WEBVTT 00:00:11.470 --> 00:00:14.189 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.990 --> 00:00:17.809 Newlyweds, a promotion, a new house, a new car, 00:00:17.949 --> 00:00:21.230 a new baby. New things are great, aren't they? 00:00:21.289 --> 00:00:24.550 I love them, don't you? But eventually the shine 00:00:24.550 --> 00:00:28.289 comes off and life falls into the same old routine. 00:00:28.929 --> 00:00:31.649 Are you tired of new things getting old? Would 00:00:31.649 --> 00:00:34.289 you like something that lasts, that gives purpose 00:00:34.289 --> 00:00:37.429 and life and meaning? That's what we're going 00:00:37.429 --> 00:00:41.880 to talk about today. Without risk, there's no 00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:45.159 faith. Without faith, there's no change. Without 00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:48.399 change, there's no growth. Most Christians play 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:51.460 it safe, staying comfortably stuck in their spiritual 00:00:51.460 --> 00:00:54.420 rut. But God rewards those who step out in faith. 00:00:54.820 --> 00:00:57.560 I'm Dave Drewy, and on this weekend edition of 00:00:57.560 --> 00:01:00.380 Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram reveals the importance 00:01:00.380 --> 00:01:03.460 of becoming a progressive risk taker. In our 00:01:03.460 --> 00:01:05.900 series called Experience Breakthrough, we're 00:01:05.900 --> 00:01:08.340 learning how to stop feeling confined by life's 00:01:08.340 --> 00:01:11.019 biggest barriers. Today, Chip is giving us the 00:01:11.019 --> 00:01:13.420 key principles of growth, including the one that 00:01:13.420 --> 00:01:15.879 makes most of us uncomfortable, taking risks. 00:01:16.500 --> 00:01:18.519 Well, here's Chip Ingram with his message on 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:22.099 how to overcome personal stagnation. Would you 00:01:22.099 --> 00:01:25.599 like to learn how to break through those barriers 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:29.000 of personal stagnation, especially in your relationship 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:31.659 with God and people? I want to give you seven 00:01:31.659 --> 00:01:35.340 principles from Scripture. There may be 20. There 00:01:35.340 --> 00:01:38.459 may be 100. But as I've examined Scripture and 00:01:38.459 --> 00:01:42.120 lived life and watched people who grow, it's 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:44.799 obvious that people who grow have at least these 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:48.579 seven things in common. People who grow, number 00:01:48.579 --> 00:01:54.159 one, live daily with the end in view. People 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:57.120 who are really growing are motivated. In fact, 00:01:57.159 --> 00:02:00.280 this principle is the key to motivation. Second 00:02:00.280 --> 00:02:03.280 characteristic of people who grow is they make 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.879 a personal commitment to grow. This is the key 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:11.060 to overcoming inertia. A lot of us don't grow 00:02:11.060 --> 00:02:13.860 because we feel stuck. And often what we need 00:02:13.860 --> 00:02:15.819 in growth is not some big thing. We just need 00:02:15.819 --> 00:02:20.259 to get moving. Third, they value process more 00:02:20.259 --> 00:02:24.090 than event. And that's the key to progress. See, 00:02:24.129 --> 00:02:26.689 what happens is we think growth happens in these 00:02:26.689 --> 00:02:29.569 huge spurts. We think that there's a magic pill. 00:02:29.710 --> 00:02:31.849 There's a seminar. There's a book. There's a 00:02:31.849 --> 00:02:35.310 secret teaching. There's something somewhere 00:02:35.310 --> 00:02:37.330 somehow. There's an area of the country. And 00:02:37.330 --> 00:02:38.990 if you go visit that area of the country, you 00:02:38.990 --> 00:02:41.310 get holy and you get powerful and everything's 00:02:41.310 --> 00:02:45.449 going to change. You dream. That's not the way 00:02:45.449 --> 00:02:49.469 life works. See, people who really grow understand 00:02:49.469 --> 00:02:53.860 it's the everyday. tiny little decisions you 00:02:53.860 --> 00:02:57.919 make, it's the process that produces real growth. 00:02:58.900 --> 00:03:02.139 Seven keys to personal growth. The first, live 00:03:02.139 --> 00:03:04.139 daily with the end in view. It's the key to motivation. 00:03:04.919 --> 00:03:06.919 Second, make a personal commitment. It's the 00:03:06.919 --> 00:03:09.879 key to overcoming inertia. Third, value process 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:13.520 more than event. It's the key to progress. So 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:14.919 you get discouraged thinking you're not making 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:17.520 progress. You're making progress. Real growth 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:22.620 is slow. Fourth, Cultivate stimulating relationships. 00:03:23.340 --> 00:03:28.000 It's the key to inspiration. Growing people arrange 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.699 their lives and their schedules. Are you ready? 