Committing to the True God, Part 2

There is a double line is that men think is Dr. Tony Evans talks about the difference when we truly dedicate ourselves to the Lord all the minute was limited, and so confident that all nonbeing on them.

This is the alternative Tony author, speaker, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative. Many people who say they trust God will also put their trust in a lot of other things today. Dr. Evans takes us to the book of first King relook at why nothing but total commitment to Christ will do. Let's join him. We have seen some of the natural activity of John we tried to say this transfers over to you today. The principle of God's supernatural work that we discovered in his life relates to we come in chapter 18 and we come to a place where now the prophet Elijah confronts King Ahab.

Verse 17 and when Elijah said to him you you trouble of Israel. In other words, you didn't know my nerves.

Ahab says this is you, Elijah. You bring all this trouble is really Elijah responds in verse 18. I am not troubled Israel but you and your father's house have because you have forsaken the commandment of the Lord, and you have followed the bail so we were to be politically correct so they have you brought this about because of your pursuit of idolatry, you cause the heavens to shut up is no longer rainy.

The culture is in trouble because you have pursued another God so Elijah says now sending Gavin to me all of Israel at Mount caramel verse 90, together with 450 prophets bail and 400 prophets of passion 850 who eat at Jezebel's table. He says okay let's have a fight at the okay corral you bring your people and your God, and I'll be there at high noon. Okay, let's settle this once and for all, let's go confuse people.

Let's put this thing out on the table so Ahab says okay you got a deal. Let's go for so I have sent verse 20 message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount, verse 21. Elijah came near to all the people and said hello will you pay between two opinions.

If the Lord is God, follow him. But if bail follow him, but the people did not answer him a word Elijah says I spoke to Dan. How long will you hesitate between two opinions. This is the people were silent since how much longer are we going to play religion cannot be fully committed, they said nothing because they were ready to make a full commitment yet he's calling on them just to do that. Jesus says to reject new wellness to reject double mindedness that not a double minded man thinks he shall receive anything from the Lord.

James 15 so I don't care how much you pray every day. If there is a double mindedness dancing between God's dancing between sauces. Let not that man thinks God is doing anything for him.

In other words, there is no miraculous coming your way only what you create. There will be nothing from heaven because heaven is not going to support you while you date another God and so he says I know full decision. Your full commitment and your full dedication.

So now Elijah says hello. Verse 22, the prophet of the Lord. But bells, prophets of 450 million, but since this is not a popularity contest. This is not to see what the numbers fair in my favor. I'm ready to take my stay. God is looking for some folk who even though outnumbered, willing to take this thing even though the other side has more than you even though it looks like you're outnumbered and you're among your friends, your coworkers or what have you. You are willing to be known as a follower of Jesus Christ. You no longer going to be a secret agent Christian spiritual CIA representative of call covert operative EULA, and make it clear where you stand said this is how the numbers shape up.

But in spite of that, we will put the true God to the test. He says wanted to bring verse 23, two oxen and let the 450 choose one oxen and I'll take whichever one they don't choose one that would put on the altar, but don't put a fire under it and then beautiful think you colony your God and tell your God, like the five okay God made Ohio players by God to lighted up and then God and see who's God is the God of fine now unless you understand that you can appreciate this but bail was the God of fire, the God of the son so you figure it bail in the chart inside like someone to lease challenging him at the very all of the greatness of the sublessee.

We should not do so, they agree he is so competent in his commitment to God that he will challenge the majority will we need some committed Christians the day who are so committed and so confident in that they don't mind being outnumbered because they understand that once God, the true God is in the equation. The number should that's why you went God's will for you not intimidated by bigger people, more powerful people greater numbers becomes the deciding factor because of you have working with you.

Let's do this thing is noticeably so. Here's what they do. The 450 agree and so they chose the ox in verse 26 the Tutsi and prepared it in the name of bail and from morning to noon. They were saying all bail and terrace, but there was no voice. No one answered and Bailey about the altar, which they may try and it with a God throw bail bail. Let's have some fire like them slightly alter all bail gray bail jumping on the altar to get an appraisal and around the idol and says nothing and there was no voice. That is what we get to a little humorous part of the Bible is little humorous here in verse 27 million that Elijah okay for them and is what you think.

