Participants:
Series Code: THI
Program Code: THI000023S
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00:23 Father in heaven, We thank
00:24 you so much 00:25 that you are a God 00:26 who is concerned 00:28 about every one of us 00:29 in every aspect of our lives. 00:31 Please 00:32 help us to see that again 00:34 today. 00:34 From your Word, 00:35 we ask In Jesus name, Amen. 00:40 It is one of those 00:41 burning questions 00:43 that seems to be on 00:44 many people's minds. 00:45 I hear people 00:46 asking the question. 00:48 And as we study 00:49 through the Bible 00:49 and as we preach on the Bible, 00:51 I often hear people 00:52 asking things like, 00:53 Well, do the promise 00:54 of the promises of the Bible 00:56 really apply to me? 00:58 Or maybe they'll ask 00:59 something like this. 01:00 They'll say, 01:01 Does Jesus really have 01:02 a personal interest 01:04 in my deepest needs? 01:06 And you may have struggled 01:07 with those things before. 01:09 You may hear about Jesus 01:10 being interested 01:11 in other people, 01:12 but what about you personally? 01:15 Well, 01:15 these questions 01:16 are not just questions 01:17 that we struggle with today. 01:20 They're questions that 01:21 people have grappled 01:22 with throughout the centuries, 01:25 and it takes even 01:25 greater significance 01:27 when we think about the church. 01:29 Jesus established the church. 01:31 And sometimes 01:33 I have people 01:34 come to me as a pastor 01:35 and they say in so many words, 01:37 the church 01:38 is not meeting my needs. 01:39 Or maybe even more likely, 01:42 I see people 01:43 who don't even want the church 01:45 to know about their needs. 01:47 Do some of you have needs that, 01:49 well, 01:49 you would never ask the church 01:50 to pray for? 01:52 Or how about a prayer request? 01:55 A prayer request 01:56 that you would never, never ask 02:00 to be put on our bulletin 02:02 because you've been told 02:03 by many people, either 02:05 directly or indirectly, 02:06 that the only reason 02:07 for the problem 02:08 you're struggling with 02:09 is because of your own fault. 02:12 Can you relate to 02:12 some of these things, 02:13 whether it's directly 02:14 said or not? 02:16 And so today, 02:17 as we look at these questions, 02:18 I invite you 02:18 to turn in your Bibles 02:20 to the ninth chapter 02:21 of the Book of John, 02:23 the ninth chapter 02:24 of the Book of John, 02:25 because this challenge, 02:27 these questions 02:28 are not things that just, 02:31 well, 02:32 face us today in 02:33 the 21st century. 02:35 In John 9 02:36 Jesus is walking, 02:37 and it says, as He passed 02:39 by, a man 02:40 who was blind from birth 02:43 is there that Jesus encounters. 02:46 Now in John 9 02:48 a lot has happened. 02:50 Jesus has done 02:51 miraculous works of healing. 02:53 He has done 02:54 all kinds of amazing things. 02:56 And you would think 02:57 when the disciples 02:58 saw this blind man 02:59 that they likely could say, 03:01 Well, now 03:02 Jesus is going to 03:02 heal this fellow, 03:03 or they might have even asked 03:04 Jesus, 03:05 Are you going to heal this man? 03:06 This is not 03:06 what comes out of their mouths. 03:08 Instead, what they ask 03:09 is, Rabbi, who sinned this man 03:13 or his parents, 03:14 that he was born blind? 03:16 I mean, it's really amazing 03:17 when you think about it, right? 03:19 They're not thinking about 03:20 the needs of the man. 03:21 They are the church. 03:21 This is who 03:22 Jesus is building 03:23 his church on. Theretwo. 03:27 Two? 03:29 There's a dozen there, okay? 03:32 And they're all 03:33 seemingly asking 03:34 this question, 03:36 Whose problem is it? 03:38 Now, think about this 03:39 for a minute. 03:40 Let's make it applicable today. 03:42 How many times 03:43 have you seen on a prayer list 03:45 or have you heard 03:45 a prayer request 03:46 to pray 03:47 for total healing 03:49 of someone who was born 03:50 with a congenital disease? 03:51 That means a condition 03:52 from birth. 03:53 I mean, 03:54 have you ever heard that? 03:56 I mean, some of you 03:57 might be saying yes, 03:58 but a lot of times 03:58 people say, well, 03:59 I mean, someone born blind. 04:00 I mean, 04:01 why would you pray for that? 04:02 I mean, they're 04:02 they're born blind. 04:04 Or they have a heart defect, 04:05 they need surgery. 04:07 I'm just telling you, 04:09 there are some things 04:09 that often 04:10 don't make the prayer lists. 04:12 But then what about this? 04:14 What about certain 04:15 health conditions 04:16 that we feel 04:16 are the person's fault? 04:17 Do you see what's 04:18 going on here? 04:19 The disciples are not saying 04:21 Jesus, will you heal this man? 04:24 They're saying, Who sinned? 04:27 Who sinned? 04:28 Was it this man 04:29 or was it the parents? 04:30 Step back with me 04:31 just for a minute 04:32 into the world of the Bible, 04:34 because you have 04:34 to realize that 04:35 in that day and age, 04:36 if something bad happened, 04:38 the fingers were all pointing 04:39 at you. 04:40 Read the Book of Job 04:42 and the Book of Job 04:43 is really this drama 04:44 where Job's friends are saying, 04:45 You must have done something 04:46 wrong, okay, 04:47 because bad things 04:48 are happening to you. 04:50 But this was a problem 04:51 because a child was born blind. 04:54 I mean, 04:54 what could the child 04:55 have done right 04:56 if he was born blind? 04:57 So the disciples, 04:58 their sole focus was on 05:00 what it seems 05:01 at least 05:01 the only thing 05:02 that comes out of their mouth 05:03 is, who sinned? 05:04 Whose fault was it? 05:07 Do we do the same thing? 05:09 Do we blame victims? 05:12 I don't know 05:13 if you realize this, 05:14 but psychologically 05:16 blaming victims protects us. 05:20 You see, 05:21 if you can blame the person 05:22 that got hit 05:23 by the drunk driver. 05:24 That the drunk driver, 05:26 the person that got hit 05:27 by the drunk driver. 05:28 Are you following along? 05:29 You say, wait a minute, 05:30 this is something random? 05:31 No. If you can blame them. 05:33 Well, they, they, 05:33 they probably weren't 05:34 paying attention. 05:35 You know, if I were driving, 05:36 I would have seen them 05:37 kind of weaving up ahead 05:38 and it wouldn't have hit, 05:39 you know, 05:40 I would have been or 05:41 or what were they doing 05:42 anyway, driving at, 05:43 you know, 10:30 at night, okay? 05:47 Have you heard 05:48 things like that? 05:49 And you could go down 05:50 and you can go through 05:52 all kinds of traumatic things 05:53 and even disease. 05:55 Some years ago, 05:57 good friends of ours, 05:59 relatively young couple, 06:02 the husband was stricken 06:03 with a grievous disease. 06:05 Often people would say 06:05 it's a fatal condition. 06:07 And but these two individuals 06:10 were very active 06:10 in health ministry. 06:12 They were very 06:12 health conscious. 06:14 And as we talked with the wife, 06:17 she said, you know, 06:18 people were coming to her, 06:19 you know, 06:19 what was your husband 06:19 doing wrong? 06:21 You know, 06:21 is he doing something, 06:22 you know, 06:23 when no one was looking? Why? 06:25 Why do people want to do that? 06:28 You're just not 06:28 it's just not 06:29 supposed to happen. 06:30 You know, 06:31 you're not supposed to 06:31 there's not supposed to happen 06:32 if you're following 06:33 all the rules, right? 06:34 But the problem is, it does. 06:35 We're living in a world of sin. 06:37 And what's amazing to me 06:39 is Jesus response. 06:41 They're asking a question. 06:43 Who sinned? 06:43 Was it this man 06:44 or was it his parents? 06:46 And Jesus. 06:48 Jesus does something amazing. 06:50 He says, 06:51 neither this man sinned nor 06:54 his parents. 06:56 It's almost like he's 06:57 saying, would you stop. 06:58 Would you just stop 06:59 with this, okay? 07:00 Stop trying to blame everyone 07:02 when bad things happen, okay? 07:04 Bad things happen, but it's 07:07 better than that. 07:09 Because Jesus takes it 07:10 in an interesting direction. 07:12 He says neither this man 07:14 nor his parents sinned, 07:15 but that the works of God 07:17 should be revealed in him. 07:19 I must work the works of him 07:21 who sent me while it is day. 07:22 The night is coming 07:24 when no man can work. 07:25 As long as I am in the world, 07:27 I am the light of the world. 