If you want to love more, 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 Lipping on the Edge Chip Ingram Room.
We are an international teaching and discipleship ministry that motivates Christians to live like Christians. Today we're wrapping up our series, Spiritual Simplicity, with what might be the most challenging message in this entire study. Ship's going to walk through God's simple method for us to not only build meaningful relationships, but keep them too. But before he dives in, if you haven't already, subscribe to our daily podcasts. With a few simple taps on your phone, you'll have access to the full-length version of our latest series.
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Well, with all that said, here's Chip with the conclusion 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. Uh verses 3 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 1 of chapter 12 of Romans. your surrender to God. Verse 2, 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 3 is we get a sober self-assessment. We don't think too highly of ourselves or the too low. We think of ourselves accurately.
Clearly. Our role in the body, verse 4 and 5, our gifts operational, verses 6 through 8. Then, verses 9 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 9 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, each other, and 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 R-12 Christian.
Well, how do you practice that? I mean, how do you operationalize becoming an R-12 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 R-12 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 R-12 Christian, nor will I, unless on a daily basis.
You're 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 an. 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 in 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 your 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 You know, 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. Uh the first one And I've got a lot of demographics and a lot of actual content on this one. We began to teach Romans 12.1 and the R12 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 is 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'm going 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 Barnet research that we instituted, the last one. Nine out of ten 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 son 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 gonna get the best by surrendering. Have you done that? See, you can read the Bible a little bit and be involved in that. You can do all kinds of things to avoid that.
You will never. Experience. power of God. The second process is in this area of uh 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 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 happened, 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 all I 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.
I I I 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? Awwww. Uh Let's pray together.
Oh, God, what I do, what I do, what I do, what I do, what 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 realized it was like electricity going through your body. Ooh, 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 ten 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. and organization move forward. You're listening to Living on the Edge. Before we continue today's program, let me ask you: are you in a small group?
Well, if so, are you looking for a new study to do together this year? Join us after Chip's message to learn more about our library of study guides, which are sure to help you and your group grow in your faith. You won't want to miss it.
Well with that, let's rejoin Chip for the remainder of his message. 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 an invitation to all?
Here here's I I just there's There's times it doesn't happen. Maybe sometimes at the end of a series, there's some times 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.
Okay. 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 he goes on to say, take My yoke upon you.
It was a 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 your souls. See the picture that we last week about experiencing and 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 be love 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 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 it 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, it 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. A nine or a ten 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. 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 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 so 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. And for others, you stepped in, and maybe it's a ministry team or a small group, 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 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 like we've talked about for the last couple weeks, 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 were 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 boyfriend, 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, or 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're 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, um 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. Thanks for that encouragement, Chip.
And if you're eager to do a deeper study of that acronym Chip mentioned, let me encourage you to listen to our series titled Bio. It's an incredible opportunity to unpack these three practices and discover how to become more like Jesus. Check out our bio series today by visiting the special offers page on the Chip Ingram app or at livingonthege.org.
Well, Chip's still with me in the studio now, and Chip, you know over the past few weeks we've really stressed why community is so vital, both for changing lives and helping us all grow spiritually, which is why we've created a library of small group resources. If you would take a minute and highlight a few that our listeners should get their hands on.
Well, Dave, we all have special times in our life where there's either a crisis or we know we need to improve our parenting, our marriage, or there's some emotional issues. And as people go through, there's plenty of small group resources like that. But what I think is missing is what historically has been called a catechism. A catechism is a well-ordered process of truth. By which you go through it systematically and intentionally in order to become more and more like Jesus and to fulfill more and more what Jesus has called us to do.
And so, if you follow Jesus' life, his actual chronological life, the first thing is he defined what a disciple is. And so, the very first study I encourage people to do is true spirituality, becoming a Romans 12 Christian. It'll let them know this is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The second thing Jesus did is he took them through various experiences to reveal who God was like. What is God really like?
And so our second study, it's called The Real God. And in that, we study the attributes of God and how to get them from your head into your heart. The third thing that Jesus did is he helped them understand how does life change really occur? How do you put it into practice? We have a study from Ephesians chapter 4 called Transformed, The Miracle of Life Change.
And then the fourth one I'll give you, because I don't want to lay it all out, is that when you take these kind of steps, all hell breaks loose. I don't mean that as a cuss word. What I mean is it's challenging. It's difficult. There's spiritual warfare.
And that's our study from Ephesians chapter 6. It's called The Invisible War, what every believer needs to know about Satan, demons, and spiritual warfare.
So let me encourage you: unless there's a critical need, a highfelt need, Consider Studying in order. the catechism, the way Jesus taught his disciples.
Well, to learn more about the studies Chip mentioned, or any of our other small groups, go to livingonTheEdge.org or call 888-333-6003. And let me tell you, these materials are so easy to use. Chip provides the teaching, then you'll have time to discuss what you've heard alongside our helpful study guides.
So if you're not in a small group yet or are looking for something new to study, check out our resources. And for a limited time, we've discounted all of our small group tools. Visit livingonthege.org or call 888-333-6003 to learn more. Atlas Nurse Tap Special Offers. As we close, I want to thank each of you who make this program possible through your generous giving.
100% of your gifts go directly to the ministry to help Christians live like Christians.
Now, if you found this teaching helpful but aren't yet on the team, consider doing that today. Sending a gift is easy. Go to livingontheedge.org or call 888-333-6003. That's 888-333-6003. Or visit livingonthege.org.
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Well, thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. I'm Dave Druy, and I hope you'll join us again next time.
