Today on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, we're learning how to use the unique abilities we've been given to reach our highest potential.

Today on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, we're learning how to use the unique abilities we've been given to reach our highest potential.

When we understand that everybody in the body has different gifts, we start using our gifts. And when we're all functioning in our gifts, we become this incredible, powerful, life giving community of faith that is unstoppable and doing incredible things for God. And that's where we want to be. We want to be that kind of church.

When we understand that everybody in the body has different gifts, we start using our gifts. And when we're all functioning in our gifts, we become this incredible, powerful, life giving community of faith that is unstoppable and doing incredible things for God. And that's where we want to be. We want to be that kind of church.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Mark is the senior pastor of New Life Community Church and the president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. As a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, we too have the opportunity as children of God to transform into something different. And today on the program, we'll be looking at how we can step up into our calling and reach our highest potential. Mark started this message yesterday. If you missed it, you can listen to the complete message online at bird-stamps.org. Right now, let's dive into today's message with Mark Jobe here on Bold Steps.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Mark is the senior pastor of New Life Community Church and the president of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. I'm Wayne Shepherd. As a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, we too have the opportunity as children of God to transform into something different. And today on the program, we'll be looking at how we can step up into our calling and reach our highest potential. Mark started this message yesterday. If you missed it, you can listen to the complete message online at bird-stamps.org. Right now, let's dive into today's message with Mark Jobe here on Bold Steps.

To Be Metamorphosized is the process in which something is converted into something else. For example, if you've ever walked down a sidewalk and seen this ugly looking gray, blackish hairy caterpillar, they weave this elaborate cocoon around their bodies and they stay within that cocoon for a period of time. As they are in that cocoon, there is a metamorphosis happening to this ugly, hairy caterpillar. And when finally they're cocooning, Cooning stage is over, they start breaking out of that cocoon, and when they break out of that cocoon, many caterpillars turn into butterflies. I don't think I've ever seen a t shirt with a big ugly caterpillar on it. A young girl wearing it or or earrings with caterpillars on it. I don't think I've ever seen that, but I have seen butterflies. Why? Because a metamorphosis has happened that's changed it from one thing to another. It started with the same base, but it's been transformed. Paul is saying that many of us, we come to Christ, we make a decision to follow God. Maybe you've come to an altar and said, I'm tired of my life. I want to change. You've opened up your heart and you say, God, I want you to come in and change my life and turn me around. And you start off with that new energy to turn your life around. But somewhere in the process, you get stuck, you stop changing, or sometimes you can revert to old patterns. Why not? Because God isn't faithful. Not because God isn't good. Not because Christianity doesn't work. Your spirit has been changed. But something more than your spirit has to change. Your mind has to be renewed so that your life continues to be changed. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. In other words, you are thinking the way you process life. The truth, what your brain thinks about what your thoughts are about has to be transformed into the way that God, God's principles, and God's words in order for you to maintain the change that's happening in your life. So the Apostle Paul says, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You can't renew your mind without getting into the Word of God. The Word of God is truth, and the truth of God renews our mind. We meditate on the word. We study the word. We allow the spirit to process the word in our life. We start changing old ways of thinking for new ways of thinking. Um, that takes time. It doesn't happen overnight. It says. Then as your mind is renewed, then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. As your mind is renewed, you start discovering the will of God. How to live for God. How to what your purpose is, what your destiny is. As your mind is renewed, you start learning the will of God in your life. But it takes the renewing of our mind. Number three discover who God has made you and accept your unique abilities. Listen to what it says in verse three. For by the grace given me what is grace? Grace is undeserved, unmerited favor. The word grace here comes from the word charisma. Nowadays, we use the word charisma to describe someone that has an attractive personality. And we may say, oh, that person has a lot of charisma. Literally, it's the word charismata. It's a gift that's given to us that we don't earn or deserve. But it's God's gift for by the gift given me. Paul says, I say to every one of you, do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think of yourself, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith that God has given to you. In essence, what Paul is saying is that all of us here, as we discover the will of God for our lives, every one of us here has a Unique, has unique abilities and unique giftings in your life. Everyone does. There's not a person here that doesn't have some unique gifts and unique abilities that God has given you. Tell the person beside you you have a gift. Go ahead. You have a gift. You may look and say, oh no, not me. I don't have a gift. No, no you do. You may not have unwrapped it. You may not have discovered it, but you have a gift. And here's what Paul says about our gifting. And I believe I agree with Rick Warren when he talks about there's there's five things that shape what our gifting is that affect us, our spiritual gifts, which has to do with whatever God has given you your heart. What are your burdens? What does your heart go towards? Your abilities? What kind of abilities do you have? Your personality? That means how you use your abilities and your experience. Spiritual gifts. Heart. abilities, personality, and experience determines your shape. Now here's what I've discovered about our gifts. I've discovered that everybody has a gift that everybody needs to use their gift. Because when you don't use your gift, you're robbing people from the blessing of what you have to offer. But what I've discovered with gifts is sometimes we magnify our gift. Paul says, I don't want anybody to think of themselves more highly than they ought. And here's what I've discovered that some people think that their gift is better than anybody else's gift. Later he goes on and says, everybody has a different gift. We're part of the same body. He describes it this way listen, if everybody had the same gift, what if your your body, your physical body all decided, your toe decided I want to be an I. And I'm tired of groveling down there in the dirt. And I have a terrible view down there. All I see is dirt and rocks and dirt and rocks. And it stinks down here. I want to be an eye. Cool colors. You get to wink at people. Blink. You see things from a big perspective and you know, your hand says, you know, I want to be an eye, too. You know, I'm tired of. I'm tired of being overused. And the eye seems like it's cool, you know, gets to see all the light, the colorful things the lake says. You know, I'm tired too. So everybody decides I want to be an eye. Paul gives the illustration of what kind of person would that be? You say, hi, Joe, and he's just big one eye rolling down the street. Well, you would say that's weird. That's the form. That doesn't make sense. There goes Joe rolling down the street sometimes in the body of Christ. It's that way we all have different gifts. But if we all try to be one thing, then we're an imbalanced body. If we all try to be an AI, then there's no place for a foot and hand and a neck. And so he says, everybody has different gifts. So embrace the gift that you have. Celebrate it, and don't make it feel like your gift is better than anybody else's gift. I've discovered that usually whatever we've been raised with, most people think that whatever they are is better than other people. It happens ethnically. It happens job wise. It happens personality wise. I've seen it in the church. Let me give you an example. I had a brother not too long ago come and approach me. And he was really into prayer. And he said, pastor, let me just tell you, I think we need to pray more in this church. I said, I agree, we need to pray more. And he says, you know, I don't think we should be out there helping the community, doing community service we need to do is pray those people are out there trying to do like classes and help after school programs. We need more prayer. I had another brother approach me not too long ago and say, brother, can I talk to you? I said, sure brother. What we need is more evangelism. Some people, all they do is want to pray, pray, pray. They just close themselves in the closet and pray. And they want to pray about everything. We need to stop praying and we need to do more evangelism. We need to get out of our prayer closet. We need to get on the streets. We need to hit the pavement. Tell people about Jesus. Stop praying. It's time to evangelize. Mm. Well who's right? Do we need more prayer? Do we need more evangelism, or do we need more social action helping out the community? Well who's right? Well, let me tell you, all of them are right. But but they're wrong in their approach. If they understood that everybody has different gifts, and whatever your gift is will give you a passion for it. The people that are have a heart for evangelism. They would team up with the prayer people and they would say, hey, we're going out on Tuesday to do evangelism. Hey, could you guys pray and fast for us because we need your help in praying that God would open up doors and God would protect us, and God would give us divine appointments. So we love your prayer emphasis. Pray for us. And if the prayer people understood, they would be telling the people in evangelism, hey, we love the fact that you're doing evangelism. We want to pray for you. We want to partner with you. And if they understood the people that are doing social work services and acts of kindness, the evangelism people would say, hey, bless you that you're teaching kids after school and tutoring them because many people will not hear the good news of Jesus unless they see the good works of Jesus first. So bless you. Let's work together. Do you see how it works?

To Be Metamorphosized is the process in which something is converted into something else. For example, if you've ever walked down a sidewalk and seen this ugly looking gray, blackish hairy caterpillar, they weave this elaborate cocoon around their bodies and they stay within that cocoon for a period of time. As they are in that cocoon, there is a metamorphosis happening to this ugly, hairy caterpillar. And when finally they're cocooning, Cooning stage is over, they start breaking out of that cocoon, and when they break out of that cocoon, many caterpillars turn into butterflies. I don't think I've ever seen a t shirt with a big ugly caterpillar on it. A young girl wearing it or or earrings with caterpillars on it. I don't think I've ever seen that, but I have seen butterflies. Why? Because a metamorphosis has happened that's changed it from one thing to another. It started with the same base, but it's been transformed. Paul is saying that many of us, we come to Christ, we make a decision to follow God. Maybe you've come to an altar and said, I'm tired of my life. I want to change. You've opened up your heart and you say, God, I want you to come in and change my life and turn me around. And you start off with that new energy to turn your life around. But somewhere in the process, you get stuck, you stop changing, or sometimes you can revert to old patterns. Why not? Because God isn't faithful. Not because God isn't good. Not because Christianity doesn't work. Your spirit has been changed. But something more than your spirit has to change. Your mind has to be renewed so that your life continues to be changed. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. In other words, you are thinking the way you process life. The truth, what your brain thinks about what your thoughts are about has to be transformed into the way that God, God's principles, and God's words in order for you to maintain the change that's happening in your life. So the Apostle Paul says, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You can't renew your mind without getting into the Word of God. The Word of God is truth, and the truth of God renews our mind. We meditate on the word. We study the word. We allow the spirit to process the word in our life. We start changing old ways of thinking for new ways of thinking. Um, that takes time. It doesn't happen overnight. It says. Then as your mind is renewed, then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. As your mind is renewed, you start discovering the will of God. How to live for God. How to what your purpose is, what your destiny is. As your mind is renewed, you start learning the will of God in your life. But it takes the renewing of our mind. Number three discover who God has made you and accept your unique abilities. Listen to what it says in verse three. For by the grace given me what is grace? Grace is undeserved, unmerited favor. The word grace here comes from the word charisma. Nowadays, we use the word charisma to describe someone that has an attractive personality. And we may say, oh, that person has a lot of charisma. Literally, it's the word charismata. It's a gift that's given to us that we don't earn or deserve. But it's God's gift for by the gift given me. Paul says, I say to every one of you, do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think of yourself, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith that God has given to you. In essence, what Paul is saying is that all of us here, as we discover the will of God for our lives, every one of us here has a Unique, has unique abilities and unique giftings in your life. Everyone does. There's not a person here that doesn't have some unique gifts and unique abilities that God has given you. Tell the person beside you you have a gift. Go ahead. You have a gift. You may look and say, oh no, not me. I don't have a gift. No, no you do. You may not have unwrapped it. You may not have discovered it, but you have a gift. And here's what Paul says about our gifting. And I believe I agree with Rick Warren when he talks about there's there's five things that shape what our gifting is that affect us, our spiritual gifts, which has to do with whatever God has given you your heart. What are your burdens? What does your heart go towards? Your abilities? What kind of abilities do you have? Your personality? That means how you use your abilities and your experience. Spiritual gifts. Heart. abilities, personality, and experience determines your shape. Now here's what I've discovered about our gifts. I've discovered that everybody has a gift that everybody needs to use their gift. Because when you don't use your gift, you're robbing people from the blessing of what you have to offer. But what I've discovered with gifts is sometimes we magnify our gift. Paul says, I don't want anybody to think of themselves more highly than they ought. And here's what I've discovered that some people think that their gift is better than anybody else's gift. Later he goes on and says, everybody has a different gift. We're part of the same body. He describes it this way listen, if everybody had the same gift, what if your your body, your physical body all decided, your toe decided I want to be an I. And I'm tired of groveling down there in the dirt. And I have a terrible view down there. All I see is dirt and rocks and dirt and rocks. And it stinks down here. I want to be an eye. Cool colors. You get to wink at people. Blink. You see things from a big perspective and you know, your hand says, you know, I want to be an eye, too. You know, I'm tired of. I'm tired of being overused. And the eye seems like it's cool, you know, gets to see all the light, the colorful things the lake says. You know, I'm tired too. So everybody decides I want to be an eye. Paul gives the illustration of what kind of person would that be? You say, hi, Joe, and he's just big one eye rolling down the street. Well, you would say that's weird. That's the form. That doesn't make sense. There goes Joe rolling down the street sometimes in the body of Christ. It's that way we all have different gifts. But if we all try to be one thing, then we're an imbalanced body. If we all try to be an AI, then there's no place for a foot and hand and a neck. And so he says, everybody has different gifts. So embrace the gift that you have. Celebrate it, and don't make it feel like your gift is better than anybody else's gift. I've discovered that usually whatever we've been raised with, most people think that whatever they are is better than other people. It happens ethnically. It happens job wise. It happens personality wise. I've seen it in the church. Let me give you an example. I had a brother not too long ago come and approach me. And he was really into prayer. And he said, pastor, let me just tell you, I think we need to pray more in this church. I said, I agree, we need to pray more. And he says, you know, I don't think we should be out there helping the community, doing community service we need to do is pray those people are out there trying to do like classes and help after school programs. We need more prayer. I had another brother approach me not too long ago and say, brother, can I talk to you? I said, sure brother. What we need is more evangelism. Some people, all they do is want to pray, pray, pray. They just close themselves in the closet and pray. And they want to pray about everything. We need to stop praying and we need to do more evangelism. We need to get out of our prayer closet. We need to get on the streets. We need to hit the pavement. Tell people about Jesus. Stop praying. It's time to evangelize. Mm. Well who's right? Do we need more prayer? Do we need more evangelism, or do we need more social action helping out the community? Well who's right? Well, let me tell you, all of them are right. But but they're wrong in their approach. If they understood that everybody has different gifts, and whatever your gift is will give you a passion for it. The people that are have a heart for evangelism. They would team up with the prayer people and they would say, hey, we're going out on Tuesday to do evangelism. Hey, could you guys pray and fast for us because we need your help in praying that God would open up doors and God would protect us, and God would give us divine appointments. So we love your prayer emphasis. Pray for us. And if the prayer people understood, they would be telling the people in evangelism, hey, we love the fact that you're doing evangelism. We want to pray for you. We want to partner with you. And if they understood the people that are doing social work services and acts of kindness, the evangelism people would say, hey, bless you that you're teaching kids after school and tutoring them because many people will not hear the good news of Jesus unless they see the good works of Jesus first. So bless you. Let's work together. Do you see how it works?

Well, we're going to pause our message from Mark Jobe here for just a moment to thank our partners who make bold steps possible. Mark.

Well, we're going to pause our message from Mark Jobe here for just a moment to thank our partners who make bold steps possible. Mark.

Yeah, and a bold step partner is a partner that says, you know, I love what you guys are doing. I connect with this message and I want to help get the message out. So they commit to a monthly donation of any amount. But it's a monthly donation, auto donation.

Yeah, and a bold step partner is a partner that says, you know, I love what you guys are doing. I connect with this message and I want to help get the message out. So they commit to a monthly donation of any amount. But it's a monthly donation, auto donation.

You have no idea how much that helps, just to know that we can count on you as a bold partner. Here's Gabrielle who wrote to us. Mark, listen to what she says. I absolutely love and adore Moody Radio. It's my one stop shop. I love the teachings, the fellowship and participation. I knew a while back that my calling was to live, eat and breathe the gospel and Bold Steps definitely fills me up and pays a huge part of my gospel grocery bill, so to speak. Well, Gabrielle, that's just such a good way to put it, don't you think?

You have no idea how much that helps, just to know that we can count on you as a bold partner. Here's Gabrielle who wrote to us. Mark, listen to what she says. I absolutely love and adore Moody Radio. It's my one stop shop. I love the teachings, the fellowship and participation. I knew a while back that my calling was to live, eat and breathe the gospel and Bold Steps definitely fills me up and pays a huge part of my gospel grocery bill, so to speak. Well, Gabrielle, that's just such a good way to put it, don't you think?

I love that, Gabrielle. What an encouraging word you sent to us. And by the way, I want to say that we read these comments that send in. We we can't see you face to face. We know that you're on the other end, but when you send us comments like this and just let us know that you're listening, praying, it really encourages us. So thank you. Gabriel. I love that my one stop shop.

I love that, Gabrielle. What an encouraging word you sent to us. And by the way, I want to say that we read these comments that send in. We we can't see you face to face. We know that you're on the other end, but when you send us comments like this and just let us know that you're listening, praying, it really encourages us. So thank you. Gabriel. I love that my one stop shop.

My gospel grocery bill. She says, well, thank you. And if you would like to become a bold partner, as Mark said, to give a gift of any amount each month. That would be appreciated. But for those who give $30 or more each month, you get the added benefit of a 50% discount on any item in the Moody Publishers catalog. You get a signed copy of Mark's book unstuck and other resources as well. So become a bold partner today by going to Bold Steps. Org. Now back to the message with Mark Jobe.

My gospel grocery bill. She says, well, thank you. And if you would like to become a bold partner, as Mark said, to give a gift of any amount each month. That would be appreciated. But for those who give $30 or more each month, you get the added benefit of a 50% discount on any item in the Moody Publishers catalog. You get a signed copy of Mark's book unstuck and other resources as well. So become a bold partner today by going to Bold Steps. Org. Now back to the message with Mark Jobe.

Some people have the gift of mercy. When someone walks in and they're broken and a kid drops out of high school and they're having a lot of problems in their home and their parents are alcoholic. The gift of mercy just comes in and wants to hug on them. Love on them, encourage them. Listen, you can do it. You can make it. The person that has the gift of exhortation, which challenges people to go forward. They want to go in and say, hey, stop your crying, whining. We've all had a tough life. Just get with it. Join a program, join school, make it go do it now. Who's right? Both of them are right. We need some exhortation, but we need some mercy. When we understand that everybody in the body has different gifts, we start using our gifts and we don't magnify our gifts above other people's gifts. We don't act like our gift is the only gift, and everybody needs to have our gift. We acknowledge that there are other gifts in the body of Christ that we need each other. And when we're all functioning in our gifts, we become this incredible, powerful, life giving community of faith that is unstoppable and doing incredible things for God. Amen. And that's where we want to be. We want to be that kind of church. So don't magnify your gift. Don't think that your gift is better than anybody else's gift. Don't minimize your gift. Don't compare your gift with others and say, well, my gift is nothing if I only had that gift. Maybe you have the gift of administration, but you really wish you had the gift of worship. You say, oh, you know, I input data in computer. I'm organized. But I wish I could sing and I wish I could get up there like Julie and just lead people or like John, and just the whole congregation is inspired by it. All I have is this dumb little administrative gift I'm going to try to sing. Listen, if. I love your heart and all. But you don't. You know you don't have the gift. When you try to lead people in singing. And they're kind of going like. We're looking at each other a little bit. Embrace your gift and sing in the shower as loud as you can. But don't try to have a gift that you don't have. Embrace the gift that you have. Thank God for the gift that you have. Learn to be good at the gift that you that you have because your gift is incredible. So don't. Don't minimize the gift that God has given you. Don't magnify your gift. Don't minimize your gift. And don't misunderstand your gift. Don't think that you have your gift because you're better or worse. The Bible says the gift of God are given by God. However he wants to give them. He doesn't give you a gift because he thought he looked at you and said, wow, you've been really good. Let me give you this really good gift and this person has been really bad. Let me give them this sort of crummy gift. No, God doesn't operate that way. You can't boast about the gift that you have. You have whatever gift you have. Use it. Celebrate it, but don't boast and act like it's yours because it's not yours. It's God's. And lastly, it says in verse four, just as each one of you has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function. So in Christ we are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the other members. First Corinthians 1218 to 22. The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you, and the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you. Those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable. Lastly, number four, take your gifting and use it to the full potential of your calling. Verse six says, we have different gifts according to the grace that's given to us. God has dispensed to all of us different gifts according to his grace, his favor, not our merit. If a man has the gift of prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If someone has the gift of serving, then serve. Teaching. Then let him teach. Encouraging. Then let him encourage. If contributing to the needs of others, then let him give generously. If it's leadership, then let him govern diligently is showing mercy. Let him do it cheerfully. In other words, what Paul is saying is, whatever gift God has given you, you have the responsibility to use it. It's your gift, but you're robbing God and you're robbing others. When you have a gift that you don't use, maybe you're here today saying, pastor, I want to use my gift. I just don't know what it is. Let me tell you how you discover your gift. You discover your gift by doing something you don't. Discover your gift by sitting there and thinking. Mhm. Remember my gift is. Mm. I hope I have a gift. You're never going to know if you're good at teaching unless you teach. You're never going to know if you're good at mercy unless you show mercy. You're never going to know what you're good at unless you start experimenting and trying and testing and seeing what other people affirm you at what you have a heart for and what you show, what you start showing fruit in. And when you get active and get involved, then you'll start. It's like playing sports. You can't sit behind a desk and say, well, I think I'm good at football. Well, you've never tried football. I think I'm good at track. Have you ever done track? I think I'm great at volleyball. Well. Hey, you. Hey, you have to get out there and you have to experiment a little bit. Try a little bit and it will become very evident what you're good at as you're doing something. What I've discovered is a lot of people have an inferiority complex and they never get active, they never get involved, so they never discover what they're really good at. I believe it's time to roll up your sleeves, to look to the heavens and say, God, I've been underestimating your grace in my life. By God's grace. I want to acknowledge you've poured something in me. And I have something to pour back. Help me discover my place. So that I can be used for your honor and your glory. Maybe you already know your gift. And you just need to say, hey, let me roll up my sleeves, fill up with God and plunge into what God has called me to do. I think everybody should be active in something, and it should be something that stretches you, not just, well, let me check it off the list. I guess I'll serve in the nursery once every eight weeks. Check.

Some people have the gift of mercy. When someone walks in and they're broken and a kid drops out of high school and they're having a lot of problems in their home and their parents are alcoholic. The gift of mercy just comes in and wants to hug on them. Love on them, encourage them. Listen, you can do it. You can make it. The person that has the gift of exhortation, which challenges people to go forward. They want to go in and say, hey, stop your crying, whining. We've all had a tough life. Just get with it. Join a program, join school, make it go do it now. Who's right? Both of them are right. We need some exhortation, but we need some mercy. When we understand that everybody in the body has different gifts, we start using our gifts and we don't magnify our gifts above other people's gifts. We don't act like our gift is the only gift, and everybody needs to have our gift. We acknowledge that there are other gifts in the body of Christ that we need each other. And when we're all functioning in our gifts, we become this incredible, powerful, life giving community of faith that is unstoppable and doing incredible things for God. Amen. And that's where we want to be. We want to be that kind of church. So don't magnify your gift. Don't think that your gift is better than anybody else's gift. Don't minimize your gift. Don't compare your gift with others and say, well, my gift is nothing if I only had that gift. Maybe you have the gift of administration, but you really wish you had the gift of worship. You say, oh, you know, I input data in computer. I'm organized. But I wish I could sing and I wish I could get up there like Julie and just lead people or like John, and just the whole congregation is inspired by it. All I have is this dumb little administrative gift I'm going to try to sing. Listen, if. I love your heart and all. But you don't. You know you don't have the gift. When you try to lead people in singing. And they're kind of going like. We're looking at each other a little bit. Embrace your gift and sing in the shower as loud as you can. But don't try to have a gift that you don't have. Embrace the gift that you have. Thank God for the gift that you have. Learn to be good at the gift that you that you have because your gift is incredible. So don't. Don't minimize the gift that God has given you. Don't magnify your gift. Don't minimize your gift. And don't misunderstand your gift. Don't think that you have your gift because you're better or worse. The Bible says the gift of God are given by God. However he wants to give them. He doesn't give you a gift because he thought he looked at you and said, wow, you've been really good. Let me give you this really good gift and this person has been really bad. Let me give them this sort of crummy gift. No, God doesn't operate that way. You can't boast about the gift that you have. You have whatever gift you have. Use it. Celebrate it, but don't boast and act like it's yours because it's not yours. It's God's. And lastly, it says in verse four, just as each one of you has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function. So in Christ we are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the other members. First Corinthians 1218 to 22. The eye cannot say to the hand, I don't need you, and the head cannot say to the feet, I don't need you. Those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable. Lastly, number four, take your gifting and use it to the full potential of your calling. Verse six says, we have different gifts according to the grace that's given to us. God has dispensed to all of us different gifts according to his grace, his favor, not our merit. If a man has the gift of prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If someone has the gift of serving, then serve. Teaching. Then let him teach. Encouraging. Then let him encourage. If contributing to the needs of others, then let him give generously. If it's leadership, then let him govern diligently is showing mercy. Let him do it cheerfully. In other words, what Paul is saying is, whatever gift God has given you, you have the responsibility to use it. It's your gift, but you're robbing God and you're robbing others. When you have a gift that you don't use, maybe you're here today saying, pastor, I want to use my gift. I just don't know what it is. Let me tell you how you discover your gift. You discover your gift by doing something you don't. Discover your gift by sitting there and thinking. Mhm. Remember my gift is. Mm. I hope I have a gift. You're never going to know if you're good at teaching unless you teach. You're never going to know if you're good at mercy unless you show mercy. You're never going to know what you're good at unless you start experimenting and trying and testing and seeing what other people affirm you at what you have a heart for and what you show, what you start showing fruit in. And when you get active and get involved, then you'll start. It's like playing sports. You can't sit behind a desk and say, well, I think I'm good at football. Well, you've never tried football. I think I'm good at track. Have you ever done track? I think I'm great at volleyball. Well. Hey, you. Hey, you have to get out there and you have to experiment a little bit. Try a little bit and it will become very evident what you're good at as you're doing something. What I've discovered is a lot of people have an inferiority complex and they never get active, they never get involved, so they never discover what they're really good at. I believe it's time to roll up your sleeves, to look to the heavens and say, God, I've been underestimating your grace in my life. By God's grace. I want to acknowledge you've poured something in me. And I have something to pour back. Help me discover my place. So that I can be used for your honor and your glory. Maybe you already know your gift. And you just need to say, hey, let me roll up my sleeves, fill up with God and plunge into what God has called me to do. I think everybody should be active in something, and it should be something that stretches you, not just, well, let me check it off the list. I guess I'll serve in the nursery once every eight weeks. Check.

No no no no no.

No no no no no.

Can you put a little heart into it? It's an act of worship. Next time you go to hold a baby in the nursery, you need to say I'm worshiping God by taking care of babies. Thank you, Lord Jesus. If you're here and you're not involved, I want to challenge you to pick a place. Some of you look at yourself and you say, God could never use me, and God's looking at you and say, hey, you don't know what I could use because I don't care where you've been, how long you've been there, how dirty you may think you are. God is telling you, I'm the master of the cleanup, of the transformation of the renewal. So don't disqualify yourself because God has not disqualified you. I'm asking you to use me, Lord. I'm not going to let fear. I'm not going to let my past. I'm not going to let my insecurities. I'm not going to let this stuff in my life that I need to clean up. Hold me back, God, because I want you to use me, Lord.

Can you put a little heart into it? It's an act of worship. Next time you go to hold a baby in the nursery, you need to say I'm worshiping God by taking care of babies. Thank you, Lord Jesus. If you're here and you're not involved, I want to challenge you to pick a place. Some of you look at yourself and you say, God could never use me, and God's looking at you and say, hey, you don't know what I could use because I don't care where you've been, how long you've been there, how dirty you may think you are. God is telling you, I'm the master of the cleanup, of the transformation of the renewal. So don't disqualify yourself because God has not disqualified you. I'm asking you to use me, Lord. I'm not going to let fear. I'm not going to let my past. I'm not going to let my insecurities. I'm not going to let this stuff in my life that I need to clean up. Hold me back, God, because I want you to use me, Lord.

You've been listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, who's here with me in the studio. Mark, let's talk about this message. A challenge today to take the gifts that God has given us and use them to our full potential. You know, as a pastor, a church is a great way to find out our calling, isn't it?

You've been listening to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, who's here with me in the studio. Mark, let's talk about this message. A challenge today to take the gifts that God has given us and use them to our full potential. You know, as a pastor, a church is a great way to find out our calling, isn't it?

It is, Wayne. And this challenge is one to get out of the consumer seat and into the game. And there's so much potential that just is sitting there and you've heard this message, so you know you have a calling on your life If you are not engaged in some form of ministry, some form of using your gifts, then not only are you robbing others, but you are also robbing yourself.

It is, Wayne. And this challenge is one to get out of the consumer seat and into the game. And there's so much potential that just is sitting there and you've heard this message, so you know you have a calling on your life If you are not engaged in some form of ministry, some form of using your gifts, then not only are you robbing others, but you are also robbing yourself.

And there's a place for everyone.

And there's a place for everyone.

There's absolutely a place for everyone. As a pastor of a local church, I've spent years mobilizing people and from food pantries to ushering to greeting to small group leaders. And I love to tell people this you have a gifting that's unique to yourself. Now we have to find the ministry opportunity that matches your gifting. But I want to challenge you if you are a believer, whether you are three months into it or whether you are 20 years into it, you need to go to your local church and you need to ask someone, the pastor, a leader. You need to say, where can I serve? Help me find a place to serve and then don't. Hey, if they say you could start by cleaning bathrooms, then grab a bucket.

There's absolutely a place for everyone. As a pastor of a local church, I've spent years mobilizing people and from food pantries to ushering to greeting to small group leaders. And I love to tell people this you have a gifting that's unique to yourself. Now we have to find the ministry opportunity that matches your gifting. But I want to challenge you if you are a believer, whether you are three months into it or whether you are 20 years into it, you need to go to your local church and you need to ask someone, the pastor, a leader. You need to say, where can I serve? Help me find a place to serve and then don't. Hey, if they say you could start by cleaning bathrooms, then grab a bucket.

Do it with a smile.

Do it with a smile.

And do it with a smile.

And do it with a smile.

I like that, thank you. Mark. Hey, you can sign up for Mark's weekly email devotional. The Bold Stepper Weekly. You can share a powerful gospel video with someone who needs to hear it, or request our latest Bold Steps gift. It's all at Bold steps.org. You know, history shows us that the church's greatest moments of renewal often emerge from periods of uncertainty. In a timely book titled A Non-anxious presence, author Mark Sayers helps us understand how to lead with courage and hope, even when everything around us feels unstable. This powerful book will equip you to face change and chaos and conflict with confidence, instead of just surviving change. Learn how to participate in God's work of renewal by requesting this insightful, bold step gift. Today, we'll be glad to send you a copy of a Non-anxious presence. When you give a gift of any amount to bold steps, again, just call (800) 356-6639 or go online to give a gift of support and request the book at bold steps and you can even send your donation in the mail. Just write to us at bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60,610. Once again, that's 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And by the way, if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our Bold Steps podcast on your phone or mobile device and take these daily messages with you wherever you go. Simply open up your podcast app, search for bold steps with doctor Mark Jobe and hit that subscribe button. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Join us tomorrow when we'll wind down our Step Up Living Higher series. Learn how you can step up to a new You Wednesday when you listen to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.

I like that, thank you. Mark. Hey, you can sign up for Mark's weekly email devotional. The Bold Stepper Weekly. You can share a powerful gospel video with someone who needs to hear it, or request our latest Bold Steps gift. It's all at Bold steps.org. You know, history shows us that the church's greatest moments of renewal often emerge from periods of uncertainty. In a timely book titled A Non-anxious presence, author Mark Sayers helps us understand how to lead with courage and hope, even when everything around us feels unstable. This powerful book will equip you to face change and chaos and conflict with confidence, instead of just surviving change. Learn how to participate in God's work of renewal by requesting this insightful, bold step gift. Today, we'll be glad to send you a copy of a Non-anxious presence. When you give a gift of any amount to bold steps, again, just call (800) 356-6639 or go online to give a gift of support and request the book at bold steps and you can even send your donation in the mail. Just write to us at bold steps. 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60,610. Once again, that's 820 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 606 ten. And by the way, if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe to our Bold Steps podcast on your phone or mobile device and take these daily messages with you wherever you go. Simply open up your podcast app, search for bold steps with doctor Mark Jobe and hit that subscribe button. I'm Wayne Shepherd. Join us tomorrow when we'll wind down our Step Up Living Higher series. Learn how you can step up to a new You Wednesday when you listen to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.