WEBVTT - Being Prepared -- Part 2 0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:04.280 Today on Bold Steps with Marc Jobe, a timely message 0:00:04.280 --> 0:00:06.120 about spiritual preparation. 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:08.680 This is a beautiful time to be a follower of 0:00:08.680 --> 0:00:11.320 Jesus the Christ, because there's a lot of people out 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:14.840 there that are searching, wondering, asking. Because in times of 0:00:14.840 --> 0:00:18.280 anxiety and times of chaos, people around us see the 0:00:18.280 --> 0:00:23.000 darkness as well. They see the turbulence. And I'm asking myself, 0:00:23.040 --> 0:00:25.680 who's going to be bold? You need to be ready. 0:00:39.120 --> 0:00:42.520 And welcome to Bold Steps with Marc Jobe, founding pastor 0:00:42.520 --> 0:00:45.760 of New Life Community Church in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd, 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:47.800 and today is a very special day at Bold Steps. 0:00:47.800 --> 0:00:52.560 This is our 2,000th program, 2000 editions of daily Bible teaching. 0:00:52.720 --> 0:00:55.000 And we couldn't be more grateful to God and to 0:00:55.040 --> 0:00:57.760 every listener who's been part of this journey. And the 0:00:57.760 --> 0:01:01.360 subject we're unpacking today is timely. Indeed. It comes from 0:01:01.360 --> 0:01:04.039 a sermon Mark gave at the Moody Bible Institute Chapel. 0:01:04.360 --> 0:01:06.320 And just in case you missed any part or need 0:01:06.319 --> 0:01:08.800 to revisit it later, be sure to visit our website, 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:12.679 Bold steps.org. But now, here's pastor Mark Jobe continuing a 0:01:12.680 --> 0:01:16.880 message from second Timothy chapter three titled Being Prepared. 0:01:18.680 --> 0:01:21.360 To be Honest with You. What struck me recently, over 0:01:21.360 --> 0:01:24.640 the last two weeks as I looked at society. Maybe 0:01:24.640 --> 0:01:29.120 it's existed, but I had not seen before, is the 0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:36.760 unabashed celebration of assassinations that shocked me a bit that 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:44.000 people would celebrate. I don't care what ideology people embrace. 0:01:44.920 --> 0:01:47.160 It struck me probably more closely, because I have a 0:01:47.160 --> 0:01:52.640 31 year old son that has three small children. I 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:58.280 don't remember a day where people celebrated regardless of what 0:01:58.280 --> 0:02:05.530 they believed. But the brutal killing and assassination in our country. 0:02:06.250 --> 0:02:10.170 Shocking but not surprising because we need to be prepared 0:02:10.169 --> 0:02:13.610 for the last days, the Bible tells us. And I 0:02:13.610 --> 0:02:17.290 don't have time to go through the entire description of 0:02:17.290 --> 0:02:20.130 what the last days entails. But you see, there's a 0:02:20.130 --> 0:02:28.690 bleak picture. Lovers of self abusive, ungrateful, unforgiving, slanderous, no self-control, 0:02:28.690 --> 0:02:33.250 not lovers of God rash. And that could be described 0:02:33.290 --> 0:02:37.210 of a lot of seasons, but a season that we 0:02:37.210 --> 0:02:41.290 live in today. But you know what? One of the 0:02:41.290 --> 0:02:49.130 most dangerous to believers is? The very last description. That 0:02:49.130 --> 0:02:54.209 may be shocking. Listen to this. Having a form of 0:02:54.210 --> 0:03:03.330 godliness but denying its power. Having a form of godliness 0:03:04.970 --> 0:03:09.370 but denying its power. We don't live in a secular 0:03:09.410 --> 0:03:14.010 age in which God has been pronounced dead. There's been 0:03:14.010 --> 0:03:18.050 seasons like that. We live in a very spiritual world. 0:03:18.650 --> 0:03:25.049 We live in a world that embraces spirituality, that celebrates spirituality, 0:03:25.570 --> 0:03:35.410 that is, uh, grasping roots and various forms of spiritual, uh, 0:03:35.850 --> 0:03:39.370 worship and ideologies. And that's the world that we live in. 0:03:39.410 --> 0:03:43.090 There's a lot of spirituality out there, but the Bible 0:03:43.250 --> 0:03:45.690 refers to it in the last days, you will find 0:03:47.170 --> 0:03:53.650 a form of godliness, but denying the very power thereof. 0:03:55.570 --> 0:04:00.900 I think in my mind of. Of a a flashlight. 0:04:02.340 --> 0:04:07.380 You know, this little device helps you see. And, um, 0:04:08.380 --> 0:04:13.340 when it has batteries in it. This is a complicated 0:04:13.340 --> 0:04:17.700 one to turn on. There you go. When it has 0:04:17.700 --> 0:04:21.660 batteries in it, it lights the way and you can see. 0:04:22.620 --> 0:04:26.060 But let me tell you, when you take the power 0:04:26.100 --> 0:04:39.219 out of it. It looks similar, but it's useless. From 0:04:39.220 --> 0:04:43.179 the outside, it looks very authentic. You would want it. 0:04:43.700 --> 0:04:47.779 It's desirable to bring light and to a path to understand. 0:04:47.779 --> 0:04:54.300 But really it has no power which renders it useless. 0:04:55.220 --> 0:04:58.020 And I want to tell you that the Bible is 0:04:58.020 --> 0:05:00.740 very clear about this, is that in the last days. 0:05:00.740 --> 0:05:03.900 There will be forms of godliness that deny the power. 0:05:03.900 --> 0:05:06.219 And you say, well, what does that. What exactly does 0:05:06.220 --> 0:05:08.099 that mean? Are we talking about the power of the 0:05:08.100 --> 0:05:10.740 Holy Spirit? I think that's part of it. But if 0:05:10.740 --> 0:05:14.580 you look at Scripture, you'll realize that really the essence 0:05:14.580 --> 0:05:17.860 of the power of the church is the gospel of 0:05:17.860 --> 0:05:23.140 Jesus Christ. And Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel. 0:05:23.180 --> 0:05:26.940 It is the power of God unto salvation. The dunamis 0:05:26.940 --> 0:05:29.740 of God unto salvation. In other words, when there is 0:05:29.740 --> 0:05:33.300 a distortion about the person of Jesus, when there is 0:05:33.300 --> 0:05:37.220 a misunderstanding of how to come to God through what 0:05:37.260 --> 0:05:42.300 Jesus has done, when there's a denial of his sovereignty 0:05:42.500 --> 0:05:46.740 and surrender to him, when Jesus is placed to the side, 0:05:46.740 --> 0:05:50.860 or Jesus is misconstrued. Where the gospel is not clear, 0:05:50.900 --> 0:06:00.710 you have a powerless form of religion. So I want 0:06:00.710 --> 0:06:04.510 you to be aware. I want you to be prepared. 0:06:05.750 --> 0:06:10.830 Prepared because spiritual culture will go darker. Don't get entangled 0:06:11.990 --> 0:06:15.990 in anything that is not clear about the gospel of 0:06:15.990 --> 0:06:21.950 Jesus Christ. And at the center does not proclaim boldly, courageously, 0:06:22.230 --> 0:06:29.870 unashamedly the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you're involved in anything, 0:06:29.870 --> 0:06:32.310 that at the center is not the gospel of Jesus Christ, 0:06:32.310 --> 0:06:34.710 you have danger of being involved in something that has 0:06:34.710 --> 0:06:39.029 a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, and 0:06:39.029 --> 0:06:43.990 makes people feel good about understanding and learning, but denies 0:06:43.990 --> 0:06:48.350 the essence of the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 0:06:51.790 --> 0:07:01.830 Paul goes on and tells Timothy not only. Does he 0:07:01.830 --> 0:07:04.150 need to be prepared because times are getting worse, but 0:07:04.150 --> 0:07:08.790 be prepared because counterfeit leaders will arise. Don't get deceived. 