I Choose Love - Love Cares, Part 1

When the world seems to grow darker and darker when corruption and violence and hate and prejudice continue to grow. God does something unusual since the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole world that he may strongly support those whose hearts is looking for a man looking for a woman to stand in the gap to make you like to be that person statement welcome to this Wednesday edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram, Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram today. Chip continues his series I choose love by explaining that God definitely uses some people more than others question is why just before we get started, but we encourage you to try using chips message while you listen. The notes contain chips outlined Scripture references and much more. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org and click listen now what you have your Bible open it now to Philippians chapter 2. Let's join Chip for his message of love cares to share something with you because other something that God entries have in common. Are you ready for this.

There both always shopping when Patrice and I are hanging around downtown Los Gatos.

If we go away for the weekend ivory.

Sometimes I travel to Atlanta and there's a number of shops there.

She's always looking. She's always shopping up. Don't get me wrong she's not like a I could have had new shoes, new dress. She shopping for grandkids. I mean, there's a birthday like every third day and then anniversary, so wherever we go. Show walking and that you will tell me for this season. This would be perfect for an initial name on the grandkids and tell me why here's what I want you to know she cares about each child in its season, and she wants to get the very thing that would help them be an experience the very best and when I want you to know is that God is shopping onwards. He is looking he's looking and what he's looking for is people that are ready and prepared to fulfill his will in fact notice on the front of your notes are put to key Old Testament passages. It's the Lord speaking from Ezekiel 22, he says, and I searched for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before me. Why that I should not destroy it and this is the sad he went shopping and he couldn't find anyone, but I found no one in the notice, the response thus I poured out my indignation on the mud consuming with the fire of my wrath their way if I brought upon their heads, declares the Lord, we see the evil in the world to see the tragedy we see disasters and got a saying in the midst of all of this.

This is not my desire I'm searching for a man for a student for a woman that you can stand in the gap that I will fill you in use. You and I will bring light and goodness and restoration and healing. The second passage is one that's profoundly impacted me. Second Chronicles 16 verse nine he the prophet is speaking for the Lord and he speaking to Asa King who I mean.

For years for 30 years. I mean, he's walking with God making a tremendous impact and then he felt like will my times over, and I'm just going to coast and so God brought a situation into his life and instead of trusting God.

He trusted in himself and the prophet comes and says for the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the whole earth, that he might strongly support those whose hearts are completely his. And then he says you have acted foolishly in this from now on.

Surely you have force. Here's what I want to know when were talking about. I choose love. There's a lot on the line. I'm being a little facetious with the shopping analogy, but our God is looking.

His eyes are going to and fro throughout the earth, up and down these aisles in churches across the world and is looking for a man or a woman who is ready and prepared so he can use them. And as he uses them.

It is in that process that he changes us and he meets the needs of the world and in the hands and the feet and in the life of Christ is poured out through us ordinary regular people, and here's the question I want to talk about today.

Why does God use some people and not others, or why does God use some people in a crate way and other people not so much. No warning.

I want to tell you that it's not about intelligence or giftedness or education. In fact, open your notes. What I want to show you is that the answer to that question is right out of Philippians chapter 2 verses 19 to 30 working to learn why God uses some people and he doesn't use others the context here's a possible is in prison.

He's waiting execution. He doesn't know whether he is going to live or whether is going to die, but is concerned about this church. They sent a gift three pack for Titus is a church leader at Philippi and he's common broader financial gifting is been an attendant and he's helped the apostle Paul and he's been there and and and apostle Paul is now heard that they're struggling there's some disunity in the past for digester messenger got really really sick and almost died. And so he realizes out of his concern. He's going to send Timothy to help him to encourage him and then later with the learn is going to send up Aphrodite's but as you look at this text what you can see is the reason why God uses Paul the reason why God uses Timothy and the reason why God uses up Aphrodite's follow along notice in your notes. The purpose for sending Timothy.

He says verse 19, but I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly so that I may be encourage the word literally is so that I could have joy and be cheered within when it when you when I learn of your condition, for I have no one else of kindred spirit who genuinely can be concerned for your welfare, for they all seek after their own interest, not those of Christ Jesus. But you know of is proven worth that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father. Therefore, I hope to send him immediately as soon as I see how things go with me and I trust in the Lord that I myself also shall be coming soon. The purpose for sending Timothy why Paul cared means that simple. We've learned that love gives them in love serves in level base. I'm just telling you love just cares.

He cared about the church so much that someone that was helping him. He's I'm gonna send Timothy to you that the next question is will why Timothy what what did he bring to the table.

