Skip to content How to Get God's Best for Your Life, Part 2 Mar 12 · 25 min ...more
How to Get God's Best for Your Life, Part 2
March 12, 2026 · 25 min
You want to “do” life differently, but you can’t seem to make it stick. There's a way to experience lasting life change. Chip talks about how to begin this process of life transformation.
Series God's Dream for Your Life March 12, 2026 · 25 min · God's Dream for Your Life
You want to “do” life differently, but you can’t seem to make it stick. There's a way to experience lasting life change. Chip talks about how to begin this process of life transformation. ...more Show the full description Show less You want to “do” life differently, but you can’t seem to make it stick. There's a way to experience lasting life change. Chip talks about how to begin this process of life transformation.
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Chip Ingram is an American Christian pastor, author, and teacher. He is the founder, teaching pastor and CEO of Living on the Edge, an international teaching and discipleship ministry.
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Stop Conforming, Start Transforming 0:11 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram.0:14 Do you wanna change? I mean, do you wanna do life differently, but you just can't seem to make it stick? Well, here's what you need to know. There's a way to experience real and lasting life change, and0:26 it isn't about trying harder. It's about a completely new way of thinking. Today, we're gonna talk about how this process can begin in your life. Stay0:38 with me.0:40 How do you actually change lifelong patterns? Workaholism? People pleasing? Insecurity? For years, you've tried harder and mustered willpower, but nothing sticks. Today on0:52 Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram reveals why trying harder never works and what actually does. He'll share his own battle with these issues and the specific tools that brought real transformation.1:04 From hearing and reading God's word to memorizing and meditating on scripture, you'll discover practical methods for renewing your mind. Now let's join Chip Ingram for a very important message titled, How to1:16 Get God's Best for Your Life.1:18 Here's what Romans 12 1 said, Therefore, I urge you, my brothers, in view of God's mercy. Remember 11 chapters Of his love for you. Offer your body a living and holy sacrifice, well pleasing to1:30 God. This is your spiritual service. In other words, that's what God really wants. But here's the question. It's 1 thing to give God what he really wants. Second question is, how do you get1:42 the very best from God? And it's interesting, that's verse 2. He's gonna say, and do not be conformed any longer to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that your1:53 life, in other words your lifestyle, what you actually experience, would be the good, well pleasing, and perfect will of God. And so here's the key, what I want you to get. Review. Stop allowing the world to2:05 conform you. Start being transformed here's what I want to camp on how what's your part we said we said we can't change ourselves allow yourself to be transformed how here's our2:17 part the renewing of our mind Mind renewal I think has 3 key components. The first component of mind renewal is renewing your mind is a continual refocus of the Romans twelve:one perspective.2:30 Colossians 3 says set your mind on the things that are above not on the things that are on earth. It's a world view it's a mindset that has eternity in mind that has Christ in mind about what matters in mind.2:41 As I grew up in my home my family of origin I have 1 you have 1 the enemy uses the world in some ways in my life different than yours and so I realized that I was a2:53 workaholic that I was insecure that I was always trying to please people and then after I got married that I was very insensitive to my wife other than that as a Christian I was really doing well now I'm dead serious I3:05 mean I tried hard not to be a workaholic I tried not to be insecure I tried to be more sensitive to my wife on my best days and I'm pretty disciplined will power I could only keep that up for about 2 weeks3:17 because I didn't understand. Transformation isn't about just trying hard it's renewing your mind and so I wrote down on some cards the truth and now I prayed3:29 I asked God does it mean there's not self effort? Of course I had to make effort but for example I thought am I going to be insecure my whole life or am I going to get my mind renewed and so I wrote down this on a card I3:40 read it in the morning the night put it in my pocket read it multiple times a day I'd like to be more authentic in every aspect of my life You know I was trying to please everyone and I am what I am by the grace of3:51 God and his grace didn't prove vain toward me but I labored more than all of them yet not me but Christ in me. You know when you keep reading over I'd like to be more authentic in every relationship. You know what4:03 happens that gets in your mind? You catch yourself when you're posing. You catch yourself image managing, and God begins to birth where you say, you know, I I think I'm just gonna like who God made me.4:15 Got a long way to go. Transformation. My people pleasing. I mean, anybody here ever struggle with like everyone asks you to do this and you either feel guilty if you don't, or you're trying to do everything, you're4:26 multitasking and it's you're up early and you're back late and you know I wrote this on a card. I want to stop caring what others think and apply myself and my schedule to what will make me the best I can be to honor God4:37 the most. I want to grow free of the invisible expectations that I allow to hinder my joy, my freedom, my schedule from pursuing the best. These invisible like I had this gun to my4:49 head. Still struggle some, but if you live your life to please people, it'll kill you. But it's the world. So you refocus my next 1 was5:01 on my workaholism I just thought working a lot performing getting stuff done I got approval and so that was how I did everything I even did the ministry like that5:13 and so I wrote on this card I read it over I want to learn this is almost sick to have to learn this I'm gonna learn to take time and schedule in enjoyable fun refreshing activities without feeling guilty5:25 about them or caring what other people think What happened was I I just found putting it in my schedule. Pretty soon, I didn't feel guilty about having fun. It was like, wow, this must be a part of God's plan. Finally,5:37 with my wife, I realized I was insensitive, and so I wrote on this card my desire is to love Teresa sacrificially and in a way that makes sense to her each and every day and so I just kept reading that over and a weird5:49 thing happened I started seeing little times on this day and on sunday night and on this day where I could be more sacrificial. Now, believe me, from glory to glory with plenty of relapses. But are you seeing how it6:00 works? You seeing how you refocus, your mind gets renewed? Second thing is, I want to tell you it's a battle. Renewing your mind always involves a battle the spiritual6:12 life the battle for your soul primarily is happening between your ears the Apostle Paul would say in second Corinthians 10 4 and 5 the weapons of our warfare listen to that language He's in a battle for his6:24 soul. The weapons of our warfare are divinely powerful for the pulling down of strongholds and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. People pleasing,6:36 workaholism, having, possessing, working like crazy, accumulating, impressing, image management, addictions, the weapons of our warfare. He's6:48 talking about the power of the word of God. Community, fasting, prayer. I mean the world's powerful. There's a battle and it's for your soul.7:00 There's a reason why the second most optimal time for couples or divorce is about between 20 and 25 years. Because she buys the lie that it's me and the kids and all that I do for them and he buys a lie7:12 that someday, some way, if I can work, work, work, do, do, do, do, and then they wake up 20 to 25 years, they don't know each other. They've not shared anything. And they both bought a lie. And they used to teach a7:24 Sunday school class and have been married 30 years. And their kids now are young adults who grew up in that home, and mom and dad divorced. And they're going, what in the world? I guess this Jesus stuff isn't true.7:36 That's reality people. That's for some of you that's your experience. The third thing you need to remember is that renewing your mind is supernatural. It's a work of the spirit. Renewing cards,7:48 reading the Bible, doing this, doing that. I got news for you. The spirit of God has to take the word of God and do something in you. All of these things are about a heart love relationship with him. Romans 8 says the8:00 mind set on the flesh is death. The mind set on the spirit is life and peace and so in summary let me just tell you for me for you for8:12 every believer you are what you eat period you are what you eat physically and you are what you eat spiritually and intellectually you tell me how much time on your8:23 phone how much time in video games how many movies you watch and the messages in those movies time what what are you putting into your mind over against how much truth, how much of God's word, how much renewing8:35 relationships and you know what plug plug plug plug it's pretty easy I can tell you your lifestyle because you are what you eat. So my question is what's your diet?8:48 Are you getting God's best? Now let me let me walk through now and give you some very practical specific ways to renew your mind because it's 1 thing those are the principles that's theHear and Read God's Word Daily 8:59 truth here's some practical methods for renewing your mind to say no to the world say yes to God first hearing God's word Romans 10 17 says faith comes by9:11 hearing hearing by the word of God you have to on a regular basis you must hear God's word it bursts faith 1 way to do that is this is a novel idea for some of you9:23 come to church regularly I mean, I'm not down on you. I just, first 3 years I was a Christian, if I made it twice a month, I'm high fiving myself. Way to go, Chip. I never did that before. Second9:35 is, use your time in the car wisely. Hear God's word. My seminary training hasn't stopped. Second read God's word revelation 1 3 says blessed is he who reads and those who9:47 hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it for the time is near and in your notes if you don't know much about the bible and need some structure and a plan first 15 years at least I was a9:58 Christian I read the daily walk bible and I just tell you it was just like okay here's the structure here's what it means here's an overview but you dig in for yourself or or go on the internet there's enough reading10:09 plans You just log on on the App Store Bible. Believe me. Second Timothy 2 15 says Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman that need not be ashamed10:21 handling accurately the word of truth. And you'll notice I have this a little bit later but this is a little tool to help you study and take this take this really well.10:33 God wants the best for you. Some of us have been so trained we eat all processed food. Can you imagine if you ate just only processed food instead of the kind of organic real good stuff?10:45 Or the picture that comes to my mind is some of that you know some of that processed cheese and you take it out of that plastic and you think I don't know where this has been. Well it's a good start right?10:58 But processed spiritual food is like there's a little book and it's a good little book and it has 2 or 3 verses and then someone who studied a lot tells you a little inspiring story and tells you a little something about11:09 those 2 or 3 little verses and says and now here's what you might do and you read for like it takes almost 3 minutes to read these little things and then you go oh Jesus Jesus help me help me really follow you. I've11:19 really renewed my mind. Now I spent you know 40 minutes in the Wall Street Journal, but now I've spent my 4 or 5 minutes What I know is what someone else thinks of that passage.11:32 The little card is how you can study God's word on your own. I learned this from a missionary about 30 years ago. I think it was Brazil. It's called the 2 Pro App method, and that's just an acronym. And I'm not going11:44 to go through it all other than just to say if you would choose a New Testament book, the book of John, the book of Mark, 1 of the small ones, and just read a paragraph or maybe 2, and the P,11:56 pray. God please help me. The second P, preview it. Read it quickly just to get a feel. It's all written on here. And then the R is read it slowly, methodically. Then the O is read it 112:08 more time and underline maybe words that are alike or thoughts that you have. The A then is that what application from this paragraph is God showing me? Then realizing since I don't have the power to do it you pray again12:19 God will you help me to it says be generous in this passage so will you help me be generous in some way specifically today and then the T is tell someone it's just a very simple way to study here's what I12:31 can tell you processed food is helpful and if you're just beginning that's fine when you are tempted sexually when you want to break out of habit patterns when there's addictions when there's a crisis in12:43 your marriage when you got a kid who's going through a terrible time and you're trying to cling on to God, you have to have him speak directly from his word to you because that's where convictions come from. It's great12:54 that those people who wrote those little devotionals, that's what they believe. What do you believe? And what do you believe under pressure? It's birthed and study.13:04 You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We're halfway through today's message, so don't go anywhere just yet. Today's insightful lesson comes from our series called God's dream for your life.13:16 Want to dig deeper into these truths? Well, the full series is ready for you online at living on the edge dot org. You'll discover extra teaching content, downloadable materials, and13:27 discussion guides to take you further. Find it all at living on the edge dot org. Well, now let's rejoin Chip with today's message.Memorize Scripture for Real Change 13:36 The next is memorization. Notice it says Psalm 1 19 9 11. How can a young man, a young woman, keep your way pure? By guarding it or keeping it according to13:48 your word. Your word I've treasured or hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. I don't know if there's any greater return in the Christian life than memorizing scripture or 1 that's probably14:00 more neglected. I can tell you a brief little story. I was in a school, and I think I've shared it, where there was like 4 girls to every guy. And, I was starting to grow, so now I've been a Christian like 314:12 years, and so I'm reading the Bible, you know, like 3 or 4 mornings a week. I'm starting to go to church, which is really radical for me. And I'm making progress in a number of areas, but not in 1 in particular. My14:23 roommate is going to go to this Christian summer something where, you know, it's a parachurch organization that they go there for training, and they get a job, and share Christ, and learn all good stuff, And I didn't14:35 want any part of that. But before he could go, he had to memorize these 60 verses. It was called the Topical Memory System put out by a group called The Navigators. And I've always been very competitive,14:47 along with being insecure. And so, he left the room 1 day and I just thought because he was going to memorize 1 or 2 verses a week and he had it planned out 30 weeks. I just thought, you chump. So my14:59 goal, secretly, he leaves. I literally copied all the verses down on these little cards. In fact, I still these little cards, I still have them. And, I got these 60 verses down,15:11 and then I had an amazing gift. I had a psychology professor that was about 99 years old who'd been tenured for like 40 years, because he couldn't get a job anywhere. And so he would drone on and on. So15:23 I would put my psychology book up an hour every day. I memorized 1 verse the first day. So I decided I'm gonna 60 days I'm gonna be done. And I'm just gonna have them perfect because here was the goal. I was gonna say,15:33 okay. Hey, Bob. How's it going with that thing that your training program is going to? Why don't you go ahead and list the verses? And I was just going to go bang, bam, bam, bam, bam, 60 in a row, you know. Uh-uh.15:44 Is that sick or what? I mean, you know, memorizing God's word to impress someone out of your ego and your pride well okay to show that God can use anybody even in our nuttiness15:57 it's day 21 and I mean I'm like getting into this so I can still remember hearing my cleats when I was running to baseball practice like this. You know, putting it at the back. Day 21, I walk around the corner,16:09 and there's a very beautiful young co ed involved in the ministry. And what men will tell you, if they're honest, is that we struggle deeply with lust, and I was struggling very deeply. The external things were changing,16:20 but my eyes were going everywhere and my mind was going all kind of places. And when you lust for a girl that's not a Christian, you feel guilty. When you lust for a very godly girl, you feel really guilty.16:32 And so, oh no this is her. And so, I turned around the corner, we started to talk, and we had a little conversation. We got done, and I remember walking away. I got about 4 steps. I didn't lust.16:44 I didn't know the correlation. I had no idea. I didn't know about mind renewal. I didn't know how change. All I knew was following Jesus is really hard and a lot of it's not working very well for me. Some things16:55 undeniably are radically changing, but some other things I just feel I was stuck forever. Day 21, I'd memorized 21 verses, word perfect, and what I didn't understand was the supernatural work. God had17:07 taken the written word, made it the living word, and changed my want to's and my attitudes, and I with my eyes looked at a sister in Christ in the eye, and a new relationship with women completely changed my17:19 life. When I got to 60 verses, I I was like a drug. I couldn't stop. Then I started memorizing chapters, and then I put my own topics together. And for the next 5 years, probably more than anything else,17:31 I memorized God's word. And I will tell you, all I can tell you is how I looked at the world was completely different. Completely different. And there was a level of peace and17:43 joy. I remember I'd have a question, I'd be praying, and as I was praying, God would bring a verse, oh, that's the answer. I'd be in a conversation, and I wouldn't know what to say, or what's going on, and God would17:51 bring a verse, and all of a sudden I realized, we have the mind of Christ. The bible says that we have the mind of Christ, but most of us don't know what his mind is, but18:03 it's in his word. The final thing he says is that you meditate. See, this isn't like you do all these little things and become a little religious robot that drives other people crazy. I mean, there's some people likeMeditate and Say Yes to God's Best 18:15 that. This isn't about how many verses or how And the word meditate here, it's the idea of ruminating. It's a picture of a cow, has 4 stomachs. It's a cow chews on some truth,18:26 swallows it, regurgitates it. Swallows it, regurgitates it. This is reading, and God speaks you through a verse, and you write it on a card, and you stick it in your pocket, and then as you're driving to work, you try18:37 and see if you can remember it. So you're at a light, and you're at a doctor's office, and you just bring it up, and something happens. This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you should meditate on18:49 it day and night in order that what? So you can obey it. For then you'll have you'll be prosperous and have good success. And so on the back I put a few tools that I think would be19:01 very helpful to you. Can I just close with this? Why? Why? Why? Why do this? I mean, if you're listening, you're thinking to yourself, you mean I'm gonna limit my games19:12 and limit my movies and limit this and limit that and limit that and limit that and say no to some stuff that's just a part of my life and start saying yes to God's word and do some things probably some of you have never19:21 ever done. Why would I do that? So that you could get the best from God. So that you could experience and taste what he wants normally for every person.19:33 His good. His good means winsome, beautiful, attractive, richly satisfying, well, well pleasing, well pleasing to him and well pleasing19:45 to you. Perfect. There's a will that's according to a specific design just for you that when you fulfill it you explode with joy, live19:56 with peace. How does that happen? No. I won't be conformed to this world. Yes, I'll be transformed by the renewing of my mind. So20:08 that Would you like that? As I close, here's 2 questions, because you could feel overwhelmed. I don't want that. What 1 thing do you sense God is saying20:20 you need to say no to? What's going into your mind, or what relationship, or what's 1 thing that woos your heart away from God? And just say, first step, No.20:33 And what 1 thing of all the, you know, hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, meditating because we're all in different places. What 1 thing do you sense God20:45 would want you to take a baby step and begin to renew your mind? Lord, I pray that you'd show every single person right now what they need to20:56 say no to that is drawing their heart away from your deep, abiding, amazing love, and Lord, what you want them to say yes to in21:08 order to enjoy and experience your grace, your goodness. Will you please do that, Lord? And then will you birth faith in people right now? Would you even give them the idea of21:20 what 1 person could they share this with and and ask them in a couple days, will you give me a call? Will you text me? And I'll tell you how I'm doing. Oh, God. What would happen if21:32 hundreds and then thousands of people started to experience your good, well pleasing, and perfect will? That's our prayer. In Jesus' name.21:44 Amen.21:47 This is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. If you wanna revisit or share this lesson with someone you care about, find it online at living on the edge dot org. And don't miss21:59 Chip's weekday broadcasts every Monday through Friday. You can also find them by subscribing to the Living on the Edge podcast on your favorite podcast app and hear Chip daily wherever you are.22:11 Friend, Living on the Edge exists as a nonprofit ministry, which means your partnership fuels everything we do. Whether you've partnered with us for years or today marks your first gift, we're inviting you to22:23 join this mission. Monthly giving provides the stability we need for strategic planning. 1 time gifts meet immediate opportunities and urgent needs. Every amount matters because every22:35 gift extends our reach into homes, cars, and hearts where real transformation happens. Will you join us today? We've made it easy to sign up as a monthly partner or give a single gift22:46 online. Just go to living on the edge dot org or write to us through the mail at living on the edge, PO box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia 3 0 0 222:58 4. You can also call us and give over the phone. Just dial triple 8 3 3 3 6 0 0 3. And by the way, full sermons are now available on the Living on the Edge podcast23:10 with a feature called the Chip Ingram sermon podcast. Find these episodes right alongside our regular broadcasts on your podcast app. Well, now here's Chip with some final thoughts.23:21 As we wrap up today's program, I have 3 questions for you, and I think you know what they are because we've sort of addressed them already. But I wanna get out of you kinda in the back of your mind thinking I was talking23:31 to someone else because I'm actually talking to you. In fact, it's not even me. It's God. And here's question number 1. What do you need to say no to? What person? What relationship? What activity?23:43 What are you viewing that you just need to say today, no. I can't go there anymore? Second, what do you need to say yes to? What needs to get into your mind, your heart, your23:55 life that you're not getting right now? And maybe it's not time in God's word or it's sort of a a quick thing, or maybe it's not time in a local church, or or maybe it's not time actually24:07 memorizing a couple specific passages that address the biggest struggle in your life because it's when the word of God gets in your heart and life that the spirit of God ignites it with power to give you victory over24:19 some of those things. So what do you need to say no to? What do you need to say yes to? And here's the third question. Who today are you going to text or call or Facebook24:31 or email to say, will you help me? I'm saying no to this and yes to something else, but I can't do it alone. You ready? You answer those and God will show up. Well, I'm Dave24:42 Drewy signing off. Join us next time as we continue this practical series on God's dream for your life. That's coming up right here on Living on the Edge.24:55 Today's program is produced and sponsored by Living on the Edge.In this video 0:00 Stop Conforming, Start Transforming8:51 Hear and Read God's Word Daily13:36 Memorize Scripture for Real Change18:05 Meditate and Say Yes to God's Best
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