Authentic - One Little Word that will Change Your Life, Part 2

There is one thing that opens the heart of God to sweet communion with you. There is one thing that immediately when it occurs in your heart and your heavenly father rushes to me you what that one thing is is the prerequisite all genuine relationship with God.

Stay with us discover one thing thanks for joining us for this Thursday edition of Living on the Edge with your progress. Living on the Edge features the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram on his daily discipleship program through today. Chip shares a plan outlined in Scripture were experiencing true fellowship with God just once in a while, but as a normal part of your life chips in a series called authentic how to be a Christian without being religious now. I hope you can stay with us through the end of today's broadcast because Chip wraps up with some specific ways to put what you learn into routine practice. If you have a Bible open it to Proverbs chapter 10 let's join Chip for part two of his message. One little word that will change your life young man came to me just a few years ago very, very close friend came from a tremendous home godly young man involved in ministry leading worship, teaching the Bible just led a portion of one of the sports teams to Christ. Three or four or five guys in the skies that you know every mom every dad would say I want this kid to be my son.

He is a picture of quote a young person in their early 20s really walking with God. They started to struggle his countenance, changed it was always filled with such confidence that you can come to see it happening. I wanted you what's going on with this kid make a very long story short, he was studying one day and they a quick blurb came across his computer screen and invited him via the Internet to just come to a little site just soft porn.

No danger.

Nothing big, and that letting on a journey led him on a journey deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper into the Internet to ever increasing hard-core pornography and now you got a young man getting up and playing a guitar and talking about Jesus on Sunday and an addiction forming where he told me he would come home and look around and try and figure out when the times when his parents wouldn't be around so he can get on it and he said it was the only thing he could think about all day and then the shame and the guilt were overwhelming and all the sudden this kid is getting major psychological problem. Why, he knows what's right and true. He's living in a way that is not just producing intellectual dissonance and emotional dissonance but spiritual dissonance. This pulling apart of your soul and I want to tell you that you know we done research and I've read research on some of our quote Christian campuses as many as 30 and 45% of the young men are regular Internet users on porn sites in India understand what it does to try and sit down at the table" have family devotions had the secret hidden in the back and you know what it can be that porn over here or can be an addiction to soap operas over here or romance novels over here.

It can be vicariously always looking at something or someone but when you know what is right to do in your life is moving a different direction. Cute.

You don't like yourself and when you don't like yourself, you know what you do, you do what I do you eat in your thinking well you must like yourself pretty good know I have a very high metabolism and some of us even then, did you notice why when you get in the car if the turn on the radio real quickly. When you come in the house you turn on the TV. There always has to be noise.

Why is it that in America, food food, you get depressed ready to go to movie. Don't feel good.

Go out to eat. Well I think it's really bad. Take a vacation you can afford. You can charge it. Why, because if for 1/2 hour or less. 1/2 a day you sit quietly with no noise and you cease driving and you be still.

What starts to bubble up for bubbles up the conversations that are this direction in the truth. It's this direction. The dissonance in a relationship. The unforgiveness that's unaddressed the little lustful thought that goes by and we keep pressing it down.

He who walks in integrity walks securely but he who perverts his way will be found out to see how one little word can change your life. The basis of your relationship with God, integrity, honesty, the basis of a healthy relationship with yourself. You don't have to be perfect, but you gotta be real and authentic.

You got a look in the mirror and say you know something I don't have it together but I'm making progress in I'm accepted in the beloved in Christ.

The third relationship it's impossible is with others.

What's the command afterward told who we are in Christ in the first three chapters but speaking the truth in love.

What were to grow up with all aspects who is the head, even Christ, by that which every joint supplies, according the proper working of each individual part right, how can you love other people unless there is trust and how can there be trust if what you purport to be and what they purport to be isn't true. The commodity of relationships and relationships that give you and give me the greatest thing on the earth. There are people that have all the money and all the homes and all the stuff and what are they looking for someone to love them unconditionally.

That's what I long for. That's what you long for. But if I'm not honest that I don't have any real relationship so that whole generation of people that we look on the front of magazines and TVs. We think if I wear this, and I have this kind of a watch. I have this kind of a suit and I drive this kind of a car. I can live in this kind of neighborhood and we image project image projects and what likely will you my hairs discolored elements found out hey I toned up at the gym, like me, will you, I get good grades.

I have letters behind my name. So many people report to me. Have you heard about my 401(k). Everyone else went to I made a lot of money and by the way, did you see my new car and what's behind what's behind what's behind this incessant wanting to impress other people. We so desperately insecure.

We want people's approval and yet what many ask you just between us, people here. I don't know.

Are you drawn to people that appear to have it all together there in the latest everything looked just right seem to be very spiritual and just like you don't have a problem in the world.

Those people intimidate me if I thought it was true.

I'm just old enough now to know that pretty good figure you know who I'm drawn to. I'm drawn to people that I feel like there honest and real with their struggles there making progress now since I know they have a struggle. I'm thinking now here's someone I can identify with arch you drawn to people that are real and authentic. Not that have it all together, not the just look a certain way and aren't the deepest best relationship you've ever experienced in your life are not necessarily with the prettiest were the most famous for the wealthiest. For the most popular but the person that's real open and honest and by the way, it's okay to be pretty and popular in if God gives you wealth. Use it be a good steward but you know we have a culture that says those things make you a someone in the truth of the matter is what you know what I know. Sit down. So what what what we want I want I want know I'm late for relationships you made for relationships, deep intimate relationship with my creator to the person of Christ. How walk integrity.

I want to look in the mirror and say you know something from you got a long way to go but I like the progress.

I like what I see you are struggling here, but you're owning it and you're making progress in your dealing with that and you'll always be in a struggle but putting things behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead press on ship for the Gulf to the higher calling in Christ Jesus, and to know that as far as I know there's nothing between me and God. As far as I know, as Paul would say my conscious is void of the fence both before God and then you know what you can put your head on the pillow and say do I have together no way am I all. The person that I really want to date no way been like the person I used to be no way and you have a selfie self evaluation is honest and real and authentic in that kind of a person what happens you get relationships with people. The real powerful and deep and intimate and because your real then there's trust because there's trust there's love and when there's a lot of that you share more more vulnerably that you really are and the more you share who you really are, the more real love.

You get touch my cassette I can put up this little image and get you to think on this and that and if you love this or that. What I know is behind that this is who I really I spent I spent years trying to get good in sports and will gush Bill and Endo strokes felt like love but what was they were just rewarding. My performance and I figured out how to get good in school when there's a few techniques.

You don't have to be that smart to get a zipping figure out with an estimate test and as I was one of those people I could figure out what that ass, fast as I can get A's and who aren't you this and you know what I kept feeling empty inside is what fills you up is authentic, deep, loving relationships with other human beings. And when you look in their eye when they look in yours.

What you realizes. I'm getting the real thing. And what you know is they don't have it together. You don't have it together but you have been covered by the blood of Christ and you are both forgiven and you're both on a journey and you need their help and they need your help.

But apart from integrity relationships are impossible. The second reason this one little word will change your life and I want to persuade you to be a man or woman of integrity is that peace is impossible without integrity. Colossians 315.

Great little passage says let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, remembering that as members of one body you are called to live in harmony and never forget to be thankful for what God is done for you.

Let the peace of Christ rule that little word rule means act as an arbitrator at the best word picture.

I can give is let the peace of Christ you know anybody. Peace of Christ may not own this throw this jazz around, you know, that sense of the spirit of God confirming with your spirit that everything's okay. And then when you do something that you know is wrong and you just feel peace is gone. There's dissonance or something wrong inside track with this word act as an arbitrator is literally like the Holy Spirit is an umpire and the pitches of life are coming across the plate and he calls ball strike file and as I'm up to the plate of life. There's times where you know what I'm not supposed to swing at this one and I swing at it just any acts as an arbitrator, so that when there are times when I take a bend in the road, even one small that's mentally or in a relationship or something that comes out of my mouth.

Have you ever been in a situation something comes on your mouth and you realize instantly you've offended and hurt someone and then as a believer, you just come to feel peace go to can I ask you, and this is I'm not down on you got down on you.

Are you avoiding issues in your life with ESPN and food, and occasional drink, and maybe some prescription drugs and maybe a busy busy busy lifestyle and maybe with noise and TV and stereo and hobbies and softball and are you numbing the spirits work in your heart and missing the intimacy that he longs for you because you just won't get quite enough to realize you don't have peace and then say Lord I know you love me you died for me, you care for me.

Which would you be the, the umpire would you show me where were out of sync and his desire is not that you pound you his desires for you to bring get issued to him and you say you're sorry and mean it from your heart.

He says he understands, and Jesus paid for and a father and a son or father and the daughter of heavenly father you get reconnected. And guess what, what peace a lot of people who really don't have weight problems they have lack of peace. Problems that a lot of people don't have workaholic problems they have peace problems.

There's a lot of people that are addicted to adrenaline and busyness, and you know what it's about.

It's about this issue. You see, he who walks in integrity walks securely safely, but Hugh perverts his way will be found out number one reason why I want to persuade you to do whatever it takes to be a man or woman or student of integrity is relationships are impossible without integrity.

You can have a relationship with God, yourself or others.

Second piece is impossible without integrity and third impact is impossible without integrity impact. God put you here for a purpose. He wants to use you.

He wants to cause your life to rub up against other people's life and you have a great impact impact is impossible without integrity at the verse in your notes.

I think is Proverbs 25, 26, is that right is like a trampled spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. It's a word picture like a trampled spring or a polluted well, what are they have in common a spring in a well both have water right in the parallel is if they get trampled or polluted its the same as a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. Another near Eastern culture helps you understand this one because what would happen as they would have camels and sheep and they would if if you were lived in a place you would bring your camels and sheep to a spring and very delicately, you take your turn and you would water your animals, but if you work from that place and you didn't care about anyone else you would drive your herds into the spring, let them drink right out of the spring and the animals would I want to get graphic here, but they would defecate and urinate in the spring as they were drinking and then he would move them on and so now you got mud and I water is life's life. You have water life, no water, death like a trampled spring or sometimes a well would be polluted and what would happen in that day, it armies would come through and how you wipe out people they would come through, take a town pollute the water system and then move on. Listen carefully that which was designed to give life water from a spring or a well something occurred in the spring in the well so that when people came to find life. Instead they received death so is a righteous man or a righteous woman or a righteous student who gives way before the wicked.

This is a clich�. I'm just about to say so you know, pencil in hand, you have to write it down as you've heard it, but happens to be one that's true, you are the greatest Christian at least one or two people will ever know me yet you there your neighbor, your friend, your coworker, your fellow student and when they see you and they know you are a quote Christian, they may outwardly reject you.

I've learned they may say things about you when they're going through their divorce when they get their cancer report and the biopsy comes back positive. When their mate leaves them and when their child is taken to the juke juvenile detention center. They will make a path to your door and say you do the praying stuff don't you and the Jesus guy who does the miracles and I see you go to church. What I want you to know is that if your words say one thing and they see your lifestyle not matching up. You become like a trampled spring or polluted well and they came to find life and instead they see hypocrisy in your saying that's pretty strong.

You bet it strong. It is one of the most motivating little passages in all of Scripture from living a life of integrity. You have the potential to bring life or you have potential to spiritually sabotage other people seeking life.

I grew up in a church where I watched it happen.

By the time I was 16 I left the church by the time it was 17 I did know if God existed and nearly before I was 18 I decided if God existed and is like the people in this church. I don't want to get to know them anyway. It should have been a source of life and my challenges do you need to be perfect.

No, my challenges, he who walks in integrity walks securely.

Ask God in the next minute or two as we close. Ask God.

Is there any part of my life that is this guy's been talking and has he shared these verses has the Holy Spirit pinpointed and said you know something I'm not living the way I know I need to live my words and my actions don't tell the same story I say I believe this, but my priorities are out of whack.

I say I love people, but I've got bitterness in my heart. I've got unforgiving spirit or I've got a issue with someone at work or I say I love God with all my heart and he says if you love me, keep my commandments and I can't member. The last time I even write his commandments, let alone kept them I say I care about people and I often say all you will pray for you all pray for you and your prayer life basically is the 3 1/2 minutes on the freeway to work and for some of us got a call just a royal timeout and say God I'm done with that, life I'll never be perfect, but I need to press on for the recall. I need to be a man of God I need to be a woman of God. I need to be a student who authentically lives it out and I'm gonna own whatever you show me and bring it to the cross tonight and asked for forgiveness and then I get asked for the grace and the power tonight so that I live a life of integrity, the very bottom of your notes. There's a summary of this message. It says honesty breeds at home this with God. I like that when you're honesty breeds at home this with God. And then notice the parallel dishonesty destines us to disgrace ship just a minute with some additional thoughts about today's teaching but if you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram's message today. One little word that will change your life is from his series authentic how to be a Christian without being religious, being a Christian who lived like a Christian. One person, one family, one church, one community at a time is how you can make an authentic difference in your world. This powerful series is available in a couple of audio formats and for limited time. The MP3s are absolutely free. When I get a set for yourself or send them to a friend who could benefit from a fresh perspective on how to live the Christian life without getting caught up in all kinds of religious activity for complete pricing and ordering information, go to LivingontheEdge.org or we'd be happy to have you call us at 1-888-333-6003 tribute talks often about doing life in community where other believers will speak truth into our lives and I heard you say that having a mentor is another great way to make progress know someone said hey Chip, would you mentor me. What would you actually do and how would that help them become more authentic follower of Jesus, or Dave, I have to tell you, a lot of people asked me that.

And you know I'll get an email or we get letters in unit people I've never heard of. And they say when you mentor me again. You know I would love to do something like that but you know there's thousands and thousands of people and in fact one of the joys of having a broadcaster getting to to write a book, is that you get to mentor people that you'll never meet.

In fact, the people that have mentored me. I bent over half of them are dead. It is through their books that I've studied because what we learned is that when you really want to become authentic follower is that someone is already blaze the trail and so as we talk about this series, I wrote a book called good to great in God's eyes. The 10 practices. The great Christians have in common in and out of that grew a small group study and that, of course, MP3s, and lots of other ways but I have done a lot of mentoring in the church that I pastored and I've done a lot of mentoring of individuals and I literally say okay you really are serious about being authentic follower and people say yes absolutely that I'll give him his book or I give them that the videos are the you know the audios are trying to figure out how do people learn and give it to them in the way they get it best and I say I want you to listen to this or read this and I want to make some notes and then let's get together and discuss where and how you're putting this into practice and all share where I met on my journey and so we walk through you know reading great books imprint great prayers and pursuing great people and one of the ones I love is dreaming great dreams. At 11 that I that always shocks people is is developing great habits is that so often we think there's this mystical magic bullet out there and yet it's the grace of God over time in his word in the community of God's people. Where were honest with one another.

With the spirit of God progressively transforms us. This is a journey and when we talk about being authentic. What we wanted to do was help you have a resource in whatever way it helps you most to literally practice the things that all great Christians have in common is called good to great in God's eyes. Why don't you take the initiative get a handful of people and get after it. Good to great in God's eyes is a great resource to help you become the authentic follower of Jesus, you want to be so authentic is only here were discounting the entire set of series resources for good to great in God's eyes as well to order or preview the video resources for a small group you'll find everything you're looking for online that LivingontheEdge.org will Chip thinking about your message today when were honest, we know the choices were making don't always align with the life of integrity. So what would you recommend as a next step toward the kind of life alignment, while maybe by way of review, Dave. It's just here's what we learned is that honesty breeds at home this with God and dishonesty destines us to disgrace. So the question I think we need to ask ourselves where is God speaking to you right now you know where in your life.

Is there some discrepancy where your life in your words. They're not adding up, and let's just call it what it is.

Sometimes I think we get so uptight.

Okay, it's sin, it's wrong.

It's hypocrisy hidden, just say it out loud. We all struggle with this. Take off the mask with God bring it before him honestly and when you do. I think you'll see you me to God that wants to love and to forgive and then the second thing I would say is that you know when this is impacted other people just own it. It's painful, it's difficult apologize. You know I said this or I gave this impression it wasn't really true, and I will tell you that people will respect you far more because people long to meet people that have genuine integrity so you know what ask God to show you and then go for it. In fact, right now. Father would you help everyone listening to my voice to walk in integrity in Jesus name, amen. Just before we close. We want you to know that as a staff we ask the Lord to help this teaching strengthen your faith. We ask him to help you confidently take whatever your next faith step is so would love to hear how it's going to take a minute to send us a note or give us a call either one is easy. Just send a quick note to chip@livingontheedge.org or give us a call at 188833360030 until next time, this is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge