Resilient - It's Powerful, Part 2

I've counseled thousands of Christians in the last 3+ decades as a pastor with all kind of struggles, issues, addictions, family problems, and when I talk to them about their relationship to God's word.

I can tell you there's a one-to-one correlation. Really big problems and almost no connection to God's word or application that has to change. And today will stay with thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with your finger Living on the Edges of teaching and discipleship ministry dedicated to helping Christians really live what Christian debris.

As you can tell chips fired up and raring to go when it comes to God's word and the power it has to help us change the things in our lives. We desperately want to change chips as passionate as they come with us were in a series called resilience standing the storms of life in this program will learn the keys to unlocking the truth of Scripture how to apply it to every day like he's picking up where he left off previous program.

So if you missed it, if you catch it later on.

The chipping roadmap or online anytime LivingontheEdge.org. Okay let's get going enjoying chip for part two of his message is powerful. James chapter 1. Watch over your heart out with all diligence, why, for from it flow all the issues of life and so he says you have to cultivate the seed of God's word in your heart and so the question becomes right. How do we wholeheartedly cultivate God's word within us versus 22, 23, 24 and 25 begin to tell us exactly how to do that. Are you ready number one, we must specifically apply God's word to our lives can't not let that sink in. It doesn't say you must read the Bible doesn't say just listen to the Bible in the car is not about just exposure it's we must specifically apply God's word to our lives.

There is a need.

This is what God's word says here's a sin. This is what God's word says here's a problem. This is what God's word says this is a relationship. This is what God's word says this passing says if you want to be in joyful, winsome Christian is not deceived his life changes. If you want power what ever God's word says about that. Do it in your experience.

Notice why because exposure without application is self deception exposure without application is self deception. Anyone who listens to the word. If you've downloaded the notes underline the word listen and this is interesting what it means just to glance at this isn't looking deeply. This is just glancing at it listens to the word but doesn't do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror now during this time.

Mirrors were not made out of class. They were made out of metal and they weren't super clear and so if you really wanted to get a good look at yourself.

You had really gaze and stoop down and and get a good look at this is the person who just gazes at the mirror and notices.

All I you know there's a hair out of place or for their dirt all over my collar, but is just a quick glance and then they go on to go away immediately forget what they look like most of us don't do that.

In fact, especially my wife and I were talking about this, and yesterday she was saying, you know, I never really got that illustration because especially as a woman. When I look in the mirror. If there's something wrong. I want to fix it right.

My lipstick isn't quite right, or there's a hair sticking up her own my gosh you know me, when you look into a mirror.

Most of us really want to address it. The illustration that came to my mind that this happens to you.

Let's say you get a text from someone you're really busy and you see its attacks and it's important person and it's only really care about and just look at your phone and you just glance at it quickly. Don't read it all that carefully and you save yourself all. While it's important person. All text back I'll get to that later, maybe none of you done this and then like three days or four days or five days and many are laying in bed you just wake up and I mean this is an important person and you realize, oh my gosh I'd been texting back and I'm never there was a question I don't member but it seemed like was really important.

