HopeLives365

Guest (Male): I choose to allow him to give direction to my life. When I surrender my freedom to him, he gives it back to me, refined and ennobled, so that I can live the abundant life that he desires.

This is HopeLives365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: Strength Conditioning, part two. 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 was holding meetings in one province in Mexico and I met Mr. Jorge and his son Jose. Mr. Jorge was a man that had one basic problem in life. He couldn't control his temper. When he drank, it even made his temper worse. Drinking was a problem, but his temper was totally out of control.

His young son Jose learned to hate his father. Jose's father was an angry, cruel man, and Jose said he often sat on the steps of their apartment, listening to his father come home half-drunk in a rage of anger, beating his mother. Jose said, "I came to the point in my life where I absolutely hated my father because I heard my mother crying, I heard the slaps across the face, and I heard the screams." Jose said he absolutely hated his father.

This young boy decided that what he would do is kill his father. He decided the only way to stop this cruelty was to kill his father. So he got a butcher knife from the kitchen. One day, his father was watching television. He came up behind his father with the butcher knife. His father heard the boy coming, didn't know he had the butcher knife, turned around and saw the son, held his hand, wrestled the knife out of his son's hand, and beat his son.

The family was going from bad to worse in a major crisis. Fortunately, they had a Christian neighbor, and that Christian neighbor sensed that something was wrong, seriously, tragically wrong in this family. That neighbor began to visit them. It wasn't an easy task. First, the neighbor began talking to the woman and told her that she may need to get out of that environment for a while.

Her leaving that environment brought her husband to his serious senses. She knew that she had to get out of the environment to protect her child. They began a series of counseling sessions with a Christian counselor, and they were led to study God's word. Over a period of weeks and months, the horror of their past seemed now not to be dominating their lives.

A new peace settled over this troubled home. This mother and son began to sense a strength and a peace. The father was jarred to his senses. Now, not every story ends this way, but that family began to discover what it was like to have the supernatural power of God change their lives. I remember lecturing in Mexico, and the mother and son decided to come to the meetings.

The father said, "If you have been changed by the Spirit of God and the power of the living Christ, I want to explore that. I need help too." So he came to our meetings, and we watched God reunite that family. We watched God work a miracle in their lives as this family attended our meetings nightly. They sensed the power of God working in their lives. They sensed what it was like to walk in the Spirit.

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? It means you surrender your life to Jesus Christ and invite the Holy Spirit to come into your life to enable you to empower your choices to make a change. We cannot make the changes in our life ourselves. Walking in the Spirit means that we are living in another dimension. We're living in a spiritual dimension. Jose, Mr. Jorge, and this whole family had a joy and a peace as they allowed Jesus Christ through his Spirit to transform their lives.

The Bible talks about walking in the Spirit; it talks also about walking by faith. Let's read it together. Second Corinthians chapter five, verse seven: "For we walk by faith and not by sight." What is that talking about, walking by faith and not by sight? To walk by faith is to trust God in all circumstances of life. It's to believe that he loves me and desires only my best good, even in life's most challenging times and darkest hours.

It does not give up because it has the confidence that he's there. So faith doesn't mean that everything in my life is always going to go well. Faith is not some good luck charm. Faith is not some four-leaf clover. Faith is not, "Oh, I want to go on a picnic and I prayed it wouldn't rain, so I believe." That is not faith. I'm not offering you tonight, and the Bible doesn't offer you, some candy cotton faith that's sweet in your mouth but leaves you barren.

What is faith? Faith is trusting God as a friend well known, knowing that he loves me and knowing whatever happens in my life, whatever heartache or sorrow I experience, that he'll never leave me or never forsake me. It doesn't say things will always go well, but it says he'll always be there. Faith is trusting in that loving God.

When I was a boy, I was brought up in Norwich, Connecticut, and my grandfather lived at an apartment in a place called Nine Raymond Place. There in the apartment, my aunt and uncle lived on the first floor, Grandpa lived on the second floor, and then on the third floor, for a time, Grandpa raised canaries. I remember as a boy, my grandfather taking me up where he's raising these canaries.

One day, he took a sheet and he put it over the canary's cage, and he took one male canary and he put it in that cage. He began going like this: (whistling sounds). I said, "Grandpa, what are you doing?" He said, "I cover the cage in darkness so the canary can only hear my whistle. And as I whistle to the canary, I teach it to sing." (whistling sounds). Pretty soon, the canary began going back: (whistling sounds).

Sometimes in our lives, the cage of life that we're in seems to be covered with darkness, but by faith, we listen to God's voice. In the loneliness of that darkness, when life seems to be falling apart, God is teaching us deeper lessons of faith. He's teaching us how to sing the song of faith and trust in the dark.

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? It means to live in the spiritual realm, to allow God through his Spirit to change your life and to empower you. What does it mean to walk by faith? It means to trust God and allow him to shape your life and to depend on him in any circumstance of life. The Bible also talks about walking in the light. Not only is physical fitness important, spiritual fitness is important.

What does the Bible mean when it talks about walking in the light? John 12:35: "Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you." Jesus said in John 8:12, "I'm the light of the world." Very often, the devil wants to enshroud us in darkness. We're in a world of good and evil, a world where there is a conflict between good and evil.

Darkness enshrouds us: the darkness of discouragement, the darkness of depression, the darkness that says you can't make a change, the darkness that says you don't have any future, the darkness that says you're not worth very much at all, the darkness that says that there is no possibility for you in your state to be saved in God's kingdom. See, the devil will do anything he can to discourage you with darkness.

Jesus says walk in the light. Do not be a child of darkness. Do not live in that cave of unbelief. Do not live in that cave of doubt. When the devil suggests negative thoughts to you and says you're not worth much, when the devil says you're going to lose your job, when the devil says you have no future, when the devil says you're not going to get into that school, when the devil enshrouds you with negative thoughts of darkness, Jesus says walk in the light.

He says, "I have a plan for you." When you're diagnosed with cancer and the devil says to you, "You're going to die," you say, "Look, I don't know if I'm going to die or I'm going to live, but I know this: I'm going to walk in the light of God's love and I'm going to love him, and I know he's going to give me joy in my life no matter what goes on in my life."

When you lose a job and the devil says, "You're not going to get another job and you're going to lose your house," you say, "I'm not going to live in that darkness. I'm not going to live on that level. I'm not going to live in a cave. I'm not going to live in a dungeon. I choose to believe God has his best for me, and I don't know what's going to happen in my future, but I know God is going to work something out good for me because God cares for me and God loves me. I am not going to live in the cave of darkness; I'm going to walk in the light. I'm not going to listen to the devil's lies."

I love to travel and spend many hours traveling the world, leading tours around the world to various religious sites, and often enjoy going to Rome. One thing in Rome that is often missed when you go there is this image; it's called the "Man of Truth." There are different legends about this "Man of Truth." We don't know actually where the stone carving came from.

Some experts and archaeologists believe it was the cover of a well. But what draws you to the "Man of Truth" is, as you look at him, obviously—and you can see it in the picture—he's an old man with deep furrows on his head, his long hair, the eyes, the nose, but really what draws you to this "Man of Truth" is the mouth. There are different theories about him. One theory is that if you put your hand in his mouth and you're a liar, he'll bite off your hand.

Most people aren't trying it anymore. You know what one theory was, though? That this was placed in a church and you put your hand in his mouth and the priest would be on the other end and he'd really whack your hand pretty hard, not chop it off. So there's a lot of interesting theories about it. One is this: that the Mouth of Truth speaks to every person in their life at some time.

Throughout your life, there are going to be different moments when the "Man of Truth" speaks. And he is going to speak truth to you, and when he speaks it to you, do not continue to walk in darkness. I like that thought. Throughout our life, there are decision times. Throughout our life, there are key moments. There are moments when truth is spoken to us.

Maybe there's some truth spoken to you in this series about a change in your exercise habits. Maybe there's some truth about a change in your diet. Maybe there's some truth about a change in your attitude. Maybe there's some truth that Christ wants to live in your heart and transform you by the Holy Spirit. Maybe God brought you to these meetings miraculously so his truth can be spoken to your heart.

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: What does it mean to walk in the light? It means to come out of the cave of darkness. It means to stop deceiving ourselves. It means to listen to the truth that God has given to us in creation and to go back to making those positive, life-changing choices that are so life-transforming. But the Bible goes beyond walking by faith. It goes beyond walking by the Spirit. It goes beyond walking in the light.

The Bible talks too about running. Let us read it together. Hebrews chapter 12, verse one and two: "Let us run with endurance the race that's set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." I have many young people coming to me saying, "Pastor, I don't know if I can ever be saved in God's kingdom." You would be very surprised at the people I talk to after meetings saying, "I'm just not good enough," filled with discouragement.

I point them to Hebrews chapter 12, verse one and two, that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. How many of you tonight know that Jesus has done something in your life? Did Jesus ever do one thing in your life? How many of you know that? If he's the author of your faith, he's going to be the finisher of your faith. For many years, I was the speaker of It Is Written television for 13 years.

George Vandeman was the founder of that TV program, and Pastor Vandeman had been on the air for many years, and he had a saying like this: He always would say, "When I look at myself, I see no possibility to be saved in God's kingdom. But when I look at Jesus, I see no possibility of being lost." When I look at myself, I'm pretty weak. You know, the Christian life is more like a marathon than a sprint.

Has anybody here ever run a marathon? I've never run a marathon, but has anybody here ever run a marathon? I don't see any hands. Oh, yeah, a few. Okay, now I'm more encouraged. Now, I'm not suggesting you run a marathon tonight. But marathon runners say this: that as they're running the marathon, there are times in that race of running the marathon that they want to give up.

There are times that their hamstrings are burning. They can't take another step. There are times that they call it hitting the wall. They're running this marathon and they're saying, "I'm not going to make it. I'm not going to make it." The Christian life is like that sometimes. It's like running this marathon, and you've been running it maybe for five years or 10 years, and there's some curve that comes to your life, or some mountain you're climbing, or some obstacle that you're going through, and you just get overwhelmed and you say, "I can't make it any longer."

Read it together with me: "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." If we look to Jesus, the one that began a good work in us will finish it. Now, there are certain essential disciplines in the Christian life: Bible study, fellowship, communion with other believers in worship and prayer. They equip us to run the race with vigor and stamina.

The more our minds are saturated with the truth of God's word, the more the devil's lies do not impact us and engulf us in darkness. The more we fellowship and have communion with God's people in worship, the more our spirits are invigorated. The more we participate in prayer, the more we live in the reality of God's truth. I love Philippians 1, verse 6. Let's read it together: "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." Do you believe that tonight? Has God begun something in you? Has he? Is he going to finish what he began? I thank him for that.

Derek Redmond was the hope of England, Barcelona Olympics, 1992. Derek was running the 440 race. He had won the first heat in the race. He had won the quarterfinals, and now all eyes were upon him as he crouched at the starting line in the semifinals of the 440. He was leading as they rounded the first curve, and then Derek Redmond ripped out his hamstring.

He fell on the track. His hopes and dreams were gone. He watched as the backs of the other runners, as they kicked up dirt with their spikes as he lay there, pounding the earth. He had trained for years for this moment. He had spent countless hours preparing himself, and now he was lying on the track with pain burning in his hamstring. He could not get up. He couldn't finish the race.

But finally, he determined lying there, "I'm getting up." He got up and with one leg began to hop toward the finish line. His father was in the crowd. And Derek's father leaped out of the stands, barged past the security, pushed them aside, placed his arms around his son. And he said, "Son, you don't have to do this." And Derek said, "Dad, I do." And the father said, "Then son, we'll do it together."

And Derek Redmond's dad carried him as he hopped on one leg to the finish line. 60,000 people in the Barcelona stadium stood, and they gave him a standing ovation and they cheered with thundering applause. Have you ever felt in your life that running the race of the Christian life toward heaven, you have fallen on the track and everybody else has passed you by?

Have you ever lay there crying and saying, "Oh God, my life is a mess"? Jesus sees and Jesus knows. And he leaps out of the stands and he comes to where you are, and he carries you to the finish line. When we're struggling in the race of life and others seem to have passed us by, Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, leaps into the arena of our lives and he carries us. That is incredible good news.

But you know something about races? All races come to an end. Record-setting achievements gained at so great a price are a vague recollection in the distant past. All races come to an end. When the race is over, when we cross that final finish line, only one thing will really matter: Have we made a total commitment to Jesus Christ?

When we reach for the eternal crown, we're reaching for a crown that will never fade away. In the Apostle Paul's day, every two years in Greece, there was something known as the Isthmian Games. They were part of the Greek Olympiad. They were held in honor of the Greek god Poseidon. The victor's prize was a perishable crown.

Under the Greeks, the crown was made of woven laurel leaves. Later, it was a crown of wild celery. But after Corinth was conquered by the Romans under Julius Caesar, the games were re-established for a time with a crown of fir as the victor's prize. But all these crowns were perishable. All these crowns of victory for winning the games were very fragile and they quickly began to fade.

These athletes wanted to be the best. They wanted to be the fastest. They wanted to be the strongest. They wanted to be the most agile people in the world, and they wanted that crown upon their heads at the end of the day. They did everything they could, everything possible, to achieve victory so they could have that crown. The crown was awarded to them as a symbol of the fleeting moment of victory and the fleeting moment of popularity that they were to enjoy.

The Apostle Paul says in First Corinthians 9:25, "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. They do it to obtain the perishable crown, this wreath, this laurel wreath that'll fade away, but we do it for an imperishable crown."

The crowns of our society—the crowns of a good job, the crowns of a higher education level, the crowns of a better lifestyle, the crowns of more wealth and possessions, the crowns of fame and fortune, the crown of power and praise of men—are nothing more than perishable crowns that fade quickly and forgotten by all. Your Bible says in James chapter two, verse 13 and 14: "Come now, you who say today or tomorrow we will do this and that. Come, you say you'll spend a year here or spend a year in that city, we'll buy and sell, we'll make a profit, whereas you do not know what'll happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It's even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."

In Milan, there's a great cathedral. And that cathedral in Italy has three doors. And on the left door, it says, "All that vexes you is but for a moment." On the right door, it says, "All that pleases you is but for a moment." And in the central door of that great cathedral, it says, "That which endures is eternal." The most important choices we make in our lives are the choices that will last for eternity, the choices that will last forever.

Paul says in Second Timothy 4:7 and 8, "I've fought a good fight. I've finished the race. I've kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me what? Not a perishable crown, but a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not to me only, but all those that love his appearing."

The crown of righteousness is an eternal symbol of the happiness of the saints. God has a world for you prepared beyond your comprehension, a world of joy and health and gladness, a world of intellectual pursuits and learning and discovery. It is eternal life, life abundant, life without end, life at its fullest measure.

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 Finley.

Mark Finley: Life abundant, life without end, life at its fullest measure. Which crown are you chasing today? Which reward are you seeking today? Would you like to say today, "Jesus, I want to walk in the Spirit. I want the Spirit to transform my life. I want to walk in faith. Whatever happens in my life, I want to trust you. I want to walk in the light. I don't want to live in the cave of unbelief and the dungeon of darkness. Lord, I want to run the race. I don't want to be on the treadmill of this earth, living my life to be more popular, to make more money, to achieve more, or to get more. Because that rat race and treadmill will only destroy your health physically, mentally, and spiritually."