Dr. Tony Evans

Tony Evans - Pursuing Your Heavenly Citizenship

September 28, 2025 | 28:40

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

#WordofGod #Heaven #TrustGod #Military #LoveofGod #Complacency #Divination

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Dr. Tony Evans | Tony Evans - Pursuing Your Heavenly Citizenship | September 28, 2025

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Tony evans: satan wants to fake you out
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To make you think you are chained to yesterday,
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That yesterday owns you, and he duped you into thinking
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That you're defined by your yesterday.
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What was good was good, what was bad was bad,
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And what was ugly was ugly.
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I'm not suggesting that that's not real.
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I am suggesting that you are no longer
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To let the enemy hold you and chain you to it.
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♪♪♪
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Tony: wanna talk to you today about your true citizenship.
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Verse 20 says your citizenship is in heaven.
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Your citizenship is in heaven.
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God wants you to be reminded over and over and over again:
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This is not home.
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He wants you and me to be reminded
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Over and over again
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That this short time you're on this planet
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Is not your permanent location, and he doesn't want you
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Either to view it or treat it that way.
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Even servicemen and women who serve in our armed forces--
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The army, the navy, the marines, the air force--
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Even though they are stationed around the world,
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They know wherever they are, that ain't home.
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They're merely temporary residents in a foreign location,
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But you won't hear them call that home.
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They are americans in a foreign place.
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Your citizenship is in heaven.
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You're merely on temporary assignment here.
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And if you make the temporary assignment
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The permanent location, you've gone rogue on god.
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Your citizenship is in heaven.
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Paul is writing to the philippian christians,
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To the saints at philippi.
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Philippi was a roman colony.
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They had been taken over by rome,
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But the philippians lived outside of rome.
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They were a roman colony outside of rome,
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But they came under roman governance.
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So rome shaped their laws, rome shaped their thinking,
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Rome shaped their worldview,
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Rome shaped everything about their lives
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Because even though they didn't live in rome,
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They lived under rome.
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Colossians, chapter 1, verse 13,
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Says that you and i have been transferred
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Out of the kingdom of darkness
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Into the kingdom of his dear son;
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That you have been relocated;
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And that you, if you have come to faith in jesus christ,
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Are a citizen in heaven on temporary assignment
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On earth.
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If you missed that, as we will see in a moment,
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You missed something big, huge.
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And if i can get you to switch it today,
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If i can get you and me and us to understand
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That we live up there, we merely work down here,
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A whole lot will change in your life and in mine.
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Paul writes these philippian believers
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Having established that they're citizens,
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And he wants them to know
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That "i have not already attained it
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Or have become perfect," verse 12.
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Paul says, in everyday english, "i have not arrived."
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Now, wait a minute.
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Here's the most spiritual, biblical, holy spirit-filled man
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In the new testament, and the most spiritual,
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Spirit-filled, holy ghost-led man
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In the new testament said, "i have not yet arrived."
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So if the most spiritual, if the most godly,
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If the most talented christian man
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In the new testament says, "i have not arrived,"
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Guess where you and i are.
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What paul is saying is "i still have a ways to go.
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I still have not reached the point of spiritual maturity
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And accomplishing divine purpose
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That i was put here for.
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I have not gotten there yet."
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So i don't care how spiritual you thunk you are.
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I don't care how spiritual you perceive yourself to be.
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You're not there yet, because the christian life
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Is a perpetual life of spiritual development,
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And your point of perfection will not arrive
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Until your transfer to glory has arrived.
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So between now and then, we're in pursuit.
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We're in pursuit of the person of jesus christ,
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Of maturity in christ,
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And fulfilling the purposes of christ
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During our tour duty on earth.
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He says, "i haven't gotten there yet
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Even though i've been privileged to write
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13 books of the new testament, even though i'm the leader,
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Even though god has given me mysteries
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He didn't give everybody else.
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I am not there yet."
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And so, well, why are you telling us that?
