Participants:
Series Code: THI
Program Code: THI000044S
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00:22 Welcome to
00:23 Timeless Healing Insights. 00:24 I'm Dr. David DeRose. 00:26 Jesus calls us to Himself, 00:28 but He also calls 00:29 us into community. 00:31 He calls us to be part 00:32 of a body of believers. 00:34 We engage with that topic today 00:36 as we continue 00:37 our series 00:38 on the Gospel of Mark. 00:42 Father in Heaven, 00:43 we are looking at the Gospel 00:44 of Mark. 00:45 We're seeing 00:45 how You call us individually 00:47 and then how You 00:49 want us to come into community. 00:51 Help us to see that more 00:53 clearly in the Gospel of Mark 00:54 if it's there for us, 00:56 as I believe it is. 00:57 And help us to understand 00:58 its practical implications, 01:01 we ask In Jesus name, Amen. 01:04 We've been walking 01:05 through the parables. 01:06 We've been looking at Mark 4. 01:07 We've been seeing how 01:08 things are building up. 01:09 And I want you to see how 01:12 this is relevant 01:13 when it comes to 01:14 healing insights. 01:16 As were speaking about this 01:17 important dynamic 01:19 not just for God 01:21 to lead you individually, 01:22 but God leads us 01:24 as a body, leads us together. 01:27 As a physician, 01:28 I have seen this 01:28 so many times in my life. 01:31 Yes, God wants you 01:32 to individually know 01:34 what's going on in your body, 01:35 but He often calls you 01:37 to act in community. 01:39 Let me tell you 01:40 what I'm getting at. 01:42 If you go to see your physician 01:44 and your physician recommends 01:47 cancer screening. 01:49 Okay? 01:49 By the way, 01:51 I've had some 01:51 interesting dialogs 01:52 with people over the years 01:53 about how unpleasant 01:54 different types of cancer 01:56 screening are. 01:57 Some are pretty simple, right? 01:58 Maybe it's just a 02:01 a CT scan. 02:02 You know if you've 02:03 got a significant history 02:05 of smoking 02:05 and you've 02:06 reached your fifties? 02:09 It's recommended 02:09 now that you have a screening 02:12 CAT scan every year, a low dose 02:14 CAT scan every year 02:15 to try to pick up on early 02:17 lung cancer. 02:18 Theynot too painful. 02:19 You get a little 02:20 bit of radiation. 02:21 But other cancer 02:22 screenings are 02:23 less comfortable. 02:24 Some of you ladies have told me 02:25 that mammography 02:26 is not all that pleasant. 02:28 I have had 02:29 some colonoscopies in the past 02:31 on a screening basis. 02:33 I would not tell you 02:34 that the prep was pleasant. 02:36 Most people do not 02:38 remember the actual procedure, 02:39 if that's what your fear is 02:41 with the 02:41 modern medications 02:43 that are used. 02:45 But here's what I'm getting at. 02:48 I can't tell you 02:49 how many people 02:50 have disregarded 02:52 recommendations 02:53 of health care providers 02:55 to get appropriate screening, 02:57 they said, But I feel fine. 02:58 I don't need screening. 03:00 Why do we do screening? 03:02 Because you feel fine. 03:04 To detect things in an early, 03:07 treatable state. 03:09 So I would recommend to you 03:10 that you take the counsel 03:11 of your health care providers 03:12 if you really think 03:13 they're off track. 03:14 And by the way, 03:15 I'm not going to say that 03:16 everything I've ever 03:17 said was correct. 03:18 We all we're all human. Okay? 03:20 So if you think 03:21 your health care 03:22 provider is just, 03:23 you know, 03:24 telling you something to do 03:24 that's just crazy, 03:25 get a second opinion 03:27 from another professional. 03:29 Don't 03:30 you be the second opinion. 03:32 They tried to drill this 03:34 into our minds 03:35 in medical school. 03:38 There's different ways 03:39 this aphorism 03:41 has been rendered. 03:42 But one way is he 03:43 who treats himself 03:45 has a fool for a doctor 03:48 and a fool for a patient. 03:51 Okay? 03:51 That's what they tell people 03:52 with medical degrees 03:54 who've gone to residency. Okay? 03:56 So what about you? 03:58 Now, by the way, 03:58 let me tell you the other place 03:59 where counsel comes in 04:01 and I'll just tell 04:02 to be really honest with you. 04:04 And I'm 04:05 not trying to pick on the guys, 04:05 but I found that 04:06 this seems to be 04:07 more of a problem 04:08 sometimes for the men 04:09 that I speak to 04:10 than the ladies. 04:11 But sometimes 04:12 you will be getting counsel 04:13 in your home to do something. 04:16 Maybe it's even from your wife. 04:18 And I have noticed 04:19 that many men 04:21 want to rely 04:22 on their own medical skills. 04:24 Okay? 04:25 When the wife is telling them, 04:26 but honey, 04:27 it seems like your chest 04:28 pain is getting worse 04:29 every time you mow the lawn. 04:31 And he's saying 04:32 it's just indigestion. 04:33 Next time I'm 04:34 going to not eat for three days 04:36 before I mow the lawn. 04:37 Okay? 04:38 No, 04:39 there is another problem 04:40 likely going on. 04:41 Are you following 04:41 along with me? 04:42 So healing 04:43 often comes in community. 04:45 Now, the Gospel of Mark 04:48 has a very 04:49 interesting connection 04:50 with this. 04:52 But before we jump there, 04:53 I want to 04:54 remind you of something, 04:55 because I 04:56 can anticipate 04:56 that some of you are 04:57 sitting here saying, well, 04:58 this is not very spiritual. 04:59 I mean, you might be a doctor 05:01 and you might be a pastor, 05:02 but if you're a pastor, 05:03 you should be just saying 05:04 we should be praying, 05:05 we shouldn't 05:05 be going to doctors. 05:06 It's actually interesting to me 05:09 that the New Testament, 05:10 the healing 05:12 in the New Testament 05:13 is often 05:14 in the context of individuals 05:16 being involved in the process. 05:17 We saw in Mark 3 right? 05:19 That Jesus, well, 05:20 look at Mark 3 with me. 05:22 Look at Mark 3 05:23 when Jesus called 05:24 the disciples. 05:25 What is He calling them 05:27 to be involved with? 05:28 I'm in Mark 3, 05:30 beginning with verse 13. 05:33 It speaks about Jesus 05:35 calling 05:36 these individuals 05:37 to Him 05:37 and in verse 14, 05:39 He first calls them 05:40 to be with Him, 05:41 and then 05:42 it says that 05:42 He might send them out 05:44 to preach 05:45 and to have power 05:47 to heal sicknesses 05:49 and to cast out demons. 05:50 He is commissioning them 05:52 in community 05:54 to be involved 05:54 in healing communities. 05:55 He's not just saying 05:56 go and tell people 05:58 about prayer for the sick. 06:00 This is true 06:01 in James 5 as well. 06:02 In James 5, when James believed 06:06 to be the half 06:07 brother of Jesus, when James 06:10 is writing about a need 06:12 for healing, here's 06:13 what he says. 06:14 Is anyone among you sick? 06:16 Let him do what? 06:17 Let him go to his room 06:18 and pray. 06:19 That's not what he says. 06:20 He says, Let him call 06:22 for the elders of the church 06:23 and let them pray over him, 06:26 anointing him with oil 06:27 in the name of the Lord 06:28 and the prayer of faith. 06:30 The collective prayer of faith 06:32 will save the sick 06:34 and the Lord will raise him up. 06:36 Interesting, isn't it? 06:37 So even when we're dealing 06:39 with difficulties, 06:40 even in the spiritual realm, 06:42 community is first 06:43 and foremost. 06:45 Now, 06:46 if I were to ask you 06:47 this question, 06:48 what is the most personal way 06:51 that God could guide you? 06:53 I don't know what 06:53 your answer would be, 06:54 but it's likely that 06:55 some of you would say, Well, 06:57 the most personal way 06:58 that God could guide me 06:59 is through a vision 07:01 or through a dream. 07:02 I mean, that's pretty 07:02 personal, isn't it? 07:03 You're laying in bed 07:04 and God 07:05 gives you a special dream. 07:08 Does God sometimes do that? 07:10 Yes. 07:11 Back to Mark 4 07:11 because many commentators 07:13 believe that Mark 4 07:14 as it as the parables conclude, 07:16 the final parable in Mark 4 07:18 is actually 07:18 connecting listeners 07:21 Jesus늝arers 07:22 with this dynamic. 07:23 Let's look at it together. 07:25 Jesus says, 07:26 What shall we say 07:27 the Kingdom of God is like, 07:29 or what parable shall 07:30 we use to describe it? 07:31 It is like a mustard seed, 07:33 which is the smallest 07:34 of all seeds on earth. 07:36 Yet when planted, it 07:37 grows and becomes 07:38 the largest 07:39 of all garden plants 07:40 with such big branches 07:42 that the birds can perch 07:44 in its shade. 07:45 If you were living 07:47 in the days of Jesus 07:49 and you had heard Jesus 07:50 speaking these words, 07:52 would your mind have been drawn 07:53 to anything else? 07:55 Now you could say, Well, 07:56 2000 years later, 07:58 how can anyone say 08:00 what someone would have thought 08:02 2000 years ago? 08:03 But many commentators agree. 08:05 If you were in the 08:06 Hebrew mindset of that day 08:07 when you heard Jesus 08:09 tell this parable, 08:11 it is very likely 08:13 your mind would have gone 08:14 to another Bible book, 08:18 the fourth chapter 08:19 of the Book of Daniel. 08:21 Let's look at it together. 08:23 Many of you are familiar 08:25 famous dream, in Daniel 2. 08:28 Nebuchadnezzar 08:29 also has a dream 08:30 in chapter 4 of Daniel. 08:32 And it says There. 08:34 Nebuchadnezzar 08:36 telling the story. 08:37 “The visions of my head 08:39 as I lay in bed were these: 08:40 I saw and behold, a tree 08:43 in the midst of the earth, 08:44 and its height was great... 08:46 The beasts of the field 08:47 found shade 08:48 under it, 08:48 and the birds of the heavens 08:50 lived in its branches 08:52 and all flesh was fed from it.” 08:53 Do you see 08:54 the similarities there? 08:55 So if you're familiar 08:57 with the Bible 08:59 and you're listening 09:00 to the great teacher 09:01 Jesus, and He's talking about 09:03 a parable that involves a tree 09:06 in which the birds are nesting 09:08 in, you are likely 09:11 connecting the dots 09:12 and going back to Daniel 4 09:14 Now, why I think this is 09:15 so remarkable 09:16 is Daniel 4 is underscoring 09:20 the very points 09:22 that we've been making 09:23 to this point in our journey. 09:25 Because God 09:26 speaks directly 09:27 to Nebuchadnezzar. 09:28 He gives him a vision. 09:30 But here's the crazy thing. 09:32 That vision is given 09:33 in a social context. 09:35 Nebuchadnezzar 09:36 gets nothing from the vision 09:38 until God sends 09:41 someone to interpret it. 09:43 Okay? 09:44 And the interpretation 09:46 has social implications 09:48 as well. 09:49 Let's look. 09:50 Here's Daniel's 09:52 interpretation 09:53 of Nebuchadnezzarision. 09:54 “The tree you saw, 09:55 which grew large and strong... 09:57 giving shelter 09:58 to the wild animals 09:59 and having nesting places 10:00 in its branches for the birds - 10:02 Your Majesty, 10:03 you are that tree!” 10:05 And many of you know 10:06 from your study 10:07 of Bible prophecy 10:08 that often a king or 10:10 an individual 10:11 is representative 10:12 of his kingdom. 10:14 So here 10:14 we have the Kingdom of Babylon, 10:15 and it's king 10:17 providing for all nations. 10:20 This is clearly, 10:22 this is clearly ultimately 10:24 a parable of what 10:25 Jesus wants 10:26 to do for all of us. 10:27 Because we remember 10:28 how Daniel's visions typically 10:31 end up the visions 10:32 in the Book of Daniel 10:33 with God setting 10:34 up his kingdom. 10:37 Here, Daniel continues, 10:38 his interpretation. 10:39 “You have become 10:40 great and strong; 10:41 your greatness has grown 10:42 until it reaches the sky, 10:44 and your dominion extends 10:46 to distant parts 10:47 of the earth... 