S1: Today on Bold steps. Mark Jobe helps us understand God's
S1: transformative power.
S2: So don't tell me you can't quit a habit. Don't
S2: tell me you can't have victory over this. Don't tell
S2: me you can't forgive. Because the same power that raised
S2: Jesus from the dead is there to give you power
S2: to do whatever God has called you to do. It's
S2: already there. The power of God.
S1: Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Mark is the
S1: president of Moody Bible Institute and the senior pastor of
S1: New Life Community Church in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. People
S1: are often in search of three things riches, power, and hope.
S1: And today, as we move forward in our brand new series,
S1: when you Believe everything Changes, Mark is going to show
S1: us how we can find those three things and much more.
S1: We're in the book of Ephesians, chapter one. Our message
S1: is titled what you know will change You.
S2: So then Paul says, for this reason. For what reason?
S2: Because you're chosen and predestined. Because you're sealed, and because
S2: it is a deposit within your spirit. For this reason,
S2: ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord
S2: Jesus and your love for all the saints, I haven't
S2: stopped giving thanks for you. Now let me clarify two
S2: things one. When you have faith in the Lord Jesus,
S2: you're going to love the saints. You say, well, pastor,
S2: I thought you didn't pray to saints. No, no, I'm
S2: not talking about those saints. You're not talking about Saint
S2: Jude and Saint Paul and Saint Peter. And I'm not
S2: talking about those saints. You know who are the saints
S2: we talked about last week? You're the saints. Anybody that's
S2: been washed and cleansed in the deposit of the Holy
S2: Spirit inside of them We are the saints of God.
S2: We are the saints. He's writing to the saints. The
S2: beginning of the of Ephesians. He says to the saints
S2: in Ephesus, to all the believers in Ephesus. We, friends,
S2: are the saints. Saints means to be set apart unto
S2: God called out ones. We are the called out ones.
S2: We are the people of God. When you have faith
S2: in God, you will love the people of God. You
S2: cannot have faith in God and hate the things that
S2: God loves. Once in a while I'll run into someone
S2: that says, well, I love God and me and me
S2: and the man upstairs. We got a thing going on.
S2: But you know what? I don't like church. And I
S2: don't like organized religion. I always tell em, hey, don't worry,
S2: join us. We're disorganized religion. You may like us. But.
S2: But here's the point. You cannot love God and worship
S2: God and hate the church because God has put you
S2: in the. It's the family of God. It's the people
S2: of God. Oh, you can be aggravated with them. You
S2: can be irritated with them. But you cannot hate what
S2: God loves. You will be a part of the church.
S2: You will be integrated in it. You will grow in it. Why?
S2: Because as you have faith in God, you will also
S2: love the people of God, or the family of God,
S2: or the church of the Living God. And then he
S2: goes on and he says, listen, I haven't stopped giving
S2: thanks for you. I mean, every time I think about you,
S2: I give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
S2: I love that Paul has a heart of a of
S2: a pastor, of a shepherd. Think the way it should be.
S2: I've been a pastor here for a long time. I
S2: love pastoring this church. Oh, sometimes it aggravates me. Oh,
S2: sometimes you frustrate me. Oh, sometimes I'm like. Mhm. But
S2: you know what? To be honest with you, when I
S2: think of this church, when I think of Chicago, when
S2: I think of what God has called us to do
S2: more than anything, what comes to my mind is gratitude.
S2: I say, thank you, God, because my joy is to
S2: see you grow. And so Paul says, listen, because God
S2: has done all this for you. This is what I
S2: want to remind you of and I keep praying for you.
S2: Paul says, every time I think of you, I thank
S2: God for you. But I pray this for you because
S2: I don't want you to get stagnant. I don't want
S2: you to stop growing. Here's what I pray. Verse 17
S2: I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
S2: the glorious father, may give you the spirit of wisdom
S2: and revelation. Why? One version says in the knowledge of him,
S2: and Ivy says, so that you may know him better.
S2: The spirit of wisdom and revelation. Wisdom is applied knowledge.
S2: Revelation is the unveiling of things that you did not
S2: know before. I pray that God gives you the spirit
S2: of wisdom so that you can apply the knowledge that
S2: you know so that you can navigate the things of God,
S2: but also of revelation, because there are things right now
S2: that you do not know, that when God reveals them
S2: to you will change your life. Revelation. And I'm not
S2: talking simply about a new truth that you write in
S2: a notebook, but sometimes that revelation has to be spiritual revelation,
S2: that that your eyes have to be opened spiritually to
S2: see it, that you never saw it before. And suddenly
S2: the revelation of God comes forth and you realize something
S2: that you never knew before that literally changes the course
S2: and destiny of your life. Spiritual revelation. But listen, that
S2: spiritual revelation can come to you and maybe you cannot
S2: receive it. So Paul prays. The second thing he says
S2: in verse 18, I pray also that the eyes of
S2: your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know.
S2: Sometimes God can be giving wisdom and revelation, but if
S2: our heart is hard and darkened, then we will not
S2: receive what God is giving to us. Hello. Did you
S2: realize that your heart has eyes? It says that the
S2: eyes of your heart will be enlightened. Do you know
S2: you can be in the same service? And the Word
S2: of God comes. And someone, someone walks out of this
S2: place thinking, whoa, I got so much. God spoke to
S2: me so much. And you're like. Really? I felt like
S2: the seats were a little too hard. A little warm
S2: in there. Was it me or did he go long? Man,
S2: am I hungry? Where's Giordano's again? I mean, were you
S2: in the same service? Absolutely same service. The problem is
S2: that although wisdom and revelation was going out, one person's
S2: eyes or their heart were open and receptive and hungry
S2: and the other had was not. And so you get
S2: what you're willing to receive. You receive what you're willing
S2: to get and what expectation you come with. And when
S2: your heart is soft and sensitive to God, there is
S2: wisdom and revelation that will come your way more than
S2: you can handle. But when you harden your heart, then
S2: you receive less and less wisdom and revelation, less and
S2: less truth that can change your life. And after a while,
S2: it's just the humdrum of some talking head that doesn't
S2: make very much sense to you as your mind wanders
S2: in some other direction. That's an issue of the heart.
S2: So Paul prays, hey, I want you to grow in
S2: wisdom and revelation. And so he prays for three things
S2: in their life. I pray that the eyes of your
S2: heart may be enlightened in order that you may a
S2: no hope, no riches, and no power. Three things. I
S2: pray that you know the hope to which he has
S2: called you. Oh, if you if you're spirit could understand
S2: the hope that's in your calling. What is hope? Hope
S2: is the expectation of a better future. Hope is the
S2: knowledge that there is good coming to you from the future.
S2: The only way we can have hope is if we
S2: trust in the God who holds the future, whose sovereign
S2: and omnipotent, and because we know that he works all
S2: things together for his good purposes, we have hope. And
S2: because we know that he has written the final chapter
S2: of the story. We have hope. And because we know
S2: that what he started, he is faithful to continue. We
S2: have hope. We are a people of hope. Listen, one
S2: of the things that characterizes us is the sense of
S2: positive expectation about the future. Why? Not because we're engaged
S2: in some mindless, just positive thinking. But our positive thinking
S2: is rooted in the positive character of the God that
S2: we serve. So therefore, we have hope. Hope that God
S2: is in control. Hope that God is doing a work.
S2: Hope that he has begun what he's going to finish
S2: and that we have. We haven't seen the best days
S2: yet because God is taking us from glory to glory,
S2: to glory to glory, to glory to glory. That's our hope.
S1: Learning to be sensitive to the things of God. You're
S1: listening to the Bible teaching of Mark job, and this
S1: is bold steps. We'll take a deeper look at the
S1: hope and power we have in Christ when we return
S1: to today's message in just a moment. So keep listening.