The reason Timothy was chosen was Timothy cared look at this passage, he says I have no one else of kindred spirit, literally, who has an equal soul. They all are concerned not about other people but about themselves were self focused. When this goes back to the very beginning of consider others as more important than yourself. Do nothing from selfishness or or arrogance or vainglory Timothy. He says he genuinely concerned. Literally, it is one and all, without exception are bent on their own way but not Timothy. Notice they seek after their own interest, not those of Christ Jesus, but he is a proven worth the risk. He's been faithful. He's been with me at this point in his life. He's been with Paul for about 10 years as a young pastor he probably was picked up and is very very late teens or early 20s is probably in his 33 to 35 now what we know is he's timid by way of personality, he's got a couple strikes against him is half Jewish and half Greek.

Paul is admonished him. You know he's kind of a sickly vulnerable guy.

In other words, by physical standards, bike sharp, powerful, got it together. You know, a graduate of a great university. That's not Timothy but he's faithful he's loyal I keep his heart he cares he is willing. As you read through the New Testament. Paul talks about him 10 different times when there is a need. Paul says I send him I send him I send Anita what he's willing he's available he's loyal and he's a servant, and God greatly used. He ended up being the pastor even at Ephesus which is one of the great churches in all the New Testament well we now know that Paul cares we now know that Timothy cares and the stories going to go on because he wants them to know that hey, I'm innocent Timothy shortly, but you have heard the leader in your church that came to serve me that brought the financial gift he came close to death, and so I'm gonna send him immediately so I can learn of your condition and I can put you at ease to know that communicating with people is one of the most important things we ever do to show that we care a phone call a handwritten note, a text I'm praying for you today. I mean, it doesn't take that much to care for people love cares love engages love demonstrates by action that other people really really matter. Notice we pick it up in verse 25.

You ask yourself will why does he send up Aphrodite's ready for this. You can get attention up Aphrodite's cares verse 25 but I thought necessary to send you up Aphrodite's notice. The description my brother, my fellow worker, my fellow soldier, who is your messenger and minister to my need talk about a resume because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you heard that he was sick for indeed he was sick to the point of death. But God had mercy on him and not on him only, but also on me is to have sorrow upon sorrow. Why is a man so deeply moved by the hurt and the heartache and the sickness of someone else. It's because Paul cares and sometimes he gets painted in this picture of this this flaming apostle and this community brings the truth in messenger and writes 13 books and and he didn't do that but he was tender and he cared and and and and tasks were important, but people mattered most about you do you care where you live, your roommate, your your family did they sense do they feel you care.

Your words communicate. I really care for your actions communicate at work that it's your task in your stuff and what you think. It's time or that you care. One of the things I love about our church is when there are needs you care there's there's been an outpouring of of finances and individuals really making a difference. Notice he says therefore receive him in the Lord with all joy and hold men like him in high regard because they came close to death for the work of Christ risking his life to complete that which was deficient in your service to me. You see these characteristics coming out commitment. He's my brother were in the together were family. He's a fellow worker were arm in arm, I mean were setting goals with there's pastors work to be done. This isn't about us were fellow soldiers were doing battle. We do spiritual warfare working out hard things together were in the trenches together and then he says he's your messenger and it's a very interesting word. This is a Greek word unit used in the ancient language of someone during that time who would be called a benefactor and someone who is sort of the benefactor of the city you might bring a drama to the city or or or a public works and pay for the majority of it and what he saying is Aphrodite's was a messenger and apostle a benefactor, a brother. He was the kind of person who cares hold people like that in high esteem. There's a couple fellas that are gonna rotate off the board and I just as we were going to that meeting.

I just thought of the endless hours that they've put in and the ministries that they're involved in, and the preparation of what they've met in my life and things behind the scenes that no one knows we talk about fellow brothers, fellow workers, messengers, people that care now here's where want to go that's the passage you got it. Philippians 219 to 30. What we know is that the command was don't think of yourself, put others interests ahead of your own. The great example was versus right five through 11. Jesus had this attitude in yourselves.

It was also in Christ Jesus.

He didn't think equality with God a thing to be grasped, but he hung humbled himself member and then love a base he says now they not just in my presence but now much more in my absence. And now he's gonna say love doesn't just obey it in the everyday grind of life, love actually cares and and here's what I want you to get notice on the top of your notes.

It says, Timothy, and up Aphrodite's exemplify the kind of person God uses to fulfill his purposes right back.

If you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with different chips message today. Love cares is from a series I choose love. If your heart's desire is to love more, or love better this series I choose love will help you do that to help you take advantage of the resources for I choose love. We've temporarily discounted the CDs and the MP3s are absolutely free with her there for you or a friend ordering is easy when you go to LivingontheEdge.org or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 hey I'll be right back and talk about some specific application to your life today but before I do, let me take a minute and share something really important. You have partnered with us here Living on the Edge and I get to witness firsthand the amazing difference it's making hey thank you so much for the ministry that together were getting to provide for people in desperate need. I'm I could tell you story after story after story of people in prison. People in China. Pastors that are struggling a marriages that are coming together.

I just want you to know that as you have given as you have prayed, God is doing some really amazing things and he's doing it in ways that we never did before. Used to be that radio was the only way got out and now it's TV the app online and all that is happened because of our partnership and I traveled to China recently and had the chance to speak in a small little town of 35 million and then in the last six months I've kind of done something here in the US where I've spoken in colleges and churches and talk to university professors. Here's what I can tell you whether you're in Shanghai or Kansas City, coffee shops, private homes or colleges.

The need of today is for Christians to live like Christians. I mean kids are saying I don't believe in the faith, because I haven't seen it at church or I haven't seen it in my family when we can help moms and dads, pastors, business people live out their faith authentically and don't get me wrong, I don't mean perfect. I just mean authentically like when they blow it they say sorry I blew it, but they live it out where Christ is Lord.

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Every gift however great or small, will be doubled dollar for dollar. It's simple to send the gift either call us at 1-888-333-6003 or go online to LivingontheEdge.org and click the donate button right there on our homepage. We'd love to have you join us will now here's Chip as we wrap up today's program. I just have to ask you question God is looking for someone and I have to believe that you are one of those people that are saying I want them to choose me, and if so let me ask you, are you willing are you loyal are you, the servant and maybe more importantly, do you care I think that came out so strongly you know Timothy was not the most gifted guy. He was pretty timid but Paul saw something in his life and he was willing to be an apprentice, he was willing just to follow along. He was willing to take some risk and God really used him greatly up, Aphrodite, something he doesn't seem to be like you know the most wonderful person but he, unlike most others was willing to take the resources of the Philippian church and and go and find Paul and in helping the prison and and bring food and bring resources in and say Paul I just want to care.

I just want to help. It's amazing to me how if you just want to care you really are engage with people.

How God will use your life you know most of us there are some extraordinary people. I mean, there really are, but most of us are an extraordinary.

Most of us are are pretty normal.

You know it is funny as parents and none of us have average kids right in the funny mean my minor exceptional and then you should see my grandkids, but the fact of the matter is, most of us are average.

But God doesn't need super something he needs loving available ordinary that he could strongly support and as I read Scripture. I am amazed at how God chooses the week. The marginalize the rejected of the people that other people don't think an amount to anything to change the world because when he does it that way. Guess who gets the credit its own encourage you. You have to be famous you have to write a book you have to get up in front of a group of people.

You don't have to have speaking gifts. You have to care.

I recently had a trip to Kentucky and I got a chance to visit my sister and I came to know Christ, not because I heard a great message. That's not because my family was Christian family. I came to know Christ. Because of my sister punky her life. I think I didn't even know she was a Christian we were sort of I guess you call us cultural Christians. We went to church then teach the Bible. We didn't pray at home. We didn't read the Bible. It was just sorta be be nice people and yada go to church because your grandparents went to church and then when I got a little bit older, I decided I really need to go to church but what I did decide was some day, some way I wanted to be like punky she cared.

I come home with my my basketball buddies and pockets. It can I fix you guys some sandwiches and she would just do that or she to hey mom's run and little bit late. I'll go ahead and fix supper and you know all speak someplace maybe two hours or three hours and she'll drive there and support me and encourage me and someone I went to Kentucky I just got to hang out with her and she and her husband Mark. I am convinced I can be very, very close to the throne.

You know what they do. They just care.

I mean there they the recently retired and they they teach the youth ministry that the recently retired and they found there were people with addictions so they start to celebrate recovery when I was there. You know we we visited and she just you know I need to leave this morning.

I said why you know there's this lady and she doesn't know anyone, and she's from Finland. She doesn't have a friend and she's having major surgery and I been taking her food each day I'm gonna drive down and pick her up and take her to her home and I found a couple people we just want to help her, you know she's my hero because to be very, very honest, I communicate the Christian life may be better than she does.

She lives it better than I do a total Fred. When I grow up I want to be like punky because punky so much like Jesus.

That's how God uses people, ordinary people like you and me go out and care today and see what God does. Just before we close. I want to thank those of you who make this broadcast possible through your generous financial support. If you found today's program helpful but haven't yet supported us. There's never been a better time because every gift between now and July 7 will be matched dollar for dollar making a donation is easy just go to LivingontheEdge.org and click the donate button on our homepage or you can always just give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 and let me thank you in advance for your generosity until tomorrow. This is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge