WEBVTT - The Treasure Principles – Part 2 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:03.880 Today on bold steps with Mark job, we're taking a 0:00:03.880 --> 0:00:06.560 hard look at what we truly treasure in this life. 0:00:07.160 --> 0:00:09.200 The Bible tells us that Jesus said, you want to 0:00:09.200 --> 0:00:11.720 come and follow me. That means that I affect the 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:14.200 way you talk, the way you walk, the way you think, 0:00:14.240 --> 0:00:17.880 your attitudes, how you marry, how you parent, how you read, 0:00:17.880 --> 0:00:20.520 what you think, what you do. Because I am the 0:00:20.520 --> 0:00:23.079 Lord of your life and I am the master. And 0:00:23.079 --> 0:00:25.000 so therefore, if I'm the Lord of your life, I 0:00:25.040 --> 0:00:27.160 am at the center of your life. 0:00:39.560 --> 0:00:43.159 Welcome to Bold Steps with pastor Mark Jobe, president of 0:00:43.200 --> 0:00:46.120 Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community 0:00:46.120 --> 0:00:50.239 Church in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Yesterday, Mark began an 0:00:50.240 --> 0:00:53.559 eye opening message called The Treasure Principles, where he challenged 0:00:53.560 --> 0:00:56.640 us to examine what we're really valuing in life through 0:00:56.640 --> 0:01:00.360 the illustration of his grandson's treasured backpack. Mark showed us 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:03.400 how the things we value today might look very different 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:07.039 from an eternal perspective. Today, as we continue part two 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:09.440 of this message, we'll discover why the lens through which 0:01:09.440 --> 0:01:12.400 we view life determines how we live it. If you 0:01:12.400 --> 0:01:15.200 miss the first part of this powerful teaching, you'll find it, 0:01:15.200 --> 0:01:19.119 as always at Boldsystems.org. But right now, let's join Mark 0:01:19.120 --> 0:01:20.720 Jobe for today's lesson. 0:01:22.520 --> 0:01:29.199 The great majority of us, I believe we live primarily 0:01:29.200 --> 0:01:33.120 conscious of what we can touch and feel, the here 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:36.160 and the now. And what Jesus is saying is that 0:01:36.160 --> 0:01:39.400 you need to live with a with a bigger mindset. 0:01:40.520 --> 0:01:43.000 The Bible talks in first Thessalonians that we are body, 0:01:43.000 --> 0:01:46.200 soul and spirit. Some people call it the trichotomy of man. 0:01:46.640 --> 0:01:49.320 Your body is that which you you know. It's the 0:01:49.320 --> 0:01:53.680 physical part of you. It sounds like at 73 we 0:01:53.680 --> 0:01:55.840 start to wear out. How many of you are already 0:01:55.840 --> 0:01:59.920 feeling the wearing out? Boy, I don't know. Some of you. 0:01:59.960 --> 0:02:02.530 Just to get up in the morning. There's grunts and 0:02:02.530 --> 0:02:06.370 groans and ah, you know, sounds like you just run 0:02:06.370 --> 0:02:10.130 a marathon. You're just getting out of bed. Um, because 0:02:10.130 --> 0:02:13.970 your body is not meant to last forever. Your body 0:02:13.970 --> 0:02:18.210 has an expiration date. And the moment that your body dies, 0:02:18.210 --> 0:02:22.649 your heart stops beating. Your brainwaves stop functioning. Your body 0:02:22.650 --> 0:02:26.490 is done. It goes to the grave, but your soul 0:02:26.490 --> 0:02:30.609 and your spirit do not have an expiration date. In fact, 0:02:30.610 --> 0:02:33.850 your soul. The Bible talks about the soul of man 0:02:33.850 --> 0:02:37.889 and woman and your soul. Is that unique part of 0:02:37.889 --> 0:02:43.930 you that, uh non-tangible invisible part of you that we 0:02:43.930 --> 0:02:47.250 that makes up who you are. It's your personality. It's 0:02:47.250 --> 0:02:52.170 your mind, your intellect, your volition. It's who makes you. You. 0:02:52.570 --> 0:02:56.210 The Bible says that that does not have an expiration 0:02:56.210 --> 0:02:59.330 date when you die. Listen to me. When you die, 0:02:59.330 --> 0:03:06.370 when your