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Notice what he says in verse 12 in the middle of the verse:
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"i press on."
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Notice what he says in verse 14:
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"i press on. i press on."
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"to press" means to push on...
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He wasn't gliding through the christian life, okay?
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Let me explain something. salvation is free.
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You get saved for free because the price
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Has already been paid by the finished work
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Of jesus christ offering salvation free of charge
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To anyone who comes to him by faith to receive it.
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Salvation is free. spiritual development is not.
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You will never find your divine purpose,
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You will never grow up to be a spiritual adult
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By gliding.
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You must press.
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In other words, it must be a determined decision
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To prioritize your spiritual growth
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And experiencing god's purpose for your life
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If you ever wanna have it.
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It won't just happen.
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You won't just wake up one day looking like jesus.
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And you won't just wake up one day
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Being perfectly fulfilling the purpose of god
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For why he saved you and left you here.
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He says, "on that, you must press."
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While salvation is free,
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Becoming mature involves your responsibility.
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Now, don't get me wrong.
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God will help you be responsible,
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But he won't make you be responsible.
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The bible is not gonna levitate open in the morning
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'cause you woke up, inviting you to read it today.
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God is not gonna force you on your knees to spend time
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In prayer with him today.
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He's not going to force you to do,
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But he will cooperate with you if you do,
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Which is why james 2 says, "faith without works is dead."
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God will support your decision to pursue him;
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He will not make the decision for you.
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So he says, "i press on.
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I prioritize the spiritual," why?
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Remember, paul is a citizen of heaven.
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Now, in order for that to happen,
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Notice what he tells you and me--
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Hold on to your seatbelt-- because he says,
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"this one thing i do," verse 13, "forgetting what lies behind,
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Reaching forward to what lies ahead."
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He says if you're ever gonna get to tomorrow,
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You gotta let yesterday go.
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"forgetting those things that are behind."
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Many a christian is crippled by yesterday.
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All of us have a yesterday,
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And there are three things in most of our yesterdays.
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One, they are the good things that we're proud of,
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The great accomplishments we've made,
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The things that we positively have done that benefit us
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And benefit others.
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We can look back and say,
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"there's some good stuff back there yesterday."
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But if you're like most of us,
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There's some stuff you are ashamed of
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Back there yesterday.
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Yesterday's got some things you're not proud of.
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Yesterday has got some mistakes you've made.
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Yesterday has some sins that you've done.
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Yesterday has some days you wish you could live over.
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So you got the bad of yesterday.
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So we've got good in yesterday, we've got bad in yesterday,
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And we got ugly in yesterday.
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Ugly is the stuff folk did to you
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That you had no control over, that messed you up.
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Yesterday involved people who abused you.
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Yesterday involves people who deserted you.
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Yesterday involves people who have cheated you.
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So yesterday involves the good, it involves the bad,
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And it involves the downright ugly.
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But paul said, "if i'm ever gonna achieve
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The purpose for which god created and saved me
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And if i'm ever gonna achieve the purpose for my life,
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For why he left me here, i have got to let yesterday go."
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You say, "but i can't overcome yesterday.
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Yesterday is so deep. yesterday is so painful.
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Yesterday is holding me hostage."
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He says, "well, the way you get over yesterday
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Is you've got to press on to tomorrow."
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He says, "i forget those things which are behind,
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And the way i do that
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Is my pursuit of what is in front of me."
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Yesterday had some good, yesterday had some bad,
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Yesterday had some ugly.
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But remember: whether it's good, bad, or ugly,
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It's still yesterday.
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And i got some bad news for you: you can't change yesterday.
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You can't. you can regret it.
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You can feel bad about it. you can be sad about it.
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But you can't undo it, because it happened,
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And it's part of your history.
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But your history does not have to--
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Your yesterday doesn't have to define
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Your tomorrow.
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Use your yesterday as a rearview mirror
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That you peek in every now and then,
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But live your life in the windshield
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Of where you are going in your pursuit of jesus christ,
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And you must press on.
