Everything you have is rooted in something God provided. Dr. Tony Evans talks about what can happen when we become too self-sufficient for our own good. God knows our propensity to forget we are dependent on him and so he sets up wilderness reminders. This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr.
Tony Evans. Believers are often quick to remember that God provides, but slow to remember that He provides for a purpose. Today, Dr. Evans takes us to Deuteronomy chapter 8 as he describes the kind of managers God wants us to be and what can happen when we stray from that plan. Let's join him.
If you are an American citizen, Then you live here under a kingdom covenant. The kingdom, the country of America. Has a Covenant. It's called a constitution. It's the overarching governing definition of who we are or who we are to be as a nation.
It has a very specific goal, life, liberty. and the freedom to pursue happiness. God has a kingdom. And that kingdom is controlled By a covenant. And the covenant of his kingdom is to be managed.
by his stewards. His stewards are to pledge allegiance. to the covenant that belongs to the kingdom. When there are people in the kingdom who rebel against the covenant. then they are in opposition.
to the king. Our series is called Kingdom Stewardship. We have defined that a steward is a believer. who is responsible to manage, not own. What has been entrusted to them by God for them to oversee on his behalf.
Every believer is called a steward. A manager or a caretaker of that which is entrusted to them. in terms of time, talents, and treasures. The purpose of your stewardship. Your managerial responsibility is stated in verse 18.
But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who is giving you the power to make wealth, that he may confirm his covenant which he swore. The purpose of a kingdom steward In the management of time, talents, and treasures, is to confirm A covenant. The definition of a covenant Is a divinely created relational bond. In Exodus chapter nineteen, verses five and six. God connects all of these concepts in these two verses.
He says, if you will keep my covenant, then you will experience my kingdom. Many people today are not experiencing God's kingdom because they refuse to keep his covenant. His covenant is a divinely created bond predicated on a relationship. Here is what you need to know about the covenant. The covenant provides a covering.
You can have an umbrella but not have it open. If you have an umbrella but don't have it open, you're uncovered even though you have it. See, a lot of if you're a Christian, you're in the covenant. It just may be closed. And if you're a Christian, but you're in the covenant, but the covenant is closed, then you have a covering, but you're living uncovered.
Because a covenant provides a covering.
So, what the enemy wants to do is get all of us to close our umbrellas. That is to not function underneath the covenant.
Now, an umbrella doesn't keep it from raining, it just keeps it from raining on you.
So, the covenant is designed to cover you so that. The maximum experience of God. progressively in your life. Is taking place. You are confirming it.
You are validating it, vindicating it.
So the covenant is a divinely created relational bond. And it is through the covenant that God expresses his pleasure. Because in the covenant, you're getting to know him more. You're getting to know him better. And here it is: the more you know him, the more.
you get an experience with him. All of us know what it is, or most of us, to have our cause out of alignment. If your car is out of alignment, then the wheels get shaky. When your car is out of alignment, the tires wear unevenly. Because something is not aligned properly.
The covenant is the alignment mechanism. Where when you are in line with the covenant You're in the order of the king, and when you're in the order of the king, and the growth of the relationship is taking place, then God's kingdom purposes, God's kingdom experience coming out of that kingdom relationship because of covenantal alignment begins to deepen and grow, and your experience with God. becomes more robust. The Bible is clear, watch this, that the goal of the covenant. is to Deepen your relationship and experience of God.
Let me say that again. The goal of the covenant is to deepen God being real to you. And how do you know if you're in alignment? There's only one way you know it. You know you're in alignment because He says, you are keeping my commandment.
Another word. If what you're doing is not what God wants, You're out of alignment with the covenant. Doesn't matter that you want it, doesn't matter how you were raised, doesn't matter what you think, doesn't matter what your college professor said, it doesn't matter what the television says. If what you do and what God says disagrees, you're out of alignment with the covenant, and therefore you're diminishing the relationship with the living God.
So, alignment in the covenant is critical, and he wants to confirm, validate, he wants to bring into your experience. The covenant. That is his kingdom purpose operating in your life, in my life, and in our lives collectively. Yeah. Having established that that's God's goal, to confirm his covenant.
We have confirmed that the covenant is related to the kingdom. We have confirmed that the mindset you must have is that all the earth is his, not yours. No. If you don't accept that, This sermon just ended for you. Because I can't help you.
Unless you're willing to give up ownership. Of your life. and everything attached to your life. Management? Yes.
Ownership? Nada. then God's covenantal covering remains closed. Because God is my sharing ownership. This is his.
Not yours. You are a visitor. I'm a visitor. It got quiet in here.
Okay. He is telling them this. On the precipice of going into the promised land. He is telling them this. They've come out of Egypt.
They're headed toward the promised land. But he wants to give them a review. And in this review, Stay with me now. He's telling them about life in the wilderness. Please notice.
Verse 2: You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness. Please notice. Verse 15, he led you through the great and terrible wilderness. In the wilderness, verse 16, he fed you manna. Wilderness, wilderness, wilderness, wilderness.
God delivered them from Egypt. Salvation. He's taking them to the promised land. Destiny. But in order to get from Egypt to the place of blessing.
They had to go through a parcel of land called the wilderness.
So let me tell you about the wilderness. It's dry. Baron. No food. No water.
Boring? Painful. and undesirable. And God said, and I took you through it. Why does God take his people through the wilderness?
Why does he allow dry spells in your life? Scorpions in your existence. Says fiery serpents. He says there was no food. There was no water and I took you there.
If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you have been through the wilderness. And if you haven't been through the wilderness, It's coming. Where God leads you, He's in front of you, directing you into a dry spot. Into an empty place. into a painful trip.
And I took you there. But why, God, why do you want to take me through a wilderness? He tells you, verse 2: You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these 40 years, that he might humble you. Testing you. To know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.
Verse 16, in the wilderness. He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and that he might test you. to do good for you in the end. Why does God let you go through a streak of dry spells? Dry financially, dry relationally, dry academically, dry emotionally, dry circumstantially, because that's the nature of the wilderness.
In the wilderness, he has one lesson and one lesson alone. The lesson in the wilderness is: you can't make it without me. The lesson in the wilderness. I'm going to let you go hungry so that you know I'm the source of your food. I'm going to let you go thirsty so that you know I'm the source of your water.
I'm going to let you not see things work out so that you are reminded you don't own a thing. And if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't eat, you wouldn't drink, your shoes would wear out, you would not make it if it were not for me. He says the wilderness is on purpose. And it's on purpose. to position you with the right mentality.
When Dr. Evans returns in a moment, he'll explain why God's reminders matter. and what happens when we ignore them. Stay with us. I want to invite you to join me for the trip of a lifetime.
Tony Evans invites you to journey with him through Israel this October. We're going to gather together with many of our friends to survey the sites of the Holy Land. You'll visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, tour the Old City including the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, and the Garden of Gethsemane. You'll overlook Nazareth, stand on the Mount of Olives, and walk the road where Jesus made his triumphal entry. Along the way, Tony will share messages that'll give you new insight into familiar Bible stories.
Not only will we have a great time in his word together, we'll have a great time being together with so many who love the Lord and who love his word. There's a lot more in the itinerary. Visit tonyevans.org today to get the details and register before space runs out. Don't miss this chance to add a whole new dimension to your faith. Visit tonyevans.org today.
Looking forward to meeting you for a glorious time on our journey to Israel. We've been learning today how having the right kingdom perspective reshapes how we view every area of life. And that's why Dr. Evans wrote Kingdom Stewardship. An insightful book designed to help you apply these powerful principles daily.
When you make a contribution to support our work here at The Alternative, we'll say thanks by sending you the book along with a complete Kingdom Stewardship Resource Bundle. It includes the full 12-message audio teaching series, a comprehensive study guide, and a leader's git with downloadable video teaching sessions, making it easy to grow personally or guide a small group through these truths together. To take advantage of this offer, visit tonyevans.org, where you can make your donation and request the complete Kingdom Stewardship Package. or call one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty two any time of the day or night. A member of our resource team is ready to help with your request, regardless of when you're able to call.
That number again is one eight hundred eight hundred three two two two.
Well right now, let's get back to Dr. Evans for more of today's message. God knows our propensity to forget that we are stewards of what he gives. We are dependent on him. And so he sets up wilderness reminders.
For us to not forget The benefits that have accrued to us because of something that happened in the past. God knows our propensity to forget him. particularly when We already have what we need. Most of us know the propensity to go to sleep when we get full. And you get full, and you get full, and you've eaten to your heart's content, then you want to sleep.
Because you're full. See, we can get so full of ourselves. That we become spiritually sleepy. And no longer remember that all we have and all we are. It's sourced in God and not us.
So he says, Look, I have got to give you the wilderness. And I will give it to you for as long as you need it. In other words, they weren't supposed to be in the wilderness 40 years. They were supposed to be in the wilderness 40 days. But because they never learned the lesson, it went year after year after year after year after year after year after year after year.
And God has got as much time as it takes. For you to get the lesson, you don't own this. It's all mine. And I want you dependent on me, not dependent on your own human resources independently of me. You are a manager, not an owner.
Everything you have is rooted In something God has provided. And he wants to remind you of that. His wilderness is his reminder. The purpose of a kingdom steward is to confirm a covenant. to validate A Covering.
Deuteronomy 29, 9 says, I have given, watch this now. I have given you this covenant. that you may prosper. The covenant is always designed for your improvement. It's never designed to hurt you.
The covenant is always designed to help you. to prosper you. And how does he do it? According to verse 18, he says, He is giving you The power to make wealth.
Now, wealth in the Bible is not merely tied to dollars because you can have money and be. emotionally poor, circumstantially poor. Wealth is tied to Whatever the time, talents, and treasures, resources that God has put at your disposal that He wants you to use to advance His kingdom, that is wealth.
Now I want to give you a closing verse. Because it puts things in alignment. Third John. Verse 2, because there's only one chapter in 3rd John.
So, 3rd John, the second verse. I pray that you will prosper. That you will be in good health. even as your soul prospers. Let me put it another way.
I pray That your physical prospering doesn't outpace your spiritual prospering. My prayer is that your bank account doesn't outpace your soul. I pray. That The deeper you go, With your human resources, don't outpace the deeper you go with your spiritual resources. I pray.
that your educational degree In the subject that you studied won't outpace your spiritual degree in the knowledge and application of God's word. I pray. That your human relationships with people don't outplace your walk with God. In fact, I don't want your soul to lag behind your health. or your bank account.
So, if you love your money more than God, if you love your job more than God, if you love your career more than God, if you love your resources more than God, if you love your relationship more than God, then the lack of prospering in your soul means all that other stuff will be in trouble. You own nothing. God owns everything. And everything He owns is to advance His kingdom. And you must be aligned under that, validated by your obedience.
And when He sees that you are obeying Him because you want to know Him better, then He is free to open up the umbrella so you are covered. That is the key to kingdom stewardship. He gives you the power of the covenant. And when you and I grab bats. and operate like that?
He is now free. to confirm the covenant. to let you see what it's like to be under an umbrella even when it's raining. Dr. Evans says: some believers are living under the covenant who voided the guarantee God gave us.
He'll return to wrap up our program with a thought about that in a moment. First, though, you were created to make a difference. to lead a life of lasting impact and legacy. Discovering and following the principles of kingdom stewardship, will help you become the person God designed you to be. A fully capable and confident believer whose life reflects God's glory.
For a limited time, we're bundling Dr. Evans' powerful book on kingdom stewardship. along with an in-depth study guide, the Companion Leaders' Kit with downloadable video teaching sessions, and the full twelve message audio series on the subject. It's a complete package created to help you dig deep into the powerful principles of kingdom stewardship. And it's all yours with our thanks for your contribution to help make this program possible.
Call our Resource Center today at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty two to make the arrangements, or visit us online at tonyevans. org. Once again, that's 1-800-800-3222-1. or online at tony evans. org.
Many Christians think stewardship is just about how much money you donate or how much time you volunteer. But doctor Evans says there's much more to it than that. And tomorrow, he'll stretch your concept of stewardship. in some healthy new directions. Right now, he's back with this closing thought.
When you buy an appliance. If it's a new appliance, it comes with a warranty. You know what the warranty says? The manufacturer is going to stand behind the product. If something's not working, the manufacturer's going to take care of it.
But there's a proviso in the warranty. You cannot use the equipment for something other than what it was created for. Because once you start doing something that it wasn't been made to do, you can invalidate the warranty.
So I just want to let you know now God has a warranty for your life. He has a warranty. If you're a Christian, he has a warranty over you, and that warranty comes with a covenantal guarantee. But the assumption is that you're using your life for what the manufacturer created it for. And he created it for his glory, his kingdom, and his covenant.
The moment you start operating behind enemy lines, The moment you start operating against the manufacturer owner's specifications, then you're invalidating the warranty. And now you wonder why prayers aren't being answered, peace isn't being given, and victory is not being achieved because you messed up the warranty.
So I challenge you now, even if you're in the wilderness. Come underneath the covering of God. By coming to know him and his covenant.
So that he's free now to warranty the product of your life. from this day forward.
