Tony Evans - The Authenticity of an Overcomer

June 1, 2025 | 27:29

Dr. Tony Evans is known as a relevant expositor and is a pastor of pastors and a father in the faith.

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Dr. Tony Evans | Tony Evans - The Authenticity of an Overcomer | June 1, 2025
  • ...
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  • Tony evans: don't just be religious.
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  • Don't just act the part. be all-in.
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  • Be hot. be cold.
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  • That doesn't mean we're perfect, but it means we repent
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  • When god reveals our imperfection
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  • So that we can get back on the road.
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  • And when you do and jesus shows up,
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  • He enables us to become overcomers
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  • Of the things we have to overcome
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  • Because he's dining at the table with us
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  • When the devil shows up.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Tony: our final church to the final body of saints
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  • Is laodicea bible fellowship.
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  • Laodicea was a wealthy city known for three things.
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  • Some 45 miles southeast of philadelphia,
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  • Our last city and last church,
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  • Laodicea was known for its finance industry,
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  • Its banking industry.
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  • It would be akin to our common-day wall street.
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  • It was a very wealthy place
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  • To live, work, and raise a family.
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  • It was also known for its fashion industry.
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  • In new york, you would call it the fashion district,
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  • Where they made fancy clothes
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  • That would go out to the retailers
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  • To sell to the general public.
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  • Not only was it a financial district
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  • And a fashion district,
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  • But the city of laodicea was a pharmaceutical district.
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  • It was known for its medical industry,
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  • Particularly when it came to eye diseases.
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  • It was specializing in this salve for the eyes
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  • To improve the sight of those struggling with seeing.
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  • That is why you will see these three areas--
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  • Finance, fashion, and pharmaceuticals--
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  • Referred to in revelation chapter 3,
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  • Verses 14 to the end of the chapter.
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  • Jesus, as he does in each one of these churches,
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  • Introduces himself as he wants you to see him now,
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  • And he says in verse 14,
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  • "to the angel of the church at laodicea write:
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  • 'the amen, the faithful and the true witness,
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  • The beginning of the creation of god
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  • Says this.'"
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  • So, before he gets into what he wants to say,
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  • He wants you to know who's doing the talking.
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  • So, i'm gonna give you the testimony--
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  • A witness is a testimony--
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  • And whatever i tell you is gonna be the truth,
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  • The whole truth, and nothing but the truth,
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  • So help you god.
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  • And you'll see in a moment why he defines himself this way.
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  • He says, "i am the beginning of the creation of god."
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  • Now, if you're the beginning of the creation,
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  • That means you existed before the creation
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  • That you began.
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  • So, jesus christ declares himself to be the precreation,
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  • Existing prior to creation--
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  • That is, because he has always existed
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  • As the second member of the triune godhead--
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  • And the one who's responsible for how history operates.
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  • So, what he's saying before he ever gets into
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  • What he is saying is "pay close attention
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  • 'cause i know what i'm talking about.
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  • I am the amen.
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  • I am the final testimony and witness.
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  • And i am the one who existed prior to you even being here."
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  • Having established himself to the church at laodicea,
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  • He now makes his complaint, his condemnation.
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  • He says in verse 15, "i know your deeds:
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  • That you are neither hot nor cold.
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  • I wish you were hot or cold.
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  • So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold,
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  • I will spit you out of my mouth."
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  • He addresses the problem at laodicea bible fellowship
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  • Of lukewarmness.
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  • You are lukewarm.
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  • Jesus writes this church through its pastor, and he says,
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  • "you tell them: i know about them.
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  • They are lukewarm."
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  • In other words, they are unacceptable.
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  • He says, "their lukewarmness"--
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  • That is, their stagnant spiritual state,
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  • Their in-between christian commitment,
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  • Their mixture that has made them unusable, unspiritual--
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  • "is unacceptable."
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  • How unacceptable is it, jesus?
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  • "i want to spew them out of my mouth."
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  • The phrase "to spew out of the mouth" means to vomit.