07:29 So what's going to happen? 07:31 Jesus둝ght is going to shine 07:32 more brightly 07:34 because of what this man 07:36 has been suffering with. 07:39 And it doesn't stop there. 07:41 When Jesus said these things, 07:42 then it says He 07:43 spat on the ground 07:44 and He made clay 07:45 with the saliva 07:46 and He anointed 07:47 the eyes of the blind man 07:49 with the clay. 07:50 And He said to him, 07:51 Go wash in the pool of Siloam, 07:54 which is being 07:55 translated, sent. 07:57 So he went 07:58 and washed and came back 08:00 seeing. 08:02 Amazing, isn't it? 08:04 All of what 08:05 he had experienced in 08:06 his life is 08:07 put in the background. 08:08 He is now a trophy, right? 08:11 Of Jesus healing power. 08:16 Jesus sees 08:17 personal needs 08:19 as opportunities for ministry. 08:21 And I like to suggest, 08:22 instead of pointing fingers, 08:23 instead of way, 08:24 instead of saying, 08:25 Oh, how thankful 08:25 I am not to be like 08:26 that person, 08:27 I believe 08:28 God wants the church 08:29 to have that same vision. 08:31 Jesus saw opportunities 08:33 for ministry 08:34 when people were struggling. 08:36 He said in Matthew 11, 08:37 Come to Me, 08:39 all you who 08:39 labor and are heavy 08:41 laden and I will do what? 08:42 I will give you rest. 08:44 That's exactly right. 08:46 But when it comes 08:47 to the church, 08:49 1 Thessalonians 5:9 08:51 and onward puts it this way. 08:52 Our Lord Jesus 08:53 Christ died for us 08:55 that whether we wake or sleep, 08:57 we should live together 08:58 with Him. 08:59 Therefore comfort each other 09:01 and edify, 09:02 build one another up, 09:03 just as you also are doing. 09:06 So, Paul has been writing 09:08 in this letter 09:09 to the Thessalonians 09:10 trying to comfort those 09:11 who had lost loved ones. 09:12 And he's saying 09:13 even in one of the worst things 09:15 that we can envision happening, 09:17 the death of a loved one, 09:18 heaying, 09:19 whether whether we're focused 09:22 on those 09:22 who've died or 09:23 sleeping in Jesus, 09:24 whether we're living, 09:26 what should our lives 09:27 be focused on? 09:28 We should be focused 09:29 on comforting, building 09:31 one another up, 09:32 ministering to one another. 09:34 Now, don't miss this. 09:35 In John 9, 09:37 Jesus said, I am what? 09:40 The light of the world. 09:43 But you know, 09:44 in an earlier gospel, 09:46 at least earlier, 09:47 as far as the canon 09:49 in Matthew's gospel, 09:50 there's something interesting 09:51 that we read in 09:52 the Sermon on the Mount. 09:54 Because Jesus there said, 09:57 You are the light of the world. 10:00 So which is it? 10:02 Are we, the church, Jesus 10:03 speaking to the church 10:04 here in Matthew 5, 10:07 saying They're 10:08 the light of the world. 10:09 You are the light of the world. 10:10 And Jesus saying, 10:11 I am the light of the world. 10:12 So who's the light 10:13 of the world? 10:17 Well, they both are, okay? 10:19 Jesus is the ultimate light, 10:21 but He wants His light 10:22 to shine through the church. 10:26 In John 9, Jesus also said, 10:27 I must work 10:29 the works of Him who sent me. 10:32 I must work the works of what? 10:35 Him who sent me. 10:38 Was Jesus 10:39 the only one 10:40 who was ever sent 10:40 by the Father? 10:42 Well, Jesus himself. 10:45 In Matthew 28, 10:47 speaking again 10:48 to the entire church 10:50 least metaphorically. 10:51 I mean, we weren't 10:53 all there personally, 10:54 but He's 10:55 speaking to all the believers 10:56 that could then be gathered. 10:58 Matthew 28, 11:00 He says the first words 11:02 of His charge. 11:03 Yes, the passage mentions 11:06 that Jesus shares 11:07 the fact that all power, 11:08 all authority 11:09 has been given to Him, 11:10 but the first 11:11 words of His charge are what? 11:13 Go therefore. 11:15 So if someone walks up to 11:16 you and says Go 11:17 and they have authority 11:19 to tell you to go, 11:20 what are they doing? 11:22 They are sending you. 11:24 So not only was Jesus 11:25 the light of the world 11:26 and He calls us to be the light 11:27 of the world as well, 11:29 but He was also sent 11:31 and then He sends us out. 11:33 So we're called to share 11:35 in the Father's ministry. 11:36 And Jesus, 11:37 as He's 11:38 speaking about the power 11:39 of the Holy Spirit 11:40 that would be poured out, 11:41 He said in John 14, Verily, 11:44 I tell you, 11:45 whoever believes in Me 11:46 will do the works 11:47 that I have been doing 11:48 and they will do 11:49 even greater things than these. 11:51 Why? 11:52 Because I 11:53 am going to the Father. 11:55 So Jesus wants to empower 11:57 your witness. 11:58 He wants to empower 11:59 the witness of the church, 12:00 the local church, 12:01 the collective church. 12:04 Now, if we're going 12:05 to carry out the work of Jesus 12:07 being sent and ministering, 12:09 I believe we need to help those 12:11 with a pervasive health problem 12:14 that I've never seen 12:15 on a church prayer list. 12:17 Think about this for a minute. 12:18 I mean, we have all kinds of 12:20 people on our prayer list 12:22 and I've been in many churches 12:23 over the years. 12:24 I cannot remember 12:26 seeing an individual 12:27 with this particular health 12:29 need on a prayer list. 12:31 And the question 12:32 I have is, 12:33 do we not see these individuals 12:35 on prayer lists 12:36 because on some level, 12:38 we are blaming the victims. 12:44 We're talking 12:45 about one of 12:45 the Western world's 12:46 great epidemics. 12:48 And that epidemic 12:50 is overweight and obesity. 12:53 Have you seen that 12:54 on the prayer list? 12:55 Help so-and-so 12:56 lose weight this year. 12:57 Have you ever seen that? 12:59 I mean, I haven't seen it. 13:00 I'm just being honest with you. 13:02 Maybe you've seen it 13:02 on prayer lists 13:03 or maybe they've shared with it 13:04 individually, too. 13:05 But I'm speaking about 13:06 corporate prayer. 13:07 I mean, if you look at 13:08 what's happening 13:09 in our country, 13:10 it's staggering. 13:12 The orange and red, 13:13 if you look on this graphic, 13:15 the orange and red 13:16 we're talking about 13:17 in the range of 35 13:20 to 45% of the population 13:23 of those states 13:24 in the central 13:24 part of the U.S., 13:25 including Indiana 13:27 where we're 13:28 preaching from today, 13:31 with staggering rates. 13:32 This is obesity. 13:33 This is not just overweight. 13:35 And by the way, 13:36 just for the record, 13:37 those of you that are viewing, 13:39 I'm not looking at you 13:40 on television 13:41 because you're overweight, 13:43 okay? 13:43 it's the same with you 13:44 in the congregation. 13:45 I try to keep good eye 13:46 contact with the whole 13:47 group of you that are here. 13:49 So don't feel like I'm 13:50 looking at you the whole time 13:51 and I'm singling you out 13:54 because you knew 13:54 you've gained 5 pounds 13:55 in the last year 13:57 and I'm trying 13:57 to embarrass you. 13:58 Okay? 13:58 So we've cleared 13:59 the air there, okay? 14:01 So 2021, 14:02 this is the latest data 14:04 as of actually 2023, 14:06 this is the most 14:06 you know, it 14:07 takes a while for data 14:08 to be compiled. 14:09 If you were to look back 14:10 ten years ago 14:11 would the map look the same, 14:13 would it be the same map? 14:14 So here we are 14:16 ten years ago. 14:17 Look at this. 14:19 Greens, lower rates, 14:21 yellow lower rates. 14:22 This is where 14:23 we were ten years ago 14:24 as a country. 14:25 And now we're here. 14:27 So we're dealing 14:28 with an epidemic 14:29 of overweight and obesity. 14:30 So if you're struggling 14:31 with your weight, 14:32 you're in good company. 14:34 If you include 14:35 overweight with it, 14:36 it is 14:36 the majority of the population. 14:40 Obesity, extreme overweight. 14:43 We're talking about 14:44 one third of the population 14:46 in Midwestern states, over 14:47 one third, 14:48 like here in Indiana. 14:50 And even the portions 14:51 of our country 14:52 that are doing 14:52 the best, 14:53 it's still over a quarter. 14:56 So what can we do? 14:57 What can we do to help? 14:58 How about as individuals, 15:00 do we fall into the trap 15:02 like those disciples did? 15:03 Are we blaming people? 15:05 And I'm 15:06 just telling you, I've worked 15:07 in this area for over 30 years. 15:09 I used to be 15:09 the medical director 15:10 of a large hospital 15:11 weight loss program. 15:12 It's a major medical system 15:14 in the US. 15:14 And, and 15:16 what I found in dealing with 15:18 people who struggle with 15:19 this is 15:20 some people think 15:22 they're helping them by saying, 15:25 you know, what's your problem? 15:26 You know? 15:26 You know, 15:27 get your life together. 15:28 You know, 15:28 why don't you just lose weight? 15:29 And they think they're 15:30 doing them a favor. 15:30 How much of a favor 15:31 do you think that's doing 15:32 for people? 15:33 It's doing zero, okay? 15:36 Now we're going to talk 15:37 about something 15:38 that you can use 15:39 as individuals. 15:40 You can use it in a home 15:41 Bible study group. 15:43 We could do it 15:43 as a local church here. 15:47 We're rolling out 15:47 a new program. 15:49 Many of you who 15:50 know about our radio show, 15:52 American Indian and Alaska 15:53 Native Living, 15:54 it is 15:55 in the month of January 2023 15:58 featuring, those of you 16:00 that listen to this live 16:01 it's actually coming out 16:02 just this week, 16:03 actually Monday, it's 16:05 coming out, 16:06 this episode introducing 16:07 what we're calling a 16:08 it's a brand new program. 16:09 I've worked in this area 16:10 for many years, 16:11 but it's a new program 16:12 that we're rolling out. 16:12 We're calling it the Fast 16:14 8 program. Fast 8. 16:16 And if you want to be 16:17 a part of it, you can sign up. 16:19 It's exclusively virtual. 16:21 Just go to our our church 16:23 health web page, 16:24 TimelessHealingInsights.org, 16:27 TimelessHealingInsights.org, 16:30 and you can sign up 16:31 for the Fast 8 program. 16:33 You say, what is it all about? 16:34 Well, if you sign up, you 16:36 and you could read 16:36 the fine print. 16:37 You can read it online. 16:38 It says an eight week 16:39 life changing weight and health 16:42 optimization program 16:44 launching on Sunday, 16:45 February 5th of 2023. 16:49 Now, 16:50 because this is being filmed, 16:52 it's going to go out 16:52 in different networks. 16:53 It's going to be archived 16:54 online. 16:55 Doesnខatter 16:56 when someone watches this. 16:57 These resources 16:58 are going to be on the website 17:00 and people can download 17:01 the handout. 17:02 You can do that right now 17:02 if you're sitting right here, 17:03 If some of you want to be 17:05 some of our beta testers 17:06 from the very first, 17:08 you can go on right now, 17:09 sign up 17:10 and see 17:10 if you can download 17:11 the handout. 17:11 If you can't, 17:12 you know, jump up and scream. 17:14 No, don't do that. 17:15 But but get my attention 17:17 after the service. 17:18 I checked before the service 17:20 and it looks like 17:20 everything's operating. 17:21 So you certainly say, well, 17:22 why would I want to sign up? 17:23 Why don't 17:24 you just let me download 17:25 the handout? 17:25 I can tell you already, 17:26 since we're just releasing 17:28 this program, 17:28 we are continually upgrading 17:30 the handout. 17:30 It's already in. 17:31 It's like 17:32 third revision, 17:33 and I've got another one 17:34 scheduled in a few days 17:35 because as we're releasing it 17:37 and sharing with people, 17:38 some are saying, Well, 17:38 this didn't make sense here. 17:40 Could you explain this 17:40 a little bit better? 17:41 So it's 17:42 if you sign up for this, 17:44 you'll continue 17:45 to get notifications. 17:46 We update the handouts. 17:47 And also we're going 17:48 to be rolling out 17:48 video resources 17:50 come February 4th, 17:51 actually the day 17:52 before the program launches 17:54 to support people on it. 17:55 So again, 17:56 the subtitle, eight weeks, 17:58 eight fasts, there 17:59 eight Bible fasts, 18:01 lifelong health improvement. 18:03 It launches Sunday, 18:05 February 5th, 18:06 and this 18:07 virtual pre-launch seminar, 18:09 Saturday, February 18:10 4th at 7 p.m.. 18:11 So if you want to 18:12 make sure you're notified 18:14 of that live video event, 18:17 you'll want to make sure 18:18 that you register 18:19 on the website. 18:21 Again, it's 18:22 TimelessHealingInsights.org. 18:24 If you get frustrated, 18:25 someone's watching this in 2025 18:28 and they can't find it, 18:29 just go to 18:30 TimelessHealingInsights.org/FAST 18:33 And even if it's not right 18:34 on our home page, 18:36 you'll be able to get to it 18:37 directly using that link. 18:39 So you say, okay, 18:41 this is all interesting, 18:42 but well, 18:46 how much 18:47 is this going to help me 18:47 and how much is it 18:48 going to be a resource 18:49 for those that I care about? 18:50 So remember, 18:51 what we're doing with 18:52 this program is 18:52 even though I'm going 18:53 to show you today 18:54 in this 18:56 TV episode 18:57 and the one coming 18:57 up, I'm going to show you 18:58 some of the Bible 18:59 basis that this program is 19:00 based on is built on. 19:03 We're not going to be including 19:04 a strong biblical framework. 19:06 So this is going 19:07 to be a program 19:07 that's suitable for anyone, 19:09 a coworker at work. 19:10 If someone says, 19:10 I don't want anything 19:11 to do with your church, 19:12 but you know, 19:12 they have a need in this area, 19:13 you say, Boy, 19:14 that's a difficult thing 19:15 to ask. 19:16 You know, 19:16 why would you 19:17 if I walk up and talk 19:18 with someone and say, Hey, 19:19 do you want to go on a weight 19:20 loss program? 19:21 No, this is a health and weight 19:22 optimization program. 19:24 So if you just want to improve 19:25 your health, 19:26 you are welcome to join 19:27 us, okay? 19:28 So Fast 8 is 19:30 what we're calling it. 19:31 And you can sign up 19:32 and you can share it. 19:33 You'll get the free 19:34 handout right away 19:36 and then we'll 19:36 keep you in the loop. 19:37 So are you excited, 19:39 is the question? 19:40 I can see the enthusiasm 19:42 on some of your faces. 19:43 Others of you 19:44 seem less than enthusiastic, 19:46 and that's okay. 19:47 I anticipated as much 19:49 because when we do health 19:51 events, I've noticed 19:52 there is a group of people 19:53 that always is apathetic 19:55 no matter what 19:55 program we're offering. 19:57 And right now 19:58 you might be very apathetic 19:59 saying, well, 20:00 this isn't a program for me. 20:01 My weight is just fine. 20:03 I mean, why would this be 20:04 anything I'd be interested in? 20:06 Others of you are afraid. 20:08 Wait a minute. 20:09 Eight fasts in eight weeks. 20:11 I mean, one fast. 20:13 I mean, 20:13 that sounds like enough. 20:14 I mean, eight this. 20:16 I mean, 20:17 why would any 20:18 why would I sign up for that? 20:20 And others of you, it's 20:21 just pure aversion. 20:22 You're saying 20:23 this sounds like 20:23 just another setting 20:24 where people are going 20:25 to shame me and blame me. 20:26 And and 20:27 if I sign up, I'm 20:28 just going to be a loser again 20:29 and I'm not going to work. 20:31 Well, let me take a few minutes 20:33 and give you 20:33 some Bible background 20:34 to help hopefully dispel 20:36 some of these common approaches 20:38 to various health programs. 20:40 The first one is apathy. 20:42 Let me just tell you, 20:44 God is calling all of us, 20:45 I believe, to be empathetic 20:47 when it comes to people's 20:48 health needs. 20:49 And this is one 20:49 that we need to be 20:50 empathetic about. 20:52 In Romans 20:53 12, Paul put it this way 20:54 as he was writing to 20:55 the Church of Rome, 20:56 he said, Rejoice 20:58 with those who rejoice 21:00 and weep with those who weep. 21:03 I mean, this is a real source 21:04 of struggle for so many people. 21:06 I'm just telling you, 21:07 as a physician, 21:08 as a pastor, 21:09 so many people 21:09 struggle with this. 21:11 And even though 21:11 you may not have an issue, 21:13 empathize with them and 21:16 say, I want to 21:17 you want to 21:17 please pray for this program, 21:18 even if you're not 21:19 going to go through it with us. 21:21 And by the way, 21:21 no matter what 21:22 your weight is, you are 21:23 invited to go 21:24 through this program, 21:24 this virtual program with us. 21:26 What about this one? Fear. 21:28 Eight fasts. 