0:07:11.150 --> 0:07:14.750 He says in verse six. There they are, the kind 0:07:14.750 --> 0:07:18.190 who worm their way into homes, gain control of weak 0:07:18.190 --> 0:07:22.150 willed women who are loaded down with sins, are swayed 0:07:22.150 --> 0:07:25.830 by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never 0:07:25.830 --> 0:07:30.869 able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Janus and Jambres 0:07:31.470 --> 0:07:36.390 oppose Moses, so also these men oppose the truth. Men 0:07:36.430 --> 0:07:40.350 of depraved minds who are far away from the faith 0:07:40.350 --> 0:07:43.989 is concerned are rejected, but they will not get very 0:07:43.990 --> 0:07:46.429 far because, as in the case of these men, their 0:07:46.430 --> 0:07:50.910 folly will be clear to everyone. Be prepared. Listen. Look 0:07:50.910 --> 0:07:53.670 up at me. This is important. Be prepared because there's 0:07:53.670 --> 0:07:58.190 a lot of distortions out there. There's a lot of 0:07:58.190 --> 0:08:03.160 false gospels out there. There's a lot of forms of 0:08:03.160 --> 0:08:06.600 spirituality that deny the very essence of the gospel and 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:08.040 do not lead to life. 0:08:12.040 --> 0:08:15.000 Together, we're listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. And 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:18.000 on this, our 2,000th program, we want to pause and 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:19.760 share a little letter that came from one of our 0:08:19.760 --> 0:08:23.679 listeners in Mozambique, Pastor Jose Diaz wrote to us, Mark, 0:08:24.000 --> 0:08:26.520 he said, I would like to express my sincere gratitude 0:08:26.520 --> 0:08:28.960 for the powerful Word of God. You've been sharing. Your 0:08:28.960 --> 0:08:32.400 teachings and encouragement and messages have greatly inspired my spiritual 0:08:32.400 --> 0:08:36.160 life and strengthened my faith in Jesus Christ. Through your words, 0:08:36.160 --> 0:08:39.080 I have learned to trust God more, remain faithful during 0:08:39.080 --> 0:08:42.560 difficult times, and continue walking in his light. Thank you 0:08:42.559 --> 0:08:44.800 for allowing God to use you as a blessing to 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:47.679 many people, including me. The Lord bless you and keep you. 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:49.760 The Lord make his face shine on you and be 0:08:49.760 --> 0:08:51.080 gracious to you. 0:08:51.200 --> 0:08:54.800 Um, I received that, Pastor Diaz, and thank you for 0:08:54.800 --> 0:09:00.319 serving in Mozambique. And, um, we're so encouraged. Listen, it's 0:09:00.400 --> 0:09:05.520 not an easy task to be a pastor nowadays. And 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:08.520 just a reminder, by the way, I would encourage you 0:09:08.520 --> 0:09:12.680 if you're listening to keep your pastor in prayer. Yeah. Uh, 0:09:12.679 --> 0:09:16.679 because it's challenging these days to pastor, but pray for 0:09:16.679 --> 0:09:19.800 their family, pray for their marriages, pray for their boldness. 0:09:20.360 --> 0:09:23.960 Brother Jose, God bless you and your ministry that you're doing. 0:09:24.320 --> 0:09:26.559 You gave us a word of encouragement on the recording 0:09:26.559 --> 0:09:30.160 of our 2000 program. This is number 2000. Wayne, can 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:30.600 you believe that? 0:09:30.640 --> 0:09:31.400 And we're getting younger. 0:09:31.559 --> 0:09:33.520 And we're getting younger all the time. It's hard to 0:09:33.559 --> 0:09:38.880 believe 2000, but we think back to 2000 programs back. 0:09:38.920 --> 0:09:43.239 It's been such an encouragement and blessing to minister for 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:47.760 over seven years, to people really all over the world. 0:09:47.760 --> 0:09:50.640 And so thank you for your words of encouragement. And 0:09:50.640 --> 0:09:52.360 we love to hear from you, by the way. So 0:09:52.360 --> 0:09:54.320 if you're out there and you say, you know what, 0:09:54.360 --> 0:09:59.240 I'm this 2000 anniversary program, uh, just let me send 0:09:59.240 --> 0:10:01.569 a testimony of how God has used this. A word 0:10:01.570 --> 0:10:05.010 of encouragement, prayer requests, whatever it may be. We read 0:10:05.010 --> 0:10:07.850 them all and we love hearing from you. 0:10:07.890 --> 0:10:10.290 Well, his letter reminds us that the support we get 0:10:10.290 --> 0:10:12.890 from our listeners matters deeply to us. So thank you 0:10:12.890 --> 0:10:16.370 for making bold steps possible, especially our bold partners, our 0:10:16.370 --> 0:10:18.890 one time givers, and everyone who's ever called in or 0:10:18.890 --> 0:10:21.610 gone online to give. It's because of you that Pastor 0:10:21.610 --> 0:10:24.850 Diaz and Mozambique gets to hear these messages. We're going 0:10:24.850 --> 0:10:26.330 to talk more about how you can be a part 0:10:26.330 --> 0:10:28.809 of this after today's message. But right now, let's continue 0:10:28.809 --> 0:10:31.729 with being prepared. Here again is Mark Jobe. 0:10:38.970 --> 0:10:41.290 He goes on to explain that they prey on the 0:10:41.290 --> 0:10:47.170 most vulnerable. They deceive. They tell people what they think 0:10:47.170 --> 0:10:50.410 they want to hear. They tap into desires that people 0:10:50.410 --> 0:10:54.370 have to make it sound like, hey, come this way 0:10:54.370 --> 0:10:57.370 and your desires will be fulfilled. But ultimately, they're looking 0:10:57.370 --> 0:11:02.770 for control. They're looking for aggrandizement of themselves, their leading 0:11:02.770 --> 0:11:06.810 people astray. It looks shiny on the outside. It looks 0:11:06.970 --> 0:11:09.850 appealing on the outside. But in the end it really 0:11:09.850 --> 0:11:20.250 leads to condemnation. It's a counterfeit spirituality. He says it 0:11:20.250 --> 0:11:26.650 elevates knowledge. We're lured in by. Come learn this deeper truth. Oh, 0:11:26.690 --> 0:11:29.809 I want to learn. You're so shallow. There's a deeper 0:11:29.809 --> 0:11:32.970 enlightenment truth that you need to know. And we're lured 0:11:32.970 --> 0:11:36.050 into it. And it says they're always learning but never 0:11:36.050 --> 0:11:39.890 coming to the knowledge of the truth. Always being lured 0:11:39.890 --> 0:11:44.530 by the next enlightenment, the next deeper truth, the next revelation. 0:11:44.530 --> 0:11:47.850 But always far from understanding the truth of the Word 0:11:47.850 --> 0:11:51.890 of God. There will be a massive deception in the 0:11:51.890 --> 0:11:57.730 final days. Many people deceived, led astray, abandoning the faith, 0:11:57.850 --> 0:12:01.340 chasing after a form of godliness that denies the power thereof. 0:12:01.380 --> 0:12:06.059 You need to be prepared. You need to be ready 0:12:07.020 --> 0:12:09.739 to be able to distinguish between that which is authentic 0:12:09.740 --> 0:12:14.300 and that which is false. That which is truly of 0:12:14.300 --> 0:12:19.220 God and that which is not of God. He illustrates 0:12:19.220 --> 0:12:25.940 and uses the the name of Janice and Jamboree's, two 0:12:25.940 --> 0:12:29.820 legendary wizards during the time of Pharaoh. Do you remember 0:12:29.820 --> 0:12:33.459 who they were? They were. They withstood Moses as Moses 0:12:33.700 --> 0:12:39.100 did miracles in front of the Pharaoh. They imitated seemingly 0:12:39.100 --> 0:12:42.660 through not just trickery, but it feels like they had 0:12:42.660 --> 0:12:47.300 some sort of supernatural power to imitate the very things 0:12:48.100 --> 0:12:51.700 that were of God. If Moses did it, they did it. 0:12:52.300 --> 0:12:56.420 If Moses produced it, they produced something similar. That's exactly 0:12:56.420 --> 0:13:01.980 how imitation gospel is. It gives you a false counterfeit 0:13:01.980 --> 0:13:06.859 sense of spirituality and connection to God that is not 0:13:06.860 --> 0:13:11.140 vetted through the Word of God and ultimately lacks power. 0:13:16.100 --> 0:13:19.820 Some of you in this auditorium, more than likely stats 0:13:19.820 --> 0:13:24.020 tell us in one way or another, will be lured. 0:13:26.420 --> 0:13:30.740 Drawn out of your faith. Deceived by something that seems 0:13:30.740 --> 0:13:39.179 shiny new but ultimately leads to a place of confusion, 0:13:39.900 --> 0:13:46.819 far from God. Emptiness. Godly. Having a form of godliness 0:13:47.500 --> 0:13:56.740 but lacking the power thereof. Be prepared. Be prepared. I 0:13:56.780 --> 0:14:01.670 said in this very auditorium Heard these very same type 0:14:01.710 --> 0:14:06.510 of messages. I look around at my circle of friends 0:14:06.510 --> 0:14:08.950 and there are some that are more on fire. Passionate 0:14:08.950 --> 0:14:14.750 for Jesus than ever before. Living for God and I 0:14:14.750 --> 0:14:22.470 look at others somewhere in their journey, disenchanted, cynical, pursuing 0:14:22.470 --> 0:14:27.950 the latest shining thing that have abandoned their faith and 0:14:27.950 --> 0:14:31.310 have nothing or little to do with the God of 0:14:31.310 --> 0:14:46.550 the gospel. Guard yourself. Be prepared. And lastly. The Apostle 0:14:46.550 --> 0:14:51.070 Paul tells Timothy, be prepared to pay a price for 0:14:51.070 --> 0:14:58.590 your faith. Don't give up. I know this is not 0:14:58.590 --> 0:15:03.080 a popular message. And I know it's not easy to hear, 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:08.680 but I want you to understand what the season leaders 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:11.880 telling a young leader in the last days. And by 0:15:11.880 --> 0:15:13.880 the way, we're more in the last days than they 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:18.840 were 2000 years more into the last days. So if 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:25.520 you think Timothy's time was intense, it's only intensified. And 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:28.560 I want you to hear what he says. He says, listen, you, however, 0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:32.160 know about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:36.800 my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance. He's basically saying, 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:40.720 look at not just the message, but also look at 0:15:40.720 --> 0:15:44.880 the character of the messenger. The gospel should be manifest 0:15:44.880 --> 0:15:48.520 in the life of the messenger, not perfect, but manifest 0:15:48.520 --> 0:15:52.200 in the integrity in the life of the messenger. And 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:55.840 he tells Timothy, Timothy, you've seen that in me, along 0:15:55.840 --> 0:16:01.360 with persecutions and sufferings. What kinds of things happened to 0:16:01.400 --> 0:16:05.720 me at Antioch and Iconium and Lystra? The persecutions I endured, 0:16:05.720 --> 0:16:11.480 yet the Lord rescued me from them, in fact. Listen, everyone. 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:23.080 There's little wiggle room there. Every single person in this auditorium, 0:16:24.680 --> 0:16:30.000 everyone who wants to live godly in Christ Jesus will 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:40.720 be persecuted. Guaranteed. You say, well, you know, I'm not 0:16:41.000 --> 0:16:45.160 planning on going to a foreign country. It doesn't say 0:16:45.160 --> 0:16:48.360 those that go to foreign country. It says everyone that 0:16:48.360 --> 0:16:52.680 lives godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Now that 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:55.960 degree of persecution may look different, and sometimes it may 0:16:55.960 --> 0:17:00.960 look like just being ostracized or condemned or shunned or 0:17:01.240 --> 0:17:07.040 misunderstood or. There's much worse than that. But you can 0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:12.359 expect that if you live Jesus way counterculture, that if 0:17:12.400 --> 0:17:15.760 you live the way of Christ, that there will be misunderstanding. 0:17:15.760 --> 0:17:19.560 Part of the beauty of following Jesus and part of 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:25.000 the the pathway that Jesus has called us to. Jesus said, hey, 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:27.680 the world misunderstood me and hated me. And do you 0:17:27.680 --> 0:17:30.280 think that if you're going to follow me, they're going 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:34.120 to applaud you and celebrate you and chase after you? Hey, 0:17:34.160 --> 0:17:37.200 you signed up to follow someone that was hated and 0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:40.600 as someone that was hated, you will have haters around you. 0:17:40.640 --> 0:17:44.000 Make sure it's because your faith and not because you're obnoxious. 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:54.840 But that is part of our call. And he says, listen, 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:58.400 what happened? And I what happened at Antioch? Well, in Antioch, 0:17:58.480 --> 0:18:01.369 Antioch in acts chapter 13, Paul was kicked out of 0:18:01.369 --> 0:18:06.129 the city for preaching what happened in Iconium. You find 0:18:06.130 --> 0:18:09.290 in acts chapter 14 he was almost executed by stoning. 0:18:09.490 --> 0:18:13.730 What happened in Lystra where he was actually stoned and 0:18:13.730 --> 0:18:19.090 left for dead in acts chapter 14, verse 19. But 0:18:19.090 --> 0:18:22.689 he says, everyone who wants to live godly in Christ 0:18:22.690 --> 0:18:27.850 Jesus will be persecuted. Evildoers and impostors will go from 0:18:27.850 --> 0:18:30.369 bad to worse. And then he switches his attention. I 0:18:30.369 --> 0:18:32.409 don't have time to get into these passages, but he 0:18:32.410 --> 0:18:34.930 basically says, know the word, know the word, know the word, 0:18:34.930 --> 0:18:43.890 know the word, know the word. You say, okay, now 0:18:43.890 --> 0:18:50.370 I'm depressed. No, you shouldn't be. You should be joyous 0:18:50.369 --> 0:18:53.410 that we can carry the message of Jesus the Christ 0:18:54.050 --> 0:18:56.250 in a world that did not understood him and will 0:18:56.250 --> 0:18:59.369 not understand us, but we have the joy and privilege 0:18:59.369 --> 0:19:03.020 of doing that boldly, because he has not given us 0:19:03.020 --> 0:19:05.420 a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and of 0:19:05.420 --> 0:19:13.020 a sound mind. And so here's my challenge to you. 0:19:13.020 --> 0:19:14.820 I'm going to ask that you stand in the musicians 0:19:14.820 --> 0:19:25.260 come make their way onto the stage. Here's my challenge 0:19:25.260 --> 0:19:31.500 to you. In light of the circumstances around us, in 0:19:31.500 --> 0:19:36.340 light of the violence that we see in light of 0:19:36.340 --> 0:19:45.220 some of the. Crazy degradation of our culture, it's easy 0:19:46.380 --> 0:19:52.500 to shrink back in fear. It's easy to pull back, 0:19:54.220 --> 0:19:58.260 get anxious. And can I just tell you this is 0:19:58.260 --> 0:20:04.100 a time for boldness. This is not a time to 0:20:04.140 --> 0:20:06.820 shrink back. In fact, I want to tell you this 0:20:06.820 --> 0:20:09.180 is a beautiful time to be a follower of Jesus 0:20:09.180 --> 0:20:11.980 the Christ. Because there's a lot of people out there 0:20:11.980 --> 0:20:15.900 that are searching, wondering, asking. Bible sales have gone up 0:20:15.900 --> 0:20:20.060 20 some 22%, mainly by new users that never read 0:20:20.060 --> 0:20:23.820 the Bible. Because in times of anxiety and times of chaos, 0:20:23.980 --> 0:20:26.980 people around us see the darkness as well. They see 0:20:27.020 --> 0:20:31.260 the turbulence. And I'm asking myself, who's going to be bold? 0:20:31.859 --> 0:20:36.220 Who's pointing to Jesus? Who's carrying the power of the 0:20:36.260 --> 0:20:40.900 gospel in that flashlight saying, hey, we have a way. 0:20:40.940 --> 0:20:43.220 His name is Jesus the Christ. And so I want 0:20:43.300 --> 0:20:46.260 to challenge you not to pull back in fear, but 0:20:46.260 --> 0:20:49.980 I want to challenge you, pull forward with greater boldness, 0:20:49.980 --> 0:20:55.300 greater faith, greater communication. Engage in conversation. Ask that God 0:20:55.300 --> 0:20:57.820 would use you. Believe that there's people that need to 0:20:57.859 --> 0:21:00.300 know Jesus because I believe in the midst of a 0:21:00.340 --> 0:21:03.660 lot of chaos, there will also be a mighty harvest. 0:21:04.380 --> 0:21:07.340 I'm praying for that, believing for that. In fact, I'm 0:21:07.340 --> 0:21:14.660 seeing it. And so I guess as we close, my 0:21:14.660 --> 0:21:21.139 challenge is don't succumb to fear. That's not the spirit 0:21:21.140 --> 0:21:26.179 that you've been given. My prayer is that you would say, God, 0:21:27.380 --> 0:21:37.540 greater boldness, greater love, greater compassion. Open my lips, God, 0:21:38.700 --> 0:21:45.420 and make me stand with greater courage and love as 0:21:45.420 --> 0:21:51.780 we share with people the magnificent, powerful, glorious gospel of 0:21:51.780 --> 0:21:55.740 our Lord Jesus Christ. Greater boldness. 0:22:03.430 --> 0:22:06.510 I know that word was for someone. So if you've 0:22:06.510 --> 0:22:13.470 been allowing the non friendly culture around you to silence 0:22:13.470 --> 0:22:18.229 your voice, to cause you to be gripped by a 0:22:18.230 --> 0:22:21.790 spirit of timidity, I want to challenge you. People are 0:22:21.790 --> 0:22:28.470 so bold about their crazy heresies, opinions that are ungodly. 0:22:28.790 --> 0:22:33.389 Do not be shy about the goodness of God. Father, 0:22:33.390 --> 0:22:35.310 I pray for that person that knows they need to 0:22:35.310 --> 0:22:38.750 be bolder with their friends or coworkers or family members, 0:22:39.150 --> 0:22:43.990 but are intimidated by not knowing maybe that they would 0:22:43.990 --> 0:22:47.670 know what to say, how to answer what people will think. 0:22:47.670 --> 0:22:50.470 I just pray that you would give them a gracious 0:22:50.630 --> 0:22:53.230 but bold and compelling. 0:22:53.590 --> 0:22:58.750 Powerful gospel vision to present to others. I pray that 0:22:58.750 --> 0:23:01.870 you would open up their mouths and let them speak boldly. Father, 0:23:01.869 --> 0:23:04.470 we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. 0:23:04.510 --> 0:23:07.310 Amen. What a word today, Mark. Thank you. And what 0:23:07.350 --> 0:23:10.990 a day as we celebrate our 2,000th program of bold steps. 0:23:11.310 --> 0:23:14.310 So to every listener, every partner, everyone who's ever shared 0:23:14.310 --> 0:23:16.870 this program with a friend, thank you. You have made 0:23:16.869 --> 0:23:21.229 2000 programs possible and counting and still going, right. And 0:23:21.230 --> 0:23:23.190 I'm still thinking, Mark, about that letter we heard from 0:23:23.190 --> 0:23:26.909 Pastor Diaz in Mozambique. That's what those 2000 programs actually 0:23:26.910 --> 0:23:31.190 look like real people, real lives, real transformation. And we're 0:23:31.190 --> 0:23:33.590 praying for some more people to make the next 2000 0:23:33.869 --> 0:23:36.430 programs possible. Right? Our bold partners, it is. 0:23:36.869 --> 0:23:38.710 If you've been listening to this program for a while, 0:23:38.710 --> 0:23:42.469 you've heard us talk about our bold partners. And to 0:23:42.510 --> 0:23:46.830 be honest with you, we love when people send in 0:23:46.830 --> 0:23:50.230 a gift and help us out. So thank you for 0:23:50.230 --> 0:23:53.350 those of you that do those gifts as God prompts you. 0:23:53.750 --> 0:23:57.270 What we really need though, help this ministry out would 0:23:57.270 --> 0:24:01.879 be monthly Partners. And that's someone that says, I'm committed 0:24:01.880 --> 0:24:07.360 to monthly giving to bold steps. It helps us create 0:24:07.400 --> 0:24:10.800 our budget for the next year. It helps us expand 0:24:10.800 --> 0:24:13.560 into areas that we haven't been able to get to. 0:24:13.960 --> 0:24:16.960 So if you've been thinking about it, maybe on our 0:24:16.960 --> 0:24:22.280 2000 program anniversary would be a good step for some 0:24:22.280 --> 0:24:25.520 of you to say, in light of 2000 programs, I'm 0:24:25.520 --> 0:24:30.000 going to take the leap and become a monthly partner. 0:24:30.200 --> 0:24:32.520 All right. Thank you, Mark. And today is a fantastic 0:24:32.560 --> 0:24:35.199 time to join this community of partners. Plus, when you 0:24:35.240 --> 0:24:38.359 commit to a monthly gift of $30 or more, we'll 0:24:38.359 --> 0:24:40.920 thank you with a signed copy of Mark's book, Unstuck 0:24:41.359 --> 0:24:44.560 The Bold Partner post a personal bi weekly video message 0:24:44.560 --> 0:24:48.200 from Mark and a 50% discount at the Moody Publisher's 0:24:48.200 --> 0:24:52.439 online store. Sign up today at bold steps.org. And then, 0:24:52.440 --> 0:24:54.359 if you'd like to support this ministry with a gift 0:24:54.359 --> 0:24:56.560 at any level, we'd love to send you a copy 0:24:56.560 --> 0:25:00.080 of this month's Bold Step gift. It's called Goliath Must Fall. 0:25:00.320 --> 0:25:03.840 Winning the Battle Against Your Giants by Louie Giglio. A 0:25:03.840 --> 0:25:06.280 powerful book that shows you how to face the giants 0:25:06.280 --> 0:25:10.480 in your life, whether that's anxiety or addiction or distractions. 0:25:10.640 --> 0:25:13.920 Walk in the victory that Jesus has already won. Give 0:25:13.960 --> 0:25:19.000 online at bold steps.org/give or call us at 800 D.L. Moody. 0:25:19.000 --> 0:25:25.479 That's (800) 356-6639 or send your gift by mail. Our address 0:25:25.480 --> 0:25:31.600 is Bold steps 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 606 ten. 0:25:32.040 --> 0:25:33.919 I'm Wayne Shepherd. Thank you for being a part of 0:25:33.920 --> 0:25:36.879 these 2000 programs. We'll see you next week as we 0:25:36.880 --> 0:25:39.639 begin our next series called Breaking Free. What It Means 0:25:39.640 --> 0:25:43.400 to Walk Tall Again. That's Monday on Bold Steps with 0:25:43.400 --> 0:25:48.160 Mark Joan. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, 0:25:48.200 --> 0:25:50.600 a Ministry of Moody Bible Institute.