S1: Just a reminder we are listening to you, to your
S1: testimonies and questions and prayer requests mean the world to us,
S1: and we sometimes share them right here on the program.
S1: In fact, Mark hears a voice message we recently received
S1: with a question. Well, we may smile when we hear
S1: the question, but, uh, this is something on the heart
S1: of a lot of people.
S3: Hi, my name is Darlene, and my question for Doctor
S3: Jobe is this. And I'm sure you get asked it
S3: many times, but I just want to hear it from
S3: him because I respect his opinion so much and I
S3: follow him all the time, and I and I, I
S3: just love him. He's been working so much in my life.
S3: My question is, do you, Pastor Joe, believe that we
S3: will see our dogs again in heaven one day? And
S3: if we do, will we recognize them and will they
S3: recognize us? I just have so many different opinions on
S3: that and I would really love yours. Thank you so much.
S1: Inquiring minds want to know. Mark.
S4: Well, Darlene, first of all, let me say I love
S4: the fact that you care so much about. I'm assuming
S4: it's a dog. I don't know what pet it is,
S4: but you know, the Bible actually talks about people that
S4: are kind to animals in a positive way. And so
S4: I love that because it indicates a a love and
S4: compassion in your heart. So I love the fact that
S4: they are close to you. The Bible doesn't Explicitly say anywhere. Yes, dogs, cats,
S4: pets will be in heaven, so it doesn't say that. However,
S4: there's some things that are implicit a bit. You know,
S4: God created all of heaven and earth, and when he
S4: created animals, he said they were good. The Bible does
S4: say that in the Millennial Kingdom, which is not heaven,
S4: but it is God's reign here on earth. It does
S4: speak specifically about animals. It actually talks about them in
S4: an interesting way. The the lion and the lamb will
S4: be together. And in other words, the animals will get
S4: along that perhaps, uh, at other times we're eating each other.
S4: They will get along. So and the millennial is a
S4: reflection of the power and the glory of God. And
S4: so if I were to guess, based on earth reflecting
S4: the glory of God, the millennial kingdom reflecting the goodness
S4: of God, there's a good chance that we will have
S4: some sort of animal form in heaven now I can't
S4: the Bible doesn't say that specifically or explicitly. And so
S4: where the Bible is silent, I don't like to guess
S4: about it. Uh, but I do believe that there everything
S4: good that God has created. It's a reflection of him.
S4: And he tends to create his his dwelling place with
S4: that which is good. I do know this, Darlene, however,
S4: that you will be so infatuated with the goodness of God,
S4: the love of God. I know that there's nothing that
S4: will bring sadness to your heart. No tears, no disappointment,
S4: no lack of joy. So I know that you will
S4: be absolutely fulfilled. Full of his joy, full of his glory.
S4: And there's not going to be a longing in your
S4: heart when you're in heaven, or a sadness because of
S4: something that you lost or you don't have. That will
S4: be completely erased. You will be in bliss over all
S4: that God has provided for you in that place of glory.
S1: Wonderful answer. Thank you, Mark, and thank you, Darlene. Hey,
S1: if you've never reached out to us before, we encourage
S1: you to take a moment today and send us a
S1: letter or a message online and share your story. Maybe
S1: a question or a prayer request with us. Just go
S1: to our website. Org or you can leave your message
S1: on a recorded line as Darlene did. (312) 329-2011 again, (312) 329-2011.
S1: And you can drop us an email. Bold steps at Moody's.
S1: Thank you for that, Mark. But let's go back to
S1: your message now called what you'll know will change you.
S2: There's something very devastating when people lose hope. You lose hope.
S2: You fall into depression. You lose hope. You no longer
S2: look for solutions. You lose hope. You become cynical. You
S2: lose hope. You lose energy. You lose hope. You just
S2: hang on. There is no sense of a future. When
S2: people lose hope. Secondly, not only that, you may know
S2: the hope of your calling, but that you may know
S2: the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, that
S2: you may know the riches of the glorious inheritance in
S2: the saints. Oh, that you may know what God has
S2: in store for you, what is coming your way. All
S2: the riches that God possesses and wants to grant you,
S2: because they're his first of all, and he can give
S2: it to whomever he well pleases to give it. If
S2: you knew the riches that God has, if you knew
S2: the the wealth of his mercy and grace and goodness,
S2: if you knew the resources that God has and his
S2: willingness to give him to you and what is coming
S2: your way, what is your inheritance? If you knew that,
S2: it would change the way you live? If you understood it,
S2: the depth of it, the power of it, the greatness
S2: of it. If we don't understand eternity. And we don't
S2: understand what's waiting for us on the other side of
S2: this life, then we will live a life in which
S2: we seek to be fully fulfilled just here on earth.
S2: And we become consumers, not God followers. Listen, if your desire,
S2: if you think that all of your payment, all of
S2: your fulfillment will come just in the 60 years that
S2: you live, or 70 years that you live, then you
S2: live for yourself. But if you understand that life is more.
S2: If you understand what the Bible teaches? The Bible teaches
S2: that everyone, everyone will live eternally. Your body will die,
S2: but your spirit and your soul continues into the next round.
S2: Some will live eternally. Some will die eternally according to Scripture.
S2: Those that have put their trust in Jesus and are
S2: following him and are walking in him. There's this incredible
S2: wealth that God that that is coming our way. And
S2: we need to understand that we live our life has
S2: eternal consequences, that it's not all over when our obituary
S2: is read, but that the beginning of our eternity has
S2: just begun. Amen. Need to understand that it's huge. The
S2: older I get, the more I think about it. And lastly,
S2: so our call is about the. The hope of our
S2: call is about our past. The riches of our glorious
S2: inheritance is about our future. This is about the present.
S2: And he says in verse 19, and his incomparably great
S2: power for us who believe. The word power there is
S2: the word dunamis, which is where we get the word
S2: dynamite from, and the incredible dynamite power at work within
S2: us who believe. What is this power? Oh, this is
S2: power that you already have. A power that is latent
S2: within you because the Holy Spirit lives inside of you,
S2: and this power is already in your being. You possess
S2: it already. Once in a while, you run into someone
S2: that just feels like they have no power. Living defeated.
S2: It's kind of like going in the house of someone
S2: and their lamps and lights are unplugged. And you walk
S2: in the house and you say, and they walk in
S2: the house and they say, I have no lights. And
S2: they change the light bulb and they rattle the lamp
S2: And then they pull out their candles and they start
S2: lighting candles and putting candles all over the house. And
S2: they're kind of dark and and someone walks in and
S2: they say, what's wrong? And they say, I have no power. Oh,
S2: there's no power. No, I have to live by candles
S2: and just kind of try to survive on candlelight. And
S2: your neighbor walks in and says, well, why don't you
S2: plug the lamp in? Plug the lamp in. The light
S2: turns on. A lot of us Christians are living in
S2: candlelight when we have power. It's not that we have
S2: no power, it's that we haven't plugged into the power
S2: that we have. The power is there. The power is available.
S2: The power is at our disposal, but the power has
S2: to be plugged into in order to access it. It's
S2: the same with the power of the Holy Spirit inside
S2: of us. The power. Listen, what kind of power is it? Listen.
S2: It's the power. Verse 20, which God exerted when he
S2: raised Christ from the dead and seated him at the
S2: right hand of the heavenly realm. Far above all rule
S2: and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can
S2: be given not only in this present age, but also
S2: in the one to come. And God placed all things
S2: under his feet, and appointed him to be head over
S2: everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness
S2: of him who fills everything in every way. That same
S2: power is yours. The power that raised Jesus from the
S2: dead is inside of you. The power that raised Jesus
S2: to the right hand of the father is in you.
S2: The Bible says that you are seated with Christ in
S2: heavenly places. The power that has dominion and authority over
S2: the demonic and sickness and disease, that same power is
S2: available in your life as well. That same power that
S2: exercises authority. That is your power. Not an outside power,
S2: not a distant power, but a power that lives within you.
S2: It's the power of the Holy Spirit. It's already there.
S2: You say, well, pastor, pray for me because this is
S2: really hard to get up on Sunday morning. I mean,
S2: I just barely make it to the 12:00 service. Are
S2: you kidding me? You have the power that raised Jesus
S2: from the dead, and you can't get out of bed. Seriously?
S2: And we have a serious disconnect in accessing that power.
S2: Because it should be more than just getting out of bed. Hello?
S2: The power that's inside of you is the same power
S2: that said death. You have no authority over me. It's
S2: the same power that made demons tremble and flee. It's
S2: the same power that exercise authority over the supernatural. It's
S2: that power that is already inside of you. So don't
S2: tell me you can't quit a habit. Don't tell me
S2: you can't have victory over this. Don't tell me you
S2: can't forgive. Because the same power that raised Jesus from
S2: the dead is there to give you power to do
S2: whatever God has called you to do. It's already there.
S2: The power of God. If we. The church. Walked in
S2: the power that's already ours. Watch out! We are the
S2: sleeping giant. But when the giant is awakened to the
S2: power it has in God, watch out.
S1: A reminder about the power of God that is living
S1: inside us through the Holy Spirit. This is the daily
S1: Bible teaching program, bold steps with Mark job. And did
S1: you know that you can hear this program every weekday
S1: on your local radio station or online, 24 hours a day,
S1: seven days a week when you visit Bold steps.org. While
S1: you're online, you can discover all the resources we have available,
S1: like this month's Bold Step gift. It's a book that
S1: we really want to send to every parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle,
S1: mentor of young boys. So let me ask you, do
S1: the boys in your life believe they're too young to
S1: make a difference? Are they convinced that reading the Bible
S1: isn't for them? These are just two of the dangerous
S1: lies tackled by lies. Boys believe written by parents of
S1: four boys. This engaging resource helps young men separate truth
S1: from fiction in a way that captures their imagination and
S1: speaks to their hearts through an engaging story of adventure
S1: and discovery. This bold step gift equips boys to recognize
S1: lies and stand firm in God's truth. So reach out
S1: today and request a copy of Lies Boys believe when
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S1: Just call us at 800. D.L. Moody. That's (800) 356-6639. Or
S1: give online at Bold Steps. You can also send your
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S1: 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60,006 ten. Now, when
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S1: we'll add your name to our growing list of partners.
S1: It's easy to become a bold partner, and when you do,
S1: we'll also send you some special bonuses, like a signed
S1: copy of Mark's book, unstuck, access to our Bold Partner post,
S1: and also a series of video messages from Mark that
S1: are designed to equip and encourage you each month. So
S1: sign up today, please online at Bold Bird-stamps.org. Well, Mark.
S1: Today's message was a great reminder of the hope and
S1: riches and power we have through Christ. And next week,
S1: you're continuing this study from the book of Ephesians.
S4: Ephesians chapter two says, we have been made alive in Christ.
S4: What does that mean? This has powerful, deep implications.
S1: Thanks, Mark. Sounds like a great message and we can't
S1: wait to hear it. So be sure to join us
S1: next week for Made Alive. And while you're waiting, don't
S1: forget to sign up for The Bold Stepper Weekly, a
S1: free devotional from pastor Mark that brings scriptural truth straight
S1: to your inbox and helps you apply the Bible to
S1: your everyday life. You can sign up for it now
S1: at Bold Steps. Coming up Monday, that new message. So
S1: join us for Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps
S1: is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody
S1: Bible Institute.