[Theme Music]
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>: It has stood
the test of time.
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God's book, the Bible;
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still relevant in
today's complex world.
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It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
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JB: Thanks for joining me
today. This is It Is Written,
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and I'm John Bradshaw. You know,
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when you come to the
Bible, you come face to face
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with the great God of
heaven. The God who does that
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which is miraculous. In
the beginning God made the
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heaven and the earth, and He
called that which we see out of
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something that we
don't see. Through the Bible,
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Jesus changed water to wine.
In the Word of God, God caused
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water to come out of a rock;
He caused manna to carpet the
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ground in the wilderness.
God did again and again and
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again that which
was and is miraculous.
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We're going to talk about
something miraculous today on
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It Is Written: the
healing miracles of Jesus.
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And joining me
is Dr. David DeRose,
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an internist, he is a
doctor who specializes in
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preventive
medicine. Dr. DeRose leads
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Compass Health Consultants
in Northern California.
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Dr. David DeRose,
thanks for joining me today
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on It Is Written. DD:
It's good to be with you,
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John. JB: Isn't it remarkable.
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You come face to face
in the Bible with Jesus,
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who isn't bound by the
imitations of humanity.
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As a man, He was connected
to the power of God in heaven
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and He worked miracles.
Now, in a world where there are
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so many people who are
unwell, it's at once a little
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frustrating, but also
very encouraging to know that
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Jesus while on this earth
worked miracles of healing.
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We'll talk about the little
frustrating in a few minutes
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from now, but for now let's
begin drilling down and talking
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about the miracles Jesus worked
when He was here on the earth.
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They really did happen,
and they really were miracles.
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Where would you go,
as a Christian physician?
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Where would you take us to
discuss the healing miracles
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of Jesus? DD:
John, one of the miracles
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that really has spoken to
me as a physician-- actually
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perplexed me as a
physician for many years--
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is in the Gospel of
Mark, the eighth chapter.
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Why don't we turn there,
because in Mark 8 we read
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perhaps what is one of the most
strange miracles of healing,
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at least through my
eyes for many years.
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In Mark 8 verse 23
it says, "So he, Jesus,
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took the blind man by the hand
and led him out of the town.
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And when he had spit on his
eyes and put his hands on him,
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he asked him if
he saw anything."
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JB: That in itself
is pretty interesting.
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DD: It is. Very interesting.
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JB: Yeah, if you as a physician
tried to heal my maladies by
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using that method I would
probably call you into question.
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DD: Okay. Maybe even call
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the licensing board.
JB: I might do just that.
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That was a radical way
of going about healing.
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DD: Although in that day,
apparently saliva in their minds
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was connected with
life-giving properties.
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JB: So it wasn't so strange
in the context of the day.
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DD: That's my understanding.
I won't say I'm an expert in
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that era of history,
but it wasn't as strange
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as it seems to you and me.
JB: What's fascinating-- and I
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know where you're going
with this-- is the next verse.
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"He looked up and said, 'I
see men as trees walking.'"
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This man wasn't
instantaneously healed.
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DD: No. And it's
amazing, because as
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that story plays out
Jesus then again touches the man
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and fully restores his vision.
JB: Why do you think it was
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a two-stage healing? DD:
Well, we know some things
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about vision physiology
today that really have shaped my
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thinking about this
story. A fascinating story
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by the likes of something
I'd never heard before.
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A fellow by the
name of Mike May.
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Mike, back in the '80s,
was known as a para-Olympian.
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He was a blind skier.
And, my boys more recently
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got me into downhill
skiing, but I can't imagine
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being blind and going
down those slopes at speeds
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in excess of 60 miles per hour.
JB: It's remarkable, isn't it,
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the things that we who
are able bodied cannot do
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or would not do, and
somebody who cannot see,
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could not see, would ski
at 60-plus miles an hour.
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That's a lesson to those
of us who will do little with
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what we have. DD: Amazing.
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And so that was Mike May. A
brilliant guy, but no vision.
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He lost his vision in a
traumatic accident, some kind of
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chemical explosion when he
was like three years of age.
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But in 2000, Mike received some
stem cell transplants-- another
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high-tech surgery to his
eyes-- that actually restored
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his vision. But
as you read about
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his account-- and
this has been written
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in the medical journals--
Mike doesn't use these words,
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at least not that I've
seen. But he in essence saw
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men as trees
walking. JB: Why was that?
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DD: It's because his occipital
lobe, the back part of his brain
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where visual input is
processed, had atrophied.
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So you see, not only did
he lose his eyes as a child,
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but his brain atrophied.
So, when his vision was
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restored, at least his eyes were
restored, he couldn't process
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what he was seeing.
It's fascinating, reading his
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account even years later,
he said sometimes he had to
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close his eyes to better process
things because the visual input
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couldn't be
processed by his brain.
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JB: So that could go a long way
to explaining what happened with
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this man, the only two-stage
healing you find in the Bible.
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The man's eyes are restored
but his brain function, perhaps,
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isn't able to process what his
eyes are seeing and so he sees
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men as trees walking. DD:
Until Jesus heals his brain.
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JB: Yeah. DD: And
it's interesting for me,
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as I look at this physiology and
I think about our own prayers.
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We're often praying to God for
some type of healing and we're
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frustrated because God
does not deliver the healing
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in the way that we wanted
it. He may be really giving us
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just what we asked.
And it begs the question,
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What do we really pray for?
JB: This goes back to what I
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said in the beginning.
We read in the Bible about
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Jesus' healing, and that can be
a little frustrating because we
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pray in faith. People
will pray to be healed,
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they're not
healed, and they're told:
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you don't have enough
faith. Now that's cruel
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to be told that. We
have some pretty good
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examples in the Bible of
people praying to be healed,
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who were not healed.
One of them is a luminary
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no less as bright
as the Apostle Paul.
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He talked in 2 Corinthians
about his thorn in the flesh.
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He prayed not once, not twice,
but three times to be healed--
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and he wasn't. Now,
can we say that the reason
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he was not healed is because
he didn't have enough faith?
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Well, maybe
there's another reason.
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DD: Well, I
think it's interesting.
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Let's turn there
to 2 Corinthians 12,
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because this is
extremely encouraging to me
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and to my patients.
And it's really setting the
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stage for a very
unusual testimony meeting,
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or prayer meeting. In verse 9,
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after praying those three times,
and God gives him the message:
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My grace is sufficient
for you, for my strength
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is made perfect in weakness.
Now here's the radical change
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in script for our testimonies.
Because Paul then says,
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Therefore most gladly I will
rather boast in my infirmities
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that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.
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I take pleasure in infirmities,
in reproaches, in needs,
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in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ's sake,
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for when I'm
weak then am I strong.
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And I've never been in a prayer
meeting or a testimony meeting
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where I heard
someone get up and say,
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I want to just praise the
Lord. I just got a diagnosis
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of cancer. I mean,
I've heard ones where
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people were doing better.
I've talked with people who,
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after the fact, said God worked
through this illness or He
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worked through this
difficulty. But this to me
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is an amazing story,
and it's speaking of an
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experience that I
haven't arrived at yet, John.
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JB: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. I
think what a lot of us don't
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realize is whether we are healed
or not, that's not the point.
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Paul did say, and I take this
out of context, For me to live
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is Christ and to die is
gain. Whether we live or die
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isn't really the
point. The point is
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whether God is
glorified. And God, evidently,
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can be better glorified in our
infirmities sometimes than He
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can be in our healing.
Now, that's a thought that we
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might want to pursue, and
we'll do that in just a moment.
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These are big thoughts.
Don't go away, we'll have more
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in just a moment.
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¤ [Gently thoughfu Melody] ¤
>: Every Word is a one-minute
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Bible-based daily devotional
presented by Pastor John
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Bradshaw and designed especially
for busy people like you.
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Look for Every Word on selected
networks, or watch it online
00:09:15.75\00:09:19.45
every day on our
website, ItIsWritten.com.
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¤ [Rythmic Melody]  ¤
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JB: Have you ever wondered
why God doesn't always choose
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to heal? In Matthew
8:2 a leper comes to
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Jesus and says, "If you are
willing, you can make me clean."
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And Jesus healed the leper.
I pray for people to get well
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and they've recovered, and I've
prayed for people to recover,
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who haven't
recovered. Why is that?
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We just don't
know, but God knows.
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And we can trust Him. In
heaven we're not going to
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take issue with God for
why He allowed certain things.
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We'll simply praise Him
and trust Him and love Him.
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The existence of sin means that
we've got to go through some
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stuff in this life. We
get sick and we don't always
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heal like we wish.
But we can trust God.
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And if you'll allow them to
do so, the hard things you are
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called to go through
will draw you close to Him.
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Trust God
today, even if it seems
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God's not answering
your prayers the way you wish
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He would. ¤ [Rythmic Melody]  ¤
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I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
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Let's live today by every word.
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JB: This is It Is
Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
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Thank you for joining me
today. My special guest today is
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Dr. David DeRose, a
minister of the gospel,
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a physician. He's a doctor of
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internal medicine, a
doctor of preventive health,
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and Dr. DeRose heads up
Compass Health Consultants
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in Northern California.
I'm really thankful you're
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taking the time to
spend with me today.
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This is big deal stuff,
as far as I'm concerned.
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DD: It's always wonderful
to be with you and share
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in your ministry. JB:
And we're talking about
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healing. God is
a healer, isn't He?
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DD: No question. JB:
And we've been told to come
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to God and pray our prayers,
believing that He will answer
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our prayers and
give us what we ask for.
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DD: That's right, at
least, that he knows best.
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JB: Now that's
an important caveat.
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Because there are times
that we will pray for healing,
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and we don't get what we want.
Now, let's just be honest here.
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To hear some ministers or
ministries, no matter what
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you're dealing with or
what you're suffering from,
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if you pray, God will heal you.
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But frankly, that's
not always the case.
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DD: Well, it's not
always the case biblically.
00:11:26.28\00:11:28.55
JB: Right. DD:
And perhaps one of the
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strangest stories that speaks
about prayer to me, in the
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Gospel of Mark,
is in Mark chapter 5.
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Very, very interesting,
we speak about the quality
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of our prayers. In Mark
5 we're first introduced
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to a demon-possessed man.
It's interesting-- his first
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prayer that's
recorded here, in verse 7,
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his first request of Jesus--
he says, "I implore you by God
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that you do not torment me."
Now, we would say this does not
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look like a model
prayer. JB: Right.
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DD: But Jesus answers, if
you will, the unspoken prayer
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and heals this man
of his demon possession.
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But the story doesn't end there,
because now when the man's in
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his right mind he
makes a beautiful prayer.
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JB: It's a lovely request, and
you would think that Jesus would
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have granted him this and said,
"Oh sure, come on, follow me,"
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because in essence he said,
"Hey, I want to follow you now;
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go with you wherever you go and
be with you wherever you are."
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Jesus didn't say yes.
DD: And it's amazing to me,
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in the context of the story,
because the prayer that seems to
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not have faith is the
prayer that's answered,
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and the prayer of faith
is the one that Jesus denies.
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JB: This is where Jesus casts
the demons out, they enter into
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the herd of pigs, the
pigs go running down the hill
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into the water.
The people run Jesus
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out of town. This
man, he's now clothed
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and in his right mind.
He's good, he's healed,
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the demons are gone.
I want to follow you--
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Jesus said no.
Why do think that was?
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DD: Well, it's interesting.
If you trace out the story line,
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this healing took place in
the region of the Decapolis.
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Sometime later Jesus would
come back and it seems that this
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man's testimony-- in fact,
in some of the other accounts
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there were two
demoniacs-- but that testimony
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was powerful enough that when
Jesus came back He was mobbed.
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Instead of being driven
from that region, instead of the
00:13:21.30\00:13:24.87
people longing for Him to leave,
they were happy to receive Him.
00:13:24.87\00:13:28.74
JB: So, sometimes we
don't get what we want,
00:13:28.74\00:13:31.37
but always it
will be for the best.
00:13:31.37\00:13:34.24
DD: That's right. JB: Correct?
00:13:34.24\00:13:35.61
It's important to know that you
pray that your grandmother would
00:13:35.61\00:13:38.05
be healed of her
cancer, and she is not.
00:13:38.05\00:13:41.72
I mean, that could be,
that could be faith-shaking.
00:13:41.72\00:13:43.99
You pray that you would
be healed of your diabetes
00:13:43.99\00:13:46.19
or whatever it
might be and you are not.
00:13:46.19\00:13:48.12
But given to God,
diabetes or cancer,
00:13:48.12\00:13:52.19
in His hands, might
bring to Him more glory
00:13:52.19\00:13:57.27
than if you were
healed of that condition.
00:13:57.27\00:14:00.07
DD: I'll tell you something as a
physician: I have been probably
00:14:00.07\00:14:03.30
ministered more to by patients
of mine who were dying--
00:14:03.30\00:14:09.34
dying with a firm
hold on Jesus' hand--
00:14:09.34\00:14:12.68
than anything else.
Perhaps more powerfully than
00:14:12.68\00:14:15.82
anyone I've ever met who has
experienced a healing miracle.
00:14:15.82\00:14:19.69
Because you see that
person trusting in Jesus
00:14:19.69\00:14:23.69
in the midst of
adversity. JB: Mm-hmm.
00:14:23.69\00:14:25.83
And that's a powerful
testimony. DD: Definitely.
00:14:25.83\00:14:27.96
JB: If we were all healed
from everything that plagued us,
00:14:27.96\00:14:30.07
it'd be pretty easy
to be a happy Christian.
00:14:30.07\00:14:32.50
But those that give a powerful
testimony are those who are
00:14:32.50\00:14:35.47
hanging on to Jesus even
when their world has been turned
00:14:35.47\00:14:37.74
upside down.
Nothing makes sense anymore,
00:14:37.74\00:14:40.28
but they are able to say,
I know whom I have believed
00:14:40.28\00:14:43.91
and I'm convinced that
all things work together
00:14:43.91\00:14:47.05
for good, and
it's going to be okay.
00:14:47.05\00:14:51.09
What a testimony,
right? You lose your job--
00:14:51.09\00:14:53.86
it's going to be okay.
There's a death in the family--
00:14:53.86\00:14:56.76
it's going to be okay.
You lose a limb because of
00:14:56.76\00:15:00.43
diabetes, it meant you
had to have your leg taken off
00:15:00.43\00:15:02.50
at the knee--
it's going to be okay.
00:15:02.50\00:15:06.53
This life isn't all
we have. We've got a lot
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.47
to look forward to. DD:
You know, this is really an
00:15:08.47\00:15:10.57
interesting topic. And
this is something that a lot
00:15:10.57\00:15:14.54
of people really haven't looked
at, because there's a very
00:15:14.54\00:15:17.28
interesting text in the book of
Revelation that I believe has an
00:15:17.28\00:15:21.48
implication that most of
us have not thought about.
00:15:21.48\00:15:26.02
As we read about this 1,000-year
period called, often referred to
00:15:26.02\00:15:31.49
as the Millennium by Christians,
we read about individuals
00:15:31.49\00:15:36.36
who are reigning as
priests. Reigning as priests.
00:15:36.36\00:15:43.61
Now, the question is,
John: why would we need priests
00:15:43.61\00:15:48.44
after sin and suffering
on this earth has ceased.
00:15:48.44\00:15:52.08
Why would there
be need for that?
00:15:52.08\00:15:53.25
JB: That's a terrific question.
DD: Here's what I think:
00:15:53.25\00:15:57.02
I think when the Bible speaks
of all tears being wiped away,
00:15:57.02\00:15:59.95
we're reading about
what happens after that
00:15:59.95\00:16:02.22
thousand-year period.
There's going to be ministry
00:16:02.22\00:16:05.63
that takes place in heaven.
John the Baptist-- one of those
00:16:05.63\00:16:09.23
whose prayers
apparently weren't answered--
00:16:09.23\00:16:11.30
he wasn't delivered from
prison. He struggled with that.
00:16:11.30\00:16:14.70
Jesus pointed to John as
THE exemplary human Christian.
00:16:14.70\00:16:22.71
I believe that hundreds,
thousands, of people are going
00:16:22.71\00:16:25.18
to come to John and
say, "You know what?
00:16:25.18\00:16:26.65
When I was going through that
difficult time, I was encouraged
00:16:26.65\00:16:29.98
because I knew Jesus
spoke about your faith.
00:16:29.98\00:16:33.59
And you languished there in that
prison, and you were beheaded.
00:16:33.59\00:16:36.96
When I thought God wasn't
answering my prayers, I was
00:16:36.96\00:16:40.06
encouraged by your
example. JB: Remarkable.
00:16:40.06\00:16:44.33
Healing, it's so important.
We should pray to be healed,
00:16:44.33\00:16:46.63
shouldn't we? DD: No question.
00:16:46.63\00:16:48.74
JB: We should bring the leaders
of the church together to anoint
00:16:48.74\00:16:51.74
those who are sick and
pray the prayer of faith.
00:16:51.74\00:16:54.44
The Bible says
the prayer of faith--
00:16:54.44\00:16:55.94
it didn't say it
necessarily will heal the sick,
00:16:55.94\00:16:57.61
but will save the
sick. And there's--
00:16:57.61\00:17:00.38
that's not simply semantics,
that's a very real difference.
00:17:00.38\00:17:05.25
But healing is something we
should pray for and we should
00:17:05.25\00:17:07.62
believe for. But
that miraculous healing
00:17:07.62\00:17:11.33
doesn't always come. And
truth be told-- that's okay,
00:17:11.33\00:17:16.90
if we're willing to trust God.
DD: It's interesting, in some of
00:17:16.90\00:17:19.83
the prayer research the most
powerful prayers are where a
00:17:19.83\00:17:24.37
person is yielding themselves
to the control of God.
00:17:24.37\00:17:28.11
It's not this idea of
I'm envisioning my body
00:17:28.11\00:17:30.71
winning this, and
I'm trusting in Jesus
00:17:30.71\00:17:32.78
in this way. It's
the self-surrender,
00:17:32.78\00:17:36.18
it's the putting
all in Jesus' hands.
00:17:36.18\00:17:38.75
It is most powerful it seems
for the immune system, even.
00:17:38.75\00:17:42.02
JB: And the truth is, that's
the essence of Christianity.
00:17:42.02\00:17:44.99
Surrendering, and placing
our lives in the hands of Jesus,
00:17:44.99\00:17:49.50
no matter what.
That's really the lesson that
00:17:49.50\00:17:52.47
Job had to learn, right?
Job thought he had it all
00:17:52.47\00:17:54.44
figured out. He was
a good man, he had been
00:17:54.44\00:17:56.50
described as being perfect.
But ultimately what he needed to
00:17:56.50\00:18:00.64
understand was
that God was sovereign.
00:18:00.64\00:18:03.21
Come what may, we can trust
God even if we are in perplexing
00:18:03.21\00:18:06.78
circumstances. DD: That's right.
00:18:06.78\00:18:08.55
JB: That's really important.
Well, there's a couple of things
00:18:08.55\00:18:10.95
I want to ask you
about that relate to health.
00:18:10.95\00:18:13.72
I'll do that in just a moment.
Today, we're talking about
00:18:13.72\00:18:17.49
health and healing. God
is still the Great Healer.
00:18:17.49\00:18:22.06
But there are two things I'm
going to ask Dr. David DeRose
00:18:22.06\00:18:24.97
about that have a positive
or could have, should have,
00:18:24.97\00:18:28.64
a positive influence on our
physical and spiritual health.
00:18:28.64\00:18:32.01
We'll have that
in just a moment.
00:18:32.01\00:18:34.38
¤ [Gentle Melody]  ¤
00:18:34.38\00:18:36.54
JB: Planning for your financial
future is a vital aspect of
00:18:36.75\00:18:39.21
Christian stewardship.
For this reason, It Is Written
00:18:39.21\00:18:42.22
is pleased to offer free planned
giving and estate services.
00:18:42.22\00:18:45.82
For information on how
we can help you, please call
00:18:45.82\00:18:48.39
1 (800) 992-2219. Call today,
00:18:48.39\00:18:53.09
or visit our special
website, www.HisLegacy.com.
00:18:53.09\00:18:59.40
This is It Is Written. I'm
John Bradshaw, joined today
00:19:03.41\00:19:06.44
by Dr. David DeRose.
We're speaking about healing.
00:19:06.44\00:19:10.55
What's fasting, from a
biblical point of view?
00:19:10.55\00:19:12.58
I think about it as
not eating for a while.
00:19:12.58\00:19:14.92
What is it really, biblically?
DD: Well, actually one of the
00:19:14.92\00:19:17.02
fasts that Jesus spoke
about in the Bible was not
00:19:17.02\00:19:21.16
drinking grape juice,
after his ministry here
00:19:21.16\00:19:24.79
was finished. You
remember at the Last Supper,
00:19:24.79\00:19:26.86
He committed that He would not
again drink of the fruit of the
00:19:26.86\00:19:29.43
vine until He was
reunited with His disciples.
00:19:29.43\00:19:33.90
So, that's a form of
fast. Fasting actually has many
00:19:33.90\00:19:36.64
shapes, if you will.
There can be a total fast where
00:19:36.64\00:19:40.64
you don't eat
anything, just drink water.
00:19:40.64\00:19:43.51
But you can also
fast from certain foods.
00:19:43.51\00:19:46.41
JB: Daniel did
that. DD: Exactly.
00:19:46.41\00:19:49.52
So there's fasts of that nature,
and then there's actually fasts
00:19:49.52\00:19:54.52
where you may
just leave a meal off.
00:19:54.52\00:19:58.53
Like fasting
from the evening meal.
00:19:58.53\00:20:00.76
By the way, one of the things
that can help many people with a
00:20:00.76\00:20:04.07
weight problem-- especially when
they get in those mid-life years
00:20:04.07\00:20:07.37
and the pounds aren't
moving-- is leave off eating
00:20:07.37\00:20:10.07
late in the evening. Now
that's a health transition,
00:20:10.07\00:20:13.94
but the point is these
are different types of fasting
00:20:13.94\00:20:17.68
that have power. JB:
What are the benefits
00:20:17.68\00:20:19.68
of fasting? DD:
Well, there's no question
00:20:19.68\00:20:21.38
there's a spiritual
dimension to fasting.
00:20:21.38\00:20:24.05
And many people believe it
has to do with the mind clearing
00:20:24.05\00:20:27.56
when we're not eating.
In fact, many people who've
00:20:27.56\00:20:29.76
fasted for a period of time
find that they have a sense of
00:20:29.76\00:20:33.09
well-being, a sense of enhanced
just being in touch with God.
00:20:33.09\00:20:39.50
A lot of the physiology behind
this relates to what happens
00:20:39.50\00:20:42.44
when we burn fat. So
within probably 24 hours of
00:20:42.44\00:20:46.01
going on a fast you deplete all
of your carbohydrate stores-- we
00:20:46.01\00:20:49.91
call it glycogen-- and
your body is burning fat.
00:20:49.91\00:20:53.11
When you burn fat, you
make something called ketones.
00:20:53.11\00:20:56.79
Those ketones actually can
suppress appetite, actually
00:20:56.79\00:20:59.59
making it easier
to continue the fast.
00:20:59.59\00:21:01.92
But for many people they
seem to enhance their sense
00:21:01.92\00:21:05.19
of well-being. I've
had patients who, on a
00:21:05.19\00:21:08.00
prolonged fast,
said, "Dr. DeRose,
00:21:08.00\00:21:09.83
I don't want to
go back to eating.
00:21:09.83\00:21:11.10
I'm feeling so much
better." Now, granted,
00:21:11.10\00:21:13.13
they're not the
majority. JB: Yeah.
00:21:13.13\00:21:14.80
So, spiritually speaking,
fasting is going to help me
00:21:14.80\00:21:18.17
because my mind is going to
experience clarity and I'm going
00:21:18.17\00:21:22.61
to connect with God
at a deeper level, yes?
00:21:22.61\00:21:25.65
DD: Well, think about it.
The Holy Spirit, God, speaks to
00:21:25.65\00:21:28.45
us through our brain. And
most of us with our eating
00:21:28.45\00:21:32.92
habits and our lifestyle,
we're clogging our brain.
00:21:32.92\00:21:36.26
Even the fat in our food
makes the blood more sluggish.
00:21:36.26\00:21:40.23
So, if we can improve
that blood supply to the brain,
00:21:40.23\00:21:44.93
the Holy Spirit can communicate
with us more clearly.
00:21:44.93\00:21:47.57
JB: One thing I've enjoyed about
our discussions together is
00:21:47.57\00:21:49.60
we've kind of spoken about
doing things incrementally,
00:21:49.60\00:21:53.11
rather than saying,
"Okay, from now on run five
00:21:53.11\00:21:55.31
miles a day and so forth.
The information we've been
00:21:55.31\00:21:58.81
sharing has been incremental.
These are changes you can make
00:21:58.81\00:22:03.42
a little at a time.
And don't just aim for the
00:22:03.42\00:22:06.35
minimum, aim for the maximum.
But these are changes that you
00:22:06.35\00:22:09.12
can make and work into your
life painlessly and seamlessly.
00:22:09.12\00:22:12.96
there's a fast of altruism--
of doing good for others.
00:22:12.96\00:22:17.43
Why did God through Isaiah tell
people, "Hey, go and do good."
00:22:17.43\00:22:22.04
Okay, because good
is preferable to bad,
00:22:22.04\00:22:23.54
but there's a health benefit?
DD: It's very interesting.
00:22:23.54\00:22:26.41
There are a number of
studies both in the psychology
00:22:26.41\00:22:29.94
literature and in the medical
literature that talk about the
00:22:29.94\00:22:32.41
healing power of doing good.
I mean, someone can search out
00:22:32.41\00:22:35.28
healing and altruism, which
is the term that's often used.
00:22:35.28\00:22:39.75
I think of one amazing story,
written many years ago in the
00:22:39.75\00:22:42.82
educational literature.
Before this was really a very
00:22:42.82\00:22:46.19
popular topic. Young
boy, bully, getting into
00:22:46.19\00:22:48.90
trouble, not
succeeding in school.
00:22:48.90\00:22:51.63
They decided to
do something amazing.
00:22:51.63\00:22:54.70
What they did-- instead
of giving him bonus points
00:22:54.70\00:22:58.44
or incentives they
gave him responsibility.
00:22:58.44\00:23:02.71
They said, "Billy"-- he was a
fourth grader-- "you're going to
00:23:02.71\00:23:06.61
have to take care of
this boy in a wheelchair.
00:23:06.61\00:23:09.38
First grader. You're
going to have to meet him
00:23:09.38\00:23:11.39
at the bus; you're going
to have to be his protector.
00:23:11.39\00:23:14.59
If you get out of line,
you're going to lose the
00:23:14.59\00:23:17.76
privilege of taking
care of him for a day."
00:23:17.76\00:23:21.46
What happened?
Billy responded to that.
00:23:21.46\00:23:25.27
When we come out of ourselves
and minister to other people
00:23:25.27\00:23:29.54
it does something for us.
And in Isaiah 58, it speaks
00:23:29.54\00:23:32.44
about your health
springing forth in that context.
00:23:32.44\00:23:36.34
JB: That's what I'm
saying. That's right.
00:23:36.34\00:23:37.88
Your health shall spring
forth when you forget about you
00:23:37.88\00:23:42.25
and start doing good
for others. I've read
00:23:42.25\00:23:46.49
where spiritual leaders
have recommended strongly,
00:23:46.49\00:23:48.66
look away from
yourself: look to do good
00:23:48.66\00:23:52.33
for somebody else,
minister to somebody else.
00:23:52.33\00:23:55.50
Obviously the good
that has done, that's good.
00:23:55.50\00:23:59.10
But the health benefits-- who
would have thought that you do
00:23:59.10\00:24:03.77
well physically because
you're doing well emotionally,
00:24:03.77\00:24:08.38
you're doing well
spiritually. DD: Yeah,
00:24:08.38\00:24:10.95
and there have been studies--
we've talked about this before--
00:24:10.95\00:24:13.21
looking at volunteerism,
and showing the people
00:24:13.21\00:24:15.98
that volunteer more.
We're not talking about
00:24:15.98\00:24:18.02
huge amounts-- two
to four hours a week--
00:24:18.02\00:24:20.32
can significantly decrease
the risk of cardiovascular
00:24:20.32\00:24:23.46
disease. JB: If
we learn to live in
00:24:23.46\00:24:25.79
harmony with each
other, with our environment,
00:24:25.79\00:24:28.53
with God, with our food,
there are all sorts of benefits
00:24:28.53\00:24:32.83
that kick back into our lives.
Make us happier, healthier,
00:24:32.83\00:24:36.94
and best and most
important of all, holier.
00:24:36.94\00:24:40.18
'Cause we don't just want to
be a happy face in this world;
00:24:40.18\00:24:44.05
we want to be a citizen
of God's eternal kingdom,
00:24:44.05\00:24:46.45
which is real and
right around the corner.
00:24:46.45\00:24:48.45
DD: That's
right. JB: Magnificent.
00:24:48.45\00:24:49.62
Dr. David DeRose,
thanks for joining me today.
00:24:49.62\00:24:52.29
DD: It's good to be with
you. JB: It's been a blessing.
00:24:52.29\00:24:54.16
¤ [Musical interlude]  ¤
00:24:54.16\00:24:58.46
JB: Fasting. It's a
very biblical concept,
00:25:00.06\00:25:04.07
but it's also
very misunderstood.
00:25:04.07\00:25:07.30
Jesus fasted, we know
that. But does He want people
00:25:07.30\00:25:10.64
to fast today? And
what does God intend that
00:25:10.64\00:25:13.61
fasting should be?
And, how can it benefit you?
00:25:13.61\00:25:17.61
I'd like to send you a book from
our Healing Insights series,
00:25:17.61\00:25:20.95
called "Fasting and Prayer."
This book is absolutely free.
00:25:20.95\00:25:25.19
Just call (800) 253-3000, and
ask for "Fasting and Prayer."
00:25:25.19\00:25:31.63
Now, if the line is
busy, please do try again.
00:25:31.63\00:25:34.96
You can write to us
at It Is Written, Box 6,
00:25:34.96\00:25:38.83
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and we'll mail a free copy to
00:25:38.83\00:25:43.74
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You can also download a free
00:25:43.74\00:25:47.31
digital copy at ItIsWritten.com.
00:25:47.31\00:25:51.31
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00:25:51.31\00:25:54.38
just like you. It's
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00:25:57.32\00:26:00.66
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00:26:12.37\00:26:15.14
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00:26:15.14\00:26:18.47
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00:26:18.47\00:26:21.34
Before we go we'd like to pray
with you and ask that God will
00:26:22.01\00:26:24.65
bless you and cause your
health to spring forth speedily,
00:26:24.65\00:26:27.48
as the prophet Isaiah wrote.
Now as you take what you've
00:26:27.48\00:26:30.49
learned today and apply it to
your life, you're going to see
00:26:30.49\00:26:33.29
the healing benefits of faith
in Christ liberated in yourself.
00:26:33.29\00:26:38.16
Let's pray. ¤ [Gentle Melody] ¤
00:26:38.49\00:26:40.46
Our Father in
heaven, we are grateful
00:26:40.46\00:26:43.13
that Jesus is the Great Healer.
Certainly we can think about
00:26:43.13\00:26:47.77
times in our lives where we
have prayed and seen You do the
00:26:47.77\00:26:49.64
miraculous. And then
there are times that we
00:26:49.64\00:26:52.14
pray, and we might either miss
it or it's not there to be seen,
00:26:52.14\00:26:56.75
because You choose to answer
our prayers in different ways.
00:26:56.75\00:27:00.82
Well, here's what we
know: One day Jesus will
00:27:00.82\00:27:03.15
come back to this earth.
One day the Bible says the dead
00:27:03.15\00:27:05.95
in Christ shall rise.
The Bible says we which are
00:27:05.95\00:27:08.39
alive and remain will be caught
up together with him in the
00:27:08.39\00:27:10.46
clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air.
00:27:10.46\00:27:12.53
We'll be healed then, and
that healing will be total
00:27:12.53\00:27:15.70
and forever. So give
us faith in You, Lord,
00:27:15.70\00:27:18.53
even if you don't seem to
do that which we wish, when we
00:27:18.53\00:27:21.97
wish, we trust You to
do that which is right,
00:27:21.97\00:27:25.14
when it is right.
And we will thank You
00:27:25.14\00:27:28.11
and we will praise You. And
we will pray in Jesus' name.
00:27:28.11\00:27:32.98
Amen. DD: Amen.
00:27:33.05\00:27:36.12
¤ [Musical Interlude]  ¤
00:27:36.12\00:27:41.76
¤ [It Is Written Theme] ¤
JB: Thanks for joining us today.
00:27:50.87\00:27:53.30
I'm so glad you were here.
I'm looking forward to seeing
00:27:53.30\00:27:55.30
you again next time.
Until then, remember.
00:27:55.30\00:27:58.54
It is written,
man shall not live
00:27:58.54\00:28:01.11
by bread alone but by every word
00:28:01.11\00:28:03.98
that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:28:03.98\00:28:06.11
¤ [Theme music swells] ¤
00:28:06.11\00:28:09.78