Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW018162A
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00:09 ♪[Theme music]♪
00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. 00:20 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:23 In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. 00:27 And what was it like back then? 00:28 Well, it was beautiful. It was perfect. 00:31 And nobody was sick. 00:33 There were no doctors in the Garden of Eden. 00:36 There were no prescription drugs, 00:38 no medications of any kind. 00:39 There weren't any supplements. 00:41 They were not needed. 00:44 The undertakers, funeral parlors, 00:46 out of business. 00:47 No need. 00:48 Because when God created His first children, 00:51 Adam and Eve, no sickness at all. 00:54 Well, Isaiah wrote in the book of Isaiah 00:56 that we are going to a place where, he said, 00:58 "The inhabitant thereof shall not say, I am sick." 01:02 And when we read in 3 John, 01:04 the little book of 3 John, verse 2, 01:07 we read these words: 01:09 "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things 01:14 and be in health, just as your soul prospers." 01:18 That was John's wish for his readers; 01:20 it's God's wish for us today. 01:24 So what's the reality? 01:26 Illness everywhere you turn. 01:28 Health care problems, not solutions. 01:32 Health care costs blowing out budgets of entire nations. 01:36 People not sure what to do about diseases 01:38 they don't know how to fight. 01:40 Oh my goodness, that was not God's plan. 01:42 To discuss this with me is cardiologist Dr. James Marcum, 01:45 who practices here in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 01:47 Dr. Marcum, thanks for joining me. 01:48 >>Dr. James Marcum: My pleasure. 01:49 And unfortunately, my whole life, 01:51 the last 27 years in practicing cardiology and medicine, 01:55 I see people that are suffering with diseases of all sort. 02:00 >>John: So from a physician's point of view, 02:02 how bad is it? 02:03 >>Dr. Marcum: Oh, well, let's just look at things. 02:05 Over the last 20, 30 years, 02:07 the rates of heart disease keep going up. 02:10 The rates of diabetes keep going up. 02:13 In fact, it's been estimated in the United States, 02:16 by mid-century, 02:17 1 in 3 people will have Type 2 diabetes. 02:20 >>John: One in three? 02:21 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah, 1 in 3. 02:22 The rates of being overweight go up. 02:25 The risk of joint problems go up. 02:27 Um, high blood pressure keeps going up. 02:30 Every year, more and more chronic diseases. 02:33 Cancer rates keep going up. 02:35 Mental health problems keep going up. 02:37 All of these chronic diseases keep increasing, 02:40 and you ask yourself, is modern medicine fixing these problems? 02:44 >>John: Now, this was not God's plan in the beginning. 02:45 God created perfect people with perfect health. 02:48 So over the last 6,000 years, something has gone wrong. 02:53 And you ask the question, 02:55 modern medicine, is it fixing? 02:57 You might even ask the question, 02:59 is, in some ways, it harming? 03:00 Though I don't mean to sound subversive. 03:02 So here's what we know. 03:03 God created Adam and Eve. Sin entered the picture. 03:06 From then till now, it's been down, down, down 03:08 in terms of our health. 03:09 There have been some upswings. 03:11 You go back a few years-- people were shorter; 03:13 people weren't as healthy; people didn't live as long. 03:15 So there've been some improvements. 03:17 >>Dr. Marcum: Right. 03:18 >>John: So here's a question: 03:19 With the improvements that we've had, 03:22 and I think they're observable in the last, 03:24 I don't know what--call it 50 or 100 years or so-- 03:27 why are things still as bad as they are? 03:30 When are the doctors and the scientists going to figure out 03:33 what the magic bullet is for heart disease 03:36 or diabetes or cancer or stroke? 03:38 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah, well, the more I learn, 03:40 the less I know. 03:42 And our body is very, very complicated. 03:45 You know, we think of the trillion cells in our brain, 03:48 the quadrillion connections. 