A Challenge Toward Authenticity

Dr. Tony Evans is the Lord knows not being authentic matter how together we appeared on the outside got the look that you will have the worst part about it is celebrating faithfulness. This is the alternative Dr. Tony author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the alternative is pretty easy to spot a Christian who looks the part, but not as easy to spot one who lives the part believer who is authentic, through and through you 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 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 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 seeing 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 $7.15. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold and wish you were cold so because you are a little bit longer and bigger hot nor cold.

I will spit you out of my mouth and why he is saying this, you have to understand Laodicea's unique location on one side of Laodicea. The city was populous, which was akin to hot Springs, Arkansas. You've ever been the hot Springs, Arkansas. You know, the heated water that comes up from the steam that shows up because of the heat and that morning 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 when we get the book. Colossians and water came down from the mountains into Laodicea where the water came down the Mirabilis and the cold water came down from Colossae.

They met at Laodicea when the hot and cold water. The water now became movable when reach Leon to see some Jesus Christ uses this geographical reality to express a spiritual reality operating at Laodicea Bible Fellowship. You are neither non-coal. In other words, they are unacceptable out one last point.

Even his coffee but I know his new coolness wellness that is linked spiritual state is unacceptable. 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 say I am rich got my job got the money got the car, got my house got my close so on. The church is not stop. I go to Laodicea Bible Fellowship because 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 nicer because the nicer job that some have you fallen into this theology.

That stuff must be a blast 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 will allow the world to tell you whether your success. You allowed to tell you whether your successful you allowed to graze on the wall to tell you if your successful motion in the marketplace to tell you whether your successful but I'm a man like you kids like it is you all made me throw up. That is the physical and the more you have. Camouflage is the spirit 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 like this one because the.be where I am at the education that I have okay if I wasn't close to God. It 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.

So you see the district finances, fashion, pharmaceutical what you think you can see what your expensive glasses on your block to be black is to be blind to not know it's bad to be met. But it's worse to be negative and not know you undressed people what it says you don't know it's bad nonstop and you don't know me well coming to church or 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 you got the look, but you don't have the reality and the worst part about it is you don't even know because you will not accept spiritual perspective.

First you would shut yourself by what they say not what I am saying India. What I am saying in here is different than what everybody else is whispered in your mail long and I am right because the amen I made you not on the creator.

So what we do when we make that realization. Dr. Evans will come back with the answer just a moment first so I want to let you know that the lesson your hearing today as part of a brand-new four volume collection of messages we put together, spending 40 years of ministry were calling it. Tony Evans top 40 right now will send you volumes one and two. This powerful set is our way of saying thanks for your investment in us which enables us to continue investing in you that's 20 full-length messages including several we won't be able to present on the year. This time around and as a special bonus will send it to you along with Tony's booklet on a nearly forgotten spiritual discipline, fasting it will help you discover how saying no to your physical appetite.

From time to time can really sharpen your spiritual one lead you to the breakthrough you been praying for this double resource package is only available for a limited time, so visit Tony Evans.org to make the arrangements today. That's 20 Evans.org or call us at 1-800-800-3222 our resource center is open 24 71 more time. That's 1-800-800-3222 repeat all that information for you later after part two of our message and this connect the dots draw lines from one number to another and before you know what the picture.

She didn't even know was there. Tony want you to have that same experience Tony Evans training center. He'll help you connect the dots of Scripture and discover the big picture of God's kingdom agenda all at your own pace anywhere, anytime your computer or mobile device their courses on a wide range of topics in tax. Each one includes exclusive in-depth content from Tony probing discussion questions access to public messages and online discussion forum where you can ask specific questions and get detailed visit Tony Evans.org today and connect with the Tony Evans training center where you can explore the kingdom anytime, anywhere you want to do what you do. Verse 18.

You to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich because you're not rich you think you rich, but you not in white garments because of the fashion district so that you may clothe 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. So guess what I want to do.

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 buy from me. In other words, I'm the only one who can do that to you 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, close. That's why James two decries the man who's got stuff you got stuff.

He's got monies got wealthy got recognition 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 the 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 I got the world standard world standard so not in my class what Jesus was classically, except you and Jesus gladly accepts me is that you James and the poor man when you go into the back could be saving the rich folk 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 we don't people on the back give a lot of money because you know better than the little 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 could you have more than somebody else would you have.

Maybe the project MVA PhD.but you know better than the high school graduate with God's is God that God but you know better than God, is God who can speak God's way into your life. I have chosen this world to be the speaker into the life what God does you are never to be an elitist church that only response the big-name people with big-name monies in big-name homes and big men, that the cross across the cross were all in need of the same grace. So Jesus said, I got some advice for focal put the physical in front of the spiritual back for me. You got to get all my page. You gotta start with me, not what they say and not with the television is not with the media saying 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 of I will put you in situations you can dress up for, 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. No problem until I can get some undivided attention and to 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 sales.

Their giants in the land Joshua and Caleb's and not seeing, but I do not seeing because if you were sitting with 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 spiritual and 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 is, behold, I stand at the door and knock. Behold, I said at the door and knock all of Leo Bible Fellowship is knocking me down in charge of the United page up and open up.

You shall not good to get all the things I want to get around and they got good all the time.not just because you have been charged only and what the sanctuary 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, their direction, their decisions do not spiritual so how do you know for sure if 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 this message called a challenge toward authenticity. If you like to hear the full length version that comes as a part of our current featured resource Tony Evans top 40. As I mentioned earlier, all 20 messages in volumes one and two of this collection are our gift to you. When you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on the station and for a limited time were also including a copy of his booklet on fasting as a special bonus just drop by Tony Evans.org you can get all the details and make your donation online again that's Tony Evans.org or you can call her 24 hour resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 let one of our team members help you with your request.

Dr. Evans is back now with a question for us to consider. So the question is how do you know if 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 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 to 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 on if you're ready to open the door and let God in go to Tony Evans.org right now, and click the link on the homepage that simply says Jesus there. Dr. Evans says 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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