WEBVTT 00:00:11.289 --> 00:00:14.210 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.310 --> 00:00:17.589 Do you long to feel close to God? I mean, you 00:00:17.589 --> 00:00:20.309 know He loves you, but you're missing that emotional 00:00:20.309 --> 00:00:23.850 connection, that sense of His presence, and you 00:00:23.850 --> 00:00:25.670 don't know how to break out of it. Well, I'm 00:00:25.670 --> 00:00:29.440 going to share today a spiritual practice. that 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:33.579 God has designed to unlock your heart to create 00:00:33.579 --> 00:00:36.320 that intimacy or emotional connection with Him. 00:00:36.460 --> 00:00:38.460 So stay with me. You're not going to want to 00:00:38.460 --> 00:00:42.579 miss it. Well, Christmas Day has come and gone. 00:00:42.799 --> 00:00:45.859 Family has returned home. The emotional spike 00:00:45.859 --> 00:00:48.759 has subsided. And we're returning to a normal 00:00:48.759 --> 00:00:51.960 rhythm of life. So how do we avoid a post -holiday 00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:55.340 funk that sometimes follows Christmas Day? Well, 00:00:55.340 --> 00:00:57.520 there's a secret power that Jesus spoke about 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.740 that transcends human wisdom. It's a doorway 00:01:00.740 --> 00:01:03.539 into intimacy with God that cannot be accessed 00:01:03.539 --> 00:01:07.079 any other way. A friendship so rich, so adventurous, 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.900 that it transforms everything we touch. On this 00:01:10.900 --> 00:01:13.540 weekend edition of Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram 00:01:13.540 --> 00:01:16.299 describes a powerful biblical principle that 00:01:16.299 --> 00:01:18.840 turns stewardship from burden into breathtaking 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:21.700 adventure. And later in the program, Chip and 00:01:21.700 --> 00:01:24.000 I will explain how you can take advantage of 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:26.579 the December match, allowing you to multiply 00:01:26.579 --> 00:01:30.280 the size and impact of your donation at livingontheedge 00:01:30.280 --> 00:01:33.799 .org. The deadline is quickly approaching on 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:36.760 December 31st. But right now, let's resume our 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:39.439 study about the principle with secret power. 00:01:39.900 --> 00:01:42.500 This is the principle that has secret power. 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:47.719 I call it the oikonomia principle. Oikeo is a 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:50.719 Greek word for house. You can almost hear the 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:53.439 word. We get our word for economy. Literally, 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:57.640 the word has to do with being a steward. It's 00:01:57.640 --> 00:02:00.140 translated of being a guardian. It's translated 00:02:00.140 --> 00:02:02.219 of being a manager. And the oikonomia principle 00:02:02.219 --> 00:02:05.140 simply stated is all that we are and all that 00:02:05.140 --> 00:02:08.840 we have belongs to God. And he is temporarily 00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:12.659 entrusted to us to manage according to his wishes. 00:02:14.060 --> 00:02:18.120 This phrase or this word or this concept of the 00:02:18.120 --> 00:02:22.120 oikonomia principle is way, way beyond money. 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:26.400 Notice in Psalm 90, our time is a gift from God. 00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:29.780 Every good and perfect gift, everything you have, 00:02:29.860 --> 00:02:31.800 just in case we missed something, James 1, 17, 00:02:32.020 --> 00:02:33.979 every good and perfect gift comes from above, 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:35.840 from the Father of lights, with whom there's 00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:39.120 no variation or shifting shadow. And so at the 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:40.840 heart of it, notice the passage there at the 00:02:40.840 --> 00:02:43.689 bottom, 1 Corinthians 4, 1 and 2. Here's the 00:02:43.689 --> 00:02:45.930 responsibility of a manager or of a steward. 00:02:46.050 --> 00:02:48.449 Let a man regard us, the Apostle Paul says in 00:02:48.449 --> 00:02:50.469 this manner, as servants of Christ and, here's 00:02:50.469 --> 00:02:53.949 our word, stewards of the mysteries of God. And 00:02:53.949 --> 00:02:55.889 then in the next verse, he gives the number one 00:02:55.889 --> 00:03:00.210 priority with God of a steward. In this case, 00:03:00.210 --> 00:03:02.789 moreover, it is required of stewards that one 00:03:02.789 --> 00:03:05.909 be found, say it out loud with me, trustworthy. 00:03:06.150 --> 00:03:08.789 Circle it in your notes, will you? This is the 00:03:08.789 --> 00:03:12.680 issue. This is the issue in your life. God has 00:03:12.680 --> 00:03:14.919 given you time and talent and people and money 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:18.719 and opportunity and leadership. And what he wants 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.599 you to do is say, Lord, I want to be found trustworthy. 00:03:22.620 --> 00:03:27.639 I want to spend my time, my money in a way that 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:31.139 I realize it's really not mine. It's your time. 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:34.819 It's your money. It's your opportunity. And I 00:03:34.819 --> 00:03:36.659 want to honor you in it. And here's the thing, 00:03:36.680 --> 00:03:39.620 as we do that, God's promise is he's a heavenly 00:03:39.620 --> 00:03:42.500 father. He wants the very best for you. And so 00:03:42.500 --> 00:03:45.139 the real issue when it comes to this, the real 00:03:45.139 --> 00:03:49.060 issue is not stuff. The real issue is not what 00:03:49.060 --> 00:03:54.199 percentage. The real issue is trust. The reason 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:57.180 some of us don't have opportunities, the reason 00:03:57.180 --> 00:03:59.520 some of us are not experiencing even financially 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:02.120 all the things God wants for us is you know what? 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:05.900 We're not faithful with what he's given us. And 00:04:05.900 --> 00:04:08.000 you're a parent, right? You have one of your 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:09.680 kids, they wrecked the car three times. Do you 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:11.639 give them the keys to the next car or not? No. 00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:14.740 Why? Because they've already demonstrated. Until 00:04:14.740 --> 00:04:16.720 they demonstrate they can be faithful with what 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:18.819 you gave them here, you're not going to entrust 00:04:18.819 --> 00:04:21.980 them with. And so here's the question for believers, 00:04:22.180 --> 00:04:25.420 for followers of Christ. Can God trust you? Can 00:04:25.420 --> 00:04:27.860 he trust you with a big opportunity? Could God 00:04:27.860 --> 00:04:30.379 trust you with more financial resources? Could 00:04:30.379 --> 00:04:32.399 God trust you with a great friend that's gonna 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:35.079 be loyal to you? Could God, when he looks at 00:04:35.079 --> 00:04:37.000 your life and your character, could he trust 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.560 you with a spouse right now? Or would he know, 00:04:39.579 --> 00:04:42.779 you know what? The way you treat people now, 00:04:42.899 --> 00:04:45.000 I'm not gonna give a spouse in your life. You 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:47.560 just produce pain in that person's life. Well, 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:50.139 when all this issue of stewardship and trust 00:04:50.139 --> 00:04:52.959 came up, Jesus was speaking to the religious 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:55.079 leaders. And unfortunately, the religious leaders 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:58.019 in that day, have exactly the same problem as 00:04:58.019 --> 00:05:00.040 a lot of religious leaders in our day. They loved 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:03.740 money. They were warped. If you open your Bibles, 00:05:03.740 --> 00:05:07.560 turn to Luke chapter 16, and Jesus is going to 00:05:07.560 --> 00:05:10.459 give a corrective about money and about stewardship. 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:13.860 And he's talking to the religious leaders, and 00:05:13.860 --> 00:05:16.439 the disciples are there. And the religious leaders 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:19.100 at the time, they had this false formula. It's 00:05:19.100 --> 00:05:21.279 actually been picked up by the prosperity gospel 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:23.600 in our day. That, you know, if God really loves 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:25.319 you, he blesses you with material things. And 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:27.079 the more righteous you are, the more material 00:05:27.079 --> 00:05:30.740 things. And it's a give to get mentality. Well, 00:05:30.800 --> 00:05:32.740 the Pharisees wanted to appear very righteous. 00:05:32.819 --> 00:05:35.680 And so they were very, very greedy. Jesus described 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:40.180 them as philogoria, lovers of money. And they 00:05:40.180 --> 00:05:42.139 would, I mean, they would tithe. Oh, man, they 00:05:42.139 --> 00:05:44.959 followed all the rules. But they would actually 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:46.879 even change some of the rules and the traditions 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.300 to get more money for themselves. So they felt 00:05:49.300 --> 00:05:51.100 like the more wealthy they could be, it would 00:05:51.100 --> 00:05:52.879 indicate that they must be righteous and experience 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:56.120 God's blessing. And Jesus is going to just cut 00:05:56.120 --> 00:05:57.939 through. And here's what he's going to ask and 00:05:57.939 --> 00:05:59.920 answer. Write in your notes where it says, can 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:02.160 God trust you? You might write this question. 00:06:02.620 --> 00:06:06.680 And this question is, how do you become a wise 00:06:06.680 --> 00:06:09.620 steward? I mean, isn't that the $64 question? 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:12.920 How do you become a wise steward? How do you 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:16.139 become the kind of man or woman or student that 00:06:16.139 --> 00:06:17.839 God could look into your heart, because that's 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:20.360 where he looks, and say, I can trust you with 00:06:20.360 --> 00:06:22.620 more time. I can trust you with more opportunity. 00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:25.279 I can trust you with more money. I can trust 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:27.620 you with more leadership position. I can trust 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:29.779 you with the souls of a handful of people. You'll 00:06:29.779 --> 00:06:32.560 be faithful. And what you're going to learn is 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:37.300 in Luke 16, he's going to take The good example 00:06:37.300 --> 00:06:41.920 of a bad person to teach a timeless lesson. Here's 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:44.259 the setting. Correction to the Pharisees and 00:06:44.259 --> 00:06:46.079 instruction of his disciples concerning wealth. 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:49.139 And here's the story. We pick up the story, Luke 00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:52.779 16, verses 1 and 2. A mismanagement occurs and 00:06:52.779 --> 00:06:56.740 the steward or the manager is going to get fired. 00:06:57.259 --> 00:07:00.420 Now, he was also saying to the disciples, there 00:07:00.420 --> 00:07:03.310 was a rich man who had a manager. And this manager 00:07:03.310 --> 00:07:05.370 was reported to him as squandering his possessions. 00:07:05.949 --> 00:07:08.569 And he called him in and he said to him, what 00:07:08.569 --> 00:07:10.810 is this I hear about you? Give an account of 00:07:10.810 --> 00:07:12.970 your management for you can no longer be my manager. 00:07:13.730 --> 00:07:15.569 So as you're following along in your Bible, your 00:07:15.569 --> 00:07:17.490 iPad or mobile device, whatever you're using, 00:07:17.649 --> 00:07:20.149 you know, just understand this is a guy who was 00:07:20.149 --> 00:07:23.470 given oversight like Joseph and he was squandering 00:07:23.470 --> 00:07:25.550 it. He wasn't a good manager and he's going to 00:07:25.550 --> 00:07:27.709 get fired. Now, the second thing that's going 00:07:27.709 --> 00:07:29.089 to happen, he's going to say, so what are my 00:07:29.089 --> 00:07:31.600 options? He's going to come up with two options, 00:07:31.660 --> 00:07:34.000 decide neither of those are very good, and then 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:36.639 he comes up with a very creative third option. 00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.839 Picking it up in verse 3. The manager said to 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:43.680 himself, what shall I do since my master is taking 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:46.579 my management away from me? Option number one, 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:48.379 I'm not strong enough to dig. In other words, 00:07:48.379 --> 00:07:52.170 I can't do just labor. I'm ashamed to beg, option 00:07:52.170 --> 00:07:54.370 number two, can't do that one. I know what I 00:07:54.370 --> 00:07:57.810 shall do so that when I am removed from the management, 00:07:57.910 --> 00:08:00.709 people will welcome me into their homes. And 00:08:00.709 --> 00:08:02.509 he summoned each one of his master's debtors 00:08:02.509 --> 00:08:04.290 and he began saying to the first, how much do 00:08:04.290 --> 00:08:06.310 you owe my master? And he said, 100 measures 00:08:06.310 --> 00:08:08.430 of oil. And he said to him, take your bill, sit 00:08:08.430 --> 00:08:11.689 down quickly and write 50. Then he said to another, 00:08:11.889 --> 00:08:14.750 how much do you owe? And he said, 100 measures 00:08:14.750 --> 00:08:17.889 of wheat. And he said to him, take your bill, 00:08:17.949 --> 00:08:21.029 write in 80. And his master praised the unrighteous 00:08:21.029 --> 00:08:23.930 manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the 00:08:23.930 --> 00:08:26.050 sons of this age are more shrewd in relation 00:08:26.050 --> 00:08:29.029 to their own kind than the children of light. 00:08:30.009 --> 00:08:32.769 And then he makes an application. And I say to 00:08:32.769 --> 00:08:34.750 you, make friends for yourselves by means of 00:08:34.750 --> 00:08:37.710 wealth of unrighteousness so that when it fails, 00:08:37.850 --> 00:08:41.690 they will receive you into eternal dwellings. 00:08:44.139 --> 00:08:48.059 The commendation is not that he's a crook. Here's 00:08:48.059 --> 00:08:50.100 the spiritual principle. I put it in a box so 00:08:50.100 --> 00:08:52.039 that we wouldn't miss it because this passage 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:56.039 has been often very poorly interpreted. The dishonest 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:58.500 manager used his present temporal opportunity, 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.720 his stewardship, with a view of receiving future 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:05.440 reward. This made good business sense and according 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:09.500 to Jesus, it makes good spiritual sense. So what 00:09:09.500 --> 00:09:13.519 Jesus is saying is, here's someone who realized 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.019 I'm only going to have this job for a little 00:09:16.019 --> 00:09:20.139 bit more time. So I'm going to do in this limited 00:09:20.139 --> 00:09:22.879 time something that will allow me once I get 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:26.360 fired to have these guys, his boss apparently 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:29.720 was in commodities, olive oil and wheat. And 00:09:29.720 --> 00:09:31.919 he says, then they'll be indebted to me. And 00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:33.580 I can say, hey guys, you know, I need some money 00:09:33.580 --> 00:09:35.539 or I need a place to live. Remember what I did 00:09:35.539 --> 00:09:38.820 for you? In fact, if you don't remember, I could 00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:41.409 maybe let my master know what you did. And so 00:09:41.409 --> 00:09:43.490 he's just operating. He's shrewd. He's saying, 00:09:43.529 --> 00:09:45.190 I'm going to take this little window of time 00:09:45.190 --> 00:09:49.210 and set myself up for the future. And Jesus' 00:09:49.330 --> 00:09:52.509 application is, if you could understand eternity 00:09:52.509 --> 00:09:56.190 and you could understand that this tiny little 00:09:56.190 --> 00:09:59.230 dot called time and inside that tiny dot is a 00:09:59.230 --> 00:10:01.730 microscopic little dot of your life that's maybe 00:10:01.730 --> 00:10:05.240 70 to 90 years max. He said, you want to take 00:10:05.240 --> 00:10:08.019 this present temporal little opportunity and 00:10:08.019 --> 00:10:10.480 the wealth that God gives you, and what you want 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:13.820 to do is you want to leverage that so that after 00:10:13.820 --> 00:10:16.000 you die and there is a real heaven and there 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:18.179 is a real hell and there is a real thing called 00:10:18.179 --> 00:10:21.100 rewards, that you will be like John Saville, 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:24.299 who right now, I'm sure, has hundreds if not 00:10:24.299 --> 00:10:26.940 thousands of people saying, John, I was that 00:10:26.940 --> 00:10:29.480 teenage girl and I met that chip guy and, you 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:31.139 know, he wrote that check. I didn't know you're 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:32.700 the one who did it. Thank you. I wouldn't be 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:35.389 here except for you. That's what Jesus is saying. 00:10:35.809 --> 00:10:38.950 He's saying, use this temporal management opportunity 00:10:38.950 --> 00:10:43.389 to invest wisely. Now, notice what he goes on 00:10:43.389 --> 00:10:45.529 and says, however. The teaching is faithfulness 00:10:45.529 --> 00:10:48.710 with material wealth is the prerequisite to being 00:10:48.710 --> 00:10:52.529 trusted with spiritual wealth and rewards. Notice 00:10:52.529 --> 00:10:56.190 the axiom, verse 10. He was faithful in a very 00:10:56.190 --> 00:10:59.149 little thing, is faithful also in much. Now, 00:10:59.149 --> 00:11:01.960 that's true of finances. But that's also, that's 00:11:01.960 --> 00:11:04.419 axiom, that's a timeless principle. He who is 00:11:04.419 --> 00:11:08.019 faithful in a very little thing is faithful also 00:11:08.019 --> 00:11:11.600 in much. That's what people who look into the 00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.620 lives of stewards. If you're faithful in this, 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:15.320 God entrusts you with more. You're faithful in 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:17.200 that, he'll entrust you with more. And whether 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:18.840 it's money or whether it's time or whether it's 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:21.179 your gifts, whether it's your talents, but he 00:11:21.179 --> 00:11:24.120 was unfaithful in a very little thing will be 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:26.990 unfaithful in much. Therefore, if you've not 00:11:26.990 --> 00:11:28.789 been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, 00:11:29.070 --> 00:11:32.370 who will entrust you with true riches? And if 00:11:32.370 --> 00:11:33.870 you have not been faithful in the use of that 00:11:33.870 --> 00:11:35.970 which is another's, who will give you that which 00:11:35.970 --> 00:11:39.009 is your own? No servant can serve two masters 00:11:39.009 --> 00:11:41.289 for he will hate the one and love the other or 00:11:41.289 --> 00:11:42.990 else he'll be devoted to one and despise the 00:11:42.990 --> 00:11:46.870 other. You can't serve both God and wealth. Now 00:11:46.870 --> 00:11:49.990 notice the commentary to the group. Now the Pharisees 00:11:49.990 --> 00:11:52.570 were lovers of money. And they were listening 00:11:52.570 --> 00:11:55.830 to all these things and they were scoffing at 00:11:55.830 --> 00:11:58.889 him or literally they were sneering. They were 00:11:58.889 --> 00:12:01.789 scoffing. And then this last line, this is a 00:12:01.789 --> 00:12:04.269 verse I memorized that some of you, you might 00:12:04.269 --> 00:12:07.029 want to jot down. This is what Jesus said to 00:12:07.029 --> 00:12:09.669 those of us that tend to have that bent toward 00:12:09.669 --> 00:12:12.470 legalism, that bent toward performance. And he 00:12:12.470 --> 00:12:14.490 said to them, you are those who justify yourselves 00:12:14.490 --> 00:12:16.690 in the sight of men, but God knows your heart 00:12:16.690 --> 00:12:19.529 for that which is highly esteemed among men. 00:12:20.659 --> 00:12:24.179 is detestable on the side of God. I wrote that 00:12:24.179 --> 00:12:26.139 on a card, memorized that, and reviewed it for 00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:29.120 years and years and years. And just kept asking 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.299 God for that which is highly esteemed among men. 00:12:32.440 --> 00:12:35.039 Let me ask you, what's highly esteemed among 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:39.740 men? What's your drive? What's your zip code 00:12:39.740 --> 00:12:43.259 number is? What's your portfolio? How many zeros? 00:12:43.720 --> 00:12:45.840 How many letters behind your name? Who you know? 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:49.000 Drop a name here and there. How you look, how 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:54.080 you appear, your body, right? That which is highly 00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:58.100 esteemed among men is detestable in the sight 00:12:58.100 --> 00:13:02.950 of God. Now... When God gives you nice things, 00:13:03.090 --> 00:13:05.909 when he entrusts you with position and power 00:13:05.909 --> 00:13:08.809 and wealth and opportunity, and if he gives you 00:13:08.809 --> 00:13:10.950 a wonderful and nice body and you're on a good 00:13:10.950 --> 00:13:12.750 diet and all those, and when as a steward you're 00:13:12.750 --> 00:13:14.529 thinking, oh God, thank you. I can't believe 00:13:14.529 --> 00:13:16.649 how generous you've been. And by the way, I just 00:13:16.649 --> 00:13:18.389 want you to know, anytime, any way you want to 00:13:18.389 --> 00:13:20.889 use any of this, I just, it's in your hands. 00:13:21.629 --> 00:13:23.149 See, those kind of people, you know what God 00:13:23.149 --> 00:13:25.299 does? He just keeps pouring more in. He keeps 00:13:25.299 --> 00:13:27.100 pouring more in because he's like one of those 00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:29.259 venture capitalists. You know, we invested some 00:13:29.259 --> 00:13:30.820 money with that group and they made us $100 million. 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:32.539 They're coming back. What do you think we ought 00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:35.840 to do? I think we should invest some more. Next 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:37.899 time out, they win us a billion dollars. Well, 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:39.340 they got another great idea. What should we do? 00:13:39.399 --> 00:13:42.200 I think we'll invest some more. What Jesus is 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:44.679 saying is if you could understand that there 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:48.039 isn't scarcity, that God owns everything, and 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:51.639 that true spiritual wealth It's not about money 00:13:51.639 --> 00:13:53.759 or things, but it's about relationships. But 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:57.279 the symptom, the symptom that tells you where 00:13:57.279 --> 00:13:59.419 you're at in relationship to God and how much 00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:02.600 you trust Him is your money. We'll hear more 00:14:02.600 --> 00:14:04.679 from Chip Ingram's message in just a moment. 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:07.399 First, we invite you to multiply your year in 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:10.019 support of Living on the Edge through an exciting 00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:13.000 match that's active through December 31st. Every 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:17.220 gift is matched. Every dollar multiplied by two. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:20.879 Every investment maximized for kingdom impact. 00:14:21.220 --> 00:14:24.100 Double the impact of your gift at livingontheedge 00:14:24.100 --> 00:14:28.639 .org. From his series called The Genius of Generosity, 00:14:28.779 --> 00:14:31.879 again our Bible teacher, Chip Ingram. There's 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:34.759 a young man that I was spending some time with 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:37.679 in Atlanta. And just gifted, he was an artist 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:41.179 and a photographer and just had all these dreams 00:14:41.179 --> 00:14:43.600 and wanted to start this ministry and he was 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.200 trying this and trying that and he did an art 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:48.019 exhibit and got with other artists in Atlanta 00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:51.179 area and everything he tried, it was just like 00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:53.899 there was no air in the balloon. Just failure, 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:57.000 flat, flat. And I met with a guy and he had a 00:14:57.000 --> 00:14:59.379 heart for God and he was gifted and the stuff 00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:01.879 was amazing. And I just, it was one of those 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:05.759 times where you just thought, You know, it's 00:15:05.759 --> 00:15:07.759 like playing basketball with a guy that has a 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:09.919 40 -inch vertical, and he can't dunk. And he 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.740 goes, there's something wrong here. And so I 00:15:12.740 --> 00:15:14.679 went to Starbucks one day, and I said, hey, Josh, 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:17.659 let's, because he said, what's wrong? Why is 00:15:17.659 --> 00:15:20.000 God not blessing this? And I said, you know, 00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:22.679 I don't know, but I read through Luke 16 with 00:15:22.679 --> 00:15:25.399 him out loud, and I said, I don't know, and I 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:26.919 don't want to mess with your interior life. I 00:15:26.919 --> 00:15:28.899 don't know you all that well, but just let me 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:31.000 ask you, what, like, where are you at in your 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:34.139 finances? You know, and the story comes out, 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:35.899 he really hadn't worked full -time anywhere for 00:15:35.899 --> 00:15:37.639 two and a half, three years, was living off credit 00:15:37.639 --> 00:15:40.240 cards, had amazing amounts of debt, wasn't giving 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:43.340 a dime to God in any way. And I said, Josh, do 00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:45.659 you think it would be wise for God to entrust 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:48.899 a ministry to you and people's lives to you and 00:15:48.899 --> 00:15:50.899 maybe even give you a position of credibility 00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:54.279 to tell people about Christ when actually you 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:56.179 haven't even been faithful with the little thing, 00:15:56.299 --> 00:15:59.559 money? And, you know, he's got on a plan to get 00:15:59.559 --> 00:16:01.519 out of debt. And, you know, it was just an amazing 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:04.940 story to watch him turn things around. But see, 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:08.320 the test, there's two tests. We'll talk more 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:09.840 about these things a little bit later. But just, 00:16:09.860 --> 00:16:12.860 you know, here's two financial tests that are 00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:15.279 just crystal clear that can let us know if our 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:19.100 priorities, if, in fact, God really were trustworthy. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:22.139 Test number one is generous stewards give the 00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:26.740 first and the best to God. There's an Old Testament 00:16:26.740 --> 00:16:28.779 passage here and it's all through the New Testament. 00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:32.559 It says, honor the Lord with all your wealth 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:36.659 and with the first portion of your produce or 00:16:36.659 --> 00:16:40.490 your crops. So he says, you know. The first fruits 00:16:40.490 --> 00:16:43.429 would be like the harvest comes in or the grapes 00:16:43.429 --> 00:16:46.029 just come off the vine. You take the best and 00:16:46.029 --> 00:16:48.710 the first and you bring it to the temple. And 00:16:48.710 --> 00:16:50.269 you say, I'm not sure how many grapes are coming. 00:16:50.409 --> 00:16:51.850 I don't know how big the harvest is going to 00:16:51.850 --> 00:16:53.529 be. I don't know if it's going to be a tenfold 00:16:53.529 --> 00:16:55.350 or a twentyfold or a thirtyfold. I don't know. 00:16:55.409 --> 00:16:57.970 But God, I want you to know the very first and 00:16:57.970 --> 00:17:01.309 the very best is yours. And you are the one that's 00:17:01.309 --> 00:17:04.190 responsible and I'm a steward. You give your 00:17:04.190 --> 00:17:07.289 first and your best to God. And then what's the 00:17:07.289 --> 00:17:10.390 second half of that say? Honor the Lord with 00:17:10.390 --> 00:17:12.490 all your wealth and the first fruits of your 00:17:12.490 --> 00:17:15.910 produce or your crops. Then your barns will be 00:17:15.910 --> 00:17:20.470 filled to overflowing and your vats will burst 00:17:20.470 --> 00:17:23.470 forth with new wine. See, there's no scarcity. 00:17:24.029 --> 00:17:27.289 When God sees us trust him like that, he says, 00:17:27.309 --> 00:17:31.230 hey, the blessing of my hand will be upon you. 00:17:31.970 --> 00:17:34.069 But you know, there's this faith thing, isn't 00:17:34.069 --> 00:17:36.119 it? See, when you're not sure how much harvest 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:37.960 is coming in, giving the first and the best is 00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:41.039 a little risky unless God is really real. The 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:44.740 second test is that generous stewards give regularly 00:17:44.740 --> 00:17:47.759 and systematically. Apostle Paul would write 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.019 to the church. It says, on the first day of every 00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:52.160 week, each one of you should set aside a sum 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:57.259 of money. Notice how much. What's it say? In 00:17:57.259 --> 00:17:59.849 keeping with his income. He means rather than 00:17:59.849 --> 00:18:03.349 looking at just a percentage as, hmm, I've given 00:18:03.349 --> 00:18:06.690 that, I'm okay. I mean, I've had, somehow God's 00:18:06.690 --> 00:18:08.509 linked me with some people that have been extraordinarily 00:18:08.509 --> 00:18:12.710 wealthy and very blessed. And I know one friend 00:18:12.710 --> 00:18:16.190 and, you know, he's just so smart and so gifted 00:18:16.190 --> 00:18:19.230 and really loves God. And yet he kind of has 00:18:19.230 --> 00:18:22.339 this attitude that, and I mean, he's worth. well, 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:24.240 he's got one piece of property that's worth $10 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:26.359 million. It's just an empty lot. I won't tell 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:28.319 you where it is. And he's got about four different 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:33.059 houses. And as we talk, it's like, oh yeah, I 00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:34.579 want to be faithful to God. And you know, whatever 00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:37.599 God brings in, I give the first 10%. And it's 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:39.599 like, hey, you know, like I wrote the bill. So 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:43.819 that's it, right? And I'm thinking, oh man, you 00:18:43.819 --> 00:18:47.359 really don't get it at all. It doesn't, it says, 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:51.700 let each on the first day of the week. Set aside 00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:55.140 a sum of money in keeping with your income. Those 00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:58.000 that have a lot, give a lot. Those that have 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.700 a little, just can give a little. Saving it up 00:19:01.700 --> 00:19:03.960 so that when I come, the collections won't have 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:06.819 to be made. And Paul's saying, I'm coming. You 00:19:06.819 --> 00:19:09.000 agreed to help the poor there. And the Gentile 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:10.460 church is going to help. There's a famine. And 00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:12.529 I just want you to know, no manipulation. Boy, 00:19:12.589 --> 00:19:14.329 the New Testament, when you feel pressured by 00:19:14.329 --> 00:19:16.470 people or you hear people making these outrageous 00:19:16.470 --> 00:19:18.390 promises, you know, on the radio, if you give 00:19:18.390 --> 00:19:20.569 this and God's going to do this, just forget 00:19:20.569 --> 00:19:22.569 all that stuff. The Bible's really clear. It's 00:19:22.569 --> 00:19:25.029 an issue of the heart. He says, I want you to 00:19:25.029 --> 00:19:27.410 get before God. I want you to decide in advance. 00:19:27.690 --> 00:19:29.430 I want it to be proportional to what God has 00:19:29.430 --> 00:19:32.009 given you so that when I come, there's no pressure. 00:19:32.069 --> 00:19:34.589 There's no manipulation. It's an act of worship. 00:19:36.250 --> 00:19:38.910 Because see, at the end of the day, the Lord 00:19:38.910 --> 00:19:42.160 really just... is wanting to increase the size 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:44.900 of your heart and your faith, that he's trustworthy 00:19:44.900 --> 00:19:48.079 and he has a plan for you and he wants you to 00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:51.859 know if you'll be faithful in little things, 00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:56.940 I have lots of money. I have lots of time. I 00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:58.940 have all these positions and opportunities that 00:19:58.940 --> 00:20:01.319 I'd like to put my children of light into, but 00:20:01.319 --> 00:20:03.640 some of them I can't put them in those because 00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:06.240 the position and the opportunity would increase 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:07.900 their wealth and their power and they would just 00:20:07.900 --> 00:20:10.750 become... proud and they would disgrace my name 00:20:10.750 --> 00:20:13.150 and they would ruin the situation. And so until 00:20:13.150 --> 00:20:14.970 you can be faithful in the little thing, the 00:20:14.970 --> 00:20:17.210 little responsibility, and the little thing starts 00:20:17.210 --> 00:20:18.769 with money, but it's just the training wheels. 00:20:19.410 --> 00:20:21.829 And then it's relationships. And then it's integrity. 00:20:22.289 --> 00:20:24.210 And when we're faithful in little things, he 00:20:24.210 --> 00:20:27.529 gives more and more and more and more. Well, 00:20:27.549 --> 00:20:29.329 on the very back, there's three questions that 00:20:29.329 --> 00:20:32.930 I guess what I'd say is if there's someone safe, 00:20:33.109 --> 00:20:35.210 it might be your mate. It might be one of your 00:20:35.210 --> 00:20:37.920 best friends. It might be your small group. But 00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:40.099 I would encourage you to ask those three questions 00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:44.180 out loud. It's what wise stewards ask. Am I spending 00:20:44.180 --> 00:20:46.140 the owner, which is God's money in a way that 00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:48.900 he wishes? Am I keeping track of the owner's 00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:51.660 money? You know, if I give 30%, I'm still responsible 00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:56.839 for the 70%. He owns it all, right? And am I 00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:59.480 becoming best friends with the owner? If giving 00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:01.980 is, you know, like I was where, hey, you know, 00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:04.019 I got that done. I'm so glad it's an obligation. 00:21:04.359 --> 00:21:08.730 You may give, but... You're missing what it means 00:21:08.730 --> 00:21:13.769 to be generous. What is it that God wants to 00:21:13.769 --> 00:21:17.029 do in your life to entrust to you so that you 00:21:17.029 --> 00:21:19.430 could experience the joy and the genius of generosity? 00:21:21.710 --> 00:21:24.430 Giving to God's work isn't something to check 00:21:24.430 --> 00:21:27.630 off our to -do list. It's an opportunity to experience 00:21:27.630 --> 00:21:31.220 the joy of generosity. You're listening to Living 00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:34.180 on the Edge with Bible teacher Chip Ingram. Chip, 00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:36.059 there's not a day that passes without someone 00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:38.359 telling us what they gain from Living on the 00:21:38.359 --> 00:21:41.039 Edge. In fact, after 30 years of sharing Living 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:43.480 on the Edge, we've discovered that our listeners 00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:46.900 are learners. When today's culture seems divided, 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.500 there's a growing hunger for knowing the truth 00:21:49.500 --> 00:21:53.000 about God and His Word. Chip? Thanks so much, 00:21:53.019 --> 00:21:55.869 Dave. Here's the reality. A lot of Christians 00:21:55.869 --> 00:21:58.549 have been treading water in the shallow end of 00:21:58.549 --> 00:22:01.789 faith for years. They know enough of the Bible 00:22:01.789 --> 00:22:04.170 to get by, you know, a few favorite verses and 00:22:04.170 --> 00:22:07.549 some comforting promises. But when life really 00:22:07.549 --> 00:22:10.750 hits hard, when tragedy strikes, when doubt creeps 00:22:10.750 --> 00:22:13.829 in, they just don't have the depth to stand firm. 00:22:14.089 --> 00:22:16.509 They're sincere believers with shallow roots. 00:22:16.630 --> 00:22:19.970 And when that first big wind of a disappointment, 00:22:20.269 --> 00:22:24.210 a bankruptcy, a divorce, Those things just knock 00:22:24.210 --> 00:22:26.690 them out or knock them over. And Living on the 00:22:26.690 --> 00:22:28.990 Edge exists to build spiritual roots that go 00:22:28.990 --> 00:22:32.690 deep so that nothing can uproot them. For 30 00:22:32.690 --> 00:22:35.009 years, we've been hearing from grateful listeners, 00:22:35.190 --> 00:22:38.869 and they've told us, I've been swimming in the 00:22:38.869 --> 00:22:42.690 deep end of God's bottomless wisdom as I get 00:22:42.690 --> 00:22:45.250 into God's Word with Chip and Living on the Edge. 00:22:45.410 --> 00:22:48.990 That's 30 years of impact, all made possible 00:22:48.990 --> 00:22:52.690 through faithful partners like you. Today, you 00:22:52.690 --> 00:22:55.029 can join them, and your impact is going to be 00:22:55.029 --> 00:22:58.170 doubled through this match. Every gift is matched. 00:22:58.450 --> 00:23:03.089 Every dollar multiplied by two. Every investment 00:23:03.089 --> 00:23:06.950 maximized for Kingdom Impact. The opportunity 00:23:06.950 --> 00:23:12.309 is now. The need is urgent. Will you give your 00:23:12.309 --> 00:23:15.369 best gift today? Living on the Edge is uniquely 00:23:15.369 --> 00:23:17.970 postured to help listeners grow deeper in their 00:23:17.970 --> 00:23:21.480 faith. We're celebrating 30 years of God's faithfulness 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:24.059 to Living on the Edge. Remember the first time 00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:26.579 you heard Chip's Bible teaching? Well, that moment 00:23:26.579 --> 00:23:28.740 was sponsored by someone you'll likely never 00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:31.940 meet. It was made possible by someone just like 00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:34.599 yourself who was given generously to support 00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:37.940 the ministry of Living on the Edge. Maybe today's 00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:40.539 the day you'll decide to do for some unsuspected 00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:43.160 listener what a generous stranger did for you. 00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:46.559 All that to say, As you feel God nudging you 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:49.859 to respond, please follow His leading. Whatever 00:23:49.859 --> 00:23:52.079 amount He places on your heart will be multiplied 00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:55.400 by two because of the match. To give right now, 00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:59.200 go to livingontheedge .org or call us at 888 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:04.000 -333 -6003. To send a check in the mail, write 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:08.079 to Living on the Edge, P .O. Box 3007, Atlanta, 00:24:08.339 --> 00:24:12.980 Georgia 30024. Because of the match, your $100 00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:16.940 gift will become $200. A generous gift of $250 00:24:16.940 --> 00:24:21.299 becomes $500. Double the amount, twice the impact, 00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:24.380 until we reach the goal. And the deadline for 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:26.920 receiving your match gift is midnight, December 00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:32.539 31st. Again, write to P .O. Box 3007, Atlanta, 00:24:32.839 --> 00:24:39.940 Georgia, 30024. You can also call 888 -333 -6003 00:24:39.940 --> 00:24:45.039 or visit livingontheedge .org. I'm Dave Drewy, 00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:47.539 grateful to have you along today. Hear Chip Ingram 00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:50.200 describe how to make this year different, next 00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:52.839 time on the Living on the Edge Weekend Edition.