Today on Bold Steps with Mark job, we're learning how to stay in favor and keep our hearts soft as we walk in victory.
You show me someone that is a believer and they have a lot of fog in their mind and hardness of heart, and they're confused about things that seem very clear and simple to most people. And I'll tell you, someone that's either bought into lies or someone that's practicing lies. Why? Because it's the language of darkness.
Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark job. Mark is president of Moody Bible Institute and the senior pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. And I'm Wayne Shepherd. Today, as we move forward in our study, Mark is going to be taking us to Exodus chapter 20 to show us why lying isn't simply about the words we use. Our message is called thou shalt not lie. And if you've missed any of the previous messages in this series on rock solid living, you can catch up online by
going to our website Bold Steps. Now, with a brief recap from yesterday's message, here's Mark Jobe with today's bold steps.
It tells us in Genesis chapter three that the serpent, the way he wiggled his way into Paradise, was through the language. What language? The language of beguilement or deception? Notice what it says in Genesis chapter three, verse one. Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, Did God really say, you must not eat from the tree in the garden? What the serpent did
is he put in question the truth of God. God had not said that they couldn't eat from any tree of the garden. They could only not eat from one tree in the garden, so he he misled Eve in his statement. It was only half true. He had said, don't eat from one tree. Not all the trees. He lied about the righteousness of God. The serpent said, God said, you shall truly die. But. But I don't think you will. He lied about the goodness of God. God doesn't want you to eat from this tree, because if you do,
you will be like God. Listen, he sowed seeds of deception before he brought in the culture of darkness. Are you tracking where I'm going with this? Before the kingdom of light comes in, truth comes before the kingdom. Before someone comes to Christ, they hear the gospel, they hear the truth. And then the culture of the kingdom invades their life. Before the kingdom of darkness comes the lies
of the enemy come. And as soon as the language of the enemy is starting to be spoken somewhere, then the culture of the enemy starts to be present in that place. Language comes before culture, but it opens up the door for the culture that follows. Now, why is this so important? Because some of you love Jesus. Follow God, carry your Bibles, come to church, raise your hands on Sunday and worship of God. And you consider yourself a
follower of Jesus Christ. But you where you go, you speak the language of darkness through deception that you don't think is an important thing. You're bending the truth, lying about this, lying about that, and what you're really doing is you're spreading the kingdom of darkness. You're opening up doors for kingdom of darkness. Although you follow God, you're violating the ninth commandment, and you are speaking the language of the devil. And you wonder why he has a
foothold in your life. Well, pastor, it's no big deal. I. My wife asked me where I was. I told her, you know, there's a lot of overtime at work. Because if I tell her that I'm at my friend's house playing pool and drinking a Bud Light, she's going to go through the roof. I want to tell her that. Where were you, honey? I was. You know, babe, work is so crazy these days. I'd love to be home with you and sit down and relax. How they got me. Why do you smell a little bit like a little
beer on your breath? Well, you know, I got to do a little something at work. I mean, they gave me a little break. The boss said here, here, here. You know, just to keep you awake. And that's what I did, honey. And you say, pastor. Well, pastor, you know, it's not a big deal. I'm just protecting her. She doesn't understand. No, no, let me tell you what the big deal is. The big deal is that you are sowing lies. You're speaking the language of darkness. And you're
giving the enemy a foothold in your household. Because we're the language of deception is spoken. Then the culture of darkness comes in and you speak lies into your marriage. You start deceiving one another, bending truth. And I can guarantee you that you are giving the enemy a huge foothold in your household and in your marriage to begin to bring the culture of the kingdom of darkness there. Each time you lie, you speak the language of darkness
into your world. So therefore you may consider it a petty lie or a white lie. But from God's perspective, you're giving the enemy a landing place into your household. You say, well, I never lie to my wife, but you lie at work. You're giving, you're speaking darkness. You're giving the language of darkness into your work and giving a foothold there. I never lie to my wife, but you know, with my kids, you're speaking into your kids
life deception. Listen to me, teenagers. You say, well, I don't want my parents to know everything that I'm going through. They won't understand. They're old fashioned. They just, you know, stuck in their ways. And they think we're living in the 1920s still. But this is the modern world. And so they just wouldn't understand. So I just lie to them about what I'm doing and how I'm involved and what's going on in my life. And and so they kind of questioned me. They interrogate me and but they
just don't understand. So why would I tell the truth? Let me tell you what's happening. Every time you lie into that relationship, you're sowing Kingdom of darkness culture into the relationship. And you wonder why the relationship with your parent is poisoned. You wonder why there seems to be a confusion, a disconnect, a soul that can't connect there. Because if you have deceit and lying that you sowed into that, then it begins to cloud the closeness that
can be there, the vulnerability that can be there. And it begins to it begins to cloud what God is trying to do until there is honesty and truth that represents. Because as soon as you start becoming honest, as soon as you start speaking the truth, then you clear up the environment and it allows room for the Kingdom of God, atmosphere and culture to invade your parent child relationship as well.
Four things happen every time you tell a lie. Number one, each time you lie, you step out of God's place of favor. Favor. I don't know about you, but listen, the older I get, the more what I want is God's favor. Well, this person's not going to like you, pastor. Well, this guy's not going to like what you do. You know, more and more the older I get, the less I care really about that. And the more I just want
to know, God, am I walking in your favor? Because if I have the favor of God, if I know the favor is man, the favor of God is worth a lot of friendships. The favor of God. When I know that God is happy, God is content. My spirit is clean and he knows the favor of God is the blessing of God. It's the goodwill of God flowing towards us. I want God's favor and to be honest with you, I don't want anything that will mess with
the favor of God. Seriously. So listen to what God has to say about about, uh, petty lying or about bending the truth. Proverbs chapter six verse 16 says, the Lord hates. Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. You say, pastor, is God allowed to hate? Did you know God hates certain things? Let me say that again. Did you know that God hates certain things? He says I hate it. And hate is a strong language, isn't it? Hate is one of the strongest emotions that you can have towards something.
And that's the language that God uses in Proverbs chapter 616. It says the Lord hates. It's detestable to him. Haughty eyes and a lying tongue. Haughty eyes are proud, full eyes that look down at other people. Oh, you're. Who are you? Sit over there, please. Haughty eyes are people that look down at others that you don't feel like. Measure up. You're not my education level. You're not my skin color. You're not my economic status. You're kind of
lower class. Please don't bother me. It's hot. God hates that. Hates it. But you know, just as much as God hates that, God hates a lying tongue. God hates deception.
That's Mark job on bold steps. And we'll get to the final half of our message in just a moment. But let me remind you that all of these daily messages are available for listening anytime on our website. Bold steps. And if you'd enjoy hearing these Bible lessons on the move, whether you're out traveling or exercising, you'll love our podcast. Find us on most podcast platforms by searching for bold
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face life's challenges with confidence. You'll also find our new series, Bold Steps TV on March YouTube page. A behind the scenes look into the studio where we tackle relevant and timely issues, and answer your questions about faith and life. So visit youtube.com to subscribe today. That's youtube.com. Now let's jump back into today's message. Mark gives a few more points you'd like to make about not bearing false witness against your neighbors.
It tells us in Proverbs chapter 12 verse 22, the Lord detests. That's another strong word. The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who speak. Speak truthfully when God sees a lie. Even a petty lie. Small lie. White lie. Pink lie. Blue lie. Come out of our mouth. God. just. It detests it. It makes him. It makes him sick. He can't stand when lies come out. It. God detests those lies. So Psalms 101 seven says, no one who practices deceit will dwell in my house. No one who
speaks falsely will stand in my presence. What I want you to understand is that the language of God is truth, and therefore, when truth is not there, God says, I hate it. Why? Because he hates it. Because he knows what follows. It's not the language of God. It's the language of the enemy. And all of the garbage that's in the enemy's camp comes in via, uh, words of deception or lying. Number two, jot this down. Each time you lie, you harden your heart and lose spiritual clarity.
It tells us in Romans chapter one, verses 24 through 25, that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served, created things rather than the creator, and as a result of that, their minds became depraved and they became confused about who they should worship and about their sexual identity and about their values and everything else in life. Why? Because they bought into lies and they spoke lies. It's the language of the enemy. The
moment you start lying. Listen to me. Well, this is huge. Hear me well. The moment that you start lying, you bring in a hardness to your heart and you start losing spiritual clarity. Fog starts to set upon you. You can't tell right from wrong anymore. Why? Because your heart becomes hard and because clarity and spiritual discernment become foggy. You show me someone that is a believer and they have a lot of fog in their mind and hardness of heart, and they're confused about things that seem very
clear and simple to most people. And I'll tell you, someone that's either bought into lies or someone that's practicing lies because it it fogs the clarity and discernment of your mind. Why? Because it's the language of darkness. Second Timothy 313 says, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived, it's talking about the end times that the language of the end
times will be the language of deception. So number one, each time you lie, you step out of the place of God's favor. Number two, each time you lie, you harden your heart and lose spiritual clarity. Number three, each time you lie, you set yourself up for future failure. How does it work? Well, look at what it says. Proverbs has a lot to say about this Proverbs 12 verses 13 through 14 evil men are trapped by sinful thought.
Proverbs ten verse nine. The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. In other words, when you cheat, lie, you will eventually be found out. Number three Proverbs 1720 he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble. Have you ever seen someone that lies and thought they are absolutely 100% getting away with it? That ever happened to you? Someone at work
just straight out lies. I mean, just blatantly lies. And they just get away with it and you're like, they're getting away with it. They straight up lied and it seems like no one's catching them. Makes you want to lie, too, because you think if they're getting away with it, it's a shortcut. Cut. Maybe I should lie. Have you ever seen someone just totally fabricate a story? And you think, whoa, look at them. They're lying. I'm going to tell you something.
They may temporarily get away with it, but eventually every lie that we speak entraps us. It'll eventually come back to us. That's the word. The Word of God says that eventually it becomes a pitfall to us and it comes out like a boomerang. It comes back to get us people that may seem to be getting away now. They don't get away in the long term. So. So
don't envy liars. Don't be tempted to play their game, uh, or to cheat like others are doing because they seem to be getting away because the Word of God says ultimately it will entrap them. And number four, lastly, each time you lie, you open up the door for darkness to invade your situation. Proverbs 11 verse three says the integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. I was talking to my son this morning, Josiah, and he reminded me of the story
in the New Testament of Ananias. Ananias and Sapphira. Does anybody remember who Ananias and Sapphira was? You want to read a story that scares you about lying? Read Ananias and Sapphira in the book of acts. Ananias and Sapphira
were a married couple. They decided because a lot of people were giving to the cause of God, they had a piece of land, and they decided that they were going to take their piece of land and sell it and bring it to the apostles and say, listen, we decided because God led us, that we're going to sell all this and give it to the church. It was a noble cause, but they decided that they wanted to keep some of it for themselves, which was totally their
right to do. They didn't. No one was telling them they had to say, but because they wanted to act like they gave everything, they decide, they made up a story together and say, we're going to keep some of it, but we're going to lie and tell the apostles that we're giving all of it. So Ananias comes to Peter and he says, hey, we were so touched by your message. Oh, man, we're in this all the way. Consecrated. We took our big piece of land. We sold it. Here's all the
money from the prophets. Here it is. Because we are 100% for this cause. Peter looked at him, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and said, what has caused you to lie to God and to the Holy Spirit? And immediately when he talked to Ananias was struck dead. Boom, pass. And he says he called the young men to come and drag his body out. I'm thinking, God, that's a little harsh. I mean, it seems like. Whoa. To strike him dead seems pretty heavy, Lord. I mean, how about the mumps
or measles or something like that? How about a broken leg? But, dad. And they're dragging him out. And by the time they're dragging his body out, the Bible says that Sapphira, his wife, came in and said, hey, Peter, here we are. Oh, we love Jesus so much. Guess what? We sold all our property. Did my husband tell you? And we're giving everything to the church, man, because we love Jesus so much and we're so committed to this cause. And he said, Sapphira,
your husband was just dragged out of here dead. And then she starts choking, convulsing, falls dead, and plops dead the same way. Both of them killed dead the same day. For what? For lying. And I look, I read that passage, and I thought, God, that just seems like out of control. Here's knocking people down, left and right. You started doing it at our church. We'd all be dead in this place. I mean, we'd we'd have there'd be no one left to do funerals. I'm like, hey, can the pastor know
they're dead, too? Everybody's dead in this place. God, that seems like. Wow. Very harsh. Why would you do that? And here's what here's what I, I started understanding the reason that God did that is that the church was at a point where they were about to do some incredible things. They were expanding, and God wanted purity at this time. He wanted there to be integrity of heart. And so he came down strong on lying because it
brings in a culture of darkness. And God knew that he allowed a culture of darkness to invade the early church, that it would it would it would crash all the plans that God had for the mighty harvest that he wanted them to experience. The language that we speak invites the culture to follow it. Listen, I believe God has plans for us. Oh man, I do. But I believe we're at a time of huge harvest. Great opportunity, probably more than ever before. I there's visions in my heart
greater than I've ever sensed it before. Challenges in our heart than ever before. And at the same time, with these great challenges and visions that God has placed on my heart, there's a, a a growing sense that along with great passion, great vision, there needs to be great holiness among us. And that doesn't happen on our own power. It happens when we come to God and say, God, help me to walk in holiness, I want integrity. God uses a church that rises up as our passion grows
our holiness for God has to grow as well. And as we begin to pursue great things for God, the the fire of holiness begins to grow amongst us as well. I can hear some of you saying already, pastor Mark. A little white lie shouldn't be a big deal. But I want you to hear the heart of this message. Holiness is a big deal, and compromise and deception of any kind will start to pollute your soul and start to compromise your conviction and silence the voice of the
Holy Spirit in your life. So what you consider a small maneuver on your taxes that's not quite honest, or a compromising of the truth at your job, or what you've told your spouse? It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it has consequences on your soul. So I want to challenge you to make a commitment. By God's grace, I will walk in integrity and truth.
That is an important challenge. Thank you for that, Mark. And maybe you are not fully engaged as you should be, and God is calling you to do something more this year. I hope you'll consider taking a bold step and break out of your slump by joining with us to help share the life changing message of the gospel. Mark with those who need to hear it. We need to be that conduit.
Yeah, God has opened up so many doors for us to just expand the broadcasting of bold steps in South Africa around New York. I just had someone at church on Sunday tell me, he said, you know, my sister is listening in new Jersey.
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we have today. But coming up on the program tomorrow, we'll begin a study from the book of Philippians all about learning how to untangle the messes we face in life and relationships. Join us for this new message called Untangling Life Without Losing Your Peace. Thursday on Bold Steps with Mark John. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.