10:48 But here's now the point. 10:50 The most high is sovereign 10:53 over all kingdoms on earth 10:54 and gives them to anyone 10:56 he wishes.” Okay? 10:58 So it looks like you're 10:59 in charge. God has blessed you. 11:02 He's individually ministering 11:04 to you, 11:04 but you are ministered 11:06 to individually, 11:07 so you'll be a blessing 11:08 to others. 11:09 It's only 11:11 blessings coming to you 11:12 so that you'll bless others. 11:15 Think about it this way. 11:17 We've been looking at Mark's 11:19 gospel. 11:19 We've been seeing 11:20 how it's rooted. 11:21 The time frame is rooted 11:23 in the Book of Daniel. 11:24 We've been seeing 11:25 other connections 11:26 with the Book of Daniel. 11:27 I just want you to see this 11:28 as we're 11:29 looking at Mark 4 11:31 that there's also 11:31 these connections there. 11:33 And what we've been 11:33 seeing in Mark's 11:34 Gospel is true In Daniel's 11:36 book. 11:37 Daniel is set 11:38 in a social context 11:40 in the first four 11:40 chapters of Daniel. 11:42 In Daniel 1 11:43 you remember the story perhaps. 11:45 Daniel and his friends 11:47 resolve to be faithful. 11:48 It's not just an individual. 11:50 We come to Daniel 2. 11:53 God answers 11:54 not the prayer of Daniel alone, 11:56 but when Daniel 11:58 and the lives of his 12:00 friends are threatened, 12:01 they're among the leaders, 12:03 the wise men of Babylon. 12:08 When the representative 12:11 wise men, before Nebuchadnezzar 12:12 could not interpret his dream. 12:14 Nebuchadnezzar pronounces 12:15 a death decree 12:16 on the whole group of wise men. 12:18 When Daniel and his friends 12:20 hear that, what do they do? 12:21 They come together in Daniel 2 12:23 and they pray together. 12:25 And what happens? 12:26 God hears 12:27 their corporate prayer. 12:28 Don't miss this. 12:29 Don't miss this. 12:30 Because in Mark 2 12:32 connect the dots with me 12:34 and Mark 2 12:34 do you remember the story, 12:35 how Mark 2 opened up? 12:37 There's this paralytic 12:38 and how does he get in 12:39 the presence of Jesus? 12:41 His friends open up the roof. 12:45 Are you seeing this thing? 12:46 And so you say, Well, 12:47 but you know, I'm 12:48 not sure that all this 12:49 fits together. 12:50 Time and time again, 12:52 we're seeing a recurring theme. 12:54 We're seeing a recurring theme. 12:56 I want you to notice something. 12:57 We mentioned 12:57 the book of Malachi. 12:58 Go to Malachi 3 with me. 13:00 I want you to notice 13:01 one other thing. 13:03 Because although John 13:05 the Baptist 13:06 is the voice in the wilderness 13:08 fulfilling the prophecy 13:10 of Malachi. 13:11 He is in Malachi 3:1, 13:14 God's Messenger 13:16 who prepares the way before me. 13:19 I don't want you to miss 13:21 how Malachi ends. 13:23 Jump to the very last verse. 13:26 What was this 13:27 prophet going to do? 13:29 What is he going 13:29 to set the stage for? 13:31 He will, verse 6 Malachi 4, 13:35 Turn the hearts of the fathers 13:37 to the children 13:38 and the hearts of the children 13:40 to their fathers, 13:41 lest I come 13:42 and strike the earth 13:43 with a curse. 13:44 What I'm wanting you to see 13:46 is that as 13:47 the Old Testament is closing, 13:48 God's calling for a people 13:49 to be connected 13:50 with other people, He's 13:51 calling for a message 13:52 that connects people, 13:53 that connects families, 13:54 that brings us 13:55 in the family relationship. 13:56 And the same thing is happening 13:58 as Mark opens his gospel. 14:00 We're seeing this 14:01 in all these stories. 14:02 In Daniel 14:02 3 It's not just one individual 14:05 who stands up 14:05 in the plain of Dura. 14:06 It's three 14:08 standing in community together. 14:11 Now, here's 14:11 the remarkable things 14:12 about dreams and visions. 14:14 Sometimes the dream or 14:15 vision just like we saw 14:18 in Daniel 14:18 4 And just like 14:19 we see with the parables, 14:20 they're often not apparent. 