Idol – Identity

The Bible is the world wants to define who we are, under Tony Evan says that's the last place we are our identity. This is the alternative only have author, speaker, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative. It takes a panel of experts to mail down the definitions in the dictionary but defining who we are and what we're worth is a job. God never delegates to anyone including us.

So why are we so inclined to listen to other voices and how can we stop will find out as we join Dr. Evans, one of the major crimes in our contemporary culture is. I technology has made it very easy for people to take hold you all and steal it for their own personal benefit. Whether it's a credit card or Social Security number. They will try to rip it all pretend to be you and take what belongs to you and give it to something or someone illegitimately billions of dollars are taken by identity theft lies reputations credibility to be destroyed by identity theft, and of all roles that exist in the world there is none can compete with the devil. Jesus said in John 1010 that he is a free, he comes to steal, and one of the many things he wants to rob you of is who you really supposed to be. He wants to rob you of your identity by creating identity items. What he wants to do is give you and me a fake ID he wants to give us an identification marker that is not true to who we all so that we never got around to being what we were created and redeemed to become a walk through some of the identity idols so that you know what I'm talking about when I talk about identity idols. One identity I know the I love politics where people are more Democrats than Christians where people are more Republican than Christians webmail political allegiance and not lie can trump the will of God the Word of God, the person of Jesus Christ because he always been a Republican, they've always been a Democrat although regardless of what God said they would even change what they view on the issue to please the party rather than to please the Lord, because they created this political to which they have committed themselves that will be the dominant influence or decision-making process. And if you're Democratic allegiance your Republican allegiance because of what God says on issues to satisfy a political scheme party campaign.

You have become a political idolater, and the Bible condemns agile see a moment political idolatry not only is there political idolatry bears racial idolatry where you so blank you so prone. Why that even Jesus came to just go, where you are so into your children make up that blackness will override Christ whiteness will override Christ. What you will make racially based decisions that are against the will of the word of God to satisfy your racial plan fee rather than on the Lord through whatever racial uniqueness is given you. We pray to God out of whiteness. We pray to God out of blackness and God is not injured that in every, the PK rule. So when you make your humanity of race the decision-maker for your life that contradicts the will and the word and the authority of Jesus Christ in your life you have created a racial title and that racial title is a false identity of, or of culture or whatever racial stereotypic elements that you used to define yourself in those categories. Class idolatry is when the poor are in the ears of the rich the rich, press the pool because they feel they have economic privilege to do so. The Bible says that whether you are rich or poor. You want to know the Lord Jesus Christ and so when the poor illegitimately is the rich because they have what I don't have when the rich press the prologue because they have the power and the wealth to do so. What that says is my economic condition overrides my commitment to Christ because of my illegitimate non-Christian response to my economic status.

Therefore, you may economics the lack of it, all the you have made God's in your life and therefore you have trump the authority of Jesus Christ through class divisions. That's what James says in James chapter 2, when he says you discriminate based on economics. You make the poor people sit in the back let the rich people sit up front.

He says, is that not evil so very can be economic idolatry that can be social identity idolatry. That's where I have a group and you can be part of it because you don't meet up to the status that my grouper takes up my group has a BA. My group has an MA.

My group has an MBA. My group as a PhD so if you just a high school graduate, you can I not want us because we're too sophisticated for you went to upper class for you my status in society has no room for you so I'm going to look down on you simply because you don't fit my social continuum. So I want to make title of the status that I possess that other people or group that I am a part of that I can let you be a part of why simply because I realize my group because of legitimate qualifications but I have lies my group and my part in the group so that I have now trump you and made you insignificant and I can accept you and make you a part of it so they can be social idolatry and then the worst kind of idolatry of all is probably personal idolatry, personal idolatry is what you think more bill so you won't think personal idolatry is you think you all that and a bag of chips when all dog got a new shut off some oxygen and you are no more personal idolatry is where you make your self the span of all three way you make yourself God when you move from the worship of God to receive, which is the worship of man where you got such a big head on your self that you think you can tell God what to do and God can say one thing and you were dancing but I think that means that you are so idolizing yourself that you think that you can trump the living and true God not only his personal idolatry and pride. Personal idolatry is also built in idolizing your sin. Did you know you can make your sin and I you hear idolaters make their sin and idol all the time they'll say something like, a drunkard, or a drug. And you just told me you well.

If you're a Christian, that maybe what you do.

But that's not who you well, that's not who you well that maybe what you do but does not who you and as long as you keep reinforcing the sin you keep making an unacceptable definition acceptable because everybody in the group is doing so as you can see, you can idolize any of these categories by simply making in your identity now that the introduction is over. What is your identity as specifically as we can save you possible damages to 20 I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life which I now live in my humanity in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God, not me and gave himself for me. Here it is your new identity. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your personal sin bearer and substitute, and he gives you the gift of eternal life in Christ comes in the spirit through his Spirit to take up residence in you. Your new identity is you are a Christian that is who you are. Everything else is one thing and only agree that the spokes of every thing else that one identity will your life take shape like God means it to take shape. You are a Christian and not only the charge go. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal substitute, and now he had defined all of my life's reality. In every single category doctrines will help us see beyond societies labels when he continues her message just a moment for so I want to tell you about Tony's powerful and timely book called America turning a nation to God. Our country has always been a work in progress. But lately it seems like were making too much progress in the wrong direction and if what you see on the news and on the streets these days has you discouraged. You're not alone, but not driven says things can turn around and it's up to the people of the church people like you and me to get the process started. In this book will show you how we can use the power God's given us to reclaim justice, morality, freedom and strength for America and to spark a revival like our country has never seen.

And when you make a donation and request a copy of the book will also give you all eight full-length messages on CD and digital download from Dr. Evans current teaching series American idols.

This special, limited time, double offer is or thank you gift when you support the work of the alternative, with a generous contribution. Visit us today@tonyevans.org to make the arrangements or call us at 1-800-800-3222 were team members are standing by 24 seven to help with your request. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222 with Dr. Evans will be back right after this black lives matter racial reconciliation white privilege racism race relations are at a boiling point in America today. We know racism is a sin, but how does our society fix it in his book oneness embraced reconciliation the kingdom and our starter together. Dr. Tony Evans turns to both his real-life experiences and what he's learned from Scripture to show you how to strive for unity across racial and socioeconomic divides. The time is now. Learn more about oneness embraced@tonyevans.org Tony Avenue and.org.

Your identity as a man as black as the white Democrats as Republican as a PhD your identity is Christian that is your identity that is your only identity that is how you do find yourself I am a Christian, not in the religious term but I made visible verbal of Jesus Christ, that becomes a butterfly is more than a converted caterpillar is a brand-new thing. It operates totally differently is no longer grounded because it is been transferred into something totally different reason why we have all these problems not only of the world, but in the church if we want to go to heaven but we don't want help in the mess would also we still want to be what we want to be doing and want to do one thing I would want to think anyone to do that and Jesus Christ not have final say so. Which means that it's an identity I thought about race in this passage may benefit Peter is a super Jew okay one day God comes down him in this vision, you can report he says I want to go over to Courtney as the Gentiles goes over there Lisa, McCright, and he discovers Gentiles article. So in Galatians 2, verse 11. He's dining with the Gentiles. Some boys from the butcher's policy.

Saint Peter what you doing with them. We gotta be with him in heaven. Mentally we got. What are you doing with SSP was intimidated by the circumcision that is his brothers in the same race intimidated so Peter got up and left the Gentiles so he wouldn't offend his own race so I sent you the following Peter when they saw Pastor Peter get up and got up to what I got away with everyone for the fact that Paul wanted some soul food to feed to Paul says when I came in and saw them leaving.

I didn't hold workshop and asking can we all get along and have a symposium will raise you said I can do Peter before them all because he went with his racial attitude and I will let him get away with that kind of racism in the kingdom of God is not going take me 256 and in less than 2 1/2 minutes because there is a Christian standard and you're not living up to that standard. Yet you claim to be a Christian but you Christianity to satisfy your peeps you pick Christianity to satisfy your race.

So if we don't know who you are, so let me help a brother, let me tell you why. Galatians 220. That's at the end of this story on crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not Christ lives in me. So the life which I now live. I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. You should be called net same but you so in the pleasing your own race and ignoring another race illegitimately that you have embarrassed the gospel says we have a lot of Christian on both sides of the problem who are embarrassing the gospel in Numbers chapter 12 verses 1 to 10, Moses married a black woman says. Twice he married a Cushite side of an Ethiopian black woman and Miriam and Aaron got kicked off that Moses married this African woman God got so ticked off and said to Miriam, since you so it would be in white make you white said she took her skin. He shattered her skin and she became white as snow until she repented of her racism and her skin came back. So if you start with the Bible you have on this mask all this confusion vision.

All this information because Jesus cries his with your Christian commitment.

This is when we must make it clear that we take our stand with Christ. Your personal life you know we were bought with a price. The price of Jesus Christ that no room for pride. The greatest idolatry of all this pride because that was the idolatry of sleep you got the big thought he was more than he ought to thought about himself. So you got a great praise God for the opportunity but you're not different than the opportunity. That's gotta be this mentality.

Humility in the blessings that we have received that's missing the heart of Christ is so stern now for you and me to testify according to the span you testify that you no longer will allow me to be defined by anything other than my commitment to Christ.

I am now a visible verbal follower is a general Christian again after this I'm not Tom but you believe in God is not enough when you say God I don't know which God you mean when you say Jesus Christ that we talk about same Jesus Christ Pl. everything in Jesus Christ. So you must be willing to be identified with Christ to serve notice on you beginning the day I'm going to be defined by my commitment to Jesus Christ and nothing else. Everything that commitment. We make it one of the program. You should make sure you're willing to get to Jesus Dr. Tony Evans with important information on finding your positive ID. Welcome back in a moment with an encouraging story to close out our time together first so I want to remind you that today's lesson is part of his brand-new teaching series American idols. This eight lesson collection includes material.

We won't have time to include on the air and I can help you identify and avoid the hidden idols in your life available on both digital download and CD.

These messages are great discussion starters to use with your Bible study or small group or just reviewing your own and for a limited time where bundling the entire series along with a copy of Tony's powerful book America turning a nation to God was in both of these valuable resources to you as our gift to help support our work on the station and around the world with a generous contribution you can make the arrangements online at Tony Avenue and start or or color resource request line at 1-800-800-3222 where team members are always on hand to help you again that's Tony Evans.org or by phone at 1-800-800-3222, the United States Declaration of Independence states life, liberty and The Pursuit of Happyness are three rights given to all humans by their creator. But tomorrow Dr. Evans warns us.

It's easy to obsess over happiness and I can come at a great price right now though he's back with his final story in closing that wasn't eager to fill out the tree and fell to the ground turkey from Eagle Eagle is always talking so the baby turkey competitive environment, everything is a turkey so he grows up around the turkey Crosby Turkish walking, wobbling like a turkey. That's when everybody's doing ways being raised everybody in all the talking to doing it look a little different in all that much is a difficult turkey turkey so these are my people so doing it so I'm going to do it to some, it becomes a turkey like everybody else that one day the eaglet looks up and Nancy = wings expand something is triggered inside.

I should wish I could be up to something in me relates to that bird. This is weaponry.

This is how they raise him with a turkey in the Eagle sees the eaglet looking up Eagle slows down the center eaglet what you doing down wrong when we you doing down, even for people as well as bone as well as raise.

This is how we do it down here this is you, you, this may be where you are but does not. This may be where you he says fragile way these little babies friends with a couple of times in his wings and bounced above the ground is a little high.

All human being held on ground level because nobody told you who you really were what you supposed to be doing is following me and I want you now join me and become what you were created to be legal to go the took off after not flying beside the Eagle turkeys love that is where Don Brown I'm going to pay what I was created to be when you came from your blog down there all down now live in a deceived line. I was want to know I was going to be some else I want gone for turkey dinners on so I'm sorry I got to say goodbye turkeys you need to learn the same line rate Jesus is made possible by the generous