May 11, 2025 • 25 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The person who doesn't know is held less accountable than
a person who knows and doesn't do.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Doctor Tony Evans says, transformation doesn't come from information, it
comes from obedience.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It is the application of the knowledge of the Word
of God that makes the difference in your life.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings
from the archives of doctor Tony Evans. We don't hesitate
to sign on the dotted line when something matters, whether
it's a mortgage, a job offer, or even a phone plan,
because putting it in writing makes it real. Today, doctor
Evans walks us through a moment in scripture when God's
(00:39):
people made a spiritual commitment so significant they documented it.
Let's join him in Nehemiah as he unpacks what it
means to make a covenant that counts.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
As we enter into chapter ten, the.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
People demonstrate how really serious they are beginning with verse
thirty eight of chapter Now, because of all this, because
of all that had been said in chapter nine about
their faith lessness and God's faith fullness, we are making
an agreement in writing, and on the sealed document are
(01:17):
the names of our leaders, our levites, and our priests.
Now the people, rather than just verbalizing their commitment to God,
make it contractual. They sign off on it. They said, God,
here is what we're gonna do. Now we're going to
see in a moment what they decided to do. But
(01:38):
it's very instructional to know that they now sign off
on it. Now the leaders signed on behalf of the people.
This is a biblical principle of hierarchy or representation Verse
twenty eight down through twenty seven. It lifts the heads
of the households and sign.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Off is given.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
The obligations of the covenant or the agreement. What the
people actually sign we can break it into three categories.
There is a commitment to the Word, there is no
longer any compromising with the world, and there is a
recommitment to the worship. So they make a decision about
(02:23):
the Word, the world, and the worship. Those three categories
we would look at like to look at now. First
of all, they make a commitment regarding the Word. Verse
twenty eight says that the rest of the people, priests,
levite's gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, all those who had separated
(02:44):
themselves from the peoples of the land to the law
of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all those
who had knowledge and understanding are joining with their kinsmen,
their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and
an oath. Who walk in God's law which was given
through Moses, God's servants, and to keep and observe all
(03:06):
the commandments of the Lord, our God, and his ordinances
and his statutes. The very first thing that they do
is to commit themselves to the authority of scripture over
their lives. They have become a ruined community and a
ruined people because they had left the ordinances and statutes
(03:32):
of God. Or to put it in another way, they
had left the word of God. Whenever you lead the
word of God as the ultimate binding authority by.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Which you, your.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Family, your church, or your society makes its decisions, you
are automatically invited decay into that realm. It's a law
of the universe. They had rejected God, and now when
they write out this agreement, they say, we take on
(04:08):
ourselves a curse and we make an oath to obey. Now,
why did he say we take on a curse? Because
whenever you sign a contract, you take on a curse. Right,
whenever you sign a contract you're liable for suit if
you don't fulfill the contract.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
That's the curse. You're liable for suit.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Well, in the Bible they are covering in the lawsuits
where God soothes as people.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Well, he says, you sign.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
You agreed with me. Now you were gonna serve me
and obey me, and.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
You didn't do it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
You know what the Bible says, it is better not
to make an oath to God then to make one
and not do it. Now, how many of us don't
raise your hands have made oaths to God. See, God
didn't forget you on your sick bed. And you say, Lord,
if you heal me this time, if you please don't
let it be cancer, if you please don't let the
(05:04):
lump be terminal, then I will serve you for the
rest of my life.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
You forgot that. He didn't Lord.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
If you give me out of this financial mess, Lord,
if you give me this house, Lord, if you give
me this man, I will serve you. Well, you made
an agreement with God you didn't fulfill, and so that
calls on a curse.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
The Bible says, be not deceived. God is not mocked.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Whatever a man souls, what you plan is what you
read you cannot play with God. Now, this commitment was
different than other commitments because this commitment was to walk.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
In his ways. Now, don't misread that.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
They didn't make a commitment to talk his ways, but
to walk his waves. Then this raised as a fundamental issue.
You can bring your Bible here from here to Doomsday,
carry it under your arm, and look holier than vowel.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Quote scripture tell you blue in the face and be
deteriorating spiritually.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
It is not the knowledge of the Word of God
that makes the difference in your life. It is the
application of that knowledge of the Word of God that
makes the difference in your life.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
It is not what you know, it is what you do.
And unless you do.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
You might as well not know, because when you know
and don't do, your held more accountable.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
See, a person who doesn't know is held.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Less accountable than a person who knows and doesn't do. Fundamentally,
here is that problem of the will. Some of us
don't want to change. As a Christian, you have the
power to change. If you want to change, now, you
may need help in order to change. God has supplied
spirit help. He's surprised counselors and leaders to come alongside
(07:12):
and assist you to help. So how can you go
through one thing for fifty years and it never be broken,
never be overcome?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Simple?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
You don't want to change. See, most people don't want
to change. Most people don't want to change. They enjoy
their wrong and they don't want to get rid of
they wrong.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
But they feel guilty about their wrong.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So what they want to do is get rid of
the guilt without changing the thing that made them guilty.
There must be a decision of your will if you
come to me for counseling, or I come to you
for counseling for that matter, and you're given steps to
take to begin the process of getting victory over those things,
but you don't ever do the steps that it takes
(07:57):
to get victory over those things. What you're saying is
I really don't want to change. What I want is
to get an audience so everybody else will believe I
want to change, and so they'll be patient with me
while I don't change. A lot of husbands say their wives, honey,
I'm gonna be different this year. I'm gonna be a
brand new husband. Then they spiritualize it because I told God. See,
(08:18):
they throw God's name in there when they really wanted
to be believable. I told God that I want to change.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Say show me, vice versa.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Ladies said, Honey, I know I haven't been treating you
with respect, and I know I haven't been being.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
The kind of wife to be, But I'm gonna change.
Say show me.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
In other words, what God wants is a change in action,
so you don't spend time counseling people forever who don't
even get started doing something with the little advice they
got it first.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
That's like your kid.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Asking you give them five dollars allowance, when every week
they lose the quarter they're now get. You don't give more,
the people will irrespond with less. For the Bible says
to he that hath more will be given, but through
he who does not have that which he has will
be taken away. So not only do they not get
five dollars, you stop giving them the quarter. Most people
(09:15):
don't want to change, he says, So that's not me.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
I really want to change, but I can't.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Okay, if you really want to change, you need to
change that statement. There's no such thing as I really
want to change and I can't. The statement is I
really want to change, and on my own I can't.
Then you got to quote I can do all things
through Christ, Who's strengthened me. Christ will enable any Christian
(09:46):
to change through the mechanisms that He sets up. Who
wants to change or Paul is lying? And by two
immutable things, it's impossible for God to lie. You may
need help in changing counseling and changing support systems and changing,
but changes will occur. You ought to be different next
year than you were this year in certain areas of
(10:07):
your life.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Now you won't change overnight.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
It won't happen like hocus pocus, but it will happen progressively.
If God has your will, but he must have your will,
you must decide by a raw decision of your will.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Now here's what we want. What we wanted, the feeling
we want, the feeling of change.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Well, if you've been hooked on drugs for ten years,
you're not Gonnaug. The taste for drugs is not gonna
disappear from your flesh. You've been hooked for immorality for years.
The desire for immorality is not going to disappear. No,
that's gonna be there until the change has become a pattern.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
But you make a decision by an act of your will.
That's where you start.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
And that's what the people say, we are going to
make an agreement, and that's why they write it down
because they wanted to be held accountable for making it.
They want to help be held accountable when the going
gets tough, for making the right decision. So the first
first thing is in respect to the word.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Doctor Evans will return in just a moment to show
how that commitment began shaping their decisions, starting with how
they engaged the culture around them before he does. Though,
today's lesson is part of his fifteen part sermon series
on the Book of Nehemiah, a powerful look at how
God can use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. As
(11:26):
we follow Nehemiah's journey to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
we're discovering timeless truths about leadership, perseverance, and spiritual renewal,
truths that can help us overcome challenges and step confidently
into God's purpose for our lives. For a limited time,
you can get this complete audio series for yourself on
(11:46):
digital download as well as on either CDs or a
USB flash drive. Along with Tony's compelling book One Nation
Under God, a timely practical guide to making a kingdom
impact in our culture. Just visit Tonyevans dot org or
call us at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two
twenty two, make a contribution and let us send you
(12:10):
the Neemiyah audio series and One Nation Under God once again.
You can find all the details for this special offer
at Tonyevans dot Org or by phone at one eight
hundred eight hundred three two two two. Well, let's get
back to more now from doctor Evans in Nehemiah chapter ten, Now.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
The second thing is in respect to the world, verse thirty,
and that we will not give our daughters to the
people of the land and take their daughters for our sons.
They were involved in inter religious marriage. Not just it
was interracial, because there was Jews and Moabites and Canaanites.
But the Bible has a lot to say about religious intermarriage.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Now let me state this clearly.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Those circumstances, under no conditions is a Christian to ever
think about marrying a non Christian. And yeah, I know
he's a doctor. I understand you're gonna be living on
the house on the hill. I know he's got a jag.
(13:23):
I understand there's a voluptuous bank account. But no matter
what he has going for, under no circumstances is a.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Christian ever to marry a non Christian.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
And not only is he talking about the people getting married,
he's also talking about the mothers and fathers because he says,
we will not give our daughters to them, We will
not take daughters from them for our sons. From a
parental standpoint, we will manage our homes in such a
way that if they get hooked up with those non believers,
they have to do it without any help or assistance
from us. Why why has God hard knows on? Because
(14:01):
Hell and Heaven can't live in the same house and
get along. It may look good upfront, but this thing
is supposed to be Tell death do you part, and
God knows.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
If you integrate the family irreligiously. If you get.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
People who are walking down two separate tracks trying to
get it on in the same home, you invite disaster.
No matter what you try to do, no clever arrangement
of bad eggs will ever make a good omen. And
what we try to do is we try to scramble
it fry it sunnyside and up it, and it still
comes out a.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Mess because we compromise.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You put a bad apple and a bushel with good apples,
the bad will influence the good, and it will living
itself down.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
And all of the apples will become spoiled. You don't compromise,
not on principles.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Finally, they are now making a short covering about their worship.
Now this involved the number of areas first of all
versus thirty one. And as for the people of the
land who bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath
day to sell, we will not buy from them on
the Sabbath or a holy day, and we will forego
the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.
(15:16):
In other words, we will keep the Sabbath. You remember
one of the ten commandments is keep the Sabbath holy.
Now follow me on this. This is talking about worship.
After God did six days of creating, on the seventh day,
he rested. Now he didn't rest because he was tired.
He rested because he was finished. The reason why he
(15:38):
rested was because he was finished. There was nothing left
to do, and resting mean he set back to.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Enjoy what he made.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
On the eighth day, which would have been the first
day of the second week, that's the day it appears
that Satan came into the garden and he tripped Adam
and Eve, so that Adam and Eve could no longer.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Enjoy what God had created.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
They went and hid themselves, and marriage was in trouble,
because that's what sin does. When the second atom came,
he rose from the dead on the first day, Sunday
of the week, so that which was Saturday in the
Old Testament becomes Sunday in the New Testament. It's not
(16:27):
called the Sabbath, it's called the Lord's Day, but the
principle is the same. The purpose of that day is
the enjoyment of God. That's why you come to worship.
You come to worship to praise His holy name. You
come to worship to get instruction from Him. The purpose
(16:49):
of worship is the exaltation of God, not the good
feelings of you. It's okay to have good feelings, but
that's secondary, not prime.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
But when it comes to worship, Oh, it's so lethargic.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Oh I gotta get up in mind Sunday, I gotta
go to church.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Oh No, that means you don't know God.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
No, you don't know all He's done, and you don't
know how bad you're gonna need him this upcoming week.
When you understand where you come from, and when you
understand that you're gonna need Him where you're going, you
better be in worshiped, You better exalt His holy name.
(17:34):
So the people said, we're gonna sign a short covenant,
We're gonna stop not worshiping you.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
But enjoying God is more than worship.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So this is where these people, you know, how of
you were raised where you couldn't look at TV on
Sunday and you couldn't you know, you couldn't go out
and play ball on Sunday. You couldn't do that on Sunday. Now,
let me explain. Sunday is the enjoyment of God. That's
what Saturday was in the Sabbath. That is where you
not only enjoy being in God's presence, but you enjoy
being in God's world. Many of you have taken afternoon
drives on a Sunday afternoon. That that feel of being
(18:07):
in the open space of God. And that's part of
enjoying God. Part of enjoying God as being with family
and Christian friends who love God like you do, and
fellowshipping with them. That's part of enjoying God. So enjoying
God is not church only. That's a major center feature,
but it's also enjoying the world in which God has
graciously placed you in order's so much of God to enjoy.
(18:30):
That's the time to sit around with your family and
talk about the goodness of God last week and the
need for God this week.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Sunday is the day of enjoying God.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Why because you're gonna be so busy Monday, Tuesday, Wenesdays,
and Thursday. Friday is Saturday, and you're gonna be too
tired to enjoy God, to distractor to enjoy God. So
that ought to be one day where God gets undivided attention.
And finally, he says in worship they were to remember
they'll find natural responsibility to God.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Verse thirty two.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
We placed ourselves on the obligation to contribute yearly one
third of a shekel for the service of the house
of our God. Then it goes down in verse thirty six,
the firstborn We're gonna give you of our sons, the
firstborn of our flock, firstborn of the new Wine the tie.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
The verse thirty seven of Our Ground. What did he say,
We're gonna stop robbing you?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Now many of us don't like to talk about this,
but this is in the Bible we have to talk about,
and that is, if you're not giving.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
God what God should get, you're robbing God a lott of.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
You've been blessed with a job, blessed with a career,
and all God gets is the leftovers if the sermons.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Okay, that's not.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
How you worship God. You don't worship God with what's leftover.
He doesn't give you leftovers. You don't have leftover heartbeats
and leftover brain waves, over body functions.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
He gives you prime working stuff. There, folks.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
God does not want to be left over. So he
told him that our number one, I must have the first.
Don't give me your crops after you don stored them
away for the year. You give me the first tenth.
The minimum that they could ever give God was ten
ten out of the hundred or ten percent. That was
the minimum. In fact, he just knew people would give
more than the minimum, because he says, I will want
you to give tithes and offerings.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I know you're not gonna be satisfied with the minimum.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
That's the minimum ever requested in all the Bible, even
before the law, because people have a responsibility before God,
and he not only wants that much, he wants it first.
He wants it before you pay your house notes, your
cod knows, before you take care of you. He says,
put me first, because without me there would be no notes.
Without my grace, there would be nothing. So what God
(20:54):
wants us to be honored? And the people says, we're
gonna make a covenant. We're gonna honor you. You know,
there's a disease I'll cause cirrhosis of the giver. This
disease was discovered in eighty thirty four by the husband
and wife team and a nonsense offarra Is. It is
an acute condition which renders the patient's hand immobile when
(21:15):
he has called upon to move him in the direction
of his wallet or her purse and from thence to
the offering plate. This strange malady is clinically unobservable in
such surroundings as the golf club, supermarket, clothing store, or restaurant.
Some try to use the false remedy pointing out to
the patient to patients that income tax deduction can be
claimed forgiving the best therapy, and that which leads to
(21:37):
a sure and lasting cure, however, is to get the
individual's heart right with God. This affliction is actually a
symptom of a more basic need of the soul. Listen,
you've got to stop robbing God, because the Bible says,
anybody who robs Me will be cursed and won't enjoy
what they have. I'll put it in a bag full
of holes, so you'll spend it. You may not spend
(21:59):
it on God. If something's gonna break down and you
go spend it on it, God is saying, and then
he wants to be first, Siki first. The Kingdom of
God is righteousness, he says, put me first. And many
of you ought to be a shamed the way you
rob God. Good job, a salary. You've got food in
the refrigerator and in the fretha, and you got another
(22:21):
freetha next to the refrigerator fretha.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
He's covered you well, Doctor Tony Evans, reminding us of
the importance of honoring God first with the blessings he's
entrusted to us, and he'll come back in just a moment.
With a closing word before that, though, if you'd like
to hear the full length version of this message, you
can receive it as a part of Tony's fifteen part
(22:44):
sermon series simply called Nehemiah. And don't forget that special
double offer I mentioned earlier. You can receive all the
lessons in this series bundled along with his compelling book,
One Nation Under God. Both of these resources are yours
with our thanks for your donation to help make this
listener supported program possible. Make the arrangements today at one
(23:06):
eight hundred, eight hundred thirty two twenty two before time
runs out. That's one eight hundred eight hundred three two
two two, or visit Tonyevans dot org now. Before Tony
returns to wrap up today's message, I want to let
you know that a new episode of Stories from the
Storyteller is just around the corner. The Evans family is
(23:28):
off to a seventies party, but when someone gets turned
away for not wearing the right outfit, it leads to
a meaningful bedtime talk about the parable of the King's Banquet.
If the kids in your life haven't discovered this heartwarming
animated series yet, now's the perfect time to share it.
Find out more about stories from the Storyteller at tonyevanstv
(23:51):
dot com. That's tonyevanstv dot com. Well, coming up tomorrow,
doctor Evans will reveal God's blueprint for rebuilding broken cities
and restoring hope where it's needed most as he continues
our inspiring study of the story of Nehemiah. Right now though,
he's back with his final challenge for today.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
So, my childlenge you today is give according to your income.
Let God make your income according to your giving. Honor him,
he concludes in the Universe thirty one. Thus we will
not neglect the house of our God. Why because when
you neglect the House of God, that reflects a lack
(24:35):
of spiritual biodies
The person who doesn't know is held less accountable than
a person who knows and doesn't do.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Doctor Tony Evans says, transformation doesn't come from information, it
comes from obedience.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It is the application of the knowledge of the Word
of God that makes the difference in your life.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is the alternative broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings
from the archives of doctor Tony Evans. We don't hesitate
to sign on the dotted line when something matters, whether
it's a mortgage, a job offer, or even a phone plan,
because putting it in writing makes it real. Today, doctor
Evans walks us through a moment in scripture when God's
(00:39):
people made a spiritual commitment so significant they documented it.
Let's join him in Nehemiah as he unpacks what it
means to make a covenant that counts.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
As we enter into chapter ten, the.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
People demonstrate how really serious they are beginning with verse
thirty eight of chapter Now, because of all this, because
of all that had been said in chapter nine about
their faith lessness and God's faith fullness, we are making
an agreement in writing, and on the sealed document are
(01:17):
the names of our leaders, our levites, and our priests.
Now the people, rather than just verbalizing their commitment to God,
make it contractual. They sign off on it. They said, God,
here is what we're gonna do. Now we're going to
see in a moment what they decided to do. But
(01:38):
it's very instructional to know that they now sign off
on it. Now the leaders signed on behalf of the people.
This is a biblical principle of hierarchy or representation Verse
twenty eight down through twenty seven. It lifts the heads
of the households and sign.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Off is given.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
The obligations of the covenant or the agreement. What the
people actually sign we can break it into three categories.
There is a commitment to the Word, there is no
longer any compromising with the world, and there is a
recommitment to the worship. So they make a decision about
(02:23):
the Word, the world, and the worship. Those three categories
we would look at like to look at now. First
of all, they make a commitment regarding the Word. Verse
twenty eight says that the rest of the people, priests,
levite's gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, all those who had separated
(02:44):
themselves from the peoples of the land to the law
of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all those
who had knowledge and understanding are joining with their kinsmen,
their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and
an oath. Who walk in God's law which was given
through Moses, God's servants, and to keep and observe all
(03:06):
the commandments of the Lord, our God, and his ordinances
and his statutes. The very first thing that they do
is to commit themselves to the authority of scripture over
their lives. They have become a ruined community and a
ruined people because they had left the ordinances and statutes
(03:32):
of God. Or to put it in another way, they
had left the word of God. Whenever you lead the
word of God as the ultimate binding authority by.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Which you, your.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Family, your church, or your society makes its decisions, you
are automatically invited decay into that realm. It's a law
of the universe. They had rejected God, and now when
they write out this agreement, they say, we take on
(04:08):
ourselves a curse and we make an oath to obey. Now,
why did he say we take on a curse? Because
whenever you sign a contract, you take on a curse. Right,
whenever you sign a contract you're liable for suit if
you don't fulfill the contract.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
That's the curse. You're liable for suit.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Well, in the Bible they are covering in the lawsuits
where God soothes as people.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Well, he says, you sign.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
You agreed with me. Now you were gonna serve me
and obey me, and.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
You didn't do it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
You know what the Bible says, it is better not
to make an oath to God then to make one
and not do it. Now, how many of us don't
raise your hands have made oaths to God. See, God
didn't forget you on your sick bed. And you say, Lord,
if you heal me this time, if you please don't
let it be cancer, if you please don't let the
(05:04):
lump be terminal, then I will serve you for the
rest of my life.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
You forgot that. He didn't Lord.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
If you give me out of this financial mess, Lord,
if you give me this house, Lord, if you give
me this man, I will serve you. Well, you made
an agreement with God you didn't fulfill, and so that
calls on a curse.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
The Bible says, be not deceived. God is not mocked.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Whatever a man souls, what you plan is what you
read you cannot play with God. Now, this commitment was
different than other commitments because this commitment was to walk.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
In his ways. Now, don't misread that.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
They didn't make a commitment to talk his ways, but
to walk his waves. Then this raised as a fundamental issue.
You can bring your Bible here from here to Doomsday,
carry it under your arm, and look holier than vowel.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Quote scripture tell you blue in the face and be
deteriorating spiritually.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
It is not the knowledge of the Word of God
that makes the difference in your life. It is the
application of that knowledge of the Word of God that
makes the difference in your life.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
It is not what you know, it is what you do.
And unless you do.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
You might as well not know, because when you know
and don't do, your held more accountable.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
See, a person who doesn't know is held.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
Less accountable than a person who knows and doesn't do. Fundamentally,
here is that problem of the will. Some of us
don't want to change. As a Christian, you have the
power to change. If you want to change, now, you
may need help in order to change. God has supplied
spirit help. He's surprised counselors and leaders to come alongside
(07:12):
and assist you to help. So how can you go
through one thing for fifty years and it never be broken,
never be overcome?
