WEBVTT - It’s Not Over Yet – Part 2 0:00:00.760 --> 0:00:03.480 God wants to be first in our lives and help 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:05.640 us with the mission he's given us, but we can 0:00:05.640 --> 0:00:08.719 put it off and lose the vision. Encouragement for the 0:00:08.720 --> 0:00:11.039 race today on bold steps. 0:00:11.760 --> 0:00:15.600 I have to obey God and quit postponing obedience. I 0:00:15.600 --> 0:00:19.280 need to make God my priority. I can't live for myself. 0:00:19.280 --> 0:00:21.960 I need to put him at the center. He has 0:00:21.960 --> 0:00:23.440 to be number one. 0:00:35.840 --> 0:00:39.120 Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, president of Moody 0:00:39.120 --> 0:00:42.160 Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community Church 0:00:42.159 --> 0:00:45.199 in Chicago. Many of us at one time have had 0:00:45.200 --> 0:00:47.880 a clear picture and God given direction shown to us 0:00:47.880 --> 0:00:51.519 in life, but along the way, something happened. Discouragement and 0:00:51.520 --> 0:00:53.840 distraction set in and we put off what we were 0:00:53.840 --> 0:00:56.520 called to do. Today we continue with the book of 0:00:56.520 --> 0:01:00.160 Haggai and how God stirred people's hearts and restored a vision. 0:01:00.560 --> 0:01:03.320 We're hoping today's broadcast is sort of a tailwind that 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:05.720 pushes you in the direction God is calling you to go. 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:09.560 Our series is titled Fully Devoted. To hear this or 0:01:09.560 --> 0:01:13.880 any message again, visit Bold steps.org. That's bold steps org. 0:01:14.760 --> 0:01:16.960 Now with part two of the message, it's not over yet. 0:01:16.959 --> 0:01:19.800 Here's Mark Jobe with today's bold steps. 0:01:21.520 --> 0:01:25.120 The Living Translation says look at what's happening to you. 0:01:25.480 --> 0:01:30.440 In other words, check out your life. Examine your life. 0:01:31.040 --> 0:01:34.959 Look at the mess that you've gotten yourself into. Pause 0:01:35.000 --> 0:01:37.880 for a moment to examine what's happening in your life 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:44.520 by postponing obedience. By not finishing what I've asked you 0:01:44.520 --> 0:01:48.000 to finish. By not moving forward with those things that 0:01:48.000 --> 0:01:51.000 have called you to do. Look what's happening to your life. 0:01:52.240 --> 0:01:58.200 And he says you have planted much, but you've harvested little. 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:04.530 You eat, but you never have enough. You drink, but 0:02:04.530 --> 0:02:09.210 you're never filled. You're never full. You put on clothes, 0:02:09.410 --> 0:02:13.770 but you're not warm. You earn wages only to put 0:02:13.770 --> 0:02:16.850 them in a purse with holes in them. Come on. 0:02:16.889 --> 0:02:22.169 Is someone listening to this here today? You know what 0:02:22.210 --> 0:02:26.530 God says. God says because you've postponed. Because you haven't 0:02:26.530 --> 0:02:29.610 put me as a priority. Then I have taken my 0:02:29.610 --> 0:02:35.130 favor away from you. And I've made your heart your 0:02:35.130 --> 0:02:41.049 life harder because I'm not at the center. You're working 0:02:41.050 --> 0:02:43.490 and working and working, but it seems like you're spinning 0:02:43.490 --> 0:02:47.930 your wheels and not getting ahead. You think that this 0:02:47.930 --> 0:02:49.930 is going to fulfill you, and you chase after it, 0:02:49.930 --> 0:02:54.770 but you're more empty than you ever were before. You've 0:02:54.770 --> 0:02:57.530 thrown yourself into your jobs to try to gain prosperity. 