¤[Music]¤ >>John
Bradshaw: This is
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It Is Written. I'm John
Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me
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today. When you come to the
Bible, you come face to face
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with the God of heaven. A God
who is intimately concerned with
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what's going on here, on the
earth. God is not an absentee
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landlord; He didn't just wind
the earth up like a clock and
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leave it to run and come back
when the alarm finally rings.
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God loves this world so much
that the Bible says He gave His
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only begotten Son, so that those
of us who believe in Him should
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not perish but would be
separated from sin, joined to
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Him, and receive everlasting
life. My guest today is Dr.
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David DeRose, a doctor of
internal medicine and a doctor
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of preventive medicine. He
comes to us from Compass Health
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Consultants in Northern
California. Dr. DeRose, thanks
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for joining me today. >>Dr.
DeRose:Great to be with you,
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John. >>John: Jesus came to this
earth, the Bible says, to give
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us a more abundant life. Now,
for some people that means all
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of one thing and little of
anything else. But the abundant
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life that Jesus came to give us
was balanced life, wasn't it. A
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balanced life. >>Dr. DeRose:
It's interesting you should
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mention that, because as I read
through the Gospel of Mark, for
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example, I see Jesus very
concerned that we not go to
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extremes. Let me give you
an example. In March chapter 3,
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Jesus is dealing with something
that I believe we deal with
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today, and that is many
people who take the name of
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Christian--they take the name
of God fearing--they're doing a
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disservice to the God of heaven.
I mean, in Jesus' day, think
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about it. In Mark 3, Jesus comes
in contact with a man with a
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withered hand. It's interesting.
The context is He's in the
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synagogue. He's in a place
of worship-- >>John: He's right
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there in church. >>Dr. DeRose:
That's right. He's there in
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church. And yet it says, in
verse 3, that those who were
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there were watching Him closely,
whether He would heal this man
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on the Sabbath so that they
would accuse Him. The religious
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leaders don't have a balanced
Christian experience. They're so
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focused on "the rules of
religious living" that they're
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missing out on what's happening.
The real drama is this man's
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physical need. >>John: They
weren't seeing his need anymore,
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they were so out of balance
that all they could do was think
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about circling the wagons and
defending the rules of the day.
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>>Dr. DeRose: In the beginning,
God gave the Sabbath as a day of
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celebration, a day of rejoicing
in what God had done. It was
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humanity's first day, their
first full day was the Sabbath.
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All they could do is rejoice in
not what they had done, but what
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the creator had graciously given
them. >>John: After all, He gave
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it as a day or rest, a
day of rejuvenation, a day of
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fellowship, a day of worship. A
day off. Who doesn't want a day
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off? >>Dr. DeRose: But the
amazing thing is, I think a lot
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of the reaction, John, goes
back to the same mentality that
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Jewish leaders had. And they
said, "I don't want to be bound
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about by something." This man is
bound on the Sabbath. And what's
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amazing is what Jesus does.
He says, "Is it lawful on the
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Sabbath to do good or to do
evil, to save life or to kill."
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It says the leaders remained
silent. >>John: They couldn't
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find it within themselves to
speak the truth because, well,
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they couldn't handle that. >>Dr.
DeRose: It says Jesus looked
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around at them with anger. But
His words, that He speaks, are
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words of healing, because as
that man stretches out his hand,
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it says he stretched it out
and it was made whole like the
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other. Jesus, on the Sabbath, is
saying this is what Sabbath is
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about. This is what fellowship
with Me is about. If you think
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religion is a bunch of rules and
restrictions, look at Me, the
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God of the Sabbath. >>John: And
Jesus said, "If you've seen me,
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you've seen the Father." >>Dr.
DeRose: That's right. >>John: So
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if you really want to know what
God is like, look at Jesus. The
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Sabbath today, as part of
this overall subject of living a
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balanced Christian life,
is there evidence that it's
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actually good for you?
>>Dr. DeRose: This is amazing.
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Researchers, the Ansons, in
Israel looked at this question.
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They were looking more broadly,
they were trying to look over a
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period of 10 years, a full
decade, looking at everyone
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living in Israel. And they were
asking a question: Would they
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see any rhythmicity to death
rates? Would there be times of
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year during the Day of
Atonement, Yom Kippur. Maybe the
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death rate would go down or it
would go up. Would there be any
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relationship to the weekly
Sabbath, for example. So they're
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looking at this. Ten years of
time, they analyze it. Computer
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analysis, published in the
medical literature. They titled
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their study "Death Rests a
While." What they found is that
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on the Sabbath, from sundown
Friday to sundown Saturday, the
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Bible Sabbath, death rates
plummet. But not in everyone.
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You see, just like Sunday is the
day of rest in many places in
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the world, it's a day off,
it's a holiday for everyone
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regardless of what their
religious beliefs are--at the
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time they wee doing this,
the day of rest in Israel was
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Saturday. So whether you were
a Jew or a Palestinian, you were
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off work on that seventh day. So
they asked a question: Well, is
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it just a phenomenon of people
not working? No drop in death
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rates for the Palestinians.
>>John: Only for those people
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who were observing the Sabbath
from a spiritual point of view,
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as an expression of their
relationship with God. >>Dr.
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DeRose: Whether that's the whole
explanation, or even the secular
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Jews that were still bonding in
community on that day. Because,
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when they wrote the article in
the medical journal they didn't
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make a big point about the
spirituality of the day, but its
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social connectedness. And so
it's quite interesting. Also,
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you'll find this interesting,
John. The young children, less
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than 5 years of age, they
had no decrease in mortality. So
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presumably only those that could
fully appreciate what this day
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of rest meant got the benefit.
>>John: Sabbath rest is just
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part of rest as a whole. It's
important that people who are
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wanting to be well physically
and spiritually and emotionally
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take time to rest. >>Dr. DeRose:
That's right. >>John: How
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important is rest? >>Dr. DeRose:
Well, rest is hugely important.
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Most of the research we see
is on daily rest. Getting that
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adequate sleep, which for most
people is seven to eight hours,
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maybe eight and a half hours in
some cases. Even more sleep than
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that may be deleterious, but
many of us are short-changing
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ourselves on sleep. It's messing
up our hormonal rhythms, ramping
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up stress hormone levels,
increasing rates of diabetes,
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high blood pressure, heart
disease, heart rhythm problems,
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mental health issues. The list
goes on and on. >>John: Except,
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you know someone's going to say,
oh but I'm a night person, and I
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find that once the kids go to
bed and it's 10:30 at night, I'm
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productive until 2 in the
morning, and then I've got to
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get up at 6 and go to work.
>>Dr. DeRose: Well, there's just
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as few interruptions early in
the morning as there are late at
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night. And the interesting
thing is if you look at hormonal
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rhythms in the body,
like melatonin and growth
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hormone--which are two of the
hormones that restore us from
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the wear and tear of the
day--those hormones are made
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best early in the night. So
getting to bed before midnight
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seems to have some unique
benefits. >>John: Excellent. So
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if we're living a balanced life,
we've got to get rest. And God
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built into our religious
experience rest, when He wrote
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the Ten Commandments. >>Dr.
DeRose: That's right. >>John:
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Okay, in a moment let's talk
about this idea of a balance
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being moderation in all things.
Don't go away. I'll be back with
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Dr. DeRose; we'll
have more in just a moment.
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>>Announcer: Every Word is
a one-minute Bible-based daily
00:09:54.22\00:09:57.29
devotional presented by Pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:09:57.29\00:10:00.53
especially for busy people
like you. Look for Every Word on
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selected networks, or watch it
online every day on our website,
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ItIsWritten.com. ¤[Music]¤
00:10:07.80\00:10:14.28
>>John: There were some
fixtures in the life of Jesus
00:10:14.28\00:10:19.68
that enabled Him to
stay connected to His Father
00:10:19.68\00:10:21.98
and His faith. One of them is
mentioned in Luke 4:16. "And he
00:10:21.98\00:10:26.29
came to Nazareth where he
had been brought up, and as his
00:10:26.29\00:10:28.86
custom was, he went into the
synagogue on the Sabbath day and
00:10:28.86\00:10:32.29
stood up for to read."
The weekly Sabbath rest was
00:10:32.29\00:10:35.93
important to Jesus. But these
days it's more common for people
00:10:35.93\00:10:39.10
to reduce the Sabbath to an
hour, or a morning. The Bible
00:10:39.10\00:10:42.27
says weekly Sabbath rest is
a memorial of Jesus' creative
00:10:42.27\00:10:45.84
power and His power to recreate.
And it's also good for you. For
00:10:45.84\00:10:50.45
Jesus, it was indispensable,
and not simply because He was
00:10:50.45\00:10:54.38
Jewish. Jesus saw the blessing
of that weekly time with God and
00:10:54.38\00:10:57.65
the benefit of stepping back
from the busyness of life. And
00:10:57.65\00:11:01.16
that's something that's good for
all of us. I'm John Bradshaw for
00:11:01.16\00:11:05.03
It Is Written. Let's
live today by every word.
00:11:05.03\00:11:10.63
>>John: Planning for
your financial future is a
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vital aspect of Christian
stewardship. For this reason, It
00:11:14.80\00:11:18.64
Is Written is pleased to offer
free planned giving and estate
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services. For information on
how we can help you, please call
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800-992-2219. Call today,
or visit our special website,
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www.HisLegacy.com. >>John:
This is It Is Written. I'm John
00:11:32.15\00:11:39.46
Bradshaw. Thanks for joining
me today. My guest today is Dr.
00:11:39.46\00:11:42.33
David DeRose. We're talking
about balance in the Christian
00:11:42.33\00:11:45.47
experience, and looking at how
that balance promotes physical
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and spiritual health. A
moment ago I said that I would
00:11:49.94\00:11:52.57
challenge this idea that
some people have that moderation
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means a little of everything,
or not overdoing it in certain
00:11:56.44\00:12:02.38
areas of our life. Now, we can
see--and you mentioned a moment
00:12:02.38\00:12:05.42
ago--getting the right amount
of rest means getting enough and
00:12:05.42\00:12:08.42
not too much. Too much is
bad for you. But how about when
00:12:08.42\00:12:12.36
people say, "Well, I drink,
but not a lot. Everything in
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moderation. Just a little,
I'm a social drinker perhaps."
00:12:17.10\00:12:21.10
Everybody would acknowledge, too
much alcohol bad for a person.
00:12:21.10\00:12:24.31
But how much is too much? >>Dr.
DeRose: If you have an addictive
00:12:24.31\00:12:28.01
relationship with something,
whether it nicotine or alcohol,
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pretty clear-cut that your best
path to success--and some people
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would say your only path to
success--is making a complete
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break with the things that were
pulling you down. But beyond
00:12:39.59\00:12:43.93
that, we can talk about things
like alcohol as well as other
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things that are often considered
popular in "moderation" that
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have some downsides that most
people are totally ignoring.
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>>John: What are the downsides
about alcohol that people are
00:12:53.90\00:12:56.94
overlooking? >>Dr. DeRose: Well
one, when it comes to alcohol,
00:12:56.94\00:12:59.81
is actually its risk of
malignancy. Cancer rates are
00:12:59.81\00:13:04.38
clearly linked to even moderate
drinking. Classic scenario is
00:13:04.38\00:13:08.92
breast cancer in women. We're
talking about a few drinks a
00:13:08.92\00:13:11.52
week measurably increasing the
risk of breast cancer in women.
00:13:11.52\00:13:15.49
>>John: That's a significant
thing because there are all
00:13:15.49\00:13:17.33
kinds of women who would think
it's okay to have a little wine
00:13:17.33\00:13:20.03
here or there, or one drink a
day, and yet a few drinks a week
00:13:20.03\00:13:24.07
raise measurably the risk
of breast cancer. >>Dr. DeRose:
00:13:24.07\00:13:26.80
It's not just a women's issue.
Not all that long ago, a huge
00:13:26.80\00:13:31.37
European study called
EPIC, the European Perspective
00:13:31.37\00:13:34.61
Investigation into Cancer and
Nutrition looked into alcohol
00:13:34.61\00:13:38.05
intake and cancer risk. And in
the report the author said, in
00:13:38.05\00:13:42.85
so many words, there is no safe
level of alcohol consumption
00:13:42.85\00:13:47.59
when it comes to cancer.
>>John: Now, people think about
00:13:47.59\00:13:50.46
nicotine. There are few people
who would say, "Well, a little
00:13:50.46\00:13:54.36
isn't going to hurt you." But
evidently there are some. >>Dr.
00:13:54.36\00:13:56.50
DeRose: Well, there are some
actual benefits to nicotine. For
00:13:56.50\00:14:01.54
example, we know that people
that use nicotine have less of a
00:14:01.54\00:14:05.97
serious inflammatory
bowel condition known as chronic
00:14:05.97\00:14:09.31
ulcerative colitis. >>John:
I wasn't expecting you to talk
00:14:09.31\00:14:11.98
about benefits of nicotine,
being a physician and all, but
00:14:11.98\00:14:14.75
that's fascinating. >>Dr.
DeRose: But let me tell you the
00:14:14.75\00:14:16.18
flip side. >>John: But the flip
side of that is-- >>Dr. DeRose:
00:14:16.18\00:14:18.05
There's another serious
inflammatory bowel condition
00:14:18.05\00:14:21.46
that is more pervasive,
affects more of the bowel, than
00:14:21.46\00:14:24.69
ulcerative colitis. That
just affects the colon. There's
00:14:24.69\00:14:26.86
something called Crohn's
disease. It is also related to
00:14:26.86\00:14:30.13
nicotine, but its risk is
increased. So, I don't know of
00:14:30.13\00:14:34.70
any gastroenterologists,
intestinal specialists, that are
00:14:34.70\00:14:38.27
recommending as a preventive to
use nicotine. Of course, it's a
00:14:38.27\00:14:42.04
risk factor for gastritis and
ulcers and other things as well.
00:14:42.04\00:14:46.18
The point here simply is this,
John: If we have a myopic enough
00:14:46.18\00:14:50.35
vision, and I suffer from
myopia--nearsightedness--but if
00:14:50.35\00:14:54.52
we apply that problem to
our look at certain lifestyle
00:14:54.52\00:14:56.83
factors we could say, oh yeah,
there's some good in this. But
00:14:56.83\00:14:58.03
we don't want to settle for
that, we want to look at the big
00:14:58.03\00:15:00.76
picture. >>John: It seems that
every time you turn around you
00:15:00.76\00:15:08.30
hear about the benefits of
drinking red wine. Tell me about
00:15:08.30\00:15:11.17
these so-called benefits
and where the benefit really is.
00:15:11.17\00:15:14.81
>>Dr. DeRose: Well, go back
to Europe. The Oxford vegetarian
00:15:14.81\00:15:17.68
study. Looking at people
on a healthy diet, zero heart
00:15:17.68\00:15:23.79
benefits from moderate
alcohol consumption. Nothing. No
00:15:23.79\00:15:27.12
benefit. Now, having said that,
in America if you look at a
00:15:27.12\00:15:31.59
person on the average
phytochemically depleted
00:15:31.59\00:15:35.50
diet--in plain English, that
means they're not eating enough
00:15:35.50\00:15:37.97
fruits and vegetables. There are
things in alcoholic beverages
00:15:37.97\00:15:43.34
that have benefit. After all,
every alcoholic beverage I know
00:15:43.34\00:15:47.08
is made from a plant that God
gave us. Okay? >>John: That's
00:15:47.08\00:15:49.14
right. >>Dr. DeRose: So there's
some good things in it. So if
00:15:49.14\00:15:52.08
you're not eating enough fruits
and vegetables, there's some
00:15:52.08\00:15:54.02
evidence that moderate alcohol
consumption--if you're sure you
00:15:54.02\00:15:57.65
can keep it moderate--might
decrease your risk of heart
00:15:57.65\00:16:01.16
disease. But it will
still increase your risk of high
00:16:01.16\00:16:03.53
triglycerides and high
blood pressure and cancer and
00:16:03.53\00:16:06.86
gastrointestinal problems
and cirrhosis and mental health
00:16:06.86\00:16:10.13
issues. >>John: And so there's
benefit on the one hand and real
00:16:10.13\00:16:12.87
problems on the other. >>Dr.
DeRose: And the benefit is only
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.44
if you're on a poor lifestyle.
So I tell patients, and I tell
00:16:15.44\00:16:18.64
people when I'm lecturing. I
say, "You don't want to be on a
00:16:18.64\00:16:21.28
poor lifestyle so that alcohol
would help you." >>John: Right.
00:16:21.28\00:16:24.05
Now, there's something that many
people aren't getting enough of.
00:16:24.05\00:16:26.78
Lots of people are getting
too much alcohol, but if you're
00:16:26.78\00:16:29.22
looking to live a balanced
life many people are not getting
00:16:29.22\00:16:31.72
enough exercise. You can't
really say, "Well, I got my five
00:16:31.72\00:16:33.72
minutes of exercise
today." But how do we get enough
00:16:33.72\00:16:38.13
exercise when we're just
too busy to get exercise?
00:16:38.13\00:16:40.20
What do you do? >>Dr. DeRose: I
tell people, look at exercise as
00:16:40.20\00:16:43.43
an investment. And it pays
you interest and dividends right
00:16:43.43\00:16:48.70
away. You're going to be
more productive if you take 30
00:16:48.70\00:16:52.97
minutes out of your day--I mean,
you may need to work up to it, I
00:16:52.97\00:16:56.81
mean 30 minutes may be too much
for someone--but if you work up
00:16:56.81\00:16:59.88
to getting significant amounts
of exercise on a daily basis,
00:16:59.88\00:17:03.22
your mind will be clearer, your
energy level will be better, you
00:17:03.22\00:17:06.49
will be more productive. You're
not wasting time in exercise,
00:17:06.49\00:17:09.59
you're investing time. >>John:
What are the best forms of
00:17:09.59\00:17:11.29
exercise a person can get? >>Dr.
DeRose: Probably the single best
00:17:11.29\00:17:14.36
category of exercise, looking
broadly at the literature, is
00:17:14.36\00:17:17.50
useful work. Doing it outdoors
is preferable. So, getting out
00:17:17.50\00:17:23.07
in the garden, chopping wood,
pushing a lawn mower, these
00:17:23.07\00:17:27.68
things engage the mind, they
have a level of rest and stress
00:17:27.68\00:17:32.01
relief that's not afforded by
walking on that treadmill while
00:17:32.01\00:17:36.08
you're watching CNN. >>John:
Walking on the treadmill is
00:17:36.08\00:17:38.72
going to be okay, right? >>Dr.
DeRose: It's okay. It gives you
00:17:38.72\00:17:41.56
benefit. >>John: Anaerobic
exercise that you get, that's
00:17:41.56\00:17:44.53
all right. >>Dr. DeRose:
It gives you aerobic exercise.
00:17:44.53\00:17:46.23
>>John: Aerobic rather, not
anaerobic. But the very best,
00:17:46.23\00:17:49.30
what I'm hearing you say--and
we've discussed this before--is
00:17:49.30\00:17:52.60
exercise that engages or
benefits the mind as well as the
00:17:52.60\00:17:58.24
body. And that's a concept
that's foreign to a lot of
00:17:58.24\00:18:00.88
people. Exercise where your mind
is distracted from the stressors
00:18:00.88\00:18:06.25
of daily life and is connected
to those things that are going
00:18:06.25\00:18:09.22
to give you a mental and an
emotional rest as well. >>Dr.
00:18:09.22\00:18:12.02
DeRose: But it goes beyond
that, because not only are you
00:18:12.02\00:18:15.32
distracted from problem. When
you're done with a 30-minute
00:18:15.32\00:18:18.96
session on the treadmill and
you look back at the treadmill,
00:18:18.96\00:18:21.83
nothing's changed. But when you
look at that unchopped wood, and
00:18:21.83\00:18:26.53
you see a pile of chopped wood;
when you see the plants planted
00:18:26.53\00:18:29.87
in the garden, there's a
sense of accomplishment and
00:18:29.87\00:18:32.51
fulfillment that you don't
get with the other forms of
00:18:32.51\00:18:35.21
exercise. >>John: Right. So
being balanced, exercise should
00:18:35.21\00:18:38.65
benefit you physically
and emotionally and ultimately
00:18:38.65\00:18:43.08
spiritually. Correct? >>Dr.
DeRose: Yes. And many people
00:18:43.08\00:18:45.39
have found that some of their
best thinking, whether it's
00:18:45.39\00:18:47.86
spiritual or creative
work, happens when they're out
00:18:47.86\00:18:51.13
engaged, doing something.
>>John: Somebody that's
00:18:51.13\00:18:53.66
overweight--and they know they
are; morbidly obese; just big,
00:18:53.66\00:18:57.30
big big--what do they do? Where
do they begin? What should they
00:18:57.30\00:19:01.10
do in order to regain their
health and live a balanced life?
00:19:01.10\00:19:05.54
>>Dr. DeRose: One of the things
that Jesus said to a woman who
00:19:05.54\00:19:08.08
was overcome with a sense of sin
was "Neither do I condemn you."
00:19:08.08\00:19:13.15
And I think, in the Christian
world, we have this blessing of
00:19:13.15\00:19:19.39
realizing that no matter what we
look like, our acceptance with
00:19:19.39\00:19:23.89
Jesus isn't the issue. If
we start from that perspective,
00:19:23.89\00:19:28.40
that can empower us. Because
many people are so pressed down.
00:19:28.40\00:19:32.33
I mean, obesity is one of those
things that you can't hide from
00:19:32.33\00:19:35.27
and everyone sees it. So, if we
start treating people as Jesus
00:19:35.27\00:19:40.11
treated them, and if we see
ourselves as Jesus sees us, this
00:19:40.11\00:19:45.61
can free us to embrace lifestyle
change, not as a burden but as a
00:19:45.61\00:19:51.32
blessing. >>John: Instead of a
radical change in what you eat,
00:19:51.32\00:19:55.79
you might just want to
start making incremental healthy
00:19:55.79\00:19:57.86
changes so that you get to the
place where what you eat isn't
00:19:57.86\00:20:00.16
packing on the pounds, but it's
helping you take pounds off.
00:20:00.16\00:20:04.20
>>Dr. DeRose: I often tell
people, I would rather them make
00:20:04.20\00:20:06.70
a few small changes that they
plan to stick with for the rest
00:20:06.70\00:20:10.77
of their life than to make a
bunch of huge changes that they
00:20:10.77\00:20:14.54
have no intention of embracing
on a lifelong basis. >>John: And
00:20:14.54\00:20:18.78
I would encourage someone to do
this: to claim the promises of
00:20:18.78\00:20:21.02
God. In Philippians it says, "It
is God who works in you, both to
00:20:21.02\00:20:26.29
will and to do for his
good pleasure." So when we're
00:20:26.29\00:20:28.32
thinking about living a balanced
life, no matter where we're
00:20:28.32\00:20:30.33
starting from, it's possible to
do because Christ is with us. A
00:20:30.33\00:20:33.56
balanced life. God's gift to
you. This is what He offers you,
00:20:33.56\00:20:38.00
and it's going to be productive
and blessed. I'll have more with
00:20:38.00\00:20:41.40
Dr. David DeRose
in just a moment.
00:20:41.40\00:20:44.17
¤[Music]¤ >>John:
The Bible is known for
00:20:44.17\00:20:50.51
its power to transform lives
spiritually, but does it offer
00:20:50.51\00:20:54.92
insight for physical
transformation as well?
00:20:54.92\00:20:57.72
Dr. David DeRose, a
board-certified specialist in
00:20:57.72\00:21:01.76
both internal medicine and
preventive medicine, thinks it
00:21:01.76\00:21:05.09
does. He shares his perspectives
in an eight-part series called
00:21:05.09\00:21:09.23
"Healing Insights from the
Gospel of Mark." And now, as a
00:21:09.23\00:21:12.97
special offer from It Is
Written, part one of that series
00:21:12.97\00:21:16.04
is available to you at no cost.
All you need to do is call (800)
00:21:16.04\00:21:21.38
253-3000 and ask for the free
DVD called "Healing Insights
00:21:21.38\00:21:26.88
from the Gospel of Mark." If
the line is busy please do try
00:21:26.88\00:21:30.79
again. You can write to
It Is Written, P.O. Box 6,
00:21:30.79\00:21:34.99
Chattanooga, TN 37401, and we'll
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00:21:34.99\00:21:39.83
in North America. It Is Written
exists because of the kindness
00:21:39.83\00:21:43.70
of people just like you. It's
only with your help that It Is
00:21:43.70\00:21:47.47
Written can continue to
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00:21:47.47\00:21:50.37
people around the world. Your
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00:21:50.37\00:21:54.38
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00:21:57.78\00:22:01.82
support. Again, our toll-free
number is (800) 253-3000, and
00:22:01.82\00:22:07.46
you can find us online at
ItIsWritten.com >>John: Thanks
00:22:07.46\00:22:15.53
for joining me today on It Is
Written. God wants us to live a
00:22:15.53\00:22:19.03
balanced life. That's not a life
that says well a little bit of
00:22:19.03\00:22:22.60
everything's okay; but more of
the good, less of the bad until
00:22:22.60\00:22:27.64
it's all of Jesus living His
life in you. That's the right
00:22:27.64\00:22:30.81
balance. Now, Dr. David DeRose,
I'm so grateful you're here with
00:22:30.81\00:22:33.92
me today. And I just want to
ask, what's the role of faith in
00:22:33.92\00:22:36.75
God, or trust in divine power,
in living a healthy, balanced
00:22:36.75\00:22:39.79
life? >>Dr. DeRose: Well, one
of the big benefits is actually
00:22:39.79\00:22:42.82
where our focus is. You know,
we mentioned earlier in this
00:22:42.82\00:22:46.03
account in Mark 3 about how it's
said that Jesus looked around at
00:22:46.03\00:22:51.73
the religious leaders with
anger. The reason I singled that
00:22:51.73\00:22:56.00
out is many people in Christian
circles haven't heeded Paul's
00:22:56.00\00:22:59.84
admonition where he says, "Be
ye angry and sin not." We often
00:22:59.84\00:23:04.98
label things, in the Christian
environment, apart from how God
00:23:04.98\00:23:09.25
labels them. When we see that
Jesus had emotions, real human
00:23:09.25\00:23:13.89
emotions, He was angry at people
who weren't embracing God's
00:23:13.89\00:23:19.43
values. For us to have
such emotions is not wrong. This
00:23:19.43\00:23:25.07
actually may be showing that our
heart is beating in harmony with
00:23:25.07\00:23:28.34
God. And so as we have a
trusting, faith walk with Jesus,
00:23:28.34\00:23:34.01
we will begin to see things
with His perspective. And those
00:23:34.01\00:23:37.35
things that sometimes we
criticize ourselves for or that
00:23:37.35\00:23:40.72
others would be critical of us
over, we can actually see that
00:23:40.72\00:23:44.79
we're actually walking with
Jesus, sharing His burden for
00:23:44.79\00:23:48.96
the world. >>John: A lot of
social issues today are looked
00:23:48.96\00:23:51.06
at very relativistically. Well,
that's your opinion. This is my
00:23:51.06\00:23:54.36
opinion. My opinion is shaped
by this and that. But really, in
00:23:54.36\00:23:57.40
life and in life's great issues,
what we're striving to do is to
00:23:57.40\00:24:01.34
see things as He sees them. How
does God see a certain thing.
00:24:01.34\00:24:04.74
What's the role of prayer in
a healthy life, a balanced life?
00:24:04.74\00:24:08.48
>>Dr. DeRose: Well, you can't
get away from the subject of
00:24:08.48\00:24:10.31
prayer in Mark's Gospel. We've
been talking about that off and
00:24:10.31\00:24:13.48
on for some time, you and I,
in our dialogues. And, in March
00:24:13.48\00:24:17.49
chapter 1, verse 35. And, what
I love about Mark's Gospel is it
00:24:17.49\00:24:22.89
doesn't start with Jesus' birth.
I mean, that's important, but it
00:24:22.89\00:24:26.09
starts with the power of
the Word. John the Baptist is
00:24:26.09\00:24:28.83
preaching and Jesus Himself
realizes the power of the Word.
00:24:28.83\00:24:33.30
God's communication. And so
in Mark 1:35, Jesus is taking
00:24:33.30\00:24:38.64
Himself away from all the
pressures, coming into the
00:24:38.64\00:24:43.01
presence of His Father. It's a
powerful example for me. Fro all
00:24:43.01\00:24:47.32
of us. That if I want to
see with Jesus' eyes, before--I
00:24:47.32\00:24:51.52
mean, today it's so easy. You
get up, you can have all kinds
00:24:51.52\00:24:54.52
of words bombarding your
mind. You can read all kinds of
00:24:54.52\00:24:57.23
things. Focus on that
relationship with Jesus. >>John:
00:24:57.23\00:25:01.43
Ultimately, in making decisions
to live a balanced life we have
00:25:01.43\00:25:06.87
to come face to face with
the idea that our choice must be
00:25:06.87\00:25:11.71
surrendered to God. >>Dr.
DeRose: It's true. And what's
00:25:11.71\00:25:14.41
interesting to me in the Gospels
is Jesus, when He's in the midst
00:25:14.41\00:25:19.15
of people who are making
repeatedly bad choices--I'm
00:25:19.15\00:25:22.78
thinking of the disciples. They
kept focusing what was in it for
00:25:22.78\00:25:27.29
them. You know, who was going
to be the greatest. But Jesus
00:25:27.29\00:25:30.93
didn't abandon them. But they
stayed in communion with the
00:25:30.93\00:25:37.17
Master. So if I'm focusing, like
the disciples, on walking with
00:25:37.17\00:25:41.57
Jesus, even though my decisions
may be terrible. Jesus may have
00:25:41.57\00:25:44.51
to knock me over the head. You
know, say, what are you doing?
00:25:44.51\00:25:48.98
He's going to get my attention
sooner or later. I'm molded into
00:25:48.98\00:25:52.71
His image as I spend time with
Him. >>John: Yeah. There are
00:25:52.71\00:25:56.45
some wonderful verses in the
Bible. I mentioned one before,
00:25:56.45\00:26:00.32
"It is God who works in you both
to will and to do for his good
00:26:00.32\00:26:03.66
pleasure." That was Philippians
2:13. "Don't you know that to
00:26:03.66\00:26:06.53
whom you yield yourself servants
to obey, his servants you are to
00:26:06.53\00:26:10.27
whom you obey, whether of
sin unto death or obedience unto
00:26:10.27\00:26:13.30
righteousness." You read that in
Romans 6. "You are the servant
00:26:13.30\00:26:16.27
of who you choose to serve."
