WEBVTT - Made Alive– Part 3 0:00:00.720 --> 0:00:04.680 From being spiritually dead to being made alive in Christ. 0:00:04.680 --> 0:00:07.720 That's the topic today on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. 0:00:08.680 --> 0:00:12.520 You want to see God's beautiful museum? Look at a 0:00:12.520 --> 0:00:15.720 life that was dead and now is alive unto God 0:00:15.720 --> 0:00:20.600 and being transformed. That is God's living artwork. You are it. 0:00:21.040 --> 0:00:25.640 Oh man. The art museum downtown. Nothing. Nothing compared to 0:00:25.680 --> 0:00:27.240 the beauty of what God can do. 0:00:39.720 --> 0:00:42.120 Well, is it religion that changes you and makes you 0:00:42.120 --> 0:00:45.520 a better person, or is it something or someone else? 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:48.519 Welcome to the program. Mark is the senior pastor of 0:00:48.520 --> 0:00:51.080 New Life Community Church and the president of Moody Bible 0:00:51.080 --> 0:00:54.920 Institute in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Today's message is one 0:00:54.920 --> 0:00:57.600 part of our brand new series called When You Believe 0:00:57.600 --> 0:01:01.160 Everything Changes. If you've missed any of the messages in 0:01:01.160 --> 0:01:04.399 this series. You can catch up online at Bold steps org. 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:07.440 And then, while you're online, let me invite you to 0:01:07.480 --> 0:01:10.920 sign up for Mark's weekly email devotional, The Bold Stepper Weekly. 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:14.720 It's free and automatically delivered to your inbox each Monday morning, 0:01:14.720 --> 0:01:16.800 and I know you won't want to miss Mark's timely 0:01:16.800 --> 0:01:20.480 and relevant insights. Right now, let's get started with today's 0:01:20.480 --> 0:01:23.400 bold steps. Here's our teacher, Mark Jobe. 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:29.560 When you genuinely have the spirit. I don't I don't 0:01:29.560 --> 0:01:32.319 worry because I know you're going to be convicted and 0:01:32.319 --> 0:01:36.280 empowered and dragged back and taken to the cross and 0:01:36.280 --> 0:01:38.400 that God is going to work in you, because once 0:01:38.400 --> 0:01:40.320 you have the spirit, you are sealed unto the day 0:01:40.319 --> 0:01:42.800 of redemption. You can fight it, but you can't win. 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:45.200 You can resist it, but he'll keep coming back. You 0:01:45.200 --> 0:01:48.240 can grieve him, but you cannot overcome him. You can 0:01:48.240 --> 0:01:50.760 try to live like you don't have it, but you 0:01:50.760 --> 0:01:53.640 have it, and you will never be the same once 0:01:53.640 --> 0:01:56.280 you have the Holy Spirit inside of you. Because he's 0:01:56.280 --> 0:01:59.200 there to stay, there to change you there, to transform 0:01:59.200 --> 0:02:04.450 you there. Sealed unto the day of redemption. It's a 0:02:04.450 --> 0:02:09.210 powerful thing to be alive unto God. He says, so 0:02:09.210 --> 0:02:14.530 you were dead, but you have been made alive with Christ. 0:02:15.050 --> 0:02:19.769 Verse six, And God raised us up with Christ. So 0:02:19.770 --> 0:02:22.850 not only were you made alive, but you were raised up. 0:02:24.090 --> 0:02:26.690 Jesus was made alive in the grave, but he raised 0:02:26.690 --> 0:02:30.410 up and walked again, were made alive spiritually. But now 0:02:30.410 --> 0:02:33.410 we're raised up with Christ. We we begin to walk 0:02:33.410 --> 0:02:36.570 with Christ, live with Christ. He begins to live inside 0:02:36.570 --> 0:02:40.890 of us. Listen. And by the way, you know, people say, well, 0:02:40.889 --> 0:02:45.450 Jesus is in me. And technically you're right. I mean, 0:02:45.490 --> 0:02:51.690 technically you're wrong, but literally you're right. Because really, who 0:02:51.690 --> 0:02:56.290 lives inside of you is the Holy Spirit that carries 0:02:56.490 --> 0:03:00.250 with him the essence and the presence of Jesus. Are 0:03:00.250 --> 0:03:05.609 you understanding? Technically, who lives inside of you? Really is 0:03:05.610 --> 0:03:08.970 the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, which 0:03:08.970 --> 0:03:11.130 has the nature of Jesus and the nature of God 0:03:11.130 --> 0:03:13.490 right inside. But technically, it's the Holy Spirit that lives 0:03:13.490 --> 0:03:19.489 inside of you that's transforming you. The difference between religion 0:03:19.970 --> 0:03:24.889 and the message of the gospel is right there. Religion. 0:03:24.889 --> 0:03:29.250 Most religions teach you that you have to try to 0:03:29.770 --> 0:03:37.130 change your modify your behavior so that you become a 0:03:37.130 --> 0:03:40.970 good person. You become a better person than you are 0:03:41.010 --> 0:03:49.930 a bad person. It's religious behavior modification. Most religions teach you. 0:03:49.970 --> 0:03:54.250 Try to be good. Try to be better. Try to improve. 0:03:54.570 --> 0:03:57.650 Try to be nicer to people. Try to cuss less. 0:03:57.690 --> 0:04:02.660 Try to give more. Try to be less selfish. And 0:04:02.660 --> 0:04:05.660 if you do all these things and you really discipline 0:04:05.660 --> 0:04:10.020 yourself to do these things, then ultimately if you look really, really, really, 0:04:10.020 --> 0:04:16.219 really hard, then you will be acceptable to God and 0:04:16.220 --> 0:04:22.220 you will have made it. That's what religion teaches. The 0:04:22.260 --> 0:04:28.540 gospel of Jesus Christ and the Bible does not teach that. 0:04:33.700 --> 0:04:35.740 Some of you aren't sure. Well, what are you saying, pastor? 0:04:35.740 --> 0:04:37.660 I got to be bad. I mean, I don't understand, 0:04:37.660 --> 0:04:39.540 I thought I thought I was here to be good, 0:04:40.180 --> 0:04:41.980 and now you're teaching me that God doesn't teach us 0:04:41.980 --> 0:04:43.779 to be good. No, no, no, I didn't say that. 0:04:46.900 --> 0:04:49.180 I didn't say that. God doesn't teach you to be good. 0:04:50.140 --> 0:04:52.380 Religion teaches you to be good so you can be 0:04:52.380 --> 0:04:57.380 acceptable to God. The Bible teaches that once the Holy 0:04:57.380 --> 0:05:01.460 Spirit is inside of you, you will be good, not 0:05:01.460 --> 0:05:05.100 because you're trying to be acceptable unto God, but because 0:05:05.140 --> 0:05:08.420 God is in you. You will be good because you're 0:05:08.420 --> 0:05:11.620 acceptable to God already. You're working out of the goodness 0:05:11.620 --> 0:05:15.539 that is in you, not working towards goodness to be accepted. 0:05:15.540 --> 0:05:20.100 Are you understanding that there's a huge difference? That's why 0:05:20.100 --> 0:05:22.219 he goes on to say, listen, listen what he says. 0:05:23.779 --> 0:05:25.580 Why does he do this? In order that the coming 0:05:25.580 --> 0:05:28.420 age is verse seven, he may show the incomparable richness 0:05:28.420 --> 0:05:32.140 of his grace, expressing the kindness of Jesus. This is 0:05:32.140 --> 0:05:35.140 all so that we can see the goodness of God, 0:05:35.740 --> 0:05:37.500 so that people can point to you and say, God 0:05:37.500 --> 0:05:39.740 is good. Look at that person, man. If God can 0:05:39.740 --> 0:05:43.140 do that in their life, God must be real man. 0:05:43.140 --> 0:05:47.940 They were a mess. God delights. I think sometimes in 0:05:47.940 --> 0:05:52.300 getting the messed up. You don't always take the just 0:05:52.300 --> 0:05:55.300 the good. I think God says, I'm going to. I'm 0:05:55.300 --> 0:05:57.099 going to show you what I can do with that person. 0:05:57.140 --> 0:06:00.380 See that person? Everybody says, oh no. Oh, then we'll 0:06:00.470 --> 0:06:06.110 never see them. God says watch. God gets those people 0:06:06.110 --> 0:06:08.830 that are really hard. Turns them around. And people say, wow, 0:06:09.510 --> 0:06:11.590 I've had it happen a lot. People walk in and say, 0:06:11.589 --> 0:06:19.030 guess that person's in church. I know that person. They 0:06:19.029 --> 0:06:22.110 come to church. Well, you knew them. You knew the 0:06:22.110 --> 0:06:28.150 old self well, they're a new self now. I remember 0:06:28.150 --> 0:06:30.550 one time I had led this guy to Christ. He'd 0:06:30.550 --> 0:06:32.630 come out of prison. I'd mentored him. He used to. 0:06:32.670 --> 0:06:37.430 He used to lead a prostitution ring and and a gang. 0:06:38.430 --> 0:06:42.550 And he was an usher. A guy walked into church 0:06:42.550 --> 0:06:45.390 for the first time. He looked at the usher and 0:06:45.390 --> 0:06:47.310 he came to me and said, pastor. I said, yeah. 0:06:47.350 --> 0:06:49.230 He said, I'm new here. You know that guy that 0:06:49.230 --> 0:06:50.789 you have an usher there? I said, yeah, yeah, I 0:06:50.790 --> 0:06:53.950 know last time I saw him, he had a sawed 0:06:53.990 --> 0:06:56.950 off shotgun pointed at my head. I said, well, you 0:06:56.950 --> 0:07:05.429 better take a seat then. You know God can change us. 0:07:06.510 --> 0:07:09.870 He delights in transforming us. No matter who we are, 0:07:09.950 --> 0:07:13.350 where we've come from, we are not beyond the transforming 0:07:13.350 --> 0:07:16.270 power of God. It's for the riches of his kindness 0:07:16.270 --> 0:07:18.950 that he manifests his glory. And verse eight, look what 0:07:18.950 --> 0:07:22.270 he says. Oh, I wish I could preach this. Listen, 0:07:22.270 --> 0:07:27.030 verse eight, for it is by grace. What is grace? 0:07:27.590 --> 0:07:30.790 Not your neighbor next door? No, not what you say 0:07:30.790 --> 0:07:36.270 before you have a meal. No, grace is the unmerited, 0:07:36.470 --> 0:07:42.110 undeserved favor of God. We don't deserve it. We can't 0:07:42.150 --> 0:07:45.750 earn it. We can't make it happen to us. It's 0:07:45.750 --> 0:07:49.350 just God choosing to be favorable to us because he 0:07:49.350 --> 0:07:57.430 chooses to give us favor. That's grace. So listen. It 0:07:57.430 --> 0:08:03.400 is because God chooses to show us favor that you 0:08:03.400 --> 0:08:06.800 have been saved. What does it mean to be saved? 0:08:06.840 --> 0:08:09.600 Saved from the wrath of God. It means to be 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:14.600 changed by the Holy Spirit. Saved from a destiny outside 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:18.480 of him. It is because of God's favor that you 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:23.440 have been saved. And it's through faith. It's God's grace 0:08:23.440 --> 0:08:26.120 that saves you. But it comes via believing. You have 0:08:26.120 --> 0:08:28.520 to believe for it to come to you. It's through 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:30.840 faith in believing that it comes to you. But it's 0:08:30.840 --> 0:08:40.400 God's grace. Listen. And this. Not from yourselves. It is 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:48.600 a gift of God. I love that. If you could 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:51.920 save yourself, it wouldn't be a gift. It would be 0:08:51.920 --> 0:08:57.200 a merit. And when you came before God, we'd pin 0:08:57.200 --> 0:08:59.600 a medal on your chest and said you made it. 0:08:59.600 --> 0:09:02.040 They didn't because you were good and they were bad. 0:09:03.120 --> 0:09:10.040 And you would say, praise me. Glory to me. I 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:15.040 made it. When it's a gift, all you can say 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:17.880 is glory to God. 0:09:24.280 --> 0:09:27.440 You're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. We're pausing 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:29.720 the program for a moment to remind you that if 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:31.439 you would like to take advantage of the tools and 0:09:31.440 --> 0:09:33.679 resources we have available to help you grow in your 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:35.680 study of the word, we'd love for you to go 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:39.680 online to our website and explore its bold steps. You'll 0:09:39.679 --> 0:09:43.920 find books and past programs, even ask Mark a question, 0:09:43.920 --> 0:09:46.160 which I'm going to do right now through a listener. Mark, 0:09:46.160 --> 0:09:47.080 if you're ready for this. 0:09:47.120 --> 0:09:47.559 I'm ready. 0:09:47.640 --> 0:09:51.160 It comes from Karen in South Florida who listens. Pastor Mark, 0:09:51.200 --> 0:09:53.920 you were speaking about heaven and hell in your afterlife series, 0:09:53.920 --> 0:09:56.880 and you mentioned there was no such thing as soul sleep, 0:09:56.880 --> 0:10:00.079 as some people believe. I always believed in soul sleep, 0:10:00.080 --> 0:10:02.450 as the Bible said, those who died in Christ will 0:10:02.450 --> 0:10:05.890 be raised first, as it says in Thessalonians. Why would 0:10:05.890 --> 0:10:08.329 Paul say that the dead in Christ will rise first 0:10:08.330 --> 0:10:11.209 when the trumpet blows? If that's not the case, I'm 0:10:11.210 --> 0:10:13.250 sure Paul knew exactly what he was saying. So please 0:10:13.250 --> 0:10:16.730 clarify your position that you spoke about refuting soul sleep. 0:10:16.730 --> 0:10:17.810 Thank you. She says. 0:10:17.809 --> 0:10:20.810 Yeah, thank you, Karen, for asking that question. And it's 0:10:20.809 --> 0:10:24.050 a common area of confusion. So let me try to 0:10:24.090 --> 0:10:27.089 just explain as quickly as I can. So first of all, 0:10:27.090 --> 0:10:30.290 let me say that the term soul sleep or soul 0:10:30.290 --> 0:10:33.930 death does not occur in the Bible. People holding to 0:10:33.970 --> 0:10:38.450 the position of soul sleep or soul death are called mortalist. 0:10:39.050 --> 0:10:42.650 The confusion arises around the term that's used in several 0:10:42.650 --> 0:10:48.290 parts of the Bible, where death is referred to as sleeping. Uh, 0:10:48.290 --> 0:10:51.890 for example, in First Corinthians chapter 15, it says. Then 0:10:51.890 --> 0:10:55.290 he appears to more than 500 brothers at one time, 0:10:55.290 --> 0:10:58.850 most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen 0:10:58.850 --> 0:11:04.530 asleep or in First Corinthians 1129 it says, for those 0:11:04.530 --> 0:11:06.650 who eat or drink without discerning the body of Christ, 0:11:06.690 --> 0:11:09.170 eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why some 0:11:09.170 --> 0:11:11.650 among you are weak and sick, and a number of 0:11:11.650 --> 0:11:16.570 them have fallen asleep. In First Thessalonians, for we believe 0:11:16.570 --> 0:11:19.130 that Jesus died and rose again. And so we believe 0:11:19.130 --> 0:11:22.410 that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen 0:11:22.410 --> 0:11:28.130 asleep with him. So people read that and they think, okay, well, 0:11:28.130 --> 0:11:32.490 when I die, I go into some sort of unconscious 0:11:32.490 --> 0:11:36.770 slumber called soul sleep. However, there are other places in 0:11:36.770 --> 0:11:40.130 Scripture that make it very clear that the moment that 0:11:40.130 --> 0:11:43.490 we die, we go to the presence of Jesus. 0:11:43.530 --> 0:11:44.329 Praise God! 0:11:44.370 --> 0:11:48.929 So the term sleep is not referring to what actually happens. 0:11:48.929 --> 0:11:51.809 Our soul doesn't fall asleep. It's a way of referring 0:11:51.850 --> 0:11:56.209 to death for the believer. Death is just that we're 0:11:56.210 --> 0:11:59.170 going to wake up again. Oftentimes in Scripture, instead of 0:11:59.210 --> 0:12:02.339 saying death for the believer. It talks about the believer 0:12:02.340 --> 0:12:05.660 sleeping because we will wake up again. It's not permanent, 0:12:05.660 --> 0:12:08.900 but second Corinthians chapter five. Listen to this. Karen. This 0:12:08.900 --> 0:12:12.459 is really good. It tells us that Paul is writing 0:12:12.460 --> 0:12:15.380 and it says, therefore, being always of good courage and 0:12:15.380 --> 0:12:18.060 knowing that while we are at home in the body, 0:12:18.100 --> 0:12:20.579 we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, 0:12:20.580 --> 0:12:24.180 