Father in heaven, We thank
00:00:23.39\00:00:24.59
you so much
00:00:24.59\00:00:25.35
that you are a God
00:00:25.35\00:00:26.45
who is concerned
00:00:26.45\00:00:28.49
about every one of us
00:00:28.49\00:00:29.66
in every aspect of our lives.
00:00:29.66\00:00:31.69
Please
00:00:31.86\00:00:32.26
help us to see that again
00:00:32.49\00:00:34.10
today.
00:00:34.10\00:00:34.50
From your Word,
00:00:34.50\00:00:35.66
we ask In Jesus name, Amen.
00:00:35.66\00:00:38.47
It is one of those
00:00:40.44\00:00:41.57
burning questions
00:00:41.57\00:00:43.07
that seems to be on
00:00:43.07\00:00:44.17
many people's minds.
00:00:44.17\00:00:45.34
I hear people
00:00:45.34\00:00:46.07
asking the question.
00:00:46.07\00:00:48.08
And as we study
00:00:48.08\00:00:49.14
through the Bible
00:00:49.14\00:00:49.78
and as we preach on the Bible,
00:00:49.78\00:00:51.31
I often hear people
00:00:51.31\00:00:52.61
asking things like,
00:00:52.61\00:00:53.82
Well, do the promise
00:00:53.82\00:00:54.95
of the promises of the Bible
00:00:54.95\00:00:56.52
really apply to me?
00:00:56.52\00:00:58.29
Or maybe they'll ask
00:00:58.29\00:00:59.59
something like this.
00:00:59.59\00:01:00.59
They'll say,
00:01:00.59\00:01:01.36
Does Jesus really have
00:01:01.39\00:01:02.99
a personal interest
00:01:02.99\00:01:04.59
in my deepest needs?
00:01:04.59\00:01:06.80
And you may have struggled
00:01:06.80\00:01:07.96
with those things before.
00:01:07.96\00:01:09.00
You may hear about Jesus
00:01:09.00\00:01:10.50
being interested
00:01:10.50\00:01:11.23
in other people,
00:01:11.23\00:01:12.27
but what about you personally?
00:01:12.27\00:01:14.54
Well,
00:01:15.20\00:01:15.37
these questions
00:01:15.64\00:01:16.30
are not just questions
00:01:16.30\00:01:17.54
that we struggle with today.
00:01:17.54\00:01:20.14
They're questions that
00:01:20.14\00:01:21.88
people have grappled
00:01:21.88\00:01:22.88
with throughout the centuries,
00:01:22.88\00:01:25.05
and it takes even
00:01:25.05\00:01:25.98
greater significance
00:01:25.98\00:01:27.18
when we think about the church.
00:01:27.18\00:01:29.22
Jesus established the church.
00:01:29.22\00:01:31.42
And sometimes
00:01:31.92\00:01:33.42
I have people
00:01:33.42\00:01:34.06
come to me as a pastor
00:01:34.06\00:01:35.42
and they say in so many words,
00:01:35.42\00:01:37.36
the church
00:01:37.36\00:01:38.56
is not meeting my needs.
00:01:38.56\00:01:39.93
Or maybe even more likely,
00:01:39.93\00:01:42.66
I see people
00:01:42.66\00:01:43.50
who don't even want the church
00:01:43.50\00:01:45.23
to know about their needs.
00:01:45.23\00:01:47.17
Do some of you have needs that,
00:01:47.17\00:01:49.20
well,
00:01:49.20\00:01:49.47
you would never ask the church
00:01:49.87\00:01:50.87
to pray for?
00:01:50.87\00:01:52.27
Or how about a prayer request?
00:01:52.27\00:01:54.88
A prayer request
00:01:55.24\00:01:56.68
that you would never, never ask
00:01:56.68\00:02:00.72
to be put on our bulletin
00:02:00.72\00:02:02.55
because you've been told
00:02:02.55\00:02:03.92
by many people, either
00:02:03.92\00:02:05.15
directly or indirectly,
00:02:05.15\00:02:06.72
that the only reason
00:02:06.72\00:02:07.92
for the problem
00:02:07.92\00:02:08.62
you're struggling with
00:02:08.62\00:02:09.66
is because of your own fault.
00:02:09.66\00:02:12.03
Can you relate to
00:02:12.03\00:02:12.69
some of these things,
00:02:12.69\00:02:13.83
whether it's directly
00:02:13.83\00:02:14.96
said or not?
00:02:14.96\00:02:16.33
And so today,
00:02:16.33\00:02:17.10
as we look at these questions,
00:02:17.10\00:02:18.33
I invite you
00:02:18.33\00:02:18.83
to turn in your Bibles
00:02:18.83\00:02:20.30
to the ninth chapter
00:02:20.30\00:02:21.64
of the Book of John,
00:02:21.64\00:02:23.51
the ninth chapter
00:02:23.51\00:02:24.21
of the Book of John,
00:02:24.21\00:02:25.17
because this challenge,
00:02:25.17\00:02:27.61
these questions
00:02:27.61\00:02:28.84
are not things that just,
00:02:28.84\00:02:30.48
well,
00:02:31.55\00:02:31.91
face us today in
00:02:32.01\00:02:33.28
the 21st century.
00:02:33.28\00:02:35.38
In John 9
00:02:35.38\00:02:36.48
Jesus is walking,
00:02:36.48\00:02:37.99
and it says, as He passed
00:02:37.99\00:02:39.39
by, a man
00:02:39.39\00:02:40.96
who was blind from birth
00:02:40.96\00:02:43.02
is there that Jesus encounters.
00:02:43.32\00:02:45.73
Now in John 9
00:02:46.70\00:02:48.83
a lot has happened.
00:02:48.86\00:02:50.13
Jesus has done
00:02:50.13\00:02:51.17
miraculous works of healing.
00:02:51.17\00:02:53.37
He has done
00:02:53.37\00:02:53.94
all kinds of amazing things.
00:02:54.04\00:02:56.14
And you would think
00:02:56.27\00:02:57.37
when the disciples
00:02:57.37\00:02:58.37
saw this blind man
00:02:58.37\00:02:59.54
that they likely could say,
00:02:59.54\00:03:01.64
Well, now
00:03:01.64\00:03:01.98
Jesus is going to
00:03:02.14\00:03:02.61
heal this fellow,
00:03:02.61\00:03:03.51
or they might have even asked
00:03:03.51\00:03:04.45
Jesus,
00:03:04.45\00:03:04.78
Are you going to heal this man?
00:03:05.15\00:03:06.08
This is not
00:03:06.08\00:03:06.75
what comes out of their mouths.
00:03:06.75\00:03:08.12
Instead, what they ask
00:03:08.12\00:03:09.72
is, Rabbi, who sinned this man
00:03:09.72\00:03:13.46
or his parents,
00:03:13.46\00:03:14.69
that he was born blind?
00:03:14.69\00:03:16.66
I mean, it's really amazing
00:03:16.66\00:03:17.73
when you think about it, right?
00:03:17.73\00:03:19.16
They're not thinking about
00:03:19.16\00:03:20.10
the needs of the man.
00:03:20.10\00:03:21.03
They are the church.
00:03:21.03\00:03:21.96
This is who
00:03:21.96\00:03:22.43
Jesus is building
00:03:22.43\00:03:23.70
his church on. There?two.
00:03:23.70\00:03:26.40
Two?
00:03:27.60\00:03:28.77
There's a dozen there, okay?
00:03:29.77\00:03:31.87
And they're all
00:03:32.27\00:03:33.27
seemingly asking
00:03:33.27\00:03:34.71
this question,
00:03:34.71\00:03:36.11
Whose problem is it?
00:03:36.11\00:03:38.65
Now, think about this
00:03:38.65\00:03:39.51
for a minute.
00:03:39.51\00:03:39.88
Let's make it applicable today.
00:03:40.22\00:03:42.05
How many times
00:03:42.05\00:03:43.02
have you seen on a prayer list
00:03:43.02\00:03:45.12
or have you heard
00:03:45.12\00:03:45.65
a prayer request
00:03:45.65\00:03:46.99
to pray
00:03:46.99\00:03:47.56
for total healing
00:03:47.56\00:03:49.16
of someone who was born
00:03:49.16\00:03:50.23
with a congenital disease?
00:03:50.23\00:03:51.73
That means a condition
00:03:51.73\00:03:52.59
from birth.
00:03:52.59\00:03:53.90
I mean,
00:03:53.90\00:03:54.23
have you ever heard that?
00:03:54.50\00:03:55.83
I mean, some of you
00:03:56.30\00:03:57.07
might be saying yes,
00:03:57.07\00:03:58.07
but a lot of times
00:03:58.07\00:03:58.77
people say, well,
00:03:58.77\00:03:59.40
I mean, someone born blind.
00:03:59.40\00:04:00.97
I mean,
00:04:00.97\00:04:01.20
why would you pray for that?
00:04:01.64\00:04:02.30
I mean, they're
00:04:02.30\00:04:02.67
they're born blind.
00:04:02.84\00:04:04.47
Or they have a heart defect,
00:04:04.47\00:04:05.61
they need surgery.
00:04:05.61\00:04:07.24
I'm just telling you,
00:04:07.24\00:04:09.01
there are some things
00:04:09.01\00:04:09.88
that often
00:04:09.88\00:04:10.41
don't make the prayer lists.
00:04:10.55\00:04:12.65
But then what about this?
00:04:12.65\00:04:14.02
What about certain
00:04:14.02\00:04:15.05
health conditions
00:04:15.05\00:04:16.28
that we feel
00:04:16.28\00:04:16.95
are the person's fault?
00:04:16.95\00:04:17.95
Do you see what's
00:04:17.95\00:04:18.45
going on here?
00:04:18.45\00:04:19.75
The disciples are not saying
00:04:19.75\00:04:21.59
Jesus, will you heal this man?
00:04:21.59\00:04:24.03
They're saying, Who sinned?
00:04:24.03\00:04:26.26
Who sinned?
00:04:27.60\00:04:28.40
Was it this man
00:04:28.40\00:04:29.76
or was it the parents?
00:04:29.76\00:04:30.70
Step back with me
00:04:30.70\00:04:31.57
just for a minute
00:04:31.57\00:04:32.33
into the world of the Bible,
00:04:32.33\00:04:34.00
because you have
00:04:34.00\00:04:34.57
to realize that
00:04:34.57\00:04:35.67
in that day and age,
00:04:35.67\00:04:36.60
if something bad happened,
00:04:36.60\00:04:38.41
the fingers were all pointing
00:04:38.41\00:04:39.67
at you.
00:04:39.67\00:04:40.51
Read the Book of Job
00:04:40.71\00:04:42.28
and the Book of Job
00:04:42.28\00:04:43.21
is really this drama
00:04:43.21\00:04:44.25
where Job's friends are saying,
00:04:44.25\00:04:45.31
You must have done something
00:04:45.31\00:04:46.78
wrong, okay,
00:04:46.78\00:04:47.82
because bad things
00:04:47.82\00:04:48.68
are happening to you.
00:04:48.68\00:04:50.42
But this was a problem
00:04:50.42\00:04:51.95
because a child was born blind.
00:04:51.95\00:04:54.02
I mean,
00:04:54.26\00:04:54.56
what could the child
00:04:54.79\00:04:55.42
have done right
00:04:55.42\00:04:56.06
if he was born blind?
00:04:56.06\00:04:57.36
So the disciples,
00:04:57.36\00:04:58.66
their sole focus was on
00:04:58.66\00:05:00.40
what it seems
00:05:00.40\00:05:01.36
at least
00:05:01.36\00:05:01.73
the only thing
00:05:01.73\00:05:02.16
that comes out of their mouth
00:05:02.43\00:05:03.37
is, who sinned?
00:05:03.37\00:05:04.47
Whose fault was it?
00:05:04.47\00:05:07.14
Do we do the same thing?
00:05:07.80\00:05:09.54
Do we blame victims?
00:05:09.54\00:05:10.91
I don't know
00:05:12.91\00:05:13.31
if you realize this,
00:05:13.44\00:05:14.18
but psychologically
00:05:14.18\00:05:16.34
blaming victims protects us.
00:05:16.34\00:05:19.01
You see,
00:05:20.52\00:05:21.15
if you can blame the person
00:05:21.15\00:05:22.92
that got hit
00:05:22.92\00:05:23.42
by the drunk driver.
00:05:23.42\00:05:24.69
That the drunk driver,
00:05:24.69\00:05:26.09
the person that got hit
00:05:26.09\00:05:27.22
by the drunk driver.
00:05:27.22\00:05:28.22
Are you following along?
00:05:28.22\00:05:29.62
You say, wait a minute,
00:05:29.62\00:05:30.39
this is something random?
00:05:30.39\00:05:31.93
No. If you can blame them.
00:05:31.93\00:05:33.06
Well, they, they,
00:05:33.06\00:05:33.60
they probably weren't
00:05:33.60\00:05:34.36
paying attention.
00:05:34.36\00:05:35.66
You know, if I were driving,
00:05:35.66\00:05:36.80
I would have seen them
00:05:36.80\00:05:37.57
kind of weaving up ahead
00:05:37.57\00:05:38.97
and it wouldn't have hit,
00:05:38.97\00:05:39.67
you know,
00:05:39.67\00:05:39.87
I would have been or
00:05:40.20\00:05:41.07
or what were they doing
00:05:41.07\00:05:42.04
anyway, driving at,
00:05:42.04\00:05:43.14
you know, 10:30 at night, okay?
00:05:43.14\00:05:47.78
Have you heard
00:05:47.78\00:05:48.48
things like that?
00:05:48.48\00:05:49.41
And you could go down
00:05:49.41\00:05:50.28
and you can go through
00:05:50.28\00:05:52.15
all kinds of traumatic things
00:05:52.15\00:05:53.68
and even disease.
00:05:53.68\00:05:55.62
Some years ago,
00:05:55.62\00:05:56.58
good friends of ours,
00:05:57.95\00:05:59.92
relatively young couple,
00:05:59.92\00:06:02.39
the husband was stricken
00:06:02.39\00:06:03.56
with a grievous disease.
00:06:03.56\00:06:05.09
Often people would say
00:06:05.09\00:06:05.83
it's a fatal condition.
00:06:05.83\00:06:07.86
And but these two individuals
00:06:07.86\00:06:10.03
were very active
00:06:10.03\00:06:10.93
in health ministry.
00:06:10.93\00:06:12.30
They were very
00:06:12.30\00:06:12.97
health conscious.
00:06:12.97\00:06:14.20
And as we talked with the wife,
00:06:14.20\00:06:16.54
she said, you know,
00:06:17.41\00:06:18.01
people were coming to her,
00:06:18.01\00:06:19.04
you know,
00:06:19.04\00:06:19.24
what was your husband
00:06:19.61\00:06:19.97
doing wrong?
00:06:19.97\00:06:21.14
You know,
00:06:21.14\00:06:21.54
is he doing something,
00:06:21.68\00:06:22.58
you know,
00:06:22.58\00:06:22.81
when no one was looking? Why?
00:06:23.28\00:06:25.21
Why do people want to do that?
00:06:25.21\00:06:27.48
You're just not
00:06:28.08\00:06:28.68
it's just not
00:06:28.68\00:06:29.15
supposed to happen.
00:06:29.22\00:06:30.49
You know,
00:06:30.49\00:06:30.79
you're not supposed to
00:06:31.02\00:06:31.65
there's not supposed to happen
00:06:31.65\00:06:32.69
if you're following
00:06:32.69\00:06:33.22
all the rules, right?
00:06:33.22\00:06:34.62
But the problem is, it does.
00:06:34.62\00:06:35.89
We're living in a world of sin.
00:06:35.89\00:06:37.29
And what's amazing to me
00:06:37.29\00:06:39.16
is Jesus response.
00:06:39.16\00:06:41.40
They're asking a question.
00:06:41.60\00:06:43.13
Who sinned?
00:06:43.13\00:06:43.80
Was it this man
00:06:43.80\00:06:44.87
or was it his parents?
00:06:44.87\00:06:46.53
And Jesus.
00:06:46.53\00:06:48.04
Jesus does something amazing.
00:06:48.04\00:06:50.11
He says,
00:06:50.11\00:06:51.34
neither this man sinned nor
00:06:51.34\00:06:54.78
his parents.
00:06:54.78\00:06:56.24
It's almost like he's
00:06:56.24\00:06:57.18
saying, would you stop.
00:06:57.18\00:06:58.78
Would you just stop
00:06:58.78\00:06:59.71
with this, okay?
00:06:59.71\00:07:00.98
Stop trying to blame everyone
00:07:00.98\00:07:02.75
when bad things happen, okay?
00:07:02.75\00:07:04.72
Bad things happen, but it's
00:07:04.72\00:07:06.49
better than that.
00:07:07.62\00:07:09.12
Because Jesus takes it
00:07:09.12\00:07:10.49
in an interesting direction.
00:07:10.49\00:07:12.16
He says neither this man
00:07:12.16\00:07:14.10
nor his parents sinned,
00:07:14.10\00:07:15.90
but that the works of God
00:07:15.90\00:07:17.90
should be revealed in him.
00:07:17.90\00:07:19.73
I must work the works of him
00:07:19.73\00:07:21.44
who sent me while it is day.
00:07:21.44\00:07:22.97
The night is coming
00:07:22.97\00:07:24.27
when no man can work.
00:07:24.27\00:07:25.71
As long as I am in the world,
00:07:25.71\00:07:27.58
I am the light of the world.
00:07:27.58\00:07:29.88
So what's going to happen?
00:07:29.88\00:07:31.38
Jesus?ght is going to shine
00:07:31.38\00:07:32.98
more brightly
00:07:32.98\00:07:34.38
because of what this man
00:07:34.38\00:07:36.45
has been suffering with.
00:07:36.65\00:07:39.12
And it doesn't stop there.
00:07:39.12\00:07:41.29
When Jesus said these things,
00:07:41.29\00:07:42.92
then it says He
00:07:42.92\00:07:43.59
spat on the ground
00:07:43.59\00:07:44.79
and He made clay
00:07:44.79\00:07:45.49
with the saliva
00:07:45.49\00:07:46.83
and He anointed
00:07:46.83\00:07:47.76
the eyes of the blind man
00:07:47.76\00:07:49.50
with the clay.
00:07:49.50\00:07:50.30
And He said to him,
00:07:50.30\00:07:51.30
Go wash in the pool of Siloam,
00:07:51.30\00:07:54.60
which is being
00:07:54.70\00:07:55.37
translated, sent.
00:07:55.37\00:07:57.27
So he went
00:07:57.27\00:07:58.11
and washed and came back
00:07:58.11\00:08:00.48
seeing.
00:08:00.68\00:08:02.11
Amazing, isn't it?
00:08:02.11\00:08:04.15
All of what
00:08:04.15\00:08:05.05
he had experienced in
00:08:05.05\00:08:06.08
his life is
00:08:06.08\00:08:07.28
put in the background.
00:08:07.28\00:08:08.42
He is now a trophy, right?
00:08:08.42\00:08:11.82
Of Jesus healing power.
00:08:11.85\00:08:14.56
Jesus sees
00:08:16.86\00:08:17.99
personal needs
00:08:17.99\00:08:19.29
as opportunities for ministry.
00:08:19.29\00:08:21.56
And I like to suggest,
00:08:21.56\00:08:22.66
instead of pointing fingers,
00:08:22.66\00:08:23.97
instead of way,
00:08:23.97\00:08:24.43
instead of saying,
00:08:24.43\00:08:25.07
Oh, how thankful
00:08:25.07\00:08:25.80
I am not to be like
00:08:25.80\00:08:26.77
that person,
00:08:26.77\00:08:27.87
I believe
00:08:27.87\00:08:28.54
God wants the church
00:08:28.54\00:08:29.94
to have that same vision.
00:08:29.94\00:08:31.57
Jesus saw opportunities
00:08:31.57\00:08:33.68
for ministry
00:08:33.68\00:08:34.78
when people were struggling.
00:08:34.78\00:08:36.24
He said in Matthew 11,
00:08:36.24\00:08:37.91
Come to Me,
00:08:37.91\00:08:39.18
all you who
00:08:39.18\00:08:39.91
labor and are heavy
00:08:39.91\00:08:41.05
laden and I will do what?
00:08:41.05\00:08:42.95
I will give you rest.
00:08:42.95\00:08:44.85
That's exactly right.
00:08:44.85\00:08:46.62
But when it comes
00:08:46.62\00:08:47.26
to the church,
00:08:47.26\00:08:49.02
1 Thessalonians 5:9
00:08:49.02\00:08:51.39
and onward puts it this way.
00:08:51.39\00:08:52.66
Our Lord Jesus
00:08:52.66\00:08:53.60
Christ died for us
00:08:53.60\00:08:55.16
that whether we wake or sleep,
00:08:55.16\00:08:57.33
we should live together
00:08:57.33\00:08:58.63
with Him.
00:08:58.63\00:08:59.50
Therefore comfort each other
00:08:59.50\00:09:01.47
and edify,
00:09:01.47\00:09:02.20
build one another up,
00:09:02.20\00:09:03.91
just as you also are doing.
00:09:03.91\00:09:06.34
So, Paul has been writing
00:09:06.34\00:09:08.68
in this letter
00:09:08.68\00:09:09.01
to the Thessalonians
00:09:09.21\00:09:10.18
trying to comfort those
00:09:10.18\00:09:11.28
who had lost loved ones.
00:09:11.28\00:09:12.85
And he's saying
00:09:12.85\00:09:13.48
even in one of the worst things
00:09:13.55\00:09:15.92
that we can envision happening,
00:09:15.92\00:09:17.49
the death of a loved one,
00:09:17.49\00:09:18.99
he?aying,
00:09:18.99\00:09:19.75
whether whether we're focused
00:09:19.75\00:09:22.39
on those
00:09:22.39\00:09:22.76
who've died or
00:09:22.76\00:09:23.76
sleeping in Jesus,
00:09:23.76\00:09:24.96
whether we're living,
00:09:24.96\00:09:26.13
what should our lives
00:09:26.13\00:09:27.10
be focused on?
00:09:27.10\00:09:28.26
We should be focused
00:09:28.26\00:09:29.33
on comforting, building
00:09:29.33\00:09:31.43
one another up,
00:09:31.43\00:09:32.43
ministering to one another.
00:09:32.43\00:09:34.74
Now, don't miss this.
00:09:34.74\00:09:35.70
In John 9,
00:09:35.70\00:09:37.14
Jesus said, I am what?
00:09:37.14\00:09:39.97
The light of the world.
00:09:40.91\00:09:43.18
But you know,
00:09:43.18\00:09:44.28
in an earlier gospel,
00:09:44.28\00:09:46.15
at least earlier,
00:09:46.15\00:09:47.55
as far as the canon
00:09:47.55\00:09:49.05
in Matthew's gospel,
00:09:49.05\00:09:50.59
there's something interesting
00:09:50.59\00:09:51.95
that we read in
00:09:51.95\00:09:52.65
the Sermon on the Mount.
00:09:52.65\00:09:54.66
Because Jesus there said,
00:09:54.66\00:09:56.66
You are the light of the world.
00:09:57.29\00:09:59.79
So which is it?
00:10:00.80\00:10:02.33
Are we, the church, Jesus
00:10:02.33\00:10:03.93
speaking to the church
00:10:03.93\00:10:04.87
here in Matthew 5,
00:10:04.87\00:10:07.27
saying They're
00:10:07.77\00:10:08.50
the light of the world.
00:10:08.50\00:10:09.34
You are the light of the world.
00:10:09.34\00:10:10.77
And Jesus saying,
00:10:10.77\00:10:11.64
I am the light of the world.
00:10:11.64\00:10:12.47
So who's the light
00:10:12.47\00:10:13.07
of the world?
00:10:13.07\00:10:15.51
Well, they both are, okay?
00:10:17.48\00:10:19.51
Jesus is the ultimate light,
00:10:19.51\00:10:21.15
but He wants His light
00:10:21.15\00:10:22.65
to shine through the church.
00:10:22.65\00:10:25.72
In John 9, Jesus also said,
00:10:26.02\00:10:27.92
I must work
00:10:27.92\00:10:29.09
the works of Him who sent me.
00:10:29.09\00:10:31.36
I must work the works of what?
00:10:32.43\00:10:35.76
Him who sent me.
00:10:35.76\00:10:38.47
Was Jesus
00:10:38.47\00:10:39.40
the only one
00:10:39.40\00:10:40.14
who was ever sent
00:10:40.14\00:10:40.94
by the Father?
00:10:40.94\00:10:42.70
Well, Jesus himself.
00:10:42.70\00:10:45.51
In Matthew 28,
00:10:45.51\00:10:47.48
speaking again
00:10:47.48\00:10:48.24
to the entire church
00:10:48.24\00:10:50.35
least metaphorically.
00:10:50.35\00:10:51.78
I mean, we weren't
00:10:51.78\00:10:53.01
all there personally,
00:10:53.01\00:10:54.78
but He's
00:10:54.78\00:10:55.05
speaking to all the believers
00:10:55.48\00:10:56.38
that could then be gathered.
00:10:56.38\00:10:58.62
Matthew 28,
00:10:58.62\00:11:00.46
He says the first words
00:11:00.46\00:11:02.39
of His charge.
00:11:02.39\00:11:03.69
Yes, the passage mentions
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.93
that Jesus shares
00:11:06.19\00:11:07.76
the fact that all power,
00:11:07.76\00:11:08.93
all authority
00:11:08.93\00:11:09.60
has been given to Him,
00:11:09.60\00:11:10.67
but the first
00:11:10.67\00:11:11.33
words of His charge are what?
00:11:11.33\00:11:13.54
Go therefore.
00:11:13.54\00:11:15.80
So if someone walks up to
00:11:15.80\00:11:16.91
you and says Go
00:11:16.91\00:11:17.87
and they have authority
00:11:17.87\00:11:19.31
to tell you to go,
00:11:19.31\00:11:20.24
what are they doing?
00:11:20.24\00:11:20.98
They are sending you.
00:11:22.24\00:11:24.05
So not only was Jesus
00:11:24.05\00:11:25.38
the light of the world
00:11:25.38\00:11:26.35
and He calls us to be the light
00:11:26.35\00:11:27.98
of the world as well,
00:11:27.98\00:11:29.35
but He was also sent
00:11:29.35\00:11:31.32
and then He sends us out.
00:11:31.32\00:11:33.46
So we're called to share
00:11:33.46\00:11:35.09
in the Father's ministry.
00:11:35.09\00:11:36.73
And Jesus,
00:11:36.73\00:11:37.63
as He's
00:11:37.63\00:11:37.89
speaking about the power
00:11:38.23\00:11:39.26
of the Holy Spirit
00:11:39.26\00:11:40.10
that would be poured out,
00:11:40.10\00:11:41.20
He said in John 14, Verily,
00:11:41.20\00:11:44.07
I tell you,
00:11:44.20\00:11:45.53
whoever believes in Me
00:11:45.53\00:11:46.74
will do the works
00:11:46.74\00:11:47.54
that I have been doing
00:11:47.54\00:11:48.87
and they will do
00:11:48.87\00:11:49.94
even greater things than these.
00:11:49.94\00:11:51.77
Why?
00:11:51.77\00:11:52.54
Because I
00:11:52.54\00:11:53.64
am going to the Father.
00:11:53.64\00:11:55.21
So Jesus wants to empower
00:11:55.21\00:11:57.05
your witness.
00:11:57.05\00:11:58.25
He wants to empower
00:11:58.25\00:11:59.21
the witness of the church,
00:11:59.21\00:12:00.68
the local church,
00:12:00.68\00:12:01.85
the collective church.
00:12:01.85\00:12:04.42
Now, if we're going
00:12:04.55\00:12:05.15
to carry out the work of Jesus
00:12:05.22\00:12:07.16
being sent and ministering,
00:12:07.39\00:12:09.32
I believe we need to help those
00:12:09.32\00:12:11.56
with a pervasive health problem
00:12:11.86\00:12:14.03
that I've never seen
00:12:14.30\00:12:15.63
on a church prayer list.
00:12:15.63\00:12:17.20
Think about this for a minute.
00:12:17.20\00:12:18.77
I mean, we have all kinds of
00:12:18.77\00:12:20.64
people on our prayer list
00:12:20.64\00:12:22.34
and I've been in many churches
00:12:22.34\00:12:23.97
over the years.
00:12:23.97\00:12:24.71
I cannot remember
00:12:24.71\00:12:26.47
seeing an individual
00:12:26.47\00:12:27.61
with this particular health
00:12:27.61\00:12:29.34
need on a prayer list.
00:12:29.34\00:12:31.48
And the question
00:12:31.48\00:12:32.41
I have is,
00:12:32.41\00:12:33.38
do we not see these individuals
00:12:33.38\00:12:35.32
on prayer lists
00:12:35.32\00:12:36.72
because on some level,
00:12:36.72\00:12:38.92
we are blaming the victims.
00:12:38.92\00:12:42.09
We're talking
00:12:44.63\00:12:45.09
about one of
00:12:45.09\00:12:45.59
the Western world's
00:12:45.59\00:12:46.83
great epidemics.
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.90
And that epidemic
00:12:48.90\00:12:50.60
is overweight and obesity.
00:12:50.60\00:12:52.83
Have you seen that
00:12:53.77\00:12:54.44
on the prayer list?
00:12:54.44\00:12:55.14
Help so-and-so
00:12:55.14\00:12:56.64
lose weight this year.
00:12:56.64\00:12:57.97
Have you ever seen that?
00:12:57.97\00:12:59.47
I mean, I haven't seen it.
00:12:59.77\00:13:00.84
I'm just being honest with you.
00:13:00.84\00:13:02.01
Maybe you've seen it
00:13:02.01\00:13:02.81
on prayer lists
00:13:02.81\00:13:03.48
or maybe they've shared with it
00:13:03.48\00:13:04.81
individually, too.
00:13:04.81\00:13:05.71
But I'm speaking about
00:13:05.71\00:13:06.38
corporate prayer.
00:13:06.38\00:13:07.88
I mean, if you look at
00:13:07.88\00:13:08.65
what's happening
00:13:08.65\00:13:09.38
in our country,
00:13:09.38\00:13:10.05
it's staggering.
00:13:10.05\00:13:11.92
The orange and red,
00:13:12.15\00:13:13.86
if you look on this graphic,
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.26
the orange and red
00:13:15.26\00:13:16.22
we're talking about
00:13:16.22\00:13:17.56
in the range of 35
00:13:17.56\00:13:20.30
to 45% of the population
00:13:20.30\00:13:23.33
of those states
00:13:23.33\00:13:24.20
in the central
00:13:24.20\00:13:24.80
part of the U.S.,
00:13:24.80\00:13:25.60
including Indiana
00:13:25.60\00:13:27.57
where we're
00:13:27.57\00:13:28.40
preaching from today,
00:13:28.40\00:13:31.04
with staggering rates.
00:13:31.04\00:13:32.17
This is obesity.
00:13:32.17\00:13:33.14
This is not just overweight.
00:13:33.14\00:13:34.48
And by the way,
00:13:35.51\00:13:36.21
just for the record,
00:13:36.21\00:13:37.55
those of you that are viewing,
00:13:37.55\00:13:39.38
I'm not looking at you
00:13:39.38\00:13:40.72
on television
00:13:40.72\00:13:41.55
because you're overweight,
00:13:41.55\00:13:43.18
okay?
00:13:43.18\00:13:43.28
it's the same with you
00:13:43.75\00:13:44.22
in the congregation.
00:13:44.29\00:13:45.42
I try to keep good eye
00:13:45.42\00:13:46.62
contact with the whole
00:13:46.62\00:13:47.92
group of you that are here.
00:13:47.92\00:13:49.26
So don't feel like I'm
00:13:49.26\00:13:50.19
looking at you the whole time
00:13:50.19\00:13:51.76
and I'm singling you out
00:13:51.76\00:13:53.80
because you knew
00:13:54.00\00:13:54.76
you've gained 5 pounds
00:13:54.76\00:13:55.96
in the last year
00:13:55.96\00:13:57.07
and I'm trying
00:13:57.07\00:13:57.77
to embarrass you.
00:13:57.77\00:13:58.47
Okay?
00:13:58.47\00:13:58.80
So we've cleared
00:13:58.93\00:13:59.37
the air there, okay?
00:13:59.47\00:14:01.00
So 2021,
00:14:01.00\00:14:02.94
this is the latest data
00:14:02.94\00:14:04.67
as of actually 2023,
00:14:04.67\00:14:06.31
this is the most
00:14:06.31\00:14:06.91
you know, it
00:14:06.91\00:14:07.14
takes a while for data
00:14:07.44\00:14:08.11
to be compiled.
00:14:08.11\00:14:09.74
If you were to look back
00:14:09.74\00:14:10.68
ten years ago
00:14:10.68\00:14:11.48
would the map look the same,
00:14:11.48\00:14:13.55
would it be the same map?
00:14:13.55\00:14:14.48
So here we are
00:14:14.48\00:14:15.18
ten years ago.
00:14:16.15\00:14:17.52
Look at this.
00:14:17.52\00:14:19.62
Greens, lower rates,
00:14:19.92\00:14:21.39
yellow lower rates.
00:14:21.39\00:14:22.86
This is where
00:14:22.86\00:14:23.39
we were ten years ago
00:14:23.39\00:14:24.43
as a country.
00:14:24.43\00:14:25.29
And now we're here.
00:14:25.29\00:14:27.13
So we're dealing
00:14:27.30\00:14:28.30
with an epidemic
00:14:28.30\00:14:29.53
of overweight and obesity.
00:14:29.53\00:14:30.90
So if you're struggling
00:14:30.90\00:14:31.77
with your weight,
00:14:31.77\00:14:32.53
you're in good company.
00:14:32.53\00:14:34.60
If you include
00:14:34.60\00:14:35.20
overweight with it,
00:14:35.20\00:14:36.14
it is
00:14:36.14\00:14:36.44
the majority of the population.
00:14:36.84\00:14:38.44
Obesity, extreme overweight.
00:14:40.98\00:14:43.41
We're talking about
00:14:43.58\00:14:44.45
one third of the population
00:14:44.45\00:14:46.15
in Midwestern states, over
00:14:46.15\00:14:47.82
one third,
00:14:47.82\00:14:48.62
like here in Indiana.
00:14:48.62\00:14:50.22
And even the portions
00:14:50.22\00:14:51.55
of our country
00:14:51.55\00:14:52.12
that are doing
00:14:52.12\00:14:52.55
the best,
00:14:52.55\00:14:53.25
it's still over a quarter.
00:14:53.25\00:14:56.29
So what can we do?
00:14:56.42\00:14:57.36
What can we do to help?
00:14:57.36\00:14:58.63
How about as individuals,
00:14:58.63\00:15:00.90
do we fall into the trap
00:15:00.90\00:15:02.36
like those disciples did?
00:15:02.36\00:15:03.50
Are we blaming people?
00:15:03.50\00:15:05.83
And I'm
00:15:05.83\00:15:06.23
just telling you, I've worked
00:15:06.53\00:15:07.50
in this area for over 30 years.
00:15:07.50\00:15:09.24
I used to be
00:15:09.24\00:15:09.74
the medical director
00:15:09.74\00:15:10.71
of a large hospital
00:15:10.71\00:15:11.64
weight loss program.
00:15:11.64\00:15:12.61
It's a major medical system
00:15:12.61\00:15:14.31
in the US.
00:15:14.31\00:15:14.78
And, and
00:15:14.78\00:15:16.44
what I found in dealing with
00:15:16.44\00:15:18.11
people who struggle with
00:15:18.11\00:15:19.11
this is
00:15:19.11\00:15:20.88
some people think
00:15:20.88\00:15:22.15
they're helping them by saying,
00:15:22.15\00:15:24.25
you know, what's your problem?
00:15:25.19\00:15:26.22
You know?
00:15:26.22\00:15:26.62
You know,
00:15:26.69\00:15:26.92
get your life together.
00:15:27.26\00:15:28.22
You know,
00:15:28.22\00:15:28.46
why don't you just lose weight?
00:15:28.92\00:15:29.52
And they think they're
00:15:29.52\00:15:30.03
doing them a favor.
00:15:30.03\00:15:30.93
How much of a favor
00:15:30.93\00:15:31.66
do you think that's doing
00:15:31.66\00:15:32.36
for people?
00:15:32.36\00:15:33.36
It's doing zero, okay?
00:15:33.60\00:15:36.10
Now we're going to talk
00:15:36.10\00:15:37.70
about something
00:15:37.70\00:15:38.33
that you can use
00:15:38.33\00:15:39.23
as individuals.
00:15:39.23\00:15:40.57
You can use it in a home
00:15:40.57\00:15:41.67
Bible study group.
00:15:41.67\00:15:43.14
We could do it
00:15:43.14\00:15:43.67
as a local church here.
00:15:43.67\00:15:47.01
We're rolling out
00:15:47.01\00:15:47.88
a new program.
00:15:47.88\00:15:48.78
Many of you who
00:15:49.74\00:15:50.78
know about our radio show,
00:15:50.78\00:15:52.25
American Indian and Alaska
00:15:52.25\00:15:53.58
Native Living,
00:15:53.58\00:15:54.85
it is
00:15:54.85\00:15:55.58
in the month of January 2023
00:15:55.58\00:15:58.45
featuring, those of you
00:15:58.85\00:16:00.16
that listen to this live
00:16:00.16\00:16:01.36
it's actually coming out
00:16:01.36\00:16:02.26
just this week,
00:16:02.26\00:16:03.83
actually Monday, it's
00:16:03.83\00:16:05.03
coming out,
00:16:05.03\00:16:06.03
this episode introducing
00:16:06.03\00:16:07.50
what we're calling a
00:16:07.50\00:16:08.56
it's a brand new program.
00:16:08.56\00:16:09.86
I've worked in this area
00:16:09.86\00:16:10.70
for many years,
00:16:10.70\00:16:11.20
but it's a new program
00:16:11.20\00:16:12.20
that we're rolling out.
00:16:12.20\00:16:12.90
We're calling it the Fast
00:16:12.90\00:16:14.10
8 program. Fast 8.
00:16:14.10\00:16:16.37
And if you want to be
00:16:16.64\00:16:17.84
a part of it, you can sign up.
00:16:17.84\00:16:19.34
It's exclusively virtual.
00:16:19.34\00:16:21.48
Just go to our our church
00:16:21.48\00:16:23.48
health web page,
00:16:23.51\00:16:24.95
TimelessHealingInsights.org,
00:16:24.95\00:16:27.62
TimelessHealingInsights.org,
00:16:27.62\00:16:30.25
and you can sign up
00:16:30.62\00:16:31.45
for the Fast 8 program.
00:16:31.45\00:16:33.12
You say, what is it all about?
00:16:33.12\00:16:34.49
Well, if you sign up, you
00:16:34.49\00:16:36.02
and you could read
00:16:36.02\00:16:36.56
the fine print.
00:16:36.56\00:16:37.36
You can read it online.
00:16:37.36\00:16:38.43
It says an eight week
00:16:38.43\00:16:39.83
life changing weight and health
00:16:39.83\00:16:42.60
optimization program
00:16:42.83\00:16:44.57
launching on Sunday,
00:16:44.57\00:16:45.80
February 5th of 2023.
00:16:45.80\00:16:49.10
Now,
00:16:49.74\00:16:50.41
because this is being filmed,
00:16:50.41\00:16:52.21
it's going to go out
00:16:52.21\00:16:52.81
in different networks.
00:16:52.81\00:16:53.78
It's going to be archived
00:16:53.78\00:16:54.68
online.
00:16:54.68\00:16:55.64
Doesn?atter
00:16:55.64\00:16:56.24
when someone watches this.
00:16:56.24\00:16:57.61
These resources
00:16:57.61\00:16:58.61
are going to be on the website
00:16:58.61\00:17:00.15
and people can download
00:17:00.15\00:17:01.42
the handout.
00:17:01.42\00:17:01.85
You can do that right now
00:17:02.05\00:17:02.72
if you're sitting right here,
00:17:02.72\00:17:03.62
If some of you want to be
00:17:03.62\00:17:05.09
some of our beta testers
00:17:05.09\00:17:06.96
from the very first,
00:17:06.96\00:17:08.16
you can go on right now,
00:17:08.16\00:17:09.72
sign up
00:17:09.72\00:17:10.33
and see
00:17:10.33\00:17:10.59
if you can download
00:17:10.86\00:17:11.36
the handout.
00:17:11.36\00:17:11.76
If you can't,
00:17:11.76\00:17:12.43
you know, jump up and scream.
00:17:12.43\00:17:14.46
No, don't do that.
00:17:14.46\00:17:15.36
But but get my attention
00:17:15.36\00:17:17.03
after the service.
00:17:17.03\00:17:18.10
I checked before the service
00:17:18.10\00:17:20.07
and it looks like
00:17:20.07\00:17:20.60
everything's operating.
00:17:20.60\00:17:21.84
So you certainly say, well,
00:17:21.84\00:17:22.70
why would I want to sign up?
00:17:22.70\00:17:23.64
Why don't
00:17:23.64\00:17:23.97
you just let me download
00:17:24.24\00:17:25.11
the handout?
00:17:25.11\00:17:25.84
I can tell you already,
00:17:25.84\00:17:26.98
since we're just releasing
00:17:26.98\00:17:28.04
this program,
00:17:28.04\00:17:28.81
we are continually upgrading
00:17:28.81\00:17:30.38
the handout.
00:17:30.38\00:17:30.81
It's already in.
00:17:30.81\00:17:31.38
It's like
00:17:31.38\00:17:32.01
third revision,
00:17:32.01\00:17:33.05
and I've got another one
00:17:33.05\00:17:34.08
scheduled in a few days
00:17:34.08\00:17:35.55
because as we're releasing it
00:17:35.55\00:17:37.05
and sharing with people,
00:17:37.05\00:17:38.12
some are saying, Well,
00:17:38.12\00:17:38.75
this didn't make sense here.
00:17:38.75\00:17:40.09
Could you explain this
00:17:40.09\00:17:40.86
a little bit better?
00:17:40.86\00:17:41.86
So it's
00:17:41.86\00:17:42.56
if you sign up for this,
00:17:42.56\00:17:44.29
you'll continue
00:17:44.29\00:17:45.03
to get notifications.
00:17:45.03\00:17:46.16
We update the handouts.
00:17:46.16\00:17:47.56
And also we're going
00:17:47.56\00:17:48.20
to be rolling out
00:17:48.20\00:17:48.86
video resources
00:17:48.86\00:17:50.17
come February 4th,
00:17:50.17\00:17:51.80
actually the day
00:17:51.80\00:17:52.40
before the program launches
00:17:52.47\00:17:54.00
to support people on it.
00:17:54.00\00:17:55.77
So again,
00:17:55.77\00:17:56.20
the subtitle, eight weeks,
00:17:56.40\00:17:58.14
eight fasts, there
00:17:58.14\00:17:59.94
eight Bible fasts,
00:17:59.94\00:18:01.61
lifelong health improvement.
00:18:01.61\00:18:03.78
It launches Sunday,
00:18:03.95\00:18:05.21
February 5th,
00:18:05.21\00:18:06.61
and this
00:18:06.61\00:18:07.25
virtual pre-launch seminar,
00:18:07.25\00:18:09.35
Saturday, February
00:18:09.35\00:18:10.25
4th at 7 p.m..
00:18:10.25\00:18:11.42
So if you want to
00:18:11.42\00:18:12.69
make sure you're notified
00:18:12.69\00:18:14.52
of that live video event,
00:18:14.52\00:18:16.89
you'll want to make sure
00:18:17.19\00:18:18.43
that you register
00:18:18.43\00:18:19.93
on the website.
00:18:19.93\00:18:21.60
Again, it's
00:18:21.60\00:18:22.13
TimelessHealingInsights.org.
00:18:22.26\00:18:24.20
If you get frustrated,
00:18:24.43\00:18:25.67
someone's watching this in 2025
00:18:25.67\00:18:27.90
and they can't find it,
00:18:28.27\00:18:29.57
just go to
00:18:29.57\00:18:30.01
TimelessHealingInsights.org/FAST
00:18:30.27\00:18:33.54
And even if it's not right
00:18:33.81\00:18:34.91
on our home page,
00:18:34.91\00:18:36.14
you'll be able to get to it
00:18:36.14\00:18:37.31
directly using that link.
00:18:37.31\00:18:39.61
So you say, okay,
00:18:39.61\00:18:41.22
this is all interesting,
00:18:41.25\00:18:42.88
but well,
00:18:42.88\00:18:44.89
how much
00:18:46.59\00:18:46.96
is this going to help me
00:18:47.19\00:18:47.79
and how much is it
00:18:47.79\00:18:48.39
going to be a resource
00:18:48.39\00:18:49.22
for those that I care about?
00:18:49.22\00:18:50.76
So remember,
00:18:50.76\00:18:51.39
what we're doing with
00:18:51.39\00:18:52.13
this program is
00:18:52.13\00:18:52.96
even though I'm going
00:18:52.96\00:18:53.43
to show you today
00:18:53.43\00:18:54.76
in this
00:18:54.76\00:18:55.96
TV episode
00:18:56.00\00:18:57.07
and the one coming
00:18:57.07\00:18:57.90
up, I'm going to show you
00:18:57.90\00:18:58.80
some of the Bible
00:18:58.80\00:18:59.50
basis that this program is
00:18:59.50\00:19:00.90
based on is built on.
00:19:00.90\00:19:03.44
We're not going to be including
00:19:03.44\00:19:04.81
a strong biblical framework.
00:19:04.81\00:19:06.44
So this is going
00:19:06.44\00:19:07.04
to be a program
00:19:07.04\00:19:07.81
that's suitable for anyone,
00:19:07.81\00:19:09.04
a coworker at work.
00:19:09.04\00:19:10.15
If someone says,
00:19:10.15\00:19:10.58
I don't want anything
00:19:10.71\00:19:11.18
to do with your church,
00:19:11.28\00:19:12.21
but you know,
00:19:12.21\00:19:12.58
they have a need in this area,
00:19:12.88\00:19:13.92
you say, Boy,
00:19:13.92\00:19:14.32
that's a difficult thing
00:19:14.52\00:19:15.32
to ask.
00:19:15.32\00:19:16.12
You know,
00:19:16.12\00:19:16.52
why would you
00:19:16.52\00:19:17.29
if I walk up and talk
00:19:17.29\00:19:18.42
with someone and say, Hey,
00:19:18.42\00:19:19.22
do you want to go on a weight
00:19:19.22\00:19:20.39
loss program?
00:19:20.39\00:19:21.06
No, this is a health and weight
00:19:21.06\00:19:22.76
optimization program.
00:19:22.76\00:19:24.33
So if you just want to improve
00:19:24.33\00:19:25.43
your health,
00:19:25.43\00:19:26.23
you are welcome to join
00:19:26.23\00:19:27.86
us, okay?
00:19:27.86\00:19:28.93
So Fast 8 is
00:19:28.93\00:19:30.03
what we're calling it.
00:19:30.03\00:19:31.13
And you can sign up
00:19:31.13\00:19:32.67
and you can share it.
00:19:32.67\00:19:33.87
You'll get the free
00:19:33.87\00:19:34.64
handout right away
00:19:34.64\00:19:36.00
and then we'll
00:19:36.00\00:19:36.74
keep you in the loop.
00:19:36.74\00:19:37.91
So are you excited,
00:19:37.91\00:19:39.01
is the question?
00:19:39.01\00:19:40.98
I can see the enthusiasm
00:19:40.98\00:19:42.34
on some of your faces.
00:19:42.34\00:19:43.41
Others of you
00:19:43.41\00:19:44.61
seem less than enthusiastic,
00:19:44.61\00:19:46.61
and that's okay.
00:19:46.61\00:19:47.48
I anticipated as much
00:19:47.48\00:19:49.58
because when we do health
00:19:49.58\00:19:51.09
events, I've noticed
00:19:51.09\00:19:52.25
there is a group of people
00:19:52.25\00:19:53.82
that always is apathetic
00:19:53.82\00:19:55.29
no matter what
00:19:55.29\00:19:55.96
program we're offering.
00:19:55.96\00:19:57.49
And right now
00:19:57.49\00:19:58.29
you might be very apathetic
00:19:58.29\00:19:59.73
saying, well,
00:19:59.73\00:20:00.26
this isn't a program for me.
00:20:00.40\00:20:01.66
My weight is just fine.
00:20:01.66\00:20:03.20
I mean, why would this be
00:20:03.20\00:20:04.13
anything I'd be interested in?
00:20:04.13\00:20:05.67
Others of you are afraid.
00:20:06.63\00:20:08.74
Wait a minute.
00:20:08.74\00:20:09.57
Eight fasts in eight weeks.
00:20:09.57\00:20:11.51
I mean, one fast.
00:20:11.51\00:20:13.34
I mean,
00:20:13.34\00:20:13.58
that sounds like enough.
00:20:13.94\00:20:14.98
I mean, eight this.
00:20:14.98\00:20:16.88
I mean,
00:20:16.88\00:20:17.58
why would any
00:20:17.58\00:20:18.21
why would I sign up for that?
00:20:18.28\00:20:20.28
And others of you, it's
00:20:20.28\00:20:21.25
just pure aversion.
00:20:21.25\00:20:22.65
You're saying
00:20:22.65\00:20:23.08
this sounds like
00:20:23.08\00:20:23.75
just another setting
00:20:23.75\00:20:24.62
where people are going
00:20:24.62\00:20:25.15
to shame me and blame me.
00:20:25.25\00:20:26.96
And and
00:20:26.96\00:20:27.66
if I sign up, I'm
00:20:27.66\00:20:28.52
just going to be a loser again
00:20:28.52\00:20:29.89
and I'm not going to work.
00:20:29.89\00:20:31.36
Well, let me take a few minutes
00:20:31.36\00:20:33.19
and give you
00:20:33.19\00:20:33.50
some Bible background
00:20:33.76\00:20:34.56
to help hopefully dispel
00:20:34.56\00:20:36.63
some of these common approaches
00:20:36.63\00:20:38.50
to various health programs.
00:20:38.50\00:20:40.47
The first one is apathy.
00:20:40.47\00:20:42.84
Let me just tell you,
00:20:42.84\00:20:44.04
God is calling all of us,
00:20:44.04\00:20:45.61
I believe, to be empathetic
00:20:45.61\00:20:47.28
when it comes to people's
00:20:47.28\00:20:48.31
health needs.
00:20:48.31\00:20:49.08
And this is one
00:20:49.08\00:20:49.81
that we need to be
00:20:49.81\00:20:50.45
empathetic about.
00:20:50.45\00:20:52.15
In Romans
00:20:52.15\00:20:53.15
12, Paul put it this way
00:20:53.15\00:20:54.98
as he was writing to
00:20:54.98\00:20:55.65
the Church of Rome,
00:20:55.65\00:20:56.85
he said, Rejoice
00:20:56.85\00:20:58.55
with those who rejoice
00:20:58.55\00:21:00.39
and weep with those who weep.
00:21:00.39\00:21:02.59
I mean, this is a real source
00:21:03.26\00:21:04.86
of struggle for so many people.
00:21:04.86\00:21:06.56
I'm just telling you,
00:21:06.56\00:21:07.23
as a physician,
00:21:07.23\00:21:08.06
as a pastor,
00:21:08.06\00:21:09.13
so many people
00:21:09.13\00:21:09.90
struggle with this.
00:21:09.90\00:21:11.10
And even though
00:21:11.10\00:21:11.63
you may not have an issue,
00:21:11.73\00:21:13.17
empathize with them and
00:21:13.17\00:21:15.14
say, I want to
00:21:16.20\00:21:17.01
you want to
00:21:17.01\00:21:17.34
please pray for this program,
00:21:17.71\00:21:18.87
even if you're not
00:21:18.87\00:21:19.54
going to go through it with us.
00:21:19.54\00:21:21.21
And by the way,
00:21:21.21\00:21:21.81
no matter what
00:21:21.81\00:21:22.34
your weight is, you are
00:21:22.34\00:21:23.21
invited to go
00:21:23.21\00:21:24.01
through this program,
00:21:24.01\00:21:24.91
this virtual program with us.
00:21:24.91\00:21:26.61
What about this one? Fear.
00:21:26.61\00:21:28.42
Eight fasts.
00:21:28.42\00:21:30.22
Should you be afraid
00:21:30.22\00:21:31.09
of this program?
00:21:31.09\00:21:31.72
Well, let me just tell you,
00:21:31.72\00:21:32.65
it is a Bible based program.
00:21:32.65\00:21:34.42
So by God's grace,
00:21:34.42\00:21:36.16
we are going to
00:21:36.16\00:21:38.19
share encouraging messages,
00:21:38.19\00:21:40.23
messages
00:21:40.53\00:21:41.16
that point
00:21:41.16\00:21:41.73
you in the right direction,
00:21:41.83\00:21:42.63
that walk with you,
00:21:42.63\00:21:43.60
that support you.
00:21:43.60\00:21:45.07
In 2 Timothy
00:21:45.07\00:21:46.63
Paul is writing to this
00:21:46.63\00:21:48.24
this young minister
00:21:48.24\00:21:49.27
and he says for God
00:21:49.27\00:21:50.14
has not given us
00:21:50.14\00:21:50.97
a spirit of fear,
00:21:50.97\00:21:52.64
but of power
00:21:52.64\00:21:54.01
and of love
00:21:54.01\00:21:55.34
and of a sound mind.
00:21:55.34\00:21:56.71
So God wants to just
00:21:56.71\00:21:58.05
like Paul was encouraging
00:21:58.05\00:21:59.25
Timothy.
00:21:59.25\00:21:59.68
God wants to encourage
00:21:59.78\00:22:00.88
us as church members
00:22:00.88\00:22:02.55
individually, not to be afraid,
00:22:02.55\00:22:04.39
but not to be afraid.
00:22:04.39\00:22:05.25
Also, as we want to share
00:22:05.25\00:22:06.82
and Minister
00:22:06.82\00:22:07.32
in our communities.
00:22:07.32\00:22:08.76
Jesus put it this way,
00:22:08.76\00:22:10.66
If the sun sets you free,
00:22:10.66\00:22:13.09
you will be free indeed.
00:22:13.26\00:22:14.83
Does God want to free us
00:22:14.83\00:22:16.26
from all of our bad habits?
00:22:16.26\00:22:18.20
He does, there's no question
00:22:18.20\00:22:19.57
about it.
00:22:19.57\00:22:20.64
And in Philippians 2,
00:22:20.64\00:22:22.40
Paul put it this way, for
00:22:22.40\00:22:23.71
it is God
00:22:23.71\00:22:24.37
who works in you to will
00:22:24.37\00:22:26.54
and to act
00:22:26.54\00:22:28.28
in order
00:22:28.28\00:22:28.71
to fulfill his good purpose.
00:22:28.94\00:22:30.35
So God wants to to help you
00:22:30.35\00:22:32.41
to see practical things
00:22:32.58\00:22:34.58
that can make
00:22:34.65\00:22:35.15
a difference in your life.
00:22:35.28\00:22:36.32
He wants us to come together.
00:22:36.32\00:22:37.95
Those of you
00:22:37.95\00:22:38.45
that have been praying
00:22:38.45\00:22:39.05
about some
00:22:39.05\00:22:39.49
ministry opportunity,
00:22:39.62\00:22:40.79
it can be as easy
00:22:40.79\00:22:41.66
as inviting a neighbor
00:22:41.66\00:22:43.43
to go through the program
00:22:43.43\00:22:44.76
and supporting one another
00:22:44.76\00:22:46.26
as you go
00:22:46.26\00:22:46.70
through the eight week program.
00:22:46.96\00:22:48.30
But what about this
00:22:48.30\00:22:49.06
one, aversion?
00:22:49.06\00:22:50.10
Because maybe you have
00:22:50.10\00:22:51.43
struggled with your weight
00:22:51.43\00:22:52.53
and you say, listen,
00:22:52.53\00:22:53.37
every time I go
00:22:53.37\00:22:53.97
on a weight loss program,
00:22:53.97\00:22:54.87
yeah, I lose weight.
00:22:54.87\00:22:55.94
I put even more back on.
00:22:55.94\00:22:57.21
I feel even more
00:22:57.21\00:22:57.97
like a failure.
00:22:57.97\00:22:58.87
They tell me all these things
00:22:58.87\00:23:00.08
I've got to do
00:23:00.08\00:23:00.98
and I can't do them.
00:23:00.98\00:23:02.51
Well, what about that?
00:23:02.51\00:23:05.85
In Galatians
00:23:05.85\00:23:06.51
6, Paul said,
00:23:06.51\00:23:08.28
Bear one another's burdens
00:23:08.28\00:23:10.29
and so fulfill
00:23:10.42\00:23:11.25
the law of Christ.
00:23:11.25\00:23:12.19
We really,
00:23:12.19\00:23:13.02
as we're developing
00:23:13.02\00:23:13.92
this program,
00:23:13.92\00:23:14.52
we're really looking at it
00:23:14.52\00:23:15.59
and saying, you know what?
00:23:15.59\00:23:16.56
We want to come
00:23:16.56\00:23:17.13
alongside people.
00:23:17.13\00:23:18.09
We want to support them.
00:23:18.09\00:23:19.89
And in Matthew 7,
00:23:19.89\00:23:21.53
you remember
00:23:21.53\00:23:21.96
the words of Jesus, Judge,
00:23:22.16\00:23:23.50
not that ye be not judged.
00:23:23.50\00:23:25.50
So this is not some opportunity
00:23:25.50\00:23:27.20
to make people feel bad
00:23:27.20\00:23:28.47
or to give them
00:23:28.47\00:23:28.97
another opportunity
00:23:28.97\00:23:30.01
just to be defeated.
00:23:30.01\00:23:31.71
But it's an opportunity for us
00:23:31.71\00:23:33.58
as a church,
00:23:33.58\00:23:34.34
for our viewing community
00:23:34.34\00:23:35.68
to support
00:23:35.68\00:23:36.54
one another
00:23:36.54\00:23:37.45
as we go on this journey.
00:23:37.45\00:23:39.65
So really, it can
00:23:39.65\00:23:41.15
there be a Bible based
00:23:41.15\00:23:42.82
fasting program?
00:23:42.82\00:23:44.52
Does the Bible
00:23:44.52\00:23:45.22
really have a basis
00:23:45.22\00:23:46.62
for a fasting program
00:23:46.62\00:23:48.26
that could help our health?
00:23:48.26\00:23:50.29
Well, some of this material
00:23:50.29\00:23:52.09
you'll find in the handout,
00:23:52.09\00:23:53.46
you won't find the Bible text
00:23:53.46\00:23:54.93
because remember,
00:23:54.93\00:23:55.46
we're trying to
00:23:55.46\00:23:56.23
this initial roll
00:23:56.23\00:23:57.40
out of the program
00:23:57.40\00:23:58.57
is for people,
00:23:58.57\00:23:59.90
no matter what
00:23:59.90\00:24:00.80
their spiritual walk is,
00:24:00.80\00:24:02.37
the Bible principles
00:24:02.37\00:24:03.57
undergird it,
00:24:03.57\00:24:04.51
but we're not going to hit them
00:24:04.51\00:24:05.67
over the head with the Bible.
00:24:05.67\00:24:06.64
So someone
00:24:06.64\00:24:07.44
you share it with,
00:24:07.44\00:24:08.61
a secular friend,
00:24:08.61\00:24:10.58
they're not going to say,
00:24:10.58\00:24:11.38
Oh, you're just trying
00:24:11.38\00:24:12.01
to convert me.
00:24:12.01\00:24:12.78
Two principles of
00:24:14.75\00:24:15.62
biblical fasting
00:24:15.62\00:24:16.45
that I want to look
00:24:16.45\00:24:17.35
at with you.
00:24:17.35\00:24:18.75
First of all,
00:24:18.75\00:24:19.79
fasting transcends
00:24:19.79\00:24:21.66
what we eat and drink.
00:24:21.66\00:24:22.76
We're going to see
00:24:22.76\00:24:23.63
a lot of times
00:24:23.63\00:24:24.09
you hear fast and you think,
00:24:24.29\00:24:25.39
Oh my, I can't eat this,
00:24:25.39\00:24:26.80
I can't drink that.
00:24:26.80\00:24:27.73
What is he going to have me do?
00:24:27.73\00:24:28.76
What, at eight weeks?
00:24:28.76\00:24:29.70
What is it?
00:24:29.70\00:24:30.30
A lot of the things
00:24:30.30\00:24:31.20
we're going to talk about
00:24:31.20\00:24:32.17
are things
00:24:32.17\00:24:32.63
that have nothing to do
00:24:32.73\00:24:33.60
with food or beverages.
00:24:33.60\00:24:35.24
And I know some of you
00:24:35.24\00:24:35.94
are really scratching
00:24:35.94\00:24:36.67
your heads right now,
00:24:36.67\00:24:37.44
but we'll look at
00:24:37.44\00:24:37.91
the biblical basis for this.
00:24:38.11\00:24:39.84
And then
00:24:39.84\00:24:40.31
the second point is
00:24:40.38\00:24:41.31
that fasting
00:24:41.31\00:24:41.94
can be viewed
00:24:41.94\00:24:42.48
as an application of temperance
00:24:42.64\00:24:44.81
using that
00:24:44.81\00:24:45.45
which is good in moderation
00:24:45.45\00:24:47.22
and totally avoiding
00:24:47.22\00:24:48.55
that which is harmful.
00:24:48.55\00:24:49.65
So I want to just look quickly
00:24:49.65\00:24:51.22
at these
00:24:51.22\00:24:51.59
two biblical principles
00:24:51.79\00:24:53.46
that undergird the program.
00:24:53.46\00:24:55.12
The first one, fasting goes
00:24:55.12\00:24:57.09
far beyond
00:24:57.09\00:24:58.16
what we eat and drink.
00:24:58.16\00:24:59.59
And one of the great texts
00:24:59.59\00:25:01.03
that deal with
00:25:01.03\00:25:01.50
this is Isaiah 58.
00:25:01.50\00:25:04.00
In Isaiah 58,
00:25:04.00\00:25:05.40
God's people are coming to him
00:25:05.40\00:25:07.47
just like
00:25:07.47\00:25:08.04
we started this presentation.
00:25:08.17\00:25:09.50
It's like, Do you hear us God?
00:25:09.50\00:25:11.07
Are you listening to me?
00:25:11.07\00:25:12.47
Does your counsel apply to me?
00:25:12.47\00:25:13.98
And that's what they're saying.
00:25:13.98\00:25:15.24
They're saying,
00:25:15.24\00:25:15.68
Why have we fasted,
00:25:15.78\00:25:17.11
and you haven't seen?
00:25:17.11\00:25:18.71
Why have we
00:25:18.71\00:25:19.21
afflicted our souls,
00:25:19.21\00:25:20.48
and you take no notice?
00:25:20.48\00:25:22.72
What are they experiencing?
00:25:22.82\00:25:25.52
we're trying to press close to
00:25:25.52\00:25:26.69
God, and He's not answering.
00:25:26.69\00:25:28.09
God does
00:25:29.49\00:25:30.13
answer through
00:25:30.13\00:25:30.73
Isaiah
00:25:30.73\00:25:31.79
He says, In fact,
00:25:31.79\00:25:33.23
in the day of your fast
00:25:33.23\00:25:34.86
you find pleasure
00:25:34.86\00:25:36.36
and you exploit
00:25:36.36\00:25:37.30
all your laborers.
00:25:37.30\00:25:39.00
Indeed, you fast
00:25:39.00\00:25:40.14
for strife and debate
00:25:40.14\00:25:41.54
and to strike
00:25:41.54\00:25:42.44
with the fist of wickedness.
00:25:42.44\00:25:44.34
You're saying you're fasting,
00:25:44.34\00:25:45.44
trying to come close to God,
00:25:45.44\00:25:46.54
but you're
00:25:46.54\00:25:46.84
oppressing other people.
00:25:47.14\00:25:51.31
And then God describes
00:25:51.31\00:25:53.08
what a true fast looks like.
00:25:53.08\00:25:54.75
Is this not the fast
00:25:54.75\00:25:55.82
that I have chosen
00:25:55.82\00:25:56.82
to loose the bonds
00:25:56.82\00:25:58.02
of wickedness,
00:25:58.02\00:25:58.99
to undo the heavy burdens,
00:25:58.99\00:26:00.46
to let the oppressed go free,
00:26:00.46\00:26:01.76
and that you break every yoke?
00:26:01.76\00:26:03.96
Is it not to share
00:26:05.03\00:26:06.09
your bread with the hungry
00:26:06.09\00:26:07.30
and that you bring
00:26:07.30\00:26:08.03
to your house
00:26:08.03\00:26:09.03
the poor who are cast out
00:26:09.03\00:26:10.53
when you see the naked
00:26:10.53\00:26:11.50
that you cover him
00:26:11.50\00:26:12.43
and that you
00:26:12.43\00:26:13.17
hide not yourself
00:26:13.17\00:26:14.34
from your own flesh?
00:26:14.34\00:26:17.27
God is trying to help us
00:26:17.27\00:26:18.54
see if you don't catch it in
00:26:18.54\00:26:19.64
Isaiah 58.
00:26:19.64\00:26:20.48
He wants us to see
00:26:20.48\00:26:21.64
fasting in broader terms
00:26:21.64\00:26:23.58
than what
00:26:23.58\00:26:24.01
we're eating or not eating.
00:26:24.25\00:26:25.45
Are you following
00:26:25.45\00:26:26.01
along with me?
00:26:26.01\00:26:27.78
He wants us to be involved
00:26:27.78\00:26:29.25
in ministry.
00:26:29.25\00:26:29.92
That's what Isaiah 58
00:26:29.92\00:26:31.12
is calling us to.
00:26:31.12\00:26:32.75
Think about the language
00:26:32.75\00:26:34.02
of Isaiah 58.
00:26:34.02\00:26:35.02
I've heard these
00:26:35.02\00:26:35.62
very same words
00:26:35.62\00:26:36.76
from people struggling
00:26:36.76\00:26:38.23
with their weight.
00:26:38.23\00:26:39.69
Bonds they talk about.
00:26:39.69\00:26:41.46
Heavy burdens, oppressed.
00:26:41.46\00:26:44.17
It's like a yoke.
00:26:44.40\00:26:46.00
We're talking
00:26:46.00\00:26:46.84
about trying to
00:26:46.84\00:26:47.40
make a difference,
00:26:47.40\00:26:48.57
and we're going to
00:26:49.54\00:26:50.01
make a difference
00:26:50.01\00:26:50.67
by God's grace.
00:26:50.67\00:26:52.11
Looking at eight Bible fasts.
00:26:52.11\00:26:54.38
Let me show you what
00:26:54.38\00:26:54.84
some of them are.
00:26:54.84\00:26:56.18
If you go through
00:26:56.18\00:26:56.61
the eight week program,
00:26:56.75\00:26:57.45
we're going to talk about
00:26:57.45\00:26:58.01
fasting from negativity,
00:26:58.01\00:26:59.55
especially as it relates
00:26:59.55\00:27:00.62
to things
00:27:00.62\00:27:01.02
like a person's weight,
00:27:01.18\00:27:02.58
fasting from judgmentalism,
00:27:02.58\00:27:04.22
judging your own self
00:27:04.22\00:27:05.52
and fasting from isolation.
00:27:05.52\00:27:07.56
Are you game
00:27:07.92\00:27:08.92
to join us on this journey?
00:27:08.92\00:27:11.69
TimelessHealingInsights.org.
00:27:12.26\00:27:15.43
I encourage you to sign up,
00:27:15.43\00:27:17.67
support this community
00:27:17.67\00:27:19.83
that's going to go through
00:27:19.83\00:27:20.57
this virtual program.
00:27:20.57\00:27:21.80
Let's pray.
00:27:21.80\00:27:23.10
Father in Heaven,
00:27:23.10\00:27:23.87
we thank you so much
00:27:23.87\00:27:24.87
that you're a God
00:27:24.87\00:27:25.47
who cares about us.
00:27:25.47\00:27:26.54
You do hear our need.
00:27:26.54\00:27:27.81
Many have been crying out.
00:27:27.81\00:27:28.98
They,
00:27:28.98\00:27:29.51
they're struggling
00:27:29.68\00:27:30.41
with their weight,
00:27:30.41\00:27:31.05
with their health.
00:27:31.05\00:27:32.08
And we believe that you have
00:27:32.08\00:27:33.55
allowed light
00:27:33.55\00:27:34.38
to shine on our paths
00:27:34.38\00:27:35.45
to be a blessing.
00:27:35.45\00:27:36.48
Please help us to embrace that,
00:27:36.48\00:27:37.92
to share it with others,
00:27:37.92\00:27:38.99
and to experience
00:27:38.99\00:27:39.99
the blessings of it.
00:27:39.99\00:27:41.39
For we ask it in
00:27:41.39\00:27:42.12
Jesus name, Amen.
00:27:42.12\00:27:43.66
Please, please.
00:27:44.66\00:27:46.46
I want to encourage you,
00:27:46.46\00:27:47.40
no matter what your weight is,
00:27:47.40\00:27:49.43
catch the vision
00:27:49.43\00:27:50.40
for this opportunity
00:27:50.40\00:27:51.53
starting February 5th of 2023.
00:27:51.53\00:27:54.27
Join us on this life
00:27:54.50\00:27:56.14
changing journey.
00:27:56.14\00:27:57.21