"I'm crucified with Christ,
00:26:16.27\00:26:20.21
nevertheless I live. Not I but
Christ lives in me." And if I'm
00:26:20.21\00:26:25.91
looking to live a balanced life,
to eat better or right, to pray
00:26:25.91\00:26:32.19
as God would have me pray, to
spend time in the Word of God,
00:26:32.19\00:26:36.42
to rest, even to enjoy Sabbath
rest with God and get my life
00:26:36.42\00:26:41.03
kind of right-side up, my will
must be yielded to His will. You
00:26:41.03\00:26:48.57
know, at the beginning of Daniel
1, they find themselves down
00:26:48.57\00:26:51.37
there in Babylon. The king
serves them the food. "Oh, no,
00:26:51.37\00:26:54.28
not for me." But before that, he
had purposed in his heart that
00:26:54.28\00:26:57.71
he wouldnít defile himself with
a portion of the king's meat.
00:26:57.71\00:27:00.42
Purposing in our heart, in our
minds, that it would be God's
00:27:00.42\00:27:03.89
will being done and not ours.
>>Dr. DeRose: It's a powerful
00:27:03.89\00:27:06.59
concept, because Daniel's secret
was he realized his body was a
00:27:06.59\00:27:11.53
temple. That word "defile,"
where Daniel said he would not
00:27:11.53\00:27:14.40
defile himself. You don't defile
the dirt. You can only defile
00:27:14.40\00:27:18.20
something that's holy. Daniel
is using sanctuary or temple
00:27:18.20\00:27:22.37
language. And so Paul picks up
on this theme, when he's writing
00:27:22.37\00:27:26.17
to the Corinthian church,
speaking about our bodies being
00:27:26.17\00:27:28.54
a temple. If I realize that,
John, then this is going to help
00:27:28.54\00:27:32.78
me when it comes to making those
good decisions. I'm just not my
00:27:32.78\00:27:36.02
own. Like you said, I'm bought
with a price. >>John: We belong
00:27:36.02\00:27:39.55
to God. We want His will to
be done, not just so a bunch of
00:27:39.55\00:27:44.69
healthy people can end up in the
lake of fire, but that with out
00:27:44.69\00:27:48.36
healthy body we'll have a clear
mind; we'll hear the Word of
00:27:48.36\00:27:51.50
God; we'll know God as He wants
us to know Him; and we'll be His
00:27:51.50\00:27:55.87
not just now but forever.
And forever's going to be here
00:27:55.87\00:27:58.71
sooner than we think.
>>Dr. DeRose: Right. >>John: Dr.
00:27:58.71\00:28:00.98
DeRose, thanks. It's been
a pleasure, a real joy. I'm
00:28:00.98\00:28:03.35
grateful for your being here.
Thanks for joining me today.
00:28:03.35\00:28:06.45
>>Dr. DeRose: Thank you. >>John:
And before we go, we'd like to
00:28:06.45\00:28:08.38
pray with you and ask that God
would give you the blessing of a
00:28:08.38\00:28:10.95
balanced life, and that's a life
lived completely in God. Real
00:28:10.95\00:28:15.56
balance is found in an entire
surrender to Him. Let's pray
00:28:15.56\00:28:19.29
that we can experience
that ourselves. Let's pray. Our
00:28:19.29\00:28:23.00
Father in heaven, how grateful
we are that You offer us a more
00:28:23.00\00:28:27.20
abundant life, not just in this
world but also in the world to
00:28:27.20\00:28:32.37
come. We look forward to that
time being here soon. Until it
00:28:32.37\00:28:35.71
is, let our mind be Yours,
our hearts Yours, our faculties
00:28:35.71\00:28:39.75
Yours. And some of us, we
struggle so much and getting it
00:28:39.75\00:28:43.82
right just seems like a forlorn
dream. But no, Lord, that cannot
00:28:43.82\00:28:47.72
be. Take possession of us.
Connect our weakness to Your
00:28:47.72\00:28:51.46
strength; our unwillingness to
Your willingness. Make us what
00:28:51.46\00:28:55.73
we can be in Christ and give
us faith to believe in You, each
00:28:55.73\00:29:00.37
moment of every day. We
thank You today, and we pray
00:29:00.37\00:29:05.87
in Jesus' name. Amen,.
00:29:05.87\00:29:09.81
>>Dr. DeRose: Amen. ¤[Music]¤
00:29:12.78\00:29:20.69
>>John: Thanks for
joining me today. I'm looking
00:29:20.69\00:29:26.06
forward to seeing you again next
time. Until then, remember: It
00:29:26.06\00:29:30.20
Is Written: Man shall not live
by bread alone, but by every
00:29:30.20\00:29:34.60
word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.
00:29:34.60\00:29:37.91
¤[Music]¤
00:29:37.91\00:29:42.88