Today on Bold Steps, Mark Jobe equips us with the tools and tips we need to overcome temptation.

Today on Bold Steps, Mark Jobe equips us with the tools and tips we need to overcome temptation.

It's the grace of God. It gives us the power to be able to say no to those things that lure us sin. Why? Because we've understood the beauty of God, the attraction of God, his goodness, his power, his omnipotence, his mercy, his incredible love is what teaches us to say no.

It's the grace of God. It gives us the power to be able to say no to those things that lure us sin. Why? Because we've understood the beauty of God, the attraction of God, his goodness, his power, his omnipotence, his mercy, his incredible love is what teaches us to say no.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Mark is senior pastor of New Life Community Church and president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. And I'm Wayne Shepherd. So many Christians today struggle with feelings of guilt and condemnation over their brokenness and sinful desires. But as Mark shares today, the key to overcoming those struggles doesn't lie in simply recognizing our sinfulness. Instead, the transformative power comes from realizing the beauty and grace of our awesome God. Stay tuned as he urges us to fully experience God's love and redemptive spirit with part two of a message titled Breaking Down Temptation. And if you missed the start of this lesson last week, just go online to catch up when you can at Bold Steps. Org now here's Mark Jobe.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Mark is senior pastor of New Life Community Church and president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. And I'm Wayne Shepherd. So many Christians today struggle with feelings of guilt and condemnation over their brokenness and sinful desires. But as Mark shares today, the key to overcoming those struggles doesn't lie in simply recognizing our sinfulness. Instead, the transformative power comes from realizing the beauty and grace of our awesome God. Stay tuned as he urges us to fully experience God's love and redemptive spirit with part two of a message titled Breaking Down Temptation. And if you missed the start of this lesson last week, just go online to catch up when you can at Bold Steps. Org now here's Mark Jobe.

For years I've spent time mentoring young men, usually between the ages of 17 to 24, and we always spend a lot of time on this area of lust and drive and sex and the battle that's there. And I always start when we talk about this conversation by just clarifying, hey, don't have this misguided guilt about a sexual desire. It's a good thing. It's a God thing. God made it, invented it. It's a great invention. But it's when it's misused. It's when it's abused. It's when it's distorted that it can actually have devastating effects. So it's a desire. But when it when that desire is channeled in the wrong direction, then that desire can become it can, uh, conceive, it entices us, it gives birth to sin. And when it's fully grown, it gives birth to death. And so he's telling us that the battle, the real battle in our temptations is an internal battle. It's not an external battle. It's the battle within you that James is talking about. Uh, it took me a while to learn this. Even as a student trying to figure out battling through things. And oftentimes I thought as a student that the battle was on the outside. If we could just eliminate the outside that I would have victory. But the more mature I became, the more I grew. I realized that the battle is really an internal battle, and wherever you go, you carry it with you. The Bible says that in John chapter ten, the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. He says, I have come that you would have life and that you would have it more abundantly. There will be temptation all around us. It's not a matter of living on an island somewhere and trying to block out temptation. The real battle is not external. The real battle is internal. And that's what James is telling us in this passage, that the real battle that we're facing is an internal battle. When we have desires, sometimes those desires are great. The desire to sleep is great, but if you over sleep, it's laziness. Uh, the desire to succeed is great. But if you allow that desire to get a hold of your life and turn to unhealthy ambition, it can drive you to workaholism and other things. In other words, there are good desires that God gives us the desire for happiness and contentment and to be well is good. It's a fruit of the spirit. But when we pursue happiness at the expense of our morality and everything else, then it becomes a snare. Like the man that I spoke to that was leaving his wife and had hooked up with a young lady at his job, and he looked at me with a sincere face as I talked to him about, this is just morally wrong. This is absolutely wrong for you to do. And he looked at me and he said, I believe God wants me to be happy. I mean, doesn't God want me to be happy? I've been unhappy for the last decade, and for the first time my creativity has come back and I'm walking to work excited and I feel life in a new way. Isn't that the will of God? As he left his wife cheating on his wife with a woman at work? You see, it's a legitimate desire. The desire to be happy. Legitimate? Yes. It's a legitimate, legitimate desire. Yes. There's nothing wrong with it. But if it's pursued God's way, we have legitimate desires that we pursue in illegitimate ways. And when we have a legitimate desire that we attach to an illegitimate solution, then James calls it a evil desire. It's not the desire, and in itself, it's how we fulfill that desire. And then when the two come together, it conceives and gives birth to sin, and sin when it's fully grown, gives birth to death. And so James is explaining the dynamics, the breakdown, the mechanics of temptation and how it works and what it does to our life. And he goes on and he tells us in verse 16, do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. So he then tells them that the power of temptation listen, that the power, the root of temptation. It's rooted in the deception of our soul, that at the heart of every temptation is a deception. And what is the deception? The deception is this thought that maybe God doesn't have our best interest in mind, that maybe God's way won't be ultimately the best way that satisfies me. That maybe there is a shortcut. Another way, a better way.

For years I've spent time mentoring young men, usually between the ages of 17 to 24, and we always spend a lot of time on this area of lust and drive and sex and the battle that's there. And I always start when we talk about this conversation by just clarifying, hey, don't have this misguided guilt about a sexual desire. It's a good thing. It's a God thing. God made it, invented it. It's a great invention. But it's when it's misused. It's when it's abused. It's when it's distorted that it can actually have devastating effects. So it's a desire. But when it when that desire is channeled in the wrong direction, then that desire can become it can, uh, conceive, it entices us, it gives birth to sin. And when it's fully grown, it gives birth to death. And so he's telling us that the battle, the real battle in our temptations is an internal battle. It's not an external battle. It's the battle within you that James is talking about. Uh, it took me a while to learn this. Even as a student trying to figure out battling through things. And oftentimes I thought as a student that the battle was on the outside. If we could just eliminate the outside that I would have victory. But the more mature I became, the more I grew. I realized that the battle is really an internal battle, and wherever you go, you carry it with you. The Bible says that in John chapter ten, the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. He says, I have come that you would have life and that you would have it more abundantly. There will be temptation all around us. It's not a matter of living on an island somewhere and trying to block out temptation. The real battle is not external. The real battle is internal. And that's what James is telling us in this passage, that the real battle that we're facing is an internal battle. When we have desires, sometimes those desires are great. The desire to sleep is great, but if you over sleep, it's laziness. Uh, the desire to succeed is great. But if you allow that desire to get a hold of your life and turn to unhealthy ambition, it can drive you to workaholism and other things. In other words, there are good desires that God gives us the desire for happiness and contentment and to be well is good. It's a fruit of the spirit. But when we pursue happiness at the expense of our morality and everything else, then it becomes a snare. Like the man that I spoke to that was leaving his wife and had hooked up with a young lady at his job, and he looked at me with a sincere face as I talked to him about, this is just morally wrong. This is absolutely wrong for you to do. And he looked at me and he said, I believe God wants me to be happy. I mean, doesn't God want me to be happy? I've been unhappy for the last decade, and for the first time my creativity has come back and I'm walking to work excited and I feel life in a new way. Isn't that the will of God? As he left his wife cheating on his wife with a woman at work? You see, it's a legitimate desire. The desire to be happy. Legitimate? Yes. It's a legitimate, legitimate desire. Yes. There's nothing wrong with it. But if it's pursued God's way, we have legitimate desires that we pursue in illegitimate ways. And when we have a legitimate desire that we attach to an illegitimate solution, then James calls it a evil desire. It's not the desire, and in itself, it's how we fulfill that desire. And then when the two come together, it conceives and gives birth to sin, and sin when it's fully grown, gives birth to death. And so James is explaining the dynamics, the breakdown, the mechanics of temptation and how it works and what it does to our life. And he goes on and he tells us in verse 16, do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. So he then tells them that the power of temptation listen, that the power, the root of temptation. It's rooted in the deception of our soul, that at the heart of every temptation is a deception. And what is the deception? The deception is this thought that maybe God doesn't have our best interest in mind, that maybe God's way won't be ultimately the best way that satisfies me. That maybe there is a shortcut. Another way, a better way.

Uh.

Uh.

It's always rooted in deception, and James is telling them he's trying to convince these believers of their struggling with trials, giving into temptation that they can't be deceived, that everything that's ultimate, truly good comes from God. It's rooted in the character of God. Uh, what is the deception? The deception? Is that God's way ultimately is not the best. The deception is that God can't really be trusted with my life. The deception is that God really doesn't care about me. The deception is that I really. I don't believe really that ultimately, uh, this is the best way. It really ultimately is doubting the goodness of God. Titus chapter two, verse 11 and 12 says, for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, and it teaches us to say, no. What teaches us to say no? What teaches us to say no? Not a trick question. The grace of God. Hold on. The grace of God teaches us to say no. What is grace? The unmerited, undeserved favor of God. It's the goodness of God. It's the goodness of God. The beauty of God. This complete conviction that God's way is the best way, that his character is not flawed in any way, that God ultimately wants my good. It's the grace of God that extends forgiveness and second chances the favor of God. It's when we dwell on that that that teaches us to say no to sin. In other words, it gives us the power to be able to say no to those things that lure us sin. Why? Because we've understood the beauty of God, the attraction of God, his goodness, his power, his omnipotence, his mercy, his incredible love is what teaches us to say no. Hey, we're taking a break in the message. You're listening to me, Mark Jobe at Bold Steps, and we have some listeners that write in and contact us with different questions. And we're super excited always to hear from our listeners.

It's always rooted in deception, and James is telling them he's trying to convince these believers of their struggling with trials, giving into temptation that they can't be deceived, that everything that's ultimate, truly good comes from God. It's rooted in the character of God. Uh, what is the deception? The deception? Is that God's way ultimately is not the best. The deception is that God can't really be trusted with my life. The deception is that God really doesn't care about me. The deception is that I really. I don't believe really that ultimately, uh, this is the best way. It really ultimately is doubting the goodness of God. Titus chapter two, verse 11 and 12 says, for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, and it teaches us to say, no. What teaches us to say no? What teaches us to say no? Not a trick question. The grace of God. Hold on. The grace of God teaches us to say no. What is grace? The unmerited, undeserved favor of God. It's the goodness of God. It's the goodness of God. The beauty of God. This complete conviction that God's way is the best way, that his character is not flawed in any way, that God ultimately wants my good. It's the grace of God that extends forgiveness and second chances the favor of God. It's when we dwell on that that that teaches us to say no to sin. In other words, it gives us the power to be able to say no to those things that lure us sin. Why? Because we've understood the beauty of God, the attraction of God, his goodness, his power, his omnipotence, his mercy, his incredible love is what teaches us to say no. Hey, we're taking a break in the message. You're listening to me, Mark Jobe at Bold Steps, and we have some listeners that write in and contact us with different questions. And we're super excited always to hear from our listeners.

Right, Wayne, you can write to us through our website, bold Steps. Org or our new Bold Steps app. Mark, here's a question from a listener named Norman who wants to know if we are saved and in heaven, why will we still be judged? What happens to us then? Yeah.

Right, Wayne, you can write to us through our website, bold Steps. Org or our new Bold Steps app. Mark, here's a question from a listener named Norman who wants to know if we are saved and in heaven, why will we still be judged? What happens to us then? Yeah.

Norman, that's a great question. So just to be clear, what Norman is referring to is what the Bible calls, well, the judgment seat of Christ. Or sometimes people refer to it as the Bema Seat of Christ.

Norman, that's a great question. So just to be clear, what Norman is referring to is what the Bible calls, well, the judgment seat of Christ. Or sometimes people refer to it as the Bema Seat of Christ.

So. Emma.

So. Emma.

Right? Yes. You can find that in second Corinthians chapter five, verse ten, and a couple other places in Scripture there are two distinct judgments, two main judgments. One is what's found in revelations chapter 20, verse 11, referred to as the Great White Throne judgment. That is the judgment where people come before God and are judged. And this is where the unbelievers, those that die without Christ, will stand before the Great White Throne judgment. Their destiny will be determined to them. Their level of punishment will be determined. And that is a fearful thing to be. The judgment seat of Christ is judging believers on the way that they live for God. Everybody that's in Christ is forgiven and washed. But not everybody has lived their life the same way. The Bible still says that we will be rewarded according to our works. And so this is mainly about rewards, not about punishment. Mhm. Uh, this is about people that have really lived for God. And uh, the rewards that will be given to people because of how they have obeyed. I mean, there are people that they're saved, but they've, you know, barely done much for the kingdom or lived for God or, you know, they're they're making it in just by the skin of their teeth, so to speak. But there's others that have been martyred for God, others that have lived just obedient lives. And so we will be rewarded. It tells us in Scripture according to the works that we have done. And so this is about rewards, not about punishment. Two different judgments.

Right? Yes. You can find that in second Corinthians chapter five, verse ten, and a couple other places in Scripture there are two distinct judgments, two main judgments. One is what's found in revelations chapter 20, verse 11, referred to as the Great White Throne judgment. That is the judgment where people come before God and are judged. And this is where the unbelievers, those that die without Christ, will stand before the Great White Throne judgment. Their destiny will be determined to them. Their level of punishment will be determined. And that is a fearful thing to be. The judgment seat of Christ is judging believers on the way that they live for God. Everybody that's in Christ is forgiven and washed. But not everybody has lived their life the same way. The Bible still says that we will be rewarded according to our works. And so this is mainly about rewards, not about punishment. Mhm. Uh, this is about people that have really lived for God. And uh, the rewards that will be given to people because of how they have obeyed. I mean, there are people that they're saved, but they've, you know, barely done much for the kingdom or lived for God or, you know, they're they're making it in just by the skin of their teeth, so to speak. But there's others that have been martyred for God, others that have lived just obedient lives. And so we will be rewarded. It tells us in Scripture according to the works that we have done. And so this is about rewards, not about punishment. Two different judgments.

Well, thanks for answering that question, mark. And if you have a bold steps testimony to share with us, maybe a Bible question you'd like to ask Mark, let me invite you to contact us today by going online to Bold Steps. Org. You can also call us and leave your message on a recorded line by dialing (312) 329-2011. That's 312329 2011. Now let's return to our message about breaking down temptation.

Well, thanks for answering that question, mark. And if you have a bold steps testimony to share with us, maybe a Bible question you'd like to ask Mark, let me invite you to contact us today by going online to Bold Steps. Org. You can also call us and leave your message on a recorded line by dialing (312) 329-2011. That's 312329 2011. Now let's return to our message about breaking down temptation.

I've ministered in a city for a long time that's very religious, but oftentimes has not understood grace. And what I've discovered is that the more legalistic people are, the more legalistic, rule driven they are and have not understood. Grace is that if you're really good at keeping the rules, you become conceited, self-righteous, legalistic, and judgmental of others. If you're really bad at keeping the rules, you just give up and say, I tried. It doesn't work, I'm giving up. And so I run into a lot of people ministering here in Chicago that were raised in religious systems without understanding the true gospel, and so they are either legalistic and super judgmental, or they've just given up on Christianity as a whole because they have not understood grace. It's the grace of God that is an instructor, a coach that teaches us to say no and notice what James tells us. He points to God and he says, hey, don't be deceived. Everything that's good, every perfect gift comes from the. He calls them the father of lights. In other words, the father of goodness, the father of purity, the father that is in in Scripture, darkness is compared to evil. Light is compared to good. Um, he says every good gift comes from the father. Every good thing comes from God's way. So when we start to experience the goodness of God, when we start to understand the love of God, when our souls are invaded by the beauty of the Savior that we love, then it starts to pale in comparison to the luring that the world outside has. Because we've tasted, we've seen, we've been filled, we've eaten of God's goodness. And so when the temptation comes around to snack on junk food, we can say no because we are satisfied and full. What does that mean? It means that part of the part of the power of overcoming temptation is not just to become more rule oriented. It's not simply to discipline yourself more. Part of it is to experience the goodness and the grace and the beauty and the power of God, so that the things that lure us start to. They start to fade in comparison with what we've tasted and seen and known of the goodness of God. You see, the greatest antidote to infidelity is when someone is madly in love with the person that they're married to. They've tasted and seen the goodness. They've been there. And it's not a matter of let me just put a lot of rules around me to keep me from not falling. It's a matter of why would I want to? Because I'm just tasted and seen. This is so amazing. This is so powerful and this is so great. And so here's what I want to challenge you with students and faculty and staff. Sometimes we don't understand that the power and the strength of our walking rightly before God is in the simple understanding of his beauty, of spending time in his presence and not just the fires of hell, but the beauty of his person drinking deep of who God is. It's the greatest repellent of temptation around us. I heard of a high school teacher that, uh, middle school, sorry, middle school teacher principal that she was getting tired of going into the girls bathroom, and I guess the junior high girls decided they would just take lipstick, put it on their lips and just, you know, leave their lipstick mark on the mirrors in the girls bathroom. The janitor was complaining. I keep it's hard to clean these mirrors off. They do it all the time. And so the principal had a great idea. She brought all the junior high girls into the bathroom, and she said, you know what? You got to stop doing this. They all looked at each other and snickered, you know, giggled, and she said, you have to stop doing this because. Because this is what George, our janitor, has to do every day. Show him George. And George went, got the mop, put it in the toilet and put it on the mirror like this and was cleaning. She said, come on, show him. George. George, put it again. Put it in the mop. Uh, cleaned the mirror. He says he's got to do this every single day. They didn't have any problem with lipstick after that. If we understood the filth that we were kissing, if we understood the death that it brings on our soul, if we understood the damage that it does to our relationship with the Almighty God, we would immediately stop. Not because we have to, but because suddenly we've realized the damage that it does to our soul. I look back at my journals as a 18 year old, and I actually started journaling when I was 17 or 18 year old here at the Moody Bible Institute. And I look back and I say, I wish I could talk to that 17 year old, 18 year old. I realize I struggled with a lot of guilt, feeling very inadequate, falling short, struggling with thought, life, selfishness, pride seems to fill a lot of the pages own just realizing how how much I needed to change. Very, very aware of my brokenness, sinfulness, sinful desires. It seems like that 1817 year old was very aware of that. I wish I would have read in those pages more about the beauty of God, the awesomeness of his power, the amazing forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Because the power to overcome lies there, not in just knowing how broken, sinful, struggling you are. You are. And so am I. But it's the beauty of our God that transforms us. So, father, I pray for this student body. I pray, Lord Jesus, that as we struggle to live in line with your spirit, I pray that you would fill us more with yourself. I pray that we would taste and see of your beauty, of your goodness, of your grace. I pray, father, that the more surrendered we are to you because of how good you are, God, that we would never succumb to the deception of thinking that there's a better way, that your way is not quite it. That I pray that we would quickly expose deception in our life, father, and run back to the beauty and power goodness that lies in you. Father, I pray for that student right now that maybe struggles with just condemnation and guilt. God, I pray in Jesus name that they would realize what your word says. There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. No condemnation. God, I pray that. I pray that that, um, that weight of condemnation, guilt, inadequacy, um, darkness would be lifted. God, as they drink of your grace, as they understand the power of your love, father, as they start to have victory over those areas that are, uh, dark in their life because of the grace and the power of the Holy Spirit that comes from you. God. I pray this in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ, who love and serve. In Jesus name, Amen.

I've ministered in a city for a long time that's very religious, but oftentimes has not understood grace. And what I've discovered is that the more legalistic people are, the more legalistic, rule driven they are and have not understood. Grace is that if you're really good at keeping the rules, you become conceited, self-righteous, legalistic, and judgmental of others. If you're really bad at keeping the rules, you just give up and say, I tried. It doesn't work, I'm giving up. And so I run into a lot of people ministering here in Chicago that were raised in religious systems without understanding the true gospel, and so they are either legalistic and super judgmental, or they've just given up on Christianity as a whole because they have not understood grace. It's the grace of God that is an instructor, a coach that teaches us to say no and notice what James tells us. He points to God and he says, hey, don't be deceived. Everything that's good, every perfect gift comes from the. He calls them the father of lights. In other words, the father of goodness, the father of purity, the father that is in in Scripture, darkness is compared to evil. Light is compared to good. Um, he says every good gift comes from the father. Every good thing comes from God's way. So when we start to experience the goodness of God, when we start to understand the love of God, when our souls are invaded by the beauty of the Savior that we love, then it starts to pale in comparison to the luring that the world outside has. Because we've tasted, we've seen, we've been filled, we've eaten of God's goodness. And so when the temptation comes around to snack on junk food, we can say no because we are satisfied and full. What does that mean? It means that part of the part of the power of overcoming temptation is not just to become more rule oriented. It's not simply to discipline yourself more. Part of it is to experience the goodness and the grace and the beauty and the power of God, so that the things that lure us start to. They start to fade in comparison with what we've tasted and seen and known of the goodness of God. You see, the greatest antidote to infidelity is when someone is madly in love with the person that they're married to. They've tasted and seen the goodness. They've been there. And it's not a matter of let me just put a lot of rules around me to keep me from not falling. It's a matter of why would I want to? Because I'm just tasted and seen. This is so amazing. This is so powerful and this is so great. And so here's what I want to challenge you with students and faculty and staff. Sometimes we don't understand that the power and the strength of our walking rightly before God is in the simple understanding of his beauty, of spending time in his presence and not just the fires of hell, but the beauty of his person drinking deep of who God is. It's the greatest repellent of temptation around us. I heard of a high school teacher that, uh, middle school, sorry, middle school teacher principal that she was getting tired of going into the girls bathroom, and I guess the junior high girls decided they would just take lipstick, put it on their lips and just, you know, leave their lipstick mark on the mirrors in the girls bathroom. The janitor was complaining. I keep it's hard to clean these mirrors off. They do it all the time. And so the principal had a great idea. She brought all the junior high girls into the bathroom, and she said, you know what? You got to stop doing this. They all looked at each other and snickered, you know, giggled, and she said, you have to stop doing this because. Because this is what George, our janitor, has to do every day. Show him George. And George went, got the mop, put it in the toilet and put it on the mirror like this and was cleaning. She said, come on, show him. George. George, put it again. Put it in the mop. Uh, cleaned the mirror. He says he's got to do this every single day. They didn't have any problem with lipstick after that. If we understood the filth that we were kissing, if we understood the death that it brings on our soul, if we understood the damage that it does to our relationship with the Almighty God, we would immediately stop. Not because we have to, but because suddenly we've realized the damage that it does to our soul. I look back at my journals as a 18 year old, and I actually started journaling when I was 17 or 18 year old here at the Moody Bible Institute. And I look back and I say, I wish I could talk to that 17 year old, 18 year old. I realize I struggled with a lot of guilt, feeling very inadequate, falling short, struggling with thought, life, selfishness, pride seems to fill a lot of the pages own just realizing how how much I needed to change. Very, very aware of my brokenness, sinfulness, sinful desires. It seems like that 1817 year old was very aware of that. I wish I would have read in those pages more about the beauty of God, the awesomeness of his power, the amazing forgiveness, grace, and mercy. Because the power to overcome lies there, not in just knowing how broken, sinful, struggling you are. You are. And so am I. But it's the beauty of our God that transforms us. So, father, I pray for this student body. I pray, Lord Jesus, that as we struggle to live in line with your spirit, I pray that you would fill us more with yourself. I pray that we would taste and see of your beauty, of your goodness, of your grace. I pray, father, that the more surrendered we are to you because of how good you are, God, that we would never succumb to the deception of thinking that there's a better way, that your way is not quite it. That I pray that we would quickly expose deception in our life, father, and run back to the beauty and power goodness that lies in you. Father, I pray for that student right now that maybe struggles with just condemnation and guilt. God, I pray in Jesus name that they would realize what your word says. There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. No condemnation. God, I pray that. I pray that that, um, that weight of condemnation, guilt, inadequacy, um, darkness would be lifted. God, as they drink of your grace, as they understand the power of your love, father, as they start to have victory over those areas that are, uh, dark in their life because of the grace and the power of the Holy Spirit that comes from you. God. I pray this in the powerful name of Jesus the Christ, who love and serve. In Jesus name, Amen.

That's Mark Jobe, and you're listening to a message titled Breaking Down Temptation here on Bold Steps. Mark, as we've said, you originally preached this message at the Moody Bible Institute Chapel and students are getting ready for a new semester. But we have lots of listeners who are preparing for a new season in their life as well.

That's Mark Jobe, and you're listening to a message titled Breaking Down Temptation here on Bold Steps. Mark, as we've said, you originally preached this message at the Moody Bible Institute Chapel and students are getting ready for a new semester. But we have lots of listeners who are preparing for a new season in their life as well.

That's right, Wayne, and we are so excited about the students that are coming on campus right now. I know some of you parents are releasing students into college. That's a.

That's right, Wayne, and we are so excited about the students that are coming on campus right now. I know some of you parents are releasing students into college. That's a.

New season in.

New season in.

Life. It is a new season. And Wayne, I um, I am used to some parents, especially mothers, breaking down at the thought of releasing, although I've had a few that were exceptionally excited about releasing their.

Life. It is a new season. And Wayne, I um, I am used to some parents, especially mothers, breaking down at the thought of releasing, although I've had a few that were exceptionally excited about releasing their.

Don't don't ask why. No.

Don't don't ask why. No.

Uh, so. But we are very, very excited about this season and, and hundreds of students that have come on campus. And I would encourage you and ask you to pray, uh, with us for the hundreds and hundreds of students that God has brought from all over the world to train here in the heart of Chicago. It truly is an amazing place. Difficult for students the first semester because they're away from home, getting used to things, living in a big city, the intensity of college work. So please pray for our students as they travel here, safety and mental and spiritual preparation for this time.

Uh, so. But we are very, very excited about this season and, and hundreds of students that have come on campus. And I would encourage you and ask you to pray, uh, with us for the hundreds and hundreds of students that God has brought from all over the world to train here in the heart of Chicago. It truly is an amazing place. Difficult for students the first semester because they're away from home, getting used to things, living in a big city, the intensity of college work. So please pray for our students as they travel here, safety and mental and spiritual preparation for this time.

I'm sure many will be praying. Thank you Mark. And tomorrow we'll begin an in depth study in the book of Nehemiah called Rebuild Your Life, Your City, Your World. So make sure you don't miss the start of this impactful series. And remember, our website is the place to go for all of these messages and other faith building content that's bold steps. Org. Well, we're at the start of a new month, and that means we also have a new bold step gift available for our listeners, one that deals with pain and problems of a fractured faith. Truth is, people are flawed, even those who are trying to be like Christ. And when we get hurt by our own church or stumped by a question we can't answer, sometimes our walk with God can come to a stop. In fact, sometimes a spiritual damage we're left with can be devastating. But when you're faced with deconstructing your faith, it's important to not go it alone. That's why we want to send you a book called fractured Faith Finding Your Way Back to God in an Age of Deconstruction, author Lina Abu-jamal's compassionate guidance will help you work through disillusionment with clear, convicting truths and rediscover an authentic, life giving faith. Request your copy of fractured Faith when you make a donation of any amount to Bold Steps, just go online to Bold Steps. Org or give us a call at (800) 356-6639. That's 800 D.L. Moody. You can also send your gift in the mail. Write to us at Bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. That's 820 North LaSalle, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten and you know, here at Bold Steps, we've been given the unique opportunity to reach people right in their homes with the power and truth of God's Word. But we couldn't continue this gospel work without the support of visionary partners on our team. We call this special group our Bold Partners. And when you commit to giving a gift of at least $30 or more each month, you'll be joining the team to help communicate the bold and hopeful message of Christ to those who need to hear it most and receive some really great benefits in return. To learn more and sign up today, visit Bold Steps. Org or give us a call at that number (800) 356-6639. Well, I'm Wayne Shepherd and that's all our time for today. But be sure to join us again tomorrow when Mark begins his impactful series in Nehemiah called Rebuild Your Life, Your City, Your World. That's Tuesday right here on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.

I'm sure many will be praying. Thank you Mark. And tomorrow we'll begin an in depth study in the book of Nehemiah called Rebuild Your Life, Your City, Your World. So make sure you don't miss the start of this impactful series. And remember, our website is the place to go for all of these messages and other faith building content that's bold steps. Org. Well, we're at the start of a new month, and that means we also have a new bold step gift available for our listeners, one that deals with pain and problems of a fractured faith. Truth is, people are flawed, even those who are trying to be like Christ. And when we get hurt by our own church or stumped by a question we can't answer, sometimes our walk with God can come to a stop. In fact, sometimes a spiritual damage we're left with can be devastating. But when you're faced with deconstructing your faith, it's important to not go it alone. That's why we want to send you a book called fractured Faith Finding Your Way Back to God in an Age of Deconstruction, author Lina Abu-jamal's compassionate guidance will help you work through disillusionment with clear, convicting truths and rediscover an authentic, life giving faith. Request your copy of fractured Faith when you make a donation of any amount to Bold Steps, just go online to Bold Steps. Org or give us a call at (800) 356-6639. That's 800 D.L. Moody. You can also send your gift in the mail. Write to us at Bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. That's 820 North LaSalle, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten and you know, here at Bold Steps, we've been given the unique opportunity to reach people right in their homes with the power and truth of God's Word. But we couldn't continue this gospel work without the support of visionary partners on our team. We call this special group our Bold Partners. And when you commit to giving a gift of at least $30 or more each month, you'll be joining the team to help communicate the bold and hopeful message of Christ to those who need to hear it most and receive some really great benefits in return. To learn more and sign up today, visit Bold Steps. Org or give us a call at that number (800) 356-6639. Well, I'm Wayne Shepherd and that's all our time for today. But be sure to join us again tomorrow when Mark begins his impactful series in Nehemiah called Rebuild Your Life, Your City, Your World. That's Tuesday right here on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.