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  • Jesus says of laodicea bible fellowship,
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  • "y'all make me sick.
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  • I wanna... i wanna throw up.
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  • When y'all come to church, it makes me wanna vomit."
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  • And jesus says, "this is the amen talking.
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  • This is the one who not gonna tell you
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  • What you wanna hear.
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  • I'm gonna tell you like it really is.
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  • This is the one with the final witness
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  • Making the declaration.
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  • Because you're neither hot nor cold,
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  • I can't do anything with you.
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  • Your spiritual condition
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  • Reflects your geographical location.
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  • It is lukewarmness. it is stagnant.
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  • And i can't do anything with you."
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  • So, it's possible to be a church that makes jesus sick.
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  • What was it exactly about the laodicea bible fellowship
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  • That made jesus sick?
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  • Here's what jesus says was the problem: verse 17,
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  • "because you say, 'i am rich, and have become wealthy,
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  • And have need of nothing,'"
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  • He says, "i have a problem with how you view yourself.
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  • You say, 'i am rich. i am self-sufficient.
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  • I got it going on.
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  • Got my job, got my money, got my car, got my house,
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  • Got my clothes.
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  • So, my going to church is part of my style.
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  • I go to laodicea bible fellowship
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  • 'cause that's what all christians do,
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  • But i don't go there 'cause i need jesus.
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  • I go there to fulfill my religious obligation.'
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  • You've become so successful in your financial district,
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  • Your fashion district, your pharmaceutical district
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  • That you don't really need me.
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  • You just placating me. you don't need me.
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  • You just using me. you don't need me.
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  • You just acting and giving the impression
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  • That you are close to me, and y'all make me sick."
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  • He says to the laodicea bible fellowship
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  • That "you have allowed"-- watch this now--
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  • "the definition of success in the world
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  • To give you the definition of success in the church.
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  • You think 'cause you got money in your wallet,
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  • You think because you buy the nicer clothes,
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  • Drive the nicer cars, have the nicer job,
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  • That somehow god has blessed you.
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  • You've done fallen into this false theology
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  • That 'if i got stuff, i must be blessed,'
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  • When actually you and your stuff have made me sick,
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  • And you make me want to throw up and spew you out of my mouth
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  • Because you have brought the world into the church
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  • Instead of letting the church define who you are
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  • And how you function in the world."
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  • What he's saying is "you've allowed the world
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  • To tell you whether you're successful.
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  • You've allowed society
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  • To tell you whether you're successful,
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  • But i'm the amen,
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  • And i'm gonna tell you like it 'tis
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  • And like it is.
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  • Y'all make me wanna throw up."
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  • Don't get mad at the preacher. i'm just quoting the verse.
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  • Jesus says, "you make me want to spit you out of my mouth."
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  • They were measuring the spiritual by the physical.
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  • Let me say that again.
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  • They were measuring the spiritual
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  • By how things look in the physical.
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  • "i am wealthy. i got this going on.
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  • So, i must be blessed."
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  • And jesus says to the church, "you are an abysmal failure."
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  • He says, "let me tell you what you really are."
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  • Second half of verse 17, "you do not know you are wretched
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  • And miserable and poor and blind and naked."
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  • Don't get mad at the preacher. i'm just quoting the verse.
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  • Jesus says, "let me tell you about yourself.
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  • Let me tell you about yourself.
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  • You're wretched, and everybody else may think you're nice,
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  • But i know you.
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  • You're wretched.
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  • Not only are you wretched, but i don't care
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  • What your bank account looks like.
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  • You're poor."
  • 00:11:23.701 --> 00:11:26.571
  • He says, "i don't care
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  • Where you buy your couture clothes.
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  • You're naked."
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  • So, you see, he's quoting the district:
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  • Finance, fashion, pharmaceuticals.
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  • "'cause i don't think
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  • What you can think you can see with your expensive glasses on.
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  • You're blind."
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  • He says, "none of what you think about you is real.
