Living on the Edge

Chip Ingram: Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, current research tells us that generous people are happier, have a stronger immune system, and have more positive, life-giving relationships. So it begs the question, how can we become more generous? That's today. Stay with me.

Dave Drury: I'm Dave Druy, and here's a surprising statistic. If you surveyed 10 people at random and asked whether they considered themselves generous, eight of them would say yes. But Chip Ingram says the numbers tell a very different story, even amongst Christians. Today on Living on the Edge, Chip names the real barriers keeping most believers from the generous life God's designed for them, and he'll give you the first practical steps to break through.

And just ahead, he'll also share something about today being the final day of our mid-year match. So stay with us through the end of the program. Well, here's Chip Ingram with his message, Understanding the Journey.

Chip Ingram: Do you know of all the Christians in America that 50% of all Christians give nothing to their church, give nothing to any charitable cause? Of all the Christians in America. Only 3 to 5% give what's called a tithe or 10% of their income. Think of that.

And that presents a problem because if we think we're generous, but we're really not, then we're not sort of asking God to help us be more generous or learning how to be generous, correct? So we're going to go on a journey of generosity. And some of you just lighten up, okay? There's no big ask coming. There's no big project coming. You know what I want you to get? I want you to experience the joy of generosity. Because generous people change the world.

So if you want to learn to be generous, this is, if you're expecting a guilt trip and a lot of statistics, get with the program, and why don't you give more? Sorry. I want you to learn how to experience generosity, and it just gets birthed inside your heart, where you'll get so excited, you'll start saying, you know, are we going overboard on this? And what you'll learn is you can't go overboard.

So how, how do you become more generous? Here's our first steps toward living a generous life. Number one, recognize it's a journey. You know, if you wanted to be a classical guitar player, a great athlete, no one went from putting on the skates to doing one of those dances. No one just put on some skis and then went like 7 million miles up in the air and landed. You know, it's a journey.

So what I want you to really think about is, what would it look like for you personally to say, wherever you're at on a scale of one to 10 or one to 100, if I'm here, what would it look like to move toward becoming more generous? And you might even at this moment whisper, God, I'd like to be more generous. Would you help me be more generous? Second, reevaluate your view of God.

This is where it all really begins. In Exodus 32, after all God's grace, deliverance, Moses goes up to get the Ten Commandments and they get Aaron to build a golden calf and they're worshiping a golden calf. Moses comes down, takes care of the situation. And then in chapter 33, he has this personal talk with God and says, you know, if we're going to keep going, you got to go with me. If you're not going to go with me, I don't want to go. And he stands in the gap for the Israelites and they're forgiven.

And then he's seen God's power. He's seen the Red Sea. He's seen the fire at night and the cloud by day. He's seen manna come out. I mean, he's seen all these miracles, but his big prayer is, show me your glory. I want to know you as you really are. And in chapter 33, God says, no man can see my face and live. But here's what I'm going to do. I'll pass by and I'll let you get a glimpse. I'll let all my goodness pass before you. It's a very interesting Hebrew word. And J. I. Packer has a great observation. He says, within the cluster of God's moral perfections, there is one in particular to which the term goodness points. The quality which God especially singled out from the whole when proclaiming all his goodness to Moses, he spoke of himself as abundant in goodness and truth. This is the quality of, are you ready? Generosity.

Packer says that generosity expresses the simple wish that others would have what they need to make them happy. Could you even for a moment fathom what would happen if when you thought about God, you thought he's generous, and he would like you to have what would make you happy, that he's for you? He's not down on you, that it's not a transaction, it's if you do this, he'll do that. He loves you.

And then he introduces himself. It's really interesting. He introduces himself to Moses. He says, the Lord, the Lord, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Do you realize that little phrase in chapter 34 is repeated 13 different times either directly eight or paraphrased another five? So what's God really like? The Lord, the Lord. He's compassionate. It's a word of he feels what you feel and he wants to bond with you. He's gracious. It means he just wants to give, not because you've done anything, but just because there's something in him. He's compassionate and gracious. Contrary to popular belief, he's not angry. He's slow to anger. The word literally means it takes something for a long, long time to heat up.

He's so patient with you. He's kind, he's generous, he's faithful. If you and I would begin to see and understand who God is, we would just be humbled by his generosity toward you. In Abraham's life in Genesis 12:1-3, he calls this man out to leave. And it says he obeyed him and he followed and he doesn't know where he was going. And then this is God's promise.

The Lord said to Abraham, leave your country, your people, and your father's house and go to the land that I will show you. By the way, generosity, sometime means leaving your country, your people, and your family. It's positioning yourself in obedience. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse. And all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you. There's only three verses and the word bless or blessed comes five times.

Who is Abraham? He's the father of the faith. God wants us to trust him. Are you ready for this? As you trust him with your time, trust him with your future, trust him with your relationships, trust him at work, trust him with your money. Here's the God that you serve. He wants to bless you. He wants to do good. You know, some of you are parents, right? Don't you kind of feel happy inside when your kids are doing well? Don't you at times wish you had a little bit more energy or time or money or, you know, there's something on their heart that you would want to give them? Where do you think you get that?

That's how God feels about you. He longs to bless you. God is a blesser and he's eager to bless your life. Write that down, will you? He's a blesser. He wants to bless your life. And by the way, don't read into that, you know, you're going to get a G5 tomorrow. Are you going to own three houses? He wants to bless your life. You know what he knows about you? Everything. And you know what someone who knows everything? He knows what will bring the greatest, deepest joy for the longest possible time.

And if it were a thing, he'll probably give you a thing. But if things filled you up, then the richest people in the world would be the happiest. Unfortunately, they're not. Summary, we do not own or deserve, write the word, anything. The beginning step of really becoming generous is sort of a coin with two sides. One side of the coin is God wants to bless me. The other side of the coin is he owns everything. So when he's asking us to be generous with time, who gave you the time? When he's asking us to be generous with our money, guess what? Get the word 'our' out of it. It's not yours. It's his.

So all this stuff about percentages, if you give 20%, 30%, 40%, guess what? God owns it all and he holds us responsible for all of it. What he wants you to know is, it's an amazing thing that switches when you say, you know what? I don't own anything. Are you ready for this? Anti-entitlement. You don't deserve anything. And neither do I.

Dave Drury: You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We'll have more in just a moment. This month, Living on the Edge is participating in a special mid-year match. Every dollar given in June is being matched one for one by a group of generous partners who want to see this ministry go further. Your gift doesn't just help, it's doubled the moment it arrives. You can get all the details at livingontheedge.org. And stick around, Chip will share more about it before we're done today. Right now, back to the message.

Chip Ingram: See, we act like, I deserve this. I worked hard. Well, who gave you the job? Well, you know, I thought this through. Well, who gave you the brain? I mean, you know, we can go there. I got you, right? I got you. In fact, the Apostle Paul says, what do you have that you haven't received? I'm not telling you that you haven't worked hard. I'm not telling you haven't applied yourself. But I'm telling you there's a sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful God who has created every blessing, every good and perfect gift, James would say. Don't be deceived. Every good and perfect gift comes from above.

That's where it comes from. From the Father of Lights, with whom there's no variation or shifting shadow. In other words, he doesn't change. And in the Old Testament, he says it the same way. The Lord God, Psalm 84:11, the Lord God is a sun and a shield, unlimited provider and protector. The Lord gives grace and glory. In other words, what we don't deserve, and he wants to lift us up. And verse that last part, no good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly.

The challenge is walking uprightly. The challenge is aligning our lives in such a way, most Christians' lives, unfortunately, you're not blessable. You're not blessable. You got all these, you know, imagine, remember when we were kids and we did fights, and someone would get a squirt gun out and then someone would get the hose. And what was the only way to stop the person with the hose, right? You got down and you picked up the hose and you crinked it, right?

So many Christians, your your hose. God wants to pour blessing into your life and your hose, it's crinked. And it's with selfishness or with an addiction or with an unforgiving attitude or your finances are just, you know, and in moments of weakness, and sometimes it was just ignorance, but you got all this debt. There's just all kind of things that have happened, and your heavenly Father goes, I want to bless you. So we're going to go on a journey to position yourself so you can receive what God wants to give you. And when he gives it to you, he wants you to recognize, oh, by the way, this really is yours and you can keep passing it on.

What keeps us from living generously? I've alluded to a couple, but first and foremost, human nature, right? We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. You know, I I have a number of small little grandchildren. No one had to teach them. That's mine, right? And we get sophisticated, but that same that's mine is in your heart and mine. And so it's hard to be generous. The second reason is I just call it delusional thinking.

I mean, we just, because we sort of we always compare like this. We always compare like, well, this this person is sort of an axe murderer and I haven't killed anyone. I must be a pretty nice person. You know, or, you know, I'm I'm I give a dollar. I helped a homeless person once or I I smile. Instead of, wait a second. Are you giving the first and the best of your time to the Lord? Is your antenna up? And do you find yourself giving kind words, kind thoughts? Do you find yourself secretly providing for people? And whether it's food or whether it's money.

I I used to say this and there was always a little edge, you know, pastors are people too, so we do stuff that's not that great. And I had a message that I used to speak a number of years ago on giving. And when I really wanted to bring it home, I really wanted to kind of zing it to you because it frustrates me because I know what you're missing. And then part of it it just frustrates me. And so I would say something like this. You ready ready for the zinger and I'll tell you the switch of motives.

I would say, the average Christian is far more committed to making sure they leave 10 or 15 or 20% at a table to a waiter or a waitress than they are to the God that died and rose from the dead for them. How many times have you gone out to dinner at a decent place and just stiffed the waiter or waitress? Ain't giving you anything. None. Right? I I I bet there's not a hand that would go up. And then I and so that really made a point because I thought, wow, that'll help. It never has. But why?

You know why? Because you get to know them as they're serving you, and you're thinking partly, what would they think? By the way, Christians by and large, I've noticed some waiters and waitresses. Sunday afternoons, it's terrible. Yeah, they come in, they bow their head, they pray, and they're the worst tippers. That's not a good testimony. But what I realize is when you get to know that person, what you realize that tip is going to an actual person. They have eyes, they have hair. You might find out, you know, she has a little girl. You might find out that he's in school. And see, what I think has happened with giving in church, somehow you think it's like some law that God brought down. When you give, you give to a person. You give to Jesus. Giving is a love action. And I think the reason we don't stiff waitresses and waiters is because it's a real person. And somehow we think God's the force.

He's a real person with feelings. And he wants us to give for our benefit and so that we can help others. I think the biggest one, however, is I'll just call it irrational fear. I mean, it's just irrational. And it goes like this. If I give, and let's let's get to the heart. Some of you feel better about time, which is really harder to give than money, but, you know, if you're not doing well with money, time's even harder. So, here, think of the logic.

God, I know that you're going to provide my salvation. And when I die, I believe with all my heart you've provided a way, that you've paid for my sin, you've prepared a way for me, and I know for sure I'm going to heaven. I just don't think I could live on 90 or 80 or whatever percent that you leave me. I just I just don't think you could help me pay my bills. Come on now. Really, you know, God, you can deliver me from death. God, I've seen you intervene and heal cancer. I've seen you pull a marriage back together. I've seen you take one of my kids and turn them around. I've seen you do things at work I never dreamed. But I really don't think you could give me enough money to pay for the groceries.

It's just irrational, and the enemy plays on it. And finally, this is, you know, we get the ugly stuff out of the way. We are people and sometimes it's just greed and pride. Just greed and pride. No one is immune. But notice, living generously requires wisdom, honesty, practice, faith, and humility.

And I didn't just pick those words out. You need wisdom to understand it's human nature. You need honesty to overcome your delusional thinking. You need practice because some people, you just don't know the Bible. You're not it's not a bad person. I didn't know the Bible taught this. And then you need faith to overcome your irrational fears. And then humility. At the heart of giving, it always starts with humility. You've given this to me, and I'm going to trust and I want to share this time, this word, this thought, this influence with someone else.

Let me give you some action steps. How do you become more generous? One, take daily baby steps with words, thought, time, stuff, money. And can I encourage you, record them? I don't care if you've never done a journal. Just get a little spiral notebook at least for 30 days. I mean, you don't have to write but three or four lines. But take a baby step. I'm going to say positive words to the people at work. I'm going to just you know, I'm going to look for one person to help. I'm going to take an extra $5. I don't care what you do. Do something and then write down. Second, celebrate daily God's blessings and record them.

So I think I think God does all kind of things and we don't we just don't recognize it. I mean, just sit up in bed, turn on that little light and you only have to write two or three lines, but just what where did God bless me today? And just I mean, if you don't like to write it out, bullet point, bullet point, bullet point. And just do it for 30 days. I'm telling you, your awareness of God will skyrocket. And then finally, give your first and your best portion back to God each payday.

I mean, just just say, wow, by faith. And biblically, and we're not going to get into tithing and gross and net and all that. But biblically, just 10% before the law, during the law, Jesus said something, is probably a good place to start. But but here's for some of you that might be like, you know, Mount Everest. So you might want to go for a base camp. Here's here's what would be for everyone. Give a percentage. Make make the percentage and this is between you and God. Lord, I'm going to start giving 2.5%. I'm going to give 6%. I'm going to give 7%. But do something where you begin to build a track record where you're acting on the truth at whatever level of faith you have and just see what God does. Just see what he does.

Dave Drury: You've been listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram in the conclusion of a message titled Understanding the Journey, part of our series, The Jesus Revolution, Join the Movement. Chip has a final word to share in a moment, so don't go anywhere. And by the way, you can follow Chip on Facebook and Instagram at Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. And for the full uncut version of Chip's messages, subscribe to The Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast, available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Sometimes there's a gap between what we believe and how we actually live. And Chip doesn't let us off the hook for it. You say you trust God with your eternal soul? But do you trust him with 10% of your income? You've seen him heal, intervene, and provide, but you don't believe he can help you pay for the groceries if you give first? Chip calls that what it is, irrational fear, and he gives us something better, not a guilt trip, but a starting point. Pick a percentage, any percentage, build a track record and watch what God does. And on that note of trusting God enough to give, Chip has a word for us about the mid-year match, and why today, the final day is exactly the right moment to act.

Chip Ingram: The Ethiopian official in Acts 8 had been reading the Prophet Isaiah for who knows how long. He was searching. He had questions he couldn't answer. And then Philip sat down next to him and said, do you understand what you're reading? Maybe that's you. You've been listening to these messages and something is stirring. You're not sure what to make of it, but you can't shake it. Here's what I want you to know. Those questions aren't a problem. They're an invitation. Jesus meets seekers right where they are. It reminds me of the story of one of my close friends. He's a great friend now. He was about seven or eight years ago and he's driving on I-5 in LA.

And he started listening just out of curiosity, you know, started having some kids, we probably ought to have some moral structure, kind of searching, I wonder if there's a God. And he started listening to Living on the Edge and on I-5, the Spirit of God took the word of God and jolted him. He literally pulls off the exit with tears coming down his face, recognizing that Jesus cared and loved him, and it wasn't religion that he needed, it was a relationship, and in that car, he repented, and he prayed, and he trusted Christ. And I wish I could tell you his whole story of what happened in his marriage and all three of his kids, and how it transformed his work and his company. You can see the fact of the matter is is that Jesus is always chasing you and me, and our questions and our doubts and our struggles are an invitation to lean in and say, Lord, speak to me. I really do want to know.

The Ethiopian went home transformed. He took the gospel with him to an entire continent. And if you want to help others find what you're discovering, give to the mid-year match, because every dollar will be doubled dollar for dollar, and it'll help this conversation keep going with the people that are driving right now, or on a treadmill, or have a bunch of kids in the back as you're doing a commute, and the word of God is going forth through Living on the Edge, and the Spirit of God touches one heart at a time across the nation and across the world. I'm thrilled to be a part of it, and I invite you to join us.

Dave Drury: Today is the final day of our mid-year match, and every dollar you give right now is still being doubled. Partner with Living on the Edge through the mid-year match at livingontheedge.org, or by calling 888-333-6003. Or send your donation through the mail by writing to us at Living on the Edge, Post Office Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia, 303024. I'm Dave Druy. Next time, Chip shows us what a generous life actually looks like when it's lived out, and why it starts with a decision, not a feeling. Join us next time for Living on the Edge. Today's program is produced and sponsored by Living on the Edge.