It Is Written

Scriptural Solutions: Coping With Stress

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

Program transcript

Participants: John Bradshaw (Host), David DeRose

Home

Series Code: IIW

Program Code: IIW001294A


00:05 ♪ [It Is Written Theme] ♪
00:12 >: It has stood the test of time.
00:17 God's book, the Bible;
00:21 still relevant in today's complex world.
00:26 It Is Written, sharing hope around the globe.
00:42 JB: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
00:45 Thanks for joining me today. In recent years the subject of
00:48 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder has received a lot more
00:52 publicity in the news. Men and women come back
00:56 from foreign fields, having served in the military,
00:59 and they've been affected in such a way that
01:01 daily life becomes just a challenge for them--
01:04 sometimes with tragic results. Now, being in a wartime
01:09 situation is a stressor, or a stress factor,
01:13 that many of us simply cannot relate to.
01:15 And it's an extreme example of what stress can do to a person.
01:19 Nevertheless, it puts the question or
01:22 the subject of stress right in society's spotlight.
01:26 So, what is stress, and how can we deal with stress, and even,
01:29 what can you do about PTSD? I'm joined today by Dr. David
01:32 DeRose, who's a specialist in internal medicine, in preventive
01:37 medicine, and he comes to us from CompassHealth Consultants
01:40 in Northern California. Dr. DeRose,
01:42 thanks for joining me today. DD: Wonderful to be with you,
01:44 John. JB: This is a serious thing--
01:45 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
01:47 When I was a kid, growing up in my little town,
01:49 there was a man-- he was a bit of an oddball,
01:51 really, I mean no offense. He had a couple of quirks
01:55 and characteristics. People knew he wasn't quite
01:57 right, and what it was was, he'd come back
02:00 from World War II, and I don't know
02:03 what it was he went through, but it just affected him.
02:07 You know? DD: There's no question.
02:08 One of the big things that happens is impairment
02:10 of social relations. This is a big thing that happens
02:13 with PTSD. JB: So, what is PTSD?
02:15 You go to the war, it's terrible, and--
02:17 DD: Well, let's expand the dialogue.
02:19 Because I want to answer the question, but it's not just
02:21 related to combat exposure. People can have PTSD from other
02:24 violent experiences in life. It can be a car accident;
02:28 it can be rape; it can be something like
02:32 a natural disaster that affected your town.
02:36 JB: I think I read somewhere that about 8 percent of people
02:39 in the United States have-- and I'm guessing
02:41 this is diagnosed-- PTSD. Which would suggest to me,
02:45 there are probably more people who are dealing with #,
02:47 who simply haven't been diagnosed.
02:49 DD: Yeah, if you look at what we call Lifetime Prevalence--
02:51 that means the chance of you having PTSD
02:53 at some time in your life-- it's probably around that
02:55 6 to 8 percent range. What the amazing thing is
02:59 though, John, is if you look at the things that can trigger
03:03 PTSD, over half of us will have
03:06 a traumatic event of sufficient magnitude to trigger PTSD.
03:11 JB: So, that means over half of us are candidates for
03:14 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder DD: That's right, and it begs a
03:16 big question that we're debating in the literature, if you will,
03:19 is how can we prevent it? What are those things
03:22 that predispose? But, we've got to come back
03:24 to your original question, just what is it, right?
03:25 JB: Yes, we do. Also, you've got 10 people,
03:29 let's just use war, a wartime situation.
03:34 Ten people go to war, and one or two come back
03:38 with PTSD, eight do not.
03:40 DD: That's right. JB: Now, it doesn't mean that
03:41 the eight weren't severely affected, but somehow they had
03:44 the coping mechanisms, or the whatever it is,
03:46 that they can harmonize with their future
03:49 like their past life. Some cannot.
03:51 So, okay, let's look at this in the big picture,
03:53 because this discussion, it's going to be
03:56 a biblical discussion. DD: That's right.
03:58 JB: But also, it isn't dealing with Post Traumatic Stress
04:01 Disorder solely, but stress, and stress factors.
04:06 I think it's very important, because for some people,
04:08 they have stress, it drives them away from God.
04:11 Others, they experience stress, it drives them toward God.
04:15 DD: That's right. JB: And that's the response
04:16 that we want, coming closer to God and dealing
04:19 with the stressors in our life. DD: So, someone has this
04:22 traumatic event, and in the aftermath of it they have
04:26 prolonged experiences, if you will,
04:30 where they're either reliving the traumatic event;
04:33 they may have nightmares, they may have flashbacks.
04:35 They often have a heightened sense of emotional connectedness
04:39 for anything that looks like the traumatic event.
04:41 So, if someone saw combat duty, on the 4th of July when the
04:45 neighbor is lighting off fireworks, they may dive
04:48 under their bed because they're reliving that combat experience,
04:52 if you will. The other dynamic that often
04:55 goes along with PTSD that's so important--
04:57 and we've got to come back to this because it ties in
04:59 with the whole stress discussion-- is, many of these
05:03 people experience what they call "emotional numbness"
05:06 or "emotional detachment." Those relationships that used to
05:10 seem meaningful, now they don't feel that they connect with that
05:14 significant other or their children or their grandchildren.
05:18 So, all of these issues are under this umbrella of PTSD,
05:22 and it often brings other things with it.
05:24 Higher risk of high blood pressure,
05:25 depression and other mental health disorders.
05:27 Here's some of the great news: PTSD, when we look at the data,
05:32 what helps a person do better in the same traumatic events,
05:36 one of the best things-- I love to tell
05:38 this element of it-- one of the factors
05:40 that we can't change is the older you are, the less
05:44 likely you are to have PTSD. You know, we're always talking
05:47 about aging causing all these health problems.
05:50 Here is something where aging actually seems to be
05:53 a preventative for PTSD. Another really interesting thing
05:57 that we can change is what we call
05:59 "functional social support." JB: Now, what's that?
06:02 DD: That means, if you're connected--
06:04 if you have people that are supporting you--
06:06 you're much less likely to have PTSD.
06:08 And this is powerful, when it comes to stress.
06:11 We're speaking about the Bible. I love the story
06:13 in the Gospel of Mark. I've been spending
06:16 a lot of time, John, going through the Gospel
06:18 of Mark with groups of people because it is such a
06:20 powerful relational Gospel. It's the most succinct,
06:24 fast-moving of the Gospels, and yet there are some insights
06:27 in Mark that you don't get anywhere else.
06:29 In Mark chapter 2, a very interesting social situation.
06:34 You could say, a situation that was
06:36 very stressful, no doubt, for the homeowner.
06:39 His home is full, all kinds of people, no one can get in.
06:43 And then what happens? JB: They take the roof apart,
06:46 and lower down this paralyzed man.
06:47 Four people lower him down into the presence of Jesus.
06:49 And I can see Jesus sitting in the room,
06:52 with bits of dust and straw falling, just raining down
06:55 on them as they're taking the roof apart.
06:57 Clearly, the homes were constructed in such a way
06:59 that this is possible. DD: Right.
07:01 JB: But still, you can imagine there was a mess up there.
07:03 Jesus is getting showered in detritus.
07:06 It had to have been something to witness.
07:07 DD: The amazing thing-- even though that may
07:09 have been stressful to the homeowner--
07:12 there's a man in that story. That paralytic, who is only
07:16 there by virtue of what we would call the "tangible"
07:21 or "instrumental" social support that his four friends gave him.
07:25 JB: Where would he have been without his friends?
07:27 DD: Exactly right. JB: Now, we don't know much
07:29 about the way they connected, or how it came by, but it's that
07:32 this man was brought to Jesus by four other people.
07:36 So, talk a little bit about what that social support really means
07:39 in practical terms, in daily life.
07:41 DD: This is really important, because a lot of times when
07:44 we speak of social support, people think of what is kind of
07:47 the warm, fuzzy social support. That's what we call
07:49 "emotional support." But there are different levels
07:53 of social support. There's the warm fuzzies that we
07:56 get from people that love us and support us, but that person who
07:58 helps you-- even though they may not do it in the nicest way--
08:03 can still be giving you valuable support that can help you on
08:07 your journey to health and wholeness.
08:10 JB: But people should be looking out for others and trying
08:13 to set up support for them, because it's just good for them
08:17 and alleviates their stress. DD: This is really interesting,
08:19 from the standpoint of the church.
08:21 Jesus calls people into fellowship.
08:24 He calls disciples to be with Him.
08:27 He founds a church, if you will, right?
08:30 JB: Yes. DD: Many people say,
08:33 I don't like this church. I don't like the community
08:36 I'm in. Do you know what?
08:39 It doesn't matter whether you like the people; it doesn't
08:41 matter whether you like your next-door neighbor or not,
08:44 you can get benefits to your health and to their health
08:46 by doing just what Jesus said: treating others as you would
08:50 like to be treated yourself. Many people,
08:52 in their spiritual life, they've become members,
08:56 if you will, of some kind of global
08:58 Internet community, and they're not worshiping with other
09:02 people, they're missing the power of social connectedness.
09:06 They say, I'm just doing fine. But what about the other people
09:10 who are missing the value of your connecting with them?
09:13 JB: Amen. So, I would recommend you to
09:15 watch It Is Written, and go to church, and experience
09:18 the best of both worlds. Amen.
09:21 I'm glad you're with us today. There's a whole lot more
09:23 to talk about. Stress, what causes it,
09:25 what you can do about it. I've got Dr. David DeRose with
09:27 me, and we're going to talk more about this in just a moment.
09:32 ♪ [Gentle Melody] ♪ >: You are watching the
09:34 weekly It Is Written program with Pastor John Bradshaw,
09:38 but did you know that there's a daily program, too?
09:40 Every Word is a one-minute Bible-based daily devotional
09:44 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw and designed especially
09:47 for busy people like you. Look for Every Word
09:51 on selected networks, or watch it online every day
09:53 on our website, ItIsWritten.com.
09:56 Receive a daily spiritual boost. Watch Every Word.
10:00 You'll be glad you did.
10:03 ♪ [Rythmic Melody] ♪
10:11 JB: Jacob had made a real mess of his life.
10:14 He had purchased the birthright from his brother
10:15 by very devious means. At his mother's suggestion he
10:18 deceived his father, and now, later, it looked
10:21 like his brother, Esau, was going to kill him.
10:23 What could he do? He found himself wrestling with
10:26 God and he said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
10:29 That's Genesis 32:26. Now,
10:32 how do you like that prayer: You must bless me.
10:34 I'm not prepared to take no for an answer.
10:36 That's a prayer that's worth praying, and it's a prayer
10:39 that God will answer. You can afford to pray that
10:42 prayer: I will not let you go, unless you bless me.
10:45 If you've made a mess, if you're in a fix,
10:47 if you need God's help-- pray that prayer.
10:50 I will not let you go, unless you bless me.
10:53 God never fails to answer a prayer like that, when it's
10:56 prayed in real faith. I'm John Bradshaw
10:59 for It Is Written. Let's live today by every word.
11:04 ♪ [Thoughtful Melody] ♪
11:06 JB: Planning for your financial Future is a vital aspect of
11:08 Christian stewardship. For this reason, It Is Written
11:11 is pleased to offer free planned giving and estate services.
11:15 For information on how we can help you, please call
11:17 1 (800) 992-2219. Call today,
11:22 or visit our special website, www.HisLegacy.com.
11:29 JB: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw.
11:32 Thanks for joining me today. I'm joined by Dr. David DeRose,
11:35 a doctor of internal medicine, a doctor of preventive medicine.
11:38 Which sounds like a guy who's trying to work himself
11:40 out of a job, if you stop and think about it.
11:42 He comes to us from CompassHealth Consulting
11:45 in Northern California. Dr. DeRose,
11:47 I'm glad you're with me today. We're talking about some good
11:49 stuff, I think. DD: It's exciting,
11:50 because it makes a difference. JB: Makes a real difference
11:53 in a person's life. The stereotype is,
11:55 somebody smokes a joint, they get happily buzzed
11:59 or stoned, and it's "Hey, whatever, dude."
12:02 You know, they mellow out. You would say this helps one's
12:06 stress level. However-- there's a big however.
12:10 DD: Well, the big however-- you've identified this exactly,
12:14 John. In the literature we speak about
12:16 an a-motivational syndrome that can occur in chronic users
12:20 of marijuana. And this means it basically
12:22 just takes away your drive. Now, you might say,
12:25 "Well, this is good." Because you can relax.
12:27 But this is actually not good, if you look at the broader
12:30 picture of stress. Because some of
12:33 the biggest stressors are those global issues.
12:36 And if you lose your motivation to work, for example,
12:40 this is going to have some implications as far as
12:44 long-term stress. JB: Which says to us that a
12:47 certain amount of stress is good for you.
12:49 DD: You're exactly right. The kind of environment where
12:52 people just want to be in a cocoon, sometimes-- especially
12:54 if you're really bombarded by all kinds of stressors--
12:57 is not reality. In fact,
13:00 Jesus articulated very clearly. He said, "In the world
13:02 you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer;
13:06 I've overcome the world." So Jesus didn't give us
13:08 a picture of life with no problems, but a picture of life
13:12 with challenges that we can go through with Him.
13:15 JB: If you don't recognize the stress involved in earning a
13:20 living, raising yours, supporting your family, if you
13:23 don't respond to that stressor, you're going to be a bum.
13:27 You know what I'm saying. DD: Well, it increases
13:29 the risk of it, at least. JB: Yeah, if you don't respond
13:33 positively to that stress, you won't be a productive
13:35 member of society, is really what I mean to say.
13:37 DD: Look at something really interesting.
13:39 Because we're speaking about the Gospel of Mark and some of the
13:41 insights that we get there about stress and other health issues.
13:46 I'm in Mark 15. Jesus is on the cross.
13:49 And if you want to talk about someone going through an acutely
13:53 stressful experience, I don't know of anything
13:56 in history that compares to what Jesus is experiencing
14:00 on the cross. Now, someone would say,
14:02 "Well, that's acute stress, it's not chronic stress.
14:06 It's not PTSD." Granted.
14:08 But still, let's look at Jesus' example.
14:10 Mark chapter 15, verse 23. It says, "Then they gave him
14:15 wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but he did not take it."
14:21 JB: Can you describe what this is?
14:22 Because essentially this is a painkiller, isn't it?
14:24 DD: Exactly. Exactly.
14:25 That's what they were doing, they were in mercy offering
14:29 Jesus just a little something to ease His pain.
14:32 Death on a cross, from the medical assessments of it,
14:36 was a tremendously painful, excruciating form of death.
14:41 JB: Yes. DD: The question is, though.
14:44 Here we're talking about pain. We're talking about--
14:48 and by the way-- when it comes to PTSD,
14:51 abuse of chemicals is a real risk in that setting.
14:55 But it's not just PTSD. People that are going through
14:57 stressful life experiences, it's so easy to go to these
15:00 things that are legal. Whether it's alcohol,
15:04 you mentioned nicotine, tobacco. And I say, let's ask
15:07 the question then, where we were in the Bible.
15:09 Why would Jesus not use it? And I would suggest
15:13 that if you look at Jesus' life, Jesus lived a focused life.
15:17 He was focused on always doing the things
15:20 that pleased the Father. And granted, on the cross
15:23 He's experiencing, like you mentioned,
15:25 that sense of separation from the Father.
15:28 But I get the picture that Jesus realized that He needed
15:33 all of His cognitive abilities. I would suggest to you:
15:38 if Jesus needed all His cognitive abilities,
15:42 the divine Son of God, how much more
15:45 do I need them? Well, I'm not on the cross,
15:47 but do I want to leave some of those mental marvels,
15:54 or however you want to describe them, aside?
15:58 Because I need to help deal with the pain.
16:00 I'm not saying it's wrong to take a painkiller--
16:02 don't misunderstand me. JB: That was my question.
16:03 We're not saying, well, you've got back pain--
16:05 don't use Aleve or Tylenol. DD: Or even a narcotic,
16:07 if you have severe pain. I'm not saying it's wrong.
16:10 I'm just saying, we've got to look at this equation,
16:12 especially if we're doing something chronically.
16:15 But if you want to look at a foundational place in the Gospel
16:19 that gives us Jesus' perspective on dealing with stress,
16:21 it's in Mark 1. Because there in Mark 1,
16:24 verse 35, we find what Jesus is doing
16:28 is He's connecting with the Father.
16:30 And, what most people don't realize is that when I impair my
16:36 cognitive functioning, that is going to affect relationships.
16:41 No question. JB: No question.
16:44 And when it comes to stress, from the Bible what we see is
16:47 the most powerful thing to help us deal with stress, is a close
16:50 connection with the God of heaven.
16:53 We'll be back with more. Don't go away.
16:54 I've got Dr. David DeRose with me.
16:56 Stress, what can we do about it; how can we live with it
16:58 healthfully. How can the stressors in our
17:01 lives drive us to God and not away from God?
17:03 We'll have more in just a moment.
17:06 ♪ [Music Interlude] ♪
17:11 JB: Stress is a part of everyone's life.
17:15 If you're living and breathing, then the chances are you're
17:17 either dealing with some stress right now, or you've faced it
17:20 in the not-too-distant past. God knows that,
17:23 and it matters to Him. Through His Word, He gives
17:27 wisdom that can help you manage the stress that comes your way.
17:30 If you'd like to know more, I'd be happy to send you
17:33 a free book from our Healing Insights series,
17:36 called "Dealing with Stress." All you need to do is call
17:40 (800) 253-3000 and ask for
17:43 "Dealing with Stress. If the line is busy,
17:46 please do try again. You can write to
17:49 It Is Written, P.O. Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401,
17:55 and we'll mail a free copy to your address in North America.
17:58 You can also download a free digital copy at ItIsWritten.com.
18:03 It Is Written exists because of the kindness of people
18:06 just like you. It's only with your help that It
18:09 Is Written can continue to share the hope of the Bible with
18:11 people all around the world. Your tax-deductible gift can be
18:15 sent to the address on your screen, or through our website,
18:17 ItIsWritten.com. Thank you for your continued
18:20 prayerful support. Our toll-free number is
18:23 (800) 253-3000, and you can find us
18:27 online at ItIsWritten.com.
18:30 JB: Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written.
18:32 I'm joined by Dr. David DeRose, talking about stress and
18:36 how we can deal with stress in a healthy way.
18:38 Stress doesn't have to kill a person.
18:41 In fact, a life without stress is neither practical
18:45 nor possible. Dr. DeRose, I think we know that
18:49 something that impacts people's stress level, for the good or
18:54 for the bad, is rest and sleep. And when I say for the bad--
18:58 not enough rest, not enough sleep--
19:01 stress rises. DD: What we know is if we
19:04 cut ourselves back on sleep, the body actually has to
19:08 ramp up stress hormones to keep us going.
19:12 So the person who tells you, "Listen, I can function
19:15 on just a few hours sleep. No problem.
19:17 I don't even take any caffeine." What they're doing is they just,
19:22 intrinsically, have the ability to ramp up those stress
19:25 hormones. Many people can't do it,
19:27 so they take the caffeine. Caffeine, one of the things it
19:30 works on is a compound called adenosine.
19:32 It blocks adenosine, and when it does that, that ramps up those
19:35 stress hormone levels. So, either way-- whether you're
19:38 resorting to the caffeine or you just do it on your own--
19:41 you raise those stress hormone levels.
19:43 And when you do it, blood pressure tends to rise,
19:46 blood sugar tends to rise, you're more likely to have
19:49 problems with diabetes and high blood pressure.
19:51 Heart disease, heart rhythm problems.
19:53 The list goes on and on. JB: The drug of choice for 9 out
19:56 of 10 Americans-- people who would never drink
19:58 alcohol or smoke marijuana-- the drug of choice for
20:00 9 out of 10 Americans is caffeine.
20:02 Not good for a person, is it? DD: It really isn't, because not
20:05 only is it ramping up those stress hormones, it's actually
20:09 reproducing the kind of things that would be desirable in one
20:12 of those fight or flight scenarios.
20:15 One of them, by the way, is your blood clotting.
20:17 Your blood actually becomes more coagulable under the influence
20:20 of caffeine, which is not a good thing unless you're running from
20:24 a tiger that may be, you know, about to paw you.
20:28 JB: Yeah, not too many of us have that to worry about on
20:30 a day to day basis. DD: Not really.
20:31 JB: And why this matters, I think, is-- you can think
20:34 I'm just getting picky h dealing with your coffee habit,
20:37 and I'm not really. The thing is this:
20:40 we got back to Jesus on the cross, right?
20:42 Those things that would have affected His frontal lobe,
20:44 His decision-making ability, those things that would
20:47 have dulled His sensibilities. If someone had said to Jesus,
20:50 while He was on the cross, "Look, medical marijuana
20:54 is just what you need." He would have said no.
20:56 In this situation, no, because I need the connection
21:00 with my Father. Right?
21:02 DD: That's right. And no one could say--
21:05 by the way, this is true-- there are carcinogens
21:08 in marijuana smoke, just like in tobacco smoke.
21:11 JB: No question. DD: So, no one's going to say to
21:13 Jesus He'd be increasing His risk of lung cancer.
21:16 I mean, He's about to die. But the point is,
21:19 you're exactly right. What's going on,
21:20 on a mental level? It was important to Jesus;
21:23 it should be incredibly important to us.
21:26 JB: Yeah. Now, sleep.
21:28 How much sleep should a person get--
21:30 and I'm asking this, because it affects stress.
21:34 If you are dealing with some stressors in your life--
21:38 if the landlord is getting on you because
21:40 you can't pay the rent and they're coming to cut off
21:42 your electricity and you're about to lose your job and your
21:44 marriage is falling apart and you've got a kid that's going
21:46 off the rails-- and you're getting by on 90 minutes sleep
21:49 or three hours sleep a night, oh man,
21:51 you're just asking for trouble. You need plenty of rest.
21:54 How much? This is in the news
21:56 a lot these days. DD: Well,
21:57 if you look at the data, most of the studies are looking
22:00 at somewhere between seven to eight, eight and a half
22:03 hours of sleep, that's optimal for most people.
22:06 You don't have to flip a coin or join some kind of computerized
22:12 simulator to figure out how much sleep you need.
22:15 What I recommend people do is just get to bed early,
22:19 and don't set an alarm clock. Get to bed early enough so that
22:23 if you need more sleep than you think you need,
22:25 you won't be late for work. And see what time you wake up.
22:29 By the way, that jarring noise of the alarm clock--
22:32 I mean, some of us still have those old-style alarm clocks
22:35 that buzz-- I mean, this is probably
22:37 not the best thing, as far as stress management,
22:40 as far as starting your day. JB: If a person is not getting
22:43 enough sleep, what's happening to them physiologically?
22:46 DD: Well, not only do you have these stress hormones that are
22:48 ramping up, not only does the blood tend to be more coagulable
22:51 under the influence of those hormones, but on a mental level,
22:56 the higher intellectual processes need optimal sleep.
23:00 JB: Our getting rest is so important to God, that He
23:03 mandated that we get rest. Not so much on a daily basis,
23:07 but right in the heart of the Ten Commandments, God said,
23:10 "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy."
23:14 And the word "Sabbath" means rest, essentially.
23:16 Six days you shall labor and do all of your work, but the
23:19 seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord they God.
23:23 And that whole concept of keeping the Sabbath day holy is
23:27 being forgotten, even by Christians.
23:29 DD: Oh, it's hugely important. But not only is it important to
23:32 God, it's hard-wired in our physiology.
23:35 Most people have heard of circadian rhythms, John.
23:37 Those are those daily rhythms. Every woman knows about
23:41 the lunar rhythms, or monthly rhythms.
23:44 But most people have not heard of the carcaseptan rhythms.
23:48 These are actually seven-day rhythms, and our bodies,
23:52 it seems, were designed to function on a seven-day cycle.
23:57 JB: God built that into us. DD: It's amazing.
23:59 JB: So every seventh day, according to the Bible,
24:03 that's the Sabbath day. And that's the day to unplug,
24:08 disconnect-- that's from the secular things-- and plug in,
24:13 and connect on a spiritual level.
24:15 Not to say we shouldn't be doing that to an extent every day,
24:18 but the Sabbath day is a whole day
24:21 that God has given to us, where, in the absence of our secular
24:25 work, there's time for family. There's time for kids,
24:29 there's time for church. There's time to give your body
24:33 a break and rest. And if you were to say to
24:36 somebody who's experiencing stress, "How would you like
24:38 a day off a week?" A whole day,
24:41 where you can just relax. Really.
24:45 Wouldn't that be something people should jump at?
24:48 DD: Well, I mean, this is tremendous.
24:50 And, in the Gospel of Mark, from the very beginning,
24:53 the very first chapter in the Gospel of Mark,
24:55 Jesus is doing something remarkable with the Sabbath.
24:58 Because you see, in Jesus' day the Sabbath had been layered
25:01 with all these restrictions. It was not truly a spiritual day
25:04 of rest, it was a day of burden. So, many Christians today
25:07 misunderstand Jesus' ministry as it relates to the Sabbath.
25:12 Jesus was liberating the Sabbath.
25:14 He was making it truly a day of rest, and a day of healing.
25:17 JB: And it's in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus says,
25:20 "The Sabbath was made for man; not man for the Sabbath."
25:24 DD: Exactly. JB: Humans were made on the
25:26 sixth day, and their very first full day of life was a day off.
25:29 DD: That's right. JB: God said,
25:31 "I've made this for you. Here, it's a gift."
25:33 And so, if we're looking to deal with stress in our lives,
25:35 it just makes sense that we would embrace this very thing
25:37 that God carved into stone, when He wrote
25:40 the Ten Commandments. "Remember the Sabbath day,
25:43 and keep it holy." DD: It's amazing to me as a
25:45 physician, to look at those very Ten Commandments-- you know,
25:48 we're focusing on the Fourth-- but, every one of them
25:51 has profound healing implications,
25:55 and Jesus endorsed them. He basically upheld the Law
26:00 and He amplified the Law. JB: Yes, He did.
26:03 Well, Dr. DeRose, that's all we have time for.
26:05 And I'm sorry. But thanks for joining me today.
26:07 This has been a blessing. DD: Always a blessing.
26:09 JB: And perhaps we can pray together.
26:12 This subject of stress is big. If you don't feel like you have
26:15 been stressed out lately, well then I'm saying thank God.
26:18 Maybe you're in a position where you can be a blessing
26:20 to somebody else. But if you are dealing with
26:22 stress-- and if you're not, you probably will be sometime
26:26 soon-- if you're dealing with stress, you now have some tools
26:29 that you can use to enable you to get through those
26:32 stressful situations, upright. Without them knocking you down
26:36 and making you another casualty of this thing we call stress.
26:40 Let's pray together.
26:42 Our Father in heaven, how thankful we are
26:45 that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life,
26:50 and that You've given us so many things that we can use
26:53 as tools to help us in the battle, the daily,
26:56 constant battle with stress. We thank You for Your presence,
27:01 that Your Spirit would come and live in us.
27:05 We thank You for the gift of rest.
27:08 We thank You for the hope that we have in You, and that You
27:11 have said that we can cast our cares upon You,
27:14 knowing that You care for us. Let us do that, and live
27:18 without being crushed by stress. We know that this world is
27:22 heading into even more troubled times, but that soon,
27:26 that great day is going to come where today merges
27:30 into the tomorrow of eternity, and we'll live in a place
27:33 without any stress. Keep us, and save us, we pray.
27:38 In Jesus' name. Amen.
27:41 DD: Amen.
27:45 [Music interlude]
27:53 JB: I'm thankful you've chosen to join us today.
27:55 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time.
27:57 Until then, remember: It is written,
28:01 man shall not live by bread alone
28:04 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
28:09 ♪ [It Is Written Theme] ♪


Home

Revised 2015-09-29