The ART of Survival - A Resource to Ask for, Part 1

You feel like there's no hope. When you feel like there's nowhere to turn but there's no answers no explanations and that you can't hang in there even one more day to where is God. Where's the answers when you feel stop paralyzed by pets today. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping Living on the Edge features the Bible to helping Christians live like Christians chips in a series called the art of survival reminder today but difficult circumstances are nothing labors of face tough times the centuries.

This program gives us a perspective on times provides more than just guidance. Tell us about God offers that makes all the difference adversity precedent have a Bible open it out. James chapter 1.

Let's get started. Welcome to part two of the art of survival in a were living in a global pandemic with huge implications, economic, emotional, financial, churches are shut down. Businesses are shut down.

It's not just difficult for many, it's devastating and what we want to ask and answer is God. Where are you when you don't feel like there's hope. When you need to know what to do. How do you hang in there when it feels like you just can't what you do. That's the art. The survival and God has an answer. The early church was birthed in a time just like were experiencing. And God gave the word to Jesus half-brother, James and Rena talk about that in just a minute.

But as we talk about when you're stuck in when it's difficult and when you literally don't know what to do. Sometimes a a micro story give sort of a macro understanding. I want to tell you about a man that I got to know very very well. We became very close friends. I when I met him he was in a wheelchair.

I was very strong and muscular and I would learn a little bit later that he had as it was a world champion Olympic gold medalist in the wheelchair on the basketball team. He was a gold medalist in the Paralympics in the marathon.

He was a fabulous athlete and we got to know each other and then I heard his story. Jerry was a phenomenal athlete who had a future in football. I mean millions of dollars in his future absolute unbelievable. He was walking downtown with his girlfriend and on a downtown street, two guys came out of the bar and they were fighting and one of them pulled out a knife and Jerry instinctively stepped in to try and break up the fight to save one of them looked very very bad. NSE pulled them apart and got them way.

He said all I heard was a too loud bang bang and then searing pain as two bullets lodged in his back. Jerry was paralyzed from that moment forward. As I talked to Jerry. I thought if anyone anyone sorta would have a right to say why me. I tried to save someone's life. I'm trying to do what is good and I get two bullets in the back and I mean his career was one of those that would be fame. Millions and millions of dollars he was the star that everyone wanted to play on their team and is devastated. It's gone. When Jerry first had the situation I would call him a nominally Christian he believed in God, did not have a close or personal relationship with God and his whole world was falling apart and he confessed to me over and over and over.

I just said why, why me God, why I don't understand and then he went to rehab and he watched two sets of people is that I watch people whose life's crumbled, all they did is ask why and they they wallowed in self pity and their focus was inward.

They made a little progress in their lives were disaster, and he said then there were a few people just a very, very few people that were asking why they were asking what do I need to do in this situation to get better. What can I control how do I make it through today and where can there be hope because as of right now my life is devastated and I learned some things from Jerry that I want to share with you and God shared some things with me that were great help us. Jerry became a great friend and God really transformed his life. James chapter 1. Here's the principle. Don't ask why. Ask what survivors people that make it through the most devastating personal times, or even global times asked three questions.

Question number one what can I control answer my attitude question number two what must I do to make it through today. Answer endure member who Bo Menno, I mean don't give up. Don't give in. Hang onto the promises of God and third, what hope do I have for tomorrow.

Answer all powerful, all-knowing sovereign God who is good promises to take the very worst that you experience in this life and turn it for your best and will either allow you to experience that in this life or in the one to come with him in heaven. Jerry stopped asking why he start asking what NSE did he begin to focus on many consider this an opportunity.

I'm gonna consider that maybe God has a plan for me and and and and he'll use me in ways that are not about fame or fortune or money, but he allow this to happen. He didn't cause it, and Jerry went into training and Jerry became a world-class athlete again but this time in a wheelchair and one gold medals. He traveled all over the world all over the United States. He then went and became a marathoner, where he won the gold medal in the marathon, and wheelchair 26.2 miles. You would meet Jerry and he shared his testimony of how the supernatural power of the spirit of God inside of his life in the midst of the most devastating thing actually changed his life to the point where I remember having a very private conversation is a chip if I can do it all over again I wouldn't change a thing. Do I like sitting in this chair.

No, he said, but I thought money and fame and prosperity were my ticket to the life that's really life and he said you know I was famous and I had a big future, he said, but I've experienced intimacy with Jesus Christ a piece and enjoy the power and God has used my life all around the world to change people's lives because I wasn't a victim. I was a survivor because he gave me hope. He gave me the grace to endure when I didn't think I could and it changed me from a nominal, I kinda believe in God to a dedicated follower of Jesus and that he used my difficulty to share the love of Christ with other people whose lives will be different for ever and ever. Now here's what I want you to know Jerry got stuck I didn't share that part of the story you know when you hear a story like Jerry's. It sounds almost like a fairytale. This happened he made a few great choices if I told you the long version. I would tell you about when he was in rehab and was depressed. I mean clinically depressed when he wallowed in self pity when he was ready to give up when he didn't care, Jerry got stuck. Here's what I want you to know when things are happening the way they are in our life.

You don't have a job may be someone close to you has died to the virus may be that the ministries completely shut down because the churches are closed. Maybe you can't travel from country to country, maybe your mental health. You are depressed you are discouraged. Maybe your marriage wasn't going well and now it's train wreck. It's a mess.

Maybe one of your kids has been impacted. Maybe you have no idea where you're going to get food tomorrow. You don't have any money or the business that you built has evaporated. I don't know where you're at, but I know many of you. Your stock and and and your saying I want to consider it all joy. I want to allow God to detest me and I want this endurance to to make me mature and complete.

I want a story like Jerry's, but I'm stuck I can't get there. I'm trying hard but I might just supposed to pretend that I have joy. God understands and he knows that we get stuck in verses five through eight of chapter 1. He's now going to shift it in early on, he said, don't ask why. Ask what and he told us that the key is first your attitude. Now he's going to tell you that you need a resource and it's a resource more valuable than money.

It's a resource even more valuable than a friend is important is that is there is a resource that he wants to give you that when you get stuck when you don't know what to do in your circumstance, you don't know what to do in your relationship you don't know what to do in terms of your geography.

He says I have a resource that will show you exactly what to do and I promise to give it to you 100% of the time. Follow along as I read, remember, let endurance have its perfect result, you might be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Look at verse five, but by the way, the Greek text. This is the strongest word used for a contrast. I mean it's not. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him but let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind for let not that person or that man or woman expect that they will receive anything from the Lord being double minded, unstable in all your ways, and in this little passage he's going to teach you is going to teach me what you do when you're stuck in your pain. What you do when you're stuck in this virus.

What you do when emotional, financial, relational issues are fluttering around and you want to follow God and you literally don't know how here's what I want you to know number one is a God understands when we get stuck. God wants to help you when you're stuck God gives you a condition that if you will fulfill this condition. He promises will show you exactly what to do and now let's break this down to understand God's offer of supernatural wisdom that's the resource by way wisdom here isn't being smart.

It's not intellectual. This is the Hebrew sense of wisdom Hebrew wisdom means the skill and the ability to know what to do when to do and how to do it in the midst of any situation or relationship God's wisdom literally from from the Old Testament and James is writing is as a Jew to the Jewish Christians he saying God has a design for life and he wants to bring about the best possible ends by the best possible means. The most possible people for the longest possible time and there is a way there's a there's a way to think there's a way to do decisions, there's a way to do relationships there is wisdom there is this skill that God wants to give to those who ask, and so he what is promising to this early group who find themselves.

I believe in Jesus the Messiah 15 years ago. He was raised from the dead eat. He showed himself to over 500 witnesses. They believe their lives have been transformed. They'd seen miracles and how the world is falling apart and think they say God when we do. He says consider it all joy but but were stock now what we do, he says, ask God for wisdom and he'll give it but I want you know this. He says you have a responsibility this is about trying hard, figuring out your own way, he says, let him ask. It's a command and the idea of this word is let him ask for a gift in prayer. This is a word for prayer.

That's not just I'm praying or Lord help me this is coming to God and say I don't know what to do in this pandemic about this relationship about money about housing about location, about a big decision.

I don't know what to do. God says if you lack wisdom number one ask, here's the promise to give it generously and without reproach. I've been a pastor for over 35 years and I've seen people stuck in health issues, relational issues, financial issues, legal issues of criminal issues and it's always amazed me that there's times when a Christian will get stuck and they will do almost anything in the world to figure out what they ought to do except go to God in genuine humility and ask him what to do and for years that used to puzzle me but it doesn't puzzle me anymore so I think many people have a very warped view of God.

I think many people feel like God is arms crossed and when we want and really need his help we tend to think, but you know I lied and I stolen or I've not been the kind of Christian, I know I should be your I have some areas of immorality in my life or I have it obeyed what I know and how can I go to God now, when I've messed up when I know I'm not the person that I should be in. Did you notice what it says ask of God, who gives to all men the world means generously. In fact, literally.

This phrases come to the gift giving God. You know, few and like a father who understands when his kids mess up his desire isn't for you to get everything cleaned up before you come to him. His desires just come you just come as you are it. It throws your father's heart when you say I can't do this I need your help. I don't understand. Yes we all have some issues where we've done some things we know are wrong. But he says he gives generously, and that I love this word without reproach. It means that his arms are crossed. He's not pointing with a finger and said wow you want help, but what about this.