I totally blew them off, how they feel what's really happened. That's kind of the picture here. This is a picture of someone who comes to a meeting of God's people leave. There's no sense of God what you want me to do, Lord, search my heart. Father, how could I have violated that and offended you or offended someone else. Oh, I never saw that mean deceived. I thought things were great and you get the idea. I remember years ago, founded in some old notes and this was oh gosh, maybe 15 years ago, maybe more, and there was a group that had done a study that basically said that 71 million people in America claim to be followers of Christ and then they did further studies to say wow, that's very interesting because in terms of morality, behavior, finances, character, only about one in 10 of those people who claim to be believers live in a different then the people who don't claim to be believers and a member. This will date me, but if you hear this name yada read some of his stuff, it's amazing. Francis Schaeffer was theologian, philosopher started a group called debris in Switzerland and and skeptics and intellectuals from all around the world would, and he created this place of dialogue and religious live out the faith of people could come with any questions and never getting to hear it like I actually wrote one of my Masters thesis based on the trilogy of core books that he wrote an remember he made the statement it must've been about 1976, 78, he said Christianity in the United States. Currently, this is 1976 appears to be all that bankrupt. In other words, it's so doesn't resemble the life of Christ. It's so filled with either religion or rules or compromise a lack of love mean these radical core messages of Jesus are earth were like on a salad bar, love your enemies, I don't think so. Sexual purity that's not in love one another meet as a group passive in he just said the authority of God's word and believers sensing that submission to what he says is a nonnegotiable because he is God because it's a Savior of the world because he is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords, and whether it's willfully now or someday, later, every single person who has ever lived will bow the knee before the Lord Jesus Christ and every tongue will confess that he is, in fact, Lord, to the glory of God, and in some I don't know what happened. I really don't and unit Living on the Edge sword of my heartbeat. The ministry sort of as a missionary to America and around some places the world it is helping Christians live like Christians every day in every way everywhere for the glory of God and for the good of all mankind. Because the people that help me become a follower of Christ.

They lived it out. It was a bricklayer and he wasn't eloquent affect the Bible studies were just downright boring, but I'd never seen a man love his wife or date is life. I've never seen a father investing his kids and I may not get to see the arguments in a May night I lived with them at times. I lived in a garage apartment in the back. I worked for him. I saw man that you know what would is a bricklayer and a members still remember building. It's called a footer when you're going to do a house you have to put in the footer and met up all after you do that you put these hate locks and it was out like 1/2 an inch on one area, and I mean it would have passed inspection. All the rest, and I member him walking through and with his foot kicking down all this hate out blocks that I have carried and I have mixed all the mud he goes it's on a square going that much of and give me a break and I'll never forget.

He looked Amicus chip you don't understand I don't make this house and build this foundation for you or the inspectors what ever I do. It's my offering to God and on and giving second grade anything and what I want you to know is that being around David was in his cool Bible studies is after a few years I wanted to be a man of God like Dave wanted to be a husband like they own to be a dad like Dave and it all went back to this reverence for God's word in this sense that it's not casual. This is an option I want to Dave after all these years still having all these little cards that I started doing in. I watched him live it out and then I watched him when he blew it and, humbly saying you know I messed up and would you forgive me see this power and the authenticity of walking with God and obeying his word what he was doing was he was humbly receiving the word implanted in over the years and over the years and over the years than God births fruit in his character than he also birthed that in ministry. Dave is still a bricklayer. Dave is still helping out on colleges nothing you know they've got a B. You 80 now and he sees helping Chinese PhD students in his high school education and has been in his home and he loves them and whatever he needs to learn so he can talk to them. I watched him do this. Are you ready watched him do this for over 30 years.

It's just amazing but he's a Christian that looks like a Christian and Dave hassensed that there's pastors and clergy and other people I learned from him. All of us are full-time ministers of the gospel and so he tells us that exposure without application brings death.

It it it kills our relationship with God.

It kills the power factor. One of my cross had a great line to say the problem with most Christians is there like a photograph overexposed and underdeveloped and prof always had those great ones and one was really saying was overexposed out. I heard this podcast are this podcast.

Did you hear this teacher all did you know what's happening here. All I read this book that so-and-so says this all again. His view, God would be a lot happier with you reading three verses and obeying all three verses today. Been reading 300 verses and going. That's nice. See the organ of transformation in God's kingdom is not knowledge and it's not just cognitive it's obedience. In fact, notice number three because immersion with application brings freedom and transformation with the text but the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he heard, but doing it. He will be blessed in what he does notice what he says the man who looks this is a different word. This is for pausing, stooping, gazing clearly into it. What's he gaze into. He doesn't gaze into his own heart or his own feelings how I feel about me how I feel about God, do I feel close to God. What do others think. In other words, there is a standard of truth. What does the Scripture say see I don't meet with God every day because I think I get brownie points on refrigerator. I meet with God every day because I know the deception of my own heart and that I need the word of God to purify my mind and my thinking and see when you look into a mirror what's in there mirrors a source of evaluation is when you look at me, and you evaluate well. Looks good, doesn't look good.

Need to touch up here missed a spot here will the word of God as a source of evaluation, but it doesn't tell you how you look on the outside. It tells you how you look on the inside to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. You might check the universe and it's worth memorizing Hebrews 412 for the word of God is living and active and sharper than a two-edged sword, and piercing to the division of both joints and marrow, it's able to judge the thoughts and intentions of our heart. It's powerful and so heat he looks intently to the perfect law, God's word that gives freedom, freedom, what freedom to do whatever you want freedom not to sin, freedom to look to be all that God made you to be freedom to have joy in every circumstance. Freedom to be the man or the woman that God wants you to do the notice he looks into it. He continues to do it, not forgetting what he's heard, but doing it in the notice.

He'll be blessed he'll have God's favor.

I pulled out those words and looking intently, and what that is.

That's me reading were like in the first century what says those who listen most the people were illiterate and they would hear God's word over and over they would repeat it to one another. They were oral learners and most everyone in the church would have all the books memorized and then they would meditate on it and notice continues to look at it.

That's okay.

I I look that I read it. Now I'm gonna continue to meditate and ponder the reason that I memorize these verses is so that when I'm in the car. I can meditate. I went on waiting in line. I can meditate like I can begin to think about where is God speaking to me and as you memorize scripture and you don't forget it. Holy Spirit will then begin to pull it answer to prayer piece of wisdom do this don't do that.

A protection here you if you've never done this would just be amazed all the research you meditate on God's word heart rate and blood pressure. I mean physically, physiologically, I mean, when I started memorizing Scripture very, very seriously. Your inner mind is like a muscle. I I was shocked at how sharp my mind became as I memorized a few hundred verses and then some short chapters and then a few short books and and how I would go into a class and I would listen and I mean gosh I think after my junior year I never got a B and wasn't because I was so smart. It was literally God refined my mind in a way that I could take in information and retain it. He wants to bless us in every area of our life.

But notice the key is applications you do it and then your experiences favor is happiness in your heart satisfied and so II summarize sort of where were at in the series in summer in the midst of difficult circumstances first 12 verses and powerful temptations. Verses 13 to 18 and emotionally challenging relationships 19 to 21.

The man or woman who regularly feast on God's word by listening, reading, studying, memorizing and meditating the purpose of obeying what it says will be set free to become the joyful, winsome, loving person he or she longs to become. With God's hand of favor upon all that you do promise you know as I close, I don't know what to say other than I've been asked by a lot of people.

Would you teach me how to do that you get into the Bible where you hear God's voice.

I was just just from memory. I I paused that I thought to be ready to slingback where you mean I just got of these and just him in the bottom of my Bible as I thought. Over the years of the power of God's word. First Peter 22 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of God's word, that by it you may grow with respect your salvation. Second Timothy 316 and 17 for the word of God, but it's God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness, that the man or woman of God would be fully adequately equipped for every good work. First Peter 123 for we have been born again by the word of God.

Then he goes on to say the grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of God endures forever. Jesus own words fame will not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Jesus would say to a group of Pharisees in John 832. For those of you who have believed on my name if you abide in my word, then you know the truth and the truth will you know the rest of it. You set you free. I thought of the great people in Scripture and their relationship with God's word. Here's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to get you to where you would say you know something more than my phone more than TD more than Netflix more than my breath. I'm going to make God's word. What I listen to what I read I study what I meditate what I memorize and why will tell you, you will receive power, you will receive power issues, addictions, struggles, temptations your never to be perfectly comes back, you will receive power, Moses in his farewell. He sends them into the promised land, says take your heart all these words, which I'm speaking to you today, for they are not an idle word. They are your life and by this word, you shall possess the land going into Josh was going on in chapter 1 of Joshua and God says to him, Joshua, this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth you should meditate on it day and night, that you might be careful to do according to all that's written therein, for then you will have success. And then you will prosper.