0:02:57.530 --> 0:02:59.410 And it seems like, hey, I'm making more money than 0:02:59.410 --> 0:03:01.770 I've ever made before. You put it in your pocket, 0:03:01.770 --> 0:03:05.530 and it's like you have holes in your pockets. You 0:03:05.530 --> 0:03:08.810 ever had a hole in your pocket? Put something in. 0:03:08.810 --> 0:03:13.450 It's like, hey, where was it? It's like it's going 0:03:13.450 --> 0:03:16.650 in and going out. You're not saving any of it. 0:03:16.650 --> 0:03:20.810 You're not keeping anything. Basically, what he tells them is 0:03:20.810 --> 0:03:22.930 because you have not put me at the center because 0:03:22.930 --> 0:03:27.930 you've postponed obedience. Now you're you're not. It's not working 0:03:27.930 --> 0:03:30.690 out the way you thought it would work. You've pursued 0:03:30.690 --> 0:03:33.130 after your own things, but as you pursue after your 0:03:33.130 --> 0:03:36.930 own things, the more you pursue them, the emptier you are. 0:03:37.370 --> 0:03:40.530 The more you chase after them, the less fulfilling they are. 0:03:40.850 --> 0:03:43.890 The more you succeed. It feels like the more success 0:03:43.890 --> 0:03:49.050 evaporates from you. So you're working, you're stressed, you're pursuing, 0:03:49.050 --> 0:03:52.650 but you're less filled than you ever were in life 0:03:52.690 --> 0:04:00.860 because you have not put me first. He says to them, listen, 0:04:01.420 --> 0:04:04.740 verse nine, you expect much. These are people that are 0:04:04.740 --> 0:04:08.340 following God. These are not unbelievers, these are not agnostics. 0:04:08.340 --> 0:04:10.740 These are not people that have turned their back on God. 0:04:10.780 --> 0:04:13.180 There are people that claim to follow God, people that 0:04:13.180 --> 0:04:16.820 are showing up to worship on Sundays. He says, listen, 0:04:16.820 --> 0:04:21.020 you expect much. But see, it turned out to be little. 0:04:22.940 --> 0:04:28.820 Come on. What you brought home, I blew away. I 0:04:28.860 --> 0:04:32.779 got this job. I worked so hard for this. And 0:04:32.779 --> 0:04:35.300 you expected that it would get you ahead a lot. 0:04:35.339 --> 0:04:38.099 You expected that you would have a lot left over. 0:04:38.100 --> 0:04:41.380 Because finally you got that promotion. Finally you got that raise, 0:04:41.380 --> 0:04:44.860 finally the salaries up, and you come home and you 0:04:44.860 --> 0:04:46.700 try to put it and it seems like it's just 0:04:46.700 --> 0:04:50.100 blown away by the wind. You try to stash it together. Aha. 0:04:50.140 --> 0:04:54.100 Here it is. And it's gone. And you say why? 0:04:54.540 --> 0:04:59.659 And God says, I did that. God says I blew 0:04:59.700 --> 0:05:04.500 it away. It didn't say it blew away. God says 0:05:04.700 --> 0:05:09.900 I blew it away. Can I tell you something? Sometimes. 0:05:10.300 --> 0:05:18.660 Sometimes God frustrates you in your progress toward success. Sometimes 0:05:18.820 --> 0:05:23.820 it's God who's blowing it away. Sometimes it's God who's saying, no, 0:05:23.820 --> 0:05:26.860 I'm not going to let you advance. Sometimes it's God 0:05:26.860 --> 0:05:29.460 who's saying, you're going to spin your wheels and spin 0:05:29.460 --> 0:05:32.739 them as hard as you can and not see progress. 0:05:32.980 --> 0:05:35.580 Sometimes it's God that's saying, I'm going to let you 0:05:35.620 --> 0:05:37.820 work real, real, real hard, and you're going to end 0:05:37.820 --> 0:05:41.140 up worse than what you were when you worked real hard. 0:05:41.220 --> 0:05:43.620 Sometimes it's God. You say, well, pastor, why would God 0:05:43.620 --> 0:05:48.099 do that? Because sometimes God has to let us not succeed. 0:05:48.420 --> 0:05:52.900 So when we're tired and worn out, we finally stop 0:05:52.900 --> 0:05:55.299 and we look to the heaven and we say, God. 0:05:57.940 --> 0:06:01.270 What are you doing? And God says, I'm trying to 0:06:01.270 --> 0:06:07.710 get you to put me first. You're out there blaming 0:06:07.710 --> 0:06:09.789 it on the devil, or that devil keeps me, keeps 0:06:09.790 --> 0:06:12.349 me from succeeding. That devil didn't give me a promotion. 0:06:12.350 --> 0:06:14.630 That devil's taking all my money. That devil's not all 0:06:14.630 --> 0:06:16.630 that devil. I rebuke you devil. And God said, don't 0:06:16.630 --> 0:06:22.510 rebuke the devil, I did it. I did it for you. 0:06:23.310 --> 0:06:25.630 I did it so you wouldn't continue to pursue things 0:06:25.630 --> 0:06:27.550 and not put me first. I did it so that 0:06:27.550 --> 0:06:30.510 you would wake up one day and realize, hey, listen, 0:06:30.510 --> 0:06:34.390 I have to obey God and quit postponing obedience. I 0:06:34.390 --> 0:06:38.029 need to make God my priority. I can't live for myself. 0:06:38.029 --> 0:06:40.750 I need to put him at the center. He has 0:06:40.750 --> 0:06:49.110 to be number one. These people were frustrated and God said, 0:06:49.110 --> 0:06:52.789 I frustrated you. These people were discouraged and God said, 0:06:52.790 --> 0:06:56.630 I did that to you. You know, there's something about 0:06:56.630 --> 0:06:58.550 the favor of God on our life. It doesn't mean 0:06:58.550 --> 0:07:01.630 that everything goes without a hitch, but there's something about 0:07:01.630 --> 0:07:07.429 the favor of God upon our life. Not too long ago, 0:07:07.430 --> 0:07:10.670 I was traveling to a conference that I was speaking 0:07:10.710 --> 0:07:14.989 to in Europe, and I had to fly from Chicago 0:07:14.990 --> 0:07:21.230 to Madrid, and the pilot got on the intercom system 0:07:21.230 --> 0:07:24.390 and he said, I have good news for you today. Normally, 0:07:24.390 --> 0:07:29.870 the flight across the Atlantic is eight hours from Chicago 0:07:29.910 --> 0:07:33.630 O'Hare Airport to Barajas, Madrid. And he said, I have 0:07:33.670 --> 0:07:36.070 I have news for you. We're going to get to 0:07:36.110 --> 0:07:42.710 Madrid early, probably about 45 minutes early. And I thought, wow, 0:07:42.750 --> 0:07:46.670 that's nice, he says, because we have a get it. 0:07:46.710 --> 0:07:52.270 We have a tailwind. And the tailwind is going to 0:07:52.270 --> 0:07:56.550 push us. When you have a tailwind, it means that 0:07:56.550 --> 0:07:58.750 you have a wind that's blowing in the same direction 0:07:58.750 --> 0:08:02.320 that you're going. It means that you have to use less. 0:08:02.360 --> 0:08:06.000 Less effort. And you get further with less effort. It 0:08:06.000 --> 0:08:08.240 means that you don't have to use as much. Fuel. 0:08:08.240 --> 0:08:11.760 And you, you push forward. It means that there's. You're 0:08:11.760 --> 0:08:15.040 not fighting. You're just flowing. It means that you're going 0:08:15.120 --> 0:08:18.160 faster than the. Effort that you're putting in. It means 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:21.400 you're going further than what you're. Working at. Putting in. 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:23.640 That's when you have a tailwind. I look at the 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:26.080 favor of God like that. You still have to put 0:08:26.080 --> 0:08:28.160 in your effort. You still have to. But you. But 0:08:28.160 --> 0:08:32.000 there's something about the favor of God that pushes us forward. 0:08:32.280 --> 0:08:33.120 Yeah. Yeah. 0:08:33.840 --> 0:08:35.880 And there's some times where God says, look, I'm going 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:37.559 to give you a tailwind. And there's other times where 0:08:37.600 --> 0:08:40.120 God's saying, I'm going to give you a headwind against 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:43.439 where you're going. It's going to take longer. It's going 0:08:43.480 --> 0:08:46.440 to be harder, because I want you to realize, I 0:08:46.440 --> 0:08:48.079 want you to look to the heavens, and I want 0:08:48.080 --> 0:08:51.640 you to say, God, I need you. I can't do 0:08:51.640 --> 0:08:55.360 it without you. I need to put you at the 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:58.680 center of my life. And what I do. 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:06.480 You're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, and today's 0:09:06.480 --> 0:09:09.240 message is called It's Not Over Yet. And while our 0:09:09.240 --> 0:09:11.280 lesson isn't over yet, we do want to take a 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.120 quick pause to make sure you've signed up for Mark's 0:09:13.120 --> 0:09:17.080 weekly email devotional, The Bold Stepper Weekly. It's absolutely free. 0:09:17.120 --> 0:09:20.160 No obligation. It's delivered right to your inbox each Monday 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:21.920 morning to help you step into the week with a 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:24.680 Bible centered focus. Mark, thanks for putting this together. 0:09:24.720 --> 0:09:28.520 Absolutely. And we've had so many people respond in a 0:09:28.520 --> 0:09:32.480 positive way to say this encourages them to get their 0:09:32.480 --> 0:09:35.960 week started. Well, this week, by the way, we talked 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:42.000 about what it means to let God shape your identity 0:09:42.000 --> 0:09:45.560 and not the labels that are placed on you by others. 0:09:45.800 --> 0:09:47.920 We actually talked about a new resource that we have 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:52.520 called Discovering Who You Are in Christ more than a label, 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:54.120 and some of you need to pick that up. That's 0:09:54.120 --> 0:09:57.360 going to be great. Remember, you are not what people, 0:09:57.600 --> 0:10:00.370 the label that people have put on you. You are 0:10:00.370 --> 0:10:02.890 what God says about you. 0:10:02.929 --> 0:10:05.130 Sounds like a good Monday morning reminder as we begin 0:10:05.130 --> 0:10:06.890 our week that we all got here today. Well, it 0:10:06.890 --> 0:10:08.890 was in the bold step weekly today. If you didn't 0:10:08.929 --> 0:10:11.209 receive it, that's because you haven't signed up and you 0:10:11.210 --> 0:10:15.490 can sign up at Bold steps.org. Look for the Tab devotional, 0:10:15.490 --> 0:10:18.650 where you can request the English or Spanish version of 0:10:18.650 --> 0:10:22.410 Mark's devotional, The Bold Stepper Weekly. Now let's continue with 0:10:22.410 --> 0:10:24.890 our message for today. Again, it's titled It's Not Over 0:10:24.929 --> 0:10:26.689 Yet on Bold Steps. 0:10:31.330 --> 0:10:34.890 Matthew 633 seek ye first the kingdom of God and 0:10:34.890 --> 0:10:39.490 His righteousness. Jesus said, and all these things will be 0:10:39.490 --> 0:10:43.890 added to you as well. So not only if we're 0:10:43.890 --> 0:10:45.690 going to finish well, not only we need do we 0:10:45.690 --> 0:10:49.809 need to decide to stop postponing and determine to move 0:10:49.809 --> 0:10:53.969 forward in our obedience. We also need to understand the 0:10:53.970 --> 0:11:01.730 ripple effects of procrastination. Spiritual procrastination. Assassination. But number three, 0:11:02.090 --> 0:11:05.410 if we're to move to the finish, we need to 0:11:05.450 --> 0:11:12.170 grasp a vision of a preferred God given future. You see, 0:11:12.170 --> 0:11:16.330 I believe that a lot of people bail out and 0:11:16.330 --> 0:11:25.170 they quit. When the vision fades. Proverbs says, without a vision, 0:11:25.170 --> 0:11:31.170 my people perish. Without a clear, defined, preferred vision of 0:11:31.170 --> 0:11:36.890 the future, we lose motivation. Without a sense of our destiny, 0:11:37.410 --> 0:11:41.969 we stop working. Most people that I talk to that 0:11:41.970 --> 0:11:46.850 are depressed get depressed when they lose hope in the future. 0:11:49.530 --> 0:11:52.250 They start to believe nothing's going to change. And am 0:11:52.250 --> 0:11:55.890 I willing to live this way for another five years? 0:11:56.570 --> 0:12:03.620 And their energy is zapped from them. People become unmotivated 0:12:03.620 --> 0:12:08.260 and lethargic when they lose a vision, a personal, God 0:12:08.260 --> 0:12:14.179 given vision for their life and for their future. Husbands, 0:12:14.179 --> 0:12:19.020 stop struggling for the well-being and improvement of their marriage 0:12:19.020 --> 0:12:23.020 when they've lost hope that their marriage will ever change. 0:12:24.660 --> 0:12:30.580 Addicts stop going to 12 step programs and talking to 0:12:30.580 --> 0:12:34.819 their accountability person when they lose a vision that they 0:12:34.820 --> 0:12:46.220 can be whole and well and drug free. People accept 0:12:46.220 --> 0:12:48.180 poverty in their lives when they feel like they can 0:12:48.179 --> 0:12:58.300 never dig themselves out of it. People drop out of 0:12:58.300 --> 0:13:03.180 school when they feel like I'll never graduate. I can't 0:13:03.179 --> 0:13:07.300 see myself getting a diploma. Walking down the aisle. Getting 0:13:07.300 --> 0:13:13.660 a job. And so they bail out. And give up 0:13:13.660 --> 0:13:17.780 on any type of improvement or success in their life. 0:13:18.340 --> 0:13:23.780 Because they've lost a vision of the future. For the believer, 0:13:23.780 --> 0:13:27.939 it's the same thing. For the church, it's the same thing. 0:13:28.420 --> 0:13:32.100 A people without a vision don't strive. A people without 0:13:32.100 --> 0:13:35.580 a vision. Everybody does their own thing. A church without 0:13:35.580 --> 0:13:39.300 a vision is an unmotivated church. A people without a 0:13:39.300 --> 0:13:41.819 clear sense of where God is calling them is a 0:13:41.820 --> 0:13:50.620 church that just does the minimal. Doesn't work, doesn't move, 0:13:50.660 --> 0:13:55.980 doesn't push forward. And Haggai was speaking to the people 0:13:55.980 --> 0:13:59.580 of Israel. They had lost a vision of their future. 0:13:59.700 --> 0:14:03.670 They had the vision that they once had had become blurred. 0:14:03.710 --> 0:14:07.390 God had called them to the city to say, Rebuild Jerusalem, 0:14:07.550 --> 0:14:11.870 start with the temple, rebuild my temple, my house of worship. 0:14:12.070 --> 0:14:17.469 Rebuild the walls of this city, rebuild your homes. Rebuild commerce. 0:14:17.510 --> 0:14:21.390 Rebuild the families. May there be laughter in the streets 0:14:21.390 --> 0:14:25.510 once again. May there be prosperity amongst us. Maybe. May 0:14:25.510 --> 0:14:28.030 we worship God once again. May this be a place 0:14:28.030 --> 0:14:32.190 where the presence of God dwells in a powerful place. 0:14:32.230 --> 0:14:37.070 May there be, um, marriages that happen. Children that are born. 0:14:37.070 --> 0:14:41.350 Laughter that that echoes throughout the streets. People that are 0:14:41.350 --> 0:14:45.190 worshiping God, harmony that flows in this place. But they 0:14:45.190 --> 0:14:48.989 lost the vision of a Jerusalem that could be restored 0:14:48.990 --> 0:14:55.190 by God. Let me ask you a question. Have you 0:14:55.190 --> 0:15:01.240 lost your vision? Have you lost the picture of a 0:15:01.240 --> 0:15:05.960 preferred future that God is calling you to? Have you 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:12.680 stopped believing that God can do it? That the circumstances 0:15:12.680 --> 0:15:16.400 can change, that you can be a cycle breaker and 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:24.160 legacy maker? Have you has the vision become fuzzy? Unclear? Foggy? 0:15:26.400 --> 0:15:33.760 The Bible says that after Haggai challenged these people, then 0:15:33.760 --> 0:15:37.120 the verse 13 says, Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, gave 0:15:37.120 --> 0:15:39.560 them the message of the Lord to the people. And 0:15:39.560 --> 0:15:43.560 God said, hey, if you get back on target, put 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:46.160 me at the center. Continue with the vision that I've 0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:50.920 called you to. The Lord said, I am with you. 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:54.760 Let me tell you, I've prayed this over and over. 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:57.080 As a pastor of this church. I've got on my knees. 0:15:57.080 --> 0:16:00.000 I've cried out to God. I've said, God, I'll do 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:03.440 it if you're with us. But God, if you're not 0:16:03.440 --> 0:16:07.640 with us, I don't want to be in ministry. If 0:16:07.640 --> 0:16:11.520 you don't go before us, count me out, Lord. Because 0:16:11.520 --> 0:16:14.280 if your presence is with us, all things are possible. 0:16:14.840 --> 0:16:18.120 When you're amongst us. Healings happen. When you're here. God's 0:16:18.120 --> 0:16:21.680 salvation occurs when you hear you open up doors. When 0:16:21.680 --> 0:16:25.000 you're here. Nothing can stand against us. God. But if 0:16:25.000 --> 0:16:28.840 you're not with us. God. I'm out of here. If 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:33.120 you're not with us, I need your presence. That's why 0:16:33.120 --> 0:16:35.080 we call for a season of fasting and prayer. To 0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:38.560 be reminded of our own weakness and press into the 0:16:38.560 --> 0:16:41.040 strength of God to say, God, we can't do it 0:16:41.040 --> 0:16:44.360 without you. Oh, maybe we've grown. Oh, maybe we're bigger. 0:16:44.360 --> 0:16:47.600 But God, do not. I in no way ever, ever, 0:16:47.600 --> 0:16:54.440 ever mistake our growth and our strength to replace the 0:16:54.440 --> 0:17:00.000 power and omnipotent presence of the Almighty God. And as 0:17:00.040 --> 0:17:05.440 Haggai spoke, the Bible says that. God says, I will 0:17:05.440 --> 0:17:08.280 be with you, declares the Lord. I love this what 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:10.840 it says in verse 14. It says, so the Lord 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:17.119 stirred the spirit, and he started with the leader. He 0:17:17.160 --> 0:17:22.080 stirred the spirit of Zerubabel, who was the governor of Judea. 0:17:22.080 --> 0:17:24.240 How many of you know God can even touch politicians? 0:17:24.240 --> 0:17:31.400 You know, it's a miracle when he does that. And 0:17:31.400 --> 0:17:35.120 then he says, and he also stirred the spirit of Joshua, 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:41.520 the high priest. I pray, oh, God, across Chicagoland, stir 0:17:41.520 --> 0:17:44.880 the hearts of pastors to preach the gospel and not 0:17:44.880 --> 0:17:51.040 tickle people's ears. We have hundreds of churches around Chicago. 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:55.160 I pray, oh God, may our preachers preach with power. 0:17:56.760 --> 0:18:00.490 May there be passion in the pulpit. Truth that's proclaimed 0:18:00.490 --> 0:18:04.570 with love. But God merely be truth. Uncompromising truth to 0:18:04.609 --> 0:18:09.690 the Word of God. Not just bland, mediocre, light hearted, 0:18:09.690 --> 0:18:12.770 nice little principles that don't call people to holiness, that 0:18:12.770 --> 0:18:16.130 don't move people to God. That don't call people to repentance. 0:18:16.170 --> 0:18:19.689 God fill our pulpits with the fire of the living Jesus. 0:18:25.050 --> 0:18:27.930 So God stirred the hearts of the politicians. He stirred 0:18:27.930 --> 0:18:31.970 the hearts of the preachers. And then it says, and 0:18:32.490 --> 0:18:36.050 the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. God 0:18:36.050 --> 0:18:40.210 stirred up the people, and they came together and began 0:18:40.210 --> 0:18:44.090 to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God. 0:18:46.250 --> 0:18:48.290 When he stirred them together, they had a vision of 0:18:48.290 --> 0:18:50.369 the future. And when they had a vision of the future, 0:18:50.369 --> 0:18:53.090 they had power in the present to make a difference. 0:18:54.090 --> 0:18:59.860 You see, we don't have energy to make a difference. 0:18:59.859 --> 0:19:02.460 Unless we have a vision that compels us and we're 0:19:02.460 --> 0:19:06.860 stirred in our heart to make a difference. I heard 0:19:08.340 --> 0:19:11.900 years ago I heard of a town that a reporter 0:19:11.900 --> 0:19:15.300 had gone into that was scheduled to be inundated. They 0:19:15.300 --> 0:19:20.179 were going to release a dam, and the dam would 0:19:20.540 --> 0:19:23.020 inundate a whole village. And so it would be, it 0:19:23.060 --> 0:19:26.980 would be drowned out. They did it for irrigation purposes. 0:19:28.980 --> 0:19:31.260 And the reporter went into the village that was about 0:19:31.260 --> 0:19:35.700 to be flooded. They were fighting the breaking of the dam, 0:19:36.500 --> 0:19:39.219 and he noticed that the houses were manicured, that the 0:19:39.220 --> 0:19:45.220 gardens were well kept, that fences were painted, that the 0:19:45.460 --> 0:19:49.820 streets were clean from debris. Neighbors were out talking. And 0:19:49.820 --> 0:19:51.699 he interviewed the neighbors and they all said, no, we 0:19:51.700 --> 0:19:53.740 love our town. We don't want it to be flooded. 0:19:53.740 --> 0:19:56.860 We don't want this to be destroyed. We. We're fighting. 0:19:56.859 --> 0:19:58.900 We're keeping. And he noticed that it was a great 0:19:58.900 --> 0:20:02.740 little town, but the politicians and the powers that were. 0:20:02.780 --> 0:20:05.300 Be they said, no, it's better we have to flood this. 0:20:05.300 --> 0:20:08.139 We have to open. This dam or it will cause problems. 0:20:08.140 --> 0:20:12.580 And so once the town heard. That the town would 0:20:12.580 --> 0:20:15.899 be flooded. The reporter went back a couple. Months later 0:20:15.900 --> 0:20:17.820 and he walked through the town and he realized there 0:20:17.820 --> 0:20:23.940 was debris in the streets. Gardens were unkept. Trash was 0:20:23.940 --> 0:20:27.500 out in front. And he interviewed some of the people. 0:20:27.500 --> 0:20:30.500 He said, what's going on here? This is a different town. 0:20:31.020 --> 0:20:32.500 And they said, well, you haven't heard the news. We're 0:20:32.500 --> 0:20:35.780 going to be flooded. If there is no vision for 0:20:35.780 --> 0:20:39.500 the future, there will be no power in the present 0:20:39.500 --> 0:20:42.020 to make a difference and work hard. I'm talking to 0:20:42.020 --> 0:20:46.700 someone here. If you have no vision for the future, 0:20:46.700 --> 0:20:50.020 you have no determination to work hard. Now. If you've 0:20:50.020 --> 0:20:54.020 lost your vision, you'll lose your strength and energy. If 0:20:54.060 --> 0:20:58.700 you've lost a God given preferred vision of the future, 0:20:58.900 --> 0:21:05.020 you will be lethargic. Ramble on Meaninglessly do the minimal. 0:21:05.380 --> 0:21:09.100 Just live in life. But if you have a God 0:21:09.140 --> 0:21:12.659 preferred vision of the future, it's that vision of a 0:21:12.700 --> 0:21:15.740 God given future that will motivate you to work hard 0:21:15.740 --> 0:21:18.300 for what God is doing. It'll get you out of 0:21:18.300 --> 0:21:21.260 bed in the morning, jumping out of bed in the morning, 0:21:21.260 --> 0:21:23.659 get that cup of coffee. Get in the Word of God. 0:21:23.660 --> 0:21:26.659 Praying like your life depends upon it, because you're a 0:21:26.660 --> 0:21:29.020 man or woman with a mission and a God given 0:21:29.020 --> 0:21:31.220 destiny to make a difference in this world that God 0:21:31.220 --> 0:21:34.139 has called us to live in until he comes again. 0:21:38.420 --> 0:21:41.740 Regaining your God given vision for the future. A great 0:21:41.740 --> 0:21:45.100 word of encouragement on bold steps. That's Mark, Jobe and Mark, 0:21:45.100 --> 0:21:47.179 I want to underscore your point that this isn't something 0:21:47.180 --> 0:21:49.179 that we have to do on our own. If we 0:21:49.180 --> 0:21:51.860 make God the center, he will come alongside. He will 0:21:51.859 --> 0:21:54.380 be with us. Let's wrap up with a word for 0:21:54.380 --> 0:21:57.060 someone who's feeling weak or weary about moving forward and 0:21:57.060 --> 0:21:58.420 getting back into that race. 0:21:58.660 --> 0:22:01.149 You know, we all feel like that certain days when 0:22:01.150 --> 0:22:04.510 we're just tired. And I'm talking to that person right 0:22:04.510 --> 0:22:08.950 now that you've been persevering week after week, month after month, 0:22:08.950 --> 0:22:12.830 and you're just plain old tired. I'm encouraging you to 0:22:12.869 --> 0:22:16.110 say it's not by might, not by power, but by 0:22:16.109 --> 0:22:18.750 my spirit, says the Lord. So I want to challenge 0:22:18.750 --> 0:22:23.230 you in your weakness to press into God and just say, Lord, 0:22:23.230 --> 0:22:26.150 I am very tired and very weak right now. So 0:22:26.150 --> 0:22:29.870 I ask that you would empower, strengthen and restore me. 0:22:29.910 --> 0:22:32.709 Yeah, that is an encouraging word. Thank you. Well, it 0:22:32.710 --> 0:22:34.870 is our prayer every day here on bold steps that 0:22:34.869 --> 0:22:37.270 God's Word will change the hearts and draw people to 0:22:37.310 --> 0:22:40.630 himself through the teaching of God's Word on this program. Now, Mark, 0:22:40.630 --> 0:22:43.109 we recently came across an example of this the power 0:22:43.109 --> 0:22:45.510 of radio. I mean, when we met Nancy at a 0:22:45.510 --> 0:22:47.550 recent event that you spoke at, and we'd like you 0:22:47.550 --> 0:22:49.350 to hear Mark a bit of how Moody Radio was 0:22:49.350 --> 0:22:50.990 there just when she needed it. 0:22:52.230 --> 0:22:56.990 My name is Nancy, and in 1971, I was going 0:22:56.990 --> 0:23:01.030 through a very dark, painful time in my life. I 0:23:01.030 --> 0:23:03.750 was thinking, there's another way out. I couldn't stand the 0:23:03.750 --> 0:23:07.990 pain anymore. I didn't want to live. And it was 0:23:07.990 --> 0:23:10.590 in the evening. And I was listening to the radio. 0:23:10.590 --> 0:23:13.390 And I was just turning stations just to. Just to 0:23:13.390 --> 0:23:16.630 find something. And I heard this voice, and it just 0:23:16.630 --> 0:23:19.310 really drew me. And I listened to him. And what 0:23:19.310 --> 0:23:23.350 kept me listening to the program was I felt hope 0:23:23.750 --> 0:23:27.350 that I could still survive this situation that I was 0:23:27.350 --> 0:23:31.470 in and find hope and find something better. Just ministered 0:23:31.470 --> 0:23:35.149 to my heart. It kind of saved my life, I felt. 0:23:35.350 --> 0:23:37.510 So that's why I love Moody and I want to 0:23:37.510 --> 0:23:41.590 continue to contribute to him. It was a lifesaver for me. 0:23:44.750 --> 0:23:49.790 I love that story. Wow, Nancy, that touches me at 0:23:49.790 --> 0:23:53.470 a deep moment of darkness in her life. I love 0:23:53.470 --> 0:23:57.030 that she says this, I felt hope. I felt hope. 0:23:57.030 --> 0:23:59.070 You know how many times, Wayne, I've heard that from 0:23:59.200 --> 0:24:02.240 people that have told me. I went through a season 0:24:02.240 --> 0:24:06.040 where I could barely get out of bed, where suicidal thoughts, 0:24:06.040 --> 0:24:09.600 but God ministered through moody radio. And of course, we 0:24:09.600 --> 0:24:12.879 know it's not moody. It's the Spirit of God ministering 0:24:12.920 --> 0:24:16.960 using radio. Yeah. Yeah. That's a powerful story. Thank you. Nancy. 0:24:17.000 --> 0:24:19.040 Yes. Thank you. And if you'd like to join her, 0:24:19.080 --> 0:24:21.800 you can contact us through our website at Bold Steps. 0:24:21.920 --> 0:24:25.720 Org or give us a call and donate over the 0:24:25.720 --> 0:24:33.479 phone by dialing 800 Moody. That's (800) 356-6639. And when you 0:24:33.480 --> 0:24:35.360 do give a gift, you'll receive a copy of this 0:24:35.359 --> 0:24:39.119 month's Bold Step gift. In today's fast paced world, genuine 0:24:39.119 --> 0:24:42.800 connection often takes a back seat to convenience. After all, 0:24:42.800 --> 0:24:45.040 sending a text is a lot easier than sitting down 0:24:45.040 --> 0:24:49.360 for coffee. But doctor Heather Holloman's book, The Six Conversations 0:24:49.359 --> 0:24:52.840 shows us there's a better way. Through real world guidance 0:24:52.840 --> 0:24:56.120 and biblical wisdom, this book will transform how you approach 0:24:56.119 --> 0:25:00.040 every interaction, helping you build the meaningful relationships we were 0:25:00.040 --> 0:25:03.960 designed to have. This bold step gift offers proven strategies 0:25:03.960 --> 0:25:07.000 to help you move beyond small. Talk to conversations that 0:25:07.000 --> 0:25:10.080 truly matter. So reach out today and get your copy 0:25:10.080 --> 0:25:12.680 of this life changing resource. We'll send you a copy 0:25:12.680 --> 0:25:15.719 with your gift of any amount to support bold steps. 0:25:16.000 --> 0:25:20.119 Just call 800 D.L. Moody or give online at Bold 0:25:20.119 --> 0:25:24.239 Steps org. You can also send your gift through the 0:25:24.240 --> 0:25:27.800 mail by writing to us at bold steps. 820 North 0:25:27.800 --> 0:25:33.639 LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Tomorrow 0:25:33.640 --> 0:25:36.600 we begin the final message in our fully devoted study, 0:25:36.640 --> 0:25:39.240 a lesson from the Book of Second Kings called do 0:25:39.240 --> 0:25:41.600 you See it yet? So be sure to join us 0:25:41.600 --> 0:25:46.520 Tuesday here on Bold Steps with Mark John. Bold steps 0:25:46.520 --> 0:25:49.439 is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody 0:25:49.440 --> 0:25:50.600 Bible Institute.