Today on bold steps with Mark job. Mark reminds us about God's offer of grace and forgiveness.

Today on bold steps with Mark job. Mark reminds us about God's offer of grace and forgiveness.

All of us here, not just the adulterous woman, but every single person in this auditorium. We all need the grace of God, and we all need the forgiveness of God. And listen, we all need the second chance of God.

All of us here, not just the adulterous woman, but every single person in this auditorium. We all need the grace of God, and we all need the forgiveness of God. And listen, we all need the second chance of God.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, senior pastor of New Life Community Church and president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. As we move forward in our new series called Second Chances, we're going to jump right into the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. Mark started this message yesterday and if you missed it, you should definitely check it out. You can listen to the complete message online at Bold Steps org. Right now though, let me get into the exciting conclusion of Mark's message. It's titled Failure doesn't have to be Final.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, senior pastor of New Life Community Church and president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. As we move forward in our new series called Second Chances, we're going to jump right into the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. Mark started this message yesterday and if you missed it, you should definitely check it out. You can listen to the complete message online at Bold Steps org. Right now though, let me get into the exciting conclusion of Mark's message. It's titled Failure doesn't have to be Final.

So in essence, he says, And Jesus stooped down and cacta graphein, which means the word cacta means to write against. In other words, Jesus stooped down and he actually began to write a record against the accusers. So whatever he wrote in the sand was a record against the accusers that were trying to condemn this woman. And I can't say for sure that he wrote this, but I believe it was a record against the people that stood around him. And I believe that probably he wrote something that was very personal, that indicted the people that were around, because later he after he wrote, he raised his eyes to the crowd with rocks in their hand that were ready to stone this woman. And he says, he who is without sin, let him throw the first stone. I think that Jesus stooped down and he probably wrote names. I envision that maybe he wrote. Bob cheated on his taxes this year. Jerry abused his wife last month. Tom had an affair with Peter's wife. Can you imagine Jesus, in all his foreknowledge, knowing everything your heart and your desires, everything that's happened in secret, everything that's happened in the open, knowing every single attitude that someone has. Can you imagine Jesus writing about your life in the sand with the crowd standing around, peering over what he was writing? The Bible says that Jesus began to write in the sand, and then they kept questioning him, and I believe they saw what he was writing. Then he straightened up and he said to them, if any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw the stone at her. And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. Verse nine says, at this those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older first, until Jesus only was left. So the older Pharisee, with the long white beard, with the rock in his hand that had been so confident in Old Testament Scripture, looks at the writing on the ground, and as he sees the writing on the ground, he drops his stone and you hear the clunk in the ground, and he slips out the back. And then one of the other accusers, strong hollers, proponents that dragged the woman, sees his name and the rock, and he also slips out the back. And now, one by one, they start slipping out. One by one, they quiet down. And now it's just a silent crowd. They're not jeering anymore. They're not saying, tell us now. One by one, they walk away until only the little children are left, until they get bored and walk away. And then finally, it's just Jesus and this woman. And the Bible says that Jesus looks up. He says, woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? No one, sir, she said. And then Jesus said. Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin. Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin. You see, these are very powerful, powerful words and what you need to understand. And you say, well, yeah, that's the heart of Jesus. But what you need to understand is that all of us here, not just the adulterous woman, but every single person in this auditorium, we all need the grace of God, and we all need the forgiveness of God. And listen, we all need the second chance of God. And you say, well, pastor, I've never cheated on my husband. I'm not an adulterous woman. But let me just put it this way we all are in need of the forgiveness and grace of God because every single one of us has sinned. You say, well, if you were to go out and do a survey on the streets of Chicago and ask 100 people if they think when they die, they'll go to the presence of God. I think about 95% of the people that you interview will say yes. And most of them, if you ask, why will you go to the presence of God? Most of them will say, well, I'm a pretty good person. I mean, I don't try to do bad to people. I don't try to hurt people unless they hurt me. And I don't take advantage of people. And I'm pretty sincere in my heart. And I have some faith, and I'm okay. And I'm a lot better than a lot of people that I know. And I think that God would say, hey, this is a fairly decent person and that he'll let me slip into his presence, but let me just challenge that theory for a moment and And let me just say let's let's go back a second. I think it was D James Kennedy that used this illustration when he talked about, hey, how many sins a day do you think that a very, very good person commits in life? Uh, I'm talking about very good person. I'm talking about your thoughts, your attitudes. In James, it tells us when you know to do something and you don't do it to you, it is sin. So not only sins of commission, but sins of omission, things that you know you need to do and you don't do. Thoughts of lust. Do you have in your mind thoughts of jealousy, of anger, resentment, little lies that you speak throughout the day, little cuss words that come out or using the Lord's name in vain. All of those, let's just say in a 24 hour period. How many times do you think that you may have a sin? Well, let's say that if you're a really good person, it's only three times a day. I mean, you'd have to be Mother Teresa's cousin only three times a day. Only three times a day, you say, hey, I'm very, very good. I'm religious. I pray I go to church only three times a day. That's the average in my life. If you times that times 365 days a year, you'll come up with over a thousand times a year that you sin. Let's say you're 35 years old this morning. If we do the tab, that means that you have 35,000 sins on your list. And now let's say you stand before God, and God says, why should I let you into my kingdom? You say, well, I'm a pretty good person. And he says, okay, let me let look at your life. It looks to me like you have 35,000. Crimes against my holiness. To your record, I'm not sure that qualifies you as good. And here's the here's the challenge. God says, if you're going to enter in my kingdom, be perfect as the Lord is perfect. Be holy as God is holy. If you're going to enter into his kingdom, there's no one that's going to enter with sin in their. So most of us have 35, 40, 50, 100, 200, some of them up into a million that we have sins on our account that we're going to stand before God. And that doesn't qualify us as the good type of people that can sort of ease our way through the gate. We stand condemned before the presence of God and in desperate need of God's grace and God's forgiveness. Because no one, no, not even one person, has ever made it into the presence of God without the grace and forgiveness of God, because even one sin would disqualify us from entering into his presence. That's why we need grace. That's why we so desperately need the forgiveness of God. That's why we so desperately need the power of God to forgive us and change us and wash us and cleanse us. That's why not only we and that adulterous woman, but everyone that's ever lived on the face of this earth needs the forgiveness of God. And I want you to notice that Jesus did not simply say to this woman, okay, it's all right. Your sin is not so bad. Jesus said to her, where are those that condemn you? Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.

So in essence, he says, And Jesus stooped down and cacta graphein, which means the word cacta means to write against. In other words, Jesus stooped down and he actually began to write a record against the accusers. So whatever he wrote in the sand was a record against the accusers that were trying to condemn this woman. And I can't say for sure that he wrote this, but I believe it was a record against the people that stood around him. And I believe that probably he wrote something that was very personal, that indicted the people that were around, because later he after he wrote, he raised his eyes to the crowd with rocks in their hand that were ready to stone this woman. And he says, he who is without sin, let him throw the first stone. I think that Jesus stooped down and he probably wrote names. I envision that maybe he wrote. Bob cheated on his taxes this year. Jerry abused his wife last month. Tom had an affair with Peter's wife. Can you imagine Jesus, in all his foreknowledge, knowing everything your heart and your desires, everything that's happened in secret, everything that's happened in the open, knowing every single attitude that someone has. Can you imagine Jesus writing about your life in the sand with the crowd standing around, peering over what he was writing? The Bible says that Jesus began to write in the sand, and then they kept questioning him, and I believe they saw what he was writing. Then he straightened up and he said to them, if any of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw the stone at her. And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. Verse nine says, at this those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older first, until Jesus only was left. So the older Pharisee, with the long white beard, with the rock in his hand that had been so confident in Old Testament Scripture, looks at the writing on the ground, and as he sees the writing on the ground, he drops his stone and you hear the clunk in the ground, and he slips out the back. And then one of the other accusers, strong hollers, proponents that dragged the woman, sees his name and the rock, and he also slips out the back. And now, one by one, they start slipping out. One by one, they quiet down. And now it's just a silent crowd. They're not jeering anymore. They're not saying, tell us now. One by one, they walk away until only the little children are left, until they get bored and walk away. And then finally, it's just Jesus and this woman. And the Bible says that Jesus looks up. He says, woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you? No one, sir, she said. And then Jesus said. Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin. Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin. You see, these are very powerful, powerful words and what you need to understand. And you say, well, yeah, that's the heart of Jesus. But what you need to understand is that all of us here, not just the adulterous woman, but every single person in this auditorium, we all need the grace of God, and we all need the forgiveness of God. And listen, we all need the second chance of God. And you say, well, pastor, I've never cheated on my husband. I'm not an adulterous woman. But let me just put it this way we all are in need of the forgiveness and grace of God because every single one of us has sinned. You say, well, if you were to go out and do a survey on the streets of Chicago and ask 100 people if they think when they die, they'll go to the presence of God. I think about 95% of the people that you interview will say yes. And most of them, if you ask, why will you go to the presence of God? Most of them will say, well, I'm a pretty good person. I mean, I don't try to do bad to people. I don't try to hurt people unless they hurt me. And I don't take advantage of people. And I'm pretty sincere in my heart. And I have some faith, and I'm okay. And I'm a lot better than a lot of people that I know. And I think that God would say, hey, this is a fairly decent person and that he'll let me slip into his presence, but let me just challenge that theory for a moment and And let me just say let's let's go back a second. I think it was D James Kennedy that used this illustration when he talked about, hey, how many sins a day do you think that a very, very good person commits in life? Uh, I'm talking about very good person. I'm talking about your thoughts, your attitudes. In James, it tells us when you know to do something and you don't do it to you, it is sin. So not only sins of commission, but sins of omission, things that you know you need to do and you don't do. Thoughts of lust. Do you have in your mind thoughts of jealousy, of anger, resentment, little lies that you speak throughout the day, little cuss words that come out or using the Lord's name in vain. All of those, let's just say in a 24 hour period. How many times do you think that you may have a sin? Well, let's say that if you're a really good person, it's only three times a day. I mean, you'd have to be Mother Teresa's cousin only three times a day. Only three times a day, you say, hey, I'm very, very good. I'm religious. I pray I go to church only three times a day. That's the average in my life. If you times that times 365 days a year, you'll come up with over a thousand times a year that you sin. Let's say you're 35 years old this morning. If we do the tab, that means that you have 35,000 sins on your list. And now let's say you stand before God, and God says, why should I let you into my kingdom? You say, well, I'm a pretty good person. And he says, okay, let me let look at your life. It looks to me like you have 35,000. Crimes against my holiness. To your record, I'm not sure that qualifies you as good. And here's the here's the challenge. God says, if you're going to enter in my kingdom, be perfect as the Lord is perfect. Be holy as God is holy. If you're going to enter into his kingdom, there's no one that's going to enter with sin in their. So most of us have 35, 40, 50, 100, 200, some of them up into a million that we have sins on our account that we're going to stand before God. And that doesn't qualify us as the good type of people that can sort of ease our way through the gate. We stand condemned before the presence of God and in desperate need of God's grace and God's forgiveness. Because no one, no, not even one person, has ever made it into the presence of God without the grace and forgiveness of God, because even one sin would disqualify us from entering into his presence. That's why we need grace. That's why we so desperately need the forgiveness of God. That's why we so desperately need the power of God to forgive us and change us and wash us and cleanse us. That's why not only we and that adulterous woman, but everyone that's ever lived on the face of this earth needs the forgiveness of God. And I want you to notice that Jesus did not simply say to this woman, okay, it's all right. Your sin is not so bad. Jesus said to her, where are those that condemn you? Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.

You're listening to Bold Steps with pastor Mark Jobe, and we're pausing our message for just a moment. Mark, I want to share this from a listener named Eleanor. She says, hello, doctor Jobe, I was listening tonight, and I heard your message about unfinished business, and I just wanted to let you know how much that message that God gave you ministered to me. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I'm doing a self-inventory to admit and repent of all the unfinished business in my life, so I can move into the next phase of my life and do what God sent me to do. Well, we're reaching Eleanor, but our partners make that possible, don't they?

You're listening to Bold Steps with pastor Mark Jobe, and we're pausing our message for just a moment. Mark, I want to share this from a listener named Eleanor. She says, hello, doctor Jobe, I was listening tonight, and I heard your message about unfinished business, and I just wanted to let you know how much that message that God gave you ministered to me. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I'm doing a self-inventory to admit and repent of all the unfinished business in my life, so I can move into the next phase of my life and do what God sent me to do. Well, we're reaching Eleanor, but our partners make that possible, don't they?

They do. And so let me say, first of all, Eleanor, it's so encouraging to hear you taking the Word of God seriously and not allowing unfinished business in your life. And yes, the bold partners. You allow us to continue to get this program out there. And some of you are wondering, well, what's a bold partner? Well, let me just explain. A bold partner is someone that has chosen to give monthly any amount to support the program of bold steps. Some choose to give $30 or more, which also unlocks another benefit.

They do. And so let me say, first of all, Eleanor, it's so encouraging to hear you taking the Word of God seriously and not allowing unfinished business in your life. And yes, the bold partners. You allow us to continue to get this program out there. And some of you are wondering, well, what's a bold partner? Well, let me just explain. A bold partner is someone that has chosen to give monthly any amount to support the program of bold steps. Some choose to give $30 or more, which also unlocks another benefit.

It does a 50% discount on everything in the Moody Publishers catalog. There are so many wonderful books there, DVDs there, lots of material, even stuff for kids.

It does a 50% discount on everything in the Moody Publishers catalog. There are so many wonderful books there, DVDs there, lots of material, even stuff for kids.

Yeah, literally thousands of books are available and you get 50% discount, including, by the way, I keep promoting this because I love it. The moody commentary. Oh yeah, that I'm not sure exactly how much it costs typically, but I think about $40 and so you get 50% off. We have just even this month, a whole bunch of books, new books that have come out on a regular basis. And so we want to say again, thank you, Bold Partners for joining us. This number is growing and you really do allow us to spread the good news throughout this nation and the nations.

Yeah, literally thousands of books are available and you get 50% discount, including, by the way, I keep promoting this because I love it. The moody commentary. Oh yeah, that I'm not sure exactly how much it costs typically, but I think about $40 and so you get 50% off. We have just even this month, a whole bunch of books, new books that have come out on a regular basis. And so we want to say again, thank you, Bold Partners for joining us. This number is growing and you really do allow us to spread the good news throughout this nation and the nations.

For more about the Bold Partnered program, just go to our website bold steps.org. Every gift is appreciated, and for those gifts of $30 or more, you get that Moody Publishers discount. So check it out online at Bold Steps. Org. Well, a few more things that we can learn together from this story in the book of John, here's Mark.

For more about the Bold Partnered program, just go to our website bold steps.org. Every gift is appreciated, and for those gifts of $30 or more, you get that Moody Publishers discount. So check it out online at Bold Steps. Org. Well, a few more things that we can learn together from this story in the book of John, here's Mark.

Most of us know John 316, but most of us know don't know John 317. John 316 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. But John 17 says, For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him may have life. And whoever does not, and it goes on to say, whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only son. Let me tell you, God is not the one who condemns us. It's our unbelief and our unwillingness to repent that condemns us. Let me say that again God. Jesus did not come to condemn the world. He did not come to stone the adulteress. He came to bring forgiveness and grace. It is not Jesus who condemns the world. It is our unwillingness to believe and to repent that condemns our self. Uh, Jesus did not come to condemn, but we have condemned ourselves because we have been unwilling to believe and to repent. That's what it says. But whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. You see, here's what I want you to understand about forgiveness, and I want you to understand what Jesus said to this woman. He says, I don't condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin. What Jesus was saying to this woman, now that you've encountered me, I want you to change. Now that you've come to me, Now that you have seen me and encountered me now I want you to repent and believe and turn your life around. Because here is a chance to begin again. Woman I'm giving you a second chance at life. Here's what I've discovered. I've told you this story before, but let me say it again, because I think it's so properly illustrates what so many of us go through. You see, I'm told that there's a tribe in Africa that when they want to hunt monkeys, they have a system in place. And this is how they hunt monkeys. They take a coconut and they hollow out the coconut, and they put a hole in the coconut just large enough for a monkey to stick his hand in there. And then they tie that coconut to a stake, and they put nuts in that coconut. And so the monkey comes around and he looks inside that coconut, and he sticks his hand in that coconut, and he grabs a fistful of nuts. But then when he goes to pull his hand out of that hole because he has a fistful of nuts, his hand won't fit out that hole. And so the monkey jumps and screams and feels like he's trapped and he jumps around, but he's trapped. All he has to do is let go and he will be free. But because he doesn't want to let go, he continues to be trapped and enslaved. And you say, that dumb animal, how could it be so dumb? And yet we are so much like that monkey is. Some of us grab on to certain things of life, and we feel trapped and chained and unable to escape. And we holler and jump around and say, I cannot change, I cannot escape, I cannot change my life. And God says, let go, let go. Release those things that are hold you and give your hand to me. Let me pull you out, let me transform you. But before I can take your hand, you have to let go of what you're clenching onto so strongly. And many of us in life, we stay trapped because those little petty things in life, those things in life that keep us from God, those things in life that satisfy our appetite right now, those things in life that make a barrier between us and God Almighty, we hang on to them and we try to reach out to God. But we can't have both. We have to let go of one in order to give our hand to God and say, here I am. And I believe there's many people that stay trapped, unwilling, because that's what it means to repent and believe. To believe it means that you believe that God can change you, that God is the God of second chances, that your life is not over, that there is hope for your life. But in order to do so, you have to believe enough to be willing to release and let go. I believe that God wants to do a strong and powerful and deep work in our lives. I believe that there's some that are here that for the very fact that you've never come to God, you've never come to Jesus Christ. But you are here this morning because God so orchestrated to have you here. And there's some of you that have been afraid to come to God because you've been afraid of what you have to let go of. You've been afraid of what God is going to demand of you. You've been afraid to really let go of what you possess. but what you possess is rotting in your hand. What you're clinging on to is not bringing you happiness. What you're holding on to so strongly and so tightly. It is. It is empty. It's like grabbing the wind and God is saying, let go of it. Let me take your life. There's some of you that hear the Spirit of God deep within your soul, calling you to himself, the Spirit of God, urging you that today is the day. It says in Hebrews today, if today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart, but respond today because you're not. There's no guarantee that there's a tomorrow to hear his voice. Today, if you hear his voice, respond to the Spirit of God. There's some of you that are here today and you made a decision like that maybe a while back. But you know what? You've been like a prodigal for some time. And here's what I know about a prodigal, a prodigal deep inside. If you're walking away from God, if you've known God and slipped away from God. Here's the thing about a prodigal deep inside of your heart. You'll always miss the home that you know you belong at. There'll always be a longing within you that says, I miss my father. I miss the intimacy of communion. I miss my fellowship with him, I feel homesick, I'm far away. I'm living out there. But something inside me does not feel right. You hear the tug calling you back home. The father saying it's been long enough. Son or daughter, come back to the father. Make your life right with God, because where you're living is not where you belong. That's the power of the Spirit of God. I believe that there is a call and an anointing of the Spirit of God unto salvation. There have been people that have been fasting and praying that this would be a season of harvest. There have been people that have been praying for people that are seeking that they would come to cross that line and say, I'm not just going to be a sympathizer anymore. I'm not just going to be someone that hears anymore. I'm going to cross the line and say, I too, give my life to Jesus Christ. And there's been those that have been interceding and weeping and crying for those that are sliders, those that are sliding away from God, those that are walking in distance from God and know their heart needs to come back to God. We have been praying. We have. I've been praying for a special anointing of God for this season and this time for many people to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Yes. So you know, people have been praying for you. We don't even know your name and maybe haven't seen your face. But I want you to know that people have been praying for those that are prodigals and need to make their way back to God. And for those that may be listening, that have never made their way to God. And so I want to pray for both of those groups. If you're listening to me today and you say, hey, pastor Mark, I, I'm not even a believer yet a follower of Jesus, it means you've never crossed the line, made the decision, prayed that prayer, made that commitment of surrender. And maybe you've been listening for a while and you know that God is drawing you, but you've never taken that step. Or maybe you're a prodigal that used to walk with God, but you know, you've you've fallen away from God, and God has been stirring you up to to make a recommitment to him. And so I'm going to pray for both of those types of people. And if you're in one of those categories, I want you to pray with me. Father, I pray for that person that's listening right now that is just never surrendered their life to you, but keeps feeling they need to. They should they they sense your call upon their life. And so today I pray that you would give them the grace and the power to acknowledge that you are Lord, that they are not, that they need cleansing and forgiveness of sins, and to repent, to turn away from the way that they've been living and say, I choose to follow the way of Jesus as my Lord and my Savior. Give them the grace to do that. And if you've never done that, I want you just to pray on your own right now. Just asking God, asking Jesus to be Lord of your life, to cleanse, wash you and make you a new person. And I pray, father, for that prodigal son or daughter that needs to make their way back to you that has just listening to the radio. But the Holy Spirit right now is speaking to your heart, reminding you you're far from the place that God called you to. You know that you're running from God. You're a Jonah. You're a prodigal, and God is saying, time to stop. Come back to me. And if that's you, I want you to stop and pray and just let God know. Lord, I'm tired of running. I choose to stop running. And today I choose to make my way back to God. I pray this in Jesus name.

Most of us know John 316, but most of us know don't know John 317. John 316 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. But John 17 says, For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him may have life. And whoever does not, and it goes on to say, whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only son. Let me tell you, God is not the one who condemns us. It's our unbelief and our unwillingness to repent that condemns us. Let me say that again God. Jesus did not come to condemn the world. He did not come to stone the adulteress. He came to bring forgiveness and grace. It is not Jesus who condemns the world. It is our unwillingness to believe and to repent that condemns our self. Uh, Jesus did not come to condemn, but we have condemned ourselves because we have been unwilling to believe and to repent. That's what it says. But whoever does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. You see, here's what I want you to understand about forgiveness, and I want you to understand what Jesus said to this woman. He says, I don't condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin. What Jesus was saying to this woman, now that you've encountered me, I want you to change. Now that you've come to me, Now that you have seen me and encountered me now I want you to repent and believe and turn your life around. Because here is a chance to begin again. Woman I'm giving you a second chance at life. Here's what I've discovered. I've told you this story before, but let me say it again, because I think it's so properly illustrates what so many of us go through. You see, I'm told that there's a tribe in Africa that when they want to hunt monkeys, they have a system in place. And this is how they hunt monkeys. They take a coconut and they hollow out the coconut, and they put a hole in the coconut just large enough for a monkey to stick his hand in there. And then they tie that coconut to a stake, and they put nuts in that coconut. And so the monkey comes around and he looks inside that coconut, and he sticks his hand in that coconut, and he grabs a fistful of nuts. But then when he goes to pull his hand out of that hole because he has a fistful of nuts, his hand won't fit out that hole. And so the monkey jumps and screams and feels like he's trapped and he jumps around, but he's trapped. All he has to do is let go and he will be free. But because he doesn't want to let go, he continues to be trapped and enslaved. And you say, that dumb animal, how could it be so dumb? And yet we are so much like that monkey is. Some of us grab on to certain things of life, and we feel trapped and chained and unable to escape. And we holler and jump around and say, I cannot change, I cannot escape, I cannot change my life. And God says, let go, let go. Release those things that are hold you and give your hand to me. Let me pull you out, let me transform you. But before I can take your hand, you have to let go of what you're clenching onto so strongly. And many of us in life, we stay trapped because those little petty things in life, those things in life that keep us from God, those things in life that satisfy our appetite right now, those things in life that make a barrier between us and God Almighty, we hang on to them and we try to reach out to God. But we can't have both. We have to let go of one in order to give our hand to God and say, here I am. And I believe there's many people that stay trapped, unwilling, because that's what it means to repent and believe. To believe it means that you believe that God can change you, that God is the God of second chances, that your life is not over, that there is hope for your life. But in order to do so, you have to believe enough to be willing to release and let go. I believe that God wants to do a strong and powerful and deep work in our lives. I believe that there's some that are here that for the very fact that you've never come to God, you've never come to Jesus Christ. But you are here this morning because God so orchestrated to have you here. And there's some of you that have been afraid to come to God because you've been afraid of what you have to let go of. You've been afraid of what God is going to demand of you. You've been afraid to really let go of what you possess. but what you possess is rotting in your hand. What you're clinging on to is not bringing you happiness. What you're holding on to so strongly and so tightly. It is. It is empty. It's like grabbing the wind and God is saying, let go of it. Let me take your life. There's some of you that hear the Spirit of God deep within your soul, calling you to himself, the Spirit of God, urging you that today is the day. It says in Hebrews today, if today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart, but respond today because you're not. There's no guarantee that there's a tomorrow to hear his voice. Today, if you hear his voice, respond to the Spirit of God. There's some of you that are here today and you made a decision like that maybe a while back. But you know what? You've been like a prodigal for some time. And here's what I know about a prodigal, a prodigal deep inside. If you're walking away from God, if you've known God and slipped away from God. Here's the thing about a prodigal deep inside of your heart. You'll always miss the home that you know you belong at. There'll always be a longing within you that says, I miss my father. I miss the intimacy of communion. I miss my fellowship with him, I feel homesick, I'm far away. I'm living out there. But something inside me does not feel right. You hear the tug calling you back home. The father saying it's been long enough. Son or daughter, come back to the father. Make your life right with God, because where you're living is not where you belong. That's the power of the Spirit of God. I believe that there is a call and an anointing of the Spirit of God unto salvation. There have been people that have been fasting and praying that this would be a season of harvest. There have been people that have been praying for people that are seeking that they would come to cross that line and say, I'm not just going to be a sympathizer anymore. I'm not just going to be someone that hears anymore. I'm going to cross the line and say, I too, give my life to Jesus Christ. And there's been those that have been interceding and weeping and crying for those that are sliders, those that are sliding away from God, those that are walking in distance from God and know their heart needs to come back to God. We have been praying. We have. I've been praying for a special anointing of God for this season and this time for many people to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Yes. So you know, people have been praying for you. We don't even know your name and maybe haven't seen your face. But I want you to know that people have been praying for those that are prodigals and need to make their way back to God. And for those that may be listening, that have never made their way to God. And so I want to pray for both of those groups. If you're listening to me today and you say, hey, pastor Mark, I, I'm not even a believer yet a follower of Jesus, it means you've never crossed the line, made the decision, prayed that prayer, made that commitment of surrender. And maybe you've been listening for a while and you know that God is drawing you, but you've never taken that step. Or maybe you're a prodigal that used to walk with God, but you know, you've you've fallen away from God, and God has been stirring you up to to make a recommitment to him. And so I'm going to pray for both of those types of people. And if you're in one of those categories, I want you to pray with me. Father, I pray for that person that's listening right now that is just never surrendered their life to you, but keeps feeling they need to. They should they they sense your call upon their life. And so today I pray that you would give them the grace and the power to acknowledge that you are Lord, that they are not, that they need cleansing and forgiveness of sins, and to repent, to turn away from the way that they've been living and say, I choose to follow the way of Jesus as my Lord and my Savior. Give them the grace to do that. And if you've never done that, I want you just to pray on your own right now. Just asking God, asking Jesus to be Lord of your life, to cleanse, wash you and make you a new person. And I pray, father, for that prodigal son or daughter that needs to make their way back to you that has just listening to the radio. But the Holy Spirit right now is speaking to your heart, reminding you you're far from the place that God called you to. You know that you're running from God. You're a Jonah. You're a prodigal, and God is saying, time to stop. Come back to me. And if that's you, I want you to stop and pray and just let God know. Lord, I'm tired of running. I choose to stop running. And today I choose to make my way back to God. I pray this in Jesus name.

Amen. Amen. Thank you. Mark. This is bold steps. You're listening to the Bible teaching of Mark Jobe. If you just pray that God would lead you back, but you're in need of some tools and resources to help you as you walk this new road. Let me invite you to go online and explore our website. You can sign up for Mark's weekly email devotional, The Bold Stepper Weekly, and learn what the next steps in your walk of faith are by watching our latest Next Steps video. You can even ask Mark a question. You'll find all of this and more online at Bold Steps. Org. While you're online, be sure to request our latest bold step gift. Called To cultivate is a book designed for the modern Christian woman. It provides biblical wisdom for ordering your priorities and cultivating what matters most in a way that brings purpose and peace and a rhythm of biblical balance. So if you're feeling exhausted from trying to do it all, balancing the roles of mother, wife, worker, caretaker than author Chelsea Patterson, Sobolik has some insights you'll want to explore. Request your copy of Called to Cultivate. 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 and request the book through the mail. Address your envelope to bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And by the way, did you know you can hear any of these daily messages anywhere, anytime by subscribing to the Bold Steps podcast? Just go to your podcast app and search for Bold Steps with doctor Mark Jobe. Remember to click that subscribe button and also leave a comment. And most of all, we encourage you to share these messages with your friends. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Join us again tomorrow when we'll learn why it's not too late. It's a lesson on second chances, and you'll hear it here Tuesday. When you listen to Bold Steps with Mark John. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.

Amen. Amen. Thank you. Mark. This is bold steps. You're listening to the Bible teaching of Mark Jobe. If you just pray that God would lead you back, but you're in need of some tools and resources to help you as you walk this new road. Let me invite you to go online and explore our website. You can sign up for Mark's weekly email devotional, The Bold Stepper Weekly, and learn what the next steps in your walk of faith are by watching our latest Next Steps video. You can even ask Mark a question. You'll find all of this and more online at Bold Steps. Org. While you're online, be sure to request our latest bold step gift. Called To cultivate is a book designed for the modern Christian woman. It provides biblical wisdom for ordering your priorities and cultivating what matters most in a way that brings purpose and peace and a rhythm of biblical balance. So if you're feeling exhausted from trying to do it all, balancing the roles of mother, wife, worker, caretaker than author Chelsea Patterson, Sobolik has some insights you'll want to explore. Request your copy of Called to Cultivate. 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 and request the book through the mail. Address your envelope to bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And by the way, did you know you can hear any of these daily messages anywhere, anytime by subscribing to the Bold Steps podcast? Just go to your podcast app and search for Bold Steps with doctor Mark Jobe. Remember to click that subscribe button and also leave a comment. And most of all, we encourage you to share these messages with your friends. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Join us again tomorrow when we'll learn why it's not too late. It's a lesson on second chances, and you'll hear it here Tuesday. When you listen to Bold Steps with Mark John. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.