Time to be making fun of, but a lot of them any mind stimuli not to be sent one to call out loud, verse 27 allowable yelling, screaming out enough decay. Got another meeting going on. If he can get PR right now, so why not all is gone now not leave. Maybe in the bathroom he can get for you right now God is going to sign on the side just the trick you always taken a vacation. Or perhaps he's because light is asleep and you need to wake them up so why don't you sing a little loud appraisal little louder play a little louder and wake up your God what it was, take them off because of verse 28 is then crowned out with a loud voice and make themselves according to the custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out words spend on planes. They have lost their minds on the magnetic 450, while the audience of the Israelites. She states that nothing to say nothing to contribute was one man taking a stand when mid-day was passed was 29. They raved and tell evening sacrifice, that was no voice. No one answered. No one paid attention stimuli is that all the people complained come close to all the people came near to him and he repaired altar of the Lord which had been torn down. Okay, stop. Stop it. Since he repaired the altar, which had been torn down. That means they had religion without commitment because the altar had been used. Now, what would they do on the altar sacrifices. Why would they make sacrifices to deal with sin to what they were doing was having religion without dealing with sin. They were having religion without addressing what was the priority of God using one of the reasons you want to God is.

You want God who can worship on Sunday but the God who will let you do whatever you want to do on Monday. So you need to God's you need a God because you believe the Bible but then you need a God who will let you do who issues no orders makes no the land let you do what you want to do but then you run that is God on Sunday to try to get a straight but you know that God not help your Monday you know God on Monday to free you up to be in rebellion because people don't want the God of the Bible or the standards of the God of the Bible they leave the altar of God on address doctrines will talk about what we need to give up on religion and look for something different.

Instead, when he continues her message in a moment. Stay with the thing about serving an infinite God is that no matter how much you know there's always more to learn. So, with your brand-new to Scripture or an experienced ministry professional. There's something for you with Tony Evans training to find online courses covering concepts of the faith working at your own pace and schedule digging deep into the historical context of the book uncover the key teachings and learn how to apply them in real situations. There's lots of exclusive content from Dr. Evans to keep you interested and motivated an online form where you can ask questions and answers can collaborate with other students. The more you learn, the more you want to give it a try Tony Evans training center world and discover any time anywhere. The Tony Evans training centers like having a seminary on your smart phone or other device try some of our free introductory courses to get started. Just follow the link@tonyevans.org. Also, I want to remind you that today's on-air lesson is part of a great message series from Dr. Evans called Elijah this six part collection focuses on the lessons we can learn from one of the Bible's greatest prophets about waiting for God's perfect timing. Living a life that matters. Overcoming fear and discouragement strengthening our faith and commitment and more for limited time we are offering the Elijah series on CD and digital download along with the companion DVD Bible study kit is or thank you gift when you support Tony's work here on the year with a donation. Just give us a call at 1-800-800-3222 to make the arrangements and one of our team members will help you a resource center never closes the call right now. 1-800-800-3222 or visit us at Tony heaven's.org. Dr. Evans is back now with more of today's message you all of religion by religion can change you. Religion can help you and religion certainly won't bring heaven down to earth what you need and I need and we need is a relationship but you can only have a relationship on God's terms. And you cannot religion on God's terms. If you got another dog waiting for you tomorrow. That is another source of your identity and your reality. And so Elijah took 12 stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord come saying Israel shall be your name. So with the stones, he built an altar in the name of the Lord, got the spiritual priority back in order. Unless we do that as a church unless that's the main thing every other thing is a waste of time. He got the altar back spiritual part back to confession of sin and the pursuit of righteousness back altar represented all that and then he made the trench around the altar large enough to hold two measures of seed. This home around the altar. Now watch what he does. She arranges the award verse 33 cuts the oxen in the pieces lays it on the wood and he said pitches with water and poured on the burn off when trying to light up some.

You will pour water on one on one. Keep it dry so that it lights quickly but it was one on 24 it said. He said do it a second home or no weapon will pull formal pictures of someone I gave again but anything is no do it 1/3 time and they did 1/3 document another three restoration and resurrection is when God is reaching grandson that was dad and give it life again is where God reaches that showing all my God is so bad we don't want this thing down down again went down at the time, and time and said that was so that the water flowed around the altar and also the trench with sweat altar was filled with water and maybe God and God is that we will make God when you got that kind of relationship where you can make it hard for God to do a miracle and still not sweat it because I think a lot of us don't know who we dealing with will know we deal with.

That's why we meet up God's not knowing that God is the true God. The Bible says in the New Testament that Elijah was an ordinary worth he have any unique powers. He was an ordinary man, but he connected with God and he saw a miracle so he tells New Testament Christians. If you really want to see the miraculous God at work can come through ordinary people because he just an ordinary man. God so he prays at the evening sacrifice overlord verse 36, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a covenant keeping God today letting me know that you are God in Israel.

I am your servant, and notices I have done all the things that you were letting me know what you will do when people are committed to you and your word. In other words, I'm not like you lying dance. I'm not like y'all I'm not going back and forth. I am totally committed to his word. That's how you know if you dance and you know if you dance between God by whether his word has the final say so in your decisions say that again the way you know your committed Christian is not because you shall the profits of male shelter is not because you dance around the profits of bail dance around is not because you say a man the problem. The bear was screaming out and making all that noise all know he said let it be known that I'm for real. Because I obey you where in other words, God your word has the final say so over my decision until you get to that place.

You're not fully committed. If you're not fully committed. You have limited or lost access to the miraculous.

So he says I have kept your word answer me oh Lord.

Verse 37 that this people may know that you will Lord our God, and that you have turned their hearts back again in the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering the wound disclosed the DOS and lit up the water in the trench now. This is one of the things I want to see on instant replay when I get to heaven only said the fire fell so it comes. So okay I can understand that but it taken so the wood and stone, but I will walk around the tree sucked up the stone sucked up the wood. It went around the edge of the lawn and God showed off that death would not show enough let me show you what I can do is lick it up showed all when you see God show off and so on for you when you see them do exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask when you say because you rebuilt the altar will commitment the family faces and said the Lord he is God what the fuel fully committed to biblical down the miraculous that the many who are not committed decide it's better for them to be committed about the small group leaders the beast on fire for God's that the people in your group see the miraculous happenings through you and in you that they say okay I want to be like you want to be see the leaders so committed to God that people want to follow them because they said God definitely in place of having NBC experience. That's what makes us a great not just apply for religious back with a first so he talked earlier about the importance of giving up on religion in favor of a real relationship with God through Jesus Christ. If you're not 100% sure what that means, or how it happens, take a few minutes to visit Tony Evans.org and click on the link that says Jesus 20 will explain it all in a short video. There are some free resources you can download to learn even more. Check it out today while you're there, don't forget the Tony's current series. Elijah is available as a digital download and on CD as her. Thank you gift for your contribution to help keep our outreaches and ministries going strong as we touch people with God's message of hope and truth.

And if you contact us right away will include a comprehensive DVD Bible study kit you can use to get more out of the messages either on your own or with your small group or Bible class resource team members are available to help you make the arrangements now at 1-800-800-3222 that's 1-800-800-3222 Oregon visitors should Tony haven't stopped or in a when you order goods online, you often get to choose how fast you want them delivered well tomorrow. Dr. Evans explains why that isn't the case. When we pray, as he talks about how to wait for God's perfect timing. Right now though he's back with this final thought for today. Does anybody here know what a hillbilly role bump bump is an armadillo bed in the middle of the room that that's what's called hillbilly let me country people call it a hillbilly robe Menem explained 1 million armadillos every year are killed in the middle-of-the-road. Every time I've seen on the door on his back and his legs sticking up in the every Thomas in on the baseball crossing the road they stop in the middle of that base in the middle of the low cost, no one over because they get in the middle doesn't do any wrong non-Christians in this place you come let you stay you wanted him out to the God of the Bible, but you want to stay over here to the world. You stay in the middle, only to be run over his glory when he moves down the center that you go all the way, you will see an open Jesus is God going down the son of man, you'll see what God can do, because you've given him all the alternative with Dr. Tony is made possible by the generous contributions of listeners