The Pursuit of God

If you're going to go on to tell you it's Dr. Tony Evans says it's up to us to listen when he does, and then act on what we hear God when celebrating the faithfulness. This is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans authored speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, president of the urban alternative.

We all want to be accepted as we are today. Dr. Evans explains why God expects nothing less.

Let's join want to talk to you about life's greatest pursuit. The knowledge of God, ask the question how well do you know God.

Now some people don't know about all those of the unconverted, they don't know it, but those who know him casually, they can reference him. They believe in him, so there's a casual malady to their knowledge of God. People know him informationally making talk about it. In fact, they may talk about him regularly. They may have read enough about them. They may have heard enough sermons about them.

They may have studied enough books about him that they can give a in-depth description that typically sound on who God is. There is no him religiously. They can tell you how it feels when the Holy Ghost gets all made they can describe that cumulatively the feeling God gives them other people know God in a way that the programmatic because they're doing the program thing they connect that with the knowledge of God, but none of that is what I am talking about, that it may include a number of things it certainly will include your intellect will include your emotions, but that's not what I mean by knowing God said, let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his life. Let not the rich man boast of his riches, but Q bowls boast in this, that he understands and knows me when a man sees a lady that captures his imagination and he sachets up to her and says that her what's your name I want to get to know you. It begins with an introduction, but an introduction is not his goal. He now wants some more information, but information is not his goal. If necessary, but that's not where he's going because that information is designed based on his interest to lead to a relationship so that they begin the date and the see each other and start talking on the phone. The facts have now moved to a whole another level feelings are now involved.

Having gained more facts and then one day he says will you marry me and she says yes they get married and they go on their honeymoon when God wanted to use the word that describes what he wants with you use a sexual word the same word. When Adam knew Eve and she conceived his very same word that he uses when he says that you know me talk about me when I talk about gaining information about him when I talk about Dayton. He is interested in intimacy at the highest level. That's what he's wanting with his people in the relationship the context of these two verses is very interesting. The concept is the Babylonian captivity and is ruling in the land. God comes in the midst of this chaos, and it gives them these two verses in Jeremiah 923 and 24 element of these two verses because he starts by letting them know yell at the wrong thing and you were boasting uses three areas. Riches wisdom and might, let's content Verizon a big bank account how long plaintiff agreed on the wall education and our success prominence notoriety. The three things every American wants every American wants to make as much as they can make the doors as they can all get your education and the kind a lot of success but what is is as if that's all you got to brag about it – oh claim to fame you got money by that you got your masters in your MBA and your PhD you now risen to become the most powerful person in the company or the cultural and you now think you some new brag about it.

This is your brag about the wrong thing.

Look at the time and attention that we give to those three things that those are not casual relationships. Trying to make money. Will this will not trip a day plus get the energy given to get the degrees and the go further than high school.

Look at all the work you're putting in to become more mighty in your company, your culture in your environment that you invest in that that best not. I hope it happens.

Maybe one day you'll tell somebody in a minute.

Who plays you all get this you wanted to be clear that this was a serious and he says, but if that's your claim. Having money having an education, or having success with my little powerful promise for saying those things wrong about the Bible says another's occasions it gives me all three of these things not condemning the having other peers condemning it. If you happen at the expense of innocent.if you know your bank account, but you don't know God. If you know your degree but you don't know God, you know your skills. If you have reached a level where he knows you know him so the wise man boast of his wisdom in those areas not having them but will need to be treated like might be shaded everyday virtually every day I get up and put shaving cream on my face shape it it will ground interviewed okay riches and education and success in its proper place to grow and if you keep it on the same table will forget what you look like a woodpecker that was pecking on the tree just back on the tree to tree impeccable to treat and enlightening came and hit the transplanted happy, look what I did because it's easy to become like Nebuchadnezzar when you forget God look at this Babylon that I have built look at this talent that I have look at this money that have accumulated look at what I've done. He says if you don't boast both in this that you been intimate with me notice what he says in verse 24 balls boasting this that he understands and knows me that am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness wants this. Not talk about what you doing in the heavens, what are you doing in the history on earth. So talk about in the sky relationship with somebody you know you can do long distance intimacy you're going to know somebody who is in another world, God in spirit he see them.

Some of the world, but he wants to be known in your world from another world from speaking. He's of course imminent, but is transcendent and yet he wants to be part of the world to women talk about some pie-in-the-sky swing when we all get to have one day of rejoicing that will be met with the discussion as he says that the Lord who is the Lord of love and kindness, justice and righteousness. So to me is to know you really get to know somebody you can come to predict what the golden you got Norman so you can predict the action and reaction, you know, with all you you, stoked about you know them. That's what that's why Moses said, I want to know you show me your ways will look at that passage, I want to know you so let me see how you operate when you get to know somebody like that you get the note he likes the dislikes the preferences you get to know you know how they're going to function that not going to function wax because you have gotten to know information that has led to intimacy. To know someone is only as good as their willingness to be known.

We call that a revelation revelation is where God unveils himself, and let you see what he is like revelation is when you're sitting on a play. The curtains closed rumbling in the backseat of what it is because there is a veil covering that's blocking you seeing what's really bad tell it's time for there to be an unveiling opens. You see what's really there so the first thing that you need to know if you want to know God is that God has to bail himself to you, but why do some of us want to resist that unveiling. Dr. Evans will come back with the answer just a moment but first I want to let you know about her brand-new book he's just released prayers for knowing God in it. Dr. Evans guide you through more than 50 prayers designed to help you better understand God in areas of his mercy, his goodness is lasting purposes and many more. It's the perfect companion to the audio series we could talk today called God's heart revealed and were bundling this new book, along with all 12 messages in the series on both CD and digital download and sending them to you as our thank you gift when you make a contribution to help keep Tony's messages coming to the station each day.

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So let one of our resource team members help you make the arrangements for getting your own copy by calling us at 1-800-800-3222 anytime of the day or night. Again, that's 1-800-800-3222 or you can make your contribution and request online right away@tonyevans.org that's Tony Evans.org with Dr. Evans will come back with more of today's lesson right after this. It was my first time meeting Jesus died on Wednesday after studying bibliology Tony Evans training center by renowned theologian Dr. Tony Evans. These online courses feature controlling and exclusive video Antonio teaching and interactive scripture based curriculum you can access online or through the mobile app sign up now Tony is chaining dynamite. Dr. Evans and exploring the kingdom anytime, anywhere.

Tony happens to me see people approach God and what what they want him to be God to bail want to tell him they want him to be then they get ticked off when it been a lot of misconceptions about the Scripture like you make one step.net to not from the Bible you didn't because we impose on God.

That which we want God to if you're going to know God have the freedom to tell you years to tell you what he likes and for most people and Christians.

God is not. We do not want a God who unveils himself.

We want a God who is convenient to you. Don't know you know you created that you call God will save who I am.

That's why the knowledge of attributes or characteristics or perfections of God is so critical because that's God telling you when you relate to God in the way you you're no longer relating to the true God. You don't get to know him, you said somebody don't speak for me.

I can speak if you do not want people don't you think God talking for himself, you know God when I'm school you the discovery is pretty awesome. Know that you will discover my lovingkindness that Hebrew word tested one of those words that are in the ionosphere. It means loyal love sometimes translated kindness. It means if you discover who I am. Based on who I say I am the Lord, you will discover how committed I am to you to comply with the governance committee does not circumvent the problems we look at difficulties receivable as you keep can be that committed to meet I'm going through all this will look we don't know how committee for you will discover my loyalty to I am more committed to you than you could ever you will discover my justice. He says justice has to do with equity among men. It has to do with the resultant relationships that God has established. You will understand how people relate to people based on the divine standard discover my righteousness. That is my standard based on pleasing me. So vertical standard, pleasing me justice, equity among men all having to do with the knowledge of God will affect how you think how you react you handle everything, fairly, equitably related, so comprehensive that was blocking the knowledge of God when you will not allow God to be God because you want to impose on him something that he does not agree with that is himself when when that becomes the fact that he will stop unveiling himself unveiling himself so you can keep redefining. We've often heard people never said it is also Yosemite God accept me as I you having trouble accepting you as you are you you got accept me as I am, we will quickly say that as human beings. Should God created the universe not be accepted for who he says he is not who you would prefer him to be uniquely blood a while think God would do that well in the words of the parent. Try me. I don't think this. I don't think that I've got a thought revelation means I would tell you.

I'll need you to tell me who I am trying to find you. I want the folks at ultra Bible Fellowship from top to bottom bottom.

The top to be braggadocio's but not about the size of the offering, not about the education staff, not about positions wrong with those things. But I do what I want to be known for. I want you to be known collectively and individually. You know me you know me, this kind of God and I love this and in those things I delight, while in other words, you're making me happy.

If God is only inside and he's happy you got into how should you be field treat so maybe you're not happy because God is only inside not happy because he did not delight in your knowledge of him while I was unhappy even though they are legally married because they have no relationship in the house.

There's just a little legal standing, about a talking nobody spending time nobody date nobody romancing that is.

You also I'm trying to keep it real well some nice what you won't get the relate. You know what my marriage God has a resume click resume 66 book resume for your readers resume and you go wow wow you got experience you have a resume you have some experience on no references will talk about the references you will give you men, women, boy, girl, tall, short, give your references on anything you got a reference but it's a little more employee you have got me and check the references they want an interview because while what you've written is good and what are the focus saying is nice. I want to see for myself to satisfy with God's resume click on the chart.

Everything is right with the more you resume God the resume of the good resume. Got a resume is an awesome resume, but the payments and criticized the references testimonies testimony he been good is mighty good God is good all the time all the time God is good that Steph testimony references to be going around us to talk about God just this recite God. I got references all over the place God is saying I'm waiting for an interview only person across the table because I want to know you since my next year if it I will get to know you work out when when I got to get to know you make a big difference. Guess what, the God of the universe and I want to get to know you say well one day I'm tied up I'm busy becoming rich in education and improving my status spin this year trying to get me… Me to because when the worst things that can happen to a preacher that have to spend so much time explaining the resume that you can wind up preparing sermons from others that you not benefiting from yourself. God wants us to know simply saying this, you make a trickle to experience Dr. Tony having talking about committing ourselves to life's greatest pursuit. The pursuit of God and he'll come back with a final thought in just a moment right now though if you like to get a full-length copy of today's lesson. It's available in its entirety on both CD and digital download including portions we didn't have time to bring you on the air. Better yet, you can get.

It is a part of that special, limited time package I mentioned earlier Tony's brand-new book prayers for knowing God, along with all 12 messages from his God's heart revealed series. All these are our gift to you in a way of saying thanks when you make a contribution to help support Tony's ministry.

Just contact us at 1-800-800-3222 to make the arrangements resource team members are standing by to assist you. That's 1-800-800-3222, or make your request online at Tony Avenue and started toward again that's Tony of and start all the trying to fit the idea of an infinite God into a finite brain is like trying to pour a swimming pool into a sippy cup is just not to work, but the Bible does give us important insights into God's nature and next time Dr. Evans will help us explore them right now though he's back with this closing thought I was asked by a member the same avatar. I said yes I have, but not in 3D. When I went wasn't a 3D showing, to which he responded that you haven't seen avatar doesn't tell you is seated in 3D. You've not seen what really gets. I ran into another gentleman who said have you seen avatar.

I said I have seen it, but not in 3D, but I heard I need to see it in 3D. To really see is that well freely is okay but he said you have a.max 3D base movie screen to look behind me this stuff was all that makes it really was out that from a different different set of glasses a different perspective. But looking at it differently makes is fine with the regular billing of mates wanted to make idem's attention so that when you get up in the mountain…….Want some experience with the alternative with Tony celebrating 40 years of faith, generous contributions of listeners like you