body dies, your soul continues to exist. That's 0:03:06.370 --> 0:03:09.490 not only taught in the Bible, but you will find 0:03:09.490 --> 0:03:14.329 even a lot of other scientific, um, studies that have 0:03:14.330 --> 0:03:17.850 indicated that when people die, their heart stops, yet they 0:03:17.850 --> 0:03:21.850 have this consciousness of seeing their body still on the 0:03:21.889 --> 0:03:24.930 bed there. And they have these experiences that scientists and 0:03:24.930 --> 0:03:29.010 doctors can't explain because there's an awareness, a consciousness, even 0:03:29.010 --> 0:03:31.970 after their body has died, of what was happening in 0:03:31.970 --> 0:03:36.290 the room. Because your body, your soul, it doesn't pass 0:03:36.290 --> 0:03:39.490 away when your body passes away. But then you also 0:03:39.490 --> 0:03:43.050 have a spirit. Every person is born with a spirit. 0:03:43.050 --> 0:03:46.450 You are a spirit being, uh, when you are born, 0:03:46.450 --> 0:03:48.850 the spirit part of you is the part that interacts 0:03:48.850 --> 0:03:51.370 with the spiritual world. So you have a body, you 0:03:51.370 --> 0:03:53.930 have a soul, and you have a spirit. Now don't 0:03:53.930 --> 0:03:57.290 confuse that with the Holy Spirit because you are a 0:03:57.290 --> 0:03:59.810 spiritual being. But the Holy Spirit, which is a third 0:03:59.810 --> 0:04:02.780 person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit. When you become 0:04:02.780 --> 0:04:06.260 a believer, he quickens or makes your spirit alive and 0:04:06.260 --> 0:04:09.620 suddenly you are conscious of the spiritual world. God speaks 0:04:09.620 --> 0:04:11.660 to you in powerful ways. The Word of God comes 0:04:11.660 --> 0:04:14.900 to life. You're convicted. You're led, you're prompted, you're helped. 0:04:14.900 --> 0:04:24.420 You're empowered through the Holy Spirit. So body, soul, and spirit, 0:04:24.420 --> 0:04:27.380 your body passes away. And what Jesus is saying to us, 0:04:27.380 --> 0:04:30.659 listen to me, this is important. What Jesus is saying 0:04:30.700 --> 0:04:37.539 to us is most of us live valuing a very 0:04:37.540 --> 0:04:42.860 temporary treasure when our treasure needs to be more eternal. 0:04:44.420 --> 0:04:46.380 And what Jesus is saying is that most of us, 0:04:46.380 --> 0:04:49.900 our heart is fixed on the here and the now. Um, 0:04:50.820 --> 0:04:52.979 he tells us where your treasure is. There your heart 0:04:52.980 --> 0:04:58.060 will be also. Listen to me. Your heart follows your treasure. 0:04:58.820 --> 0:05:01.780 So look for what you value the most and you 0:05:01.779 --> 0:05:05.580 will find where your heart is at. And when you 0:05:05.580 --> 0:05:09.020 find where your heart is at, you will also find 0:05:09.020 --> 0:05:16.140 the greatest influence on your life. So many of us 0:05:16.180 --> 0:05:22.220 get deluded into thinking that what other people value, the 0:05:22.220 --> 0:05:24.820 material world that we live in, that that is the 0:05:24.820 --> 0:05:27.460 most important thing, and our heart is close to that. 0:05:28.260 --> 0:05:33.179 And we live very shallow, superficial lives because our values 0:05:33.180 --> 0:05:38.219 are placed on things that are temporary. Can I tell 0:05:38.220 --> 0:05:43.620 you something? I mean, that scratch that you got in 0:05:43.660 --> 0:05:46.900 that newer car that you have that almost sent you 0:05:46.900 --> 0:05:52.540 to therapy. You just couldn't get over talking about it 0:05:52.540 --> 0:05:55.340 for weeks on a time, and you were angry and 0:05:55.339 --> 0:05:58.339 upset about it. Can I tell you something? When you 0:05:58.339 --> 0:06:01.710 are on your deathbed, You are not going to have 0:06:01.710 --> 0:06:05.590 one thought about that scratch on your car. Can I 0:06:05.589 --> 0:06:08.270 tell you something else? When you're on the other side 0:06:08.270 --> 0:06:11.550 of life, that is going to seem like some of 0:06:11.550 --> 0:06:15.430 the little items in Finn's backpack. You're going to look 0:06:15.430 --> 0:06:18.830 and say, that was so dumb. Why did I care 0:06:18.910 --> 0:06:23.710 so much about that? And so what Jesus is reminding 0:06:23.710 --> 0:06:27.029 us of is he's telling us, listen, so many of 0:06:27.029 --> 0:06:29.630 us are living our lives with our treasures in the 0:06:29.630 --> 0:06:33.190 wrong place. We need to redefine what our treasure is 0:06:33.190 --> 0:06:36.750 so that our heart can follow our treasures. Jesus is 0:06:36.750 --> 0:06:39.630 very clear about that, because your heart is going to 0:06:39.630 --> 0:06:41.789 be where your treasure is at, and many of us, 0:06:41.790 --> 0:06:43.670 our heart is in the wrong place. And if your 0:06:43.670 --> 0:06:45.710 heart is in the wrong place, you're living the wrong 0:06:45.710 --> 0:06:48.590 way for the wrong things, with the wrong priorities, and 0:06:48.589 --> 0:06:55.669 ultimately wasting your life. Number two, not only your heart 0:06:55.670 --> 0:06:57.950 will always be close to where your treasure is at. 0:06:58.270 --> 0:07:01.989 But secondly, the second treasure principle Is this the way 0:07:02.270 --> 0:07:06.190 the lens through which you view life will determine how 0:07:06.190 --> 0:07:10.550 you live life? Notice what Jesus tells us in verse 22. 0:07:11.470 --> 0:07:14.510 It's in the context of our priorities, our treasures, our heart. 0:07:14.550 --> 0:07:18.550 He says this the eye is the lamp of the body. 0:07:19.270 --> 0:07:22.670 So if your eye is healthy, your whole body will 0:07:22.670 --> 0:07:26.270 be full of light. But if your eye is bad, 0:07:26.470 --> 0:07:30.510 your whole body will be full of darkness. If then 0:07:31.190 --> 0:07:35.870 the light in you is darkness, how great is that darkness? 0:07:36.430 --> 0:07:42.310 Now Jesus says he uses a physical illustration to represent 0:07:42.310 --> 0:07:49.670 a spiritual truth. He says, if you're blind and can't see, 0:07:50.550 --> 0:07:55.790 then your body is full of darkness. Through your eyes 0:07:55.790 --> 0:08:00.600 you see light. And when you see light, you know 0:08:00.600 --> 0:08:04.640 where you're going. Your body's full of light. You have direction. 0:08:04.640 --> 0:08:09.960 You have purpose. But if your eyes are not open, 0:08:10.480 --> 0:08:13.080 then your entire being will be full of darkness. What 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:17.000 is Jesus saying? I believe that Jesus is talking about 0:08:17.720 --> 0:08:23.679 how we see the world and clarity of vision. Clarity 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:26.840 of vision. Many people don't see clearly the purpose and 0:08:26.840 --> 0:08:29.200 the priorities in their life. And when you don't see 0:08:29.240 --> 0:08:31.720 clearly the purpose and priorities of your life, you start 0:08:31.720 --> 0:08:37.400 to live the wrong way. You will always make mistakes 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:40.760 and wrong turns if you cannot see clearly where you're 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:45.840 going spiritually in life. Listen, some of you right now 0:08:46.520 --> 0:08:50.840 have made a virtual mess of your life your marriage, 0:08:50.960 --> 0:08:57.600 your family, your relationships, your priorities, your finances, your emotions, 0:08:57.600 --> 0:09:01.800 your mind. Why? You've made a mess because there's been 0:09:01.800 --> 0:09:06.240 a lack of clarity. You have not seen things clearly, 0:09:06.520 --> 0:09:09.079 spiritually speaking, in your life. And when there's a lack 0:09:09.080 --> 0:09:15.360 of clarity, you make a lot of mistakes. Recently, I 0:09:15.360 --> 0:09:18.880 was driving down I-55, and I don't know if anybody 0:09:18.880 --> 0:09:21.800 else got caught up in this, but as I was driving, 0:09:21.800 --> 0:09:27.760 they had predicted a storm. The sky got dark, the 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:32.560 clouds rolled in, and then suddenly, at first very lightly, 0:09:32.559 --> 0:09:38.960 but then I got pelted with huge hailstones. Was anybody 0:09:38.960 --> 0:09:41.440 else in that? I mean, these were huge. I got 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:44.080 a picture of it. That's my hand right there with those. 0:09:44.679 --> 0:09:48.560 That's literally hailstone that I picked up off the side 0:09:48.559 --> 0:09:51.240 of my yard. They were that big. I mean, golf 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:55.240 ball size. And I had to, uh, cars were pulling 0:09:55.240 --> 0:09:58.760 under bridges. People were turning out there was accidents that 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:01.490 were happening. I actually got off the main expressway, went 0:10:01.490 --> 0:10:03.250 under a tree just because I thought, this is going 0:10:03.290 --> 0:10:06.010 to dent my car. The point was, I couldn't see 0:10:06.050 --> 0:10:09.530 clearly because of the because of the hail, because of 0:10:09.530 --> 0:10:12.130 the darkness that was there. When you can't see clearly, 0:10:12.170 --> 0:10:14.770 you end up in accidents. And there are multiple accidents 0:10:14.770 --> 0:10:17.929 that happened because of lack of clarity. Listen to what 0:10:17.929 --> 0:10:21.690 second Corinthians chapter four verse 18 says. So we fix 0:10:21.690 --> 0:10:25.090 our eyes not on what is seen, but on what 0:10:25.090 --> 0:10:30.210 is unseen. Since what is seen is temporary, but what 0:10:30.210 --> 0:10:32.530 is unseen is eternal. 0:10:39.370 --> 0:10:42.290 You're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, and before 0:10:42.290 --> 0:10:45.770 we continue examining what truly matters our hearts, I want 0:10:45.809 --> 0:10:48.170 to remind you that we love hearing from listeners about 0:10:48.170 --> 0:10:50.610 how these messages impact your life. 0:10:50.770 --> 0:10:54.170 That's right, Wayne, whether you have a testimony to share, 0:10:54.210 --> 0:10:57.770 a prayer request, a Bible question, we love to hear 0:10:57.770 --> 0:11:01.689 from you. And you can reach out to us by 0:11:01.809 --> 0:11:05.810 simply going to our website at Bold Steps dot. Or 0:11:06.210 --> 0:11:08.770 if it's easier for you to do this, you can 0:11:08.770 --> 0:11:14.730 leave a message at 312329 2011. By the way, we 0:11:14.770 --> 0:11:16.970 love to hear people's voices, so if you could do that, 0:11:16.970 --> 0:11:19.370 I'd love to hear the intonation of your voice again. 0:11:19.370 --> 0:11:23.209 That's 312329 2011. 0:11:23.250 --> 0:11:25.330 All right. And speaking of listeners reaching out, here's a 0:11:25.330 --> 0:11:29.089 question we got recently, Mark, to you from Stephanie. If 0:11:29.090 --> 0:11:31.650 we can be forgiven of our sins, how come the 0:11:31.650 --> 0:11:32.610 devil can't? 0:11:33.770 --> 0:11:36.970 Hey, Stephanie, I love your heart of compassion. Let me 0:11:36.970 --> 0:11:40.050 tell you that, boy, we could get in a very 0:11:40.050 --> 0:11:43.450 lengthy theological discussion about this, but let me try to 0:11:43.490 --> 0:11:49.130 keep it simple. Angels are not human beings. There's a 0:11:49.130 --> 0:11:53.570 different relationship that God has with human beings created in 0:11:53.570 --> 0:11:59.689 his image. Then he has with angelic beings. And it appears, Stephanie, 0:11:59.860 --> 0:12:03.780 that there was a season of time where God was 0:12:03.780 --> 0:12:10.540 allowing these angelic beings to choose what their state would be. 0:12:10.980 --> 0:12:15.500 A group of angels that were intent on their own 0:12:15.500 --> 0:12:20.700 glory rebelled against God, and they were given a chance. Before, 0:12:20.740 --> 0:12:23.620 though they were given a chance, they could decide, but 0:12:23.620 --> 0:12:26.980 they were. The Bible says cast out of heaven. We 0:12:26.980 --> 0:12:32.100 know them now as demons and the head fallen angel 0:12:32.140 --> 0:12:37.100 as Lucifer or the devil. Angels both on the good side, 0:12:37.140 --> 0:12:40.980 cannot sin. So there is no angel there in a 0:12:40.980 --> 0:12:43.860 state of not being able to sin. And then we 0:12:43.860 --> 0:12:47.579 have the demonic angels, those that are fallen, that are 0:12:47.620 --> 0:12:50.820 in a state of non redemption. And so they did 0:12:50.820 --> 0:12:55.300 have an opportunity. They chose their state. And now that 0:12:55.300 --> 0:12:57.740 appears to be a permanent state that they live in. 0:12:57.740 --> 0:13:02.740 Again different than human beings. Human beings can always have 0:13:02.740 --> 0:13:05.500 an opportunity to experience a repentant heart. 0:13:05.500 --> 0:13:07.940 I've never thought about that before. So Stephanie, thanks for 0:13:07.940 --> 0:13:10.380 asking the question. Giving Mark a chance to address it 0:13:10.380 --> 0:13:12.340 here today. And if you're listening and want to share 0:13:12.340 --> 0:13:15.420 your own story or your question you have, you can 0:13:15.420 --> 0:13:19.020 contact us again. The website is Bold steps.org. Or as 0:13:19.020 --> 0:13:25.780 Mark said earlier, give us a call (312) 329-2011. Now back 0:13:25.780 --> 0:13:27.940 to the message. Here again is Mark with today's lesson 0:13:27.940 --> 0:13:29.340 the treasure principles. 0:13:35.420 --> 0:13:39.220 Can I tell you that many of us, your treasure 0:13:39.380 --> 0:13:43.140 is in what you see and what God is telling us, 0:13:43.140 --> 0:13:46.540 is that your greatest treasure you normally need, your greatest 0:13:46.540 --> 0:13:49.460 treasure in God's economy needs to be in what you 0:13:49.460 --> 0:13:55.100 cannot see. Not too long ago, my grandson, it was Finn. 0:13:55.980 --> 0:13:58.780 We're in the house and he said. He said, Papa, 0:13:59.300 --> 0:14:02.949 why can't I see God? And so I took him 0:14:02.950 --> 0:14:04.990 to the back window. I had done this with my 0:14:05.470 --> 0:14:09.270 younger kids when they were small as well, and I 0:14:09.309 --> 0:14:13.110 looked out the back window and I said, hey, it 0:14:13.110 --> 0:14:15.829 was a windy day. I said, do you see the wind? 0:14:17.110 --> 0:14:18.630 And he said, yeah, see in the tree, I see 0:14:18.630 --> 0:14:20.190 the wind. I said, no, no, no. Do you see 0:14:20.190 --> 0:14:25.350 the wind? The wind is invisible. You can't see the wind, 0:14:25.870 --> 0:14:29.710 but you see what the wind does. And if you 0:14:29.710 --> 0:14:33.430 open the door you feel the wind. So you can 0:14:33.430 --> 0:14:36.430 feel the presence of God. And you can see the 0:14:36.470 --> 0:14:46.670 hand of God. Even though he's invisible. Hey, that's theology 0:14:46.670 --> 0:14:48.750 for a four year old. But I think it works. 0:14:49.910 --> 0:14:51.390 And can I tell you that? Can I tell you 0:14:51.390 --> 0:14:55.070 the same thing about our relationship with God? The Bible 0:14:55.070 --> 0:14:57.550 tells us that what really, really matters in life is 0:14:57.550 --> 0:15:02.720 usually invisible. And here's here's the question that I ask 0:15:02.760 --> 0:15:05.920 you as you think through this. Where your heart is 0:15:05.920 --> 0:15:08.200 at and where your values are at. I ask you 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:12.600 this question and not to be morbid, not to scare you, 0:15:12.600 --> 0:15:17.240 but if you were to die today unexpectedly, a heart 0:15:17.240 --> 0:15:20.240 attack or get hit by a car and you were 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:23.200 to look over your life, can I ask you this question? 0:15:25.440 --> 0:15:31.240 What would you be living for? Would you be content 0:15:31.240 --> 0:15:34.640 with your life? Or would you look at your life 0:15:34.640 --> 0:15:37.880 and say, I've lived for a lot of things that 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:44.120 really don't matter? I valued a lot of things that 0:15:44.120 --> 0:15:47.840 have little importance and the things that have a lot 0:15:47.840 --> 0:15:53.120 of importance I've neglected. There's only two things on Earth 0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:57.680 that live forever people and the Word of God. Everything 0:15:57.680 --> 0:16:01.480 else is going to perish. And so I want to 0:16:01.520 --> 0:16:04.600 challenge you as we get into the series called On 0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:07.280 Earth as it is in heaven, to ask yourself this question, 0:16:07.280 --> 0:16:10.360 are you really living for what matters? Are you wasting 0:16:10.360 --> 0:16:13.040 your time on things that really have no eternal purpose? 0:16:13.040 --> 0:16:17.480 No significance? Are you storing up treasures just on earth? 0:16:17.520 --> 0:16:20.480 Or are you? Is there anything on the other side 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:23.200 of heaven that you stored up? Is there anything that 0:16:23.200 --> 0:16:27.360 you're building on the other side of the grave, on 0:16:27.360 --> 0:16:30.240 the other side of death that you say, hey, this 0:16:30.240 --> 0:16:33.440 is where my treasure really is at. Not just what 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:40.480 I can see, feel and touch. Number three. And lastly, treasure. 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:44.600 Principle number three. You will end up serving what is 0:16:44.600 --> 0:16:48.600 of highest value in your life. Jesus finishes these couple 0:16:48.640 --> 0:16:53.120 of verses by telling us this no one can serve 0:16:53.120 --> 0:16:56.520 two masters. Either you will hate the one and love 0:16:56.520 --> 0:16:59.280 the other, or you will be devoted to one and 0:16:59.440 --> 0:17:05.119 despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 0:17:05.160 --> 0:17:12.440 He says. I don't know if you've ever been in 0:17:12.440 --> 0:17:16.800 a job situation where there was lack of clarity of 0:17:16.840 --> 0:17:21.600 who was your direct supervisor. If you have ever been 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:25.600 in a job situation where you're your direct supervisor is 0:17:25.600 --> 0:17:28.800 telling you something, and someone else that has authority is 0:17:28.800 --> 0:17:32.120 telling you something else, then you have a conversation. You say, 0:17:32.119 --> 0:17:34.920 wait a second, you told me this. They told me that. 0:17:34.920 --> 0:17:36.840 Can we get clear? Like, what am I supposed to 0:17:36.840 --> 0:17:40.840 be doing? Are you the supervisor? Is he the supervisor? Because. 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:44.600 And then once someone tells you no, I'm the supervisor, 0:17:44.600 --> 0:17:46.719 you need to listen to me. Then what happens is 0:17:46.720 --> 0:17:50.399 you start saying, okay, I know that person is my 0:17:50.400 --> 0:17:55.320 direct supervisor. And if the other person keeps bossing you around, 0:17:55.320 --> 0:17:57.720 you start to despise them more and more. You start to, 0:17:58.000 --> 0:17:59.810 don't talk to me. I already have my orders. Don't talk. 0:17:59.970 --> 0:18:03.370 Please stop it! Enough! I already have, because you can 0:18:03.369 --> 0:18:08.609 only serve two masters. Jesus says you will start to 0:18:08.650 --> 0:18:10.810 love one and despise the other. But you can only 0:18:10.810 --> 0:18:13.890 serve one master. Can I tell you that even in life, 0:18:14.050 --> 0:18:22.170 sometimes good things can become bad masters? For example, anything 0:18:22.170 --> 0:18:27.290 in life that takes the top priority. Anything in life 0:18:27.290 --> 0:18:29.930 that you have set at the center of your life 0:18:30.130 --> 0:18:36.330 that has just become your God, your idol. It's great 0:18:36.330 --> 0:18:39.690 that you have a boyfriend. But listen, if he has 0:18:39.730 --> 0:18:42.610 become the center of your life, if he trumps everything 0:18:42.609 --> 0:18:45.130 else in your life, if he becomes the priority, then 0:18:45.130 --> 0:18:50.650 you have something that has replaced God. Your boyfriend. Hey, 0:18:50.650 --> 0:18:52.169 your job is great and I hope you love it. 0:18:52.170 --> 0:18:54.130 I hope you throw yourself into it, but if that 0:18:54.130 --> 0:18:56.850 trumps everything, if that is the most important thing in 0:18:56.850 --> 0:19:00.100 your life, if everything revolves around your job. If it 0:19:00.100 --> 0:19:02.740 is the highest priority on earth, then you have just 0:19:02.780 --> 0:19:10.020 replaced God with something other than him. Jesus said in 0:19:10.020 --> 0:19:13.460 Matthew chapter ten and I know these are tough words. 0:19:14.020 --> 0:19:18.780 Jesus said, whoever loves father and mother more than me 0:19:19.260 --> 0:19:22.940 is not worthy of me. Whoever loves son or daughter 0:19:22.940 --> 0:19:26.379 more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever 0:19:26.380 --> 0:19:29.380 does not take up his cross and follow me is 0:19:29.380 --> 0:19:33.180 not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it. 0:19:33.220 --> 0:19:36.939 And whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 0:19:37.500 --> 0:19:42.820 Jesus is saying there cannot be anything else at the center. 0:19:43.460 --> 0:19:47.620 I need to be number one. Now listen to me. 0:19:47.619 --> 0:19:50.780 Look up at me. This is important. Some of us 0:19:50.780 --> 0:19:56.820 treat Christianity as though it's a part of your life. Hey, 0:19:56.820 --> 0:19:58.940 I have my trainer at the gym that helps me 0:19:58.940 --> 0:20:01.659 work out. I have my tax person that helps me 0:20:01.700 --> 0:20:05.420 do my taxes. I have a restaurant that I like 0:20:05.420 --> 0:20:07.859 to go to when I don't have time to food, 0:20:07.900 --> 0:20:10.460 and it really helps me out. And I have my 0:20:10.460 --> 0:20:14.700 group of friends there, and I have my church in Christianity, 0:20:15.580 --> 0:20:19.020 and I need a little sprinkle of religion on me. 0:20:19.340 --> 0:20:21.899 It makes me feel good, but I don't want to 0:20:21.900 --> 0:20:26.300 be too, like radical about it. Can I tell you something? 0:20:27.500 --> 0:20:33.020 True Christianity is not sprinkle of religion. If you're going 0:20:33.060 --> 0:20:35.500 to be a follower of Jesus, he says, I want 0:20:35.540 --> 0:20:38.660 to be at the center of your life. You are 0:20:38.660 --> 0:20:43.780 not a Christian. You may be religious. You may be sympathizer. 0:20:44.060 --> 0:20:48.060 You may be a supporter, a fan of, but you're 0:20:48.060 --> 0:20:50.619 really not a Christian unless Jesus is the Lord of 0:20:50.619 --> 0:20:53.859 your life. The Bible tells us that Jesus said, you 0:20:53.859 --> 0:20:57.180 want to come and follow me, then repent, believe and 0:20:57.180 --> 0:21:01.420 be baptized. Confess me as Lord and Savior of your life. 0:21:01.420 --> 0:21:03.379 In other words, I want to be at the center 0:21:03.380 --> 0:21:05.540 of your life. That means that I affect the way 0:21:05.540 --> 0:21:07.980 you talk, the way you walk, the way you think, 0:21:08.020 --> 0:21:11.780 your attitudes, how you marry, how you parent, how you read, 0:21:11.780 --> 0:21:15.140 what you think, what you do, your time, your money, 0:21:15.180 --> 0:21:18.020 money management. Because I am the Lord of your life 0:21:18.020 --> 0:21:20.300 and I am the master. And so therefore, if I'm 0:21:20.300 --> 0:21:22.899 the Lord of your life, I am at the center 0:21:22.900 --> 0:21:29.420 of your life. That's Christianity. You say, well, pastor, that's 0:21:29.420 --> 0:21:32.780 pretty radical. I didn't write it. I just preach it. 0:21:33.940 --> 0:21:36.860 The Bible says that the way that leads to life 0:21:36.859 --> 0:21:39.699 is narrow, and few people find it. And the way 0:21:39.700 --> 0:21:41.900 that leads to destruction is wide, and there's a lot 0:21:41.900 --> 0:21:45.700 of people on it. Why? Because it requires that we 0:21:45.700 --> 0:21:48.220 put Jesus at the center. 0:21:57.980 --> 0:22:00.550 That's today's bold steps with Mark job. The end of 0:22:00.550 --> 0:22:04.270 a lesson titled The Treasure Principles. Mark. This message leaves 0:22:04.270 --> 0:22:05.870 us with a really important question. 0:22:06.230 --> 0:22:06.750 It really. 0:22:06.750 --> 0:22:11.790 Does. Is Jesus at the center of your life? Because 0:22:11.790 --> 0:22:14.830 if he's not at the center of your life, then 0:22:14.869 --> 0:22:20.470 your treasures will not be connected to Jesus. Your your 0:22:20.470 --> 0:22:26.270 treasure will be your job, your house, your career, your sports, 0:22:26.270 --> 0:22:31.030 whatever is the other thing that's taking precedence over God. 0:22:31.070 --> 0:22:34.989 And so this is a great time to examine our 0:22:34.990 --> 0:22:40.790 priorities and ask yourself this question is my treasure really 0:22:40.990 --> 0:22:46.990 found in Christ or am I serving something else? So, father, 0:22:46.990 --> 0:22:50.750 I pray even right now, for that person, that man 0:22:50.750 --> 0:22:54.070 or woman that realizes under conviction right. 0:22:54.070 --> 0:22:58.030 Now that they realize that although they say that they're 0:22:58.030 --> 0:23:02.470 a follower of yours, There's something else that takes priority 0:23:02.470 --> 0:23:05.310 over everything else. Something else that's at the center. And 0:23:05.310 --> 0:23:09.909 I pray today that there would be a repentance, a 0:23:10.910 --> 0:23:16.510 reorganizing of priorities, a realization of the centrality of the 0:23:16.510 --> 0:23:19.830 relationship with you put at the center of their life. 0:23:19.950 --> 0:23:22.669 I pray this in Jesus name, Amen. 0:23:23.070 --> 0:23:26.150 Amen. Thank you. Mark, such an important perspective to take 0:23:26.150 --> 0:23:27.990 with us as we go back into our day to 0:23:27.990 --> 0:23:31.230 day life. And wherever you're listening from right now, let 0:23:31.230 --> 0:23:33.590 me remind you that you can revisit this message or 0:23:33.590 --> 0:23:36.590 share it with someone you know by simply visiting our website. 0:23:36.590 --> 0:23:41.310 Bold steps.org. Have you subscribed to Mark's YouTube channel yet? 0:23:41.310 --> 0:23:43.230 This is a great way to get his latest video 0:23:43.230 --> 0:23:46.550 teachings and insights right on your phone or smart device. 0:23:46.790 --> 0:23:49.630 Just search for Bold Steps Radio on YouTube and click 0:23:49.670 --> 0:23:52.710 the subscribe button to find encouraging content that will help 0:23:52.710 --> 0:23:56.629 you apply biblical truth to your everyday life. And during 0:23:56.630 --> 0:23:58.470 this month, we want to make sure you know about 0:23:58.470 --> 0:24:02.200 our current bold step gift. In today's fast paced world, 0:24:02.200 --> 0:24:06.720 genuine connection often takes a back seat to convenience. After all, 0:24:06.720 --> 0:24:09.359 sending a text is a lot easier than sitting for coffee. 0:24:09.680 --> 0:24:13.360 But doctor Heather Holloman's book The Six Conversations shows us 0:24:13.359 --> 0:24:17.400 there's a better way. Through real world guidance and biblical wisdom, 0:24:17.400 --> 0:24:21.320 this book will transform how you approach every interaction, helping 0:24:21.320 --> 0:24:24.520 you build the meaningful relationships we were designed to have. 0:24:25.119 --> 0:24:28.479 This bold step gift offers proven strategies to help you 0:24:28.480 --> 0:24:33.000 move beyond small. Talk to conversations that truly matter. So 0:24:33.000 --> 0:24:35.120 reach out today and get your copy of this life 0:24:35.160 --> 0:24:37.920 Giving resource. We'll send you a copy with your gift 0:24:37.920 --> 0:24:42.480 of any amount to support both steps. Just call 800. D.L. Moody. 0:24:42.840 --> 0:24:50.280 That's (800) 356-6639 or give online at bird-stamps.org. Or send your 0:24:50.280 --> 0:24:52.880 gift through the mail. Write to us at bold steps. 0:24:52.920 --> 0:24:59.320 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And today, 0:24:59.320 --> 0:25:02.240 consider taking your support to the next level by becoming 0:25:02.240 --> 0:25:05.920 a bold partner through monthly gifts of any amount. These 0:25:05.920 --> 0:25:09.800 partners help us share God's truth with listeners worldwide. Now, 0:25:09.800 --> 0:25:12.920 when your gift is $30 or more each month, we'll 0:25:12.920 --> 0:25:15.680 send you some special bonuses like a signed copy of 0:25:15.680 --> 0:25:20.000 Mark's book unstuck, access to our Bold Partner post, and 0:25:20.000 --> 0:25:23.600 a 50% discount on all items at the Moody Publishers 0:25:23.600 --> 0:25:26.919 online store. Signing up is simple and easy. Just visit 0:25:26.920 --> 0:25:30.840 Bold Steps. I'm Wayne Shepherd and tomorrow we'll be heading 0:25:30.880 --> 0:25:34.359 to Chapel Moody Bible Institute's President's Chapel. That is, to 0:25:34.359 --> 0:25:37.399 hear a message all about experiencing the presence of God. 0:25:37.840 --> 0:25:40.119 Learn how to see God for who he really is. 0:25:40.160 --> 0:25:46.000 Friday right here on Bold Steps with Mark John. Bold 0:25:46.000 --> 0:25:48.800 steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of 0:25:48.840 --> 0:25:50.359 Moody Bible Institute.