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:35.340 To be around growing people. To be inspired, 00:03:35.419 --> 00:03:37.159 to be challenged, to be stretched. Every time 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:39.520 I rub up against people that are walking with 00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:43.000 God and they're ahead of me here and they're 00:03:43.000 --> 00:03:44.819 making progress there. Every time I get near 00:03:44.819 --> 00:03:48.099 them, I want to lean forward into it. And there's 00:03:48.099 --> 00:03:49.840 times where there's people that have huge needs 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:52.020 and I feel inadequate. I don't know, but when 00:03:52.020 --> 00:03:54.500 I get involved in their life and I get stimulated 00:03:54.500 --> 00:03:56.979 and I realize God can use a regular guy like 00:03:56.979 --> 00:04:00.620 me. He can use a regular person like you. You 00:04:00.620 --> 00:04:03.539 cultivate stimulating relationships. In fact, 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:06.080 the Bible commands us to. Hebrews 10, 24 and 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:09.280 25. It says, and let us consider, let us ponder 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:14.539 how we may spur or stimulate one another on to 00:04:14.539 --> 00:04:18.189 what? Love and good deeds. Let us not give up 00:04:18.189 --> 00:04:21.089 meeting together as some are in the habit of 00:04:21.089 --> 00:04:25.209 doing, but encourage, exhort, get the idea, one 00:04:25.209 --> 00:04:28.810 another all the more as you see the day approaching, 00:04:29.009 --> 00:04:32.310 the day of Christ's return. You got to have a 00:04:32.310 --> 00:04:35.470 small group. You got to have a mentor. You got 00:04:35.470 --> 00:04:38.050 to have a mentoree. There's some people that 00:04:38.050 --> 00:04:40.110 can mentor you. You can become close friends 00:04:40.110 --> 00:04:42.209 with some of the greatest people in the world 00:04:42.209 --> 00:04:45.589 today because of technology. Billy Graham and 00:04:45.589 --> 00:04:48.610 I are on a first name basis. I've never met him. 00:04:49.649 --> 00:04:54.550 But I'm on page 680 something. I've learned and 00:04:54.550 --> 00:04:57.790 been inspired because I'm reading his autobiography. 00:04:57.810 --> 00:04:59.870 Every week I listen to three or four messages 00:04:59.870 --> 00:05:02.069 of other people around the country. And they 00:05:02.069 --> 00:05:04.949 inspire me and they encourage me. And you know, 00:05:04.990 --> 00:05:06.829 it's not a hard thing to say, I'm going to read 00:05:06.829 --> 00:05:08.529 a half hour before I go to bed instead of watch 00:05:08.529 --> 00:05:10.370 TV for an hour before I go to bed. Do you know 00:05:10.370 --> 00:05:11.889 what happens when you read a half hour before 00:05:11.889 --> 00:05:14.550 you go to bed and you do that? 300 days a year 00:05:14.550 --> 00:05:17.750 transforms your life. But see, you've got to 00:05:17.750 --> 00:05:21.810 cultivate with the time that you have stimulating 00:05:21.810 --> 00:05:25.029 relationships. Why? Next verse, Proverbs 13, 00:05:25.189 --> 00:05:28.209 20. He who dwells with a wise man will be wise. 00:05:28.730 --> 00:05:31.569 She who dwells with a wise woman will be wise. 00:05:31.649 --> 00:05:34.829 But the companion of a fool will suffer harm. 00:05:34.970 --> 00:05:36.889 I don't know anything about you, but I can tell 00:05:36.889 --> 00:05:39.920 this about you and about me right now. Whoever 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:42.420 your closest friends are, whoever you're running 00:05:42.420 --> 00:05:44.660 with right now, in five years you'll be just 00:05:44.660 --> 00:05:48.720 like them. So I've just made a decision. I'm 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:51.100 going to run around with people better, smarter, 00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:54.920 more holy, more godly, more energetic, more intelligent, 00:05:55.060 --> 00:05:56.980 more creative than me. And I'm just praying some 00:05:56.980 --> 00:05:59.379 of it's going to rip off. You've got to balance 00:05:59.379 --> 00:06:01.680 the positive relationships with the draining 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:05.519 relationships. You need both. Both stimulate. 00:06:07.079 --> 00:06:12.740 Fifth, People who grow choose to become progressive 00:06:12.740 --> 00:06:18.959 risk takers. It's the key to change. The Bible 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.259 says in Hebrews 11, 6, and without faith it's 00:06:21.259 --> 00:06:23.279 impossible to please God. Not hard, it's impossible. 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:26.220 Because anyone who comes to him must believe 00:06:26.220 --> 00:06:29.379 two things. First, that he exists. Second, that 00:06:29.379 --> 00:06:32.759 he rewards. Do you believe that? God rewards 00:06:32.759 --> 00:06:35.259 those who diligently seek him. God is looking 00:06:35.259 --> 00:06:37.680 to bless and to honor your life and to reward 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:42.259 you. He wants to do good in you. He wants to 00:06:42.259 --> 00:06:46.920 do good through you. Where there is no risk, 00:06:47.240 --> 00:06:52.639 there is no faith. Where there is no faith, there 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:57.180 is no change. Where there is no change, there 00:06:57.180 --> 00:07:03.160 is no growth. It is impossible to grow unless 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:06.379 you become a progressive risk taker. Now, I put 00:07:06.379 --> 00:07:08.959 that word progressive in there. And I put the 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:11.160 word choose for a reason because it doesn't come 00:07:11.160 --> 00:07:14.019 easy, does it? Now, some of you had that spirit 00:07:14.019 --> 00:07:15.839 and you like change just because you like change. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:19.939 The rest of the world kind of likes things the 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:22.459 way they are. And change feels very threatening. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:27.779 But if you want to grow, you must choose to become 00:07:27.779 --> 00:07:32.290 a progressive risk taker. You must choose to 00:07:32.290 --> 00:07:34.569 move out of your comfort zone relationally and 00:07:34.569 --> 00:07:36.350 initiate things that you're uncomfortable with. 00:07:36.470 --> 00:07:38.069 You have to choose to move out of your comfort 00:07:38.069 --> 00:07:39.689 zone and get involved in ministry beyond what 00:07:39.689 --> 00:07:41.290 you think you can handle. You have to choose 00:07:41.290 --> 00:07:43.290 to move out of your comfort zone and your time 00:07:43.290 --> 00:07:45.310 and your structure and be a little more flexible 00:07:45.310 --> 00:07:47.009 than you're comfortable with. You have to choose 00:07:47.009 --> 00:07:48.410 to get out of your comfort zone and begin to 00:07:48.410 --> 00:07:52.730 do some things financially that will really reveal 00:07:52.730 --> 00:07:58.790 where your heart's at. And it's risk. If a personal 00:07:58.790 --> 00:08:02.920 quiet time transformed the values, the thinking, 00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:05.379 and the relationships and shaped my life in the 00:08:05.379 --> 00:08:09.199 area of faith. Learning how to give biblically 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:13.120 was absolutely, without a doubt, the greatest 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:17.420 risk -taking area ever. Now, I didn't grow up 00:08:17.420 --> 00:08:20.740 in church. And the churches I grew up in, I didn't 00:08:20.740 --> 00:08:23.579 like. And my big suspicion about Christianity 00:08:23.579 --> 00:08:26.740 was, all they want is your money, because that's 00:08:26.740 --> 00:08:28.560 what it sounded like from those people on TV. 00:08:29.659 --> 00:08:32.019 And so I trust Christ and they give me a Bible 00:08:32.019 --> 00:08:34.679 and I start reading it. I had a long way to go 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:36.940 in my views. So I'm a Christian three years and 00:08:36.940 --> 00:08:39.799 finally I decided I'm going to give $5 a month 00:08:39.799 --> 00:08:43.000 to this missionary couple in Japan. And I'm thinking, 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:45.120 they may be the luckiest group in the whole world 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:48.340 to get that from me. I mean, I had a clear philosophy 00:08:48.340 --> 00:08:51.139 of giving growing up. You give a quarter in the 00:08:51.139 --> 00:08:54.679 bag every time it comes around as a kid. When 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:57.940 you get older, you bump it to a dollar. And if 00:08:57.940 --> 00:08:59.860 you're feeling kind of spiritual, you go with 00:08:59.860 --> 00:09:03.139 a five. I'm serious. That was my view of giving. 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:07.279 The idea of a percentage, the idea of 10 % of 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:09.820 my gross income, it was like, are these people 00:09:09.820 --> 00:09:13.600 nuts? I mean, where does this come from? You 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:19.039 know what I just did? If you don't learn, according 00:09:19.039 --> 00:09:23.080 to Jesus, to give your money, your heart, your 00:09:23.080 --> 00:09:25.379 time, your relationships, all those are a lot 00:09:25.379 --> 00:09:29.379 harder. You're listening to Living on the Edge. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:32.440 More from Chip Ingram in just a moment. But first, 00:09:32.539 --> 00:09:35.440 if today's teaching is resonating with you, don't 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:37.799 keep it to yourself. You can easily share this 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:41.220 message with friends and family by visiting livingontheedge 00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:44.740 .org. There you'll find not only today's program, 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:47.340 but an entire collection of biblical resources 00:09:47.340 --> 00:09:49.559 designed to help you experience breakthrough 00:09:49.559 --> 00:09:52.980 in every area of life. It's all available at 00:09:52.980 --> 00:09:56.950 livingontheedge .org. Well, let's continue with 00:09:56.950 --> 00:09:59.190 Chip's message. See, Jesus talked more about 00:09:59.190 --> 00:10:01.889 money than heaven and hell combined. Why? He 00:10:01.889 --> 00:10:04.809 didn't live in a mansion. He didn't want nor 00:10:04.809 --> 00:10:06.769 need anyone's money. What he