Facing The Future with Confidence - How to Face the Future In Times of Doubt, Part 2

With all that's happening right now in your world and the world are you prone private moments to doubt God's love is plan for you and me.

Maybe it's about financial security or personal safety or family issues, or even the big goals and dreams you had never happened you ever doubt that God has the power or even the desire to help in those areas.

If so stay with me think we have some things thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram, Living on the Edges of international discipleship in the street helping Christians live like this program to press up series called facing the future with over the past several days. We covered a lot of territory talking about what to do in times of uncertainty and confusion and doubt any of these messages any time LivingontheEdge.org or on the chipping romantic.

Especially these days be helpful to listen again to let the word of God settled your soul help you face the future with confidence.

So let's George know for part two of his message to face the future in times of doubt Psalm 145 and I don't know where you're at your life. It was a long journey and one that I'm still on.

To understand God's goodness. I believe some of us I had had a dad who is an ex-Marine, and I member member the years in the 70s, especially 80s early 90s every dump on the parents. And he probably ever had was because your parents that you did on this you should know that all this people dump on the parents not kids growing up and realize is not a good way to go because what we don't do is talk about all the great things our parents developing us. But since no one's parent was Jesus that means there fallible people and they can do everything right me a lot of my my work ethic in my overachievement and focus on goals and make things happen and that's that's my dad pushing me and having confidence and believing in me, but he wasn't leaving.

We grew up. And so when I would achieve something my dad thought I want to bring out the best in in that deal you can be long before the Marines were saying that my dad lived and so the bar was here and if you achieve that he would raise the bar okay will then UT that many raise the bar. Some of you been around the block long enough that when you busted achievement busted achievement busted achieve in the pot bar keeps going up. When you do is get discouraged. Didn't mean to do that at all.

And so, somehow I transfer that to my relationship with God, and I probably lent a good portion of my early Christian life and still struggle with this idea that no matter how hard I try.

How long. I pray how much I served how generous I am with my money. I always feel like God's arms or come across in his Telus tapping and saying will chip that was pretty good but you know what that is. That is very bad theology a W toes a little book this transform my life. The knowledge of the holy writes about God's goodness wanting to find his goodness. The goodness of God is that which disposes him to be kind and cordial, benevolent and full of goodwill toward men. He is tenderhearted. He's quick of sympathy in his unfailing attitude toward all moral beings is open and frank and friendly, and by his nature. He is inclined to bestow blessedness and he takes holy pleasure in the happiness of his people is that the God that you serve it.

Did you realize this morning before you were awakened, you were sleeping in bed in the triune God of heaven could look down on you sleeping and you weren't doing anything and there's a smile on his face and the thinking in the tri-unity of the Godhead. How could we bless him today. How can we bless her today. How can we bring joy into her life for his life. You see, God is good to you, not because your good God is good to you because he's good we don't get back toes or goes on to write. I love this.

The whole outlook of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under friendly sky and that the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty is eager to be friends with us. When you breathe just a little better if you felt like God is for me. He's not down on me that when something good happens to you that it's it's his holy pleasure delights that when he sees relationships connect when he sees the smile of the heart with 20 or cancel when he sees an answer to prayer when he blesses you financially that it's the God of heaven's goodness is praise his love for you when you begin to praise God that he's like that you will start to believe that is like that when you start to believe it is like that it will change how you think and son David praises God for his goodness and then he shifts. Not only is not a good many sovereign because all you've created will praise you oh Lord identifies as creator ship because your saints will extol you and then next. As we walk through this watch very, very carefully, is an interesting thing happens.

David is a king right is a different day.

But when the king walks in what people do they bow down in a king has a kingdom what the kingdom, if you're the king anything inside your kingdom you're the boss of you control you have the power of the authority to say this is how it's can happen here under my rule all the kingdom is is identifies the rule of that person in power not listen carefully to as Dave. David now exalts he's thought to the specific acts of how God is delivered and intervene, and now is in appraising not just for his goodness. But that is absolutely in control of everything, every situation that comes in his life.

As I read, listen for the concept of kingdom or dominion rule or sovereignty, verse 11, they will tell of the glory of your kingdom and it will speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your rule or dominion endures through all generations in what sovereignty means means God's in control jotting notes in the corner. Romans 828 and 29. We quote that at different times.

But God is in control and meet with what we say and we know that God works all things together for the good for everybody no what to them that love God, who are the called according to his purposes.

Listen very carefully.

Nothing enters your life comes to you unless it is ordained by God or allowed by God, and even the evil and the difficult and the fallen nature of what's happening in the world or your world. God promises because he's bigger and more powerful and sovereignty. He will use it for your good and your good, however, is not necessarily to be upwardly mobile and be a little happy camper skipping up and down everything going great.

So that's the American gospel. If God's really good who make my life work out my way on my terms to make me happy so I can be fulfilled that is not biblical Christianity. Verse 29 is biblical Christianity. He will work all things together for your good, who are called according to his purposes in order that he may conform you in conform me to the image of his son. God is about making you like Jesus to use your finances to use a health problem, you use a broken relationship who is a wayward child who use the health situation when your parents he will use a personality defect is a false that is unreasonable, or employee is making you crazy, he would use all things together for your good to make you into make me a daughter or son that progressively exudes because were trying or faking it progressively exudes love and joy, peace, patience and kindness and gentleness, goodness and self-control. The very life of Christ does the world need more those kind of people populating but seek the way God gets us there isn't the way we would sign up for and what he does as he praises God what would happen if you actually believe that God's really in control. I'm thinking to myself, Lori. You don't understand. I got a wife and four kids on the breadwinner and I got it back and there's a pastor is so important you know there's a crew that you know you can suspend the school for check. Can't you bring all the generals and military people.

You gotta get me on a plane now because I am so important. I wasn't thinking that way and then God brought this passage to check who's in control of governments you are. Who cares about your wife and children more than you.

You do not you if I can get you on a plane if I want to and I can change the airline schedule and you should pray and ask, but I'm sovereignly in control of this country, this world and the universe and I'll get you home when you need to be home. What I would like for you to do is trust and give thanks and cooperate with what I might want to do in you or even through you or in your wife or even through them regardless of your circumstances. Do you get now and that when that was wonderful.

We got a last-minute deal and we got on that plane got out of the country for they shut things down. But that lesson stayed with me and so then you begin begin to praise during control. I don't understand it but thank you that your ultimate purposes will be fulfilled in my heart and in my family and in my job as I line and depend on you to get to see how praise is an antidote for doubt your view of God as you praise him for who he really is begins to get accurate and expands.

He is good.

He's for you. Second, he's in control.

Nothing enters your life that he doesn't either allow or again in third. You can depend on it. He goes on to say what he's faithful look at the text verse 13.

The Lord is faithful to what some of his promises. 72% of his promises. The Lord is faithful to all his promises.

And he's loving toward all his many quick question who made you look at what the verse says he is loving toward all.

He's made what he praised him for that.

What it said you were so good in years. So in control you know in your sovereignty and bullet proof I need to obey and I need to submit your sovereignty produces productivity not passivity, and align with your purposes in my life, but your loving toward all that you've made and every single promise in this book. I can go to the bank on it.

Your faithful will never let me down. The Lord upholds to all those who fall down. Who does he lift up all her bow down the eyes of all look to you and you give them their food at the proper time you open your hand and you satisfy the desires of every living thing. God is faithful. I member when my kids were younger and I hear him talk on the phone to be meeting people in Santa Cruz have longer that for coffee me numbing the discomfort coffee and or the got to serve and cite here when my kids on the phones all man man I say what happened.

He flicked on me somewhat setting while we were supposed to meet your spouse to serve and even show up or we're all gonna meet for coffee and some soap didn't show. He flicked on anybody ever flake on you any employer ever flake on a promise any friend, any night and what your kids ever flake on you how to make you feel cannot tell you something, never flake any situation you're in you. You think I don't have the resources, here's a promise he just said hundred percent of time.

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Hundred percent of time for every believer. That's true, you're wondering how you can make it with what's happened in the economy. What must my grace is sufficient for you, and what we know in the Philippines for he will provide all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus. What every knee will provide your under pressure in the relationship. His grace is sufficient his powers perfected. What in your weakness.

God will never flake QB faithful case for you. He's good and every promise in this book for you as a believer, you can count on it and you can count on the God who will come through and is in control and he's not doing it to put you through some like Marine boot camp.

He's doing it because he loves you and you want your best and is for you and he wants to reveal his love to you. We were in that hospital and this passage came to my mind, my buddies land there and I mean he's in bad shape and it says here that first. He's a restore.

He upholds those who fall down then it says he's a provider. They look to him and he provides her food and then it says he satisfies the desire of every living thing.

He's a life ever and I member get with the group basketball players and we locked arms around our buddy Glenda for the putting in the back of his pickup truck and we decided to go the short route and I ask God to spare my friends life and he he satisfies the desire of every living thing God can be sovereign and take his life and still be a good God. Are you beginning to see how God works.

The truth of God's word in your experience you will bring to your mind so it is the basis of your trust so you can pray in faith to the spirit of God makes the work written word alive in your experience and you meet and experience him in the same way to honchos. That's how the Christian life works change. Life is God's ultimate goal. The word of God by the spirit of God's people live in community taking steps of faith independency. He wants to show up as supernaturally in your life and meet your need today as he does or has done every Bible character in Scripture what God is looking for some regular group of people who would do what in the kind of doubt, praise God I'm gonna list what you've done got to choose to do it when I don't feel like God you are good even though I don't feel like in circumstances don't look like a guy here sovereign even know I don't how you make lemonade out of this lemons I just got God here faithful even though I'm scared to death. You don't come through who I can't make it, and finally he's gonna say he's righteous. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and loving toward always made the Lord is near to those who call upon them to all who call upon him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who what fear him. He hears their cry and he saves them, the Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked will destroy says the Lord is righteous when you think of righteousness we often think of that is his holiness that this is not the word here is true God is holy.

This court has the idea that he's just re-spare and is loving toward all he is made, have you noticed that's repeated we must need to hear that he's loving toward all. He's made not notice that he is not fair or loving toward all people at all time. There are three specific conditions about experiencing the justice of God. Condition number one the Lord is near to those who call upon another words he wants to answer your prayer. What's the condition what's it say to those who call upon him in truth, the moment the 2nd ms you get absolutely honest with God and get real and don't try manipulating and don't go into denial and don't play religious games. The moment you call God absolute honesty and truth pay to meet you and when you play games and manipulate and try and cut deals. You know what talk all you want that bedroom talk all you want on that walk, but his ears are closed to those who are not honest and open and we got this idea that God does not answer all prayers.

We don't look at me like what we doesn't. What's it say James five. The effective prayer of a what kind of person righteous man. Second condition is not only honesty but notice humility. He says he fulfills the desires of those who fear him, and he hears their cries and saves them. God answers prayer, and he fulfills the desires of those who who fear and who understand life's about him likes about God who have reverential all to fear God means I'm to do relationships his way I'm to be a man or woman of the book, I had to be a person whose life and priorities revolve around the Scripture and prayer and integrity and loving God and loving others. That's what it means to fear God. It means the whole world and the whole Christian community can go that direction, but if God says this direction I'm going to stretch when you walk in the fear of the Lord keep the lights to fulfill your desires, but is not Phil the desires of everyone God is a God of grace, but there are clear conditions to him allowing you and allowing me to experience his grace.

Finally were to love him.

The Lord watches over all who love him, but the wicked he will destroy member that Revelation passage were people lose their first love where you know, kind, it just going to church or religiosity or going to the motions or God gets like number two or number three or number four on the pecking order.

You know what he is a jealous God keep he doesn't want to be, even in your top five. He's number one, number one, the only one he wants to be the center of your heart your life your refection your dreams your agenda and that means that daily and weekly we what surrender ourselves before him as a living sacrifice, and that means also that unless you're different than all the rest of us in the room. Your heart will gravitate and get sucked in and pulled into multiple things and you find yourself daily St. Lawrence. Sorry. I'm sorry those are the kind of thoughts that honor you got I'm sorry if I got connected in this relationship and unhealthy weight. Lord, I'm sorry I got stuck on the stuff for a while. Their life was about my car and Mike my money in my retirement and people thought impressing others. Oh God, I'm sorry, in the moment you come like that. What's he do he just eagerly runs to forgive and to cleanse when you doubt and there's certainly good reason to doubt in our day.

David says biblical praise is the antidote to doubt step number one. Choose to do it with you feel like it or not. Step number two itemize if you will verbalize specific acts of God in your life. Step number three use is asked to move you from his acts to his ways, and then focus on. At least these for his goodness and his sovereignty and his faithfulness and his righteousness, and worship and adore him and then finally coming together.

God not just as an individual, but as your body worship you look at verse 21. Isn't that what David does. David says my mouth to speak in praise of the Lord. Let. In fact, this is a little soft. It's a command, let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever. I just have one quick question for you, could and all powerful God, who takes holy pleasure in making you happy whose completely sovereign in control and faithful to you is righteous and just and fair and who's all knowing and who delights over you and you're the object of his affection. Do you think he could take that issue and you think you could handle it this week for you think he could. You think he can give you the grace to hang on in a relationship you think you can give me the grace to not have your heart beat so hard to wake up in the middle night when you think about how things are going overseas with your finances, you think you can give you the power and the grace to draw near to him and say you know what I can't change the biopsy report I can't make one of my kids turned back to the Lord.

I can't get my aging parents to trust Christ before they die.

But I can draw near to the one who can and I can in trust those things to you oh God, because your good no one gets a real deal here sovereign.

You're in control and you are faithful to your word and I'm your son I'm your daughter and no one gets a role deal with the great God of the universe and so I come to you in truth and I humble myself before you and you satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Who walk in the fear of the Lord and I want to be a worshiper.

I just want to be a regular Joe regular Mary who gets up every day and I want you to be the object of my affection.

I'd like to get to know you deeper and deeper and better and better. And as I do than those problems that seem to overwhelm my life get to be what they are an issue. God wants to use to change to make me more like this and see who really is the right's application quickly though the message you just heard this from his series facing the future with confidence. This reporter outlines how you can positively face life's most challenging circumstances even in the midst of overwhelming doubt and despair chip discusses the truth that God has a plan just for you to bring good out of evil.

You sure so you can have complete trust that God's working out his good plan even when the odds seem against you and how you can begin enjoying life to the full the resources for facing the future with confidence are discounted for a limited time, so now's the time to take advantage for complete ordering information, go to LivingontheEdge.org Current offers on the chip and remap or give us a call at AAA 333-6003 will trip it's been a while since we took a step back to remind people of a little outline we have that helps describe the focus of the ministry, but would you take just a minute and tells about the sure Dave at Living on the Edge we do three things for three groups for one purpose, one we teach God's word to his many people as possible through radio, TV, small-group resources, online tools like our ab and in partnerships internationally all around the world.

Second, we train Christians go deeper with teaching resources and small group studies and three we developed tools for leaders for pastors and business leaders to help them impact their worlds and beyond.

We do all these things for one purpose to help Christians live like Christians. Here's my question.

If you were impacted today by the ministry of Living on the Edge.

Would you be willing to partner with us. We can't do this without the support of partners like you and as you do. We will change lives will spread God's truth around the world and we will help Christians live like Christians. Here's my question.

Would you join us with that mission resonates with you. We'd love to have you join us were amazed at what the Lord's doing through the ministry of Living on the Edge.

He continues to hold the doors open to unprecedented opportunities both here and around the world. So now would be a great time to become a financial partner together will have the greatest impact reaching more people with biblical teaching.

Helping Christians live like Christians send the gift or to set up a recurring donation. Just call us at AAA 83336003. Tap the donate button on the app or go online to LivingontheEdge.org and let me thank you in advance for doing whatever God leads you to do will now here's chip as we close today's program and actually wrap up this entire series. I just want you to know that I think God really understands when we doubt. I want to just speak specifically to those of you that maybe have a little bit of that Chip Ingram disease where you struggle with feeling like God's down on you. You don't measure up. The matter how much you do it and I would remind you that God is good and that means that you live under a friendly sky in the God who although exalted in majesty and glory is eager to be friends with us.

Abets a little quote out of a W toaster's book the knowledge of the holy on the goodness of God, and I just cannot tell you the value in my own personal life, of focusing on the attributes of God and praising him for his faithfulness and getting to where you know what that means. It means he's going to come through or his wisdom mean really getting to the point were you know you say you know God is going to bring about the best possible and by the best possible means. For the most possible people. The longest possible time that that's the classic definition of the wisdom of God. You are loved and you're the object of the affection of a holy, loving, faithful, good, just and fair God.

And when you get glimpses of that and you begin to praise him for who he is. I will tell you more than any activity you ever do, it will transform your life because it's seeing God is getting to know him. That's what changes us. The writer first John would tell us that we don't know what we will be like. But we know this, that when we see him will be like him and says we close, I would just say get an accurate picture of God because what I know is he really loves you and he's really for you and a lot of you are really struggling because you want to believe that but you don't and you don't believe something by trying hard to believe that you believe it by renewing your mind and by digging into the truth. God bless you. It's been a joy to be on this journey with you facing the future with confidence.

It will a great way to soak in the truth like Chip was just saying is with the chip and remap you'll find a bunch of series. They are all free scroll through find something that meets a need or struggle a lot. God's word.

Pour into you in such a way that you get perspective and the freedom of the Lord longs for you to enjoy in him will for all of us here, this is Dave Drewry saying thanks for listening to this edition of living all the