Spiritual Simplicity - The Love Train - Get on Board!, Part 2

If you want to love more, experience deeper and more fulfilling love, and you want to do less, I mean simplify your life, stay tuned, because today we're going to talk about three essentials that you must do to make that happen. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Living on the Edge is an international discipleship ministry focused on helping Christians live like Christians. Well, in just a minute, Chip's going to share what might be the most thought-provoking message from this entire series. He's going to lay out God's simple plan for us to find and keep the types of relationships we value most. And to learn more about how to make that happen in your life, keep listening right after today's teaching for an insightful challenge from Chip. You won't want to miss it. Well, with that, here's Chip to wrap up our series with part two of his message, The Love Train.

Get on board. The ultimate test of success and the ultimate test of spiritual maturity, of becoming what he commanded, make disciples, is that I love God more deeply and authentically each day, and I love others more sincerely and more practically in ways they can understand. And the apostle Paul, again, then takes what Jesus said, that very simple thing, and then in Romans chapter 12, he says, let me show you what it looks like to love God, verses one and two. Let me show you what it looks like to love others as yourself, verses three through the end of the chapter.

It's what the love of God produces in relationship. And so the profile of a disciple is verse one of chapter 12 of Romans, your surrender to God. Verse two is this, we are not conformed to this world, so we step away. And we're transformed by the renewing of our mind that our actual lifestyle would prove or demonstrate what God's will is. Verse three is we get a sober self-assessment.

We don't think too highly of ourself or they're too low. We think of ourselves accurately, clearly. Our role in the body, verse four and five, our gifts operational, verses six through eight. And then verses nine through 13, we're surrendered to God, yes. We're separate from the world's values.

We're sober in self-assessment. And then in verses nine through 13, we're serving in love. We're actually doing life with each other.

We don't come to an event called church or even to a small group. We let love be without hypocrisy. We abhor what is evil. We cling to what is good. We're devoted to each other with brotherly love. We give preference to each other in honor. We lay our lives out for one another. We love each other in such a way that people outside can't understand.

It's not an organization. It's a living organism of people connected to God and connected to each other who serve each other. And then verse 14 to 21, we're supernaturally responding to evil with good. So when our enemies need food, we feed them. And when they want to drink, we give them something to drink. And when we're harmed, we don't take our own revenge, but we overcome evil with good.

So do you get it? It's real simple. Spiritual simplicity, love God, love others.

What's spiritual simplicity look like? An R12 Christian. Well, how do you practice that? I mean, how do you operationalize becoming an R12 Christian that's surrendered to God and separate from the world's values and has a sober self-assessment and is serving in love and supernaturally responding to evil with good?

What practices actually have to happen? Because an R12 Christian is what you are to be. The three practices are what you are to do in dependency and faith so God gives you the grace to become what he wants you to become.

And we use the acronym BIO because it's about life. It's not about religion. It's not about duty. And so our goal, you will never become an R12 Christian nor will I unless on a daily basis you are in God's word surrendered to him. What it means to be surrendered is on a certain day at a certain time you say, God, I'm all in, but it's not just a decision. Then you say, that means whatever you say in your word about anything, I will obey it. I'm going to obey it when it looks like a great deal. I'm going to obey it when I'm thinking, oh, God, surely, I don't want to do this. But by faith I'm going to believe that if you say it in your word, I guess handling my money this way will keep me out of debt. Well, I guess doing relationships this way will not only stop sexually transmitted diseases, but I'll probably stay married to the same person for a long time.

I guess if raising my kids this way, it'll create a... But you say that's hard. No, no, no, it's not hard. It's impossible. I can't do this.

You can't do this. But the word of God, as you talk with God in the context of God, people gives you grace. Grace is the want to and the will to and the power to do God's will. And so we're asking and trying to create ways where you can be before God. And I don't mean just having a devotional life. I mean, be before God daily. You experience his presence. You talk with him in the car. You utter quick prayers before meetings. You're mad and you're angry.

Oh, God, will you help me with this? It's this living reality. You don't live for yourself. You're living with him and for him.

And then you're before him regularly on a weekend where you worship and have instruction and say, God, I want to join with the family. And so that's a practice. It's a discipline. The second is to live in community and to be in community is not joining a small group.

You need to be in a small group. But community is when the real you meets real needs for the right reason and the right way. It's when you take off your mask and I take off my mask.

It's when you have a need or someone has a need and you spend some money you don't have, or you give some time that you don't have to really help someone. And then God goes and you experience his grace. And the O for life of bio is you're on mission. You're on mission at 24 hour fitness. You're on mission at the job. You're on mission when you're just walking in the neighborhood. You're on mission when you're at Home Depot. You're on mission when you're at Target. You're on mission when there's a crisis in your house.

You are on mission asking the Spirit of God to give you the wisdom to know what it looks like to serve and to reach out and to be a minister of reconciliation as an ambassador from heaven. Now does this make sense? This is not rocket science. This is not overly difficult. This is the game plan that's aligned in scripture for you to be on the love train. Now there's some processes that I've observed over the years.

I don't have a verse for these and so you can weigh these. But there's three things I've seen over the years that ignites life change. The first one is I've got a lot of demographics and a lot of actual content on this one. We begin to teach Romans 12 one and the R 12 series about four or five years ago on the radio.

And by far 85% of all the feedback thousands and thousands of emails. People I've been a Christian 10 years, five years, seven years, three years. And I don't know what happened. I've never heard about surrender. I prayed today to be all in. And then the testimony goes on and they start talking about radical life change, restoration of marriages, alignment with God's will, restoration of finance. In other words, the action doesn't really happen until you on a certain day at a certain time come to the actual reality that there's a ladder or something you're dependent on that is not the lordship of Jesus Christ and you get down and you surrender. When that happens, things begin to occur in people's lives.

Radical things occur. Now you'll notice I want to connect the phobia with it is did you notice the reason people don't do that is fear of the future. Okay, let's just get this all out in one good session together. The reason people don't go all in is I'm afraid if I go all in, I won't get married. I'm afraid if I go all in, I got some money now and I may not have some money because the issue is control. The issue is I have to be in control because I know what outcomes are best for me and this all-knowing, all-powerful God that died on a cross was risen from the dead and loves me.

I mean, what's he know? See, it's not logical, is it? But I mean, I would just tell you the Pew research, the Gallup research and the Barna research that we instituted, the last one, nine out of 10 Christians in America are not all in. If you're not all in, there's no power.

It's just like, yeah, you know, I can be in. There's no flow. You're not compelled by the love of Christ. You're not living for him. You're living for you. You know, I've been there, done that.

It doesn't work. But it's the fear of the future. Until you can say, that's why Psalm 84 11 is like this verse that I just harp on all the time. It says, the Lord God is a sun and a shield. The Lord gives grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly. That was for me.

Okay, I'm going to get the best by surrendering. Have you done that? So you can, you can read the Bible a little bit and be involved in it. You can do all kinds of things to avoid that.

You will never experience the power of God. The second process is in this area of in community. And it's the fear of rejection. I've watched this happen. I've been in small groups where nothing happens.

I've been in small groups where we talk about the Bible a little bit. Everyone stays sort of superficial. Then you eat a little bit and it's okay. And it's social and it's nice and you learn a little bit.

It's not that it's not the will of God. But here's what happens. Every, every small group that becomes authentic community, someone has some courage. And maybe you divide up in groups sometimes and it's the men over here and the women over here. Or maybe it's together and someone does something like this.

I feel a little bit safer here and I've not shared this ugly part of me before. And it's vulnerability. And they share something that's really real that if they get shut down, they'll probably put it back and may never take it out again. But at some point in time, there's this step of faith. The first you surrender your will.

Here you surrender your image. And you let people see who you really are and the step of vulnerability. And then what I've watched it happen hundreds of times. And what they assume would be met with rejection is met with people that look and say, wow, you struggle with that too? Yeah.

And you just watch the group change. So the igniting event is when you share and you take that step where you're in, but then you step up. But the fear is rejection. As long as you never want to be rejected, just go on record and know you'll also never be loved.

Never be loved. Because all you're doing and we all do, we have all these defense mechanisms. I always put forth what I want people to think I am.

And if they love that, that's great, I guess, except it's not me. Because I got some good stuff, but I got some bad stuff. I got some ugly stuff. I got some motives I don't like. I have some really bad days.

I have some issues I'm wrestling with. When I can put those out there and a group of people looks me in the eye and loves me, I experience the love of Christ and healing takes place. Healing takes place. Confess your sins to one another that you might be healed, James says. And then finally, in terms of the third igniting process, and this is like yesterday to me, I'll never forget. I was a Christian about two and a half years.

I'll never forget the first person I ever led to Christ. I did it very poorly. I said it very slowly. And at the end, the guy says, can I receive Christ right now? I mean, where's Billy Graham when you need him?

Yeah. Well, how do I do it? Oh, let's pray together. Oh, God, what do I do? What do I do? What do I do?

What do I do? And I prayed a very bad prayer for him to pray that he prayed. And it was real and that guy's life changed.

Here's the deal. When you risk failure and you step out with your gifts and you step out and serve and supernaturally you become the conduit of the grace of God in you and then through you and maybe they come to Christ or maybe their marriage turns around or maybe they were super depressed, whatever it is, you actually realize it was like electricity going through your body. Oh, this is God.

This isn't me. It went out. It did something. When that happens, it's wonderfully addicting.

And you'll take risks like never before. About seven out of 10 Christians in America have never led anyone to Christ. In most churches, 80% of the people are watching 20% of the people work very hard to make an organization move forward. As you turn to the back page, I just have a little application thought that I think will be very helpful for us. It says a call to all.

Would you just write the word and invitation to all here? Here's I just there's there's times it doesn't happen. Maybe sometimes at end of a series or sometimes when I'm praying, I would just tell you, I just, if I could humanly figure out how to sit across from every person in this room over a cup of coffee and hear about an hour of your spiritual journey and what's going on and what are the barriers, I would just plead with you about getting before God and getting in community and getting on mission and facing those fears.

And I would just want to say, you know something? I've so struggled with all of that. And I've been a pastor for 25, 28 years. And every time I watch people take that step of faith through those things, amazing things happen.

And they're not easy, but amazing things happen. And here's the invitation. What you need to hear is you and I will constantly be looking for love in all the wrong places unless you hear Jesus say today and respond. Hey, come to me. All of you that are heavy laden. That's old words for stressed out and overcommitted. And I will give you rest. And then it goes on to say, take my yoke upon you.

It was a picture of, you know, the two oxen and a yoke connects them. And where this one goes, this one goes. It's really a different way to say surrender. Do life my way.

Decide and pre decide that whatever this book says about how to do relationships or decisions, that's how you're going to do it. For I'm meek and lowly in heart. In other words, I'm not pushy. I've got your best and you'll find rest for yourselves. See the picture that we last week about experiencing exporting God's love.

It really was. There's like we're all in different places. Some of you are here today and you know, you just like me and everybody else.

You've tried different ways to make yourself. I am somebody now. I am significant. Look at me. Look what I own. Look how I dress. Look what I've done.

Look where my kids go to college. Look how pretty I am. Look at my muscles. And those things at some point in time, you just realize, you know something? What I need is beloved for me, not for how I look, not for what I've done. And in a moment of time, you actually, you stop and you just say, Lord, I'm tired of trying to, I surrender. And I am afraid. And as you contemplate that, for some especially, you realize, you know, I can't do that because I know I'm living with this person or I know that I can't keep this activity or I know that the outrageous temper that I have behind closed doors or I know that my lack of, and God says, okay, well step away from the things and the people and the media that pull you away from me and step into the light. So he says, step down, then step away. And he says, now renew your mind. You got to get in your head and your heart. You are what you eat.

You are what you think. And then since it's impossible to do by yourself, he says, I want you to find a group of people, you know, might be a group of guys, might be a group of couples, might be a group of women and just do life. Don't have a Bible study. And at some point in time, at the right time, maybe in the group or maybe just one or two that you really trust, share a part of you that you're convinced if anyone ever knew it, they would reject it. And watch where the love of God will get manifested in a way where you can say, you know, I wish I was making more at my job and I wish our marriages, you know, was a nine or a 10 instead of a six and a half, but I'm on a journey and my kids aren't perfect and I got struggles, but God loves me and I'm learning how to love other people. And I don't think anybody has it together. And out of that, you step up and you begin to let people see who you really are.

And what's amazing is it's the most beautiful, dynamic, wonderful person because that's who God made. You don't need to look like anyone else. You don't need to have this or have that. If God gives you stuff, great, you're a steward. And then you step out and you say, you know something? I got to get my focus off me. I don't want to live for me. I want to be on mission and I want to discover what God made me to do.

He's got a plan for you. You know, most everyone in this room, you're exactly where you're at today because there was some series of decisions that you made. You made a decision to go to this school and you made a decision to have kids or to marry someone or not to marry someone or you made a decision to get up and come here.

There's more to life than making decisions, but every pivotal moment begins with the decision. And I would just wonder and I know I can't do it, but I still want you to have it. I wonder what would happen if every person in the room that knew, today I need to step down and surrender.

If today you did it. And for others, you said, I need to step away. You know, I'm going to break up with that girl or break up with that guy or I'm going to get help with that addiction or. And for others, you stepped in and maybe it's a ministry team or a small group or, or maybe you're in one and you step up. And for others, you, you realize, man, I'm pretty mature and I'm, I'm soaking and sitting.

I need to, I need to get my gifts in the game. As we close today's program, I want to speak very privately and directly to you. If you're going to experience God's love, it means that you need to be before God on a regular basis. You need to be in community with other people, with deep, authentic relationships.

And it requires that you're on mission. You're using the gifts and the resource God's given you to share and to care for others. And so at the very end of this message with the people in the room, I gave them a very specific opportunity to make a decision to take the next step.

And I gave them three specific things depending on where they're at in their life. And I want to reiterate those for you right now. Do you need to surrender? Do you need to just surrender your fear of the future, your fear of what God may do and say to God, I'm all in. Okay, God, I'm all in. Whatever that may mean with my future, my finances, my girlfriend, my lifestyle, my job, I trust you and I fear you more than I fear what might happen. That is such a pivotal moment.

If you've never done it, tell him right now, God, I surrender all that I am, all that I have to you. If you're one of those people, secondly, who you say, you know, I have surrendered, but I'm not connected. I'm not in community. I fear rejection. I'm kind of a lone ranger. You know, I read my Bible, I do my thing, maybe I even go to a small group, but no one knows my heart.

No one knows what's really going on inside. You have to overcome your fear of rejection and take a step into community and be vulnerable. And with at least one person this week, get real, get open.

I am struggling with and just risk it. And be wise with who you risk it with, but take a step to let people see where you're at, where you hurt, where you struggle, we all do. And when the Spirit of God allows you to experience acceptance through the body of Christ, you'll find there's a love waiting for you that you didn't know was possible. And then third, for some of you, you need to serve. I mean, the fact of the matter is that you are surrendered, that you're in community, and you're basically, you come to church or you go to a small group, but you don't see yourself as, every time you walk out the door, you're on mission in your neighborhood. You're on mission where you go to work. You're on mission in your church. I challenge you, if you're not using your gifts, to serve others, to just ask God today, where do you want me to serve? And just volunteer.

It doesn't have to be the long-term solution, but you need to act. Volunteer and say, you know, go to your pastor, where do you need some help? Go to a Sunday school teacher, where do you need some help? Go to the junior high, the children, the high school, the maintenance.

I mean, go to your local school. Go somewhere and just ask the question, how could I serve and love people? And I will tell you, God will show you where to fit in. Our prayer is that you would get before God, be in community, and get on mission in such a way that as you love more, you'll do less, and that the Lord will fill your heart with himself and then overflow through you himself to others.

That's what it means to live the simple life. Great word, Chip. And by the way, we'd love to support you in your pursuit to recommit your life to Jesus. This is why I want to quickly tell you about a great resource that'll really help deepen your faith. It's Chip's book, True Spirituality, Becoming a Romans 12 Christian. Through this resource, he'll reveal a clear blueprint to becoming a genuine follower of Christ.

To get your copy of True Spirituality, or to order one for you and a friend to go through, go to specialoffersatlivingontheedge.org or on the Chip Ingram map. Well, Chip, before we go, I can see you're wanting to jump in here one last time to share something with our listeners. Thanks so much, Dave. As we wrap up today's program, I have to tell you that one of the greatest things that happens through Living on the Edge is people make Jesus the Lord of their life. I've read literally thousands of emails, and the change that happens is just absolutely amazing.

It's a chain reaction. I just want to thank all of you that support the ministry financially. When someone makes Jesus Lord, their marriage changes, their parenting changes, who shows up at work changes. Thank you very, very much for your financial support. If you have not supported us or haven't supported us in a while, or would just kind of like to make it a habit and maybe do it monthly, today would be a great day to say, you know something? Christians need to live like Christians, and I'd like to help Living on the Edge.

Thanks so much for whatever God leads you to do. Thanks Chip. Well, if you're already a financial partner, thank you. With your help, Living on the Edge is ministering to more people than ever before.

But if you're benefitting from Chip's teaching and haven't yet taken that step, now would be a great time to join the team. To send a gift or to become a monthly partner, go to livingontheedge.org or text the word donate to 74141. That's donate to 74141, or visit livingontheedge.org. App listeners just tap donate. Well, before we go, I want you to know about an easy way to listen to our extended teaching podcast. Hear Chip anytime on Amazon's Alexa Echo and Echo Dot. Just say, Alexa, open Living on the Edge, and you'll hear that day's extended teaching anytime you want. Well, from everyone here, this is Dave Druey saying thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge.