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November 26, 2020 5:00 am
Let me ask you question. Do you consider yourself spiritual a good person, a sincere Christian. How do you know you really are evil today you can find out what absence you don't want to miss and welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with trip Living on the Edges of international discipleship the Bible to check if your finger in this program we continue our series resilient withstanding the storms of life.
It's been a rough season, but it's Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving always gives us the opportunity to think about what were thankful for what the truth is for valid reasons. Many are struggling and you're not sure you have the strength to hang on when the next wave.
It's so were studying in the book of James because James said to encourage believers handling homes, family businesses have lost loved ones is just as much relevance today.
What he said to those believers then is exactly what we need to hear now will chips teaming up with her son Ryan is pastor of a growing church in California. So today were going to hear from Ryan as he brings us part one of his message is practical. James chapter 1 we been talking about this idea of resiliency in and what was anything really is ability to withstand or to recover from a difficult situation is this ability to to stand strong in the face of the storms of being knocked down. But the ability to get back up and so we been asking and wrestling with this question help. How do you have resiliency in the face of difficult situation when things at home are maybe a struggle or things at work or the future is uncertain how to we have resiliency in this and we've been studying the book of James. If you want the Full Contact you can actually go back and look at acts chapter 8 and see the moment of what he's navigating. James was the half-brother of Jesus.
He was the leader of the church in Jerusalem and the church had just experienced intense persecution and everyone was scattered from their homes and afraid.
Their lives were upended in this moment.
And that's why he opens up his letter to them. This way, says consider it pure joy or all joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, and were all experiencing different kinds of trials. Even though were all in the same trial together. Isn't it true, and he says when considering joy.
You can actually reckon that joy in this moment. Why, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance and develops this ability to remain under district rank to withstand.
It develops when we persevere of resiliency and perseverance.
It says must finish its work.
We must allow it to finish his work like so that we can be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Think is such a great picture of what it looks like to be resilient in our day of what is a look like good times or bad times and in difficult situations and when things are going great to be a person who has been developed to the point where there's this maturity, there's this wholeness where wary your circumstances don't determine whether you have or lack anything and so we've been wrestling with this idea of resilience and and talking about. It's tempting like how do you have resiliency in the face of temptation that would I do when temptation knocks its emotional how you navigate the destructive emotions that that were all experiencing. This is an emotionally disorienting time is and what do I do with the emotions inside of me.
It's powerful in our response to God's word and what it does to transform us were going to talk about its practical like James is going to get real practical like what we do and maybe have you ever wondered, as we been talking about this like what do resilient people do what are their habits. What are their practices what they do.
Whether it's a good time or a bad time.
The circumstance may change but these activities, these practices do not change in what order to discover there are specific practices of resilient people regardless of their circumstance and so if you got your Bible which open up to James chapter 1 verse 26 he begins this way. Those who consider themselves religious religious is new you know we don't naturally think of ourselves as religious. We think of ourselves as spiritual says okay will then save those who consider themselves spiritual or those who consider themselves Christian. Those who consider themselves a follower of Jesus. This word religious refers to the outward acts of worship. Those who consider themselves religious, and yet do not keep a tight rein on their times deceive themselves and their religion is worthless. Then goes on religion that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world is practical fact what we want to see it is.
There's three specific practices of mature followers of Jesus, or better yet, said resilient people. What are these three practices he's going to first say mature followers of Jesus, those that have been refined and are resilient. The first practices they actually have the ability to bite their tongue. They have the ability, as James says terrain in their tongue that word rain is the word bridal is the picture of the bit in a horse's mouth that that controls that that that you bridal you're able to hold and check. He knows he said those who consider themselves religious are like hey were in this were followers of Jesus and yet if you're not able to control what's coming out of your mouth. He's going to say something pretty powerful site, we deceive ourselves that were deceive his niece. One writer says the self deceived person is the one whose religious acts do not make a difference in the way they live by it. Like I am worshiping God. But then my words that come out to my neighbor my words that come out to my kids, my words that come out about my coworkers are are just cutting.
He says you can't be worshiping God and saying and then have your words. Tell a different story.
And this is what James is doing. He's actually connecting our understanding of worship with our understanding of wisdom and saying those two go hand-in-hand.
Proverbs talks a lot about this. Think about this.
Proverbs 1019. Sin is not ended by multiplying words but the prudent hold their tongue Proverbs 1112 whoever derides their neighbor has no sense.
But the one who has understanding hold their tongue Proverbs 1727 the one who has knowledge uses words with restraint.
This whole idea of bridal lien or holding back our tongue likes.
This practice of okay I is starting to come and I'm going to hold it back. Will I does James go to the extent a site like man your religion is worthless. That's kinda harsh and I knows pretty convicting for me boys building off of what Jesus was saying in Luke chapters 6 verse 45. Jesus has something the so powerful and poignant when it comes to our words and revealing. He says a good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart for the mouth speaks what the heart is full, the mouth speaks with the heart is for. So this is why this is so important.
I think when we think about our words were just like I didn't mean to say that or when I say I'm just trying to be honest, keep it real. It was just it just slipped out as no big deal. And what Jesus would say is that what comes out of our mouths actually reveals what's going on inside of her hearts like what is flowing out of our mouths and especially in these moments in these crisis moments like it begins to revealed the condition of our heart is not just a thoughtless word or just I didn't mean it. Jesus, I know there's actually some hard things going on in there. In fact, here's what you just imagine you know if you had a dog that ran up and jumped on you right now. Or maybe your kids jumped on you right now. Or maybe your roommate bumped you and what you know and what I know is the minute we get bumped the contents in your cop. My cup still out and whatever the content is is what's going to spill out and so if you have orange juice or cheese is going to spill.
If you have copies copies going to spill the water and here's what Jesus is saying when it comes to our words like what spills out of your mouth when you're bumped is revealing the contents of your heart is like what what is that and this is why this is so powerful. This practice in these seasons of resiliency of like okay I'm gonna be so aware of my words right now because I know that is pointing to something in me that that has this potential to spill out and is actually pointing to some hard things.
It's like an indicator like I gotta be aware of my heart is think about this. Maybe raining then when bombs maybe for some gossip words come out or boastful words may be a slanderer cutting someone down or criticism is easy when bumped.
I think in the season for me to go towards the naturally negative or maybe it's crude and maybe it's harsh words for you as you've been months we've all been bumped.
What's been coming out with what what's what's been spilling out and Jesus would say this can reveal something deeper in our hearts. You know when were talking about its emotional and is talking about anger. I'm trying to gather the whole family to sit down and watch the service together and you know Miles was getting up going over here and writers going over here and I couldn't get everybody all focus now you probably have the same exact experience and try to get refocused and I'm finding as were about to watch me talk about anger that I'm getting angry in the moment getting frustrated with my kids is like and my kids can feel it and my daughter Ella just is like are you getting angry and going to talk about anger and looking all cute, smooth, and she was right. She sometimes forgets bumped is just frustration in these emotions and has just that indicator of something deeper going on inside of me and so what will the mature person of Jesus or the resilient. They have this ability to bite their tongue and then bring their heart before God.
See, it's like I can bridal and I can hold it in, and that takes a process that takes time.
It just takes awareness and but then he's like okay I'm gonna bring my heart and would bite my tongue going to bring my heart before God. The first area bite your tongue.
Second, roll up your sleeves and love knows what he said religion or worship spiritual acts that God our father accepts as pure and faultless is this to look after orphans and widows in their distress to say resilient people don't simply look in and try to figure out how to we just make it through what they have the ability to do is there gonna roll up their sleeves and look out and go who can we live who can we love who are the people that God is put along our past to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
This word look after means to go see a person with helpful intent. It's actually proactive.
I'm going to go see a person I'm gonna go out of my way and my heart and my intent is how can I help what in what ways can I bring a and hope and that to you.
The apostle Paul would say it this way in Galatians 56 only thing that counts. Think about this subject's statements. The only thing that counts is faith based.
The confidence that God is who he said he is and he'll do what he said he was. You will do faith, your worship with God expressing itself through love that we are fundamentally regardless of what the circumstances are to be a people of love marked by love the fact the early church in the moments of crisis word fundamentally known for their love when plagues headed town they would risk their lives to care or force sick and sick bring aid while everyone else lead, he says, roll up your sleeves and love. I just get back to the heart of God. Micah 68 says he is shown you'll man what is good. What does the Lord require of you but to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God that we are supposed to have this combination of just acts and love of mercy that that looks after the most vulnerable and hurting in our society. Psalm 68 talks about that God is a father to the fatherless that he's a defender of the widow that he sets the lonely in families. The heart of our God and so that is to be the heart's and so followers of Jesus were to roll up our sleeves.
It really resilient people have this practice. Whatever the season and were gonna love will. Who are we going to look after were going to look after those that often get looked over we got a look after those that so often get looked over will. Who are they first is the vulnerable is the vulnerable. It may be vulnerable economically maybe vulnerable with it when it comes to health or age. Think about the foster care system vulnerable to ostracize the outcast who overlooks as followers of Jesus were to be a voice for the voiceless work were to to lean in and call out for justice were to be a people that says okay we are going to fight for those who are able to fight on their own to bring about healing and hope in life suggests.
This is just what it means to be a follower of Jesus. No matter what season the vulnerable ostracize in the invisible people we don't see the people that we can tend to overlook, think in this season. The invisible is often the homeless and what they're going through invisible might be a neighbor that you just really had no idea what they're going through because, as we often don't ask.
Maybe that deeper question and know what's really going on in their life and their struggles says roll up your sleeves and love at my friend Christina says it this way you don't have to look hard to find pain and hurt boys and that right. You don't have to go far. It we just have to start looking. We have to do that look after. Instead of looking over, you know, as this season ahead. I have one neighbor down the street.
That's that. She lives on her own older lady and I just wanted to go ahead. However, we can help. Whatever you need and she email me and say hey could you run and get this prescription. I need this picked up at the grocery store just a simple simple way because I think sometimes we hear this and we think it has to be big, grandiose, or I think really it's just what Andy Stanley said so many years ago. Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone to we get overwhelmed by the needs we get overwhelmed by the pain around us. And so, unfortunately, what happens is we end up not doing anything and so you can't do everything, but you I can do something for someone was the edge with an ROI of Ingram's teaching from his series, resilient, withstanding the storms of life Church or with us and he's got some thoughts about the message you just heard. But before we get to that.
I hope you'll take a second to go online or tap share and encourage others to join us for this series to navigating life's storms is never easy, which is why Chip asked Ryan to come and share this message that brings such practical applications of the daily challenges culture is a powerful voice that influences our attitudes and our thinking so Ryan's fresh perspective on James chapter 1 provides the tools we may need to make a few course corrections for limited time 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 all the out or give us a call a 8883336003 that's triple late. 333-6003 will trip it's been a pretty crazy year for all of us, but some are genuinely struggling to be thankful with all the going through and have you got a word for us today while Thanksgiving is not a feeling because I think it be very challenging for some at this very moment in light of all that's happened personally.
Some things in our country some things globally, economic issues, health issues, mental health issues. The conflicts families had with all the shutdowns of the disappointment.
Many people have with what they thought this year would be like something just a reminder that Thanksgiving you have to really pull back and look at the big picture and recognize that a good God who is all wise is all-powerful in the midst of a fallen world once to bring good out of things but it's very difficult to look at some the specifics ago God, thank you for code 19 but I think we can choose to say okay what good came out of this.
What relationship Scott developed what innovation occurred, what may be for some it was a hard time with the family, but for others it really reignited relationships because you were stuck in the same place together. What did God do in your life because you are more dependent. How did he show you. Perhaps that there were some idols in your life and mine because there is less money, less time and more pressure.
Let me just encourage you to rejoice always to pray without ceasing, and to choose to give thanks in all things for this is the will of God for you and for me in Christ Jesus. I don't mean that trite lien. I realize it's a challenge, but as you choose to give thanks for what God has done for what you do have.
You will find that your perspective changes in the person who faces today and tomorrow will be a different person. Very encouraging. Thanks. Well, if you're looking for a way to grow and stay connected spiritually Living on the Edge as a ton of resources. Many absolutely free. We have topics on marriage parroting Bible study how to hear God's voice in prayer and lots of formats A/V print and free downloads.
Our mission is to help you come closer to Christ wherever you are on your spiritual journey to check out what's available.
Download the chipping remap.
Check out the website@livingontheedge.org or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003 as we wrap up today's program. Especially since I mean it's Thanksgiving and I listen to this message about resilience means it's practical and I love the passage you know what is it that God really wants us to do. Micah 68 what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and walk humbly with your God. And I love the last part of the message where Ryan begin to talk about just acting.
I mean just choosing to act and help other people and I don't know about the rest of you, but this whole year of COBIT 19 I'm just gonna confess I had one season where I got discouraged and then I went from discouraged and I got depressed and I got really depressed. The little three day window, and I'm really struggling. I'm trying to fight in all the things I preach and tell you all I'm trying to do and I'm not doing it very well at all and and literally the Holy Spirit, smacks me to says chip get off yourself would you just think about someone else I but their life is a lot harder and just came to my mind it was a friend in Egypt is in charge of all the Protestant churches, and I literally said you let me see if I can get a zoom call with him and I just heard about people who situation was like 100 X worse than mine and in the midst of the says were just trying to survive and I'll never forget because I was studying a passage and I was coming up with a series on the art of survival and I just said that out loud and he goes will get it to make it to me and I said well okay I have even taught it, let alone filmed it and something happened.
Here's what I want you to get that was a Thursday between Thursday and the following Tuesday I studied up got a film crew. Top three messages got it to him. It was translated into Arabic by that Friday. On Monday we had a webinar with all these leaders from all around Egypt and then they had it translated and went throughout the churches throughout all of Egypt. But here's what happened. My depression, my discouragement evaporated because in front of me was a need and my focus was on helping them. Could I encourage you to schedule focus on someone else.
No matter what you're going through and love them today. See what God does. Just before we close, would you stop for a minute and pray for Living on the Edge we've never seen a greater need for God's truth to go out right now and by God's grace Living on the Edge as been able to provide encouragement, teaching, and personal discipleship resources to more people than ever before. So thank you to those who support us with your prayers. God is doing amazing things. Until next time, and for all of us saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge