Momentum - Learning to Get God's Best for Your Life, Part 1

God wants you to get very, very best in life. The limitation of most Christians do not get God's best. The great majority of all believers in this best God has for why that's what I'm entitled today.

Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram Living on the Edge features the Bible teaches on the Staley discipleship program. I think it's safe to say that we all want to get God's best for our lives in this program.

Chip opens the book of Daniel… The secret facing life of the least of which was surviving the lion messages you want to hear again do that any time with the chip and remap chips interactive filling notes are there for you to know with part one of his message. Learning to get God's best for your life. Your subject.

Most Christians are experiencing God's best. And it's not because God doesn't want to get ready to learn. There are certain factors that will seduce your soul, they will become belief system and lives that will have you inking your moving on the right path and direction to get the best out of life that absolutely destroy you and your relationships, and there is another pathway that God gives it will seem very hard on the upfront, but if you follow it by his power, and by his grace, you'll receive the best and has to give us a ring and jumping together. The greatest picture this.

In the Old Testament for me is a teenage boy that we get his whole story, we hear about them. When is a teenager.

Chapter 1 of his friends little bit later in chapter 3. By the end of chapter 1. They did give a little structural marker and it it tells us that he was held this role until a king named Darius that his 539 BC, which doesn't mean much to you but it means he had about a 70 year run in his job guys names Dennis Lamy picture for right the year 6605 BC Babylon most powerful empire in the world.

Their most powerful king Nebuchadnezzar it's moving across the known world like a wave. Just conquering kingdom after kingdom after kingdom after kingdom that there the home of the mystery religions there arrogant. They have immorality like you can imagine this Babylon makes Vegas look like a Sunday school class know Joe idols everywhere immorality in ways and practices. You can't even imagine soaking powerful Babylon is moving with his armies to take over the world and overhear his Jerusalem.

God's people for God's people have not been following God and so he gave him this promise in Deuteronomy chapter 28, 29, 30, and multiple other places if you will walk with me I will be your God. You be my people. I love you I care for you. I want you to get the best but if you turn away from me.

If you worship idols if you will not fear me in the ideas hear music doing life my way because I care about you that I will bring judgment. I will scatter you to the corners of the earth. And so as we open the text of your Daniel. Notice how it opens up it says in the third year of the reign of Jehovah came king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and he besieged notice. And the Lord delivered Jehovah came king of Judah into his hands, along with some of the articles from the temple and he carried them off from God's temple.

This is important later in the book to his God in Babylon and he put them in treasure of his God. The did you notice who caused the bad guys to win the battle.

Scott why judgment when we do things, whether a nation or an individual are on the wrong path over a long period of time. After multiple warnings, God loves you and he loves me so much. I call it the velvet vice of grace and what he does. As you know your life and going you doing things apart from God says don't do this you go maybe maybe maybe he wouldn't heal bring pressure to your health, your finances will ruin relationships with key loves you so much when he sees someone headed off a cliff. He will start putting barriers up carrack's health issues, job losses, he'll bring all kind of things to bear to get you to think maybe like the 12 steppers call it. I hit bottom.

Sometimes God allows very difficult, painful things for us to say, you know, maybe how I'm living isn't exactly how I ought to be living.

Maybe I need to get on God's path, and maybe the reason is that he really loves me.

And this difficulty is like flashing red lights is like him caring enough to bring about adversity to get my attention. And so that's what God is doing with this nation. Now the next scene understand is, is there taking over the world. They're very smart and when you conquered kingdoms or countries.

What happens is over time. You know the real spread out and they don't have a lot of you know, telecommunication, obvious reasons, and so what you wanted to do is you want to figure out how to engraft that nation that you conquer into your culture so you don't have coos later as to what they were to do is to take from the royal family. The people who would eventually be the Kings in the and the rulers of Judah Jerusalem.

They were to take the best of the smartest and the brightest arena here about four of them and Nina take them. This is 605 BC, and it's an initial call deportation negative take them because they are the leaders in the going to take him to Babylon to brainwashing now in 597 will do another one with more people in and five 887. The complete and so here they are they gonna take Daniel me shack you know a Bendigo member the story.

The three guys in the furnace get these weird Babylonian names they get taken therefore three year graduate program in brainwashing pick it up in verse three says, then the king ordered Ashton as the chief of the court officials to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and ability. These are young men knows who the got men without physical defect, handsome showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well-informed, quick to understand qualified to serve in the king's palace.

He was to teach them the language in the literature of the Babylonian and then goes on to say.

Then the king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine, the king's table and they were to be trained for three years and after that they're going to enter the king service. So here's what you need to get the police for sharp, noble, intelligent the best, the brightest unit of the Harvard Stanford type grads good looking. There quick and the get taken to Babylon to brainwashing to learn the languages they gonna learn the worldview. The learn the wisdom books will be trained by the magicians and the chanters begin to change their diet to change everything about them and their praying for the day that they would forever forget they were due. They'd ever remember there was a God name Yahweh, and they would see themselves as new Babylonians, and then they would enter the king service and become a part of Babylonian culture. That's the game plan. Well you'll notice in chapter verse eight, but Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way none. Notice the intervention here.

God calls the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, here's it's got understand Daniel our best research and his three friends are best 15 to 16 to 17 years old. Now how many of you have a teenager and you think if you had a 1415 16-year-old you could send him to Vegas for three years without any parental oversight and be pretty happy about how they can turn out. Daniel's parents did and it turned out that they not only turned out they became God's inside men over three different kingdoms and change the course of the world because of some convictions encourage that they had. And as the story unfolds. Daniel was not a teetotaler and Daniel was not a vegetarian, but the wine and the meat was being offered to idols, and so they were contaminated for Daniel to eat.

That would be to say I'm gonna worship these false gods, which is at the heart of the very first two commandments and so he goes to the head officially does look this really violates everything we believe everything that we are, what you say you give us a little different diet you just vegetables and water something like that.

Okay as I can't do that I'll get killed. I mean, they start looking at you, and these other guys if you guys don't look sharp. I mean, I'm all die, so Daniel I love he doesn't get pushy.

He doesn't get holier than thou. He says to what how about a 10 day test cut on the wood you will and will you just work with me on this one.

So for 10 days. They do it in the notice in your Bible you can, skip down and notices at the end of 10 days verse 15 they look healthier and better in nurse than any of the young men who ate the royal food then notice of the guard took away the choice food given vegetables instead.

Verse 17. These four young men. God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds and then you get to the final exam after three years all these people, not just the ones from Jerusalem, but from the different kingdoms they've all been taken to Babylon.

Now they get an oral exam.

Some of you than the right below graduate work and had run along paper in a long paper in my case, a member sitting down and there was Dr. Soso Dr. so-and-so Dr. so-and-so Dr. so-and-so, and they read my paper had red marks all over it and then it was the oral exam should buy notice on your paper. You said this, but what about that you know actually come enjoy the fun that I have a warped sense of those experiences at the end of the time set to them. Verse 18 the king brought in the chief official presenting to Nebuchadnezzar the great king he talked with them, he found none equal to Daniel and Anaya Misael and Azariah so they entered the king service in a matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them he found them 10 times better than all the notice the contrast the magicians as are people in the occult. The enchanters in his whole kingdom.

Daniel and his four friends got God's best, Daniel reveals to us how we can get God's best. And it's interesting this book from the time is a teenager into the times of very, very, very old man he's put in positions and blessing, and God, upon his life that he gets the highest in the best but is because he has some convictions and he has some courage and he does some things that most people were unwilling to do is just a few life lessons. These are in your notes.

I like it is wash over you and then here's what I want to do soon as I get done with this.

I want to go back and just show you how these two cultures in conflict. I want to show you the actual game plan the Babylonians from this text had to seduce Daniel soul is what you can find is the culture that you live in is using the exact same things in your life and I want to show you were quickly what was God's game plan. What does he do in those who want to follow him closely to ensure that they get his best. So with that in mind here's isn't just a couple, lean back, because I think we believe some lies life lesson number one we are not at the mercy of a pagan culture mean sometimes I hear well you know you just don't understand them on the road a lot. I mean gosh with all the media, not kids again have sex. What we need to just do it to try and you know it it under all the pressure IMing everyone to have some addictions and no I think of the 15-year-old 16-year-old can do it God's way in Vegas on steroids. I think you can second observation is the future of our world to be determined by who captures next-generation Milan people talk about our children and our children's children and economic issues.

I will tell you think about the spiritual and moral issues who captures next-generation and in a minute I'm gonna show you the game plan of God in the game plan of the world. And if you're a parent I'd really perk up third observation is that protection of our children from our culture is impossible, but preparation of them is imperative. I mean, unless you just are independently wealthy and can move to a remote place of Montana and tell your kids that cell phones and the Internet doesn't exist. You can't protect them from stuff you can prepare them where they can be a Daniel in their world and then finally only a generation with biblical convictions and a winsome spirit can transform the Babylon culture of our day the way that God used a group of teenagers in their day's I think a lot of us can I just be honest here, I think a lot of us have given up. You have everything you need God's power and his word in community will give you everything you need to be the man or the woman the student that is absolutely counter to this culture and you can experience God's best. I don't think we believe that I think were trying to hang on and create these little little levels of control were in the midst of this crazy world. Somehow my life can be okay and I want to tell you.

You want your life to be more than okay. He wants to shoot you like a projectile through this culture in a way that transforms those around you and is an old coach. I can tell you many sports a great offense is better than a good defense would only be defensive.

We need to realize God wants to use us regular people to bring about first where we live in and expanding our neighborhoods. The world we live in.

Well, how did they do it. How does it work, let me just give a quick overview of the historical setting. You seen it. 605 BC. The place is Babylon the reason you might just drop your judgment. It's a good one for us to remember that you might jot Hebrews chapter 12 for a sort of the New Testament reference mean for us.

God brings about discipline never punishment.

He disciplines us for our good and then the spiritual climate with absolute wickedness.

The Babylonian game plan to seduce Daniel soul that we read through his three things they wanted to change their thinking changes worship and change his lifestyle changes thinking changes worship changes lifestyle get information into his head that would cause him to forget his roots got a change of thinking. By the way, the most important decision you or if your parent what you allow your kids to go in their brain is probably most important decision you make every day. I mean if you read the self-help literature you've been to a seminar about goals and change what it was all about what they learned is a biblical principle as a man or woman thinks in his heart, so you become. You were always a product of your thought life. You kill people for hours and hours and hours on your thumbs.

Why are we surprised when 11-year-old skill set-year-old when the average American home goes from seven hours a day to now 9 1/2 to 10 hours a day in front of some kind of media. Why are we surprised that over 50% of her kids are obese. What you are a product of your thought life with more depression than any nation in the world. We have more anxiety and more violence than any nation the world and were the most prosperous why is because you are what you eat, physically, and you are what you eat spiritually and intellectually. And so what what the Babylonians knew a Rena change their physical diet their mental diet to change their thinking, memory, to change their worship is really interesting Daniels name meant. God is my judge so they give him a new name that meant the lady protect the king, the wife of Marmaduke Korbel is the protector of all Centennial used to hear God is my judge now hears his name, the wife of Martic and everyone says that pretty soon is to change his identity and allegiance canonize name meant. Yahweh has been graciously given a new name Shadrach. It means under the command of a coup which is a Babylonian God and I did that for each invoice. So our thinking changes in our worship tied to identity what really matters. What's really important cuckoo or the stars you notice in last 30 years. How the heroes really changed in America, I was a kid up, not all that long ago. We wish we were thinking like lawyers and teachers and doctors and firemen and policemen and teachers that you know go to other countries and nurses were just like, while there people that love and care. See the values were about caring and loving in and now man I got a good friend is a lawyer and the jokes just never end. So it will who are heroes. You always know your heroes by you pay the most are heroes or 19 and 23-year-olds make 20 three-man dollars for catch and throw and kicking her hit the ball or who can dance the number one thing that American preteens want to be the get this the special assistant to a rockstar whether the life ambition.

Your kids are living in that Babylonian your living in and it's everywhere all around you, and all around me and you will be what you think. Daniel figured out how to stand strong challenging culture and probably didn't feel like anybody special or great example will chip will be back with a final thought. But before he is just a quick word about the series based on Romans 12 momentum flushes out the structure of chip series true spirituality by exploring the lives of some of the most famous men of the Bible from Abraham and Moses to Joseph and Daniel chip helps us appreciate how these guys lived out the practicalities of true spirituality in the process. Chip will ignite the momentum of your faith journey. Momentum is one of those series you're gonna want to keep handy and listen to from time to time, so let me remind you that accessing momentum is easy with the Chip Ingram map chip. We spend a lot of time and candidly a lot of money on creating resources to meet the spiritual needs of people right where they are at all last month we talked about how we use people's gifts to help us create the of resources.

Can you tell us about one of the new ones that's just coming off the press will Dave, you know, we create resources that are specially designed to help people in different seasons in Windows and their life in a very close friend that I've learned so much from his name is Lance Witt and he developed a resource. It's called leaving ordinary behind 25 days to an extraordinary fate.

It's a devotional. What I find when people need to get back on board they need to cultivate the habit again and sometime something big is overwhelming. This is a devotional, you read little bit you interact little bit 25 days that will reignite your spiritual life that will help you get unstuck. That will take you from where you're at, to begin to get a fresh wind of God's Spirit in your soul and in your heart. This is a great resource for people that are struggling right now. This brand-new devotional written by Chip's friend and fellow pastor Lance Witt is called leaving ordinary behind 25 days to an extraordinary faith to check out the discounts while they last go to LivingontheEdge.org or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003 Listeners tapped special offers. Again, the resorts were talking about is our brand-new devotional called leaving ordinary behind 25 days to an extraordinary faith will now hears trip with his final thoughts about today's message as we close today's program I want to be very direct and will talk to parents. Okay, I mean the fact the matter is if most of our kids were turned loose in Vegas with a MasterCard and with little encouragement to go have a really really good time. Most of us would not be very happy about the choices they would make. So what in the world that Daniel and his friends have in a very pagan situation that are stowed.

One is I think they had parents who believed that God could give them the grace to live pure lives, regardless of their circumstances and I don't think we believe that. I think what we do is we accommodate and compromise and trying create these holy bubble environments that don't train our kids and then when they go off to college all the statistics say about 85 to 90% of our Bible evangelical students lose their faith, at least for a significant season, I've got a piece of research and from it's from a book called souls in transition and they researched young adults going away to college and their six religious types, and of the 15% or so that keep their fate that stay on fire and walk with God in the midst of the Babylonian culture of their college experience.

The number one factor is this the most important factor is parents for better or worse, it states parents are tremendously important in shaping their children's faith. That's the story it's you mom that you dad and what I've heard over and over, and with the research indicates it's not just what you say in a stop that you took him to church. It's how you live. We have to model it the second thing and parents. This is is a personal devotional life that their kid started in and just you know him okay just if you feel like I'm getting your face as I'm get in your face. You have got to limit some of the garbage or let your kids watch employee and get in their mind and you get a have to be a bad guy and be the only parents that it is not really true, and let your kids get upset with you little bit to get some of the trash out of their mind, and you have got to help them at a early age possible. Not in a legalistic sit around the table, shove the Bible down their throat. But in the winsome great way model some things and get some tools in their hands were your kids begin to cultivate a personal relationship with God from I'll just tell you in my family we did have family devotions, but I was more concerned about helping them. I mean, I mean, nine, 10, 11 years old. Most all my kids started with little times with the Lord in the morning before they went to school and I saw their mom do. They saw me do it. That has been more sustainable than any missions trip any youth group or anything you can ever get. I love you I care about your kids, parents give some of that energy that you given to ballet and piano and you sports and academics given to developing their soul in their spiritual life. It'll take time and intentionality and discipline, but you can do it and God can protect and actually use your kids beyond what you could ever dream just before we close. I want to thank each of you who's making this program possible through your generous giving 100% of your gifts are going directly to the ministry to help Christians really live like Christians know if you found Chip's teaching helpful which are not yet on the team. Would you consider doing that today to donate. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate on the app or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003, let me thank you in advance for whatever the Lord leads you to do. Until next time for everyone here is saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge