 North America, but beyond our borders where churches 00:23:59.390 --> 00:24:02.049 are expanding at a pace that is really stretching 00:24:02.049 --> 00:24:05.190 pastors and church leaders. Living on the Edge 00:24:05.190 --> 00:24:08.130 is celebrating 30 years of God's faithfulness. 00:24:08.289 --> 00:24:11.069 What started three decades ago as a fledgling 00:24:11.069 --> 00:24:14.069 radio ministry has become a movement of God to 00:24:14.069 --> 00:24:17.170 disciple Christians and encourage pastors. And 00:24:17.170 --> 00:24:19.259 it's because people like you have locked arms 00:24:19.259 --> 00:24:21.759 with us to make an impact for God's kingdom. 00:24:21.940 --> 00:24:24.619 To send your donation in the mail, address your 00:24:24.619 --> 00:24:29.140 envelope to Living on the Edge, PO Box 3007, 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:34.220 Atlanta, Georgia 30024. You can also call 888 00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:39.440 -333 -6003 or give online at livingontheedge 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:44.410 .org. Has the daily grind just about ground you 00:24:44.410 --> 00:24:46.990 down? I'm Dave Drewy, inviting you to discover 00:24:46.990 --> 00:24:50.150 the joy of work next time on the weekend edition 00:24:50.150 --> 00:24:51.670 of Living on the Edge.