Committing to the True God, Part 1

When God is also elevated because of Dr. Tony Evans talked about the link between our commitment and our confidence is almost accessible.

This is the alternative Dr. Tony Hunter speaker senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas Texas and president of the urban alternative Dr. Evan says seeing God show up in your life and more practical, powerful way is directly related to something, you have the power to change to explain what it is. As he takes us to the book of first Kings for today's message suggested that you get to see the level of your spiritual commitment that if you can't Christian don't expect Israel dealing with the problem that brought the prophet Elijah on the sleeve in the first place.

That is there traction items. They were trying to bail and ask males girlfriend. The idols that had no school culture. Even those who name the name of God is authorized now, person, place or thing that you look to that thing to be the source of the needs being met. Something God is not approved, but you look into it to be the source of your provision. That's an idol granite over here don't worship trees by and large, all moon or stars market really say that because folks are still checking the horoscopes as an unauthorized source because the Bible says when you when you check astrology to find your source and your direction based on the movement of the stars of the month you were born, or any of the like you have appeal to an unauthorized so that is idolatry. So you just have an American Idol. Just look at what's happening in the culture and you gravitate to the bad weather. It's people, or possessions.

The weather is prestige. We have seen some of the supernatural activity in mind 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 your life. We come in chapter 18 and we come to a place where now the prophet Elijah conference, King Ahab. He confronts King Ahab any conference in the chapter 18 verse 17 and when I saw Elijah Ahab said to him is 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 to Israel. 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 you follow the idols. Elijah is not concerned about being politically correct is not concerned about making the team feel good.

He's not concerned about his cultural profile. That's why you gotta be independent even in politics. The only thing you get the million Democrat like a Republican like because you're owned by nobody why because nobody is your source, but the living and true God.

So we would be politically correct. He said they have you brought this about because of your pursuit of idolatry you caused the heavens to shut up is no longer rainy.

The culture is in trouble because you have pursued another God.

One of the reasons you're saying all this chaos around us even in our culture and in our country is because we have forsaken the Lord our God America right now is undergoing what you might call the wrath of God.

There is the wrath of God.

You see that in the Old Testament file would come down from heaven, fire and brimstone. One angel would come down and slay somebody.

God would directly demonstrate his judgment and his wrath, but thanks to the death of Jesus Christ which has satisfied the jealous wrath of God. Today we primarily deal with the passive wrath of God and the passive wrath of God is simply when he moves out of the way and let you experience the consequences of your choices. Romans chapter 1 talks about the passive wrath of God. It says because I am no longer retain the knowledge of God. God turn them all. That is, he release them to the consequences of your choices so therefore what you are experiencing today. Not only will the national level, but even on a personal level, is God giving you what you want a life without him, but you have to understand when God gives you what you want a life without him there are deleterious consequences that come with that and what you and I are experiencing today is God, thank you don't want to get out of the way and let me show you like without me. And so you have the consequent removal of God. God is being removed from government, God's being removed from schools God has been removed from the biblical definition of marriage. God has been removed from the civic God can't even open up a prayer football game when God is being removed from the culture that means idolatry is automatically sent in which leave their consequences that accrue in the environment where God is been removed. So what you are experiencing is the passive wrath of God, and the further God's removal, you ain't seen nothing yet because God is drawing fire from heaven is releasing you to experience life without that is what was happening in Israel there experiencing life without the one true God. So Elijah says Nelson Javid, and me all Israel at Mount caramel verse 90, together with 450 prophets of bail and 400 prophets of Asherah 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. Don't confuse people.

Let's put this thing out on the table so Ahab says okay you got a deal. Let's go for so absent. Verse 20 message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount caramel the watch this because this is where we start. Verse 21. Elijah came near to all the people and said, how long will you dictate 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 dance.

How long will you have to take between two opinions please Vasily dance this God on Sunday and another God on Monday how long you will go back and forth how long you dance around this thing will move back and forth. The picture is the picture of a drunk person who can't walk straight like when the police pulled all hedge on wall straight line to see whether you want complicated and not you stammered and you went back in. I want talk about you. You could walk straight actually long to keep doing this you have to keep hearing the same servant every week calling you a full commitment before you make one many church services you have to go to before you make a decision how many Bible studies will be before you make a decision.

You will play charge before you make a real decision to no longer be undecided say how long are you going dance back and forth before you make a serious decision about what to worship God on Sunday and Monday. Your payment you saw somebody plug in your loved one and you say why you hundred one persons I will think about you. So what we do is we worship God and say, but I'm thinking about you.

We we hope between two opinions. That is not a clear statement about where we stand.

If you are to the bigger question would you be found guilty and would you be found innocent of all charges. Not enough evidence to conviction because you say how little you something like a fellow monk dancing between two opinions and the clarity of the statement has not been made. You have a compromised full commitment.

How long will be more months really more services.

How long are you going dance before you decide this question.

This is a people assignment while in silent simple, they were ready to commit. They were ready to commit. They were ready and you don't need to serious you been to see his mother's Christian thing the clinic and low church music print will certainly leave me alone. Since the people assignment. They were not ready to commit. They were always ready for miracle they're always looking for blessing you always look for God to do something while they were silent to let me state my position as coming from this passage. If you're not ready to commit to stop dancing. Stop looking for miracle and searching for blessing. He says that you want this not only not over there, how many more sermons. How many more programs. How many more challenges do you mean Dr. Evans will hone in on the power of real commitment continues this message from a series on Elijah this six CD collection focuses on the lessons we can learn from one of the Bible's greatest prophets about waiting for God's provision understanding is perfect timing. Living a life that matters. Overcoming fear and discouragement strengthening our faith and commitment, and more. Get a copy of this powerful message series. Elijah, along with bonus material. We won't have time to present on the year as well as the companion DVD Bible study kit that will lead you step-by-step into a deeper understanding of these important principles we are offering this package for a limited time is our gift to make a contribution in support of Tony's ministry. Time is running short on this special offer, and we don't want you to miss out this it is today@tonyevans.org make a contribution and download the audio messages right away so you can begin reviewing them while the CDs and DVD Bible study kit are delivered to you again as Tony Avenue and start or or call us. They are night at one 800 832, 22, and one of our resource team members will help you will get back to today's lesson right after this when you're facing a decision or a dilemma it's like to ask what would Jesus do, but first you have to know what Jesus did and what God has to say about the situation you face wealth building your biblical foundation is your goal to help you need is as close as your computer or mobile device.

Thanks to Tony ever. And's training center is packed with online courses covering core concepts of faith and in that scripture studies you can work through any time you want in any case you want along the way you'll explore key teachings and learn how to apply them in real world situations. There's lots of exclusive content interested and motivated in an online forum where you can ask questions, get answers and collaborate with other students. It's almost like having a seminary on your smart phone Tony Avenue and start work today and connect with Tony ever and's training center. We can explore the kingdom anytime, anywhere.

Just visit Tony Avenue and's training.org to get started right away and here's Dr. Evans to continue our teaching for today a politician on this issue was that as well. So some of my friends stand on it this way some my friends this way.

I understand what my friends he had no position to be clear which God you stand for God declared that you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and you serve the God of the Bible when Jesus spoke about the church of Leo to see in the book of Revelation is that I would let you but you will in the summer you want call glass of tea in the morning when you get you want in the wintertime, hot chocolate, coffee.

Coffee God inside you will see you one will call you wanted to be clear what you don't want to debate between social telepresence loss because it's got to be recall, but don't want because as long I was out of my mouth to put it another way you present make me want. So my question to you is this way when you live your life outside the church do you make Jesus one because decision did not call you, pray for miracle and asked for blessing while you dance between different gods. Jesus said to reject new wellness to reject double mindedness. Let not the double minded man think 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 line dancing between God's dancing between sauces. Let not that man think God's will do anything for him.

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

So now Elijah says hello. Verse 22 and left the prophet of the Lord. But bells, prophets of 450 million I'm out here by myself the rest the awful nonsupport, but since this is not a popularity contest. Because this is not to see what numbers fair in my faith. I'm ready to take my stay.

God is looking for some folk who even though outnumbered, willing to take the stand even though the other side has more than you even though it looks like you outnumbered and 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 Asian Christian spiritual CIA representative, a covert operative EULA come out and make it clear where you stand said 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 that the 450 choose one oxen and I'll take whichever one they don't choose put on the Lord put on the altar, but don't put a fire under it and then you think you colony your God and tell no God like okay God made Ohio players by God and then God see God is the God of fine now unless you understand that you can appreciate this but Bell was the God of fire, the God of the sun, so your big bad John the son can lie some challenging him at the very all of the greatness of the new great he is competent in his commitment to God that he will challenge the majority will do.

We need some committed Christians today 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 number should we, God is not intimidated by bigger people, more powerful people greater numbers because the deciding factor because of you will have with you is so here is what the 453 and so they chose the ox in verse 26 and prepared it in the name of bail from morning to noon. They were saying all hands terrace, but there was no voice.

No one answered and Bailey about the altar, which they may when mid-day was passed was 29. They raved until evening sacrifice.

There was no voice. No one answered. He lives at all the people come come close to all the people came near to him and he repaired altar of the Lord which had been torn down. 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 the confession of sin and the pursuit of righteousness back altar represented all that any praise 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. 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 you know if you dance between gods by whether his word has the final say so in your decisions the way you know your committed Christian is not because you shall the profits of bail shall is not because you dance around the profits of bail dance around. He said let it be know that I am for real because I obey your word and other words God all words have the final say so over my decision until you get to that place. You're not fully committed. If you're not committed. You have limited or lost access to. If you ready to give God the final say so over your life to make a deliberate connection with him today.

He's got this encouragement for you. He knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Guess what God is going let you go to heaven on credit.

He will credit to your account the righteousness of Christ. Because God is credited to Jesus Christ, you are sent so your credit score can be 100 if you go to Jesus Christ for salvation right now. How do you do that Tony would be happy to explain it to you.

Just visit Tony Evans.org and follow the link that says Jesus is a short powerful video that explains what real Christianity is all about, along with some free follow-up resources. Check it out today and discover the amazing difference it can make in your life and why your online don't forget to request Tony's current series Elijah as I mentioned earlier, you can get the digital downloads of all six full-length messages the entire series on CD and the companion DVD Bible study kit is our thank you gift for your contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on the station but don't forget this offer is only available for a limited time, so make a point of visiting us today@tonyevans.org to make the arrangements again@stonyavenueandis.org or contact our 24 hour resource Center at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our team members help you. That's 1-800-800-3222 many people who say they trust God will also put their trust in a lot of other things tomorrow. Dr. Evans will take a look at why nothing but total commitment to Christ will do.

I hope you'll join us.

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