I think a lot of you believe that God loves you, but I don't think many of you think he really likes you. The fact of the matter is, we can intellectually believe that God loves us, but not have a sense that He's for us. You want to experience the goodness of God? Stay with me. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingramrid.
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Well, have you ever felt like God is disappointed in you or He's eagerly waiting for you to mess up so He can punish you?
Well today, Chip utterly dispels that myth. as he continues his series The Real God. There's a lot to get to, so let's join Chip for part two of his talk, The Goodness of God. If you have the Bible, he'll be back in Psalm chapter 84. How has God revealed?
His goodness. It's one thing. I can tell you, if you actually come to believe that from Your head down to your heart. Obedience would be completely different. Trusting him becomes completely different.
The fear of the future We always always have some, it'll begin to dissipate. Because if God has your best and He's sovereign and He's control and He's an all-wise God and He's for you and He's leaning forward on the throne to bless your life and to help you and give you the very best, well then. Whatever he says is the, well, that's what I want to do.
Now, by the way, it doesn't mean that you don't have some emotional fear. It doesn't mean the front end might be really hard. But it means that you trust his promises because he's a good God. He's revealed it to us in three ways, and let me encourage you to... To let these ways sink in and begin to practice them in a new way, because you got to do some things to move, I believe God's good, to here.
First, it's through natural blessings. Psalm 145. Seven through nine says, They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate. Slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to All. He has compassion on all he's made. Does the all include you? He's good to all. This little phrase is repeated all through the Old Testament.
He's gracious. compassionate Abounding. multiplying, exponentially available. Loving kindness. The word is hesid.
It's a steadfast, loyal, commitment love to give you the best. That's how God is with his. Creation. Later in the same Psalm, verse 16 says, You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways.
and faithful in all that he does. And here's what I'd say is pause to look around. We get so busy, so focused. Just observe people. Observe people at a restaurant, observe people walking on the streets now.
The whole world does this. A family sitting together in a restaurant. There's four phones out. When's the last time, when I'm serious, when's the last time you saw a sunset? You, when's the last time you saw a sunrise?
When's the last time you said I'm going to take a walk in? God has displayed his goodness and his glory. When's the last time you took a walk in nature? When's the last time you said, I don't need to be in a hurry? When's the last time in the traffic and the hustle and the bustle?
Instead, let's see: if I go here, I go here. If I get off this ramp, then I get over here, then I cut across here. Gosh, I'm gonna save two minutes and add. All the stress to my life. That you said maybe I'll just get in the slow lane And put on a song about the glory of God and realize all these other crazy people that are commuting, I'm just not going to be a part of that.
When's the last time you went to a park or even the mall at one of the little playgrounds? And you just sat down. And you watch kids play. And this the Innocence. They're not worried, they're not stressful, they're not going, I wonder what I'll wear tomorrow.
Or I wonder if there's going to be any food tonight. Or, you know, I wonder what profession I'm going to have when I grow up. They're just having fun. When's the last time you remembered? And you just held a brand new baby in your arms and just thought.
This is miraculous. This is amazing. Where I live, I can drive about 30 minutes and just park in front of the ocean. And just kind of watch those waves come in. Watch the waves come in.
There's something good about being small sometimes. You're just one little person. I'm just one little person. You're so valuable on the one hand. And take this the right way, you're not all that important.
Yeah. And yet Left to myself, I can start to feel like the whole world is dependent on me, and every decision, and every issue, and all this. If you don't Bask in the goodness of God, in the natural surroundings, then unconsciously we will become the center and the focus, and you'll believe life is about pressure and productivity and getting things done. And there's a place for that, but the place for that is Tozer's great words: it's living under. A sky that's friendly, and knowing that this God, though exalted in majesty and power, is eager to be friends with you.
That even for some of you, if you're like me, we are so productive-oriented. If I'm not praying and talking and interceding, It's like when I'm, even when I'm with God, I got to get something done. Anybody like that? Have you ever just Been listening to a song, or this morning I was. I put Chris Tomlin on just various songs, and a couple came up that he.
My son my son wrote that song. My son wrote that song. And I just thought, I got to adopt that boy. Man, that kid was... We went through and it was like, oh God.
David says This one thing I will do that I will seek to behold the beauty of the Lord. Literally the word is the delightfulness. to meditate in his temple. That there's part of the goodness of God, you just have to stop. And I wrote a couple things down here: I wrote: for health, for food, for love, for people, for beauty, for life, for air, for opportunity, for the talents.
for the education that you have. for the opportunities God's given you, that you live in this country. Um One of the things I do, I lose perspective often. I seem to be Have a lot of issues, but I think God uses my issues because when I share them, it seems like you guys have them too, which makes me feel really better. This was a Friday night about three weeks ago, and it was 9 p.m.
and I wrote in my journal. I rarely, if ever, write at night. But I'm much at peace and very, very thankful. After another very intense week and two nights with just a few hours' sleep, The Lord my shepherd had me lie down in green pastures, and he restored my soul. I restored all my work, my sermon outline's done.
I interviewed a new CFO candidate who I think's the right one. I met with a fellow pastor, Steve, and it was such encouraging to share at a very deep level. I laid out all my issues in his wise counsel. I I went and swam and did my work out and Didn't count the laps, but tried to enjoy the process. My son Ryan just dropped by to pick up his kids and came to my office, and we had a blast.
He asked me how I was doing and how my back was and I shared pretty honestly. He started to tear up. I thought, to have a son with that kind of compassion. I fell asleep and had his boys over that night. I slept at the bottom of the bed, and my grandson fell asleep in my arms.
God, thank you. Thank you. Those are little things. But God reveals his goodness through natural blessings. The second way, He reveals his goodness is through deliverances.
I'm going to ask you to turn to Psalm 107. It's a very long psalm. I want you to study it, but I'm going to give you the structure of the psalm. It is the classic passage on the goodness of God in the Old Testament. The psalm will open with a call to honor God's goodness, and then what you're going to see are there are four specific vignettes.
And the author is going to say vignette number one, vignette number two, vignette number three, vignette number four. In each one of these vignettes, people find themselves in an impossible situation. They're desperate. In three of the four, they're in an impossible situation because of their own doing, their own sin. In the fourth one, God sovereignly seems to be working to some sailors.
After, so there's a vignette, talks about a situation, it's really bad, it's impossible. Then the process, and each one is the same. They cry out to the Lord in the midst of their desperation, in the midst of their trouble, and then God delivers, delivers, delivers. And then there's a repeating phrase that says, Let them give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. And then it, then vignette, vignette, vignette.
It's really powerful. Have you got it? Psalm 107, look at verses 1 and 2. He says, Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble.
Now he's going to give four pictures of trouble. Look at verse 4.
Some wandered in the desert waste, finding no way to a city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their souls fainted within them. They cried to the Lord in their trouble. He delivered them from their distress. He led them by the straight way till they reached the city to dwell in.
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous work to the children of men. For he satisfies the longing of the soul, the hungry soul he fills with goodness. Vignette number two, some sat in darkness and shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they rebelled against the word of the Lord, and he spurned the counsel of the Most High.
So he bowed their heads with hard labor, and they fell. With none to help them, they cried to the Lord in their trouble. He delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and out of the shadow of death, and he burst their bonds. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his steadfast love, his wondrous works for the children of men.
He shatters the doors of bronze, talking about breaking through judgment. 17.
Some were fools through sinful ways, and because of their iniquities, affliction. And we'll find out it becomes physical affliction. He delivers them. Verse 21, let them give thanks to the Lord for his wondrous works. Skipping down to verse 23.
Some went down to the sea in ships. Doing business on the great waters, they saw the deeds of the Lord for his wondrous works in the deep. He commanded and raised up a stormy wind, he lifted up the waves of the sea, and then those sailors cry out on their distress. God delivers them. Verse 31, let them give thanks to the Lord.
For his steadfast love his wondrous works to men. And then notice he will begin. and say, let them extol his congregation of the people. the praise of the assembly of the elders, And then verse 33 to the end of the chapter, he's going to reach back. and take the deliverances of God historically.
Because this psalm is written to a group of people who have missed God's goodness and they're focusing on circumstances and their lives aren't working. And the only way it's to pull back our perspective and to realize: oh, in the midst of our trouble in the past, one of the ways that God expresses his goodness is he delivers us. He reaches in and delivers us when we don't deserve it. The first three times, it's because of their sin. In fact, in your notes, I put a little summary.
He rescues us from our enemies, he rescues us when we're spiritually adrift. He rescues us from the shadow of death. He heals our diseases. He saves us in the storms of life. And then, notice at the very end, after he highlights.
these big moments in Israel's history. when they were in the desert, when he delivered them from the enemies. Verse 43, whoever is wise By the way, in biblical literature, the word wise, especially in the Old Testament, is not intellectual. Wisdom, book of Proverbs, or even New Testament book of James, wisdom. Is understanding how God designed life to work.
It's a skill. And it's following that.
So, this is the pattern or the path of God says, This is how relationships work. Wisdom is: I'm going to follow that path. Wisdom is, this is how God designed money to work in our life. I'm going to follow that path. Wisdom is when I've made a mistake, here's the path for reconciliation and forgiveness.
I'll follow that path.
So he's saying let Him who's wise Attend to these things. Let them consider. Let them ponder. ponder. The steadfast love, that's our word, loving kindness.
of the Lord. Can I ask you to do just a quick Glance in your rearview mirror. In your memory bank. When has God delivered you? or delivered someone you love.
Anybody been in just a horrendous situation? Maybe you did something really terrible? Anybody had one of your kids in the hospital and you begged God for their life? Any delivered? Anybody anybody here been through cancer?
You're here. Anybody here been upside down financially? Anybody here had a moment in your marriage that you just thought? You know, I get the covenant stuff. This person makes me so crazy.
I'm. Uh Divorce is not an option, but... Yeah. And you just grit your teeth and say, God, I want to learn to love this person. And he delivered you.
See, that's God's goodness. It says mercy. I uh I thought back in my little life, I thought I think I was the most arrogant person that I had ever met. Um And it was all rooted in security, but the only way I knew growing up was just to act like the tough guy and Recruit the tallest, biggest guy on the team to be my enforcer.
Some kind of small. In my mouth, and my arrogance, and my insecurity, and I just look back. God delivered me.
Now I still have arrogance, but it's at least it's not the big Ugly kind. I mean, you gotta stop and look back and say, well, wait, wait a second. The God who did that, you think he can handle this big one, right, that you're facing? I had a very, very troubled marriage. We both came from alcoholic backgrounds and.
My wife was a stuffer and I was a talker and We couldn't communicate. We couldn't resolve anger. And I praise God for Christian counseling. even at $95 an hour. It's a lot of money when you're making $1,000 a month.
And you're in seminary preparing to teach people about God and marriage. You you know you know the hardest part? I can vividly remember going into the Meyer Minereth Clinic. And sitting down and waiting for our time and just praying that no one came through that door that knew me. That's how arrogant I was.
I was so concerned about what other people would think. And now I look back and think: you know, we did 12 sessions. I have no idea where we got the money. And a few years later, we needed to tune up and went back and sat down with someone. You know, when you get stuck?
But God delivers. I'm so glad I didn't bail out.
So glad we didn't bail out.
So glad. I can't imagine. Is it perfect? Of course not. She's still married to me.
And you laugh, but I've got idiosyncrasies that are off the chart. I'm intense off the chart. You know, I would not want to live with me, but I'm so glad she does. And And it's better and deeper in every, I mean, emotionally. Friendships.
Sexually, every, believe me, you name an area we've struggled. And when I say we struggle, I don't mean like, oh, it was a little problem. It was a problem. And God delivered. I think of uh One of my sons an ICU and we didn't think he'd live.
I think of one of my other sons in the 27. our labor that we didn't think he was going to make it. And we just beg God. I remember six years of going through cancer with my wife. and driving every every day to Stanford after the surgery.
Thinking, is this what I get? and God delivered. It just think. Just think. Ask yourself.
Has our lives gotten so distracted with stuff and trivia? And so focused on the future, and what about, and what about, and what about, and what about, and this unconscious desire to control and to manipulate and thinking in our little human as we can determine outcomes. What would happen? If you started to look at the natural blessings and you begin to think and write and ponder, if he delivered, here's my. I'm pretty logical.
If he delivered in all those areas, Whatever is in the Windshield of my life that feels painful, overwhelming, confusing, and creates fear in my heart. I can at least look in the rearview mirror and say that God. Is with me, and that god's out there.
So, all my question is okay. I don't get it and I emotionally, but I'm going to trust you. I'm going to stay on the path. There is a There's a path or there's a way that seems right to men. But it ends in death.
And there's a path. It's The Lord's that is fullness of joy. For his pleasures are forever. The third and most profound way for sure is God is demonstrated his goodness through his son. Jesus is the proof of God's goodness.
And I love it, it's his goodness before we did anything. It's not a cause and effect. There certainly is a clear relationship in Scripture between the blessings of God and obedience. And the discipline of God and disobedience, but even the discipline of God is out of his goodness and out of his love. He disciplines not because he's mad or punishing us.
All of the just wrath and punishment of God was placed on Christ at the cross. If you're a son or a daughter, he may discipline you and bring you through very difficult times, but it's out of his heart of goodness and love to give you the best. You're listening to Living on the Edge. Will return you to Chip's message in just a minute, but let me quickly share with you: God has called us to do incredible ministry work all around the world. And when you regularly give to Living on the Edge, you're a part of what we do.
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Well, with that, here's Chip. Whenever you're discouraged, whenever you wonder if God is good, there is a historical moment. The cross is the greatest revelation of the goodness of God in the universe. The cross. Why we were yet sinners, not when you cleaned up your act, not when you did better, not when you didn't have problems, why you and me were rebels, and we could have been far from God and angry at God, or we could be a rebel being passively indifferent, thinking we don't need Him.
Both is rebellion. In that moment, in that state, Christ demonstrated his love for you. He died in your place. It's the proof. of God's goodness.
Jesus is the guarantee of future goodness. The proof of present goodness is the cross. the guarantee. Of future goodness is the cross. He who did not spare his own son.
But delivered him up, literally, or over for us all. How will he not also with him freely give us all things? It's called a priori logic. In other words, if someone would like forgive a $5 million debt. You think you could trust him if you went out to lunch and said, Oh gosh, you know, I don't have my wallet.
Oh my gosh, you think he'll pay for it? In other words, if if God has demonstrated his love Through the cross. How will he not with him? He's loved you. He's rescued you.
He's paid for you. How are they not with him? Give you wisdom to be in the right relationship. Give you direction for the right job. Give you grace in the midst of a difficult situation.
Psalm 84, 11 was the promise. But this verse Uh Romans 8.32 was why I turned from a path that was wrong. Got on the exit ramp of repentance and turned around and got on God's path. I was uh in college. And as uh had been a Christian about three years and I was uh I knew Jesus was Lord, but he wasn't my Lord.
I knew I was in a relationship that was wrong and I couldn't trust God. and a young couple that had been a Christian about nine months or a year. It was a small school, three or four thousand, out in the middle of nowhere. Didn't had like a red church, a white church, and a bar, not even a gas station. And you couldn't get anything decent to eat.
So when you're a college student and a young couple says, would you like to come to our house for dinner? It's like, yes. And so uh we uh I'll never forget it. And so they were new Christians, and looking back, they were very poor and they had a little farm. I mean, picture Norman Rockwell, old barn, you know, reddish.
Rusted door, white farmhouse, very simple. I think it's cool and vintage now, but remember the tables that are plastic on top and with the curved legs that are steel, and then when you sat on the thing, you stuck to them? They didn't have doors. They took a little wire and they put a sheet. Because they didn't have doors for I think they only had like two two three rooms in the house And they invited me over in a home-cooked meal.
And of course, they had a garden. And they were really old, like 28 or 30. You know, like when you're 19, they're completely over. I mean, there's still romance, people that old, you know, and uh. And we talked around the table.
And I watched how these two people looked at each other. And there was this this gleam and this love and she just reached over and kind of touched his hand and Okay. Like a married couple, really, really in love. And then he said, Excuse me, we're gonna have. Ice cream and you know, apple pie that she's made, and we'll be right back.
But we were doing something new with our kids, and they had like a Five-year-old, four-year-old, maybe a two-year-old. And so they went over, and you know, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, but it's a sheet, you know. And so you could sort of see through the sheet in a little single bed, and all four of them got down like this, and they all held hands, and they taught the little kids a tiny little prayer. Do you choose this? Thank you for today.
Thank you for mommy. Thank you for daddy. Thank you that you died for us. And then the husband prayed, and you know, it was, you know, not all that long. And then they came back in and.
They sat down at the table and I had great apple pie and Had a green little Volkswagen at the time, and the roads are real windy in West Virginia, so I came to. Yeah. it was called Bartell Hill and it was just straight down and I lived in The Dorm Bartel. And I can still remember I was having a talk with God. God, that's what I want.
I mean, that's what I really want someday. And I just heard the Holy Spirit whisper, Chip, I'd love to give you that, but it's on my terms, not yours. And um And I said, well, I just... I just can't believe that if I give up this girl that you have someone better for me. And I was with a group that was big into scripture memory, but I was not very big at sticking with the group.
So I was slow. But I just started memorizing scripture. And Romans 8:32, as I'm in the middle of that hill, came to my mind. I mean, just like out of the blue, I didn't know the Holy Spirit did this stuff. Chip.
He that spared not his own son. But delivered him up for us all, how will he not with him? Freely give us all things. And you know, I don't know why, intellectually it went. Oh.
So you're willing to die for me, you could actually get me the right wife? And I got to the bottom of the hill and Jesus was the Lord of my life. Not because I was stronger, not because I made some big commitment. It's because God is good. There's three very specific responses.
And we'll wrap up our time. Response number one. Is for those of you who have an intellectual relationship with God, but the fact of the matter is: if I ask you, do you know for certain that if you died today, you would spend eternity with the Lord Jesus because of His Death on the cross and you receiving that free gift of God? And is He a vital living part of your life? You just, you know, just you and me with coffee, you look me in the eye and go, nah.
I'm not sure. I don't know. This is for you. Repent. and received the greatest gift ever of eternal life.
Romans 2:4 says that it is God's kindness and his goodness, his forbearance and patience. It leads us to repentance. God has been so good and so kind and done so much in your life. It's all been to say, Would you come and let me give you the best gift ever? You can't earn it.
I want to forgive your sin. I want to come into your life and I want to change your life and I want you to become my son or my daughter. And if you have never done that right now, I would just turn Ingram off because what he says doesn't matter. And in my heart of hearts, I would say, Almighty God, I had no idea you were so good. I had no idea you loved me so much.
I want to turn from my sin, and in the empty hands of faith, I ask you to forgive me based on Jesus' work on the cross and resurrection and come into my life right now. And he will. And then tell someone. And we'll help you get on the new path. Second is surrender your life and future fully to the Lordship of Christ.
This is God's will. God's will is not you're a little bit better moral person and you try really hard and go to religious services. God's will is that I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy. rooted in his goodness. that you offer your body as a living and holy sacrifice pleasing to God.
That is your spiritual service of worship. What God wants is not your money. What God wants is not your religious activity. He wants you. Lock, stock, and barrel.
He wants you. And what that will do is that will reorient your time, it'll reorient your life, it'll reorient your money, but it will be out of a love relationship, not trying to earn this favor. If you've never fully surrendered, He brought you on this day from your heart of hearts to bow your knee and say, Lord, I want to tell you, I'm afraid. But on this day, at this place, I offer myself all that I am, all that I have, all that I ever be. You have full rights to my life.
I'm signing the bottom of a check. I'm ushering it underneath the throne room of God. You fill on the top. Whatever. Time, energy, money, future, location.
You call the shots. And I'll obey because it's the best and wisest plan. Because you love me, you're good, you're all-knowing, and you're all-wise. And finally, I would just encourage those of you who say, you know, I'm a believer and I've surrendered. Claim God's promise that you'll never miss out in on any good thing.
'Cause you lose it, don't you? Just because you've surrendered doesn't mean you don't fear that you're going to miss out. that you aren't tempted. Claim today. Lord God.
You are my son, you are my shield, you're my grace, you're my glory. No good thing. Ever. Will I miss out on? as I walk uprightly before you.
Before we go any farther today, I want you to pause. I don't care what you're doing. You might be on the treadmill, you might be sitting at the kitchen table, you might be out running, you might be riding in your car, but you need to pause right now and think about what the scripture, what God just said. If you find yourself as Outside of Christ. And what I mean by that is, you do not have 100% certainty that if you would die at this moment, you would be ushered into heaven.
You realize that God has been good, He's been kind, He's been speaking to your heart, and you've never turned from your sin and received Him as your Savior. You need to do that right now. It is the kindness, the goodness of God that leads to this change of mind. He loves you so much. He died for you, He rose from the dead.
He has a gift for you that begins this minute on this day of a brand new life. And so, let me, just, if you have not done that and you're not sure how, right now with me, pray this: Lord Jesus, I need you. I believe to day that you died in my place for my sin, and rose from the dead. Lord, I trust in you and you alone for eternal life, and I ask you to come into my life, cleanse me. Forgive me.
Make me your son, make me your daughter. What I want you to know is that is called being born a second time or being born spiritually, or you may have heard being born again. Just like every person requires a physical birth to have physical life, every person requires a spiritual birth to have spiritual life. And I've just led you in a prayer of repentance where Jesus promised that as you open the door of your heart, He promises, I will come in.
Well, if you just prayed to receive Christ with CHIP, we have a free resource we'd like to put in your hands that was uniquely created for new believers. This tool will help you understand what it means to trust in Jesus and what to do next. Request this free resource by calling 888-333-6003 or by visiting livingonthege.org then clicking the New Believers button. That's livingontheedge.org or call 888-333-6003. Let us help you get started in your faith journey.
Now, Chip, I wanted to give you another minute or so to talk to another group of people who listened intently to what you taught today. Dave, I appreciate that. I also want to say a word to many, many of you who thought to yourself, well, I've taken that step. Christ lives in me. And when I talked about his lordship, When I talked about absolute surrender, You know what?
There's a job or a person or a girlfriend or a boyfriend or money or the future, and God brought things to your mind. And I will tell you that the dramatic, dramatic change that happens And followers of Christ is when they come to God and say, I really do believe you're a son and a shield. I really believe you give grace and glory, and I so believe you would never withhold any good thing from me. I want you to know that today, all that I am, all that I have, I surrender. And I mean it.
And if you're not a little afraid, then you don't get it, okay? We're all a little afraid. But I just got to tell you, I've watched people who've been Christian five years, 10 years, 25 years never surrender. And when they do, the floodgates of heaven open. They experience power like never before.
And usually some difficulty early on. You'll get tested. We love you. God loves you. Surrender to Him today.
Incredible encouragement, Chip.
So if you're looking for some practical help to recommit your life to Jesus, check out Chip's book, True Spirituality. Through this resource, he walks through Romans chapter 12, unpacking how to become a genuine follower of Christ. To get your copy of True Spirituality, or to order a couple of copies for you and a friend to go through together, go to special offers at livingonthege.org or the Chip Ingram app. If you are ready to completely surrender your life to Jesus, this tool will help you.
Well, from all of us here, I'm Dave Druy, thanking you for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge, and I hope you'll join us again next time.