understood is the 00:10:06.769 --> 00:10:09.049 link between money and your heart, money and 00:10:09.049 --> 00:10:11.909 worship is inseparable. And so according to Jesus, 00:10:11.950 --> 00:10:14.750 you can serve God or mammon money, but there's 00:10:14.750 --> 00:10:17.889 no in between. And so early on for me, I started 00:10:17.889 --> 00:10:20.009 with $5 and then I started with like, you know, 00:10:20.029 --> 00:10:24.179 five or 10%. And now over the years, I willfully 00:10:24.179 --> 00:10:26.500 put myself in a place as a team, as a family, 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:29.259 to give where if God doesn't show up this year, 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:32.100 Teresa and I have a major problem. But he's shown 00:10:32.100 --> 00:10:35.139 up in ways beyond what I ever dreamed. I'm not 00:10:35.139 --> 00:10:37.360 starving. We're among the richest people in the 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:39.480 whole world. And if I didn't spend that money 00:10:39.480 --> 00:10:42.379 there and give, you know what? I'd spend it someplace 00:10:42.379 --> 00:10:45.779 else. And the fact of the matter is, I could 00:10:45.779 --> 00:10:48.340 give you a list of blessings in my life, but 00:10:48.340 --> 00:10:51.860 here's the point. I learned to trust. until you 00:10:51.860 --> 00:10:54.720 learn to trust with money, you really believe 00:10:54.720 --> 00:10:56.940 something tangible and easy where you can see 00:10:56.940 --> 00:10:58.860 God show up, you're going to start to break through 00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:02.460 lifelong relational patterns? Probably not. You're 00:11:02.460 --> 00:11:05.480 going to take steps of risk into ministry? You're 00:11:05.480 --> 00:11:06.960 going to begin to face things and say, I'm going 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:08.960 to be a difference maker in my world? See, it's 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:12.779 just, actually, the smallest risk you ever take 00:11:12.779 --> 00:11:15.399 is learning how to give money. Now, I mean, I 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:17.080 know it's a real taboo subject and all that rest 00:11:17.080 --> 00:11:19.139 in church because of so much, you know, poor 00:11:19.139 --> 00:11:22.720 teaching. Lack of teaching and abuse. But the 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:27.159 Bible, it's clear. If there's no risk, there's 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:29.340 no faith. And so that's why Jesus said in this 00:11:29.340 --> 00:11:32.360 area, Luke 6, 38, give and it'll be given unto 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:35.139 you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:37.519 running over back into your lap. His point is, 00:11:37.539 --> 00:11:39.720 you're not going to out give me. And I don't 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:42.919 want your stuff. I want your heart. So give and 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:44.919 it. Give your time. Give your compassion. Give 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:46.860 your money. Give your love. You know what happens? 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:50.649 It always will come back. shaken down, pressed 00:11:50.649 --> 00:11:55.190 down more. But I don't know about you, that was 00:11:55.190 --> 00:11:58.110 a toughie for me. And I really had to trust the 00:11:58.110 --> 00:12:00.830 people I was giving it to. Because I'm a skeptic. 00:12:03.649 --> 00:12:08.250 It's the key to change. Unless you try something 00:12:08.250 --> 00:12:12.529 beyond what you can already do, you will never 00:12:12.529 --> 00:12:16.049 grow. Have you realized that's the way life works? 00:12:16.190 --> 00:12:17.690 You know how God usually does that in your life? 00:12:18.139 --> 00:12:21.059 Instead of us willfully choosing to put ourselves 00:12:21.059 --> 00:12:23.139 in that position, he brings in a crisis, doesn't 00:12:23.139 --> 00:12:27.399 he? He allows a crisis where you have this capacity 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:30.179 and God brings a crisis or a situation that demands 00:12:30.179 --> 00:12:32.220 this. And the distance between what you have 00:12:32.220 --> 00:12:34.059 and what's required, you know what you do? You 00:12:34.059 --> 00:12:37.059 grow. You can't handle it. Boy, you have a child. 00:12:37.240 --> 00:12:40.299 You get laid off work. You have a problem relationship. 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:42.820 And the distance between, what do you do? It's 00:12:42.820 --> 00:12:45.200 amazing how my prayer life just perks right up 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:48.700 when crisis occurs. It's amazing how I seek out 00:12:48.700 --> 00:12:50.700 stimulating relationships like, what did you 00:12:50.700 --> 00:12:52.480 do with this teenage son? Help me, help me. I've 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:54.559 never been through this before, you know? It's 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:57.860 amazing. You will grow. But God says, you don't 00:12:57.860 --> 00:13:00.360 have to wait for a crisis. You can do it voluntarily. 00:13:01.779 --> 00:13:05.700 Six, people who grow leverage life's hardship. 00:13:06.220 --> 00:13:09.120 It's the key to character. Notice what it says 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:14.840 in James 1, verses 2 to 4. Consider it. That 00:13:14.840 --> 00:13:18.480 means it's a choice. Pure joy. That's an attitude. 00:13:19.740 --> 00:13:22.860 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you 00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:25.320 face trials of many kinds. Not if, but whenever. 00:13:27.639 --> 00:13:29.659 Because you know that the testing of your faith 00:13:29.659 --> 00:13:32.460 produces perseverance or endurance. Now notice 00:13:32.460 --> 00:13:34.919 what endurance does in your life. Perseverance 00:13:34.919 --> 00:13:37.379 or endurance must finish its work so that you 00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:40.240 may be, here's our word again, circle it, mature 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:46.399 and complete, lacking in nothing. People who 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:50.879 grow leverage life's hardships. Stagnant people, 00:13:51.019 --> 00:13:53.419 when difficulty comes their way, here's their 00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:58.600 question. Why me, Lord? People who grow, when 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:01.240 hardship comes into their life, they say, what 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:04.679 do you want to teach me, Lord? See the difference? 00:14:07.139 --> 00:14:10.299 Stagnant people blame God, blame other people, 00:14:10.340 --> 00:14:14.580 and look outward. Growing people say, a sovereign 00:14:14.580 --> 00:14:17.299 God who's good, who loves me, somehow has allowed 00:14:17.299 --> 00:14:19.080 something come into my life that's very hard. 00:14:19.460 --> 00:14:22.740 And by His grace, I'm going to, the word here 00:14:22.740 --> 00:14:25.860 for endurance is hupomeno, literally, to be under 00:14:25.860 --> 00:14:28.480 the pressure of. Hupo, under the pressure of. 00:14:28.580 --> 00:14:30.320 And God puts something on your back, and you 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:32.559 can hardly take it. And it's heavy, and you can 00:14:32.559 --> 00:14:35.600 hardly take it. 90 % of success in life is not 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:37.700 giving up. You can hardly take it. You can hardly 00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:39.440 take it. You can hardly take it. You know when 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:41.000 you can hardly take something and there's weight 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.919 on your back? You know what happens after a while? 00:14:43.019 --> 00:14:45.419 You athletes know, don't you? What happens? Your 00:14:45.419 --> 00:14:47.980 muscles get stronger. After a while, the weight 00:14:47.980 --> 00:14:50.940 doesn't change, but you strengthen and you can 00:14:50.940 --> 00:14:52.659 take that and put that weight on a backpack and 00:14:52.659 --> 00:14:54.919 walk right through life. And we see people doing 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:56.860 it with leukemia. We see people doing it with 00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:58.740 shattered lives. We see people who've been rejected 00:14:58.740 --> 00:15:00.860 and hurt. And boy, they walk right through life 00:15:00.860 --> 00:15:03.759 because they're special. No, they endured. What's 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:07.179 your attitude? Are you leveraging life's hardship? 00:15:07.299 --> 00:15:11.820 Are they leveraging you? Notice the final one. 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:17.500 People who grow make time for solitude and silence. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:23.600 It's the key to guidance. Speaking of the life 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:26.559 of our Lord. It says very early in the morning, 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:28.480 literally a great while before dawn, while it 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:30.879 was still dark, Jesus got up. He left the house. 00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:33.799 He went off to a solitary place where he prayed. 00:15:35.059 --> 00:15:37.460 See, growing people have a very clear sense of 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:40.080 transcendence and worship. If you read the context 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:42.659 in Mark 1, it's the busiest day ever recorded 00:15:42.659 --> 00:15:44.399 in the life of our Lord. He's teaching. He's 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:46.379 praying. People are packed in. They're getting 00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:48.399 him from all. Man, I mean, he is just packed. 00:15:48.700 --> 00:15:50.519 I don't know about you, but when I have a day 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:54.110 or a week like that, I sort of think. I deserve 00:15:54.110 --> 00:15:59.210 a break today. So get out and get away. You know, 00:15:59.230 --> 00:16:03.190 but Jesus did. Jesus understood the more pressure 00:16:03.190 --> 00:16:05.950 on your life, the more private time, the more 00:16:05.950 --> 00:16:07.690 silence, the more solitude you need with the 00:16:07.690 --> 00:16:11.169 Father. And so after an exhausting day, a great 00:16:11.169 --> 00:16:13.090 while before dawn, and I think I know what he 00:16:13.090 --> 00:16:15.679 prayed. I think he prayed, Father, man, this 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:17.919 thing is going too fast. I feel pulled. James 00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:19.899 wants this. John wants this. The crowd's in. 00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:21.820 There's more needs. I can't handle it. Help me 00:16:21.820 --> 00:16:25.259 remember, oh God. Father, being fully God, yes, 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:27.259 but fully man, help me remember what you sent 00:16:27.259 --> 00:16:30.159 me to do. Everyone has a wonderful plan for my 00:16:30.159 --> 00:16:33.240 life, but I want the plan we came up with. Give 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:36.080 me focus. And you're saying, boy, Chip, you must 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.879 have tremendous insight to get all that out of 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:40.960 that verse. No, what I know is that if you read 00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:43.580 the context afterwards, Peter, John, James, the 00:16:43.580 --> 00:16:46.139 guys say, hey, you were a hit. It's awesome. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.419 The crowd's waiting. You're famous. We're famous. 00:16:48.539 --> 00:16:52.100 It's big time. And his answer was, I have need 00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:55.240 to go to other towns and to other villages. We 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:59.240 must leave. Grammatically imperative. Must leave. 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:04.140 For I came to preach and to heal and to forgive 00:17:04.140 --> 00:17:09.990 sins. You see, you need guidance. And the only 00:17:09.990 --> 00:17:12.630 way you get guidance is by stopping life. Busyness 00:17:12.630 --> 00:17:17.289 is the enemy's tool for a barren life. And we 00:17:17.289 --> 00:17:22.829 must stop and get guidance. We must stop and 00:17:22.829 --> 00:17:25.569 remember what is it that we're put on this earth 00:17:25.569 --> 00:17:30.390 to do. so that we can come back and say no boldly 00:17:30.390 --> 00:17:32.930 to all the world's wonderful plan for our life. 00:17:33.029 --> 00:17:34.390 And you're saying, I don't have time to stop. 00:17:34.509 --> 00:17:36.089 I say, well, why? Well, because I've got to get 00:17:36.089 --> 00:17:37.150 to work. Why are you going to work? Because I've 00:17:37.150 --> 00:17:38.069 got to do this, because I've got to do that. 00:17:38.289 --> 00:17:41.809 Well, why? Well, because I've got to, says Ahua. 00:17:44.710 --> 00:17:47.690 You've never had a sick day at work? You've never 00:17:47.690 --> 00:17:49.609 had something happen where life stopped for two 00:17:49.609 --> 00:17:50.970 days and you had to go to an emergency room? 00:17:51.450 --> 00:17:54.069 And I bet the company just fell apart both days, 00:17:54.130 --> 00:17:57.539 right? See, the fact of the matter is we can 00:17:57.539 --> 00:18:01.400 choose to stop planning our schedule and hear 00:18:01.400 --> 00:18:04.119 from God. I think you need to do it a little 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:07.119 every day. And I think every month or six weeks, 00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:10.720 you need a full day to say, Lord, help me remember 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:13.579 why I'm here, where I'm going. If you want to 00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:16.200 do a quick review, people who grow have some 00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:18.980 things in common. People who grow live daily. 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:22.180 Wow. With the end in view, it's the key to motivation. 00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:25.400 People who grow make a personal commitment to 00:18:25.400 --> 00:18:27.579 grow. Have you made it? It's the key to overcoming 00:18:27.579 --> 00:18:30.420 inertia. Third, people who grow value process 00:18:30.420 --> 00:18:34.400 more than event. It's the key to progress. Fourth, 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:37.160 people who grow cultivate stimulating relationships. 00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:40.519 It's the key to inspiration. Fifth, people who 00:18:40.519 --> 00:18:43.839 grow choose to become progressive risk takers. 00:18:43.900 --> 00:18:46.720 It's the key to change. People who grow leverage 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:50.000 life's hardships. It's the key to character. 00:18:50.220 --> 00:18:53.619 And finally, people who grow, make time for solitude 00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:57.000 and silence. It's the key to guidance. Want a 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:00.819 game plan for today? First, make a commitment 00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:05.900 to grow today. Second, prioritize the area of 00:19:05.900 --> 00:19:07.539 your growth. There's a domino principle here. 00:19:07.619 --> 00:19:09.279 You can't do all seven of these things. Don't 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:13.359 even try. What one thing is a little light, keep 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:15.140 pulsating in your heart and your mind that says, 00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:17.559 I need to address that. And you address that 00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:19.329 and then God will show you. Don't get overwhelmed. 