A Challenge Toward Authenticity

Just as Jesus says the Lord knows when were not being on matter how together we appear on the outside but you don't have the worst part about it is don't even know this is the alternative only have another speaker, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative is pretty easy to spot a Christian who looks the part, but not as easy to spot one who lives the part a believer whose authentic through and through. You'll discover how to become that kind of disciple today as Dr. Evans takes us to Revelation 314 for today's lesson church to the final body of Saints Bible Fellowship was a wealthy city no for three things lay on the sale was known for its finance industry, its banking industry. It would be akin to common day Wall Street.

It was a very wealthy place to live and work and raise a family was also known for is fashion industry in New York you would call it the fashion district where they made fancy clothes that would go out to the retailers to sell to the general public. Not only was it a financial district and a fashion district but the city of Laodicea was a pharmaceutical district was known for its medical industry, particularly when it came to diseases. It was specializing in the sample the eyes to improve the site of those struggling with C. That is why you will see three areas finance fashion and pharmaceuticals referred to in Revelation chapter 3 verses 14 to the end of the chapter Jesus as he does in each one of these churches introduces himself as he wants you to see them now. The ruling came and head of the church, he says in verse 14 to the angel of the church at Laodicea right I am the amen amen means so be it.

So that the way it is. He says in verse 15.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold and wish you were cold so because you are moving along and neither hot nor cold.

I will spit you out of my mouth, he addresses the problem that legacy in Bible Fellowship of Mormon's you not, then why is saying this, you have to understand maleness he is unique location on one side of Laodicea.

The city was populous, which was akin to hot Springs, Arkansas. You've ever been a hot Springs, Arkansas. You know, the heated water that comes up from the earth. The steam that shows up because of the heat and that water is used for healing and refreshing propolis was the hot Springs, Arkansas.

The day – water flowed down the Laodicea but on the side of Laodicea was the city of Colossae where we get the book. Colossians and holding water came down from the mountains into Laodicea. When the water came down from Annapolis and the cold water came down from Colossae.

They met at Laodicea and wind and cold water. The water now became movable when you reach Leon to see some Jesus Christ uses this geographical reality to express a spiritual reality operating at Laodicea Bible Fellowship. You are neither nor cold. In other words, they are unacceptable. I want to isolate last evening's coffee.

What I do know is lukewarmness is lukewarmness that is linked spiritual state there in between Christian commitment then mixture that has made them unusable, unspiritual is unacceptable how unacceptable is Jesus I want to spill them.

My mouth verse 17 because you say I am rich and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing. He says I have a problem with how you view your self you will say I am rich I am self-sufficient.

I got it going on got my job got the money got my car got my house got my close so on. The church is not stop.

I go to Laodicea Bible battleship because that's what Christians do go there because I need Jesus.

I don't have to fulfill my religious obligation.

He says to the Leo to see a Bible Fellowship that you have allowed what is now the definition of success in the world to give you the definition of success in the church. You think because you got money and you want. You think because you have a nice and close the Knights of because the nicer job that some of you. You wouldn't fall into this false theology, that stuff must be blessed when actually you know stuff made me sick and you make me want to throw up and spew you out my mouth because you have brought the world into the church instead of letting the charge.

Define who you are and how you function in the world you allow the world to tell you whether your success. You allowances. To tell you whether your successful you allowed to graze on the wall to tell you if your successful promotion in the marketplace to tell you whether your successful but I'm a man like attendance and like it is you all made me want to throw the fact is the physical and the more you have. Camouflage is the spiritual so that you, the spiritual must be okay because we got this coping in the physical and because the coating looks good. The inside must be okay because I wasn't close to God's likeness and close the door be where I am Education that I have been okay if I wasn't close to God. He is a phone portrait second verse 17 you do not know you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. He says when you come to a close genetic so you see, called the district finance fashion pharmaceutical what you think you can see what your expensive glasses on your block to be blind to be blind to not know it's bad to be active but it's mostly negative and not know you undressed the people you don't know it's bad nonstop and you don't know you are coming to church, it failed to see Bible Fellowship, but your playing games committed to me, not dedicated to me what you're doing is coming to showtime at the church you come for the performance of the choir.

The performance of the preacher you come for the firemen but when it comes to your commitment you trying to satisfy the public.

You try to satisfy the success of Wall Street and replace out there because you got a but I will give you the amen disobedient. The final word. The conclusion and what I say is the bottom line is that you will see you like a beautiful call on the showroom floor of an automobile dealership with no engine got the look, but you don't have the reality and the worst part about it is you don't even know you would judge yourself by what they say not what I am saying India and what I am saying in here is different than what everybody else is whispered in your mail along and I am right because the amen I made you not on the creator. So what we do once we make that realization.

Dr. Evans will come back with the answer just a moment.

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That's 1-800-800-3222. Dr. Evans will come back with more of today's lesson just a moment. Stay with us.

Jesus that others will naturally follow him by having lots collections having unity unity at home. Work at church in the community and across the nation. It's the keystone of their spiritual victory is a church and country unity this past weekend power get practical help to release the flashing and land with Dr. Tony Evans knew the stronger together we can apply powerful prayers to visit Tony Evans.org to get your copy today or anyway. Christian books are so we will be doing what we want to do what you do. Verse 18 advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich because you're not rich you think you're rich but you're not in white garments because of the fashion district so that you may close yourself and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed because of the pharmaceutical district to anoint your eyes so that you may see I want to make you truly rich. I want to give you real close and I want to open your eyes so that you can see, but the only way you get any of that is from me. I'm the only one who can do that trick you will be impressed by you. You need to I need to we need to be close to full cooling to give us Jesus's perspective, even if they don't have your money, your car, your house will close. That's why James to decries the man who's got stuff you got stuff. He's got monies got wealthy got recognition is got notoriety. He's got power and somebody poor comes and sits next to this person don't have all the finest) none help much money this person don't have much to give.

But they know God, but the rich person don't want to sit next to a poor person because they got the world standard world standard so not in my class what Jesus was classically except you Jesus glassy except me you James and tell the poor man when you go into the back because we savor the rich folk this up front. He says don't you know you are evil people with evil motives of classism and the church of Jesus Christ because some people have other people don't know that the spiritual is first. That's why people on the back give a lot of money because you know better than the widow of a fixed income. Security law is the law of classism and racism rates in the church of Jesus Christ to the church make can't stand world jump into the family of God better than somebody else.

Did you have more than somebody else when somebody what you have.

Maybe the present that you got the MVA pH is not what you know better than a high school graduate who was in love with God is not as God and trusted what God does open you to be an elitist church that only response the big-name people with big-name monies and big-name homes. A big-name car across across across world and the same grace.

So Jesus says I got some advice for focal put the physical in front of the spiritual back for me.

You got to get all my page start with me, not what they say and how to not with the television saying that with the media saying that the pundits say if you start with me.

Verse 19 those whom I love your child. God loves you those one love, I reprove and discipline, I will create some situations in your life is called discipline. I'm going to bring some corrective measures into your world. I will put you in the situations money can buy you out. I will put you in situations you can dress up for. I will put you in situations to deal with blindness don't bring some plan into your life actually know that all stop that the world applauds.

It makes you feel wrong about Joseph can no problem until I can get so undivided attention be, but I am trying to correct some things that need to be corrected, so I don't have to do you of my to do with you is because I love you because I don't want to be divided from you when you and I can't see the spiritual because we let the physical block the world's ideology block, then you will not be able to see what God wants to do new member Joshua and Caleb when they were going to the promised land. 10 spots that we can go that could look at the physical physical Cynthia giants in the land Joshua and Caleb sent you not seen, but I do not seek as if you will see what God to see. You can see we can go in and take that, but they were so entranced with the physical that they missed the spiritual and wind up wondering for 40 years in the wilderness. You don't want to spend the rest of your life wondering looking good. Wondering around in circles with money in your pocket, wondering not getting anywhere but you got a nice house the spiritual being able to see things from God's perspective seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness when the head of the physical place throughout the Bible God says farmers worship me on my kingdom glorify Jesus and the spiritual must be put in front of the physical.

So what would we do okay what verse 20 behold, I stand at the door and knock. Behold, I said at the door and not all of Leo Bible Fellowship is knocking me down in charge of the United job and open up. You shall not good to get all the things I wanted to get around and they got good all the time.not just because you have been charged only what is lukewarmness Christians who are not all just one a little religion to make them feel like something, but do not want Jesus Christ to rule in their lives in the direction their decisions do not spiritual so how do you know for sure what you're hearing is really Jesus knocking on the door of your heart with Dr. Evans will have a final thought about that when he comes back in just a moment to wrap up today's message and its current series. The Jesus challenge. Don't forget today's your last chance to get this entire eight lesson series along with the companion Jesus challenge study guide and DVD containing special content from Dr. Evans all is our thank you gift for your contribution in support of Tony's ministry on the station and around the world. Just contact us before the days out@tonyevans.org again that's Tony Evans.org. Our resource center is also open 24 seven to help you. You can reach one of our team members there at 1-800-800-3222. Again, 1-800-800-3222 with Dr. Evans is back with a question for us to consider today. So the question is how do you know what you heard. Here's how you know the knocking on the door God is convicting you of your blindness you feel convicted that yes that's me standing in the need of prayer that you feel this child of God on your heart you know you playing games with me. You know you just going through the religious motions you know that there is not a full commitment to me and he starts talking you start to feel uncomfortable squirming in your seat. Although he did not move this assault on the inside you know God is talking to you. That means you hearing and he's calling your name. He says if anyone hears my voice cannot disturb you world I messed up your situation that you had money and I keep things breaking down that you can pay for college, buy nice clothes, and you lost your job. You know how to create a disciplinary situations and now you never made the connection between what's going on in the stuff you have from the world. But now you see that as a possible link you just heard. If you're ready to open the door and let God go to Tony have, and.org right now, and click the link on the homepage that simply says Jesus there. Dr. Evans has what could be the most important message you've ever heard. It's a quick explanation of how you can find God's forgiveness for everything you've ever done wrong and be 100% sure that you have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ that guarantees you a place in heaven.

You can also download some free follow-up resources, so check it out today. Again, that's it.

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We all know the coronavirus is highly contagious for the anxiety and uncertainty that are spread along with it.

But on Monday Dr. Evans will point out the great news in this bad situation as she begins her brand-new series called clarity in a crisis sure to join us, the alternative with Dr. Tony have you fighting urban alternative is made possible by the generous contributions of listeners like