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Simple?
Speaker 1 (07:20):
You don't want to change. See, most people don't want
to change. Most people don't want to change. They enjoy
their wrong and they don't want to get rid of
they wrong.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
But they feel guilty about their wrong.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
So what they want to do is get rid of
the guilt without changing the thing that made them guilty.
There must be a decision of your will if you
come to me for counseling, or I come to you
for counseling for that matter, and you're given steps to
take to begin the process of getting victory over those things,
but you don't ever do the steps that it takes
(07:57):
to get victory over those things. What you're saying is
I really don't want to change. What I want is
to get an audience so everybody else will believe I
want to change, and so they'll be patient with me
while I don't change. A lot of husbands say their wives, honey,
I'm gonna be different this year. I'm gonna be a
brand new husband. Then they spiritualize it because I told God. See,
(08:18):
they throw God's name in there when they really wanted
to be believable. I told God that I want to change.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Say show me, vice versa.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Ladies said, Honey, I know I haven't been treating you
with respect, and I know I haven't been being.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
The kind of wife to be, But I'm gonna change.
Say show me.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
In other words, what God wants is a change in action,
so you don't spend time counseling people forever who don't
even get started doing something with the little advice they
got it first.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
That's like your kid.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Asking you give them five dollars allowance, when every week
they lose the quarter they're now get. You don't give more,
the people will irrespond with less. For the Bible says
to he that hath more will be given, but through
he who does not have that which he has will
be taken away. So not only do they not get
five dollars, you stop giving them the quarter. Most people
(09:15):
don't want to change, he says, So that's not me.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
I really want to change, but I can't.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Okay, if you really want to change, you need to
change that statement. There's no such thing as I really
want to change and I can't. The statement is I
really want to change, and on my own I can't.
Then you got to quote I can do all things
through Christ, Who's strengthened me. Christ will enable any Christian
(09:46):
to change through the mechanisms that He sets up. Who
wants to change or Paul is lying? And by two
immutable things, it's impossible for God to lie. You may
need help in changing counseling and changing support systems and changing,
but changes will occur. You ought to be different next
year than you were this year in certain areas of
(10:07):
your life.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Now you won't change overnight.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
It won't happen like hocus pocus, but it will happen progressively.
If God has your will, but he must have your will,
you must decide by a raw decision of your will.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Now here's what we want. What we wanted, the feeling
we want, the feeling of change.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Well, if you've been hooked on drugs for ten years,
you're not Gonnaug. The taste for drugs is not gonna
disappear from your flesh. You've been hooked for immorality for years.
The desire for immorality is not going to disappear. No,
that's gonna be there until the change has become a pattern.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
But you make a decision by an act of your will.
That's where you start.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
And that's what the people say, we are going to
make an agreement, and that's why they write it down
because they wanted to be held accountable for making it.
They want to help be held accountable when the going
gets tough, for making the right decision. So the first
first thing is in respect to the word.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Doctor Evans will return in just a moment to show
how that commitment began shaping their decisions, starting with how
they engaged the culture around them before he does. Though,
today's lesson is part of his fifteen part sermon series
on the Book of Nehemiah, a powerful look at how
God can use ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. As
(11:26):
we follow Nehemiah's journey to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,
we're discovering timeless truths about leadership, perseverance, and spiritual renewal,
truths that can help us overcome challenges and step confidently
into God's purpose for our lives. For a limited time,
you can get this complete audio series for yourself on
(11:46):
digital download as well as on either CDs or a
USB flash drive. Along with Tony's compelling book One Nation
Under God, a timely practical guide to making a kingdom
impact in our culture. Just visit Tonyevans dot org or
call us at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two
twenty two, make a contribution and let us send you
(12:10):
the Neemiyah audio series and One Nation Under God once again.
You can find all the details for this special offer
at Tonyevans dot Org or by phone at one eight
hundred eight hundred three two two two. Well, let's get
back to more now from doctor Evans in Nehemiah chapter ten, Now.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
The second thing is in respect to the world, verse thirty,
and that we will not give our daughters to the
people of the land and take their daughters for our sons.
They were involved in inter religious marriage. Not just it
was interracial, because there was Jews and Moabites and Canaanites.
But the Bible has a lot to say about religious intermarriage.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
Now let me state this clearly.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Those circumstances, under no conditions is a Christian to ever
think about marrying a non Christian. And yeah, I know
he's a doctor. I understand you're gonna be living on
the house on the hill. I know he's got a jag.
(13:23):
I understand there's a voluptuous bank account. But no matter
what he has going for, under no circumstances is a.
Speaker 3 (13:33):
Christian ever to marry a non Christian.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
And not only is he talking about the people getting married,
he's also talking about the mothers and fathers because he says,
we will not give our daughters to them, We will
not take daughters from them for our sons. From a
parental standpoint, we will manage our homes in such a
way that if they get hooked up with those non believers,
they have to do it without any help or assistance
from us. Why why has God hard knows on? Because
(14:01):
Hell and Heaven can't live in the same house and
get along. It may look good upfront, but this thing
is supposed to be Tell death do you part, and
God knows.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
If you integrate the family irreligiously. If you get.
Speaker 1 (14:15):
People who are walking down two separate tracks trying to
get it on in the same home, you invite disaster.
No matter what you try to do, no clever arrangement
of bad eggs will ever make a good omen. And
what we try to do is we try to scramble
it fry it sunnyside and up it, and it still
comes out a.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
Mess because we compromise.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
You put a bad apple and a bushel with good apples,
the bad will influence the good, and it will living
itself down.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
And all of the apples will become spoiled. You don't compromise,
not on principles.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Finally, they are now making a short covering about their worship.
Now this involved the number of areas first of all
versus thirty one. And as for the people of the
land who bring wares or any grain on the Sabbath
day to sell, we will not buy from them on
the Sabbath or a holy day, and we will forego
the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.
(15:16):
In other words, we will keep the Sabbath. You remember
one of the ten commandments is keep the Sabbath holy.
Now follow me on this. This is talking about worship.
After God did six days of creating, on the seventh day,
he rested. Now he didn't rest because he was tired.
He rested because he was finished. The reason why he
(15:38):
rested was because he was finished. There was nothing left
to do, and resting mean he set back to.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Enjoy what he made.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
On the eighth day, which would have been the first
day of the second week, that's the day it appears
that Satan came into the garden and he tripped Adam
and Eve, so that Adam and Eve could no longer.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Enjoy what God had created.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
They went and hid themselves, and marriage was in trouble,
because that's what sin does. When the second atom came,
he rose from the dead on the first day, Sunday
of the week, so that which was Saturday in the
Old Testament becomes Sunday in the New Testament. It's not
(16:27):
called the Sabbath, it's called the Lord's Day, but the
principle is the same. The purpose of that day is
the enjoyment of God. That's why you come to worship.
You come to worship to praise His holy name. You
come to worship to get instruction from Him. The purpose
(16:49):
of worship is the exaltation of God, not the good
feelings of you. It's okay to have good feelings, but
that's secondary, not prime.
Speaker 3 (17:01):
But when it comes to worship, Oh, it's so lethargic.
Speaker 1 (17:06):
Oh I gotta get up in mind Sunday, I gotta
go to church.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
Oh No, that means you don't know God.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
No, you don't know all He's done, and you don't
know how bad you're gonna need him this upcoming week.
When you understand where you come from, and when you
understand that you're gonna need Him where you're going, you
better be in worshiped, You better exalt His holy name.
(17:34):
So the people said, we're gonna sign a short covenant,
We're gonna stop not worshiping you.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
But enjoying God is more than worship.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
So this is where these people, you know, how of
you were raised where you couldn't look at TV on
Sunday and you couldn't you know, you couldn't go out
and play ball on Sunday. You couldn't do that on Sunday. Now,
let me explain. Sunday is the enjoyment of God. That's
what Saturday was in the Sabbath. That is where you
not only enjoy being in God's presence, but you enjoy
being in God's world. Many of you have taken afternoon
drives on a Sunday afternoon. That that feel of being
(18:07):
in the open space of God. And that's part of
enjoying God. Part of enjoying God as being with family
and Christian friends who love God like you do, and
fellowshipping with them. That's part of enjoying God. So enjoying
God is not church only. That's a major center feature,
but it's also enjoying the world in which God has
graciously placed you in order's so much of God to enjoy.
(18:30):
That's the time to sit around with your family and
talk about the goodness of God last week and the
need for God this week.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Sunday is the day of enjoying God.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Why because you're gonna be so busy Monday, Tuesday, Wenesdays,
and Thursday. Friday is Saturday, and you're gonna be too
tired to enjoy God, to distractor to enjoy God. So
that ought to be one day where God gets undivided attention.
