WEBVTT - How Your Life Can Make a Difference 0:00:00.650 --> 0:00:03.500 This is Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. I'm Wayne Shepherd, 0:00:03.500 --> 0:00:06.170 and today we're looking back at one of history's most 0:00:06.170 --> 0:00:09.440 inspiring examples. Mark, of how a single life surrender to 0:00:09.470 --> 0:00:12.530 God can change the world. Most people know about Saint 0:00:12.530 --> 0:00:15.560 Patrick's Day, which we observed recently. The real story behind 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:17.450 the holiday is pretty amazing, though, isn't it? 0:00:17.480 --> 0:00:21.919 It really is, Wayne. And this is an amazing story, actually. 0:00:21.920 --> 0:00:28.850 Here's a young man who's kidnapped, enslaved, escapes, and feels 0:00:28.850 --> 0:00:33.110 God calling him back to witness and evangelize the very 0:00:33.110 --> 0:00:37.970 people that enslaved him. Love it. And really, his obedience 0:00:37.970 --> 0:00:42.380 and listening to God change an entire nation. And we 0:00:42.380 --> 0:00:45.559 don't believe that his story should be isolated. And our 0:00:45.560 --> 0:00:49.610 story may not change a nation, but our story can 0:00:49.610 --> 0:00:55.550 change families, communities, marriages, coworkers. And so we believe that 0:00:55.550 --> 0:00:58.400 everybody has a call upon their life they need to 0:00:58.400 --> 0:00:59.030 respond to. 0:00:59.060 --> 0:01:01.320 I believe this will be a powerful discussions, so stay 0:01:01.320 --> 0:01:17.459 with us on bold steps. And welcome to a special 0:01:17.490 --> 0:01:20.250 Bold Steps edition with Mark Jobe. Mark is senior pastor 0:01:20.250 --> 0:01:23.610 of New Life Community Church in Chicago and also president 0:01:23.610 --> 0:01:25.890 of Moody Bible Institute. You know, Mark, when we look 0:01:25.920 --> 0:01:28.140 at the story of someone like Saint Patrick of Ireland, 0:01:28.140 --> 0:01:30.960 it's remarkable to see how God took what seemed like 0:01:30.959 --> 0:01:34.410 a tragedy. You mentioned kidnapped at 16 years of age. 0:01:34.440 --> 0:01:37.410 And but it turned into something that would impact generations. 0:01:37.410 --> 0:01:39.779 It really speaks to a broader truth of who God is, 0:01:39.780 --> 0:01:40.530 doesn't it? 0:01:41.100 --> 0:01:44.490 It does. Wayne and I wish that maybe you're one 0:01:44.490 --> 0:01:47.610 of those people that celebrate Saint Patrick's Day. Maybe you 0:01:47.610 --> 0:01:49.920 have Irish background, or maybe you just like to put 0:01:49.920 --> 0:01:51.510 green on and celebrate. 0:01:51.540 --> 0:01:52.020 Yeah. 0:01:52.380 --> 0:01:56.730 Um, and, you know, unfortunately, here in Chicago, I think 0:01:56.730 --> 0:01:59.190 Saint Patrick's Day has turned into a big time of 0:01:59.190 --> 0:02:00.920 partying and getting drunk and dressing. 0:02:01.160 --> 0:02:02.300 Excessively, right? Yeah. 0:02:02.330 --> 0:02:07.820 And here we actually dye the river green. But this 0:02:07.820 --> 0:02:12.980 guy was a very strong evangelist with the call of 0:02:12.980 --> 0:02:14.000 God upon his heart. 0:02:14.030 --> 0:02:15.260 Let's not lose sight of that. 0:02:15.260 --> 0:02:18.830 I'm drawn to people like what we call Saint Patrick 0:02:18.860 --> 0:02:23.270 because of the willingness to say, God, I will go 0:02:23.270 --> 0:02:27.620 to the hard places because I feel compelled, not because 0:02:27.620 --> 0:02:30.440 I want to, but because I feel compelled by your 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:33.410 spirit to go to because your calling is more important 0:02:33.410 --> 0:02:36.500 than my desires. You know, I grew up in a 0:02:36.500 --> 0:02:41.090 family that made some tough decisions like this. You know, 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:45.470 my parents were from northern Indiana. Grandfather grew up as 0:02:45.470 --> 0:02:48.740 a foreman in the steel mills, but my father and 0:02:48.740 --> 0:02:52.010 mother had never been out of the country, but felt 0:02:52.010 --> 0:02:56.480 this compelling desire to go to the mission field after 0:02:56.480 --> 0:02:57.620 they came to know Jesus. 0:02:57.650 --> 0:02:58.520 That's the call of God. 0:02:58.730 --> 0:03:00.710 It was the call of God. Yeah, I was six 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:04.230 months old and they packed everything in barrels, got on 0:03:04.230 --> 0:03:07.380 a ship, moved to Costa Rica, then moved to Chile. 