WEBVTT - Tony Evans - Oct 27 - 7:30 pm

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<v Speaker 1>God is not to be left out of the political

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<v Speaker 1>discussion even when his name.

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<v Speaker 2>Is not brought up. Dr.

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<v Speaker 3>Tony Evans says when the Judeo-Christian ethic is removed from governance,

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<v Speaker 3>tyranny and chaos follow.

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<v Speaker 1>Because government needs divine influence if it's going to govern correctly.

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<v Speaker 3>This is The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker,

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<v Speaker 3>senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas,

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<v Speaker 3>and president of The Urban Alternative. Many people believe religion

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<v Speaker 3>ought to be so private that it doesn't show up

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<v Speaker 3>in public or even have any influence there. Today, Dr.

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<v Speaker 3>Evans takes a look at what happens when we let

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<v Speaker 3>that lie go unchallenged. Let's join him as he begins.

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<v Speaker 2>A trick bag is a catch-22.

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<v Speaker 1>It's when you're caught in a situation where it seems

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<v Speaker 1>like a lose-lose proposition.

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<v Speaker 2>Whichever way you go, you can't win. You're stuck.

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<v Speaker 1>When it comes to politics and voting, a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>folk feel like they're in that kind of situation. If

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<v Speaker 1>I go this way and vote over here, I'm going

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<v Speaker 1>to lose some things. If I go over here, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to lose some things. Which way do I go?

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<v Speaker 1>Politics can be a trap. It can bring division. It

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<v Speaker 1>can bring conflict. As people argue back and forth which

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<v Speaker 1>way to go. But what we're calling on Christians to

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<v Speaker 1>do is to become kingdom voters. In other words, you

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<v Speaker 1>cannot give full allegiance to any earthly party because no

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<v Speaker 1>earthly party represents the kingdom of God. And your ultimate

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<v Speaker 1>commitment is to that kingdom. The year was 2005. The

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<v Speaker 1>month was August when Katrina hit. New Orleans was devastated

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<v Speaker 1>as this hurricane took ownership of this city in Louisiana.

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<v Speaker 1>It was already bad because Katrina was a serious, serious storm.

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<v Speaker 1>But it was made worse by one thing. The levees failed.

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<v Speaker 1>The levees are set up to hold back the water

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<v Speaker 1>from entering the city, but they failed. Society in New

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<v Speaker 1>Orleans was devastated, not simply because the storm raged, but

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<v Speaker 1>because the system set up to hold back its wrath failed.

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<v Speaker 2>When we fail.

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<v Speaker 1>To give God his due in the culture, through the

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<v Speaker 1>mechanism he has set up to give government a proper

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<v Speaker 1>understanding of how it's supposed to work, the levy will

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<v Speaker 1>have failed and a storm becomes a disaster. God has

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<v Speaker 1>a levy in society, a mechanism to inform society through

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<v Speaker 1>government how it's supposed to work. And if that levy,

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<v Speaker 1>that mechanism fails and government is left on its own

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<v Speaker 1>without the levy protecting it, then you can look for

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<v Speaker 1>devastation in society. The levy that God has placed in

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<v Speaker 1>society is the church. When the church fails, Society will

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<v Speaker 1>be breached. Chaos and calamity are going to rule instead. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>I know it makes people uncomfortable when we talk this

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<v Speaker 1>way because they have this idea of the separation of

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<v Speaker 1>church and state, something Jefferson told the Danbury Baptist. But

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<v Speaker 1>the separation of church and state while legitimate, is to

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<v Speaker 1>never mean the separation of God and government. Government is

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<v Speaker 1>his covenantal institution, and political leaders are even called to

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<v Speaker 1>be rulers or ministers of God. In Matthew chapter 22,

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<v Speaker 1>we have Jesus being put in a trick bag. This

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<v Speaker 1>sets the stage for where we want to go today.

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<v Speaker 1>We've talked about the individual life. We've talked about the

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<v Speaker 1>family as it relates to government. Now we want to

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<v Speaker 1>talk about the church as it relates to government, God's

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<v Speaker 1>next covenantal agency. And they tried to put Jesus in

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<v Speaker 1>a catch-22. I know what that feels like because folks

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<v Speaker 1>be coming up to me, who you going to vote for?

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<v Speaker 1>And I know that's a catch-22 question because either way

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<v Speaker 1>you go, you're going to create some enemies. That was

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<v Speaker 1>the situation Jesus was in. In Matthew 22, verse 15,

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<v Speaker 1>the Pharisees came and plotted how they might trap him

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<v Speaker 1>in what he said. So they're trying to trap Jesus.

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<v Speaker 1>Not a good idea, by the way. They say, teacher.

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<v Speaker 1>Verse 16, we know you are truthful and teach the

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<v Speaker 1>way of God in truth. So we're going to use

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<v Speaker 1>God's name in this discussion. And defer to no one.

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<v Speaker 1>You don't play favorites. You're an independent. For you are

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<v Speaker 1>not partial in any way. Tell us then, what do

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<v Speaker 1>you think? Is it lawful to give a poll tax

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<v Speaker 1>to Caesar or not? Verse 18, Jesus says, why are

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<v Speaker 1>you testing me? And that's what voting does because they're

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<v Speaker 1>asking Jesus to vote. Vote on a tax bill. They say, Jesus,

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<v Speaker 1>should we pay taxes to Caesar, that's the government, or not?

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<v Speaker 1>You got the religious, you got the secular, but they

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<v Speaker 1>joined together. Now, these folk never got along, except when

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<v Speaker 1>they wanted to do something about Jesus. Jesus says, why

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<v Speaker 1>are you trying to trick me? Because I know what

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<v Speaker 1>y'all trying to do. That's what folk try to do

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<v Speaker 1>to me when it comes to elections, try to trap me.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus then asks a question. He says, show me the

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<v Speaker 1>coin used for the poll tax. Now let me explain

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<v Speaker 1>the trick. If Jesus said, yes, pay the poll tax,

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<v Speaker 1>then he's saying, pay the suppressor, pay the oppressor, because

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<v Speaker 1>Rome was oppressing the Jews. But if he said, don't

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<v Speaker 1>pay it, then they could accuse him of being subversive

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<v Speaker 1>to the Roman government. Hey, Jesus is out there saying,

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<v Speaker 1>don't pay your tax. So this is a no-win vote.

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<v Speaker 1>But they're asking Jesus to vote. He says, show me

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<v Speaker 1>the coin that you're going to use for the poll tax.

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<v Speaker 1>So they come and they bring a coin. And then

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus says, whose likeness is on it? What image is

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<v Speaker 1>on it? And they said to him, well, Caesar's image

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<v Speaker 1>is on it. We've got the head of the government

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<v Speaker 1>on the coins.

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<v Speaker 2>And this is when Jesus speaks. Pay attention.

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus says, Now, they didn't ask him about that. They

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<v Speaker 1>asked him about, do we pay the tax or not?

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<v Speaker 1>Come on, let's give me a political decision.

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<v Speaker 2>Vote, Jesus. Jesus says, You get benefit from Caesar.

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<v Speaker 1>The government provides you goods and services that you should

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<v Speaker 1>pay for because you got the money in your pocket

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<v Speaker 1>and you got his image on it. But you didn't

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<v Speaker 1>ask me this. I'm going to tell you anyway. Pay

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<v Speaker 1>your tax, but give God what God deserves. They didn't

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<v Speaker 1>ask him to vote on God. But he was not

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<v Speaker 1>about to leave God out of the taxing question and

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<v Speaker 1>out of the governmental concern and out of the political

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<v Speaker 1>trap they were trying to put him in. Jesus says,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not going to leave God out of your political question.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to bring God in it, even though you

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<v Speaker 1>didn't ask God about it. Why? Because Jesus understood, as

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<v Speaker 1>every Christian should understand, it is your job and my

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<v Speaker 1>job to represent God in government and not apologize for it,

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<v Speaker 1>even when they don't bring God up in the question.

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<v Speaker 1>So if you want to talk about poll tax, bring

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<v Speaker 1>God in it. If you want to talk about life,

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<v Speaker 1>bring God in it. You want to talk about family,

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<v Speaker 1>bring God in it. You want to talk about justice,

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<v Speaker 1>bring God in it. You want to talk about what's fair,

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<v Speaker 1>not fair, bring God in it. You want to talk

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<v Speaker 1>about what's right, what's not right, bring.

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<v Speaker 2>God in it.

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<v Speaker 1>And it is an insult for a Christian to leave

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<v Speaker 1>God out. And it is an insult for the church

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<v Speaker 1>to do the same. Yeah, you honor Caesar, but you

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<v Speaker 1>don't leave God out because you're created in his likeness.

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<v Speaker 2>And guess what? That trumps Caesar. Why?

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<v Speaker 1>Because Caesar's responsible for government. God is responsible for everything.

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<v Speaker 1>Psalm 103, verse 19, God rules over all. Psalm 22,

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<v Speaker 1>verse 28, the kingdoms belong to the Lord and he

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<v Speaker 1>rules over all. Daniel 4, 25, the most high rules

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<v Speaker 1>over the realm of mankind. No, God is not to

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<v Speaker 1>be left out of the political discussion even when his

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<v Speaker 1>name is not brought up.

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<v Speaker 2>You bring it up. Jesus brought it up.

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<v Speaker 1>Because government needs divine influence if it's going to govern correctly.

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<v Speaker 1>And it just doesn't need God's name. It needs God's policies,

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<v Speaker 1>God's laws, God's governance, God's guidelines, what the Bible has

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<v Speaker 1>to say about it.

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<v Speaker 2>When Dr.

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<v Speaker 3>Evans comes back in a moment, he'll explain what happens

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<v Speaker 3>when a government excludes godly influence.

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<v Speaker 2>Stay with us.

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<v Speaker 1>Your first question is not who you're going to vote for.

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<v Speaker 1>The first question is, who does God want me to

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<v Speaker 1>vote for?

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<v Speaker 2>Dr.

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<v Speaker 4>Tony Evans talks about the importance of making our ballots

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<v Speaker 4>reflect our beliefs.

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<v Speaker 1>If we're going to experience help and healing in our country,

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<v Speaker 1>then your vote has to vote for God's way.

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<v Speaker 4>Tony's book, Kingdom Politics, will help you cut through the

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<v Speaker 4>campaign double talk and focus on the issues that really matter.

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<v Speaker 1>I am giving you a framework through which you look

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<v Speaker 1>at the person and the policies as you cast your

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<v Speaker 1>vote as a kingdom independent.

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<v Speaker 4>Kingdom Politics will also teach you how to defend your

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<v Speaker 4>position with compassion and grace and keep political differences from

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<v Speaker 4>dividing your church or your family. Don't let the campaign promises,

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<v Speaker 4>the media hype, or even your own tradition dictate what

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<v Speaker 4>you do with your ballot. Visit TonyEvans.org today and get

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<v Speaker 4>your copy of Kingdom Politics. That's TonyEvans.org.

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<v Speaker 3>This book and brand new Bible study are Dr. Evans'

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<v Speaker 3>challenge to focus on the people, principles, and platforms that

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<v Speaker 3>best represent God's agenda. And we'd like you to have

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<v Speaker 3>a copy of Kingdom Politics as our gift in appreciation

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<v Speaker 3>for your contribution toward Tony's ministry. Along with it, you'll

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<v Speaker 3>get special video streaming content from Dr. Evans, as well

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<v Speaker 3>as the full-length versions of all 10 lessons in his

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<v Speaker 3>current teaching series, Returning God to Government. Get the details

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<v Speaker 3>and make the arrangements online at tonyevans.org. That's tonyevans.org. Or

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<v Speaker 3>call our 24-hour Resource Center at 1-800-832-22. I'll repeat that

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<v Speaker 3>contact information after Part 2 of today's lesson and this.

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<v Speaker 5>Get ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

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<v Speaker 2>Dr.

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<v Speaker 5>Tony Evans is taking you on a cruise from November

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<v Speaker 5>9th through the 16th. Join Dr. Evans for inspirational insights,

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<v Speaker 5>powerful sermons, and of course, the unmatched beauty of the

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<v Speaker 5>Mexican Riviera. Visit TonyEvans.org to book your voyage. Cruise ship

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<v Speaker 5>destinations include Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

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<v Speaker 5>Enjoy and explore.

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<v Speaker 1>Again, 1 Samuel 8, verses 10 to 18. He says,

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<v Speaker 1>if you leave God out, government's going to grow and

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<v Speaker 1>grow and grow and grow. And it's going to become

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<v Speaker 1>the new God. Government was never meant to be God.

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<v Speaker 1>There's only one God. And you never give government permission

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<v Speaker 1>to do what God says ought to be done or

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<v Speaker 1>to conflict with God. That's why there must be freedom

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<v Speaker 1>of religion. Anything that infringes on freedom of religion must

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<v Speaker 1>be fought against, rejected, because it stops or seeks to

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<v Speaker 1>stop the church from doing or representing God in the culture,

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<v Speaker 1>which means when the levy breaks. The hurricane of evil

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<v Speaker 1>is going to flood in. The hurricane of racism is

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<v Speaker 1>going to flood in. The hurricane of injustice and unrighteousness

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<v Speaker 1>is going to all flood in because the levy is

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<v Speaker 1>not holding it back as God created it to do.

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<v Speaker 2>Government is supposed to be limited. Why?

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus told Pilate in John chapter 19, verses 9 through 11,

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<v Speaker 1>Pilate said, don't you know I have authority? Pilate was

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<v Speaker 1>the government. He says, don't you know I'm in charge

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<v Speaker 1>up in here? Oh, Jesus said, excuse him, what? The

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<v Speaker 1>only authority you have is the authority you've been given

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<v Speaker 1>by God because government is supposed to submit to God.

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<v Speaker 2>And that is the church's role.

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<v Speaker 1>You're not first a democratic Christian or a democratic church

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<v Speaker 1>or republican Christian or republican church. You are a kingdom

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<v Speaker 1>Christian and a kingdom church. When we let the politics

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<v Speaker 1>of men divide the people of God by trapping us

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<v Speaker 1>in political discussions and leaving God out, the first question is,

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<v Speaker 1>what does God say about this or that or the other?

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<v Speaker 2>And God has policies.

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<v Speaker 1>What God has are specific guidelines for how life ought

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<v Speaker 1>to work in every category. But because the church has

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<v Speaker 1>decided to be more cultural, because the white church has

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<v Speaker 1>often wrapped Christianity in the American flag before it wrapped

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<v Speaker 1>it in the word of God. Because often the black

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<v Speaker 1>church has wrapped Christianity in black culture before wrapping it

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<v Speaker 1>in the.

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<v Speaker 2>Word of God.

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<v Speaker 1>Then we spend all of our time discussing politics before

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<v Speaker 1>we inject the divine viewpoint into the political realm, which

0:15:12.510 --> 0:15:15.190
<v Speaker 1>means we could do it as a unified body and

0:15:15.230 --> 0:15:18.550
<v Speaker 1>not as a body divided by the politics of men

0:15:18.990 --> 0:15:21.770
<v Speaker 1>because you're not only to be a kingdom independent Christian,

0:15:22.110 --> 0:15:26.190
<v Speaker 1>we are to belong to kingdom independent churches. But if

0:15:26.230 --> 0:15:29.490
<v Speaker 1>your church is not a kingdom independent church producing kingdom

0:15:29.530 --> 0:15:33.370
<v Speaker 1>independent citizens who are either Democrat light or Republican light

0:15:33.390 --> 0:15:36.970
<v Speaker 1>or Libertarian light because we are first belonging to another

0:15:37.010 --> 0:15:39.950
<v Speaker 1>kingdom and we inject God into it and we inject

0:15:39.990 --> 0:15:43.609
<v Speaker 1>God into it first. We don't leave it for another

0:15:43.650 --> 0:15:45.810
<v Speaker 1>day and we certainly don't leave it for Sunday morning.

0:15:46.570 --> 0:15:49.210
<v Speaker 1>We take it to the voting booth. Jesus was asked

0:15:49.590 --> 0:15:53.290
<v Speaker 1>to vote. But the problem is that because we do

0:15:53.330 --> 0:15:56.830
<v Speaker 1>not understand who we are, what the kingdom of God is.

0:15:57.290 --> 0:16:01.260
<v Speaker 1>God is not on the front burner of the decision-making

0:16:01.740 --> 0:16:04.760
<v Speaker 1>that needs to take place for the healing of our land.

0:16:05.120 --> 0:16:05.400
<v Speaker 2>Why?

0:16:05.940 --> 0:16:16.490
<v Speaker 1>Because the levy has broken. In Ezekiel chapter 43, God

0:16:16.530 --> 0:16:20.130
<v Speaker 1>has a complaint. Let me read it to you.

0:16:20.290 --> 0:16:21.070
<v Speaker 2>He says.

0:16:22.510 --> 0:16:28.740
<v Speaker 1>In verse 6, of Ezekiel chapter 43. Then I heard

0:16:28.900 --> 0:16:33.240
<v Speaker 1>one speaking to me, verse six says, Ezekiel 43, six,

0:16:33.900 --> 0:16:37.610
<v Speaker 1>from the house while a man was standing beside me.

0:16:38.070 --> 0:16:40.870
<v Speaker 1>He said to me, son of man, this is the

0:16:40.970 --> 0:16:44.130
<v Speaker 1>place of my throne. Talking about the temple. It's the

0:16:44.170 --> 0:16:47.090
<v Speaker 1>place of my throne and the place of the soles

0:16:47.150 --> 0:16:50.980
<v Speaker 1>of my feet. I hang out in the temple where

0:16:51.000 --> 0:16:54.380
<v Speaker 1>I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. Listen,

0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.520
<v Speaker 1>and the house of Israel will not again defile my

0:16:57.580 --> 0:17:04.160
<v Speaker 1>holy name, neither they nor their kings, politics, by their

0:17:04.580 --> 0:17:09.109
<v Speaker 1>holotry and by the corpses of their kings when they die.

0:17:09.660 --> 0:17:10.050
<v Speaker 2>Okay?

0:17:10.460 --> 0:17:16.889
<v Speaker 1>Venerating the politicians. By setting their threshold by my threshold.

0:17:17.130 --> 0:17:17.630
<v Speaker 2>Uh-uh.

0:17:19.150 --> 0:17:24.320
<v Speaker 1>And their doorposts beside my doorposts. with only the wall

0:17:24.380 --> 0:17:27.520
<v Speaker 1>between me and them. And they have defiled my holy

0:17:27.580 --> 0:17:31.240
<v Speaker 1>name by their abomination, which they have committed. So I

0:17:31.280 --> 0:17:34.200
<v Speaker 1>have consumed them in my anger. Now let them put

0:17:34.240 --> 0:17:38.230
<v Speaker 1>away their holotry, the corpses of their kings far from me,

0:17:38.750 --> 0:17:42.610
<v Speaker 1>and I will dwell among them forever. He says, you

0:17:42.630 --> 0:17:46.340
<v Speaker 1>got your kings too close. You didn't brought that political

0:17:46.380 --> 0:17:49.139
<v Speaker 1>stuff too close to me like there are multiple kings

0:17:49.220 --> 0:17:51.960
<v Speaker 1>up in here. And there are multiple kings. There's only

0:17:52.100 --> 0:17:55.060
<v Speaker 1>one king. There's only one lawgiver. So don't put them

0:17:55.140 --> 0:17:57.260
<v Speaker 1>close to me. I tell the president what to do.

0:17:57.720 --> 0:18:00.030
<v Speaker 1>I tell the Congress what to do. I tell the

0:18:00.090 --> 0:18:03.350
<v Speaker 1>council what to do. I tell the school board about education.

0:18:03.810 --> 0:18:06.310
<v Speaker 2>I do that. I do that.

0:18:07.030 --> 0:18:10.350
<v Speaker 1>Don't punk me by bringing the politicians up to me.

0:18:11.000 --> 0:18:13.679
<v Speaker 1>Letting them speak in your pulpits like me and the

0:18:13.720 --> 0:18:16.859
<v Speaker 1>politicians are equal so that they can just stand up

0:18:16.900 --> 0:18:19.340
<v Speaker 1>there and control the agenda when what they say has

0:18:19.400 --> 0:18:20.359
<v Speaker 1>absolutely nothing to.

0:18:20.359 --> 0:18:23.220
<v Speaker 2>Do with either my person, my rules, or either.

0:18:23.330 --> 0:18:28.630
<v Speaker 1>And how dare you leaders of churches and parishioners sit

0:18:28.690 --> 0:18:33.169
<v Speaker 1>in pews and bring the kings next to me as

0:18:33.810 --> 0:18:35.310
<v Speaker 1>though they got something to tell me.

0:18:35.780 --> 0:18:37.600
<v Speaker 2>They don't tell me, I tell them.

0:18:37.920 --> 0:18:40.660
<v Speaker 1>It's the job of the church to be the conscience

0:18:40.700 --> 0:18:43.260
<v Speaker 1>of the culture because he says you're bringing them in

0:18:43.280 --> 0:18:47.330
<v Speaker 1>the temple. What was the temple? The temple was God's

0:18:47.410 --> 0:18:53.090
<v Speaker 1>dwelling place. It was the center of Israel's life. All

0:18:53.130 --> 0:18:56.590
<v Speaker 1>of life revolved around the temple, not just religious life,

0:18:57.310 --> 0:19:07.240
<v Speaker 1>but social life, economic life, political life, relational life. familial life.

0:19:07.790 --> 0:19:11.669
<v Speaker 1>The temple controlled it all. It influenced all of life.

0:19:12.890 --> 0:19:16.630
<v Speaker 1>He says, don't bring the politics up close to me

0:19:17.190 --> 0:19:21.130
<v Speaker 1>like they're competing with me. You're sitting beside me like

0:19:21.170 --> 0:19:22.710
<v Speaker 1>they're more than one king up in here.

0:19:23.890 --> 0:19:24.210
<v Speaker 2>No.

0:19:25.609 --> 0:19:28.170
<v Speaker 1>The church has gotten too political and as a result,

0:19:29.109 --> 0:19:32.909
<v Speaker 1>it's gotten anemic. And so folks show up at voting

0:19:32.930 --> 0:19:35.920
<v Speaker 1>time wanting the church. don't want to hear from you

0:19:36.040 --> 0:19:39.350
<v Speaker 1>until it's voting time. I'm talking about Democrats and Republicans

0:19:39.850 --> 0:19:43.530
<v Speaker 1>because we're not kingdom independents. We've joined forces and so

0:19:43.830 --> 0:19:48.629
<v Speaker 1>they use us. We're being used and abused because they

0:19:48.670 --> 0:19:50.820
<v Speaker 1>want to show up to get our vote. They don't

0:19:50.840 --> 0:19:53.180
<v Speaker 1>want to show up to find out how they should rule.

0:19:54.300 --> 0:19:59.400
<v Speaker 1>And we acquiesce to it. We give in to it. Look,

0:20:00.540 --> 0:20:07.730
<v Speaker 1>America has embassies that exist in every nation, recognized nation,

0:20:08.090 --> 0:20:12.649
<v Speaker 1>has an American embassy. You know what an American embassy is?

0:20:12.850 --> 0:20:15.870
<v Speaker 1>It's a little bit of America a long way from home.

0:20:17.570 --> 0:20:20.470
<v Speaker 1>Embassies don't belong to the country they're in. They belong

0:20:20.710 --> 0:20:25.310
<v Speaker 1>to the country they're from. So wherever you see a country,

0:20:26.710 --> 0:20:32.130
<v Speaker 1>it has an American embassy representing America. Guess what? All

0:20:32.230 --> 0:20:39.810
<v Speaker 1>embassies exist on sovereign territory. You cross that embassy gate,

0:20:40.090 --> 0:20:42.690
<v Speaker 1>even though you're in a foreign country, you're in America

0:20:42.730 --> 0:20:48.550
<v Speaker 1>now because embassies don't represent the foreign land. They represent

0:20:48.890 --> 0:20:53.780
<v Speaker 1>the homeland headed by the ambassador. When you cross the gate,

0:20:53.960 --> 0:20:57.320
<v Speaker 1>the laws of America rule. You get in trouble and

0:20:57.340 --> 0:20:58.879
<v Speaker 1>you're in a foreign country, you want to get across

0:20:58.900 --> 0:21:00.899
<v Speaker 1>that embassy gate. You've seen that in movies.

0:21:01.040 --> 0:21:01.240
<v Speaker 2>Why?

0:21:01.260 --> 0:21:04.260
<v Speaker 1>Because they're now in America, even though it's located on

0:21:04.340 --> 0:21:07.639
<v Speaker 1>foreign soil where the laws of America ruled.

0:21:09.280 --> 0:21:11.439
<v Speaker 2>You know what the church is supposed to be? The temple?

0:21:12.500 --> 0:21:15.990
<v Speaker 1>It is supposed to be a little bit of heaven

0:21:16.050 --> 0:21:19.450
<v Speaker 1>a long way from home. Thy kingdom come, thy will

0:21:19.490 --> 0:21:22.570
<v Speaker 1>be done on earth as it is in heaven. We

0:21:22.670 --> 0:21:27.010
<v Speaker 1>represent heaven. And we tell the Democrats what heaven says.

0:21:27.750 --> 0:21:31.690
<v Speaker 1>We tell the Republicans what heaven says. We tell everybody

0:21:32.030 --> 0:21:37.119
<v Speaker 1>what heaven says. We don't acquiesce to a political party.

0:21:38.430 --> 0:21:42.530
<v Speaker 1>We don't yield ourselves and take sides when God has

0:21:42.590 --> 0:21:47.840
<v Speaker 1>come to take over. He says, no, if you want

0:21:47.910 --> 0:21:50.600
<v Speaker 1>me to hang out with you, he says, if you

0:21:50.640 --> 0:21:54.180
<v Speaker 1>want me to dwell with you, verse 9 says, then

0:21:54.200 --> 0:21:58.280
<v Speaker 1>you better get your kings up out of here. I

0:21:58.300 --> 0:22:00.320
<v Speaker 1>don't mean they can't come to church, but guess why

0:22:00.340 --> 0:22:03.900
<v Speaker 1>they come to church? To sit down and listen to me.

0:22:04.590 --> 0:22:07.540
<v Speaker 1>They don't come to the church to teach us. No,

0:22:07.580 --> 0:22:10.060
<v Speaker 1>they come sit in the church and find out what

0:22:10.140 --> 0:22:12.460
<v Speaker 1>I have to say and let the kingdom of God

0:22:12.540 --> 0:22:14.840
<v Speaker 1>teach them so that they know how to go out

0:22:14.900 --> 0:22:18.500
<v Speaker 1>and rule. We got this thing backwards. So what should

0:22:18.540 --> 0:22:21.720
<v Speaker 1>you vote for? You should vote for the freedom of

0:22:21.760 --> 0:22:25.879
<v Speaker 1>the church to be the church and anything that infringes

0:22:26.010 --> 0:22:29.090
<v Speaker 1>on it, which is what some political systems do. They

0:22:29.150 --> 0:22:32.169
<v Speaker 1>either restrict the church, dumb down the church, and if

0:22:32.230 --> 0:22:35.989
<v Speaker 1>it gets bad enough in fascism or communism, they want

0:22:36.010 --> 0:22:36.970
<v Speaker 1>to cancel the church.

0:22:37.810 --> 0:22:41.370
<v Speaker 2>They want to negate the church from ever meeting or existing. Why?

0:22:42.040 --> 0:22:45.880
<v Speaker 1>Because they don't want God to overrule them. They want

0:22:45.980 --> 0:22:49.900
<v Speaker 1>man to overrule. They want man to rule. But when

0:22:49.920 --> 0:22:52.820
<v Speaker 1>the church is the church, like in the civil rights movement,

0:22:53.260 --> 0:22:56.810
<v Speaker 1>when the church becomes the church and speaks righteousness and

0:22:56.920 --> 0:23:00.090
<v Speaker 1>justice in society and does it in a righteous and

0:23:00.210 --> 0:23:03.010
<v Speaker 1>just way, now God can dwell.

0:23:02.770 --> 0:23:07.470
<v Speaker 2>In our midst. Dr. Tony Evans.

0:23:08.060 --> 0:23:11.920
<v Speaker 3>Explaining why Christians and the church have a civic responsibility

0:23:12.020 --> 0:23:15.090
<v Speaker 3>to take an active interest in our laws and government.

0:23:15.790 --> 0:23:18.750
<v Speaker 3>It's part of his current series, Returning God to Government.

0:23:19.350 --> 0:23:21.669
<v Speaker 3>Available right now as our thank you gift when you

0:23:21.690 --> 0:23:24.389
<v Speaker 3>make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on

0:23:24.430 --> 0:23:27.330
<v Speaker 3>this station. It's a look at what Christians need to

0:23:27.369 --> 0:23:31.490
<v Speaker 3>consider when they vote, containing 10 messages that include material

0:23:31.550 --> 0:23:34.409
<v Speaker 3>we won't have time to present on the air. And

0:23:34.470 --> 0:23:36.720
<v Speaker 3>it comes to you bundled with his book, and brand

0:23:36.740 --> 0:23:40.060
<v Speaker 3>new Bible study and streaming content I talked about earlier,

0:23:40.420 --> 0:23:44.780
<v Speaker 3>Kingdom Politics. This special offer is the perfect resource to

0:23:44.840 --> 0:23:46.920
<v Speaker 3>help you connect with the heart of God when you

0:23:46.960 --> 0:23:50.239
<v Speaker 3>mark your ballot in November. But it's only available for

0:23:50.280 --> 0:23:54.880
<v Speaker 3>a limited time, so don't wait. Visit TonyEvans.org where you'll

0:23:54.920 --> 0:23:57.419
<v Speaker 3>find the details of this offer right on the homepage.

0:23:58.030 --> 0:24:00.750
<v Speaker 3>Or call our resource request line any time of the

0:24:00.790 --> 0:24:08.479
<v Speaker 3>day or night at 1-800-800-3222. Again, that's online at tonyevans.org

0:24:08.880 --> 0:24:15.790
<v Speaker 3>or by phone at 1-800-800-3222. The Constitution says government can't

0:24:16.010 --> 0:24:19.909
<v Speaker 3>institute religion, but nowhere does it say religion is to

0:24:19.950 --> 0:24:23.430
<v Speaker 3>be outlawed. Tomorrow, Dr. Evans will point out that God

0:24:23.490 --> 0:24:27.429
<v Speaker 3>established government to act on His behalf in promoting good

0:24:27.800 --> 0:24:30.840
<v Speaker 3>and limiting evil. And as Christians, we have a part

0:24:31.140 --> 0:24:33.750
<v Speaker 3>in helping make that happen. Be sure to join us.

0:24:35.090 --> 0:24:38.050
<v Speaker 3>The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans is brought to you

0:24:38.070 --> 0:24:41.050
<v Speaker 3>by The Urban Alternative and is made possible by the

0:24:41.109 --> 0:24:43.490
<v Speaker 3>generous contributions of listeners like you.