[Theme Music] Mother's Day!
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Happy Mother's Day, moms!
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I could be@@@@@@ but
I've said many times that
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I don't know of any
other influence in this world
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greater than that
of a mother's prayers.
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In 1 Samuel, Hannah
desperately wants to have a
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child.
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When the boy was born she
dedicates him to the service
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of God.
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In 1 Samuel 1:27 we read
some of the most powerful words
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you'll ever read:
For this child I prayed.
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Think about that.
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Every blessing Samuel
experienced in his life could
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be traced back to the
prayers of his faithful mother.
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There are thousands of
books about raising children.
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Some of them are good.
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The best one is the Bible.
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Some of the best advice
you'll find in the Bible is
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found in the example of Hannah.
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For this child I prayed.
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Moms and Dads -
pray for your kids.
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It's the greatest thing
you could ever do for them.
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I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
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Let's today by every Word.
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[It Is Written 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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[Music] Did you know that
right now, today, one out of
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three people say that they're
dealing with EXTREME levels
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of stress?
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One out of three!
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And about HALF of us are
lying awake at night because
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we're having trouble coping
with the very real problems
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of modern life.We're getting
angry, nervous, exhausted,
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and depressed.
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Well the good news is that
there's something very real
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that can do about it.
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You know, when I was a
kid, the futurists made us some
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pretty incredible promises.
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Technology was going to
make life a whole lot easier.
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We'd only be working fifteen
or twenty hours a week, and
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most of our household
chores would disappear because
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robots and other
machines would be doing the work
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for us.
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So here we are, thirty
or forty years later, and
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honestly, I feel cheated.
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The work week isn't
shorter - it's actually longer!
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According to the National
Sleep Foundation, most people
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are working FORTY SIX hours
a week, and more than a third
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of us are doing more
than fifty hours a week.
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While it's nice to have
microwaves and dishwashers,
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the promise of more free
time seems like a cruel joke.
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Families are gulping down
their meals and even eating
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in the car because kids have
way too many extra-curricular
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activities.
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[Okay, come on everybody,
we've got to get to soccer.
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Put your bags in
and your soccer ball.
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I have your food here.
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Sound of motor churning
and vehicle driving off .]They
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promised us virtual offices
- we'd get to work at the beach
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or by the pool.
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But instead of liberating
us, computers and cell phones
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have made slaves of us.
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They're virtual leashes,
and now the office follows us
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everywhere.
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It's not at all
like they promised.
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We kind of thought we'd be
living like the Jetsons, but
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in reality, it looks a
whole lot more like Survivor.
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Some economists have noticed
that we might be the first
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generation in a long
time that stands no chance of
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living better than our parents.
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The price of energy is
shooting up, the cost of
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quality food is rising,
health care premiums are
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going through the roof.
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It takes at least two people,
working hard, to pay down a
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mortgage, even after
the collapse of the market.
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And we have far less time
for basic human activities like
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sitting down for a family
meal or even getting a good
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night's sleep.
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Between 1960 and 1986, the
average American family, if
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you can believe it, had
ten or twelve hours a week to
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spend with their kids, but
not too many people have that
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kind of time anymore.
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Now that we're actually
living in the future, many
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people are finding it
kind of disappointing.
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I could probably live
with the disappointment, except
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for the fact that the world
we've built for ourselves is
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actually
starting to KILL people.
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Some people are
literally dropping dead from
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unreasonable levels of
stress, from a lack of sleep
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or from a lousy diet.
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Our evening meal far
too often gets handed to us
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through a little drive-up
window, complete with fries
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and a soda.
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[music] We're getting
lifestyle diseases at rates
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that were unheard of just a
hundred years ago, and a lot
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of them are
clearly stress-related.
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It's becoming obvious, to
most of us, that something's
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wrong.
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And it's not just the
physical diseases that are
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destroying us.
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Some of us are dying inside.
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We're tired, we're way
too busy, and our family lives
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are crumbling or non-existent.
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Too many people
wonder why they even bother.
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The fun of life is gone.
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Now today I'm going to show
you why people feel that way,
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and I'm going to give some
simple, practical tools that
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you can use - right now - to
take back your life and start
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enjoying it more.
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Modern life has become so
busy - so demanding - that
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some people just assume
that huge loads of stress are
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normal.
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But it's not the
way we're meant to live.
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Take a look around you: a lot
of us are getting moodier and
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less happy.
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We're not enjoying life.
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We sleep less, we play
less, and some of us are even
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developing nagging problems
that are a sign that your
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body is breaking
down under stress.
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It's protesting against
the modern lifestyle: too much
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work, too much anxiety,
too much coffee, and not enough
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sleep.
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But that's NOT the way
life is supposed to be.
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The Psalmist tells us
that we are fearfully and
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wonderfully made,(Ps.
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139:14) Our bodies have
been designed for a far more
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natural rhythm.
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For example, when it
gets dark outside, your pineal
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gland starts producing a
substance called melatonin,
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and that substance actually
lowers your body temperature
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and makes you feel drowsy.
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It's nature's way of
telling you to go to sleep.
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But what do most
of us do at night?
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We turn on all the lights
we sit down in front of a TV
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or a computer monitor and
all that light (especially
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the blue light) actually
slows down the production of
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melatonin and prevents
us from falling asleep.
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So, after living in a
constant state of anxiety and
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high alert all day, we
actually cheat our bodies of
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sleep and keep
ourselves from recovering.
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Now let me ask you a
question: does any of this
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kind of ring a bell for you?
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Can you remember back to
a time when you just enjoyed
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life more?
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A time when you had more
energy - more enthusiasm?
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Well, I've got
some great news for you.
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You can have it back.
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Really, you can.
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In just a moment, I'm
going to show you how to get
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started.
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[Music]
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Time for today' s bible question
and thank you for sending
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your questions in
[Music] It seems like there
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are a lot more natural
disasters going on now then I
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can ever remember in the past.
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Does this mean that
Jesus is about to return?
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Well it certainly may.
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Part of me wants to say
an absolute Yes, all the
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natural disasters do mean
that Jesus is about to come.
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There's a strong case
that could be made for that.
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It seems that could be the case.
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I believe, based on what
the Bible says, that the natural
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disasters we see
do indicate that.
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But we need to
keep something in mind.
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First - let's remember
what Jesus said in the Bible.
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He said that when certain
things start to happen with
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greater frequency and
intensity, we could know that
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His coming was near,
even at the doors, He said.
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And among those signs He
mentioned were wars & rumors
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of wars, famines,
pestilences, and earthquakes
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and so forth.
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So Christians are inclined
to believe, based on what Jesus
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said in Matthew chapter 24,
that these things going on in
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the world - including
natural disasters - indicate a
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nearing of Jesus return.
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But here's what
we have to remember.
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Actually, empirically, we
don't really have 'evidence'
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as such that the disasters
mean Jesus is coming back
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soon.
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Now I know that might
sound odd, but its the truth.
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But when you combine
those signs in the natural world
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with the signs we see in
the economic world, and the
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political world, and the
religious world, this gives
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us more reason to believe
that Jesus' return is near.
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But you know what?
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Whether the things we see
in the world indicate Jesus is
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coming back soon or
not, that's not the point.
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Jesus said in Matthew 24:42,
Watch therefore, for you do
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not know what hour your
Lord is coming. And then He went
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on to say in verse 44,
Therefore be ye also ready:
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for in such an hour as
ye think not, the Son of man
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cometh.In another place
Paul wrote, But of the times
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and seasons, brethren,
ye have no need that I write
00:10:11.30\00:10:14.03
unto you.I think there's a
very strong case for saying
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that the signs we see in
the world indicate Jesus is
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coming back soon.
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I believe that by
faith in the word of God.
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Can I prove that?
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Probably not to the
satisfaction of a skeptic,
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but I believe it.
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However, the key point is
that whenever Jesus is going
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to return, we need to
be ready - to live ready,
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whenever it is going to be.
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And we need to live ready
by living connected to Christ,
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our lives
surrendered to the will of God.
00:10:44.26\00:10:48.66
If you have a Bible question
that you'd like answered,
00:10:48.66\00:10:51.06
please go to our
website - www.ItIsWritten.com.
00:10:51.06\00:10:53.66
Click on the questions tab
and submit your question, and
00:10:53.66\00:10:56.56
in a future program we
might be able to answer your
00:10:56.56\00:11:01.16
question.
00:11:01.16\00:11:02.36
[Music]
00:11:03.20\00:11:05.56
If you're like most human
beings caught up hectic pace
00:11:09.33\00:11:12.80
of the 21st century,
you're probably feeling
00:11:12.80\00:11:16.73
a little run down.
00:11:16.73\00:11:17.96
And yet the drive to produce
- the drive to be busy - to
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be successful, it's
almost irresistible.
00:11:21.30\00:11:25.40
When you read through
the first few chapters of the
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Bible, you'll find
something interesting.
00:11:27.46\00:11:29.93
Listen to this: Genesis
2:15 Then the Lord God took the
00:11:29.93\00:11:36.30
man and put him in the garden
of Eden to tend and keep it.
00:11:36.30\00:11:42.03
You might think that
Adam and Eve spent their time
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lounging by the pool or
playing a round of golf,
00:11:43.96\00:11:46.20
relaxing in the
easy life of Paradise,
00:11:46.20\00:11:49.20
but you'd be wrong.
00:11:49.20\00:11:50.73
In the very beginning, God
designed human beings to be
00:11:50.73\00:11:53.73
productive and busy.
00:11:53.73\00:11:56.03
Our job was to tend
and keep the garden.
00:11:56.03\00:11:59.66
Now, what I find
really interesting about that
00:11:59.66\00:12:03.06
is the way lots of
people still spend their day off
00:12:03.06\00:12:04.30
in the garden, tending
and keeping in the best
00:12:04.30\00:12:07.56
of biblical traditions.
00:12:07.56\00:12:11.23
There's just something about
working outside in the fresh
00:12:11.23\00:12:13.76
air and sunlight - with
your hands in the dirt - that
00:12:13.76\00:12:17.06
makes the troubles of a
stressful week just melt into
00:12:17.06\00:12:19.06
the background.
00:12:19.06\00:12:20.00
I love it.
00:12:20.00\00:12:21.06
And to add to that--I
think, now this might not be
00:12:21.06\00:12:23.56
everybody's cup of tea--if
you get your hands on one of
00:12:23.56\00:12:25.66
them weed whackers or
your hands on a chainsaw.
00:12:25.66\00:12:29.23
Now I know that may not be
tending and keeping, but it's
00:12:29.23\00:12:30.96
tending.
00:12:30.96\00:12:33.46
To me, there's
something just great about that.
00:12:33.46\00:12:36.86
It makes stress melt away
and somehow reconnects a person
00:12:36.86\00:12:40.66
with planet earth and
the things that are really
00:12:40.66\00:12:43.20
important.
00:12:43.20\00:12:44.66
And all that ought to tell
us something: maybe work was
00:12:44.66\00:12:47.46
never meant to be stressful.
00:12:47.46\00:12:49.90
Maybe we're just doing it wrong.
00:12:49.90\00:12:52.16
And maybe - if we pay
attention to the details of
00:12:52.16\00:12:54.96
this ancient biblical story
- maybe we could find some way
00:12:54.96\00:12:58.23
back to the joy of living -
the quality of life that God
00:12:58.23\00:13:02.23
originally intended.
00:13:02.23\00:13:04.53
Now, I know what
someone is thinking.
00:13:04.53\00:13:07.03
John, you've got to be kidding.
00:13:07.03\00:13:09.03
In this day and age, you
want me to read the book of
00:13:09.03\00:13:10.96
Genesis to find answers
for modern problems?I know: to
00:13:10.96\00:13:13.66
a lot of people, the Bible
seems like it's kind of out
00:13:13.66\00:13:16.06
of date and
sort of out of touch.
00:13:16.06\00:13:18.23
But what if I told you that
right now, millions of people
00:13:18.23\00:13:21.13
who are taking this book
quite seriously, are not only
00:13:21.13\00:13:25.66
living better lives, they
are also living longer ones!
00:13:25.66\00:13:28.40
It's true!
00:13:28.40\00:13:29.50
In fact, back in November
of 2005, National Geographic
00:13:29.50\00:13:33.03
featured three groups of
people who outlive everybody
00:13:33.03\00:13:36.46
else by a considerable
distance, and one of those
00:13:36.46\00:13:39.86
groups has built their
success by simply following
00:13:39.86\00:13:42.56
the advice given in the Bible.
00:13:42.56\00:13:45.03
And what have they discovered?
00:13:45.03\00:13:46.83
Let me point out some really
interesting things found in
00:13:46.83\00:13:49.03
the story of creation
that will get you started on a
00:13:49.03\00:13:53.13
better life.
00:13:53.13\00:13:53.73
First of all, take a look at
what was on the menu for Adam
00:13:53.73\00:13:56.73
and Eve: Genesis 1:29 And
God said, See, I have given you
00:13:56.73\00:14:04.76
every herb that yields
seed which is on the face of all
00:14:04.76\00:14:07.40
the earth, and every tree
whose fruit yields seed; to
00:14:07.40\00:14:11.66
you it shall be for food.
00:14:11.66\00:14:15.30
According to the Bible,
the original diet was a whole
00:14:15.30\00:14:18.30
food diet.
00:14:18.30\00:14:19.56
It wasn't loaded with
preservatives or pre-cooked
00:14:19.56\00:14:22.20
and sold in the freezer
section of the grocery store.
00:14:22.20\00:14:26.40
Now here's something really
interesting: grab your laptop
00:14:26.40\00:14:29.13
or your iPad, and then
Google the words healthy diet,
00:14:29.13\00:14:32.80
and see what you get.
00:14:32.80\00:14:34.20
Even better, do an
image search on Google -
00:14:34.20\00:14:36.80
use the words healthy diet
00:14:36.80\00:14:39.20
and see what comes up.
00:14:39.20\00:14:41.16
It's really pretty amazing,
the pictures look a lot like
00:14:41.16\00:14:44.06
the description we just
read from the Book of Genesis.
00:14:44.06\00:14:47.66
But unfortunately, it doesn't
look like the food found in
00:14:47.66\00:14:50.80
most Western refrigerators.
00:14:50.80\00:14:52.60
Health experts are
starting to catch on that
00:14:52.60\00:14:55.30
the over-processed, over-refined
foods we've been eating
00:14:55.30\00:14:58.20
aren't very good for us.
00:14:58.20\00:15:01.36
One of the key reasons we're
not feeling good like we used
00:15:01.36\00:15:04.63
to is because we're not
eating like we used to and
00:15:04.63\00:15:07.46
like we were designed to eat.
00:15:07.46\00:15:09.26
If we could raise a
historical figure from
00:15:09.26\00:15:11.46
the dead and bring him into
a modern kitchen - let's say
00:15:11.46\00:15:13.70
Abraham Lincoln -
I'm guessing he wouldn't
00:15:13.70\00:15:16.20
recognize half the stuff
we put in our mouths, because
00:15:16.20\00:15:19.33
back in his day, those
foods simply didn't exist.
00:15:19.33\00:15:22.96
And really, you wouldn't have
to go back as far as Abraham
00:15:22.96\00:15:25.26
Lincoln, because I'm guessing
my own grandmother wouldn't
00:15:25.26\00:15:28.73
be able to name half the
stuff we eat down here in the
00:15:28.73\00:15:30.53
21st century.
00:15:30.53\00:15:32.36
I heard someone say the
other day that we are living
00:15:32.36\00:15:36.36
in a world today where lemonade
is made from artificial flavors
00:15:36.36\00:15:40.36
and furniture polish is
made from real lemons.And you've
00:15:40.36\00:15:43.60
got to wonder: when you
hear about an obesity epidemic -
00:15:43.60\00:15:46.36
and rampant cancer - and
heart disease - and rising
00:15:46.36\00:15:49.13
numbers of people afflicted
with Type II diabetes -
00:15:49.13\00:15:51.46
you've got to wonder if the
way we're eating doesn't have
00:15:51.46\00:15:54.33
something to do with it.
00:15:54.33\00:15:56.63
According to some sources,
processed food now makes up
00:15:56.63\00:16:00.93
an amazing 90
percent of our diet.
00:16:00.93\00:16:04.53
And as people get sicker,
health experts are getting
00:16:04.53\00:16:07.30
more and more concerned.
00:16:07.30\00:16:08.73
They're warning us
to eat more REAL food.
