The Means to Godliness

Why is Dr. Tony Evans is if we want to spiritually shape. We gotta follow God's exercise plan is a decision engagement in our program to get celebrating.

This is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans authored speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the alternative, while cleanliness may be next to godliness. It'll take more than just a bit of scrubbing to clean up our lives today.ribbons explores the means God has given us to become more like him and the benefits will enjoy along the way, let's listen.

This is a story about a man named Jed the poor mountaineer barely kept his family.

One day while some food up from the ground came a bubbling crude oil that is my goal Texas to lay Jed Clampett LMA grandma and Jethro became multimillionaires. They relocated from the hills to Beverly Hills and now they were living in the lap of luxury no longer poor and impoverished.

They now have access to all of the binaries of life what our attention week after week after week. Those who grew up on the Beverly hillbillies was their struggle to live thinking and living back in its not that old life into their new reality. They were now living launch, but they were acting small because they will still functioning as hillbillies in a place that offered them so much more than the life they left everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior has been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. You have been transferred from a place of spiritual impoverishment to a place of spiritual riches you have been removed from the kingdom of Satan and have been seated on the right hand of Jesus Christ in heavenly places in the spiritual, but all of us know the struggling is to leave Mexico LA spiritual life and partake of the new spiritual realities that have been afforded to us. In fact, we all know what it is to bring life into the new reality and way of thinking and the old way of living into this new spiritual wealth spiritually. That has been made available to us first of the 3/16 the mystery of godliness that is this transfer that has occurred from the Old Testament to the New Testament. A mystery is something that was hidden in the old that is now been exposed or revealed in the new in this mystery is the person of Jesus Christ Christ in you the hope of glory.

This mystery is not in the Old Testament God was with them in the Gospels, Jesus was among them. But you and I now have Jesus in us, and the goal of this mystery. The goal of this reality is the production of godliness in the life of God's children, but the whole point of this salvation experience is to make us godly men and women we define godliness as a lifestyle consistent with the character of God. God left message is a lifestyle consistent with the character of God. Godliness does not mean perfection but godliness does bring consistency that it becomes normative for us to pursue godliness to be godly, and to recognize when we are not godly. That's God's goal on the floor is how do I get there. How do I arrived at this place of godliness where it's not a theory of theology but a reality.

How do you become godly. We know he wants us to be godly. We know there's a mystery Christ in you, we explained that mistreats using the illustration of a washing board and the washing machine before washing machines were created that was a washing board you put your human effort forth to get your clothes clean with the admin of the washing machine. You no longer had to produce clean close your old all you have to do is deliver it to a power called the washing machine whether the washing board of the washing machine both at the same goal to make clothes clean but they now had a different path. The problem with the washing board was your human effort you describe the problem with the washing machine is a mono built in to produce the cleanliness that your human effort was trying to produce with the washing board what God is saying now is that I have given you built into you. A washing machine so you no longer have to try to produce godliness by your own washing board that is not by human effort which he makes the law of Moses, but by supernatural enablement. The washing machine. The power source.

The question is how does this machine work life. How do I get the cleanliness operating in my life so that I am indeed becoming godly. That is a lifestyle consistent with the character of God progressively in chapter 4 Paul says in verse six, first Timothy to pointing out these things to the brethren so timidly, as you pointed out to the church at Ephesus, Tony Evans, as you point out to the church in Oak Cliff and pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of sound doctrine which you have been following, but have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women on the other hand discipline your self for the purpose of godliness for bodily discipline is only of little profit but godliness is profitable for all things Sentinel holds the promise for this present life and also for the life to come. He says if you want a big godly you must discipline yourself for it. Discipline yourself for godliness.

The great word for discipline is the one we get our English word gymnasium from the same word you go to a gym to get in shape. You don't go to a gym to create muscles you go to a gym to build the muscles you already have.

You don't go to a gym to create a heart you go to a gym to work out the heart that you already so the gym is designed to develop your physical attributes that you already possess the contrast gym experience for the physical body with your Jim word is gymnasium your Jim experience for your spiritual life God wants you to get your soul in shape and getting your soul in shape through spiritual exercise. Get your Jim's responsibility lies so Christians stay so defeated off so long that the day we got the week, month of the month and year after year in advance so out of shape. Just as the body when the body that is shaky will help the pump going up the steps you have flab when you don't want it because you have not. We have not exercise the body sufficiently in order for it to be in spiritual enough shape to handle what's being thrown at us and producing sinfulness in us. Now what is true about working out how many you know you need to work out plans going up.

One thing you know and that is that the big difference from intending to do it and doing. We woke up intending to get on the treadmill, intending to go to the gym.

All of a sudden, the thought of that extra 15 minutes or 30 minutes in bed all the rules are recognition that we need to work out, and the intense workouts. Let's get this straight, your workout regimen for godliness have to go beyond good intentions. It's got a go beyond the desires is going to require a decision that you want to engage in a workout program to get rid of the flab on your soul. Unfortunately, most Christians will satisfy with what weekly workout on Sunday morning they will come in for a workout session on Sunday morning but you know that if you have a trainer once a week but then the rest of the week you do opposite with the Trina told you you just wasted your workout session once a week.

So what most of us do is go to a spiritual workout session on Sunday and they go to the doughnut shop on Monday canceling whatever workout routine. We did on Sunday turned again to mimic a religious exercise. I was at work before we get to the gym will get to the gym. I want to say a word about God and his verse eight bodily discipline is only profitable for a little but godliness is profitable for all things since it holds the promise of this present life and also the electrical sense for you to exercise to go to the gym for the working out of your soul given data they going to the gym and working out your body, he says exercise gym is profitable for a little but on the other hand, the reason why you need to go to the godliness. Jim and because godliness is profitable and beneficial. Every aspect of your life or what he calls all things, your finances, your relationships, your marriage, your parenting, your career, your dad's your physical health if you get gym workout right.

It covers everything if you just go for the body. It only covers the body so all we get regular exercise… The program if you get this workout straight get it will make you better.

Everywhere because it's going to affect godliness everywhere. Dr. Evans will offer some practical godliness exercises when he continues her message just a moment. Stay with us reinvesting our marriages, our children, our callings with great expectation when you get to the harvest document, then don't stop praying. Don't stop working. Don't start asking the Lord in seeking the Lord what he would have and don't stop believing God for the blessing of bountiful harvest in your life in the new Lewis Evans legacy Bible study seasons of a woman's life.is Crystal Hearst and Priscilla Shiner help you navigate all the seasons of your life in a way that honors and pleases God. Request your copy of Lois Evans but in the DVD series in brick, but with you get to the urban alternative visit Tony Evans.org to learn more about how you can get the seasons of a woman's life Bible study package and I want to quickly let you know that the lesson you been hearing today is a message from Tony's new four-part series called in pursuit of godliness. It's a brief but insightful look at what godliness is all about how the Lord is provided us, each with the ability to move closer to him and in doing so to experience more outstanding and rewarding way of life. It's a valuable collection of messages and to make them even more beneficial to you for a limited time were making these lessons available bundled along with Tony's popular book, God himself. In it he explains that most of us don't stop often enough to consider who God really is and why he's worthy of our devotion. This book is a journey through his attributes, revealing aspects of the Lord's nature and character will probably surprise you in a marriage. Intimacy grows as spouses get to know each other. The same is true in our relationship with God so don't wait make a donation online had Tony Evans.org letter sent you this double resource package is our investment in your growth again. It's Tony Evans.org or reach out to our resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 for some in person help that's 1-800-800-3222 repeater contact information for you after part two of today's lesson. Here's Tony you die if we going to become godly must learn to this.

Jesus is presence comes from God. No matter how small, and no matter how large it is. It is derived from heaven and it is true there is not to reject anything that's good it is to be received with thanksgiving. In other words, God must be brought to bear on everything good in your life and you want to watch this upon that's what's signed by means you want to set it apart with the word of God in prayer.

You are now in the gym. Godliness. Let's take food, mostly everybody every time you bless your meal, but thank you for the phone about received nurse to about we call the blessing what we are saying is I recognize this is a provision for you. I want you to use this provision in me for my physical well-being and for my nutritional support so that I have the fuel to function so you set it apart. You signed the fire and you bring that meal underneath God. The problem is we do that with food but not when everything else. What he is saying is you to bless the Lord God, or what iconic practice. Jesus's presence.

It means bringing Jesus to bear on everything. Acts chapter 3 verses 12 and 13 says godliness comes from Jesus. Jesus is the dispenser of godliness and Jesus is in you, he dispenses out godliness over the holidays. Over the Christmas holidays. I was sick of the doll.

As I went to the 24 hour Walgreen and I said I think you have a prescription if not, understand three things just happen on the dock because human efforts couldn't fix me to see if that didn't try just didn't know what professional understand what I was going through and pick up the phone call the pharmacy all the common sense not to get off the shelf that had been manufactured by the manufacturer in order to give to me to recognize what was going on inside of me so that I would be free reality and at the same time manufacturer, since Jesus Christ is the great position, but is connected to the manufacturer. God knows what you need the palm of the Holy Spirit is not Jesus has prescribed the manufacturer called God in order to deal with godliness and I these computers and networks, the father, the son of the Holy Spirit because I would like to view Jesus will make the contact with the pharmacist and the manufacture died in the my word abide in you that you will experience what I have to offer but you can get the benefit of my pharmacy just now with fables, worldliness when he called in a prescription, and the pharmacist wrote it down.

Prescription carried authority with it carried with it because it hadn't written down the name of that which was to deliver me, but the power in the prescription was realized in me when I took the medicine that was prescribed what was written have power but it was not transforming until I took advantage of. I want you to begin "to begin practicing Jesus is present as part of our lives. What how by bringing him in on everything that is good because that's what it says. Everything good comes from God and it becomes sanctified somewhat like I'm doing my ungodliness everything because you know when you lifted weights, you begin to get to school when your soul is starting to lift up Jesus. If I be lifted up your soul begins get small so what happens when you get small. Don't fit you, please, please login to swallow. Don't take your clone regular muscles are now taking over swelling also through increasing your relationship with Jesus Christ. Regular workout routine by bringing in the bail on everything good in your life could guess what that means, you will be present all day of anything good, you will be talking to God about anything you need, you will be bringing Jesus in North Jesus will not be just that the males are just episodic and when you bring the biblical true biblical principle lengthwise inside the box with the word of God in prayer.

When you bring those two together with Jesus Christ and you doing it all day long.

That means you're working out all the time and your soul is becoming so ungodliness Dr. Tony Evans with some encouraging insight on the benefits of practicing the presence of Christ and he will come back in just a moment to wrap up today's lesson.

The first don't forget to take advantage of the special resource package I told you about earlier. The four-part audio collection in pursuit of godliness which contains the full-length message you heard today including portions we didn't have time to share in the year. Plus, Tony's popular book that explores the Lord's nature and attributes called God himself. These powerful resources can be yours as a thank you gift when you visit Tony Evans.org and make a contribution in support of Tony's worker on the radio and around the world. You can also let one of our resource team members assist you. They are night by calling 1-800-800-3222 that number again 1-800-800-3222. Every day we have the option to respond or circumstances with either griping or gratitude will tomorrow. Dr. Evans will explain why the choice we make affects much more than the way we feel right now though he's back to wrap up today's message you have all accepted Christ have a membership in God's gym the way you want out just to bring him to bear Jesus to practice is present all day every day, sometimes to be one minute. Sometimes we find some time to be extended somehow to be 30 seconds. Sometimes you speak it. Sometimes you just think it will be brought to be all big and everything is just all over the place.

So now what you're doing is building a relationship and not just executing a religious creature bringing him the bath and then you continue recite the biblical principle excite the biblical truth. You sanctified us with the word of God as you talk to him in prayer and nephews everywhere. He's all over you and you start to get small some old stuff doesn't fit anymore. God's got a gym membership for your body weight is open enrollment. Anybody wants to get in there is a membership spot for you all. By the way is not only a gym membership is not only open enrollment but the price has already been paid.

So right now, through Jesus Christ, and the price paid on Calvary enrollment is there for the power of God's word to be operated in your life with his presence on every good thing in your life. Swelling you're so the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans is brought to you by the alternative celebrating 40 years of faithfulness, thanks to the generous contributions of listeners like you