Welcome to the In Touch podcast with Charles Stanley for Thursday, May 28th.

The Gospels tell us that even heaven and earth will pass away, but that's no reason to despair.

Be encouraged to persevere and live life to the fullest.

If you had to describe your life, how would you describe it?

Would you say it is a mere existence?

It is an unending rat race. That's what my life is. A continuous battle, a schoolroom, a time of

training, a time of real discouragement. Somehow you are going through some period of suffering in your life

and it seems to be endless. Or would you say that your life is one absolutely fascinating, exciting

journey, that it is a challenging time in your life? All of us go through different seasons in our life, and so sometimes if the season lasts too long, we just have the idea that that's what life's all about, just one big, heavy burden. But that's not really true, because all of us go through those seasons. Sometimes there are more clouds than there is sunshine and we're often prone to think well is this

what life is all about no that's not what life is all about life really is all about something very

very exciting and that's what i want to talk about in this message today no matter where you are

and what you're feeling and how down you may be or how up you are. The issue is what is life really and truly all about?

And so the title of this message is living life to the fullest.

And I want you to turn, if you will, to Hebrews chapter 12.

And there are two verses here that I want us to look at primarily.

Because I believe in these two verses, God gives us, not necessarily

some formula, but he gives us an insight, an understanding of what life is all about and why we can

live it to the very fullest, no matter what's going on. So beginning with verse one of chapter 12,

he says, therefore, since we have so great a cloud of

witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily

entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,

the author and protector of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross,

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