03:49 We know very little about the brain and how the brain 03:52 is affecting our whole body, 03:53 and how it turns on and off genes or genetics. 03:56 We know very little about the bowel, 03:58 the flora in our bowel, all sorts of bacteria. 04:00 There's more activity in our bowels 04:02 that affects our entire body, 04:04 including our cardiovascular health. 04:06 Then our immune systems, you know, 04:08 which fights off these bad boys, 04:10 we're just now discovering all things about our immune system 04:14 that we never knew before. 04:15 So as time goes on, things get more complicated, 04:18 and yet we did make some major advances, 04:21 especially, you know, antibiotics, blood transfusions. 04:25 So we have made some processes, but over the years we've got 04:28 into these chronic diseases, these lifestyle diseases, 04:32 the diseases that we put on ourselves that we weren't made, 04:36 designed to have all these stressors on our body, 04:38 which has caused aging and mutations 04:41 and all sorts of bad things to happen. 04:43 >>John: Okay, so this question 04:44 is not meant to skewer the medical system. 04:47 You're a physician, a very-- you're a well-educated physician 04:52 operating at a very high level, 04:53 so I don't mean to come after the medical profession. 04:55 But what in the world's going on? 04:57 This is--we're well into the 21st century now, 05:01 and it just seems like things are getting worse. 05:04 So, what, what are the successes, 05:08 the failings, and the limitations of modern medicine? 05:12 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah. 05:13 Well, modern medicine is great at treating acute problems. 05:17 You know, if I'm having a heart attack, 05:20 I want to have a stent. 05:21 My heart's going slow; give me a pacemaker. 05:24 If I'm bleeding to death, stop the bleeding; 05:26 give me a blood transfusion. 05:27 So it's great at treating emergencies. 05:30 It's also improving at treating chronic genetic problems. 05:34 Let's say you were born with a gene that's bad. 05:37 Well, we're now studying the genes, and we're finding ways 05:39 that we can do things to help the genes maybe not express 05:43 these things that would cause problems down the road. 05:46 So we're making some inroads to that. 05:48 But where we haven't made much inroads at all 05:52 is our lifestyles, 05:53 the things that we're doing that's changing our very genes, 05:57 that's accelerating aging, 05:59 that's causing all this chronic disease. 06:01 And unfortunately, we're looking more toward what we can do. 06:06 Here, let's have a pill. Let's have a quick fix. 06:09 We're not looking towards the real answers 06:11 to this complicated system, and that's looking at a Creator. 06:14 And I tell people, John, 06:16 that when you're looking at modern medicine, 06:18 there's ditches that we fall in. 06:20 You know, there's the ditches of thinking 06:22 that modern medicine can fix everything. 06:23 >>John: Sure. 06:24 >>Dr. Marcum: There's another ditch on the other side 06:25 of the road that says lifestyle. 06:27 That's all we need is lifestyle. 06:28 >>John: And that modern medicine can't really fix anything? 06:30 >>Dr. Marcum: Right. 06:31 >>John: And that's not true. 06:32 >>Dr. Marcum: Right, and the true path is us to understand 06:35 that when we're sick, which we all are genetically, 06:38 we need a Savior that can rescue us 06:41 from this bad genetics that we've come on. 06:44 >>John: Now, let's get into this more after the break, 06:47 but before the break, let me ask you this: 06:49 So, I think what you've identified 06:51 is that medicine is doing its best. 06:53 >>Dr. Marcum: Mm-hm. 06:54 >>John: Medicine is doing its best, 06:55 and in some areas medicine is doing wonderfully, wonderfully. 07:00 But medicine is up against something 07:02 that it seems it can't overcome, 07:04 and that's not so much disease, 07:05 but the lifestyle of the patient. 07:08 >>Dr. Marcum: Yes. 07:09 >>John: I mean, you can't give anything away, I know, 07:10 but you'd see patients that you know full well, 07:12 if only they did A, B, and C real simple, 07:15 their lives would trend up, but they just won't do it. 07:18 >>Dr. Marcum: Right. 