00:19:19.670 --> 00:19:22.809 Third, take one specific step this week, even 00:19:22.809 --> 00:19:26.130 if it's small, but do something. Take a step 00:19:26.130 --> 00:19:28.650 toward God, one specific step this week. Write 00:19:28.650 --> 00:19:31.950 it down and tell someone. Growth is exciting. 00:19:32.069 --> 00:19:34.549 It's normal. It's fun. It's fantastic. It's difficult. 00:19:34.630 --> 00:19:38.130 It's not automatic. And we get stuck. But we 00:19:38.130 --> 00:19:42.250 don't have to stay there, do we? This is Living 00:19:42.250 --> 00:19:44.690 on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and we're in our 00:19:44.690 --> 00:19:47.539 series called Experience Breakthrough. Today, 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:50.140 Chip completed his seven principles for spiritual 00:19:50.140 --> 00:19:52.960 growth, challenging us to become progressive 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:55.920 risk -takers, leverage life's hardships, and 00:19:55.920 --> 00:19:59.039 make time for solitude and silence. Chip will 00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:01.319 be back with a final challenge in just a moment. 00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:03.779 You know, that last principle really resonates, 00:20:04.059 --> 00:20:07.640 making time for solitude and silence. In our 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:09.839 packed schedules, it's the first thing to go. 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:12.859 But Jesus modeled it. After his busiest days, 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:15.839 he carved out time alone with the Father. Not 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:18.220 because he was tired, but because he knew that's 00:20:18.220 --> 00:20:20.819 where guidance comes from. If you're ready to 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:22.859 build that kind of intentional time with God 00:20:22.859 --> 00:20:25.259 into your life, let me recommend Chip's free 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:28.740 online devotional, Psalms of Hope. It's specifically 00:20:28.740 --> 00:20:31.460 designed to help you develop a sustainable rhythm 00:20:31.460 --> 00:20:34.240 of meeting with God daily. Chip will walk you 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:37.960 through Psalm 1, Psalm 15, and Psalm 23, showing 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:39.900 you how to study Scripture in a way that brings 00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:42.950 real transformation. You can find Psalms of Hope 00:20:42.950 --> 00:20:46.710 completely free at livingontheedge .org. Search 00:20:46.710 --> 00:20:50.430 for Psalms of Hope and begin today. Creating 00:20:50.430 --> 00:20:53.109 resources like this requires financial investment. 00:20:53.349 --> 00:20:55.869 When you support Living on the Edge, you're making 00:20:55.869 --> 00:20:58.450 it possible for people around the world to access 00:20:58.450 --> 00:21:01.250 biblical teaching that actually changes lives. 00:21:02.009 --> 00:21:04.529 Your gift, whatever the amount, multiplies as 00:21:04.529 --> 00:21:06.809 it reaches listeners who desperately need hope 00:21:06.809 --> 00:21:10.170 and direction. Give today by going online to 00:21:10.170 --> 00:21:13.650 livingontheedge .org or write to Living on the 00:21:13.650 --> 00:21:18.829 Edge, P .O. Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia 30024. 00:21:19.309 --> 00:21:25.059 You can also call 888 -333 -6003. And by the 00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:27.079 way, be sure to take these Bible messages with 00:21:27.079 --> 00:21:29.759 you wherever you go by subscribing to the Living 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:33.440 on the Edge podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:37.099 Spotify, and all major platforms. Well, now here's 00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:40.220 Chip with one final thought. As we ended today's 00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:43.119 message, I really challenged you to take a step. 00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:46.119 I mean, get committed to say, I am going to be 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:49.579 a growing person. You know, all of life revolves 00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:52.940 around a few times where you make a very specific 00:21:52.940 --> 00:21:55.660 commitment. And then you play those commitments 00:21:55.660 --> 00:21:59.759 out and your life changes. God wants you to change. 00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:03.059 He has grace to give you. But my concern was, 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:05.319 as we finished today's lesson together, was you're 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:08.059 thinking, oh, you went so fast. You went so fast. 00:22:08.140 --> 00:22:10.380 I didn't get them all down. And I'm not sure 00:22:10.380 --> 00:22:12.519 exactly which one. As you were talking, a light 00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:14.900 went off inside, but you just went too fast. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:17.279 So here's what I want to do. I want to walk through 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:21.500 those seven keys to personal growth. And as I 00:22:21.500 --> 00:22:24.460 do, if you can jot them down, great. I'm much 00:22:24.460 --> 00:22:27.420 more concerned that you say, Holy Spirit, as 00:22:27.420 --> 00:22:29.940 he goes through these seven things, will you 00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:33.319 show me which one, just one, that you want me 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:36.259 to focus on and come up with a game plan by your 00:22:36.259 --> 00:22:39.000 leading to become the man or the woman that you 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:41.519 want me to be? Are you ready? Seven keys to personal 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:45.339 growth. Number one, live daily with the end in 00:22:45.339 --> 00:22:47.960 mind. Who do you really want to be? What kind 00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:52.539 of person? Growth point number two, make a personal 00:22:52.539 --> 00:22:55.519 commitment. to grow. You drive a stake in the 00:22:55.519 --> 00:22:58.700 ground. You say, I'm going to deny myself and 00:22:58.700 --> 00:23:01.500 I'm going to follow Christ. I am going to be 00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:05.160 the man or the woman he wants me to be. And you 00:23:05.160 --> 00:23:07.240 know the implications, don't you? Have you ever 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:12.539 done that? Growth key number three, value process 00:23:12.539 --> 00:23:15.920 more than event. Remember we talked about he 00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:18.259 was faithful in a very little thing, is faithful 00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:21.319 in all so much. You see the secret to your future. 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:24.920 is hidden, not in a big emotional event. It's 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:28.559 hidden in daily little routines. It's the little 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:33.059 things. Number four, cultivate stimulating relationships. 00:23:33.420 --> 00:23:35.319 You know, some of you, you just need to get your 00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:37.660 head up out of the sand and say, who's some exciting 00:23:37.660 --> 00:23:40.420 people to be around? Ask, you know, buy lunch, 00:23:40.519 --> 00:23:43.500 buy them breakfast, get a cup of coffee. When 00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:45.700 you get around stimulating people, you'll grow. 00:23:46.599 --> 00:23:50.660 Number five, choose to become progressive risk. 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:53.900 takers. Without faith, it is impossible to please 00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:56.079 God. You got to get out of your comfort zone. 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:58.220 Take a little step, then take a bigger step. 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.720 Remember what I said? If you're not dreaming 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:03.779 great big dreams, then you're not dreaming big 00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:07.279 enough. Number six, leverage life's hardships. 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:10.900 You know, the question isn't about if, it's just 00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:14.400 a question about when. Hurts and pain and struggles 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:16.859 come into all of our lives. Are you asking the 00:24:16.859 --> 00:24:20.180 question, why me? Or are you really asking God, 00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:23.440 what do you want me to learn? And you ask him 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:25.400 honestly, he'll show you and he'll grow you. 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:27.759 And finally, point number seven in terms of a 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:31.000 key to growth is make time for solitude and silence. 00:24:31.220 --> 00:24:33.759 If you don't meet with God daily, I challenge 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:36.680 you before God, start now. Set that clock 15 00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:39.339 minutes earlier, get up and meet with the God 00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:42.140 who loves you. He'll grow you and you'll love 00:24:42.140 --> 00:24:45.319 it. I'm Dave Drewy. And next time we'll discuss 00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:47.579 how to break through life's biggest barriers. 00:24:48.410 --> 00:24:51.009 That's on the next weekend edition of Living 00:24:51.009 --> 00:24:56.750 on the Edge. Today's program is produced and 00:24:56.750 --> 00:24:58.670 sponsored by Living on the Edge.