00:16:08.73\00:16:11.73
They're telling us to
fill our plate with fruits,
00:16:11.73\00:16:14.20
and nuts, and
grains, and vegetables.
00:16:14.20\00:16:17.03
And that's pretty remarkable,
because that was the original
00:16:17.03\00:16:20.76
diet in the Garden of Eden.
00:16:20.76\00:16:22.06
Now take a look at
something else: Genesis 2:18
00:16:22.06\00:16:29.66
And the Lord God said, It
is not good that man should
00:16:29.66\00:16:34.76
be alone; I will make
him a helper comparable
00:16:34.76\00:16:37.63
to him.
00:16:37.63\00:16:39.96
I want you to notice
that human beings were made
00:16:39.96\00:16:41.73
for companionship.
00:16:41.73\00:16:44.80
The Bible says, it's
not good for us to be alone.
00:16:44.80\00:16:47.96
And yet the modern working
world has made most of us
00:16:47.96\00:16:49.86
functional hermits.
00:16:49.86\00:16:52.73
By the time we're done
with an exhausting day cruising
00:16:52.73\00:16:55.06
by on not enough sleep
and living in a cubicle under
00:16:55.06\00:16:57.90
artificial light and then
fighting traffic all the way
00:16:57.90\00:17:00.93
home and then eating yet
another meal out of a box
00:17:00.93\00:17:04.60
by the time we're done,
we're too tired to spend any
00:17:04.60\00:17:07.20
quality time with
friends or family.
00:17:07.20\00:17:09.70
And even if we had a
little energy left, our friends
00:17:09.70\00:17:13.60
and family aren't
readily available, because
00:17:13.60\00:17:15.20
they also are way too busy.
00:17:15.20\00:17:17.13
[Music] -- Yay!
00:17:18.93\00:17:24.20
Hey dad.
00:17:24.20\00:17:32.46
Hey dad, can you shoot hoops?
00:17:32.46\00:17:35.33
Father- You know
buddy, it's been a long day.
00:17:35.33\00:17:37.63
I'm really, really tired
and it's been a very hard
00:17:37.63\00:17:39.80
and long day.
00:17:39.80\00:17:41.10
So can we do
that at another time?
00:17:41.10\00:17:42.90
Child-Okay.
00:17:42.90\00:17:45.03
Father - Hang on
one second, hang on.
00:17:45.03\00:17:46.40
I've got to take this call.
00:17:46.40\00:17:49.30
Just hang on.
00:17:49.30\00:17:50.80
Hello.
00:17:50.80\00:17:53.63
Yes.
00:17:53.63\00:17:54.06
No, the reports
were submitted on time.
00:17:54.06\00:17:56.30
Yes they were.
00:17:56.30\00:17:57.66
No, we did submit that.
00:17:57.66\00:17:59.70
Before I left the office.
00:17:59.70\00:18:01.03
Yes.
00:18:01.03\00:18:03.40
Yes they were.
00:18:03.40\00:18:04.63
They were accurate.
00:18:04.63\00:18:05.50
They were submitted.
00:18:05.50\00:18:07.96
Let me go check email right
now and I'll get back to you.
00:18:07.96\00:18:11.16
I'll call you back.
00:18:11.16\00:18:12.30
Right.
00:18:12.30\00:18:14.36
Good-bye.
00:18:14.36\00:18:15.33
[Sad Music] You
know, there might be
00:18:15.33\00:18:17.73
7 billion people living
on this planet, but some
00:18:17.73\00:18:20.33
of those are the
loneliest people in the history
00:18:20.33\00:18:23.30
of humanity.
00:18:23.30\00:18:25.16
The center of our
human activity used to be the
00:18:25.16\00:18:28.23
family, but in recent decades
that's all started to change.
00:18:28.23\00:18:32.23
I read the other day that
back in the 1950s, only one
00:18:32.23\00:18:35.40
out of ten households had
just one person living in it,
00:18:35.40\00:18:39.73
and most of those
single people were widows.
00:18:39.73\00:18:43.03
But now, with all the changes
we've seen, it's more like
00:18:43.03\00:18:45.76
one in three households
are single people living alone.
00:18:45.76\00:18:48.30
Of course, there's nothing
necessarily wrong with living
00:18:48.30\00:18:50.96
alone; some
people like it that way.
00:18:50.96\00:18:53.93
But it does point out
a trend: we appear to be
00:18:53.93\00:18:56.76
getting more isolated.
00:18:56.76\00:18:57.96
We don't enjoy the
same number of meaningful
00:18:57.96\00:19:00.13
relationships we used to.
00:19:00.13\00:19:02.23
There are more of us crowded
into every square mile than
00:19:02.23\00:19:05.13
at any other time in history,
but we don't actually seem to
00:19:05.13\00:19:08.20
KNOW each other.
00:19:08.20\00:19:09.63
Our friendships are carried
out in Facebook and Farmville.
00:19:09.63\00:19:13.33
We run home to watch Friends
on TV instead of going out
00:19:13.33\00:19:15.73
and getting some real ones.
00:19:15.73\00:19:16.70
And it's kind of ironic,
that as we get more connected on
00:19:16.70\00:19:21.90
the internet, we seem to
get more disconnected from real,
00:19:21.90\00:19:25.53
live people.
00:19:25.53\00:19:27.70
All that loneliness is
starting to take a toll.
00:19:27.70\00:19:30.36
Think back to a time when
you used to actually hang out
00:19:30.36\00:19:32.46
with your friends, and think
about how energized you felt
00:19:32.46\00:19:35.73
when you all got together.
00:19:35.73\00:19:37.53
And then compare that feeling
to the way you feel right
00:19:37.53\00:19:40.40
now: busy, tired, and spent.
00:19:40.40\00:19:41.60
Ask yourself if the Bible
wasn't right: it isn't good
00:19:41.60\00:19:44.90
for people to be alone.
00:19:44.90\00:19:46.90
Part of taking back our lives
is making PEOPLE a priority,
00:19:46.90\00:19:51.80
refusing to allow
technological progress to rob
00:19:51.80\00:19:55.53
us of meaningful relationships.
00:19:55.53\00:19:59.93
At the end of your life,
you're not going to be glad
00:19:59.93\00:20:02.03
you spent more time working
or surfing the web what's
00:20:02.03\00:20:04.80
going to make a real
difference is the people in
00:20:04.80\00:20:09.80
whom you invested your time.
00:20:09.80\00:20:10.66
In just a moment, I'm going
to show you one more critical
00:20:10.66\00:20:14.20
key to getting
back your balance.
00:20:14.20\00:20:17.40
Don't go channel surfing,
because I'll be right back.
00:20:17.40\00:20:19.43
It Is Written is dedicated
to sharing the gospel around
00:20:20.73\00:20:23.06
the world.
00:20:23.06\00:20:24.30
Our dream is to
impact the world for God.
00:20:24.30\00:20:27.33
Our television program is
only one aspect of how we try
00:20:27.33\00:20:29.40
to accomplish that.
00:20:29.40\00:20:31.00
To discover more about It Is
Written, I invite you to visit
00:20:31.00\00:20:33.40
our website, itiswritten.com
and browse the dozens of pages
00:20:33.40\00:20:38.16
that describe what
we do and how we do it.
00:20:38.16\00:20:40.66
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:20:40.66\00:20:42.50
Visit our website
itiswritten.com today.
00:20:42.50\00:20:46.30
Planning for your financial
future is a vital aspect of
00:20:49.50\00:20:51.10
Christian Stewardship.
00:20:51.10\00:20:52.86
For this reason, It Is
Written is pleased to offer
00:20:52.86\00:20:54.86
free planned giving
and estate services.
00:20:54.86\00:20:58.20
For information on how
we can help you, please call
00:20:58.20\00:21:00.46
1.800.992.2219.
00:21:00.46\00:21:04.36
To receive additional
material on the advantages of
00:21:04.36\00:21:07.13
life-income plans such as
a Charitable Gift Annuity,
00:21:07.13\00:21:10.36
which can provide you with
tax benefits and income for
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life, Call today or
visit our special website:
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www.hislegacy.com.
00:21:16.53\00:21:20.33
You could also write to It
Is Written, Planned Giving and
00:21:20.33\00:21:24.80
Trust Services, Box O,
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00:21:24.80\00:21:27.13
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00:21:27.13\00:21:29.20
Our toll-free number again
is 1-800-992-2219 and our web
00:21:29.20\00:21:35.60
address: www.hislegacy.com
00:21:35.60\00:21:40.46
Today we're talking about
the way that modern life has
00:21:43.00\00:21:45.36
taken its toll on
millions of people.
00:21:45.36\00:21:47.13
We're working longer these
days and enjoying life less
00:21:47.13\00:21:50.13
than ever before - and in
the book of Genesis, we've
00:21:50.13\00:21:54.13
discovered a number of
important keys that will help
00:21:54.13\00:21:56.43
you take back your
life and find some balance.
00:21:56.43\00:21:59.06
Here is another good key.
00:21:59.06\00:22:00.30
Take a look at this
often overlooked passage from
00:22:00.30\00:22:01.60
Genesis chapter two.
00:22:01.60\00:22:02.20
The Bible says, Genesis 2:3
Then God blessed the seventh
00:22:02.20\00:22:07.66
day and sanctified it,
because in it He rested from
00:22:07.66\00:22:11.46
all His work which
God had created and made.
00:22:11.46\00:22:15.03
It's remarkable: after
creating the heavens and the
00:22:15.03\00:22:17.36
earth, the Bible says
that God STOPPED and took a day
00:22:17.36\00:22:20.56
off!
00:22:20.56\00:22:21.76
Now, we know that
God doesn't get tired.
00:22:21.76\00:22:23.96
So why did He do that?
00:22:23.96\00:22:25.56
Why did He take a day off?
00:22:25.56\00:22:28.33
Well, maybe He was
trying to teach US something.
00:22:28.33\00:22:32.36
Maybe, as the manufacturer,
He knew what the human body
00:22:32.36\00:22:34.56
needed.
00:22:34.56\00:22:36.16
Maybe He didn't design
the human body to slave away
00:22:36.16\00:22:38.06
seven days a week, to the
point of absolute exhaustion.
00:22:38.06\00:22:41.86
And maybe there's a rhythm
to life we've forgotten about.
00:22:41.86\00:22:45.33
The Bible says that on the
seventh day God rested from
00:22:45.33\00:22:48.46
all His work and you've
got to think that if God can
00:22:48.46\00:22:51.96
afford to take a day of rest,
then maybe we can afford to
00:22:51.96\00:22:53.93
do it, too.
00:22:53.93\00:22:55.46
In fact, God not only
recommends a day of rest; He
00:22:55.46\00:22:58.83
asks us to take a day of rest.
00:22:58.83\00:23:01.43
You'll find it right
in the heart of the Ten
00:23:01.43\00:23:03.76
Commandments.
00:23:03.76\00:23:04.63
Exodus 20:8, the Bible says,
Remember the Sabbath day, to
00:23:04.63\00:23:09.93
keep it holy.
00:23:09.93\00:23:11.00
Six days you shall labor
and do all your work, but the
00:23:11.00\00:23:15.43
seventh day is the
Sabbath of the Lord your God.
00:23:15.43\00:23:18.03
In it you shall do no work.
00:23:18.03\00:23:21.30
(Exodus 20:8-10) Take a
look at the human race the way
00:23:21.30\00:23:24.23
it is right now and you
start to get the sense that
00:23:24.23\00:23:26.60
God knew what He
was talking about.
00:23:26.60\00:23:28.53
This isn't just about
rules and regulations.
00:23:28.53\00:23:30.33
Peoples' jaws are clenched;
their shoulders are stooped
00:23:30.33\00:23:33.60
and rounded, and
their muscles are tight.
00:23:33.60\00:23:36.33
Tempers are shorter, getting
shorter by the day, blood
00:23:36.33\00:23:39.63
pressure is rising,
rising by the moment.
00:23:39.63\00:23:42.56
So, maybe that sacred time
in the fourth commandment is
00:23:42.56\00:23:45.50
worth a second look.
00:23:45.50\00:23:47.30
Maybe God was doing us a favor.
00:23:47.30\00:23:49.86
Think about it: What would
happen if we actually started
00:23:49.86\00:23:53.33
to live the way God designed us?
00:23:53.33\00:23:57.03
What if life was full
of satisfying work, and
00:23:57.03\00:24:00.10
meaningful relationships?
00:24:00.10\00:24:01.90
What if we had some
space to breathe - some time to
00:24:01.90\00:24:04.26
actually live?
00:24:04.26\00:24:06.56
[Music] - Father: Hey buddy,
00:24:07.03\00:24:08.40
want to play some ball?
00:24:08.40\00:24:09.13
Son: - Really?
00:24:09.13\00:24:09.93
Father Yeah, yeah.
00:24:09.93\00:24:10.46
Come on.
00:24:10.46\00:24:11.53
Let's go. Come on.
00:24:11.53\00:24:12.76
[Music]
00:24:12.76\00:24:15.33
What if we had a
whole day - every week -
00:24:16.63\00:24:19.10
for people, and for God?
00:24:19.10\00:24:21.70
What if, instead of the
artificial rhythms set by
00:24:21.70\00:24:24.36
alarm clocks and digital
planners, we started to live
00:24:24.36\00:24:27.60
by the rhythms
designed for us by God?
00:24:27.60\00:24:31.03
Ask yourself how much
you're getting out of life.
00:24:31.03\00:24:35.00
And I think you'll agree
that you were born for something
00:24:35.00\00:24:37.33
more.
00:24:37.33\00:24:38.26
The way we're living today
just isn't working for many
00:24:38.26\00:24:40.50
of us, but there is a better
way to live, and it's well
00:24:40.50\00:24:44.40
within your reach.
00:24:44.40\00:24:46.16
It's the plan developed by God
in the beginning and I invite
00:24:46.16\00:24:49.66
you today to consider
reaching back and adopting
00:24:49.66\00:24:52.46
the original lifestyle
designed by the Creator.
00:24:52.46\00:24:56.80
Why don't we pray that
you and me both will find the
00:24:56.80\00:24:59.60
balance, the harmony
and the peace of mind God
00:24:59.60\00:25:04.26
meant for us to have.
00:25:04.26\00:25:05.70
Let's pray together right now.
00:25:05.70\00:25:07.60
Father in heaven, there
is no doubt we are living in
00:25:07.60\00:25:10.33
a stress-filled world
and so many of us right now
00:25:10.33\00:25:14.23
are stressed to the max.
00:25:14.23\00:25:16.93
And that wasn't your plan.
00:25:16.93\00:25:19.03
I pray that you will help
us to reconnect, to live that
00:25:19.03\00:25:22.33
healthy, restful lifestyle
with you at the very center.
00:25:22.33\00:25:26.66
Show us, Lord, the way to
optimum health and optimum
00:25:26.66\00:25:30.06
life.
00:25:30.06\00:25:32.56
And thank you that we
were made for the purpose of
00:25:32.56\00:25:36.30
enjoying life in this world,
for being blessed and being
00:25:36.30\00:25:39.43
a blessing to others.
00:25:39.43\00:25:40.53
And then, enjoying
life in the world to come,
00:25:40.53\00:25:42.93
where there will
be no stress at all.
00:25:42.93\00:25:45.93
Let that day come soon, I pray.
00:25:45.93\00:25:49.50
May we live
today in your presence,
00:25:49.50\00:25:52.20
your way, by your grace.
00:25:52.20\00:25:53.40
In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
00:25:53.40\00:25:56.00
[Music]
00:25:56.56\00:26:00.30
If you've ever questioned
whether relentless activity
00:26:23.03\00:26:26.00
is really necessary or
if something is broken in
00:26:26.00\00:26:28.23
the way we spend our
time, discover some answers
00:26:28.23\00:26:32.00
in a free book
called A Monument in Time.
00:26:32.00\00:26:35.06
This book will help you
realize that if we stopped
00:26:35.06\00:26:37.30
our endless cycle of
activity for even a few moments,
00:26:37.30\00:26:41.70
we would
discover something amazing
00:26:41.70\00:26:44.70
the presence of God.
00:26:44.70\00:26:45.60
A monument in time describes
how you can achieve a more
00:26:45.60\00:26:48.50
rewarding life by
following a specific plan
00:26:48.50\00:26:53.10
God has designed for you.
00:26:53.10\00:26:54.73
Right now, this
practical book is available free
00:26:54.73\00:26:56.96
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00:27:44.06\00:27:45.43
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And until then, remember
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00:27:47.56\00:27:51.40
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[Music]
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