0:03:07.500 --> 0:03:11.160 After a few years there, they felt like we want 0:03:11.190 --> 0:03:14.460 to go to a place that has no evangelical churches, 0:03:14.460 --> 0:03:17.010 no Bible believing church. We want to go to places 0:03:17.010 --> 0:03:21.149 where people have not clearly heard the gospel. And so 0:03:21.150 --> 0:03:25.050 my father traveled around on a motorcycle through Spain with 0:03:25.050 --> 0:03:27.270 a couple of other guys. They found a city that 0:03:27.270 --> 0:03:31.770 had no evangelical churches of 130,000 people. And they said, 0:03:31.770 --> 0:03:34.110 this is where we're going to go. Met in a 0:03:34.110 --> 0:03:38.760 horse stable for five years. Now, in that city, there 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:42.210 are hundreds and hundreds of believers, multiple churches, and my 0:03:42.210 --> 0:03:44.850 father is buried outside of that city. 0:03:44.850 --> 0:03:46.410 And your mother still calls it home. 0:03:46.410 --> 0:03:50.580 And my mother, who's 87, still lives in Spain. Amazing woman. 0:03:50.580 --> 0:03:56.190 So I feel deeply that sense that when God calls, 0:03:56.280 --> 0:04:00.090 we respond. You say, well, I don't think I'm going 0:04:00.120 --> 0:04:04.070 to go to Africa or Europe anytime soon. But I 0:04:04.070 --> 0:04:06.770 do believe that you have a calling upon your life, 0:04:06.770 --> 0:04:10.160 and it may be your relatives who they're not that 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:13.100 sympathetic to your Christianity, but you know that you need 0:04:13.100 --> 0:04:17.810 to love them, or a neighbor, or a neighborhood, or 0:04:17.810 --> 0:04:21.859 a ministry, or your work partners that God is saying, 0:04:21.890 --> 0:04:24.529 you know, I've put you in this place. Not an 0:04:24.529 --> 0:04:27.589 easy place, a hard place, but you need to be 0:04:27.589 --> 0:04:31.070 bold and you need to be willing to risk for 0:04:31.070 --> 0:04:32.330 the gospel of Jesus. 0:04:32.330 --> 0:04:34.850 That's the message today on bold Steps. And Mark, you 0:04:34.850 --> 0:04:38.150 gave a message recently that reinforces this message. Let's have 0:04:38.150 --> 0:04:39.980 our listeners listen to this. 0:04:40.910 --> 0:04:43.250 We want to make a difference in this world. It 0:04:43.250 --> 0:04:46.760 doesn't just happen. We roll up our sleeves. 0:04:46.760 --> 0:04:49.940 And we sow seeds. And the more you sow, the 0:04:49.940 --> 0:04:52.940 more you reap. The more you reap, the more seeds 0:04:52.940 --> 0:04:56.030 you have to sow even more. That's the way it 0:04:56.029 --> 0:05:00.020 works in the kingdom of God. And Jesus said, hey, 0:05:00.050 --> 0:05:02.640 raise your eyes. Look at the harvest. There's a lot 0:05:02.670 --> 0:05:05.010 of people out there that need God. A lot of 0:05:05.010 --> 0:05:08.010 people out there that need God. The problem is, there's 0:05:08.010 --> 0:05:10.680 not a lot of people willing to work at helping 0:05:10.680 --> 0:05:15.630 people encounter God. There's not a lot of workers. Jesus 0:05:15.630 --> 0:05:17.910 says the problem is not the harvest. The problem is, 0:05:17.910 --> 0:05:21.510 I can't find anybody to put a little work into this. 0:05:22.050 --> 0:05:26.160 I'm looking at the fields and hey, they're being spoiled. 0:05:26.160 --> 0:05:29.250 They're going to waste because I can't find anybody willing 0:05:29.279 --> 0:05:31.740 to roll up their sleeves and say, hey, God, use me. 0:05:32.460 --> 0:05:35.310 I'm willing to be used that this is not about 0:05:35.310 --> 0:05:38.910 a bad harvest. This is about people willing to roll 0:05:38.910 --> 0:05:41.790 up their sleeves and really work at what God has 0:05:41.790 --> 0:05:45.570 called them to do. Our neighborhoods are not going to 0:05:45.600 --> 0:05:49.919 change by themselves. They're going to change. When a people 0:05:49.920 --> 0:05:52.860 of God rises up and says, we're not waiting for 0:05:52.860 --> 0:05:55.589 the government to change Chicago, we're not blaming it on 0:05:55.589 --> 0:05:59.730 the school system. We're not blaming it on the police officers. 0:05:59.730 --> 0:06:01.970 We're not saying, alderman. What are you going to do 0:06:01.970 --> 0:06:04.370 about it? What's the alderman going to do about it? 0:06:04.400 --> 0:06:06.590 It's the people of God that have the power to 0:06:06.620 --> 0:06:09.740 change people's lives. It's the people of God that bring hope. 0:06:09.740 --> 0:06:13.370 And faith is the people of God that change marriages 0:06:13.370 --> 0:06:18.890 and children. We are a force for change. Too many 0:06:18.890 --> 0:06:22.370 churches are sitting back whining and complaining about when is 0:06:22.370 --> 0:06:26.210 someone else going to make a difference? And politicians are 0:06:26.210 --> 0:06:28.310 scratching their heads saying, we don't know how to make 0:06:28.310 --> 0:06:31.820 a difference. And I'm saying, why are we waiting? We 0:06:31.820 --> 0:06:36.830 are the people of God with power and strength. You say, well, pastor, 0:06:36.830 --> 0:06:39.230 they have the budget and all the money. That's right. 