07:19 >>John: So lifestyle is a major component 07:21 of turning this disease thing around, correct? 07:24 >>Dr. Marcum: For chronic disease, yes. 07:25 >>John: For chronic disease. 07:27 >>Dr. Marcum: Diabetes-- can reverse that. 07:29 Hypertension--can reverse that. 07:31 Conditions like sleep apnea, heart disease, 07:34 uh, joint problems, mental health-- 07:37 these are all potentially lifestyle-related diseases 07:40 that can be turned around. 07:42 >>John: Now, before we go to the break, 07:44 uh, we're not pretending that lifestyle can fix 07:47 everyone in every situation, right? 07:49 >>Dr. Marcum: That's correct. 07:51 >>John: But what percentage of lifestyle-related illnesses 07:54 can lifestyle adjustment positively impact? 07:58 >>Dr. Marcum: Well, it's been estimated that 80-90 percent 08:01 of all disease now is chronic. 08:03 These diseases we cause by lifestyle, 80 to 90 percent. 08:08 So if we can get people to change that, 08:11 you know, to change their lifestyle, 08:13 then there's potential that 80-90 percent of chronic disease 08:17 could be reversed. 08:18 >>John: Now, wouldn't that be something? 08:19 Wouldn't that be something? 08:20 And if you're like me, you either suffer from, 08:22 or you know people, lots of people, 08:25 battling chronic disease. 08:26 God has a way out. 08:29 We'll share more with you about that in just a moment. 08:31 ♪[Music]♪ 08:40 >>John: If you'd like to know what the Bible says 08:42 about how to live the longest, healthiest life possible, 08:45 let me send you our free booklet, 08:47 "Living Life to the Fullest!" 08:49 All you need to do is call 800-253-3000, 08:54 and ask for your copy of "Living Life to the Fullest!" 08:57 If the line's busy, please do try again. 09:00 You can write to us at It Is Written, 09:02 P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401. 09:07 We'll mail a free copy to you in North America. 09:11 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 09:12 on It Is Written, 09:13 and my special guest, Dr. James Marcum, 09:16 a cardiologist who, as well as practicing cardiology, 09:19 leads Heartwise Ministries. 09:21 We're looking at the solution to today's health care dilemma. 09:25 And it seems, it seems, that much of the solution-- 09:29 we can't push this too far and say the entire solution-- 09:33 much of the solution rests in the power of, 09:37 or the privilege of, choice, lifestyle choices. 09:42 Let's be practical about this. 09:43 Let's talk about some chronic conditions and what people 09:47 can do practically, accessibly, 09:50 what they can do to impact those things. 09:51 >>Dr. James Marcum: Well, some of the chronic disease, 09:53 if you could figure out what the chronic stressor is 09:55 that's causing the disease, eliminate that, 09:58 and you can do well. 09:59 For instance, for instance, diabetes. 10:01 We talked about how 1 in 3 might have Type 2 diabetes. 10:05 Diabetes is a disease of too much fat. 10:08 We have too much fat in our diet; 10:11 we have too much fat in our body. 10:13 Just removing fat in our body through exercise, 10:16 and removing fat by eating more vegetables 10:19 and fruits and nuts and grains, 10:21 just that in itself can reverse Type 2 diabetes. 10:24 >>John: Now, I'm going to suggest something to you. 10:26 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah. 10:27 >>John: That's pretty easy. 10:28 Now, I know that some are going to say, 10:30 "Oh, I can't imagine living without my fatty food." 10:35 Can you imagine dying? 10:37 What's the alternative here? 10:39 I can't--you've done harder things than that. 10:42 If it's the difference between life and death, 10:44 you can imagine it, all right. 10:45 Look, we're not asking anybody to go 10:46 and climb Mt. Everest without oxygen. 10:48 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah. 10:49 >>John: What you're saying is, by simply changing what you eat, 10:51 you can reverse-- you can, not always will-- 10:55 but you can in many cases reverse diabetes, correct? 10:58 >>Dr. Marcum: That's for Type 2. 10:59 >>John: That's a simple fix. 11:01 >>Dr. Marcum: And yet, if you have diabetes for many years, 11:02 it damages the body. 11:04 It's a leading cause of blindness, 11:06 kidney disease, heart disease, neuropathies, 11:08 everything. 11:09 >>John: Yeah. 11:10 >>Dr. Marcum: And it's just those things. 11:11 Less fat in your body by exercising, 11:13 less fat in your diet by eating healthier foods. 11:16 >>John: I read where already we have 1 in 4 people are diabetic, 11:18 but there's a humongous amount of people are prediabetic. 11:21 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah. 11:23 >>John: If we're coming up to 1 in 3 people are going to have 11:24 Type 2 diabetes in just a short amount of time, 11:26 think of the cost of that. 11:27 >>Dr. Marcum: Yes, yes, they estimate it's about $15,000 11:31 a year to take care of a Type 2 diabetic. 11:33 And it's not only in the States, 11:35 but we're seeing this around the world now. 11:37 >>John: As the Western lifestyle encroaches. 11:39 >>Dr. Marcum: Exactly. 11:40 We're getting too much of this, and it's damaging us. 11:42 >>John: So let's be honest, then. 11:44 We're spending multiplied millions of dollars 11:46 on study after study after study after study. 11:48 Man, we know what the problem is. 11:49 It's your fork, right? 11:51 >>Dr. Marcum: Mm-hm. 11:52 >>John: It's hyperactive fork, hyperactivity with your fork. 11:56 Really, putting it simply. 11:58 >>John: So that's diabetes. That's plain. 12:00 And by the way, by the way, let me, please, let me say this. 12:04 If you're battling Type 2 diabetes, 12:06 I'm not trying to get on you. 12:08 We don't want to be critical of you. 12:09 The doctor is simply saying that in many, many cases, 12:13 it's what we put in that causes this terrible outcome. 12:16 You mention--I'll let you go quicker on some of these. 12:19 Heart disease--what should, 12:20 what could a person do in many situations? 12:22 >>Dr. Marcum: Again, what is the number one stressor 12:24 that causes it? 12:25 Again, too much fat in the body, okay? 12:28 Too much fat gets in the arteries. 12:30 The arteries get clogged up. 12:31 It leads to heart attacks, all sorts of malfunctions. 12:34 Just eliminating, again, 12:36 fat in the body, again, is going to help improve that. 12:38 You know, you've heard of cholesterol; 12:40 that's a type of fat. 12:41 You get fat out of the body-- 12:43 again, we can actually reverse this. 12:45 I use greens and beans as a treatment for heart disease. 12:48 I get them on a whole food, plant-based diet, 12:51 get them on some exercise, some positive thinking; 12:53 they improve. 12:54 But a lot of people, John, don't even know about these things. 12:56 >>John: Yeah, phenomenal. 12:57 >>Dr. Marcum: Doctors aren't bringing these up. 12:59 They're not emphasizing it. 13:00 It's a secondary-- 13:01 here, let me do a procedure or pill first, 13:03 and unfortunately, our culture is leaning away 13:06 from solutions and treating symptoms. 13:08 >>John: Sure, sure, you can take a pill, 13:09 but it doesn't get to the underlying cause. 13:11 But what about this, Dr. Marcum? 13:13 You'll find a study has released that says, 13:14 "Fat's not bad for you. Fat is good for you. Eat more fat." 13:18 It's, it seems that the common- sensical good science says, 13:23 "Lower the amount of bad fat." 13:25 Why do we see studies that say fat doesn't make you fat? 13:29 >>Dr. Marcum: Well, I always, when I look at a study, 13:30 I say, who is paying for the study? 13:32 >>John: Follow the money. 13:33 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah, follow the money. 13:34 Is a drug company paying for it? Is a hospital system? 13:36 Who is paying for the studies? 13:38 And I could find, if we had the funds, 13:40 much, many more studies that show people without this 13:43 do much better. 13:44 So it's, you can't believe everything you hear; 13:47 you have to know where the source of truth is, 13:50 and it's getting harder nowadays. 13:51 >>John: You mentioned hypertension. 13:52 Explain what hypertension is, and then talk about 13:55 what a person might be able to do for that. 13:56 >>Dr. Marcum: Hypertension is when the blood, 13:58 the blood pressure in the blood vessels go up. 14:01 And if it goes up long-term, it's a long-term problem; 14:04 it stresses the blood vessels; it damages them, 14:06 predisposes them to things like aneurysms, strokes, 14:10 damage to your kidneys, damage to your eyes, heart attacks. 14:13 High blood pressure is not good. 14:15 In some countries, we see no high blood pressure at all. 14:17 In the Amazons, we don't see this. 14:19 >>John: It's not there? 14:20 >>Dr. Marcum: No. 14:21 In Africa, rural Africa, they don't have hypertension. 14:23 This is another disease of Western culture, 14:27 specifically, the food we eat, processed foods, 14:30 and the stress we're under, and lack of activity. 14:33 Those three things, we get rid of those-- 14:36 most of the cases of hypertension would go away, 14:39 and also the downhill effects that we're going to get 14:42 if we go on hypertension year in and year out. 14:45 They call hypertension the "hidden killer." 14:47 Some people don't even know they have it. 14:50 >>John: It's incredible, isn't it, how simple some of this is? 14:52 And, and a person may be wondering, 14:54 you know, "So what?" 14:55 You hear this: 14:57 "Gotta die of something. Gotta die of something." 14:59 Well, I'll tell you this: You don't have to die of everything. 15:02 And there are many things that need not be a threat 15:07 in your life, and as a result, your life is lengthened. 15:10 What does the Bible say? 15:11 We are "fearfully and wonderfully made," 15:16 David wrote in the Psalms, in Psalm 139. 15:19 Let me ask you a question: 15:21 Why, then, is this simple fix not being spoken of more? 15:26 >>Dr. Marcum: Well, if you look at the world we live in, 15:29 is our world designed to worship the true God? 15:32 Or worship the false gods of this world? 15:35 There's a real battle going on out there: 15:36 battle for our health, battle for our minds. 15:39 And as we do this, you know, the culture says, 15:42 oh, you can do this, you can have this, 15:44 you can eat this way, you can move this direction, 15:47 and there'll be no consequences. 15:48 We have a fix, but do we really have a fix? 15:52 We're not looking at the true solution 15:55 to our health care dilemma. 15:56 The world is taking us away from the worship of God. 15:59 >>John: It's important to remember 16:01 that we are in a battle, is that there-- 16:02 >>Dr. Marcum: Yes. 16:03 >>John: ...there's a real spiritual battle going on. 16:05 Let me read this to you. 16:06 This is 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 16, 16:10 and Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, 16:12 "Do you not know that you are the temple of God 16:14 and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 16:17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. 16:20 For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." 16:23 Our body was designed to be an habitation for God Himself, 16:29 and therefore it's important we keep it in good shape. 16:32 Healthy body, healthy mind, 16:33 the healthier we keep ourselves, the more able we are to receive 16:36 the Spirit of God and to hear the voice of God 16:38 and to connect with God. 16:40 We live in this world where the enemy has conspired 16:43 against good health by encouraging us 16:45 to destroy ourselves as rapidly as we possibly can. 16:49 Look around you; that's what you see taking place. 16:51 Now, in a moment, how about we discuss a case study? 16:54 You ready to do that? 16:55 >>Dr. Marcum: Yes. You want to do it right now? 16:56 >>John: Well, we'll do that in just a moment. 16:57 There's a case study, a case study that we can look at 17:00 and say, when you connect your chronic condition to God, 17:05 God does great things. 17:07 We'll share that encouraging story with you in just a moment. 17:11 ♪[Music]♪ 17:20 ♪[Music]♪ 17:22 >>Announcer: In Matthew 4:4, the Word of God says, 17:25 "It is Written, 17:26 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 17:28 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 17:31 "Every Word" is a one-minute Bible-based daily devotional 17:35 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw 17:37 and designed especially for busy people like you. 17:40 Look for "Every Word" on selected networks, 17:42 or watch it online every day on our website, 17:45 itiswritten.com. 17:47 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 17:49 Watch "Every Word." You'll be glad you did. 17:55 ♪["Every Word" theme music]♪ 18:00 >>John: I think it's fascinating to study 18:01 the great characters of the Bible. 18:03 Sarah was considered such a great woman of faith 18:05 that she's listed in Hebrews 11, 18:07 the great faith chapter of the Bible. 18:09 Hebrews 11:11 says, 18:10 "By faith Sarah herself also received strength 18:13 to conceive seed, 18:14 and she bore a child when she was past the age, 18:16 because she judged Him faithful who had promised." 18:18 So who was this Sarah? 18:20 Well, she lacked faith. 18:22 She recommended to her husband 18:23 that he father a child by another woman. 18:25 She was then cruel to the woman in question, 18:27 and Sarah lied--to God. 18:30 Which reminds us that God works with faulty people, 18:32 and He rehabs faulty people. 18:34 Mistakes and shortcomings 18:35 don't spell the end of the road for you. 18:37 God hangs in there with you, and His grace is powerful. 18:40 He didn't give up on Sarah, in spite of her weaknesses. 18:43 And the God who didn't give up on Sarah 18:45 is not about to give up on you. 18:47 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 18:49 Let's live today by every word. 18:51 ♪[Music]♪ 18:55 >>John: I'm John Bradshaw. This is It Is Written. 18:57 Thanks for joining me. 18:59 God's solution to the health care dilemma. 19:01 And we have a real health care crisis in the United States, 19:05 really, in all first-world countries around the planet. 19:08 Discussing this with me is cardiologist Dr. James Marcum. 19:12 Dr. Marcum, we said we would look at a case study here. 19:15 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah, I had a 50-something-year-old gentleman 19:18 that presented to the office. 19:20 Never been to the doctor before, didn't think he was much sick, 19:23 thought he was doing pretty well. 19:25 But at age 50, he was having lots of symptoms. 19:28 He was going to the bathroom seven, eight times a night. 19:31 Energy level down, down to almost zero. 19:35 Well, I tested him, and guess what? 19:37 He had diabetes. 19:38 >>John: Oh, really? Didn't even know? 19:40 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah, A1c was greater than 10. 19:43 Very much a diabetic. 19:45 And I said, "Listen, fellow, you're, you're diabetic." 19:48 >>John: He did not know this? 19:49 >>Dr. Marcum: Did not know that. 19:50 I said, "All these problems are from diabetes." 19:52 And he said, "Well, how can I be a diabetic?" 19:55 I said, "Well, you know, sometimes you have bad genes 19:58 that predispose you to disease. 20:00 And let's be honest; the pancreas makes insulin; 20:03 your pancreas isn't making enough insulin, 20:05 and you're doing some lifestyle things 20:07 that could be hurting you." 20:08 He didn't believe me. 20:09 >>John: Really? 20:10 >>Dr. Marcum: I said, "You keep continuing this path-- 20:12 it's going to age your genes; 20:13 you're going to have heart attacks; 20:14 you're going to get blind; 20:15 you're going to have problems with your kidneys; 20:17 You have to do something." 20:19 And I said, "Listen, 20:20 would you prefer to go the medical route, 20:23 or would you prefer to go the lifestyle route?" 20:25 >>John: Okay, before you get to his answer, 20:28 explain what the medical route is. 20:30 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah. 20:31 >>John: And follow that by telling me 20:32 what the lifestyle route is. 20:33 >>Dr. Marcum: Well, the medical route would be 20:34 to give you some medicines, 20:35 specifically start you on a drug called Metformin, or insulin. 20:39 >>John: Lots of people watching us-- 20:41 >>Dr. Marcum: Yeah, lots of people take those. 20:42 >>John: ...they say, "Oh yeah, I'm using that." 20:43 >>Dr. Marcum: Now, he had Type 2 diabetes. 20:45 But with that disease, not only had diabetes, 20:47 but he found out that he had sleep apnea, 20:49 because he had a little extra weight. 20:50 His blood pressure was high. His cholesterol was high. 20:54 He was having uric acid in the body, which causes gout. 20:57 He had five or six chronic diseases from this problem of, 21:01 of diabetes. 21:02 >>John: If I might say so, it sounds like this individual 21:05 was a walking time bomb. 21:07 >>Dr. Marcum: He was. 21:08 >>John: Really? 21:09 >>Dr. Marcum: I explained the cause of it. 21:10 I said, "Listen, if we can get fat out of the body, 21:12 fat out of your diet totally, 21:15 we might be able to reverse this rather quickly." 21:18 And he says, "Oh, I can't do this." 21:21 He says, "I'm used to eating chips." 21:23 He was a chip-aholic. He had lots of processed foods. 21:26 He didn't even realize what this processed food-- 21:28 he ate pretty healthy, he thought. 21:30 Lots of processed foods. So he says, "I can't do this." 21:33 I said, "Well, you know, what you need to do is, 21:35 is look for the real power, 21:37 and that's a relationship with Christ." 21:39 >>John: Right. 21:40 >>Dr. Marcum: "It will help you see truth 21:41 and give you the power to make changes. 21:43 And he says, "Well, this is a dire situation. 21:46 I don't want to take medicines 21:47 that don't fix the problems for this chronic disease. 21:50 I want a solution." 21:51 So he got on his knees and said-- 21:53 you know, he had a relationship with God. 21:55 It wasn't like he didn't know God. 21:56 He says, "Listen, God, I've identified a problem. 21:59 I need extra help. I need power in my life." 22:01 >>John: Amen. 22:02 >>Dr. Marcum: So right away, 22:03 he started exercising an hour and a half a day. 22:06 Got on the treadmill 30 minutes in the morning 22:08 and an hour at night when he got back from work. 22:10 And he had a pretty demanding job. 22:11 But he says, "I'm going to make time to do this." 22:13 He got rid of all processed foods. 22:15 >>John: Okay. 22:16 >>Dr. Marcum: All processed foods. 22:17 If it wasn't natural, he didn't eat it. 22:20 In three months, his A1c, high to non-diabetic range. 22:25 >>John: Fantastic! 22:26 >>Dr. Marcum: In three months he lost a total of 30 pounds. 22:29 >>John: In just three months? 22:29 >>Dr. Marcum: Three months. 22:30 Blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides, 22:33 all the markers of chronic disease, gout-- 22:35 all of that got better. 22:37 He did it through the power of God changing him. 22:40 The solution to his chronic dilemma was plug in that power, 22:43 and to see truth and able to change one step at a time. 22:46 So he did well at three months. 22:48 He went back to his doctor just last month, 22:51 and still his A1c was in the fives. 22:53 Six-below is non-diabetic range. 22:55 All of the chronic disease, cholesterol had gone down; 22:58 blood pressure had gone down; gouty numbers had gone down. 23:01 All the chronic disease had stayed well, even at this point. 23:05 That patient was me, John Bradshaw. 23:08 That was me, and I had to enact those changes-- 23:10 a doctor, who supposedly was supposed to be healthy, 23:14 was not healthy. 23:16 He had chronic disease that he didn't even know about 23:18 till it got so bad that it presented with a symptom. 23:22 There might be many out there that have chronic disease, too. 23:24 They just don't know it till bad things start to happen. 23:27 >>John: Sure. 23:28 So it was the power of God 23:29 that made this amazing change in your life? 23:31 >>Dr. Marcum: Yes. 23:32 I asked God to help me do things that I never thought I could do. 23:35 I didn't think I could exercise an hour and a half every day, 23:38 with my schedule. 23:39 I didn't think I had the ability to give up all processed foods. 23:43 But it was through His power and that relationship 23:46 that I had with Him that I needed a little extra help. 23:49 You know, whenever someone has a trial or temptation, 23:52 then we use that and turn it into a ministry. 23:55 So I want to use this to help other people understand that, 23:59 yes, for chronic diseases, God is the place to start, 24:03 understanding where the ditches are. 24:05 plugging into that, helping you see truth, 24:07 and enact things one step at a time. 24:09 >>John: What if someone says, 24:10 "I just don't have an hour and a half"? 24:11 Start, just start. Start with what you-- 24:13 >>Dr. Marcum: Yes, start somewhere. 24:14 Say, "God, what can you help me do?" 24:16 You know, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 10,000 steps. 24:19 Get out of the room walking every hour. 24:21 Find something to keep the parts moving, 24:23 so you can change your metabolism 24:25 to get fat out of your body. 24:26 So I changed; I lost 40 pounds. 24:30 >>John: Fantastic. 24:30 >>Dr. Marcum: In six months. 24:31 All the chronic disease markers went down. 24:34 And it wasn't me; it was the power of God. 24:36 So I'm claiming that this is going to be the solution 24:39 to our chronic health care dilemma. 24:42 >>John: Just like that. 24:43 The solution, the solution, the solution? 24:45 It's not legislation. 24:47 The solution is not another program. 24:50 The solution is not a new drug that we haven't discovered yet, 24:53 and God bless those who are helping us 24:55 in the medical and science fields. 24:57 The solution is Jesus. 24:59 >>Dr. Marcum: Yes. 25:00 >>John: And there's power in the Spirit of God 25:03 coming into your life. 25:05 You are fearfully and wonderfully made. 25:07 If you feel like you can't do it, 25:08 remember what Paul wrote to the Philippians: 25:10 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ... 25:13 My God shall supply all your need 25:15 according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." 25:19 If you can't get it done, that's okay. 25:22 God can do it in you. 25:24 The solution? 25:26 The solution is Jesus Himself. 25:28 ♪[Music]♪ 25:38 >>John: If you'd like to know what the Bible says about 25:39 how to live the longest, healthiest life possible, 25:43 let me send you our free booklet, 25:45 "Living Life to the Fullest!" 25:47 All you need to do is call 800-253-3000 25:52 and ask for your copy of "Living Life to the Fullest!" 25:55 If the line's busy, please do try again. 25:57 You can write to us at It Is Written, 26:00 P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401. 26:04 We'll mail a free copy to you in North America. 26:08 >>John: Thank you for remembering 26:09 that It Is Written exists 26:11 because of the kindness of people just like you. 26:13 To support this international life-changing ministry, 26:16 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 26:21 You can send your tax-deductible gift 26:22 to the address on your screen, 26:24 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:28 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 26:30 Our number again is 800-253-3000. 26:35 Or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:39 >>John Bradshaw: Dr. Marcum, thanks for joining me today. 26:40 This has been a blessing. 26:41 >>Dr. Marcum: My pleasure, John. 26:42 And, you know, it's not an easy story to tell, 26:45 you know, but it's important. 26:46 God's using this for ministry to help others. 26:48 >>John: A blessing. 26:49 Thanks. Let's pray together now. Let's pray. 26:51 Our Father in heaven, 26:52 we are thankful for what You can do in our life. 26:55 We're grateful, too, that for many 26:57 of the pressing physical health problems we face as a world, 27:02 many of those cases, 27:03 there are simple solutions. 27:05 Lord, I pray that You'd guide us. 27:08 I pray that You'd lead us to good health and not bad. 27:11 I pray that You'd lead us away from bad practices 27:14 to good practices. 27:15 I pray that we can see defeats turn into victories, 27:17 failures into success; 27:19 good health take the place of bad health. 27:21 Thank You that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. 27:24 And in all of this, 27:25 we're not merely looking for a longer life, 27:27 not merely looking for better health. 27:29 We are looking to honor You and glorify You 27:32 and give You more of us to possess and work through. 27:36 Thank You that You are the solution. 27:40 We are grateful. 27:41 We pray in Jesus' name. 27:45 Amen. 27:46 >>John: Thank you so much for joining me today. 27:47 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:49 Until then, remember: 27:51 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:54 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 27:59 ♪[Theme music]♪ 28:09 ♪[Theme music]♪ |
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