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Why?
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Because you are a citizen of heaven.
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You're not a slave of earth.
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He says, "i press on, i keep going, and i pursue."
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Now, paul had some things-- he had some great things
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In yesterday 'cause he was-- he sat at the feet of gamaliel.
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He was a learned man.
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The bible talks about his education.
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It talks about his knowledge. it talks about his achievements.
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It talks about the greatness
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Of how he climbed the pharisaical ladder.
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I mean, he had some things to be proud of from yesterday.
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Oh, but he had some things to be ashamed of for yesterday
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'cause he used to kill christians for a living.
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He used to murder. we talking about a murderer.
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We talking about somebody who slew people
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Who named the name of jesus christ,
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And he never forgot that that happened,
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But if he would have lived with the fact
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That that is part of his yesterday,
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He would have never become the great apostle of god
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That he became.
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He had to overcome yesterday
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Through his pursuit of jesus christ today.
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There's some things that weren't that good
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In his background.
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But he said, "i press on."
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And so i want to challenge you today
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To not let the devil do a play action on you.
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Satan wants to fake you out.
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He wants to fake you out to make you think
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You are chained to yesterday,
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You cannot overcome yesterday, that yesterday owns you.
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Now, yesterday is real. don't get me wrong.
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What was good was good, what was bad was bad,
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And what was ugly was ugly.
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I'm not suggesting that that's not real.
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I am suggesting that you are no longer to let the enemy
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Hold you and chain you to it.
00:12:57.693 --> 00:13:00.696
But that doesn't just come from wishful thinking.
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He says, "forgetting those things which are behind,
00:13:03.866 --> 00:13:05.768
I press, i keep moving forward,
00:13:05.768 --> 00:13:07.703
I keep pursuing, i keep pushing forward
00:13:07.703 --> 00:13:12.741
Because i want to become mature in christ
00:13:12.741 --> 00:13:15.244
And i want to complete what god laid hold on me for."
00:13:15.244 --> 00:13:19.381
What does he mean?
00:13:19.381 --> 00:13:20.916
He means the purpose. you have a purpose.
00:13:20.916 --> 00:13:25.087
If you still here, god's not finished.
00:13:25.087 --> 00:13:28.891
God's not finished.
00:13:28.891 --> 00:13:30.226
Now, if you still here,
00:13:30.226 --> 00:13:32.194
That means he has a purpose for your life
00:13:32.194 --> 00:13:34.263
And he is not finished.
00:13:34.263 --> 00:13:36.999
And the longer you are chained to yesterday,
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The more minutes you are losing today.
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That's why paul wants you to know
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You're not citizens of time; you're citizens of eternity.
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He wants to give you-- he wants to change your mindset.
00:13:46.842 --> 00:13:49.578
And if i can help you see how tiny time is
00:13:49.578 --> 00:13:53.382
Compared to how long eternity is,
00:13:53.382 --> 00:13:56.318
It will change what you prioritize
00:13:56.318 --> 00:13:59.788
'cause the only reason we prioritize time is
00:13:59.788 --> 00:14:02.358
We make it longer than it really is.
00:14:02.358 --> 00:14:04.927
God wants us to have the proper view of eternity
00:14:04.927 --> 00:14:09.531
So that we maximize time.
00:14:09.531 --> 00:14:11.834
You see, your view of eternity affects time.
00:14:11.834 --> 00:14:16.338
Your view of time affects eternity.
00:14:16.338 --> 00:14:19.408
So he does not want you to view yourself
00:14:19.408 --> 00:14:21.710
As a citizen of earth but as a visitor of earth,
00:14:21.710 --> 00:14:27.816
And to press in light of eternity
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And to press by making it the priority over time.
00:14:31.086 --> 00:14:36.692
And if you do that, everything changes in time.
00:14:36.692 --> 00:14:40.729
You know why israel never got to the promised land?
00:14:40.729 --> 00:14:43.465
They kept looking back.
00:14:43.465 --> 00:14:46.936
They stayed in the wilderness 'cause they kept looking back.
00:14:46.936 --> 00:14:49.838
"oh, back in egypt, the leeks, the garlic, the meat--
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It was so good.
00:14:52.675 --> 00:14:54.009
We stuck out here in the promised land."
00:14:54.009 --> 00:14:55.644
And because right now wasn't going too well--
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'cause they were in the wilderness--
00:14:58.180 --> 00:14:59.581
They lost sight of where god wanted to take them.
00:14:59.581 --> 00:15:02.217
They kept looking back and never went anywhere.
00:15:02.217 --> 00:15:05.888
Many of us today are being held hostage
00:15:05.888 --> 00:15:07.923
By yesterday because we won't press on
00:15:07.923 --> 00:15:10.326
Through the wilderness
00:15:10.326 --> 00:15:11.660
Until god breaks us through to the promised land
00:15:11.660 --> 00:15:14.330
Of spiritual maturity and divine purpose.
00:15:14.330 --> 00:15:18.133
And if you don't press--
00:15:18.133 --> 00:15:20.169
Because why do you have to press?
00:15:20.169 --> 00:15:21.804
'cause you got an enemy out there
00:15:21.804 --> 00:15:23.138
That doesn't want you to experience it.
00:15:23.138 --> 00:15:25.574
You got an enemy out there that doesn't want christ
00:15:25.574 --> 00:15:28.310
To become real to you, deep in you, to transform you,
00:15:28.310 --> 00:15:31.814
And to take you to the purpose he has for you.
00:15:31.814 --> 00:15:34.717
And the clock keeps going, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock,
00:15:34.717 --> 00:15:38.554
Tick-tock, and so we say the right words:
00:15:38.554 --> 00:15:41.657
"god, i promise, i surrender, i'll do better tomorrow."
00:15:41.657 --> 00:15:44.193
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock without any pressing,
00:15:44.193 --> 00:15:50.366
Without any prioritizing.
00:15:50.366 --> 00:15:52.634
We say, "god, i'mma get up a few minutes early
00:15:52.634 --> 00:15:54.336
To spend time with you."
00:15:54.336 --> 00:15:55.738
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock.
00:15:55.738 --> 00:15:59.641
It doesn't happen, because the enemy
00:15:59.641 --> 00:16:03.712
Throws a play action at you and fakes you and me
00:16:03.712 --> 00:16:08.984
Because he wants to keep us from realizing.
00:16:08.984 --> 00:16:11.954
Yes, learn from yesterday, but you can't live in yesterday
00:16:11.954 --> 00:16:17.092
If you gonna move for to tomorrow.
00:16:17.092 --> 00:16:21.864
So he says that your purpose must be secured,
00:16:21.864 --> 00:16:24.633
It must be fixed, by moving forward in pursuit of
00:16:24.633 --> 00:16:31.607
Your spiritual maturity and your divine purpose.
00:16:31.607 --> 00:16:36.245
Well, how do you do that? how do you do that?
00:16:36.245 --> 00:16:39.481
'cause it's hard to press
00:16:39.481 --> 00:16:40.983
When you got something pressing against you.
00:16:40.983 --> 00:16:43.085
You may have people pressing against you.
00:16:43.085 --> 00:16:44.787
You may have circumstances pressing against you,
00:16:44.787 --> 00:16:47.189
And you wanna press through and you wanna press through.
00:16:47.189 --> 00:16:51.794
Notice what he says. he gives you some help.
00:16:51.794 --> 00:16:54.430
Verse 15, "any of you have a different attitude,
00:16:54.430 --> 00:16:57.066
God will reveal that also to you."
00:16:57.066 --> 00:16:58.934
In other words, if you ain't getting this,
00:16:58.934 --> 00:17:01.103
God's gonna have to help you.
00:17:01.103 --> 00:17:03.772
If you don't get this-- that the eternal must be placed
00:17:03.772 --> 00:17:07.743
Above the temporal because you are citizens of heaven--
00:17:07.743 --> 00:17:11.313
He says god has gotta show you this
00:17:11.313 --> 00:17:14.716
Because, until you see it, you won't act on it.
00:17:14.716 --> 00:17:17.753
But if i can get you and me to see
00:17:17.753 --> 00:17:21.657
That eternity is more important than time,
00:17:21.657 --> 00:17:24.793
You will begin to maximize time and be ready for eternity.
00:17:24.793 --> 00:17:29.898
But what do you do in the meantime?
00:17:29.898 --> 00:17:31.233
Notice what he says.
00:17:31.233 --> 00:17:34.036
He says in verse 17, "brethren, join in following my example.
00:17:34.036 --> 00:17:37.306
Observe those who walk according to the pattern
00:17:37.306 --> 00:17:39.708
You have in us,
00:17:39.708 --> 00:17:41.076
For many walk of whom i often told you
00:17:41.076 --> 00:17:43.645
And tell you, even crying, weeping,
00:17:43.645 --> 00:17:45.881
They're enemies of the cross, destruction, their appetite--
00:17:45.881 --> 00:17:49.885
That god is their appetite, that glory is their shame,
00:17:49.885 --> 00:17:52.721
And their minds are on earthly things."
00:17:52.721 --> 00:17:54.823
He says, if you wanna pursue,
00:17:54.823 --> 00:17:56.525
You better watch out who you hanging out with.
00:17:56.525 --> 00:17:59.194
Paul says, "follow my example and the rest of us
00:17:59.194 --> 00:18:02.798
Who are walking this way."
00:18:02.798 --> 00:18:05.267
If you don't have a spiritual group of people
00:18:05.267 --> 00:18:07.769
In your life who share your spiritual values,
00:18:07.769 --> 00:18:10.839
Who are pursuing god,
00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:12.608
They just connect with you because of the career,
00:18:12.608 --> 00:18:15.177
They connect with you because of the money,
00:18:15.177 --> 00:18:16.979
They connect with you because of the prestige
00:18:16.979 --> 00:18:19.014
But have no heart for god,
00:18:19.014 --> 00:18:20.983
And he says, "and you know them because--"
00:18:20.983 --> 00:18:23.218
Here it is, here it is.
00:18:23.218 --> 00:18:24.686
You won't like it, but here it is.
00:18:24.686 --> 00:18:26.021
It says, "they mind earthly things."
00:18:26.021 --> 00:18:28.891
In other words, they don't see the spiritual side of things.
00:18:28.891 --> 00:18:31.927
They don't see god's point of view.
00:18:31.927 --> 00:18:33.862
Heaven is not their focus.
00:18:33.862 --> 00:18:35.564
So all they gonna give you is more earth.
00:18:35.564 --> 00:18:38.734
They're gonna give you more time and more temporal.
00:18:38.734 --> 00:18:41.503
They're not gonna give you more eternal, why?
00:18:41.503 --> 00:18:43.672
Because they are earthbound,
00:18:43.672 --> 00:18:46.708
And i'm trying to explain that, if you make time
00:18:46.708 --> 00:18:50.579
More important than eternity, you lose out on both.
00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:56.885
But if you make eternity more important
00:18:56.885 --> 00:19:00.155
Than this little teeny minute that you and i are here
00:19:00.155 --> 00:19:03.325
Called time, eternity explodes and time is improved
00:19:03.325 --> 00:19:10.432
'cause now you're living for the purpose
00:19:10.432 --> 00:19:12.201
For which you've been redeemed.
00:19:12.201 --> 00:19:17.206
I don't care what kind of shower you take.
00:19:17.206 --> 00:19:19.975
If you spend too much time in a locker room,
00:19:19.975 --> 00:19:21.610
You gonna stink 'cause that's the nature of the environment.
00:19:21.610 --> 00:19:26.215
You go to a flower shop and hang in there long enough,
00:19:26.215 --> 00:19:28.650
You gonna start smelling sweet
00:19:28.650 --> 00:19:30.986
'cause that's the environment you hanging out in.
00:19:30.986 --> 00:19:34.623
Many of us wanna hang out in hell
00:19:34.623 --> 00:19:37.659
While telling other folk we wanna smell like heaven.
00:19:37.659 --> 00:19:41.096
It's a contradiction. now, some things you can't help.
00:19:41.096 --> 00:19:45.000
You work with non-believers.
00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.335
You work with people who cuss and fuss
00:19:46.335 --> 00:19:47.669
And do all that.
00:19:47.669 --> 00:19:49.004
You can't control them,
00:19:49.004 --> 00:19:50.339
But the question is what influence is in your life?
00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:52.808
That's the purpose of the church--
00:19:52.808 --> 00:19:54.376
To create an environment
00:19:54.376 --> 00:19:56.211
That is reinforcing heaven's point of view.
00:19:56.211 --> 00:19:59.881
And if you don't have people in your life
00:19:59.881 --> 00:20:02.084
Who will make heaven more important than earth,
00:20:02.084 --> 00:20:05.587
Earth is all you'll get.
00:20:05.587 --> 00:20:08.156
He says, "follow our example
00:20:08.156 --> 00:20:10.092
And not those who are earthbound,
00:20:10.092 --> 00:20:15.097
Who are working against the plan of god.
00:20:15.097 --> 00:20:17.199
Attach yourself to a person pursuing maturity and purpose."
00:20:17.199 --> 00:20:24.906
Then he comes and he tells you again in verse 20:
00:20:24.906 --> 00:20:29.144
"for our citizenship is in heaven."
00:20:29.144 --> 00:20:34.750
Ah.
00:20:34.750 --> 00:20:37.753
Your citizenship--
00:20:37.753 --> 00:20:39.154
That is, the country to which you belong--
00:20:39.154 --> 00:20:43.091
Is not here.
00:20:43.091 --> 00:20:44.559
It's not here. you were not redeemed for here.
00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:48.864
You were redeemed while here,
00:20:48.864 --> 00:20:50.565
But you weren't redeemed for here.
00:20:50.565 --> 00:20:52.067
You were redeemed for there while being here.
00:20:52.067 --> 00:20:56.905
And god expects you to bring heaven's point of view
00:20:56.905 --> 00:21:01.343
In earth's decisions, in earth's priorities,
00:21:01.343 --> 00:21:05.747
And you can't change why you didn't do it yesterday,
00:21:05.747 --> 00:21:08.383
Last week, last month, last year.
00:21:08.383 --> 00:21:11.186
So forgetting those things which are behind,
00:21:11.186 --> 00:21:13.855
It's time to get going now because tick-tock, tick-tock,
00:21:13.855 --> 00:21:17.893
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
00:21:17.893 --> 00:21:20.762
The clock is moving.
00:21:20.762 --> 00:21:23.732
He says you are citizens of heaven.
00:21:23.732 --> 00:21:27.969
Folks, your 80, 90, 75 years here is temporary.
00:21:27.969 --> 00:21:36.445
You are citizens of heaven.
00:21:36.445 --> 00:21:39.047
Your future is not here. this is not your future.
00:21:39.047 --> 00:21:45.487
And then he tells you about your perspective
00:21:45.487 --> 00:21:47.189
'cause he says--he says,
00:21:47.189 --> 00:21:49.991
"from which we are eagerly waiting a savior,
00:21:49.991 --> 00:21:52.594
The lord jesus christ."
00:21:52.594 --> 00:21:55.997
This is called the imminent return of christ.
00:21:55.997 --> 00:21:58.133
Two thousand years ago-- two thousand years ago,
00:21:58.133 --> 00:22:02.204
Paul was looking for the return of jesus.
00:22:02.204 --> 00:22:04.573
You see, this is 2000 years old now, over 2000 years.
00:22:04.573 --> 00:22:08.643
He says, "we are looking for, eagerly.
00:22:08.643 --> 00:22:12.681
I'm excited, i'm anticipating,
00:22:12.681 --> 00:22:14.883
I can't wait for the return of jesus christ."
00:22:14.883 --> 00:22:18.019
It's called the imminent return of christ,
00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:19.688
Meaning he can come at any moment.
00:22:19.688 --> 00:22:22.491
Now, that's good news and bad news.
00:22:22.491 --> 00:22:24.526
Good news is he's coming. bad news is we don't know when.
00:22:24.526 --> 00:22:29.030
So he wants us to live our lives
00:22:29.030 --> 00:22:30.832
As though it could be any time, okay?
00:22:30.832 --> 00:22:34.236
So he says, "i'm eagerly looking for the return of christ," why?
00:22:34.236 --> 00:22:37.706
'cause he's a heavenly citizen.
00:22:37.706 --> 00:22:40.108
Now, we are to live in anticipation
00:22:40.108 --> 00:22:44.913
That he could come at any moment.
00:22:44.913 --> 00:22:46.748
1 john 3, verse 2, says that we are purified
00:22:46.748 --> 00:22:51.186
By anticipating his coming.
00:22:51.186 --> 00:22:56.158
But he might decide to bring you to him first,
00:22:56.158 --> 00:23:00.295
To transition you from earth to heaven,
00:23:00.295 --> 00:23:02.731
From time to eternity.
00:23:02.731 --> 00:23:05.000
But either way, a meeting is going to occur.
00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:07.836
Whether he comes to you or brings you to him,
00:23:07.836 --> 00:23:11.006
To the big house, he says, "i want you to be ready
00:23:11.006 --> 00:23:14.843
For the time we connect.
00:23:14.843 --> 00:23:17.979
And i want you to live each day in light of that reality
00:23:17.979 --> 00:23:21.950
Because it could be today."
00:23:21.950 --> 00:23:25.420
So let me ask you a question:
00:23:25.420 --> 00:23:26.755
If jesus christ called you today or if he returned today,
00:23:26.755 --> 00:23:36.798
Would you be excited or say, "i wish i had more time.
00:23:38.099 --> 00:23:43.472
I wish i had another day, week, month, year," okay?
00:23:43.472 --> 00:23:49.044
I don't know when he's coming. all i know is you have today.
00:23:49.044 --> 00:23:53.482
You've got now, and the nows add up.
00:23:53.482 --> 00:23:57.752
And he says, "if i can get you to focus on heaven
00:23:57.752 --> 00:24:00.789
And make heaven bigger than time
00:24:00.789 --> 00:24:02.691
Because you're citizens up there,
00:24:02.691 --> 00:24:04.292
You're not citizens down here--"
00:24:04.292 --> 00:24:07.562
Or as titus, chapter 2, verse 13, says,
00:24:07.562 --> 00:24:10.532
"looking for the blessed hope, and the blessed hope," he says,
00:24:10.532 --> 00:24:15.237
"will conform your body with his glory."
00:24:15.237 --> 00:24:20.075
Oh, he gonna change you.
00:24:20.075 --> 00:24:24.679
2 corinthians 5, verses 1 to 5,
00:24:24.679 --> 00:24:26.715
Says, "since we have this treasure
00:24:26.715 --> 00:24:28.216
In earthen vessels--" he's gonna change you.
00:24:28.216 --> 00:24:33.088
He's gonna-- you'll still be you,
00:24:33.088 --> 00:24:35.390
But he's gonna remake your frame, your body.
00:24:35.390 --> 00:24:41.463
That's why he makes this body break down
00:24:41.463 --> 00:24:44.699
When it's time to transition to heaven.
00:24:44.699 --> 00:24:47.135
So he makes it break down so bad
00:24:47.135 --> 00:24:48.870
That we want to transition to heaven
00:24:48.870 --> 00:24:53.008
So that he can change it into the glorified body.
00:24:53.008 --> 00:24:56.845
Now, i'm not being morbid. god wants us to live.
00:24:56.845 --> 00:24:59.514
He wants us to maximize our life.
00:24:59.514 --> 00:25:01.483
He wants us to live each day--
00:25:01.483 --> 00:25:03.652
But as a citizen of heaven not as a duped person on earth.
00:25:03.652 --> 00:25:13.695
There was a goof-off on a football field.
00:25:13.695 --> 00:25:18.533
He was a goof-off. he didn't really play hard.
00:25:18.533 --> 00:25:21.570
He was just kind of on the team, but he didn't do much,
00:25:21.570 --> 00:25:24.706
Just kind of there.
00:25:24.706 --> 00:25:26.308
Then they came to the last game of the season.
00:25:26.308 --> 00:25:29.778
But on this particular day,
00:25:29.778 --> 00:25:31.112
All the other guys in front of him got hurt.
00:25:31.112 --> 00:25:34.149
So the coach had no choice but to put him in the game.
00:25:34.149 --> 00:25:38.954
They put him in the game, and the boy ran like a wild man.
00:25:38.954 --> 00:25:43.291
He was running around people, jumping over people,
00:25:43.291 --> 00:25:45.360
Overpowering people.
00:25:45.360 --> 00:25:46.695
The boy put on a show.
00:25:46.695 --> 00:25:50.465
At the end of the game,
00:25:50.465 --> 00:25:51.800
The coach called him to the office.
00:25:51.800 --> 00:25:54.169
Said, "now, you've been playing around all year long.
00:25:54.169 --> 00:25:57.572
You've been fooling around, just messing up,
00:25:57.572 --> 00:25:59.874
And just doing a little here and a little there
00:25:59.874 --> 00:26:02.677
But, you know, yeah, but you know,
00:26:02.677 --> 00:26:04.079
Not really taking this thing seriously.
00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:06.481
And today we put you out on the field,
00:26:06.481 --> 00:26:09.117
And you showed off.
00:26:09.117 --> 00:26:12.554
What got into you today?"
00:26:12.554 --> 00:26:16.191
Tears welled up in the little boy's eyes,
00:26:16.191 --> 00:26:18.927
And they began to flow down his cheeks...
00:26:18.927 --> 00:26:23.198
He said, "coach, two days ago, my father died.
00:26:23.198 --> 00:26:32.307
Coach, my father was blind.
00:26:32.307 --> 00:26:36.678
So this is the first time he's ever gotten to see
00:26:36.678 --> 00:26:38.780
Me play."
00:26:38.780 --> 00:26:40.482
[congregation applauding]
00:26:40.482 --> 00:26:43.351
See, when you know daddy is watching,
00:26:43.351 --> 00:26:48.757
When you know your heavenly father is looking,
00:26:48.757 --> 00:26:51.159
When you know god up there
00:26:51.159 --> 00:26:53.028
Is staring to see how you perform,
00:26:53.028 --> 00:26:56.398
It now takes you off of living a little bit here
00:26:56.398 --> 00:26:59.901
And a little bit there, being and playing around.
00:26:59.901 --> 00:27:02.337
Now you wanna get serious
00:27:02.337 --> 00:27:03.705
'cause you know daddy is looking.
00:27:03.705 --> 00:27:06.675
Your heavenly father is watching to give you
00:27:06.675 --> 00:27:09.711
A glorious entrance into heaven
00:27:09.711 --> 00:27:11.913
And to give you purpose and meaning on earth,
00:27:11.913 --> 00:27:16.217
And he's willing to start you--
00:27:16.217 --> 00:27:17.552
The good news is he's willing to start you
00:27:17.552 --> 00:27:19.487
From where you are today.
00:27:19.487 --> 00:27:22.323
"forgetting those things which are behind."
00:27:22.323 --> 00:27:25.427
Press on.
00:27:25.427 --> 00:27:25.427

Tony Evans - Pursuing Your Heavenly Citizenship

September 28, 2025 | 28:40

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