0:06:39.230 --> 0:06:40.940 You don't need a lot of money to make a 0:06:40.940 --> 0:06:46.310 big difference. How about it? So Jesus says, look up, 0:06:46.310 --> 0:06:51.979 raise your eyes. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers 0:06:51.980 --> 0:06:52.850 are few. 0:06:55.490 --> 0:06:58.070 The fields are ripe unto harvest. Huh, Mark? 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:02.640 I believe it, And I do think that so many 0:07:02.640 --> 0:07:07.350 times as believers we think, I hope someone else solves 0:07:07.350 --> 0:07:10.260 the problem. But you know, Wayne, as you look at 0:07:10.260 --> 0:07:15.180 the history of Christianity, it's been believers that have stepped up. 0:07:15.660 --> 0:07:18.420 The school system that we have right now, the early 0:07:18.420 --> 0:07:25.140 schools across America were primarily started by Christians bringing education. 0:07:25.170 --> 0:07:28.770 A lot of the hospitals in this country were they 0:07:28.770 --> 0:07:31.710 have Christian names right now, and they have sort of 0:07:31.740 --> 0:07:36.240 Bible names, because the people that started them were believers 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:38.190 that said, we need to bring health care to these 0:07:38.190 --> 0:07:41.550 areas that don't have health care. So I do believe 0:07:41.550 --> 0:07:45.690 that the church needs to recapture its heart, its vision, 0:07:45.690 --> 0:07:48.990 its mission to say, let's not wait around for other 0:07:48.990 --> 0:07:51.570 people to do it. We have a call. Let's step 0:07:51.570 --> 0:07:52.770 in and do it ourselves. 0:07:52.770 --> 0:07:55.020 And when we pray for God's leading, very often we're 0:07:55.020 --> 0:07:58.950 expecting something dramatic. God, give me something big to do. 0:07:58.980 --> 0:08:01.020 You know, something that's going to make a huge impact 0:08:01.020 --> 0:08:03.450 when in fact, he wants us to be faithful in 0:08:03.450 --> 0:08:04.770 the little things along the way. 0:08:04.770 --> 0:08:08.040 That's right. And by the way, let me say this. 0:08:08.070 --> 0:08:14.550 Most big impacts start very small. Yeah, we don't get 0:08:14.550 --> 0:08:19.770 these lightning bolts from heaven typically. It's usually small faithfulness 0:08:19.770 --> 0:08:25.080 that starts to have a snowball effect. And then years later, 0:08:25.080 --> 0:08:28.710 someone that's just been faithful to their call looks back 0:08:28.710 --> 0:08:33.030 and sees the tremendous impact. I think of a Sunday 0:08:33.030 --> 0:08:39.690 school teacher in Boston who wasn't a great orator, didn't 0:08:39.690 --> 0:08:43.920 have a huge Sunday school, Mr. Kimball, but he had 0:08:43.920 --> 0:08:48.300 a heart to be faithful with the teenagers that he 0:08:48.300 --> 0:08:51.209 had in Sunday school. And so one day, because of 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:54.300 that heart of faithfulness, he visited a shoe store where 0:08:54.330 --> 0:08:58.890 a 17 year old boy was working, and he poured 0:08:58.890 --> 0:09:02.370 out his heart and the gospel. And this young boy 0:09:02.370 --> 0:09:04.470 in the back of the shoe store gave his life 0:09:04.470 --> 0:09:08.640 to Christ. Well, his name was D.L. Moody, and Kimball 0:09:08.670 --> 0:09:11.820 led him faithfully to the Lord. Little did he know 0:09:11.820 --> 0:09:17.309 that Kimball's faithfulness would have repercussions in D.L. Moody would 0:09:17.309 --> 0:09:21.809 go on to speak to 120 million people face to 0:09:21.840 --> 0:09:24.569 face in his life, and lead literally millions of people 0:09:24.570 --> 0:09:28.410 to Christ. But Kimball was simply being faithful to his call, 0:09:28.590 --> 0:09:29.699 and that's what we're talking about. 0:09:29.730 --> 0:09:32.459 That's a great example. And I'm thinking of your own example, Mark, 0:09:32.490 --> 0:09:34.890 of that first little church that you took over as 0:09:34.890 --> 0:09:38.400 pastor in Chicago, and how it's grown into a network 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:40.410 of churches throughout the whole Chicago area. 0:09:40.440 --> 0:09:42.809 Yeah. And little did we know, I was 21 years 0:09:42.809 --> 0:09:46.410 old and stepped into this little church of 18 people 0:09:46.410 --> 0:09:51.600 in a really tough neighborhood, and God doesn't call us 0:09:52.230 --> 0:09:56.280 to do big things. He calls us to be faithful 0:09:56.280 --> 0:09:58.980 to a big God that does big things. 0:09:59.010 --> 0:10:00.739 Well, that's a great start, Mark, but we're going to 0:10:00.740 --> 0:10:03.620 continue this special edition of Bold Steps. So I invite 0:10:03.620 --> 0:10:12.439 everyone to stay with us now. Well, before we continue 0:10:12.440 --> 0:10:14.840 our discussion on this special edition of Bold Steps, we 0:10:14.840 --> 0:10:17.240 want to tell you about a powerful resource that is 0:10:17.240 --> 0:10:20.329 especially relevant to anyone who's feeling a little overwhelmed by 0:10:20.330 --> 0:10:23.390 the chaos of our times. Mark, can we talk about this? 0:10:23.420 --> 0:10:26.210 Yeah, I love this resource, by the way, and I've 0:10:26.210 --> 0:10:30.110 spoken on a couple of occasions to the author. His 0:10:30.110 --> 0:10:33.110 name is Mark Sayers, lives in Australia. 0:10:33.140 --> 0:10:33.770 Does he? I didn't know. 0:10:33.770 --> 0:10:37.939 That. Yeah, and just a great guy, a really sharp 0:10:37.970 --> 0:10:42.020 thinker on culture and what God is doing. And the 0:10:42.020 --> 0:10:46.820 book is called A Non-anxious presence. I love the title 0:10:46.820 --> 0:10:51.679 of the book because Mark makes a compelling argument that 0:10:51.710 --> 0:10:55.460 what the world needs today is Christians that don't get 0:10:55.460 --> 0:10:58.429 sucked into the anxiety of the rest of the world. 0:10:58.429 --> 0:11:02.700 But when we are a non-anxious presence full of hope 0:11:02.700 --> 0:11:05.700 that that is the beginning point to begin to change 0:11:05.700 --> 0:11:06.210 our world. 0:11:06.240 --> 0:11:07.829 The title makes you think, doesn't it? 0:11:07.860 --> 0:11:11.280 Yeah. He subtitles it, by the way, how a changing 0:11:11.280 --> 0:11:17.459 and complex world will create a remnant of renewed Christian leaders. 0:11:17.490 --> 0:11:20.670 Now, this resource couldn't be more timely. God is moving 0:11:20.670 --> 0:11:24.630 in powerful ways, even through circumstances that may seem chaotic. 0:11:24.660 --> 0:11:28.380 Learn to recognize divine opportunities in the midst of disruption, 0:11:28.380 --> 0:11:31.650 and lead others with wisdom and hope. By requesting your 0:11:31.650 --> 0:11:35.370 copy of a Non-anxious presence, we'll send it to you 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:38.670 with your gift of any size. To support bold steps, 0:11:38.670 --> 0:11:41.309 you can easily donate through a number of ways by 0:11:41.340 --> 0:11:44.790 going online to Bold Steps. Org or calling us at 0:11:44.790 --> 0:11:51.900 800 D.L. Moody. That's (800) 356-6639 or even sending a check 0:11:51.900 --> 0:11:55.080 in the mail. Just address your envelope to bold steps. 0:11:55.080 --> 0:12:06.650 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And welcome 0:12:06.650 --> 0:12:09.410 back to the special edition of Bold Steps with our speaker, 0:12:09.410 --> 0:12:12.560 Mark Jobe and Wayne Shepherd. Now, Mark was seen such 0:12:12.590 --> 0:12:14.960 amazing growth in this ministry just recently. We're excited to 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:18.530 welcome new listeners from major stations like K Wave and 0:12:18.530 --> 0:12:22.910 Southern California. Uh, let's see, there's Kcby in Dallas, Historic 0:12:22.910 --> 0:12:27.500 Christian Station there, Edgewater, Florida, Wcto. And you've got some 0:12:27.530 --> 0:12:28.550 that you're thinking of, too. 0:12:28.580 --> 0:12:31.970 Yeah, I'm thinking of the bridge that this is just 0:12:31.970 --> 0:12:36.080 recent last month or so, and that broadcast through all 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:40.070 of New York City from new Jersey. And I tell 0:12:40.070 --> 0:12:43.490 you what, we God is just opening some incredible doors 0:12:43.520 --> 0:12:47.990 internationally as well. We get, uh, contacts from people that 0:12:47.990 --> 0:12:52.760 are listening, not just through, uh, terrestrial radio, but also 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:55.430 through the internet. And so we get from all kinds 0:12:55.429 --> 0:12:57.650 of countries around the world, hey, I listen to Bold 0:12:57.650 --> 0:13:00.360 Steps on a regular basis, and I say, do we 0:13:00.360 --> 0:13:02.880 have a station there or they're just listening. 0:13:03.090 --> 0:13:03.900 To the radio. 0:13:03.900 --> 0:13:05.280 App, which is amazing. 0:13:05.309 --> 0:13:07.260 Well, and I know we can't cover them all, but 0:13:07.260 --> 0:13:09.420 we're so grateful for each and every one. There's Faith 0:13:09.420 --> 0:13:12.810 radio Minneapolis reaching the Upper Midwest and so many of 0:13:12.809 --> 0:13:15.240 our great partners who carry bold steps. So thank you 0:13:15.240 --> 0:13:17.820 to our stations. Maybe our listeners can say thank you 0:13:17.820 --> 0:13:20.160 to those stations as well. That would be a real 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:23.370 help to us. Absolutely. Okay. Well, we're talking about a 0:13:23.370 --> 0:13:25.590 very special lesson here today that we learned from the 0:13:25.590 --> 0:13:30.300 life of Patrick of Ireland how one person's obedience can multiply. Mark. 0:13:30.330 --> 0:13:35.310 Yeah. As we think of Patrick, we just recently celebrated 0:13:35.309 --> 0:13:38.760 Saint Patrick's Day. But as we think of his impact, 0:13:38.760 --> 0:13:43.829 we're inspired to challenge all of our listeners to remember 0:13:43.860 --> 0:13:48.089 you have a call on your life, and our calls 0:13:48.090 --> 0:13:52.380 look different, our gifting is different, but we're all called. 0:13:52.380 --> 0:13:55.679 There's so many stories that come to my mind and 0:13:55.679 --> 0:13:58.439 so many people that I know that have been launched 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:02.599 out from Moody Bible Institute. So many testimonies, but I'm 0:14:02.840 --> 0:14:09.470 always amazed how people simply say, God, I'm probably not qualified. 0:14:09.470 --> 0:14:14.210 I probably don't have what's necessary, but I simply want 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:18.620 to say I'm available and I'm surrendered. And usually God 0:14:18.650 --> 0:14:24.380 takes that sort of spirit and attitude and he's able 0:14:24.380 --> 0:14:29.690 to multiply it. He's able to compound it with his power, 0:14:29.690 --> 0:14:33.260 and his spirit is able to do some incredible things. 0:14:33.290 --> 0:14:36.140 Yeah. Mark, I've been in radio for many, many years, 0:14:36.140 --> 0:14:37.820 and I often have people say, how do I get 0:14:37.820 --> 0:14:40.729 to do what you do? Little do they realize you've 0:14:40.730 --> 0:14:42.830 got to start with the small things. I mean, start 0:14:42.830 --> 0:14:46.310 at your church and volunteer to narrate scripture in your 0:14:46.310 --> 0:14:47.300 church or something. 0:14:47.330 --> 0:14:51.350 Yeah, even as I think of my own journey and story, 0:14:51.350 --> 0:14:54.380 I think of things that we started very, very small, 0:14:54.380 --> 0:14:57.200 just out of a sense of call. For example, 20 0:14:57.200 --> 0:15:01.580 years ago I was driving down Kedzie Avenue, which is 0:15:01.580 --> 0:15:04.970 a street in Chicago, and I was doing visitation with 0:15:04.970 --> 0:15:07.070 two other people in the car, and I saw a 0:15:07.070 --> 0:15:12.410 teenager that looked familiar. And when I looked closer, I realized, hey, 0:15:12.410 --> 0:15:15.530 that's a teenager that I haven't seen in church for 0:15:15.530 --> 0:15:19.040 a long time. So as a good pastor, I stopped 0:15:19.040 --> 0:15:22.310 the car. I got out of the car and I yelled, hey, hey! 0:15:22.310 --> 0:15:25.550 And I started chasing after him. There he was. And 0:15:25.550 --> 0:15:27.890 he said, oh, pastor, I didn't know it was you. 0:15:27.920 --> 0:15:30.650 And his name was Freddie. I said, Freddie, where've you been? 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:34.280 He's 16 years old. He had his leg bandaged up 0:15:34.280 --> 0:15:37.400 because he'd been shot in the leg. Gang activity. The 0:15:37.400 --> 0:15:41.750 kids he was hanging out with were gang affiliated. And 0:15:41.750 --> 0:15:44.150 so I talked to Freddie, prayed with him. But when 0:15:44.150 --> 0:15:46.310 I walked out of there, I thought we got to 0:15:46.310 --> 0:15:49.940 do more for kids like Freddie. I said, when I 0:15:49.940 --> 0:15:52.520 get a chance, we're going to open up a center 0:15:52.520 --> 0:15:56.840 for youth like Freddie that need more help. And so 0:15:56.840 --> 0:15:59.750 it was a couple of years later, we didn't have 0:15:59.750 --> 0:16:04.280 a budget, but we're going to open up new life centers. 0:16:04.280 --> 0:16:09.290 We had little resources. 20 years later, New Life Centers 0:16:09.290 --> 0:16:14.870 has almost 300 people on staff working throughout Chicago in 0:16:14.870 --> 0:16:19.250 so many places with, you know, 1500 youth a week 0:16:19.250 --> 0:16:23.570 being mentored. We didn't have all the resources. We just said, Lord, 0:16:23.570 --> 0:16:27.770 here's a burden. Let's start small and see what you do. 0:16:28.010 --> 0:16:30.020 And so I want to challenge you. You may have 0:16:30.020 --> 0:16:34.340 a burden, but not a master plan. The resources or 0:16:34.340 --> 0:16:37.100 even the gifts that you think you need. And I 0:16:37.100 --> 0:16:40.070 want to say it starts with a burden and a 0:16:40.070 --> 0:16:43.970 heart that says, here I am, Lord, use me and 0:16:43.970 --> 0:16:46.130 watch what God does. 0:16:46.190 --> 0:16:48.470 Mark, thanks for that great challenge. I think that's so 0:16:48.470 --> 0:16:52.550 encouraging for listeners who maybe feel like their contribution doesn't matter. 0:16:52.550 --> 0:16:55.100 Every great movement of God started with individual people simply 0:16:55.100 --> 0:16:57.560 saying yes to whatever he put in front of them. 0:16:57.560 --> 0:17:00.479 That's such an important lesson. You know, maybe right now 0:17:00.480 --> 0:17:02.700 you are looking for new ways to start living on 0:17:02.700 --> 0:17:05.250 mission right where you are with what you have. And 0:17:05.250 --> 0:17:07.320 perhaps one of the ways is to become more than 0:17:07.320 --> 0:17:09.930 just a listener of bold steps and actually become part 0:17:09.930 --> 0:17:13.109 of this ministry. You can sign up as a bold partner. 0:17:13.109 --> 0:17:15.899 Through your monthly support, you'll be putting money directly to 0:17:15.930 --> 0:17:18.420 use for the advancement of the gospel, expanding your own 0:17:18.420 --> 0:17:21.989 ministry impact beyond borders and across the world. Plus, let 0:17:22.020 --> 0:17:23.939 me say that when you give a gift a monthly 0:17:23.940 --> 0:17:27.060 gift of $30 or more, you'll also receive a number 0:17:27.060 --> 0:17:31.440 of personal benefits as well, including discounts on moody publisher items, 0:17:31.440 --> 0:17:35.100 their special bonus content from Mark, and much more. So 0:17:35.100 --> 0:17:36.840 becoming a bold partner is quick and easy when you 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:39.630 go to bold steps. Org Mark. It's just such a 0:17:39.630 --> 0:17:41.250 a wonderful thing to partner with listeners. 0:17:41.280 --> 0:17:43.470 It really is. And we just want to say we're 0:17:43.470 --> 0:17:46.679 blown away by the open doors that God has given us. 0:17:46.710 --> 0:17:51.720 I'm touched deeply by some of the gifts that people give. Like, 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:55.500 we sometimes will get gifts from prisoners that are serving 0:17:55.500 --> 0:17:58.770 sentences in prison and just say, you know, I don't 0:17:58.770 --> 0:18:00.869 have a job, I don't have much. But you've touched 0:18:00.869 --> 0:18:02.700 my heart and I want to give. And I'm like, 0:18:02.730 --> 0:18:05.640 oh man, that touches my heart. I have a list 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:08.250 in front of me of people that are giving from 0:18:08.250 --> 0:18:15.030 all over the country, like Robert, who's in Belchertown, Massachusetts. 0:18:15.060 --> 0:18:20.220 We have Sasha in Chicago, Robert in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Vance 0:18:20.250 --> 0:18:27.450 from Akron, Ohio, Ray from Painesville, Ohio, Angel from sunrise, Florida, 0:18:27.480 --> 0:18:34.230 Brenda from surprise, Arizona. Robert from Athens, Tennessee. Francis from Columbia, 0:18:34.260 --> 0:18:37.860 South Carolina. Sabrina from Hampshire, Illinois. 0:18:37.980 --> 0:18:38.940 They're from all over the place. 0:18:38.970 --> 0:18:42.390 They're from all over the place. And I just want 0:18:42.420 --> 0:18:44.609 to say thank you from the bottom of our heart 0:18:44.609 --> 0:18:49.979 for just your support of this ministry, because some of 0:18:49.980 --> 0:18:53.220 you are giving for people that can't give. And when 0:18:53.220 --> 0:18:56.430 we hear people from certain parts of Africa that I 0:18:56.430 --> 0:19:00.400 know wouldn't be able to give much, but that Muslim youth, 0:19:00.400 --> 0:19:03.220 that his family is against him. But he came to 0:19:03.250 --> 0:19:07.300 Christ listening to bold steps secretly that touches my heart, 0:19:07.300 --> 0:19:11.350 or that prisoner that says, I came to know Jesus. 0:19:11.350 --> 0:19:14.199 Because of this program, I don't have much to give. 0:19:14.230 --> 0:19:17.109 And I say, hey, this is worth it. 0:19:17.140 --> 0:19:19.030 We work hard to make this more than a one 0:19:19.060 --> 0:19:22.150 way conversation. We love hearing from listeners, so contact us 0:19:22.150 --> 0:19:25.630 today through our website Bold Steps. Org. Sometimes you have 0:19:25.630 --> 0:19:28.629 a question for Mark and that's okay too. Here's a 0:19:28.630 --> 0:19:31.119 question that comes from a listener. Mark. It came on 0:19:31.119 --> 0:19:32.740 our recorded line, which I'll tell you how to use 0:19:32.740 --> 0:19:34.750 this option for your own questions in just a moment. 0:19:34.750 --> 0:19:36.909 But here's what this caller had to say. 0:19:37.450 --> 0:19:41.590 Hi there. I'm listening to today's broadcast and I am 0:19:41.590 --> 0:19:45.790 a very devout Catholic Christian. He brought up the topic 0:19:45.790 --> 0:19:52.480 of idolization specifically like replicating Jesus and bowing down to 0:19:52.510 --> 0:19:56.500 some type of sculpture. I was questioned once for wearing 0:19:56.530 --> 0:20:00.290 a cross around my neck and was told that that 0:20:00.290 --> 0:20:03.590 is a form of idolization just as much as the 0:20:03.590 --> 0:20:07.639 Christians and the Catholics wear crosses and rosaries. But you know, 0:20:07.670 --> 0:20:11.719 I know it's a representation. I'm not idolizing that actual 0:20:11.720 --> 0:20:16.399 piece of material, but others are interpreting us wearing that 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:20.030 as such. And just curious his thoughts on this topic. 0:20:20.060 --> 0:20:20.840 Thank you. 0:20:21.230 --> 0:20:23.810 That's a great question. Thank you for asking that. By 0:20:23.810 --> 0:20:27.830 the way, I grew up in Spain, where over 90% 0:20:27.830 --> 0:20:30.859 was Catholic, so I grew up with just tons of 0:20:30.859 --> 0:20:34.760 Catholic friends and know that culture very well. I would 0:20:34.760 --> 0:20:38.210 say this. That's a good question. The Bible does speak 0:20:38.210 --> 0:20:46.219 specifically about not making any image in the form of God, 0:20:46.250 --> 0:20:50.060 because we would be tempted to start to pray to 0:20:50.090 --> 0:20:54.410 it and idolize it. And so the Bible is very 0:20:54.410 --> 0:21:00.359 strong about not making images that we would associate anything 0:21:00.359 --> 0:21:05.880 divine with. However, symbols are different and I don't have 0:21:05.880 --> 0:21:12.060 any problem with the person that has a cross symbol. 0:21:12.060 --> 0:21:16.470 The early believers had a fish symbol, and the cross is. 0:21:16.500 --> 0:21:19.439 It's a representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of 0:21:19.440 --> 0:21:24.179 Jesus of Christianity. Now, as long as people aren't praying 0:21:24.210 --> 0:21:28.050 to that cross, touching it in a magical way, thinking 0:21:28.050 --> 0:21:32.460 that it has some sort of special magical power, I 0:21:32.460 --> 0:21:37.200 have no problem with people wearing crosses. I have more 0:21:37.200 --> 0:21:40.770 of an issue if the cross has the image of Jesus. 0:21:40.770 --> 0:21:45.060 I prefer a plain cross because it's a symbol of 0:21:45.060 --> 0:21:48.390 the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, not an image 0:21:48.390 --> 0:21:51.510 of Jesus himself. And so if you are wearing a 0:21:51.510 --> 0:21:54.060 plain cross to remind you of what Jesus has done, 0:21:54.090 --> 0:21:55.530 or if you have a cross in your house, I 0:21:55.530 --> 0:21:58.740 have no problem with that. Churches have crosses on steeples 0:21:58.740 --> 0:22:02.030 and so don't feel guilty over that. Just make sure 0:22:02.030 --> 0:22:05.480 you don't pray to that cross, worship that cross, or 0:22:05.480 --> 0:22:07.460 in any way idolize that cross. 0:22:07.490 --> 0:22:10.340 Good question and good answer. Thank you Mark. And if 0:22:10.340 --> 0:22:12.470 you have a question you'd like to hear, Mark answer, 0:22:12.500 --> 0:22:14.030 let me tell you how to reach us. You can 0:22:14.030 --> 0:22:15.859 give us a call and leave your message on a 0:22:15.859 --> 0:22:24.950 recorded line by dialing 312329 2011. That's (312) 329-2011. You can 0:22:24.950 --> 0:22:27.710 also leave that message online through our website. Bold steps. 0:22:27.920 --> 0:22:31.250 Org or use the old fashioned mail if you'd like, 0:22:31.280 --> 0:22:34.970 and write to us at Bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, 0:22:35.000 --> 0:22:38.750 Illinois 606 ten. And let me also say that we 0:22:38.780 --> 0:22:40.940 are committed to praying for our listeners. Mark. As a 0:22:40.940 --> 0:22:43.490 matter of fact, we do this often as a staff 0:22:43.490 --> 0:22:46.790 behind the scenes and sometimes on the radio. But every 0:22:46.790 --> 0:22:48.830 prayer request is read that we receive. 0:22:48.859 --> 0:22:50.990 It is. And I just want to say thank you 0:22:50.990 --> 0:22:55.250 for entrusting us with some of your burdens. Um, we 0:22:55.250 --> 0:22:58.760 do know that there is a lot of difficult situations 0:22:58.760 --> 0:23:01.440 out there. And I just if you're in a tough 0:23:01.440 --> 0:23:08.070 situation financial health wise in a marriage that's difficult or 0:23:08.070 --> 0:23:10.710 any other, we just want to say that you're not alone. 0:23:10.710 --> 0:23:13.439 And we want to encourage you to know that the 0:23:13.470 --> 0:23:16.080 God of the universe sees you and cares for you. 0:23:16.080 --> 0:23:19.680 And so our heart goes out. We're praying for people 0:23:19.680 --> 0:23:24.720 like Rachel, who's dealing with healthy boundaries with their family, 0:23:24.720 --> 0:23:32.970 or Christy, who's battling some struggle with depression, anxiety. Elizabeth, 0:23:32.970 --> 0:23:36.209 who is praying for her husband to really be touched 0:23:36.240 --> 0:23:39.150 of God and turn around an angel who's praying for 0:23:39.150 --> 0:23:44.010 his church to get on target together. We're praying for 0:23:44.010 --> 0:23:46.320 some of you, like Concepcion, that's praying for a lot 0:23:46.350 --> 0:23:48.900 of her family that needs to come to know Jesus. 0:23:48.930 --> 0:23:52.770 So many, so many prayer requests. I want to pause 0:23:52.800 --> 0:23:54.840 right now and just pray. But I want you to 0:23:54.869 --> 0:23:57.810 know that we read through these. We pray for these. 0:23:57.810 --> 0:24:00.650 I want to remind you not to give up, because 0:24:00.650 --> 0:24:02.990 the God of the universe hears you when you pray 0:24:02.990 --> 0:24:06.859 in Jesus name, empowered by the spirit. Father, we pray 0:24:07.190 --> 0:24:16.129 for those that are struggling with depression, anxiety, emotional challenges. 0:24:16.130 --> 0:24:19.520 We pray for those that are have loved, ones that 0:24:19.520 --> 0:24:22.970 are battling with cancer, those that are in marriages that 0:24:22.970 --> 0:24:25.879 seem to be falling apart, those that have prodigal sons 0:24:25.880 --> 0:24:30.860 and daughters that really burden them, uh, those that have 0:24:30.859 --> 0:24:36.380 aging parents that are struggling, those that are between jobs 0:24:36.380 --> 0:24:41.000 right now and finances are tight, those that are struggling 0:24:41.000 --> 0:24:44.570 with their faith right now and just trying to regain 0:24:44.570 --> 0:24:48.920 healthy spirituality. You see the prayer request, father, we lift 0:24:48.920 --> 0:24:51.709 them before you. We thank you, God, that you are 0:24:51.710 --> 0:24:55.010 the God that cares, the God that sees. The God 0:24:55.010 --> 0:24:57.410 that responds to our prayers. And when we turn to 0:24:57.440 --> 0:25:00.390 you and seek you with all our heart. And so 0:25:00.390 --> 0:25:03.540 we pray that you would move powerfully the way that 0:25:03.540 --> 0:25:06.060 only you know how to do in these lives and 0:25:06.060 --> 0:25:09.630 in these families and these situations. And we ask this 0:25:09.660 --> 0:25:12.360 and praise you in Jesus name. Amen. 0:25:12.390 --> 0:25:14.909 Amen. Thank you, Mark. And by the way, there's an 0:25:14.910 --> 0:25:17.610 email address you can use to send us your prayer requests. 0:25:17.609 --> 0:25:24.629 It's bold steps@moody.edu bold steps@moody.edu. Well thank you Mark. I 0:25:24.630 --> 0:25:26.700 trust this special edition of Bold Steps has been a 0:25:26.700 --> 0:25:28.860 blessing to many of our listeners. And we'll do this 0:25:28.859 --> 0:25:30.630 again real soon on a special occasion. 0:25:30.660 --> 0:25:34.110 Okay, absolutely. It's been fun and I hope you've enjoyed 0:25:34.109 --> 0:25:37.859 this special edition. Not the preaching program, but what we 0:25:37.859 --> 0:25:40.590 try to do is take a topic that maybe you've 0:25:40.590 --> 0:25:43.710 asked about or our listeners are interested in, and just 0:25:43.710 --> 0:25:45.630 talk a little bit more in depth about it. It's 0:25:45.630 --> 0:25:46.200 been fun to do. 0:25:46.230 --> 0:25:47.879 Wayne, hope you have a great weekend. We'll see you 0:25:47.880 --> 0:25:51.990 next time on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps 0:25:51.990 --> 0:25:54.420 is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody 0:25:54.420 --> 0:25:55.650 Bible Institute.