What about that know this is when Jesus is coming to me all of you that are heavy laden burden that are overwhelmed, I'll give you rest you serve a God who is kind good loving and understanding it would be better application for just a quick reminder, this message is from part two of a series. The art of survival arts is an acronym ART as Chip walks us through the book of James chapter 1, we realize that the uncertainty and fear of the believers dreams originally wrote to her, similar to the growing pressures we face today. Chip explains there's an art to survival skills honed by practice that lead to joyful endurance. No matter what a is the attitude that helps us navigate adversity are is the resource God offers them adversity and T is the theology that guides our perspective and adversity. If you think this message to help others. Why not share or send it to them, email, text, or on social media everything to be most helpful.

For more information and access to all the series discounts just go to LivingontheEdge.org or give us a call at 8883336003 that's 8883336003 hapless nurse tapped current offers will typically get a powerful application for sure. But before we get to that. It's been a while since you've explained why. In addition to supporting the ministry with prayer.

You ask listeners to support Living on the Edge financially will first of all, ministry is always issue of the heart. And Jesus says that wherever our treasure is. That is where Hart will be the Bible also commands us to be generous and open and free and everything that I have everyone listening to my voice right now everything they have. God has entrusted that to them. The second is the Bible's really clear. Not only that we should be generous but aware, we should be generous. I personally believe that your first commitment at your local church, but then there's that opportunity to give over and above that first portion and to express love because God says were ever you're spiritually ministered unto, that the apostle Paul would say to a group of Christians. I ministered spiritually to you and he actually went so far to say is you have a financial obligation to minister back to me in his situation. It wasn't like for airtime. I guess with maybe a donkey time or or you know I need some new parchments or I need your financial resources to get on that ship to go from Corinth to Ephesus, and is just the same. Here you know if you get ministered unto one of the ways that you not only say thank you but then you generously pass it on to others is to support that ministry that's that's ministering to you. So that's kinda what biblically why we do it and you know there's just that the reality of need and it's a partnership than a team and so MP4 generous. I mean, I'm thrilled I'm very excited about how they do give and so I want to say. If you haven't, you can get in on this and if you have thank you very much. If you're already a financial partner. Thank you. With your help Living on the Edges ministering to more people than ever before and after benefiting from chips teaching but haven't yet taken that step. Now would be a great time to join the team said the gift or to become a monthly partner donate online at http://livingontheedge.org Donate on the app or just give us a call a 8883336003 that's 8883336003. Your partnership is greatly appreciated when elders Chip with his application as we wrap up today's program. I just want to remind you, God, gets it when you're stuck he's patient he really does understand the question is how do you get unstuck and literally. This group of Jewish followers had economic relational emotional issues. Their world was turned upside down and they were saying God. What we do and the Holy Spirit rights through Jesus half-brother. He says well consider it all joy because of what's gonna happen in and through your life.

But he says if you don't know specifically what to do when it gets hard. I mean like what school should your kids go to, or should you relocate right now, or should you look for another job or stay in this job meet what specifically do you do, he promises wisdom. Now here's my question. Where are you getting your wisdom from right now this is not in any way like a probing question where you getting your wisdom from, I just know that were all looking for answers and unconsciously you might be getting it from Facebook or social media or from the news or from friends and there may be a lot of good wisdom there. But let me ask you have you asked God if you really asked God, give me wisdom, show me what to do instead of here's what I hear myself praying and many others, is God. I want you to take the virus away or I want you to open the score. I want you to know what you're telling him what to do and how to do it so that you get relief and you can make it through and I don't think it's wrong to pray that way.

But what if that's not what God wants to do and that's not what he's going to do. Maybe what we need to be asking, especially from this passage is not. Oh God, will you do X, Y, and Z so I can have the outcomes I want. Maybe the question to be this God what you want to do.

What do you want me to do and then he promises he will give wisdom, the skill, the ability to know what to do when to do it how to do it. If you ask in faith, that means you believe it is good in them without any doubting Morgan a look at that, but I can't leave you today without addressing that a bit because what we can learn is the two conditions for God 100% of the time to tell you in your specific situation exactly what to do, is that you need to ask number one and number two, you need to be willing to do whatever he says you can't ask him, God will you show me what to do, so I could consider it as one of the options. He says that person won't receive any wisdom from the Lord.

But if you're willing to ask and say Lord no matter what it means if it means relocating. It means a different job of it means a different school. That means a different lifestyle. What ever you say I'm telling you in advance. I'll do. Here's the promise kill show you so ask him today just before we close. I want you to know that as a staff we asked the Lord to help you take whatever your next faith step is. We'd love to hear how it's going. Would you take just a minute to send us a note door give us a call either one is easy. Just send a quick note to chip@livingontheedge.org or give us a call AAA 83336003 is our number one hope you'll join us again next time. When she continues his series. The art of survival. Till then, this is Dave saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge