HopeLives365

Mark Finley: Have you ever noticed in the New Testament how many people never would have come to Jesus unless somebody brought them? You may be that somebody that God is going to use this week to introduce somebody to Jesus.

Guest (Male): This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, Healing Like Jesus Healed. Enjoy and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up-to-date with HopeLives365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: I remember one time I was in an evangelistic meeting and it was in Boston, Massachusetts, actually in Stoneham, outside of Boston. Somebody rang the fire alarm about the first 10 minutes into my sermon. I didn't want to lose my audience and I knew that if I stood and looked at the audience and smiled, it was likely they would stay there. So I stood with my hands folded and smiled at my audience for about 25 minutes until we got that fire alarm off and then made an appeal, and about 40 people came to Jesus.

This is my third Your Best Pathway to Health. We were in San Antonio, Spokane, and now my wife Teenie and I are here in Los Angeles. Every time there are unique experiences, experiences where you see you know God worked. Let me tell you a couple today. Most likely you'll see me working the lines, interfacing with department heads, leading people to their various places.

Today I was in dentistry and learned just an amazing story. Some of you know that in dentistry today, we had a little hiccup, a little difficulty in getting started on time. Some of our compressors were not working adequately and that meant that the suction didn't work and there were other few other little things.

The company that supplied the compressors also supplies a rep that comes to be sure they're functioning properly. He was scheduled to come tomorrow, but he woke up early this morning and he felt this overwhelming conviction. I really need to go to the Los Angeles Convention Center. I really need a check on that equipment. But then he said, "Well, I'm not scheduled to go until tomorrow. I probably should just wait."

Something inside of him said go today. When he got here today, he found the dilemma that we were in and with some ingenuity of our folk that were in dental, they had that repaired and up so we could see our patients. This was a providence of God where even God works upon the heart. You know the Bible says the heart of the Pharaoh is in the hand of the Lord, He turns it wherever He will. And so God works on the hearts of people to accomplish His ultimate objective.

People have come from far and near to be here. I met a lady today from San Antonio, Texas. She had seen Your Best Pathway to Health when it was there, did not actually go, but knew about it. She heard word that it was going to be in Los Angeles, bought an air ticket, and flew here to get dental services.

I met another man from Idaho. His story is quite remarkable, really an amazing story. He was destitute and homeless in Idaho. One night in the wintertime, in February of this last year, there was a major snowstorm in Idaho. He didn't have much money but he knew that if he stayed outside he would freeze to death. So he decided to take all the money he had and get a cheap hotel and rent it. Which he did, rented the hotel room.

He never watched television at all because he didn't have a TV because he was homeless and destitute. But in that hotel room, he turned on television and he saw on TV Three Angels Broadcasting. The night that he was watching, Dr. Lewis was interviewed on Your Best Pathway to Health. He watched it and he heard that Your Best Pathway was coming to Los Angeles. He saved all of his money, took a Greyhound bus down here, was here today, and he said, "I found such peace, such joy, such meaning, such purpose. I know that God has led me here."

A destitute man uses his last few dollars to get a hotel room in a snowstorm and God leads him to Adventist television and leads him to Your Best Pathway to Health to be served and ministered by Jesus. You and I are the hands of Christ, the eyes of Christ, the voice of Christ as we minister to others.

Let's pray as we open God's word today. Father in heaven, we thank You that in a small, humble way, we can be the hands and the feet and the mouth and the eyes and the heart of Jesus. Thank You, Father, that in the midst of multitudes, thousands coming through these doors and up these escalators, in the midst of what sometimes is like organized chaos, in the midst of all that, Your Spirit works. You touch hearts, You move upon lives, and in some mysterious way, they see the love of God in us. Father, help us as we serve, as we minister, as we bless, as we touch, to reveal You. In Christ's name, amen.

Well, it had been a long day of arduous meetings at the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Our meetings began at 8:00 AM in the morning and they finished at 9:00 PM at night. We listened to the detailed biblical analysis of the topic. We reviewed position papers. We heard arguments and then we heard counterarguments. We asked questions. We listened respectfully. We prayed and we searched the word of God.

And while we discussed and discussed and discussed, the snow fell gently outside all day, not seeming to care about our discussion at all. It was about 9:00 at night and I knew I needed to get a breath of fresh air. I knew I needed to go out and do some clear thinking after a long day. And so I bundled up, put on my winter coat and pulled down my woolen hat and put on my gloves.

And our meetings were not actually held at the General Conference, they were held at a hotel not far from Baltimore. So I went out about 9:00, 9:30 at night walking in the snow. By this time, the snow was falling rapidly and the wind was blowing in my face and the snowflakes were stinging my face. Visibility was very difficult. The restaurants along the lakefront where I was walking were shut, the streets were vacant. Nobody would be crazy enough to be out on those streets that night except a weary preacher that wanted to get some exercise and needed to clear his brain.

But as I was walking along, I looked toward the lake and I saw two men standing there. I wondered who they might be and then I thought I recognized them. These are two of my brethren, they were in the meeting. And one man was pointing like this. So I began to shout, "Brethren, it's me. Brethren, it's me, it's Mark. Let's walk together." They did not move. They just stood there staring at me and one of them kept pointing at me. And he pointed and pointed.

I got a little closer, but not much, and I said maybe I don't know these people at all. Maybe they're strangers. Maybe they're up to no good. Maybe they're out here to rob me. I better walk on quickly. But that man kept pointing and I began walking faster and faster and faster. My heart was racing a little bit because who would be out on a cold night so strange, standing by the lake, looking at me? I walked on and I wondered about that night. I wondered who those strange men were, those men that I yelled to, those men that never turned to look any further at me, but just kept staring, and that one man who kept pointing. I wondered who they were.

The next night the snow had stopped. It was a clear, crystal February night. Moon was shining, the stars were twinkling. I walked down by the lake again. The two men were still there and the man was still pointing at me. As I got closer, I noticed that they were two metal statues.

I thought to myself: you were sure these were real people, but they were not. You thought you knew, but you did not. Your vision was dimmed, your view was clouded, and you totally misunderstood. And there, walking in the night, I prayed, "Oh Lord, in my spiritual journey, help me have clear discernment. Help me have undimmed spiritual eyesight. Give me the spirit of a learner. Lord, instruct me through Your word, guide me through Your Spirit. Jesus, touch my eyes so I can see clearly in Your word the living Christ. Touch my eyes so I can see people like You see them, men and women redeemed by the blood and the grace of Christ."

Jesus tells a story in the Bible. If you have your Bibles, I invite you to take it and turn to Mark the eighth chapter. He tells about a man with dimmed vision. He tells about a blind man that was partially healed. The story is old, but it is new. The lessons were given in the first century, but they speak to us in the 21st century. They come echoing and re-echoing down the corridors of time. They speak to us in this time, in this place, and they speak to us tonight. They speak to us as a group of volunteers here in a city called Los Angeles, the City of Angels.

Mark chapter eight, and we're looking there at Mark chapter eight, beginning with verse 22. You know the story well, but every verse is pregnant with meaning. Every verse speaks to us with lessons that are so fresh and new and relevant.

Mark 8, verse 22: "Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and they begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and He led him out of town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and he said, 'I see men like trees walking.' Verse 25: "Then He put His hands on his eyes again and He made him look up. And he was restored and saw every man clearly." The second touch.

Notice the passage, verse 22, "Then He came to Bethsaida." When you have a word in the Bible that begins with "Beth" as a prefix, it means "house of" or "sign of". Bethlehem. "Beth" is house of or sign of, "Lehem" is bread. So Bethlehem means the house of bread. Jesus, the bread of life, was born in the house of the baker.

Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world, so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence His life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Bethesda. "Beth" is house of or sign of, "Esda" is mercy. So Jesus came to a place that had the most despicable, discouraged, downhearted people. They were hopeless and needed healing. He turned it into a house of mercy, a Bethesda.