And finally, he says in worship they were to remember
they'll find natural responsibility to God.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Verse thirty two.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
We placed ourselves on the obligation to contribute yearly one
third of a shekel for the service of the house
of our God. Then it goes down in verse thirty six,
the firstborn We're gonna give you of our sons, the
firstborn of our flock, firstborn of the new Wine the tie.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
The verse thirty seven of Our Ground. What did he say,
We're gonna stop robbing you?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Now many of us don't like to talk about this,
but this is in the Bible we have to talk about,
and that is, if you're not giving.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
God what God should get, you're robbing God a lott of.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
You've been blessed with a job, blessed with a career,
and all God gets is the leftovers if the sermons.
Speaker 3 (19:46):
Okay, that's not.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
How you worship God. You don't worship God with what's leftover.
He doesn't give you leftovers. You don't have leftover heartbeats
and leftover brain waves, over body functions.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
He gives you prime working stuff. There, folks.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
God does not want to be left over. So he
told him that our number one, I must have the first.
Don't give me your crops after you don stored them
away for the year. You give me the first tenth.
The minimum that they could ever give God was ten
ten out of the hundred or ten percent. That was
the minimum. In fact, he just knew people would give
more than the minimum, because he says, I will want
you to give tithes and offerings.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I know you're not gonna be satisfied with the minimum.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
That's the minimum ever requested in all the Bible, even
before the law, because people have a responsibility before God,
and he not only wants that much, he wants it first.
He wants it before you pay your house notes, your
cod knows, before you take care of you. He says,
put me first, because without me there would be no notes.
Without my grace, there would be nothing. So what God
(20:54):
wants us to be honored? And the people says, we're
gonna make a covenant. We're gonna honor you. You know,
there's a disease I'll cause cirrhosis of the giver. This
disease was discovered in eighty thirty four by the husband
and wife team and a nonsense offarra Is. It is
an acute condition which renders the patient's hand immobile when
(21:15):
he has called upon to move him in the direction
of his wallet or her purse and from thence to
the offering plate. This strange malady is clinically unobservable in
such surroundings as the golf club, supermarket, clothing store, or restaurant.
Some try to use the false remedy pointing out to
the patient to patients that income tax deduction can be
claimed forgiving the best therapy, and that which leads to
(21:37):
a sure and lasting cure, however, is to get the
individual's heart right with God. This affliction is actually a
symptom of a more basic need of the soul. Listen,
you've got to stop robbing God, because the Bible says,
anybody who robs Me will be cursed and won't enjoy
what they have. I'll put it in a bag full
of holes, so you'll spend it. You may not spend
(21:59):
it on God. If something's gonna break down and you
go spend it on it, God is saying, and then
he wants to be first, Siki first. The Kingdom of
God is righteousness, he says, put me first. And many
of you ought to be a shamed the way you
rob God. Good job, a salary. You've got food in
the refrigerator and in the fretha, and you got another
(22:21):
freetha next to the refrigerator fretha.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
He's covered you well, Doctor Tony Evans, reminding us of
the importance of honoring God first with the blessings he's
entrusted to us, and he'll come back in just a moment.
With a closing word before that, though, if you'd like
to hear the full length version of this message, you
can receive it as a part of Tony's fifteen part
(22:44):
sermon series simply called Nehemiah. And don't forget that special
double offer I mentioned earlier. You can receive all the
lessons in this series bundled along with his compelling book,
One Nation Under God. Both of these resources are yours
with our thanks for your donation to help make this
listener supported program possible. Make the arrangements today at one
(23:06):
eight hundred, eight hundred thirty two twenty two before time
runs out. That's one eight hundred eight hundred three two
two two, or visit Tonyevans dot org now. Before Tony
returns to wrap up today's message, I want to let
you know that a new episode of Stories from the
Storyteller is just around the corner. The Evans family is
(23:28):
off to a seventies party, but when someone gets turned
away for not wearing the right outfit, it leads to
a meaningful bedtime talk about the parable of the King's Banquet.
If the kids in your life haven't discovered this heartwarming
animated series yet, now's the perfect time to share it.
Find out more about stories from the Storyteller at tonyevanstv
(23:51):
dot com. That's tonyevanstv dot com. Well, coming up tomorrow,
doctor Evans will reveal God's blueprint for rebuilding broken cities
and restoring hope where it's needed most as he continues
our inspiring study of the story of Nehemiah. Right now though,
he's back with his final challenge for today.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
So, my childlenge you today is give according to your income.
Let God make your income according to your giving. Honor him,
he concludes in the Universe thirty one. Thus we will
not neglect the house of our God. Why because when
you neglect the House of God, that reflects a lack
(24:35):
of spiritual biodies
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