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  • You're living in a dream world
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  • Because i see what's really going on,
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  • And what's really going on is
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  • You don't know how messed up you are."
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  • See, it's bad to be blind.
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  • It's worse to be blind and not know you blind.
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  • It's bad to be naked,
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  • But it's worse to be naked and not know you undressed.
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  • It's bad to be poor, but he says,
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  • "you don't know how poor you are."
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  • It's bad to be messed up
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  • And you don't know how messed up you are.
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  • That's how messed up you are.
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  • "you're so messed up,
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  • You don't know how messed up you are."
  • 00:12:36.841 --> 00:12:39.710
  • That's what he says.
  • 00:12:39.710 --> 00:12:43.381
  • "and what's got you messed up is that you've allowed the physical
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  • To erase the spiritual.
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  • And so because you don't see things from my perspective,
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  • You don't see things correctly.
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  • And you done let what other folk telling you,
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  • 'ooh, you something, ooh, you successful,
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  • Oh, you accomplished, oh, you--'
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  • And you believing them, and they are not the amen.
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  • They are not the faithful witness,
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  • And them folk lying to you."
  • 00:13:13.177 --> 00:13:17.048
  • The worst thing in the world is to believe folk in your ears
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  • Who are lying to you and not telling you the truth.
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  • God says, "i don't play those games.
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  • I'mma tell you what i see, and what i see is not good.
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  • I see you playing church as lukewarm christians.
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  • Oh, you coming to church.
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  • You're part of laodiceal bible fellowship,
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  • But you playing games with this thing.
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  • You're not committed to me. you're not dedicated to me.
  • 00:13:45.176 --> 00:13:49.380
  • What you're doing is coming to showtime at the church.
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  • You come for the performance of the choir,
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  • The performance of the preacher,
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  • You come for the performance of the environment.
  • 00:13:59.423 --> 00:14:03.160
  • But when it comes to your commitment?
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  • You trying to satisfy the public.
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  • You're trying to satisfy the success of wall street
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  • And every place out there because you got it going on
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  • In laodicea.
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  • But i'm gonna give you the amen, the 'so be it,' the final word,
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  • The conclusion.
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  • And what i say is the bottom line."
  • 00:14:24.415 --> 00:14:30.488
  • He says, "you don't see. y'all make me wanna vomit."
  • 00:14:30.488 --> 00:14:39.563
  • "what do you want me to do, lord?
  • 00:14:39.563 --> 00:14:40.898
  • What do you want me to do?"
  • 00:14:40.898 --> 00:14:42.633
  • "i'll tell you what i want you to do,"
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  • Verse 18.
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  • "i advise you--"
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  • So he's just gonna give you some advice, me some advice.
  • 00:14:48.072 --> 00:14:51.475
  • "i advise you to buy from me gold,"
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  • 'cause it's a financial district,
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  • "refined by fire so that you may become rich,"
  • 00:14:57.581 --> 00:15:01.052
  • 'cause you're not rich.
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  • You think you're rich, but you're not.
  • 00:15:02.386 --> 00:15:04.255
  • "and white garments," 'cause it's a fashion district
  • 00:15:04.255 --> 00:15:06.924
  • "so that you may clothe yourself
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  • And that the shame of your nakedness
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  • Will not be revealed.
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  • And i saith," 'cause it's a pharmaceutical district,
  • 00:15:13.965 --> 00:15:17.468
  • "to anoint your eyes so that you may see.
  • 00:15:17.468 --> 00:15:21.505
  • So, guess what i wanna do? i wanna make you truly rich.
  • 00:15:21.505 --> 00:15:25.343
  • I wanna give you real clothes,
  • 00:15:25.343 --> 00:15:27.812
  • And i wanna open your eyes so that you can see.
  • 00:15:27.812 --> 00:15:30.614
  • But the only way you get any of that is from me.
  • 00:15:30.614 --> 00:15:34.385
  • Buy from me.
