Latest / Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast / Understanding the Power of Expectations

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Understanding the Power of Expectations · Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast

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Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram.
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Did you know that your joy and your happiness
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is largely connected to one very specific word?
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It's called expectations. What you expect, whether
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they're met or not, can make all the difference
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in the world. Let's discover what God says about
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our expectations. Don't go away. What you expect
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from God can either anchor you steady or completely
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wreck you. And Chip Ingram says most of us have
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never stopped to examine which one is happening
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in our own lives. Today on Living on the Edge,
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we're continuing our series called Free at Last,
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How to Break Out of a Destructive Lifestyle.
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And just a reminder, all of these lessons can
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be found anytime at livingontheedge .org. Now
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let's open our Bibles to Philippians chapter
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1, verse 27, as Chip begins a message titled,
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Understanding the Power of Expectations. If you
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haven't lived very long, you may not know this,
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and if you've lived very long at all, you do.
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Life is hard. You know, life is hard. For some
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of you, you've been through some really, really
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hard things, and they can be hard relationally,
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family -wise, emotionally, financially, health
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-wise. And here's the thing, not to discourage
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you, but it's going to be hard. Your future,
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it's going to be hard. But what I don't want
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you to think is that choosing joy is about willpower.
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If I just have stronger willpower, that's not
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how it works. What we've learned in this series
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is that you can choose joy when something happens,
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when you get these windows of perspective. When
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you begin to see life not through the human lens,
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but from the divine lens. Look on the front of
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your notes by way of quick review. When you're
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going through a difficult time in a relationship
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or finances or your health, one of your kids,
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or you're sick of being single or sick of being
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married, you know, you can turn inward and it
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gets from bad to worse. But if you'll pause and
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say, wait a second, where's my focus right now?
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Is my focus upward on God and outward on others
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or on me? You get perspective. If you can say,
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hold on, what's my purpose? Is my purpose just
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that comfort and happiness and everything works
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out for me, which it never does? Or how could
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God leverage this challenge to help people understand
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who Christ is? How could he leverage this to
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change me? How could he leverage this to build
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up some other Christians? And then you ask yourself,
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so where's my hope? Is my hope in this job? Is
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it in this family? Is it in this person I'm going
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to marry someday? Is it that, you know, finally
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I'm going to get healthy again? Or is my hope
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in eternity? Is it I have an anchor that won't
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change? See, when you begin to ask those questions,
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you get perspective. And God never promised that
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he would eliminate the problems. What he promised
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is that he would be with you, that he would supply
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grace, that he would help you, that he would
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produce things both in you and through you that
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there's no explanation for other than the reality
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that Jesus is who he said he was. The last question
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and the last key word that we're going to look
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at is the word expectation. And this, for me,
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is one of the most important ones. I have a good,
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really, really good friend. They're family. They've
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been at all of my kids' weddings. They were sort
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of like the grandparents or aunts and uncles
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my kids didn't have because we lived so far away.
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And it's a couple. She found out she has pre
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-cancer and some cancer, and she had surgery
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Wednesday, and I went to see her a couple days
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ago. Walked in. Bebe, how you doing? She's bright
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and bubbly and great. I said, but didn't you
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just have colon cancer surgery? She goes, yeah.
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And I said, well, I mean, I'm thinking, I'm glad
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you're doing so well, but how are you doing so
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well? I mean, this joyful look. She goes, wow.
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You know, when they, before they did the surgery,
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they said, we're likely going to have to take
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about 12 inches out of your colon. They took
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four. And then if it doesn't fit quite together,
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there's a chance that you might have one of those
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bags on the side for a while and then we'll come
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back and do another surgery. I don't have any
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bags. And not only that, but you'll be in here
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at least six days in the hospital. And that was
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Wednesday. She goes, I'm going home tomorrow.
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Now, just listen very carefully. Her expectations
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were a foot out of her colon. Six days in the
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hospital and the potential of wearing a bag on
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her side and another surgery. Her experience
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is only four inches. I get to go home in a couple
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days. Contrast that with someone else who walks
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in. They do an examination. They say, oh, some
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possible cancer. We're going to put you to sleep.
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The colonoscopy didn't show what we needed to
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show. We're going to take a long needle, stick
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it in there. We might have to do a short exploratory
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surgery. It doesn't look bad at all. We think
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it's benign. I've seen this a lot of times. You'll
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only be under for less than an hour. It's not
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a big deal. And you wake up several hours later
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and they say, we took four inches out of your
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colon. You're going to be in the hospital for
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four days. What's the difference? Oh my gosh.
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Your life and perspective And mine is geared
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around expectations. Had a young couple come
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to me and they'd been married about two or three
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years. And they were committed to the Lord. They
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were involved in ministry. We both waited. I
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said, what do you mean? We did not have sex before
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we got married. We did it God's way. And we thought
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it would be great and we'd have great sex in
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our marriage. It's terrible. Expectation. I remember
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playing golf with a guy a couple years ago, driving
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around in a cart in Indiana. Really nice guy,
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had done really well, didn't start his family
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till late, had a couple small kids, and his wife
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had this burden for international kids. They
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adopted three kids from China. I mean, you know,
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money, time, energy, all that they've done. How
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could you do something better and more loving
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than adopting kids from China? And they just
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thought, you know, God's blessing, his favor.
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Well, you know what? His blessing and his favor
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was there. But all three kids have been in counseling.
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They've been in counseling. The medical bills
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have been off the charts. They've had two or
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three special surgeries. And he sat across from
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me and he goes, I just, I didn't know if our
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marriage was going to make it. I didn't know
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if I was going to make it. And then he said this,
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I don't know if I would have done it if I would
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have known how hard it is. But my expectations
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were so out of whack, it's taken about four or
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five years to realize it's really, really hard.
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And then he smiled, and it's really, really worth
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it. Here's the question. Where's your expectations?
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What do you expect from God? What do you unconsciously
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think? Especially if you listen to some of the
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current teaching. If you love Jesus, your marriage
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will be great. If you're single, you're... This
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person is going to walk into your life. If you
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love Jesus and especially send some money to
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their ministry and just think positive thoughts,
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everything's going to be great. Your kids are
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going to turn out right. Everything's wonderful.
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Do you know why so many Christians are disillusioned?
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Because here's the principle. The distance between
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your expectations and your experience is disappointment.
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And if you have unrealistic, delusional expectations,
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You get devastated. Open your notes. Let's learn
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from the Apostle Paul very specifically what
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can we expect from God and what does God expect
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of us? He's in prison. He's chained to these
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Praetorian guards. He's wondering whether I'm
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going to be executed or whether I'm going to
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be released. His circumstances are terrible,
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but he has an upward focus and an outward focus.
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He's asking the question, what's my purpose?
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And now he doesn't know whether he's going to
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get to see this Philippian church that he loves
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deeply or whether he's going to die. And he's
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gotten some reports from one of their members,
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Epaphroditus, and there's some disunity in the
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church. And there's also a culture in Rome and
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a culture in Philippi that is, I mean, anti,
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anti, anti -Christian. It's described as these
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are the people that have turned the world upside
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down and in Acts it describes them as everywhere
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people speak of this sect negatively. So if you
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feel like the world's getting a little harder
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for Christians in the United States, if you feel
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like there's some persecution happening, if you
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think that you're labeled, they've got this on
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steroids. And so in his final thoughts about
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choosing joy in chapter one, he wants to set
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clear clear expectations. He wants them to understand,
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look, this is what God expects of you in terms
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of your behavior, in terms of your beliefs, and
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in terms of your boldness. And then he's going
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to say, but I want you to also know this is what
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you can expect from God. Because if you don't
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get clear, accurate, biblical expectations, you
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can actually have a pretty good life and be miserable
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because you think it ought to be a perfect life.
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In one of my deepest times of marital struggle,
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and after lots of counseling, and I had such
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skewed expectations the first few years, I remember
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reading a line by Francis Schaeffer in one of
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his books. And he just said in passing, you know,
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a lot of people give up on a good marriage because
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it's not a perfect marriage. And I was one of
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those people that privately inside was, it wasn't
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perfect, it wasn't what I thought, every area
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wasn't. And so I want you to begin to ask yourself,
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what's the issue that you're struggling with
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or the person? And then I want you to listen
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carefully because God's going to tell you, this
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is what he expects of you. And by the way, when
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you give to God what he expects of you, there's
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this domino effect where he begins to provide
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for you what you need. And he changes what happens
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on the inside. So with that, we pick it up. Paul
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says, this is my final lesson. What does God
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expect? He expects consistent conduct. Verse
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27, whatever happens, he's finalizing literally
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at all costs, conduct yourselves in a manner
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worthy of the gospel of Christ. Circle the little
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word manner worthy. It's an interesting New Testament
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word. The Philippians would immediately recognize
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where he's going. He's kind of taking part of
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their personal experience and he's going to give
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them this little parallel. Philippi was a Roman
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colony. Now, it's not all that close to Rome,
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but there was a war earlier and between some
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generals and Caesar and the little... town of
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Philippi, decided we're going to go with Caesar,
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and Caesar won, and so Rome made them an official
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colony. And to have citizenship was like, whoa.
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I mean, there were privileges, the Roman army,
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the Roman, all the aqueducts, everything that
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came with being a Roman citizen, Philippi really
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felt like, wow. But there was also responsibility
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of being a Roman citizen. You paid taxes to Caesar,
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there's certain laws that you kept, there was
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a certain way that you would be aligned. And
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so this word, really what he's saying is, here's
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what God expects. At all costs, literally, live
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like a citizen of the kingdom of God. He said,
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you're getting pressured. There's persecution.
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He's going to tell us in just a minute, you're
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experiencing the same conflict, the same persecution,
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the same difficulties, both within and without
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that I am. Here's what you got to do. You need
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to be one of those Christians that actually lives
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like a Christian. I don't know where I heard
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that before. But after traveling around probably
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six, seven years ago and after kind of traveling
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around America and teaching in a lot of churches
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and being with pastors and then I had a suspicion
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and then I remember picking this book up by John
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Dickerson and he started to talk about that the
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numbers of genuine Christians in America is highly
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inflated. They're more hated. The church in general
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is going bankrupt next 15 or 20 years at the
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current rate of giving and commitment. The morality
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in the church, he goes through and basically
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does a diagnostic evaluation of born -again evangelical
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people who actually believe the Bible following
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Jesus and says they're on life support. The church
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in America is descending. And this sparked a
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movement among pastors. And the answer, he said,
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is, And that's really how God connected our hearts.
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And what the Apostle Paul was saying back then
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was the problem with the Philippians is you're
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in danger of being Christians that don't live
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like Christians. Your behavior, your morality,
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your finances, your priorities, your family,
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you say you love Jesus, but your beliefs and
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your behavior is telling two different stories.
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And I don't know, when I grew up, when your beliefs
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said this, and your behavior said this, we call
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it hypocrisy. And what God wants is, you know,
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we're never going to be 100 % aligned, but what
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he wants is integration. He wants alignment,
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not perfection. The alignment between what I
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say and how I live. The alignment where my words,
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my life, my energy, and my money align with what
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I say I believe. And when they don't, it's not
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that I'm all, Terrible person. I ask God to forgive
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me, and I'm honest and vulnerable about I'm still
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on the journey. And what Paul is saying is this
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is what God expects. And then the very next line,
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you can imagine them thinking, well, how would
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you ever know for sure whether you're a Christian
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who's living like a Christian, whether you really
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are kind of a kingdom citizen living consistently?
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Well, in the very next verses, he explains. He
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says, what does it look like, this consistent
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conduct? Then whenever I come and see you, or
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only hear about you in my absence, I'll know
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that you stand firm in one spirit, contending
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as one man for the faith of the gospel, without
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being frightened in any way by those who oppose
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you, and this will be a sign to them that they
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will be destroyed, but that you will be saved,
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and that by God. In essence, he says, okay, now,
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if I die, I'm not gonna get to see you again.
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If I live and I'm released, I'm gonna come see
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you again. But whether I see you again or don't
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see you again, let me give you three specific
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ways that God measures whether you're living
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a consistent life, a life that's aligned with
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his purposes and his will. Now, I'd like you
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to circle three words and I tried to make it
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as easy as possible. You notice they're in bold,
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right? Okay, I want you to circle. He says, the
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first thing is that you're standing firm and
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then underline in one spirit. He said, and I'll
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explain it in just a minute. You're standing
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firm in a culture that is against you. But notice
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you're doing it in unity, in one spirit. You're
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together on this. Second, circle the word contending
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as one man. Literally, it's one soul. You're
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in this together, but you're contending for the
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faith. Put a box around the word faith. This
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isn't private faith. He says, you're contending,
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you're striving, you're in mortal combat. The
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word was used for gladiators going arm in arm
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and fighting against other people. You are contending
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for the truth, the doctrine, the reality that
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Jesus is God, that the second person of the Trinity
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became a man, that he rose from the dead. These
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narrow, absolute, crazy claims. based on his
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resurrection and his teaching, that he said the
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word of God is true, that the Old Testament is
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true, that what I have shared with you, Paul
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is saying, what was written in the prophets,
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the law, and the Psalms, and then predicting
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what the New Testament writers, he's saying,
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I want you to contend, to battle for the faith.
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And then third, he says, don't be frightened.
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Do it without being frightened. The word here
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was a word used for a noise or something that
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would spook horses and they would stampede. He
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says, don't let persecution, don't let what your
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boss thinks, don't let what's politically correct,
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don't want what everyone says, don't let labels
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that people are giving you in the 21st century,
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don't let it frighten you to where you shrink
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back and become sort of the secret agent Christian.
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He said, eternity is on the line. People's lives,
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people's souls. People don't have to believe
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the right thing, but the consequences and the
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pain of what happens when people turn away from
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God are devastating. And so he says, those are
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the three ways that you'll know that you're standing
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firm, that you're living the life, that you have
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a consistent conduct. And then he says, when
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you do that, it'll be a sign. Literally, it's
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a token. It'll be a proof. And after I explain
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these, I'll tell you why it's a sign. And how
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it demonstrates the future of those who oppose
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you and how it also demonstrates your future
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because of your commitment and boldness. Let's
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go through these three words. It says, stand
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firm. Literally, don't give up. Don't give up.
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Anybody here ever get discouraged and feel like,
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I mean, I don't have any biblical grounds, but
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the world says, you shouldn't be this unhappy
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in this marriage this long. I think I'll give
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up. All the other salespeople are padding their
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reports. I'm going to give up. You know, I know
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I should take a stand here in the hospital about
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this issue about life, but I might lose my job
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and I'm afraid. I think I'll give up. I know
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what the Bible says about sexual purity and all
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the stuff that's happening in the world, but,
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you know, psychology has come a long way and
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I can't imagine that Jesus would really... expect
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us to have sexual purity and not live together.