not by sight. We are of good courage, I say, 0:12:24.500 --> 0:12:28.300 and prefer rather to be absent from the body and 0:12:28.300 --> 0:12:31.180 to be with the Lord. King James says, absent from 0:12:31.179 --> 0:12:35.260 the body, present with the Lord. Philippians chapter one, verse 0:12:35.260 --> 0:12:39.860 21 and 22 also says, having the desire to depart 0:12:39.860 --> 0:12:42.979 and to be with Christ, for that is much better 0:12:42.980 --> 0:12:45.980 than to remain in the flesh. Jesus, when he died 0:12:45.980 --> 0:12:48.900 on the cross, said, you will be in Paradise with 0:12:48.900 --> 0:12:49.740 me today. 0:12:49.940 --> 0:12:50.860 So good one. 0:12:50.900 --> 0:12:55.380 Karen. To make a long answer shorter, simply this for 0:12:55.380 --> 0:12:58.700 a believer that knows Jesus. When we die, you don't 0:12:58.700 --> 0:13:03.420 go into this long slumber. You go directly into the 0:13:03.420 --> 0:13:05.020 presence of Jesus. 0:13:05.059 --> 0:13:07.300 And isn't it great that we have God's promise? Huh? 0:13:07.340 --> 0:13:11.540 Yes. I'm not looking forward to some big long nap 0:13:11.540 --> 0:13:14.380 of years. I'm looking forward to go straight into the 0:13:14.380 --> 0:13:15.459 presence of Jesus. 0:13:15.460 --> 0:13:18.180 I'm with you, Mark, I really am. Okay, let's continue 0:13:18.220 --> 0:13:20.900 today's message now. Thank you for that answer, Mark. Mark 0:13:20.900 --> 0:13:22.780 is going to tell us now about the biggest lies 0:13:22.780 --> 0:13:23.940 about religion. 0:13:29.700 --> 0:13:35.900 Glory to his goodness. Glory to his mercy. Because if 0:13:35.900 --> 0:13:37.500 I had to try to do it on my own, 0:13:37.500 --> 0:13:39.500 I would have failed. Listen, the Bible says all our 0:13:39.500 --> 0:13:42.860 good works are as dirty rags before him. Listen, I 0:13:42.860 --> 0:13:46.780 believe that sometimes religion has done more damage than good. 0:13:46.820 --> 0:13:49.620 Because one of the biggest lies of religion is this. 0:13:51.500 --> 0:13:55.060 Hear me. This is really, really important. One of the 0:13:55.059 --> 0:13:59.500 biggest lies of religion is this one of the biggest 0:13:59.500 --> 0:14:03.189 lies that many religion teaches us is that our good 0:14:03.190 --> 0:14:10.390 works will make us right before God. God says it 0:14:10.390 --> 0:14:16.150 is by grace that you are saved, not by works, 0:14:16.350 --> 0:14:21.710 so that you can't boast. Listen to me well. You 0:14:21.710 --> 0:14:26.030 do not become right with God because of your works. 0:14:27.150 --> 0:14:34.630 You do works because you're right with God. Let me 0:14:34.670 --> 0:14:40.710 say that again. You do not get right with God 0:14:40.750 --> 0:14:46.310 because of good works. You do good works because you 0:14:46.310 --> 0:14:50.830 are right with God. You get right with God by 0:14:51.110 --> 0:14:55.670 simply responding to the gift that he's given you. Not 0:14:55.670 --> 0:14:59.470 by working so hard that the scale of the good 0:14:59.470 --> 0:15:03.600 works outweighs the scale of the bad works. You will 0:15:03.600 --> 0:15:07.920 never be good enough for God. Never. You can never 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:11.840 be holy enough for him. His standard is perfection, and 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:17.120 you and I miserably fail his standard. If there were 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:19.680 a way to get to God through our works, Jesus 0:15:19.680 --> 0:15:22.680 would have never come. If there were a way for 0:15:22.680 --> 0:15:25.840 us to meet the standard of perfection and earn our 0:15:25.840 --> 0:15:30.320 way into glory, Jesus would have never died. Jesus came 0:15:30.320 --> 0:15:33.760 and died because there was no other way. Someone had 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:36.600 to pay the price because you and I could not 0:15:36.600 --> 0:15:39.680 be good enough. And to try to earn our way 0:15:39.680 --> 0:15:43.960 to God through good works is to insult the death 0:15:43.960 --> 0:15:47.000 of Jesus Christ on the cross. It's to spit in 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.160 the face of God and say, I think I can 0:15:49.160 --> 0:15:51.920 pay this price. I think I can pay the debt. 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:54.720 You can't pay the debt. I can't pay the debt. 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:58.360 It was paid for us on the cross of Calvary 0:15:58.400 --> 0:16:02.080 through the blood of Jesus Christ. All I can do 0:16:02.080 --> 0:16:14.360 is receive it. You say, well, pastor, that seems too easy. Oh, no, 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:21.960 it's not easy. It's free. But it's not cheap. Oh 0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:28.760 it's free. God's salvation is a gift. It says it's 0:16:28.760 --> 0:16:32.800 not by works so that no one can boast. It's free. 0:16:33.760 --> 0:16:40.760 What God requires in exchange for your life. God says 0:16:40.760 --> 0:16:43.360 you want it. Give me your life and I'll give 0:16:43.360 --> 0:16:51.200 it to you. You want the gift? Then give me 0:16:51.200 --> 0:16:54.080 your life. So I'll be Lord of your life. That's 0:16:54.080 --> 0:16:57.480 what it means to be Lord, master of your life. 0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:01.360 And I will come into your life, and I will 0:17:01.360 --> 0:17:04.600 rule your life and run your life, and you will 0:17:04.600 --> 0:17:11.880 die to yourself. And you will live unto me, and 0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:16.040 I will make you a new person. But the old 0:17:16.040 --> 0:17:19.240 person is gone. We had a baptism in our 1015 service. 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:23.280 The old person gone buried new person alive in Jesus. 0:17:24.119 --> 0:17:25.800 You can't earn it and you can't deserve it. But 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:29.520 it's not cheap. Oh, never, never, never mistake the freeness 0:17:29.520 --> 0:17:33.840 of the gospel for cheapness of the gospel. Never mistake 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:36.359 the two. Some people think it's too easy. It's. I 0:17:36.359 --> 0:17:38.080 can pray a prayer. No, no, no, it's not just 0:17:38.080 --> 0:17:42.560 a prayer. It's a yielding of your life. It's a 0:17:42.600 --> 0:17:47.080 giving of your soul. It's a giving up of ownership 0:17:47.080 --> 0:17:50.120 and control and saying, you now manage my life. You 0:17:50.119 --> 0:17:54.560 are Lord, come inside of me. Be Lord, change me. 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:58.080 I am your follower. You are my Lord. I die 0:17:58.119 --> 0:18:01.370 to myself and I live to you. That, my friends, 0:18:01.369 --> 0:18:06.570 is the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! 0:18:13.170 --> 0:18:15.570 So let me close with this verse ten. The last 0:18:15.570 --> 0:18:26.530 verse here. For we are God's workmanship. Now this word 0:18:26.530 --> 0:18:32.650 workmanship is an interesting word. It's translated in the ancient 0:18:32.650 --> 0:18:37.570 Greek poema, poema which where is. It's where we get 0:18:37.570 --> 0:18:46.929 the word poem from. We are God's. Handiwork. We are 0:18:46.970 --> 0:18:50.570 God's poem. We are God's. Hey, here's a better one. 0:18:50.609 --> 0:18:55.889 We are God's work of art. We, you and I. 0:18:56.730 --> 0:19:01.300 We are God's work of art. You want to see 0:19:01.340 --> 0:19:05.619 God as it's at its best. Look at a life 0:19:05.619 --> 0:19:09.100 that has been changed and redeemed and turned around and 0:19:09.100 --> 0:19:12.859 you see the art of God. You want to see 0:19:12.900 --> 0:19:17.940 God's beautiful museum? Look at a life that was dead 0:19:17.940 --> 0:19:21.060 and now is alive unto God. And being transformed, that 0:19:21.060 --> 0:19:25.460 is God's living artwork. You are it. Oh, I look 0:19:25.460 --> 0:19:28.820 around this place and it makes me want to bless 0:19:28.820 --> 0:19:31.660 the name of God. I look around this place and 0:19:31.660 --> 0:19:34.820 I say, God, you are so creative. I look around 0:19:34.820 --> 0:19:37.859 this place and I say, whoa, are you powerful? God. 0:19:38.020 --> 0:19:40.899 I look around this place and I say, God, you 0:19:40.900 --> 0:19:44.420 are amazing. What? What makes me think he's so amazing? 0:19:44.420 --> 0:19:48.340 Because I've seen God at work. I've seen what we 0:19:48.380 --> 0:19:51.740 were and what we are now. I've seen what God 0:19:51.740 --> 0:19:56.379 can do in living people. I've seen the artwork of God. 0:19:56.380 --> 0:20:00.500 And it's beautiful. It's amazing. Zien. Oh, man. The art 0:20:00.500 --> 0:20:09.139 museum downtown. Nothing. Picasso. Yeah. Nothing compared to the beauty 0:20:09.140 --> 0:20:18.780 of what God can do. We are God's artwork. Created 0:20:18.940 --> 0:20:25.179 in Christ Jesus. He's taken Jesus to mold and shape 0:20:25.180 --> 0:20:30.020 his artwork. And why has he created us? This is 0:20:30.020 --> 0:20:34.740 a living walking artwork, and he's created us to do 0:20:34.740 --> 0:20:39.340 good works. He just told us before that we can't 0:20:39.340 --> 0:20:42.820 earn salvation by good works, but now he's telling us 0:20:42.820 --> 0:20:46.460 that he's created us to do good works. Why? Because 0:20:46.460 --> 0:20:49.219 he's in us. He lives in us. He's created us. 0:20:49.380 --> 0:20:54.859 He's engineered us, designed us to do good. That's part 0:20:54.859 --> 0:20:58.500 of how he has engineered and created us via his 0:20:58.500 --> 0:21:02.740 Holy Spirit. Listen. Created in Christ Jesus to do good 0:21:02.740 --> 0:21:07.460 works which God prepared in advance for us to do. 0:21:08.020 --> 0:21:12.220 God has already laid out a plan prepared in advance 0:21:12.220 --> 0:21:14.460 the good works that you are to do. He's got 0:21:14.460 --> 0:21:17.060 a purpose. I say this all the time. God has 0:21:17.060 --> 0:21:21.700 a purpose and a plan for your life, and it's 0:21:21.700 --> 0:21:27.700 a good purpose and it's a good plan. You say, well, 0:21:27.700 --> 0:21:29.540 I don't know where I'm going. Oh, you don't know, 0:21:29.540 --> 0:21:33.020 but God does. Well, I don't know what I'm doing. Hey, 0:21:33.060 --> 0:21:37.660 God does though. He's working all things together for his purpose. 0:21:37.700 --> 0:21:40.420 God works everything together for the good of those that 0:21:40.420 --> 0:21:43.780 love him. Oh, I don't know. My life seems like 0:21:43.780 --> 0:21:46.939 a mess. That's right. Love God. Stay focused. God is 0:21:46.940 --> 0:21:50.379 putting the pieces together to turn it out to something good. 0:21:50.380 --> 0:21:55.260 That's how God works for his good pleasure. 0:22:02.630 --> 0:22:05.550 Yeah. So there. You heard it. Working it out for 0:22:05.550 --> 0:22:09.030 his good pleasure. Some of you are making a decision 0:22:09.030 --> 0:22:13.950 to follow Christ because you've never surrendered. So you're not 0:22:13.950 --> 0:22:17.949 aware that God has a plan to put your life together. 0:22:18.109 --> 0:22:20.790 I'd like to pray with you. If you've never surrendered 0:22:20.790 --> 0:22:23.070 your life to Christ, because I believe that God is 0:22:23.070 --> 0:22:28.070 speaking to some people right now. So wherever you're at, 0:22:28.109 --> 0:22:31.710 would you just bow with me for a moment? If 0:22:31.710 --> 0:22:36.710 you are ready to surrender and pray this prayer. Dear God, 0:22:37.990 --> 0:22:42.869 my life's a mess. I don't see a way forward. 0:22:43.910 --> 0:22:47.230 But I bring my mess to you. I believe that 0:22:47.230 --> 0:22:51.870 you can save me, change me, heal me, restore me. 0:22:52.430 --> 0:22:56.070 And so I surrender this mess to you. I ask 0:22:56.070 --> 0:23:00.270 that you would wash me. Cleanse me. I turn away 0:23:00.270 --> 0:23:03.189 from the way that I've been living. And I turn 0:23:03.190 --> 0:23:06.350 to you. And I choose to follow you today with 0:23:06.350 --> 0:23:10.869 the limited understanding that I have. But I surrender myself 0:23:10.869 --> 0:23:14.310 to you. Thank you, Jesus, that you died on a cross. 0:23:14.630 --> 0:23:17.910 Thank you that you can wash me and cleanse me 0:23:18.430 --> 0:23:21.150 and make me a new person. I pray this in 0:23:21.150 --> 0:23:26.270 Jesus name. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, I would 0:23:26.270 --> 0:23:30.830 love to direct you to our website. Bold steps and 0:23:30.830 --> 0:23:34.270 click on the link called My Next Step. You have 0:23:34.310 --> 0:23:36.669 further explanation about what it means to be a follower 0:23:36.670 --> 0:23:39.670 of Jesus, and we'd love to send you a booklet 0:23:39.670 --> 0:23:42.190 that helps get you started in your walk with God. 0:23:42.190 --> 0:23:45.670 And remember, find a church to plug into that's preaching 0:23:45.670 --> 0:23:46.350 the word. 0:23:46.630 --> 0:23:48.909 All right, thank you Mark. Again, go to the website 0:23:48.910 --> 0:23:51.869 and use the Pull down Connect tab. When you click 0:23:51.869 --> 0:23:54.710 my next step in Faith there you'll find a video 0:23:54.710 --> 0:23:56.949 that Mark put together that will help you grow in 0:23:56.950 --> 0:23:59.150 your faith. And when you sign up to learn more, 0:23:59.240 --> 0:24:01.879 We'll also send you a personal letter from Mark and 0:24:01.880 --> 0:24:04.880 a New Testament Bible and the latest edition of our newsletter, 0:24:04.880 --> 0:24:07.560 today in the Word. Once again, you'll find this and 0:24:07.560 --> 0:24:11.000 so much more at Bold Steps on our home page. 0:24:11.000 --> 0:24:13.520 You can also check out our brand new Bold Step gift, 0:24:13.520 --> 0:24:17.520 a book we really want to send to every parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, 0:24:17.520 --> 0:24:20.280 or mentor of young boys. So let me ask you, 0:24:20.280 --> 0:24:22.280 do the boys in your life believe they're too young 0:24:22.320 --> 0:24:25.000 to make a difference? Are they convinced that reading the 0:24:25.000 --> 0:24:27.840 Bible isn't for them? These are just two of the 0:24:27.840 --> 0:24:31.600 dangerous lies tackled in lies. Boys believe the book is 0:24:31.600 --> 0:24:34.879 written by parents of four boys. This engaging resource helps 0:24:34.880 --> 0:24:37.760 young men separate truth from fiction in a way that 0:24:37.760 --> 0:24:41.440 captures their imagination and speaks to their hearts through engaging 0:24:41.440 --> 0:24:44.800 story of adventure and discovery. This bold step gift equips 0:24:44.800 --> 0:24:48.679 boys to recognize lies and stand firm in God's truth. 0:24:49.000 --> 0:24:51.760 So reach out today and request a copy of Lies 0:24:51.800 --> 0:24:54.280 Boys believe when you give a gift of any amount 0:24:54.280 --> 0:25:02.639 to support bold steps, just call 800 D.L. Moody. That's (800) 356-6639. 0:25:02.840 --> 0:25:06.320 Or give online at bird-stamps.org or through the mail by 0:25:06.320 --> 0:25:11.159 writing to us at bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, 0:25:11.200 --> 0:25:15.480 Illinois 606 ten. Well, thanks for joining us today. If 0:25:15.480 --> 0:25:17.720 you enjoy the teaching of pastor Mark, you'll love his 0:25:17.720 --> 0:25:21.120 weekly devotional, The Bold Stepper Weekly. It's a free resource 0:25:21.119 --> 0:25:23.639 designed to kick start your week in God's Word with 0:25:23.640 --> 0:25:26.760 biblical truth, to help guide your life and deepen your faith. 0:25:26.800 --> 0:25:31.520 Sign up for The Bold Stepper weekly at Bold Steps. Well, tomorrow, 0:25:31.520 --> 0:25:33.840 Mark explains how we can tear down the walls we've 0:25:33.840 --> 0:25:36.040 built and start living a life that's more pleasing to 0:25:36.080 --> 0:25:38.880 the Lord. The message comes from our series called When 0:25:38.880 --> 0:25:42.720 You Believe Everything Changes. You'll hear it Thursday here on 0:25:42.720 --> 0:25:47.280 Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production 0:25:47.280 --> 0:25:50.520 of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.