Dr. Mark Jobe.

Dr. Mark Jobe.

We live in a country that accepts apathy and lukewarm and spirituality as the norm. When there is fire in your heart, you're viewed as a radical. When there is commitment in your heart and a passion in your soul, you're viewed as unusual, as strange, as overzealous. Because we live in a country that's full of spiritual apathy. We have roots in Christianity, but we have very little fire when it comes to living out our faith in a world that's apathetic.

We live in a country that accepts apathy and lukewarm and spirituality as the norm. When there is fire in your heart, you're viewed as a radical. When there is commitment in your heart and a passion in your soul, you're viewed as unusual, as strange, as overzealous. Because we live in a country that's full of spiritual apathy. We have roots in Christianity, but we have very little fire when it comes to living out our faith in a world that's apathetic.

Bible teaching that connects with you right where you are. This is Moody Presents with Dr. Mark Jobe, president of the Moody Bible Institute and founding pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Today on the broadcast, we're listening to Pastor Mark's keynote address from the 2023 Founders Week. Now, for many years, Founders Week was held in February. Maybe you remember that we have moved Founders Week to snow free October. Yes, the month of great colors and a great time on the Chicago campus. And this year we enjoyed insights at Founder's Week from gifted speakers like Joe Stoll, Chris Brooks, and many others. And we're glad to tell you that you can listen to or if you prefer, watch all of our Founders Week sessions at Founders Week. Org. That's Founders week.org. Today on Moody Presents, we're going to pick up with part two of rekindled. Fanning the flame of our calling. Our message is anchored in revelation chapter three. And last week we were warned that Luke warmness might seem normal. It might feel natural. But this is the time to rekindle a passion for Jesus. We're about to discover the necessary tools that we need to leave our state of apathy and get on fire for Christ. Here's Mark job on Moody Presents.

Bible teaching that connects with you right where you are. This is Moody Presents with Dr. Mark Jobe, president of the Moody Bible Institute and founding pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Today on the broadcast, we're listening to Pastor Mark's keynote address from the 2023 Founders Week. Now, for many years, Founders Week was held in February. Maybe you remember that we have moved Founders Week to snow free October. Yes, the month of great colors and a great time on the Chicago campus. And this year we enjoyed insights at Founder's Week from gifted speakers like Joe Stoll, Chris Brooks, and many others. And we're glad to tell you that you can listen to or if you prefer, watch all of our Founders Week sessions at Founders Week. Org. That's Founders week.org. Today on Moody Presents, we're going to pick up with part two of rekindled. Fanning the flame of our calling. Our message is anchored in revelation chapter three. And last week we were warned that Luke warmness might seem normal. It might feel natural. But this is the time to rekindle a passion for Jesus. We're about to discover the necessary tools that we need to leave our state of apathy and get on fire for Christ. Here's Mark job on Moody Presents.

I believe in the security of the believer. I believe that you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the moment of your salvation, and that you are sealed until the day of redemption, that you can backslide and try to run from God. But if the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, you might as well surrender, because he's not going to give up on you. We live in a country in America that accepts apathy and lukewarm and spirituality as the norm. When there is fire in your heart, you're viewed as a radical. When there is commitment in your heart and a passion in your soul, you're viewed as unusual, as strange, as overzealous. Because we live in a country that's full of spiritual apathy. We have roots in Christianity, but we have very little fire when it comes to living out our faith in a world that's apathetic. And so we could be. Tempted into believing that normal is what God would call apathetic. We could be tempted into believing that lukewarm is normal Christianity. That is sort of the acceptable thing, that it's okay to live in that state. But the Spirit of God awakens his people in powerful ways. Down through America's history. There's been about seven Great Awakenings, and in each one of them, one of the first things that people repent of is spiritual apathy. Because spiritual apathy invites compromise. Spiritual apathy tolerates sin. Spiritual apathy is comfortable with holiness and ungodliness in our life. It doesn't. We. Spiritual apathy causes us to watch things, say things, behave in ways, hang out with people, do things, embrace things that people that are on fire, fervent for God, hot, hot in their spiritual fervency, would not tolerate in their souls. He goes on. Not only once we break the mindset of spiritual denial. But we will need to address the spirit of pride and self sufficiency. He says, for you say I'm rich, I have prospered, I need nothing. Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you. This is the Spirit of God speaking to us today to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you can become rich. White clothes to wear so that you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve to put on your eyes so that you can see. You see, I believe that along oftentimes with our spiritual look, warmness is a pride and self sufficiency that causes us to think that we don't need God as much as we really do need God. It's the sense that I can survive. That I'm okay. That I have my act together. It is usually desperation that draws us to our knees. It's a crisis that causes us to call out with fervency upon God. It's a report of cancer that makes us fast and pray. It's a prodigal son or daughter that ends up in the hospital that suddenly revives our. Burden to read the word and to pray with passion. It's a marriage that's falling apart that drives us to church, and now we want to worship and seek after God. But when we are. Sufficient. Well. We're okay. When we're proud. The level of our seeking God. Goes hand in hand. With our pride and our sufficiency. Many people believe that. That's why some of the nations around us, where Christianity is burning with fire, where people are coming to God, our countries that often times are economically not as wealthy as America. Some people say that it's the wealth of America, that it's our prosperity. The very thing that God has blessed this country with that has lulled us to sleep. The nations where God is moving with power, where churches are being planted more rapidly, where people are coming to Christ in droves. Typically our countries where people have less, they are less distracted by wealth, they are less lulled by a life of ease and the ability to prosper. They need God more for their survival. This slough decia. Was known and admired for several things. They were known for their banking industry, for the manufacture of black wool, and for their produce of eye ointment. The Spirit of God addresses those things spiritually. It's like if God were to speak to Chicago and say, I know you. Are all proud about your deep dish. I like Lou Malnati's. It's good. I like Connie's Pizza better. South side of Chicago. It's like someone saying, hey, you know your deep dish pizza. People know about that. The Cubs, which people know about that, the Sears Tower that people know about that. Our deep dish pizza is not that deep anymore. The Cubs are losing all the time and Sears Tower is not even called Sears Tower anymore. It's the Willis Tower. So. Now there's a few people about to walk out now. Sorry to mess with your cubbies. And here's what the Spirit of God says. The Spirit of God says, but I counsel you to buy from me. Listen, I don't want you to miss it. Buy from me. What he's saying to these people is that for a long time, your source has been outside of me. But now, if you're going to develop a spiritual fervency, you need to come to me to get what you really need. Buy from me gold refined by fire so that you can become rich. White clothes to wear so that you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve. To put on your eyes so that you can see. You see, what he's telling them to do is to change their source of confidence, of security, of strength. You know, if you've ever driven a hybrid car. It's an interesting car because it has both. A combustion engine like gas cars, but it will also switch to an alternative source, which is an electric motor. Based on the driving and the conditions, it changes. Sources. You see what what the Spirit of God is telling these people is, you need to switch your source, that which gives you power and energy, that which gives you strength. That's what you depend on your confidence. You're drawing it from the wrong places. It's outside of me. It's it's it's another place is not in my person. Not in my presence. It's outside of me. And he tells him he addresses them. He says from banking industry to gold, refined by fire, that's real treasure. In essence, he's asking, what do you value? Black wool to white clothes to wear, which is true righteousness that comes in Jesus. In other words, where is your confidence? I anointment to solve on our eyes, which is spiritual awakening, so that he's asking, what is our vision? You see, I believe that the Spirit of God is talking to a people, and it's a message that is relevant for us today very, very clearly relevant. The bottom line is. What it tells us in James chapter four, verse six. But he gives more grace. And that's why Scripture says God opposes the proud. But he gives grace to the humble. No one thinks they're proud, even if they are proud. But there are signs of pride. Assuming you always know what's being taught. You won't ask for help. Hiding how you feel. Holding back so others won't think less of you. You're too good to perform certain tasks. Disregarding advice. Consistently critical. Envious of others. Hyper spirituality that covers. Some of our weaknesses. Can't receive constructive criticism. Defensive when people point out a weak area in our life, overly concerned about what people think of us. Finding fault incessantly with others. We won't admit our wrong. We hide our sin. We're condescending and critical towards others. Can't receive correction or instruction. And prayer lessness. Those are signs of pride. The Spirit of God goes on to tell these people now to see. Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Number three. Write this down. We will need to fully embrace conviction and repentance. I love that it says that who he loves, he rebukes and disciplines. You should be happy sometimes with the discipline and the rebuke of God. Because you're a child of his. And who he loves. He doesn't let them do whatever they want to do. He rebukes, he disciplines, he corrects. It's the love of God, the outreach hand of God that does that. The compassionate, fatherly heart of God that actually brings you under conviction. That actually rebukes you when you're in your state of denial, that actually disciplines you, so that you have to ask God what's going on and look up to the heavens. It's God's fatherly way of loving you back into the place where you need to be spiritually. Thank God for his rebuke and his discipline.