14:21 Many people 14:22 don't understand them. 14:23 Sometimes the dream vision 14:24 we could say 14:25 the parable 14:25 doesn't make immediate sense 14:27 to the one who receives it 14:28 or the one who hears it. 14:29 However, the message 14:31 often becomes clear 14:32 as events play out, 14:34 as they transpire 14:35 and it's often 14:36 in a social context. 14:37 We see this in 14:38 the Book of Daniel. 14:39 Let's see if it's also true 14:41 in some other places, 14:43 and then we'll see 14:43 how this all brings us 14:44 back to the gospel of Mark. 14:47 In Judges 7 14:48 is one of my favorite stories 14:50 of a dream or a vision 14:52 that absolutely to me 14:54 in my human wisdom 14:55 makes absolutely no sense. 14:57 Okay? 14:58 The context is God's 14:59 people are being overrun 15:01 by the Midianites 15:02 and the Amalekites. 15:03 A vast group, a vast throng, 15:07 decimating the farms, 15:10 pressing down God's people and 15:13 God calls Gideon 15:14 to deliver them. 15:15 Gideon like and I. Who am I? 15:16 What do you want me to do? 15:18 Gideon struggles 15:19 with God's call. 15:20 Many of you know how 15:20 the narrative plays out. 15:22 It gets to the point 15:22 where, finally, Gideon is 15:25 somewhat on board. 15:26 He ends up with an army 15:27 of 32,000 men, and God ends up 15:30 promptly sending all 15:31 but 300 home. 15:33 I mean, 15:34 this would be demoralizing 15:35 for any earthly general, 15:37 wouldn't it be? 15:40 Here's how the story plays out. 15:41 Judges 7:9. 15:44 It happened on the same night 15:46 he just sent the majority 15:47 of his army home. 15:48 This is what God does 15:50 for Gideon. 15:50 The Lord says to him, Arise, 15:52 go down 15:53 against the camp of the enemy, 15:55 for I've delivered it 15:56 into your hand. 15:58 And I think as he's speaking 16:00 to Gideon, he's 16:00 kind of looking like, 16:01 what do you want me to do? 16:02 You螁delivered in my hand 16:03 go down? 16:05 And the Lord says, But, 16:07 but if you're afraid 16:08 to go down, 16:09 go down to the camp 16:09 with Purah your servant 16:11 and you shall hear 16:12 what they say. 16:14 And afterward 16:15 your hands 16:15 shall be strengthened 16:16 to go down against the camp. 16:18 So God is speaking to him 16:21 personally. Right? 16:22 But he doesn't 16:23 just tell him something. 16:24 He says, 16:25 go down to the enemy camp. 16:26 Now. This is dangerous. 16:28 But he's supposed to go down 16:29 and hear what they say. 16:30 How close do you have 16:31 to get to the enemy to hear 16:32 what they're saying? 16:33 Yeah, very, very close. 16:35 So he had Purah go down there 16:37 and it says 16:38 they come to the outpost, 16:40 you know, on the outskirts 16:41 there of the camp. 16:42 And it says they look, 16:45 the Midianites 16:46 the Amalekites, 16:47 all the people of the east. 16:48 They're lying in the valley 16:49 as numerous as locusts 16:51 and their camels 16:52 were without number 16:54 as the sand 16:55 by the seashore in multitude. 16:57 Do you think 16:58 Gideon's confidence is going 17:00 up when he goes down there? 17:02 Every step 17:02 closer, he's seeing more, 17:04 how daunting the enemy is. 17:07 But God told him to go down 17:08 and listen, to hear 17:09 what they're saying 17:11 When Gideon had come, 17:12 there was a man 17:14 telling a dream 17:15 to his companion. 17:17 He said, “I 17:18 have had a dream: 17:20 To my surprise, 17:22 a loaf of barley bread tumbled 17:24 into the camp of Midian; 17:26 It came to a tent and struck it 17:28 so that it fell and overturned, 17:30 and the tent collapsed.” 17:32 And if I was Gideon 17:35 down there 17:35 listening to that 17:36 dream, I'd say 17:36 that is the dumbest thing 17:37 I've ever heard. 