In this passage in verse 22, it says, "Then He came to Bethsaida." "Beth" is house of, "Saida" is fish. So Jesus goes to a fishing village and teaches us how to fish for men and women. He gives us some of the most vital lessons of how to deal with people. Lessons in soul winning, lessons in witnessing, lessons in faith sharing.

"Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought to Him a blind man." Now, the blind man did not come on his own. He could not grope to Jesus in the darkness. He could not come because he could not see. So the Bible says they brought to him a blind man. Have you ever noticed in the New Testament how many people never would have come to Jesus unless somebody brought them? Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. Peter brought Cornelius to Jesus. Philip introduced the Ethiopian treasurer to Jesus. Paul the Apostle introduced Lydia, a businesswoman from Thyatira, to Jesus. Paul introduced the Philippian jailer to Jesus. Paul introduced in the same chapter, Acts 16, the little slave girl to Jesus. In the New Testament, somebody introduces somebody to Jesus. You may be that somebody that God is going to use this week to introduce somebody to Jesus.

They come here blind, they are groping in spiritual darkness. You have them in a dental chair, and there in that dental chair, you give them treatment. They've appreciated the treatment and then you put your hand gently on their shoulder and say, "May I pray for you?" And that person has never had a medical provider pray for them before. Their eyes well with tears as you offer prayer for John or Mary, for James or for Peter.

You have somebody come for surgery and you place your hand on their abdomen and you notice that the growth is large and you notice the fear in their face and you say, "Can I pray for you?" And they've never had a physician pray for them before.

Research tells us this: that 83% of all patients would welcome a physician or medical practitioner to pray for them. This is why over 150 medical schools in America today have courses on medicine and spirituality. This is why in the medical profession today, there are many who understand that prayer is a modality of healing and brings comfort to the patients, and that prayed-for patients do better than non-prayed-for patients. 150 studies. Just the other day I was looking at all the research on prayer and spirituality and healing. And today we know that human beings are physical, they are mental, they are emotional, and they're spiritual. You cannot dissect human beings and when we give them whole-person care, not only do they get better more quickly, but they have greater emotional stability and health as well.

Here in the New Testament, somebody brings somebody to Jesus. They brought a blind man to Him. Have you noticed the number of personal interactions that Jesus had Himself in the New Testament? Jesus talks to Nicodemus privately by night. Personal interaction. Jesus goes to the woman at Samaria, talks to her personally. Personal interaction. Jesus takes this man who's blind out of the city. Personal interaction. Although Jesus preached to the masses, He was a master at the one-soul audience. Jesus was an absolute master at talking to people one-on-one, asking them the right question, drawing out their heart needs.

It's amazing how God can use one individual to share Jesus with another individual, who shares Jesus with another individual, who shares with another individual. A number of years ago, we were holding a Net evangelistic series being satellited throughout America, called Net '96, and to 40 countries in the world. And one of our Hispanic pastors from Miami called me. We were in Orlando, Florida, and he said, "Pastor Mark, I have an amazing story. I have a candidate to baptize. I don't want to tell you a lot about it now, but can I bring him?" I said sure.

As the pastor came he said, "Pastor Mark, this is the story. This is a judge, his name is Hector Alvarez. This judge was a judge in Cuba. And during the days of communism in Cuba, this judge took special pleasure at sentencing Seventh-day Adventist pastors to prison. Usually he would sentence them for two or three years. He delighted in sentencing these Adventist pastors."

He left Cuba. He wanted a different way of life and came to America. When he got to America he could not apply to the United States government and say, "You know I was a judge in Cuba. Do you have reciprocal arrangements so I can be a judge now in America?" It doesn't quite work that way here. And so this Cuban judge had no work. He was homeless, living on the streets, living from hand to mouth.

An Adventist pastor's son, used by Jesus, who had eyes to see, ears to hear the cry, met that man one day on the streets of Miami. And he sat on the street corner and talked to this judge and he saw that he was quite a brilliant man, but the circumstances of life caused him to be homeless. Many of the circumstances of life cause some of these people in LA to be homeless. Walking from my hotel today I counted between 12 and 15 homeless people sleeping on the street as I walked here. Many of them have made choices that were poor in their lives, but for many of them life has kicked them in the stomach and the wind has been knocked out of them and circumstances have put them in places that there but for the grace of God goes you and goes me.

This Cuban judge was on, sitting on the street, and this Adventist pastor's boy, 17 years old, talked to him. And then the Adventist pastor's boy said, "You know what?" And Judge Alvarez never revealed he was a judge in Cuba, putting Adventist pastors in prison, but the boy said, "Hey look, this has been an interesting discussion. My mom makes beans and rice. You look like you need a meal, why don't you come home?"

And so the 17-year-old brought this judge home, not knowing he was a judge, the judge not knowing the boy was an Adventist, not knowing his father was an Adventist pastor. They sat around the table, they ate, it was a wonderful evening. And the judge would come back about once every week and eat with the family and they developed a real good relationship.

Pretty soon the pastor said, "Well you know I'm an Adventist pastor." The judge kind of went, "Gulp," knowing that he put many Adventist pastors in prison. And the pastor said, "Well what did you do in Cuba?" "Well, I was a judge." He didn't tell him about the fact that he put Adventist pastors in prison.

And this Adventist pastor was from Mexico. And he said to him, "I have a friend from Cuba and he too is a pastor. He too immigrated from Cuba. I think he'd like to meet you, I think you'd really bond together." Don't get ahead of me in the story please.

And so he said, "Okay." And so the judge reluctantly went to the Adventist pastor's house and when he got there he recognized the pastor that he was one of the pastors he sent to prison. The pastor graciously reached out to him and said, "Judge, I think we may have met before." And they did, and they bonded together.

The Cuban pastor gave the judge Bible studies and the judge then watched our Net event, our prophecy lectures, and made his decision to be baptized. When the Adventist pastor took the judge into the baptismal pool, I said over national television, I said, "Judge, have you ever met this pastor before?" "Yes I have." "Where did you meet him?" "In Cuba in my courtroom." "What did you do to him?" "I put him in prison for three years." "Pastor, what are you going to do to the judge right now?" "I'll baptize him in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

When that baptism took place, it was satellited up thousands of miles into space and came down in Romania. And in Romania Judge Peter Molner had walked into an Adventist meeting and he saw Judge Hector Alvarez from Cuba being baptized in Orlando. And he said, "If that judge can do it, I can do it too. I'm going to follow Jesus and be baptized." The tale of two judges, but it all started when one 17-year-old boy had eyes to see and witnessed to a homeless man on the street of Miami.

The text says Mark chapter 8 verse 22, "Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him." But notice what the text says. It says they begged Him to touch him. They bring a blind man to Jesus and they begged Him to touch him. Now, there are two Greek words for begged. One is the word "deomai". And so "deomai" in Greek is like they begged, they pleaded, they cajoled, they urged, and so I'm thinking all the time this "deomai". But when I looked up the word, it's not the word "deomai" at all. "Parakaleo". "Parakaleo" is a fascinating word.

You remember when John 14 and John 16 talks about the Holy Spirit? You remember the original word for the Holy Spirit? It is "Paraclete". Now, the word "kletos" in Greek is "call", the word "para" is "call beside". So the Paraclete is the one who comes beside. So when you come to Mark 8 and you look at the word begged, its root word is Paraclete. In other words, these people came beside the blind man. Their hearts beat with the blind man's heart. They understood his need, they showed sympathy for him, they showed compassion for him. They came beside him and they interceded for him. They were his advocates, standing by his side.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: So as we pray, the Holy Spirit is our advocate, He is our Paraclete. He comes beside us, He knows our hurts, He knows our disappointment, He knows our heartache, He knows our sorrow, and He intercedes before us before the throne of God. Jesus, Hebrews 7 verse 25, we have a high priest who is a great high priest, therefore we can come boldly before the throne of grace because He is our intercessor. Now here's the significant thing, don't miss this: just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for you and for me, just as Jesus is the intercessor, we become intercessors. We intercede for others on our knees before Jesus. And the river of the water of life is poured out from the throne of God through us to touch their lives.