  • 00:15:34.385 --> 00:15:36.687
  • In other words, i'm the only one
  • 00:15:36.687 --> 00:15:39.590
  • Who can give you what you really need
  • 00:15:39.590 --> 00:15:41.625
  • To be what you're supposed to be.
  • 00:15:41.625 --> 00:15:43.661
  • All that other stuff is fake."
  • 00:15:43.661 --> 00:15:48.632
  • See, our world has so duped us, and we all are facing this--
  • 00:15:48.632 --> 00:15:54.171
  • I face it; you face it-- because it dupes us.
  • 00:15:54.171 --> 00:16:00.945
  • So, we wind up buying things we don't need
  • 00:16:00.945 --> 00:16:03.848
  • With money that we don't have to impress people we don't know.
  • 00:16:03.848 --> 00:16:06.851
  • We just--we get duped, you know?
  • 00:16:06.851 --> 00:16:10.454
  • And our world is duping us, and jesus says,
  • 00:16:10.454 --> 00:16:12.523
  • "no, i ain't gonna dupe you.
  • 00:16:12.523 --> 00:16:14.392
  • No, i want you to become truly rich,
  • 00:16:14.392 --> 00:16:16.260
  • Which means you're spiritually rich.
  • 00:16:16.260 --> 00:16:18.029
  • I want you to become truly clothed,
  • 00:16:18.029 --> 00:16:19.463
  • Which means you're spiritually attired.
  • 00:16:19.463 --> 00:16:21.465
  • I want you to become truly sightful.
  • 00:16:21.465 --> 00:16:23.501
  • So, i'm gonna remove the blindness
  • 00:16:23.501 --> 00:16:25.903
  • So you see things as they really are,
  • 00:16:25.903 --> 00:16:28.239
  • But i'm the only one who can do that
  • 00:16:28.239 --> 00:16:30.875
  • 'cause i'm not gonna lie to you.
  • 00:16:30.875 --> 00:16:33.544
  • I'm not gonna trick you,
  • 00:16:33.544 --> 00:16:34.879
  • Nor am i gonna be impressed by you."
  • 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:42.119
  • That's what the saints in laodicea didn't want.
  • 00:16:42.119 --> 00:16:47.425
  • That's why they didn't know.
  • 00:16:47.425 --> 00:16:49.126
  • They didn't want the spiritual perspective.
  • 00:16:49.126 --> 00:16:51.529
  • They wanted people to make them feel good
  • 00:16:51.529 --> 00:16:53.197
  • About where they are based on the world's perspective.
  • 00:16:53.197 --> 00:16:58.169
  • And that's not what the church
  • 00:16:58.169 --> 00:16:59.503
  • Is supposed to be, not the church of jesus christ.
  • 00:16:59.503 --> 00:17:03.307
  • The church of jesus christ lives on the truth,
  • 00:17:03.307 --> 00:17:06.410
  • And it lives on the reality of the son of god,
  • 00:17:06.410 --> 00:17:09.680
  • And it lives on the proclamation of the spiritual.
  • 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:13.350
  • And unless the spiritual is put out front of the physical
  • 00:17:13.350 --> 00:17:17.254
  • And not the physical put out front of the spiritual,
  • 00:17:17.254 --> 00:17:20.357
  • You and i will live in deception individually,
  • 00:17:20.357 --> 00:17:23.594
  • And we will live in deception as a church,
  • 00:17:23.594 --> 00:17:26.063
  • And we will carry on services while jesus wants to vomit.
  • 00:17:26.063 --> 00:17:31.669
  • Unless the spiritual is out front
  • 00:17:31.669 --> 00:17:34.338
  • And that becomes the standard and the gauge
  • 00:17:34.338 --> 00:17:37.141
  • For every area of life, then jesus says,
  • 00:17:37.141 --> 00:17:41.645
  • "i can't do anything with you
  • 00:17:41.645 --> 00:17:44.014
  • Because you're living based on a facade, based on a lie."
  • 00:17:44.014 --> 00:17:48.819
  • A goldsmith was purifying gold one day,
  • 00:17:48.819 --> 00:17:50.754
  • And somebody had getting the dross out.
  • 00:17:50.754 --> 00:17:52.890
  • Somebody asked him, "how do you know
  • 00:17:52.890 --> 00:17:54.758
  • When the gold has been purified?"
  • 00:17:54.758 --> 00:17:56.894
  • Goldsmith says, "when i can see my reflection in it."
  • 00:17:56.894 --> 00:17:59.997
  • And until jesus sees himself in us,
  • 00:17:59.997 --> 00:18:03.267
  • We still dealing with all kind of alloys,
  • 00:18:03.267 --> 00:18:06.170
  • Mixtures, that is contaminating what god really wants us to be.
  • 00:18:06.170 --> 00:18:16.647
  • That's why you need to, i need to, we need to be close
  • 00:18:20.784 --> 00:18:25.556
  • To folk who are gonna give us jesus's perspective,
  • 00:18:25.556 --> 00:18:29.360
  • Even if they don't have your money, your car,
  • 00:18:29.360 --> 00:18:31.896
  • Your house, and your clothes.
  • 00:18:31.896 --> 00:18:36.133
  • So, jesus says, "i got some advice
  • 00:18:36.133 --> 00:18:40.304
  • For folk who put the physical in front of the spiritual:
  • 00:18:40.304 --> 00:18:43.908
  • Buy from me. you gotta get on my page.
  • 00:18:43.908 --> 00:18:47.811
  • You gotta start with me,
  • 00:18:47.811 --> 00:18:49.880
  • Not with what they saying out there,
  • 00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:51.215
  • Not what the television is saying,
  • 00:18:51.215 --> 00:18:53.117
  • Not what the media is saying, not what the pundits are saying.
  • 00:18:53.117 --> 00:18:55.686
  • You start with me
  • 00:18:55.686 --> 00:18:59.890
  • Because i wanna be the standard by which you operate.
  • 00:18:59.890 --> 00:19:04.195
  • Therefore, i advise you to deal with me."
  • 00:19:04.195 --> 00:19:11.769
  • Verse 19, "those whom i love--"
  • 00:19:11.769 --> 00:19:15.706
  • If you're a child of god, he loves you.
  • 00:19:15.706 --> 00:19:17.041
  • "those who i love, i reprove and discipline.
  • 00:19:17.041 --> 00:19:20.945
  • Therefore, be zealous and repent."
  • 00:19:20.945 --> 00:19:24.682
  • "i'm gonna create some situations
  • 00:19:24.682 --> 00:19:26.350
  • In your life.
  • 00:19:26.350 --> 00:19:28.819
  • It's called discipline.
  • 00:19:28.819 --> 00:19:31.088
  • I'm going to bring some corrective measures
  • 00:19:31.088 --> 00:19:33.791
  • Into your world.
  • 00:19:33.791 --> 00:19:35.626
  • I'm gonna bring some discipline into your life
  • 00:19:35.626 --> 00:19:40.097
  • To let you know that all that stuff
  • 00:19:40.097 --> 00:19:44.201
  • That the world applauds
  • 00:19:44.201 --> 00:19:45.636
  • And makes you feel wrong about yourself with
  • 00:19:45.636 --> 00:19:48.872
  • Can't solve your problem
  • 00:19:48.872 --> 00:19:51.909
  • Until i can get your undivided attention.
  • 00:19:51.909 --> 00:19:54.712
  • Now, i'm not trying to be mean-- 'cause i love you--
  • 00:19:54.712 --> 00:19:57.915
  • But i am trying to correct some things
  • 00:19:57.915 --> 00:20:00.017
  • That need to be corrected
  • 00:20:00.017 --> 00:20:01.885
  • So i don't have to spew you out of my mouth."
  • 00:20:01.885 --> 00:20:08.559
  • The spiritual, being able to see things
  • 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.594
  • From god's perspective first.
  • 00:20:10.594 --> 00:20:14.565
  • "seek ye first the kingdom of god
  • 00:20:14.565 --> 00:20:16.500
  • And his righteousness."
  • 00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:18.435
  • When the spiritual is put ahead of the physical,
  • 00:20:18.435 --> 00:20:20.838
  • Then the physical is in its rightful place, or you--
  • 00:20:20.838 --> 00:20:25.309
  • We will be all out of sync.
  • 00:20:25.309 --> 00:20:29.079
  • So, what do we do?
  • 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:31.615
  • Okay. watch this now.
  • 00:20:31.615 --> 00:20:32.983
  • Verse 20, "behold, i stand at the door and knock.
  • 00:20:32.983 --> 00:20:40.024
  • ...
  • 00:20:43.227 --> 00:20:46.497
  • Behold, i stand at the door and knock."
  • 00:20:46.497 --> 00:20:49.867
  • Somebody need to hear that.
  • 00:20:49.867 --> 00:20:51.902
  • "behold, i stand at the door and knock."
  • 00:20:51.902 --> 00:20:55.873
  • He's at the door of laodicea bible fellowship.
  • 00:20:55.873 --> 00:21:01.545
  • He's knocking. what does that mean?
  • 00:21:01.545 --> 00:21:04.648
  • They're having church, and he's not even there.
  • 00:21:04.648 --> 00:21:10.521
  • They singing and praising
  • 00:21:10.521 --> 00:21:12.489
  • And waving their hand in the air like you just don't care.
  • 00:21:12.489 --> 00:21:15.459
  • They jumping over pews.
  • 00:21:15.459 --> 00:21:16.827
  • They shouting, "hallelujah. ain't god good?
  • 00:21:16.827 --> 00:21:19.997
  • He's so high, you can't get over.
  • 00:21:19.997 --> 00:21:21.865
  • He's so low, you can't get under.
  • 00:21:21.865 --> 00:21:23.600
  • He's so wide, you can't get around him.
  • 00:21:23.600 --> 00:21:24.935
  • Ain't god good?
  • 00:21:24.935 --> 00:21:26.303
  • Yeah, all the time, god is good."
  • 00:21:26.303 --> 00:21:27.938
  • They having a good time.
  • 00:21:27.938 --> 00:21:29.573
  • Jesus is outside knocking. "can i come in?"
  • 00:21:29.573 --> 00:21:36.613
  • So, just 'cause you having church
  • 00:21:36.613 --> 00:21:38.048
  • Don't mean jesus is in the sanctuary.
  • 00:21:38.048 --> 00:21:42.619
  • And what keeps him out of the sanctuary
  • 00:21:42.619 --> 00:21:45.422
  • Is lukewarmness,
  • 00:21:45.422 --> 00:21:48.926
  • Christians who are not all-in, who just want a little religion
  • 00:21:48.926 --> 00:21:55.199
  • To make them feel like they've done something
  • 00:21:55.199 --> 00:21:59.036
  • But do not want jesus christ to rule in their lives,
  • 00:21:59.036 --> 00:22:03.340
  • Govern their direction, their decisions,
  • 00:22:03.340 --> 00:22:05.876
  • Who do not prioritize the spiritual.
  • 00:22:05.876 --> 00:22:08.479
  • And jesus is saying, "can i come to church too?"
  • 00:22:08.479 --> 00:22:13.050
  • "behold, i stand at the door and i knock."
  • 00:22:13.050 --> 00:22:17.454
  • He goes on in verse 20.
  • 00:22:17.454 --> 00:22:19.189
  • He says, "if anyone hears my voice and opens the door--
  • 00:22:19.189 --> 00:22:27.231
  • Is there anybody that can hear the door?
  • 00:22:29.533 --> 00:22:32.035
  • Anybody hear the door knocking? because i'm knocking."
  • 00:22:32.035 --> 00:22:36.073
  • The problem is nobody listening.
  • 00:22:36.073 --> 00:22:37.741
  • They too busy shouting. they too busy praising.
  • 00:22:37.741 --> 00:22:39.777
  • They too busy getting their praise on.
  • 00:22:39.777 --> 00:22:41.678
  • They--"i'm knocking and nobody's hearing.
  • 00:22:41.678 --> 00:22:45.549
  • If anyone does hear--"
  • 00:22:45.549 --> 00:22:47.117
  • Now he comes from the church corporate
  • 00:22:47.117 --> 00:22:48.919
  • To the individuals in the sanctuary
  • 00:22:48.919 --> 00:22:51.789
  • 'cause even though the sermon and the message
  • 00:22:51.789 --> 00:22:54.057
  • Is for everybody,
  • 00:22:54.057 --> 00:22:55.426
  • Jesus knows everybody not gonna hear.
  • 00:22:55.426 --> 00:22:59.797
  • So, the question is how do you know if you heard?
  • 00:22:59.797 --> 00:23:03.467
  • How do you know if you are hearing
  • 00:23:03.467 --> 00:23:05.335
  • The knocking on the door?
  • 00:23:05.335 --> 00:23:07.504
  • Here's how you know you're hearing
  • 00:23:07.504 --> 00:23:09.473
  • The knocking on the door:
  • 00:23:09.473 --> 00:23:10.874
  • God is convicting you of your blindness.
  • 00:23:10.874 --> 00:23:14.445
  • You feel convicted that "yes, that's me
  • 00:23:14.445 --> 00:23:18.515
  • Standing in the need of prayer,"
  • 00:23:18.515 --> 00:23:20.250
  • That you feel this tug of god on your heart.
  • 00:23:20.250 --> 00:23:22.886
  • "you know you playing games with me.
  • 00:23:22.886 --> 00:23:25.389
  • You know you just going through the religious motions.
  • 00:23:25.389 --> 00:23:28.258
  • You know that there's not a full commitment to me."
  • 00:23:28.258 --> 00:23:31.061
  • And he starts tugging you,
  • 00:23:31.061 --> 00:23:32.729
  • And you start to feel uncomfortable.
  • 00:23:32.729 --> 00:23:34.798
  • You're squee-- you're squirming in your seat
  • 00:23:34.798 --> 00:23:36.533
  • Although you're not moving.
  • 00:23:36.533 --> 00:23:38.068
  • It's just all on the inside,
  • 00:23:38.068 --> 00:23:39.937
  • And you know god is talking to you.
  • 00:23:39.937 --> 00:23:41.672
  • That means you're hearing a knock,
  • 00:23:41.672 --> 00:23:45.242
  • And he's calling your name.
  • 00:23:45.242 --> 00:23:47.578
  • And he says, "if you will invite me in,
  • 00:23:47.578 --> 00:23:49.813
  • I will come in and dine with him or her."
  • 00:23:49.813 --> 00:23:56.553
  • In other words, he's inviting you
  • 00:23:56.553 --> 00:23:57.921
  • Into a deeper experiential reality of him in your life
  • 00:23:57.921 --> 00:24:04.962
  • So that you don't have to fake spirituality,
  • 00:24:04.962 --> 00:24:08.799
  • Fake commitment, fake loving the lord,
  • 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:12.269
  • Fake loving his word.
  • 00:24:12.269 --> 00:24:13.871
  • You won't have to fake that anymore
  • 00:24:13.871 --> 00:24:15.539
  • 'cause you and jesus just had dinner together.
  • 00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:18.342
  • It's the real deal. it's the real intimacy.
  • 00:24:18.342 --> 00:24:21.712
  • It is about me and you and us
  • 00:24:21.712 --> 00:24:24.948
  • Experiencing intimacy with jesus christ
  • 00:24:24.948 --> 00:24:28.185
  • At a deeper level,
  • 00:24:28.185 --> 00:24:29.520
  • And all that other stuff is extra.
  • 00:24:29.520 --> 00:24:32.890
  • Nothing wrong with it, but it's extra.
  • 00:24:32.890 --> 00:24:34.691
  • It ain't the definition of who we are.
  • 00:24:34.691 --> 00:24:37.494
  • Praise god for it, but that's not who we are.
  • 00:24:37.494 --> 00:24:40.297
  • Thank god for it, but that's not what we're here for.
  • 00:24:40.297 --> 00:24:43.367
  • We're here to know him, love him, and serve him.
  • 00:24:43.367 --> 00:24:46.336
  • Everything else is a facilitating process for that.
  • 00:24:46.336 --> 00:24:51.608
  • But even if we don't get it,
  • 00:24:51.608 --> 00:24:53.176
  • Even if something downturns and we lose it,
  • 00:24:53.176 --> 00:24:55.612
  • It doesn't change who we are 'cause it was never about it.
  • 00:24:55.612 --> 00:25:01.051
  • It was about dining with the savior.
  • 00:25:01.051 --> 00:25:07.357
  • And then he goes on and he closes.
  • 00:25:07.357 --> 00:25:12.496
  • He says, "to him who overcomes--"
  • 00:25:12.496 --> 00:25:14.798
  • There's that word.
  • 00:25:14.798 --> 00:25:17.834
  • "to him who overcomes,
  • 00:25:17.834 --> 00:25:19.169
  • I will grant him to sit down with me on my throne
  • 00:25:19.169 --> 00:25:22.039
  • As i also overcame and sat down with my father on his throne."
  • 00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:27.711
  • The lukewarm christian
  • 00:25:27.711 --> 00:25:29.046
  • Is the one who won't make a decision.
  • 00:25:29.046 --> 00:25:31.248
  • He says, "be hot or cold, but don't be stuck.
  • 00:25:31.248 --> 00:25:35.953
  • Don't just be churchified. don't just be religious.
  • 00:25:35.953 --> 00:25:42.125
  • Don't just act the part. don't just play christianity.
  • 00:25:42.125 --> 00:25:48.465
  • Just make a decision. be all-in.
  • 00:25:48.465 --> 00:25:53.370
  • Be hot. be cold."
  • 00:25:53.370 --> 00:25:54.705
  • That doesn't mean we're perfect, but it means we repent
  • 00:25:54.705 --> 00:25:57.107
  • When god reveals our imperfection
  • 00:25:57.107 --> 00:25:59.042
  • So that we can get back on the road.
  • 00:25:59.042 --> 00:26:03.146
  • And when you do and jesus shows up,
  • 00:26:03.146 --> 00:26:05.782
  • He enables us to become overcomers
  • 00:26:05.782 --> 00:26:08.318
  • Of the things we have to overcome
  • 00:26:08.318 --> 00:26:11.955
  • Because he's dining at the table with us
  • 00:26:11.955 --> 00:26:14.725
  • When the devil shows up.
  • 00:26:14.725 --> 00:26:17.728
  • And when you do, he says, "you will sit with me."
  • 00:26:17.728 --> 00:26:20.297
  • So, i challenge each one of us, including me,
  • 00:26:20.297 --> 00:26:23.133
  • But us collectively as a church to be all-in,
  • 00:26:23.133 --> 00:26:27.104
  • All-in at putting the spiritual ahead of the physical
  • 00:26:27.104 --> 00:26:30.874
  • So that we are not a wretched church,
  • 00:26:30.874 --> 00:26:33.276
  • A poor church, a blind church, and a naked church,
  • 00:26:33.276 --> 00:26:37.414
  • But a church who eats with jesus christ individually.
  • 00:26:37.414 --> 00:26:42.152
  • ...
  • 00:26:42.152 --> 00:26:44.354
  • Did you hear that?
  • 00:26:44.354 --> 00:26:46.056
  • Wait a minute.
  • 00:26:46.056 --> 00:26:48.058
  • Listen, listen...
  • 00:26:48.058 --> 00:26:53.163
  • Oh, yeah. that's jesus knocking.
  • 00:26:53.163 --> 00:26:57.167
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:57.167 --> 00:26:57.167