17:38 What does that mean? 17:39 That means wait, 17:40 I mean, think about that. 17:41 Some of you know the story, 17:43 But if you're just listening, 17:44 I mean, what does that mean? 17:45 A loaf of barley 17:47 bread hitting a tent, 17:48 knocking it over? 17:50 Now, remember what I'm 17:51 trying to explain to you, 17:52 that even when God 17:54 does something 17:54 individually for you, 17:56 the significance 17:58 of what he's 17:58 doing individually, 17:59 the full meaning 18:00 is only apparent 18:01 when you come into community, 18:03 when there's others with you. 18:05 So there's community 18:06 in the tents of the enemies. 18:08 And when he pronounces 18:10 this vision, 18:11 this dream that he had, 18:14 one of his companions 18:15 says something 18:16 very interesting. 18:18 “This is nothing else but 18:20 the sword of Gideon, 18:21 the son of Joash, 18:23 a man of Israel! 18:24 It's into his hand. 18:25 God has delivered Midian 18:27 and the whole camp.” 18:28 Now when some of you, 18:29 one of you even explain to me 18:31 how you get that interpretation 18:34 out of that vision. 18:36 But God was moving 18:38 in community. 18:39 Do you see what's 18:39 going on here? 18:41 And when Gideon hears it, 18:43 what does he do? 18:44 Praise the Lord, 18:45 Just like Daniel does, 18:46 by the way, in Daniel 18:47 2, praise the Lord. 18:48 Let's go, everybody. 18:49 God has given us 18:51 Midian into our hands. 18:52 This is nothing 18:53 but the hand of God. 18:57 Well, some of 18:57 you are saying, Boy, 18:58 I need such a vision 18:59 or a dream. 19:00 I'll take one of those, 19:01 even if I need someone else 19:02 to interpret it. 19:04 Let me just share something 19:05 with you. 19:06 God's primary 19:08 way of guiding us. 19:09 We're told in the Bible itself 19:10 is through his word. 19:12 Okay? Thy word is what? 19:15 It's a light. 19:15 It's a lamp, right? 19:17 God wants 19:18 God has given us his word 19:19 to communicate to us, 19:21 this is his primary way. 19:23 In my experience, 19:24 many people who come to me 19:25 with dreams, 19:26 I'm not in a position to judge, 19:28 but I will tell you that 19:30 I think a lot of the dreams 19:31 that I've had, in fact, 19:33 I think I can tell you 19:34 all of the dreams I've had. 19:35 I don't think they 19:36 were any special messages 19:37 from God there. 19:38 And here's 19:39 something you can 19:39 take to the bank. 19:41 If you have a dream 19:42 and it contradicts the Bible, 19:45 you can be sure. 19:46 You can be sure 19:47 that's not a dream 19:48 from God, right? 19:49 Because God never 19:49 contradicts himself. 19:52 But I will tell you this. 19:54 Some of you know, 19:55 not all that long ago, 19:56 Sonia and I were 19:57 in the Middle East 19:58 and we heard of 19:59 many people there 20:01 having visions and dreams. 20:04 You say, 20:05 well we could use more of that 20:05 here in North America. 20:07 But let me tell you 20:08 something interesting. 20:08 If you don't know much about 20:10 the Muslim world. 20:13 Many Muslim children are raised 20:18 from their earliest years 20:19 being taught 20:20 that the Bible is 20:22 not trustworthy. 20:24 You cannot trust the Bible. 20:27 This is a very difficult issue 20:30 for many Muslims. 20:31 So even if God is strving 20:33 with the heart 20:34 of a muslim, it's very possible 20:36 that God, 20:37 if He tried to impress them 20:38 to go to the Bible, 20:39 they'd say, well this just 20:40 I mean, 20:41 what what good would that be? 20:44 True story. 20:45 Some of you may 20:46 have heard of Nabeel Qureshi. 20:48 Nabeel wrote the bestselling 20:50 book Seeking Allah 20:52 Finding Jesus. 20:54 At the time of the story 20:55 that I'm going to tell you. 20:56 He, Nabeel, was a devout 20:59 medical student, 21:00 and he was struggling 21:01 with the claims 21:02 of Jesus in the Bible. 21:03 He had had a friend 21:04 who had been witnessing to him, 21:06 and it was challenging Nabeel 21:07 to look into his 21:08 Islamic heritage 21:10 as well as looking 21:11 at the biblical heritage. 21:13 And he was struggling. 21:14 So at this point 21:15 in his journey, 21:15 he recognized that 21:16 he had these biases 21:17 with the Bible, 21:19 and he was asking God 21:21 to do something that had 21:23 actually 21:25 occurred in his family. 21:26 His family had had visions 21:28 and dreams that they believe 21:29 God gave them and led them. 21:30 And Nabeel 21:31 was praying for 21:33 a vision or a dream. 21:36 But God didn't give it to him. 21:38 Not for a week 21:40 or a month, 21:41 but after several months, 21:44 Nabeel shares what happened. 21:48 God had given me a dream. 21:51 And I had what? 21:53 No idea what it meant. 21:58 The quality of the dream 21:59 was unlike any dream 22:00 I'd ever experienced. 22:02 Even while in the dream, 22:03 I had an awareness 22:04 that this was a message 22:05 from God. 22:06 I don't know how I just knew. 22:08 But the dream was cryptic, 22:10 full of symbols 22:12 I did not understand. 22:14 So Nabeel starts 22:16 pondering this dream 22:18 and contemplating it, 22:19 no doubt praying about it. 22:20 He was a praying person, 22:22 and I could read you 22:23 the whole dream. 22:24 But for the sake of time, 22:25 let me just give you 22:26 some of the features 22:27 of the dream. 22:28 There was a poisonous snake 22:30 on a stone pillar. 22:32 There was a huge iguana 22:34 that threatened Nabeel's life. 22:36 There was a giant boy 22:37 who challenged the iguana, 22:39 and there was a huge cricket. 22:41 That's right. 22:41 A cricket 22:42 that ultimately rescued Nabeel. 22:44 How many of 22:44 you know immediately 22:45 Now what this is 22:45 a vision about? 22:47 No you say, like, what is this? 22:49 But he knew it was from God. 22:50 And so as he's 22:51 contemplating this, 22:52 there's some things 22:52 coming to his mind. 22:53 Could it possibly mean this? 22:54 He decides to call someone 22:55 for help, 22:56 and he calls no one but 22:58 his mother. 22:59 His devout Muslim mother, 23:02 who just happens 23:03 to have in her possession 23:05 a muslim book 23:07 on the interpretation 23:08 of dreams. 23:09 And so 23:10 he calls her on the phone. 23:11 He is miles away 23:13 and he tells his mother 23:15 about the dream. 23:17 And as he shares that dream, 23:19 he starts to realize 23:21 that what his mother 23:22 is describing exactly 23:24 fits his own thoughts 23:25 about the dream. 23:26 Let me give you some details. 23:27 His mother said it's a dream 23:29 about someone 23:29 questioning his religion. 23:32 And at that time, 23:32 it doesn't seem his mother 23:33 had any awareness 23:34 that he was questioning 23:35 his religion. 23:35 Nabeel was very active 23:37 an in Muslim activities. 23:38 Was a leader of youth 23:40 and young people in the 23:41 in the Muslim communities 23:42 that he was part of. 23:43 She says to him, 23:45 this dream, the book 23:46 says, is about 23:47 someone's religion 23:48 or the way they see 23:49 the world is changing 23:51 very quickly. 23:53 She went on, 23:54 she said, 23:55 there's a hidden enemy 23:56 that fails 23:57 because of its inability 23:59 to provide proof. 24:00 And this is what Nabeel 24:01 was finding, his own study. 24:02 He was finding, 24:03 even though he thought 24:05 much of the Bible 24:05 story was false, 24:06 he was finding evidence 24:07 after evidence historically 24:09 looking at secular sources 24:11 as well, 24:11 that Jesus really lived, 24:13 that he really did say 24:14 he was God, 24:15 that Jesus really did die. 24:17 He really was crucified. 24:18 You know, 24:19 most Muslims don't believe 24:19 that Jesus was crucified? 24:21 So and he say 24:22 Jesus was crucified. 24:24 You know, 24:24 that's a historical fact. 24:26 And Jesus did 24:27 rise from the dead. 24:28 So he's becoming 24:29 convicted of all these things. 24:30 And then he starts 24:31 using that same analytical mind 24:33 that got him 24:33 into medical school 24:35 to start 24:35 analyzing 24:35 the Koran and the stories 24:37 that he had heard 24:37 about Muhammad. 24:38 And he's finding that 24:40 they lack proof, a hidden enemy 24:44 that will fail 24:45 because of inability 24:46 to provide proof. 24:47 And then his mother said, 24:49 there's a friend 24:50 who will help you overcome 24:51 your enemies. 24:52 He's the bearer of good news. 24:53 He will provide you 24:54 with something you are seeking, 24:56 something that will give you 24:57 an abundant life. 24:58 Wait a minute. 24:59 His mother's words. 25:00 Good news, abundant life. 25:02 Where have you read 25:03 about that before? 25:05 Yes. 25:06 And he's his best friend. 25:08 David Wood 25:09 had been studying the Bible 25:11 with him, 25:11 sharing the good news. 25:13 Do you think Nabeel was able 25:14 to connect the dots? 25:16 Here's what he said. 25:17 I could hardly believe 25:18 what had just happened. 25:19 Every single symbol 25:21 fit perfectly, 25:22 all pointing 25:23 to the interpretation 25:24 that I came up with shortly 25:26 after seeing the dream 25:27 and far from barely fitting, 25:30 they fit almost too well. 25:37 Believe it or not. 25:38 Believe it or not, as 25:39 we go through Mark's Gospel, 25:42 where we will come in 25:43 our next study is to Mark 4. 25:46 And I want you to notice 25:47 what's going to happen, 25:48 because all of this 25:49 is going to come together 25:51 at what next happens 25:53 in the lives of Jesus 25:56 and His disciples. 25:57 Because what 25:58 you're going to see 25:59 is a parable, 26:01 a prophecy in Psalm 107 26:05 will be fulfilled 26:07 at the conclusion of Mark 4. 26:10 A prophecy 26:11 that seemed to be hidden 26:14 for centuries 26:15 now finds its 26:16 ultimate fulfillment 26:18 in the life of Jesus. 26:19 What's the take home message? 26:20 The take home 26:21 messages are twofold. 26:22 God wants to guide 26:23 you individually. 26:25 You can take that to the bank. 26:26 And the other thing is 26:27 God does not guide 26:28 you individual, 26:29 does not guide 26:30 you individually 26:31 to pull you away 26:32 from community, 26:33 but to pull you into community, 26:35 to build one another up. 26:38 May God bless you 26:39 as you contemplate 26:40 those great truths. 26:43 Jesus is indeed 26:45 the Prince of Peace. 26:46 He calls us into fellowship 26:47 with Him 26:48 and into fellowship 26:50 with one another. 26:52 We've tried to provide 26:53 a community 26:54 of healing on our website. 26:56 We've got a variety 26:57 of resources 26:57 that I would encourage you 26:58 to take advantage of. 27:00 We have a weekly radio show. 27:02 We have this weekly 27:04 television broadcast. 27:06 We have free health resources. 27:08 Whether you're trying 27:09 to improve your blood sugar 27:10 or your blood pressure, 27:12 whether you're trying 27:12 to lose weight, 27:13 a host of resources 27:14 all at 27:15 TimelessHealingInsights.org. 27:18 Also, every single televised 27:20 episode has a handout, 27:22 a free handout 27:23 that you can download, 27:24 print out and study further. 27:27 It's my prayer for you 27:28 that God would continue 27:29 to guide you on a journey 27:30 to better health. 27:31 With that in mind, 27:32 let's pray together. 27:33 Father in Heaven, please 27:35 continue to bless us 27:36 as we engage with your Word 27:38 and as we engage 27:39 with one another 27:40 in this world 27:41 where it's so easy 27:42 to find ourselves 27:43 in the midst 27:44 of conflict and stress. 27:45 Let your peace 27:46 come into our lives. 27:47 May we be agents of peace 27:50 in a world 27:50 that is so longing 27:52 for the God of comfort 27:53 and hope. 27:54 Thank you for that promise. 27:57 In Jesus name, Amen. |
Revised 2023-06-26