[hopeful anthem]
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JB: Thanks for joining me
today. This is It Is Written,
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and I'm John Bradshaw. I
don't think it would take
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a lot for me to convince you
that stress is a major problem
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in the world today.
Most people are dealing
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with more stress than
they would like to deal with,
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and many people are
unaware just how much stress
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is pressing down on
their lives. So many people
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at breaking point; so
many people just not sure
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how to deal with
stress. Well, today you're going
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to find out from a biblical
perspective how you can deal
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with stress. We're going to talk
about what it is and a divine
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prescription for turning
things around and dealing with
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the stress in your
life. Now, I am just so glad
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to be able to
welcome a special guest.
00:02:32.45\00:02:34.58
Dr. David DeRose is
not only a specialist
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in internal medicine but
also in preventive medicine.
00:02:37.59\00:02:41.42
He comes to us from
Compass Health Consulting
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in Northern California.
Dr. DeRose, thanks for
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joining me
today. DD: It's exciting
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to be with you, John. JB:
I'm excited, because we're
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talking about something that,
well, I know it affects me.
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And I don't mean to
say I'm super stressed out;
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but who isn't?
There's a lot of stress today.
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DD: I mean,
you're exactly right.
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All of us are
affected by stress.
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And if you look at the
leading causes of death,
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the leading causes of
morbidity or suffering,
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stress is on the list of just
about all of those conditions.
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JB: What's stress?
DD: We tend to think,
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when we're
speaking in lay circles,
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that stress is just
anything that's painful,
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anything that's difficult.
But when we speak about it
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medically we differentiate
between what we call stressors
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and the stress
response. So a stressor, John,
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is anything that comes at
you mentally, emotionally,
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physically. If they turn down
the temperature in a building,
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you can be stressed
physically from the cold air.
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JB: Amen. DD: So
stress comes at us
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in all these
dimensions of our personhood.
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Stress response is how we
respond to those stressors.
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There's a great story
in the Gospel of Mark,
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chapter 4, where
Jesus is on a boat
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crossing the Sea of Galilee.
The disciples, some of them--
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men who spent
their lives on that sea--
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are fearing for their
lives. The stressor is a storm;
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the stress response from
those disciples: Lord, save us!
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We're going to perish!
JB: Except that there was
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somebody on the boat who
appeared as though He wasn't
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very stressed at all. His stress
response to those very same
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stressors was really different.
The disciples were fearing for
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their lives; Jesus
was--what? Sleeping?
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DD: I love the Gospel of Mark,
because when we're speaking
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about stress it definitely
impacts on relationships.
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Mark to me is a
very relational Gospel.
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You look at the
Gospel writer, John Mark.
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And John Mark was this guy
who was one of the superstars,
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if you will, in
the Early Church.
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He was out there
on the front lines.
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He was out there on that
first missionary journey with
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Paul and Barnabas.
But you know the story.
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He bailed on
them. JB: Yeah. Yeah,
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he caused real
stress. He caused a rift,
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didn't he? That's his--
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DD: --That's exactly
right. So, Paul and Barnabas
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no longer ministered together
after that first journey,
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and I can imagine John
Mark walking into the church
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after that. Can you
imagine the synagogue,
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if you will. JB: It's you!
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You messed it up.
We had these two great
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missionaries out there.
They've split because of you!
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Can you imagine
what John Mark carried?
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DD: But when you
read the end of the story,
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Jesus kept appealing--
the Holy Spirit kept working
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in John Mark's life.
He later was called the
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"very son of Peter." Peter uses
that language for him, and Paul
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even found him
useful in his ministry,
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in his later
days. So it's a story
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about someone who
was touched by a Jesus,
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by a Holy Spirit
that keeps wooing us,
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keeps working on us.
And it just encourage me
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that no matter
what's happened in the past,
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there's a bright future through
Christ and His plans for us.
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JB: Right. So it
isn't that really we need
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to be trying to
get rid of all stress.
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That's not even
realistic, is it?
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DD: In fact, let's use a
different term for stressors.
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Call it "challenge." JB:
Okay. DD: We all know it.
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Some of us, we thrive on a
certain amount of challenge;
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others, that amount
of challenge is too much.
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What is too much for one person
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is optimal for another.
And we've known this for years.
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So, if we start using the
word "challenge" for stressors.
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A little bit of cold? I
like it, when I'm going out to
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exercise in the morning.
If it's nice and comfortable,
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nice and warm, I'm
not as motivated to get
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as good a workout, if you will.
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JB: So, there's got to
be an element here of people
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figuring out
what's right for them.
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DD: That's right.
JB: And that's okay?
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It's okay if
someone's stress, or challenge,
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threshold is a little lower,
and someone else's stress,
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or challenge
threshold, is a little higher.
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That's okay? DD:
It's perfectly okay,
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but that's one of the
challenges we have in community.
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That's why we have--
I'll tell you about my uncle.
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My uncle owned a restaurant.
His strategy for dealing
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with the stress of temperature
was to unhook the thermostat
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from the system, and
then everyone could change
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the dial just a little
bit, and they felt like
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they were helping
themselves. 'Cause we all do
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best at a little bit different
physical stressor level,
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emotional stressor level.
Same with mental stressors.
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JB: Yeah. How
can we help a person
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understand where they are
in their challenge threshold?
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Because there are some people
who just figure that they're
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weak. Or someone who thinks that
that person there is a basket
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case and just can't take much.
It's okay then, is it, to be in
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a different place? DD: It is.
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But let me turn to a very
familiar verse in the Gospel of
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Mark. In chapter 1 of Mark
we get a glimpse into Jesus'
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devotional life. In
Mark 1, verse 35, it says,
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"Now in the
morning, having risen"--
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speaking of Jesus-- "a
long while before daylight,
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he went out and
departed to a solitary place,
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and there he prayed."
John, the reason that verse
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is so powerful to me:
we look at Jesus in that
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boat, sleeping.
Jesus was focused on His
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relationship with His Father.
And if we have that connection,
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if we have that
divine connection,
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our level-- our ability to
handle stressors-- changes.
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We're not just on our own;
it's not just what I can handle,
00:08:01.61\00:08:04.41
but it's what God is calling
me to handle that I can handle,
00:08:04.41\00:08:09.28
through His power.
JB: God is the one who can
00:08:09.28\00:08:11.39
provide strength
in every situation.
00:08:11.39\00:08:13.19
Even Jesus felt
that that was the way
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to approach life. He
didn't go a day without
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being connected to His Father.
And that's how He was able to
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sleep in the
storm, is that right?
00:08:23.57\00:08:25.30
DD: That's key. Jesus was
on a mission. In fact, some
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people have gone so far to
say it wasn't just Jesus' daily
00:08:28.77\00:08:33.04
devotional life that played into
this, but Jesus knew where He
00:08:33.04\00:08:36.14
was in the prophetic timeline.
In fact, in the very Gospel of
00:08:36.14\00:08:39.58
Mark Jesus refers
to the book of Daniel.
00:08:39.58\00:08:42.48
JB: Yes, He does.
Right after He was baptized,
00:08:42.48\00:08:44.19
Jesus says, "The
time is fulfilled."
00:08:44.19\00:08:48.49
Oh, we've got to talk
about that. All right. Okay, now
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repeat that statement you made.
Something that helped Jesus was
00:08:51.29\00:08:54.76
understanding where He
was in the prophetic timeline.
00:08:54.76\00:08:57.27
DD: That's right. And
it's interesting, too.
00:08:57.27\00:08:59.07
We're speaking about
the book of Daniel. One of
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Jesus' favorite ways to refer
to Himself was the Son of Man.
00:09:01.34\00:09:04.94
And, this brings us back to the
imagery of the book of Daniel
00:09:04.94\00:09:07.24
where the Son of Man
is coming to the Father.
00:09:07.24\00:09:09.74
JB: Okay, powerful
stuff. Let's pick it up
00:09:09.74\00:09:11.81
in just a moment.
Stress, what it is,
00:09:11.81\00:09:13.85
what you can do about it,
and how Jesus demonstrates--
00:09:13.85\00:09:16.85
how Jesus modeled--
how stress is best handled.
00:09:16.85\00:09:20.62
I'll be back
with Dr. David DeRose
00:09:20.62\00:09:22.49
in just a moment.
00:09:22.49\00:09:24.09
[gentle harp music]
00:09:24.69\00:09:28.90
JB: The Bible is known
for its power to transform
00:09:31.23\00:09:33.87
lives spiritually,
but does it offer insight
00:09:33.87\00:09:37.11
for physical
transformation as well?
00:09:37.11\00:09:40.61
Dr. David DeRose, a
board-certified specialist
00:09:40.61\00:09:43.45
in both internal medicine
and preventive medicine,
00:09:43.45\00:09:46.51
thinks it does. He
shares his perspectives in
00:09:46.51\00:09:49.28
an eight-part series called
"Healing Insights from the
00:09:49.28\00:09:52.39
Gospel of Mark." And
now, as a special offer from
00:09:52.39\00:09:55.79
It Is Written, part one of
that series is available to you
00:09:55.79\00:09:58.99
at no cost. All
you need to do is call
00:09:58.99\00:10:02.13
(800) 253-3000 and ask
for the free DVD called
00:10:02.13\00:10:07.30
"Healing Insights
form the Gospel of Mark."
00:10:07.30\00:10:10.71
If the line is
busy, please do try again.
00:10:10.71\00:10:13.38
You can write to It Is Written,
P. O. Box 6, Chattanooga,
00:10:13.38\00:10:17.55
Tennessee, 37401, and
we'll mail a free copy to
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your address in North America.
Again, our toll-free number is
00:10:21.25\00:10:25.42
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00:10:25.42\00:10:34.76
JB: Thanks for joining me
today. This is It Is Written.
00:10:36.73\00:10:38.70
I'm John
Bradshaw. Joining us both is
00:10:38.70\00:10:41.14
Dr. David DeRose, a
physician who specializes
00:10:41.14\00:10:44.37
in internal medicine
and preventive medicine.
00:10:44.37\00:10:47.08
He comes to us from
Compass Health Consultants
00:10:47.08\00:10:49.48
in Northern
California. Dr. DeRose,
00:10:49.48\00:10:52.28
as we talk about
stress, let me ask you this.
00:10:52.28\00:10:54.18
Before we go
and talk about Jesus
00:10:54.18\00:10:56.79
and the prophetic
timeline, how many people--well,
00:10:56.79\00:11:01.92
how many of your patients--
are dealing with significant
00:11:01.92\00:11:04.46
amounts of stress?
DD: Well, I'm sure if you
00:11:04.46\00:11:07.60
interviewed them coming
into my office, most of them
00:11:07.60\00:11:09.90
would say they are.
And for this very reason,
00:11:09.90\00:11:12.70
I don't measure their
blood pressure when they first
00:11:12.70\00:11:14.64
walk into my office.
I wait till we've talked
00:11:14.64\00:11:17.34
and interacted a while,
and then check their pressure.
00:11:17.34\00:11:20.31
JB: Okay, now,
you mentioned before.
00:11:20.31\00:11:21.84
We were talking about Jesus,
in a very stressful situation.
00:11:21.84\00:11:26.11
There's a storm on a
lake. The hardened fisherman,
00:11:26.11\00:11:29.62
who've lived on that
lake, they're freaking out.
00:11:29.62\00:11:32.62
They're worried about--
they think they're going to die.
00:11:32.62\00:11:35.26
Jesus is sleeping.
And He's sleeping because
00:11:35.26\00:11:39.06
He has trust in
His heavenly Father.
00:11:39.06\00:11:41.60
You mentioned a moment
ago that something else that
00:11:41.60\00:11:44.10
alleviated Jesus' stress
level was that He understood
00:11:44.10\00:11:46.77
where He was in
the prophetic timeline.
00:11:46.77\00:11:49.77
Explain that.
DD: As you mentioned,
00:11:49.77\00:11:51.57
multiple times Jesus spoke
about His time having come,
00:11:51.57\00:11:55.28
or my time is not
yet here. JB: Yes.
00:11:55.28\00:11:57.75
DD: Jesus had
this sense of timing,
00:11:57.75\00:11:59.95
and the book of Daniel--
that was apparently pivotal
00:11:59.95\00:12:03.08
in Jesus'
understanding His own ministry--
00:12:03.08\00:12:05.75
speaks about some very
definite timelines as far as
00:12:05.75\00:12:09.52
when Jesus' ministry would
begin and when it would end.
00:12:09.52\00:12:13.56
JB: Okay. Let's walk through
those timelines, a little bit.
00:12:13.56\00:12:16.46
Name one. Help me understand.
00:12:16.46\00:12:17.97
DD: Okay. So, Jesus'
very baptism is prophesied,
00:12:17.97\00:12:21.17
the timing, in
the book of Daniel.
00:12:21.17\00:12:24.47
In Daniel chapter 9 it
speaks about the Messiah,
00:12:24.47\00:12:27.24
the Prince. Jesus was
anointed--which was something
00:12:27.24\00:12:31.38
that was done in biblical
times for priests and kings--
00:12:31.38\00:12:35.15
this anointing occurred
at the time of His baptism.
00:12:35.15\00:12:38.35
If you actually study the
prophecy of Daniel, chapter 9,
00:12:38.35\00:12:40.92
you would find that
Jesus' ministry would stretch
00:12:40.92\00:12:43.99
3 1/2 years.
Half a week. And so,
00:12:43.99\00:12:47.30
early in Jesus' ministry,
as He is crossing the lake--
00:12:47.30\00:12:50.40
mindful of that
prophetic timeline.
00:12:50.40\00:12:53.10
I can't tell you, John,
what was in Jesus' mind,
00:12:53.10\00:12:56.57
but the evidence suggests
that He was aware that His time
00:12:56.57\00:13:00.91
to die had not yet come.
To me, what's interesting
00:13:00.91\00:13:03.78
on the subject of stress is
beginning in about chapter 8 of
00:13:03.78\00:13:06.98
the Gospel of Mark, Jesus starts
preparing His disciples for
00:13:06.98\00:13:13.36
that very event.
JB: And they don't,
00:13:13.36\00:13:15.36
they don't get it.
DD: No, they don't get it.
00:13:15.36\00:13:16.66
They don't get it.
But He repeatedly does it.
00:13:16.66\00:13:18.73
He repeatedly speaks to
them. What we know today,
00:13:18.73\00:13:21.56
just like we speak about
vaccinations or inoculations--
00:13:21.56\00:13:24.93
and, that's a big controversy
in medical circles today--
00:13:24.93\00:13:27.70
but Jesus, the evidence suggests
00:13:27.70\00:13:30.37
was inoculating His
disciples in the area of stress.
00:13:30.37\00:13:33.94
We actually speak about it
in medical circles. We call it
00:13:33.94\00:13:36.21
"stress inoculation."
It's preparing people
00:13:36.21\00:13:39.15
for what's going to come
so they can better handle it.
00:13:39.15\00:13:42.92
JB: How can people
better handle stress?
00:13:42.92\00:13:47.72
That's a vast question, I
mean a very broad question,
00:13:47.72\00:13:51.19
because there's the
stress that comes from finance.
00:13:51.19\00:13:54.96
And there are ways that
people can inoculate themselves
00:13:54.96\00:13:57.77
against financial stress.
Stressors. There's the stress
00:13:57.77\00:14:01.34
that comes from
illness, and my expectation is
00:14:01.34\00:14:05.24
that if you're not dealing
with medical stress well,
00:14:05.24\00:14:09.94
you're just going to exacerbate
a difficult medical situation.
00:14:09.94\00:14:13.05
Is that fair to say that?
DD: No, it's definitely fair.
00:14:13.05\00:14:15.52
JB: Okay. So, the question
I'm asking is very, very broad.
00:14:15.52\00:14:17.82
And maybe you can pick
some one area and say here's,
00:14:17.82\00:14:20.36
in practical terms, how a
person can help themselves
00:14:20.36\00:14:24.93
when stress comes.
DD: Let's look at another
00:14:24.93\00:14:27.50
surprising text in
the Gospel of Mark.
00:14:27.50\00:14:29.46
And the reason I'm
so interested in this,
00:14:29.46\00:14:31.13
over the last several
years, I've been walking through
00:14:31.13\00:14:34.37
the Gospel of Mark
with groups of people,
00:14:34.37\00:14:36.94
looking at medical
angles in this Gospel.
00:14:36.94\00:14:40.24
And what's interesting,
in Mark 6, there's something
00:14:40.24\00:14:42.54
here that most people
just take for granted,
00:14:42.54\00:14:44.75
but it is only Mark's
Gospel that gives us this detail
00:14:44.75\00:14:48.35
about Jesus. In Mark 6, verse 3,
00:14:48.35\00:14:52.89
referring to Jesus
when He's there in Nazareth.
00:14:52.89\00:14:55.46
It says, "Is this
not the carpenter?"
00:14:55.46\00:14:59.76
Everybody says, well, we know
00:14:59.76\00:15:01.30
Jesus was a carpenter.
This is the only place.
00:15:01.30\00:15:03.63
JB: The only place. DD:
Where Jesus--and Matthew's
00:15:03.63\00:15:05.43
account of the
same, it mentions Jesus
00:15:05.43\00:15:07.07
being the son of a
carpenter. JB: Right.
00:15:07.07\00:15:09.34
DD: But here, Jesus is
identified as "the carpenter."
00:15:09.34\00:15:11.54
What this has to do with stress,
John, on a totally different
00:15:11.54\00:15:14.78
dimension that we
haven't really spoken about,
00:15:14.78\00:15:17.31
is Jesus was engaged throughout
much of His life in useful,
00:15:17.31\00:15:22.02
physical work. We know today
that one of the most powerful
00:15:22.02\00:15:26.22
things to help mitigate the
effects of stress is physical
00:15:26.22\00:15:29.62
activity. And probably the
most powerful physical activity,
00:15:29.62\00:15:33.23
when it comes to
stress relief, is activity
00:15:33.23\00:15:36.90
that engages us.
Especially if it's something
00:15:36.90\00:15:38.90
useful that we're
doing with our hands.
00:15:38.90\00:15:41.54
JB: Exercise is
good for stress, right?
00:15:41.54\00:15:44.44
DD: Definitely. JB: Okay. So,
00:15:44.44\00:15:46.04
getting on a treadmill
for 20, 25, 30 minutes.
00:15:46.04\00:15:48.14
Running around the
block four or five times.
00:15:48.14\00:15:49.98
Riding my bicycle for 15
miles. That's really good.
00:15:49.98\00:15:53.75
DD: Well, it may be really
good for you, but for some
00:15:53.75\00:15:55.85
of those patients
that walk into my office,
00:15:55.85\00:15:58.25
riding the bike
around the block may be so
00:15:58.25\00:16:00.86
physically stressful that they
drop dead. If you're outside,
00:16:00.86\00:16:03.66
working in your garden.
If you're mowing the lawn
00:16:03.66\00:16:07.13
with a push mower.
If you're chopping wood.
00:16:07.13\00:16:10.53
Whatever you're doing physically
not only engages your body,
00:16:10.53\00:16:15.14
but it engages your brain
if you're doing useful labor.
00:16:15.14\00:16:18.07
Much more powerful when
it comes to stress relief.
00:16:18.07\00:16:21.48
JB: The forms of
exercise that are best for you
00:16:21.48\00:16:24.05
when you're dealing with stress
are those forms of exercise
00:16:24.05\00:16:26.65
that engage your
body and your mind.
00:16:26.65\00:16:29.62
DD: Exactly. JB:
Okay. So I could be
00:16:29.62\00:16:31.02
riding my bike and
all I'm thinking about
00:16:31.02\00:16:32.52
is I've got an assignment
due, I've got a boss at work,
00:16:32.52\00:16:35.62
he's going to rip me
today because I messed up
00:16:35.62\00:16:37.96
yesterday. However--
00:16:37.96\00:16:40.30
and I'm sure this is true too,
if I was chopping wood-- but,
00:16:40.30\00:16:42.90
if I'm working in the garden,
that's, I'm getting a workout
00:16:42.90\00:16:47.37
physically and mentally as well.
DD: But don't miss this point:
00:16:47.37\00:16:51.84
Riding a bicycle around
the block is much better than
00:16:51.84\00:16:54.94
riding the stationery bike,
because you are engaged in your
00:16:54.94\00:16:58.51
surroundings; you're
watching the traffic.
00:16:58.51\00:17:00.52
So even though those
problems may be there,
00:17:00.52\00:17:02.72
you're not just stewing on them,
as you're pedaling that bicycle
00:17:02.72\00:17:06.92
in your exercise room.
JB: Okay. So, exercise that
00:17:06.92\00:17:09.82
engages the body and the
mind, when it comes to stress,
00:17:09.82\00:17:13.29
that's best. DD: And
we have Jesus' example.
00:17:13.29\00:17:15.23
And Jesus is really harkening
back to the very program
00:17:15.23\00:17:19.53
He gave mankind
in the beginning.
00:17:19.53\00:17:21.14
In Genesis 2, He
gave Adam the job of
00:17:21.14\00:17:24.24
dressing and keeping the
garden. JB: Is this just a bit
00:17:24.24\00:17:27.14
of a stretch, or do you think
medically it is rock solid.
00:17:27.14\00:17:30.75
Jesus was a
carpenter, so I guess,
00:17:30.75\00:17:33.25
I guess particularly in
His day too, there was a lot of
00:17:33.25\00:17:35.42
hard physical activity going
on. But we're not stretching it
00:17:35.42\00:17:39.29
here, are we.
This is solid science.
00:17:39.29\00:17:42.16
DD: There is evidence,
looking at this very point that
00:17:42.16\00:17:44.46
I'm mentioning and
speaking about the benefits
00:17:44.46\00:17:46.29
of this type of approach.
JB: Magnificent. Thank you.
00:17:46.29\00:17:48.56
Don't go away, we'll
be right back with more on
00:17:48.56\00:17:50.33
stress and the Bible, and
how God can help you deal with
00:17:50.33\00:17:54.74
stress in a way that's good
for you physically, emotionally,
00:17:54.74\00:17:59.94
and spiritually.
We'll be back with more
00:17:59.94\00:18:01.88
in just a moment.
[peaceful string melody]
00:18:01.88\00:18:04.18
Every Word is a one-minute,
Bible-based daily devotional
00:18:04.18\00:18:07.12
presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:18:07.12\00:18:09.48
especially for
busy people like you.
00:18:09.48\00:18:12.02
Look for Every Word on selected
networks, or watch it online
00:18:12.02\00:18:15.66
every day on our
website, ItIsWritten.com.
00:18:15.66\00:18:19.83
[upbeat melody]
00:18:21.06\00:18:24.73
JB: Don't for a minute
think that God doesn't hear
00:18:28.37\00:18:31.44
your prayer. In
Daniel 8, Daniel receives
00:18:31.44\00:18:34.24
a vision that he
didn't understand.
00:18:34.24\00:18:36.61
He prayed for understanding,
and in verse 23 of chapter 9,
00:18:36.61\00:18:40.05
the angel says to Daniel,
"At the beginning of your
00:18:40.05\00:18:42.55
supplications the command
went out, and I have come to
00:18:42.55\00:18:45.49
tell you: When you started
praying about this thing,
00:18:45.49\00:18:48.42
Daniel, I received instructions
to come and help you.
00:18:48.42\00:18:50.79
Daniel, when you
prayed, God heard you.
00:18:50.79\00:18:53.66
And he told me to come
down here and help you."
00:18:53.66\00:18:55.83
It's interesting to wonder just
how that all works, but what we
00:18:55.83\00:18:58.57
do know is that it does
work. God notices when we pray.
00:18:58.57\00:19:02.67
He hears. No, we
don't always get the
00:19:02.67\00:19:05.41
answers we want, and we don't
always get the answers we want
00:19:05.41\00:19:07.84
when we want, but God
notices and God hears.
00:19:07.84\00:19:11.55
If we know that, we can
trust Him to do the right thing
00:19:11.55\00:19:13.82
at exactly the right
time. I'm John Bradshaw for
00:19:13.82\00:19:16.38
It Is Written. Let's
live today by Every Word.
00:19:16.38\00:19:18.69
[upbeat music]
00:19:18.69\00:19:20.66
JB: Thanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
00:19:22.26\00:19:24.19
I'm John
Bradshaw, joined today by
00:19:24.19\00:19:26.29
Dr. David DeRose. We've
been talking about stress.
00:19:26.29\00:19:29.86
We all deal with it, and
it's not that stress is bad.
00:19:29.86\00:19:33.67
What we've learned,
too, is there are differences
00:19:33.67\00:19:35.97
between stressors--
those things that are
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.54
challenges to us--
and our stress response.
00:19:38.54\00:19:42.28
DD: Right. JB: And
there are ways that we
00:19:42.28\00:19:44.78
can respond to stress, or
learn to deal with stress;
00:19:44.78\00:19:48.48
exercise that engages
the body and the mind,
00:19:48.48\00:19:51.55
being very important.
And that's an interesting
00:19:51.55\00:19:54.06
distinction between exercises
merely that engages the body.
00:19:54.06\00:19:57.16
Devotional
life; trusting in God.
00:19:57.16\00:20:00.26
Jesus was able to
sleep in the storm,
00:20:00.26\00:20:02.53
the same storm that was causing
His best friends to panic.
00:20:02.53\00:20:05.57
And Jesus was sleeping through.
What are some other things,
00:20:05.57\00:20:09.37
Dr. DeRose, that
help us deal with stress?
00:20:09.37\00:20:12.77
DD: Another powerful thing, that
we're actually losing touch with
00:20:12.77\00:20:15.88
to some extent in our culture,
is social connectedness.
00:20:15.88\00:20:19.98
Now, people say,
well, we're more socially
00:20:19.98\00:20:21.98
connected than ever. I
mean, you know, we've got
00:20:21.98\00:20:23.28
Twitter and Facebook, and
we're sending text messages.
00:20:23.28\00:20:27.22
But how much time do we
really spend with other people,
00:20:27.22\00:20:30.23
and how
integrated are we socially.
00:20:30.23\00:20:32.69
This is a very
powerful factor when it comes to
00:20:32.69\00:20:35.30
physical health and our
ability to deal with stressors.
00:20:35.30\00:20:38.40
JB: Give me one
example. DD: Okay, one of the
00:20:38.40\00:20:40.97
biggest studies, ongoing studies
in the world, is the nurses'
00:20:40.97\00:20:43.41
health study, being coordinated
by Harvard University.
00:20:43.41\00:20:46.47
Back in the '90s
they started looking at
00:20:46.47\00:20:49.74
how connected the nurses were,
and they looked at those who
00:20:49.74\00:20:53.38
developed cancer. Some
2800 women in this group,
00:20:53.38\00:20:57.89
between 1992 and 2002,
had received the diagnosis
00:20:57.89\00:21:02.32
of breast cancer. They
followed them over that
00:21:02.32\00:21:04.49
10-year period of time,
and they looked at their
00:21:04.49\00:21:07.40
assessment of how
socially connected they were.
00:21:07.40\00:21:10.77
Those who were socially isolated
had over double the likelihood
00:21:10.77\00:21:15.37
of dying in a decade from the
breast cancer, as those who were
00:21:15.37\00:21:18.71
socially connected.
JB: Wow. So, it's important
00:21:18.71\00:21:20.71
to be socially
connected. DD: Oh, no question.
00:21:20.71\00:21:22.61
JB: Now, we might even
want to drill down a little bit
00:21:22.61\00:21:24.18
into that data,
but the first thing is,
00:21:24.18\00:21:27.62
someone's
watching and saying, yeah,
00:21:27.62\00:21:28.85
I have no friends,
I go to the office,
00:21:28.85\00:21:30.29
I work in my cubicle, I
don't interact with anybody.
00:21:30.29\00:21:32.52
What's a person to
do, because clearly being
00:21:32.52\00:21:35.42
socially connected
is good for your health?
00:21:35.42\00:21:38.59
DD: The thing I love about
the Gospels is Jesus basically
00:21:38.59\00:21:42.00
keeps saying,
over and over again,
00:21:42.00\00:21:44.33
there's a place for you
in My family. The church has
00:21:44.33\00:21:49.54
room for everyone. And someone
who feels socially isolated,
00:21:49.54\00:21:52.04
they said, well, I showed up at
church and those people were--
00:21:52.04\00:21:55.21
JB:
--unfriendly. DD: You got it.
00:21:55.21\00:21:57.68
But the point is, if they
were unfriendly to you, they
00:21:57.68\00:22:01.32
might be unfriendly to someone
else. You need to be there to be
00:22:01.32\00:22:03.59
a friend for
someone else who shows up.
00:22:03.59\00:22:05.52
JB: That's right.
Exactly right. It's someone
00:22:05.52\00:22:07.26
needs to be there, to be
welcoming to the people who,
00:22:07.26\00:22:10.69
like you, are looking
for a place to plug in.
00:22:10.69\00:22:12.69
DD: And the whole point
is, Jesus kept showing it.
00:22:12.69\00:22:14.93
He reaches out to
Levi Matthew, the publican.
00:22:14.93\00:22:18.50
I mean, this was
a despised class.
00:22:18.50\00:22:21.30
By the way, on the subject of
stress, we know that one of the
00:22:21.30\00:22:25.74
things that adds to our
stress level is discrimination.
00:22:25.74\00:22:29.38
This has actually
been shown in the medical
00:22:29.38\00:22:31.38
research literature.
This connection, for example,
00:22:31.38\00:22:33.98
between poverty and poor
health--part of it is explained
00:22:33.98\00:22:38.99
by the stress that comes
from being discriminated against
00:22:38.99\00:22:43.79
because you don't have
as much in the way of means.
00:22:43.79\00:22:47.13
Is the church, even
if a local congregation
00:22:47.13\00:22:50.53
doesn't seem to
have room for you,
00:22:50.53\00:22:51.77
Jesus is saying you
have a place in My family.
00:22:51.77\00:22:54.44
Realize that, and
act on it. We speak about
00:22:54.44\00:22:57.54
the Christian walk, and
Jesus wants to walk beside us.
00:22:57.54\00:23:00.94
So I get my focus at the
beginning of the day, and then
00:23:00.94\00:23:03.81
Jesus is walking beside me,
even if I don't feel like He's
00:23:03.81\00:23:07.22
at my right hand,
He is there to bless
00:23:07.22\00:23:09.82
and to guide. JB:
Okay. So learning how to
00:23:09.82\00:23:12.52
dwell in the presence of
God; learning to involve Christ
00:23:12.52\00:23:16.76
in your daily life
from the beginning of the
00:23:16.76\00:23:18.96
day to the end of the
day; recognizing His presence;
00:23:18.96\00:23:22.03
communing with Him in the
Word of God; reading often;
00:23:22.03\00:23:25.70
accepting Him;
connecting with Him.
00:23:25.70\00:23:27.60
Prayer, the importance of prayer
and talking to God. And in faith
00:23:27.60\00:23:31.34
that says He is with me.
He is with me everywhere I go;
00:23:31.34\00:23:34.71
He is with me at all times.
00:23:34.71\00:23:36.41
Okay. I wonder,
social connectedness
00:23:36.41\00:23:40.82
and good health,
that's such a powerful thing.
00:23:40.82\00:23:44.32
You mentioned the nurses' study.
Where else can we look and say,
00:23:44.32\00:23:46.76
okay, here's an example of
how being connected socially
00:23:46.76\00:23:51.43
really benefits a
person? DD: A fascinating study,
00:23:51.43\00:23:54.73
looked at a cross section
of the American population--
00:23:54.73\00:23:57.40
those with cardiovascular
disease. So, disease of
00:23:57.40\00:24:00.34
the heart and blood vessels.
Some 4- to 5,000 people--
00:24:00.34\00:24:03.51
again, this is designed
to represent the whole U.S.
00:24:03.51\00:24:06.64
population--that's how these
people were randomly chosen.
00:24:06.64\00:24:09.71
They found that those who were
volunteering, were sharing their
00:24:09.71\00:24:13.65
time roughly about four hours
a week, had a significantly
00:24:13.65\00:24:18.85
decreased risk of future
cardiovascular events compared
00:24:18.85\00:24:23.09
to those who weren't socially
engaged in a way of sharing.
00:24:23.09\00:24:27.10
JB: Jesus said something really
profound. This is talking about
00:24:27.10\00:24:31.07
connecting with
God, connecting with Him.
00:24:31.07\00:24:34.04
In Matthew 11, in
verse 28. "Come unto me,
00:24:34.04\00:24:37.91
all ye that labor
and heavy laden"--
00:24:37.91\00:24:41.64
He's addressing stress
there; you who are bearing
00:24:41.64\00:24:45.08
difficult burdens--
"And I will give you rest."
00:24:45.08\00:24:51.42
So if you're laboring through
life and things are really
00:24:51.42\00:24:53.62
pressing you down
and weighing you down,
00:24:53.62\00:24:55.22
Jesus promises I will
alleviate that burden.
00:24:55.22\00:24:58.06
DD: That's right.
JB: That's a promise.
00:24:58.06\00:25:00.53
"Take my yoke upon
you and learn of me."
00:25:00.53\00:25:02.66
Take MY yoke, and
you know, the yoke
00:25:02.66\00:25:05.70
was that thing that connected a
couple of oxen together so that
00:25:05.70\00:25:08.54
they could work. So He didn't
say I'm going to relieve you
00:25:08.54\00:25:12.51
of all of the
stressors in this life.
00:25:12.51\00:25:15.84
He said, as you confront
them, yoke together with Me.
00:25:15.84\00:25:20.52
Face your burdens with
Me. Deal with stress with Me.
00:25:20.52\00:25:26.05
"For I am meek and lowly in
heart, and you shall find rest
00:25:26.05\00:25:31.33
unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy,
00:25:31.33\00:25:35.00
and my burden is
light." Isn't that something?
00:25:35.00\00:25:37.70
DD: Powerful. JB: Jesus says,
00:25:37.70\00:25:39.10
if you're burdened, if
you're stressed, come to Me
00:25:39.10\00:25:42.80
and I will get you
through. Thank God for that.
00:25:42.80\00:25:46.51
DD: Amen. JB: What a
blessing to know that
00:25:46.51\00:25:49.31
no matter what situation
you confront in the world,
00:25:49.31\00:25:51.71
in your life, in your day-to-day
00:25:51.71\00:25:53.82
challenges--and there
can be so many, can't there?
00:25:53.82\00:25:56.48
Health challenges and
difficulties with children
00:25:56.48\00:25:59.62
or parents, siblings, at
work, finances, you name it.
00:25:59.62\00:26:03.96
These things can weigh us down,
but Christ says there's a way
00:26:03.96\00:26:08.73
forward; there's a way
through. And that's My way.
00:26:08.73\00:26:13.74
When you and I get
together-- together,
00:26:13.74\00:26:17.17
and confront these
issues together, with Jesus
00:26:17.17\00:26:21.88
there's a way through
stress. A way out of stress--
00:26:21.88\00:26:25.25
is it fair to say
that? DD: Well, I don't know
00:26:25.25\00:26:27.68
if we'll say out of
stress, but it's a way not to be
00:26:27.68\00:26:30.59
overly stressed. JB:
Not to be overwhelmed
00:26:30.59\00:26:32.62
by stress. My yoke is easy
00:26:32.62\00:26:35.56
and my burden is light.
Words from the Bible that we can
00:26:35.56\00:26:38.76
take seriously
today. [gentle harp music]
00:26:38.76\00:26:43.60
Dr. David De Rose,
shares his perspectives
00:26:46.23\00:26:48.97
in an eight-part series
called "Healing Insights
00:26:48.97\00:26:51.87
from the Gospel of
Mark." As a special offer from
00:26:51.87\00:26:54.64
It Is Written,
part one of that series
00:26:54.64\00:26:56.68
is available to you at no
cost. All you need to do is call
00:26:56.68\00:27:01.02
(800) 253-3000
and ask for the free
00:27:01.02\00:27:05.25
DVD called "Healing Insights
from the Gospel of Mark."
00:27:05.25\00:27:09.66
You can write to It
Is Written, P. O. Box 6,
00:27:09.66\00:27:12.79
Chattanooga, TN 37401,
and we'll mail a free copy
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00:27:17.50\00:27:20.24
It Is Written is a faith-based
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00:27:20.24\00:27:23.34
it possible for us to share
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00:27:23.34\00:27:26.98
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00:27:29.98\00:27:33.68
Thank you for your
continued prayerful support.
00:27:33.68\00:27:36.62
Again, our toll-free number
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00:27:36.62\00:27:41.56
address is ItIsWritten.com.
00:27:41.56\00:27:45.59
[music]
00:27:46.83\00:27:48.73
JB: Dr. DeRose, thanks.
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:50.40\00:27:52.37
DD: It was a privilege,
John. JB: We've got more to talk
00:27:52.37\00:27:54.20
about. Let's talk
again. DD: Sounds good.
00:27:54.20\00:27:55.90
JB: I appreciate it.
Before we go, let's take the
00:27:55.90\00:27:57.87
opportunity to pray, and
pray that God will help us,
00:27:57.87\00:28:00.84
and us all, meet
stress in the right way.
00:28:00.84\00:28:06.92
Let's pray together.
¤ [tender underscore] ¤
00:28:06.92\00:28:10.39
Our Father in
heaven, we are thankful today
00:28:10.39\00:28:12.35
that we don't have to face
the difficulties of this world
00:28:12.35\00:28:14.32
on our own, and that You have
given to us tools, techniques,
00:28:14.32\00:28:17.16
things that we can do to
alleviate the difficulties
00:28:17.16\00:28:20.96
of stress. We are not praying
that You would remove all of the
00:28:20.96\00:28:24.40
stressors from our lives.
Those things aren't all bad.
00:28:24.40\00:28:27.27
But some of us, we're
dying under the weight
00:28:27.27\00:28:30.94
of stress. Some of us are
being consumed, our spiritual
00:28:30.94\00:28:35.14
lives are falling apart
because of external pressures.
00:28:35.14\00:28:40.55
I pray with thanks that
in Christ there is hope.
00:28:40.55\00:28:44.92
I thank You that we
have Christ's example,
00:28:44.92\00:28:48.06
and that His practice
can be ours of being able
00:28:48.06\00:28:51.46
to confront stress in such
a way that we are the better
00:28:51.46\00:28:54.96
for it and not the worse.
Bless and keep us, please,
00:28:54.96\00:28:59.00
we pray. In Jesus' name. Amen.
00:28:59.00\00:29:04.94
JB: I'm grateful
you've joined me today,
00:29:15.45\00:29:17.05
and I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:29:17.05\00:29:19.19
Until then remember, It
Is Written, man shall not
00:29:19.19\00:29:22.96
live by bread
alone, but by every word
00:29:22.96\00:29:26.43
that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:29:26.43\00:29:30.50
[hopeful orchestral music]
00:29:30.53\00:29:36.54