Participants: Pr. David Klinedinst
Series Code: DPR
Program Code: DPR000016A
|
00:07 I'd like to begin tonight by inviting you
00:11 to use your imagination, I want you to 00:16 pretend you have been given three wishes 00:20 to ask for anything in life that you want. 00:24 With those three wishes as you're thinking now 00:28 what would you choose to wish for 00:32 how many of you would 00:36 seriously consider using one of your 00:40 wishes to wish for perfect health 00:44 for the rest of your life could I see your hands 00:48 oh look at all those hands that are up, so I think 00:52 we all agree that good health is important 00:56 and when you think about it, it is a key ingredient to happiness. 01:00 one of the most wonderful truths about God is that 01:04 He loves and cares for us in a very personal 01:08 and a very intimate way and you will find that He has given 01:12 us principles in scripture of how to live a happy healthy, 01:16 and abundant life I want you totake your Bibles and turn with me 01:20 to John chapter 10 and verse 10 this will be one our 01:24 foundational text tonight. Now I'm going to read this off the 01:28 screen John 10 verse 10 these 01:32 are the words of Jesus. The bible says 01:48 Now who is the thief 01:52 that Jesus is talking about here? well tha is the devil 01:59 Satan would like nothing more than to steal our Joy, to get us 02:03 to engage in practices that would destroy our minds and bodies 02:07 so that we cannot connect with God see the devil wants to tear down 02:11 Jesus wants to build up and he says he has come 02:15 so that we can life more abundantly 02:19 in fact more than that, just a few years later 02:23 John wrote these words in his letter to the christian church 02:27 3rd John chapter 1 verse 2 he bible says 02:43 See, one of the things you find about God is He isn't only interested 02:47 in our spiritual health but also interested in 02:51 our physical health. You say now why would that be? 02:54 Why would God be interested in my physical health. Because God 02:59 is a loving parent see actually there is actually three is reasons 03:02 I want to put them on the screen for us to take a look at. 03:07 Reason #1 Is that God loves us. 03:11 I want uou to think about your mother. How many of you 03:15 had Mother's who stood by you at the kitchen table 03:19 and insisted that you eat all the vegetables 03:23 on your plate. Can I see your hands oh my many of us, listen 03:27 my mother would stand there and she was so fearful 03:31 that I wouldn't eat enough to keep a bird alive you know what she would call me in 03:35 I just wanted eat a couple bites and go back and play with my friends 03:39 like any kid would want to do and she got so scared she keep calling 03:43 up the doctor saying doctor he wouldn't eat anything he would 03:47 eat and she did this over and over again until finally 03:51 the doctor got tired of it and said mam listen, 03:55 when the boy is hungry the boy will eat 03:59 and she finally my mother learned to accepted that, so why do you 04:03 think our mother did that? Because they're restrictive because they 04:07 what to force us to do thing we don't like to do. Because 04:11 they love us and want us to be bif and strong and healthy 04:15 and in some ways God is the very same way he is like a 04:19 loving parent. Reason # 1 04:23 God understands that it is hard to be happy 04:27 when you are in poor health isn't it? It is not impossible but when you have 04:31 aches and pains and your suffering, you can't do the things that 04:35 that you want to do it's hard to be happy and God wants 04:39 better better for us than that. and of course reason 04:43 #3 is We can't serve the Lord to are fullest 04:47 potential when we're in poor health. I can't tell how many people have 04:51 said to me, I wish I could do more for the Lord but I can't do 04:55 things I used to do because of my health 04:59 God says he wants us to prosper and He wants us to be in 05:03 health. But,here is the question 05:07 if God wants me to live an abundant life 05:11 then why is the opposite happening in our world today 05:15 why is our health in such sad state of 05:19 affairs healthcare has problems 05:23 our bodies are dying and deteriorating 05:26 every nursing home is usually overflowing every hospital 05:31 so if God wants me to prosper and be in health 05:35 what is the problem and the conclusion we come to is this 05:39 is it possible that God 05:43 has given this world some principles of health that 05:47 we have been over looking? 05:50 is it possible that God has given a health plan to human family 05:54 that the world has been ignoring 05:58 and the answer is yes that why tonight we are going to study 06:02 God's health plan for human family so I want you to take your Bibles 06:06 and we're going to look at the three pronged approached 06:10 of God's plan for the human family all three 06:14 of these healthprinciple are found in the book of 1st Corinthians 06:18 so take your bibles and we are going to go to 1st Corinthians 06:22 chapter 10 and we are going to begin in verse 06:26 31 The Bible says, Therefore 06:30 whether you eat or whether you drink 06:34 or whatever you do, do all to the (what?) 06:38 glory of God and that is just one sentence long 06:42 the bible basically telling whatever we do whether it's eating drinking 06:46 whatever practice we engage in it ought 06:51 to be positive and brings glory and brings 06:55 honor to God that is health principle #1 06:59 Health principle #2 is still found in 07:03 1st Corinthians but it is in chapter 6, lets go there 07:07 1st Corinthians chapter 6 and in verse 07:11 19 Paul writes this and the bible 07:15 says Or do you not know that 07:19 your body is the (what?) temple temple of the Holy 07:23 Spirit within you, whom you have from God, 07:27 and you are not your own? for you were bought at a price 07:31 therefore glorify God in your body 07:35 and in your spirit which are God's Now we got 07:39 to stop there for second there is a principle in that 07:43 verse that many people in the world don't like 07:47 it is telling us that my body doesn't belong to me 07:51 and I do not have the right to do it whatever 07:55 I wish. See that is a a hard conncept because 07:59 when you think about it who created the body 08:03 of course God did. I didn't create my own body I didn't form 08:07 My heart and my lungs and my veins and my capillaries 08:11 God did that so not only did he create my body 08:15 but the Bible says he died for me on the cross of calvary 08:19 so there is two ways he owns me. Creation and by 08:23 redemption, Can you say Amen. so see many times people 08:27 say it is my body I'll do what I want as long as it doesn't 08:31 hurt anybody else. Actually that's not true 08:35 my body, your body, is the temple of the Holy Spirit 08:39 it is where God wants to dwell so this passage 08:43 is telling us that we need to honor God with our bodies 08:47 and take care of them because really when you think about 08:51 it it makes a lot of sense how many bodies do we get on earth 08:55 you get one so if I mess it up I don't get another 08:59 one until the day of the resurrection. So thst is pricple #2. 09:03 principle #3 is a couple pages back 09:07 in chapter 3 1st Corinthians chapter 3 09:11 and verse 16 09:15 The Bible says, Do you not know 09:19 that you are the temple of God and that the spirit 09:23 of God dwells in you if anyone defiles the 09:27 temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple 09:31 of God is holy, which temple you are 09:35 this kind of reiterates a little bit more what the last verse said 09:39 what the Bible is telling us is simply saying, don't do anything 09:43 that would destroy the body or the 09:47 mind not only because it belongs to Gods but He also 09:51 given it to us to you to use on this earth. Can you say amen? 09:55 and when we destroy that body or mind it is 09:59 going to affect our happiness even right here and right now, 10:03 so God loves us enough to give us these principles 10:07 in fact lets put all three on the screen 10:11 #1 Our helth habits should glorify God. 10:15 # 2 Our is holy it belongs to Him 10:19 therefor we should take care of it. And principle #3 10:23 we are not to engage in any that destroys 10:27 the body, that is it. That's God's health plan 10:31 for the human family See if you were read all 10:35 the healthcare laws and bills today you would likely read about 10:39 hundreds and hundreds of pages filled things and complex language. 10:43 God is pretty simple Amen three principles He doesn't 10:47 tell us 100,000 things we can and can't do he says listen, 10:51 here are the principles,you apply it to your life in 10:55 your situation, and God's Holy Spirit will guide you. 10:59 three simple things 11:03 now let me ask you a question how many 11:07 of you would like to own a Mercedes Benz? Come on you can be honest. 11:11 how many would like to have someone give them a Mercedes Benz 11:15 only half of you cause half don't have your hand up, if someone offered it to me free 11:19 I would take it. Now Mercedes Benz it is known to be 11:23 one of the best automobile in the world it is put through hundreds of quality 11:27 tests so when you finally get one you know 11:31 yor're getting soemthing good but lets suppose 11:35 when I got Mercedes Benz , in the glove box should be a 11:39 (what?) an owners manual, that owners manual 11:43 details for me how to take care of this car how often 11:47 to change the oil, the air filter what kind of gas, 11:51 to put in it all these things I need to know to keep 11:55 it good,running and healthy, but would what happen 11:59 if when I went to the gas station I though you know what 12:04 instead of put diesel in here because that cost money I'm just 12:08 going to put regular gas in. What would happen to my Mercedes Benz? 12:12 pretty soon it would be in the repair shop 12:16 with a big bill. Now can can I blame Mercedes Benz for that? 12:20 I can't beacuse I ignored the owner 12:24 manual. sometimes thats the way we are with God 12:28 we ignore his health principles and then blame God 12:32 when something negative or bad happens to us 12:35 that not fair but see what God has said 12:39 even if we engage in unhealthful practices, He said I still love you 12:43 I'm going to deliver you and I want to set you free 12:47 if you will let me. Can you say amen? So here is what we're going to do tonight 12:51 We are going to take these three simple principles 12:55 and we're going to apply them to specific things 12:59 that people struggle with in our world today, Now I want 13:02 to let you know ahead of time that we're probably we're going to tread 13:07 on sensitive subjects it is not meant to hurt 13:11 or offend anyone or make them feel bad because the truth is 13:15 every person setting here right now including myself 13:19 we all have some some king of addiction in our live is that not true 13:27 for some its physical that is just more visible or others 13:31 it maybe a spititual some kind of emotional that no body 13:35 else can really see we all have faults and our 13:39 weaknesses. God wants to give us victory over them all 13:43 and no person is better than anyone else in God eyes 13:47 can we all agree on that so here is what we're going do 13:51 i wanna tell you a story about to lead into this about 13:52 Doctor Richard Walden. He was a physician 13:55 in california and he got tired of all his patients coming 13:59 to him and asking for some kind of pills or medicine 14:03 to take away their aches and pains while still 14:07 continuing their unhealthy practices that causing it 14:11 beginning and he couldn't seem to get through his patients 14:15 you need to make different lifestyle choices so here is what he did 14:19 he wrote a little booklet He put it in his 14:23 waiting room and titled it, I'll tell you 14:27 how to die younger can you imagine that 14:31 this a bold physician, cause you know waiting room 14:35 what are you usually doing, your're waiting and 14:39 reading so he knew his so knew his patients would pick it up 14:43 he listed about 10 things. This is the first thing that he put 14:47 in his booklet about to die younger, he wrote, 14:55 Now we are going to pause here for a second 14:59 because manytimes a person may say now wait a minute the bible does not 15:03 say thou shall not smoke,it's true the bible doesn't say 15:07 the bible also doesn't say thou shall stuff cocaine 15:11 or thou shall inject heroine but there 15:15 are principles in the Bible that will help us 15:19 make our decisions. The thing is we want to understand 15:23 I know many beautiful christians who love God with all 15:27 their heart and have struggled with this particular 15:31 practice. In fact I have had People tell me this is one of 15:35 hardest addictions to able stop 15:39 but you know God has something better 15:43 lets just take a look at some scientific and medical 15:47 facts about smoking that probably won't surprise any body 15:51 We are are told 18 active poisons 15:55 in tobacco alone, the main ones nicotine and tar 15:59 Did you know that half drop of raw nicotine 16:04 would kill a rabbit, just half a drop 16:08 and there is 21/2 drops of nicotine in every cigarette 16:12 you say way doesn't it kill us instantly you know 16:16 why? Because the Bible says our bodies 16:19 are fearfully nad wonderfully made amen? its amazing 16:24 that whenever something negative happens to the body God created it 16:28 to start healing itself already properties 16:32 and agencies go into place and we cut ourself or a foreign substance goes in 16:36 and the body starts making itself well by God's grace 16:40 however, one we start doing things 16:44 over and over, over a long period of time eventually 16:48 it catches up with us. Since 1937 16:52 death from lung cancer has increased 4 times 16:56 there is 700,000 people who die from 17:00 cigarette related diseases it's a mind and body 17:04 destroying habit, and you notice the Surgeon Gemeral 17:08 you know and government standards aren't exactly the highest, but even 17:12 the Surgeon General puts a warning on every single 17:16 pack of cigarettes now just 17:20 looking at those statistics alone knowing what it does 17:24 to one's mind and body, if we were to applied 17:28 the three health principles from the bible. 17:32 what do you think? Smoking is it a health habit that glorifies God, 17:36 Yes or No? Not really, our body is Holly 17:40 and belongs to God is smoking taking care of the body? Yes or No 17:44 not really is it something that destroys the mind and body? 17:48 Yes! So according health principle of the bible 17:52 Not my opinion or Marks, 17:56 is smoking something God wants to be in are life? It is not! 18:00 you say but Pastor Dave I've known 18:04 that I want to be able to stop I can't seam 18:08 to be able do it, bother and sister I want you to know 18:12 I can understand that, and there is something I want you to hear load and clear 18:16 Regardless what anybody else may tell you 18:20 God does not love you any less 18:24 because you smoke. Can you say Amen. and He not going love you any more 18:28 when quit, He already love now as 18:32 much as He possibly can, because sometimes we get the 18:36 impression oh, someone who smokes or who struggles this health habit 18:40 they are inferior there are love they are less by God that is 18:44 that is absolutely untrue, God won't love you anymore when stop whatever 18:48 that health practice is, you say well then why should stop 18:52 if a person stops, it isn't becasue it gains them 18:56 righteousness it is because it go to make God love more 19:00 or their going to get into heaven easier ti they to stop it's because 19:05 inside they have been conviction and there're I want to care 19:09 of mind and body I'm surrendering to You and I'm asking You 19:13 to take this out of my life, it is a response to the love 19:17 of God you to make God love you,I choose 19:21 to stop becasue we are responding to what He did on the cross 19:25 calvary, if that makes sense can you say amen 19:29 but you know smoking is not the only thing we can struggle with 19:33 notice the seocnd thing that is listed in 19:37 Dr. Walter's pamphlet, I love to hold get ahold of this pamphlet, but i have been able find it 19:41 #2 He said if you want to die younger 19:45 drink alcohol even in moderation 19:49 now we perhaps should tread softly 19:53 here right now alcohol 19:57 is probably a billion dollar business 20:01 in this country and in this world probably more 20:05 it is also the number one drug problem 20:09 that exists. So the the question is 20:13 how does God look at the idea of alcohol because there are mixed opinions 20:17 about this. Now the the bible speaks specifically on it 20:21 but first lets just start with some scientific and medical facts 20:25 most of us are probably aware of anyway 20:29 fact # 1 this that alcohol cost billions dollars 20:33 in lost work medical expense and auto accidents 20:37 there is a 100,000 deaths do to alcohol 20:41 800,000 on the road in auto accidents 20:45 it is a significant factor in violent 20:49 crimes like rape and murder etc. and you kow the one 20:53 that realy struck me 61 million 20:57 families have been by alcohol 21:01 in a negative way, how many families 21:05 have been torn apart because of something 21:09 done or said by a person that was nfluence 21:13 something else words that could never 21:17 taken back actions that that you could never undo 21:21 61 million families and I would guaranty you the number 21:25 is higher than that because that is only the cases that been reported 21:29 that doesn'teven count the secret things that happen silence 21:33 every single day 21:37 that is world statistics but does God say anything 21:41 about this? And He does I want to invite you 21:45 Turn in your bibles to the book of Proverbs. What book are we going? 21:49 to Proverbs chapter 20 and 21:53 and we are going look a verse one. The Bible says, 21:57 wine is a (what?) mocker, 22:01 and strong drink is a brawler, and 22:05 whoever is led astray by it is not wise 22:09 Now let me ask you, before we dig into doe's that sound like 22:13 positive or negative comment on alcohol what do you think? 22:17 now that is pretty negative. I mean God come right out He says listen 22:21 alcohol will mock you, it will make a fool 22:25 of you and if you ever see someone 22:29 who is under the influence whether your self 22:33 at inopportune munite or someone else we realize 22:37 what alcohol can do. See when someone is under the influence 22:41 they no longer have control of their mind they usally go one of two ways 22:45 either A, alcohol mocks them, 22:49 because they lose control and they either do something silly 22:53 or something stupid or something humiliate 22:57 for the rest of their life because they are not thinking 23:01 any more but those who are not something 23:05 silly or humiliating something the would never do under normal circumstances 23:09 if you go to other side of continuum there are those 23:13 those that don't silly they get mean and angry 23:17 and nasty. Because what else did Solomon write? 23:21 strong drink is a (what?) brawler, 23:25 how many bar room fights have there been because 23:29 how many bar room fights have there been because of alcohol 23:33 and you know what is sad how much 23:37 spousal and child abuse has been a result 23:41 of somebody being under influence doing something 23:45 they would never do under normal circumstance 23:49 when lose control one time it came effect you 23:53 for the rest of your life, because your giving your mind 23:57 over to something else and that's why 24:01 God loves us too much to stay silent about it. 24:05 He says it is not wise to be led astray by wine or alcohol 24:09 stay away from it, it's not going to help us live a 24:13 healthy happy abundant life that God wants 24:17 buy you know something that really disturbs me 24:21 when I hear people and even churches says 24:25 oh now wait a minute Jesus drank alcohol 24:29 and He provided for the people at the wedding of Cana 24:33 friends I can tell you that from the bible and the bible alone that is 24:37 absolutely untrue that is just the Devil's way 24:41 that is teh devil's way of twisting things 24:45 that he can use to take control 24:49 Jesus never drank alcoholic wine 24:53 how do you know that? Two reasons just read 24:57 something in the book of Poverbs didn't we? Let me ask you something 25:01 you do we agree that Jesus lived a sinless life? Yes or No 25:05 do we agree that Jesus lived in harmony with 25:09 all the principles of scripture? Yes or No? indeed! 25:13 they had the old testament at that time, they the 25:17 book of Proverbs, I am not willing to say that Jesus 25:21 purposely ignored what was written right here Proverbs 25:25 and went ahead and drank alcohol left it as 25:29 an example for future generations after He would have read 25:33 exactly what Solomon wrote, because if Solomon wrote it 25:37 Solomon was inspired of who? The Holy Spirit 25:41 Jesus left the Holy Spirit for us. Jesus wouldn't contradict 25:45 His own word by word of by example 25:49 that is reason #1. reason #2 25:53 something sometimes that confuses people is this 25:57 something sometimes that confuses people is this 26:01 the Bible uses the word wine to describe both the 26:05 alcohol and grape juice, did you know it uses 26:09 the same word wine can describe fermented wine which is 26:13 alcohol but it can also the describe unfermented which is 26:17 pure juice of the grape, it uses the the same word the english version 26:21 does not make a differentiation you say how 26:25 are you suppose to know which kind of wine it's talking about 26:29 the Bible uses that word how do you know if it is speaking of alcohol or the 26:33 fruit of the vine you have to look at context 26:37 and it will usually be very clear, for example sense we are right here in Proverbs 26:41 Proverbs 21 it said wine 26:45 is mocker and so far it hadn't which kind of wine 26:49 but if you read the very next sentence it clarifies 26:53 strong drink is a brawler or some version say intoxicating 26:57 drinks. Well what strong drink be, would that be grape juice? 27:01 Now obviously that's talking the about alcoholic 27:06 wine and the bible say stay away 27:10 from it. So see when the bible speaks of Jesus 27:14 providing wine at the wedding Canae, that's not alcoholic 27:18 wine you think He would ignore Proverbs and provide 27:22 something like for the people in the weeding Cana when He 27:26 is the Son of God it is talking about pure 27:30 fruit of the vine see that is why important to 27:34 study the Bible in its context not just pick out one 27:38 verse, but go to all verses that talk about this subject 27:42 then we will discover Bible truth amen? 27:46 actually while we're here there is one more verse in Proverbs 27:50 that talks about alcohol it is rather poetic actually 27:54 lets go Proverbs chapter 23 and verse 29 27:58 The Bible says Who has woe? 28:02 Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? 28:06 and who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? 28:10 who has redness of the eyes those who linger 28:14 long at the wine those who go in search of mixed 28:18 wine do not look on wine when it is red 28:22 when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls smoothly 28:26 at the last it bits like a serpent and stings like a viper 28:30 your eyes will see strange things and your heart 28:34 will utter perverse things. WOW 28:38 that sounds like someone experience who has experienced that doesn't 28:42 it? I mean just notice the summary what he writes in 4 or 5 28:46 simpleverse.The Bible says, Alcohol causes woe 28:50 sorrow and contention in peoples lives, I think King James 28:54 babbling. Have you ever heard try to talk when they are under the influence 28:58 It causes us to see strange things, we will say 29:02 cruel or perverse things and it is compared to 29:06 the poison of a snake I mean what it say? 29:10 it stings like viper or some version say like an adder 29:14 see I have heard people say oh well it's ok just in 29:18 moderation does the Bible say that? 29:22 or is that just man's theory I mean if I stood up 29:26 here and said you know I have cup here of venom 29:30 Cobra, who would like to drink it, how many people would raise there hand? 29:34 Nobody, but suppose I said you know 29:38 just have a little bit, just drink it in moderation would you still 29:42 raise your hand certainly not, why would we want 29:46 even a little bit of poison, why would even 29:50 a little bit of a drink that does these things 29:54 It causes sorrow and woes takes control of our mind 29:58 thank about who would invent a drink that does all 30:02 these things and cause us to lose control of the mind 30:06 Would God invent that for us? No. That would be the Devil 30:10 it is his way of trying to get us to 30:14 hand our decision making ability over to someone 30:18 or something else cause once we surrender that 30:22 control believe me that is how the Devil well be 30:26 happy to step in. I 30:30 remember when I was a teenager my first year of college 30:34 the first couple years I didn't go to christian college I went to public college 30:38 a lot of times I can remember on Monday mornings 30:42 seating in a class room waiting for class to start and some of other students 30:46 would be talking about you know what they did on the weekend 30:50 I would kinda set there and listen, I guess I eavesdropping 30:54 since i was eavesdropping, I want to here they say, they say like aw yeah man 30:58 I went out to party, man I drink it up and that night 31:02 I was just puke in the toilet Man I had agreat time 31:06 now I'm setting thinking to my self, now wait a minute 31:10 you went to a party and you drank so much alcohol 31:14 you spend the night sicking your head your head nasty old toilet 31:18 with who knows what inside puking your guts out 31:22 That fun? I mean even if I wasn't a 31:26 a believer I would a a hard time think that's fun 31:30 In fact I would hear people say, well you know I got to drink to have 31:34 a goodtime Ya but the day after you don't 31:38 even remember the good time that you think you had, see I don't understand that 31:42 in fact you may find that you did or said some things that 31:46 you are going to regret for rest of your life and it happens 31:50 frequently, listen my friend 31:54 Kevin, when I was probably about 20 years old,my best friend 31:58 was a guy name Kevin, now Kevin wasn't christian 32:02 I am how a Christian and non christian became such great 32:06 we were great friends, I guess that is just God bring opposite together so we 32:10 could some how help each other, well he was good friend of mine 32:14 and I remember one day my mom handed me the newspaper 32:18 and said is this Kevin? I said what are talking about? Now I don't know 32:22 if they still do this today, in some newspapers they actually list the 32:26 people who were arrested in town and what they were arrested for 32:30 I don't know if just do that to shame them or what so I remember seeing 32:34 my friends in there, I said nah that can't 32:38 that can't be the Kavin I know, I said well come to think of it 32:42 I haven't seen him in the last couple days, so I 32:46 walked across the street to where his grandparents because he stayed there alot 32:50 and I said where is Kavin and his grandpa 32:54 said come here I got to tell you something, oh boy 32:58 Kevin, was in jail 33:02 In jail for what? 33:06 He said doesn't want you to come out and see him, but if 33:10 but if you insist I'll take you out, I'm like he is best friend I don't 33:14 care what he said I'm going out to see him and I remember 33:18 we took a trip out to the county jail and I went into the little visitation 33:22 room where you got to speak, you know between the thick glass, you can only 33:26 talk on the phone you can't see or touch each other and I remember he 33:30 came out with his hands cuffs and his orange jumpsuit and 33:34 and as soon saw me he was mad, he turned around and tried to go back 33:38 Dave I told you not come, I said Kavin what are you talking about 33:42 I'm your best friend you should have told me 33:46 I remember when he calmed down, he finally sat there and he told me 33:50 his story I'll forget it as long as I live 33:54 His girl friend had broken up with him 33:58 brake ups as a teenager that not fun, well it's not fun at any age 34:02 but you know it devastated him so much 34:06 that for the next three days he went out with another buddy of his 34:10 and they went on a drinking binge until 2 o'clock in the morning 34:14 and when they got kicked out of the bar 34:18 they then went out and vandalized numerous 34:22 cars and houses for three nights in a row 34:27 eventually the police caught up to them now he 34:31 he is in jail, and you what he told me, he look me straight 34:35 in the eyes and he said Dave, I don,t even 34:39 remember doing it 34:43 you see friends God has something better for us 34:47 it's the happy healthy an abundant life. Now listen 34:51 before we move on. I know for many people whither it be an 34:55 any kind addiction or struggle did you know that God has 34:59 a plan for victory for all of us. Can you say amen? He has got a five step plan 35:03 and I want to share that with you and this good for whatever 35:07 weakness that we're trying to overcome, cause God doesn't present us 35:11 things like this and say you know what you got yourself into the mess tough 35:15 luck you get yourself out of it, God doesn't work that way. He says listen 35:19 it was your choose, it maybe your fault, but you know what 35:23 I am right here beside you, I will hold your hand 35:26 and I will walk you through it, He never leaves us 35:30 nor forsakes us, people might sometimes the 35:34 church might, but Jesus wouldn't. Can you say amen? Let's go 35:38 through those 5 principles I mean I could spend all night on the 5 principles but we're 35:42 do them rather quickly here principle #1 35:46 tell God you've made a desision to quit,whatever it is, smoking, alcohol 35:50 pornography, bad temper you name it, it begins 35:54 with you, with me making a choice 35:59 because before God can help us, not because He can't 36:03 because He won't unless we chose to let Him 36:07 God will not force us to make any choices or 36:11 give anyhting up it against our will, it has to start with our 36:15 so I have to say God I am choosing today 36:19 to quit, I don't how I'm going to do that, but I'm choosing today I 36:23 no longer what them in my life, I would to quit and I need You to take it away 36:27 That is #1, Step #2 36:31 Now I go to God I ask Him to remove the desire 36:35 and I just start thanking Him for the victory, what do you mean 36:39 I thank him before it happens? Yes, that's 36:43 faith, see lets be honest whatever the addiction 36:47 my be, why do we do it? What? 36:51 That is not a hard question why do we do? We like it. 36:55 It's pleasurable to human nature 36:59 so we have to ask God to change that, 37:04 remove that desire, and give us a desire for something 37:08 else, does that make sense? Give Him permission to take it away 37:12 and then start thanking that He is going to doing it. Step #3 37:16 Remember that you are dead to sin. When 37:20 tempted stop and do what? Pray. You know why 37:24 it my seem cleshay but I tell, it's offly hard to 37:28 pray and sin at the same time, It's possible 37:32 but it's very difficult , in fact you need prayer partner 37:36 whatever it is your seeking to overcome you trust 37:40 implicitly that when you sense the desire coming, you can sense when temptation 37:44 coming you go to them you call them and say listen will pray 37:48 for me, I feel the temptation coming see prayer 37:52 God's divine intervention,is what will take that desire 37:56 away. step #4 38:00 Now this is just common sense, don't provide for the desire. 38:04 in other words avoid temping situation, so I say 38:08 Lord, I'm choosing to quit alcohol I want You to give me the victory. What 38:12 step do I need to take? That right 38:16 get rid of all alcohol in my home, stay out of bars 38:20 you probably don't need to hang other people who are drinking heavily because it is crazy 38:24 to ask God to deliver us and then to purposely 38:28 put ourselves in a tempting situations. That like 38:32 saying well God going keep a stash here right at my house just in case you deliver me 38:36 well we have already lost faith right there don't provide 38:40 for the desire. Step #5 38:44 also actually by the way when it come to pornography 38:48 another way we don't provide for the desire 38:52 watch certain kinds of movies or sitcoms on television 38:56 that going make that well up inside us 39:00 and finally step #5 most important 39:04 Spend time with God everyday, send time in a 39:08 daily devotional life, because the only thing that is going to change 39:12 my heart, the only thing that is going me strength 39:16 to make is not going to be my will power 39:20 the only thing that going to it is Jesus Christ 39:24 and His Holy Spirit living in me the way I open my life 39:28 to the Holy Spirit is buy opening the bible and opening 39:32 my life to God in prayer that's how we give Him access 39:36 into our life that is why the daily devotional life 39:40 is one single most important thing that every christian can be doing 39:44 it opens the heart to God 39:48 So that is 5 step plan for victory 39:52 I'm not saying it will happen in a day, though it has happened that way for some people, 39:56 but you go one step at a time and God is willing 40:00 God is able He wants to set you free 40:04 he loves you now while your're struggling but He knows your are going to be 40:08 even happier when He has set you free from 40:12 whatever has been hold you back and enslaving you, see that is the 40:16 God we serve He loves as we are, He accept 40:20 as we are but He doesn't want us to stay 40:24 the way we are, cause He has got something 40:28 better. Now we could go all night with addictions, we all have 40:32 them, but what about our daily life? 40:36 Has the bible given us some principles of what we do 40:40 or even eat on a daily basics?, Actually 40:44 yes! I want you to turn to very interesting verse back in 40:48 book of Genesis, this the week of creation 40:52 Notice what God says to Adam and Eve, Genesis 1 verse 29 40:56 The Bible says: "And 41:01 God said, See, I have given you every 41:05 herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all 41:09 the earth, and every tree, whose fruit yields 41:13 seed to you it shall be for food. 41:17 Do you notice the original diet God give mankind 41:21 it says I have given you every herb or the plants the field 41:25 and every fruit, you know the fruit in tree that yield seed 41:29 interestingly enough it is basically 41:33 a vegetarian diet that was God's original 41:37 plan because when you think about it really, 41:41 what would eating meat have require? killing animals 41:45 was there any killing of any kind in the Garden of Eden 41:49 absolute none, so that make sense, now understand however 41:53 it is not a sin to eat meat 41:57 you will not find that verse in the bible. I myself I choose to be 42:01 vegetarian, not because I think that God is going to love me more, but because I figure 42:05 you know what if that was God's original plan before sin entered 42:09 and since God created the body and knows what is best for us 42:13 I want to follow that plan because thats is the one God had in the 42:17 beginning. Now when you go on in the Bible 42:21 clearly God gave permission to eat some meats but because 42:25 he loves us you will find he also gave us some 42:29 principles to follow to help us to choose which 42:33 would be acceptable for human consumption and which would not be acceptable 42:37 or human consumption this is where we get into principles 42:41 of clean and unclean foods. Now sometimes 42:45 there is a bit of a misunderstanding here because the prevailing 42:49 theology says well you know clean and unclean foods 42:53 that was just for Moses and the Israelites and ceremonial law 42:57 but I want take you a very interesting verse in the bible 43:01 It's right here in the book Genesis just go to chapter 43:05 7 chapter 7 43:09 and verse 1 The Bible says 43:13 Then the Lord said to Noah,come 43:17 into the ark, you and all your household, 43:21 because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this 43:25 generation. (now notice verse 2) You shall take with you 43:29 seven each of every (what?) clean animal, 43:33 a male and his female; two each of animals that are 43:37 unclean, a male and his female; 43:41 lets pause there for a second. As God 43:45 was calling the animals into the ark He also 43:49 told Noah I want you to take 7 of what 43:53 kind? Clean and two of 43:57 unclean animals so apparently there was a distinction of 44:01 clean and unclean long before Moses 44:05 and the Jewish nation ever existed 44:09 see cause even after sin entered into the world, 44:13 God gave man principles to follow on how to a happy, 44:17 health and abundant life see 44:21 the reason God said 7 clean, now think about that, when flood 44:25 done and the water subside, and they finally get out of the Ark 44:29 What going to be there for them to eat? Nothing! 44:33 vegetation well be gone or will just be starting sprout 44:37 in order to survive they're going have to eat some of those animals 44:41 and so they 7 clean animals because they can eat some 44:45 of them but there is only two unclean, because 44:49 God does plan for them to eat the unclean. You know why? If you have 44:53 male and female and you eat one of them what's is going to happen? 44:57 there're go extinct, so here you have clean 45:01 and unclean even back at the time of Noah 45:05 and when you think about God is such a good God, He 45:09 could say to us, you know what I don't care, eat whatever you want, put 45:13 whatever in body I don't care what consequence comes from it, that's not our 45:17 God he's too personal, he's too loving, he's 45:21 caring to do that, so he listen, I'm going to give you some 45:25 principle to follow, now is He is not going send Gabriel 45:29 to open my refrigerator or follow out to Walmart to see what Im' going 45:33 buy God gives us a free well it is our choice 45:37 but He gives us some ever interesting principles here I want you 45:41 to go Leviticus chapter 11 I just love the way 45:45 God is simple He doen't make things complicated go to 45:49 Leviticus chapter 11 and God gives us 45:53 a principle to follow on clean and unclean 45:57 foods Leviticus 11 46:01 and verse 2 46:05 The Bible says, speak to 46:09 to the children of Israel, saying, 'These are the animals 46:13 that are on the earth:Among the animals, whatever divides 46:17 he hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud 46:21 that you may eat. Well that is a pretty easy 46:25 prinicple, whatever has a divdied hoof and chews 46:29 cud is clean and acceptable for human 46:33 consumption wow. You say, why does God 46:37 use that? You know what is interesting? 46:41 Most animals that have divided hoof and chew cud are basically 46:45 herbivores they eat the plants and veggies etc 46:49 so when eat them we're just get plants second hand 46:53 God said that will be acceptable for human consumption. 46:57 God gave us the the ideal in the garden of Eden, but if we 47:01 have to, He says here are principels to follow about other foods 47:05 the animals that do not have divided 47:09 hoof and do not chew cud. Do youknow what most of them are? 47:13 carnivores, carnivores they eat other animals 47:17 they eat meat of dead carcases, see their bodies 47:21 are designed to handle those things nut if I eat that animal 47:25 I'm eating everything that animal ate and put it into my 47:29 body which God do not design to handle it 47:33 and therefore it will bring disease, it will filth into my mind 47:37 and my body and God says and God says I love too much not to 47:41 worn you about, that's our loving 47:45 God. Then He goes on, now just for fun of it 47:49 He mentions specific animals here,now some of the animals 47:53 well be no problem because some the ones that are listed I wouldnt touch 47:58 with a ten foot pole anyway, but lets go to verse 4 let have some fun 48:02 with this, I'm sorry verse 5, Levitcus 11 verse 5 48:06 he names some unclean animals, He says the rock hyrax 48:10 (which is basically a badger) because it chews the cud 48:14 but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you 48:18 well I'm not going to pitch over that because I don't planing eat a badger 48:22 any way. What does the on say? The hare 48:26 (or the rabbit) because it chews the cud but does not have cloven 48:30 hooves, is unclean to you; not that one don't bother me 48:34 but you know there verse 7 48:38 is a bit of a problem, verse 7 48:42 and the swine, though it divides the hoof 48:46 having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, 48:50 it is (what?) unclean to you. OH 48:54 Why God, He takes away one of our 48:58 favorite foods. He takes away Miss piggy 49:02 Why Lord are you doing that? Is because God is cruel? 49:06 Is because God is restrictive? 49:10 Because God new something before the doctor ever new it. He loves us to much 49:14 God new the pig would be unfit for human consumption 49:18 when think about medical science has finially cought up with what God 49:22 said thousand of years ago if you have serious disease, heart 49:26 problem whatever. What is the first thing your doctor tells you to stay away from 49:30 He tell you to stay away from pork. What about the animals in the sea? 49:34 Did God say anything about that? Actually He does, He gives us 49:38 a neat principle here, lt's got to Leviticus 11 49:42 let just read verse 9 Leviticus 11 49:46 and verse 9 The Bible says, 49:50 'These you may eat of all that are 49:54 in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, 49:58 whether in the seas or in the rivers─that you may 50:02 eat. well that is not complected, He said 50:06 if it got fins if it got scale it is acceptable 50:10 for human consumption You say what's the 50:14 logic behind that? Because God know something we didn't 50:18 know in the being, we know now because science and marine biologist 50:22 but you know most of seafood animals that don't have 50:26 fins and scales, ones we tend to love so well 50:30 crab, oyster, shrimp, 50:34 lobster clam and things like that 50:38 and some of us were about ready jump off seat and say oh God why those are 50:42 some of the most delectable things, but God knows 50:46 something, all of those animals just mentioned that don't have 50:50 fins and scale, any marine biologist well tell you 50:54 they are scavenger of the ocean floor 50:58 they created eat and clean up all that 51:02 filth that is there, that is what God created them to do 51:06 and so when eat them, I'm eating all 51:10 garbage and filth the have ingested and God say listen 51:15 I care for that something you probably aught 51:19 to stay away from because not to bring health and abundance 51:23 to your body or to your mind 51:27 I'm glad God loves us much aren't you. Real quick prevention 51:31 magazine wrote this, it said 52:14 God says hey, I don't want you to suffer 52:18 I don't want you to get that filth in your body, I something better 52:22 for you. Here's the principles God says use it 52:26 and prosper and be in health. Can you say amen? 52:30 See we are tempted to look at these things and say 52:34 oh, thats so legalitic. Lesten it has got nothing 52:38 to do with you being righteous. It has got nothing to do with God 52:42 loving you more or thinking you're superior and get to heaven first 52:46 what we eat has nothing to do with that these principles 52:50 have to do with that God is my creator, that God 52:54 love me and He wants me to have an abundant life on this 52:58 earth and when I choose to follow it, it's not because I'm trying 53:03 to get heaven, Jesus already paid that price. If I 53:07 choose follow it, it's may response to everything that Jesus 53:11 done for me, because I am surrender my mind and my 53:15 body to him. Can you say amen. It is always to remember 53:19 the motivation and the reason for which we do these 53:23 things God can't love you more than he already 53:27 loves you now. 53:31 There is one more thing I to cover though, because if don't it will come in the question box 53:35 There is a couple of perplexing passages 53:39 in the bible, that on the surface seem to contradict 53:43 everything we just said. And I would like to cover one them 53:47 as an example of a proper way to study the Bible. 53:51 Remember Peters vision in Acts chapter 10 53:55 we need to review that now I'm not going to read 21 verses 53:59 here but I would like you to turn Acts chapter 10 54:03 instead of just picking one sentence out and trying to develope a 54:07 a doctrine around it lets at the context 54:11 Act chapter 10 and beginning in verse 9 54:15 really the whole chapter here is what is going on, here is the quick summery 54:19 Cornelius is a Italian soldier 54:23 he loves God of heaven, he believes in Jewish faith 54:27 and Jewish religion. He is devout man the bible says 54:31 because of that God sends an angel to Cornelius and tells him 54:35 he is to send for Peter who needs to tell his 54:39 family something important. God intended for Peter to share 54:43 the gospel with this gentile family, so while Cornelius 54:47 dispatches an envoy to go find Peter, 54:51 God knows that Peter not going to go because Peter 54:55 was brought up and steeped in Judaism 54:59 he was taught from the time a little kid that Gentiles 55:03 are unclean and that you do not to go to their house and and that you do not 55:07 eat with them or you will be unclean, see Peter wasn't over that yet 55:11 So God knew He had do something to help Peter see the light 55:15 so Peter gets a vision of a blanket 55:19 that lets down a bunch of four footed beasts that are unclean and God says 55:23 rise Peter kill and eat and what does Peter say? 55:27 I have never eaten unclean, notice by the way 55:31 that was Peter first response, This is 55:35 guy that walked with Jesus for 3.5 years, so 55:39 apparently Peter did not believe that 55:43 unclean and clean was done away with at the cross because that was his first response 55:47 and he was with Jesus everyday. You keep going on there 55:51 notice what happens God says listen don't call unclean that God 55:55 has called it clean, and we stop there 55:59 and we want to pull that and say see God made all foods clean now it doesn't 56:03 matter. Listen if it wasnt good for the body in leviticus it's 56:07 not good for the body now. Did Jesus died on the cross to 56:11 to cleanse from sins or to cleanse food? To cleanse us 56:15 from sin. You know what was going on here? 56:19 God was trying to show Peter, 56:23 the wall between gentile and Jew 56:27 is coming down that he should not call 56:31 gentile unclean and so he went to Cornelius 56:35 house and he shared the gospel of Christ with them and you can read it there 56:39 it says the Holy Spiirt fell upon them they accepted the Lord Jesus 56:43 Christ, they were baptized and at the end of this story 56:47 Peter tells us himself in verse 28 what the point was 56:51 Acts chapter 10 verse 28 the Bible says 56:55 then he said to them, you know how unlawful 56:59 it is for a Jew man to keep company with 57:03 or go to one of another nation but God 57:07 has shown me that I should not call any 57:11 (waht?) man, common or 57:15 unclean. he vision had nothing to do 57:20 with cleansing food, what it did something with 57:24 is cleansing sin.The Gentiles 57:28 are not to be considered unclean we are all one in Jesus 57:32 Christ. The wall of seperation comes down we are not to call 57:36 any man common or unclean 57:40 see when you take the Bible and read in its context 57:44 it makes prefect sense. 57:48 Folks tonight we havelearned that God loves us so much 57:52 that He gave health plan to the human Family, a plan He wants us 57:56 to use so prosper and be in health 58:00 I would like to close with this vesre from Romans chapter 12 58:04 verse 1 The Bible says 58:19 see God invites us to give ourselves 58:23 as a living sacrifice to Him. To |
Revised 2015-11-18