Be strong and courageous. Don't tremble, don't be dismayed because the Lord your God is with you. I think of Ezra, who said he set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it and teaches ordinances in Israel. I just want you to know whether was David.

If you're word had not been my delight, Psalms 119 out of Paris to my flexion me all through Scripture.

Men, women, they hang onto the word of God because the word of God] application, but if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram and chips talk today powerful is from his series called resilient withstanding the storms of life. Navigating life storms is never easy, but as believers in Christ, God gives us the resources we need to keep standing strong. No matter what comes our way, chips, teaching provides a fresh perspective from James chapter 1 on not only how to do it, but how to do it well, and bless others along the way for a limited time, the resources for resilient are discounted and the MP3s are always free to order your copy or to send it to a friend visit us@livingontheedge.org Special offers on the app or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 I'm to be right back to talk about today's message but I want to talk directly and personally to you first. We've got millions of people going to church going through the motions, many of them sincere but ignorant about the gospel about truth. Their lives don't change. We have a whole generation of young people saying you can have your Jesus in your church inanity and I'm out here because they don't see reality and Living on the Edge has been called to declare war on religious activity that doesn't align with the Jesus of the New Testament, but we can't do it without you.

I grew up in that environment and I turned away from God and I just praise God that he brought people into my life that clearly explained the gospel but as importantly, they lived it out and they lived it out in real life and love me and cared for me and they were holy and they weren't weird. God longs to do that in our day and the message of Living on the Edge is helping Christians like Christians, we do through teaching we create resources, but it requires a team and for us to do it moving toward the future as God is open more and more doors. I simply tell you I need your help. Would you prayerfully consider partnering with us today and kind of move that good intention you thought about it I ought to help them out. Yeah I already decided my head. I would, but the fact is you have acted on it yet act on it today. Let's make a difference, but strip all of partnering with Living on the Edge is an idea that makes sense to you. We'd love to have you join us helping Christians live like Christians will change the world we live in.

Give a gift, just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate on the app or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003 and that's AAA 333-6003.

Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Well here. Strip with a final thought about today's message as we close today's program. Here's what I know we all want to change right in certain areas and you heard in this message the blessing and the advantages of God's word and getting in it and I can almost feel some of you rolling your eyes are saying and I've really tried that in. I've really tried it and it just never really works for me right I don't stay faithful and here's what I want you know I really get that I had such a hard time.

I didn't grow up as a Christian, I've never read the Bible at a hard time getting in it. Staying in it.

I didn't understand it and and I had someone come alongside and literally meet with me every week until this very faithless.

I was pretty lazy couldn't get out of bed Christian.

It caught on and then can't begin to speak to me in all these things I talk about of the power of memorizing and studying the things it change my life. I saw God break the power of lust break the power of workaholism a break the power of trying to please people in so many ways through his word and so that's why were passionate Living on the Edge to help you get into the Bible for yourself. And so if you don't have a plan. It'll never happen, and I know trying hard doesn't work so you need a plan. You need someone to help you stay accountable and you need a resource you will go to the chip Ingram app. What is there is to read three resources once called daily discipleship with chip. It's called growing deeper and it's a specific way about how do you actually meet with God and experience him there's another one called hearing God's voice in Scripture which I give you sort of basic Bible study steps in a really simple way or you can get into God's word and you can really grow. Blessed is the man blessed is the woman who walks in the counsel of God's word. He wants to bless your life. But his word is the conduit the power that the Holy Spirit uses. I long for you to make a decision today to say I will become a man, a woman, or student of the word of God going to read it daily put into practice daily and ask God for help daily and it'll be the greatest decision ever made will just before we close. We want you to know about an easy way to listen to our extended teaching podcast here chip anytime on Amazon's Alexa echo and echo.just say Alexa open Living on the Edge and you'll hear that these extended teaching anytime you want well for Jeff and everyone here is really saying thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge