Concept of Faith, Part 1

Dr. Tony Evans explains why thing has to be more than just a way of thinking about things that are not experiencing God is not like they live celebrating think this is the alternative Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and Pres. of the urban alternative when the road gets tough. It helps to know how others have successfully navigated the trip today. Dr. Evans tells the stories of people who've gone before us on their faith journey as he takes us to Hebrews chapter 11. Let's join him there are many people today who living with a sense of hopelessness the sense that it's not working it's not worth it. It's not I quit I given I throw in the town. I can't take it so profound. This was true of the folks of Hebrews was writing on the verge of quitting, quitting the faith going back to the world. This Christian thing was worth it. Got unanswered prayers got him fulfilled dreams things in my life that I thought God was going to take care of has not yet been addressed. So throwing the town to discuss in a profound chapter what we discussed this concept is summarized in chapter 10.

In chapter 10 of Hebrews verse 35. He says do not let your confidence, which has a great reward for you. Need for endurance, so that when you have done the will of God.

You may receive what is promised for you in a little while he was coming welcome and will not delay but just want to show them and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in those who shrink back to the structure but of those who have, to the preserving of the soul I use so that you don't for any thing for the righteous shall live by faith. Okay what what about a moment is supposed to be a lifestyle, not an event. The righteous shall live by faith.

In other words, what is how you should roll it should be how you flow it should be on the day of life is not a concept you it's a lifestyle you possess because the righteous shall live by faith.

So if you're not living it's because you're not yet righteous, because that's how the righteous live in the righteous will live by whatever faith is get to experience God in action is what he says you get to experience God filling his word. So you gotta ask the question because it not only by faith, not experiencing God in my circumstances. That's how the righteous will they live by faith. But that raises the question, what is faith and how does it work verse one now faith is the assurance of things home for the conviction of things not seen to be an it must have substance involves being sure of stuff of the things which are hope for and against things you have not yet seen in the word faith is the substance of things for things not seen this is only meaningful substance to two substance that is experience with the five senses.

But his real based on the end pretty on the subject was calling for the thing is the subject calling for thing.

It's got after you've gone the will of God.

Hebrews 11 verse six says with now.

It is simple to please God don't miss this one is not one of the things you need. It is the thing you need if you want to experience God. Why is God getting all upset about whether I have faith and not without you have challenged the integrity of God. Now you know why think is a big deal, and why God said without you. Do not please me. Just please me because you challenge my integrity. Verse 24 by faith of old gained approval of all meaning. In the Old Testament. He said I will take you New Testament Christians on the tool and we walk through what I call the hall of faith, the heroes of faith and he said I would take you on a tool of them so they can help you come for the first witness don't come forth and testify. Now I'm gonna come forth and say hello. So some will come forth to go to Sarah's outcome for things she wants to share with you want to tell you hello Sutton Sutton testify as well. Don't give a testimony Joseph don't give a testimony patriarch don't give a testimony to let you know that Juan is true when you understand testify in Ohio that the football Hall of Fame football great snow exceeded an Excel them. They are for them to be remembered. God says this is not Hall of Fame not to file Hebrews chapter 11.

These are the men and women who demonstrate that the spacing works. You don't get your graduation certificate when you enroll in college you will get it.

Upon enrollment, you'll get it upon for filling the requirements. That's why the image and when you have completed the will of God to Cassano Ross in college for 26 recovery not completed the course we been called on to receive the approval of graduation. The validation and dictation of a life of faith we pick and choose what we want to believe God. We believe God of the things we like. We disregarded all the things we don't like and not living by faith we are cherry picking. By faith he says the righteous. This is how they well and I was non-faith is the exception is the rule. In spite of how they feel like the three Hebrew boys and said we believe God can deliver us, but even if we know about because we trust God is like Rebecca says in chapter 3. The last thing on the tree. Install PC anything God is doing will still rejoice because God even though I can see a change in my situation because God integrity. In spite of my circumstance to think about living our lives: bottom line. Because of our refusal to live by faith and his confidence in something you do not see in the visible realm, but you are convinced of it spiritually, you convince spiritually, although it hasn't been seen physically.

So you're walking in expectation. One of the thing before we go on 12 point that's some strange people in this list that some funky business that we will make in the lives would have made the list. You got a prostitute in this list, you got a lie.

In this list, you got a murder in this list. You gotta a passive man in this list. You gotta laugh in the face of God in this list.

All who may be some good news and some not even know you all you spiritual you right now begin to buy God's some reasons hope you and I begin to stop thinking at the make play in church planting religion playing Christianity and not taking God seriously and stopping our challenge of his integrity because why would you answer the prayer of somebody calls you a liar every day. God bless me God better job God.Jamison.but he only God's integrity is challenged. His promises lie dormant and unfulfilled becomes his final point is to verse three by faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen wasn't made out of things which are, I need to read that again because by faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen, what is visible was not made out of things which are difficult to said to make my point about faith.

Let me take you all the way back to the beginning. He says we understand that the world that we do see was created by someone using something we don't see Genesis 11 says in the beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth. That's the Hebrew name for the creator God found in Genesis chapter 1 verse one. Stay with me and noticed verse three is that means the whole universe not just the whole universe. All the galaxies not exist. Once created by so you can see using stop you KC to create verse you can see that which is trying to look at the telescope, but the galaxies telescope can even locate what is seen this way from the beginning bringing stuff you see. You can't see any created universe. With this strategy.

Now what your problem was God use this energy to create verse and how first reason is bio Rhema word were more than willing word means a divine utterance of spoken word he spoke as one. Beginning God said, let there be light and it was like God say it would be separated from the land and so got 60 word and what became because of what was somebody you don't see sets of somebody you KC is against God said so you can see Centurion told Jesus speak word and this will change but not everyone believes those divine utterances. Dr. Evans mentioned Toby back to talk about that in just a moment for someone to tell you about Tony's brand-new book kingdom heroes. This just-released title is a look at the Bible's faith Hall of Fame full of ordinary people who did extraordinary things by taking God at his word. It teaches us that spiritual reality is about much more than what we can see or touch and shows how much we can endure, overcome and accomplish when we act as though God is telling the truth. We want you to be one of the first to receive a copy of this new kingdom heroes book as our thank you gift when you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on this station along with it will send you a companion Bible study workbook and all 13 messages in Tony's heroes of the faith series as a bonus, you can get them on CD and digital download.

But this limited time offer won't last long, so be sure to get in touch with us today and get the details and make the arrangements. You can do that online@tonyevans.org that's Tony Evans.org or reach out to our resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 anytime of the day or night. That's 1-800-800-3222.

I'll repeat that information for you right after part two of today's lesson and this coming to theaters this November. The place where Lazarus rains from near the place where it's believed was from which will range the New Testament gospels to line location since her earthly ministry connecting to their significance for humankind today and I relationships I guess what Jesus is taking things. November 15, 1617 problem with Dr. Tony, life-changing journey with Jesus by showtimes and learn more world where we been the world came from the primeval slime grew into an amoeba grew into a monkey to develop self consciousness and became a man. You got to go to college, faith, people understand that God spoke the divine yacht the divine utterance button generation to generation that does not. We let the man God, leaving us without his promise been reality being experienced in online since God is the same yesterday today and forever.

He still operates on the principle that what you say comes from what you don't see what you don't see faith in what God says. You can see, you see will just discuss it in science class.

Okay I notice nobody here copy are taught the spaces here that in the second service would normally be people in the morning. Most let me tell you why why the empty space. Inquiring minds want to know what why are the empty spaces.

Why because a lot of our folks listen to the weatherman last. The weather man said beginning at noon or so.

The temperature is going to drop precipitation will come in below freezing.

It's going to ice.

Be careful, for which they said a word just it's going to be Going to Texas and they believe the word is going on. The word believe and do it because I believe now that the ring predicted and sometimes call.

No pun intended. Man is sometimes right and sometimes will we will determine we take an umbrella. We pick up a couple pick up a coat jacket sometimes is right and down with cold T-shirts.

Yet you not like your prescription if you can read the prescription is not a real doctor from a man you trust. Read about.

I don't understand you trust your team and I don't understand what you read the Bible. I don't understand. I don't know what it means but I know rodents because I have integrity. I'm going to take it to the pharmacy by picking up what was written from a person of integrity and the prescription writing on a piece of paper by a person who has integrity that is of absolutely no benefit to you? That does not have integrity and align what he tells me to do in every area of life, not just in church life, not just in: put the religious life with every aspect of life, my career, my money, my relationships, my singlehood body is not just have integrity on every subject and you won't until you see Dr. Evans will be back to wrap up our program with a story about how to get that movement started, so stay with us first though the kind of faith Tony talked about today isn't just a way of life. It's the way to life. The Bible makes it clear that none of us is good enough or pure enough to make it to heaven on our own and that putting our faith in Jesus sacrifice on the cross is the only way to bridge the gap between human failure and divine forgiveness. If you've never made that connection visit Tony.org today. Follow the link that says Jesus there. Tony will explain everything you need to know about what it means to be a real Christian, and how to start a brand-new life. That's Tony Evans.org and while you're there, don't miss out on your chance to take advantage of our current special three-part resource package.

All 13 messages from both volumes of Tony's current audio series heroes of the faith, along with his brand-new book and Bible study kingdom heroes there yours with our thanks when you make a donation to help keep this listener supported program coming your way. Just visit Tony.org to make the arrangements or call our resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 were team members are standing by to assist you with your request. Again, 1-800-800-3222, or online@tonyevans.org Dr. Evans says the kind of worship God gets isn't always the kind he wants. And next time he'll explain the difference that made in the lives of two Bible characters and the difference it can make to us right now though he's back with a story from when his grandson was little the second service on most Sundays, Jonathan the second runs out at the end of the service runs up the step comes over to Poppy, which is what he calls me catchy. He stands up and down and he jumps, but always one like everyone initially picked him up and putting down and I said no, no, I'm scared to touch. He said no no no no Word uttering the word word problem is you wouldn't believe in the word because he was not confident in my integrity.

He was not convinced. I either have the will or the ability to catch but with the word will jump jumps in with the word he came over to come close to but when he asked me to draw me a call on the team a little bit closer now with me and you, God is buying the alternative reading is