21:30 Should you be afraid 21:31 of this program? 21:31 Well, let me just tell you, 21:32 it is a Bible based program. 21:34 So by God's grace, 21:36 we are going to 21:38 share encouraging messages, 21:40 messages 21:41 that point 21:41 you in the right direction, 21:42 that walk with you, 21:43 that support you. 21:45 In 2 Timothy 21:46 Paul is writing to this 21:48 this young minister 21:49 and he says for God 21:50 has not given us 21:50 a spirit of fear, 21:52 but of power 21:54 and of love 21:55 and of a sound mind. 21:56 So God wants to just 21:58 like Paul was encouraging 21:59 Timothy. 21:59 God wants to encourage 22:00 us as church members 22:02 individually, not to be afraid, 22:04 but not to be afraid. 22:05 Also, as we want to share 22:06 and Minister 22:07 in our communities. 22:08 Jesus put it this way, 22:10 If the sun sets you free, 22:13 you will be free indeed. 22:14 Does God want to free us 22:16 from all of our bad habits? 22:18 He does, there's no question 22:19 about it. 22:20 And in Philippians 2, 22:22 Paul put it this way, for 22:23 it is God 22:24 who works in you to will 22:26 and to act 22:28 in order 22:28 to fulfill his good purpose. 22:30 So God wants to to help you 22:32 to see practical things 22:34 that can make 22:35 a difference in your life. 22:36 He wants us to come together. 22:37 Those of you 22:38 that have been praying 22:39 about some 22:39 ministry opportunity, 22:40 it can be as easy 22:41 as inviting a neighbor 22:43 to go through the program 22:44 and supporting one another 22:46 as you go 22:46 through the eight week program. 22:48 But what about this 22:49 one, aversion? 22:50 Because maybe you have 22:51 struggled with your weight 22:52 and you say, listen, 22:53 every time I go 22:53 on a weight loss program, 22:54 yeah, I lose weight. 22:55 I put even more back on. 22:57 I feel even more 22:57 like a failure. 22:58 They tell me all these things 23:00 I've got to do 23:00 and I can't do them. 23:02 Well, what about that? 23:05 In Galatians 23:06 6, Paul said, 23:08 Bear one another's burdens 23:10 and so fulfill 23:11 the law of Christ. 23:12 We really, 23:13 as we're developing 23:13 this program, 23:14 we're really looking at it 23:15 and saying, you know what? 23:16 We want to come 23:17 alongside people. 23:18 We want to support them. 23:19 And in Matthew 7, 23:21 you remember 23:22 the words of Jesus, Judge, 23:23 not that ye be not judged. 23:25 So this is not some opportunity 23:27 to make people feel bad 23:28 or to give them 23:28 another opportunity 23:30 just to be defeated. 23:31 But it's an opportunity for us 23:33 as a church, 23:34 for our viewing community 23:35 to support 23:36 one another 23:37 as we go on this journey. 23:39 So really, it can 23:41 there be a Bible based 23:42 fasting program? 23:44 Does the Bible 23:45 really have a basis 23:46 for a fasting program 23:48 that could help our health? 23:50 Well, some of this material 23:52 you'll find in the handout, 23:53 you won't find the Bible text 23:54 because remember, 23:55 we're trying to 23:56 this initial roll 23:57 out of the program 23:58 is for people, 23:59 no matter what 24:00 their spiritual walk is, 24:02 the Bible principles 24:03 undergird it, 24:04 but we're not going to hit them 24:05 over the head with the Bible. 24:06 So someone 24:07 you share it with, 24:08 a secular friend, 24:10 they're not going to say, 24:11 Oh, you're just trying 24:12 to convert me. 24:14 Two principles of 24:15 biblical fasting 24:16 that I want to look 24:17 at with you. 24:18 First of all, 24:19 fasting transcends 24:21 what we eat and drink. 24:22 We're going to see 24:23 a lot of times 24:24 you hear fast and you think, 24:25 Oh my, I can't eat this, 24:26 I can't drink that. 24:27 What is he going to have me do? 24:28 What, at eight weeks? 24:29 What is it? 24:30 A lot of the things 24:31 we're going to talk about 24:32 are things 24:32 that have nothing to do 24:33 with food or beverages. 24:35 And I know some of you 24:35 are really scratching 24:36 your heads right now, 24:37 but we'll look at 24:38 the biblical basis for this. 24:39 And then 24:40 the second point is 24:41 that fasting 24:41 can be viewed 24:42 as an application of temperance 24:44 using that 24:45 which is good in moderation 24:47 and totally avoiding 24:48 that which is harmful. 24:49 So I want to just look quickly 24:51 at these 24:51 two biblical principles 24:53 that undergird the program. 24:55 The first one, fasting goes 24:57 far beyond 24:58 what we eat and drink. 24:59 And one of the great texts 25:01 that deal with 25:01 this is Isaiah 58. 25:04 In Isaiah 58, 25:05 God's people are coming to him 25:07 just like 25:08 we started this presentation. 25:09 It's like, Do you hear us God? 25:11 Are you listening to me? 25:12 Does your counsel apply to me? 25:13 And that's what they're saying. 25:15 They're saying, 25:15 Why have we fasted, 25:17 and you haven't seen? 25:18 Why have we 25:19 afflicted our souls, 25:20 and you take no notice? 25:22 What are they experiencing? 25:25 we're trying to press close to 25:26 God, and He's not answering. 25:29 God does 25:30 answer through 25:30 Isaiah 25:31 He says, In fact, 25:33 in the day of your fast 25:34 you find pleasure 25:36 and you exploit 25:37 all your laborers. 25:39 Indeed, you fast 25:40 for strife and debate 25:41 and to strike 25:42 with the fist of wickedness. 25:44 You're saying you're fasting, 25:45 trying to come close to God, 25:46 but you're 25:47 oppressing other people. 25:51 And then God describes 25:53 what a true fast looks like. 25:54 Is this not the fast 25:55 that I have chosen 25:56 to loose the bonds 25:58 of wickedness, 25:58 to undo the heavy burdens, 26:00 to let the oppressed go free, 26:01 and that you break every yoke? 26:05 Is it not to share 26:06 your bread with the hungry 26:07 and that you bring 26:08 to your house 26:09 the poor who are cast out 26:10 when you see the naked 26:11 that you cover him 26:12 and that you 26:13 hide not yourself 26:14 from your own flesh? 26:17 God is trying to help us 26:18 see if you don't catch it in 26:19 Isaiah 58. 26:20 He wants us to see 26:21 fasting in broader terms 26:23 than what 26:24 we're eating or not eating. 26:25 Are you following 26:26 along with me? 26:27 He wants us to be involved 26:29 in ministry. 26:29 That's what Isaiah 58 26:31 is calling us to. 26:32 Think about the language 26:34 of Isaiah 58. 26:35 I've heard these 26:35 very same words 26:36 from people struggling 26:38 with their weight. 26:39 Bonds they talk about. 26:41 Heavy burdens, oppressed. 26:44 It's like a yoke. 26:46 We're talking 26:46 about trying to 26:47 make a difference, 26:49 and we're going to 26:50 make a difference 26:50 by God's grace. 26:52 Looking at eight Bible fasts. 26:54 Let me show you what 26:54 some of them are. 26:56 If you go through 26:56 the eight week program, 26:57 we're going to talk about 26:58 fasting from negativity, 26:59 especially as it relates 27:00 to things 27:01 like a person's weight, 27:02 fasting from judgmentalism, 27:04 judging your own self 27:05 and fasting from isolation. 27:07 Are you game 27:08 to join us on this journey? 27:12 TimelessHealingInsights.org. 27:15 I encourage you to sign up, 27:17 support this community 27:19 that's going to go through 27:20 this virtual program. 27:21 Let's pray. 27:23 Father in Heaven, 27:23 we thank you so much 27:24 that you're a God 27:25 who cares about us. 27:26 You do hear our need. 27:27 Many have been crying out. 27:28 They, 27:29 they're struggling 27:30 with their weight, 27:31 with their health. 27:32 And we believe that you have 27:33 allowed light 27:34 to shine on our paths 27:35 to be a blessing. 27:36 Please help us to embrace that, 27:37 to share it with others, 27:38 and to experience 27:39 the blessings of it. 27:41 For we ask it in 27:42 Jesus name, Amen. 27:44 Please, please. 27:46 I want to encourage you, 27:47 no matter what your weight is, 27:49 catch the vision 27:50 for this opportunity 27:51 starting February 5th of 2023. 27:54 Join us on this life 27:56 changing journey. |
Revised 2023-02-01