Keep Pressing Ahead - Facing Internal Opposition, Part 2

Is there strife in an important relationship in your life, maybe at home, maybe at work, maybe even at church, maybe it's in your small group? How do you deal with disunity? How do you resolve it? You know in your heart God wants you to step up and do something and address it.

But the fact is you don't know how. Stay with me. That's today. Chip Ingram, Living on the Edges of international teaching and discipleship ministry, motivating Christians to live like Christians. Well in just a minute we'll continue our series, Keep Pressing Ahead, with the second half of Chip's talk, Facing Internal Opposition. Last time he talked about why betrayal is so painful. Today Chip will give us some guidance to handle this emotional offense and reveal that it's even possible to repair the trust in a broken relationship.

Well there's a lot to get to so go in your Bibles to Nehemiah chapter 5. Chip begins by looking at how Nehemiah handled personal betrayal and what we can learn from him. But notice the second thing he does. It's thoughtful confrontation. He doesn't go off.

He doesn't just start screaming. He consults with himself, he evaluates the situation, and there's thoughtful confrontation. Now if you're thinking to yourself, now I've got a pretty significant issue and here what it is and it's in my family and it's really exactly what you talked about but I don't know how to address it. I mean I'm not sure exactly what I should do.

And let me give you the basics here. You can study it for yourself but Matthew chapter 18 verses 15 to 17, just watch the progression. Because what we tend to do when something like this happens is we go to someone else and start talking about it instead of here's the biblical process for thoughtful confrontation. If your brother or sister sins, and they can be inside your home, they can be in your small group, they can be in the church, but if a brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you've won them over. But if they will not listen, step two. Take one or two others along so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church, the idea to the church leadership. And if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

Doesn't mean you don't love them but you're not going to afford the same fellowship and relationship that you would with a brother, sister, and Christ. The third thing that happens is public accountability. You notice that they respond and then he doesn't just say, okay, I've addressed the issue, I was really mad, I thought about what to do. But then he says there's got to be a follow through, there's got to be a plan so that what we're talking about now, because what happens in every situation?

It just slides back to the way it used to be. So follow along if you will and notice what he does after they say, okay, we will do exactly what you say. Verse 12, second half. Then I summoned the priests and I made the nobles and the officials take an oath to do what they promised.

In other words, he went public, he calls an assembly, he says we're going to look at this, there's going to be public accountability. And then he calls the priests, he says, priests, you represent God, nobles, you've been loan sharking, right? You took these people's land, yeah, you took their kids, yeah, you did this, you did, okay, right, ready?

You said that you would stop it. Take an oath right now before God in the presence of these priests. And it says, I also shook out the folds of my robe and I said, in this way may God shake out his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. So may such a man be shaken out and emptied. At this the whole assembly said amen and praise the Lord and the people did as they promised.

Now what you need to understand about the culture here is in the front folds of your robe you would keep your personal possessions. And so Nehemiah makes him take an oath and there's a large group and I mean they're on the spot, he's telling it like it is, he's using the moral authority that God's given him. And then he unfolds his and his personal stuff falls on the ground and basically it's a curse. May God do to you, just like all my personal stuff and all, may he take every aspect of your life and I mean cause it to roll to the ground if you don't keep your promise. And so he publicly charges them, he has them verbalize what they're gonna do, he gets people on a follow-up plan.

And so what he does is he provides public accountability to move forward. Now what's this got to do with us? 1 Timothy 5 verse 19 says, Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it's brought by two or three witnesses. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone so that others may take warning. All I want you to see is even in the New Testament, when there's issues where it's, this isn't gray areas, this isn't my opinion versus your opinion. This is when in the church people violate the clear truth of God's word.

And when they violate it, this is someone with the courage who does it lovingly, kindly, under control, but says that behavior or that attitude is destroying the unity. And when the unity is destroyed and we're not on the same page, the work of God gets thwarted. Can you do a little, do a little quick Bible study with me, are you ready? Open up to Exodus chapter 22, okay? Go backwards, Genesis, Exodus, second book of the Bible. Exodus chapter 22, and what I want you to get is that this guy is not just like going off.

Like, you know what, I kind of like you didn't do that. What he's realizing is these Jewish nobles, leaders, and wealthy people are in such violation of the truth of God's word. Exodus chapter 22, skim down to verse 25, and it talks about how Jewish brothers in God's economy are supposed to handle lending money. If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you're not to act as a creditor to him. You're not to charge him interest.

That's pretty clear, isn't it? If you ever take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, you're to return it to him before the sun sets. For that is his only covering, his cloak for his body. What else shall he sleep in? And it shall come about that when he cries out to me, I will hear him, for I am gracious.

You see what he's saying? This is just often for collateral. You know, during the day if a person's really poor and you might lend him some money. What he's saying is if you take his outer garment that he used to wear during the day and cover him.

I mean, that's most people. They had enough food just for today. And this was their covering. He says, you give that back to him. Don't put him in that situation, let alone take his home, his vineyard. Now, skip over one more, if you will. Skip over to Leviticus chapter 25.

Okay, next book. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus. Again, this is a book about how Jews are to treat one another under God's economy. Skip down to verse 36, and now we're going to talk about interest and attitude and the poor. And this is what God says.

This is how they're supposed to live. It says, do not take interest from him, but revere God for your countrymen to live with you. You shall not give him your silver at interest, nor your food for grain. I am the Lord God who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan and to be your God. And if a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you should not subject him as a slave service. He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a sojourner with you until the year of Jubilee, every 50 years where everyone go back free. Are you catching the spirit?

Well, one more, one more. Deuteronomy chapter 24. Just, we're kind of making our way back to Nehemiah. What I want you to get is there are certain things that are absolutely clear. You can't have unity without truth, and you can't have truth unless it's enforced lovingly, kindly, and clearly with the courage.

And everyone has influence. This is what Nehemiah does. Pick it up in verse 10. When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not enter his house to take his pledge. You shall remain outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring out the pledge to you. And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. When the sun goes down, you shall surely return the pledge to him that he may sleep in his own cloak and bless you. And notice this shift. It will be righteousness for you before the Lord your God. You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy when he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in the land of your towns.

Now, would you say that's a pretty clear rendition of what they're supposed to do, and they're doing just the opposite? Let me apply this first in a really big picture of how important this is and what happens when we don't do this. And I'm going to do a historical one, then a personal one. Historically, move the clock back about 70, 80 years.

It was about a 20, 25 year swing, but started in the 20s, 30s, went into the 40s. And there was a big, big debate, and the big, big debate, existentialism was coming on the scene, but it wasn't public yet. Nietzsche was writing some things. John Paul Sartre came along later. Dewey talked about pragmatism, and under his pragmatism, he began to talk about, you know, if it works, don't worry about whether things are true.

Later situational ethics would grow out of this. But at higher German criticism, what occurred in the major denominations, I mean the ones that Wesley started and Zwingli started and Calvin started, and all the major denominations 70 or 80 years ago, if you would walk to any single one of those and say, this is God's word, everyone agreed. You need to have a personal relationship with Christ, everyone agreed.

Mary was a virgin, everyone agreed. Heaven's real, hell's real, God loves people, Jesus was fully God, fully man, everyone agreed. And then, through the German higher criticisms who begin to teach our seminary students, and then our seminary students started going out, about 5% of those major denominations begin to teach that, you know, the Bible, I don't really think that's really true or not, the first 12 chapters of Genesis are probably myth, Jesus was a good teacher, but I don't know, and pretty soon a very elaborate scheme to undermine what God said. And in the name of love, in the name of peace at any price, in the name of who am I to judge anyone, about 5% turned over a period of the next several decades. Many of those major denominations that love God, loved his word, into places where you can't even recognize what the Bible teaches. In fact, moral issues that are black and white to non-Christians, they are now adopting and saying it's fine.

And here's the reason, there wasn't a Nehemiah. Or if there was, it's called the fundamentalist controversy. And all the fundamentalists were, that has become a negative word in most connotations, is they were saying, no, we have to hold in the Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Episcopal Church, the Congregational Church, we need to hold to the fundamentals of the faith, but often the way they said it, and how they said it, was so antagonistic that it alienated people.

And so it's not just confronting, there needs to be thoughtful consideration. It's not just that you're angry about things that are being done, but you need to be angry without sin, there needs to be gentleness and strength and winsomeness. And all I can tell you right now is that the decline of the major denominations that held to God's word 60 to 80 years ago is just astronomical. Closing their doors all around the country and all around the world. Because they don't have a message.

As one man said, you know, if you're a liberal pastor, you don't believe in the Bible, you don't believe in the little heaven, you don't believe Jesus is God, you don't believe there's really any hope. When you sit next to someone who's dying of cancer, be nice. It's going to be a great world. Let's just be kind. I will tell you, there's no message for people dying. There's no message for how to live.

Second area that plays out is more local. And this is one that, you know, if you want to email me, you can. Prefer you don't. But I've been doing this about 30 years. And this is with parents, Christian leaders, missionaries, smart people, high caliber business people. And I watch them, there's a little journey when their kids get in preteens and teenage years. And they start this attraction and they'll get connected to an unbeliever. And they'll begin to either date and enter into a pretty deep emotional relationship with someone who's not a follower of Christ.

And I mean, I've had these conversations in Hong Kong, Korea, South America, all over with good friends. And they'll say something like, well, you know what, you know, I know they're not a Christian. And I know that my daughter's heart is moving this way and that way it's probably just a phase they're going through. But I'm really afraid to set clear boundaries because if I set really clear boundaries, I'm so afraid to rebel. And I would say, you know, you don't understand, they are rebelling.

This is very clear, you want to lose your daughter or your son's heart for God? Allow them to get emotionally connected and date and begin to move in a direction. Because infatuation is the strongest drug on the face of the earth, stronger than cocaine. And when you're infatuated and feel like you're in love, I got news for you.

You can make the Bible or anybody or anything say whatever you want. And I've just watched young person after young person after young person. And I can't tell you how many of my friends 10 years later, now their kids are 24, 28, 31. And it started when they were 15. And someone needed to say, in our home, you can't be unequally yoked, I'm really sorry, this is the way it goes.

And you can hate me for three to five years, I hope it's not that long, I hope it's only 18 months. That's usually infatuation wears off about then. But this is the way it's going to be in our home. Now, I went through that with three of my four kids. One was like, you know, man, I'm not messing with dad, it's just too much pain, I'll find a different girlfriend. All right.

I had one who sneaked around and we had this and I mean, was there conflict, was it difficult, was it painful? Yes. Did he slam the door and I hate you dad and who are you?

Yes. It's really interesting now with his three kids and the way he thanks me that, you know what, boy, if I would have gone down that path. With one of my kids, it was an issue that wasn't even unbeliever. But it was so obvious that very good guy, very different, not a fit. And I remember the day that my daughter said to me, dad, what do you really think?

And we'd spent considerable time. And I remember having this knot in my stomach of saying, am I going to be truthful? Because if I am, there's going to be a wedge in our relationship. Great guy, nice guy, but you know, for some of you, you're actually the parent, you've actually lived longer, you've actually watched this child grow up and you're thinking, they're like this and this person's like this, this is not going to work. And it wasn't a forbidding.

So what do you really think? I remember saying, honey, I don't think this is going to be good. And I mean, she was just head over heels. And we had about a, I don't know, 13, 14 month window where our hearts had been so connected all the years and it was just, it was as painful as anything I've ever been through with any of my kids.

Here's what you need to understand though. There is a reason that about 85% of all of those young people who grow up in Bible teaching churches like this, four years after they get either out of high school or a couple years out of college, about 85% of them don't walk with God anymore. Worship is a heart issue. God wants your kid's heart. Satan wants to take their heart and it can be money, it can be another person, but his goal is to capture your son or daughter's heart and make them believe that success and significance and happiness and fulfillment is going to come through some other person some other way.

And when that happens, I don't mean they may never come back, but I will tell you what. Some Nehemiah mom or some Nehemiah dad needed to confront it and open up to 2 Corinthians chapter 6 and say this is what it says now. Help me understand how we apply this as a family. Now you say, well I don't think my son or daughter would really listen to me. And I'm not sure I'm ready to do something like this in a small group.

Well let's talk about why Nehemiah was so successful. Because here's where the application comes because some people have betrayed you, right? Some people in your small group have gossiped about you. Some of you had terrible relationships in churches.

Are you ready? A pastor actually lied to you. I've had Christian leaders lie to me.

I've had Christian leaders look me in the eye and give me their word and I give them my word that had to do with 6 figures and later 7 figure implications and come back and look me in the eye and say well we didn't write it down so I don't have to keep my word. So you know why I said that? Because sometimes you're the person who's offended and hurt and betrayed and there's internal conflict and guess what? Sometimes if you're really honest you're the person who's inflicting it. You're the person talking about someone else. You're the person gossiping. You're the person who's bitter.

You're the person who's causing it. See we're in God's family and no one's arrived. Let's ask ourselves, see there can't be unity. Where there's unity there's power. But unity requires truth and purity.

There's a lot of pseudo-unity. Hey man how you doing? How you doing?

Great. In the south there was a lady that told me how this works. She says in the south what you say? Love your hair, hate your guts. I said what's that mean? It means that when we're with people we always say love your hair. Everything's fine and then privately to someone else we say hate your guts. And you know what I'm fearful that a lot of the lack of power in the church of Jesus Christ.

There's a lot of us that are living little lives where when there's an issue love your hair. And then you get in the car and say boy you know I don't think that marriage is going to go anywhere. Boy they better deal with that with their daughter.

You know what I know that you know there's nothing wrong with them. Maybe a glass of wine here and there but that dude's an alcoholic. Would you tell him? Who am I to judge? A brother or sister with God's truth to judge, to bring to light, to love, to restore. That's who you are called to, commanded to.

You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. And before we continue today I want to quickly pause and say God is doing incredible work through this ministry. Right now we have team members in some of the most hostile places on the planet encouraging church leaders. We'd love to tell you more so keep listening after this message to learn how we're supporting pastors and what you can do to help us. Well with that here again is Chip. Let's find out what was it that gave Nehemiah, what gave him this power for people to respond in such a way?

Because resolving conflict takes more than know-how and skill. Listen to verses 14 to 19 and then I'll just summarize what he does. Moreover from the 20th year of King Artaxerxes when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah until the 32nd year, 12 years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted for the governor. So he had an expense account. He was the governor for 12 years and he said I actually didn't use my own expense account that I could have charged. But the earlier governors, those preceding me, placed a heavy burden on the people. And they took 40 shekels of silver from them in addition to the food and the wine.

And their assistance also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead I devoted myself to the work on the wall. In other words he actually did it. He rolled up in sleeves.

He modeled it. All of my men were assembled there for the work. And we didn't acquire any land.

I didn't use my position to get financial gain. Furthermore 150 Jews and officials ate at my table as well as all those who came from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me.

And every 10 days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this I never demanded the food allotted to the governor because the demands were heavy on these people. Because his role, he's a dignitary, he's a diplomat, he's the governor. He had people come every day, about 150 for lunch or dinner or something. And he said I can tax the people, that's my right, but out of my own pocket I did it.

Because they can't handle it. And then notice where his focus is, he says, here's a prayer, remember me with favor, oh my God, for all I have done for these people. That's why he had courage.

Now in your notes here's what I want you to get. Why was he so effective? Just jot down his example. He walked his talk. For 12 years, doesn't demand his rights.

When you got up in the morning, there's Nehemiah, he's still got his clothes on. When you worked on a wall, there he is, he's working on the wall. When you needed money, he lent you money, but he didn't charge you interest. So there's moral authority when you live out. By the way, some of you are thinking I need to talk to one of my kids, some of you, before you talk to your kids, you better talk to God.

Because when you say to them, honey, this is what you need to do, you're going to hear, or at least see in their eyes, well mom or dad, how come you're not doing this? So for some of us, the first application is not what we say, is we need to walk our own talk. The second thing that gave him moral authority was his courage. He cared enough to confront. He got mad, but he got mad under control. He didn't compromise, that's what's killing us. It's killing families, it kills denominations, it kills small groups, it kills people in the workplace.

You're a follower of Christ, don't compromise. Third, his love. The people matter to him. Well, how much? Well, if I would look at the P&L statement for Nehemiah, Nehemiah, where's your money going?

