The Pursuit of God

It is some distance, and Dr. Tony Evans is confessing our sin is the first step to drawing closer to God. When you deal with sin and God celebrating 40 years of faithfulness. This is the alternative Dr. Tony Abbott, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the alternative, the Declaration of Independence talks about the right to life liberty and The Pursuit of Happyness pursuing something is no guarantee will find it today.

Dr. Evans comments on how to make our pursuit of God more successful.

Let's turn to James chapter 4 as we join him must do to remove ourselves from this of this world number one verse seven what God was the double will flee from you, not to be a wildly Christian is. The God term meant to get help in your proper ranking meant to surrender your self to your legitimate already in the proper gain word submit is used throughout the Bible questions. For example, are told to submit to government that is to submit to place themselves under their government to agreement the government is legitimate and is requiring legitimate things in life is told to submit to the degree that he has submitted himself to the authority of Christ. Children are told to submit to parents as long as the parent not requiring all written rebellion against God submitting do with alignment realigning your life under God what he called a Christian to submit saying to your self already of God. The first thing you me, which many of us need without causing them alignment. All of us here have had alignments in our cars alignments you don't always see you don't always feel it should always know that your need and alignment your front tires checked because when they check your front tire back and look at the Empire. The distribution of the wearing of the red to determine that you do not have a problem per se and alignment problem that is the cause of the even aware of the particularly on your front tires. Many of us today. I'm looking live with out land where fast with live balance and even seeing more see that we victory maybe about marriage being worn down and you think you got a problem with them alignment problem.

Many of our personal lives are being worn down. You want to change tires you want to change charges you want to change the environment, but you may have a problem to realize that the potential the meaning of the words you don't like not God. You have displaced yourself from the authority of God. What is that mean practically it means to say on a day by day basis, not my will but thy will be done is to say, I am willing to subject my desire to your desire my dreams to your dreams. My purposes to your purposes. My plans to your plans.

My hopes you'll hold it is to early abandon oneself to God. Until that happens, we will not be aligned properly to be able to do the second phase of this which is to resist the devil what he calls us to do our decision to leave the world and come under the ranking of God. Now God will help you God will empower you to make the decision, but what God will not do is to make the decision for you. So to submit to God is a conscious decision to stand against the world again to submit to God is a conscious decision to stand against that this world order that leaves God out. No longer will have dominating influence over my life anymore. You must decide that as a believer in Jesus Christ. God will help you do it, but he will not make the decision to do it for you.

One of the things we didn't know about the devil if he is not invincible textbook the death of Jesus Christ solve that he has been rendered in Hebrews 2 says powerless.

So now you must whip you by deception because he no longer can whip you by power one show, Jesus Christ the devil can no longer make you do anything they can trick you into doing it.

Taken to want to do it, but as a believer in Jesus Christ.

He can no longer make you do anything so that's why you cannot blame the devil what you do. Secondly, dear to God drawing near, has to do with increasing intimacy. It has to do with snuggling up close to it means if you're going to be the world and become a byword strong Christian you cannot have a long-distance relationship with God you cannot be a part-time Christian you cannot be a slow Sunday morning only say that this not be a lifestyle occupation. It must be an orientation whereby you draw the apostle John's word for drawing me. It was to abide, close to the closer you get to God the Lord God rubs off on like the hot sun along the sun, the more the sun when you sweat the make the sun make you sweat. You just have to be close to it for you for said draw well what me what I have to do the drawing. Never think your hand, you sinners, purify your hearts, you double minded. You cannot draw media without dealing seriously with sin is sin that keeps us at a distance is 1/3 thing you must do.

Humble yourself before God.

Verse 10 humble yourself in the presence of the Lord and he will exalt you is another great promise if you submit will be able to resist.

If you draw me off. He will draw near to you. If you humble yourself under him bring back the concept of submission. That's what it will you well see some of the problems we've been too busy looking ourselves up and lift yourself up. Why must God do nothing you good enough to take you mean to humble yourself. It means to remove all fragments of pride.

It is to remove all fragments of pride in the Bible. The great men of God were taken out were always taken down first. Joseph was taken down. Egypt put in jail and then he became king of Egypt.

Moses was put out in the wilderness, and then he became leader of Israel on David had to hang out with the sheep before he could became they had a have experienced down before God could trust him to look them up the greatest Bible teacher in the Bible. Paul the apostle had to spend three years in the desert before God before God would lift them up if you want God to raise you up in usefulness raise you up, empower Ray and victory Ray pinstripe don't know why because is not room for two God's universe as well.

See if you can raise yourself up and don't be gone all by yourself. But if you can't raise yourself up and your desperate need of God. Do what you do is you go you go, love mercy, using please mercy you say please you humble yourself is no place for gifts when sinful man approach a holy God and click on the it's come near please Mr. Welch. There must be if God is going to be the occasional prize.

God always starts going down say that's very give me some I can put my teeth into him you asked that question is why Roberson 711. Do not speak against one another brother and he thought the Christians he speaks against brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law but your judge of the loss. There is only one lawgiver and judge the one with able to save and destroy, but who are you to judge me. Is that okay let me give you an illustration of what humility means you will always discover humility in how you talk, especially how you talk about somebody else. He says because one of the ways we play God is without one of the ways we act like we think we God is without talk, because he says we use tongs to destroy one another.

She read the sin of slander as an illustration of this point of view.

Moses is not unrelated what's gone before yourself and how you spake because instead of having a malicious town that drags people because you have already gone down and recognized the grace of God you at least don't doubt you know you want to drag the people that John no not all good him how when God says you can even draw near to me because of the Senate.

No more time with sin in your life you have not debate about line tear down another person's reputation and you or non-construct way to clarify something very quickly. The Bible says you are to deal with since the Bible says in Titus 310 we are to deal with since first repeats five to confront brothers were sitting slander slander if talking to everybody else but the brother slander and send John Doe is messed up and John Doe never get to hear from you that you love them enough to care for him and not try to help them out of the myth I want 300 other people to know the John Doe was going to the dogs. So the John Doe will look bad in front of the people you think well, people still do it and I don't see the big deal. Well, now you broke the law because the law that you love your God with all your heart my mind and soul and love your neighbor as yourself. That's what the law sums up into the backhoe 10 Commandments are really commandments of love, no other God means love to be fickle. It must be single-minded commandment number two no idols means love must be loyal in its practice commandment number three. Do not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Love must be respectful and not you think the way commandment number four. Remember the Sabbath keeping holy love must be devoted with disaffection commandment number five. Honor your father and mother love must be submitted to the gym and the parties commandment number six you shall not means love should now do other people and not try to love is to be pure and not to find out.

I do not not not not not not not not content to fight what you have now let's stated in a negative way. Dr. Evans will explain why people who think Christian should be judging each other may have missed the point he returns. In a moment to continue this message from his brand-new CD compilation 20 Evans top 40, a collection of the most hard-hitting and life-changing sermons in his 40 year ministry history that includes messages on our authority as believers praying and waiting for God's timing.

The importance of spiritual armor sharing the good news, and much more. These messages can literally change your life for the life of someone you love. So right now we are offering volumes one and two of this powerful new compilation as our thank you gift when you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on this station please visit 20 Evans.org. While the special offer is still available.

Make your donation and you'll receive all 20 lessons in volumes one and 220.

Evans top 40, along with his booklet on fasting, which explains how this often overlook spiritual discipline can lead to the breakthrough you been praying for all the details are waiting for you@20evans.org again that's Tony Evans.org or call our resource Center at 1-800-800-3222, I'll repeat our contact information later on after part two of today's lesson coming up right after this apprentice Dr. Tony Evans says Christians have a habit of using overlooking our most valuable spiritual resource to our in-depth course on kingdom. Prayer Tony Evans training center you'll discover how God has wired the world to work like prayer and experience for yourself how it connects heaven with her and time not only gain a new understanding and appreciation for prayer you'll actually pray in transforming ways never experienced before. The course is intense work through it at your own pace and get all the help you need online for and course this custom content from Tony not available warehouse connect with the Tony Evans training center and Tony Evans.org. It's like having a seminary on your smart phone or other device. Start today Tony Evans or Bibles very quickly to Matthew chapter 7. This gives you the proper balance about judging people because you've heard people say well Bob, don't judge.

Well, not quite. Do not judge, lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you and why do you look at the speck that is in your brother.but do not notice the law that is in your own you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your and behold the log you hypocrite, first take the log out of your own and you will see clearly to take this out of your brother's eye in the Bible. If not, don't judge, it is watch how you judge missing because you judge will be the basis of how you will just if you want somebody else. This lady gets what God says what goes around comes around. And while they may need to be corrected along which we should do what they should be condemned for wrong but judging always made to build up and they should be with the law removed from your because of you have a tree trunk sitting outside your fix is no way you can see us back in somebody else's so fix you first before you judge when you judge it will be measured to you know what the problem with wrong judgment you judge, verse 12.

There is only one lawgiver judge and one was able to kill and keep alive and will you judge a lightning network that only one God and you 90 you're not. He is dealing with righteous judgment, biblical judgment, clear judgment, judgment that is humble is why the Bible says taking evil thinking friends lest he falls you safe at what John God says watching watching. Don't you know that's a possibility in you to look up a prostitute which are viewable on the right side of town on the rights of the sun that could be you. When you understand it could be you humble yourself in the Bible stories told by way of application of two Jews went to the temple. The Pharisees said I thank you. I'm not like other men locating.

Thank you. I'm not immoral.

Thank you that I'm not a fee.

Thank you that I'm not like the dogs out there. Thank you everybody else in the public at the feast came in and beat his chest. The Bible/set all I said and got all of those things that that it will probably give one away just say when awake and all things will be born well, but the mantle don't allow said women past, I haven't drawn me.

I haven't submitted not been little bit too proud to late. We know in football, they have have to know what to do have to go in and get things straight.

You find out what's been causing you to lose and you readjust a strategy, no matter how many points the other team escort and have to you can always come out 1/2, hope you know what that mean at least that many points can be scored one now your turn score the home team a Abuja because the other team got up on my have to at half time you listen to the crowd. The coach and no matter what else to say about you coaches saying let's go back out on the field when this day Jesus Christ is calling you to the second half of the second half and not Dr. Tony Evans encouraging us to choose the team were committed to. As we pursue God.

Today's lesson was part of Tony's new audio compilation called Tony Evans top 40, there's lots of bonus content in this collection, including entire messages we won't have time to present on the year but will send you volumes one and two of this four volume set as our gift. If you can help us keep Tony's teaching on this station by making a contribution along with it will include the booklet on fasting. I told you about earlier, but only if we hear from you before this limited time offer runs out. Make the arrangements today Tony Evans.org or let one of our team members help you by calling 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222 and I was pretty easy to spot a Christian who looks the part, but not as easy to spot one who lives the part a believer who is authentic through and through with Dr. Evans will talk about how to become that kind of disciple tomorrow.

Right now though, will wrap up our time together with this quick shout out. We received from Dr. Ed Young in celebration of 40 years of God's faithfulness to the ministry of the urban alternative is my privilege to say a word of congratulations from 40 years of service to none other than my brother and my friend Dr. Tony Evans.

He rightly divides the word of truth. They by day and weekend by weekend, not only to his church, but really he's a spokesman for Christ around the world. Tony, one of ministry. What a blessing you been to countless millions of people in these 40 years, and I'll tell you a secret. The best is yet to be congratulations.

I'm thrilled to be your brother and I'm thrilled to just follow in your weight as you make a wide swath for the kingdom of God throughout this world. God bless you and your terrific friend the alternative with Dr. Tony Evans is brought to you by the urban alternative celebrating 40 years of faithfulness, thanks to the generous contributions of listeners like you