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I mean, how bad can it be? I look at a few pictures
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now and maybe more then. You know, everybody
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does it. I know my finances really reflect my
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heart, but... You know, there's a lot of pressure
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and there's financial demands and life is really
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hard. And I mean, God certainly can't expect
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me to give back. I mean, the very first and best,
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I mean, 10%, I can't even live on what I'm going
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now. So what we have is a church that is in danger
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of shrinking back and giving up on what they
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believe, both corporately and giving up individually.
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You gotta hang tough in tough times. It's in
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the difficulty, it's in the pain. You have to
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lean in when it's hard. At the end of the day,
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it always revolves around this one issue. Do
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you believe and trust God? Do you believe and
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trust God enough that if you take a stand, that
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even if you get fired, God can get you another
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job? If you put your priorities where they need
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to be and your job says, oh no, I need you here
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from 6 .30 in the morning till 9 at night and
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you say, that... That doesn't square with the
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kind of man or the kind of woman that I need
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to be for my family. And they say, well, go someplace
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else. Are you willing to, by faith, set some
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boundaries and say, I'm going to have consistent
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conduct. I'm going to live by God's grace and
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by his power in the community of people like
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a Christian. Because see, when you do that, that's
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when you're light. That's when we're light. That's
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when we're salt. That's when we make a difference.
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The conclusion of the secular world today is
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there is not a nickel's worth of difference between
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the average Christian and the average non -Christian.
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And they see how most of us live and where our
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priorities are and our behavior and our morality
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and basically are saying, why should I trust
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in your Jesus? I mean, that's harsh, but that's
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the lay of the land. But here's what I'm excited
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about. I get to be a part of the church and there's
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a lot of exciting, dynamic churches and God is
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doing around America and around the world that
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are taking a stand. In fact, this first word
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is about really our behavior. The second word,
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contending for the faith, it's about our beliefs.
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It's about standing up for what we believe. It's
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battling but winsomely, lovingly, you know, not
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angry, but it's saying that there's certain things
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that are true. I was praying this morning and
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I was thinking about this and I thought of, I
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get to do in one of the most progressive areas
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in all the United States with a group of people
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that are willing to take a stand and do it lovingly
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and then not only pair the truth, but pair the
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truth with acts of love and compassion and kindness.
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Let me just tell you something. We did something
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on Culture Shock that I actually taught here.
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And we talked about life, abortion, human sexuality,
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politics. What does the Bible actually say? And
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how do we stop bringing heat but bring light?
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And then you all gave me the opportunity to go
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around the country and take multiple pastors
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and churches to say, we're going to contend for
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the faith. Those are very unpopular things. But
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shared lovingly, life matters. God's not confused
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about men. He's not confused about women. He's
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not confused about marriage. And when we violate
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and when the culture pushes us where we shrink
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back, the consequences and the pain. I can't
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tell you how many people I've counseled out of
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the lifestyle, in the lifestyle that are suicidal
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and hurting and difficult. And there's all this
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stuff out there that says our rights and stuff
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like that. And I meet the people in the pain
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and the struggle. I had a guy just recently,
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just a month or so ago, and he waited until quite
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a while, a Saturday night service, and said,
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am I welcome here? I said, what do you mean,
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of course you're welcome here. He goes, well,
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I'm gay. I said, now is that a behavior or an
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identity? And he looked at me like, what do you
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mean? I said, we have people that have temptations
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for affairs, pornography, lying, stealing. This
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is a church filled with people that have all
23:27
kind of issues. Gay is not your identity. There's
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absolutely zero proof, scientific evidence that
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you're born this way. You have some sexual confusion
23:38
and you're attracted to the same sex. We have
23:40
people in our church that are highly attracted
23:42
to the opposite sex and have lots of problems.
23:44
So you are as welcome as all the other liars,
23:47
affairs, fornicators, and cheaters that go to
23:50
our church. But we're on a journey together.
23:54
God will speak to you. He'll change your thinking
23:57
and your life from the inside out and you'll
24:00
make progress and you'll probably mess up some
24:02
just like everyone else here. But to say that
24:06
in many places around the country, you get fired
24:08
or picketed. Everyone... Everyone believes certain
24:14
things and are staking your life on it. And the
24:16
more politically correct things are happening
24:19
and the pressure comes, here's the last thing.
24:21
Not only is our behavior, not only is our beliefs,
24:24
but we gotta be bold. What's the last word? Don't
24:28
give up. Second, don't give in. Churches all
24:33
across America, Bible churches all across America,
24:36
whole denominations are giving in and changing
24:39
their doctrine. Well, you know, it's pretty unpopular
24:42
to believe what Jesus actually said, so we're
24:44
just going to change it on the most controversial
24:47
issues of our day. But we're not going to give
24:50
up, we're not going to give in, and we're not
24:52
going to shrink back. This is about being bold.
24:57
Here's a question I would ask all of you. Does
24:59
everyone in a positive, winsome way know that
25:04
you're a follower of Christ? Do they know it?
25:07
Are you bold? I don't mean wearing it on your
25:10
sleeve. You know, please don't put a praise the
25:12
Lord sticker on the back of your car. It's not
25:16
enough to say this is the truth. It's got to
25:18
be the truth captured in love and demonstrated.
25:23
Here's my question. How are you doing? This is
25:27
normal Christianity. God expects us to not give
25:31
up, not give in, not shrink back. You got it?
25:36
At this point, You should be saying, maybe. No,
25:43
that's what your body language tells me. Intellectually,
25:46
I would say 98 % of all the people in this room
25:49
say, you know, I don't have a whole lot. You
25:55
know, Chip's a little hyper, but that's Chip.
25:58
I don't have a whole lot, but I would disagree
26:00
with what he just said. But when he started playing
26:03
it out of what it would look like in my life,
26:07
I'm not so sure that I have a consistent conduct.
26:12
I'm not so sure that I'm not more worried about
26:14
being a citizen of the United States that is
26:18
more comfortable and more happy and doesn't create
26:22
waves than I am a kingdom citizen of God. That
26:27
when I get and realize that this little thing
26:29
that we called time is running out and I was
26:33
made for this big thing called eternity. And
26:36
when you live that kind of life, yeah, you'll
26:40
probably have a little more pressure, a little
26:43
bit more suffering, and a lot more joy, and a
26:47
lot more love, and a lot more impact. And God
26:51
will use you as a catalyst to transform your
26:55
neighborhood, your coffee shop, your workplace,
26:59
your sport team that you coach, and boldly Yes,
27:05
I'm a follower of Christ. We love people. Yes,
27:09
we believe certain things that are unpopular
27:11
in this day. Would you be willing to say, Lord,
27:14
would you speak to me about, is my belief and
27:20
my behavior telling the same story? And not sort
27:25
of like I'm a terrible person at all, but just
27:27
where the Lord would show you and it might be
27:30
your behavior. It might be your belief, your
27:33
thinking, I need to check that out. Or maybe
27:36
it's your boldness. And ask God to make you an
27:42
agent of life and change. Because the world,
27:45
right, is anyone concerned about what's going
27:47
on other than me? I mean, there's a missile could
27:51
be coming our way. There's division in this country.
27:54
There's hatred like never before. And here's
27:58
the deal. You are either a part of the solution
28:00
or a part of the problem. There is no middle
28:03
ground. Hiding in our cul -de -sacs, hoping that
28:07
it won't affect us and we just want to unconsciously
28:10
be upwardly mobile and everything work out for
28:12
us and our family and our little world is not
28:15
an option. It's just an illusion. Second, what
28:23
can we expect from God? He says, for it has been
28:28
granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only
28:32
to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,
28:34
since you're going through the same struggle
28:36
you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.
28:41
Interestingly, again, you can circle the word
28:42
granted to you. It's pretty easy. It's in bold.
28:45
It's literally, it means God has given you a
28:48
privilege. You know the word grace, or some of
28:51
you have named your daughters, you know, Kairos.
28:53
That's the word grace. That's the root word.
28:55
God has given you a precious grace gift, and
28:59
there's a privilege into it, and there's a responsibility
29:03
to it. And Paul's playing with these Philippians
29:05
and reminding them, hey, citizen right of Philippi,
29:08
privilege, responsibility. Now, here's the grace
29:12
gift God's given you. Privilege to believe. You
29:16
can receive eternal life. He's changed your life.
29:18
He's taken you out of the kingdom of darkness,
29:20
placed you in the kingdom of light, sealed you
29:23
with the spirit, given you spiritual gifts, given
29:25
you a purpose, given you a family of God, created
29:28
a place forever and ever looking forward. And
29:31
he's going to transform your life and make you
29:33
more and more like Jesus so the world can see
29:36
how much God loves them. It's an amazing grace
29:39
gift to believe. So why don't you put a little
29:43
box around believe. But he says there's another
29:46
gift. You've been given the gift to get to suffer.
29:52
How many of you honestly. Don't raise your hands.
29:56
Because it wouldn't mean to go. How many of you
29:57
ever thought. Suffering is a gift from God. That's
30:03
foreign to American Christians. Suffering is
30:07
a gift from God. Yes. He said. He's given you
30:13
a gift of suffering and you're going through
30:15
this same struggle, this conflict, this persecution.
30:18
Some of it is from within and some of it is from
30:21
without. Paul is going to leave Timothy at Ephesus,
30:26
young pastor. 2 Timothy 3 .12. Timothy, all those
30:32
who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus
30:34
will be persecuted. It's a promise. What's Paul
30:37
doing? Setting expectations. You know, here's
30:42
a young guy. I follow Jesus. I'm now a young
30:45
pastor. What I'm going to do? I've sacrificed
30:47
everything. It's going to be great, right? Well,
30:49
you really live for God, you'll be persecuted.
30:55
Or how about Jesus? How did he set expectations?
30:57
The very last night, what did he say? Just think
31:00
positive, guys. Just think positive. It's all
31:03
going to be super duper. I'm going to heaven.
31:05
I'll be back. We're going to mojo a little bit
31:07
later together. What did he say? In the world,
31:13
you'll have tribulation. You'll have troubles.
31:16
But be of good cheer. I've overcome the world.
31:20
In fact, I just read this morning and I thought
31:24
in light of the current events, it was the very
31:28
last time Jesus was hanging out with his disciples
31:32
and he basically gave his sermon to the Pharisees.
31:36
Pretty unpopular whitewashed tombs, snakes, vipers.
31:41
I think I underlined the word hypocrite seven
31:42
or eight times. I mean, I'm a follower of Jesus,
31:46
and he just alienated the entire establishment
31:49
and all the power. Jesus was perhaps the most
31:54
politically incorrect person who's ever walked
31:56
the face of the earth. And in the midst of that,
31:59
you're following him thinking, whoa, and he's
32:03
been talking about leaving, dying, raising from
32:05
the dead, and they don't figure out what he's
32:07
saying. And then he makes this crazy statement
32:09
like, you see that temple? Destroy it. I'll rebuild
32:13
it. I'm coming back. And the disciples took him
32:18
aside privately and said, when will all this
32:20
take place? And will there be a sign ahead of
32:22
time to signal your return in the end of the
32:23
world? Now, just listen to this. Don't let anyone
32:28
mislead you. For many will come in my name saying
32:30
I'm the Messiah. They'll lead many astray. Wars
32:34
will break out near and far, but don't panic.
32:36
Yes, things must come, but the end won't follow
32:39
immediately. Nations and kingdoms will proclaim
32:41
war against each other. There'll be famines,
32:43
earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all
32:46
this will only be the beginning or the birth
32:47
pangs of the horrors to come. Then you'll be
32:50
arrested and persecuted and killed. How's this
32:53
for preparing the team for the next game? You're
32:56
going to be arrested, persecuted, and killed.
32:59
You know what's interesting? They were. But they
33:01
didn't give up, they didn't give in, and they
33:03
didn't shrink back. Why? Because they knew it
33:06
was true. They experienced God's power. They
33:10
leaned into the suffering. He said, many, though,
33:14
will turn away from me and betray me and hate
33:16
each other. Many false prophets will appear and
33:18
they'll lead many people astray. Sin will be
33:20
rampant everywhere and the love of many will
33:22
grow cold. Sound familiar? But those who endure
33:25
to the end will be saved, and the good news about
33:29
the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole
33:30
world so that all the nations will hear it. And
33:33
then finally, the end will come. Now, I'm in
33:39
no way a, I think Jesus is coming back tomorrow.
33:45
Ah, the end's coming. The sky's falling. But
33:50
what would have to be happening in the world?
33:54
to tell us that it's close. Maybe more hurricanes?
33:59
Bigger earthquakes? More wars? See, I think it's
34:04
really interesting that we unconsciously think
34:07
that some things that have happened in the past,
34:09
they're going to happen probably someday, some
34:11
way, but probably not in my lifetime. Really,
34:13
Jesus goes on to say, it will be the same as
34:16
in the day of Noah, where people were doing business,
34:19
having parties. marrying, going about their life.
34:25
All I want to say is it seems like the birth
34:32
pangs are more intense now and we should have
34:35
an urgency at a level that we haven't had. And
34:38
we shouldn't be afraid about our job. We shouldn't
34:40
be afraid about our money. We shouldn't be afraid
34:42
about our reputation. We shouldn't be afraid
34:44
we should be bold because here's the deal. At
34:47
some point in time, there's going to be things
34:49
that are true and things that are untrue. And
34:51
the one thing Jesus said is, there is no gray.
34:53
Anyone who's ashamed of me, I will be ashamed
34:57
of them when I come with the angels, with my
35:00
Father. Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel.
35:05
Now the question is, are we willing to take that
35:08
stand? Before we wrap it up, I have talked about
35:12
suffering in 1 Peter 2, 20 and 21. You might
35:17
jot that down. That's one you might actually
35:19
want to memorize. Because when Peter writes,
35:22
Nero is, I mean, burning Christians and throwing
35:25
them into the lions. And Peter's writing to the
35:28
church. And he says, if you suffer for doing
35:32
what's wrong, for being a crook, for doing evil
35:34
things, what credit is that? But then he says,
35:37
but if you suffer for doing what is right, being
35:40
righteous, walking with God, making a difference,
35:42
this finds favor with God. Are you ready for
35:45
this? For you have been called. to this purpose,
35:50
to suffer. For Christ left you an example to
35:55
follow. See, if we're trying to avoid suffering
36:00
all the time, you will never become the man or
36:03
a woman God designed you to be. You will never
36:05
have the relationships and you'll never have
36:07
the impact. Jesus suffered. The apostles suffered.
36:10
Now, here's the thing. Don't automatically think
36:13
every time you're suffering that's because you're
36:16
such a wonderful, committed, amazing follower
36:18
of Jesus. Pretend we're on a highway together
36:21
on this message and I just park the car and I
36:24
say, there's a cul -de -sac, we're gonna go over
36:26
here just for a second, okay? Are you ready for
36:28
a quick cul -de -sac? Here's the cul -de -sac.
36:32
When you read scripture, there's at least six,
36:35
there may be more, but I know six specific reasons
36:37
why we suffer. I'm not gonna go through all these
36:40
in detail, but here's what I want you to do.
36:42
Maybe put a little box and then write this question.
36:45
When you're going through a difficult time, Ask
36:49
God, why am I suffering? Why is this marriage
36:53
like this? Why is this health like this? Why
36:55
is this situation at work like this? Why am I
36:57
having this problem with my son or daughter like
36:59
this? Why am I so depressed right now, okay?
37:03
Just ask God. And what I'm gonna say is, biblically,
37:06
there's at least six possible reasons why you're
37:09
suffering. And I've given you the passages so
37:12
that you can do your own Bible study, but the
37:13
first one is my sin. When I am angry, when I
37:19
say things I shouldn't, when I do things that
37:21
are wrong, when I'm rude to people, when I'm
37:23
mean to one of my kids, when I lie or when I
37:27
steal, and by the way, I've done all those things,
37:29
there's consequences, right? Galatians 6, 7 and
37:33
8 says, sowing and reaping. You sow things and
37:40
you reap them. So sometimes I'm suffering because
37:43
I was either stupid Or evil. And we all do stupid
37:48
things and we all do evil things. Second is other
37:51
sin. 49 .1 in Psalms. David says, a friend betrayed
37:56
me. Drunk driver goes left of center, hits a
37:59
car, someone you love. God didn't make him do
38:02
it. He got drunk. God didn't create robots. Sometimes
38:07
we suffer because of other people's sins. Third
38:09
is spiritual attack. You know, you get in God's
38:13
word on a regular basis. You decide to be more
38:15
bold. I'll just warn you, stuff will start happening.
38:18
Job was the most righteous man. He didn't know
38:21
what was going on. Ephesians 6 will describe
38:23
what spiritual attack looks like and how to defend
38:26
yourself. Fourth, it's a fallen world. People
38:30
came to Jesus and said, the tower in Siloam,
38:32
it fell and these people died. Hey, what's going
38:35
on? And Jesus said, do you think that those who
38:38
died are more? sinful or unrighteous than others?
38:41
I say no. In other words, concrete cracks, wood
38:46
rots. In a fallen world, there's just certain
38:50
things. It's a mystery. We can expect negative,
38:55
difficult weather. It's not designed the way
38:59
God wanted it. It's a fallen world. Fourth is
39:01
spiritual discipline. God loves you so much,
39:05
there are times The velvet vice, Hebrews 12,
39:11
he disciplines every son, he disciplines every
39:13
daughter, and he'll get your attention in the
39:15
way that makes sense to you. Some of us, apparently,
39:18
it must be our health. I don't know anybody particular.
39:22
ACL, back, ankle rebuilt, I could go on. Some,
39:27
it's a relationship. But sometimes we're asking
39:30
God, take it away, take it away, take it away.
39:32
He's saying, look, I'm trying to get your attention
39:34
because I love you like we get our kids' attention
39:37
so that you can look upward and we can address
39:40
this issue, this arrogant issue, this pride issue,
39:44
this lust issue. We all have those things, don't
39:47
we? And you have a father who wants to help you.
39:50
And then finally, spiritual development. There's
39:52
times where Paul's living the life like never
39:55
before, making a huge difference in what happens.
39:58
He gets this physical ailment that keeps him
40:00
dependent so people could see the power isn't
40:02
Paul, but it's God. And he says, I've learned
40:05
to be content. I want to give you a summary about
40:08
suffering and then I want us to pray. Suffering
40:11
is God's gift to accomplish his ultimate good
40:14
in a fallen world. Is that crazy? Suffering is
40:19
God's gift. When I suffer, it draws me nearer.
40:24
When I suffer, I look up. When I suffer, I have
40:27
compassion for other people. When I suffer, life's
40:30
not all about me. When I suffer, I'm not so judgmental.
40:33
When I suffer, I'm following in the footsteps
40:36
of Jesus who suffered so you could live and I
40:38
could live. Johnny Erickson Tada, quoting her
40:42
coach, said, God permits what he hates to accomplish
40:45
what he loves. What a truth. Lord, you know the
40:50
suffering in this room and you know the reasons.
40:54
Lord, you know the world situation and the desperate,
40:59
desperate need for regular, ordinary people like
41:02
us to stand firm and to contend and to not shrink
41:07
back. And yet we tell you that, God, we can't
41:11
do that and we're afraid and we struggle. But
41:15
Lord, you have told us that Christ in us is the
41:17
hope of glory and that we can do all things through
41:19
Jesus who gives us strength. I have a little
41:24
moment with your heavenly father and ask him,
41:26
Lord, help me see myself right now the way you
41:32
do. Help me grasp how much you love me. Help
41:37
me to be a person who stands firm, doesn't give
41:41
up, doesn't give in. Doesn't shrink back. Help
41:46
me lean into my suffering and discover some of
41:48
the whys. Change me and then use me to change
41:52
others. You're listening to Living on the Edge
41:57
with Chip Ingram and the end of a message titled
42:00
Understanding the Power of Expectations. Chip
42:03
will wrap up today's lesson in a moment, so stay
42:06
tuned. And remember, you can always revisit or
42:08
share these teachings with someone you know by
42:11
visiting us online at livingontheedge .org. And
42:16
no matter what your schedule looks like, you
42:18
can catch this whole series anytime by subscribing
42:21
to the Living on the Edge podcast. For Chip's
42:24
complete sermons, unedited start to finish, look
42:27
for the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast, available
42:30
wherever you listen. And if you haven't already,
42:33
be sure to request Chip's book, Yes, You Really
42:36
Can Change, available on our website. It's a
42:39
straightforward, biblically grounded look at
42:41
what genuine transformation actually takes and
42:44
where the power for it really comes from and
42:47
what it looks like once it's actually working
42:49
in your day -to -day life. And when you order
42:52
today, we'll include a second copy so you can
42:55
work through it alongside someone in your life
42:57
who's ready for a breakthrough. Just look for
42:59
Chip's book, Yes, You Really Can Change, online
43:02
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on the Edge, P .O. Box 3007, Suwannee, Georgia,
43:40
30024. Well, now here's Chip. We're ending on
43:45
a note that's a bit unusual. I talked about two
43:48
gifts. And of course, the first gift is the gift
43:50
that we can believe. But I don't think most of
43:53
us think of suffering as a gift. And here's what
43:56
I'd like you to do. I want you to lean back right
43:58
now, and I want to give you the six reasons that
44:02
suffering happens in a believer's life. And the
44:05
first is that we sin. I do things that are wrong,
44:08
and I suffer. And the response is to confess
44:11
and tell God I'm sorry. He forgives me. The second
44:14
is other people sin against me. And in a fallen
44:16
world, that's going to happen. That's not God's
44:18
will. That's not what he wants, but it happens.
44:21
But God will use it for good. Third is spiritual
44:24
attack. You know, there's times where I'm suffering
44:26
because I'm in the midst of a real spiritual
44:29
battle. And so I need discernment to know what's
44:31
going on and why am I suffering? Because I want
44:35
to respond with the armor of God. Fourth is in
44:38
a fallen world, there are just certain things
44:40
that happen. You know, we talked about Luke 17
44:42
and this tower that fell. You know, wood rots,
44:46
bridges rust. It's a fallen world. It doesn't
44:50
mean anyone did anything bad or wrong. Fifth
44:53
is spiritual destruction. There are times that
44:56
you are so loved by God that he kind of brings
44:59
that velvet vice of circumstance to get your
45:01
attention, to realign your life and your heart
45:04
so he can give you the best. And then finally,
45:07
it's just spiritual development. There are certain
45:09
aspects of becoming like Jesus that you just
45:13
can't ever experience or develop apart from suffering.
45:18
And so let me encourage you. This might be one
45:21
where you want to go to the website, download
45:22
the notes. I've put all that information there
45:25
so that you could look at something visually.
45:27
And when you're suffering or when someone who
45:30
is hurting that you care about is suffering,
45:32
you can kind of walk through these reasons. and
45:35
begin to ask the Holy Spirit, Lord, I need to
45:38
respond to suffering in different ways, but I
45:40
need to discern why I'm suffering. God loves
45:44
you. He's for you. It is a gift to suffer for
45:48
doing what is right. Let's make sure that's why
45:51
we're suffering, but we need insight from the
45:53
Lord to know how to lean into the kind of suffering
45:56
He allows in our life. Father, I pray, and I
46:00
ask it in the name of the Lord Jesus. that those
46:04
listening to my voice at this very moment that
46:07
are going through difficult times, that you,
46:10
by your Spirit, will give them discernment about
46:13
the cause of their suffering and their response
46:16
in order that they might meet you, become more
46:19
and more like your Son, and experience your joy
46:22
even in the midst of pain. In Jesus' name, amen.
46:26
I'm Dave Drewy, so glad to have you with us.
46:29
Be sure to listen again next time for more Bible
46:31
teaching from Chip Ingram here on Living on the
46:34
Edge. Today's program is produced and sponsored
46:40
by Living on the Edge.