Because that always tells you where your heart is. Well, out of his own pocket for 12 years, here's the money. I paid for this, I handled that, I made some loans.

Where your time goes, and where your money goes, and where your energy goes, you can think whatever you want about what matters, that's what matters. Nehemiah loved people. And he loved them not to the point where he did a little something that made him appear that he was loving. He did things that cost.

Finally, his integrity. He feared God. Life verse for me on this one is Proverbs 29, 25. The fear of man is a snare. I mean, if it's any help for you, when I come to a passage like this, these are not like my favorite passages.

I like passages like, God loves everyone. Everyone today, we're going to get a popsicle together. And here's the deal.

We either skim over one of these, or we talk about it like this. This is what Nehemiah did, and that's important back then, but we never get down to what it means today. God wants you to change. He wants me to change.

And he's given you his word, and his spirit, and he wants you to be a Nehemiah in your world. That's how your home's going to change. That's how your small group is going to change. People in all those companies living the life, and appropriately, wisely, at the right time, with no sense of self-righteousness, speaking the truth in love, and saying it in such a way where the people at work go, it's kind of hard to argue with a guy who comes in early, treats people well, he's generous, tell you what, she's faithful.

I mean, I know he's one of those Christian-type people, but if we had 100 of those working here, we'd be like 100 X on our profit, and you have moral authority. And we're all afraid. We're all people pleasers to some level.

But at the end of the day, Nehemiah said, you know, I'd rather be afraid of God and not doing what he wants me to do than afraid of what people think. And so in summary, the leverage of your life is what gives weight to your words. It's your life.

And by the way, perfection, absolutely not. But your life, your authenticity. When your kids hear you say, I blew it. This came out of my mouth. I had an outburst in anger. When you walked in, you know what, I was watching something that I wouldn't let you watch, and I shouldn't be watching. I'm sorry. I told God I'm sorry. You know what that does?

That gives you credibility. You live it out. And something happens in the heart and the soul of your children and your friends and the people in your small group. As you blaze a trail and you're a Nehemiah, we spur one another onto love and good works, and other people realize, I want to be like you. I want to walk with God like you.

It's contagious. That's how great things get done. This is the last prayer on earth of Jesus. And he says, Father, this is my prayer, that these followers of mine could be one even as we are one. I want people to hear, not just these present disciples or followers, but the disciples that will hear and believe from them, which is all of us in the last 2,000 years, I long for them to have a unity and a connectedness and an authenticity with one another, that when they see how they treat one another and how truthful they are and how pure they are and how authentic they are, they will then know that the Father has sent me. And so, Father, I know it requires courage.

I know that as your Spirit speaks, there's people going, oh, my lands, what does this mean? What do I need to do? And so before we move on, can I just ask you to stop? Stop in your tracks and just ask the Spirit of God to whisper clearly, what's my next step? Tell Him you want to obey. Accept His forgiveness.

Ask for courage. You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and the message you just heard, Facing Internal Opposition, is from our series Keep Pressing Ahead. Chip will join us in studio to share some insights from today's talk in just a minute. The Bible teaches that followers of Jesus are more than conquerors.

But when we're really suffering or struggling with something, that idea can sound like religious mumbo jumbo. In this series, Chip's going to change our perspective toward hardship by examining the life of Nehemiah. Discover where adversity comes from and what we can do when our most challenging circumstances threaten to pull us under. If you've missed any part of Chip's teaching, catch up anytime on the Chip Ingram app.

Well, Chip joins me in studio now with a really important word. Before I share some application about today's message, I want to talk to you about something that is very near and very dear to my heart. We have an incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of pastors that are on the front lines, not just here in the U.S., but most particularly globally. God did something through Living on the Edge that we never expected, but in the midst of the pandemic and then coming out of it. In the last 18 to 24 months, we have helped pastors all across the world. By God's grace, over a million pastors we were able to help in China, tens of thousands of pastors in India where churches are being burned, 30 cities in Mexico, and I could go on and on.

But that's the tip of the iceberg. The needs are unbelievable, and the Lord has opened a door for us to help them. Here's my request. Will you partner with us at a gift of $50 a month that will allow 60 pastors to literally be trained in the art of survival? It started out as just a little three-part message, and then it became a booklet and videos that were translated in 27 languages, and we went to villages in Kenya, in Malawi, South America, and then we had these pastors in groups, and what we saw was tears and weeping and encouragement and pastors who said, We won't give up.

We will consider it all joy. As for God's wisdom, we're going to lead our churches forward, and our dream is to equip an additional 60,000 pastors in the art of survival, helping them through the toughest times so they can take that to their church. Would you really pray and ask God if he would have you give $50 a month and become a monthly partner to Living on the Edge? There are people that are hurting, and you can make a difference.

Thanks so much. Thanks, Chip. If you're feeling called to partner with us in this meaningful work, go to LivingOnTheEdge.org or the Chip Ingram app. Your monthly gift of $50 will help us support 60 pastors for an entire year as we aim to reach 60,000 more pastors in 2024.

To join us, go to LivingOnTheEdge.org or the Chip Ingram app today, and thanks in advance for your generosity. Well, here again is Chip to wrap up this program with an insightful question. Why was Nehemiah so effective? And he was effective because of his example.

I mean, he walked his talk. It was his courage. He cared enough to confront.

And it's interesting. It was his love. People really mattered. He cared about the people that were getting ripped off. And finally, it was his integrity. He feared God.

And those were the outline points. But the fact of the matter is, at least in my life, it's not knowing those things intellectually that drives me to confront a situation that I know needs to be addressed. And so what I want to talk with you about is, I can only imagine there's probably a number of issues that probably need to be addressed that most of us won't do unless we get over two hurdles.

Hurdle number one, who am I to say anything to them? My life is pretty messed up myself, okay? I can't say, you know, their marriage is drifting for sure, you know, he's a good buddy and I know he's drinking too much now, or I've got this situation where those parents, man, that kid's going to rebel because of how they're treating her, but, I mean, who am I to say anything? Let me address that. You don't have to be perfect.

You need to own your stuff, you need to address whatever you need to address, but you need to go to someone with a humble, gentle attitude and say, you know what, I've got a lot to work on and this is just my perspective, but I'm really concerned about you. You know, I mean, having a beer now and then is one thing, or a glass of wine after a meal, but I've known you for a long time and I'm watching a progressive pattern of alcohol that really scares me, or I'm watching your facial expressions and sort of what's happening with you and your wife. I sense a big drift. Am I right here?

I'm your friend. So if you'll own and say I don't have it together and you go with sort of this, I really care about you, I'm not saying they're always going to respond positively, but I will tell you that you can't not go just because your life doesn't have it all together, because your life's never going to have it all together. The other issue is you feel like I don't know how. That's the second hurdle. I just don't know exactly what I would do.

Let me just challenge that. I think the deeper issue is, do you care enough about this person that you're willing to do what Nehemiah did, and that's face the rejection of someone that you want to like you. And it might be a family member, it might be a coworker, it might be somebody at church or in your small group, and you can do this well, and there's the notes that I've given you here in following Matthew chapter 18.

The content about how to do it is one thing, but let me tell you this. At the heart of it is, do you care enough about this person to confront them with gentleness and with grace, but with the truth? The people in my life that I look back on and say, they love me, they love me, they love me, and they changed the course of my life were people who told me things I didn't want to hear, who pointed out things that were going to take me in places that would be very, very harmful and negative if they didn't care enough to confront me.

Now, I'd love to say that I just responded positively at first to all of them, I didn't. But I will tell you as I look back, and shortly after, I did, the people who love deeply care enough to confront. Who has God put on your mind right now that you need to lovingly, gently get a cup of coffee and with a kind voice say, you know, I'm pretty concerned about something about your life and this is what it is. Make the appointment, do it today, cause unity to flourish in the body of Christ.

Love them enough to tell them the truth. Great challenge, Chip. As we close, are you looking to get even more plugged in with Living on the Edge and our resources? Then let me encourage you to check out the Chip Ingram app. You can listen to our most recent series, sign up for daily discipleship, and more. We want to help you grow in your walk with Jesus, and the Chip Ingram app is a great way to immerse yourself in Godly, enriching content. Well, until next time, this is Dave Drewy saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge. .