I believe in the security of the believer. I believe that you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the moment of your salvation, and that you are sealed until the day of redemption, that you can backslide and try to run from God. But if the Holy Spirit lives inside of you, you might as well surrender, because he's not going to give up on you. We live in a country in America that accepts apathy and lukewarm and spirituality as the norm. When there is fire in your heart, you're viewed as a radical. When there is commitment in your heart and a passion in your soul, you're viewed as unusual, as strange, as overzealous. Because we live in a country that's full of spiritual apathy. We have roots in Christianity, but we have very little fire when it comes to living out our faith in a world that's apathetic. And so we could be. Tempted into believing that normal is what God would call apathetic. We could be tempted into believing that lukewarm is normal Christianity. That is sort of the acceptable thing, that it's okay to live in that state. But the Spirit of God awakens his people in powerful ways. Down through America's history. There's been about seven Great Awakenings, and in each one of them, one of the first things that people repent of is spiritual apathy. Because spiritual apathy invites compromise. Spiritual apathy tolerates sin. Spiritual apathy is comfortable with holiness and ungodliness in our life. It doesn't. We. Spiritual apathy causes us to watch things, say things, behave in ways, hang out with people, do things, embrace things that people that are on fire, fervent for God, hot, hot in their spiritual fervency, would not tolerate in their souls. He goes on. Not only once we break the mindset of spiritual denial. But we will need to address the spirit of pride and self sufficiency. He says, for you say I'm rich, I have prospered, I need nothing. Not realizing that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you. This is the Spirit of God speaking to us today to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you can become rich. White clothes to wear so that you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve to put on your eyes so that you can see. You see, I believe that along oftentimes with our spiritual look, warmness is a pride and self sufficiency that causes us to think that we don't need God as much as we really do need God. It's the sense that I can survive. That I'm okay. That I have my act together. It is usually desperation that draws us to our knees. It's a crisis that causes us to call out with fervency upon God. It's a report of cancer that makes us fast and pray. It's a prodigal son or daughter that ends up in the hospital that suddenly revives our. Burden to read the word and to pray with passion. It's a marriage that's falling apart that drives us to church, and now we want to worship and seek after God. But when we are. Sufficient. Well. We're okay. When we're proud. The level of our seeking God. Goes hand in hand. With our pride and our sufficiency. Many people believe that. That's why some of the nations around us, where Christianity is burning with fire, where people are coming to God, our countries that often times are economically not as wealthy as America. Some people say that it's the wealth of America, that it's our prosperity. The very thing that God has blessed this country with that has lulled us to sleep. The nations where God is moving with power, where churches are being planted more rapidly, where people are coming to Christ in droves. Typically our countries where people have less, they are less distracted by wealth, they are less lulled by a life of ease and the ability to prosper. They need God more for their survival. This slough decia. Was known and admired for several things. They were known for their banking industry, for the manufacture of black wool, and for their produce of eye ointment. The Spirit of God addresses those things spiritually. It's like if God were to speak to Chicago and say, I know you. Are all proud about your deep dish. I like Lou Malnati's. It's good. I like Connie's Pizza better. South side of Chicago. It's like someone saying, hey, you know your deep dish pizza. People know about that. The Cubs, which people know about that, the Sears Tower that people know about that. Our deep dish pizza is not that deep anymore. The Cubs are losing all the time and Sears Tower is not even called Sears Tower anymore. It's the Willis Tower. So. Now there's a few people about to walk out now. Sorry to mess with your cubbies. And here's what the Spirit of God says. The Spirit of God says, but I counsel you to buy from me. Listen, I don't want you to miss it. Buy from me. What he's saying to these people is that for a long time, your source has been outside of me. But now, if you're going to develop a spiritual fervency, you need to come to me to get what you really need. Buy from me gold refined by fire so that you can become rich. White clothes to wear so that you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve. To put on your eyes so that you can see. You see, what he's telling them to do is to change their source of confidence, of security, of strength. You know, if you've ever driven a hybrid car. It's an interesting car because it has both. A combustion engine like gas cars, but it will also switch to an alternative source, which is an electric motor. Based on the driving and the conditions, it changes. Sources. You see what what the Spirit of God is telling these people is, you need to switch your source, that which gives you power and energy, that which gives you strength. That's what you depend on your confidence. You're drawing it from the wrong places. It's outside of me. It's it's it's another place is not in my person. Not in my presence. It's outside of me. And he tells him he addresses them. He says from banking industry to gold, refined by fire, that's real treasure. In essence, he's asking, what do you value? Black wool to white clothes to wear, which is true righteousness that comes in Jesus. In other words, where is your confidence? I anointment to solve on our eyes, which is spiritual awakening, so that he's asking, what is our vision? You see, I believe that the Spirit of God is talking to a people, and it's a message that is relevant for us today very, very clearly relevant. The bottom line is. What it tells us in James chapter four, verse six. But he gives more grace. And that's why Scripture says God opposes the proud. But he gives grace to the humble. No one thinks they're proud, even if they are proud. But there are signs of pride. Assuming you always know what's being taught. You won't ask for help. Hiding how you feel. Holding back so others won't think less of you. You're too good to perform certain tasks. Disregarding advice. Consistently critical. Envious of others. Hyper spirituality that covers. Some of our weaknesses. Can't receive constructive criticism. Defensive when people point out a weak area in our life, overly concerned about what people think of us. Finding fault incessantly with others. We won't admit our wrong. We hide our sin. We're condescending and critical towards others. Can't receive correction or instruction. And prayer lessness. Those are signs of pride. The Spirit of God goes on to tell these people now to see. Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Number three. Write this down. We will need to fully embrace conviction and repentance. I love that it says that who he loves, he rebukes and disciplines. You should be happy sometimes with the discipline and the rebuke of God. Because you're a child of his. And who he loves. He doesn't let them do whatever they want to do. He rebukes, he disciplines, he corrects. It's the love of God, the outreach hand of God that does that. The compassionate, fatherly heart of God that actually brings you under conviction. That actually rebukes you when you're in your state of denial, that actually disciplines you, so that you have to ask God what's going on and look up to the heavens. It's God's fatherly way of loving you back into the place where you need to be spiritually. Thank God for his rebuke and his discipline.

And a quick reminder you're listening to pastor Mark Jobe here on Moody Presents. It's a message from our recent Founder's Week 2023 conference rekindled, fanning the flame of our calling. I want to tell you about a brand new offer here on Moody Presents. It's at the website Moody Presents. Org there you can sign up to subscribe to Moody Presents at Moody Presents. Org and when you do, you'll receive exclusive resources from Dr. Mark job. For example, when you sign up, you're going to receive a link to three free teaching videos from Dr. Jobe on location in Israel. This online video set is really timely, as it reminds us to pray for our Jewish friends in Israel. Plus, it also reminds us how important it is to connect with the land and its chosen people. You'll bring the Old and New Testament to life as you travel along virtually with Dr. Jobe again. Subscribe to Moody Presents at our website. Moody presents.org. Well, let's get back to Dr. Mark Jobe as he helps us fan the flame of our calling for God.

And a quick reminder you're listening to pastor Mark Jobe here on Moody Presents. It's a message from our recent Founder's Week 2023 conference rekindled, fanning the flame of our calling. I want to tell you about a brand new offer here on Moody Presents. It's at the website Moody Presents. Org there you can sign up to subscribe to Moody Presents at Moody Presents. Org and when you do, you'll receive exclusive resources from Dr. Mark job. For example, when you sign up, you're going to receive a link to three free teaching videos from Dr. Jobe on location in Israel. This online video set is really timely, as it reminds us to pray for our Jewish friends in Israel. Plus, it also reminds us how important it is to connect with the land and its chosen people. You'll bring the Old and New Testament to life as you travel along virtually with Dr. Jobe again. Subscribe to Moody Presents at our website. Moody presents.org. Well, let's get back to Dr. Mark Jobe as he helps us fan the flame of our calling for God.

A few years ago. I rented a car in Europe. And I started to drive the car and I told my wife, hey, something's weird with this car. When I go to change lanes, it's like I feel a tug. It's like pulling me back. And I would go to like change the lane and I would feel like the steering wheel pulling in a different direction. And I thought, this is weird. Maybe something's wrong with this car. What I discovered is that it's lane centering or auto steer. And what the car does is it gives a course correction to the middle. And it will pull you if you don't put your turn signal on. My wife said, I think you need to put your turn signal on. But when you start going to the edges, it's a natural gravitational pull, it's auto steering. It brings you to the center lane. And I believe that conviction is somewhat that way. It pulls us to the center lane. It drives us back to the middle. It's the nudging of the Holy Spirit. Have you felt it? It's the prompting of the Spirit of God. When something is wrong, that he starts to stir our hearts and say, hey, course. Correction. Hey, move to the middle. Hey, your heart is not in the right place. It's the beautiful, powerful, compelling prompting of the Spirit of God that lives inside of us, saying, I don't want you to live lukewarm. I don't want you to live worldly. I want you to live passionately for the King of kings and the Lord of Lords who bought you, who paid a price for you, and now has a destiny and purpose for your life. So live that way. He says be earnest. That word earnest is zealous. It comes from the word hot. Some people say, well, why does God want us hot or cold? God's preference is that you be hot. He tells us later on that you be earnest and zealous for God. But he he's saying, I think in the first verse, he'd rather us be absolutely clear that we are cold or absolutely on fire for God, but not in a lukewarm middle that acts like we're on fire, but when we're really not. He challenges us. To be earnest, sincere. And then he challenges us to repent. The Bible says in Proverbs 2813, whoever conceals his sin does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. I found in my own life when I'm resisting the promptings of the Holy Spirit, when I'm resistant to change, when I don't want to surrender, when I'm resisting repentance, and I'm not being earnest, I've discovered that I minimize sin. It's only a once in a while. It's not that big of a deal. Don't get legalistic about it. I excuse my sin. Everybody else does it. It's not that bad. It's pretty common, I deny it. I didn't really do that. I don't think that I really did. I shift blame. If they didn't treat me this way, then I wouldn't behave that way. If they hadn't said this, then I wouldn't have said that against them. If they were nicer, then I would have a better attitude. I generalized sin instead of being specific about it. We to maintain a state of lukewarm ness, we have become experts at generalizing, minimizing our sin and acting as though where we live and how we live is okay with us, with others. And then the Spirit of God says, one of the most powerful, remarkable things. In this entire passage. He says, here I am. I know you look warm. I know you're in denial. But hear me. Here I stand. I love the heart of God. He doesn't reject. Walk away. I've shown you so much grace, and you're still in this condition. Here I am. Where are you? God. I stand at the door and I knock. If anyone hears my voice. And opens the door. I will come in and eat with him and he with me. Why does he stand? Why does he knock? Why does he call? Because he loves us. What is the answer to our Luke warmness? It is a response to the voice and the knocking of God. The way out of Luke warmness is our ability and willingness to hear his voice. The Bible says, I stand at the door, knock anybody that hears my voice, what does it imply? It implies that while God is knocking, he's also calling Mark. Hey, Mark. Hey, Mark. I know you're busy. You got a lot of good things you're doing. You know, your heart's a little. I haven't spend much time with you. You're distracted. Working a lot. You grown a little cold. Behold, I stand at the door and knock if any man hears my voice. Listen. And opens the door. I will come in and eat with him and he with me. We've heard this over and over in evangelistic crusades, as though it were an invitation to invite Jesus into our heart for salvation. That's not the context. These aren't unrepentant believers. These are believers that have locked the presence of God out of their house. What brings the fire of God back to you is not external circumstances. It's the very presence of God. What brings the fire back to you is the fire himself, the Lamb of God, the fire of God. That when we open up and listen to his voice and say, come on in with all of your glory and everything that you turn over our tables, mess up our house, do whatever you want to God. But I will not live a life that leaves you on the outside. As I say on the inside, that I'm following you. I don't know if you've ever been in the house with you're expecting people, and music is going and someone's in the in the in the bathroom with the hair dryer, not me, but someone else in the bathroom with the hairdryer and someone is vacuuming. And then someone yells out, hey, did you hear something has ever happened to you? And then suddenly you realize that someone's been knocking at the door for a while. But you're so distracted, so busy, so good things. But the very things that you're doing, the, the preparation of the house for you've lost. You've left the guest of honor on the outside. Hebrew says today, if you hear his voice, do not harden. Your heart is as you did in rebellion. Today, if you hear his voice, today, if you hear his voice. I'm just kind of wondering, have you heard his voice recently? Have you heard the knock? Have you felt the Spirit of God saying, I'm waiting? Have you heard it? Because if you're lukewarm, if you're distracted. It takes times like this where you pause. There's a famous painting. That depicts this very scenario that was painted by Holman Hunt, called light of the world. It's interesting in this painting that this young painter started in his 20s and took them years to finish. But if you look closely at this classical painting, you will realize that there's no handles on the outside. Because this door, it can only be opened. From the inside. The Savior knocks, but he doesn't push.

A few years ago. I rented a car in Europe. And I started to drive the car and I told my wife, hey, something's weird with this car. When I go to change lanes, it's like I feel a tug. It's like pulling me back. And I would go to like change the lane and I would feel like the steering wheel pulling in a different direction. And I thought, this is weird. Maybe something's wrong with this car. What I discovered is that it's lane centering or auto steer. And what the car does is it gives a course correction to the middle. And it will pull you if you don't put your turn signal on. My wife said, I think you need to put your turn signal on. But when you start going to the edges, it's a natural gravitational pull, it's auto steering. It brings you to the center lane. And I believe that conviction is somewhat that way. It pulls us to the center lane. It drives us back to the middle. It's the nudging of the Holy Spirit. Have you felt it? It's the prompting of the Spirit of God. When something is wrong, that he starts to stir our hearts and say, hey, course. Correction. Hey, move to the middle. Hey, your heart is not in the right place. It's the beautiful, powerful, compelling prompting of the Spirit of God that lives inside of us, saying, I don't want you to live lukewarm. I don't want you to live worldly. I want you to live passionately for the King of kings and the Lord of Lords who bought you, who paid a price for you, and now has a destiny and purpose for your life. So live that way. He says be earnest. That word earnest is zealous. It comes from the word hot. Some people say, well, why does God want us hot or cold? God's preference is that you be hot. He tells us later on that you be earnest and zealous for God. But he he's saying, I think in the first verse, he'd rather us be absolutely clear that we are cold or absolutely on fire for God, but not in a lukewarm middle that acts like we're on fire, but when we're really not. He challenges us. To be earnest, sincere. And then he challenges us to repent. The Bible says in Proverbs 2813, whoever conceals his sin does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. I found in my own life when I'm resisting the promptings of the Holy Spirit, when I'm resistant to change, when I don't want to surrender, when I'm resisting repentance, and I'm not being earnest, I've discovered that I minimize sin. It's only a once in a while. It's not that big of a deal. Don't get legalistic about it. I excuse my sin. Everybody else does it. It's not that bad. It's pretty common, I deny it. I didn't really do that. I don't think that I really did. I shift blame. If they didn't treat me this way, then I wouldn't behave that way. If they hadn't said this, then I wouldn't have said that against them. If they were nicer, then I would have a better attitude. I generalized sin instead of being specific about it. We to maintain a state of lukewarm ness, we have become experts at generalizing, minimizing our sin and acting as though where we live and how we live is okay with us, with others. And then the Spirit of God says, one of the most powerful, remarkable things. In this entire passage. He says, here I am. I know you look warm. I know you're in denial. But hear me. Here I stand. I love the heart of God. He doesn't reject. Walk away. I've shown you so much grace, and you're still in this condition. Here I am. Where are you? God. I stand at the door and I knock. If anyone hears my voice. And opens the door. I will come in and eat with him and he with me. Why does he stand? Why does he knock? Why does he call? Because he loves us. What is the answer to our Luke warmness? It is a response to the voice and the knocking of God. The way out of Luke warmness is our ability and willingness to hear his voice. The Bible says, I stand at the door, knock anybody that hears my voice, what does it imply? It implies that while God is knocking, he's also calling Mark. Hey, Mark. Hey, Mark. I know you're busy. You got a lot of good things you're doing. You know, your heart's a little. I haven't spend much time with you. You're distracted. Working a lot. You grown a little cold. Behold, I stand at the door and knock if any man hears my voice. Listen. And opens the door. I will come in and eat with him and he with me. We've heard this over and over in evangelistic crusades, as though it were an invitation to invite Jesus into our heart for salvation. That's not the context. These aren't unrepentant believers. These are believers that have locked the presence of God out of their house. What brings the fire of God back to you is not external circumstances. It's the very presence of God. What brings the fire back to you is the fire himself, the Lamb of God, the fire of God. That when we open up and listen to his voice and say, come on in with all of your glory and everything that you turn over our tables, mess up our house, do whatever you want to God. But I will not live a life that leaves you on the outside. As I say on the inside, that I'm following you. I don't know if you've ever been in the house with you're expecting people, and music is going and someone's in the in the in the bathroom with the hair dryer, not me, but someone else in the bathroom with the hairdryer and someone is vacuuming. And then someone yells out, hey, did you hear something has ever happened to you? And then suddenly you realize that someone's been knocking at the door for a while. But you're so distracted, so busy, so good things. But the very things that you're doing, the, the preparation of the house for you've lost. You've left the guest of honor on the outside. Hebrew says today, if you hear his voice, do not harden. Your heart is as you did in rebellion. Today, if you hear his voice, today, if you hear his voice. I'm just kind of wondering, have you heard his voice recently? Have you heard the knock? Have you felt the Spirit of God saying, I'm waiting? Have you heard it? Because if you're lukewarm, if you're distracted. It takes times like this where you pause. There's a famous painting. That depicts this very scenario that was painted by Holman Hunt, called light of the world. It's interesting in this painting that this young painter started in his 20s and took them years to finish. But if you look closely at this classical painting, you will realize that there's no handles on the outside. Because this door, it can only be opened. From the inside. The Savior knocks, but he doesn't push.

The Savior calls.

The Savior calls.

But he doesn't break it down. He knocks, he calls. But he waits for you. To respond.

But he doesn't break it down. He knocks, he calls. But he waits for you. To respond.

You've been listening to our special Founder's Week 2023 message, rekindling the Flame of Your Calling. To listen to part one of this message, just visit our website at Moody Presents. Org and while you're there, subscribe to Moody Presents to get exclusive resources from Dr. Mark Jobe. When you sign up, for example, you'll receive a link to three free teaching videos from Dr. Jobe in Israel. Great, great scenery, great shots, great teaching, and a terrific reminder that you and I need to pray for the current conflict. As you watch, you'll also find both the Old and New Testament coming to life for you as you learn. Along with Dr. Jobe. Again, subscribe to Moody Presents at our website. Moody presents Dawg. Hard to believe it, but next week we're heading into the Thanksgiving season, and we're going to learn what it means to be thankful when trouble seems all around us. Is that possible? To be thankful? Then join us then for Moody Presents with Dr. Mark Jobe. I'm John Geiger, and Moody Presents is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.

You've been listening to our special Founder's Week 2023 message, rekindling the Flame of Your Calling. To listen to part one of this message, just visit our website at Moody Presents. Org and while you're there, subscribe to Moody Presents to get exclusive resources from Dr. Mark Jobe. When you sign up, for example, you'll receive a link to three free teaching videos from Dr. Jobe in Israel. Great, great scenery, great shots, great teaching, and a terrific reminder that you and I need to pray for the current conflict. As you watch, you'll also find both the Old and New Testament coming to life for you as you learn. Along with Dr. Jobe. Again, subscribe to Moody Presents at our website. Moody presents Dawg. Hard to believe it, but next week we're heading into the Thanksgiving season, and we're going to learn what it means to be thankful when trouble seems all around us. Is that possible? To be thankful? Then join us then for Moody Presents with Dr. Mark Jobe. I'm John Geiger, and Moody Presents is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.